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AUTUMN 2013
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CONTENTS
80
4
30
THE BIG INTERVIEW
04 Flux Pavilion From student to dubstep star in five years
ENTERTAINMENT
05 Music The best student sounds; the coolest clubs 08 The Guide This autumn's hottest TV, comedy, theatre and more 14 Film/DVD Reviews What to watch at the cinema and on your sofa 16 Books The top 20 literary student reads
WHAT'S HOT
20 Shopping Cool stationery kit 23 Tech/Gadgets Living in a digital world 24 Computers The latest gear reviewed STUDENT365 IS PUBLISHED BY F D MEDIA LIMITED 5 Ella Mews Cressy Road London, NW3 2NH Tel: 020 7428 7018 Email: enquiries@fd-media.co.uk Web: fd-media.co.uk Publishing Director: Paul Russell paul.russell@fd-media.co.uk
28 Computer Games What to play, and why
LOOK FRESH
30 Fashion All the cool clobber 34 Beauty Scrub up in lectures
STUDENT LIVING
36 Health Make friends, stay healthy 40 Sport Witness the fitness 46 Sex & Relationships The common-sense guide to nooky 48 Gay & Lesbian Coming out on campus 51 Clubs & Societies Extra-curricular activities 53 Competitions Win stuff and smile
Art Director: Gemma Burgess newissuedesign.com
55 Cooking Eat well while at uni 60 Snack Attack Quick nosh now 62 Accommodation Where should you live?
MONEY & CAREERS 67 Student Finance Living on a budget 71 Green Money Sustain the world 73 Part-Time Work Earn cash; get experience 75 Internships Why it's worth it 78 Dropping Out What to do, and why
TRAVEL
80 Travel Directory Gap year working 86 Getting Around Best student travel deals
Amelia Rosenthal; Anna Silverman; Nadine Woogara; Angela Yussuf
Sub-Editor: James Butler
If you’re interested in writing for us or for general editorial enquiries please contact: kaye.holland@student365.co.uk
Contributors: Tom Banham; Ruth Bushi; Jodie Edwards; Adam Hartley; Rob Hearn; Kelly Holgate; Vivien Macdona; Lucy Peden;
For advertising and sponsorship opportunities please email: advertising@student365.co.uk
Online Editor: Kaye Holland
34
The entire contents of this publication are protected by copyright, full details of which are available from the publisher. All rights are reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopying recording or otherwise – without the prior permission of the copyright owner. The publishers do not accept the responsibility for any views expressed in this publication. © F D Media Limited 2013
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ED'S LETTER
WELCOME H
ello and welcome to autumn-winter 2013 edition of Student365 – formerly known as Fresh Direction – the essential lifestyle magazine that no student can do without! On these pages you’ll find the latest buzz on fashion, beauty, health, music and gadgets – plus all the inside info on everything from where to go on a sneaky term time break to ways of making your student loan stretch further. We’ll even let you in on a yummy recipe or two to help keep you warm this winter. Want to win stuff? Check out the fab prizes up for grabs on page 53.
Enter our competitions and win some cool prizes!
Enjoy the issue!
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And when you’re done with the mag, log onto Student365.co.uk – the UK’s number one site for students – providing undergrads and postgrads alike with the low-down on everything from careers advice to accommodation, games and entertainment, money saving deals, fantastic freebies and much, much more. With new features and offers going up every single day, Student365.co.uk is sure to keep both your mind and pocket happy.
FLUX PAVILLION In Dub We Trust Healthy Body, Healthy Mind
GOING GREEN
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Love The World All Around You
PRICES CORRECT AT TIME OF PRINTING. SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
WANT TO WRITE FOR US?
If you fancy yourself as a budding journo and want to build up your writing portfolio, you’ve come to the right place. By joining our team of student writers, you’ll get some great experience while simultaneously having a helluva good time. We also regularly run online internships – a chance to see your creative ideas materialised – and would love to hear from you. To get involved, simply email kaye.holland@student365.co.uk with the word ‘writer’ in the subject line.
GET IN TOUCH Whether you’re a fresher or a third year, we want to hear your
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thoughts on Student365.co.uk. Let us know what your favourite features are – or anything else you feel the need to shout about – on our Twitter (@Student365) and Facebook (Facebook.com/Student365.website) pages.
Make Your CV Sparkle To Land a Top Job!
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ANY ADVENTURE
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NEWS • MUSIC • FASHION • FILM • GAMES • TRAVEL • BEAUTY • SEX • ADVICE STUDENT365
GAP YEARS, SHORT BREAKS
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INTERVIEW
Flux Trax Rules In five short years Flux Pavilion has gone from dubstep neophyte to fielding calls from hip-hop heavyweights. Tom Banham quizzes him about this amazing transformation...
4 WWW.STUDENT365.CO.UK WWW.STUDENT365.COM
Having now swapped student digs for five-star hotels and endless touring, you'd think such a swift ascent would turn this naive young music student to rock star arrogance. But Steele still seems remarkably grounded. His backstage antics wouldn't raise many eyebrows – "I once threw a cheese board at something," he admits when we probe for his most diva moment – and for now, at least, the focus is firmly on the music. His next aim is another collaboration with hip-hop royalty.
His diva moment? "I once threw a cheeseboard at something." "I'm getting pretty into Pharrell," he explains. "He's written and produced some incredible music, and I think we could write something really interesting together." Could Flux Pavilion possibly be the new Daft Punk? With his festivalfilling sound and uncanny ability to write songs whose catchiness leaves Get Lucky in the shade, we wouldn't bet against it.
PHOTO: IStockphoto
J
oshua Steele's rise as Flux Pavilion has been head spinning. Five years ago he'd never heard of dubstep, until a chance encounter at a freshers' party opened his ears to the power of bone-rattling bass. A week later, he'd made his first track. By his third year, musical luminaries Example, Diplo and DJ Fresh were all popping into his student flat – where they'd have to perch on his bed because he didn't have a second chair – and their collaborations were interrupting his efforts to get coursework finished. "I was generally not sleeping," he laughs. "But I didn't find getting the balance that difficult, because it was all stuff I really wanted to do." He went straight from finals to a US tour, and has since played to hundreds of thousands of ravers across America, where his emotionally charged brand of dubstep has brought rabid acclaim. It even caught the ear of Kanye West and Jay Z, who sampled his track "Stop Me" for their Watch The Throne project. "They just rung up and asked if they could use it," says Steele, with characteristic nonchalance. After all, who isn't fending off calls from the world's biggest rappers?
MUSIC
entertainment
The GuidE Artic Monkeys: Coats will be removed before the gig
All work and no play makes for a very boring student. Over the next few pages we've got every gig worth going to, every album worth listening to, every TV show worth watching and lots more besides. As Paul Weller said: That's entertainment!
PHOTO: Guy Aroch WORDS: Tom Banham
Live Music
Bruno Mars
Slip on your Converse and head to the moshpit for this term's biggest and best gigs. From chart-topping pop stars to extravagant retro types via indie rock's greatest band, there's enough for everyone here!
National; 2/10 – 12/10 The world’s foremost fedora-sporter boasts an impressive set of pipes. He’ll need them to compete with this tour’s car-sized disco ball.
Laura Mvula
National; 23/10 – 2/11 Their fifth album, AM, promises a hip-hop influenced sound, although don’t expect to see Alex Turner spitting bars anytime soon.
National; 30/9 – 12/10 Catch the Brit-nominated soul star on what’s surely the last time she plays venues this intimate. Arenas beckon.
Arctic Monkeys
Ellie Goulding
Bastille
National; 3/10 – 8/10 The Burn singer’s latest album saw her collaborate with EDM’s biggest names, so expect a festival-grade live show to match.
National; 7/10 – 5/11 The chart-topping synth-pop quartet’s rise has been meteoric, and they’ve left a trail of sold out venues in their wake.
FIVE ALBUMS EVERY STUDENT NEEDS Whether you're salvaging a house party or setting a late-night mood, these are the albums that should be on every student's Spotify playlist.
1
The Smiths – The Queen Is Dead The definitive (and enduring) soundtrack to disaffected youth.
2
Captain Beefheart – Trout Mask Replica Nearly unlistenable, but will shore up your hipster muso image on campus.
3
Nas – Illmatic The finest hip-hop record ever made. Some claim? Give it a spin, suckers!
4
Daft Punk – Homework The duo's rugged techno and house-tinged debut from 1997.
5
Madonna – Like A Prayer Guaranteed to rescue the most lifeless of parties. The title track alone is one of the most joyous songs ever recorded.
WWW.STUDENT365.CO.UK 5
The GuidE
Without this machine discos would be very dull
What is it that you want to do? We wanna get loaded!
Forget the students' union. These are the late-night spots where those new acquaintances become lifelong friends.
Sub Club 22 Jamaica Street, Glasgow This 26-year-old institution boasts the UK’s best atmosphere, and is regularly name-checked by the world’s biggest DJs as their favourite place to play. Experience the explosiveness of a show with Glasgow’s Numbers crew and you’ll know why.
Digital Times Square, Newcastle This high-spec, high-capacity superclub dominates Newcastle’s club scene. Its soundsystem is ludicrous, and booms out everything from sweaty UK bass to glamorous funky house. No wonder it’s regularly ranked among DJ Mag’s top global clubs.
Manchester twice a week every autumn, the Warehouse Project has revolutionised northern clubbing in a way not seen since the Hacienda. As they so modestly proclaim: “For 12 weeks, this city is ours.”
The Fez Club 41 Charter Square, Sheffield This legendary house haven recently reopened, and is now home to the Steel City’s most forward-thinking nights. Little more than a black-walled box, you only realise how long you’ve been dancing when you emerge, blinking, to find the sun up.
Canal Mills Brandon Street, Leeds A recent addition to Leeds’ already bulging club scene. Canal Mills has already made its mark with innovative bookings in a unique warehouse space.
East Village Arts Club
The Rainbow Venues
90 Seel Street, Liverpool Though it seems to change names every year, EVCA’s main room dancefloor is home to Liverpool’s best parties. With Chibuku and Circus calling it home, expect bleeding edge house, techno and electro.
160 Digbeth High Street, Birmingham Encompassing nine spaces the Rainbow does everything from arena shows with the entire DC10 stable to al fresco jams on the terrace. They’ve also got a charming boozer, with its own bespoke Tardis.
Warehouse Project Victoria Warehouse, Trafford Wharf Road, Manchester Bringing festival-sized lineups to 6 WWW.STUDENT365.CO.UK
Only when I'm dancing can I feel this free!
Thekla The Grove, East Mud Dock, Bristol This cargo-ship-turned-nightclub
is one of the UK’s best live venues, but it also plays host to Bristol’s bass music underground. It’s got calibre for breaking future superstars; Julio Bashmore and Disclosure have both graced its DJ booth.
Base 35 Charles Street, Cardiff Cardiff’s home of groovy house music, Base is the place to strut to Ibizan anthems even when the weather’s less than Balearic. It also welcomes the occasional grime or drum and bass takeover, where things get rather dirtier.
Fabric 77a Charterhouse Street, London Fabric’s basic premise is simple – bass music on a Friday, house and techno on a Saturday. Even as central London’s clubs disappear it’s still attracting the biggest acts, who relish the chance to play through Room One’s famed soundsystem.
PHOTO: Sarah Ginn
Clubs
Advertisement Feature
Speedy Ortiz: Speedy by name, slack by nature
Diana: Facing the future with confidence
EXPLORE MUSIC'S OTHER WORLDS WITH ZIG-ZAG
KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR NEW BANDS PLAYING YOUR UNI
Be an individual; listen to something unique...
S
ome people like to be different. Whether that’s the clothes they wear or the books they read. Hanging out on the fringes is fun, and gives people the space to find themselves away from the mainstream. Music is the archetypal medium in which identities can be explored. And uni is the ideal arena to discover the myriad opportunities music can offer. Standing out from the crowd is something that Zig-Zag rolling papers has been doing since the end of the 19th Century. So it comes as no surprise that the French brand sees something of itself in music that dares to be a little bit different. With that in mind, here are two alternative music events this autumn and some bands and artists you should check out while on campus. Go on, be different…
Festivals ALL TOMORROW’S PARTIES 22-24 Nov & 29 Nov-1 Dec (atpfestival.com) For over 10 years the folk at All Tomorrow’s Parties have led the way in experimental music. Postrock, avant garde hip hop, esoteric electronica… everything gets jumbled up in their rich stew. This winter sees its final parties. Held over two weekends at its usual Camber Sands holiday camp locale. Bands JESSY LANZA Ice cool minimal electro torch singer with a touch of futuristic R’n’B. Produced by Junior Boys. Go figure. DIANA Stylish Canadian four-piece reimagine the glossy 80s by way of
arty rock and ethereal electronics. Think Cocteau Twins meets Roxy Music. OVERDOZ Playful Californian hip-hoppers bring some of the weirdest sounds to rap music since the heyday of OutKast. FOREST SWORDS The alter ego of producer Matthew Barnes, Forest Swords makes gorgeous, dreamlike electronica that takes in dub, hip-hop and post-rock. His debut album, Engravings, has been lauded with critical hosannas. SPEEDY ORTIZ For those that like their rock to slack in the style of Pavement and Dinosaur Jr, this imaginatively-titled four-piece from Massachusetts are just for you.
THE FASCINATING STORY BEHIND ZIG-ZAG During the battle of Sevastopol, a French soldier (also known as a Zouave) had his clay pipe broken by a bullet. He had the idea of rolling his tobacco in a piece of paper torn from a bag of gunpowder. For over 100 years the image of Le Zouave has been part of all Zig-Zag cigarette papers as a tribute to that creative soldier. In 1894, the Braunstein Brothers perfected the process of interleaving papers in a zig-zag manner. The brand was named after the Z shape of the Interleaved papers. Today almost all rolling papers are interleaved.
www.zigzag-papers.net www.facebook.com/ZigZagPapers
The GuidE
Vital albums
Our take on this autumn's most vital albums - soft rock, stoner sounds, experimental electronica and hip hop are all present and correct. MUSIC
Haim – Days Are Gone
Yuck – Glow & Behold
Anna Calvi – One Breath
September 30 The much-anticipated debut from this trio of LA sisters could be a lost Fleetwood Mac album. Awash in glacial synths and stirring harmonies, it’s the Eighties’ best moments given a thoroughly modern polish.
September 30 Despite splitting with frontman Daniel Blumberg, Yuck remain as laidback as ever. Channelling Pavement and Dinosaur Jr, the sun-drenched scuzz of highlight Lose My Breath sounds like getting slowly wasted on a beach.
October 7 The follow-up to Anna Calvi’s Mercury-nominated debut shows no sign of second album syndrome. Her talent for navigating between the intimate and anthemic is unabated, and this time she’s brought hooks as well.
Kwes – ilp
RJD2 – More Is Than Isn’t
The Field – Cupid’s Head
October 14 Like James Blake, Kwes’ songs are built from the bones of club music. Flower unfurls over ghostly percussion, and 36 bubbles like early Massive Attack, but his heartwrenching soul is more after party than main room.
October 7 Though RJD2’s now best known for penning the theme from Mad Men, he’s also a master of fine-tuned hip-hop. Just check Bathwater, his collaboration with P Black, for a taste of rap at its most swaggering.
September 30 Kompakt’s master of emotionally wrought minimalism returns with a complex fourth album. His signature pop harmonies bubble over austere rhythms. This is electronic music as impactful on the heartstrings as the dancefloor.
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The GuidE
X Factor: Who dropped the f-bomb? Take a guess...
Tony Law: His haircut certainly defies explanation
Comedy
Form-busting madness that, frankly, defies explanation. See it to understand, and to laugh very, very hard.
Bill Bailey – Qualmpeddler
Soho Theatre, London; 13/11 – 7/12 This year's Foster's Comedy Award winner finds the funny in feminism. You'll laugh and learn.
From the surreal to the sublime, get a dose of the best medicine from Britain's funniest stand-ups. National; to 29/11 Bailey’s signature blend of shaggy dog stories and songs, all delivered with a surreal twist.
Russell Kane – Smallness National; 11/10/13 – 11/5/14 The Edinburgh Comedy Award winner muses on the British fascination with size.
Micky Flanagan – Back in the Game National; to 23/11 The East End geezer explores his recent fame, and domestic strife, with a sardonic charm.
Stewart Lee – Much A-Stew About Nothing National; to 6/2/14 Stand-up’s primo purveyor of post-modern comedy road-tests the material for his latest BBC show.
Tony Law – Nonsense Overdrive Tour National; 2/10 – 5/12 10 WWW.STUDENT365.CO.UK
Bridget Christie - A Bic for Her
TV
The programmes worth staying in for this term, best enjoyed with wine in a onesie.
Stewart Lee: Black tie on red shirt - very post-modern
Hello Ladies
Orphan Black
Sky Atlantic Based on Stephen Merchant’s standup show of the same name, this HBO-produced series tracks the lanky funnyman’s travails in love.
BBC Three This 10-part conspiracy thriller centres on a woman who takes on the identity of her own clone. Confused? Us too.
X Factor
BBC One This adaptation of PD James’ whodunit, set in the world of Pride and Prejudice, sees Downton Abbey’s Dan Stevens take on the Mr Darcy mantle.
ITV The 10th series of Simon Cowell’s entertainment juggernaut welcomes back Sharon Osbourne to cast judgment over the pop wannabes.
Fresh Meat Channel 4 The student sextet return for their second year, joined by a naïve fresher who JP’s determined to corrupt.
Death Comes to Pemberley
London Irish Channel 4 Already attracting controversy for its boundary-pushing depiction of four hard-drinking Northern Irish ex-pats, this craic-heavy sitcom is a must-see.
The GuidE
The Pride: so, yes, sexual liberation...
Will Young: From Pop Idol to Nazi tyranny
Theatre
Indulge your inner luvvie with these thespian offerings.
The Winter’s Tale The Crucible, Sheffield; 2/10 – 2/11 Daniel Lapaine stars as jealous King Leontes in this take on one of Shakespeare’s most enduring plays.
All My Sons
Fire and Salt: With added pork
acclaimed role as Emcee in this gripping examination of Nazi tyranny.
The Pride Trafalgar Studios, London; to 9/11 Captain America’s Hayley Atwell stars in this Olivier-winning exploration of sexual liberation over the last half century.
Coffee House Sessions
The Playhouse, Nottingham; 25/10 – 26/11 Ian Bartholomew tackles Shakespeare’s meatiest villain, in a production that explores Richard’s parallels with modern politics.
coffeehousesessions.com Necking warm snakebite while some 'next big thing' performs a selection of Mumford and Sons rip-offs is a university cliché, but perhaps not for much longer. A new project from Radio 1's Huw Stephens will have you swapping that pint for a cup of java, by bringing artists like Kerri Watt and Al Lewis to perform acoustic shows at 40 campus coffee shops around the UK. Now you can fit in a live gig between lectures.
