Finding your feet with work

With those distant, hazy memories of Freshers’ Week now very much in the past, the time has finally come to dust off those pens and notebooks and actually knuckle down with the real reason that we're here - that shiny piece of rolled-up paper otherwise known as a degree.

Despite plenty of exciting society-related things going down this week - from film festival coverage for The Edge, to the start of filming for the second season of our SUSUtv show Reel Opinions, the biggest event was, as you can probably guess, the start of lectures.

In fact, amongst all the socialising and the society-related fun, it's surprisingly easy to forget about that elephant in the room that is your course. True, we're still a fair few weeks away from our first assignments and all that much more complicated stuff - but I've always found (at least at first anyway) that starting strong with both work and organisation helps you feel on top of things right from the off, and saves a lot of stressing further down the line.

This past week marked my first return to lectures since April, which I'm sure you'll agree, is a pretty significant gap academically. Diving into that first week's set reading head first then may have initially been a bit daunting, since despite some dissertation work over the summer, my brain was still a little sluggish. What I found pretty quickly is that working (to use that cheesy, age-old analogy) is like riding a bike - you honestly never forget. I realised I wouldn't have got this far - to the University of Southampton of all places - without at first knowing how to work hard. I didn't have to learn anything new, I just had to click back into that familiar mind-set. Rest assured, by the end of that first chapter, I had found my footing again.

In fact, by the time that first lecture finally rolled around, I was totally in 'the zone'. It was almost as if I had never been away.

Aside from lectures, filming for SUSUtv started again this week. 

This isn't to say that it's always this easy though. In fact, in the past (and especially when I first started here at the University) finding the right place and attitude to work was a little tough - but it's important to remember that as human-beings, we have evolved to adapt to our surroundings. When your Halls of Residence or your private-rented house get a little too noisy, there's plenty of quiet study spaces to hide away in. The obvious ones are Hartley Library and its smaller sisters just down the road on Avenue Campus and beyond, but there's also a whole bunch of other quiet rooms and hidden desks set-up to make sure you always have a secure place to work.

If the problem isn't space-related but instead more about motivation, there are plenty of support networks running through the whole University which can help you get a handle on things. Whether it's the SUSU’s Advice Centre located above The Stags, the Student Services building, your own personal academic tutor, or even - amongst Humanities students - your own peer mentor.

In fact, that last one is actually pretty close to my heart, since as a peer mentor myself, I've seen first-hand the good a simple reassuring chat can do. Peer mentors are currently based in all Humanities subjects (although it's possible that other variations of the scheme are available to students from other disciplines) and our role is to basically act as a student liaison for new students. Working in small teams, we are paired with a number of new undergraduates to help ensure that they're comfortable with all aspects of university life - but with the pairings being subject-specific - there is a focus on work.

Peer mentoring even required some training - here’s a sneak peek. 

Understanding what is expected of you isn't always clear to everyone in the beginning, and it's perfectly natural to ultimately feel a little lost; we've all been there. Just remember that soon enough, you'll adjust, and if you're at all worried about that adjustment, there are literally dozens of people whose sole purpose is to help you.

So whether you're ready and raring to go, or you're still finding your feet when it comes to work, there's now even more reason to get excited. It might mean that we all have to get up a little bit earlier than we're used to, but this is what university is really all about. The true experience starts here.

Ben

Homesickness

Semester One has started with all its glorious 9am lectures, and the deadlines, tutorials and essays are here to stay. Although this summer holiday was over three months long, I still feel like it passed by so quickly. It’s strange to be back, but at the same time I have longed to be back at the University of Southampton for quite some time now. I know it’s still early on, but if there is one thing I wish I did more last year, especially in the beginning of Semester One, it is definitely that I had spent more time doing the required readings!

In those modules I did my readings for, I saved a lot of time when the essay deadlines started to line up. So, as a small digression, I want to remind everyone (especially new First Year students!) that doing your reading actually is important no matter what course you are on.

However, reminding you to do your readings is not the purpose of this blog post.

The subject of this blog post is actually something I think everyone is going to experience at some point during their first year; homesickness. Being homesick doesn’t mean that you don’t like university or that you want to drop out, so you should never be afraid to tell people that you miss home. After all, I think it’s perfectly natural to miss home in some way - I know I did last year.

Although I didn’t miss home as much as I had anticipated (sorry mum!), I definitely had my moments of intense homesickness.

