A Little Edge-ucation: Choose The Edge to Shape Up for Summer

It seems as though we’ve barely finished gorging on hot cross buns and Easter eggs and already our thoughts have become consumed by the impending holiday season. Although undoubtedly my favourite time of year, summer welcomes a few very scary prospects: Summer Ball, swimwear, shorts, skirts and showing some skin.  No longer can we hide under fur coats and woolly jumpers. No longer can we make excuses about it being too dark and cold to leave the house.  The time has come to shed said layers and if that prospect makes us feel more uncomfortable than a sober game of Never Have I Ever, we should probably do something about it. Some girls seek a little confidence boost before daring to bare their bodies and partaking in some light exercise could be enough to do just that.  If you’re brave enough, our very own on-campus sports centre could be the best place to shape up ready for flashing the flesh come June.

Open 16 hours a day (on weekdays), seven days a week and 52 weeks a year, The Edge could rival the newest and most expensive gyms around.  It boasts the largest fitness suite of any UK university, the largest indoor sports hall in Leeds, 4 different class studios, state-of-the-art squash courts, a brand new climbing wall and a 25 metre, 8-laned swimming pool. Best of all, it’s extremely well catered for girls:

“The Edge is a great training environment for females. The Fitness Suite boasts from more female personal trainers and gym staff then you tend to see in other gyms plus we have over 125 cardio machines to burn those weekend cocktails. Many of our classes are perfect for toning and fat burning such as Zumba, Gorgeous Glutes and Fab Abs plus we have women only swim times on offer throughout the week.” - Helen Loftus, Assistant Health and Fitness Manager

Want to know more? Let me explain:

The Fitness Suite

The high-tech gym based upstairs in The Edge comprises of 200 stations including cardio and resistance machines, a warm up area, a stretch area, a dedicated induction zone and specialist fitness equipment including Power Plate machines. The vast array of cardio machines, both traditional and new, all contain an Active Wellness TV which provides Freeview channels through a 19inch monitor; catching up on 90210 has never been easier. For the more musically motivated, each machine has an iPod dock and inbuilt radio.

The Technogym equipment functions using a Wellness Key system, meaning all your workouts are recorded, privately, on your own TGS key. You can use this key to calculate your workout duration, calories burnt, weight lifted and it can even provide you with a personalised exercise program to follow. These clever tools are brilliant if you have specific goals to achieve, like burning off that extra portion of chips Flames forced you to order last night.

If you’re worried about exercising in front of lots of people then fear not, the suite is roughly set out so that the weights and resistance machines tend to be one side of the room, and cardio machines towards the other. Alternatively, if you go before 1pm or after 6pm it’s pretty much guaranteed to be a little quieter.

Classes

The sports centre has 3 dedicated class studios as well as the former fitness suite Cromer Terrace, the large hall not far from the union. Classes can be booked 2 days in advance and from the comfort of your own home, both online and over the phone.

For me, being motivated in the gym is a truly horrendous task. The beauty of taking an exercise class is that you can’t really leave - someone is with you every step of the way, pushing, challenging and encouraging your every move. With over 125 classes a week during term time there should be no problem finding one that suits you perfectly. Classes range from high intensity cardio classes like Kieser Cycle and Body Combat, the super-toning BLT and Pilates all the way through to the fun-filled Zumba and Aqua. Literally whatever mood you’re in, The Edge has a class for it.

The Pool

It may sound unimaginable but going for a fresh swim after a heavy night can really do wonders for a sore head (although not a broken dignity, sorry) and leave you feeling almost brand new.  Once you’re done the poolside sauna or steam room provide a prime opportunity to sit back, relax and sweat out all those nasty tequila shots. The pool has over 100 hours of lane swimming available through the week and even a girls-only swim session, which at the moment runs every Tuesday 10.45-11.45am.

