Studying at the oldest university in Portugal

The University of Coimbra has been operating since 1290, although it has traded locations between Lisbon at various times. It was in 1597 that the actual Paço das Escolas became part of Coimbra, and it is now one of the city’s ex-libris.

Currently, the University of Coimbra comprises eight faculties, covering different scientific areas, from medicine to law, psychology to humanities, engineering to physics and chemistry, and even architecture, maths, and sports.

Being a student in Coimbra is more than just heading to your faculty and studying your favourite subject; it is also about belonging to a place that has grown around the academic community.

Moving to Coimbra

When I was 15, I decided that I wanted to study Journalism, and Coimbra was always my first option. Every aspiring Portuguese university student has heard of the city, its traditions still kept, and its teaching methods still recognised worldwide.

I decided I had to experience it, keeping in mind that I would eventually have to move to Lisbon or return to the Algarve, where I was born.

After finishing high school and passing my final exams, it was time to make a choice and present my candidature to the university. In Portugal, the process is usually completed online, with the option to choose six universities to enrol in and rank them by preference. Obviously, my first option was to enrol in the Faculty of Humanities and Arts at the University of Coimbra to pursue a degree in Journalism and Communication. My second option was also in Coimbra, at the Polytechnic Institute, in the communication area. All the other options were in Lisbon and Faro, still linked to Journalism or Communication, as it was always something I really wanted to pursue.

There is a calendar that lists when the candidature results are announced and when I received the acceptance email at 17, packed my stuff, left the Algarve, and moved to Coimbra.

Integrating into a new city

It was 2018, and before officially enrolling at the university, I was already in touch with my future colleagues on social media, which was a great way to break the ice for our interactions.

Most of my colleagues were from a different town, which means we were all going through the same thing: leaving our parents’ house for the first time and becoming independent. With all of us facing the same reality, we all had to bond with each other, overcoming possible loneliness and building our own family. That was achieved so quickly, and I thank Coimbra for that.

An amazing town

The University of Coimbra hosted different activities for freshmen in the year I started studying. In 2018, while the sophomore and last-year students were in class, freshmen had no classes scheduled and could attend various team-building activities to get to know their colleagues. However, what I really enjoyed the most were the activities promoted by the older students in my degree, the Praxe.

Although many people do not agree with the Praxe and want it to be forbidden in certain ways, my experience was incredible, as, happily, I did not experience what other students may have. All I know is that Praxe introduced me to people who are still my friends today and helped me get to know Coimbra in a different way.

The traditional Praxe

Praxe is a tradition born in Coimbra and is meant to integrate new students into the town. Although it started centuries ago with a more aggressive stance, it is slowly changing nowadays.

What I experienced with Praxe definitely varies when compared to other students, institutions, and even within Coimbra. In my Praxe, I had the sophomore and last-year students making me play games and do the most random things someone could possibly imagine. There was not a day that I did not laugh out loud and have fun with my friends. Even when I finished the activities with no voice for shouting traditional songs, I still felt amazing at the end of the day.

While I was wearing a t-shirt, the older students were wearing the traditional academic suit, proudly carrying their black coats, something that I always wanted to do too.

Having classes in a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Away from the fun and following the responsibilities and focusing on the reason why I left the Algarve. Attending classes was an event, especially during the first days.

Although the most sought-after tourist destination within the institution is the Faculty of Law, the Faculty of Humanities and Arts is still remarkable. In my case, to attend classes, I had to climb the 125 steps of the Escadas Monumentais, pass the King Dinis statue, walk along the Rua Larga, and, on my right, my faculty would be.

With four statues at the entrance, it is funny how you enter on floor 4, and not on floor 0, which was quite confusing at the beginning, but it is explained by some sort of architectural choice, and the location of the building. Most of my classes were held in large auditoriums, similar to those in films like Mona Lisa Smile.

By the entrance, on two different walls, there are paintings with catholic motives, at least it was my interpretation of it, that are highly breathtaking and clearly made me embrace the academic spirit more deeply.

Green spaces

I have the privilege of visiting various cities in Portugal, and I have never seen a city with so many green spaces as Coimbra.

With Mata Nacional do Choupal, Jardim da Sereia, Jardim Botânico, Parque Verde, Choupalinho, and probably many more, Coimbra is the right place for those who want to be close to nature.

Whether close to the river or a little farther away, there are enough green spaces for the population to enjoy without overcrowding. As students, those green areas were some of our favourite spots, especially when temperatures started to rise. A sunset by the river, lying down on the grass, was clearly one of the greatest moments of the week.

Sense of belonging

I finished my degree in 2021, without my last Queima das Fitas and without going down the streets in a car with my colleagues, because of the Covid-19 pandemic. In Queima das Fitas, students celebrate the end of the school year, with the last-year students building a car with motives that criticise the system, mainly linked to their area. With a festival that lasts for seven days, it is the most awaited week for Coimbra’s students.

I can still say that Coimbra has a special place in my heart. No wonder it became the place where I still live, even though I am not a student anymore.

With a different perspective and no longer tied to the academic lifestyle, I’m still connected to the town that saw me through my teen years and is now part of the life I am building.