28 February 2017

3 LESSONS FROM UNIVERSITY - WHAT I HAVE LEARNED SO FAR

I started the second semester a few weeks ago, and now I'm all busy again with assignments and other homework. Since this was my first year as a university student, I wanted to sit down and evaluate my experience so far. These are some of the lessons I have learned so far (which aren't school related):

Ewan Robertson
1. YOU WON'T BE THE BEST STUDENT IN CLASS ANYMORE

In secondary school I would be the best in my English class. I remember that everyone knew that English was my thing, and I would usually stand out in that subject. Since I have always loved languages and it's something I was comfortable with, I decided to enrol a language degree. Now my English class is filled with many people with an excellent level, who also adore languages. Those students are the ones who were the best in their high school class, and now we're all together in university, therefore, some of them are better than me. This isn't a negative aspect, I see it as a challenge. It was shocking at first, because I was used to another class environment, but now I got used to it, and it's more than fine. You learn to compete with yourself instead of your classmates, and the good part about being surrounded with such good students is that you can always ask for help!

Alexis Brown
2. YOU WON'T GET ALONG WITH EVERYONE, BUT YOU MAY FIND AMAZING FRIENDS

The good thing about university is that you go there once you have reached a certain age, which means you have created an opinion about the world and you know what you're looking for in a friend. In secondary school we are still growing as people, which means we go through a lot of different friendships while we figure out what we are and who we want to be (at least that's what happened to me). Although we are a work in progress, when you go to university you have already developed your approach to the world and you have your own ideas and thoughts and a unique voice to stand up for what you want. That's why you're very likely to become close to people who have similar ideas as you and don't bother to meet other classmates that you know straight away that don't share anything with you. The difference with high school is that, back then, you would have several friends until you found "the right one", and now, there is a high possibility that you find them sooner than you think. It's okay not to be friends with every person in your class, of course you have to be nice to them, but that has nothing to do with building a friendship.

Olu Eletu
3. YOU DECIDE THE HOMEWORK (TEACHERS WON'T DO SO)

The less hours you have of class, the more hours you'll need to study at home. It's tricky because you think that there's only a small amount of content, but in reality, you need to spend time on your own working and doing research in your house/library/ wherever you choose. This means that you must dig deeper, investigate, be curious, don't go for the first thing you find, look up as many pages as you can, combine information, take the best from each source you check... The sooner you start getting used to this, the easier it will be to keep up with.  You should also keep your notes up to date and always ask the teacher if you have any doubts, because, unlike secondary school, the teacher won't come after you. Just keep in mind that all the effort you put now, will be worth it when you have your degree!
As a university student you should also read the newspaper and stay informed about what is going on. This is something I'm still working on, but it's important you have a general idea of the current situation.

22 February 2017

TOP 5 TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

I could 100% say that travelling is my favourite thing to do. I envy those people who get to travel the world thanks to their job, although sometimes I think it can be a bit of a pain to never “settle down”. However, I would like to have enough time (and money) to explore and discover new places as often as possible. I’m still quite young yet, but I have had the chance to do some amazing trips so far and I’ve enjoyed every single one of them. Today I’ll be sharing with you some of my best tips for travelling and making the most out of it. I’m sure you’ll find something helpful!
Ian Shneider
- Bring spare underwear in your carry-on bag, just in case you lose your luggage. If you are doing long flights and must change planes, there is a slight possibility of your big suitcase getting lost between the connection flights. I recommend to always have something to wear on the carry-on, so it doesn’t catch you unprepared.

- Have chewing-gum with if you are taking a plane. With the change of pressure, I always get a terrible earache. By chewing some gum, you keep yourself busy and it makes it easier to adapt to the “new pressure” (if that makes sense), especially during the taking off and the landing.

- Book your hotel and tickets in advanced (as soon as you know when you’ll be going). I feel really safe when I know where I’m staying, how many nights I will be there… So, whenever you know that you’re definitely going to do that trip, book your flights and hotel at the same time. Many web pages, like Tripping, can help you find the best deal, so make sure you do your research before you buy anything. There are plenty of places you can choose from!
Tomo Nogi
- Put on the heaviest clothes while you’re travelling. This is very useful if you are staying somewhere for a long time and you need bring lots of clothes. If you must bring a coat or a heavy pair of shoes, I recommend you to wear them on the day of your trip, therefore, they won’t take up too much space in your suitcase and you will be able to fill it with other useful stuff.

