When I first arrived at Stanford University, I was nervous, but as soon as I settled in I was eased to realize that everyone was in the same position as me. After only one day, I realized that I would be making friendships that would last a lifetime. Everyone I have met at the Stanford program is more than welcoming, and my program director, Brittany Knotts, made adapting and meeting everyone a lot easier and fun.
Once the car drove onto campus, I was blown away by the beauty and architecture of Stanford’s campus. As we strolled around campus, we got lost in our surroundings of ancient buildings and old churches. The open campus is a different environment than what I am used to living in New York City. From students riding on their bikes to playing volleyball on the Main Quad, this is what makes Stanford so unique from other colleges that I have visited. I can see myself being a part of the Stanford community and having the pleasure to become a student.
Not only is Stanford’s atmosphere enthralling, but its professors are inspiring. Our first class of the Abbey Road program was with Lonjezo, in International Relations, where we learned about the three main themes of the discipline: realism, liberalism, and constructivism. This was my first class about this topic, and I loved how he made such a dense topic simple and allowed the class to think outside the box. So far my experience with Abbey Road has been both exciting and intellectually interesting. I am so glad to be a part of the Stanford University program.
-Rosette Evangeline