Denis Hokenek is a USF graduate studying abroad in Switzerland. He took the time out from his busy schedule, and despite the time difference, to answer these questions from overseas!
Major:Biology (class of 2010),
Year:Waiting tentatively for news regarding my Master’s Program in Biotechnology
Age:23
Relationship status:Single
Ultimate goal in life: “I want to find a job doing research in molecular biology, ideally developing treatments against microbial diseases or cancer.”
Favorite thing about USF: “I have to say I’m a big fan of the Department of Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, and Microbiology. The professors are very good at what they do, one of which being, they kept me interested in my major.”
Least fav thing about USF: “The sheer bureaucracy, and the misinformation that USF seems wont to give. I remember as an out-of-state freshman I tried to pay for my tuition online via OASIS, because I was told at orientation it was possible to do that. Lo and behold, the payment went through, but the money went towards my student housing instead of my tuition. Nobody informed me this would happen until I got to USF again at the beginning of my first semester, and I got stuck paying a late fee on my tuition, regardless of the fact that it wasn’t my fault.”
Proudest accomplishment at USF: “I remember impressing my calculus professor with my final project. It involved a LaPlace Transform, turning a system of differential equations into a solvable algebraic expression. My professor didn’t know what to think in terms of my final grade because my test grades were ‘average’, yet my final project went way beyond the scope of the course. So I got a B+, and later a job-offer from my professor to be one of the STEM Mart Calc tutors.”
If you could go back in time and change something in either in your life or in history, what would it be? “Well, naturally if I could change history, it would involve making me the wealthiest and most politically influential figure of the new millennium. But more realistically I’d have acted out more as a kid if I knew what I did now about what one can get away with.”
What are your hobbies and interests? “My main hobby is guitar—classical, rock ‘n’ roll, heavy metal. But my interests include molecular biology, cancer, pharmaceuticals, infectious diseases, SCUBA diving, marksmanship, and of course doing various things (that includes being a troll) on the Internet.”
The weirdest thing about you? “It isn’t just me, really. It’s the way my friends and I act around one another. We often greet each other not by name, but rather by whatever profanity comes to mind, and none of us gets offended. We all know it’s in good humor; no hard feelings. This is also conducive to our ‘trademark’ of blunt honesty, letting us speaking our minds with one another as though no topic is taboo.”
The most normal thing about you? “I am not physically deformed, mentally handicapped, or psychologically damaged. I’d say from a very literal interpretation of the word ‘normal’, that must count for something.”
What is something you’re madly passionate about? “Learning new licks and tricks on my guitars. I’m a sucker for music, whether it’s 20 or 200 years old.”
What’s your favorite cause to support? “I’m big on improving public education. I think the United States as a whole could do better as far as that is concerned.”
Words of wisdom to other USF students? “While for the most part your professors know what they are doing, you won’t get A’s on their exams just by taking notes and going to class. You have to spend a lot of time with your textbooks and solution manuals if you expect to really learn anything.”
Tell us about your study abroad in Switzerland, why you went, why it’s worth studying abroad and what you’ve learned:
Well, my studies here are completely independent of USF, so unfortunately I cannot speak for the USF Study Abroad program. My goal is to do my Master’s Degree in Molecular Biology either at University of Basel, University of Zürich, or University of Bern.
To put things in perspective, I am an American citizen as well as an Auslandschweizer, a Swiss Citizen living abroad. Currently I’m enrolled in the University of Fribourg Intensive German Language Course, for I am required as an Auslandschweizer by the Universities Bern, Zürich, and Basel, to provide proof—that is, a Goethe Institute C-1 Diploma—that I am able to write and speak German in a University level context.
My problem was, come January this year I could hardly construct a single (correct) sentence of German. So I spent January through the third week of February just cramming grammar and vocabulary, because I was told there would be an exam on the first day of classes. This was the ‘Einstufungstest’, which was to determine the level of instruction that I as well as the other 100+ students in the class would get. What stressed me out was that I needed the highest level of German instruction they offered: C-1. To my own surprise and relief, I made it.
One of the biggest things I learned about studying abroad, especially if you plan on applying to schools for further education abroad, is that you need to take every official document you can find, no matter how trivial it may seem. High school diploma, university diploma, passports, other identity papers, recommendation letters from professors, and official transcripts, to name a few. I lost a lot of time phoning home and asking my family to send me things I was still missing because I thought “Oh, I don’t need that!” Reality check: Yes, yes I do need that. Somewhat more obviously I’ve also learned a lot of German.
Moving along, I can tell you from my experience that study abroad is worth doing. You have not only a chance at a European-style education, but also many more opportunities in the job market. If you choose to stay in Europe, it is a notable trend that in such places as Switzerland and Germany, English-speakers are highly sought-after on the job market. Study abroad, especially if you learn other languages, should be seen as an opportunity to gain valuable communication skills, and later on down the road, to put some money in that all-important bank account.
I should also say that coming back to Switzerland after my last visit well over 10 years ago still presented a bit of a culture shock. For me, going to a country with three official national languages—French, Italian, and German—sounded intimidating on its own. Speaking only one of the three meant that inevitably I’d run into someone I would not be able to communicate with. Especially in the primarily French-speaking Fribourg, where I’m now learning German. Looks like the joke’s on me this time!
And now, I’d like to take the liberty to state some of the less important reasons to study abroad: The foods and sweets are amazing. The people are friendly. Last, the people are on average much thinner than in America—The mountains aren’t the only things worth seeing in Switzerland!
Freundliche Grüsse (friendly greetings), Denis Hokenek