Lucas says that KTH puts a lot of effort into making the newly arrived students feel welcome
Lucas is from the Netherlands and studied at KTH between 2018 and 2020. Previously, he studied at Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands.
What made you choose KTH?
I studied Applied Earth Sciences in the Netherlands at the Delft University of Technology, which had a strong focus on fossil fuels, which made me realize a lot about the environment and sustainability and which led me towards KTH because it offers several programmes with a strong environmental focus. Furthermore, I had been on many summer holidays with my parents when I was younger, and these amazing memories and experiences made me fall in love with Sweden. When I finished high school, I drove with my dad through Sweden on our way to the Nordkapp in Norway and passed some universities along the way, which is when I realized that I wanted to study abroad in Sweden!
What do you like most about KTH?
I arrived in Stockholm during August 2018, and have made many memories since. Although most of my memories are different, they all have one clear connection, which is the people I met during my first year of studying in Sweden! I had an amazing ski-trip with my chapter during the student ski week and had the time of my life during both the actual and après skiing. I have experienced a traditional Swedish midsummer party, which I can describe with one word – Amazing! – and there are numerous other experiences each unique in its own way.
What is your best memory from your time at KTH so far?
What I like most about KTH is that the international community is very welcoming, and you meet a large number of students from various cultures and backgrounds in the first months of arriving in the city. During the international reception, students at KTH put a lot of effort into making the newly arrived students feel welcome. There is a very nice atmosphere where all the new students can connect with one another. Even after these initial months you still get in touch with many people because project work is an important element of studying at KTH, which results in a lot of fun meetings, and depending on the group, occasional after-study drinks and dinner!
Are you taking part in any student activities?
When I am not in the lecture halls, I am still quite busy and tend to stuff as much as possible in 24 hours! I enjoy sports, and I played American football for the KTH Royals during my first year of studies. When I am not playing football, I love to take my bike out for a ride. And I am aware that it is a typical Dutch cliché, but I love my bike! Especially because Stockholm, as a city, is an amazing city to bike through. There are also wooded areas around the city to bike in, and I can definitely recommend the trails around Hellasgården for some biking and hiking fun. I also have a part-time job as a bike guide in the city, and I have enjoyed showing people around the city all summer. I thought I would get tired of seeing the same views and buildings for the hundredth time, but I am not and would love to continue exploring the city more, and that for me might be the biggest proof that Stockholm is an amazing city and has so much to offer!
What would you like to say to students thinking of choosing KTH for their master's studies?
Halfway through my master's degree, I can say that I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to study at KTH, and I am very sure that coming to Stockholm has been the best decision of my life so far.