The Top of the Milan Duomo
Author: Laura Stephens | Major: Art History | Semester: Fall 2022
I do not remember deciding to study abroad. All I remember is a mental awakening this past March where I realized “Oh, this is happening.” Before I knew it I was on a long thirty-six-hour journey to land in the most beautiful place I have seen, Florence, Italy.
It has been four weeks since that fateful day arriving here in Italy, but it feels like four months. Each day has been an adventure filled with awe, excitement, good food, and sore feet. To my surprise when they say “study abroad” they actually mean studying. It has been great traveling and exploring Tuscany, but much of my time has been spent on school. As an Art History major, many of my classes take place visiting the many museums that are here in Florence. We have visited the Uffizi Gallery, the Bargello Museum, and the Opera del Duomo Museum just to name a few. It has been surreal seeing the artworks I learned about at home from a textbook in person. Seeing works by Giotto and Botticelli has brought tears to my eyes. It is overwhelming trying to experience all that Italy has to offer, so I am thankful to be here for a full semester to have time to see it all.
That being said, I did leave a lot behind to be here for such an extended amount of time. There are many leadership roles that I held on campus back home in organizations like the Associated Student Government and University Programs that I have had to step back from. I honestly had terrible anxiety over leaving and worried that I would regret walking away from the positions I took so much pride in. However, now that I am here there’s no doubt in my mind that this has been 100% worth it. I have the honor of traveling to and living in a new country thanks to the scholarships I received from the Honors College. This is priceless. Yes, being involved on campus is rewarding, but studying abroad is another level of growth and leadership opportunities.
I knew how worth it this experience was when we traveled to Cinque Terre on one of the excursions included in my program. Cinque Terre means “Five Lands” that you can travel between on train or foot. There are no words to describe how breathtaking these lands are. The colorful houses, warm ocean, and delicious food made me feel like I was dreaming. I even got to go cliff jumping! Crazy, right? It was one of the best days of my life, but that is how I have felt about every day since being here in Italy. It is impossible to overemphasize how much it means to me to have grown up in a small town in Oklahoma and now be studying abroad in a city I used to dream of traveling to. Who knew this little cowgirl would one day be in one of the most beautiful and historic places in the world?