Ho Fatto Gli Esami!

Hello! Although I’m sad fall break is over, it means there’s a new blog this week!

Exams and Studying (I promise it's not boring)

Midterms were this past week, and I must say that only being allowed to bring a pen to an exam made for a very interesting study experience.

To recap from the last blog, each midterm asked 2–4 questions based on a specific situation or theory. A scenario could be:“If a company expanded to X country but decided not to innovate, what could be potential effects?” There were also more technical questions like, “How did the Marshall Plan open the way for a united Europe?”

I was asked to write a few short or long essays to answer the questions within a two-hour time frame. Everything was from memory, no notes.

I needed to improve my study methods if I wanted to do well on the exams. Typically, my method was to revise class notes, create a study guide, write out the concepts, and then make a practice exam.

This time, I began by creating practice test questions based on class lectures and slides. That helped me figure out which concepts I was proficient in and which ones needed more work. Then, I made flashcards to practice and remember those concepts.

I met with some classmates to quiz each other using the flashcards. After I felt confident in a topic, I would try to explain it to my roommate. If she understood, I was ready for the exam; if she didn’t, I knew I needed to study more. I came to like this process much better.

And how did the exams go? Pretty good! I won’t know my grades until next week, but I’m confident in many of the answers I gave.

Just like that, I reached the halfway mark of my adventures abroad.

Fall Break: San Marino

After the intensity of midterms, fall break brought the perfect chance to reset and explore fulfill a childhood desire.

Never would I have imagined being able to come to Italy, much less fulfilling the dream of visiting San Marino. If you remember from the first blog, the whole idea of coming to Italy was born from a picture I saw as a child. It depicted a seaside port with small rowboats and colorful houses. For some reason, I thought it was San Marino.

Given that San Marino is landlocked and not actually in Italy, I decided to forget about the port and visit San Marino instead.

The Trip

The trip started on Monday with two trains and a bus to get to Rimini, an Italian city about one hour from San Marino’s city center. I spent the evening walking around downtown, visiting a few museums, and having dinner.

The next morning, I took an early bus up to San Marino’s city center. The first thing I saw was the thickest, most delicious hot chocolate on the face of the planet. It had the consistency of softened butter and was absolutely incredible.

Afterwards, I visited the three towers that once protected the city. Inside were various state museums, mainly focused on weaponry and knights. This took most of the day, as San Marino has several museums included in the price of a single ticket. It was such a wonderful experience to learn about some of the history. At lunch, I ate a panino, one of San Marnio's local dishes.

The day ended with a long walk through the city before heading back to Rimini. After a quick run and dinner, I was ready for bed.

"Quick" Stop in Bologna

I took a train ride back to Florence, but made a quick stop in Bologna. The main purpose? Pizza. It was delicious... too delicious... so much so that I ended up missing my train back to Florence. Thankfully, a two-hour bus ride and a 30-minute train helped me get home.

Ending with Gratitude

Just like that, the trip was complete. New study habits were unlocked, and a childhood dream was fulfilled.

Reflecting on this experience, I feel so grateful for everyone who helped make this study abroad journey possible. None of this could have happened without you!

If you’ve recently reached a goal or fulfilled a dream, I’d love to hear about it! Send me an email or comment on the blog.