As I sit here struggling to fill my CV with blissful boasting about how fantastic, academic and creative I am, I thought I'd share all that I have to offer with you guys. I'm currently living the life of an unemployed student, and after the security of always having a job to return to back in Cornwall (even right now it's open to me), it's safe to say I'm no expert at tackling the dreaded CV. 

But I think I'm just about employable...

Curriculum Vitae 

Name: Isobelle 

Age: 19 

Sex: Go on then

My Achievements: 

7 badges

Pokedex - 64

Time - 42:42

Has successfully relived youth several times over by playing Pokemon Yellow on a Gameboy

Ten GCSE's, 1 BTEC, 4 A levels, 1 undergraduate degree in progression and a Hogwart's acceptance letter lost in the post

Skills:

License to defend against attackers in a poor manner of long lost skills (Junior Black Belt)

Can cook a hearty home cooked meal on a student budget

Will take 400 photos on a night out and always manage to make self and friends look repulsive

I'm also really good at collecting 5ps

Previous Employment:

Bakery Assistant - I offered customers my buns and bloomers

Pot washer - I got paid for a job that many students struggle to complete on a daily basis

Cleaner - I cleaned the cottages of Cornwall for uptight elderly city folk

What I can bring to the team:

Free alcohol

The opportunity to laugh at me rather than with me

A full head of red knotted hair to brighten your day

A lack of fashion sense

A really bad sense of humour

The opportunity to watch Harry Potter on repeat

I think I have a high chance of getting employed with this bad boy...

MissIsGoode

It's been a while since I posted a lovely interview with one of my ex freshers', so this week I'd like you to meet Laura from The Scrimpy Student.

What's the best thing about your uni?

Its location, as a geographer everything you need is right on your doorstep.

What's the worst?

The weather - typical Wales - it seems like its always raining!

Have you enjoyed your first year?

I've loved it! I wouldn't change if for the world.

What's your course like?

We get to explore Snowdonia a lot and spend a lot of time at the university research farm.

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

GeogSoc Summer ball was amazing, it was really nice to have everyone together, plus we got to dress up all fancy.

How would you describe your freshers week?

I'd love to say I don't remember because I was drunk all the time, but I wasn't. I didn't really throw myself into the activites as much as I should have done.

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

Well Bangor isn't actually a campus uni, but I lived in the main halls site. The best thing about it is that all your friends are no more than two minutes away, but the worst is the fact that in the rain, even two minutes is a long walk.

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

It's been everything I expected and a heck of a lot more!

What's your best money saving tip?

Shop in Aldi for your fruit and veg - at 39p your can't really go wrong with it.

What's your best way to de-stress?

A movie night with my friends, usually something like Mamma Mia or Love Actually.

What advice would you give to prospective freshers?

Get involved in everything! Just throw yourself into it and enjoy.

Just for fun:

What drinking game would you recommend?

Never have I ever is great for getting to know people, after that you can't beat Ring of Fire.

Any embarrassing moments?

Drunkenly discussing my bra with one of my lecturers wasn't my finest of moments.

What's your best hangover cure?

Sleep. Just sleep through it.

Anything else you want to add?

For those people who are worried and stressed out about going to uni just remember everyone else is as well (I know everyone says that but it's true!) you're all in the same boat, just smile and offer someone a brew. 

If you'd like to know anything more about Laura or Bangor university, head on over to her blog - The Scrimpy Student!

MissIsGoode

As my blogs 1st birthday is on the cusp of September, I think it's only right that I do a giveaway targeted towards freshers'! Have no fear, this doesn't mean only freshers' can enter, because I myself am going into my second year I intend to go to as much of freshers' week as I possibly can, and I'm sure many people I know will still be living the wild life of a fresher.

To be in with a chance of winning my box of goodies, you simply have to enter below, the more entries you make, the more chance you'll have to win!

The one rule is: over 18's only! If I find out you're under 18, I'll have to unfortunately remove you from the competition. After all, the prize is targeted at freshers' and older university students - and also contains alcohol, so I'm not breaking any laws! 

This give away is also unfortunately only available to students in the UK.

So, here's what's in the delightful freshers prize package:

Mini absolute Vodka

Berocca - from doing my freshers interviews, many people have said this is a great hangover cure!

£10 in Wetherspoons vouchers

A mixture of mocha and cappuccino coffee sachets - save these for the morning after

Pack of cards for the ingenious Ring of Fire

Chocolate - comfort food for your arrival

I'd love to give more than one prize away, but unfortunately, despite my best efforts, I'm still a student living in squalor (I joke, my life's pretty peachy, I just don't have the cash to spoil you all!).

