#if I choose to go study abroad on my 5th semester I have to write 3 assignments in español 😭😭😭😭

[solarismp3]

Can anybody recommend entertainment channels or pages or movies just anything where they speak Spanish plzzz I need to practice for my exam in December

[ashcoveredtraveler]

Dec-13-2023

So this is mostly for me than anyone else, but I am posting it as I know I will see it more often as I like looking at my posts. But if you would like to read, then read ahead.

Anyway during the majority of my activity Tumbler, I was studying abroad in Europe. I was looking at my posts and my 5th post, I was in Europe for a month at this point and I specifically remember this drawing as this was the first time I drew with color as I just recently bought watercolor Faber Castell and I didn't bring any of my art supplies to save some room(even though it didn't really help me as I am bringing back two tins of art stuff but whatever.)

Anyway, the point is that it is so weird looking through my posts this semester and realizing that the circumstances I was in when making these posts will never happen again.

And that was what I have been thinking these last weeks here. I won't be living in this particular co-living space ever again. I probably won't go to this country ever again unless I go to one of the anniversaries of the college I am in for the campus that is here. I probably won't drink legally at 19 again(as I am turning 20 somewhat soon and I won't be traveling within now and my birthday).

Now I am left with an almost packed room, ready to leave to go back home.

But I am happy with what I have done here. I have a couple more good friends, I finally figured out what major I may like to do (choosing between electrical or mechanical engineering), and I am more comfortable with creating stuff online-including an Au, which I am a bit surprised about as I am proceeding with my adult life and I still am in the mindset that fandom stuff is meant for middle and high schoolers.

Since things are changing, I am both nervous and excited. All of my friends are a year or two years older than me, so one of them is graduating at the end of the next semester, and the two others are graduating by the end of the next school year-leaving me. It doesn't help that I will probably be a super-senior as I was looking at the engineering major class requirements and I would need to take about 17 to 20 credit hours of classes every semester to graduate on time, and I am on my 3rd semester with an undeclared engineering major - but I may figure something with my adviser.

Obviously, I have my fic and now my AU. I try to work on them as quick as possible as I am afraid I would get uninterested in the fandom and stop working on it. Before getting fully invested in the Hollow Knight fandom, I was in the Skyrim/Elder Scrolls fandom and I was starting to write a few fics before getting into the HK fandom so I have about 30k of unfinished fics. Who knows, I may return to the fandom for a longer period to work on them again when Elder Scrolls VI comes out. But for now, I may just make short fics for ES.

That is my fear, starting something and just not finishing it. But I am glad with the work I have done and I will continue it as now there isn't a fandom looming over the horizon that will take my entire attention from HK (There is Rainworld though, but we'll see).

Anyways, kinda wanted to put this out there. I appreciate every like, comment, or whatever as I know at least someone is looking at my work. Since I will be traveling a bit more before heading back home, and I won't have service, posts may be scares for a bit but we will see. I hope you all have a wonderful day and stay safe!!

[aintnoscience]

Online Classes and What Should I Do After Graduating

It's Thursday, October 5th 2023, 14.22.

As I write this post, I am attending an online class. I don't know if the world is still doing an online class after the pandemic or not.

I'm in my 7th semester and I'm actually preparing for my thesis next semester.

I'm still not sure of what should I write for my thesis, even though I have a few options.

I'm not sure which career path should I choose. To be honest, my range is just too wide. I don't know which field should I focus on

yet.

I've been back to school for about two years now. I enjoy studying, I enjoy learning, I enjoy not worrying about making mistakes and not afraid of admitting "I don't know" without needing to sound professional. Something I can't find in my previous job.

I have a dream to get a master degree abroad someday. I have a big dream to go to Korea lol.

One thing for sure is, I need to financially recover. I have to go back to the business.

I actually enjoy working on my own. I've been supporting myself from the freelance works for the past two years. It gives me freedom and room to grow but it's really unpredictable since I'm not tied to a company.

I still have time to think about everything, to try more things that might suit me best in the future.

I'm grateful that my parents are willing to support me.

I wish the world isn't always in rush.

[bonduniversity]

A semester in Paris

Renee Jackson (Bachelor of International Relations/Bachelor of Laws) shares an honest account of her 2018 Exchange to University Pantheon-Sorbonne Paris 1, France.

“Wow, Paris! I am so jealous,” was the typical response I received from family, friends and even strangers when I told them where I was heading for my semester abroad experience.

While Paris has an idealistic representation across the world, there is a significant amount of planning to be done for Exchange and doing it from the other side of the world can often be hard, so I thought I would share all the lessons I learnt along the way!

