Ciao! My name is Jake Louis and I am a junior at the University of Pittsburgh studying Marketing and Finance. I am from Ashburn, Virginia which is about 40 minutes south of Washington DC, and I have lived in Northern Virginia my entire life. In high school, I had some interest in business and marketing so I decided to join a marketing club in high school to try it out. This ended up really cementing my interest in not only business but marketing as well.
This past summer, I interned at a digital marketing agency, which allowed me to get some additional experience in content creation and sales processes. Through the client-facing work, I fully solidified my interest in sales, and allowed me to pursue a role for this upcoming summer at Uline. Outside of school, I enjoy watching and playing sports, trying new foods, and listening to music.
I am currently studying abroad in Florence through the Global Business Institute Program. Choosing to study abroad in Florence was an easy decision for me. My parents ask me and my siblings where we want to go on vacation every once in a while, and my answer has been the same for as long as I can remember, Italy. Right around when COVID hit, we had planned a trip, but COVID interrupted those plans and I was devastated. So when I saw Pitt Business offered a program in Florence, I knew it was the right choice for me. My main goal for this program is to appreciate my time abroad and learn as much as possible. I know my time here is going to fly by, so I want to make sure that I take advantage of every moment possible and fully immerse myself in the culture here to truly make the most of my experience while abroad. As someone who has never left North America, this is a huge opportunity for me to grow personally, and while there has been some culture shock, I know I am going to have an awesome time, and I am truly grateful for the opportunity to participate in this program.
With two weeks of class experience under my belt now, I have noticed some differences between the school abroad and Pitt. So far, I am enjoying my classes and I like the small class size because it is easier to make a real connection with not only my professors but also the other students in my classes. The biggest adjustment for me is how the classes are scheduled here compared to Pitt. When selecting my classes at Pitt, I will always opt for the ones that meet multiple times a week because I find it much easier to focus when it is in shorter sessions. Here in Florence, I have three almost three-hour classes per week and I have found it harder to focus compared to the shorter sessions. I also like having classes with students who don’t go to Pitt because it allows me to meet people outside of my inner circle. I have classes with kids from all over the United States, and it is cool to see everyone’s different perspectives based on where they are from.
I got pretty lucky with my housing assignment, and I am delighted with my living space. I am living in an apartment with five other people, four of them I knew going into this experience and one of them was a random person who was also from Pitt. We are staying in an apartment that is surrounded by locals and my main goal is not to disturb them and respect the space that we were given. We are on the very end of our street, which makes our walk longer than most, but it’s nice to have that longer walk in the morning. This is also my first time living with a roommate which has been an adjustment, but I have loved it so far. We don’t have enough cooking space or utensils, but we are making do with what we have and it’s working out. Overall, I am very happy with my living space, and I am excited to live with these guys for the rest of my semester.
Going into study abroad, I knew this was going to be an experience like no other, and even in the first two weeks it has been so surreal. I am so excited to take advantage of all the opportunities in front of me and share them with my family and friends back home who I miss dearly. I am truly grateful for this opportunity and I am so excited for the next 3 months that follow. Arrivederci!
