The Graduate's guide #2: Freshers

Your first week at Uni can be really overwhelming and a bit of a sensory overload. Here’s a short do’s and don’ts list from someone who’s been through it and made it out the other side.

1.    Say Yes…to parties, breakfast, societies, pre-drinks, fancy dress, pizza.

2.    Be brave…Freshers only happens once and you don’t want to go into your first semester having missed out. Go crazy while you can. That being said, don’t feel pressured to do anything you know you don’t feel comfortable with or will have long term consequences. If it isn’t your thing Freshers doesn’t last forever- you will make it to the other side!

3.    Take photos of everything…you’re likely to have large chunks of freshers which you have no recollection of, so take photos at every opportunity. Laughing at them in the morning with your new friends is a great way of bonding!

4.    Fill your room with reminders of home…I suffered horrible home sickness out of the blue in freshers, and I think it’s because I didn’t make my room homely enough from the get go. I sort of half-heartedly finished it as the week went on. If I could do it all again, I would get my room looking cosy and perfect with help from the ‘rents before they leave. You don’t want to end up crying in what is ultimately a prison cell, trust me.

5.    Remember everyone really is in the same boat…everyone feels nervous and a bit overwhelmed at least once during their first few weeks at Uni (some are just better at hiding it) and everyone will ‘admit’ it weeks, months or years later. So no matter how long it takes you to settle, don’t suffer in silence!

6.    Find your flatmates before you arrive…most Uni’s by now will have facebook pages for each hall/accommodation so you can find your new flatmates. It’s so great to recognise people’s faces when you walk through the doors, and to know you’re not going into the complete unknown. You may even be bezzies before you meet.

7.    Have your wildest nights sooner rather than later…most people actually have stuff to do, places to be, and important people to meet in the first week after freshers. So at least give yourself Sunday to recover. You don’t want to be that person who throws up in the first lecture.

Festive season Wishlist

You know how kids are meant to grow out of loving Christmas? Well I forgot to. There’s nothing I love more than curling up under a blanket on a cold winter’s evening and watching Christmas films like Love Actually, The Holiday, and of course It’s A Wonderful Life. Or the feeling of coming back to a warm house after a wintery walk with the family. Don't even get me started on the John Lewis Christmas advert. While most sane people begin festivities in mid- November, I’m afraid I’m that person who wishes for Christmas in August. I’m lucky enough to have my birthday in the festive season too. So here’s what I’m wishing for this Christmas/Birthday (aka, things I’ll probably convince myself I need to treat myself to).

1.    Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Oil

2.    Any books. Books always have and always will make the greatest gifts.

3.    Old records

4.    Lush vouchers

5.    Neom candles/ incense

6.    Anything that involves relaxing

Don't tell me I'm the only one who still gets excited about the festive season!

10 Loves #2

I’ve had a bit of a mare of a week for various reasons, so I thought I’d compile a quick list of things that have been making me happy, just to put things into perspective.

1.    Swimming…it’s an amazing feeling being able to be active again. There’s nothing like a few lengths to calm the mind

2.    Big bowls of porridge…you could say I’m a bit obsessed with porridge. It’s starting to get chilly in the mornings- despite the fact it’s August- and there’s something weirdly therapeutic and comforting about the ritual of making a big ol’ bowl of warm porridge. I like to pile on lots of fruit and honey.

3.    Music…at my new job we have the greatest playlist of all time. Just sayin’. Lykke Li, Joni Mitchell, Nina Simone and Bill Withers to name but a few of the sweet souls who get me through the weekend.

4.    Falafel…what more can I say? It’s the best.

5.    The Holiday… I not-so-secretly loved this prematurely festive evening watching this classic. I’m never going to say no to a Jude Law film. Has anyone ever looked so hot even with a napkin over their face? I think not.

6.    Speaking of holidays…it’s only as I’m writing this that I’ve realised I haven’t had a SINGLE holiday this year. What is that about and why haven’t I noticed until now? A considerable amount of time over the last few weeks has been spent researching holiday destinations for next year. My list of destinations I want to visit is too long so I’ll save it for another day. But Edinburgh and New York are 2 places I’m dying to visit at the mo. (I’ll probably be saving for about 20 years to go to NYC)

7.    Roasted vegetables…(this is the last food item on here I promise). I love vegetables and I’m not ashamed to admit it. Be it parsnip, sweet potato, pepper; I am game.

