Beer battered fish

If you can’t resist a weekly meal of fish and chips with a boozy twist, there’s beer battered fish. This recipe also has “the best chips you have ever tasted.” Some people swear by Delia, I swear by The Hairy Bikers. If you want a sober fish, fizzy water can get you a similar batter.

Fish soup/chowder

This soup is easy, as you can throw every type of fish, seafood and veg in  a pan; you can tailor it to every taste. Spicy Fish Soup is just one of many recipes you can try (great if you like soup with a kick). If you don’t want to be staring over a pan, This slow cooker version is easy to prep in the morning and ready after a day of lectures.

Fish kebabs

Good for a snack, even better to share. If you have friends round, make a plate of fish kebabs, and another full of meat alternatives along with the avacado salad or honey & chilli dip.

Sushi

I make sushi a lot with my housemates, and usually ends up with seaweed rolling competitions. Sushi is relatively cheaper than you might think; the rice being the most expensive.

Rice can be bought online, or from Japanese supermarkets, along with the rice vinegar and seaweed sheets. Sushi moulds can make sushi-making easier, but if you’re up for a challenge, bamboo matts are also available online, along with instructional videos.

Hot smoked salmon and mustard potatoes

A low fat version to tuna jacket potatoes. With only 8g of fat, these with a salad, although not a quick lunch (cooking time 50 mins) will definately fill you up ’til teatime. Easy to make, you’ll also be able to use the bags of potatoes supermarkets seem to have on offer all the time as well.

Image from jem’s photostream

However, help is at hand for those among you with access to Photoshop, as many free video or text tutorials can be found across the internet - some are listed in this prior article for Savvy.  Here I’ll present five of the best available.

1.  Iceflow Studios

Iceflow’s high-definition videos walk you through different photo-editing tasks.  Not only is the channel devoted to Photoshop alone but its videos feature clear screen-shots that allow for an easy understanding of the task at hand.

2.  Tutvid

Perhaps one of the best Adobe tutorial channels on Youtube, Tutvid’s astounding amount of tutorial videos is quite something to comprehend.  However, for Photoshop only forty-seven are available, most along the lines of HTML editing and other more complex tasks.

3.  Photoshop Tutorials.ws

Whilst perhaps seeming a little complex at first glance, this text-only site is one of the best options for people who already know the basics, with some more niche tasks such as logo creation and professional image creation presented.  However, nestled amongst these are many interesting and original tutorials, so it’s well worth the time to study.

4.  PS Lover

Covering any Photoshop task from beginner to advanced, this website is a database that offers the most range; with beginner-level image editing but a click away from website building art tutorials, PS Lover covers all bases.

5.  Pegaweb

For those among us who have never used Photoshop before, the tutorial database Pegaweb has a comprehensive beginner’s guide that boasts it can teach you the basics in half an hour.  With screen-shots and links to the next steps in mastering Photoshop, this is the best place to start.

Image taken from Mayuki’s photostream

Cheap, convenient, energy packed and calorie kind – just a few reasons why every student should consider throwing a bunch of bananas into their next shopping basket.

A banana on it’s own, in it’s original form, may not be the most exciting thing to eat. But, with a bit of creativity, anyone is capable of transforming this fruit into a delicious dish to suit your tastes at anytime of the day:

1. An Early Start: Banana Porridge

It’s Monday morning, you are officially running late and have a full day of lectures ahead of you. Porridge is one of the simplest and most nutritional breakfasts a student can have. Add banana, and any other fruit you fancy to this basic recipe to get your day off to a healthy start.

2. On the Go: Banana and Three-Seed Energy Bars

This is a nutritious recipe for all those student snackers who are easily tempted by unhealthy goodies when you stop for a break. These on-the-go bars will keep your energy up throughout the day and help you concentrate when you’re studying. They also provide a great boost of energy before a big night out.

3. A Sweet Treat: Banana Muffins

Who said bananas are only for cake-dodging, health conscious students? This classic recipe takes only five minutes to prepare, is an easy way to incorporate fruit into your diet, and will be a real winner among your mates!

Check out more banana dessert recipes to satisfy your sweet cravings.

