FitBit Fan!

I have fairly recently bought a FitBit - and I love it so much that I bought one for my Mum and one for my Partner! There are other brands available such as the Garmin VivoFit, the Jawbone UP, Nike Fuel Band, Polar Loop etc. but I chose to invest in the FitBit. 

FitBits are activity trackers that monitor various things throughout the day. There have been adverts on the TV recently that you may have seen. Now, when I heard that this technology was going to be commercially available, the Sport Scientist in me couldn't wait to get my hands on one! They can track your steps, heart rate, sleep, floors climbed, exercise and more! Our family are now in competition with each other to be top of the leader board at the end of the week for most number of steps taken. You can input what you eat and drink and it can aid with weight loss/stability/gain and is a great motivation tool whether you appreciate the science behind it or not! (Note: I know they are not 100% accurate or reliable, this isn't a blog arguing for or against them - it's just my experiences).

I like the fact that I can set it up to record my stats (and map my activity) when I'm training. I play a lot of badminton, cycle and have recently started running again and it's been fascinating to analyse the stats once the workout is done, and over time. Being on a sports course means that I am often pulled into the labs to do some sort of exercise training test, which is great fun, but being able to access that sort of information outside of a lab really excites me! (I know...)



It excites me so much that my dissertation is looking into the potential for the use of activity tracking technology in PE. I thought I would write a blog on here in the hope that people could share their experiences and thoughts on using this type of technology in the classroom. Please leave feedback in the comments section below - I'd love to read your thoughts! The thought of bringing Sports Science into Schools with such a simple device could really enhance the pedagogies employed by teachers and could bring PE into the 21st Century!

PAL

Peer Assisted Learning is a peer mentoring scheme at Beds. I was a PAL leader this year and we had PAL leaders in first Year, so I am going to give you an insight from both perspectives. You can find out more about PAL by clicking this link: http://www.beds.ac.uk/pal 

As a first year student, induction week can be quite overwhelming in terms of meeting lots of new people and being bombarded with information, most of which you won't remember! PAL leaders are with you in induction week to answer questions you may have, give you an insight into University life and to 'show you the ropes'. You will then have weekly group PAL meetings until Easter. 

As a first year it was great to speak to people who had been there and done that the year before, so they were great at answering questions - especially when it came to assignments and studying. We had sessions on assignments, the best places to go for a good night out, thinking about careers - all sorts! After the first few weeks we were asked to suggest things to talk about in PAL so the sessions were tailored towards us. Plus when you are wandering around campus for the first few weeks not knowing many people it's great to recognise a face and say 'Hi' as you walk past each other - it makes you feel more at home.

As a PAL leader it's good to make contact with the new first years. I have spent a lot of time this year developing sessions to help my first years and I made sure it was all tailored towards them and what they wanted. For example, my group were particularly struggling with a Physiology module so we spent some time working together to understand concepts, finding helpful resources to use if they got stuck again and getting to know how each person learns best. This was a really memorable session for me as I felt like I had really made an impact on their learning - they left the session understanding things they previously hadn't and had the knowledge of where to look if they got stuck again.

Being a PAL leader is not only great for your CV but it helps you develop you confidence, planning and time management skills but also the ability to think on your feet. Some weeks I had planned a session and all the group could talk about was something else, so thinking on my feet I ran a session on that so the group felt more comfortable and at ease by the time they left. 

Coaching Qualifications...

Coaching Qualifications are a great thing to have when you're interested in a career in Sport! They can help advance your own knowledge of a sport, help you develop as a performer and as a coach. I originally got mine because I needed them to work as a sports coach but since coming to Uni they have found me countless jobs and opportunities!

Lots of people at Uni say to me that they are interested in doing them but they cost a lot of money and/or they can't find a course... Well, yes they will cost some money but see it as an investment, and there are plenty of schemes about to help with the cost. For example a few years ago the FA ran women only coaching courses for FREE to train more women to become football coaches as part of their 'getting women/girls playing football' campaign. The 'This Girl Can' Campaign by Sport England may also have funding to help some into coaching. Consider less traditional sports too - archery, canoeing, fencing, goalball are just the beginning!

Finding a course, on the other hand is something I can help with!