I understand it can be harder for international students to adapt to a new country and for many people a second language, but it is all a part of a process. Two of my best friends who also study abroad have said the exact same thing; they miss home from time to time. They don’t need a particular reason, sometimes you just wake up and you miss home. Missing my mum’s birthday two years in a row because of University isn’t exactly the best feeling in the world, but it is a part of the whole experience. You will miss out on things at home and that’s it. I was lucky enough to be able to go home last year for 17th of May (which is Norway’s constitution day and a huge deal back home), but I know a lot of friends who couldn’t go back that day.

I’m sure everyone can relate to being the one person who couldn’t attend something and later seeing all your good friends having fun and telling you “Ah, you should’ve been here!” It just makes it worse.

Therefore, I wanted to share some tips on how to cope with homesickness.

If you are homesick, there isn’t a right answer for what to do, but these are at least things that helped me.

Growing up as an only child, I’m very used to coping with my emotions on my own, so I don’t really feel the need to be around people 24/7 if I’m sad in order to feel better. For me, the best cure was simply to be alone for a bit; to go for a walk with some music, watch a movie or text some friends back home. This was always helpful; I didn’t really need anyone to be psychically around me for things to feel better, but I totally understand that some people would prefer to be around people.

I do, however, think it is important to take some 'time-out' during your first year. Living in halls with many people is something everyone needs some time to accommodate to and no matter how much you like your flatmates. Sometimes it can be too much! When I came back from school back home, I was used to being home alone for at least a couple of hours and since starting University this has obviously changed.

Ask yourself, what do you need to feel better? Sometimes it can be time alone, time with other people and sometimes you might not even know.

If you are an international student, spend some time with people from the same country as you. I am a strong believer of not strictly just having friends from the same country as you when you study abroad, but being abroad is a big change and you are probably not the only one trying to adjust to all the new things you encounter when moving abroad. It’s easy to think Norway and England are very similar, but there are definitely some huge cultural differences that only people from Norway would notice and vice versa. Last year, Miranda and I made buns for 'Fastelavens' since we weren’t home and everyone bakes buns and fills them with cream on this day. Not that buns are a traditional Norwegian dish, but if you do miss home and food from home, why not make some of your favourite foods?

IKEA meatballs and mashed potatoes. Very Scandinavian.

On that note, keep up the (good) habits you had before moving. I used the gym back home frequently before I moved and although it took me a fair amount of time before I started going to the gym properly in England, it is one of the my favourite ways to recharge my batteries and get a proper break from my studies. Exercising regularly is just as important for your mental health as your psychical health, so don’t underestimate a run/walk or a trip to the gym.

Joining societies or sports teams can also be helpful. If you don’t know anyone from your native country, I’m almost a 100% you will find a society for it, and if you are looking for people with similar interest I’m 100% sure you will find a society or a sports team you can join. This is a great opportunity to meet people who you share similar interest with and to meet people across all the years and courses.

Skype/FaceTime/Viber/Whatsapp are essential. Regardless if you are twenty minutes away from home or twenty hours, if you miss your family or friends a quick call could be the key to feeling better. Luckily, the time difference between Norway and England is only one hour, so there’s not much planning needed, but if you do have a huge time difference, maybe set a particular time on a particular day to call home.

My mum 2000km away, but still in the same room as me. 

Make it feel like home. Your room doesn’t need to have four plain walls; it is, after all, your home away from home. My room last year in halls was filled with pictures and cards, very much like my room in Oslo. I loved getting parcels from home and I would always save all the notes and letters and hang them up. It doesn’t necessarily need to be exactly like this, but make your room feel like your room.

I hope this might help anyone experiencing homesickness and if not, I hope everyone is aware that the University offers support and help, like counselling, if you need someone to talk to. There are also people ready to listen at the Students' Union too.

My friend Miranda and I went to Bournemouth this weekend for the Surfing Society’s taster session. Off to the beach in October? We are not homesick just yet!

Alexandra

Making the most of my last undergraduate year

Last year I had a chat with a representative of PwC. It was an informal CV consultation in an event set up by the University’s Careers and Employability team. I had no obligation to apply for the employer after I graduate - it was simply an opportunity to have an interactive one-on-one session with someone who was hiring. What we spoke about during this meeting has had a profound impact on my last year as an undergraduate student.

