My Honest Thoughts on My University Experience| Carenza Bramwell

The time has come to reflect on my three years at university. As of publishing this post, I finished my degree five weeks ago. I've had some time to think about my university experience, which is something I've spoken about quite openly on this blog. In this post, I am going to be as honest as I can be about how I feel about my time at uni. A quick disclaimer- I won't be going into specifics to protect the people that are involved in these stories. I will be talking vaguely about certain areas, such as my social life as it's unfair to those people and some things I will be keeping for just me. In this post, I will be talking my academic experience, living experience and what it was like to complete my degree in a pandemic. 

Context

For anyone who is stumbling across this post, I thought I'd provide a little bit of context at the start. I studied Creative and Professional Writing from 2018-2021. I lived in Bristol for almost half of that time in three different houses. I came straight from finishing at school. I was supposed to graduate this year, but due to the pandemic, my ceremony has been delayed. 

The Academic Experience

Let's start this post by talking about my academic experience. Overall, I had an okay experience during my time at university. Studying a creative subject is quite difficult as unlike more "academic" subjects like science etc, there is no right or wrong answer. It's a very subjective course. At times this was difficult as you could put a lot of effort into a piece of work and get a lower grade than expected for various reasons. With writing, I would pour my heart and soul into my pieces. Not to toot my horn too much, but I pride myself on being a very hard worker, so I worked a lot on my pieces. I would write multiple drafts of every piece, always taking feedback and trying to make them better. Sometimes it would feel like my hard work hadn't been rewarded. I experienced a few confidence knocks when something didn't go how I thought it would. While that did happen, I learnt so much from this course. Before starting, I had never heard of copywriting or how to write a screenplay. I look at my work from first year compared to my final year and I can see a lot of growth. I am glad that I have been able to improve my work and gain experience working with industry professionals. During my time at university, I worked on the student magazine for almost two years. I had my work published in local publications. I gained some valuable experience alongside the academic work. 

The Social Experience

While at university, I have made some friends that will be with me for the rest of my life. They have made this an incredible experience. I made some great memories that I won't forget anytime soon. I can't put into words how happy I am that I met these people. Before coming to university, I had never lived with people my own age as I am an only child. It required a bit of an adjustment period. Without going into too much detail, my first term living arrangements weren't ideal. Sadly, they kinda set the tone for the rest of my experience. I had some good memories while living in my student houses, but I also had some bad ones. Having moved home, I can safely say that I think living at home is better for me and my lifestyle. Out of my three houses, my final one was my favourite. It was also the one I spent the least amount of time living in due to the pandemic. I wish I had been able to make the most of being a student living in Bristol, but various things got in the way of that. Like most things in life, there were good times and there were bad times. I think they just about balance out. 

The COVID-19 Experience

We have to talk about what it was like to be a student during the pandemic. The short answer is that it was shit. I don't think any university handled the pandemic well. The sudden move to online learning was a huge disruption. Between March 2020 to the end of my degree, I was on campus twice. I much preferred learning on campus. I do feel lucky compared to the students that started in 2019 because at least I got a whole year as a normal student. Learning online was absolutely not worth the money. I spent most of my time from March 2020 to the end of my degree at home. I do feel that COVID has tainted my university experience. If I had known when I was starting my degree, I would have chosen to do something else. I found online learning exhausting. Compared to March 2020, I struggled a lot with my work. My grade average dropped because of it. My heart goes out to the students returning in September with the uncertainty still there.

Overall, while I am glad I have my degree, various factors made it a less than enjoyable experience. I was interested in doing a Masters, but have since changed my mind. I do think the pandemic had a strong impact on how I feel. It has certainly been an interesting experience.

What was your university experience like?      

Christmas and Student Life| Carenza Bramwell

It feels strange to be writing this, but this is my final Christmas as a student. I graduate next summer, which is also strange to be thinking about. As this is my final Christmas as a student, I thought I would share my honest experiences about what it's like to be a student during the festive period. From workload, to finances and packing tips, I think after three Christmas', I've got this nailed. 

You might be thinking that Christmas is no different from any other time of years for students, but I'd say that it's quite difficult. It's a stressful period due to academic and financial pressures. The aim of today's blog post is to share my honest experience and reassure my fellow students that Christmas can still be fun as a student.

Workload

Obviously, I have to preface this with this is going to be entirely based on my experiences as a student. This will link to my course and therefore I cannot speak for other courses. I am going to try and be as broad as a I can. Like most things in life, everything is unique to the individual and this is unique to me. 

Christmas is usually when the first term ends for most students. It can bring a lot of stress with it, as it means winter exams and deadlines are just around the corner. I have found that I have had a lot of work to complete the last two Christmas', but I have also managed to have some time away and spend time with my family. It's highly unlikely that as a student, you are going to be sitting around at Christmas with no university work to do. 

My tip would be to come up with some kind of schedule or set time you can do work. This will mean when you do want to spend time with your family, you won't have that awful workload hanging over you. This is my first year as a student that I don't have deadlines in early January as my workload has been pushed back to the end of the month. This doesn't mean I won't have work to do. As a final year student, I have a lot of work to do for my assessments. I have plans to take Christmas Eve to Boxing Day off and then New Years Eve and Day off. This give me deadlines to meet with all my university work. 

It can be tempting to relax more during the Christmas holidays, but by making sure you get work done, it means there will be less stress further down the line. If you have time to do a bit of extra work, do it! This is something I'm hoping to do this year so when I go back to university in January, I'll have done some of the work that's been looming over, making next term as stress free as possible.     

Finances

Another concern for students at this time of year is finances. Christmas is undeniably expensive. I feel the pressure each year, especially as I have my dad's birthday in December as well. My number one tip, one that might seem fairly obvious, is to set budgets. For my family, I spend around £40-£50 on each of them. My best friend and I, as we're both students, set price limits for each other to make it even and not a strain on our bank accounts. I've done Secret Santa with my housemates the past few years and we've always set budgets. Budgets are really your best friends as students as it's amazing how far you can make your money go while still being able to treat yourself every now and then.

Another tip would be to take advantages of any sales you can. It may only save you a fiver, but that's £5 more than you would have had. Due to the Pandemic, I bought all my Christmas presents a lot earlier than normal and took advantage of the Black Friday Sales. It meant I saved a little bit on my presents, which was a huge relief. 