I know what you’re thinking - you don’t fancy spending the rest of the day looking like a drowned scarecrow reeking of chlorine. Luckily for us, there are hairdryers, mirrors and plugs for hair straighteners in the changing rooms so you can fix up before leaving. What’s more, the pool has a special UV system which means it uses just half the normal amount of chemicals, so you should leave relatively smell-free!

Edge members can swim for free but if you don’t have access to the gym or pool, you can swim pay-as-you-go for about £4.00. The Edge also currently offers 12 swims for the price of 10, so no budget-related excuses.

Something a Little Different

If conventional methods of exercise don’t quite float your boat there are a few other options to consider at The Edge. You can hire a squash or badminton court, use the sports halls or even try a taster session or beginners course on the climbing wall.

The Verdict

So if you’re panicking that you’re Summer Ball dress won’t quite zip up, or having horrific visions of hitting the beach dressed in a Fruity onesie, just a few hours at The Edge could just give you the confidence boost you need to feel amazing in whatever you wear from now on.

Whether you’re a fresher with an unused membership, a second year wondering if it’s worth investing in next year or even just considering a pay-as-you-go option, The Edge has something for you and you’d be a fool not to make the most of it. I can assure you that if you do, it will probably be the cheapest and nicest gym you’ll ever be a member of.

You can find everything else you need to know by visiting The Edge Website.

G.A.Y'ing it up in Manchester

This post won't interest a lot of people as it's not really beauty related but I'm using my blog as an online diary too, hence why I've decided to do this post on last night's antics in the fabulous Manchester!

Having never been on a night out in Manchester before, to say I was excited to sample some of it's famous bars and amazing atmosphere would be a huge understatement. It was one of my closest male friend's 22nd birthday and being as he's gay and camper than a pink christmas tree, he chose to spend his birthday evening on Canal Street, famous for it's buzzing bars and generally gay nightlife scene. Even though gay clubs perhaps wouldn't be my first choice of drinking locations, I can tell you it delivered on all counts and I had an amazing night, with the added bonus of no pervy strangers to avoid or lurking old men needing to be dodged.

Of Canal Street we visited Velvet, Queer, G.A.Y and Baa Bar ( who'd have guessed they were gay bars?) all of which blared out cheesy tunes consisting of the like of S Club, Girls Aloud and The Saturdays. Hilarious to sing and dance around to and the music got me very reminscent of my high school days in all honesty. A few mainstream songs were played too, which provided a welcome break from hearing divas and girl band anthems. The atmosphere was electric, I can only describe it as like being on a holiday bar strip in the likes of Spain or Cyrpus. Everyone was just in a good mood and out to have a brilliant time!

My favourite bar was Baa Bars, as it was slightly less queer and generally a bit more akin to the bars I'm used to. Amazing £1 shots too, which you won't find in many places in Leeds on a Saturday night. Here are some snaps from the night, which without a doubt will go down as one of my favourites all year!




On the train from Leeds. I was so happy I got to debut my Nars Blush for the fist time.



Lots of fur coats at the train station - freezing last night!

At Velvet Bar

Me at Velvet Bar. Wearing: topshop high waisted jeans, Peacocks Bandeau, Topshop lace top, Garage Shoes Boots and a Miss Selfridge jacket.

At G.A.Y club - Madonna most probably playing in the background. Birthday boy in the middle!

Butcher, Baker, Candle-stick Maker: My Work Experience Woes

For some students the decision is easy. Law students become Lawyers, Medical students become Doctors, Engineering students become Engineers and Business students become the next batch of cringe-worthy Apprentice applicants (naturally). As a third year English student, I’m not finding choosing a suitable career path quite as straightforward – I don’t want to be a teacher and I definitely don’t want to be a librarian.

My 15 years in education have involved more new career directions than Hyde Park break-ins; although similarly forceful and ambitious in intent, their outcomes rarely leave me feeling anything but deep despair and hopelessness. As a pro-active individual, I’ve taken numerous steps to find work experience in an attempt to try and remedy my apparent lack of occupational calling. So far, my luck has been somewhat abysmal and I’ve just about written off every career prospect even remotely feasible.

