In light of recent developments, I thought it’d be good to share some thoughts as an International Student here. The situation at home (Malaysia for me) and here in the UK seems to be developing at a similar pace, with numbers rising day after day. There are a lot of uncertainties at this moment, especially regarding borders; the possibility of a lock down both here and back home.
From all I can see, the expansive coverage by social media and traditional media in general, fear mongering is real and it’s undoubtedly spreading panic to the general public. What I’ve decided to do, is to limit the COVID-19 information that I am exposed to, on all my social media. In my opinion, I think that constantly being updated with every single information down to the 3rd decimal point really won’t change anything. There’s nothing I can do to bring the numbers down. It’s not to say that I completely stop reading about the development of the disease. I choose selectively, the sources I get the information on and limit checking it to just one or twice a day.
There’s nothing I can directly do to help bring the numbers down, but the decisions that I make can make a difference. So, I’m choosing to socially distance myself and self quarantine at home to limit the possibility of spreading the virus. On the bright side, this is the perfect time for us students together what we always crave for; sleep. I’m also able to spend so much more time in the kitchen, cooking up dishes and desserts worthy of Michelin Stars! What’s growing out of this is not only my ego but my waistline too.
Now that Imperial has opted for remote teaching, all the departments are in the midst of transitioning. We’re using Microsoft Teams, Skype, Blackboard and more to facilitate this. We’ve yet to know how exams are going to be run but we are patiently waiting for our department to update us on this. The staff have been working tirelessly and many if not all have worked through the weekends, trying their best to keep the students updated with the latest developments. Major kudos to all the staff at Imperial in keeping the institution running and to everyone out there helping fight this pandemic!
What am I going to do now? I’ve decided to return home to Malaysia. As of now, our borders are still open for overseas citizens to return so I thought it’d be wise of me to go back home. I have been imposing self-quarantine here in London before I return. My intention is to limit myself to risks as much as possible as I will be returning back to my family at the end of the week. When I arrive home, I will impose self-quarantine again for two more weeks. Sounds horrible, and why is there be a need to go home if I can’t go out and see my loved ones anyway? I figured that this was the most responsible decision I could have made. Knowing how my parents are, they would go through sleepless nights knowing that we are far away from them, exposed to all these risks and that they aren’t by our side to care for us.
I really don’t know where I am going about with this but I thought that it would be beneficial to some, to learn that they aren’t alone in going through this. There are a lot of uncertainties and we’ve just got to be patient and resilient. Best way to go about with it is to “Be alert but not anxious!” as Dr Mike says it. I wish that all of you and your loved ones are healthy and well. To those going home, please I know how hard it is to not be able to meet your loved ones but take the wiser decision to self-isolate for 2 weeks. This will make all the difference. I am no expert on this but I know we can get through this together (in isolation of course)!
“Here’s your first summative assignment.”
03/11/15
“1st term’s over! Merry Christmas and a happy new year!”
18/12/15
“Welcome back. How were your holidays?”
11/01/16
“This term’s tough. More assignments and labs!”
15/02/16
“Yeah, I’m going home for Easter.”
23/03/16
“How are exam preparations coming along?”
25/04/16
“The first exam actually went pretty well.”
29/04/16
“I’m really glad they’re over.”
01/06/16
“Congratulations on passing the year. See you in the 2nd.”
19/07/16
I finished my 1st year at Imperial several months ago, and it truly went by too fast. Maybe it’s because as I’m getting older, every other year is a lesser fraction of my life, but who knows in fact.
Besides that, I tried to make the most of it, and in some aspects, I did. That makes me really happy, but there are other things that I wanted to try out or accomplish (like rock-climbing or a more regular club attendance), but did not in the end.
Of my first year at least.
So, from all my highs and lows over this past, eventful and simply wonderful year at Imperial, here are 11 tips for you to own your 1st year.
1.Be the one to say “hi” first
At Imperial, you will come to meet lots of new people from many different places, and make some pretty good friends. I say, be the one to muster up the courage to walk up to the cool guy or pretty girl you have your eyes on, and simply introduce yourself without expecting anything in return.
Be as glamorous as you need to be.
You may end up as friends, or you may not click with that person. Anyway, you will come to develop your courage and conversational skills. Soon enough, you’ll learn how to approach different people and how to start and lead a conversation.
2.Try as many new things as humanly possible
If you’re moving to a large city like I did, then there will probably be many more activities or opportunities available to you as a university student. This may include activities like calligraphy, pole-dancing, kendo, photography, skydiving, or even archery.
