KCL - Day 6: Jam Session
I got up early this morning to go to my Geography (for Environmental Studies) and English departmental meetings. Ali and I were going to head to the Geography department meeting together since we were both in Global Environmental Issues. We got on the bus, and Jodie and Stephen were also headed into town, but they were going to the bank first before our English departmental meeting. When we got close to the Strand campus, I never saw Ali get off. I did, however, see Jodie and Steve get off...about 3 stops later. So I got off with them, and realized I had lost Ali, which led to a hilarious phone conversation somewhere along the lines of "Where are you?" "Where are you?"
Eventually, I found my way back to the Strand and met up with Ali. The Geography meeting was good, and then I headed off to my English departmental meeting, which was also good. I met up with a girl named Lucy at the meeting (so many Lucys!) and we decided to go to Fresher's Fayre. Fresher's Fayre was kind of like FallFest at UNC, only not as well planned. Basically, we had to wait in a line for an hour, then they herded us into a tent where we looked at tables representing different clubs. I got a free mug, and a free stress ball in the shape of a British pound symbol! Er, and I signed up for bowling and theatre. I couldn't find the English and Spanish societies, so I suppose I'll have to look for them online. I was tempted to sign up for the society simply titled "Geek," but it was made up of a lot of LARP-ers that kept trying to hit on every girl that walked by, so...
After the Fayre, we had to go enrol (finally!) So I got registered for my classes, got a snazzy ID card in which I look possessed, and most importantly, I got...internet access! Sweet! Now I could finally harness all that untapped wireless access floating around my room. (floatfloatfloat...)
I had dinner with Stephen and some other people, and then Steve said he wanted to do a jam session, to which I said, what? And then learned that he is classically trained in the violin. Also, Ed was coming along, and he could play the guitar. So we crammed into Steve's room, along with our friend Shannie, who is the most adorable person on the planet, and Steve and Ed jammed for a bit. It was insane, they were amazing. They played a violin-and-guitar rendition of Pachebel's canon, and I was floored. They can improv all over the place, and when they asked me to sing, I was very intimidated.
But we warmed up with a few Beatles' hits (Shannie played guitar on 'Yesterday' which was fab) and then Ed n' Steve switched over to a blues riff. Steve wanted me to improv along with them, so I did my best, and I can honestly say that I even impressed myself. I had never done anything like it, and so I was nervous at first, but then it felt so good to just go anywhere I wanted with my voice -- very cathartic. So they were happy, and we headed down to the music room and played around a bit more. Jodie joined us, and sang very prettily -- she has the perfect acoustic guitar voice, like Michelle Branch or Jewel or something -- and we did a duet. It was a fun, music-filled venture.
After the jam session, I went with Ed to the FuBar, and met up with Alma and Molly and co., but I was feeling a bit overwhelmed and exhausted by that point, so I excused myself early and went back to my room, where I slept soundly.
Eventually, I found my way back to the Strand and met up with Ali. The Geography meeting was good, and then I headed off to my English departmental meeting, which was also good. I met up with a girl named Lucy at the meeting (so many Lucys!) and we decided to go to Fresher's Fayre. Fresher's Fayre was kind of like FallFest at UNC, only not as well planned. Basically, we had to wait in a line for an hour, then they herded us into a tent where we looked at tables representing different clubs. I got a free mug, and a free stress ball in the shape of a British pound symbol! Er, and I signed up for bowling and theatre. I couldn't find the English and Spanish societies, so I suppose I'll have to look for them online. I was tempted to sign up for the society simply titled "Geek," but it was made up of a lot of LARP-ers that kept trying to hit on every girl that walked by, so...
After the Fayre, we had to go enrol (finally!) So I got registered for my classes, got a snazzy ID card in which I look possessed, and most importantly, I got...internet access! Sweet! Now I could finally harness all that untapped wireless access floating around my room. (floatfloatfloat...)
I had dinner with Stephen and some other people, and then Steve said he wanted to do a jam session, to which I said, what? And then learned that he is classically trained in the violin. Also, Ed was coming along, and he could play the guitar. So we crammed into Steve's room, along with our friend Shannie, who is the most adorable person on the planet, and Steve and Ed jammed for a bit. It was insane, they were amazing. They played a violin-and-guitar rendition of Pachebel's canon, and I was floored. They can improv all over the place, and when they asked me to sing, I was very intimidated.
But we warmed up with a few Beatles' hits (Shannie played guitar on 'Yesterday' which was fab) and then Ed n' Steve switched over to a blues riff. Steve wanted me to improv along with them, so I did my best, and I can honestly say that I even impressed myself. I had never done anything like it, and so I was nervous at first, but then it felt so good to just go anywhere I wanted with my voice -- very cathartic. So they were happy, and we headed down to the music room and played around a bit more. Jodie joined us, and sang very prettily -- she has the perfect acoustic guitar voice, like Michelle Branch or Jewel or something -- and we did a duet. It was a fun, music-filled venture.
After the jam session, I went with Ed to the FuBar, and met up with Alma and Molly and co., but I was feeling a bit overwhelmed and exhausted by that point, so I excused myself early and went back to my room, where I slept soundly.