In and Out of Prison

Every week, I spend around an hour and a half commuting back and forth to VisionQuest, a juvenile delinquent facility in North Philadelphia. Through the on-campus organization, Petey Greene, I tutor juvenile delinquents to complete high school equivalency through an online learning platform. In my two-hour tutoring sessions, I have helped out with a huge range of subjects, ranging from Shakespeare to personal finance - whatever the student needs help with.

The other tutors who go in every week as well include Penn, Temple, and Haverford students. I started volunteering with Petey Greene as a junior, and it is still the only activity I’ve done at Penn that integrated and collaborated with other college students in the area. We also work closely with regional Petey Greene employees whose job it is to keep Petey Greene running.

My experience with Petey Greene has been challenging yet rewarding. How do you explain what a literary symbol is to a student who has trouble with basic reading? Still, I understand how important the tutors are for giving some extra support to the students, which keeps me motivated to continue and to stay creative and energetic in my teaching methods. When people think of “prisoner” and “jail,” the gut reaction is fear - but, as a tutor, I have found my tutees to be kind, funny, respectful and receptive to help.

One main reason why I came to Penn was for the unique opportunities available to engage with the community, given the city location. Seeing the impact of poverty and crime firsthand through community service organizations at Penn has been eye-opening and inspires me to use my knowledge gained at Penn for greater social good in the future, particularly in the realms of education and criminal justice reform.

Emma H, C'17

"Globalization and its Historical Significance" (For Me)

Every now and then you come across a class which really changes your perspective entirely. For me that happened last semester when I took History 012: Globalization and its Historical Significance. The interdisciplinary class, lectured by Professor Guillen of the Lauder Institute, Professor Spooner of the Anthropology Department, and Professor Cassanelli of the History Department, looked at the phenomenon of globalization now as well as the historical processes which have lead us up to this point. We tackled a variety of topics and issues from global finance to the globalization of sport (think the Olympics or the World Cup) to the ever politically relevant topic of immigration.

This class opened my eyes in a couple of different ways. The first and most obvious, was that my actual understanding of globalization changed dramatically. Before taking History 012, I always thought about globalization strictly with respect to trade. The globalization of trade has become a buzz-topic of sorts in recent years, but globalization goes so much further than that. Globalization involves the creation of supranational organizations, cultures, institutions, and worldwide experiences. Today a resident of New York City probably has more in common with an individual living in London or the urban areas of the Pearl River Delta (a densely populated area in China) than they do with someone in rural Iowa or even upstate New York. Similarly, globalization does not just mean the spread of Western technologies and ideology. Instead, it has to do with the integration and mixing of diverse cultures and philosophies into a more global society.

But beyond just what I learned about globalization itself, this class really opened my eyes to the value and importance of interdisciplinary study. As a mathematical economics major I hear a lot about interdisciplinary work, but it wasn’t until I saw it take place within one class that I understood what makes it and the work done in the College so important. It was only through the synthesis of Professor Guillen’s knowledge of the global financial system and global politics, Professor Spooner’s expertise regarding the social origins of globalization and its unevenness, and Professor Cassanelli’s deep understanding of African culture that we were finally able to put together the pieces and get a complete understanding of globalization. Globalization and its Historical Significance really put into perspective for me what it means to truly take a multi-disciplinary look at a problem or a phenomenon, in order to come to a much more complete answer or understanding. I look forward to taking more classes like this during the rest of my time at Penn!

