The one where I started university

Hello all you lovely readers! It's been three months since I last blogged and the reason for that is because I moved out to university! I've lived In Coventry for just three months now and I can hand on heart say that moving out was the best thing I ever did, I love being an independent person and since being here I've relied on no-one but myself. Less than a week after I moved out, I applied for a job and was successful and so i've been SO busy working, studying and just generally having a ball. I knew before I moved that I would have to get proper job so I would receive a regular income due to student finance only dropping 3 times throughout the year, and of course I needed that extra bit of money for food shops, the basics and nights out! Fortunately, I've had a mainly positive university experience so far. Although a couple of weeks ago I was really struggling and wasn't sure whether I'd chosen the right course, but I got over my little meltdown and i'm enjoying my studies. I'm one of the lucky ones that managed to avoid the dreaded 'freshers flu.' However, I did go to a paint v foam party during freshers and had so much fun singing at the top of my lungs all night alongside chanting 'we want paint, we want foam' and lost my voice for a week. The paint part was great, foam? Not so much!

I have done a lot of really interesting things on my course, my favourites include:

-viewing my own cheek cells down a microscope

-determining my own blood group

-viewing my white blood cells down a microscope

-having an ECG performed

-listening to my heartbeat down a stethoscope

-growing bacterial cultures and colonies

Although I am living independently, I still live with four other people and share a kitchen with them, however we all tend to do our own thing. I've heard so many housemate horror stories and before I moved, I always wondered if mine would be awful but they aren't. And surprisingly I've not had a problem in terms of any of my food 'disappearing.' I mean, you're told to keep your sweet treats in your room, hide your alcohol, keep an eye on milk levels, but i've not had to do this. We all know we're responsible for our own things and not to take/use someone else's food/property. The only major issue we've had is emptying the bins and washing up, but now we have a cleaning rota so we can see who's done what, and we all take it upon ourselves to wash our dishes.

I'm going to share a few kitchen tips that i've learnt along the way:

-wash up your dishes, no-one else will do it and people will get fed up of seeing your dirty cups/plates

-store your sponge in your cupboard, by all means you can leave it on the side of sink but you never know if someone's used it to either clean their dishes or to wipe up a spillage on the side

-wipe up your spillages, there's nothing worse than walking into the kitchen and seeing a dirty worktop or hob before you're about to eat or do some work

-don't take someone else's food, you wouldn't like it if someone else took yours so why do it to someone else?

-pull your weight, if you see the bin is full don't wait for someone else to empty it, take it upon yourself

-clean the sink after you've used it, if you've washed up and solid chunks of food have fallen into the sink, clean it out, it's your responsibility

It's definitely important that you try and get a long with your flat mates because after all you have to live together for the year, it's not always possible for this happen though. There are just some people that you just don't click with and that isn't anyone's fault, it just happens, but then you do get those other people that you click with right away and they will more than likely become friends for life.

Moving to university was one of the best choices i've made! I have made so many incredible friends already and there is so much more to do here. Back in my hometown, there was nothing. If I wanted to go shopping, go to the cinema, have a nice meal out, I would ALWAYS have to travel a fair bit because all that was there were 4 co-ops, several chippys, a few primary and high schools and a couple of parks. Whereas here in Coventry, there are so many restaurants, clothes shops, an IKEA shop and so much more in walking distance which is great! I was so bored of living at home, there were next to no job opportunities either which made it difficult to fund the things I wanted, however as I said above, I got a job here pretty much instantly. I have really come into my own person here and I don't regret any of my choices.

Although I do have to say that university isn't the be all end all! If working a 9-5 job is what you want to do then go for it, live life in your terms. You should never feel pressured into applying to university because 'it's the next step.'

I hope you've enjoyed reading this blog! I'll try my hardest to provide you all with regular updates but saying it and doing it are two different things!

Love n light

-Jen xo

#university #student #independent #life #fashion #nursing #studentlife