May 2011
the
student MAG
ONLY 20P
warrington edition
warringtons got the factor!!
Meet ex students who made it!
student mums just how do they do it!!
Money saving tips Read our exclusive tips from the students who WHATS ON IN WARRINGTON! know!! Club reviews and more!!!
(Google)
tHE student mag
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Editors letter Hi guys
Lucy Adams (Editor)
cONTENTS 4. WARRINGTONS GOT THE X FACTOR: Students wh. bcame a success!
7. COUNTING THE COST:
Money saving tips for future students!!
8. STUDENT SUPER MUMS.
Feature on mums going to University!
11. REVIEWS
Local bars you shouldnt miss out on!! 12. More Universities set to charge the maximum tutition fees!!
(Google)
In a matter of weeks University for the majority of final year students will come to an end. After spending three years (hopefully) working hard to get the best possible grades, going through the good times and the bad, not to mention days thought packing it all in, many will be eager to get stuck in looking for that dream job. Here at ‘The Student Mag’ we understand that its not all plain sailing, if you expect to fall out of your graduation robes and into that perfect job then your in for a shock. Out there is tough!, expect rejection but take it on the chin, learn from it and soldier on. every University will advise their students to start applying now to get a head start and beat out the drones of graduates that will be looking for work as soon as the dust settles, so do it, and as many as possible, even if you get an interview and not the job it will all make for good practise. For those already wise to the advise given above, dont let it get you down, In this months Warington edition of ‘The Student Mag’ we talk to two ex students who already have one foot on the career ladder, they have made the transition from training to employment and we hope their stories will offer our student readers a little bit of encouragement about what lies ahead. For those student about to embark on University life we’ve got some top money saving tips straight from the horses mouth, current students tell us how they manage their finances so take note. In this months edition we have a special feature for mums thinking about higher eductaion heard first hand from these extrordiany students juggling their studies with being a parent. Finally we have some up to date info about whats going on in Warrington, great places to go (as well as cheap) as well as local gigs and ideal places to go for students alike. I hope you enjoy reading this months edition, and to all those with looming exams we wish you the best of luck! Your editor
Lucy X x X
Student website reviews P
(Google)
EX STUDENTS BECOME A SUCCESS
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MEET LEE AND LOUISE
WORRIED ABOUT WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU GRADUATE? THESE TWO SHOW US HOW By Lucy Adams ITS DONE!!! Every year Universities across the UK churn
out thousands of graduates hoping to ‘make it’ in the employment world. It is the survival of the fittest, as applicants in there thousands try to sell themselves to a panel of endless employers, some will struggle more than others and few will get their desired job immediately after leaving university. Let’s face it; we all know at least one ex student with plenty of talent still working dead end jobs waiting for their big break, and Warrington is no different. Many in the political world seem to blame the economy, prior to the current recession the 1994 ‘Group of Universities’ found that around 80% of graduates worked in ‘graduate level’ jobs within
four years of leaving univerLee Froggatt with his amascot sity. He admits transitioning from Mark Cartwright, 24 lives in university to a full time career Padgate and graduated from was harder than he thought: Leeds University in 2008, he “it really hit home after the spent three years working for first couple of months, I was various companies whilst apterrified about my plying for teachfuture.” “I was terriing positions: Thankfully Mark “I think I had fied about my never gave up on about ten jobs in future” his ambition and got that time from a job as a teaching working in KFC assistant in a local to a short stint at a nursery, Id college, he says had he been leave when I had had enough another six months he would and then just drift into the next have ‘given up’, with thouone, all the while I would have sands of stories like this it is no a couple of interviews here and wonder students are anxious there.” about leaving university. Stuck in a rut Mark quickly Current final year students became depressed and thought have been busy wrapping up about training as a barber with assignments, sitting exams his uncle: “It’s ridiculous I and reflecting on the choices know a 22 year old assistant they have made thus far. They to a barber but I was so fed up will ask themselves did I do of being skint and mostly unenough? Should I have worked happy, I thought now I’ll never a little bit harder, partied less be a teacher.” and taken part in more extra
curriculum activities? And most importantly am I good enough? Like Mark there’s the fear of not finding the right job as well as the rejection from potential employers, and the fear of losing sight of their goals. At ‘The Student Mag’ we understand just how tough the job industry can be, especially to those without the relevant connections to make it big, with this in mind our team searched high and low to find students from Warrington who are well on their way to becoming a success. Lee Froggatt, 25 originally from Lachford has got the dream job working for the British Olympic Association and currently lives in London. He is part of a team responsible for developing the Team GB brand and working on various other campaigns, he more
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Louise (left) at her graduation
“Returning in October I was recently designed the new offered a management role at a Team GB mascot set to launch nightclub in Nottingham which in September: for some “Its really reason I exciting, espe- “I created something the took! After cially knowing world will see” six months that I have creI knew it ated something wasn’t for me and handed in that the world will see and that my resignation.” he believes will be a pig part of Team GB the ‘shock’ of full time work legacy.” spurred him on the make a Amazingly Lee was contact- go of a career in the design industry. ed on twitter by a recruitment agency that specialises He quickly found work with a Nottingham based company in creative work after they ‘Red Berry Creative’ designing saw his portfolio online, for Loughborough university: a few weeks later he was “I wanted to work with bigger being interviewed by the as- clients so decided to move to sociation and landed the job. London and pursue my career Like most Lee had to work further.” hard to get to where he is today After working with London and suffered a stint of low Company ‘The Hive’ confidence for two years he got the “I decided to move call from the Olympic in the process to London and pur- association, a job he of finding sue my career in says he loves. the right the design indus- Louise brown, 23 from career. Penketh has also landed try” After comher dream job workpleting ing as a radiographer a HND in Graphic design at at Warrington and Halton Warrington Collegiate he dehospitals. She graduated from cided to take time away from Hertfordshire University in education and went travelling 2009: around Europe: “I was extremely lucky in the
