We are breaking for Easter tomorrow, so no uni for two weeks. Yeay!
I’ m so exhausted, I have spent the entire week researching for my essays and trying to get bits of work done.
This break means I can work more hours. Money is my main worry. I don’t receive any government grants from my country. My tuition fees and rent are paid for by my family and fiancé but I have to pay my for transport and other bills. I work two or three times a week from 7am until 9pm or 2pm until 9pm and sometimes 7am until 2pm just to help make ends meet. And somehow I have to make time to study and make sure I pass my degree. When you are charged more than £8,000 in tuition fee alone, failure is just not an option
I know I can save money on clothes by avoiding high street shops and head to places like Finsbury Park or even charity shops or Saturday and Sunday markets for cheap good stuff. But I am scared of buying clothes from charity shops in case I buy clothes that belonged to a dead person and they might just come back from the dead and ask me they clothes but that’s just me being superstitious. Finsbury Park is just too far me so I settle for the high street even though my pocket is too low.
All these things can make student life seem a total nightmare.
Thursday, 13 March 2008
You don't have to be mad to work here - but it helps
One thing I haven't really gone into great detail on so far is the subject of co-workers. Yesterday I talked about the shop assistant stereotype and how it isn't necessarily true all the time. However, I'm not going to pretend that, sometimes, it can be somewhat justified.
I think if you were to survey every supermarket in the country, you'd find that the vast majority of their customer assistants are either teenagers working for a bit of beer money or young-to-middle aged mothers. The reason being that - let's face it - you do not have to be highly-skilled or highly-qualified to work in a supermarket. Very rarely will you meet a shop assistant who plans on having a career in retail. On the other hand, the very nature of the job means that there will always be members of staff who you could describe as being "a sandwich short of a picnic," for want of a better expression. But over the years, I have worked with some truly remarkable people - for all the wrong reasons.
Just for example: At the moment, I work with two women with the same name - no, wait, that's not the strange bit - one of whom is 79 years old, calls me a different name every week (despite the fact I wear a name badge) and has almost definitely worked at the same place since Mrs Thatcher was in power. The other isn't much younger, has recently returned to England after spending half a lifetime living in Belgium and thinks she has psychic healing abilities.
You couldn't make it up, could you? And having spent the last couple of years working in retail, I have to admit that it's not unusual to meet such "characters". 18-year-olds with two kids, single parents that make Amy Winehouse and Pete Doherty look like model parents, I've worked with them all, and chances are there will be people just like them working at your local.
So, a little word of warning to go with what I said at the end of yesterday's post. Next time you're shopping you may well be having trouble finding the orange juice, but finding a sane customer assistant to ask might just be even harder...
I think if you were to survey every supermarket in the country, you'd find that the vast majority of their customer assistants are either teenagers working for a bit of beer money or young-to-middle aged mothers. The reason being that - let's face it - you do not have to be highly-skilled or highly-qualified to work in a supermarket. Very rarely will you meet a shop assistant who plans on having a career in retail. On the other hand, the very nature of the job means that there will always be members of staff who you could describe as being "a sandwich short of a picnic," for want of a better expression. But over the years, I have worked with some truly remarkable people - for all the wrong reasons.
Just for example: At the moment, I work with two women with the same name - no, wait, that's not the strange bit - one of whom is 79 years old, calls me a different name every week (despite the fact I wear a name badge) and has almost definitely worked at the same place since Mrs Thatcher was in power. The other isn't much younger, has recently returned to England after spending half a lifetime living in Belgium and thinks she has psychic healing abilities.
You couldn't make it up, could you? And having spent the last couple of years working in retail, I have to admit that it's not unusual to meet such "characters". 18-year-olds with two kids, single parents that make Amy Winehouse and Pete Doherty look like model parents, I've worked with them all, and chances are there will be people just like them working at your local.
So, a little word of warning to go with what I said at the end of yesterday's post. Next time you're shopping you may well be having trouble finding the orange juice, but finding a sane customer assistant to ask might just be even harder...
your guide to the festival season
All Tomorrows Parties '08:
ATP Festival-curated by Explosions In The Sky.
from Friday 16th May to Sunday 18th May, festival line up:
EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY »
BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE »
IRON AND WINE »
DINOSAUR JR »
ADEM »
....AND YOU WILL KNOW US BY THE TRAIL OF THE DEAD »
POLVO »
ANIMAL COLLECTIVE »
A HAWK AND A HACKSAW »
ELUVIUM »
OLA PODRIDA »
LAZARUS »
THE PAPER CHASE »
FOUR TET »
GHOSTFACE KILLAH »
WESTERN KEYS »
SILVER JEWS »
JENS LEKMAN »
MONO »
TONY TEARDROP »
THE DRIFT »
THE NATIONAL »
LIARS »
SUNSET RUBDOWN »
LICHENS »
STARS OF THE LID »
BATTLES »
DE LA SOUL »
SAUL WILLIAMS »
RAEKWON »
THE FIELD »
OKKERVIL RIVER »
ATLAS SOUND »
THE PALE GALLERY »
THE OCTOPUS PROJECT »
CONSTANTINES »
I can tell you from personal experience, this festival tops many I've been to. The line-up is always incredible and diverse, the people are friendly, the atmosphere is relaxed, and it's perfect for those who love great music but don't like to camp in the great outdoors.
