This small island in Denmark lets stressed students unplug from distractions and study in nature
The "Youth Island" is a 30-minute boat ride from Copenhagen and offers a retreat for students who are struggling to disconnect from distractions in the city.
READ MORE : http://www.euronews.com/2025/05/27/this-small-island-in-denmark-lets-stressed-students-unplug-from-distractions-and-study-in-
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00:00Today we have study retreat here, where we have students from Denmark coming out and having time to focus on their exams.
00:09Exams are often associated with stress and pressure, but what if you could step away from the noise of everyday life to focus and unwind in peaceful natural surroundings?
00:19This island, just 30 minutes off the coast of Copenhagen, invites university students to do just that.
00:26Here they can take a dip in the sea during study breaks and wrap up the day in the sauna.
00:32You don't have any cars, you don't have that much noise, you just have sun and blue sky and some nice places to study.
00:40So I feel like it isn't really an option to be stressed by your everyday life.
00:47Hosts of the event say the retreat provides an alternative space to study, shifting routines of cafes and libraries.
00:53I've always heard a lot of critique about finding new spots in Copenhagen to study.
00:59Then you get tired of one cafe because it's too busy and then you go to another one and you get distracted and you can't be at your school because you're there every day.
01:06So we also hope to create this new community where they hopefully help each other.
01:13Students come here to focus on their exams, group work and thesis writing.
01:18To work on our master thesis in a place where we cannot be distracted by work, laundry, or chores at home.
01:26I saw it on a day where I was very stressed about doing exam work so it kind of felt like a perfect opportunity.
01:34I just had to do it.
01:36The old Navy Fort offers indoor dormitories and outdoor shelters for sleeping.
01:41Students can choose how close to nature they want to be.
01:44Sleeping outside but also studying at the same time, that's definitely like, yeah, that's what I'm looking forward to.
01:52The event began three years ago.
01:54Each session hosts 20 to 40 students with some returning to the program.
01:59We had to be outside sometimes because the facilities were outside.
02:04And just getting the fresh air, the windy air in between helped a lot to kind of wake up and get started.
02:12In addition to meals and accommodation, participants have access to academic guidance from university lecturers.
02:18We have 45-minute supervision sessions where they tell us about the research.
02:25And then we see if we can come up with some questions that might help them to clarify the questions and sort of discuss methodology and theory.
02:34As the exam season weighs on students across Europe, this island retreat offers a temporary exile where productivity, serenity, and shared reflection come together.
02:45When you're also cooking dinner together in the sauna and talking, you take that kind of pressure off.
02:52So you also just talk about your difficulties and struggles with the studying because you see each other in other settings and that can be nice.
