Heading to University/College in September?

Heres some advice from the people who have been students!

All three of us have been to Uni- Thats How we met! 

I mean enjoy your summer!! But Know you have got your grades you have either been accepted to a University or Higher Education. Congrats!

Or like some of us still debating whether to go or not, maybe I'll be able to make your decision easier. Or for you the person out there in crisis mode thinking all those questions (which how silly they may be they aren't) - trust me!

Maybe this will help you,

Also we've been there got the t-shirt so anything you want to know please ask us!

So You have received your letter Wooo!!! - Party, Celebrate and Commiserate - those who may have not got in to their Uni of choice It isn't the end of world- it may feel that way but I didn't get my top choice.

It seems silly really but believe it of students admit they don't actually read their Course Structure before accepting the University.

So its University over course- which seems silly to me, location does matter but the course could potentially offer more in a different area than the other. 

As an Example I was accepted to both Leeds and Birmingham to study Fashion Design- at the end of the day you will receive the same degree name etc. But what made me decide was that Birmingham had a stronger course structure and I could experiment with different modules in my second year, where as Leeds offered limited modules and you didn't have as much freedom to try different areas of fashion.

Leeds is particularly better student wise by the way and I never looked back, going to Birmingham was better!!!

Another thing to look at is the percentage of graduates that go into their degree relevant job,  employers will seek out for graduates at particular Universities.

Don't be scared to defer your choice either, It may all seem the right thing to do but overall it may be overwhelming and you're now going to be in debt. I would have done a foundation or travel or just save some money but with the fees going up a year later, I went to Uni.

Obviously we can only discuss from our experiences and some peoples are different to others but if you do go to uni, have fun! Take everything in and just overall enjoy it, it goes so quickly!!

Once You have been accepted, its a mad rush to get the best accommodation- 

I however was in a really good position as I did a National Diploma and so I had my grades before A-level students so I snapped up the best accommodation within 5mins walk to Uni and Centre Location, Ensuite etc etc- It was £106 per week- not to bad for centre.

Some obviously who did their emails where lucky enough to snap up the accommodation to however some were not as fortunate and even though there was a few good selections nearby. Some ended up out of the way in Flats with shared bathrooms and had to get a bus or walk 45mins to Uni. Although this doesn't sound appealing you will find people doing the same trip so I found just make bus friends and then you're sorted!

The best advice I could give someone is take your chances because you never know, you could meet your husband- creepy to think that but you never know.

Also been open to opinion at uni peoples morals or standards drop usually and how people stay "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas" Its pretty much like that in First year.

On my course I don't particularly remember it being that stimulating or hard, More partying etc- most courses first year doesn't count to your degree you just have to pass it to further on.

What is Next? So moving on you have booked your accommodation; your probably want to set up a student account and get an overdraft- as grown up it may sound this will save your life in most situations. The only thing I say is compare with other banks it might be best staying loyal to the company you're with as they may give you money or a railcard etc or it might be better to change. I changed to Barclays- to which I soon regretted, they are really good at helping you keep in charge of your money with their weekly planner, but when you come to open an overdraft they ask all these questions and I didn't particularly like the process to apply- eventually I left and opened an account with Santander- really easy and you have 4 years to pay out of your overdraft- win win!! Don't be scared to go in your overdraft as most people do. Also make sure your Loan information is right and you probably will have to log on the say you have got a place etc so don't go to uni thinking that has sorted itself- You have to make sure they are paying the correct institution and course.

What will I need? Moving in, check with you accommodation and see what they will provide like iron, kettle, toaster. Some do bargain welcome packs which include duvets, pillowcases, cutlery, pans and essentials. But otherwise you should make a checklist which will help you when it comes to packing.

This is a list of what I took and what i recommend you should buy/get! :P

* Please remember that when you're moving into halls of residence, space is limited. Its part of the experience to have a small room!  Avoid Over packing you can always buy stuff when you get there as there will be lots of student deals especially on clothes!!

