Hey everyone!
My name is Sophia and this semester I’ve been studying at Aarhus BSS in Denmark. Even though Aarhus is not the capital of Denmark, I’m very happy that I chose Aarhus instead of Copenhagen, because of the many students in Aarhus. The preparations for the university were all easy and there were a lot of interesting courses to choose from. There was a possibility to apply for a room through university, even though not everyone got one. My room is in a dorm and I share my kitchen with 13 other people. We’re one of the few dorms with private bathrooms, so I’ve got my own shower and toilet. There are five other international students living here and the rest are Danes, which is nice as you can learn a lot about food and culture when you’re living with them. Just like in the Netherlands, everyone bikes everywhere, which makes it easy to go to the city or to the university.
The university is a bit different from Rotterdam. There are not a lot of classes and you’re expected to do a lot at home, classes are also smaller than in Rotterdam. Another thing is that it’s normal to refer to your teacher by his or her first name, which is something I needed to get used to. Denmark believes that everyone is equal, so you should not refer to your teacher as someone “better than you”. The courses are not that hard and there is a lot of free time left. Also, the exam period is 4 weeks and I only got one exam each week, so there is (probably) less stress during the exam period. Another funny thing is that they have a PlayStation, massage chairs, a ping pong table and a boxing ball in basement of the library, so you can relax and blow off your steam during your study break!
Living in Denmark is a bit more expensive than in the Netherlands, but you’ll get used to it. Some things are very expensive compared to the Netherlands, but other things are almost the same price. Alcohol in the city can be expensive, but there are a lot of student bars with cheap beers. The Danish culture is comparable with the Dutch culture, but there are still differences. Danish people are very nice, and they will always help you if you ask something. Sweden and Norway are close and great for weekend trips, but it’s even more expensive than Denmark.
During this semester, I’ve met the most amazing people from all over the world. I can only say that it’s an unforgettable experience and I would definitely do it all over again if I could!
See you all soon!
Sophia Vogel
