I had always wanted to go on exchange and that was something that drove my decision to study my degree at Bath. Copenhagen Business School (CBS) was my first choice of destination. I did a lot of research beforehand, and I liked the idea of the city. It’s bigger than Bath and it felt like an exciting way of trying something new. CBS also has great accreditations.

I wanted to be in Europe as I wasn’t sure about living far away for my first time living abroad. There are so many countries within easy reach, so I knew that I would have the opportunity to explore different cultures.

At first it was a bit daunting to adapt to a new academic system. However how they teach at CBS is similar to Bath. The exchange team at CBS also did a good job of introducing us to the new academic environment by holding some sessions on what to expect. The lecturers were also happy to answer any questions that I had.

During ‘Welcome Week’ there were several orientation sessions. These gave me more information about housing, academic matters and the different resources on offer. I could also join in with lots of social activities. These included a scavenger hunt, a meet-up to go swimming at the river, an Exchange Olympics and Danish folk dancing. Most of this was organised by the local students and it was a great way to meet other exchange students.

An Exchange Society organised events throughout the semester. They organised a ‘Tour of Denmark’ trip which was one of the highlights of my time at CBS. Among other places, we got to visit Aarhus (the second largest city in Denmark), Legoland and a place called Skagen. Skagen is in the far north of Denmark and it’s where the Baltic Sea and the North Sea meet. When you look offshore you can see a visible line between the two seas. Another highlight was a trip to Bergen in Norway where we did a fjord cruise. It was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever done.

For accommodation in Copenhagen, I stayed in a shared room in one of the university halls. It was a big room with its own kitchenette and bathroom. It was close to campus (a 20-minute walk or short bike ride) and right by a metro stop. Most of us who were staying there were international students, so it was a great way to meet and socialise with people.

The lifestyle in Copenhagen is very outdoorsy. They don’t seem to be put off by any changes in the weather and it is still common to see people swimming in the sea during November. There are also a lot of outdoor food markets.

Getting around by bicycle is a big thing in Copenhagen. This influenced me to want to do the same. It felt very safe as they have dedicated bike lanes. I used a bike rental service called ‘Swapfiets’. You pay a monthly fee to rent a bike which includes a full maintenance service.

In terms of food, the Danish hot dog is very popular, and you can see street food stands selling these all over Copenhagen. Pastries are also popular and the quality of these on the CBS campus is excellent.

Compared to Bath it is generally a bit more expensive to live in Copenhagen. However, for some things, it felt like the cost was justifiable. For example, the metro was costly, but it was really efficient and runs 24 hrs a day. Food is also more expensive, but there were ways of getting round that. For example, you can shop at the food markets, which tend to be cheaper. You can also take the train to Malmo in Sweden where food is less expensive. I went there a few times by train which only takes 30 minutes.

Copenhagen is a very international city, and you can manage without knowing Danish. Most signs around the city are written both in Danish and English. Several Danish people told us that we didn’t need to know the language because most of them speak good English. You do, however, have the option of taking a Danish language course at CBS.

I’m really glad I chose Copenhagen. There is so much to see and do there. It’s an amazing city for young people. It’s beautiful and such a nice place to live. It also felt very safe. Another bonus is that it’s relatively cheap to get to Copenhagen from the UK. It was also a great base to explore other places from with my new friends. I went on several fantastic trips to places like Budapest, Prague and Vienna.

The Exchange Programme has completely changed my outlook. I feel more confident now to try new things.

My advice to other students is to do some research into different destinations. I have some friends who didn’t get their first choice but still had an amazing time abroad. So I would advise anyone who is applying to keep an open mind.

There is a huge advantage to staying in Europe and having the ability to easily visit so many other countries and experience their cultures. I would also advise people to make the most of all opportunities because the time goes so quickly.

One of the opportunities you’ll have is to meet people from all over the globe. This was such a huge highlight for me; it was so much fun exploring a new country with them. I hosted my Australian friend here in the UK for Christmas. She'd never visited Bath before and loved the Roman Baths and the Royal Crescent. My exchange at CBS has been a fantastic experience.