I’m Still Alive!

Good morning fellow bloggers!

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If you have been following me since the beginning you would have possibly noticed I haven’t been as active as I was recently. Nothing bad has been going on I’ve just been extremely busy balancing my university deadlines whilst working on placement.

You see, It’s not enough that the uni want us to take a year out working, but we also have to complete a multitude of assignments to prove we have successfully complete it. I’m going to write a quick list of everything I’ve had to include in this just so you can understand my pain:

• Pre-placement CV
• Post-placement CV
• Post and pre placement CV review
• Weekly logs since the start of my year out (45 so far)
• 1 weekly log in the form of a video
• 3000 work placement report
• 15 minute presentation about placement
• Performance matrix’s from both myself and my supervisor (2 each)
• Induction checklists
• Record of formal training

So…as you can see I have had a lot of things to be getting on with the past few weeks so I’ve not had the time to write many/any blog posts. After my submission which will hopefully be next week, I can get back into writing. I can’t wait to be free of this year guys, I have lots of things to talk about in the coming weeks (very exciting), keep watching this space!

 

Success…I’m Coming for You

Good morning fellow bloggers!

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Anyone else feeling their motivation slowly dripping away like my ice cream did this weekend? …same.

So let’s do something to boost it back up!

What have I been doing to regain my drive for success?

Well, nothing too difficult actually. One main thing I have discovered that has really pushed me is a certain TV program. I’ve found that a lot of entrepreneurial shows are emerging recently and I’m loving it!

This particular one is called ‘Buy It Now’. The concept allows regular people like you and me to pitch a product they have invested their time and money in to create. For example, last nights episode showed a young woman who is a teacher. Her product was a non-slip fabric inner sole which supports both the back and base of your foot preventing blisters. She stands on a stage in front of 100 shoppers who have a light above their heads, if they like what they see and hear then they can turn that light green to show they’re interested.

As long as the entrepreneur still has one light left on after the price of the product is revealed, then they move onto talking to some investors of large corporations, for example, JML. So this particular woman had 40 green lights left on and went further to receive 25,500 orders from the investors. Overall, she managed to secure £225,000 in retail value of her products which is absolutely life changing.

One of the many goals I have in life is to create something everyone will love and appreciate like this. At the beginning of my year out working I was always thinking about what could be that next big idea, but the last few months I faded out of that a little bit. So, yesterday I decided to give myself a little pep talk, NO, I have to stick at this and make it my success!

How have I turned this into my motivation?

I have many notebooks, if you have been with me from the start of my blogging you will know this. In my ‘general notes’ book I began to think of problems that need solving in our every day lives, or hindrances to people. For me, this is a great way to get my creative juices flowing and come up with some cool, never seen before products. When I go back to university, I plan to take my ideas one step further and begin to make at least one a reality, so the time I spend planning everything now is vital.

For anyone who wants to do something like this, I promise you, you can do it, there’s no reason for you not to. We can always find a way to achieve what we want. Alongside studying for my final year at university I hope to have a finished or close to finished product ready to go and prove to everyone that you can be any age, at any point in your life to start something new and exciting. Why not be ambitious and start today?

If you are like me and love watching these kind of programs like the one I mentioned above, then definitely worth checking out, it’s on every weekday at 5:30pm on channel 4! (BST)

Plan Ahead

Good afternoon fellow bloggers!

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I hope everyone is having a lovely Thursday. We’ve nearly made it another week and can almost cross off another day with that red pen above our calendar. 

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Now, I don’t know about you, but I always like to have something to look forward to so I have a little goal between my working weeks keeping me sane. Whether that be small or big, it really helps me get through the days.

What kind of goals do I look forward to?

1. My boyfriend coming down to visit me: 

Every two weeks, my boyfriend who lives over 100 miles away gets on a train and starts his 4 hour journey over to my house. I do sometimes feel bad that he does it more than I do, but I would probably have a breakdown if I attempted to drive over there more than once a month (I get tired easily).

This may seem like a small thing to look forward to, but when you jump into working full-time and hardly being able to see each other, it becomes something of a luxury. Since being at university together where you’re only down the road, we realise how long distance is definitely not the way forward for us.