• Bedding; Mattress protector, pillow and case x2/3, Fitted flat sheet- easier than having to tuck everything in( check your bed size!!) Duvet and cover ( take an all season one don't bother with two), Blanket/throw (snuggly for those wintery lounge days!)
• Laptop/desktop computer- mouse & keyboard!! Cables!!- (ethernet cable-check with the halls as sometimes they are provided)
• Printer/scanner
• Desk Lamp/ Fairy Lights
• Pen Pot
• Books- uni related and leisure
• Radio/ Sound system
• Ipod/Ipad- party playlist
• Toiletries; shower matt, toilet roll, shampoo & conditioner, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, toilet brush, bleach- cleaning fluid, sponge, after shave, shaver, perfume, deodorant, baby wipes and dry shampoo!!
• a few small boxes to put make up in or generic bits and bobs.
• Shoes- flats and heels
• Clothing; lingerie, tops, coat, trousers, dresses ect ect
• folders for coursework
• Pencil case
• good bag to carry stuff
• a hold all- small suitcase for those big ass tesco shops or it may come in use for light travel trips :)
• spare money- hide well (some halls come with built in safes, use them
• sunglasses and accessories and jewellery
• picture frames- photos to decorate the walls
• I brought a small matt for the room incase the carpet/ floor was nasty.
• Hangers- bring quite a few! 30-60 I think
• Scrounge some food basics like salt and pepper, ketchup, bread off your parents :P 
• kitchen stuff; Cups( most stuff does brake so don't bring anything to special) a few plates, bowls, glasses, knives and forks, spoons, pots and pans, drying rack and fairy liquid!!
• Laundry bag and powder/conditioner- drying rack/hanger
• Posters
• Cd's and Dvds for procrastination
• Pack of cards (for the drinking games)
• clock- alarm one!! haha
• Of course Alcohol and mixer!
  

How am I going to make friends? Well its quite easy at uni, everyone is in the same position so you just need to muck in with your flat mates and go out to events! I bought a freshers wrist band and we met people on the same course as us. Get Contacts add on Facebook or Twitter or mobile numbers, all helps as then you can text them to find out which events their going to. Join some random things at the fair like societies that appeal to you that always helps- I found our Student society was shocking for this but they were okay at planning bar crawls and provided transport to things that were further away. 

Just have a mooch around your accommodation- smile and be friendly, welcoming. I helped unpack peoples cars at one point. I Understand people are shy and find it hard, best thing is you can be reserved at uni but to get the best bets of friends for life its best to try and get yourself out of that comfort zone- people don't bite! Usually :P Also get a bit of dutch courage with a drink kinda brings some people out of their box :P

Are my tutors going to be nice? Who knows they really do depend. Some won't know your name for the whole time your their but you just get used to it. I mean they have to tutor a lot of students. Most will help you though just email them with queries I mean they are paid to help you so just get your moneys worth and pester them if you desperately need help or things explaining. 

Will I spend a lot of money? I am not going to lie to you and say you'll not spend to much as their are good deals out their. But your not going to be the richest person out there. I know when my loan came in I hadn't seen that amount ever in my account and I did spend a lot of money in all my three years at uni. However you can budget yourself I found once the novelty ran out a bit and people became poor again you could budget yourself better. With less stuff going on you do get in the just of a sorta normal life :P I probably spent £400 or more in freshers week if that gives you an idea :s and I know people who spent more than £1000. The thing that saved me was that I had worked all the way through Summer and had savings.

What do I wear? Uni's don't really have any dress code or formality some people really do just go in their Pjays :D But people really don't care that much what you look like, you don't have to put extreme effort in your presentation unless that what you like. It really is chilled out. Their are some immature people obviously who will take the piss out of what you look like but I just smile and ignore it or make a saucy comment about their outfit.
 Some inspo...

Here are some handy websites I would visit!!

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/What_To_Take_To_University

http://www.studentbeans.com/free-stuff

http://www.aroundtownflats.com/blog/2010/08/top-list-of-university-life-necessities-for-on-off-campus-living/

http://www.studential.com/checklist

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.ca/store/category/bed-bath/20001/

Heres some Top tips and advice from Amreeta & April!!