Cabaret
Street Food
Royal Exchange, Manchester; 25/9 – 26/10 Arthur Miller’s searing examination of guilt and greed remains as powerful today as it was 50 years ago.
Richard III
King’s Theatre, Edinburgh; 21/10 – 26/10 Will Young reprises his critically 12 WWW.STUDENT365.CO.UK
Put down that kebab. These street food vendors offer more satisfying post-pub nourishment.
Bunnychow Boxpark, Shoreditch High Street, London A hollowed-out loaf stuffed with spiced meat, this South African feast puts the sandwich to shame.
Habanero Temple Row, Birmingham Keep an eye out for their green VW Beetle van for burritos big enough to feed a family.
Elephant Juice Food Company George Square, Edinburgh Soups and stews with a social conscience – for every meal you buy, they'll feed someone in need.
Chomp Various locations, Bristol Serving locally-bred beef from a converted horse van, their burgers are the best in Bristol.
Fire & Salt Various locations, Manchester A Mancunian take on America's Deep South, their slow-cooked pork is like no BBQ you've ever tasted.
MAY WE SUGGEST… Preview the hottest cinema and DVD releases, out this autumn.
Filth
The British film of the year stars James McAvoy as a bipolar, bigoted, junkie cop who manipulates and hallucinates his way through the festive season in a bid to secure a promotion and win back his wife and daughter. MO
Filth: leg out of shoulders - a good look
VIES
JACKASS PRESENTS: BAD GRANDPA
Chris Hemsworth is back for more ‘Shakespeare in the park’ in this Thor sequel. When Jane (Natalie Portman) OUT: October 25 is targeted by the denizens of the dark The Jackass team are back with a vengeance as 86-year-old Irving Zisman world of Svartalfheim, Thor sets out (Johnny Knoxville) takes his 8-year-old on a quest to protect her at all costs. grandson on a journey across America, encountering male strippers, biker bar patrons and funeral home mourners THE HUNGER GAMES: among others. CATCHING FIRE OUT: November 11 Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth THOR: THE DARK WORLD and Josh Hutcherson return for the OUT: October 30
second movie in this literary trilogy. Katniss and Peeta become targets of the Capitol after their victory sparks a rebellion in the Districts of Panem.
DON JON OUT: November 15 Joseph Gordon-Levitt (who also wrote and directed) stars as a lothario who develops unrealistic expectations from porn and tries to find intimacy with his potential true love.
DVDS
BACHELORETTE
DESPICABLE ME 2
THIS IS THE END
THE GREAT GATSBY
OUT: October 7 Three friends are asked to be bridesmaids for a woman they used to ridicule back in high school. Starring Kirsten Dunst, Isla Fisher, Lizzie Caplan and girl of the moment Rebel Wilson, it makes for the perfect girls night in.
OUT: November 25 Everyone’s favourite villains return in this sequel. Gru is recruited by the Anti-Villain League to help deal with a powerful criminal. With hilarious antics from the Margo, Edith, Agnes and the minions.
OUT: November 4 While attending James Franco’s party, a load of celebrities, including Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill and Rihanna, are faced with the apocalypse. Self-deprecating performances and laughout-loud humour make staying in fun.
OUT: November 11 The sweeping shots, glamorous fashion and literary quotes can now take over your home. A Midwestern war veteran finds himself drawn to the lifestyle of his millionaire neighbour in this epic film. WWW.STUDENT365.CO.UK 13
entertainment 365 health
OUT: September 27 (Scotland), October 4 (rest of UK)
Whip It: Drew Barrymore goes green
Rocky Horror: Dress down Friday was fun
MOVIES
10 FILMS TO WATCH AT UNI
Swingers: They're so money, baby!
University is a time for self-discovery, gaining knowledge and procrastination. Here are 10 films you need to watch while you’re a student. FOR WORLD TRAVELLERS Life In A Day (2011)
From the mundane to the profound, Life In A Day presents a microcosmic view of our daily experiences as a global society. Compiled from over 800,000 YouTube submissions by contributors in 192 countries, it offers a candid snapshot of a single day on planet Earth.
PRE-HOUSE PARTY National Lampoon’s Animal House (1978)
The ultimate college movie to communicate your whirlwind of weird student experiences and get you pumped to party. The Dean is determined to expel the entire Delta Tau Chi brotherhood, but those troublemakers have other plans for him.
CINEMATIC HISTORY Modern Times (1936)
Discover the delights of silent cinema with this classic comedy. Charlie Chaplin plays the iconic Little Tramp who struggles 14 WWW.STUDENT365.CO.UK
to survive in the modern, industrialized world. Nigh on 80 years later and it still makes you laugh heartily while it touches your heart as deeply.
SING ALONG FUN Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
Don’t be put off by the camp songs and camper costumes, as hidden among the eccentricities is a tale of self-discovery and new-found sexuality. A squeaky clean couple are stranded at a creepy castle where inhabitants sing about murder, bisexuality and cannibalism.
GIRLS NIGHT IN Whip It (2009)
This coming-of-age film follows an ex-beauty pageant queen as she tries to find what makes her happy. With a cast of strong women, including Drew Barrymore, Kristen Wiig, Ellen Page and Juliette Lewis, the romance takes a secondary role to female empowerment.
iBOYS NIGHT IN Swingers (1996)
No, it’s not about those sort of parties… it follows a comedian as he tries to get over being dumped. Starring a young Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughan, it is about male friendships (before bromance was a thing) and encapsulates the process of letting go of the naïve hang-ups from your youth.
DARK COMEDY Harold And Maude (1971)
Harold is a wealthy, young man who is obsessed with death and finds it hard to connect with anyone. That is until he meets Maude, an 80-year-old woman who is full of life and eccentricity. She teaches him a lesson in the importance of living life to the full, a lesson we could all use.
WORLD CINEMA Y Tu Mama Tambien (2001)
The friendship of two teen boys is pushed to the limits when they both fall for an older woman as they take a trip across Mexico.
orror: own as fun
COST-SAVING
CINEMA DEALS
Everybody enjoys watching a film at the cinema but it can get very expensive. We’ve found you the best deals to enjoy the cinema for cheap.
entertainment
Yu Tu Mama Tambien: A ray of sunshine
Before Sunrise: Will they get to sunset?
While a raunchy road trip comedy on the surface, it is miles ahead of its American competitors with a carefully embedded socio-political critique of postNAFTA society.
ROMANTIC NIGHT IN Before Sunrise (1995)
An American backpacking through Europe meets a beautiful French woman and spends one magical night with her before going their separate ways. It serves as a reminder that while not all romances are everlasting, they can still be special and memorable.
FEELING EMOTIONAL Life Is Beautiful (1997)
It's hard to find humour in the concentration camps of World War II, but Life Is Beautiful manages it. The elaborate lengths the lead character goes to in order to keep his son from understanding the truth of their desperate situation is moving. The ending will leave you crying for days.
AVOID THE WEEKEND While most people have to get up for work the next morning, students can take advantage of mid-week cinema deals. Cineworld: A third off ticket prices all day on Bargain Tuesday. Empire: Cheap standard tickets for all screenings on Sav£rday Tuesday and discounts on selected films that are coming to the end of their run on Last Chance To See Thursdays. Vue: Discounted tickets when you sign up for Cheap Day Tuesday Memberships. Odeon: All Premiere Club cardholders receive a 25 per cent discount on Tuesdays. MOBILE PHONE DEALS Orange Wednesdays: Orange customers can get 2 for 1 cinema tickets by texting FILM to 241. You can also flash your code at Pizza
Express for 2 for 1 pizza plus free garlic bread or dough balls. EE: Customers can get 2 for 1 tickets every Wednesday by texting CINEMA to 60005. O2: Get 45 per cent off tickets at Odeon with the Priority Moments app. Download the app to your smartphone or text MOMENTS to 2020 and search Odeon for the code. It’s limited to one ticket per person and is valid on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. ENJOY SOME SWEETS AND GET A CINEMA TICKET FREE Buy four bags of promotional chocolates with Sweet Sundays written on the bag by November 8 and get a free cinema ticket valid on Sundays at participating cinemas. MEMBERSHIP SCHEMES Cineworld: The Unlimited card gets you
access to as many movies as you like for £15.90 a month. With tickets costing from £4.20, you only have to go to the cinema once a week to save money. Odeon: The Premiere Club allows you to earn 10 points for every £1 you spend which can be used for tickets, food and drink. You’ll need 800 points for a standard cinema ticket. Showcase: Insider offers £5 tickets on Sundays after 7pm and all day on Mondays and Tuesdays. FREE PREVIEWS Sign up to film preview websites and get free tickets to selected new films. Sign up for seefilmfirst.com, showfilmfirst. com, totalfilm.com/ screening-club, e4.com/ slackers, uk.eonefilms. com and disneyscreenings.co.uk and watch films before everybody else for free. You can also get free preview tickets through your Sky or Virgin Media subscriptions.
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BOOKS
STAR READ
THE WRITE STUFF Tired of those dull, dusty tomes? Try these sparkling reads instead
16 WWW.STUDENT365.CO.UK
BEST ‘BACK TO SCHOOL’ BOOKS • How to Write:
Successful Essays, Dissertations & Exams by Chris Mounsey (Oxford University Press; 9.99) Essential for students wanting to write successful essays.
• Decisive: How To
Make Better Choices in Life and Work by Chip & Dan Heath (Random House; 12.99) Grappling with decisions is always difficult. Chip & Dan Heath tackle the thorny problem of decision making.
• The A-Z of Careers
and Jobs by Susan Hodgson (Kogan Page; 16.99) From accountant to zoologist, this useful book offers detailed insights into more than 300 careers.
• The Personal
Business Plan (Wiley; 16.99) The Personal Business Plan will help you work out what you want from life – and exactly how to achieve it.
• CV for Dummies
(Wiley; 15.99) This guide will help you create a brilliant CV to land job you deserve.
• Very Short
Introductions (Oxford University Press; oup.co.uk/vsi; 7.99) Cracking guides for when you need to get to grips with a new subject quickly. Think of each book as your own personal tutorial, giving you an overview and insight into your chosen subject.
• Turn your degree into a career by Dr Michael Collins & Benjamin Scott (Howtobooks; 8.99) This bible shows you how to make money and use your degree.
• Fantastic: When be-
ing good is not enough by Alan Austen-Smith (Capstone; 12.99) Being ‘good’ is no longer enough. To stand out, you have to be fantastic! AustenSmith tells you everything you need to know to achieve this!
WORDS: Kaye Holland
U
A-list? Get lessons from nless you’ve the likes of Lily Allen and had your Florence Welch in Bestival head under Presents... The Art Of a rock, you Dressing Up (Bestival.net; can’t have escaped the buzz £15.99) – 364 pages of building around Lady photos and lessons Gaga’s soon-to-be-released from the Isle of Wight third album, ARTPOP. festival's celebrity fans. For the low-down on Elsewhere literary lovers how the girl born Stefani and film fanatics will love Germanotta became William Shakespeare’s the most flamboyant Star Wars: Verily A New woman on the planet, Hope (Quirk Books, check out Christian £11.99). Accompanied by Guiltenane’s Lady Gaga: woodcut illustrations of The Unauthorized Chewbacca, C-3PO and Biography (Michael Luke Skywalker, O’Mara Books; Ian Doescher £9.99). Another TOP READS takes the ‘mustn’t miss’ Yes, you have to reader line for musos read course texts, by line is Daniel but make time for through the Rachel’s Isle other books. script of Star of Noises: Wars in true Conversations iambic pentameters with Great British from the Bard of Avon – Songwriters (Picador, making it accessible to the £25). Over 20 of the UK’s modern reader. most-renowned musicians On the fiction front, – here’s looking at you we’re loving David Gee’s Billy Bragg, Paul Weller, The Dropout (Matador; Damon Albarn and Noel £7.99) – a coming-of-age Gallagher – disclose the drama based on the author’s secrets behind their art in a own university experience, rare collection of exclusive, that offers an edgy new intimate interviews. twists on themes from Want to dress like the
Slider Edge The page surfer Ballpoint pens for easy, gliding writing
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The Slider Edge is an innovative ballpoint pen with Viscoglide速-Technology for an extraordinarily easy and smooth writing experience in three different line widths: fine, medium and extra broad. www.schneiderpen.com Stone Marketing Limited, 10 Sovereign Way, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 1RH, England www.stonemarketing.com
BOOKS
The Graduate and American Pie. When hunger pangs strike, look no further than Nutella: The 30 Best Recipes (Jacqui Small, £8.99), which is all about discovering new ways of using, cooking and enjoying the famous chocolate hazelnut spread. What’s more, the mouth watering recipes are presented in the form of a 3D Nutella® jar! To order a copy at the discounted price of £7.00 call 01903 828503 or email mailorders@lbsltd.co.uk and
quote offer code JS231. Packed with tasty, inexpensive recipes from fajitas to noodles, to crowd-pleasers like roast chicken or lamb madras, Sam Stern's Cookery Course for Students in the Kitchen (Quadrille; £20) offers succour for the starving, strapped for cash student. Stern, a recent graduate of the University of Edinburgh, is the perfect person to help you find your way in the kitchen, whatever your standard. Finally for a eye opening read, don’t
miss Narcomania: How Britain Got Hooked On Drugs (Random House, £9.99) - a myth-busting journalistic investigation of the country’s illicit £8bn drug market, that is now hardwired to our culture, communities and economy. Or try How To Think Like Steve Jobs (Michael O Mara Books; £12.99) for an illuminating insight into the ideas, inspirations and philosophies of the man behind the game-changing Mac, iPod, iPhone and iPad.
WORD UP: 20 NOVELS YOU MUST READ BEFORE YOU GRADUATE Winter is on its way. Forget the cold and curl up indoors with one of these classics for company
1
One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Kesey’s labour of love – a devastating depiction of one man’s battle against the higher powers of a ‘madhouse’ – rates as one of the greats.
Austen’s likeable classic charts the five Bennet daughters' adventures on the marriage market in Georgian England, with warmth and humour.
2
The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger
Since its first publication in 1951, this novel has been the coming of age story against which all others are judged.
3
The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald
Fitzgerald’s cautionary tale of the decadent downside of the American dream remains the quintessential jazz age novel. 18 WWW.STUDENT365.CO.UK
4
5
On the Road by Jack Kerouac
The Beat Generation bible chronicling (in fictionalised form) Kerouac’s travels across North America with his friend Neal Cassady.
6
Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
The stream of consciousness novel that secured Woolf ’s position as one of the great 20th century English novelists.
7
Clarissa by Samuel Richardson
One of the longest novels in the English language but this story about the brothel-keeping Robert Lovelace is nonetheless unputdownable.
10
The Rainbow by DH Lawrence
Pronounced obscene when it was first published in 1915, this novel about the Brangwen family is considered to be one of Lawrence’s finest.
8
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell
An enthralling story of racial prejudice in the Deep South, told through the eyes of six-year-old Scout Finch.
A southern belle carries on a turbulent love affair with a handsome rogue against the backdrop of the US civil war in this 1,037-page epic.
9
Money by Martin Amis
A darkly comedic tale about greed and flawed ambition at the beginnings of Eighties capitalism that bags Amis’ place on any list.
11
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From Here To Eternity by Henry James
Winner of the 1952 National Book Award and an acclaimed World War II classic, James Jones' epic drama of army life
13
Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh
Welsh’s controversial first novel depicting a gang of young, working class heroin addicts in 1980s Edinburgh, explores the dark side of Scotland (and its colourful language to boot). It's laced with a dark and caustic humour too.
15
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
The original horror story about a Swiss scientist’s chilling desire to create life was dreamed up by Mary Shelley before she even turned 20! Talk about a precocious talent.
16
Beloved by Toni Morrison
This sensational story of slavery and racism set in America after the Civil War has lost none of its power to shock.
17
18
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
Turn of the century African novel telling the story of Okonkwo and his quest to confront colonialism and missionary Christianity.
19
Les Misérables by Victor Hugo
Set against the backdrop of 19th century France, Hugo’s historical novel about the battle between good and bad won’t fail to enthral.
The Lord of the Rings by JR Tolkien
14
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark
Brontë
Need we say more? Tolkien’s high fantasy trilogy has been treasured since it was first published back in 1954. A genuine masterpiece.
Spark’s best known and best loved novel about an eccentric Edinburgh teacher who is betrayed by a favourite pupil.
Charlotte Brontë's classic love story about a shy but spirited governess who falls in love with her mysterious employer.
20
TOP READS When it comes to presents everyone loves a classic paperback
entertainment
in the calm before Pearl Harbour has been hailed a masterpiece for the way it captures the honour and savagery of men.
Jane Eyre by Charlotte
ESSAY CRISIS? AST? NEED TO LEARN F
ns
ort Introductio
nd with Very Sh
Get a helping ha
Think of each pocket-sized book like your own personal tutorial with one of the world’s leading experts. • Over 350 subjects to choose from • Thought-provoking and comprehensive analysis • The latest research by the leading experts.
Be better than Wikipedia. Give your degree the brand it deserves Join us for articles, reviews, extracts and videos
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SHOPPING
OUR PICK!
