How to Succeed on a Gap Year Without Really Trying

Always say yes.

Within reason, that is. 

A few good things have happened to me just by saying yes.  First, I ended up joining the school musical, which is Evita this year.  I’m just in the ensemble, but I don’t really care.  I was convinced when one of my friends said, “It’ll give you something to do after school,” which is true.  It’s my Monday and Friday afternoons, for two hours.  Tomorrow will be our third rehearsal, and to be honest, it’s been a little dull because the ensemble just does a load of background noise for the songs.  We’re missing Peron because he had “glandular fever” which I had no idea what it was but helloooo it’s just mono.  Not that that doesn’t suck, but I had no idea what everyone was going on about.  Evita was also ill, so she hasn’t sung yet.  None of the principles (since there are only about five) know their lyrics because we haven’t had enough rehearsals, but that’s alright.  It’ll be good fun, I keep telling myself.  At the very least I get to spend time with some fun people.

Another thing – I started playing field hockey.  I was never drawn to playing it at my prep school, which was very, very good at field hockey.  Which is probably why I never wanted to play.  And as many family members and family friends joked this summer that I would come back with a British accent (no) and that I would play hockey, I scoffed in their faces.  Surely, I never would.  But last week, in a whirlwind, I was thrown into playing defence in a match.  I had no idea what was going on, as I don’t think I had ever bothered to watch a match at school.  It was fun, though, and very exhilarating to play and run.  I got sore a good way – my abs ached and my legs and back hurt a little, but in a rewarding way.

And last night, I swam with my clothes on.  I know that doesn’t sound so risqué, but for me it was different.  I thought I remembered a moment when I was younger and I didn’t go swimming with my friends because I didn’t have a swimsuit.  I don’t even know if that actually happened or if it was a weird psychological moment happening, but I did it to redeem myself for not taking risks when I was younger.

At prep school, there was always, “No, I can’t do that because _____________.”  And usually that space was “homework,” “it’s late,” “that’s silly,” “I’m clothed,” or “I don’t have the balls to do that”.  This is the time I throw all of that away and do everything.  I am legally able to drink, club, smoke (ew I never will), so there really aren’t any rules on what I can and cannot do beyond my own personal restrictions.  That’s a great feeling to have.

How to succeed on your gap year without really trying?  Just say yes.  Just don’t get arrested.

A Mature Moment

I was planning my half term break today in a Starbucks (internet was down at school!  the horror!) and I had to look up where my friend's school is so I could figure out how to get there to pick her up.  Basically, her school is thousands of years old.  Mine isn't.
When we wrote essays describing our ideal school, I said that I wanted some place that would be easy to travel from.  I got a school that has a rail station a five minute's walk away, so they did satisfy my requests.  Partway through the summer, I panicked.  My school is in a lively town (it's small, but there's plenty of shops on the high street, a cinema, etc.)  What I really wanted was a school with a history, with traditions and prestige.  My school totally doesn't have that.  It makes me really sad to think about because part of the reason I loved my old school was that it made my proud to look at it and realise that I went there, that it was part of me.  My school wasn't ancient (hey, we just don't have those in America) but it was relatively old (before the turn of the century) and was very prestigious as far as schools go.  So my friend gets to walk out in the countryside every morning and go to school at a place that has a history and a story.  I see a strip club outside my boarding house window.
Honestly, I could keep drawing comparisons and getting more depressed about the differences.  If I don't think about it, it's fine.  But then I remember it and I get really pissed.  I don't want to sit here for nine more months.  It's really not that nice.  I'd rather be in the countryside, seeing an amazing sight every morning as I trudge along to class.
Then I decide to be mature.  I can't change the past - what I asked for as I sat around a table with six other applicants, writing my essay on that January morning - but I can relish in what I have.  I can get to London in 40 minutes!  That's pretty amazing!  I have Starbucks right here, I have H&M and Boots and WH Smith.  I'm going to be spending the four years after this in the rural Northeast of America.  I get this year to be 'urban.'
I become even more mature when I make the decision that I want to be proud of where I am for the rest of my life.  I felt pride when I walked past the beautiful vista of the lake at school with the rolling hills behind it, and a beautiful sunset falling on a warm spring night.  I was so happy seeing that.  I want to be sure that when I'm older, I can be happy with where I am.  Whether that be in London, New York, the middle of nowhere in France, Spain, or America, I want to be proud to look at it.
It's still really tough to think that I'm already really bored of this town and it's only been four weeks.  But it also prompts me to take initiative - to travel around where I am and to get into the English countryside that everyone raves about.  I just have to be mature enough to do that.

