Leicester’s best brunch’s and cafes!

Posted on by Chloe Ward

Are you a brunch and coffee break lover? Leicester is home to some amazing restaurants and cafes that offers just this. These are our top picks:

Cafe Mbriki: Housed in a grade 2 listed building, Mbriki serves a range of light snacks to indulgences. Their incredible breakfasts are also all day! So if you are having a lazy on after having one too many in MOSH the night before, then don’t worry! Our favourites are the Belgium Waffles with Golden syrup and cream, and for just £3.90- Bargain!

North bar & kitchen: If you fancy something a bit ‘upmarket’ then north bar is the place to go to brunch! You can indulge in a full English consisting of bacon, Sausage, Sautéed Potatoes, Eggs, Mushrooms, Tomato, Beans & Toast and all for £8.95 – not too shabby!

pancakes & maple syrup

KAI: Offering ‘all day brunch’ until 4pm, KAI’s menu is incredible! Our favourites are the eggs benedict with smoky bacon (£7.50) and the blueberry and banana pancakes (£6.95)

The Coffee Counter: If you are a coffee lover, you need to check this place out! You can also have a salami and cheese croissant with a freshly brewed coffee for £3.95! The cakes are also amazing, the blondies are the best!

Cosy Club: Cosy Club is expanding across the UK and Leicester has been lucky to be blessed with one, they are seriously good! The brunch is served until 5pm! Our favorites are: The vegetarian Breakfast: Halloumi & sweetcorn fritters, grilled tomato, field mushroom, fried potatoes, baked beans and fried or poached egg with toast (£7.95) and the TRIPLE stacked buttermilk pancakes, yes triple stacked! Smothered in maple syrup, bacon rashes, creme fraiche and blueberries this is a serious treat for just £6.75!

Baker St Cakes – The Macaron & Cake Boutique: Rated as one of the best cafes in the UK by Sainsburys, words cannot do baker st cakes justice, so just check out these pictures and you will see for yourself why you NEED to visit!

baker st cakesbaker st cakes

6 Degree Coffee House: Fancy a hot chocolate? 6 degree is the place to be! Their luxury hot chocolates are smothered in cream and marshmallows and their coffees are great too! They also have a wide range of cakes, our favourites being the mammoth slices of coffee and walnut and the rocky roads!

St Martins Coffee Roasters: Freshly roasted coffee to get you through the 9am lectures. With a range of cakes, toasties and the BEST chips, you need to pop in here to grab a bite!

So that’s CP’s top brunch’s and cafes in Leicester, let us know if you check any of them out!

With your environment impacting your productivity, is it time you had a change of scene?

Posted on by Chloe Ward

Tidy house, tidy mind, sound familiar? Well, it’s now a scientific fact, but how does your environment really impact your productivity?

Granted, there are a number of things people can do in order to increase their own productivity. Getting a decent night’s sleep, eating what your mum would call ‘brain food’ and manage your time effectively to reduce those daily stresses are just a few of the classics, but what you didn’t realise is your productivity can sometimes be hindered by something that’s out of your control… your environment.

Quality of light

The quality of light within your environment is just the first of many factors that can influence your productivity. Studies have shown that people who are exposed to a high level of natural daylight are more likely to be in better health and are more likely to be better at retaining and regulating their mood. At Campbell Property we understand the importance of natural light, with large and bright windows being a feature present across all of our accommodation (don’t worry we’ve got blackout blinds too!).

Layout and design           

Full blown Feng Shui may be taking it one step too far, but clutter in your external space will clutter your internal mind. Within the home, there should be spaces for work and spaces for relaxation. Although the call of working from the sofa is often too tempting to ignore, it is critical that you separate the lounge environment from the work environment.  Across our properties, we feature dining areas and spaces equipped with large tables – plenty big enough to support the mound of library books you’ll be bringing back after that final term deadline comes straight out of nowhere!

Noise pollution  

If you’re having trouble keeping focused or find yourself getting easily distracted, it could be a result of surrounding noise pollution – we’re not making this up! It’s a likely occurrence when living in a city. Even the quietest of sounds is often enough to pull your head out of that book and distract you from your workload.

