By Anna-Rose Zayan

Last week was really busy for me both in terms of work and activities, and a lot of the events I attended, most with international students, felt like the epitome of the American experience—which is why I thought I should tell you about them!

The Superbowl, the final of the NFL, isn’t really followed in Europe—we mostly just hear about the halftime show, which is precisely why I was excited to get to watch it live this year. Before the game on Sunday, the people on the subway were chanting the team’s name and there was a great spirit in the city—everyone was wearing green.

I tried (I really did, I swear) to understand the rules and follow the game, but after the halftime show, all my attention was solely on whether Rihanna was pregnant. Although the Eagles, Philly’s football team, lost, it was a great time to spend with everyone. I was surprised at how much people here took it to heart, particularly when one of my professors gave us a pep talk about how another season of some sport I can’t remember was coming soon, and it would “all be okay.” Overall, despite not understanding anything at all and losing in the end, we had a great time together and I got to experience the Superbowl!

Tuesday was Valentine’s Day, and some friends from my residence hall floor suggested we all cook for each other. Somebody made some (absolutely amazing) meatballs, I devoured a few sausage rolls and many, many pieces of chocolate, and my friends and I made crêpes so that the others, who had never tried them before, could see what we were so excited about. However, whisking crêpes without a whisk is far more complicated than it might sound—but we pulled through! We covered them in Nutella and ended the night with them. It was a really fun way to get to know people on the floor and have a great (and not lonely!) Valentine’s day.

On Wednesday, the 76ers, Philadelphia’s basketball team, played against the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Wells Fargo Center. We got discounted tickets through the Global Programs team, and it was an amazing experience. We were really high up and could see everything. It was both exactly what I expected and nothing I could have imagined. There were dance cams like I always see on social media and a surprising amount of music playing at all times. The atmosphere was fantastic, everyone was so involved and excited—and we won!

On Friday, a girl I know invited me to meet some of her friends, and we had the best time together at their flat. We got to know each other and they talked to us about what it was like to be in a sorority. They were all so welcoming and kind, it was a great experience!

During the weekend, I caught up on work on the fourth floor of the library (my favourite because of how much light there is), called some friends from home to get updates about the England gossip, and hung out with the international students some more. We spent a lot of time getting to know each other more—which is particularly good considering we’re all going away together for spring break—then got some cookies at Insomnia Cookies, a place on campus open late at night. The week was really busy, but I made such great memories, and I can’t wait to experience more of the American lifestyle!