All aboard the struggle bus.

Soooo, I’ve been tossing and turning for a few hours now and I’ve decided that since I’ve run out of lives on candy crush I might as well do something instead of pretend to sleep. I think my five hour nap from 5-10pm might have effed up my sleep schedule a little. Life has been interesting lately, pretty much a continual struggle so I’ll give you some of the highlights.

First off we had a trip to Ireland (pictures coming soon, I’m going through those tomorrow during lecture). We all made it to London and were going to begin our first Ryanair experience, after completing the first test of getting to the airport (the girls I was traveling with had some serious bus troubles) . PRO TIP: you have to check in at the Ryanair counter before going through security, even if you checked in online and aren’t checking any luggage. Weelllll, none of us read the fine print and we were unaware of this requirement. After making it through security and waiting around to find out gate, we head over to board the plane when we’re informed (30 minutes before take off) we can’t board because we didn’t have our passports looked at earlier. So we ran through the airport, back out of security, to their desk, find no one, wait for someone, wait for someone else, get the stamp, run back through security, through the airport and by the grace of God we made it on the flight. Still not sure how we pulled that one off.

Our stay in Ireland was brief, but lovely. Everyone we encountered was incredibly friendly and went out of their way to help us when we were looking lost, like people came up and offered directions and one couple even took us to the restaurant we were trying to find. The night we got in we went to Temple Bar (the nightlife area of Dublin) and wondered around, found a few pubs&clubs that were a throw back (definitely danced to Mr. Brightside and Rolling on the River/Proud Mary). Then we had a lovely walking tour of Dublin and saw the likes of Dublin Castle, Trinity College, The Old Parliament House, and St. Stephen Green’s to name a few. The next day we split up and Emily and I went to Blarney and Cork while Tatum and Olivia visited the Clift’s of Moher. I loved our trip to Blarney and Cork, I kissed the Blarney stone so if you’re wondering why I’m so eloquent now days it’s most likely due to the ‘gift of the gab’ that was bestowed upon me.  Our last day in Dublin we visited Kilmainham Gaol, a former Dublin jail now used as a museum and backdrop for various movies (none of which I can remember, except that it was NOT Shawshank Redemption).

On my trip to Dublin I got sick and I’ve been fighting it since, I’m down to just a sore throat though so take that germs! For my next adventure I’m headed to Amsterdam, which I leave for on Thursday. Since Thanksgiving isn’t a thing here and England, I’m spending my holiday on a bus, HOLLLAAAA. Thats right, I can take a coach from Oxford to Amsterdam (with a pit stop in London; 28 hours round trip). Two tutorials to finish before I’m on my way, then I return to  three remaining papers; my illness put me behind as I was supposed to only have two papers when I returned but, c’est la vie.

In other news, Oxford lyfe is the strug lyfe. I’ve written over 75 pages/20,000 words so far this semester and I’ve come to terms with the fact that I do not wish to be an academic for my career. I’ll stick to working at finding a way to get paid to live: Kardashians, I’m looking at you.

Creepin’ as usual.

At the moment I’m siting in the Philosophy and Theology Faculty Library, waiting for my lecture to actually begin. I missed last weeks lecture, which was really the past two weeks lectures because she was making up 2nd weeks lecture then, and since I missed that lecture I missed the memo that this week’s lecture didn’t start until 3 rather than the usual time of 2. Joy. Would have been handy to know before I scarfed down my lunch and spilt my cappuccino all over myself trying to ride my bike here in time.

(you’re welcome, totes probs got srsly judged for taking that selfie #noshame).

Sitting in the libraries is one of my favourite and least favourite parts of Oxford. Least favourite, because it seems I spend to much time in them. Yet favourite because of the people, people watching is so interesting to do in the libraries and even lectures for that matter. The funniest part about it is everyone you see in these places, are affiliated with Oxford. They’re either Undergraduate/Postgraduate Students or Faculty, all doing research for some area of their careers (or browsing social media because even scholars need breaks).

I’m not sure what I expected the students of Oxford to look like, possibly rich and uppity like they walked of the set of Gossip Girl, or so nerdy and intelligent they only wear pocket protectors (non-ironiclly) and tacky sweater vests (I know I know, some sweater vests are cool, but the ones I’m talking about aren’t).

Regardless of what my predisposition’s were about the students here, they were wrong. Oh so terribly wrong. <— Rare feat., me ADMITTING DEFEAT.

Instead the students seem to be completely the opposite of what I expected. Look around and you can find, average stressed (hipster) students; someone knocked (i.e. asleep), their meagre attempt to catch up on sleep (osmosis works for humans and knowledge, right…?); someone with seriously impressive dreadlocks, lots of quality facial hair (keep it coming no-shave-November); “Black girls, white girls, skinny girls, fat girls, tall girls, small girls….”  sorry the fact that I was raised listening to Eminem kicks in a little strongly and sometimes I Just Lose It; and anyone and everyone in-between.

Regardless the diversity here is my favourite and its a great example to not judge a book by its cover: that person with tats, dreads, piercings, and black attire might just be a lawyer, doctor, physicist, nice person, teacher, salesperson, family member, ME (Lulz, i could never rock dreads), etc. one day.

That concludes today’s reminder of being a decent human being.

Cheers lovelies.

xoxo