I’m publishing a list of goals for the semester so that I can hold myself accountable for accomplishing them:
- Explore as much of Copenhagen as possible: I want to see places all over the city and areas nearby like Jutland and Bornholm.
- Visit at least three countries during the semester: Not counting the Netherlands (the location of my study tour for class), I want to travel to at least three countries during my study breaks or long weekends. Hopefully even more!
- Learn some Danish: I won’t be fluent (or graceful) but I’d like to be able to read some street signs or the names of items in the grocery store.
- Ride a bike: I haven’t been on a bike in like six years. I don’t know why that is, but I feel like I need to ride one somewhere in Copenhagen to experience the culture. They say you can’t forget how to ride a bike, so let’s hope I don’t prove that wrong.
- Challenge myself creatively: I want to try new things in design, art and photography and be inspired by my surroundings and by what I learn about Danish and Scandinavian design in my classes.
- Explore my inner foodie: I love eating so it’d be cool to learn some things about cooking, too. I also want to learn more about Danish food culture, become a little more knowledgeable about wine and better my skills in food photography.
- Meet Danes: Getting to know Danish people is how I’ll be able to learn about the culture. I am excited to meet my visiting host family, SRAs, DIS faculty and many others!
- Visit Politiken: News design is what I want to find a career in after graduation and looking at the designs of other newspapers is a great way to get inspired. The Danish newspaper, Politiken, is extremely well-designed and I met the paper’s art director at a Society for News Design (SND) event last February. Getting in touch with him and visiting the paper is definitely on my to-do list.
- Be flexible and keep an open mind: Living in a new city with a language barrier and an unfamiliar culture is bound to have its challenges. I want to approach new situations in a positive way and learn from these experiences.
- Live in the present: I want to make the most of my time abroad. I know I will miss my family and friends back home, and keeping in touch is really important to me, but they will be there when I get home, whereas Copenhagen will not be. I will be sure to take in my surroundings and enjoy my time abroad.
chlo-penhagen 