A Little Bit Of Laura: Students

In lifestyle, Students

A Student's Day Out in London

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, by Anonymous

In 10 things, Funny

10 Lies 2nd Year Students Tell...

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, by Anonymous

In Blog, Blogger

University Advantages and Disadvantages

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, by Anonymous

In 2nd year, graduates

Confessions of a 2nd Year Student..

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, by Anonymous

In anxiety, college

Sometimes in life, we are approached by opportunities that leave us questioning whether or not we should cross over the bridge to a possible future or stay put for fear of losing what we already have. This will occur a lot in life- sometimes the bridges are tiny but sometimes they are huge.

These bridges could come in the form of a new relationship or friendship, or a new job/career or even a chance to start college or university. What ever shape of form these opportunities come in, we should look at them with care. Making decisions can be very hard and sometimes all it does is highlight our uncertainty in what we want to get out of life- this then leads to many, many headaches. But alas... relax. Everyone has to make hard choices every now and again, just like you. Perhaps it isn't so much the decision that is hard for you-perhaps it is what comes afterwards that causes your head to hurt and the anxiety to begin. For example starting a new job can be daunting. It's all very exciting when you hear that you have been successful in earning the job but what comes next tends to be anxiety mixed with feelings of doubt, nerves and worry. You end up asking yourself 'Will I like the job?' or 'Will I make friends?'. Then you end up telling yourself 'Everything will probably go wrong!' or 'You'll be too nervous to talk to people!'. But why? You don't know how things will go and putting ideas such as these in your head will only prevent you from attempting to enjoy work/make friends.

If we approach things will a little more ease, and with less worry and anxiety, we probably will feel a lot more comfortable. When we are comfortable, we are relaxed and we can start to enjoy ourselves and be ourselves with the people around us. I know it isn't easy, and we can just tell ourselves to snap of of it, but the realisation will be the start of turning around your emotions.

How I try to look at things:

I am usually a nervous wreck, and everything written above is largely based on my own feelings and experiences. However I know that most people also feel this way about situations that they feel they have no control over. So here are my tips to help get through things:

1.) Remember you DO have control over things. You control how you act and behave. So it is up to you whether you choose to do something or not. No one can make you do anything. If you are not happy or comfortable doing something, then do not settle for it or do it.

2.) If you, like me, get really nervous before things (e.g. entering a room full of new colleagues who all know each other) count to 10 in your head and breath. Knowing that in ten seconds you have to do something ( walk into room) allows you to prepare yourself and also relax. If you aren't counting then perhaps you may never want to enter the room- however counting to 10 prompts you to do it! I have found this to help a little with nerves.

3.) Remembering that time only goes on. Time cannot stop or go backwards. Time is only moving forwards. So if you're worried about a long period of time, just remember that each minute, each second even, you are closer to the end of that time period and a step closer to achieving.

4.) My motto when doing something nerve wracking is 'You'll get through this'. I use this because yes, we spend so much time worrying about something and telling ourselves 'I can't do this!', when in fact of course we can! You know that soon you'll be doing it. Always think 'this time in two hours* I'll be finished and getting a coffee'. No matter how hard something may seem, you know you're going to get through it, you're going to do it, and soon it'll be done. (This may seem confusing but it works for me!)

5.) Give yourself something to look forward to afterwards. Planning on seeing a friend or loved one after said events can help you relax during. Knowing that you HAVE to get through it in order to do the fun things you have planned for afterwards, allows you to feel more positive and relaxed. It could even be something small, like having a bubble bath, with bath bombs, candles and a glass of wine- whatever takes your fancy!

Sometimes in life we face hard times and hard decisions, but life always has a way of working things out. Be positive, be confident, be happy and most of all be you and be proud. Happiness is so important and if you're happy- it'll show and everyone will know. Not only will you feel better for it, but it'll have a much better effect on other aspects in life!

Good luck!! X

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, by Anonymous

In Drinking, feminism

Call Me A Feminist...

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, by Anonymous

In Beautiful, Love

Lose it Wisely!

As a young woman of twenty, I feel responsible enough to take this matter into writing. Don't worry, I'm not going to bore you with some ridiculous lecture or anything of the sort, but what I feel is necessary is a good talking to. Since being at University, this matter has become more and more apparent to me. And that is ladies and gentlemen * clears throat* the matter of virginity. Losing it, keeping it, throwing it at people, whatever.
Growing up for everyone is hard, hitting puberty is not the best time of your life putting it nicely. But with all the stress of this, with school, college, University etc on top, I don't understand why we pile more upon ourselves. And yes, I am talking about the need, or shall I say, obsession with losing virginity's.

