Windsor Castle

The day after my last exam and celebrations, my friend, Josh, and I took a day trip up to Windsor. Yes, we can all be shocked that I hadn't made it up there in my entire time in England.

We grabbed a train out of Waterloo, and before we knew it...we were there! It took about an hour which was fairly quick for some day trips.

Windsor, the town, is exactly what you imagine it would be. Old buildings, cobblestone streets, some modern buildings, and a ton of monuments. 

To start the day, we took a duck tour. It was Josh's first duck tour! If you haven't done a duck tour in a city before, I say run and do one now. It tends to be a bit cheesy, but being a tourist eliminates those words from your vocabulary.

Back of Windsor Castle 

Entering the Thames River

Windsor Castle 

Windsor Castle

The Windsor duck tour started at the base of the castle, took us down to the base of the castle grounds, showed us where some of the horrific floods occurred this past fall, and then we cruised on the Thames. The cruise allowed us to catch a glimpse of the famous Eton College. 

Post the tour, we grabbed a pub lunch. As this all happened in my last week of London, I was adamant about eating traditional fare. Fish and Chips won over for lunch that day.

And, then...the sad part of the day happened. Windsor Castle closed early for some unknown reason. We were left on the outside looking in. While it was a bit disappointing, we looked at as much as we could and then wandered the town.

Cutest Phone Booth Ever?

Fitting Pub Name

As we all know that I'll go back to London sooner rather than later, I'll have to take another day trip up! 

Celebrations

On Wednesday, following my last final, a bunch of us went off to celebrate. There was a group of us that had some of the last set of finals. 

Appropriately, my Congress class headed to the George to celebrate being done with the class!

A tad later, I met up with Federico and Simon. We survived capstone, so naturally we all had to celebrate being officially done with the MPA! 

Following a quick lunch, we gathered with our other friends for some rooftop drinking. 

Talk about a great view!

We all ended up watching the World Cup game that evening at a local pub. It was an absolutely lovely day spent with some close friends celebrating freedom! 

Done with LSE!

I finished grad school this week!!

(Let's out screams of woo!!)

I finished my last exam on Wednesday, shortly before noon. As soon as I put my pen down, it hit me. After going to school for 21 years, I am finally done. It's been quite a long time. 

Pre-school, primary school, secondary school, undergrad, and grad school...

I love to learn, and I will always be a lifetime learner. But, the fact I no longer have to write papers or take an exam is a huge relief. I know in no time, I will most likely miss the assignments. I know I say I'm done with school forever, but since the future is unknown, I may end up back in a classroom someday! 

As for now, I'm enjoying my last few days in London while I begin packing.  

It still hasn't hit me that I'm done. Grades will begin to come with all of them being released in July. 

But, now...onward thinking to Las Vegas! 

Recapping: Instagram Photos

I'm about to be done with grad school in a matter of a few days. As I plan on recapping the Aldwych tour, O-Town, and grad school in future posts, I figured I would at least post a recap of my week. Apart from studying, I did try to add in a few fun things to keep the atmosphere light!

Front Row Seating for Gordon Brown

Gordon Brown, former PM of Great Britain 

Tower Bridge

Sunset

My LSE Class Ring

Brunch is always the answer!

Traveling across the river!

Shard

HMS Belfast and Tower Bridge

Shine Bright, London!

Studying

The month of May was truly a month of travel for me. 

It was also a month of tremendous excitement as I accepted a job offer!

However, now that June is here, I've succumb to the tool of 9-5 studying. I was lucky to have all my papers and projects due at the beginning of May. Those long hours paid off as now I can devote my entire time to my last two exams.

Both of my exams are back to back...go figure. The first is on June 17th. That is my "Cities, Politics, and Citizenship" which is 100% of my grade. Thankfully, it is only two essays on the test. My second one is the next day. That one is for my class on the US Congress, and it is only around 66% of my grade. A tad less stressful than the first! 

