May 2011

the

studentMAG warrington edition

student mumsjust how do they do it!!

warringtons got thefactor!! Meet ex students

who made it!

Money saving tips

Read our exclusive tips from the students who

know!! WHATS ON IN WARRINGTON!Club reviews and more!!!

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tHE student magEditors letter

cONTENTS

Student website reviews

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Lucy Adams (Editor)

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4. WARRINGTONS GOT THE X FACTOR:Students wh. bcame a success!

7. COUNTING THE COST:Money saving tips for future students!!

8. STUDENT SUPER MUMS.Feature on mums going to University!

11. REVIEWSLocal bars you shouldnt miss out on!!

12. More Universities set to charge the maximum tutition fees!!

Hi guys In a matter of weeks University for the majority of final year students will come to an end. After spending three years (hopefully) working hard to get the best possible grades, going through the good times and the bad, not to mention days thought packing it all in, many will be eager to get stuck in looking for that dream job. Here at ‘The Student Mag’ we understand that its not all plain sailing, if you expect to fall out of your graduation robes and into that perfect job then your in for a shock. Out there is tough!, expect rejection but take it on the chin, learn from it and soldier on. every University will advise their students to start applying now to get a head start and beat out the drones of graduates that will be looking for work as soon as the dust settles, so do it, and as many as possible, even if you get an interview and not the job it will all make for good practise. For those already wise to the advise given above, dont let it get you down, In this months Warington edition of ‘The Student Mag’ we talk to two ex students who already have one foot on the career ladder, they have made the transition from training to employment and we hope their stories will offer our student readers a little bit of encouragement about what lies ahead. For those student about to embark on University life we’ve got some top money saving tips straight from the horses mouth, current students tell us how they manage their finances so take note. In this months edition we have a special feature for mums thinking about higher eductaion heard first hand from these extrordiany students jug-gling their studies with being a parent. Finally we have some up to date info about whats going on in War-rington, great places to go (as well as cheap) as well as local gigs and ideal places to go for students alike. I hope you enjoy reading this months edition, and to all those with loom-ing exams we wish you the best of luck! Your editor Lucy X x X

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Every year Universi-ties across the UK churn out thousands of graduates hoping to ‘make it’ in the employment world. It is the survival of the fittest, as ap-plicants in there thousands try to sell themselves to a panel of endless employers, some will struggle more than others and few will get their desired job immediate-ly after leaving university.Let’s face it; we all know at least one ex student with plenty of talent still work-ing dead end jobs waiting for their big break, and Warrington is no different. Many in the political world seem to blame the economy, prior to the current reces-sion the 1994 ‘Group of Universities’ found that around 80% of graduates worked in ‘graduate level’ jobs within

four years of leaving univer-sity.Mark Cartwright, 24 lives in Padgate and graduated from Leeds University in 2008, he spent three years working for various companies whilst ap-plying for teach-ing positions:“I think I had about ten jobs in that time from working in KFC to a short stint at a nursery, Id leave when I had had enough and then just drift into the next one, all the while I would have a couple of interviews here and there.”Stuck in a rut Mark quickly became depressed and thought about training as a barber with his uncle: “It’s ridiculous I know a 22 year old assistant to a barber but I was so fed up of being skint and mostly un-happy, I thought now I’ll never be a teacher.”

He admits transitioning from university to a full time career was harder than he thought: “it really hit home after the first couple of months, I was

terrified about my future.”Thankfully Mark never gave up on his ambition and got a job as a teaching assistant in a local

college, he says had he been another six months he would have ‘given up’, with thou-sands of stories like this it is no wonder students are anxious about leaving university.Current final year students have been busy wrapping up assignments, sitting exams and reflecting on the choices they have made thus far. They will ask themselves did I do enough? Should I have worked a little bit harder, partied less and taken part in more extra

curriculum activities? And most importantly am I good enough?Like Mark there’s the fear of not finding the right job as well as the rejection from potential employers, and the fear of los-ing sight of their goals.At ‘The Student Mag’ we un-derstand just how tough the job industry can be, especially to those without the relevant con-nections to make it big, with this in mind our team searched high and low to find students from Warrington who are well on their way to becoming a success.Lee Froggatt, 25 originally from Lachford has got the dream job working for the British Olympic Association and currently lives in London. He is part of a team respon-sible for developing the Team GB brand and working on vari-ous other campaigns, he more