From my point of view, and I am in no way saying it is the only point of view, as of course thousands of you out there may disagree, your virginity is something special. You are letting a person into your life both emotionally and physically, and I personally don't think that is something that should be thrown around willy nilly (if you'll pardon the pun). Our bodies are all beautifully sculpted, each individual and each different, and that's what makes the world so special, I think we owe it to ourselves to respect our bodies. After all, they have been with us since birth- otherwise we'd just be a floating head!
When I was a few years younger it seemed majorly important to lose your virginity. Whether this was because it was seen as uncool if you didn't or because in fact everyone was scared that they'd never lose it, and wanted to get it out the way. Either way people should never feel pressured to do anything if they aren't ready or comfortable with it. The truth is when you get older you begin to regret the choices you made. Not all, but for sure some. And often the way people lose their virginity's is a regret. Whether you're 16, 18 or 25, what ever your age, never think it is acceptable for people to make you feel rubbish about whether you've had sex or not or force you to do it. Please never feel like you have to have had sex to fit in with a group. If that's the case, then those people aren't cool enough for you- for someone who is strong enough to say 'Hey, when I'm ready, I'm ready, not when you think I'm ready!'
Truth is, it doesn't matter when you lose it, the only thing that matters really is how you lose it. And I'm sure when you're 70 years old you'd prefer to look back and say you lost your virginity to someone that you truly wanted to be the one to take it. Unfortunately, we don't all choose that option, and that doesn't make us bad people. It just means we didn't think it through as much, and perhaps we, sadly, felt the pressures of society and our peers put too much strain on how we approached the matter. But for those of you reading this, you DO have the chance to think.
Sex is a very personal thing and we should take care of our decisions around it. After all its our bodies we are using. I'm sure you'd prefer to put your body in the hands of someone you love and trust! SO be brave and stand up for yourselves. Be ready for it when you want to be!

Another matter I thought I'd touch upon, and I won't go on for too long as I've already kept you a while, is about numbers. And no, I don't mean maths. Although that seems to be coming into it. Whilst being at University one of the most common things I hear being talked about, and this seems much more apparent in males( though not always) is how many people they have slept with. Apparently this matters? I see boys proudly admitting how many they've 'had' and 'bigging' themselves up to each other. I would just like to say a few words to those people:
Not only is it highly disrespectful to the other gender- thinking of them as objects or pieces of meat- but if you ask the opposite sex if they'd prefer a relationship with someone whose slept with one person or someone whose slept with 25... Who do you think they would choose?
Its not cool guys.
For those people who aren't counting, just enjoy sex, and are embracing it and aren't hurting people in the process- fair enough! Enjoy your life, I'm not hear to say don't have sex, or don't explore- go forth and do that!
My point is, sex to some people is an intimate beautiful thing and that needs to be accepted by more people!
I'd much prefer to sleep with one person I was madly in love with for the rest of my life, than someone new each day, wouldn't you?!
After all- you only have one chance to lose your virginity! Lose it wisely!

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, by Anonymous

In holiday, Portsmouth

I can smell the sea...

Ah the smell of the sea salt and the freshly fried chips. Candy floss and doughnuts gripping our noses and pulling us in. The golden sand that melts under your toes at first touch and the gorgeous blue waves that lightly crash at the shores. Bliss.

'Hold up a second, you can't be talking about Portsmouth?' You might say.

And of course, I am not. No in Portsmouth its quite the opposite.

First of all, the Seagulls- I have no idea what is up with them, but they aren't the nice traditional kind that you see stealing someone's chips on a holiday to Cornwall. These Seagulls seem angry all the time, and screech at you as if you've personally offended them. They appear out of the blue, and come at you with their wings out, from around the corner, making you suffer a mild panic attack. They also seem to be part of a cult or gang. I rarely see ONE seagull-singular. What do they want from me?

Secondly, unfortunately the sand on the beaches is not golden brown and crisp and the waves are not a shade of blue that matches the sweetest of eyes. No, these beaches are pebbly-yeah who doesn't love waddling along the shore collecting stones in their shoes? If this hasn't tempted you I don't know what will! I just love how when you reach the edge of the shore there is a miniature cliff that takes you to the actual shore line. I don't mean like a cliff you'd see in Dover, I mean a small mound or drop made of pebbles that have been pushed further back by the waves. So when you think you're at the shore line, you have to climb (or fall) down this pebble mound-unless the tide is in, because in that case there probably isn't a beach at all, or a road for that matter.

The weather here is just fantastic, with winds reaching 80mph, you no longer need a hair dryer. It's cheaper for everyone! I've always wanted to have hair like a troll- you know the kind you used to be able to get free with cereal? And now, with Portsmouth wind, I can! The rain is of course glorious, super icy and wets you right through. I mean, I hate putting dry clothes on in the morning- pfft boring.

I'm sure there are many wonderful things about Portsmouth (or anywhere else for that matter) but I won't share them all today.

I hope you sense my sarcasm, otherwise there will be some very confused readers.

Of course I am happy in Portsmouth, but hey, you've got to make light of a bad situation!

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, by Anonymous

In Advice, Bargains

Student Foods- What to Buy

As a student, we are constantly trying to find the cheapest brands of foods. Although its tough, its actually a valuable lesson for the future. If you look hard enough you will find there are foods out there which are much cheaper and taste just as good as the more expensive ones. Here are a few tips and foods that are great for students:

1.) First of all remember to buy food that will last a longer time- tins often have a great date on them, so they won't mind sitting in the cupboard for a while. Think beans and spaghetti hoops- although you can find much more inventive tins I'm sure!