"Uni has been the best experience of my life so far, loved every bit of it! My advice would to be to enjoy yourself but make sure you keep on top of your work. Balancing socialising and uni work is the key. Also get to know as many people as possible and don't be afraid to just open up and have fun. If you have any questions or want any general advice about uni tweet me!" 

"choose a course that you love/find interesting and not something you are being forced into doing. 
you're going to get so much more out of completing a course you're inspired to do and
 if you have decided that the course isn't for you, you have plenty of time to change, whether it be in your first few weeks of uni or half way through your second year"
ps) if you pre drink whilst getting ready for a night out, always double check you have the correct shoes on. I went out wearing my slippers, don't worry though, nobody notices! 

Hope This has helped!
Really Hope You Enjoy Uni!!!
Lots of wishes!!

Twitter | Pinterest | Bloglovin | Instagram

A Quick & Easy Guide To Vintage Shopping!!

I am keen bean when I see good vintage shop, its like entering a sweet shop but much more fantastic!

I understand some people hate Vintage shopping for many reasons, but I love trying something different and making sure I am the only person wearing that outfit. Which typically you can find that if you wear something from the high street, there is a chance someone will be wearing it to - not cool!

Recently there has been a show on called This Old Thing on channel 4- which proves to ordinary people that vintage isn't old or tatty and that it can be Fashionable and trendy.

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/this-old-thing-the-vintage-clothes-show

I agree sometimes you are going to have to search and ferry through the selection of clothing that a vintage shop has. It can take longer to find a good purchase in some vintage shops, as the lay out is much more compact than your average high street store. It can be a bit rumble jumble to but I find online vintage shopping is a tad easier to understand if their is too much going on.

So here a my quick and easy tips to follow, 

(Most stores I will be mentioning are located in the United Kingdom but prices may vary to post abroad and most have online shops so I will post a link if I can.)

Pros and Cons of Online 

*You may have to pay more as it may include postage costs
*Sometimes it may not even be vintage but the seller can fool you.
*Its original price may be cheaper than what they are asking it for.
*Even some photos you can't see the exact quality its in.
*You may be led into a scam and not actually buying anything authentic and one off.
*Sizing usually is what it says whether it is online or not but you could find it won't fit you  because you haven't tried it on first.
* Returning items to some shops you may find they wont want the item back.

How to help you not being fooled into buying a generic piece!

*Make sure to read their returns policy

* If your paying a lot for a vintage item it may be worth researching the era- label-designer-brand and fabric.

*Some fabrics like polyester and most synthetic fabrics were only invited after 1941 so iff you see a 1920 inspired dress and the seller has wrote done polly-mix its probably not actually vintage and just a more modern version.

* Ways to tell if the item is authentic is - does it have lining- detailing are buttons plastic or real sterling silver- label will reveal a lot about the item- fit and shape of the item as it will reflect if it is a reproduction.

* Quality is tricky especially if its a bit of a rummage to find it or if its been in a warehouse environment. Most sellers hopefully protect there vintage garments using moth balls and hung nicely ect and packaged in a neat manner, but sometimes it may not be the case. You can usually tell from the photo, some items may have been worn a lot so its best to check armpit and crotch areas- they show the most!

*Never go for something in mind always be open to new things and also making alterations so the garment fits you.

* You can always take it to a tailor/ seamstress to alter garments and its not that costly.

*Make sure to know your measurements rather than just size 12 as you could find that it will fit you as women and clothing were different back in the day :)

I could go on but most of all have fun, if you go in to a shop try on anything that takes your fancy as it may well suit you!!

If you want designer online!!

It seams silly to say this but you can find cheap- expensive vintage clothes, this is where you really want to become specific so you get what you want. But I have found just generic search engine is just to type "Womenswear Vintage Zandra Rhodes size 10" and usually websites like Ebay pop up where people are selling "one off" vintage pieces instead of searching or ferrying through a vintage shop.

