Month: February 2010

EduLinks – Software, CVs, Cyberlife, Self-Confidence & Sleep

Is it that time again? Onward!

From Economist – Needle in a haystack

“When information was recorded on a tangible medium—paper, film and so on—everything had only one correct place. With digital information the same item can be filed in several places at once, notes David Weinberger, the author of a book about taxonomy and the internet, ‘Everything Is Miscellaneous’. Digital metadata make things more complicated and simpler at the same time.”

Gizmo – Best freeware programs

Gizmo – Best online services

Gizmo’s site consistently offers great advice on finding the best free software around.  Why use expensive programs when you can download something similar (and often better) for free?

The two sites above are definitely ones to bookmark.  I found a lot of software and online tools that I already use and love. I first heard about some of the items from Gizmo’s site in the first place.

100 Free and Useful Portable Apps for College Students

USB memory sticks are so useful. Yes, they’re small and I’ve lost count of the number of people who tell me they’ve left a stick with their essays on in the library or computer centre.  However, the benefits of these tiny sticks can’t be ignored.  Set up a home computer setup away from home by sticking your favourite software on the stick and using it wherever you go.

If you haven’t already seen the brilliant PortableApps suite, you should definitely check that out too.

Independent – Is it time to tear up your CV and try a different approach to finding your dream job?

You’re not limited to finding a job using traditional methods.  How far do you want to go?  While the article helpfully suggests how to push your search further and harder, I wouldn’t suggest you rip that CV up quite yet.

Yahoo! Finance – 10 Resume Red Flags

Get your not-yet-ripped-up-CV in shape for applications. Some seemingly ‘must-have’ CV areas may do more harm. And think again before you try some techniques to make your CV stand out.  It could stand out for all the wrong reasons…

University of East Anglia – Are YOU at risk of plagiarism?

Test yourself on how well you know your stuff.  Can you use material from lectures and lecture notes without referencing?  Are you allowed to discuss an assignment topic with another student?  Can you re-use material from your own essays?

From Leeds Student – Sleepless Students

“Many of us theorize that by sleeping all weekend we can make up for the hapless sleeping patterns of the previous week – a sort of banking system for sleep. However consistency is key. It is actually advisable to sleep the same amount (ideally 7-8 hours) every night. This would involve the same bed time and waking time even on weekends! Understandably, for many this will be unachievable, after all weekends were made for lie-ins. However, ‘banking’ sleep can actually lead to feeling more tired. This is due to an increase in melatonin, a sleep regulating hormone that can be caused by oversleeping.”

Matt’s Idea Blog – The 20 top time wasters, stealers, nibblers, and how to nab them

While I go through the 20/20 series of posts, here’s a Top 20 list for getting your time back and zapping the things that eat away at that precious commodity.

Apophenia: ChatRoulette for the uninitiated / ChatRoulette from my perspective

If you’ve not heard of the randomly social-connecting webcam service ChatRoulette, the first piece will bring you up to speed. It’s not to everyone’s taste. If you’re well aware of the site, the second piece discusses the service further and how it reminds the author (Danah Boyd) of the earlier days of the Internet.

ChatRoulette has quickly become a popular site, but I can’t see it as anything other than a novelty.  It’s not the future of web apps, even if it is bizarre and compelling for many.

MakeUseOf – How To Create A Good Password That You Will Not Forget

You don’t have to rely on the name of your cat, a rude word, or 123456 to remember a password.  As the article shows, you can create a memorable password that looks nonsense to anyone else.  Who’d have thought a Bryan Adams fan would have no problem logging in to their email with a password like ‘E1d_1D!4Y:)GMa’.

Positivity Blog – 3 Common Mistakes When Trying to Improve Self Confidence

Don’t just think something positive, DO something positive.  Don’t just imagine the worst outcomes, imagine the BEST outcomes.  Don’t just rush into things, PREPARE each step of the way.

20/20 – Day 10: 20 pushes to get you working

Difficulty in starting a project doesn’t have to be down to procrastination.  A number of factors can buzz around, disrupting your efforts.  You may not even know what’s causing the problem.

If you’re serious about starting, or at least want a nudge in the right direction, here are 20 possible solutions for you.

