I've spoken about it a lot on this blog but Clinique have to be one of my favourite brands. I like that their products are a mid price point and that they do what they say on the tin with no fuss.

While I don't love all of their products, my favourite range of theirs has to be the least glamorous: the Take the Day off range.

Let's face it, taking your make up off isn't exciting and is at a best a mildly annoying chore. But for those of us that are lazy when it comes to face washing, then the Take the Day off products are life changing.

There is a product for every need, they don't contain any fragrance, don't irritate my eyes and most importantly? They work. 

They last for ages and although they aren't the cheapest in the world, I've found them to perform either as well or better than more expensive alternatives.

On top of all of this, I love the packaging. While it is most importantly functional and practical I really like the purple and silver theme, which makes it seem a lot more luxurious than the price suggests.

Even the make up wipes from this range are pretty good. I haven't included them in this post because I don't use make up wipes as part of my usual routine, but as far as make up wipes go, they are the best I've ever tried.

As a disclaimer, this post is not in anyway sponsored, I just really love this range!

1. Take the Day off Cleansing Balm

If you buy one thing from this range, make sure it is this. I've had my tub of it for YEARS and use it frequently. I've just purchased my first replacement, so that should give you some idea as to how cost effective this product is. You only need a small amount but it is always my weapon of choice for dealing with the thickest of make up. Particularly gel eyeliner and waterproof mascara as it just melts these away.

Like most cleansing balms this has a solid texture that melts into an oil when you massage it into the skin and then remove with a damp flannel. As with all Clinique products this does not contain any fragrance and I find that this makes it exceptionally gentle, particularly on the eyes. I always use this as a first cleanse to remove makeup and it's so simple and fuss free I even manage to use it after a night out.

If my skin isn't looking so great, I revert to using this daily because I know it will remove every last scrap of make up. Just try it, you won't regret it. 

2. Take the Day off Cleansing Oil

This is my most recent addition to my collection but it is already a firm favourite. I prefer to use oil based cleansers to remove my make up and like the cleansing balm, I only ever use this as a first cleanse to remove makeup. It is actually remarkably similar to the melted texture of the balm, which is probably why I like it so much. It removes make up easily and doesn't sting my very sensitive eyes. You only need a small amount for it to do an effective job.

Do you need this and the cleansing balm? Probably not, one or the other would be fine. I just wanted to give it a try mostly and I am as equally impressed with it as I am with my beloved cleansing balm.

The only downside to this product (as opposed to the cleansing balm) is that a liquid oil is messier to apply and riskier to travel with. Although the pump has a locking feature, I would make sure to pack it very carefully as I once had a very big mess (and a lot of product wasted) with the cream version of this product which has an identical pump.

3. Take the Day off Cleansing Lotion

This is the cream cleanser in the collection and was the first part of the range that I had ever tried. It's also by far the most versatile product in the range. I use this as  a first, second  and morning cleanse depending on my mood, how my skin feels and how much make up I am wearing. You can also take this product off using cotton wool instead of a damp flannel. While I always prefer to wash my face with actual water there are times when this isn't practical and this can be a good alternative to the dreaded make up wipe.

While this does remove make up well, it doesn't melt make up off like the balm and the oil do, so I tend to use this as a first cleanse on lighter makeup. It will take eye make up off but it isn't as effective as the other products so I tend to use a separate eye make up remover if I'm going to use this as a first cleanse. The lotion texture is extremely soothing so I often use this as a second cleanse after using the oil or balm if I've been wearing a lot of make up.I also reach for it a lot if my skin is being problematic or feeling irritated.

Will I repurchase this when I finally use it up? Probably. I do love it, but I also have a lot of other cream or lotion style cleansers that cost less but none of them are as effective at actually removing make up. I tend to use other ones for strictly second or morning cleaners whereas this is a jack of all trades.

As mentioned above, though, I am super careful when I travel with it now after it exploded all over my bag despite having the pump locked. Just something to bear in mind.

4. Take the Day off Eye Make Up Remover

I bought this after receiving so many samples of this during bonus times and loving them. I always try to save the sample size ones for traveling so having the full size is great. I've tried many of the two phase style eye make up removers that need to be shaken and this is one of the few that I actually like.