Your No. 1 mission is to go to ALL the stalls at the Freshers Fair on October 4th.
In a bigger city, there are also many charitable causes to volunteer for, and many opportunities for a part time job, like bartending or tutoring.
The point of trying lots of new things is to genuinely learn what you’re into and not, rather than saying “I don’t think I’ll like it.”
3.Learn how to learn
The lecture starts, and you pull out your paper and pen, but you see your classmate across the room with a Microsoft Surface Pro 4 with his stylus ready to jot notes down on MS Word.
We all have our learning styles – these are whichever helps us learn more effectively. See what things you have available to aid your learning, apply them and evaluate how helpful they are, in order to find out your most effective learning method.
And I mean whichever method aids your learning. (Taken during our Halloween dress-up)
Personally, writing things down helps my learning a lot. I vary from using pen and paper to a laptop depending on the pace at which the lecturer speaks. If lecture notes are already provided, then I would print them or work on an iPad or other device to edit the .pdf file.
4.Not everything is a competition
If you’re sportive, you may understand the competitiveness of a race – from start to finish, your efforts are invested into the steps you need to take in order to win. But at university, I don’t believe there should be competition where your academic performance is to be compared to those of your classmates. Sure, you may want to get good/great grades, but don’t seek to get the best grades.
When I started my 1st year, I felt I had get (one of) the highest grades in my year group. I did for our first summative (graded) assignment. Afterwards, however, I felt unnecessarily stressed in trying to maintain that standard. Instead, I felt I was not performing as well as I knew I could. Took me a while to realize and accept this as I am within a group of students who normally perform academically excellent.
5.Figure out what you want out of your time at uni
You may be starting your studies at university because you want to become a doctor and open up a hospital, or you want to contribute to the development of bionic prosthetic devices (this one’s mine). If your goals are crystal clear to you, and advancing your education at university is the next step, then figure out the following steps you need to take to get to your goal at whatever pace you want.
However, you may not be 100% sure about what you want. And that’s fine. Your first step is not to worry too much about it. Then spend some time exploring the many opportunities available to you. One of them must resonate at your frequency. When you’ve got it, take massive action on those first steps and accelerate towards your goal.
6.Keep a budget and track your expenses
As you’re moving out of your home, leaving your parent(s) or guardian(s), you will need to be on top of your finances if you want to survive.
Just kidding, you will definitely survive! However, knowing exactly where you’re spending your money allows you to cut back on the unnecessary costs and save up for what really matters to you.
Want to purchase a new computer/camera? Then start saving up a couple pounds a day by, for example, making your own food rather than buying food at the cafeteria.
7.Don’t be afraid of disappointing anyone
Give it your honest, best shot. You’ll realize you’re more capable than you think.
In your years ahead at university, you will come to face great challenges that will test your will. These may be mostly academic, but they may also involve another person, group, business/company, etc. Whatever the case, lose the fear of what anyone will think about you if you don’t get that job, or fail the test, or not end up as the top student, or simply lose.
Honestly, it’s a toxic feeling that will eventually break your will, no matter how try you hard to fight it. I experienced it during my exams. As I was afraid of disappointing one particular person, I did not perform as well as I really could on two exams. I’m glad I still passed both, but I learned my lesson the hard way.
But I didn’t lose. No. Battles are only lost if you learn nothing from them. But I definitely did.
You may be asking yourself how. I asked myself that so many times. It all boils down to accepting yourself as you are at any moment, and simply focusing on the task at hand and nothing else. Sounds easier said that done; it is, but it also becomes easier with practice.
8.Be encouraged, rather than discouraged
Here at Imperial, you will come to meet people who have a deep passion about what they do – whether that is their degree course, a sport, or even an art – and they’re really good at it.
But instead of “comparing your chapter 1 to someone else’s chapter 20” (Yahya Bakkar) and feeling discouraged, talk to that person about their passion and learn from them. Ask them what makes them passionate, and how they’ve been able to keep at it for however long.
So if you share an activity as a mutual interest with someone else, learn from that person instead of distancing yourself from the activity altogether. Trust me, I understand that it could be quite scary being honest, but if you truly want to grow in that area, then have faith it will all be alright, because it will.
9.Cherish your time at university
Make friends and spend valuable time with them.
I was once hiking through the Seven Sisters Country Park toward Eastbourne, and I came to meet a UCL graduate. Curious to know what advice she had for a fresher like me, she told me this: Cherish your time at university.
