Wednesday 25 June 2014

Stop the press! Hold the phone! Read all about it!

I have a new blog!

The time has come to move on to graduate life with a new blog, I would like to thank you all for reading this one and I hope you will all join me in the new chapter of my life as a graduate...


Your continued support through social media and my blog has been an inspiration and I am truly thankful!

Ciao (see you on the other side!?) xx

Tuesday 3 June 2014

And I am back!

So lots has happened since my last blog post! I have finished uni and moved back to Northampton...

I spent two weeks relaxing after exams with lots of visits to different places and to see all my friends. I went to see Katy Perry in Manchester with a uni friend



 Was a tourist in London with my sister





 And packed up all my belongings in Sheffield to bring home



Two weeks went extremely quickly but I have since started my new job as graduate as a market development specialist. I am only a few days into it but I am really enjoying it and everyone has been lovely in welcoming me to the company! 

It's time for a massive change in my life but I am staying strong and looking forward to a new chapter with lots of exciting opportunities.

Ciao ciao! :) x


Tuesday 20 May 2014

And that's a wrap...

So this is it, my time at university has come to a close! I have finished! I cannot believe how quickly it has gone! Honestly when people were telling me that your final year will fly by I didn't expect it would go this fast! Safe to say it's been an emotional rollercoaster of a year - we have had tears, stress and so much laughter.

The friends I have made this year are friends that I would like to think would be my friends for life (hopefully) and I have had some of the best times with them - even if it was in the library at goodness knows what time!


Exams are over (we shall see how I did in a couple of months time) and we have had our last course night out! I now have less than two weeks before I enter the 'real world' of work, along with moving into my beautiful house and starting my future! Crazy!

For my last "summer holiday" I have a few things planned including packing up my flat (sob), shopping at Meadowhall, visiting my little sister in London, my flatmates 22nd and going to see Katy Perry!

I cannot thank everyone who has supported me throughout my time at Hallam enough - my family, friends, tutors, placement and everyone else who has made my time here incredible. It is so sad to think that I won't be seeing some people ever again and others I won't see until Graduation...!

Roll on Graduation in November! 

xx

Thursday 8 May 2014

Now we've come to the end of the road...


It is emotional times all round at the moment... such a rollercoaster I feel like this...


The first exam is done and out the way. One down and two to go! I now have a few days before the next two exams so those are going to be filled with pure revision! My next exam is an open book one, so I am currently preparing all the notes to take in with me to that! It's based on a parcel delivery company, which is an industry that I don't have a lot of existing knowledge on (better get reading!)

The realisation that I am having to fully grow up is scary! The future awaits me with open arms and it's scary going into the unknown... I am sure others will be feeling the same and will be able to relate to what I mean. Need to get my Beyonce mode on and become a strong independent woman! (Anyone who knows me well will get the reference!!) I think Blink 182 pretty much sums it up in their song Dammit, heading back to secondary school for this one!

So after exams I need to find a way of moving out my flat in Sheffield! Crazy how quickly that's coming about! I am trying to make the most of my time here but it's running away! Lots of pictures have been taken as I am going to try to build a photoalbum of my years at uni! (If I ever find the time!!)

Back to the revision! Ciao for now x


Friday 2 May 2014

Exam stress busters...

My first exam is NEXT WEEK, and yes I am revising but I needed a 5 min break so I am writing this and having a cup of tea. Nobody panic but the countdown is well and truly here, there's only 4 days to go before I will be sitting in a hall with sweaty palms so I won't be able to hold my pen properly...

Having not done an exam since before my placement year I am in a slight panic about writing non-stop for 2 hours... Preparing for cramp/hand spasms! And the 'rules' seem to have changed an awful lot in the past year, so let's hope I don't break any of those!

Right so today is a quick post about different coping methods of exam stress/worries, with my top tips!

1. Drink lots of tea!
As you may know I love love love tea. Therefore I drink a lot of it whilst revising, plus making a brew takes you away from reading and straining your eyes. Green or fruit tea is a great detox too so I have stocked up on my berries teabags!

2. Buy some good dunkers!
Find your perfect biscuit to accompany your tea! (Note this does not apply to green/fruit tea, obviously)

3. Eat lots of 'brain foods'
For example salmon and greens - YUM (instantly Einstein?)

4. Have a kit-kat or Diet Coke (aka break)
Thrown a little bit of marketing in there with the classic break snacks...? But yes, lots of breaks to absorb what you have read/written and to stop you wanting to have a sob...

