Oooh... classes soon!

This weekend was a lot of fun. I woke up completely well rested today, and I got to see a lot of friends yesterday and today.

Saturday consisted of going to a cemetery and a medical museum, which was HUGE and fun and kind of creepy. (The creepy part was this one section where you have to walk through this dimly lit area to see all of these mannequins in pain, sick, or just in the area where they got sick, etc.) Overall, it was my kind of museum and I learned a lot. We spent about 3 hours there. This is a good sign, because my history class is basically going to be like the museum. With more details, of course.

The cemetery right across the street was really interesting. We actually didn't plan on going there, but we arrived at the museum too early. Some of the gravestones have been in there for a long time. I wish I could write more eloquently about walking through there, but I don't think I can. Walking through there itself was its own history lesson and makes you think more about your own mortality. Also, it was weird walking through there in the winter and seeing the bright green grass, plus all of the stones that the trees have grown around.

Afterwards, we headed down to Headingly, which is an area of Leeds filled with small stores, a lot being charity shops. So, I was able to get a "new" bag for 2 GBP, which has a lot of pockets and is big enough for my books. Very pleased with that purchase. I also got a light jacket for 7.50 GBP since sometimes my peacoat is waaaay too warm. The buildings here tend to be really warm (in my opinion). I just need to find some nice-looking everyday shoes. I do have my gym shoes, but since it's muddy, I prefer to not wear them because I don't want to ruin my gym shoes because they're for the gym.

Oxfam has a few stores, which I was interested to see. We didn't go in them though, because my friend told me they were more expensive than the others. However, someone living on my floor told me that the secondhand bookstore down there sometimes carries cheap textbooks, so I might wander down there sometime soon.

Sadly, to travel to Headingly and around Leeds by bus is kind of expensive. I typically pay around 1.70 GBP to get around. However, if I know ahead of time that I'll take the bus a few times in that day, I'll get a day pass which is 3.20 GBP. If it's nice though, I prefer to walk, because twice the bus drivers have completely skipped over my bus stop (and yes, I did ring the bell). Also, it's funny, because despite a Saturday's schedule including times until 3am in the morning, a day pass actually stops being valid at midnight. It would make more sense to me if they put the midnight to 3am times under Sunday.

Visiting my friends at Bodington Hall will be tough because it's so far away. :(

I went ice skating today, and the ice rink was really crowded. It was a lot of fun though, but waay more expensive than skating at home. Afterwards, we went to a Chinese buffet, which gave me my first real big pang of homesickness. I've been able to avoid it most of the time because everything I'm doing is different, plus I'm really busy or tired. Eating familiar food though that I'd normally get with my family without my family was sad. Hopefully, when tomorrow hits with my classes, I'll be able to get into more of a groove.

Also, it's funny, the buffet wouldn't serve us tap water, and one of the British guys with us told us that to deny us that water when we ask for it is actually illegal, but we didn't push it.

One of my classes, Cancer Biology, actually doesn't start until week 20, and this is week 14. So, until then, my schedule is pretty tame. My first class tomorrow is at 1pm. However, when Cancer Bio does start, it'll be incredibly weird. That class is not consistent with time or location at all. If I have a two hour block of time for that class, each hour is in a different lecture theatre. I'm going to talk to my department about that class tomorrow too, because for 2 weeks it actually conflicts with one of my other lectures. It's so weird!

:D I have my genetics class with someone on my floor! I can't believe that happened, but I'm really happy about it!

Sorry if my entries are so scatterbrained. Typically I'm tired, and I've said all of this before, so I don't feel any real motivation to make these organized.