Yamaan Attwa,
BMS Phase II Student,
MSc FU Berlin,
BA Princeton University

By the time I came to know about the BMS in my senior year of undergraduate studies, I had already decided to pursue a PhD in discrete mathematics. A professor of mine told me about this opportunity in Berlin where you get to do your PhD in the style adopted by U.S. universities. In my mind, the BMS struck a balance between two components equally important to me: The opportunity to continue learning in a traditional setting, and the stimulating atmosphere to make the transition into research smoother. I was happy to be accepted into BMS Phase I, a program that provided both of these components to a satisfying extent. Attending core courses both helped me advance my interest in areas of mathematics other than my prospective field, and added good tools into my kit for discrete mathematics. Simultaneously, I was luckily assigned the supervisor I mentioned in my application letter, who later on became my PhD advisor. This continuum of academic supervision made the transition into research almost unnoticeable.

Shortly after the start of my Phase I studies I came to face some challenges. Semesters are longer than what I was used to, making it somewhat harder for me initially to sustain my learning energy. There is also a high degree of freedom students here have when it comes to managing the logistics of their studies. Homework is optional for many courses and there are multiple rounds of exam. At a first glance, this might suggest a relative ease navigating the courses; however, one has to develop and sustain a level of discipline, organization, and independence to be able to successfully cultivate these advantages. It certainly took me some time to grow into this new space of freedom, and BMS in general is just the right environment for self-growth.

Aside from academics, the social aspect of the BMS experience is quite important. Here I am morally obliged to credit the BMS one-stop office for their care and support. From the very start, Berlin did not feel so foreign. At every administrative or bureaucratic hurdle, I was both several documents far from destination and one email close to a friend in the BMS one-stop office. I also want to highlight the nurturing impact of the diverse student body of the BMS, which made the experience all the more enriching. If you need some company on your quest for a late-night Falafel or a friend to prove and conjecture with, you can always lean on your fellow BMS students.

Going through the Master's and/or PhD, the most impactful aspect remains the intrapersonal one. Awareness and self-regulation are crucial for a healthy graduate experience. Again, the BMS support is far reaching and it includes, and is not limited to, the Soft Skills Seminars. I participated in such a seminar back in 2022, where I gained some understanding of the PhD process from the mental health point of view. I am lucky to have attended the seminar before the start of my Phase II, as I think it is very important to understand the PhD journey and its stress as an instance of a collective phenomenon. If you are a fresh BMS student, I definitely recommend taking a look at the regularly offered Soft Skills Seminars.

Published in February 2025