A degree programme accompanies you many years, it influences your thoughts and feelings and gets you into contact with other people. It makes you experience something new every day and immerse yourself into an area of knowledge of your interest. It makes you grow intellectually and also gets you involved in discussions with others from time to time. A degree programme shapes your individual career path and your personality. Sometimes it even haunts you in your dreams. If you take the plunge, you won't regret it, for sure.

It has always been clear to me that I would study at the University of Vienna. Only what I didn't know in my schooldays. I had many interests and my career aspirations used to change constantly. Suddenly, the "big day" arrived - the day of my school graduation. I felt extremely relieved - Finally I made it! - but at the same time there was an inner void as if a new beginning was opening up: What should I do now?
At the beginning, I vacillated betweend several fields of study and could not decide on a particular degree programme. Philosophy fascinated me, but also cultures and foreign languages interested me very much. I didn't know what I really wanted and whether my interest in the degree programme was strong enough to last for years. This is why I made the decision to do something I had always wanted: I went to Costa Rica as a voluntary for four months in order to live and work abroad.

This experience was decisive - the Spanish language and the culture of the "ticos"[1] fascinated me so much that I immerged myself in it. I became eager to learn the language, created long volcabulary lists and made an efford in communicating with my host family and friends as fluently as I could. Every day I became more and more familiar with the country and particular cultural traits of the local population and adopted the local way of life.
During four intense months abroad I knew that Transcultural Communication was "my" degree programme. Many little experiences had influenced my decision. With regards to my professional career, I was hoping to work in the field of international communication - as a mediator between people of different cultural backgrounds. During my studies I learned to express myself fluently in English, German and Spanish in different contexts and to take into account cultural particularities.

So don't worry: Even if you don't know what you would like to study yet, the time will come when you'll be sure: This is my degree programme!

My advice for choosing your degree programme:

• What do you enjoy doing?
• What would you really like to know more about?
• Which topics do you like to engage yourself in on a regular basis?
• Into which fields of knowledge would you like to immerge yourself, even if nobody tells you to do so?
• Are some of your friends or family members already studying and can they tell you something about their degree programme? "Insider" information can help you make a decision, but don't forget: It'ss your own choice!

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[1] That's how Costa Ricans like to call themselves.