No, you're doing it all wrong... this is how you do it!

Friday night: Space at the Octagon

4 hours of rip-roaring music, spanning from top-40 hits to the best in house and trance.

Dozens upon dozens of UV lights scattered throughout the venue to give that glow that drives everyone nuts.

Lasers, strobes, floodlights... could it get any better?

Yes it could. As is the case with most UV-light-based parties, the entire idea is to dress up in bright (white or neon colored) clothing, put on some UV body paint, wear glowsticks, and go nuts. And of course, the organizers know this, so they were giving out free body paint and glowsticks at the venue.

And yet, once I'm on the dancefloor, all I see are people in normal clothing (plus some guys who think they're cool with their shirts off) dancing like they normally would...

...What they don't seem to understand is that this is, in effect, a rave. And because it is such, I felt the need to revive the rave culture that England was so esteemed for back in the late 80's and early 90's (don't worry, absolutely no drugs involved... this is strictly a matter of dress and dance style)

So while everyone else was busy pretty much grinding on one another and what not, there I was with my glowsticks, my super huge (and by that, I mean they were roughly a 1.5 feet wide) aviators that had glowsticks woven through them, and my face completely painted in yellow and green glowing paint. And I was raving hardcore, getting my glowstick action on, letting the music take over.

Worked wonders, actually. Everyone there seemed to love it, got lots of pictures with people, even had the official photographer of the event take a bunch of pictures of me.

Who knows, maybe I'll become the official face of the event (by the way, this is a recurring event... good stuff). And maybe I can influence everyone else to get back in the rave spirit (again, minus the drugs) and take full advantage of those UV lights and the sweet, sweet music.

Again, to those on Facebook, pictures should be up soon.

To prevent homesickness, try this...

Funny story:

My friend Kevin here is returning home from a club the other night, rather drunk. As we always do, he stopped at a kebab shop (one of our personal favorites, the Broomhill Friery) for a big carton of chips.

In his somewhat drunken stupor, he asked the proprietor of the shop if he would deep fry random food if we brought it in. And in a complete surprise to both Kevin and the rest of us, he agreed to it.

And thus this evening, we showed up at the Broomhill Friery with a pack of Oreos, a triple chocolate muffin (chocolate muffin with chocolate chips and chocolate pudding inside), and a Snickers bar. The two girls working behind the counter battered them up and gave them the deep frying of a lifetime.

Now I do know that deep fried Oreos and Snickers have been done before, but it was my first time with these foods... and they were amazing to say the least. Needless to say, the other Brits thought we were quintessential Americans with our obsession with unhealthy food combinations.

No worries though, they liked us a lot. We're apparently welcome back any time. And we are most certainly taking them up on that offer; we have some sinister plans in mind for our next foods to deep fry...

As for pictures of this momentous occasion, those on Facebook should be able to see them.

I suddenly really like football (no, not our kind)

Any doubts I had about English sporting after that rather weak hockey game have just been bombed to bits.

Watching Manchester United pummel West Ham United at Old Trafford tonight was one of the greatest experiences I've ever had at any sporting event (see pictures below). The Brits really know how to support their team.

Throughout the entire 93 minutes of action, there were constant cheers, mainly in the form of songs that I have yet to learn. And they put us college cheering sections to shame; while we may get 2,000 people or so in relative unison, these football fans are singing all together, and there's 73,000 of them. Combine that with the acoustics of the stadium and the result was a thunderous uproar of which only a club like Manchester United would be worthy.

The nearly violent passion these fans have for the sport in general is just staggering. Their knowledge of their respective club extends far beyond the current roster and it's stats; many of these people know the full history of their team and every great player it had dating to the mid-1800's. This was brought to light by the current "scandal" going on with the team right now that has all of Manchester in an uproar.

A few years back, Manchester United was bought out by an American businessman named Malcolm Glazer. Along with his purchase, he saddled the team with a massive debt that has put the world's most valuable sports franchise (worth over $1.5 billion) into a spot it doesn't want to be in; ticket prices have nearly doubled over the past few years and the team is in danger of losing its talent to other clubs if it can't pay the massive salaries its players demand.

