Posts tagged clemson university
Oscar Heerkens Thijssen, Clemson University, post3: Looking around
Dear reader,
The end of the semester is getting closer every day. All of us are desperately trying to squeeze some more trips in before going home. Looking back, we have seen quite a lot of places though.
During Halloween we went to New Orleans with a group of 20, mixed international and American students. We rented a big house just across the Mississippi so every night we took the ferry which dropped us of right in the city center. New Orleans is one of the biggest party cities in the states so we did not have any problems enjoying ourselves. We filled the days with sitting on our front porch, wandering around the city and doing tours to the swamps.
Two weeks later, in an attempt to top the New Orleans trip we rented a cabin in the mountains. The cabin was located in the woods with a lake nearby. One of the main activities was trying to squeeze everyone in the hot tub, which was quite a challenge considering that we were 30 people. There were pool and football tables and a fireplace which was burning constantly. We also spend a lot of time fishing and hunting around the lake.
I celebrated Thanksgiving in New York with Janine and her family. It was very special to be a part of such a family tradition. I would recommend everyone to go home with one of your American friends during this holiday. New York is a cool place to visit anyways. Especially the 9/11 memorial and museum are very impressive.
A part from that we did trips to Washington DC, Atlanta, Charlotte and Charleston. A few people even went to Florida and Chicago. Gas is extremely cheap and on weekend we just rented a car and drove somewhere. So, no reason to get bored.
Kind regards,
Oscar
Oscar Heerkens Thijssen, Clemson University, post 2: Clemson at it’s best
Dear reader,
Football is big in Clemson. The games are insane. There are fireworks, cheerleaders, a big band and a stadium with a capacity over 80,000. The color of Clemson is orange so everyone is dressed up in orange. It is as American as it gets. Hours before the game starts fans from miles away gather around the stadium for a tailgate party. Thousands of people load their trucks with bbq’s, beer and food and pre-party on the parking lots surrounding the stadium. The game itself usually takes around two hours. If you want to know what Clemson Football is like, watch this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbvtdXHXaLU (4:00).
During half time we usually walk to downtown Clemson to watch the rest of the game in one of the many college bars. There is air conditioning and beers which both the stadium lacks. Since there are no bars on campus, downtown Clemson is the place to be. Students, regarded that they are over 21, come downtown mostly during the weekend.
Also, if you are planning on going to the States, make sure to attend a few frat parties. These are house parties thrown by fraternities. They usually only let girls in but if you play the exchange-student-card you will be likely to end up at an awesome party. The girls, united in sororities, live on campus so they host their events downtown. They often organize mixers. In that case different sororities meet in a bar for a theme party. If you are lucky they will ask you as their date.
Kind regards,
Oscar
Oscar Heerkens Thijssen, Clemson University, post 1: Clemson at a glance
Dear reader,
I was asked to write this blog about my life as an exchange student at Clemson University to give you an idea of what an exchange in Clemson is like. By the end, hopefully, you may be able to make up your mind as for where you want to go!
My name is Oscar Heerkens Thijssen. I am a 21-year-old bachelor student at Delft University of Technology. My major is Mechanical Engineering.
Clemson is a great place! I love the people and place is wonderful. There are basically two parts: the campus and the town of Clemson. Most students live on campus and so do I. It is a perfect place to hang out, drink coffee and meet people. While walking around campus I run into so many people, I met at parties, while going out or at the gym, that walking to class takes longer every day.
When it comes to size Clemson and Delft are very much alike. A big university is a small city. It is one of the aspects I like a lot about Clemson. You will not feel lost and in no time you know a significant number of people around. The location is also a big advantage. Clemson is located in total west of South Carolina. It is very close to the mountains and rainforests of North Carolina as well as the Atlantic coast and cities like Atlanta and Greenville.
The campus is beautiful and lively. There are tons of facilities like swimming pools, restaurants, cinemas, gyms, saunas, dining halls, etc. The campus also has a lake beach on the shores of Lake Hartwell. A lot of sailing and wakeboarding is done here. But, just chilling in the warm waters and zipping a beer is also a perfect way of enjoying the lake.
In my next posts I will tell some more about parties so far, the international community and the football season which is about to start.
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