📚 Academic Pursuits: A Journey into the Heart of Technology
When I decided to go on an Erasmus exchange, I chose Dresden, Germany, for its high academic standards and the opportunity to immerse myself in the German language and culture. Here are the core subjects that shaped my semester:
1. Operating System Construction (OSC)
- Lectures, Labs, and Exercises: The subject combined theory and hands-on experience, guided by Operating System Construction by Andrew S. Tanenbaum.
- DIY Operating System: We designed an OS from the ground up, tackling challenges like schedulers, threads, interrupts, and coroutines. 🛠️
- Memorable Takeaway: The complexity of building a system on bare metal provided a deep understanding of OS fundamentals.
2. Concurrent and Distributed Systems (CDS)
- Course Material: Based on The Art of Multiprocessor Programming by Maurice Herlihy and Nir Shavit.
- Key Concepts: Multiprocessor architectures, mutual exclusion, linearizability, atomic registers, consensus, and spin locks. 🔄
- Highlight: Learning about the CMPXCHG instruction on x86 processors—a key element of modern multiprogramming.
3. Automotive Software Engineering
- Focus: High-level management, methodologies, and technical elements like sensors, connection topology, and ECUs. 🚗
- FSD Trip: Agile workshops and exploring AI in vehicle diagnostics and autonomous driving.
- Guest Lecture: Insights from the Fraunhofer Institute on sensorics in autonomous vehicles.
🎉 Student Life: A Thriving International Community
Dresden’s vibrant student life was a pleasant surprise, fueled by the active Erasmus Student Network (ESN).
- Cafe Lingua: Every Monday, local bars hosted a multilingual meet-up where students could practice languages and meet people from around the world. 🗣️
- Länder Party: Themed parties every Tuesday celebrated different countries with music, food, and cultural traditions. 🌎
- Kultur Buro Campus: Organized fantastic activities and trips, like the unforgettable excursion to Saxon Switzerland, known for its stunning views. 🏞️
🏙️ Living in Dresden: Costs, Convenience, and Charm
- Accommodation: I lived in a 15-story dormitory on Wundtstrasse, just 2 km from campus, with the amazing SLUB library and two canteens nearby. 🏢
- Cost of Living: Surprisingly affordable, at around 1.3 to 1.6 times Polish prices, making it easier to manage expenses. 💶
- Getting Around: The city was well-connected by trams and bike-friendly, with numerous paths making commuting easy. 🚲
- Green Spaces: Dresden’s commitment to green belts and parks added to its charm, providing a refreshing escape from city life. 🌳
🤔 Reflecting on My Erasmus Experience
Choosing Dresden for my Erasmus semester was one of the best decisions I made. It allowed me to advance my technical skills, improved my German, and immerse myself in a new culture. The friendships, knowledge, and memories from this journey are invaluable.
This journey, and specifically the fascinating subject of OSC, indirectly prompted me to create a blog for it.
If you’re considering Erasmus, I encourage you to look beyond the typical sunny spots and explore options like Dresden, where academic challenges, a lively student scene, and the charm of a unique city await you. 🌟