Meeting the Danes
Maybe it’s easier to just hang out with the other international students and joke about the antisocial Danes, but if you want a local network as a student (the shortcut to jobs, housing and an all-around fun time in Denmark), befriending the Danes is a must… read more
Meeting Fellow Students
The first step to finding “new Danish friends” is knowing where to meet your fellow students. Certain circumstances make for excellent time windows during which you can meet and make Danish friends, even if you don’t know anyone yet… read more
Getting Danish Friends
The Danish word for friends “venner” tends to be used in a more exclusive way than the English term, and you might even hear a Dane say, “yeah, we hang out and it’s fun, but we’re not venner (yet)” about people they know. This does not mean that the person doesn’t appreciate hanging out with you, but that they aren’t close enough to qualify you as one of their exclusive venner… read more
Dating a Dane
In all honesty, Danes don’t really date… not in the way you might be used to dating at least. There is no “formalized” dating structure in Denmark, no unwritten rules about who-calls-who or who-pays-on-the-date? The arrival of various dating apps might have changed how often the Danes go on dates with people they don’t already know, but the word ‘date’ is still used just as often about an already established couple who have been together for awhile… read more
Student Night Life
Students go out. It is one of the fundamental facts of life, and it’s no different in Denmark. Whether you drink alcohol or not, a lot of the social life of a university student is focused around going out to bars and cafés or attending parties. The concept of going out to dinner is not as widely used in Denmark as it is in many other cultures… read more
Getting Involved
A thing that is unique to Danish culture and socialising is the emphasis on ‘foreninger’. This is relatively complicated to translate, as it is a Danish/Scandinavian concept that has been a pillar in these countries civil societies for almost 150 years. A “forening” is a democratic, membership-based organisation with a common theme, goal or activity… read more
Exploring CPH
Meeting the Danes is also about doing activities “like the Danes” with your friends. During the (short, but sweet) summer, most university cities in Denmark have a great outdoor life. People take disposable grills out into the parks and have a low-key, social barbecue, bring wine and beer to the beach, go to outdoor movie screenings (often for free) in parks and play ballgames on the nearest patch of grass… read more
