Abby Magistro, Engineering Perspectives of the Renaissance and Sustainability: Florence Summer 2023
Studying abroad can be a very intimidating prospect. Hopefully I can use my experiences to give some advice to others who may be thinking about studying abroad. For many, including myself, studying abroad can be their first time traveling abroad or traveling on their own. Acknowledging that those situations are new and challenging is the first step to thriving on a study abroad. I found getting through the airports with all my luggage to be incredibly satisfying and I was proud of doing it on my own. Before I went, I was concerned about time and workload commitments, as well as the financial impact studying abroad would have. Looking ahead at what my college schedule was going to look like for the next couple of years helped me find the right time to fit a study abroad into my schedule between marching band and my engineering classes. I also applied for multiple scholarships, and ended up receiving two from Pitt that allowed me to pay for the study abroad. Applying to multiple scholarships would likely help, but I’ve had the best luck in general with applying to Pitt specific scholarships through PittFund$Me. As it stands, studying abroad has allowed me to finish my humanity course requirement and actually lightened my workload for this fall semester.
If I were to go abroad again, I would try to plan my time more carefully. While studying abroad, I went on weekend trips with my friends I met on the program to Cinque Terre and Naples/Pompeii. All of these places were absolutely stunning, and I’m incredibly glad I got to see them. The only complaint I have was that we planned the trips at the last minute, which makes a little sense given that I didn’t know any of the people I’d be studying with or my academic schedule until I got there. Planning quickly the week before we left for the trip not only meant the train tickets were often more expensive, but also left us trying to navigate and figure out where we wanted to go on the spot without having much time to decide. It also meant that we felt a bit rushed while going through a lot of the places, though only so much can be done about that on weekend trips. I did have a blast just walking around and seeing the sights, but the planner in me would have enjoyed a more solid plan.
As far as classes go, it is definitely important to choose a study abroad that is not only in a good location, but also has classes that fit well into your degree plan. I personally went on the Engineering the Renaissance program that is connected to Swanson and took a class by the same name and an art history course. Both classes were in general outside of what I usually study as a computer engineering major, but the quick style of study abroad courses allowed me to use the study abroad as an opportunity to branch out and try things that I couldn’t do during the normal school year. I knew in advance that art history was not going to be easy for me with all the memorization, but learning about art from an expert and getting to see all the amazing Renaissance art in Florence was worth it.
Overall, I loved studying abroad, and would recommend it to anyone who is even remotely interested. The whole thing went by so fast, so it is important to enjoy it as much as possible. It truly was a life-changing experience.
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