In a Year

“There is a kind of magicness about going far away and then coming back all changed.”
From New Chronicles of Rebecca by Kate Douglas Wiggin

You don't realize how much happens in a year until you starting examining it. As I wrap up my time in the UK I look back and am amazed at everything that has happened both here and back home.

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 For the first time in my life I get to celebrate my birthday at the end of the school year, instead of the beginning! 

I had a great time with my friends on a day trip and then some cake at Anni's, the weather even cooperated!

Oh, and since it's my birthday I'm doing what I want and am having more than one pic - so there.

With the girls at the Broadway Tower

Course I had to get my pic next to this!

Saying Goodbye

“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”
From Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne

Just about everyone has turned in their final essays and dissertations.

The Library is almost empty.

People are starting to pack up and head home or wherever they got a job (if they were lucky enough to get one already).

It hit me that this was the end when my first housemate moved out today.

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After staying up all night printing, then standing in line for 3 hours to get them bound, the proud WMG students show off their beautiful Dissertations!

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I have accomplished my final task . . .

The dissertation has been submitted! 

Enjoy this stop action film of the event

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Our prison

AKA the Library

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The deadline is creeping frighteningly close

To make matter oh so much better, today is a Bank Holiday and the university felt it was acceptable to close the library, and the PG Hub, so we had to work in the Learning Grid - with everyone else who has dissertations due. In other words it was packed and loud, not a good working environment. 

Surprisingly there was only one meltdown all day and it didn't happen until after 10pm, so that's something.

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So relaxed . . .

Why you may ask? Oh, he's almost done with his dissertation

Some people (such as Anni, as seen in the background) aren't so carefree 

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For the past two weeks we've been ordering "Indian" food

(it's in quotes because it's really Pakistani but other than Dolly none of us know the difference, don't judge) 

Panic and Stress

"'I like the cover,' he said. 'DON'T PANIC.' It's the first helpful or intelligible thing anybody's said to me all day.'"
From The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

It's setting in. The panic. All assignments have it, of course, but there's something about the word "dissertation" that makes everyone's lungs seize and hyperventilation set in.

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Dinner and drinks with the girls during a dissertation writing break

One week more and we're free (their deadline, but I'm adopting it!)

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At least when I get to go outside the weather is nice so I can enjoy scenes like this!

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It was raining (hard) so Anni and I decided that we were going to wait for Manu to drive to campus.

We made it as far as the bus stop and Pippa died.

We had to push her so she didn't get run over by an incoming bus.

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I helped out a friend with his dissertation and got chocolate! 

I'm a fan of this

I do love the packaging of the Russian chocolate (on the right)

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Just over two weeks until dissertation submission

The wear is starting to show

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With the WMG crew in front of The Kazakh House 

(Really The House Formerly Know as the Kazakh House)

Don't worry, I'll tell you why it's named The Kazakh House

I'm pretty sure it's not going to be as funny to you as it is to us, but oh well, so is the effect of any inside joke.

"Not that long ago, in a place within walking distance there was a house..."

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Do you see it!

The light at the end of the tunnel!

(so close!)

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I have no idea what they are talking about, but since our lives revolve around dissertations and Sandra and Anni have sour faces, I can only guess it is related to that

Please note the time on the clock - I left "early" today (at 8pm so I could buy groceries)

That would make our days on average 12 hours long, so much fun

Four Weeks &Counting! - 

We Can Do This!

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Waiting for the bus

Sometimes we check the bus times, but others we are so eager to get out of wherever we are studying that we just go, and end of waiting 15 plus minutes

At least we've had decent weather to wait in recently!