ADVENTURES AT FRANKLIN

Here at FUS, there’s a LOT of different dorm possibilities. Single, double, triple with or without separate rooms, apartments for six rooms… all of it, really. Most FUS students get to experience a few of those arrangements during their time here, so this article may be helpful to them or incoming students. Without these tips, I had to learn from hands-on experience! I had my own room back home so it was definitely different. This article touches on a few tips which I’ve learned from my current experience as someone in Panera… which if you don’t know has a shared bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and living space. My roommates and I have made this work, but not without communicating and understanding the social cues we give off. Decide what space is who’s So.. there's a book space. Who has which shelves? In the bathroom, where is each person able to store their stuff? Be prepared to sacrifice space in areas you don’t really care about but others do, it’s only courteous. In regards to kit...

*For prospective students that don’t fully understand the US university system: A major is a specific subject a student specializes in during their time at university while a minor is typically pursued based on interests that don’t fall exactly under the major, but still are valuable to one’s education and personal interests. Some abbreviations used: SJS = Social Justice and Sustainability HIS = History IR = International relations As a first-year student at FUS, knowing what college path is the best fit for me is definitely not my expertise. I’m currently between three majors (SJS/HIS/IR), two of which I’d possibly want to double major in. However, there’s a bit of planning that has to be done before any of that can be decided. Perhaps I’d want to minor in one instead! So yes, it’s quite complicated and I really need to put some more thought into it and in the meantime, get other’s advice. Fortunately, also getting to hear others’ personal interests has helped me get a better underst...

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 ...