This morning, we visited the Anne Frank House which was a deeply emotional and unforgettable experience. Walking through the small, hidden rooms where Anne Frank and her family lived in fear brought history to life in a way textbooks never could. One part of the exhibit that especially moved me was a series of artistic visuals commemorating Anne’s life and legacy. These illustrations portrayed her at various stages of her short life, including depictions of her older beyond the age she was when she died. Seeing her imagined as a teenager and young adult really struck me. She looked so close to my own age, and I couldn’t help but imagine what her life could have been like if she had survived. I felt myself getting emotional over this personal connection and it only made the tragedy of her story feel even more real and heartbreaking. By getting to see the Anne Frank House I discovered that it is way more than a museum it’s a place for reflection, reminding us of the importance of remembering the past to prevent future injustice.

After such a heavy morning, we shifted to a very different kind of museum visit which was the Van Gogh Museum. While lighter in tone, this stop was still full of emotional depth. I learned how Van Gogh’s mental health struggles became more visible in his later works. Over time, his colors became cooler, dominated by blues and greens, as his inner turmoil grew. It’s fascinating how you can trace his emotional state through the evolution of his art. Seeing iconic works like The Almond Blossom up close was amazing, but what really stayed with me was the raw emotion behind them. His art feels deeply human very beautiful, but often filled with loneliness and longing.

Finally to end the day we had a great alumni dinner with alumni of various backgrounds. Notably I was able to talk to Stephanie Viscovich who was a mechanical engineer who worked at Merke. It was great getting to hear her experience in the Industrial Engineering Industry and I also got some great advice for the Mechanical Engineering program which I am going into.