Student blogs

It seems absolutely crazy that only a month has gone by since my arrival to Stockholm. My first weeks here have been incredibly hectic (but in the best way possible). Here are some of the highlights of my first month at KI and in Sweden.  

1) Meeting people from all over

I came into KI knowing that I would be immersed in an international environment, and I definitely wasn’t disappointed. On the first day of class we were asked to pin up where we were from on the displayed map. Turns out we spanned over four continents! Throughout the month, I’ve come across so many different cultures and nationalities, and as an international student myself, it strangely enough has made me feel at home. 

2) Being immersed in a scientific environment 

Coming from a liberal arts and sciences bachelors, the sciences were always “the middle child,” too often overlooked. In comparison, during my first month at KI I’ve felt surrounded by all kinds of scientific opportunities. These opportunities range from being able to attend interesting lectures for free (including lectures given by Nobel Prize Winners) to attending events such as the Neurotech EU Hackathon in Istanbul. It’s also worth mentioning that all the current professors of my Translational Physiology and Pharmacology (TPP) class have their own research groups in fascinating areas. This was definitely a bit of an academic culture shock for me, but a welcoming one. 

3) Participating in MF and student-led activities 

A huge highlight of my time here has been participating in the student life at KI. (Yes, there indeed is a student life in Stockholm). I started this off by attending the Welcome week organized by Medicinska Föreningen (MF) (the medical student union) and KI, which I would definitely recommend you to do! I joined BUS (Biomedical Education Section) events such as the Fulsittning (a typical Swedish informal dinner party). And the TPP second year student representatives even organized a cabin trip to Solvik, in which my classmates and I were able to get to know each other through activities, swimming in freezing water and a campfire. Since I love music, I was excited to learn about the various student union music associations at KI, and even joined one of them, Arytmica. From meeting new people to being involved in the KI community, participating in these activities has definitely been a highlight of my first month and I’m excited for all that’s to come. 

4) Fika, fika and more fika 

If there’s one word that you definitely will hear when in Stockholm, it is the word “Fika.” It’s the Swedish concept of having a coffee break with a pastry. During the last few weeks, I’ve been treating myself to way too many coffees and pastries with my friends. To be fair, it is part of the culture here. Cafe-hopping, from Södermalm to Östermalm to Vasastan, iced coffee and chatting with friends will always make it onto my list of highlights. 

5) Making the most of good weather and nature

In my first weeks at KI, there was loads of sun and blue skies. (I know I was very surprised too).
I was determined to make the most of this, and as Stockholm is surrounded by numerous forests and parks, I went on hikes with friends, and to my own surprise, even got the courage to swim (in freezing water) at a popular swimming spot during an especially sunny and relatively warm day. Having access to nature and forests, in less than an hour from the city centre, has definitely been a huge highlight as it’s easy to escape the noise and frantic pace of the large capital.

This month has been a whirlwind of activities, lectures, fika and getting to know many new people. I wouldn’t have had it any other way and am very excited for the next two years!