At the tender age of 15 I tried a week at my local hospital. With a face full of spots, a body full of hormones and the words ‘Amy is not a natural scientist’ still ringing in my ears from a previous parents evening, I strutted through the doors determined to discover my calling as a medical genius. No such luck. While I enjoyed customizing my lab coat with some of Claire’s Accessories’ finest badges, I found the hospital atmosphere too depressing for my fragile soul. Seeing people seriously ill (and some stains I knew for definite weren’ttomato ketchup) wasn’t an experience I could handle and I decided nursing would never be my vocation.

Next I spent a week as a journalist at my local paper. Regretfully, my hometown is no Beverly Hills and I turned out to be no Perez Hilton. Four too many pet interviews pushed me well over the edge in that week; did my local citizens really want to read about Sid the budgies’ birthday? Or Terry the rabbits’ great escape from number 15? While I enjoyed asking copious meaningless questions, my obvious lack of being able to listen to (or remember) any coherent answers left my stories severely hindered come typing-up day. Although this wasn’t a problem for me when transcribing Terry’s story, I knew newspaper journalism wasn’t for me.

Aged 18, I tried helping out in a primary school with a friend who was, and I quote, ‘born to teach’- fatal error. The first day went extraordinarily well; I was bonding with the children, mothering plastic babies and re-enacting every scene from Hannah Montana the Movie. A week later I returned and my fortune changed drastically. The 9am bell rang and one little girl ran up to my friend for a very moving ‘I’ve missed you Miss’ hug. The girl’s eyes met mine and without a second thought I opened up my arms expecting the same. She looked at me blankly, turned, and ran, virtually sprinted away. I was mortified. As time went on I hated teaching; too many children crying for no apparent reason and falling over like Bambi on ice - I’ve seen enough of that in Mission’s smoking garden and I’d rather not relive it daily in a workplace.

A criminal lawyer: a well-paid, well-renowned, well-respected occupation. No doubt it is, but after my week in a criminal law firm earlier this year, I don’t want to be one. Admittedly I loved the tense atmosphere, the high drama and the rush of being seen as a ‘trainee lawyer’, but while I really wanted to want to be a lawyer, I just didn’t. Take the criminals I talked to every day; Jeremy Kyle rejects (pre-Graham counselling) they were, Wentworth Miller look-a-likes they definitely were not. I became increasingly tired of being leered at and sworn at and I hated the manipulative and calculating side of actually being a lawyer. Even with the job role aside, the dress code is so much more circus freak than fashion week; the wigs, the capes, need I say more?

Most recently, my holiday job as an Accounts Assistant/Pro Receipt Sellotaper compelled me to consider something I NEVER thought I would; Accountancy. Experience – check. Enthusiasm – check. Mathematical ability – very questionable. I spent hours on applications forms, but it turns out you have to be reasonably good at maths to have any chance at attaining accountancy graduate schemes. You also can’t ask your Dad to take the numerical tests for you because chances are, he’ll probably fail too. With three tests taken and three tests failed, accountancy seems highly improbable.

As unlikely as it may seem and although with graduation looming I’m beginning to panic, there is a message to take from my ramblings. I don’t regret the hospital, the budgie interviews, the primary school, the courtroom freak-show or even the failed maths tests. I may not know what I want to do but without my work experience woes, I wouldn’t know what I definitely don’t want to do, and for that I’ll be eternally grateful. Work experience really was worth doing even if I did end up sprinting out the door at 5pm. It’s surely better to know what I don’t like doing now than in 10 years’ time when there is no going back. I would recommend anyone to take a week in Easter to do some work experience, and now would be a good time to apply. Even if you don’t enjoy it, I guarantee you won’t regret it.

