Ending on a high note

Not too much has happened since I last wrote, but I thought that after the slightly depressing tone of my last entry you deserved something happier to top off what has been a mostly fantastic month.

First: Happy (belated) Pancake Day! My flatmates and I had friends over for a pancake party complete with homemade pancakes and LOTS of toppings (I think we had four different types of chocolate topping alone). Everyone seemed to have a good time, and the pancakes were delicious (no, I will not tell you how many I ate). I think I mentioned this before, but here pancakes are crepes. American-style pancakes are called Scottish pancakes, but the English don't seem to be big fans of them. I have to admit that nothing beats crepes, but I don't know if I can go six months without American pancakes.

Three Wash U students studying in Paris arrived yesterday or the day before to visit friends here at Sussex, so they left the land of crepes only to come to England on the one day a year when it, too, becomes a land of crepes. They didn't seem to mind. It was fun to see some familiar faces, though I don't know any of them that well, and it was a cool study abroad moment to realize that the last time we all saw each other was at Wash U and now we're traveling the world together.

Tomorrow I only have one class, so I'm hoping to get a decent night's sleep tonight and spend most of the day working. Yes, I will be the first to admit that I wanted to take a break from Wash U academics, but I think I've been taking too much of a break and will actually be happier if I can go back to my original goal of finding and living a balance between work and play. Plus I have a feeling that these big essays due during summer term will come back to bite me if I don't at least start them now.

I also need to work tomorrow because I will be in LONDON this weekend! You may be wondering, "Why are you going to London again, Olivia? Haven't you been there three times already?" Well, yes, I have. But London is huge and they were all structured trips, so as much as I loved the things I saw and did, I haven't had a chance yet to go on a trip that I planned myself (or with a friend, in this case)... until this weekend. In other words, this trip will be different in that it involves going to a choral service at Westminster Abbey and SPRING AWAKENING on Friday night (the music/choir/musical lover in me is already starting to hyperventilate), riding the London Eye at sunset on Saturday, and taking advantage of the photo opportunity at Platform 9 3/4 at King's Cross Station on Sunday, among other things. SO. EXCITED.

Oh, and to top it all off, my parents are planning a trip here in May, including a visit to Stratford-upon-Avon (so I get to go after all!) and seeing a Shakespearean play at the Globe! My dad is already threatening to bombard me with Shakespearean trivia during the trip. I'm counting on it and can't wait, Pops.