Caroline Keane '17

Honestly, if someone had told me last year at this time that I was going to be studying abroad in Scotland, I wouldn’t have believed them. Of course, I hoped and prayed that I would be accepted to study at St. Andrews, but I really didn’t think that I would be. Further, I didn’t think that if I was accepted I would choose to go.. I mean, I am in love with Holy Cross and everything that the school has done for me. Now, as I sit here in my dorm room sipping chai tea and munching on a “biscuit,” I can’t imagine NOT studying abroad.

At Holy Cross, I had become very comfortable. I felt very in control of everything that was going on around me. I knew what each day would look like. I would wake up and get my omelette from Kimball, go to class, do my homework and repeat. I felt so content and comfortable at Holy Cross (especially since I had a nice Tempur-pedic mattress pad). I knew the people in my classes. I knew my professors and what they expected from me. I knew what I was going to eat and when. I knew when the gym was the least crowded. I knew that if I wanted to skip my Chinese practicum I could go out on Wednesdays.  My days were very regimented, and I was constantly stressed (pretty sure anyone I know can attest to this…). If I had no school work to do, I would create stress for myself; I would set up networking calls, add new activities to my schedule, overanalyze interactions, and plan out every minute of my day (would even schedule in my naps and showers just because..).

Come second semester of my sophomore year, I had become so accustomed to my routine and daily life at Holy Cross that I was taking my college experience completely for granted. I failed to live with spontaneity–which is exactly how a 20 year old in college should be living. It was not until now that I have really learned this. Studying and living in a completely different country has forced me to completely step outside of my comfort zone. I feel like each and every day that I am here, I try something new or do something different that I would never have done if I had spent my junior year at Holy Cross. I have deemed this year the year of “yes,” and every time I am asked to do something, I say yes (now, of course there are limits….).

Everything seems to be completely out of my hands, and although that is very unsettling for someone as type-A as myself, there is also a sort of comfort in knowing that I do not have total control over everything in my life (not that I did at Holy Cross.. but I felt like it sometimes).

I have (semi) adjusted to life here at St. Andrews, but I still feel as if each day brings new challenges and adventures. I have learned to be more flexible, and how sometimes the most beautiful moments are the ones that were not planned. I have learned how to slow down and how to savor each moment. I have learned how to cook the perfect steak, what it means to be cheeky, and the difference between a posh Edinburgh accent and a posh London accent. I have learned how to differentiate between a dry wine and a sweet wine, how to make the perfect cup of tea and that the English sense of humor is very different from mine. I think that it is through studying abroad at St. Andrews that I have become more myself; I have become more confident, independent, reflective, and deliberate.

I do not think that studying abroad is for everyone, but it is definitely for me. This has been a transformative experience. I have become more open and accepting, more spontaneous and adventurous, and I live life with a renewed sense of purpose. I can’t help but attribute this growth to Holy Cross. Thank you Holy Cross for giving me the courage to go and for giving me a reason to come back.

 

Dear Readers,

I know I mentioned this summer that I would be blogging for Holy Cross from St. Andrews… of course, life has completely gotten away from me and I am writing my first blog post now!

I have officially been here for a month and three days (!!) and I could not be any more in love. Of course, St. Andrews is very different from Holy Cross both academically and socially which has been a huge adjustment. I am going to reflect on some of the differences in this post which hopefully illuminates just how special these two schools are and how choosing to spend the year at St. Andrews is the perfect complement to my Holy Cross educational experience.

I arrived at St. Andrews about a week before classes began, so I had a week to explore beautiful St. Andrews and just orient myself. During this week, we had to “queue” for hours in order to choose the two classes we would be taking for the semester. SO DIFFERENT. At Holy Cross, we all set our alarms for 6 in the morning and perch at our computers so that we can submit our class selection at 7 AM. So, just 9 days before classes began… I had NO idea what I would be taking. I signed up for Organized Crime and Corruption (an IR class) and Revolutions and Romanticism (English). And of course, switching classes is near impossible.. luckily, at HC we have advisors and professors that work closely with us throughout our four years in order to ensure that we take the classes we really want to take. The UK system is just a lot slower than what we are used to in America, and it is definitely hard to get used to. None of the offices work together and I am constantly being redirected. I do miss Hogan and how everything I possibly needed was in that building.. or in Fenwick!

I heard that the St. Andrews course load is a lot harder than Holy Cross, and I quietly dismissed this notion because…. how could I have class for only 4 hours a week and have classes be HARDER than HC? However, even though I only have four hours of class a week (and by extent a four day weekend…) the courses require that you do a lot of supplemental reading in addition to the required reading. Oh, and although the assignments are few and far between, they are a lot longer…. currently avoiding writing a 15 page paper…

I was told that studying abroad for a year would be a nice break.. that I would be able to travel every weekend and go out whenever I wanted. I think a lot of people think of study abroad as a complete break from school work and all extra curricular responsibilities. I just want to clarify that that is not what it is like at St. Andrews. Although people go out a lot more than they do at Holy Cross (there is just a more active night life because people are legal to drink! hah), I don’t feel like I am taking a year off. Because the school is so much larger than Holy Cross and the campus is spread out throughout the town, the only real way to establish meaningful friendships is through really getting involved in “Societies” and throwing yourself into the student life at St. Andrews. This especially is so different from Holy Cross where I met most of my best friends in the bathroom that we all shared on our hall.

 

Even though I have only been here a month, I can already tell that my year at St. Andrews will give me a new appreciation for everyone and everything at Holy Cross. I already miss the individualized attention from professors and career planning! That being said, I think that studying abroad was the perfect decision for me.. and I urge anyone that is considering to study at St. Andrews to read my personal blog where I am trying to document more of more personal moments while abroad! https://carolineekeane.wordpress.com/

 

Thanks for reading!