8.    Flowers…I’ve been house sitting for my grandma for a few days this week, and it’s been so lovely looking out the window and seeing her beautiful garden. It’s so well kept but wild at the same time, I don’t know how she does it.

9.    This article from Bleubird…made me feel a lot more positive about improving my posture. My posture is so terrible. Sometimes I catch myself in the mirror and I am all hunched over like a granny. I’m making correcting it a priority so I don’t look like the hunchback of Notre Dame by age 30.

10. The girl in the spider’s web…I learnt this week that there’s a new addition to the Millennium series which I absolutely devoured a couple of years ago. Sadly the author of the first 3, Stieg Larsson, passed away in 2004 so this one is written by Swedish writer David Lagercrantz. I can’t wait to get my mits on it!

What has made you happy this week?

Everyone can do something: my thoughts on the environment, food, and the future.

I’ve made some changes to my diet and lifestyle recently so I thought I would share. Bare in mind this is just my own experience based on what I’ve learnt, and I’m by no means trying to impose that on others. I just think we should educate ourselves before we make choices.

So many industries which people in the west rely upon are exploitative and destructive to humans, animals, and the planet. It can be overwhelming to research, but there is no denying that the huge demand for products on a mass scale is, in many cases, having disastrous consequences. Now, I’m no hippy. But I recognise that it’s no longer good enough to assume somebody else is solving all of the world’s problems, as soon enough our generation will be expected to come up with answers. (Jack’s piece on the subject hits the nail on the head). The future is a shared responsibility.

It may sound silly when compared to the enormity of the problem, but for me, giving up meat and dairy is the easiest way I can make a small change which could have a greater impact. While I can’t afford to only purchase organic, sustainable clothing right now, even though I know most of what I buy was likely made in a sweatshop, that doesn’t mean I’m not allowed to call myself an ethical consumer in other ways. To be ethical doesn’t mean ‘to be perfect’.

With this in mind, about 6 months ago I gave up meat, and dairy soon followed. I gave them both up for obvious reasons. Not only do I believe the needless killing of innocent animals for human pleasure to be unethical, I am also aware of the detrimental effects both industries are having on the beautiful planet on which we live. The meat industry alone does more damage to the environment than all the cars, planes and trains combined. However, one animal product I struggle to say no to was eggs.

I’ve watched documentary after documentary about the horrible conditions hens live and die in, not to mentions the corrupt industry which is exploiting farmers. In spite of all this, and to my annoyance, there’s still nothing much better than a poached egg on avocado toast. So to reconcile my love for eggs and my love for hens, I’ve decided to only buy my eggs from a local farm’s shop, where I can see the happy, healthy hens roaming free, even though they’re a tiny bit more pricy. Happy hens, happy farmer, happy Annabelle.

Remember how powerful you are as a consumer! I believe that with that power, we have a duty to protect the planet and each other and to take responsibility for our actions. Obviously not everyone can turn into a self- sustainable vegan goddess overnight. But everyone making small changes will have a way bigger impact than just a few extreme examples. Everyone can do something.

There are lots of great events you can get involved and small changes you can make such as Meat Free Mondays, buying local or Fairtrade produce, attending your local vegan fair, or even just using public transport instead of a car. Do whatever you can!

10 Loves #1

1.    Moth (not to be confused with the flying, furry devils)

2.    Whether she’s the ambitious Leslie Knope in my beloved Parks and Recreation, heroically playing Hilary Clinton on SNL or just being her hilarious self in her memoir, Yes Please, Amy Poehler is my queen.

3.    The ability to walk…give it up for legs! They’re underrated. Never have I appreciated walking everywhere as much as this month. I never want to sit still again, and I can’t wait to start running again.

