Don't watch this space

Over the last few months, I've been increasingly busy with university work, and my free time is full of people, mad rushing around between activities and commitments, and frantically trying to get the reading done for all my seminars. As such, I haven't had time to keep up this blog the way I'd like too. Some posts on here don't really reflect who I am or what I believe at the moment, such as my post on feminism recently. I'd love to write another post and reconsider what I originally wrote, but I just don't have the time. I'm also increasingly aware that the end of university and the days of Getting a Job are now within planning distance, and I'm not sure I want potential employers to read my fifteen-year-old musings on 'why my life sucks' - which is pretty much all the early posts. When I have time, I'll be looking through this blog and deleting/editing any content I don't want to keep online, and I probably won't be posting on here much in the future.

However, I am blogging on another site!  I now have a 'writer's blog' where I will be posting poems, short prose and updates on my failures as a creative writing student. If you are interested, it can be found here. 

Surviving University: Mental Health

If I could go back in time, and talk to myself this time last year, I would have reassured the younger me that university would be alright. I'd make friends, meet amazing people, and enjoy my studies. Although I can't tell myself that, I hope that these posts will serve to reassure other people starting university, and so I've tried to keep the tone of these posts positive. 

Yet - as you should have guessed from the blog title/image - this post will be a little different. 

Moving away from home and starting again in a new place will always be difficult. Looking at my year group, one year in, I can see that most people are happy, and looking forward to the next year, myself included. But finishing the year positively doesn't mean that the first year of university was easy. Everyone had problem days: deleted coursework, essay deadlines, break-ups, hangovers, broken equipment, student finance struggles, depression, anxiety, financial worries... Whilst the majority of students come through their difficulties, a very small number of students every year drop out of university,  or suffer serious setbacks. It would be disingenuous to pretend that this doesn't happen, and all students are happy, all of the time. If you're about to start university, you should have high hopes and expectations, but you should also be prepared for some tougher times, when it won't seem as shiny as the prospectuses make out. 

This is something I know about first hand. I've just passed the first year of my dream course with a solid 2:1. I've had some fabulous experiences, met some amazing people, and have a clearer idea of what I want to achieve in my future. September and second year can't come soon enough! But four or five months ago, I wasn't feeling quite so positive. I am one of the one in ten people - and one in four students - who struggles with mental health issues. Before I go on, let's talk about the term 'mental health'. 

'Physical health' is a pretty self-explanatory term, referring to whether you are free from illness or disease. As GCSE P.E. taught me, you can also be 'fit' - a state separate from health, defining whether your body is running at peak capacity. An athlete with a cold is fit, but unhealthy. I, on the other hand, am healthy(ish) but pretty unfit... 

Mental health is more complex than this, and more disputed. Some people argue that mental illnesses are imagined, or a by product of the society in which we live in, as exemplified by the ever-expanding Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, published in the US. Mental illness has a tremendous stigma surrounding it. (Check out this Huffpost blog by my friend Beth for more thoughts on this issue). 

My own problems are, thankfully, mild compared to some of the conditions I've seen friends fighting. Yet they do have a significant impact on my life. I have a mild form of depression, which I suspect began in my early teens. It wasn't diagnosed or treated until the summer before my eighteenth birthday, after a year in which I came close to screwing up my AS Levels, had panic attacks, become increasingly withdrawn, and attempted self-harm. During my second semester at university, my depression returned, and I began to question whether I belonged at university, or whether I was studying the right subject. I felt like a failure, out of my depth in my modules, and no longer able to make logical decisions about my day to day life. I dropped out of societies I'd been committed to in the term before - much to my present regret - and spent more and more time in my room, glued to my laptop. 

Thankfully, I recognised the symptoms, and after dithering for a few weeks, mustered the courage to see my doctor and my personal advisor. With the kindness of my friends and family, and some good advice, I was able to complete my first year and recover my mental 'health'. I will always have to watch myself carefully, trying to spot the symptoms of depression before it overwhelms me, but I know that it is something I can manage, and live with. 

The reason I'm telling you this isn't about sharing the details of my personal life, or trying to make myself some kind of martyr. On the contrary, the thought of telling people about my illness terrifies me, as it does all mental health sufferers. The fear of rejection and misunderstanding is a serious one for anyone with a mental health problem, and I am inspired by people who talk about their conditions publicly, such as the woman interviewed on the BBC this week about the benefits of antidepressants. 

One of the things that struck a chord with me in Beth's article is her statement that she 'felt as if she was being nothing more than a melodramatic teenager'. Too many people struggle in silence because they feel too ashamed and embarrassed to talk to anyone. If there's one thing I'd like you to take away from this blog post, it's that there is no shame in needing help. Admitting that you need help, like the proverbial fool who dares to ask a question, is the wisest and bravest way to tackle the situation.  

To this end, here are some very basic suggestions for protecting your mental health, and coping with the stresses and pressures of life at university. Whether or not you suffer from a mental illness, looking after your mental health, and supporting your friends, is important in getting through the challenges university throws at you. 

• Try to eat at least one 'proper' meal every day. Ideally you should be eating three meals a day and loads of fruit and vegetables. 
• Keep the amount of junk food and takeaways you eat down. The chemicals in junk food can act as depressants, as well as hurt your general well-being. On one of my worst days this semester, I drunk four litres of diet coke, as well as staying up late and only eating junk food. It was a weird, psychotic experience, and put me off diet coke for life.
• Exercise. Even if it's 'just' walking (like me!), make sure you get outside every day. 
• Watch how much alcohol you drink. Alcohol is a depressant; if you're already feeling low, it'll probably make things worse. 
• Try to create a regular sleeping pattern. I know this is difficult as a student, more so if you're struggling with insomnia - a frequent symptom of depression - but it really does help. Apparently, we sleep in four-hour blocks, so I reckon eight hours is probably the optimal amount of sleep per night for a student. Don't sleep in too often: it messes up your body clock, and makes you feel more tired. 
• Confide in your closest friends when you're feeling low, or just need a hug. In return, you can support them when they need you. Friends are lifesavers; don't keep it all to yourself. Talk to people, even when it's hard. 
• Treat yourself occasionally. Keep records of nice things people say to you, or things that inspire you. Put up posters that make you smile. Open your curtains during daytime (seriously, not everyone does this at university, but perpetual night WILL make you feel low!)
• Limit how much of your day is spent attached to a screen. Computers, phones, tv - it doesn't matter. If you have to work, then take regular breaks, and do something completely different in you breaks. I like to sit in the kitchen and bother whichever member of my flat is unfortunate enough to be in there with me ;)
• Be organised with your work. Keep a record of what you have to do and when it's due. I've done all-nighters. They're not fun. 

