My Summer

After a hiatus in the US my summer is returning to its usual path. Since 2009 I have spent my summer holidays working at university for Clearing. Although I enjoy working for Clearing at the university, A-Level Day can be a very intense time with understandably stressed callers and last year I found myself looking forward to the start of the term for a change of pace.

I had a lovely holiday; I spent two weeks in Orlando and one in New York, being as touristy as possible in both locations. I particularly enjoyed The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal Studios and also Hollywood Studios in Disney World. The shops at Downtown Disney are very impressive, including a Lego shop with a life size Loch Ness monster in the river outside (not that the size of the Loch Ness monster has been definitively decided)!

New York was also impressive and in just four days we covered the Statue of liberty, Ellis Island, The Rockefeller Centre, The Empire State building, Fifth Avenue, New York Library, Times Square, a Sex and the City tour and a showing of The Lion King. Not to forget the fantastic Alexander McQueen exhibition at the Met and the Harry Potter prop exhibition at Discovery: Times Square. A very enjoyable part was the Whole Food market at the bottom of the Time Warner building.

By my exploits on holiday you may have picked up that I quite like Harry Potter. I did go and see the last film last Friday. I am terrible and trying to critique Harry Potter films because I am a fan of the books, a film is never as good if you have read the book. Let us just say it was good and leave it at that. In terms of cinema I am looking forward to Cars 2 because I revel in anything Pixar and Captain America, because I saw Thor and it was much better than I expected.

Other than getting back into the swing of Clearing my other current occupation is taking in my reading list for next year. All of the books are interesting but some such as The Art of the Incredibles are particularly a pleasure with lots of concept art and a fold out colour script. I hope I will have enough information in my head by September to make the most of my last year at uni!