One for the ladies

Just found a very interesting article on http://www.isj.org.uk/index.php4?id=656&issue=127 by Judith Orr.

“The transformation of culture in universities in recent years has been dramatic. From the days when sexist posters would have been deemed unacceptable or been ripped down, the images and language used by many campus clubs, bars and societies on posters and advertising are rabidly sexist. “Pimp and ho” club nights abound. There is a celebration of some of the most backward ideas. In Essex University “slave auctions” have been held where women dressed as bunny girls get auctioned to do housework for blokes, all in the name of fundraising. “

“At Sussex University a woman student returning from the library one evening was surrounded and groped by a group of drunk and naked rugby club members. When a campaign was launched to demand the students’ union penalise the club for the behaviour of its members, the union refused citing the importance of forthcoming sporting fixtures to the team.”

“When a woman student took a motion to a students’ union meeting at the London School of Economics to challenge the sale of lads mags in the university shop she faced a rampant mob of male students, mainly from the athletics club. Brandishing page three of the Sun newspaper they drowned her out with wolf whistles, shouts of “Lesbian” and other “insults”. One was asked to leave after he threw a missile at her.”

You would think that universities would be a breeding ground for feminist movements; in fact they were for past generations, however increasingly “feminist” is seem as a dirty word. Many Women see sexualisation as liberating, you may now be able to sleep with whoever you want without fear of pregnancy but that doesn’t stop the objectification of women.

The overt sexualisation of women worries me; it worries me even more that I am myself obviously influenced by society’s perception of women. Like most women I worry about whether my hair/makeup makes me appeal to men, whether I am too fat to be considered attractive. I buy women’s fashion magazines when I know full well they are the propaganda of a society which still sees women as a commodity, only as good as her body. Still I find the present situation fundamentally unacceptable.

Just to make this clear, I am not a man hater, I think women are as much to blame for the situation as men. I think we need to start taking responsibility and own up to the fact we still are not equal. I could reel off figures about pay gaps, the number of female MP’s etc. but you will have probably heard this all before.

Just ask yourself (females or males if you want to!) do you feel that you are treated as an equal by society?

If the answers yes then I think you need to do some of your own research.
If no, then we have something in common.

Sometimes things in life are free(ish)

So went to visit the boyfriend, who has now left for uni himself! His accommodation was pretty nice, spacious, light and a good location! However it is slightly plagued by one individual who seems to think its ok to play ridiculously loud dub step all day + night, with the bass turned up to maximum! You should expect a reasonably high level noise when living in halls but this really was taking the biscuit. You couldn’t even hear any of the actual tune, just low distorted rumbling, so it’s anyone’s guess as to whether the music was any good or not! Not that that matters ha.

Anyway, this got me thinking as to what you should do if you’re in this situation. The immediate response that I had was to go over and tell them (as politely as you can manage) to turn down the bass, and if they do then great! You could then go down the route of telling the appropriate people who will send warnings etc. However at the end of the day you still have to live with this person, and at least be able to keep up a thin veneer of politeness so I reckon it’s probably not the best idea to get them into trouble in the first week!

Now I’m scared I will be in the same situation, and I really don’t have as much self-control as he does when it comes to confrontations!

Fashion update: I have just found a leopard print scarf I bought from H&M 3 years ago down the back of my draws! I only ever wore it twice and have been wondering where it got to for years. Score (kind of) new, free scarf!

Sometimes you can have a bit too much of a good thing.

So I now have 17 days to go until I set off for university and in this time I need to pack almost 20 years of accumulated “stuff” into neat car sized packages. Ok well that’s a gross exaggeration, but I really do have a shit load I need to fit in the back of a Mondeo!

So here is a list of most of the stuff I need to take with me!

• 3 Mugs
• 5 Tupperware containers
• Corkscrew
• Oven tray
• Grater
• Bathroom stand up mirror
• Spatula set
• 2 Scrubber brushers
• 2 Tea towels
• 2 plastic measuring jugs
• Pizza cutter
• Colander
• Ice cube tray
• 6 pack of shot glasses
• 3 kitchen scissors
• 4 Bowels
• Plastic tray
• 2 plates
• Bathroom rug
• 16 set of cutlery
• 3 storage tins
• 4 way socket extension
• Plastic tub
• 8 coat hangers
• Mixing bowel
• 4 plastic glasses
• 4 plastic champagne glasses
• Cushion
• Bin
• Rug
• Duvet covers/pillow cases
• Saucepan
• Frying pan
• Wok
• Duvet
• Fur throw
• 2 pillows

Plus clothes, toiletries ect...

I may have got a bit carried away, I now have visions of myself huddled in a tiny room being crushed by stuff I will never even need/use.

In the beginning

“Students starting degrees this year could see their debt levels pushed to around £23,500”

Do you think it’s worth it? I have no idea.

So here I am, 19, and about to set off on the next stage of life, University. Now most people at this point would gush about how excited they are and how amazing the university experience will be, (insert generic teenage hype here.) However I personally do not fall into this category. I am petrified beyond belief at the prospect of packing up my worldly goods then getting dumped with a bunch of strangers, and for this privilege I will push myself way into the red, probably never to return.

After months of feeling rather lost and worrying about what is the inevitable, I decided I needed to make this experience into something constructive, so at least if I have a shit time I will have something to show for it at the end. Yes I know the degree essentially fits that description! But I’m talking about the emotional investment, making new friends etc. At least if I have documented the experience for myself, I can learn from it. Maybe you’ll even enjoy reading about it too!
This blog (hopefully) will allow me to share my experiences and allow others an insight into what it really is like to be a student these days! At this point I can’t honestly tell you what I will write about in specific detail as I am not even there yet! But what I can promise you is that there will be truthful accounts of what I encounter over a wide range of subjects!

Please feel free to comment and even offer advice! Even if you disagree with my opinions/choices.

More shall follow soon.