Welcome To The Adventures Of Lois And Minny!

So a few posts ago I mentioned that I might be hosting my very own radio show on Aggie Radio. And as you might have guessed by the title, myself and my co-host Minnie have our own slot on Tuesdays at 5-6pm PDT (12am UK time), WOOOOOO!

It's all about travel, giving students like ourselves, tips on how to save for their dream holiday, information about other countries and cultures and loads of fun facts! It's going to be a blast so make sure you tune in on Tuesday to hear our first show and follow us on twitter!

A Student's Guide To Effective Time-Planning

Since I started university, I have to admit that I'm not as organised as I once was. Getting up at 9am is such a struggle and gym?! Pffff what's a gym?! All I knew during my first year of uni was work and lectures, work and lectures... and then just work. I got lazy and would stay in bed all day, do homework at the last minute and go to the gym once in a blue moon (hands up if this sounds like you), which is the complete opposite of what I used to be like! I didn't even go out partying (WHAT?!)! So this month I decided to become a little bit more proactive with my time-planning so that I could have time to study AND play. And guys, it's been working!

Below is a timetable I've come up with to help me plan my week more effectively and efficiently (it's a lot so take a few minutes to take it all in). Keep reading to find out how I decided to allocate my time in the most useful way!

• Must-haves: Everyone has the things that they must do during the week. Your's might be school, a job, homework etc etc. Mine were going to my lectures, so I scheduled these in first, and doing my homework assignments. On average, it takes me 1 hour to do 10 questions (that's Maths for you) and normally for one assignment, I'll get 20-30 questions. So for each class, that's 2-3 hours of homework. I have 4 classes so that's 8-12 hours of homework each week, give or take. I've also scheduled in some Extra Homework sessions, just in case I miss one earlier in the week, or if I have more homework than usual. Figure out how long it normally takes you to do a piece of homework so you schedule in enough time. I also have a kick-boxing class which I get credit for, however, it's not on campus, so I have to make sure I allocate enough time to get there and back before my next activity (make sure you remember to do this if you need to as well!).

• Needs: So, I don't know about you, but I LOVE my sleep. So much so, that if I don't get my 8 hours, it's VERY unlikely I'll get up on time the next day. So the next thing I scheduled in was bedtime (I'm still working on this though!). However, everyone's different; some people only need 6 hours of sleep and they'll be fine the next morning! Take some time to find out how much sleep you can properly function on, then schedule that in. 

• Wants: Here's where gym fits in, because it's not a necessity but I really enjoy going to the gym and want to get healthier. BUT I know there are some people who need to go to the gym for 2 hours a day, every day, every week. If you're one of those people, make sure you schedule this in with your 'Needs' section, to make sure you allocate enough time for it! 

• Clubs & societies: If you are apart of any extra-curricular activities, like cross-country running, football, theatre rehearsals etc etc, you'd want to schedule this in with your 'Needs' also. However, there are often times when if things do overlap, you can alternate between weeks. I am apart of the Black Student Union and also apart of Aggie Radio, and their meetings happen to fit in nicely with everything else! 

• Religious activities: Now, certainly not everyone will need or even want to put this into their schedule, but if you do go to Church or Temple, then make sure you put this in your 'Must-haves' or 'Needs' section.

• Food, hanging out & naps: All the blank spaces are for going to lunch/dinner, hanging out with my friends or having a nap (because it's true, sometimes you really need them!). 

Tip: If you normally roll out of bed 20 minutes before your lecture, make sure you have prepared everything the night before. This means packing your bag, laying your clothes out, putting your make-up out in order (so you're not fumbling around trying to find your eyeliner) and making a quick breakfast. It only takes me 5 minutes to do this before I go bed and it saves me so much time in the morning!

Et voila! Make a schedule one week and really try to stick to it! You just might be pleasantly surprised with how much you can get done!

A Year In The USA | Weeks 7 & 8

The beautiful mountains next to campus

WOAH, time is flying by! I can't believe I've already been here for 8 weeks! It seems like only last week I was packing my suitcase to come here! The past two weeks have been so great, mostly because I have some REALLY amazing friends. It's definitely true that American kids know how to have fun WITHOUT alcohol (something we are yet to learn in the UK!)

What is the craziest thing you've done since being here?
Parents, siblings, those over 25, just skip down to the next question (don't say I didn't warn you!). So my friends introduced me to a game that I've never heard of back in the UK. Basically, you're in a car driving around, and whenever you come to a yellow light or see a car with a broken headlight, you have to hit the ceiling and yell "Sex". The last person to do it has to remove an item of clothing. And yes, one of my friends was striped down to their underwear!

Do you miss home yet?
There's only been one time when I've missed home, and that was only for about an hour. I honestly love it out here and wouldn't change anything for the world!

