As my time at UMass is coming to an end, I’m both excited and anxious about my graduation. Sending out job applications and trying to metaphorically sell myself to potential employers has made me evaluate exactly what my education has provided me with and how well prepared for the professional world I am. Although hindsight is 20/20, there are a few things I would have done differently if given the change to “re-do” college. Continue reading
Although most students are counting down the days until they leave for their study abroad adventure, I was completely dreading it. I started panicking about going abroad about a year before I actually left, but I convinced myself that, as a Spanish major, I had to do it. I was looking forward to the prospect of bettering my Spanish and living in a picturesque Spanish city, but I really had no desire to leave my family and comfortable daily routine.
As a kid, I never went to sleep away camps. Going to college an hour and a half away from my home was a traumatic experience to say the least. In my twenty years of life, the longest I had gone without seeing my family was probably three weeks. Moreover, I tend to have a very strict daily routine; it’s just my personality. So, when it came time to get myself on a plain to Madrid with a bunch of people I didn’t know, going to a city I’d never been to, and living with a host mom I’d never met, to say I was freaking out is an understatement.
Ultimately, I made friends. I didn’t want to go home. Continue reading
When I first heard to the question, “Why is Spanish your major?” my response was that I enjoy speaking and learning the language, and would like to eventually be a Spanish teacher. I’m not really sure what my motives were for being a Spanish teacher, other than the fact that my mom is a Spanish teacher, so I’ve been exposed to the career my whole life. I envisioned my self teaching in a normal, middle-class, nearby town. Both my parents work in wealthy towns, which comes with its fair share of downsides, but after a few eye opening experiences, I realized that I am more drawn to working with a different kind of population. When I look back at my first news forum post about my major choice, it seems vague and unsure to me, but I think I have a little more direction now after some of my experiences this semester. Continue reading