Last night in Block D

Today was very bittersweet! It was my very last night staying at UEA, tomorrow my Aunt is picking me up & for the rest of my trip I will be spending time with my family. We have some pretty fun things planned, but I was sad to be leaving the friends that I made here behind!

Speaking of said friends, they are pretty sweet. They made my last evening here very enjoyable! Sofia & Ashley whipped out their mad cooking skills, & made me a delicious dinner consisting of "Sofia's magical chicken," rice, & some delicious potatoes.

Following dinner, Sofia, Ashley, & I watched the best movie in the history of the world - TANGLED & enjoyed some lovely strawberry jelly (jell-o) that the girls made for me :) they're wonderful :)

THE ONLY WAY IS ESSEX :)

On UEA's campus there is a kind of "club" called the LCR, & every Tuesday they have theme nights. Being my last Tuesday actually on campus, & not having attended the LCR for the duration of my stay thus far, I decided that "The Only Way is Essex" night was going to be my first (& only) LCR experience. The Only Way is Essex is a reality TV show here in England, not different from Jersey Shore at home. So my friends & I dressed up & covered ourselves in fake tan & eyeliner & went out & had a wonderful time! The LCR was way more fun than I had expected, & I wish that I had gone out more while I was here!

Here are a few pictures of my amazing evening out with friends :)

Ambushed by creepers.

HIGHLIGHT OF MY TRIP THUS FAR...

Oh yes. That is exactly what you think it is.

Don't worry, I'm catching the next train ♥

The Globe

On Wednesday afternoon, I had my first visit to Shakespeare's famous Globe theatre. Initially, I was not too thrilled about this experience. Throughout my high school career I was forced to read Romeo & Juliet, Julius Caesar, & Hamlet. & while I totally respect that Shakespeare was an awesome playwright, I can't say I always enjoy attempting to decipher reading his works. Also, he seemed to dwell on death & destruction a bit too much for me, & I wasn't looking forward to standing amongst the other "groundlings" for hours watching actors cry "Alas! I am slain!"

I woke that morning feeling dreadfully ill & not wanting to leave my comfy bed, let alone the city, but I pulled myself up by the boot straps & got going. Arrived at Embankment about half an hour late due to the fact that I never wrote down my Grandmother's & meeting place & then booked it across London in an attempt to make it to the show in time (& hopefully find a place where I could almost see the stage!). Fortunately, Wednesday afternoons are not prime Shakespeare viewing times, so we found a prime place to stand a good five minutes before the show actually began.

We went to go see All's Well that Ends Well, one of Shakespeare's plays that I knew nothing about & had somehow forgotten to read up on. However, after a quick skim of the program, I felt prepared enough to (attempt) to watch and understand the play. To my surprise, I had a really great time & really enjoyed it! Because it was a comedy, it was much lighter material than the rest of Shakespeare's plays I had read through, & the actors did a great job making the story hysterical. There was singing & dancing, & the time flew right by. & the theatre, of course, was absolutely beautiful. I can now say I have a much greater appreciation for our dear William!

Following the play, Grandma & I ate at a little pizza place on the river. It was delicious, though possibly not the most nutritious meal I've ever come across.

I can't believe this is it & it's almost time to go home. I still haven't done everything that I wanted, but I know that I have plenty of time to go back, & I can't wait to get home to see everyone! :)

My boring life.

It took me about five tries to get a title for this particular blog entry, & I'm not exactly sure why I am writing it. As of late, my life has been depressingly boring. I kind of sit around, drink coffee, & watch obscene amounts of television. & as a result of all the season finales airing last week (aside from my lovely 16 & Pregnant), I now have begun to run out of even that kind of entertainment. Drastic times call for drastic measures, & as a result, I have recently gone on an iTunes shopping binge. It's like an addiction. I need a support group. I've spent well over twenty dollars on episodes of Castle & Bones (simply because I need a little Beckett-Castle & Bones-Booth romance, as if the season finales weren't good enough... & they were, so I bought them too).

LIFE

COMPLETE

I even made up a meal plan. For the entire week. That's right. Breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, & dinner plan for the entire week. I so desperately need a life it is unbelievable. I cannot wait until my friends are done with their final essays/exams.

Off to go listen to "Hold On" by Michael Buble for the 89403204 time (& probably still cry about it) or watch an episode of Doctor Who or read some more of Death du Jour (which Sofia tells me means Death of the Day). What an exciting life I lead.

MISS YOU & LOVE YOU TONS :)

Red hair :)

Under the influence of my lovely flat mates, Sofia & Ashley, I decided to live it up a little & dye my hair red (non permanent, of course)! I have never done anything adventurous with my hair before, so it was exciting. & it looks okay, especially after Sofia's expert styling. It was so much fun to spend time with friends tonight, especially after everyone has been so busy with finals & I have been so bored sitting in my room watching tv. There is only so much Law and Order SVU I can watch before I go mad! Excellent evening, for sure :)

I also spent time doing my favourite twenty five things about me note on facebook, so I'll copy & paste here. No real reason, but whatever :) Have a nice evening!

