Surviving the Unexpected: The Life of a YA Cambridge Student!

Saturday, 19 September 2015

Fundraising for Morocco

Gagner de l'argent, c'est difficile n'est-ce que pas? Avant de partir l'Angleterre pour voyager au Maroc, il faut que je trouve un peu d'argent pour que je ne sois pas complètement pauvre pendant mon année à l'étranger, surtout parce que je dois payer pour mon boulot bénévole...c'est un peu bizarre je sais mais l'association caritative avec qui je travaillerai est très petite et donc elle ne peut pas payer pour tout...mes vols, mon logement, mes études, la formation, ma nourriture etc.

Therefore I have had to think of some ways to fundraise. While I will still receive (a slightly elevated!) student loan and support from my parents, which will more than cover my food, fees for my study placement in Rabat and my flights, I still have to raise £3900 to pay for my food, accommodation, training and a small donation to Moroccan Children's Trust (MCT) for my voluntary placement with them.

Luckily, MCT have been super helpful and sent over some advice on fundraising and I have a friend who has just returned from a voluntary placement in the Philippines so she has been able to give me lots of advice.

Firstly, I set up a justgiving page to a) encourage family and friends to donate and b) keep track of how my fundraising is going, which can be found in the menu bar of this page (hint hint hehe). Unfortunately, while my friends and family have been super generous, this will not be enough to reach my target. Therefore I have also contacted many different important members of the community, such as the Chief Constable, local solicitors and heads of local businesses to ask for their advice as to any grant giving organisations I can apply to. They have been incredibly helpful and in fact the £400 grant which I have already received is from Nelsonspirit which was recommended to me through one of these connections. I have also taken up some sponsored tuition jobs. This means I tutor in French for one hour a week and my tutees, instead of paying directly to me, agree to give a donation of £20 to my fundraising effort. Through this I estimate I have raised around £200. Finally, I am now looking a grant giving organisations and charities and making applications. There are a few search engines online to help you find appropriate organisations and MCT give advice on how to write application letters, making this process really simple.

Merci à tous pour avoir lu cet article! J'ai déjà gagné plus que £1000 et j'espère que je pourrai gagner en plus!

A plus!

Verity

🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷

Thursday, 13 August 2015

Cruelty Free Reviews II

I've recently become more interested in make up again and so have been experimenting with lots of cosmetics and toiletries which are cruelty free! These come from four main brands: Soap and Glory, Superdrug own brands, Lush and Barry M.

Superdrug Own Brands

48 hours Antiperspirant Deodorant

To be honest, I have no idea if this lasts for 48 hours...however, I can tell you that it lasts through an energetic 9 to 5 job working with kids. It has a gentle smell which does not become overwhelming with sweat (does anyone else get that when they sweat?)

Four out of five stars.

BB Eye Cream in Light

This has a brush head and you have to squeeze the tube to get the cream out. Its nice and light, but still gives good coverage. Works great as a primer before concealer.

Four out five stars.

Conditioning Cuticle Oil Pen

Makes it super easy to push your cuticles back and leaves them in beautiful condition.

Four out of five stars.

Witch Hazel Mud Mask

Works so well! It leaves your skin feeling so pure and clean. Only slight downside - if I'm having a sensitive skin day it feels a little overly tingly and leaves my skin looking a little red.

Four out of five stars.

Simply Pure Moisturiser for Sensitive Skin

I personally haven't tested the SPF of this because I need a higher SPF as I burn crazily easily! This is incredibly calming, no fragrance and very hydrating.

Four out of five stars.

Simply Pure Cleansing Face Mask

A good daily face mask, but if you're having a really bad break out, you'll need something stronger.

Three out of five stars.

Elegant Touch Protective Nail Glue

Keeps fake nails on reasonably well, but leaves nails in really bad condition! I used this several weeks ago and it's still stuck to my nails, even though the nails came off after about a week.

Three out of five stars.

Vitamin E Refreshing Toning Mist

Smells nice and feels nice, but to be honest, I don't really feel like it does much!

Two out of five stars.

Nourishing Creme Bath

Smells great, foams reasonably well, leaves skin feeling soft.

Three out of five.

