From March through August of 2026, I studied abroad at the University of Potsdam in Potsdam, Germany. I was attracted to the university for its excellent Computer Science program, young but vibrant history, and location within Europe and Germany.
Potsdam spent the last four hundred years as the home of the Prussian (and later German) royalty and court, a history which is reflected in its architecture. Its many palaces, including the Neues Palais (literally “New Palace”) whose grounds and auxiliary buildings are home to one the University of Potsdam’s three campuses, and beautiful nature ensures Potsdam’s centuries-long status as a prime vacation destination remains. Additionally, its close proximity to Berlin grants residents access to all of the sights, sounds, foods, and experiences the modern cosmopolitan metropolis has to offer.
The University of Potsdam is a relatively young institution, having been founded in 1991 after German unification. Despite its short history, it regularly ranks towards the top of several global college and university rankings and is well known for its teacher education program and Faculty of Science. I chose to study at the University of Potsdam for its well-renowned computer science program and its vast array of courses offered to international students that need not be taken as part of a traditional degree program. These offerings allow students like me to study subjects not offered at their home universities. I attended a seminar from the Institute for Slavic Studies in which we analyzed themes of peace and conflict in eastern Europe through various works of literature from the past few hundred years. The university’s proximity to and intertwined history with the Slavic world gives them a unique perspective on this topic, one which the University of Montana (or most universities in the United States, for that matter) cannot offer.
I expected my Beyond the Classroom Experience to be a challenge. I would be studying in a new country, foreign culture, and completely unfamiliar bureaucracy thousands of miles away from home, all while speaking far more German than I ever have. However, my study abroad tested me in ways and to a degree I did not expect. As time went on, and as my German skills and confidence improved, my ability to easily engage in everyday conversations proved to not be too difficult. Working within the bureaucracies of the university and Brandenburg state governments was a consistent challenge though, one that persisted mere days before I flew home.
The largest challenge I faced was cultural. Where Americans will strike up a conversation with anyone in their immediate vicinity, conversing with strangers about anything other than which is absolutely required for a given interaction is considered taboo in this part of Germany. This general coldness and shallowness took a real and unexpected toll on my mental health. I am generally a rather smiley and outgoing person, so this environment felt repressive. My day would genuinely be made on the off chance that some random passerby on the street smiled back at me. I was lucky to have found a group of amazing friends from all across the world who supported and opened up to each other to satisfy that need for deep social interaction. Turns out that the stereotypically cold Germans just need some time to get comfortable with you first. I was invited to join some friends at the movie theater to watch The Drama (in German, just for fun). These people became my closest friends, and I will never forget them.
With challenges come growth. Over the last six months, I learned how to navigate an entirely new environment largely on my own, though with some help from my friends and family. I stepped out of my comfort zone and participated in seminars covering difficult and entirely foreign topics to me. I discovered an interest in humanities and research that I had, up to that point, barely explored or considered. Heck, just a day before I moved out, I learned to paddle board!
My Global Theme is Technology and Society, and my chosen Global Challenge is the urgent need to end the ongoing erosion of personal and digital privacy. I hoped to take a course at the University of Potsdam which addresses this challenge but was unfortunately unable to. However, my time in Germany offered some perspective on this issue. Germans generally value everyday privacy very strongly, a value which is clearly reflected in their culture. As an example, Germans who do not wish to be photographed will duck out of frame, whereas Americans will react with apathy or maybe even intentionally enter the frame to photobomb it. This value is reflected in their government, too. The GDPR and the myriad of privacy legislation in Germany and the European Union are not perfect, but the “private by default” attitude taken should be seen as the standard for all privacy legislation throughout the world.
I had lots of memorable experiences, but my trip with some friends to Hamburg was one of my favorites. I found some cheap tickets to the city via Deutsche Bahn’s ICE high speed rail service, so I recruited two friends of mine to join me: Aspen, from Minnesota, and Georgios, from Greece! We really only had one full day in Hamburg, but we packed it full of museums, sightseeing points, and an evening boat tour of the city.
I was also incredibly lucky to have my parents visit me in June. I loved being able to share the amazing places I had found in my adoptive home!
My spring and summer in Germany was one of the hardest challenges I have ever faced, filled with frustration, stress, loneliness, and lots of impostor syndrome. However, I wouldn’t have traded it for the world. I have discovered new academic interests, furthered my German language skills, experienced a world of cultures, and proven to myself that I can jump into the deep end and thrive. Potsdam will forever be a special place for me. I would do it all again in a heartbeat.
Beyond the Classroom 