  1. Start straight away. Important, yet rarely used.  The best way to deal with any work is to start soon after you’re given the task.  You needn’t do loads, just get started.
  2. Small chunks. Part of the brilliance with starting straight away is that you don’t have to spend hours in one go.  20 minutes here, half an hour there…in the first few days you’ll be a lot closer without breaking into a sweat.
  3. Stop treating coursework negatively. It’s easy to feel trapped in essay hell when rushing to complete work, especially when looming close to the deadline.  A negative attitude toward the work will simply make you feel worse.  Fine, given the choice you won’t always jump at essay work over everything else, but when a job’s got to be done, you’ll find it more difficult when you’re downhearted about it.
  4. Study buddies. Some people swear by the power of working with others.  They don’t have to be on your course and they don’t have to be in your year.  It may help for some study, but the main draw here is to get together in a group so you can spur each other on to work.
  5. Write casual. Treat writing like a personal blog post, diary entry, Facebook message, or conversation.  Switching to scholarly gear isn’t an instant process.  Get rid of the problem by going casual.
  6. Use different materials and stick with what makes you happy.  If you hate staring at a blank screen on the computer, get a pen and pad.  If the software proves too distracting, try a minimal interface.
  7. Procrastinate AFTER you start, not before.  Procrastination before you know where you want to go with an essay makes the job harder.  Procrastination when you’re half way through the process is not so bad.
    Anyway, a bit of a pause can be a good thing.
  8. Write drunk, edit sober.  Whether or not you take this advice literally, the point drives home the need to write without fear.  Don’t clear up as you go along, especially if that means obsessing over the exact words and ending up writing nothing at all.  When you’ve written the detail, you’re in a better place to mould it suitably.  Set aside separate time for the editing process.
  9. Take inspiration from unlikely sources.  This depends on the subject, but some lend themselves to this exercise.  An unlikely source doesn’t have to be weird, just away from a regular starting point.  For instance, your lectures are separate entities, but they overlap in terms of content, reference, people, and so on.  Therefore, a generally unrelated lecture may still hold a cue to set you thinking.
    Alternatively, a news story or a YouTube video could provide you with an idea.  Be on the lookout for anything that draws you back to the essay you’re working on.  Anything is possible.
  10. Work somewhere else.  The simple process of leaving one situation and engaging with another is often enough to give you renewed vigour.
  11. Do something daring. Changed perspective and a sense of the unknown help bring clarity to your thoughts.  Step out of your comfort zone and do something you wouldn’t normally. A bit over the top, you might think, but it can feel so, so good!
  12. Don’t offer yourself rewards for work. Just make it rewarding! You should be studying this for a reason.  If it’s that dull, pick a different theme/title.
  13. Find inspiration from quotations.  I’m not talking about self-help nuggets.  I’m referring to quoting others in essays.  When you find a killer quotation, write around that.  Shape the essay around the quotation, rather than shaping the quotation into the essay.
  14. Use your past work as inspiration. I don’t mean you should plagiarise, but you should look back to relevant coursework and refer to key points and major areas in order base your new work.
  15. Go for a walk/run. A very common piece of advice (regularly offered by myself among many others).  Alas, it’s advice commonly ignored.  It works so well, you should at least give it a chance.
  16. Change the lighting.  This is a weird one, but it works wonders.  If the main light in your room is on, turn it off and use a desk lamp instead.  If it’s the middle of the day and your curtains are open, see what happens when you close them and have a bit of artificial light.  Changes in the light do all sorts to your attitude, mood, outlook, and focus.
  17. Use a timer. Race yourself.  Just ten minutes can help.  Force yourself to work until the alarm goes off.  A bit of pressure can go a long way.
  18. Ask the tutor for an interesting reference/starting point.  They’re not going to tell you how to write your essay.  Neither will they hold your hand and give you a killer introduction.  However, they should be willing to discuss where you’re looking to take ideas and suggest key areas to explore based on those ideas.
  19. Brainstorm and mindmap. Go crazy…Write lists, make charts, draw pictures, you name it!  Pick key concepts, search a bit deeper, and attempt to shape a rough outline.  I often do this when preparing anything, not just coursework.
  20. Don’t research. Write blind. See how you do and put the research in after you’ve had a go.  Research can bog you down, so write what you think it best first.  Even if you scrap it all later on, it’s the fact that you’ve actually given the topic thought that helps drive you further.

