My Arcadia classes started on the 9th of January. I am currently taking Sex, Gender, and the City in Literature. The class is just as interesting as it sounds and explores the issues of public housing, which in London was supposed to be created as a Utopia (most was built in the 1970s) and gender relations in British literature. My teacher is a odd ball and the discussions are never boring, which is good because classes here run for about three hours (they meet once a week).
The other Arcadia class I am taking is introduction to British Art, which every other week is held at a Museum around London. On the first week we ventured to the TATE to see the John Martin special exhibit. Then, the following week we had a discussion about how to examine art and discussed the exhibit. If you are not familiar with Martin, you should google him. His art is historically and biblically based, but he is obsessed with being accurate in his portrayal; to the point that in a lot of his painting famous figures can be identified. My teacher is a little, slightly older British woman. I can't tell if she likes me or not, but I ask a lot of questions and sometimes she gives that "you again" look. We will just have to wait a bit more to see if she does.
On the 3rd week of my program, 17th of January, my London College of Fashion courses began. This school works differently from all of the other courses I have taken because there are no exams and our grades are wrapped up in one to two projects... YIKES!
I am taking Fashion Marketing in the UK, which meets on Wednesdays, and is taught by an amazing professor who talks at a mile per minute, but, oh man, does she know her stuff. So far we have only grazed the surface, but so you get a feel at how fast paced the classes at LCF (fashion college) are I will inform you that I took over 6 pages of notes in two and a half hours. She also introduced our assignment, which involves doing a marketing analysis on a retailer here in london. It looks hard but I am excited!
On Thursdays I am enrolled in Fashion Public Relations and Visual Merchandising. Fashion PR is going to be hard. My professor is fabulous, has worked as the head of Burberry PR and teaches so fast your head spins and your jaw drops. Naturally, I LOVE IT! The first day she gave an intro into how fashion PR differs from every other field... to sum it up it's cut throat.... I nearly peed my pants during this. Then at the end of class we had to get up and give a quick speech on why she should hire us. I went for the short, no notes, maintain eye contact approach. She told me I was good at working with no notes and standing still, but nerves show through my shoulders being up to my ears. All I could think about was my mom saying, "Megan, shoulders down", so I started to chuckle. Everyone did something wrongs, mostly people just couldn't stand still. My assignment for my PR class is a full PR campaign for a fashion designer releasing a new shoe line. This includes coming up with catchy name for the line and the concept, so if you have an ideas post them! Thanks :)
My late night fashion course, Visual Merchandising, is the first course in my college career that I have ever taken just because I want to #BOOM. The teacher is young, fun, but super creative and knows her stuff. The class explores the psychology behind a store design and creative side of it too. I am excited to see where this class goes.
Now to the fun stuff: travel and explorations.
I haven't done much more sight seeing because of school and general putting my life together stuff. I have gone to Hyde Park, which is gorgeous. We saw the Peter Pan statue and fed the swans. Also, I ventured to Portobello Market! This market is an antique and food market, and is filled with some true gems. I went with my friend, Carly, at around 9am, while the stands were still setting up and we definitely got to first picks for the day! I suggest going to Portobello at around this time and getting coffee because if you get there after 11 am it is a mad house.
A fun discovery, courtesy of the head of my LCF program: Liberty department store: the hidden jewel of London. Liberty is a fashion students dream, containing all the top designers and rare vintage dresses. Also, they were having an unbelievable shoe sale... almost 200 to 300 pounds off some their merchandise. The outside of the store looks like a farm house and the inside looks like heaven. (Mom don't worry I'll take you there) The store is located at the Oxford Circus tube stop, but for some reason very few non-fashion people know about it! I can't say enough about this store (even though I cannot afford it... LOVE IT)
Now on to my first overseas trip... Madrid. Let me begin by saying I am happy I took this trip because even though I love London, I have wondered what Barcelona would have been like for me... the answer probably not awesome. Madrid is a gorgeous city during the day, with beautiful architecture and crisp blue skies, but at night.... not so much. Don't get me wrong the clubs are fun, but the streets are beyond dirty and filled with prostitutes... thanks mom and dad for keeping me sheltered. Also, thanks for letting me take Spanish because almost no one in Madrid spoke English and out of the four of us who went I was the only one who was semi-fluent.
Now back to my journey. We stayed at a hostile that was clean and centrally located in Sol, the center of the city. The only problem was that in Madrid they don't go out to the bars until 2 to 4 am and that meant it was loud at 4am, when we got home from the club.
The first day we walked around and explored the streets and that night we met up with Jamie, one of my good friends here, friend from home who was studying in Madrid. We went a dive bar and got cheap huge drinks, which me and my three friends shared. Then we went to Pacha, which is a well known club in Madrid, where we stayed until around 4 am.
The second day we went to the palace and their version of central park. We were all exhausted and crabby so we didn't go out and took the day easy.
Overall I was happy with the trip because I learned that I would not have enjoyed Barcelona as much as I do London. I was so happy to be back on Sunday I almost wanted to kiss the tarmac.
Now a quick update on how I am adjusting to London. Let me just say, I think I am becoming a Londoner for the following reasons.
- I navigate the tube like its my job
- I take the tube to the gym to train
- I have no patience for people who don't know where they are going on the Tube and decide to stand in the middle of the walk way
- I don't say "excuse me", I say "sorry"
- I buy my veggies at the market
- I call my pants trousers
- I order a pint of draft Stella, not a glass
- I have yet to wear rainboots when it is raining
- I order food for take away not to go
- I know how to navigate the night busses.
So far so good... yes?
next time I promise to be more prompt on the weekly updates.... Sorry Susan for making you wait so long!
"I have yet to wear rainboots when it is wearing"
ReplyDeleteIs "wearing" a London weather thing? Sounds great Megan. I'm glad you've grown weary and impatient of people there too!! I would as well. Miss you!