- Use a belt pouch to keep all your documentation and tickets. Although I wouldn’t bring it with you at all times if you’re going to be doing tourism around any city, it’s very handy when you’re travelling. Having a place to put all the important documents (passport, ID card, health insurance) will save you a lot of time during the check in or when you’re looking for your tickets to board the plane/ train/ whatever you’re taking.

Richard Tilney-Bassett

Have you got any travel essentials you would like to share? Do so in the comments!! See you soon :)

9 February 2017

7 STEPS TO STUDYING OVERSEAS

Hello lovely readers, today Steph will share some useful information for those who are interested in studying abroad. She also has a blog where you can discover more things about her, so make sure to head over there as soon as you finish reading this post and send her some love!

Studying abroad can be a very long (but very fun) process. I’ve recently embarked on this journey and figured out the ins and outs of where and how to start this exciting undertaking. I currently live in South Africa, but will start an undergraduate degree at a university, in Europe, in September 2017. Whether you’re going abroad for one year or three, these tips are bound to get you boarding a plane and discovering a new city.

There are several reasons why someone would want to study overseas, and for each person the answer will be different. Some will cross oceans for the fun and the adventure and others for a better-quality education that cannot be matched from their current city. I personally fall into the latter category.

If you think that you’re someone who would like to study in another country but is unsure of what this enlivening new adventure will take, then finish up here and head on over to my blog to read my blogging buddy, Cecile’s post called ‘'5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Studying Abroad'’.

I found the process to be enjoyable, sometimes nerve-wrecking and at times stressful but when that acceptance letter slides through your mailbox or into your inbox with the assurance of a brand-new adventure and chapter of your life, it’s worth it.

#1 Pick a City

Studying abroad implies moving to a new city. If you’re more the ‘happy go lucky type’, throw pins randomly at a map on the wall, or more rationally, choose a city based on its community, safety, lifestyle and quality of education. A lot of thought (and conversation) should go into the making of your choice as this city will be your new home. Confide and ask for guidance from a parent, sibling or friend whom you trust will offer you golden nuggets of guidance. Can you see yourself strutting down Regent street or 5th Avenue? If the answer is no, then keep looking!

#2 Find a Degree

Before considering what university or college to attend, you first need to know what course you want to give your brain capacity and storage over to for the next year or possibly the span of your life. One university could be esteemed for engineering, science and mathematics, but if you want to study drama, then despite its top-10 global ranking, the university probably isn’t for you. You need to choose a top-quality university that offers the best quality in your specific degree. I mean, you’re not flying over oceans for a mediocre quality of education, are you? When researching degrees, you should consider lifestyle, salary, working hours and stress-levels (amongst other aspects). A helpful question to ask yourself at this stage is “could I see myself doing this for the next 50 years?”. If the answer is no, keep looking.

#3 Scour for a Uni




Now that you’ve found your subject of study, it’s time to place yourself in an environment that will get your neurons buzzing and your heart fluttering. You need to find a uni that offers you the professional facilities and expert educators, however, beyond the classroom and hitting the books, you need an environment that offers you the choice to join societies and sports clubs because, whilst you’re flying over horizons, you need to be venturing into new ones.

#4 Finances + Costs


Although it’s hunky dory to up and leave from home and venture into a new city, with new friends and new foods, you need to assess your financial standings and gage what you, your family or guardian can afford. You should consider that you’ll have to possibly be in residence, pay for transportation, food, university tuition and then still need money to enjoy the ‘needs’ we all really know to be ‘wants’- like the clubbing and fancier dining-- as you should.

Don’t let several digit numbers and massive exchange rate differences put you off your path of studying abroad. All universities offer scholarships, bursaries and help/advice on student loans. Contact student funding after receiving an acceptance and work out what plan best suits you.