Obviously, it's a bit different this year for students to go out and get jobs. For some, this isn't an option. I have a part time job that I work on a zero hour contract through my university and due to the current situation, I haven't had many shifts. If you can get work from home jobs and this fits with your lifestyle, then I would highly recommend it. 

I think it's important to remember that Christmas isn't about the gifts. If you can, buy something second hand or make something. It's always the thought that counts. 

Packing

My final section of student and Christmas life is about packing to go home. If, like me, you live away from home for university during term time, then packing is something you dread. This year especially as students in the UK have no idea when they will be allowed to return. 

My first tip would be to pack based on priority. I always pack my clothes first if I can. I'm very lucky that for the past two years, I have been able to steal the families massive suitcase to lug my clothes between home and university. I personally take the clothes I know I'm going to wear, which does end up being the majority of my clothes. Do I end up wearing all the clothes I bring home? No. But it's nice to have the option to if it arrives.

The next section I pack are my university essentials. I study Creative and Professional Writing, which means I have a lot of essential books I need to bring home. I always make sure I've packed those first as I can live without my books for fun as I have ones I want to read at home. I like knowing that I have everything I'm going to need to continue my studies. 

Packing by section makes an overwhelming task manageable as it spreads the work out into bite size chunks. It is difficult working out what you should and shouldn't take home for Christmas. I've always gone home for five weeks at Christmas which means I take a lot of stuff home with me. Each year, I have approached packing this way and made it a manageable task. 

I hope this blog post has portrayed what it is like to be a student at Christmas in an honest a way as possible. It is tough being a student and having work to do while wanting to spend time with loved ones. I hope this helps any students reading this.

Carenza :) x 

Routines and Online Learning- Finding the Balance| Carenza Bramwell

As I mentioned in a post recently, I have started my journey into online learning. It was quite a scary transition, but after two weeks, I have to say I've got the hang of it. In today's post, I will talking about the importance of finding a routine when everything is online. 

My new uni desk!

The Magic of Bed

With everything being online, it can be tempting to just roll out of bed and to your desk. Still in your pjs, why bother changing if you never have to leave home? My first piece of advice would be to try your hardest not to do all your work from bed in your pjs. I know it's difficult but in the long run it will be better for you. 

Firstly, it allows for that distinction between bed and work. If, like me, your desk is in your room, then it can feel like you only ever spend time in your room. There's no separation between home and work. This can be bad for your mental health as you become to associate your room with either work or sleep. By getting out of bed and your pjs, it allows your brain to know that now is time to work not sleep. 

Secondly, it's also good for your physical health. Sitting at a desk allows you to support your back. Personally, in the last year or so I have developed back problems due to various reasons and I no longer find sitting in bed comfortable. I struggle at my desk, but at least I know my back is being supported correctly. 

Treat it Like a Normal Education

Again, this can be quite difficult to do, but treating it like a normal education is going to mean you get the most out of it. You wouldn't do this if you were having to go into university (or whatever educational establishment you're at), so treat it the same. It's a challenge that we're all currently going through and it's the current period of navigating it that is going to be the most difficult. You still have to do the prep work. You still have to take notes. You still have to show respect to those around you. Make the most of a bad situation and work your hardest to still get the grades you deserve.

Trial and Error

Like most things in life, there will be some trial and error in finding a routine that works for you. I sat down and created a routine that I intend to stick to and have I stuck to it so far? No. I'm working out if this is the right routine for me. Personally, I want to treat my last year of uni like a 9-5 job. Have set hours I know I'm going to work. It brings structure to my day. Something I struggled with once I had finished uni for the year was a lack of structure in my life. It was so tempting to just stay in bed all day and do nothing. Now, I don't have the time to do that. Depending on your work load, it might be easier to try a bunch of different routines until you find one that works for you. Once you've found that one that works, it will be amazing how life is easier to navigate.

It Takes Time

I'll leave you with this, these things take time. It's also okay if you don't always stick to your routine. You have to be able to adapt in when plans change. It can be frustrating to feel that you don't have total control in your life and finding a routine, especially at the moment, it a vital part of that. Take your time to experiment and then you'll find the perfect routine for you.    

Carenza :) x

How I Decided What Books to Bring to University| Carenza Bramwell

Recently, I had to make a very difficult decision. It was particularly challenging and I couldn't afford to mess it up. I'm talking about deciding what books to bring with me to university. These would be the only books I had access to for four months. I have learnt the hard way when it comes to deciding what books to bring to university and I thought I would share how I've been able to make the ultimate packing list. 

My new uni bookcase

A Small History of University and Books

I am going into my final year of university, which means this is the third time I have had to pick which books to bring with me. In my first year I brought around 30 books with me. I then went and purchased another 10 books as soon as I moved in. I swiftly came to the conclusion that this was too many books. I decided I would learn from my mistakes as a Fresher and for my second year of university, I only packed 10 books. I obviously purchased other books. When I went home or when my parents came to visit, I would take the ones I had read and return them. I would also bring new books back with me. However, due to the pandemic this year, it's a bit different this time. I had to bring enough books with me to see me through until Christmas. I do not know what Christmas will bring and I'm praying I will be allowed to go home for a few weeks. That meant that I had to bring enough to keep me going for four months. It was a difficult decision. I made the decision to bring 20 books with me. Alongside the books I plan on purchasing and with the rate I am currently reading books at, this should be enough. 

How Did I Decide Which Twenty to Bring?

It's a good question and I have a good answer for you. My main piece of advice would to be to bring a wide range of genres. You never know when the urge will hit you to read a certain genre and if you don't have that genre, then you're a bit screwed. I went through my shelves and looked at them by genre. I have mostly fantasy books, but I also have a good mix of sci-fi (which is totally outside of my comfort zone) and more modern literature/classics. I have only one contemporary with me. I also factored in if there were books with sequels that I wanted to read. Out of the books I brought, only two are rereads. 

I also decided that I wanted to tackle a lot of series. I have brought a total of four series with me. Two fantasy series and two sci-fi series. It gives me options if I want to read stand alones or if I want to binge read a series. It's always good to have a wide range of things to read as it means you have all the "basic" book needs covered.   

What About Purchasing Books?

I've actually written a whole blog post on this, but I have significantly cut back on the amount of books I buy a year. I'll leave a link to it here. But to paraphrase myself, I'm cutting back due to space and money. I think I'm only planning on buying maybe 10 books at a push while I'm here. I've been mostly buying new releases all year, despite the fact that there is a lot of books I want to catch up on that I haven't bought. I did visit a second hand bookstore with my friends and bought a book there, but for the most part due to me being a student, I am cutting back on physical books. 

