Check out the original version published in issue 5 of Edify magazine.
It’s the Fresher’s issue! What does that mean? Well
a nice bump in readership and a small step closer to world domination for one
thing, muahahaha! *Ahem* as well as lots
of other important things. I look forward to
reading letters detailing your painful Summer experiences… and consoling you of
course!
Those of you new to ‘In Agony!’ may be sad to hear
that we’re in volume 8 so you’ve been missing out… Fear not - I‘m happy to
announce that you can now view all back issues from The Valley and Edify magazines on my brand new blog
(TEZofAllTrades), as well as have your own say about the advice, or dare I say
it, post your thank you comments.
Simply visit – tezofalltrades.blogspot.com and
click the ‘In Agony!’ button.
Want to discuss on Twitter? You can use the #TEZofAllTrades, #InAgony and #HarderHittingAdvice hashtags!
Now that the pleasantries and shameless self
promotion are out of the way, It’s time for your first assignment of the year. Since
many of you will be living away from home for the first time and/or with people
you’ve never met before, I have made a list of Harder Hitting tips for getting
along with your house mates In lieu of my usual pep talk.
1. Once everyone is moved in throw a party.
2. Give people a chance to get to know you and vice
versa.
3. take turns buying the cleaning products.
4. Exchange numbers and full names so you can find
each other on social networks/reach each other in case of emergencies.
5. Don’t throw away anything that isn’t yours.
6. Respect people’s boundaries.
7. Be considerate of others when making mess, noise
etc.
8. Communicate your issues, don’t let things
fester.
9. Buy a deck of cards, they’ll give you something
to do while hanging out as well as come in handy for drinking games.
10. Don’t use the hoover to clean up vomit!
Now remember the
‘In Agony!’ twist! Sometimes the advice is already out there you just need to
know where to look. So with your response I will also be giving HOMEWORK. This
will include anything from a specific song or film, to a book or TV show
episode for you to research, which will hopefully shed some light on your
issue.
Conflicted wrote:
I’m getting a student loan this year but it’s not
the full amount. If I get a part-time job during my studies I’ve done the
research and I think I can afford to live away from home on minimum wage if I
need to. I really want to move out because me and my family don’t get along and
they’re violent. Is it really practical to have a job during University
studies? Should I move or should I stick it out at home and save the money?
A: Get out! It’s going to cost you more but If your
environment is really that bad then staying there another year is only going to
be detrimental. Lots of students have part-time jobs during their studies, in
fact I’d recommend it. Building up your CV can’t hurt, plus you’re not going to
have to worry about loan repayments until after you’re earning over £15.000.
When
you arrive at University make sure you register with the Careers and
Employment Service who can help you in a number of ways. Since it’s your first
year it would be nice to make a clean break, the most important thing is that
you feel safe. Staying in your current situation may affect your studies just
as much as a part-time job might. Getting yourself away from the situation will
be a great confidence boost not to mention a blow to your abusers.
HOMEWORK: (Listen) Jamelia – “Thank You”
Jesse’s girl wrote:
My cheating ex wants to get back together with me.
I’m not interested and have been ignoring his calls and messages but I think I
should speak to him. What do I tell him?
A: You’re right in thinking that you should speak
to him. More for your own good than anyone else. Doing so will give you
closure on the issue. You need to lay down the law. Meet face to face and
remind him what he’s done and exactly why you won’t consider taking him back.
Then block his phone number.
HOMEWORK: (Listen) One Republic – “Apologise” / Scouting For Girls – “This Ain't A Love Song”
Z-One wrote:
I met this girl at the Reading festival over the
summer. We hit it off and I think she was into me. We exchanged numbers but she
hasn’t called me and I’m nervous about being the one to call first.
A: Sounds like you could be missing out on a good
thing… and why? Because you’re shy? Man up and call her!
HOMEWORK: (Listen) Blink182 – “The Rock Show”
Zippy wrote:
My landlady told me I have to move out in 4 weeks
and I don’t know what I’m going to do.
A: Don’t panic. 4 weeks is longer than it sounds if
you do things right. Get an idea of what you’re looking for, make a budget and
make a flow chart of everything that needs doing in the order of when it needs
to be done. Stick it on your wall where you can’t miss it. Doing this will
allow you to tick off tasks as they’re done and will relieve the stress of keeping a mental checklist.
HOMEWORK: (Read) uwl.ac.uk/accommodation. Once you’ve planned things out you might
find the University’s updated accommodation page helpful. It has some information
about private rented accommodation and a guide to living costs. Also take a
look at sites like Gumtree.com, which can be helpful in finding the place itself.
TRUblud wrote:
I’ve just moved into a new place and one of my flat
mates does cross-dressing. I feel bad for thinking it in this day and age but it
freaks me out. What can I do?
A: Try walking a mile in his stilettos so to speak.
It’s human nature to be wary of things we don’t understand. If you understood
him better you probably wouldn’t have such a problem with him. Make an effort
to get to know him and you never know it could open up a whole new world to you…
HOMEWORK: (Watch) Little Britain series 2 – ”I’m a lady” sketches. Emily meets
Florence, a new ‘lady’ friend.
Terry will give anything a go so
send your problems, embarrassing illnesses, secret shames and all the rest, to tezofalltrades@gmail.com with ‘HELP’ in the
subject box and leave an alias for how you want to be addressed.
nice:)
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