04 : Features
ISSUE 03 / 1 OCTOBER 2012 WWW.SALFORDSTUDENTS.COM
Going Dutch!
Salford student Nathan Thompson is studying in the Netherlands for a year as part of the exchange programme. This week, Nathan is going...nuts.
Nathan Thompson Bikes! Bikes are everywhere. Big bikes, little bikes, bikes that climb on rocks. I have been here, in Groningen, for four weeks and the bike culture is perhaps deeper than I first initially thought. It is not just a convenient way of getting around a hectic town centre, but in fact the initial mode of transport for the whole city. The purchase of a bike here is as much an act of necessity as making sure you always have a pair of shoes at hand and it seems you can’t swing a bike lock without hitting one of their many shops. I have a bike, it is as dull as John Major (if you need a reminder on the great dullness of John Major, please google him), it is grey, has no bell, and a light that works only infrequently. I was recently instructed to name my bike and I have decided to name it after the Grim Reaper’s own magnificent horse; Binky. Thanks to Binky I have managed to tap into the previously unknown bike lover that Manchester just would not let me become. In the three weeks since getting here I have already mastered the art of riding without a single hand on the handlebars, an ability that confounded me for 28 years. My stay here has not all been about bike rides and fun though. For the past couple of weeks I have started my lessons in earnest. They are grueling to say the least. We often remark on the amount we have to read
and I know that sometimes the odd page or two can be skipped when the clock is running late, the friends on Facebook are suggesting nights out and that boyfriend or girlfriend need your attention. Here, however, you read or you fall behind. And falling means failing. In a way it’s good so long as you cross the water in the hopes of some serious study, which I am. If I was here for the party culture I would be in deep trouble. Each week, for each module – of which I’m doing four – I am required to read roughly 20+ pages of A4 text. If that was not enough for one module I am given a weekly quiz on said text and should I fail too many of these quizzes, I am not permitted in the exam. I have to attend at least 80% of seminars, if I do not, I am not permitted in the exam. Weekly discussions are made by students during the seminars, if I fail to ask enough question, or if the tutor feels the questions are not best suited, I am not permitted in the exam. This may seem draconian but it works. The reading is read, the seminars, and lectures, attended, the questions well thought out. The tutors are great, intelligible, funny, helpful, and nice. My fellow students are understanding of my lack of Dutch and, for the most part, practically fluent in English (something which makes me feel quite ignorant). I still feel lonely sometimes but I think I’d be
worried if I wasn’t. Stress is I think one of my overriding thoughts and emotions right now but when
I am caught up with my reading and get into a routine I’m sure I’ll be fine. Until then I will make sure
the space under my desk is clean so if I need to curl up into a ball and hug my legs while rocking
backwards and forwards, I have a place.
Recipe of the week: 10 ways to...save even more money! sticky ginger flapjacks Amy Hughes Ingredients: •350g unsalted butter (extra to grease) •275g caster sugar •225g golden syrup •450g rolled oats •1 tbsp ground ginger Method 1) Preheat oven to 180C 2) Grease and baseline a deep rectangle cake pan, at least 2 inches deep with greaseproof paper. 3) Put the butter, sugar
and golden syrup into a large pan and and heat until gently melted 4) Add the oats and ginger until all mixed together well 5) Pour the mixture into tin and bake for 30-35 mins until golden brown at edges 6) Cool in the tin for 15 mins then, while warm, cut the desired shape of your flapjacks and then leave to cool in tin completely 7) When cool, turn out and enjoy.
Jasmin Jackson 1) Buy fresh fruit and vegetables from markets. You will save a lot of money and this can be proven by the fact that it is possible to purchase four huge, succulent Granny Smith apples from the Arndale Food Market for a mere pound. A far cry from the supermarkets that seem to charge by the gram. 2) Cook in bulk. Unfortunately, most food items are not sold in packets designed for the lone diner and some people discard whatever is left over. Do not do this! Place these leftovers in a Tupperware container and freeze them to use as a future meal. 3) Do not go shopping when you are hungry. If you shop in a hunger-induced frenzy, you will pile the trolley high with unnecessary impulse buys. Instead, go shopping after lunch and take a list with you… and do not divert from this list! 4) Purchase own-brand goods. It is easy to turn your nose up at anything labeled as being a member of the ‘Simple Range’ family out of fear of an inferior taste but 90% of the time, this is not the case. You cannot beat a tin of soup for 19p! Besides, it is always possible to add spices or even salt and pepper to liven up the taste.
5) Bar or Café Yours in the students’ union is the ideal place to grab a quick bite to eat but if you are short on money, snacking here daily can soon knock a dent in your budget. An alternative lunch option could be to buy a loaf or two of bread and a jar of sandwich filling. That would be lunch for a whole week for less than £5! 6) Carry an empty bottle around. A bottle of Coca Cola can be more than £1 and when you are thirsty, this can seem quite reasonable. Remember, though, tap water will always free so get that bottle filled up! 7) Shop late at night! At the end of the day, major supermarkets often reduce stock that is going out of date,
and you can find yourself some great deals. 8) If you have not already, purchase an NUS card. It can cut the cost of things such as clothes and haircuts by up to 20% and can save you a lot of money when used in conjunction with other offers. For example, if you visit the Odeon with a friend on a Wednesday, providing one of you is on the mobile network Orange (who run a 2 for 1 offer on Odeon tickets on a Wednesday) you can pay only £2.50 each by flashing your NUS card and visiting at an off-peak hour. 9) eBay! A lot of students use this gold mine of a site as a means of purchasing a cheaper version of their reading
list but it is also a bargain bin for household items such as mirrors and lamps. 10) Do you have a passion for a certain sport or activity? Then check out the list of societies ran by students on the Student Union website. The yearly memberships of some societies can be as low as £3 which is a lot cheaper than clubs and societies outside of the university. These tips show that you can enjoy your university life without getting yourself into debt and over the course of the upcoming year, you will most likely discover your own money-saving tips too. Enjoy your new year at Salford!