// Archives

In Defence of ‘Nice’

Maybe it was feedback on a story you wrote at school, perhaps it was a comment by a lecturer or perhaps even advice on a creative writing course, but I would hazard a guess that at some point you have been told not to call things ‘nice’. This is perfectly good writing advice; it’s a …

How to Host a Student Christmas Dinner

One of my favourite things about Christmas is the food, so I love arranging big festive meals with my friends. It’s a little more challenging to cook a big roast in a student kitchen than at home, but the challenge makes it more fun! Here’s my guide on how to hold the best student Christmas …

Things to Consider When Choosing Housemates

In Nottingham, student houses seem to go fast. Come the Christmas holidays, most people will have got a house for the next academic year under their belt so since it is already November, it is worth starting to look for next year’s accommodation. Daunting it may be, but to help calm your panic or clean …

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 …

The Art of Drying

Student living presents many difficult problems for the common student to over. Difficulties such as how to create a nourishing meal out of one onion, five easy-peeler tangerines and three and a half crackers. Or how to survive when you’re bursting for the toilet and a housemate has just gone in the bathroom for a …

Turkish Delights

Apart from managing to break two pairs of shoes while on holiday (don’t wear heeled sandals to walk around ruins in!), getting a few pesky mosquito bites and effectively adopting three children, I had a great time in Turkey on my end of university, end of an era graduation trip. (I realise the last time …

Where will you live?

Dear Readers, First of all I’d like to apologise for the delayed posting of this blog. We’ve entered the second half of November and with it came an avalanche of deadlines. I beat my own record of most-amount-of-time-spent-in-the-library’ on Sunday, by a new personal best of thirteen hours (not really something to be proud of …

Life’s a Battlefield

Post it war First thing Monday morning, I’m half awake, stumbling round the house in search of my staple breakfast of weetos and I run into this. It made my day.  Yes, my day was made before 8am in the morning. Despite living together, myself and my housemates actually don’t see as much of one another as …

Students in a Suite

Right now it feels like my to do list is longer than the number of hours in a day, or a week for that matter. I’ve a half finished essay due Friday and kit to iron for tomorrow afternoon; Mum wants calenders making that need to be submitted by Friday and my weekend’s going to …

Seeing the Light – Somewhat Bittersweet?

I’m reaching that beautiful stage that you get to in an assignment where you’ve got a draft done, the edits are coming together, and while you’ve get a while to go yet, it’s beginning to take form, the jigsaw pieces are fitting together and the picture’s completion is in sight…yes, my dissertation is in its …