Three Words, Three Pictures

“Mathematicians Work Everywhere”

While in Cambridge, I had decided to check out(sneak into) the Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences especially since he went to school in Cambridge. Inside they had chalkboards all over the building filled with complicated formulas scribbled all over them. Before I left the building I had decided to use the bathroom and was surprised they even had a chalkboard in there ready to be written on just in case someone had an idea while relieving themselves. I think it is also interesting to note during this time that Newton developed Calculus while working at home when the country was shutdown due to the Bubonic Plague, sound familiar?

“Hey There Liz”

After touring the Royal Society, we had a free day to do whatever so Brooke, Stephen, and I spontaneously decided that we would walk down to Westminster to check out the outside of the church and maybe see the Queen. When we approached we were met with security everywhere, protestors from Cameroon, and news cameras. Since we had got there somewhat early we were able to scope out a position where we could get the best view. After 90 minutes several police escorts came through and we were able to get a glimpse of the Royal Family and this happened to be Megan and Harry’s last event as royals before moving to North America.

“Pride of London(Chelsea’s Slogan)”

Growing up, I would watch European soccer all the time since I played competitively throughout high school, but I honestly never thought I would go to a game in England. I got pretty lucky planning this out because this was the only game in London while we were there and Chelsea was from favorite club growing up. I also got lucky because Chelsea sells all their tickets in the same section at the price whether they are in the very front or all the way up so I was able to get a front-row seat. Chelsea, the home team played an absolutely flawless game and beat Everton 4-0 with a couple of goals scored right in front of me. Overall, this was truly a dream come true for me.

Three Pictures, Three Words

Darwin’s Always Watching

I liked this photo because it looks like this statue of Darwin is looking directly at the camera. Particularly, I enjoyed the Natural History Museum because there was so much to check out while we were there. The displays within the museum were very interesting in general, but a lot of the information there was also a huge reminder of how evolution plays such a large part in much of Earth’s history. Especially with the sections of the building involving geology, human biology, and other organisms for example. Along these lines, I also enjoyed visiting Darwin’s home; it was surreal to walk the same trails he did. It was like being starstruck but he wasn’t there (obviously). Also the little cafe was very tasty so that was a huge plus.

Explore more History

While I think the Natural History Museum and Zoology Museum show a fair portion of history, it’s mainly scientific events/discoveries. I really enjoyed visiting Salisbury Cathedral and Westminster Abbey just because there was a different side of history with these buildings. I’ve always been interested in medieval era history, so visiting these churches was crazy cool. The photo I chose here is the oldest tomb in Salisbury Cathedral from the 1200’s, and I was just astounded at how well the tomb had been kept. The architecture of both buildings was also amazing; I personally think gothic architecture is the most interesting so being able to see these churches in person was such a great opportunity.

Stick with Friends!!

I know not everyone is in this picture, but I couldn’t think of a better group to have been on this trip with. Everyone was so easy to connect with and make new memories with. Also, it was amazing to have everyone supporting my funds throughout the week. Losing my debit card was the worst, but this group helped me out big time, so thank you to everyone who came in clutch for the week. I’ve made memories that I’ll (hopefully) remember for a long time, and I hope you guys had as much fun as I did.

p.s. I want to especially thank the professors for coming on this whirlwind of a trip with us. You guys kept us safe and always had our backs. So thank you for everything you did for our group throughout the week. 🙂

Three Pictures, Three Words

Dream Come True 
One of the top things on my bucket list was to see Stonehenge and I’m still amazed that it happened. (It’s basically my birthday rock considering I’m a summer solstice baby). Although this was supposed to be the Eiffel Tower pictured behind me, I think I am happier to have Stonehenge in this picture. We really made the best of not being able to go to Paris and I was able to knock something off of my bucket list!

SkyGarden Per Request
After finding out we couldn’t go to France, we definitely made the best of it and had some classy fun. SkyGarden was one of the few things I really wanted to do while we were in London and I’m so glad we went. It’s kind of biology related since it is a garden! Also, for the record, Dr. Cogan requested the meeting time to be moved.

Thank You OIA
I was pretty bummed when we found out we weren’t able to go to Westminster before leaving for the trip. However, thanks to OIA, our London trip was extended and we had to fill the extra time in London, so we were able to see Westminster. It was so beautiful and it was interesting learning all of the history from our tour guide. It was definitely a once in a lifetime thing and I’m so glad we got to go and see where so many amazing people are laid to rest.