If you are concerned that you may have depression, or a related mental health issue, talk to your doctor. Some symptoms to look out for are: 

• struggling with low feelings on a regular basis
• rapid loss or gain of weight; eating too much or too little
• not sleeping properly; feel disproportionately tired; insomnia
• losing interest in hobbies or work, lack of motivation
• avoiding social contact
• low self-esteem
• suicidal thoughts or self-harming tendencies

Most importantly, don't be afraid to go to the support services at your university if you need them. They are provided to be used! Every university has a slightly different system, but there will always be support in place for you. At my university, the first port of call is my personal advisor, who monitors my progress overall, and looks out for my welfare. Next is the Dean of Students office, who are able to provide extra support, deadline extensions, and arrange councelling if necessary. Then there's the student-run support service, Nightline, who exist to provide an anonymous, listening ear. I believe there's even a society dedicated to supporting students with mental health issues. Lastly, there's the Medical Centre. 

The difference between school and university - between school and the rest of life - is that to reach these networks, you have to make the first step yourself and ask for help. When I 'crashed', half-way through my second semester, I thought I was a failure, for 'letting' myself get depression again. I was wrong. 

J.R. 

If you'd like me to blog further on mental health issues, please let me know. I'd be interested in exploring the topic and talking to people whose experience could be useful to readers of this blog, if it would be helpful. Leave a comment, or send me a tweet @corybantically. 

Surviving University: How Much Stuff Can I Fit In My Dad's Car?

Two weeks after returning from university for the summer, I have finally unpacked. At least, I've unpacked my clothes. And my books. I'm just trying not to think about the rest....

During your time at university, you will accumulate a lot of stuff, enough to fill two bedrooms - your university room and your room at home - with more stuff on the side. Living in halls is a step between living at home and complete independence, and it brings a lot of baggage with it - literally! 

For me, buying/acquiring my university clobber was liberating. I felt emotionally ready to move away and try out independent life, so the long afternoon we spent in the IKEA market area, searching for teaspoons and kitchen knives, was surprisingly exiting. Nothing tells you that you've become a grown-up quite like the moment when you realise you're excited about buying a colander. 

In my last year of sixth form, I thought that I'd become relatively independent, and wouldn't have any problems adjusting to living away from my family. I knew how to boil pasta, and could, hypothetically, use the washing-machine - I was sorted! Unfortunately, living alone isn't quite as simple as that. Washing-up doesn't do itself. Clothes become unwearable if you forget to hang them up after tumble-drying them; dust accumulates into thick carpets of grey fluff; a week of 'don't feel like cooking' can easily become a month. It sucks, but part of being independent is making yourself get up before midday on a Saturday to deal with the mountain of washing you've left yourself, or doing a Tesco run for toothpaste and washing-up liquid. (Tesco's own is cheaper than Fairy, by the way.)

I'm not writing this to scare you, if you're about to leave home for the first time. What I really want to tell you is that all this domestic stuff is manageable, and learning to do these things is an achievement. When I was younger my aspirations for the future usually involved becoming some kind of superwoman. I'd be a key person in the fight against poverty, become a missionary or an MP, publish books of poetry which would put me on the shelves in Waterstones (next to Gerald Manley Hopkins), maybe act in a West End show or two, with a few kids and a husband thrown in for good measure... One year into university, I haven't done anything unusual or world changing, but you know what? That doesn't matter. I got stranded in France a few weeks ago when the French Air Control Strikes meant my plane was cancelled. My friends and I managed to get to Toulouse, catch the only plane still flying, a domestic flight to Paris which had been delayed, navigate our way across Paris via the french Metro, catch a eurostar to London, and find a bus service which would take us over a hundred miles across the country in time to move out of our university accommodation for the summer. So whilst I might not have saved the world yet, I'm slowly, slowly becoming a competent adult. And that's something to be proud of. 

-

If you're not sure what to buy/take with you, here are some suggestions!

Kitchen Stuff

• 2 Saucepans, with lid
• 1 frying pan
• airtight container 
• freezer/sandwich bags and plastic clips for sealing packets
• colander
• cutlery, including a tablespoon (often required in recipes)
• vegetable knife
• small chopping board (look in IKEA. Optional though, you can do this on a plate)
• Bowls & plates - go for 2, maybe more if you have space.
• A small selection of mugs/glasses. Theoretically you only need 1 of each, so don't go crazy, especially if you are a natural mug hoarder like me. I have 8 mugs and a porcelain travel mug at uni, and I love them dearly but they take up a huge chunk of my desk... Okay. Back to the list. 
• Oven tray/dish. These can also be used in grills, but not microwaves. Make sure your bowls/plates are microwavable. 
• Wooden spoon
• 'Fish slice' - this is a big, flat metal spoon type thing. You can get right-angled ones for mashing potato, and the normal one is great for cooking meat, chips, or flipping pancakes. 
• Tin foil & clingfilm
• Kitchen roll, washing-up liquid, washing up cloths
• 2 tea-towels