To protest this, many fans have been wearing green and yellow rather than the standard red and black livery the team is known for. Back when Manchester United was first founded as Newton Heath, they played under the green and yellow colors. The flying of these colors again acts as a symbol against this new form of team government and expresses the fans' desire to place the team back in the hands of the fans rather than businessmen.

Although I'm rather new to this sport at this level of play, I must say I have already grown quite fond of it and really do hope that Man U can find a way out of this mess. I just hope Malcolm Glazer doesn't do to this team what he did to the other professional team he owns:

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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How could I ever leave these people behind?

It's only been a tad over two weeks here and certain facts of life about the future are starting to hit hard.

In such a short time, I have managed to form some amazing friendships with people all over the world. It seriously is almost as if we've known each other forever. Despite heavily differing cultures, there's been so much that we've found in common as rising adults that's it's nearly impossible to not like one another. And although we will most definitely make the most of the 5 months we'll have here, I am almost scared to think what life will be like come the day we have to go back home.

World travel is quite expensive, but I see it as a necessity now; I simply have to go to Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Holland, etc. as soon as possible after I get back to the states. I already know that I'm going to miss everyone here incredibly deeply.

Intervarsity: University of Sheffield vs. Sheffield Hallam University

Each year, a charity hockey match takes place between the two universities in Sheffield. Normally, both universities combine to form one team that represents the entire city, so this was just a friendly scrimmage to raise money for the Sheffield Children's Hospital.

Flux

When I was first coming over to the U.K., I had some ridiculously awesome ideas for how I would spend my time here, especially when it came to my three-week Easter break.

But realism has finally set in; moving around this country and the rest of Europe won't be as cheap as I thought it would be. Furthermore, I think I neglected the fact that most people probably won't want to visit a bunch of automotive museums and racetracks with me.

Now I certainly don't mind going to a few of these myself, but I'm hoping I'll be able to find a few interested parties for these excursions. My first priority: a race.

Racing in Europe is far more interesting than it is back home. There are many more series here, most of which run their races on some of the most iconic tracks in the world. Now of course, Formula One is the pinnacle of these, but after looking at the schedule for them, I think making a race will be rather unlikely as their races only return to Europe during my finals sessions.

When I realized this, I began frantically searching for races from any other series that I could attend, either during my break or over a weekend in a nearby town. For those in the know, British Touring Cars, DTM, World Touring Cars, and many others won't start racing here until late May, which is kind of a bummer.

But lo and behold, my savior finally popped up: the FIA GT Championship will be running at Silverstone during the first weekend in May. Silverstone Circuit is perhaps the most famous racetrack in all of Britain, playing host to Formula One and many other prestigious racing series, the GT Championship being among them. If I'm able to go, I'll be able to watch Maserati MC12's, Saleen S7R's, Dodge Viper Competition Coupes, Corvette C6R's, Aston Martin DBR9's, and many other amazing grand touring machines.

@any FSAE peeps reading this: be jealous. Be very jealous. Don't worry though, I'll take pictures and video if I make it there.

The Peak District - A constant, muddy climb

This past weekend, a tour was led to The Peak District, a national park of sorts located a few miles outside Sheffield. The region, known for its rolling hills and greenery, was the perfect backdrop for my first bit of really touristy photography:

I just don't want any trouble

Second week of classes...

This week, school really got into session. With tutorials and seminars (discussion sections for us) starting, my schedule is now packed.

But those smaller class gatherings got me thinking about how we as Americans may act here and why we do so.

I would say, in general, I can be a shy person. Being in a brand new place where I practically know nobody only exacerbates that situation (at least when it comes to classes; I have yet to meet another American in any of my lectures). Now I have encountered similar situations before, such as that first time going off to U of I, but I quickly overcame that shyness and now am absolutely happy there.

This time might be different though, mainly because there is one more major factor that may be acting against me when it comes to making friends here. A couple nights ago, a few of us were at a kebab shop (greasy fast food) getting some dinner and the guy behind the counter easily recognized us as Americans. His first comment to us was "You guys aren't as loud as I thought you'd be."

