Oh, hey, half-over second week! I intended to write about my classes and first week of work in painstaking detail on Friday, but I was too busy partying and having fun this past weekend! We met new friends on a different program who are from UNC, and we took them to a bar with us on Saturday night, which was a bunch of fun. Charlie's British friend told us about that bar, thank god, because it's been ridiculous trying to find a cool, cheap place. It's funny how much finding a bar in a new country makes me feel like a freshman in college. We wander the streets for any place that looks even slightly cool and feel like loser Americans. But it's always an adventure trying to someplace we can all agree on, and I love the new-ness of it all.
We took a day trip to Cambridge, which was really cool. It was such an interesting little town! It's got these cute little cobblestone streets and everything has so much history; it's incredibly fascinating. I would have loved to go to school someplace like that. Except, you know.. it's the top university in the world and you can't leave campus during the semesters. But we ate at Cambridge University's dining hall! And the vegetarian meal was good! Way to go, Cambridge. Besides a driving tour and a little pub time (mulled wine!), we went punting. Aka flat-bottomed boat with a lovely, charming British man pushing us along the river with a punting pole. Highlights of punting included Hannah explaining to Jimbo why punt is a funny word, and getting water poured all over me courtesy of the punting pole. But it was lovely and relaxing, so it didn't really matter.
The cultural opportunities available through my classes are absolutely staggering. I've been to the Tate Modern to see the Gaugin Exhibit (£15 a ticket, and Birkbeck paid) for my first British Novel class, and today we went to see this awesome exhibit called High Society at UCL that examines the cultural history of recreational drug use. Yesterday for our second Shakespeare in London class we went on a tour of The Globe Theatre. Over this semester I will be going (for free) to performances of: Hamlet, The Magic Flute, The Woman in Black, Frankenstein, Julius Caesar, King John, and Macbeth. I'm also visiting The Globe again next week, going backstage at The National Theatre, taking a tour of the Victoria & Albert Museum, and visiting another as-yet undecided art gallery. Maybe National Gallery. I'm overwhelmed with art and loving it. All of my classwork is just reading incredible novels and plays. I've also read a lot of the pieces before, which means I'm getting to study these novels and plays from the British perspective now. I'm so excited! I'll also have the opportunity to go to a bunch of shows for really cheap through my job, so I'm in cultural heaven right now. For real.
Otherwise, things are pretty great here. Mackenzie and I are able to split groceries and cook together every night very amicably. We eat healthfully (lots of veggies, rice, pasta), and tonight we combined forces with Eugene, so we had soup and salad, bread, and some of these really good (probably Russian) potato-ey things. He ate pork chops. We did not. I finally put my pictures up on my walls today and my corner definitely feels more like home. Basically, when I get home from work and class every day, I hang out in my sweatpants with Mackenzie (+/- other friends), read, do 8 minute abs, and watch movies. Pretty sweet deal if you ask me. And what sweetens that deal is the United Kingdom thinking it's appropriate to only play Scrubs and Friends reruns, Never Been Kissed, She's All That, and the new season of Glee. I love you, British programm(e)ing.
<3 Emily
Wednesday, 19 January 2011
Friday, 14 January 2011
We're singing a new song now, and everything starts today.
I'm going to post about my first week of classes and work tomorrow, and I'm really excited to do it! This entry was just getting too long, and I have to go to bed so I can get up early, go running, shower, and eat before work tomorrow (my flatmate Meagan inspired me. By the time I woke up this morning, she had been running, grocery shopping, showered, and dressed)! The springs in our beds feel as though they're raised approximately five inches above our actual mattresses, so it's always safe to factor in a little extra sleep for those times you're awoken by a spring puncturing your lung. I even find them hard to sleep on, and I fall asleep in public on a regular basis.
