Dear Prospective Students:

I just wanted to take this opportunity to write to those of you who are having second thoughts about enrolling in the Cal Poly at Sea program. I was a little apprehensive when I first decided to join this study abroad program, but let me just say it has been the best decision of my life. I could take this time to try to explain and describe just exactly how wonderful the last two months have been, but no words of mine could ever do the experience justice. Time aboard this ship is like an alternate reality. I often times found myself forgetting that life had been going on without me back home, it is all too easy to get drawn into ship life and lose sight of some things. Everyone aboard ship would probably tell you how amazing ports are and all the exciting things there are to see and do. That being said, and I would agree completely, time spent at sea can also be just as fun and exciting. Make the most of all the time you have because, as you will be sure to find out if you do decide to enroll in this program, it goes by so fast and what time you do have becomes all too precious.

It is hard to give advice to people that I have never met, just like it was hard for me to take advice from people I had never met before I signed up, because every person is different. I had no problems with any of my roommates and I was sharing a room with 9 other girls. I'm sure you're thinking "wow, 10 girls in one room and no drama?" Yes, it was amazing - I wouldn't have believed it myself if it weren't for the fact that I just lived it. Things do happen and toes get stepped on, so try to be as easy going as possible and learn not to sweat the small stuff. I also thought that I would have had a lot more free time and I brought a bunch of books and other leisure type things to occupy my time, but I didn't get around to any of them. I had so little free time that when I wasn't in class or studying I just enjoyed being outside or hanging out meeting new friends from both Poly and CMA. To me this was time well spent and I am much happier for doing so instead of reading a book or watching movies. This reminds me of another piece of advice: to maximize your leisure time I would suggest enrolling only in classes to meet the minimum required units. I took more units than required and had a lot less spare time than some of my more fortunate friends.

Looking over this letter it seems as if I am being extremely vague on the details, and this is true and with purpose. As I mentioned before, words can do not justice. My time spent aboard the TSGB has been amazing, fantastic, wonderful, exciting, and just plain fantabulous to say the least, and that goes without saying much. For me it has been one of those things in life that had to be lived and experienced by each separate person on an individual and personal basis. So, my final piece of advice is that this trip will be what you make of it so make the most of it because opportunities like this, though they only come few and far between, are defining moments in our lives that have the potential to continue to shape and impact our lives indefinitely.