Monday, May 12, 2014

The Final Countdown

The countdown had begun--three months until we would leave for the United Kingdom. Here we are now, three days until thirty four brave students voyage to the UK! University of Northern Iowa students from different backgrounds are coming together to take the trip of a lifetime to fulfill our capstone by traveling to various places in the UK, Ireland, and Scotland!
 
We chose this trip not only to experience the thrill London and Dublin bring, but also to learn how we can help UNI and our own lifestyles become more sustainable when we get back to the states! The whole reason for this trip is to learn how the UK, Ireland, and Scotland make their countries more sustainable and translate that into everyday life here in the United States!  One part of the trip that I am looking forward to is visiting Swansea University and seeing how their sustainability program is making changes at their university! It will be so neat to see what other colleges are doing to help our planet Earth!
On top of that, the majority of us going on this trip are just really excited to experience something other than good old Iowa! We have so many activities planned that I can’t just pick which one to be the most excited about! We are getting the opportunity to go on the London Eye, go canyoning, hike a mountain or two, go to museums, and I am hoping to see the prince and princess! I really don’t think that is too much to ask for!
The reality is finally setting in, but of course there is still so much to do! Packing is always a nightmare--the same thoughts go through my head: “This is so cute, I should bring this outfit... but am I REALLY going to wear it?” or “I think I need a different pair of shoes for every outfit, right?”  Of course when traveling out of the country, it’s always “MOM, I THINK I LOST MY PASSPORT! HAVE YOU SEEN IT? Oh wait, never mind. It’s right here.”  Here we are, three days before we leave, and I haven’t started packing! No worries though, it will get done!
The day we leave is right around the corner! Our group is about to make memories that will last a lifetime. For some of us, it’s the last class before graduation and entering the real world. For others, it’s a prelude to our junior or senior year of college. One thing we all have in common is this trip is a perfect way to begin summer 2014! See you in London!
Sydney
Junior, Chemistry & Marketing