Simply Pure Foaming Cleanser

Little fragrance, great for sensitive skin. Lathers very nicely, great for taking off face masks, but still very soft on the skin. Absolutely love this product.

Four out of five.

B. Pure Micellar Water

No fragrance and good for sensitive skin. It does occasionally sting my eyes if they're having a sensitive day.

Four out of five.

Make Up Artist Nail Polishes

I'm pretty sure this brand is owned by Superdrug. These nail polishes apply really well. However they feel cheap, as they chip really easily. The top coat takes on the colour of your other nail polish as you apply and it doesn't really protect it.

Two out of five stars.

Soap And Glory

Soap and Glory Scent

I was so excited to find a cruelty free perfume as I love perfume but have yet to find a brand that is cruelty free. This stuff is very cheap (think this medium sized bottle was £15). I think it's eau de toilette based. It smells great - very similar to other Soap and Glory products, but it doesn't last on the skin very long - only a couple of hours.

Four out of five stars.

Kick Ass Concealer

This product is a 3-in-1. It contains an illuminating under eye concealer, facial concealer and a setting powder. Both work well and don't crease up and the setting powder is a lovely touch and great for use if you don't want to use an all over facial powder.

Four out five stars.

Kick Ass Stick Concealer

I was actually quite disappointed by this product. The lightest shade is very yellowy and doesn't suit my skin tone. It doesn't offer very coverage and yet is is very greasy and heavy and creases really easily. I bought it for use on my under eyes, but I really hate it. I didn't even finish this product up, which is unusual because I hate waste.

One out of five stars.

Supercat Eyeliner Pen

I love this product. It has a felt-tip style nib, which is great for my super-sensitive eyelids. You don't need to constantly refill which is great and it lasts for ages. I also find that it stays on my lids really well, though it does take a little while to set. I've already repurchased it.

Five out of five stars.

The Righteous Butter

I really like the scent of this, but despite marketing itself as being for very dry skin, I don't actually find it very hydrating.

Three out of five stars.

Thick and Fast Mascara

I like this product a lot. It's pretty good at being both volumising and lengthening, but it doesn't do either to an extreme. It stays on really well and gives a lovely natural look. The colour is really dark as well. Takes a while to dry though which can lead to smudges and can be a little clumpy after a while.

Four out of five stars.

Lush

Fun Bar

I only have this product to mention at the moment, although I do love their products. However I find them a little pricey. My fiancé bought this for me as a treat as we recently moved close to a Lush Store. It lasts for AGES as you only have to uses a tiny pinch. It feels like playdough and can be used in the bath or shower. It has a lovely citrusy scent.

Four out of five.

Jessica Fusion - Base Coat

Works really well, goes on very easily and doesn't smell too strongly. I also bought some fast dry drops from this brand, but they didn't really work at all. This product is a little pricey and hard to find, but it lasts a very long time.

Four out of five stars (one out of five for the fast dry drops)

E.L.F Pan Stick in Apricot

This product is great. It lasts ages, it smells of apricots, the colour really suits my skin tone, it's very cheap (I think this was £2), it goes on very easily and has great coverage. However you can only order it online.

Four out of five stars.

Barry M

Natural Glow Eyeshadow Palette 2

This palette contains loads of great natural colours, as well as an eyelid primer. The colours are very pigmented and the primer works really well, however once you've used it for a while, the primer gets a little clumpy.

Four out of five stars.

Dazzle Dust - Old Gold

This product lasts for ages. I think I've had this pot for two years at least. It seems a little pricey because it's about £4 for a tiny pot, but it does last for ages. It's very sparkly and glittery,however it does rub off and smudge quite easily. It creates a great look though.

Four out of five stars.

Barry M Nail Polishes

I absolutely love Barry M nail polishes. The colours are great, they apply really well, they don't have too bad a smell and they don't chip when used with a good top and base coat. However, I would say the new Sunset Gel look UV set range aren't worth the extra money- they look exactly the same as the others.

Four out of five stars.

Flawless Matte Powder

Does what it says on the tin. Colour suits my skin tone and it does a reasonably good job at mattifying my shiny patches. Nothing special.

Three out of five stars.

Afterglow Light Bronzer

A very good bronzer, goes on well (perhaps too well as its very easy to put too much on!). Possibly slightly orange in tone. Great for pale skin though.

