Five tips on how to stay happy during exam time

So, it's the final term of second year at University and I'm definitely feeling the pressure. Some people are able to keep relatively calm during the exam period (lucky people!), however I'm on the opposite side of the spectrum and find it almost impossible to stay relaxed. Since the days of A-Levels, I've made sure I've done certain things in the run up to exams to ensure I don't burn out. Here's my five tips that help me stay sane during exams and deadlines, and hope they help all you fellow stress-heads out there.

1. Eat healthily and feed your brain!

This one might seem extremely self-explanatory, but it's so vital to make sure you feed your brain the right foods during exam time. I have been in the situation where you're so tired that you just kinda want to eat Nutella on toast for each meal, which in an ideal world would be amazing, but it's frankly not good for brain functioning. Make sure you eat breakfast, tonnes of fruit and vegetables, good carbs, and plenty of fish. I absolutely love cooking, and find it really therapeutic. When I'm at university, I mainly adopt a pescetarian diet because fish does wonders to your energy and meat is also very expensive. If you've got a sweet tooth, like myself, definitely invest in Nakd bars. They're 100% vegan, one of your five-a-day and are surprisingly super tasty.

Revising is so emotionally and mentally draining, sometimes making some people feel really down. In my first year of psychology, I found out that diets containing tryptophan, an amino acid essential to produce serotonin, alleviates depressive symptoms. You can find tryptophan in chickpeas, fish, eggs, cheese, oats and bananas! All you people will be extremely happy to know that chocolate does indeed contain tryptophan. I hear you all cheer!

2. Organise your work schedule 

Again this is kind of obvious, but organising your time, your work and yourself will help you keep stress to a minimum during the exam period. Creating a revision timetable with plenty of breaks will keep you motivated and will also ensure you revise efficiently. Also, I find it's really helpful to find out what type of learner you are. I did a quiz a week ago and found out that I'm a visual learner, which is no surprise as my revision tactic is to make about a million mind maps and (badly) draw pictures. My room literally becomes infested with mind-maps on each wall. Once you find out what sort of learner you are, information seems to flow much more easily.

3. Get a good night's rest

Sleep is everyone's best friend, and you definitely should not neglect it over exam time. I've never been the sort of person to do all nighters as my cut off time has always been 9pm. Memory consolidation happens when you sleep, so make sure you avoid those all-nighters and get a good night's rest as sleep helps you remember information you have learnt in the day. You've got nothing to lose, you get to sleep AND your brain helps you revise without you even knowing.

4. Exercise, exercise, exercise

At university, I am part of the Aerobics Society which is super fun because you workout for an hour and not even realise you're doing high intensity cardio. Whilst at the time you might prefer to slob around and watch 10 episodes of Friends, exercise rejuvenates your brain and body making you feel motivated. Also, it's a good excuse to get out of the library. 

5. If you're the super anxious sort, drink tea. 

I'm a typical Brit integrating cuppas into everything, but here it is totally relevant (I promise). There are many different types of tea you can dabble with, and all of them are super healthy. I am a sucker for a traditional milky English Breakfast tea, but have recently jumped onto the herbal-tea bandwagon. I've bought lots of Camomile Tea because it's renowned for its relaxing and soothing effects on the brain. There's plenty of science behind the powers of Camomile Tea, and has even helped alleviate anxiety in those suffering from General Anxiety Disorder. Camomile Tea is naturally caffeine-free and should be consumed before you go to sleep. I have a severe attachment to tea, so getting by in exam time without it would be devastating.

Hopefully these five tips will help the most anxious amongst you all. Exams are stressful but don't forget to look out for yourself and take plenty of breaks! 

Our adventure in Berlin

For months, we had been counting down the days until our city break to Berlin and this week we finally arrived in Berlin for our 4 day adventure! 

After a considerably early flight and a painless journey from the airport to the city centre, we quickly got settled in Plus Hostel Berlin, although I should probably correct this to "hotel" because it was nothing like a hostel as we had a private double room and an en-suite. So, as far as hostels go this was probably the most luxurious you could get. 

After a quick unpacking of our bags, we went straight out to get our bearings (and mainly to get food). Our hostel is directly next to the East Side Gallery and borders Neukolln, the hub of all things vintage. According to reviews, it's hipster haven. Alex and I felt like the un-coolest people in the area!

I always prefer to walk round the city as opposed to getting the train or bus, as you get to see the real personality of a city and usually the best parts are hidden away from the main streets. On our first day we walked to Treptower Park and around the area before finally ending up in Que Pasa, a Mexican themed bar-restaurant. I didn't expect to be eating anything other than burgers and Currywurst, but the food at Que Pasa was so yummy (and reasonably priced). It was a bonus that they were also offering ample 4€ cocktails! It would be silly not to visit this little gem.

Our second day was our busiest day as we did all of the touristy things and managed to walk around 20 miles in total that day. Firstly, we walked along side the East Side Gallery, the most intact part of the Berlin wall, and this was by far my favourite part of Berlin. Each part of the wall tells a personal story, and it's an uncensored expression of freedom through street art.

