ADVENTURES AT FRANKLIN

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 y...

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) ...

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 : ...

Sometimes life in college can get busy. So busy that you barely have time to blog! ( ahem that's me.)  So, I apologize for the sporadic posting last semester. But, I was working on a super cool video project debuting this Fall (more info on that later). Not to mention that I was having the time of my life at Franklin!  If you're a prospective student reading this blog for the first time, welcome! If you're a new incoming student for the Fall 2014 semester and wondering what life at Franklin is like, I hope that this post can be a help.  So without further adieu, here is a recap of what I did last semester!  It started out strong, after a refreshing winter break back home, I was ready for a new semester of classes, learning and exploring! I already told you a bit about winter at Franklin and my February travel to budapest , so let's start with the academic side of things.  Classes I took:  Italian  International Polit...

We all have been back from Academic Travel for about two and a half weeks now, so reality has finally sunk in! As much as I wish I was still in Africa on a Safari, I also can't complain too much. Lugano is beautiful, I am enjoying my classes, the springtime sun is shining and we have so many fun April activities on campus! Before I tell you all about those though, let me recap my travel a bit. We flew into South Africa and basically spent over a week driving and camping our way from Southern to Northern Botswana! We stopped to see the rare white African lion, a rhino conservatory, lots of safari parks, the salt pans, a bird sanctuary and more! We even spent three nights in the wildest of wild places.. the African bush. Literally we camped in the savannah hundreds of kilometers away from any sign of civilization. It was AWESOME. I had the best of best times! And after 10 days of camping we made it to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe (one of the 7 natural wonders of the world!) and...

As Franklin students we are so lucky to be studying "in the heart of Europe" just like the brochures say. Yes, it may sound cliche, but it is totally true! Switzerland is very centrally located and the fact that we are a 45min shuttle ride away from three different Milan airports opens up a world of travel possibilities.  Two weekends ago Franklin students had the Friday off of school for February Break, and thanks to our global setting, many students used the long weekend to take an adventure! It is so fun to scan through my Instagram/Facebook feeds and see snapshots of such diverse places. Some students went to classic European cities like Berlin, London, Paris, and Barcelona. Others ventured to more unusual destinations like: Romania, Serbia, Morocco, and Hungary. While others took advantage of the beautiful country we live in and explored Zurich, Grindelwald, and even Lugano!  I know that many of my friends back home like to tease me that I "don't actually ...