MissIsGoode: May 2013

Freshers' End | Chloe - Manchester Met University

By Unknown - 18:14

Chloe is 18 from Sheffield and is living on campus at Manchester Metropolitan University studying Physiotherapy.

Photo courtesy of Chloe

What's the best thing about your uni?

I think the location has to be my favourite thing. I love Manchester because there's so much to do and it's always packed with students, which means cheap nights and student discounts!

What's the worst?

For me, it's probably that the MMU union is terrible! Friends at different universities seem to have really good unions where they can get cheap drinks and socialise with lots of new people, however, MMU's is more like a BHS cafe!

Have you enjoyed your first year?

Definitely! I am so glad I chose to come to university as I've really enjoyed being a fresher in such a great city!

What's your course like?

To start with I found the course very daunting and overwhelming as there was such an intense amount of work. However, as the year went on, I got to grips with the workload and found it a lot easier and more enjoyable.

What's the best memory you've had of your first year?

Oh gosh, there have been so many! Going on nights out with people from my block and course have been so much fun and also resulted in so many horrendously embarrassing videos haha!

How would you describe your freshers week?

Mad. Going out 8 nights in a row with uni in the morning was an absolute killer, but was also so much fun! Deciding how drunk to get around new people is always tricky, you don't want to embarrass yourself, but then again you're all in the same situation so it was hilarious to be honest. Meeting so many new people in the first week was amazing, everyone was so friendly and chatty, you really felt like you could speak to anyone!

What's the best and worst things about on campus?

The best thing is that you're so close to the uni. Being able to leave in the morning at 8:50 is such a luxury! The worst thing is probably the constant noise at night, which can get very annoying when you're trying to sleep, there's always someone somewhere having a pre-drinks party.

Has university disappointed you or would you sat it met/exceeded your expectations?

It has definitely exceeded my expectations in terms of the uni experience. Living away from home has been such a great experience as I've met so many new and different people, who ordinarily I may have never socialised with. As far as the course goes, I didn't really know what to expect when I started so it all came as a bit of a surprise to me! However, I have come to love my course, even though it is hard, it's very rewarding and interesting too.

What's your best money saving tip?

I would say definitely budget your money, go for the alcohol on offer and grab as many freebies in fresher's week as you possibly can!

What's your best way to de-stress?

For me, going into town and doing a bit of retail therapy always relaxes me. That is, until I see my bank balance!

What advice would you give to the freshers of next year?

Just have fun and enjoy yourselves, you're only a fresher once!

Just for fun:

What drinking game would you pass on to the fresher's of 2013/14?

Ring of fire and F*ck you are always winners!

Any embarrassing moments?

Getting kicked out of Tiger Tiger for being too drunk wasn't one of my finest moments...

What's your best hangover cure?

A McDonald's meal!

If you'd like to know anything more about MMU or Chloe's course, get in contact with me - missisgoode@gmail.com - and I'll get you in contact with Chloe.

MissIsGoode

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Keele University

KUBEfest

By Unknown - 17:13

Yesterday,our student radio station - KUBE - put on a great mini 12 hour festival at one of the on campus bars - The Pig and Rat - known as KUBEfest.

The 12 hour event offered us alcoholic and non-alcoholic shisha's, a BBQ, summer cocktails and the expectation of 'live music from a plethora of bands, along with a selection of DJs as the sun starts to set' and we were not disappointed. The sun was fantastic during the day and I really didn't make the most of it not, I didn't end up joining the festivities until 4pm. By 8pm the cold started to get to everyone, making the crowd pour into the small bar dance floor for a fabulous evening of dancing and drinking.

Despite the fact that I didn't spend as much time at KUBEfest as I could have done, due to being distracted by food and a film with two of my friends later followed by an early night - 12:30am - I still had a brilliant time. The highlight of the day/night was definitely seeing my friends band Clock House - who have since been renamed as Parisian Youth Culture - play a brilliant set, and then later on in the night an amazing DJ set from Basement Jaxx, Ami Carmine.

