Age is just a number?

Birthdays can go one of two ways: you can either embrace the age that you now are by celebrating with the people around you, or you can drown your sorrows as you’re slowly getting older, again with the people around you. Either way it’s a day you’ll remember – or not as the case may be!

But there is so much more to getting older and growing up than you think. There are unwritten expectations that you subtly have to adopt without realising. This post it particularly relevant to me as I officially left my teenage years this weekend and reached that age where you can’t be excused for childish mannerisms like you used to.

The question people always ask you on your birthday is “So, do you feel any different?” and I don’t know about you, but at the time you really don’t feel any different. You wake up in the morning and it’s all very exciting, but that’s just because you know the day is going to be celebratory in some way or another. There is nothing that hits you like a tonne of bricks, ensuring that you know you’re now a year older. Often it’s not until a few days after that you realise that you’ve got to act your age more. There will be something that happens, or things to expect that set you back into the reality that you’re not a child any more.

Leaving University is usually a big one for the twenties. Moving back home with a huge, ongoing debt and the adjustment back into ‘real life’. And often the realisation of “What the hell am I going to do with my life now?” It’s not as easy as everyone thinks to just go and get a job, but something got to change because you’re not a child anymore!

Maybe you’ll be asked to do something that you’ve never done before, you’ll take on a new role that requires the adult within you to speak out and slowly it’ll become part of your normal life, but it’s hard to get your head around in terms of not being a teenager anymore. What is expected of me now?! Even when you’re having one of those days, you now to to successfully deal with life’s ups and downs alone.

So if you’ve entered into the decade of your twenties already, or if you’re due to make the transition, have you’re wits about your when it comes to doing things differently and see if you can notice that change between your teenage years and now. After all, you are getting on a bit!

Procrastination is good?

Procrastination. The art of doing nothing. Well doing nothing until you absolutely have to do something – but we’ll leave the minor details.

It’s the things you do to avoid the other things that you actually should be doing, and we are all guilty of it. Whether you should be writing an assignment, revising for an exam, doing the washing up or simply making a phone call; each and every person in this world is victim of procrastination at some point in their life (or day). Granted, some adopt the task more commonly than others, but it’s something that plays with us all.

But what if I were to tell you that procrastination is good? It’s good to do something else, instead of what you should be doing? Now don’t slate it, but an American University Professor has conducted some research into the art of procrastination, and the results are there to please us all. According to these findings, procrastination should be addressed as the art of ‘managing delay’ and that is supposedly a good thing.

Frank Partnoy: Wait

Managing delay is an important tool for human beings. It makes us happier, healthier and more successful when we are doing things on our own accord, rather than when we think we should be doing them. So whilst there is usually a deadline, a little procrastination here and there is no harm to anyone. But there is a little twist on this happy ever after (as always), the study also states that procrastination is only good for you when you are doing to right type of procrastination. There’s different types, you may say? Don’t worry, I’m on your wavelength too. As far as I was aware, anything that is not what I was meant to be doing is procrastination – but apparently not. Breathing and staring into space are thought to be a good form of delay as they give you the time to think and process the task that you should actually be undertaking. So maybe it’s time to ditch that share bag of Doritos that you just picked up!

Therefore, if you’re like me, sitting and thinking of something that you can do instead of that work you should be doing, then maybe you shouldn’t feel so bad about it. After all, I am writing this blog when I should be writing a 3000 word essay. Happy days!

Frank Partnoy is the American Professor. And if you’re interested, his book is conveniently called Wait: The Useful Art of Procastination. 

Do I look Superhuman?

The first semester at University is promptly coming to a close and for some, the Christmas break has already begun. But for those of you (including me) that are still bogged down with work and assignment deadlines, you’ve just got to think that there is only one more week to go!

It seems to be that as soon as you begin University, there are not enough hours in the day, enough days in the week or enough weeks in the month. There is just never enough time and always something that you should be running around for or frantically completing with minutes to spare. But that’s just the way it goes.

