four years on a shoe-string.

an old friend of mine is due to start at uni in september, and asked me (as I have JUST finished my degree!) if i had any advice as regards to cheap living. what a perfect blog opportunity! here goes...

1. budgeting

work out a weekly budget and stick to it! it's worth considering that occasionally time will call for 'one off' items outside of a normal spend; make a note of what these things are likely to be (ie work clothes, books, urgent trips home) so that you don't end up straying off budget with the excuse that that pair of heels/ ben and jerrys stash/ amazon splurge 'doesn't count' because it was only a 'one off' spend. let's be realistic here.

a really great way to stick to your budget is to withdraw the amount you intend to spend each week on the first day of the week; and then leave your card at home if you think you might still be tempted. every time you open your purse, you will know exactly how well you have been spending/ splurging because the evidence is right there!

if you have any left over at the end of the week, you can be cheeky and let it roll over into the next week and have an extravagant 7 days (because you're only human after all), OR you could be a proper goody-two-shoes about this and pop it in a piggy bank. allocate a use for your savings: paying bills, buying birthday and christmas gifts OR just treating yourself; if your piggy bank is nice and heavy, you've earned a treat anyway. GUILT FREE!

when you go food shopping, make a list! don't be tempted by things just because they are on offer. yes, i know it's 2 for £1, but do you really need those party canopes?!

2. lunch time

meet your two new best friends, mr tupperware and mr thermos flask.

there are several ways to save money at lunch time, and it's really important to try to do so as it's unbelievable how much you can end up spending;
a cup of tea: £1.50
a mid morning snack: 75p
a sandwich/ snack/ drink meal deal: £3
....that's just over £5 a day...that's £25 a week!

SO...

you could prep yourself a sandwich each day (loaf of bread, some sliced ham or chicken or cheese, some salady bits = £8 for the week)

you could make enough food at dinner time to have some left over for lunch the next day (caution; will power is required so as not to eat it all at once...)

you could take a thermos of soup each day, plus a few slices of bread/ ryvita/ rice cakes.

as regards snacks: fruit, dried fruit and nuts, carrot sticks are a cheap and healthy alternative to things like crisps and cereal bars. also, if you can buy fruit and nut mixes/ trail mixes etc by weight from a market, it's generally cheaper than buying from the supermarket. and you generally get more choice too.

it sounds really cheeky, but some union coffee outlets or staff canteens will let you have free boiling water...bung a few fruit tea bags in your handbag and save on pricey teas and coffee.


3. dinner time

if you get along with your housemates, suggest taking it in turns to cook for each other. this saves time, and it's cheaper to cook a meal for x number of people every x number of days than it is to cook a meal for one every night of the week. alternatively, cook enough for several days and freeze some. again, portion control is key here...


4. keeping track


i always strived to do this but have only just really started to be really strict with myself. keep a record (in a notebook, on a wall chart, in an excel file) of how much you have spent each week and what you have spent it on; it's a lot easier to keep track of everything. if you have a part time job too, write in how much you have earned. this has only just become really useful for me because i'm saving hard, so it's good to see how far i have to go before i reach my target.

5. don't stress


 stay smart, don't panic, HAVE FUN.


as a wise woman once told me,

'even if i could tell you just how fast time flies, you would never believe me'

that said, try not to look so far into the future (ie post deadline parties, end of year celebrations or even graduation) that you miss out on what's happening right NOW!

good luck amy, you'll have a ball :)

learning.

As this season of my life draws to an end, I know that one of the most important lessons I have learned is nothing to do with Biology. True, I probably can't be sure that this lesson needn't necessarily have come with a £10,500 price tag. Maybe every 22 year old has come to learn this lesson, like it's one of those things that happens. Like you'll go through puberty and you'll go through the menopause, maybe everyone comes to know:

There is no such thing as a wrong decision.

Energy spent on considering whether what you did four years ago or four weeks ago was for the good or for the bad is wasted energy. All you can do is live with what you have now and try to be happy with it. Making a decision is choosing which direction to turn when you come to a fork in a road; once you have chosen, there is no way to know what could happen on any path other than the path upon which you chose to walk. So what's the point in worrying about what might have happened? It didn't and it can't. So just carry on on your path: skip or dawdle or trundle or crawl, or be dragged by those who have the strength and love to drag you. And while you're there, admire the view.

in control.

I am in control.

I have been working hard all semester...all year...fuck that, all DEGREE.

If I don't do well, it's because I was incapable of doing well. I'll get what I deserve.

