Halloween - Bloomsbury Bowling Lanes and Ministry of Sound

British people don’t really celebrate Halloween like we do – no trick or treating.  But, they do wear costumes, which made clubbing that much more interesting.  First, we had a Passfield outing at the nearby Bloomsbury Bowling Lanes, which is a cool old-fashioned bowling alley that was nice enough to have an open bar for a limited time.  Next, we went to the Ministry of Sound, which is regarded as one of the top nightclubs in London.  And it did not disappoint.  There was a lot of energy here and there were four rooms with different music.  Passfield also rented out a VIP room, which was nice because it was the only place in the club with somewhere to sit.      

Last Minute Costume Ideas

Tomorrow is Halloween, so this morning one of my roommates and I went looking around for a costume.  First, we went to a Soho costume shop, which needless to say was packed from a rather early time (11:00 AM).  The costume store was very big (4 stories) but slightly expensive, so I decided to hold off on buying any costumes.  We later went to Oxford Street and checked out a few stores for some accessories.  I found some things that I liked there, which I will unveil as part of my costume tomorrow…  

Should I Stay or Should I go?

At LSE, it is quite normal to have 2-3 days that are very busy and to have 1-2 days that you have hardly any lectures/classes.  It is also quite common that you have an awkward break in the middle of the day in which it doesn’t make sense to walk all the way back to your dorm room, so you have to stay on campus and presumably study in the library.  I have such a break from 12:00 to 5:00 on Fridays.  If I walk there and back it is 45 minutes of time wasted so I generally stay in the library for about 4 hours (after a lunch break).  At times, I get a lot of work done, but it can also be quite brutal.      

Pros and Cons of a Shared Room

Living with freshman as an upperclassman has been a fun and interesting experience for the most part.  In some ways, it has been like freshman year all over again; my roommates are much more inclined to go out than most other third-year students. This has been a good way to experience many different things in London.  But at other times, I have to commit more time to studying so there have been times where our study/sleep schedule did not match up too well.  All in all, I would recommend living in a shared room if you are planning on staying in a residence hall while studying abroad because it is usually much cheaper and has a more social atmosphere, which more than makes up for the downsides in my opinion.

Public Lecture – The Upside of Irrationality

Almost every week (or in some cases more often than that) LSE hosts some very interesting guest speakers, which is an interesting complement to what you learn in your courses.  The speaker I saw today was a prominent professor from MIT whose field of study is behavioral economics.  He presented the information in a very interesting way and had a good sense of humor.  Overall, I enjoyed the lecture and would like to attend more in the future! 

Preparing Lunch for the First Time in London

It has been over a month since I arrived here, but today was the first time I have (or have assisted in) preparing lunch.   It is usually difficult finding the time to prepare lunch – you either have to prepare it the night before and bring it to campus or have a rather large break in your schedule sometime in the midmorning – early afternoon, which is usually pretty rare.  Luckily, on both Tuesdays and Wednesdays, I have no lectures or classes in the afternoons, so it is possible for me to make my own lunch on these days.  Unfortunately, cooking requires a little preparation beforehand (buying ingredients) and some time to prepare, so I have not taken advantage of the favorable schedule as much as I would like.  Nevertheless, it was good to have a home-cooked meal, control what you eat, and eat cheap! 

Late Night Mischief

Unintentionally, my roommate had a rather interesting night.  We were very hungry around 10:30 PM so we decided to run all the way to an area around LSE to grab a hot sandwich from a sandwich shop called Don Quixote’s.  Then, on the way back, we were asked by a guy on the street whether we wanted a happy ending tonight (we laughed and refused).  We then stopped by a Food and Wine Store and asked for the strongest liquor they had in stock.  We ended up drinking the small bottle of absinthe straight when we got back to the room.  It was tasty, but hard on the throat (absinthe is usually diluted with water for a reason).