Good Luck! 

So, I'm back in my second home - after a brief weekend at my third home (Matt's parents house) and I'm trying my hardest to keep myself busy. I've started on my set reading for next years' modules and have also accomplished the viewing of series 5 of F.R.I.E.N.D.S, fortunately for me, Matt has the whole box set - so food and F.R.I.E.N.D.S may eventually cause me to become obese. 

A few weeks ago I tweeted saying that I didn't understand how people go through Summer without working; I can now answer that question...poverty stricken - hyperbole? Of course not. I lie, it hasn't been that bad for little old me yet, but the big decision to come up here a significant 2 months ahead of our official term date seemed like a fantastic idea at the time...ah doesn't love just muddle up your sensible decision making? 

I'm now deemed as unemployed for the rest of the summer - although I'm on the job hunt daily...in between episodes of F.R.I.E.N.D.S and Family Guy. I've revitalised my CV and trawled the internet for possible employment, so at least my summer is partially productive...right?   

And here's me being super productive by making friends with a horse on our walk into Newcastle:

I've done many posts looking back at my first year, but for those of you who've missed out on some of the antics, I thought I'd compile everything up. The nights out, the break downs, the break ups, it's all here on my little blog. I've held a little back whilst trying to still make this a lovely personal insight into my life as a student. And looking back, it's been a pretty crazy year.

This time last year I was days away from hearing my results, discovering whether my first choice - Keele - would want me like I hoped. As you can guess, they did! With one A, two B's and a disappointing C under my belt, I began blogging, organising and considering all that I could for the big move up to Keele. It was one exciting, stressful, heartbreaking, happy time. As you can tell, I was full of emotions.

I was more excited than anxious to leave the comfort of home, and knew I'd miss people. I also knew my parents had their moments of realisation - much like yours will, even if you do a lot or go to a lot of places without them already, it's a completely different feeling when you return to your actual home, and refer to university as home. I know my parents felt a little hurt by this, I know other's did too, but that's what university should feel like, home. But I, like many, had my moments of homesickness. When I did feel homesick, I never really wanted to tell anyone, I felt silly and petty, and honestly a little weak. But don't feel like I did, you're in a new situation and you're bound to, even if you don't admit it to anyone. You'll have a yearning for some creature comfort that reminds you of home, whether it's your double bed, your pet or even your parents, it happens to the best of us.

I spent the summer working, as many of you who are preparing to go or return to university have probably done this summer - trust me, every penny helps - and working came with its stresses.  My relationship became distant - I wouldn't blame this entirely on work, but more so our fears and silly thoughts of what our future would become and I think anyone in a relationship heading for the university milestone would understand this. I met a few block mates over the internet who were also in relationships and unfortunately almost a year later, none of us are with the original partners we arrived at Keele with. Don't take this as it'll never work! It will - I even offered some advice on how to make it work (okay, so it didn't work for me - but it takes a lot of effort, the energy for which my ex and I no longer had).

It wasn't all negative I swear! There's been plenty of parties, fresher week was nuts, Halloween was pretty crazy too, and refreshers week didn't let us down. Honestly, allow your first year to be your time to go wild - yeah, this isn't the advice parents will give you. Even if you are already wild, embrace it. But learn from your mistakes, or maybe try not to even make them. I learnt rebounds were a terrible idea, sleeping in bus stops and libraries wasn't desirable, last minute deadlines sent even the most organised of people into a fluster and that I'm a real stickler for smashing or losing phones...oh, and that I do love a good plate smashing. I think I've been at my most angry at university, my most confused, my most happy, satisfied, settled. It's a crazy place.

I do believe it's where you find yourself. It may sound lame, but it's a bit like a journey of self-discovery. I came to realise I was naive, I wasn't who I pretended to be, I wasn't 'hard' or 'laddish', I came to realise I care a lot about what people think and that I'm actually pretty sensitive. Block feuds got swept under the rug, and friendships formed from convenience filtered out to find real friends. All in all, I had a crazy yet amazing year, there's a few things I'd change, but that's life. 

My advice to all freshers heading up to uni in a month or so's time is remember to work hard, have an amazing time, and be able to look back a year later and say, yeah, we had a pretty damn good time. 

For me, it's onward to my second year, of work, another relationship involving distance, a house with 5 of my closest Keele friends and an awesome freshers week to look forward to.

Enjoy!

MissIsGoode