Program: Freshmen Abroad: TTO: Italy
Term: Summerterm 2018
Major: Biology (PHNB) and Public Health Science, Pre-med
Studying abroad changed my life!
I learned to be independent and made so many friends before I even started college. I met so many people--both from UMD and from Italy, that I plan to stay in touch with for quite some time.
Advice for future #TerpsAbroad:
The men in Italy are very forward with their affections, and you will hear a lot of comments as you pass them on the streets. Make sure to stick with a bigger group while you're exploring the town in case any of them give you trouble! I'm also a pre-med double major, which makes studying abroad hard to fit into my schedule. Take advantage of summer and winter programs! These short-term programs give you the full experience, but they won't impact your program if you have to stick to a timeline!
There are so many programs out there, and there is at least one that will work for everyone! I was told it wouldn't be possible to study abroad because of my pre-med requirements and double major, but I talked to the EA office and we found a summer program that fit into my schedule perfectly.
My most memorable experience was our first day in Italy.
Our flights had gotten mixed up and we had ended up stuck in Dublin for a day, arriving to Italy almost two days late. When we finally got to Italy, we had a trip to Capri planned, so we rented boats and went out to the island. The landscape was gorgeous, the people were so friendly, and as we came into a tiny bay, we all decided to jump off the boats and go swimming in the Mediterranean! It was so special and really helped all of us bond as soon as the trip began.
The hardest part of studying abroad is remembering that you're there to learn.
I was too busy having fun and exploring the cities we stayed in, and I tended to do my classwork at the last second. Make sure you do some work every day, and then you'll have plenty of time to explore without the stress I put on myself!