The fantastic Ami Carmine hard at work entertaining the KUBEfest crowd.

Fi, myself and Ami Carmine.

We just had to get a picture with her - despite how rough I looked - but it was love.

It was a different kind of night out, going from hanging out in our usual day clothes to partying in them was definitely unusual, but the atmosphere was so chilled out that it didn't seem to matter to anyone that so many people looked unprepared to party. Everyone went for it and seemed to have a great night!

There's two more big events to go - the biggest being Woodstoke, which I'm really looking forward to. KUBEfest was a great start to the end of year celebrations, but I'm still trying to get my head round the fact that we're at the end of the year!

A big thanks to the organisers and the performers of KUBEfest, who really did a great job!

MissIsGoode

4 Comments

Freshers End

Freshers' End | Charlie - University of Exeter

By Unknown - 17:45

Charlie (left) 19, is from Cornwall living off campus at the University of Exeter, studying Physics.

Photo courtesy of Charlie

What's the best thing about your uni?

The best thing here is the atmosphere, it's very calm and has lots of countryside, but also has a reasonable night life and lovely people.

What's the worst?

The worst thing is the price, the accommodation here is ridiculously priced and the living costs are higher than I had expected.

Have you enjoyed your first year?

Yes, very much! I've had a great year, met some amazing people and I've had lots of fun.

What's your course like?

My course is very hard, it takes a lot of work to keep up and we have assessed problems each week. Though, I did expect a lot of work when I chose physics, and the course here is really interesting and has (mostly) great lectures.

What's the best memory you've had?

That's a tough one, so many things have been good for different reasons. There was obviously freshers, and a particular party a couple of months ago that springs to mind, that was pretty intense, half the uni seemed to show up to it. There's also other things that have been great that haven't involved drinking, such as a TEDx conference I was able to attend recently.

How would you describe your freshers week?

Manic. It was a mental week, though specifics are difficult with that one due to the sheer volume of alcohol. It was really good fun being thrown in at the deep end with no one you know, armed with only beer.

What are the best and worst things about living off campus?

The best thing is the flats, where I live is really nice; I have an en suite and my flatmates are awesome (well, all but one - but you can't get along with everyone). The worst is the price, it's far too expensive! Though that can be said for most of Exeter. Also, the hill to the physics building is a real pain in the ass.

Has university disappointed you or would you say it met/exceeded your expectations?

It far exceeded my expectations. The course is great, the campus is great, I can't really complain.

What's your best money saving tip?

Pasta...if your food is beige, your food is cheap.

How do you de-stress?

I either go to the gym or just get pissed.

What advice would you give to freshers next year?

Have fun! It's only first year so keep calm and don't stress out too much, though remember to work when it matters and learn all the important shit.

Just for fun:

What drinking game would you pass onto the freshers of 2013/14?

Ah it doesn't tend to matter what game, they all do the job!

Any embarrassing moments?

I drank 2 bottles of wine before a pub crawl with the rock climbing society, needless to say, after a few extra Guinnesses, I was just a mess. As a group we were tied together via harnesses and forced through challenges, such as convincing people we were the bondage society, and climbing bus stations.

What's your best hangover cure?

Resolve sachets, a cold shower and lots of coffee.

If you'd like to know any more about Exeter University or Charlie's course, get in contact with me - missisgoode@gmail.com - and I'll put you in contact with Charlie.

MissIsGoode

0 Comments

Freshers End

Freshers' End | Jo - University of Manchester

By Unknown - 17:02

0 Comments

Freshers End

Freshers' End | Cecily - University of Liverpool

By Unknown - 20:06

I was inspired by fellow blogger Liv (check out her blog too!) to interview freshers' about their first year experience. I've gone up and down the country (via social networks) and found myself a great lot of freshers' finishing up their first year. First things first, fresher number one:

Cecily (center) is 19, originally from Cornwall, living off campus at the University of Liverpool studying Occupational Therapy.

