"The winter is amazing, I was very excited when I first saw snow"
Yingshan comes from Jiangsu, China. Her home university is Fudan University in Shanghai. She loves dancing, yoga and photography. To find a beautiful natural landscape is one of her favourite activities.
What made you choose KTH and your programme?
I chose my programme because I wanted to further my studies based on my background. Sweden is advanced in novel technology, and KTH has a high ranking and reputation in the are of materials science. Also, I have heard of the high sense of happiness in the Nordic countries, and I was very interested in their life attitude and lifestyle. Finally, I applied to KTH and got offered a place!
What do you like most about KTH?
The study pace! KTH students prefer an efficiency in studies over spending a lot of time. Everyone schedules their days in their own way; you have your spare time to do what you like to do, maybe study your major or perhaps just enjoying the sunshine. If you work at the library and observe the students, you can see that everyone is focused.
What are your impressions of Sweden and Stockholm?
Stockholm is a lovely and tidy city, with a lot of green areas. One thing that impressed me was that a lot of Swedes are vegetarian. Being eco-friendly has become an essential part of the Swedish lifestyle. Outdoor sports are quite common as well, and I just got into exercising after coming here.
The winter is amazing as well. I was very excited when I first saw snow. However, the long nights in winter influenced my mood at first, but I got adjusted to that as well. When winter was over, I surely enjoyed the sunshine!
What is your best memory so far from your time at KTH?
It must be the course tour to Sandvik! Our professor of the course Advance course in Process Science organised a trip to visit Sandvik in May. I saw the real operation of metallurgy and talked with the employees of the company. We spent a whole day, almost 15 hours on this tour, and it impressed me a lot.
What do you think are the differences between studying at KTH and your home university?
Because I did my undergraduate study at my home university, the studies focused more on basic knowledge and were really heavy. At KTH there are a lot more open projects. Professors at KTH prefer to encourage project work instead of writing paper assignments. Those assignments seldom have an absolute answer and are close to real job challenges.
Another noticeable difference is that you don’t spend a lot of time attending lectures. Self-studies and group-studies account for almost half of the teaching time. I learned to discipline myself a lot and to act more as an adult!
What would like to say to students thinking of choosing KTH for master’s Studies?
Do not hesitate! It might be the most treasured experience in your life. Every professor and student is superior, and you can learn from them. You can get in touch with the latest science and technologies in the world and have a lot of opportunities for your future. What you experience makes who you are. Why not try to add some KTH spirit? I am looking forward to meeting a new friend in Stockholm - see you!