4. Summer Fun: Barbeque Bananas

A student’s summer is just not complete without a do-it-yourself barbeque. So crack open the cans, slap on the suntan lotion and enjoy this sizzling side dish.

5.  The Morning After: Banana Smoothie

If you haven’t got a blender – buy or borrow one, because this hangover cure is worth the money. All you need is milk and bananas but you can add extras, such as yoghurt or honey, to make your perfect smoothie cure. Check out this top tip smoothie making video.

Image taken from srqpix’s photostream

eBay/charity shops

Charities like British Heart Foundation, and Barnardos have furniture stores seperate to their clothes shops selling equipment that have only been used a handful of times.

eBay is also a great way to find cheap equipment.  Some will be selling as “Buy it now or best offer.” It may be worth offering a bid slightly lower than the guide price. Think about it: rowing machines and exercise bikes are only taking up room in the seller’s garage. They may be glad just to get rid of it and gain some space.

However if you’re buying big equipment, think about how you’ll be getting it home if it’s “Pick up only.” A pilates chair is going to be difficult to get home on the bus.

Youtube

Youtube have instructional videos on pretty much every form of exercise. For a fun work out try Zumba. Zumba is pretty much dancing, but moving all parts of your body, toning muscles you never knew you had.

Because Zumba originates from South America, most of the videos are in Spanish, but are easy to follow visually. What other form of exercise lets you learn new moves and a language at the same time?

If Zumba isn’t quite your thing, check out these top Yoga tutorials, or how about a dabble at the Chinese art of Tai Chi?

Around the house

If you’re strapped for money and time, you could use what you already have in the house. Bulky textbooks can be a steadying weight whilst doing squats.

The stairs can be part of a cardio workout, saving you a fortune on the steps class your local gym might be offering. Even if you have an old spacehopper you couldn’t part with as a kid in the garage, turn it so the handles are on its side, and you have a swedish exercise ball to use for elevated crunches and push ups.

Last but not least, follow a healthy diet and you can’t go wrong!

Image from lu_lu’s photostream

I’d suspect you want to be making as much money as possible, doing something which interests you and making the most of your skills.

So for those who want a job in the media and communications industry, what is the degree which is most likely to get you to this point?

1. University of Central Lancashire

Communication Studies and Popular Culture

According to the Guardian’s list of Universities who offer Media, Communications and Librarianship degrees, ordered by career prospects, the University of Central Lancashire comes in second.

After the first year of study, students are able to pick their own timetables to specialise in areas they are interested in and aim to find employment in.

It aims to offer a great deal of flexibility so students can develop skills in relation to their chosen area of speciality, meaning you can opt for more practical based units or more theoretical ones, offering high levels of employability.

2. Brunel University

Communication and Media Studies

Central Lancashire and Brunel University both came out with a career prospects score of 73 according to the Guardian’s rankings.

This course offers a combination of units focused on theories and methods as well as hands-on experience in video production to teach students how the communication and information media actually work.

Again, this course offers flexibility in your units, so you can focus on particular areas in line with your career aspirations or individual interests, providing skills employers from a range of media and culture industries would be interested in.

3. University of Lincoln

Contemporary Culture and Communications

I suppose I might be a bit biased here as I’m in my third year of study on this course, however, nonetheless it teaches a wide range of skills, making its graduates extremely employable post-graduation.

The broad range of topics studied both through practical and theory based units result in problem-solving skills which can be applied in many types of employment.

Units also provide you with an in depth knowledge about the culture industries themselves, so you’re well prepared for your future careers with a broad knowledge on which to build throughout your professional life.

University of Lincoln was also ranked as one of the universities with the most improved student satisfaction in 2008, and the Enterprise at Lincoln building provides links between the university and local businesses, offering lots of opportunities for students to engage with these organisations and further enhance their CVs.

Image taken from davidsliver’s photostream

Being waited on in a restaurant takes us back to those now distant memories of home, where our mothers never failed to rustle us up something delectable whilst we lounged around.

But which restaurants should we be opting for on these rare occasions? Which eateries boast both good value and a wholesome selection of hearty grub?

1.    Cosmos

When the premise of any restaurant is ‘All you can eat’, you know you’re onto a good thing. But Cosmos takes that one step further, offering a selection of Pan Asian food: that’s everything from Chinese and Indian dishes, to Japanese and Malaysian cuisine.

