My Top 5 College Experiences
What are the best college experiences? What will your college life be like? Welcome to our My Favorite College Experiences blog series, where UNH students share the experiences that impacted them the most, from study abroad and internships to student clubs and campus events!
Meet Jordan Christian '25, an environmental sciences: geosystems major and learn about her favorite college experiences, including an earth sciences field trip to the U.S. Southwest and a Flo Rida concert in the Whittemore Center Arena. Read more about Jordan's favorite moments at UNH so far:
Me in Plaza Blanca in Abiquiu, NM.
1. My earth sciences department field trip to the U.S. Southwest
The earth sciences department at UNH holds a trip every two years for students to actively engage and further understand the topics presented in courses. This past year, 16 students and two faculty members traveled to see sights including the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, Monument Valley, Horseshoe Bend, Bandelier National Monument, Four Corners Monument and more! My favorite stop was Plaza Blanca in Abiquiu, New Mexico. I loved seeing the breathtaking sights of the slot canyon and marveling in the beauty of the area. I really appreciated the opportunity to bond with other people within my department and get out of my comfort zone!
Flo Rida performing in the Whittemore Center Arena on October 6, 2024.
2. The Flo Rida Fall '24 SCOPE show
My club, the Student Committee on Popular Entertainment (SCOPE) puts on a show every semester and the Flo Rida show was one for the books! He brought a 2000s vibe to the Whittemore Center Arena and the energy was intoxicating! Flo Rida brought students on stage, came offstage many times to get in the crowd and sang throwback songs that everyone loved. As a club, SCOPE plans each concert together, including the venue, the headliner, the dressing rooms etc., so each show we've put on (but mainly this one) holds a special place in my heart.
Me at the volcanic sample site in Clermont-Ferrand, France.
3. My research experience in Clermont-Ferrand, France
With the help of the Hamel Center for Undergraduate Research and the International Research Opportunities Program, I was given the opportunity to spend nine weeks in France studying a proposed research project! Focusing on the Western European Rift System, I examined three volcanoes to compare their individual geochemistry and determine similarities within the magma movements. This was my first time sampling my own rocks and it was such a unique opportunity to see the beautiful sights as I traveled to each volcano. Working at the Université Clermont-Auvergne, my international mentor showed me how to cut my own rocks, polish samples and use the Mass Spectrometer (LA-ICP-MS) and the Electron Probe Micro-Analyzer (EPMA).
Me presenting my poster at AGU.
4. Presenting my summer research in Washington, D.C.
Through the International Research Opportunities Program, I was given the opportunity to visit the American Geophysical Union (AGU) conference in Washington, D.C. this past December! This conference was so helpful as an undergraduate, offering me exposure to a plethora of self-marketing opportunities, research talks, job opportunities and universities to consider for graduate school. AGU presented so many different activities to do and I was in the convention center about seven hours every day. Here, I presented my first ever research poster!
Market days in Aix-en-Provence, France.
5. My study abroad to Aix-en-Provence, France
My favorite experience from my time at UNH must be my semester abroad in the south of France. Studying abroad was life-changing in the best way possible! The program provided me with a handful of different artistic opportunities for my art minor, field trips to Paris and social events. Along the way, I met the most incredible friends who I still talk to regularly. In a city full of fountains, limestone buildings, daily markets, festivals and more, there was always something to do, and it was incredibly easy to bask in the sheer beauty of the region. Traveling around was so convenient, as I was only 40 minutes away from the airport by bus and regional travel is affordable and incredibly accessible. I’ve returned four times since!
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