Between Bachelor completion and thoughts of Berlin

After our class trip to Berlin was canceled in 2021 due to Corona, I had to make this journey alone. I still remember how excited we all were and how sad it was when the class trip was canceled. Okay, jokes aside. A few years later, I am no longer in school, and my bachelor's degree is slowly but surely coming to an end, so I am currently looking into potential master's programs. I really enjoy my studies in Cologne, and media studies was the right choice for me. But somehow, I just feel like something is missing in terms of current relevance. The master's program will also cover a lot about theater studies and performance studies, the part of media studies that interests me less. There are several programs in Berlin that I'm considering. But does this city suit me? Do I like the mentality and the university? All these questions were on my mind before I set out on my journey to the German capital. The day before my departure, I was as nervous as I rarely am before a trip, maybe because I knew that I would like Berlin more than I thought.

Upon arriving at the main train station, I was pretty overwhelmed. Although everything was labeled in German, I couldn't find the subway right away. After a bit of searching, I was finally successful. After six stations, I arrived at Alexanderplatz and was equally overwhelmed there; the cliché is real. But it was also exciting to see who was traveling around. I first bought my favorite fun drink at DM and took the next tram to my AirBnB.

The AirBnB was located in the Prenzlauer Berg district, specifically in Pankow. The short walk to the AirBnB led me past beautiful old buildings, cool cafés, and a lot of strollers. The district is definitely very popular with families. I won the battle against the key box on the third attempt and was greeted by a woman with blue dreadlocks. She was very nice and showed me everything; I had a room with a balcony and a view of the television tower. Tired from the long train ride, I treated myself to a delicious pizza. I made myself comfortable in my cozy bed, watched a quiz show, and was able to start the next day well-rested.

The next morning, I had an online viewing for a room in London, a staggering 1600 pounds for 15 square meters. The rental prices in Berlin probably won't shock me that quickly. I ate yogurt and some blueberries, then treated myself to a pain au chocolat and a cappuccino to go on my walk into the city. This way, I could absorb a lot of the atmosphere, and walking only took me 10 minutes longer than taking the train. The path was beautiful, and the sun was shining. I had the television tower in my sight the whole time and held my coffee firmly in my hand. Upon arriving in Berlin-Mitte, I explored the area around the Hackeschen Höfe and went into some shops. I also explored the Hackeschen Höfe and bought a souvenir for a friend. My most important mode of transportation that day was my feet, so I walked towards Humboldt University because I had an appointment in the afternoon with the student council of Media Studies at HU. Near the cathedral, there was a huge bookstore where I spent a lot of time before I admired the cathedral (from the outside) in all its glory. Being alone was very relaxing, as I could do whatever I felt like doing. Close to the cathedral is also the HU, where I bought something to eat at the overpriced Humboldt Forum. The salad was very delicious, and I was quite full. I still had an hour to kill before the meeting, so I wandered around. Near the forum, I found myself in a part of the city that looked so different. Almost like a little old town; unfortunately, I can only describe it because I didn't take any photos. But believe me, it looked pretty cool, and it's crazy that such neighborhoods can exist parallel to each other. There, I got a crêpe with cinnamon and sugar and sat on a bench by the Spree River to do some people watching.

The meeting with the student council was a great success; we talked for almost two hours about the master's program and many other things. They were very friendly and answered all my questions. I even got a tour of the media studies collection. From the conversation, I already gained a rough impression and a good feeling about it. After all these impressions, I was also scheduled to meet my cousin, for whom I wanted to buy a small gift beforehand. I looked for an independent bookstore on Google Maps. The bookstore I headed to was called