The mighty pen The impressive qualities of Pentel’s EnerGel pen family make it hard to be beaten! EnerGel ink is renowned for its quick drying, no smudging, and smooth flowing qualities, ideal for those who demand high performance every time. Perfect for note taking - it goes where you put it and stays there! £1.89, pentel.co.uk
Get lifted Study in style with the Fellowes I-Spire Series™. This innovative range features a Tablet Lift and Laptop Lift. Available from participating outlets, fellowes.com
STATIONERY CUPBOARD Back to school? You'll need a new set of writing implements. Remember, winners don’t stand still, they get stationery…
Cool case Show yourself to be the fun guy (or gal) on campus with this mushroom-themed pencil case. £5.50, paperchase.co.uk
The notebook Fashionable and fun, the Noteletts Scribble Headphones A5 Desk Diary from Letts is a unique design that appeals to the academic user. £7.99, letts.co.uk
20 WWW.STUDENT365.CO.UK
Robot Wars Craft work to perfection with these robot rubbers. Mistakes? What are mistakes? £2.50, paperchase.co.uk
Absolutely stationery Snopake offers a range of coloured filing / storage products to support your every need! With a five year guarantee on all products, you know you are buying not only something that looks great but also offers quality! £9.25, snopake.com
Post-It power Make studying easier, more organised (as well as more colourful!) with the Post-it Brand from 3M. With nine different index tabs and arrows mounted on a holepunched ruler, the new Post-it® Index Ruler Pack enables easy marking of text and pages during lectures, seminars and revision in one handy product. Result! £7.20, facebook.com/PostitUK Lighten up Meet the STABILO BOSS mini Ghosts. These cute mini highlighters take everyone by surprise glowing when the lights go out. £6.84, Stabilo.co.uk
Stick 'em up! Blu-Tack is the everpopular alternative to drawing pins and sticky tape. It has an amazingly wide range of uses including posters, cards, paintings and much more. From 75p, blu-tack.co.uk
The perfect printer The Epson Expression Premium XP-605 is ideal for those who want the ultimate in photo and document printing. It’s ultra compact, fitting almost any space, has Wi-Fi so you can print from mobile devices and has individual inks making it the perfect accessory for even the smallest of university bedrooms. £149.99, epson.co.uk
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SHOPPING
SCRIBERO COMBI
ROLLER AND TEXTMARKER IN ONE PEN
2 in 1: writes and highlights
Pentastic Add colour to your work with the STABILO point 88 fineliner - perfect for writing, drawing, sketching and mind mapping. We love. £9.99 for 10, stabilo.co.uk
Get organised Drowning in a sea of work? It’s time to get organised and turn your piles into files! Use Snopake’s different coloured files to store different assignments and improve your production and decrease your stress. Sorted. £2.05-£2.50, snopake.com
Available to buy at www.stonemarketing.com 22 WWW.STUDENT365.CO.UK
The Notebook We may be living in a digital age but nothing beats the ‘back to school’ feeling of a new notebook. This one is too cute for words. £6.50, paperchase.co.uk
T PRE
TY
COOL Bayan Soundbook, £149.99, bayanaudio.com
IN2UIT BoomPack, £179, available at Amazon and Dixons
Lifehacker t-have iEdge Tech Mus
Want to know what the essential, must-have tech items for students starting uni this term are? Of course you do! CHEAP MEMORY SYNDROME Finally, Lexar is doing a big push around 'Back to uni' for its USB 3.0 JumpDrives, so a 64GB Flash memory stick will now only set you back a £26.98 via DABS online. Just be sure not to load it up with state secrets and then lose it on a train home! Lexar Jumpdrive £73, lexar.com
WORDS: Adam Hartley
TOUCH, TYPE AND SWIPE The TK820 wireless keyboard from Logitech is a beauty. Smooth, quiet and innovative. A necessary purchase for uber-productive “lifehackers” who want to squeeze the most from a Windows 8 PC, the Logitech’s huge built-in touchpad eliminates the need for a mouse, so you can type and swipe to your heart’s content. Or, more likely, until that essay is finally done and dusted.
WEARABLE TECH
TK820 wireless keyboard, £89.99, logitech.com
Google Glass, google.com, Available to “would-be developers” on application
Wearable technology is no longer a geek fantasy. Apple, Google and Samsung are all readying the next generation of “iWatches” to hit the market in 2014. With Google Glass already grabbing headlines, all of these latest developments foreshadow a future in which all the info, entertainment and communications we need are fired straight into the eyeballs from our Oakleys. Or via the smartwatch on our wrist. Got an idea for a Google Glass app? Give them a shout and they might let you have some of their iSpecs to play around with… WWW.STUDENT365.CO.UK 23
tech
PORTABLE AUDIOPHILIA Being an audiophile used to cost an arm and a leg. No more. The latest Bluetooth speakers will make your music truly sing. First up is the new iPad BoomPack with integrated electrostatic loudspeakers from IN2UIT. It doubles the quality and quadruples the volume of the audio emanating from your Apple slate. Whether watching movies, or streaming your tunes the BoomPack makes the experience 100 times better. If you store your tunes on your smartphone or laptop the Bayan Soundbook portable wireless speaker is a must. There are cheaper docks but none that can boast the depth of this solidly designed aluminium Bayan. It also doubles up as a Bluetooth speakerphone and radio.
TECH LATEST
LaptopRS'n' learn TOP 5 COMPUTE
2
You can't beat a fast new laptop to ensure you get all your coursework done in time. Here are this autumn’s best five laptops...
ASUS S400CA VIVOBOOK A powerful and fast laptop with a remarkably low price from the gaming PC specialists over at Asus, the S400CA VivoBook is the laptop you need if you are looking for functionality over fashion. We love: High-end specs at low-end price; Windows 8 touchscreen control We hate: Not the best looking laptop on the block… Price: £440, asus.com
ACER V5-122P
What’s that you say? You want a new 11.6-inch touchscreen Windows 8 laptop? But you don’t want to shell out more than £350 for it? Acer’s got your back, with the stunning (if awkwardly named) V5-122P covering all the necessary bases. We love: Intuitive touch control; perfect size for carting around; great price We hate: Power users remain unsatisfied with the speed and gaming capabilities Price: £349.99, acer.co.uk 24 WWW.STUDENT365.CO.UK
For fans of Google’s fledgling Chrome operating system (read: hardcore geeks) the Samsung Chromebook is a must. If you fall into that bracket and are happy to work without a Windows or a Mac OS on your computer, then this is £229 very well spent. We love: Slim form factor; 11.6inch display We hate: Requires always-on internet; Google’s Chrome OS is not for noobs! Price: £229, google.com
TOSHIBA SATELLITE C50T
Toshiba is a great brand to plump for if you want something that is affordable, has good build quality and decent technical specifications. The new Satellite C50T is our 2013 laptop of choice for students. We love: 15.6-inch touchscreen display; USB 3.0; HDMI We hate: Bland design and formulaic processor tech Price: £410.50, toshiba.co.uk
3
4
APPLE MACBOOK AIR
5
The most expensive laptop in our round up is, almost typically, our favourite, with the £849 11-inch MacBook Air now being Apple’s entry-level laptop. The specs and the overall performance are anything but “entry-level”, mind. You gets what you pays for, after all. We love: 12-hour battery life; The look; super fast performance We hate: The cost Price: from £849, apple.com
WORDS: Adam Hartley
1
SAMSUNG CHROMEBOOK
run, climb, read, skydive, sell, bake, dress-up, walk, eat, swim, play, dance, bungee, watch, party, sleep, race, ride or rock in your pyjamas, but first...text! For your free fundraising pack and nightcap, text ‘PJs’ along with your name and address to 70500. Fancy having some fun in your pyjamas? Why not create your own event for The National Brain Appeal and help raise money for the one in six people affected by a neurological disorder in the UK. www.pyjamaparty.org.uk @BrainAppeal TheNationalBrainAppeal The National Brain Appeal. Registered Charity Number 290173
TECH LATEST
“Touch? I remember touch” TOP TABLETS AND SMARTPHONES
These days you can use your tablet or smartphone for most things. You can also knuckle down and get all your coursework done. Imagine that!
APPLE IPAD MINI
What’s not to love about the iPad mini? If you want a satchel-friendly tablet that packs it all in, then look no further. This diminutive marvel is the best invention yet from the genius hivemind over at Apple HQ. If you love gaming, movies, music and apps, the mini is hard to beat. We love: FaceTiming on the 7.9-inch screen; over 375,000 apps to choose from We hate: The fact that almost everybody has an iPad! Price: from £269, apple.com
MICROSOFT SURFACE
SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 8.0
If you want a tablet with a bright, high def screen and the pressure-sensitive S Pen stylus, then there is no other option. We love: The speed; watching HD movies; writing emails with the S Pen We hate: The plastic casing Price: £329, samsung.co.uk
AMAZON KINDLE FIRE
Many of the latest tablets are stuffed with the latest fast processor tech, which means one thing for most students cost. If you just want a tablet to read e-books, watch movies and check your email, then the Kindle Fire is adequate. We love: The price; the capabilities We hate: Slightly clunky Android operating system; No good for gaming Price: from £129, amazon.co.uk 26 WWW.STUDENT365.CO.UK
NEXUS 7 (2013)
Google’s Nexus tablets are pushing the envelope when it comes to affordable touchscreen slates for the student market. So if you need cracking tech, but don’t want to pay top dollar then the Nexus 7 is designed for you. We love: The pin-sharp 7-inch display; Superb for Google Play apps We hate: Doesn’t look and feel as solid as the iPad mini Price: £199, play.google.com
PHOTO: IStockphoto WORDS: Adam Hartley
The great thing about failed tech launches is that you can pick up amazing gadgets six months after the mass market failed to. This offers the portability of a touchscreen tablet with the productivity of a proper laptop. We love: Windows 8, Office and Xbox Live compatibility We hate: Windows Store apps just can’t compete with iOS or Android Price: £279, microsoftstore.com
AV V TECH S
Y
dgets, n just ga More tha s and tablets e n o h at smartp vers while are lifesa rsity! unive
Nokia is bouncing back from a few year’s in the mobile phone industry wilderness with its Lumia 625, one of the most affordable 4G smartphones currently available on the market. We love: Superfast streaming with 4G; changeable coloured shells; Nokia Smart Camera tech; Xbox Live; Microsoft Office We hate: Patchy 4G coverage outside of London Price: Around £21 per month on contract and £179 on Pay As You Go, nokia.com Selfie-awareness: smartphones fuel the latest craze
ARCHOS PLATINUM
Archos has launched two smartphones - the 50 Platinum and 53 Platinum, both of which are ideal if you want superb functionality without paying iPhone or GALAXY S4 prices. We love: The price; dual SIM capability We hate: Cheap build quality Price: £179.99/£199.99 archos.com
APPLE IPHONE 5
If you are already an Apple fan, then you likely to be holstering a “reassuringly expensive” iPhone in your college bag. With its latest models launching recently, the iPhone 5 should now be more affordable. We love: Jony Ive’s hefty, unbeatable industrial design We hate: The cost Price: £485 on Pay As You Go, apple.com
NEXUS 4
If money's tight, an affordable option is Google’s Nexus 4. Ideal if you're in the market for an open and unlocked PAYG phone for uni life We love: 2GB of RAM and superfast Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor We hate: Shoddy build quality Price: £159 (8GB), play.google.com
SAMSUNG GALAXY S4
According to its marketing blurb, the S4 is a “life companion”. So a bit like a small dog then? Well, no. More like the best Android phone on the market right now. We love: Amazing 13-megapixel camera We hate: Plastic look Price: £420 on Pay As You Go, samsung.com WWW.STUDENT365.CO.UK 27
tech
NOKIA LUMIA 625
TECH LATEST
Gaming on a Who needs a traditional games console when these cheaper and more interesting alternatives are available?
B
y the time Christmas arrives all three of the next generation home consoles will be available. The Wii U is already here - though not many people know it judging by the pitiful sales. The Xbox One will be out in November - assuming Microsoft doesn't suffer any more costly U-turns. And the PS4 will be out in November too, but we can't think of any sarcastic remarks about that one because it looks pretty good. Even so, it's fair to say that the golden age of the premium home console is in danger of coming to an end, thanks to the advent of these cheaper, more practical, and more interesting alternatives.
MOJO Here when it's here, £100-150 The MOJO is yet another Android micro-console, but this one has a winning killer feature: rather than coming with its own store it will simply give you access to the vast Google Play store – all the movies, music, apps, emulators, and games. It will probably cost a bit more than Ouya and GameStick, but it should be worth the extra investment for a device that lets you play tens of thousands of games rather than just a handful. Play: Dead Trigger, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Sonic CD 28 WWW.STUDENT365.CO.UK
GAMESTICK Out now, £79 PlayJam's GameStick is like Ouya but smaller (the size of a USB stick) and even cheaper. Inevitably, this means it's also a little bit weaker. Otherwise it's looking like a solid competitor, with 1000 developers signed up to port their Android games to it and more than 200 titles already confirmed. It also comes with a neat-looking docking station that lets you charge the controller and load content onto the stick itself, among other cool things. Play: Smash Cops, EVAC, Towelfight 2
SHIELD Out now, £199 Nvidia's Shield is a handheld console running Android. It's an odd-looking thing, like a 360 controller with a 5-inch display sticking out of the top. But its 1.9GHz quad-core CPU and 2GB of RAM put it in PS Vita territory in terms of power, and, like a Vita, it lets you play a selection of games streamed from a more powerful device – in this case your PC. The Shield is an undeniably impressive device, but it has some drawbacks. It costs a massive $299, it's not available in the UK yet, and it has a pretty paltry selection of games. Play: Riptide GP 2, GTA III, Zen Pinball THD
budget:
LE THE RISE OF THE MICRO-CONSO
tech
FOUR OF THE BEST: SMARTPHONE GAMES
1
Kid Tripp - iOS If you're one of those people who feel that games are too easy these days, you need to play Kid Tripp. This beautiful pixel-art platformer sees you running automatically through precision-engineered stages that will kill you indefinitely unless you develop superhuman reflexes.
OUYA Out now, £99 This Android-powered micro-console was funded by the Kickstarter community, and finally hit the shelves in June. It's about the size of a Rubik's Cube - that small - it lets you use your PS3 or 360 controller, and you can sideload Netflix and various console emulators onto it with relative ease. There aren't many games for it, but the company is trying to rectify that by encouraging developers to make their games Ouyaexclusive for six months. Play: Super Crate Box, TowerFall, Hidden in Plain Sight
MICRO-TIP When it comes to micro-consoles, small is beautiful, and deadly!
WORDS: Rob Hearn
SMARTPHONE That sliver of metal and glass that you read Facebook on during lectures has summoned the games industry to its office and tactfully informed it that the future consists not of a trillion polygon shooters but of a trillion free-to-play casual games about sweets. But don't despair. Just because Candy Crush Saga is hoovering up all the money, there are still plenty of real developers making interesting games for smartphones. You just have to look for them. Play: Spaceteam - iOS, Android
2
Bridgy Jones - iOS Ignore the stupid name. It doesn't matter. What matters is that Bridgy Jones is a challenging and ingenious casual game about building bridges and then testing them. Engineering students may even find it useful as well as fun.
3
Icebreaker: A Viking Voyage - iOS This neat little physics puzzler is published by Angry Birds-maker Rovio. It involves slicing up great blocks of ice to create raft-propelling wedges, Viking-propelling sledges, and all manner of other ice-based phenomena.
4
Ending – iOS, Android Playing Ending is a little bit like playing Conway's Game of Life (that one's for the maths and biology students). You play as an @ in a dungeon trying to evade or kill various abstract baddies by outmanoeuvring them in turn-based skirmishes.
WWW.STUDENT365.CO.UK 29
FA LL FOR FASHION g season ahead
Our top autumnal finds for the snu
Cat onesie, £34, accessorize.co.uk Animal print socks, £3.50 each, topshop.com Purple duffle coat, £19, asda.com
Ryan Gosling tee, £6, Primark
CURL UP & BE COSY
Pug jumper, £14, Primark
Peep toe vamp heels, £27.99, newlook.com
Comic book dress, £12, selectfashion.co.uk
TOP TIP Pair a fun jumper with jeans for a cool, colourful and cosy look
XMAS MUST HAVE
Fur collar biker jacket, £30, asda.com
30 WWW.STUDENT365.CO.UK
Crepe biker jacket, £125, topshop.com
Knitted jumper, £34, topshop.com
N
Animal and skull scarf, £4, selectfashion.co.uk
style
Brown satchel, £20, bankfashion.co.uk
Hat, £18, Jumper, £25, Skirt, £25, Bag, £55 All River Island
Rabbit slipper, £3, Primark
Cat tee, £8, asda.com
Light blue jeans, £64, bankfashion.co.uk
Heart tea dress, £8, Primark
Tartan shirt dress, £13, Primark Stud high tops, £22, bankfashion.co.uk
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LET'S HEA R IT FOR THE BOYS
Get footloose with fashion this autumn with our top picks for men
Denim Jacket, £45, bankfashion.co.uk Baseball jacket, £23, Primark
Hat, £15, marksandspencer.com
Nash sweatshirt, £29, bankfashion.co.uk
Hoodie, £12, asda.com
Acid wash shirt, £10, Primark
Satchel, £39.50, marksandspencer.com
TOP TREND
Sneakers, £18, asda.com
32 WWW.STUDENT365.CO.UK
WORDS: Kelly Holgate
Burgundy jumper, £28, topman.com
Say goodnight to spots
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BEAUTY
BACK TO UNI BEAUTY Forget your pencil case, this term it's all about the beauty basics.
LIP SERVICE
Pucker up and pay attention with these lecture-lasting lip goodies kiss goodbye to dry lips.
Superdry peppermint lip fix, £6, superdry.co.uk
Strawberry lip gloss pot, £4, Marks & Spencer
Little lip tins, 87p, superdrug.com
TREND PICK
Deep plum lipstick, £5, Marks & Spencer
Chilli red lip splash, £5, missguided.co.uk
FACE FACTS
Autumn + early mornings = a bad grade for your skin. Never fear, we've got it covered. Skin therapy face wipes, 67p, wilko.com
Concealer crayon, £9, bodyshop.co.uk
MUST HAVE Gentle cleansing face wash, £5, Marks & Spencer
Make up brushes, £1.50 each, Primark
Benefit complexion kit, £35, Debenhams
34 WWW.STUDENT365.CO.UK
NAIL IT
From lectures to late nights, put your best finger forward with these top nail picks
GOSH holographic nail polish, £4.99, superdrug.com
Woodland nail kit, £10, Paperchase
Models Own Ice Neon collection, £5, boots.com
Embellished manicure set, £2.50, Primark
style
OUR TOP BUY
Love it nail wraps, £1, wilko.com
EYE FOR DETAIL
Create fabulous looks in the wink of an eye with these flutterly gorgeous buys Superdry mascara, £9, superdry.co.uk
Stila eye mix, £14, asos.com
Fashionista gel eyeliner, £7, superdrug.com
PERFECT COLOUR
Bodyshop eye colour, £7, bodyshop.co.uk
Katy Perry colour pop lashes,£6.45, boots.com
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HEALTH
ALL BY MYSELF:
UP! SPEAK
friends t less to Men cha ir problems. about the in silence – er Don’t suff it out! talk
Moving to university is a huge upheaval, and this can leave you feeling lonely and longing for home. But don't give yourself a hard time, plenty of students feel this way and a few simple steps can get you up on your feet in no time ‌
Y
ou've moved into your room, arranged your books and filled your wardrobe. You can hear your housemates chatting downstairs but instead of joining them you check your phone for texts from home. Many students who move to university find that their first few months aren't as happy, fun or carefree as they'd hoped. But struggling at first doesn't mean that university life isn't for you, over and out. Taking the time to recognise how you're feeling and putting some coping strategies in place could help you feel more at home.
Why am I feeling like this?