For under £15 you can enjoy an unlimited helping of the food on offer; you can even watch it being cooked right in front of your very eyes, guaranteeing freshness every time. What’s more, the choice of desserts is endless and will round off your evening to a tee.

Cosmos restaurants are located in most big cities, you can find a list on their website here.

2.    Pizza Express

The more upmarket version of Pizza Hut is an oasis for students through and through thanks to the continuous and fantastic range of offers available.

Keep checking Student Beans for the latest deals; currently, Pizza Express is offering two main meals for a measly £12 – now that’s definitely not going to put you out of pocket! Alternatively, how about an Orange Wednesday deal - 2 for 1 plus free garlic bread each!

All pizzas are individually handmade and the vast array of toppings will satisfy even the fussiest of eaters. My personal favourite? Pizza Express’ signature dough balls drizzled in garlic butter, followed by a vegetarian-inspired Padana pizza on a classic Romana base…heaven on a plate!

3.    Jamie’s Italian

If you’re looking for somewhere a little special whose restaurateur’s very name will secure your decision in choosing a suitable diner, then look no further than Jamie Oliver’s chain of Italian restaurants.

You’ll be spoilt for choice with the range of Italian cuisine on offer. The steaks will go down a treat as will Jamie’s mouth-watering Bolognese.

Although a little on the pricey side, the large dishes are a must as opposed to the smaller servings, but are undoubtedly worth the expenditure!

Image taken from ell brown’s photostream

The Old Town in Prague city.

Prague may have been hi-jacked in recent years by drunken Brits on stag-dos, but the capital of Czech Republic is still a beautiful city to visit.

Students travelling on a budget needn’t fear; return flights to Prague from London can be found for under £80 and beds in hostel dormitories cost as little as £5 per night.

But bear in mind that since Prague has grown in popularity, the food and cultural attractions can sometimes seem a little pricey, at least for Eastern Europe.

The Old Town

The Old Town Square, founded in the 10^th century, is a must see for any tourist. Whilst the New Town at Wenceslas Square offers a host of attractive shopping areas, you cannot beat the architectural splendour of its old counterpart.

Enjoy a meal in the main square, or check out the medieval astronomical clock, or the Old Town Hall. Exhibitions can often be seen at the City Gallery at the Stone Bell, a Gothic municipal residence from the mid-14^thcentury. Alternatively, enjoy the Christmas markets in December.

National Theatre

Catch a play or an opera at the National Theatre, a stunning neo-renaissance building, constructed between 1868 and 1881. Situated on the banks of the Vltava River, the Theatre also boasts a great restaurant if you’re feeling peckish.

Barrandov Studios

Film buffs should get down to the Barrandov Studios, where a host of Hollywood blockbusters have been filmed in recent years, including Mission Impossible, The Bourne Identity and Casino Royale.

*Image taken from flydime’s Flickr photostream.

]]> http://studentsavvy.studentbeans.com/2010/03/08/3-things-every-student-must-do-in-prague/feed/ http://studentsavvy.studentbeans.com/2010/03/07/top-3-evil-pranks/ http://studentsavvy.studentbeans.com/2010/03/07/top-3-evil-pranks/#comments Sun, 07 Mar 2010 08:10:23 +0000 Will Roszczyk http://studentsavvy.studentbeans.com/?p=7502 With the sheer amount of free time, drinking and people in any given university situation (whether it be halls or rented accommodation), pranks and jokes are a common occurrence.

Sometimes they can get out of hand, but in most cases the most devious and hilarious can be evil whilst still just being a prank: I present to you three of the most evil pranks to play on your mates at uni.

1.  Clingfilm the toilet seat

If you’re having a party, or there are a lot of very drunk people hanging around, one of the best pranks to play is clingfilming your toilet underneath the seat.

Yes, this is particularly evil, but make sure you’re doing it to people you know obviously! It’s amazing how few people will look, and hilarious how many drunken people will fall completely for it…

2.  Cover a room with…

Everyone knows at least one trusting or forgetful person who never locks their room at university, and for these fools there are many possible pranks to play.  However, one of the more evil is to completely cover their walls, desks and bed with something such as newspaper, tinfoil or clingfilm (again).