She helped me to remember the position I am in, that after 3 years I may start working for a company and may no longer get to experience the spontaneity and liveliness of a university campus. I have come to know that I greatly enjoy it, and I will dearly miss it.
So I give you the same advice as you’re about to start uni. From start to finish, spend every second doing something significant to you, be happy and appreciate what you’ve got.
10. Do more than the expected minimum
While being around London, I once met an Imperial alumnus who studied Physics and later on went to do a PhD at Oxford in Physics as well. At such encounters, I always try to ask for advice a new student like me could use. He told me that though I receive a minimum amount of work in my course, which is expected of me to complete/do, to go beyond that and seek further knowledge.
This means that, for example, though your lecturers will assign problem sheets for the next session, do not only complete those, but also seek extra problems from the list of supplementary books. And more! Your lectures will probably be a collection of specific details from different sources, like mines were, but do search for those reading materials and read up on extra details, which may help you understand the whole subject!
Remember to never do less, but more.
11.Love and develop yourself
I am beautiful no matter what I wear, do or have.
You are a body, mind and soul, and you can develop all of these three with appropriate training.
Body: As a university student, gym memberships are normally cheaper, so set up a routine, go with a more-experienced friend, or whatever else may work out for you and build the beautiful temple that is your physical body.
Mind: Here you will come to learn new things that will challenge all that you’ve learned previously, which you also may find truly interesting. If so, invest the necessary amount of time to expand your knowledge and understanding of your degree course or anything else that may interest you.
Soul: As for your soul, happiness is key. Carefully pick the activities you take part in, the people you spend time with, the places you visit, and how you spend your time in general. Make sure that whatever you’re doing, you are genuinely happy or know that you will be happy after having finished/overcome something.
Note that I am not an expert in any of the three. I am still learning of ways to develop myself in these aspects, and I’ve come to realize that there is also no deadline. Anyway, for further inspiration I would suggest meeting those that are experienced in person, or following them online.
As I post this, it’s September 30th and the final batch of freshers arrive at the halls tomorrow. For my 2nd year at Imperial, I chose to be a hall senior and have worked with the other hall seniors, sub-wardens and wardens of the Woodward Buildings (and the Costume Store this year!) to organize a fortnight of daily events that we’re sure our freshers will enjoy.
This year, I aim to be much more consistent with my studies and extracurricular activities, which also includes blogging. Though my 1-year term as an Imperial blogger is coming to and end, and I am uncertain that I will get the opportunity to continue. Though for the length that this blog is up, I’ll try to promote it as much as I can. If I could help to spread some advice to at least 1 fresher, I’ll be more than happy! 😀
If you have found any of these tips useful in any way, please let me know in the comments! I like comments. 😀 It lets me know people actually read this stuff (because I have no way to track views) and appreciate it enough to say it or ask a question.
The Spring Term lasted from the 11th of January to the 23rd of March, which fell on a Wednesday. This was a bit odd, as I would have expected the term to end on Friday, but apparently Easter came early this year.
On that note, happy belated Easter! I hope you spent some quality time with your family and loved ones, and that your celebrations for the resurrection of Jesus Christ were lovely.
As for me, I spent Easter with my family. I am very glad to have come back home after 6 months. If you don’t know, my home is Sint Maarten, a beautiful, tiny island in the Caribbean. Having arrived back made me realize that while I study in one of the best cities in the world, I live in paradise.
Anyway, to the topic of this blog post: Spring Term. As the term progressed, I gained more knowledge about my different modules and the Bioengineering field, and I got to work on an electrical engineering project that I am very proud of. Because a lot has occurred, in this post I will only cover what impacted me most:
1 – Electronic Stethoscope
Prototype
As part of our Electrical Engineering Labs module, we got to the opportunity to design and implement a device that is meant to amplify the sound of the human heartbeat – all with simple resistors, capacitors and operational amplifiers (op-amps)! We didn’t jump on to work on the stethoscope at once, however. We began by designing and simulating different circuits based on op-amps on LT spice IV, a software that facilitated the process.
After getting some experience using the software and truly understanding how the op-amp-based circuits operated, we moved on to design the stethoscope. The module was then moved from the computer to the laboratory, in which groups of students started off by building the simple circuits we designed at first (to get a grasp of the building units) and finally our stethoscope design. I worked in a pair, as most of us did, so my lab partner and I divided tasks to make things easier. At the end of the project, we managed to get the whole circuit to work!
