FRESHMAN EXPERIENCE: FROM ABROAD TO MUNICH
Pack up, move, start a new life: moving to Munich from abroad is a challenge. There is so much to do here right from the start: send documents to various institutes, get to know interesting classmates at the university, attend introductory events, parties and then even exam stress … and the first semester already comes to an end. What will you experience as a foreigner during this time? Here’s the answer!
Independence
I had been waiting for a long time to finally live on my own and to be independent from parents and other adults. Nevertheless, especially in the first few days, it wasn’t easy for me to have so many responsibilities at once. Cooking, cleaning the apartment, washing clothes, studying and apart from that having a social life… It all seemed confusing at the beginning and too much for the time I had! Then it happens that some pipe breaks in the bathroom or that there’s a power outage… However, over time you get used to solving all these problems on your own and to dividing the time in such a way that you can also enjoy your student life.
You will feel homesick from time to time without a doubt because no one can replace friends from your hometown or school, your family is far away and you miss them all. The truth is, moving to another country to study brings everyone outside of their own comfort zone. Nevertheless, it is an important step towards an independent, interesting life full of experiences and adventure.
Simply Bavaria!
Probably the first thing you experience when you come to Munich in early October is the Oktoberfest. Lederhosen and Dirndl, beer and gingerbread, singing, dancing… Welcome to the biggest festival in the world! A short visit to the Oktoberfest was my first contact with Bavarian traditions and dishes. You can immediately see that beer, as well as meatloaf, white sausages, pretzels and other traditional specialties, are an essential part of the more Bavarian culture. In Munich and the surrounding area I found a variety of beers and delicious Bavarian food. You can visit one of the numerous beer gardens in Munich and enjoy beer and fresh food there with new friends and colleagues.
Fellow students – the international experience
Contrary to what I expected, I not only have fellow students who come from Germany or Austria, but also many from Asia, South America, Africa… You will discover them all! And the best thing is that you have a great variety of cultures. You find out what habits people in Japan or Brazil have, what typical dishes are in India or Spain, you learn more about the political and religious institutions of different countries and how each and every one of your fellow students has a unique personality.
I found it important that I was in contact with a few other students from the first few weeks. This helped me a lot with the recent changes in my life. Eating pizza, jogging, partying or just having a conversation with the new friends every now and then helps against the loneliness that you might feel at the beginning.
Exam Phase
After having had as much fun as possible throughout the semester, the exams also come, aka the times when the library and study rooms are always full. Although the exam phase only lasts 2-3 weeks, this period seems to me to be infinitely long! I woke up pretty early every day and tried to learn the whole semester’s material in very little time until late at night… and so did many other students, I guess. Then I would promise myself to start earlier in the next semester, although this is usually a resolution that one forgets as quickly as it comes up.
But you have the best feeling when everything is over and no longer has to worry… at least until the next semester. But before that, you can enjoy your freedom for a while.