4.    This amazing soup recipe

5.    Casey Niestat’s vlog

6.    This Into the Gloss article will be a godsend if, like me, just the thought of describing how you’d like your hair to the hairdresser sends shivers down your spine. Who knew what I wanted all along had a name other than ‘longish, with short bits here and there and a sweepy fringe etc’ 

7.    Rainy summer days

8.    The Martian by Andy Weir

9.   A Single Man. Tom Ford’s greatest creation yet, this beautiful film will bring a tear to your eye, make you fall in love with Colin Firth (in case you hadn’t already) and make you feel ugly because everyone in it is an Italian model. It’s a good’n.

10. This wonderful video by the brilliant Rosianna.

The Graduate's guide to...the Labour leadership election

If you’re in the loop with current affairs you may have noticed that the Labour party is in the midst of electing a new leader, after Ed Miliband- to the dismay of the ‘Milifandom’- resigned in May following his party’s electoral defeat at the hands of both the Conservatives and the Scottish National Party (SNP). While much of the media may be succeeding in convincing you that the Labour party is falling apart from within, I thought I’d take a closer look at the candidates and the main political issues so far.

Yvette Cooper…if you grew up under New Labour like me, Yvette Cooper’s name is probably familiar- even if you’re not sure why. Along with her husband, Ed Balls, Cooper has been a prominent figure in the Labour party since her election as one of ‘Blair’s babes’ (uggggh, the feminist in me is screaming) in 1997. She later served in Gordon Brown’s cabinet and has since risen through the ranks to serve as both Shadow Foreign and Shadow Home Secretary. Cooper certainly has the backing of those in the party who share her New Labour background; most recently, the much- loved Alan Johnson declared his support for Cooper, and she also has the backing of The Guardian. While being a party favourite isn’t always enough to win, she has been included in the Woman’s Hour list of 100 most powerful women in the UK, so I think we all know she’s a winner whatever happens.

Andy Burnham…Andy Burnham is a fellow northerner, so I instinctively like him more than the rest. But all regional bias aside, Burhman has been MP for Leigh since 2001, and played a played a big role in the emergence of a second Hillsborough inquiry, after pushing the disaster onto the Parliamentary agenda in 2009, and also served as shadow health secretary. But while he isn’t one of the 100 most powerful women in the country, he does have a killer set of eyebrows; move over Cara Delevingne. You may have heard him repeatedly saying he would unite the party if he became leader, but- much like the word ‘biscotti’ in the Great British Bake- off- he’s said it so many times it’s started to lose its meaning. (But my aunty met him and said he was really nice).

Liz Kendall… Liz Kendall is probably the least well- known by the general public. Despite this, she is seen as an emblem for moderate, centre ground politics, and the antithesis to the more radical Jeremy Corbyn (we’ll get to him in a minute) But frankly, all you need to know about Liz Kendall is that she called out a sexist reporter and told him to “fuck off” after he asked her a question about her weight. It’s no surprise then that David Miliband has praised her ‘plain speaking’ and ‘political courage’. If anyone scares David Cameron, I’m gonna say it’s this bad ass bitch. In the words of Tina Fey, “Bitches get stuff done”.

Jeremy Corbyn…if you haven’t heard his name by now, seriously where have you been? There is no excuse. Unlike the other candidates, Jeremy Corbyn’s political career has been defined by radicalism- to say the least, which has sometimes got him into trouble. I’m talking about his questionable definition of terrorism and his dodgy relationship with the Jewish community. Support for Corbyn is clearly support for Labour’s roots, but many fear these roots are completely unelectable in contemporary Britain, including Gordon Brown, who says Corbyn goes against the party’s duty to have an electable leader to offer hope to the most vulnerable. Recently this view has been challenged by the man’s surprising popularity among young lefties, who feel Corbyn has the direction Labour desperately needs. The list of Labour figures who have warned against Corbyn is getting a bit long; is support for Corbyn a case of misdirected anger?

While I’m not (quite) old enough to remember the Labour leadership contests of the 1980’s, it does seem like since Blair, the main issues of leadership contests have been more and more inward- looking. Instead of debating education, health, and important foreign policy, candidates have outlined what Labour ought to be and who it ought to be for in the 20^th Century. Even though Labour’s turmoil is exhausting to watch, there’s no doubt it’s a vital part of having a purposeful and electable opposition. When will this soul searching end? I can’t even.

Are you eligible to vote?

If so, who are you planning on voting for?