Three Pictures, Three Words

Miseratione Non Mercede

Written on the wall of The Old Operating Theater is “Miseratione Non Mercede” which translates to “For compassion not for gain.” While it seems like the doctors who would have once performed operations here were in no way compassionate, these words really stuck with me. There are so many who make their decisions solely on their own benefit, that it’s sometimes hard to remember that there can possibly be anyone who truly lives by these words. I find them inspiring as to not give up on humanity quite yet.

Nullius in Verba

Another motto, this time that of the British Royal Society, “Nullius in Verba” translates to “take nobody’s word for it.” I really like the idea of living by these words as well, to always be skeptical, to always want to prove it to/for yourself, etc. Take nobody’s word for it. The words feel like a teasing or inviting challenge to me. I hope to make a career out of research so these are motivating words.

English Music Roots

I’m a huge fan of classic rock music, so in my free time I wanted to do a bit of a “music tour” where I went to look for different musical artist’s plaques around London. I saw the plaques for The Who, Pink Floyd, Ziggy Stardust, and of course went to Abbey Road. The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars is one of favorite albums (I even named my neon green Jeep wrangler ‘Ziggy’ after the David Bowie persona). This type of music is my favorite because the albums will often tell a story as the records were meant to be listened to all the way through. You can appreciate the music better too if you learn and understand the time in history in which they were written/produced. For example, the album, The Final Cut by Pink Floyd is another favorite of mine. It’s an anti-war concept album that tells the story of the tragedy and loss of the “post-war dream,” and how British lives were affected and changed due to WWII. It isn’t just something you learn about in school in order to pass a test, it’s real people who experienced these horrific events and they were brave enough to turn it into something beautiful that can be shared for generations, in the hopes that it never happens again. Perhaps the historical event we are going through currently will produce the same. It’s interesting to gain historical perspective through music. Listen deeper.

3 Pictures 3 Words – Stephen Creevy

Reserve SkyGarden Tables (at night)

Make sure you break up your reservation into a few small groups so you don’t have to meet a minimum payment per person. We also did a Monday night and they were super flexible with us because it wasn’t too crowded (as oppose to a weekend night). We were able to get a few drinks and enjoy the 360 degree view of London lit up at night. A great experience to wrap up the day with a beautiful view and, just like the pubs I am going to discuss, gave us a great opportunity to get to know each other. I cannot overstate how much I value that the friendships, with both professors and peers, that I developed on this trip.

 

 

Take Over Pubs (and make foreign friends)

We decided to do a pub crawl the second night we were there. It was recommended from students who had studied abroad in London in past years and it was a great way for us to see a different side of a massively diverse city. It was a great way to get out and really get to know each other and begin to build friendships that would flourish the rest of the trip. We also made friends from Germany and Brazil, all great, friendly people with their own insights to share.

 

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Climb St Paul’s (All the Way Up)

A fantastic silver lining of not being able to go to France was that we really go to dive completely into London and get a much more complete experience. We wouldn’t have otherwise been able to see inside Westminster Abbey and St Paul’s, nor would have experienced Stonehenge or Cambridge. Michael and I went to St Paul’s during our free time and I think I liked it even more than Westminster. It was massively ornate, has a crypt full of highly revered Englishmen and women, and the view from the very top cannot be topped (except maybe SkyGarden).

 

Three pictures, three words

Explore interests. I’ve always loved natural history museums. While cultural ones are always fun, I feel like there’s just not enough science museums around. I loved that the natural history museum seemed to have every sort of branch, from human biology, animal, or even just pretty rocks, which I love to look at. I think no matter where you go, it’s important to go for what’s interesting to you. Rave scenes, mushrooms, biology, places to take pretty pictures. I think everywhere has something for that.

It works out. This caption is for the fact that, despite all the places and at all the times, it turns out that, for totally different reasons, some of my friends also went to London, at the same time. We met up and had a great time. It just goes to show that you never know how things might work out.

Different but same. This seems simple, but, I like simple differences. Seeing these on the shelves over our usual brands is interesting to me. All the ways big brands can be different, but we all still have chocolate bars near the registers. Kinda odd how we all reach the same ideas, even if it’s not independently.

