What I wish I had known before Uni

As the leaves turn brown and the nights begin to draw in, Leeds once again fills with the buzz of returning students and the prospect of a new term. Navigating university can be daunting, and even going into fourth year, I am still figuring it out! So, whether you’re setting foot in Leeds for the first time or returning, here are some essential pointers I wish I had known earlier. 

1. You don’t have to be best friends with your flatmates

It may be that you walk into your halls kitchen and fall head over heels with every one of them, (in which case, skip to no. 2). However, just because they are the most convenient to hang out with, it’s more important that you just get on enough to share living spaces. You’re more likely to meet people with similar interests on your course, at societies, or at your favourite pub or club. 

2. Don’t sleep with your flatmate/s

Although I didn’t learn this first-hand, I’ve seen the problems it can cause not only for those directly involved, but the whole flat. The likelihood is that it won’t last, you’ll ruin the flat dynamic and it’ll probably end in tears.

 3. Budget! 

I am determined to stick to it this year, fourth time lucky? (I’ve heard) that even writing down everything you spend is a great way to become more aware and supposedly shocks you into cutting down on expenditures. Watch this space. 

4. Invest in a proper water bottle

In first year, my second week of lectures was rudely interrupted by a cheap water bottle leaking in by bag; writing off my laptop. Not only was this tremendously expensive but also seriously inconvenient, just as I was settling in. It also saves you buying single use plastic so often. Economical and environmentally friendly, what’s not to like?

5. Use your Lecturer’s office hours

This one is particularly important if your contact hours are lower than your friend’s doing maths, for example. This year I have four. A week. Yes, I’m shocked too. Speaking one-to-one with your lecturers allows you to ask any additional questions you didn’t think of in the seminar and means you can clear up any concerns about the subject and course at large. 

6. There is more to Leeds than Hyde Park

Whether your halls are on campus or as far out as Clarence Dock, it can be very easy, especially in first year, to limit your sphere to a rotation of halls, Uni, pub, halls, Uni, pub… Whilst Leeds, as a city, has an extensive and exciting cultural scene, from music to museums, a stone’s throw beyond the city centre provides a number of neighbouring towns and villages, perfect for a wholesome day out. Look up Skipton, Harrogate, and Knaresborough, to name just a few!

7. First year probably won’t be the best of your Uni years

There is far too much hype surrounding the First Year, let alone Freshers Week. First Year is particularly overwhelming, and many people don’t meet their best friends until later on in their Uni experience. Remember that everyone is in the same boat so don’t worry if it seems that you’re the only one struggling to stay afloat! 

Freshers: A Guide to Budgeting 

Last year I adopted, in what I hope is in an endearing and affectionate way, the nickname ‘Budget’ from my friends. This is perhaps a slightly generous and hyperbolic label and is my only qualification to give my advice on this topic, but these are just some opinions on how to budget, from a student who enjoys the stereotypical student experience. 

It is important to note that I can only speak from my own experiences, and naturally, this is not representative of every student’s experience or inclusive of every student’s financial situation. 

Firstly, try not to get too carried away when you see the first student loan instalment reach your bank account! Depending on how much you receive, it can look like a lot, especially to a student, but remember this has to last you until Christmas. My advice would be to try and roughly estimate how much your loan permits you to spend on a weekly basis on top of rent and open a second bank account to transfer this money into – Monzo works amazingly for me.  This way, it is easy to see how much you are spending and on what. You can set the app to tell you how long your money needs to last, either updating it weekly or monthly. Having tried both, I find using a monthly allowance much more attainable, as naturally, your spending on a weekly basis will vary more. 

Monzo, as well as other banking apps, is also great because you can easily request and send money to your friends, making cashing in on night-out Ubers and drinks easy and stress-free! 