This wasn't the first time we heard this, nor would it be the last. It seems that through the media and through other American visitors before us, we have garnered a reputation as a loud, boisterous people that is just plain annoying. And it worries me from time to time. Such a rep would undoubtedly hinder my efforts to make friends while I'm here.

I guess that's why I've been quieter than usual. Hopefully, people will see that we're not all crazy. Some of us just want to have a good time, make some friends, and most importantly, make some lasting memories with people from all over the world.

Ok, that last sentence was too gooey, even for my liking.

Finally, another video!

If it doesn't work upon clicking play, just move the time-tracking marker a bit to get it started.

Cheers!

A taste of things to come

Just finished my first week of classes.

As I said in my previous post, things here are quite different from how they are back home. This first week has been a bit difficult in adjusting to that, but by now, I think I've finally found my routine (though this is about to change as more sessions of class are added next week). But separate from the academic system differences, this has been the first time I had to change classes after the start of a semester. Thankfully, that process is now over and has gone off without a hitch.

Other than that, not much else is going on. Since it's Friday, I'm sure all of us exchange students will be getting together for something or the other. And then this weekend, well, who knows what will happen.

Time to celebrate the most meaningless 21st birthday ever.

Insanity

Just a quick reflection:

THE WEATHER OUT HERE MAKES NO SENSE!!! As I look out my window right now, it appears sunny and quite beautiful. Just from the looks of things, I would imagine I could wear shorts outside.

And yet twenty minutes ago, I couldn't see 20 feet past my window because it was snowing so heavily. To make things even more bizarre, the snow that fell has already melted!

The North Atlantic weather system needs to make up its mind before I lose mine.

Also, note to self, buy an umbrella.

I can finally see stuff!

The sun has finally come out for the first time since I got here. And I must say, this town is even more pretty than I first said it was.

Anyway, two days of classes are now over. The experience has been quite similar to home, but there are a few key differences that will require me to greatly adapt my learning skills. The foremost example of this is the fact that only one or two of my classes have a "homework"-like assignment system that gets graded. Rather, the entire grade for a class is based on the final exam. What this means is that study is completely self-driven rather than influenced by homework assignments. Needless to say, a tough prospect for an American student, but I think I'll manage.

The other major thing is that I'm the only person over the age of 19 in any of my classes (I turn 21 this Saturday). Reason for this is that the sequence of classes for the Mechanical Engineering degree here is reverse of that back home. Rather than taking theory classes first and then taking application-based classes, British students start by taking classes like Manufacturing Technology and design courses. Topics like heat transfer, thermodynamics, and even basic mechanics are saved for the third and fourth years of study. Strange? You be the judge. But more importantly, how this affects me: I feel funny. Too many young ones around me. But on the other hand, many of these students have already taken crash courses in basic manufacturing technologies and design at the end of high school (A-level courses, as they're called here), so they most certainly know their stuff.

Anyway, it's now 1:30 in the afternoon and it's too nice out for me to keep sitting in here. I'm going to go out and take some pictures which I will surely put up later this evening.

Cheerio!

Where I Live

Just went for a saunter around the Endcliffe Village where I live and thought I'd share some visuals:

A view of the outside of Stephenson Hall's common room

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The Edge: houses laundry, dining facilities, village administration, and a wicked bar for students only (watched rugby there last night, it was rather intense, the place was packed and LOUD)

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This is what a standard dorm looks like near the center of the village (my place is farther out, so it's in a renovated old building)

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A view of my living quarters from the outside

The common room at Stephenson

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Boooooo!!!!!

First Visuals

Pictures from my move-in to my new residence at Stephenson Hall in the Endcliffe Village:

The Happiest Place on Earth

For years now, I've listened intently to Drum and Bass music with the sole hope that I'll one day be able to attend a real live Drum and Bass show in the U.K.

And I finally have... and I have never been happier on a dance floor.

