I'm a senior fashion merchandising major, 21, and I studied abroad the spring semester of my junior year in Florence, Italy. I chose Italy because I wanted a culture shock and I had never been overseas before. Once there I learned so much about the luxury market, attended trade shows, and met many Italian professionals who were in the fashion industry. While there I learned Italian, went to church at the Duomo, had the best gelato and made friends with so many locals.
My most memorable moments were when my roommates and I traveled somewhere new every weekend. Italy was always home to us, but we loved adventuring to new places and seeing other cultures. I went to Prague and saw the John Lennon Wall and stood on St. Charles Bridge. I ate the weekend away and walked it al off everyday trying to get in all of our major site seeing.
I did spring break in Greece, getting to island hop to Corfu, Athens and Santorini. Seeing the Parthenon temple and the ruins of the Acropolis is something I'll still be trying to explain until the day I can go back. Breathtaking views, ocean waters, beautiful mountain sides, it was living in a fairy tale for an entire week. By far my favorite trip!
Italy was always home though, we did our best to fit in an appertivo, an Italian soccer game, tanning along the Arno river. We adapted some of their culture ways and learned to love espresso shots and croissants for breakfast. I ate Gusta pizza once a week, and learned how to consume 5-course meals like the Italians do.
My experience was everything I could have asked for and so much more. It shaped me into an adult, brought friends to me that I could never live without now, and made me really self reflect on where I want to be professionally after graduation. My advice now as a senior to anybody who's thinking about studying abroad, is PLEASE GO!
