Written by Jordan
11 Jan 2020
A New Year, A New You
With the New Year comes with the possibility for a New You. It gives us all a moment to reflect on all we did or didn’t do. Did you actually exercise as much as you said you would? Did you finally finish that book you said you said you’d write five years ago? And with all this reflection comes with New Year’s resolutions- to set intentions to leave the past in the past and to forge a new, exciting path forward.
For me, when I reflect on this past year, my decision to study in Sweden is at the heart of it. Though I came here in a non-traditional way, I can unequivocally say that my decision to do so has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. With this New Year, I have reflected on those moments of doubt, where I considered studying somewhere else or doing something else entirely and …
*GASP* I know! Don’t judge me, OKAY!?!
But here I am, very much studying in Sweden and very much loving it. Only five months in, I already have been pushed, grown and inspired to be a better me, and I can’t imagine being anywhere else or doing anything else. Thank GOD I didn’t listen to those little voices of doubt. That is why I am here to perhaps be that nudge you need to make studying in Sweden YOUR New Year’s resolution.
You get a resolution, and you get a resolution!
According to Psychology Today, ↗️ there are four types of New Year’s resolutions all centered around the idea of “more.”
- More self-care
- Give more
- Accomplish more
- Have more fun.
Luckily for you, studying in Sweden gives you the opportunity to accomplish all four of these things at the same time. Now that’s what I call a more-bang-for-our-buck kind of resolution. If you are wondering how, don’t worry, I am here to tell you.
1. More Self-Care
What it means:The self-care resolution is the one that’s all about taking care of yourself better. It is the one we probably hear about the most at the start of a New Year. Whether that be working out more, eating better, sleeping more or just doing more things for you, most of us could probably benefit from a bit more me TLC.
Why study in Sweden? As I’ve written about before, Sweden is a country that values a balanced life, a life of lagom. Unlike the United States, in Sweden, your self-care is just as important or perhaps even more important than your productivity. In the summer, it is common for organizations to shut down for an entire month, allowing their employees to also take that time off and settle into the joys of a summer vacation.
Additionally eating well, working out, enjoying the outdoors, and just taking time to just be is the Swedish way. When studying in Sweden it’s impossible not to just naturally fall into a more self-care mentality and once you do, it is difficult to go back to the lethargic, tired and unhappy ways of before.
Just to prove my point further, Web Economic Forum just rated Sweden a top-performer on well-being… ↗️
2. Give More
What it means: As often said, giving is better than receiving and many people want to take that energy into the New Year. Whether it means volunteering at an organization you love or just giving more of yourself to your family and friends, the give-more resolution is focused on doing good for other which then does good for you.
Why study in Sweden? Sweden is a country grounded in collectivist values, meaning it is a country that puts the whole before the individual. This is reflected in everything it does from business, to social welfare, to immigration- Sweden’s policies and ways of being always keep giving-to-the-group in mind.
This means socialized and affordable healthcare for all. This means paid 18 months of parental leave (split between both parents). This means free-university for its students. This means resources and services for its immigrants and asylum seekers. Yes, Swedes pay high taxes but if you ask them, most will agree that living in a society with these collectivist investments and returns is well worth every SEK.
The Swedish way is to put others before yourself and so if you want to give more in 2020, studying in Sweden might just be the thing to help you do that.
3. Accomplish More
What it means: This is the resolution made by all the Type-A people out there. This is for those who want to set goals to do more and be better. This can mean reading more books or getting all As or scoring X amount of points at your club soccer game- this resolution is for those doers and the shakers of the world.
Why study in Sweden? Sweden is a small country with BIG ideas. Did you know that companies like Spotify, the music streaming service; Klarna, the online payment firm; and King, a gaming company were ALL built and bred in Sweden. That. Is. Amazing. Not only that, but Stockholm is the second highest producer of BILLION dollar tech companies after Silicon Valley. (Read more… Why Does Sweden Have So Many Start-Ups? ↗️ Credit: The Atlantic)
Sweden has found a way to find that sweet spot of productivity, where one can work hard but play even harder. Even if you are not in the tech industry (I certainly am not) this accomplish-more, do-more spirit is omnipresent in Sweden. And if you want to ACCOMPLISH MORE, if you are the goal-setting, risk-taking, seizing-the-day type of person then studying in Sweden could be just the place for you.
And I should say, just making the decision to apply to study in Sweden IS accomplishing more. Deciding to further your education and to do so in a foreign country, is no small feat. And so if you decide to apply, that alone is an accomplishment. Let’s first recognize that. And then if you get accepted and then decide YES, you do want to study in Sweden, well, Sweden is the place where you can dream BIG and DO BIG, too.
4. Have MORE Fun
What it means? If you are tired after all that self-caring, giving and accomplishing than this resolution is probably for you. Having more fun can take many forms, whether it be starting a new hobby, traveling more, spending more time with friends… the options are endless. At the end of the day, this resolution is about taking time to enjoy sweetness of life, whatever that means to you.
Why study in Sweden? Sweden is a cool place with cool people and plenty of cool things to do. If you want to start a new hobby, you can learn how to nordic ski or ice skate. If you want to get more integrated, you can learn Swedish or attend a student gask. If you want to travel more, well great, you can do that! Oslo, Norway and Copenhagen, Denmark are just hop, skip and jump from Stockholm! You can participate in a student club, join a student nation, AND take advantage of fika culture.
In Sweden, we let the good times roll. In fact, learning how to say no to all the fun that can be had may be your New Year’s resolution for 2021.
Now that I’ve convinced you, you can APPLY before the deadline on January 15th! Don’t waste another moment! I know you won’t regret it.
Until next time,
Jordan
