It's May. Holy Smokes.

The realization just hit me like a brick wall.

It's May.

And not just May 1st. 

It's May 9th.

That means there's approximately one month until I have to leave this place.

Just when the weather is starting to cooperate, my days are numbered. Wunderbar.

On Friday it was so gorgeous outside, I was out without a jacket on, sitting out front of Elphinstone for a couple hours with Catie, just enjoying the warm sunshine. 

....okay, so it was 11 degrees. But still, that's WARM for there.

I think I've forgotten what 20 degrees feels like.

On the bright side, because it's further up north than Kingston, the sun rises earlier and sets later.

Speaking of which, 2 nights ago, I was awake when the sun was rising. 

The music ball was on Friday. I didn't go because 

1) I don't really hang out with people from the music department outside of class....like....ever. I could count them on one hand. And 3 of them weren't going either. And 

2) The tickets were pretty expensive considering the venue and the money to fun ratio. And 

3) It means I also would have had to spend more money getting a nice dress and shoes, and alcohol. 

Anyway, I mentioned the ball because it's relevant to the weather talk: Because we don't generally get sunshine (although someone told me lately that Aberdeen is the 'sunniest city in Scotland...which I don't believe for a second, but that's another story), people don't get tans. And because people don't get tans, they often resort to fake tan. And since all the girls want to be tanned and 'beautiful' for the may ball/music ball/whatever they call it, they were especially using it a few days before Friday. And can I just say, I felt like all of my classes had been transformed to the set of Charlie and the Chocolate factory and I was interacting with Ooma Loompas.

It was quite funny, actually. There were so many orange-faced girls running around. I didn't say anything, of course, because I'm not one who goes looking for enemies...but I was chuckling to myself the whole week!

I think that's the biggest thing I miss about the girls in Queen's music. No one is really overly girly or fake tans on a regular basis (I don't think?) or screams like 14 year-olds trying to be the centre of attention or puts on the whole "Oh Em Gee. I sooooOOOoo, legit, like, do not have to, like, be here right now" attitude. All of the people I can think of in music Queen's that I can remember are very natural and down-to-earth and, if anything, more nerdy (in the best way!) than the highschool version of 'popular'.  Fake tan isn't a bad thing, but when it's overused, it's annoying and, in my opinion, hideous. I feel like at Queen's music, at least in my group of friends, if we don't want to go to class, we either just don't go, or grin and bear it. Not sit there and complain about it like that girl in my class this week who said about 30 times throughout the class: "Oh. MYgod. Can we just go home? This is so boring. I need to finish painting on my skin and throw up my lunch so that I can fit into my May Ball dress. Does this prof not have any priorities?" (okay so maybe not that last part..but I was so annoyed!).  First of all, HOW RUDE is it to talk during a lecture when a) the prof is trying to teach, and b) the class is trying to listen. And secondly, if you don't want to come to class, then DON'T! Education is a privilege, NOT a right, and she should be thankful and taking advantage of the amazing opportunity instead of worrying about how orange she can be. Honestly, I could really do without people complaining!! 
...not that I'm complaining now...

*********moment of hypocrisy*********

Of course, there are some girls at Queen's that are more outspoken than others, and I'm not going to deny that Queen's in GENERAL is known for being stuck up and we even have our own breed of "Queen's girls" : Ugg boots, black tights, short skirt, orange skin, caked on makeup, maybe a pair of aviators, blonde straightened hair, you get the gist.... and I'm not talking the classy Alex Molloy-esque, fashionista way of pulling that outfit off. Alex was complaining that I just described her. But no. People like Alex use fake tan to look warm and summery, not orange. Alex is well put together and doesn't wear much makeup (because she doesn't need to). I hope she knows that. And I hope she reads this and knows that I know it, too.

but there's none of those kind of "Queen's girls" in music. One thing I miss about the Queen's music faculty is being able to wear sweatpants if I feel like it or crack silly jokes and puns and have people laugh with me. Now I just crack them to myself and laugh to myself. Out loud. In public.

Wait, I just had a thought....what if some "Queen's girls" have arrived in Queen's music while I've been here!?!?!??! AHHHHHHHHHHH.  If they have, and if they're reading this...then they should know that I will make it my personal mission next year to burn their Ugg boots, snip their lululemon pants to shreds, shave their heads, and have words with them about the golden opportunity that is education.

There, I said it.

Anyway, that rant is over - Orange girls are the only thing that got under my skin this week. OH! OTHER THAN A STAPLE! Here's a story for you:

As you know, I volunteer with a brownie unit on Fridays. Well this week was my turn to plan a meeting for them. So, since I'm from another country, I wanted to give them an internationally-based meeting. I made stations for each of the world centres where they got to go and learn about the countries, and have a snack and do an activity at each one (and I cleverly designed it so that they'd have one sport, one music-related, one craft, and a language one! Wheeeee it was so fun!!). Anyway, so I made them each little 'World Centre Passports' and stapled construction paper and white paper into a book for them to bring to each country station. And on my second last passport, I was stapling it together (and had to do it with the stapler opened, as if you were going to staple something onto a bulletin board, if you know what I mean) and THE STAPLE WAS SHOT RIGHT UNDER MY FINGERNAIL! ouuuuuchhhhhhhhhhh!!!! I'm an idiot for not being more careful, I know. But it hurt so bad! It went about halfway to the base of my nail. Then I had to pull it out, of course, and it was bleeding and I was trying not to bleed on the passports....ughhh. It was bad. I took a picture of it on photobooth, but it's a bit blurry because it doens't focus on things that are too close up.