Twenty five things:

1. When I'm bored, I get the urge to write twenty-five things about myself. It's like a weird addiction. I have been consistently bored for the last two weeks seeing as I have no work to do & all my friends are studying, it's impressive I've held out this long.  

2. I'm currently living in England :) it's the bomb. It's been the best experience I have ever had or could ever imagine really, & has shown me that the plan I had for my life before this trip is not the one I want anymore. I'm coming back, I'm seeing more, I'm not gonna just settle down & stop exploring.  

3. My family is perfect. For real. They talk to me more here than they did when I was at home, I think. & they are so considerate. My parents have given me the best example possible for how I want to parent when I grow up. Momma is my best friend, Daddy shows me how a lady should be treated every day, & Alex is just cute :)  

4. My blood family isn't my only family; I also have two beautiful sisters - Hannah & Manda. I can't imagine what kind of person I would be today without them. They were my entire childhood, & I love them so much. They're gonna be my best friends forever, & the two maids (or matrons, if they beat me to the alter) of honor at my wedding. & I love Sophia & Evan more than anything in the world. I am so grateful to their Mom's for letting me be a part of their lives :)  

5. Scott Witt is the love of my life :) He makes me angry & drives me insane, he isn't always the most intuitive guy when it comes to my feelings sometimes, but he always tries to make me happy. He has supported me the entire time I have been in England, even though he didn't really want me to go. He loves me & respects me, makes me unlimited cups of hot chocolate & coffee, & lets me pick both the movie & the restaurant. I'm pretty sure that's all I'm ever gonna need out of a relationship :)    

6. Living here has helped show me who my real best friends are, & has made me want to become closer to those friends when I get home. Mary Jennings is my twinny, I love her so much, we are basically the same person. She understands me & she is perfect. Shelby Robinson & I have the weirdest relationship imaginable, when we are friends we are best friends but when we aren't we hardly even speak. Brianna Dusenberry is the greatest, we spent one week at camp together one summer, & it's all we needed to become best friends. & even though we never really spend time together, Ashley Page is someone I can always talk to about Scotty :)  

7. I am so excited to live on my sorority floor next semester! I haven't been close enough to my AOII sisters the entire time that I have been in the chapter, but they are beautiful and amazing women & I can't wait to get to know them all better in the fall. In the past I have let other parts of my life take priority, but this year I am determined to be a better sister, & I cannot wait to live with my lovely future roomie, Andrea :)  

8. EKU dance team is amazing. It really changed my life last semester; it got me more involved in my school, taught me the basics of football & basketball, & helped me become a better dancer. I am so excited that I am privileged enough to be on the team again next semester, & I am hell bent on practicing tons this summer so that I can be the best that I can be at the start of the school year. I am so excited for my first national’s competition :)  

9. My flat here at UEA is amazing. This experience wouldn't have been anything like what it has been, not nearly as fun, without the people living here with me. They are all such amazing people & I have loved getting to know them! I will be so sad to leave in a couple weeks, because this has been amazing. I wish that I could go here forever :) I have so much fun with everyone - whether it be doing laundry, hitting up the clubs, playing cards games, or just hanging out in the kitchen.  

10. I'm a pretty awkward person, unfortunately for me. I'm no good at getting to know new people; I always get so nervous & don't know what to say. I wish that talking and making friends came more easily to me, & I wish I wasn't always so afraid of crossing some sort of line or bothering someone. I love people & I hate being lonely, I am just super shy before I get to know people, & sometimes I get too caught up with trying to be considerate & miss out on having a good time.  

11. I'm no good at confrontation, unless it has to do with my boyfriend :) if I have a problem with someone or something they are doing, I won't say anything about it. If someone hurts my feelings, I pretty much keep it to myself & just make myself depressed dwelling over it. It's probably unhealthy, but I don't really know how to bring subjects up & I hate making other people unhappy. So I just sit around miserably & hope things will work themselves out - it generally isn't the most effective problem solver.  

12. Music makes me super happy :) I always have it playing in the background when I am doing anything (except for maybe writing, I have a horrible inability to focus). I tend to get obsessive over my favourites as well. Once I find a song that I love, I play it over and over and over and over again until I can't stand it. & then I move on to the next song & do the same thing. My current obsession is with "Falling In," because Lifehouse is amazing & I love them more than life ♥  

13. Chick flicks are probably my favourite movies, as cliché as that may be. I love sappy romances with dashing young men who sweep the lovely ladies off their feet by serenading them with "Benny & the Jets" or by driving to their house on a riding mower. It is my dream to have some guy (preferably the one I already have) do some sickeningly romantic thing that would probably light up my entire life.  

