Fri-YAY in London: Freedom!

Greetings! I am DyAnna. This next year I will be studying Psychology and Peace and Justice Studies at the College of Saint Scholastica as a Junior. My goal is to obtain a doctorate degree for clinical psychology and potentially work as a college professor. This is my first time out of the country of the United States, which may be relatively shocking, because I grew up ten miles from the Canadian border.

     Today started a bit abnormally as the groups split to have different experiences. As a theatre student, I had the delightful opportunity to tour the National Theatre. The organization holds its origin in the year 1963, but the building we toured wasn't opened until 1973.

      The National Theatre may look peculiar in comparison to the other lavish theaters of London, but don’t let its external modesty fool you. The blasé look was intentional. Minimalism was implemented in order to create a more balanced realm of theatre and decrease exclusivity. The concrete walls and lack of decoration are meant to send a message that people of each social class are welcome to the public building. The building, we learned, was crafted very carefully to make every persons’ experience as pleasant as possible. For example, the seats in the Olivier, the largest theatre on the premises, are arranged to ensure everyone in the room has an exquisite view of the stage.
     We waltzed through two of the theatres before checking out the backstage areas. The National Theatre was built with storage and efficiency in mind. The massive space was bustling with employees, tours, and individuals of the public. 











       
                 The theatre was intended to be welcoming to individuals whether or not they purchased a ticket. As a result, the building is spotted with restaurants, lounge areas and cafes. During the tour, we visited the backstage workrooms filled with curious projects and works-in-progress, and strolled above each of them through a public skywalk.

      After the tour, we were released to our own devices. A group of us including: Megan, Keely, Alissa, Leisa, Caleb, Shayna, Abbi and I strolled through Hyde park. We happened upon many wonders including the most delectable waffles topped with Nutella and ice cream. Alissa flirted with a goose, Keely found a cool tree, and I took 46 pictures of Shayna being quirky and adorable. We returned to the hotel for a quick rest then continued our busy afternoon at the British Museum. There, we were greeted with loads of historical artifacts. It was so immense, we will need to return another day to continue our visit. Now to wind down over some wine and Harry Potter.