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Turning the Bad into Good – How to deal with being upset, sad or angry as a Student

Turning the bad into good.

Being a student is great. You get your freedom, you grow up and you meet interesting new people in a new and exciting place. With all of this going on you might be forgiven for thinking that there wont be a moment where you feel down, or something really gets on your nerves and makes you upset to the point where you really are unsure of what to do.  We’ve almost all been there, and today I want to talk about three ways that Edge Hill supports you, and how you can deal with these feelings.

Speak to someone

One of the best ways to overcome any problem is to share it. The reason that people say a problem shared is a problem halved is because there really is some truth behind it. Edge Hill offers counselling services on campus as well as teams of people ready to help with any specific issue such as learning, money, accommodation and your general well being.

Write it down

Having a pen and paper in hand is a great way to put those thoughts somewhere not inside your head. If you and write about it you have a better chance of thinking it through and finding a solution to your problem. But never keep it just to yourself. It can build up and cause yourself some serious problems.

Put it in context

The last, and hardest of my tips, is to put whatever is going on in your life into context. It is important to take everything into consideration where you are feeling down. Reminding yourself that its not the end of the world and putting it into the context of the rest of your life can remind you that its not all bad, and things will always get better.

That’s all for this blog but if you want more tips for dealing with stress at University check out my other blog here.

Dealing with Stress at University – Stress is like the flu, everyone usually gets it

And if you want more free and great advice email think@edgehill.ac.uk or leave a comment below and I will get back to you. If you want to suggest something to write about or want to be interviewed leave a comment below also and I will get back to you personally!

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Things for your room – Making Edge Hill feel like home

Things for your room, Making Edge Hill feel like home

Moving to a new room all by yourself can be difficult and even a scary experience. This place is going to be all yours, and making it feel like home is an important part of relaxing yourself. There are loads of things that you could bring with you, but incase you were looking for some suggestions here are three things that I think all students should take, to make their new room feel like home.

Bedding

Something that you touch and interact every day is going to be imporatnt. Your beeding is not only something that you have to touch, but look at. Having your bedding from home can make you room feel that bit more friendly. Also, just having the smell of the same fabric conditioner makes a big difference.

Posters

Having something to decorate your walls is great. You can have motivational posters, or even like myself a map of my home country. If you have some posters in your room at home it might be a good idea to take them with you and hang them in your new room.

Furniture

Taking small pieces of furniture from home is another way to make your room feel like home. A show rack, or coat rack. Radiator cover or table cover. Whatever it is, you will always know when you look at it that it came from home. So dont go buying all new furniture just yet.

Thats all for this weeks blog. Thanks for the read.

If you want more free and great advice email think@edgehill.ac.uk or leave a comment below and I will get back to you. If you want to suggest something to write about or want to be interviewed leave a comment below also and I will get back to you personally!

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Staying through the summer – Living in Ormskirk year round

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Ormskirk is a busy place with people coming and going for Edge Hill University during term time. Outside of that it can seem peaceful without the hussle and bussle of students. So living here for a prolonged holiday, through the summer, can be abit daunting. You might find yourself without friends that you had made in University itself. But for many foreign students, even though the world is constantly becoming smaller with low cost airlines, living here year round is a fact of life. So here are my three tips for living in Ormskirk through the summer months.

Get Ahead by finding some work that fits your degree. Plenty of firms will have summer internships for you to get ahead and pack into your CV. Apart from that the cash is great. Could save enough for a holiday, or even a car because you will have plenty of time to get your hours in.

Discover Ormskirk and find yourself all the amazing places that you would be otherwise too busy with study or class to visit. There are loads of these, Ruff Woods to the Water Tower!  Or check out the local shops, there are plenty of places you might not have visited before.

Find the fun at all of the local events going on. Comedy night at Mylo, Quiz night at Styles or just a quiet pint in the Horseshoe you will always find some vibrant night life in the town during summer. The weekend markets will give you something to do in the morning also.

Thats all for this weeks blog, but if you want to check out more to do in Ormskirk you can visit the Google Travel guide here.

If you want more free and great advice email think@edgehill.ac.uk or leave a comment below and I will get back to you. If you want to suggest something to write about or want to be interviewed leave a comment below also and I will get back to you personally!

