Okay, so it's been over a month since I last updated...

I apologize! As most of you who actually read this are my close friends and family, you all know how busy I've been with essay due dates looming and exams around the corner. I have three essays due the first week of May, and then I have three final exams in the period from 17 May-31 May. Following all that, I have more dissertation supervision meetings...so I have to keep those in mind as well! All in all, it has been a crazy month and I haven't had as much free time recently.

My goal was to have rough first drafts completed by the middle of this week. Each essay that I have to write has a 3,000 word limit (roughly 12 pages), so they're reasonable substantial. I'm well on my way - I have rough drafts completed for both my Terrorism and Conflict Resolution Essays, and I'm halfway done with a first draft of my Research Methods essay. Today and tomorrow will be spent working on finishing that last rough draft...and then early (extremely early...like 3:30 a.m. early) Thursday morning I leave for a mini vacation in Mallorca!

I'm so excited I can hardly stand it. The weather is calling for low-mid 70s and sun, and our hotel is right by the beach. Can you guess what we'll be doing? I'm mainly looking at this holiday as a relaxation long weekend - I need and deserve it. I don't see it being a crazy one for me! My friend and I are planning on taking a bit of schoolwork with us to take to the beach...maybe it won't seem as daunting when the sand is between our toes.

I sure can't complain about London weather recently, though. It has been absolutely lovely. Today it is 75 degrees and sunny, and I'm wearing shorts! Imagine that. Here are a few pictures I've taken in the past few weeks on beautiful days. These were all taken in Regent's Park, my go-to hot spot for when it's beautiful outside...

Primrose Hill...always a lovely view-

This was my picnic spot one afternoon-

With all of my picnic supplies (water, food, magazine, ipod!)-

So yes, it's been pretty wonderful here lately. It makes it very difficult at times to sit inside and work on essays, but such is life!

In other news, Charlotte recently went on holiday with her family to Turkey (jealous) and brought me back this little souvenir! It's so cute, and I actually really needed something to put my jewelry in and it's the perfect size for that. Up until now, I'd just been putting it in a little Macy's box, ha.

Pretty, huh?

And finally, I misplaced my Oyster card at some point in the past three or four weeks so I went and purchased a new one today. 

I knew these existed, but I thought you had to specially ask for them or something...the information guy didn't give me an option! When they're handed to you, they're in this little opaque holder, so I didn't even think to look at the actual card until I got home. HA. Wills & Kate FTW!!

I'll put together a post when I'm back from Mallorca sometime early next week, hopefully with some lovely beach and scenery pictures! I hope you're all well. Love from London!