Category: Uncategorized (Page 3 of 6)

Hello everyone! I hope you’re having a wonderful week! My name is Rad and I’m one of your Digital Community Facilitators. As lockdowns lift around the world and the vaccine rollout trudges forward, we have a lot of things to be grateful for, one of them being the great outdoors! The lockdown-lifting coincides perfectly with the beginning of spring, an event celebrated across many different cultures. So for my April blog, I thought it would be most appropriate to give our readers a list of activities they can (safely) do in the London outdoors, and make the best of the pleasant weather!

1.      Discover London on foot

With parks and monuments once again becoming safe to traverse, there is no better time to explore more of the city while the sun is shining! London is famous for it’s self-guided walks, and the best thing about them is that they’re absolutely free! This is your chance to visit peaceful parks, hidden canals, and the oddly placed historical site too! No matter where you live in the city, there is always a self-guided tour to be found around you- here is a list of the best walks in London. My personal favourite is definitely South Bank!

2.      Visit Covent Garden

Sometimes considered the heart of the West End, Covent Garden is most famous for its many eateries and designer showrooms. However, if you’re looking for a simple outdoor hang, the venue is also famous for its street artists and performers- you can listen to a melodic instrumental symphony or watch magicians performing some tricks! Grab a coffee from one of the cafés nearby and spend a day in the sun treating yourself to this simple activity, after all, it’s fun to sometimes be a tourist in your own city!

3.      Shop at an outdoor market

Having historically been the cornerstone of community-living in London, outdoor markets are once again making a comeback as we become more aware of the benefits of shopping from small local businesses. Thankfully, London has an array of these markets which are opening up once again, from farmers markets to vintage and antique ones. Click here for a guide to London’s best outdoor markets and what all they offer!

4.      Go boating

Boating is a seasonal activity that kicks off in April, weather permitting. While you may have spotted ferries and cruise boats on the Thames, pleasure boating actually takes place in London’s many lakes! Boats can also be hired for a small group of people, making it the perfect activity to do safely with your flatmates. Boating runs until the end of October, but the best time to take to the water is arguably the spring or summer season. The most famous boating lake is the Serpentine in Hyde Park, which is home to the UK’s first SolarShuttle, a pleasure boat powered by the sun!

I hope you enjoy filling your weekends with these interesting activities! As always, do remember to wear your mask to all these places and follow social distancing guidelines. For more ideas on what to explore in London, come for our Explore Nights with Jiashu every Sunday at 7:30 PM!

Hi, me again, bringing to you another slice of sunshine on a rainy day – in the form of good news. This past year has been rough for everyone, but we made it! Congratulations everybody! I don’t think any of us thought we would get to this point, but somehow we’ve done it and the future is looking bright. As always, we at ResiLife are here to support you and if you need to get in touch please follow us on @kingsresilife or join our events on Microsoft Teams by clicking HERE.

1. The end is in sight!!!!!!

As the weather changes, so do the lockdown restrictions as we can finally meet 6 friends outside from the 29^th March 2021. Get your sunnies and cap out because you WILL be sat in the park with 6 others, totally legally, and living your best lives. Lockdown will soon be a distant memory and a thing of the past.

2. South London Comprehensive gets more Oxbridge offers than Eton for the first time.

It is really positive to see an engrained trend change and that Oxbridge is becoming more accessible to those individuals who wish to pursue this education avenue. Nicola Woolcock (Education Editor from The Times) powerfully states ‘One school has a strict uniform policy, exceptionally high expectations, famous people desperate to get their children a place and record numbers of Oxbridge offers. The other is Eton’.

3. The Grammy’s defied odds and went ahead!

The Grammy’s have been running annual since 1958 and have never been cancelled. Despite being postponed initially, they went ahead. Not even Miss Corona can stop the Grammy’s! A moment of silence for the icon that is Lizzo (pictured above left) and another outstanding look was worn by Chika who wore a matching face mask and custom made pastel-toned Nike athleisure suit (above right).

Post contributed by CF Jiashu

While we all take a causal stretch along London’s abounding numbers of gardens and outdoor spaces, many gardens may be current closed, or may exhaust you from seeing too many analogous sights. Here is a list of many of London’s best gardens that are still open, ranging from the wetlands and woodlands of National Trust, to more petite yet equally alluring gardens.

