The Budget Planner

Now we all know that you students aren’t exactly renowned for your ability to budget your money, you’re too busy ‘studying’ right? Well we have a present for you and it comes in the form of the Help! I’m A Student handy budget planner. Print it out, fill it in, stick it on your wall and you’ll be one step closer to getting more bang for your buck, so to speak…

Download it here: help-im-a-student-budget-planner

The Laundry Lowdown

It’s time to tackle that floordrobe and get some valuable lessons for life as we take on laundry! Getting your clothes washed can be a daunting task for the uninitiated and there are a few pitfalls to avoid, but we here at Help! I’m a Student are about to take you on a magical journey through all things detergent and spin cycles.

The Student Discount

Financially, being a student isn’t all that great. But with your trusty student card on hand shopping just got a whole load easier and cheaper. So which places so generously aid students in their financial plights and how do you prove that you are in fact a poor student? Don’t worry, we’ve done all the research so you don’t have to, check it out below…

The Quesadilla

A tasty, easy alternative to sandwiches, the only things that stay constant are the tortillas and the cheese. Whatever else goes in there is up to you!

You will need:

• 1 tortilla wrap
• 30g grated cheese
• Any extra fillings of your choice
• A little bit of olive oil for frying

The steps:

1. Have your wrap open and sprinkle the cheese on top.
2. Add anything extra you fancy on the cheese and make sure you cover the whole thing to get an even spread.
3. Fold your tortilla in half ready to cook.
4. Add the oil to a frying pan at a medium heat (definitely nothing high) and put your quesadilla in once the pan is hot enough.
5. Give it about two minutes on each side, until the cheese is melting. Be careful you don’t burn the tortilla, try for a golden brown colour.
6. Once it’s done, take the quesadilla out of the pan and cut into triangles.
7. Enjoy!

The Things You’ll Bring But Never Use

On moving in you’ll find yourself determined to get all the essentials bought ahead to be fully prepared. However, some of those might not be as “essential” as you first thought. Here’s a handy guide to the things you might, in hindsight, not need…

The Jacket Potato

There’s nothing like a jacket potato to keep you going through tough study periods, plus they’re cheap and super easy to do. Here’s how to do it right:

You will need:

• Just one baking potato (usually come in packs of 4, bigger than your average)
• Butter and/or your topping of choice, to serve.

The steps:

1. Take a fork to your potato and give it a good pricking.
2. Pop your potato on a microwave safe dish and microwave for about 10 minutes. Turn your oven on and up to 200C.
3. Take the potato out of the microwave, off the dish and into the oven on the rack. Leave it in for about 45 minutes.
4. Once your potato is cooked, plate it up and cut a cross into the top. Using something to cover your hands, squeeze the bottom in to pop the top open.
5. Add your choice of topping, maybe some beans, maybe some cheese or maybe some beans and cheese?

Jackets are super versatile and go with basically anything, our bolognese is a particularly good addition!

Words by Simon Whitlock

 

A Beginner’s Guide To Student Nights Out

New to the nightlife? Not sure where to start? Let us be your guide to the more social aspects of student life.

Fresher’s week is full of opportunity to introduce yourself to the world of bars and clubs, but it can be quite intimidating if you’re not fully prepared. Here are a few little things to get you comfortable and ready to party down. Obviously, we insist that you do everything in moderation, but when does that ever stop anyone?

For The Student Who Doesn’t Drink

No matter who you are, when you think about a stereotypical image of a student a similar image probably comes to mind. Forget the studying and exams, universities are a place to get party, drink and go crazy non-stop. Right? Though this may be one of the major attractions for many would be students who are eager to join in, there are an equally large number who find it just a little bit stressful.

Whether you are someone who really doesn’t enjoy the party lifestyle or someone who is anxious about the pressures to drink and match the antics of your peers do not fret, we are here to help you…

Spaghetti Bolognese

This is a great easy meal to make in big quantities to last you days, maybe even longer if you freeze some of it too. It’s also a sure fire hit with flatmates if trying to get a quick fix group meal done.

This recipe should cover 4 servings, so feel free to do more or less depending on what you’re down for.

You will need:

• A drop of oil
• 500g beef mince (Quorn mince works well for a meat free option)
• 1 onion, chopped (you can buy this chopped up already if you’re not yet confident with a knife)
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and cut up
• 1 red pepper, middle taken out and the rest cut up
• 4 big mushrooms sliced (again, you can find these pre-sliced in supermarkets)
• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
• Grated cheese to serve
• 100g of spaghetti per portion, but it’s best to do this on the day you’re eating it for best results.

The steps:

1. Get a little splash of oil in a big frying pan or a wok.
2. Add your mince and cook until brown. For Quorn, about 5 minutes should do. If you get a lot of fat in the pan then tip it away carefully.
3. Add the onion and the garlic and stir it all together.
4. Throw in the pepper and mushrooms and cook for a couple of minutes
5. Pour the tomatoes in and leave on a low heat to come together.
6. Get some boiling water in a decent sized saucepan and add a pinch of salt.
7. Put your spaghetti in the boiling water and cook for about 10 minutes.
8. Drain the spaghetti and plate up with a serving of the bolognese sauce. Sprinkle the cheese on top.

If you feel like taking it up a notch, throw in some paprika, worcestershire sauce, maybe some mixed herbs to make it that little bit more fancy. If you’re making this to freeze, leave it to cool COMPLETELY before freezing it and it should last in a freezer proof container for a couple of months.

Words by Simon Whitlock

The Societies

Now you’re settled in and enjoying the fun of Fresher’s week, it’s time to consider student life between the studying bits. Here’s the lowdown on what societies should be worth your time come fresher’s fair.