What's the best thing about your uni?

The best thing about Liverpool is the size of the city and the nightlife. Everyone is so friendly, especially the scouse taxi drivers. A night out here is like no other. Everyone is so glamorous and it has officially made me addicted to fake tan. There are so many nightclubs to choose from you honestly have no excuse not to go out.

What's the worst thing about your uni?

The halls are a bit grotty, especially off campus, most of the halls are catered. In all fairness though, you just get used to them. At first I hated sharing 2 showers and 2 loos with 10 other people, but as a student you don't expect the Ritz.

Have you enjoyed your first year?

I've loved first year, its been hard being so far from home at times but now I don't want to go back. I've made so many new friends through housemates and the course.

What's your course like?

My course is pretty full on, there's a lot of contact hours and lectures, but I don't mind as it's leading me to my dream job, and my friends on the course are going to be friends for life.

What's the best memory you've had of your first year?

Probably meeting everyone and finding out I had so much in common with them! And also being able to go out whenever I want, without worrying (as those who live in Cornwall will understand) about how I'm going to get home.

How would you describe your freshers week?

Freshers week was actually a huge blur! I honestly don't remember half of it (drink moderately kids!). I remember having leaflet after leaflet shoved under my door about club nights and endless silent discos and traffic light parties. I went out most nights par 2, and yeah it was good, but I would say that some of my best nights have actually been further on in the year, when you've made your friendship groups. Half of the people I went out with in freshers I hardly ever see or speak too now.

What's the best and worst things about living off campus?

Living off you live more like a student. The halls I'm in I would consider to be the most social, and it's where most of the UK students are. The on campus accommodation, I've been told, is a lot more isolated. The thing you have to compromise in order to really experience the social aspect of Uni life at Liverpool is the sacrifice of having self catered accommodation. The food is pretty crap but everyone is eating the same thing and there is always a cooked breakfast (with lots of bacon!) on hand when you are suffering from a really bad hangover!

Has university disappointed you or would you say it met/exceeded your expectations?

From seeing my brother and sisters all go to uni and love it, I would say that it has met my expectations. I didn't have the ensuite that they all did but actually I think I've experienced real student life in my first year! I've had my phone stolen, lost my keys, my bankcard and even got a black eye (not in a fight though!). I'm pretty sure none of my siblings experienced that, so in my eyes, I've loved it!

What's your best money saving tip?

If you come up north, then it is possible to go on a night out with a tenner - so don't take out more than you need to! And save up before you come to uni, because my first student loan payment came in 2 weeks late, and I ended up spending £300 in freshers from my savings.

What's your best way to de-stress?

Go shopping, go and see your housemates, the usual stuff really. At home I'd usually have a bath, but in halls that would be more stressful than relaxing.

What advice would you give to the freshers of 2013/14?

Don't worry about the lecture the next morning, most people are hungover too. Speak to everyone even if you don't think you'll get on with them later on. Remember: everyone is in exactly the same boat as you.

Just for fun:

What drinking game would you pass onto the freshers of 2013/14?

Ring of fire!

Any embarrassing moments?

Oh, plenty!

What's your best hangover cure?

Berocca, and a cooked breakfast, but NO DAIRY!

Any last words?

HAVE FUN!

If you'd like any more information about student life at the University of Liverpool, contact me, and I'll get you in contact with Cecily.

MissIsGoode

4 Comments

Personal

Race for Life

By Unknown - 17:16

2 Comments

Student life

Finishing First Year

By Unknown - 14:14

0 Comments

recipes

Sausage Casserole and Mash Recipe

By Unknown - 17:33

I once again go for an unconventional recipe here, it's technically not a casserole, there is no casserole pot involved. But the incorrect equipment doesn't equal a rubbish meal! I hadn't tried this recipe before, but I had a brainwave around campus, grabbed the stuff I wanted to put in it and winged it! Turned out brilliantly if I do say so myself - and was then confirmed by my very honest boyfriend.