After learning French all throughout high school and loving it, I had considered the idea of heading to a Francophone country to do a semester abroad. When the Bond Exchange page popped up on my Facebook, I began researching and narrowing down my options, leaving me with Panthéon-Sorbonne Paris 1 Université. The internal Bond application process is easy, and even the first steps for Paris 1 are too. After filling out the forms and being accepted, I began planning more in depth for my Exchange experience including thoroughly research the visa requirements and the type of visa I needed to meet all requirements.

I began with looking at the university dates and aligning these with accommodation. Living costs in Paris are notoriously expensive, so if you are considering taking a semester here, also expect the high living prices that come with Paris. I looked at various different websites, from agencies to more casual sub-letting advertisements. However, I settled with an agency and accepted paying the agency fee and extra security costs so that I could be reassured that everything would be organised and well-arranged when I arrived. Many people also have temporary living arrangements when they arrive in Paris and then commence their apartment hunting.

When choosing your arrondissement, think about the kind of area you want to live in. The main buildings of the university are spread among multiple arrondissements  (Pantheon & Sorbonne in the 5th, René Cassin in the 13th, PMF at Tolbiac), so unless you are choosing your accommodation after picking classes, I wouldn’t base it off building location. I chose to stay in the 16th, because it was more quiet and reserved yet still close enough to everything that I wanted. The 3rd is a lot more lively and trendy, the 5th too. Do some research about the arrondissements and then align that with your preference of living area. I personally wouldn’t choose the 18th, as it is far from the majority of things and in certain areas can be unsafe. The same rule applies around buildings close to the main train stations. However, use common sense and caution and you will not have any problems in Paris!

A few tips for accommodation in Paris: 

Most Parisian landlords require you to have a French dossier with numerous documents, and documents that you can often not provide. This is why an agency may be helpful as they can be more lenient in what documents must be provided.

The dossier document often feels invasive. As I did not have a French guarantor, I had to provide my passport, my parents passports and payslips and multiple other documents. This is common practice in France.

Accommodation is expensive, but even more expensive when you choose to book through an agency. Personally, I utilised Lodgis and had nothing but a positive experience – however also be aware that every agency also has as many negative reviews as positive. I was lucky and had a landlord that was incredibly kind and helpful, even inviting me into her home and I have now created a lifelong friend.

Paris 1 does not offer student accommodation in the same manner that Bond does. It is run through Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris. However, as an Australian student, you are highly unlikely to be able to obtain a position here. They generally are provided for European Union students, and the majority are also for Master level (French equivalent) students. If you are lucky enough to receive a position, I had a friend who stayed here, and she had a room with a double bed, tiny bathroom, an eating space in her room and a communal kitchen and laundry room.

Accommodation is small. I lived in 17m2 but knew people who lived in a fully functioning apartment that was both 14m2 and 11m2. Many people often find larger apartments and share them with other exchange students too.

Arriving in Paris 

When booking my flights, I left two weeks prior to my studies to settle in and one week after the scheduled exam timetable free to travel or relax at the end. The Integration Week that Paris 1 offers starts a week before classes do and is helpful in determining the classes you may want to take, updating/refreshing your vocabulary on legal subjects as well as teaching you the basics of the legal system in France, which is very different to that of Australia. Each student isn’t guaranteed a position in the Week, so just be conscious of that fact. At the end of the week, they have a presentation from the Exchange Office of Paris 1, which provides you with all of the basic information about your enrolment and classes, etc. If you do not get offered a place to the Integration Week, still go to this presentation.

As a basic rule, don’t expect much on the organisation front from the University. Take everything that you receive prior to the Integration Week with a grain of salt. We did not receive the available courses until the Friday before classes commenced on Monday. The level of organisation is vastly different to that at Bond, however this is all in the ‘charm’ of the French experience, so try not to stress too much about it and embrace it. Before my departure, I had decided to try and create a timetable with the least amount of contact time to allow myself more time to travel and see whatever I desired without too many restrictions. However, the classes I thought I was going to take prior to departing carried a completely different timetable and subsequently I changed most of my subjects.

The process of picking subjects requires you to choose the classes you wish, fill out your Learning Agreement, make an appointment with your delegated officer, take it to your officer who will read over it and check it (often asking you questions if you are prepared for the workload of that subject, however mine didn’t even look twice and signed it) and then you submit that to the Exchange Office. Your enrolment into TDs (tutorials) happens in a completely different building in a completely different arrondissement (suburb). To obtain your student card and Certificat de Scolarité, this also takes place in a different building, also in a different arrondissement. The French are not fussed about making things easy or simple, so take a deep breath and schedule your days around which area you have meetings that day. Once you pick subjects, they will provide you a deadline for changing your enrolment and after this date, you will not be able to sit the exams (or obtain credit points) for any new subjects.