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Dealing with the Flu at University – Taking care of yourself at Edge Hill University

Dealing with the Flu

When thinking about what I wanted to talk about in this weeks blog, it hit me almost with comedic timing. I got the flu. I thought about the first time I got the flu at University. October 2017. Waking up with a sore throat and a headache I knew it was going to be a bad day, and the next wouldn’t be much better. I was right, it got worse before it got better. It got me thinking about how I make myself feel better, and I thought i’d share my top three tips with you all, because you will most likely end up with the flu at some point too.

Paracetamol

Alright this one is basic, but get some Paracetamol and keep them in your room for when you do need them. You never want to walk out when your ill to get some, and its worth having them for when you need it. They are a essential tool in helping yourself feel better throughout the day.

Water and diluting juice

Keep yourself hydrated throughout the day, drink water and its probbably even worth having some juice too for taste. This is a big one, and you probbably know it already but its easy to forget. Keep yourself nice and refreshed throughout the day.

Good food

Having food is not only going to keep your energized but it can even distract you from that headache thats been killing you all day. Soup is a good start, but fruit like Oranges and Pineapple are amazing at pepping you up. Its worth getting something your going to enjoy when you are sick, the better you feel the faster you will get over it.

Thats all for this blog, thanks for taking the time to read it.

If you want more free and great advice email think@edgehill.ac.uk or leave a comment below and I will get back to you. If you want to suggest something to write about or want to be interviewed leave a comment below also and I will get back to you personally!

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There’s Something Funny in Ormskirk – Late Night comedy at Mylo & Co.

Mylo Banner

Comedy is one of the great social experiences. I have never been one for going to comedy clubs but i’ve found one in Ormskirk that I couldn’t resist sharing. The Mylo & Co comedy club hosted by A Rush of Laughter is compèred by Adam Rushton every second Sunday at 8 PM. The shows are unique and always sure to have you in tears laughing. Local talent meets those from as far afield as Canada. We’re not talking small time acts either the likes of Mock the Weeks very own Jo Caulfield has graced the stage! In celebration of this amazing event and in the spirit of supporting the local comedy club this blog is three things that you should know about Mylo & Co’s Comedy Club.

No photo description available.Get your tickets early! They sell out, fast. Big acts draw big crowds. Tickets are usually £7.50 and can be bought from the bar or online in The Mylo Comedy Facebook group! The tickets will have everything you need on them know on them.

The community at MyloGet to know the crowd because the best thing about the club is that everybody is friendly, and funny. The inside jokes are always the funiest and the crowd at Mylo’s Comedy club isn’t ever short on them. You might even see me there, drinking one of the amazing cocktails they serve.

Image may contain: drink, table and foodIf Carlsberg did cocktails they still wouldn’t be as good as Mylo’s. Everyone who works behind the bar knows exactly what they are doing and have a true passion for creating something unique and memorable when it comes to drinks. My personal favourite is an Irish Mule with Rhubarb, made by Roo the number one man behind the bar at Mylo & Co. Whatever your tastes there will be something on the menu for you.

 

Thats all for this weeks blog, but if you want to find out more about Mylo & Co’s Comedy night check out their Facebook group here! Join and watch some videos!

If you want more free and great advice email think@edgehill.ac.uk or leave a comment below and I will get back to you. If you want to suggest something to write about or want to be interviewed leave a comment below also and I will get back to you personally!

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3 Reasons to Love On-Campus Accomodation – Living in Edge Hill University

Three Reasons to Love Living on Campus

Edge Hill has by far some of the best accomodation in all of the UK when it comes to students, and it has the trophys to prove it. Voted best accomodation by Student Crowd, WhatUni and the National Student Housing Awards you would be hard pressed to find anywhere that comes close to both the experience and the quality of the on campus accomodation on offer.

To celebrate this I want to give you three reasons why you as a new first year will love living on campus that you might not find on the blurb for these awards.

You’ve got a place to sleep when you come falling out of the SU bar at two in the morning with your flatmates. No need to worry about finding a taxi, or rushing for the last train. You’ve got a bed waiting and even some left over pasta in the kitchen. Life is good. Your not so lucky mates can head to the 24/7 Catalyst to study in the library till morning.

