5 ways to make some extra money at University

Uni is tough, and being super low on income makes it that bit harder. Yes, there are some students that have a good deal of money, and I had friends at uni that had more spare income then than I do now #notbitter. But, for most, things can get a little dire, especially towards the end of term. Here's a few things that I tried out that *might* help to make things easier, especially with Christmas on its way:
1.) Become a student ambassador. If your uni offers this, it's such a fab thing to get into. It looks good on your CV for post-uni if you didn't really join any societies, it pays, and the hours are short and relatively easy. You get to sign up to shifts that suit your skills, so you avoid the 'normal' job issue of having to work whilst you've got massive deadlines looming. I LOVED my time as a student ambassador: I met some fab people and I got to chat to new students about all the things they were nervous/excited for about coming to a new place to live.
2.) Help out with research. This is a bit of a niche one, but it's so easy to get into. You sign up to your university system for research students to get participants in their studies, and then can choose studies to attend. The pay on this really varies, but you can earn a nice bit of money. Plus, it's always nice to help someone else out.
3.) Become a tutor. This is another thing that feels nice to give back on. I *think* I worked through My Tutor. There are a few sites that make it easy to find tutor work through, and your university careers advisors should be able to let you know which is best for you. I chose the subjects and age ranges I wanted to teach, and you can set a fee according to your skill set. You can also set aside times for tutoring that are convenient to you. 
4.) Do some online surveys. It's pretty hard to earn good money on this, but if you really get into it, and spend a decent amount of time doing it, then it's definitely possible.
5.) Get a part time job. Yes, this is the most obvious one on the list, but sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do. Try for a job on campus if you don't want to stray too far away from where you're studying. 
I hope this was helpful! These are some of the things I did whilst I was studying to get a little extra income in and thankfully they worked.
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I didn't get a 'career' job after uni, and that's okay

I came so close to titling this 'I didn't get a proper job after uni, and that's okay', but I had to hold right up before I full on raged at myself. So let's get this out here in this post anyway: any kind of job is a real job or a proper job, okay? Just because someone doesn't work 9-5 or earns the minimum wage, doesn't make their job less valid than yours. 

Mental Health Resources Available to you at University

It's that time of year again: kids are back in school, and students are getting ready to head back to uni, or go for the first time. University can be incredible daunting, and even if you're excited about going, it can have an impact on your mental health. 
I was ecstatic to be going to uni. I was ready to embrace my new-found freedom, study a subject I loved and create a whole new me. At the time, it seemed like it would only help my mental health problems, but in reality they got worse before they got better. The freedom I found allowed me to engage in more self-destructive behaviours, with no one who knew me to keep an eye on me. I really needed help, and thankfully I found a good set of friends to keep me in check, but I totally relied on the resources my uni offered to help keep me afloat.
So, if you're worried about losing your support network from home, or think you'll be struggling with your mental health when you start uni, here are some really important resources that may be available. Every institution is different, so I'll cover as much as possible, but just be aware that you might not have access to all of these.
1.) Nightline. This is one of the best services some universities offer IMO. Nightline is open at night, and trained students are there to talk through any problems with you. You can email them, text them, call them, or drop in to wherever your Nightline is. It's a completely safe space. If seeing or talking to someone out loud makes your anxiety flare up then this is a great option. It also means that if anything goes wrong on a night out, or you feel alone and concerned, there's always somewhere to go where you'll be looked after.
2.) GPs. They can be a bit hit and miss, granted, but student GPs tend to be more aware of mental health problems that being at uni can exacerbate. They can also refer you onto other services like CBT (read about my experiences with it here) and CRISIS teams.
3.) Student counselling. This is something I was too nervous and unstable to take up when I was at uni, but I wish I had. Most institutions offer some form of counselling, and often they have a variety of forms. There can be one on one, group and email counselling. Look into what your university offers to see what would fit your needs most.
4,) Talk to your personal tutor or resident tutor. If you feel unsafe, or think your MH is going to start affecting your ability to do work, then talk to a mentor. They can advise you on how to proceed, and, if you need it, authorise things like deadline extensions.
5.) Visit a MH drop in centre. These offer you the chance to head into a safe space a couple of times a week to talk confidentially about what's affecting your mental health. 
6.) Call the Samaritans or 111 if you're struggling and nothing else is available at that time. The Samaritans is an invaluable resource. They're able to answer emails as well as phone calls, and are all fully trained on how to deal with crisis situations. They're there 24/7 and no call is unimportant: if you feel unsafe with yourself and your mental state, then contacting them can be incredibly useful. Their number is 116 123.
I really hope this is helpful! 
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10 Ways to make a student house a home