I'll be hitting the books straight until the 18th...but I do have a few fun plans to report on the next few weeks (polo game, birthday parties, sightseeing). Stay tuned! 

I got a job!

Well, folks...it's official! 

I have a job following my graduation in July!

If you recall my post yesterday about my trip to Las Vegas, I was out there for a final job interview!

In July, I'll be moving to Las Vegas to start a career in local government with Clark County! 

It's still sinking in, but I'm excited to begin a new chapter of my life!

London Musings

Apart from a very long week of travel, I wanted to share what I've been up to in London.

As part of my goal of seeing more of London before I leave, I've been taking walks in new areas and exploring. I've also just been enjoying some of my favorite things that the City offers.

I took in three performances. 

I finally got to see Les Mis live. 

Miss Saigon returned to the West End for the first time in 15 years. This was an amazing performance and well worth opening prices. 

Handbagged is a parody play on the relationship between the Queen and Margaret Thatcher when Thatcher was Prime Minister. I was on the floor laughing the entire time. 

Last week, I went and had high tea with my friend, Chelsea, at Bond and Brook. 

The MPA had a picnic last week as a study break. Alyssa and I were fully enjoying the sunshine! 

And, my friend and sorority sister, Steph, was in town. She just graduated with her masters from Syracuse. I hadn't seen her since we graduated in 2012, so it was a fun evening!

The "Last" Last Paper

19 years later...technically 21 if you count preschool, I submitted my last academic paper this week.

I'm not sure how many papers I actually wrote over my academic career. There were some that I hated.  There were some that I finished minutes before they were do. There were some that I love. And, of course, there were some that I wish I could go back and keep working on. 

My last two weeks have been paper writing hell. I've spent more times at the 24 hour Starbucks in London than I needed to. The library and I are not on speaking terms anymore. But, I'm done!

My last two academic assignments are two exams in June! For now, I'm switching to job applications and mini assignments, here and there. I've got freedom for a week or so before I start studying!

Being a Tourist & Traveling

As I wrap up my last few months in London, I've got a lot of things to see and do...both in London and outside.

Over the next two weeks, I'm seeing three different plays/musicals. This week, I'm starting with Les Mis. Next week, I'm catching Miss Saigon which just opened back up on the West End as well as Handbagged.

For fun this weekend, I'm headed to Stockholm for a quick overnight trip.  The majority of my friends have their finals at the end of May/beginning of June whereas I don't. Mine besides the papers due this past week are in the middle of June, and I've already started studying. So, as a huge advocate of traveling by yourself, I'm excited to try out another country in Eastern Europe, take in the cultural sights, and just relax!

My friend, Alex, and I are taking a day trip to Burghley! It's heralded as England's Grandest Elizabethan House. Plus, it's been used in films such as Pride and Prejudice!

I'm headed to Bulgaria from May 18th-20th. It will be my last solo trip in Europe.

And, at the moment, my friend, Nicola, and I are researching a trip to either Slovenia or Croatia at the end of the month. Nicola and I interned at the Embassy together in the fall, and we traversed around Munich in November. There are a ton of day trips from either location, and Croatia stands to give us a chance to see three additional countries. Lots of planning as we narrow in on what we want to do!

If you have any tips regarding any of these places, leave a comment! 

First Week Back

Last Saturday, I got back into Londontown in the evening. 

One week later, I've survived one of the hardest weeks of graduate school, yet. 

This week has been crazy with academic assignments, meetings, and trying to fit in a social life! 

On Sunday, jet-lagged and all, I headed over to my friend, Maryann's house to celebrate Founder's Day for Pi Beta Phi with some of my fellow sisters! It's one of the last few events I'll help plan and attend with the UK alumnae club! 

Monday was my last first day of school, ever. It's been a long-time coming! We also got access to the new MPA Lounge, finally. It will definitely be a great study space for the last months.

Unfortunately, on Tuesday, a 48 hour tube strike started. It's a struggle to get anywhere when the tube strikes happen. I walked home one day due to traffic jams. Thankfully, my walk home was fairly scenic...

