Day 96: Three Months: Academic Review

Blog

Now that three months have passed since I arrived in Dresden, I’ll try to make an academic assessment of the first trimester. While all my classmates in Spain have been working hard, I spent one month learning German at TUDIAS (which was somewhat useful) and two months trying to find my footing in the faculty.

At the university, I feel like I’m wasting my time. The main reason, I believe, is the lack of continuity with my Spanish university. In many courses, they teach things I’ve never seen before, while in others, they spend a lot of time—sometimes up to four classes (six hours!)—on topics I already know very well. Another issue is that I’m missing a crucial course in my degree, which covers all the advanced branches of chemistry. When I return to Spain, it will take me a lot of time (and effort) to catch up with the rest of the class. Not to mention the courses I might fail here or the ones I pass but won’t get credit for back home… I’ve already accepted that I will likely lose my Ministry of Education scholarship for next year (since one of the key requirements is passing 80% of the credits).

That said, this experience hasn’t been in vain. I’m learning a new language and studying chemical fields and techniques that I would never encounter in Spain. Plus, the experience of surviving in a foreign and often challenging country is invaluable.

Overall, the balance is positive.

P.S.: Here are some photos of my faculty buildings.