Matthew S, C'18

On Internships and Funding in Philadelphia

One of my favorite parts about being a Penn student is living in Philadelphia. I love attending gallery openings, trying out new restaurant, and exploring the city. Another benefit for living in the city has also been gaining hands on work experience. The spring of my sophomore year, I received academic credit for an internship at the National Museum of American Jewish History. I was so inspired by my work in the museum that I applied for a summer internship at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Since then, I have worked at many more cultural institutions in the city and have solidified my desire to pursue a career in the art world after graduation. At the PMA and the following summer while interning at the Institute of Contemporary Art, I felt so fortunate to go to an institution like Penn that supports the arts. The museum field is not an industry that typically pays their interns. To compensate, Penn has stepped in and offered many means for students interested in interning in typically unpaid industries to receive generous stipends. These are just a few of the many internship resources and funding opportunities that Penn offers:

1. The Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowship’s Summer Humanities Internship Program. This is the funding I received two summers in a row! This program offers paid internships to dozens of cultural institutions in Philadelphia. Each host institution guarantees an internship spot for a Penn student, which is such an advantage in a really competitive industry.
2. RealArts @ Penn offers 24 internship positions for Penn students. Fields range from museums, journalism, the music industry, television and film, and theater. Positions are open in Philadelphia, New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Even better, RealArts streamlines the confusing application process by administering a uniform application for all positions and helping arrange on-campus interviews.
3. Penn Undergraduate Research Mentoring Program offers research positions across the disciplines in the humanities and sciences. These opportunities are only offered to freshman and sophomores, in order to allow for students to engage in research from the beginning of their Penn experience. The coolest part is being able to work closely with a professor over the course of the summer.
4. Penn Wharton Public Policy Initiative offers extremely generous funding for students who find their own public policy internships in D.C. I have many friends who interned in the White House and the State Department and were able to live comfortably in D.C. for the summer thanks to PPI’s help!

Hannah F, C'17

Learning New Ways to See

Currently, I’m taking my first Cinema Studies course, recommended by a friend who had taken the class two times already. That’s because each semester the course focuses on a different director. So, over the past semester, I’ve taken a deep dive into the (quirky) world of Wes Anderson, having now seen all of his movies in class. We watch the movies in chronological order from week-to-week, allowing the class to witness and discuss the director’s progression and development of style. 

Before taking this class, I loved watching movies but mainly out of enjoyment of characters and stories than aesthetics. However, this class has definitely inspired a completely different movie-watching experience, drawing my attention to aspects like the variety of shots, shot composition, and strategic use of music in a film. I also feel more confident in my ability to develop opinions and interpretations on movies, narratives, and acting. 

For the final class project, everybody in the small class selected a scene in a Wes Anderson film and modified it in some way. Everyone created a script and storyboard for their particular vision and pitched it to the class. The class was split into three groups of 5-6 people, and each group picked a pitch from a different student to bring to life. So, today, I spent around three hours freezing outside and garnering stares around campus as my group filmed our final project scene, as we attempted to recreate a style reminiscent of Wes Anderson. 

My class-picking strategy at Penn is simply to find the best classes offered, regardless of the subject matter. These classes have helped me to develop an interdisciplinary breadth of knowledge and to create associations between diverse classes. For example, some philosophers discussed in the context of my Cinema Studies class are the same ones that I have studied in the past in relation to Asian-American history and literature. This Cinema Studies course, like many other amazing classes I’ve taken at Penn, has altered my perspective and refined my attention to detail in ways that I believe will stick with me for the rest of my life. 

From NY to LA, The Traveling Involved with OCR

              One weekend in DC, one weekend in St. Louis, three weekends in New York, and one weekend in Los Angeles. This semester, I spent more time carrying tiny suitcases, studying in train stations and airports, and meeting new friends from Penn and schools all over the country than I ever could have imagined.

            At the University of Pennsylvania, students find full time and internship opportunities through many different ways. One of which is On Campus Recruiting (affectionately known as OCR), where companies travel to campus to hold information sessions, coffee chats, and interviews regarding the positions they have available. Most of the time, the interviews on campus are followed by interviews at the company headquarters to expose students to other employees, potential new hires, and the company culture.

