The Weekend is Over Already!?

Now that the first week of classes are over and I actually have gotten enough sleep, I realize that I really like my schedule for second semester despite its busy-ness.

I am still taking Modernism and Critical Perspectives, since those classes run year-long.  I am really starting to enjoy Modernism even more because for some reason, more of my class is showing up to our seminars so there are more people who contribute, which is really nice.  Before, it seemed like it was just me and maybe 3 other people who would keep the conversation going...on a good day.  And if any of us weren't in the talking mood, the talking stopped, haha.  But now we have about 30 people attending, and about half contribute! Critical perspectives is still my hardest class, looking to only get harder, unfortunately.  But I will struggle through--in the end I hopefully will have learned what I wanted to get out of that class.  We'll see how it turns out.

But these two classes pale in comparison to my new fictional writing class.  It is technically at a 3rd year (that's technically senior year) level and I thought I may switch out of it if it was too much work to handle with my other two classes and internship.  But it is actually proving to be my favorite class of this whole year.  The course work for outside of class is relatively light, as we do a lot of writing, discussing, and brainstorming in class during our 2 hour a week lesson.  My professor is amazing.  He's extremely intelligent and says wonderful, punny, English-y things like "Let's edit these desks, shall we?" when he wants us to re-arrange ourselves into a version of the Lord's Supper table.  Everything we've read in class is new to me--no repeats of material for once!  And that is actually kind of refreshing.  I think it is because I've read many novels, but not as many short stories.  And the short story is the focus of this class (we are going to write one as our final assignment).  The structure of the class is really laid back and reminds me of an English class at Alma.  And I have yet to be bored.  In yesterday's class, we talked about characters and how to start thinking about how to develop a person in a story.  So try our hand at it he had us take half an hour to leave campus with the specific instructions to "find someone interesting and follow them". Yes, my professor effectively gave us permission to stalk a random person on the street in order to inspire our writing.  I really like having a creative writing class--modernism and critical perspectives keeps me almost too focused on academic writing and it kind of becomes more of a chore than an enjoyment, which I think is a shame because writing is supposed to be fun.  So this class is serving as my reminder that yes, writing is still fun. 

On Wednesdays and Thursdays, I work at A and B publishers for my internship.  I really like it there! It is a really small office, only 6 full-staff work there, all female, which gives the workplace a really interesting vibe--laid back and easy-going.  I work under Georgina Phipps, officially, she's in charge of most things editorial.  But I also help out wherever else I'm needed.  They don't have an intern desk or spot for me really, so I just bounce around to wherever is available, which I actually like a lot because it gives me an opportunity to talk to everyone on staff at least once during the day.  My first assignment was plopped down in front of me immediately when I got there--a 400 page manuscript.  It had gone through the initial proof-reading and my job was to do the second one, checking for grammar errors, typos, punctuation, etc., specifically formatting things.  The novel was published in American and now it is being re-released in London.  And formatting here is a bit different.  For example, single quotation marks are used instead of double around dialogue and double is used for a quote within a quote--backwards to the way we do it.  So learning the "new to me" grammar rules has been interesting.  And I really like the genre of books A and B publishes.  They aren't too intellectual, but they aren't your run-of-the-mill trashy novel either.  It is like the kind of book you'd feel good to bring on vacation with you--easy reads, good substance and characters and plot, but nothing too deep or philosophical.  They are relaxing with a cup of tea books.  And I'm glad I like them so much--reading a 400 page manuscript of a book I found boring would be terrible!

My only issue still left unsolves is the fact that I have two lectures that run at the same time...and be being brilliant and stubborn, decided that this would be okay.  And in theory, it will be okay.  The first lecture starts at 2, alternating between modernism and critical perspectives every other week and the second starts at 2:30 for my internship lecture.  At first I thought I could just not go to the internship one because its a powerpoint based lecture, an I could just teach it to myself through the notes.  But after reading the first set last week, that isn't the most realistic thing because if I ever have any questions, I won't be able to ask them.  Then I thought, I'd try to go to both, the beginning of one and the end of the other.  However, because they are one two different campuses 20 minutes apart, that makes it a bit more difficult, though technically if worse came to worst, still do-able.  And I'd rather not miss ALL my mod./crit. lectures because even though my friend Raj is in that lecture with me and is willing to share her notes, listening to the lectures for crit. are sometimes rather helpful for clarifications.  So, my plan is to talk to my internship lecture professor, get her advice.  She works with international students all the time, maybe she can come up with a solution. 

This past weekend was really nice.  I have Fridays off, so I finished all my homework that day to free up my weekend.  On Saturday, Callum and I went to the Tower of London and Tower Bridge, kind of just walking around.  The weather was relatively warm and not raining so we thought we'd take advantage of it.  Sunday was kind of my rest day--I slept a lot and caught up from jet-lag craziness.  So now I'm feeling back to normal again.  And periodically, throughout the weekend, I'd catch my flatmates in the kitchen, and we'd just sit and talk when we could, which is always relaxing.  I like sitting in our kitchen--it usually means food, tea, and friends, which is great combination.

The fire alarms in Marylebone hall have not forgotten us...the first one of this semester went off this morning at 9:30.  It's only been a week and half...I will never get used to these!  But aside from the noise intrusion, I'm all settled back in to life in London, which feels nice. :)

New Year, New Semester

I am now back in London, ready for second semester...or at least I think I'm ready for second semester.  In theory, I will have plenty of time for three classes and an internship.  I've planned, I've organized, I've prioritized...so hopefully all that prep will prove to be right!  Tomorrow starts what is going to be one of the longest weeks ever.  Why did I schedule my flight to arrive the morning before classes start?  I am going to be a jet-lag zombie!  But a smart jet-lag zombie, because I read the first 4 chapters of James Joyce's Ulysses and an article on the history of critical theory.  Somewhere in my sleepy brain is the capacity for greatness!!  Or at least comprehension of what we'll be discussing in classs tomorrow.  :)

My flight back was quite nice.  No one sat in the seat next to me, so I got to stretch out and capitalize on the extra pillow/blanket combo Delta supplies.  It was relatively quiet, despite the baby sitting two rows in front of me and a child that reminded me of Augustus Gloop from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. 

Callum met me at the airport.  It was nice to have a friendly familiar face to look this time around.  But the flight did take a little bit of a toll on me and my luggage.  Having just gotten over an ear infection, my ears couldn't "pop" like they normally do when you come down for the landing.  Though it didn't really hurt too much, when I spoke I sounded to myself like I was underwater.  But thankfully my ears have slowly returned back to normal pressure.  My luggage on the other hand...didn't fare so well.  Yes, my medium wheel-y suitcase has been through alot.  It suffered through a flight to Kansas for an alternative break where one of the "feet" began to get loose.  Then it came with me to Scotland, where it got lugged around from bus ride to bus ride as we toured, acquiring a few bruises and stains to the cloth covering.  Most recently that loose foot completely fell off in the middle Marylebone Road somewhere when I went home for Christmas.  Now, that bag has a cracked handle and a busted zipper seam.  Both my other two sizes of suitcases--all a part of the same set--are perfectly fine and durable.  But this one seems to have just plain bad luck! 

Now I am sitting in my room, all unpacked and ready for tomorrow, eating some spaghetti.  Though I do miss home still, it is nice to be back!