5. Celebrate after exams!
Pretty self explanatory....
We are going to the pub after our last exam I think, it's the light at the end of the tunnel.

Right I am heading back to hit the books now... Notecards are EVERYWHERE

Good luck to anyone else taking exams!

Ciao xx

(p.s thanks to my flatmate for inspiring the post title...)

Saturday 26 April 2014

Easter Bunny's been and gone...

Hello!

So time for a quick update....

The Easter break has gone far too fast! 2 weeks seems to have flown by but looking back I have done an awful lot! The majority of my time has been spent revising and doing things in my beautiful new house! However I also took my Mum for her belated Mother's Day gift of Afternoon Tea at 78 Derngate, which I would highly recommend! London was also on the list, as I spent the day visiting my sister.

I am now back in Sheffield and getting ready for the final chapter here with three exams starting on the 7th May and finishing 2 weeks later! It's terrifying to think that this is it, we are all so close to the finishing line!

Revision is going well so far, lots of index cards are flying around my room, along with post-it notes and books! I have pre-warned my flatmate to expect a spectrum of emotions from me (just glad I still have Easter Eggs to help me through!) Tea, biscuits and music are going to get me through the next few weeks!

So that's all for now folks!

Ciao xx

Wednesday 16 April 2014

Easter break

Well what a busy week it has been!

I have now officially finished all timetabled uni and am on my Easter break! Last Thursday we had our Leavers Ball, which was a brilliant night and I am so pleased I was part of the team who organised the event!

I would like to say that I am off relaxing for 2 weeks but sadly that just isn't the case! It's all about revision now! Having finished my final assignment I am now hitting the books and trying to cram everything I have learnt since September onto note cards and into my head....

So this week I have been trying to get the new house sorted... Painting, sorting and throwing out things that I never knew we had! Fingers crossed we will be ready for a house warming soon!! I've also been to London to see my not-so-baby sister at uni. My plan is to get lots of work done this week so I can enjoy the Easter bank holiday with my family and friends!

Seeing as revision isn't the most scintillating thing in the world I am drinking gallons of tea, listening to some classic tunes and trying to sit out in the sunshine to prevent looking more ghost like! If anyone has any suggestions of tunes to listen to that would be greatly appreciated!

Happy Easter everyone. Let's hope it's a lovely, sunny weekend (I plan on getting the BBQ out!)

Ciao, from the Easter Chick ;) x

Thursday 3 April 2014

New pad...

Just a quick post this week...

We are finally in our new house! It's going to be a very exciting few days back in Northampton getting the keys and choosing paint! I am so happy to be starting my new adventure back in Northamptonshire with my boyfriend (and we are getting a cat!). I am looking forward to have a couple of weeks after exams to get everything sorted!!


I just wanted to share my exciting news with you all, especially following everyone's continued support!

Have a fabulous and "smoggy" week...!

Ciao x

Monday 24 March 2014

Exams and the final push...

There are three weeks left at uni now, and my exam timetable has been released too! Things are really getting intense now so might not be blogging a lot...! With group work due in over the next couple of weeks and my final assignment well underway, there is a lot going on! Plus revision! 

Woah, and breathe!


So it is the final push now for achieving my degree and it's going far too quickly! Time seems to be running away! I have made myself a revision timetable so I am hoping that will help me with all the reading up etc.

To help me with my revision I will be drinking gallons of tea, eating some sneaky treats and listening to some fabulous tunes! Roll on the revision!

So other things which are happening include finally getting the keys for the house that I am moving into... It's been a long long long process but we are finally there and the decorating can begin!

Right so I think that is all on the update front for now... I expect I will be going quiet on the blog front for a couple of weeks but tweeting will still happen (all day, everyday)

Ciao for now xx

Sunday 16 March 2014

Social Media Health Check

What a lovely weekend it has been with the sunshine! I have to admit that the sunshine streaming in my window makes working so much easier! This week I have been working on our final lot of group work and my final individual assignment, both of which are coming along okay so far!

So over the weekend/past few days I have spent a few hours having a social media health check - updating my LinkedIn, twitter etc for potential employers to have a good look at my online presence. No nasty surprises can be found and Facebook is well and truly locked-down as I like to keep this purely personal for my friends.

It still amazes me how some people act on twitter and Facebook, especially when employers are able to see everything you post! Maybe people just don't understand, I am not 100% sure! In this day I would be surprised if an employer didn't look at their employee's online profiles!

How's everyone's week been? I am hoping this sunshine continues (even though it requires a whole new summery wardrobe!)

