It’s akin to a double major plus, but to Mercedes Girona ’20, that’s just extra fun. She majors in foreign languages, studying French and Spanish. Her second major is anthropology. We asked Girona what it’s like to be that busy as she was looking ahead to a year of study abroad in Hamilton programs.
Majors: Foreign Languages, Anthropology
Hometown: Richmond, Mass.
High School: Monument Mountain Regional High School
So at this point, has having your two majors been a good move for you?
Yes, definitely. I love my Spanish class, and I’m taking, this semester, advanced grammar. And I’m a total nerd about it. I love grammar. It’s one of my favorite parts of learning languages. I’m having a blast in that class. And then I’m in more beginner French — 140 — and I’m having a great time in that as well. And so I’m really glad that I’m taking both. It’s super fun and challenging. And I’m so excited to go to Paris and Madrid. I can’t wait.
What do you love about anthro? What was it that captured you?
Well, it sort of forced me to think in a way that I never thought before. And especially with Julie (Assistant Professor of Anthropology Julie Starr ), really she gave us the greatest readings, and we have the greatest discussions in class. And I had to start thinking about identity and race and history in ways that I never had before, and so to be able to look at the world from a really different perspective now is really awesome.
Any thoughts yet about what you might want to do when you graduate?
Well, I have a feeling spending a year abroad — I’m actually going to be there for the summer as well, staying with family — I think that I’m going to want to go back...
I think I’m going to want to spend at least a couple of years in Europe somewhere practicing my languages. I’m actually doing a nonprofit internship this summer in Boston, so maybe I’ll want to continue doing that type of work while also working on my languages. Maybe learn a couple of new ones. I definitely want to collect a few more.
