I see London {maybe, perhaps, I hope}

{the British Library, via}

Getting ready for grad school has been a little stressful. Most times I can't really believe I'm doing it . . . it still seems like something that's a dream for the future, but in a few short weeks I'll officially be a grad student. Wow.


When I was at BYU-I, I spent a lot of time planning for future semesters - looking at the requirements and figuring out how to meet them and take the classes I wanted when I wanted. For the most part it worked out really well. I was always able to get into the classes I wanted and they were mostly as great as I'd thought they'd be (there was that one exception involving a burning textbook in a Weber grill at the end of the semester, but we won't get into that right now). I have to admit, one of the funnest (yes, I said funnest and it didn't even correct me) parts of this new adventure of mine has been picking out my classes and making a plan. I didn't have to do much for the first semester - everyone takes the same classes the first semester - but considering different plans of study (what type of librarian I want to be) has been really interesting.

In all this planning, I've been doing a lot of research about different career paths, scholarships, etc. I've also come across some blogs about library school and what paths others are choosing and why that I really like. It was one such blog that inspired this post . . . and the fact that sometimes I just need to get everything in my head out once in awhile.

I've had three big dreams in my life:
1. go to graduate school
2. ride on a train (which, despite my careful planning, still hasn't happened)
3. travel, specifically to London

Now, about this blog that inspired this post . . . the newest post was about study abroad programs for graduate students, specifically LIS {library and information science/studies} students. And two of the programs are in London. Both programs are summer sessions - one for two weeks, one for a month offering three and six credits respectively. My first thought was "there is absolutely no way I'd be able to afford it . . .", but of course, I had to research it. And, guess what? If I can afford a summer semester of grad school, I can afford the study abroad program - actually, the study abroad program works out to a better deal than just taking regular classes over the summer and it's in LONDON. I wanna do it!

Of course, I can't just sign up. I have to see how the first year of graduate school goes, talk with an adviser, figure out finances, pray (of course), find a job, and then MAYBE it could be a reality. But, the possibility of birthday #29 in London just sets my heart all aflutter.