Held at Butlins in Minehead, both self-catering apartments and 2,3,4,5 and 6 berth rooms are available. Just make sure you pack a lot of food and drink before you go or you'll get a nasty shock. I ran out of money on the Sunday and had to go hungry. Butlins food prices are -extravagant-.
Nick Cave performing at ATP '07:
Tickets must be ordered in groups according to however many people are sharing a room, and cost from £140.
And not that it will EVER happen, but if you get bored of watching the music you can mess around with the services the resort itself has to offer- for example the cinema, the swimming pool and amusement arcade.
And last year, the organisers held a poll of ATP go-ers favourite television programmes and films, compiled a list of the most popular and showed everything back to back- no breaks- on ATP-TV, one film channel and one channel for seasons of programmes like Family Guy, Futurama, Brass Eye, Peep Show, The Mighty Boosh, and many more cult TV series'.
Something for everyone.
Awesomeness rating: *****
Green Man festival '08:
Friday 15th to Sunday 17th August.
Just as it was in 2007, the festival will be remaining the same size at 10,000 people.
Held at Glanusk Park in Wales, the line-up as yet is TBA, but Beirut and Super Furry Animals are said to be headlining.
This festival is wonderful. Under 12's go free- a tamer atmosphere than festivals such as Reading and Leeds; family friendly. Just a lovely atmosphere full of folk music and hippies. Camping is a MUST- the atmosphere on the campsite is as chilled as the arena, so make the most of the tent-pocked fields and new neighbours as is possible. Ticket prices start at £105 for one adult (camping), excluding the booking fee. A must for those of you who are nature children and/or mellow folk/alternative music lovers.
Awesomeness rating: ****
Over the next few posts, expect more news, reviews and information to help you decide where you should/could be spending your summer months. I shall be covering the following music orientated events to give you an insight into each one:
Just as it was in 2007, the festival will be remaining the same size at 10,000 people.
Held at Glanusk Park in Wales, the line-up as yet is TBA, but Beirut and Super Furry Animals are said to be headlining.
This festival is wonderful. Under 12's go free- a tamer atmosphere than festivals such as Reading and Leeds; family friendly. Just a lovely atmosphere full of folk music and hippies. Camping is a MUST- the atmosphere on the campsite is as chilled as the arena, so make the most of the tent-pocked fields and new neighbours as is possible. Ticket prices start at £105 for one adult (camping), excluding the booking fee. A must for those of you who are nature children and/or mellow folk/alternative music lovers.
Awesomeness rating: ****
Over the next few posts, expect more news, reviews and information to help you decide where you should/could be spending your summer months. I shall be covering the following music orientated events to give you an insight into each one:
- Reading/Leeds Festivals '08
- Global Gathering
- Benicassim
- Bestival
- WOMAD
- Wasted
- V Festival
I wanna be a rock star...
Every one wants to be the center of attention, all want to be in charge; but what would happen if everyone was a rock star. Economically it couldn't work, the rate of pay would have divide by, oh I dunno, about seven billion! Could every one be cleaners? I don't think so. We would have a very clean world but what about everything else? How dirty could the world be without drivers, cooks, who would teach? But with this capitalist society we live in, every one aspires to be on top, but only one person can be on top, otherwise it's not on top is it?
What do you actually do when you are on top? Other than try to stay there of course. Isn't it your responsibility to be a shining beacon for all to follow? But even at the top we are all just human and have the many flaws humans come with.
Abraham Maslow devised a chart to help explain the human psyche called, the hierarchy of needs, often used as a way to alert leaders to the facts that every one is different. Their are five steps on a triangle and people are asked to place the things most important to them in order with the most important at the top of the triangle. The things included, money, food, shelter, social and the last one has completely left my mind. What the person at the top may want may not be the same as all the others.
We apply this to politics. The person we look up to in politics is often the Prime Minster, the issue highest on the Prime minister's hierarchy could be food, we need to food to survive, but the majority of people may say that money is more important as we need money to by the food. the leader, person at the top understands that this is a democratic society and that no one person can decide what is best for all , and that the people are very capable of making decisions based on their needs.
We then apply this to the student union executive of which I am an elected member of. A usual fortnightly meeting was had with three members not in attendance. A proposal was brought forward to which there was a vote. All bar one, the President of the union, voted for. The motion to research and build on the proposal to bring to college management in the future was carried. The President of the union then announced that he would continue to oppose this all the way. It was explained to him that as the union was run democratically, and that the union represented it's students who had voted for them, the majority vote ruled; to which he answered 'I am the President, I vote against, what I say happens'.