            While these interviews can be stressful and time consuming, I am actually very grateful to have had them be a part of my Penn experience. Besides the benefits to finding great internships, full-time positions, and travelling for free through this process, I have also had the ability to connect with so many new people. One of my favorite moments was spending a relaxing post-interview day at Venice Beach with two new Penn friends, and a new friend from Duke. I loved laughing and grabbing dinner with a group of 7 students in the St. Louis airport, after a long day of interviews. I won’t forget walking with a new friend to Times Square, and watching her awe at seeing New York City for the first time ever.

            On campus recruiting is not for everyone, and people at Penn will find their post-college path in their own ways. However, it ended up being the perfect way to find a job for me, my senior year. Throughout the process, there was not a single company that I travelled to, where I did not have another Penn student there for support. Most of the time, Penn alumni, who worked at the company, reached out for support and to see if there was any questions that they could answer for me. I am so grateful to attend a university that has such a strong Career Services Center, and legacy of alumni that OCR was all possible for me. If OCR is the best path for you too, take advantage of the travel, and the new people around you. You never know what cities, companies, or new friends you may encounter throughout the process

Jaslyn M, C'17

Why the College? The Opportunities Are Endless

I’m majoring in Mathematical Economics with an interest in going into business as a career. As you might guess, during my weekly Cognos presentations, one of the most common questions I’m asked by people is why I chose to go to the College rather than Wharton? It’s a legitimate question and the reasons are not necessarily what you think—no it isn’t easier to get into the College and no the College isn’t less academically difficult than Wharton. As a senior in high school I spent a lot of time mulling over how I wanted to spend the next four years. I asked myself questions like, “what do I want to learn,” “what experiences do I want to have,” and “am I even ready to commit to specific career?” But, when all was said and done, I came to the realization that the College was the perfect choice for me for a couple of reasons, which I’ll go into below.

One of the best aspects of the College was that it allowed me to do almost anything after graduation. While I was pretty certain I wanted to go into business, I wasn’t ready to commit, and I wanted to keep my mind open to other possible fields. At the time I was binge-watching The West Wing and thought, maybe I wanted to go into politics. I thought, hey I love television, maybe I want to go into entertainment. My parents even tried to float the idea of going into medicine by me (that one never actually got much traction). By going into the College I was able to have a diversity of experiences and classes that would prepare me for any future career that I chose to go into, and I had the opportunity to keep all of possible doors open.

Similarly, so many of the skills that I learn in school are useful for business specifically! I spend a lot of time working with data and numbers, which obviously appeals to business sensibilities, but I also spend a considerable amount of time writing papers and doing complex analyzation. An interdisciplinary degree like mathematical economics has allowed me to bridge the gap between numbers and the story they tell. I’m able to understand what a model or what the data are saying and then explain it to others-- an undervalued skill among college students, but a cherished skill for employers.     

In my case, the College provided me with exactly the skills and experiences I wanted to be able to look to at the end of four years. The College has continued to open doors for me and has set me off on the right path towards a career in business—EVEN if I never took Management 100 at Wharton.

Matthew S, C'18

Lectures Outside Class

I’ve recently been a lot more proactive about seeking out opportunities to attend guest lectures and other “nerdy” academic experiences. Despite the fact that I am busier than ever with classes and on campus recruiting, I find that the time I make, the extra hour here and there, has accumulated to some of the most interesting experiences of my fall semester so far.

About a month ago, Anthony Dunne and Fiona Raby, professors of Design and Emerging Technology at The New School in New York, came to campus and participated in a round-table where students and professors got to talk about what critical design meant to them in an increasingly technological and digital age. How does the professionalization of design affect creativity? What do we need to consider to design systems for humans? Is materialization necessary to create immersive environments? Suuuuper open ended questions that don’t necessarily have right or wrong answers, but the fact that Penn brought in experts in the field to discuss these ideas is, I find, an incredible opportunity that I’m not sure I would as easily have access to were I not a part of an academic institution.

