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Part One: Planning Ahead

1. There is only so much planning you can do but something I found helpful to take all my nerves and turn them into excitement was to plan and design what I wanted my room to look like. It was very important for me to have a nice cosy room that felt like my home away from home and evidently this played a massive role in how quickly I managed to settle into the university lifestyle. So make a Pinterest board and start looking at room inspiration because you’re going to be spending a lot of your time in that room and you want to feel as comfortable as possible! 

2. Visit your university before hand to get a feel for the campus and the kind of life you are likely to be living when you move to uni. After results day I visited my uni and got to look at my building and have multiple tours of different accommodation buildings. This gave me a really good grasp of the city as I was able to look at where I would be living and the walk I would be taking everyday whilst also introducing me to the city as I walked through it. I have now been at university for 7 months and am still finding new parts of the city everyday but during my first week the familiarity of my surroundings when walking from my flat to uni really made moving from a small town to a big city a little less terrifying. 

3. Join as many fresher pages as you can, the best way to find people on your course and your potential flat mates is to post in these pages. This means that although there is always going to be those awkward introductions on the first day everyone feels slightly more at ease as you have all been getting to know each other prior to moving in. Additionally, me and my flatmates were able to plan what freshers events we wanted to go to and talk ahead of moving in so that there was no pressure of deciding where to go during the chaos of freshers.  

4. Research things your university has to offer; before leaving I had already looked to join multiple societies and sports teams. These truly are one of the best ways to meet people and make friends. Having a brief idea of what kind of teams you might like to join before heading to university can really help to take some of the stress away from your first couple of weeks at uni. Joining Lacrosse was perhaps one of the most daunting parts of my university experience as I had never played before and only knew my flatmate who I was going to the try it out session with. Despite this it was by far the best decision I made at uni as it allowed me to meet so many new people, most of whom were were in the same position as me.

5. Make plans with friends and family from home. There is no right or wrong way to do university, so if you want to have your friends come for a night of freshers or just to bring a little bit of home to uni whilst you settle in then do it. Uni can be hard. Yes although as a fresher you are busy 24/7 socialising, having inductions and exploring your new city, when it all calms down you find yourself with a large amount of free time and to start with not everyone has loads of friends to spend that time with. FaceTiming friends and family from home can therefore be one of the most beneficial things on offer. I’m not saying have a friend over every weekend but perhaps just once or twice a semester and then you can also visit them every so often; I know so many people who have fallen out of touch with friends since moving to university but believe me when you go home at holidays there is nothing better than a big reunion with the people you have been friends with for years!!

So here are my five top tips for preparing for university, they may work for you or they may be completely useless but I just wanted to share my experience in the hope that someone would find it useful. Stay tuned for part two ‘The Reality of Uni’ coming soon xx.

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I always find it hard to find a healthy option for breakfast as I never have the time to cook myself a nutritious meal so I started researching quick and healthy options. This is one of my go to recipes from Bosh’s ‘Healthy Vegan’ cookbook to have in the cupboard ready for a quick and healthy breakfast. This is a low cal (177kcal) toast loaf that’s packed full of protein and fibre whilst also being low fat.

The recipe below is measured to serve 6 people.

Ingredients:

• 3 ripe bananas.
• 120g of unsweetened plant based yoghurt (I prefer Alpro).
• 1tsp of vanilla extract.
• 195g of wholemeal flour.
• 1tsp of bicarbonate of soda.
• 1tsp of baking powder.
• 1tsp ground cinnamon.
• A pinch of salt.
• 100g of fresh blueberries.
• Maple syrup.

Preheat the oven to 180*C and grease the baking tray, then line with parchment paper.

Recipe:

Step One: Peel the banana’s and add to a mixing bowl to mash, continue mashing until smooth.

Step Two: Add the yoghurt and vanilla extract to the bowl and mix thoroughly.

Step Three: Next add the flour, bicarbonate, baking powder, salt and cinnamon to a second bowl and mix to combine.

Step Four: Add the two mixtures together and mix together.

Step Five: Now add the blueberries and fold to combine.

Step Six: Pour the mixture into the loaf tin and make sure the surface is smooth. Then bake for around 50 minutes; after use a skewer to check the centre is cooked.

To serve:

Slice and toast before adding the remaining yoghurt, blueberries. and topping with maple syrup for a lovely sweet yet healthy snack.

TOP TIP – To add extra flavour, add a berry compote on the side. I have a personal favourite recipe which is super easy to make (recipe will follow in my French toast recipe post).

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• Where Did You Grow Up?

I grew up in a small town in North Yorkshire called Harrogate. It is a popular tourist destination and is famous for being home to the Turkish Baths and the original Betty’s.

• Where Did You Go to University?

I am currently in my second semester of my first year at Sheffield Hallam University; I am studying International Business Studies and Spanish.

• What Is Your Nationality and Background?

I am English and have always lived in the UK, my grandmother was Dutch making me a quarter Dutch.

• What Sports Do You/Have You Played?

I have always loved sports; since the age of 5 I have been horse riding and continue to do so as frequently as possible whilst at university. Additionally, I have been dancing for a number of years with some of my favourite styles being contemporary and ballet. Since starting university, I have joined Lacrosse which is a sport I have never played before; recently I got moved from the development team onto the university’s second competition team.

• How Old and How Tall Are You?

I’m 19 years old and 5’10 tall.

• Most Memorable Holiday?

This is a tough one, it has to be between my family road trip around America or my summer holiday travelling around Italy and Paris.

• Do You Have Any Pets?

Yes, three. I have two cats called Sooty and Sweep and an 11-month-old puppy called Rolo.

• Are You Named After Anyone?

My first name isn’t inspired by anyone however my middle name Aimee is in honour of my great grandmother Amy.

• What Colour are Your Eyes?

Officially hazel, but they actually change colour; they start blue around the outer edge then fade into green and finally next to the pupil they are brown.

• Favourite TV Show?

This is a hard one because I’m the type of person to get obsessed with any show I’m watching. If I had to choose however, I would probably have to say ‘Grey’s Anatomy’.

• Are You A Morning or A Night Person?

Definitely night! I can stay up till any time easily but ask my to get up at 8am and I will very probably be late (unless it’s to go on holiday, then for some reason it’s easy).

• Who Is Your Favourite Artist Right Now?

At the moment, I’m a big fan of Billie Eilish, Lewis Capaldi and Ady Suleiman.

• What Is the Thing You Never Leave the House Without?

My phone or lip balm.

• What Is One Food You Refuse to Eat?

I’ve been a vegetarian since 2017 and recently I have been cutting out more and more dairy from my diet. I am a very fussy eater in general and hate spicy food.

This seemed like the best place to start my blog so there are some facts about me! This post is just here for me to get to grips with how blogging works and determine what areas I want to cover in the future. Thanks for reading!

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