Answer these questions before accepting your admissions result!

Hey guys! Decision day just passed, and I know a lot of you are now trying to figure out if you should accept or decline your offer of admission. Trust me, I’ve been there. We all thought that applying to a school and getting in were the hardest parts of pursuing higher education. It’s only when you get in, and realize that you actually have the chance to go, that the anxiety and questioning begin; I for one never thought I would get this far🥹. No worries though, I’m here to help you get through this.

In this week’s blog post, I’m going to ask you guys some personal questions. The answers to these questions should help you wrap your mind around your decision to stay where you are, go to another school or come to Sweden, and it’s vital that you be honest with yourself when you’re responding.

So, let’s start with the questions:

1. What type of study environment do you want to be a part of? – We all come from different school backgrounds. Are you looking for somewhere that’s extremely competitive, rewards success, and turns down failure? Well, Sweden may not be the best place for you 😨. The Swedish education system focuses on the wholistic development of students. We’re allowed to fail, but more importantly, we’re given the room to learn from those failures. Want to know more about what makes university in Sweden so different? Check out this blog post I made.
2. Are you introverted or extroverted? – This is one of the most important questions that you need to be able to answer. If you are certain that at this point in life you don’t manage loneliness too well, and find it difficult to make friends, Sweden may honestly not be the place for you. You should consider this fact when studying abroad anywhere, but especially in Sweden. The reality is that when it starts to get cold in the winter, and your environment becomes darker and bleaker ☁️, you are going to want to have friends around. Living without them in those situations, especially if you’re used to being social can be incredibly difficult.
3. What type of weather are you used to ☀️? – I’ve flogged the sentiment that I’m from a tropical climate on this blog 😅. In Jamaica, everyday it’s hot, everyday there’s sun, and there are no seasons. Does that mean I couldn’t survive the Swedish winter? Heck no! I mean I’m here, aren’t I 😅? However, if you don’t believe that you can survive 6 months of cold weather ❄️, then Sweden may not be the place for you. Having said that, as a person who has lived his entire life in a tropical paradise 🥰, if I can do it, I think anyone can. You can find out more about my experience with the Swedish winter here!
4. Do you want to stay and work in Europe when you’re finished studying? – Sweden is a great place for new grads. There are so many thesis opportunities that can lead to full time work once you’ve finished studying. Sweden is one of many countries that is looking for highly skilled workers, so much so that the parent company of Study in Sweden, The Swedish Institute, has a branch dedicated to retaining students. Also, if your dreams are to go to another part of Europe, having a Swedish university on your resume will definitely put you at the front of the employment line 😁.
5. Do you like the outdoors 🌳? – Everywhere you look, in your back yard, around your school, even in the dead centre of the city, there are green spaces. My school is literally lined with forest. Sweden is full of nature trails, including some of the most famous hiking trails in the world. So, if you want to spend some time in the outdoors while you’re studying, Sweden is definitely the place for you!
6. What type of society do you want to live in? – I always tell people that Sweden is an amazingly liveable society. If you just want to be able to exist safely, no matter your race, gender, religion, sexual orientation or whatever other classification, Sweden is the perfect place for you. Respect and tolerance are key to the Swedish Way and it’s one of the things I value most about living here 🥰.  
7. Are you differently abled 🧑‍🦼‍➡️? – I have no clue what it’s like to be disabled, and I can’t begin to comprehend how many things I take for granted, that are a luxury for differently abled people. What I can tell you is that of every country I’ve ever been to, Sweden is the only one where I notice how thoughtfully infrastructure has been designed to accommodate persons of all abilities. They may not be the absolute best at it, but the fact that I notice effort being made, as an average citizen, indicates a level of care and concern on the part of the government. There’s no question in my mind that differently abled persons are respected in Sweden. There are several organisations who advocate for the rights of differently abled people in Sweden, and you can learn more about them here.
8. Are you looking for somewhere that’s inexpensive to live? – Some estimates place Sweden in the top 30 out of more than 100 countries in the cost-of-living index. Living in Northern Europe in general is far from cheap. You can look at a breakdown of my monthly costs here. If you’re planning on coming to Sweden, you need to be prepared to spend around 1000 Euros per month to sustain yourself, especially if you’re attending a university in a big city. If you don’t have that money available, I would strongly recommend taking another look at your finances before moving to Sweden. I’d also say that while it is possible to study and work in Sweden as a student, you don’t want to be moving far away from home without being completely certain that you will be able to finance yourself.

I hope that you were able to honestly confront yourself with these questions. I think it’s very important that you understand a few things before deciding to come to Sweden. If you think you’re ready, congratulations, go ahead and accept, but if you’re not quite there yet, don’t despair, everything will come in its time ❤️.