The Lowdown Pt 2 and a Tangent

After realizing that the piece of paper I mailed to LSE was some kind of unnecessary formalized process for making you think that they're involved with the class selection process, I chose new classes online. Now I'm signed up for:

1. Development Economics
2. Political Economy (where I actually get to learn what my Georgetown major means...)
3. Intro to Econometrics
4. Latin America and the International Economy

Choosing classes for geeky people like myself is one of the most exciting parts of going to school, so forgive me for repeated postings on the subject. A Georgetown friend of mine is in all of these, so I'll have some comfort that I won't be suffering alone (solidarity, woot). I'm a little bit scared of Intro to Econometrics, although I can be thankful that I don't have to take it with the infamous Westbrook at Georgetown. Political Economy looks... interdisciplinary? I'm hoping for less theory and more application, please God. Development Econ looks like it might be the biggest challenge. And finally, Latin America and the International Economy looks like a breath of fresh air.

I'm reading this book called Imagined London: A Tour of the World's Greatest Fictional City by Anna Quindlen and it's giving me a little flavor of my future home. Admittedly, some of the literary references are flying right over my head, but I like it anyway. I wouldn't call it the best book to introduce me to London, but bookstore travel sections are full of crap. I don't want to know what walks to take in London or a travel guide. I want to know about it, it's history and its anecdotes, with a hint of suggestion for places to visit. That proved to be a tall order, so I settled with this book.

What has this summer done to me? Reading a book about London? That's not really me. I read books for school and occasionally picked up a leisure book during summer, but I was put to shame by my housemates. The four girls of my house (sorry, not the boys) read books with an appetite that I've never really seen before. Ayn Rand? Sure... just for fun. So I, in order to preserve my faux-intellectual ego, read with them. Granted, not Ayn Rand, but read nevertheless. So here I am continuing my "habit." Any London-ish suggestions? Please. Not Londonistan.

The Lowdown: What I'm Actually Doing

On September 29th, I fly to London to spend my Junior year at the London School of Economics. The study abroad program there is called the General Course which, as descriptive as that sounds, means that I'll be fully integrated with other LSE undergrads in LSE classes and LSE housing. So now... the lowdown.

Classes: I'm taking four year-long classes, supposedly these ones if LSE proves to be on top of things.
1. Development Economics
2. Africa and It's Economy
3. The Economics of Public Policy
4. Intellectual Property Law

This is the norm for students at LSE and differs a lot from the five classes per semester that I've been taking at Georgetown. Another major difference is that my entire grade for each class depends on an end of term exam. A major benefit of this system is that I can travel on weekends without tests and problem sets constantly looming in my future. I'll just have to be disciplined in staying on top of material and although laziness is a powerful force, the fear of failing and a subsequent nervous breakdown is enough to create the will power to study on a consistent basis.

Housing: I'll be living at Sidney Webb House located in the South Central London neighborhood of Southwark. It's a 35-minute schlep to LSE, but shorter if I take the tube or bus. Who knows? From pictures on the website, the rooms look itty bitty, but at least I'll have my own bathroom (which is gloriously cleaned for me once a week!). I haven't heard much about the area besides it's boring and expensive. I think by boring, people mean it's not close to bars, pubs, and nightlife sorts of activities. Luckily for my liver, there's a pub right in the residence! However, I hear tragically that they serve beer warm in Europe??? If that's true, then I'll just have to tough it out... and drink warm beer. Alright. That's as much general information as I can muster.