Practical Stuff

• Check whether your accommodation provides irons, a kettle, or a toaster. If not, you may want to purchase them, but here I recommend waiting until you get to uni, as someone in your flat may have brought something. Most accommodation types do not allow kettles in rooms. 
• Lamp/fairy lights: Essential for making strip-lit uni digs bearable. 
• Books and DVDs: Try to pack light, and keep it to the essentials. I wanted to take the entirety of my 200+ book collection to university, but my parents (knowing me!) restricted me to just 12. Arriving home 7 months later with around 50 books, I understood why...
• A ringbinder, and a hole-punch to go with it. 
• A see-through pencil case for exams. Try the supermarket or WHSmiths. 
• A couple of canvas bags or bags-for-life; these will come in handy for shopping, or packing up your excess stuff to go home!
• If you own a bike, it's worth dropping by Halfords and picking up a few basics. My bike repair kit contains a bike pump, spare inner tube, screwdrivers, and a high-vis jacket. Check your pump works with the type of valve on your bike. I also recommend a D-Lock, as they significantly reduce the risk of your bike being stolen. It is also illegal to cycle on the road without bike lights. I bought my lights and D-lock for £15 from the university, so it's not expensive - and far less expensive then replacing your bike.
• Insurance. Some accommodation offers insurance, with conditions; some offer it as an extra. Some household insurance deals will partially cover your property. I hate dealing with insurance, and am dreading sorting it out for next year, but as I learnt after getting stuck in France with no travel insurance, it's a must. Endsleigh advertise themselves as 'the student insurance company', but their quotes are quite high, so shop around. 
• Set of small screwdrivers. Strangely useful .
• Blu-tack, envelopes, sellotape, push-pins (the type that go into noticeboards). Easy to forget, but all things I used on a weekly basis. Paperchase do some really cute animal pins, if you're that kind of person.
• A diary. I recommend this for two reasons. Firstly, you're going to be properly organising your own life, and life at university is busy. There are no regular hours, like at school, and if you miss a seminar or a society meeting nobody calls you and asks why you weren't there. Secondly, you're going to have a fabulous year, doing all sorts of weird and interesting things; no two weeks are the same! Keeping a diary with a note of where you've been will be a great keepsake in the future. 
• Towels and bed linen. Also, check whether your accommodation provides pillows and a duvet; my poor Dad had to drive around Norwich, looking for somewhere to buy bedding, as I'd assumed it would be provided...
• A couple of 'luxury items'. Whilst you should try and keep your packing minimal, and make reductions where you can (for example, only take clothes appropriate to the season etc), university has to feel like home! A few of small photographs or ornaments will really help make your room feel homely. I had a couple of framed photos, a squishy TARDIS, and some lovely bunting, handmade by a friend for me. I also took a rug and a small cushion from home, but again, check the rules. Rugs were technically banned in our residences, but no-one ever told me off for it...
• An alarm-clock or radio alarm. There's nothing worse than missing a lecture because your phone died in the night. 
• A laundry bag - IKEA bags are just the right size! Some friends of mine gave me a tub of small change for the washing machines, which I occasionally added to myself. 
• Washing up liquid or powder. I recommend liquid tabs, because they're effective and easy to use. And they smell nice. 
• Coathangers!

It sounds like a lot of stuff, so try and be minimalist where you can, and pack efficiently. I got all of my clothes into a camping rucksack by rolling them up tightly. 

Where to get your stuff

Supermarkets often do 'starting university' sales in late August, or early September, and this can be quiet a cheap way to pick up a few things, like bed linen and kitchen equipment. If you know someone with a Costco card, you could bulk buy a few food staples, but don't go mad - and keep it to non-perishable goods! IKEA, of course, is the king of cheap student living, but before you risk the temptations of the 'Market Area', it's worth asking around family for second hand kitchenware, or other bits and bobs. My kettle, plates, some of my cutlery, and pans where all second-hand or unwanted gifts from my kind family! Don't be embarrassed to ask - they'll be pleased to help you out. 

For books, try www.bookbrain.co.uk - they compare prices on all the big online book retailers to help you find the cheapest way of purchasing your course books. Amazon do a good student discount with the NUS Extra card, which is worth the £12 purchase if you're a regular Amazon shopper. It includes discounts in various restaurants and shops, but many shops will accept your university card for student discounts, so don't feel the NUS card is necessary. 

If you're using public transport to get to university, look into student discounts with bus and travel companies. The 16-25 railcard, which I have , takes 1/3rd off all rail travel, if bought in advance, and comes with free YHA membership. I bought a 3 year railcard for £65, which I think was a good deal for me. National Express coaches also do a student deal, but before committing yourself to it, find out if Megabus run the same route, as they tend to be drastically cheaper. At present I don't have a National Express membership, but it's something I'm considering. Travelling off-peak and buying tickets in advance will help you save money, and is a more pleasant way to travel. 

Food shopping at university can also be very expensive. It's easy to fall into a pattern of regular 'top-up' shopping, picking up oddments from the nearest Tesco Metro, but this is actually the most expensive (and unhealthy!) way to shop. If you can, try and keep this kind of shopping to the bare minimum. My suggestion is that once every month or two you go out to a big store and buy frozen food and non-perishable goods, like dried pasta and rice. It can be hard to buy for one person, so try and buy things that can be frozen or divided; for instance, I buy sliced bread and defrost it as I need it. Buying frozen veg is also a lot cheaper than buying fresh vegetables, although you should try to do this too! 

Meat is also very expensive, and being vegetarian has saved me a lot of money this year. Cheap meat is a false-economy; if you're going to buy meat, buy good quality but not too often, and don't let it go off. Meat can't be refrozen or reheated, so if you're buying something large, divide it up before you freeze it. 

If I think of anything else, I'll add it on - any suggestions welcome :)

J.R. 

Fear and Hope

One of the greatest blessings in my life are my friends. I get to spend my life with the kind of people who make a room brighter just by being there. The kind of people whose first response is always kindness and tolerance, who dream about doing brilliant things, who listen to the world and want to explore it. And being around these kind of people makes me want to be a better person, to deserve the love I receive from them and be able to try and return it.

Then the news is full of anger and violence and pain. Distorted people, blurring away from the cameras, fists in the air. We stand for ourselves. Not them. Out. An eye for an eye. 

And they seem to think hate is good. One EDL member was asked on twitter what the difference between the neo-Nazi's, KKK and the EDL is (by and anti-EDL protester). His response: 

"easy to prove [that the EDL are different from the other groups] ..the Kkk hate black people nazis hated the jews and the edl hate muslims.....the only connection is hate ...so"

The only connection is hate, he said. And that's okay, of course, because it's not the Jews. Not black people. And not white people either.

But I'm lucky. I was always loved and taught to love. Trying to be loving is easy. So I try to understand. Hate begets hate; people who are hurt lash back. I don't like the EDL or the BNP or  UKIP. I hate what they stand for; everything about them repels me, and as a white British Christian I'd like to distance myself and everything I stand for from everything they claim to stand for, and the associations they make with white, British nationality, and even Christianity. 

But it is tempting to hate them sometimes. To sneer. To slap back, violent protest against violent protest, swearword for swearword. I'm a guardian reading leftie; of course I'd like to shout at Farage or Griffin. I'd love to tell Tommy Robinson where he can stuff his Britain. 

