ADVENTURES AT FRANKLIN

"Tough times never last, but tough people do. " -Robert H. Schuller, American Televangelist. Welcome back or welcome to Adventures at Franklin! This blog looks at the happenings on campus at Franklin University Switzerland and recently, not much has been happening physically on campus. To be fair, not much has been happening physically in many parts of the world. We have gone digital! Actually, I should be a bit more exact, as many of us already spent regular time on the digital realm beforehand. *For the most part, different aspects of our lives such as interactions, work, classes, travelling, exercise etc. are online*. I wanted to touch on the online class experience for students, as it is the biggest recent change for many FUS students. Afterwards, I look at the #FranklinWeStand movement, as a reminder to stick together :) My online learning has been split into two different forms. For both forms, homework is largely the same (readings, worksheets, writing assignments ...

December is upon us, and the festivities are well underway! The trees are lit, markets are open, and snowfall has begun. While students are finishing up essays and exams, they are also trying to fit in the last few days of winter exploration. Side note: If you plan on journeying to an Italian-speaking destination during the holidays, you should know the word for Christmas – “Natale” – as it will pop up everywhere.   It all began on December 1 st with a series of tree lightings in Lugano. First, Franklin students decorated the FUS Christmas tree on campus with lights, decorations, and – of course – tinsel. There were cookies, candy canes, hot chocolate, and smiles so big that they could only be caused by holiday cheer. After the tree was sufficiently shiny, students wandered downtown to watch the city’s biggest Christmas tree light up in the main square (the Piazza della Riforma). After the long-awaited countdown, the packed crowd dispersed to explore the Christmas...

And we are back! Students have returned to campus from exciting international experiences, and are gearing up for final exams and winter break. I have interviewed some students about their memories from Academic Travel, and here is what they have to say: ... Name : Ethan Chong Year : Junior Major : International Management with an emphasis in Marketing Hometown : Denver, Colorado Academic Travel Location : Barcelona, Spain What was the focus of the course? “The focus of the course this year was specific to the current political situation between Catalonia and the greater Spain. We concentrated on what was going on, why it was happening, and if people actually wanted independence.” What was your favorite learning moment? “When we spoke with the dean of one of the universities there. He told us all about his own perspective, because he is from Barcelona. He explained to us that a lot of people feel like they are being treated unf...

Students hard at work! A new and exciting happening at Franklin this year has been the successful opening of the Fowler Learning Commons. This space was created through a generous gift from alumna and trustee, Angela Fowler, and has expanded our student study space on campus tremendously. Located on Franklin's North Campus, this space has provided an even better locale for students to come study, hang out, and get tutoring help with our fantastic  Writing and Learning Center  students. The loveliest study space. Our Director of the Writing and Learning Center,  Professor Ann Gardiner , spoke of the space, saying: "The ways in which students learn today have changed dramatically over the last two decades, with a new emphasis on collaborative and technology-enhanced learning. A typical learning commons space includes not only quiet space for individual study, but also casual reading spaces, group study areas, brainstorming environments, presentation preparatio...

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 bas...