Three out of five stars.

And that's all folks!

Monday, 20 July 2015

Je me présente!

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Hello! I'm 21 years old and I'm a student at Cambridge University, reading French and Arabic. I've just finished my second year and so next year is my Year Abroad. I will be studying and working voluntarily in Morocco. Currently, I am living with my fiancé in a small flat in Norwich and I work part-time as a teacher of English, Drama and French. My hobbies include drama, reading, writing, watching TV, listening to music, sewing, knitting and art. I love spending time with my family, going on walks and travelling. This year, I am going to Italy twice and Paris once. I had a gap year and spent it doing drama, reading for pleasure, working in a theatre and working in a shop at Christmas.

I look forward to sharing my year abroad with you!

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Coucou! j'ai 21 ans et je suis étudiante de français et arabe à l'université de Cambridge. Je viens de finir ma deuxième année et donc l'année prochaine c'est mon année à l'étranger. J'étudierai et je travaillerai en Maroc. Actuellement, j'habite avec mon fiancé dans un petit appartement à Norwich et je travaille à temps partiel comme prof d'anglais, de l'art dramatique et de français. Mes loisirs sont: l'art dramatique, la lecture, l'écriture, regarder la télévision, écouter de la musique, la couture, tricoter et l'art. J'adore dépenser de temps avec ma famille, faire la promenade et voyager. Cette année, je vais aller en Italie deux fois et Paris une fois. J'ai pris une année de césure et je l'ai dépensé en faisant de l'art dramatique, en lisant pour plaisir, en travaillant dans une théâtre et en travaillant dans un magasin pendant la période de Noël.

J'ai hâte de partager mon année à l'étranger avec vous tous!

Friday, 2 January 2015

52 Books in 2014

Last year I set myself the challenge of reading 52 books (so, one a week) and I actually managed it (with one extra, though many were plays/poems/etc...)! The books, in order of date read are:

1) Christmas at the Cupcake Cafe - Jenny Coglan

2) Les Amours - Pierre de Ronsard

3) Le Bel Inconnu - Renaut de Beaujeu

4) This Star Won't Go Out - Esther Earl

5) The Happy Housewife - Heleen van Royen

6) Thursdays in the Park - Hilary Boyd

7) Le bleu est une couleur chaude - Julie Maroh

8) Frog Music - Emma Donoghue

9) Central Cambridge: A Guide to the University and Colleges - Kevin Taylor

10) A Little Love Song - Michelle Magorian

11) The Fault in Our Stars - John Green

12) Let It Snow - John Green

13) All My Friends are Dead - Avery Monsen

14) My Mother Said I Never Should - Charlotte Keatley

15) Phaedra - Jean Racine

16) Bluestockings - Jane Robinson

17) Kimberly's Capital Punishment - Richard Milward

18) Fifty Shades Darker - E.L James

19) Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy - Helen Fielding

20) A Tiny Bit Marvellous - Dawn French

21) Oh Dear Silvia - Dawn French

22) You're the One That I Want - Giovanna Fletcher

23) A Room of One's Own - Virginia Woolf

24) The Infinite Gift - Charles Yang

25) Tiny Sunbirds Far Away - Christie Watson

26) Wedding Night - Sophie Kinsella

27) 1000 Years of Annoying the French - Stephen Clarke

28) Call the Midwife - Jennifer Worth

29) Mrs Dalloway - Virginia Woolf

30) Ourika - Claire de Duras

31) Where Have All the Boys Gone? - Jenny Coglan

32) The Complete Maus - Art Speigelman

33) Bridget Jones's Diary - Helen Fielding

34) Atonement - Ian McEwan

35) French Lessons - Ellen Sussman

36) A Girl is a Half-Formed Thing - Eimear McBride

37) Middlesex - Jeffrey Eugenides

38) Christmas with Billy and Me - Giovanna Fletcher

39) Billy and Me - Giovanna Fletcher

40) La folle journée ou le mariage de figaro - Pierre Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais

41) Everyday Sexism - Laura Bates

42) The Christmas Truce - Carol Ann Duffy

43) Mrs Scrooge - Carol Ann Duffy

44) Bethlehem: A Christmas Poem - Carol Ann Duffy

45) Not That Kind of Girl - Lena Dunham

46) The Christmas Mystery - Jostein Gaarder

47) L'éducation sentimentale - Gustave Flaubert

48) Wenceslas: A Christmas Poem - Carol Ann Duffy

49) Another Night Before Christmas - Carol Ann Duffy

50) A Child's Christmas in Wales - Dylan Thomas

51) Le barbier de Séville ou la précaution inutile - Pierre Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais

52) Pugs in Costumes

53) The Dinosaur that Pooped Christmas - Tom Fletcher

100 Films of 2014...

Every year for the last couple of years I have set myself the challenge of reading 50 books and watching 100 films. I may have somewhat failed on the films...(though did succeed on the books!) In case you're interested, here are the films I watched in 2014...(bold means it was the first time I had seen it)

Anchorman (2004) – Adam McKay
Disgrace (2008) – Steve Jacobs
The Room (2003) – Tommy Wiseau
The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012) – Stephen Chbosky
Intouchables (2011) – Olivier Nakache, Eric Toledano
This is the End (2013) – Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg
The Great Gatsby (2012) – Baz Luhrman
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001) – Chris Columbus
Little Voice (1998) - Mark Herman
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2003) - Chris Columbus
Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) - Blake Edwards
Did You Hear About the Morgans? (2009) - Marc Lawrence
Moulin Rouge (2001) - Baz Luhrman
Tomboy (2011) - Céline Sciamma
10 Things I Hate About You (1999) - Gil Jungey
Like Crazy (2011) - Drake Doremus
After Porn Ends (2010) - Bruce Wagoner
Morning Glory (2010) - Roger Michell
The Magdalene Sisters (2002) - Peter Mullan
Anita and Me (2002) - Metin Hüseyin
Strangers on a Train (1951) - Alfred Hitchcock
Cléo de 5 à 7 (1963) - Agnès Varda
Breathe In (2013) - Drake Doremus
The Bling Ring (2013) - Sofia Coppola
Love Me if You Dare (2003) - Yann Samuell
Jeune et Jolie (2013) - François Ozon
The Artist (2011) - Michel Hazanavicius
Muppets Most Wanted (2014) - James Bobin
Clueless (1995) - Amy Heckerling
My Best Friend's Girl (2008) - Howard Deutch
Friends with Kids (2011) - Jennifer Westfeldt
Warm Bodies (2013) - Jonathon Levine
Crazy Stupid Love (2011) - Glenn Ficarra, John Requa
History Boys (2006) - Nicholas Hytner
Eat, Pray, Love (2010) - Ryan Murphy
Rachel Getting Married (2008) - Jonathan Demme
The Notebook (2004) - Nick Cassavetes
My Sister's Keeper (2009) - Nick Cassavetes
The Time Traveler's Wife (2009) - Robert Schwentke
Blue Murder at St Trinians (1957) - Frank Launder
101 Dalmatians (1961) Wolfgang Reitherman, Hamilton Luske, Clyde Geronomi
Frozen (2013) - Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee
The Fault in Our Stars (2014) - Josh Boone
Saving Mr Banks (2014) - John Lee Hancock
Lovelace (2013) - Rob Epstein, Jefferey Friedman
Sunshine on Leith (2013) - Dexter Fletcher
Ratatouille (2007) - Brad Bird, Jan Pinkava
Her (2013) - Spike Jonze
Philomena (2013) - Stephen Frears
Catching Fire (2013) - Francis Lawrence
Begin Again (2014) - John Carney
The Lego Movie (2014) - Phil Lord, Christopher Miller
Boyhood (2014) - Richard Linklater
The Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) - James Gunn
August: Osage County (2013) - John Wells
The Inbetweeners 2 (2014)
The World's End (2012) - Edgar Wright
Mary Poppins (1964) - Robert Stevenson
A Long Way Down (2014) - Pascal Chaumeil
Brief Encounter (1945) - David Lean
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) - Jim Sharman
Beauty and the Beast (1991) - Gary Trousdale, Kirk Wise
Pocahontas (1995) - Mike Gabriel and Eric Goldberg
Remember Sunday (2013) - Jeff Bleckner
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) - Gary Trousdale, Kirk Wise
Tarzan (1991) - Chris Buck, Kevin Lima
Anastasia (1997) - Don Bluth, Gary Goldman
Supersize Me (2004) - Morgan Spurlock
Nativity (2009) - Debbie Isitt
Just Like Heaven (2005) - Mark Waters
The Aristocats (1970) - Wolfgang Reithermann
9 to 5 (1980) - Colin Higgins
Love Actually (2003) - Richard Curtis
Paddington (2014) - Paul King
Lady and the Tramp (1955) - Clyde Geronomi, Wilfred Jackson, Hamiliton Luske
What We Do in the Shadows (2014) - Jermaine Clement and Taika Wakiki

