Arriving back in Chapel Hill was really difficult given the change around that had happened. My roommate had moved out and I didn’t know my new roommate at all yet. It felt like I was having to settle in all over again, especially considering the excitement of the Christmas break had now come to an end and I was having to adjust back to getting down to work. I also started working at the Student Stores – a 3 storey shop in the centre of campus which sells everything from textbooks to everything you could ever want in Carolina colours. I am now 6 weeks into term and it has absolutely flown past so far. I have a new English roommate who I have also happened to get on with really well and am so glad to say that!

I have been lucky enough to be able to get into nearly all of the basketball games. The system works as a lottery where you apply for two tickets to every game in a two day period (if you remember!) Tickets are then randomly allocated to all the students who have applied. I only managed to win in 1 of the lotteries but luckily my friends who had won would always give me their second ticket so I managed to go to all the games I wanted. The most exciting game so far has been the game against Duke. This is said to be the biggest rivalry in American college sport so we were really anxious to win. If North Carolina wins, the students watching the game all ‘rush’ to Franklin street to celebrate. They line the streets and often stand in circles and burn anything they have out of excitement. I was really hoping to witness this while I was out here along with the other exchanges so we watched the game at a small fraternity house just off Franklin street. The game was heated and very close throughout, we were often leading but unfortunately we lost at the last minute. However, this weekend we play Duke again at home. The home game means that the rushing of Franklin street is even bigger if we win.

I have enjoyed two skiing weekends as part of the UNC Ski and Snowboard Club this semester. We drove to Virginia to two different resorts called Bryce and Massanutten. It was a big difference from the slopes I was used to in France – they weren’t mountains they were hills and the snow was all fake. Bryce only had 2 chair lifts and 4 runs. But I enjoyed the weekend away regardless and met some fun Americans to spend time with.

I have currently booked some very exciting travel plans including Spring Break where I plan to fly to New York to meet a school friend from London. We will then fly to Chicago and cross Lake Michigan for a night to meet another friend we went to school with. I have booked my flights home from Los Angeles and plan to travel the state of California by road with friends from UNC for 6-4 weeks before returning home. The end is definitely in sight but to say the least there are exciting things ahead.