by Titziana James
At college you’re so busy juggling 5-7 classes, a part-time job and an internship... and that’s just about “normal” for LIM students. Not to mention trying to manage a social life somewhere in between. My decision to study abroad was to get a change of scenery and travel the world. Living in New York is so demanding and speedy—trust me, the New York minute is a real thing!
Rome was my top choice for a number of reasons:
1. Italy has always been a travel destination on my bucket list. Even as a child, I knew once I was able to start traveling, Rome would be one of my top destinations.
2. The city is so beautiful and filled with so much history. It is a definite change from fast-paced New York City, which is exactly what I was looking for.
3. The other options (aside of from Australia) were too clichéd. The fashion student from New York studying in London or Paris—typical! The point of studying outside of LIM College was to take a break from being a fashion student. In fact, since I’ve been here, I’ve joined the Tennis Club and Yoga Club.
4. Out of all the options, the American University of Rome provided a real college/university experience. There are sports organizations, clubs, school functions and trips, etc. The campus is small, but very engaging.
5. Although I’m sure I’ll be given the opportunity to travel in the future, I saw this trip as my chance to explore the world while living in another country for four months. Yes, I may get the opportunity to make short visits, but nothing is more intriguing than living somewhere you’ve always wanted to visit. And nothing’s better than learning about such a historic culture through experience.