But we're trying to be better than that. And again I'm reminded how blessed I am. There's the Hope Not Hate movement, the mosque which opened its doors to the EDL, the good, sensible people who stand up to point out that extremists don't stand for the majority, who rebut mad nonsense with calmly-stated facts. A terrifying amount of people are trying to make hate the norm in this country - in this world - but more are responding with hope and peace. When the EDL protest, when the terrorists bomb towns or blow up cars, when rockets fly over walls instead of over our one planet, there are people who light candles, who pull children out of the wrecked buildings, who hold talks. John Green, in his video response to the Boston Bombings, called these people the helpers:

'If you look at those videos [the Boston bombing clips] you see two extraordinary things [...] all these flags lined up together, none higher than any other... those 96 flags of people running the Boston marathon are side by side because they stand for a larger us, an us sharing a human endeavour that doesn't require a 'them'. And the flags aren't blown over by the explosion, but within seconds some of those flags do come down. They come down when people, onlookers, first responders tear down the barricades to get to the injured. 'Look for the helpers', the great Mr Rogers said about tragedy, 'You will always find people who are helping.'  [...] Think I'm cool living in a world with flags, but I am most proud to live in a world where no flag flies above any other. There are people who don't want to live in that world [...]  but I know that we are not going to give it up. And I know that we can always look in hope to the helpers, and endeavour to be among them.'

John Green,  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2X1gA5apcU, April 16th 2013

I don't think I can put it better than that. 

J.R.

Surviving University: Choosing Your Accommodation

Life in halls is amazing. You'll meet some incredible people, many of whom will probably become your closest friends, and even housemates for the years ahead. You'll learn drinking games you'd never imagined before, share plenty of weird and wonderful moments, and become closely acquainted with the cleaners, security, maintenance staff and regular fire drills... It's an unmissable way to start university, and although I'm looking forward to moving into a house where all of the hobs work, I will miss my 'house' and the 42-odd people I live with, two of whom I will still be living with next year!

I chose my halls for three reasons. Firstly, I wanted my own bathroom, which narrowed it down to 'Ensuite Premium' and 'Ensuite'; secondly, I couldn't afford Ensuite Premium; and thirdly, I'd read about accommodation choices on the student room and seen lots of positive comments. All halls have reputations attached to them, and every university has one accommodation type which has a reputation for parties! The word that came up most often in describing the Village, (the name of my halls), was community, and it was a good description. There's a kind of family connection between Village residents - and a friendly rivalry between the houses!

As a general rule, you can't go wrong with university accommodation. Most universities seem to have renovated their accommodation or built new blocks in the last ten years, and standards are high. Even if you end up in somewhere 'a bit scabby', you'll be sharing that experience with a group of bright and lively people who make the experience enjoyable!

Price is obviously the most important factor, but look at other things too. Flat size, location and facilities are important. Catered halls will save you the hassle of cooking for yourself, but will restrict you to rigid meal times, including very early dinners. Self-catered allows you more flexibility, and even if you're not a natural cook (like me!) I would definitely recommend self-catered over catered if you have the choice. 

Location is the other big factor. At my uni, halls are located on three sites. Most of the accommodation is on campus. These lucky people can roll out of bed 15 minutes before their lectures, and still have time to shower. My halls, the 'Village', is down the road, about 8-10 minutes walk from the centre of campus. Although further away from the uni, we're nearer to Tesco's and the Co-op, and we have our own stream and park area hidden at the back of the village. Plus we have our own laundrette! The third location is a good half hour's bus ride away, in the city. The smallest hall group, it's generally acknowledged to be the worst accommodation offered by the uni. If the accommodation is good enough, the distance might not matter so much, but it does distance you socially from other students.

Some things you should consider:

- Where are the halls? 

- Will I be able to park my car (if you have one... not likely) or store my bike?

- Are there any bus routes nearby, and is there a bus route to the university?

- Are there any shops nearby?

The best way to choose your accommodation is to visit the university and talk to existing students, but if you can't get there, go online! Many universities offer 'online tours' of accommodation or comparison charts, and the Student Room is quite good for consulting current students. 

The Confusing Bits!

Private Halls: There are some companies, like UNITE, who own private halls in various cities, especially London. As a general rule these halls are more luxurious and more expensive. They may house students from a mixture of universities. If you can, go for university-owned halls rather than private halls: the university will offer you more protection and support, for a lower cost. If something goes wrong and you can't pay your accommodation fees, the university will see you as a student first, tenant second: to a private hall company, you are a tenant first. 

Contract length: Residence contracts are usually 38, 40, or 52 weeks in duration. As an undergraduate, you will only need the shorter length (except students on health courses). Avoid contracts which requite you to move out at Christmas/Easter (although these are rare). 

Bills: Water, gas, and electricity will all be included with your rent in university-owned properties. Normally internet will also be provided. Not all halls have wi-fi - I'm using a data cable right now - but you'll adjust to that soon enough! In private accommodation, bills are almost always paid separately. 

Insurance: This is not usually covered; it may be offered with your accommodation offer as an optional extra. Endsleigh advertise as a student insurance company, but their rates are actually quite high - it's cheaper to get contents insurance with the company your parents use at home. Your current insurance plan may already partially cover you! Do insure things though, especially electrical gadgetry and musical instruments; if something is stolen from your university room, the university is not obliged to pay for replacements. 

University accommodation is usually allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, so don't delay on getting your application in and accepting your room offer!

Blog on living in halls coming soon...

J.R

Surviving University - Budgeting

Today's post may be one of my most thrilling yet - it's on budgeting and finance...

I'll start by summing up the basics, all though you probably already know this.

Whilst you are at university, your expenditure will fall into three areas:

• Tuition fees
• Accommodation fees
• Living costs

For UK students, studying in the UK, there are three types of loan; it works differently for EU and International students. Scottish students studying in Scotland don't pay tuition fees, either.

• Tuition Fee Loan - This is paid directly to your university, and you don't have to worry about it. 
• Maintenance Loan - This is paid to you at the start of your term, and the amount you receive depends on your household income and whether you are living at home/away. Students in London receive a higher loan.
• Maintenance Grant - This is a sum of money given to students with a lower household income. A full table showing how much money you can receive can be found here.

For more information on loans and fees, this link will take you to the Government website. 

Repayment

All loans have to be repaid, but not at once! You only pay back:

• When your income is over £21,000 - and if your income drops below this, you stop repaying (until it goes up again!)
• With interest, but this depends on how much you are earning
• Monthly; the repayment rate is 9% of the portion of your income ABOVE £21,000 - so if you earn £25,000 pa, you pay back £30 a month. 
• and if you get stupidly rich, you're free to pay it all off at any time, of course...
• For a maximum of 30 years - after this, any outstanding debt is written off. 

