A Semester in Review (via the wonders of Facebook)

So, while I am pulling together my notes on my various adventures of the semester, I thought that I would give you a brief synopsis of my doings over the course of the semester - via the messages I have posted on my Facebook page since the beginning of this crazy experience called study abroad.  Almost everything worth mentioning / important receives the honor of being mentioned in my Facebook status, so, in theory, this list provides a pretty accurate picture (or makes a good teaser trailer at least!) into what I've been up to this semester :) [though, if we assume the above to be true, then I must find the weather here to be incredibly important.... :P].  Enjoy!

January 28 @ 15:53:             and so the packing begins.... :(

January 29 @ 03:01:             so i'm watching Chariots of Fire with the fam -- and they definitely started singing the beginning of "Soldiers of our Queen" from Patience, making me miss everyone in Sinfonicron so much!!!

January 29 @ 18:07:             Jessica Kyle officially hates packing. it’s so depressing...

January 30 @ 20:49:             Scotland here I come! www.breathtaking-jmk.blogspot.com

January 31 @ 14:04:             Jessica Kyle is safe and sound in St. Andrews :)

February 2 @ 17:29:             oh just another blustery day in saint andrews :)

February 3 @ 17:48:             so this is what rain in st. andrews looks like....huh.

February 4 @ 12:28:             Jessica Kyle finally got her classes/schedule! yay! why did they put her econ class in the physics building??

February 5 @ 23:07:             fish and chips + 1 pint of cider....check :)

February 6 @ 10:12:             it always baffles me when I get online at 10am here and there are people online back home. Don't they know it’s 5 in the morning?!

February 6 @ 17:32:             Jessica Kyle said "all y'all" at tea time today and felt ashamed.

February 6 @ 23:28:             Jessica Kyle is so sad that she's missing the RUF W&M Super Bowl Party at Ludwell 102C (David Robert Inserra, Jason Yoon, and Andrew Chung's apartment!) :(

February 7 @ 09:21:             1st day of classes here we go!

February 9 @ 01:26:             just a small town girl ♥

February 10 @17:33:            Jessica Kyle is so thankful for a full day of sweet sweet sunshine!! :) :)

February 11 @ 20:13:           BOP! Bop Bop Bop to the top! Slip and slide and ride that rhythm :)

**Note: I went to a bop (aka a dance) that night -- hence the perhaps unnecessary High School Musical reference**

February 12 @ 14:24:           helloooo sunshine!!!

February 13 @ 17:36:           off to dinner at Lucy-lu's (aka Lucy James :) ) -- what a great way to end an already fantastic day!

February 14 @ 09:16:           Jessica Kyle is wishing a very Happy Birthday to her sweet mother Shirley Kyle and a wonderful Valentine's Day to Ian Joseph! ♥

February 15 @ 17:43:           just another day here in St. Andrews :)

February 16 @ 13:51:           reason #4258 why I love Sallies: william & mary orders hall tshirts. our gentlemen order hall ties. Classy? very.

February 18 @ 13:52:           hello weekend!

February 19 @ 17:41:           Jessica Kyle found REAL Smarties at Tesco's! YES!

**Note:  'real' Smarties referring of course to the delicious fruit-flavored M&M-type candy :) :) **

February 20 @ 21:01:           just saved 20gbp on dinner for three! YES!

**Note:  Bess, Margaret Ann and I went to dinner at Bella Italia that night for a 50% off student discount!**

February 21 @ 19:42:           thanks to Margaret Ann Hazelton for giving me a much-needed hair cut!

February 22 @ 17:10:           who schedules fire drills for 6:30 in the morning...in February...on the North Sea...before dawn??

February 22 @ 20:14:           Jessica Kyle is enjoying shortbread while cuddling with marge :)

February 23 10:08:               Jessica Kyle would like just a little bit of sunshine please

February 24 @ 14:59:           the sun is shining! and it feels like Spring! :)

February 22 @ 22:22:           a perfect afternoon = listening to a cappella choir rehearse Loch Lomond (and other beautiful songs) outside Sallies under a beautiful sunset through my open window. I love St. Andrews :)

**Note:  The choir rehearsal was in preparation for the Royal Couple's visit on February 25**

February 26 @ 13:40:           Jessica Kyle is officially infected. let the post-nasal drip begin!

February 28 @ 10:00:           YES! The King's Speech won FOUR Academy Awards!! And yay for Natalie Portman getting Best Actress!!!! :) I wish I could have seen the show - except it was on at like 1am here. lol

February 28 @ 17:36:           IJM is looking for 25 @000 people who will ask President Obama to help end modern-day slavery. Will you add your name? Spread the word!

March 1 @ 15:43:     with the windows thrown open and the birds singing: I'm loving the no-jacket weather, brillant sunshine, and cloudless sky here on the crystal blue North Sea!