We all know how glad I was to leave my student house, but as uni season is about to start once more I thought I would do a little post on tips to make your uni house feel a little more homely. Moving away from home for the first time can, frankly, be terrifying, and moving in with your friends (or friends of friends) can be more than a little daunting too. 
Most of the time, student homes can be a tad grotty. In our third and fourth years in a student home, the people I lived with and myself opted for the cheapest accommodation we could find. It was pretty rank to begin with, so adding the combination of four boys and one very messy Steph to that mix hardly helped the situation. However, over the four years I spent in student accommodation, I came up with some pretty nifty little tricks to make everything feel more comfortable. The anxiety that I suffer from is worst in places that I don't feel are really 'me' or are cosy and comfy, so this was really important to me! Without any more rambling, here are my top ten tips:
1.) Ensure you have a space that is entirely yours. I know this sounds pretty simple, but as I lived with my partner at uni, this was something we really worked hard at making sure we had. Having a space that you can completely call your own means that when you don't want to be disturbed, you can go back to your space and have a little 'me time'.
2.) Make sure a weekly clean is done of shared areas and your room. One of my favourite parts about visiting home when I was at uni was that I could actually touch anything without being worried that I would end up with sticky hands or a whole horde of germs. Even if you don't like cleaning yourself, discuss hiring a cleaner with your flatmates - splitting the cost would make it minimal. We all feel better in a clean and tidy environment, so making sure your student house is one is bound to make you feel a little better.
3.) Candles. Lots of them. Living with four boys in my third year at uni made me realise that sports bring home a lot of unpleasant odours. Now, I'm not saying this is solely a male thing, but as the only non sportsperson in the house, I do like to think that I wasn't the one making everywhere smell of mud and grass and BO. Who knows. So, I set up candles in the living/dining area and one in my bedroom. It made sure that our house didn't smell too student-y and was also really comforting for me when I was working. I'm used to having a tonne of candles on at home whilst doing work, so it made me feel very relaxed.
4.) A teddy, blanket or pillow from home. I know this one sounds super childish, but do you know what? Out of the six different people that I lived with at uni, every one of them had either a teddy or blanket from home. Even if they wouldn't admit it to the average Joe. Curling up with one of these on a night when you're feeling a bit shitty and missing home is the best, especially if it still smells like home!
5.) A throw and cute cushions to cover an ugly-ass sofa. I don't know why landlords of student housing love the most horrendous sofas, but they seem to. I'm pretty sure half of the ones I've seen were taken off of a skip they're so old. They're also usually looking pretty dirty and untrustworthy. A nice pale throw can really help to brighten up a gloomy living room, and cushions are sometimes totally necessary so you don't fall into the sofa's uncomfortable bones. 
6.) Flowers. I only discovered the wonder of fresh flowers in my final year and I really feel like I missed out before. They just add some extra brightness to the living room, and seem to perk everyone's mood up a little.
7.) Throw open the curtains and windows to let in some air every so often. I have so many memories of me whining at school or at home when teachers or my mum decided to 'let some air in' like ugh I was cosy, can you not. BUT, when you're spending seven or eight hours at your desk working on uni stuff, it's really helpful to open some windows for an hour or so to get some fresh air in. This also helps to stop your room smelling musty. We got into such a bad habit at all of my student houses of just not opening the curtains, and keeping up with that to let in some light every day not only makes things feel a lot less cramped and miserable, but also makes it harder for mould to grow. 
8.) Bring some old movies with you. Snuggling down with a 90s or Disney movie and some snacks is one of my favourite things to do when I'm feeling low. I don't know about you, but watching movies from my childhood definitely makes me feel more at home, and it's even better if you can persuade everyone else to have a uni house movie watching night!
9.) Have special snacks in your room/food cupboard. Okay, this one is a little biased to all you fellow emotional eaters out there. I have some foods that definitely remind me of home, or that I like to eat when I feel rubbish. Cheese smothered nachos and fruit dipped in melted chocolate (not together) are my go-to when I'm feeling really miserable, for example. Boiled eggs with faces drawn on are my go-to when I'm feeling homesick and need a little morning pick-me-up. Whatever your go-to is, have some hidden away in the house for when the stress of uni life gets on top of you.
10.) Put fresh sheets on your bed every week or fortnight. Is there a better feeling than popping on clean PJs and getting into fresh sheets? I really don't think so. I found it SO hard to keep up with this when I first started uni and my mum wasn't there to help me anymore, but sleeping in grotty sheets is pretty miserable. Plus, going out and choosing some new duvet sets for when you start uni really makes the bed feel as if it's your own.
What would you add to the list? I really hope this post was helpful!
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What is living with your partner at uni like?

