Ruxandra
Ruxandra comes from Romania. She is currently in her second-year of her bachelor’s in Information and Communication Technology at KTH. She always strives to merge her studies with her passions, like dancing, ice skating, foreign languages and creating videos.
Why did you choose this bachelor's programme at KTH?
My story began during the summer before my senior year of high school when I decided to go abroad to continue my undergraduate studies. Although I was accepted to three other prestigious European universities then, I chose KTH and this programme since I couldn't find anything like it anywhere else in Europe: a broad syllabus centered around applied sciences in one of the countries I always dreamed of visiting. In other words, not only does this programme allow you to explore your passions, but it also opens a window to many opportunities upon graduation. Being fascinated from a very young age by all the Swedish inventions that positively shaped and influenced the world we know today was another factor that contributed to my choice. From Bucharest, approximately 2700 km away, it has always felt like innovation and creativity were "floating" in the Swedish air. I always knew that one day I had to visit Sweden and drink in its fascinating culture.
What are the best aspects of your programme?
Teachers are incredibly supportive and open to helping you every step of the way so that you may get a solid foundation from their courses. They always answer your questions either during classes, breaks, or via email. Listening to and joining their lectures is always inspiring, as they enrich my knowledge. In addition, I love that every day I immerse myself in a culturally varied environment where it can feel as if I found myself simultaneously in entirely different places on planet Earth, which to me is incredible. Finally, through the elective courses included in the programme, I feel I am the "architect" of my studies. Although there are still a few courses left for me to select, up until now, I have picked Signal Processing, which I can hardly wait to start.
What are some of your favourite courses so far?
My favourite courses so far are undoubtedly the ones that changed the way I perceived the world around me upon completion. I was fascinated by the Digital Design course, where we learned about finite state machines and how, for instance, the pedestrian traffic light controller works. Another course I enjoyed was Embedded Electronics, where we studied how filters work. It was fascinating to learn about them and then, in the lab work, see how they behave depending on the different frequencies I set. As previously mentioned, Computer Hardware Engineering also captivated me, especially the modules related to Processor Design and Memory Hierarchy.
How do studies at KTH differ from your previous studies?
I joined this bachelor's Programme immediately after graduating from high school in Romania. Studies at KTH differ significantly, primarily because, in general, courses are split into two parts: the practical and the theoretical. And most of the time, the laboratory work tremendously contributes to my understanding of certain concepts. To illustrate this, in the Computer Hardware Engineering course, I was fascinated by the explanations related to how instructions are fetched, decoded and executed. However, when allowed to design a single-cycle processor that can run an assembly programme, I found the experience genuinely captivating. We also receive guidance from older students during the lab sessions, which is fantastic!
How is student life in Stockholm?
Last spring, some of my colleagues and I joined the Orienteering Event organised by THS Main and KOT. It was so much fun to walk through the forest and to collaborate to identify all the points on the map. One of my absolute favourite memories is taking the ferry included in the SL transportation ticket and admiring the beauty of Stockholm from the water. During winter, I also had so much fun ice skating at Kungsträdgården and Östermalms IP since I had never seen a rink the size of a football pitch.
What do you want to do after graduating?
After graduation, I plan to continue my studies at KTH in one of their master’s programmes.
What would you like to say to students thinking of choosing KTH for bachelor’s studies?
One year ago, I was precisely in your shoes, namely scrolling through the web interviews, trying to figure out if KTH and the ICT bachelor’s programme were the right fit for me while also wondering what my studies at this highly prestigious university would look like. Life is undoubtedly a series of choices through which we pave and write our own stories. And looking back, moving to Sweden to join KTH was one of the best decisions I have ever made. If your interests intersect with mathematics, electronics, and computer science, I encourage you to submit your application! KTH is waiting for you with open arms!
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Bachelor's programme in Information and Communication Technology