Monday was our first kitchen cleaning, so I rushed around after breakfast to make sure the counters were completely clear (my flatmates had done all the dishes and put them away Sunday evening), but I wanted to make sure all our kitchen towels, sponges, and dish soap was put away as well. When I double checked the list of things required, I also noticed our waste, mixed recycling, glass recycling, and food compost bins needed to be emptied. So, I quickly changed all the bags and took everything out to the waste and recycling store area next to our block.
Though it was a busy morning, I was still at the bus stop by 8:20 which should have been more than enough time to catch the bus and make it to class at 9:00. Well, naturally the bus was late. And then it sat at the bus stop with the doors closed for quite awhile. When we were finally let on the bus, we were warned not to sit on the back seats because something was leaking. As we were all getting on, another bus pulled up right behind it (which shows you how behind schedule we were!). So, instead of getting on with it, our driver had to stop at all the stops and tell the people waiting they should get on the next bus which was right behind us. When I finally got to my bus stop, I had to hobble as fast as I could to the psychology building (ever since I landed in Heathrow my right foot hurts when I've been walking a lot) and was still about five minutes late to class.
The rest of Monday proceeded fairly normally, until that evening when doing some homework. I could feel myself getting sick, but hoped I could make it through my first lecture and go to the campus health center during the break. No such luck.
On Tuesday at 1:00am I woke up to the utter certainty that I had a sinus infection. So, I emailed my first lecturer right away to tell him I would be missing at least part of the lecture. I also posted in our AFP Facebook group to ask if someone wouldn't mind sharing their notes. I made it to the health center about 9:00am where I was told the wait would be an hour. I played on my Kindle until the nurse practitioner called my name.
I fortified myself at breakfast with pomegranate tea for my throat and Spark for my brain. ;)
When I went back to the exam room I explained that I usually get 4-5 sinus infections a year and which usually go away with a 3-day course of azithromycin. The nurse looked at my ears and throat (but not my nose!) and launched into a lecture about how in the UK they don't give antibiotics until you've tried 7 days of decongestants, nasal rinses, and so on because The Microbiologists (she said this as if it were a proper noun) say so. I listened politely before letting loose my full sinus issue history including the sinus surgery, blah, blah, blah. I thought it was fairly polite and logical considering I wanted to say, "That's nice, but I'm not leaving this chair until I get a script for antibiotics." She decided that she could justify giving me a 7 day course of amoxicillin after all. I thought that was overkill, but wasn't going to argue. I took my prescription to Boots pharmacy in the city center (mostly because I knew it's location, and I wouldn't have to walk up any hills unlike the other pharmacy she told me about).
Saw a poster saying this at the Boots pharmacy counter. Was trying to find a subtle way to take a picture with a guy sitting right next to it when I noticed the leaflets I could grab. I had to control my giggling. My British friends do not seem to understand why this is funny.
On my way back to the psychology building to meet with my supervisor I saw this sign. I also found it amusing.
And this Red Bull mini Cooper. There was a careers fair at the exhibition center.
I met with my supervisor and discussed my only viable idea for my dissertation which I was informed is probably one of the most ambitious/difficult topics I could have chosen. Anyone surprised? Yeah, didn't think so.
Then I went to my Forensic and Generic Skills (FGS) lecture, where Jo had heard I was sick and asked if I was absolutely sure I didn't want to go home and sleep (all lectures are recorded). I figured since I was already in the building, I could probably handle two more hours of sitting. We discussed resilience as forensic practitioners. According to Jo's dietician friend, chocolate covered brazil nuts are one of the best things you can eat because the chocolate boosts all those feel-good chemicals and brazil nuts contain selenium for immune health. So, a registered dietician and a Ph.D. forensic psychology course director have given me permission to eat chocolate covered nuts. I'm good with that :)
After lectures I went home, laid in bed, and watched the new Downton Abbey and Dr. Who episodes.
On Wednesday I slept. And watched Netflix in bed. Exciting times! Oh, and I finished my RDS practical and quiz. I am scoring well on everything so far.
On Thursday there was more sleeping, Netflix watching, and some studying. Again, super exciting.