Photo Class

I have some photos that I've taken, but they're on the school network.  I'll have to upload them soon.
Anyway.
I've never taken photography class before, but I've wanted to for the past few years.  When I started at my prep school, I realised that many people had DSLR cameras that they just toted around with them during dances, football games, with friends, etc.  Looking back on that, it's amazing that a fourteen year old would have a $1000 Nikon or Canon, but that's irrelevant.
I got really into the idea of having a DSLR, and even wrote a few embarrassing essays in 10th grade about it.  I became attached to the idea of having a camera that would surely open up the world to me.  In June this year, I finally saw the light.  I was gifted a camera for graduation/birthday, and finally got to pick one out at the store.
When I took my first few photos with my Canon T2i/550D, I was thrilled.  Once I started getting the hang of it, I thought I was taking some pretty awesome pictures.
So I started in a photo class here.  To be honest it's been a little boring at times.  Our teacher tends to ramble about technical stuff when really all of us just want to take some photos.  We started with photograms and pinhole (which was truly a challenge) but we've finally moved on to film.
I developed my first set of negatives yesterday, and we'll develop them into photos on Monday.  I made the daft mistake of opening the camera with the film still inside (I know, I know) so some of the photos are partially black, but a few came out.  I can hardly describe the feeling of seeing those negatives.  To know that I made an actual, tangible photograph is really exciting to me.  I felt so empowered having the camera (Zenit) in my hands, I was taking pictures of people's feet, little rocks in the grass, flowers, etc.  It was a lot of fun.
If I think about the goals I have for this year, which I'm meaning to write down, I think that taking the photography class is truly an accomplishment.  I've wanted to do it for some time, and I'm already getting the result that one should after doing something fulfilling, if that makes sense.  That, to me, means that the gap year is already sort of worth it.  Maybe after I go to Italy and Switzerland during half term, I'll be even more excited to say that.

Oxford Photos

Oxford

The morning started with an alarm twenty minutes earlier than I would have liked.  I took a cab (about £4) to the train station (five minute walk) because my parents are very paranoid.  The ticket was £53, so thank god for railcards or it would have been way worse.  Once I got to Paddington (after taking the tube from St Pancras), I got a cappuccino and a croissant and was very pleased.  I had a moment of remembering the Paddington Bear stories from when I was little.  However, I could not enjoy my croissant and Hemingway on the train as I had planned - the train was packed.  We stood up the entire ride!
But once we got to Oxford, I forgot about how stressful it was planning out this whole day.  I spent two hours looking around by myself.  I tagged on to tours of Trinity and Hertford Colleges, and learned all about the British university system.  The morning alone solidified the belief that I conceived when I was alone in Barcelona for two hours - I really love travelling alone.  This is kind of an issue because my parents don't want me going anywhere by myself.  Being in Oxford by myself was refreshing because I took pictures like a dork and I didn't care if people were looking at me because I had my lovely Canon T2i.  Ha.  That's got to be one of the greatest thing about having this camera - you look legit taking pictures.  But I loved taking pictures.

I did a little shopping and got a Cath Kidston ticket holder for my anticipated rail journeys.  Love it, and totally worth £8.  I bought some postcards, including one in sepia that has a picture of the Radcliffe Camera (above) at dawn with fog.  I decided to start a collection of postcards for every place I visit, so that when I have my own apartment in a few years, I can put them up on a wall and admire my accomplishments.  If you've seen The Good Guy, sort of like his wall.  Or Jumper.  He has a wall of travel pictures, too.

It was a very enjoyable day.  I had my perfect Pret toastie again (mozzarella, pesto, and tomato on whole grain) and got sore from walking (a rewarding feeling).  I would have loved to stay for longer, but I'll just have to go back.  

That day (which was Friday, by the way) made me think that I need to see more of the UK.  I asked my parents about doing a homestay, and they don't want me going anywhere by myself.  That infuriates me, although I know it's a safety thing.  They're just having a difficult time trusting a place new place.  I just got to the point where I could get to New York by myself (that was always fun).  Now I'm starting anew, and I'm going to have to convince them.  Before I actually got here, I worried about them letting me travel with other people.  But now i'm actually here, so they're going to have to let me do things, instead of thinking about it.

