I recently traveled to Italy and studied there for spring semester. I lived in Arezzo and studied through OU, which kept me on track to graduate and still allowed me to travel around Europe. I am graduating this December, which is really exciting. At the same time it is hard as well. I need to decide whether I will be continuing on to graduate school or entering the work force full time. If I continue my education, I will hopefully be able to remain at OU for another few years. Either way, it is hard to believe that it is already time to graduate!
This semester I am taking 4 other classes. I am taking one English course to finish my minor requirements. The other three classes are through the International Area Studies department in Hester Hall. I am looking forward to meeting new people through my classes and hopefully doing well, while at the same time maintaining a social life. One of the things that I have recently begun doing is volunteering at the Second Chance Animal Sanctuary on 24th Avenue. It is a lot of fun, and I am able to work solely with the cats. Right now there are actually a few kittens there. They are adorable and they are so much fun to play with.
(Polo at the Second Chance Animal Sanctuary; My photo)
Hi Elizabeth! I am also a senior and cannot wait to graduate as well. I'm really jealous that you got to travel and study in Arezzo! I've taken 3 Italian classes and really wish I could have actually practiced it in Italy because I have forgotten most of the language by now. That's great that you volunteer at the Animal Sanctuary. I really like the picture of the cat you posted too!
ReplyDeleteElizabeth you sound so adventurous! Some of my friends have studied in Arezzo as well and really enjoyed it. Im glad you're a cat person! I just recently bought a little rag doll kitten named Onyx and he's really fun to play with too! Also best of luck making a decision on whether you want to join the work force or go to grad school!
ReplyDeleteOh, look at that cute kitten, Elizabeth! That is so great that you are able to help the little critters. We took in two stray cats over the past year - we had thought we wanted to get little kittens, but we were so enchanted by these two stray cats who came our way (one was maybe 6 months ago, and the other maybe a year old) that we decided that they would suit us just fine, and it's true: we have had so much fun with the two of them, and I think they are having fun with us of course!
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, I enjoyed Storybook from last semester so much, and I am really glad you wanted to take this course too. Since you are in IAS, this can be a way to get to know (an unusual way admittedly!) a really exciting and important part of the world. Maybe you can choose a topic for your Storybook that will help you engage with India as it is today while also working with the epic stories. There are so many possibilities, and I am excited to see which way you will go with that!
There are always so many activities going on in IAS that it's hard to keep up with them all, so if there is ever any event that you think would be good to include in the class announcements, just let me know. That would be great!
Hi Elizabeth! First let me say that you aren't the only one with anxiety about what to do after graduating. Do I get another degree? Do I try to get a job? What do I want to do exactly anyhow? It's all very stressful, but it'll all be over and done with soon enough.
ReplyDeleteI think it's great that you've been able to study abroad. I was never able to capitalize on anything like that, but one of my back-up plans is to try and teach English in Japan for a while. I've done virtually no travelling in my twenty-five years, so I'm really starting to feel the wanderlust setting in.
Good on you for volunteering at Second Chance. The world needs more places like that and more people like you!
Good luck this semester!
Cheers,
Ryan
Hey Elizabeth! Congratulations on being so close to receiving your degree! That's so exciting! I completely understand that anxiety of trying to decide which way to go after graduation. I'm a senior and will graduate in the spring so I am trying to decide myself. What do you want to do with your degree?
ReplyDeleteAlso, how amazing was Italy? I want to travel so bad! It's been forever!
It's cool that you wrote for the OU Daily. Did you enjoy that experience? Do you like writing?
How did you get involved with Second Chance? I used to volunteer with an animal shelter in high school, but have not done much since college and have thought about starting up again.
Hi Elizabeth, great getting to read a little bit about you. I also studied abroad in Italy and lived in Arezzo. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to go for an entire semester but I did spend some time there this summer. I absolutely loved Italy and all of the people that I met there. I also am a senior and struggling with the thoughts of graduation. I can't believe that school at OU will soon be ending for me and I'm sure you are going through the same thing. Hope your senior year goes well.
ReplyDeleteHey Elizabeth! Loved your introduction. I really wanted to complete Organic Chemistry 2 in Arezzo last summer but found absolutely no time. It's so cool that you got to travel around Europe and still stay on track with school. That's my biggest fear with studying abroad. I have so many dreams and desires but I want to stay on track with school and it's just so hard being a Microbiology Pre-Med major and finding programs around the world that offer the same classes and stuff that OU does. It's awesome that you're volunteering at Second Chance and getting to play with animals that you love! Cats are awesome, especially little kittens. Good luck with everything! Hope it all works out.
ReplyDeleteHi Elizabeth! I definitely understand the graduation dilemma you're going through! I graduate this December too and I have no idea whether to be an adult or go to school a little bit longer! It's too much responsibility to decide right now! I'm so glad that you love volunteering at Second Chance. I wish I could play with the cats, but I'm allergic and so I think my nose would die.
ReplyDeleteHi Elizabeth, its so nice to meet you! Im in my senior year as well but I am not graduating till May 2016, so that is so awesome for you! As much as it might be a difficult decision to choose between more education or going into full time employment, Im sure you will make the right decision for yourself! Also keep in mind that you could always work for one year and then go to grad school afterwards. I am so jealous that you studied abroad in Arezzo! I haven't studied abroad in college and its a huge regret of mine. I look forward to reading more of your posts this semester!