As we chatted through my CV, we spoke about how my grades and job history were good, but there was a space that was missing a lot of writing: extra-curricular activities. It is true that your grades are crucial to your job search. At the same time, however, so are your activities outside of academia. As cheesy as this may sound, it indicates to employers how wholesome you are as an individual and thus plays a crucial part in what give you an edge as an applicant.

Never managed a team before? There is support out there for you. I got this book from the Academic Skills  shelf on the third floor of Hartley library.

So, in light of this, I became President of the Filipino Society. I had never managed a society before, let alone had been part of a committee. I am still getting used to delegation and event planning, but with the help of the team I hope to make this year a successful one for the society. Our first event for the year was, of course, the Bunfight.

Planning this turned out to be quite enjoyable, and we decided that the best way to introduce newcomers to Filipino culture is through the stomach.

So, we got sweets!

The Filipino Society’s stall at the bunfight. The tubs on the right hand side are Filipino sweets and chocolate.

Our aim is to bring Filipinos together and to promote our culture – anyone can join, regardless of nationality! But I must state that the sweets weren’t to lure people into signing up for the society. We decided to have them out as it was a good conversation starter and, well, who doesn’t like treats anyway?

We also chatted to prospective members about other events we are planning to hold such as Karaoke nights, Movie nights and last but not the least, our Filipino themed Halloween Party!

Our poster/invite that we handed out at the Bunfight!

The Freshers' Week Bunfight was exceptionally busy this year. Within the first hour we must have chatted to over 100 students! I also had the time to look around other societies’ stalls, and I was surprised to find out about groups that I never even knew existed.

Are you a fan of Harry Potter? Game of Thrones? Did you know that Southampton has a Fandomonium Society where you can express your love for your favourite books, TV shows and more? Amazing!

The Bunfight in full swing! (Credit to University of Southampton’s twitter page)

 Of course there were perks to being a committee member and running a stall too…

The Bunfight pass allowed stall runners to skip the queue and have a wander through the stalls on their breaks!

I also attended the LGBT Society lunch at The Bridge. The purpose of the society is to provide a space for LGBT+ students to socialise with one another and express who they are free from judgement. I believe in this cause so I’ve also decided to join this year.

Me with the LGBT Society Committee

Looking back on my first time at the Bunfight, I realised how easy it was for me to sign up to too many societies. SUSU has over 300 different student groups, including over 80 sport clubs and 30 performing arts groups.

For me, it is far better to actively contribute to one or two clubs or societies than be a passive member of them all!

And so, the final countdown has started; I may have to be a bit more organised but the pleasure principle need not be lost!

Happy socialising!

Rylyn

Let's talk about cooking

It’s a much-talked-about topic: the challenges that students face being away from home. One of the biggest is learning to cook. There are hundreds of cookbooks aimed at students, but what many of them don’t cover is the real basics: pantry essentials, absolutely necessary cooking utensils, and how to limit kitchen waste.

I came to university having never cooked anything for myself other than a few basic dishes (namely pasta, toad in the hole and pancakes). When I moved into halls I really struggled to find my feet with cooking, and if I hadn’t been blessed by living with someone who not only knew how to cook, but was happy to teach me, I would still be living off Asda’s frozen mash potato (yeah, it’s really a thing).

First up, the pantry essentials. Over time I have realised that there are certain foods that I just cannot live without in my kitchen. Regardless of my food plan for the week, I always make sure that I have these basic staples in my cupboards:

• Brown Rice. It’s a must have because it goes with so many different proteins or veggie dinners.
• Pasta. Of course, no student kitchen is complete without some kind of pasta, I love fusilli tricolore, and almost never buy plain white pasta.
• Carrots, onions and garlic. If your kitchen currently doesn’t have any of these bad boys, get it sorted. Almost everything I make has at least one of these ingredients present, from pasta sauce and chicken casserole, to burgers - these veggies are must haves. 

My kitchen veggie basket

• Tinned tomatoes. They’re cheap (33p a can from International foods), keep forever in the cupboard and by making your own tomato pasta sauce it can constitute almost all of your five a day in one meal.
• Tomato puree, for the same reason as tinned tomato. I make a lot of sauces from scratch rather than buying jars of tomato pasta sauce. By making your own you are taking out all of the salt and sugar that are in bought sauces and massively boosting the health factor in your dinner. Easy peasy!
• Soy sauce, sweet chilli sauce and BBQ sauce. Need I give much explanation? Whatever you’re cooking I bet it can be improved by the addition of one of these.

