Good evening Gamecocks and fellow readers!
It's the final week of classes before exams here at LSU. That means final projects and papers are in full swing. Everyone is preparing to batten down the hatches in preparation for finals next week.
Last week was a fairly relaxing week as everyone went home for Thanksgiving break. Rather than drive eight hours home, I chose to do a simple hour and a half flight. If you are planning on flying home for Thanksgiving, make sure you book your flight weeks ahead of time. Also, make sure that you arrive to the airports a couple hours ahead of time because they are packed! Regardless, it was nice to be home after being away for so long. It definitely made me miss home a little more though.
In regards to NSE, it has been an amazing experience. I would whole heartedly recommend this experience to anyone who is interested. Through this exchange, despite it only being domestic, I have become connected to an international community. I have met people from all around the world that I would have never encountered had I not done NSE. Also, NSE allowed me to learn more about my own country and the people who live in it. I was able to travel to a part of the United States that I had never experienced before. It has been a thoroughly enlightening process.
For anyone thinking about participating in NSE, know that it is going to be a long journey. It'll involve a lot of paperwork and patience. There will be times when you worry if the whole process is going as it should. Just have faith and patience that it is all going to work out. It will be more than worth it. My only recommendation would be to finish all of your requirements as soon as you can. It will save you a lot of worry later on.
Anyways, it's been an amazing journey. Thank you for tagging along and reading.
Monday, December 2, 2019
Tuesday, November 26, 2019
Day 100: The End is in Sight
Good afternoon Gamecocks and fellow readers!
Once again, warmth and rain have returned to Baton Rouge. When you live here, you have to get used to weather not acting along a set plan. You never know what the day might hold in store for you. Most students here almost always carry a small umbrella on them just in case. Nonetheless, the rain has done little to nothing to hamper the students' spirits. Everyone is excited and ready for the upcoming Thanksgiving break! Once the break is over, it will be a week of studying and then finals. This semester is quickly coming to a close.
Last weekend saw the football team triumph over Arkansas. Campus was once again filled with tailgaters filling every space they could find. Even restaurants will come and set up tents to celebrate the game. Unfortunately the best picture I took (placed below), does not do the LSU tailgate justice. The closer you get to the stadium, the crazier it gets.
Overall, the rest of the week was more of the usual. Classes were attempting to squeeze in final test and quizzes before the break coming up this week. Everyone else was busy finalizing their travel plans. Personally, I am pretty excited to go home. As the title says, it has been 100 days since I last was home and saw my family. It'll be nice to be home and take a break from my course work. Hopefully it will give me the burst of energy I need to finish out the semester. Once I'm through my exams, I will give you all my final thoughts on the National Student Exchange program,
Until then, take care!
Once again, warmth and rain have returned to Baton Rouge. When you live here, you have to get used to weather not acting along a set plan. You never know what the day might hold in store for you. Most students here almost always carry a small umbrella on them just in case. Nonetheless, the rain has done little to nothing to hamper the students' spirits. Everyone is excited and ready for the upcoming Thanksgiving break! Once the break is over, it will be a week of studying and then finals. This semester is quickly coming to a close.
Last weekend saw the football team triumph over Arkansas. Campus was once again filled with tailgaters filling every space they could find. Even restaurants will come and set up tents to celebrate the game. Unfortunately the best picture I took (placed below), does not do the LSU tailgate justice. The closer you get to the stadium, the crazier it gets.
Overall, the rest of the week was more of the usual. Classes were attempting to squeeze in final test and quizzes before the break coming up this week. Everyone else was busy finalizing their travel plans. Personally, I am pretty excited to go home. As the title says, it has been 100 days since I last was home and saw my family. It'll be nice to be home and take a break from my course work. Hopefully it will give me the burst of energy I need to finish out the semester. Once I'm through my exams, I will give you all my final thoughts on the National Student Exchange program,
Until then, take care!
Monday, November 18, 2019
Day 92: Home: So Close and Yet so Far
Good Afternoon Gamecocks and fellow readers! Things are warming up a little bit here in Louisiana. Last week's cold front seems to have temporarily stopped as today was fairly warm. For context, last week was so cold that everyone could see their breath. Officials were even worried that the roads would freeze over and school would have to be cancelled! Fortunately (or unfortunately for some), school was not cancelled and we have had some pretty nice days.
Last week was more or less pretty similar to the week before. Lots of studying and exams; it was perhaps the biggest exam week for me thus far. None the less, I managed to survive all the exams that were thrown at me. I will admit though, it was also the week I probably missed home the most. This is the longest time I have been away from home. Deciding to go to Texas instead of home for Fall break definitely factored into that. However, I am very excited to come home for Fall break. The connections I made with the people here and the experiences I have had also made the experience easier. Always surround yourself with good people and life's hardships will get easier.
Advisement for USC was definitely another challenge that I had to overcome. My advisor and I decided to handle my advisement for next semester over email. In hindsight, I really wish we had chosen to call instead. We exchanged emails back and forth for about a month (up until my day of registration). I cannot help but wonder if we could have finished those talks in a thirty minute phone call (normal advisement length). For any students, I would definitely talk to your advisor about handling it over the phone should you consider participating in NSE. None the less, we managed finish my advisement and I am all set to return next semester.
That's all for this week folks. Until next time!
Last week was more or less pretty similar to the week before. Lots of studying and exams; it was perhaps the biggest exam week for me thus far. None the less, I managed to survive all the exams that were thrown at me. I will admit though, it was also the week I probably missed home the most. This is the longest time I have been away from home. Deciding to go to Texas instead of home for Fall break definitely factored into that. However, I am very excited to come home for Fall break. The connections I made with the people here and the experiences I have had also made the experience easier. Always surround yourself with good people and life's hardships will get easier.
Advisement for USC was definitely another challenge that I had to overcome. My advisor and I decided to handle my advisement for next semester over email. In hindsight, I really wish we had chosen to call instead. We exchanged emails back and forth for about a month (up until my day of registration). I cannot help but wonder if we could have finished those talks in a thirty minute phone call (normal advisement length). For any students, I would definitely talk to your advisor about handling it over the phone should you consider participating in NSE. None the less, we managed finish my advisement and I am all set to return next semester.
That's all for this week folks. Until next time!
Monday, November 11, 2019
Day 85: Still Undefeated
Good afternoon Gamecocks and fellow readers! It's a surprisingly warm day here in Baton Rouge. The past couple of weeks have seen a number of number of cold days come and go. We could even see our own breath on some days.
It was another busy week at Louisiana State University. Classes are starting to shift into gear as the semester comes closer and closer to a close. Test, quizzes, and homework are in full gear keeping students busy outside of class. Nonetheless, we have still found spare time to have fun with our friends. In particular, the students here had a lot to look forward to as LSU geared up to play Alabama in football. There was a lot of anticipation in the air.
I was fortunate enough to watch the game from a bar with my friends. The atmosphere was amazing. People were shouting and cheering the entire game. There were an unfortunate few Alabama fans who had to listen to us. It was close game the whole way through and more than a few people were biting their nails and knocking on wood. However, LSU managed to pull through and it was a night full of celebration. The following day my friends and I treated ourselves at the Mexican restaurant Caliente. I whole heartedly recommend Caliente to anyone who visits Baton Rouge.
Well, that's all I have for this week. Until next time!
It was another busy week at Louisiana State University. Classes are starting to shift into gear as the semester comes closer and closer to a close. Test, quizzes, and homework are in full gear keeping students busy outside of class. Nonetheless, we have still found spare time to have fun with our friends. In particular, the students here had a lot to look forward to as LSU geared up to play Alabama in football. There was a lot of anticipation in the air.