Sunday, 7 December 2014

Review | Cruelty Free Hygiene Products

So after seeing a fantastic video on youtube (see here) about how, despite the change in EU law, a lot of products are still tested on animals (which I think is horrendously poor taste, but I am not here to lecture you), I decided to try to replace all products I currently use, with those which are cruelty free. Obviously, as a student I a) am on a budget and b) don't wish to throw money away by binning products I have already bought but have since discovered are not cruelty free, so this is a slow process. With that in mind, here is a collection of reviews of the products I have already tried:

1) Cosmetic Warrior, Lush
Lush is not only cruelty free, but also known to use lots of fantastic natural ingredients. It's a little pricier than I would like, at £6.50 and as it is a fresh face mask, it only lasts for 2 weeks and for those 2 weeks it has to be kept in a fridge - somewhat problematic if you live in shared accommodation. However, I tried it last night and my skin feels amazing - so much fresher and clearer than it has done for weeks, and it already seems to have calmed the spots I had. It has anti-bacterial tea tree and spot busting garlic so it does smell quite strong and not particularly girly, but I didn't mind that. 5/5 stars!

2) Superdrug Hair Therapy Oil with Argan

This stuff is amazing. It smells great, it doesn't feel too greasy on your hands and it sinks in very quickly to your hair. However it is a little pricey again - £4.49 for 50ml which doesn't last very long! If you have medium - long hair you will need to use quite a lot, but it definitely makes your hair smoother and shinier. 4/5 stars!

3) Superdrug Extracts Conditioner Coconut and Almond

This product smells absolutely wonderful and makes me want to eat my own head it smells so delicious. It also feels very lovely in your hands, rinses out well and is very reasonably priced at £1.99 for 400ml. However, it is not particularly good at conditioning - it requires quite a lot to coat your hair and even if left in for 5 minutes, it does not feel particularly sleek afterwards. 3/5 stars.

4) Superdrug Essential Cleansing Wipes - Fragrance Free

These are probably the worst product I've tried so far. Despite being fragrance free, they had an odd smell and felt quite tingly on my skin (again despite supposedly being for sensitive skin.) They did however remove make up quite well. 2/5 stars.

5) Superdrug Essential Cleansing Wipes - Combination Skin

These wipes are much nicer than the previous ones. They cleanse and remove make up very well leaving skin feeling fresh although slightly dry. They have a pleasant subtle fragrance which does not linger. Both packets are very reasonably priced - only £0.99 and very often on 3for2 or similar. 4/5 stars.

6) Simply Pure Cleansing Face Mask

I have only tried this product once and so have not come to a particular verdict. It doesn't really smell of anything, as it's designed for sensitive skin, however it had quite a pleasant texture and seemed to help brighten my skin. 3/5 stars

7) Superdrug Shea Butter Cotton Fragranced Shower Gel

Unfortunately I couldn't find a picture on their website - I hope this doesn't mean it's being discontinued! This shower gel is lovely; it lathers up wonderfully, smells amazing and leaves you feeling very clean and fresh. 5/5 stars.

8) Superdrug Mouthwash and Electric Toothbrush Replacement Heads

Again, oddly could not find an image online for either of these products. The mouthwash I've tried (the pink one?) has a pleasant taste - minty with cloves - although the aftertaste isn't the best. The replacement heads work well with my Oral B toothbrush although are a little on the small size and the bristles a little stiff. Both reasonably priced, although if the heads hadn't be on offer, they would be a little pricey, but no more so than any others. 3/5 stars.