Uni is pretty darn stressful at the best of times, let alone when you have to decide whether or not to live with your partner as a student. For starters you now have to motivate yourself entirely to work, and then you have to cook for yourself and do your own laundry? Ew. Thankfully I was a little prepared in these departments, so I actually got to focus on, y'know, reading an unrealistic amount of literature each week. If you've read my 20 things I won't miss about living in a student house post, then you'll know how stressful I still found the whole shabang!
Me and my boyfriend of almost four years now (whaat?!) started dating early on in our first year, and ended up within the same friendship group. So, it was natural that when we all began house hunting, we were taken as a pair. Our uni was one at which you could only live on campus for the first year, after which you had to move to a (sort of) nearby town and fend for yourself. In the end we were in student housing in Leamington for three years. We both learnt a lot about what it was like to live in such close quarters with a partner, and were also faced with a tonne of prejudice and questions about life together. So, I'm *hopefully* going to dispel some of those prejudices and actually talk about what it was like to live together. 
For starters, we never lived on our own, it was always with other people. This actually took the pressure off quite a bit, rather than making things more intense. If we ever fought, or wanted extra space, then we always had someone else to talk to/spend time with. The obvious downside of that is that student houses have small walls, so if we did argue you can be sure everyone who was in the heard. Yes, this did sometimes put them in a bit of an awkward position, but no, we didn't exploit it - it would have been totally unfair to have requested people to take sides, and so we avoided doing that.
I can't even count anymore how many times I've had people say 'oh my god I would HATE that' in a way that suggests I should too. I didn't. Obviously. There are a few things that were a little hateful yes, but I believe we organised our living arrangements in a way that made sure we totally had our own space, and if worst came to worst, we wouldn't be trampling on each others toes all the time after a break-up.
For starters, we made sure we each had our own room in every house we lived in over the three years. Although we had a 'main' room that we shared at night, we had our own separate spaces that we could chill out in, and decorate however we wished. We also had our own friends, as well as the main friendship group we were part of together. This meant that we could go out separately, and weren't totally reliant on each other socially.
Another aspect of life we decided to keep separate as much as possible was food. I am not a sharer by any means, and anyone who has ever lived with me knows that I will absolutely rage if you touch my food without permission. So, I knew this would totally be a point of argument between us if we shared. We probably came together to cook once a week, and tried to eat meals together on other days, but all in all we bought our food separately and cooked whatever we wanted. 
Cooking and cleaning are things that possibly cause the most arguments within student houses, perhaps apart from money. You don't want to come across every single plate being hoarded and a little mouldy in someone's bedroom, and sadly this kind of this sometimes takes place. I would say that if you are living with others, make sure everyone has their fair share of chores and attempts to keep the place a little tidy so that you and your partner don't end up stressed out at each other about it.
I've also been told repeatedly that we've wasted some of the best years of our lives by being in a relationship at uni in which you live together (read: well you can't shag anyone else or do it behind their back? Why would you bother?). I've even been repeatedly told that the whole thing was a waste of time because we would just break up as soon as uni was over and we weren't students anymore, and that we should therefore break up. Even though (assumedly) these things came from the heart of the people telling me, it really isn't helpful - don't you think someone who has taken the plunge to do this would have thought things through?
I'm so glad I don't have to endlessly justify myself anymore. And do you know what? Even if we had broken up I wouldn't have regretted our time together. Ultimately I always had someone I could turn to in the darkest hours (literally and metaphorically), who would perk me up when I felt low, and who would have my back in an argument - whether it be with friends, professors, estate agents, or random drunks on a night out. So yes, OMG I lived with my boyfriend whilst I was at uni, and no I don't regret it.
If you have any questions about it, or are thinking of living with a partner at uni yourself feel free to drop me a tweet/DM/email!
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Winter Favourites

So, this post is a bit overdue, but hey, it's still winter, and these are still my favourites, despite any new bits and bobs I got for Christmas. 

A friend recommended cranberry green tea to me at the beginning of the Autumn uni term, and since then I've been hooked. This and my Carmex lip balm have seen me through about three bouts of colds/coughs and a myriad of uni stress over the last couple of months. 

Over the past month or two my hair has gotten super long, almost to an "I-don't-know-how-to-cope-with-the-amount-of-time-it-takes-to-wash" length. V05's Revive Me Daily shampoo has been a godsend. Keeps away the split ends and has ensured my hair hasn't gotten too dry during the windswept days of standing waiting for the unibus.

Finally, my Yankee candle. I always have this on whilst I'm doing a spot of reading for a seminar, or writing a blog post. It's really made my rather sparse uni room feel a bit more like home. Plus, any Yankee candle is a win, right? I'm going sales shopping in London tomorrow and am so excited to grab a new scent at the Yankee candle store. Any suggestions?

Love and Light

Steph

**All photos are property of Sophie Hartley**

Dealing with Final Year at University

So I thought I'd do a little bit of a different post today as I'm thinking of making the blog a little more personal! These pictures effectively sum up my first term as a final year English lit student at the University of Warwick. Having had a bit of a rocky first two years in terms of grades and overall happiness, I'm determined to make the most of this year. So, I joined the gym, have actually done nearly all of my prescribed reading (utter madness) and attended more social events than I ever have before in a term. 

