Kicking it into Gear

These past few weeks in Leeds I have felt like I am still on break. It has been a blur, surreal and just completely weird that I am in England...living. It has not been until this week that I have realized that I actually have school work I need to complete and responsibilities to tend to. I still have to apply for internships for this summer, have essays to write and above all things ARTWORK to complete! I'm coming to this realization slowly but surely. For example, I went to the library for the first time today. I checked out books and started to do research.

I was originally under the impression that I would just jump into my school work, do work for classes everyday and be just as productive and motivated as I have been at home. However, it has been a slow process of getting to that point. Its weird because this is not like me at all. I have found that its not because I don't care, it is because it has just taken me that much longer to adjust. I never thought this would be the case, but I am still trying to figure out my routine here. Some differences between school at home and here:

1. At home I have classes everyday and we have class time for each subject at least twice a week, but here I have all my classes on one day out of the week, and then every once in a while I have class on monday or wednesday

2. At home we have assignments and projects throughout the whole term to monitor our progress, here most of my classes I only have 2 assessments (1000 word essays) throughout the whole semester each worth 50 percent

3. In GD we have intensive studio time throughout the whole week, here we only have a 1 hour lecture and the rest is up to us

4. In GD at home we are very product based and have many projects completed by the end of the semester, but here we work on the same project all the way through and are very much graded on our process

5. At home a lot of the lectures are mandatory to attend and your attendance is kept track of, here the lectures are so big and there is no affect on your grade based on your attendance (or at least not in the classes I'm taking)

6. At home, passing is a 70%, here a 40% is passing and it is hard to get above a 70%

There are many more things I have noticed, but as you can see there is a lot to try and get used to. I am just now really starting to get a handle on things and have started to realize that while we don't have class multiple times a week, there are expectations of us, we just need to make our own goals and deadlines. We need to structure ourselves, our professors aren't going to do it for us.

I am enjoying this type of learning system so far, mainly because I am an independent person, so I like the independent system. However, you could easily get lost here and forget to get things done. Furthermore, you could easily go out 7 days a week, and sleep all day (but don't worry I have not gotten into that pattern). Besides the school system, everything is really amazing here. I am starting to figure out what I need to do here, adjusting to the fact that I am actually here and am learning how to get around. I even have started to participate in more of campus life. I have attended a few film society meetings, gone to a Bell Ringing meeting, and a wine society meeting! There is so much to be offered to students here and I am starting to feel comfortable enough to take advantage of it. The adjustment period is still continuing, but each day I feel just a little more apart of life here.

Day Trip Pictures

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND
















Posing with my Beatle friend, outside "The Cavern" where the Beatle's first played in Liverpool


















Albert Dock, the interior of the square where many of the tourist places including the Beatle's Museum and the Tate are located


















The Tate Liverpool Cafe wall, where we had a wonderful light lunch


YORK, ENGLAND

Diana (my Canadian friend) and me on top of the York Minster



York's main river Ouse



The York Castle

Been A While...

So it has been a while since my last post, but I have been busy trying to get used to classes, life, my new flat mates and getting over being sick (ugh...).

Give and take. I have learned that in life you can not always have everything that you want and while the grass may look greener on the other side, most likely it is not. It is just different. As some may know I have moved into a new residence, one for first years and undergraduate students versus postgraduates and mature students. Some of my main reasons were the travel time to get to campus from my old residence, and the quiet/atmosphere. I wanted to be able to walk to campus versus taking the bus, and I wanted to be with British people and really experience life on Leeds campus. So far, it has been everything that I wanted, friendly people who talk amongst themselves, cook dinner together and go out together. They have been kind and asked if I would like to be included in the festivities. However, while I find their socializing very kind, it can become quite frustratingly loud at times.

Take right now for example. In the flat either below me or above me or next to me there is a very loud party going on. Normally I would say oh well and possibly join in. However, I have been sick and would like some quiet time but I can't seem to find it even with ear plugs in. So in that sense the other residence was "better". But it is what it is, I will get used to this atmosphere but as a 21 year old surrounded by 18 year olds just ending their first year in college I find myself feeling old and a little bit less "fun" than them.

Being sick in a foreign country, that is a whole different issue. Now, I have realized I am only going on my third week here in England and I have found my survival skills have started to kick in. First of all, I needed to find food, ways of communication and a doctor. I have also learned that while I may want to be pampered and have my food brought in to me and tea be made, I have to do these things for myself. It is a harsh reality of course, realizing you don't have your mom there to take care of you. I have dealt with this in North Carolina as well, but at least there I had a car to drive myself places, knew the doctors and knew how to handle absences. Here I am starting a fresh. I have to walk or take public transportation to get to a supermarket and I still don't quite understand the system of how things work here.

It will all come in more time and I am learning. Figuring out ways to cope, sucking it up and doing the things that need to get done. It is all a part of the experience and I am finding it kind of exhilarating knowing that I really am more on my own here, even more so then when I started college.

