Student Spotlight: Micayla Mirabella Class of 2020

Ciao! My name is Micayla Mirabella, and I am an American degree-seeking student majoring in Communications and minoring in Marketing. I am a freshman at John Cabot University in Rome, Italy.

I had lived in New Jersey my entire life. I never expected to end up going to college so far from home. Applying to college was exciting, but stressful. I had no idea what I wanted to do or where I wanted to go. It wasn’t until I met a representative at a college fair that I knew I had to apply to JCU.

Fast foward to almost a year later. It is my second semester here at JCU and I’ve learned so much already! My professors are fantastic and they really  want me to succeed. I like being in smaller classrooms and I enjoy getting to know my professors personally. I do not feel like just a number at JCU. Not only am I loving my courses and professors, I find myself constantly learning outside the classroom as well.

Studying in Rome has always been a dream of mine and I cannot believe that I have the opportunity to study here for four years! I have gotten lost in the streets of Rome my fair share of times, but I always seem to get lost in the right direction: around each and every corner is something amazing.

I have met so many wonderful people as well. The cool thing about having friends from all over the world is having friends from all over the world! Being immersed in such a diverse university gives me the opportunity to learn about other cultures and, in turn, learn about myself. I now have friends from six out of the seven continents!

This unique college experience would not be possible if it weren’t for my support system at home. My parents have supported me since day one and I am so thankful for that. They have given me the wings to fly and my wings have brought me here to Rome, my favorite city in the world! I always tell people, “I wouldn’t be so confident about living on my own, 4000 miles away from home, if my family and friends didn’t have confidence in me as well!”

In my opinion, the toughest part about going to school abroad is the distance. I cannot hop in the car to come home for the weekend, and the 6-hour time difference can make keeping in touch with people back home difficult. But it is not impossible. It gets easier. I’ve learned to make time for loved ones and to also make time for myself.

Self-discovery, self-love, and self-care are things that I try to focus on the most being away from home. College is a time to be a little selfish. I go to class for me. I do my homework for me. I stay up all night studying and writing papers for me. Not for my parents, not for my professors, and not to prove anything to anyone else. I am here at JCU for me, to prove to myself that I can be better and do better every single day. I want to see the world and grow as a person and JCU is giving me the opportunity to do this.

When I made my decision to go to John Cabot University, so many people asked me, “Why are you going to school so far from home?” I think I've finally found a way to explain it: "I am meant to be somewhere else. I don’t know where that is yet, but how will I ever know if I stay right here?"

But maybe "somewhere else" isn't just one place. It's New Jersey and it's Rome and maybe a million more places. This is my chance to see as much of the world as I possibly can and that's exactly what I plan to do.

Micayla Mirabella
Class of 2020
Communications Major
Hometown: Fanwood, New Jersey