Finding hygge as ‘studying abroad’ continues at home
We’re now just about halfway through the semester and the amount of time we had hoped to spend in Denmark continues to dwindle. My Danish professor still seems as hopeful as ever and I’m grateful for her efforts to keep us hopeful as well. She provides us with updates each week about what the Danish government is saying and doing with the latest news that they will announce a plan for the country’s reopening before the 23rd of March. Of course an ideal situation would be being able to travel to Denmark as soon as possible and spending whatever time I can to explore and learn more about the country and its culture, but at the same time, I have also come to terms with the fact that I might not be able to go at all.
Though at first it was difficult to even imagine not being able to have the full experience of a semester abroad, reflecting back on this first half of the semester has made me appreciative of the experiences, knowledge, and connections I still have been able to gain. All of my courses are related to my plans of a career in education and working with young children, and the topics and concepts we have explored and discussed so far will definitely stick with me moving forward. I have also met some amazing people who are just as passionate about working with children as I am which has led to rich discussions of important dilemmas and concepts within child care and education. Because the number of students enrolled in DIS Copenhagen this semester is rather low, my class sizes are especially small and I have several classes with some of the same people which has allowed us to build more personal connections and communities. For instance, I am taking a course called Children with Special Needs in which there are only three students, including my self, and our professor. We meet as a class on Tuesdays, but us students also meet on Mondays without our professor to work together on assignments and to socialize. I feel that we have become closer as the weeks go by and we even talk of planning our own trip to Denmark together in the next year if we are unable to go this semester. These friendships and connections have been a source of comfort throughout it all, which is what I have learned Danes value most – comfort, coziness, and a feeling of contentment or well-being encapsulate in the term hygge.
We have talked a lot about the concept of hygge in my Danish class as it describes a certain quality of sociality that Danes strive for within every aspect of social life. Danish homes, cafés, restaurants, daycares, and schools aim to create cozy and welcoming environments for individuals to experience comfort and joy. When I’m in class I can see some characteristics of hygge in the background of my professors’ screens where there are books lined up on bookshelves that are built into the walls, dim lamps or lit candles that radiate a soft and warm light, and a simple layout of furniture. As we continue to spend more time at home I have also tried to make my home a place of comfort and coziness. In the kitchen, we have fairy lights that surround the stovetop and we usually turn on the lamps with soft lighting instead of the bright, white lights overhead. My room is decorated with calm, neutral colors and we maintain a warm temperature inside. Though a year has already passed since the pandemic forced us inside, I find it fascinating that I am still finding new ways to cope with this new situation of living, with the Danish concept of hygge as the latest find.