Bible Belt

One of the biggest culture shocks I’ve had since arriving in South Carolina is how religious everyone is here. The South-Eastern part of the States sure isn’t referred to as the ‘bible belt’ for nothing! I have to be really careful to watch my tongue and say ‘Oh my gosh!’ instead of ‘Oh my God!’! On a Sunday, campus is eerily quiet, and this is mainly because a large percentage of the students are at Church. Back at home, I’ve spent the majority of my undergraduate years rehearsing for shows on a Sunday, and before University I spent almost every Sunday out sailing with my Dad and swim training. But here, Sunday truly is the day of rest. Since being in SC, I’ve heard some weird laws that are specifically for Sundays. Such as; it is illegal to sell musical instruments or any alcoholic beverages on a Sunday, (unless you own a private club) and ‘Dance halls’ are not allowed to operate. Strange huh? Another law I’ve heard, although I’m not sure how true it is, is that it’s perfectly legal to beat your wife on the court house steps on Sundays…

What’s shocked me the most is the backward 50s style relationships that religious college age students have. Some Christian couples here actually make up set rules to ensure that they are not ‘inappropriate’ with one another and break the sacred ‘no sex before marriage’ law. For example, some couples set themselves a curfew where they’re not allowed to be together after midnight. I cannot imagine any of my friends in relationships at home watching the clock and having to put a time limit on when they can be together. My immediate response to this rule was; ‘does she turn into a pumpkin after midnight or something?’ Surely whatever they can do after midnight they can also do at two o’clock in the afternoon…… Another rule, which reminds me of films made in the 50s is the ‘one person must have two feet on the floor when cuddling on the sofa’…… What?! I’m not sure what my face was doing when I was told this (probably frowning!) but I had to try immensely hard to keep my big gob shut and try and respect that this is all in the name of religion.

I decided that the best thing to do was to actually attend a ceremony and see what all the fuss was about. First impressions were about the exterior of the building. When I think of the word Church I associate it with gothic style architecture, stone walls, stain-glassed windows, a tall steeple and a scary, haunted graveyard. But the building couldn’t have been more different. With white pillars on the outside it looked a little Greek, and it was very simple and modern on the inside. The service I attended was called the ‘gathering’ after the definition of ‘church’ from the Bible. It was very modern, fit with a live band and electric guitars, feeling more like a concert to begin with than a Church service. I was really impressed with the public speaker, he made everything very relatable for a young audience and it was easy to see why so many college students enjoyed listening to him. Although I haven’t been brought up in any religious way and find the concept of an ethereal person above the clouds a little strange, I’m glad that I was able to go and see things from a different perspective and gain insight on what it truly means to be a Southern Christian.

Hallelujah and Amen.

From Canterbury Cathedral to Gatherings at Midtown, SC.

Twerk like Miley Cyrus

After Miley Cyrus’ raunchy performance at the VMA’s last month, I think it’s fair to say that everyone on the planet with access to the internet now knows what the word ‘Twerk’ means. But before arriving in the States I had never actually heard the word used before. Call me old fashioned but when I was confronted with some guy at a house party asking me to twerk, I just looked at him with utter bemusement. I had no idea what he was talking about. To those readers who are still a little confused, I am talking about the dance move which seems most popular here; dry-humping.

I’m not going to lie, but I was a little outraged to find that at a house party, where all the lights are on and people are just having casual conversations sitting on sofa’s that apparently it’s ‘normal’ for girls to grind on guys in the middle of the sitting room. This was another ‘I have to close my mouth to stop catching flies and gaping in shock’ moment.

It is fair to say that the nightlife and parties here are very different to back home. I can’t imagine walking into The University of Kent’s Student Union club ‘Venue’ to find only couples on the dance floor getting it on. When I go out with my girlfriends at home we dance in groups, handbag in the middle of the circle style, free-styling and singing at the top of our voices. There is never a need to have a guy permanently stuck to our hips to have fun. So I guess we now all have Miley to thank for introducing the world to the twerking dance craze.