Lee Froggatt with his amascot

EXSTUDENTSBECOME ASUCCESS

MEET LEE AND LOUISE

WORRIED ABOUT WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU GRADUATE? THESE TWO SHOW US HOW ITS DONE!!!

“I was terri-fied about my

future”

By Lucy Adams

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recently designed the new Team GB mascot set to launch in September:“Its really exciting, espe-cially knowing that I have cre-ated something that the world will see and that will be a pig part of Team GB legacy.”Amazingly Lee was contact-ed on twitter by a recruit-ment agency that specialises in creative work after they saw his portfolio online, a few weeks later he was being interviewed by the as-sociation and landed the job.Like most Lee had to work hard to get to where he is today and suffered a stint of low confidence in the process of finding the right career. After com-pleting a HND in Graphic design at Warrington Collegiate he de-cided to take time away from education and went travelling around Europe:

“Returning in October I was offered a management role at a nightclub in Nottingham which

for some reason I took! After six months I knew it

wasn’t for me and handed in my resignation.” he believes the ‘shock’ of full time work spurred him on the make a go of a career in the design industry.He quickly found work with a Nottingham based company ‘Red Berry Creative’ designing for Loughborough university: “I wanted to work with bigger clients so decided to move to London and pursue my career further.”After working with London

Company ‘The Hive’ for two years he got the call from the Olympic association, a job he says he loves.Louise brown, 23 from Penketh has also landed her dream job work-ing as a radiographer

at Warrington and Halton hospitals. She graduated from Hertfordshire University in 2009:“I was extremely lucky in the

sense I got the job before I had finished uni, starting after graduation but at the same time I worked very very hard.” She believes hard work is the key to becoming a success and ‘wallowing in self pity will do more harm than good’.Louise’s course meant that she had to go on placements at various hospitals which is where she found her calling:“I think you either fail or flourish in the clinical work,

its experience so these types of courses are good for finding out exactly what you want to do.”

So is this the job Louise has always wanted working for the NHS?“Yes, I mean I didn’t want to be a radiog-rapher when I was a kid but I knew

the direction I wanted to go in and couldn’t be happier, most people are taken aback by what I do so its great.”Both Lee and Louise see them selves as the exception rather then the rule, neither know many fellow students that have gone on to reach the same goals as they have. So what advice do they have to give to graduates of 2011?

Lee says: “take criticism construc-tively and work

with it. Never get disheart-ened- enjoy what you do and have fun doing it.” And Louise puts all her success down to Work hard.So the pressure is on, has War-

“I created something the world will see”

“I decided to move to London and pur-sue my career in the design indus-

try”

One of Lee’s first ever designs (Facebook)

“Most people are taken aback by

what I do”

Louise (left) at her graduation

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A radiographer works in hos-pitals and is

responsable for X-raying pa-

tients, and oper-ating machinary!

(Google)

COUNTING THE COST £££!!!To save money on food buy it reduced and freeze it or just go shopping everyday around the time they reduce it ... thats what i did! Lewis Shepherd, 20

Nobody is too good for ‘value’ products or stores. Dechlan Jarrett, 23

walk instead of taking the bus/taxi’s....buy food with a friend and share the cost Becky Peters, 20

Always get drunk before u go out, that way u dont have 2 spend loads of money at bars and pubs! Rachel Capper, 22

‘The Student Mag’ knows just how difficult managing your

finances can be when you start University. So we asked current students to tell us there top tips

for saving money!