Moving away from turning this into free advertising for the aforementioned banking platform, here are some other things to think about during freshers to protect your bank balance:

  • Do things for free! The Fresher’s Fair is a perfect place to collect as much free stuff as possible, and it is also free to go to. It can feel slightly intimidating approaching all the different society stands on your own, so going with a new friend gives you a cost-free opportunity to learn more about your friend and learn more about how you would like to shape your life at Leeds. 
  • Other free activities could be sitting on Woodhouse Moor, if we’re lucky enough to get a nice enough day, or taking a walk along the Woodhouse Ridge. 
  • Although I wholeheartedly encourage joining one if not multiple society’s, don’t feel pressured to pay the membership fees right away. Assess all of your options first. Unfortunately, you can’t fit everything so use the ‘Give-It-A-Gos’ to test the water and work out your priorities before committing to paying the fees. 
  • If it’s not too late already, I would urge you not to buy wristbands or tickets for Fresher’s events before coming to Leeds. Blocking off too much of your week before you arrive can sometimes restrict you and skipping pre-paid events is sometimes inevitable but still a waste of that precious budget! 

Most importantly though, have fun! Fresher’s week is always going to be more expensive than your general week-to-week, so try to not feel guilty for spending more. Say yes to things, and if that means spending a bit more than your bargained for then that’s ok. 

A Guide to Surviving Freshers Flu

The annual flu season is almost upon us and with it, the start of the new term. Having survived a global pandemic, the threat of the freshers’ flu is stopping nobody from enjoying their night out this year. 

There’s no doubt that the mass convening of students, from across the globe, to live in student accommodation with questionable hygiene standards can make you ill. Moving into university is not only a big step in your social and academic life, but also a big change for your body. Your body is introduced to a cocktail of germs, viruses and bacteria from the new environment, new diet, and new people. Often, the fresher’s flu is similar to a bad cold, but the impact of the fever, sore throat and headaches can be exacerbated by the late nights, alcohol consumption and poor diet that is common amongst students. The lifestyle choices you make can weaken your immune system and make you more susceptible to the fresher’s flu.

The flu-like symptoms can be very similar to that of COVID-19 so make sure you do a test to check if you’re positive. Also, make sure to consult the NHS meningitis page if you notice a rash, sensitivity to light or a stiff neck. Fresher’s flu symptoms, like the common cold, can last around a week and shouldn’t be too difficult to get through – if you’re struggling, consider consulting your GP for further advice or treatment.

There are many ways to prepare for fresher’s flu to make your recovery as quick as possible. The following prevention tactics may even help you to avoid the flu altogether: 

1. Sign up to the GP as soon as you get here

Get all the admin work out of the way as soon as you can. In case you catch something more serious than fresher’s flu, it’ll be good to have all the forms already filled out so that you can contact your local GP, should you need to.

2. Make sure your vaccines are up to date

Checking that you’ve had all your vaccines and that they’re all up to date will keep you safe from a lot of the more serious viruses that could be travelling around uni. Cases of mumps were rising in my first-year accommodation, despite many of us having had the MMR vaccine, so make sure you keep an eye out for any bodily changes. 

3. Eat healthily 

Maintaining a healthy diet can be difficult at university, especially during Freshers. Eating a lot of vitamin C-rich foods, like oranges, tomatoes, and broccoli can help support your immune system. 

4. Drink lots of water (and maybe less alcohol!)

Staying hydrated can help prevent illness by helping your body flush out toxins. It can speed up the recovery process if you do fall ill and can help ease hangovers! 

5. Sleep

Sleep not only recharges your body, giving it a much-needed period of rest during a busy time, but also enhances your immune system. When you sleep, certain types of protective proteins and antibodies help fight off infection. 

Like with the common cold, there are no fixed cures. The best things that you can do to treat your fresher’s flu are below. 

1. Warm drinks

Staying hydrated, particularly with warm drinks, can help loosen congestion. Many people recommend warm lemon water drinks that you can make at home or pick up sachets in a pharmacy.

2. Rest

As with prevention, rest and sleep help your body recover, so make sure that you take some time off socialising when you start feeling ill.

3. Soothing your sore throat 

To prevent discomfort and reduce congestion, try taking sore throat lozenges or gargling saltwater.

Fresher’s flu is the unofficial initiation for all those starting university, so don’t be worried if (or when) you start feeling a bit ill, it’s all part of the uni experience! Stay aware of any significant changes to your health and let your GP know if you encounter further issues.

