Valeria

Valeria is a student from China who spent her summer with YSS! She took classes on film, American history, and visual theory.

On a typical day, Valeria began with breakfast in the Trumbull dining hall, enjoying the quiet morning atmosphere. She then would head to the School of Art, engaging in lively discussions and creative activities with her professor and 15 classmates with diverse academic backgrounds. After class, she would have lunch in the Berkeley dining hall with classmates from her Visual Thinking course, followed by a homework session in Sterling Memorial Library or Bass Library. After completing some homework. Valeria would spend her evenings at Trumbull dining hall once more for dinner and would then hang out with friends in the Grace Hopper buttery.

Valeria says “Despite occasional late nights working on painting assignments, each day at YSS fills me with gratitude and happiness. My advice to future students is to cultivate diverse friendships, engage in various activities, and build connections with professors. YSS not only improves language and professional skills but also nurtures critical thinking, especially beneficial for Asian students adapting to varied educational approaches.” Valeria highly recommends YSS for a socially and academically enriching experience.

Valeria is now a senior at China Foreign Affairs University, currently navigating post-graduation tests and applications in Beijing, China.