London is fantastic. What is not fantastic is my inability to stay out of pubs. Last night, for the first time since I've been here, I turned down a pub invite. I am not an alcoholic! But I've always hated sweaty house parties where not one person can see straight (except me, don't fret, Mom and Dad). All I've wanted is to have fun with people and talk. Since the bulk of my friends don't reach the magical age of 21 until at least March (if not May for Liz, the baby), being in a place where all of my friends can go to a bar and just hang out is really wonderful. But, I didn't go out last night or tonight, because I was tired and I knew I shouldn't. Look at me, I'm a grownup. Don't get me wrong, I'll grab a beer with Shaina tomorrow night. But everything in moderation, right? Even pubs and good conversation. Not that watching Never Been Kissed with Mackenzie wasn't a great substitute. Who knew that James Franco played some high school tool?
I think that being in London is really helping me reevaluate the way I form relationships. For most of my college career, being in Boston with Mitch and his friends was the only way I felt I could socialize with people my age in a constructive and enjoyable way. I think I was always envious of their friendship, because it was the kind of friendship I wanted. I wanted to listen to amazing music and play video games and drink together all night. I wanted to jump in the Charles, because why the hell not? And I wanted to be making music. But in idealizing their friendships, I ignored and devalued others, both potential friendships, and those I already had. I refused to form unique friendships and clung to ones that weren't functioning in a healthy way anymore, because I knew I wouldn't have the same relationships that Mitch and his friends had with one another. But I shouldn't, because I'm not them. I've stopped analyzing everyone's interactions like it's some equation to happiness. Only in the second half of last semester did I really start appreciating people who had been there the whole time, and who are incredible, supportive, and caring human beings. I'm open to people, and if we get along, then I enjoy that. I'm letting my relationships be.
I guess what all of this emotional self-analysis boils down to is that I've become increasingly aware of the fact that my life is within my control. I know that seems obvious, but I've never considered it as a possibility before. I have the power to make choices that affect my life for the better. I can choose to let people show me how amazing they are as individuals, and I can choose to love people for their strengths and their flaws. I can choose to lead a fulfilling life; to take care of my responsibilities, and to pass on things that are not my responsibility. And I can choose to be happy. And I am. :)
<3 Emily
London is fantastic. What is not fantastic is my inability to stay out of pubs. Last night, for the first time since I've been here, I turned down a pub invite. I am not an alcoholic! But I've always hated sweaty house parties where not one person can see straight (except me, don't fret, Mom and Dad). All I've wanted is to have fun with people and talk. Since the bulk of my friends don't reach the magical age of 21 until at least March (if not May for Liz, the baby), being in a place where all of my friends can go to a bar and just hang out is really wonderful. But, I didn't go out last night or tonight, because I was tired and I knew I shouldn't. Look at me, I'm a grownup. Don't get me wrong, I'll grab a beer with Shaina tomorrow night. But everything in moderation, right? Even pubs and good conversation. Not that watching Never Been Kissed with Mackenzie wasn't a great substitute. Who knew that James Franco played some high school tool?
I think that being in London is really helping me reevaluate the way I form relationships. For most of my college career, being in Boston with Mitch and his friends was the only way I felt I could socialize with people my age in a constructive and enjoyable way. I think I was always envious of their friendship, because it was the kind of friendship I wanted. I wanted to listen to amazing music and play video games and drink together all night. I wanted to jump in the Charles, because why the hell not? And I wanted to be making music. But in idealizing their friendships, I ignored and devalued others, both potential friendships, and those I already had. I refused to form unique friendships and clung to ones that weren't functioning in a healthy way anymore, because I knew I wouldn't have the same relationships that Mitch and his friends had with one another. But I shouldn't, because I'm not them. I've stopped analyzing everyone's interactions like it's some equation to happiness. Only in the second half of last semester did I really start appreciating people who had been there the whole time, and who are incredible, supportive, and caring human beings. I'm open to people, and if we get along, then I enjoy that. I'm letting my relationships be.
I guess what all of this emotional self-analysis boils down to is that I've become increasingly aware of the fact that my life is within my control. I know that seems obvious, but I've never considered it as a possibility before. I have the power to make choices that affect my life for the better. I can choose to let people show me how amazing they are as individuals, and I can choose to love people for their strengths and their flaws. I can choose to lead a fulfilling life; to take care of my responsibilities, and to pass on things that are not my responsibility. And I can choose to be happy. And I am. :)
<3 Emily
Monday, 10 January 2011
Did you want me to change? Well I'd change for good.
