Hippies and Harry Potter

In 59 days I leave for England. That number kind of worries me. I feel like I haven't done enough for this trip. I haven't even looked at my packet for this in a week, so that's probably not good. So I just pulled it out, hoping that there wasn't something I was supposed to turn in a week ago. Going through my intimidatingly thick packet of information:
Financial contract: done, but only because it had to be done three days after I got this monster
Financial Planning Form: I don't even know what this is. It says something about taking this to an appointment with a Financial Aid Counselor, but I don't know what that means either. I hope that's ok....
Do You Need to Apply for a UK Student Visa? Sheet: Apparently I don't. But it does say to check out  the last page on entering as a student visitor. Yea...that page isn't there.
Travel Buddy Program Form: No thank you, Study Abroad.
Application Form for the University of Leeds: Oh hey, I've done this already!
Study Abroad Acceptance Checklist: Not a checklist, but actually a large packet of forms disguised as a checklist. I filled my name out on all of them. That counts for something right?
Travax Report: Basically told me all the shots I have to get before I leave. Thankfully, I've already gotten most them. Needles and I do not get along very well.
Great Britain's High Volume Demand for Photos: So apparently UK schools love them some passport sized pictures. So I have to go get tons.

Outside of the loads of paperwork I still I have to do, there is one thing I do have down: luggage.
Coming from the non-traditional vacationers my parents are (I love them, but we take some unusual trips), we didn't exactly go with "normal" luggage. You know, this type of deal:

No, we're too cool for that type of stuff. So instead, over fall break, my family spent an hour at R.E.I. looking at backpacks. And I don't mean the backpack you take to school and carry your books around in. I'm talking about the backpacks people use to go hiking for a month or backpack through europe with. Yea, I now own one of those. But of course, I can't bring four months worth of what not in one backpack. So I'm going Harry Potter style and bringing a large trunk that is as old as my grandparents. It has wheels, so that should be helpful, but I still feel as though I'm gonna look like I robbed an old geiser and a hippie of their luggage. I mean, imagine seeing a 20 year old American girl running through an airport with a backpacking backpack on strapped to her back and pulling a large, old, wooden trunk behind her. It should be an adventure, that's for sure.
Well, now that I've wasted a good half hour of homework time, I must return to it.
Happy Halloween!
The Hippie Harry Potter Luggage Girl,
Jessica

Classes...because apparently I have to learn too

So apparently I have to learn while at Leeds. Who would have guessed. I just finished my University of Leeds online application, and therefore finished picking out what in the world I'm going to learn. Unfortunately, they aren't as exciting as they should sound considering I'm in England. But here they are, for all you nosy ones out there:
Fluid Mechanics:
   Yes, this is a 500 level course at KU. Yes, I am probably crazy for taking it. No, I probably won't survive.
Statics:
   To be honest, I have no idea what this class is about. None...zero...zip....
Physics II:
   Funny story...this is probably the easy physics course. Aka....Less work for me. Aka everyone still at KU will be using things like calculus and I'll be, well, not.
Sustainable Engineering Solutions:
   The engineering class I am most excited about. Probably because it sounds the most interesting. I'm going to get to learn about how to save the world and build pretty buildings at the same time. What could be better?
Contemporary Development Issues:
   The class I am most excited about. Probably because for the first time in my college career, I'm not taking a class that is required for my major. This class is going to talk about the Millennium Development Goals (in case you're unaware: UN Millennium Development Goals), dive into things like poverty, famine, gender, fair trade. Basically everything I care about. I'm so excited. I really don't think you understand.
Well there it is. My wonderful classes. Now to fill out the entire packet of information I have left. Any volunteers to do it for me?
The One Who Will Actually Learn In the UK,
Jessica

The Acceptance: Part 1

At approximately 5:14 I received a call from my friend, urging me to check my e-mail. There it was, sitting there in its bold text shouting, HEY! I HAVEN'T BEEN OPENED! at me. I clicked on it and read:

Dear Jessica,
Congratulations on being accepted to study abroad at the University of Leeds for the Spring 2011 semester!

At this point I screamed out loud, and then entire computer lab looked at me. The letter rambled on, informing me of all this other stuff I had to do, blah blah blah blah. Well, not blah blah blah blah exactly, considering I actually have to do it, but hey, I was just going to enjoy my moment.
But its official, the University of Kansas sees me fit to travel across the Atlantic ocean and represent the Jayhawks. Now I just have to fill out everything else.....

Your USA Representative at the University of Leeds,
Jessica