2 – Programming language C
Coming to Imperial, I had basic programming knowledge – input/output, loops, if-statements, arrays. But through the Programming 1 module, I expanded my knowledge of programming and learned a completely new language (C), with more interesting codes to use in my programs! The module included the aforementioned topics, but also using different datatypes, casting data, errors such as truncation and overflow, selection statements (if-else & switch), iteration statements (for, while, & do-while), using functions to return one or more results, arrays, memory allocation, pointers, and using streams to read data from a .txt file and create another with the results.
The module was assessed in two ways. The first were 20 questions asking about what programming achieves and how. The next involved correcting or writing 8 short programs with the different codes that we had learned in the term. It lasted 2 hours long and one of the programs was quite challenging to write! I am currently awaiting my grade, but I believe I did well.
3 – Fourier Series and Transforms
You may know about Taylor and Maclaurin series, which can represent any function by the sum of an infinite number of polynomials. But Fourier series are more interesting. This was one of the new things I learned in our Mathematics 1 module, and the concept is slightly different, as functions are represented by the sum of sinusoidal terms instead. This type of series can be further applied in the Fourier transforms, which are used to turn a function from one domain (say time, measured in seconds s) to its inverse domain (frequency, measured in hertz, Hz). This can be applied to investigate signals and differentiate the significant ones from the noise.
For example, as we were dealing with electronic signals – generated by a microphone picking up the heartbeat sound – in our stethoscope project, Fourier transforms could be used to figure out the frequencies of the subject’s heartbeat sounds. Knowing this, the filters can be designed such that more noise is attenuated, while amplifying the significant signal.
4 – Wet Labs
Back in high school, I really liked working in the laboratory. I appreciated the environment, its formalities and working with the apparatus in different experiments. Back then, I remember wanting to work in a university laboratory. I wondered what else would be available, if the formalities were similar or different, and most of all, what bacteria I could play with.
And I got to play with some bacteria alright.
Ok, not necessarily play with, but worked with and investigated under a microscope after testing if they were gram positive or negative.
Another one of our modules this term was Wet Labs Skills, in which we got the opportunity to access two labs that belonged to the Life Sciences and Chemistry departments.
What’s a good college if the departments don’t share labs, right? That makes Imperial a great college!
We had two lab sessions, and in the first one we used a Gilson pipette to transfer 0.000025 L of liquid, which is so insanely small! Our first experiment involved transferring small amounts of liquid from vial to vial for a suspenseful result. In our second experiment, we dealt with several bacteria colonies, and we had to determine if they were gram positive (indication of having a thick cell wall made of peptidoglycan) or gram negative (the opposite and having an additional lipid membrane). For this experiment, we also used a microscope, and had to identify the strain of bacteria with a dichotomous key. Honestly, it was very exciting, especially working with a lab partner to divide tasks with.
This was taken from our lab sheet. Credits to the one who prepared it: Dr David Hartley, Dept. of Life Sciences.
Other modules that we had this term were: Electromagnetics 1, Heat and Mass Transport 1, Molecules Cells and Processes and Mechanics 1. They each enlightened me with new and interesting knowledge, but I enjoyed the 4 things I listed most.
Thinking about what I shall write next, it will probably be on something more personal, if not an upcoming race with the Cross Country team in the Netherlands! Stay tuned for more 😀
Remember to write any comments if there’s anything you’re wondering about. I try to answer asap.
I promise I don’t bite.
When I first started my Masters here at Imperial, I loved the South Kensington campus. The tall periodic buildings that surrounded it, the open lawn and copious activities within the campus – it all looked great. When I realised that this wasn’t my main campus, but Paddington was, I was a tad disappointed. As nice as Paddington is, it didn’t have the same elegant feel as South-Ken.
Nevertheless, I’ve grown to love my campus and appreciate all it’s little treasures, so I’ve decided to give a brief guide on things you can do if you ever find yourself on this campus!
1. Take a boat ride
There’s a river that runs straight through the campus, a boat ride is a nice pass-time, especially in the summer!
2. Admire the view
There are many bridges on this campus where you can simply stand and admire the view – (especially if you like tall buildings and murky rivers!)
3. Relax in Norfolk Park
This beautiful park is 5 minutes away from the campus. It’s a great spot to chill-out, and even have a game of giant chess!
4. Somewhere nice to eat
Look out for Bonne Bouche! Not only does it have a wide variety of delicious sweet treats, but there are baguettes, pies and other hot food as well, making one of our favorite places to eat right outside of Paddington campus.
