Konstantin Klammert
I wish I had more time at LSE.
My year at LSE has been one of the most interesting years in my life so far, thanks to the courses themselves, the lecturers and, crucially, fellow students at LSE.
First, the course: I really enjoyed my undergraduate in Germany, studying philosphy and economics in Bayreuth (recommended!). But it was at LSE that I really felt like I found my niche. I loved learning about the EU. And it was learning in a proper way. I actually felt like I was put in a position to understand the underlying logic of how the EU works (or where it doesn't work). In the same vein, there was no pretention of knowledge when something could not quite be explained - my economics professors may forgive me for saying that I did not always feel that way during my undergraduate.
LSE was also a perfect place to understand EU politics in particular. I remember choosing a course on European monetary integration because I wanted to understand the Euro. And while I sometimes felt like swearing at myself for that choice during some frustrating hours in the library, I also remember how proud I felt when I was actually able to explain the advantages and disadvantages of the Stability and Growth Pact. To this day, I am convinced that you cannot understand the politics without the economics, and LSE is the perfect place to bring those two together.
What is more, at LSE, you have the chance to learn from and discuss with the experts who have in some cases literally written the standard textbooks for their respective fields. That, plus so many seminars, conferences, workshops and other chances to listen to and discuss with actual experts. It's one thing to learn about EU integration theory, but another thing to test this knowledge with senior EU officials.
And, finally, the students. Rarely did I feel more at home than in a bubble of people who are nerds about the same topics - and who are, in addition to that, just super smart and impressive. People in my year have, for example, founded companies, run for parliament while still graduating with distinction, or made career in EU and national institutions. It was just an incredible environment to be a part of.
As for my life after LSE, I had always dreamt of joining the German diplomatic service. After having worked as a contract agent first, I am now part of the group of attachés currently undergoing their training year for a career in the diplomatic service. And my experiences at LSE certainly helped me get here.
Firstly, the environment at LSE convinced me that this is what I wanted to do. The lecturers, the courses, the friends - I knew that this was the bubble I wanted to be part of. Of course, there's also the content of the EU politics course. There's many different routes into the German diplomatic service, but knowing stuff about the EU is certainly beneficial. What was most useful for me was probably, as mentioned earlier, the mixture between political science and economics.
Finally, there was also the help by LSE Careers: Especially during a difficult phase due to Covid, the people at LSE Careers were super helpful in practicing soft skills and just generally keeping you motivated - thank you for this!
Having reflected all of this, I find it hard to believe that I actually only spend one year at LSE. It certainly felt pivotal in my life.