Chelsea Physic Garden, Chelsea
Monday-Friday and Sunday 10am-3pm
Book ahead: £8.50 (free to members)

Chiswick House and Gardens, Chiswick
Daily, 7am-dusk
No booking required: free to enter

Eltham Palace and Gardens, Eltham
Sat-Sun, 10am-4pm
Book ahead: free

Ham House and Gardens, Richmond
Daily, 10am-4pm,
Book ahead: £5 (free to National Trust members)

Kenwood House, Hampstead
Daily, 7am-7.30pm.
No booking required: free to enter

Marble Hill House and Gardens, Twickenham
Daily, 7am-4.30pm
No booking required: free to enter

Morden Hall Park, Morden
Daily, 9am-5pm
No booking required: free to enter

Osterley Park, Isleworth
Daily, garden 10am-4pm; park 9am-5pm
Book ahead: £5 (free to National Trust members)

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Daily, 10am–4.15pm
Book ahead: £10 (free to members)

Syon Park, Brentford
Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, 10.30am-4pm
Book ahead: £6.40

Post contributed by CF Rad

Hi everyone! This is CF Rad and I hope you are had a great Sustainability Month in February! In light of Sustainability Month, I am writing this to give you some helpful tips on living sustainably during lockdown.

Lockdown is, as has been said many times before, an unprecedented time. Our daily routines have changed, and the new restrictions in place for our safety have also caused a change in our lifestyles.  Amidst all of this, we have seen a new rise in the phenomenon of takeout food and package deliveries, necessitated by the requirement to stay at home- inevitably leading to more plastic waste. In the article, I hope to give you some tips on how to keep being sustainable during this time, in a way that benefits both you and the planet!

1.      Avoid getting food deliveries to your house.

A simple way to reduce the plastic waste we generate is to cut down on ordering in. If you still want to treat yourself to some food from your favourite restaurant, try visiting them and asking if they can give you your order in reusable boxes- these are easily available at Sainsbury’s, Tesco or any other local supermarket. Making your own food is always great, because knowing what goes into your food is always beneficial. If you must order in, opt for the “No cutlery” option if you have reusable cutlery on you. This also helps reduce plastic waste! Another tip would be to support local businesses as much as you can, as these are the ones suffering most due to lockdown and are more likely to be flexible with delivery options or takeaway needs.

2.      Responsible retail therapy

With all the time I’ve had on my hands over the past months of quarantine, I would be lying if I said that I haven’t indulged in some retail therapy to combat the lockdown blues. If you do this as well, it is advisable to opt for the Standard Delivery option wherever possible, as this way your package is likely to be packed using less plastic and the delivery will be more fuel-efficient. When you opt for next-day delivery, your package is likely being sent out to you separately rather than being delivered as part of the delivery company’s area-wise rota, hence wasting more fuel. Another useful tip for shopping during lockdown is to use websites like Depop and Vinted, on which small businesses sell pre-loved or handmade goods, and where you’re also likely to grab some rare vintage finds to stay on trend while staying sustainable! Because these platforms allow you to connect directly with the sellers, you can request them for low-plastic packaging or meet up at a pre-decided area to collect your package too.

3.      Re-fill instead of buying new

Visit your local zero-waste to get refills on sanitisers, hand soap or even foodstuff. Now that we know that sanitising and social-distancing are a way of life, why not find ways to make them sustainable too? Take your cleaning or food containers to these zero-waste refill stores and get them refilled instead of buying new. Once again, this is another way to reduce your plastic waste!

4.      Handle your waste correctly

While a zero-waste lifestyle is ideal for the environment, it is not feasible for many of us. However, there are ways by which you can reduce your carbon footprint regardless- an easy way to do so is to start composting your food waste, either in your own garden if you have one or at a local composting bin. Compost is great for the ecology of your surroundings and has many benefits for plants if you’re trying to grow them! For non-food waste, you can always sort your waste correctly to help waste and sanitisation workers- who are also essential workers- do their job more easily.

5.      DIY more!

The world of DIY is taking over platforms like TikTok, and there’s no reason why we can’t learn from the community! DIY-ing is a great way to save money, learn new skills and reduce waste by using what you already have- it’s a win-win situation and I personally find it really gratifying to make something by myself, start to finish! DIY products have a place in all aspects of our home lives, from the kitchen to the bathroom. The internet is filled with DIY solutions to almost any problem, and if not something home-related, you can certainly make something personal like easy jewellery for yourself or to gift to your loved ones, or perhaps re-usable masks from an old T-shirt you find hard to put away!