So I finally have money for the first time in a week. Did you know that you can take money out of a bank account even if your debit card is still in the mail? "That's what we did in the olden days, Emily." Thanks, Dad. I felt stupid.
I had my first day of work today, and it was really great. It wasn't like they let me go early and bought me lunch, and I led a parade (obviously one of my great aspirations). It was just really good. I've spent the last two years of college frantically running from place to place. Most people have never seen me not out of breath (thank you, Spencer), and I never had time to do the very basic things: sleeping, eating, working out. I'm realizing that I just did it because I wanted to feel like I was actually doing something; accomplishing something tangible or fulfilling. At my internship today, I sent out mailings, and sat in three-hour meetings, but I didn't feel distracted or agitated. I'm playing a small but integral part in running a well-oiled machine, and I feel fulfilled.
I realized today that I've been making my life miserable for the past two years. I have the worst fear of missing out (fomo) of anyone I know. I participated in everything I (im)possibly could. I thought that if I missed out on something potentially fulfilling, it would be the end of the world as we know it (like the R.E.M. song in Independence Day). Now I've realized that a lot of it wasn't fulfilling at all because there was too much of it. At Clark, my planner was booked from nine am to midnight, and I always needed to get past the next week, but that's no way to live your life, and I'm done with it. I feel clear-headed and relaxed, and I'm loving everything. I guess I just needed a five thousand mile change to get it through my head.
It feels really nice to finally say this without all the pathetic Marcy Park subtext: I'm not all business.
<3 Emily
I had my first day of work today, and it was really great. It wasn't like they let me go early and bought me lunch, and I led a parade (obviously one of my great aspirations). It was just really good. I've spent the last two years of college frantically running from place to place. Most people have never seen me not out of breath (thank you, Spencer), and I never had time to do the very basic things: sleeping, eating, working out. I'm realizing that I just did it because I wanted to feel like I was actually doing something; accomplishing something tangible or fulfilling. At my internship today, I sent out mailings, and sat in three-hour meetings, but I didn't feel distracted or agitated. I'm playing a small but integral part in running a well-oiled machine, and I feel fulfilled.
My walk home from work is beautiful. I work in Covent Garden, and when I walk home at night, I pass through these cobblestone streets with impossibly perfect little cafes and shops, and tiny white lights everywhere. And while I walked today, I didn't travel at a furiously marching half-jog, looking around frantically to check if people noticed how ridiculous I looked. I listened to music. I didn't check the time because I knew that when I got home, Mackenzie and I would eventually go grocery shopping. At some point afterwards, I would make dinner, take a shower, and get my things ready for my first class tomorrow. I've done all that now, and I've been leisurely editing this entry for half an hour or so. Our third roommate with visa issues, Melanie, will be here soon. Tonight, I'm probably going to read, listen to music, and keep an eye on the rain.
I realized today that I've been making my life miserable for the past two years. I have the worst fear of missing out (fomo) of anyone I know. I participated in everything I (im)possibly could. I thought that if I missed out on something potentially fulfilling, it would be the end of the world as we know it (like the R.E.M. song in Independence Day). Now I've realized that a lot of it wasn't fulfilling at all because there was too much of it. At Clark, my planner was booked from nine am to midnight, and I always needed to get past the next week, but that's no way to live your life, and I'm done with it. I feel clear-headed and relaxed, and I'm loving everything. I guess I just needed a five thousand mile change to get it through my head.
It feels really nice to finally say this without all the pathetic Marcy Park subtext: I'm not all business.
<3 Emily
Thursday, 6 January 2011
How did I get here?
So, I bit the bullet and spent way too much time formatting a blog to tell people about my life while I'm in London this semester. I hope people read it! I haven't had a blog since my middle school experiences with the social disaster that LiveJournal was at that time, but since I've grown out of my braces and my inability to socialize constructively, I have high hopes for this endeavour.