Another really cool lecture I attended was by Billy Mitchell of the Apollo Theatre—this guy literally lived history. He was inspired by James Brown to try harder and do well in school; he watched as Ella Fitzgerald, then a nervous young girl, accidentally started scatting at Amateur Night; he’s seen people like Jamie Foxx, Dave Chapelle, and Adam Sandler all booed off stage I admit that I didn’t know about Billy Mitchell or the Apollo Theatre at all before this lecture (which I stumbled upon last minute from a listserv email from my department chair), but I was completely floored and somewhat inspired to hear about this man’s life and opinions as a cornerstone of modern American history. 

These events are not nearly as in-depth as a full semester’s worth of studying architecture history, but that I even have the chance to get these snippets from the people themselves has definitely been a highlight of my semester so far.

Julia W, C'18

From Applications to Elections

            Approaching the Early Decision deadline, every presentation seemed to end with one dreaded question: “What did you write about in your college essay?” This prompted me to reread the words I had written four years ago.

            I was surprised to see how I had written about my desire to go to Penn because of all of the ways it provides avenues for learning outside of the classroom. I specified how I wanted to intern at an art museum, work on the 2016 presidential election, and teach in Philadelphia public schools.

            Fast forward four years. This week, I spend my Sunday leading a gallery tour at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. On Wednesday morning, I wake up early to attend a rally downtown to stand in solidarity with the Standing Rock Sioux and protest the Dakota Access Pipeline. Every day, I spend countless hours making phone calls and knocking on doors for the Hillary Clinton campaign. On Friday, I lead a group of Penn students to West Philadelphia High School where I am the head teacher for a program that teaches News Literacy in a senior year government class.

            As a senior in high school, I had no way of knowing exactly what Penn had to offer or what I would achieve in my college years. However, I did recognize my passions and realize the issues that drive me. My love of art and politics are so engrained in my identity, that I knew these would be essential to the communities I formed in whatever university I ended up at.

            Two sweatshirts, a sweater, a jacket, hat, scarf, gloves, boots, a pocketful of snacks. I have all of the essentials ready for the six hours ahead of me to wait on line in Penn Park in order to see Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine on campus.

            I stroll up to the VIP table with the rest of the Penn Dems Executive Board. After spending months on our voter registration and get out the vote efforts, we were rewarded by the campaign with wristbands allowing special access to the front of the rally.

            Five more hours of waiting ensue…and finally Hillary and Tim come out. With the Philly skyline as a backdrop and Penn’s campus just around the corner, these are the moments I could never have even dreamed of as a reality of my college experience.

            After cheering throughout her speech, she exits the stage right in front of us. All of a sudden, Hillary Clinton, the woman who I have gave more hours of my life to this semester than I could even count is right before me. One of my friends tells her of the conference we had planned that weekend for college Democrat groups around the Northeast and she congratulates us for our success.

            With less than a week to go, I am so grateful for the contribution I have been able to make on Penn’s campus and in Philadelphia through my involvement in Penn Democrats. Years from now, I will be proud to tell my children that I did everything in my power to help elect the first woman president of the United States, and most importantly in such an essential swing state as Pennsylvania.   

Hannah C, C'17

Being a Fresher, A Second Time Around

A little over a year ago today, I touched down in London to start my junior year fall semester at University College London (UCL). This was a direct exchange program, so I took classes and lived alongside normal university students. What I didn’t realize until I got to London was that, in strange ways, my study abroad experience would feel like freshman year all over again. My dorm consisted of freshers (what English people call first year students) and study abroad students.

When I got to my dorm from the airport, I groggily made my way to the dorm’s dining hall to get food. It was so strange walking into a lunchroom setting again and having to find a place to sit in a sea of unfamiliar faces. Particularly in the first few days, everybody was so eager to meet new people; I relived that freshman year experience of meeting a million new people in passing at various new student events. At times, this was exhausting, but I also ended making a lot of great friends from all around the world during my term abroad. 

