Countdown to Summer

It's strange to think that it's been a whole year since we all left school. Seeing the photos of the current Year 13s' "last day" brings back many memories of my school times- both the good and the bad. This time last year we were feeling the pressure of IB exams, of university offers and the general pressures of just growing up... but thankfully we managed to survive it all (except maybe the growing up part). One year on and I'm finding myself yet again mid-exam season, however this time it's a little more chilled out with only 3 exams spaced out over 3 weeks, nothing like those 8 hours of Chemistry and Spanish I endured in one day during IB. I'm still perplexed by the fact that I didn't pass out by the time we got to Chem Paper 3. But I suppose it was worth it, in the end.

Exams in general tend to represent things coming to an end, and this year that is most definitely the case, maybe even more so that last year, in some ways. I have so many happy memories from my first year at university that the thought of it all coming to an end so quickly is incredibly bittersweet. Very soon we'll be moving out of our beloved Ramsay Hall, which has been a highly entertaining, eventful and generally homely home for the past 9 months, and although I'm really excited to move into a flat with my friends and potentially own a tortoise (the dream), I'm going to miss Ramsay and the people here so much. 

First year has been a whirlwind of new experiences and challenges, and I've grown and changed as a result of it all- I've learnt so much, from coding to plumbing (oh, the delights of engineering); but perhaps more than anything from the friends I've made and the people around me. I'm also now fully capable of navigating around Central London without a map (or an iPhone, as may be the case)- and also around UCL (which is probably just as difficult); I can survive tube strikes and I can cross roads without getting run over... which is definitely a useful life lesson.

We're not quite done yet, luckily, since we still have these exams to get through and then we have the BASc End-of-year Conference, but it now really is starting to feel like we're counting down the days until summer. I know everyone said Year 1 would fly past, but I never thought I'd be quite so sad to be leaving it behind. This time last year I had no idea what to expect from the future, and although that is still very much the case (some things never change!), I've realised that I'm very happy not knowing, since another thing I've learnt this year is that uncertainty brings with it the most wonderful surprises...

Exploring London

"When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford."

Samuel Johnson

I like going for spontaneous walks around London. These can range from late night strolls down Charlotte Street to get our fro-yo quick-fix to hour-long treks down to the Natural History Museum in Kensington. Wandering through London is like absolutely nothing else: there always seem to be new places to discover and new things to see, and I don't think I could ever get bored of the feeling that comes associated with it.

I'll admit that I probably spend the majority of my time in my little 'Bloomsbury Bubble'; which consists primarily of my halls, my university and Tottenham Court Road, which is conveniently located half-way between the former two. With much practice, I've now become an expert in crossing main roads without getting run over (it's a skill, honestly) and I can now make the whole journey between halls and Uni in a record timing of about 4 minutes. Undoubtedly the identifying landmark of this area is the BT Tower, which provides the "lights that will guide you home"- very literally, in fact. Coldplay actually met in my halls and it is said that this song lyric references the fact that Ramsay is very conveniently located at the foot of the BT Tower, thus providing a "guiding star" for drunken students coming home at 3am.

If I extend my bubble a little further, it also includes Oxford Street and Regents Park, two places which are both overwhelming in their own ways- the former due to the sheer volume of over-eager shoppers and the latter due to the amount of space that you just don't tend to expect in large cities. Oxford Street has become a definite no-go at week-ends, but for a quick mid week pick me up shopping trip it's very nicely situated only ten minutes from my halls; and Regents Park is very nice when I just need a break from the fast paced and hectic London life. I've played Ultimate Frisbee a few times there as well, which is a lot of fun and which I would definitely recommend if you get the chance.Both places are also rather good for name-dropping, if ever the opportunity arises.

There are many other parts of London that I've grown to love since being here. Soho is great for going out in the evenings and also for ice cream (the best is Amorino's, which, coincidentally, you can also find in Paris)- although do watch out as I did get my iPhone stolen in Soho (a distressing experience which made me realise how dependent we have all become on technology- something to leave for another post, maybe). Camden has also provided us with many fun times, perhaps the most memorable of which involved two of us struggling to walk up the high street with about 6 bags each filled with supplies for our corridor Christmas party. And then there's also Covent Garden, Leicester Square, Chinatown and the South Bank which I have always and will always continue to enjoy.

There are so many more parts of London I could write about, and even more which I've still not had the opportunity to visit yet, but I'm making it my mission, from now, to explore new parts of London at least once a week. I was given a fortune cookie on Chinese New Year, which told me "It's never too late to travel the world". I think that's probably right- think of the film Up (which is such an amazing film, just saying). But the truth is, you don't really need to travel the world to experience new and exciting things. Everything is out there right on your doorstep, it's just a matter of looking for it and taking advantage of it.  Before I experience the world, I want to experience home properly. Which is why, right now, I'm going to find a map of London, drop a pin on it, and go and visit the place that is falls on. 

"By seeing London, I have seen as much of life as the world can show."