It can be difficult to decide what books to bring for such a long period, but I would advice to take your time and to try and pick a wide genre of books as then you'll have something for every occasion. 

Carenza :) x

Navigating "Zoomiversity"- Adjusting to University Online| Carenza Bramwell

Like the thousands of students around the world, I have joined the ranks of attending zoomiversity. I would like to add that I did not invent the term zoomiversity, I saw it on Twitter and it made me laugh. I had never anticipated what it would be like to do my degree from the comfort of my bedroom and yet here I am. I've just completed my first week and I thought I would share my thoughts on using online platforms to learn.

My old university desk that I am missing a lot right now. 

The Beginning 

When we went into lockdown back in March, I only had around three weeks of teaching left. As it was so sudden, like most students, it was a difficult adjustment and then content provided was not adequate. However, I was at the stage in the term where I was moving away from teaching to focus on my assessments for the year. We had a policy introduced that meant that we couldn't do worse than we had been doing pre-pandemic as this was a stressful time. 

I didn't have any classes online. Anything that was available was tasks we did by ourselves or pre recorded lectures. It was a fairly easy adjustment, just doing the work when I had a spare moment and being able to do it at my own pace. I had heard stories from friends and online about dreadful transitions, and although the teaching standards weren't what I usually had, it was better than nothing. It was a very sudden adjustment and I am prepared to be lenient as it happened so quickly. We don't give enough thanks to the teachers and lecturers having to adapt their jobs to this. 

Zoomiversity 

We found out in May/June that all our lectures were going to be online. There is some promise from in person teaching but this will be limited, especially for my course as we can survive without in person teaching for the moment. It does make me sad that the last year and a half of my degree will be impacted by this. That I won't get the typical university experience and will never get it. 

I was anxious about how this online teaching would work. As I study Creative and Professional Writing, we spend a lot of time working independently during lecture time. Did this mean I would just be sitting in my bedroom working on tasks by myself? Would this style of teaching actually work for me? I am someone who works well alone. I find it difficult to concentrate with other people around me. In theory, this should be my idea of heaven. I can sit in my room and fully concentrate on what's happening. Yet, I was very anxious. The main thing that made me anxious was interacting through cameras. I don't know what it is about using a platform like zoom, but it turns me into someone who cannot function as a normal human being. I just flail and become inherently awkward. It also plays into my hatred of forced social interactions. In a classroom, I can sit with my friends but now I have to talk to people I wouldn't normally. My nightmare becomes a reality. 

So how did I find zoomiveristy? Honestly, not as bad as I thought it would be. I like that it's acceptable to take photos of the slides and no one knows. I can do the work at my own pace. It's also mostly acceptable to never turn on my camera or mic. I can be anonymous. It also means I can feel no guilt if I do anything embarrassing as no will ever know. I like hiding behind my laptop. I do not like sitting at my horrible desk for two hours as I physically hurt after sitting there that long. 

There are advantages and disadvantages to working and learning from home. I miss having the two separate. I liked how university and home were two different things. I could keep them as two different parts of my life. However, you have to think of the positives. It is nice to finish a lecture and then be able to go about my day. I have more time to play with. I can make my life fit nicely around it. It's nice to have that option. At the moment, I am on three weeks of general training and getting used to being back at university. It's good to test it and see if it works. I've made a little schedule so I can make the most of my time. Make my days count. I had missed the structure that university brought to my life and now I have it back. 

Advice?

To anyone who felt like me, unsure and let down, I will say it's not as bad as we thought. Yes, it is not ideal to be paying this much just to sit at home. But at least we are lucky enough to have access to our education. They are trying their best to make this work for us. I will be happy to walk away from this with my degree next summer. Try and find the positive in this situation. I know it's difficult, but when the world is on shut down, you have to keep moving. 

Carenza :) x    

My University Life- The Halfway Point| Carenza Bramwell

It genuinely terrifies me that I am somehow writing this, but I am just over halfway through my time at university. It's cliched to say, but it does feel like yesterday that I was starting uni and somehow I am now a year away from finishing my degree. In today's post, I will be looking back at my first half of my degree. 

The Academic Side

In my first year at university, if I'm being honest, I didn't feel as challenged as a writer as I do now. I felt like I was slowly drifting between projects and assignments. Oh, if I could go back to that now. I am reaching a point where I am so busy with my uni work that it is extremely overwhelming. Nothing quite prepares you for that jump between first and second year. The amount of work I have to do this year is a lot. I do also feel that there are periods where I am so busy I could cry and then there are periods where it feels that I have nothing to do. I would like to find more of a natural balance between these two times rather than running around in a chaotic way. 

Something that I have found interesting in the difference between first and second year is which types of writing I have found the most enjoyable. In first year, I definitely enjoyed fiction and script the most, whereas this year I have enjoyed my copywriting module more. I've also spotted that I have worked out a good work ethic when it comes to my work.

When it comes to the grades I have been getting, they have always been usually around the same mark. I have had a few that have been either higher or lower than average, but I am happily on my way to graduating with a solid 2:1, which is what I want. 

Overall, I would say that I've found the academic side of my time at uni thought-provoking and I would say that I am a better writer than I was when I started. I've discovered a lot about myself as a writer and the type of work I want to go into after I graduate. It's also inspired me to potential pursue a masters in scriptwriting once I finish. 

The Social Side

I have to say that I have noticed that I am way more social this year than I was in my first year. I think this is because I have adapted to the university way of life. I am definitely a very different person to who I was in first year and I am more interested in the social side of things. One of the big changes this year is that I joined a society. I didn't sign up to any in first year as there was none that caught my eye, but this year I am actually on the committee for my universities magazine. Even though at times, it does feel like I have given myself additional work, I've really enjoyed my time on the magazine and I can't wait to continue with it in my final year.

I also feel that this year I have a more solid friendship group outside my housemates. In first year, I only really spent time with my housemates, but this year, I've been spending way more time with people on my course. It actually makes me a bit sad as some of them are going off to do different things and I'm going to miss them like hell. These are people who I think I'll be friends with for life and I'm so glad I got to meet them. 

