What is it like to study and live at Hainan Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences?

For first-year students just stepping onto campus, the unfamiliar language environment and the new teaching style often bring a sense of confusion and pressure. Yet, it is precisely in facing these challenges that one gradually builds the courage to adapt and the confidence to grow.

The following is a personal reflection from Wu Shangjun, a sophomore majoring in Digital Technologies (Class of 2024). At this moment, he is attending a summer school program in Germany.

01

Hard work pays off”

Standing at the starting line of my sophomore year, my freshman journey feels like a movie played on fast-forward. Let’s rewind to August 2024. I still remember dragging my luggage into the campus of BiUH, everything feeling fresh yet unfamiliar. Before I had fully adjusted, classes had already begun.

Sitting in the classroom, I quickly realized that the challenges were far greater than I had imagined: the professors spoke at lightning speed, my notebooks were filled with lines of words, yet I often missed the key points.

At that time, one thought dominated my mind: “I must not fail.” The library became my “second dormitory,” my vocabulary cards were worn at the edges, and I even found myself correcting verb conjugations in my dreams.

Fortunately, the hard work paid off. The moment I passed my final exams, a deep sense of achievement washed over me. Suddenly, learning German no longer seemed like an impossible mountain to climb. With that relief, I welcomed the winter break.

I thought overcoming the first hurdle would let me breathe easier, but soon discovered that the spring semester was even more intense. The combined pressure of specialized courses and continued German learning felt like I was constantly being pushed to keep running.

That was when I truly realized that learning German has no finish line. The grades I had achieved were only milestones, not the end. Instead of fading, that sense of pressure became a reminder to keep pushing myself. Gradually, I began trying to ask questions in class in German, even if haltingly. I did my best on every assignment and became one of those students who often sought out professors for guidance.

The tension around me never completely disappeared—but over time, it transformed into momentum that kept me moving forward.

02

“German Language Opened the Door to My Everyday Life”

At the end of my freshman year, during the summer break, I came to Germany to join a summer school program, taking a course completely unrelated to languages—Python programming. The classes were taught in English, and I worked with students from all over the world to discuss coding logic.

For me, it was not only a brand-new challenge but also a shift in mindset. Although the course itself had nothing to do with German, I soon realized that the German I had learned over the past year was already helping me adapt to the rhythm of life here.

This short-term study experience in Germany gave me a very tangible sense of how useful German could be. After a year of effort, I no longer felt lost in a foreign country. From everyday conversations to travel arrangements, and even reading public signs, I felt more at ease and confident. Even if I couldn’t catch every word in the subway announcements, I was still able to grasp the key information quickly.

Meanwhile, some classmates who didn’t know any German were still struggling with supermarket labels and ticket machines, while I could already understand most of it and handle things flexibly. That sense of certainty in daily life was built step by step, through the language skills I had accumulated.

In short, the German foundation I built in my freshman year opened the door to daily life. Now, I am trying to use English—and even the language of programming—to knock on the door to a wider world. Sophomore year is a brand-new starting point, and I look forward to continuing my journey at the crossroads of languages and knowledge.

03

“Every Awkward Beginning Is a Gift”

Looking back on my freshman year, my greatest takeaway was truly understanding the meaning of perseverance and effort. Learning German was undoubtedly challenging, but every breakthrough and every small step forward made me more confident and resilient.

At the same time, I learned how to better manage my time and strike a balance between academics and life. To the incoming freshmen, I want to say: it is perfectly normal to feel lost and anxious when faced with new courses and an unfamiliar learning environment.

Every awkward beginning is a gift. Those late nights of rushing assignments while chewing on bread, those frowning moments in front of grammar books—all of them will eventually turn into the joy of suddenly catching a joke, or the quiet confidence of seeing a grade you’re proud of.

So, when it comes to learning German and your major courses, don’t be afraid of moving slowly—just don’t stop. German language will become your wings, carrying you across more mountains and seas. As for me, stepping into sophomore year, I will continue to move forward with both nerves and anticipation.