Student blogs

Hej everybody! Almost two years ago, I arrived in Sweden without many expectations. Looking back, it’s been an incredible journey filled with personal and professional growth. I officially graduated in June and had some time off during the summer. What is next? 

No surprise here — I’ve loved Stockholm, Sweden, and Karolinska Institutet so much that I’ve decided to stay for a PhD in the Teixeira Lab! As this is my final blog post, I want to take a trip down memory lane and reflect on the key moments of the past two years. I hope sharing these experiences will offer you some valuable insights for your own journey ahead.

Get involved! 

One of the most valuable elements of Karolinska Institutet education is you and your peers! Karolinska Institutet brings together motivated students and offers them a platform to channel collaboration and create extraordinary results. Whatever your interest, skill, or passion might be. I am convinced you will find a way to apply those at KI. Whether you want to join a sport, bridge the gap between academia and industry, or drive sustainability, you can do that at KI. 

In my case, I joined multiple sports, a committee, and TEDxKI. Each time I learned something new and grew professionally and personally. Time flies in these 2 years so don’t postpone it for the next semester if you are interested.

Network & make friends 

Somebody once asked me what has been the best aspect of my time at KI and without hesitation, I answered “The people!”. From day one your peers will shape the essence of your experience. Everyone is from somewhere else and with many different backgrounds. Some will have worked, some studied, and others traveled. 

I know It’s not always easy to be new in a city, however, if you give yourself a little push you have the chance to meet plenty of wonderful people. In a previous blog, I wrote about some tips for finding friends in a new environment. Lastly, one of the sad but also great features of having friends from diverse backgrounds is that a lot of people will move to various countries. This will lead to sad goodbyes but also to even more joyful reunions. Having friends all over the world is not only good for traveling but also for collaborations both inside academia and industry.  

Stay open-minded 

You will never know when something will be important or can change your mind. I started KI with the intention to leave academia after the Master’s. As you can see, here I am starting my PhD.

During the last two years, I saw the research at KI and realized it could be completely different in other settings and reopened my eyes. At KI you can listen to amazing guest speakers in vastly different fields with very intriguing topics almost every day. So my advice is to stay curious and don’t shut the doors beforehand.

Plan ahead with finding a thesis

Before you start to get scared, I am not saying you should start to stress from day one. Most supervisors will not plan a year ahead anyway. However, it is beneficial to be proactive and start thinking during the second semester about topics and groups that you want to join. The group and topic will create the environment for your second year. You do not want to be suffering for a year/semester, and neither postpone graduation because you couldn’t find anything fitting. I had an amazing group where I learned a lot and was able to develop immensely leading up to the PhD. This is what I wish for everyone for their thesis.  

Most importantly enjoy your time!

Throughout the program, there will be times when you are stressed and your only focus is on the assignments and deadlines. Undoubtedly the coursework is important, but it shouldn’t stop you from enjoying your journey at KI. Spending time with your classmates, and friends and engaging in activities around you shouldn’t get the short end of the stick. In the end, everything will work out and classmates are often the supportive pillars that will help make it happen. I loved my time at KI and hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Thank you for following my final blog! The two years as a digital ambassador have been an incredible journey and I wish all the best for any new student coming to KI! If you see me on the campus feel free to say hello. With that Tade out!