The Living Side

Something I have grown the most comfortable with is living away from home. I do want to start this section by saying that I love living at home and spending time with my family, but I'm so grateful to the time I've had away from home. I feel way more confident as a person and am able to make decisions all by myself. I've discovered what makes me happy and found a sort of routine that works for me. I've also become very comfortable spending time by myself. This might sound weird, but I do spend a lot of evenings by myself in my room, recharging my batteries and I really enjoy it. It's relaxing, but I also know that I have the opportunity to hang out with people if I want. I can happily say that when I do eventually live by myself, I will feel happy and confident to do so.

I hope you guys have enjoyed this honest post about my time at university. As I've still got just over a year left, I will be making a few more updates on my remaining time as a student. 

Carenza :) x 

What's In My Uni Bag- Creative Writer Edition| CarenzaOnBooks

I never thought I'd post something like this, but I figured it would be interesting as I don't see many of these posts aimed at art students. I'm not saying that I bring anything special with me but we're all naturally curious and if you're a fellow creative writing student, then this might give you some idea of what you might need on a day to day basis.

I thought before I actually got into what I bring with me, I'd talk about the bag I take with me. I'm very basic and I have a Kanken backpack. I wanted to invest in a good quality backpack after going through so many in the past few years. It's a really good size and has everything I could need in a backpack. I like that it has a bulky main pocket, with a small one on the front and two side pockets. I don't really use the mini front pocket, but I use the main one and one of the side pockets. Yes, they are pricey but I wanted a quality backpack that I can use for many years to come. I got mine in a black colour as it goes with everything.

One thing I cannot leave the house without are my many notebooks. I usually carry two types of notebooks with me on a typical day. Firstly, I have my Moleskin exercise books. I stumbled across these last summer and I haven't gone back since. They're the best quality notebooks I've ever had and are affordable. You can get a pack of three for around £9-£13, which I think is pretty decent. I use these notebooks for all of my lectures. This year, I have already filled one and am on my second. They have around 120 pages, the last 20 or so you can pull out. They also have a pocket thing at the back which is really handy for putting in loose sheets that I need to stick in. I then also bring an old A4 notebook with me. This is for making rough notes. There are days when this is a bit excessive, but sometimes I use it to lean on things. I know that if I didn't carry around these notebooks, I wouldn't get half the amount of work done that I do.

Next, I always bring my pencil case. I actually have one that I got in my first ever bookish subscription box, back in February 2016. It's a good size and it looks nice. I carry a decent amount of pens and highlighters with me. This is probably really nerdy but I recently bought a new favourite pen and it is so nice to write with. My handwriting looks great and my notes also look great. The only thing I don't like is that if I highlight stuff, it smudges. A pencil case is a uni essential so I'd say it's worth finding one you like and that it carries everything you need.

Something I cannot live without is my trusty Harry Potter Planner. I don't know how long I coped without it. I know I wouldn't get anything done if I didn't write it down. I am not a huge fan of digital calendars and planners, so this is perfect for me. I have a whole blog post about how I use my planner, if you are interested in reading it, click here.  

As a Creative Writing student, I always have some book on me. I mostly have books that I have to read for my course, but occasionally I'll bring a book that I want to read. It does mean that my bag does get pretty heavy as I carry a lot of big books sadly, but I'm sat down for most of the day, so it's not too bad. 

I also bring lunch with me to uni as it's cheaper than buying something from one of the many cafes on campus. I never leave home without my water bottle. I've been making an effort to drink more water and I'm finding that I am actually drinking way more than I was over the summer.

This technically doesn't go in my bag as it doesn't fit, but I also usually bring a folder. I have one that I bought while I was on holiday in Bruges for 2 euros. I really like it, but it would be so much better if it fitted in my bag. I get a lot of handouts to read and it's really useful to have somewhere to put them during the day. 

Carenza x 

A Typical Day in My Life as a Uni Student| CarenzaOnBooks

As someone who watches a lot of studytubers, I thought it would be interesting to share my experiences and day to day life as a Creative Writing student. A lot of student bloggers/vloggers etc I feel are studying more "traditional" courses and often we don't get to learn what it's like to be an art student. I thought that it would be helpful for anyone interested in studying Creative Writing or wondering what it was like to study Creative Writing to share what a typical day in my life looks like.

I would like to start this with a tiny disclaimer- obviously, every day of my life isn't like this and I am going to be merging what I do to give a broader picture. My experience is also unique to me, so what I do as a Creative Writing student might be very different from what other people do.

Gym, 6-9am, 4 times a week

Depending on what my day looks like, I like to try and go to the gym. I have a membership to my university gym, which is a 10-15 minute walk from where I live. I am not your typical gym buff, I don't think I really know how to use the gym properly, but I try my best. At the moment, as I haven't been to the gym at all over the summer and I'm getting used to being back at uni, I'm only going for 20 minutes in the morning. I like to use to cross-trainers and that's about it. I am hoping to increase my time at the gym once I've worked out my schedule properly, but for now, I go for 20 minutes 4 mornings a week. Typically, I try to get there around opening time and I like to be home by 9am, ready to start working. I started going to the gym in my second term of uni as I wasn't getting any exercise and by paying for it, I feel that I need to get my money worth out of my membership. It's a really nice way to start my day.

Lectures, 9am-5pm, 3 times a week

Due to the nature of studying Creative Writing, my contact hours are a lot smaller than some other degrees. I have 12 hours a week split between 4 modules. I don't always start at 9am, but I do finish at 5pm every day. Typically, on my longer days, I'll be in uni all day and work in between my lectures. I'd recommend this rather than going home as it means when you go home you have less work to do and you have a clearer separation between work and home. I will say that this is very different compared to my first year of university. Second-year is a lot more intense and you are expected to do a lot more by yourself. I quite like my timetable this year as the amount I'm in uni isn't daunting but it feels like I'm still learning lots. I've also discovered that I do quite enjoy spending more time at uni and getting work done there.

Studying, various, almost every day

Most of the time when I get home from uni, I try to get as much work done as humanly possible. I do have a bit of a problem when it comes to working, but I am trying to fix it. Sometimes I only do under an hours worth of work, others I work until I am exhausted. It depends what I have to do and when I have to get it done by. On Monday's, for example, I have a lot of lecture notes to write up, so I spend a lot of time on that. But on Tuesday's, as I have the next day off, I feel less bad about taking time off and not working. It all depends on what I've got the next day and what I want to get done, whether that's for uni or for my own personal enjoyment.  