For many students university is the first time they've lived away from their family home. Even if the 36 WWW.STUDENT365.CO.UK
Remember, you're not the only person starting university feeling like this distance isn't that far, moving out of home can mean leaving siblings, parents, friends and partners behind. Sometimes it's not what's left behind that can make you feel lonely, but a feeling of not belonging in your new environment. And feeling isolated isn't necessarily about being alone. You may be surrounded by people but you still feel alone inside. It might also take you by surprise. Before joining university you may have had little trouble making friends but a new environment can change things.
PHOTO: IStockphoto WORDS: Nadine Woogara
What to do if you're feeling lonely
FIND YOUR FRESHERS FRIENDS Starting uni begins with Freshers Week, but how do you ensure it’s a week to remember and not a flop? University can be the most liberating time of your life and Freshers Week is there to help you ease into this newfound freedom and start living the life you dreamt of. Some of your lasting memories will stem from this time, involving a series of ‘first time’ moments such as living independently, going out when you want or sharing new experiences with new have come up with a way to mates you can have a help ease the pressure. The laugh with. social network is designed specifically with students in However it’s this last point mind and was originally only that can leave even the most confident school leaver accessible to those with a current UK university email feeling anxious – will we address. make such good friends as those we’re leaving behind? However, now those beginning their studies this If this is something you’re year can register too and worried about, you are not alone. A recent poll showed, talk with others who will be heading to their campus, 53% of current students* would have liked the chance halls or joining the same to chat with potential ‘would- course. This gives all new be’ friends before heading to Freshers the opportunity to build friendships before university. leaving home, leaving them to worry about the smaller With many students stuff such as what to wear dropping out each year on the first night or whether before their studies even to pack their childhood begin, the team at Unii.com
teddies in their suitcase. CEO of Unii.com, Marco Nardone, feels the new website will minimise university drop-outs while still just being a bit of fun, “From our research, it’s clear we’d love the chance to connect with with prospective friends before being thrown in the deep end. By registering on Unii. com, students can finally feel excited about their imminent university experience, without the fear they won’t meet any like-minded people.” Log on to Unii.com now to register.
HEALTH Don't ignore it
It's important to consider acting on how you're feeling. Studies have found that people who are socially isolated experience more stress, a lower sense of self-esteem and are more likely to have problems sleeping than those with social support. Feelings of loneliness can also contribute to poor mental health. You're more likely to feel anxious or become depressed. It's even been linked to rarer mental health conditions like schizophrenia. Feeling lonely can become overwhelming and some students may experience suicidal thoughts. If this happens then it's important to access support.
Coping strategies
There are simple steps you can take to feel more connected with your environment. ✱ Explore Sometimes taking a walk outside to scope out your local amenities are can make you feel more grounded. Have you found your nearest post office, laundrette or coffee shop yet? Locating a few locals can help you to gather a sense of belonging. You might begin to recognise the staff and venture a friendly hello. ✱ Establish a routine If you've got something to get up and do, you're going to have to get up and
do it. Creating a mini routine, like going for a morning run at the same time each day or visiting the library once every Tuesday will help to add structure to your days. ✱ Phone home It's tempting when you're missing home to jump ship back to your parents' house come the weekend, but avoiding this can reap rewards in making new friendships and saying yes to events that you might not usually if you were out of town. Instead, set up a regular weekly time to call home.
Struggling at first doesn't mean that university life isn't for you ✱ Look after yourself
When you're feeling low, taking care of yourself can take a back seat. Ensure you're eating healthily with five portions of fruit and veg a day, regular exercise and time to relax. ✱ Savour your time alone Time spent alone can be enjoyable. You could watch a film, visit a tourist attraction or cook a recipe. Time to think and reflect can be a positive thing, giving you space to be yourself. This will prove beneficial in the long run.
WHO CAN I TALK TO?
• NIGHT LINE
Your university probably has a night line that offers 24/7 telephone support so you can speak to someone at any hour.
• SAMARITANS
A national charity that offers telephone support with the aim of alleviating emotional distress. Call 08457 90 90 90 or email jo@samaritans.org
• STUDENT COUNSELLING
Counselling at university is free and it will give you a structured slot every week to explore what's difficult for you in a setting where you won't be judged.
Don't stress it
The most important thing to remember about starting university is that you're not the only person feeling like this. There is nothing wrong with you. It's normal to feel out of sorts but hopefully by talking to someone about how you're feeling and putting a few coping strategies in place you'll be feeling more like you in no time.
Get yourself out there … JOIN A CLUB Universities have clubs that cater for all interests, so whether it's amateur dramatics or taekwondo you're bound to find something. As well as the routine, it'll mean you meet the same people again and again, giving you a chance to build up relationships. CONNECT Friendships start with small steps. If you're waiting to enter a lecture, start talking to the person next to you. Even a small chat can allow you to practice talking to people. And if the response isn't enthusiastic, don't take it personally, you may get a more positive reaction from someone else. GET TO KNOW YOUR HOUSEMATES If you're sharing accommodation then that comes with some ready-made companions. Find out what courses they're doing and what their backgrounds are, you might have a few things in common. VOLUNTEER There are plenty of opportunities to volunteer at uni, it's a great way to make friends and learn new skills. Ask at your student union and they'll soon snap you up.
• GP
Your doctor is there to help and will keep your information confidential.
• TUTOR
Your tutor or lecturers have seen many students pass through university and could offer some useful insight.
• UNII.COM
A new social networking site designed specifically with students in mind, to help ease the pressure of university life.
38 WWW.STUDENT365.CO.UK
USEFUL LINK
Practical suggestions for what you can do and where to get support: mind.org.uk/mental_health_a-z
SPORT No excuses... “I can't get started” Start little by little. Getting off the bus two stops early can add a five-minute walk to your morning journey. You'll be more likely to maintain small changes to your lifestyle rather than a radical overhaul.
TOP TIP A healthy body really does mean a healthy mind useful for uni!
“I'm too busy” You don't need to put in a 30-minute work out session every day. A brisk walk up to your lecture on the seventh floor rather than taking the lift is something you can add into your day without stretching your timetable.
Putting in the effort to stay active can reap more benefits than you might think. We explain why upping your heart beat is worth it.
I
t comes round to Saturday morning and your running shoes are waiting by the door. You know you should really slip them on and start pounding the streets, but something's holding you back. Apart from a tick on your to-do list, what's really in it for you? Keeping fit has plentiful benefits, some more surprising than others ...
Boost your self esteem Physical activity can help your mind as well as your body. Keeping fit has been proved to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, and it can increase your self-esteem, creating a more positive image of you in your mind. 40 WWW.STUDENT365.CO.UK
The more exercise you do, the more 'feel good' endorphin hormones you release – giving you a stronger sense of well-being.
And relax
Student life can be pretty full-on and physical activity can play an important role in reducing feelings of tension and panic, helping you to feel more in control and able to cope. The stress hormone, cortisol, is always present in your body but when you're feeling under pressure it builds up. In the short term this can be helpful, to give you the push to deal with a crisis, but if you continue to feel stressed over a long period of time cortisol levels can increase and lead to health problems.
“I've never done this before” Whatever progress you make, celebrate it. Set yourself a small goal and when you achieve it give yourself a reward. “I really don't like exercising” It doesn't need to feel like exercise to count as exercise. Do something you enjoy that gets your heart beating a little faster like dancing. Make physical activity into something social, how about a group game of frisbee with friends?
By keeping active, you can keep your cortisol levels down and protect your body from the long-term effects of stress such as high blood pressure and lowered immunity.
Sleep tight
Exercise speeds up your metabolism and can energise you for the day ahead but it can also help you to fall asleep quicker once your head hits the pillow and wake up less often during the night. But time it right. Don't exercise too close to bed time and don't over do it. When you're active your body temperature increases and can take up to six hours to drop back down to a level that will help you fall asleep. If you're not enjoying a good
PHOTO: IStockphoto
EXERCISE – WHY BOTHER?
“I don't have any energy” Exercising can actually up your energy levels. Sleeping better will allow your body to rest and repair – and you'll wake up feeling refreshed.
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SPORT quality of sleep then the more you exercise, the more likely you are to improve your sleeping patterns. And with a good night's sleep under your belt, researchers say you'll perform better in tests and learning new tasks too. What's not to like?
Protect yourself
Keeping fit does the obvious, allowing you to maintain a healthy weight. But it also has knock on effects, safeguarding you from developing chronic conditions like coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and cancer. Do you need any more incentive?
Get to it
If you're unsure where to start, check out your student union notice board for posters telling you about university clubs. Or if solo exercise is more your style, book yourself an induction at your university's gym where someone will tell you how to use the machines. Good luck!
What does the Department of Health recommend? 1. Complete 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity, enough to get you feeling warm and breathing harder, at least five times a week 2. Alternatively, the same benefits can be experienced through 5 minutes of vigorous activity, spread across a week 3. Take part in physical activity to improve your muscle strength twice a week
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GIRLS, LOVE YOUR CERVIX! Helping to Protect against Cervical Cancer How common is cervical cancer? Each week in the UK an estimated 18 women die of cervical cancer and around 56 new cases are diagnosed. Although it is rare for young women to die from cervical cancer, it is the UK’s most common cancer in women under the age of 35. Is the risk of cervical cancer the same for everyone? Cervical cancer is more common in women who: • smoke • first had sex at an early age • have had several sexual partners • have had a sexual partner who has had several other partners • take immunosuppressant drugs (for example, after an organ transplant) • have HIV/AIDS What causes cervical cancer? Cervical cancer is not hereditary. It is caused by certain types of a virus called Human Papillomavirus (also known as HPV). HPV is mainly passed on through sexual contact but can also be passed from mother to child during birth. HPV is very common and highly contagious; in fact around 80% of sexually active people will be infected with HPV at some point in their lifetime. People infected with HPV would not usually know about this as there are often no symptoms. UK16783a
09/13
Does HPV always lead to cervical cancer? No and only certain types of HPV virus cause cervical cancer. Most of the time HPV infections go away naturally, but if they stay active in the body for a long period of time, cervical cells may begin to change which could, in time, lead to cervical cancer. Can HPV cause other diseases? Some HPV types can also cause genital warts and other cancers such as vulval and vaginal cancer. How can I protect myself against cervical cancer? You can help to protect yourself from cervical cancer by going for regular cervical smear tests when invited by your GP, having safe sex and leading a healthy lifestyle (for example, not smoking). HPV vaccination helps protect against the two types of HPV that cause over 70% of cervical cancers in Europe. Can safe sex protect me? Though the use of condoms can reduce the risk of HPV infection, they will not always protect you from it. The virus lives on the skin in and around the genital area and is passed on through skin-to-skin contact, including oral sex, and not through bodily fluids.
However, condoms help protect you against many other sexually transmitted diseases, as well as unplanned pregnancy, so if you are planning to have sex it is still very important that you protect yourself by using a condom. If I’m vaccinated against HPV, will I still need smear tests in the future? Yes, HPV vaccines do not provide protection against all the HPV types which can cause cervical cancer. Cervical screening can detect changes to the cervix that may lead to cervical cancer. So, even if you’ve been vaccinated against HPV, it’s still important to visit your surgery for cervical smear tests when you’re invited to do so. Being screened regularly means that any abnormal changes in the cells of the cervix can be identified at an early stage and treated, so that the cancer can be stopped from developing. How can I find out more? Speak to your GP or nurse who can give you further information about helping to protect yourself against cervical cancer.
This article has been written and funded by Sanofi Pasteur MSD
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17/09/2013 11:38
SEX
THE
365 GUIDE TO oky no
MES! SEX GA ring
lo e fun exp Have som ity while at uni, al xu se r s u yo ber, alway but remem safe sex e practis
If you've ever worried about bad sex, no sex, STIs or one-night stands, you're not alone. Sex is pretty essential for humans and, when we're not doing it, we're thinking about it. It's normal. Let's get it on. WOLF AT THE DOOR According to a recent survey, students at the University of Wolverhampton are most likely to have slept with a housemate. A whopping 38.9 per cent of Wolves students admitted to sleeping with their housemates. Grrrr! ROE TO GO! However students at Roehampton bed the most people - sleeping with 6.32 partners at uni
I
f you believe everything you read, see or watch on pay-per-view, everyone’s out there having gymnastic sex, their bodies are flawless and orgasms are more plentiful than Z-list celebs on reality TV. How clued-up are you? And what's the truth, Ruth?
You know what safe sex is
“The problem is, you know the messages, you’ve got the condoms but, in the heat of the moment (especially with cheap alcohol or
Sex at uni will be some of the best sex you ever have
deal with emergency contraception: talk to your GP, welfare team, brook.org.uk or pharmacist (you can buy the morning after pill without a prescription, £25). If you’ve had unprotected sex, or even if you change partners, you might want to get checked out within the next fortnight. If you’re sexually active, you don’t even need to wait for an incident to get tested regularly; consider it a sexual health MOT. A dry run may also help if you need crisis intervention in the future. However sensible you are,
when you’re trying to fit in) they just go out of the window,” says Lynn Hearton, helpline manager at sexual health charity FPA. “it’s something that catches people out at any age.” Don’t waste time beating yourself up. There’s a five-day window to 46 WWW.STUDENT365.CO.UK
research local services and helpline numbers now in case you need them later. “And don’t worry about being judged if you go to a clinic or your GP,” adds Lynn, “they won’t be thinking anything other than you’ve had sex and you need help.”
WORDS: Ruth Bushi
Whether you're a guy or girl, and whatever your sexuality, you can change your mind
Get a medical opinion if you experience:
• Itching down there • An unusual discharge
(odd smells, colours, textures, and anything else that gives you the heebie jeebies)
• You're bleeding and you don't get/aren't due a period
You don’t have an STI
Not all sexually transmitted infections are obvious: 75 per cent of women and 50 per cent of men with chlamydia don’t have symptoms. If you've had unprotected sex, don't wait until something hurts (or you’ve passed it on to someone else) to get checked. See chlamydiascreening.nhs.uk, or contact your GUM clinic, GP or practice nurse. You can only ever be sure about your own background – don’t rely on your partner being protected.
Sex toy = safe play
It doesn't matter if you're straight or gay; if you've got another person's bits up-close and personal and aren't 100 per cent sure where else they've been, unprotected sex is a risk. That means your guy needs to wear a condom no matter what; there's a female equivalent in the dental dam, a square of latex you put between your mouth and the vagina. If you
use sex toys, make sure you give 'em a good clean afterwards with soap and water and slip a condom on a vibrator or dildo if someone else is going to be using it. Whether you’re curious about or committed to anal sex, lube will help (but check it's compatible with your brand of condom) and, if you're penetrating more than one hole, change condoms in between to stop spreading bacteria where it doesn't belong.
Sexual orientation doesn’t affect you
Being comfortable with your sexuality is one thing, but how much do you know about your partners? “So many campaigns are targeted at certain communities that others – like lesbian, bi and trans people – are ignored,” says Nigel Burbidge of Healthy Gay Life in Birmingham. “We talk to some women who identify as lesbians but who have slept with male friends.
• Pain (either of your bits
or internally, like your abdomen) during, after or in between sex
• Rashes, blisters, warts and other changes around your genitals, bum or mouth
• Burning when you go to the loo
If you can't face your GP there's plenty of off-campus and anonymous help to be had. Ask Brook: (free confidential advice for u25s) 0808 802 1234. Terence Higgins Trust: (10am-8pm Mon-Fri) 0808 802 1221 FPA: (mostly mornings, Mon-Fri) 0845 122 8690 Your union will do advice, phone and counselling services, or get details for your local Genito-urinary medicine (GUM) clinic from yell.com.
WWW.STUDENT365.CO.UK 47
campus life
DON'T WAIT UNTIL IT FALLS OFF
SEX Or we’ve counselled people who identify as heterosexual women and have unprotected sex with men (who may also be gay or bisexual). It’s a really complex area – there are no hard and fast rules.” If you don’t have time for pre-flight checks, at the very least take your own precautions.
"My other girlfriends/ boyfriends all did it ..." The catchphrase of the desperate: give it a swerve. If there's something you're not comfortable doing, you need to speak up or walk away. Putting out (or putting it in/putting it somewhere new) in the hope of
If you haven't agreed to a open relationship it's probably time to kick that one to touch keeping someone interested in you has never worked in the history of outrageous sexual shenanigans. Ever.
She's definitely going to call you
Sex is just sex for some folk: it's fun in the moment, but heaven help you afterwards if you ask them for friendship, love, or if you can borrow their York Notes. If there isn't mutual texting or talking pretty soon afterwards, it probably isn't your next big love affair. Get your friends round, get a comedy box set down from the shelf and chalk this one down to experience. Don’t struggle on alone if it really gets you down: your uni will have advisers who have been there and are happy to listen. They may even have biscuits. Always a winner.
You’d never dream of cheating Not necessarily a myth: what you do is, most of the time, completely within your control. On the other hand, relationship stresses, loneliness or meeting someone 48 WWW.STUDENT365.CO.UK
Let's talk about sex. Ok, let's kiss first and then talk.
pants-droppingly gorgeous can all sneak up on you: cheating isn’t just for love rats and bad people. Safe sex, or getting checked afterwards, will lessen the sting of the aftermath. Infidelity can break any relationship but if you’re the other half to a serial cheater and you haven’t agreed to an open relationship, however, it's probably time to kick that one to the kerb.
Sexting is safe sex
Once you've texted or emailed a photo of yourself you can't control where it ends up. Don't include your face to minimise future fuss.
Saying no means you’re frigid
Whether you're a guy, girl, straight or gay, if you change your mind at any point, speak up. And if you're the one being told no, you need to grow some and accept it. Either way, if you're concerned about rape, sexual abuse, spiking or something else that doesn't sit right, get advice from your GP, rapecrisis.org.uk, survivorsuk.org, campus counselling service or the cops.
You’re never going to get laid Sex isn't the be all and end all
and, while not getting any can be frustrating, there’s a lot more to relationships, friendships, fun and finding out who you are that has nothing to do with getting laid. Avoid binge drinking or wearing increasingly non-existent outfits to lectures if you want to maintain your self esteem in the meantime. And, if all else fails, just subscribe to Woody Allen's dictum: “Don't knock masturbation; it's sex with someone I love.” Here’s to that.
USEFUL LINKS Women's bits: loveyourcervix.com LGBT ins and outs: nhs.uk/livewell/lgbhealth Sex talk (aimed at women but good all-round info): youtube.com/user/CherryTVcom Emergency contraception: fpa.org.uk/contraception-help STIs: nhs.uk/livewell/stis Positions, products and howto's: traceycox.com When it’s not quite working: netdoctor.co.uk/sex-and-relationships/sex-problems.shtml
Coming out of the closet Telling people for the first time about being gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans or queer isn’t always the easiest thing to do, writes Ali Carlton, but university can be a good place to do it - students are renowned for their tolerance.