In classic freshman style, I went a little overboard at the club fair for the university. However, it was so refreshing to be able to try out so many different clubs while abroad and try out random activities that seemed interesting to me. For example, I participated in my first coding hackathon with the Tech Society, I attended dodgeball, rowing, and badminton practices, and I learned how to juggle with the Circus Society. However, I ended up being most active in Running Club. I absolutely loved running through London with the group -- we often ran to Regent’s Park, a sprawling, famous park right by campus. One night, there was an all-girls running event, in which we ran around the city covered in face paint and blasting music. Another one of my many favorite memories from study abroad was the club’s Christmas Dinner at the end of the semester -- everybody wore their most festive Christmas “jumpers” (aka ugly Christmas sweaters), and we had 3-course meals at a local pub while enjoying each other’s company and breaking open Christmas crackers.

A pit stop during our colorful run throughout London

Overall, I think it becomes natural past freshman year for people to get comfortable in a routine and with a certain group of people - and not branch out past that. For me, studying abroad reignited that fresher-like hunger to meet new people and to seek out new experiences that can be lost in the day-to-day college grind.

Emma H, C'17

Finding Your Study Spot

There are so many important decisions you have to make during your time at Penn: what are you going to major in, where do you want to live, what clubs do you want to join. But for me, the most important question I had to answer, was where do I want to study. I know what you’re thinking, ‘Matt, why does that even matter?’ but it was a question that plagued me (and many others before me) when I finally arrived on campus, my freshman year. Now, there are those out there who advocate for Van Pelt Library, others who swear by Fisher Fine Arts, and even some who won’t go anywhere besides the Starbucks in the basement of Commons (the new Starbucks at 39th and Walnut has proved to be quite the controversy).

There are so many choices on campus, that it can be a bit overwhelming. So what did I do? I just began to try out different spaces. This place was too dark, that one was too noisy, and the other one was just too far away from my room. But eventually, like Goldilocks herself, I found the one that was just right: the study carrels on the Sansom side of the second floor of Biddle Law Library. For me, the space is perfect: cozy yet structured, bright but not distracting, quiet without being isolating. I’m able to go there and get work done without feeling overwhelmed and stressed.

In general, there are so many options at Penn, and in the College specifically. But, I encourage you to be like Goldilocks-- test things out and eventually you will find what works for you! Try different classes, join different organizations, and meet new people. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll even see you in studying in the law library. Until then, take advantage of all of the opportunities here and you too will find your ‘place.’  

Matthew S, C'18

The Creative Meets the Professional

Penn’s College of Arts and Sciences has a multiplicity of resources in terms of professional endeavors, even if you want to go the more non-typical creative route, like me. I found my internship this past summer through a Penn-funded program called RealArts@Penn, which is further supported by the Kelly Writers House. Essentially, this program offers a couple handfuls of undergrads internships each year with a select number of amazing creative companies and institutions, such as museums, music studios, and publishing houses. All of which are distributed with a monetary stipend for the summer! It’s a pretty sweet deal in which I was lucky enough to partake.

My internship was with Settlement Music School, a Philadelphia-based community music school for people of all ages and skill levels. I was deemed the Digital Marketing and Community Engagement Intern for them (it’s a long title, I know), which meant I helped with everything from social media to community events. From this experience, I was able to integrate my music background with my professional development and had the chance to learn more about education too. It’s something I would have never thought I would be doing, and it definitely would not be possible without the help of this amazing Penn program. It’s totally possible, and even encouraged, to be your creative self at Penn, even in the workplace.

Karis S, C'18

A Domestic "Abroad" Experience

The number of cool programs that the College offers its students is incredible. This semester, I am participating in the Penn in Washington program, a semester-long opportunity for students interested in public policy to live in Washington, D.C., intern full time at a public or private agency of their choosing, and take interesting Political Science courses on topics such as the U.S. Presidency and foreign policy. After being here for only a month, I have already learned so much about the field I want to go into and the culture of our nation’s capital.

