Open Days

Open Days. They happen to be really great way of making that all important decision of 'Which Uni?'. Things I took into account when I was applying to universities was the distance away from home, the course itself, UCAS points and of course how the nightlife is (we know how important that is Haha). With that taken into account I of course did my research. Open days were not easy for me because at the time, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. All I knew was that whatever course I wanted to do, it was something that I would enjoy. So with that in sight, my best friend and I decided to go to some universities together and weigh up our options. At that point we both had not yet applied to university but here are some things we both learned whilst at open days;

1. Logistics-  For some, being really far from home is ideal, but for others perhaps being close to home is not a bad idea. Also, when looking at logistics I tended to look at how easy it was to go home. The kind of public transport available to me and the frequency. I did not want to be in a place that did not offer easy ways of getting into University and getting home.
2. The course- My best friend was looking at doing Law. He knew he wanted to do that from the word go, I on the other hand knew that as long as the course was business related chances are I would probably enjoy the course. Every university we went to had talks about the course and the kinds of avenues you could look at after graduation. 
3. Opportunities- By opportunities,  I mean the kind of opportunities you are given or are likely to take with your course. This may be placement opportunities or such like Placement year or Internships and even the likelihood of employment after graduation which is  really important.
4. University student vibes- So this is my term for how the university feels. Most university students that I spoke to you when I was going to these open days were so enthusiastic, fun and energetic. They also gave me lots of free stuff which was cool (who doesn't like freebies) but most importantly, it was vital for me to ask about the course and how they were getting on with their course and whether they enjoyed it.
5. Nightlife- I come from a small town. I wanted to be able to go out, have a good time and enjoy whatever the University nightlife had to offer.
6. Accommodation- Every open day allows you to have a look at their accommodation on offer. They show you a range of accommodation so you are able to make decisions based on your monetary situation. It's also a good way of analysing whether you would like to live in a sociable environment or whether you would prefer to be in the comfort of oneself.

After all the above, both my best friend and I weighed up our options. We then chose our choices based on the above criterion and funnily enough we chose different ends of the country but equal distances from home. He went to university in Sheffield and I went south of Home. It worked out for the both of us and look, we have both had a fun time at University.

What have I learnt about myself?

In the video above, Susan and I will discuss what we have learnt in the last three years. This of course will include a brief overview of our pitfalls and some advice for you future students. It really has been fun. We have both learned so much.

University Nostalgia

My wonderful friend Susan has agreed to talk about her University experience with me. In the video above we will be talking about how far we have come as Uni students at the University of Bedfordshire as well as what we have enjoyed and our joint experiences. Enjoy!

Sisters Are Doing It for Themselves

Yesterday was International Women's Day and boy is it a time to celebrate. I would like to think of myself as being a Feminist and so days like yesterday mark all things greatness within womanhood. For many years as many of you will know, women in many different countries have fought for gender equality with some sacrificing their lives in support of doing just that.The Western World has been successful in enforcing women's rights with iconic activists such as Emeline Pankhurst. For those who haven't the privilege of knowing about Emeline Pankhurst, she was the leader of the Suffragettes Movement in the early 20th century. She is one of the greatest examples of Feminism at best. We thank Emeline Pankhurst for giving females a voice and risking her life so we can be treated somewhat equally.

I highly admire women. Throughout the last century, women have gained status from simple status symbols like wearing trousers to women in politics running powerful countries like Germany. Women have definitely come a long way in Western Society however, there is still a long way to go in other societies. I am sure you all remember Malala Yousafzai. The 17 year old who stood up for educating women and consequently got shot by the Taliban for doing so. Educating women in many societies around the world is still sadly frowned upon. Women in some cultures are still seen as second to none and have no say on any matters. Malala Yousafzai is prime example of how women in such cultures are changing those cultural norms and challenging those deem themselves fit to run countries. The fact that she was shot by the Taliban for something she believed in shows that there is still much to be done in terms of educating women and more-so to be giving women a say in political matters. It is however an ongoing uphill battle however we must not forget that with great power comes great sacrifice. An education, the right to vote, the right to free will, the right to be whoever I want is a privilege. And to that I owe the women in history who have made it possible for me to have a voice!

They say 'If you educate a boy you are educating a man but if you educate a woman, you are educating a generation'.

Time is of the essence

So many of you will wonder how time is managed when you are at University. It is very much different to time management when you were going to school everyday. For starters, the timetable is so different and the best part about it is that unlike some degrees I was given some choice as to what classes I would attend and at what time. It's actually great as a lot of people have jobs outside of university alongside that people would also like to enjoy a social life.  However, as each year has progressed, time has been of the essence. It waits for no one. So in light of this fast paced reality, I have to be willing to work the extra hours in order to achieve whatever it is I am focused on. 

I would like to think that I spend a good majority of my time doing my University work but I will be honest the 'busy body' lifestyle means I have had to learn to prioritise my time as best as I know how. So my strategy for doing so is being as flexible as I can be. I try my hardest to make sure that my university work comes first as my degree is the most important aspect of my life at the moment. Everything else is after. At the moment, it is the most intense year yet. With the added pressure of dissertation, other assignments, retail work as well as trying to socialise every now and then, one does wonder why I haven't lost the plot? The fact of the matter is that it is fairly difficult balancing everything when you have lots to do however in retrospect of the last three years, when you get the balance right, everything becomes that little bit easier. 

A week in the life of Bo

A typical week for me is never the same. So the word typical doesn't really count for me. Ideally I would like my week to be filled with ease however I am always so busy. I try and utilise my time as much as I can and at time it's very difficult depending on what kind of week it is. The most difficult weeks for me are usually deadline weeks where it's all so manic and I am literally at my wits end with myself. Other weeks, it's all good. Life is great. I am smiling and of course we just get on with it.

Below is as close to a typical week as I get. It varies from week to week but this is as consistent as it gets for now.

Monday: My one day weekend. I use this day to have a 'lie in'. Catch-up on some cleaning and use the time wisely to try and plan the week as much as I can. I also use Mondays to do as much University work as I can. 

Tuesday: I am currently a Fashion Assistant at a small Fashion PR Firm in East London. Tuesdays are early starts and usually a late finish for me. 

Wednesday:Wednesday is a full university day for me. This is one day that doesn't change for me. There is always so much catch-up with lecturers. 

Thursday: Full day. It is also another packed day! On this day I start relatively early and finish late in the day. 

Friday-:Another day as a  Fashion Assistant in East London. So early start but as it is Friday it is an early finish and so such things as Friday drinks apply! FRESH FRIDAY HERE I AM.

I work in retail over the Weekends  (Oh yeah) but I am also a Freelance Fashion Stylist www.bodubestyling.4ormat.com (be sure to have a look at my website.)As I am sure you can tell, I enjoy being busy and so every aspect of my working life is important. As I am always so busy I also make priority to enjoy myself at least once a week with my friends whether it's eating out or staying in and watching movies together or better yet cooking big dinners for one another.