The land of IKEA doesn’t disappoint!

Two weeks ago I arrived at Stockholm University to pick up the keys to my new home for the next 6 months. While making my way to my accommodation from campus, I had no idea how busy and exciting the next week of my life would be…

Before arriving in Stockholm I had travelled through Europe for 7 weeks and after almost two months of living out of a suitcase I was finally ready to feel the comfort of my own room, bathroom and wardrobe!

Initially moving into my room was a big adjustment, but I couldn’t really complain because the process involved a trip to the world’s largest IKEA store – an absolute must see if you’re ever in Stockholm!

I’ve been lucky enough to live in Stockholm’s student accommodation – Kungshamra – and have also made friends with people staying in the other student area – Lappis. Both of these areas are surrounded by amazing scenery. Each one has a spot to barbeque on a beautiful day and Lappis even has a beach to sit on, which has become one of my favourite sunset spots.

After the stress of buying food and sheets was over, the craziness of orientation began. The university organised a tonne of events for the week including a huge introduction for international students, campus and city tours, pub-crawls and a welcome party! The large number of events meant that I was meeting new people every single day and learning so much about the Swedish lifestyle. But it doesn’t stop there – hiking trips and a traditional crayfish dinner party are next on the agenda!

Before arriving here I was really worried that I would be struggling to afford everything and wouldn’t last the entire 6 months without a job. It’s true, Sweden is significantly more expensive than a majority of the other countries in Europe, but orientation week helped us prepare for this with a presentation about “How to survive in Stockholm”. They provided great tips and tricks about how to get by without burning a huge hole in your pocket and made us feel like the University really understood our initial overwhelmed feelings!

In between orientation activities I’ve had the chance to explore different parts of the city and I love it so much already. The Swedish people that I have come across are incredibly kind, enjoy speaking English and are absolutely stunning! The city itself is picturesque with its contrast of traditional and modern architecture.

Of course as it has only been two weeks there is so still much for me to see and explore! Not only am I looking forward to making sure I see every part of this city and get a true feel for it, but I also can’t wait to visit neighbouring parts of Scandinavia over the next couple of months and experience even more of what Northern Europe has to offer!

Evguenia Kouznetsova, 11692757, FASS