Final sign off...

Just a short one today to say Goodbye! 

I have thoroughly enjoyed writing the PE and Sport Student Blog this year. I have learned a lot about my University having explored corners of it I otherwise would not have and hopefully I have drawn people's attention to the fact that it exists!

I hope that you have enjoyed reading/watching it and that at least some of the information was useful!

My future plans are to Graduate with a First Class (Hons) degree in Sport and Physical Education (BSc) and to go on to further study, for which I am on track! I plan to set up my own blog to record my experiences of further education and professional study.

If you would like to stay in contact please follow me on twitter @stephwhite121 and I shall follow you back! I am always happy to answer questions people may have about University life at Beds so drop me a line.


Thanks again,

Steph

GO Global!

Go Global! is a programme run by the University that allows students to spend a minimum of 2 weeks abroad at one of their partnering Universities. This was launched in 2013 and so far the students have explored parts of China. In 2015 there will be the option to choose from China or India. All trips and accommodation are included, all you have to worry about is getting a visa, travel insurance and getting yourself to and from the airport in the UK. 

This is something I am considering doing in the summer after I Graduate as I know a few people who have done it and said it was amazing! All you have to do it submit an application form that says why you should be chosen to go. 

The exact experience depends on the destination chosen but it tends to include visits to famous historical sites, tasting authentic local food, experiencing local life, various talks on things about the country and even basic language classes. 

The Go Global! Leadership award is something that will look great on your CV, can provide you access to work-ready programmes and will give you experiences that you will remember for the rest of your life. It's a great way to 'go travelling' with an organised tour, for not too much expense and all the hard work of booking accommodation is done for you!

Check out more here: Go Global!

What can I be doing be doing in the Summer before Uni?

Firstly RELAX and ENJOY YOURSELF! Most people will come from school/college and this will be their first proper break from education in a long time! But there are a few things that those who are keen to get started can be either thinking about or doing.


Earn some money - University is an expensive time before you even think about living costs and a social life! Having a resource of cash in the bank available to you before you come to Uni is really helpful - Especially during freshers week! I worked and built up a pot of 'spending money' and 'rainy day money' for Uni, meaning that during term time I don't have to spend as much of my free time working. I have a reserve fund if something comes up out of the blue, but more importantly I have money that I can spend on what ever I like! This just makes things less stressful when you get to Uni and everything is changing.


Get Experience - If you are planning to get a degree to do a particular job then get some experience of working in that environment if you can. For example, if you want to become a PE teacher then get experience in some schools volunteering. If you want to go into personal training then ask the local gym if you can shadow someone for the day.



Find the reading list - If you want to get a head start on your course then find the reading list and maybe even buy a few books. I would recommend that you don't go on a crazy spending spree because there will be some textbooks on the list that you will only need once and others that become essential for modules. Maybe visit the University Library as a Visitor to have a look at the books first? You won't be able to take them home but it could help you decide which to buy.

Buy Stationary - Think about how you are going to organise yourself whilst at Uni. Are you going to need pens/pencils/folders/highlighters/paper or are you going to go down the iPad/tablet route? Put a plan in action, it doesn't matter if it changes! Look out for back to school deals at the end of August and beginning of September.


Accumulate Living Items (if living away from home) - Yes I mean ACCUMULATE! Many friends/family members will have a surplus of kitchen utensils, bathroom stuff and washing things so ask around if anyone has anything going for free before you spend out on brand new things. I ended up with a microwave, plates, knives/forks/spoons, a few saucepans, a washing basket, a clothes horse, chopping boards, ironing board - and that's just the stuff I took! (I could have had a fridge, washing machine etc. but I didn't need it). This meant that there were only a few things I needed to buy new, and some of those I bought in charity shops! No-one at Uni has matching stuff, it's at risk of being broken/lost anyway so why waste money on it!

I drew the line at towels and bedding - I bought those new/took my own from home!

Add your University on Social Media - There will be loads of groups to join/follow surrounding your University, from official events to freshers events to clubs and societies. These are a great way to interact with people before you get there or even just keep an eye on what is happening so that when you arrive, you feel like you know what's going on. 


I'm sure there are plenty of other things to do during your summer but those are a few. I would highly recommend RELAXING because as soon as you get to Uni, you won't stop until you Graduate - and even then you might have a job to walk straight into!

Lab Sessions!

On Sport and PE (and other Sports courses) we study subjects that require time in the laboratories to conduct testing and help develop our knowledge and understanding of concepts.

This was my last Lab session as a Second Year student - I've put together a short video for you to get an insight into what we get up to in Labs.

This particular lab was looking at nutrition and the use of fats and carbohydrates in different types of exercise. I have done sessions in the enviornmental chamber, which is really good fun!  

The lab sessions are a part of my course that I really enjoy! UoB has even been awarded funds by FIFA to conduct research for them, with regards to the upcoming World Cups! See more here: UoB FIFA. The facilities here are incredible and really help with learning the theory. 

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!