ReplyDeleteHey Elizabeth! First, that is such a cute cat!!!!!!!! I too am a senior and am confronted with what I want to do after I graduate, and it can be daunting sometimes. I have heard great things about the study abroad program in Arezzo, and it sounds to me like you enjoyed it as well. That is GREAT!!! It is very nice to meet you!
ReplyDeleteI think International Area Studies sounds so cool, as well as English Lit. I was English Lit before I transitioned to Letters after my freshman year. Deciding between graduate school and the work force is tough – I think i’m going to stay in school for as long as possible! Just kidding, but it really is quite fun. I’m looking forward to reading what you have to write!
ReplyDeleteHey, Elizabeth! Congratulations on being almost done with college- that’s so exciting! I am graduating in May but December is so close- I bet it’s hard to believe you’re almost done. That’s really neat that you volunteer at Second Chance Animal Shelter. The pets need the love and it’s amazing how therapeutic it can be for people as well. Good luck with the rest of your semester!
ReplyDeleteHi Elizabeth! Congratulations on graduating in December! That's really cool that you were able to study abroad before graduating! I hope that you are able to make a decision about graduate school that you feel confident in! That's awesome that you are volunteering at Second Chance Animal Shelter. I have been there a few times to spend time with some of the animals, and I can see why would you enjoy volunteering on a long-term basis! Good luck with everything in the future!
ReplyDeleteHello Elizabeth, nice to meet you. I am jealous that you got to go to Arezzo, it sounds like such a great time. Good luck deciding on whether to go to graduate school or enter the workforce, that sounds like a really tough decision. That's great that you volunteer to work with animals, it seems like you really like cats.
ReplyDeleteHi Elizabeth! It was great to read your intro! Congratulations on being able to graduate in December! I graduate in May, and it feels so surreal. It must be so exciting to know you are so close to being finished with your degree! Your major sounds so interesting, and it's so cool you were able to go to Italy! I went to England for my study abroad, and it was so much fun, but I have friends who went for Arezzo and absolutely loved it! I wish it was easier to go abroad a lot more! It is also so great you volunteer at the animal shelter!!!!!
ReplyDeleteHello Elizabeth!! I have to say, your major and minors must keep you busy!! I feel like International Area Studies, English Lit, and European Studies would require a lot of reading and writing, as well as keeping up with current events. Which, of course, is also necessary of a journalist. So yeah, you must definitely be busy.
ReplyDeleteOn a completely different note, I am going to be studying in Arezzo for the semester this spring!! So it’s awesome to hear about someone else who has done the same thing. I am INSANELY EXCITED, but also kind of nervous to be abroad, haha.
Anyways, I hope you are able to figure out what you want to do after undergrad, and congrats on your early graduation!!!
Hey Elizabeth! First, let me start off by saying how cool I think it is that you got to Italy. I have always wanted to go, but never got a chance. Hopefully, once I am done with school, I might get chance, but that still seems far away. Your cat seems really great from the picture. I was never a fond of cats until my best friend got a cat and I played with it a couple of times. Now, I love them and want one of my own.
ReplyDeleteHello Elizabeth it is great to meet you. Wow, sounds like you have a full plate. Well in your introduction you say you are not sure if you should enter the real world or stay in school. I say....The real world sucks!!!!!!! further your education. Being the smartest person in the room is never a bad thing. Also, congrats on graduating. College is tough to get through so I think that anyone that makes it through with their sanity intact deserves praise. I am so jealous that you got to go to Italy, it has always been a dream of mine to travel there, mainly because I wanna eat all the food that place has to offer and also so I can see all the historical sites. Well it was great to meet you and good luck on the rest of the semester.
ReplyDeleteHi Elizabeth!! I really really liked reading your introduction!! So awesome that you got to study abroad for a whole semester! I did four weeks in Spain this summer and definitely wanted to stay longer! I am graduating in December as well and I am absolutely freaking out! It definitely does not seem real to me! Good luck to you after you graduate!
ReplyDeleteHi Elizabeth! It's great to meet you. I'm jealous that you got to study abroad for an entire semester! I wanted to do that so badly, but it just never worked out with all of my extra curricular activities. Congrats on graduating!! That's such an accomplishment - one that is overlooked, sometimes. I hope you get to return to Italy if you wish. Again, great to meet you!
ReplyDeleteElizabeth, I'm surprised I haven't commented on your introduction already, but nevertheless- hi! I think that it's awesome that you're doing International Studies. When I was a freshman I lived with three girls that were all International Studies majors. The classes sound so interesting and I'm totally jealous that you've studied abroad. I've always wanted to do that but I just haven't had time yet. I hope you have a great rest of your semester!
ReplyDeleteHi Elizabeth! Congratulations on graduating this December! I think that it is really cool that you got to go to Italy and study there. I bet you had loads of fun and got to see and experience a lot of different things. Europe is a tiny continent t so you were probably able to see other countries too! Anyways it was nice meeting you!
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