Today for the first time in a long time, I was really sad that the weekend is over.  I spent all of Saturday in bed watching TV and films.  At my old boarding school, I was always working all weekend, stressed, running around, sleeping too late, trying to do laundry.  Here it's more leisurely, and I enjoy having free time.  At my old school, it never really made a difference when the weekend was over, now that I think about it.  Here, it means I have to get up at 7am and then spend all day puttering around, being bored during the free time at lunch.  I'd rather be watching How I Met Your Mother (I'm on episode 14 of season 1, and it's only been three or four days)!  Or exploring somewhere else.

So, farewell, weekend.  On to two more episodes of HIMYM before bed.

Health and Safety

Just came back from popping in to town.  Technically, my mother told  me to always go with someone.  Realistically, no one else was going or I missed them or something.  So I went stag.  I just had to do random things like top up my phone (such a dumb system; I miss unlimited web and texts for $50/month), get cash, buy sparkling water (four bottles for £1.49 at M&S!), some sundries.  I got carded at Poundland for buying a cutlery set with a knife in it.  The cashier was definitely younger than me, which is why I think he let me get it although I failed the over-21 requirement.
Now that baffles me.  I'm all for safety, and the UK seems to be reallly into 'health and safety' - for instance, there are no ovens in the dorm kitchens because it is a 'health and safety' risk.  We are told every day to sign out when leaving the boarding house for 'health and safety' requirements.  We have 9:30pm check-in to fulfill 'health and safety' requirements.  We had check in at my school in the US, but it was to make sure that people were in the dorm, and never did they say 'This is so that when there is a fire, we'll know who's here.'  That could have been the intent, I don't know.  Anyway, I got my little cutlery set no problem, thank you Poundland cashier.  I'm baffled because I could go buy a case of vodka and drink myself dead, but I can't buy a cutlery set in Poundland?  Very, very odd, England.
We were talking about video cameras in public places, especially in London, in my AS Critical Thinking class today.  Our teacher said that when she worked at the Financial Times, they had a reporter write about the public cameras that are set up all around London.  Then we got into a discussion about whether or not there should be cameras in public places.  I'm fine with this because I'd like to believe that for every time they're staring at a girl's bum on the cameras, these people catch a crime or a potential threat.  Some think it's an invasion of privacy, but I think if you're in a public space - I used the example of standing in Trafalgar Square - you know you're in public.  The guys looking at you on camera could be the guys standing next to you.  The discussion turned to 'well then it's unprofessional for these "guards" to be staring at women's bums on the cameras when they're being paid to protect the people of London by way of public surveillance.'  That's a whole 'nother issue.
Regards for now, must do some homework that's going to take me 30 minutes but is due in a week...lovely...

Fashion in Kent

The only places I've been to so far in the UK are London and around Kent county.  I couldn't help but notice that compared to New York, the fashion was very different, and not in a good way.  I have a vivid memory from standing at a crossing on Fifth Avenue this summer, admiring the outfit of the girl in front of me (I noticed her, honestly, because she had a Birkin bag).  That was my 'aha' moment - I understood street style.  I look at The Sartorialist and Jak and Jil religiously (along with Tommy Ton's work featured on style.com, so I'm pretty sure I know what good taste is.
The town I'm living in has a total, complete, and utter lack of style.  The people are quite tacky (I'm sorry, but it's true).  I was almost frightened to see what the people at my school would wear, but they're very well turned out.  I have to wear a suit every day, but girls are very conscious of their blouse choices, shoes, and accessories.  Coming from a school where girls in Hanes t-shirts, yoga pants, the haphazard scarf and Uggs would pass for dress code, I truly appreciate this.  I have a few accessories, but I rarely use them, mostly out of laziness.  I always wear earrings and a watch; it's just a little more effort to put on my Chan Luu bracelet or pearl choker (I did today!)
When I visited the local outlets on Saturday, I wasn't struck by anyone's fashion choices.  Quite honestly I don't even remember looking carefully because I knew I wouldn't find anything interesting.  I did, however, get to visit Ted Baker's outlet store.  There was a lovely wallet but I just bought a new one for $66 (Kate Spade online sale!) so I wasn't going to spend £30 on a new one (as much as I wanted to).  There were some very cute things there, but mostly sort of tacky things.  The girls I was shopping with were taken by things like butterfly necklaces and they wanted to visit the Next outlet...yeah.
On Sunday, I went on a trip a little farther away to Maidstone.  My friends were ecstatic to shop at Primark.  Quelle horreur!  I likened it to Wal-Mart's clothing when describing it to my mother.  I was pleased to find Fremlin Walk, which has H&M, Zara, Topshop, the like.  I was also thrilled to have a tomato, mozzarella, and pesto toastie from Pret (how lovely that tasted after my school's food!)  I ended up buying a deep green buffalo leather crossbody bag from Zara on a whim, but I'm quite happy with it.  It was £30, so nearly $50, but I think it's worth it.
I'm trying to reinvent my style, partially because I've been influenced by the thought the girls at my school seem to put in their clothes.  I could be completely off, and they're just throwing on whatever and they happen to be buying the right things.  I bought two tops and a skirt at H&M.  H&M in Europe is infinitely better than their stores in America, let me tell you.  I spent £40 or something, but I think I got some decent purchases.  I'm trying to take risks, trying on things I would never dare to before.  Because if I look at my closet, I have things that could be cute on their own, and some cute outfits, but a lot of the things I bought because I liked them, not because they'd go well together.  Now I'm putting more thought into what the outfit would look like.
Despite the lack of style in the areas around me, I'm trying to forage through.  Right now, I'm wearing navy wide-leg J.Crew pants that are set slightly above my hips, a pink H&M belt, and a fabulous leopard print Perfect Shirt from J.Crew (that I also wore to school today with my black Banana Republic suit.)  I may not be spending a fortune on my clothes, but I would willingly do so if I had the money.  I love clothes, and I love fashion.  I've been prompted by my weeks here to take control of my personal style, and I fully intend to do just that.

