Introducing Allie Deford

8 Days
by Allie Deford

8 Days

My countdown, which I have been keeping since the start of the summer, informs me that I have only 8 dyas until I board a plane bound for Harlaxton. My suitcase sits open on my bedroom floor, a few items resting haphazardly within it. My intended carry-on bag sits next to the suitcase, also open, but empty.



8 days.

My engineering-oriented brain has been creating checklist after checklist, hoping each time that I haven’t forgotten something important- a task that needs to be completed or an item that I need to make sure to pack. How to pack for 3 and a half months with only a large suitcase and a carry-on is a question that has plagued my thoughts for weeks now, and the thought is only becoming more persistent as departure day draws near.

8 days.

The little knot in my stomach is growing. What if I can’t figure out the airport? What if I get lost trying to navigate the train system in the UK? What if I forget something crucial at home? The list of fears is long, but my list of exciting plans is longer. I am excited to spend a weekend in Paris, to see theatre on the West End and at the Globe (and hopefully many other places!), to go to Cardiff (the filming location of Doctor Who), to go to a pub with my friends, and to experience all the things I haven’t yet dreamed of.

8 days.

I have been waiting for this for 3 years now. When I decided that I would be attending the University of Evansville, Harlaxton was part of the package. I never considering letting the opportunity to study abroad pass me by. Throughout my freshmen year, I climbed through the required hurdles of getting a passport, attending the study abroad meetings, and generally trying to plan out a semester in the UK. And now that planning is paying off.

My to-do list is still long, but I have a week to finish it. You have 8 days Harlaxton. I hope you’re ready, because I know I am!

Are you an incoming Harlaxton attendee? Please feel free to leave a comment introducing yourself; I would love to get to know some people! Are you a Harlaxton alumni? Any advice that you wish to leave in the comments would be greatly appreciated!