ADVENTURES AT FRANKLIN

With lockdown in Lugano, sometimes it’s hard for me to not self isolate for a few days. Likewise, I’m sure it’s the same for any admitted or prospecting students, parents, and faculty.  But life continues on despite the pandemic and especially now days can get a bit muddled together. We can get used to only seeing the faces in our proximity.  Perhaps it’s been weeks since you’ve talked to some friends from high school (the ones you want to keep in contact with, of course), or you’ve lost touch with old friends who you’ve only ever been happy around but they live ever so far away. I challenge you to reach out to people this Sunday. (psst. the day this is published, today!) Make an effort to reach out to 1-5 friends who you haven’t spoken to for a week at least and ask how their life has been. Rekindling friendships (even for a moment!) can really boost your self-esteem and make someone’s day just a bit brighter. I’m not saying reach out to anyone who has hurt you or yo...

It’s time for a new installation in this series! As my first time publishing for ‘Swiss Cities in Depth,’ a portion of this article will be dedicated to my experience at Bellinzona. The personal touch alongside an overview and some sites to visit seem exactly up my alley. I mean, you could google the entire history of Bellinzona in your free time, right? So, let's get straight to why this picturesque city is worth the visit! Brief Overview of Bellinzona Bellinzona is the capital of the Swiss canton of Ticino and was situated in a strategic location. The city surrounds the Swiss Alps and is on the Alpine foothill, meanwhile, the ‘Tre Castelli’ surrounds the city! The Castles of Bellinzona, which are also the symbol of Ticino’s capital, consist of three castles: Castelgrande, Montebello, and Sasso Corbaro. These giant fortifications act as walls surrounding the city, and since 2000 have been acknowledged as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Culture and Castles: Things to do Bellinzona wa...

Some days, acquiring the motivation to start an assignment or studying for a big test is excruciating hard, but it’s even more difficult when you’re surrounded by your comfy bed and plenty of other distractions in your dorm (and the freedom to kill time on your phone with no immediate consequences). Plus, there’s the pull to talk to roommates (they’re there to help with procrastination, right?) Therefore, I’ve compiled four different locations on campus that have different atmospheres for your specific study needs. Starting from less time constricting work to, hold your breath, your ultimate time-crunching-paper-writing-study-guide-reading-needs. But still, feel free to interpret my thoughts to fit your personal preferences!  The Grotto Overview I view the Grotto as an ideal location for small homework assignments or brainstorming for a paper. It also works as a great place for study sessions with friends or group meetings since there’s a separate room with tables and couches that ...

Ciao & Hello! It’s a new dawn, a new day, a new life. And with the 2021 spring semester at Franklin University Switzerland just starting up, the majority of FUS students have started settling back in on the Lugano campus after the winter holidays. Here’s a little update. While most students went home for the month away to visit family for the holidays (as I have), some stayed to experience Switzerland at a deeper level. Nevertheless, most are back now with the exception of a few students staying with family plus those who've graduated and the many USC study abroad's that quickly became close friends, which we had to say goodbye to with a heavy heart. Alas, the show must go on! FUS stretches out their arms to welcome around 30 new students (as I’ve been told by word of mouth) from partnering universities, Virginia Tech and Emerson College, and those who transferred. Currently, students are all keeping busy with a plethora of online classes, interactive zoom calls, and indepe...