Hiya,
So a couple of weeks ago now I wrote a post about how I couldn't get over how quickly my first year of uni had gone! it's amazing to think that I've completed a whole year and am now the really serious part kicks in! Because lets face it, we all know that first year is a bit of a what could be called a 'doss' year and that it doesn't really matter. Which of course in a way isn't true, as all of uni must count in some way, especially when it comes down to the final year and your first year results may influence you getting a first or a second! Or of course unless you wanted to do a placement year or year abroad in that case you definitely need to be getting more than the 40% pass mark! but other than that first year is all about being a fresher, going out, enjoying yourself, throwing yourself into independant living and generally just finding yourself.
Now I will admit I think I was far too sensible for my own good really! I don't think I made nearly half as much of being a fresher as I should have done. By this I mean I was always one to favour a night in than going out enjoying myself. I think maybe that's because I'm not exactly the biggest drinker and to be honest the idea of getting absolutely hammered is not something that overly appeals to me! Which being a student in Leeds seems to be all about! So maybe looking back at the past year I should have let myself go a bit more and not spent so many nights in! But I guess we live and learn and there is no point looking back with regret as I did still have an amazing first year and certainly can say coming to uni in Leeds was the best decision I've personally ever made!
I've learnt so many life skills! I'm now so independent and the idea of living at home with my parents again seems almost uncomprehendable! At Christmas and Easter when I went home for a couple of weeks I just found it so strange having people trying to do things for me. I didn't like it really. I liked doing things for myself. Even the smallest things irritated me about suddenly not being so reliant on myself. You think I'd like suddenly being spoilt and having everything done for me again like my dinner's being cooked and my room being cleaned, but no. It was so odd, my Mum went to make my bed for me - something I'd like to add she never did when I lived at home! But for some reason it really annoyed me! It was like, I can do it myself!
Although maybe I shouldn't complain too much when she did use some amazing new bedding that she ordered specially for me from Resident Hall Linens! And I know this can't have come cheap, especially as living in the UK we have to pay for the international shipping fee! So all I can say is that I'm a very lucky girly! If you've never seen RHL's collection then OMG visit the site now! Yes click on the link now. It's imperative! In fact I'll post it again just underneath just to make it even easier for you! They do some amazing designs and patterns perfect to suit any room and I could spend ages looking through the site picking out my perfect items. I'm actually quite looking forward to getting to choose some new things for when I move into my new flat in September. I'm already thinking about what ones I might get! Of course I think I'll have to stick with my favourite pink colour scheme, but who knows if something alternative catches my eye I'm certainly open to giving it a go.
So what do you think I should go with?
The options of bedding is limitless, just take a look for yourself - http://www.rhl.org/ShopBy/Bedding and not forgetting storage too! - http://www.rhl.org/ShopBy/Storage
Oh Residence Hall Linens really do spoil me for choice!
Emily x
NB: This is a sponsored post. Views promoting the Residence Hall Linens Company.
Hello everyone,
It's only actually just really dawned on me the fact my first year at uni is over :( I've had many ups and downs along the way. Times of pure joy and which I can say have been the best moments of my life. But of course this is counteracted with lots of stressful situations where I've felt so stressed and low that I've been on the verge of a breakdown! Although I will admit that personal factors played a part in that too!
But to think I'm now at the end of what has been a truly incredible Fresher's year. Just where did the time go? It only feels like yesterday I was moving in to my Halls of Residence, a naive and despite being extremely excited I will admit I was a little bit frightened too. I mean it was the first time I'd ever lived on my own. The first time I'd been away from home for what was going to be longer than a week! How was I seriously meant to cope? Would I cope at all? So many questions. I didn't even know who to turn to either. I felt too bad ringing my parents as I knew they were emotional wrecks too! I mean their little girl was moving away and not even a little way away... a whole five hour journey away! So believe me if I wasn't coping and wanted to go home it simply wasn't an option! But fortunately after the very initial homesickness, which if I'm being perfectly honest, only lasted for all of a day or so, I was so happy to have finally gotten true independence.
So if you're going to be going to uni this year and wondering how you're actually going to get by without your parents, it is easier than you think! One thing I was surprised at was how quickly I picked up so many new essential life skills! I mean I actually learned how to do things for myself. I always thought when living at my parents home that I wasn't too bad in terms of knowing how to do things. I mean I knew how to cook basic foods before e.g. pasta, beans on toast but now I can do full on creative dinners! Students do not have to live off very basic dinners! I now cook everything from curries, to Mexican dishes to inventing my own throw together meals (believe me you can get very inventive when you're faced with a number of foods in your fridge that all need using up before they go off! In fact I may even post a list of some of my culinary inventions soon just to help any new freshers make cheap and healthy foods.Or of course any body who like the sound of some of them and just fancies giving them a go! They are nice, honest.
Anyway back to the skills I've learnt. I of course knew how to tidy up and things. You know all the usual things like making your bed, hoovering, wiping over sides, etc. But you actually learn to see how important it is to do it regularly. Plus I actually make the effort to do things like washing up immediately I can't stand having dirty dishes laying around now.. a la my housemates! In fact I've become a bit of a kitchen snob! I hate the way my housemates treat the kitchen and the way they're so messy and dirty. Things are getting so bad we've had mould! Yes they're that disgusting You may think how can I live like it? Well there's two reasons, one uni also teaches you to tolerate people a lot more! But two you also learn that you can't give it to people and clean all their things all the time otherwise they just expect it! So if you're going into halls be warned, not everyone you live with will be hygienic! But as long as you are that's all that's important!
Actually saying that one thing I will admit I didn't do for about a whole 3 months when I first moved in was change my bed sheets! How terrible I know?! But I do have a valid reason, I couldn't physically do it! My bed was just ridiculously difficult to change the sheets and duvet cover on! It took me like a whole hour to do it on my first attempt! Which of course it utter madness! I rung up my Mum to complain that I had such issues with this and she admitted that the bed I have at uni is particularly difficult to put a sheet on due to the strange shape of the mattress (it's a 3/4 bed so it's just a bit bigger than a single but not quite a double). Plus it seemed to take forever to dry the sheets and things anyway! Having more than one bed cover set is something I'd definitely recommend doing! One website you might want to have a look at is: http://www.rhl.org/. Residence Hall Linens actually do some really nice ones and they're affordable too! Plus if you use this special code I've posted at the bottom of my blog post you get a bigger discount as well! So well worth a look at, in fact this is an even more specific link to the RHL website: http://www.rhl.org/ShopBy/Bedding/
Yes girls I know this is only really good if you're from the US but you can get it shipped over like I did with one and it's not that expensive if you get good deal on the international postage. I'm quite fortunate I have family in the US who shipped it over but I think even straight from the company it's still fairly reasonable! It's just a shame you don't have the same in the UK! America seems to have everything!
DISCOUNT CODE: "MAYSAVE25RHL" which takes $25 off Value Packs ONLY.
Anyway I'm sure you're all searching the RHL website now looking at all their products! Do you think you'll be trying any of them?
Emily x
