Fresher's Week

I've remembered, I don't like Freshmen....

Excuse me, here they are Freshers...

With my first exam looming next week, I really haven't participated in any Fresher Events. Instead I hide creepily in my room attempting to convince myself that I should study more.

I did, however, go to the Society Fair (aka Club/Organization Fair). And what an interesting time.

This thing is massive. It takes up several buildings and a tent in the courtyard. Several buildings includes one of the campus bars (because I keep forgetting that the drinking age is different here), a gymnasium type room, several rooms that are included with the buildings that about class room sized. I think in total there were 8 rooms all cram packed with tables and students and the only way in and out of these rooms was trying to squeeze through doorways and hallways with Freshers who have that wide-eyed-first-time-away-from-home look on their faces.

They also lined the entry way to the building outside. This place was packed. When you walk in they hand you a list of all the societies and a sheet to stick bar codes to it. You see, when you join a society here, you pay a membership fee which then allows you access to all of their meetings and things. Its usually nothing much- 3-6 pounds were what the tables I talked to said.

I haven't officially joined any societies yet (what with my current 9-5 schedule of classes) but I did get a little excited over the knitting society (because I'm lame I know but can use their stuff and not have to mail any of mine) and the Chocolate Scociety (because for 4 pounds you can chocolate all year... what a temptation...). And of course I was forcibly given a pen by the business society who then tried to convince me to join with free pizza and  fliers from most every dancing society there and the paintball society (I swear to you I think dressed a little more girly that day so I'm not sure what made them think I was a good candidate to just hand it to...).

But considering that this entire place was packed full of Freshers I had to push my way through more than a few crowds. On several occasions I had Freshers run into me, try to apologize to my stomach and then push past me (obviously frantic that all the good societies wouldn't allow them to join...). I diagrammed it out for clarification.

 

In case there was any confusion, I put a blonde curly wig on the one that is me.

So after being stuck here for approximately 20 mins I wanted to stand in the midst of the crowded fair and yell about how annoying Freshers are which would have resulted in people thinking A) Where is this chick from because she talks funny? and B) Why is she at a FRESHER Fair?? I realized I needed a break and went to Subway for lunch (because they have those here). It is very strange to try and order something from them because I had to slow my order down because I'm so used to rattling off my bread order that I forgot that the people who work behind the counters have as much difficulty understanding me as I do them. I'd also like to warn anyone traveling to the UK that in Subway, you have 2 options concerning cheese: either you have it or you don't. There is only one type (and it kinda looked like American cheese I think which does not make any sense to me... If you don't get think about it...) And they don't have anywhere near the amount of options a traditional US Subway has for meats and "Salad". And for some reason these crazy people do not sell plain chips that are not Nacho, Sour Cream, or Vinegar flavored (..... just want tortilla chips that are not saturated in some tacky flavor thanks!!)

After lunch I finished what was left of the Fresher Fair and then went to the Ballroom dancing taster. The Ballroom dancing society had a mini class to just come and try out some beginner steps. We did cha cha , ballroom tango, and the waltz and it was the highlight of my day. Unfortunately, I don't think I will be able to go to too many classes (beginners is at 5:30 when most days I'm not back to my flat until at least 5:40 thanks to being so far away from campus) but it was fun. Last night I also went to the wind band taster and realized half way through the first song that I'd played it before and still couldn't play it now (especially not at tempo). I'm not sure if they're the band for me because the conductor makes me want to throw something at her from where I was sitting three rows back (I've apparently been spoiled by 2 very good conductors who give me a measure or two of the tempo rather than "Ok, 1, 2, Go!!!"). Also, curiously, they have a 10 minute wine break half way through practice (which lasted 2.5 hours), and for some reason during the second half the horn and percussion players were singing along with one of the songs with their arms around each other.

Well, now that I have to send Dr. Foster a Facebook Message saying that I wish I was still in Symphonic Band for the organization and excellent conducting.... That won't help his ego or anything...

I also had a fun time trying to find something Maple Syrup like in a store. I found something that is similar or you'll have to pay 6 pounds for a small bottle of the real stuff (because they do not allow anything slightly fake here ex-being Hershey Chocolate. I literally have people asking me if the chocolate here tastes any better than the stuff back home and I usually tell them "No and it's cheaper there..." which doesn't make sense to me because they obviously mix stuff into their meat because it tastes like bread/stuffing...)