Starships Were Meant To Fly

So this week has been a little bit crazy, to say the least. On Monday night, I left Washington state at about 8 pm and I didn't get home to Austin until 9:30 am the following day. I had very little sleep, and as a result, this entire week, I've been completely exhausted and time has been passing so quickly and slowly at the same time. It's been a little maddening.

Then on top of all the sleep deprivation, I had to finish up a 12 page paper Tuesday night that was due on Wednesday, and then I found out that I had an oral Italian exam today, November 30, when I was under the impression that it was on December 7. To top ALL of that off, yesterday, I managed to set off my fire alarms in a sorry attempt to cook one of the three things I know how to make: noodles. There must have been something on the burner, but before I knew it, the alarms were going off for FORTY MINUTES. I had the worst headache of my life yesterday, and I am still sort of dealing with the ringing in my ears from it.

And you know, timing is a funny thing. I ended up sleeping in as late as possible yesterday in an attempt to catch up on all that I had missed this weekend, which meant that I started making my lunch half an hour later than usual. Which resulted in me almost missing what I consider to be one of the most important meetings of my life: my meeting with Bryn Cain, the amazing Study Abroad Adviser for the students interested in UK Study Abroad here at UT. As it turns out, the alarms were turned off with ten minutes for me to get to my meeting. I've never walked so fast in my life, and managed to somehow make a ten minute walk fit into eight minutes, arriving with a few minutes to spare and collect myself before meeting with the adviser.

Finally, we arrive at the main purpose of this post: my meeting with Bryn about studying abroad in Brighton at University of Sussex.

So in case you're wondering, here's an image of the school and the pier:

Pretty beautiful place to study, right?

The main part of the meeting was discussing the application process and what all of that entails. I have to apply to the Study Abroad program here at UT and with that, I have to write two essays, approximately 250 words each. In addition to that, I have to apply to the actual University of Sussex. Now, can someone please explain to me WHY on Earth I'm more nervous applying to the University of Sussex than I was about applying to Yale? Because I legitimately am so nervous, but I think it's because I want this SO BADLY and I know that it's a legitimate option. With Yale and Dartmouth, the chances of me attending were so slim, but if I get this, I can go. It makes me nervous and giddy. 

When I asked my adviser how likely it was that I would be going if I applied, and she said that if I meet all the requirements, I'm going. And there's NO WAY I will allow myself to not meet these requirements. No way on the Lord's green Earth. Not when He's handing me such a great opportunity on a silver platter. I honestly feel like God is holding this chance out to me and telling me to take it.

In addition to all of that, I also have to apply for as many scholarships and loans as I can. However, I can also fund my way through donations and sponsorship. I haven't figured out exactly how to work that out or how I'm going to go about sponsorship and everything, so when I do know all of that and when I do know about how much it's going to cost me per semester, I'll have a post all dedicated to that.

Did I mention I'd be studying at Sussex for a year? Even if I did, I'll say it again. A year. 

And there's the joke, you know, that I'm so excited about this and so looking forward to it that I'll hate it once I get there, but I don't think so. I really think that I'll enjoy this opportunity, and I can't wait to get my application underway! I'll definitely keep y'all up on the whole process and how that's going.

So like last time, until next time!

Keep Calm and Brighton On!

-Tayma xx

P.S. A little shout out to my beautiful Auntie Terrie who commented on my last post, as well as my wonderful cousin, Cheryl-Ann. I love you, guys! <3

WAITING FOR NOW

Where to begin? Well, for starters, I’ve been trying to actually get this blog started for about two weeks now, but the words wouldn’t come to me. I just sat at the open word document, staring like a moron while words for stories and papers and other assignments came flooding to mind.

But of course, now that the weekend is here and I am supposed to be revising a paper, the words come to me.

Alright, so basically, if you know me in person, you more than likely know my cousin, Cheryl-ann – or you at least have heard of her since I talk about her more than any one person should be discussed. But she’s one of my best friends, so what can I say? Anyways – that is beside the point. The point is, it seems that when one of us does something, the other is not very far behind in doing the same – or something very close to it. In this case? Starting a blog. Coincidentally? Both blogs are sort of centered around these big, life-changing travels we are either making or hoping to make. Her travels, she is in the middle of now and you can read about it HERE.

But this blog isn't about travels that I am currently doing. This blog is about the traveling that I am hoping to take part in next year.

Currently, I attend the University of Texas in Austin. I'm a pretty good student and I study more than any one person probably should being an English major, but I can't help it. Studying is what I do. It's what I know without a doubt that I'm good at. I work my behind off and I get good results. Unless we're discussing science classes. Science is my greatest weakness and core requirements making me take science classes (and a couple of history classes) have killed my GPA. I accept that it is partially my fault that I am riding at a 2.8 GPA when I need a 3.0 to apply to my preferred program, but I'm trying to fix that by working my behind off. It's all I do anymore: go to school. I've focused on school so much that I've had to cancel plans on one of my friends three times to accommodate my educational needs. Perhaps that makes me a bad friend, but chasing dreams has to take priority sometimes.

So now that I've rambled off to left field (something I have a tendency of doing), I guess I should actually explain what all this is about. My university has some amazing Study Abroad programs. All my life I've wanted to go to England and experience life there, or go to Oxford, even if that just meant standing outside of the building and getting an Oxford sweatshirt to pretend like I went there. But the point is, with the Study Abroad program at my school, I can go to England and I can study there. Not at Oxford, but at an equally awesome university. 

I'm hoping to study at the University of Sussex in Brighton. It's right on the coast and it's beautiful and when I think about studying there, I just can't stop smiling. It's a dream that I could get to go, especially when I didn't really think that studying in England could be a possibility. Now it is.

In eleven days, I have a meeting to speak with a counselor about the possibility of studying in England, hopefully for a year, but if I can only go for a semester, it's a semester more than I had before and I'll be happy to take what I can get. I honestly feel like I am going to be studying in England next year. There's not very much doubt that I'll be there, following my dream finally.

To motivate me, I've started this blog. I'll be writing about a lot of things: life in general, things that frustrate me, things that happen...but I'll also be using it to talk about trying to get to Brighton and what that means and how I can reach that goal definitely. Something tells me that I'll definitely be in Brighton this time next year; its just a matter of how badly I want it and how hard I continue to work. 

Let's just say I want it pretty badly.

So, until next time: Keep Calm and Brighton On.

Or in the words of my cousin, "Keep Calm and Brighton On! For Narnia and the North!"