The Spoon Drawer

Getting your room set up is often your first priority when you first get to University. That and locating the Student Union Bar. You mother will be welling up as she makes sure you have all the essentials (mattress protector, spare bed sheets, plenty of fresh underwear and socks) while your dad will be giving you a pep talk and how to stay safe and not to spend all your money in one go, to work hard and don’t let anyone push you around. When you finally wave them off in the car park you’ll suddenly come to the realisation that, you’re alone. It’s a very strange and unfamiliar experience, and it’ll take a while getting used to, but this is your new home now.  It took me about two and a half weeks for me to realise that I wasn’t on a school trip or family holiday. That I wasn’t going back home and that this was the place where I actually lived. My first domicile whilst at University was not a pleasant one. A halls of residence that was built in the late fifties and ran on an oil

Prepare To Party What makes the ultimate Uni House party one to remember? To be honest, it’s probably the top class shenanigans that carry on into the wee small hours. The ones that make Uni life headlines, are talked about for weeks afterwards and then reminisced about years down the line when you might have forgotten the names, but never the faces. However, the best way to get you and your mates to let your hair down and forget the pile of essays waiting to be written, is to get properly prepared and put a bit of effort into creating a wicked atmosphere. Now, I may be teaching a grandmother to suck eggs here but let’s run through a few pre party essentials.  Love Thy Neighbour Tell the neighbours you are having the party and tell them well in advance. Sounds obvious I know, but the amount of parties I’ve been to  that have had neighbours coming round during the party screaming bloody murder are too many to mention. Be nice to them, take them a cake when you go round, b

Our homes, much like our phones, are becoming smarter. In the way they save heat, electricity water and the money in our pockets. But they’re also becoming smarter in the way they entertain us. This month, Microsoft waded further into the development of the ultimate in home entertainment system with the unveiling of their latest gaming system, Xbox One. Eight years on since its predecessor, the Xbox 360, Xbox One proves how far the gaming industry has come in less than a decade. It also shows how the traditional market of the singular teenager alone in his room discovering imaginary worlds and challenging mythical foes, has changed to become a family and home orientated entertainment system. This was galvanized in the very opening showcase, as the multitude of Microsoft employees kept hammering home the point that ‘the living room’ would never be same again.  So what’s the big deal then? Well it’s the fact that the Xbox One does it all that has really impressed potential buy

Solar energy has continually been on the increase and has even become a competitive industry, particularly between the economic powerhouses and those looking to hit the targets imposed on them by the Kyoto Protocol. Investment and development is growing worldwide as well as nationally as businesses, governments and home now look to take advantage of this huge natural resource and fight against rising gas and electricity prices.  A Growing Trend In Renewable Energy Borrego Solar recently reported that between 2013 and 2018, photovoltaic energy (that’s energy harness from the sun to you and me) is set to represent revenue of $540 billion (£357 billion) globally. One of the reasons for this is that the cost for photovoltaic energy has decreased by almost 50%. Which in turn not only helps the supply chains across the US, China, Japan and EU; but is also helping the consumer as the cost for investing in solar energy is reduced and the margins for potential financial gain are

Never a week goes by these days without feeling like I have to buy a gift for someone, for some kind of occasion or for some kind of reason. Is it my imagination or are we turning towards a culture of incessant gift giving and are these occasions and reasons even worth the investment? Do we care? It’s a bit like that poster that was popular a while back that said- ‘Buy More Sh*t or We Are All Fu**ked’.  By buying stuff we are investing in the economy, giving people jobs so they can make/provide more stuff. However it’s the same old chicken and egg scenario. We don’t have the jobs and we don’t have the money. What we are left with are these occasions we feel socially pressured to buy stuff for. Let me reel off the names for some. Somehow it feels cathartic, so indulge me please. Rather than celebrate birthdays, just pick a random day in the year (when you really feel like it) and buy someone you care about a present and give it to them. It doesn’t have to be big or expensive.

It’s safe to say that most people are becoming more environmentally aware. It’s become a part of our daily lives to think about the way we impact on the environment, and that’s a good thing. We all know by now that there are so many diverse ways of making a difference. Most of us recycle, some of us use recycled materials in our home, and many of us support green initiatives like renewable energy and the reduction of our reliance on fossil fuels. Many people have adopted alternative modes of transport too – with a significant proportion choosing bikes to get around. Making The Transition We all get comfortable with what we are used to. If you go to work on the tube, train, bus or by car you will certainly have your own little routine. It is definitely a transition, but think about this list of benefits to help motivate you to change; • Save Money – this is a HUGE bonus. You literally spend zero on transport costs with a bike. Occasional repairs aside, it’s all on the up. •

I love women. I really and truly do. They are majestic, mysterious, delightful creatures that make my world go round and keep me well in line and firmly on my feet. As grounding and breath taking as they are and I could never live without one, I could however, live without a few of their seemingly favourite things. I dedicate this article to all of those ladies I have had the luxury of living with and apologise to them for never having the gumption to actually ask them about these mysterious bits and bobs. Baffling Object No. 1 EyeLash Curlers ‘Please, no, no, get off, get off, don’t do that..nooooo!’ I have often woken up in a cold sweat screaming those words and clutching my girlfriend’s teddy bear. How embarrassing. Even more embarrassing is when she asks me what I was having my nightmare about. Obviously, I made something up about wrestling a dangerous, disturbed, vicious and unidentifiable beast in order to save her and her pile of Louboutins from imminent destructi