“Dolce far niente,” or in English, “The sweetness of doing nothing.” For a typical Italian mantra, it certainly has been the goal this summer to find a few minutes of respite as I prepare for my four-month exchange at Università Bocconi, the Economics, Management, and Finance school in Milano, Italy. This summer, I’ve been working part-time at a strategic marketing firm in downtown Chicago and running my startup through the NU Accelerator; more importantly, I’ve been prepping for what possibly may be the best four months of my undergraduate career.
I started school as a Dual Degree in Piano Performance and Economics. Now, I’m just a simple Economics major with minors in Italian and Legal Studies, because as a fourth-generation pianist, I said, “Basta!” However, I’m still deeply tied to my musical background, so Bocconi was an extremely easy choice for me when it came to considering study abroad options. As one of the major fashion capitals of the world, a prime destination for cross-continental travel, and the home of La Scala Opera House, Milan had my name plastered all over it.
I’ve had the pleasure of becoming friends with many Bocconi students, meaning the classes I’ve chosen (who’s a good professor versus who isn’t), the clothes I plan on packing (no tank tops or basketball shorts!), and the trips I’ve budgeted for (from train tickets to lodging) are all curated by enthusiastic natives. I expect rather straightforward academic courses with plenty of time to experience Italy and the rest of Europe. As somebody who aims to be a worldly, cosmopolitan individual, I expect to utilize Milan’s central location for travel, because if there’s anything that this summer’s taught me, it’s that there are 7 billion people in this world and 742 million of them reside in Europe. Why not meet a few of them, learn their stories, and (as educators have so kindly put it since the 80’s) “broaden my horizons?” Cliché, but certainly applicable for exchange. And trust me, broaden my horizons I shall.
See you on the other side.