Precisely a week ago, I was dragging myself from my bed and into the car to begin the hideous 25 hour journey back to Columbia and the spring semester at USC. But after a month at home and a few days back at Warwick, I had forgotten some of things about school here that are a little different from England...
People's names.
I can't criticise people for choosing to shorten their names as I have always gone by Flo but some of the students here really do push the limits with this. This week all of our classes have been introductory and the amount of times I've heard completely illogical shortened names is beyond belief.
'Ah yeah, my name's Joseph but I go by William.'
'I'm on the register as Kayleigh but it's actually Julia.'
'My name's Mary but ever since kindergarten people have called me Sophia-Maria'
seriously, what the hell??
By far the best name I have come across this semester goes to a guy in my history class, shout out to Randy Barber!
Fashion Choices.
I had forgotten that girls wear Uggs and Nike shorts here, even when it's so cold you can see your own breath. In most cases, it's either that or leggings, a USC sweater and knee-high boots. All topped off with a trusty, often camouflage-patterned, giant rucksack. Lovely.
Toilet Cubicles
I will never ever understand the American design of toilet cubicles. I have no idea why you would want half-inch gaps either side of the doors which enable you to see who is washing their hands while you get on with your business, nor why the door stops about 2 foot short of the ground. As a child I had a bad experience involving getting locked in the loo and have since been somewhat cautious when it comes to to toilets with no visible means of escape if you can't get the lock undone HOWEVER the ones they have over here are just one step too far.
OMG I'M BRIDDISH
I went to target today in search of a vegetable steamer (as is the wild life I lead) and was in a bit of a rush so asked one of the store assistants where it might be. This was genuinely the conversation that took place during my quest to find a bloody steamer.
'hi, do you know if you sell steamers? the little metal ones you put in saucepans?'
'....'
'sorry, do you know what I mean? you use them for vegetables...'
'you....you have an accent'
Seriously. It's not usually this bad but surely people cannot be this flabbergasted to hear an english accent?!
As well as this, there's also been the welcome decrease in food price, the constant presence of strangely confident squirrels wherever you are on campus, COCKS written in lots of places and y'all said in most sentences. Toilet door gaps aside, it's nice to be back.
xxxxxx