PHOTO: IStockphoto WORDS: Ali Carlton
C
oming out is good for you. It’s a fact. According to a 2011 US study, telling people about your sexuality actually increases emotional wellbeing even more than previous research had indicated. Psychological benefits include higher self-esteem, and less depression and anger. The research, co-authored by Professor Richard Ryan, also highlighted that people feel happier once they’ve come out if it’s in an accepting environment. If you haven’t told anyone before, it can be scary, especially if you’re not sure of the reaction of friends, family and peers. But university is somewhere many people feel able to be true to themselves in a new environment.
New beginnings
UK universities work hard to promote equality and diversity, and foster an inclusive atmosphere. When you’re far from the people you know so well back home, starting afresh and telling new mates can sometimes feel easy in comparison. Second year student Martin did just that: “I came out in my first week at uni, and I’m so glad I did. My
female flatmate was talking about a celebrity she fancied, and I said ‘Yeah, he’s quite attractive’. She just carried on with the conversation! I’d built it up into such a big thing, and it turned out to be easier than I’d imagined.”
I came out in my first week at uni, and I’m so glad I did. It was easier than I'd imagined Where to start
Telling a new friend first is just one option, and deciding who to speak to is an important choice. It can be helpful telling a close friend or relative who knows you well, and from whom you can expect a welcoming response. Make sure that you feel ready to discuss it, and that you feel safe in your decision to speak out. People’s reactions can sometimes be different from what was expected, with a WWW.STUDENT365.CO.UK 49
campus life
GAY
GAY compassionate reception coming from people you may not have been sure would be supportive. Be prepared to answer a few questions - it’s your chance to discuss how you feel more deeply and help the person you’re talking to understand where you’re
Here to help
If you’re feeling worried, phoning an LGBT support group and speaking to someone there can help. There’s no pressure, only impartial, friendly advice (see details below).
Universities work hard to promote equality and foster an inclusive atmosphere coming from. Of course, sometimes a reaction can be less positive. For some, accepting the news can take time so patience is important, but remember that by sharing your true feelings you’re taking a positive and brave step. You'll be surprised how time enables initially hostile or ambivalent people to digest, accept and embrace information.
Most universities also have an LGBT group, and it’s well worth signing up at the Freshers’ Fair. They’re open to join all year long, and it can be a great source of support to speak to people who have been in the same position. Jess, 20, joined her uni’s LGBT in her second year: “To start with I was too shy to join the LGBT,
but my confidence grew slowly. At the beginning of my second year I went to the societies fair specifically to sign up. I’ve made some brilliant friends and now I’m on the organising committee!”
Looking to the future
Coming out for the first time can seem a monumental and daunting step, but it does get easier. And the climate of acceptance in this country is growing, with the bill for same-sex marriage having been passed by parliament this July. The UK is becoming more inclusive day-by-day. While it’s a challenge to speak out for the first time, coming out can be an amazing chance to show that you’re proud of who you are. Say it loud and say it proud: You're here, you're queer, get used to it!
Most universities also have an LGBT group, and it's well worth signing up at the Fresher's Fair Jessie J: The face; the voice; the sexuality
Nick Grimshaw: Openly gay
USEFUL LINKS Lady Sovereign: Love her or hate her, she's proud
COMING OUT TO THE WORLD In recent years there has been a wave of people in the public eye coming out, many of them breaking new ground in their professions:
• Singer Frank Ocean wrote about falling in love with another man
last year. He has since said: “There's just some magic in truth and honesty and openness." He was the first mainstream black male hip hop star to speak out about his sexuality.
• Jessie J revealed she was bisexual two years ago, while rapper Lady Sovereign came out while in the Celebrity Big Brother House.
•
American baseketball star Jason Collins came out in April, saying: “I’m a 34 year old NBA center. I’m black. And I’m gay.”
• Clare Balding, the UK’s newest national treasure having presented last year’s Olympics coverage, is openly gay.
• Nick Grimshaw confirmed to the Guardian that he’s gay in 2012, just before the start of his Radio 1 breakfast show takeover.
50 WWW.STUDENT365.CO.UK
The London Lesbian and Gay Switchboard offer confidential advice and support. Their helpline number is 0300 330 0630. llgs.org.uk Get advice and find out about gay rights from the largest gay equality organisation in Europe. stonewall.org.uk Sign petitions and show your support for gay rights. allout.org The Lesbian and Gay Foundation (LGF) provides services and new initiatives aimed at supporting gay, lesbian and bisexual people. lgf.org.uk Keep up to date with what’s happening in LGBT news worldwide. pinknews.co.uk
SOCIETIES
CV BONUS POINTS:
How to make friends and influence people - namely those in charge of giving you a job after graduation
Y
Creative Writing @CovCampus Coventry University produce a creative writing magazine which students can purchase in the local Waterstones – perfect for budding novelists. cusu.org/sports_societies Law @UniversityLeeds The University of Leeds is home to Europe’s largest law society. With career dinners and an annual ball – your social life will be as busy as your academic one. law.leeds.ac.uk/about/extra
Societies are a brilliant way to make new friends and improve your prospects Mandarin Chinese @UniofBath With China’s expanding job market Mandarin is one of the most useful languages in the world. bathstudent.com/socs Musical Theatre @UCLU Show companies how confident you are with musical theatre; UCLU’s society put on several productions every year. uclumusicaltheatre.co.uk
campus life
ou’re voyaging into a new world of deadlines, all-nighters and endless packets of super noodles - all for that glittering degree. Sadly, a 2.1 isn’t all you need to get a place on the career ladder and the job market has never been tougher. Societies are a great way to make new friends and improve your prospects when you leave university. Eye for detail: a must at uni
Save the Children @UniofEdinburgh Gain contacts in events management as well as raising money for charity. eusa.ed.ac.uk/societies Debating @WarwickUni Prove that you can express your views in an intelligent manner. warwickdebatingsociety.co.uk Film Society @ManMetUni Show that you didn’t spend every night at the student bar. mmunion.co.uk/studentactivities Photography @CardiffUni Photography is a brilliant skill for anyone who wants to work in the arts. groups.cardiffstudents.com/photography Student Magazine @SheffieldUni An eye for exciting news and an ability to write an enticing story looks good on any CV. shef.ac.uk/ union/get-involved Student Radio @UniofNottingham The University of Nottingham’s station is a multiple winner at the Student Radio Awards. urn1350.net WWW.STUDENT365.CO.UK 51
SOCIETIES
Green Party @UniofYork Joining a Green Party shows that you have an understanding of how the country works. yusu.org/ activities Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) & Friends @Uni_of_Essex Being a member of a pride society shows that you have no sexual discriminations. essexlgbt.co.uk/ Cooking @BradfordUni Bradford University host an international cooking event where students can swap recipes bradford.ac.uk/students-union/student-activities Art appreciation @QueensUBelfast Designers need to know the difference between a masterpiece and a bland canvas. qubsu.org/cssocieties.asp English Literature @LancasterUni Being part of an English Literature society shows
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employers that you have knowledge of English history. lancs.ac.uk/socs Athletics @ UniBirmingham Stamina, endurance and strength are just some of the qualities that running gives you. sport.bham.ac.uk
Can you kick it? Yes!
Football @UniofLeicester Sports participation shows companies that you are a team player and work effectively in a group. le.ac.uk/offices/sports Comedy @NewUniPress Comedy illustrates to employers that you have a good understanding of people. nusu.co.uk/soc Rock ‘n’ Roll Dance @Cambridge_Uni Being part of a dance troop, particularly an unusual one, can provide an interesting topic at job interviews. cusu.cam.ac.uk/societies
13/08/2013 14:54
WORDS: Jodie Edwards
Computing @durham_uni Knowledge of computers is always an attractive quality to put on your CV. compsoc.dur.ac.uk
! N I W ! N I W ! N I W ! WIN Winning one of these great prizes is just a mouse click away! To be in with a chance of nabbing a prize log onto student365.co.uk, click on 'Free Stuff' and follow the links through to the competitions section. Remember the judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
WIN! HOUSE OF MARLEY HEADPHONES
Inspired by the timeless sounds of Robert Nesta Marley, these House of Marley Buffalo Soldier headphones will be the talk of your student union. We’ve got two to give away. One love.
WIN! CASE LOGIC TABLET CASES WIN! THE APPLE OF OUR EYE
Turn your iPad or iPhone into a mobile television – anywhere – with the EyeTV Mobile. The world's first TV stick connects directly to Apple devices and doesn’t need an internet connection – meaning we can watch, pause and rewind live TV without touching our data plans. Even better? We have five EyeTV mobiles – worth £89.95 each – to give away!
WIN! DERWENT PENCILS
Every self respecting student needs some traditional, high quality graphite pencils – and you won’t find a better range than Derwent Graphic. We’ve got 20 tins up for grabs!
You’ll want to protect your vital tablet while you’re away studying. We have 10 Case Logic portable tablet cases to give out.
WIN! SCHNEIDER SLIDER PEN SET
When it comes to revision you need pens. Pens of varying colour to boot. How else can you have a system that tells you what is most vital for that impending exam? We’ve got 10 Schneider Slider Edge Boxes to give away.
WIN! HOUSE OF MARLEY TRAVEL SPEAKERS So, you’re on the move, but you don’t want to compromise on your tremendous audio experiences? Win one of these two House of Marley Bluetooth Chant speakers and you won’t have to.
WIN! AA HOME TOOLSET
WIN! SAINSBURY’S VOUCHERS
Prepare for the start of the new semester at Sainsbury’s. From kettles to computers, you can transform dingy digs into your home from home with quality, stylish home ware products, for affordable prices. Five lucky winners can win £100 worth of Sainsbury’s vouchers to snap up those student essentials with. What's more, Sainsbury’s are also offering many items up to half price until the 8 October. Result! Visit sainsburys.co.uk.
Whether you want to fix that leaking tap or put up a shelf – this comprehensive tool kit is just the ticket. We’ve got five to give away. The AA also has a wide range of torches, winter kits, first aid kits and more ideal for students. Visit theAA. com/shop for the low-down. Students can also get an extra 10 per cent off by entering the code: STUDENT365 in the shopping basket.
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campus life
HOW TO ENTER
ROUND THE CLOCK MEAL SATISFACTION. GUARANTEED. Hunger Breaks are a great way to fuel student life. From breakfast to midnight feasts there’s a meal packed full of flavour for every time of your busy day. What’s more, right now we’re giving you a tasty 25P OFF to make Hunger Breaks more appetising than ever.
And what a great range of meals to choose from. Will it be the All Day Breakfast or the Texan Volcanic Chilli Con Carne, the Chicken Tikka or the Beef Bolognese? Whatever you pick, Chilli Meals, Bean Meals or Hot Pots, you can be sure of a tasty meal that’s ready in minutes.
GER ANY HUN BREAKS CT PRODU TO THE CONSUMER: This coupon may be used in part payment towards your next purchase of a 340g pot or 400g can of Hunger Breaks sold at a higher price. This coupon is valid in participating stores only. Redeemable by all residents of the UK aged 18 years and over only. Only one coupon can be used per transaction per person. This coupon cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Void if reproduced, photocopied, altered or expired. Coupons cannot be sold, transferred or auctioned. Coupon valid from 01/09/13 until 31/12/13. The coupon and these terms and conditions are governed by English Law and subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts. TO THE RETAILER: The Promoter will redeem this coupon at face value provided it has been taken as part payment for a 340g pot or 400g can of Hunger Breaks. The Promoter reserves the right to require proof of purchase, or to refuse redemption of defaced, photocopied or damaged coupons, or those that have not been correctly redeemed as instructed. This coupon cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Send your coupons to Valassis UK Ltd, P O Box 6199, Nuneaton, CV11 9HQ by 31/03/14. NCH Code: 0035-00088. Promoter: Princes Limited, Royal Liver Building, Pier Head, Liverpool, L3 1NX
FOOD
A STUDENT GUIDE TO…
Going to university doesn’t have to mean poor eating habits. This simple guide makes getting to grips with your kitchen as easy as pie, writes Angela Yussuff.
PHOTO: IStockphoto WORDS: Angela Yussuff
W
hen starting university, many students opt to live on takeaways and fast foods, but this can soon take its toll on both your health and your bank balance. According to a 2012 study conducted by Sainsbury’s, many students will go hungry during their first term, as 48 per cent are currently unable to make simple dishes. The study also revealed that a lot of students also turn up lacking the most basic equipment with only a third owning a saucepan. “Despite feeling like fully fledged adults, the reality is that a whole host of students heading off to college need a crash course as to how to set themselves up for their new lives,” said a spokeswoman for Sainsbury’s. “With the right leaving home equipment and some pointers, life in student digs will be much more comfortable". If you are among the many students who have little or no WWW.STUDENT365.CO.UK 55
campus life
Cooking
FOOD experience cooking, then fear not – help is at hand. With a little planning and forethought, you will be able to move beyond the realms of baked beans on toast to creating simple, inexpensive and tasty dishes for yourself and - if you’re feeling generous - your new (and very appreciative) friends.
ESSENTIAL KITCHEN EQUIPMENT Chances are that your new kitchen will be lacking some of the equipment needed to get you started on your culinary quest. To make life easier, we have compiled a list of basic kitchen equipment every novice chef should have.
STOCKING THE STORE CUPBOARD
There is nothing worse than going to create your culinary masterpiece, only to find the ingredients that you need are not to hand. Fortunately, there are a few basic items that you can stock up on and that will keep for ages. Canned food is very useful for its longevity. Our simple spaghetti bolognese recipe uses canned chopped tomatoes, but other canned items you can stock up on include sweetcorn, tuna, baked beans, chickpeas, soups and kidney beans.
Many students will go hungry during their first term, as 48 per cent are currently unable to make simple dishes, according to a 2012 Sainsbury's survey Dry goods are another great store cupboard favourite. Items like flour (self-raising, plain and bread), pasta, spaghetti, rice, potatoes, sugar and salt and pepper always come in handy. Porridge oats and other cereals are fab for a hassle free breakfast and can also be used in cooking. Our flapjack recipe combines oats with a few other store cupboard ingredients and makes a yummy dessert or snack. 56 WWW.STUDENT365.CO.UK
Air-tight plastic containers for leftovers If you decide to make extra portions to last you through the week, this £2 set of five food containers from Ikea are great for freezing or refrigerating leftovers.
IKEA Steka Frying pan At £1, this aluminium frying pan is an absolute bargain. Plus, the pan's low weight makes it easy to handle when filled with food.
BOHOLMEN Colander This £2 Ikea colander is designed to rest steadily on the edges of the bowl. Tesco 10-Piece Kitchen Utensils and Gadget Set Currently on sale at £6.58, this 10-piece starter set from Tesco contains many of the utensils and gadgets you need in a kitchen.
Tesco 3-Piece Saucepan Set A saucepan is a must-have for cooking things like rice, pasta or soup. Reasonably priced at £6.49, this set of three should do the job.
Tesco Coloured Mixing Bowls This £3.50 set of three coloured mixing bowls is a bargain and great for starting out in the kitchen. Argos Digital Scale At £5, this eye-catching digital scale will make recipe measurements a doddle.
Sainsbury’s Grater This £3.50 grater is perfect for grating cheese and other bits like garlic or ginger. A container is also included so you don't even have to reach for a plate.
Advertisement Feature
THE ASDA STUDENT E H T L L A : D R A C R E P SHOP INFORMATION YOU NEED ON A PL ATE
M
issing Mum’s cooking? No matter how much fun you’re having at university, the number one thing most students miss is home cooking. Eating a proper meal (instant noodles and crisps every evening doesn’t count) can improve your university experience. For optimal performance, you need to make sure you’re getting enough vitamins and minerals. Rather like a car, your brain and body won’t work on the wrong fuel. Fortunately help is at hand with the Asda Student Shopper card! Parents can rest easy knowing their children are eating well while studying, while students have one less thing to worry about - and a nice full stomach. Not to mention money to buy everyday essentials like washing powder and tin openers. How does it work? An Asda student shopper card is really two cards: one for parents and one for students. Both cards are linked together, so parents can top up their offspring’s card. Students can then spend the credit on anything they need in Asda stores. Uploading money online or in-store couldn't be easier. And it’s completely free to use.
THE ASDA STUDENT SHOPPER CARD IS SO EASY AND CONVIENIENT TO USE
How do you put money on the card? You can upload up to £500 onto the card online or do it in-store. Where can you pick up a card from? Pick up a card at your local Asda or order one online. What else can you do with your card? Check your balance, transaction history and protect your funds in case of card loss... just register your card at www.asda.com/giftcards. Is it secure? The card can be topped up to the value of £500 online or in store and is, in many ways, safer than carrying cash. By registering you'll get Balance Protection - where you can transfer your balance over to a new card if yours gets lost or stolen.
FOR MORE INFORMATION log onto www.asdacards.co.uk
FOOD diet for good health, we need to eat a range of nutritious foods as opposed to focusing solely on a narrow range of food products. The Food Standards Agency’s eatwell plate highlights the different types of food that make up our diet, and shows the proportions we should eat them in to have a wellbalanced and healthy diet.
Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes Serves: 4 Ingredients • 100g butter • 75g golden syrup • 200g porridge oats • 75g soft brown sugar • Handful of raisins (optional)
SIMPLE SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE
Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes Serves: 2 Ingredients • Glug of olive oil • 200-250g of mince beef • ½ onion • 1 clove of garlic • 1 can of chopped tomatoes • 1 tablespoon of tomato puree • ½ red chilli • Salt and black pepper • Handful grated cheese (optional) • Pasta 1. Heat some olive oil on a medium heat in a large saucepan 58 WWW.STUDENT365.CO.UK
FLAPJACK
or frying pan. 2. Finely chop the onion, garlic and chilli and add to hot oil. Cook until the onion is slightly translucent. 3. Add the mince beef and cook until brown. 4. Add the tomato puree, chopped tomatoes and salt and pepper. 5. Heat until boiling and then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. 6. In the meantime cook some pasta according to the packet instructions, then serve up, sprinkle with the grated cheese and tuck in.
1. Preheat oven to 180°C /gas mark 4. Put butter, syrup and sugar into a saucepan and melt. 2. Once melted remove from heat and stir in the oats and raisins, making sure to mix really well. 3. Spread into a large tin and smooth the top. 4. Bake for 20-30 minutes. 5. Leave for 5 minutes then cut into bars.
TEN TIPS FOR A HEALTHIER YOU 1. Eat breakfast every day 2. Drink plenty of water 3. Cut down on caffeine 4. Eat plenty of fresh produce 5. Eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day 6. Use low fat cooking methods like grilling 7. Eat good fats – top up on polyunsaturated fats like sunflower oil 8. Cut down on salt and sugar 9. Cook for yourself and avoid processed foods 10. Make the most of pulses – beans and lentils.
