I may have lost the snowball fight.
One of the things this blog is desperately missing (along with content in general) is an idea of what my life over here actually looks like. While there isn’t really a typical day here, there are days that capture what life is like over here. So without further ado, here’s what I did Thursday (January 29th).
8:45 – Wake up time! I opened the curtains and it was snowing! One of the things I’d been looking forward to the most in Durham was seeing the city in the snow, and I definitely wasn’t disappointed. Even the view of a parking lot and Maximum Security prison from my window was transformed thanks to the snow. Time for a shower before breakfast.
9:15 – I head off to breakfast with the same people I usually go to breakfast with. We sort of have a standing agreement to go to breakfast together so it works out nicely. To get to Hatfield’s dining hall, we need to cross an ‘award-winning’ bridge with a beautiful Cathedral view. Because of the snow, the trip is a little treacherous – the bridge is particularly icy, but that doesn’t stop us. I got into a bit of a snowball fight with my Canadian exchange student friend, despite there really not being enough snow for that.
9:20 (ish) – Breakfast! I can never be bothered to go early enough for hot food, but I have toast with jam, cereal, and half a grapefruit. Breakfast is always the same here at Hatfield, but it’s pretty decent so I don’t mind.
11:00 – I had a bit of a break but now it’s time for my only class of the day. It’s a seminar on Election and British Politics. This week we were discussing Campaigns and the Media, which I found particularly interesting since I spent the first term reading 1000s of articles on the last federal campaign in Canada.
1:00 – Class is over so it’s time to head back to Hatfield for lunch. I head straight to the dining hall where I find my friend Will. For lunch I have pizza with beans and a salad. Very standard.
2:00 – Time to hit the books. It’s off the the library to do a few readings. I had a paper due today, but I handed it in yesterday (Wednesday) so I can catch up on some neglected readings.
6:00 – Dinner! I get together with my group of about 10 friends who I usually eat with. Dinner for me is ‘Minute Steak’, mashed potato, and salad (love my salad). Again, very standard. At Hatfield there’s always 3-4 options for protein, 4-5 side options (including at least two types of potato), and a salad bar. For dessert is a lemon sponge cake and custard. It’s new so I figure it’s worth trying.
8:00 – We decided we’re heading to the bar for a few drinks and a quiet night in. Thursdays are usually a quiet night at Hatfield and this was no exception. We spent a couple hours at the Hatfield Bar before deciding to head back to our residence.
10:30 – We get back to our residence and a few of us decide to head to bed. Me and two other guys head to one of our rooms since we don’t feel like calling it a night. We end up spending about 4 hours just chatting since we lose track of time.
~2:30 – I head to sleep. I fall asleep almost instantly. It’d been a good day
Well, I think this gives a pretty good idea of what life is like in Durham. Lot’s of good times with friends and maybe some school work if there’s time left over! See you all next time!