Hi, my name is Gracie! I am a rising senior at Oberlin College, a small liberal arts school in Ohio. I’m from Long Island, New York—more specifically, the town of Glen Cove, along the North Shore. This summer, I will be studying in Stockholm for Sessions 2 and 3, with the exception of two Study Tours to Paris and Zurich! I am currently taking the Affective Neuroscience course, and I’ll be taking Lifespan Psychology next session.
I chose to study at DIS because I became a science major very late in the game. As a high schooler, I imagined myself becoming a novelist or playing in the pit orchestra of the New York Philharmonic. When I entered Oberlin, I was positive I was going to declare a creative writing or music major—chemistry? Lab? No way. However, after taking an introductory neuroscience class on a whim my second year, I thought, “wait. I kind of like this molecular stuff, and brains are cool!” From that point on, I had to cram in biology and chemistry classes that I had no intention of taking at all during my college career. This meant that I had no time to study abroad during the semester. Luckily, the DIS summer program offered me the chance to spend seven weeks in Stockholm, Sweden. I heard about DIS from my brother, who gave me wonderful feedback from his semester-long experience in Copenhagen. If I’m not mistaken, he is still in contact with his Danish host family.
This summer, I am looking forward to being ambitious. I want to translate most (if not all) of my nerves into curiosity and excitement by being an active participant both inside and outside of the classroom. I want to become more comfortable as an independent explorer, yet make as many spontaneous and sustainable connections as possible. I want to feel okay spending time in my growth zone and diving into uncertainty. I want to savor (yet fully digest) Sweden—from the course material, to the landscapes, to all the fika-ing and pastries. Lastly, as an avid runner, I hope to mainly use my legs to carry me to new adventures.
So far, Stockholm has been wonderful! The minimal darkness is confusing, but it leaves more time to explore the city. Today, I had a very wholesome visit to the island of Gamla stan with a few friends. Early tomorrow morning, I’m off to Paris for my first Study Tour. More exciting adventures to come!