March 2 @ 10:45:     Oh, what a beautiful morning! Oh what a beautiful day :)

March 2 @ 13:50:     paper time.... yay?

March 2 @ 23:12:     ballet to "Paparazzi"? I think yes. :)

**Note:  I joined the DanceSociety here at St. Andrews, and my ballet class did a piece to Lady Gaga's paparazzi.  SO COOL**

March 3 @ 09:46:     where did all the sunshine go? :(

March 3 @ 13:44:     class paper paper high table paper paper paper paper paper....

March 3 @ 22:32:     i WILL conquer this paper.

March 4 @ 23:48:     hello sweet sweet weekend!

March 5 @ 11:47:     "Being grown up isn't half as fun as growing up - these are the best days of our lives" ♥

March 7 @ 10:07:     YES! it’s another blue-sky day! AND Tasha Abi-Najm arrives today! :)

**Note:  One of my best friends, Tasha, came to visit me during her spring break!**

March 7 @ 11:07:     It's a happy day! and I thank God for the weather...ba dum ba dum :)

March 8 @ 16:14:     Jessica Kyle is so impressed with her history tutor Dr. Allen - papers due 9:35pm Friday, papers returned 4pm Tuesday. Brilliant!

March 9 @ 09:29:     Jessica Kyle ran, breakfasted, played piano, and showered all before 10am! What a productive morning :)

March 10 @ 19:09:   Jessica Kyle officially loves W&M Residence Life :)

**Note:  Why, you ask?  I received a really good lottery number for next year's housing selection :) **

March 10 @ 19:16:   just bought a Sallies hall scarf. Am I a huge geek? YES. Proud of it? Oh yeah :)

March 10 @ 22:59:   "They say breezes are warm there and people are kind, maybe it’s something like Heaven. I close my eyes, and I see in my mind skies of bluest blue" ♥

March 13 @ 00:05:   okay. my night is officially complete - someone just walked down the hall whistling music from Lord of the Rings (you know, the theme that shows up whenever they are running somewhere/fighting?). Perfection.

March 13 @ 14:42:   thinks google should have a better method of contacting them about problems than forcing users to post on the help forum - especially when there are numerous unanswered posts referring to the same problem.

**Note:  This was after the “Call Phone” button disappeared from my gchat window.  So I could no longer call mobiles and landlines in the US for free.  Super lame.**

March 13 @ 22:01:   bring in the caffeine and chocolate - it’s time to get work done! :)

March 14 @ 00:17:   YAY March Madness starting!!!! :) :) :)

March 14 @ 10:04:   cannot wait for the next 28 hours to be over...

March 14 @ 22:30:   loves study parties with Paige Wallis and Margaret Ann Hazelton :)

March 16 @ 12:00:   good morning sweet sweet sunshine!! it’s been a while since I've seen you! :)

March 17 @ 12:19:   Jessica Kyle is missing Shirley Kyle's corned beef and lemon poke cake :( Happy St. Patrick's Day!

March 17 @ 17:26:   walked out of Sallies with Margaret Ann Hazelton, only to be stopped and interviewed by BBC China (or something like that)....random event #1732 of this trip.

**Note:  The reporters were basically trying to get us to say on camera that we chose St. Andrews because the Prince had come here over FIVE years ago.  But we were too smart for them :) **

March 18 @ 03:09:   Jessica Kyle desperately needs to go to Target now. Thank you David Wells.

March 18 @ 11:08:   "Not because of who I am, but because of what You've done. Not because of what I've done, but because of who You are [...] You've told me who I am: I AM YOURS"

March 19 @ 16:04:   Jessica Kyle is working in the library and realizing just how much she misses Swem :( [yes, I know that I am a complete and total TWAMP]

March 19 @ 23:21:   For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. -- Ephesians 2:8-9

March 20 @ 15:11:   so Pittsburgh, remind me one more time why you, a #1 team, decided to lose yesterday to a #8 team. I think that that merits some sort of explanation.

**Note:  March Madness was especially stressful this year.  So much disappointment**

March 21 @ 10:41:   It's a happy day! And I thank God for the weather ba dum ba dum :)

March 21 @ 18:49:   Jessica Kyle has developed a habit of liking every Ork-related status she sees! Merde merde merde to my beautiful ORCHESIS* loves - I wish I could be there for Orchesis Dance Company's Evening of Dance because I know it’s going to be absolutely WONDERFUL (meaning that if you stateside at any point this weekend, you need to get yourself to PBK at Wiliam and Mary at 8pm!)

**Note:  Just because I’m abroad doesn’t mean I have lost any of my Orchesis pride!**

March 24 @ 16:09:   what are you doing on the internet? get off facebook and go buy your ticket to see Orchesis Dance Company's Evening of Dance! PBK. 8pm. Thursday - Saturday. why are you still sitting there? go go go!