This image is from http://www.thevintagestorelondon.co.uk

I thought to help you I would write 5 reviews on my favourite Vintage shops :)

Prices will be marked by *out of 5 (*****being the most expensive and * being cheap)

COW VINTAGE

Location: Birmingham, Nottingham, Manchester and Sheffield- UK

Website: http://www.wearecow.com

Price: ***

Online: Cow's website is clear and well presented. Its got a good selection of Vintage clothing that reflect their store and brand. They have additional things like trend reports which I like to see as it Inspires me to wear things, layer them ect ect.

In store: I have been to both Nottingham and Birmingham stores and they have a clear lay out of products and a selective range of both menswear and womenswear.

I like the fact they have a rework range, it gives vintage a new lease of life and saves you the hassle of getting a tailor to do something similar.

Overall Rating: 4/5- I find sizing is a bit weird in Cow usually find that its a bit small.

Beyond Retro

Location: Brighton, London stores + 3, Stockholm +3, Goteborg and Malmo

Website: http://www.beyondretro.com/en/

Price: ****

Online: It is organised very well and you can easily find different eras or particular items. I don't find it as exciting as Cows website as most of the cloths are presented on mannequins. But overall its easy lay out and very good quality images of the garments.

In store: I have been in the London store off Brick Lane, I find it much more exciting than the website. Has very good presentation and visual displays in the windows tempted me to go in. It is more of a rumble but most of the garments are in really good condition and looked after.

Overall Rating: 3/5- Bit expensive for the items.

Rokit

Location: London +4

Website: http://www.rokit.co.uk

Price: ***

Online: I think Rokit makes vintage exciting, young and fresh it carefully selects its items for online. I knew it sells well though because it has a particular target market which influences on what they sell and style it. It has become more professional by having photo shoots and Look book esque feel. It tends to have more 80s-90s era clothing but you can find older bits but its more of a rummage and sift through.

In Store: Camden is where one of the store is located which is a great area for vintage finds in London. It can be a bit pricey in the shop because of its popularity. Most the sizing is ok but availability to wider people is limited.

Overall Rating: 4/5- I find its trying to hard to fit in with a younger market and is loosing the vintage feel and turning into a generic boutique. I find you might not be as unique as you thought when you buy something from there. 

Camden Lock and Stables Markets

Location: Camden- London

**WARNING** It is a high tourist area so be prepared for tight squeezes in shops or on market stalls!!!

Website: http://www.camdenlockmarket.com

Price:**

In Store: It is a place you have to visit not really online selling.

I really advice you to go but be prepared for tourists!

I love it is one of my favourite places to visit for vintage clothing, some stores are not authentic but they have such good bargains I tend to ignore that!

I do barter and have to have a good scrummage to find a good item but there is so much it really is a day out treat to myself :P There is so much styles and fashions to- Cyberdog is cool just to experience weird techno culture.

Overall Rating 5/5- Some people may disagree but I love it there! If I lived in london I would be there all the time!!

Disadvantages some don't have changing rooms so not much trying on :( also most are cash in hand so not much chance of returning items.

Harper and Lewis

Location: Birmingham

Website: http://www.harperandlewisvintage.co.uk

Price: *

Website: All I can say is it really needs an update! But it used have much more on there i guess they may be using their asks marketplace account more? Who knows but it has a few selective things on their.

In store: Ohh okay where to I start, they used to be on New Street in Birmingham and they used to have an upstairs bit where you could will a bin bag for a fiver!! It was brilliant I was addicted and went quite abit and filled a bag, most things were in really good nick but you were abit clueless on what era ect. The shop itself had a good selection of clothing menswear and womenswear. Since then they have moved to the bull ring and it looks really good!!! No fill a bag for a £5 though :( boo!!

Overall rating: 3/5 just wish they would have more in store as there is no fill a bag anymore.

