It’s not the first time that I’ve finished a quarter, but man, I’ve got to tell you, the end of this term makes me feel great. Aside from the norm (happy, relieved, content) I also feel satisfied, a little homesick, actually, I’m not really sure what the words would be to describe these feelings. It’s never been such a big deal to go home, but it is now! I guess it’s not so much being done with school work, although I did that was all I was looking forward to for a while, but rather the idea of finally coming home. AHHHHHHHH!! Home was always a mere 2 hour (at max) drive away, but now there is still so much between me and home. I have to pack and clean—don’t want to come back to a stinky room, now. I have so much to think about! What I need to bring home, what I have to leave here. Not to mention, what I need for when I’m travelling since I’m not going to stop by Sussex in between my travel points. Ah, just overwhelming, but it’s exciting. I am now doing my laundry, sheets, clothes, everything. Then, its vacuuming. Then, cleaning out my fridge shelves and cupboard. Then, finally packing I guess! Oh, man! It’s a hard thing to grasp, I almost feel like I could cry tears of happiness. But, it’s not exactly sheer happiness. I guess I don’t really know how to describe it, but that’s fine I guess. I’m also looking forward to seeing everybody at home. Friends, Family, and of course, Blessing. These last three months..Wow. It’s been crazy. Ups, downs, hard times, fun times. These last three months I would just miss home and know that I wouldn’t be able to come home for a while, but now, I am coming home! I guess you don’t really understand the safety and value of being at home until you’re really away from it. And, these last three months, I’ve been keeping in contact with various people from California. To be able to be so close to them and be able to just hang out with them, in person, that feeling is just inexplicable, really. I’m not overreacting, really, just ranting, and this is how I feel!

More posts for updates over the last week to come! As for now, I just had a Christmas dinner with my flat. It’s a good feeling, and I am going to miss them a lot.

You know what, that’s probably it. It’s the Christmas spirit, and I’m ready to come home. CHRISTMAAAAS!

I’m am just feeling so thankful for everything that I have—not only the opportunity to travel and study out here, but also the people I have in my life. Family, first and utmost, is definitely something God has blessed me with. Thank you, God, for EVERYTHING. I couldn’t ask for anything more and through my experience here (though it’s been tough sometimes) I’ve really learned what is important to me, whether I knew it or not. AAAAH I CANT WAIT. AMERICA! Ok, its laundry time! More soon:]

I CUT MY HAIR! It’s short, again. I have got to really try to work up enough patience to not get bored of my old hairstyles. I told myself that’d I’d just get it trimmed so I could grow it out (ooh, those layers were getting ugly. Actually, nonexistent.), but you know me. I get bored easy. I had to do it. :] Look out for the picture soon! Or, actually, SEE ME IN PERSON PEOPLE! <3

and another thing,

…Ok, I literally just forgot. Well, sighs. I guess that’s till next time.

Now, for reals! No more posts till Thursday! Almost done with that first essayyy…

…on hiatus.

Well, well. We knew this day, or should I say, week, would come. The dreaded week 10. Two essays due. Two essays yet to complete as of Tuesday, I guess (it’s 2 a.m.). Worth how much of my grade? You don’t want to know. How much have I finished? You really don’t want to know. How did this happen? Hm, I’m not sure. I don’t regret it though; studying abroad has certainly focused my attention to other things and maybe readjusted my priorities a little bit. Don’t worry though, I shall finish! And own up these classes. They should not mess with meeeeee. (‘scuse my craziness, it’s late and I’m pretty close to freaking out. Check in tomorrow at the same time. Yep, I’ll be officially freaking out.) But yeah, as Kristen has mentioned in her early posts, studying and school doesn’t quite have the same weight as it did back in America. Hmm.

I have so much to update on, and so much coming up, I don’t know where to start! I guess I shouldn’t, taking in consideration how much WORK I HAVE LEFT. UGH! Quick recap though: drama with my last report, Thanksgiving flat dinner, UC Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas markets, and lastly, my damn essays. Short spoiler of what’s ahead: NO MORE ESSAYS, Christmas flat dinner, last-minute stops of Christmasy London, Rome , EPIC AIRPORT WIN! (or epic fail…), Geneva, Alvoriaz (French Alps, baby!), me learning how to properly snowboard, Zurich and Switzerland in general, and finally, LAX. Oh, I can’t even begin to imagine how I’d feel when that plane hits the ground. American ground. KRISTEN! HAVE FUN AT HOME! I SHALL SEE YOU SOON! :] :]

Ok, I’m going back to work. Tata!

Until Thursday. :]

So, you know that Financial Accounting essay that Katherine Junus has that’s supposed to be due Friday? It’s not due Friday anymore! It’s due tomorrow! Woot!

Read about Kat’s day. My actual thoughts, as these actual events were actually happening, are italicized.

