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A Guide to Housing in Copenhagen: Housing Foundation, Mariendalsvej and more
By Rudy Cone, University of Copenhagen, Denmark When you apply for study abroad, the pressure to find accommodation can be extremely daunting. And rightfully so, as housing in Copenhagen can be difficult to find. Prices and demand are high, housing foundation accommodations are first come first served, and turning to Facebook runs the risk of being scammed. I’ve created this guide, to be used alongside the information from the placement team and help you feel more prepared.
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A cold plunge a day keeps the doctor away!
By Ellen Sleeuw, University of Copenhagen, Denmark You’re probably going to think that I am mad, because I thought the same when I first heard about it. However, I quickly came to love the thrill of it.
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The Symphony of Paris: Gardens, Musicians, and Everyday Encounters
By Zhuzhen Xie (Nina), Babylangues, Paris, France I love leaving early to take the subway when it is less crowded. The difference that five minutes can make! Just by arriving one minute later, I could have been shoved onto the train and suffocated by heavy coats and mixed odors.
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Settling into the Second Semester
By Ellen Sleeuw, University of Copenhagen, Denmark Whilst it took some time, I managed to feel really settled by the end of the first semester. I had made some great friends, I felt like I knew the city I could cycle without having to stop every 2 minutes to check google maps, I was enjoying my classes and had gotten used to new teaching methods.
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Tromsø trip – swimming in the arctic circle!
By Tali Hamshaw, University of Bergen, Norway One of the biggest bucket list moments for a year abroad in Norway has to be seeing the Northern Lights. In our hopes to achieve this, my friends and I booked a trip up to Tromsø, in the north of Norway. Since Norway is such a large country, it was a two hour flight to get there, something which surprised me since that is longer than the length of my flight home to the UK. Before we even left for the trip I encountered a slight spanner in the works when I went to book my flight and found that it was sold…
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Amsterdam: Beyond University
By Will Fisher, Universiteit van Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands It’s nice to earnestly say that my exchange year in Amsterdam has been one of the most fulfilling and formative experiences of my life. I approached the year with both excitement and scepticism, not sure if it would be as life-altering and meaningful as I hoped it would. Seven months in, I wouldn’t have wanted to do anything else with my time. The university itself has, of course, had an impact. UvA’s courses are varied and detailed, and my particular exchange programme has allowed me to go in-depth on topics such as alienation, free speech, and Machiavellianism, ideas that may be covered…
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(Ice) Swimming in Bergen
By Charlotte Hussey, University of Bergen, Norway Swimming in all conditions is normal in Norway! Whether on a warm summer day with blue skies or in the middle of winter, having to physically break the ice to get in. I take part in a weekly dip into the fjords across Bergen in different bathing points with a student organisation, ‘SVI Baddegruppen’. With the organisation, we would have sweet treats and every Sunday we would go into the water. Originally I thought we wouldn’t continue through all conditions but we did, even in the snow and ice!
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Adventures in Northern Europe
By Annabelle Henderson, ESADE Business School, Barcelona, Spain As I am on a year exchange, I complete two exchange semesters. This means that students who came to Barcelona for just the fall semester have left now we are in the Spring. I was lucky to be invited by some friends from last semester to visit them in their home countries. So, as I had a week off university, I decided to do some travelling and go visit them. Firstly, I went to the Netherlands. One of my friends I met last semester studies in Rotterdam at the Erasmus University so I went to stay there for a few days. Whilst…
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Academic Culture Shocks: Is Copenhagen The Right Fit For You?
By Rudy Cone, University of Copenhagen, Denmark Once you get past the initial excitement of biking through Copenhagen and feasting on all the amazing pastries Copenhagen has to offer, reality sets in… you actually have to study during your study abroad. There is a lot I didn’t know about Denmark’s education system, for better or worse, and I think a guide like this could have really helped me prepare for some of the unique quirks that the University of Copenhagen offers. While I can’t speak for everyone’s experiences, if you’re a social sciences student (especially in psychology) this guide may help you navigate academic life at KU a little easier.
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Trips from Bergen – Exploring Norway and Further Afield
By Charlotte Hussey, University of Bergen, Norway A year abroad, in my opinion, is the perfect opportunity to travel. There are so many opportunities provided, whether through organised trips by different organisations like ESN (Erasmus Student Network) or simply by meeting many likeminded people. I have found that my new friends are like me because they really love to travel. It also helps that I seem to have much less work to do here than in Manchester meaning I have more free time to travel!
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A Storybook Adventure: Lyon and the Little Prince
By Zhuzhen Xie (Nina), Université Lumière Lyon 2, Lyon, France Just a few days before leaving for the holidays, I finally set up a day to trace the footsteps of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, author of the renowned The Little Prince. Recalling the first time I researched Lyon, the city where I would be living for my study abroad program, my heart leaped as I discovered that it was the hometown of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Immediately, I was embraced by a soft and familiar comfort as I built a connection to my childhood memories of reading The Little Prince. As it was one of my mother’s favorite books, I had already…
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A Trip to Berlin
By Will Fisher, Universiteit van Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands The travel options during a year abroad in Europe are practically unlimited. The density and variety of cultures just outside your door practically beg to be explored, and no exchange would be compete without at least a little extra travelling. Over January, me and some of the friends I’ve made in Amsterdam were lucky enough to get a chance to visit Berlin.
A study abroad journal by students, for students.
