Entering college as a freshman is an experience unlike any other. It is filled with a new schedule, new friends, a new living space, new teachers, new food, and a new campus. For senior Victoria Yim, living in Italy is another experience that she can add on to her already taxing list.

Yim applied to New York University with hopes of receiving an acceptance letter; however much to her surprise, she was not only admitted, but also accepted, into its Core Liberal Arts Program which entails studying in NYU Florence for her freshman year.

This program would allow her to fulfill two of her dreams, studying at NYU as well as exploring Europe.

Before intending to major in political science and minor in communications, Yim knew that NYU would provide her with the environment and network for her to succeed.

“Out of all the universities and colleges I was accepted to, NYU had exactly what I was looking for: an urban environment, excellent networking, and an open door to hundreds of possibilities,” Yim said via email.

Yim will be arriving in Florence in mid August and leaving the city in late May. Her dorm and classes are located in Florence; however, she will be given the freedom to explore other parts of Italy including Rome, Venice, Naples, Sorrento, the Vatican City, and Vienna as well as surrounding European counterparts such as Greece, Croatia, and Austria. NYU encourages students who are studying abroad to experience European culture outside of the campus.

“What’s unique about this specific program is that it gives you the same education as the campus back home… just instead of being inside for hours at a time, my classroom is the culture, politics, and history of Italy itself,” Yim stated.

Yim will be taking Liberal Arts courses that count towards General Education credits and differ slightly from what she would have been taking if she attended the New York campus. All students studying abroad in NYU Florence are also required to take Italian and should be proficiently speaking Italian by the time they leave.

“I will be taking classes specially designed to fit my major, but they will be slightly different because the focus is to groom leaders that are culturally aware of their political surroundings. I’m not quite sure about the exact classes I’m taking, but I do know that they are hands on, since the history, art and the politicians are right in front of us rather than inside a book,” said Lim.

Yim hopes to escape the small bubble that she has been living in throughout her entire life and open her eyes to the world around her.

She also hopes to develop an understanding of the Italian government, culture, and history so that she’s not only more aware as an individual but also as a student majoring in political science.

“When are you ever going to get the chance to study abroad in a city and country that is so beautifully timeless?” Yim shared. “As for NYU, I would say that it is unlike any other university in the fact that it is a global school, with campuses worldwide. NYU is a university that is in and of the city; you have to be open to that.”