Life as a student - part 1

My life as a university student began in September 2011 as I made my way to Birmingham City University. A year and a half later and I am almost half way through my uni life; where heating, nice food, clean bathrooms and luxuries are very uncommon.

I came across an article on The Independent's online site, about "How to Stay Warm in Student Accommodation." This made me think about student life and how different it really is to living a nice comfy life at home with parents. 

I have come home for the weekend to visit my parents and boyfriend, and it's amazing how different things are. Carpets at home are soft and bobbly... unlike my uni house carpet which is itchy and rugged. The stairs in my uni house literally remind me of climbing a hill... a mountain even... unlike my stairs at home which are a normal gradient and don't really require much effort. Walking in to a clean bathroom or kitchen is the highlight of my day, as well as the fact I come home to a cupboards and a fridge full of food. Home comforts and luxuries are definitely the best. 

The main topics that are repeatedly bought up before you set off for university goes something along the lines of, "Oo you're going to have to learn to cook for yourself," or "Oh you students go out every night and get drunk." Until you actually go to uni... you realise that this isn't necessarily the case. 

Cooking:

I think the most advance thing I've made at university is a lasagne. Even then all I had to do was cook the mince, and then layer up the lasagne before putting it in the oven. I'll admit I was quite impressed with myself but it really wasn't that difficult. Meals usually consist of pasta or potato, with sausages or chicken (which again aren't difficult to cook) and I've always got a handy bag of frozen vegetables to add a bit of healthiness to my meal. 

My way of cooking goes with the motto that, "Oh it'll taste alright in the end..." by throwing anything together and hoping for the best!

Going out:

Now I know we get student loans and what-not... but surprisingly these don't actually last long. My student loan goes on my house rent, so my lucky parents get to give me money each month for me to survive on (Thank you mum and dad by the way if you're reading this <3) Food tends to cost around £15-20 a week... plus alcohol for pre-drinks; then there's tickets or entry in to clubs and bars; taxis to and from places; any sports or societies you join; books; chocolate to keep you motivated during essays; coffee or tea to wake you up before a lecture... the list is endless. 

Going out, especially in second and third year, is actually a bit of a treat. When you have some money spare, getting a text "Want to go out tonight?" is great... unless you're the one sending the text and everyone else is poor at the time. 

Have a read of the article linked above, and let me know about your university life struggles :) 

Gemma x