College of Liberal Arts
University of Minnesota
Twin Cities Campus
101 Pleasant St SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455

Maddy's Blog

Summer in the City

Since I’ve last blogged, I’ve been to Italy and back! I got home 2 weeks ago from a May Term study abroad session in Florence, Italy. I’m still adjusting back to life here, but it was an amazing experience.

Everyday, we’d walk along the Arno River, right by Ponte Vecchio to class. The Tuscan sun was far from forgiving and the frequent, yet short rain showers were welcomed. We spent every minute on the go from Rome to Bologna and Cinqueterre to Torino. Each city had something unique to offer. It’s hard to choose a favorite place -- I’m partial to Florence because that’s where my apartment was but the charm of Cinqueterre (Italian for Five Lands) is hard to ignore. As the days went on, the sun got hotter and the streets were more and more packed with tourists.

The return home was bittersweet; I missed my family and friends but hated to say goodbye to Florence. This summer is pretty low-key so far. I work about 25 hours a week. I’m training for the Women Run the Cities 10-Mile and sun bathing at Lake Calhoun in Uptown. Summer in the city is a new experience for me but so far, it’s great. There is always something to do or something to see.

June 30th, 2008
Picture of Maddy
  • Class & major: senior; broadcast journalism and magazine writing
  • Hometown: Buffalo, MN
  • Favorite Book: The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstien
  • When I have free time, I: workout, hang with friends, jam to my iPod, take pictures and explore the city
  • My favorite CLA class so far: CSCL 1501W: Reading History. It was challenging but wasn't the date/event memorization look at history.
  • When you come to Minnesota you've gotta try: the State Fair (cheese curds!), walk the Stone Arch Bridge, the Minneapolis music/art scene, and snowboarding.
  • If I hadn't come to the U of M, I never would have: fallen in love with the atmosphere here: the people, the nearby city, the athletics, the facilities, and the entertainment--all of which are one of a kind.