Welcome to Regents.

It's awkward enough being a new student, but add in the fact that I was a week late for classes AND in a foreign country AND grimy from an overnight flight (AND still carrying my backpack!)... it wasn't a pretty picture. But Thursday when I went to meet with Ruby she was so nice and really helpful. She even told me I looked surprisingly "fresh" for having just flown in from the States - ha. Thanks Ruby.

By the way, Regents College in nestled in a corner of Regents Park, one of the city's beautiful little public sanctuaries. This one actually houses the London Zoo and an outdoor Shakespeare theatre. Nice, right? You walk through the gates of the park and there's a lake with swans other pretty birds bathing, a rose garden, people strolling along without a care in the world... It's a lovely atmosphere for a school I'd say.

Ruby took me up to Lily in the registration office who explained my classes to me:

Masters in Media Communications

Monday 9:30-1:00 Professional Seminar

Monday 10:00-1:15 Media Communications

Wednesday 9:00-1:15 Media & Culture

So those classes seem a little long to me but oh well, when in Britain.

Notice anything puzzling about the schedule? Like that I have 2 classes Monday at the same time? Lily acted like this wasn't a problem...? So I'm like Maybe I am at Hogwarts and I need that nifty little contraption Hermione had around her neck that allowed her to take classes that overlapped.... Whatever. Anyways, it turns out I only missed 1 class on Wednesday because Monday classes wouldn't start until the 2nd week. Hoorah!

Today was my first day of class, and we all know what that means... it wouldn't be the first day of class for Stephanie "Better Late Than Never" Maxwell if I weren't in a mad dash to get there on time. Class started at 10 so this is what I planned out :

7:45 Wake up and get ready, eat breakfast

8:45 Get to the tube station - planned about 20min for travel

9:05 Make it to campus in time to buy a notebook at the bookstore and find my classroom in plenty of time.

WELL. I woke up and my phone/alarm clock said 9:23 so needless to say I freaked the Eff out. I went into supersonic speed mode and caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror before I left - Is that a giant read handprint on my cheek?!! Yeah instead of something normal like sheet lines I'd somehow left a full handprint on my cheek in my sleep. This will be an exciting first impression at school - get it?? First "impression??"

I was uber lucky catching the tube and finding my class and made it in RIGHT at 10:00. Stupid stupid Stephanie. All's well that end's well I guess.

My prof is super funny though. His name is Olaf :) and balding but with really wispy hair on the sides that's pulled into a ponytail. Oh and there is only one other person in this class because everyone else doing an MA in Med Comm took this intro class in the Fall 1 session. Haha! The other girl in it is really sweet. She's Turkish and beautiful and stylish and her name is Elvin. Jealous! Class went well and I'm very excited about this Masters now. We talked about journalism and publishing, psychology, effective writing, media research methods, communication theories... it's going to be very interesting.

And we - Elvin and I - figured out the "Professional Seminar" dilemma. It's a non-credit course that we are encouraged to take to prepare ourselves for grad school level work. We met with the professor after class and she is going to work out a way for us to get the necessary information without us having to come every Monday.

I think it's almost 5pm in Arkansas so it's time for me to go now and call home for the first time! Cheers.