#student discounts UK

[easterneyenews]

Budget-Friendly Travel Hacks for Your UK Adventure

Do you want to explore the cool places and interesting culture of the United Kingdom without spending too much money? You're in luck! By being clever and planning well, you can have an affordable adventure in the UK. Whether you're wandering around London, admiring the beautiful Scottish countryside, or enjoying the beaches of Cornwall, these tips will help you save money while having a great time.

Go in Off-Peak Seasons: It's cheaper to travel to the UK during spring or autumn when there are fewer tourists. This means you'll find cheaper accommodation and won't have to wait in long lines at popular attractions.

Choose Budget-Friendly Accommodation: Instead of expensive hotels, consider staying in hostels, guesthouses, or Airbnb rentals. You can even try house sitting or couchsurfing for a unique and cheap place to stay.

Visit Free Attractions: There are plenty of amazing things to see in the UK that won't cost you anything. You can explore museums, landmarks, and parks for free. Look for free walking tours or explore on your own to discover hidden gems without spending any money. Are you ready to start a beautiful journey with your loved ones? If yes, then you found this page at the right time. Now, you might be wondering why it is like this. It is because now you don’t have to wait for better opportunities to spend time with your loved ones, because the opportunity is already here. EasternEye has teamed up with the National Trust to offer a family day out to some of the UK’s most beautiful and historic places for free. This partnership will help you and your loved ones go on a wonderful journey.

Use Public Transportation: Getting around the UK doesn't have to be expensive. Take buses, trams, or trains instead of taxis or rental cars. Buying a travel pass or a railcard can also save you money on transportation.

Pack Wisely: Pack light and bring versatile clothes that you can mix and match. This way, you won't need to bring as much luggage, saving you money on baggage fees. Don't forget to bring reusable water bottles and snacks to avoid expensive purchases while you're out exploring.

Eat Like a Local: Instead of eating at fancy restaurants for every meal, try local street food markets, bakeries, and affordable eateries. You can also save money by buying groceries from budget supermarkets or having a picnic in a park.

Look for Discounts: Before you go, search for discounts and deals on attractions, restaurants, and shops. Many places offer discounts for students, seniors, or if you book in advance. Use websites, apps, and travel forums to find the best deals and save even more money.

Join Free Walking Tours: In the UK, many cities offer free walking tours led by friendly guides. These tours show you cool places and hidden spots, teaching you interesting things about the local culture and history. Best part? They don't cost anything! If you had fun, you can give the guide a tip at the end, but only if you want to.

Check Out Local Markets: Visit lively local markets to save money on food and souvenirs. You can find all sorts of stuff there, like fresh fruits, yummy homemade snacks, and unique gifts, all at good prices. Try out local foods and see if you can haggle with the sellers for even better deals.

Use Student Discounts: If you're a student, bring your student ID card along. Lots of places in the UK, like attractions, restaurants, and transportation, offer discounts to students. Just ask about student discounts wherever you go to save more money during your trip.

Have Picnics: Instead of eating out all the time, plan picnics in pretty spots around the UK. Buy fresh food from local markets or shops and enjoy eating outside in parks, gardens, or by the sea. It's not only cheaper but also lets you enjoy the lovely views while you eat.

Try Free Outdoor Fun: The UK has amazing outdoor places you can explore for free. You can go hiking in national parks, walk along beautiful coastal paths, or ride bikes through scenic countryside. These activities let you enjoy nature without spending any money, keeping your trip budget-friendly.

By following these tips, you can have an amazing adventure in the UK without spending a lot of money. Whether you're exploring historic landmarks or trying delicious local food, you'll have a great time knowing that you're getting the most out of your travel budget. So pack your bags, head to the UK, and get ready for an affordable adventure you'll never forget!

[rosemaryhelenxo]

Murder on Lake Garda by Tom Hindle Book Review + Other Book Recommendations | Press - Affiliate

I am thrilled to grow and evolve my exclusive influencer discounts, specially curated for my fellow beauty and lifestyle fans – with this, I am now an affiliate for Waterstones! With this new partnership it means I can bring you special content, a heads up on any amazing deals coming out and other exclusive goodies! As a bookworm myself, I am very very excited to begin this great partnership…

[quickassignmenthelp]

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[brf-rumortrackinganon]

RTA, In addition to your excellent response to anon asking about WK’s histories, I’d like to add some more histories which were all eventually shut down. 

Firstly, you have to remember that UK didn’t have privacy laws until 2014. Once that law came into effect, so many articles, pictures, blogs were pulled from the internet. And weirdly, some articles remain, but are/ were edited to remove the details that could invite a lawsuit. 

Sidenote: one of my favourite blogs, princess Diana’s palace was so meticulous about information gathering on Diana that it put any Diana biographer to shame, but it shut down in early 2015. The youtube channel is still up, and you can find a video clip of Lady C being abused by Sally Jessy Rapeal’s audience in late 1991 for her book, Diana the real story, disclosing Diana’s problems and problem marriage. Andrew Morton comes on and calls her a liar…..then 6mths later publishes his own ghostwriter Diana biography: DianaHer story!!!

But I digress,

…….pre-2014, and especially pre-2011 before Phonne hacking scandal broke, it was easy for newspapers to print whatever about celebrities.

Ditto phone hacking, dustbin diving, tips from service workers - TMZ made it’s bones because they bribed service workers/ staff at restaurants/ hotels/ hospitals/ rehab/ wait staff/ bouncers etc 

As per your comment about people ratting out celebs…..I used to live near KP when Kate first married. Every time she went shopping on Ken high street, word would ran through street like bush fire which would get to you if you happened to be shopping as well. 

During the dating years, the young royals and their circle were not discreet at all. They hang out all in Chelsea, mostly King’s Road and ‘the beach’ portion of the Fulham Road as well as pubs all along there. As an example, soon after William broke up with Kate in 2007, he did go clubbing and tell entire club that he was free as he danced on top of a bar - multiple witnesses including yours truly. 

One current royal reporter got her start royal reporting by embedding herself with the royals’ circle especially Harry then would go fishing for extra tidbits on royal forums which is how she dug up 'waity Katie’ because one notorious forum had branded her with it and she took it mainstream. 

During the dating years, there were many blogs reporting about the young royals, but the most notorious early one wasn’t an royal one. St Andrews had a student blog that allowed students to post tidbits about school life, and unfortunately students posted stuff about William and his dating life. 

The anecdote about Carly the determinedly virgin girlfriend was posted on there because William was either indiscreet or someone made it up and posted it. How they broke up, the public nature of it, and the intersection with Kate came from that blog. 

Carly never sold that story and it’s sad that anon thinks she did. If that blog was posting the truth about William, then it’s unsurprising that he wasn’t getting on with his first year at St Andrews. The blog was eventually shut down because it was posting information about him which was picked up and spread to other blogs. This would have been early 2005. I know about that blog because posts were copied from it and posted to other blogs that came much later. 

Let’s also not forget that Harold was leaking to reporters he met in pubs. After he revealed his chronic leaking, I thought about articles written in the WK dating years that were attributed to 'sources close to Harry’ or 'friends of Harry’ eg articles criticising Kate claiming Chelsy was superior to Kate, that Kate was a limpet, that Kate was taking advantage of her royal status to grab stuff eg getting Audi to sell her a car at royal discount or to pull,’ don’t you know who I am’ card to get into events. One such article even criticised her presence in a royal box claiming she’d simply barged her way in using that card. 