At Campbell Property all of our homes are located in highly desirable, yet quiet locations so you can be sure you won’t be bombarded by outside noise when you live with us.

Productivity is the key to success and we’re here to help put your mind at ease. One step ahead of the game, thinking about you every step of the way, Campbell property is your new home away from home, so if you’re looking for a place to build memories while fostering success, choose Campbell Property and book your viewing today!

Why you want to be a student in Sheffield!

Posted on by Chloe Ward

Whether you are studying at Uni Of or Hallam, Sheffield is a great place to live your best student life! Here at CP, we love the city buzz of Sheffield, amazing restaurants, outrageous bars and also beautiful botanical gardens. Here is our Sheffield top 10!

Visit the quirky shops:

  • Moonko: An independent, well-priced shop offering everything from homeware to fashion accessories! http://moonko.co.uk/
  • WEARECOW: A unique outlet store stocking clothes for both men and women even with some vintage items too! https://www.wearecow.com/
  • Vulgar: The name of this shop is definitely not a good representation of this amazing boutique! Filled with incredible bargains for vintage items! This shop is perfect to fill your summer wardrobe! https://www.vulgarsheffield.com/

Head to Peace Gardens:

Created for the ‘Heart Of The City’ project Peace Gardens is an inner city beauty. With 8 large water features and surrounded by atmospheric restaurants and coffee houses, peace gardens is the place to be when you are having some time off from trawling through uni work!

Grab a bite!

  • OHM: Perfect if you want to treat yourself! Located on Fitzwilliam street, they have the BEST cocktail menu, you can even get one with candy floss! https://ohm-sheffield.com/
  • Humpit: Quite literally what it says on the tin! Hum for Hummus and Pit for Pitta! Freshly made falafels and a range of options for vegans too! This is a perfect lunch spot!  http://www.humpit-hummus.com/
  • The Lucky Fox: If you are looking to brunch, the lucky fox is the place to go! Waffles, pancakes and french toast!  http://www.theluckyfox.com/

 

Go for a drink.. or 5!

  • The Devonshire: If you are a gin lover this bar is for you! With 69 different gins choices and an extensive cocktail menu – go check it out!
  • The Original Bierkeller: A student haven where it’s completely acceptable to dance on tables with 2 beers in your hands!
  • Bungalows and Bears: Good food, good drin, and good music!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Attend an Event:

There are a range of events held throughout the year in Sheffield some of our favourites are:

Spend all your money in Meadowhall:

  • The eighth largest shopping center in the UK, Meadowhall houses over 280 stores and also has an amazing food hall offering all kind of cuisine from 5 guys to Wagamamas! It also super easy to get there by train!

Hop on (and off) the paternoster lift at the Arts Tower:

  • Being one of the tallest University buildings in the UK, the Sheffield University building also houses one of the last paternoster lift! The lift has no door and is constantly moving, so you quite literally jump on and off it!

 

 

Explore the Botanical Gardens:

The 19-acre gardens are situation around 1 mile from the city center and are home to a stunning tea room, a glass pavilion, and colourful blossoms! This is the perfect place to visit in the spring and summer.

 

Have a picnic in the park:

Sheffield is home to 13 city parks, one of our favourites for a walk and a picnic is Norfolk Park. Neighbouring the park is Campbell Property’s stunning and boutique student homes, check them out!

 

 

Bored of the city? Head to the peak district:

You can travel via bus or car to the peak district and generally can be there in under half an hour! You can camp, cycle and horse ride around the peak district, so there is something for everyone! (although we do suggest you wait until summer if you are thinking of braving camping!)

 

Even if you are not a student in Sheffield you should still visit the wonders of Sheffield! Don’t forget to also enter our competition to win two FREE tickets for Leeds Festival, ending in June 2018! T & C’s apply.

The BEST student summer on a budget!

Posted on by Chloe Ward

Everyone knows January and February are the worst months… ever… Christmas has been and gone. You still haven’t joined the gym like you said you would, exams and the dreaded results have consumed your lives! Not to mention the grim weather! Don’t fret, all isn’t as bad as it seems. As winter draws to a painful end you are a month closer to lighter evenings and a fabulously long student summer!