A Muggy Saturday with lots of walking

Hello!
Today was fairly uneventful.  Walked probably around 2.5 miles total (it was great to walk) to the outlets in town (bought a Gap top...15 quid...yeah that's all).  It was so weird because this Gap outlet was the exact same layout as the Gap outlet I've been to at home, except for where the dressing rooms were.  I think that's the thing that made me the most homesick out of anything in these two weeks (yup, two weeks exactly since I've gotten here...how weird.)  Then we went to ASDA - I was so glad to finally find a supermarket.  Obviously the all of the Britons shop on Saturdays because that was a packed supermarket.  I got some tortellini I'm excited to have after seeing how bad dinner is tonight.  I also got some Greek yogurt (or yoghurt- however you want to spell it).  And some other stuff.  Not that exciting.  Found the Tesco's Express as well, but that's basically like a gas station in America (actually, I've been to bigger gas stations) without gas.
One thing that has bothered me is the complaints of people around me.  The day pupils at my school seem happy here, for the most part.  They have their qualms (which you'll find at any school), but I believe they like being here and they like the people at the school. The boarders are a different story.  Many of them are miserable, I think, especially because of language barriers.  There aren't many native English-speakers that are boarders, so it's difficult for them.  But I think that immersing yourself is first of all, a great way to learn a language, and second of all, the entire point of coming from wherever you came to go to school.  What's the point of coming here for exchange or whatever if you're just going to whine about how much you wish it was like home?  I like to think that I'm doing a good job of accepting the differences between the UK and the US.  Some of the things bother me, especially with regards to the educational system here, but I know that I must accept that as being a cultural difference.  Plus it can't bother me that much because it doesn't matter how much or how little I'm educated here since I'm going back home after a year.  You can't stay hung up about how everything should be different when it's not and it probably never will be because the UK is the UK, not anywhere else in the world or Europe, for that matter.  It's part of the experience of being abroad, and I think it's the most interesting and useful thing.
Tomorrow we're going to a massive shopping centre.  I don't really need to buy anything, but it will give me the chance to see another place, plus the train ride should take us through the countryside.  That should be lovely.

Hello out there

Just a quick post...
Hi, I'm Taylor.  I'm spending the year in England on a gap year exchange program.  I'm from the United States, and have previously travelled to Canada (I know) and Spain (twice).  I love visiting new places, going to museums, walking around cities, trying new foods, and taking photographs...  I'm at a school in southeastern England in lower sixth form (damn A-level system) so my classmates are two years younger than me.  It's been a week so far, so I decided it was high time to share my thoughts (because I know so many people are interested).  If you're on a gap year or year abroad or you're thinking about it, hopefully this will be a nice place to read about someone experiencing the same thing.
I'll post some more later, and hopefully some pictures I took in London, too!