  2. Holiday days off work:

We are all entitled to a certain number of days holiday when employed. For me I started with 25 to use however I want across my year working. As it stands, I have 10 left, which is actually pretty good. My aim was to save as many as I could without having a break down so that I can have a big blow out towards the end of my term.

It’s around now that I have started to plan some more days off and making the most of my time. Having these to look forward to makes a huge difference to me. Not having to wake up to my alarm, not having to make the same commute in I do most days of the week and most of all, not having to sit at my desk ruining my eyes in front of a computer screen…bliss.

 3. Returning to University:

This is one of the bigger goals I very much look forward to. I’ve mentioned before how I can’t wait to get back into the lifestyle of an independent student, but I really CANNOT WAIT! If you’ve attended University at any point in your life, you will understand how it feels to be plunged into your own little world and be responsible for everything you do. That may sound scary, but I very much enjoy it.

Living with your friends, being around thousands of other people your own age, seeing something or someone new every day…at no other point in your life do you experience anything like this. With my end of work placement looming I will be able to relax for a month or so before actually returning which in itself will be amazing.

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I have some bigger life goals I am working towards, but for me, right now, the short-term things are what I’m focusing on. Keeping a level-head and not over boiling my mind is so important. Being on top of my work recently has given me an extra boost and I think to myself ‘I can do it’, despite previously thinking that I really couldn’t.

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If you feel like your plate is about to over spill then have a think about how you can line up some of your own goals to keep yourself going….it really helps!

Planning, Positivity, Pass!

Good morning fellow bloggers!

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HUMP DAY! We’re nearly at the end of the week and I have officially got 84 work days left of my placement (minus 19 holiday days) so actually I have 65 days that I have to come into the office! Not that I’m counting or anything!

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As excited as I am to have freedom again, I have 6 months until I go back to university to start my final year of study. That’s amazing, but also terrifying.

How am I going to approach my final year?

POSITIVITY! This is so important for me, mainly because I come across a lot of things that I struggle to understand. I tend to feel quite low when I can’t do something, so maintaining that positive attitude is imperative to keep my motivation through the roof. One thing that I have been doing for a while now, and this may sound silly, but I follow a lot of architectural Instagram pages. Simply by saving the innovative ideas that tickle my fancy I can look back on them and use them in my projects to give me that edge to stand out from the others.

I have yet again bought more notebooks. If you have been with me from the beginning of my blog then you’ll know that I love my notebooks and I swear by them. So yes, a notebook for all occasions is necessary. This time I have one to start planning my final year project. By doing this in advance I really want to nail everything I want to incorporate into it. My first 2 years were quite slack and I can now look back and to be honest I see how awful I was and how much I have improved since then.

Advice for students like me!

If I was to give any advice for students who aren’t very good under pressure and need to study a bit more than others to achieve the same result then ‘plan plan plan’. It is so important to get down as many ideas as you can when they pop into your head and to spread the work load. I know no uni student actually starts their work early, but if you have a spare moment or two just get on it, you’ll feel so rewarded. Even just sit in front of the TV and write a few sentences, it’s better than nothing. I think I only managed to do this once throughout my 2 years so far, but that one time I got everything done to a high standard which felt so so good. Not only that, but watching your course mates scrambling around doing all nighters gives me a warm feeling (evil I know).

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Moral: Reflect on your experiences so you can plan ahead to improve your future.

Not Everyone’s Perfect!

Good morning fellow bloggers!

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I apologise to all that care for my absence over the last few days, I have had a lot of busy days at work leaving me with little to no free blogging time.

HOWEVER, I’M BACK B****ES!

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So here we go. I wanted to let you all in on something that really affected me before I started my year out work placement last July. For some it may not seem like a huge thing, but for me it was an extremely low point in my journey.

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January of last year, whilst I was still at university, I had a few exams coming up which of course I was naturally dreading. Now, I have never been someone who is naturally good at exams and my memory just doesn’t have the capacity to hold a lot of information at one time. I try so so hard to study, revise and prep my work during semesters, never-the-less, I still tend to struggle.

Anyway…my Construction Law exam was fast approaching and with an average 60% fail rate I was not feeling positive to put it nicely. My head was like a sieve, in one ear and dropping straight through and out the other. I had generally been quite lucky in my course with most of my assignments being coursework based.

