Go North: leave London and live better

I'm not as southern as some people, coming as I do from good Yorkshire stock, but it is seldom these days that I have reason to venture past Oxford, let alone Birmingham. It was with some trepidation then last week that I boarded train to Leeds to visit a friend. Upon my arrival however I saw that all my fears were unjustified - Leeds is an amazing city with excellent transport links to surrounding towns set in picture postcard rurality.

Saltaire

I had been told that Leeds was a superior shopping destination and it more than lived up to its reputation: apart from John Lewis (which my friend assures me is arriving next year) it has all the major chains as well as some fun and quirky independents and boasts a truly superior waterstones as well as that increasingly chimeric creature: a well-stocked HMV. There is also some beautiful architecture, an excellent museum and a wide selection of bars and restaurants. All in all I had a delightful weekend (so delightful that it caused me to miss an update last week - sorry about that) and had my perceptions about Northern loving thoroughly challenged. Why though am I taking the time to tell you all about it?

Well, among the other manifest attractions of Leeds my friend happened to mention how much she paid for a two bedroom apartment with a balcony, covered parking and access to a tennis court. I could only stare dumbly at her as she rattled off the numerous benefits she got alongside her apartment, thinking that you wouldn't even get a room in a dodgy flat share for that in London. I had a similar shock when we walked past an estate agents and I saw how little it cost to buy an apartment in the city centre.

I suddenly realised how affordable grown up life could be if you moved out of London - renting would no longer be a pointless money sink but a reasonable expenditure and getting on the property ladder could be more than a hopeless dream. Additionally, in areas like Leeds you're not really sacrificing anything: it's about two hours by train or driving to reach London (it has taken me this long to travel across London some weekends) and there is more than enough to keep you busy and social. There's even an airport for quick Europe-based getaways.

The only downside is,of course, the comparative scarcity of jobs, making it a life choice that is not possible for everybody. However if you are in a profession - particularly one that pays well - you will be amazed at how much further your money can go outside of the M25. You can love the lifestyle you want and still be capable of paying off your student

loans and saving for the future.

So my advice this week? Go north - if you can. It will be well worth it. And now if you'll excuse me I'm off to do some location based job hunting....

Want more life advice? Check out my post on regaining control or adjusting after uni.

The Life List

By jordan clarke via Flickr

As you may have realised from my last post I have been feeling the pressure recently- the pressure to complete my thesis on time, the pressure to find a job, the pressure to stay sane…

In one of my many procrastinatory ambles through the internet, I came across this article written by the lovely and talented Ali Hale (of Aliventures and many many other worthy endeavours) extolling the virtues of making lists, particularly on the small scale, to keep on top of day to day commitments and goals.

This got me thinking: I love lists- they bring order to my otherwise chaotic life-, the remind me of my responsibilities and they give me a sense of achievement when I accomplish an item and can triumphantly tick it off. Everybody is familiar with the concept of the bucket list- things you want to have done before you kick the bucket i.e. die, but what I really need at the moment is a life list- a series of goals to achieve that will indicate that I have a life- a proper one that is, full of independence, income and (mostly) responsible expenditure.

The items on that list don’t have to be big or small, achievable or lofty, they just have to be anything you think will put you one step closer to the life you want.

Becca’s Eight Step Path to a Proper Life

#1 Finish my thesis- Ok, so this is kind of an obvious one bit finishing my thesis marks the end of my university career and the start of my time to GET a life

#2 Get a job- I need to be earning, not necessarily doing what I want to do forever, but I need more credit than debit in my bank account. Plus it will give me a chance to experience a completely different world for a while.

#3 Pass my driving test- I am currently one fail down, five to go (if I aim to break the group record) but hopefully will pass soon. Being able to drive is one of the hallmarks of adulthood and it makes getting to places so much more convenient

#4 Decide whether I want to do a PhD/ get a PhD place (if the answer is yes)  Recently, my thesis write up has left me disillusioned with my work and my own abilities and I’m not sure if I can take another five years of education and constant pressure. Figuring this out however, will bring me one step closer to a life of my own.

#5 Get a double bed- whether at home or in a place of my own, a double bed is the grown-up way to sleep. I don’t even want to share it with anyone, I just like to sprawl without bruising my extremities.

#6 Go to my first wedding- getting married is pretty much the most grown up thing you can do as far as I can see, and when you friends start getting married you have to grown up a bit too (at least for the ceremony, you can shed your assumed maturity at the reception).

#7 Become a Godmother- Ok, so this one is probably a long way off since I not only have to wait for one of my close friends or relatives to have a baby, I also have to convince them I would be the best spiritual (or actual in the case of tragedy) guardian. Being responsible for another human being is a major adult responsibility.

#8 Take my parents out for dinner to celebrate me moving out- this encompasses the official acknowledgement of the end of childhood and dependency and the fact that I now have an independent source of income sufficient to cover indulgences. This may never happen.

If you know me and would like to help me out with any of the above get in touch :) Everybody else please share your life list goals in the comments below!