9) Hello Mojito Mouthwash

This product has wonderful product design. The packaging is fun and inviting. However, it tastes a little odd, and not particularly like mojito, didn't leave my mouth feeling particularly clean and a £4.99 was quite expensive for mouthwash! 2/5 stars.

Wednesday, 1 October 2014

10 Things to Pack Before Leaving for Girton College #freshers

1. A bike!

As members of other colleges will NEVER tire of telling you, Girton is literally miles from the centre. So unless you fancy trudging through all weather for an hour to get to lectures, this blogger recommends a bike!

2. A swimming costume!

One of Girton's finest features is that it is the only Cambridge college to have its own (heated, indoor) swimming pool! Huzzah!

3. An ethernet cable

I think this applies to all colleges...Cambridge lives in the dark ages and there is very little chance of you getting wifi in your room.

4. A wifi repeater

...having said that, pick up one of these bad boys for £15 on Amazon and wifi is yours! (And possibly everyone else's on your corridor if, like me, you're technologically challenged and cannot work out how to put a passcode on. I reckon by third year, I'll be there.)

5. A bike lock!

No one likes having to trudge two and a half miles home in the pouring rain because they didn't bother to lock up their swanky new bike. Having said that, number 1 should be an old bike, because then people are less likely to nick it.

6. A sense of humour

Girtonians need to be able to laugh at themselves, because lord knows everyone else will. ;-)

7. A fancy outfit

Again, applicable for all colleges. This is required for putting under an academic gown for various events, including, but not limited to: meeting the mistress, the Matriculation Photo, Matriculation formal and multiple formals at other colleges where you get rip roaringly drunk and tell basic strangers your darkest secrets. Ahem.

8. A fancy dress costume, probably 90s themed.

There will definitely be a fancy dress Ent/Bop/club night at some point during your first year and most likely on a week day night during Freshers week so come prepared. 90s seems to be a popular theme, so if the details haven't been released yet then it's probably a safe bet.

9. Your brain

Likely to be required for lectures.

And finally...

10. Waterproofs; waterproof hats, gloves, trousers, coats, anything.

Because cycling in the rain in a cotton dress, tights and a cardigan might not be that bad, but steaming in lectures as you dry off is.

Bonus items: deodorant and a watch.

Girtonians are notorious for turning up to lectures late and sweaty due to the cycle ride. You have been warned.

Friday, 23 May 2014

Sitting the Cambridge Tripos

Ok, so once you get over the hilarity that the Cambridge exam is called the tripos, because of the tiny little three-legged stool students had to sit on to take their exams orally way back when, you begin to realise that it's actually quite a daunting process. And among the myriad of reasons why it's daunting, for me the most daunting is how different it is from GCSEs and 'A' levels. And as I sat my first tripos exam today, it seemed like the most appropriate time to assess these differences.

1. It is not moderated by a nationwide body.
These means that it is very likely that you will you know your examiner. However, unless you are one hundred per cent sure, this is probably not worth bearing in mind, as all your papers are anonymous and it's probably going to be marked by several examiners. So the best thing to do is forget that your supervisor might be the one reading it and relax.

The fact that it's not moderated by a nationwide body may also mean that the exam is tweaked every year. It's best to ask your supervisor or whoever is teaching you to let you know as soon as possible how the tripos has changed, so that when you come to look at past papers, you'll know which bits are going to be useful for you. However, as your teachers may not be setting your exam, they may not be sure, and even if the are setting it, they may not do so until Lent Term.

2. You are unlikely to be given mark schemes until late in the year.
If, like me, you were trained to love mark schemes at A2, then you may want to consider asking your teacher early on if you can access them. If they are not forthcoming, then you could ask someone in the year above you who is doing your subject where you can access them. It is probably worth doing this, because it'll let you know exactly what your examiners will be looking for, but you shouldn't get too hung up on it, because there is no generalised mark scheme for the paper, but an individual one for each year. It may also be worth reading examiner's reports.