Being a student is all fun and games in Summer: exams are over and if you are lucky enough, so is doing your own food shopping (and washing!). Whilst 3 months off sounds like an absolute dream, after the stress of exams and ordering endless takeaways, having enough money to do anything fun over summer can be a stretch! But worry no more, we have come up with 4 ideas for you to make 2018 the BEST summer AND on a budget!

PS. If you want to go to a festival for FREE, check out our competition to win 2 Leeds Weekend Festival tickets on our website. Headliners for this year include: Fall Out Boy, Kendrick Lamar, and Kings Of Leon!

http://www.campbellproperty.co.uk/index.php

1 – Festivals!

Everyone knows festivals can cost an arm and a leg, especially those fancy American festivals like Coachella BUT if you are desperate to go to a festival without damaging your bank balance, check out our pick of the best budget festivals.

Common People 26th May – 27th May

Common People is located in both Oxford and Southampton over the May bank holiday weekend! Day Tickets start from just £24 and the line up from 2017 varied from My Nu Leng to Tom Odell and Sean Paul!

http://www.commonpeople.net/

Love Saves The Day – 26th May – 27th May

Love Saves The Day is located in Bristol and 2018 will see LSTD expand with even more stages! Offering a diverse range of music, last years line up included: Shy FX, Stormzy, and MNEK. With day tickets at just £38.50, this one seems too good to miss!

https://lovesavestheday.org/line-up/

BESTIVAL – 2,3,4,5th August

Bestival has not only moved to Dorset but also moved the festival to a month earlier (September is too cold for a festival anyway!) Bestival, compared to most weekend camping festivals actually works out quite cheap! Early bird tickets start from just £149 or you can pay weekly for just £5. With a carnival theme this year, it is the place to be! The lineup from last year consisted of acts such as The XX, Dizzee Rascal, and Rag n Bone man! 4 days of festival fun!

http://www.bestival.net/

2 – The Luna Cinema:

A touring outdoor cinema! Sounds perfect for a light summer’s evening! The Luna Cinema tours the UK displaying old classics like Jaws, and Back To The Future but also new releases such as Dunkirk! Tickets start from £17.50 so pack your picnic and popcorn and go enjoy your favorite movie outside!

http://www.thelunacinema.com/

3 – Cocktail Masterclass!

Why not invite all your friends over and drink cocktails all evening? Cheap and civilized! Here is one of our favourite iced cocktails; Prosecco slushies! Just blend together and enjoy!

  • 2 c. Prosecco
  • 1 1/2 c. chopped strawberries
  • 1/4 c. lime juice
  • 1/2 c. vodka
  • Mint for garnish
  • Ice

Get more recipes from http://www.delish.com/entertaining/g2163/summer-cocktails/?slide=6

4 – Enjoy a beach break!

Even if you don’t live near the beach, a group convoy to your nearest sandy haven is always a fun day out! Our favorite UK beaches for a day trip are:

  • Brighton – great shopping too!
  • Bournemouth – perfect for anyone who loves a penny slot machine!
  • Blackpool – seaside and rollercoasters!
  • Three Cliffs Bay – Swansea!

We hope you love some of CP’s ideas for the best summer on a budget! The countdown beings…

How To Be Most Productive

Posted on by Jessica Cullimore

Being productive is hard, especially at Uni, given most of us don’t have more than around 20 hours of contact time a week! This leaves us with a lot of free time, which never really feels free due to the amount of independent work we “should” be doing. We’ve compiled some key areas you could focus on to be your most productive self, while still leaving time for having fun and being lazy (I mean we are still students…)

Your productive time

Working at the right times during the day is really important to be your most efficient. Most people already know if they’re a morning or an evening person, but it can be a bit more complex than that. A great way to figure out when your best hours for productivity are, is to pay attention to the way you’re working for the next week or so. When you’re having one of those moments where you’re whizzing through your workload effortlessly, take a moment and jot down the time of day and see if you can notice any patterns emerging. For example I work great in the mornings and evenings, but in the middle of the day I always notice my productivity dropping.

