Moving out

This week has seen a great change in my life as I have moved in with my boyfriend! We are very lucky in that he has an annex in the bottom of his garden which during lockdown was transformed into our own little space complete with a bathroom, bedroom and living area whilst we save for a proper house.  I have learnt so much during this process and so I thought I would share with you some tips I found as I enter this next step of adult life!

Tip 1 – Know your budget – Moving into your own place whether it be a house, flat or annex is expensive! Especially is it is newly built like ours was.  Things like flooring, paint and furniture is a lot more expensive than you may first think so it is always good to have a rough idea on how much you would like to spend. 

With this in mind, I would also say do your research to find out what you need and work out your budget. I did not realise how much stuff you need! I thought a bit of paint, carpet and wooden flooring would do but no, you need underlay, grippers, door separator thingies (I still don’t know all the things haha!) and it is the little bits like this that can make costs increase especially if you didn’t know you needed them.

If you are moving in with someone else, I would also say it is essential to discuss this together and how you are going to pay for things such as splitting it or monthly payments.

Tip 2 – Choose a theme – Many people would say this is a classic girl thing to say, but my boyfriend was just as excited about getting everything to match and look nice. We discussed it together along with looking at lighting, space and have chosen white, grey and black with hints of colour such as yellow. I found apps such as Pinterest and Instagram so helpful when doing this!

Tip 3 – Shop around – I felt like a proper adult shopping for things like furniture and flooring and it was very exciting!  However, a very important tip I learn would be: don’t just buy the first thing you see because it looks nice or it is cheap. 

We nearly made this mistake on flooring as we found a deal which we thought was good and nearly went for it as the deal was going to end in a few days.  But after talking to my parents, we found there were so many more options out there such as offcuts of carpets or laying flooring down ourselves and ended up finding a much cheaper deal with just as good quality saving us around £200!

So, shop around take pictures and compare prices, talk to friends and family and see what is the best option for you.

Tip 4 – Measure before you buy! Always make sure you have the space before you buy something as there is nothing more frustrating than putting it together to find it won’t fit.  I would also recommend testing paint to before committing to buying a big tub. We just used the roller samples and they were great!

Tip 5 – There are lots of things you take for granted that you forget about such as Wifi, TV, toiletries so remember to take these into consideration when moving especially when thinking about your budget too!

Tip 6 – Discuss -Make sure you are constantly chatting about ideas, making sure things are right, making sure you are both happy.

Tip 7 - Have fun! 

I hope you enjoyed this post and found it helpful.  If you would like to know any more information about moving please let me know in the comments! 

 

This week has been crazy for all as we have seen our world flipped upside down and normality go out the window.  If you have seen my Instagram, some of you will know I really struggled with this the last few weeks hence why I have not posted much this month.  I wanted to stay in bed, cry and shut the the word out until this whole thing went away and I felt really low.  This week, I made a change to my routine and as a result, my mood changed for the better.  So, I thought I would share some tips and ways I have used to get myself out of the dark place during this crazy time in the hope that it will help some of you who may be feeling the same. 

1) Get out of bed, showered and dressed - I have found if I force myself to get out of bed and get dressed I feel so much better already as I feel fresh and ready to start the day. Don't get me wrong, I am not setting an alarm and am still having a lyin, but I am not staying in bed all day. 

2) Go out for your daily exercise - The government have said we are allowed out of our houses once a day so why not make the most of it to get some fresh air! You can go for a run, cycle or walk as long as you follow the social distancing rules it is completely up to you.  I have found by getting myself to do this, it gives me something to do to a) pass time haha, b) have a chance to get out of the house and c) get some fresh air and time to clear my head.  I have loved looking at all the rainbows and artwork in people's windows, it puts a smile on my face each time I spot a new one and reminds me things will turn around and we are all in this together. 

3) Do the things you felt you never had time for - This week I actually read a book, in a week! It was so nice to be able to sit and binge read a book as this is something I love doing but only get the chance when away on holiday and it felt so nice.  So, do those things you have wanted to do for ages but said you were always too busy. Make a cake, finish that scrap book and read that book! 

4) Stay in touch with loved ones - Just because we are in lockdown and can't go and see friends and family doesn't mean you can't still speak to them. We are very fortunate that there are SO many ways we can talk to eachother nowadays from social media, texting and phone calls to facetime and zoom calls!  So, you can still chat to people, catch up, play games and give each other recommendations on stuff to do . 

5) Make a list - sometimes making a list helps me feel better as I work my way through it and tick tasks off.  Even my grandma has found doing this and really breaking it down has helped cheer her up as she gets bits done.  You can put it one big task such as get up and ready for the day or if you want you can break it down such as get out of bed, shower, get dressed and eat breakfast. By doing this can be good start point to help you get out of that dark place. 

I hope you have found this useful.  If you have any tips on how to keep positive in this crazy time, please let me know! 

Stay safe, stay home.

Having a car at uni

I have been driving now for 4 years with a Kia as my first car (which I had throughout college and during my first year at uni), a Ford as my second and I am now back in a Kia.  If I’m honest I used to hate driving as I was also so worried about crashing.  I used to avoid cities and would even try to avoid rush hour by arriving to college 45 minutes early, which also meant I could attempt to park my car without everyone watching!  This meant that when it came to going to university in Birmingham, there was no way I was going to bring my car! 

There were many reasons other than the fear of driving in the second largest city in the UK that contributed to the decision not to bring my car during my first year at university:

1)    I was sharing Olly (my first car, a little white Kia - yes he does have a name!) with my sister.  This meant that I couldn’t take it to uni as she was using it to learn to drive.