3. You may not be given much information about the exam until Easter term.
This can be frustrating as for 'A' levels and GCSEs, you are spoon fed the information about the exam and taught to jump through hoops. In some ways it's a good thing, because it encourages you to enjoy your education more broadly and not just learn information to regurgitate in an exam. However, it may be useful to look at a couple of exam papers in Michaelmas term in order to guide how you work during the year. For example, if I had known that my exam paper for Arabic would involve working out verb forms, I would have kept a tab of all the verb forms we encountered during the year. However, if you are prone to panic, I would suggest you do NOT look up the exams before Lent term...they can be a little frightening, particularly if you are studying a subject ab initio (from beginner's).

4. In your first (and potentially second) year, these exams count for very little.
Not that I'm saying you shouldn't work hard, because of course you should. But going from 'A' levels, where your exams were super important, because you had to get into Cambridge/a university of your choice, it may be hard to believe these exams, they count for very little. Yes, you are expected to work hard. Yes, you are expected to do well. Yes, a third is not considered well at Cambridge (not to demean a third at all in anyway, this is just Cambridge standards.) But you are very unlikely to get a third. Cambridge is hard to get into for a reason. But even if you were to, it is not the end of the world, Cambridge has many options to help you get passed that. And really, in your first year, all is required of you is to pass. Which is an odd place to be in when you're so used to pushing yourself to your limit. But I recommend you don't in first year. Yes, work hard, revise hard, don't procrastinate. But do put your mental health first and allow yourself a life. Make sure you get the work-life balance right and enjoy your time at Cambridge. And how can we do that? Set yourself curfews and boundaries; mine is that I am not allowed to work after 9pm.

Obviously there are many, many other differences, but I think these are the main ones. When it comes to exam preparation, the best advice I can give you is to relax, work hard but give yourself lots of breaks, prepare for the exams as far in advance as you can and finally, try to enjoy them!!

Saturday, 1 February 2014

My Literary Canon

This week saw the second in a series of Critical Theory seminars that I am obliged to attend as part of my course. Despite my slight lack of enthusiasm for them, due to their part in my being late to dinner and potentially missing the best food, so far I have found them very interesting and amusing.

In preparation for this week's seminar, we were asked to read the introduction to Terry Eagleton's book, Literary Theory: An Introduction, which suggests that "We can begin, by raising the question: what is literature?" before even attempting to criticise literature. Once I got over the excitement at being given the incredibly meta task of reading an introduction of an introduction, I knuckled down and got thinking about what literature means.

In my mind, there are two forms of literature: Literature and literature.

The latter is simply defined by being the written word, regardless of whether it is fiction or non-fiction, published or un-published, "good" or "bad." As long as it contains words (of any language) on some sort of page/screen/wall etc. then in my mind it is literature, as it can be read. And I think it is important to establish this idea in the minds of others, as to my mind ALL reading is good reading. Too many people shrug away the idea of becoming a reader, because it seems to stuffy/difficult/highbrow/posh/intellectual...when actually we are all readers. Whether you've devoured all the classics, like to read the occasional Glamour or simply glance over the ingredients on your cereal packet each morning, we are all readers. Which is good. Reading increases knowledge and also increases your desire for knowledge. And knowledge is power and knowledge means engaging with the outside world and caring about what is out there.

The former, Literature, with a capital L, is what we as a society commonly believe to be literature. That is, a written work that is most likely fiction, although sometimes this loose definition also includes poetry, dramatic texts and non-fiction, in the forms of autobiography, biography and philosophy, and also a work that has, for some reason, been deemed to be worthy of reading. This could be because it is on a particular subject matter, comes from a particular place (most "Literature", as you may have already noticed, is written by dead white men), but for the most part it usually contains a display of supposed mastery of the literary technique. Therefore, you can enjoy and learn from a book, without actually liking it.

However, while I do see the merits of Literature, I do think that it is an out-dated way of looking at the world of writing and can also be poisonous. It can encourage people to stick at reading books they don't enjoy, which could potential stress them or put them off reading and it can also discourage others from reading altogether as they think that it's "not for them."