Other Activities, various, almost every day

Obviously, my whole life isn't eat, sleep, study, repeat, I do do other things with my life and I have to try and fit them in. Typically these activities can involve- blogging (I set aside three days a week to work on my blog), running my social media accounts (I have been bad at this recently, but I do tend to do work on at least one of my accounts every day), work (I have a casual part-time job), chores (sadly I have to do these every single day) and reading (I also have to do this every single day). Typically, I'll tidy my room up first thing in the morning. I'll also make sure that at some point during the day, I do my dishes. Reading I tend to do just before bed and although I've been really bad at reading, I always try to make time for it during the day as it's something relevant to my course but it's also something that is important to me as a person.

I hope that this depicts an accurate picture of what my a day in my life is like as a Creative Writing student. I know that this looks daunting, but I promise you that this is a manageable load and is just what it's like to be a Creative Writing student.

Carenza :) x           

How to Make A Uni Schedule| CarenzaOnBooks

Something I decided I want to do this year was made sure I was using my time efficiently. I feel like in my first year of university I didn't use my time efficiently and this year is already very stressful. I haven't even been back a month and I feel the pressure hitting me. So I sat down and made a schedule of how I could be using my time better and I thought I'd share some tips of how you could too.

A brief overview of what my study schedule looks like

Block Your Lessons

The thing that will take up the most of your time are your lessons. My first tip would be to block out when you have lessons.  It will mean you can see when you are free and how you can use your time. For me, most of my Monday's and Tuesday's are taken up by lessons, so I know that I won't have time to study on those days. I also have lessons on Thursday afternoons, so I know that I can spend the mornings studying. It's about working around things that you can't move and making the most of the remaining time. 

Plan Chilled Evenings

Something else I decided was pretty important was to make sure I took time off from studying. I wanted to make sure I didn't feel guilty about taking time off. I have two chilled evenings scheduled in a week, to make sure that I have more than one night off a week. It is important to let yourself have time off and to make sure you are well-rested. Making sure you are well enough to study the next day is just as important as spending all your time studying. 

Manage the Rest of Your Time

If you know if you have something planned such as work or a society, then put it in. That way you will always make time for it. Something that is really important to me is that I go to the gym four times a week. I have that scheduled in so I can make sure I have time to do it and fit everything else in that I want to do in the day. Something else that is pretty important to me is making sure I have time for my part-time job. I have all of these scheduled in so I can make sure I have time to study and get everything done.  

Make it Realistic 

You are not going to spend every waking hour studying. You have to make your schedule realistic, otherwise, you will feel pressure to achieve. You want to feel productive without feeling like you are forcing yourself to work every hour God sends. Plan for hours you will know you will be working, you don't need to map out the whole day. Mine starts at 6am (I usually get up at 7) and ends at 9pm. It's realistic. I'm currently in the process of getting used to using it to manage my time and you shouldn't be disheartened if you can't stick to it straight away.   

How to Stay Motivated as a Student| CarenzaOnBooks

Since starting my second year of university, I've been feeling very overwhelmed and I've only been back for two weeks. I feel the jump between the first and second year was huge and that there is so much to do. So as a way to get out of this slump, I decided that I would write a post about staying motivated to motivate myself. This could just be the biggest form of procrastination, but we're going to roll with it.  I've come up with a few tips to help you stay motivated when your workload could actually crush you.

Set Achievable Goals

This is something I always struggle with is setting achievable goals. I am terrible at this. Setting achievable goals means your workload won't be as intimidating. At the moment, my homework (also known as independent study) usually takes me about three hours per module (I have four modules) and that is a lot of work. So what I do is spread out when I'm doing my work. I have one lecture on a Monday morning and then nothing till the afternoon, so I use that time to work. It means that when I finally finish for the day, I can just come home and chill. I also try to do my homework on different days so I feel like I have a bit more time to myself. Rather than trying to cram everything into one day, I set achievable goals for each day and spread my workload out. It means I don't feel as stressed by how much work I've got to do.  

Take Breaks

This is something I am also terrible at. Half the time I sit down to work, I don't move from where I'm working for several hours. I'm not exaggerating at all. I genuinely have worked for six hours without stopping. This a really bad thing to do and I do not recommend you follow my example. Something I am going to start implementing into my study sessions is breaks. By taking little breaks it means you feel a bit more motivated to continue. I don't know if you can get this app on Android, but if you have an iPhone you can download an app called Forest that helps with productivity but you can use it for making sure that you take breaks. I have it on my iPad and my iPhone. During my GCSEs, I swore by it and I'm pretty sure it's part of the reason why I did so much work. I am going to start using it again as it was very motivational. As the name suggests, you plant a virtual tree and watch it grow. I'm fairly certain after a certain point, the virtual trees you grow start being actual trees through a partner company. I found it really motivational and I am going to start using it again.

   

Make a Work and Fun Schedule 

I have made one of these and once I have settled into a routine at uni, I am going to start using mine religiously. It allows you to see what you should be doing at certain points of the day. As important as it is to see when you should be working, make sure you schedule in some fun or you will go mad. I did this during my early academic years and I did go a little bit mad. I have scheduled in two nights a week off to have chill nights. So far I have been terrible at sticking to these. Once I've got more of routine, I am going to make sure that while I am getting lots of work done, I am also going to be making sure I have downtime as university is stressful. Having a balance means you can live a more well-rounded life and not just be a ball of stress. 

I hope these tips have been helpful and if you have any more tips that you think I should add to this post, let me know in the comments below and I will add them.

Carenza x :)

  

Life As A Non-Drinker At University| CarenzaOnBooks

We all know about the heavily ingrained drinking culture at university. Whether you're based in the UK or not, drinking is a key feature of your time at university. However, it is possible to go to university and not drink. I do want to start this post by saying that I am not trying to demonize the drinking culture and that I have nothing against alcohol. I also want to say that I am not trying to tell you that you cannot drink ever. If you want to drink alcohol, then that's great, but please respect other people's decisions when they say that they don't want to. 

I used to, very rarely, drink alcohol. However, once I started university I quickly realised that I really didn't like it. The reason I decided to stop drinking was that I didn't like the taste. I have no moral objection to drinking, it's purely a personal one that I don't like the way it tastes. In my first year of university, I got drunk maybe three times. Each time I didn't feel great emotionally the day after, hangover wise I was fine. It was through these experiences that I realised drinking wasn't for me. I made the decision to stop drinking entirely over the summer. I felt that there was no point trying to force myself to drink when it wasn't something I was enjoying. 