So if you’re a new student who will be based here next year, or you just want to check out Paddington – take a look at some of these places, and I’m sure you’ll find some hidden gems of your own 🙂
So.. recently in my course I’ve experienced some changes.
Research Project
My MSc in Preventive Cardiology is a taught course where we have to do a research project worth a 3rd of our overall grade. Those who want to do a PhD or go into research after their masters understand the importance of the research project and choose something that they may like to follow up afterwards. As I’ve said in a previous post, I am interested in cardiovascular disease and mental health, and I was hoping that as part of my research project I could actually have patient contact and carry out some interviews. Sadly, that didn’t happen due to a little thing called ethics.
I may sound bitter, but ethics is really important to make sure that any study you do involving humans is done in a way that causes as little harm as possible. Unfortunately for me, I didn’t apply in good time, and it was suggested I forget about that part of my project. It was hard to let go of as I thought it would have really given me an edge into what it’s like to carry out research in the real world. Nevertheless it was necessary for me to let go, as it would have been time consuming and it may have been too much for me to handle.
So I’ve realised sometimes it’s better to see the bigger picture and accept change – things may not always work out the way you plan, but it’s not always a bad thing to let go. As long as I do my best with my project it can still contribute to the scientific literature out there, as it may show information that nobody has explored before!
Preventive Cardiology Staff
Another change that happened during our course, is that our lovely course coordinator – Anna – and I.T. technician – Katie – are leaving *cries*. Although hasn’t even been a year yet, it’s easy to grow quite attached to people around you, and even though my course is more than half way through, it will be strange not to see them in university any more.
A picture of us all during their leaving party.
Nevertheless, I know they’re moving onto better things, so I embrace all of this change with joy! 🙂
You all seem like lovely people and it has been a great term getting to know you guys. I thank you for coming out your room occasionally to say hello because it is sometimes nice to have human contact here at Imperial.
I just have a few concerns about the way that we are handling our kitchen at the moment- and by “we” I mean most of you. Okay I will admit that I occasionally may leave a piece of pasta on the floor if it drops but I have never poured my whole beef casserole down the kitchen sink! Who even does that? You do.
Maybe I am just being a bit annoying and pedantic about this but maybe it would be nice if whoever is making coffee in the kettle could please stop. I can tell that you are trying to be nice and make coffee for everyone but sometimes it makes my morning a bit harder because I have to wash out your coffee beans out the kettle. I appreciate your generosity though.
After the elusive ham-burglar on 2nd floor I can understand that kitchen security would be stepped up. I did indeed put a padlock on my cupboard and set the combination to 000. I would just like to thank whoever managed to reset this combination leading me to have to become “Bob the Builder” with the Hall’s tool kit to get a plate out my own cupboard. However, the nicest gesture was when someone saw my cupboard was padlock-less after this incident so put a new padlock on for me. It just may have been nice if you had given me the key to open this new padlock. Next time?
Come Dine With Me. This was fun at first. The “society” that shall not be named cook their lovely noodles and curries once a week. I just have two minor issues with this game-show now.
1) It makes it a bit uncomfortable to do my own cooking in the kitchen when all 40 of you are having a buffet…all evening.
2) You have managed to book come dine with me on a Thursday night. Our kitchen gets cleaned on Thursdays and Saturdays. This means that the stir fry decorating the table tops doesn’t get cleaned up until Saturday morning. But I guess it is no big deal.
So all I am trying to say is that even though I love you all, maybe we (you) should begin to not leave fridge doors open, urinate in the fairy liquid bottles, pour water on the floor for no good reason and especially please try to refrain from stealing the glass plate from inside the microwave again. Apart from this I look forward to spending two more terms with all of you hygienic chefs. And remember: Sharing is Caring!
Kind regards,
Mala Mawkin
P.S. Shout-out to Comfort the cleaner for her wise words of wisdom and reassurance whilst I wrote this article. She is one of many people I have met here that provides me with…comfort. (Get it?!)
2) Family– My family hasn’t really changed to be fair, but the amount of time I see them has increased a lot. Before university I would sit in my room, alone. Most of the time in the dark. Now I see them about once a week. Result!
3) Food– Oh gosh food is amazing. I have really fallen in love with big meals. My cooking “buddy” makes me eat a lot of vegetables which is a nice change from the lunchtime £1.43 chips at the union. Some of the meals I have had have been full of imagination and creativity with favourites including burgers on waffles with nutella. Who needs a cookbook?