March 25 @ 18:36:   Tonight = you @ PBK at 8pm watching Orchesis Dance Company's Evening of Dance. (even if you went last night, you should go again :P) Enjoy the show!

March 26 @ 13:18:   Ohio State -- WHAT HAPPENED?!

**Note:  See? What did I tell you - March Madness = NOT good**

March 26 @ 19:26:   Tonight is your last chance to see Orchesis Dance Company's Evening of Dance! 8pn at PBK - you don't want to miss out!

March 27 @ 13:27:   Jessica Kyle loves her wonderful biffel Margaret Ann Hazelton for bringing her a fresh-picked daffodil - I ♥ Spring!

March 28 @ 12:40:   Happy Monday! [3]

March 29 @ 11:50:   2 days until I get to see Sarah Kyle!!!!!!!! :) :) :) :)

March 29 @ 13:59:   Dear Banner,
Please stop blocking me from taking classes "outside my major" when, in fact, they fulfill the requirements of my major. Interdisciplinary degrees HAVE to draw from other departments. You are not helpful.
Love (meaning no love),
me

March 29 @ 22:23:   loves skype dates with her nametwin Jessie Dolezal!!!!

March 30 @ 16:57:   Jessica Kyle should not have to spend FIVE pounds to do ONE load of laundry....

March 30 @ 18:00:   I am officially never doing laundry here again. 5.80gpb for one load?!? (mind you that's 1 wash and 4 times through the dryer = 3 hours & 20 minutes in the dryer) For a place that's so energy conscious, it seems to know nothing about efficiency.

March 31 @ 08:26:   Hello Sarah Kyle!

April 1 @ 18:15:        Hello Europe with Sarah Kyle and Margaret Ann Hazelton! :)

April 5 @ 20:32:        A bientot Paris :( mais, bonjourno Roma! :)

April 8 @ 23:20:        Jessica Kyle is back in St. Andrews - exhausted, sunburned, and happy :)

April 9 @ 14:53:        Jessica Kyle loves beautiful spring days and when there are weddings at St. Salvator's Chapel!

April 9 @ 18:22:        Jessica Kyle loves tax-return day! but hates bees that fly into her room :(

April 10 @ 12:49:      Jessica Kyle is so excited to have lunch with Robert Kyle :)

**Note:  My Uncle Bob came to visit me!!**

April 12 @ 13:50:      Jessica Kyle is wishing a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY to John Kyle!!!!!!

April 13 @ 11:09:      SUCCESS!!! tickets for May Ball purchased :) [I would expect nothing less after queuing since 5:45AM!]

April 13 @ 14:50:      It's National Book Week. The rules are: grab the closest book, turn to page 56 @ post the 5th sentence as your status. Don't mention the title. Copy the rules as part of your status.

"Lord Deputy St Leger's 'surrender and regrant' strategy involved Gaelic chiefs recognizing English sovereignty in return for feudal charters confirming the lands they occupied."

**Note:  Yes, the closest book to me at the time was a Scottish history book**

April 13 @ 16:55:      CABELL 104 with Margaret Ann Hazelton, Cathy Kang, and Steph Kumah!!! :) :)

**Note:  YES! Housing Lottery success!  I’m super excited for my apartment next year**

April 14 @ 11:13:      is it bad that I keep choreographing ideas for EOD 2012 in my head while I'm working on this paper?

April 14 @ 20:02:      Jessica Kyle loves evening Tesco runs with Paige Wallis, Bess Cooley, and Margaret Ann Hazelton! :) :)

April 15 @ 10:50:      so much to do, so little time.

April 16 @ 14:01:      just found the library's collection of the William and Mary Quarterly dating back to 1924 (back before it was run by the Institute of Early American Studies, when W&M was officially called "William and Mary College", and when the journal was edited by President Chandler and Librarian E.G. Swem). Am I geeking out? YES. :) :) :)

April 17 @ 14:34:      motivation, where did you go? come back please!

April 18 @ 13:00:      Jessica Kyle thinks that st. andrews should have 24 hour computer labs like W&M -- it would make paper writing so much more efficient.

April 18 @ 15:38:      also, these 24 hour computer labs should have dual screens - because Miller has spoiled me, and they are definitely the best way to write a paper.

April 18 @ 20:26:      Jessica Kyle has the Act I finale of Patience stuck in her head....why? I have no idea.

April 19 @ 19:40:      partyin' it up in the Lib! cause that's how my tuesdays roll :)

April 20 @ 09:43:      Jessica Kyle is so happy that she got to skype into RUF W&M Large Group last night with Margaret Ann Hazelton!!! (sending a HUGE thank you to Ian Joseph :) :) ) so much RUFlovin' :)

April 20 @ 23:26:      Jessica Kyle was walking by Younger Hall on the way to dance class and heard a singing the Act I Finale from Patience (I swear, it’s everywhere!) - I may or may not have envisioned 2 lines of redcoats doing the Indifference Dance :) So much Sinfonicron Love!