Then there was the Middleton pap on speed dial. This guy started out as friendly part of the pap pack that the Middletons tolerated, but soon he was the only one who had exclusive Middleton content and was such a trusted source that msm looked to him to guide them as far as info on the Middletons especially when he revealed that he’d been told where to find William and Kate after Uncle Gary had been caught in a tabloid scandal and the pap ended up capturing the only image (video & still) of WK French kissing. The complicated relationship was revealed in a Kate vs pap lawsuit from 2009 which the pap lost, but which revealed a very complicated relationship. Most of the reporting on the lawsuit has disappeared and all you find is this one article in the Guardian newspaper that simply states that pap lost the case and had to pay Kate damages. 

https://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2010/mar/11/privacy-news-agencies

the later Jecca + William rumours came from him. 

Then there was Jessica Hay as mentioned by RTA who told media outlets everything she knew about Kate. Ditto the sex kittens lady who was a Kate friend from Marlborough and also during the dating years - it was her charity rowing boat that Kate joined during 2007 break up, but man, did this girl talk to the media too. She still dines out on being Kate’s friend though I wager that the friendship, such as it was, cooled after Kate left the rowing crew in 2007 after she reunited with Willuam. 

Then you throw in the people naively giving sympathetic interviews about Kate or William and putting out far too much information about her eg Kate’s jigsaw boss - an edited version of 2012 interview she gave is still floating on the internet

https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/kates-not-precious-she-mucked-in-at-jigsaw-6922185.html

The Captain of the yacht that Kate crewed on in her gap year before St Andrews told an anecdote about Kate’s time working for him which became the opening 2-3 paragraph of this article written during her engagement period

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1377487/Kate-Middletons-character-shaped-generations-social-climbing-matriarchs.html

Even Uncle Gary was very loose-lipped about Kate and William. 

In short, Robert Jobson is not using new information, but taking old articles, possibly going into National archives or just good old British Library to look at the old stuff to dig up stuff previously printed.

As he has been around for decades, I’d wager he knows everything RTA and I have written here because he lived it and when before that 2014 EU law came into effect, he copied as much information for his files as he could. 

Personally, I was on royal forums from around 2005-ish mainly for Diana content and that eventually led to WK content. 

And now for the horrible part……the blog is a cesspool that needs to die, but early Celebitchy still has many early articles copied into the blog. I think they started covering Kate and William in 2008 or early 2009. Those early post were not cesspool though they are presented in a snarky tone as per the space they were trying to carve out for themselves as far as celeb watching. It took a dark turn when they hired Kaiser and gave her full control of the blog. She curated it into the hatefilled space it eventually became. Turning point was 2016 when a combo of Hillary vs Trump as well as Markle, Brangelina divorce were the big topics of discussion that year. She took a position on these topics and banned all dissent. She encouraged deranged takes on all of it such that even the moderates who may have agreed with her were driven out. 

If you can bare to dip into that poison, you’ll find old articles on Kate and William from 2008 onwards. 

***************

Anon, if you do dive into Celebitchy, I recommend a salt circle, a cleansing ritual before and after, and saging your computer/mobile device. Maybe do a prayer candle too. You can’t be too cautious when it comes to Kaiser.

[butterflywithsass]

Things I Wish I knew living on my own

This is gonna be pretty short at the moment (I'll add more later) because I haven't been living on my own for very long and I think there's still plenty that I still have to figure out. I'm also drunk as I write this so this might be rambling.

This is gonna be chock full of really obvious stuff for most people but stuff that really confused or stressed me out when I did it. It's also gonna have that obvious stuff that's not so obvious because no one really talks about it until you are on your own and you haven't the first idea how to start.

First things first. Money. You're gonna need it, so look up a bank that is in your area and look into the process of setting up an account. Some banks have this online, sometimes you need to walk into the bank and do it in person. In both cases, make sure you have a passport, birth certificate, or other ID on you, as literally everything you know about your financial state prior to this. Ask your parents if you need to, or someone who knows this, because they are gonna ask a lot of questions. Once you've got the account set up make sure to confirm your ID. I set up an account online, and since I forgot to do this step, I have now had my account deactivated and I need to start all over again. Don't be like me.

If you're in a foreign country like me, make sure you understand how the currency works, and set up a method to transfer funds without having to pay the tax every time. Set up an app like Wise or something similar so people can transfer you money and you can move it to your bank account. Make sure you have a rough idea of how much something is worth in each currency. I'm still adjusting to using pounds, and things would look really cheap until I realized that a pound is worth slightly more than a dollar.

Services. I mean stuff like wifi and tv and stuff. If you're a student, than your wifi is fine, just make sure you set it up right. Euroroam is a bitch, so make sure you google how to do it right and just follow it step by step. Ask for help. Just ask someone. I'm so serious. Another thing I'm struggling with is TV. In the UK you have to have a license for BBC iplayer. Don't listen to your British friends when they say you don't need it. You do. If you don't have it you will get prosecuted. I don't wanna get prosecuted. It's super easy, even if it's kinda expensive, and hey, you get access to everything BBC. Just google tvl.co.uk and something will turn up. You can use that super handy bank card you got when you signed up for the bank account.

Transport. buses, trains and shit. First of all, make sure you download all the apps and inform yourself on how they work. It's gonna be confusing especially if your an American country hick like me so nows the time to learn. Get the maps. Get the bus schedules and routes. Pin them on your wall. Also, There's often some super cool discounts you can get if you sign up. Where I am in Scotland at the moment there's such a thing as a YoungScot Card, where you can get bus fair free if you're under 22. If you're not in Scotland, chances are there is something like that if you look. Transport can add up. Don't get Uber or a Taxi unless it's your only option, in which case, GET THE UBER. It's better to pay a butload of money for transport than be stranded somewhere alone. Your safety is more important than money.

Printers. You will need them. Often, there will be documents that you need to sign on paper, and so a printer will be needed. Google places where you can get things printed. If you are a student, make figuring out how to print things at your campus library a priority. I'm about to invest in my own printer just so I can skip this process because it's exhausting.

Voting. Just because you're not in your own country, doesn't mean you shouldn't vote. I'm from America, and care very much about the results of the next presidential election. If you're already registered to vote, try and get an absentee ballot.

Which brings me to mail. Get some stamps, and make sure they are the right ones. There will be postcard stamps, and mail stamps, and international stamps. Get the international letter stamps for your ballot and put them on because mailing is not paid for outside of the US. Then fucking mail it! (I'm swearing at myself so I remember to do this part when I'm sober)

Phone number. You will need a new one. Get an Esim card (should be in your settings if you have an iPhone) Make sure your friends have your new number and test it out to make sure it works when you're in a new country. One thing about Europe, is that the old buildings really suck for phone reception. Also, if you want to make this simpler and can't remember numbers very well, use Whatsapp or Instagram to message people.

Mess. You may go into this with certain ideas of granduer when it comes to personal organization. Be real. You won't be any more organized or tidy on your own than you were with other people. Just make sure that the essentials are accounted for and forgive yourself for the rest. Keep a drawer or a basket for all that important shit like bank statements or that letter that says they're opening an investigation because you haven't bought a tv license so it's all in one place and you don't lose anything. If it's urgent, pin it on your wall (get a bulletin board for this). Do your laundry. If you have your own washing machine and dryer, good for you. I don't, so figure out how the system works with the communal washers and get on that. Once again ask for help. Wash your sheets. Wash your pillowcases. WASH YOURSELF.