    The first week we were here was Orientation Week, where we traveled around the city to take tours of places such as Capitol Hill and meet with interesting professionals, such as Hill staffers, lawyers, and judges, who work in DC. The cohort really learned a lot about networking in DC through that week, as well as how the federal government works. This week culminated in group presentations on how policymaking occurs in DC at the federal level.

    Since orientation, I have been working full time at the United States Department of Education in its Office of Innovation and Improvement. Specifically, I work on one of their Teacher Quality Programs called Teacher Quality Partnerships, which is a grant program that allocates federal dollars to universities to reform their colleges of education and set up non-traditional programs that allow professionals already in their career but wanting to switch over to teaching obtain their certifications. ED is a really cool place to go to work everyday--it’s right off of the National Mall, and it has a great cafeteria and fitness center within the building.

    I’m so grateful for this unique opportunity to study and learn more about political science in the best place to do so. I’m most looking forward to seeing what the environment down here starts to look like as the election heats up going into November!

Patrick Z, C'18

On Campus Recruiting

On Campus Recruiting is stressful. Companies from all over the world send representatives to interview Penn students for internships and jobs. As a senior, it can be difficult to take a step back when it seems like everybody in the world is recruiting.  But in my years at Penn, I have come to realize that OCR is not the end-all-be-all.

While most of my friends did get their internships from OCR, I got mine because I was a lost kid outside of Penn Station, yelling on the phone asking my friend for directions. A woman came up to me and asked me if I needed help (I guess I was more desperate than I had thought).  After politely declining, the woman insisted she help me get to my location. As a southerner with a stereotype of a New Yorker, I was shocked that someone would be so kind as to go out of their way to help me. We made our way down the sweltering hallways of Penn Station together, talking about my major and what I thought I wanted to do after college. It turns out, this woman had also gone to Penn, and when I told her I wanted to do something in public relations or entertainment, she responded with a simple “That’s kind of what I do!” We continued our conversation on the train (that she so graciously paid for), and at my stop, she pulled out a business card and told me to call her if I ever had any questions or wanted an internship. I shook her hands and walked away, grateful for her help getting me to my destination.

After I was all settled into my friend’s house, I looked at the card. She was the VP of PR for Hearst Magazines—she literally had my dream job. I contacted her two years later, reminding her of our encounter, and two days later, I had an internship that might potentially be a full time job after graduation. As I mentioned, OCR is an incredible tool, but it’s not for everybody, and that’s okay!

Kimberly C, C'17

On Being an International Student Orientation Leader

    After a semester abroad in London, I was convinced that I had been renewed. I romanticized my walks to class, the sounds of the city, and the way that the crosswalks never seemed to be in right place. Yet what I loved the most about my experience was the people that I met everyday. In London, I knew I had access to a vibrant city with people from all over the world. When I returned to Philadelphia, I realized that at a global university like Penn that mindset never has to end.  

At the end of my junior year, I became an International Student Orientation Leader, which means that I got to directly interact and connect with the students from all over the world who were studying abroad at Penn. I created friendships with students from Australia, England, France, Brazil, Croatia, Switzerland, and more. We ate pizza in my living room, and watched movies at the local theater on Friday afternoons. I was able to learn about their perspectives, share knowledge, and build great friendships. Even as a junior, they taught me to experience Penn with fresh eyes.

For me, that is the value of attending a school with a reach well beyond the borders of the United States. In addition to the ~12% of students who spend 4 years here as internationals, we invite ~200 students to study abroad every year. Whether in class or hanging out on the weekends, I am encouraged to try on different lenses and experience life through other viewpoints. Today, I am still in contact with a lot of the students I met last year. I have even been able to connect with two students who are studying abroad at Penn this year. I can’t wait to continue my global education within and outside of the classroom.

Jaslyn M, C'17

Welcome back

Hello friends,

It's been a month since the fall semester started, and now that we're back in full swing, look out for regular blog posts about our life on and off campus!

We look forward to showing you what we are passionate about, whether it is an exciting class we're taking, an inspiring show that our friends produced, or yet another anecdote about the charming city we call home.

