- Get a bike especially if you live in Flogsta! Buses are expensive
- Biking in the snow is actually really, really fun! Just be careful! People will scare you off at first but it's pretty normal for people to bike in the snow
- Try to befriend your Swedish corridor mates and be nosy! Ask them what Swedish dish they're cooking or what Swedish music they're listening to so you can really get to know the Swedish culture. Because for many, the Swedes on your corridor are the only Swedish people you'll interact with
- On the first week, don't be afraid to go out to the events by yourself! There's always people on the same boat and you're likely to make new friends that way!
- Buses are expensive especially when you have to pay by card each time (35 SEK)! Download the UL app to save you some money (28 SEK). But hopefully, the app is in English (because mine isn't and it freaken sucks!!!). The UL app will be your best friend whilst travelling around Uppsala via bus
- Get a good lock for your bike
- Don't bother buying secondhand towels, bedding etc. Just a waste of your money, especially when people don't even wash it. You can buy it in ikea for cheap anyway!
- Systembolaget is the only place you can get alcohol. It closes 3pm on Saturdays and closed on Sundays!
- Kebab and pizza places are very popular!
- Unlimited drinks cost a bit extra! Just in case the self-serve drink stations confuse you
- Try to bring a router so you can have internet the first night (especially if you get to your dorm late)
- Flogsta showers are special!!!!
- Buy a heater or hair dryer in the winter. It will save your life!
- Bring a portable charger - your battery will be eaten up very quickly by the cold!
- Always have resuable or recycled shopping bags handy - plastic bags cost a but extra, plus you're saving the environment anyway!
- Download the StudentNationens app to be updated on the daily activities of the nations
- Some shoes will make you slip in the ice so just be weary of this!
- Everything is in Swedish!!!!! People may be able to talk English, but objects can't. So you're not going to get away with telling them, "I don't speak Swedish/I speak English". You might have to figure it out for yourself! I was very naive thinking it would be very easy breezy
- Expect everyone to say HEY to you! After all, "hey" = hej = hello. And when you get the hang of saying HEJ!, you'll definitely feel like a Swede
- If you want them to know you're English speaking, just say HI
- Tap water in Sweden is one of the cleanest in the world!! Don't bother buying litres of bottled water the first days (because they'll probably end up being soda water)
- Thermals are a must!!!!
- You can always buy warm clothing in Sweden because it might be more inexpensive and more suited for the cold conditions!
- Bring printed photos of your loved ones to hang on your wall!
- For weekend trips, bring a carry on approved travel backpack to save money on check in and to make your life easier when you're travelling around Europe
- If your corridor doesn't have one yet, make a Facebook group so you guys can stay organised and can contact each other easily in times of need
- Your money will deplete very quickly during the first few days!! But this is normal. IKEA and ICA will definitely be rolling in some of your hard earned Aussie cash
- Swedish people aren't as great as the world makes them out to be. The ones in clubs at least. They're very pushy (they literally push you out of the way or bump into you constantly on the d-floor), snobby, and think they rule the place. Not kewl!
- Opshops aren't as great as they say they are. I've only been once but my local opshops are tons better. I will keep updating on this though because I have many more opshop expeditions to go
- Learning is very individualised. You have to do it yourself!!! They don't spoonfeed you in lectures and don't go off the textbooks word-by-word
- Securing a bike is not that easy! You'd be lucky to find a good deal on a bike for less than 700 SEK
- Go to as much of the activities in the first week as possible so you can get the most out of the student nations and meet a whole lot of international students in the same boat as you!!!
- The main grocery in Sweden, "ICA", is not said like I-G-A in Australia, but rather, "eeeka". Don't forget this because when you say I-C-A to Swedes, they get really confused
- If you're expecting to get your shopping in ICA done in 10 mins, think again. Because trying to decipher everything will add at least 20 mins
- When in doubt and google translate fails you, Swedes are more than happy to help you
- Swedish schnapps tastes like rubbing alcohol
- Swedish words will never read like how it looks
- Buffets are a thing!!
- Swedes sing a lot and are pretty good at it
- Swedes have no shame or don't get shy! They do what they want even if it's a loserish/weird thing to do by Australian standards
- Swedish men show up in numbers to salsa classes
- Swedish people are up for anything
- Working at the student nations is definitely worthwhile, though you only get paid food and drinks throughout the shift and a meal voucher, which is technically worth $1/hour
- TGR. Enough said.
- You get some money if you work at Gotlands nation!
- Get use to reading time in 24-hour way!
- Surströmming is a smelly fish
- You will really appreciate the Swedes' inclination to sing and perform! They have choirs and short role plays (Spex) where everyone performs and apparently have no shame or embarrassment. They're v willing to get up on stage and give it a go!
- Alcohol at gasques can be dangerous! They just keep on serving you those liquids
- Make sure you have the ability to stand on top of your chair when the gasque ends! BUT DON'T SIT DOWN AFTER! Otherwise you won't graduate!
