although there is now nothing but time on my hands, it seems more difficult than ever to figure out what to do with it. with only two classes (one meeting once and one meeting twice in the week), mondays and wednesdays are technically the only days where any sort of effort is expected of me. while it is certainly a nice thought, if a lazy one, it's not one that i'm entirely used to. even thinking back to my high school days, when everything was "carefree" and i was supposed to be too busy "discovering myself" to over-stress on schoolwork, i don't think i can remember a weekday that wasn't a complete flurry of books, tennis practice, and take-home tests. a large part of me wants to completely embrace that one aspect of the foreign traveler, the explorer, who is unafraid to explore her surroundings and more. the larger part of me has failed to let go of my inner TWAMP (typical william & mary person) and my past few hours have been spent frantically reading and analyzing Sir Walter Scott's Waverley. i'll be honest, many of the past few hours have also been spent napping. while I do like reading it and it is very amusing, Waverley just knocks it right out of me. Scottish fiction, indeed.
in order to appease both our inner explorers and inner TWAMPs, claire and i decided yesterday to head to the Costa Coffee in town and spend a few hours reading. it wasn't my first Costa Coffee experience, having gone to a few in England over the summer, but it was certainly the best. perhaps it is that natural inclination to find everything foreign and "non-American" to be "better," but I really like Costa. i haven't had it enough yet to lump it into Starbucks category (decent drinks, but too mainstream and commercial for pretentious ole' me) and i think local is always better! luckily, there are a few independent coffee houses in town that need trying out. next order: medium Americano.
after reading and talking for a long while, claire and i decided to rewarded ourselves with a trip down to one of St Andrews beaches, West Sands, before dinner. i am so, so glad we did. i really, truly, like St Andrews, but i can honestly say that nothing has happened just yet to make me really love it. obviously, this will just take time and a few new experiences; love is on the horizon and i can't wait for it, but our trip down to the West Sands has certainly expedited the process.
the walk from St Salvator's hall didn't take very long down to West Sands; it was a straight shot down The Scores. the lighting was perfect by the time we got down there; not yet sunset, but quickly approaching. we got the opportunity to watch the moon rise at the same time, which was all kinds of wonderful. we stayed out there for an hour or so, and if it was cold, i don't think either of us felt it. we were too busy standing with our mouths gaped open.
i've posted only a few pictures here, but if you would like to look at them all, i've started a flickraccount for that exact purpose. i feel like ten kinds
of poser, since i'm not actually a photographer, but oh well: http://www.flickr.com/photos/76149855@N07/
all my st andy's photos will go on there from now on!
my favorite picture of me:
my favorite picture of claire:
my favorite picture:
well, Waverley is not going to just up and read itself, so i should go do that. then i'll make plans for tomorrow i suppose, since the world is my oyster and all that. word is that there's a dance party tomorrow at some "social club," the VIC. the party extends to friday and saturday, so i'm sure if we don't find ourselves there tomorrow, we will join the rest of the merry st andy's crowd and get our dance on at some point. my legs are itching for it!
xo nicole
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