Learning in the wild: outdoor life and studies in Fairbanks, Alaska

I decided to go on exchange to Fairbanks, Alaska, because outdoor activities are a major passion of mine, and one of my long-term dreams had been to experience Alaska’s nature and culture at some point in my life. I learned about the north2north exchange program and noticed that Alaska was one of the possible destinations, so I decided to apply. After all, exchange studies are one of the best opportunities to combine your current stage of life with a completely new experience on the other side of the world. I do not regret my decision for a second, and I feel that I gained experiences I truly would not have had if I hadn’t dared to apply specifically to Alaska. I also had the chance to meet many interesting people. In addition, I was able to learn about Alaska Native culture, as several of my friends belonged to that community. I now truly appreciate their culture and way of life, which had previously been largely unfamiliar to me.

At my home university, I study Information and Knowledge Management, and in Fairbanks I chose the minimum required number of business courses, totaling nine local credits. In addition to those, I took courses in wilderness leadership, winter camping, and rock climbing, which allowed me to learn more about various outdoor activities and connect with like-minded people. The wilderness leadership course was essentially a small-scale wilderness guide course, where we learned how to plan and lead hikes as well as various safety-related aspects. In the rock-climbing course, I learned how to build anchors, lead climb, and rappel, and as a result, I have now added climbing to my range of hobbies.

The main reason for applying to Alaska was to experience a wide variety of outdoor activities in Alaska’s incredible natural environment, and in that I succeeded. I also found good friends who shared similar interests, and we went on our own trips together, for example to the Alaska Range mountains and glaciers. The culture surrounding outdoor activities in Fairbanks and Alaska is fantastic, and the university’s Outdoor Adventures program offers courses, trips, and affordable equipment rentals for all types of activities. The equipment is very high-quality and versatile, so there is no need, and it may not even be worthwhile, to bring much of your own gear when traveling there.

 One important thing to consider when thinking about Fairbanks as an exchange destination is timing. I went for the fall semester, which was an amazing experience, but in hindsight, I personally might choose the spring semester to do more backcountry skiing and ice climbing. There was only a short opportunity for both toward the end of the fall semester, as temperatures did already drop to nearly −40 degrees Celsius. Overall, I highly recommend Fairbanks as a destination for those who are interested in a diverse outdoor lifestyle, northern native culturesand are not afraid of challenging conditions.