Hello everyone, greetings from Worcester! Less than month left until I leave for Rome, and I wanted to share about how I got involved in the Maymester program.
First off, what is Maymester?
It is one of the study abroad options Holy Cross offers each year for students, where for about a month in May you study in a foreign country. There is a variety of different places from England to India so there is always somewhere new to travel. Or if you are looking to return somewhere you get the bonus experience of taking a summer class taught by professors from Holy Cross. You live with a group of other Holy Cross students too so you can still get that sense of being in a group while traveling independently.
Why I chose Maymester in Rome
Early when I first was looking at colleges I was thinking of what kind of opportunities each could connect me with. I’ve always been interested in adventures in foreign countries, but I did not think I would be able to study abroad my Freshman year. Holy Cross is the only school I looked at that offers a summer study abroad to all class years so I was thrilled when I learned I could participate.
There are so many program options to choose from, and I chose Rome In History and Imagination. As a Biology major on the pre-med track I know I have tons of science courses to look forward to, but I felt I wanted to do some exploration in history in a country I’ve never been before. And what better way to learn Roman history and art while being exactly where it happened? We’ll learn about the Colosseum or St. Peter’s Basilica or any one of the sites while we are standing in the middle of it all. That is an experience every student should have.
So why else should you participate in Maymester?
With busy class and sports schedules, a lot of students worry that they won’t have time to study abroad for a whole semester or year. Holy Cross gives the chance to study abroad during the summer and fulfill a class requirement so you gain a memorable experience while lightening the class work.
Also, these Maymester programs are taught in English so you can study abroad without knowing the native language, unlike the semester or year programs.
The best part is that you have the chance to fully immerse yourself in a culture for a whole month without feeling like you are too far from home because you have the support of other Holy Cross students and professors.
So if you love to travel, want to experience another culture, love history (or the arts or social justice or any of the classes offered), then Maymester is the perfect opportunity for you.
For now I’m finishing up the spring semester, but in the meantime I look forward to eating a lot of delicious gelato!
