Goodbye & Hello

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Happy New Year everyone! I can hardly believe it's 2015 and that I'm already finished with my 5th semester at Franklin! It was an incredible one, and I am grateful for all the opportunities I had, new friendships I made, and the knowledge I garnered. I especially savored my time in Lugano because, I will not be back at Franklin this January. I am off on a new adventure for the spring semester, but never fear I will be back for Fall 2015, and I'm looking forward to my senior year at Franklin! In the meantime though, I am leaving you all in very capable hands. A wonderful classmate of mine will be taking over this blog next semester and I am excited for her to give you her own perspective on life at Franklin! 

So everyone, meet Morgan! 

She is from Boston, Massachusetts and majoring in International Management with an emphasis in Finance. She will be a Junior at Franklin in the spring, but she has spent the last semester studying abroad in the land down under! 
(^^) This is a photo Morgan sent me of where she has been living and studying in Australia... count me jealous! 
Her passions include: hiking, skiing, photography, travel, reading and much more. This photo was taken by her on a ski trip to Interlaken, Switzerland last spring. 

We had so many amazing students apply for this blogger position, it was beyond difficult to narrow it down, but Morgan's application really stood out because of what she had to say about what it means to be a Franklin student. I loved it so much I'd like to share it with you all now: 

" Franklin to me represents six continents, and twenty nine countries. Franklin represents my home, not my second home, but my first. But not only does Franklin equate to travel in my mind, to me it's a family. It's Holi, the Indian Celebration of spring every April. It's Oktoberfest, and all of the adventures and stories that come with our annual pilgrimage to Munich. It's late-night hot chocolate dates with friends from all around the world, and having so many cultures and languages represented in our classrooms. Franklin is the alps, it is apres ski festivities with the Franklin Ski Club. Franklin means Blueberry Piecake (now fondly referred to as Apple McGoober.) Franklin is the intimidating checkout ladies at Manor, and the daily beautiful struggle which is the language barrier between English and Italian, though it ebbs over time. Franklin is knowing that there isn't much that a Valf sandwich can't cure, and knowing that the best spot in Switzerland to study is in our super cool library-turned-bunker, with goodies from Tamoil, of course. Franklin is knowing that family is only just a Skype call away, but it's also knowing that family is living right on Via Ponte Tresa, in the form of friends who will last a lifetime. Franklin is knowing that these pictures, these stories, these people we do life with -- these will stay with us, longer than any other state school or well known university could provide. The wanderlust and inspiration I have gathered from Franklin has led me to all different corners of the earth, and has led me back to Switzerland once more. The quote "look before you leap, but please leap" is what led me to Franklin in the first place, and has proven to me that it's better to take a chance, and go for the adventure, than it is to wonder what if." 

Doesn't she sound lovely?! You all are in great hands and I will be back soon enough! Thank you to everyone who made my fall semester great, "ciao for now", see you later, and of course best wishes for 2015!






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