A Final Post, For Now

My eclectic college whiteboard calendar with an important date on Saturday, May 3

As the Pitt-Greensburg Spring 2025 semester comes to a close, so does the class for which I began this blog-- and, what's worse, so does my undergraduate education as a whole.

I didn't expect to have an opportunity like the Travel Writing class at UPG. Although travel and study abroad is something I dream of, it was never a monetary possibility for me-- so this class let me have a taste of the fun and exploration I longed for throughout my college years while keeping it closer to home. Suffice to say I learned a lot, both about Pittsburgh and about what it takes to do good travel writing (not that it always worked out that way).

I know that to be a journalist of any sort, I will have to be courageous. This class did prove that to me. But what's more, I have to be myself: the version of me I am always on the lookout for, who loves to talk to strangers and try new things and get lost sometimes. She who will risk rejection for the equal risk of acceptance: a meaningful, one-time conversation with someone I might never cross paths with again or otherwise. I must always be pushing myself to find her.

I must also push myself for photos of everything. Coming away from this class, I am deeply in want of a professional camera, so that perhaps the act of photography might feel less awkward and amateur when done in public. Not to mention something with physical photo storage outside of an iPhone. God, what a dream that would be! After losing almost all of my travel photos this semester, I will be looking for new ways to back up my media so that I won't needlessly be rid of important memories and documentation.

What did I enjoy most? Honestly, I loved walking around, I loved getting food, I loved talking with my classmates that I didn't usually get to talk with. I'll link a particularly good blog here to my fellow almost-graduate Alexander, with whom I was happy to make friends while out on our adventures. Having hot food and a beer with my classmates and professor was something I will cherish for a long time.

Buuuut... I also really loved visiting St. Antony Chapel on Troy Hill. The power of that place was immense and old, yet fresh and new as the everyday people that visit. Although we had more churches on our Travel Class bucket list, I wasn't able to attend any others, so it'll be an ongoing goal of mine to visit available Pittsburgh shrines (of which I know there are many). I hope it will help me better understand what it means to live, not just reside, here.

Oh-- How could I forget? I need to revisit Wholey's and actually buy something from the cheese counter. It is a dire matter.

I hope I can continue using this blog in the next year I live in Pittsburgh, as it may be my last, and I have plenty of places I want written down and shared with the vast, faceless internet. If you're reading this, whoever is out there: check out Salem Bar and Grill, or Pho Van. They're to die for.

Thank you again to my comrades in Travel Writing, and to my professor, Lori Jakiela. It is always a joy to be in the world with people like you. And thank you to the creators of Wix for making website building so accessible. Hip hip, hooray! See you on the flip side!

~ Geneva