Author: Rob

Beans on Toast Again

~ Rob

Beans on Toast is the simplest meal a student can make. Apart from Pot Noodle but that’s not really a meal is it? It just rubbery noodles with “E” numbers. Where would the next student meal come from if it wasn’t for good old beans on toast?

You’ve not experienced real student life without having to struggle to survive on beans on toast. It’s part of student life. For your own benefit you best make sure you have a few hundred tin’s of beans in the cupboard to get you through. In fact I hope you like bread too because soon you be putting everything on it, crisps, cheese, eggs, salad, chips and dipping it in soup.

Be sure to have plenty of bread stocked up in the freezer, nothing is as quite as upsetting than having beans on beans, yet that still tastes better then plain boring lentils.

For best results use branded beans like Heinz Beans or Branston – I find the tomato juice higher quality. Some of the supermarket home brands are nice too. As a rule avoid the cheap and nasty budget baked beans where possible. Also watch out for salt and sugar levels added for flavouring.

To improve your beans on toast recipe I recommend a scrape of butter and a sprinkling of pepper. Should the budget permit you can go posh and add Worcestershire sauce or a dash of soya sauce to bring out the flavour.

The big British breakfast wouldn’t be complete without beans. Beans are good for you, they look after your heart. They are high in fibre, low in fat and contain iron, protein and B vitamins.

I love beans on toast. As a convenience food beans on toast rocks and they’re great for your energy levels. However you may not want to have to eat them for a whole month. On the plus side you can look forward to stinking out the dormitory or impressing your flatmates with your bum notes.

Changing University Degrees When It Feels Wrong

~ Rob

Do you think you picked the wrong degree course? A few weeks, a month or so has passed and you’ve tried to give the subject a chance but it’s not growing on you. The fear creeps in. Have you chosen the wrong field of study? To you does the subject suck?

If you’re not enjoying your degree you don’t want to needlessly suffer for the next three years. Forcing yourself to go through the course won’t be good for your moral or self esteem.  It’s hard to keep motivated when you’re not enjoying what you do and getting into debt for doing it.

So what can you do when your education doesn’t feel right?

Consider transferring degrees in a similar field. You can usually jump ship to another degree up until the end of the first term. A degree transfer is usually painless providing the subjects overlay in some way, unless of course the degree is full.

However if you want to move into a completely new area it’s going to be harder but not impossible. Your college or university will have rules, policies and entry criteria in place that determine if and when you can make a degree switch. The worst case is you take a gap year and reapply next year.

Before you switch degrees you must consider why you really want to change your degree. Are you finding the work too difficult after A-Levels? Is this just a part of the subject matter that you don’t like or fully understand, if so this may just be a temporary dip while you settle in. If next terms content  is going to feel just as bleak then you have a serious case to consider moving degrees.

Will switching degrees affect your career path or limit future job options? If you’re not happy in your degree will you be happy in the job?

Approach your tutor and speak to student services for advice. They have experience and are here to help . Don’t rush any decisions before transferring degrees and clearly think it through before going ahead.

Studying A Biology Degree – A Beginners Guide

~ Rob

I’m not studying a biology degree but I thought I’d give you some biology tips on understanding how “bio” and “logy” work together to create living things. If you are wanting to become a biologist, doctor, vet or naturist then understanding biology will help you answer any biology exam questions.

Biology is beautiful and learning biology is very important to the existence of life. Without biology itself there’d be no way to study other exciting subjects.

You can start doing and studying biology easily by leaving yoghurt out on the kitchen worktop for 8 weeks. If you leave it out of the fridge for a few million years then a new life form may possibly develop.

WHAT IS BIOLOGY?

Biology is the study of natural science like animals, trees and bacteria. Nature is everywhere. You can be in awe of nature when a tasty student with a nice bum passes by. Sometimes this biology leads to chemistry happening between the male and female species. It is an experience which can leave you feeling warm and fuzzy inside or sometimes guilty and ashamed, so be careful because Chemistry can be explosive in the bedroom not just in a science lab.

BIOLOGY FACTS:

If you are finding studying biology difficult then the following biology study tips can make studying biology easy for biology students:

  • Biology was invented when Amino Acids formed in a puddle in the Garden of Eden somewhere in Africa.
  • DNA is the building blocks of life but its rubbish at building houses.
  • All living creatures have a funny Latin name that nobody can pronounce.
  • Life is made up of cells. If you are naughty and do bad things you can also get locked up in a cell.
  • While studying biology certain conditions need to be met. For example, it’s very important to breath air in and out.
  • Charles Darwin wrote a book called the “Origin of the Species“, its publication made God angry and he’s not been in touch since.
  • A biography is the story and documentation of a creatures life from birth to death.
  • There is probably biology on other planets and worlds outside our solar system but stupid Physics hasn’t worked out how to get there yet.

LEARNING BIOLOGY

Biology is full of tricky long words and phrases remembering these and when to use them will help you answer your examination questions and pad out your biology dissertation. If you are struggling with biology keyword spelling then just add the suffixes -“ism”,  “ose” or “ule” to the end.

