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Published: October 2nd 2006
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The Roommates
Cate, Liz and I on our way out... In light of the fact that I have officially been in Oxford for one month, I decide to reflect on this experience so far. Admittedly, I haven't done as much educational work as I should or could have, but I've still learned a lot. We have an enormous essay exam on Thursday that I am only beginning to worry about. Sure, I could have been reading and preparing for this all month...but then this month wouldn't have happened the way it did. I'll prepare this week. When have I ever truly let myself down when it comes to school? Honestly, I always get my work done...but in Oxford, I'm learning to be free at the same time.
I was quoted saying "Free time scares me" this summer, and it used to be true. I didn't know what to do with myself when the opportunity for free time arose. There was always
something I could be doing. I worked TV watching and hanging out with friends into my schedule. But here....here is different. I'm not consumed by school or work or any real form of responsibility. That is not to say I am irresponsible, I simply have no responsibilities except to
Amazing Faces
Karina, Sean and I just being ridiculous...as usual. I'm not sure Karina or Sean can take a normal picture. pass my classes and learn something this term. I don't like the medieval and renaissance times, and yet I will spend all my educational time here learning about that. I might be a smart girl, but somehow I missed the fact that all my classes would be focused on this time period when I applied to the Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies...oops.
Anyways, I'm dealing with the classes. I might not like learning about monks, crusades and knights, but I suppose I have to. Tutorials start in a week, which means I can focus on some great books, Shakespeare and the European witches. I think that will get me more excited for school. I meet my tutors (gosh I hate that word!) this week and set up my schedule for the term. I'm really looking forward to trying not to have classes on Mondays so I can travel. That would be sweet.
Okay, so, the point of this was to talk about my abudance of free time and lack of real responsibility. Some of my friends from back home think I've changed...that I'm a little crazy and not the Megan they are used to. And to that
The Guys
It's the guys...Jose, John Paul, Travis and Sean...just being themselves. I say that I've always had this craziness in me, but never the opportunity to let it all out of me. I think that after years of following the rules and always doing the right thing, I'm letting my hair down and enjoying myself. That, of course, is not to say that I haven't been enjoying myself...it's just saying that I haven't fully embraced college life. Being in Oxford has made me realize what I've been missing. Maybe not missing...what I've ignored.
Back at Saint Mary's, I never went out. I always seemed to stay in my room unless someone invited me somewhere. Here, my roommates and I seem to be the ones who make the plans. We lead the group out to the Purple Turtle on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night. Did you know that we are officially regulars there? The bouncers do not card us. On Friday night, a new bouncer tried to card six of us girls, and one of our bouncer friends yelled at him for doing so. He told the new bouncer not to card us because we are regulars. Then he smiled at us and told us to have a good time. While
Some of the Girls
Me, Ashley, Kate and Lindsay in an attempt to take a picture of ourselves. we're inside, the bouncers talk to us and ask us how we are doing. And the DJs love us because we'll pretty much dance to anything and we tell them when we don't like the music. THEY KNOW US. And the guy that I think owns Kebab Kid, where we usually end up getting food after dancing all night...well he knows us as the only Americans who ever order garlic sauce instead of ketchup on our chicken kebab. He told us this evening that we should try something knew and he started suggesting all sorts of items, since he knows our tastes so well. He even gives us free chips (fries)! I mean really, when in California have I ever been a true regular somewhere? Starbucks? Hardly...sure I knew people that worked there. But I knew them because they were my friends...that happened to work at Starbucks. But here we've just found places we like and go there often and people remember us. Last night, we went to Goose for a drink, and the bouncer remembered Vicky and I because we are from California..."his dream" place. We might just be a few students out of many, many people, but we're
Happy Girls
And here we are at the end of the night, sitting on the steps of the Odeon movie theatre having just inhaled our chicken kebab from Kebab Kid across the way. Liz, Mandy and I are three very happy girls. :) memorable and I love that.
I love being able to walk around here...walk everywhere. It's refreshing. I also love being able to legally buy alcohol. It's okay to have a drink when you go out to dinner. I don't have to sneak sips of my parent's drink or feel wierd when I want to have something alcoholic because it tastes good. I don't have to drink to get drunk or anything, but if I wanted to, it would be okay here. We met some "freshers" (aka freshman) who thought it was absolutely appauling that you have to be 21 to drink in the States. We agreed wholeheartedly. It'll be a weird nine months when I return home as a lowly 20 year old, especially as all of my friends start turning 21. It'll be weird to be back in the States where drinking is so taboo sometimes. Here it is so natural, so accepted...almost encouraged. I live in a dorm setting where no one cares if we drink because are all of the legal drinking age.
And now here are some more fun pictures from our Purple Turtle dancing extravaganza on Thursday night. We got so many CMRS students out...we OWNED the Purple Turtle. It was amazing!!! I hope you enjoy some of the ridiculous pictures...we have so much fun with my camera, considering we took 165 pictures in a span of about 4-5 hours. 😊 Yup, pretty amazing!
Until next time...farewell!
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