When we arrive in Jönköping, at the end of summer, everything seems perfect. Indeed, the lake, the light, the late sunsets… But, when winter is gradually setting in, the days get shorter, the sun becomes rare, and suddenly, surviving the Swedish winter becomes almost a subject on its own in student life.
For many international students, the hardest part is not necessarily the cold, but the lack of light. “At home, even in winter, it stays light for a long time,” a French student told me. “Here, at 3 p.m., I feel like it’s already time to go to bed.” This darkness can affect energy levels, motivation, and sometimes even mood.
But walking through the streets of Jönköping once the sun has set, you quickly notice something typically Swedish: almost all the windows are lit up with bright stars. So why these bright decorations? The answer is simple: light in Sweden is, like coffee for us students, essential for surviving the winter. When the sun sets sometimes before most of us have finished our classes, these little bright stars in the windows become a symbol of warmth and community. These stars are called adventsstjärnor (advent stars), and they appear in almost every window from the first Sunday of Advent onwards.
Very quickly, everyone develops their own strategies. The first? Accepting that winter is part of the experience. In Jönköping, staying indoors is not really an option. Many students continue to go out, even when it’s cold: walks around the lake, hikes in the forest, or simply walking around town wrapped up warm.
Sport can also play an important role. The activities offered by JUSA help you maintain a routine and socialize, which is essential when the days are short.
And then there is Fika, of course. More than just a coffee break, it’s a real social occasion. Getting together over a hot drink and a cinnamon bun becomes almost a survival ritual.
Finally, many learn to create a cozy atmosphere at home: candles, soft lighting (sometimes a star in the window), music, crafts, quiet evenings with friends. The Swedish winter encourages people to slow down and find comfort in the little things.
Writer: Lylia Snoussi