As always, feel free to reach out to us by email or on social media!

#cognolove,

The College Cognoscenti Team

Hidden Gems of the Penn On-Campus Food Scene

As a busy college student, I've spent my fair share of time (and, sadly, $$$) on food that I haven't made for myself. In the process, I've learned a lot about the go-to spots for certain types of food, as well as what those very places have to offer that's unexpectedly delicious. I've compiled my top 4 Penn "Hidden Gems" in the food realm.

1) Hot Chocolate- Lil' Pop Shop

While known largely for its unique popsicle flavors like Black Sesame, Coconut Hibiscus, and Birthday Cake, Lil' Pop Shop on 44th and Locust is a campus favorite for the summer treat. But, they also have underratedly fantastic Hot Chocolate. Rich, fudgy, and great on a cold day, their Hot Chocolate is definitely not to be overlooked.

2) French Fries- Allegro

Allegro (or really, Allegro's) is the classic campus late night (or daytime, too) eatery known for its variety of pizza flavors by the slice. However, a trip to Allegro's for me is not complete without an order of their amazing french fries. The perfect balance of starchy and salty, these french fries are a low key on-campus hit. While I myself am not a cheese fan (which is a whole other discussion), word on the street is that also not to be overlooked are the mac n' cheese and mozzarella sticks.

3) Smoothies- Pottruck

If going to the gym in order to get a smoothie is wrong, then I don't want to be right. 

4) Pickles- Jimmy John's 

You may assume a sandwich shop would have decent pickles, and you may assume you wouldn't feel strongly about pickles of all foods, but these pickles are more than "good"- they exceed all expectations.

-Caitlyn R., '16

(Inter)national

My go-to introduction at Penn usually goes something along the lines of, “My name is Julia, I’m from Taiwan, and I’m a sophomore studying English and Computer Science.” For me, the part about being from Taiwan is a natural statement--it is, after all, where I lived for eight years, and where my family currently resides. It wasn’t until recently, amid discussions about internships and voting, that several of my peers were surprised to find out that I can actually work and vote in the US.

So the long story is that I was born in Boston, but moved to Hong Kong at an early age because of my parents’ jobs, and ended up in Taiwan for the second half of my childhood. I had always attended international schools, and both English and Mandarin are my first languages. Growing up straddling multiple cultures felt natural to me.

At the same time, I don’t fit in the quintessential “Third Culture Kid” profile that sites like Buzzfeed often publish lists about. I haven’t attended ten schools in eight countries in the span of three years; I’m not mixed; I grew up considering myself Asian-American. Then I got to Penn and realized that my conception of Asian-American is completely different from what my peers, who grew up in the US, understand. The beauty of Penn’s diverse student body, though, is that mutual understanding does not depend on geographical or cultural circumstances at all.

The people closest to me at Penn seldom have the same background as I do, but there is something about the people here, an openness towards new ideas, that allows us to bond despite our perceived differences. It really comes down to personality, and that of course, knows no socially constructed limits.

-Julia W. '18

Major: Undecided

As the end of my sophomore year draws closer with each passing lecture, I think more about my decision to major in English and Computer Science (College students have to declare by the end of sophomore year). Two, three years ago, as I was applying for and heading to college, I had absolutely no idea what area of study I would end up focusing on, which is why I applied to Penn, undecided.

It seems like there’s a certain stigma surrounding the undecided major; my peers felt that they should at least put Biology or History, something they were somewhat interested in but still unsure about. However, I know that there is nothing wrong with being undecided, as trite as that sounds.

What is important about being undecided is that you still have the motivation to pursue what interests you. My favorite subjects in high school were art and biology, and I found in Penn the ability to customize my academic experience to tailor my interdisciplinary interests. Biological Basis of Behavior and Visual Studies both appealed to me prior to my arrival on campus.

Freshman year, my friends would ask, almost weekly, what my new major was to be: the joke is that I changed my mind so often, cycling through BBB, Economics, Communications, Visual Studies, Psychology, and almost everything else so quickly that it seemed like I’d never settle.