Even the clubs are different here, if you can call them that! Downtown is filled with small bars where you can easily hop from one to the next, there’s no Oceana or Vodka Revolution here! Perhaps it’s because I’m not in a big city like LA or Chicago but in Five Point’s, Columbia, SC going out has a whole different meaning. Sure, there’s the standard drunk character’s you meet in every bar; the Fresher who’s had too much to drink and throwing up in the toilet, the sleazy guy in the corner trying to look you up and down, the cute one that will never come over and introduce himself, the pushy girl who elbows her way in front of you to get to the bar, and the emotional one sitting in the corner crying over her ex. But with the drinking age limit being 21 instead of 18 it’s as if the girls here have never seen boys before and therefore tend to go crazy Miley-style when they’re finally allowed out. However, I prefer classy to crazy, so I’m going to stick with my ‘hands to myself’ dancing for now!

Refuse to Lose - Volleyball is the new Netball

If you were to ask an American about Netball, chances are they have no idea what you’re talking about. I’ve tried explaining the sport a couple of times, but it hasn’t really come off very well. ‘So it’s like Basketball, but you can’t move with the ball, or slam dunk, or go in certain areas of the court?’ Kind of makes it sound a little dull! But at Universities across the UK Netball is probably one of the most popular sports that girls can play. Here, netball dresses are swapped for tight shorts, hoops are exchanged for a high net, ankle straps are replaced with knee pads and Volleyball is crowned the number one team sport for girls.

Last night I went along to the Coliseum to watch the girls Gamecock vs Presbyterian College match. With seating stands either side of the court I tried to imagine this type of crowd at one of Kent’s first team Netball Premier League matches, and I came to the conclusion that there are more Gamecock fans attending Volleyball than Netball get at our yearly Varsity rival with Christ Church. Fit with dancing cheerleaders wearing huge bright garnet bows in their hair and enough make-up on to scare a small child, cheering on ‘Go cocks!’ from the side lines made me really value the school spirit here. Not to mention the fact that the USC marching band took up a single stand to support the girls with their drums and trombones. Tunes included the National Anthem (of course) and the infamous ‘Gamecocks Fight Song’.

Like the Netball girls at home, the USC Volleyball girls were also really tall, super fit and had a real sense of unity. Numerous high fives were dealt after every point was scored and you could see that playing on this team was like being a part of a family. It was a really exciting game, fit with nachos and a free t-shirt, USC ending up winning 3-0. Whilst I would like to say that I’d be fab at Volleyball, I think my Netball instincts would get the better of me and I would end up catching the ball rather than fist pumping it up into the air. So unless a game of Volleyball is just for a bit of beach fun on holiday, it’s probably best I leave this one to the professionals!

Shoes speak louder than words

The fashion in South Carolina has come as a bit of a shock to my high-street filled suitcase and I keep on getting the dress code wrong time and time again. Although I’m no Carrie Bradshaw or Vogue journalist, like most other girls on this planet, I like to shop, a lot! I’m the kind of girl who will always be complaining about having a wardrobe full of clothes but nothing to wear! Though I don’t tend to count shopping as cardio I think I’m already starting to get Topshop withdrawal symptoms, and my nearest one is over a ten hour drive away in New York. Help me!

I’m no fashionista but I know my basics when it comes to clothes and accessories; avoid double denim, orange is a hideous colour (and also the colour of our rival University – Clemson!), navy blue and black is never a good idea and whoever said that money can't buy happiness doesn't know where to go shopping….

So here is my guide to the top ten fashion crimes that guys and girls commit every day on the USC campus:

   1) ‘Norts’ – Also known as loose fitting nike shorts. Apparently you aren’t a true Carolina girl if you don’t own a pair. Available in every luminous colour you can dream of these would be fab for the gym or working out but no, deceptively, these are the most stylish item in a girls' wardrobe and everyone lives in them.         

   2) The baggy t-shirt look – To go alongside with the ‘norts’ oversized t-shirts are left, right and centre. Forget a fitted shirt or anything that actually makes you look like you have a waist. In the South when girls do casual they mean dress for class as if you’re having a hung-over day lazing on the sofa.

