Student blogs

In my last blog I reflected upon my time here in Sweden. In this one, I’m going to share what comes next!

Post-graduation

But before I do, I have to catch you up on what the last months have looked like for me.

June came along and my Translational Physiology and Pharmacology class of 2026 graduated. The weeks after that are a blur of saying goodbyes to dear friends, wrapping up my master’s thesis, travelling to New York, coming back to Sweden, adjusting to so-called Swedish summer (this year it felt more like a warm fall) and moving apartments.

Once I got back to Sweden, I started working as a research assistant in the lab where I did my master’s thesis. Overall, I loved my time there. I had amazing colleagues and found the research I was doing fascinating. I got to participate in data acquisition, analyze brain images and work with clinical data (all while getting paid yay!). I also got to attend the World Congress of Psychiatry conference and present a poster.

This job also allowed me to stay in Stockholm for a few more months, which has been great as its given me more time to come to terms with leaving (don’t worry though I’ll be back). Life has looked like getting afterwork fika with friends, brunch plans on Sundays, yoga and pilates, dragging suitcases across Stockholm, pub quizzes and run clubs. I’ve savoured every second of it.

Now what?

Well, I’m moving back to the Netherlands and will start an Erasmus+ internship in Rotterdam. The research is still within neuroscience, but it looks completely different from the one I’ve been working on. My current research concerns brain images and brain regions from real patients with different psychiatric disorders. In Rotterdam, I will be researching the molecular pathways involved in neurodevelopmental disorders, so the lens of focus will be much smaller. I’m nervous but also looking forward to this new chapter. I’m not really sure exactly what it is that I want to do, so I’m giving myself more time to experience other types of research before jumping into a PhD. And of course, experience doesn’t hurt when your trying to find a job in this economy.

So what comes next is fitting everything I own into two suitcases (currently its not going well), a lot of lab work, learning Dutch ( I’ve learnt the hard way that learning the language of the country you live in is important), lots of rain and gloomy skies, building community, biking, networking (hopefully), fun activities and a exciting time.

A few words before I go…

I’ve really enjoyed writing these student blogs for KI over the last two years. I hope that its been helpful, given you insight into the programme and what living abroad can look like, and fun to read. If you would like to keep reading my blogs, you can find me over here on Substack. Best of luck to all you prospective/current students, it may not be easy but I’m sure you will achieve everything you set out to. During my time here at KI, it feels like in many ways I have.

Thanks for reading! Hej då!