Also, I just realized that it looks like I'm flipping you all off. Please know that I love you all and that is not the case.

So yea, that was scary. You know what else is scary? I'm embarking on my final week of classes.  (see how I did that? See how I linked my paragraphs together? Subtle yet clever, aren't I?).

But seriously. That's 24 weeks of classes, gone in the blink of an eye.

I've done a lot, when I think about it...but at the same time, there's lots of things I wish I had done that I didn't. Like go to the highlands. Or Orkney or Shetland. Or London. As far as student life goes, though. I'm pleased. I've met loads of amazing people, made some close friends, went to soooo many concerts (and performed in a few), went out to lots of pubs, did well in my classes, survived a horrible sick spell, and had some memorable good times with lots of amazing people! Man, this is starting to sound like a farewell post. But that is still quite a while away. I guess I'm just starting to reflect on it all...

OH, I never filled you in on Stirling! Sima and I went to Stirling last weekend (whoa, that seems so long ago!) and it was WONDERFUL. I couldn't have asked for a better person to go with after a stressful ending to my week. She's so caring and fun and we both have the same laid-back views in regards to traveling. We took the train up to Stirling on Friday evening, and got there around 8:30 or so. We checked into our hostel then went out to some pubs/clubs for the night. Before coming back to the hostel, Sima bought a donner kebab and let me try some -- it was freakin' amazing! It's basically the poutine of Canada. 

 Our hostel is the building behind this monument thing...I just tried to upload the pictures from my camera but something happened. I'm hoping it's just that the battery is dead...but anyway, the pics up today are the only ones that have uploaded...i'll put better ones up when/if I can!

We woke up early on Saturday, caught a train to Glasgow, and spent the day there. We got breakfast at this little restaurant, and I originally ordered a bagel but then saw that this girl ordered pancakes with maple syrup and bacon. And, friends...I don't know if I've told you before, but I've been craving pancakes since the dawn of my Aberdeen experience...and I never even had them when I was home for Christmas. So I called over our man-candy (albeit thick Glaswegian accented) waiter and changed my order. It was probably the best meal I've had since I've been in the UK. Just because I had been wanting it for so long. Anyway, then we went around the city, saw the Necropolis where John Knox is buried, the cathedral where St. Mungo's tomb is, we met some hobos (a very frightening experience -- and FUN FACT: did you know that "hobo" stands for "homeless body" ?), saw a bit of the university (Strathclyde) and then went to the Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA! haha) which was AMAZING. Then we did some shopping, and I bought an adorrrable polka dot dress and a navy blue military jacket that looks really cute with it, among other things. 

We made it back to Stirling in time for supper, where Sima and I went out for Indian, because she'd NEVER HAD IT BEFORE, and I can't be friends with anyone who hasn't at least tried Indian food. So we got naan bread, our own main dishes, samosas, poppadums, and dessert. It was amazing. And expensive. But mostly amazing. Then, since we were so tired, we stayed in for the night and went to bed early. We were staying in a room with 6 beds, but the first night it was just us and one other girl, who left on Saturday. Then, on Saturday night, another girl came, and we soon discovered that she sleeps without pajama bottoms on. Ewummrwagh. (that was a mix between 'ew' and 'ermmm' and 'ah' and 'ugh')

Anyway, Sunday morning we got up early again, did the "Back Walk" through Stirling (basically a nature walk that leads you through the nature-y bit, that leads you to the castle). We went into the castle, then took a cab over to the Wallace Monument, which was also very cool (lots of stairs but so worth it for the view you get at the top!!).  By the time we had done all that and had lunch, it was time to head over to the train station and then it was hometime! A successful, relaxing, and fun weekend with a wonderful friend :)

Having some fun at the castle!

These things were amazing!! I forget what they were called, but it was like a 

giant Crispie! (Sponge toffee covered in chocolate). SO YUMMY! But so sweet, 

I couldn't finish mine!

Sima at the Wallace Monument :)

So I guess that's about it for now! I'm just finishing up some work this week for the end-of-term assignments...basically all I have is an assignment for theory, an essay for my analysis class (which I'm strangely actually looking forward to because I find it really interesting-- call me a geek, but I'm proud!!!) and then my performance exam at the end of the month. Then I'm freeeee (with pre-paid accommodation) until my mom and possibly uncle get here in early June. Basically what I'm saying is that I'll have loads of time to celebrate! 

Must go now, I've been working on this slowly all day between laundry, hoovering, doing dishes and tidying my room....my mother would be so proud.

Which reminds me as well -- HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY MOM! (and to all the mothers out there!!)

Love to my mother and all others,

Becky