April 21 @ 16:21:      can't wait to see Sarah Kyle, John Kyle, Shirley Kyle, Nana and Papa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**Note:  And my Mommy, Daddy, sister, and grandparents came to visit me!!!**

April 24 @ 09:15:      Christ the Lord is Risen today - Hallelujah!

April 25 @ 00:38:      Jessica Kyle is wishing a VERY HAPPY 21st BIRTHDAY to her wonderful schwest, Sarah Kyle!!!!!

April 27 @ 11:03:      Come out and see Dance Society's STRIKE A POSE....Annual Danceshow 2011 at the Byre Theatre 3rd-5th May. Tickets on sale NOW at the Byre box office or at www.byretheatre.com - Don't miss out!

**The St. Andrews Dance Society that I joined puts on an annual year-end show where each class performs a piece.  Such a cool experience to dance with other students**

April 28 @ 12:21:      so my stats professor didn't show up to lecture....I guess that means no class?

April 28 @ 15:45:      received the best surprise package ever today from Jenny Crabb and Family (aka the BEST family ever!!!) -- THANK YOU so much - it totally made my day!!!! ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

**Note:  the AWESOME family that I babysit for sent me an Easter basket!! I was so happy when I got the package - they made my day!**

April 28 @ 16:42:      Jessica Kyle is done with her Spring 2011 assignments!!! Bring it on, exams!

April 29 @ 13:45:      what a beautiful Royal Wedding!! (Also, I have decided that there will be live trees inside of the cathedral that I get married in :) )

May 1 @ 05:04:         May Dip 2011: CHECK!!!! :) - BEST tradition ever!!!!!

May 3 @ 01:10:         Come out and see Dance Society's STRIKE A POSE....Annual Danceshow 2011 at the Byre Theatre 3rd-5th May. Tickets on sale NOW at the Byre box office or at www.byretheatre.com - Don't miss out! The show opens tonight!

May 3 @ 14:26:         and so the mad hunt for EOD 2012 music begins...this could take a while.

May 5 @ 11:45:         LAST CHANCE to see Dance Society's STRIKE A POSE....Annual Danceshow 2011 at the Byre Theatre. 730PM TONIGHT. Get your tickets NOW before they're gone!

May 6 @ 01:09:         HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who performed in University of St Andrews DANCE SOCIETY's show for making it an absolutely amazing experience! You all are the best!! xx

May 7 @ 00:08:         Jessica Kyle loves late night hang-outs/making goofy videos with Bess Cooley, Margaret Ann Hazelton, and Paige Wallis! :) :)

May 7 @ 23:36:         Happy 18 months to Ian Joseph :) :) :)

May 7 @ 23:53:         Jessica Kyle is super happy - it was my first successful laundry day of the semester! Each load only went through the dryer once! JOY! :)

May 8 @ 09:51:         Happy Mother's Day to Shirley Kyle!! I love you Mommy!

May 10 @ 12:37:       Jessica Kyle is studying, responding to overdue emails...ah! so much to do!

May 15 @ 12:59:       studyin' studyin' yeah!

May 15 @ 13:19:       Congratulations to all of her beloved William and Mary Seniors!!! Bravo Class of 2011 - you did it! :) :)

May 16 @ 12:01:       1 down, 2 to go - ALMOST DONE!

May 16 @ 17:01:       48 hours til i'm done! :) :)

May 18 @ 07:39:       T minus 5 hours until I'm done!! Wait, does that mean that, in 5 hours, I will be a SENIOR?!? Crazy....

May 18 @ 15:04:       Done with exams...finally :) Here's to 10 days of playtime and being a Senior!! :)

May 20 @ 17:22:       Jessica Kyle is finally updating her blog....i know, it’s been a while. (www.breathtaking-jmk.blogspot.com)

Top of FormBottom of FormBottom of FormBottom Bottom of For

Dear Reader,

Privet Drive.  The ominous fog makes the nighttime even more hoary and mysterious than usual here in suburban Britannia.  Out from the shadows of God-knows-what-dimension, steps the oldest wizard in the books, the near-dead-Dumbledore.  He is clearly a powerful beast, and walks with dignity despite his age and attire....

Okay.  So I may have just included a quote from the viral Youtube series, "Wizard People, Dear Reader"..... okay, I admit it.  I did. Simply, because the title of this entry, my note to my readers, reminded me of the title of the series [which, if you haven't ever seen it, I highly recommend that you do.  It is a parody of the first Harry Potter movie with a surprisingly large number of highly entertaining one-liners].