Never turn down a free meal,look for deals in the supermarket, and do be afraid to borrow!

Jordan Simpson, 21

Look for part time jobs, bar work is ideal for students and the hours mean you never miss out on time to catch up on essays! Lee Williams, 24

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(Lucy Adams)

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ASK anyone to describe a typical student and they will use that old cliché of a dishevelled young partygoer, lazy and living off mum and dad.More often that not they have never been out of education since their days at primary school with Summer holi-days spent bulking up their back balance or kicking back and enjoying time out with friends and family, only to resume the student lifestyle when the loans go in on the first day back of a new term.Their only worries are getting the odd assignment in on time and working out if they have enough funds to cover a term spent down-ing drinks in the SU or putting money aside for trips to the town centre.So far, the majority have dodged the added reasonability of full time work and keeping a home that will eventually catch up with them after graduation.Of course not all students are the same, and everyone’s experiences are different, there are the studious types, those that don’t see to try at all yet sail through assignments and exams,

those that never bother turning up and the odd mature student that stays out of the typical student lifestyle lived by most.There is more re-cently another breed of student to throw into the mix, an increasing number or mums are going to university and

juggling educa-tion with being a parent. So just how do they manage, and how different is their experience with having children.

Mum of one Leanne Traynor, 25 lives in Warrington and is currently in her second year at Salford University studying Animation. She admits that she was a bit sceptical starting uni-versity with younger students as a mum:I felt a bit anxious and ner-vous, I was scared about meet-ing new people and leaving Molly.” Molly’s was just seven months old when she started her first year after she had already pushed back starting

the course when she found out she was pregnant.University as we all know can be demanding at times, if you don’t plan your workload there’s always a danger of being swamped by multiple essays and practical work, so how do mums manage with the extra pressure of being a parent.Leanne puts it down to the teachers understanding of her situation:“The tutors are usu-ally supportive, they understand I work hard to catch up.”With the help of her partner she says going to uni, and succeeding there is possible, even if it dif-ficult at times.

But what about those that don’t have the support of a willing partner, or if things don’t go smoothlyRachel*, 27 from Dallam knows first hand just how much pressure university can put on home life. She has three children aged two, six and eight and is currently in her first year of a midwifery course at Chester University.“There’s so much pressure

and stress, and every day is a struggle, within three

months of going to Uni my relationship had broken down.” While she

UPER STUDENT MUMS

Leanne Traynor and daughter Molly

“The tutors are usually supportive, they understand i work hard to catch

up”

“Within three months of going to uni, my relation-ship broke down”

Could you manage your workload if you

were a parent?By Lucy Adams

(Google)

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doesn’t believe university was the only reason for break up she believes that it added to existing problems:“My partner had to take a backseat while I started to change my life, he worked more hours to cover our finances and it just didn’t work out.”A huge part of the university experience is the student community that devel-ops over time, many make life long friends and have a lot of fun doing it, and so do these mums miss out. Leanne admits she doesn’t have many friends on campus and doesn’t even know where the student bar is on campus:“I miss out on the bonding, and when they (students) come in on the Monday morn-ing, talking about nights, I feel like I’m missing out in that way.”Rachel however has no desire to go out partying. She says: “I’m getting older, I have a family so it just doesn’t inter-

est me, I’m here to learn.”Hard partying is blamed on many students missing out on their potential, late nights means that early morning

lectures are missed, hangovers may mean many more being dodged too. So does missing out of the lifestyle mean these women are working harder?Rachel thinks so: “loads in class aren’t really with it, I feel

like slapping some of them for wasting the opportunity, I have definitely benefited from it, no distractions, other than my kids of course.”

Leanne goes further to say mums have a clearer insight into the real world having ma-

Leanne does most of her uni work at home

“Im getting older, I have a family so it

doesnt interest me, I’m here to

learn”

tured through being a parent:“I think a lot of people on my course don’t take it serious because they have not had the experience with real life.” She believes having Molly has en-hanced her outlook on life, and what better muse than a child for studying animation.

