On 25th September 2024, I came back to Germany. This time I landed in Frankfurt, and instead of heading straight to my new city, I decided to stay back a few days and just enjoy. Frankfurt had a charm of its own big, busy, and a little overwhelming. On 28th September, I finally arrived in Schweinfurt. My first impression? Honestly, it felt boring. Quiet streets, slow pace ... nothing like Berlin. But I had made it back. I was home again, in a new way.
Orientation, Confusion, and That Lonely Feeling
My first day at THWS was October 1st.
Orientation felt endless. The campus itself was a puzzle. Finding classes, understanding how the system worked, even figuring out which building to go to it all felt like too much at once. But slowly, bit by bit, it started to make sense.
What didn’t click as easily, though, were friendships.
In the beginning, I was still a little alone. I hadn’t really found my people yet. I did find a small group eventually, and we got along well. For a while, I thought this was it. But then life moved quickly , faster than I expected.
Before I could even settle, first semester exams were here. I studied, did my best, and ended up with okay-ish grades. Nothing to celebrate, nothing to cry over either.
The Wake-Up Call
After the exams, I took a moment to look back at my first six months.
And it hit me hard. I hadn’t really lived. I hadn’t travelled, hadn’t explored, hadn’t done anything that made me feel alive. I was just stuck in a cycle of staying at home, studying, and repeating it all over again.
Even the friendships I had made started feeling distant. I began to feel like an outsider. My mindset was different. I was more focused. My version of fun didn’t match theirs. And slowly, that gap widened.
Coming Back Different
In February, I went back to India for a short break.
And when I returned in March, I promised myself something.
This time, I would do things differently.
I joined a student community in Nürnberg that brought international students together. And honestly, that changed everything for me.
I met people who were just like me. Driven, kind, understanding. I found a space where I could just be myself.
I found someone I now call my older sister someone who inspires me every day.
I found an older brother in university who has my back, helps me through the chaos, and reminds me to laugh.
I found a younger sister I deeply care for and want to protect.
And for the first time since I came here, I found a group of friends that felt like a family away from home.
Life, Projects, and Feeling Alive Again
In this second semester, I started saying yes more often.
I started going out. I started talking to more people. I started building things that mattered to me.
Right now, I’m working on five different projects — from engineering ideas to creative ones. Every one of them has taught me something. And somehow, every weekend, I end up exploring somewhere new, having random conversations, or just enjoying being young and alive.
My life is still a mess.
I have exams starting tomorrow (and yes, I’m definitely dying inside).
But I’ve grown.
I’m not the same person who landed in Schweinfurt feeling small and out of place.
Who I Am Now
So hey, I’m Amaan, but most people here know me as Sahil.
I came to Germany chasing a degree. What I found was something deeper.
I found a new version of myself. One who’s more open, more connected, more alive.
And this…
was my journey.
So far.
📍 Who knows? Maybe the next chapter of this story includes you too.
What an honest writeup. Putting in your thoughts on all the surprises, lows and unsettling times to pushing yourself to venture into the unknown and trying something new out of your comfort zone. Thats brillant. Proud of what you have achieved and continue to. Well done.
Thank you so much. That really means a lot. I’m still growing, but I’m glad the journey speaks to you.