We would have classes in the morning, do activities in the afternoon and then spend our evenings hanging out together. Having so many opportunities to spend time together made it easier to form friendships naturally. Even after the Summer Academy, students who weren’t part of the program can still find friendships because the area we live in has a large international student population. We share the experience of moving to Germany from another country, which gives us something to connect over. The University of Mannheim also hosts events that students hear about through emails or word of mouth. Outside of university events, there are local spots that many students know about, such as Murphy’s Law, an Irish bar that hosts trivia nights on Mondays, and Nelson’s, another popular spot where you often run into familiar faces. Eventually, you talk and get acquainted. I think another big reason this works is that everyone understands how important it is to make connections, so people are generally friendly and willing to invite others along. We all understand that we’re in this together, and I think that shared understanding brings a certain warmth to the people you meet. It makes finding your place here feel a little less intimidating because you realize you’re not the only one trying to find your people.