Sports Coach UK and 1st 4 Sport are a great place to start, as well as your governing body for your own sport. There are plenty of courses running for a wide variety of sports so have a look, even at sports you've never tried, and see what you think. Each sport will have their own ranking system of qualifications for coaches but a general rule is that a Level 1 course is for those who are looking to be an assistant coach, are just getting into a sport or are still Juniors; Level 2 courses are for coaches who want to run their own sessions. Most sports require that you complete a Level 1 before a Level 2 so consider that when you are thinking about booking courses - don't book on to a Level 2 before completing your Level 1! National Governing Bodies of sports are also a good place to look - for example the FA, British Gymnastics, England Athletics, Badminton England etc...

Once you are qualified, advertise that you are! Contact your local council, they might have some work for you, and if not they can point you in the direction of places to advertise your services. With a coaching qualification usually comes a DBS Check (CRB), a first aid qualification and a safeguarding certificate (you have to get these in order to pass the coaching qualification - you will be advised as to how to obtain these) which are all useful in helping you to get placements or work in a variety of settings. They also look great on Uni applications!

Please leave a comment if you have any specific questions about coaching or specific sports and I will do my best to answer them!

One Trick Pony...

This weeks blog is about not being a one trick pony when it comes to applying for Uni. If all you can talk about in your personal statement and at interview is how much you love sport, you'll be at the bottom of the pile! Now if you're applying for a sports course that may seem strange, but Universities want people who are willing to try different things, who have a breadth of experiences not just within sport but outside of it too!

One of my lectures this year actually told us in an employability lecture that if she is reading personal statements/job applications/conducting interviews and all the person can talk about is football then they 'get filed under rubbish'. So from the horses mouth you need to be getting different experiences within sport and outside it. 

This weekend I'm in Wales with my Choir for a weekend of performances and 'socialising'. When I was applying for Uni I made sure that I spoke about my choir, my voluntary work and a range of sports that I was involved in. These TRANSFERABLE SKILLS are what make you stand out from the crowd!

This Summer is a great opportunity to get some experiences! You can do things voluntarily (people are always looking for volunteers!) or even get paid to do it! Coaching companies such as Sports Xtra or Premier Sport (others are available) often run holiday clubs/camps for kids and are looking for people to work for them during the summer holidays. I found it really good fun to work with the kids, I went rock climbing, swimming, canoeing and loads of other things with them - and I got paid to do it! Have a look for jobs like these to broaden your horizons within sport - especially if you want to become a teacher!


Outside of sport is more tricky for some - I've always been a musician too so for me it wasn't difficult. If you don't know where to start try googling hobbies and seeing what comes up. Wood work? Drama? Art? Photography? Gardening? Music? Vintage Cars? Bird Watching? You don't know until you try it!

Make the most of your summer and get lots of experiences - you need to start applying for jobs now ready for the summer, especially for the coaching/kids camp ones!

Exams...

This time of year sucks! It's really sunny... but you have to revise for exam season! I have written previously about revision, but now I'm going to focus on the exam! This is from my previous experiences and this seems to work for me.

Revision stops for me at dinner time on the night before - I just chill out after dinner and take my mind away from the exam. I get an early-ish night and make sure that I have packed everything I need for my exam in the morning.

In the morning I wake up with plenty of time to shower, wash and dry my hair and have breakfast at a leisurely pace. It takes me a while to fully wake up and so I want to make sure I am awake by exam time! Then I leave the house allowing plenty of travel time.

Once I get to school/uni for my exam I have a quick last look over anything I'm particularly worried about or want to get into my head. I make sure that on the outside I'm looking fairly chilled and relaxed because it seems to convince my mind that it feels the same!

When it comes to opening the paper I always get that little heart flutter of 'this is it'. My mum gave me a piece of advice when I was doing my GCSEs that has helped with exams ever since - take three long and deep breaths and then remind yourself that you are going to do your best because that's all anyone can ask for!