If you think finances will hold you back from a specific university, you should maybe consider a school in the same country, possibly the same city and or even just down the road. The second best could be an option now, but, remember to save the best for last. You can always go to ‘the best’ for postgraduate studies.


#5 Entry Requirements


Different countries have different requirements to start studying. You need to ensure that your high school or university qualification meets the requirements of the university. Failing this, you will need to subject yourself to a different examination, required by the university, which could potentially involve a different curriculum from the one you are learning or have learnt. From my own experience, I also found that if you are from a country that is not recognized as being an English-speaking majority, upon the request of the university, you will write an IELTs exams to prove your English proficiency. 

Some good advice would be to familiarize yourself with the requirements early in the process so that you know what grades you need to achieve or any extra lessons/subjects that you need to take.


#6 Personal statement


If you’re writing a personal statement, it means you’re applying-yipee! Congrats on taking a leap of faith! Your statement is important for your educators to get a good sense about who you are as a person- show off your skills and personality but not your inflated ego. There are some great websites and Youtube videos which give you great direction with writing these statements, from people whose job it is to read these.

As an international student, you should take care to note why you want to study in another country and what you offer the university as an international student.


#7 Visit the uni



You’ve scoured the web, dusted off the cobwebs in your brain; It’s now time to knock on the door, ring the doorbell and pop-in for a visit. Chances are you’ve applied to more than one university (just for insurance). Hop into a plane, a bus or a train and go visit your potential new home. You’ve probably travelled far for this, so make it a holiday - gracing all the museums and architectural wonders with your presence while you’re there. Take note of the type of students at the university and the university’s surrounding environment. The best advice I can give you here is this: If you know, you know.

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If you think that you’re up for the challenge and studying in a new country could be for you, then head on over to my blog to read Cecile’s post.

It’s been lovely taking up space on Cecile’s blog. If you’d like to see more of me, you can follow me on my blog or on Instagram. Do pop in and say ‘hi’. However, from me, for now, Bye!

Steph


5 February 2017

WHY YOUR BLOG DOESN'T NEED A NICHE


I am tired of reading "find your niche", or, "your blog needs a niche"... blah, blah, blah. I don't think that your blog needs a niche. The word "niche" stands for a "a distinct segment of a market", therefore, if your niche is photography, all your posts will be dedicated to this topic. That's great if you treat your blog as a business or if you have very few interests. However, what can people do if they have lots of hobbies/are interested in many things and they can't choose which one to focus their blog on? Well, they can come to the dark side and don't have a niche. Just like my blog!


I love plenty of things. I enjoy home decoration, photography, reading good books, travelling, sharing personal experiences, sitting down and writing about whatever is going through my mind ... Some people would put my blog into the personal/lifestyle category of blogs, but it isn't. As humans we tend to label everything and we need to learn that somethings aren't labeable (I've invented this adverb, I know, I'm a genius!). A blog with a niche will have specific readers interested in that topic, which is great, but there are some blogs which are meant to not have a niche. These kind of blogs are messy, random, with a very irregular posting schedule. The authors behind the posts are crazy and simply want a place to share their thoughts. Its readers end up there God knows why, and sometimes, they decide to stay, because they fancy having a wide variety of content, the same way the author enjoys writing about everything they want.

Nowadays, the blogging industry has grown tremendously and many people make a living by writing a blog. I understand the reason why lots of bloggers out there see it as a business, but we shouldn't forget about the original blog.  Yes, I'm talking about these individuals who are just trying to blog the old-fashioned way, as a hobby, as a way to reach out to the lovely and engaged audience they have. I defend blogs without a niche because I believe in "less rigid" blogging rules, because I think that we need to go back to basics when everyone is blogging about "what they are supposed to blog" or they are busy finding a niche that their blog doesn't need in the first place. Don't let niches reduce the creativity of your blog and the content you put into it. If people want to read your blog, they will do it regardless of your  "niche". The ones who read niche-less blogs enjoy the way the authors write, it also helps if they say wise things and stuff, but they like their personality and their view of the world. As simple as that.


If you're still reading, thank you :) Have a nice week everybody!