The President has since been overthrown, a dramatic choice of words but it matches the drama of the situation. We live in a democratic state but are governed by capitalist ideals to which people aspire to be on top, I'm not the brightest spark but it seems a little contradictory to me. Is real democracy communist?? An idea of equality doesn't seem that bad. But does that leave us open to dictators, but what about the government we have now, what leads us to believe that we are not being dictated to. What are our options when casting our vote, dumb, dumbo and dumbest. What differences are we being offered how can we choose, could democracy be just like the white rabbit in the Alice of Wonderland, illusive? I have two children and like to offer them choices, but I control that choice. I say choose a cereal but I but the cereal, of three choices. What I chose from the supermarket. What is top of my hierarchy of needs?
It's amazing what can of worms a wanna be dictator opens in one student union executive meeting. Ramble ramble ramble!
The girls come easy and the drugs are cheap and we'll all get skinny cause we just won't eat; Hey hey I wanna be a rock star...
What do you actually do when you are on top? Other than try to stay there of course. Isn't it your responsibility to be a shining beacon for all to follow? But even at the top we are all just human and have the many flaws humans come with.
Abraham Maslow devised a chart to help explain the human psyche called, the hierarchy of needs, often used as a way to alert leaders to the facts that every one is different. Their are five steps on a triangle and people are asked to place the things most important to them in order with the most important at the top of the triangle. The things included, money, food, shelter, social and the last one has completely left my mind. What the person at the top may want may not be the same as all the others.
We apply this to politics. The person we look up to in politics is often the Prime Minster, the issue highest on the Prime minister's hierarchy could be food, we need to food to survive, but the majority of people may say that money is more important as we need money to by the food. the leader, person at the top understands that this is a democratic society and that no one person can decide what is best for all , and that the people are very capable of making decisions based on their needs.
We then apply this to the student union executive of which I am an elected member of. A usual fortnightly meeting was had with three members not in attendance. A proposal was brought forward to which there was a vote. All bar one, the President of the union, voted for. The motion to research and build on the proposal to bring to college management in the future was carried. The President of the union then announced that he would continue to oppose this all the way. It was explained to him that as the union was run democratically, and that the union represented it's students who had voted for them, the majority vote ruled; to which he answered 'I am the President, I vote against, what I say happens'.
The President has since been overthrown, a dramatic choice of words but it matches the drama of the situation. We live in a democratic state but are governed by capitalist ideals to which people aspire to be on top, I'm not the brightest spark but it seems a little contradictory to me. Is real democracy communist?? An idea of equality doesn't seem that bad. But does that leave us open to dictators, but what about the government we have now, what leads us to believe that we are not being dictated to. What are our options when casting our vote, dumb, dumbo and dumbest. What differences are we being offered how can we choose, could democracy be just like the white rabbit in the Alice of Wonderland, illusive? I have two children and like to offer them choices, but I control that choice. I say choose a cereal but I but the cereal, of three choices. What I chose from the supermarket. What is top of my hierarchy of needs?
It's amazing what can of worms a wanna be dictator opens in one student union executive meeting. Ramble ramble ramble!
The girls come easy and the drugs are cheap and we'll all get skinny cause we just won't eat; Hey hey I wanna be a rock star...
The long way round...
Ok so even though I said that I can handle a long distance relationship the other day I do have weak moments when I just want to go home and have a bit of a cuddle. For example at 2.00am this morning I was in bed watching Night Watch (if you’ve never seen it shame on you!) and I just got this horrible lonely feeling. Now don’t get me wrong I’m not going to sit here and write my suicide note, I just needed a hug and because I couldn’t have one I was a bit miserable.
Now this made me think, ok so my boyfriends a few hundred miles away and it doesn’t bother us that much but how do people who live on the opposite side of the world to each other manage?? Take my friend Banana* her boyfriend Seed*. He emigrated to New Zealand just before Christmas and I think they both deserve a medal for keeping their relationship going- in fact she’s over there at the minute visiting him and having a fantastic time (you should see the photos!). However, I silently question how long they can last when she’s here and he’s a 27 hour mega expensive flight away, but I’d never say this to her because she’s my friend and don’t we all just want the best for our friends and family??
*I’ve changed names to protect the anonymity of people that I know
Now this made me think, ok so my boyfriends a few hundred miles away and it doesn’t bother us that much but how do people who live on the opposite side of the world to each other manage?? Take my friend Banana* her boyfriend Seed*. He emigrated to New Zealand just before Christmas and I think they both deserve a medal for keeping their relationship going- in fact she’s over there at the minute visiting him and having a fantastic time (you should see the photos!). However, I silently question how long they can last when she’s here and he’s a 27 hour mega expensive flight away, but I’d never say this to her because she’s my friend and don’t we all just want the best for our friends and family??
*I’ve changed names to protect the anonymity of people that I know
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