the beginning of the end

today was my last day of classes!

20th century crime-fiction class

it feels strange to be officially done with classes when all semester it's sometimes been a challenge to even remember that i'm taking classes, they were so few and far between! also, it still doesn't feel like spring grrr! i think my body is searching futilely for that hot, humid spring that always feels like "the end of classes." but today in 20th century crime-fiction, professor plain brought in bottles of red and white wine and tortilla chips to celebrate the ending of a truly wonderful class. i thought that was just the sweetest thing! so even without the legendary W&M blowout, i feel like the semester was righteously ended.

speaking of university traditions, tuesday was may 1st and the occasion for the famous st andrews  "may dip." as most traditions go, it doesn't make a lot of sense on paper and i was skeptical of the appeal to say the least, but nothing equals the actual feeling of participating in a timeless tradition, regardless of how insane. at sunrise on the first day of may, students gather at the east sands beach and run into the north sea, full speed, to symbolize what i'm guessing to be a spiritual cleansing, pre-exams. clothing is optional to this dip and, hilariously, so is sobriety. but i was in no way having that, so 5:30 a.m. saw me in three shirts, a sweater, and pajama pants rolled to the knee, nice and sober. i dipped twice and yeah, it was plenty cold, but adrenaline kind of cancelled that out. all i really felt was incredibly amazing. thanks to renee for getting the photos of abigail and i running down to the water! with the blessing of the patron st andrew himself (does he exist?) i will now pass my exams with charm, dignity, and grace. 

start

made it

finish

in other news, here's a list of what i've done in the past few weeks:

+ been a judge in an impromptu pub dance-off

+ became even better friends with my taxi drivers

+ bought a ticket back to bicester, england

+ bought a ticket for three days in dublin

+ had to call home for money for the first time all semester (yikes)

+ sped-read

+ saw "cabin in the woods" (go see it)

+ tried to piece together my summer plans

+ went on (a few) dates

+ finally managed to send off all postcards

+ made it down to breakfast for the 2nd time all semester

+ had a sleepover

+ napped whole days away

+ read whole days away in coffeeshops

+ wrote my last paper (asdkflaj hallelujah)

+ spent too much money on lunches out

+ whined and whined about the cold

+ missed home incredibly

+ thought about the parts of st andrews i'll miss 

+ got lost in st andrews suburbia 

+ hit a new low of air-drying my clothes to save pounds

leap

welcome the sun

look

the next few days, before my first may 12th exam, are going to be a test of how quickly i can read the 5 novels that i managed to neglect earlier in the semester. but before all that, i'm going to a 90s party this weekend that is guaranteed to be fresh to def. any outfit ideas are more than welcome!

xo nicole