With GATE interviews just around the corner and a new class
of GATE students about to be accepted into the program, I have come to realize
that my time with GATE is limited. It seems like just yesterday that I was
anxiously waiting to apply for the program. I first learned about the group
when I was on a tour of the campus and I almost walked into a door with one of
their fliers on it. I was immediately curious. The flyer I saw was advertising
the opportunity to study abroad and travel! What was this GATE program and how
could I be a part of it?
GATE stands for Global Awareness Through Education and it is
a two year program for freshman and sophomore students. The classes that GATE
students take have a global focus, such as Music of the Americas and World
Literature, just to name a couple. Through GATE, I have met some of the best
people and I honestly don’t know what I would do if I hadn’t have made those
friends. When we were all at the first social getting to know each other, it
felt like the Brazil and Argentina trip was so far away. It felt like such a
colossal undertaking to get 30 students on the same page in studying abroad! Now
that the trip is almost a month away, I have no fingernails anymore because I
can’t believe it is finally here.
Here are some tips to make getting ready to go on a study
abroad trip less scary:
