Don't Get Rusticated

Rusticated, ppl. a.

1. Relegated to the country; temporarily dismissed from a university.

2. a. Rendered rustic in manners; countrified.

b. Settled in the country; leading a country life.

If you do something very very bad here at Oxford they don't "suspend" you or "kick you out" or any other such dirty word; no, they "rusticate" you. Essentially, the privileged should perceive this dismissal less as a punishment than as simply "leading a country life" for the next term or two. It's much quainter and lovelier that way and keeps everyone feeling much less disgruntled when the Deans decide that they've been naughty. Actually, right now as I'm writing these papers in frenzied bursts of genius and despair, the thought of being rusticated sounds rather appealing.

Some pleasing and diverting photos from my mid afternoon walk through the Oxford Botanic Gardens:

Other adventures to relate include tank training for crew. Tank training is when they bring a bunch of novices (ooo, me! me!) to a swimming pool surrounded by mirrors with a giant built in boat in the middle of it. This allows people who have never rowed before the chance to master (well, attempt to) their technique without the added difficulty of trying to stay afloat. It was really very cool. And the most exciting thing is that Claire, Margot, Lydia, and I are all staircase mates and are going to be placed together in the same novice boat! Yessssss.