by Rose Chen

Hello everyone! I’m Rose Chen, an English (Creative Writing) and French Studies double major studying abroad in Paris for the Fall 2024 semester. Having lived in dorms both my freshman and sophomore years at Wesleyan, one of the biggest changes during my time abroad has been adjusting to living and being a university student in a city. I am currently taking classes on two separate campuses, one at Reid Hall through the Vassar-Wesleyan Program in Paris, and the others at Sorbonne Nouvelle. With home often being a 30-45 minute trip away from my classes or extracurriculars rather than a 15 minute walk across campus, what I carry around with me day-to-day has definitely shifted. These are my top daily essentials: 

Note-Taking Devices 

Of course, much of my week is spent either in classes or doing homework for said classes–universities in Paris often function on very different schedules than their American counterparts. Currently, each of my four classes meets once a week, and while there are often weekly readings or other assignments given, the majority of the focus is placed on two or three major assignments due throughout the semester. As an Creative Writing student, I’m enjoying the opportunity to take translation and analysis classes in both French and English at Sorbonne Nouvelle–learning the nuances of the two languages in relation to each other has definitely broadened the way I not only approach improving my French language skills but also the ways I write poetry and prose in English. 

My courses tend to be reading heavy from week-to-week, and I typically read and annotate on my tablet in preparation for classes, while taking notes with pen and paper during class. As my professors tend to switch between French and English at Sorbonne Nouvelle (Reid Hall classes are taught entirely in French), one of the habits I have been developing during my time here in Paris has been rewriting my class notes into one language or the other for more comprehensive retention. 

Book 

Anywhere from 1-2 hours of my day is spent on public transit, whether that’s between classes or from my homestay to dinner with friends. I like to take the opportunity to read a bit, and have currently been working through this bilingual volume of Louise Glück’s poetry–she was such an inspiration to me when I was beginning to write creatively, and it has been fascinating to apply the theories and lessons I am learning in my classes to texts outside of the course readings. 

Ideas Notebook + Journal 

Especially in this difficult time, I have been trying to remind myself each day of how phenomenally lucky I am to have this opportunity to study abroad in Paris, which has been a dream of mine since I began taking French courses in high school. Exploring the city–especially its museums–has been inspirational for me as it has been (as my host mom likes to remind me) for generations of writers who lived and created here. One of my first purchases was a little notebook to accompany my daily journal–these have been invaluable in remembering particularly interesting works of art or historical sites, as well as the more minute, daily experiences of being abroad. 

Tote Bag 

As a whole, plastic bags are less common in Paris, with a greater emphasis placed on reusable or paper bags in the interest of environmental sustainability. As I tend to go shopping for groceries at least three times a week–kitchens also tend to be smaller–having the option for additional space has saved me on a number of occasions when I need more ingredients than can fit in my normal purse. 

As winter approaches and ice rinks open, bringing a tote for my skates as opposed to a bulkier bag or backpack is also the easiest choice on the metro, which has been getting more crowded as temperatures drop.