4) Organisation– Who knew how much fun sorting my files out could be. I also have taken up the hobby of highlighting…everything.
5) What I wear– The day I walked to Sainsbury’s in my dressing gown was the day I realised how extreme things had become.
6) TV– I have really not been watching a lot of television anymore. Before university I would wake up and watch BBC News or CNN for half an hour, but these days I listen to Radio 4 daily to catch my news updates. Watching an episode of neighbours every day has stopped too, but it hasn’t stopped my mum from calling me to tell me what has happened!
7) Fears– I have conquered quite a few fears here. Most notably my claustrophobia has disappeared since I have been squashed numerous times into the lifts at Gloucester Road Station.
8) Fancy dress– I came to university with quite a large collection of fancy dress supplies, but it has increased since I arrived. Some items have been tragically lost and others stretched by guys eagerly trying on ballerina outfits. I can’t wait to see how the collection continues to grow.
9) Hobbies– My hobbies have changed a bit since school, which is really exciting for me. Last week I had my first visit to the paediatric ward with Imperial’s Play Team to play with a child who was poorly. It was so lovely and my partner and I stayed for as long as we could playing with the child and her parents. The intense games of Uno and balloon fights made my day really special and I hope the child enjoyed it as much as I did.
10) Sleeping– Bedtime is all the time.
I underestimated how much would really be changing when I started University. Some changes have been exciting and others have been quite terrifying. My priorities have changed since coming to university and a lot has changed about me and my environment. But one thing that hasn’t changed is my focus. I am really enjoying my course and new life, but also have gone through quite a bit of change which really does take time and effort to adjust to. If you surround yourself with people that care about you though things really are easier. I am really energised by the thought of what is to come, and the new chapter in my life.
Mala Mawkin
P.S. Is it too early to be excited for Christmas? Probably.
Welcome to my shiny new Imperial College Student Blog! I guess I’ll start by elaborating on my About Me page.
So HI *waves frantically* I’m Izzie and I’m a first year biology student. So far, this means I spend quite a lot of time pippetting stuff from Universal tubes into test tubes and hacking up dissecting unusual things like squids. When I’m not in labs, I’m learning about cool stuff such as primate evolution and how everything you learnt about electrons in A Level chemistry was a lie. That’s one of the hardest things about science… the deeper you go, the more you realise that everything you learnt at a previous level does not quite work as you think it does.
When I’m not at uni, I can often be found doing things with the Christian Union. We do a lot of pretty great stuff and there is so much to get involved in even though we’re only two months in to the academic year! I’m not involved in much sport at the moment (I tell people that I run but this is mostly a lie… I hate running and I go occasionally to appease my sense of guilt that I never exercise. I’m a wimp.) but my new year’s resolution is going to be to try out a class at Ethos, which is Imperial’s gym. If you’re a gym rat, you will probably love Ethos. It has a swimming pool and all the regular stuff you’d fine in a gym, (can you tell I have never stepped foot inside a gym in my life?) squash courts, a climbing wall and they also do a wide selection of different classes like zumba and spin and some kind of uber intense cardio workout involving things called weight plates and medicine balls. Wish me luck.
I live in mighty Fisher Hall and I actually really like it ok. If you are unfamiliar with the accommodation hierarchy here at Imperial, Fisher is generally considered to be a pretty bad place to live because it’s a bit old and crumbly in places. Yes it is crumbly but the people are lovely lovely lovely, I have met many of my closest friends at uni here in halls and our hall seniors are great. There is always someone to chat to in the common room, we have a pool table and since we’re in such a central location, we’re close to everything. South Kensington life is aces people.
When I am not pippetting or hanging with the Christians, I’m having epic movie nights in halls or just chilling in my friend’s rooms. One thing you will learn when you move in to halls is just how many people you can fit on to a narrow single bed to watch a film when you really put your mind to it (our record is six).
I really like baking and cooking so I’m also in the kitchen a lot and my freezer is almost always full of leftovers (because I am incapable of cooking for just one person, I always have enough to feed a small principality) that I force feed my friends. If you are ever hungry, come and find me.
I hope that’s a sufficient introduction to who I am and the kind of stuff I’ll be blogging about. Expect more about my foray into the world of gym classes (omgosh I don’t know why I said I’d take up exercise classes, now it’s permanently on the internet I’ll have to do it won’t I?) and I’ll try and blog something a bit more interesting next week!!
A picture of us all during their leaving party.
