In the UK

It's about 10 in the morning right now, and I'm still tired. A jackhammer started going around 9am (one of the houses nearby looks like it's renovating the backyard) and I wasn't able to fall asleep again. So now I'm just sitting in my bed with my lappy top.

My arrival went amazingly well. For once, the O'Hare security wasn't dead strict and mean, so that caught me by surprise. The downside was that my carry on was a traveling/backpacking/hiking backpack, and my sister had used it before for a carry on, but when I was about to enter the plane, American Airlines told me it was too big. I couldn't fit it into the carry-on tester slot "comfortably". They checked in my bag for free though because of the confusion, but on the airplane I was terrified that my piccolo, flute, or my laptop would receive damange. All fine though!!

Liz, one of my friends and studying at Leeds this semester, has AMAZING friends that met us at the Manchester airport. They helped us carry our bags, had breakfast with us, and then rode with us on the train to Leeds. Then they basically took us around Leeds and helped us do our boring shopping. So, I have 2 pillows (but I was cheap and bought a pack of 2 thin pillows for 3 GBP and stuff them into one pillowcase), a small lamp for 4 GPB, cheap towels, and a cheap laundry hamper. They don't even look cheap, which is the best.

My residence hall is amazing! I love it. I live in the Old Hall in Devonshire Hall, and it feels more like a house than a dorm. I have to go through quite a few staircases to reach my room, and the woman from Reception had to show me twice because I was afraid I'd get lost. I think I'm supposed to go talk to her again today too -- I can't remember too much because I was so tired yesterday. Everyone on my floor is really nice though, and so far it looks like I'm the oldest here. I feel like the youngest though. I sound and dress less classier, plus I don't drink! 3 of my floormates informed me that this is a really quiet hall because they all like to study hard, but did let me know they do like to have fun (after they're done studying). This sounds like my kind of place.

I need to find the practice rooms sometime. And figure out how to eat here.

Liz's two friends had 2 people join us in our Leeds extravaganza, and it was a lot of fun. We had tea and coffee, fish and chips, Cadbury creme eggs (which are REALLY popular here)... it was a really fun blur. I wish I could write it all down, but I just don't have the brainpower right now. It was just pure AWESOME.

It's inching closer to 10:30am, so I should probably start to get things done. The jackhammer has stopped, but now it's too late for me to really go back to sleep.