It sounds like a lot of money, and a lot of debt, and this is worth considering when deciding if university is for you, or if you are going to take our a loan. However, the repayment scheme means that your university debt will never place you in an untenable financial position - if you can't pay, you don't pay! 

Budgeting

Looking after your finances at university isn't too difficult if you're organised, and keep track of what you're spending. Here are some tips for staying in control!

• Don't leave your student finance form until the last minute!
• Keep a budgeting spreadsheet. Make a note of what you spend, and how much you have left. Set yourself a weekly budget - mine is £80 - and try to stick to it. 
• Don't include any hypothetical jobs in your predictions - until you have a job, don't plan to spend the money from it...
• Don't divide your loan by 52 and spend that much each week. Set a weekly budget which will leave you some money left, if you can. This will be your fund for unexpected expenses, holidays, and savings. 
• Set up an online banking account! This allows you to check your balance, manage your accounts and transfer money from your bedroom. Talk to your bank if you don't have one.
• Debit cards are better than credit cards - you can't withdraw money you don't have on a debit card!
• Look into student accounts. You do not need to have one - I don't - but they do include things like an overdraft and included NUS extra membership, which you may want. Each bank/building society will offer a different deal, so check out more than one. ISA accounts offer good amounts of interest for long-term saving, and other accounts offer shorter term savings accounts: it is probably worth having a saving and a 'spending' account, if you haven't got these already. 
• Decide if you need an overdraft. This is a system which allows you to temporarily get out more money than you have in your account, without being charged extra. You do not need to have one, especially if you are careful not to overspend, but it's better to have one set up than to spend 20p over and face £20 fines. This may be useful to people who are paying larger sums from their main account, like accommodation fees, and so are likely to have lower sums in their account at any given time. 

Living within your means...

Everyone will have different financial circumstances, so the important thing is to make the decisions that are right for you. The best thing is to get into good habits. Doing big shops for longer life food, like pasta and rice, will save you money; top-up style shopping at the nearest Tesco's looks cheap, but the 'good' deals may tempt you into buying things you don't need, and buying more often than you need to. Stick to your shopping list! If you don't trust yourself, get cash out and leave your card at home...

One of the most important things about university is the social side, and it is worth investing money in the experience. Sports memberships, day trips and evenings out are, in my opinion, good uses of money - you are meant to live at university, not just survive. However, you can have just as good a time watching a movie in someone's room or messing around in the local park, so be creative! Bring and share picnics/meals are cheap and fun, and it's well worth exploring the parks and free places in your area. Look for student deals, films at odd times of day - you are a student, normal sleeping/eating hours are not obligatory - and society social events, which are often free or subsidised by the union. Having a good time doesn't have to be expensive!

Above all, don't worry. ALL universities offer support services, who will be on hand to help you through any problems you may have, answer your queries, or even offer emergency loans. Money can be stressful, but with a little planning and discipline, you will be fine! 

J.R. x

Surviving University - The long summer...

The long summer between the end of school and university can be a tense and scary time. For years people have been promising you that this will be the best summer ever, and that you'll have the time of your life at university. But you can't relax. How can you, with results looming over your head? Without being sure about where you're going next? 

During my long summer last year, I swung between wild confidence and complete panic. I'd convince myself that I was brilliant and had my place sorted, but a few days later I'd be counting marks in my head, trying to work out whether that one bad exam would stop me going to university. I googled gap year plans, considered applying for a different subject - something I thought might be a safer bet - and even occasionally tried to convince myself that I didn't want to go to university, although I never quite believed it...

Over the next few blogs, I'm going to try and tackle some more practical issues about starting university. But how do you go about preparing with months to go, and all that uncertainty? 

Exam Season

The best thing you can do is try not to focus on university. Concentrate on your A-Levels and the last two years of study; these exams are about bringing together all the hard work and effort you've put in over the last two years, and if you've got this far, you're certainly capable of succeeding. Put away your prospectuses: worrying about whether you've done enough to get the right grades will not help you revise! It's hard, but you have to concentrate on the moment now. Make sure you have a cut-off point before you go to sleep. Stop revising, don't think about work, and let your brain let off steam. I recommend watching Horrible Histories.

After Exams & the summer

Take down all your revision stuff and put everything work related somewhere you can't see it! Do something completely different. 

This is a really good time to go and see friends and do interesting things. It gets harder to keep up with people at university; do daft things like doctor who marathon sleepovers, read all the books you've been meaning to read for the last year, and enjoy being an adult with no responsibilities. Unless you have a job, in which case enjoy being an adult with no responsibilities in the evening...

When it comes to preparing for University, don't worry about starting to prepare instantly. I recommend buying things in August, or even after results in September - just don't leave it until the last week before you leave home! Lots of supermarkets and shops do 'off to university' discounts on things like kettles and bed linen. The majority of universities don't send out any pre-reading until after results, if they send any at all (My pre-reading was one poem!), so don't worry about having to swot up on course material. If you're desperate to study, that's fine, but seriously, it's okay to take a break and spend your days watching YouTube videos and eating Starbursts. 

Remember: almost everyone gets into university! 

Don't worry about 'what if I don't get in' or 'what if something awful happens and UCAS messes up or I fail everything' etc

You will not fail everything. If you worked hard, you will probably get what you realistically thought you were going to get, and it will look pretty much like your predicted grades.

UCAS is usually pretty reliable, but even if they did mess up, your university will always know what is going on. They're very helpful. If you have any worries, you can always email the admissions tutor, who are more than willing to reassure you and let you know what is going on!

Even if you don't get into your top choice university, or something goes really wrong, remember: this is not the end of your academic journey, but it might just be the start! There are a thousand and one ways to go on, and ending up at an unexpected university might turn out to be a blessing in disguise!

Finally, don't stress too much about grades and numbers. Working out percentages and grade boundaries might have been useful a few months ago, but when the exams are over, try not to think about them. If you must think about your work, don't think about grades - think about the quality of the work you created. When examiners look at your work, they don't see marks or numbers (unless you're doing maths, ha ha), and they won't be marking you as if you're a postgraduate, and can't make any mistakes or leave anything out! Examiners look for what is good, not what is bad. And universities are the same! If you've got an offer, than that university wants you. And they will do everything they can to make sure you get that place!

Don't worry too much about predicted grades either. Schools make out that they're everything because they want you to be safe, but they're more like an approximation. Without revealing my grades, my offer for my course was YYY, and I achieved XYZ, with the Y in the subject I'm now studying. Although I'd dropped one grade below the offer, I was still given a place on my course, and it hasn't made any difference! Work for your predicted grades or higher, but seriously, don't worry about having one bad exam or a question or two you couldn't answer. At the end of the day, you are student who is good enough that they made you an offer, and for most universities (excepting medicine/Oxbridge etc), dropping one grade might not be an issue. 