PHOTO: IStockphoto
HEALTHY EATING
When living at home, eating three square meals a day, you were probably receiving all the vitamins and minerals your body needed to stay healthy. When you go away to university, all this can change. Before you know it, skipping meals and living on a staple diet of jacket potatoes and crisps becomes the norm. According to a recent study published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behaviour, which surveyed the eating habits of 582 university students, many do not eat a balanced diet, with the majority not getting the proper amount of fruit and vegetables. In order to ensure a balanced
STUDENT IN THE KITCHEN? Sam Stern's Cookery Course for Students in the Kitchen is out now and available online and from all good bookshops. www.samstern.co.uk
The
Toastie Treat
Y
ou’re revising like crazy, your laundry pile is beginning to grow cultures, your Facebook page needs updating urgently and you’re starving. But hey, who’s got time to cook? You need a nutritional meal-type snack arrangement that fills you up while causing the minimum of fuss to prepare. Go Dutch Edam and Gouda cheese packs provides the ultimate healthy, convenient superfood. Their mild, creamy Dutch cheese provides essential calcium, protein and vitamins and can turn a toastie into a gourmet treat that’s ready in minutes. Go Dutch comes in handy 160g packs costing only 1 and is 25% lower in fat than Cheddar – so it won’t stretch your waistband or your budget.
• 2 slices of toasted bread or panini • 2 rashers of bacon, grilled • 80g Go Dutch Edam or Gouda • 2 tomatoes, sliced Combine all the ingredients – sarnie-style, bung in the microwave for 2 minutes to melt cheese, garnish with cracked black pepper and enjoy.
Available from Asda, Morrisons and Waitrose, it also comes pre-grated or in slices for the chronically time-poor. Follow our Go Dutch Toastie recipe for a delicious meal in minutes that combines all the major food groups with a large dose of melted-cheesey yum factor.
For more information about Go Dutch cheeses log onto www.bradburyscheese.co.uk WWW.STUDENT365.CO.UK 59
FOOD
SnacK attacK!
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seriously acks will These sn e hunger gap bridge th u to get on yo and allow ur day! with yo
Too lazy to cook or lack confidence in the kitchen? Stock your store cupboard with these essentials DISCOVERY GARLIC & HERB SOURED CREAM Turn your culinary catastrophe into a triumph with a squirt of the new Discovery Garlic & Herb Soured Cream. With a mild and creamy texture, it’s the ideal partner for fajitas or cheesy nachos. discoveryfoods.co.uk
LION QUALITY EGGS Eggs are, pardon the pun, eggcellent as they can easily transform a few ingredients into a meal in minutes. Look for eggs bearing the Lion mark - this guarantees that they have been produced to the highest standards of food safety.
POT NOODLE The number one player in the Instant Hot Snacks category launched a new Piri-Piri Chicken flavour this year – perfect to add some fire to your snack between lectures!
DR OETKER PIZZA Dr Oetker’s Panebello pizza is the perfect pizza! We love its unique deep bakery crust that’s crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside. Try it and then tell us we're wrong.
HEINZ SQUEEZE & STIR SOUP Perfect as a snack or with a sandwich, Heinz Squeeze & Stir soup is now available in six flavours. Pop a portable tube in your backpack, so you’re sorted when hunger pangs strike.
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BACHELOR’S SUPER NOODLES Bachelor’s have introduced four new flavours - Sizzling KingPrawn, Peppered Steak, Roast Beef & Onion and Chicken & Mushroom – to their popular Super Noodle range. Just add boiling water, stir and scoff!
REESE’S Reese’s combines smooth peanut butter and great milk chocolate to surprise and delight. Available in Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Reese's Nutrageous, Reese’s Pieces or Reese’s Sticks. Look out for season lines in time for Halloween, Christmas and Easter. YELLOW JALAPEÑOS FROM DISCOVERY Mad about Mexican food? Then you’ll love these sweet tasting yellow jalapeños. Great for topping fajitas or served with nachos for a housemates night in.
PHOTO: IStockphoto
OUR PICK!
JACK LINK’S Jack Link’s has introduced three tasty new products to their range. Using only the best quality meat, Beef Jerky Peppered, Beef Jerky Teriyaki and the Oven Roasted Turkey Snack bar are perfect for students looking for a healthier snack. jacklinks.co.uk.
TAGS CRISPS TAGS Hand Cooked Potato Crisps come in three delicious flavours – Malt Vinegar & Sea Salt, Sweet Chilli and Mature Cheddar & Red Onion – and taste great! Upload a pic of your favourite TAGS crisps in your favourite place at en-gb.facebook.com/ Tagssnacks and the best will receive a whole box of TAGS of your choice. Result!
ZICO ZICO Coconut Water has added a delicious new flavour, ZICO Chocolate to the ZICO Original and Mango already available. ZICO Chocolate combines the benefits of ZICO Coconut Water, but with a natural chocolate flavour. Each bottle is low calorie, gluten free and provides a source of electrolytes including magnesium and potassium. Made with the finest, fresh young coconuts, ZICO Chocolate is the ideal drink after a big sporting event or a short cycle to campus. uk.zico.com
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campus life
BRADBURY CHEESE Go Dutch Edam and Gouda cheese packs provide essential calcium, protein and vitamins and can turn a toastie into a gourmet treat that’s ready in minutes! Mmmm.
ACCOMMODATION
Finding a home from home living! Student ation
d ccommo Getting a essential. is d sorte ns your optio Research better off! e b you'll
RENT RENT RENT NUS states the average rent for a room in purpose-built student accommodation has gone up by 25 per cent in the past three years to just under £124 a week.
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Leaving mum and dad is scary, but you could have the time of your life. Here’s how to get started.
I
f you’re not used to living away from home, it can be scary, but once you know all the facts the transition is a little bit easier. Traditionally, students tend to live in campus based halls of residence during their first year of study, and then live out in private accommodation for subsequent years. However, this isn’t always the best move for everyone.
Occasionally, students might need to find private accommodation during their first year, or decide to return to halls later in their studies. It doesn’t matter which path you choose as long as you’re fully informed about your options and choose the path that’s right for you. Here’s the lowdown of everything you need to think about before you make the big
WORDS: Lucy Peden
STAYING AT HOME? To minimise living expenses more than a quarter of students live at home and go to their nearest university, according to an NUS survey.
A PLACE TO LIVE, STUDY & RELAX
Great Locations and Facilities | Bills Included Birmingham | Bradford | Bristol | Cambridge | Colchester | Dundee | Durham Edinburgh | Glasgow | Hatfield | High Wycombe | Hull | Leeds | Lincoln Liverpool | London | Loughborough | Manchester | Newcastle | Nottingham Oxford | Penryn | Plymouth | Preston | Sheffield | Wolverhampton
Register online today @
ACCOMMODATION move, from sharing a kitchen and ensuring the bathroom is regularly cleaned to splitting the broadband bill and respecting your flatmates' space and privacy.
Halls
THE PROS AND CONS OF LIVING IN HALLS PROS:
• Location makes it easy to socialise and study
• Budgeting is easy - bills are taken care of
• It’s easy to meet people • You can be as sociable - or not - as you like
• Convenience - if something
goes wrong it will get sorted
CONS:
• Halls are more expensive than
a houseshare, and you have to pay for your accommodation months in advance
• They can get crowded and
noisy, and might not suit if you’re more independent or an older student used to living on your own
• You can often only rent them during term time, so you’ll have to move your stuff out over the holidays which can be a right pain
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Having your own space is vital at uni
shock. If you’ve applied for a place through clearing, or you’ve had to delay an application, it might not be possible to obtain a place, which means finding private accommodation on your own. The good news is that there are more ways than ever before to source alternatives. A number
Bills, bills, bills Don't forget to overlook the utility companies! When you’re living out, it isn’t just rent you have to worry about. Other regular expenses will include the holy five of the outgoing expenses world. Chiefly, gas, electricity, water, a TV license and broadband. Just because you don’t use a landline phone, unlike, say, your parents, it doesn’t mean you don’t need one - you do. If you’re setting up a broadband account, you’ll need a house telephone number to run it through.
of private hall companies offer competitively priced accommodation that is often a little more luxurious than the universities’ own versions. If you’re studying in a city, private halls give you the chance to live centrally, meaning that it should be easy for you to get to campus, but equally
Council tax doesn't have to be taxing Students don’t have to pay council tax, but you might need to get a letter from your place of study confirming that you’re exempt, so you don’t get a shock if a bill does come your way. Your Union accommodation officer will be able to help you out. Ensuring that everyone pays their fair share It’s vitally important to keep track of how much everything costs so you and your housemates can all pay your fair share. You could set up a joint account for rent and bills, which will
keep your landlord happy too, as they'll appreciate not having to look out for multiple payments. If all else fails and you just can't agree... If it’s really hard to look after your finances without arguing, you could set up an account with splitthebills. co.uk. This ingenious site lets you make individual payments every month to cover your joint household costs, and then works out the sum of each bill and sends it to each of your utility providers. We strongly suggest you bookmark this page immediately!
PHOTO: IStockphoto
There’s a reason that most first years opt for university halls of residence. It’s certainly the easiest and the most convenient way of getting your accommodation sorted quickly. In theory, it means you’re based somewhere that makes it easy to get to lectures, seminars and the library, you’ll have access to help and advice if you need it, and you’ve got a builtin pool of brand new pals who are all in the same situation as you. However, university halls aren’t right for everyone. If you’re starting university as an older student, you might find that sharing a corridor with a lot of 18-year-olds is a bit of a culture
I FELT FREE TO TALK, KNOWING THEY WOULDN’T TELL ANYONE Talk to us any time you like, in your own way and off the record – about whatever’s getting to you.
08457 90 90 90* (UK) 1850 60 90 90* (ROI) jo@samaritans.org www.samaritans.org
Samaritans is a registered charity. *Please see our website for latest call charges. A5 youth posters.indd 1
20/09/2013 10:45:34
ACCOMMODATION easy to explore the surrounding museums, galleries, shops, clubs and bars. Also, if you’re studying in a city with more than one university, living in private halls means you’ll get to mix with students from lots of different courses, and meet people that you otherwise might not have been able to. Remember, your university years are not just about what you learn academically. The experiences you have outside of the lecture hall are just as important.
Houseshares
You might have heard some horror stories about shared accommodation - mould, mice, cleaning rota-themed fights and The Young Ones - but sharing student accommodation is a colourful rite of passage, and
ALEX TALKS ABOUT HER EXPERIENCES OF SHARING A STUDENT HOUSE WHILE STUDYING IN LEEDS “The hardest part about sharing a student house was definitely the state of the kitchen. It was always disgusting, after one night out we found a man asleep on the hob underneath a load of dirty pans. The best thing was that there was always someone
around which made it great for team all-nighters when we were on a deadline, impromptu parties and nights out. I learned that some people do not appreciate it when I stumble in from nights out as they're heading out to lectures, but also that I can probably accept
a joint responsibility, so the most important thing to do is to make sure that you and your prospective housemates are on the same page when it comes to the housework/
A number of private hall companies offer competitively priced accommodation if you plan it carefully, there’s no reason why it shouldn’t be fun and, thankfully, fairly straightforward. Cooking and cleaning will be
Average UK student accommodation costs*
partying ratio. Living with your best friends might seem like a brilliant idea, but if you keep different hours or have different attitudes, you could end up falling
out. Living with people on your course is a good idea as you’ll have similar schedules - if you’ve both got a 9am lecture it’s unlikely that one of you will be keeping the other one up all night. Sharing a house is usually cheaper than paying for private or university halls, but the hidden costs can mount up. Be sure you know about all the extras you need to pay for, and that you’re all covering the cost fairly. Get these bases licked and you'll be set up for some good uni living.
USEFUL LINKS Edinburgh £98.91
Glasgow
*Costs based on a standard £105.70 self-catered single room, based on figures from the NUS/Unipol 2012/2013 Accomodation survey and current 2013/2014 accommodation fees advertised Northern on university Ireland websites.
Newcastle £81.83 Leeds £100
£83.01
Manchester £115.50
Cardiff £86.83
Bournemouth £113.39
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near enough anything I learn about my friends. Also, that six-month old hummus looks deceptively like guacamole. I would definitely do it again, I had three of the best years living with my friends.”
London £157.48 Bristol £152.04
A comparison site for private halls of residence in London. paduni.com A comprehensive guide to private halls across the UK. mystudenthalls.com
London-based Nido has halls in King’s Cross, Spitalfields and Notting Hill with gyms, WiFi and housekeeping services. nidostudentliving.com Unite has private halls in 11 cities, including Glasgow, Loughborough, Leicester and Plymouth. unite-students.co.uk Advertises properties suitable for student houseshares across the country. accommodationforstudents.com
MONEY
MONEY, MONEY, MONEY
Fretting about your finances? Get savvy with your spending without cutting the fun
SIBLE! BE SEN sive
student issues
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etting your finances sorted can be one of the most daunting aspects of heading off to uni. It could be your first taste of financial freedom, which is exciting - but it comes with a lot of responsibility too. When you’re exploring a new city, it’s easy to spend a lot of money on new clothes and nights out, only to discover that you’ve burned a big hole in your overdraft and can’t get the course books you need or pay your phone bill.
However, banks, shops and universities all know students need to make their money stretch as far as possible, and if you look for deals and offers, it is possible to budget sensibly and have a brilliant time.
Banking
First, you’ll need to think about where you’re going to keep your money. If you’ve got an existing current account, it might be easy to upgrade it to a student account - but this doesn’t automatically give you WWW.STUDENT365.CO.UK 67
MONEY
Most accounts offer an interest free facility - but you will have to pay it back can - after all, it isn’t free money and you will have to pay it back. Most banks also offer exciting freebies - but try to keep a clear head and pick the one that makes financial sense. Santander offer a four-year 16-25 railcard, which could save you hundreds of pounds in journeys back home and up and
“STUDYING AND LIVING IN LONDON IS ESPECIALLY EXPENSIVE” Tuition fees cost the average student who started university in 2012/2013 an eye-watering £8,123 per year. In addition to this, the average university student also shells out a further £8,681 per year on other living expenses, with London students spending around £9,760 per year. Ouch! London student Rachel reveals
she does her best to budget, but still sometimes ends up eating noodles at the end of term... “To be honest, I’m not the best at money management - my loan comes in, and before too long I’m broke and hungry but wearing lovely new boots! I don’t go too crazy though, and I stick to the staples
down the country. A free X Box or gift vouchers might be tempting, but they won’t save you any money in the long run. If you exceed your overdraft limit, you could face hefty fees, with some banks charging for every separate transaction - so if you go over by £20 on two things
A STUDENT’S GUIDE TO INSURANCE Student essentials are expensive. Smartphones, tablets and laptops aren’t luxuries - they are essential for anyone who wants to stay connected on campus. You could find yourself stuck if they’re lost or stolen, as they’re expensive to replace. However, the right insurance policy will give you piece of mind, and minimise the headaches if the worst should happen. Don’t presume that your landlord or your parents’ home insurance will cover your possessions. And remember, even if you share accommodation, you should each take out your own policy.
Student insurance specialist Endsleigh (endsleigh.co.uk) has been covering students since 1965. It has a range of policies designed to work for students and all their interests, so if you play a musical instrument or use expensive sports equipment, it can look after you. There are other companies that specialise in insurance for mobile devices, and give a bit of extra cover for anything you use outside your home. comparethemarket. com will help you find the best student deals and make sure your specific needs are adequately covered.
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Own a car? Think about whether you want to take it with you to uni. Changing the registered address of the car could bring the cover down but, with most student accommodation being in busy central locations, the reality is that the postcode you live in will be seen as more risky to insure and result in increases to the cost of cover. Considering ‘fronting’ on your parent’s motor insurance (i.e. putting a parent down as the main driver) so as to save cash? Forget it. Insurers classify that as fraud meaning it could leave you exposed if you have an accident.
when it comes to cooking, although that still means eating 44p ramen noodles at the end of term. Keeping an eye out for deals does help my money go further. I’m a big fan of Orange Wednesdays for cheap cinema tickets."
that cost £10 each, you’ll end up being charged two £30+ fees. The message? Avoid going overdrawn wherever possible.
Finding deals
There’s much more to student offers than two-for-one cocktails at the union. Your NUS card is
WATCH OUT! What to avoid when money truly gets too tight to mention 1. It’s very easy to take out a pay day loan - and terrifyingly easy to end up in a circle of debt, where you’re paying sky high interest rates. Our advice? Talk to a university finance officer first. 2. Never ignore money problems. Dealing with them might seem scary, but ignore them and the worse they become. Working out where your money goes will help you spend more sensibly. 3. Don’t be afraid to cancel a night out because you’re broke. The first time you say you’re staying at home with Netflix, you’ll feel a bit awkward, but you’ll be amazed by the number of people who want to stay in with you. 4. Keep in mind that you can make money too. Even if a part time job doesn’t fit in with your studies, most uni websites have a job site that will help students find paid casual work and short term projects.
WORDS: Lucy Peden
access to the best deals. Most student accounts offer an interest free overdraft facility, and some go up to £2000. This service gives you some financial flexibility, but it’s important to remember that you should try and stay out of your overdraft if you
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MONEY invaluable, and can get you a discount everywhere from Topshop to Pizza Express. For a full list of NUS' nationwide partners, visit nus.org.uk It’s worth remembering that many local businesses don’t advertise their discounts. Always ask if there’s a discount available - if you’re living in the area, smaller shops and restaurants are going to want your custom, so it’s in their interests to give you some money off if they can.
utensils, a new outfit or a Christmas or birthday gift. Groupon is a great voucher site for local deals, and you can build up credit if you encourage other people to buy vouchers for the same offers, so it’s a great way to make new friends by suggesting that you all attend an event together, or try out a new sport. Other discount sites include livingsocial.co.uk. wowcher.co.uk and wish.co.uk.
Visit the supermarket at night when food is reduced - fill your freezer for peanuts! Another important thing to bear in mind is that there are lots of discounts out there - they’re not just for students. myvouchercodes.co.uk has a daily round up of all the different codes available on the internet, which is especially handy if you need a bigger item like cooking
Students can also save money by bypassing big name high street stores and shopping in charity shops. Another tip is to visit your local supermarket late at night when food is regularly reduced, meaning you can fill your freezer for peanuts (just not with peanuts - that wouldn't be nice).