Electronics on Tottenham Court Road

Tottenham Court Road is also a pretty well known road/ tourist spot in London as it leads to Oxford Street, and further down, Soho, Covent Garden, and Leicester Square.  There are a number of shops and restaurants on this road as well; there is also one area that contains quite a few electronic stores (Panasonic, Bose, Apple, etc.).  One of my roommates and I went there today and he bought some Bose Headphones.  We also window-shopped and looked at some of the latest in TVs, cellphones, and laptops.

Kenwood House, Highgate Cemetary, and a Big Lunch!

Today, I had another Emory outing where about a dozen students studying abroad from my home university in London gathered and went sightseeing.  Today, we went to North London and saw the Kenwood House, a beautiful 18^th century house with interesting paintings inside, and Highgate Cemetary, where famous people such as George Eliot and Karl Marx are buried.   I also had a rather large meal at a pub in which I got almost 2000 calories!  Don’t worry healthy eaters, this is not the norm at pubs (although pub grub is usually not the healthiest) – this was mainly due to my choice of food – a huge glass of coke, 12 oz ribeye steak, chips (British for fries), and a chocolate brownie and ice cream for desert.   

Hilarity at the Comedy Store

This Friday night, we decided to go to a well-known Comedy Club called the Comedy Store in Leicester Square.  We went to a show called the Best in Stand Up, which costs 9 pounds if you are a student.  The show was very good – all 5 comedians were very funny, each with some very memorable routines.  Just make sure you don’t (or do depending on your perspective) sit in the front row of the audience – they usually give you a really hard time!  

Slightly Old News but LSE Professor Wins Nobel Prize!

http://www2.lse.ac.uk/newsAndMedia/news/archives/2010/10/NobelPrize.aspx

Last week, Professor Chris Pissarides won the Nobel Prize in Economics!  That brings the total number of Nobel Prizes won by former LSE students and professors to 16.  It is definitely interesting to be part of a community (albeit for a year) that includes researchers at the forefront in their fields and also this year’s recipient of the Nobel Prize!

Clothes Shopping on Oxford Street

If you want to buy clothes or if you would perhaps like to window shop, Oxford Street is definitely a good place to go.  Oxford Street is about a mile and a half long and just packed with stores; in fact, with over 548 shops in this stretch, it is the busiest and most dense shopping district in all of Europe.  From low end to high end and with special designer stores as well, there is bound to be something that you are interested in here.  In fact, even though I am usually a thrifty spender, I found it difficult to resist the urge to splurge (luckily I did!)       

Reflections on the First Few Weeks of Class

So, I am sure that some of you reading my blog are interested in what the academic life is like at LSE and perhaps in the UK in general.  So far, I would say that the material here seems a little more challenging than what I had back home, and the style of teaching is definitely different.  I have put in more time outside of class to stay on top of the material (more time in the library than I did previously).  I have had to hand in homework assignments fairly frequently for a couple of my classes (econometrics and real analysis) but in my other classes (accounting, monetary economics), I did not have to turn in the assignments.   Here, the marks on the assignments don’t count toward the grade for LSE students (although it can in some cases count towards your class grade for General Course) so many students do not take the assignments seriously and fall behind.  So, having the assignments count toward your grade is actually good in a couple of ways – you will probably be more on top of your work than a lot of your peers!  

Narrow Alleys in London

Today, a classmate and I decided we wanted to try something different for lunch so we walked towards Lincoln Inns Fields and found this alley that was hidden from the main street and led us to area with some shops and restaurants.  Even though the Jack the Ripper slayings occurred in a different part of London (East London), these narrow alleys seem a little spooky and reminded me a little bit of this darker history of London.   

