NUS National Conference 2014 Day 3

courtesy of the National Union of Students

  Here we are after three very intensive, yet incredible, days at conference.  Each day has brought a new insight into the inner workings of the NUS and what their delegates want from the people that represent students to the outside world.

   Today was a more easy going day, with only three elections; for the Block of 15 (the people who make up the National Executive Committee), the new Democratic Procedures Committee (those who make sure the conference is fair and democratic), as well as the new Student Trustees (those who ensure the NUS is compliant in all its responsibilities to Student Unions and the Government as an organisation).  Results of these elections will be posted at a later date, as the counting is still ongoing  and should be available by Monday.

  After the elections NUS National President, Toni Pearce, gave a speech that highlighted all of the amazing and valuable work done these past days, and to bring the union forward into the next year with a focus on the needs of the students it serves.

  So until the results are released, it is a goodbye to the conference and a return to my home and my dear bed where I will be spending the next day sleeping off three wonderful days in Liverpool.

  Remember to follow me on Twitter and  if you still wish to mention something about the conference, use the hashtag #nusnc14 :D

NUS National Conference 2014 Day 2

courtesy of the National Union of Students

   And here we are at the end of another very important, yet long day at the NUS National Conference.   Today was probably the most important day of the entire conference since it was the start of elections.  The first election of the day was the biggie of them all: President of the National Union of Students.  This role is the leader of the union, the person who represents us as students in all matters.  They become the face of the union, so it's very important for us guys to carefully chose this role.  After listening to all of the manifestos from candidates, and a very tense half hour whilst the votes were counted (wherein we all dashed for the nearest coffee machine), the Conference decided with a landslide victory to re-elect the incumbent President, Toni Pearce.  All this excitement, and we haven't even had lunch!!

  Other seats were contested throughout the day, including the Vice-Presidents for both Further and Higher Education (VPFE and VPHE), and the Vice-Presidents for Welfare, Society and Citizenship, and Union Development.  For all of the FE students, the new VPFE is incumbent Joe Vinson, whilst the HE students elected Megan Dunn as their new VPHE.  VP Welfare was another new election, in the form of Colum McGuire, along with Piers Telemacque for VP Society and Citizenship and Raechel Mattey for VP Union Development.

  All in all it was a very exciting day, all culminating with some heated debates on the representation of women in both Leadership and Delegates of the Conference and Union as a whole.  This resulted in the passing of a motion that insists all Delegations sent to the Conference must contain at least 50% female delegates.  All in all a very exciting and interesting second day! :D

NUS National Conference 2014 Day 1

courtesy of the National Union of Students

  So hi all!!  It seems my many journeys have landed me in the NUS National Conference in Liverpool.  It was such an exciting and exhausting first day, what with the arriving to Liverpool, getting used to the Conference, and then voting on what seemed like countless motions in the Education and Priority Zone.

  So why are we all here?  Well it's all to do with the elections and voting, where we vote on the policy of the NUS for the coming year and the very important Presidential and Vice Presidential elections.  What this means for us students, is that we are voting on who represents us to all sectors of society: the Government, the Trade Unions, and even the Institutions which we have chosen to study at.

  I know I told all you guys on Twitter that I will be posting this last night, but we students need some sleep ;)  I shall be posting tonight (or hopefully throughout the day) and be sure to check twitter for updates throughout the conference.  If you want to take part, just use the hashtag #nusnc14

Happy Conference everyone!! :D

"The Sea is a Continual Miracle" (Walt Whitman)

The oceans have always provided inspiration for countless generations. How often do we watch/read something to do with the ocean? Pirates of the Caribbean, The Life of Pi just to name two! I know here in dear ol' Blighty the typical Friday night meal is a trip down to the local chippy (Translation: The fish and chip shop).

In short, we take our oceans for granted. We use its bountiful resources without thought of where it came from. Fish meals are just as common as ones that contain commercially reared livestock like beef or lamb.

And yet the amount of regulation to ensure all of this is available for the years to come? Not enough, that's for sure. There is plenty of agricultural regulation to protect the country side (including, but not limited to creating natural hedgerows for the preservation of indigenous species like the hedgehog), but not enough to protect the fisheries industry (by-catch anyone?).

Here are three little known NGOs trying to change this sorry situation:

1. BLOOM Association

Set up in 2005 by Claire Nouvioan in Paris, BLOOM focuses on the unseen damage made by deep sea trawlers on our ocean floors, as well as greater protection for the often misrepresented beauties: sharks.

In order to protect our oceans, BLOOM believes in 4 key strategies:
- Changing policies, and Private/Industrial practices
- Changing Consumer habits
- Educating the public, especially children and future decision makers
- Conducting independent research into fisheries and fishstocks

Want to get involved?
Click here to visit their website!

2. Project Seahorse Foundation

Although Project Seahorse is a very important organisation, dedicated to the protection of many marine species and habitats, they are very little known! I myself only came into contact with such a remarkable project through eating a box of my favourite chocolates, Guylian Chocolate Shells, yum! Never the less, the work done on a global scale, led by Drs Amanda Vincent and Heather Koldewey is vital to the protection of our fragile seas.

They have, to name but two, developed research and management options for the protection of seahorse populations and habitats, and created marine protected areas and protocols for the conservation of multiple marine species.

