As I’ve reached over one month of living in Milan, I am finally feeling a little bit like a local with my routine. Growing up, I learned the importance of routine and order in my life. Of course my days are never exactly the same, but I will try my best to capture a typical day in my life of living in Italy. Monday and Wednesday’s are my busiest days with class from 9:00am-2:30pm. Those mornings begin around 7:00am when I wake up and get ready for class. I usually take a bit of time picking out my outfit because everyone always dresses so nice! This is very different from wearing my athletic clothes at Wofford, haha! Before departing for class, I grab a coffee from the coffee shop in my dorm. I always go with a cappuccino, which is hard to beat here for only €1.50. My first class begins at 9:00am, so I leave my room around 8:15am to walk to the metro. I commute to class with friends and the metro ride is around 20-25 minutes…not bad at all! Some mornings we are all sardines in the metro as there are many commuters. I have been so grateful to have public transportation here because it makes life so much easier! We normally are able to find seats about halfway through our commute when a large number of commuters leave the metro before our stop.
Each class is typically 1 hour and 40 minutes, but we only have the same class two days a week. My first class is called “The Mediterranean: A Plastic Sea.” This is my smallest class with only six students, including myself. This topic has been so informative about the effects of plastic pollution in the oceans, and specifically the Mediterranean sea. Because of this, I have been able to reflect on my plastic use and how the plastic pollution affects the world’s entire ecosystem. My second class is called “Positive Psychology: The Science of a Good Life” and we begin each class with a brief meditation session to prepare our minds. My professor travels from Brussels each week…isn’t that crazy?! All of my professors are amazing and I have really enjoyed each of their classes. Between my second and third class, I have a 40 minute break which is when I eat my lunch. Because of this short break, I pack my lunch these two days and eat at the center. My third and final class is called “Italian and American Approaches to Mental Health.” This is by far my favorite class because mental health is so important to me and I am fascinated by learning more about it. This class is so informative and I love every second of it. I am so thankful to be able to take classes outside of my comfort zone and expand my knowledge. My final class ends at 2:40 and then I usually commute back to my room.
My Tuesday class schedule consist of Italian 105 and is followed by “Managing Fashion and Luxury Companies.” On Thursday, however, I only have my “Managing Fashion and Luxury Companies” until 12:30pm. Thursday’s are very easy and I usually am able to complete a lot of tasks this day.
I normally go straight home from class, but if I don’t, I typically stop at Tre Torri and grab a bakery item and espresso. Tre Torri is a newly built, modern area that has shops, restaurants, and beautiful scenery. This stop is on my way home, so it’s always very tempting for me to get off. Once i’m back to my dorm, I usually lay down for a little and sometimes even sneak in a little nap. I also complete my homework and any other assignments that I have.
I love FaceTiming my family, friends, and Jackson in my free time! I try to talk to them as often as I can to stay up to date about everything back home! Although I miss them all like crazy, I am so grateful for this opportunity that I have and am soaking up every last bit of it. How can I not?! I’m only in this beautiful place for three more months and I feel like I just got here. Time is truly flying, especially now that my classes are cranking up!
I end my nights by cooking dinner with my friends and watching some tv. I’ve recently been watching Law & Order SVU and it is so good! I love anything crime or medical in shows, so this is right up my alley. I love ending the day with a show to relax and have some self-care time.
P.S. I have been lacking in my blog posts…I am aware of this. I am much better at staying up to date on my travel instagram @carols.life.in.europe