My favorite places to study that AREN'T the library

With end-of-the-semester deadlines and final exams quickly approaching, it's starting to feel like that time of year...  That time of year when the library is always PACKED with students cramming for tests, finishing up projects, and having group work meetings.  It seems like everyone rushes to find a table first thing in the morning and they don't vacate until the middle of the night, only to do it all over again the next day.  It's nearly impossible to find a quite place to study and get work done.

I personally am not a fan of studying at the library.  It's much too crowded for me, and I always find myself distracted by people-watching or the guy behind me blowing his nose instead of focusing on protein requirements for distances runners (or whatever I'm studying for that day :p ).  No, the library is not for me.

Luckily, I've managed to find a few places around Oxford that provide a perfect environment to be productive.

1. George & Delila's
photo from www.gdcafe.com
I love G and D's.  The staff is always friendly, the coffee is great, and they serve the best bagel sandwiches, made-to-order!  They also have free wifi, making it a great place to come in, grab a cup of coffee and get going on coursework.

2.  High Street Cafe 
photo from www.dailyinfo.co.uk
High Street Cafe is another lovely place that I enjoy going to.  They have a delicious breakfast and lunch menu, cream tea, and their pastries are out of this world.  It's a great, quiet place to sit down and study for final exams.

3.  Clive Booth Post Grad Lounge
photo from www.brookes.ac.uk
The Clive Booth Post Graduate Lounge is another great option.  How many times have you sat down with your lap top, noticed it needed charged and couldn't find an outlet?  You won't have that problem at the PG lounge.  The lounge offers lots os space, tables, power outlets and seating for a comfortable study atmosphere.  If you live in the Clive Booth PG Centre, or know someone who does, I definitely recommend you check this place out if you're looking for an alternative study space.

I hope you find your perfect study spot this year!  Good luck on final exams, everyone! And Happy studying!

Jess

UK Adventures

In my last post I mentioned how I really wanted to travel more this semester--and I've been doing exactly that!  But instead of traveling to far-off places, I've been doing some great little day trips right here in the U.K.

As a Brookes students, I've received many opportunities to do some traveling--and at costs that won't completely break your budget!

Excursion UK
This is the group I went on my last two trips with: Leeds Castle and Canterbury + Cardiff, Wales.  Each trip cost about 26 pounds.  You just hop on the bus, get dropped off at your destination, and you have X amount of hours until you have to hop back on the bus to go home.  Both trips I went on started around 8 or 9 in the morning and we got back about 12 hours later.  A long day, but very worth it!

Pictured below are a few pictures from my last two trips!


Leeds Castle
For 10 pounds we were able to walk around the castle and explore every room.  It was not only beautiful, but very interesting.

Leeds Castle

Canterbury Cathedral
For about 9.50 we were able to walk around the breathtakingly beautiful Canterbury Cathedral.  I loved Canterbury.  It was an adorable town with lots of shops and restaurants.  A great place to spend a Saturday.

Inside Canterbury Cathedral

Cardiff Castle
My second trip with Excursion UK was to Cardiff, the capital of Wales.  I loved Cardiff, and was so happy I finally was able to see a part of Wales.  The castle was gorgeous and we ended up taking a walk to Cardiff Bay to get a view of the water--so beautiful!

Cardiff Castle

Cardiff Castle

Cardiff Bay
A great place to visit if you are a Dr. Who fan ;)


ISAT
The International Student Advice Team also offers many trips around England to choose from.  you can view them here: https://www.brookes.ac.uk/students/isat/social/events/
They have a trip to Straford & The Cotswolds coming up that I plan on taking advantage of.  Tickets go on sale soon!

SEA Oxford, ESN and Brookes Union
Other groups like the 3 mentioned about also offer amazing events and trips for students!

I hope you decide to take the time to go on some of these amazing opportunities that come with being an Oxford Brookes student!

Oh, there's no place like home for the holidays

I feel so lucky that I was able to spend roughly 6 weeks in my home state of Ohio for winter break.  It was a much needed get-away after my very first semester of graduate school! And it's true what they say...distance really does make the heart grow fonder.

So what made me want to get a master's degree so far away from home, anyway?  To be honest, the idea of traveling around Europe for a year was the real selling point.  Living in Ohio my entire life, I began to find it a little boring and I was ready for a change.  Why not move half-way across the world? I was in love with the thought of seeing new countries every weekend, trying new foods, and experiencing new cultures.  But as you can imagine, grad school has kept me very busy. A little too busy to travel as much as I would like to.  I did take a lovely trip to Switzerland, however, and loved every second of it!



Despite not traveling as much as I hoped I would, I am learning far more than I ever could have dreamed.  Sport and Exercise Nutrition combines my love for two of my favorite things: nutrition and physical activity--both necessary for an overall healthy lifestyle.  I 'm learning what I know I will be able to use in my future career, and that in itself is worth more than traveling the world, in my opinion!

Not only am I gaining valuable knowledge, I am also gaining valuable friendships. I've met so many incredible people from around the world that I would not have been able to meet if I hadn't chosen to come study at OBU.  These are people that I can go to the gym with, grab a bite with, or share a pint with at a pub in town.  They are people that I can complain about coursework with and bond with over how stressed we are.  Being the only American in my program and the only Ohioan (that I know of!) in Oxford, these new friends make me feel less alone and more happy to be at Oxford Brookes, and I will forever be grateful for that.



So now that I'm preparing to fly back to Oxford after spending such an incredible time at home with my loved ones, I know I am bound to catch a case of homesickness sooner or later.  If you're anything like me--a huge softy--and miss your friends and family like crazy, I have a few tips to ease your homesick heart.

1. FaceTime!  I use FaceTime religiously with my family and boyfriend back home, and it helps tremendously.  There's just something about seeing the face of your loved ones in real time as you talk to them that makes it all a little easier.

2. Stay busy.  I've found that if I stay busy (and if you're in a graduate program, it's not hard to stay busy at all, am I right?!) I don't have time to think about how sad I am over missing my far away friends and family.

3. Keep a journal.  Sounds silly, but it feels good to get all of those feelings out!

4. Go out!  It's never really a good idea to stay home and sulk--it keeps you from experiencing the many things that life has to offer.  I always tell myself that if I stay in because I'm feeling down, I'll regret not seizing the opportunities I could've taken when my time in Oxford is over.

Those are my tips--I help they help some of you!!  I'm looking forward to writing more posts for OBU as the school year continues :)
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