In college... I'm used to the hole get-up-and-go scenario. If it was a super-late night from the night before I haven't even been above waking up and going to my 8AM class in the hoodie and sweats that I slept in. Yep, we've all been there and done that. If you haven't, then you aren't an American college student. Or you're just not normal. Or maybe you're European.
Here, I can forget about that, because my school is a 180 degree flip from what I'm used to in the states.
Here in the UK, college (they call it University, or "Uni" for short, because college is what they call highschool... it's confusing) is extremely cheap. Especially compared to the freaking prices in the states where it wouldn't matter if you were the CEO of a huge company two years out of school because you'll be paying off student loans until you were 56. I'd say it's about 3,000 pounds (British currency) or so for a low-end college. And that's per year. Okay, so pick your jaws up off of the floor now, right?
I couldn't go to one of these schools because my credits wouldn't transfer. So I had to find an American -based school that would transfer me. I finally found one in my current school. They are an American University based in the heart of London. The tuition is similar to that of like Metro State in Denver, or possibly the University of Wyoming if you were paying out-of-state tuition.
I had no idea what to expect when I first started school ... I figured it would be different but I didn't expect what I got, that's for sure.
I found out shortly after I started school that my school is the most expensive liberal arts college in the entire United Kingdom. In other words, any parent who has a child that can't get in to the super intellectual elite schools like Oxford or Cambridge wants to look fancy and send their kid to a school they have to pay the big bucks for, and that school is Regent's. For me personally, and my family, the school isn't expensive in American standards. But here in England, paying 20 grand a year is fit for a king.
I go to school (apparently) with two Arabian princesses, a Russian model, just to name a few. Every person that I've spoken to is from some exotic country and has millionaires for parents. It's like something out of a movie, I swear. The one amazing thing about my school is that everyone is from ALL over the place. In one of my classes, there are about 15 of us, and every.single.person is from a completely different country. Sweden, Switzerland, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Norway, the Ukraine, Ghana.... everywhere. You walk the halls and hear every single language coming at you.
It's so hard to even wrap my mind around what I see/hear sometimes. One girl left class the other day... she told the teacher she had to go give her "driver" her keys. I am not kidding you. Another girl in class with me was telling me that she would call her Grandfather's driver to come pick her up.
Every single one girl I pass is wearing designer haute couture from head-to-toe. Designer hand-bags... and I'm not talking about the newest Coach bags. Coach would be like a $2 patent leather Target tote to these girls. They'd just as well be carrying a garbage bag. I'm talking Chanel, Chloe, Miu Miu, Gucci, Louis.... and more. Chanel from head to toe, real fur coats, sky-high stiletto Christian Louboutins. The kind of clothes that you only see in vogue. I'm not kidding you. It makes me feel like frickin' Cinderella, let me tell you.
Not only the girls are dressed to the nines. The guys at my school are decked out just as much. Perfectly groomed some with slick combovers (which is really in over here right now? Why....) Most even carry their own little designer man-bags (think like across the body satchel type things.) I can't even type the word satchel without laughing because I think of Allen from the Hangover... :) Haaaa.
In every college I've ever been to, they have a student lounge or a some type of food bar. No... my school has a "Brasserie," a little cafe with marble floors and mahogany wooden panelling. They sell fresh pastries and espressos. They even sell hard alcohol and wine. Students can be seen sitting in there on their breaks over a bottle of Pino Grig.... not even kidding you.
There have been three separate occasions where I've walked outside to commence on my journey home (on the bus) and a lamborghini or maserati is parked outside waiting to pick someone up. I almost don't even notice anymore because it's such a common sighting. I took a picture once, but I'm pretty sure I looked like a peasant girl in awe, so I averted my eyes. Haha.
The Lambo... I risked looking like a servant girl snapping this....
It's been so hard to meet people and make new friends in this atmosphere. It's almost impossible to relate to the types of lives these people are living. I feel like an outsider looking in most times- just in awe of what I'm experiencing. If you think you're around bitchy girls that act better than you, think again! I've never experienced something like this in my life.
Almost everyone I've spoken to has the most weird and f**ked up accent I've ever heard. The reason being is because they are from some foreign country for example Sweden. But 99% of them have parents that shipped them off to American boarding schools in 3-4 different countries between the ages of 10-19, so they've adopted the accents of each of these countries with an American twist. It is so unbelievably bizarre.
Don't get me wrong, I've met some amazing people along this journey. And there is the odd down to earth girl that has a millionaire for a father, but they are few and far between. I am getting a very amazing experience in such a diverse student body, though. I am learning. Most importantly I'm learning to really appreciate where I'm from.
Being from Casper really did give me good morals and values, and now I feel like I truly appreciate the small things in life. I am more grateful. However I'd still probably give up my first born child for one of those Chanel handbags. :)
It may have a pretentious student body, but it sure is purdy. :) The courtyard at my school.
Tootles for now, all. xxx
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