14. Disney movies take a close second, though I suppose that most are chick flicks in some capacity. It's difficult for me to choose a favourite, but I'm kind of addicted to Tangled. & Mulan. & the Lion King. & the Little Mermaid. & Meet the Robinsons (I cry every single time). I love having friends that love the same movies as me & are willing to watch Disney movies with me all the time :)  

15. One of the things I am most excited about when I come home is getting started on my summer babysitting :) I think babysitting is the best thing that ever was created, & if I could make a lifelong profession of it, I probably would. Children make me insanely happy, they are so daggone cute. Getting letters from my kiddos has been the greatest during this trip; I have loved putting them on my walls. Kids always make you feel loved, & I love mine to the moon & back :)  

16. I really want to be a kindergarten teacher when I grow up, but I kind of have some huge shoes to fill. My Mom is basically the best kindergarten teacher that God ever put on the earth, & I only hope that I can be nearly as great as she is one day! I have loved being able to help in her classroom the last few years, & hate that I won't get to do that anymore next year. It's okay though, once I start my own classroom I'll just steal all of her lesson plans!  

17. My whole life I have dreamed of having a surprise party. I think it would be the coolest thing ever & it shows you the people who really care about you in your life. However, the unfortunate thing about surprise parties is that they are surprises, so you can't exactly plan one. You just have to hope that someone picks up on your (not-so) subtle hints & shows you a little mercy.  

18. When I was young, I dreamed of being a novelist. I loved writing. However, all of my potential novels only survived two or three chapters before I got bored & moved on & started writing a new novel. & then I went to high school & lost all creativity & started hating writing, so I don't anymore. I just think, huh, wouldn't that have been cool? Too bad writing is such a hassle.  

19. I have a bad habit of reminiscing on the past too much. I look back at old pictures or read old notes & remember how things used to be & I miss people so much sometimes, but have no idea how to get any of it back. Sometimes it's only been a few months since we've talked & sometimes it has been years, but I still wish that I could still be in contact with all my friends from my childhood. They were all amazing people.  

20. I love cats. I love them so much that it is probably unhealthy. The first thing that I want to do when I move out into my own apartment (with my lovely twinny, of course!) is buy a calico kitten named Luther (highly unlikely, seeing as most calico cats are female, but hey, a girl can dream). I want hundreds of cats & children. My boyfriend is not thrilled with this possibility for his future, but he is supportive. What a trooper.  

21. I was a horrible, horrible little child. I reminisce on my childhood & mentally apologize profusely to my parents. I was mean to the other kids, I put books in Muffers fish tank, I hit Mother with a tea cup, & shot down her dreams of naming Alex "Sophie" by telling her that she would be naming him after a dog. I also abused my poor baby neighbs (who I now love with every little bit of my heart!) on a regular basis. & we won't even go into my treatment of my little brother. So, uhm, sorry guys.  

22. I wish that I was artistic. I'm not. An advanced drawing for me involves stick figures, the sun, & the occasional orca. Maybe, had I cultivated these artistic skills when I was younger, I could have had the potential to be talented. Unfortunately, that ship sailed long ago & I now have to console myself with coloring pictures & forcing Carmen to make me artwork. In the words of Maya Luong after looking at one of my hand drawn illustrations "Uhh, your Tangled coloring picture didn't look like that..."  

23. I watch way too much TV, & get way too excited about my shows. My personal favs are Bones, Castle, Criminal Minds, & Teen Mom (whoo!). I love the Bones-Booth and Beckett-Castle romances so much, & get so excited if they look at each other too long during an episode. I just want love, dangit. & I don't ever really understand why people take the shows so seriously & get so upset about character development. I'm not watching for content, I'm watching for warm & fuzzies & the occasional dead body (hopefully not in Teen Mom).  

24. I am still a terrible cook. I made a promise to myself that I would develop my culinary skills while I was here, mostly under the influence of the talented Sofia Price, but this sadly did not happen. I thought that since I'd be making all my meals I'd have to cultivate these skills, but instead I learned how easy it is to live off of toast & pasta. I'm a chef, nbd.  

25. My boyfriend used to play the piano, but he doesn't anymore :( it makes me insanely sad because I think that playing an instrument (not including the triangle) is the most attractive thing that a guy can do (except for maybe play ice hockey), but it's okay. Instead, I am going to be the musical genius in our relationship... as soon as I can find a piano teacher other than Hannah & Elizabeth. I was supposed to learn when I was like seven, but I didn't practice. I am way more mature than that now, so be looking out. I'm gonna be the next Mozart :) 

Italy Part Three: Venice

So, it's kind of taken me forever to get to this part for some reason... I have had a lot of spare time since I got back to UEA on May 8th, so I really should have written this before then! I had to write an essay that was due on the 12th (yeahhh, last assignment in England down, zero to go! probably not my best work, but oh well) and ever since then I've been lounging in my room, watching Law and Order: SVU and all of my other crime shows. Like, say, the AMAZING most recent Bones episode (is it really happening?! finally?! after six seasons are they finally going to get together?! ahhhhhh! YES! YES! YES!). Anyways. On to my main topic, the trip to Venice.

Really, I think I'm not going to speak much on the subject. All there really is to say about Venice, is that is was absolutely AMAZING. It lived up to the hype, 100%. I enjoyed every single moment that I spent there, & I cannot wait to go back with my Momma (she is an excellent shopper, the rest of my family seems to be lacking that gene). So here are some pictures. Venice is beautiful :)

Don't worry, Venice, I'll be back ♥