I've been wearing a helmet, and might invest in some knee pads.

One of the most amazing things about physically living in Oxford is the "road traffic." There are essentially three ways to get around Oxford. They are: walking, cycling, and bus. Some people drive, but cars are in the vast minority and parking is almost impossible to come by.

With walkers obviously walking on the pavement (UK for sidewalk), that leaves the cyclists and the buses to fight it out for road space, a concept that should make you cringe if you are from Boston or the like. However, the WEIRDEST thing happens. Cyclists actually have the right of way, there are bike lanes on each road at least 2 yards wide, and the buses literally stop and wait until the road is clear of people on bikes. There are bikes everywhere you look, locked on to almost any pole or railing in sight, or just free standing against a wall. Within the first few days of being here (after my first big walk to the social sciences building/economics library), I bought a second hand bicycle to get around town. A little nervous (primarily because of the whole left side of the road situation), I rode it home from the used bike shop. On my way home, a bus literally came to a COMPLETE stop to let me and 3 other people on bikes go ahead. I literally turned around to make sure it hadn't hit someone, because surely it couldn't have been stopping simply to let us silly people on bikes go. But it was. And for all you lovely smart-asses out there, no, it wasn't a bus stop.

Now the thing is, very few people on bikes are actually wearing helmets, primarily because it is so safe to ride, but also because no one else is, and there is the issue of the dreaded helmet hair. Lately, I have been. Which gets us to the purpose of this post. (And then I have to go back to reading about optimal tax theory). I haven't been wearing a helmet because Mr. Rasico told me to on 5th grade bike safety day, or because my mom told me she would kill me if I didn't, or even because I just got this new white and silver bell helmet that makes me look "so pro." (quick shoutout to my teter cycling biker chicks, miss you).

The answer is: D. None of the Above. I have been wearing my helmet because the past 4 days of my Oxford academic life have been so incredible, and enriching, and just all around mind-BLOWING, that something bad has to happen. Life cannot just be this good. These opportunities, these brilliant people that spend their mornings teaching little old me about economic and philosophical theories when they could be writing brilliant shit to publish at the Oxford University Press, for other brilliant people to read, cannot just be at my academic "disposal" without the universe throwing something back in my face. So I am wearing my helmet, and might invest in some knee pads. In the meantime, I'm just going to keep on having the time of my life.

Miss you all

Stay tuned for: "All British people do is stand in line."