I told you to be balanced

I've been here almost two weeks! I left two weeks ago today. That doesn't seem possible. Time is just slipping through my fingers (as it always does, but never ceases to shock with its intangible, and elusive qualities). December will be upon us before we can believe it and all you Minneapolitans out there will be anticipating an inevitable storm that will put you up to your earlobes in snow and welcome me home to the delights of Winter.

But right here, right now the weather continues to be perfect, idyllic even. It's 80 degrees and the sky is the brightest blue here in London. Everyone keeps telling me that this is abnormal and not to get used to it because there will probably be just as long a period of time where it's cloudy and rains most days. I'll acknowledge that when it happens, but for now I couldn't be happier with the sun.

Classes started here on Monday, but I started on Tuesday because I have Mondays off. My first class was 'Modernism'. The course convener (Professor) is a great lecturer and seems like a very nice person. I think this class is going to be very interesting and I'm really excited to see how it unfolds. I really feel this way about all of my classes which is such a relief, as it is every semester to find out that you made good choices from the brief online paragraph descriptions of courses. This is certainly not always the case. Following the lecture the class splits up into smaller groups to have their discussion section or 'seminar'. I enjoyed that as well. AND I learned a fun fact. We split into smaller groups to discuss some questions and when we'd finished that my other group members asked me about being American and how it is to be here, the standard questions. One of the guys asked if I lived on campus and I told him I did, in Varey House. He proceeded to tell me that during his one year University stint, Pete Doherty (of The Libertines, Kate Moss dating, and very publicly drug-addicted fame) stayed in this very building!

Tuesday night I went out with a group of friends and ordered my first legal drink; A shot of Southern Comfort and lemonade (per the suggestion of a friend). Anything alcoholic that doesn't taste particularly alcoholic is the way to go, in my incredibly limited experience. I didn't drink anymore than that because it was a school night and I'm a responsible adult after all. I did a bit of dancing and made it home at a responsible hour. Success.

On Wednesday I had my second class 'Architexts'. This class is about Freud, Nietzsche, and Marx and how these theorists influenced many aspects of how we interpret the world today. I know when mentioning those three one might think 'Oh Nietzsche/Freud/Marx, typical college class,' but it sounds like it will be very interesting and the professor, who is also my seminar leader, is wonderful. We spoke a bit after the seminar and she was so accommodating and helpful, which is really what I've found to be the norm so far. So great.

After class I walked to a post office I'd seen on the way to Sainsbury's. I got to the post office, weighed my letters, bought stamps, and sent them on their way. If you're reading this and we haven't corresponded about letter correspondence and you find yourself thinking 'I'd enjoy a letter from Tianna,' let me know and I would love to write you one. OR conversely, if you'd like to send me a letter (or anything else) my address can be found here (http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150282510981695).

I did some grocery shopping and turned in a form that is due by the seventh of October. I felt really adult, mailing letters, grocery shopping, turning in forms ahead of schedule. Clearly, I've done these things before, but not at this frequency and all on my own all the time like this. This is one of the things I was really hoping to get from this experience; a greater sense of independence and confidence in my ability to navigate the world. I've always felt like a pretty independent person but I've never pushed myself to this extreme. I've never been away from home this long. And the fact that I'm absolutely fine, happy, making friends, staying fed, sleeping (kind of) enough, budgeting, and just doing my own thing is very encouraging.

On Wednesday night I talked with a couple friends that I hadn't actually spoken to since a bit before I left. It was lovely to hear their voices and their news. It's amazing how connected I can be to most of the people in my life even though they are thousands of miles away. Skype, facebook, and cheap(ish) international phone plans are wonderful.

On Thursday I had my third class 'Shakespeare'. All of my other classes are level 5 or second year classes but this class is a level 6 or final year class. I was little apprehensive because there is a first year Shakespeare class that all the regular three year Queen Mary students take. This class also doesn't really have a lecture aspect to it, it's just a seminar.

(oh my goodness! The fire alarm just went off and I almost jumped out of my skin. Apparently they test it weekly. I'm sure I won't remember next week and my heart will practically pound out of my body.)

There are about 15 people in the class and the professor is great. I'm the only associate (one semester) student in the class, so he and I talked after class about how my assignments would be slightly different than the other students. He asked me how I was settling in, what other classes I'm taking, and told me that I would be totally fine even though I haven't taken the first year Shakespeare class.

I also went to the weekly farmer's market, which is literally right outside my door and got some local & organic lettuce, oyster mushrooms, orange peppers, strawberries, and apples. And a delectable almond croissant (not as good or deluxe as Turtle Bread's, of course).

There's a cinema about 8 blocks from campus that has much cheaper rates than many of the others in London. Last night Jess and I went there to see Drive. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I thought that the acting was spot on, especially Ryan Gosling. The soundtrack was also very fitting. And I always love to see Bryan Cranston I feel like he's underrated, but that's probably only because I don't watch Breaking Bad and am not a part of that fan community. I should probably watch that show if I love Bryan Cranston so much. Anyway, I really enjoyed it and it had been awhile since I'd been to a movie.

Something you may be happy or unhappy to note depending on how you look at it is, the completely and utterly unaware moviegoer is not unique to The States. There was a couple in front of us that came in late, took forever to find their seats, loudly. That, I can get over. But, then the intensity, volume, and sheer amount of time that it took them to eat their popcorn was incredible. I don't think I've ever heard noisier more, for lack of a better word, inconsiderate eating. It didn't help that there were a lot of quieter times in the film, sometimes a louder movie will drown out distractions such as these. And on top of that the woman took a phone call at a very crucial intense point in the action. Really? Fortunately a sassy Brit said 'Excuse me!' and the woman got off the phone. Still, really?

This morning I had my fourth and final class 'Seducing Narratives: The novel in the 18th Century', which is all about the origin of the novel. Again, the class was interesting and the teaching staff seem like they will be very helpful. I'm so glad that it seems I'm going to like my classes.

Now, I'm going to head to St. Paul's to visit the cathedral and then the Tate Modern Museum!