This third semester honestly ran me over, so when winter break finally arrived, all I wanted was to slow down, relax, and just exist for a bit. That’s when I decided to escape to Virginia Beach—partly for a change of scenery and partly to get away from the freezing winter in Philadelphia (no regrets).
I was visiting my relatives, but I also had a bit of a “planner brain” agenda. Last semester, my studio focused on climate-resilient land-use planning in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and I traveled there with 10 of my classmates. We studied Smith Bay on St. Thomas and visited multiple beaches in the area. One thing became very clear very quickly: beach erosion is a serious issue. On top of that, there’s a lot of unplanned development happening on and around wetlands, which makes managing these landscapes even harder.
During the studio, we looked at several reference cases, including Virginia Beach. So being there during my break felt like a full-circle moment. One of the main strategies used in Virginia Beach is beach nourishment—which, let’s be real, is much easier when you’re working with a bigger budget. What really stood out to me, though, was how thoughtfully development is planned around wetlands and water bodies. The setbacks, the way buildings interact with water, and even the floating structures felt very intentional. Seeing this in person made me think that the U.S. Virgin Islands could really benefit from adopting similar development guidelines.
Aside from traveling, another highlight of my break was hosting a potluck at my place. The goal was simple: catch up with friends I hadn’t properly seen all semesters, especially people from my hometown, plus a few others I’d been meaning to meet. Sadly, I completely forgot to take pictures (classic), but it was such a fun evening. There were nine of us, and the theme was that your dish had to start with the first letter of your first name. It was chaotic, creative, and surprisingly successful. This was our first time doing something like this, and I’m already planning a few more before grad school officially ends.
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