Suddenly I have found myself in America post-Christmas, post-17 hours of travel, & post-London. I've already eaten too many cookies for the holiday season and still have refused to do laundry even though my open suitcase has been sitting in the den in my house for about a week. Out of sight, out of mind?
For weeks I have been trying to write blog posts dedicated to all the fun things I did before my time in London ended: I spent my Thanksgiving day in Brussels eating Waffles before having a homecooked Thanksgiving meal in the Netherlands, I celebrated my 20th birthday for an entire week, I went to my first awards show, and I filled my spare time with as much of London as I could. There's a million little things I could have written at least 5 blog posts about, but for some reason I couldn't bring myself to do it.
Though I'll probably talk your ear off if you ask me to (and trust me, you'll only have to ask once) London feels like such a personal experience to me now that I always worry I'm going to do it an injustice. So, instead of a minute by minute update of what I have been doing for the past 4 weeks, today I come bearing a list that was written at the island in my kitchen--arguably one of my other favorite places in the world-- to answer that pesky little question that no study abroad student can avoid: "How was London?"
Since Going To London I have...
- Realized that I want to live in a city
- Been inspired to toss out my wardrobe completely & build from scratch. Starting with coats.
- Learned that British women do. not. look. wet. Ever. In the most torrential of downpours, they still look perfectly put together.
- Found three favorite coffee shops & one favorite park
- Realized that green grass directly translates into one of my happy places
- Found a part of the city that is mine.
- Started saying the words "lovely" "toilet" & "nice" in every day life
- Hoarded more postcards than any one person needs. And have only mailed out a few
- Been inspired to be creative more than I have in my entire life
- Discovered a new love of velvet, fuzzy sweaters & white converse low tops
- Learned that I hate grocery shopping more than I thought I did
- Met two celebrities, seen tens more, was tricked by one, and constantly was 15 minutes away from at least 3
- Been to two very important concerts
- Learned that both tweens and toddlers in London are/look cooler than I ever will
- Found independence
- Developed a super crush on Paris and a baby crush on Brighton
- Become a morning person
- Gotten sick with the travel bug
- Found a home in museums
- Mastered a form of public transportation
- Solidified my opinion that nothing and no one will ever be more important than one's group of girl friends
- Actually, solidified my opinion that girls are the freaking best
- Eaten more new food than I ever have (extra spicy curry & baby squid? bring it)
- Cut my hair how I've wanted to for months
- Missed my coffee pot
- Made friends from all over the world
- Learned that night clubs are not my cup of tea
- And also that tea actually is my cup of tea
- Made plans to go back ASAP
And much, much more that my minuscule memory can't come up with right now. I've left London (though it doesn't feel like it yet) full, happy, & inspired, which is the most I could ask from any place.
For weeks I have been trying to write blog posts dedicated to all the fun things I did before my time in London ended: I spent my Thanksgiving day in Brussels eating Waffles before having a homecooked Thanksgiving meal in the Netherlands, I celebrated my 20th birthday for an entire week, I went to my first awards show, and I filled my spare time with as much of London as I could. There's a million little things I could have written at least 5 blog posts about, but for some reason I couldn't bring myself to do it.
Though I'll probably talk your ear off if you ask me to (and trust me, you'll only have to ask once) London feels like such a personal experience to me now that I always worry I'm going to do it an injustice. So, instead of a minute by minute update of what I have been doing for the past 4 weeks, today I come bearing a list that was written at the island in my kitchen--arguably one of my other favorite places in the world-- to answer that pesky little question that no study abroad student can avoid: "How was London?"
Since Going To London I have...
- Realized that I want to live in a city
- Been inspired to toss out my wardrobe completely & build from scratch. Starting with coats.
- Learned that British women do. not. look. wet. Ever. In the most torrential of downpours, they still look perfectly put together.
- Found three favorite coffee shops & one favorite park
- Realized that green grass directly translates into one of my happy places
- Found a part of the city that is mine.
- Started saying the words "lovely" "toilet" & "nice" in every day life
- Hoarded more postcards than any one person needs. And have only mailed out a few
- Been inspired to be creative more than I have in my entire life
- Discovered a new love of velvet, fuzzy sweaters & white converse low tops
- Learned that I hate grocery shopping more than I thought I did
- Met two celebrities, seen tens more, was tricked by one, and constantly was 15 minutes away from at least 3
- Been to two very important concerts
- Learned that both tweens and toddlers in London are/look cooler than I ever will
- Found independence
- Developed a super crush on Paris and a baby crush on Brighton
- Become a morning person
- Gotten sick with the travel bug
- Found a home in museums
- Mastered a form of public transportation
- Solidified my opinion that nothing and no one will ever be more important than one's group of girl friends
- Actually, solidified my opinion that girls are the freaking best
- Eaten more new food than I ever have (extra spicy curry & baby squid? bring it)
- Cut my hair how I've wanted to for months
- Missed my coffee pot
- Made friends from all over the world
- Learned that night clubs are not my cup of tea
- And also that tea actually is my cup of tea
- Made plans to go back ASAP
And much, much more that my minuscule memory can't come up with right now. I've left London (though it doesn't feel like it yet) full, happy, & inspired, which is the most I could ask from any place.