It is officially 2026! I honestly don’t know how time can go by so fast—clichéd, I know, but for a reason—and if you’re nostalgic like me, then you spend lots of time reminiscing. Over the past few days, that’s exactly what I’ve been doing. More specifically, I’ve been thinking back on my first semester at KI, and everything that came with it. If you’re one of those who, upon the clock striking midnight, rushes to eat twelve grapes (one for each month) and assigns a wish to each one, then you probably also almost choked to death. But in addition to that, in those fleeting moments where I had to think about my wishes for the coming year—while struggling to breathe—my mind took me instead to the wishes that already came true, hence the title of this blog. Without further ado, let’s unpack this past semester.

Beginnings: the sights, the walks, the taste of a new life

The first few weeks were defined by a chaotic mess of meeting countless faces every day, trying to retire from using Google Maps and finally finding my way around, and wrapping my head around the fact that I was now in Stockholm. Looking back, what truly stands out to me are all the strolls that I took in the then-lovely weather. Exploring the streets of Vasastan, the parks in Solna, playing tourist in Gamla Stan, discovering the best ramen places. Realising that I was walking the streets of a city completely foreign to me, and trying to take it all in, was quite the experience. I’d wake up, go about my day, and randomly let my intrusive thoughts go “wait, what do you mean, I live in Stockholm now?”. If you’re in a similar position, my advice would be take a step back and reflect on what this means. It’s such a privilege getting to know this feeling: excitement, awe, and hesitation all morphed into one.

Middles: the friends, the classes, the plans

By the second month into the semester, life became more of a vibrant monotony (a good one, at that). Routines were steadily established—wake up, class, gym, groceries, piano escape, café stops—and big assignments and presentations began to sneak up on us. But in all the shared agony of late-night study sessions at various Stockholm hidden gems (shoutout to the KTH Library), I became closer to so many people. And through them, I kept meeting even more friends. So, by mid-semester, it truly felt like we were all in sync with each other, and though we’d only been there for about two months, it felt as if we always had—yes, another cliché, but hey, it captures what it was.

Endings: the wrap-up, the holidays and the winter-is-coming fret

As November came to an end, the sun decided to take a long overdue holiday and went out for most of December. The gloomy darkness arrived, the chilliness of dry wind prevailed, and people began to brace for impact. But as these infamous companions arrived, so did the Christmas markets, the lights all over the city, and winter activities. In a way, the city came alive, and I reaffirmed my go-to winter rule: live your life as if it were summer (thank you, Montreal). The weather never made me cancel plans; on the contrary, it made me plan more hangouts, more restaurant stakeouts and it forced me to leave the comfort of my room even more than before. Contrary to popular belief, life does exist during gloomy winters, and it can turn out to be even brighter than you thought.

What comes next…

All in all, writing this blog made me go through the maze of my memories and relive everything. I cannot describe how excited I am for next semester, for all the life there is yet to be lived. At the same time, though, I admit I’m a bit scared of everything flying by too fast, because I know it will. So, in the spirits of the often cringey new year, new me, here’s my two cents on this: there is absolutely nothing you can do to slow time, so what better recourse is there than to live in the exact second you’re in? Feel that sadness, that terror, that all-consuming joy, even that debilitating cold that makes your hands ache. Feel that excitement of life at the cusp of your hands. I know, I also don’t love it when people give me such generic advice, so my apologies, but today it’s simply resonating stronger than before. As always, stay tuned for more and Happy New Year!