Summer of Excitement or Worry?

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This morning, I received an email I had been eagerly awaiting for weeks: “Dear Aviva, congratulations on your acceptance to the University of Trento, Italy Summer School!” Within minutes, the elation subsided into intense worry. How am I supposed to afford eight weeks of studying neuroscience in Italy with a (barely reduced) $2,700 summer contribution looming over my head? When 15–20 hours at my three campus jobs each week barely allow me to scrape by with my annual contribution, it seems unlikely that $2,700 will magically materialize in my three weeks home, never mind the travel expenses not covered by the ISA. People constantly tell me that their summer abroad was one of the best parts of their Yale experience. I only wish I could allow myself the same excitement.

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