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10 Post- graduation goals

I recently graduated from Uni a matter of weeks ago, and it’s really allowed me to reflect on the last three years as well as what I hope the next few years might bring. So I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to make some goals for the next year or so; some Graduation resolutions if you will. One of my favourite proverbs is ‘You can’t score without a goal’. With that in mind, here they are!

 Catch up

Even though I stayed in the city I grew up in for University, let’s face it, Uni takes up so much time, it’s hard to fit people into your schedule who you don’t see every day. With this in mind, now is the time to re- connect with the people who I’ve known since I came out of the womb, and who still probably know me best despite not spending nearly enough time with them for the last 3 years. Cue plenty of 5 hour Starbucks catch ups…we have 3 years to get through…

 Get organised

Before I went to Uni I was an organisational goddess. I loved stationary, I even owned a Filofax; picture a Monica Gellar figure if you will. But 3 years of too much free time, procrastination and sometimes (always) dull lectures has rid me of any organisational skill I once possessed. I miss being on time and knowing what’s going on in my life! I can’t say I’ll ever pay £20 for a Filofax again any time soon, but watch this space…

Save

No matter how much you disagree with giving up to 6 months of your time and energy to an organisation for free- also known as SLAVE LABOUR- you can’t deny it is a big part of the graduate jobs market. While they may be brilliant for a privileged handful of graduates whose mummy or daddy can support them for a few months, the rest of us aren't so lucky. The next year will be SAVE CENTRAL.

Books glorious books

If, like me, you've spent 3 years pouring over dull textbooks, and in my case, a dissertation period reading what felt like ALL feminist literature, you will be as excited as I am at the prospect of reading NOVELS. Novels, it’s been such a long time. I can’t wait to binge read trashy rom- coms (Nicholas Sparks, I've got my eye on you), before dipping my toes into some classics. Already on my list are The Martian, by Andy Weir and a re- read of Amy Poehler’s epic, Yes Please

Travel

I’ve had the travel bug since I was 10 when I travelled with my friends to Sweden with school. I’ve since been to France a few times, Australia, Holland, and the list goes on…With the exception of a few European trips the last 3 years have been spent in England. If I don’t get on a plane soon, I’m afraid I might lose my mind. You can’t beat the feeling of excitement of stepping out of an airport and arriving somewhere you’ve never been. I love researching different places around the world, and I can’t wait to finally explore them. Top of my list are the East coast of America, and Scandinavia.

 Volunteer volunteer volunteer

I’ve volunteered a couple of times before and I love the feeling of having a positive effect on someone’s life. Someone once said to me there are no jobs in charities and I know that’s a lie. Charities are something I’d love to be involved in.

Cleanse

While I know for a fact I’m among the healthiest students, 3 years of free dominos for students in freshers, and the cheap alcohol of student bars has definitely taken its toll on my body. I genuinely love living a healthy lifestyle, and feel more myself when I do. I've been dwelling on the idea of giving up alcohol for a while now, but I keep putting off taking the plunge. When will there be a better time to get healthy for good? BEN & JERRY’S THOUGH.

Keep learning

While I couldn’t be happier that lectures, seminars and endless essays are over, I don’t ever want to forget why I went to Uni in the first place; I love learning. Whether it’s from books, documentaries or museums, I’m going to try and keep learning something new every day.

Health

I’ve been ill for the last 3 months. At one point I was bed bound for about 4 weeks, and even had to miss my final exam. Thankfully I’m on the mend and slowly noticing improvements. But it’s been one of those times in life which has made me feel extremely grateful for the smallest things; being able to walk, cook meals, bend down to pick up my niece, and most of all, having loving family and friends who can support me. I never want to take good health for granted again!

Treat yo self

In this period of change, stress and, in my case anxiety, it’s important to remember not to be too harsh on yourself. It’s so important to look after yourself, and especially in stressful times such as starting a new job, moving to another city, or just generally being busy. I’m someone who needs to keep myself busy to be productive. As much as I love this, I’m also a big fan of clearing plans for a day or an evening to spend some quality time with myself. ‘Me- time’ includes a hot bath, a face mask, chocolate and a film. In the spirit of Tom and Donna in Parks and Recreation make sure you give yourself a break and treat yo’ self.