Student blogs

It feels like only yesterday when I was filling my KI application in Hong Kong, and now it’s been over a month in KI and Stockholm! It’s been amazing, from navigating through the many levels of Stockholm central station to the countless biomedical journal papers. While it’s been an exciting adventure, there are definitely a few things I would do differently if I could rewind to my first day. From the quirks of Swedish life to the fast-paced KI learning environment, here’s what my first month was like and what it taught me.  

Arrival and first impressions

Arriving in Stockholm was quite an experience. After enduring a gruelling 16-hour journey, I was more than ready to land. Just as I thought the worst was behind me, our plane was unable to land on the first attempt due to strong crosswinds, forcing us to circle the airport before trying again. As we circled, I couldn’t help but wonder if this was Stockholm’s way of rejecting me. (Thankfully, I can say now it wasn’t!) Any initial jitters quickly faded when I reached the terminal and was greeted by a booth of KI students. They were incredibly helpful, assisting me in finding a taxi and waiting with me until it arrived. It was a small act of kindness that made my arrival so much smoother. 

Even though I was exhausted, I wanted to get a quick look of Stockholm. What caught my eye were the multiple islands a single bus goes through, and what a perfect blend of nature and city architecture Stockholm has. It also has a peaceful vibe, especially coming from a city of 33 million people! All in all, I got a good feeling about being here and felt optimistic about the rest of my time in KI.  

Studying in KI

Now, to the main reason I came here (it was definitely not the fika). Coming from a city focused more on technology and business, I sometimes felt I could not show my true passion for science, which is certainly not the case here. The studying environment is amazing even though we all come from different backgrounds. My studying experience was really exemplified by my coursemates, who are all so filled with curiosity and enthusiasm! Teamwork is at the core of learning here in KI, which helped me look at things from a different perspective. 

My first course gave me important insights of the research happening in all relevant departments in KI. These gave me more ideas for what I can do for my research projects later on. We also attended the Rolf Luft symposium; an international symposium on diabetes related research, as part of class, which expanded my knowledge in current research happening all around the world. We even got to meet real patients with chronic diseases, giving us unique insights. After finding my bearings in class, I’m filled with even more motivation and looking forward to all my classes in the next 2 years.  

Living in Sweden

Though different from Hong Kong and India, living in Stockholm this month has been exciting, with aurora watching, walks, and plenty of fika. Fika, the Swedish custom of enjoying coffee and dessert with friends, has been my favorite part of living here, as a foodie. Some of my favourite desserts include cinnamon rolls or ‘kanelbulle’ and chocolate cake or ‘kladdkaka’.  Besides fika, I also attempted to play Swedish games I had not even heard of a month ago, like ‘kubb’ or viking chess. Even though it is touristy, walking around Gamla Stan (Stockholm’s Old Town) and learning about its history was really cool. One of my favourite experiences was exploring the royal palace, one of the largest palaces in Europe with over 600 rooms! 

Being outside is super fun, but at the end of the day I love coming back home. Living in a shared apartment also means forming close bonds with your flatmates. I have done a lot of activities with mine, from cooking dinners from our home countries to just hanging out, watching romcoms and even chasing auroras. I went multiple times and actually saw northern lights for the first time! Life has been really enjoyable here! 

Things I would do differently

Even though this month as been amazing in every way possible, there are some things I could have done differently to make my life easier in my first month. Here are some of them for me!

1. Arrive earlier

I arrived on Sunday, the day before introduction week started. Because of that, I had to multitask all the introduction week activities, socialising, administrative work and unpacking my suitcases while getting enough rest for class and fighting a jet lag. In fact, I still have not unpacked all my suitcases! While it is doable, I would have liked to settle in my room before starting with the activities since it would allow me to be more present.  

2. Book personal number appointment in advance  

Personal number is your identity number here in Sweden, and it is important for everything; health insurance, bank account and even grocery shop memberships. There are many students coming end of august onwards, so getting appointments is quite hard. I had to check almost every day to see if there are cancellations. Since it is such a long procedure, I wish I booked an appointment a month before arriving.

3. Download translating apps 

Everyone in Sweden speaks really good English, but the challenge occurs in grocery stores. Everything in grocery stores is in Swedish and the first time I went, I think I spent 3 hours trying to understand what is what and still managed to buy yogurt instead of milk (they come in tetra pak cartons too it seems). I wish I had downloaded google lens or any language translating app so I had quick access to translate so I knew what I was buying, which is important especially if you have allergies or are a picky eater like me. 

4. Text people before arriving on social media

Goin’ is one of the apps used for connecting with new students at KI, on top of other social medias. You put your country of origin and 3 best interests and you can find people with similar interests as you. While I mostly used it to stalk my classmates, it can be really helpful to clear up doubts and make new friends with similar hobbies. I wish I was more proactive in reaching out before arriving, since it would have made socialising less overwhelming.

5. Carry less winter clothes

This sounds kind of counterintuitive since Swedish winters are one of the coldest in the world. However, I come from a warm country with jackets more for aesthetic than actual functionality. Shops in Sweden have much better layering and outer jacket options which are actually equipped for Swedish winter and snow, even the same brands that are there in India. I wish I carried less winter clothes and filled my suitcase with things I cannot get here, like Indian spices.  

All in all, the first month in KI was amazing in all aspects and I cannot wait to experience, learn and share more!