First day of Lectures!

Durham University

Super Casual for Lectures

I can't quite believe this day has finally arrived!  I'm actually a Medical Student :-)

 As I live a good mile or so from the University, I've decided to cycle in wherever possible.  The downside of this is that I won't be able to do outfit posts everyday, as I'll be wearing basic stuff I can carry in my backpack without getting too crushed.  I have proper cycling clothes for comfort, not to mention we get a LOT of rain here so I'd have to change most times or risk going to lectures soaked through.

 For today I did catalogue what I wore, although it's pretty boring...


Nails

Hoody
T Shirt
Jeans

My favourite boots (similar)

TTFN
LouLou x

What I bought this month: October 2015

Budget
Linking up with Fran, here is what I bought this month.  As I've just started University and am still getting used to having no very little money, I'm probably only going to shop for clothes at the end of each loan period when I know what, if anything, I have left.

 Sooo, whilst I had my eye on lots of lovely things, starting University meant I had a few key things I needed and unfortunately they are all neutral :-/  Sorry about that, but I promise when I next have spare money for clothes I will buy prettier things.

 To get an idea of my logic for this months' budget, the end of September saw my last full time salary, so once all my unavoidable expenses were accounted for, I put the rest into one of my savings accounts and nicknamed it 'university.'  I used this money for the clothes below, and other boring things I needed for uni, like pan lids, a moving van, blah blah blah.

Shoes
Dress
Trousers
Skirt

When I returned from my holiday in September I ordered these shoes to wear for my Matriculation, but unfortunately they were wayyy too small when they arrived (although very pretty).  Lesson learned not to order things from the USA without being absolutely sure they will work - $40 to return them :-(.  So as it was getting closer to moving, I was getting pretty desperate to find a suitable but reasonably priced replacement.  It was sheer luck that on an unplanned trip to the Metro Centre  that I found they were having a student night and lots of shops were offering bigger than usual discounts :-)  Then when we were in Schuh my lovely Mum offered to buy them for me :-)

Shoes £66.00 £52.80 Gift from Mum
Dress £34.99
Trousers £25.00
Skirt £18.00

Total: £77.99

 TTFN
LouLou x

Introduction to the Foundation Centre

Durham University
Finally a day off the Harry Potter costume!  Today I had an IT induction & a Language test and, thats it!

So I have mentioned the Foundation Centre a few times.  The Foundation Centre is a department at Durham which specialises in taking students who can't go directly onto the degree of their choice for various reasons.  In my case, this is because I didn't complete my A levels at school, for reasons I won't bore you with right now.  They also take lots of International students whose qualifications aren't the required level for study in the UK, and people who studied the wrong subjects at A level or in the International Baccalaureate.

Entry to Medical School is TOUGH.  According to the fabulous wiki on The Student Room there are anywhere between 7 and 18 applications per place available, although each applicant will generally apply to 4 schools so there aren't necessarily that many individual applicants.  Pretty much every one of these applicants will have perfect academic scores and reasonable UKCAT results (more about UKCAT later).  And this is before the interview stage even comes into play.

So for applicants like myself, without traditional qualifications but lots of life and relevant experience, it is really difficult!  There are Access to Medicine courses available, but they are few and far between, attract little financial support & offer no guarantees.  The great thing with Foundation programmes is, generally, upon successful completion to a set percentage (at Durham this is 50% average) you are guaranteed progression to your chosen route.  After lots of research I found Durham was the only University to offer the exact programme I needed, it was practically on my doorstep, and its an amazing institution!

So far I have only positive things to say about the Foundation Centre and its offerings.  I may change my mind in exam week though ;-)  Its given me the chance to pursue what I have always wanted  - to be a Doctor.

 TTFN
LouLou x

Freshers Week Day 5 - Final Day & Trip to North York Moors

Durham University
Jumper Dress (this season's version)
My favourite cut of jeans



I did buy these to start running...




Ah, Friday!  How I adore you!

Today the Foundation Centre all got together for a choice of 2 trips.  One to 'climb' Roseberry Topping, a hill about a half hour drive towards the North York moors.  The other (which I chose) was to go on further into the Moors National Park for tea and cake(!)  

(baddd photo of me with no makeup!) Favourite Sunspecs
Shilfi & Emerald posing with a sheep in the visitor centre.

And now its the weeekennnndddd!  This weekend is my last full weekend of freedom as from next weekend I'm working on Saturdays in Newcastle, so I plan to fill it with fun as much as possible :-)

North York Moors
North York Moors
North York Moors

TTFN
LouLou x

Freshers Week Day 3 - Matriculation

Collegiate
Favourite Lipstick/Lipliner combo

Unsuccessfully attempting a pout
Dress

Every student who attends Durham, whatever course and whether Undergraduate or Postgraduate, must be formally admitted to the University.  This is the purpose of the Matriculation Ceremony.  It takes place in Durham Cathedral, which is pretty spectacular, but on the day in question, it rained.  A lot.  Thankfully I was smart enough to check the weather forecast so I but my hair in a bun (especially after the matted curly mess it became on Monday) but as we are gowned we couldn't wear coats!

Looking Harry Potter-esque again

Nooo Shoooes for the procession

And again
We had to process from Elvet Riverside up to the Cathedral in the pouring rain :-(  As the Cathedral is very old it was freezing inside too.  I had a whole lovely day planned to meet my Dad and Stepmum for lunch in Durham city as they live nearby, then have a nice look around the Freshers fair, but I was so wet and miserable I just bought a couple of bits in the stationers that I couldn't get at Queens, had a bite of lunch on my own just to warm up,then got the coach straight back to Stockton.

I'm then pretty ashamed to say I fell asleep and wasted my whole free afternoon!

Oh well...

