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Posts by Andrew

The beginning and the end: musings of a retiring student

One week from now I shall submit my MRes thesis. A glorious, joyous moment of self-praise and achievement, followed by a quick sojourn to my subconscious for a fleeting moment of WHAT THE HECK DO I DO NOW???, before regaining composure and marching post-haste to the nearest fine English tavern/Inn/pub/watering-hole/reduced unbranded supermarket beer shelf. In …

Overcoming anxiety and peer pressure during Freshers week

If you’re anything like me, then the excitement of going to Uni might currently be battling (and maybe even losing) against fear, anxiety and nervousness. I was super worried about peer pressure when I was about to begin my undergrad, but I soon realised that few things are ever as scary or imposing in real …

Your essential university packing list

Back when I was preparing to start my university adventure (way back when Freddo’s could be aquired for the princely sum of 5 of your old english pennies), I spent a lot of time planning what to take to uni. Suffice to say, a lot of time culminated in a lot of stuff. A lot …

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Thesis Writing 101

  If you’re currently writing up a thesis of some descript, the chances are you’ve found yourself doing some serious staring into the abyss, hoping for some prophetic wisdom to emerge out of thin air and manifest itself as a discussion chapter on your laptop. After extensive and rigorous scientific testing and academic scrutiny (aka …

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4 ways post-grad research life is different to that of under-grad

If you choose to go into post-graduate research, be it MRes, MPhil, PhD, etc. you’re going to notice a few things change pretty quickly, compared to your time as an undergraduate. Here’s a few observations/occurences I’ve noticed as an MRes student: If you’re lazy, you lose out. Now, hopefully as an undergrad you were attending …

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A day in the life of a postgraduate research student.

Now then, I’ve chatted before about improving time efficiency, waking up earlier, considerations when choosing a post-grad degree, and things to do in Nottingham, so I figure it’s about time I provide a little insight for those of you who might be considering post-grad research (MRes/MPhil/PhD, etc) to take a glimpse into my day-to-day. Of …

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Cheap and easy vegan protein sources

‘But where do you get your protein from?’ ‘You must be so iron deficient!’ ‘Doesn’t it cost you a fortune?’ ‘I couldn’t live without meat; I need it’. Blah, blah, blaaah. I’m not here to lecture to you about the pro’s and cons of meat and plant-based diets, and I certainly won’t unleash an ethical …

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The definitive guide to picking good housemates

I once lived with a guy who left a tray of lasagne on the kitchen work top for 6 weeks. I once lived with someone who would sleep all day and then play Xbox at full volume all night. Whether you’re a first year or you’re finishing your PhD, there’s no way you’ve avoided having …

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Home or away? Pros and cons of post-grad destination.

If you’re coming to the end of your undergraduate study, there are doubtless many things rushing through your mind about what to do next. Firstly, your thoughts might levitate towards short-term post-exam goals such as trying to forget everything that just happened and sleeping for an entire weekend. Soon after, however, if you’re not one …

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Rainy with a chance of rain; non-revision indoor activities to relax and de-stress.

It’s raining. I’m looking out the window and it’s still raining. It was raining when I went to bed, it was raining when I woke up, and I can positively guarantee that it will be raining when I get on my bike to cycle home this evening. If your days currently consist predominantly of colour …

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