Ciao xx

Sunday 9 March 2014

Final Year Thank You's

It seems like an appropriate time to put out a blog to say a big thank you to all the people who have made university the time of my life...

Firstly, and most importantly, I have to thank my parents. Without them going to university wouldn't have been as possible. They are everything to me - my proof-readers, my additional bank, at the end of the phone at all times of the day and night, provided endless journeys up and down the M1, aided my job hunt and thousands more things... Alongside my parents needs to come my sister, who can now appreciate uni life in her first year! Her post, texts and phone calls mean a lot to me! Plus we send each other cat pictures on a regular basis!

Secondly has to come the boyfriend. My rock for six years, he's been through the whole uni experience with me... had to deal with tears when it's all got too much, visited me every other weekend, danced the night away with me, discovered the best chicken bar in the whole world! Here's to the next chapter of my life with you!

My uni friends. My stars! 
We have my flatmate who has had to endure seeing me in the mornings (zombie), she's also experienced meltdowns during deadlines, but she has taught me how to be her sous-chef! :) Wouldn't have been the same not living with her!
Having been on placement a lot of my friends had finished uni when I came back...but this hasn't stopped us still meeting up and visiting each other! True friends right there!! I have met some of the nicest people in final year and hope to stay friends with the "Lonely Larry" crew for many years!

Everyone who has provided me with work experience, without this final year would have been a lot harder. You gave me an insight into working life and what to expect when I graduate. You're knowledge and advice has helped me so much throughout my final year to apply the experience to my theory... plus you boosted my confidence 100%!

Next up come my tutors/lecturers for making my course so enjoyable in final year (pretty sure none of them will read this but still!) - I feel like I have been taught so much and they've made me really enjoy the modules! (Some have had me crying with laughter)

And finally everyone else who has given me advice/a laugh/ had a good night out with me/ tweeted me encouraging messages/ been in a society with me etc etc etc

Hopefully you all know who you are! Without you all uni just wouldn't have been the same!

Much love xx

Sunday 2 March 2014

Marching on together.... Into March

So March is well and truly here, and I have to be honest I have my fingers crossed for Spring to arrive along with some more sunshine! It would be so good to put the winter coat to the back of my wardrobe. It's scary just how fast time is going - 9 weeks left till exams start now! Crumbs!

To make everything even more real I have now received emails from uni about graduation! Can't believe it will be time to start thinking about booking tickets etc for that! Crazy! I am excited for it though! Seeing uni heading towards the end is really daunting, especially as it means one thing....

....time to step the employment search another five gears! My hope is that March will come along with it's sunshine, longer and lighter days, and lots of jobs will be posted! (wishful thinking maybe!) I have a firm plan on how I am going to go about my job hunt now that March has hit, with the help of my spreadsheets! Alongside the conventional applying for job positions online etc. I am planning on enhancing my use of social media, the contacts I have built up over the past few years and being slightly unconventional in my approach (this is a last resort!)

Fingers crossed! If anyone knows of any marketing/pr/social media jobs going any heads up would be appreciated ;)

Hope you have a great week! x

(p.s Anyone get the post title reference?!)

Sunday 23 February 2014

A typical day...

I have had a bit of writers block recently... trying to think of things to write about etc. So this week I have decided to give you an insight into my life as a final year student. I am hoping that with this post I will be able to clear up any misconceptions that my life is one big party just because I am a student (It's like 10% partying!)

Just to set the scene...
So since coming back from placement a lot had changed, I was suddenly a lot more confident, however a lot of my friends were no longer at uni due to not doing a placement or not being on the same course as me! Therefore I now live in a lush 2 bed flat with my fabulous flatmate Anna. On my course I have a lovely close friendship group, although it's sad that it is only now that we are really getting to know each other.

Right so being a final year student is tough and there is a lot of work! 

A typical day for me involves getting up ready for uni at 9am... going into uni for a few hours to attend lectures/seminars.... a spot of lunch... working on my assignments etc... applying/looking for jobs....and I carry on working till about 10pm (I do stop to watch Corrie and eat dinner with my flatmate!!!)

Recently there's been a lot of group work so that's involved working in the library till gone 8pm each night with the groups (big shout out to the Destiny's Child group).

So after uni I come home or to the library and carry on with the reading, assignments and starting now revision will be added to that list! I am also part of the Enterprise Society and Leavers Ball Committee so there are planning meetings for these each week too!

At the weekends it's pretty non-stop too! I spend every other weekend seeing the boyfriend, but otherwise I make sure all my reading, revision and job applications get done! Plus the washing and tidying my room!

