When I first came to Munich for my exchange program, I thought that the biggest culture shock in my studies would be the language barrier. I knew that my courses would primarily be in English (which is a lifesaver), but I thought navigating the administrative parts of university would be less than English-friendly. Despite my predictions, this was no problem at all; I could rely on the International Office at my exchange university to answer all my burning questions. Instead of the language catching me off guard, it was the structure of the courses that surprised me most.

Coming from Pitt, I was used to my courses being guided. Graded homework assignments with due dates helped keep my learning on track, rather than letting procrastination consume my time (as I am always tempted to do). Although I haven’t had any firsthand experience, I believe this is a common experience in most American universities. In contrast, my courses here in Germany have been much less supervised. Only one of my courses requires attendance, and only one other has graded homework assignments. From what I have heard from other students living near me, this is common for universities in Bavaria, and potentially across Germany as well. Students here are expected to manage their studies individually, with most courses grading only on the final exam.

I have since adjusted to the difference in expectations that comes with university here, but another difference still stands out: lecture length. Each lecture, on average, runs for three hours with a 15-minute break in the middle. When compared to the 50 or 75-minute courses I’m familiar with at Pitt, sitting through three hours of lecture feels like a marathon. Each week, I find myself losing focus, only to check my watch and find half the lecture time still remains. The length of the lectures is made easier only by their infrequency. Rather than two or three lectures a week like back home, most of my courses here only run once a week. In total, the time spent in class isn’t much different from at Pitt; it’s just spread out differently.

All in all, studying in Munich has not only taught me new material, but new ways of learning as well. University here feels more like what our high school teachers all warned us about: professors who expect you to succeed without holding your hand, unflinching grading systems, and a strong sense of your personal responsibility for success. Sure, Pitt has all these things, but I can say with certainty that I have never felt as solely accountable for my success as I do here. It can be frightening to not feel any guardrails, no professors or assignments encouraging me to keep up with the material, but it is also freeing. I can manage my time as I wish; I travel when I want, and catch up on studies when I must. And honestly, if I can handle multiple three-hour lectures each week, I’m confident I can handle any challenges that come next.