Photo courtesy of Matt Thompson

Sausage Casserole and Mash

Recipe for 2

Ingredients:

4 sausages

1 large onion

1/2 red pepper

2 large potatoes

2 Oxo cubes

Method:

Fill a medium sized saucepan half way with water and leave to boil on a medium heat.
Heat a large saucepan with oil (1 tlbsp) on a medium heat, and add a pinch of salt and pepper.
Take your four sausages (and optionally) slice in halves width ways.
Once the saucepan of oil is heated, throw in the sausages and stir around every now and then to ensure they don't stick.
Cut up your onion and pepper into small slices and once the sausages have been browning off for 10 minutes, add the onion and pepper.
Make sure there's enough oil in the pan to avoid anything sticking, and once again stir every once in a while.
Whilst these infuse, peel and chop your potatoes into medium sized chunks (about the average size of a roast potato) and add these to the now boiling medium sized saucepan of water.
In a measuring jug, add the two Oxo cubes and 300ml of boiling water, then stir until these dissolve.
Pour the gravy into the large pan with the sausages, stir, turn down to a low heat and cover.
This is the moment you can sit back and relax for a lovely 20 minutes (it's worth giving both a stir every once in a while)
After this break, the potatoes should be softening up and the gravy should have thickened, if not, crush another Oxo cube into the pan.
If the potatoes are almost done (soft and fluffy) turn the heat up to medium on the sausages and leave the lid on to allow it to simmer.
Once the potatoes are cooked through, drain and add a tlbsp of butter, then mash (either with a masher or fork) until smooth and as lump free as possible (it can be a bit tough with a fork to achieve this)
Serve the mash up on the plate piping hot alongside the sausage casserole, season and enjoy!

MissIsGoode

2 Comments

Student life

Ways to Save Money at University

By Unknown - 14:56

Students treasure every penny, let alone the £'s - so I thought I'd give some of my student tips to keep your pocket full (as full as a students pocket gets!) whether it's £1 or much more!

A little advice to Keele students - every £1 you save is one you can spend at the shot bar!

1. Take snacks to the library with you

When you're aiming to do some hardcore revision or finish up that blasted essay, you're likely to work through your usual food breaks, so instead of taking a trip to the shop and spending a few quid on a meal deal, take some lunch from home.

2. Share washes

Most students will understand the pains of using laundrettes, and I've always found it more convenient when I have a small load to pair up with someone who also doesn't have too much to wash. That way you'll half the cost and both of you have clean clothes! Alternatively, let your washing piling up for so long that you have plenty for a big wash (that's the way many of us did it, but mainly because we couldn't be bothered to do our washing).

3. Avoid catching taxis unnecessarily

If the place you need to go is on a bus route, use the bus! If the weather's nice and it's in walking distance, walk! It's as simple as that. There's no need to catch taxis unless you've got a lot of luggage or the place you're going is a treck (by that I mean miles not minutes) from the bus stop - it'll save you pounds!

4. If you do catch a taxi, share it

Everyone knows sharing a taxi is the easiest way to save money, and I have before shared with a stranger (she was a very friendly girl from Russia) and saved myself £2.50. Just make sure everyone puts their part of the fare in!

5. Get a bus pass

In second and third year I lived in the town next to my uni which meant that I caught a bus to university three/four days a week. Rather than getting my usual £1.75 single student ticket (one way as students can't get a return) I bought a ten day ticket which saved me a few pound and some of my friends who caught the bus more frequently or had more to catch bought a 3 month pass. They're always ways of saving, even if it's not a lot!

6. Don't get roped into buying takeaways

You'll be surprised how much you can spend on takeaways as a student, there are some great deals but even Domino's 'Two for Tuesday' usually comes in over £20 - even between 4 of you that's still one expensive meal!

7. Cook from scratch

I'm not a huge fan of ready meals and believe they're a waste of money. Learn to cook and make yourself a lovely meal! You'll be surprised how much you can save by avoiding the ready meals!