Today was the last day of final exams for the Sheffield students finishing their first semester of study. To celebrate this occasion, the student union held an event called "Big Night Out", an event where every music stage in the Union (four in total, all of which are of professional theatre caliber) is populated by some of the best DJ's in the U.K. (all of whom are far better than any DJ I've ever head in the United States). A massive variety of music was played, from current pop hits, to oldies....

...to my favorite, Drum and Bass, all in one solid mix. I can honestly say that hearing some of my favorite Drum and Bass tunes at such a loud volume on a wicked dance floor made my heart skip multiple beats. I have never, in recent times, felt so happy just going crazy and having a good time to some crazy fast beats and pulsating bass. I figured out that I could go for one of these events by myself and still have an amazing time because of the connection I have with the music.

And that is exactly what I intend to do a few weeks from now. The Valve Sound System, a sound system that is purportedly the world's loudest and designed specifically for Drum and Bass music, will be appearing for a night in Sheffield with some of the most well-known Drum and Bass DJ's playing on it. It's an event I can't wait for, and even if no one else wants to come with me, I know I'll have an amazing time.

I finally feel like I'm home... it's wonderful.

Small Town in a Big City

It's been two days since I arrived here in Sheffield. And I must say, it has been... AWESOME BEYOND BELIEF!

In all seriousness, I have had a wonderful time thus far, getting to know the city I'll be calling home for the next 5 months and meeting the truly terrific students I'll be working with all semester. It ends up that only a few of us are from the U.S. while a large majority have come from Australia and New Zealand.

The funny observation about both our cultures is that each has its parallels and complete differences with the way things are done in the U.K. For example, Aussies and British people can quite easily understand each other as the accents are a bit more similar than, say, my midwestern accent compared to either (and I must say, every once in a while, I can't understand a thing a local Sheffield resident says because of their unique dialect). However, Australia is on the metric system while we in the U.S. and the U.K. still use the old imperial system.

These sometimes subtle differences have made up a good portion of the conversations I've had with some of my new mates here. It's proven to be a great way to get to know them and where they came from a whole lot better. Plus, the talk about what different phrases mean in different countries has also been a real blast. Example: In the U.K., when a hotel asks you if you want to be "knocked up" in the morning, it's merely a wakeup call. Now there are a few others, but I'll save those for individual Skype conversations, if I can remember them all.

Today (Friday, 5 Feb.) is the last day of our orientation. We've already been given a full campus tour (which is set right in the center of the city), a tour of the student union (which, contrary to how it is in the U.S., is the coolest place to be at night), and all the other little things to help us get by here. All this leaves is class registration, which takes place about 2 hours from now.

Which means I should probably get going if I want to be on time. Apparently, its a bit of a mad rush to get the classes one wants (students have to go to the building of each department that houses a class they want and sign up for a class on a first-come-first-served basis).

Cheers!

P.S. sorry for the excessive use of parentheses, there've been a lot of little details that I've found too amusing to omit.

Looks like I'm now on an island in the North Atlantic. Well, at least it's better than being on "Lost".

Anyway, just got into Manchester an hour ago. It's a nice, chilly winter morning here, exactly like home.

As I type this, I'm in the train station adjacent to the airport, waiting for my train out to Sheffield. One complaint about it: the station is just one big room with no place to sit down. It's a bit lame.

More to come later on today.

20 Hours

A little less than a day left until I leave.

Already packed all my stuff (having checked at least 8 times to insure I had everything). All that's left now is to figure out beforehand what cell phone I'll purchase when I get there (anyone with experience on this, your advice would be appreciated to no end).

Surprisingly, it hasn't been all too difficult mentally to grasp the fact that I'm moving to a completely different part of the world. Even the notion that it's almost half a year long doesn't seem to faze me like I thought it would. All that's on my mind is how awesome it will be living in a new country, making new friends, and coming back to a warm summer in Cincinnati where I can earn back the money I'll have ultimately squandered in Europe.

In the end, I know I will have the time of my life there and if the experiences of others are any indication, I will most definitely not want to come home after my time there.

But anyway, time to go. Next post will come from either Manchester or Sheffield itself.