My best friend, course mate and I would get together to revise for these exams; trying to give hints, tips and test each other. This helps to a certain extent, but my attention span is one of a gold-fish… I am yet to find the best strategy for revision that suites my brain and learning style...(help is always accepted)!

So…the exam finally came which was followed by the horrible, anxiety filled wait for the results. As soon as I came out of the exam I was not confident what so ever, my answers could’ve been written by a primary school child and achieved the same grade I was expecting.

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As results day arrived, to my dismay…I had failed…

GUTTING! If any of you have ever experienced failure in anything you’ll know that sinking, sickening feeling that instantly makes you feel like you have nowhere to turn. I felt as though I had failed myself and my life was over!

A big part of second year at university is that if you wanted to go on a year out work placement you HAD to pass everything by the end of the final semester. I was put in for a retake which was a few months down the line. However, I had to secure a placement with a company before knowing whether or not I had even passed my exam…(Terrifying)

The only way I could deal with that is to try my hardest to secure a placement, to achieve the best I can in the rest of my assignments and to do all I can in the re-sit when It comes around.

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Obviously, as I am now on placement I secured a job with a practice, however, my re-sit was to be after I started working…nightmare to be honest. Luckily, my bosses were very understanding and were completely fine with me taking the day to take said exam.

Anyway, lets fast forward…the day of my results finally came to which I was delighted to see that I had passed with flying colours and could carry on with my year! Some of the best news I’d received all year!

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What I’m trying to say is that if you are like me and have to try a lot harder than others to achieve the same outcome then don’t panic. I could not face having to do my second year again and I never want to face this failure again.

How will I make sure I don’t have to put myself through this for the second time?

By putting my all into studying, finding the right method that suites me and making sure I am strict with myself will make all the difference to my work next year. Since working in a real practice I can sit back and take a look at my past and see where changes need to be made. Not only this, but my maturity, knowledge and attitude to work has been moulded and will benefit me greatly in the future.

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Moral: We all hit bumps in the road and how we deal with getting over those bumps is a reflection of how much you want to succeed. 

Multi Tasker

Good morning again my fellow bloggers!

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Recently I have been thinking about whether or not I want to have a part time job when I return for my final year at university or not. I decided to hold off in my first two years to give myself the best chance of passing. It kind of helped, but since I’ve been so determined to raise funds for my future I’ve been giving it a real good think.

How can I find a job that I don’t mind doing and gives me a decent wage?

I was primarily looking at becoming an after school club leader because it looked and sounded fun, and I wouldn’t have to put in many hours. However I don’t have the desired qualifications which obviously scraps that idea. I enjoy working with children as I was previously a beavers leader which is a group for young boys to meet new friends, go on adventures and build their environmental skills.

So I’ve done some more research and thought…why can I not be a tutor instead of a leader for students younger than myself? I’ve found a website which allows anyone who wants to become a tutor to register with them for parents/anyone who wants to learn to find you. You simply register with a few personal details, select which subjects you wish to tutor in and what qualification/level you’re at, then put a price per hour that you charge for each age group….simple! If you are good at something, why not share your wisdom with others and make a bit on the side. It could end up being great money for you especially as a university student.

One of my subjects I would look to teach is Art. Now you may be thinking…why/how can you tutor art? Well many students and parents want to engage themselves and their children in extra curricular activities, expand their knowledge and learn a new skill. Below is a piece I drew 3 or 4 years ago and since starting my course I’ve been unable to find the time to draw and paint, so this would be a great benefit to me as well as a tutee.

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I hope I’ve offered some inspiration and/or motivation to those who think they can’t do both or offered a fresh idea to those who have yet to share the vast wisdom they have!

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Moral : Sometimes you can multi task without hindering yourself at the same time, it simply needs a bit of consideration and planning!

I Want my Mummy!

Good evening fellow bloggers!

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I’m a bit later than usual today, but I had a day off work and obviously had to make the most of it!

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I hope everyone enjoyed their weekends and haven’t struggled to get through the Monday blues! Good thing is…we’re nearly half way through the month and because it’s February we get a shorter one so that’s kind of a positive (you have to dig for them sometimes).

I had an early Valentines celebration this weekend and being the good girlfriend I am I cooked the boy an indulgent breakfast which consisted of four Nutella filled crepes with a dusting of icing sugar and a side of bacon…here it is (one half eaten).