The oil part of this actually does melt eye make up off just like the cleansing balm/oil does which makes it perfect for traveling or situations where removing make up properly is difficult.

Like all the other products in the range, a little goes a long way and I find it cuts through even my Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner (by far my hardest eye make up to remove) with ease. It also does not irritate my eyes which many dedicated eye make up removers do.

It is also excellent for removing lipstick. Particularly matte red lipstick which always stains every little crevice of your lips so you look like an extra in a low budget vampire film the next day. This product though melts it off without you having to resort to scrubbing your lips.

The good thing is if you time your Clinique purchases right you can almost always pick things up during bonus time and chances are a little bottle of this will likely be in there, so you can try it for free. 

Have you tried any of the Take the Day off Range? Which one is your favourite?

 

Review of Waitrose Pure Shampoo & Conditioner

Having curly hair means that you are forever searching for the miracle product that will give you the perfect princess ringlets. I’ve tried countless products over the years and have found the best approach is to try and stop my hair from getting dry in the first place. 

On of the biggest changes I’ve made is to stop using shampoo with sulphates in as they can strip the hair of moisture. I made the switch about 3 years ago and have tried various different brands. 

While there are now quite a few brands on the market a lot of them tend to be quite expensive. Even the cheaper options can cost around £5-7 for a pretty small bottle. When you have as much hair as me you can get through them at an alarmingly rapid pace and the cost soon starts to add up. 

I’ve been looking for a more budget friendly option for a long time when I spotted these in Waitrose the other day. Honestly who knew Waitrose was such a treasure trove of own brand beauty products?

The shampoo costs £1 for 250ml which is pretty excellent value. 

I’ve spotted a lot of negative reviews complaining that this doesn’t lather well but this is often the case with sulphate free shampoos (and it even states this on the back) so I don’t think these reviews are very fair. The whole POINT is they don’t contain sodium laureth sulphate which is the ingredient that causes products to lather.
 

I found that this left my hair feeling clean and soft, without feeling stripped. It does produce a gentle lather but if you’re not accustomed to SLS free shampoos it might seem like a lot less than you’re used to. It rinses out well easily and hasn’t irritated my scalp.

Before I purchased this shampoo I had to make do with some normal shampoo that Jared was using for a couple of washes as I had run out. I noticed I had an incredibly itchy scalp with a lot of dandruff. I even had a few scabs in some places. The Waitrose shampoo has cleared this up in a couple of washes and my scalp is now back to normal. I can only assume that I was irritated by something in Jared’s shampoo. 

I picked the Dry & Damaged conditioner as I’m always trying to moisturise to prevent frizz. This is £3 for 250ml which is still excellent value.  This is a no frills conditioner that left my hair easy to brush and feeling soft. When my hair dried the curls were nicely defined with minimal frizz. In short this performed as well as some more expensive products I was using.

Both the shampoo and conditioner are free from fragrance, sulphates and parabens so they are ideal for those with sensitive skin. They are also suitable for vegans and are cruelty free so should appeal to a wide range of people. 

If you are looking for a good value shampoo and conditioner that is also kind to your hair I would highly recommend this one!

Doing Life the 'right' way

So last week I finally finished the book I was reading called I want it that way by Ann Aguirre (free to download on iTunes just FYI) and I have to admit its not often a book stays with me for this long.

Although this is not a post reviewing this book I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good raunchy romance story. Its a seriously relateable book and I would would be a good read for anyone in their twenties who is stressing about their overall life plan.

The reason I wanted to write this post is the overriding theme of the book is there is no right way to live life. The book focuses around the idea that we have a predetermined path expected of us by society and it can be tricky to deviate from it. As young adults we feel a huge pressure to get our lives together and to start being a responsible mature adult. Slack on this front and you will feel the full force of everyone's disapproval but this can also happen the other way round. Grow up too quick and people will question if you have made a rash decision or bitten off more than you can chew as you are 'too young to know what you want'.

