It's beginning to hit me how quickly these days are going by already.
We were very lucky to get perfect weather today: warm, but not warm enough for a t-shirt. There was a perfect breeze that smelled fresh and sweet in an autumny way, and all the colors on the buildings and in the park were brighter than normal.
My morning was primarily spent getting ready for the afternoon, as well as sorting photos on my computer before I would have no time to do that anymore. We met up with the boys upstairs around 11:45- a solid hour before we were meant to be at BADA and met their fourth roommate, Charlie. It's nice to have friends this early in the program! On our walk over, we went further down Baker Street and found where the Sherlock Holmes museum and Beatles store both were. It's a very touristy road, but for good reason, in my opinion.
Regents Park brings me joy. I feel like a 12 year old walking through it, and I almost don't even like having conversations while walking through it- I want to take it all in all at once and not pay attention to anything else. One of these days, I'm going to find a place to lie down on the grass and stare up at the sky and the trees and just be there and be happy. Regents Park makes me unbelievably happy.
We got to BADA plenty early, and began to meet the other 36 students in the program (not including us 8). They served us a very nice lunch right about 1, and then we got an extensive Orientation- everything from housing details to getting our class schedules to how to treat the building to the lunch menu should we choose to buy lunch at school. This is going to be one absolutely packed semester, and I am going to be working very, very hard. I'm going to be very busy if I include all the places I want to see and things I want to do while I'm here in the UK. I will learn to be much more organized and diligent, which I probably need so I'm not complaining... yet. We dive straight in tomorrow and start sprinting straight away.
Ari, Bryn, and I were interested in the gyms around our area, so Ari and I took an adventure after the orientations to find the gyms and their rates. We found our best deal, though I'm still considering it- it's the rate for classes and the gym and a pool, and I probably can get by just going to Hyde Park. But I know Bryn and Ari like having the indoor area, and it's good for me to know in case I ever need an indoor place to go and work out!
Along the way though, we took the scenic route. It was such a gorgeous, scenic day that I dragged him through Regents Park until we got to the inner circle- Queen Mary's Gardens. The roses and the bridges and statues and creeks and flowers and birds... It's heaven. It's so beautiful and picturesque that it could be in a fairytale if it wanted to be. Plus, we found the outdoor theater! Unfortunately, the show happening is "Lord of the Flies" right now, and it's a tad pricey. I'm not sure I want to be creeped out of my skull for 40 pounds... yet. We'll see when I get to Woman in Black...
Then we walked down Baker St. again on the way back, and slipped into the Beatles store since it was still open! It's very touristy, and a lot of the stuff I feel like I might also be able to get online, but was still absolutely awesome. I got some postcards, and now I want to go to Liverpool just a tiny bit... We'll make it to Abbey Road itself sometime soon, no question. I can't come all the way out here and not be an ever so slightly annoying tourist in that respect.
Since I've gotten back, it's been dinner and getting ready for class and our housekeeping day tomorrow (tidying up so they can clean, mostly) and filling out my planner and Skyping my Mom. I'm really proud of Mom for finally having a Skype account! It's going to make talking to people back home much easier this semester, and I got to get caught up on news.
I need to get sleep tonight so I'll be all set tomorrow, but I might be too excited to sleep well. I need to get a newspaper and our bath mat and figure out how I'm going to see and do all I'm hoping to this semester, all while making sure I work super hard in my classes. Whew.
Fight on, friends.
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