Being a journalism student, we are always on the go. There is always a story to write, or a feature to prepare for or someone who wants your attention – and most of the time it’s all 3 at once! Do lecturers think we are superhuman? I’m sure that if the roles were reversed and we set them 3 deadlines in the space of one week, they wouldn’t be so laid back and chilled out about the length of their to-do list! But being organised is key and quite possibly the only way that you will achieve each of these deadlines with some ease – I said some. I know for me, personally, it has got to a point where my to-do lists are constructed on a daily basis and they each start with “Wake up”. You would think that its common sense and not necessary for a list, but it helps!

Christmas is a busy time of year for everyone, being a student, being a parent, being a teacher, being a doctor. Everyone wants something from you at Christmas time. But why is it not spread evenly throughout the year? Let’s face it, unless you’re the Prime Minister of a country, there is at least one point in the year where things are ‘quiet’ and a little less stressful (although, I’m not sure if the PM is the best example for this now, considering some recent political decisions – but we’ll save that for another day!).

So I suppose that whilst I’m rambling on, the underlying message here is that I’m stressed, and I know you’re probably stressed too. But there is light at the end of tunnel, one week to go and we will be saying goodbye to the first semester. If it means that you have a few late ones because you’re up most of the night working, that’s okay – you won’t be the only one! And so, the more you knuckle down into each assignment deadline, the closer you are to a visit from Santa (that’s dependant on your results though!)

And breathe.

Dear Fresher

Was your car so jam packed that you were close to having to sit on the roof? Was your mum crying hysterically because her baby was finally fleeing the nest? Did you feel as though you were heading into a world of unknown? Then you must have been off to University!

Whether you’re half an hour down the road, or 6 hours on a plane away from home, moving to University is certainly daunting. So as I enter my second year at Bournemouth Uni, I thought it would be an idea to give you a list of things that the prospectus won’t tell you about going to Uni

First up, I hope you brought your fancy dress box! Anything you thought about throwing away, don’t bother. It will make the perfect fancy dress costume at some point. Being a fresher means that you’re in the firing line for numerous themed events. Obviously the standard ‘Back 2 School’ party was around in Freshers week, so I hope you had a pair of geek glasses and a tie to hand. Accessories are key. Even if fancy dress isn’t your thing, don’t be the spoil sport that makes no effort at all. Wearing a pair of glasses is hardly going to damage your look!

Have some idea of how to turn on an oven, or even a microwave. Nobody’s asking you to be the next Jamie Oliver, however, pasta will soon become repulsive if you choose to cook nothing other than Spaghetti Bolognese. Simple recipes are often on the back of food packets. Stir fry, lasagne, and curry. They’re really not too challenging once you put your mind to it. Obviously Domino’s pizza is perfectly acceptable for hangover days, but every day? You’ll soon come to realise that your student loan won’t fully cater for your hungry belly!

It doesn’t take long to realise that student halls and university bedrooms are the blandest and most boring sight you’ve ever seen. So, if you haven’t already, arm yourself with photos that you can pin up and make your room feel a bit more homely. It doesn’t take long to put your stamp on your new room and photos are a just one way of doing this.

Money is a huge talking point at University. The bottom line is that your student loan will not even cover half of the things you need to pay for. So the best thing to do is try and get a job. Granted, its not always easy, but there’s often ways that you can work around the Uni, as well as venturing out to the town centre. Even the cheapest student deals will begin to seem expensive when you’re down to your last tenner and you’ve got another 2 weeks until your next loan is in!

Being a fresher means that it’s a prime time to sign up to many different societies. But, make sure you’ve got a few excuses up your sleeve and have an idea as to the kinds of activities that you might like to be involved in. If not, you’ll find yourself signing up to societies that you’ve never even heard of and have no intention of ever attending. All the reps are desperate for you to join, but don’t be fooled by the free pens and hard boiled sweets!