Title image: original by tiffa130 (cc)  /  Bottom image: Retrofuturs (cc)

20/20 – Day 9: 20 hints for living with others

There’s no such thing as a perfect housemate.  I certainly wasn’t perfect.  Neither were the wonderful people I lived with.

But we listened. And we worked together. And we didn’t shy away from talking about problems. Much. 🙂

While yesterday’s post was aimed at finding accommodation, today’s post is about how to have a relatively stress-free time once you’re living in it.

Staying in private accommodation is a different experience to that of living on campus.  While some issues remain the same, it’s a whole new world.  Whoever you’re moving in with, be they best of friends or practically strangers, it’s best to be prepared.  Welcome to Day 9 of 20/20.

  1. Set meetings. The frequency and formality is up to you, but make sure you all get together on occasion and talk about any issues regarding the rental.
  2. Don’t be picky. Everyone’s different. They can’t all be perfect in your eyes. If it’s not a big deal and it’s not bothering you, let it go.
  3. Try to share items so you don’t all have to buy the same stuff. This works especially well with more expensive and less frequently used kitchen items.
  4. Respect the house rules. You don’t want to hear your housemates music at two in the morning. They don’t want to hear your music at that time of night either.  If you need to go as far as writing down some house rules, have a meeting and write them down. Hopefully it won’t come to that.
  5. Getting up earliest or coming back latest, remember to be quiet!
  6. Understand boundaries.  Your housemates probably won’t expect you going in to their room either, unless you’re invited.  Even if you have an open door policy that extends to when you’re out, others won’t.
  7. Tidy up after yourself.
  8. Communal cleaning should be done as a group, or on a rota.  Agree to one and stick to it.
  9. Each housemate take separate responsibility for a utility bill (electricity, gas, water, phone).  You all get practice, you all get a bit of work to do. Fair and reasonable.  Unless one person specifically wants to do the work (as happened in my 2nd year).
  10. Pay up on time whenever a bill comes in.
  11. Respect differences. No matter how similar you and your housemates are, there will be differences.  There’s nothing wrong with that.
  12. Don’t hog resources.  Be fair when you use the bathroom, the oven, the house phone, the living areas, and so on.  People may not speak up when you spend 2 hours on the same thing that takes them 20 minutes, but that doesn’t mean you should carry on regardless.
  13. Don’t allow guests to outstay the welcome of your housemates. Let’s say your partner visits. One or two nights is usually fine, although it’s still best to ask or have a prior agreement regarding guests.  If you know the stay will be longer, make sure everyone is happy with the situation.  When guests stay longer than expected, don’t ignore it, let everyone in the house know and explain why.  Remember, guests use resources too, so they’re costing the house money.
  14. Only hold parties and large social gatherings as a whole house. If it’s specific only to you, make sure you have explicit agreement from housemates that it’s okay.  Make sure boundaries are set and safeguards are in place.
  15. Don’t turn the heating up or down loads without coming to an agreement first. This is one that often gets overlooked. But if you’re always freezing while the rest of the house feels warm, they’re not going to appreciate the extra heat (or the extra cost)!
  16. Set up an area for messages, information, and so on. Just a fridge door will do.  Find space to get key information together that everyone can quickly check.
  17. Keep a list for phone calls made.  Mobile phones take away the urgency for a student house to have a phone.  Even if you have a phone because of broadband, there may be little use for the phone.  No matter how little the phone is used, keep a book by the phone and note down all calls that are made.  That way, when the bill comes through, you’ll know who needs to pay for each call.
  18. Speak up.  Don’t suffer in silence.  Unless you explain what difficulties you’re having, people may not realise.  However, instead of moaning, discuss the situation sensibly.
  19. Discuss the need for a TV Licence. Some students can’t be bothered to watch TV.  Others watch it whenever they’re in, no matter what they’re doing.  Not everyone wants to pay for a licence, because TV isn’t going to be a part of their student life.  If they don’t contribute, don’t complain if they suddenly watch the odd show. Life’s too short.  On the other hand, if they veg out every day in front of the box…
  20. Prepare to compromise. You can’t have everything your own way.

Title image: original by tiffa130 (cc)  /  Bottom image: original by San Sharma (cc)

20/20 – Day 8: 20 tips for finding accommodation

If only you could live on campus every year of your degree!

