Looking back: was LiU the right choice?

Was LiU, and Sweden overall, the right decision for my studies?

A short and painless answer for all of you that don’t have the time to read through this text: yes, absolutely!

For everyone that is more interested in the why, I want to talk about general life in Sweden and then more specifically, about my master programme in Ecology and the Environment.

First of all, in the few months I have been in Sweden, it feels like so much has happened. Especially in the first few weeks when I arrived, my friends and I seized every opportunity to explore Sweden and everything Linköping had to offer. There is so much to do when the sun is out and you have some friends by your side that are just as motivated to experience a new country.

Obviously Sweden is beautiful. If you like to go hiking (to be honest it should be called walking here, there are no mountains really down Linköping), and enjoy nature, this is absolutely the right place for you. It is really easy to reach several nature reserves by bus or bike, and if someone has a car you can explore some really exciting places. I also think that LiU makes it really easy to connect with other students. When I arrived here in the beginning I joined several ISA and ESN events and met some really cool people. There are also a ton of associations in Linköping, which makes it easier to find people that might have similar interests as you.

Personally I really enjoy being outside and being active when the weather is good. So when I arrived here in late summer, my friends and I had many weekend hiking trips. I am therefore, so excited for summer here, I have a few things on my to do list for it already.

Besides meeting people through events, I’ve also made some friends in my corridor. Corridors are very popular for international students in Linköping. They are a great way to save some money and connect with new people if you don’t know anyone in Linköping yet. And of course you will also meet new people from your program. Personally I was very lucky that my classmates and I get along really well. They are all fun to be around and we like to hang out weekly.

Brunch + harry potter marathon with my classmates

Linköping is also a great starting point for other travels in Sweden. You could take the train all the way up to Lapland, or go south for a weekend trip. It is also just 1.30-2h away from Stockholm, which makes for exciting trips as well. It is not far from Denmark either, so I would say the possibilities are endless.

If you want to be active and make the most of your studies in Sweden, then I think Linköping would definitely be the right place for you. The general mood at Campus Valla is also very uplifting I would say. It is always fun to be greeted at 8 in the morning by associations advertising their newest parties and events and wonder how they can be so chipper this early into the day.

I also love the areas the university provides for studies and group projects. The library is very light and modern and every building comes with study areas and rooms you can book for group work or silent self study times. I find this really motivating, because I often struggle to work in my room where I tend to procrastinate.

As for my master program, I am really glad with the choice I have made. I have already written a blog where I talk about my first two courses in detail, so check that out if you want to know what exactly some of the courses in Ecology and the Environment are about: https://internationalstudents.blog.liu.se/2021/11/01/ma-in-ecology-and-the-environment/

More in general I think my program at LiU is a really good fit for me. I got my bachelor degree in biology in Austria and was quite frustrated in the end from just studying things by heart and honestly, forgetting a lot of it a few months down the line. In my program at LiU, studying is based on problem solved learning. This means a lot of reading, writing, group projects, presentations and open discussions. If you are like me, and you are quite shy to voice your ideas and thoughts and don’t have much experience in writing reports, doing projects and oral presentations, this might seem quire scary. But all of these skills are really important for jobs and also for continuing an academic career. People from my class and all of my professors are really kind and give room for open discussions and questions. This creates a really comfortable environment where everyone has room to grow and learn. I am not going to lie, the workload is not easy and the courses can be extremely challenging, but I feel like the support system is really good and you’ll not be looked down upon for asking questions and requiring help. Personally I am already more comfortable with holding discussions about scientific topics, asking questions and even presenting in front of the class. It has been such a short amount of time, but I feel like I already learned so many new skills.

So, I can say that I am really happy with my choice to do a two year master program at LiU, and I am excited to see what the future holds.

I hope all of you are doing well, and you had a great start into the new year, and if you’re starting your own programme at LiU soon, maybe I’ll se you around campus! Talk to you soon, //M.