A Letter To My Student-Self*

With my not-so-litter sister finishing college this year and starting to think about University, I found myself thinking back to my time as a student. Between moving away after finishing sixth form and then graduating three years later, there were many ups and downs which all contributed towards some of the best years of my life.

For anyone who's taking the step and starting university this year or still trying to figure out which path is best for them, I've listed some of the things I found helped me the most during my time as a student.

Freshers Events:

For those who don't know, Freshers is the name given to the time after moving for university, but before studies actually begin. The Student Guild organises events from bar crawls to quiz nights designed to encourage new students to start making friends. Whilst a little awkward and nerve-wracking at first, there really is so there's no better time to start forming friendship groups then with drinks and nights out all together. Five years after my first "Freshers Week" I'm still best friends with some of the people I met during those first nights out.

Student Discount: 

Whether it's through using your university ID, NUS Extra or My Uni Days - Student Discount will quickly become your best friend. So many high street and online shops offer discounts off of full price items which quickly add up to pretty decent savings over the years (top tip, in your last year of studying be sure to purchase a 3 year NUS Card to continue enjoying those discounts even after graduation).

Budget:

Whilst it may be tempting to splash out as soon as that Student Loan payment hits your bank, it's really not a wise move. With only a small amount going spare, I found the best way to make my pennies last was to divide my total amount of loan (after rent and bills etc) by the amount of weeks left until the next payment, which then gave a weekly allowance. Whilst it seems dull, your future-self will definitely thank you! Remember your student loans are not just free money. They have to be paid back eventually and when they do you should look at all your options of repayment. For any US readers places like Earnest* can help you manage those hefty student loans by refinancing them!

Homesickness: 

If you've chosen to move away for university, the feeling of homesickness is something you'll more than likely experience at least once. I personally loved being away from home for the "full university experience" but still had times when there was nothing I wanted more than a good home-cooked meal and to sit see my Mum. If you're unable to travel home due, a phone call or Facetime is the next best thing to seeing loved ones back home - without the expensive train ticket!

Food shopping: 

If you can, I couldn't recommend shopping at places like Lidl and Aldi enough - I was luckily enough to live down the road from a Lidl in my second and third years of uni which quickly became my favourite place for a food shop. Alternatively own-brand items are usually just as good as branded products at a fraction of the price.

Rail Cards: 

Another great savings tip for those who have chosen to move away for university is purchasing a Railcard. National Rail's 16-25 Railcard costs £30 and offers 1/3 off of all train journeys. Whilst a little pricey up front when on a budget, it quickly pays for itself in savings (this little card saved me a whole lot of money during my three years as a student).

Whilst a huge and scary step, going to university was one of the best decisions I ever made. I gained huge amounts of independence and met some of my best friends during the three years spent studying (and partying).

What tips do you have for any new students moving for uni? 

I'd love to know in the comments. 

xxx

Bullying, it gets better.

I want to write a post about something a little different today  - don't worry I already have some ideas for more recommendations and beauty posts *breaths a sigh of relief*- However this is something I feel is important for anyone going through a tough time at the moment. For someone feeling like they just don't fit in or are subject to bullying.

When people hear the word "Bullying" it's pretty normal to think of a teenager in school play-ground. A group of boys pushing a smaller boy over, or that mean group of girls that would sit and gossip about the other girls (Every school has these girls, and if you're still at school - don't worry, you're not the only one who doesn't like them!). However bullying is something that can happen to anyone, at any age and cause them to feel alone and isolated.

I'll hold my hands up and say that throughout a period of my school life I was bullied. So much so that I ended up moving classes to try and get away from it. I hated school for a while and couldn't understand why I was being picked on. As far as I could see, I was a normal teenage girl.

However looking back I can tell the only reason I was picked on was because the girls that did it felt they could get away with it. Simple as that. I was quiet and, along with other poor teenagers that would sit quietly when either being pushed about or having some nasty words sent their way, I was intimidated and didn't stick up for myself.

Don't get me wrong, I'm no saint - There were times when I sat with the wrong group of girls (thinking they were friendly but they definitely were not) and I ended up saying some mean things about other people. Things I instantly regretted.... And I'm sure everyone's guilty of being mean at some point - but a nice person will see that this is wrong.

I can see I'm getting a little sidetracked here (it may have been around 6 or 7 years since this time but it's still a subject that makes my blood boil a little) but my main point is - no matter how old you are, whether you're in school, college or work bullying is not okay and you don't have to put up with it.

So what if you're "different"? 

Who gets to define what "normal" is?
Normal sounds boring anyway!

You like that song that just "isn't cool"? Who cares, listen to it anyway! 

You're a girl who prefers to hang around with boys (or vice versa)? Great, good for you!

You fancy boys, or girls, or both, or no-one? That's 100% okay! 

Whether it's a matter that's as small as wearing your hair in a different way then what is seen as cool, or a situation that is truly life changing - you shouldn't ever have to worry about dealing with bullies who try to make you feel uncomfortable, upset or ashamed.

I know it's hard at the time when someone is being nasty or mean, but try to hold your head up high and ignore those people. They are not your friends and their opinions do not matter.

As someone who was bullied - admittedly nowhere near as horrendously as some people experience (just those nasty school girls *ugh*) - I can promise you it get's better.

Those people in your class at school or office at work aren't going to be around forever - there are people out there who care about you, and who will be true friends. If you haven't found them yet, I promise they will come.

Source

I want to finish my post/slight rant haha, with the recommendation of a blog that I stumbled across the other day. It's a new blog so there aren't to many posts yet, but I believe the few that are written give a powerful insight into someone who has/is going through the stages of dealing with bullies and finding themselves.

The blog is called "My Transsexual Story" - you can visit it by clicking here - and I really think it's something that can help comfort someone who going through a rough time at the moment.

I hope this post helps even one person... You're 100% not alone and you do not deserve to be treated in anyway that isn't positive!

(Without even meaning too I've basically written an essay here! Why couldn't I write my university assignments this quickly?!)

If anyone has any words of advice for someone who may be going through a rough time, feel free to write it below - you may just make someone's day.

xxx