2.) Pasta is great! Buy this in bulk as it'll always keep and you'll have enough to last you. It's great with anything, you don't need a professionally made sauce, you can have it with salad, some olive oil, and some strips of ham. Whatever takes your fancy, pasta is a MUST HAVE.

3.) Who ever says value foods aren't good, they are talking nonsense. When out shopping ALWAYS look at the value foods. I for one live off them, and to be honest they taste great. Sure maybe some things don't taste as good, but we're not fussy! I'd much prefer to spend £1 on a meal then £3. Wouldn't you?

4.) Be aware of things on offer. Although sometimes things on offer are a bargain, you must be careful. When something is offering you '3 for 2' , think to yourself 'will I even use 3?' If you wouldn't then you're actually spending more money by buying 3 because you won't use them all. Spending less and not getting the offer will turn out cheaper and better!

5.) At certain times, shops start putting out 'Reduced' goods. These are usually things that go out of date the next day. However if you refrigerate well, in some cases they may last longer. The other day I got a little container of fruit that should have been £1, for 10p. Bargain!

6.) FREEZE your bread. Okay, so you will have to take pieces out and let them defrost for ten minutes if you want a sandwich, but the loaf will last ages, and this means you won't end up throwing half a loaf in the bin because its gone out of date and you haven't eaten it.

7.) If you've made too much pasta (for example) pour the remaining into a container, leave to cool, and then pop in the fridge. Now you have a meal for your lunch the next day already made for you. You can either heat it up or eat cold depending on whats in it. In some cases you can freeze it, and have it at a much later date.

8.) ALWAYS read instructions as to freezing and re-heating things. You do not want food poisoning just from being too lazy to read the packet!

9.) Try to eat up what you have in your cupboards before buying more food, if possible. Try mixing different things, not only will you use up foods, but you may actually create a new recipe you like.

10.) Don't assume ordering take out will be cheaper. It may be easier but it won't be cheaper in the long run. Sure, treat yourself every now and again. We all do! But remember, a home cooked meal will not only be better for you, but will probably cost you much less- you can get more ingredients for a lower price!

I hope these tips have been useful. Don't forget to compare prices at different supermarkets too. X

ALDI and ASDA are fantastic! https://www.aldi.co.uk/ http://www.asda.com/

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, by Anonymous

In Students, University

Five Reasons Why You Should Consider University..

I have to warn you, this post is going to be cheesy. I apologise. Okay, so for those of you reading this, chances are you're already at University, but for those of you who aren't and are between decisions as to whether to go or not, I thought this little post might help or at least give you a bit of insight! If I'm honest with you, University never interested me, I was dead set on NOT going. I left sixth form ready to get a job and start living. But after about 6 months I actually started to miss studying and working with people who have the same interests as me. After a long hard think, I decided to go for it. And funnily enough here we are; I got my first choice place to study and I'm really happy. I know- cheesy! So, as promised here are five reasons to consider University:

Moving away from home can be very scary, but it can also be extremely exciting. Getting to cook and clean for yourself is actually more fun than you'd think. You have a new kind of freedom.
It helps you make that transition between being a child/teenager and being an adult. I have definitely found myself to be far more mature than I ever used to be. You're also treated like an adult and everything is your own responsibility. During your first year you have to look for a house for your second year, which sounds complicated and terrifying but believe me it's not. These skills will help you later in life!
You'll make friends from all over the place. I for one am not particularly outgoing or full of confidence, so making new friends was a definite worry. But I honestly made so many friends within the first few weeks, and we've stuck together. It really does become like a little family. So even if you're shy, there is no need to worry.
Don't be afraid to put yourself out there- this is your chance to be the person you've always known yourself to be. At university you're around other people who want to learn, so don't be afraid to work hard and come out the other side with amazing results! Join societies and take part, maybe something you're good at, maybe something you're not good at, but joining in will always end in a lot of laughs.
If you've never known what you want to do with your life, going to University means that you have a few more years to have a think, try new things and see for yourself what you want to be involved in. It might be something to do with your course, or even something you've learnt whilst being a part of a society. The whole experience prepares you for it.

So whether these points have been of help at all, I'm not sure, but they will give you a little bit of insight into the mind of a student, and perhaps make it easier for you to make a decision. Just remember whatever you choose, it's okay, as long as you are happy.

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, by Anonymous

In Alcoholism, Binge Drinking

What ever happened to good old fashioned fun?

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, by Anonymous

Pages

A Student's Day Out in London

10 Lies 2nd Year Students Tell...

University Advantages and Disadvantages

Confessions of a 2nd Year Student..

Sometimes in Life...

Call Me A Feminist...

Lose it Wisely!

I can smell the sea...

Student Foods- What to Buy

Five Reasons Why You Should Consider University..

What ever happened to good old fashioned fun?

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