First big thing in Feb was exams! MSc exams!! Hopefully the last ones I'll do...hopefully! Studying for the exams was as hard as ever but was more difficult in Imperial as students there decide that talking on the phone or to each other loudly is okay in a library....wasn't a happy bunny but got them over and done with. With Paddy's before the exams as well meant I had to take a couple days off to celebrate that. And the Heineken Cup matches didn't help either. But Ireland you totally rocked that English game!! Waxy O'Connors for the win! Best craic ever in London if you are looking for matches! Bring on the GAA this summer! Exams though went okay. 3 3hour exams...the last one was really really tough but sure we'll find out in July what happened over all with them.
After exams it was a long wait to see what lab project we were all getting. Dick was around to take my mind off it and go boozing instead. Mick however forgot to email me....so found out about 4 hours after everyone else. I got Dr. Jimmy Bell's lab, my 3rd choice with Ana (The Mexican girl in the class). That was to start the week of the 7th March.
After a week off visiting the V&A, Mum coming to visit, buying new running shoes, IMAX, a 3run week and general relaxation labs started. Straight away we were into the wet lab with a histone isolation and western blot! Starting straight away was great as it meant no messing around reading for a week and we could learn straight away how to do things. There were two projects as well on offer and acetate one and a cannabinoids project. Ana took the acetate and I the cannabinoids. Though it took 5 more weeks until we both started doing our own project independently of each other. The end of lab week 1 saw the visit of Ruth, Lel, Kate, Aoife, Aoife (American) and Jamie! Jamie was a surprise to us all! That was great craic!! Though we spent the weekend east side it was good fun!The next couple of weeks left me to keep my head down and get some lab work done. Finishing at 7pm most days meant I had to really use my weekends wisely!! The hot weather allowed BBQs to be had and picnics in the sunshine!
First weekend of April was my Granddad's birthday. Henley Granddad. This was the most dramatic flight ever! April 1st was Claire's birthday so we celebrated in style! Which meant Aine turning off her alarm to get up for her flight. An hour later I woke slowly wondering what time it was, did I have longer to sleep? Shit no! Thank god I had packed Thursday night and always leave retardly early for flights! Ran to get the bus, it had just gone, would be 10more minutes. Central line down so got to Wood Lane. Train came in 3mins or so. Got to L'pool street. Train to Stansted leaving in 5mins, no student rail card, £20 for a single ticket, shit. On the trian. Hungover (maybe still drunk), smell like crap and really really unsure of what I have packed. P.S. wearing yest clothes....Made it to the airport with 10mins til boarding. Rush through security with them laughing at me. Run to the gate with the Ryanair guy yelling at me that I have to weigh my bag even if my flight is about to leave! Get to the gate and board within 5mins. Only Dad knew at this stage what was happening. Was too terrified to tell Mum but was I the happiest passenger on the plane? YES! Even happier and started laughing out loud when I realised what reading material I had brought with me. Scientific papers and protocols...ha ha oh well! The birthday party was great fun and got to relax at home with Mum and Roisin. Visit Aisling and Stella and hang out with Dad too. Overall a great weekend. Didn't wanna come back to London at all!
Coming back to London though meant hot hot sunshine!! Got a tan and all! Lunch out in the park. More BBQ's and then off to Holland Park last weekend! Me and Claire have decided we want to live in that area and find us rich men!! The flowers and everything at this park were amazing! Never heading to Hyde Park again! Oh and a P.S. that I forgot. Back, back in the cold of April me and Sean went feeding ducks at Reagent's Park one weekend morning. Great fun but the ducks here in London are slightly kamakaze. If you look at Sean's photos on Facebook you will see a duck literally flying at his face. Best photo of the day but a nice day in London again! Trying to make the most of my weekends and things to do around London. And yes I know I am sitting in on a Sunday afternoon with the sun shining outside to write this blog but I will be leaving here as soon as I finish....to do some food shopping but it is essential!! :) Anyway so the last two weeks or so me and Ana have been working separately on our own projects which is great and has made me happy that I am responsible now for my own project. I have too many cells that I am going to have to throw out this week! They just grow to quickly I can't keep up with the passaging and seeding for incubations god dammit!! Last week some of my cells died in the incubation stage which is annoying but all part of the game right? I feel slightly guilty as well sometimes when I am in the lab as I am having so much fun and I think...work isn't supposed to be this fun right? I love Science though, very glad I am in this career now to find me a PhD or paying job....anyone? So went to a quiz to break the week up. Again the Imperial postgrad quizes are not that much fun. We got zero in two rounds it was impossible! A whole round on swearing in sport and no Rooney wasn't one of the answers! In 1984 what Australian cricket player told an umpire to go feck off...huh? But we did come 3rd! Got lots of chocolate easter eggs! I'm saving mine until Easter sunday though coz Holly can't eat hers until then too so I said I'd be good too.
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| The Bystanders! Holly, Wai-Mun, Flo and me. Ana is taking the photo. |