   3) Jack Rodgers – Two words immediately come to mind when I think of these sandals: hideous and expensive. These uncomfortable looking sandals cost $110 and are the must have item of every Sorority girls ‘closet’. If they were a little prettier maybe I could understand, but spending that much money on a pair of flip flops when everyone else already owns a pair just cries boring to me!

    4)  Cowboy boots – I’m not going to lie, I do love a good pair of cowboy boots, but there is a time and a place. Dressing up like a cowgirl? Perfect! Pretending you’re in Footloose? Great! Wearing them to class with denim shorts that seem to be missing half the material? Trashy! Come on girls, if they’re not for a fancy dress event, I don’t think they’re very acceptable.

   5)  Flat caps and visors – When I was younger my parents went to all sorts of trouble to make me wear a sun hat in the hot summer months, but here it’s like a second skin. Flat cap central! Both boys and girls wear them (even in class may I add!) and apparently it’s ‘cool’.

   6)  ‘Fratire’ – By this term I mean what the Fraternity boys wear. You can tell them apart just from looking at them. Boat shoes, Polo Ralph Lauren shirts, khaki ‘pants’ accessorised with a pair of Ray Bans or Oakleys. Easy to spot? I think so!

   7)  Chubbies shorts– This is the ultimate Fraternity clothing brand. Described on the website as ‘Comfortable, flexible, aerodynamic and most of all utterly Radical, Chubbies are everything a short should be and more’. Apparently your thighs will thank you?

   8)  Sunglasses Neck Strap – The only time I have ever seen anyone wear a sunglasses neck strap at home has been my Dad when he’s out sailing. So first of all, if my Dad uses them, they’re probably not the most fashionable thing to be seen wearing, and secondly, he uses them for sport so his sunglasses don’t fall off into the water, not just for everyday use! I just don’t get it! The boys here all have them, but why? In case a huge gust of wind comes along and blows them off your face? We humans do have noses you know….

   9)  Backpacks – I used a rucksack throughout Secondary school but since turning 16 the only time I’ve found a use for one has been for my Swim Kit. Walking between classes I seem to be floating amongst hundreds of backpacks, and there I am with my DKNY handbag looking a little out of place. At school having a rucksack was something you could be picked on for, but the tables are turned here, rucksacks are in and handbags out.

  10) Cocks merchandise – If you haven’t gathered by now, the USC mascot is a Cockerel, fittingly named ‘Cocky’ and our athletics teams are called the ‘Gamecocks’. This invites everyone to splash out on tshirts with the word ‘COCKS’ in large bold letters to show how proud they are to be a Gamecock. I still can’t help but slightly cringe every time I see someone repping one of these, it may be the standard thing to do here but I definitely could not get away with wearing anything like that at home.

There you have it, my attempt at being a college fashionista. As you can imagine, I stick out like a saw thumb in my high waisted denim shorts, floaty skirts, chiffon blouses and flowery dresses. But, at least for now, I’m going to stick with Topshop and refuse to conform!

It's a Greek kinda life

The whole Greek system here fascinates me.  I’ve previously written a post on the madness that was Sorority Bid day but I can’t just stop at that. So expect to see at least a few more posts on Frat and Sorority life here in Columbia.

The big question I have is ‘why’?

Why do so many girls and guys put themselves through recruitment to join, what seems to me, elite sister and brotherhood? Don’t these people already have real brothers or sisters? Unless you’re an only child, I think it would be weird to refer to anyone but my family as my sisters or brothers. I guess that’s the point. Being a part of these groups is like having a second family. But with that said I will bet 100 bucks that at least one person decided to go through recruitment just because their childhood friends were going to sign up too. That’s right – followers. Nothing but sheep. They couldn’t possibly be left out. But surely there’s a very realistic chance that you wouldn’t even be placed in the same Sorority as your friends. So why? So you don’t have to put yourself out there in Fresher’s week and actually make friends with people who have the same interests as you because you’d already have this ready-made clique of friends? I don’t know if I’m missing the point and I’m only seeing them on a face-value kind of way. Never judge a book by it’s cover ehh? Well first impressions can be very influential. Apart from the ‘Legally Blonde’ movie I didn’t have any idea what Sorority life was like, my first impressions were that these girls only ever dress in over sized t-shirts with different phrases written all over them and thought that because they were Sorority girls they automatically had a right to date any Fraternity boy they took a fancy to.