Four semesters later, I’ve realized that at the core of my passion for biology and art during high school was a love for the beautifully imperfect human condition--something that, to my surprise, is very relevant to English. I am by no means an expert in literature; formal structures and Renaissance literature, for example, are still areas I struggle in. But the excitement of pursuing something difficult, achieving some level of understanding, and being able to apply larger concepts across multiple disciplines makes quite a fulfilling academic experience.

-Julia W. '18

An Unexpected Friend

Over winter break I had the privilege of traveling to visit my sister who is living in Taiwan. Previously, I hadn’t been able to travel very much, but when I got this opportunity I was very excited. Experiencing Taiwan was so cool for me with different language, food, culture, and way of life. Having so many friends from school that were international and even Taiwanese made the experience especially cool. It really opened my eyes to the size of the world and how lucky I am to be at Penn where I have so many people living down the hall from me with diverse backgrounds and experiences.

After being in Taipei for three days, my sister and I decided to take a trip to Okinawa, Japan. With only an hour and a half flight, we were there very quickly. We went through customs and proceeded to find our way around the small island. Speaking no Japanese made it difficult at times, but my sister and I managed. We took tours through the island, went to local restaurants (as long as they had a picture menu), and relaxed on the beach. On the last day, we decided to take a ferry to an even smaller island, inhabited by less than seven hundred people called Tokashiki. This island was truly paradise with turquoise water and large white sandy beaches. As we got to the beach it was only my sister and me. This was paradise. Then, after about an hour, two more people came onto the beach. I looked at them and couldn’t believe it. It was one of my hall mates from freshman year at Penn. It was truly amazing to me that I could literally be around the world on a small deserted beach island in the middle of the East China Sea, yet still see a friend from Penn. It really showed me how lucky I was to be connected to a place like Penn. It’s truly an international place with amazing connections around the world. 

-Jack C. '17

Not your typical Penn Abroad

Before coming to Penn, the two coolest travel experiences I could credit to my name was going on vacation to Cuba (I'm Canadian and this was before Obama renewed diplomatic ties) and getting to hug a panda bear in Sichuan, China. These were all experiences I had with my family, and truthfully, I had never travelled much I came to Penn. Travelling in university is very different from travelling with family, and I am infinitely grateful for the opportunities that Penn had provided directly and indirectly for my travels.

Even though I've never formally been abroad during the school year at Penn, I was able to go to Tokyo, Japan over Spring Break in freshman year and Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa in my sophomore summer. I went to Tokyo as part of a trip organised by Wharton Asia Exchange in order to expose people to business and culture in Asia. Tokyo was a city in a class of its own and I got the opportunity to visit the Tokyo headquarters of companies like Honda, Google, Sony, and Morgan Stanley and was able to meet Penn alumni who are working there now. Along the way, we visited places like Asakusa shrine, the Buddha of Kamakura, Tokyo Skytree, and the hot springs. I made some very good friends on that week-long trips, ones that has lasted until now.

In sophomore summer, I went on a volunteer trip with three other Penn students to South Africa through an organisation called Penn International Business Volunteers and we worked on a management consulting case for an education non-profit in Johannesburg for three weeks. It was an extremely educational experience both in getting hands on experience in exploring a potential career path and getting immersed in the South African culture. We worked everyday alongside the employees of this non-profit in Diepsloot, one of the poorest neighbourhoods in Johannesburg. My favourite memory was spending time with the school children after their classes ended and singing and dancing with them. After our time with this non-profit ended, we also swung by Cape Town for a week and got to hike Table Mountain, go to the Cape of Good Hope, and visit the University of Cape Town.

These experiences abroad, despite not being your typical abroad story, really opened my eyes to the endless possibilities that were out there in the world. I got my first taste of independent travel and I've been exploring every chance I get ever since. 

-Ber Ber X. '16