Goodbye York

My time is coming to an end. 343 days, 3,642 miles, 6 classes, 8 essays, ONE Dissertation of 21,010 words, 100+ Skeletons, 152 pages, 2 panic attacks, 3 late night staircase chats, and of course One amazing house full of memories.
This last year has been a roller coaster of self-discovery, through dirt, tears, laughs, heartbreak, coffee, and adventures I've come to understand who I am and what kind of person I wish to be. I'm by no means declaring that I have a plan, I still have absolutely no idea what I'm doing. I'm just saying that I have grown and changed during my year abroad.
I've discovered...
That I'm not half bad at what I do and that I do, in fact, want to do it for a long time if I can.
I've discovered that I can survive many things. Including depression, heartbreak, a lack of self confidence and English weather.
Iv'e discovered new friendships  can grow fast and be just as strong as old ones. And that old friendships can span miles and be just as strong as when you are together.
I've learned I still suck at grammar but I'm getting better.
I've learned that when life gives you lemons you can make lemon-aid, but then you can also throw those lemon scraps back and demand something better. You can't always improve your life.
Everything happens for a reason,  and you should always take the opportunity to learn from it. I wasn't accepted to Grad School anywhere in the States. Why? well because apparently the Universe had a journey of self discovery planed for me... and I don't want it to stop. I never want this journey to end.
I don't want to say goodbye to York. I don't want to leave Constantine House. I don't want to leave my friends. But although I have to go, and I will go in a puddle of tears kicking and screaming, I know there is another adventure that awaits. I just can't let myself get stuck. (Besides the internet is a thing).
So this is my farewell to York and to all my friends. I will miss pub nights, game nights, movie nights and of course Holidays and my little family at Constantine House.
Now that I have been all sappy and those of you reading from York are undoubtedly crying. Stay in touch Y'all!
As for all at home. I have one more grand adventure left (EURO TRIP!) and then I'm coming for you! So be ready October 22nd! (but give me a day or two to get over my jet lag).

Love
Katie

Sense and Sensibility?

A few weeks ago some of my friends and I made a trip  to Chatsworth House. This is the house that they used in the Jane Austin movie Pride and Prejudice. It was absolutely gorgeous inside and out. I got to try out my new camera and it took amazing photos, even adjusted the light in the dark lit rooms for me. Like magic! We spend the whole day relaxing and having fun. Pretending we didn't have dissertations to do.

I almost DIED when I saw the library

My photos don't do much justice for actually being there. I took so many and so many are not included. The house and gardens are beautiful. 

So after a day off... we suddenly realized it was crunch time. Less than a month now until my dissertation is due. As of tonight I have just finished my the draft of my full paper. GO ME! I'm far from finished though. It's time for endless edits and rewriting until I have it as perfect as I can get it. I'm impressed with what I have accomplished here. I never thought I could do research like this, even with having done I.S., is such a short amount of time and to a degree I'm actually proud of. What's even better is I haven't exploded or killed anyone yet! Even with major hiccups like my Adviser telling me I missed an entire for of trauma which doubled my results and caused all my data to change, 4 days before I needed to be finished with my discussion chapter. I survived that and I've given myself a buffer (in theory) for any other problems that could happen (since they probably will) *knock on wood*.

I also had a visit from a Wooster friend this week. It gave me an excuse to get out of my room and do some things I haven't done in York yet, and share some things I have. I couldn't take all the time off and often had to leave her to her own devices but luckily she didn't mind. We went and walked the wall, This was my second time doing it (first being when in October when I first got here), the weather was much better this time around and things were actually green. We also did the York Dungeon and Betty's. You have to go to Betty's of course but the York dungeon was actually really cool. I would recommend it. It's not all that scary and teaches you a lot about the grim history of York in a really fun way. 

Megan and Brittani walking the wall

I'll miss this city

I didn't do it!

The moon was huge the other night

Before I know it I'll be packing up and getting ready to go on my Month long trip. What is happening?!

"Around" the World in 30 Days!

Once Upon a Time a girl went abroad. She spent a LOT of time doing school work. She worked really hard at it and it was great but it was also not the adventure she dreamed up. Then one day her friend Brittani and Maria had a brilliant plan! travel Europe for a month after school was done!