GET YOUR VERY OWN MEAL TICKET! M ake no mistake: university is exciting. However moving away from home combined with money worries means that – despite what the Joe Public might think – student life can also be stressful. Once you’ve paid your rent, mobile phone bill and for a night out with your mates, chances are there’s not much of your loan left to spend on eating well. Enter the Sainsbury’s meal ticket – an easy way to ease the financial burden. The wallet friendly sized card comes in two parts. One card is for students to stock up on groceries and homeware, and one is for your rents to reload with funds. It’s simple to use:
1 Pick up
a meal ticket in store – you'll find them at the checkouts or at the gift card centre. 2 Load the card with the desired amount at the till. Parents should keep the top part and students the bottom card – which can be spent in any Sainsbury's store. 3 Reload the card at any time in store. 4 The meal ticket is not a credit or debit card so you can only spend what's on the card.
FOR MORE INFORMATION call 0800 636262 or visit www.sainsburysgifts.co.uk/meal_ticket_cards.html
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Think carefully before buying a broadband package - you don’t want to pay more than you have to. BT offers a nine-month contract (which includes BT Unlimited Student Broadband & Calls plus BT Sport, for £16 per month) so students don't have to worry about subscribing for unused time.
USEFUL LINKS
Five sites to help you manage your money Student finance options studentfinance.org.uk Find the best rates, deals and policies for you moneysavingexpert.com Budgeting made easy studentcalculator.org.uk See if you qualify for support studentsupportdirect.co.uk Make your money go as far as it can with impartial advice moneyadviceservice.org.uk
How to be greener every day... EN! GO GRE
ith your ainted w Get acqu ge shops and ta n re local vi ets. They' flea mark thing! st te la e th
Hearing about environmental problems on the news might make it seem like there’s nothing we can do to make a difference. But by making changes in our everyday lives we can change our collective future for the better, writes Viven Macdona.
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PHOTO: IStockphoto
QUICK TIPS • Buy in bulk – it cuts down on packaging and will save you cash • Don’t keep buying bottled water and fizzy drinks – fill up from the tap • Have a Meat Free Monday every week • Use energy saving lightbulbs – they last up to 50 times as long • Take a packed lunch to uni instead of spending your student loan on flaccid sandwiches
• Choose your clothes carefully – check out vintage and charity shops
hat does sustainability mean? It’s become a buzzword in recent years, but the definition of sustainability is an activity that can carry on without exhaustion or collapse. Chances are when we buy something to eat, order a new pair of trousers or fill up a tank of petrol (or get the bus), we’re not exactly thinking whether our lifestyles are sustainable. But according to the Living Planet Report, if we continue consuming at our current rate in the western world, we would need the resources of two planets by 2030. We’re also at risk of losing huge amounts of the wildlife and ecosystems which we depend on for food, fuel, clean water and more, due to expansion and development in an attempt to sustain our populations. And much of this ‘ecological overshoot’ WWW.STUDENT365.CO.UK 71
student issues
GOING GREEN
GOING GREEN is due to our rising carbon footprint, which is increasing as industry grows.
Running out of resources
If we’re not careful, resources which we take for granted now just won’t be there for future generations. With increasingly difficult and unpopular methods of extracting oil and gas from the land such as fracking being introduced, it’s clear that it’s not as easy as it once was to keep the lights on globally. Renewable energy provides a way out of the shortages and conflicts caused by depleted fossil fuel levels. It may take time to change the status quo and increase investment, but with unlimited sources of energy available from the sun, wind and sea, which aren’t going to pollute the atmosphere or contribute to climate change like the burning of oil and gas does, there is a glimmer of hope for the future.
Buy conscious
Have you upgraded your phone in the last year? Did you really need to? That’s just one example of buying something new when we may not have to. When something ends up in landfill, it’s not only littering the earth but all the energy that went into its production is wasted too. And if you do need to replace something, remember charity shops, ebay, freecycling websites and clothes swaps are all brilliant ways of getting new, original gear. Instant sustainability points and you’re guaranteed not to bump into someone wearing the exact same high street T-shirt.
Eat right
Unsustainable practices are also apparent in the production of our food. It’s big business, with money to be made and an ever increasing number of people to feed worldwide. But that means natural, wild landscapes are increasingly being sacrificed to farming. We all know about deforestation in the Amazon rainforest, but how often do we think about the reasons behind it? Clearing land for soya beans, coffee and beef cattle are key causes of rainforest destruction. Western needs and tastes often drive production in developing countries. Something to think about when choosing which coffee to buy. Try to look at labels to find out the origin of your dinner, and choose organic when you can.
Where to from here?
Global population is growing at an incredible pace and is expected to rise to 9 billion by 2050. Everyone needs water, food and shelter, and world leaders are facing huge questions about how we’re going to be able to sustain this. The challenge is to provide reliable services without creating widespread irreparable damage to the environment, which we rely on for all of these necessities in the first place. The race is on to find ways of conserving what we have, reducing waste and working out safe, sustainable ways to keep surviving. If we all unite to make a few changes to our daily lives we can cut the waste and make a huge impact - together.
YOUR GUIDE TO SAVING MONEY AND SAVING THE WORLD AT THE SAME TIME! in bulk it cuts down on packaging and will save youstart cashusing pan lids with • Buy DVDs, CDs, even Get on your–bike • and if – fill up every and watch Don’t been keep buying bottledvideo watergamesand fizzy drinks frommeal the tap There’s a cycling • and mix your own and revolution as more
the selection isn’t wide
your bills drop.
While public transport flaccid sandwiches
source of free entertainment without having
forget it? Only boil the amount you need
driving, cycling will get you fit too.
for a Lovefilm or Netflix subscription.
• Freecycling
• Stop the steam
save money, water and electricity. We’re running out of fossil fuels, so let’s try not to squander it on mugs of lapsang souchong!
at uni you can more people realise Have a Meat Free Mondayenough every week • join the local library too. just how much money • Teas’y does it Use energy saving lightbulbs – they to 50 times as • Welong all know this one, If you feellast likeup a chilled they can save with but on how often do we in, it’s a decent your loan pedal alone. Takepower a packed lunch to uninight instead of spending • is Choose much better the carefully – check out vintage and charity shops your for clothes • for a cuppa and you’ll to part with your cash environment than
It’s amazing what people will leave on the pavement for someone else to take away. For free stuff online Google freecycle.
• Explore the library
It’s not just full of textbooks. There are
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If you’re living off campus and have to watch your gas bill, you can cut down your spending and cook meals more quickly, simply by putting a lid on your pans. Instead of letting them gather dust at the back of a cupboard,
• Get growing
Growing your own food is easy. Start small with a couple of plant pots on the windowsill and then all you have to do is decide what you
want to eat. Add some flavour to pasta with fresh basil, thyme or chillis. How impressed will your flatmates be if you actually grew Tuesday night’s dinner?
• Be creative
If your old T-shirts are looking a bit tired, instead of going on a spending spree at Topshop/Topman, why not get creative? Your local haberdashery sells dyes in a spectrum of colours, and you can get organic fabric spray online. By stencilling or tie-dying you can get a unique, personal look for next to nothing.
WORK
TIP! MONEY is
student issues
WORDS: Ruth Bushi
um wage The minim nd £6.31 at 18 a t a 3 .0 r 5 £ r employe 21+. You less u yo y a can’t p
Work it! U Being self-employed is great for flexibility - you decide how much you charge and when you work. Just let the tax office know your plans
nless you’ve got a trust fund or a knack for corporate blackmail you’ll probably want a part-time job while you study. It’s not just about money for rent, Rizlas or Rainbow Skittles, (although it certainly helps): working now can net you skills and experiences to boost your job-hunting efforts later on. Moreover, test driving the career you’ve had your heart set on since you were six could also be crucial: who knows, maybe programming spreadsheet formulae for a living won’t be as exciting as you thought. Whatever your reason for getting a job, get a plan. Read on.
Get connected
Start with your uni’s careers service or jobs team: they’ll be able to help you dust off your CV, plus they’ll
Play your cards right and you can get ahead on the job scene... have an ear to the ground for local and campus vacancies. If they run an alumni mentoring service get yourself on that, too: as well as career development support you may come away with industry contacts and an inroad to an internship. Don’t just rely on the uni, or on online jobs boards: competition will be fiercer than Kim Kardashian in a Chanel suit. Get onto the high street and talk to local shops and services in person. Take your CV with you.
Go your own way
If you speak another language you could sell (or swap) your translating skills to fellow students. Or, if you don’t breathe without letting Twitter know keep an eye out for opps in community management or forum moderation. Start with the pages WWW.STUDENT365.CO.UK 73
WORK
?
WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM A JOB Is it about money, experience or skills? Ask yourself the following questions... Money for rent, study and living costs? Look for k. regular local or uni wor Think retail, cinema, bars nts. aura and rest
Big money and a possible appearance on Dra gon’s Den? Start your own bus iness (your uni may even be abl e to help you score funding – ask your SU)
you visit regularly, or scout out ones that are underperforming and pitch yourself to them. Being self-employed is great for flexibility – you decide how much you charge and when you work. You just need to let the tax office know (HRMC, tel: 0300 200 3504), keep records of everything you buy and sell, and keep some of
CV skills/future car eer? Contact companies you’d like to work for asking abo ut for internships and work experience or plump for subjec trelevant employer s: bookshops (En glish), local newspapers (Media, Marketing ), hotels (Hospitality), sports centres (Sports Managem ent, Fitness) etc.
Life experiences? Volunteer and ad hoc uni temping jobs can have you doing everyth ing from working with disadv antaged kids to stewardin g at music festivals.
Market research focus groups can be interesting work but harder to come by – try sarosresearch.com or search online for local opps: there’s anything from chocolate tasting to test drives, and for decent cash. The trend for medical trials has fallen off: it’s your choice, but there are ways to make cash without risking botulism. There’s also a fine line between selling your
Test driving the career you've had your heart set on since you were six could be crucial your profits aside to pay taxes. What you sell is up to you; it doesn’t have to be a physical product. If you can make iPhone mitts, great; if not there’s everything from life-drawing and creating apps to designing websites.
Smallprint
Your uni might restrict how much work you can accept – they typically say no more than 15 hours a week. If you go for online gigs watch out for those that ask you pay money upfront (... don’t) or that get you clicking ads or answering surveys for peanuts. 74 WWW.STUDENT365.CO.UK
body to art (life drawing – check local groups at meetup.com) and for sex: judgement aside, one’s illegal. If money’s that tight, talk to your student welfare team about grants and bursaries you can get to tide you over.
Do you need to pay tax?
You can earn up to £9,440 each tax year (April to April) before you have to pay tax on it. If tax is deducted by your employer and you haven’t earned more than the allowance get yourself a P50 form (hrmc.gov.uk) and get a refund.
FOR JOHN MILLS, A JOURNALISM UNDERGRAD AT CITY UNIVERSITY LONDON, WORK ISN’T JUST ABOUT THE MONEY “One of my highlights has been going to schools to present a kind of business masterclass on being a student. I was expelled from my school in year 8 – the headmaster told me that I’d be lucky if I wasn’t in prison by the time I was 18. To find myself instead at university and giving kids an insight into life after school has been inspiring. I’ve done all kinds of part-time work, from campus tours to answering phones during Clearing. Some of it’s monotonous but you’ve got to keep thinking ‘this is work’: no one owes you a living. The right attitude and being positive makes all the difference and has helped me get repeat jobs. "
FURTHER CLICKS
Want a job on campus? Try unitemps.co.uk Born for stand-up? Push regularly hires student speakers to take its schools tour on the road. push.co.uk Scouting for internships? Get on LinkedIn.com Want to save the world? Check do-it.org.uk for volunteer opps to make you feel all warm and snuggly. do-it.org.uk Sod the world; you want to be a brand ambassador: see fd-media.co.uk, independent. co.uk/i or jobs.redbull.com. Or just Google ‘student brand ambassador’.
IT UP! INTERN work
internship onMake an ee ee it as fr er S for you. g rath in in a tr b r the-jo aid labou than unp
Internships can help you stand out in interviews
The Internship Great grades, a killer cover letter and glowing recommendations are no longer enough to secure you that sparkling job. In today’s hypercompetitive job market, an internship is often the answer. Student365 shows you the way to go
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ith graduate unemployment at an all time high, how did those lucky few get that sparkling graduate position so soon after university? Was it the immeasurable amount of CV’s they sent out begging for a job, the gleaming outfit they wore to their interview or were they just in the right place at the right time? If the media is to be believed – it would appear that internships are the golden ticket to getting your foot in door.
Contacts
Harper’s Bazaar’s assistant beauty editor, Victoria Hall describes internships as “a great way of making more contacts”. It is evident that the amount of graduates coming out of university is outnumbering the amount of jobs available. This means that employers’ standards are getting higher and a 2.1 alone will not guarantee you that dream job any more. One way of landing an interview is to get to
“Employers want to see a drive to break into the industry” know the people in the business first. Employers are inundated with CVs everyday. Ensure yours stands out by offering to intern for a week or two - this shows that you’re dedicated and willing to learn. If you impress them you’ll be sure to stick in their mind when the next vacancy becomes available. “We've had work experience who later became freelancers, just because we already know they're a good fit for the publication and we liked them,” says Ben Lee, editorial assistant at Digital Spy.
How to get an internship
Applying for internships can be disheartening – especially when dealing with rejection. Lee believes “the best approach when applying for internships WWW.STUDENT365.CO.UK 75
student issues
WORK
WORK is to be enthusiastic, keen and to show a good understanding of what they cover. Make sure your application stands out.” Google your desired internship and impress them with your knowledge and passion for the company. Employers won’t be expecting a CV bursting with skills and
making tea in the hope of being noticed? Drapers features writer, James Knowles, believes so: “Internships are a great way to gain industry experience and an insight into real working life. They are well worth doing and will definitely put you ahead of your peers who haven’t taken the
Masters cost thousands - Internships allow you to get your name mentioned in the industry without getting into further debt experience – that’s what the placement is for. What they will be expecting to see is enthusiasm for the role and a drive to break into the industry.
Money
However with the majority of internships only paying expenses, is it really worth spending hours
USEFUL LINKS A comprehensive range of paid and unpaid internships internavenue.com A range of internships, placements and graduate schemes milkround.com
time to do them”. If you don’t live in capital and your purse consists of McDonald’s vouchers and fluff, don’t fret. “You don’t have to do them in London, think about local publications - any experience is good experience,” adds Knowles. Not everyone has access to a trust fund and employers know this Apply somewhere small like your
local radio station or football club. Smaller companies will still teach you valuable skills and it will demonstrate that you're trying to get work, rather than spending your days watching Loose Women with a bowl of Cheerios.
Don’t be exploited
When you land a placement, make sure you’re making the most of your time there and getting valuable knowledge from your new colleagues. The best way to look at an internship is not that you are working without payment – but that you are receiving free training. Postgraduate diplomas and Masters cost thousands and take an extra year to complete, where as internships allow you to get your name mentioned in the industry without getting yourself into further debt. Don’t allow yourself to be exploited though: given the current economic climate, some
Seven tips to help land that big internship DON'T GIVE UP - BE PERSISTENT Remember that for every 10 places you apply, nine might not even reply. Don’t be disheartened: be even more determined. Hold out for that one place that might!
A variety of graduate internships inspiringinterns.com
BROADEN YOUR HORIZONS Don’t be set on one specific type of internship and turn everything else down. Any experience is good to start off with, and you might just find you love a type of work that you’d never considered before.
Student placements and internships articles.ratemyplacement.co.uk
CONTACT THE CONTACTS Do use any contacts you might already have. It might feel a bit like cheating but you should use every opportunity you can get!
Charity internships charityjob.co.uk/jobs/ Internships
GET BUSY - WINNERS DON'T SLACK Build your CV up with as many opportunities you can get as a student; society committee positions, student media, brand ambassador, sports teams.
Media internships mediamuppet.com Creative, media and digital internships gothinkbig.co.uk A mixture of financial internships and paid graduate positions jobs.efinancialcareers.co.uk/ Graduates_Internships.htm A number of student internships graduatetalentpool.direct.gov.uk
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BE OPEN-MINDED - EMBRACE THE POSSIBILITIES Don’t disregard smaller, lesser-known companies. You can get some of the best experience at smaller companies, as they’ll have you doing more than JUST the tea round. BE PREPARED - OR PREPARE TO FAIL Be prepared to be asked about everything and anything on your CV in an interview. Also be a complete expert on the company and the role you’d be doing. TO THE VICTOR, THE SPOILS! If you get picked, be the best intern they’ve ever had!
savvy employers are searching for ways to cut costs, and unfortunately internships can be their answer to budget cuts. Senior editor of Heat magazine, Chris Longridge says: “The attitude of many – if not most employers – is that interns are there to be used, you must use them right back. Make good use of your time there: don’t just wait to be told what to do. Seek out opportunities”. And when your internship is over, smile, update your CV and remember you're one step closer to landing your dream job.
OVER TO YOU!
REBECCA WILSON, 21, WARWICK UNIVERSITY GRADUATE: ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE “I don’t find internships the answer. I have never completed an internship. I was successful in obtaining a graduate position in the finance industry. Having had a part time job at uni, I feel that can be just as beneficial as any internship.”
student issues
If you impress them you'll be sure to stick in their mind when the next vacancy becomes available
Get stuck in; show bosses that you are a good fit
Love them or loathe them, internships are here to stay. Students talk about their various experiences - some good, some bad!
CHARLOTTE STOWELL, 21, BRISTOL COVENTRY UNIVERSITY: SPORTS THERAPY “I completed a sports therapist internship with Manor Park RFC in Nuneaton. I now have a sports therapy position with Bristol City academy. They said that for my age I already have plenty of experience which helped get me the jobs.”
STUART EDWARDS, 21, ESSEX CASS BUSINESS SCHOOL, CITY UNIVERSITY LONDON: BANKING AND INTERNATIONAL FINANCE “I have done a few internships and they were all worthwhile. In terms of banking, they are something that help people stand out against those who haven’t done them. It’s much harder to get a job without one.
KERRY LENDON, 21, ESSEX UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK: ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE “The usefulness of internships depends on whether you are likely to be offered a permanent job. It seems apparent that businesses take on interns as cheap labour. It's worth researching the best companies for internships and those that are likely to offer a job at the end.”
JADE BEYNON, 21, PRESTON UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL LANCASHIRE: INTERIOR DESIGN “I got an internship with an interior design company through my university and was promised a month of learning. Instead I was only needed for four days and the jobs they gave me were the ones they couldn’t be bothered to do.”
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WILL YOU GIVE IT UP? As you make your fourth cup of coffee and drag yourself back to your desk to re-read the same paragraph that’s been boggling your mind for the last few hours, you think: “this is not what I signed up for.” Sound familiar? Then maybe it’s time to consider the options available to you. DROP DROPPING The number of undergraduates dropping out from their degrees after a year of starting fell from 8.6 per cent to 7.4 per cent according to the latest statistics RECESSION PROOF Dr Emma Tominey, an economics lecturer at the University of York believes students could be wary of dropping out because of the turbulent job market.