Remember: you are a brilliant, talented student. And you really deserve this break - don't waste it worrying. For the moment, all that future stuff will sort itself out: concentrate on the moment, get your exams done, and then just - stop. 

Have a great summer!

J.R.

Surviving University - Making the Choice (Guest Blog)

• The first blog post on Life at University is guest-written by Amy Cunningham, who is a first-year psychology student at the University of East London. 

  
  

  Living and studying in London, sounds fun right? Experience the best nightlife ever right? Live in the countries capital and see all it has to offer sounds like the best time anyone could ever have!

  I am here to warn you about choosing the right university for you. I after not going to visit (because it automatically sounded like the best choice I could make) started out on my venture at the University of East London studying Psychology Extended (BSc) a 4 year course.

  After my first few months in London I knew it wasn't for me, yeah London's great for a day out but the hassle of living there isn't great. I've been stuck on a cramped tube far too many times for my liking which leads me to my first point, getting round London is a pain! It takes me an hour to get to work and double the time for me to get to Euston than it does for me to get from Euston to Milton Keynes! I also have to add the traumatic night bus that you have to get after a night out or its a £70-£100 taxi ride! Not to add the £11 for a single vodka and lemonade needless to say I don't go out in London much! I once had to endure a 4 hour (no that's not a typo) bus home from a gig in Brixton which I have to say was one of the most horrific experiences of my life!

  Ahh the dreaded finding a house in second year, now before my friends and I decided that staying in London was a definite no we had a look around, some of the houses were quite cheap if you wanted to live in an awful rat infested dump with one of the highest crime rates I've ever seen! We did find some nice apartments in a relatively safe area close to campus and were nice and modern, but would cost around £1,300-£1,500 a month not including bills for a three bed room apartment. Looks like that would be the loan gone sooner rather than later! London would be a nice place to live if you could afford to live in central, a girl I worked with and her boyfriend rented a room near oxford street shared bathroom and kitchen no living room and they paid £1000 a month for what was pretty much a room!

  The course... well I don't even know where to start with this one! So considering I have A-Level English one would think that I knew how to write sentences and paragraphs, evidently not. I done 6 modules this year and 2 of them were about how to use punctuation, sentence structure and how to write paragraphs. A lecture that sticks out was the one on how to use power point, highlight of my year I'd have to say! Another 2 of the modules pretty much taught A-Level psychology maybe bringing one or two different studies to learn but nothing majorly different! Another module was doing debates which were alright but still nothing amazing! And the final module we conducted our own experiment which I'd say was the only module I remotely enjoyed except the lecture side of it was A-Level research methods zzz!

  Your university choice, do have a look at how good (or bad in my case) your university is. A girl that lived in my halls had a guest speaker a few weeks ago whose advice was to write on your CV that she attended Royal Docks Business School not UEL so they'll actually look at her application rather than throw it in the bin. Yes I know a degree is a degree and everyone studies the same for it blah blah blah! But let's be honest, nobody wants to waste £24,000 in university fees alone and 3 or more years of their life to not get the best possible job at the end of it!

  These are all factors you should look at before going to university, I know you go to study and all that but lets be honest everyone needs a good night out where they can get absolutely mortal and not worry about a 2 hour bus journey home! Look at how far your are away from town and if it's easy to get around... not everyone has £70 for a taxi! This is not just for nights out but you'll want to be reasonably close to go out for dinner (because cooking sucks) or to just go out and about in general! Also being close to a supermarket helps (you'll thank me for this) carrying a million bags of shopping for half an hour is not fun! Also have a little look at the house prices (don't forget bills!) because lets face it halls is fun for a while but when it gets to your second/third year and you have a lot of deadlines your not going to want a load of noisy first years disrupting you! Make sure your course absolutely blows your mind! I am so excited about my new course in Southampton it's unreal! University is not compulsory and if your not going to enjoy it your not going to do well and trust me when I say there's no one there to push you to do the work you'll just get kicked off the module, full stop. You're going to be investing a lot of time and money into these next 3 years of your life make sure your not going to waste it by going to an undervalued university, were all doing this because we want to have a career in our chosen subject, make sure you have the best opportunity to do that! Finally, just have fun this is going to be one of the best experiences of your life, enjoy it!

Surviving University - Introduction

I sat my last exam on Friday, finishing my first year at university. It's been an incredible year, filled with ups and downs, opportunities, friends, and work. This summer I'll be volunteering, going on holiday with friends, and looking for a job - plenty to keep me busy!

I've learnt so much this year. With the help of my family, friends, and the people around me, I've got through the challenges of leaving home and living independently, and I'd like to share some of the advice I was given and the things I've discovered. Schools give plenty of advice about student finance and predicted grades, but not much else - and those little things like how to use a washing machine or what to pack matter too! 

Over the next few days, or weeks, I'm going to write a series of blog posts dealing with some of those little things. Possible topics might include:

• Budgeting
• What to pack
• Choosing accommodation
• Socialising, clubbing, and living in residences - things to do and things to avoid!
• Easy meals, shopping for food and cooking advice
• Grades and Clearing
• How university works: credits, choosing modules, Erasmus, and other baffling terms

I hope that this will be helpful to someone, especially those of my friends who are sitting A-Levels at the moment and preparing to go to university in September. At the end of the day, if you have done the best you can, you don't need to worry about any of these things; just enjoy your summer, and try not to worry too much about it - or do what I did, which involved thinking of endless alternative plans for the situation in which I failed to get into university... 

If you have any suggestions, questions, or good/bad advice which you would like to share, please leave a comment or tweet me @corybantically ! For instance, if you went through clearing and could offer a blog post on the process and experience, that would be great - I'd love to have some guest-written blogs!

Until next time (which might not be too long!),

J.R. xxx

A Politician Dies: Feeding Time for the Press

I found out that Margaret Thatcher, once Prime Minister of the UK, had died through Facebook.