What I loved about this book was the way it encouraged me to pursue what I want and my own happiness. Life is complicated and the right way for most people may or may not be the right way for YOU. And that is absolutely fine. Only you can know what is right for you and by making that choice you also accept the consequences should it not work out. Having said this people mature at different rates and we should allow for this. You might be 30 and nowhere near ready to settle down but you might be 20 and totally in the right place mentally. We are all different and I think you are mature enough to do what you want if you are capable of dealing with any potential fall out.

 If there is one thing we have to accept is we cannot control life and the timing we have in our heads does not always match up to the reality. Sometimes opportunities do not come along at the right time but we should take them anyway as we all have to learn from our mistakes.

The other thing we have to remember is you are not a failure if you deviate from the predetermined path. For instance I originally applied to study Veterinary Science at uni and had dreamed of becoming a vet for a long time. I was a good candidate, my grades were good enough, I had done loads of work experience plus I grew up on a farm with a lifetime experience with animals. However after one interview I received no offers and it was probably one of the lowest points of my life. All around me my friends had their pick of 5 unis and I didn't even have one. I vividly remember the day I got my final rejection and when I told my friends I didn't get a single offer one of them replied "Yeah Amber, you think YOUR news is bad? I got rejected from Exeter today". I wanted to punch her as I knew she had 4 other offers from really good universities which included both of her top choices and had never had any intention of going to that uni in the first place. As I went to a highly competitive grammar school I was one of the few girls not to receive any offers and I had no clue what to do with my life.

But I had to pull myself back together and make some tough decisions. I've never been one for quitting and I desperately wanted to reapply. However there are only a handful of veterinary schools in the UK. Two of these are in Scotland and one is Cambridge and I didn't want to go to any of these. This only left with me with my 4 original choices (RVC, Nottingham, Liverpool and Bristol) and several of these were planning on raising their entry requirements or did not allow repeat applications. I decided that maybe this wasn't the career path for me and decided to change direction instead of giving up. The point is that this does not make me a failure just because I did not follow the expected path for me. Its made me who I am today and I do not regret the decision.

In conclusion: respect the opinions of those older and wiser than you. They probably do know better. But that isn't always the point. You have to learn your own way and we must be prepared to be flexible with our overall life plan as you never know whats going to happen. The right path for some is not always the right one for you. Know and trust yourself.

Also the book is a seriously good read. Check it out if you get bored ;)

Picture: Pinterest.

Are high end beauty products worth it?

Over the last year or so my love for make up has increased ten fold. I'm not sure when this change occurred exactly but I suddenly realised how creative you could be with it and its gradually become the best part of my morning routine.
Since becoming a blogger I read a fair few blogs and a lot of these feature make up reviews. While this is not an area I personally want to get into I do find other peoples opinions and experiences of products to be extremely helpful. I'm much more likely to try a product if someone else has already bought it and loved it.
However one thing I have noticed is a lot of bloggers tend to focus on very high end brands and this has lead me to question are these products worth the money?
Generally in life I would agree with the statement that you get what you pay for. Those Primark shoes you got for £4 will probably fall apart but a £60 pair from Zara probably won't. But is it the same with make up?

Does a higher price equal a better product?

In my experience a lot of the time the high end product ends up being of better quality than the cheaper option, but this should be a no brainer. After all you are paying a lot more money, the product SHOULD be better. The question is more whether there is a significant enough difference to justify the extra cash. This is a tricky thing to decide and much depends on the individual product in question.
This is where beauty blogs come in handy for make up newbies like myself as the people who write these blogs have a passion for make up. By writing their blog they try a wide range of products and are better equipped to make a good comparison than someone like me with limited experience. Sometimes there are really good alternatives out there and you could potentially save yourself loads of money. Like most things by doing a little research you can make an informed decision as to which product is best for you.

Are you buying the product or the brand?

Like with everything fashions and trends change endlessly and it can feel like there is endless pressure from social media (including blogs) to keep up. Are you buying the product just because the brand on the packaging will make you look cool? Or because its a 'cult classic'? I actually don't think there's much wrong with enjoying something that lots of other people like. After all, its popular for a reason so there is a strong chance you will like it too. If wearing your Ruby Woo lipsticks makes you feel fierce and strut your stuff like the badass bitch you are then you should definitely get it. But I don't think you should buy it purely because everyone else has. Buy it because YOU like it.