Choosing a place to live can be tough.  It’s bad enough working out who you’re going to live with, let alone where and under what circumstances.

When it comes to viewing properties and working out what’s suitable for you, here are some considerations that you shouldn’t leave home without…

  1. How close is it to campus? You’re doing yourself no favours if you’re miles away with no method of getting to uni.
  2. Is the area full of other students, or would you be on your own? Choose carefully. Quiet life or communal feel?  Some areas are full of houses let to students and you have to decide whether or not that’s your thing.
  3. Are you near amenities? Local shops, right by town, close to local facilities?  What do you need to live close to?
  4. Check your area. Use tools like UpMyStreet to study the neighbourhood if you really care about the surroundings you’re about to move to.
  5. Can you get a good broadband connection? Crucial for some people.
  6. Would you prefer to stay on campus? Can uni provide you with accommodation? Some universities do have places for students to stay on campus.  Find out what’s available to you as soon as possible.
  7. Senior Student schemes help you stay on campus and save money in the process.  Another way to avoid private accommodation is to check if your uni has a scheme for Senior Students or Student Ambassadors that live on campus working to support students in their Fresher year. You would be in a responsible role, however, so don’t use it solely as a way to live on campus for another year.
  8. Find a place through uni. Your accommodation office and Students’ Union should have lots of advice to offer.  They should also have an updated list of recommended accommodation specifically for students. Before you start looking for a place independently, see what your uni can do to point you in the right direction.
  9. Get agreements checked out before signing.  Solicitors often provide services through Student Union services, so check for that.  Don’t sign on the dotted line without making sure you’re not signing your life away.
  10. How many people do you want to live with? This makes a difference on the number of properties available.  Three or four people looking together will have a greater selection of possibilities than a group of seven or eight.  If necessary, try forming two smaller groups and live close together.  While not perfect, it may be the only option.
  11. How much living area is provided? If the property has been designed to fit as many paying students as possible, there may be no communal living space other than a kitchen. And we all know how small they can be. If you’re hoping to get people over and spend time with others, can you find room for entertaining, coming together, and so on?
  12. Check the little things. Some considerations are forgotten about. Look for plug sockets, phone/broadband sockets, size of the fridge/freezer, etc. These issues don’t seem important, but they’ll be a big deal if they’re lacking in one way or another.
  13. Safety first! Check all locks, make sure windows are secure, and be aware of anything that doesn’t look safe inside and outside the property.  You want to make sure you’re going to be relatively safe and you want to make sure your belongings aren’t going to disappear too easily.
  14. Don’t be too picky.  Remember, you do need to be comfortable, safe, and suited to the place you’re renting.  But it’s not like you’re buying it.  Anyway, you only need stay there for a year.  Factor in several months spent back at home too and little niggles like the colour of the bathroom suite are suddenly not as important as you first thought.
  15. If unsure, speak to your accommodation office and/or Student Union. This goes for any queries. Before committing to anything, make sure you know what the deal is.
  16. Don’t look at properties outside your price range.  It’s not worth wasting time finding the ‘perfect’ place and worrying about money issues later. Stick to your own limits.
  17. Consider your housemates carefully.  There are no hard and fast rules.  Some people say it’s great to live with your closest mates from the first year.  Others say it’s asking for trouble.  Same situation for living with people on your course.  Same again for living with the same people you lived with on campus.  There are arguments for and against any arrangement.  So I say simply this: Think carefully before you rush in to any living arrangement with others.  Try to get it working.  You may not succeed, but the harder you try, the more likely you’ll get a positive outcome.
  18. Check transport links.  You need to be mobile, so don’t get stuck in the middle of nowhere.  How far to the nearest train station?  Where are the bus stops?  Where do the buses go to?
  19. Minimalist or clutter-bug? If you like a house, but the rooms are tiny and you’ve got loads of stuff to pack in your room, you’ve got two choices: Option one, chuck out some of the clutter.  Option two, ignore that house and keep looking.  Up to you.
  20. Stick with full time students when sharing, or risk paying Council Tax.  If you find yourself in a situation where at least one of you renting is a part-time student, the house is eligible for Council Tax.  But if you’re all full-time students, you’re free from paying Council Tax…which is nice.

Title image: original by tiffa130 (cc)  /  Bottom images: *saxon* & mescon (cc)