Mail from … Linköping Lea Schmitt is studying for a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering and talks about her time abroad in Sweden

This is where I live at the moment:

I currently live in Linköping, Sweden.

That’s what I’m doing in Sweden:

I’m in my fifth semester of a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering.

My stay abroad takes…:

My stay will last five and a half months in total and is funded by ERASMUS+.

That’s why I decided to go abroad:

I wanted to experience university life at a university in another country. I think you have to take every opportunity in life to go abroad. Later in your career you won’t have as many opportunities to go abroad. Besides, the Erasmus programme offers a lot of opportunities and you will be helped with any problems.

Local life

That’s how I live in Sweden:

I live in student accommodation near the university. There are six or seven students in a hall and you share a kitchen and a living room. There are a lot of people in my neighbourhood and there’s always something going on. I have a volleyball court and a barbecue area on my doorstep. So it’s easy to socialise.

What makes studying in Sweden different from studying in Germany?

In Sweden, the university relies much more on communication between students. In Braunschweig you are more on your own, at least when you study Mechanical Engineering. In Sweden there are a lot of projects where you can learn together. However, you have to work a lot more during the semester as you have to complete assignments almost every week. On the other hand, it is easier to study during the exam period. In addition, the Swedish education system does not put as much pressure on students to get good grades. There are only three different grades. In my experience with Swedish students, the goal for most is ‘just’ to pass.

This is particularly typical of my country of residence:

Fika is the name of the Swedish coffee break. A coffee and a kanelbulle, a cinnamon bun, are a must.

That’s what I learnt here in the first three days:

Everything in Sweden is a bit more digital. Cash is not necessary and often not accepted. Bus tickets and the like are almost exclusively booked online. Also, don’t be surprised if Swedes don’t seem very open at first glance. However, if you spend some time talking to them, you’ll quickly make friends and be invited everywhere.

Good to know

This is a local dish you definitely have to try:

Red crayfish at the Kräftskiva (crayfish festival) in summer!

What are the pitfalls to avoid in Sweden?

In Sweden, shoes are always taken off when entering a house or apartment. It is considered very rude to leave your shoes on. Even if you are only going in for a short time.

I give this tip to other students who want to go abroad

Try to get out of the university routine. Take every opportunity to explore the countryside and cities, and do things with friends. It’s probably what you’ll remember most later on!

Pandemic

This is how the coronavirus affects my stay:

Most of the lectures are online, but it’s no different at home. Without Corona there would have been more introductory events, but they did their best to keep everything at a distance.

Even though you can’t do as much as you could without Corona, I always remind myself that if it wasn’t for the semester abroad, I’d probably just be sitting at my desk at home. That’s why you make the most of every spontaneous trip and every holiday!

It’s my favourite way to pass the time despite the pandemic:

I love to get on my bike with friends and ride to the next lake or town. There is so much to discover and you should seize the opportunity!