TTFN
LouLou x

Freshers Week Day 2 - Formal Welcome Dinner

Collegiate
We're definitely getting use out of these Gowns!  Day 2 during the day was just more introductory lectures, getting us used to how the University works and specifically the Foundation Centre as its a bit different (read nicer!)

In the evening I had my Welcome meal.  This is another Formal occasion where we wear Gowns, but thankfully the dresscode is not so strict (yesterday we had to wear black/white, same for tomorrow)  And we are allowed heels tonight too :-)

Dress - really really old, can't find anything remotely similar :-(



Detail of dress a bit more visible here





Back lace up detail.  If I wasn't wearing my gown
with this I would have worn a strapless bra


Trying to get the shoes in.  Again, these are really old
and I can't find anything like them to link to


I've had this dress for nearly 6 years so I have definitely had value!  I got it in the Next Boxing Day Sale which is madness but SO worth it.  Next only have 3 very short sales per year, but Boxing Day is always the best one as all the stuff they got in especially for Christmas gets reduced, usually to half price.  The downside is its so busy they close the fitting rooms so you inevitably have to make a return trip a few days later when things aren't as pretty as you thought.  Or in my case you stuff the non-fitting clothes into an already bursting wardrobe and forget you have them til they end up at a charity shop or Cash for Clothes place...

 But I must not do that now.  I will definitely try to go to the sale but with very limited funds I will have to decide if I really love something enough to buy it, and if it isn't perfect I will have to return it.

 The Formal was lovely but quite strict.  We weren't allowed to leave until dismissed, which seeming a bit 'boarding school' to me.  But that is the rule, so we must abide.

 TTFN
LouLou x

Freshers Week Day 1 - ARC Procession

ARC Procession
So after what seemed like forever unpacking and moving about, I fell into bed at about midnight.  We had been instructed that the Freshers Reps (FReps) would be meeting us at 08.30 to walk us to College for our ceremonial procession through Stockton town centre - sort of a dress rehearsal for our Matriculation Ceremony at Durham Cathedral on Wednesday.  What they didn't say was that said FReps would be banging on our doors at 7.30AM to make sure we were up and ready!  Not that I needed it of course.  I was far too nervous and sprung out of bed the second my alarm went off at 6AM.


Blouse (seasonal update)
Trousers
But First... Let me take a Selfie ;-)

Durham University is a Collegiate University, so regardless of where you choose to live, in your time there you are a Member of a College.  You can pick one to apply to (what I did) and although there are no guarantees that College will accept you, if you have a preference I would definitely recommend asking for it.  At Queens Campus (the Stockton Campus where I study) there are 2 Colleges to pick from:
John Snow College

Stephenson College
John Snow College is a Formal College, meaning we wear Gowns to Formal events.  Stephenson College is Non-Formal.  I am a Member of John Snow, so I got to parade through Stockton Town Centre in my delightful Harry Potter costume ;-)

In my 'Harry Potter' robe :-)



After the procession we were free to walk back to Halls/College at our leisure, but the heavens opened and we got soaked so we practically ran back!  I then had to get myself changed and over to the University for some welcome lectures.

 TTFN
LouLou x

The Big Move part 1

Durham University
So when I returned from my holiday I only had 2 weeks to pack before moving into, shudder, Halls of Residence.  Although I have house-shared for a few years I had a LOT of stuff still.  My bedroom had fitted wardrobes all along one wall and they were built into the attic eaves, so you can imagine how much they held...  And they were FULL!

These boxes are filled with shoes and handbags...  And I got rid of some shoes first.
So moving day quickly sprung itself upon me.  Most people going to University only have clothes and collection of (brand new) kitchen stuff, as they still have 'their room' at home.  I didn't have this luxury so it allll had to come with me.  I managed to fill a Transit van with it :-/
My life in about 500 boxes
Once we got to Halls the next day we quickly realised the room was a lot smaller than I was expecting (I knew College residence rooms were small, but the Hall I chose wasn't open for viewing prior to moving in day, all I had to go off was photos which made the rooms appear much larger).  Thankfully there were lots of people on hand to help me move in :-)  My 'system' I had developed quickly flew out of the window, but I got sorted.
Some of the boxes on my new desk - you can
just see my teeny tiny wardrobe to the right.
Once all my stuff was piled in I got to work unpacking, sorting and getting as much as possible squirreled away under the bed - thank goodness it's a double and hides more sins!  I managed to repack 1 box to send back with my Dad and he found new homes for a few things like my under sink unit which didn't fit in my ensuite.

I got to work emptying those darned boxes!
 Part 2 will have photos of the (nearly) finished article.

TTFN
LouLou x












Welcome!

Well, as the title says...Welcome to my blog!

Not going to gush too much as its all on the 'About Me' page but just wanted a little introduction here.  As you can imagine several events I will catalogue have already passed, but due to the whole moving, induction week and starting Uni thing, plus figuring out how to put this thing together (nervous breakdown in itself) has taken a fair bit of time.  But here I am, better late than never!

So why 'LouLou Loves' I hear you ask?  I certainly don't love everything I will be writing about (as I write this I have just finished my first Biology Assignment and I definitely didn't love that!), but, in general, I love most things and am quite an enthusiastic person.  My best friend calls me LouLou (others have tried, have been given death stares) and so 'LouLou Loves' was born.  I'll be writing mostly about lifestyle, including how to budget for a Mature Student (it's different because we have generally had jobs, and therefore money, before returning to education) and how to eat well and look good on that budget without feeling like we are missing out on EVERYTHING.

I leave you with one of my favourite photos of late.  My Mum & I went on holiday a couple of weeks before I started University and this is from that (credit to my friend for taking it - I take dreadful selfies)

My dress - 2 summers ago from F&F @ Tesco, similar
Mum's dress, now half price!
TTFN!
LouLou x