Big announcement time! I, a content resident of the southeastern United States, have decided to take on the Alaskan wild for the fall semester. Why would I ever trade humid heat for frigid tundra, you might ask? The answer is: I’m not entirely sure. I do love winter weather, the mountains, and the great outdoors, but I also am a fan of school closings whenever there’s even a forecast of ice. But college is a chance for trying new things, and this is certainly that.
To explain some more, I will be taking part in a program called National Student Exchange, where I go on an exchange semester from my home university to another university in the US. It’s a pretty nifty option for lots of reasons, but especially because it’s so cool to learn how different cultures can exist even within the same country. If you are interested in seeing if this program is an option at your school, you can check out their website here.
So, I am choosing to leave my lovely home of Columbia, SC at the University of South Carolina to venture all the way across the country to the University of Alaska Southeast in Juneau, AK. And the weather won’t be the only big difference–I’m going from a school of over 30,000 to a school with one-tenth that number. I’m already excited for the new experiences that will bring to the table. I mean, just look at this place!
To help document my experience and share it with others, I’m making Fried to Frozen a new series on my blog. So, if you ever find yourself wanting to know how the heck I’m going to pack for a whole semester in a couple of suitcases or if you want to tune in down the road to see how my kayaking class is going, all you have to do is look for the Fried to Frozen graphic. Don’t worry, I’m still going to keep up all my book blogging, I just wanted to expand Reading Whale a little to tell you all some cool things about my life right now.
If you have any questions about my trip or any (much appreciated) advice on packing or what Juneau is like, leave a comment below or send an email! I’m looking forward to documenting my crazy semester and sharing lots of photos when I get there (be sure to follow @readingwhale on Instagram)! Stay posted for the next update where I’ll be doing some deep research to see if there’s any way to get a chicken biscuit in Alaska.
