I can't tell you how much I love writing this blog. Writing is like catharsis. For awhile I thought I would be a journalist; all through college I had a writing outlet in the college newspaper; by senior year I was writing opinion-editorials about whatever topics I wanted, like the disease of "senioritis" and healthy partying. My favorite elective class I took was memoir writing. I wrote a blog all through Ecuador. And then I graduated and suddenly I had no outlet for writing. And it made me realize how much I love it. It's such a good way to take a break and reflect on life.
Supermarket quirks...
Aubergine? What's an aubergine? (for US: eggplant, apparently) Why are there no cranberries and so many potato choices? You're not even going to ID me when I buy alcohol? [for Brits: It doesn't matter that I'm well over 21. ID'd every time in the U.S. I look in the plausible range of 21 and they are meticulous] Also, they don't believe in frozen cookie dough! The horror! Additionally, where's all the light beer? And the processed cheese-like Kraft Parmesan and Velveeta? They only eat real cheese here, where I'd guess if you look in the refrigerators of Americans, a HIGH percentage of them have processed cheese. That might be an improvement. But the lack of light beer is not.
Quidditch
Every Saturday we have frisbee practice, and on the pitch (for USians: field) next to us there are Quidditch games going on. Quidditch at Oxford. How fitting is that. As far as I can tell, one plays this sport by running with a long stick or broom between one's legs, and trying to pass and throw a ball in to one of several hoola hoops hung from trees. And then the two other people (seekers) have to go look around for a Snitch that's hidden somewhere. I think? I'm not sure Clearly I need to try this. I think St. Hilda's (my college) has a team. I was saying something snarky one time about the two Seekers wandering around our frisbee practice with brooms between their legs, and then my teammates pointed out we were playing Ultimate Frisbee, and therefore really had no ability to say anything about odd sports...Fair point.
Things I've gotten wrong this week...
Pudding in the U.S. = Soupy dessert substance that comes in chocolate, vanilla, or butterscotch.
Pudding in the U.K. = Dessert. No specific reference to the soup-like dessert substance. Huh.
Brits are Immune to Senioritis
In the U.S., a fairly well-known disease among college students is called Senioritis. It occurs towards the end of one's senior (for Brits: 4th) year of college. Seniors already have the majority of their credits (for Brits: grades in every class adding up to a cumulative Grade Point Average) and are 'coasting' through the rest. Senioritis is characterized by a lack of motivation, coupled with laziness and revulsion towards doing schoolwork. And also usually accompanied by a copious number of keggers (My senior month of May = the long-standing tradition 30 Kegs in 30 Nights). And then we blame it on this incurable disease.
In the U.K., there is no such thing. 3rd year (for US: only 3 years of college, lucky huh) is characterized by preparing for final exams. Which determine your grade for ALL OF COLLEGE. Literally the evaluation of your work for the last three years. For obvious reasons, Senioritis hasn't spread here. Which is a pity. On a side note, in my senior year I published an op-ed on senioritis, and got comments from my professors for days. Good times.
American Stubbornness
In the U.S., we have this notion that everything should be fair and just. If it isn't, we argue. And argue and argue. Until we speak to someone high enough in the chain of command who will listen. If nothing else, we register our complaint. We're used to being able to argue for our rights. Example: If my dad calls a help line and the person doesn't help him, he'll ask to speak to his supervisor. If the supervisor can't help, my dad will ask to speak to his boss. If that's not possible, my dad will ask the name of his boss so he can personally tell his boss what a bad job the supervisor is doing. And then suddenly the supervisor pays attention and makes things happen. It's a well-established mechanism of making things happen; one only needs to look at student activism campaigns on college campuses (to get rid of bottled water, for instance) for less-dramatic examples.
In the U.K., it is impolite and much less common to do this. Everyone is expected to do their best to help you, and if you question this it is considered much more offensive. I think there isn't a preconceived notion of entitlement as much as in the U.S. Example at Oxford: Our program wrote essays four months ago now that haven't been graded, and won't be graded til May. The U.S. in me wants to argue til I find the right person and point out the ludicrousness of this. I will bite my tongue.
Caveats: yes, yes, I know this isn't true of everyone, there are exceptions, these are sweeping statements. etc.
On that note, it's the home stretch of the term! Back to essay writing. Bleeeerrrrgggggggghhh. Enjoy the snow Michigan! - Lisa
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