ADVENTURES AT FRANKLIN

Welcome to the first week of December! It is simultaneously the best and worst time of the year! The holiday lights are up, the Christmas tree is decorated, not to mention hot chocolate/crepes/roasted chestnut stands are on every corner in Switzerland. The best! But, also the worst! Because it is the last week of classes which means research papers, essays, and presentations! Plus we've got finals next week at FUS! So it is officially STUDY TIME.   As a junior this is my 5th finals week , and I've learned a few things along the way! Some of these tips may sound silly or obvious, but these 11 tips have worked for me and I hope they might help you or someone you know a little too!  B E   P R O A C T I V E  (aka don't procrastinate) It is a trap that we college students fall into all too often, but I promise you that being proactive about your work will make the biggest difference. This is something I've really been working on this semester and it has basica

(photo cred: Carly Besh) Hey There!  So, I C E L A N D was the greatest ever! I seriously cannot overstate how awesome this Academic Travel was! We had a great group of students, the coolest country (literally.. haha) and as my first full-credit Travel I have to say, I give it a two thumbs up! I had my hesitations about meeting as an Academic Travel class twice a week the whole semester, but I felt so prepared to go to Iceland - I learned a ton beforehand, and I learned a ton while we were there! So it's a win-win-win situation! In the past, Academic Travel has been a partial-credit program at Franklin, but the university is phasing in full-credit travels, and I have to say that I am a fan! In the weeks leading up to the Academic Travel our class studied Iceland's culture, history and current environmental programs (since it is an environmental studies class) which meant that we were all prepared to ask good questions at the lectures in Iceland and really enjoyed talk

Hello from Iceland!  I survived midterms (barely..) and I have a blog post full of study tips coming your way! But first, ACADEMIC TRAVEL!  Like I said, I'm in Iceland and it has been incredible! It's one of those countries that I never imagined I would have the opportunity to visit, but I am so glad to be here! We've been learning so much about Iceland this semester in class and I am pinching myself that I am finally here!  We arrived Saturday evening and had an amazing first night! First stop: the Blue Lagoon! Floating around in this geothermal hotspot was the perfect way to relax after the stress of midterms and a four hour flight. I could have happily spent a few more hours there! On day two we basically had to drive up the entire Western coast in order to reach the West Fjords of Iceland! It was a loooonnnnggg drive, but so beautiful. We made a few stops to go on quick hikes to see natural geothermal hotspots, craters, and of course, the sea! So I

Welcome to another semester at Franklin! One of the best things about the Fall semester is that there is an incredible “Welcome to Franklin” program that lasts from Orientation Week until Academic Travel. It is called “Tutte Le Strade” meaning “All the Roads” in Italian - it is a take on the historical saying “All roads lead to Rome.”  Two years ago, as an incoming student, I remember being overwhelmed with how many fun activities there were to do during TLS! It seemed like every other day there was some kind of presentation, trip downtown, movie night, pizza tour, gelato party or weekend trip. It is madness! But oh so fun.  During my first semester there was not a single week before Academic Travel that I didn’t participate in some kind of fun TLS activity. It was a great way to meet new people , stay busy, learn more about Switzerland and have fun time!  Here is a copy of the TLS 2014 schedule so you can see for yourself!  My freshmen year I especially lo

Being at a small school, FUS students are close-knit and there is a distinct sense of belonging to a community. Franklin is not just a school, but a family and a home  to many of our students.  When I arrived back on campus two weeks ago, it was like coming back to a second home that I missed dearly. Even though I'm barely starting my junior year, I am already dreading the moment that I graduate and have to say goodbye to Lugano. This feeling of 'home' is something you've probably heard me talk a lot about on the blog already... maybe too much! So don't just take my word for it! I'm super happy to finally introduce you all to a project I've been working on since last spring semester: Franklin Faces !  My classmate and I interviewed six different Franklin students from across the world so that you could hear their stories too. Even though they come from vastly diverse backgrounds, all of the students I interviewed spoke about some common them

As my summer back home in the USA winds down, I find myself thinking more and more about life at Franklin. So while I am procrastinating packing, here is a quick list of 5 things that have me most excited about returning to Franklin!   1) Student Life - It is so liberating to be a university student! While I love being home with my family,  I always look forward to the freedom of being back on campus. As a university student, you are the master of your own schedule, and I love that!  But like they say, with great power comes great responsibility. So I try and limit my 1am weeknight movie watching/cookie baking! 2) Tutte Le Strade Events - These are mainly for the incoming students, but if there are any open spots, rest assured that I will be there! They are always a great deal (either free or a small fee) and are an excellent way to explore the surrounding community! My favorite events are the boat trip to Gandria, the local market trip to Italy (Ponte Tresa) and the pizza

Sometimes as Franklin students we get so caught up exploring Europe (and beyond!) on our weekends, that we forget to appreciate the beautiful city we live in. Lugano is actually a tourist destination for many Europeans and a true gem of Switzerland. So whether you are a student looking to get more acquainted with your new home, a visiting friend, or a parent dropping your child off, here are some of my favorite things to do in Lugano!  SAN SAL : The steep switchback hike is not for the faint of heart, but the view from the top is absolutely incredible! You can see all of Lugano's surrounding lakes, the mountains, and even Italy! If you are short on time (or don't want to hike) you can also pay to take a funicular up to the top.  SWIM : If you are here during the warm months, don't neglect to take a dip in Lake Lugano. The best place to swim is at Lido al Lugano, for 6 francs you get access to a beach, swimming pools, high dive and more.  LAGHETTO : Th