Brooke’s 3 Pictures, 3 Words

“Worth The Wait”

Pictured above is me, Michael, and Stephen outside of Westminster Abbey during the commonwealth. The Commonwealth was scheduled to start at 3 pm and we got there over 2 hours early. We were able to find a spot up on a hill to see past the news reporters. That day we were able to see Meghan and Harry’s last event as royals! AND OF COURSE, we got to see the all mighty Liz (AKA THE QUEEN). We fangirled and this was a highlight of my trip!

 

“Widen Your Gaze”

When at the Salisbury Cathedral Dr. Albers and I walked around in the Magna Carta part of the Cathedral and really took a step back and looked more in detail of the room itself and all of the glasswork. When looking at the stain glass windows we noticed these white flowers in the borders as well as mixed in through the pictures themselves. Before leaving we realized the tops of the columns in the rooms were in the shape of the flowers on the stain glass windows. It is amazing how intricate historical buildings can be so it is important to widen your gaze and truly see all of where you are at.

 

“Look For Ohio”

On almost every trip I have ever gone on somehow I find something related to Ohio. Whether it be a person from Ohio, an Alumni from OSU, a whole bar related to Ohio State, or block O’s glowing in red at a pub. We thought it was super funny so I thought I would share!

3 Pictures, 3 Words

Buried in (the) Abbey

I couldn’t decide between the previous description or “Gabby in (the) Abbey,” but Westminster Abbey stole my heart! Maybe it was our enthusiastic tour guide, or simply all of the Abbey’s history and glory, but my mind has been buried in the Abbey ever since! I thought it was amazing how many people are literally buried in the Abbey. From notable scientists like Darwin, Hawking, and Newton to amazing writers like Charles Dickens or urban myths like Bloody Mary, the Abbey has them all! I’m just still amazed to this day how one building can hold so much history all in one.

Gimme that Filet-O-Fish

One very important aspect of traveling and experiencing another’s culture is the food. Going into the trip, I became pescatarian for Lent and hadn’t eaten meat (other than fish) for about 2 weeks. Although I was guilty and devoured several meat pies while in London, I was happy to see so many options for pescatarians, vegans, and vegetarians! Although restaurants in the US are becoming more friendly to various dietary restrictions, I felt as if London was ahead of the game and had a lot more to offer. I’ve only recently began exploring different types of fish, and I’m happy to say that I was able to do so with London’s fish n’ chips.

The Little Things

In life, it’s the little things that count. As we can see in the midst of a pandemic, it truly is the little things (like a virus or our day to day actions) that make all the difference. Since we weren’t allowed to go to France, I wasn’t able to use Louis Pasteur and his invention of the rabies vaccine like I was planning to do so for my project. However, I ended up switching my project to the Zoology Museum in London (where this photo was taken), and really enjoyed myself! When you realize that life can be boiled down to something that can be viewed on a microscope slide, you realize that the little things are of much higher importance.

London 3 Photos 3 Words

  1. Wake up early
    1. This photo was taken at 6:00 am near Covent Garden. I woke up around 5 am and decided to go for a walk instead of going back to sleep. I found probably the only store open that early and the man working there told me his life story because neither of us had anything better to do. That conversation most likely would not have happened at another time of day because he would have other customers to attend to. I also went to an antiques flea market and talked to some of the people there. It was a unique experience to walk around and watch the city wake up. Although this may not directly relate to the class, we learned that some great things (like the discovery of penicillin) happen by chance. This experience also happened by chance for me. I woke up early without planning it and wandered around without a real idea of what I wanted to do.

2. “Take the boat” -JoCo

2. This photo was taken from the boat on the Thames. JoCo, Kelly, and I took the boat from the London eye to the Greenwich Observatory. Kelly wanted to go to the Observatory to complete her project and I tagged along because it sounded like fun. The boat provided a great view of the city and JoCo provided interesting facts about beheading.

3. Always try asking

3. This photo was taken outside Buckingham Palace after this officer graciously let me pose in his hat. I said in the beginning of the semester that I would try anything once and along with that, I will also ask anything once. I’ve discovered if you are polite and understanding, the worse case is people will say no. In this case, the officer was amused and gladly handed over his hat. “Always try asking” is a relatively new policy for me. It has taken me on some adventures, but it also helps in an academic setting. Whether it’s asking for extra help, asking for a deadline extension, or asking for a recommendation letter, having the courage to try is important. The worse case is a professor says no, but you will never get anything unless you ask.