Some things I've already started to become accustomed to.
1. Driving on the left side of the road (luckily I've had fewer run-ins with being hit)
2. The bus system (I've started to get on the correct bus now and look like less of a lost puppy)
3. Having classes meet only once a week (though while I'm used to that, I have yet to get used to what my expectations are for the class)
4. Using an electric kettle (so much faster than a teapot)
5. Calling it "take away" vs. "take-out"
6. Living with boys (at first a little weird, but not so bad anymore)

Some things I have yet to get used to.
1. The accents, I still have a hard time understanding some of the accents, especially the northern ones
2. Not wearing coats when you go out at night (I swear girls go out in mini-dresses and heels when its 20 out...some of my flat mates didn't even wear coats one night when it was snowing!)
3. People going out almost 7 days a week (in the states I can hardly do 2 without feeling like I'm behind in my coursework)

As I said earlier, things are different everywhere you turn. It is not meant to be better or worse. I am still just adjusting to life here in Leeds and each day I feel just a little bit less like a tourist and more like a student in England.

Classes and Life in Leeds

(The Parkinson Building, the equivalent to the Bell Tower on State's campus)


(the local cemetery on our campus, right behind my new residence)


Time, space and memory. This is the basis of my design class this semester at Leeds. I don't know how the term will go, but I already know its not what I expected. For the past year and a half I have been sitting on a computer trying to figure out what design means to me. I've tested the waters in InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop and Dreamweaver, and now its back to the drawing board for me as I am I asked to create work that is more what my Fine Arts classes in high school required. The class is split up into different categories, including: painting, sculpture, digital media (what I am in) and printmaking. We then have one hour of lecture time each week and the rest of the time it is up to us to find inspiration, discover materials/mediums and explore what the project means to us. There is no "required" studio time in the sense that you need to come say hi and touch base and then you are free to leave if you need/would like to. How different this is from design classes at home.

At NC State, we have a very structured system consisting of 5-6 projects a term and due throughout. Here, we are working on one project the whole time. Exploring the subject in depth and creating a piece with deeper meaning and a more thought out path. This excites me, but it also makes me nervous. I have never spent that much time working on one project, instead I am asked to go through the whole design process for an in depth piece in two- three weeks. Now I have the chance to explore and discover as I please and I just hope I don't let myself down. Already I'm starting to ask the questions:

"What is a memory?"
"Does a memory fade or become enhanced depending on a situation or and experience?"
"Are we really aware of time? Or is it more of an idea that we can never fully fathom?"
"How can you express the passing of time?"

And my list goes on. But what excites me most is how this project can so easily relate to some of the other courses I am taking. In my course called "Philosophy of the Mind" we will be exploring how humans minds work. Whether technology or a robot has a mind, could they ever have a mind? Do we really of a soul? Can our body and mind really be aware of death? Etc. Another course is "Philosophy of Religion" and another "Insights into Creativity, Innovation and Leadership". All of these courses are about how much you want to take from it. We are asked to read certain things, but we can also explore additional texts if we are interested. There are no daily or weekly assignments due, just 2 essays to be turned in. This gives us the opportunity to really become and independent learner and take our own education in our hands rather than being told what we should learn and when we should do it.

It is different, but it is also refreshing to have this kind of learning at the tip of my fingers. As for the rest of my life here at Leeds, things keep getting better. Today I will be moving out of my current residence (which is a 30-45 minute commute to campus) and into a residence on campus. I am very excited about this move because I will be closer to university of life and have more access to all that Leeds has to offer!

I have also enjoyed a few nights out on the town, exploring the pub scene and getting to know a few of the locals as well as my new international friends. As each day passes, I can't be thinking more about how this is an experience that everyone should take. Because already it has helped me find my passion for learning again, explore my interest in different cultures and provide me with the opportunity to travel. So until next time! Cheers!

Slang/Culture Shock

So I have started to get the hang of things here in Leeds. I have met more people, started to figure out the bus system and tried to work through the academic system. However, there is still quite a bit to get used to. First of all there is the slang. I mentioned some of these things in my past post, but as I continue to speak with the English, I notice more and more that I have a hard time understanding their accent as well as their slang. Such as "cheers" to either say "goodbye" or "thanks". Another word I found interesting was the use of the word "love". As I was trying to figure out which bus I needed and where it went, the men I asked would say "oh you need to be other at that stop love" or "this is your stop love". It was fairly funny and something that I'm sure only sounds good with a British accent. You know if an American man said that we would think he was being creepy. Also, I've been encouraged by the English to start using these words, but I find whenever I say words particular to England I want to say them in a British accent and then I just feel like a phony or I smile/laugh wondering if anyone noticed what I just said.

