Friday, April 6, 2012

Arrivederci e Ci Vediamo….

Exactly two month ago we all had to leave the Eternal City to continue our studies in Utrecht. It’s more than time now for some final words to my stay in Rome and to the Business Minor at LUISS.

The last weeks in Rome

Unfortunately, my exam period already started right after Christmas and ended at the beginning of February. Therefore, as you can all imagine, the last weeks in Rome weren’t that much fun.

Right before Christmas I already wrote my first exam. It was a written essay in Business Organization. This exam was a “pre-appello” which means that it took place before the actual exam period, which was in January and February. Most of the times students get special benefits when they write a pre-appello exam. For instance, for this exam I only had to study the material from the mid-term exam onwards. Therefore, not the whole material was covered in the end-term, which was good for us, because we had to study a bit less and also good for the professor since a lot of people already showed up for the pre-appello. If you have the opportunity to write a pre-appello, always take it!

A few more things you should now about exams at LUISS

There are always three exam dates offered by the professor. Hence, you are very flexible and you can choose yourself if you want to write the exam at the first, second or third date. If you are writing the exam on the first date and it happens that you do not like your grade (because it is to low), you have the possibility to reject the grade and you can take the exam at the second or third date again. If you do not reject your grade, you have to go to LUISS at a specific date to sign your grade. Only after you have signed your grade, you can keep it and it will be registered in Utrecht. We have experienced, that it is always better to take the exam on the very first date. In addition, rejecting grades often does not increase your grade in the second or third try by that much. In addition, you will have oral exams. When I had to take my first oral exam, I was quite nervous, because the whole class is sitting in the classroom where you have your oral exam and it is sometimes a bit noisy in there. However, as soon as it is your turn you will be able to concentrate and forget all the people talking around you.

The very last days

After a six week exam period, we were all quite happy to have finished the last bit of our Minor successfully. This calls for celebration! During the last few days, we partied, went out for dinner to enjoy the last pizzas and gelati with our friends and just appreciated the last rays of sunshine and the city.

It is time to say goodbye

While both of my Dutch flat mates have already left at the end of January, it was my turn to say goodbye at the beginning of February. At the evening before I left, we organized a big final (goodbye) dinner with all our friends in San Lorenzo at San Lollo’s. It was a nice and long, but also a sad evening, since we had to say goodbye to all our Italian friends with whom we shared many personally valuable memories of our year in Rome.

At the 1st of February I left Rome, but not for good. I have thrown so many coins in the Trevi Fountain that my return is guaranteed :). I left with very mixed feelings. On one hand, I was sad to leave Rome and my Italian friends. On the other hand, I was happy to go back to Utrecht, finally seeing my friends over there again and I was looking forward to cycle. Coming back to Utrecht was a bit like coming back home.


Time is flying by

To round it up, the year in Rome was flying by. The Business Minor and also the time over there have been great! I had the chance to experience living in a Mediterranean country, in a historical metropolis with a very different culture. I have met and gained many friends from all over the world. It was interesting to study at a small, but well known and international oriented university whose university systems is very diverse compared to the one we are used to. I did not only broaden my academic background in Business Economics, I could also grow as a person.

I hope all of you will have a comparable great time and experience in Rome and at LUISS!


P.S.: As promised, a few of my favourite places to go out in Rome……

Clubs:

Goa

Boeme

Art Café & Babel

Circolo Degli Artisti

Qube


Aperetivo:

Momart

Viale 21 Aprile, 19

Freni e Frizioni

Via del Politeama 4-6

Numbs

Corso Trieste


Bars:

Antico Caffè della Pace

Via della Pace 5

Bar del Fico

Piazza del Fico


Gelateria:

Gelateria Bartocci

Via Alessandria, 145

Giolitti

Via degli Uffici del Vicario 40


Best Tiramisu:

Bar Pompi

Via Albalonga 7


Restaurants:

San Lollo

Via dei Sabelli 51

I Butteri

Piazza Regina Margherita 28

Gusto Pizzeria & Wine Bar

Via della Frezza and

Piazza Augusto Imperatore

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