Life here is so different compared to my life back home. The most obvious difference, of course, is the country and the language. Sometimes I still catch myself thinking: Wait… what do you mean I’m in Sweden right now?
Going abroad during your studies is one of the best things you can do, and I will always recommend it. Yes, it can be scary at first. You don’t know anyone, you have to plan a lot, and it can feel exhausting. But let me tell you: it is 100% worth it. Nobody can ever take this experience away from you, the memories you create and the people you meet.
One thing that often makes me pause for a moment and feel grateful, is the thought that I would never have met the people here if I hadn’t taken the chance to come to Sweden in the first place. During a semester abroad, you build friendships that can last for years. I don’t know why it amazes me so much, but the idea of meeting people here in Sweden – people who I would probably never have met otherwise – and then becoming close friends with them blows my mind.
As an exchange student, you only have a limited amount of time to do all the things you want to do. Whether that’s partying, hanging out with friends, or travelling. It can get a little stressful sometimes. Of course, you want to live your life to the fullest.
So why do Exchange students always say that “time flies”? Because it literally does.
There are moments when you’re so busy planning trips, travelling, studying, and spending time with friends that you don’t even notice how quickly the days pass. But then there are those quieter moments, when you have a second to breath and you realize that another month has gone by and half of your time abroad is already over.
This sounds so dramatic, but let me tell you, when you’re trying so hard to make the most of every second you have here, it really is that dramatic.
It can feel like you’re running out of time…
Everyone experiences time differently. Some exchange students might think that six months is a long time, and they start to miss home. Others, including me, wish they could stay longer, because those six months seem to pass in the blink of an eye. I’ve now been here for about half of my stay, and it feels like there are still so many places I haven’t seen yet. I want to travel more, explore new cities, and experience as much as possible. But suddenly there are only about three more months left to do it all.
Three months left with the people I’ve grown close to. Three months left with the friends I’ve made here. Of course, you can always visit each other or plan trips together after the exchange. However, it will never be quite the same as when you were studying abroad together.
But hey, I don’t want to end this on a sad note. If you ever have the chance to go abroad during your studies, take it. Yes, time will feel like it’s passing too quickly, and sometimes it might feel like you’re running out of it. However, if you spend it with good company and doing things you love, it won’t feel like wasted or lost time. Instead, it will become one of those chapters in your life that you will remember forever.
Writer: Tina Karl