I thought that in this post I would share some tips on how you can also get through university as a non-drinker. I've come up with three tips which have helped me in my life and they might help you.

Establish Clearly Why You Don't Drink

For whatever reason, you have decided not to drink, make it clear to those around you why. It could be for religious reasons, personal experience or like me, you don't like the taste. Just make it clear and most people will respect your decision. Some people will have a hard time understanding why you don't want to drink, but if you just talk to them, they will come around. My housemates are very understanding and quickly accepted that I didn't drink. It can be difficult once people around you are drunk and they forget why you don't drink, just remind them in a friendly way and they'll be alright. The key to this step is to not come across as superior or judgemental. Explain in a calm and friendly way and most people will be accepting of why you aren't drinking.

 

Be Firm When People Get Pushy

It can be very hard when people are drunk and are trying to get you to join in. Peer pressure is real, but you don't have to give into it. Like I mentioned in the previous paragraph, just stand your ground and explain to them in a non-passive aggressive way. Sometimes I find it easier to remove myself from the situation entirely to avoid feeling like I have to do something that I don't want to do. In the morning you can explain that you felt uncomfortable and that's why you left. Being honest with people will make the situation easier for all involved.

You Can Still Join In Even If You Don't Drink  

My housemates and I are partial to the evening in. They like to get drunk and I like to hang out with them. The day I'm writing this post, the previous night two of my housemates went out for the evening and I kept them company while they were doing pre-drinks. It was one of the best nights of my life because I was having fun with my friends. I can still play drinking games with non-alcoholic drinks. I can still hang out with my friends if I'm not drinking. I'm very lucky in that my friends don't mind that I don't drink and even though I won't drink, they go out of their way to make sure I feel included. A lot of my best memories are of my friends and I hanging out while they're drinking. Yes, sometimes it is a bit tiring making sure they're okay, but on the whole, I wouldn't change a thing about it.

So those are some of my tips on how I manage my life at university as a non-drinker. I'm sure that if I can do it, then you guys can do it too.

Carenza x :) 

How to Have a Inspirational Workspace| CarenzaOnBooks

Just like any student, actually doing my university work is something I tend to dread. It means hours spent huddled over a desk as you slowly lose the will to live. Something I decided to work on this year was to make sure that my workspace was somewhere I wanted to spend time at. I thought it would be helpful to new and old students alike if I shared my tips on how to have a motivational workspace.  

Use Things That Inspire You

Something I struggle with in particular is motivation so as a way to combat that, I chose to put some inspirational items on my desk. I have an art print of my favourite play propped against my desk and I find that by looking at it, I actually want to do more work. I also have two Pop Funkos from one of my favourite films on my desk. Obviously, this varies from person to person and what subject you are studying, but as a writer, I find it helps to have something by a writer that inspires you near your workspace. I also have a bookcase next to my desk filled with trinkets and books. I like being able to look at this when I need a break from looking at my laptop. A lot of my trinkets come from bookish and writer-related things, which means I am surrounded by even more inspiration.  

Add a Bit of Colour

If you are anything like me, then having a plain room will just depress you. The same goes for my workspace. It's somewhere I am going to be spending a lot of time, so I want to feel motivated to spend time there. I tried to make sure the items I put on my desk were colourful to brighten up the place. I also did this as the furniture around the desk are all dark wood colours and it can feel a bit dark and depressing. I added some plants in colourful pots, as well as brightly colour ben pots. I even have a little ceramic dish where I store my important everyday things (keys, wallet etc) and that looks colourful too. You don't have to go overboard, but a splash of colour can go a long way. 

Functional but Pretty

It's all very well having an Instagram worthy desk, but if it's too pretty then you can't use it. A way to make something motivational but functional is to have funky pen pots. I have a dinosaur mug that I bought from Asda as I loved it so much I knew I needed it in my life. I also have this small blue one that looks like book spines that I bought in Bruges. I knew I needed somewhere to store my receipts and my loose change, so a few years ago I bought these tins. Not only are they functional, but they're nice to look at. You can also add some costers to a workspace which are nice to look at but protect your desk from mug stains. It is possible to have a balance between an Instagram worthy desk and for it to be useable. 

Keep it Tidy

I have come to the realisation over the years that I cannot function in a messy or untidy environment. My desk is the same. For me, having a tidy desk motivates me to work. What I've started doing is to tidy my desk after each task. So if I know I don't need the book I've been reading, I'll put it back on my bookshelf. It's a fairly obvious tip, but if you can't actually work at your desk. I know from experience that working in my bed, while comfortable, means I end up doing less work and often leads to naps. Just take a few minutes every day to make sure your workspace is tidy and then you'll be motivated to work. 

I hope these tips help you to stay motivated during this academic year!

Carenza x :)  

How To Manage Student Finance| CarenzaOnBooks

We all know about the joys of university, but until you actually experience it, the financial side can be a bit daunting. I've been a student for a year now and I feel that I've got a handle on the financial side of things. In this post, I will be sharing five tips to make managing student finance a worry of the past.

1) Stick to a Budget

This is a fairly obvious tip, but it's surprising how many people forget it. When I started university last year, I picked an amount to spend every week. My weekly budget was £60 and that was to cover my food shopping and any other expenditures I'd have during the week. Typically I'd spend around £20 a week on food. With the remaining money, it meant I could go for the occasional meal with friends, go into the city centre and still by the books I wanted to read. If you set yourself a budget, that doesn't mean that you would have to spend that much money every week. Often, I would spend less than half of my budget a week. Having a budget means you are very aware of how much money you are spending and can keep a track if you are close to going over your budget. 

 

2) Plan Ahead

Planning is another key tip to keeping on top of your finances. For example, if you know someone's birthday is coming up, maybe keep a bit of money back to get them something. Another example is that I know I'm going to be in London in December to go to the theatre. So my plan is to keep part of my budget back to treat myself in London. As I know I'm going to be in London, I need to book train tickets, so one week I will spend some of my weekly budget on train tickets. If you have something planned, then make sure you can work around it and then you won't feel guilty about spending money.