I desperately wanted to be proved wrong. I wanted someone to explain to me that above all these shallow reasons there was some deeper meaning.  I’ve heard all the hype around Sororities and that all they’re renowned for is partying and nasty hazing initiations. But deep down I know that isn’t true. Otherwise the grades you get in high school wouldn’t mean a thing. It would be like needing a C in your A Level’s to get into Oxford. To get into a Sorority you have to be high flying academically (as well as socially) and the support systems within Sororities are huge. I know because I’ve witnessed it.

The only way I was going to battle stereotypes was to see these girls beyond skin deep and actually have a sneak into their lives. Luckily for me, I have met one of the friendliest and down to earth Sorority girls here at USC and she invited me to attend her ADPi welcome bbq.

Walking through Greek Village my eyes felt like they were growing larger and larger with every house I passed. Mansions with tall white columns and stone lions, fitted with Southern rocking chairs on the porches in front of large green lawns. ‘What is this place?’ I thought. Students in the UK seem to live in squalor with mould growing on the wall and heating that never works compared to this life of luxury. The ADPi house was beautiful. I think I was walking around with my jaw dragging along behind me. I couldn’t get over the fact that students actually got to live here. Home to 35 girls this mansion included an industrial sized kitchen and dining area, a formal library, a plush TV room, further study rooms, and the biggest bathroom I have ever seen. More like the back stage dressing room of a famous actress fit for a princess than for supposedly skint students. They have their very own chefs and even a ‘house mom’ who watches over the girls. I’m not sure you could get much further from student accommodation in England!

So now I’m even more confused about this whole Greek system. Pretty girls, who wear oversized t- shirts, are always smiling and laughing, never seen without a backpack on their back, always willing to lend a hand, raise money for the disadvantaged, maintain 100% in every class, probably apart of some sports team or extra-curricular group on campus AND they get to live in a mansion! Where am I?

‘A-ca-scuse me? Synchronised lady dancing to a Mariah Carey chart-topper is not lame!’

‘We sing covers of songs, but we do it without any instruments. It's all from our mouths!’

For those of you who have seen the American all-singing hit film ‘Pitch Perfect’, which was released last year, you will have a clear insight as to what I’ve been up to over the past week. For those who haven’t yet watched this funny take on ‘Bring it On’ where the cheerleaders have been swapped for a cappella singers, you’re missing out.

Just like in the film, last week USC held a student organisation fair (very similar to every fresher’s fair that takes place at the beginning of the academic year in the UK) where you could sign up to everything from the Feminist Society to the Sky Diving Club. Obviously I signed up to the ‘Gamecock Swimming Club’ but something way more interesting caught my eye; organised nerd singing! That’s right everyone, a cappella groups here are huge. There are three different groups on campus; the mixed group called ‘Cockappella’, the all-boys group named ‘The Carolina Gentlemen’ and the all-girls group called ‘The Cocktails’. The thought of being a part of a real American a cappella group made me very excited, so I rushed to sign up for auditions, only to be greeted by South Carolina’s very own Anna Camp informing me of the rigorous audition process required to actually get in, including; sight reading, pitch matching, blending exercises and numerous solos. Yikes! With the mention of sight reading I felt like I had taken a step back to over three and half years ago when I took my ABRSM Grade 8 Singing exam. But I was determined to at least give it a try.

 

Since my first solo in Primary school dressed up as a Pyramid in a show about Egyptians I have loved singing and performing. I went on to take all my singing grades throughout Secondary school, performing in the school choir and tons of music concerts. There’s something about standing under a stage light in front of a huge audience which gives me such a buzz! I’ve performed in musicals ranging from ‘Guys and Dolls’ to ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ and most recently ‘RENT’. So this a cappella thing should be easy enough right? Wrong! This is America. Everyone here is an upcoming singer or a musician.