There website, where you can get involved in their schemes, as well as donate to their cause is here.

3. EarthEcho International

EarthEcho is probably the most well known of the three, as you might recognise one of the founders: Environmentalist and Grandson of Conservation Pioneer Jacques Cousteau, Philippe Cousteau.

EarthEcho aims to build upon the strong foundations laid by the Cousteau name, through many projects; some conventional and some quite original.

Aside from the beach cleanups and other traditional forms of conservation, EarthEcho have set up the STREAM project.  Set up in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon Disaster, this project aims to get young people like students involved in conservation work through reporting on any environmental news that they want to share with the wider world.

To find out more about the various work EarthEcho is involved in, as well as to get involved with one of their many projects, visit here.

Simple Little Pleasures

  Whoa, I guess it's been a long time since my last post huh? Well, as they say, there's no time like the present, so here I am, dusting off my beautiful new laptop (yay!) and I'm back to my dear little blog.

  So what have I been up to, you ask? Well, aside from the inevitable final exams, there has been plenty of YouTube, Jurassic Park: Operation Genesis (the greatest theme park game out there), and of course, scrapbooking! :D

  There's something about scrapbooking that I simply adore. How after what seems to be an eternity playing around with the layout, the background, the accents, the photographs, the keepsakes (ok, I think you guys get the idea), everything just seems to miraculously fall into place. Like that final piece of a jigsaw puzzle. And there you have it: a precious memory immortalised in yet another precious memory.

  Plus, there was plenty of sorting to do. Seemed all of my materials were here there, and simply everywhere! So I bought two adorable draw sets, and began to sort the mess that was my scrapbook box. Though there was a slight itsy bitsy problem: the draws didn't contain dividers for the little accents... Fortunately for me, at the same time, my Mom was sorting the kitchen cupboards, and she happened to chance upon a pack of cupcake papers!! Well, a plan formed in my mind that moment, a plan to use those cupcake holders to store all my little beads, sequins and other sweet little memories.

  I even created a couple a greetings cards.  I just sat down one morning, and by the next day, there they were: two sweet little cards just in need of an occasion.  One of the two I made was a thank you card for my teachers, which is posted below.  I hope you guys all like them as much as I do, little comments are always appreciated.

I was so incredibly pleased how this design turned out :D

And the inside of the card :D

Well, till next time, hasta luego my friends.

Books!!

Last Summer, I was introduced to a most fascinating book called The Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Ocean, from Dorling Kindersley. I searched high and low for the book in every bookstore I came across, and not one had it (oh how I miss Borders)! Then, about a week ago (8 months from the original sighting no less), I finally found the prized possession in my local Waterstones. Cue the sudden appearance of my inner "Golem".

I tell you, this book is such a valuable part of my library! Never have I found such a comprehensive book for marine biology, especially with such detailed science.

Well, later that week, I bought some charms and beads so I could make myself a new bookmark (my old Eragon bookmark is sadly still MIA).

I chose emerald and aqua crystal beads since emerald is my birthstone (Yay! Go May!) and aqua crystal simply looks beautiful. The fish is of course because I love fish! Making the charm for the book mark was not so hard as when I usually make charms, since I also bought a new set of pliers to attach the metal loop at the top.

Making the charm

The finished charm before attaching to the bookmark

Ok, this may actually be nicer than my Eragon bookmark,
which is saying something since the other had a dragon!

In it's rightful place on my brand-spanking new
marine biology book

On the Path to Marine Biology

In order to become a Marine Biologist, some wise person told people to go out into the great unknown and gain a university degree. Among my various travels spanning many far off lands from Portsmouth in the South to Bangor in the West, I chanced upon Newcastle University, in the distant land of Tyne and Wear.  

We first visited the university at the end of last June, at a general open day. I fell in love with the course and city. The Angel of the North greeted us as we left the motorway, and after that, the wonderful sights just kept on revealing themselves.

The Angel of the North

The Tyne Bridge

The Olympic Symbol on the Tyne Bridge

The campus was simply beautiful (helped, of course, by the fabulous weather). There was so much to see; and for such a small city, the campus was so huge!

The Old Quadrangle

The University's logos through the ages

And so I submitted my application. And I waited... And waited... And then, after what seemed to be eternity and a day (in truth: about fifteen days), I got my offer! So after the initial jubilation quieted down, I set about making preparations for my next venture to the great North.

The second time we visited Newcastle was last Wednesday, for an applicant open day. Whilst I cannot say the weather was as beautiful as June (though surprisingly warm for the time), the day convinced me more of my destination for the next three years. Visiting the Dove Marine Laboratory on the North Shields was spectacular, as I got to see (and hold) many species I'd be learning of.

Edible Sea Urchin (Echinus esculentus)

Common Starfish (Asterias rubens)

The underside of the starfish

Edible Crab (Cancer pagurus)

Random species of Hermit Crab
I'll let you know which when I'm a Marine Biologist :D

So all in all, a most wonderful day that convinced me of where I'd like to spend the next three years learning about this wonderful science. Now to just get back to studying to get that place! 

If you wish to see the university for yourself, here are the links:

Newcastle University

School of Marine Science and Technology