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Paper-less Notes

Let’s just start by saying that I am a huge stationery nerd. New notebooks, more pens, cute rubbers and pom-pom pencils. I live for it. When I first found out I was going to university, I raided my favourite stationery shops to make sure I had the cutest notebooks with matching folders and brand new pens. However, by the end of my first year, I hadn’t used half of it.

Since starting university, I have become really interested in sustainability and making better choices as a consumer. I’m not here to shove climate change down your throat. All I ask is that you take what I say on board and maybe think about it when it comes to buying another notebook.

When it came to packing up my room, I had bin bags full of paper and it was all useless. I made a pledge to myself that during my second year, I would aim to only fill a shoebox. So far, I am proud to say, I have only used one notebook and haven’t printed out anything for my lectures/seminars. I’m going to go through below what I’ve been using this year to remain paper-less.

Google Drive / Google Docs / Google Slides

Before this year, I had never used anything to do with Google. I was happy with my Microsoft Word and pen drive. However, after nearly losing ALL my work from the first year, I decided to ditch the pen drive and go Google. I use Google Docs for my lecture and seminar notes, reading and planning my assignments. I’ve started downloading journal articles onto my Google Drive, meaning I can highlight and make notes straight on to it.

Google Drive means you can keep a live version of everything in one place. Instead of having to put things on and off your USB all the time. It also means you can collaborate with a study group and all work together on something. I have a couple of these collabs on the go right now and it’s great being able to share ideas, work together in a live document.

I still use a notebook from time-to-time to keep to-do lists or important dates. Sustainability isn’t about ditching everything that’s bad for the world, it’s about making better choices. In this instance, it’s also a more effective and efficient tool for university. I hope you enjoyed this and try it out!

Thank you for reading!

Amy

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How to stay motivated

We are all prone to procrastination. Finding motivation can be really difficult when you have a lot on your plate, especially if deadlines are looming. I definitely fall into Netflix trap now and again but I have my strategies to get back on track with my work and studies.

Take away the distractions
Personally, my phone is the biggest hindrance to my concentration. If I get a notification, I’ll check it but then end up aimlessly scrolling through social media. At the start of this year, I downloaded an app called ‘Hold’. There are so many different study apps but this one is by far my favourite. When you press the Hold button, you earn points for every 20 minutes you stay off your phone and with the points you get you can claim different rewards, these are usually beauty, lifestyle, music travel offers and many more. Give it a try. The other big distraction I have is my surroundings, I either need a silent environment or a cosy environment. I love working in the library when nobody is there, but when it’s busy I just end up getting irritated – luckily the library at Edge Hill has little pods you can book so you can work in a quiet room on your own in a nice, productive environment.

Motivational playlist/music
I have a playlist on Spotify titled ‘Should be studying’ and it’s a nice mix of motivation and chill. Some songs give your brain a break and others get you focused and dialled in. You need balance when you’re working so taking timely, regular breaks are also very beneficial to your motivation. The other music that really gets me in a study mood is the ‘lofi hip hop radio’ on the ‘ChilledCow‘ Youtube account. It’s not lyrical, so it sets a very chilled, productive ambience.

Break down tasks
The first thing I do when I know I have a lot to do is make a to-do list and from this, make further to-do lists about how to achieve them. This helps to make them easier to tackle and achieve. With assignments, for example, I will start by evaluating the essay question, then get out the books I will need and read wider from those. Breaking it down into these segments helps to keep motivated as you are completing subtasks.

Thanks for reading. You can do it!

Amy

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Q&A with a literature student

Hi everyone,

i thought today I would do a Q&A with one of my housemates and fellow literature student to give you an insight into what the department and coursers Edge Hill offers!

Q: What has been the best part of your degree?

A: Getting the opportunity to study a subject I’ve always been interested in with like minded people.

Q: Why did you choose Edge Hill?

A: The course has a wide range of modules spanning from classical renaissance literature to more contemporary issues. Also, the fact that Edge Hill is a campus and everything is in one place makes it feel like a community!

Q: What was your favourite aspect of your course and why?

A: The lectures are delivered by tutors who are passionate about their subjects and therefore it makes it interesting to learn from them.

Q: How would you summarise your experience at Edge Hill?

A: I’ve had the best three years at Edge Hill, it’s such an inclusive university it’s nice to be around so many people who are friendly and happy to be there.

Q: Favourite module or anything you found particularly interesting?

A: Special Author in third year in which we studied the works of Rudyard Kipling who wrote the Jungle Book which was really fun.

Q: How have you found living in Ormskirk

A: Really good, Edge Hill provides a lot of support for finding off campus accommodation and in the transition from living on campus to in Ormskirk. The support means that  you won’t come across any landlords that you feel that you can’t trust.

Q: Any advice for future students?

A: Take every opportunity that is given to you as you don’t want to look back on your time at uni and regret not pushing yourself to do new things.

I hope you all find this helpful!

See you next time,

Ellie 🙂

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Getting between home and Edge Hill University – Or how not to miss your flight

Plane landing at Dublin Airport

If you have never lived outside your country before then it can be daunting thinking about getting here for the first time. I had never even seen a plane before getting on EZ614 from Belfast to Liverpool last September. It is going to seem scary and daunting making that commute back and forth to visit home, friends and family. It might even be a deal breaker for some because of the stress, but if you follow the tips in this post you will find yourself home easier than you can say ‘ensure your drinks trays are in the upright position’.

