How to leave Copenhagen: Anna’s reflections on a summer well spent

I’ve never been good at leaving, and I tend to be worse at goodbyes, usually opting for the Irish kind. Knowing this, I took an extra week in Copenhagen to prolong my farewell as long as possible — a slower parting where I could spend time peacefully within the city. But even with seven extra days, the summer’s fleetingness can’t be ignored. In many ways, the city has become a second home for me, a bubble where my time and focus were far removed from my “real” life back in Minnesota. Being here has given me so much perspective through moments of great joy with those around me. And even though I technically have to leave, I am returning home a much better version of myself because of my time here.

Coming to Copenhagen was the largest of many small decisions I made over the course of this year in an effort to become a “renaissance man” — a version of myself that is varied and widely experienced, leading with openness and curiosity. Although I expected a small but tangible step towards this goal, my experience, led and curated by DIS, has absolutely catapulted me in this direction.

Before this experience, I lived abroad for a year and had what can only be described as an embarrassingly difficult time. I felt disconnected from my peers, an outsider to my new country, and generally lost in an ocean of new experiences. Reflecting on my time in Copenhagen, I feel extreme gratitude. The level of care and intentionality from the DIS program, evident in everything from housing to classwork to cultural opportunities in Denmark, made it almost impossible to feel the way I had felt living abroad and alone only a few years ago.

Lessons from Copenhagen

Although I don’t think I even understand the full impact Copenhagen has had on me, there are, there are two major teachings I have picked up from my time here.

1. Slowing Down: Copenhagen is a city that carries such peace within it, stemming from a culture of lenience and grace towards oneself and others. Often in the States, I feel immense pressure in my day-to-day life with academics, my career, and the stage of life I am entering. I often feel behind. In Copenhagen, however, there seems to be a general acceptance and even encouragement to go through life at your own pace. Life milestones and experiences are much less defined by age here, and the time and deliberation put into those experiences are encouraged, not rushed. The competitive nature of early adulthood in the U.S. is simply not present here. But generally, a slower and more intentional pace of life is built into every aspect of the city. Beyond café table talks with my Danish roommate Julie, my perspective on this comes from the city’s infrastructure. There is always a place to pause, a scenic route to take, and a community to immerse yourself in. I became a regular at cafés and shops, took myself out of my own head, and let myself fall off bikes and jump into the canal repeatedly. I felt connected to the city without dreading my eventual departure.

1. Self-Appreciation through Learning: This appreciation of the city and others extended into an appreciation for myself as I began my coursework. I started my journey in the entrepreneurship practicum as a complete beginner. I had never taken a business course, and it was always a potential future field I had wondered about. Through DIS, I was given that opportunity. With no prerequisites or previous knowledge necessary, I engaged in a hands-on, intensive journey in building a startup, as well as working a part-time internship focused on creative content in Copenhagen. Both of these experiences were new to me, and the faith and trust I felt from my professors, my boss, my peers, and my startup team created a huge sense of confidence within myself. Not that I necessarily want to devote my life to business, but a confidence that I can put myself out there in trying new things and not feel othered or weighed by my inexperience.

Reflections on Personal Growth

The experience I have had through the DIS program has completely rewritten my self-perspective, which had been dominated by that first, failed year abroad. Copenhagen and my program at DIS have given me the most positive experience of change, encouraging me to seek it out without fear or doubt. Because of this program, I have the confidence to continue exploring and pursuing all of these different, multifaceted aspects of myself. I have confidence to be in a room as a beginner and set myself on new journeys, knowing that I can and will give myself the time and space to find the right one for me.

All in all, the thought of leaving Copenhagen weighs heavily on me. There is something incredibly special about being part of something meaningful, both to yourself and others. I am deeply grateful for everyone I have loved and appreciated here; for them to be part of my memories, and for me to be part of theirs. What is beautiful about this experience is that even though we are all going home, dispersing across America or staying in Copenhagen, the connections continue. The connections, love, and comfort in this shared experience persist and will fuel new ones. I am proud of how Copenhagen has shaped me, and I am thankful, in every sense and every way, to have been a part of this program.