And that is exactly what we are going to do. For a month after school ends and I get kicked out of my house I'm going on a HUGE adventure! I figure I'm not going to be this way again in a long time so I had better make the most of it.

Below is my super amazing Google map that I made for our trip. The places we are stopping are marked along with some photos of places we know we want to see. Click around! Now you may look at this map and say that is a LOT to do in a month! But keep in mind. We are going to take a lot of overnight trains and that this is all just a mapped out guide. We gave ourselves 5 days wiggle room if we decide that there is somewhere we would like to stay longer or somewhere else we forgot. We also plan on fully immersing ourselves in the culture of each place. Oh and since I know you are all wondering. No we don't speak half the languages. That's part of the adventure! good thing I'll try anything at least once!

I'm so excited to have finally committed to this trip. It's what keeps me writing this dissertation. I can't wait to come home and tell of all my adventures.

Let's go to the Beach!

Mini post!

So the other day the graduate department paid for a trip to Whitby which is on the coast. Naturally my many of my housemates jumped on the idea of going to the coast for a day at no cost to us. In the middle of writing our dissertations a break was definitely needed. We had a fun day in the sun and just relaxed.
First we went to the Abbey because, well because we are archaeologists duh. Also it was in inspiration for the Dracula castle. Then we got THE BEST fish and chips I've had so far. If you are going to get fish and chips you must of course go to the coast! We spend the rest of the day walking on the beach and frolicking in the waters. I have now set foot in the North Sea!

Dissertation update: it's coming along. I have two chapters written and my word count is almost at half. I have all my lab work done now it's a matter of figuring out what it all means. .... goody....

Whitby

We like museums

Whitby Abbey

Mine and Ruth's feet in the North Sea

I risked my camera for these shots... SO worth it.

I Have No Life

Being a Grad student kinda sucks out your soul. I haven't posted in awhile I know. But that is because I've actually started research and lab work for my dissertation. For the last month I've been spending my days in the dungeon of Kings Manor analyzing skeletons. I've almost finished my first collection which is 72 individuals. Which is good since i have a month to do the other collection which is just as many. There is a LOT of work yet to be done. A lot of research. I need to get my ass into gear and start reading when I get home from the lab. It's just hard when you spend from 10-4 working on things in the lab, to come home to a pile of books you need to read. My brain is fried by then and doing research is the LAST thing I want to be doing. But it really needs to start happening. I'm feeling like I'm behind. I have no way of knowing if I am, but I feel like I am.
This week I have my assessed lecture where I present what I have been working on so far to a committee and my peers.. ugh when I put it like that it sound terrifying. ... maybe because it is. I've practiced my lecture and gotten feedback from my classmates but I'm still so worried about it.
That's another thing about Grad School. You don't sleep as it is, and when you do you don't sleep well because you are so stressed. I just can't win. I mean it doesn't help that I have other issues that keep popping up on my plate but still. I'll be glad when this is all over.
... Speaking of over. On top of trying to write my dissertation I need to start applying for jobs writing and fixing my resume and all that jazz. I'm going to tell you all a little secret. I have no idea what I'm doing! I don't know where I can get a job or what type of jobs to even look for. I know what I like to do and that is about it.
Anyway nothing exciting happening her because I have no life. The weather has finally gotten warm and Thunderstorms apparently do happen in England (I was starting to lose hope). Let's see if I can find some pictures for you all.
Oh yeah! I had a visit from home. Two actually. The Skonce family came to visit Ellen who is from Wooster studying abroad here for a term. Which meant that my Bestie Joe and I were reunited! It was the best! I was so very happy to see him. It was really just what I had needed at the time. I also Had a surprise visit from Mrs. Swanson who was in town and we met up for a lovely lunch in the Museum Gardens and caught up. It's visits from home that give me a little boost and keep me going.
*cough cough* Letters and Packages do that too..... *cough cough*

Maria was going home to the US for a few days... I was going to go along.

C.O.W Students in York.

The weather go so nice that we had a bit of a "bon-fire"

Reunited!