I hope these tips were helpful! Do remember to tag #kingsresilife if you try any of these things, we’d love to see your take on these!

Post contributed by Senior CF Grace

We are now a decent amount of time into 2021 and things are still very ‘pandemic-y’. Most of us are feeling tired and fed up – understandably so as we approach the anniversary of the beginning of this utter shambles. With this in mind, it is my pleasure to bring you some good news and a gentle reminder that despite what it feels like, the world isn’t ending (not yet anyway).

1. Touchdown on Mars!!!

A new rover has landed on Mars after a 292 million mile journey from Earth. The rover, named Perseverance, has been sent to Mars to look for evidence of past life. This will be done by drilling into the terrain where there has been water because scientists believe life may also have existed around here.

(BBC news)

2. One really good doggo!

Max is a therapy dog who looks after his owner Kerry. He has been awarded an Order of Merit for Outstanding devotion for saving his owners’ life. Go Max!

https://youtu.be/sCK18A3Roo0

3. Dogs really ARE a man’s best friend…

Dogs are now being trained to sniff out prostate cancer. I have no idea the science behind this, but this could be a very successful and non-invasive way to detect prostate cancer!

https://www.medicaldetectiondogs.org.uk/

4. I’m a social vegan, I avoid meet.

This years Veganuary has broken records with over half a million people signing up to take part. Supermarkets are also stocking more vegetarian and vegan products than ever before. Good news for the environment! If you want to find out more about sustainability, join our ResiLife Sustainable Living Community events – check out the calendar for more details!

As always, the ResiLife team are here for you. You are NOT alone and hopefully we will be out the other side of this nightmare soon enough. Tune in to our events if you’d like to see a friendly face, meet some new people, or just entertain yourself for the evening – we have events for everyone!

Post contributed by CF Rad

Mooshies

Location: Brick lane

Price range: ££

Opening time: Mon-Wed 12:00-21:30, Thu 12:00-22:30, Fri-Sat 12:00-23:00, Sun 12:00-21:30. Kitchen stops 30 minutes before closing.

Plant based burger and fried restaurant since 2016. Specialises in burgers, with signature being the fillet-om-phish made from aubergine served with vegan cheese & tar tar sauce; ‘beef’ burger made from black beans & quinoa; and pulled jackfruit burger. Side of sweet potato fries, loaded fries, cheese sticks, chick balls, guacamole and plantain chips are available. For dessert try the vegan brownie or a thick chocolate shake.

The Vurger Co

Location: Shoreditch

Price range: ££

Opening Time: Mon-Sun 11.30am-10.30pm (Fri-Sat -11pm, Sun -10pm)

An intimate, if sparse space, with walnut chairs and grey walls, while the menu is equally as concise, consisting solely of burgers, shakes and sides. Unlike other meat-free joints, Vurger Co swaps out quorn or seitan for patties made up entirely of veg. Take the Auburger, which is sandwiched between a fluffy brioche bun and combines a tightly-packed aubergine, chickpea and caramelised red onion patty with hints of fiery Tabasco and a slightly bitter cumin mayo dressing.

There’s the option to enjoy your meal sans bun as a ‘burger bowl’, while sides include crisp, lightly-salted fries and a velvety mac ‘n’ cheese. Drinks wise, a caramel and banana shake swaps out cow’s milk for the almond variety, along with a soy bean base which results in a sweet and satisfyingly slurp-able treat, while there are beers and wine for proper grownups. Slick counter service and reasonable prices are further pluses, and it’s nice to see Vurger Co back up its credentials with compostable packaging, including paper straws.

Rudy’s Dirty Vegan Diner

Location: Camden

Price range: ££

Opening hours: Monday-Sunday 12pm-9pm

Serving up mouth-watering American comfort foods, vegan style. You’ll spot classic Americana dishes reaching from The Dirty Burger to the Mac’n’Cheez, without forgetting their staple (and highly recommended) Reuben Sandwich.

At their bigger and better location, only a couple leg stretches from their old home includes more seating and best of all, vegan sugar-filled milkshakes. Make sure to wear your stretchy trousers for this cheeky one!

Post contributed by CF Jacky

Hi!