Interview: Ellie Birch

Ellie Birch

In today’s working world, everyone and their cat seem to have a degree. We are regularly told to make University into so much more than a flimsy certificate, serious debt and some good memories, but how? University, especially Leeds University, throws numerous opportunities at us to do amazing things with our time here, day after day. It is the individuals that grab hold of these opportunities that really set themselves apart from the rest after that inevitable graduation day, learning invaluable skills and getting genuine experience of the ‘real’ world outside our campus bubble. One student who has seemingly made the absolute best of her time at Leeds is Ellie Birch. Ellie is Vice President of External Relations at AIESEC Leeds, a society set up to help students develop their leadership skills. I asked Ellie what exactly she does in this position, and why her AIESEC experience will leave her with so much more than a degree certificate.

AW: Hi Ellie! The first and perhaps most important question, what is AIESEC?

AIESEC is an internationally run organisation made up completely by students for students, and is the biggest student-led organization in the world! We help develop leadership ability by running an exchange program for Leeds students to work abroad and getting overseas students to work for companies here in the UK. This involves teams of AIESEC members approaching local businesses and local students to promote the opportunity to go on a trainee scheme abroad. These are often summer placements, though they can be as long or short as the student and company wishes. Aside from this, we also run various events and workshops for students around campus throughout the year.

AW: You are Vice President and Head of External Relations at AIESEC Leeds; what does this role involve?

As External Relations Vice President I don’t tend to get involved with the work abroad programme; this is left to other teams within AIESEC. I provide the portal between the society and the students themselves, so I run various employability-based events throughout the year. This includes creating and organizing three week marketing campaigns prior to the events I run. I manage a team of three to be able to do all that; I have two events managers as well as a media co-ordinator who writes all of our media publications and gets the AIESEC name out there onto campus.

AW: What sort of events are we talking about?

Overthe first term, we have been running an event called ‘Give It a Go: 5 skills’. This is basically a course of five skills sessions set up for students to attend in order to ultimately improve their soft skills. The sessions have been on things like ‘marketing yourself’ ‘communication’ and ‘innovation,’ all with the hope to improve students employability on completion of the course. We’ve managed to secure various sponsorship deals from various different companies to run these sessions. This year, for example, we’ve had Jaguar-Landrover, IBM and BMI Baby all running sessions for us.  It’s great because setting up these events has meant we have had good contact with future potential employers, and anyone that gets involved with AIESEC and the running of these events gets fantastic exposure to corporate companies.

AW: Fantastic. Why did you decide to get involved with AIESEC in the first place?

I decided to get involved because I saw it as a massive opportunity to develop and grow as person. It was basically the next step for me in terms of deciding my future career and improving my C.V. It has fulfilled all my expectations and I’m so glad I joined. Working in a business-like structure and a professional environment has given me managerial and communication skills that just can’t be taught or learned without hands-on, practical experience.

AW: What has been your best experience with AIESEC?

There’s been so many! I’ve been to two huge national conferences with all the other AIESEC local committees throughout the UK, there’s over 25 committees so there are lots of new people to meet. The conferences really help AIESEC members improve their skills in order for them to fulfil their roles back in Leeds to the best of their ability.  I’ve also been to lots of fancy formal dinners and fancy dress parties. My best experience has to be last year at the Annual Review awards ceremony, where we had a massive boat party in London on the Thames, and won three awards!

AW: Who would benefit from a joining a society like AIESEC? Is it just for business students?

No. I can easily say absolutely any student can benefit from joining a society like AIESEC, or in fact any society at Leeds. Societies are just such great opportunities to develop yourself, gain contacts and make good friends, let alone everything else. Personally, through the connections I made through AIESEC, I managed to land a summer internship to work for the airline company BMI. I worked as a project co-ordinator and managed to do some amazing stuff with them; I went to meetings in Munich and Frankfurt and met some incredible people, most of whom I’m still in good contact with.

AW: You’re a third year Geography and Geology student, what do you plan to do in the future?

Through AIESEC and BMI I’ve worked on quite a lot of projects and managed to gain some good experience, so I would love to go on to do project management if possible. Luckily I’ve made lots of contacts in the last two years - I’m hoping that one of them could help me make my career dream possible!