Sarah Cosentino abroad in Milan, Italy during autumn 2022 through the exchange program at Bocconi University

Sarah Cosentino, a senior marketing major, explored the world of marketing and fashion while abroad at Bocconi University in Milan, Italy through the Undergraduate Exchange Program with the Fisher College of Business during autumn semester 2022. 

This past semester, I went on a student exchange for a semester through the Fisher College of Business at Bocconi University. I chose this program because I am very interested in fashion and wanted to learn more about it through a business lens, and Milan, Italy felt like the perfect place to do so. At Bocconi, I was able to take marketing courses that focused on digital media and fashion and was able to expand my knowledge about the business side of fashion and retail. Additionally, I knew that I wanted to travel as much as possible while abroad, so I chose Milan because of how accessible it was to other countries as well as all of the other amazing Italian cities.  

I was sitting in Spanish class my freshman year of high school when an alumni came to visit our class and tell us about her study abroad experience in Spain. I remember thinking to myself how incredible that experience sounded, and how I wanted to make it my goal to go abroad when I went to college. Fast forward four years, and I was finally a freshman in college. However, that was the same year the world was faced with a global shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. No one knew how long the pandemic would last, and I had no idea if I would ever be able to leave the country and study abroad. Luckily, my junior year it was announced that Fisher would begin doing their study abroad again, but it would be subject to change depending on the restrictions COVID-19 might bring. I decided to proceed with the application anyway, nearly a year before my departure date, and luckily by this past August nearly all restrictions were lifted, and I was able to go on my program. It is so crazy to look back on this journey and think about how I set out to do this thing almost eight years ago, and how now I am actually doing it. The process and planning were long and exhausting, but these past four months have been so transformative. It honestly feels so surreal, and I have so much gratitude for being given this opportunity.  

I would 100% encourage other students to study abroad. To be completely honest, it can sometimes be hard to navigate a foreign country on your own, it can get lonely, and you will probably feel home sick at some points too. However, studying abroad has single-handedly been the most rewarding experience in my life. I came to Italy looking to grow as an individual and gain a more worldly perspective, and I am coming back to Ohio with so much more than that. It is honestly really hard to put into words how special it is to live in another country for four months. Sometimes when I wake up, I remember that I am in Italy, and I just cannot believe my life. I mean it’s amazing. So, if you are considering studying abroad and feeling apprehensive, do it. It’s a little scary at first, but you will not regret it, I promise. I know that I will look back on this experience for the rest of my life as some of the fondest times.