Anyways, my dear Reader, I apologize profusely for my inattentiveness to you and your reading needs.  The last several weeks here have absolutely flown by, and here I am facing the very end of the semester.  I finished my last exam on Wednesday (which I promise to detail the ridiculously intense Scottish examination system shortly), and I can't believe that I only have seven days left here in beautiful St. Andrews.  St. Andrews has come to feel like my college home now, and I cannot even begin to describe how much I will miss seeing all my JSA friends everyday.  Its really strange for me to think that I may never see some of them again once we return to our various parts of the United States; though, it is really cool that I now have friends who live all over the country - from California to Milwaukee to Vermont to Texas, and of course Virginia!  These people have made my study abroad experience be the absolute best it could be - THANK YOU!  Its definitely going to be a little bit lonely this summer without seeing the 12 of them all day long!

Thankfully, I am not leaving this spectacular city just yet, so in my seven remaining days of playtime, expect lots of blogging to be accomplished! (well, that's the goal anyways....)

And here's to you dear Reader, who have stuck with me for so long on my adventure during this collegiate invention called study abroad.  Your support and interest means so much to me!  Thank you.

Much love, hugs, and kisses,

Jessica

C'est le moment pour l'aventure!

In a few short hours I will be departing my beloved town of St. Andrews and embarking on an adventure otherwise known as Spring Holiday. (I personally have become quite fond of the British use of "holiday" :) )

This past Saturday marked the beginning of a two week long hiatus from academics (William and Mary needs to catch on to this two week spring break idea...).  After hanging around town for almost a week to tie up some loose ends and watching my friends leave one-by-one on their own adventures, I'm ready and SO EXCITED to start my own!!!  To start off our adventure, Margaret Ann and I are catching the train (by which I mean, sitting on a train for 8 hours) to Bath to see Sarah!  I cannot even begin to describe how ecstatic I am to get to see Sarah after being apart for 8 weeks, which is by far the longest we've been apart in our entire lives.  I can't wait to see everything about her city, where her classes are, etc -- really to see what she's been seeing for the last two months!

After a few days in Bath, the three of us are heading to the Continent for a little rest and relaxation in the forms of Paris and Rome :) [Which, funny story, the majority of my JSA friends here at St. Andrews are also going to Paris and Rome, just on different days that I am.  Honestly, we all should have coordinated that better! I don't know, I just find it incredibly ironic that we all planned essentially the same Spring Break trip for ourselves haha]  Paris has been at the top of my destinations list for quite some time - really since the beginning of high school, so it really is a dream come true to be really going there!  I studied French all throughout high school and for several semesters into college, and for some reason have just never made it to Paris, or anywhere in France for that matter.  After idealizing Paris for so long, I can't believe that I am actually going there in a few short days! Crazy!  I am really hoping that some of my French will come back to me while I am there.  It would be really amazing to speak French confidently in Paris ♥ 

Rome has also been on my list of places to go.  I am excited for its rich history - it's going to be so cool to walk around a city full of ancient ruins (ahhhh!), remnants of the Roman Empire, and absolutely beautiful architecture and art (like the Sistine Chapel!).  Rome was the "center" of the world for a significant part of world history - and I'm going there!  ahhhhhh! (Plus, it's going to be warm there (high 60's/low 70's).  I'd be lying if I said that temperature/climate didn't contribute to our spring holiday destination decision :P) 

Adieu mes chères!  I can't wait to share my stories with you when I return! 

Avec un cœur plein d'amour (c'est très poétique, n'est-ce pas?)

Jessica

P.S. French pop music just came up on my iTunes.  Appropriate?  I think so. (and yes, I do listen to French pop music... :) )

P.P.S. Photo 1:  This perfectly describes what is going to happen when I see Sarah. :) :) [Plus, we both love Heffalumps, so its completely appropriate]

Photo 2: Courtesy of Google Image search :)

Tradi---tion, Tradition!

"Tradition.  Without our traditions, our lives would be as shaky as... as a fiddler on the roof!" -- Tevye (Fiddler on the Roof)

I absolutely love tradition.  For example, one of my favorite things about William and Mary is its deep-seated sense of history and its many traditions - such as Yule Log, Green & Gold Affair, King & Queen's Ball, singing to the President as Freshmen, Convocation, the Crim Dell Bridge, ringing the Wren Bell as a Senior, the Triathlon, etc.  For me, they are what makes college exciting and part of what creates the amazingly strong sense of community at William and Mary.  So, you can imagine how excited I was (and still am!) to learn about the many many traditions here at the University of St. Andrews!  During Orientation, I took a tour of the campus, and my tour guide (a fourth year Classicist -- and actually, she is the self-described Classicist I mentioned back in February) explained several of the following St. Andrews traditions to us.  Do I plan on partaking in them?  OF COURSE!