Safety First: A Guide to Staying Safe During Freshers Week

As universities make their big return to campus, there are keen students all around the country preparing themselves for a freshers’ week to remember. Here are five top tips for staying safe during the week: 

1. Buddy up

The phrase strength in numbers couldn’t be more fitting for this first tip. You are most vulnerable when you are alone, so it is important to stay in groups when you are out and try not to let people wander off or go home alone. In a new city and unfamiliar surroundings, it can be really overwhelming for many people, so make sure you’re checking in with your friends or flatmates regularly to see how they’re doing. 

2. Keep your phone charged  

This second tip may seem obvious, but having a fully charged phone when you’re out and about in a new city is a must. Not only will it be able to capture those unforgettable memories, but it can be used to pay for things, communicate with friends, and order Ubers or taxis to help you get home safe. 

3. Be vigilant

One of the most important pieces of advice is to be vigilant when you are out. The majority of people that you will meet are usually there to simply have a good time, but unfortunately, there are some more sinister people out there who have a different take on having a ‘good time’. Spiking continues to be a huge issue at parties and in clubs, so it is important to keep alert to minimise the risk of it happening to you or your friends. You can do this by not accepting drinks from strangers and not leaving any drinks unattended. 

If you do end up in a position where you think yourself or a friend may have been spiked, tell a bar manager or security guard, get to a safe place and if the condition deteriorates, call an ambulance. 

More information and advice on spiking can be found: https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/advice/staying-safe-while-drinking/drink-spiking-and-date-rape-drugs

4. Don’t overshare 

During the week, you will come across a whole host of new people and fresh faces who are all looking to make lots of new friends. When making conversations, it can be easy to overshare personal information very quickly such as where you’re staying, where you come from and your social media platforms, leaving you more vulnerable. With social media being a huge part of people’s lives, it is common to instantly want to add every single person you meet on these platforms, but this isn’t always the wisest thing to do as your social platforms can give off more information than you think. So, hold fire with those friend requests and wait to see who really turn out to be your close friends.

5. Look after yourself 

The final piece of advice for staying safe during freshers’ week is to look after yourself. It can be easy to see the week as the time to go wild, and many people do! But, it is really important to know your limits. The freedom of being a fresher means that it can be easy to feel pressured to do everything and go out every night, but don’t be afraid of saying ‘no’ if you don’t want to. At the end of the day, looking after yourself should be your top priority and you shouldn’t have to give in to the pressure of doing it all in the first week. 

Ultimately, freshers week is a time to really let loose and enjoy the freedom of being away from home. Take the advice as you wish, but by keeping these safety considerations in mind, you are guaranteed to have a great time and to make some unforgettable memories. 

Long Division 2022: Wakefield’s metropolitan music festival returns!

After the triumphant return of Wakefield’s Long Division Festival in 2021, following a pandemic-related break, the excitement that was built up around this year’s incarnation of the festival was undeniable. Having covered Long Division for The Gryphon last year, I was eager to revisit it. Despite what was, in my eyes, a much weaker line-up for Long Division 2022 in comparison to last year, I found myself bombing down the M62 giddy with excitement at the thought of the day ahead.

I arrived at the Art House – this year’s venue for the wristband exchange – early doors, not wanting to miss a moment of this fantastic celebration of Northern grassroots live music. After picking up my wristband from a member of the Long Division team (who were all excellent throughout the day) I was soon on my way into the centre of town to witness some excellent live music!

One of my favourite things about Long Division, and metropolitan festivals in general, is the fantastic opportunity it poses to discover new bands. With this in mind, I made the tough decision to skip out on Low Hummer, a band who I absolutely adore, in favour of up-and-coming Leeds band Fuzz Lightyear, who played an early set at The Vortex – an old-school rock venue reminiscent of the venue from that one episode of The Inbetweeners. After a fairly standard start to the set left me wondering whether to ditch The Vortex and head to Venue 23 for Low Hummer, I found myself enjoying the three-piece more and more as their performance progressed, the bassist in particular had great energy and even better basslines. Fuzz Lightyear and their unique brand of grunge and noise rock seem to be on the up-and-up within the Leeds scene, with a recent single release on Come Play With Me as well as an upcoming gig at the Adelphi in Hull. The trio certainly aren’t one to be missed!