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E
ach year many students begin their studies only to find that their subject was far from what they had imagined. Choosing whether to invest the next three years in a degree that does little to enthral you is no easy feat. It’s not uncommon for students to change courses and some call it quits altogether. According to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), of the UK students starting full time first degrees, 4.5 per cent choose to transfer courses. So what are the options if you’re having second thoughts? You can: ✱ Change course ✱ Suspend your course ✱ Leave university All three choices can seem daunting, so you must remember there is support available. Most universities
have a section of their website dedicated to helping students who may be agonising over these decisions.
What's The Problem?
Transferring can be a positive step. But first identify what is wrong with the course, so that you don’t end up moving for the wrong reasons. Adrian Bell, a graduate from Newcastle University, began an engineering degree only to realise that the course wasn't what he expected. His passion for biology meant the changeover was an easy decision to make, but his A level grades nearly prevented the transition. “I realised straight away that engineering wasn’t for me” he said. “I met with the head of biology and within two weeks had changed course. I was one grade away from the required A levels needed to
DROPPING OUT Follow Your Passion
“The hardest part was fighting my concerns about wasting two years time and money, but the bottom line was I was unhappy,” she says. “I’d realised my passion lay with speech therapy and was keen to get on with it. My personal tutor and the head of languages were there for me every step
Council for England found that eight per cent of students were no longer in university after their first year. If you decide to withdraw you will need to confirm this with your department and inform Student Finance England. You may also need to inform your bank as student accounts may no longer be valid. What happens
OUT! SPEAK
ce. er in silen Don't suff tors or head tu r u Talk to yo about your of course d issues an problems
do the course, but after demonstrating my dedication to the subject I was granted the transfer.” However, not everyone realises in immediately and it can take time for uni life to settle down before students recognise their desire to switch. Lucy Callaghan, a foreign languages student at Leeds, had reached the beginning of her third year when she admitted her heart wasn’t in it. She decided to swap universities and started a speech therapy course afresh.
of the way. I am now half way through a speech therapy course, training for a profession I know I belong in.” If you don't hate your subject, but are interested in another, why not consider changing to a joint honours degree? Ashleigh Haywood, a sociology and criminology graduate from Liverpool University, recognised three months in that she wanted to combine studies. “In a sociology lecture we covered some criminology and I realised, this is fascinating stuff. I spoke to my personal tutor and head of criminology and promised to catch up on the past three months in my own time. I now have a 2:1 combined studies degree and thoroughly enjoyed my course.” Starting a new life away from home can bring a wealth of potential problems in tow and for some, university is just not for them. In 2010 - 2011, a report conducted by the Higher Education Funding
CHANGING YOUR COURSE Five things to think about before you make the final decision:
• Is it definitely the course that you’re not happy with, rather than another aspect of university life?
WORDS: Anna Silverman
• Will the course you’re moving to be more enjoyable? • Do you mind that your current group of friends may have left university whilst you are still studying?
•
Will student finance still fund your full course and if not, can you afford the move?
• Could changing courses make it more difficult to go into the line of work you hope to pursue?
financially after transferring courses or leaving a university can vary from student to student. For guidance on student finance, according to your circumstances, visit the Student Loans Company website, slc.co.uk/. Above all, don’t make hasty decisions. Make use of the support available, explore all your options and analyse what makes you happiest.
University of life SO YOU’VE MADE THE DECISION TO DROP OUT. BUT WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO NEXT? Your first port of call should be with a student welfare officer or counsellor. They’ll be able to tell you what paperwork is involved, the timelines and also if your finances will be affected by your decision. You’ll also need to consider exactly what it is that you want to do. Next step options could include:
• Opting for another course • Taking a gap year • Applying for an apprenticeship
• Looking for a job • Starting up your own business
To find out more visit: ucas. com/students/nextsteps/ advice
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student issues
A 2010/11 report conducted by the HEFCE found that eight per cent of students were no longer in university after their first year
TRAVEL
TOP TIP The world is your oyster - plan your trip properly and you'll be quids in!
THE
Travel Fancy doing some travelling before or after you've graduated? Of course you do. Here are some of the best companies to look out for when planning your holiday of a lifetime...
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W
hether you’re about to go travelling, volunteering, or working abroad, it always pays to do a little research. In fact, it pays to do a lot of research, and by shopping around you can save yourself a lot of money. If you’re thinking of hitting the road and doing something a little bit different this Christmas, Easter or even next summer, then start researching your trip now. As students, we know you want things handed to you on a plate, so to make life much easier for you we’ve put together some of the best companies to look out for before you go travelling.
WORDS: Macca Sherifi
DIRECTORY
Travelling
When it comes to planning your trip, there are a number of websites and tools out there that’ll help you on your way. If you’re looking for advice, information and inspiration, then these are the sites to turn to. ✱ GAPYEAR.COM
(gapyear.com) Gapyear.com is a gap year social network. Built around a travel community, its members engage in the site through blogs, events, message boards and photos. It provides advice, ideas and opportunities on everything related to gap years, including information on planning your trip, destinations, volunteering, and working abroad.
"Look, ma, we're on top of the world. And it's cold."
✱ LONELY PLANET (lonelyplanet.com) Lonely Planet's online community, the Thorn Tree, is used by over 600,000 travellers who swap ideas and information. The website also includes articles, blogs, destination information as well as a Trip Planner tool. ✱ MATADOR (matador.com)
Challenge yourself to change your world
Matador is the world's first fully-interactive travel magazine. With its own community of travellers, it is a great source of advice, information and inspiration. Also, it has its own university bolted on, with courses in travel writing, photography and filmmaking, making it one of the best places to perfect your creative skills online.
Aged 18–25?
✱ TRAVBUDDY (travelbuddy.com)
Want to do something that makes a lasting change to people’s lives? Then why not volunteer overseas and be part of a community on a 12 week project – and in return you’ll have an experience you’ll never forget. Sounds good? Well you can do it. You don’t need special skills, money or qualifications. So don’t wait around...discover how you can help change the world at vso-ics.org.uk or call 020 8780 7500
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Travbuddy is a travel social network specialising in connecting travellers. It allows users to find travel buddies who are planning to travel to the same places at the same time. You can create blogs, upload photos and review attractions, bars, hotels and restaurants. If you’re on travelling solo this is the site for you.
✱ TRAVELLERSPOINT (travellerspoint.com)
Travellerspoint is another travel social network for those who want to be inspired by people who have already been there and done it. Members use the site through blogs, forums, photo galleries and a wiki travel guide, but the winner is its Trip Planner. It’s one of the best in the business and handy when planning a world trip.
Volunteering
Volunteering on your round the world trip is one of best things you can do, and you really can make a difference to people’s lives. Not only will you contribute to a community but you get to travel and see another country too. These are some of the best companies in the UK to volunteer with.
TRAVEL A year away from home turned Paul a bit funny
O DO? WHAT T each
Volunteering will enrich your and other's lives
✱ CSV (csv.org.uk) Community Service Volunteers (CSV) is the UK's largest volunteering and training charity. If you don’t want to volunteer abroad, you don’t have to. CSV offers volunteering opportunities to more than 150,000 people each year, mostly within Britain. Accommodation, meals and an allowance is provided as part of the scheme, making this a really respectable charity to go with.
✱ GLOBAL VISION INTERNATIONAL (gvi.co.uk )
✱ FRONTIER (frontier.ac.uk)
(lattitude.org.uk ) Lattitude Global Volunteering is a not-for-profit organisation supporting international volunteering for 17-25-year-olds. For nearly 40 years it has been active in sending people on unique, structured and rewarding experiences, and it has the history and experience to provide meaningful and worthwhile projects.
Frontier offers over 300 projects in 57 different countries around the world, so you’re bound to find a project that’s perfect for you. Frontier specialise in ethical and gap year travel, wildlife conservation and community development at reasonable prices, and their marine conservation projects get a special mention as being some of the best around. What are you waiting for?
PACKING TIPS If you’re about to go travelling, ensure all of these items are in your suitcase/backpack/satchel.
• Health and medical insurance • Your student card for discounts • A longsleeve top to protect against mossies • A travel pillow for extra comfort • A quality medical kit (to save your life) • A USB stick for your photos • Condoms (you will need these) • A travel towel • Tea bags for a taste of home • A diary for random musings
Global Vision International (GVI) is one of the best volunteering organisations in the business. With community, marine conservation, rainforest conservation and wildlife projects, it offers something for everyone, and it was voted the ‘Best Volunteering Organisation’ at the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards in 2011, so it must be doing something right.
✱ LATTITUDE GLOBAL VOLUNTEERING
✱ PROJECTS ABROAD (projects-abroad.co.uk)
Projects Abroad is the leading global organiser of overseas volunteer placements, ranging from teaching and conservation to human-rights projects and journalism. Founded in 1992, Projects Abroad has now sent over 50,000 volunteers from all walks of life to thousands of volunteer projects throughout the world.
Working Abroad
Working abroad gives you the opportunity to get to know a country inside out, while learning valuable skills for life. It is a great way to gain work experience and further your career; it really does look great on your CV. Hopefully one or two of these companies will give you an idea of what to do when working abroad. ✱ BUNAC (bunac.org)
BUNAC was established in 1962 and has enabled WWW.STUDENT365.CO.UK 83
student issues
b xing on a From rela ering there is te n lu vo to yone. g for ever somethin ur options! Explore yo
TRAVEL
Winter Break Ideas
Even though you’ve only just started term, no doubt you’re already dreaming up some weird and wonderful places to go this Christmas and New Year.
hundreds of thousands of travellers to explore the world through work and travel, and is today recognised as a specialist in the field of overseas work and travel programmes. If you’re looking for a short summer placement, then it does those too. ✱ CAMP AMERICA (campamerica.co.uk)
Camp America is the market leader in providing the uniquely-cultural American summer camp experience. Every summer Camp America send 7000+ young people to camp to work as activity leaders or assistants in a wide range of activities, including land/water sports, craft, music and the outdoors. Participants receive return flights from London to New York and have the opportunity to travel for 30 days at the end of their placement. Visit campamerica.co.uk/getinfo for full details
✱ GAPWORK (gapwork.com)
Gapwork is a jobs advice and news website for gappers of all ages with opportunities in the UK and overseas. Even though Gapwork doesn't organise the activities, it provides all the advice and information on how to get placements abroad. This really is one of the best advice websites around.
✱ THE YEAR IN INDUSTRY (yini.org.uk)
The Year in Industry provides high quality paid placements for school leavers. Opportunities are available for students interested in all areas of business, e-commerce, engineering, finance, IT, logistics and marketing. The new YINI “Combo” is a work placement followed by an overseas travel experience.
✱ VISITOZ (visitoz.org)
Visitoz offers an authentic Australian experience. It is the only Australian organisation, with over 18 years’ experience, offering guaranteed, well-paid work in rural and outback Australia. It even offers an introductory package so you can hit the ground running as soon as you arrive Down Under.
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Flights
1) Discover a German Christmas Market and drinking gluvine 2) Hitting the pow pow in Val d'Isère or Chamonix 3) Seeing the Northern Lights in Norway 4) Exploring Tallinn, the capital of Estonia 5) Reindeer sledding in Sweden
If you’ve found the 6) Drinks at the Ice Bar in London perfect placement or project for 7) Hiking through the snow in Switzerland you, whether that’s travelling, 8) Chillaxing in a Turkish Bath in Budapest volunteering, or working abroad, 9) Snowboarding in the Alps you’re still going 10) Partying in Berlin to have to book yourself a flight. These are the three biggest and best companies around for multi-stop and round the world tickets. ✱ STA TRAVEL (statravel.co.uk)
STA Travel covers all you need to know about gap year travel, including details of round the world flights, visas and accommodation. The site provides opportunities to work and learn abroad, from diving lessons to paid teaching work. The handy thing about STA Travel is there’s probably one in your Student Union!
✱ ROUND THE WORLD EXPERTS
(roundtheworldexperts.co.uk) Round the World Experts is very similar to STA Travel, but it has an ace up its sleeve – the Travel Butler. This is a designated team of travel consultants who are there to help you with date changes to your round the world ticket at no extra charges. This is a real money saver.
✱ TRAVEL NATION (travelnation.co.uk)
Travel Nation has one major difference to STA Travel and Round the World Experts – it's cheaper (usually). If you’re looking to book a round the world ticket, then these guys provide the cheapest service around. Beware though; you can get stung with hidden add-ons and charges, so always make sure you know exactly what you are buying.
86% OFF 150 HOUR ONLINE TEFL MASTER COURSE Take advantage of reading weeks and long summer holidays and see the world – before you get caught on the career treadmill. But swap that fortnight in Faliraki for something more fulfilling: get TEFL certified with Global TEFL’s master course and teach and earn while you travel.
• Study from the comfort of your own home • Designed to give you the skills you need to teach English abroad • Eight modules • Trainer support • 12 month access
STUDENT OFFER! Y NORMALL £325 NOW 9 JUST £4
• Job placement assistance For more information please visit globaltefl.uk.com. To take advantage of this fantastic offer email sales@globaltefl.uk.com or call 0845 459 7062, quoting promocode STUDENT365.
WHEN THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENS, BE PREPARED MyTAG is a recovery service protecting you and your possessions 24/7. Lost & found reports are delivered to you in seconds- wherever you are! MyTAG enables students to securely tag and register their most valuable possessions from mobiles, cameras, laptops and keys. So that if lost, they can be reunited with their owners quickly and hassle free.
Find us online at ufoundmytag.com
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TRANSPORT
T he A-Z of A-B Need to get around town? Don't get taken for a ride, writes Ruth Bushi.
PERSONAL TRANSPORT
Guns don’t kill people; bullets do. Similarly, owning a car won’t destroy your budget: running costs, maintenance, parking charges and insurance will give it a hefty dent, however. There are more cost-effective ways of getting on the road while preserving your ‘personal space’.
CYCLING
Guaranteed to keep you fit while feeling unbearably smug about saving the world. You’ll need to factor in costs for maintenance – up to £50 a year or more depending on age and condition – insurance and protective gear. And a bike, if you don’t already have one. And somewhere to keep it. Folding bikes are handy; prices less so (£200-800). Oh, and consider getting a bike basket if you plan on riding the grocery run. Whatever the bike, shop for your budget (check halfords.com, evanscycles.com, gumtree.com or getcyclingdisability.org) and don’t discount looking locally. If you’re buying secondhand, check it’s not stolen and get it looked over by a professional before you take it for a spin. Like the idea of pedal power but not too fond of articulated lorries? Get confident before you hit the road, as it were: cycletraining.go.uk
or ctc.org.uk (also has a nifty route planner). If you don’t have a bike, cycle hire still works out cheaper and greener than car hire for short trips and days out. Check what’s available locally or, if you live in London, see tfl.gov.uk for Barclays Cycle Hire.
KICKSTART YOUR JOURNY
A scooter or motorbike gives the freedom of two wheels, but saves your glutes the effort. You’ll still need to budget for most of the same costs as drivers, including road tax, MOT, fuel, parking and insurance. If you don’t already ride, you’ll need training (and a licence): have a look at geton.co.uk or dvla.gov.uk.
WALKING
If mobility’s not an issue, you can’t beat an amble for getting to know a new neighbourhood. Your smartphone can probably plot a route for you (or at least ensure you don’t get lost), otherwise bookmark walkit.com or get yourself a map app (... a mapp?)
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Public transport usually works out cheaper than having your own wheels but the trade-off is time and
KYMCO TURN ON THE STYLE The new naked K-Pipe 125 motorcycle delivers on looks, ease of use and affordability priced at just 1699. With its unique 4-speed semi-automatic gear box it combines the sports features of a motorcycle with the fun, freedom and economy of a scooter. kymco.co.uk
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PHOTO: IStockphoto
WITH K-PIPE 125
THE KYMCO
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TRANSPORT convenience. Keep a stash of timetables so you know your options when your regular route’s out of service. You can get cross-provider transport info through Google Maps (maps.google.co.uk), which can plot a route based on local/national services. It’s pretty smart.
BUS
If your uni has its own bus service, use it. They’re usually already discounted for students and serve main locations (uni, town, train station). Find out if there’s a season pass or student fares on local buses – either will be cheaper than paying walk-on cash fares.
TUBE/METRO/LOCAL RAIL A student discount starts to look like a necessity when you start riding the rails. Check what you need to get it (you usually need to apply for the transport provider’s own student card, so go armed with passport photos and proof of student status). Taxis aren’t cost-effective unless you’ve got a group, but it’s worth keeping a number in your phone for emergencies: look locally or see yell. com. Don’t get into any old car on the street and, even if you’ve ordered a cab, confirm with the driver who they’re there to pick up before you pile in.
NATIONAL TRANSPORT
If anything's guaranteed to make your credit card limp, it’s getting around the country to see friends and family.
The GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY
The 16-25 railcard (16-25railcard. co.uk) pays for itself over a couple of journeys. It costs £30 a year or £70 for three years (get the threeyear card the day before you turn 24 to ride the savings wave), or free with some student accounts (Santander.co.uk). Buy tickets in advance to get 88 WWW.STUDENT365.CO.UK
Ride the bus, see your new city and make new pals
the cheapest fares; online/app prices can be cheaper, too. Most train company websites do a ‘fare alert’ or you can set up a calendar alert six weeks before you travel to snag the best deals. Split-ticketing may help on long-haul routes. This is where you need to get from London to Glasgow but the total cost is cheaper if you buy tickets for stations along the route. See moneysavingexpert.com.
BUSSING IT
National Express does both coach and train travel, and runs its own student discount card: nationalexpress.com. Both it and Megabus.com do £1 tickets – although you won’t be paying for leg room. And you might need to go overnight for some journeys, especially for European trips. Our advice? Take earplugs.
USEFUL LINKS General info and saver fares across networks thetrainline.com Train tickets plus reward points redspottedhanky.com If you need to get from one end of the country to the other, flying could be the best option cheapflights.co.uk National transport info hub, though takes more clicks than Google Maps traveline.info All of London’s over-priced transport in one place, along with maps, fares, info about student fares/student Oyster cards; plus last tube, train, tram and bus timings – although there are plenty of free third-party apps that cover individual modes of transport. tfl.gov.uk
PHOTO: IStockphoto
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Gap Years, short breaks
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Click statravel.co.uk or call 0800 819 9332 Prices correct at time of Printing. subject to change.
visit our top 50 travel tips online www.statravel.co.uk/top50