Favourite Class and Study Habit

May 16, 2017

This semester, I have taken classes that are quite different to what I would take if it were a regular semester – two are more social/political science focused and the other two look at the Spanish culture and how the city of Barcelona is perceived and described through literature. Each class is unique and I am learning a lot in every one of them but my favourite is my class called ‘The Image of Barcelona through Literature.’ We started the course with a brief overview of Spanish history to give us context of time and place and as the semester progressed, we started reading different texts that described Barcelona, the War of Succession, the Spanish Civil War and other important times in history. I have enjoyed reading all these texts – prose, poetry and even watching films – and then analyzing them to understand the ideals on which Barcelona was founded and how things today are different than historical times.

To prepare for each class, I generally do my readings beforehand and then add on to my notes based on class discussion – this applies to all four classes. I usually study at home since that is where I focus best but another place to study is the UAB library; they have many tables with outlets, it is very quiet and is ideal to do homework and study between classes when you don’t have time to go home and come back to campus. I would like to be able to sit in a café and study but I find it so hard to focus, especially when the weather is nice and everyone is sitting outside and chatting. I use that as an incentive to focus to the best of my abilities at home and get work done as quickly as possible so I can go outside and enjoy the good weather while it lasts and while I am here.

Written By

Mitali Mirle

I am originally from India, born and raised in Dubai UAE. I am studying Environmental Science with a minor in psychology and Spanish. I chose to study abroad because I wanted to experience a new culture, travel to new places and in the process, improve my Spanish. While some people speak English here in Barcelona, the preferred language is definitely Spanish, therefore if I want to communicate with others, I am forced to speak the language, which will help me improve my conversational Spanish. While abroad, I hope to use Barcelona as a gateway to rest of Europe, say yes to almost all opportunities, try new things, eat new types of food and witness and be a part of new traditions and customs of Spain. I would like to come back and share my experiences with others like me who also want to travel the world and see the world from different perspectives.