My day in Wakefield only seemed to be getting better, after the delight of Fuzz Lightyear I headed to the Mechanics’ Theatre – for my money, the best venue at Long Division – to see Deep Tan. Previous to the festival, I had heard talk of Deep Tan, but I had never listened to their music. After the festival, I have hardly stopped listening to them. The stylish, moody tones of lead singer Wafah Dufour are perfectly complimented by the rhythm of Melia Beaudoin’s drums and the effortlessly cool Celeste Guinness on bass. The tracks ‘deepfake’ and ‘rudy ya ya ya’ stood out as definite highlights within their set, though it should be noted that the whole set was excellent from start to finish. Although, with ties to the ever-growing scene surround Dan Carey and the Speedy Wunderground label, you should not need me to tell you how great Deep Tan are as a group, I urge you to go and see this band!

Deep Tan rocking the Mechanics’ Theatre. Photo credit: Andrew Benge.

Following Deep Tan was never going to be an easy task, and although I made an effort to be as objective as possible whilst seeing the next act on my watchlist, Ava in the Dark, the band sounded absolutely terrible. This was, however, the fault of the sound mixing at the venue (The Counting House) which was laughably bad. During their opening song, only the drums could be heard – no vocals, no guitar, just drums. Unfortunately, it didn’t get much better (unless you count isolated drums with the occasional sound of guitar feedback as better). After 15 or so minutes I left, because I was hungry and also sick of hearing unaccompanied drums. I have since listened to Ava in the Dark online and, although their indie pop tunes are perhaps not my usual taste, the lead singer has an undeniably fantastic voice – it is a crying shame that the audience was unable to hear it at The Counting House. 

Returning to the Counting House after a brief food break, it appeared the sound problems still persisted as the next group, Household Dogs, were setting up. The group did not appear to be too happy about the competence of the sound man, but they persisted nonetheless with what was a brilliant set. Having previously reviewed ‘Dead Cool’, the recent release by Household Dogs on Come Play With Me, I was eager to see whether the coolness of their post-punk sound translated from the records onto the stage – thankfully, it does! Although their set did not totally blow me away (though this may have been a result of the poor quality of the venue), they still put on a memorable show and I would not at all be surprised if Household Dogs were to become the next big name in the post-punk revival scene, which is becoming increasingly saturated. 

Opening the Town Hall stage at Long Division – the site of The Lovely Eggs’ immense headline set at Long Division 2021 – was Venus Grrrls. Having heard a lot of buzz over this riot grrrl-influenced rock band over the past year or so, Venus Grrrls stood out on the lineup as one of the highlights for me. As seems to be a reoccurring theme within this article, I was not disappointed, their fierce stage presence is reinforced by great tunes – ‘Hate Me’ and ‘Goth Girl’ in particular – and infectious energy. Venus Grrrls are a brilliantly cool group but, unlike some, they have the substance to back it up. Their performance was one of the best I saw throughout the day in Wakefield, and it was especially good to see so many parents with kids in the crowd. Long Division is certainly a family friendly festival and I think that fact was much more abundantly clear this year in comparison to 2021. Either way, I have great confidence in the next generation of music lovers if their early gigs include seeing the likes of Venus Grrrls!

The effortlessly cool performance of Venus Grrrls. Photo credit: Andrew Benge.

