Student of German: »I’ve found joy in following my true calling«

After secondary school, I took two gap years, one of which I spent doing military service in Slagelse. Even though it was great fun, I gradually realised how much I missed nerding out on the German language and immersing myself in literature and history — just like I did in school. I decided I had to do something about it.

I actually applied to study German Language and Culture at the very last minute. I’ve always loved the subject, but I had never seriously considered studying it because I thought it would automatically lead to becoming a secondary school teacher. I considered Political Science instead — and I probably would have enjoyed that too. But I decided my choice of degree shouldn’t be based on what kind of job I might get in the future. That made it easy to apply for German. I wanted to choose something I was deeply interested in.

German is great because it lets me nerd out on both literature and history. Germany is in the heart of Europe, so when you study Germany, you’re in some way also studying all of Europe.

I was already pretty good at the language when I started. I’ve been watching German news for years and have always had a deep interest in it. But I’ve also become much better over the past year, because university allows you to focus on all the fine details.

Sick during intro week

Before I started, I was unsure whether I had made the right decision, and I didn’t know what to expect. But I was pleasantly surprised right from the start and I’m still really happy with my choice. Even though the academic level is high, I think the instructors are extremely good at supporting those who find it difficult.

Unfortunately, I was ill for part of the intro programme, so I missed a couple of days. Despite that, I could feel that everyone wanted to create a sense of community, and the tutors put a lot of effort into making sure we got off to a good start. And it really worked — by the following week, we already knew each other’s names. It helped, of course, that there weren’t that many of us.

Some parts of intro week were held together with the other language subjects at the department. That was great, because we sometimes have joint lectures with them on European culture and history. This means that the social scene also stretches across the language programmes.

All kinds of students fit in here

It’s about letting go and throwing yourself into it — even when it’s hard.

Language courses have very small classes. In German, there are only about 30 of us in our year cohort. Seventeen of us are majoring in it, and the rest are taking it as a minor. I’ve never tried anything else, so it’s hard for me to compare. But I find it makes for a nice, close-knit, vibe that there aren’t too many of us. It’s also a huge bonus to have so many minor subject students in our year cohort. They already know how the university works, and they’re great at helping with everything from IT problems to figuring out which Friday bar has the cheapest beer.

There are only three men on my course who are majoring in German. It doesn’t make any difference to me. There are lots of different types of people on the German programme, and there’s space for everyone. I hope no one holds back from applying for a course because of a gender imbalance.

READ ALSO: Why some degrees only attract women — and others only men

A safe learning environment

Learning a new language is intimidating, and you only get good at it if you actively use it. It’s about letting go and throwing yourself into it — even when it’s hard. Fortunately, there’s space to make mistakes on this programme.

All our classes are conducted in the foreign language by default. It’s already nerve-wracking to present an analysis of a Goethe poem — and even more so when you have to do it in German. But we quickly created a safe learning environment, because there aren’t that many of us. We know each other well, and we’re not constantly dealing with new people who might add to the anxiety.

I see lots of opportunities with a degree in German. I’d love to go on exchange in Vienna, and I’m thinking of taking social science as my minor. My big dream is a job in diplomacy, either at an embassy or in the EU. That way, I could combine my interests in language and culture with my interest in politics.

Throw yourself into your studies

Since starting German, I’ve been reminded that you should follow your heart and pursue what truly interests you. I can really feel that exploring my favourite subject brings me joy. And that’s priceless.

At university, you manage your own time — and it’s surprisingly difficult, even though I do think it’s a gift to be able to immerse myself so deeply. In secondary school, the structure is already set up for you, but here you have to create it yourself. I always get things done. But I haven’t quite found my rhythm yet.

It’ll be great to meet all the new students

It’ll be great to meet all the new students and see how they approach their first year. It’s always fun to watch people go through the same things you did. It makes me realise how far I’ve come.

My advice to new students is to put in the effort: Show up to class and make the most of it. The teaching really is good, and you learn so much. And I think you should throw yourself into your studies and give it an honest chance.

The first year was about getting to know the subject. We touched on a lot of things superficially, without diving deep into it. Now we’ll finally get to specialise. I’m looking forward to that.

READ ALSO: Starting at the University of Copenhagen? Here’s what I wish I’d known

This article was first written in Danish and published on 19 August 2025. It has been translated into English and post-edited by Mike Young.