Wake up, walk out, class is around the corner and after your late night this is handy, saves you rolling in late to a full lecture hall. Safe in the knowledge that the automaticly locking door closed behind you, everything in your room is safe. Even better, if its a Friday the cleaners will be there at 10 to make sure your kitchen is sparkling clean.

Turn your heating on because its cold and because you are paying bills included in your accomodation you wont have to worry about it. Go out and stick on the TV in the kitchen, because guess what? The T.V. License is taken care of. Have a shower, that hot water might aswell be free because you’ve already paid for it. Dont waste it though, think of captian planet.

Thats three, but here’s the big one.

You’ll love living on campus, and thats great. But you’ll love it even more when you move out into your own house. Living on campus is great, and an excellent way to get your ready to move out by yourself. Enjoy it while it lasts, but try and pick up on the little things, like budgeting your money for your own bills so when you are trying to pay for household bills like electrictiy if and when you move out it’s not a struggle.

Thats all for this blog. If you want to find out more about on campus accomodation you can read my other blog here:

Accomodation at Edge Hill – Things to do in your first week

If you want more free and great advice email think@edgehill.ac.uk or leave a comment below and I will get back to you. If you want to suggest something to write about or want to be interviewed leave a comment below also and I will get back to you personally!

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Three of the biggest lies about University – Things not to believe

Three of the biggest lies about University

University is a magical place. New friends, lots of people. Exciting classes and amazing buildings on campus. But its not always like that. In the first few months you will notice that some of the things you were told about going to University arn’t actually true.

I want to take a look at three of these lies and talk about why they are not true.

Image result for skintBeing skint all the time is one of the big lies you get told. You’ll probbably have been told that you will end up eating beans and noodles for weeks on end because its all you can afford. If you manage your money wrong, maybe, but unless its by choice this is a lie.

Image result for studyingStudying for days on end just for one topic and spending all your time in the library. Unless you choose to spend all your time doing this it just wont happen. Studying is great but in moderation the information will actually absorb.

Partying every night Image result for edge hill partyis probably the biggest. Every single movie that has anything to do with University shows the parties every night. Between actually living and studying it won’t happen, but you will get out probably go out more than you do now!

Thats all for this weeks blog, but if you want more free and great advice email think@edgehill.ac.uk or leave a comment below and I will get back to you. If you want to suggest something to write about or want to be interviewed leave a comment below also and I will get back to you personally!

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Quriky Differences between Edge Hill and N. Ireland – Dont get caught out with Ulster Bank notes

Quirky Differences between EHU and NI

If your like me and grew up in the North of Ireland your’ll know we’re a different breed to the rest of the world. It goes without saying that things are a little different there. When I first landed in Ormskirk and realised that getting a packet of Tayto at the shop wasn’t going to happen I was surpirsed. The little things about home seem to fade away here. In cases that can be annoying but in others it can be downright disastourous. I want to take a look at the differences that can acutally impact you.

The money might be sterling but dont expect to spend your hard earned Ulster bank, Bank of Ireland or First Trust notes in shops or out and about. Some places will accept them but more will give you a look like you have two heads. Its unfortunatly not against the law for shops to refuse to accept these notes and many do refuse to take them. Paying by card is an easy way to go, but if you do have N. Irish notes to exchange the post office in Ormskirk town will gladly help you out.

You might not find your bank on the main street in town. If you have a account with an N. Irish bank account like First Trust, Ulster Bank, Bank of Ireland or Dankse Bank you can forget about dropping into the branch for anything. If you bank with a bigger bank or building society you will find these, Ormskirk is home to a Halifax, HSBC, Barclyes, TSB, Santandar, NatWest and Nationwide. Unfortunatly the RBS branch has recently closed.

Your car insurance needs to be updated. If you hold a policy in N. Ireland and take your car to England for more than 90 days you must inform your insurance company or it will be invalid. If you decide to swap your license over be aware that the issuing autority is differnt also, nolonger the DVANI but simply the DVLA. Fun fact on things that are also differnt, ‘R’ plates dont exist in England, there’s no restriction.

Thats all for this blog. If you want to read more about Edge Hill in general check out this blog on Edge Hill life hacks:

Edge Hill Life Hacks – Everyone’s free (to wear sunscreen)

If you want more free and great advice email think@edgehill.ac.uk or leave a comment below and I will get back to you. If you want to suggest something to write about or want to be interviewed leave a comment below also and I will get back to you personally!

