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Tag archives for Stockholm

How to survive at a Swedish university.

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The end of the scholar year is approaching and I realized  that I hadn’t written anything about the university system in Sweden. So let’s talk about studies before summer holidays start.

When I arrived from France the first thing that surprised me the most was the fact that I had only about 6 hours of class per week, whereas back in Dijon I had more than 30. “6 hours?! Wow!” I was delighted and made a lot of plans for the free time that I would have. But I shouldn’t have been happy too fast: in fact this time was supposed to be spent on reading the abundant course literature. For each course I had in average 3 books to comprehend and when you’re not used to read in English… well, these 3 books can seem to be veeeery long.

Another thing was that the books are quite expensive. So, 3 books per course, 4 courses per semester, 24 books per year..  can turn to be harmful to your student budget.  Read more » >>

Nathalia Mikhalkov — Student

May 12, 2012

Stockholm never sleeps

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…. or does it?

During the cold winter I wasn’t as enthusiastic at the idea of going out as I was at the beginning of the 1st semester. But once I was out of my Lappis room, I wasn’t ready to get back very soon.

Going out in Stockholm is always a dilemma between going to a concert, dancing in a nightclub, chilling in a bar or getting drunk at a corridor party. I have spent the first two years of my university studies in a small town of Dijon in the East of France. Dijon is not a big city to be fickle about choosing the place to go out, so when I arrived to Stockholm I was lost between all the possibilities that the night life can offer. Back in France on the week ends I mostly used to go to bars with my friends, drinking really cheap and quite good wine, and I really missed this “bar-culture” in Stockholm. And it’s not because Stockholm doesn’t have enough bars, no, on the contrary, there’s a lot of very nice places with good music and a cool atmosphere, but spending 6-7 euros on the less expensive beer spoils it all. But what Stockholm does have, in comparison to France, is the cool concept of night clubs with a chilling zone which sometimes has… a ping pong table. I swear, it’s the funniest thing you could do in a club and an original way to meet people.  Read more » >>

Nathalia Mikhalkov — Student

April 23, 2012

Trying to be a Swede part 1

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What I hate above all is to be a tourist in a city. Or more precisely to be seen as a tourist by the locals. Putting on your sneakers, a backpack and walking with a map… you know what I mean. Of course, this is a part you practically can’t avoid in the beginning. I admit, like everyone else, I used my “lonely planet” guide, discovering who Gustav Adolf was and what Gamla Stan is. But what I really wanted was to feel Stockholm, and to feel it as someone who has lived here and for whom it is his home. And there is only one way doing it.  Read more » >>

Nathalia Mikhalkov — Student

March 21, 2012

Welcome to Lappis

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I guess I was lucky: a lot of students struggle to find a place to live in Stockholm, which is not the easiest task, but I was lucky enough to get a room at the campus Lappkärrsberget, or Lappis for the intimates.

Road to Lappis on a rainy day. Photo by Nathalia Mikhalkov.

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Nathalia Mikhalkov — Student

March 14, 2012

Stockholm at first sight

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When I arrived to Stockholm from France, I was surprised by the way people are dressed. At Stockholm University you can meet many students wearing clothes that I probably would never put on even going to a nightclub. Huge wedges, acid-green trousers, black lipstick… I just loved it. Come as you are. No one cares. Or, on the contrary, everyone cares, so please, be original if you wish, no one will judge you.

One of the big shocks was the discovery of the Systembolaget, the only shop where you can find alcohol. Coming from France where the culture of wine is a part of everyday life, it was difficult to get used to the fact that you can’t find alcohol anywhere else. If you want to drink alcohol, you need to be organized. And going to “Systemet” becomes a real expedition for students on the Friday afternoon.  Read more » >>

Nathalia Mikhalkov — Student

March 6, 2012