I am in the middle of midterm season, which means little sightseeing and a lot of reading and writing papers.
I am eager to write one of my semester-long research papers, which includes investigating the role of social class in British society. One thing I have noticed while being in London is how British natives seemed to be obsessed with identifying and classifying everyone. Even saying the word “bathroom” in different ways can be an indication of your class, according to one of my professors–toilet (lower) loo (middle) and washroom or lavatory (upper).
Although I am happy to write some papers, overlapping due dates make it difficult to be too enthusiastic. Some weekends allow all sorts of time while others don’t seem to have enough for cramming. Here at NYU London, the majority of midterms consist 2000-2500 word essays. This can be both a blessing and a curse: you can work ahead for a paper and have more control over your grade, but professors tend to be stricter graders with out of class assignments.
The only thing that is keeping me motivated is that light at the end of the tunnel, also known as spring break. I am so excited for my mom and dad to visit London! We are spending the first half of the week sightseeing in London. The second half of the first week of spring break, we will hop on a small regional plane and make our way to Dublin! Luckily, NYU London gives 2 weeks off for spring break. The second week, I will be taking a day trip to Scotland with my roommate. Unfortunately, I have two papers due when I return, which means I must use the rest of my second week to get caught up on school work.
This week started off slow, but picked up a bit towards the end. I had a typical long Monday with 6 hours of history classes and 2 hours of a mandatory lecture. Tuesday I interned with Square Meal, where I got to go with my boss to interview a chef who has cooked meals for celebrities including the beautiful Becks himself! I really do love my editorial internship, and can definitely see myself working as an editor in the future for a lifestyle magazine.
Wednesday and Thursday were fairly typical days. Thursday night I went out with my friend Rocio to a pub and watched the football match amid avid fans. Friday was spent working on homework, napping, and working on more homework. After constantly reading and studying, my roommate and I decided to close our books Saturday and head to the Primrose area of London to visit the antique shops, corner bakery stores, and pubs this little town offered. Sunday was spent doing even more homework and napping.
I am so eager to explore more of London and the UK. Spring Break can’t come soon enough!