I was fortunate enough to watch the game from a bar with my friends. The atmosphere was amazing. People were shouting and cheering the entire game. There were an unfortunate few Alabama fans who had to listen to us. It was close game the whole way through and more than a few people were biting their nails and knocking on wood. However, LSU managed to pull through and it was a night full of celebration. The following day my friends and I treated ourselves at the Mexican restaurant Caliente. I whole heartedly recommend Caliente to anyone who visits Baton Rouge.
Well, that's all I have for this week. Until next time!
Monday, November 4, 2019
Day 78: It's that Halloween Spirit
Good evening Gamecocks and fellow readers! Hopefully you are doing well on this wonderful Monday night.
It was a week of tests and celebration here at LSU as Halloween was around the corner. The beginning of the week saw to it that students were busy with homework and exams. Eventually the week's work slowed down and students were able to look forward to their Halloween celebrations. Many of the resident halls and apartments on campus held varying activities and events. LSU also held its infamous Fall Fest. Fall fest is a massive event held on LSU's Parade Ground where students, faculty, and staff can partake in free food and festivities. It is truly not an event to be missed!
On Halloween day, most of the students here like to go out with friends and party through the night. Due to Halloween being on Thursday, some students unfortunately had exams the following morning. Despite Friday exams, Halloween celebrations continued well throughout the weekend. Even on Saturday, people were still dressing up and going out. Although I did not try anything entirely new this week, it was still a fun week full of good times and celebration. Halloween on LSU's campus is not something to miss.
It was a week of tests and celebration here at LSU as Halloween was around the corner. The beginning of the week saw to it that students were busy with homework and exams. Eventually the week's work slowed down and students were able to look forward to their Halloween celebrations. Many of the resident halls and apartments on campus held varying activities and events. LSU also held its infamous Fall Fest. Fall fest is a massive event held on LSU's Parade Ground where students, faculty, and staff can partake in free food and festivities. It is truly not an event to be missed!
On Halloween day, most of the students here like to go out with friends and party through the night. Due to Halloween being on Thursday, some students unfortunately had exams the following morning. Despite Friday exams, Halloween celebrations continued well throughout the weekend. Even on Saturday, people were still dressing up and going out. Although I did not try anything entirely new this week, it was still a fun week full of good times and celebration. Halloween on LSU's campus is not something to miss.
Sunday, October 27, 2019
Day 70: Returning to Routine
Good afternoon Gamecocks and fellow readers!
It's a cloudy day today in Baton Rouge as it has been raining the past couple of days. It was a big time this past weekend. The LSU football team had a tough fight against Auburn, but ultimately pulled through in the end. Once again, campus was full of tailgaters and students alike. Even when it's raining, there is always a festive mood on campus during gamedays. You would be hard pressed to find an LSU football game where people are not in a good mood.
The earlier parts of the week saw many students returning from Fall break with classes in full swing. Personally, I started my week off with two exams and a quiz. Even if its after a break, always be prepared for when classes enter into full swing. None the less, it was a good week at LSU. I am saddened to say that I did not do much exploring in the past week. Most of my time was devoted towards getting back into the swing of things. Hopefully I will have much more to tell you about on the next post! Until next time, take care!
It's a cloudy day today in Baton Rouge as it has been raining the past couple of days. It was a big time this past weekend. The LSU football team had a tough fight against Auburn, but ultimately pulled through in the end. Once again, campus was full of tailgaters and students alike. Even when it's raining, there is always a festive mood on campus during gamedays. You would be hard pressed to find an LSU football game where people are not in a good mood.
The earlier parts of the week saw many students returning from Fall break with classes in full swing. Personally, I started my week off with two exams and a quiz. Even if its after a break, always be prepared for when classes enter into full swing. None the less, it was a good week at LSU. I am saddened to say that I did not do much exploring in the past week. Most of my time was devoted towards getting back into the swing of things. Hopefully I will have much more to tell you about on the next post! Until next time, take care!
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Day 65: On the Road Again
Good morning Gamecocks and fellow readers!