Normally, I'm a bit of a news fanatic. I wake up to the sound of Radio 4 on my radio alarm clock. I read the Guardian and the BBC websites most days, buy the Guardian occasionally, and read Independent, Guardian and HuffPost articles through social media. (Although I have to admit to the odd glance at the Mail Online... c'mon, who doesn't?) Usually when something big happens, I see it trending on Twitter, and the first posts are usually links to breaking news articles, followed by the first few caustic comments, then the babble of opinions, jokes and arguments as the world wakes up to the news

Social media is a cruel world. On Facebook and Twitter, the words 'Margaret Thatcher has died...' are not followed by '...of a stroke at the age of 87' or '...in her bed at the Ritz, after a long struggle with dementia.' Aiming to impress our friends or followers, people rush to make idealogical statements. I think the first comment I saw on her passing was a Facebook status celebrating it, followed by one calling her a witch. News has never been just news, of course, and people have always and will always comment on it - as is only right - but this wasn't news. This was a death.

When a child is murdered, or a soldier dies in Afghanistan, the 'British public' falls silent. Twitter silences are grandiosely upheld, trolls spam the hundreds of 'RIP' pages, and the online community competes to offer its unwanted sympathy. Tributes to the innocent, respectable dead overflow into anger at their killers, grotesque expressions of violence and disgust, a pantomime of grief.

But when someone like Margaret Thatcher dies, the same people are celebrating. 'Ding dong, the witch is dead!' has been one particularly popular reference. 

If you've read anything on this blog before, it's a safe bet that you can guess I'm not a fan of conservative politics, Thatcher included. But as much as I disliked all she and her party stood for and did, I don't want to be one of those people gloating because, like all of us, Margaret Thatcher is mortal.

And fair enough, I'm not an expert on the eighties. I'm not old enough to remember her whilst she was still a powerful political figure in this country, and I don't have any personal or family grudges against her. To be honest, my political knowledge is self-taught, and although I'm not quite naive enough to think the 80's was all Billy Elliot, perhaps I would have stronger feelings if she'd been my prime minister. 

Yet even if she had been, or if it was someone like David Cameron - who I do know about and whose policies I dislike - who had died, I still wouldn't be celebrating. 

And it's not about the taboo of speaking ill of the dead which some journalists (especially on the left wing) seem to be using to justify their attacks on Margaret Thatcher. She has a family, who need time to grieve. No matter how much you dislike someone on a personal or political level, using their death for political leverage is, frankly, disgusting. If there's one reason for leaving well alone at this point, it should be consideration for her family and friends. But that's not something the British press are good at; they barge in on the families of murdered children, press their cameras and opinions into people's faces, invading privacy under the excuse of freedom of information. If the press was a person, they would be a hated social outsider, but there's nothing we, the public, seem to like better than our intrusive window into other people's lives, a window protected by Cameron's poor response to the results of the Leverson inquiry. 

And behind the hundreds of news articles, the press coverage, the disgust, outrage, genuine morning, ambitious political mourning, the recalling of parliament, the state funeral, is the ending of our human life. The loss of a mother, of a friend, of an ill, elderly woman. 

Forget the taboo of 'speaking ill of the dead'. What about speaking ill of the living? Broadchurch last week featured a storyline about a man hounded to his suicide by the press, but most importantly, the people around him. When difficult issues come up, responding is difficult, and so people throw insults. Of course we need to argue, to criticise, and to debate, but then it seems to slide downhill into personal insults and aggression.

I went to a left wing political rally at my university a few weeks ago. Owen Jones was the key speaker, as well as Natalie Bennet of the Green Party, and I'm afraid I went on the strength of their names and the slogan 'Against Austerity' rather than any really knowledge of what the rally was about. It was  interesting, and made me think. But one thing made me uncomfortable. Whilst making their points, speakers - both from the audience and the invited speakers - frequently made derogatory, even near-abusive remarks about their political opponents. Bennet slagged off the Labour party - prompting an angry response from a Labour party member present - the Socialist Workers were as aggressive as normal, and David Cameron was denounced with some pretty graphic language, to which the general response was 'Hear, hear' and banging on the lecture theatre desks. The only positive speaker of the night was Jones, who didn't descend to that level, and instead talked about hope for the future, and for that I respect him. 

I'm not writing this to criticise left wing politicians in particular - the right is just as bad. As it happens, I sympathised with most of the sentiments expressed that night, just not in the way they were expressed. Sometimes hard times call for hard words, but I refuse to accept abusive words, abusive actions. I think David Cameron's welfare plans are cruel, class-biased and uninformed, and I think my argument is stronger for saying that instead of just tweeting 'Cameron is a tosser'. He's not; he's a human, as fallible as the rest of us, with feelings, with a family. God cares about him, no matter what us left wing-loonies call him at rallies. 

How can we make the world better by celebrating someone's death? How can we possibly have an effective political system based on politicians belittling their opponents in the houses of Parliament, or a reliable press based on selling controversy? 

Writing this, I have the feeling that I'm not saying anything new. We've probably all had these kind of thoughts. But this kind of vile stuff is still out there. If I log onto Facebook now, I'll see pictures of shared images, telling me 'If U get offended by our flag, get the F*** out of our country!'. Or maybe this time it'll be a status telling me that the Pope is a homophobe who should be burnt alive. I've seen some stuff that is so vile, so logically inexplicable, so nasty, that it has made me laugh with shock. And this often comes from people I know, even people I consider to be friends. I won't like your status saying paedophiles should be tortured, that immigrants should be booted out, that somalians are ugly kmt, because you are better than that. Because I believe in more than just the fundamentality of human rights for everyone, deserving or not (although who are we to judge?) - I believe that every person is special, unique, wonderful, and yes, made by God. 

Perhaps sometimes we celebrate the death of someone we disliked because it feels like life has got its revenge on them, like we've won. In some cases, like when Osama bin Laden was killed, it is a genuine breath of relief for the world. But no matter how understandable dislike of a person is, no matter what political or social or other reasons make their death desirable, revelling in someone else's pain is inhuman. We have to be better then that. 

So on the day they bury Margaret Thatcher, no matter what my views on her as a person, or even on the public expense incurred by her burial, I, for one, will keep silent. 


J.R. 

God's Hat

If you've been following the news today (13.03.2013) you'll know that the Catholic Church has just elected a new Pope, to replace the emeritus Pope Benedict, who in February took the brave, and controversial, decision to retire due to ill health. Pope Francis I is from Argentina, and thus the first non-European Pope in a thousand years. The rather fun Pontifficator game on the Guardian website describes him as moderate, a social champion open to relationships with other faiths and with some progressive stances, although he has previously spoken against homosexual marriages, as have many of the Cardinals. But you know this, if you've been following the news, and if you've been following this blog (I flatter myself that you have...!) you'll know this isn't the first post I've written about Catholicism; in October last year I wrote about attending Mass at university, despite having just become a committed member of the United Reformed Church. 