Hygiene. I hate it too, but it will make you feel better about yourself if you are clean and your teeth are brushed. This is the first thing to go when you feel in a slump. I know. I hate showers. I hate brushing my teeth, but not doing it makes my self-esteem go down the drain and my depression goes on a victory lap. Just do it. If you can't do anything else on this list, or you feel like everything is too overwhelming, do this. It will make a lot of other things feel doable.

Food. Okay, scratch that. This might be the most important thing. I am currently making a late night dinner of dried mangos and wine because I didn't have the motivation do get dinner tonight which is a prime example of what not to do. Because now I'm drunk and hungry. Get a fucking fridge! Get a microwave! Go to the grocery store and buy food. Even if it's ramen or mac and cheese. At least it's food. At this point, don't worry about eating healthy, just eat. Since I'm not allowed a mini fridge or a microwave, I have to time my meals so I get into the dining hall on time which results in this... So if you're in a similar case, set alarms for meal times, and GO TO THEM! If you miss it. Find a place that has cheap takeout that you will eat as a fall back option.

Groceries. Find a grocery store that has the things you need, and see what kind of membership or regular discounts you can get. You will need it. Don't worry about buying too much food, or buying too much junk food. If you're gonna overspend on something, better it be this and not something else. Eventually, you will get a sense of what you actually like to eat and what you don't. But for now, don't be afraid to buy something just to try it because it might become your new favorite food. Make a running list on your phone of what you need to buy and don't worry about overbuying. If you buy something you don't eat or don't want, give it away! Your neighbors or classmates or friends might want it and food is always a good way to meet people and form connections. At my old school, I became known as the one who would always have a bag of storebought cookies on me in class if anyone was hungry and didn't have any other options. I was proud of that reputation.

Don't restrict your space. It can get easy to walk the same path every day, and never venture outside of the area you know well. But every so often, try and use that bus pass you got, and go a little further afield. Just wander. You don't have to have a goal. Just explore. Living in a new place is the perfect time to do this. I recently ended up in a random church just because the gate was unlocked and the door was open. I ended up accidentally eavesdropping on a late night discussion of eleventh-century catholic manuscripts or something I can't remember and came home with a pamphlet for the catholic church I'm never going to join but it was an experience. Make awkward conversations with the people you haven't met before because maybe you'll end up crushing really hard for her even though she's straight and has a boyfriend and you'll spend the next week hopelessly pining but at least it will be something to mark the passing of time, creeping at this petty pace from day to day. Maybe the way she describes how she's learning to dissect cadavers and the way her eyebrows tilt will inspire you.

It's okay to be lonely. It's hard to adjust to living in a new place. Especially if you're a student at a new school. It may feel like everyone is making friends but you. That may be true. You may find that your neighbor has already met a guy and they are really cute together, and they no longer really want to hang out with you. You may find that the person you connected with really well now longer remembers your name but that's okay. It is a superpower, knowing how to be comfortable on your own. It's something you must learn before you can make a lasting connection with anyone. Those people who are making friends so fast are doing it because they are afraid to be alone. You aren't afraid.

Don't overcomit. Sometimes, you might feel so guilty about not donating to a freind's program to help survivers of domestic abuse in africa that you offer to design a website for them. But yuu're swamped. You have three essays due next week and you need to have an opinion about Homer's portrayal of Ithaka and you're terrified every second you spend not working on your essays, so that yiu ccan't relax even during breaks because you're constantly thinking you're behind but now you have to design a website. Don't fucking do that, What were yoy thinking you fuckin idiot. Just give your freind the money and tell her you can't do it.

Keep in touch with people. Don't fall off the map. There are people you love who are still out there. Your gramma wants to know how you're doing so give them a call, but not when you're drunk that will just make her anxious. Call your freinds from your old school. Ask them how they're doing. When tey tell you they're going on a date be happy for them and don't think bout how single you are. Fuck.

Invest in your projects. Don't forget what you love. Join that Good Omens fanfiction group even though it's one of the few things that you're not obligated to do. Don;t forget your hobbies. Watch the thing that David Tennent was in even though you don't have any prior interest in true crime and watch yourself fall into another spiral of hyperfixation.

Read Shakespeare. Relate so hard. Spend an inordinate amount of time memorizing the Yoric soliquiy from Hamlet. Spend a fortune on tickets to see David Tennent play Macbeth in the west end. Let it be your light. The only thing you are looking forward too at the moment.

You'e on your forth glass of wine. You havent neber been this drunk before becuse you are a syupid American who has just moved to the Uk unserpivused. and you're stressing about exams. You were supposed to be working.

Goodbye!

[girlactionfigure]

🔷 Thu night - ISRAEL REALTIME - Connecting to Israel in Realtime

( 1 of 2 )

▪️WHATSAPP.. some outages across Europe and others worldwide.  Reminder, this channel is also on Telegram -> https://t.me/Israel_Realtime_Updates

⚠️ENEMY WAR PREP.. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards began moving forces into Lebanon. (Shiite channels.)

▪️US CALLS TO LEAVE LEBANON.. White House called on American citizens in Lebanon to prepare for a possible evacuation.  10 countries have now called for the citizens to leave.  And now Russia.

▪️A HERO SOLDIER HAS FALLEN.. in counter-terror battle Jenin: Elon Sacgui, 22, from Hadera.  May his family be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem, and may G-d avenge his blood!

… 16 warriors injured as they came to assist and treat.

▪️PEOPLE CAUGHT.. on camera by Israeli Telegram channel tracking drone intercept information and uploading status to Hezbollah site.  Shin Bet interrogating.

▪️PEOPLE WHO PUT THEMSELVES AND SECURITY FORCES AT RISK.. Israeli woman enters Jericho (Palestinian controlled city).  Security forces enter, with confrontations, to rescue her.. she left on her own.

▪️ARAB CONSPIRACY OF THE DAY.. (I have to write this… carefully.) Release Gazan prisoners accusing Israel of training dogs to .. umm .. torture prisoners while in Israeli prison by .. umm .. performing an indecent act upon males forcefully.

▪️PROTESTS - ANTI-DRAFT.. “Torah scholars don’t enlist”.

 1. charedi protest blocked Rosh Ha’ayin-Modi’in intersection.

 2. Another blocked Route 4,   Police declare illegal assembly and forcibly disperse. 

 3. Blocking highway, route 1 at Latrun.

 4. And route 4, Yavne junction.

 5. And road 443 Gamzu junction.

 6. And route 4 by Geha bridge / Coca-Cola / Bnei Bran exit.  Police arrest 32.

By the Jerusalem Faction / Rabbi Friedman.

▪️GOVT. ANTI-DRAFT RESPONSE.. Following the court and attorney general rulings, govt support for ultra-Orthodox must be canceled even in the form of dormitory and day care subsidies, and discounts on Bituach Leumi fees. The day care is between 1300-2300 NIS subsidy per child per month. (( Practically this will impact working charedi women. ))

🔷 Thu night - ISRAEL REALTIME - Connecting to Israel in Realtime

( 2 of 2 )

▪️POLITICS - LABOR AND MERETZ.. parties to merge, with new name.

▪️INTL. POLITICS.. Bolivian government severed relations with Israel because of the war in the Gaza Strip, unclear if before or after the coup attempt in their country.

