Victoria Louise K

Looking for the perfect University can seem so daunting and stressful at the beginning...especially when every, single Uni is telling you why you absolutely need to go to them and there's no way you should even consider anywhere else. This in itself just adds to the confusion, so take a step back and follow these simple steps:

The first thing you should do is choose your course, what subject area or career are you interested in? If you're struggling then there are many online 'course finder' tests which you can take to give you a few suggestions! This will then whittle down some of the Universities straight away as not all of them will offer your course!

Once you've chosen your course, the next thing you should do is to decide what type of University you're looking for; for example, if you're sure that you want to stay close to home then there's no point even considering travelling hours to University Open Days which are really far away! There are many aspects to consider, such as how the course is taught...does it suit your style of learning? The accommodation which is offered....is it guaranteed that you will have somewhere to live? Social Life...if you're looking for the party lifestyle, is it available in that area?

Next thing, organise to visit a few of your chosen contenders at Open Days! These will offer you a much better insight into everything about the University and what you will be able to expect if you studied there. There are also lots of opportunities to ask any questions or queries that you have in mind, so don't forget to take a notepad and pen! Also, take someone along with you so you can compare opinions. After the visit, try to make a note of your initial thoughts so that you don't forget or get it mixed up with another Uni at a later date! The last thing you want to do is choose a Uni then turn up and realise you'd got them mixed up and your dream Uni was actually 'the other one'!!

Consider the grade requirements. Be realistic with what grades you're likely to achieve and consider if there's any point applying for a University which recquires grades you could never get, equally if they're low grade boundaries and you think you'll definatley surpass them, then take this on board when making your decision.

You get to choose three options through UCAS when applying so make sure you consider these thoroughly! After that, it all comes down to your grades and offers, so be sure to put in the time and effort in order to reap the rewards afterwards. Finally, after your exams are all done, you can only sit back, relax and await the results and offers!

Being English, I'm used to cold, gloomy, rainy days, trapped indoors like a prisoner; feeling as miserable as the weather. Don't get me wrong, I adore cozying up with a hot chocolate in front of the TV or whilst reading a good book, a burning fire warming your bones, crackling steadily in the background...and there's nothing better than waking up to a thick, white blanket of snow covering the ground and turning everything into a magical, Winter wonderland! But I have come to realise that enough is enough, there's only so many books you can read, TV shows and movies you can watch and logs you can burn before you long and crave for that thing called SUN...remember that??...

It's not just the weather which has enticed me to move abroad but the lifestyle which often accompanies it! Most people I know, work all year and indulge themselves with a 2 week holiday abroad and although it's only a minuscule amount of time in comparison to how many hours they've worked all year, the excitement and memories, which a fortnight away can bring, can last a lifetime! Now, what if that 'holiday feeling' and relaxed, carefree lifestyle could become your life? Perfect!

Of course, you can't spend your whole life living a holiday, staying at hotels and doing nothing but going to the beach and sampling new restaurants every day. But, living abroad you can do! And maybe, you should do! Right now I'm sat on the balcony of my flat writing this blog in a floaty, summer dress in the South of Spain, and yes it is only March! It's safe to say that I've definitely got that 'Summer feeling'; the cool breeze is gently brushing down the street whilst the sun steadily warms the clear, blue sky, with not one single cloud in sight. Now, tell me that doesn't make you want to jump on the next flight and leave the frozen depths of Britain behind!?
A lot of people dabble in the idea of emigrating, or even just buying a property abroad but are put off by various conundrums such as the risk and of course leaving behind family and friends...well this is where things have changed! Flight prices can cost as little as a good cut of beef from your local butchers and you can be in your destination quicker than it would take you to watch a double Corrie omnibus! Also, with Skype, Facetime, Snapchat etc. etc. etc it's now easier than ever to keep in touch, so you won't even feel like you're leaving people behind at all!
If you've got children it can seem like a lot of pressure to take them abroad to live, or even to buy a property abroad but it's also so beneficial for little ones! Children absorb information like sponges and there's no better stage to learn a language than infancy, equally there's no better way to learn a language, than being surrounded completely by it. I can't stress enough about how beneficial it is to be able to speak a foreign language! Finally, children make friends almost instantaneously wherever you take them so you don't need to worry about that either!!

If, on the other hand; you're young, carefree and sans famille then why not just jump on a flight and sort out the minor details of accommodation and a job when you arrive? I know it sounds unbelievably daunting and risky but, if you book a few nights into a hostel before you arrive, from there it's normally a breeze to find a place to rent in a matter of hours and it seems there's always a ton of English teaching jobs available wherever you go. If you just sort out a few minor details beforehand, it couldn't be easier!

So many of us will spend lifetimes complaining but how many of us will actually do something about it and change what they're not happy with?