I didn’t mention the spice rack because that develops naturally as you buy the things you need for new dishes – plus when you move into a new flat you can share spice staples. 

Your cupboard doesn’t need to be as packed as this!

Right then, now that you have a kitchen stocked with the right food, let’s look at the utensils you’re bound to require:

• A decent size, decent quality saucepan. You don’t have much space for these things, particularly in halls, so rather than having three or four, spend your money on one good quality pan that will last - and take care of it!
• One good size deep frying pan ( big enough to feed four people) . You will come back to using this time and time again, and by getting a deep one you can use it as a wok for stir fries, and cook up enough Bolognese to feed your whole flat, or yourself for the next week. Remember, if you’re going to make a Bolognese or curry, cook more and then freeze what you don’t eat. That way next time you don’t feel like cooking, you simply have to heat it up, rather than turning to a ready meal.
• A rubber/silicone spoon. Rubber and silicone spoons are so forgiving and so easy to clean! Avoid wood because it’s harder to clean and easier to stain and damage.
• A good set of knives. You probably don’t need more than three. I bought a set of three knives from Sainsbury’s for £12 and they are brilliant! A good knife doesn’t have to break the bank, but it will make your life easier to have them around.
• Plastic chopping board.
• Pyrex dish – not sure what to call it but you know what I mean – the things you make lasagne, pasta bakes, toad in the hole or casserole in.
• A colander or sieve, obviously.

As I’ve had three years to build up my stock of utensils – combined with my partners stuff, I have about five times as much as I need.

Not everyone can afford one of these bad boys but put it on your Christmas list -  you won’t regret it - or watch out for one in the sales!

Pretty much all of the above can be bought from Ikea or nearby supermarkets for less than you’d think. Strapped for cash? Ask your parents if they have a spare lying around, or go halves with a flatmate who is in need of the same stuff.

Finally, how to limit kitchen waste - i.e. how to avoid throwing out food that you haven’t gotten round to eating and has now gone off. There is only one reliable way to do this guys; make a food plan, and be disciplined about it. Every Sunday before I write my weekly shopping list I make a food plan based on what I already have in the kitchen, and what I think I’ll fancy cooking based on how much time I’ll have to make dinner each day. By doing this I have cut my kitchen waste hugely, and saved a fair amount of money in the process.

My food plan for the week

Just because we are students, it doesn’t mean we have to live up to the cliché that students can’t cook and don’t know how to eat. Don’t waste your money on a cookbook, that’s what the internet is for! Bbcgoodfood.com has thousands of recipes and most of Jamie Oliver’s recipes are online anyway.

Some hotdogs with spicy BBQ caramelised onions, red pepper and bacon. 

 

20 minute chicken stir fry

Now, go forth. enjoy learning how to cook and love what you make!

Emma

Getting involved in the Creative Industries

After all that waiting, it’s finally here. The legendary Freshers' Week is now very much upon us. In fact, by the time you’re actually reading this, it’ll most likely already be on its way out. Even as a Third Year shuffling through the unbridled madness for my final time, it seems sad to see it go; the sheer enthusiasm and energy is unlike anything else university has to offer. But, of course, all good things must come to an end, and I guess there are these little things called degrees that we’re actually supposed to be getting on with too!

In fact, for me, the first few weeks re-settling in to the university way of life have actually been about one thing and one thing only. No, not that damn spaceship oven again - I’m talking about the Creative Industries.

As Southampton students will have no doubt noticed by the sheer size and scale of this year’s annual Bunfight (that’s the Union’s societies fair to anyone else), there are an awful lot of societies on offer, ranging from the subject-based to the downright insane. The Creative Industries is built up of a much smaller section of all of these groups and deals with, well, anything creative. This stretches from my own loyalties as Film Editor of the University’s entertainment magazine The Edge, to the likes of SUSUtv and even as far as the circus society.

Of course, in the spirit of creative collaboration, this year saw my first attendance at the annual Creative Industries Induction Week, wherein all the committee members for all of these creative-minded groups hang out in a gigantic room and talk/learn about how to be the best at what we do. It’s a pretty jam-packed week full of all sorts of fun stuff, covering everything from the likes of media law to simple team-building and beyond, giving everyone involved an almost encyclopedic knowledge of our own societies.