On Friday, I went to the RDS workshop where we covered the difference between partial correlations and semi-partial correlations because a lot of people had difficulty with that on the quiz. After the workshop I went to The Lounge in James College to review the case study and theory my Legal and Contextual Issues (LCI) group was using for our presentation at the LCI lecture this week. Then at 3:00 I met my group in Colleen's flat and we worked out our presentation. I'm presenting the Psychopath Personality Theory slide. I included a picture of The Joker from Dark Knight.
On my walk back to the bus stop, I was aware that last week's blog was short on pictures so I took a few more of campus. Here is a very British (polite) sign for Leslie. It says "Children, These trees are easily damaged, Please do not play on them"
I have not yet been to The Quiet Place, but hear it's nice. I guess there's a code you have to get from admin at Heslington Hall to get in. Sounds like a fabulous place to read a book.
The ducks have no fear. This fellow just looked at me like, "Napping here, do you mind?"
The squirrels however, are considerably more skittish (first time I've seen them, actually) and this little one was not thrilled that I stood near him for so long.
A sculpture near Heslington Hall. Appropriate for a campus where the buses have to break for geese. Seriously, sometimes the geese won't move off the road and the drivers have to honk at them while slowly inching forward.
The back of Heslington Hall
Saturday was very chill. I was feeling a lot better, so I studied and sent/answered emails. Around 3:00pm I made a trip to the west campus because I needed a couple of things from Nisa. As I came out I met this fellow who was having a stroll through the busiest part of campus.
As you can see, our neighbors in D1 frequently cannot be bothered to take their trash all the way to the dumpster and instead pile it up around the bin outside their door.
This was only 69p, so I decided some chocolate was in order. Yes, Kaitlin, I WILL send you some. Promise.
I missed church on Sunday because I was feeling incredibly nauseated and feared I had the stomach flu. Fortunately, it went away around 1:30 so I was able to attend the fireside with the Leeds Mission President that evening.
On the way to the church building I saw this bus. I may need to look into this.
And this shop. I had to laugh.
After the fireside, one of the members gave me a ride back to the train station so I could catch my bus without having to walk as far. The bus was double decker and became absolutely PACKED in short order. After I got home, I attempted to write up this blog post, but my computer was having none of it. It will be joining me on my trip to Leeds this Thursday so I can ask the staff at the Apple Store there if my computer happens to be one of the MacBook Pro's made in 2011 with the "self-immolating graphics cards". If it is, I'll have to get a quote on what it will cost me to replace the logic board because the graphics card is soldered to it. Yay (?) for following consumer blogs . . .
Following are some UK differences:
Public bathroom stalls are private. There are no awkward gaps. Get on this America. Seriously.
All outlets here have an on switch. It is very power efficient, but also frustrating when you are tired and forget to flip the switch when you plug in your dying phone before bed . . .
This was the poll the Constantine Committee posted on Facebook about the Halloween party plans. :)
I've been putting together my Amazon UK basket for when my student loan money actually makes it into my account. Looking for laundry soap that I'm not allergic to (seriously, why is everything scented here??) led me to this bargain on All Free-and-Clear mighty pacs. I'll have to look around in Leeds on Thursday.
There is also a Uni Swap Page on Facebook. Some of the things are truly useful, but I've yet to nab anything before someone else. Some are a bit mystifying. What student has this particular item in their budget?
Other thoughts/anecdotes:
-People use "whilst" in every day conversation. This makes me happy.
-One day while I was waiting for the bus, a girl with her shopping was standing there grabbing bits of lettuce out of her bag and snacking on them.
-There doesn't seem to be a standardized format for phone numbers.
I've seen all of these:
00000 000000
0000 000 0000
00000 000 000
00000 00 00 00
It can be a bit frustrating for someone who always learned other people's phone numbers in a predictable pattern. :/
- In the states a large vehicle reversing beeps loudly. Here I've heard everything from beeps, buzzing noises, the garbage truck that says "Attention. This vehicle is reversing" in a posh male voice, and the tow truck that says "Stand well clear. Vehicle reversing."
-It's funny to hear how differently some things are pronounced. Debbie enjoys this as a TESOL student (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) because she can learn American pronunciations. Last night President Pilkington pronounced Nicaragua as Nick-ah-rag-you-ah. It took me a minute to realize what he said.
That's all for this week. Next Sunday's blog is likely to be late/postponed as well. The International Students Association is making a trip to Oxford, and 25 quid for a ticket is a bargain. :D
No comments:
Post a Comment