I’m no professional, but if I do say so myself they looked and tasted like my diet was watching over me! Sometimes you just need a bit of Nutella on a sugary carb blanket!

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Anyway…..I’ve been thinking about my future yet again, something that will be happening to me and is fast approaching. I have to decide the exact profession I go into for the rest on my life (screams internally).

Haven’t I already decided that by being at university for two years?

Well yes sort of. See I study Architectural Technology, however I want to do straight Architecture. You may be thinking that there isn’t really a difference between the two. Unfortunately for me there is and if I carry on with my course I cannot call myself an Architect and may be limiting my salary in the far future. However if I decide to do the Architecture course then I am setting myself up for a whole lot more debt and study time.

WHO SAID BEING AN ADULT WAS FUN!

Decision making scares me and I don’t feel adult enough to make them yet. You know when you lose your mum in the supermarket and you have a little panic attack then have to contemplate asking one of the workers to call her over to the reception desk on the tanoy (however you spell it)? That’s the best way I can describe becoming an adult!

I don’t know if I just had a breakdown or helped myself, but if you’ve made it to here I hope you didn’t judge me too much.

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Moral: You will always land on your feet and your mum will always find you if you get lost in the fruit section (they have some sort of child radar I think).

A-Z Experiences…Part 2

Hello Fellow Bloggers! Me Again!

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I know I’ve already posted today, but when I get a thought I have to write it down ASAP or I’ll forget it (my memory is like a sieve).

I want to do an N-Z (A-M was yesterday: A-Z Experiences) of my uni/work life so far which was inspired by a blog post I just came across….here we go:

 

N – New Start: I love having a new start, from starting university to starting a new project. It allows me to refresh my mind, focus on something else and sometimes forget the past. In particular, starting university was a great new start for me because I started to feel heavy under the people at school who made me uncomfortable. 

O – Objectives: I always set myself objectives, throughout my time at university I don’t think I would of achieved the grades I did without this. Even if it’s something small, like going to the library for at least two hours...(sometimes half of that was spent eating and chatting, but I still went!).

P – Persevering: When I began my university course I had no experience what so ever and I didn’t really know how I was going to do 3/4 years of it. However, I was so keen to learn and engage in the subject that I have now reached a high point in my learning and since starting work I have never felt more knowledgeable and capable. 

Q – Quickie: Look away mum…you’ll find that if you did a survey around any university campus about one night stands then you’d need a very big graph for all the yes’s you’d receive. Getting a bit personal, I have only had one and that was when I went on a mad one after my 4 year young relationship. I don’t particularly advise it, but if you want to have fun then go ahead...(always wear protection guys, never know what’s lurking in these slimy students!)

R – Rejection: This isn’t something I didn’t experience a lot of until I became closer to an adult age (18). The first thing was being rejected from my desired uni which I had fought hard to secure a potential position for (kind of sucked, but worked out well for me in the end because I am where I am now). The next phase of rejection was when I was searching for a placement. I mean it wasn’t directly rejection because most companies just didn’t even give me a yes or a no. After 7/8 months of efforts to secure a work placement year I finally did it (hard work does pay off). Advice for any employers who have interviewed students…PLEASE just let them know even if it’s a no.

S – Selflessness: Sometimes we all need to be a bit selfless. I like to think that I am a very compassionate person and a good friend. Recently one of my close house mates (like a brother) found out some bad news within his family…his mum has been diagnosed with cancer. What can I do to help? I can’t do much, but I can be there for him and offer as much support as I can possibly give. Even if that’s simply sending a box of chocolates. Another act of selflessness I carried out was giving a free food voucher for a local bakery to a homeless person. I’ll admit I don’t normally give money to people who are homeless (being a student and all), but I would much rather give something that I know can only be used for that one thing rather than money that may be wasted on alcohol or cigarettes (from experience not stereotyping).

T – Time: Something I recently have been putting into perspective. I know I’m only 21, but I still panic that I haven’t done enough with my life, I haven’t been successful enough yet. In reality I have loads of time, but I kind of set myself ‘life deadlines’ where I want to achieve certain milestones by a certain age…anyone else?.

