Day in the Life of Bri

Brianna and I appear to have quite similar morning routines.

She wakes up and scrolls aimlessly on her phone until she realizes that she won’t have enough time to get ready if she doesn’t force herself out of bed. She quickly takes a shower (only washing her hair every other day) and gets dressed. Once makeup is done, she is out the door.

Most mornings she greets me outside of our drab flat building, almost resembling a prison. We escape out of the “emergency exit door” like rebels, look right to left, and quickly cross the street before a fast-paced, impatient vehicle plows straight into us. She and I fashion our oversized blanket scarves every single day to fight off the aggressive and ice-cold U.K. winds: hers with stripes of yellow, a soft pink, and cream, and mine plain white.

Puffer jackets are all the rage here, making my friends and I thankful we brought ours overseas. My beige, worn, yet still fresh-looking, puffer jacket was my mom’s winter staple in the ‘90s, and it is now mine. Serving as a bold contrast, Bri wears a sleek black puffer jacket, just as warm, universal, and comforting as my own.

During our first week, Bri, some of the other girls, and I decided to check out what Urban Outfitters looks like in Newcastle. We shuffled in with our wallets still full, and our enthusiasm high. There it was on the front sale rack: chic, cropped, black puffer jackets. ON. SALE. We had to have them. Roughly sifting through the rack, we had all found our sizes. £21 for a trendy piece of clothing with a gleeful memory attached to it.

Bri and I in our matching black puffer jackets!

Although we both miss our hostel stay together, Bri and I cherish our morning walks together. The easily 20-minute trek to campus provides ample time to catch up, whilst observing our surroundings, pinpointing new things we hadn’t noticed the day before.

Bri enjoys her sleep but she will always make extra time to stop for coffee.

Pret a Manger is our daily spot for a caffeine fix. Although trying to avoid chains that exist in the U.S., Pret offers a deal for those who adore coffee but despise spending money on it that none of us could refuse. My friends and I bought subscriptions for £12.50. a month in exchange for up to five free drinks a day (quite a bargain if you ask me). When indulging in her American roots, Bri orders an iced vanilla latte. If she’s looking for a slight variation on her typical order, she adds coconut milk. Finally, you know she’s really tired of a particular drink if she orders something entirely different: usually a hot hazelnut latte or black coffee. These slight variations in the beverage that begins the day allow her to have something to look forward to.

As a biology major, on the pre-med track, Bri is used to a heavy course load. This semester she is challenging herself in physics, clinical skills, celebrity culture, and philosophy ethics at Newcastle University. With it being Thursday, we have almost reached the end of our first week of school! (“uni” as the Brits say).

Part of why Bri chose this particular study-abroad location was because of the university’s emphasis on the sciences. With Newcastle being a research institution, science-based courses are highly accredited, and majors affiliated with them receive a challenging, unique, and fulfilling education.

In between classes, or on days when Bri has finished her classes for the day, “The Chicken Shack” in the student union is where she resides. This on-campus eatery has slowly become our regular working/hanging out spot. With this being a bustling spot on campus, it can be difficult to find somewhere to sit. We often cluster on couches and chairs, as the bouncy, red booths always seem to be occupied. We attempt to organize our lives through our MacBooks and iPads, but always end up laughing about that day’s antics, enjoying the chaotic bliss and company of each other.

The nightlife in Newcastle is where Bri thrives (and all of us for that matter!). The city lights glow wildly and illuminate the faces of young people passing by. Our favorite way to de-stress is to dress up and hit the town. Five Swans Pub is a staple and a foundation for our group of friends. Bri always starts one of these nights with a pint of crisp hard apple cider. We clink our glasses as we chuckle and smile wide, constantly in awe that we are currently living in a new country.