Work Hard, Play Hard

It's the end of the semester, and the Strategists have been working hard. We've always enjoyed going out and having a great time together. This week, we're hitting it pretty hard. Here are some of the things we've been up to.

On Monday, CN GBU-16 and CN Chatti orchestrated a "Christmas Social/Feud". It involved walking to the Codona's fun park (location) for bowling. And bowl we did! Because it's the end of the semester, this event was particularly well attended. In addition to all of the Strategists except for CN Slapshot, who was ill, and that unnamed bloke (who never socializes with us anyway), CN Warden, CN Vlad, and CN Templar were finally able to make it out with us. We even got CN Black Sheep to join in the fun! CN Homeboy, CN Ness, and CN Vlad brought their girlfriends, and CN Vlad also brought his flatmate. It was a great group, and we had a great time bowling before heading for TGI Fridays (the second Jimmy Chung's location was closing for the night) for more food and drinks. At that point, we split company, and CN Warden, CN Sister, and I went to the SOC... But not before popping in to the The Bobbin (location) for a few more drinks. There was this tool who was standing at the bar bugging me, so when he tried to chat up the girls at the adjacent table, I decided to torpedo his attempt. My effort was successful, and the three of us rejoiced. We wound up hanging out in the SOC until after 2:30 AM before parting ways and heading to bed.

On Wednesday, at the completion of our last lecture in Strategic Theory, the Director was unable to join us for drinks, but handed CN Sister a £50 note - the first one most of us had ever seen - and sent us off to the Machar for drinks on him. I had already been scheduled to head over there to meet with my friend Anthropology Jules for lunch before she heads back home for the long break, so the two of us wound up hanging out with the majority of my classmates. Once we all began to break off, a number of us went back to the SOC to attempt to study for a while before heading to the Bobbin for drinks, chow, and a few games of weird British pool. About halfway through that debacle, some creepy old dude took a liking to CN Sister (not the first time it's happened, and probably won't be the last), so CN Templar, CN Ness, and I had to initiate a combined arms defense on her behalf. CN Sister, CN Templar, and I then retired to the comfort of the SOC, where we were rejoined by CN Warden and his main squeeze, CN Bones for an hour or two. CN Sister and I finished out the night with a nip of Highland Park at the Machar before parting company for the evening.

In retrospect, although I would have liked to have accomplished some Arabic and reading on Tuesday and Wednesday, I'll probably survive. It's been a great semester with these folks, and I'm looking forward to more opportunities for socialization and group study with them in the months yet to come. For now, we're in the process of going our separate ways for the next few weeks, with me trying to decide between staying in Aberdeen to spend a month cramming for finals, or going on a few excursions in an effort to prevent cabin fever... While also cramming for finals. Stay tuned.