Here are a few things that I do to help calm my nerves under exam conditions:

1. Set out my table how I want it - Pens at the top right, pencils top left with a rubber and pencil sharpener in the corner, ruler underneath, everything in line with the table edges. I adjust my chair so that I am comfortable. This is my way of owning the space and making my self feel less like it's a big scary exam hall.
2. Deep, slow breathing - always a good one! If you tend to work yourself up try a quick breathing exercise whilst waiting for everyone to be seated. Its called the 4-7-8 breathing technique (4 seconds breathing in, hold for 7 seconds, 8 seconds breathing out). Some people say it makes them feel sleepy but if you are feeling anxious or stress, doing this a couple of times really helps focus you - plus the physiological benefits.
3. When you leave the exam don't talk about it! It's in the past there is nothing you can do! Dissecting it question by question is not going to help your stress levels so move on and do something different. If you have other exams take a bit of time to chill before getting back into revision, even an hour or two will help!

             Good luck to everyone taking exams! Just remember it's a small part of you life and who you are!

Halls...

This week it's all about Halls! I personally have never lived in halls (you can read my commuter blog from earlier in the year if you are thinking about Commuting) but many of my friends have - so I thought I would give you an insiders view of living in halls...

You can find lots more information about Living at Beds or specifically about Liberty living by clicking the hyper links. I would recommend attending an open day and taking a tour of the different accommodation that is available, plus you can then ask any questions you may have. 

Food Glorious Food!

Cooking at Uni can be a daunting task for some people so here a few tips to get you started:

1. Practice at home before you go 
2. Get family members to write down your favourite home cooked recipes in a way you can understand - better yet help them prepare it and make your own notes!
3. Help with the family food shop - this way you will get an idea about how much things really cost and where items live in a shop

Here are a couple of ideas of meals that can get you started - shoving something in the oven, like fish and chips/pizza/chicken nuggets is ok every now and then but you will get bored with it and won't do your health much good if you eat it with every meal!

Food Shopping

Here are some tips when you go food shopping:

1. Supermarkets reduce stock that is nearing its sell by date at the end of the day. Shop at this time for some great bargains. See the 2 photos - I got a £13.42 beef joint for £5.00 and a £1.35 loaf of bread for 19p! I cut the beef up into individual portions and froze it! That's 12 meals worth of meat for me! I love yellow sticker shopping!
2. Watch out for pricing - just because it says 'bigger so better value' doesn't mean it is! Below each price there is how much it costs per 100g/1kg/100ml/unit etc. so use that to compare prices to find the real cost.
3. Don't be precious about brands. Own brands can be just as good but 19p noodles are not a bargain - they taste disgusting and you won't eat them!
4. Do not go shopping when you are hungry! This only encourages you to pick up extra things that you don't need, which is not good if you are on a budget!
5. Write a list! Put on it your crisps, chocolate and cakes - that's ok! But when you shop you must stick to the list! I use an app called 'anylist' which means when ever I think of something I need I can add it to the list right then! You can share this list with others too so if you share it with your parents (who happen to be visiting at the weekend) then they might pick up some bits for you - BONUS!

Some Basic Recipes to look up:

Cook books are great but I am a fan of typing things like 'how to poach an egg for dummies' into Google for really basic instructions. Youtube is also great as you can actually watch people do things, so if you are unsure of how to cut up an onion, you can watch and learn.

Curry (Chicken, beef, lamb, veggie)

Stir Fry (great for when you need to use up things - and fairly healthy too!)

Spaghetti Bolognese

Steak and salad (this will make you very popular and is actually really easy!)

Home Made Beefburgers (Basically mince, onion and carrot - you can also make these meatballs)

Cook in the bag meals (all you have to do is put your meat in a bag, shake in the flavouring, tie it up, shove it in the oven and voila!)

Family Favourites (Find our how to make your families favourite meals - this will make you feel more at home at Uni, especially in the first few weeks)

One-Pan-Wonders (Or 2 pan for pasta/rice too):

I forgot to take a final photo -
I was too hungry!

These are great because it means less washing up!

In this photo I cooked everything in one pan. I did the meat first, then sweet potatoes and root veg (carrots, onions etc), then I added the meat back in and added other veg (sweet corn, peas, mushrooms). If you want you can add a sauce of some description but I just had it with a bit of Mayo and some salad that needed eating up. LUSH! 

Mega Lazy meal - salad from a bag
(reduced of course) and I cooked some
chicken to go with it

The less pots, pans and kitchen equipment you use the better really - especially if you hate washing up as much as I do! BUT I am always careful of using separate utensils for raw and cooked 

meat - I don't want to risk food poisoning!