2)    I was worried I would become “the driver” and have to ferry people around everywhere and I knew I would feel awkward asking for fuel money as I know we are all students and money can be tight.

3)    I was living in student accommodation where everything from the station and shops to uni and the clubs was a short walk away.

I will admit that there were times when I felt very lazy and didn’t want to walk to the station with my heavy suitcase so did use Uber's, however, it wasn’t very often because everything was so close. It wasn’t until moving into a house in second year where I felt the need to have my car.

I am currently staying in a student house in Edgbaston, meaning things are a walk away still, but just a lot further of a walk.  University isn’t too bad at 30 mins, Morrison’s is also a mere 20-minute walk. However, places like the station, the Bullring, clubs/pubs late at night are some routes I don’t feel comfortable walking due to the time of day or the distance. It was during the first few months in second year that I was spending way too much on Ubers to and from places. After landing a job in Redditch, I knew I needed a car as train and taxi fares were far out of my budget. So I bought a little Ford - Ben which was later replaced by a Kia - Simon.

Now in my third year and have had my car at university for the past two years, I have seen it’s pros. I was able to simply get in my car and drive home when I needed instead of having to wait for a convenient train time and arranging taxis etc. I can go to my favourite superstore and not have to worry about the long walk with heavy bags.  And, I haven’t found myself being “the driver” as I have been strict on fuel and driving people from the start.

I would say that having a car can be tough at university as it is an extra cost you have to account for, especially when thinking about fuel or if something were to go wrong with the car.  However, it has helped me make an extra step into the world of life and I have learnt more about what you have to deal with in life.

I am glad I didn’t have a car in first year as I don’t think I would have used it, but now I am in third year and living slightly further out, I am glad I have one.

I hope you found this useful.  If you have any questions, please leave a comment!

10 Tips for students

Having been at university for two years now, I feel I have learnt a great deal of tips and tricks for students that I thought you ought to know.

Tip 1: Be open minded to meeting new people – By this, I simply mean don’t judge a book by its cover. This is especially key in first year when trying to make friends and moving into student accommodation. Whilst being at university, you will meet people from all different countries and backgrounds that range across all ages. Even in my third year, I am still meeting new people. Long story short, is someone who you may think looks quite scary or weird even, could turn out to be a great friend who you keep for life.

Tip 2: Be open minded to trying new things – When I came to uni, it felt like a fresh start for me to try new things. You can interpret this how you want, but for me it meant trying new sports (such as cheerleading), volunteering for events and applying for jobs I normally may have avoided in the past.

Tip 3: Use all resources given to you – We are paying a lot of money (around £9,000 a year!). So why not make the most of it! I know a lot of resources can be accessed online but things like the library can be a great resource to use when writing assignments. The Academic Skills Centre or similar can be amazing for checking any work or helping understand assignment briefs and is a resource I can highly recommend! I am lucky that my university has a centre for helping students apply for jobs along with so many other resources to help you not just whilst at uni, but also after.

Tip 4: Know your deadlines – This sounds like such a crazy thing to advise but I do know people who forgot their deadlines or got the day wrong and got into a right pickle. So, get organised early, know when your work is due and don’t leave it all to the last minute just in case!

Tip 5: Read, Read, Read – You may be sick and tired of hearing your lectures say this in your first and second year. But now I am in my third year, I can honestly say this will save your life when it comes to writing your assignments. Without reading, you have no resources to back up your points and can’t get a good grade. Some people will read this and think “I don’t have to do this until third year,” but if you get into the habit of doing it on your first ever assignment, when it comes to your dissertation, you will be a pro and essay writing will be easy.

Tip 6: Always make two copies – I find having a copy of your work on a laptop and a memory stick means if one gets lost or deleted by accident, at least you have a spare. You could even have a paper copy too if you prefer!

Tip 7: Not always perfect – First years especially should know that your first ever draft of an assignment is not going to be perfect. The change from college to university can be quite a big jump as the style of writing is completely different. Don’t panic if your first draft isn’t the way you want it. You can write as many as you want! This is where you need to combine this tip with that of 3 and 4 where if you start early, you can do this and use the resources provided by the uni to help improve. I have found that coming back after the holidays, even after 2 years of essay writing can affect my writing as it takes a while to get back into it.

Tip 8: Get yourself out there – I have only recently learnt the importance of this one but it is something I am going to try and do this year. By getting your name out there, it can give you more opportunities to meet new people and stand out. No matter what industry you are in, I strongly believe that it is not all about what you know, but who you know. So, volunteer for everything from student rep to a marketing opportunity to a chance to work in your dream industry. This could even be trying your hardest during first and second year so you stand out to future employers and lecturers ready for third year. Don’t hold back and go for it!

Tip 9: Mind food – I have found that quick easy to eat on the go snacks are a life saver at uni to give me a bit of brain food between lectures when I am feeling a bit run down. I love go ahead bars, Nature Valley honey and oats bars and of course you can’t beat a cheeky chocolate bar or cake! A bottle of water is also a good shout as there is nothing worse than being in a lecture theatre with a headache.

Tip 10: Make every moment count – Again, this is something I have learnt more now I am going into my final year, but something I will never forget. University flies by- this is no understatement. Yes, there are the odd days that drag, but the year as a whole goes way too quick! Therefore, I suggest you make every day count. As much as you should try and focus on your work, remember to have fun and create as many memories as possible. You may not have this opportunity again.

I hope you have found these tips useful. I was very nervous when starting uni, so little tips like this were helpful and I hope they will help some of you too. If you have any tips or tricks you have learnt whilst being at university please share them in the comments!