Subject selection and study load

As I had previously completed a Student for a Semester at Bond, I chose to only take the equivalent of three Bond subjects while overseas to minimise the workload as much as possible. Note: 10 Bond credits = 7.5 ECTS. Unlike Bond, many subjects at Paris 1 can be taken without tutorials, and it is completely your choice as to whether you choose to enrol in a TD or not. As a rule of thumb, in the Integration Week they advise everyone to take a maximum of ONE TD in the first semester and to increase this to two if you stay for two semesters. TDs are generally worth 8 ECTs and subjects without TDs are 4 ECTs. I chose to take three subjects without and one with. While the TD wasn’t incredibly difficult, there are additional exams, debates in front of the class and it requires following along in a fast-paced environment where you are often the only (or one of the few) exchange students there. In saying this, the TD was an interesting experience for me and allowed me to overcome different challenges and learn the application of the law rather than just the theory. While it may be nerve-wracking, it is an experience I would definitely recommend as it generally equates to one less final exam.

In general, the subjects are much more hands-off than that at Bond and some people may struggle with the less interactive way of learning. This is worth keeping in mind, as is the speed that some lecturers talk, and the competency required for certain subjects. When taking any subject past an L1 (L1 = first year, L2 = second year, L3 = third year, Master level), there is a certain level of assumed knowledge about the legal systems and the style in which they complete exams and the type of assessment they do. I, as well as many others on Exchange, sometimes found it challenging to know what the lecturer wanted from us. They aren’t liberal with their information, so you will have to pry to find out more about even the most basic of things (exams, dates, style of writing etc.).

If you need to return to Bond before the commencement of the next semester, you are often able to personally organise different exams before the Christmas break to allow for your earlier return (however don’t count on it).

The verdict and final tips 

Overall, my experience at Paris 1 was wonderful (dampened only by the initial lack of organisation, which I promise you will laugh about only weeks later!) Upon reflection of my experience there (and as I sit on a train between Venice and Rome), my main tips for travelling to Paris 1 would be:

Find (or at least have a very clear idea) of accommodation and the area you want to live in when you arrive. Do your research if you aren’t already familiar with the area and be cautious about people trying to scam you!

Keep in contact with friends but don’t depend on speaking to them every day.

Start speaking the language and gain familiarity with it again (if it has been a while) as soon as possible; don’t be shy.

Go to the Integration Week and speak with people, making friends can be hard in Paris as most French people already have solid friendship groups and aren’t interested in being friends with exchange students.

As soon as you arrive, or even before (if you know your address etc.,) apply for your ‘Imagine R’ student travel card. It is cheaper with this option for 5 months. However, if you miss the date and will only have a travel card for 4 months, your ‘Navigo’ card will be your best friend. It is around 75 euro for the month and allows unlimited travel within the 5 zones of Paris (including to CDG and Disneyland).

Setting up bank accounts and phone numbers can be a difficult process, as they both generally require the other, making it incredibly frustrating to get them sorted out. However, I used BNP Paribas and had no problems using my Australian phone number as a preliminary number and then changed it when I received my French one.

Use your Paris 1 student card to get in to most of the Paris (and French) attractions at a reduced rate (Louvre, Chateau de Versailles, Chateau de Fontainebleau etc.). Using this card will demonstrate that you are a resident of Paris and they are mostly free for EU residents.

Organise your visa early and the sooner the process is complete, the better. As you have to travel to Sydney to organise it, be fully prepared and ensure you have every document with you when you go.

Travel as much as you can while there because you are SO close to everything, but don’t neglect Paris. There is more to do there than you could ever fit in during one semester, so see as much as you can!

Bon séjour à Paris!

Exchange is an experience that will stay with you forever. Find out more about Exchange opportunities at Bond University. 

[noshinxd]

Love Yourself First

The past few years of my life, people have been constantly telling me to start a blog about my experiences. I have been told that I have had too many “cool things” happen to me to not tell the world about them. I always brushed it off because the cool things that people would say happened to me were simply just experiences that I craved. I wanted to get front row at a concert, so I made it happen multiple times. I wanted to meet a member of One Direction, so it happened. These experiences that have shaped me these past few years were cool, yes. What people don’t realize is that there’s a lot of ugly behind the happiness. Yes, I have had cool experiences, but that only happened because I started loving myself first.