Are you paying for the packaging?

A lot of high end brands have gorgeous packaging, ranging from girly and adorable to chic and sophisticated (looking at you Chanel). But are you forking out the extra money for the pot in comes in? The packaging is there to try and suck you in and could potentially house a substandard product. Equally some of the less snazzy looking drugstore versions can be amazing. There's nothing worse than buying something you really like but it doesn't work. If you love the actual product itself then buy it regardless of how it looks. If it happens to look stunning as well (no matter what it costs) then consider that a bonus.

Are you actually going to use it?

When it comes to choosing whether to splurge or save I personally think it depends on the useage you will get out of the product. Is it only ever going to get the occasional use or will you wear it everyday? Items that you will use day in, day out are worth investing in as you get good value for money. Make up has a shelf life and theres no point spending £30 on a lipstick you only wear five times a year. However if you invest that in a shade you wear twice a week that lipstick only costs you 30p each time you wear it.
You could argue its too expensive to wear these things everyday but I think its better value to treat yourself to your best products and get the maximum use out of them. If you never wear it then the product was a waste of money regardless of how much it cost.

So how do you make a good decision?

Over the years I think I have actually wasted far more money on cheaper products that I don't like than I have ever spent on more expensive ones. The lower price encourages impulse buying and I am guilty of just thinking 'What the hell, its only £3.99'. But this adds up if you consistently purchase items that don't suit you and that you don't actually like.
Sometimes taking a risk is good but I would never spend loads of money on a product I am unsure of. I never thought I would like a dark vampy lipstick so I dipped my toe in with a £5 Rimmel one and I love it. But taking a risk style wise is not the same as just buying stuff without considering if its right for you.
So far I have never purchased a high end product I don't really love. When I know that I am about to spend a fair bit of cash I make careful decisions. I research the product, I read reviews, I watch videos and most importantly I always try it first. If it doesn't make me feel like a goddess then I don't buy it.
Respect the need to experiment in order to learn. But you will make better decisions if you take your time to think about it regardless of how much money your are spending.

So overall are they worth it?

I believe make up is all about how it makes us feel about ourselves. It helps us put on a the face we wish to present to the world regardless of how we feel inside. That extra confidence is priceless and can truly change the way we are perceived by others. Buy the one that suits you, works for you and makes you feel good. You have only wasted your money if you buy it to please others regardless of whether you spent £5 or £50.

The Liebster Award

So I've been nominated for this by MakingLifeACamera which was such a lovely thing to find when I turned my laptop on this morning!A huge thank you for that, you should definitely check out her blog, her photography is lovely and I always read her posts.

The purpose of this award is to recognize the up and coming blogs that you personally enjoy and to share them with both your readers and fellow bloggers.

So the official rules are as follows (as stolen from MakingLifeACamera) 

1.Thank the blogger who nominated you
2. Answer the questions given to you by the nominator
3. Nominate 5-11 new blogs with less than 200 followers and link them
4. Create 11 questions for them to answer
5. Notify the bloggers you have nominated

So here are the questions given to me by MakingLifeACamera


1) What is your favourite type of food?

This changes literally all the time. I'm quite a fussy eater but I try really hard to combat this by trying new things when I get the opportunity. However my all time favorite has to be a roast dinner. Nothing can beat that.
 
2) Who is your celebrity crush?

Channing Tatum. He's funny, he's hot and he can dance. Tatum get in my pants. 
 
3) Where in the world would you most like to visit and why?

Since I've got a bit older I have a huge urge to travel. Luckily my lack of actual money quickly reminds me to calm the eff down. But right now I would really love to go to Iceland. I'm not sure I can be a proper geologist until I've been there. Pretty much everyone I know has been and they tell me how amazing it is and I've seen a blog post on NISHAANTISHU and dear god it looks incredible.
 
4) On an everyday basis, what puts a smile upon your face?

The little small things people do for me. Making me a cup of tea without being asked, a surprise bar of chocolate just because, cooking a nice meal. Its the small easily forgotten moments of happiness that create a happy life. 
 
5) What is your favourite quote?

