When was the last time you heard somebody say, “I’m really looking forward to my upcoming layover”? As somebody who actually likes the interlude between flights, I’m considered a statistical outlier at best and absolutely insane at worst. Hear me out: layovers are great because they give you an opportunity to sit or walk around comfortably in between flights, exploring the familiar setting of the airport.

Hi, my name is Analise.

When I was in the 5^th grade, I read the Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants. And then I read the second. And then the third. And then I watched the movies. And then I bought a pair of jeans and was distraught when they didn’t fit my friends, too. I was obsessed. Ann Brashares, you got me good. Going to Greece, (particularly Santorini) has therefore long been a dream of mine, and as soon as I knew I’d be studying in Europe this semester, I was dead set on getting there.

A well known observation about the act of growing up is that, as we get older, we slowly but surely lose our sense of fearlessness. As a little kid, I never worried much about where I was going or who would be there, I sometimes wondered about the prospect of snacks but aside from that, I was a go with a flow kind of girl with a knack for creating adventures. Now, however, I worry and get nervous, I buy 3 kinds of insurance to travel abroad and frankly, if they had insurance for insurance I might have that too...

What to say about the lakes of Italy? I guess I’ll start with this thought: Lake Como is not the only lake in the country! Yes, I am aware that George Clooney owns a home there. I know who George Clooney is. I get it. But let’s move past this fact, shall we? Because there are many other beautiful lakes in northern Italy to explore! So let’s get started!

Hey everyone!

We are coming down to the final countdown—two weeks left! I always find that at the end of the semester I feel like time has completely flown by and I still have so many things left that I want to do. Not only that, but the last two weeks are definitely cram time, as we come down to finals and realize that we suddenly have so much work still to do. Actually, that leads me into what I wanted to talk about today.

There is a certain art to the “day trip.” The simplest definition is when one visits a place and returns in the same day. But a definition that is more true to life is this: the process of attempting to cram every location, attraction, restaurant, museum, and type of food into the span of 8 or so hours. It can become an exhausting, tedious thing. However, if you plan well, it can be a trip well worth it –and often one that helps you save some money for some longer trips!

I hope that every single person reading this has had, or plans to have, the opportunity to travel alone at some point in their life. It’s invigorating, let me tell you. It’s invigorating and relaxing and empowering and exciting and incredibly refreshing all at the same time.

After a semester of meeting people from all over Europe, I have often asked myself what my life would be like if I were born somewhere else. In my travels, I have seen new lands and experienced unfamiliar cultures. Each one was unique and has given me a new perspective.