Transport in London

Sundays in London are generally pretty quiet as I’ve stated in other blog entries.   I usually use this day to catch up on studies and watch (American) football – yes I am in the United Kingdom but I still follow American football as much as I can.  Instead I will cover something that I experienced nearly every day but still have not wrote about: public transportation in London.   The photo I have here is a standard Overground bus (with Big Ben in the background of course).   The fare for a bus is a fixed rate of 1.20 pounds with an Oyster Card and 2.0 pounds without one, while the fare for the Tube depends on how many Zones you travel through.   For traveling in just zones one and two (most places you would want to go in London), the rate is 1.80 pounds with an Oyster Card, but the Tube is significantly faster than the bus for longer distances.  

The British Museum: Part One

The other day, when I was walking back to my dorm room with one of my roommates, we were asked by a couple of tourists which way it was to the British Museum.  At that point, we told them “Ah crap, no clue,” but after going there today, we know now!  It is actually rather close to our residence hall.   The building itself is very impressive.   We got there a little late (they close at 5:30 on Saturday), so we only got to see only one exhibit before they closed (an enlightenment exhibit that was really cool), but we will definitely be back.  After all, many of the museums in London are free so why not take advantage of them? 

Finally a Bank Account

After almost three weeks in London, I finally opened a bank account today.  I opened it at a branch of NatWest on the LSE campus.  Many students at LSE and the nearby King’s College open accounts at this branch, so you have to wait at least a week for an appointment time. If you’re going to be in the UK for a while (more than a semester) it is nice to open a bank account because it is cheaper to wire money once or twice a year compared to most of the other options.  At many banks, you also receive a debit card, which is nice as well.  If you have an account with Bank of America, you get free withdrawals from Barclay’s ATMs, so this is a viable option as well.   US credit/debit cards work fine in the UK  as well – just make sure to let your card provider know that you will be overseas so that they will not freeze your account for suspicious overseas transactions

Take the Long Way Home

As I walked back from LSE towards my dorm, I saw barricades blocking off the road near Holborn Station (couple minutes walk from LSE).  A police officer directed us away from the scene – he seemed rather uptight about something.  I heard people around me mention something about a bomb threat, so I got as far away as I could from the scene and did not take any pictures.  The US Department of State had sent an email to American students studying abroad in the UK warning us about the heightened risk of a terrorist attack; this incident gave me a new perspective on the issue and scared me a little bit.

Phantom of the Opera

Today, I was lucky enough to attend a showing of the Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty’s Theater.  I sat in the third row, so I had a fantastic view of the stage.  Although tickets are a little pricey (about 36 pounds normally) I would say if you are in London during the winter, you MUST attend at least one theater performance – they are truly captivating and unforgettable.  The sets were exquisite, the actors were very talented, the music was very good, and the attention to detail and execution was impressive.    

Old Building Adventures

I thought had plenty time to make my first class but alas, I could not find the room so I ended up a little late.  I was not alone – I was with a group of LSE students uncertain of where to go.  After going up several staircases, going through doors that said fire exit only (a lot of doors in the UK have that warning but are for the most part okay) to no avail, we discovered that the staircase we were supposed to go up was outside the building.  Go figure.  Oh, and the name of the building is "The Old Building."  There is also a building called the New Academic Building (NAB).  LSE is rather creative naming some of their buildings.

Grocery Stores at Lunchtime

Meals on average are expensive in London.  That’s why if you’re on a budget, it makes a lot of sense to either cook your own meals or buy sandwiches at a grocery or drug store .  Some of the sandwiches at grocery stores in London are actually fairly decent and you can get a meal deal for 2 pounds (under $5 for a drink, sandwich, and a side).  But be warned: the queues (that’s what they call lines in England) are long at lunchtime! (although they do move rather quickly).

Sundays are Rather Quiet in London…

On Sundays, many shops and restaurants are either closed or close rather early.  There are not too many 24 hour stores in London, but if you can find one they are a life saver.  Some Food and Wine stores and Tesco Express are open late and these places definitely come in handy if you are a little hungry or suddenly remembered you were out of milk, eggs, cereal, etc. and you wanted to purchase these items before the next morning, even if they charge you more.  

