My study abroad experience in Copenhagen, Denmark
"When I reached Copenhagen in January, I was stunned by the quietness that characterized the city. That’s when I learned they have a word for this: hygge", College of Staten Island student said during her study abroad term in Denmark.
CSI student, Janet Akselrud, studied abroad in Copenhagen this year. She shared her experience in Denmark along with photos and videos during her stay. Our CSI Study Abroad advisor, Russell Davis, was able to assist at the Center for Global Engagement, and encourages other students to study abroad next term.
Choosing to study abroad for an entire semester is a big leap. It means being away from home for a long time, away from the people you know, it means learning in a new way. And that’s everything I love about it!
In the Spring of 2022 I studied abroad with the CIEE Open Campus Block program. That means my semester was made up of three six-week blocks where I took 1-2 classes each block. Students have a choice to live anywhere from 1 to 3 countries for the semester. I chose Copenhagen, Denmark for my first two blocks and London, England for my third.
When I reached Copenhagen in January, I was stunned by the quietness that characterized the city. It was a beautiful capital city with many people of course, and yet, unlike New York, there was no hustle culture. People would stroll through parks, or go sit at a café and eat something sweet. I felt this incredible coziness, a sense of home, whether I was in my room, at school, or in a café. That’s when I learned they have a word for this: “hygge”.
Maybe you’ve heard of it before, hygge, the certain mood of coziness, but have you ever tried to create it in your own environment? It’s easy! Just choose dim lights that have a yellow glow, light some candles, grab a blanket, heat up a cup of tea, and bring a pastry. Even on my first day of orientation, there were candles in the student lounge in my school building. Creating those environments is so important during the winter when the sun barely shines.
I would write so much if I could about the culture, about the difference between “lykke” and “glad”, about how safe it is to walk around by yourself at night, but I’ll end here, hoping you get to explore the city yourself one day, with a recommendation of one place to see: The Danish Architecture Center (DAC). Why? Oh, I don’t know, just the three story slide inside of the building, the huge box of legos to play with, and the amazing, sustainable, architecture!
Ps. Here’s a video I filmed for one of my classes in Copenhagen's Botanical Garden: https://youtu.be/HJzZDLx2Szc
Business, Hospitality, Sports Management, and Entrepreneurship at CPH in Copenhagen, Denmark
Overview
Spend your term abroad in the premier capital of Northern Europe - Scandinavia's most fantastic city and the center of the most dynamic region in Europe, the Øresund Region. Copenhagen is one of Europe's oldest capitals with an exclusive royal touch - the monarchy in Denmark is the oldest in the world. Because of the fascinating architecture, many parks, and gourmet restaurants, Copenhagen has been christened the best city for livability, sustainability and many other factors in all of Europe. You can spend your semester finding out why and exploring everything this city has to offer, while earning credit towards your degree!
Our exchange partner is Copenhagen Business Academy (also called Cphbusiness). This exchange is open to all business majors at CUNY only. Cphbusiness’s campuses at Lyngby, Nørrebro and Søerne are all located in the Greater Copenhagen Area. This means that you will always have easy access to both the charming and hectic city centre of Copenhagen, with its abundance of cafés, shops and historic buildings, and to the northern, sophisticated part of Copenhagen with its green areas and beaches. In addition to being a cultural hotspot and a safe city, Copenhagen has a thriving business community. With many of Denmark’s biggest companies located in the Danish capital, it has plenty to offer for anyone seeking a future international career.
Study Abroad in Scandinavia with DIS in Copenhagen, Denmark
Overview
Spend your term abroad in the premier capital of Northern Europe - Scandinavia's most fantastic city and the center of the most dynamic region in Europe, the Øresund Region. Copenhagen is one of Europe's oldest capitals with an exclusive royal touch - the monarchy in Denmark is the oldest in the world. Because of the fascinating architecture, many parks, and gourmet restaurants, Copenhagen has been christened the best city for livability, sustainability and many other factors in all of Europe. You can spend your summer or semester finding out why and exploring everything this city has to offer, while earning credit towards your degree!
DIS, founded in 1959, has 50 years of experience in offering high quality study abroad programming in Copenhagen, taught in English for upper-level U.S. undergraduate students. Your time in this vibrant city will be supported by an excellent team of faculty and staff who lead you on program excursions and help you to make the most of your time abroad, whether for the summer or a full semester.
Contact us:
The CSI Study Abroad Team
Gonzalo Villena, Director of Study Abroad
John Dunleavy, Study Abroad Advisor
Russell Davis, Senior Study Abroad Advisor
Stephen Ferst, Executive Director, Center for
Global Engagement
Center for Global Engagement, 2A-206
College of Staten Island
The City University of New York
2800 Victory Blvd.
Staten Island, NY 10314
718 982-2100 / Fax 718 982-2108
Students may read program information and search by
country here on the new CSI site
studyab@csi.cuny.edu / www.csi.cuny.edu/international
