Experience Report Norway - NTNU

Gina F., International Management Studies in the Baltic Sea Region, 6th semester, Norway, Trondheim, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), summer semester 2024

Arrival and Experience

My friend and I decided to embark on a road trip to Trondheim, choosing to drive by car allowed us to explore Norway in a unique and flexible way. We drove up to Kiel, Germany, where we boarded a ferry to Oslo.

From Oslo, we faced an eight-hour drive to Trondheim in the heart of winter. The temperature plummeted to -16 degrees Celsius, and the roads were blanketed in snow and ice. Despite the challenging driving conditions, we managed to navigate the route safely, witnessing the stunning winter landscape of Norway along the way.

Housing

Initially, finding housing was a bit of a challenge. I had heard that student housing at NTNU could be expensive and not guaranteed for everyone. Therefore, I opted to stay in an Airbnb for the first few weeks. The Airbnb was conveniently located near the fjord, providing ample space and wonderful landlords who made me feel welcome.

However, the Airbnb was situated in a basement, and with only 4-5 hours of daylight at the beginning of the stay, it felt perpetually dark and somewhat depressing. The limited natural light affected my mood, making the basement feel even more secluded and dim. Furthermore, was the apartment not close to the Gløshaugen campus so we always had to take the car to get to university. Unfortunately, do they have only a small amount of parking lots which are for students and employees, so it was always a challenge to find a parking lot and it was not uncommon that we had to park somewhere else which was quite expensive. 

After a few days, we decided that moving to Moholt Studentby, a student housing village, would be a better long-term solution. Moholt Studentby offered various types of apartments. I chose a four-person shared accommodation, which turned out to be a great decision. My friend and I had two lovely flatmates one Italian guy and a German girl who we shared the bathroom and the kitchen with and then each had their own bedroom.

Moholt Studentby provided a more social environment, especially in the Loftet it was quite easy to meet new people, play games, study or participate at one of their events like the quiz nights or movie nights.

Right next to our building was also Bunnpris a Norwegian supermarket which was great, but also other cheaper supermarkets where close by and easy to reach.

Studies at NTNU

Overall, my time at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) was quite memorable. The university is really nice, boasting beautiful buildings, many of which house libraries, kiosks or mensas, and sometimes even stationery stores. NTNU is enormous, with multiple campuses and approximately 40,000 students. This means classes are generally quite large, which was a significant change from what I was used to in Stralsund.

One challenge was switching between campuses. Occasionally, I had only 15 minutes to move from one campus to another, which was nearly impossible and quite inconvenient. Additionally, finding suitable courses was tough since most offerings were technical. Only a small number of courses focused on economics, and even these often had a technological angle. Contrary to what I had heard before arriving, I found the courses quite challenging.

Life in Norway

Living in Norway was mostly very enjoyable. The people are relaxed and friendly, although interactions with Norwegians were less frequent than I anticipated. Trondheim is easy to navigate, after just a few weeks, I mostly could find my way around without using a GPS.

While Trondheim doesn't offer much in terms of traditional sightseeing, it has plenty of opportunities for other activities. There are numerous hiking spots, restaurants, and places to party. A small ski area, ideal for beginners with its gentle slopes, is just 30 minutes away. On weekdays, it is usually almost empty, which is a bonus.

Traveling around Norway was one of the highlights of my stay. My friend and I, along with another Erasmus student, drove to the Lofoten Islands. The trip was incredible, despite the lack of Northern Lights and less-than-ideal weather. The snow-covered landscape was stunning, and we were lucky enough to see reindeer and moose.

I also went skiing in Sweden with a group of Erasmus students. We took a train from Trondheim to Åre, which took around three hours. It was a fantastic way to get to know each other. Additionally, my friend and I spent a long weekend in Oslo. The city has a lot to offer, and even just walking around and enjoying the ambiance was a great experience.

In summary, my time at NTNU and in Norway was filled with both academic challenges and unforgettable adventures. The beautiful landscapes and the warmth of the people made it a truly enriching experience.