“Make an Effort and Don’t Take the Easy Way Out”

How did you grow up and what is your program of study? 

I am originally from the Czech Republic and grew up in a small town on the German Czech border, about ten kilometers from Germany. Many people in the region also learn German or speak the language. However, I am the first in my family to speak German, even though we have German ancestors. During secondary school, I took German lessons for about five years and obtained the DSD II Diplom. This is a language certificate issued by the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs. With this certificate, I was able to prove that I speak German at C1 level, which is required for studying at a university in Germany. I am currently in my fourth semester in the Business Administration program and am looking forward to spending a semester in Dublin.

In three words: How would you sum up your studies so far?

Challenging. Motivating. International.

Why were you interested in studying in Germany and at the University of Mannheim?

Germany was literally very close to me because of my language diploma and because of where I come from. I already knew during secondary school that I wanted to pursue a program in Business Administration. I had always planned to go abroad, but at first I didn't know exactly where. I looked online and searched for the best school in a German-speaking country. That's how I came across Mannheim. The mandatory semester abroad was another reason for me to go to Mannheim. 

What were your first impressions when you arrived in Germany? 

Before I finished school in the Czech Republic, I spent two summers in Munich. I worked in a beer garden and took a German language course to improve my language skills. When I came here to start my program, I knew that I wanted to make German friends first and foremost. That's why I didn't join a student organization for international students. I wanted to speak as much German as possible. I took a German language course at Studium Generale, which helped me a lot when I arrived. The Studierendenwerk was also a great help, and I was able to find an apartment quickly.

Were there any challenging moments for you?

Honestly, no, I didn't encounter any major challenges. But that was mainly because I was very excited before I arrived in Germany and therefore prepared myself particularly well. I took this new phase of my life and my studies very seriously and, for example, prepared for written exams well in advance. So, in the end, everything was better than I had imagined. At first, I struggled a little with imposter syndrome. That means I felt like I wasn't good enough and didn't know enough. That's because the university has a lot of very smart students. But as time went on, that feeling went away.

What do you do when you're not at university? 

I have a job as a working student alongside my studies. The job enables me to finance my studies and also prepares me well for my future career. I started out at BDO Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft in the Accounting and Transfer Pricing department. Since the beginning of the year, I have been working two days a week at Deutsche Börse in Frankfurt. I work in Business Process Management, where I support internal consulting projects and work closely with the CFO team. 

Tennis has also become my new hobby in Mannheim. The sports program here at the university is great. Apart from that, I am also very interested in history and enjoy reading biographies of interesting personalities. 

Do you have tips for international students?

Tip no. 1: Learn the language. This helps enormously, because without the language skills, it is difficult to make friends, get around the city, and understand anything in lectures if they are held in German. 

Tip no. 2: Make an effort and don’t take the easy way out. By that I mean you should leave your comfort zone. For example, it would be advisable to talk more to German students and less to students from your own country. It is also important to try new things. I'm more of an introvert, but I still went to orientation week and tried to network. The first few weeks are incredibly important. I'm still in touch with the people I met during orientation week. There is no need to worry – everyone's new at the university and nobody knows it all. 

Do you already have any ideas about what you want to do after graduation? 

After graduation, I would like to take on new challenges and continue exploring Germany. Even though I am really enjoying my time in Mannheim, the program is a lot of fun, and the campus is beautiful, I like the idea of living and working in a new city. I am particularly interested in management consulting, as it allows me to work analytically, come into contact with different industries, and travel a lot – preferably in Germany, the Czech Republic, or Switzerland. First, however, I would like to take a gap year after my bachelor's degree, possibly in combination with voluntary service or an internship. Time will tell.

Interview: Pascale Tamburini / July 2025