3) Be Savvy Where You Can

Something that is worth learning is how to be money savvy. Where I live the nearest supermarkets are Sainsbury's and Asda. Asda is slightly cheaper, but a further walk for me. However, as I know I'll be saving a significant portion of money. It's all about knowing where you can save a little bit of money. Another good way to save money is to do some bulk cooking. I often cook something that I know will last two meals. Also, keep an eye on what's on offer at your local supermarket. If you can buy two bags of pasta for £1, do it because, in the long run, it will save you some money. Try looking at where you can find what you're looking for at a slightly cheaper price. 

4) Going Over Your Budget Isn't The End of The World

While sticking to a budget is a top tip, having the ability to be flexible is also another useful skill. Obviously, if you go a significant amount over budget, then maybe assess your spending patterns. But if you only go £5-£10 over your budget, then it isn't the end of the world. There would be some weeks where I would end up going over budget and what I would do was make sure I would spend less the next week. I would feel really bad if I ended up going over budget but I soon broke that idea down. I would tell myself it wasn't as bad as it looked, and that I would have to spend a bit less money next week. 

   

5) You Can Still Have Fun

It is possible to have fun and be financially smart. For example, I still want to buy the books I want to read. What I did was I made a list of all the books I wanted to read and as the year went on, I reassessed it and took some of the books I was less excited about off it. I also made sure that my weekly budget could accommodate if I was getting a book that week. I'm not saying that you should treat yourself every week, but if you build in a little bit of treat money then you will feel way less guilty about buying something nice for yourself.

I hope these tips are useful and help you manage your student finances. I found that by implementing these tips into my life I was spending way less money and felt less guilty when I treated myself.

Carenza x :)   

Making Student Accommodation Feel Like A Home| CarenzaOnBooks

One of the most valuable tips I can give someone starting university is to make your room feel like home. Before I started university, a lot of posts I read mentioned that you were more likely to drop out of university if you didn't feel at home. In this post, I will be giving you advice on how to make your university room feel like a home.

 Pictures

You can see both my picture wall and my art wall and how they've added some colour to the room

Pictures are one of the easiest ways to make a room feel homely. I already had some in frames that I took with me and then using an app called FreePrints, I printed a bunch more to stick to my pinboard. I'm actually planning on getting a few more photos printed for things that have happened in the past year. I found that having photos of people I cared about and things that had happened to me made me feel as though I was at home. It was good to have memories scattered around my room as when I was having a bad day, I could look around and be reminded of good memories. Most people I know had photos stuck to their walls as it added a nice detail.

Bring Stuff From Home

My little bookshelf is filled with books and trinkets, it makes the room feel like mine

Another really valuable tip is to bring trinkets from home. I brought some Pop Funkos with me as they made my room feel a bit more like it was mine. I also brought an art print with me to motivate me. Bringing trinkets from home not only saves you money on buying new trinkets it marks the space as yours. Everyone has unique trinkets and they can sometimes start conversations. Obviously, don't bring every single trinket you own, choose some of your favourites and remember you can always swap things around when you go home. I know for a fact that I am going to be bringing some different trinkets from last year as I don't have the same space and I want to bring some of the things I got this summer. 

Make Your Bed Cosy

For me this really brings a room alive. You can either buy new bedding or bring bedding from home. I had to buy bedding this year as I didn't have any double bedding. You can go ham on it and have lots of cushions and blankets. I am a sucker for cushions and blankets. I'm bringing the same ones as last year, plus one I bought on holiday. If your bed is cosy and inviting then you are more likely to feel at home in your room, plus let's be real, we all spend way to much time in bed anyway. 

Make The Most Of What You've Got

The desk was looking a bit plain so I added lots of colour to it

At the end of the day, university accommodation is designed to be cute. It's designed to be practical, so we have to work with what we've got. If your room feels really dark, add light coloured objects. I bought two sets of light coloured bedding and I noticed that my room feels way bigger than it actually is. Also, natural lighting can do wonders so keep your curtains open as much as you can. 

The longer you live in your accommodation, the more it comes to feel like home. You just have to add a couple of touches to make it feel like home at first. A big tip would be to add plants. Plants always make a room feel great. If you take anything from this blog post it's that plants and pictures are going to be your best friends when trying to get your room to feel like a home.

Dealing with Homesickness at University| CarenzaOnBooks

It's kind of ironic of me to be posting this today as the day this goes live I'm actually moving into my second-year accommodation and am about to start my second year of university. So let's cut the chase and get to the point. Homesickness at university is real. Obviously, it is unique for everyone, but at some point, you will deal with it. I will be talking about my experiences with homesickness in first year and I might make an updated post for this time next year. 

How Homesick Did I Get?

Let's start by making this vaguely relatable and by talking about myself. I come from a very small family (I count my family as me, my parents and my grandma, also my cat too). For the past two years at that point, I had been living with just my dad as we tried to move house. I am very fortunate in that I am very close with my family. We would talk to my mum every night and we would spend every weekend together. I also spoke to my grandma once a week, so I was always in constant contact with my family.

I should start this by saying that I was very excited to go to university and to move out of home. This wasn't because I didn't want to live with my family anymore, but because I had always wanted to go to university and I was now finally going. I was at a stage where I was ready to move out and become very independent. 

Right up until the night before I went to university, this excitement was with me the whole time. Then it was the night before I had to leave and it hit me like a ton of bricks. I couldn't sleep that night. I was so excited to go, but I was also scared to leave my family behind. I spent the entire car journey there being nervous and feeling sick. We unpacked all my stuff, my parents drove me to the shops to buy some food and then it was time for them to go. As I hadn't lived with my mum for two years, we felt as though we had already said our goodbyes. With my dad, it was a lot more painful as it meant we would both be living by ourselves. I didn't cry, but it was very emotional.

The first week was a mix of emotions. I was in this new city with new people and I didn't have any of my home comforts. I wasn't so homesick that I wanted to leave and go home, but I felt very lonely that first week. As I had left a few things at home, my dad came to see me and brought me the last few things I needed. I had been at university for two weeks and it was so nice seeing him. But when it came to him having to leave, I actually wanted to cry a bit because it was real to me that we didn't live together. 

On the whole, I was fine with the whole homesickness thing. I spoke to my family regularly and we worked out what weekends we could see each other. I went home a total of three times in the whole academic year and they came to me four times. It actually worked out really well. I think being in regular contact with them meant it felt like I could still talk to them, which is a stupid way to think, but I needed that reassurance and to be able to hear about things from home.      

How to Deal with Homesickness?