1.  Academic Gowns

Upon matriculating into the University, you are encouraged to purchase an academic gown (though not everyone does since a brand new one is about 120gbp and a second-hand one is 60gbp - yikes!).  Academic gowns are like graduation robes, except thicker (made from a heavy felt-like material), red instead of black, and without a zipper in the front.  They are to be worn at formal events (such as High Table, which I will explain further on), church services, the Pier Walk, etc.  The red color is a symbol of one's status as an undergraduate, hence why you are given a black robe to wear when you graduate!  The robe is worn different ways to represent one's academic status.  First year students wear the gown fully on the shoulders like how a coat is normally worn.  Second year students wear the gown so that it sits on the edge of the shoulders.  Third year students wear it off of one shoulder -- off of the left shoulder if one is an Arts student and off of the right if one is a Science student.  Fourth year students wear them off of both shoulders.  Also, apparently it is bad luck to fasten the hooks on the front of the gown.

2.  Pier Walk

Every Sunday following service in the St. Salvator's Chapel, many students (wearing their academic gowns of course!) walk from the Chapel along North Street to the harbour and then down the Pier by East Sands beach.  The North side of the Pier is lined with a fairly wide wall, so according to tradition, one walks down the Pier on the lower part and then back on the top of the wall (trust me, it can get a little windy up there, especially in February!).

3.  Pier Jump

While on the subject of the Pier, there is the related tradition of the Pier Jump, where you and your 20-some closest friends jump off the Pier together into the North Sea (no worries, you jump towards the Harbour, not towards open sea, otherwise it would be a really bad idea. haha and there is a staircase a few yards from the edge of the Pier, so it is really easy to climb back out).  Sallies hall had a Pier Jump the very first weekend I was here (a lovely way to welcome the JSAs in my opinion!).  Unfortunately, I came down with a cold the day before, and I knew that if I jumped in the North Sea with a cold I would come out with pneumonia.  BUT, I have vowed that I will complete this daring feat before I leave St. Andrews (so I'm thinking Sallies needs to organized another one soon.....)!

Also, the Pier Jump isn't a complete-it-only-once activity - many of the participants in the Sallies Pier Jump in February were experienced Pier jumpers.  I guess it's addicting?  To get an idea of what the Pier Jump is really like, here's a few pictures of the Sallies Pier Jump on February 6th (also fun fact - there were families out walking on the Pier when this occurred.  They all thought that we were crazy):

          

Everyone gearing up for the Big Jump!

Round 1 of jumpers swimming as fast as they can for the stairs!

Fearlessly jumping in the North Sea!

Please note the "No Swimming" sign :P

Some of the spectators walking back along the top of the Pier -- note the red academic robes (among other things they are known for their warmth! :) )

4.  Dousing Fourth Years with Water

In celebration of the achievements of fourth year students, it is tradition for the friends of each senior to dump a bucket of water over him/her (preferably at least one bucket per friend) as soon as he/she has finished their last Spring final exam.  Why this is a tradition, I have no idea.  But, I thoroughly support it and am now thinking I should dump water on my friends back at William and Mary when we finish our Spring exams next year....

5.  RIP Patrick Hamilton

A very long time ago (meaning 1300's/1400's), a man named Patrick Hamilton was burned at the stake for his Protestant beliefs.  The place where he was burned is now marked by at "PH" in the cobblestones outside St. Salvator's Chapel.  Stepping on the "PH" is supposedly bad luck -- bad luck that one can only be rid of by participating in the May Dip.

6.  May Dip

May Dip is pretty much just what it sounds like -- a little dip in the North Sea in May, specifically at dawn on the 1st of May (due to Scotland's fairly Northern location, this usually occurs around 4:30 or 5 am).  The majority of the student population participates in the May Dip every year -- gathering on one of the three local beaches.  May Dip is said to be the only way to cleanse oneself of the academic sins (tardiness, turning in assignments late, not doing well on exams, and the like) as well as non-academic sins, namely stepping on the "PH" in front of St. Salvator's Chapel.

May Dip really reminds me of William and Mary's Christmastime tradition of the Yule Log Ceremony, where we throw holly on the Yule Log burning in the Great Hall to cast off any bad "karma", if you will, and ensure that we do well on exams.