I’m Jacky, your CF, and I would like to share some tips on how to make most out of uni during these hard times.

Whether you are at home or in London I think it’s important to feel part of the KCL community, and the best way is to join societies where you can meet people with your same interests and make new friends.

I enjoy playing videogames and I’ve been a member of the KCLGE ( kcl gaming and esports) where I met lots of new friends playing my favorite games. I like Dota 2, CSGO and many others and thanks to this society I found a community of gamers that enjoyed gaming as much as me and were students just like me.

If you love gaming this is the right society, but if you don’t… feel free to visit https://www.kclsu.org/groups/activities/join/ and have a look at which society you would want to join in this second semester.

Hope you had a fantastic winter break, and good luck this upcoming semester 😊

Post contributed by Senior CF Grace

We are now almost a year into this nightmare and it has been rough. The good news is, if you’re reading this you survived Blue Monday – congrats! How are you doing? We at ResiLife hope you are taking time for yourself amidst the drama of world events going on. However, I think we are inching slowly towards some improvements – but I don’t want to jinx it. Instead of jinxing, I will share with you some good news, which will hopefully help you to feel just a bit more hopeful.

1. Trump is out

Asides from differing political views, I think I can safely assume that the majority of us are very relieved that Donald Trump is no longer president of the United States. Reportedly, he left saying ‘have a good life’, which I think sums the whole thing up quite nicely (BBC news UK). Some of us may have forgotten that we nearly started 2020 with WW3 so with Trump out the future is looking bright (or at least ‘brighter’).

2. Iran has passed a bill that protects women from domestic violence

This bill defines violence as “any behavior inflicted on women due to sexuality, vulnerable position or type of relationship, and inflicts harm to their body, psyche, personality and dignity, or restricts or deprives them of legal rights and freedoms”. This is a huge step for the country and will hopefully keep a lot of women safe. Another benefit is this bill allows for more psychological support for women who have been victims of domestic violence.

3. Argentina has now legalised abortions

This is another great step for the safety of women and enabling them more freedom over choices relating to their own bodies. This means women who need an abortion can do so safely, without taking unnecessary risks or breaking the law.

4. Covid-19 Vaccine FINALLY here!!

More than 4 million people have now had their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccination (gov.uk), which means we are slowly progressing to a much safer environment and some form of normality. Thank you to our amazing scientists who have worked so hard on this research and to all our NHS workers who are busy working and vaccinating people every day! In my other job I work in an NHS acute mental health ward so as a keyworker I am lucky enough to have received my first vaccine.

My name is Grace and I am the Senior Community Facilitator at KCL. I am a bit behind the scenes at the moment, but if you need anything or have any questions then please do contact me on Instagram @kingsresilife and join our Resilife Group by clicking HERE and I am more than happy to chat.

If you, like me, are feeling a rather strong sense of impending doom due to the current state of the world then I have news for you. Turns out, there is still lots of good stuff happening – we just aren’t hearing about it. I would like to share with you my favourites from the last month, I hope you enjoy!

1. Stumpy the Labrador

Meet Stumpy, named after his little legs which were too short for him to pursue a career as a Guide dog.

Luckily, Stumpy found another way to help and became a Pet Blood Doner. He is now the Pet Blood Bank’s highest donating dog, having donated blood 30 times so far, and saving OVER 120 dog’s lives. Now that is one seriously good doggo, don’t you think?

2. Global pandemic? Don’t know her.

Bea Lumpkin aged 102 (left) and Joy Young aged 96 (right), would not let anything get in the way of them voting in this election. Having not missed a single vote since 1940 when she was first allowed to, Bea turned up in full PPE to post her ballot last week. Joy showed similar determination, being blind AND deaf, she rocked her mask and made it to her 78^th vote.

3. 12-year-olds these days…

 At the ripe old age of 12 years, Caleb Anderson is achieving big things, as he is the youngest student to begin studying Aerospace Engineering at Georgia Tech. When he was 3 years old, he gained acceptance to MENSA (the largest and oldest high IQ society in the world). Well done Caleb!!!

4. A little kindness goes a long way.

And finally… just incase you haven’t seen it, here is an adorable video of a little boy who bakes birthday cookies for his favourite waste collectors on his birthday.

Wishing you a great week amidst the chaos and hope to see you at our Resilife events soon!