So I’m sat in my room surrounded by clothes and a packing list attempting to pack everything into my suitcase and it’s slowly hit me that I am actually going to the USA tomorrow. I applied for this trip back in January and now the times come for me to actually go! Second term has definitely flown by.
I’ve been to America once before, we drove down the East Coast to Florida and then stopped off on the way back in Washington, but I’ve never visited New York or Boston. New York has always been somewhere I’ve wanted to go, and after further research, I can’t wait to visit Boston as well! What’s good about going with the University is we’re getting to do things I wouldn’t have planned by myself and attend events organised by Lancaster University’s Students’ Union. For example, we have a whole day at Boston University so I’m excited to see what that involves as I love seeing other universities (mainly because I’m just extremely nosy…). I think we’re going to get a chance to see Harvard University too which should be good. I’ve also been looking at other things to do in our free time when we don’t have events planned and I’m very tempted to try and see the Boston Public Library – only 14 minute’s walk from where we’re staying!
As for New York there are a gazillion things I would love to do in our free time but I’ve tried to whittle it down, most of them are sights that are free so they should be fairly feasible. I want to try and fit in the following: Central Park, Statue of Liberty, Times Square, Brooklyn Bridge, Empire State Building, Grand Central Terminal, Rockefeller Centre and the New York Public Library, so we shall have to see how much I can do! As for our scheduled activities they include a tour around the UN. It is another one of those places that I always see on TV and when I return home it’s another place I can add to my “I’ve been there!” list, plus it’s political significance (or lack thereof) too!
In New York we’re also having a guest lecture which just happens to be from the seminar tutor I had in first year for Philosophy, so it’ll be fun to see him again! We have most of the evenings free in NY so I’m not sure how we’ll spend them but no doubt we’ll figure those kind of things when we get there. I want to do either the Rockefeller Centre or the Empire State Building on an evening anyway. Plus there has been mention of a pizza evening over in Brooklyn!
I don’t know too many people on the trip but there are quite a few fellow third years who I’ve had seminars with and things, plus two of my good friends are going. Even then, it’ll be nice to meet lots of new people from all the different years. From previous experience travelling, it doesn’t take long to make friends once people get chatting away, so here’s to hopefully making lots of new friends!
Anyway, I best return to packing, as the weather has been pretty bad over in Boston and New York with them having their worst winter for decades I’ve been packing plenty of layers and have my thick winter coat ready. I think there shall still be snow around, which I’m excited to see, even if those from Boston and New York are sick of it by now! I checked the news too and I think they got more snow fairly recently, so I just hope travelling there and around there works out okay. I’m sure it will!
Until next time! 🙂