Who knew Nov.25th would be so cruel? She woke up today at 8:07—alarmless! what a risk—and initially panicked, foolishly thinking that class started at 8. Omg, omg, I’ve class. Ah, great, it already started. Damn, first time I missed this class. Eh, I can walk in 20 minutes late if I leave now. Mm, I have to shower though. Ugh, I’m not going to make it. Hey I guess I can walk in during break. Nah, that’s weird. Sigh, okay I’m not going. Such a rude awakening; that feeling when you wake up and you have no idea what’s going on, or you’re under some wrong impression, never takes a good toll on anybody. It took her a couple of minutes to realize that she was mistaken—Wait a minute, class is at 9. Well, don’t I feel stupid. So after that interesting morning, she finally got to class (ironically, late) and found the teacher discussing the assignment. He was wrapping it up and finished with, “All right, that’s it. They’re due Thursday.” What? That can’t be right. Tomorrow’s Thursday. He would’ve said tomorrow. Or, maybe I heard him wrong. Yes, that’s it. Just to clarify, she asked one of her classmates about the due date and she replies, “Yep, they’re due Thursday.” Great. Class went on as usual and Katherine decided to get some tea during breaktime to wake her up. To her dismay, none of the cafe shops she visited accepted bank cards. Where did all my cash go anyways? She returned to class empty handed. Luckily, class ended early and she toyed with teh idea of skipping the next class. I have 35 minutes extra and the next class really will not be fun. It started raining. Great. She waited it out, and decided against skipping class. She visited another cafe, only to get rejected yet again. These cafes should really get with the times. Gad. Couldn’t take it and visited the bank to pull out money. Wow, I have less money than I thought in the bank. Great. Got food, finally, (didn’t have my chocolate cake though.) and attended class, only to find a mere group of 6 other classmates—out of 20, mind you—in discussion with her. Great. Don’t call on me. She decided to stop by the library and did some research for the long night ahead of her. Great. Long night.Well, the rest of her day is not interesting, but the main jist of the story: He said Friday. She said cool, okay. Then, he said syyyyyke! The weirdest part…my lecturer’s name is Richard Sykes. Coincidence? No. I’m going crazy.

Oh, life pulled a fast one on her.

Anyways, it’s time Kat gets to work! Yet, I still have the time to blog about it. Funny how this works, ey? If there’s anything that Whitney has left her, it’s procrastination. Thank you, Whitney High School. You will truly be with Katherine Junus until the end. I don’t want to workkkkkk!!

Such a packed week/weekend! Let’s start with the weekend, haha. James Tran came to visit over the weekend! Crazy, huh? My very first visitor from America! Wooot, and hopefully more to come. Meheh. Feels really weird to see someone else from home (besides Yi, but he doesn’t count lawwl), but cool nonetheless! We did all the major touristy spots in London, toured Oxford for a day (Harry Potter!), and went through Brighton as well. Weather was horrible, but hey, what’s a trip to Britain without the British weather? :P

So, I’m missing home! I think. Well, I’ve always missed home ever since I got here, but isn’t quite the same as homesickness. It was more of a “it’d be nice to see home again, but I’m not bawling about it” type of feeling. Now, it’s more of the real homesick feeling—that lurch in your stomach—but…still not completely. Argh, can’t really explain it. Anyways, I think the last time I was homesick was before Junior year when I was in Europe in the summer. Then before that, was 6th grade at science camp. So I do know what it feels like to be homesick, but it’s not completely that right now. OH WELL. It’s not a “I’m going to die” feeling, just a itch in my head I can’t scratch out. And, since I seem to be lacking the right words to describe this feeling, I shall put it off and let it simmer in my head until I get a more material grasp of it. Raawr!

Other news, I am now entering week 8. INSANE. I have an essay due this Friday for Financial Accounting. Should work on that, shouldn’t I? Each student’s been assigned a company to follow on the stock market and other news for 5 weeks and after that time, we are asked to write if we would invest 10,000 pounds in that company. I should get on that 5 weeks worth of research, ey? Lawl.

I’ve been here for 2 months! Actually, a little more even because I got here earlier. Oh man, how is next year going to work out? Scary feeling, but it’s a growing up feeling, isn’t it?

So okay I should really start working on that essay.

Oh, I had a presentation last Friday for another one of my classes! Went well overall and I’m glad that’s out of the way. Sadly, I will have two essays, which both require more research, due on Week 10. Do you realize how little motivation I’ll have by the end of the term? I guess I don’t have much to complain about since I don’t have a lot of work during the week anyway. Haha, oh bother. I guess I should start working since it’s worth 100% of my grade!

To finish up, plans before I come back:
One last weekend trip?
London Christmas Markets. So adorable.
Rome
Switzerland
To be continued…

AND, THANKSGIVING DINNER IS THURSDAY NIGHT! It’ll either be a failure, or a tremendous success! Since the British do not celebrate Thanksgiving, and I, as an America, do, they decided to uphold the American traditions and observe Thanksgiving with me! We’re doing a potluck-ish type thing, but we all live in the same flat so we’ll all just cook different dishes. Chelsey and Amira, my Cali friends, are also coming. So excited!

Okay, that’s that for now!