Almost time to move out... Urk.

To the right... DSC08980
Originally uploaded by Christopher Woods

So, as our tenancy agreements are only for 11 months, even though we'll all be here (bar one person) next year, we still have to clear our rooms and make everything accessible for the various cleaners, maintenance personnel... All sorts.

And this is what the view to the right hand side of my bed looks like at the moment.

Oh dear.


I'm sorry I've not commented as much as I should have on this blog of late; I'm a student and therefore incredibly lazy. Truth be told, there's not much going on at the moment - course is finished for the year, and I'm trying to find work back home for the summer to earn some money, and then next year I start my placement at Revolver Records in Wolverhampton.

Things have gone alright this year - I think I've managed to pass everything (fingers crossed, touch wood) so hopefully no resits like in the first year! Plus, I can see light at the end of the tunnel in terms of actually finishing my course. Doing this entire next year unpaid aside from travelling expenses, but I'm really going to enjoy this next 12 months! I could be given the opportunity to go to the MIDEM conference in January/February though for gratis, so that'll certainly be cool if I can pull that off.

That's a snapshot of my life at the moment, more coming soon. Honest. Promise. :)

The best thing about student loans...

So it's next-part-of-student-loan time, and my bank account is flush with credit for once! So... What's the first thing I do?

Buy new electronics kit. :D

And of course, following the logical progression, money leads to technology... Which leads to new ways of enjoying your leisure time watching episodes of 24 or NCIS (both very good shows)... which leads to snack times... which leads to production of foods and drinks which aid in enjoyment of said televisual serials... which leads to me bringing the food into my room to eat whilst watching... which leads to the discovery of THE perfect storage medium for my food pre-consumption:


THE SANDWICH SPACE!


How much of a good design is the base unit of my new widescreen display :D (which, as you may want to know, is the EXCEEDINGLY good 19" Samsung SM940BW - for less than £140!)

I was so happy when it came today I took it out its box and actually hugged it :D I know I shouldn't have spent as much as I did, but it's something I've been meaning to buy for almost 3 years now, and I might as well buy it as soon as I get the loan so I can budget for the rest of the term accordingly. I have a bit more cash coming in soon hopefully which'll offset that expenditure, and I don't spend outside my means - I only have debit cards (deliberately) so if I run out of money I'm really up shit creek! so I make sure I always have enough money for my standing orders and direct debits for phone and suchlike, even if it means I live on beans for two months. Needs must! ...Well, I wouldn't be much of a student if I was poshing it on Marks & Spencer's Food Court ready meals all year would I ;)


So, Uni-wise, what's in store for me soon? Well, I have a couple of exams next week, then a couple of weeks of just random lectures to round up the term, then loads of free time! So, I think I'm going to start my placement at Revolver Records (in Wolverhampton) a little early - maybe even work through the summmer. As it's unpaid though, I'm going to try and find some other sources of money as well as maybe pester the Uni for some kind of bursary or grant, as the student loans company has loads of categories for grants if you're on an NHS placement, a scientific placement, plus a bunch of other industry-specific placements... And a big fat box for NO EXTRA MONEY FOR YOU! (words to that effect) if you're on any other kind of loan.


And, as with half of the regular loan (standard for sandwich year students) but all of the regular outgoing costs, I'm going to be something like approaching £800-1000 short in reality, so I'm not quite sure how this is going to work. Oh well, fingers crossed... This year's shaping up to be a blisteringly-hot summer again though, so I must try and get more of a tan than last year (I'm pasty as anything!) Time to crack out the shorts and t-shirts :)