Things have moved on for me since then. Coming back after Christmas, with the Youth Assembly of the United Reformed Church ahead and a wonderful visit to my home church behind, I decided to look for a United Reformed Church in my university town. One church in particular had been recommended to me, so one freezing, snowy morning, I headed out across the city to the 9.45 am service. One later bus and underestimated walk later, and (an hour after I started) I reached the church, late but happy. For a few weeks I attended services there, and I really wanted this to be the right place. I told the people there that it was the right place, told them I'd come back, and tried to convince myself that it was. But I knew, somewhere, that it wasn't right. The people were lovely, offering me lifts and looking after me, the music was fantastic, and it was obviously a lovely community of people dedicated to worshipping God. I didn't really get on with the preaching, but as several churches in the area are sharing one rather over-stretched minister, just to have a service at all in the weeks when he was elsewhere is an achievement. I meant to email them and thank them for their kindness, but the moment past, and now I think it's too late, but I am grateful.

When God calls you, there's only so long you can ignore him, and on Ash Wednesday, I started listening.

I've been ashed every Ash Wednesday that I remember. It's an integral part of my life, part of the rhythm of my year, like Christmas and birthdays and the start of the holidays. On Ash Wednesday I planned to go to Mass at the chaplaincy, purely for convenience - although I think I already knew this would be decisive. If it went well, I'd go back. 

Instead it went badly.

I decided to collect my post before Mass, but set off too late, leaving only a few minutes before the post room shuts. Instead of giving in, I cycled as fast as I could up the university drive, collected my post, and had a combined asthma attack/panic attack on the floor of the chaplaincy building. It was spectacularly undignified, and a little scary, as I didn't have any asthma medication. The lovely Catholic chaplain looked after me, and made me a cup of tea whilst I lay on the floor, breathing into my hands. By the time Mass itself came around, I felt almost normal, if a little shaky. 

Sometimes we need to be shaken up.

As Mass went on that evening, I felt calmer and calmer. I felt like I'd come home, a feeling I'd also felt when I found my Church at home (which is United Reformed). A prodigal daughter, I returned to my mother Church, a Church I was baptised and raised in, rejected, hated, and dissociated myself with. Often people tell me God is full of surprises, but the God I know doesn't just surprise people - he plays practical jokes as well...

I started going back to Mass. Then earlier this week, the Catholic society, of which I am a nominal member (I haven't paid my subs yet. Oops) started advertising for committee members for the next year. During Mass on Sunday I had a sense - or perhaps, even, a calling - that I should apply. Ever shy until spoken to, I hovered around after the Mass, hoping someone would ask me if I was interested. They did. I don't want to say more because there's no guarantee that I'll get a role, but I'm hopeful. Praying about it over the last few days, I've realised I'd be prepared to commit to the Cathsoc, which also means committing to Catholicism, and embracing that part of my identity. Above all, I am a Christian, I am someone trying to follow Jesus, to love God, to act in the Holy Spirit, but I'm also a Catholic. Those words still sound strange, but at the moment, they also sound right. 

This post has been for me. I know it won't interest many people, although I hope a few people read it, and enjoy it, but sometimes just writing is important, and I don't keep a diary any more. If you've got this far, thank you. I won't keep you much longer.

I've been trying to pray for people during Lent, as I struggle to understand prayer, and I have also been praying for a deeper understanding of prayer. How praying for other people makes a difference has always puzzled me, and as I've tried to pray, an understanding - not in clear words, but something outside of myself, something right, came to me. A reminder to trust God, and a reminder that as he touches us, we can touch him, if we open our hearts to him. 

And in that personal journey, God has reached me through the Catholic church. The theological differences I have with the Church - transubstatiaton, the Hail Mary, women priests, celibacy of priests, the rosary, the apocrypha, the attitude towards condoms - these things haven't lost their importance, but they aren't the be all and end all in the way they were when I was thirteen and loudly denouncing Catholicism as heretics, or whatever nonsense I said at the time. Theologically, the United Reformed Church is where I stand, and where my membership will stay. But in this moment, this place in my life, I know I am called to be a Catholic. It's confusing, and strange, but also wonderful, and to me, these things together look like God's fingerprints. 

It's not about denominations, of course. Whether you're Catholic or Anglican or Methodist or Pentecostal or Baptist or Orthodox or United Reformed - or, I'm not afraid to say it, Muslim or Jewish or any other person of faith, to have a faith and follow it is wonderful. There's a story I always remember from a 'book of wisdom stories' in my Mum's study. Although it's probably plagiarism to write it up here - without the book, I can't cite it - the gist of it goes like this:

God, looking down at the earth, sees a group of workers in a field, and decides to play a practical trick on them, maybe to amuse them or make them think, so he walks through the field wearing a hat with four sides. One is yellow, one white, one green, one red.

When he's gone, the workers realise they've seen God, and eventually fall to discussing the colour of his hat.

'It was white!' says one worker.

'No,' the second disagrees, 'it was green.'

'You're both blind!' chips in the third, 'it was definitely yellow.'

'You fools!' says the last, 'didn't you see God's hat was red?'

And instead of sharing the miracle of seeing God in the field, they fall to arguing about the colour of his hat. It makes God sad. 

The idea isn't that God is a trouble maker, by the way, (although the tower of Babel story is more than a little playful!) but that God shows us all different sides of himself, perhaps to allow us to cope with his infinity, but instead of learning from each other, we argue about who is right. It's a metaphor I find useful personally, being an interchurch child, confirmed ecumenically, and torn between different denominations. Being interchurch is difficult, but sometimes you see wonderful things, God looked at through different lenses. None of them show the whole, but I learn more. If only we could all come to together and worship together for a day. If we managed it, without just fighting, imagine what we could do...

And tonight we have a new Pope, a man who according to his Guardian profile, is open to dialogue with other faiths, who is about to take on leadership of the biggest faith group in the world. If you have a faith, no matter what, please pray for him tonight. 

J.R.

*I want to mention that whilst I've used 'he' in conjunction with 'God' in this blog, that is only because English has no neutral pronoun, so 'he' is the convenient, as its traditional usage makes it invisible. Believing that both genders represent God, it bugs me to gender God in my writing, but unfortunately language is only an inadequate representation of reality. Apparently. This is the kind of thing you say a lot in university level English literature.