Buckingham Palace

Italian Gardens

Suffering through the tube strike, I managed to complete two final papers. The first was my policy paper that was about MOOCs and public diplomacy. The second dealt with polarization in Congress. It was a week of late nights, coffee, and good iTunes playlists.

And, yesterday to cap off the week, I spent the evening with some of my friends catching up about breaks, talking about summer plans/post-graduation plans, and just relaxing! 

How was your week?

Wrapping up Spring Break

I'm about three days from the end of what is very much likely to be my last spring break, ever! 

Tomorrow, I head to Newark to spend the night to catch a 7am flight to London on Saturday. Talk about an early wake-up call on Saturday! 

I'm excited to be getting back to finish up my last semester at LSE. The first week back is going to be crazy due to a lot of assignments being due, interviews, a showcase event, a few parties, and a potential tube strike.  Not too excited about that last one...

Once the first week is over, I'll only have one more essay to finish and two exams. My exams are not till the middle of June. That leaves plenty of cushion time to relax for a few days before diving into the books.

Spring break was full of relaxation, seeing old friends I hadn't seen in years, spending time with my parents and animals, and just enjoying the last few weeks of freedom!

Stay tuned! 

Spring Break!

As I mentioned in some earlier posts this week, I'm officially on spring break! Five glorious weeks! 

Although, these glorious weeks are going to be spent writing papers and studying. Unlike last year, where my final papers and exams were at the end of May and the beginning of June,  all my papers are due throughout April and the beginning of May.  For example, I'm wrapping up my final paper for my 'Information Systems for the Public Sector' class. My final paper is 100% of my grade...so, excuse me as I wipe the sweat from my brow. 

My other final papers are my policy paper (more on that in a future post), one for my 'Contemporary Issues in Media Policy,' and one for 'US Legislative Politics.'

And, as for exams...well I get to take a break once I write all of these papers. Both of my exams this year are back-to-back days in the middle of June. 

But for now, I'll let you in on a secret...I'll be headed back to America on Monday to work from the comfort of home. There is just something about writing and working from home that sparks my imagination! 

A Whole Lot of Work...

My last post was 10 days ago. 

I have finally finished the last assignment in what could be called a midterm period at LSE. Except...none of my essays, presentations, or assignments in the last two weeks were graded. They are all formative assignments. So, I'll get feedback in terms of writing, preparation for the final summative papers, and general comments of my understanding of the course load. But, let's just say...phew! I'm tired!

Last week, I had a paper due in my media policy class. I wrote a short analysis about the increasing access to broadband in the United States and how educational policies aimed at teachers in secondary schools needs to change. It was actually a lot more interesting that I thought it would be! It might be a topic for my final essay. I also had a paper due in my US legislative politics class last week. That one was about the electoral connection! 

This week...I had an outline due for my final paper in my information systems for the public sector class. I'm writing on the organizational structures of two different web councils in the US federal agency structure and how those organizations effect the delivery of digital services to citizens. The graded essay is due in April (bit early), so I'm looking forward to getting that feedback right away! 

And, tomorrow, I have a presentation about the deliberation process in Congress for my US legislative politics class. 

Can we say "Katie needs coffee?" 

If you're wondering how everything else is going at school...

Our capstone project final presentation has been set for March 18th. It's the day after my birthday, so double the celebrations! We're aiming to have the entire 15,000 word report written by the end of this weekend. 

As for my policy paper, I changed my topic and focus, but I like my new idea much better. Plus, I think it will be much more feasible to write about. 

LSE is pushing me to the extreme, again. But, I am still glad that I chose the rigor of my program and the school. I know it's all going to be worth it once I finish in a few months!

2013 Recap

With another year drawing to a close in the next few days, it's time for my yearly recap of what I've been up to, what I've learned, where I went, etc. It's hard to believe that another year has come and gone so quickly. I literally feel as if I was just sitting in my econometrics lecture post Christmas 2012. 