▪️KOLLEL STUDENT ARRESTED AS SPY.. for Iran, in Beit Shemesh.  Report says NIS 4 million found in his home.  Mistaken identity, or infiltration of society?

▪️WEAPONS ARRIVE?  Arabs report: a shipment of “secret” American weapons went to Tel Aviv from the American base in Ali al-Salem, Kuwait. (( For reference, Israel doesn’t receive military planes at the Israel civilian airport, and there is no military airport in Tel Aviv, and Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. )).

▪️CANADA IMPOSES SANCTIONS.. against a number of Israelis who live in Judea-Samaria and right-wing Israeli NGO organizations involved in “violent” or "destabilizing" activities.  Noting with monthly terror attacks and murders, no such sanctions against Palestinians or their organizations.

▪️ICC POSTPONES BECAUSE UK DEFENDS?  The Criminal Court in The Hague has adopted a significant decision and allows Britain to argue that the court lacks authority to judge Israeli citizens, including the possibility of issuing arrest warrants against them

♦️Masses of Gazans are fleeing from Shejaiya on the orders of the IDF after a ground attack was launched in the neighborhood.  The IDF demands that the residents of Shejaia, Al Tarhman, Al Tufah immediately evacuate to the humanitarian zone.

♦️IDF ATTACKS LEBANON.. the town of Hula, South Lebanon, the town of Somur in West Bekaa, East Lebanon.

♦️PHOSPHORUS.. Israeli phosphorus bombs have made the area near the Lebanese border uninhabitable, the Financial Times reported.  The main destruction occurred in a 5-kilometer zone north of the so-called Blue Line.

⭕ HEZBOLLAH SUICIDE DRONE ATTACK.. Rosh HaNikra naval base.

⭕ ROCKET BARRAGE from HEZBOLLAH at Safed, Meron, Amuka and surrounds.  Power loss in Safed, forest fire started, 1 woman injured running for shelter, 1 home hit.

⭕ HAMAS ROCKETS at aid port Kerem Shalom and Nachal Oz, 2 rounds.

[eaglesnick]

“‘Private education is not fair. Those who provide it know it. Those who pay for it know it. Those who have to sacrifice in order to purchase it know it. And those who receive it know it, or should. And if their education ends without it dawning on them, then that education has been wasted.”  - Alan Bennett.

One year ago almost to the day, Sir Kier Starmer, our new prime minister, promised to end the “snobbery” that surrounds academic vs vocational education. Speaking in Gillingham Kent, he said the ‘class ceiling' needed to be broken and he vowed to fight the existing reality that social background - and by default, economic background  - determines a child’s future opportunities.

This pledge was part of his fifth mission statement where he promised to “break down the barriers of opportunity at every stage for every child.”  More importantly he emphasised:

“This mission is my core purpose and my personal cause: to fight, at every stage, for every child, the pernicious idea that background equals destiny, that your circumstances, who you are, where you come from, who you know, might shape your life more than your talent, effort and enterprise.

“No, breaking that link, that’s what Labour is for. I have always felt that. It runs deep for me.” (Keir Starmer:05/07/23)

Starmer is absolutely right when he says a child’s socio-economic background determines the opportunities open to them. Money buys privilege. One reason private schools are so popular among better off parents, especially the very rich, is that class sizes are so much smaller than in the state sector, and as is well known, “smaller classes lead to higher quality education”. From early years of prep schooling right through to the elite universities such as Oxford and Cambridge, money buys academic success. It is no accident that 60% of top university student intake is private school educated, while just 25% is from state schools: the rest being overseas students.

But it is not only the quality of education than counts when it comes to future opportunities – social networking also plays a major role. Sending your child to a private school not only increases their chances of academic success, it also builds up “social capital".

This interesting headline says it all:

Getting the job: it's not just who you know, its how you know them" (nature: 23/1022)

If you know them from public school, especially boarding school, then you are recognised as "one of us" and you reap the advantages.

The dominance of the privately educated throughout Britain’s "upper echelons of power" was recognised by the conservative Prime Minister John Major, who was shocked at the difference a private education made to opportunities for success.

Starmer’s ambition to end the disadvantage of being a state educated pupil by raising educational standards in state schools is admirable but it is not enough. In a report into who gets the top jobs published in 2013 the researchers came to this depressing conclusion.

.”Our work discounts the notion that higher education levels the playing field between students of differing socio-economic backgrounds. Beyond academic achievement, our analysis suggests there are other reasons why wealthier and more advantaged students, and particularly those who attend a private school, are significantly more likely to secure a top job."  ( Macmillian, Tyler and Vignoles:“Who gets the Top Jobs? The role of family background and networks in recent graduates’ access to high status professions.” ; IOE December 2013)

Nothing has changed since 2013. In 2019 Statistica carried this headline:

“The UK's top jobs are dominated by the privately educated…our report shows, the most influential people across sport, politics, the media, film and TV, are five times as likely to have attended a fee-paying school.”  (Statistica: 25/06/19)

And in 2023 we had this report:

“Private school alumni…gain a disproportionate share, relative to their small numbers, of highly influential jobs in British public life and in business. (UCL: Private schools and British Society: 29/11/23)

Given Starmer’s “mission” to break the ‘class ceiling” is at the ‘core’ of his being, then he has gotten off to a very poor start in trying to remedy this gross social inequality. Originally he promised to strip private schools of their charity status.

“Keir Starmer vows to scrap charitable status for private schools” (LBC: 28/11/22)

Less than a year later, like so many of Starmer’s pledges, this plan was abandoned.

According to The Conversation (27/06/22) charitable status for private schools is worth “£3 billion a year”. It is certainly true that Rugby School is “raking in millions a year thanks to London rental property”. (Coventry Live: 06/04/2025).  Eton College, Britain’s most famous private school and the provider of 20 British prime ministers, has been described as having:

“…huge investments in securities and property - £568mn at August 2022 – chipping in handy amounts each year, tax-free thanks to its charitable status”. (Financial Times: 29/09/23)

Under Starmer the privilege provided by private education is to continue. Money buys smaller class sizes, better academic attainment and a build up of social capital through networking with others from wealthy families. Hiding behind the bogus claim of charitable status these schools for the privileged save millions of pounds in tax relief while the state sector is starved of sufficient funding. Rather than doing yet another U-turn, Starmer should have been planning to  close  private schools altogether.

If he is willing to surrender so easily to privilege and wealth on his “core” beliefs then he has no right to be Prime Minister, and his claims that his administration is all about "change" is just hollow rhetoric.

[frankiesfashionjourney]

Urban outfitters

Urban outfitters is an American company with shops all over the world including the UK. They're shop location in York is: 26-27 High Ousegate, York YO1 8RX. They have chose this location as the York dungen and JORVIK Viking Centre is near them meaning there will be many tourist around this area. They are also on the main road coming into York meaning many people will see the shop when arriving and can also be known by word of mouth. Urban Outfitters have a website - https://www.urbanoutfitters.com/en-gb/? which displayed all there social media accounts like; Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/urbanoutfitterseurope , an Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/urbanoutfitterseu , Pinterest - https://uk.pinterest.com/urbanoutfitterseu/ , YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/urbanoutfitterscouk and TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@urbanoutfitterseu. On their website, online shopping is available and there are no delivery fees and free returns.