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love this year and (almost) everything I am learning is so useful and interesting! There seems to be some misconception that just because we are students we are partying all the time, but let me tell you there just isn't the time in final year! Some people will disagree I am sure but for me it's a couple of nights out a month for birthdays!

When bedtime comes around I am a happy bunny!

Having done a placement year I fully appreciate working hours and how much effort is needed to be put into work... I am so glad I have experienced that and have been able to keep up the mentality of getting up and working (most of the time!)

Ciao x 

Thursday 20 February 2014

2 Months Left!

With less than 8 weeks left of my timetabled uni things are really starting to get real... With only one more piece of group work and one assignment due in the revision is officially starting this weekend! After the Easter break I come back to three exams - Strategic Management, Marketing Communications, and Strategic Marketing Management.

So with this in mind the job hunting has also stepped up a gear, I have now set aside time each day to go through all the job sites and get applying! Watch this space....

The more I think about it, the more I realise just how much I learnt through work experience and how much the opportunities boosted my confidence! I am trying so hard to encourage everyone to do their placement year/additional work experience where possible! The wealth of experience has provided me with the ability to apply that to my final year at uni.

Afraid this is just a short post today as I have a cold and am feeling slightly under the weather, plus I have lots to be getting on with! I will have another blog post coming soon....! Hope no one else has the lurgy - I am powering through with vitamin C tablets!

Ciao x

Monday 10 February 2014

Feel the love...

Right so Valentine's Day is right around the corner, so it is time to get soppy and talk about LOVE...

There are many different types of love, and here are a few things that I love :)
  • My Family - an unconditional love
  • My Friends - love them for being there for me when I need them
  • My Soulmate - Love in its purest form (and he makes me the best tea)
  • My cat - if you know me you will undrestand
  • Communicating - This is a love and passion of mine!
  • Tea - You can't beat a good cuppa
I always find Valentine's Day a strange one... I am a firm believer that you should spread the love every day and there shouldn't really be one "dedicated day"... but hey ho!

Commercially this day is brilliant for the shops...Cards, flowers and chocolates galore! Websites like Moonpig etc have been bombarding me with emails for weeks. Personally, I just buy a card and then we cook a meal together to save money (all valentine's things seem to cost a small fortune!) I cannot understand why people spend £50 on a bunch of roses which are going to die within a week!?

Anyway this is just a short post to find out what you love? Share that love in the comments box below! How are you spending Valentine's Day? I am heading back to Northants to spend a chilled weekend with my beau!

Ciao xx

Monday 3 February 2014

Oh hi there...

I cannot believe another week has flown by! This week has been slightly busier than last with group work taking hold of our lives for the next few weeks!

I have two pieces of group work in this month (a day apart...crumbs!) which are actually pretty interesting! The first one is a marketing communications based project to attract more tourists to Sheffield, all is good with that! 

And then we move on to the second, which is slightly less "sexy"... This one is a consultancy project for a vending machine company, needless to say the inspiration of how to make this engaging with the audience took us a while to decide!

Anyway fingers crossed these will all come together and go well, I am so lucky with the groups I am in as the other people are all brilliant (and we are going to be spending a lot of time together in the library - snacks galore!)

Oh such a glamorous life of a marketing student!


Anyway as a side of all the marketing going on... 

Say Hello!
I have decided that I would love to know who reads my blog as I am not sure who you lovely readers are! So here's the challenge - let me know who you are! Either comment below or send me a little tweet! (Don't panic just say hey!) I love the community I have developed through different social media channels and it would be great to know who actually looks at the blog from those!

Also as we are heading towards the end of being a student I am not sure if I am going to continue with the blog? Need some direction on where to take it!



Ciao for now! x

Sunday 26 January 2014

Which year wins?

If you are a final year student you may be able to relate to this - over the past week we have been trying to decide which year at uni has been the best one.

We are now only a few weeks from the end of uni before the exam period is here and this is causing all sorts of reminiscing...

Year 1
The first year at uni is incredible. As a fresher I was thrown into city life and loved it! After a minor hiccup at the start of the year I found a fantastic group of friends (the owls) and settled into my life as a student. In hindsight the course wasn't great...but other than that I loved it! We had some of the best nights out, nights in, birthdays, day trips out, the list is endless. Not only that but I was also exploring Sheffield, getting to know more and more places to go. Fantastic.