Not only does this give the perpetrators a great laugh but it shows to the owner of the room that an unlocked bedroom is a big mistake in a student environment!

3.  Drawing on a drunk

This is the most obvious and perhaps most common of all pranks, student or not, but it has to be done.  People generally fall asleep when they’re tired, but drunk people pass out cold, and these are the poor souls you have to take advantage of.

It’s unlikely with many that they’ll either realise or wake up in enough time to notice before you flee, so make sure the words and images are obscene enough to be hilarious the next day…

For more inspiration, check out these 5 greatest pranks every student must do (with videos!)

Image taken from cassandrajowett’s photostream

1. Don’t Try Too Hard

Yeah, so I discovered it’s not too smexy when you have to ask your date to stop the car because you need to get out and do some nervous vomiting. Getting all panicky is NOT HOT - it’s a first date, you don’t need to worry if he’s ‘the one’. You both need to feel comfortable or neither of you will have a good time.

Don’t: a. Wear heels that are probably bigger than his manhood, or other equally ridiculous clothing. b. Laugh at everything they say (no one is that funny). c. Run to the bathroom to check your makeup every five minutes.

2. Exes are a DEFINITE NO.

Your date does not want to hear about every failed relationship you’ve had since your GCSEs. Or how you’re so totally over the last sleazebag you dated. Save that story for when he knows you well enough to realise you’re not a complete fruit-loop.

3. Dutch Courage

I once had a date who got so gazeboed that by the end of the night he was standing on his chair singing to me. He thought he was being the perfect Romeo, I thought he was being the perfect idiot.

A glass or two can settle your nerves or give you that vital confidence boost, but learn to know your limits. You probably can’t sing as well as you think you can (he definitely couldn’t.)

4. Conversation: Less is More

Whether it’s nervous waffle, or your low self-esteem telling you to jump in and list all your faults to save him the trouble of doing it for you, excess chatter is not endearing.  Plus, your date might prefer if you actually took an interest in what they have to say.

Also, comfortable silences are actually quite sexy; and while both your mouths aren’t talking there’s a much better chance they’ll be kissing…

5. Bow out gracefully

If you decide your date is not for you, they do not need a thorough appraisal. Politely thank them for a lovely evening, and move on.

If things are looking up, however, don’t stress out about when they’ll call. It’s not worth it - it never is. If you can’t stop yourself from worrying, then take solace from that Baz Luhrman Wear Sunscreen song: ‘worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum.’ Godawful nineties music has its uses.

See further:

Cosmo: How To Totally Rock a First Date

Marie Claire: First Date Mistakes

All Women’s Talke: Common Date Mistakes

Image taken from eyeliam’s photostream.

k

Wrong. Mobile phones are essentially one of man’s best friends; we keep them close to us at all times, feel at a loss when they go missing and spring into action when they make a noise.

k

Text, chat, play, photos, listen, watch, surf, navigate, download…phones can be multi-tasking, life enhancers - as long as you know which phones are definately not for you:

1. Nokia 6500 Slide

‘Don’t judge a book by it’s cover’

• This phone looks good and has lots of flashy features, including TV output, but many people have trouble just getting it to turn on!

• The usability of this phone is rated as ’poor’ on average. People have had trouble with it’s keypad, signal, battery life, camera and memory card. The phone is also quite heavy and it has a tendency to freeze and wipe your settings.

2.Sony Ericsson W890i

‘It could drive you to tears’

• This phone has an ultra slim and sleek design but unfortunately it has serious problems with the vibration mechanism – very frustrating.

• You can enjoy it’s high-tech video, music and entertainment features – but not for long. This Sony Ericsson is not reliable in the usability area and frequently turns itself on and off.

• If you enjoy a good ringtone and tend to avoid putting your phone on silent the W890i’s faulty sound is not for you.

3. The iPhone

‘Are they really all they’re cracked up to be?’

• Before you jump on the iPhone bandwagon, marketed by Apple, you should probably know that one phone expert branded it the ‘the worst phone ever’ in 2009.

• Make sure you read some of the problems students and organisations have with iPhones before you decide if this phone is really what you want.

Read more reviews about the latest phones.

Image taken from johnmuk’s photostream