Google Flights LOGO
Google Flights

First thing is first, let’s get those flights sorted. I’m going to deal mainly with booking flights in this post because I do not (yet!) have experience with the ferry between home and here. The closest airport to Edge Hill is Liverpool John Lennon. I use Google Flights to book trips.  It allows searching of multiple airports from one destination and gives you the best price from each airline. Helpfully, it also allows tracking of prices so you can see if they move up or down. It’s a must use for booking any flights, you can click the link above or simply Google your flight (i.e: Liverpool to Dublin).

Mersey Travel Logo
MerseyTravel

Ok so you have your flights booked. Lets talk about getting to them on time. I can’t speak for your own country as each public transport system is different and that is something that you will require some research (Google Maps is a good place to start). But once you have found your way to the airport on your end you will need to plan your trip to the university. The main travel service between Liverpool John Lennon and Edge Hill is MerseyTravel. You can’t miss their trains, they are big and yellow. I have found in my experience the best route to take is as follows:

 

  • 500/86A Bus to Liverpool South Parkway Train Station
  • MerseyRail Train to Liverpool Central Train Station
  • MerseyRail Train to Ormskirk
  • EL1 Bus to Edge Hill Uni

You can see how that looks on Google Maps by clicking Here!

If all else fails you can also get a taxi for around £30.

Airport Security
The big day

So you’ve done your planning. You have the flights booked and your plan ready on getting to the airport, and getting from the airport to your destination. If you have flown before great! Usual rules, turn up in good time and don’t pack anything silly that will get you in trouble. If you haven’t flown before then its time to listen up. Arrive early. Believe me you would rather spend half an hour around the duty-free shops against missing your flight. I recommend forty-five minutes before your gate closes (usually half an hour before your flight) so you can get through security and chill. And while we are on the subject of time, if you are of the legal age please don’t let the all-day pubs distract you. Again missing your flight is not worth it. If you are checking in bags, plan accordingly and take time into consideration. Also remember to check your flights boarding procedures, for example Ryan Air require a passport on ALL flights, where as EasyJet only require photoID on domestic flights. 100ml is the maximum amount of liquid in a bottle you can take on board also and no blades. You can see a general list of airport packing do’s and don’ts here!

So that’s all there is to it. Get your flights, plan out your day around it and make backups in case the trains decide to go on strike. It isn’t as hard as you might think and you can do it with the right mind-set and preparation. And remember if you do miss your flight it isn’t the end of the world. Liverpool is a busy airport check for other flights going out on the same day, you might get lucky!

For other travel query’s about getting to the university and for free advice about life at Edge Hill email think@edgehill.ac.uk

All the best,
Sean M – Edge Hill Student

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For all you thinking about Uni!

So welcome to Edge Hill’s blog for prospective students, in four years time you will have finished college… and your degree! As you will probably agree, time flies even faster the older you get so it won’t be long before you’re in a cap and gown! You will be the class of 2020.. how futuristic!

So now you’re in the last year of college and your courses are in full swing, you will be thinking what course to choose, which Universities to apply to and which halls appeal to you; both cosmetically and financially! So here on Edge Hill’s Student Blogs, we are here to help you by informing you on what’s going on, things we think you should know to help inform your decisions and to answer any questions you have.

Many of us will also remind you of the UCAS deadlines throughout the year as well as guidance with your personal statement. This year will be tough with deadlines and exams etc. but don’t worry it’ll a distant memory in four years time that will make everything 110% worth it!

So if you want to ask a question or want more information on ANYTHING! Please comment below, or comment on any blog and we will all be more than happy to help you out!

Hope to hear from you soon!

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What should you bring??

Hey guys, so easter is coming up now and it’s getting closer and closer to that time again! Freshers. Something which I really struggled with was knowing how much stuff to bring to university with me and essentially, what did I need to bring?

I can honestly say that it took me so long gather all the things I needed, or what I thought I needed and believe me when I say it, you don’t need the kitchen sink as well.

The best way to know what you need to bring to university is by breaking it up into different sections. I did it in three sections: bedroom, kitchen and your own.

Bedroom

Okay, so for your bedroom here is a list which I think would be needed before coming to uni

  • Mattress protector
  • Bedding (such as duvet, blankets as it gets cold, pillows etc)
  • Spare blankets
  • Plenty of towels
  • storage boxes for shoes, books or even clothes

This is what I brought for the bedroom.

Kitchen

Okay, for the kitchen it is possible to keep the packing lights. Heres what I brought

  • Pans (Essentially it was a wok because you can cook anything in it and just a regular pan)
  • If you’re feeling adventurous you can get a set of pans for under £10 at Aldi or Tescos.
  • Cutlery. If you wanted to spend a lot on a brand new set feel free but there is nothing wrong with bringing just a couple of sets of a fork, knife and spoon.
  • Chopping board.
  • Chopping knives

This is basically what I brought with me for the kitchen. With me and my friends we all just share our things anyway so I shouldn’t worry too much about forgetting something.

Finally there’s your own stuff.

What I mean by this is the stuff that makes your room your own. You don’t want to leave the walls bare and feel like you’re sleeping in a prison cell. I made sure I brought pictures for a wall mural, lights to brighten the room, posters, books for the shelves. It’s basically stuff to make that space your own.

That is basically some information about I think is beneficial for bringing with you to university. Its coming to that time of year where it is time to start thinking about what you need to bring with you to university. Don’t worry and just bring what you need. After all that, you deserve that shopping spree for those new shoes and jackets for the excitement of freshers.

Have a great week guys.

J.x