As it's my last chance really to do a lot of things, I've been cramming in as much as possible. And if my sleep pattern is skewed, who cares! It's going to be an incredibly hectic time of my life and as long as every moment isn't crammed to the max, then I shouldn't get burned out. 

So, I achieved some pretty awesome goals, and had so many great experiences. The first of which, really, was celebrating being two years with my lovely boyfriend. But, aside from that, my achievements have largely been academia and work based. I secured two part time jobs at uni - the first of which was being a Fresher's Helper. If you get the chance to do this I would highly recommend it! It was so lovely telling all the little freshers and their parents information about the uni and making sure that the freshers fairs and society fairs were memorable and efficient. I'm now a Student Ambassador (again, something I would highly recommend),which means I'll get to do the same to prospective students and their parents on open days. I'm also the proud sub-editor of the Warwick Uncanny Journal, which you can check out here. Foolishly, I didn't really join any societies as a first year or second year, so haven't had much of a chance to be in an exec or really be socially involved in many clubs. Although it hasn't added to my social life, being part of this team actually makes me feel as though I'm making use of the opportunities we have at Warwick.

My final advice for final year would be to work hard and party hard. Don't hold back, because soon you'll be out in the "real" world, and everything will seem a lot harder to cram in!

Love and Light

Steph

Body Shop Haul

Blackhead Remover

Vitamin E Moisture Cream

2 in 1 Smokey Eyeliner and Brow Gel

Seaweed Clarifying Toner

I know I've been pretty absent over the last few weeks, but doing everything from being a Freshers Helper during the first week of term to obtaining recycling bins for the new uni house on top of a mound of reading has put me a bit behind. In a post I did a couple of months back on my favourite skincare range (here) I mentioned how much I love The Body Shop's products. They rarely fail to live up to expectations.

Living off of a student budget means that hauls (sadly) aren't really my thing. However, The Body Shop had a deal on for its "Love Your Body" members that I just couldn't pass up - 40% off, plus a free gift worth over £10 and free delivery if you spent over £5. I nearly pinched myself. Originally I'd aimed to spend just over a fiver, however I evidently got a touch carried away. Oh well, a girl can't have too many beauty products, right? 

I received the Vitamin E moisturiser as my free gift. I was a tad disappointed as I don't ever really use moisturiser on my face because my skin tends to get a bit oily. However, so far it's looking up. I'll be posting more detailed reviews of all the products at some point over the next few weeks. Sadly, this won't include the blackhead remover. I pursued a few (rather painful) attempts to use it and have it make some effect, but it just did nothing for me. Maybe my blackheads aren't big enough, or I'm too much of a softie to handle how uncomfortable it was, but for the foreseeable future it's been tossed to the back of a drawer, probably never to be used again.

Any comments/questions are always welcome 

Steph :) 

Review of Bootea's teatox package

Sorry about the massive picture spam, but I wanted to make sure to show you guys all the different aspects of the bootea package. My sister kindly bought both of us the bootea 14 day teatox package. I was staggered by the price - £19.99 for 21 teabags? You must be having a laugh. Anyway, I'd heard mixed reviews about this product - some people claimed it helped them lose half a stone, whilst others stated that it was simply a waste of money. As you can imagine I was slightly skeptical when I embarked on this detox. 

I'd wanted to detox before I go back to uni to give my body a bit of a chance to reboot before I went back to drinking and depriving myself of sleep (the joys of student life). The basic premise of the package is that you make sure you only drink the tea itself, water and green tea. That means no fizzy drinks or coffee. Personally I only ever drink either green tea or water anyway, so this posed no challenge. Inside the bootea box are two packages: 14 day teabags and 7 night ones which you drink on alternate days. 

On day one I found the taste of the morning tea a bit startling. I'm  neither a fan of lemon or ginger, and I'd never heard of a couple of the ingredients. However, as the days went on I became accustomed to the taste and ended up sort of enjoying it. The night time tea tastes a little pepperminty. I actually preferred this one and ended up getting into a healthy night time regime by having it before bed.

Now for the results. I didn't really see any. I'm unsure as to whether the teatox only helps you lose weight because you cut out the bad drinks you normally drink, and my body was used to not having them anyway, or whether the tea just didn't have a huge effect. Having said that, I did feel a lot less bloated after meals, even big ones. All in all, I liked the internal effects of it, but a weight loss tea which didn't actually help me lose weight isn't worth £19.99 in my opinion. Since the teatox I've bought some lemon and ginger and peppermint tea because of the effects that I mentioned before. Although these teas aren't as effective at reducing bloating as the bootea was, they're a lot more budget friendly.

Have you tried it? What did you think?

Steph