Reflecting on my year at the school of economics, I realise I’ve had so many experiences and life lessons it’s hard to grasp it in a few words. Interestingly, I did not want to go to Stockholm - I applied to go to Sciences Po - but I’ve been so incredibly happy.
I’ve branched out academically, taking law, sustainability, econometrics, finance, sustainability and entrepreneurship courses. I’ve challenged myself by taking on a 125% workload. Furthermore, I’ve immersed myself into the student association; I helped organise the after-party for the Nobel Night, I supported the organisation of the biggest career fair in Scandinavia, took part in “tough viking” classes, and went to parties in the basement of the university.
As a city, Stockholm is a lot more quiet than London. Even though it is a capital city, Sweden is just a smaller country. However, it made me more creative as well. I rented skis for free from “the fritidsbanken” - a library for leisure activities - to go skiing from a hill in Stockholm. We went to nature areas on the outskirts of town for hikes. Chilled on beaches. Took a ferry to Helsinki for one day. Had an insane amounts of cinnamon buns with coffee, bagels and meatballs.
I was also able to reconnect with activities I used to do for fun and kind of “lost” in the hectic life of London and LSE. SSE offers a literary agenda - a book circle where you get the books for free and a free lunch when discussing. I visited museums and travelled. Baked.
Lastly, I am so grateful for the people I met. Exchange students are a different kind of people in a way. Due to the acute awareness of the limited time we have, there’s a certain go-getter energy. From having a BBQ on the first sunny day of the year - in the snow - to weekends filled with parties, I feel like we threw ourselves at life. I’ve made even more international friend groups than back in London.
Writing this and reflecting on a year of adventures and personal growth, I am so glad I endeavoured on this adventure. And this all despite not having housing about three days before the start of the academic year.
Mere Wolfensberger, GO LSE CIVICA Exchange
Studying at the Stockholm School of Economics provided me with a rigorous academic experience that allowed for insight into contemporary modern business issues and applying them to actual industrial experience. The highlight for me was working within the innovation and entrepreneurship department for a Management Operations course whereby we were assigned a Swedish innovation platform to consult for ten hours a week to improve their operational excellence by utilising the school work conducted through analytics and interviews with various CEOs. As a result, a social innovation report I worked on is now used by the business and the industrial experience has allowed me to become knowledgeable on the Nordic start-up market which I can now place into context when evaluating job prospects post-graduation.
I particularly enjoyed the close-knit community of the exchange students which meant there were strong social ties and a lot of organised activities such as weekly banquets and traditional drama performances called Spex. My favourite part of the year was the trip to Lapland hosted by the exchange team where we spent a week learning about the Sami Community and engaging in various cultural activities. The team worked hard to ensure every student's experience was optimised throughout the year and this was appreciated by all. One positive aspect of the education experience was the fact the courses were contextualised in a business setting and as a result, a lot of lectures had guest speakers from various top firms. For example, my accounting class was taught by a different partner from a Big 4 firm each week which allowed for a nuanced and engaging class dynamic. The education system contrasted a lot with the British System with a more participation-focused and broad activity-based class system which meant I could study subjects I would not be able to at LSE such as History of Art and Wellbeing Psychology - this benefitted my understanding of what I want to focus on in the future.
Alongside my studies, I interned at a fintech start-up which I was offered through support from the business committee.For professional growth, this was useful to adapt my working technique to the working technique of the Nordics in addition to developing language skills and a comprehensive application of academia into business development.
What I gained from studying abroad can not just be measured in academic attainment but also in personal growth and outlook on life - I have had to push myself to do things I never would previously be open to and work with people from diverse backgrounds with contrasting opinions. As a result, I am more confident in social situations and have developed the way I work in teams and high-pressure environments. I am now interested in working abroad in the future after experiencing how easy it is to assimilate into new cultures, contexts and cities (something unbeknown to me previously). Overall the experience was my favourite year of university and I would recommend it to anyone.
Rebecca Grant, GO LSE CIVICA Exchange