My Life After CSUMB: Alumna seeks master's degree above Arctic Circle

By Caitlin Fillmore

Global studies alumna Helene Marie Kristensen traded California sunshine for continuous polar darkness on her “rollercoaster” higher education journey.

“I will say I do miss the California temperatures,” Kristensen said from her dorm room on a recent December evening. “But there is something about the darkness and the cold.”

A native of Norway, Kristensen completed her bachelor's degree in global studies at Cal State Monterey Bay before enrolling in a Master of Peace and Conflict Transformation program at the Arctic University of Tromsø (UiT) in fall 2024. 

Studying abroad had been Kristensen’s goal since childhood. However, her first year at CSUMB began with remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic in fall 2020. Still in Norway, she remembers attending her first American college classes on a nine-hour time difference.

“When my dad came home from work, I would start school,” Kristensen said with a laugh. “It was interesting.”

Kristensen made it to CSUMB in Fall 2021, completed her global studies degree in 2024 and returned to Norway for graduate school. The peer support from the global studies program was helpful as she transitioned to her next step.

UiT is located on the island of Tromsø, more than 200 miles above the Arctic Circle. Kristensen’s campus is one of many sprinkled throughout northern Norway and is the largest in the Arctic University system, with 26,000 students. 

“Living here is exotic,” she said. “It’s very different from what I grew up with [in southern Norway] and different from California.”

The winter season in Tromsø means total darkness for months. This persistent night means plenty of cozy activities, like cooking, cross-country skiing or relaxing in the community’s outdoor heated pool. Most nights, Kristensen steps outside with friends to enjoy the northern lights’ show.

“We have Christmas markets and people put their holiday lights out early because with the darkness it brings you joy,” said Kristensen, as she showed off the collection of twinkle lights cheering up the inside of her dorm room. “It feels like a Hallmark Christmas movie here. The neighboring island has reindeer walking around.”

It’s not just the groups of holiday tourists that remind Kristensen of her time in Monterey. Living in darkness for so many weeks encourages people to come together and build bonds—a similar feeling to her pandemic-era college experience.

“Darkness makes you want to gravitate toward people,” Kristensen said, noting a similarity to her CSUMB experience. “Our global studies community was really tight, both the students and the support we got from professors.”

Kristensen encourages American students to explore foreign exchange opportunities through CSUMB’s network of partner schools or by attending events during International Education Week each November.

“Through CSUMB, I have met different people from all over the world with different stories,” she said. “Be brave and consider going on an exchange because it could be life-changing.”

Kristensen will graduate with her master’s degree in spring 2026 and is “walking the path” to find her dream job. She believes her perspective as a lifelong resident of the “high north” is valuable to navigate today’s high-pressure global conflicts.

“I want to continue to learn about the world and use my experience to help others make informed decisions,” she said. “We’re all interconnected.”