Student Life In Germany

Student life may be the best time of your life. Studying abroad adds another exciting dimension to your life as a student. Here you will find some useful information on how to navigate your way in Germany. Student life or Studentenleben, as the term is called in Germany, is strongest at universities that dominate the social character of a town. These are typical student towns but you can also find enclaves of student life in the bigger cities.

Besides the education itself, there are many other important aspects of the student life. If you are among the thousands of young people who want to apply in Germany, then you're probably asking yourself what's like to spend some time there. You are maybe even more curious, after you have already heard so many clichés about the Germans and their lifestyle.

Sprichst du Deutsch?

The first and by far the most important suggestion would be to try your best to learn the German language – yes, you can survive with English in Germany, but life becomes so much easier when you’re trying to get home and can understand what a display board says at 2:00 in the morning when no one is around. Apart from that, you get to learn a new way of communicating. Knowing a foreign language greatly enhances your profile and expands your opportunities and gives you an edge. To become pace with the disciplines you can take help of many Education Consultants In Mumbai who guides you for career.

Noodles and "Mensa" will keep you alive…

However, you should and definitely will learn some German words. "Mensa" is one of them and it means “canteen”. It is very popular and also cheap to eat there. For about 5€ or even less, you can get a starter, a main dish and a desert. And yes, you will have the chance to have a typical German meal there - sausage with potatoes (as the clichés says)! Vegans and vegetarians shouldn't worry, because the modern cuisine also finds place in the student canteen. Usually, the daily menu includes a vegetarian meal and one with meat...

Besides being easy, fast and affordable, the "Mensa" is also a very social place - students meet there by chance or even arrange meetings. It is very typical for students to have lunch in the mensa and dinner - at home. And how would you recognize the student's dinner? That's right - when you see the noodles in your plate! If you add a glass of sparkling water, you have definitely got used to the German taste.

What is like to live in "WG"?

Let's continue with the German words... WG comes from a long one - Wohnungsgemeinschaft and it is also very important for students. The literal translation is "residential community" and it's used to describe the common student way of living - an apartment where everyone has an own room and shares the bathroom and the kitchen with the others.

Whether it is a university building or a private one, this shared way of living is very popular among students. It is also affordable as you will share all the expenses with your roommates. Of course, you can always look for a small apartment to live on your own, but you should have in mind, that it wouldn’t be very cheap and it is harder to find, especially for a short period of time.

Furthermore, students relocate quite often and you can find a room in a WG quite fast. If you have a contract for the two years of your study, but you decide to go somewhere else for one semester in the meantime, you can always let your room to someone, who is coming for Erasmus at that time. 

Travel around with your “Semesterticket”!

One of the greatest benefits for all students in Germany is this ticket for public transportation, which applies for the whole state or area. You receive it for free from the university after paying your semester fee (at almost all public universities).

As the public transportation in Germany isn’t cheap, you save a lot of money on it with your student card. This is very important for students who live and study (or work) in different cities or towns and need to travel almost every day. However, for those who are in the big cities, the ticket is also a relief, as getting around is more complicated there than in the small towns where you can go by foot or bike.

Of course, everyone enjoys travelling and getting to know the area, so that owners of semester tickets often make day trips to nice places nearby.

Take part in students’ events and “Stammtisch”-es!

Especially when you are new at some place, this is the most convenient way to socialize and make friends. You will be lucky in Germany, because there are many student associations, clubs and active students who organize something – from movie evenings through sport events to sightseeing tours and trips. There are plenty of choices for everyone’s interests! And the best part is that you can meet so many different people – in Germany there are many students from diverse nationalities. You will have the chance to enrich you knowledge on other cultures and maybe even try their national cuisine!

A very German thing is to organize a “Stammtisch” (regulars’ table) – a regular meeting, which takes place at a certain place and hour (for example: every second Thursday of the month). The aim of these events is to bring together people with similar interests on a regular basis and give them the chance to develop some kind of a relationship.

Geography and weather:

Germany is located in the heart of Europe. It stretches from the Alps to the Baltic sea. It has the second largest population in Europe after Russia and is the seventh largest in terms of area. The highest mountain is Zugspitze (2,962 meters). The Black forest (Schwarzwald) is located in the south-west of Germany. There are many opportunities for students to go trekking or taking a cycle tour of the countryside on weekends. Germany has a congenial climate. However, the summers can be hot with some days the temperature exceeding 30° C. During winters the temperatures might drop below 20°C. Adjusting to the cold climate can be an ordeal for new comers to the country.

Music:

Germany is the second largest music market in Europe, and fourth largest in the world. It hosts many large rock music festivals annually. The Rock am Ring festival is the largest music festival in Germany. The popular music of the 20th and 21st century includes the movements of Pop , Ostrock, Metal/Rock, Punk, etc. Apart from this Germany is also known for its opera. Nearly every town (small and big) has its own opera house. You’ll surely turn into a music lover in this country.

Universities in Germany are highly specialized and offer courses that are very specific in their respective fields, with the vast number of choices it could get rather puzzling for a person to be sure if a particular course/university is exactly what interests her/him.

Although you might have heard that Germans are boring with their punctuality, we advise you not to pay attention to clichés and to see it yourself! You can take guidance from top education consultants in Mumbai who will guide you in finding the right college for you. There are many more great advantages of being a student in Germany that you could experience.