Most of all, the best advice that anyone can give you is to have fun and enjoy every second. University is very much a ‘don’t know unless you try it’ kind of thing, but as long as you keep your head screwed on and grab any opportunity with both hands, it will certainly be one of the best experiences you’ll ever have. And as for us second, third and fourth years, we’re really not that scary! So there will always be someone to help you out.

Good luck!

There ‘aint no party like an S Club party!

Don’t stop movin’!

There ‘aint no party like an S Club party – and that was certainly the case for Bournemouth last night! Oh goodness, I can already tell that this is going to be a lot more difficult than I thought because all I want to do is stand up, with my best vocal performance and sing “SSSS Cluuuuuuuuub” but nevertheless, I’ll give it my best shot and attempt to retain my excitement.

Partying in the church (this is the nightclub, Halo, previously a church but now home to one of Bournemouth’s busiest student nights) with childhood FAVOURITES S Club 7 is definitely one of my better ways to spend a Thursday night. But before you get as excited as I did, only 3 members actually turned up. Unfortunately, Rachel Stevens is far too ‘big time’ for us students and as for the others, well Hannah’s tied up in some TV programme with dinosaurs (Primeval I believe it’s called) and the rest, I’m not even sure what their excuse was but it certainly was not good enough! With only 3 others remaining, it was a good job Jo, Bradley and Paul were up for showing off their best moves to the funky, funky beat (see what I did there?!).

So as students poured in, it certainly didn’t take long for the club to become crammed filled with excitable 90’s kids. Barely being able to raise your left arm in time to shout “Reach”, a front row spot, for me, beat all the hustle and bustle. You might have expected that over the years, since S Club were at their prime, the vocal ability may have dipped just slightly but this couldn’t have been further from the truth. Their ability to work the crowd is still phenomenal as there was not one single person that didn’t have their hips going and their arms raised up in the air – and yes, even the bouncer was reaching for those stars.

S Club partying in the Church!

Reach!

“I’ve never had a dream come true”

Left to right: Paul, Jo, Bradley

Most of us will remember S Club for their party anthems with the catchiest beats. This is clearly the reason why I’ve had the entire set list in my head for the whole day and probably starting to annoy people with my sudden outbursts of “SSSS Cluuuuuuuuuub!” However, sooner than hoped, it came that point in the set where the slow, tear-jerker’s were up. ‘Two in a Million’ and ‘Never had a Dream Come True’ brought the church down a notch as the fist pump quickly transformed into a swaying of both arms. It’s always a guaranteed crowd pleaser and there’s always one that can’t contain their emotions (may I just point out, this was not me!) Whether you sounded like Celine Dion or the strangled cat in your neighbour’s garden, there was no holding back when it came to these power tracks. It’s always the best way to round up the night, belting out some of the ultimate classics from your childhood favourite band surrounded by all your friends (look at me getting all cringe!), but it honestly is the truth.

So after last night, I’m calling for a huge S Club 7 reunion, with all members making an appearance (and yes, Rachel, that does mean you too). Who’s with me?

10 things you never thought you were capable of before you came to University

So as we rapidly approach the Easter break, it makes you realise how quickly this first year at University is really going. We’ve gone almost 7 months without Mum and Dad and have had to find that independent human from deep within us. So I’ve compiled a Top 10 of the things you never realised you were capable of before you came to Uni.

A present from Mum!