Anyway Click the link! Here are some handy websites!

http://scrapbook.channel4.com/programmes/this-old-thing-the-vintage-clothes-show

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/this-old-thing-the-vintage-clothes-show/articles/all/where-to-shop

http://totallyvtg.blogspot.co.uk/p/online-vintage.html

http://thevintagefleaguidetonottingham.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/wild-and-wilder-clothing.html

http://www.thevintagefair.com

http://popupvintagefairs.co.uk

http://www.thevintagedirectory.co.uk

http://www.american-vintage.net

http://www.corsetsandcrinolines.com

http://www.bejewelledvintage.co.uk

Online shops!!

https://marketplace.asos.com/women

http://www.preloved.co.uk

http://www.ebay.co.uk

https://www.etsy.com

http://www.boutique-b-u.co.uk/store/index.php

gingermegs-vintage.com

https://www.notjustalabel.com

junosayshello.com

http://scarletragevintage.com

http://hirstantiques.co.uk

https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/honeymoonmuse

http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/uk/index.jsp

http://www.stylesequel.com/designers

http://www.thenandnowshop.com

LONDON

http://bangbangclothingexchange.co.uk

http://lucyindisguiselondon.com

http://www.spitalfields.co.uk

http://www.absolutevintage.co.uk

http://www.mintvintage.co.uk

YORK and LEEDS

http://www.lovemissdaisy.com/pages/contact-us

http://www.britaindoesvintage.co.uk/york-vintage-fair/

http://www.festivalofvintage.co.uk

http://bowlervintage.co.uk

http://www.upstagedleeds.co.uk

http://www.bluerinsevintage.co.uk/index.php/contact/leeds/

http://www.vulgarsheffield.co.uk

BIRMINGHAM

http://mtvintage.weebly.com

https://www.facebook.com/mrbirdsemporium

http://www.theoasisfashionstore.co.uk

http://www.gingermegs-vintage.com

http://www.urban-village.co.uk

http://frockonvintage.co.uk

http://www.custardfactory.co.uk/home/shops/

http://www.disorderboutique.com

NOTTINGHAM

http://celias-nottm.co.uk/shop/

http://www.pulpfashion.co.uk

http://www.tastyvintage.com

http://vintage-reclaimed.webs.com

So I hope that helps, Happy Vintage shopping!!!

Twitter | Pinterest | Bloglovin | Instagram

Butternut squash soup with chilli & crème fraîche

Hey guys! April here, and I'm making soup!

(This is what its ment to look like!)

Soups are the only way I will eat any sort of vegetables, so I try and make lots of different types of soups to keep up my 5 a day veg!

Here I’m going to tell you how to make my favourite soup-

Butternut squash soup with chilli & crème fraîche

Serves 4

Calories Protein Carbs Fat  Saturates Fibre Sugar  Salt

  264           5g          28g    15g     7g           6g      17g   0.61g

Ingredients

1 butternut squash, about 1kg, peeled and deseeded

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

2 onions, diced

1 garlic clove, thinly sliced

2 mild red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped

850ml hot vegetable stock

4 tbsp crème fraîche, plus more to serve

Method

~Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.

~Peal the skin off the squash, I didn't and you could tastes the chunks! yuk

~Cut the squash into large cubes, about 4 cm/1½in across, and then toss in a large roasting tin with olive oil.

(Roast for 30 mins, turning once during cooking, until golden and soft.)

~While the squash cooks, melt the butter with the oil in a large saucepan, then add the onions, garlic and ¾ of the chilli.

(Cover and cook on a very low heat for 15-20 mins until the onions are completely soft.)

~Tip the squash into the pan, add the stock and the crème fraîche, and then whizz with a stick blender until smooth. for a really silky soup, put the soup into a liquidiser and blitz it in batches.

(Be careful with a stick blender! I'm still finding soup all over the kitchen because I lifted it out the pan too early) 

~ season to taste.

~Serve the soup in bowls with swirls of crème fraîche and a scattering of the remaining chopped chilli.

finito! 

 And here is my finished dish! 

I didn't sprinkle more chilli on top of the soup because, for me, it was spicy enough.

So have a go and create this beautiful healthy soup!

Toodlepip xx

Too find more of my social media ramblings, check me out!

Twitter | Facebook | Bloglovin' | Pinterest | Tumblr | Instagram

♥