Ever since I began my travel adventures, I have been searching for this feeling; the feeling of home. I have always loved experiencing new cultures, meeting new people, making connections around the world, and putting myself outside of my comfort zone. My parents have always asked me where I could see myself living someday, and I never had an answer. I had loved so many places, but nowhere ever felt like somewhere I could truly call my second home. Until Copenhagen. Many of my friends who had traveled there would tell me, “Mia, you are going to love it,” or “This place made me think of you.” When I found out I could take my summer studio there instead of Eugene, I knew I had to go. I arrived without expectations, but almost immediately, I felt different. I was genuinely happy. Every day, no matter what I was doing, I felt content. This was the place. I had finally found it.
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Copenhagen changed the way I experienced everyday life. I rented a bike almost immediately to blend in like a true local, although biking in Copenhagen is no joke. Once I figured it out, I biked and walked everywhere. I ate incredible food, explored as many coffee shops and bakeries as possible, swam in the canals every day after class, and made friends from around the world. Some of my favorite memories were the simplest ones: finishing class, grabbing something to eat, walking to the canal, swimming, then biking home. Everything felt slower and more intentional. People took their time with coffee and meals, spent time with friends, and seemed to appreciate everyday moments instead of constantly rushing to the next thing. Even shopping felt different. When you have to carry everything home in your bike basket, you think twice about what you actually need. I became more thoughtful, aware, and present without even trying.
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As an Interior Architecture student, I was especially excited to experience Scandinavian design firsthand. I have always loved its minimal, functional, and effortlessly beautiful qualities, but Copenhagen showed me that it is much more than an aesthetic. It is a way of life. I saw it in restaurants, coffee shops, public spaces, furniture, and even small everyday objects. My furniture design studio brought this idea to life. We designed and built our own furniture, and I quickly learned that something that looks simple can actually be incredibly complicated. My stool was minimal and almost entirely circular, requiring careful consideration of its proportions, angles, construction, and how it would fit my body. Taking it from an idea and drawing to a finished piece I could actually sit on was incredibly rewarding.
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I left Copenhagen with a completely different perspective on design, travel, and the life I want to live. I became more comfortable exploring on my own, more appreciative of small moments, and more aware of how deeply our surroundings shape us. But most importantly, I loved the version of myself that I became there. I was happier, more present, more independent, and constantly excited about the next day. For the first time, I wasn’t imagining what my life could look like somewhere else; I was experiencing it. Copenhagen didn’t just give me an amazing summer or teach me about furniture design. It showed me what kind of environment makes me happiest, what kind of designer I want to become, and what kind of life I want to create. I had spent years searching for that feeling of home, and I had finally found it.
-Mia Huebner
Summer Architecture Furniture and Design
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