1. Cooking – there’s no way around this – you have to eat. But it’s amazing what adventurous concoctions you can create when only given some chicken and rice. Mum would always save the left overs from dinner and we’d question as to who would ever eat yesterday’s food, but you come to realise that every scraping counts and that you can box up absolutely ANYTHING! Spaghetti Bolognese has never tasted so good and well, let’s face it, there’s always someone who thinks they can cook like Ramsey when really their cooking skills are as useful as a chocolate teapot.
2. Cleaning – to most, Detol spray and a dish cloth were a new life form when they came to Uni. Having to clean up after dinner really makes you appreciate having a dishwasher when you go home! But I guarantee one thing you never realised before Uni, and that’s how well and how quickly you can tidy up your kitchen and lounge after last nights ‘prinks’. To any adults reading this- ‘prinks’ is an abbreviation of ‘pre-drinks’ – something us students do before we go on a night out (you don’t want to know any further details). It’s amazing what things you throw into a bin bag, things you didn’t even know were in your house the night before.
3. Washing – as much as we would like it, Mum doesn’t come and do our washing for us once a week – it’s down to the washing machine (if you can work it) or the laundrette downstairs. So you’d never have thought that you could make those jeans go a day further without washing them, or creating outfits that you’d never worn before because your best top is amongst the pile of washing in your basket. And as you’ve limited yourself to one wash a week (as it’s such a painful operation), jumpers can definitely been worn more than once before needing to be cleaned. Say goodbye to putting things in the wash because hanging them up was too much of an effort!
4. Putting the bins out – sorry boys, but this is a MAN’S job. No woman should have to strain herself by lifting a weeks’ worth of rubbish from the bin, down the corridor and into the outside bin. Just no. So for most girls, this is something that has benefited them since coming to Uni, but as a boy, I bet you’d never have realised how much rubbish you actually consume over one week. And if you miss the waste collection day you are SCREWED because there is just TOO much rubbish that the bin will eventually overflow.

   

   The Art of Procrastination

5. Procrastination – to most students in their first year, procrastination becomes their second name. You know you’re trying to put off work when you opt to wash up or do the hoovering instead of the 3000 word essay that’s due in tomorrow. I bet you never thought you’d take on the tedious task of rearranging documents on your laptop as an alternative to actually doing the coursework that’s right in front of you.
6. Ironing – who would have thought you could go 6 months without ironing a single item of clothing?! Well you can, as I’m sure you have found out. The new alternative to ironing is most definitely using the hair-dryer. Give your top a quick blast before you go to Uni and jobs a gooden’. So when you, along with all your other house mates, turned up on moving in day with an iron and an ironing board, I can tell you’re now regretting the decision to bother with this in the first place. Don’t worry though, there’s always next year to give it a go (never going to happen).
7. Making things last longer – this is more aimed at the girls, but make-up. We all know it’s expensive, even boys realise this, but it has never been clearer that you are a student when you get angry that you’re lecture is cancelled as you’ve wasted a whole face of make-up on a day when you don’t even need to leave the house!
8. Creating games out of day-to-day essentials – I know that for me, personally, I never thought I would get bored during the day as I just assumed I would be tied down with work. But it is clear that you need to take a break from studies and what better way to do so than a game of ping-pong using 2 frying pans! Or a game of football tennis (not even too sure what this is but it definitely happens in my house) played on a court made of string and plastic bin bags in the garden? I don’t think we can ever be blamed for a lack of imagination, after all, it takes a lot of skill to be able to limbo under a piece of string that has been tied between 2 door frames!
9. Catch up TV – TV license? What’s one of those? It’s safe to say it’s a shock to the system when you are able to go home and watch TOWIE on Wednesday rather than a Thursday as you’ve had to readjust your TV guide to the catch up timetable on ITV Player! TVs may as well not exist at Uni as most of us just watch on our laptops anyway. Catch up TV is the best way to spend a hangover day but most of the time you know what is going on anyway as you’re a day late and everyone else has kindly posted the episode over Twitter and Facebook. PLOT SPOILER!
10. Living away from home – So the last one is simple. Moving to Uni is simply moving house, but by yourself. It’s a scary thought at first but it’s something that is fairly easy to adjust too. Living independently gives you the chance to see how bad your cooking really is, and that you really don’t know how to work a washing machine and that ‘cleaning fairies’ don’t actually exist.

So as you’re reading through laughing and nodding because you know this is exactly like you, then it’s safe to say you’re not alone. Everyone gets to a point during the term where they think their entire brain is about to explode or that they are on the verge of a mental break down so, if that’s currently you, just remember that you’re going home in a couple of weeks for the Easter break!