7.  High Table

High Table has to be second favorite tradition here at the University (second only to May Dip of course :) ).  Most dormitories hold High Table a few times throughout the semester, but Sallies, as another sign of how AWESOME it is, has High Table every Thursday!  What is High Table you ask?  Well, in the Sallies Dining Room, there is one table that sits up on a platform at the head of the hall.  Usually this table is reserved for the wardens, but every Thursday 18 students are asked to join them and an honored guest for dinner (usually a faculty member, etc).  High Table is a formal event, so academic gowns are definitely part of the attire (though not mandated since not everyone owns one), and even those who are not invited to High Table take the opportunity to wear their academic gowns to dinner anyways.  For those attending High Table, the evening begins with sherry served in the reception room.  After some socializing with the guest of honor, the wardens lead the students into the dining hall (which seriously looks somewhat like the Great Hall out of Harry Potter).  Everyone else in the hall stands as they enter and remains standing until those at High Table have found their seats and one of the Head Wardens has said grace (in Latin!) over the meal.  Those at High Table are then served their meals (the rest of us commonfolk have to go through the serving line to get our dinner haha), complete with an abundant supply of wine.  After eating and drinking their fill, High Table participants retire to the reception room for port, more socializing, and a short talk given by the guest of honor.  Many students then join the Wardens and the guest of honor at the Byre Theater for a jazz concert, but it is not a required part of High Table.

I have yet to be invited to a High Table, though I hope I will be soon!!  The semester is only half over, so I figure that I still have some time to receive my invitation (which they hand-deliver -- how cool is that?!)  Other halls may do High Table differently than Sallies, I'm not really sure, but, obviously, I think I am a bit partial to Sallies' traditions... :)

8.  Tea Time!

When I first came to Scotland, I thought that it would be absolutely fantastic if Sallies had some sort of tea party / tea-drinking event, and lo and behold, we did!  The very first Sunday that I was here (ironically the same day as Sallies' Pier Jump :) ), the Hall Committee hosted a hall-wide tea time to welcome us all back to (or, for the JSAs, simply to) the University.  The following Sunday the Wardens hosted another tea as a way to get to know them better.  Personally, I think that there should be more tea parties.  Before I went abroad, I was a staunch non-tea-drinker (which is ironic given that half of my family really enjoys drinking tea).  However, after experimenting with a few sugar + tea combinations at the first tea party, I can honestly say that I now enjoy drinking tea!

Much love to everyone at home!

The University's only been around for 600 years....you know, nbd

HAPPY MARCH!  I apologize for my long absence from the internet world.  I have no idea where the time has gone -- I can't believe that I have been in the UK for seven weeks already!  On one hand, it feels like I just arrived here, somewhat daunted by the idea of learning to adapt and fit into a completely new, yet foreign, environment.  But on the other, I am now completely at home here and cannot imagine what it would be like to study anywhere else other than St. Andrews.  Every day I become more and more convinced that I am supposed to be here right now, that God has always wanted me to be here.

I have so much to fill you in on, so bear with me as I somehow systematically (meaning chronologically) work through the last two weeks worth of adventures! (oh goodness, I am SO behind....)

Friday, February 25th, 2011
Okay. So. On Friday the 25th day of February, I awoke to find this outside my building:

The view of North Street from my window

That's right: Police. and lots of them.  I mean, increased security is to be expected when a prince is visiting, especially when the prince is the future King.  Since Sallies is the former home to Prince William and Miss Middleton, and therefore more likely to be a target of the media/crazed fans, my hallmates and I received emails earlier in the week detailing the temporary security procedures, i.e. to enter the building while the Prince was on campus, we would be required to show our school IDs to an officer.

Even though I had not merited a ticket to the official start-of-the-600th-aniversary-celebrations ceremony, I knew several other study abroad students who had (yay!).  They were required to be seated by 10:30am (even though the ceremony wasn't going to start for at least an hour after that), so most of them left Sallies around 9am to secure good seats. [For example, my friend Bess snagged a seat in the 3rd row! Pretty impressive!].

Unfortunately, Margaret Ann and I had class at 11 - which meant we missed the ideal time for staking out excellent Prince-spotting places on North Street.  Prior to their arrival, the Prince and Miss Middleton had announced that they might walk along North Street after the ceremony -- so of course the entire town showed up just in case they might catch a glimpse of the Prince or shake his hand.  [In the instance, "entire" even includes kindergarden-aged children on field trips from local schools.  I am not kidding - when I looked out my window and saw the above picture around 9am-ish, I also saw single-file lines of five year olds led by their teachers pass in front of the gate.  Ridiculous]  Here's an idea of what North Street looked like at about quarter til 11 (keep in mind that the official ceremony on the Quad hadn't even started yet):

Crowd-control barriers like these created a complex maze spanning the majority of the length of North Street, meaning that I had to find a semi-roundabout way to get to class because, of course, the easiest and most direct route was blocked off.  Go figure.

North Street was completely blocked off from incoming traffic

Not even 11am, and the crowds are already starting to line up.