Urban outfitters provides a 10% student discount which is only available online. Their target audience is young adults between the age of 18-30 and have both men's and women's fashion as well as accessories and some homeware. The clothes are vintage inspired with an earthy hip vibe. Their cheapest item are there facemasks which are £1.50 which some beauty products which are a little more expensive and the most expensive being usually around £500, however there most expensive thing currently is their "Diesel De Pago Denim Maxi Skirt" which is £450 but is on sale for £315.

[serendertothesquad]

Seren's Studies: Odd Squad UK -- "Bad-Luck-itis" Episode Followup, Part 1

Lol they spelled it grammatically incorrect on the title card. Which I wasn't alerted to until someone on the Wiki pointed it out to me. Rest assured, people, I didn't ace English in school to spell it without a double hyphen.

Round 3 of Ozzie is a Very Silly Germ Carrier has arrived! This time, he develops Bad-Luck-itis, and...well, ladies and gents, it's this series'/season's "find the cure" episode. We all knew it was coming. The question, then, is if it's actually any good. "Into the Odd Woods" from Odd Squad Mobile Unit was interesting enough, so let's hope this episode delivers the same kind of punch.

Let's dive below the break!

Putting aside that there is apparently a snack cart that comes through every once in a while...because, y'know...London Underground...

Your writer for this episode. He has...absolutely no repertoire aside from this one episode, which I'm already immediately wary of. Some of the Season 3 writers at least had some experience to back themselves up. This guy? Diddly-piddly squat.

Oh Lord help me.

"Of course she wants free chips. It's chips, for free!"

"...Isn't it 'pie and chips'?"

"Mm, no, I don't have any pie, sorry."

(Congratulations! If you get this reference, you're qualified for a veteran's discount.)

Four episodes in and Orli hasn't brushed up on her British English, clearly.

She'll be scratching her head about crisps vs. chips for a while.

Is...do I need to get my eyes checked or is that a T-shirt Ozzie is weari- okay, it's not a shirt. Had to skip another second. Not a T-shirt.

That being said, agents having their jackets open is a pretty rare sight. If you recall, the Mobile Unit never had their jackets open. Olympia and Otis had them off...once? As did Olive and Otto.

And this is in a different context, too. The man's sick here, but everywhere else, jackets are open to signify "fuck you, I'm talkin' business".

He's...he's got a fucking backpack...like...like school but it's...it's for work...

This isn't even the one Academy students have. This is toyetic, but the irony is that these backpacks, as far as I can tell, are not merch.

Great, now I have someone I can actually blame for the high rate of black cats in animal shelters.

Every single writer who had a hand in this fucking episode.

Seriously, we've had broken mirrors before...upside-down horseshoes...take your pick of bad luck charms, but don't perpetuate a very serious problem that exists worldwide, you fucking assholes.

Sincerely, someone who worked in animal shelters and once owned a black cat. (Rest in peace, Jasmine.)

"You walk under any ladders?"

"About 100 of 'em!"

Okay, Britain is a huge place. So is the UK. But to have about 100 people working on stuff that requires ladders, when Ozzie and other agents would normally take the tubes to work, is some massive bullshit.

So you have to push forward a myth to make cats suffer, you have to look ugly enough, and you have to have half of your town's population be coincidentally working on outdoor projects to contract Bad-Luck-itis.

Remember when life was simpler and all you needed was an unlucky coin? I remember. That was nice. Now we have this convoluted shit.

I see not even Captain O has lost the insta-teleportation abilities that nearly every other Director in this franchise has.

Okay, so I doubt they'll bring it up here, but...apparently Osgood is a medic as well as a chef.

And so I feel the need to ask: why does this precinct not have Doctors or Nurses, and what sadistic ass-backwards shit is that?

"...Will it kill me?"

"No, it will not kill you. Unless you wait five minutes."

"Well, shit."

Clearly, unlike in the days of Season 1 and Season 2, they couldn't afford the "lemme smash" treatment for computers.

So they removed it from Ozzie's desk to break it without anything of value being lost.

Which...makes no sense, but shit's expensive nowadays, people.

Hey, that's...not pink. Why's he got orange on him? Food and Beverage department is not orange, Rob, and if you watched Odd Squad you'd get it right the first time.

"A blade of magical grass", but...they did that already in Season 2.

0/10. Only a quarter in and I pity the fool that is Rob.

Smart people say this is like Logan the Ogre.

Wise people say this is genderbent aged-up Willow from The Owl House.

"And if you pick the wrong one, it'll turn you to stone!"

Something something Guardian of the Rocks can fix that shit.

And you can tell it's magical! It glows. Oooooooh.

So we somehow went from a Bed Room, to a Pillow Room, to a Snuggly Pillow Room.

And let's be honest, there is no distinction between the two. Not a one.

That aside, 0/10, already a bad idea to yote Ozzie in there. Put the man in a non-Acme safe and we'll be talkin'.

...I take that back. That's not a Snuggly Pillow Room. That's a fucking psych ward room. Have you ever seen the walls of that shit? It looks like pillows, but it's not pillows!

I was half-expecting him to scream in it, but really I just wanna see how many people's he's killed by pillow-smothering.

I'm sorry, I know that snuggling a pillow and sleeping with one are not mutually exclusive, but...is Orwell straight-up telling Ozzie to sleep through the illness he has?

That's not how this works, sir! That's not how any of this works! Especially not in the Oddverse!

Huh, and speak of the devil...here's the Guardian of the Rocks' wife.

...Ex-wife. They're divorced. Nasty spat over rock soup. Typical couple things.

"She reminds me a lot of the Guardian of the-"

"Rocks?"

"Uh...no. The Guardian of the Glade. Who's the Guardian of the Rocks?"

"..."

"Osgood?"

"Yeah, bad news..."

Okay, new headcanon: she's married or was married to the Guardian of the Rocks, and raised a son who became the Guardian of the Glade.

Headcanon accepted. Now make it canon, Rob.

If even Orli can guess the schtick halfway in, that's how you know you're trapped watching a hellish episode.

...ROB.

Hey, remember when the Odd Squadcast had an episode specifically about badges and their evolution, and included what they used to weigh?

I remember.

...FUCKING ROB.

I see someone's taking their cues from Hilda.

Orwell, you poor fuck-schmuck.

(Also, a bit of an audio-balancing error -- Orwell sounds a bit muffled on the first line, but when shoving Ozzie into the room, his voice sounds clearer.)

Behold, one of the very few times Orwell emotes.

And now I'm wondering why the actor was cast for a stoic character, because look at these cartoony-ass expressions!

Ohhhhhh so this was from an upcoming episode too, huh?

Honestly, there's been lots of speculation about the second scene with the octopus-like creature being part of the series/season finale, and if that's the case, I'm gonna die laughing because of the absurd episode gap.

(On to Part 2!)

[hannahssimblr]

you've mentioned catholic Ireland/the role of women a few times in Lucky Girl and I feel kind of clueless about it hahaha - if you want to could you explain more about it?

Aggh this is one of those things I worried would be unclear but I really didn't have time to dig into it while writing it. Thanks for asking, I'm happy to explain!!

Just a quick rundown of the country Evie was born into. big CW for heavy stuff

Women couldn't work while married until 1973

ALL contraceptives were banned until 1980, and after that they were extremely restricted.