8. Learn to freeze

When you're eyes are bigger than your belly, it's always best to freeze the leftovers and you can use it for another day, saving you having to fork out for another meal the next day.

9. Arrange cheap days out

Rather than splurging on a big day out so you're entertained for the day and end up spending £40 why not grab a few friends and all chip in a few quid for a picnic at the park, or a BBQ - especially when it's good weather.

10. Never ever ever take your bank card on a night out

So you take a tenner in cash on a night out, you drink that down and you grab your bank card to drunkenly withdraw another ten pounds. We've all done it, right? But stop! You can save yourself so much money by leaving the bank card at home and limiting yourself to a small amount of cash - not only will your pocket thank you, your liver will too!

11. Voucher deals
Signing up to various restaurant mailing lists and also things like Groupon and Wowcher can save you loads of money on things for special occasions or just a treat!

12. Keep an eye out for alcohol deals

Most of the students I know can't bring themselves to buy the paint stripper named 'own brand vodka' so we still buy big(ish) brands (to be honest it's often still Glenn's or Russian Standard), but never at full price! It'll usually save you £2-£3 by keeping an eye out for the deals.

13. Find a shopping and cooking partner

I know many students who often eat due to boredom so if you partner up with a friend and all the food you have is food to share, you're less likely to pick at something that's not all yours. My shopping always comes to a cheaper total when I share with someone too, it's easier to plan what you cook and stick to it with a friend to share it with.

14. Which leads to...DO NOT impulse buy

You may not even know you're doing it, but when you sneak several cream eggs into your trolly because they were on a '2 for 1' deal you don't realise you've wasted money. How much did you really need those cream eggs? And how much money would you save if you took that cheeky bit of chocolate out? £1 or £2?

15. Look out for deals on meat

Meat is quite expensive, so look out for good offers on both fresh and frozen. Sainsbury's do a brilliant '3 for £10' offer which meant that this week I got pork chops, minced beef, and a whole chicken at £3.33 each. Buying them on this deal saved me £3.51. Morrison's do a similar deal and there's plenty of others around too!

16. Learn to portion correctly

Students will buy a 1kg bag of pasta for just over a pound and within 2 days half of it's already gone. We're rubbish at portions and I'm sure plenty of people can put their hand up and agree they are too. So I usually say a handful and a half of pasta per person usually does the job. Not needlessly debilitating your stocks will save you money on your next shop!

17. Avoid the yearly gym membership if you're never going to use it

If you use it, great! If you don't, stop kidding yourself. You can save over £100 by not buying a membership in the first place!

18. Avoid the addiction of campus coffee breaks

If you don't have that 'before lecture coffee' on campus each morning you'll save yourself £1-£2 everyday! Instead, take a travel mug with coffee from home.

19. Dry your clothes in your room

Dryers are usually available in the laundrette but buying a clothes horse is a much better investment. Yeah, your room may smell like wet clothes and fabric softener for a few hours, but you've just saved yourself £1-£2! (be sure to keep the room well aired though!)

20. Don't waste money on big brand fizzy drinks

Okay yes, they do taste different to the cheap stuff but most brands these days tend to be really expensive, you can save yourself £1 or more by buying own brand fizzy drinks.

21. Get a soft drink with your burger at 'Spoons

The offer they give is amazing none the less, but buying a soft drink rather than a beer when you get a burger in Wetherspoon's can save you exactly £1.

22. Drink tap water

I drink about 2 - 3 litres of water a day these days so I never rely on buying bottled water when I'm out, unless I have a long day and have forgotten my trusty bottle in the first place! Buying a fresh bottle of water on campus everyday can total up to £5-£7 a week! So ditch it.

23. Don't buy into Graze boxes

Don't get me wrong, I love these ingenious little boxes and I originally suggested they'd be a fantastic idea to help you have nibbles rather than spending loads on snacks and I know many students who buy them. However, Graze boxes are expensive for only a few little nibbles.

