Welcome! and Welcome Back!
September 28, 2017
It’s that time of the year again… Welcome Week! This is the week that new students join and experience their first taste of university life, but it’s not all about the first years… Welcome is for everyone, so welcome back to the best university 😉 I’m a Welcome Mentor this year so my time for …
How To Make Halls Feel More Like Home
September 26, 2017
With the start of the new academic year, a lot of you will be moving into halls for the first time ever! As exciting as that exclamation mark makes it seem, the move is rarely anything but time consuming, messy, and tiring. Trading in your comfy bedroom back home for the shoebox that is uni …
A Letter to my Freshers’ Self
September 23, 2017
Oi Lucy, Calm down. Going to university is a nerve racking experience for everyone. As much as you hate clichés, for once in your life, embrace the idea that ‘everyone in is in the same boat’. I know you’re having restless nights right now: you are not the most social, party-mad or smartest person around, …
The beginning and the end: musings of a retiring student
September 19, 2017
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 …
City explorations: Birmingham
September 14, 2017
Back in June I wrote a post about nearby cities I wanted to visit before the end of term. In the end though, I went home earlier than I’d planned and I didn’t end up going on these day trips. Yesterday I had the chance to make up for it. My housemate and I decided …
Between worlds: Growing up as a ‘Third Culture Kid’
September 13, 2017
Recently, I wrangled my family together to watch Hasan Minhaj’s comedy special on Netflix. For those of you who don’t know who that is, Minhaj gained massive popularity as a correspondent on The Daily Show and for his witty banter and unbridled honesty at the White House correspondent’s dinner. His comedy special, Homecoming King, however, …
Tips for Living With Flatmates
So, you’re off to university, an experience that is likely to be your first time away from home for such an extended length of time. If moving away isn’t daunting enough in itself, the idea of sharing a flat with 4+ strangers is probably enough to induce some form of worry. Speaking as someone who …
Things I’m Packing for Second Year
September 8, 2017
No matter how organised I thought I was as I packed for first year, making endless amounts of lists and constantly checking my luggage, unfortunately a myriad of items never made it to university with me. I’ve learned from my mistakes and have now compiled a list of things that will take pride of place …
Overcoming anxiety and peer pressure during Freshers week
September 5, 2017
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 …
Getting involved: How to pick societies
August 31, 2017
One of the best things about university is the chance to try something new. Nottingham has hundreds of societies, sports clubs and volunteering opportunities for you to experience. There’s so much choice though, it can be hard to know where to start. So here’s my top tips to help you find something you’ll enjoy! Previous …