The Edge Editorial Team was certainly out in force too, as we took advantage of some incredibly useful workshops on how to use industry-standard software like Adobe InDesign to lay up our latest issue. It may have been slightly fiddly at times, and I may have become rather irate with a certain computer, but ultimately everything just about fell into place, and the new-look designs are pretty incredible. Our first issue of the year has been distributed throughout Freshers week (look out for the odd review inside from yours truly) and our second is on its way to the printers as we speak - so look out for more entertainment-related fun hitting Southampton very soon!

Our stand for The Edge at the Bunfight was a thing of beauty.

Just in case that wasn’t enough, the whole week was topped off with the team-bonding session to end all team-bonding sessions - a DIY laser-quest tournament held within our very own student club The Cube. Equipped with some classic retro Aliens-style laser guns and with plenty of inflatable barricades and camouflage netting around to hide behind, it certainly was a rather epic way to pull the week to a close. Our mixed-society team may have ultimately lost out on the top spot, but we definitely learned an awful lot about communication and team-work along the way.

With the induction over, it was over to the Bunfight to spread the word about just how great the Creative Industries are. I may have been standing around for a shocking amount of time, repeating the same pitch to what felt like hundreds of confused-looking faces, but spreading the word about one of my closest passions, and sharing our work with the University community certainly filled me with an incredible sense of pride and achievement. Joining a society and becoming a part of something bigger really enhances the university experience - I couldn’t recommend it enough!

The Edge and SUSUtv joined forces for some bunfight fun (Image courtesy of SUSUtv)

Freshers’ Week is just a mere taste of the extra-curricular opportunities on offer from the University, and based on the turn-out and enthusiasm so far, it really feels like this is going to be a fantastic year.

Ben

From High School to University

Welcome to all of the new Freshers who moved in over the weekend! Although it has only been a few days, I hope you have started to settle in and that you are happy with your new home here in Southampton. I’m sure the first few days will be extremely strange since you now are in charge of making your own dinner and doing your washing, which I know alone can seem strangely overwhelming! It is hopefully some consolidation knowing that in a month you should be all used to it.

This is my last week home in Oslo and last Sunday I turned 20! My 10th birthday is still so fresh in my mind that it was almost overwhelming turning 20 and I have spent a fair amount of time thinking about what I have accomplished and what is yet to happen. So cliché, I know – but let me explain!

Last Thursday it was the annual “aksjonsfinale” at my old High School here in Oslo, something I have attended both last year and this year as a non-student there. Every year the school has a fundraiser for different causes around the world. The “aksjonsfinale” is the night when the people involved in this announce how much money the school has been able to raise. It is one of the big highlights of the year and the venue it is held at is always so full many people have to stand.

Kristelig Gymnasium (KG) has around 900 pupils from Year 8 to Year 13 and the school raised over 2 million Kroner (roughly £200,000) this year. 

What is funny is that this is the same venue as the school holds the graduation ceremonies every year and hence the same place I graduated 1-½ years ago.

My graduation ceremony in 2014 all dressed up in my finest attire, the Norwegian traditional costume “bunad”. 

My old academic teacher, which is very similar to the Academic Tutors we have at Southampton, asked me if I wanted to come by the school on the next day to tell his class about both the transition from High School to University and from Norway to studying abroad. So, last Friday I had the privilege of being back at my old High School and talking to some of the final-year students about university and being abroad.

The teachers I had there were without any doubt some of the best you will find, who truly cared about us, saw what we were capable of and pushed us to reach our goals. As I reached the last months of being a student there I had convinced myself that I would never ever experience being at a school like KG again. But then, standing there in front of this class it hit me how lucky I have been to be student at KG for three years and how lucky I am today to be a student at Southampton.

I’m almost certain I wouldn’t have enjoyed my first year at Southampton if it wasn’t for the extremely kind and devoted staff we have here at the University and how they always have done their utmost to help me with all the different problems I have had.

My best example is from last October. I had picked my modules for my first semester and ended up with a module clash which easily could’ve been avoided if I had put a bit more time into checking what modules I could do and not do. So, feeling a bit embarrassed, I showed up at my Student Office and explained this. Not only did they help me pick which one of the two economics modules I should do by letting me talk to the different lectures who showed me the books used for each modules, but they also went back to my grade transcripts from High School to see which module would fit me based on my previous grades in economics.