Roughly 40 hours to go before my first exam. I know that it's typical of me to have a panic and a kerfuffle before then. I know that that point will come when I sit back and look at EVERYTHING I have to know, and when I ask myself how much of it I DO know. SO I'm not going to do that. There's no point. All I can do is keep going; there's no point in assessing whether I am already there, because if I'm not, no good can come of panicking, it's not like it's going to magic me some time out of nowhere. At this stage, there is no need for 'time allocation' or planning. It's obvious what I need to do. And I'll do it. And I'm only going to look up when I'm in the clear. When I'm finished with the exam.

This post is boring but reassuring.

Shhh.

the beginning of the end.

Today I handed in my dissertation.

But there were no fireworks, and there was no confetti, and there wasn't even any heroic music in the background.

This was strange.

I proceeded to drink four pints and two shots (on my own partially), then go home and sleep for three hours. Tonight I was supposed to go out and party...

But TBH all I want to do is cuddle up and watch a movie film with my gorgeous boyfriend. I think tonight be the most I have missed The Boy since he left. At least until now I could re-assure myself that I could be productive in his absence. And I could distract myself. 

I want someone to be here to hold me, and tell me I did good. I want someone to eat ice cream with (not that I don't eat ice cream...on my own...in the dark...sobbing). I want to hear all about the random shit he did when he was little. I want to feel awesome about a decision to not go out cos I know there is no such thing as wasting time when I'm with him. 

I just miss you. I am watching Muppet Treasure Island in your honour. And Little Tom gave me ice-cream for my birthday so I will probs eat B&J in your honour too. If I had rum, I would drink it.

I can't wait to share my life with you, even the naff bits where there aren't any fireworks.

heckyeatumblr#5.

http://tumblr.com/xsx1xkgzm5

5. Write a tutorial.

How to stay sane in final year.

You will need:

• friends
• a couple of series of awesome comedy shows
• a kettle
• organisational skills
• an amazing sense of humour
• persistence
• optimism
• last.fm account
• something to look forward to.

This isn't really a stepwise process, just more of a 'apply as necessary' scenario. But here are a few guidelines.

• Make the most of your friends; you can double up here in making them your something to look forward to. Try and go on at least one 'date' a week. It doesn't have to involve alcohol- but it helps.
• Take breaks. I guess if it's a nice day/ you don't live in Britain, you could go outside. If not, grab a blanket and a cuppa and bung in a DVD. Comedy shows are awesome cos they tend to be short and can alleviate any 'pending doom' atmosphere you may have unintentionally created.
• Drink too much tea. NB there is no such thing as too much tea, but it never hurts to test the boundaries.
• Plan ahead. If you're not a planner, at least don't be a panic-er.
• Learn to laugh at the utter hilarity that is your life right now. Cos if you can't laugh- then you will cry.
• One step at a time. Whatever happens this year, it will all be over in a year. Try not to let past failure affect your attitude towards your future success. 
• That said: feel free to let your past success affect your attitude towards your future success.
• Listen to awesome music. Listen while you study (if you can trust yourself to not sing along), listen with friends, listen and dance, listen and run (that running playlist is getting heckers I tell you), listen and SING, listen and smile. Some of my favourite last.fm tags at times like these: #disney #soul #prog rock #jamie cullum
• Book a frickin' holiday. Or at least make a facebook event. When the time comes, you better be ready to fucking celebrate.

No matter how shit things are, remember that in a year, you'll have a job, and things will be even worse! JOKES. Nah, just don't forget to live while you're getting ready to start living.

anger.

As I type, my ears are falling victim to 'Anger' tag radio on last.fm. Feel free to add your own background music. Just make sure it's angry.

In the past 4 years of study, I have had some wonderful wonderful experiences. Coming to university has been the single greatest decision I have ever made.

HOWEVER. When I graduate, I don't just want a BSc (Hons). I also want an Honorary Patience Diploma.

In the past four years of study, I have lived with some truly beautiful, intelligent, fun, enlightening, open minded and genuine people. And in their own little way, I have loved each and every one of them for the special person they are.

HOWEVER.

In the past four years of study, I have lived with some selfish, ignorant and dirty idiots too. I still value who they are and enjoy their company, and I have no doubt we will stay in touch. But I can't wait to not be sharing any of my space with them any more.

That you can share a living space with just 4 other friends without holding any regard for their lifestyle or attitudes is just mind boggling. And it never fails to be. I have hit breaking point so many times. I have cried so many times. I have screamed so many times. I have had countless patient little talks so many times. But it will never come to anything.