What's the major difference between studying in the US v UK?
So for my degree back in the UK, I used to have loads of lectures/supervisions/labs and barely any homework. Over here however, it's the total opposite. I only have 14 hours of lectures/classes a week, but boy is that made up for in assignments. There's never been a time yet when I haven't had work to do. I'm still to make up my mind which system I prefer...

Weeks 7 & 8

Mostly during the past two weeks, myself and my co-host, Minny, have been preparing for our own Radio Talk Show (but more about that in a later post!). On the weekend we took a mini road trip down to Provo, a city just below Salt Lake. There was an free street concert which was apart of the Provo Rooftop Concert Series, where a few bands and artists performed in front of a huge crowd. The headlining act was Neon Trees (no, I'd never heard of them either, but they were big news because they were from the area) alongside Fictionist and Blue Aces (yep, still never heard of them!). Now, I'm not a huge fan of the rock scene, nor being out in the cold for longer than necessary, but I did enjoy it and am really glad I went. Plus it was free so who am I to complain?! 

Week 8 was all about Homecoming! But I have to disappoint all my Brits and say that college homecoming is not a big as the movies make it out to be (yeah I know, I shed a tear too). But the university still put on loads of events to celebrate, such as the Mr USU pagent, a concert, street painting and of course, a dance to name a few. The highlight of my week though was Thursday night when Hypnotist, Chris Jones, decided to pop by and give us a bit of a show. Oh, and I was in it... Yes I got hypnotised into doing some crazy stuff like being a Zombie, dancing like I was a dude and hiding from the cops. Oh and did I mention he made us believe he was Drake and that we were at his concert? I was convinced I had touched Drake's hand and I was going to call my sister to rub it in her face...until I walked out of the room (yes, more tears were shed!). It was SO fun and from what I heard, all 800+ people who were in the audience had a blast! BRING ON SPRING HOMECOMING!

A Year In The USA | Weeks 5 & 6

Yellowstone during my first few weeks in the USA

The past two weeks haven't been as eventful as the first few, so for this post I want to enhance a little on the differences in culture I've experienced whilst being here.

What are the main differences between Utah and the UK?

Of course there are many differences, one prominent difference being the religion. Most people in Utah are born and raised LDS or Mormon, which was something I knew VERY little about before coming here. Before leaving the UK a lot of people joked around saying I'd come back Mormon, but since being here, I've learnt that the LDS faith is not very different from any other religion. In fact what surprised me most, is that most Mormons are very cultured and educated because they go on missions all over the world when they are 18, 19 or 21; I've met people who are fluent in Spanish, Portuguese, Russian and Ukrainian! One of my best friends here is Mormon and she's no different to any other American girl you'd cross on the street. 

The major difference though, is that Utah is prominently a 'white state'. It's fairly rare to see a non-white face whilst walking through campus. So that was really strange for me to get used to because London is so diverse and you wouldn't walk down the road without coming across someone of a different nationality. Saying that though, it's not a big deal because the people here are so friendly, no matter what their race.

What are the similarities?
Well, when it comes to similarities it's actually really difficult to think of them! I guess the only one really is the mindset of college students! We all just want to do as well as we can in our course but at the same time, we want to have as much fun as possible!

How does being born in the UK affect my social life? (BTW my friends came up with this question)
Honestly, I don't think it's affected me in any way except that I've been exposed to many different cultures, religions and races so my knowledge of these things have been enhanced, perhaps more than if I grew up in another country/city!

Weeks 5 & 6

Apart from the excitement of having midterms during the past two weeks, there were a few other events which really stood out. The first being a panel which I chose to be apart of. I joined the Black Student Union (BSU) here at my US university (kinda strange considering I'm not apart of the ACS back home). Anyway, a Multicultural and Societies class were having panels of students from the Black, Latino, Polynesian and various other student unions, in order to ask questions and understand other cultures better. I opted to be on the panel for the BSU, which I was excited about but we were warned beforehand there may be some strange and ignorant questions asked. However when it came to it, the students in the class (who were 99.9% white) were respectful and asked genuine questions like "how did you feel when you came to Utah". It was great to be apart of, and it was lovely to know I was helping others understanding of different cultures.

Saturday night was spent at PoBev i.e. Poetry and a Beverage. A few friends and I snuggled up (literally, it was cold) with a few blankies out in the Quad (the main outdoor's space of the uni) and listened to amusing songs and heartfelt poems by some very talented students. Plus we got free Apple Cider (non-alcoholic of course)!

My highlight of the two weeks though, was the play we went to see at the Caine Lyric Theatre in downtown Logan, the town where my university is based. It was called Bus Stop and a friend was performing in it, which is why I went. And I'm honestly glad I did. It was funny, romantic (sort-of) and pulled at your heartstrings; literally everything you could want in a play. And it was free because we were students...WOO! The first of many plays and musicals to come I hope!