Name: Chihiro Miyai　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

Course: psychology(Undergraduate)

Study Abroad Period: January 2025 - January 2026

Host University: Uppsala University, Sweden

1 Preparing for studying abroad

I remember that I started preparing for studying abroad about a year in advance, because I had to take the IELTS exam which I had never taken before. I actually tried it twice, and finally got a 6.0, which allowed me to apply for the exchange program. Other than the English exam, I needed to get financial certification and apply for a scholarship. Don't be lazy to prepare; it was tough.

2 Life in Sweden

Accommodation: Most exchange students, including myself, lived in Flogsta. There is a big supermarket nearby Flogsta and we could go to the university and the town center by bike, so I think Flogsta is a very convenient area. However, you should keep in mind that rent in Sweden is quite expensive, at around 5,000 to 6,000 SEK, especially compared with Nagano. I only shared a kitchen (Kitchen was the best place to make friends and practice speaking!) with more than 10 people but I had my own room and bathroom.

Daily necessities: There are a lot of second-hand shops and a large shopping mall, so I could buy whatever I wanted at a low price. In terms of clothes, it's better to buy them in Sweden rather than in Japan, especially winter clothes, because they are bulky and take up a lot of space in your suitcase. There were also online shopping groups on WhatsApp, and I was invited to join them after I had finished moving in. I got a bike through that group.

Class: I took one to three classes at the same time, and each course lasted for one or two months. (Each class had a certain study load, so you could arrange your schedule to stay below a 100% workload.) Depending on the teacher and course, there were various ways to earn credit, such as giving presentations and exams. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to send messages to the professors, because they are very respectful and kind to everyone.

Events: I started my exchange life in winter, so it was very gloomy and cold at first. However, the days gradually became longer, and we could finally get more sunlight. "Valborg" is a traditional spring festival celebrated on April 30, and only that time, we are allowed to drink alcohol in public spaces. "Midsummer" is one of the biggest festivals in Sweden to celebrate the summer solstice. On "New Year's Eve," I saw a bunch of fireworks and counted down with all of the people around there. There is also a very traditional event in Flogsta every day, which is 10 p.m. screaming: you can scream from the window for only 1 minute.

Travel: Sweden is part of Europe, which makes traveling easy and relatively cheap. Most exchange students have enough time to explore Europe. For me, traveling was one of the best ways to become closer to friends from different countries and communicate more deeply, which also helped me improve my English.

3 Advice

I feel that everyone's exchange experience is different. There is no single ideal or correct way to study abroad. Sometimes you will struggle with loneliness and go through a difficult time, while at other times you will really enjoy hanging out with new friends and having wonderful experiences. It's going to be alright! Just give it a shot!