Final Food Thoughts:

• Don't scrimp too much on food - enjoying your food helps keep people healthy but also happy!
• Use your FREEZER - this is a good way to save of wasting food & money! If you cook too much (which you will do to start with at least) then portion it up and freeze it to heat up and eat later.
• Slow cookers are AMAZING! It means you can buy less expensive cuts of meat, yet they still melt in your mouth! I often put on a stew/curry and leave it to cook all day when I'm at Uni and then when I get home and can't be bothered to cook - it's already done and ready to eat instantly!

Here is my infamous slow cooker - Nancy - who is loved by all!
We cook as a house and then people can have dinner when they get in and its
hot and yummy for everyone - no matter how late home you are!

Open Days!

Open days are a great way to get to know a University, whether you have already selected your choices or you are still looking at different possibilities, they give you
an insight into life at that Uni.



What is an Open Day? 

This is a day where people are welcome to attend to familiarise themselves, friends and family with the Uni. It provides advice with regards to the course you are interested in, what the accommodation and facilities are like and about services provided by the Uni.



What happens at an Open Day?

I have attended several open days and they tend to follow a similar format. At some point during the day there will be a campus tour, a visit to the accommodation, a visit to the sports facilities, a visit to the library,  a chance to speak to staff and potentially students who are specific to your course, a chance to discuss student finance and maybe a few talks on various subjects. Some faculty specific open days provide 'introductory lectures' so you can get a feel of how lectures work at the Uni. 

What do I need to do?

Firstly check to see if you need to book onto an open day, and if so do it.

Then turn up with a list of questions you would like answering - this may be through various talks, visits or by asking staff/students directly.

Make a note of the answers to your questions somewhere because you are bombarded with so much information that you won't remember everything!




What questions do I need answering?

Here are a few to get you started, but they are individual to you:

• What do you look for in a personal statement (Course Specific)?
• What is the UCAS tariff for this course?
• What have previous students gone on to do after graduating?
• Am I guaranteed a place in Halls if I apply for one?
• Do most students stay or go home over the weekend?
• How much do Halls cost? What does this include?
• What's the town/city like?
• (To students) How has the course been so far? What has the teaching/support/facilities been like?
• (To students) What is the best and worst thing about Uni?
• (To students) How do you manage money?
• What sports teams and societies do you have?
• What bursaries/scholarships are there available and how do I apply for one?

Want more information?

Visit the Universities webpage, search for them on twitter and facebook. 

There is some really useful information on UoB here: 
http://www.beds.ac.uk/howtoapply/oe/ug/visit which may answer some of your questions. 

Tips for Sport Degree related interviews!

Lots of people will be coming up for interviews as part of the UCAS process. There are lots of sports related courses out there so here are a few tips for University interviews generally and then for a couple of specific sport course types:

Interviews:

1. Be Early - This ensures you have time to familiarise yourself with the environment and reduces stress, so hopefully you will perform better
2. Dress smart - even if there is a practical element, take your kit in a bag to change into (unless you have been specifically told otherwise)
3. Smile - Be positive, happy and look interested. In the first 6 seconds of meeting someone they will have an idea about whether they are going to offer you a place or not. This is unfortunate but use it to your advantage. 
4. Practice - Draft a list of questions you think they may ask and write down answers for each one, with examples. Get someone to do a mock interview with you. This way you will feel more prepared and comfortable in the actual interview.
5. Don't be afraid to ask questions (on a tour of the University Campus or when invited to ask questions at the end of your interview are good times). Make them relevant but most of all LISTEN to their answers! They could provide insider information that you could use later on!

PE/Coaching:

• Know what the difference between 'PE' and 'Sport' is - they are not the same thing! "Pedagogy" is a good buzz word - look it up and see if you can incorporate it. 
• Know the National Curriculum - What it is now and how it has changed from the previous edition
• Get (or plan to get) experience working in a variety of schools/coaching contexts with a range of ages and activities. This will provide you with lots of examples and will show you are proactive.
• Don't talk about one specific sport - incorporate a range of sports, physical activities and other hobbies to show that you are not a 'one-trick pony' and can transfer skills. 

