How it all began?

It’s been five months since I moved to Milan, and I figured it’s time to sit down and reflect on this experience. If you had told me a year ago that I’d be living here, balancing a Master’s in Computer Science & Engineering at Polimi while working remotely, I might have been skeptical. Yet here I am, navigating a new city, a new academic system, and the challenges of keeping up with both studies and work. Let's shed some light on my journey so far.

First month in Milan

Stayed at YellowSquare Hostel for a month, which was a great way to meet people and get to know the city. I was lucky to find a room in a shared apartment in the city center, which made it easy to get around. The first month was all about settling in, getting to know the university, and exploring the city. I was impressed by the blend of historical and modern architecture, the vibrant street life, and the rich cultural scene.

YellowSquare Hostel

It was fairly priced and had a great atmosphere. The staff was friendly and helpful, and the common areas were perfect for socializing. The location was also convenient, with easy access to public transport and plenty of restaurants and bars nearby. I think you can imagine the service from an example breakfast that they can serve below.

Housing in Milan

Finding a place to live in Milan can be challenging, especially if you’re on a budget. I was lucky to find a room in a shared apartment in the city center, which made it easy to get around. The rent was reasonable (for someone who is looking an apartment in October), and the apartment was clean and well-maintained. I’ve heard horror stories from other students about shady landlords and overpriced rentals, so I consider myself lucky. I am using DoveVivo and Spotahome to find my apartment in Milan. View from my room is below.

Academic life at Polimi

The academic system at Polimi is of course different from what I’m used to. The classes are more theoretical and less hands-on, which took some getting used to. The workload is also heavier, with more assignments and exams than I’m used to. But the professors are knowledgeable and supportive, and the facilities are pretty well. But it is a TECHNICAL university, you need to know this if you are planning to study here.

Work-life balance

As we are Computer Science students, we are pretty much used to working remotely. But balancing work and studies can be challenging, especially when you’re in a new city. I’ve had to learn to manage my time better, prioritize tasks, and set boundaries between work and study time. But it’s been a good learning experience, and I feel like I’m getting better at it every day. But most important part is, you need to have a good internet connection to work remotely, it is awesome in Milan. This allows me to work from everywhere in the city with 5G and it is cheap!

Second month in Milan

After settling in, I started to explore the city more. I visited the Duomo, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Gallerie d’Italia, and other landmarks. Traveled around streets, visited the Navigli district, and tried some of the local cuisine. I also started to make friends with other students, which made the experience more enjoyable. I also started to get more involved in university life, attending seminars, workshops, and events. Also planning to create another blog post about the places I visited in Milan. Art, history, and culture are the main topics that I am planning to write about.

Duomo di Milano

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

Navigli District

Gallerie d’Italia

After the first two months, I planned a visit to the Turkey for two weeks. It was pretty good to see my family, colleagues, and friends. Spent a few days in Istanbul, and then visited my hometown, Bursa. And I worked from office for the first time :) It was a good experience to see my colleagues face to face after a long time.

Third month in Milan

After coming back from Turkey, I started to get more involved in a kind of new role in my company. New role, new year, new challenges. I catched up with my friends in Milan visited a few different museums again. When New Year's Eve came, I was in Milan. I celebrated it with my friends in the city center. Yet here the actual fun comes... I had to get up and study for exams in the morning.

New Year's Morning

P.S. If you are here for New Year's Eve, I think you should think twice about going to the Duomo. There are fireworks in the city center of course but it is unnnnnecessarily crowded. Because of that, it is completely unsafe (careful for pickpocketing) there are even sexual harassment cases. YES IN THE CITY CENTER OF MILAN.

Fourth month in Milan

At this time I was having the exams still. But I was also planning to visit the Lake Como and Genoa. Genoa was a great city to visit. But Lake Como was over over overrated for me. It is famous for its villas and the lake itself. But I think it is not worth to visit that much. I do not know maybe it's because we constantly see magnificent waterside mansions even when we using public transportation in Istanbul.

Genoa

Lake Como

Fifth month in Milan

When exams were over, I went back to Turkey for two another weeks. I visited my family, friends and colleagues again. Also we held an event in Istanbul, Infoday 2025. It was a great experience to meet with new people from company. We as Innovation Team had a great time there. Also there is an application that we are developing and we named it as "Lokum". It has a game which we called "Tanışanlar" (means "People who met" in Turkish, basically a game to introduce people to each other). It was a great experience to see people playing the game and having fun. Also I get third place in the game, I am proud of myself :) If they are reading this I also congratulate them for the first and second place.

After two weeks in Turkey, came back to the Milan early March. The weather was awesome in here, while I was in Bursa, it was pretty snowy. I was happy to be back in Milan. Yet, right now, I am writing this blog post in my room. I hope the next one will not wait for another five months. Whatever, I have a lot of things to write about. I will try to write more often (you better know that this is a lie hahah). Last but not least, I have another photo for you below :) Ciaoo!