Last Course Registration….ever?

This morning, I registered for my final courses at LSE. Weird, huh?

Even weirder? It could also be the last time I ever register for courses!

During my first year at LSE, as you may recall, there were no option courses. All first-year students have to take the same three requirements in addition to the stream requirement. All my units were clearly selected for me! This year, minus the two main requirements, I've gotten to choose what I've wanted to take. And, since last semester, I was interning, I waited for this term for the majority of my units to balance out a workload.

This term, I'm taking:

MPA Capstone: My group will be completing our project with G4S this term!

MPA Policy Paper: Started last term, but my final policy paper will be submitted.

GV4C4: US Legislative Politics 

GY439: Cities, Politics, and Citizenship 

GV477: Comparative Public Policy Change

IS479: Information Systems for the Public Sector: Digital Government and Service Innovation

It's going to be another long semester of reading, late hours, and tons of coffee. But, I'm up for the challenge. I'm excited to finish out my final two terms strong!

Summer Reading: Part 2

Since my last post, this bookworm hasn't stopped trying to get through a massive booklist before school resumes in less than two months! Here is what I've had my nose in lately. 

HUGE JFK FAN!

I saw Jared Cohen and Eric Schmidt speak at LSE back in May. I knew I needed to check it out! 

Recap!

I have a tendency to get really busy and forget about my blog sometimes. 

It can be a problem even for a person who loves social media like me.

These past two weeks have been insane as usual. I had my first big, graded assignments due today. One management paper and project due on the same topic. It was an intense process that has pretty much lasted a month, but it's accomplished and handed in. In addition to the paper and project, I had the typical weekly assignments of STATA, reading, and problem sets for government. It can get stressful, quickly!

But, I survived by adding in some fun events to my calendar. Since I've been a bad blogger, below is the quick recap of the adventures that I've been up to. 

January 17th- Volunteered at Syracuse University London for the day as the study abroad semester began. Celebrated my friend, Elena's Birthday with dinner and dancing. We went to the Living Room for dinner off of Regents Street. Highly recommend it if you are in London!

John and Me on Friday

January 18th- Went out with the other Syracuse University London Guides. Was able to catch up with friends that I have met through the years!

January 19th- Celebrated my friend Jenny's 25th Birthday with drinks and dancing! 

January 21st-  Attended the Inaugural Ball for Democrats Abroad!

I'm off to a Policy in Practice seminar tonight and attending the MPA Pub Quiz for Charity tomorrow. The goal of this weekend is to relax as the next few weekends are going to be intense with travel plans and more work on the horizon!

Inaugural Ball for Democrats Abroad!

I consider Inauguration Day one of my favorite days every four years. It ranks second to Election Day for my favorite days. Call me a true political nerd. 

I had found out about the Inaugural Ball that was occurring for Democrats Abroad upon my return to London following winter break. Zaina and I decided to attend without dates because we also wanted to meet new people outside the MPA program at LSE. 

The evening started off with a happy hour before the three-course meal. We did end up running into a few other MPA students  for the happy hour. From there, the three course dinner served. We wound up at a table with a bunch of Americans all in the United Kingdom either for education, work experience, or just a change of pace of life. Jessica, the girl who sat next to me, is actually going to be starting a part-time course at LSE in human rights. She was currently working for a non-profit. 

Zaina and Me

Post-dinner, the Executive Board of the UK Democrats Abroad had a few speeches about the accomplishments of Obama's first term, the 2012 election, and the hopeful progress that can be made during the second term. The crowd erupted when the goal of taking back the House in 2014 was stated. Enthusiasm was felt all around the world which allowed for a transition to the highlight video of the first term. From there, the Inauguration speech was played on a loop before the dancing began. 

Overall, it was a great way to celebrate Obama's second inauguration. I had watched the inauguration online earlier in the day, but being able to celebrate with it with a roomful of proud Americans and even foreigner was a great experience. It's something that I will never forget!

Oh, and if you forgot. Here's the photo showing Obama and me, future president. 

#WALPOLE2040

Election Edition!

For those who know me well, I'm a huge political junkie. It's comparable to those who get super into fantasy football. It's an obsession that largely formed when I was younger. A lover of JFK biographies, the Cuban Missile Crisis, history books, and MSNBC made me who I am today as well as influence my intended career path. Thus, yesterday, November 6th, 2012, was a holiday to me. Second favorite day of the year- my birthday also known as St. Patrick's Day- still wins.

I registered to vote before I turned 18 in 2008, so I would be all set to focus my attention on the 2008 election. First year of voting! I remember the election very well. It was my first semester at Syracuse, and I remember camped out in the lounge on my floor in the residence hall. A bunch of us-"the six"- grabbed takeout from the dining hall and crowded around a television to watch the results together. Once the election was called for Obama, Ashlie, Jordan, and I ran to the quad to celebrate with other members of the Syracuse University community. Insane, joyous, and memorable are just a few of the words I would use to describe that post midnight celebration that night.

When I was abroad in 2010, it came to vote in the midterm elections. Sending in an absentee ballot, just as I had in 2008 and 2009 (local elections), it was weird not at least being in the United States to send in an absentee ballot. Yes, I still got to vote, but I was traveling during the election. There was hardly a time to sit down and read results outside those I actually chose to concentrate my thesis on.

And, yes, before we begin, 2011 was an absentee ballot again.

This year, living abroad for a presidential election was entirely different than that of 2010. Of course, the world views a presidential election in the US slightly higher than a local/state election and even a senator election that was held in 2010.  For the past several weeks, I've been stopped by non-Americans in and out of my program asking me if I voted and for whom. They wanted to make sure that I expressed my right to vote- something that many countries still do not have the right to do so. Don't worry, my ballot got there. Trust me.

Being five hours ahead of the EST coast was hard. I stayed up till 5am yesterday, and woke back up at 7am to find out Obama had officially been declared a winner. Sometimes sleep and time differences to trump my love of politics. Nevertheless, the emotions that I felt being here yesterday were and were not comparable to what I felt in 2008. Of course, I was thrilled that my choice for President won (re-elected), but even celebrating with some Americans through the evening with the early closing states, it was different. We tried to create an atmosphere that felt like "home." The LSE party was held in too small of a space, and so, we crowded into a lounge with others in a dorm room. Explaining the electoral college- or trying to explain the electoral college to non-Americans was my favorite part of the evening.

Going back to my point about it being different was that it was different in a good way. Thanks to technology, I kept live updates from Twitter. I watched Mike Allen on my computer at 4am. And this morning, I woke up to iMessages, tweets, and Facebook updates from friends and family members. Being connected helped me feel as if I was at a huge rally on the quad or an election party. Being abroad doesn't take the feeling away of being part of democracy. Sure, it would have been nice to have a Bud Light, a hot dog, and a slice of apple pie to watch the returns, but that is the point of choosing a grad school abroad. I wanted to experience different things- gain different perspectives. Yesterday, I did. I can honestly say that 2012 will not be forgotten. 

Furthermore, this morning as I left to run to finish homework, I heard so many British people discussing the results on the bus, the tube, and even in Starbucks.  They were happy with the result. Of course, the newspapers that I saw this morning had been printed before Obama had been reelected. That means I need to grab one tomorrow to supplement my 2008 election and 2009 copies.

And, yes, I wore my donkey pin proudly.