The trope of Irish women having 20 kids is not because they were religious and wanted them - there was no choice for them. (And no, abstinence within a marriage was not an option - many parish priests would keep watch of how many children were being born into a household & make a house call if there were gaps in the births to ensure that women were upholding their duty to their husbands)

Divorce was illegal until 1996

Abortion was illegal in all circumstances until 2018

'Going to England' came to mean 'going to have an abortion'. Clinics in England were so familiar with the epidemic of people seeking help that they offered special packages and discounts for their Irish neighbours. If discovered to have had an abortion in the UK, however, anyone discovered to have had the procedure (including children) were treated as criminals upon their return.

The church basically governed the country - schools would essentially force students to be baptized Catholic in order ensure a place.

Anyone who had a child out of wedlock or was in other ways seen as troublesome/promiscuous was sent to a home run by nuns where they were made to work in the laundry until giving birth.

The kids were taken away without option, (many died and were buried in mass graves) and sold to Americans looking to adopt for 100 pounds. The mothers could not consent. Records were destroyed so that mothers may never find their kids again. If your parent/grandparent was adopted from Ireland this is most likely where they came from.

Women could not have a bank account or buy property until 1957.

Prior to this, only property owners could sit on a jury, meaning that no women could ever be present.

Husbands could sue a man with whom his wife had an affair with on the grounds that she is his property until 1981

Marital rape was legal until 1990

Same sex marriage was finally legalised in 2015 - making us the first country to bring it into law via referendum.

[pure-ablution]

How do you make and save money?

It’s mostly about increasing your income, and then reducing how much of that income you actually need to spend. This is what I do. Not all of it is technically allowed because of my university’s employment rules, but I haven’t run into trouble yet. It’s not always fun to live frugally, but it allows me to indulge in the things that matter to me.

Increasing income:

I receive a termly stipend as part of my scholarships, covering my rent and utilities and leaving me with a little money left over.

I work at least one shift at the student bar per week, and usually receive tips.

I do part-time paid internships during term-time, and full-time paid internships in most holidays.

I work for my university by taking shifts in the libraries, and working with admissions and outreach.

I offer myself for some compensated research trials and surveys at my uni.

I do online tutoring, mostly to foreign highschoolers whose parents are willing to pay a fortune for my university’s name.

I work freelance in translation services and proofreading in my native languages. This pays by the word.

I offer basic beauty services (waxing, eyebrows, etc.), styling and tailoring/mending services to students at a reduced rate compared to local salons and tailors.

I sell PDF copies of my notes and lecture transcripts to students on my course, and very occasionally write essays for a higher fee.

I babysit/pet-sit/house-sit for my professors, neighbours, and other local families I know.

I receive occasional cash prizes for competitions.

I have some music and poetry published, and receive a little bit of money regularly as royalties.

I sell clothes etc. on behalf of people who are too old or lazy to use online secondhand sites, and take a portion of the cost.

I sell a few printables and some of my embroidery and other handicrafts on Etsy.

I take on any little ‘odd job’ offered to me. Last week I was paid £25 as an extra in a student film production.

I have a few investments, and I withdraw portions of the interest already generated if I feel I need to.

My parents send me a small amount of money every month (something like £75) specifically for groceries.

Reducing outgoings:

All of my tuition is covered by my scholarships, plus a single airfare to and from home per year.

I get all my fish free from my neighbour, and I eat a lot of it.

I get all my milk free, in exchange for doing the eyebrows of the girl who runs the dairy near me.

I buy the rejected fruit and vegetables from the greengrocer’s at the end of the day for a discount.

I buy rice and beans in bulk from the international market a few miles from my house.

I cook everything from scratch at home. Most meals I make come out at less than a £1 spend per portion, because I buy in bulk.

I walk everywhere, and I have a Railcard for when I need to use the train.

I pirate books and movies, or use my university’s libraries. I never, ever pay for books.

I always shop in sales or usually secondhand, and I’m really good at using discount codes.

I don’t bother with fancy salons. I do most of my cosmetic work myself, or I go to independent aestheticians who work from their houses.

I get a friends’ discount with the dry cleaning shop I use, because it’s run by the local monastery and I know most of the monks there.

I don’t have any subscriptions or monthly payments to anything except magazines. My phone and laptop were bought outright for me as a part of my scholarship agreement, and I don’t have a car or any streaming services.

I have a black and white television (the licensing charge for B&W in the UK is significantly lower than colour).

I use a cashback app whenever I buy anything online. It’s only a small percentage, but it adds up over time.

I never buy alcohol. There are more than enough events with free drinks in a student city.

Saturday brunch was recently swapped to a homemade brunch, so now I no longer pay for any meals out at all.

Most of my cleaning products are homemade in the way my grandmother taught me. All you really need is bar soap, white vinegar, lemon juice and a cheap bottle of bleach in your cleaning kit.

I never, ever forget to use my student discount.

[rosemaryhelenxo]

Bohomoon: Affordable Tarnish-free and Waterproof Jewellery with Lifetime Guarantee & £10 Discount Code! | Review

“Bohomoon jewellery has been making waves in the fashion industry, and for all the right reasons!“ With their unique and trendy designs, it’s no wonder why people are raving about them. But before you jump on the bandwagon, read my Bohomoon jewellery review to find out all you need to know about this brand! Bohomoon is an online jewellery store that caters to the bohemian spirit and was founded…

[cmrosens]

Worldbuilding a Hellscape: Workshop

My most popular posts here seem to be my worldbuilding ones, so I thought I should let people know that I'm opening an online conference marking 200 years since the publication of James Hogg's Confessions of a Justified Sinner, with a creative writing "Building a Hellscape" workshop as a way of engaging with theology in SFF.

My workshop kicks off 09:30AM UK TIME - if you can't make that, it should be recorded so you should get the whole pack of recordings in your conference pack, post-conference when they are all uploaded and accessible.

It's a paid gig for me but as Romancing the Gothic is a project run entirely by one, very overworked person, and exists solely on donations, I've waived the fee.

I'll be getting you to think about some aspects of what a hellscape could be in a SFF context, using prompts like the ones I've posted here, and seeing what people come up with in the hour we have to dig in!

ABOUT THE CONFERENCE: Romancing the Gothic presents its fourth annual online conference over two days - 24th and 25th August. The conference celebrates 200 years of James Hogg's Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner with a series of talks, events and workshops.

The conference is designed to cover different time zones so the days are long. People are recommended to come for as long as they want. The talks and sessions are recorded so that you don't miss anything even if you can't be there in person for specific times/sessions.

Early Bird Tickets, Concessions and Free Tickets

There will be early bird discounts on tickets until 24th June 2024.

Concession tickets are for students, the unwaged, retired people or anyone whose economic situation makes it necessary.

You can donate a ticket for those who are unable to afford to come.

You can donate directly to a person you know providing their name and email, or, for a random donation to help someone attend, enter the name "Sam Hirst" or "AN Other" in the name fields and email the donation ticket to sam[at]romancingthegothic[dot]com to help cover the cost of a free space for someone who needs one. 

(We offer a limited number of free tickets for those who cannot pay the ticket price, please email sam[at]romancingthegothic[dot]com for more information.)

Accessibility

We have live auto-generated captions. We provide slides and, where possible, scripts before the conference with alt-text for images. We have regular breaks and encourage people to take part in ways that are most comfortable for them. There is no forced participation.

If you have any accessibility needs, please get in touch at sam@romancingthegothic.com and I will do my best to make sure these accommodations are provided.

