How To Plan For Uni Deadlines

When you ask people about university, they will always tell you about the amazing time they had, the amazing friends they made and how you can go into you overdraft and it won't cost you a penny, but what they don't tell you about is the stress, sleepless nights and lack of a social life that comes with deadlines.

Deadlines are literally the worst. I cannot tell you how many times I've wanted to scream and tear my hair out, how many times I've pitted myself against other people's work and how many times I've nearly just got up and quit. I sound like I'm exaggerating but trust me, whoever you meet, especially art/design/fashion students, will agree.

This is not my first deadline though, so I have learnt some things about coping with it all. So I'm going to share my top 5 tips on planning/getting yourself through.

1. Read your brief/assignment
I'm not sure how it works with exam based courses, but as FCP is all coursework, all of our modules are based on briefs. I start by reading over the brief and highlighting key points to get an understanding of what it actually is that I'm being asked to do, and if there's one things I've learnt from FCP, ALWAYS keeping going back and re-reading.

2. Compile a checklist
From the brief I will usually come up with a check list of things I need to do in order to get to the end result. Having it in a basic list format rather than paragraphs in a brief makes it visually easier to see what you actually need to do. And mini goals makes it seem a little bit easier to handle.

3. Create a spreadsheet
This sounds so anal and I sound like my dad, but I have started to put my checklists in a spreadsheet. I'll have what I need to do down the left hand side and then every day up until the deadline along the top, and then match each task to a date with a highlighted cell. You don't have to stick to it perfectly and you can change it around whenever you want, because what I planned to do over Christmas definitely didn't happen. I personally get so much more done when I've told myself what needs to be done when rather than just trying to remember off the top of my head or doing the tasks I prefer and putting the others off.

4. Lists, lists and more lists
I had so many lists lying around my desk last week it almost defeated the point, but what is more satisfying than ticking them off?!

5. Have enough snacks
Having deadlines is the perfect excuse to stock up on snacks. Wrote a sentence for an essay? Have a snack. Got out of bed and took yourself to the library? Have a snack. Managed not to cry for two hours? Have a snack. Little rewards keep you motivated.

Falling Back In Love With Photography

Berlin is a hidden Instagram opportunity you never knew you needed.

I love to travel and I have such a burning desire to explore places I've never been before, but there was just something about the timing of this trip, and having been to NYC the year before, it was a little underwhelming. Whilst I was out there I still had mixed feelings about the city, however it does provide some amazing photo opportunities in the most unexpected places. 

The area where we were staying, in addition to our visit to the Helmut Newton Museum, brought back my love for photography and the connection I have with my camera. My camera is fairly old now as cameras go - I have the Canon 650D - but the quality is still just as amazing as it was when I brought it back in 2012/2013. 

From the pops of colour on the tower blocks to the vast amount of graffiti, there's a good photograph around every corner. 

Falling back in love with something that I had a passion for, for such a long time, is such a breath of fresh air and it couldn't have come at a better time. Once all of these deadlines are over and done with, you better believe that I will be returning home with my suitcase in one hand and my camera in the other!

Getting Back Into The Swing Of Things

With most of us being back at uni/school/work, we're now well and truly into the new year and I know I won't be the only one who is trying really hard to get back in to a good routine.

I ended last term in a bit of a slump. I was seeing a doctor and the NTU wellbeing team, but I knew that nothing would really do the job better than just a few weeks back at home in my comfort zone. But now I am back to uni and it's back to business. Minus depression and anxiety (touch wood).

I mentioned in my last post that I didn't really have any resolutions of such, but I do have some small goals which I'm trying to achieve to get myself back into a routine, as I said at the beginning, and to improve my self esteem. In today's post I'm going to talk to you a little bit about each of these goals, which I think we could all do with. 

Budget

It was inevitable that this was going to come up so I might as well list it first and get it out the way! As well as being a student who sees zero of my student loan, I'm trying to save up for me and Harry to go away for a big celebratory holiday next year, so budgeting is going to be a big task this year. I should probably give myself a reality check though, because I currently have £10 in my bank account and I'm going to Berlin next week, so I think this may have to be something I'll have to start next month!

A Simple Skincare Routine

I was back on the old social media the other night when I saw Glossier's skincare resolutions Instagram story, so I made my own! I've come up with a simple skincare routine, which I've written on a sticky note and stuck on my bathroom door so I remember to do it every night. I also saw a thing on Buzzfeed's Snapchat a few weeks ago, which said that whenever you go and take a sip of water, take 15 sips. I have tried it and it does work! It takes 10 seconds to do and you'll see how much more you've drunk instantly.