U – University: The biggest, most life changing step in life I have ever taken. Simply, I wouldn’t be where I am now if I hadn’t taken this leap. I would advise anyone to to do it if you’re considering this as an option! It moulds you as a person, you meet life friends and even partners and you give yourself a greater chance in the working world (not always, but in my case).

V – Vodka: The essential university item. There’s always a Smirnoff bottle in my cupboard, in my room or even in my bag. I actually don’t like the taste of alcohol if I’m honest, and I don’t know how people drink it so often. However, when I do drink it’s got to be a vodka, lemonade and lime mix! Mainly because it tastes like a normal drink, not alcoholic!

W – Weight: This isn’t something I always struggled with, but when I was younger I struggled with eating and now I can’t stop eating. Although this year I have taken drastic measures to get myself back on track. YES McDonald’s tastes like heaven, YES I was to bathe in a bathtub of KFC, but I also want to look like a Greek goddess so these things need to be done!

X – X-Rays: I’ve had plenty of these throughout my time on this planet. The most memorable one was last year at a club when I was at university. A guy I knew kept asking me to punch him really hard in the stomach…the effects of alcohol guys. So I did the smart thing and punched him as hard as I could obviously…and yes I ended up in A&E with a broken arm (don’t mess with me).

Y – Youthful: I don’t feel like I wasted my youth, but I also wish I had done a few things differently. Such as not get into an immature relationship from 13-17 and be trapped for 4 years of my life (still bitter). Also I don’t think I pushed myself to my full learning ability, it went downhill when I was in sixth form. Although it hasn’t affected where I am now, it could’ve and I may have been in a very different situation.

Z – Zebra….because no one knows any words beginning with Z!

Anyway…that’s the end of my little A-Z blog, I quite enjoyed it actually! Thank you for reading about me if you got this far!

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Moral: No word beginning with Z applies to my life, if there’s one that applies to yours, I applaud you!

A-Z Experiences

Hello Fellow Bloggers! Me Again!

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I know I’ve already posted today, but when I get a thought I have to write it down ASAP or I’ll forget it (my memory is like a sieve).

I want to do an A-M (N-Z tomorrow) of my uni/work life so far which was inspired by a blog post I just came across….here we go:

A –– Adolescence: going to university is kind of like the end of these years and you now have to become responsible for yourself as the adult you are.

B – Booze: I think we all know what goes on at university regarding this! Yes sometimes, some of us consume a lot of it and end up throwing up blue sparkly spirits in our nice clean toilet...(I couldn’t help it okay).

C – Clubbing: I think everyone needs to experience a university night club if they have the opportunity. Your routine is based around this. A common conversation I had with my best mate:

Her: Are you coming out tonight?

Me: Nah, can’t be bothered.

Her: Go on…

Me: FIIIINE you’ve convinced me…(doesn’t take a lot)

D – Driving: When I first passed my driving test I was soooo happy, being able to drive and have my own car gives me so much freedom. Do I take my car to uni? No, I prefer to walk into my lectures like most other students, plus you get to see new faces everyday. I brought my car up when exams had finished so I could go a bit further out and not be so limited, but either way it’s awesome!

E – Eating Well: This can be a problem for many people at uni. Luckily in my first year I didn’t gain any weight…I may have even lost some! Second year was a different story! I think I gained well over a stone, partly from being in a relationship where you both just want to sit and watch things whilst you eat nice food. Now…I am facing the repercussions and have changed my lifestyle. Since the beginning of this year I have lost a stone and am on a path to a healthier me (something I have always longed for). 

F – Food: Now we all know that the majority of students are on a budget and may have little cooking skill. Luckily my lovely mother taught me how to survive cooking for myself over many years. One thing I loved doing was making the flat roast. The fact that I knew how to cook a chicken without getting ill baffled my housemates!

G – Groceries: Something I discovered at university was getting your food shopping delivered! I mean I knew it existed, but I never used it before then. I LOVE it. My housemates and I would do our weekly shop online and have a race for whose delivery would arrive first. It was like a present from me to me!

H – Housework: Now this was a massive problem in my second year house because there was 11 of us in one house using one kitchen and one living area (I would advise anyone never to do this). I don’t mind if people want to keep their rooms in a state, but when it comes to communal areas…it’s a no from me. I always felt like the nagging mother, but when there’s a science lab of bacteria growing by your sinks I think I kept quite calm about it!

