I’m Sorry, Your Cat Can’t Be Vegan

by bagas.putra.pratamaNo Comments
In the age of anthropomorphism, anything goes, and it is no surprise that its intensity has transferred onto the pet population. Our seemingly harmless intention to reflect physical and behavioural qualities, which facilitate human traits, has altered the human-animal bond; some would argue for worse. Breeding squishy-faced, or chondrodystrophic breeds, reflects our desire for neotany, aka – life long, child-like/puppy features. This leads to a darker side of suffering from respiratory disorders and eye issues; but that’s an entirely different path.I argue that the anthropomorphism of pets has resulted in an increased level of veterinary care and an improved welfare situation, however this has its limits. When it reaches the point of projecting your beliefs on your pets with unintentional harmful consequences – a red light goes off in my mind. Veterinary clinics are witnessing an increased rate of ‘vegan’ clients, and I am talking about the animal. Unfortunately, however genuine the owner’s intentions may be, dogs and cats cannot...
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Why Learn A Language?

by bagas.putra.pratamaNo Comments
Without wanting to sound like a cringy phrase from a personal statement, I have a passion for languages. I study English and German and this year I’ve been taking evening classes in Spanish with the Language Centre. As you probably know, modern language learning in the UK is declining rapidly, with language departments dwindling in schools across the country. I find this quite sad, and a little bit scary to be honest, so here are my arguments in favour of learning a language. Travel/Work/Study AbroadAs our many international students, and anyone who has taken advantage of the Erasmus Study Abroad scheme, can testify, going abroad is a brilliant opportunity to immerse yourself in another culture. Travelling to another country, be it for work, education or fun, can really widen your horizons. This travel is going to be made exponentially easier by learning even a little of the language of your destination – the inability to communicate in a foreign country can be very...
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What to Pack for University

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Although summer is still in very much session, bright and hot as ever, with uni right around the corner it’s high time we students start to consider what to take – or not to take – with us when we head on back, because every bit of space counts (trusttt me). From having lived off more stuff than I should in first year because I was anxious  and wanted to make sure I had my whole life with me “just in case”,  to living out of a mere suitcase and a half in second year because studying halfway across the world restricts you in terms of luggage allowance, I now feel like I –sort of – know what I need to take with me into third year and thought I’d share my thoughts to give you an idea of what to pack for university (and what you can get away with omitting!).KitchenwareSo to start off simple: kitchenware.  Now whilst you’ll need a...
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Healthy Eating On A Budget

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A few months ago, I wrote a post about how to save money and still enjoy yourself at university. A few weeks ago, I wrote another about travelling on a student budget. The take home message?I’m broke.But I’m also good at it.So, this week, I’m going to talk to you all about living a healthier lifestyle in the kitchen, despite being on a student budget because let’s face it, healthy food is just so much more overpriced (and underwhelming) than Tesco’s ‘2 frozen pizzas for £5’ deal. Switch to nut butters and buy them by the kilo.Swap Nutella or other unhealthy spreads for almond or peanut butter. Not only are they delicious but they’re also versatile. From smoothies to sandwiches, there isn’t much they can’t do. You can also pair them with apples or bananas for a quick post-workout snack! Buying the 1kg tub from Sainsbury’s or Amazon will help you save money as they are a better bang for your...
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Exam Tips

by bagas.putra.pratamaNo Comments
Preparation is KeySo, this one takes place even before the exam is anywhere near starting since there is no point in rocking up without being ready. The amount of time you give yourself to revise for exams is entirely up to you, people work differently. Whether you need six months to get your head down because you know that you take time to process information, or if you can cram it all a few weeks in advance – it’s your call. However, speaking from experience, I recommend starting early. Even if you do the odd bit here at there say six weeks before the exam itself, at least you have started to lay the foundations. Besides, the sooner you know something, the easier it will be in the long run. And by prep, I don’t mean colouring in a mind map… you actually need to process the information. Just remember that.Get There EarlyIf your exam is at 12, don’t rock up at...
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3 Things You’re Probably Worried About but Will Actually be Okay

by bagas.putra.pratamaNo Comments
Although everybody has their own worries when it comes to going to university, after speaking to my friends and family who have graduated or are at university, I have come up with three areas in which worries may arise: friends, academia and money. Nonetheless, although these may be sources of panic, I am here to reassure you that things will be okay. Trust me. I’ve done two years of this university malarkey, I must be doing something right (I mean, at least I think I am).Making FriendsI don’t know about you, but the last time I actually actively needed to make new friends was when I was I started sixth form. Even then I knew most of the people there and it was simply a case of building on acquaintances and meeting a handful of new people I had never seen before. Due to this, starting university terrified me in terms of its social requirements. Did I even know how...
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5 Things you Should Know About Living in Self-Catered Accommodation

by bagas.putra.pratamaNo Comments
You Probably Won’t Set Fire to the KitchenWhen I started university, I was certain that I was going to set fire to the kitchen and burn the whole block down. Despite not being a bad cook, irrationally I believed that in a moment of lost concentration that I would turn away from the oven, only for the whole thing to burst into flames in a second.However, it’s safe to say that these ideas were completely irrational. If you know the basics of fire safety, it’s pretty unlikely that you will spark a fire. I mean, fires don’t just start like that. Your kitchen isn’t going to spontaneously combust. For instance, I lived with a girl who threw oil into a cooking oven in order to crisp up her chips. She literally threw oil onto a naked flame. Although this did cause the fire alarm to go off and smoke to flood the kitchen, she still did not cause an actual fire....
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