Quickly following Venus Grrrls on my watchlist through the day were South London trio Honeyglaze. I had previously seen the group at Brudenell Social Club supporting Wet Leg, and also at the Honeyglaze in-store gig at Jumbo Records in Leeds. Truth be told, though, I am quite conflicted when it comes to Honeyglaze. On one hand, I genuinely enjoy the recorded material. It fills the need for downtempo indie music excellently, and I have found myself listening to them more and more. On the other hand, Long Division provided me with my third opportunity to see the band and every time I have seen them I have not been massively impressed. They perform the songs well enough and the stage persona that bassist Tim Curtis has is pretty funny, but ultimately I think they are quite uninteresting to watch. The songs sound just like the studio versions, which is fine, but it would be nice for there to be more performance involved – otherwise, you might as well stay at home and listen to the band on Spotify. Live music provides an invaluable space to experience music in a different, you would hope better, context and, at the moment, I just do not think Honeyglaze are exploiting that context to its full potential. 

After a quick trip back to the Mechanics’ Theatre for Honeyglaze, it was time once again to make the gruelling 60 yard walk back to the lovely, carpeted, cash-only Wakefield Town Hall. All metropolitan festivals seem to play on the fact that all the venues are within walking distance from each other, but anybody who has had to make the journey from The Wardrobe to Brudenell Social Club during Live at Leeds knows this to be somewhat hyperbolic. When it comes to Long Division, though, every venue is within a 10-minute radius by foot – no need for buses, expensive Ubers, or tired feet. I remained at the Town Hall for the rest of the day, soaking up as much of the friendly atmosphere surrounding Long Division before making the, admittedly short, journey home. LYR were up first, a band I was very excited for after realising that it is fronted by none other than poet laureate, University of Leeds Professor and, most importantly, Northerner Simon Armitage. Having been a fan of his poetry for a number of years, I was slightly embarrassed about my lack of awareness in terms of his band but having now heard them I can safely say that their music will remain on heavy rotation for me for some time. As you would expect from a band fronted by Armitage, they were lyrically incredible and musically beautiful. The lighting, and the intimate nature of the Town Hall stage, really added to the pulchritudinous performance. Musically, the band are quite mellow and atmospheric, totally different to everything else I had seen and heard throughout the day. Although it might be assumed that a group fronted by a poet laureate might be somewhat pretentious, Armitage seemed very down to earth and the audience interaction created a harmonious environment within the Town Hall. 

Simon Armitage fronts LYR at the Town Hall. Photo credit: Andrew Benge.

Suitably chilled out by LYR, I ventured up to the balcony of the Town Hall for the final performance of the day, which came in the form of W.H. Lung. The Mancunian group, who take their name from a Chinese supermarket, have been on my radar since their split release with Working Men’s Club on Golden Lion Sounds in 2021. The flawless and unnaturally energetic dance moves of singer Joe Evans took effect on the crowd very quickly and soon the whole town hall was under the spell of W.H. Lung’s psychedelic, synth-driven dance music. As I watched it unfold from above, on the surprisingly comfortable balcony of Wakefield Town Hall, one thought dominated my thinking: I cannot wait for the next Long Division!

Bluedot Festival returns to Jodrell Bank for 2022!

After 2 years of covid-enduced cancellations, the award-winning Bluedot Festival is set to return to Jodrell Bank Observatory in Cheshire from the 21st to the 24th July 2022. The last festival, held in 2019, featured the likes of Kraftwerk, New Order and Hot Chip – a tough act to follow indeed! With 2022’s headliners including Groove Armada, Metronomy and the one and only Björk, though, the organisers of Bluedot have certainly delivered.

As well as a stellar line-up of both musicians and comedians – including Leeds legends Yard Act – Bluedot also includes Science-based talks and activities for all the family to enjoy, linking to the festival’s location at Jodrell Bank Observatory, which houses a number of telescopes including the Lovell Telescope (the third largest steerable radio telescope in the world)! This year’s science headliners include Brainiac Live and Tim Peake. As if that wasn’t enough, Bluedot Festival 2022 will feature the brand-new VIP Village. The village, in partnership with Bruntwood, will feature award winning restaurants and food brands including Hawksmoor and the Michelin-listed Where the Light Gets In.  

Bluedot’s fantastic lineup for 2022!

With so much to do, so may great artists to see, and so much Science to soak up in such a beautiful location, Bluedot Festival 2022 is sure to be out of this world (pun definitely intended)!

Weekend and individual day tickets are available for purchase here