In middle school and high school, it’s safe to say that I wasn’t happy. I hated being around the petty and dramatic people in my town. I hated being stuck here. I hated people bullying me into thinking I had to do something to fit in. I was already insecure about everything about myself from my skin to my hair to personality to my weight. I felt like everything I did would annoy the people who were meant to be my friends. I just was never happy, and that’s why I turned to music.

Honestly, there has been nothing more important to me in my life than music. I remember begging my parents for my first IPod as a 5th grade graduation present. I remember being OBSESSED with the Jonas Brothers, All Time Low, and Mayday Parade in middle school. In middle school, I felt like a complete outcast. I was never as cool or as pretty as my cousins, and it just made me more insecure. There was one time that someone paid a guy to give me a hug. That's how bad it was for me. Unreal, right? That’s why I loved the Jonas Brothers so much. They were from my area, and I always saw them as proof that you could escape the small town. I think I lived my preteen years with headphones blasting at full volume in my ears.

In high school, it’s safe to say music became growingly more important. People would make fun of me for loving boybands and musicians so much. I remember an incident where a girl actually walked behind me and started laughing at my love for the Jonas Brothers. But still, music was my escape from that reality. When I wouldn’t have that escape from reality, I would crash. Sophomore year I went to the hospital for self harm. Thankfully, summer going into junior year, I found a new escape from reality with One Direction and Ed Sheeran. I definitely still got made fun of though.

My senior year, I started going to a lot more concerts. I would skip school every once in a while, and I would just go to the city for a show. Seeing my favorite musicians in person and feeling that emotion with more people in the room has always felt right since then.

Freshman year was rough for me. I wanted to go into college as a communications major, but I had outside family telling me I was too smart for that. I was too smart to be doing something I love. So I chose something that I always had an interest in, but never truly loved. My first roommate and I were complete opposites. I just wanted to not worry about people liking me for once, but that’s all freshman year is about. I drank a lot, which is funny because I actually hate drinking (most of the time I go out I’m sober and really only go for the music). I was depressed, but no one knew. The girls down the hall threw cheese on me one day as a ‘joke,’ but they just really didn’t get why I was so hurt by that. My roommate called public safety on me on my birthday for throwing up. I ended up having to go to the hospital again for self harm. When my roommate moved out, the rest of the semester, I felt like I had a decent group of friends. But underneath it all, I was still sad. I never told anyone how depressed I was. I never talked about how I felt that everyone around me thought I was oblivious or stupid, when I noticed every little side comment. Unfortunately, that resulted in a pretty rough second semester for me.

I really lucked out sophomore year of college because I started surrounding myself with people who had similar interests and good hearts. I changed my major to communications because music is the only thing I love. I took trips to LA, Philly, Toronto, and Boston. I went to concerts, and I focused on myself. I was genuinely happy.

Junior year honestly was the hardest for me, but I’m proud of myself for it. Throughout the year, I was commuting back and forth from CT and NJ because I had an internship in NYC. It was cheaper to take the train from NJ than New Haven. On top of taking 6 classes each semester and interning in the city, I was also working 2 jobs. I did give up going out, but honestly, I’ve never even been the person who enjoys it. I love staying in and watching movies or just talking to my friends. Unfortunately there were some people who didn’t understand why I was working so much, but I realized that I need to focus on myself more. Junior year, I took a spontaneous trip to Los Angeles, and my friend and I talked our way into the American Music Awards. I went to a party with YouTubers. I talked to some musicians I admire. I interned for a record label!

This past semester, I studied abroad in London, and I graduated early. I went to concerts, met celebrity crushes, and traveled. I just focused on making myself happy.

I’m gonna be honest. I have moments of insecurity every week. I have moments where I physically can’t breathe because I’m so anxious and nervous about something I said a week ago or a situation that’s upcoming. It’s hard to just let go of all of those feelings.

However, over the past two years, I have realized that people will always have something to say. People will always be mean. People will always belittle your intelligence or look at you as if you’re beneath them. Through all of that though, the only opinion that matters is my own. It doesn’t matter if someone thinks I am 'dumb’ because I know I’m not. I get straight As, and I can probably tell you secrets just from little behavioral hints I pick up. I just choose to not talk about things that aren’t relevant to me. It doesn’t matter if someone thinks I’m not pretty because I think I’m confident in myself. It doesn’t matter that people think I am flaky or work too much or am selfish. In the end, I know who I am, I know the people who are worth caring about in my life, and I know that my experiences are for making me happy.

I have had a lot of cool things happen to me and maybe I will start writing about them. However, right now, I’m still focusing on doing things to make me happy. I don’t need to show the world who I am because my family and friends already know who I am. I am strong, independent, intelligent, and confident, and I am trying my best to live my dreams.