Sport and Exercise Science:

• Find out what facilities the university has - environmental chamber, cell lab?
• Know some types of performance testing and what they are used for (e.g. VO2 max, Wingate)
• Find out about what areas the Lecturers at the University are researching (Check the University website under staff)
• Know what types of jobs you could do with a Sport and Exercise Science type degree

There is lots of information out there about interview techniques but these are a few 'insider' tips that I don't think you'll be told elsewhere! If you have any specific questions please don't hesitate to comment and I will do my best to answer them!

Commuting...

I don’t live at University; I live at home and commute in. There are many advantages and disadvantages of this but I thought I would talk you through my thinking process when deciding where to live whilst studying at Uni.

Benefits of Living at Home:

• You know who you are living with, their habits, mess and their cooking abilities
• Meals are cooked for you (not always), and cost of food is split.
• Washing machine facilities are in the house – no dragging clothes to the laundrette
• Heating! (although in Halls this isn’t really a problem!)
• I could continue with my activities outside of Uni

Disadvantages of living at Home:

• Traffic - Rush hour traffic is a pain! You will devise several different routes to switch
  
  between just to keep the drive a bit more interesting.
• Sleep - Get used to having to get up earlier, you don’t have the option of rolling into lectures in your PJs!
• Social Nights out – You have to find somewhere to stay overnight, but once you have made a few friends I’m sure there will be a sofa you could sleep on!
• You don’t get to meet new people as easily – there is a wealth of life experience that can be gained from living at Uni that some people really value.

I’m sure you can think of more and specific things that apply to you in your own situations. For me it was a no brainer – I knew I wanted to live at home and commute in. It works really well for me, I don’t feel like I miss out on anything, and if I want to go out I crash at a friend’s house and then drive home the next day.  I think I have the best of both worlds, but it’s not for everyone.

Here are my top 3 tips to consider when deciding whether to live in or not:

1. How will you be commuting? Car, Public Transport? Easy route? Lots of transfers between trains/buses?
2. How long will it take? Remember to double this for 9am starts and 5/6pm finishes! Are you really going to be ok getting up at 6am, leaving the house at 7am, getting home at 8pm (or 11pm like I do after team training) to then have to drive back the next morning?
3. How much will each option cost? Remember to compare the finances of your options as this may help your decision.

     Here is the link to the Beds Accommodation: http://www.studentvillagebeds.com/ 

               Have a look and decide for yourself! 

The Student Juggling Act...

Here I am setting up the course!
It was freezing and really windy
 - don't let the blue
sky make you think otherwise!

This week I have been balancing working, studying and socialising – and I think I have done pretty well! Uni contact time has reduced from first semester as I have completed 2 modules completely, 1 will be done in March, another in April and then I only have 2 modules left which finish in May. This is quite good for me as I find studying whilst the weather is good really difficult, so the fact that I can get outside and work to make some extra cash is nice!

This week I have been helping to run an orienteering scheme called Xplorers (http://www.xplorer.org.uk/ for more information if you are interested), which has been funded by Central Bedfordshire Council and is free to the public. The summary of my job involves following a map to set up the course in a local park area, inviting people to take part and then handing out certificates to those who complete it. It’s great when it’s busy and the weather is good but not so much fun for me when it’s cold and wet! Here are a couple of photos of me setting up the course.

Good hiding spot!

Socialising and leisure have been balanced nicely; I have played more badminton, sung with my choir and chilled out with friends. I have packed for my cycle this weekend in the Isle of Wight, and it looks like I’ll be away for months with the amount of stuff I’ve packed “just in case”, despite being away for 2 days. The making and eating of pancakes has featured this week – my favourite being strawberries, raspberries, golden syrup and chocolate honeycomb bits – yum! (Sorry no photo – it wasn’t on the plate long enough!) I am not sure how but I have also managed to squeeze in watching the whole first series of Glee (yes, not for everyone but I love the musicality) which I believe totals approx. 16 hours. Not sure h

Another card...

ow I managed that, but nonetheless I’ve had a really productive week of studying too!

I’ve planned two assignments; I’m more than half way through one and will probably finish it next week, I’ve completed my core readings and tasks for the week and begun planning and reading for my dissertation! Very successful week I believe!

My Top Tips for Balancing Student Life:

1.      1. Organisation – Have a diary, either written down or, like me, do it electronically so that it syncs with all your devices. This way you are less likely to double book yourself!