If studying and learning biology gets overwhelming for you I suggest you use the cloning process like real life cells would do and copy and paste words from other sources. This will make biology knowledge easier to transfer.

Reading big heavy biology books can also aid in helping mastering biology and build up your muscles. With these biology techniques you can develop your body and evolve your brain together.

BIOLOGY TODAY

You should always take a moment to think about how wonderful biology is. Biology is what makes the human body work and fall asleep. Biology is the miracle of life.

Studying biology is fun and you can do it in your own home. You should now know enough to pass your biology degree with flying colours.

If you think a student studying biology would benefit from guide please share it with them.

Advice for Homesick Students

~ Rob

At the moment it may feel like you don’t fit in as you adjust to student life. You may be beginning to get restless and yearn for home. Don’t worry you are going to make new friends and settle in the city fast. If you don’t know anyone remember you’re not alone.

It’s scary in the first few weeks so getting involved in Freshers Week, events and activities will speed up the process of meeting people and making new friends. Settling in to university life means getting active. If you are shy and the quiet type like me then find a society of like minded people to join.

University student societies give you the chance to meet your fellow students and starting interacting with what’s on offer with student life. They are fun way to break down barriers especially if you are on the introvert side and will be a great asset to put on your graduate CV and job hunt in a few years time.

Getting involved is the best way to overcome student homesickness and take your mind off the family and friends you left behind. Volunteer, learn something new and get out there.

I know when you start at university its filled with nerves, surprises and shocks. I suggest you start exploring your new environment and get to know the city. There will be plenty of landmarks, architecture, museums, art galleries, music venues, theatres and culture to absorb and hopefully some countryside to see as well as shopping centres, bars and places to eat and pig out.

You need to make yourself at home and soon you’ll get to know the place like the back of your hand. I suggest you carry a map of the city or use Google Maps because you’re going to feel lost and got lost in the first few months.

If you want to do a hobby then hobby-ing is the way to go.  When you head off to university and are away from home you need to pass the time. And when you’re broke you need to kill time.

A good hobby outside booze, partying and collecting traffic cones can help you settle in. You can’t fill all your days with homesickness and vomit. As you settle in its important to find a nice pub and student friendly local boozer but don’t live there.

Try train spotting or take up a new sport like snooker to keep active or if you are a hungry student take up food stamp collecting. If you still feel like you’re age 12 you can also purchase a football sticker album.

Needlework can also be useful for when your buttons fall off your trousers – Now that’s a skill that will always impresses the ladies. A good cross stitch is the way to a women’s heart.

I guess what I’m saying is the cure for a homesick student is to be doing something else other than thinking about home. Taking up a keen interest in something will help ease the move and take your mind off been a homesick fresher.

You need something to occupy you in-between going back home. Another great hobby is to start blogging.  To get started buy some hosting, a domain from here and install WordPress. Once you have your hosting you can edit free pre-built page templates and uploading them your site.

Select a template that works with your subject matter. If you are blogging about cars then pick a template with a motoring theme.

You can start playing around with the look and feel of your blog at http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/. You could also ask student designer to create a branded blog template featuring your own logo and images.

Settling in to Student Life and living away from home is going to take some adjusting to. Over the next few months it’s going to take some getting used to as you settle in to student life. If you’re from out of town getting to know your new home, new neighbours and surroundings is the first step.

Heading off to university is a scary prospect. It can be overwhelming having to moving away from home, leaving friends, lovers, behind even missing the family pet. Moving away is both exciting and daunting. For the first time you have the freedom to do want you want and go where you want. In between the lectures and seminars.

With three years of studying and partying ahead of you student live is your next adventure. You’re going to meet new people, make new friends, explore new places and make yourself at home. Once you’ve unpacked your uni stuff and learned the important bus routes and bus numbers to get from A to B its time to find out what’s going on in your area and on campus.

You now have the freedom to choose, without any nagging parents or curfews. You may want to experiment with different beers, ales, cocktails, gin, whiskey, tequila and ouzo. Just remember it’s not all about drinking, with freedom comes responsibility. Staying out all night is fun at the time but  homesickness and vomit can kick in after a too heavy session so watch each other’s backs.

If you’re feeling homesick than get out and enjoy yourself. There will be events happening. Discover your favourite bars and drinking space. Go to a music festival or catch a gig and see the local up and coming talent in the indie music scene. Student life is a balance of education and recreation.

You may have more time on your hands than is good for you. Doing extra-curricular activities and joining society’s will help take your mind off missing home. Most activities can be broadly classified into three – recreational, educational and society-oriented.

Joining a society can improve the experience and combat the loneliness. They will help you gain more in-depth knowledge and experience in various subjects while uplifting your spirits (not of the liquid kind).

Moving away from home is a big change. I recommend homesick students find a new hobby or new interest, take up painting, join a reading club, learn to play an musical instrument, start a blog but most of all enjoy the student experience.

May I remind you that sleeping all day is not classed as a hobby.