Albeit, time does fly, and 2013 was a year of growth and struggle. This year pushed me to new heights, changed me personally, academically, and professionally, and allowed me to see more of the world. I gained close friends along the way and said goodbye to those who were not meant to be part of my life. I traveled to numerous new cities and countries in search of a better understanding of the world, the view of the United States, and to get to know myself better.  

In January, after a month home in the States for a break, I started my second term at the London School of Economics. In January, I attended the Democrats Abroad Inaugural Ball with my friend, Zaina.  In the midst of schoolwork and travel plans, I also lent a hand during the SU London Center's orientation where I was reunited with friends from over the years. 

February was a busy month as I traveled to Princeton for the reading weekend of the Journal of Public and International Affairs. Within a few days of getting back from a weekend in the States, I headed to Dublin for a friend's birthday/girls' weekend.  In line with my goals of doing more tourist activities in London, I took a day trip to Oxford, a walking tour of St. Paul's/The City, and saw several musicals. 

March is my favorite month of the year, and this year was no different. At the start of March, I traveled to Amsterdam and Prague. March is also my birthday month. Turning 23 in London was an absolute blast! Following the completion of the Lent Term, the MPA held its annual ball before we headed off for a five-week break.  At the end of March, my Dad and I started our Father-Daughter Eurotrip that we had already dreamed about taking!

March quickly turned into April when my Dad and I were on our Eurotrip. We traveled to Ireland, Germany, and France in the first week or so. I took a solo trip to Scotland before venturing to Italy with my friend, Nicole. The last week of April was spent back in London preparing for one of the hardest periods of my life: exams. 

May was a rough month in my life this year. If you read through past posts, it's because of the way the UK higher education system is set up. Studying for six weeks straight was horrible. I did take a few breaks during this month.

June was exam month. Three exams in three days. One was a 100% of my grade. The other exam took place a week after.  The first two weeks of June combined with May were very long and stressful. Thankfully, I was rewarded with being able to spend the summer at home. The day I traveled home, my brother and his family also arrived home.  Oh, and I also went to the Sound for Change Concert and saw some of my favorite musicians perform including Queen Bey and Jay-Z!

July was a month of celebrations as I got word that I was officially advancing to the second year of the MPA. I was also reunited with one of my best friends from college for a weekend. We toured Seneca Falls, took a trip to CUSE, and laughed for hours. 

August was a slow month in terms of blog activity. But, I was busy celebrating my parents' birthdays, reading, reuniting with friends, and preparing to return to London. 

September was my last month of summer vacation. I started the month off in CT/NYC visiting some of my closest friends  and sightseeing. I was also able to run into one of my closest mentors and friends in the first week. The rest of the month was spent visiting Syracuse to see friends that are still undergrads or grad students, running errands to get ready to go back to London, and enjoying my last few days of freedom. 

October was my first month back in London after my summer in the States. It was also the month I started interning with the US Embassy as well as the month I started my second year at LSE. I was selected to be a part of the G4S Capstone group and elected to write a policy paper for the year instead of a dissertation.  As it could be my final year in London for a period of my life, I also elected to be a tourist as much as possible.  The MPA program kicked off the year with several parties including the annual boat party and retreat!

November  was the month I got wanderlust. I traveled to Romania, Luxembourg, and Germany throughout the month. Luxembourg was my second solo trip of the year.  I also attended the J.Crew London Store Opening, celebrated a few birthdays, explored more of the city, and did attempt to do schoolwork. 

And, the last month of the year…December.  I finished another term at LSE minus some homework over the winter break. I also finished my internship with the US Embassy. As the holiday season was in full bloom, I attended a few holiday parties, a couple of concerts, and took a trip to Bristol to see the city and the Christmas market.  Back stateside for a few weeks, I'm planning on seeing a few friends before the new year surfaced and getting my fair share of snow. 

Thanks for reading my 2013 recap. I'm happy and sad to see another year draw to a close. Yet, I'm also looking forward to a new year!! 

What were your favorite memories of 2013?