I have loads but back when I was 13 and just about to compete for GB for the first time I went to a sports psychology conference where the guy said to us "Good sports people are like a horse with blinkers: always looking forward". 
I have that quote pinned up above my bed and I think it can be applied to all areas of life. In order to be successful we must learn from our mistakes and channel them into something positive. 
 
6) Who makes you happy?

My hilariously crazy family. I love them so much. I'm also lucky to have some amazing friends who make me laugh so much. And my boyfriend Jared who really understands me. They all make me incredibly happy.  
 
7) If you could go back in time, what would you tell your younger self?

It will all be ok in the end and everything will work itself out. Worry less, live more.
 
8) Any embarrassing stories?

Most of these are too awful to type. I embarrass myself on an everyday basis by saying stupid things. Unfortunately a lot of my cringy moments are recorded on home videos so there is no escaping the shame. 
 
9) What is your favourite scent?

Nina by Nina Riche. My Mum used to wear it and I got given it for Christmas a few years ago. It reminds me of my Mum whenever I wear it and it makes me feel powerful and strong. 
 
10) What song are your loving right now?

I'm currently loving Heaven by Amber Run. Such a great track! I love singing to it really loudly in my car.  

11) What is your favourite part of blogging?

I love the chance to express whatever I'm thinking and being able to do something creative. As I am doing a science degree I often end up having very little to show for my efforts. For instance weeks of work might culminate in a few pages of A4 paper which is unlikely to be something I treasure. By writing this blog I am producing something I am proud of and want to continue to work on and improve. 


I would like to nominate 

Laura Leanne

Eden Markel 

Oh So Daisy

The Hunt For Fabulous

Oh Boy Lola

Your questions are:

1. What made you start blogging?

2. If you had a whole day to yourself what would you do?

3. What is your goal for 2015?

4. What is your favourite thing about yourself?

5. If you had the chance to move abroad for a year would you do it and where would you go?

6. What is the best gift you have ever received?

7. If you won a million pounds how would you spend it?

8. Given unlimited funds where would you like to travel to?

9. What do you like to do to pamper yourself?

10. What is your favourite beauty brand?

11. Who in the world would you most like to meet?

Making decisions is hard

First off, apologies for not being so good with making posts. I've had a busy week with working and stuff and y'know life just got in the way.

I wanted to write this post because I've been feeling really on edge and stressed all day. I've been on the verge of tears a fair bit too and that's not my normal happy state. Its taken me most of the day to work out why I'm upset and I think thats because I'm feeling very conflicted lately.

I've written about this quite a bit on this blog before but its clearly still bothering me so I am going to to write about it again.

Without boasting, in general I think my life is great. For me personally I feel like I have pretty much everything I want. Now this might not measure up to other peoples standards but I'm not going to get into that in this post. The important thing is its my life and I am happy with it.

Oddly though I think that might be the cause of why I was feeling upset. Before you judge me and think WHY ARE YOU COMPLAINING ABOUT BEING HAPPY let me explain.

In general I would say its the people in my life who bring me the most happiness and the experiences I have shared with them are memories that I treasure. I am incredibly lucky to have so many wonderful people around me. But choosing who to spend time with and trying to justify my priorities to everyone can leave me feeling exhausted.

I know I should just do what I want. But life is not that simple. I have responsibilities such as work and uni that restrict what free time I have and a large amount of people to divide that limited time between.

Put simply I am fed up with having to choose. I am tired of having to sacrifice time spent with everyone and trying to calculate in my head who I should be prioritizing at the moment. Sometimes I have to make difficult decisions and I then spent a huge amount of time worrying I made the wrong one. Whatever I decide I inevitably end up upsetting somebody. But most of all I upset myself because I simply cannot please everyone.

Sometimes it feels like I am so busy trying to do what everyone else wants there isn't much time left for things I want to do. Perhaps I need to be firmer but I find it hard saying no to people I care about.

So yeah. This was a bit of a rambly post but I feel better for having written it down. I'm sure I can't be the only person who this affects so I would love to hear if anyone has any advice on how they cope with it.

Picture from Pinterest

Why is everyone hating on the French Manicure?

