Every year, a new generation of college freshman enters their primary environment of the next four years with high expectations, high prospects, and high uncertainty levels. The average freshman is a walking contradiction; overly self-assured and absurdly insecure all at once, with fleeting, fragile moments of total certainty and optimism for the future which can suddenly and easily be replaced by an impending sense of doom. Basically, no one knows what the hell is going on, but you fall into a routine and hope you're doing the "adulting" thing right.
The single most cliché, but accurate, aspect of the college freshman experience is an insatiable sense of wanderlust. We all know objects in motion tend to stay that way, and the process of relocating breeds a consequent need to continue to do so; whether it's studying abroad or going back home for a weekend every month just to head right back to campus, we can't keep still.
Another more recent development is the mass notion that we're all low key professional photographers, so there's that too.
As a global affairs major, I have a deep appreciation for cultures and love nothing more than completely abandoning my comfort zone in search of new people and places to enchant me, and this summer, I was presented with the opportunity to visit Europe and tour through seven countries. I spent a month driving around the continent, making new friends, visiting family, and most importantly taking in all the amazing sights.
The experience and vibrant culture all around me was almost overwhelming, and I was elated for the entirety of my time abroad. Even driving seven hours was made enjoyable by the scenery. The heat wave was a minor inconvenience overtaken in import by my inability to translate rapid French, German, or Italian, therefore allowing me to improve my language skills. On my lazier days I could instead opt to ascribe made up ambient dialogues and to various passers-by as I pleased.
The first stop of the summer was Paris, France and I'm here to share my recently acquired touristic prowess on the City of Light.
La Tour Eiffel
A staple of the French experience, the Eiffel Tower is in no uncertain terms every bit as astounding as you can imagine it to be. While it's essentially an industrial viewing platform for the city it inhabits, its presence and the awe it elicits from people of all cultures speaks to the unmatched beauty, sophistication, and timelessness of Paris.
5 Avenue Anatole. Digital Portrait, Canon RT5 EF-S 75-300mm via 15-80mm
The Latin Quarter
I never thought I'd say this, but Audrey Hepburn was wrong. One does not "philosophize with all the guys around Montmartre," quoth "Funny Face" (1957)... that's what the Quarter is for.
The epicenter of intellect in Paris, the Latin Quarter is known mainly for its student population of inhabitants and its proximity to La Sorbonne, Lang-Martinez Hospital, and L'École des Mines de Paris, among other higher education institutions. The apartment buildings which can span several successive city blocks are impressive architectural feats, and provide no lack of aesthetic appreciation, even though they may occasionally block out the Eiffel Tower. My time there was spent with my aunt Carmen, who has been running cancer research in a Parisian lab for several years. It's impressive work but my biggest struggle was learning to navigate the radial grid system.
Montmartre
The artistic counterpart to the Latin Quarter, Montmartre houses the starving artists of the city, but also the most abundant, highly concentrated display of artistic cultural expression in the country. Visual and performance arts thrive in Montmartre, and in the architecturally perfect shadow of Sacré-Cœur Basilica the local population finds visual inspiration whilst the tourist population reaps the audiovisual benefits. Whether it be street art in the narrow streets, culinary art, or the 20-something opera students, everyone who finds their way to Montmartre may find a title as benefactor of the arts.