My name is Emily Boyle. I'm a Theatre/Music major, class of '12, and I'm studying abroad at Birkbeck College (subset of The University of London) this semester. I was born in Massachusetts, but spent my entire cognitive life before college growing up in Southern California. People ask me why I keep going to places with generally low barometer readings for school, and honestly, I couldn't tell you.
This semester I'm taking three classes at Birkbeck: Modern Theatre and the London Stage, Shakespeare in London, and The Twentieth-Century British Novel. I'll also have an internship at Mousetrap Theatre Projects, which is a non-profit that facilitates inner-city kids going to see theatre productions. We also work with teachers to help them lead discussions about the productions with their students. I have my obligatory interview this afternoon, even though I've already functionally been hired. I haven't been on the tube yet, but due to faulty information about UK banking, I have no money for the next week. So I'm walking! In the rain... But it's not that far, and London is a beautiful city, and the more I walk, the more quickly I'll get to know my way around.
London has been interesting so far. I've been amazed at how quickly I feel at home here. Even though I'm unreasonably paranoid that I'll pull a Natalie Portman in Closer, look left before crossing, and get flattened by a truck, I feel comfortable. I've been running and grocery shopping, I've opened a bank account, and I've walked places by myself. And I've only been here for 48 hours. It's like I'm a grownup!
I guess the overwhelming feeling I'm experiencing is a feeling that I've already changed fundamentally as a person. Yesterday I realized that if I went back to Clark now, even having been in London for only a day, I wouldn't feel that I belonged. It feels similar to when I finished my gap year program and started my freshman year at Clark, which I could have anticipated. I've felt ready to graduate ever since I started college (living on your own and working at a job will give you that delusion), so I can't even imagine how much the feeling will intensify after this experience.
But it doesn't matter, because what I'm concerned with now is getting everything I possibly can out of this experience. I refuse to let this internship be unfulfilling like the others I've had. I'm determined to work and learn and grow and travel. And, if nothing else, I will find a way to make rainboots seem appropriate for an interview setting.
<3 Emily
My name is Emily Boyle. I'm a Theatre/Music major, class of '12, and I'm studying abroad at Birkbeck College (subset of The University of London) this semester. I was born in Massachusetts, but spent my entire cognitive life before college growing up in Southern California. People ask me why I keep going to places with generally low barometer readings for school, and honestly, I couldn't tell you.
This semester I'm taking three classes at Birkbeck: Modern Theatre and the London Stage, Shakespeare in London, and The Twentieth-Century British Novel. I'll also have an internship at Mousetrap Theatre Projects, which is a non-profit that facilitates inner-city kids going to see theatre productions. We also work with teachers to help them lead discussions about the productions with their students. I have my obligatory interview this afternoon, even though I've already functionally been hired. I haven't been on the tube yet, but due to faulty information about UK banking, I have no money for the next week. So I'm walking! In the rain... But it's not that far, and London is a beautiful city, and the more I walk, the more quickly I'll get to know my way around.
London has been interesting so far. I've been amazed at how quickly I feel at home here. Even though I'm unreasonably paranoid that I'll pull a Natalie Portman in Closer, look left before crossing, and get flattened by a truck, I feel comfortable. I've been running and grocery shopping, I've opened a bank account, and I've walked places by myself. And I've only been here for 48 hours. It's like I'm a grownup!
I guess the overwhelming feeling I'm experiencing is a feeling that I've already changed fundamentally as a person. Yesterday I realized that if I went back to Clark now, even having been in London for only a day, I wouldn't feel that I belonged. It feels similar to when I finished my gap year program and started my freshman year at Clark, which I could have anticipated. I've felt ready to graduate ever since I started college (living on your own and working at a job will give you that delusion), so I can't even imagine how much the feeling will intensify after this experience.
But it doesn't matter, because what I'm concerned with now is getting everything I possibly can out of this experience. I refuse to let this internship be unfulfilling like the others I've had. I'm determined to work and learn and grow and travel. And, if nothing else, I will find a way to make rainboots seem appropriate for an interview setting.
<3 Emily
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