Valborg, Lund, Sweden: CSEP W25 Melissa Michailidis
The most unexpected part about exchange was…
How easy it was to feel comfortable. Before departing, I was stressed I wouldn’t be able to build a routine there, that I wouldn’t be able to do what I hoped for myself in those six months. But a month into my exchange, I started to notice the life I was building abroad, the way I was jumping into new experiences of Swedish traditions like it was second nature, gently pushed by some friends I made along the way who became like family towards the end.
My favourite part of going on exchange was…
Learning all about the Swedish lifestyle. Lund is a beautiful and quaint little town with such a vibrant student life filled with so many traditions. It was so fulfilling to take part in some of them, integrating myself into the culture of fikas, academic quarters, volunteering at a student nation, sittnings, and spex (student theatre). Immersing yourself into a new culture and way of life will definitely be a highlight for any experience abroad, along with meeting incredible lifelong friends.
I recommend going on exchange because…
There are so many reasons! Although I took away a lot more than I imagined from my exchange, the best outcome was definitely the lifelong connections I made with so many other exchange students. The friendships I made abroad were so incredibly fulfilling, possibly spurred along by the short amount of time we had together.
Going on exchange challenged me because...
I have never been away from home for that long a time. I was going on my own with no familiar or comforting faces to calm my nerves, which made me view the experience as a fresh start, something that didn’t come easy for me. I wanted to push myself to make the most out of the six months there, make friends with as many people as possible and do things I would not normally do, like be spontaneous enough to go on new side quests daily. It was tough to imagine in the beginning of this journey, but my time abroad was everything and more!
