A Fast, But Slow City

By:

Tina Pham

Published:

Countries

Demographics

Majors

,

Regions

Tina Pham

<i>"Hello" in your host country's language:</i> Hej <i>Home Institution (your U.S. University/College):</i> Brandeis University <i>Expected graduation year:</i> 2022 <i>Destination city & country:</i> Denmark <i>Program provider:</i> DIS <i>Major/minor:</i> Biology / Health: Science, Society, Policy <i>Demographics:</i> First-Generation <i>Future career aspirations:</i> Pediatrician <i>Top 3 goals for your time abroad:</i> 1) To gain an experiential learning experience and explore the Danish healthcare system, 2) To encounter experiences that will challenge my biases and encourage me to develop a new outlook, 3) To develop strong connections with my professors, peers, and as well as medical professionals

My favorite tools to stay on time and focused while abroad are Google Calendar and Notion. I connect my Google Calendar to my courses so that all my class meetings and assignments are easily accessible. Notion is a new tool that I am loving. It’s a digital workbook that you can customize to your liking. I use it to track my to-do list, habits, and goals. Together, these two tools ensure that I am accomplishing everything I need to when I need to.

While abroad, my top priorities are to develop a sense of independence and self-care. I also want to travel and explore as much as I can, while maintaining strong academic performance. I love to use Notion to plan my priorities out every week. Using Notion, I have turned small habits into daily routines, such as my morning self-care. I use it to plan my weekly tasks, such as the gym or grocery shopping. I have a long list of where I want to visit while abroad, and Notion helps me tackle this list. Each week, I plan to visit a new restaurant or a new Danish landmark. Notion has encouraged me to spend my time wisely and intentionally while ensuring I have enough time to take care of myself as well.

Living off-campus has made many differences in my daily routine. For most of my college experience, I have lived on campus where classes are a 5-minute walk away. Now that I live in an apartment away from campus, I must factor in time for my commute. In addition, I also must consider time to shop for groceries and cook instead of going to the dining hall.

Copenhagen feels like a fast and slow city at the same time. The metros run automatically every 3 minutes, with people always coming and going from the metro stations. The city center is bustling with people, bikes, and cars going in every direction. Everyone moves with a sense of urgency to be somewhere on time. But also at the same time, it feels very relaxed. People are reading peacefully on the busy metros. Cafes are on every block in the city. When you step into a café, you are instantly welcomed with the pleasant scent of Danish pastries and coffee beans. I spend a lot of my lunch breaks doing work at cozy cafes throughout the city. Copenhagen moves at the speed that you want it to, whether you’re on the busy metro to class or sipping lattes in between classes. People seem to be very productive, but also find the time to relax as well.