First Week Abroad: 5 Do's & Don'ts

I’ve been in Copenhagen for two weeks now! Read on for tips, wholesome moments, and embarrassing stories.

Swapfiets bike rental discount code: JESSIESHEN78145

DO’S

1. Say yes!!

Wanna walk around the city? Yes.

Wanna go to the grocery store with me? Yes.

Wanna get brunch? Yes. 

One of my classmates asked if anyone wanted to walk to find the DIS classrooms with her. At first I said no because I had literally just walked to the classrooms before that. Then I thought, do I have anything better to do? No. I really didn’t. A couple hours of exploring the city flew by and that’s the story of how I became friends with Liesl.

Then my suitemate asked me if I wanted to go to the grocery store with her (which I had literally just done as well) and I said yes, why not? And even though the act of walking to the grocery store and being in the grocery store seems quite mundane, it’s the conversations and people you meet along the way (we met some more people from our building!) that make the experience so much more meaningful. 

2. Sign up for DIS events on Navigate! 

These events are all free (well nothing in life is really free; it’s funded by your tuition but anyways…) — take advantage of them! Across the past two weeks, I’ve gone on a canal tour where I explored Copenhagen’s harbors and canals, watched private live feedings of piranhas and otters at Den Bla Planet (Denmark’s national aquarium), walked around multiple lakes, parks, and the Botanical Garden, and had a delicious communal dinner at Absalon!

3. Meet locals!

The DIS Visiting Host Program pairs students (who don’t live in homestays) with locals based on your interests. I applied to it a while ago, and just last week I met my lovely host! We had some tea and walked around Frederiksberg Gardens, all while we talked about life, our interests, etc. She is epic and I see myself in her in so many ways and I am so excited to do more things with her!

If you want to meet more locals, I also highly recommend living in a Kollegium (and talking about it in your housing application if it’s something important to you). I live with a Danish local, a German medical resident, and 2 other DIS students which has been so fun! I find that just through daily conversations, I’ve picked up on cultural things which I probably wouldn’t have learned if I wasn’t living with a local. 

4. Cook with your roommates & friends!

Although going out to a restaurant is fun, cooking with friends is just as fun (if not more!). It’s a bonding experience and eating a warm home-cooked meal hits different. Ali Slagle’s Chicken & White Bean Stew is delicious, so give it a try if you’re looking for something easy, warm, or want to meal prep. Lauren, Maya, and I had a blast cheffing it up in the kitchen.

We also had dinner with the neighbors earlier this week! Our Danish roommate introduced us to potato pizza which originated in Italy and is extremely popular in Copenhagen. It’s simple, but top it with some rosemary and garlic-infused olive oil and it is just chef's kiss. I’m so excited to have more family dinners!

5. Keep up your routine; find ways to make Copenhagen your home!

Whether that’s going on runs or reading before bed, try to find something that’ll make you feel more at home while you’re getting adjusted. For me, it’s been cooking dishes I grew up eating (thankful for the Asian markets in Copenhagen) and doing yoga every day! If you’d like to explore the various workout options in town (or anywhere), use my ClassPass link for a free monthly trial & extra credits!

DONT’S

1. Don’t think that the first few days will be a reflection of your entire study abroad experience.

The first few days were hard. It felt like the first week of freshman year except harder. I was in a living learning community in Michigan (shoutout Michigan Community Scholars Program!!!!) which made making friends, finding community, and the overall transition to college so much easier than anticipated. But here, I felt like I had to fully take control of how I met people. That meant deliberately making plans, reaching out to people I had only met a second ago, and creating my own “welcome week” schedule. I remember being scared my first night here because there were so many things that felt unfamiliar and uncomfortable and I feared I wouldn’t ever be able to call this place home.

Know that it gets better. 

Know that you are not alone and that everyone else is going through a similar adjustment period. After just a few days, everything seemed to fall into place. The bathroom/shower situation no longer bothers me. I love my bed. And I absolutely adore my roommates. 

2. Don’t bike without learning the rules of the road (and while it’s super windy!!)

Biking is a huge part of Danish culture for many reasons: it’s convenient, the terrain is relatively flat, it’s good for the environment, there’s a steep car tax, and the metro isn’t cheap. Make sure to practice your hand signals before you get on the road, stick to the right if you’re on the slower side, and know how to make a proper left turn.

I rented a bike from Swapfiets on my second day hoping to make biking a part of my regular commute. (Side note: use my referral code JESSIESHEN78145 for 100 DKK off!! Swapfiets is slightly cheaper than ABC Student Bikes, and the service is great. You can buy a phone holder from føtex for 99 DKK.) My maps app said that biking to class would take me 15 minutes, whereas the metro would take ~25 minutes, so it seemed like a good choice to save time. I biked to work every day during the summer in DC and bike around the city when I’m in China so I thought it wouldn’t be too different here in Copenhagen. But don’t be fooled. Biking here is on a whole different level.

I’m sure it’ll get better in a couple months but right now it is BRUTAL. Let’s just say my quads are not accustomed to biking against the wind, and the one day I did bike to class it took me 10 minutes longer than expected and I had sweat through all my layers even though it was 20 degrees outside. And yes, it is humbling to see an 8-year-old Danish child bike faster than you.

For now, I’m relying on the metro (since DIS provides us with a commuter card). Once the wind settles down I’ll be back on the road. And hopefully with less wind, I’ll be biking as fast as my maps thinks I should be going. 

3. Don’t forget to layer up. 

The basics really do matter. Wool socks, thermals (I love UNIQLO HEATTECH), a good scarf, and gloves are key. 

4. Don’t arrive to class/appointments late.

Being fashionably late is not a concept in Denmark. Danes value punctuality and it’s a form of respect that I wish existed everywhere. So err on being 5 minutes early, especially if you’re going to an unfamiliar place.

My friend and I bought timed entry tickets to the Rosenborg castle thinking that the entry time wouldn’t matter too much, as long as we arrived after (as this is generally the case for DC museums). Brunch took longer than expected, so we arrived at the castle 40 minutes later than the time listed on our ticket. The ticket wasn’t even scannable anymore! The museum staff and security were generous enough to let us through, but this was definitely a learning experience. Rosenborg castle was incredible though — we saw the crown jewels and learned a lot of history!!

5. Don’t stay in your room all day just because it’s cold.

There is so much to do in Copenhagen beyond all the tourist attractions. Parks, gardens, galleries, museums, cool stores, etc. The day has not ended even though the sun has set at 4:15pm! And if you do want to stay inside, make it fun! Invite friends over, play games, chat, watch a movie, cook, etc. etc. etc.

If you made it to the very end, thanks for reading my first blog post!! I’m headed to Aarhus, Denmark for my Core Course study tour…more on that next week :)

Every post will feature a food rec; add me on Beli to stay updated @jessshen!

FOOD REC: Wulff & Konstali in Nordhavn (specifically this location!!! The space is quite large and the interior design is gorgeous.)

What to get: Scrambled eggs (so fluffy & creamy), croque monsieur, chia seed pudding (the lemon thyme adds such a depth to it)

Skip out on: Cardamom bun (kinda dry, the poppyseed swirl pastry was better)