Hello! My name is Chiara Fach and I am from Germany being a third-year student in International Management at HSRM in Wiesbaden. Currently, I am doing my semester abroad here at Metropolia UAS.

I really enjoy studying at Metropolia because I have the feeling that I can deepen and expand the knowledge I have learned so far in my studies here. I also really like the many group projects, because you learn to apply your knowledge and always meet new people. My favorite course so far is Sustainable Supply Chains by Mikko because there is no course like that at my university and I really enjoy the many guest lectures.

Concerning the remote study, I think the courses are well organized and they are designed to be as interactive as possible. Sometimes it’s hard to sit in front of the laptop all day, but I’ve got used to it and especially in winter I enjoy not having to drive to university in the dark in the morning.

Due to the pandemic, it is not possible to do as many trips as in normal times, but the best day so far was a day in Nuuksio national park and I’m really looking forward to going to Lapland the next days!

My top 3 tips for a remote student exchange:

1. Be open and just talk to people – the group projects are especially helpful for get in touch with others!

2. Create times during the day when you don’t look at your laptop, mobile phone or tablet. Better read a book, go for a walk or maybe you’ll even find a new hobby!

3. Start working on your assignments early to reduce stress at the end of the semester!

Written by Chiara Fach
Edited by Nhi Nguyen, IBL 18