The little blue sign in the picture above marks St. Andrews' police station which reminds me - the town was so intense about the Royal Visit that they closed they temporarily closed the police station.  Who closes a police station?!  That is one of the few state institutions that I would prefer to always stay open.  However, if there were need to find a police man, it wouldn't be too difficult.  I am convinced that every police man employed in St. Andrews was stationed either at 10 yard intervals on North Street or along the Scores (which  runs behind the University) or at the various entrances to the Quad -- besides the fact that cops here apparently don't believe in blending in with the crowd and insist on wearing neon colors.  So even when the Prince is not coming, they aren't exactly hard to find. :)

As I turned down an alley to head to my 11am stats lab (who wants to do stats when royalty is in town?!  Apparently the majority of my class thought the same thing because class was severely underpopulated that morning), I spied several news trucks parked outside the library with reporters typing away on their computers providing real time coverage of the event.

I didn't even know NBC existed in the UK!

Class ended around 12:30 -- about the same time that the ceremony on the Quad was wrapping up, and by that point the crowds on North Street had multiplied significantly.  I managed to shove my way to the front of the crowd on the west side of the Chapel, camera-in-hand, ready for my first Prince-sighting!  Here's some of the pictures that I took as I waited (ever so patiently of course!):

I mean, if I'm waiting, I might as well take pictures of the sky, right?  Especially when the sky looks like this!

The clock/bell tower of St. Salvator's Chapel.

Look at that blue sky!  The Royal Couple certainly

picked a lovely day to visit St. Andrews!

Every window of every student apartment had at least 2 girls hanging from it

Looking after the Royal Couple as they sped away

Thankfully, I had a few very tall guys standing next to me who could see over the crowds to the entrance to the Quad and were giving their not-as-tall friends a play-by-play of what was happening (which I found to be very helpful!) - such as "Oh look! The ceremony just ended ....William and Kate just came out of the Quad ... They're walking ... Oh! oh, they decided to walk the other way" [aka away from where I was standing :( ] After talking with the crowds, shaking hands, and being just generally awesome, Will and Kate hopped in their Royal Ranger Rovers and sped away (supposedly to lunch somewhere in town - and (fun fact!), according to the Sallies rumor mill, the Sallies Senior Student got to go to said lunch with the Prince!).  So, while I sadly didn't get to see either Will or Kate :( , I DID get to see their Royal Range Rovers!!!!!!

While I wish I had been able to see them, I still think that its amazing that they came to visit while I was here!  Royal visits don't happen every day - and to even have been in the same town as them is enough for me! :)  Several of my JSA friends, however, did get to meet him.  Those that were invited to the ceremony ran to the correct end of North Street (haha) at the end of the ceremony and were able to shake his hand!!!  Another one of my friends, while he didn't go to the ceremony, was able to get some great video of his sightings of the Prince, including William and Kate walking by Sallies on their way to the ceremony on the Quad!!!! (the groundskeepers had been manicuring the flowerbeds in front of Sallies for several days leading up to the event - just in case the Royal party came by :) ) Another fun story -- apparently when William and Kate walked by Sallies, the building's housekeeping staff came out on one of the balconies of the buildings to see him - and he waved up at them! so. cute. (especially since they probably were the ones who cleaned his room while he was here! :) )

The whole town of St. Andrews celebrated the arrival of the Prince and his bride-to-be.  For example, several of the bakeries in town (which are fantastic might I add :) ) commemorated the event by screening the faces of William and Kate onto various kinds of cookies and cakes.  Strange?  Perhaps.  But cute :)  I wish I had a picture of them to show you -- however, I sadly did not get out to the bakeries until after they were all gone.  Sad day :(

That night, Sallies had planned to celebrate the Royal visit with a "Royal Pub Crawl", but cancelled it due to lack of interest (which I personally don't understand since most of my JSA friends and I were planning on going....), SO we created our own pub crawl! :)  We hit up some of the popular pubs in town, starting our night off with the most intense Foosball game ever at Ma Bells and ending it with amazing nachos at Whey Pat :)  (seriously, if you ever come to St. Andrews you have to try their nachos -- so. good.)

Foosball at Ma Bells

(the guys were getting a little, um, intense when it became clear that they could possibly

lose to a bunch of girls...)

In conclusion (hahaha, I just had to write that in honor of the papers I've been writing :P), I did not get to see the Prince, BUT the excitement surrounding the Royal Visit in both the town and the university was totally worth it!  I am so happy that I was here for the kickoff of the 600th anniversary celebrations for the University (as well as the excitement of the Royal Engagement!!!!!!).  Here's to another 600 years! (wow - and I thought William and Mary at 318 years was old!)

In the words of Hagrid from Harry Potter: "It's not every day that your [university] turns [600]!"

(okay okay, so I modified it a little :P )

P.S. If you want more info on William and Kate's visit/want to see his speech at the ceremony (which I am told had a little bit of pomp and circumstance lol) / etc, check these out:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-12578449
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCpyziJpPpI  (yes this one is from a Golf site -- I mean, it's St. Andrews hahaha)