Alumni Spotlight: Maria Grace Garland

Maria is an undergraduate Sophomore at New York University majoring in psychology. She enjoys painting, having deep midnight conversations with her friends, and playing with her cat after a long day of school.

NYU Florence was an ideal location for my interest in Renaissance history. Plus, I had never lived overseas for an extended period of time, and I don't think it likely that I would ever get the chance to do so in Italy after graduation. So I thought, why not? The location had a wide variety of classes to take. I took History of Italy During the Renaissance with a native Florentine professor who was extremely knowledgable about Florence. He knew everything! That was something that I would not have gotten out of my home campus in New York.

My university was extremely helpful in the whole process. They gave us packets of information regarding the visa process, what to expect while in Florence, where to go, and precise dates for departure and return. Though I had to carry out the process on my own, I had precise instructions on how to go about it. Furthermore, when I did have questions or concerns, I simply went to the office of global programs and met with advisors in person.

If I had to sum up my experience and give one piece of advice, it is that everyone's study abroad experience will be different, and you don't really know what your experience is going to be like until the end of your program. So don't go in with that many expectations, because more often than not, it's not going to be what you think it is. Just enjoy as it comes.

I lived in a home stay that was relatively close to campus. Most days I would walk to school, which would take about 20 minutes. I would get to class, and depending on where it was, I'd have to climb a very steep hill to get across the villa (our campus) to the other building. I actually wouldn't call our classrooms buildings, more like 15th century Renaissance style homes. Classes were small, consisting of around 15-20 students per class. During breaks I'd either go to the library, the cafe, or the lemon garden that had a good view of the sunset.

What's one thing you'll miss the most about your experience?
The challenge of being a traveler. Not only did it feel liberating to finally travel on my own and decide what I wanted to do with my time, but also it brought challenges that helped me develop as a person. When you are in an unfamiliar environment, it really is up to you and/or your friends to work as a team (or by yourself) to figure out a plan. Traveling felt like a project, we needed to plan, budget, execute, and have fun. I think that is something you won't learn until you're in it.