Denmark: Zonghao Zou (Daily Life in Copenhagen)

Program: University of Copenhagen Exchange, Fall

I woke up around 9:00 a.m., had breakfast, and biked to my advanced programming class, which runs from 10:00 to 12:00. It’s my only class for the day. At the University of Copenhagen, there aren’t as many lecture hours, but the workload balances out with plenty of group projects and independent assignments.

Normally, I’d stay after class to work with my group, but today the weather was too nice to pass up. Sunny days are rare in Copenhagen’s winter, and since it’s already November, this might be the only sunny day all week. Living here means enjoying 17 hours of sunshine in summer but also enduring the short, gray days of winter.

To make the most of the sun, I texted my friend to hang out downtown. I biked along Tagensvej, locked my bike near the city center, and wandered around while waiting. I browsed a few shops and stopped by Faroe’s Cigar, a quirky “nerd store” spread across five neighboring storefronts, each with its own theme: manga and anime, costumes, board games, and more.

About half an hour later, my friend arrived. I suggested we visit a tea shop for afternoon tea (pictured left), which serves the best scones I’ve ever tasted. We spent a couple of hours chatting over tea, and she agreed they were perfectly buttery. As the sun began to set, we said goodbye, and I biked home.

On the way, I stopped at the supermarket to pick up groceries and return a few bottles for recycling; there’s a small deposit on them here, called pant. I cooked dinner afterward, ending another lovely day in Copenhagen.