Hello prospective Mustangs! I can’t believe I’m writing my first blog as a senior here at SMU – The time has flown by way too quickly and I’m so sad I’ll be leaving the Hilltop in just a few short months. I wanted to take this opportunity to tell you all about my wonderful experience studying abroad this past semester (Spring 2016) in Copenhagen, Denmark. As everyone who goes abroad says, this experience completely shaped me as an SMU student event though I was thousands of miles away from Dallas.
During my time in Copenhagen, I had the opportunity to take classes that completed my Environmental Studies major: Sustainable Development in Northern Europe, Renewable Energy Systems, and Business Strategies in Green Industries. I would honestly say this experience was unbelievable because every day in class involved something new and exciting whether we were going to climb a wind turbine or visiting a wastewater treatment facility. My semester was jam packed with weekend trips to Scotland, Germany, Greece, and more, which made the time I was away fly by.
For me, the best part of my abroad experience was being exposed to so many new cultures and types of people. I traveled all across Europe and some of my favorite memories are just wandering the streets of cities soaking in the unique vibes of each one. Whether it was eating baked feta overlooking the Aegean Sea in Santorini or drinking sangria on the beach in Barcelona, each place I went is so vivid in my mind and will forever be filled with unforgettable experiences.
All in all, I wouldn’t change one part of my abroad experience whatsoever from meeting all new friends in Copenhagen to even getting lost repeatedly on the metro system of Berlin. I will say that I did miss my friends and being on campus at SMU (my Einstein bagels withdrawal was very real) so I’m thrilled to be back for my last semester and celebrating with long walks on the Katy trail, Thursday nights at Homebar, and of course fall Boulevard season!
-Nikki Carenza