Book your ticket below:

PROGRAMME

(All times are UK time, BST. Please check your local timezone so you don't miss you chosen events)

Saturday 24th August

9am - Greetings and conference set up

9.30 - 10.30 - Writing Workshop with author CM Rosens - 'Create a Hellscape: Using Theology in World-Building'

10.30 - 10.45 - BREAK

10.45 - 12.30 - Panel 1 - James Hogg: Work and Legacy

Nick Smith - I have since been induced to look to you as my guardian angel': Hogg's Highland Journeys and their influence on the Jusfitied Sinner

Mizuki Tsutsui - An analysis of Ian Rankin and James Mavor's draft of the film script of James Hogg'sJustified Sinner:Demon, Union and Adaptation

Martina Jauch - Masculinities, Mania, and Modes of Religion - ETA Hoffman's and Goethe's impact on James Hogg's The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner

Laila Sougri - The parallax of Evil: Phenomenological Encounters with the Uncanny in the Works of James Hogg, Daphne du Maurier, and Mark Z. Danielewski

12.30 - 13.00 - BREAK

13.00 - 14.00 - Cooking Workshop and lunch with Allie Pino (co-author of The Gothic Cookbook) - 'Whistle While You Cook: Arepa-Making and Venezuelan Demonic Folklore with 'El Silbón' and the 'Dancing Devils of Yare'

14.00 - 14.15 - BREAK

14.15 - 15.45 - Panel 2 - Demonic Politics

Javier Mosqueda - Building the devil: indigenous and Christian elements in Jeronimo de Mendieta's concept of the demon

Jarrod DePrado - “A God is Not So Glorious As a King”: Religion as a Demonic Political Tool on Stage

Jan Marvin A. Goh - "holy mysteries/by the eyes of the dead': Exploring the Gothic in Divine Concept in Nick Joaquin's The Mass of St. Sylvester

Amy Coles - She has to be hammered into shape: Religion-Related Abuse and Female Suppression in Ray Russell's The Case Against Satan

15.45 - 16.00 - BREAK

16.00 - 17.45 - Women and the Demonic

Maria Belén Caparrós - ‘I’m not going to kill you. I’ m going to sacrifice you’: Patriarchal Spectrality, expressive violence and structural demons in Argentinian Contemporary Representation of Femicide

Vale McComb - WhatPuppet History didn't tell you: Examing a Trio of 17th cent. Possession Cases and What Happened Thereafter

Brenda Tolian - Down Into the Darkness of Anne Bannerman’s “Prologue”

Pauline Suwanban - Contemporary Devil Romances and Female Confidence (2020-2024)

17.45 - 18.00 - BREAK

18.00 - 19.00 - First Keynote - Adam Kotsko - 'Faust in the Anthropocene'

19.00 - 19.15 - Author Roundtable - The Modern Scottish Gothic

Anna Cheung, Helen Grant and further authors TBC

20.15 - 20.30 - BREAK

20.30 - 21.30 - Cocktail/Mocktail hours

SUNDAY 25th August

9.15 - Greeting

9.30 - 10.30 - Second Keynote - Martha McGill - "Evil Company": Internal and External Demons in Early Modern Scotland

10.30 - 10.45 - BREAK

10.45 - 12.15 - Panel 4 - Demons, Duality and Doubles

Gina Lyle - Literary Hauntings in Helen McClory's Bitterhall

Rowan McMonagle - 'Thrawn Janet'

Miranda Larsen - This is a merger, not a possession: Kurama's Complex Morality in Yu Yu Hakusho

12.15 - 13.00 - LUNCH BREAK

13.00 - 14.45 - Panel 5 - The Modern Demonic Imagination

Abhishek Sarkar - Religious Obsession and Murderous Zeal: The Fanaticism of the Serial Killer in Four Indian Films

Efram Sera-Shriar - From Demon World Village to Ghosts 'n Goblins: Popular Occulture, Videogame Censorship, and Satanic Panic in the 1980s

Máireéad Casey - Demon Possession, Sexual Grooming, and Resistance in We’re All Going to the World’s Fair (2021)

Kyria Van Gasse - I see his face but he's not me: the mental and emotional effect of playing the demonic and the monstrous in Live Action Role Play

14.45 - 15.00 - BREAK

15.00 - 16.45 - Panel 6 - Vampires and the Demonic

Mary Going - I Will not Lie Below: Demons, Vampires, and Contemporary Iterations of Lilith

Madhuchhanda Ray - At the Crossroads of the Hindu Demon and the Western Undead: Reading Satyajit Ray’s Quirky Vampire

Anca Simina Martin - The first Romanian Vampire Novel: The Case of the Vampire-priest Antagonist

Hayley Smith - Welcome to God's Army: Religion and Religious Extremism in Netflix's Midnight Mass

16.45 - 17.00 - BREAK

17.00 - 18.30 - Writing Workshop - Samantha Miles - Playwriting as Ritual: Summoning Demons and Constructing Hellscapes

18.30 - 19.00 - BREAK

19.00 - 20.45 - Panel 7 - Imagining Hell

Susan Vanderborg - "Hell is only a word": The Imperfect Demonic Translations of Event Horizon

Ruth-Anne Walbank - This deep hell of ills: Hellscapes and the Gothic in Lancashire Cotton Famine Poetry (1861-5)

Morgan Daimler - Tenants of Hell: Fairies, the Devil, and Folk Belief in Early Modern Scotland

Rebecca Marks - Blotting and Blurring Demons: Blake's Last Judgement

20.45 - 21.00 - FINAL REMARKS

As always, there is a code of conduct for our events. Please find it here. https://romancingthegothic.com/code-of-conduct/

TICKET PRICES

Early Bird Discount available now until 24th June 2024: £17.50 Full Price ticket after 24 July 2024: £25.00 (INCLUDES BOTH DAYS)

Concession for students, retired or unwaged Early Bird Discount available now until 24th June 2024: £10.00 (INCLUDES BOTH DAYS) Concession ticket for students, retired or unwaged: £15.00 (INCLUDES BOTH DAYS)

Donate a Ticket: £15.00 (for anyone at any time! to donate one, this price stays the same) (INCLUDES BOTH DAYS)

[t-leaves]

Fun things I scripted into my Hogwarts dr 🧹✨

We have yearbooks which include a group photo of all the house pets

It's tradition for 7th year dada/gryffindor students to gift Lupin squeaky toys at the end of the year

Part of the muggle studies curriculum is studying Shakespeare and it is tradition for NEWT students to stage the play they are studying

There is a broomstick motorway running through the entirety of the UK

There is an interhouse common room called the Hall of Concurrence (nicknamed Conkers) that has a tuck shop selling crisps, sweets, pasties etc.; a retro television that shows quidditch matches and wizarding tv channels; and lots of game equipment like pool tables, chess sets, board games etc. The tuck shop also does popcorn for weekend film nights and every Monday the folk club do an informal music session anyone can come and listen to.

Each common room has a kitchenette for making hot drinks and fixing a quick breakfast before quidditch practice. All the mugs are magically tailored to each student and there is an informal doling ceremony at the beginning of the year where we find the perfect mug for us

Hogsmeade has a muggle style corner shop with a post office so muggleborns can go buy their favourite childhood brands or send their parents a letter via muggle post

The three broomsticks hosts a pub quiz every other Sunday and there is an informal house tournament throughout the year to see who can accumulate the most points - the winning house gets a trophy and a butterbeer discount for the next academic year

There is a player of the match trophy for every quidditch game and a player of the tournament each year

On Dumbledore's memorial day Hogwarts hosts a ten pin bowling tournament that all the professors are contractually obliged to take part in.