I – Intelligence: I’m not the smartest of people, I didn’t get the best grades in school, but I work really hard and have gotten myself to where I am today through my determination which I guess can indicate a glimmer of intelligence. However, grades do not define you people!

J – Job: At university I personally didn’t have a job because I wanted to give myself the best chance of achieving high without an added pressure and time taken away from my studies. I think in my final year I will be looking for a job that isn’t in retail (not had good experiences) so I can kind of look forward to work and earn some extra money!

K – kinaesthetic learning: Is a learning style in which the learning takes place by students carrying out physical activities, rather than listening to a lecture or watching demonstrations. This is the way that I learn and I have had to adapt myself to make it work withing my university studies.

L – Love: This is something you see around everyday…Valentines is coming up! You hear all the time how people met at university and are still together now. I am lucky that I have found it and fall into that stereotype, but I think there’s too much pressure around to find someone these days. Tinder, Plenty of Fish, Bumble, Badoo…the list goes on, yes I did used to be on a few, but after having over 25,000 messages I thought it’d be best if I delete them. Despite being in a relationship I STILL receive creepy messages from guys.

M – Money: Majority of students struggle with this, lets not lie. I managed to keep myself afloat by making smart decisions, but I also made some bad decisions. One of these being I kept ordering bubble tea from Deliveroo. What is bubble tea you ask…AMAZING…there’s a picture below, it’s a fruity or milky drink with little flavour filled bubbles you pop in your mouth! I did however manage to keep my weekly food shop to £25 a week which I think is pretty good.

Responsibilities

Good morning fellow bloggers!

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Throughout out lives we’re thrust into positions of responsibility. Whether it be small or big we have duties to others as we’re pushed up in the hierarchy of society!

From baby sitting your little brother, to making sure your assignments are submitted on time, you are trusted.

 

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What roles of responsibility have I been faced in the last few years?

• To start with, living away from home at university left me with the responsibility of looking after myself. Now, for an 18 year old that is some feat. However, adaptability was so important as well as confidence. When we’re put into a new situation if we are unable to adapt then unfortunately our chances are limited…a bit like evolution (loosely).
• Not having your parents around to tell you to ‘do your homework’ can be tricky for some who need a bit more of a push or guidance. At university you do not have anyone on your case (maybe your tutors), but the whole new environment is supposed to treat us like adults and allow us to learn how to do pretty much everything ourselves. The best thing about it though….we get to do it alongside thousands of other people our age and most importantly, our friends.
• Today I am given a huge responsibility. One that affects lives. Today I am trusted with drawing and constructing drawings for buildings. For someone who has limited experience it’s very scary to be honest. However, being thrown into the deep end and being in charge of my own job has been life changing and eye opening for me.

 

How did I adapt to a new living environment? Understanding that everyone would be nervous I put on a false sense of confidence and started mingling with my new flat mates to which we are still close to this day. Not everyone is so lucky when it comes to something like this, but putting yourself out there and meeting all sorts of new people is a huge life skill and part of a milestone in a young persons life. Whether that be an university, starting a new job, moving to a new area, it still applies.

How did I adapt my organisation skills? Well, I’m still a bit all over the place…but I’m trying okay. When it comes to assignments, you just sort of do it…I know that’s not very helpful, but it’s true. You chose to do this, so it’s up to you to get the grades you need for your future. Balancing work and social life was the hardest part for me. When you have so much free time obviously you’re meant to be studying, but it’s so tempting to just go to the pub for a few hours or go to your mates house next door to play Fifa. Finding that balance is key not only in university, but anything really. I feel like I’m nearly there and hopefully by the time I return I’ll be an even more well rounded adult (laughs internally).

How have I dealt with the responsibility in my job? To be honest, I’m still scared to make a mistake, but how else do we learn? Since being the head of my own building construction I have learnt so many new skills. I thought I was competent with simply speaking to people on the phone or by email, but when in this context you really have to know what you’re doing. At the beginning of my placement I felt like I couldn’t do it, I wasn’t going to be good enough. Now, I’m more confident than ever and cannot wait to push myself in the future!

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Moral: You have to trust yourself before you can let others trust you!