- Have a go at the Swedish songs they sing in the gasque because if the Swedes have no shame, you shouldn't too
- Some dinner etiquette in Gasques - don't forget to put the napkin on your lap and always start with the cutlery furthest away from the plate
- Try to bring dresses to Uppsala because you'll more than likely attend a gasque or two. And I highly recommend going!!!!! It's such a unique experience
- DO A LOT OF THINGS! Don't be a grandma. Why did you even go on exchange if you just wanted to be in your room all day and worry about studying (when your assignment is due 2-3 days. Understandable if it's due within a few hours lol). GET OUT AND VISIT ALL THE NATIONS! Go to the gym! Just do!
- Try to find people who have similar exchange goals as you!
- If you're coming to Sweden single, try to make other single friends because you can't do much with non-single friends as they are quite comfortable with their lives
- Know your class schedule and plan trips ahead of time!!!! It's quite expensive to travel out of Uppsala/Sweden compared to other European cities
- Be prepared having only 1-2 classes a week (depending on your course of course) and apply the tip aforementioned about travel because you'll want to make use of your time but when it's too late, you won't be able to
- Flogsta ain't that bad at all especially if you're not super into partying or being social - hopefully you just get a good corridor
- Join OG or Snerikes nation
- Swedish people are really to themselves and really seem like they don't want anything to do with you - and i'm starting to think the reason isn't because 'that's just how the Swedes are', it's actually because they're snobbish/rude. Because I can be a snob at first glance but then I can be really, really nice but I can't use the excuse, 'it's because i'm Swedish'.
- Get a bike with gears because people ride fast and you'll want to ride just as fast
- Get a U-LOCK for your bike to prevent theft
- Working at Gotland's nation pays!
- You will get over the snow unfortunately! Because all you want are clear streets to bike on with no ice or slush, risk of death or mud marks on your bag and coat
- When you bike, you have to indicate if you're turning left or right. normally, cars get right of way so slow down when approaching traffic. if a car is nice enough to stop for you, thank them! but if the gap is wide enough for you to pass before the car and you and the car have an unspoken agreement for you to cross, make sure you cross the road smartly so there's no confusion
- To pronounce words like 'fyra' like a true Swede with that almost alien sounding undertone, all you have to do is sort of roll your tongue upward and make it touch your top gum
- Swedish guys on Tinder tend to put their height (even though we bloody know you're all tall) and you'll find humour in the repetitive nature of their names. You'll be seeing (or meeting in real life) a whole lot of Andreas, Erik, Gustav, Viktor, Nils, Rasmus, Johan, Henrik, Jesper/Jaspar, Alexander, Jonathan, Okar, Kevin, Frederik, Axel, Ludvig, Felx, Marcus, Caspar, Lucas, Olof, Mattius, Linus
- Swedish people are very studious, or they like being in university. Whilst in Australia, most people just go in and out of university and study at home. But here, university campus is life and where they are most of the time. You're likely to see the Swedish people you meet who study in the same campus as you i.e. David.
- Classes with international students are the best - people will know you're in their class and you become somewhat a community. I guess this is different because in Australia, people just go in class and out and we don't know anyone. And if we see someone out of class, it's just like eh who cares
- Make use of the electricity, water and gas!!!! I.e. hot showers and heater on all day errday during the winter
- Swedish people not only sound like Sims characters, but they sound like they're singing
- I find it soooooooooooooo cool to listen on into a bunch of Swedish people (especially Swedish guys) talking. Completely white people talking a weird language is so different to me... or just being in a country where everyone speaks a different language is.... idk
- Like I said, Swedish guys talking Swedish is...... A GODSEND. BLESS
- Examinations aren't as strict as they are in Australia. Granted, there's tiny lockers for everyone to put their phones in. But otherwise, you can bring snacks, drinks other than water, and even a dictionary to the exam room. You don't even need a clear pencil case or to have a sealed bottle of water. You can even go to the bathroom at any time rather than have to wait 30 mins into the exam
- Secondhand stores aren't as good as Western Sydney!!!!!!!
- They like their chilli cheese bites (Maccas and Max)
- Räksmörgås i.e. shrimp bread is delish
- Swedish people will take advantage of any hint of sunshine. In Uppsala, sunglasses are on, coats are off, cafe balconies are full and basically everyone sunbakes on the Fyrisån
- In the Spring (well, two days in at least), it can snow in the morning and the streets will all be covered in snow but by the time you get out of uni at 4pm, all the snow has been absolutely melted like it didn't even snow.. and you'd be wishing you had taken that bloody photo of Ekonomikum with snow!!!!!
- Organise food exchanges with your exchange friends!!!
- Organise fun Aussie challenges with your exchange friends like trying vegemite or testing them on Aussie slang
- Take lots of photos with exchange friends!!!
- School related tips: referencing in Uppsala is Harvard referencing (Author, 2017) not (Author 2017), and your writing should be AmericaniZed not AmericaniSed
- If you're a business-marketing student, International Marketing was an easy subject!!!
- Try to find friends doing the same course as you or at least friends that have a similar timetable as you
- Course = subject
- It's not EYE-KEY-YA, rather, EYE-KAY-YA
jan 17 2017 ∞
mar 30 2017 +
mar 30 2017 +