24. Go for the early bird

There's always a lot of events at Keele university and many, very gratefully, offer an early bird ticket with between £3-£5 off. So we always try our hardest to get in early to save those extra few pounds!

25. Hop on a mega bus

This is most definitely the way I've saved money since being at uni! Living in Cornwall, 307 miles away from Keele, it was costly to get back home. So I saved well over £20 - £30 travelling on the mega bus. Though some real creeps travel on it. I had a man try and stroke me from Birmingham to Bristol when there was a full coach and no seats to move to. It was a late night one too, so I didn't want to make a fuss and wake every one...he also typed out on his phone that he liked me. The only words spoken between us were me saying 'please stop stroking me' - so, yeah, just stay safe.

26. Shop cheaply

I often buy from Primark and almost always shop in the sales. I'm not brand crazy which is helpful to my spending, so buying a £4 top in Primark beats spending £16 on a Hollister vest!

27. Do it yourself

I haven't tried it myself, but I know of many people who accessorise their own clothes by going to Haberdashery shops. So the difference between those plain wedges (that you can stick your own studs on) and those studded wedges, is £4 - £5! And you'll even have plenty of studs left over to redesign your next item!

28. Control your make-up splurging

I know how easy it is to want the best make up you can possibly buy, but I still stick to cheap make up so I don't feel guilty spending over £20 on something that I wipe off everyday! The current make up I use has saved me over £10 after switching from Maybelline.

29. In general, buy own brand in the supermarkets

I don't usually go for the 'saver' brands at supermarkets, but just their own brand affordable products. This tends to mean you save a few quid on your shop overall!

30. Make a meal plan

I've left this until last to keep you thinking! Many people I know go shopping with no idea what they're about to buy or are going to cook for the week and this is the easiest possible way to go overbudget by much more than just a £1, so make sure you meal plan and you can save much more than you think!

I hope my student saver tips are helpful, possibly to more than just students!

MissIsGoode

0 Comments

Student life

Ways to De-Stress at University

By Unknown - 14:57

So deadline time has come around again (and bloomin' quickly might I add). We're all held up in our rooms or in the library, reaching word counts and revising in a panic, but there's always time to have a break and relax a bit.

I thought I'd give a few helpful ideas of how to relax when it comes to taking your mind off of your work for just a short while - it's likely that drinking would be our first plan of action, alas, we need to focus on the deadlines first, so give some of these a try instead!

Enjoy the weather

Okay, so it's only just started to brighten up and hasn't it decided to come at an oh so convenient time? But we'll have to make the most of it. If you need to use a computer, or the library, step away from the books and technology for a moment, meet a group of friends and go outside for a stroll. If you're simply revising and only need your books, take them outside and find a quiet spot and revise in the sun!

Look out for university events

Many universities, around stressful periods, offer daytime events that give you some time to de-stress and hang out with your friends, so keep an eye out for such things. Keele for instance holds a 'De-stress Summer Fete'.

Go out for lunch

Get yourself completely off campus for just a few hours, temporarily leave all the essays and revision behind simply to relax and push your work to the back of your mind with a nice meal out with someone or a group of friends. Maybe even do a cheeky bit of retail therapy and treat yourself!

Quite simply, don't stress yourself out

If you put the effort in, revise hard enough and believe in yourself you've no reason to stress out. The key thing is to not let the work get on top of you, you're bound to stress yourself out if you don't leave yourself enough time to get everything done.

But once it's done, it's done. Look ahead to the summer you have to enjoy but don't forget about the good results you want!

What are the ways you de-stress during busy times in your life?

MissIsGoode

2 Comments

Freshers' End | Chloe - Manchester Met University

KUBEfest

Freshers' End | Charlie - University of Exeter

Freshers' End | Jo - University of Manchester

Freshers' End | Cecily - University of Liverpool

Race for Life

Finishing First Year

Sausage Casserole and Mash Recipe

Ways to Save Money at University

Ways to De-Stress at University

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