Angelique – Copenhagen Business School – Denmark
Semester 1, 2020
Bachelor of Business (Marketing) / Bachelor of Communication (Digital Media)
Copenhagen, Denmark was the destination for my Semester 1, 2020 student exchange. With pure awe in writing this post, I could not recommend the cordial, captivating and social city of Copenhagen enough to aspiring exchange students. This was truly a very life-changing, challenging, but rewarding 6 months; 6 months of my life that have shaped the sheer determination and motivation of my future self and abilities!
Living in Copenhagen
Living in the consistently warm climate of Australia I chose to challenge myself by living 6 months during Copenhagen’s winter period (an average of 1-degree days and –15-degree nights). Although at times I struggled to feel my fingers, there was never a shortage of beer nor Danish pastry’s. Despite the heightened economy within Denmark, beers were relatively cheap, and the beer culture was huge – you were a fool if you challenged a Dane to a drinking contest.
Although Denmark’s bike riding culture is looked at as the main form of transportation within Copenhagen, it proved difficult on rainy days; and therefore, metro’s and buses were also easily accessible and affordable. Prior to my arrival in Copenhagen I signed myself up for the Student Exchange program within Copenhagen Business School (CBS) which is run by students at the University. Ultimately, this proved to be the major foundation for friendships, social events and activities. I can well and truly say that my exchange experience would not have been the same without my involvement in this program – it paved my way to experiencing Copenhagen like a local 20-year-old, and proved vital in the creation of friendships and slow detriment of my liver.
Studying in Copenhagen
CBS presents a wealth of opportunities to students, whether you are keen to explore further within your studies, join social sporting teams, infuse yourself within extra-curricular activities (such as the beer society), and/or be part of the student exchange program – there are a number of viable chances to be included, and ample amount of opportunities to make a number of life-long friends.
At CBS I studied 3 subjects relating to my Business major field (marketing) – one subject being of double credit to ensure I was completing the required credit points for my exchange semester. All subjects were in English and classes were relatively small meaning collaboration was important, teaching felt personalised, and it was easier to make friends. I always felt comfortable within the university as support was easily accessible and help was always just around the corner.
Accommodation
Accommodation in Copenhagen proved to be the biggest hurdle within the student exchange process. Due to the fact that Copenhagen Business School (and Copenhagen in general) was an extremely popular destination for exchange students from across the globe, securing a spot was difficult. After the application I didn’t receive accommodation on campus and therefore had to expand my horizons and look at other options. Luckily the CBS accommodation team were extremely helpful and presented me with a number of different options that included shared houses or accommodation at other off-campus dormitories. Luckily enough I was secured a room at a large dormitory called ‘Basecamp Copenhagen’ that was situated in the city centre of Copenhagen. I could not have been more thrilled with the location and I was able to meet a number of people from other universities across Copenhagen, whilst still seeing my new friends from CBS.
Travelling
Being of German descent and possessing the expensive trait of the travel bug, travelling during my semester abroad was an obvious option. During my stay abroad I visited Singapore, Germany, Sweden and the Czech Republic with the new friends I had made on exchange. Unfortunately, due to the unexpected arrival of COVID-19, travel from March 2020 onwards was prohibited and I made the controversial decision to remain in Denmark, under lockdown, to finish my exchange semester as I felt safe and supported by not only CBS but QUT Global.
Ultimately, my student experience abroad gifted me with a number of fruitful experiences and memories that I will cherish throughout my life. The experience has helped shape me into a more appreciative and motivated person and has helped me gain a number of connections and friends from around the world.