I know that there isn't long to go. I know that these people are my friends. But the fact that I know, and my friends know, and my family know that I am far from an unreasonable person- but that I am admitting that I am finding this to be a HUGE mental strain to maintain politeness around these people - has to mean something.

It's time to grow up now.

So clean your fucking shit up.

To put it bluntly, this is all I want:
Hoover floors at least once a week/ when they are dirty!
Clean the sink and draining board at least once a week/ when they are empty!
Empty the bins when they are full!
Wipe down the stove when you have finished cooking!
Clean out the microwave if you make it dirty/ notice it's already dirty!
Do you like looking at pubes on the sink while you're brushing your teeth? Clean the sink when it's dirty!
Clean the shower tray once a week/ when you can see it's dirty!
Put rubbish in the bin (that one's a real challenge.)
Abide by the rules of the contract: yes, our landlord is a dick. This doesn't mean that your disregard of the contract is a good way to get back at him: it means he is much more likely to keep our deposit...So yes, a bit of a paradox there. But just fucking do it, because it's my fucking money.

Basically: yes, it takes effort to keep a house clean. But we're adults living in a shared space. More importantly, we're friends living in a shared space. So respect our space, respect me, respect each other.

Yup.

Now I am going to go for a very very angry run and burn lots and lots of calories. Then I am going to get drunk.

Then I won't be angry anymore.

heckyeatumblr#2.

http://tumblr.com/xsx1xkgzm5


2. Write about your favourite kind of music.


This is difficult as I don't actually have a favourite kind of music. I guess I'll just write about one of them :p


At the moment I am enjoying listening to Classical Movie Soundtracks. It's awesome cos there are no words (so I can't sing along and get distracted), but it's still all very nostalgic. 


...I have been essaying for about 11 hours today so I'm not feeling very creative. This is kind of a dumb question too. So. Yer.
x

real life.

first time applying for a real life job. though it's not paid. so maybe it's not real...

anyway.

it dawned on me that i already know how this will go.

if i get it: i'll know that the position/ organisation is shit.
if i don't get it: i'll know i'm shit.

this is truly how i real about myself. and i realise that this is representative of a number of aspects of my life.

yup.

remember.

dear future/ present chloe,

you have never handed in a piece of work that you didn't doubt yourself for at least a few hours for during its completion.

you have never failed a piece of work (except that one in first year...but that doesn't count- literally).

you have never handed in something that you didn't try your hardest at.

you have never handed in a piece of work, or taken an exam that you would describe as 'easy'.

so the fact that your current work for your degree is difficult, time consuming, confusing, exhausting and sometimes dull is not surprising.

in 3 months, this will all be over. and no matter how you do, it won't lead to any kind of 'demise', or downfall, or disaster. life will go on. and you will be happy.

so keep it up champ.

love you x

moo.

Field trip to Easton College Farm for my Food Domestication and Sustainability module. One of the other guys asked how much the 'bulk carcass weight' of an average highland cow would be. I told him off.

shady baby.

plants which sense competition from neighbouring plants do so by being able to detect the wavelengths of light hitting them. light which has passed through green leaves is has a high proportion of 'far red' light. lots of plants respond to this 'far red' by growing taller to out-compete their neighbours.

plants which are preyed upon by insects release a stress hormone which catalyses the plant's synthesis of compounds which are toxic to the insects. part of this response involves the stunting of plant growth: it has been assumed that this is to 'switch' the main energy consuming processes of the plant from growth to this toxic compound synthesis.

it has been hypothesised previously that far red light responses can happen because part of the far red light response inhibits the stress hormone 'growth stunt'.

i am investigating this!

i have 10 different modified lines of the plant model species Arabidopsis thaliana.

some of lines have a mutation in a signalling protein responsible for light and/or jasmonate (a plant stress hormone) responses.

some of the lines have significant proteins of interest (ie cyclin, which is only synthesised in actively dividing cells) hooked up to a 'reporter' construct which turns blue upon staining.

some of the lines have a mutation AND a reporter construct.

i have grown up 20x of each line in each of the following conditions:

white light without jasmonate 

white light with jasmonate

far red light without jasmonate

far red light with jasmonate

and i can assess each plants response to the conditions by:

i) measuring hypercotyl (immature stem)

ii) looking for blue spots after staining of the reporter lines

therefore I have 8 of the following plates:

this is my life at the moment.

this dissertation is worth 20 credits.

i am also studying 5 other modules worth 20 credits:

cellular signalling

genes, genomes and genomics

microbial biotechnology

cell biology and mechanisms of disease

food domestication and sustainability

all of these are assessed by 30% coursework and 70% exam.

I WANT TO GRADUATE ALREADY.