Information for freshmans

Math bridging course and first semester introduction trip

Dear freshman students, we, the Physics Student Council, have two special offers for you at the start of your studies:

  • The bridging course (winter): This is where your math knowledge should be refreshed and expanded a little. No matter whether you're coming straight from school or it's been several years since your last integral, you're welcome!
  • The first semester trip: We want to spend a nice weekend with you before the start of your studies. Here we explain how to overcome the first hurdles in your studies and you can make contact with your fellow students. The first semester trip takes place before the start of the winter semester. You can find the registration token in the documents on the HU study place portal.
  • The orientation course (summer): For new students in the summer, we offer a condensed mix of the bridging course and an initial trip before the start of the summer semester.

Peer-Mentoring-Program

The department of physics offers the peer mentoring program for first-semester students, where you sit together weekly with two students from higher semesters and look at various aspects of your studies. More information can be found here.

What you can do now?

  • Apartment Search
  • Buying a lot of books and “pre-learning” is nonsense!
  • Mark the date of the bridging course/orientation course in red in the calendar. The course prepares you for mathematics - not compulsory, but highly recommended!
  • LaTeX is not a fetish! But it is the quasi-standard for typesetting scientific texts, especially in physics. There is an introduction on WikiBooks.
  • Language and sports courses, Career Center
  • Take a look at the campus.

Timetable

Unfortunately, in physics you have a little less freedom of choice than in other subjects, but here too you can choose at least some of the courses when you want to attend them during the week. You can find out exactly how to create a timetable either during the bridging course/orientation course or during the first semester trip.

Online timetable

  • Current timetable at: https://vlvz.physik.hu-berlin.de There you may have to select the 1st semester (1st FS) under Physics; mono and combination bachelor's timetables are different. Please note that this timetable is unfortunately often incomplete until the start of the semester, especially when it comes to exercises and teachers. However, the times of the lectures are usually entered correctly early before the lecture begins.
  • On AGNES you can create a printable timetable and register for lectures and exercises outside of physics that require registration.
  • Lectures have fixed dates, so there is “nothing to change”!
  • Exercises are offered for every lecture. There are usually several exercise groups from which you can choose.
  • As a rule, you do not have to register online for your physics courses.

The fight for the best exercise

In the first week of the semester there are usually only lectures and no exercises. You have to register for the exercises in the first lectures. You have already thought about which exercise groups you want to attend and can register for the desired date.