Madison Mendez's Spotlight
Madison Mendez
About Madison
Madison is a third-year student at Penn State University Park majoring in Professional Photography. She is minoring in Media Studies, as well as Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Over the summer of 2023, Madison studied abroad in Stockholm, Sweden through our DIS: Stockholm, Study in Stockholm program.
Continue reading to learn more about Madison's highlights of her time in Stockholm in her own words, why she chose Stockholm, how her program improved her self-confidence, the lessons she took away, and her advice for students interested in studying abroad!
Madison posing at Galma Stan (Old Town) in Stockholm, Sweden
Photo Madison snapped near Norrmalm on the way to study at the Stockholm Public Library
Madison celebrating the Midsummer holiday (celebration of the summer solstice) in a garden in Skansen
Photo Madison captured of Hornstull on her walk to the grocery store
Madison's Education Abroad Experience
"I chose my study abroad program because each class that I took had "Study Tours", which allowed you to learn for a week in another country for no additional cost. Since I took two courses, I was able to not only study in Stockholm but Berlin and London as well. I also knew that since the program placed students in apartment-style housing, I would be able to become very close with fellow students living next to me, in fact, my roommate and I still speak to each other at least once a week.
One of the highlights of the program was the sense of independence and maturity that it gave me. Stockholm is very large, and DIS wants you to explore as much of it as possible. I would travel 20-25 minutes every day by metro to get to class, and the design of this is on purpose to get you acclimated to traveling on your own. Since meals weren't provided, you would have to go to the local grocery store every 2-3 days and cook for yourself in your apartment's kitchen. After the first week there, it felt like my friends and I knew Stockholm like the backs of our hands. We truly felt like we were living there and not simply visiting.
Sweden was not my first choice of location, so this was a last-minute application. My advice would be to not be afraid of the unknown. Studying abroad is full of unknowns and allowing yourself to go with the flow and not always stick to the plan can lead you to making some of the best memories of your life. It did for me!"