Hey! My name’s Elizabeth Mueller, I got to the University of Virginia, and I’m majoring in Economics and minoring in Leadership and Public Policy. Studying abroad in Florence has truly been the experience of a lifetime, one I’m sad to leave behind. If you have any questions about whether or not you want to study abroad, please feel free to contact me.

My favorite memory:

If I had to pick just one of my favorite memories it would have to be my day spent in the Boboli Gardens. One nice, warm Saturday in late March, my roommates and I packed bags full of blankets, books, and snacks and decided we were going to spend the day in the gardens. We started off going to an all-you-can-eat sushi restaurant and stuffing our faces until the walk up to the Pitti Palace seemed like a reprieve. We went into the Boboli Gardens, and everything was so lush and green, people were milling around with their friends and family, and we just set up the blankets, lay in the sun, and read for hours. When we had finally had our fill, we started the walk home, stopping at people playing live music in the piazzas, getting gelato, and looking at the fresh artwork the local artisans had been doing all day. It was the perfect day, and at the end of it, we stayed in our apartment, cooked a huge meal for all eight of us, and piled into our living room to watch a movie together. It was a picturesque day filled with relaxation, friends, gelato, and music. My favorite memories aren’t the ones I made doing all the staple things like going to the art museums and climbing the Duomo (though those are fantastic memories and something I sincerely recommend you do). My favorite memories are the quiet domestic ones with the people I’ve met here and the ambiance so unlike anything at home.  

My biggest piece of advice:

If there’s one piece of advice I could give you, it’s to come in with an open mind. When thinking about whether or not to study abroad don’t worry about missing out at home, don’t worry about whether or not you’ll like your roommates or your apartment. If you come in with negative preconceived notions, you won’t be able to truly experience your time abroad. Studying abroad is supposed to be fun! It’s supposed to be a time when you can get away from your home and learn about yourself in a new environment. Studying abroad is what you make of it. If you think it’ll be bad and you spend all day sulking, it’s not going to be the best time. But if you come in with an open mind, stay true to yourself, and be open to new experiences, you will have the time of your life. Talk to the locals, learn the culture, and experience life outside of the comfortable bubble you’ve made for yourself in the US! I promise you won’t regret it.