My first audition was for the ‘Cockappella’s’ and I thought it went relatively well. I didn’t choke on my song, I was friendly and hoped that being British would make me stand out. However, no such luck. With over eighty students auditioning for five places I didn’t even get to the second round. I took this with a pinch of salt and came to the conclusion that as a mixed group they were probably looking for more boys to balance out all the girls they already had. I still had my audition for the female group ‘The Cocktails’, so hope was not lost yet. I first saw ‘The Cocktails’ perform at the new student convocation ceremony and knew that I wanted to be a part of this student-founded, student-organised and student-led group of dedicated musicians. At the interest meeting I was presented with fourteen pristine looking sorority girls who sang ‘Titanium’, I couldn’t quite work out whether these girls were super intimidating and it was basically a popularity contest to get in or whether I actually stood a chance. My audition went surprisingly well, I sang ‘I wish I was a punk rocker’ by Sandi Thom (thanks to some advice from my musical twin Cara McPherson) and I managed to get a call-back. Obviously my reaction was ‘A-ca-scuse me? A-ca-believe it!’ Out of the eighty plus girls who auditioned I was one of fifteen to be asked to come back! We were sent sheet music to read and I was asked to learn the Soprano part to Lady Gaga’s ‘Poker Face’, along with all sorts of other exercises used to test us. But sadly I didn’t quite make the cut. I guess I’ll put it down to nerves, my solo didn’t go well and the sight reading was horrific! So while I’m pleased they liked me enough to ask me back for a second audition, I am a little disappointed. I suppose I’m just not enough like Brittany Snow!

Here’s what I’m missing out on……

Strom Thurmond

Us Brits love to complain about the weather. It’s either too hot or too cold, too windy or too much rain. So while you’re all sitting at home moaning about how cold it is and how those horrible onesies are already making a sneaky appearance, I thought I’d just rub in the fact that it’s still over 30 degrees here! I’ve replaced radiators for air-con and my uggs for flip-flops, and I’m loving the constant source of sunshine and vitamin D!

With the sun constantly glowing, it makes it very hard for me to sit in my little room and concentrate on the ever growing pile of books I have to study. So I’ll be the first to admit that the outside pool at the Strom gym is becoming a little bit like a second home. Casually soaking up the rays between classes almost makes me feel like I’m on holiday. The pool is big enough for me to get in and quickly burn some calories by swimming 100 lengths, before getting in my bikini and lying in the sun. I’m attempting to keep my holiday tan from Croatia, so reading and ‘studying’ at the pool seems like the best place to be. And I’m not the only one who also agrees that a couple of hours chilling on poolside is a much better way to spend the time between classes than in the library! Cliques of young sorority girls repping their Victoria Secret bikinis and groups of guys showing off their abdomens seem to have the same opinion that the pool is the place to be on campus. Although a lot of them also think that beach volleyball tournaments in this heat is a good idea, so I guess that is where I differ. 

The South....

I saw this on a sign and thought that it sums up the South pretty well!

The South

The place where…..

- Tea is sweet and accents are sweeter

- Summer starts in April

- Mac and Cheese is a vegetable

- Front porches are wide and words are long

- Pecan pie is a staple

- Y’all is the only proper noun

- Chicken is fried and biscuits come with gravy

- Everything’s darlin’ and someone’s heart is always being blessed!

Playing dodgems

After living here for three weeks, why is it that I still cannot work out how to cross the road?

I need a guide for beginners or at least a lollipop lady to help me from A to B when it comes to trekking across the gigantic six lane roads they have here!  It doesn’t help that I automatically look right then left before crossing the road and that for some weird reason cars can turn right on red lights.

Every time I step off the pavement ready to tackle what feels like the 100m sprint I genuinely fear for my life. Forget mini coopers, Peugeot 106’s or tiny little smart cars that seem to be all the rage in London. Here Trucks rule the road. Giant SUVs tower over you, one foot in the wrong direction and they’ll flatten you in seconds!

If the abnormally large roads weren’t enough already, the confusing lights certainly don’t help my case either. On the ‘walk screen’ instead of a green man letting you know it’s safe to cross, a little white man appears and I find myself shouting ‘White man!’ at the road to warn drivers I’m about to embark on my journey. I’m not quite sure that’s the most appropriate thing to be shouting in the Deep South, but for my own piece of mind it seems to be helping. That is until the white man disappears when I’m only half way across and a timer comes on and starts ticking away like a bomb about to explode. As the pedestrian crossing sign counts down the seconds I start asking myself ‘can I actually make it all that way?!’ It’s really quite frightening.

