What was your most memorable concert experience?

The best concert experience I’ve had to date was also my most spontaneous adventure. My best friend and I went on a backpacking trip across Europe in summer 2023 starting in London and travelling through the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Austria, Italy, and France. Throughout our time in Europe we stayed in Hostels that we booked through an app that puts travelers there at the same time in a group chat. The day before we were set to arrive people in the group chat started talking about a Post Malone concert in Amsterdam. Just for the heck of it we thought to check the ticket prices and as luck would have it they happened to be pretty cheap considering it was the day before. We booked the tickets that day while in London and the next day we were on our way to Amsterdam to see Post Malone! Sometimes the most unexpected experiences are the ones that turn out to be the best ones! 

What’s a surprising thing on your bucket list?

Up until I moved to Austria this past September I’ve never been much of an outdoorsy person. Hiking was always one of those things that other people did, but me? Definitely not. But when you're surrounded by gorgeous mountains it is hard to refuse any opportunity to immerse yourself in nature. As such, I’ve really gotten into hiking with my friends, even going as far as to say it’s my new favourite hobby. So now one of my top items on my bucket list is hiking the Inca trail to Machu Picchu! While Peru was already on my travel bucket list I love the idea of truly experiencing the landscape leading up to the site rather than skipping ahead to the best part. But perhaps I will start with some less demanding hikes before jumping into a multi-day, high altitude trek.

What’s the worst haircut you’ve ever gotten?

As a curly-haired girlie, finding someone who truly knows how to cut curls can be a challenge. Most of the time, I just ask my mom to trim my hair when I’m home during semester breaks. But during my senior year of college, I had the brilliant idea to let my roommate give it a shot. Surprisingly, it turned out amazing—I spent months loving my fresh cut. Feeling confident, I enlisted her help again a few months later. This time, luck wasn’t on my side. The moment I heard the dreaded “Uh oh…”, I knew I was in trouble. She had accidentally chopped a chunk of hair way too short in the back, and the only way to salvage it was to trim the rest into a curly little bob. I haven’t gotten a haircut since.

If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be?

If I could give one piece of advice to my younger self, it would be to stop worrying so much about making friends abroad. I remember stressing over whether I’d find my people, but looking back, I realize how quickly and naturally friendships formed. The best connections happened in the little moments—coffee break during class, local pub quiz nights, and even just catching the same bus as some of my classmates. Now, I have an incredible group of friends who feel like family, and I wish I hadn’t wasted so much time worrying. 

What does Skola mean to you?

To me Skola is the support system that I never had. None of my family or friends had ever studied abroad so I was on my own when navigating the process. I had so many questions to ask and there wasn’t always someone with an answer. So joining the Skola team has been a meaningful way to help other students have a smooth transition to their life abroad.