There is a statue of dobby outside the kitchens and his socked feet are gold from being rubbed by students for good luck in their exams and love life

Lee Jordan has a radio sketch show called Lee Jordan's Magic Show that is super popular and lots of students tune in on the common room radios every week

It is tradition to sing Caledonia out the windows of the Hogwarts Express as it leaves platform 9 ¾ (I am so in love with this one I would say it's my most vivid dr memory? I can feel the passion in yelling 'let me tell you that i love you, that I'll think about you all the time' at my parents with a chorus of dewy eyed students it's so vivid in my mind god i need to shift)

[miraculousmitzi]

How I envision the UK bros and Ireland as seocndary school/high school students and as university/college students (taken from my X account):

England as a university student:

-I can totally see England studying a politics or economics degree.

-Again, I imagine him to be very studious. He would be at every lecture and seminar there is. He would complete all the assigned readings and read ahead.

-Ran for Student Union president and lost.

-Wasn't initially keen on fresher's week until he had that first drink. Then he was partying like no tomorrow. He swears he'll never put himself through it again.

-Is part of a few societies including the University football team.

-Dresses smart for all classes.

Ireland as a university student:

-I can see him studying literature and/or creative writing for sure.

-The light of the party at freshers and is known to be enjoyable at engagements.

-Won the position of Student President for the Student Union.

-Dresses casually for all sessions.

-Is a part of the gaelic football team.

-Gets on well with his fellow students and with his lecturers.

-Uses his student discount for food, drink and books.

-Like Scotland, he initially made some poor decisions concerning his student loan but has since learned.

Scotland as a university student:

-I can see him studying a Science degree, particularly in a subject like physics, or an engineering degree.

-Dresses casually for all classes and lectures.

-Loved fresher's week and gained a reputation for knowing how to throw a decent house party.

-Has skipped lectures before if he was too hungover that morning.

-Has made unwise decisions concerning his student loan and has before now had nothing but cheap noodles and toast prior to the next installment.

-Uses his student discount card for food and drinks.

Wales as a university student:

-I can see him studying a history degree, with a specific interest in mythology throughout periods of history.

-Dresses casually for all sessions.

-Sings in the choir and is part of a 'nerd' society that plays boardgames, watches sci-fi shows,etc.

-Found freshers a bit overwhelming, but enjoyed it nonetheless once he was inebriated enough.

-Uses his student discount for stationary and books.

-Is overly cautious with his student loan, like England and unlike Scotland.

N. Ireland as a university student:

-I can see him studying a fine art degree, or a media degree.

-Will prioritise getting a coffee over making his lecture on time. He has walked into lecture late before now with a Starbucks.

-Uses his student discount for clothes and technology shopping.

-Loved freshers week and rather enjoys the student nightlife.

-Dresses casual smart for all sessions.

-Prefers to type his notes onto his laptop rather than manually write them on paper.

-Is part of an art society and plays in a band.

England as a secondary school student:

-He'd be a teacher's pet; he would be that student to remind the teacher of the homework.

-Very studious. He will undertake any projects for extra credit and engage in after school activities to better himself.

-Very strict about schools rules, such as uniform.

-Enjoys mathematics and business studies as subjects.

-Arrives to class before the teacher.

-He is never off, so his attendance is impeccable.

-Will assist the teacher in class: passing out paper handouts, collecting in books, etc.

-Always has his hand raised.

-Unfortunately, his approach makes him a target for teasing.

-Has gotten into trouble for accidentally burning toast in cooking class.

-Very organised. Always has a ton of stationery on hand and has his notes colour coded and adorned with post-it-notes for revision.

Scotland as a secondary school student:

-Is a 'popular' boy, but also carries a reputation as being one not to mess with.

-Beats up Wales' bullies.

-Joins in with teasing England.

-Is known to be a bit of a chatterbox in class, but is well liked by teachers.

-Gets detention for selling gum and soda.

-Really enjoys Science classes.

-Is often late to class and comes up with ridiculous excuses as to why.

-Often asks to lend a pen from someone as his has run out or broken.

-His notes look disorganised, but they make sense to him.

-Doesn't follow uniform rules.

Wales as a secondary school student:

-He would be the shy, quiet student at the back of the class who is also known to be a bit of a 'nerd'.

-He is often referred to as a 'wallflower'. Some of his fellow peers are unsure of his name because of how little they've interacted with him.

-Gets picked on at lunch.

-Decorates his notebooks in relation to his interests (dragons, being a prime one).

-He enjoys language and history classes. He has been asked to deliver a session on his native language but he hasn't plucked up the courage yet. He wrote a great report on King Arthur.

N.Ireland as a secondary school student:

-Decorates his school backpack with pins and buttons.

-Enjoys art and music classes.

-Like Scotland, he doesn't always follow uniform rules- something England pulls them both up on.

-Tries to sneakily put an airpod or earphone in during class to listen to music.

-Has gotten in trouble for having his phone out in class and filming fights on school grounds.

-Very creative and artistic. He can often be found in the school's art room/studio.

-Many girls have crushes on him.

-Bit of a class clown.

-Drinks too many energy drinks.

Ireland as a secondary school student:

-Studious and dedicated to his studies. He will also engage in extracurricular activities. I imagine him to be on the student council and to be president of a club.

-Is popular and well liked by staff and fellow students. Younger students look up to him.

-Enjoys English/Literature classes; he has entered some short story contests and has won awards for his work.

-Will sneak down to the art studio/room to see what N.Ireland is doing, hiding so he doesn't disturb him.

-Likes to visit the library and is a bookworm.

[toomuchracket]

mads how the fuck do people afford to go to college in the uk?!😭 i’m 25, i’m from finland, haven’t been to school since graduating high school in 2018 and i’ve only now realised i want to move to the uk to study music. It’s the one thing i’m passionate about in this life and tbh i do not know why i have ever considered going for something else.

education here is free and i guess i’ve always taken it for granted even though i know it’s not like that in every single country. so when i seriously started looking at colleges in the uk i was taken by surprise :/

i don’t know i think i’m having a quarter life crisis because all of my friends have their bachelor and master’s degrees and i have not even touched any school grounds after graduating high school. lowkey feels like i’ve ~wasted my early twenties~ lol. I know it’s not like that at all but sometimes that’s just how it feels, you know?

i’m sorry if this is triggering to you! i know we discussed similar topics a couple days ago. just wanted to ask how you manage the financial side of studying in the uk. as well as offer emotional support if you’re still finding it hard to figure out how to be a girlie in their 20s <3

not triggering at all! i can't speak as to the rest of the uk but if scotland didn't have free higher education then i would've been FUCKED. that said, i worked part-time during my studies, which is kinda the norm, and there are lots of discounts available in shops and restaurants and gyms and whatnot that definitely help cut costs, and i also know there are scholarships and grants available for international students that you should def take a look into! and you honestly haven't "wasted" your twenties at all, so so many people i went to uni with didn't start until they were your age or even older, and even then going to uni isn't a marker that your life's together; i've gone the opposite way, in that i did two degrees back to back as soon as i left school and now that they're done i'm FLOUNDERING. but i think in your case with education there's no wrong time, and no wrong path. and if any of my pals from england/wales/NI want to chip in here with more advice and support, please do <3