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[Part Two] Studying in Ireland and thinking of Edge Hill? – UCAS and Results

Irish Leaving Certificate and EHU

As someone who has experienced the Irish Leaving certificate first hand and furthered my education at Edge Hill there are a few things that can trip up the unsuspecting student. This four part guide will hopefully give you an insight into some of the points to consider when coming to Edge Hill from Ireland.

In this part two of the four part guide I want to take a look at the differences between CAO and UCAS, and how to make the most of your results. But bottom line, wither you are happy or sad about what you got there are always pathways open to wherever you want to go.

UCAS

UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) is the UK variant of CAO. The UCAS system is the application gateway to higher level institutes within the UK. Applying from an Irish perspective is easy, but there are a few trappings. First you will need to speak to your guidance councilor. When applying they will be required to prepare a recommendation for you and project your grades for your exam. Unlike CAO offers for UCAS come early and you are then expected to meet the conditions of the offer.

Your results

When all is said and done, your results are in and you open the envelope hopefully your predicted grades have come through and you have what you need to meet the conditions of your offer. If this is the case then you need to scan the certificate and send a copy to admissions@edgehill.ac.uk.

But what if they haven’t gone to plan. First, don’t panic. I know I did. If you hasn’t made exactly the grades you are looking for, unlike CAO, the UCAS system is prepared for that.  The university may still choose to accept you if they wish. But you have other pathways open to you if not.

Other pathways

If your offer hasn’t been accepted it might be worth looking at UCAS clearing. This is a service that allows you to apply for new courses or universities. The clearing service opens after the A level results have been sent out.

Taking a gap year is another opportunity for you to reconsider your choices. Possibly applying for new courses or even taking a booster course that will improve your chances of being accepted to University.

Finally, repeating. It’s not as scary as it sounds. Repeating your exams is a great way to really focus in on what you want and achieve your goals. Some of the smartest people I know have repeated their Leaving Certificate. Doing it again doesn’t mean you failed, it means you are dedicated.

That’s everything, but if you want to learn more about offers from Edge Hill and UCAS you can check out my other blog post here:

UCAS offers from Edge Hill University – No good decision was ever made in a swivel chair.

And if you want more free and great advice email think@edgehill.ac.uk or leave a comment below and I will get back to you. If you want to suggest something to write about or want to be interviewed leave a comment below also and I will get back to you personally!

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[Part One] Studying in Ireland and thinking of Edge Hill? – The Leaving Cert

Irish Leaving Certificate and EHU

As someone who has experienced the Irish Leaving certificate first hand and furthered my education at Edge Hill there are a few things that can trip up the unsuspecting student. This four part guide will hopefully give you an insight into some of the points to consider when coming to Edge Hill from Ireland.

In this, part one, I want to take a look at the Irish Leaving Certificate. For refrence, I studied and completed my Leaving Cert in 2016/17 taking honours Math, English, Gaeilge, DCG, History, Geography and Physics in Deele College, Donegal.

Projects and Portfolios

Getting your projects and protfolios done during the year is important. Not only are these projects the easiest points you will get in your leaving certificate, but they actually will set you up well for university where continious assessment rules the roost.

Its worth remembering not to just submit what the teacher suggests. Do your own thing. The examiner wont want to see the same thing 200 times, so make yours stand out.

Scheduled study, and exam papers

Having a schedule for your revision is a great idea. Spread it out and never cram. I could rant on about my personal opinions in regards to the Leaving Certificate, but this isnt the place. When it comes to your exam take it how it is and make everything count.

Do exam papers. Do all of them. Every single one. One a week every week that you can possibly do them. Trust me, I dont need to explain that any more.

Relax, chill out. Sleep.

Yes the Leaving Certificate is important, and yes you should take it very seriously but you also need to take time to chill out and put work aside every now and again.

And going out partying, thats good but dont let it take over. Trust me, it’s a bad idea.

That’s everything. Take these three things and you will be praised, trust me. If you want to learn more about dealing with stress you can check out my other blog post here.

Dealing with Stress at University – Stress is like the flu, everyone usually gets it

And if you want more free and great advice email think@edgehill.ac.uk or leave a comment below and I will get back to you. If you want to suggest something to write about or want to be interviewed leave a comment below also and I will get back to you personally!