Hopefully you are doing well on this wonderful Tuesday morning! Today has finally seen to the return of sunshine here in Baton Rouge as it has been raining the past couple of days. The weather is starting to get a bit colder, so it's time to break out the jeans and jackets.
Last week was a very exciting week! The students here at LSU finally got to take a break from testing and assignments and leave Wednesday for fall break! I left immediately after class and headed West towards the city of Dallas, Texas, with my girlfriend to visit her family. It was a long seven hour drive and there was not a whole a lot between here and there. If you ever want to travel from Baton Rouge to Dallas, make sure you stop for gas in bigger towns as its usually cheaper. Any of the stops in between will more than likely sell you more expensive gas. After watching the beautiful Texas sunset, we arrived in Texas without any major complications.
As I learned in the days that ensued, there certainly is not a lack of things to do in Dallas. We were busy each and every day. In Dallas, there are malls everywhere, and I mean everywhere. Not only is there mall every couple of blocks it feels, but the malls themselves are also massive. You would be hard pressed to find a shop in a Texas mall that didn't suit your needs. We also enjoyed a hefty game of Top Golf, where I found out that you don't always have to be good at golf to have a good time. I also had my first taste of an In-N-Out burger and it was pretty good for how fast they made it.
Later in the week, my girlfriend's family and I traveled further into downtown. There we visited the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, which was a fantastic experience! The Perot had an exhibit on just about any topic you can think of. It also had plenty of interactive experiences that allowed to be engaged with the exhibits. After the Perot, we went to El Fenix for lunch. El Fenix is a true Tex-Mex restaurant and the food there was pretty incredible. It's definitely worth a visit if you are ever in Dallas. We ended the day by walking around downtown and visiting the infamous spot where Kennedy was shot.
Overall, I can safely say that we only covered a fraction of what Dallas had offer and it was amazing! If you are ever have the chance to visit, I would whole heartedly recommend it. I know for me at least, I miss the experience a whole lot.
Hopefully you are doing well on this wonderful Tuesday morning! Today has finally seen to the return of sunshine here in Baton Rouge as it has been raining the past couple of days. The weather is starting to get a bit colder, so it's time to break out the jeans and jackets.
Last week was a very exciting week! The students here at LSU finally got to take a break from testing and assignments and leave Wednesday for fall break! I left immediately after class and headed West towards the city of Dallas, Texas, with my girlfriend to visit her family. It was a long seven hour drive and there was not a whole a lot between here and there. If you ever want to travel from Baton Rouge to Dallas, make sure you stop for gas in bigger towns as its usually cheaper. Any of the stops in between will more than likely sell you more expensive gas. After watching the beautiful Texas sunset, we arrived in Texas without any major complications.
As I learned in the days that ensued, there certainly is not a lack of things to do in Dallas. We were busy each and every day. In Dallas, there are malls everywhere, and I mean everywhere. Not only is there mall every couple of blocks it feels, but the malls themselves are also massive. You would be hard pressed to find a shop in a Texas mall that didn't suit your needs. We also enjoyed a hefty game of Top Golf, where I found out that you don't always have to be good at golf to have a good time. I also had my first taste of an In-N-Out burger and it was pretty good for how fast they made it.
Later in the week, my girlfriend's family and I traveled further into downtown. There we visited the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, which was a fantastic experience! The Perot had an exhibit on just about any topic you can think of. It also had plenty of interactive experiences that allowed to be engaged with the exhibits. After the Perot, we went to El Fenix for lunch. El Fenix is a true Tex-Mex restaurant and the food there was pretty incredible. It's definitely worth a visit if you are ever in Dallas. We ended the day by walking around downtown and visiting the infamous spot where Kennedy was shot.
Overall, I can safely say that we only covered a fraction of what Dallas had offer and it was amazing! If you are ever have the chance to visit, I would whole heartedly recommend it. I know for me at least, I miss the experience a whole lot.
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| One of the exhibits from the Perot. |
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