Caroline Keane

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Hi devoted readers,

Hope you’re all doing well and enjoying these last few weeks of summer sunshine. I just arrived home (Arlington,VA) after spending the summer interning for Town&Country magazine in NYC. I absolutely loved my internship (not sure if you caught the blog posts..), but I am very happy to have this month to relax and prepare for this wonderful journey that I am about to embark on. That brings me to the whole point of this blog post. I am going to be spending my junior year abroad studying at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. 🙂

I have been eagerly awaiting this year for what seems like forever. I think I found out around March that I would be spending my junior year across the pond at the Home of Golf. Since then, I have been stalking the St. Andrews Facebook page, reading every sort of article on BuzzFeed about Scotland, and breaking in my Barbour jacket (just kidding, it’s a little hot for that). I probably have spent a good 45 hours on Pinterest trying to perfect my abroad bucket list. Oh, and I started watching Outlander in the hopes of familiarizing myself with the Scottish culture (I have a feeling I will get used to the ruggedly handsome men and the picturesque villages). Even though I have been living in this perpetual state of anticipation for a year, I can’t believe that now I leave in less than a month. I mean, I am in awe. I can’t believe that this is happening to me, and I can’t believe how unprepared I am. Like the whole Visa process? I know nothing. Not to mention what to pack….. I feel hopeless when it comes to all the logistics of studying abroad, and I just pray that it all works out.

I made a promise to myself to try to write/ blog every day while I am abroad… so I am going to try to do that (but let’s be real, we all know how life just sometimes gets in the way). Looking forward to blogging more!

Thanks for Reading,

Caroline Keane

 

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So, I have officially crossed the halfway point of my internship. With just three (!!!) weeks left of my internship, I thought I would take the opportunity to reflect on some things that I have learned here at Town&Country and during my time in New York.

1.) Be young, be dope, be proud: Own your youngness.

2.) Remember future employers (or your mom..) can see everything you do on social media. (Only put out content that positively reflects on you and your experiences.)

3.) Be agreeable/ accept whatever task comes your way.

4.) ALWAYS read over an email before you send it. 🙂

5.) Pack lunch (save $$).

6.) Everyone is broke in NYC (unless they’re not…).

7.) Do one thing each day that makes you happy.

8.) Bring a book on the subway… oh, and carry an umbrella.

9.) Download the BuzzFeed news app. Do it.

10.) Go out after work!!

11.) Ask for help… if you don’t understand something even the slightest bit, just ask.

12.) Always say please and thank you.

13.) Don’t let bad housing dictate your mood (hi AJ, Megan and Sydney!!)

14.) Carry a notebook and pen with you always, you never know when inspiration might strike (or who you might meet at the grocery store).

15.) Networking isn’t just for LinkedIn.

16.) Say yes.

17.) Try new things (sweet pea hummus, Trump bootcamp, comedy shows).

18.) You’re going to have realllly good days and realllly bad days. On those bad days treat yourself to some ice-cream.. and on those good days do the same 😉

19.) Find a mentor.

20.) Lean in, be present and enjoy every minute of everything.

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Dear Devoted Readers,

First of all, let me start by introducing myself. My name is Caroline Keane, and  I am a soon-to-be junior at Holy Cross. This summer, I was absolutely blessed beyond measure with the opportunity to intern under Holy Cross alum, Micaela English, at Town&Country magazine. I am a longtime fan of the magazine, and an even bigger fan of the website, which Micaela spearheaded. When I found out that I was going to be interning at Town&Country on the digital side, in THE Hearst Tower, I cried tears of joy and immediately telephoned my parents (they were surprised I actually got an internship and wouldn’t be spending another summer folding (spending all my money on) clothes at J. Crew).

I am originally from Arlington, VA, right outside of DC. The only real time I have spent in NYC has been with my family, doing the typical touristy things (ok, visiting the American Girl store) and taking cabs everywhere. I knew absolutely nothing about the different neighborhoods of NYC or how to navigate the complex subway system. So, in addition to landing the internship of my dreams (really, it’s the internship of my dreams.. more on that later), I get to spend the summer exploring the city of dreams/ the city that never sleeps. Four weeks later, and I am still in complete and total shock that I am even here.

My official title is “Digital Media Intern,” which sounds so official, and very Millennial, seeing as we are the digital generation. I am responsible for finding and sourcing images to post onto the Town&Country Instagram. I think this is probably one of my favorite parts of my internship because I am obsessed with Instagram (@carolineekeane) and it’s been really eye-opening to see how a major magazine uses social media platforms to engage with its readers and attract new followers.

I have also been writing articles for the Town & Country website (!!!!!!). I am so excited about this because I had no idea that I would be writing for a national website and I can’t believe that my written work is out there in the real world, and that people are reading it. Producing content for the website is also the most challenging part of my internship because I have to adapt/ tailor my voice toward a certain audience. This is very different from the academic writing that I do for my classes or even what I do for Her Campus.

In addition to posting onto the social media platforms and writing, I have also been attending quite a few events for T&C, which have been unreal. My favorite thus far has been the summer garden party at the Frick Collection. I am pretty much in love with the Rococo style, so being able to explore the museum freely, with mini lobster-roll in tow was truly a once in a lifetime kind of thing.

Anyways, I think I bragged enough about my life and my amazing internship for one post! I will write again soon.

Thanks for reading,

Caroline Keane

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Caroline Keane '17

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