B

So as we all know, yesterday was Valentines Day and no I am not going to write a post on it because couples who post their relationships all over the internet make me want to vom (but thats a post for another day).
I love nail varnish, like almost as much as I love lipstick and I wanted to make them look pretty for my Valentines Dinner.

Normally for a big occasion I like to paint my nails red to match my lipstick (I'm a feisty kinda gal), but as I was staying in I wanted something a little less in your face.

So I decided on the trusty French Manicure. While on the bus on my way to town to purchase a new white tip pen I did an idle google on French manicures for some inspiration. I got back a ton of pages, blog posts and fashion articles on how to 'update' the french manicure and on 'fun new twists' to put on it.

Now I am all for trying something new but a lot of these ideas were Pinterest worthy and looked tricky. I wanted the standard French manicure so I started to narrow down my google search and got back tons of stuff on how it has 'gone out of fashion', is 'so overdone' and is 'cliche and passse'.

I was stunned by this. Maybe I am not very hip and down with the kids any more but as far as I was aware the French mani is a classic. And classics never go out of fashion. Thats kind of the point of them.

You never hear about people saying a bold red lip, or the classic LBD is 'tired'. Instead it is praised for being a classy and put together look.

What is not to like about the French mani? The whole point is it is so unoffensive and subtle. If it is done well it just looks like you have healthy, well looked after nails. There is a reason it is the top choice for most brides and most people in the know advise it so as not to make your wedding photos look dated in a decades time. Plus the understated look does not detract from the dress.

Maybe it is because in the mid 90's it was massively popular and was the mani of choice when people got acrylics and this probably was tacky. Long overdone nails never look good to me.

In my opinion I say it is time to welcome back the French look and I for one will not stop wearing it just because some fashion magazine has told me to. I want to look elegant from time to time and this goes hand in hand with simplicity. That is exactly what the French Manicure is: simplicity at its best.

My Self Confidence Crisis

I'm going to be honest here and admit that recently I've been having a bit of a self confidence crisis.
Its actually been going on for quite some time, and has been steadily getting worse.

I've been feeling exceptionally worthless and like I wasn't worth anyone's time. I couldn't understand how anyone wanted to be friends with me or why they would enjoy my company. I felt undeserving of my good friends, lovely boyfriend and incredible family. I didn't deserve happiness. I was useless and everyone's life would be better if I just kept to myself and didn't bother anyone.

Now I can see that stress was probably the catalyst for this. I doubted I would be able to complete the huge challenge set for me and that made me doubt myself. But in truth my workload was not entirely to blame. It merely exacerbated a problem that had been threatening to rear its ugly head for some time. The problem was me and with how I viewed myself. I didn't feel good enough to enjoy my own life and I was too worried about what other people thought of me. In short: I had stopped liking myself.

This is not the first time I have gone through this. In fact I would say that underneath despite whatever front I put on I feel shy and incompetent. However if you ask people who know me they would disagree with that statement and say I am confident and competent. My coping strategy has had to be 'fake it til you make it' and over the years I have got better at convincing myself as well as others. So even if I don't feel confident inside, I am usually secure in the knowledge I am fooling others. This helps me cope.

Every few years, it gets out of hand and I sink into the dark horrible place I described above. I would not say I was depressed or mentally ill, just insecure and unconfident in myself. I've pulled myself out of this with my Mums help every time and she has been equally supportive this time. Its hard work, but worth it.

I spent so many hours crying over the past few months and being utterly horrid to myself. By doing this I was just making everything worse. Eventually I spoke to my family and friends and once they understood they have been a great help. The key was in recognizing there was nothing wrong with my life, but there was something wrong with ME. And it was all in the way I viewed myself.

Now 2 weeks after starting to talk about it I feel a lot better. I've been making more an effort with my appearance which is always good for your self confidence. I've also treated myself to a few new things as as reward for pulling through and not giving up. I'm starting to see myself and my life in a different light.

Don't get me wrong, I still have the odd moment where I lapse and start to feel like I'm not good enough but I keep reminding myself how damn awesome I really am.
I'm not perfect but I'm still fun to be around and the people around me like me for who I am. And do you know what? I deserve that, because I deserve to happy as much as everyone else.

