{"id":11811,"date":"2025-09-30T15:00:22","date_gmt":"2025-09-30T13:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kth.se\/blogs\/studentblog\/?p=11811"},"modified":"2025-09-30T14:59:34","modified_gmt":"2025-09-30T12:59:34","slug":"4-tips-for-your-first-year-at-kth-from-students-whove-been-there","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kth.se\/blogs\/studentblog\/2025\/09\/4-tips-for-your-first-year-at-kth-from-students-whove-been-there\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Tips for Your First Year at KTH \u2013 From Students Who\u2019ve Been There"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hej alla! It\u2019s been a while since we last posted here, so we\u2019re excited to be back\u2014and what better way to restart the blog than by sharing some advice from students who\u2019ve just wrapped up their first year at KTH? <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The first year can be a whirlwind, but it\u2019s also full of amazing opportunities. We\u2019ve been there, and we\u2019ve put together our top tips to help you make the most of it. From cultural events to study strategies, here are a few things we wish someone had told us when we were just getting started.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Explore Outside the University Bubble<\/strong><\/h3>\n

By Annysia<\/em><\/p>\n

As an international master\u2019s student, it can be easy to stick to the social circles within classes, student housing, and university organizations. I’ve found that trying out new hobbies and joining clubs unrelated to school had three major benefits. First, it helped me appreciate Sweden\u2019s culture while also getting to practice the Swedish language! Second, you get to grow your network outside of those you know from school. This can help you twofold: making new friends and supporting your career! Third, is simply getting outside of your comfort zone to try new things \u2013 whether it\u2019s reading a new book, trying a different sport, or colouring at a caf\u00e9.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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Attending an outdoor cinema for the first time!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

2. Ask Questions and Find Your Balance<\/strong><\/h3>\n

By Alex<\/em><\/p>\n

One tip I would give to new students is not to be afraid to ask questions. At KTH the courses can feel overwhelming at first, especially when everything is new, but you will quickly notice that many of your classmates are wondering about the same things as you. Talking to classmates and professors helps a lot, both for understanding the material and for not feeling alone. Study groups are also really helpful because you learn faster when you explain things to each other.<\/p>\n

Another important thing is to manage your time early, since small and consistent study sessions work much better than last-minute cramming. Make sure to use the resources KTH and your teachers provide like the library, workshops, seminars and so on. It is also important to take breaks and enjoy student life by joining activities and events, since that helps you make friends. Balance between studies and social life is key and that has worked best for me. Finally, remember that it is okay not to understand everything right away because learning is a process.<\/p>\n

3. Attend Stockholm\u2019s Cultural Events<\/strong><\/h3>\n

By Runze<\/em><\/p>\n

One of the best parts of living in Stockholm is the access to unique cultural activities. For example, every October, the city hosts “Nobel Calling Week”, a ten-day celebration filled with lectures, exhibitions and lab tours. You can also visit the fascinating KTH Reactor Hall, a decommissioned nuclear reactor that is now open for public tours, or experience Swedish holidays such as Valborg and Midsummer. Another event I truly enjoyed was the East Asia Culture Festival in Kungstr\u00e4dg\u00e5rden, which offered a chance to explore East Asian traditions from a European perspective. In April, the cherry blossoms in Kungstr\u00e4dg\u00e5rden are a must-see as the entire park turns pink \u2014 a truly magical sight. It is fascinating to notice what local audiences find surprising or exciting about cultures you may already know.<\/p>\n

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Cherry blossoms at Kungstr\u00e4dg\u00e5rden in April.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

4. Have Fun Along the Way!<\/strong><\/h3>\n

By Ruban<\/em><\/p>\n

Your time at KTH might just be some of your last years as a student\u2014so make the most of it! It\u2019s not only about deadlines, labs, and lectures, but also about enjoying the journey. Dive into the learning, celebrate the knowledge you gain, and embrace the student lifestyle to the fullest.<\/p>\n

If you feel like going on that spontaneous hike\u2014do it. If you want to try Swedish fika three times in one day\u2014why not? Go for those new experiences, whether it\u2019s joining a student party, exploring Stockholm, or tackling a tricky project that pushes you out of your comfort zone.<\/p>\n

Even the assignments (yes, even the late-night ones) are part of the experience. Give them your best shot and appreciate them for what they are: stepping stones in your journey. After all, each assignment, each group project, and each lecture might be your last one as a student\u2014so why not enjoy it while it lasts?<\/p>\n

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This could be you next year 👀<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hej alla! It\u2019s been a while since we last posted here, so we\u2019re excited to be back\u2014and what better way to restart the blog than by sharing some advice from students who\u2019ve just wrapped up their first year at KTH? \u00a0 The first year can be a whirlwind, but it\u2019s also full of amazing opportunities. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1530,"featured_media":11814,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[157,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11811","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-campus-life","category-student-life"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kth.se\/blogs\/studentblog\/files\/2025\/09\/2.png?fit=940%2C788&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9W9I7-34v","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kth.se\/blogs\/studentblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11811","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kth.se\/blogs\/studentblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kth.se\/blogs\/studentblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kth.se\/blogs\/studentblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1530"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kth.se\/blogs\/studentblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11811"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.kth.se\/blogs\/studentblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11811\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11822,"href":"https:\/\/www.kth.se\/blogs\/studentblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11811\/revisions\/11822"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kth.se\/blogs\/studentblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11814"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kth.se\/blogs\/studentblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11811"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kth.se\/blogs\/studentblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11811"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kth.se\/blogs\/studentblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11811"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}