Advice Column
With this Advice column, we want to give you the opportunity to provide your fellow scholarship holders directly with advice or important information regarding your studies, experiences or life in Heidelberg – it is a column by students for students. This time, it is Laura who wanted to address a couple of words to you.
When most people think of studying, they imagine lectures, seminars and long hours in the library. But for me, studying also means gaining new experiences, surpassing yourself and forming new friendships. However, when you're right out of school and suddenly find yourself alone in a new city, it can be difficult at first.
When I decided to study at the University of Heidelberg, I started looking for a place to live. Like many others, my first step was to open Google and type “Heidelberg Wohnheim” into the search field. After some searching, I came across the Collegium Academicum (CA), a self-managed housing project that was still in the final stages of construction at the time. I decided to apply, which in retrospect turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life so far. Over the past two and a half years, the CA has truly become a home for me. Through the concept of self-administration, I have learnt to take responsibility and plan projects.
I invested a lot of time in the design of the outdoor space, planned workshops and also consulted with companies. At the same time, I met many open-minded and supportive people, be it at games evenings, dinners or parties (yes, those are not to be missed either). Over time, many of these people have become close friends. Living in the CA teaches you to collaborate, explore new ideas and find creative solutions to problems.
The CA is a place where everyone can develop freely, pursue different interests and receive support in doing so. I can recommend living in a self-managed project, especially the CA, to anyone. There are always a few of the 176 places available on the four move-in dates per year. We have our own application procedure, which we organise based on criteria we set ourselves. You can find more information on our website (collegiumacademicum.de). But even if you don't live there, you're always welcome to visit, get to know the project and the people, and help out - it's worth it.
