Maik Mikus' Semester at SUNY Cortland

 Maik Mikus

Home University: Fulda University 

Economics Major

From Kassel, Germany

This week's blog post is dedicated to one of the International Students studying at SUNY Cortland for the semester. Maik Mikus is a senior from Germany studying Economics. Maik talks about his experience in America so far and what it has been like for him studying in Cortland. 

Why did you choose to study in the U.S and why SUNY Cortland specifically?

I chose SUNY Cortland because it is a very sports-oriented university and I'm very into sports. I was also interested in the Sports Management program here. It is in New York and I've always wanted to visit New York City so I knew that it would be easy to go there if I was studying in Cortland. I'm also able to travel to other states from here and traveling is something that I really want to do while I'm here. Studying abroad in America has always been a dream of mine and Cortland seemed like a good fit for me. 

What are you studying here? 

At my home university in Fulda, Germany my major is International Business Administration and here at Cortland, I'm studying Economics. 

What has your experience been like so far?

It has been really overwhelming. It's really beautiful around here and everyone is so open-minded. Studying here is a wonderful experience. The professors are really understanding and they're invested in us as students. The professors are supportive and adjust to my needs as an international student. The people here are really nice. 

What is the biggest difference that you've noticed between Germany and the U.S?

The biggest difference is that the people here are much more open and friendly when you first meet them. They are very accepting and friendly which makes studying here a really positive experience. Also, everything here is a lot bigger than in Germany. The cars and the stores are so much bigger in America. 

What is your favorite part about studying in the U.S?

Studying here is just one big adventure. It is so different here and every day I learn something new. The time goes by so fast and the days are so full because so much is going on all the time. 

What has surprised you the most about the U.S?

Like I said earlier, everything here is much bigger than in Germany so Walmart was very surprising for me since there aren't stores like that in Germany.