First Week at Uni

I can't believe I've only been here a week; it feels like I've known everyone for so much longer, and I'm already starting to view Lancaster as my home.

Violet House- my townhouse

 I live in 12-bedroom townhouse, but we have 2 empty rooms.  Me and Jess (my wonderful aussie flatmate) were the only ones here for a few days, and then the rest of the crew started filtering in before classes started. 

Lancaster University is very new and modern, in stark contrast to the old-fashioned English village of Lancaster.  The campus is very small (although I'm used to the fairly large Ohio University).  To walk from one end of campus to the other only takes 5-10 minutes.

View from the window

So far, my classes have been hit and miss.  I'm taking a great Philosophy of Science module with only about 10 students, so it's very interactive and thought-provoking.  I've decided to switch out my Sociology (gender) course for a "Documentary Cultures" module, where we essentially watch documentaries and then discuss them.  My Conservation Biology course seems fairly easy so far, so I hope it picks up a bit.  Finally, I'm taking a Sociology course ("Virtual Cultures") which analyses how our online lives has changed the way we interact with one another and how we view ourselves.    

General coursework here is very different from the states.  Overall, I only attend about 2 hours of lecture a week for each class.  Independent study is essential here; they expect you to spend much more time outside of class reading and revising than is expected back home.  Lectures will end the week of March 20th, followed by a 4-week mid-term break, and then "Summer Term" commences, but there aren't actually any lectures that we attend.  This time is meant for us to be studying, doing research, writing papers, and preparing for exams.  Exams are spread throughout the 5-week Summer Term.  I feel really great about this because it's easier for me to plan trips around my studies.   It'll also be a good challenge for me to work independently and pursue my studies on more of an individual-based level.

Friary in background

 














The town, a short bus ride away, definitely has the English village feel that I was hoping for.  As you can see, most of the buildings are made out of brownish grey stone.  A lot of areas are just walkways; cars aren't allowed to drive through, so it's very pedestrian-friendly.  "The Friary", the cathedral in the background, is actually a church-gone-pub that we ate in a few days ago.  It felt strange having a beer with stained glass surrounding us, but needless to say it was beautiful.

thanks wiki

Lancaster Castle is the main attraction of the town.  It was built sometime in the 11th century as a place of the royal courts, and eventually became a prison.  My friends and I took a tour, which I would highly recommend to anyone visiting.  We saw the royal courts and went inside a holding cell.  Currently, the castle is simply a historical site and soon-to-be hotel, which our tour guide didn't seem too pleased about.

Henrik, Jess, Tom, Elisabeth, and I at the castle

Jessica, my main mate

 The nightlife here is really great, although a bit expensive.  We take a bus into town and spend some time at pubs.  Both nights that we've gone out, we've ended up at Sugarhouse, a popular night club.  It was Henrik's birthday (another aussie) a few days ago so we had a big celebration.

Birthday boy with his complementary champagne

Myself, Elisabeth, Silje, Jess, and Lise at Bowland Bar

Lancaster University is divided into eight small residential colleges, and each has its own recreational area/pub.  If we don't feel like spending the bus money to get into town, we can just hang out at the laid-back bars on campus.  So far we've gone to two; Fylde and Bowland.
Don't get the wrong idea- this isn't a daily activity.  ;)