Life of a German Student

I have experienced definitely a lot by studying in Germany. I found out many new things about culture, learning process and everyday life of a German student. Furthermore, I lived almost in the heart of the Europe. Therefore, I had an opportunity to travel a lot.

As I have mentioned, Darmstadt is conveniently situated in southern part of Germany. One can, that Darmstadt is sort of surrounded by other European countries, offering various destinations for traveling.

I chose to travel by bus because it was the cheapest option. There are normally not a lot of kilometers to cover, so it would not be a tiring trip. There were some special trip offers for students. One could get a transportation and a guide for a very nice price. In such a way I visited Switzerland and Italy. Travelling, I got to know many other exchange students, so it helped me finding new friends.

I also organized some trips myself, which was also quite a nice experience. It is a piece of cake when you are in Europe — just find a bus ticket, accommodation, and you are good to go. During that semester, I have visited such countries as Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, and France. However, I sometimes did not even feel like I crossed the border. It feels like you just traveling along one big country.

I decided to find a job in Germany so that I had enough money for all those trips. There were many different job offers for students. Out of this diversity, I chose to work for the university. It was the easiest way because making a contract with a university organization required the least amount of paperwork. I got the job of a dishwasher in the canteen. It was a perfect job for me. I could choose the dates when I wanted work and it was not a hard job. I just had to put the dishes in the washing machine and clean the kitchen after the work. It was relaxing and the salary was enough to support my living, including all my travels.

By staying in Germany for such a long time, I have gathered a lot of experiences. The life of a student in Germany is definitely full, interesting. You can always find something to do, choose some occupation or a kind of sport you like out of hundreds of offers. You are given an opportunity to decide which subjects you will study based on your interests. Nevertheless, you always have to stay focused on your studies. Without self-control, it is easy to get lost in various activities, events and forget about studies.

Overall, I cannot say, if life and studying in Germany are better or worse than in Russia. They are just different. I really enjoyed the fresh wind, the possibility to experience something new. I am glad that I spent this semester as an exchange student.