Work space

It may seem a bit obvious, but a clear space really does equal a clear mind. If you are struggling to push everything around to create a patch of space to sit on your bed with your laptop, this I’m sure will most likely not result in you bashing out that essay in record time. Try and keep a routine of keeping your desk (if you can’t face tidying your entire room) clear of mess, so you can always sit down and concentrate when you need to. Don’t use tidying your room an excuse not to do your essay though…we’ve all done it. Anything can be better than writing that dreaded 3000-word essay.

Exercise

The release of serotonin will reduce your stress levels, giving you a better mindset to work in. The increase of blood flow to your brain will also make you more alert and energised, ready to tackle that pile of reading you need to get through. It’s great to exercise first thing in the morning, but it’s even better when you’re feeling drained and stressed to perk you up again.

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Music

It’s been scientifically proven that listening to music increases productivity so if you don’t do it already, maybe you should try.

This list from the Telegraph of the best music for every kind of work is really handy: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2016/06/02/this-is-the-kind-of-music-you-should-listen-to-at-work/

However if you still find it distracting just don’t bother. I can only really listen to music when the work I’m doing requires minimal brain effort (which isn’t very often!)

Do the most boring stuff first so you don’t keep dreading it

Obviously you should always do the most urgent bits of work first, but if you’re struggling to prioritise your workload you should always start with the bits you want to do the least. If you keep putting them off it’ll seem harder and harder in your head until you end up with no time and a mega stressed student. (I think we can all relate to this…)

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Avoid your phone

Yes I know the group Whatsapp is blowing up and you need to stay involved, but having your phone next to you is a massive killer of productivity. Just move it to the other side of the room and only allow yourself to check it every half an hour. You’ll be amazed at how much quicker you’ll blast through your workload.

Get out

Some people swear they can only work in the library, but why not mix it up and try a local café or even a park if the weather’s nice. I personally hate the library, so when I’m feeling too stuffed up in my room I’ll head to a friend’s house to sit and work together. This is especially great if you’re on the same course, because you can work together, discuss ideas, and normally complete work a lot quicker. Divide and conquer!

Plan the night before

Ok this is a tough one for you spontaneous types, but just because it’s written down, it doesn’t mean it’s set in stone. If you make a list of the things you’ll like to do the next day before you go to sleep, you’ll be able to wake up and just jump into it. Don’t feel guilty if you only tick one thing off though, the fact that you wrote it down makes you conscious it needs doing, and the more you get into the habit, the better you’ll know how much you’ll realistically get done in a day.

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Do not disturb sign

If you find your housemates barging into your room at all hours of the day ruins your productive flow, just try a sign on your door to make sure they understand you need to be alone for a bit.

We love this cute one from Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/275600414/do-not-disturb-signpersonaliseddoor?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=do%20not%20disturb%20sign&ref=sr_gallery_4

Don’t multitask

Multitasking is the killer of productivity. Pick one thing you’re going to do, such as reading a paper, and eliminate all other distractions. Switching between tasks will stop you getting into that great work zone, and it’ll take you twice as long to get everything done. This doesn’t mean you can’t take breaks, it just means you should use the breaks to relax, not start doing something else like your laundry.

Bribe yourself with a reward

If you’re doing some really hard questions for a tutorial and it’s taking forever, why not try to motivate yourself with a reward? I love doing this and it really works well, especially during revision season. For example I’ll say once I’ve finished 3 questions I’m allowed to watch another episode of Prison Break on Netflix for the 100th time. Then when I’ve done another 3 I can have a bit of chocolate. It motivates you to work quickly and efficiently, which is really key for ultimate productivity.

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Make time for doing what you enjoy the most

Being at Uni isn’t just about doing the work, so make sure you don’t forget that. By working productively you’ll give yourself more time to do the things you love. Go see your friends, go on a mental night out, or watch an episode or two of Netflix (guilty). Make sure to keep a good balance between Uni work and Uni life, you’ll stay engaged when you do need to bash out some coursework.

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Good luck!