I've written this post to remind myself of that and to help anyone else out there who might be feeling crappy inside. You can feel better, you just need to find someone to talk to. Once you start talking to people, they usually admit they feel the same way. You are not alone. And we are all incredible.

Why the university system is backwards

I would like to start this post off by saying I actually really love my uni, and have really enjoyed the past three years here. I am not trying to slate the University of Southampton and I am proud to be a part of it. BUT there are major issues with the way that the university system works overall. Often these are to the detriment of their students and in my opinion that has serious repercussions for society.

I believe the problem lies in the backwards approach that universities take and this particularly affects Russel Group Universities. They focus on bringing in people to teach who are leaders in their field and then use this to draw in students. How many of you have seen on a university website about the 'ground breaking research being done' or this lecturer has just been awarded some prize for being the biggest smarty pants? If your uni is anything like mine (or the numerous others that I have looked at) then I would bet its quite often. After all this is the whole idea on which Russel Group Universities (including the University of Southampton) are based.

Now this seems like a good idea, because you want the next generation to be trained by the best people in their field. As a result, people often choose universities based on how good their research is in their particular area of study. I myself am among those people. The Ocean and Earth Science department at the University of Southampton is considered to be one of the best in the world and that certainly made me want to apply. I wanted to be able to say I had graduated with my geology degree from Southampton and for people to think 'Wow, she must have a good degree then'. The leading research they do creates respect for the institution.

In order for Southampton to maintain its reputation it must employ the top researchers for a particular subject and they attract these people to their uni by having a research based ethos. The idea being: 'Come to our uni and teach our students but you get to carry on your research using our incredible facilities'. Now by this point you are probably thinking: isn't the whole point of a university is to do research? That is where I would argue you are wrong.

To me, it feels like my university (and many others) have forgotten they are an institution of learning primarily as they are too focused on their research. Being taught by the top people within their profession sounds great, but these people are academics and often do not have the people skills that are needed to be a good teacher. Now I appreciate that you need to be at least a bit of an expert to teach at university level but it often feels like my uni gives no thought as to whether or not these people have the ABILITY to teach, not just the knowledge.

The other problem is lecturing is not most member of staffs priority. Their research comes first and their teaching second, maybe even lower depending on what other responsibilities they have. This is something that I feel particularly affects Ocean and Earth Science. Within the National Oceanography Centre where OES is based there are people who are paid just to do research and people who research as well as lecture. This means that in order to keep up with their colleagues lecturers have to do a lot of extra work. If they cannot stay at the fore front of science our university will not be interested in employing them anymore (not any other uni). Its no wonder then that as a student it can feel like a lot of lecturers can't be bothered or don't really care.

This I think is the fundamental problem: that universities do not consider being a good teacher to be important. As an undergrad who is paying NINE THOUSAND POUNDS A YEAR for the privilege to be here I would say this is not acceptable. The university system is providing a service for me, but I cannot afford to simply take my custom elsewhere as I have invested too much money in it. Also, the fact is that society says I need a degree. If I want to get a job and earn myself enough money to enjoy my life then I need that precious piece of paper. There is no alternative for getting it other than going through the university system. So I am trapped like millions of others by this situation and I wish I had the power to change it.

I am not saying that university should be exactly like schools but I do think that a lecturer should be accountable for our education in the same way that teachers are for their pupils. If all of a teachers class fails an exam, then questions are raised. It does not appear to be that way for lecturers in my experience.

Now there are some genuinely very talented lecturers at my uni who are passionate about their teaching. One of them is so good that he was the runner up for the best lecturer out of the entire university. But even for them it must play second fiddle to their research because their very job depends on it.

I would love to see universities move towards employing lecturer who actually WANT to teach and who are actually good at it. After all, the people they are teaching could one day go on to be the world renowned expert. But they will never reach such lofty heights if they do not receive the correct support during their undergrad degree.

So in conclusion universities need to stop putting the cart before the horse and focus more on teaching their students actual stuff and less on how many papers they published this year. Otherwise their might not be anyone to teach it in the future. If someone could just grant me some super powers and I'll fix all this in a jiffy.

Rant over.