The Start of Something New

My first 24 hours in South Carolina have been filled with sorority girls, yoga shorts and lots of proud ‘Gamecock’ wearers. Please be assured that this blog is no fiction. Instead what you will receive is truthful insight into my adventures here at the University of South Carolina. So however crazy or incredible they may seem, they are, nevertheless, true.

After arriving at Charlotte International Airport, on what may have been the busiest flight crossing the Atlantic (overbooked by 10%!) I made my way to Columbia on a shuttle bus service. Now, despite being told by numerous people about the glorious hot and humid weather the South is renowned for. It was in fact raining cats and dogs! After dragging my suitcase to the Study Abroad office to collect my room key through the rain I was greeted by a Sorority girl who kept on telling me how ‘adorable’ I was after hearing my English accent. Just what I needed to hear after a 9 hour flight!

Regarding accommodation, I seem to have lucked out and managed to get my own room in a building that was built in the 1800s right in the centre of campus on the Horseshoe. My room is in a shared apartment with 3 other girls: one other British student, a French student and a girl all the way from Downtown Charleston. Hopefully we’ll be best buds and I can go stay for thanksgiving (apparently she used to be a swimmer so we have some common ground!)

The past 24 hours have just been a complete whirlwind. I've been shown around campus by a different Sorority girl who was really sweet; however, she did make a comment on my dress style. So those of you wondering what college students in the US wear, look no further. Nearly every single girl I have seen around campus today was wearing nike trainers, baggy yoga style shorts and either a baggy tshirt or something with CAROLINA or GAMECOCKS printed on the front. I thought ‘yeah I’ll fit in fine’ but I stand out like a saw thumb and I was only wearing converse, leggings and strappy top!! After I made a comment about all the girls looking like they’d just hit the gym, the Sorority girl showing me around bluntly told me that what I was wearing was really ‘dressed up’ and that most students just wear shorts and tshirts to class. This is taking casual to the next level! Might as well turn up to lessons in my pjs then!

Campus is HUGE. For lunch I went exploring and found the student union, Russel House, which has its own ice cream parlour and bagel bar. So cool! Needless to say, I had a bagel for lunch, and yes the woman at the till did make fun of me when I asked for ‘tomarrrto’ instead of ‘tomaaato’. I think the Southern twang is going to take a little while to get used to!