Meet Ann-Kristin Ritter
Our student and campus reporter caught up with third-year student Ann-Kristin Ritter, who’s finishing her Bachelor’s + in Psychology, to learn what she loves about Forward, and how she hopes to combine psychology, outdoor education, and social impact in the future.
What is your name?
My name is Ann-Kristin Ritter. It’s a German name and my family is German, but I have moved around a lot growing up.
Can you tell us a bit about your background?
I spent the first ten years of my life in North Carolina in the United States. In 2013, my family moved to Berlin, where I’ve lived ever since. I attended a German‑American school for most of my schooling, which meant I was always moving between languages and cultures. Later on, I completed my Abitur at a German high school.
During high school, I also spent a semester in Utah in the US. That experience really strengthened my interest in international environments and showed me how much I enjoy adapting to new places and meeting people from different backgrounds.
What did you do during your gap year before joining Forward?
After graduating from high school, I knew I wanted to take some time to figure out what I really cared about academically and personally. So I took a gap year that turned out to be incredibly important for me.
First, I worked in catering to save money. Then I joined Camp Adventure, an international summer camp in Germany, where I worked with children and young people from different countries. That was one of the experiences that sparked my interest in youth work and education.
After that, I travelled for two months through Eastern Europe using Interrail. I went from Estonia all the way down to Albania and Romania before returning to Germany. Travelling mostly by train and staying in hostels really pushed me out of my comfort zone and exposed me to many different ways of living.
I then volunteered at an ecovillage in Germany, where I worked in agriculture, construction, and food production. Later, I continued volunteering on a farm in the Sabinian Hills in Italy, which was a completely different rhythm of life. After that, I spent some time in Sevilla, Spain, working as a social host in a hostel, which helped me build confidence in social situations and intercultural communication.
Why did you choose Forward College?
I chose Forward because I wanted to study Psychology in English in a setting that was both international and interactive. I was looking for a place where I could really engage with what I was learning instead of just memorising theories for exams.
At the time when I was applying to Forward and going through the admissions process, I also completed some additional courses and spent another summer working at a camp in Nassau, New York. All of these experiences confirmed that I wanted to work with people in meaningful, supportive ways.
The Bachelor’s + programme especially appealed to me because it combines academic study with personal development and practical projects, and group work especially. I also wanted to leave my comfort zone and live in different European cities, and Forward offered exactly that: a structured way to move countries while studying something I care about.
What are you passionate about outside the classroom?
Volunteering has always been important to me, and I wanted to continue that at Forward. Over the past years, I’ve been involved with organisations such as Serve the City, Caritas, and Lebenshilfe Berlin. I’ve also kept up seasonal work with children and at a surf camp, which connects nicely with my interest in youth work and outdoor education.
Last summer, I completed an internship at a psychiatric clinic in Germany. It was my first time applying psychological theory in a real clinical setting, and it was an amazing experience. It gave me a much clearer sense of how I might want to work in the future and what it means to support people in vulnerable situations.
Sports have also played a huge role in my life and my Forward journey. In Lisbon, I went on multiple hikes through Monsanto and in the regions around Lisbon with Erasmus and Forward students. I also had a great gym right beside me with a pool and extensive classes, which helped me build a routine and community. In Paris, I lived on campus, which was incredible—there were so many sports to try, and it was a great way to make friends and connect with people outside my programme. Now in Berlin, some friends and I are doing Urban Sports, which gives us access to practically every studio and sport you can imagine. I’m even trying scuba diving in a few days. Sports have really been something I can share with others in every city.
What are your plans for the future?
My next step after graduation is to take another gap year, this time focused more specifically on gaining practical experience. I’d like to do internships or jobs related to Human Resources, Outdoor Education, or Forensic Psychology to see what kind of environment suits me best.
I also plan to continue volunteering and travelling during this time. It’s important for me to stay connected to communities and projects that align with my values while I figure out my professional path.
After that, I hope to pursue a master’s degree, ideally through an Erasmus Mundus programme or in the Netherlands. I’m particularly interested in Human Decision Making, Work and Organisational Psychology, or HR. These areas bring together my interest in how people think and behave with questions about leadership, teamwork, and well‑being at work.
In the long term, my dream is to establish a summer camp for children and adolescents from diverse backgrounds. I imagine a place that combines recreational activities and outdoor experiences with evidence‑based psychological support, such as therapeutic practices and trauma‑informed care. I’d love to create an environment where young people can have fun, feel safe, and build resilience, no matter what they’ve been through.
