Episode 3: Classes Begin (Plus Grocery Shopping!)

Ah the first day of classes. A day filled with optimism and hope before the classwork begins and you realize just how big a hole you've dug yourself. Like every other student, I stand in that place now, poised on the precipice of a month where doing two classes is considered closer to insane. But, yet I shall press onward. I shall boldly go forth and I shall save my fun time for the weekends.

Today started off when I inexplicably woke up at 6am. Yes I didn't have to be at the university until 10, but nonetheless, my body would not let me sleep. However, twas a better night than that of the night before, seeing as I slept more soundly and awoke less frequently. For this, I thank the power of the laptop. I was able to set my iTunes up to play all night, quietly lulling me to dreamland and keeping me there, dashing my consciousness' attempts at escape.

So once again, I messed around on the computer and did some reading. Then I headed out to the bus by nine and by nine-thirty was waiting in the classroom for my first class. Wait, that's not entirely correct. I climbed five flights of stairs (110 stairs total) before realizing there was an elevator, couldn't figure out how to open the door which needed my ID swiped, and then was in my classroom by nine-thirty.

This first class was my theatre class. There are only 11 of us in this class and only one of these people is a guy. Also, one of the girls, Montana, apparently looks like almost all the girls in the class since our teacher, Patsy, couldn't figure out who she was and during roll called her a variety of incorrect names. The names of other girls in the class. (The roll sheet has pictures of everyone by their names so they are easier to identify. Whoops, that didn't seem to work.)

To get to know each other better we went around the circle and said who we were, where we went to school, what our major was, what we hoped to do after school, what we hoped to get out of the trip to London, and the view outside our bedroom window at home. I said my window was on the side of the house and faced "A fence and a jungle of weeds that's never been mowed." Luckily most people have fairly boring views so I didn't feel left out.

Then we each turned to our neighbor and were supposed to find five things we had in common. Rachael and I were kind of bad at this game. Neither or us could think of things we might have in common. We ended up having: both seniors, both want to be writers, both like creative writing (yes it's sort of similar but we stuck with it), both have a dog (yes I have more but technically I do have a dog.) and both like reading. Then we all got in alphabetical order by last name and Patsy went over the basic schedule for the month. This class sounds like so much fun. I am stoked!

We ended early and this time I took the elevator to the ground floor. And thanks to my impeccable sense of direction (given to me via the GPS that is my father) I found my way back out to the path I'd taken to get to the building while everyone else went out the wrong way (It's very easy to get turned around). I also managed to weave through the hallways, go up a floor and find the room we were having lunch in. I felt very smug about this until I realized I'd done this the hard way and there was a staircase that led up there not ten feet from the entrance. Ah well, live and learn.

Lunch was pretty good. Met yet another group of people (I think I've changed groups four or five times now) and ate food. Yes, actual food. Granted, it was half a sandwich, but still. Then I went back to the other building for my Creative Writing class. This class seems like it will be a bit more intense, but still a fun class. (As a side note, the words "naughty" and "dodgy" sound so much better in a British accent. And can elicit giggles when heard unexpectedly.) But I will have to go into London this weekend and buy the books I need. Danged books not coming when I need them.

After class I caught the bus back to the dorms (because there's no way I was taking the thirty minute walk back). I made up a grocery list and then, after asking for directions from the one flatmate I hadn't met yet, Chris (who's a girl. Don't freak out Mom), I walked to the grocery store. It seemed a much longer journey walking there than it did on the way back.

Oh, and drivers here are not to be toyed with. Pedestrians do not have right of way and chances are you will be mowed down. I crossed a couple times at just regular crosswalks (with no light or anything) and jaywalked once. But I felt safest crossing at the lights. And I totally waited for that little walking man to turn green before I stepped off the curb.

When I got to the store, Ben (from lunch yesterday) was there and handed me a basket with a laugh. When I told him I'd been living off of Breakfast Cookies he chided me for not eating well. I think these need a new, better name. Because now that I think of it, he was probably under the impression I'd been eating cookies for the last three days.

Anyway, I got some groceries so now I have real, actual food in the cupboards. I have bread and lunch meat and bananas and crackers. Plus I found these things called Chocolate Digestive Biscuits (by the way, a biscuit is a cookie in the UK. So if someone asks for your biscuit and you really want your cookie, say no). Hopefully, these and the crackers will help keep my IBS at bay. And the whole lot only cost me seven pounds! I find this awesome.

Then I walked back to the dorm and felt rather proud of myself because on the way I found what bus I needed to take me to the store the next time I go. It's almost like I'm acclimating and learning my way around. Put my groceries away and made a sandwich. Of course, I forgot to actually buy anything to put on the bread, but that's beside the point. The point is I had real food that I wasn't hesitant about eating. Yay!

I'll be hanging out in my dorm the rest of the evening I suspect. Maybe I'll get a start on the flash fiction and poem that are due in Creative Writing on Monday. And hopefully this weekend I can go to Hampton Court. It would be good to go while the weather is fairly nice (even if it is a little humid) since I want to go through the maze. Today's lesson: if you are desperate to avoid exercise, you can learn the bus system much faster. Ciao.