• Student

And how are things in Copenhagen?

At the moment, I am studying at Danmarks Tekniske Universitet (DTU) in Copenhagen. This semester is part of my master program Operations Management & Logistics. I really love being here, the Danish people even have their own word for ‘gezelligheid’!

by
file photo Marlies van Driel

At the end of August, I traveled with my mother to Copenhagen by car. This made it possible to bring a lot of stuff! Even my bike came with. It was still super sunny by the time I arrived, and because of the car we were able to see a lot in the first week. In the south you have beautiful cliffs like Møns Klint.

Marlies together with her mom at Den Lille Havfrue (the little mermaid). Photo | Private archive Marlies van Driel

And around Copenhagen there are a lot of beautiful beaches and lakes to enjoy. But also the city has a lot to offer. Copenhagen really makes you feel at home. The friendly people, beautiful nature, colorful houses and fun coffee spots create a comfortable atmosphere. Personally, I really like all the water in the city and I love watching the boats. 

I live on campus at DTU and really like it. It’s a big campus, but it’s easy to navigate. The atmosphere is informal, it’s normal to call the teachers by their first name or call them outside of contact hours. The classes are easy to follow and comparable to the ones in The Netherlands. 

Møns Klint. Photo | Private archive Marlies van Driel

There aren’t any big cultural differences, however Denmark is not totally similar to The Netherlands. To start, Denmark isn’t as flat as everyone keeps saying! There are no mountains but there are a lot of hills. I do everything by bike, so I definitely notice the hills. Just biking to the train station has a height increase of 45 meters. The Danish bike a lot and biking in Copenhagen is recommended. More people bike in Copenhagen than Amsterdam! 

Smørrebrød with pickled herring. Photo | Private archive Marlies van Driel

Furthermore, the Danish also eat bread: smørrebrød. Something the Danish are very proud of, and they claim to be the only country in the world that uses that many layers in their sandwich for lunch. While I’ve been here, I’ve tried multiple variations and I can definitely recommend it!

Danish people love ‘gezelligheid’. Maybe it doesn’t seem like it at first glance, because they are pretty introverted.  But after a drink of just Danish people together, they love their hygge (“huke”), or as we know it: gezelligheid.

Even though the days are getting shorter and colder, I love being here! I still have a trip planned to Oslo and of course a trip to Malmö (Sweden).

A hotdog of Pølsevogn, also known as cold feet cafe. These food trucks are everywhere in the city center of Copenhagen. Photo | Private archive Marlies van Driel

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