its experience so these types of courses are good for finding out exactly what you want to do.” So is this the A radiographer job Louise has always wanted works in hosworking for pitals and is the NHS? responsable for “Yes, I mean I X-raying padidn’t want to tients, and oper- be a radiogating machinary! rapher when I was a kid but I knew the direction I wanted to go in and couldn’t be happier, most people are taken aback by what I do so its great.” Both Lee and Louise see them selves as the exception rather then the rule, neither know many fellow students that have sense I got the job before I gone on to reach the same had finished uni, starting after goals as they have. So what graduation but at the same time advice do they have to give to I worked very very hard.” She graduates of 2011? believes hard work is Lee says: the key to becoming a “take “Most people are success and ‘wallowing criticism taken aback by in self pity will do more construcwhat I do” harm than good’. tively Louise’s course meant and work that she had to go on with it. Never get disheartplacements at various hospitals ened- enjoy what you do and which is where she found her have fun doing it.” And Louise calling: puts all her success down to “I think you either fail or Work hard. flourish in the clinical work, So the pressure is on, has War-
One of Lee’s first ever designs (Facebook)
(Google)
COUNTING THE COST £££!!!
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To save money on food buy it reduced and freeze it or just go shopping everyday around the time they reduce it ... thats what i did! Lewis Shepherd, 20
‘The Student Mag’ knows just how difficult managing your finances can be when you start University. So we asked current students to tell us there top tips for saving money!
Nobody is too good for ‘value’ products or stores. Dechlan Jarrett, 23
(Google)
walk instead of taking the bus/ taxi’s....buy food with a friend and share the cost Becky Peters, 20
(Google)
Always get drunk before u go out, that way u dont have 2 spend loads of money at bars and pubs! Rachel Capper, 22 (Google)
Never turn down a free meal,look for deals in the supermarket, and do be afraid to borrow! Jordan Simpson, 21
(Google)
Look for part time jobs, bar work is ideal for students and the hours mean you never miss out on time to catch up on essays! Lee Williams, 24
(Lucy Adams)
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UPER STUDENT MUMS Could you manage your workload if you were a parent? By Lucy Adams
ASK anyone to describe a typical student and they (Google) will use that old cliché of a dishevelled young partygoer, those that never bother turning up lazy and living off mum and and the odd mature dad. student that stays More often that not they have out of the typical never been out of education student lifestyle since their days at primary lived by most. school with Summer holiThere is more recently another breed days spent bulking up their back balance or kicking back of student to throw into the mix, an and enjoying time out with increasing number friends and family, only to or mums are going resume the student lifestyle Leanne Traynor and daughter Molly to university and when the loans go in on the juggling educathe course when she found out first day back of tion with being she was pregnant. “The tutors are a new term. a parent. So just University as we all know Their only worries usually supportive, how do they are getting the odd they understand i manage, and assignment in on work hard to catch how different is time and working their experience up” out if they have with having enough funds children. to cover a term spent downMum of one Leanne Traynor, ing drinks in the SU or putting 25 lives in Warrington and is money aside for trips to the currently in her second year town centre. at Salford University studying So far, the majority have Animation. She admits that she dodged the added reasonability was a bit sceptical starting uniof full time work and keeping a versity with younger students home that will eventually catch as a mum: up with them after graduation. I felt a bit anxious and nerOf course not all students vous, I was scared about meetare the same, and everyone’s ing new people and leaving experiences are different, there Molly.” Molly’s was just seven are the studious types, those that months old when she started don’t see to try at all yet sail her first year after she had through assignments and exams, already pushed back starting
But what about those that don’t have the support of a willing partner, or if things don’t go smoothly can be demanding at times, if Rachel*, 27 from Dallam you don’t plan your workload knows first hand just how there’s always a danger of much pressure university can being swamped by multiple put on home life. She has essays and practical work, so three children aged two, six how do mums manage with and eight and is currently in the extra pressure of being a her first year of a midwifery parent. course at Chester University. Leanne puts it down to the “There’s so much pressure teachers understanding and of her situation: “Within three stress, “The tutors are usumonths of going to and ally supportive, they every uni, my relationunderstand I work hard day is a to catch up.” ship broke down” struggle, With the help of her within partner she says going three to uni, and succeeding months of going to Uni my there is possible, even if it difrelationship had broken ficult at times. down.” While she
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Leanne does most of her uni work at home
est me, I’m here to learn.” doesn’t believe university was Hard partying is blamed on the only reason for break up many students missing out she believes that it added to on their potential, late nights existing problems: means that early morning “My partner had to take a lectures are missed, backseat while hangovers may mean “Im getting I started to many more being change my life, older, I have dodged too. So does he worked more a family so it missing out of the hours to cover doesnt interest lifestyle mean these our finances and it just didn’t work me, I’m here to women are working harder? learn” out.” Rachel thinks so: A huge part of “loads in class aren’t the university really with it, I feel experience is the like slapping some of them for student community that develwasting the opportunity, I have ops over time, many make life definitely benefited from it, no long friends and have a lot of distractions, other than my kids fun doing it, and so do these mums miss out. Leanne admits of course.” she doesn’t have many friends “A lot of people on on campus and doesn’t even know where the student bar is my course done take on campus: it seriously, because “I miss out on the bonding, they have not had the and when they (students) experience with real come in on the Monday mornlife” ing, talking about nights, I feel like I’m missing out in that way.” Rachel however has no desire Leanne goes further to say to go out partying. She says: mums have a clearer insight “I’m getting older, I have a into the real world having mafamily so it just doesn’t inter-
tured through being a parent: “I think a lot of people on my course don’t take it serious because they have not had the experience with real life.” She believes having Molly has enhanced her outlook on life, and what better muse than a child for studying animation.