As for culture shock, right now I'm just trying to get used to what people wear, what college kids do to have fun and how to work through the academic system. More and more I am confused by the outfits of people here in England. On friday night me and a group of exchange/Leeds students went out to a few pubs/clubs and we kept seeing women dressed in very short, skimpy dresses with heels and NO COAT! And its probably 2 degrees Celsius (30 degrees Fahrenheit) and windy! And guys are wearing jeans and t-shirts. I mean they look nice and all, but really! I was freezing and I had on a long sleeve shirt and a winter coat. Also, as for what people do here....well, they drink. And I mean this in all seriousness. Sure, they have movie theaters and sports facilities but they all drink. A few girls and I were looking for a low key night to go to a coffee shop and chill, but all we could find were pubs and bars. I'm wondering how this will work out, especially on my pocket. I've asked some Leeds students and a few mention they may have a beer rather than a meal...but I'm not so sure if I can do that.

Another thing I'll mention is the academics. I have already found its much more independent and I haven't even begun classes yet! Many of the classes don't have any assignments throughout the term, but only have the final exam which is worth 100% of your grade. So your expected to just keep

(this is my "timetable" aka schedule as of right now)

up with the readings throughout. I also just found out that first years can take any classes they want and do as well or poorly as they like because none of their classes that first year count towards their degree! Lastly, is scheduling. Each week you have to look up your schedule because each week it may be different. You may have a lecture one week, a "tutorial" another and maybe nothing for a class the next week. Its very hard for me to figure out which classes will work with my current classes because I can't decide if the schedules clash or not. And if they do, there's no way of really knowing until you've been accepted into the course and then you get an e-mail saying you have a "timetable conflict". I could probably go on a lot more about this little dilemma, but I think you get the gist.

Right now, I'm headed to bed, but I'll be back to fill you all in on my day trip to York and hopefully to have some pictures (because I have yet to really take any!...sorry!). Cheers!

Here in Leeds

It feels so surreal to know that just 48 hours ago I was in a totally different continent. I was at home talking with my parents, petting my dog and cats and driving to the store. I am now in a flat with grad students who stay to themselves, trying to find the cheapest food available and walking 30 minutes to get to campus. It is a big change. I knew this all along, anticipated it and even tried to prepare myself, but its so different now that I'm actually here and experiencing it.
From the moment I stepped out of the plane in Leeds my experience began. First of all, even though they speak English here, half the time I can't understand what they're saying or the slang they use. Such as "cheers", "topping off my mobile" and the "hash button". Secondly, I have learned very quickly that if you want to get anything productive done it better between 9 am - 12 and 1 pm and 5 pm. If you're outside of those times, either no one's in their office or they're gone for the day. For example, the taxi dropped me and my bags off at my residence hall, only to find that the warden that checks people in was not there and wouldn't be back until 5 that evening. So I waited outside the building not knowing what to do, and was without a phone to call anyone. Furthermore, I had no idea where I was and was sure I wouldn't be lugging my 3 suitcases around with me to figure it out (especially not after 12+ hours of traveling). Luckily, I have learned you just have to strike up a conversation and you'll probably be better off than before. So, lucky for me I asked the next person who left the building to hold the door, and low-and-behold, he asked what was wrong, offered me a place to put my luggage, lent me his extra "mobile", and was my tour guide and guardian for the rest of the day. It was probably the nicest thing that has happened to me so far, and at a time when I needed it the most.
From there, things have become just a little less hectic, but I have learned that its every man for himself here. You won't get much help if you ask for it from the locals, and when you do ask you probably won't get a detailed answer (or good directions). However, don't get me wrong, I am already enjoying myself. I have met Germans, Australians, fellow Americans, Africans, someone from Denmark, Holland, and the list goes on. It is a huge melting pot here and I'm loving that! So stay tuned as I share my adventures about this place called Leeds, England. It has already turned out to be an interesting one!

One Week Away!

So I'm leaving for England in one week and I'm getting very anxious!  I wish I could just jump on the plane and GO!  But just like many other times in life, I have to wait.  However, its not so bad, I'm reading books about England, finishing up my website and spending some time with my family and friends here in St. Louis (which rarely happens anymore).  

It was actually pretty funny, the other day when my mom and I were shopping at the Galleria, we stopped into "Sephora" and inside was a newswoman.  She asked me if I would mind doing an interview with her and while I wasn't too fond of the idea I thought why not.  It was about a new drug that could be used to help thicken and lengthen eyelashes.  I'm not a huge make-up wearer, nor am I very fond of excess spending on beauty products (especially medical ones), so I don't think I gave the answers the drug company may have preferred, but oh well, I had my 20 seconds of fame on the St. Louis news.  

I've also been trying to get used to the cold weather again.  After being in Costa Rica with my family for a week, I've been spoiled with 80 degree weather and warm nights.  But its back to the cold and each day it keeps getting just a little bit colder and its supposed to be 0 here soon....no fun.  I'm a big believer in if its going to be cold there might as well be snow on the ground!  But its just one other preparation for the cold weather in England I suppose and its probably just as well.