#freshers2015

Second day of induction at university. It is interesting, to say the least. Living on campus, the aged 31 year old man amongst a sea of 18-20 years old (who have all been very kind to this aged fellow). Had my second induction thing this morning, which was about picking our options for Year 1.

Made in Arts London Pop-Up Shop at We Built This City Carnaby Street 

This week loads of UAL students from Made in Arts London have moved in to 56, Carnaby Street for our We Built This City ‪#‎MiALPopUp‬!! Students will be selling work in the pop-up throughout the week (which is also the London Design Festival!) Plus we’re also running TWO student workshops for you to get involved in - Tote Bag Screen printing and Jewellery Making - but don’t forget, tickets are essential. 

Want to see your work hanging in a pop-up like this? You can still submit your work for consideration for Made in Arts London. 

SUARTS Cultural Hotspots Tour of the Royal Institute of British Architects

This week’s Cultural Hotspots Tour is taking UAL students on a guided tour of RIBA - The Royal Institute of British Architects. Unfortunately tickets have now sold out - but make sure you join us for one of our upcoming tours including the Horniman Museum, and SPACE Studios.  

Tally Ho! London Landmark Cycling Tour

There is literally no better way to see the city. On our Tally Ho! Cycle tour, we’ll take you on one of the most extensive tours of London, all on a Bike (which we provide). Not a fantastic cyclist - don’t worry. We’ll never be on the bike for more than 5 minutes (because there really is THAT much to stop and see - you are in London after all.) Get tickets now. 

LCC Zine Collection Tour

Did you know the London College of Communication has one of the most extensive Zine Collections in the world? On Wednesday the Library will be opening up the archives for you to see - so just drop by and take a look. 

UAL LGBTQ Society Mixer

Come meet other students in the LGBTQ community, get to know the society and have a glass of wine. This will be a great way to get to know the society before joining at the freshers fair.

Wine and Nibbles will be provided, first come first serve. Everyone Welcome!

LCF Meet your Union Day

As part of LCF Meet Your Union Day, we’re inviting you to a series of networking events going on right across London. 

LCF Brunch at Dalston Curve

We all know Brunch is the best meal of the day. That’s why we’re kicking off LCF Meet your Union Day over brunch at the Dalston Eastern Curve Garden. Come over to Dalston - one of the most interesting parts of London - for an opportunity to get to know your new class mates and network with other fashion types. 

Learn How the Industry Works from the Inside Out

For the afternoon we’ll be kicking things off in Blueprint Bar which is located in the LCF High Holborn site. We’ve invited 3 LCF Alumni along to come and talk about the industry, and how they got their big breaks. Get ready for networking and talking all things fashion (I am sure LFW debriefs all round!)

Cocktails at LCF John Princes Street

We’ll be getting sassy this evening. On our final stop on the LCF City-wide Union day we’ll be closing up with a cocktail drinks session at John Princes Street (Right by Oxford Circus). 

Glow in the Darkroom

Some top tips on food shopping at university... where to shop and what to buy are essentials when shopping on an almighty student budget!!

 Where to shop?

Studentville of Roath and Cathays offers plenty of Supermarkets such as your Sainsbury’s local and Tesco Express however these are great for rushing to get some milk because your house mate decided to drink it all the night before without telling you however for doing a whole food shop there are much cheaper alternatives that are smack bang in studentville such as Lidl and you might not think it for a food shop but Home Bargains. Lidl is on Maindy Road and Home Bargains is on Albany Road. 

What should you buy?

For things like fruit, vegetables and meat, what matters is the per-kilo price — as you can find yourself paying less for a slightly bigger pack.

As a general rule, loose goods work out cheaper and you only buy what you need. If food is packaged, keep it in the plastic it’s sold in — it’s often designed to make contents last.

Buy one, get one free deals (aka bogofs) are only worth their while if you’re actually going to use them. Shop with a friend so you can split them. Or think bogoff: buy one, get one for freezing.

Also, it’s worth remembering that the simpler the item, the more likely the value brand of it will taste OK. Buying named brand rice, pasta or pulses is a waste of money. 

Finally, suck up to the staff. Supermarkets always discount their items at the same time each day — if you find out when this is, you can snag foods that may not normally be within your budget. Just remember to eat or freeze them fast.

Share the spoils

One of the easiest ways to cut costs is to share — whether that means paying into a kitty for staple ingredients, such as pasta, rice and stock cubes, or taking it in turns to cook large one-pot dishes you can all eat. But be warned: this can be fraught with grief, or at least compromise.

You have to cook things everyone likes or it will end in arguments, so draw up a menu rota. Also, buy plastic microwave pots. Not everyone is going to be home at the same time.

Dine out in style

It can be done — even on a budget. There’s websites and apps such as Clubr and Tastecard that have great offers on many different restaurants. 

Another tip for those who get carried away ordering food is to let your more sensible friend order first.

Finally, if the portions are too large, ask for a doggy bag. There is nothing wrong or embarrassing about taking the left over food back home with you and if anything it means less cooking the following day just make sure you refrigerate the food as soon as you get home and reheat thoroughly before eating the following day.