We also ventured to Alexanderplatz to see the TV Tower, Brandenburg Gate, Tiergarten, Checkpoint Charlie, Topography of Terrors and in the evening we had a guided tour of the Bundestag (Reichstag) Building which was surprisingly super interesting and gave an insightful overview of the history of German parliament. The views of Berlin from the terrace at the top of the building finished off the day well. Better yet, all of the attractions above were free. The only thing we paid for that day was a Currywurst and some snacks from Lidl. We're stereotypical frugal students, aren't we? 

Burgermeister

Five Elephant Coffee and Cake

New Deli Yoga Berlin 

Berlin isn't a place you go to be bombarded with lots of attractions, but the culture and lifestyle is an attraction in itself. Once we had finished looking at the sights (which took only a day), we emerged ourselves in the culture. If any of you know me well enough, you know that Alex and I are HUGE burger enthusiasts, which means we were in our element when we found Burgermeister. Burgermeister is hidden under a bridge in Kreuzberg and serves the world's greatest burgers for a friendly price of only €4. It also has beer cheaper than Coca-Cola, so you can see what the hype is about. 

We also did some cafe-hopping around Neukolln and purposefully went to Five Elephant Cafe. The weather was tropical for March, so we sat outside with some fancy coffees and ate the most incredible cheesecake.

When evening arrives, Berlin has an incredible array of bars. After revising the entirety of Trip Advisor, we explored another neighbourhood called Prenzlauerberg and spent the night having copious amounts of Whiskey and Beer.

Berlin is now one of my favourite places, and I'm really itching to get back there once I'm not a student and earning my own money. Berlin is perfect for a student budget, or anyone who isn't looking to break the bank. 

Review: Brew and Brownie, York

If anyone knows me well enough, they will release that I have very strong feelings towards cups of tea and cake. York is well renowned for offering copious amounts of cafes and tea rooms, but there is one place that certainly has the edge. Brew and Brownie is my ultimate favourite place for a loose-leaf tea (such a luxury), thick buttermilk Pancakes with maple syrup and bacon or a generous helping to one of their bakes of the day.

I discovered this place one gloomy, winter morning in York and since then, I've been hooked. So hooked that I've been here twice this week already. The American-style pancakes are INCREDIBLE. Now, I've been to IHOP in America a couple of times and were impressed by their humongous stack of pancakes but, still, Brew and Brownie offer something even more impressive. I've tried both the Nutella and Banana pancakes and the Maple Syrup and Bacon variety. I'm still torn between which one is my favourite. Although, my boyfriend Alex would disagree as he is firm believer that the bacon pancakes are the winner. 

Lemon and poppyseed cake and a very milky cuppa - yummmm!

If you're not a huge fan of pancakes, there are some delightful savoury meals you can devour also. If you're a sweet tooth, like me, then there's numerous different baked goods offered. I absolutely love the tea they serve here because it's loose leaf and the flavours are much more refreshing! They do a fab selection of herbal teas too; the lemon and ginger one is worth a try if you're trying to ween yourself off milky tea. 

This was the fourth attempt at taking a nice photo!

If you're a fan of vintage-style decor, Kings of Leon and the Beatles, great coffee and amazing service, then I beg you try this place out. It's impossible to hate this place, and you'll find yourself returning on a weekly basis.

Three reasons why York is better than anywhere else

Many people often ask me why I chose to come to study in York as it is inherently a small and quaint city. Although it may not boast many choices for clubbing, it possesses some pretty amazing traits.

One: You never tire of seeing the Minster

I am definitely not a religious person, yet there is something quite special about walking around the Minster at dusk on a Sunday. Considering the Minster is in the heart of the city, it is always so unbelievably tranquil.


Two: The North Yorkshire Moors is only 30 minutes away from the city

For those who need to take a break from York on a busy weekend, fear not as the North Yorkshire Moors National Park is only a short drive away. A lot of my childhood memories are spending time in the Moors as I am originally from County Durham, so revisiting here on a rare weekend off definitely brings about a sense of nostalgia. I ventured to the beautiful market town Helmsley, and decided I want to live with my future brood of sausage dogs in this lil Yorkshire town. Alex and I walked 6.4 miles from Helmsley Castle to Rievaulx Abbey, which for us amateurs is pretty impressive.

Three: The food (enough said)

Crumbs Cupcakery - 10 College Street

Brew & Brownie - 5 Museum Street

Betty's Tea Room - Saint Helen's Square

House of Trembling Madness - 48 Stonegate

Filmore & Union - 62A Low Petergate

Bryon Hamburgers - 11 High Ousegate

Anyone who knows me, either personally or through my Instagram/Food Diary, will understand the true extent to how much I love food. The food in York is so bloody amazing, that it is really damaging my overdraft facilities. I've heard that you can eat somewhere new every night of somebody's lifetime living in New York city, but clearly they haven't seen what Old York has to offer.