Essentials For A Year Abroad

My previous two blogs (about Skype and Home) have got me thinking about how I am surviving this year abroad. I am really enjoying it: it's different and it's interesting and although part of me is counting down the day until I go home (where my Mummy does my laundry!) I know that I am going to miss my little room in Storrs that has become my home. And it is exactly that which explains my survival in what is very much a "foreign country"! Yes I understand the blondeness of that comment but you know what I mean*! There are a number of things, without which, I would most definitely not survive:


1. Crazy Montage of Photos - As you can see my entire wall is covered in photo's of everyone. Well, pretty much everyone there are still a few more that need printing off. There's nothing like waking up with the view of some crazy drunken moments to look back on or simply just a silly picture which always brings a smile to my face.

2. Tea -  You may be able to spot the kettle located strategically next to my bed and also the mug and, hiding at the back, my thermos. Tea. I am the grumpiest person without it and American tea just doesn't cut it. So far I have finished my first box of 150 earl grey tea bags and apparently my second is in the post! In the mean time I am living off supplies brought by Emily's, dad last week (Thanks Andy!) so I have not turned into a horrible, caffeine, deprived monster... yet.

3. My Blackberry - oh wonderful device, centre of my life through which I get my emails and my beloved BBM. As I have no doubt mentioned, Nick (the bf - urgh I hate how cheesy that sounds) and I talk constantly and one medium is of course BBM. However, I also BBM my mother and my sister and my friends to organise those all important Skype sessions. And when class is really, really dull, all you need is a Blackberry conveniently hidden under the desk, it's amazing. However my Blackberry also holds my calendar and, as of recently, my tasks list. Another form of procrastination (Queen of it remember?!) is to add all my things to do onto a task list in Outlook which then gets magically put onto my Blackberry when I plug it in. It's amazing. 

3. Emily's Wall Planner - I really should get a picture to show you all because it is fabulous. Just truly outstanding. At the beginning of term, Emily (my room mate - http://hereornear.blogspot.com/) drew out a massive wall calendar which includes all the work we have to do, where we have to be etc and at the end of each day she crosses it off so that I can visibly see the countdown until the end of the semester. 

4. Actually I feel I should add Emily on here. She lives with my rants and my crazy tea addiction and my occasional strange moments where I break into dance - yep that actually happens. She also gives me death stares whenever I say 'elevator' rather than 'lift' or 'candy' not 'sweets'. I will not turn American.

I'm sure there is plenty more that can be added to the list but those are the ones that spring to mind. So if you're planning a year abroad make sure you have all addictions covered, you've got laptop (with skype) and smart phone and you've got a room mate who's obsessively, compulsively, organised and you're sorted!

*Kieran, Joe, Ed and Dan... meanys!