From Lecture Halls to Ancient Halls: A Day of Olympic Discovery (Friday, May 16th)

 Today was one for the books! We kicked things off with a morning lecture all about Olympism—a term that goes beyond the Games themselves. I learned about the Olympic Movement’s core values and the multiple committees that help bring the Olympics to life: from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and Organizing Committees (OCOGs). Each one plays a vital role in everything from athlete eligibility to how the Games are hosted around the world.

After that, we dove into the sports of the Summer Olympics, exploring both classic events and some exciting new additions. I was especially intrigued to learn that breaking (breakdancing), flag football, cricket, and lacrosse are among the newer sports being added or continued in upcoming Games. It’s so cool to see how the Olympics are evolving with youth culture and modern athleticism.

Midway through, we took a quick 10-minute break, and of course, we made the most of it with a competitive round of foosball (a wholesome encounter attached below). It was fun, lighthearted, and a nice mental reset before we headed off to brunch.

I grabbed brunch with the girls and tried Pane Conzato for the first time. I went with a Margherita Pepperoni pizza, and it did not disappoint. There’s just something about sharing good food with good company that makes travel days like these extra special.

Our next stop was the British Museum, which was easily one of the highlights of the day. I finally got to see the Rosetta Stone in person... mind-blowing. We also explored exhibits on bull jumping in Minoan culture, the Greek gods of Olympus, and artifacts connected to ancient athletic festivals, which laid the groundwork for what would become the modern Olympic Games. It's wild to think about how much history is tied into the roots of global sport.

We wrapped up the day with one last lecture that dove into the history of the Olympics. Two things stood out most to me: first, the 1968 Mexico City Olympics and Rule 50, which restricts political statements by athletes during the Games. It's a complex and often controversial topic, especially when it comes to athlete activism. I appreciated the space to reflect and learn about the ongoing debate surrounding expression and representation on such a global stage.

The second topic that stuck with me was the Cold War era Olympics, particularly the 1964 Tokyo Games. It’s fascinating how global tensions and politics have shaped the Games across decades. These stories really emphasize how the Olympics are more than sports; they're also a mirror of our world.

All in all, today was a powerful blend of culture, history, and movement—literally and figuratively. I’m learning more than I ever expected, and I can’t wait to keep exploring how the Olympics continue to shape global narratives.

May 16th: Lectures and Adventures!

We started our morning off early with a quick breakfast before heading to the Syracuse University London Campus which was a short walk away for our first lecture. Our first Olympic lecture followed the topic of Olympism, a term used to describe the games as a whole. We learned core values behind the Olympics of Respect, Friendship, and Excellence and then learned the roles of the many committees that work together to bring the Olympics to life which are the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and Organizing Committees (OCOGs). Each one of these committees plays a huge roll in the oversight of the games.

Following that we learned more about the Summer and Winter Olympic Games: we dove into the many sport groups which are permanent in the games and some new additions that are going to become more common in future games. Diving deeper we also learned about the disciplines and events that each sport has in the game, showing us the broader picture of each sport.

We had a quick 10 minutes break before our research topic workshop where we got to explore the building and stumbled upon a foosball table. A heated match was had between Blythe and Rory versus Ava and I: Ava and I made a major comeback and the game point was at 4-4 when Ava scored the final goal for the win!

After our workshop the girls and I headed for a nice lunch before going to the British Museum where we had pizzas, pastas, and salads, at a quaint outdoor Italian restaurant. We took this time to continue to get to know each other asking why we chose Syracuse for college.

The next activity on our itinerary was the British Museum, home to many ancient artifacts from around the world. In relation to our course we learned about Bull Jumping in Ancient Greece, the Greek Gods (had to hit some poses), and other Ancient Grecian artifacts from the festivals during the Ancient Olympics. Aside from that we saw other artifacts such as the famous Rosetta Stone and the Sixth Caryatid which was amazing to see with my own eyes.

We returned back to campus for one last lecture of the day to discuss the Modern Olympics and delve deeper into the many different eras and important games from the 1900s. We also learned of certain rules about the Olympics such as Rule 50 which prevents athletes from politically protesting at the Olympics. This rule is in place to provide unity at the games and make sure the Olympics is entirely sport focus. We also learned about the Munich Massacre which I had never heard of and how the Olympics handled moving forward with the games after Israeli athletes were taken hostage and killed during the games. 

Wrapping up our lectures, we returned back to the hotel where I took a brief cat nap before meeting Kami to head to the National Gallery. The National Gallery had hundreds of magnificent paintings from hundreds of years ago including original works by Van Gough and Monet. We then decided to do a little sightseeing of Big Ben while walking to dinner and caught the sunsetting behind us in the distance before indulging at dinner.

All in all it was a fantastic day learning about all different kinds of history in the Olympics and beyond. I can't wait for our final few days in London!