Hi Her Campus Readers,
The influx of Facebook statuses about Istanbul, China and Ireland is making me restless. Why? Because, here I am, writing a blog post for Ole Abroad..on my bed… in Eagan, Minnesota.
I was on campus last week when I ran into Vice President of student life, Greg Kneser, who was rather surprised to see me amidst all the Oles enjoying the hill. After a short conversation during which I reminded him that the UK doesn’t drown their students with scholarly literature until October, he said, “You know Apoorva, in a week, you’re going to be in your dorm room which was built in the 13th or 14th century. And long back two roommates were probably laying in bed chatting about how Christopher Columbus just sailed the ocean blue.”
That’s when it hit me. I was leaving for Oxford in less than a week and I still have plenty of America left to enjoy. Amidst packing and other tedious errands, I made a list of things I’m going to miss…and what I’m most excited about.
What I will miss:
The dollar: The exchange rate is $1=.60169 Pounds. That’s bad for me.
Elections: The only compensation is that apparently, them British throw a huge party in honor of the US elections.
Pizza: I regularly indulge in Dominoes, Papa Johns and the Pause as my comfort foods.
Fall: Halloween is by far the most fun holiday. Too bad I won’t be celebrating it this year.
What I’m most excited about:
British accents: I secretly find myself talking in a British accent to determine how feasible it would be to actually pick it up for a few words (Not a secret anymore).
Harry Potter: Half of the scenes in the movie are filmed at Oxford. I’m beyond excited to visit every Oxford setting the movies used.
The libraries: It’s difficult to compete with the Olaf’s reference room at 2:00 A.M., but word has it that Oxford’s libraries aren’t too shabby.
An adventure: All my life, I’ve wanted to travel to Europe and make my own adventure. This is it. It will be scary living alone and having to do “Week one” again, but I can’t wait to make the most of it.
Next week, I’ll thankfully be writing from my study bedroom at Oxford (yes thats what they call ’em).
*Apoorva Pasricha ’14 is studying abroad for the year at the University of Oxford in England