This place isn’t built for pedestrians. I feel like a very small child in need of a mother to hold my hand and get me to safety, but with my mum on the other side of the world, the only advice I can give to any incoming international students is bring a car!

Classroom Etiquette

Although the classes here are not taught in Spanish or French they are very different to what I’ve been used to throughout my school and University years. You don’t have to wait outside a classroom for the teacher to magically appear; you just stroll right in and take a pick at whichever seat you fancy. The classrooms even look different, at the University of Kent the seminar rooms are set out to encourage intelligent discussion between students, usually the rooms are laid out in a horseshoe shape so that you can see everyone else in your class. But here, they’re more like exam rooms. Individual chairs dotted around the room with individual desks attached to them. Anyone who knows me well would have understood my fear when walking into a room that screams ‘exam’!

Talking of exams, they like to test you here, a lot! I guess it’s a way of checking that you’re keeping up with the reading but on my second day of class I was shocked to be handed a piece of paper with numerous questions about the novel we were reading, only to hear the Professor shout ‘You have five minutes to complete this paper, starting NOW!’ It definitely served as a strong reminder that I’m not just here to have fun but also study, hard!

I’m taking four different classes this term; three English and one Theatre. As a joint honours humanities student I’ve always been given a lot of reading, but heck, I basically have a novel to read every week for each English class. When do people have time to have fun or go to the gym here when their heads are constantly stuck in a book? That said, all my classes are very interesting and the Professors are all great – super friendly and have a genuine interest in getting to know you. Not sure I could say the same for every teacher that has taught me at home!

The Theatre class I’m taking this term is ‘Film and Television Acting’ and whilst I’ve taken numerous Acting classes before and the mention of Stanislavski makes my head hurt, I’ve never had the opportunity to learn the trade with a massive camera stuck in your face. So far I’ve learnt it’s very different to being on the Stage, out with the massive persona, projected voice and over the top actions and in with the subtle glances and truthful responses, instead of that of some imagined character. I keep on hearing Alick’s voice, the director from the production RENT, saying ‘act bigger’ in the back of my head. But now it’s time to flick the switch and try my luck learning a different skill.

Although the classes here do remind me a little bit of high school, receiving ‘homework’ every lesson and less independent study, so far every class I’ve had has made me smile and taught me something new, and in my eyes, it doesn’t get much better than that! 

Go Cocks!

Thursday last week marked the beginning of American football season with the battle of the Carolinas! South Carolina vs North Carolina – only the best would win! But playing on home turf with thousands of screaming fans UNC didn’t really stand a chance. One thing I’ve noticed since arriving here is that the school spirit is incredible! At Kent the Swimming team struggle to get supporters down to watch our biggest meet of the year, but at USC there is never a lack of support for any sports team. Especially when it comes to football!

After dressing up in school colours, garnet and black, I had the opportunity to experience possibly one of the most ‘American’ traditions when it comes to football; tailgating. The ‘tailgate’ is basically the pre-party to the game; hundreds of fans park up their huge 4x4’s and set up gazebos in car parks surrounding the stadium. Hordes of garnet clad supporters and girls wearing black dresses and cowboy boots enjoy cookouts’ (bbq) and games of beer pong. Although, with the temperature reaching highs of 37 degrees Celsius the drinks were somewhat simmering in the heat.

The match itself was insane! The Williams-Brice Stadium in South Carolina holds 80,250 people (bigger than the London 2012 Olympic Stadium) and once inside the atmosphere blows you away. From one side to the other fans shouting ‘GAME’ ‘COCKS’ in an almost deafening tone. Being in a stadium that big reminded me of the Olympic games last summer when my family and I were lucky enough to get tickets to watch the Athletics on the ‘Super Saturday’ and cheer on Brits Jessica Ennis, Mo Farah and Greg Rutherford to win Gold. Exhilarating! Although I’m not sure I quite understand the rules of American football yet, it’s all very stop and start, apparently USC won so everything is dandy here in the land of the cocks!