Hello everybody and welcome to this new post! November is coming to an end and, well, Winter is coming! Today, I would like to introduce you to the Swedish Winter and what it means to be an international student at KTH during this time of the year.
Winter is Often Misunderstood
To me, Swedish Winter is the most misunderstood thing about living in Sweden. I think it is a season full of possibilities and first experiences to make, as well as one of the best periods to travel around Sweden and experience Swedish nature at its finest! It is definitely not the dull and dark season that is often depicted online or in movies. Let me show you why!
A Season Full of “First Times”
Firstly, Winter offers endless possibilities when it comes to sports! You can skate – either in nature or in the city -, do cross country skiing, walk in the silent forests or even just have an ice bath plus sauna in one of the several natural reserves of the country! Also, pretty close to Stockholm you can find some nice spots for downhill skiing, and you can rent any type of equipment for free at Fritidsbanken!
When I first moved to Sweden, I soon found out that many people who are currently studying here had never seen snow before. I can only imagine what an experience it can be to even just have a stroll in a park with snow falling all around you!
The Beauty of the Swedish Sky
Have you ever heard about Northern Lights? They are a beautiful phenomen which occurs during Winter in the northern countries’ skies. And guess what? You can observe the phenomenon right from KTH campus!
Auroras in Stockholm are pretty rare, but they are not impossible to see. Last Winter, the Northern Lights were spotted in Stockholm more than five times. And if you travel up North it’s going to be even easier to spot them. It’s certainly something you don’t want to miss!
The “Venice of the North” and its Charm
Lastly, the city turns beautiful during Winter. Christmas lights are turned on at the end of November and they make the city look incredibly charming and welcoming. Also, in Sweden it is common to leave candles or lamps turned on at windows, which gives the city a cosy atmosphere and transform Winter from a dark period into a very warm and relaxing one. There nothing better than having a stroll in the Old Town and have a fika in a cosy shop, while observing the snow falling silently outside the windows.
Finally, I would like to mention that KTH offers a free Student Health Center service, if you ever feel a bit of “Winter blue” and would like to talk to somebody.
That was all for today! Thank you very much for following me. In case you want to know more about Winter, I suggest you to check out these old posts on getting ready for Winter and Winter sports and activities in Stockholm!
Also, don’t forget to check out Sam’s last post on cracking KTH application and Sai’s post on KTH TEDx!
Have a nice week!
// Lorenzo
Stimolante, verrei volentieri a scoprire tutte queste belle cose. Grazie!
Grazie!