Leannes 2 year old daughter Molly
As well as taking full time courses both Leanne and Rachel work part time jobs to make ends meet” “Just because you fullfill you fream of going to uni doesnt mean that your responsabilities stop, I have children to care for and a mortgage to pay.” says Rachel. She works as a care assistant for the elderly and disabled. Leanne makes ends meet by working as a waitress at a carvery in Warrington: “the hours are good and so are the tips, I’m usually going to work when Molly’s being put to bed.” Many typical students choose not to work and instead rely on student loans to get them through the year, Leanne admits that most of hers goes on things for Molly ‘its mostly out of guilt’ she says for spending so much time away from her daughter, These mums show that its possible for those they chose a family rather than a career to have both, whether it is at a cost is for you to decide.
REVIEWS
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We review so you dont have to!!
Living and going to University in Warrington has its advantages, in the heart of the North West we are situated right inbetween two of the UK’s biggest cities and have access to a wide range of clubs, pubs, shopping centres and activities by just a fifteen minute train journey. Alternatively, if money is tight Warrington has a lot to offer, so we at ‘Student Mag’ be did a bit of investigative journalism and went out to taste the Warrington nightlife for ourself.........
(Google) (Google)
The Postern Gate
Situated in a quiet corner of the town centre this pup is open daily and goes on till 2am. they serve great food during the day, thats cheap and tasty. for evening they sell some amazing cocktails for £4.25. Go on a friday and you can get them for less than half that as well as cheap offers on shots and bottles of beer. Great atmosphere, a popular student haunt that plays a variety of music
Level Vodka Bar
(Google)
53 Degrees North
Students love this place, instead of launching the occasional offer this little gem charges a £3 entry fee and only £1 a drink, yes £1. Doubles count as two drinks but thats still amazingly cheap! The bar has a grungy feel with two floors that are usually packed, it plays a mixture of indie and chart music and a little bit of everything else. The only downside is that sometimes it gets to busy and can feel a bit like being in an oven during the summer months!!
This bar is popular with RnB lovers and seems to be a popular with locals. The music is generally RnB and chart and they have a cool DJ. The downside is that the bar isnt the cheapest in town and has a history of trouble. The place has an amazing atmosphere with two bars and friendly staff!!
(Google)
Evissa
What else? * Wired
(Google)
The newest bar in Warrington has alot to offer, origionally a dingy late pub it recently transformed to a glam feminine styled club. As soon as you enter your surrounded by pink wallpaper and an interesting cocktail menu. The bar plays dance more than any other style of music but if you request it they’ll play it! Open during the day they also screen sport and have a beer garden with private bar. The drinks are relatively cheap!
Dont fancy any of these? Heres a few more:
Plays DnB and * Babylon/Reflex hard core dance and rock Joint clubs next to eachother on the music, groggy but loads of highstreet, a party atmosphere that fun, drinks are cheap!!! plays 80s/90s music!!!
* Voodoo
A new bar in town that become a favourate with locals, open til 5am!!
* Showbar
A huge club with gorgeous interior, plays everything but is probably the most expensive in town!!!
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More Universities set to charge higher tuition fees By Lucy Adams
The University of Chester is set to join the long line of universities intent on charging the maximum tution fees made possible by the current governments decision. The university announced that from September they will charge £9000 a term because of recent government cut backs. Lauren Gilbert, 23 from Woolsten claims that the increase means she wont be going when she graduated from college later this year:
“I couldnt believe it when I heard, that amount of money scares me.” There will be others like Lauren . The university claim that charging the increase will
enable them to maintain a higher standard of teaching. The announcement follows the recent long line of universities in the North West.
The Manchester Metropolitan will charge £8000 with Edge Hill set to charge £9000. Will it affect your choices? Tell us at studenmag.org