Sweden

Be realistic in your placement (distance from home, country etc - there is no point in living abroad if you spend a lot of your money travelling home as some Erasmus students did).  Make sure you take time to travel and balance this with your studies (it is difficult as the academics are important and demanding in Sweden).  Take time to interact with Swedish students [...] this can be done by undertaking a new sport (I joined the Ultimate Frisbee society and found a good support group there and have been able to travel with my team to different tournaments).  Check online for information on your courses and those available to Erasmus students (Uppsala Universitet provides a spreadsheet of various courses available).  Take some outside of your allocated 'degree'.  Definitely take the EILC in the summer if you can (provides great insight into the Swedish culture and history, as well as the language - however Swedes speak English to a very high level so the language is not really a barrier).

Look up your local Erasmus Student Network (ESN) section at www.esn.org.  They are a network of societies across Europe that further the Erasmus experience through trips, nights out, socials etc.  While I was in Sweden they organised affordable trips to Lapland, Copenhagen and Oslo.  They also organised with all the other ESN sections across Scandinavia a battleship tour which involved a cruise liner filled with Erasmus students partying overnight from Stockholm to Estonia.  Other notable trips include a road trip to Russia, ski holiday in France etc.  If you get involved at committee level on your return to Exeter you can take on a position at ESN Exeter, Erasmus students through out the UK (this year including; Edingburgh, Swansea, Cardiff, Birmingham, Oxford) who sit on the committee can go for free.  Overall, it's a great way to meet new people, travel and make the most of your year abroad.

Oliver Samuel studied Business and Economics at the University of Lund

Uppsala - A student perspective: Things I wish I'd known before I went:

• Not to re-sell my bike (purchased at the beginning of my stay there) to a second hand vendor.  They give you a terrible price for it, so see if you can find a student who needs it in advance of your/their departure.
• That the Hall I chose to live in (Flogsta) was a 45 minute walk or only 10 minutes by bike from the city centre (where lectures are held).  One student said Flogsta was a fantastic student community, another said they would have choose one located near the city centre!
• That I did not have to take only economics courses and could apply to any course for foreign students.  These courses should be sorted out before you arrive but are easily changed when you arrive.
• That there would be so much waiting around for the paperwork process i.e. obtaining my residence permit to live and study in Sweden for a year - so pack plenty of patience.
• To have taken more time to organise my penultimate year internship and get in touch with the Exeter careers centre before going abroad.
• To have saved up as much money as possible before leaving in order to have as much opportunity to travel as possible.
• Their fetish for 'sweet' things.  They love their sweets, ice cream and cakes out there (despite being a health-concious nation and regularly indulging in plenty of exercise) so I should have made more of the opportunity as soon as I got out there so I could try everything on offer!
• Semi-skimmed milk comes in the blue carton with 'mellan mjolk' written on it.  Laugh now, but wait till you see the size of the dairy section!

Top tips for the country:

• Get to know Swedish people and the Swedish language.  It can be hard at first but they really are great fun and your year abroad will be so much better for it!
• Buy a warm coat, hat, scarf, and pair of gloves.
• Prepare yourself for the cost of living as Sweden is one of the few countries in the EU which is more expensive than England.
• Accept the Swedish reservedness.  They are not unfriendly people but if your corridor mates keep themselves to their rooms it is not because they dislike you but is just part of their University culture (don't worry, when they party, they know how to party, but otherwise they are generally a passive nation).
• If you need help just ask (politely!).  Most natives speak excellent English and will be more than willing to help you once you have taken the initiative and approached them first.
• Get involved in any extra-curricular activities that take your fancy otherwise the long hours of winter darkness are likely to get you down.
• Visit all of the major cities; Stockholm, Gothenburg, Copenhagen and Malmo.  They all have a different feel and great attractions.  Malmo especially isn't very far away and is great fun if you dig beneath the boring surface.  Also try and visit Swedish Lapland to see native Sami people and the Northern Lights during the winter.  An unforgettable experience.
• Visit the Skane beaches in summer, they're absolutely stunning.
• Celebrate midsommar (mid summer), Sista April (the last of April), a crayfish party and St. Lucia with some Swedish friends.
• Shop at the local markets to save money on food (especially fruit and veg).

Top tips for the Unviersity:

• Buy a bike as soon as you can - it's the accepted mode of transport in and around the city.
• Be prepared for the earliest of morning lectures to start at 8am.
• Be prepared for the exam lengths.  Written exam durations can last between 4-5 hours.
• Go with an open mind.  Swedish students rarely attend English language taught lectures so you will be in a class with foreigners.  Overt patriotism is rarely exhibited but friendly banter is likely to occur so don't take anything too personally.