Stonehenge and Bath

Today, I woke up bright and early and went on a tour of a couple attractions outside of London.  First stop of the trip was Stonehenge, where we spent about an hour walking around the perimeter of the World Heritage site while listening to the audio guide.  I found Stonehenge to be interesting but slightly disappointing.  We then went further into the British countryside and visited the town of Bath.  Bath is so named because it housed a Roman Bath known for its healing waters (of which I drank a glass of).  The architecture of the city was very interesting as well (every building was made from the local, golden-colored Bath Stone and the style was predominately Georgian).

An Evening at Trocadero and a Night Walk in London

I have to get up early in the morning the next day (have to be at the Waldorf Hilton Hotel near LSE by 8:00 sharp) so I didn’t want to do something on Friday night where I would get back too late.  So, my two roommates and I went to the famous Trocadero entertainment complex (shops, arcade, bowling alley, movie theater, etc.) a little while and afterwards went on a night walk in London.  We walked through Leicester Square (the entertainment hub of London where there are a lot of theatres and nightclubs), Chinatown, and Picadilly Circus (not a circus but rather a circle well known for its neon signs).   The arcade machines were a bit expensive, but it was fun getting a glimpse of a part of London that is very much alive on a Friday night.  

Back in the Pool

I swam competitively in high school so I still like to swim to keep in shape.  It felt good to get back into the water; hopefully I can develop a routine where I can swim at least every other day.  One thing about gyms in London – you have to pay membership even at your university.  My monthly gym membership costs £30 (about $48) so it is a bit pricey but hopefully it will be a good investment.

The LSE Library - Where the Cool Kids Hang out

Okay, maybe not, but the LSE library is a very busy place – even during the first week of lectures when most students don’t have assignments due yet!  It makes sense though because in the UK, a lot more independent learning is expected.  Plus most of the students at LSE are bright and highly motivated.   Also, a significant proportion of the student body are graduate students, who seem to spend a lot more time at the library.  

I Just Blew $10 on Laundry!

Needless to say, I was very angry.  The laundry machines at my residence hall are very expensive - £2.20  (about $3.50) for a regular wash and £1.00 (about $1.60) for a drying cycle.  The dryer also didn't dry my clothes very well so I had to go through three 3 drying cycles (and it still wasn’t dry!)  I dread the day when I will have to do delicates, whites, and colors in separate loads during the winter (I am only half-joking)

First Day of Class... In a Theatre?

I was finally getting used to the “explore London” thing but now classes had to start…  My first class AC100 took place in Peacock Theater – where there were a couple hundred people at the lecture.  At LSE, courses are divided into lectures (a lot of people, no interaction with lecturer) and classes (small groups usually led by a graduate student where assignments are discussed).  Lectures generally meet once or twice a week and classes once a week for an hour. It might take a little time getting used to a different academic system…  

Wish I Could do Something but...

I’m sick.  I guess running on 5 or so hours of sleep everyday and walking around everywhere finally caught up to me.  The first week was very hectic, with LSE having events throughout the day, some starting early in the morning – I must have just worn myself down.  At least five other people on my hall are/were sick as well.  I guess I will have to take it easy and lie in bed most of the day… 

Day Trip to Hampton Court Palace

Went to an outing at the Hampton Court Palace sponsored by my home institution (Emory University) for students studying abroad in London. It was fun seeing elaborate rooms, interesting architecture, old-school tennis courts, gardens, and the maze, and just experiencing the overall grandeur of the place.  Free food was enjoyable as well.

Crush

Every Friday, LSE turns the Quad, a lounge/café by day, into a nightclub with American pop music (didn't realize that I could not escape it even a few thousand miles away) and reasonably priced alcohol (almost all students can drink because the drinking age is 18 in the UK).  I would say this venue is not for everybody (floors are sticky, it gets REALLY hot inside, the Quad is rather small), but there were a lot of people in attendance for the first Crush of the year.