Remember that my previous grades were in the Norwegian grade system, so the Admissions Team helped me to find out what my Economics grade would be equal to in England and when we finally chose which one was the best for me, they helped me find a good module to substitute the clash.

I’m sure some would think “But that’s their job!” Yes, indeed – but instead of all the extra help I received, the Student Office easily could have said “Ok, fine. Pick the economics module you want to do, find another module and then fill in the module change form.” This is just one of many examples I could give that definitely helped me settle in at Southampton.

The transition from High School to University is challenging in so many ways. As I mentioned to the final year students back at my old school, no one is going to hold your hand at university and remind you to do your readings all the time, so hopefully throughout High School you will have developed a good work ethic to take with you to university. However, if you need help with any type of problems (like a module clash) don’t panic, because at Southampton you certainly aren’t alone and for that I am very grateful.

Moving away from home and starting university is a big step where you naturally mature a lot in the process. The biggest transition for me was being alone and away from everything and everyone I was used to being around. In addition to this, let’s not forget the obvious - getting used to the cars driving on the wrong side and queueing to get on the bus, but it has all been manageable!

Now that I’m entering my twenties, I have decided not to stress about the next ten years and instead focus on what I want to accomplish/do this year:

• I want to get my driving licence this year. Its definitely about time and maybe learning to drive on the wrong side of the road will help me to stop being so confused every time I cross the roads in England! 
• I want to take up sports! I used to play tennis for about six years, so I have decided that although I might not be on a competitive team this year, I definitely want to start playing tennis again, no excuses. 
• I’d like to get involved in some sort of charity. I kept saying last year that I would do this, but I never did and I think this is one of the best ways to give back to Southampton as a city. 
• I want to do one of the language courses. As students at Southampton we are so lucky that we are allowed to take a FREE language course along our degree and I have always wanted to learn German, so Keine Entshuldigung! 

On a final note, I have eaten so much cake this weekend I’m going to be rolling back to Southampton on Sunday.

Alexandra

Why Hartley Library is awesome

The new term has started and I’ve now borrowed all the books I need for the next few months.

Looking through the rows and rows of book cases at Hartley Library, I thought it would be appropriate to write about why I love the place so much.


So here’s my homage to my second home at the University of Southampton.

Why it’s awesome in a nutshell:

1. It is open 24 hours every day during exam season.
2. Being a Southampton student gives you access you thousands of hard copy books and electronic materials free of charge.
3. It’s arguably the warmest building on campus. 

Some of my Politics and International Relations course books. Here’s to 3rd year.

Most people become accustomed to their university library fairly well during their time as a student. It’s probably the first place you’ll be introduced to as a visitor to Southampton, and I don’t know about you, but many people often judge the quality of a university in question based on the quality of its library. I myself am one those people!

Taken from the green space outside the Library. One of my favourite places to sit in between studying.

Hartley Library is nearly always busy. It can be quite difficult to find a space to study during exam season. This however is simply because it is such a conducive atmosphere for study; students choose to come here in their droves because of the super-fast internet, abundance of books and resources in close proximity, and also group study rooms - which are perfect for teams working on a project or a tricky problem.

View from the Library entrance and its Café. Students often use this a meeting point. 

This desire by students of any course to choose to come to Hartley can be seen clearly when working at an estate agents. I have spoken to people who work part-time at lettings agencies who specialise in student houses, and one of the resounding trends that they tell me is that Final Year students will put the location of the house in terms of how close it is to the library above any other desired characteristic of the property. Even, in many instances, above rent, utilities cost, and the location to nightlife!

Now, if someone is willing to sacrifice a close proximity to Jesters in favour of the library, this only goes to show how good the library is. It also restores my faith in humanity that there are so many students who put their studies above anything else.

Of course Hartley isn’t the only library the University has; there’s also the Avenue Library, Health Services at Southampton General Hospital, the Language Resources Centre, National Oceanographic Library and Winchester School of Art Library too.

As for me, I have quite a busy week to look forward to: it's Freshers' Week on campus, so there’s the Bunfight, FilSoc Committee Meetings, prep readings and my part time job to juggle. It is also my 22nd birthday today (yikes) so I’m off to eat and celebrate!

Happy studying!

Rylyn