Welcome to this year’s TREBLE Times

This is Rose’s and Jonas’ first attempt at blogging. If you never see another post from us, please assume we got distracted by the nearest iced coffee or realized we definitely missed our calling as investigative journalists. As we are sitting in a Starbucks (so local!) with each of our cups of coffee we would like to reflect over the past introweek that the great UNC people (shoutout Sherri and team) had planned for us.

But before we cover the first of many fun activities at Chapel Hill, we would like to take you back to how our TREBLE II cohort was selected. We remember how helpful it was to read previous TREBLE blogs when we were preparing our own applications back in January 2026. Having information and personal insights made the whole process feel a little less overwhelming, so we hope we can do the same for the next batch!

TREBLE Selection

Following the personal and group interviews - most of us were a mix of excited and nervous, but eventually we all found ourselves waiting patiently for the final email. In the middle of an IOA class, 15 people had been selected, and all 15 said yes to 1.5 years of adventure.

However, the TREBLE adventure did not start with our arrival in North Carolina. Just one week later, we met for our first TREBLE introduction event, where we began getting to know the people we would be spending the next year and a half with. It quickly became clear what kind of group had been selected: a group of ambitious, social, fun and slightly competitive people who were going to get along very well.

Throughout the spring, we became increasingly close through company events, social gatherings at various locations around Copenhagen and conversations with TREBLE alumni. As we finished up macro and the rest of our courses, everyone headed off to different parts of the world for the summer. Although we were spread across different countries and continents, we all had the same thing to look forward to: finally meeting again in North Carolina and starting the next chapter of our TREBLE adventure.

Monday and Tuesday August 10th &11th: Arrival to UNC

Monday marked the start of our journey to Chapel Hill. Most of the Danish batch departed from Copenhagen and, after mostly successful flights and layovers, we finally arrived in Raleigh-Durham. We were very fortunate to have one of the UNC TREBLE batchmates and his friend pick us up from the airport and help us check into our respective dorms, all danish students this year staying on campus this year. After checking into our dorms and exploring campus, we all naturally ended up at Target. After convincing the Americans to join us for what turned into a three-hour Target run, we at least had everything we needed to survive our first nights in the dorms. On Tuesday evening, the UNC students had arranged a social event where everyone who had arrived could meet each other. It was a great way to say hello, meet our new friends and officially start our TREBLE adventure in Chapel Hill!

Wednesday August 12th: Recreation center and Ziplining

Our first official intro day was a mix of nervous energy and pure excitement as we finally met the full group. We kicked things off at the UNC Recreation center, where everythingwas covered - breakfast, sunscreen, and bug spray included. We then got the grand tour of the facilities, which honestly had it all - from disc golf, which had super excited, to tennis courts just waiting for us to use.

We spent the day bonding over activities and mastering new handshakes (if you see Frederik and Jonas doing the ‘salmon shake,’ just know that’s a forever thing now!). The real adrenaline rush came later with some ziplining, which was an absolute blast. We wrapped up the adventure with what some might call 'very TikTok American' food: colorful, sweet açaí bowls from Purple Bowl. The girls have been back for the bowls again, the guys haven’t. To end the day, we split into girls' and guys' nights to explore each other's new neighborhoods. It turns out everyone is settled in at Hardin, Carmichael, Avery and Craig North, and being so close to one another is already proving to be a game-changer for spontaneous plans.

Thursday, August 13th: Exploring Campus & Soccer Wins!

Even after a few days here, Chapel Hill still feels like a beautiful maze, so we were super grateful for the buddy-group campus tour today! We spent the morning wandering through the gorgeous grounds of UNC, though a few groups took a little detour to the massive DICK’S Sporting Goods nearby. Naturally, football, (sorry soccer shoes), were the priority - you’d better believe the TREBLE II batch is ready to dominate the intramural leagues this semester! After checking out some local nature spots, we wrapped up the day in the best way possible: sitting by the sports arenas, eating dinner, and cheering on the UNC women’s soccer team as they secured their first win of the season. The school spirit here is already contagious with the proud Carolina Blue colors all around you.

Friday August 14th: Lake day at Lake Jordan & exploring college life

After a whirlwind of intro activities, we headed out to Jordan Lake for the annual lake day. The 45 of us piled onto a bus and spent the day embracing the 35-degree heat—between paddleboarding, swimming, and way too many games of cornhole, we definitely got the full experience. The highlight, though, was the authentic Southern BBQ. Let’s just say we discovered that if there’s a way to add cheese to cabbage, the locals will find it, but jokes aside, it was delicious. It was the perfect, relaxed environment to have those deeper, organic conversations as our cohort really started to get to know each other better.

By the time evening rolled around, we were ready to experience the iconic American college social scene firsthand. Stepping into the classic campus festivities felt like walking straight onto a movie set—the kind of legendary Greek life energy we’d all heard about, but finally got to live for ourselves. It was a proper introduction to the local culture, and let’s just say, the stories from that night are definitely going to be a highlight of our time here.

Saturday August 15th:

By Saturday, we were finally starting to settle into a bit of a rhythm. The day was mostly spent doing the things that make a new place feel like home—finding our way to the campus gym for a workout and, of course, tracking down the best spots for our much-needed coffee fix. It was a nice, low-key way to recharge after such a busy week.

As evening rolled around, the social scene picked up again, and we got another taste of that famous American hospitality. A group of us ended up at a "hotdog party" at a house known as Mrs. D’s, which was exactly as fun as it sounds. A few local guys simply invited us over for dinner, and it turned into a great night of hanging out and sharing stories. It really highlighted just how incredibly extroverted, sweet, and open the American students are—they’ve gone out of their way to make us feel like part of the community from day one.

Sunday August 16th: Kenan Flagler Business School Orientation Day

Sunday was all about getting properly oriented at Kenan-Flagler Business School, where we spent the day meeting fellow exchange students from every corner of the globe. It was great to connect with so many new faces, and we especially enjoyed getting closer to the Singaporean group. As the day transitioned into evening, we made our way to the Pit for Fall Fest—a lively event where various brands set up shop to showcase their products. Between the free food and the endless pile of merch, it felt like Christmas in August. Everyone was busy scoring gear, though there was one minor 'tragedy' when Jonas managed to be the only one who didn’t win a shirt during the games. Thankfully, the people running the booth noticed and made sure he got one too, so we all ended up with our own pieces of Carolina pride.

Monday August 17th: First Day of School

Monday was the first day of school for some of us - or, as the Americans call it, Happy FDOC! It was exciting to finally attend our first classes at UNC and get a taste of American university life. We ended the day with an FDOC dinner, sharing our first impressions of classes and celebrating the beginning of the semester.

aaaand today, Tuesday August 18th: FDOC for the rest of the batch

Today, the rest of the batch had their first day of class (some had their SDOC). We are writing this blog, looking back at the most incredible week. Thank you to the UNC students for the most amazing and warm welcome. We are so excited to get properly started with schoolwork and traveling in the area. See you soon!