Produced by: Kendall Vitiello, Class of 2027
March 20, 2026
I am a junior studying Advertising Communications and Public Relationswith minors in fashion studies and international studies, and am currently enrolled in the Spring 2026 Semester in Rome study abroad program.
My study abroad experience has been amazing so far and never more so than when, surprisingly, I found affordable tickets to attend the Winter Olympics and see the Men’s US hockey team versus Germany in February. My boyfriend was visiting me at the time and so off we went for an extraordinary adventure to Milan, Italy!
When we arrived in Milan, we spent the day exploring the city and then headed to the arena an hour early to beat the crowd. The arena itself wasn’t what we were expecting an Olympic game to be at to say the least. The paint was practically still wet on the walls. The place looked like a warehouse. However, we did find some hot dogs and burgers, which was great because I had been in Italy for over a month at that point, and it reminded me of home.
I wouldn’t say I’m a die-hard hockey fan, but I do enjoy going to New York Islanders games back home and getting rowdy with the crowd. The scene at the Olympic hockey rink was no different. Our seats were in a section filled with excited Americans and Germans, shouting and cheering throughout the game. The energy and lively atmosphere that filled the arena brought us all together sharing the highs and lows of the competition. When the US team won, we were ecstatic.
Overall, it was an unforgettable experience. I can’t wait to tell my kids one day that I attended such an amazing event!