Work At My Desk - Not On My Bed

With my desk right next to my bed, it's easy to get a bit lazy and lie on my bed with my laptop. But doing my work on my bed not only makes my back hurt, but I get less done. Even though they're less than a metre away from each other, the environment is completely different and I feel way more focused when I'm sitting at my desk.

A Regular Exercise Routine

Again, cliche. But the lady I met for my wellbeing meeting gave me a really good tip for getting the motivation to exercise. She basically told me to write it down in a calendar and physically make it something that I would put on a to-do list and therefore have to do, rather than something I should do if I get a spare half an hour.  Out of the 3 days I've been back, I've worked out twice which I think is pretty good going. It's small steps at the moment, so only 3-4 times a week, but hopefully I can build that up.

Write A Happiness Diary 

Whenever I've been depressed, I've written my feelings down in a notebook just to get them out of my head because I'm very good at bottling things up. I've been doing this since year 11, but I thought instead of writing loads of negative thoughts, why not try to turn it on it's head and write what's made me feel positive each day. Depression is just like a cloud that creates shade really, so just because I feel low, it doesn't mean that good things aren't there still. I need keep reminding myself of that.

They say that something won't become routine until you do it continuously for 21 days, so I'm going to try my hardest to keep this going for the next three to four weeks and then hopefully I notice a difference in myself!

Zoe London posted her 'Rules To Live By For A Positive, Happy Life' yesterday and something she said at the end really related:

"I have so much work to do myself and sharing it with you makes me feel so much better. I don’t feel alone. You’re never alone in this, self improvement, knowing self worth and inner happiness is something every single person on this planet can relate to. Talk more, be honest, be true. Open up. It’s not a shameful thing to talk, it’s not any detriment to you. It’s a sign of strength, wanting to change, to better yourself. "

I hope your new year goals are all going well, but if you've gone wrong already it doesn't matter! Just keep doing you!

Georgia.xo

The Start of 2018

On the 31st of December, Harry and I travelled up to London to see the new year in. With 2017 not being a year I particularly wanted to hang on to, there seemed no better way than to see it out in the best way possible. 

As you can see in the picture above, we managed to get the perfect spot. We were directly opposite the Eye and the tower block where the countdown is projected on to. You can also probably see the vast numbers of people, which in any other situation would probably have caused me major anxiety, but I am so grateful that I managed to enjoy it all without one single anxious thought. I would like 2018 to continue that way.

If there's one thing I absolutely love, it's fireworks. Every time I watch a fireworks display, big or small, I stand there speechless. Obviously this one was absolutely huge, so I was in complete awe. I would recommend that you go and watch these fireworks at least once in your life; the tickets are only £10 and the atmosphere provides warm feeling of togetherness, wherever you come from.

We spent the night in the Tower Bridge Travelodge, which in hindsight probably wasn't the best location as we were at the opposite end of the embankment to watch the fireworks. However it was really comfortable and gave us the rest we needed after such a long day.

Afresh from the night before, we headed to Trafalgar Square to watch the New Years Day Parade. The parade starts at Piccadilly, by Green Park, and goes down Regent's Street, heading towards Pall Mall. It then goes down Pall Mall into Trafalgar Square (Charing Cross), before going down Whitehall and finishes up at Westminster. Again, I would 100% attending the parade, and if you want guaranteed viewing, try and get there just before it starts (even as late as 5 minutes before), and stand between each "sight", rather than at them. We went to Charing Cross but it was packed, so we walked towards New Zealand House and got right up to the barrier.

This years theme was 'Showtime', and from old cars to stuntmen, and marching bands from US high schools to cultural dancers, there was a whole variety of participants, from all walks of life. 

As we all know, a new year is about putting the past behind you and starting fresh, which feels ever more so poignant with the year starting on a Monday. Other than going to Berlin next week, I don't really having anything planned for 2018, so I'm not going to worry too much about what I want to happen and just let it roll out as it comes, taking each day with fresh eyes.

In terms of goals and resolutions, I just want to improve myself in order to improve my mental health. I'm halfway through my degree now - doesn't time fly?! - so I just need to keep on going. 2019  is going to be a big year, so my main aim this year is to save up enough money for me and Harry to travel to somewhere really nice to celebrate everything that's happening. We would love to go to Mexico, and at this stage it seems unrealistic, but I'm determined not to settle for second best!

Back to this year though! I'm looking forward to it, and I hope it brings you all happiness.

Georgia.xo