Year 2
This year all seems like a blur now. I lived in the coldest house ever - damp everywhere. This is the year where I would make the most changes (starting with the house) in what I did. My course was better, a lot more focused and I really enjoyed most of the modules. From December onwards I was looking for a placement for my sandwich year, and let me tell you this was not easy! I must have spent near £100 on train tickets, stamps and telephone calls... Nothing seemed to be happening! Then in July I managed to secure my placement, best feeling ever!

If anyone reading this is thinking about doing a placement or offering students placements I would love to hear from you!

Year 3
My placement year. What an experience! I absolutely loved being out in the workplace and seeing what I am working so hard to get a job in. Everyone on my placement was lovely and I cannot thank them enough for all that they did. They helped to shape my confidence, knowledge and gave me invaluable experiences.

Everyone who is offered the opportunity to do a placement year - I would recommend doing one so much!

Year 4
And then here we are - final year! How time has flown! This year is by far my favourite on my course. The modules are all marketing based, and the people on my course are fantastic. You can tell how much people have matured on placement and it makes such a difference to how we all work. Whilst there hasn't been much on the parties/going out side of things, my friendship groups are brilliant and I have explored more of Sheffield. This year is definitely the most stressful (there have been many tears) it is all worth it! Roll on graduation!

So which year wins? (Placement year isn't in the running as it is so different!)

For me I would choose year 1 and 4...
Freshers year can never be repeated and was such an experience, but final year has come around and I am more mature, love my course and live in a lovely flat (finally!)


Ciao x

Tuesday 21 January 2014

First of the lasts...

So the Christmas holidays are over and I am officially back in Sheffield! With only 12 weeks of timetabled lectures and seminars to go things are starting to get serious... This semester consists of three lots of group work for different modules, as well as starting part two of my Global Marketing assignment. Then after Easter we can say hello to exams!

Whilst this doesn't seem like a lot compared to the five assignments that I had before Christmas, it's still hard work and in a much shorter time frame for deadlines!

Anyway, over the holiday it dawned on me that I have now entered the "first of the lasts" whilst at uni...
  • Last birthday whilst at uni
  • Last Christmas whilst at uni
  • Last first term of uni
  • Last seminar for the module I have finished
  • etc etc etc
It's really sad to think that we are now experiencing the last time for these things, however at the same time it is exciting for what is still to come...! Therefore I have made my "Final year bucket list" - here are a few of what's on the list....
  • Finish degree (aim to get a 2:1 or higher)
  • Secure graduate job
  • Go on a the last bar crawl (I don't go out a lot anymore due to workload)
  • Go swimming at Ponds Forge
  • Go out to the Peak District
  • Go out in fancy dress (last time this is acceptable?!)
I really want to make the most of being a student (when I have the time around my work)!

Anyone got any suggestions of things to make sure I do before finishing?!

Ciao x

Monday 13 January 2014

What's in a recommendation?

Recommendations come at us on a daily basis, some we ask for, others we don't. In this post I am going to be looking at the effects a recommendation can have...


Recently I was asking around about places to buy towels and bedding (yawn I know...) - I went out and purchased these items from the shops based on the recommendations I got from friends and family. 

Word of mouth is, in my opinion, a brilliant marketing communication tool. Hands up who has purchased something, been on holiday, been to see a film etc based on a recommendation from family, friends, colleagues? I'll bet you all have your hands in the air! Likewise you can be discouraged from something via a recommendation too... both of these are out of marketers hands but it's still interesting to see how consumers are influenced by word of mouth! It is also fascinating to see how companies are able to create a hype based on a recommendation. Tesco Mobile on Twitter is a brilliant example of this (in my opinion!).

And then we add in social media to the mix (anyone else imagining a cake?!)

Social media is fab for recommendations. I can tweet asking for a good restaurant to go to and instantly the recommendations come flooding in, even sparking conversations with establishments themselves. BRILLIANT. Using hashtags such as Northantshour and MKHour also increase the responses, which you know are likely to be people who live in the surrounding area and will be talking from firsthand experience.

There are layers of recommendations... You can get those from someone you know, a friend etc where you are likely to know their tastes, likes etc and can form a decision of whether to go with their recommendation based on that. On the other hand, getting recommendations from social media requires you to base your decision on people you (potentially) have never actually met. How do you make the decision of whose recommendations to follow or not?

But it is not just products and places we can recommend... Oh hello LinkedIn! Why not recommend people?! I think this tool is great, write a little bit about someone and why you think they are wonderful, then let everyone else see! Fantastic for when you are looking for employment! I am not sure how much potential employers look at these but hey ho!

What are your thoughts on the LinkedIn recommendations? Do you use social media to look for recommendations?

Ciao x

Picture source: ecommerceinsiders.com