I've kind of covered it a bit in the earlier section of this post, but there are a few things you can do to make it a bit more bearable:

• Have regular phone calls/ times you talk with your family
• Arrange times to see them
• Bring photos and things from home

I found that having regular calls with my family meant it was a bit easier to deal with. I would phone my parents on Saturday's and then I'd phone my grandma on Sunday's. I actually wrote letters back and forth with my grandma as we're old fashioned. Most weeks I'd speak to at least one of my parents during the week about something random. I would text them every now and then, but they also respected that I needed some time by myself which was great. At Christmas time, we skyped each other every day so we could open our advent calendars together which was a really nice way to see them. Most times our skype conversations would last anywhere from 15 minutes to well over an hour.

We also arranged when we were going to see each other in person. When I wanted to come home, we would plan something so I had a reason to come home. So I went to see them for birthday's and special occasions. They would also come to see me so we could have a day in the city or do something in my neck of the woods. 

This is a commonly recommended tip, but bringing stuff from home can make it feel like you are at home. I brought some framed photos from home and I also got a bunch printed from the summer. Having these meant I could wake up and see the faces of my loved ones, which I know is cheesy but it was nice to see their faces. 

I hope this post helps someone and just remember that feeling homesick is a perfectly natural thing. You can manage your university experience while all of this is happening and this feeling won't last forever. As you spend more time at university, you will get better at dealing with it. 

Carenza x :)   

Things I Wish I Had Known Before Going to University| CarenzaOnBooks

September is here and that can only mean one thing- universities are about to start. As someone who started university this time last year, there are many things I wish I had known before starting. I've made a little list of ten things I wish I had known before I went to university. 

Laundry Will Be the Bain of Your Existence 

This is something me and my new flatmates bonded over early on in the term. The laundry room will become a place you hate and something you dread doing. If you are lucky enough not to have to use Circuit Laundry to have clean clothes, then this is something you will (hopefully) not have to experience. At my university, we had the displeasure of having to use this dreadful app. It would have been manageable if it had just been using a rubbish app that was making laundry an unbearable task. It was also the terrible washing machines that made laundry something I dreaded. It might just have been me, but whenever I washed my clothes, they never felt clean. As doing a laundry run would cost you the best part of £2 per wash, I would wait until I absolutely had to do some laundry before washing everything. My tip to you would be when your mum or dad offers you the chance to wash some clothes at home, take it up!

   

You Will Find Your People

If you are anything like me, then the main concern about starting university is "will I have friends?". This was one of the only things I dreaded before starting university. The best places to find people with similar interests are on your course and through societies. You might also get lucky and find you have loads in common with the people you are living with. I bonded very quickly with the people I am friends with because we did the same course and had similar interests within the course. I also know that joining societies is a great place to meet people with similar interests.   

Getting Along With the People You Live With Makes A Huge Difference

It's not always going to be the case, but if you can get along with the people you live with, then everything suddenly becomes a lot more bearable. I got incredibly lucky and am even living with four of the people I lived with this academic year. I'm not saying that you have to be best friends with them, but if you can manage a friendly relationship with them, then life will be easier for you all. 

It Is Possible to Be A Non-Drinker at University

Most of us will know about the heavily ingrained drinking culture at university, but it is possible to survive as a non-drinker. This is something I am planning on making a more in-depth post about in the future. Personally, going out and getting drunk isn't my cup of tea, and I have managed to survive a whole academic year like this. Be honest with people about not being interested and most people will understand and respect your decision. 

Having a Home Away From Home

Moving away from home can feel daunting, but if you put a bit of effort into your living space, it can be the difference from surviving university or feeling homesick and dropping out. Again this is something I am planning on making a whole separate post about. A few quick tips would be to print some photos to have some kind of memory wall. Most universities provide students with a pinboard and pretty much everyone I knew filled there's with photos. Another quick tip would be to pick a few favourites knick-knacks from home to make your room feel like a home. I brought a few Pop Funkos with me and it made sure that when I walked into my room, I felt like I was at home. 

   

Not Everyday is Going to Be a Good Day

Like any other stage in life, university isn't going to be all sunshine and rainbows. We all know that university is supposed to be the "best years of our life", but the truth is, that in the moment, it isn't. Bad days are inevitable. It could be linked to something in your personal life, something academic or you are simply having a bad day. It took me the entirety of my first term at uni to realise that not every day was going to be wonderful. Looking back, my first year of university was great, but at certain moments it was downright awful and that is completely fine.   

Independence is Real

Unlike school or college, it is up to you to do everything. Frankly, your lecturers won't care if you haven't done the set work as it isn't them you're letting down, it's yourself. It is up to you to keep on top of your work. That doesn't mean you have to be drowning in academia all the time, but you are paying to be there so it is worthwhile to do the reading. Even if it is a lot and there is nothing more you'd rather do. 

You Can Have a Life at University 

Before going to university, I expected to be drowning in work by the end of my first week. Obviously, this does vary from course to course, but on the whole, there is time to have fun. I'm lucky in that my course has fairly low contact hours, but I spend a good chunk outside of those hours working. I also spent a good chunk of time having fun with my friends. It's finding a good balance between the two and making sure that the scales don't tip towards one more than the other.  

Time Flys When You're Having Fun

It still amazes me how quickly each term goes by. Most universities in the UK operate on a two-term schedule, with each term lasting twelve weeks. Even though twelve weeks is three months, it goes by so quickly. If you're worried about feeling homesick, then I'm sure you'll be relieved to know that the terms fly by and you'll be home for Christmas before you know it. The best thing about this is you'll have around four to five weeks off to go home. 

   

Grades Don't Define You

This is something I wish I had known even when I was in school. I am a very ambitious person and I always like to think I'll get the top grades. Spoiler alert- I often don't. That isn't to say I don't get good grades, but I'd beat myself up if I got a grade that was lower than what I was hoping. The first thing to know about university is that they mark things very differently. It's marked through a percentage scheme and it is notoriously hard to get the highest mark. On my course, a First (the highest you can get on any degree) means that your work is essentially publishable. It is rare that first years get these kinds of marks. I was down when I got my first few marks back as they weren't what I was hoping for. I wish someone had grabbed me at this point and told me that a 2:1 is a good grade. 

I hope these little tips will help you get through your first year of university and if you're like me and have completed your first year, then share your "things I had wished I had known" list in the comments as I'm sure my experience is very different from everyone else as it was unique to me.  

Carenza x