As part of our seminar, we were asked to list 13 examples of literature that we would give to a martian if he turned up right now and said "I have just arrived on earth, took a look in Waterstones and I am very confused about literature. What is literature?" Of course, most of the works and authors we chose were from a literary canon that our society impresses on us as some of the finest works of literature; Shakespeare, Simone de Beauvoir, Homer, The Bible...but this got me thinking. Surely we all have our own, personal literary canon? That is, a group of books that we have enjoyed, even loved and that have changed our lives. With this in mind, here are my 13 books that would be in my canon if I wanted to show a martian (or anyone willing to listen, really) what literature means to me:

A Little Love Song by Michelle Magorian.
This one is an obvious choice for me, as it is without a doubt the book that I have read the most times. I discovered it when I was far too young for it, fell in love with the story, even if I didn't understand some of the more grown up parts. Despite not having particular literary flair, it is written competently and has a timeless story that draws me back to it again and again. And as it was something I picked up at a very young age, it feels as familiar as an old friend.

Lolita by Vladimir Nabakov
This was probably the first book to show me that you could at once disgust and entice me in a reading experience. The experience of reading it is so uncomfortable as you feel completely immersed in Humbert Humbert's brain, which is not a very nice place to be, and yet it is written in such a gorgeously poetic style that you can't help but be drawn in and what to know more.

Havisham by Carol Ann Duffy
The poem that taught me the meaning of the world 'oxymoron', renewed my love for writing poetry and sparked my interest to read more poetry. It also introduced me to a darker side of literature that I had not really explored before.

Oranges are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson
A beautifully written, powerful story of the pains of growing up and how it feels to be cast out by your community for being different, made all the more heart-wrenching because of the beautifully metaphoric descriptions of the world of King Arthur and his lover, Lancelot. This sadness is further heightened by its belonging to the memoir genre.

London Assurance by Dion Bouccicault
A fine example of a Victorian farce. Not a particularly pleasant read, but reading it led to the most pleasurable acting experience I have ever had.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
One of the first classics I read and one of the first examples of literature where its genre is so strikingly obvious. I adored the elements of gothic and loved being able to hate the protagonists for the first time.

This Be The Verse by Philip Larkin
One of the first poems I encountered with strong language, it also helped me to deal with a slightly tough situation that was going on at the time I read it. The poem shows us that usually people have the best intentions, even if it may not seem like it, and that you shouldn't judge others' imperfections, as they too have their own crosses to bear.

The Man He Killed by Thomas Hardy
Such a simple poem and yet full of such meaning. I find its simplicity and obvious confusion so striking and feel it really encapsulates the character the poet wanted to portray.

Room by Emma Donoghue
Again, the simplicity is what makes this book. Donoghue tackles the difficulties of writing as a child head on and performs wonderfully. So interesting and so dark at the same time.

The History of English in 100 Words by David Crystal
The first non-fiction book I have read since horrible histories that really grabbed my attention and held my interest. It has encouraged me to seek out more non-fiction in my reading, as it is so informative, so well written and yet so readable!

Horrible Science Series by Nick Arnold
The series of books that really sparked my interest in reading. As a child, I was precocious and did not understand the importance of reading. This series changed my mind.

My Naughty Little Sister by Dorothy Edwards
A fantastic series of stories that I loved having read to me as a child. It still holds a very fond place in my heart, so much so that I bought them for my niece for Christmas. Fun, light and entertaining, yet still somewhat moralistic.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
Possibly the first book I decided wasn't worth finishing. Thanks Jo, for pointing out to me that just because everyone else liked it, didn't mean you had to and that it was ok not to force yourself to finish a book.

Gosh, I really thought I was going to struggle to make it to 13 and yet I could still go on and on for pages about the books that have influenced my life (I won't, don't worry.) However, to finish up this post, someone honorable mentions:

Why We Broke Up - Daniel Hadler, The Fault in Our Stars - John Green, A Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde, The Constant Princess - Philippa Gregory, Disgrace - J.M. Coetzee, Mates, Dates and...series - Cathy Hopkins, Dancing in my Nuddy Pants - Louise Rennison, Girl, Missing - Sophie Kinsella, Twilight - Stephanie Meyer, 50 Shades of Grey - E.L James, Pulling Princes - Tyne O'Connell, Love Lessons - Jacqueline Wilson, A Streetcat Named Bob - James Bowen and A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens.

Please note: Books were not necessarily chosen because A) they are any good, B) I would recommend them or C) I actually liked them.