2.       2. Planning – Plan everything! When you’re working, or at Uni, travelling times, when you can do your readings, sports – literally everything. This way you can use your time effectively – for example if I have 10mins spare, when I have travelled more quickly than expected, then I open one of my readings for the week and utilise the time.

3.       3. Sleep – Always make time to sleep! I cannot function with a few hours’ sleep, and the more often you do it the longer it will take to get your body back into a rhythm. Your body needs sleep to recover, physically, mentally and emotionally so don’t scrimp on it!

Work Hard, Play Hard!

Books, Badminton and Bike rides...

This week has been fairly relaxed after the stress of assignments and exams finishing last Friday. The main focus was on thinking about dissertation ideas, doing a bit of reading around and trying to come up with something that I am interested in – well enough to write 10,000 words on! I am due to meet my tutor later today to talk through some ideas, so I'll let you know how that all went at some point!

This is the Alexander Sports Hall (Students call it ASH) where
 the Uni Badminton teams train

Badminton has been a big feature of the week, combining training and matches I have played for at least 2 hours a day. The reason I love to play so much is because it’s a sport that can be played leisurely with friends or at high intensity and speed in competition! The Uni team this year is comprised of people who have not competed in badminton before and so training and matches has really improved their game play and tactical understanding. It’s really good to have people from different sporting backgrounds on the team too because it means training can be mixed up a bit to keep it interesting; people often bring new ideas to the table which means we have a laugh even when we are training hard.

Not even halfway!

Bike rides have been another key theme this week as I am currently training to cycle the circumference of the Isle of Wight for Charity (which is happening next Saturday – ahhh!!) and so I have been out practising for that! It has been a challenge but I feel pretty much ready for it now. I have found that for me the key is in the breathing, which sounds odd but has really helped improve my stamina and power output – especially uphill!

Pause for a Selfie!

As I said previously, it was an unusually quiet week, but plodding along has been a well-deserved rest! Next week is half term (although at Uni we don’t get half term) and I am working on a children’s camp, whilst still attending my sessions at Uni. So the plan for the blog next week will involve balancing life, Uni and Jobs and, hopefully, I’ll have some good stories to share from my Explorer Camp!

Introductions

Hi! My name is Steph, I am a second year Sport and PE (SPE) BSc (Hons) student studying at the University of Bedfordshire. I originally chose Bedford because of its locality but also the phenomenal history and reputation of PE education. I am thrilled with my choice! My course offers a wide range of topic areas from sport sociology, physiology, psychology and, most importantly to me, pedagogy (combination of teachers/teaching, learners/learning and knowledge in context). The SPE course offers in depth and current knowledge of these areas across all years, particularly in pedagogy, which the department prides itself on. They use lots of different techniques of assessment, not just essays, but podcasts, blogs, presentations and practical tasks so if you're not one for writing essays there are plenty of opportunities for you to show you know your stuff! 

The staff here are incredibly supportive, active in research and genuinely want their students to achieve their best. The SPE department are also keen to integrate technology in the classroom which I have found really helps my learning and remembering of content. 

I also currently captain the Women's 1st Badminton team. Sports teams and societies are great ways to extend your social network, learn new skills and challenge yourself. This has been one of my favourite parts of University! Another favourite part are the practical sessions for my course - I have learnt how to play ultimate frisbee, how to make cross country running more engaging to students and some non-traditional games. 

However, my favourite part so far has been the science internship that I completed last summer, working on a PhD project, in the sport science labs. I learnt so much spending time in the labs and the paper is now going to be published in an academic journal - with my name on it! This is particularly special for me as I would like to pursue a career in academia and research. 

The next coming weeks are looking quite good. I have completed a few modules now as we are now in the second semester and so I have less contact time, which means I can get cracking with the dreaded dissertation. But I genuinely can't wait! I have a few ideas in the pipeline at the moment, which I am sure I will share with you in future blogs, but I need to read the literature surrounding my area of interest first before ideas can be cemented. 

Please follow me on Twitter @stephwhite121 where I often get involved with various PE related discussions and tweets! My blogs won't always be written, I may try a VLOG or podcast, so if you have a preference then get in touch.  Let me know if there is anything specific you would like to know about and I shall make sure I cover it in a blog, otherwise... Speak to you next week!