“A lot of people on my course done take it seriously, because

they have not had the experience with real

life”

As well as taking full time courses both Leanne and Rachel work part time jobs to make ends meet”“Just because you fullfill you fream of going to uni doesnt mean that your responsabilities stop, I have children to care for and a mortgage to pay.” says Rachel. She works as a care assistant for the elderly and disabled. Leanne makes ends meet by working as a waitress at a carvery in Warrington: “the hours are good and so are the tips, I’m usually going to work when Molly’s being put to bed.”Many typical students choose not to work and instead rely on student loans to get them through the year, Leanne ad-mits that most of hers goes on things for Molly ‘its mostly out of guilt’ she says for spending so much time away from her daughter,These mums show that its possible for those they chose a family rather than a career to have both, whether it is at a cost is for you to decide.

Leannes 2 year old daughter Molly

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REVIEWSWe review so you dont have to!!

Living and going to University in Warrington has its advantages, in the heart of the North West we are situated right inbetween two of the UK’s biggest cities and have access to a wide range of clubs, pubs, shopping centres and activities by just a fifteen minute train journey. Alternatively, if money is tight Warrington has a lot to offer, so we at ‘Student Mag’ be did a bit of investigative journalism and went out to taste the Warrington nightlife for ourself.........

EvissaThe newest bar in Warrington has alot to offer, origionally a dingy late pub it recently transformed to a glam feminine styled club.As soon as you enter your surrounded by pink wallpaper and an interest-ing cocktail menu.The bar plays dance more than any other style of music but if you re-quest it they’ll play it!Open during the day they also screen sport and have a beer garden with private bar. The drinks are relatively cheap!

The Postern GateSituated in a quiet corner of the town centre this pup is open daily and goes on till 2am. they serve great food during the day, thats cheap and tasty. for evening they sell some amazing cocktails for £4.25. Go on a friday and you can get them for less than half that as well as cheap offers on shots and bottles of beer. Great atmosphere, a popular student haunt that plays a variety of music Level Vodka Bar

Students love this place, instead of launching the occasional offer this little gem charges a £3 entry fee and only £1 a drink, yes £1. Doubles count as two drinks but thats still amazingly cheap!The bar has a grungy feel with two floors that are usually packed, it plays a mixture of indie and chart music and a little bit of everything else.The only downside is that sometimes it gets to busy and can feel a bit like be-ing in an oven during the summer months!!

53 Degrees NorthThis bar is popular with RnB lovers and seems to be a popular with locals. The music is generally RnB and chart and they have a cool DJ.The downside is that the bar isnt the cheapest in town and has a history of trouble.The place has an amazing atmosphere with two bars and friendly staff!!

What else? Dont fancy any of these? Heres a few more:* Wired Plays DnB and hard core dance and rock music, groggy but loads of fun, drinks are cheap!!!

* Babylon/ReflexJoint clubs next to eachother on the highstreet, a party atmosphere that plays 80s/90s music!!!

* VoodooA new bar in town that become a favourate with locals, open til 5am!!

* ShowbarA huge club with gorgeous interior, plays everything but is probably the most expensive in town!!!

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More Universities set to charge higher tuition fees

The University of Chester is set to join the long line of universities intent on charging the maximum tution fees made possible by the current govern-ments decision.The university announced that from September they will charge £9000 a term because of recent govern-ment cut backs.Lauren Gilbert, 23 from Woolsten claims that the increase means she wont be going when she gradu-ated from college later this year:

“I couldnt believe it when I heard, that amount of money scares me.”There will be others like Lauren .The university claim that charging the increase will

enable them to maintain a higher standard of teach-ing.The announcement fol-lows the recent long line of universities in the North West.

The Manchester Metro-politan will charge £8000 with Edge Hill set to charge £9000.Will it affect your choices? Tell us at studenmag.org

By Lucy Adams

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