I started to think about why I felt so different from when I was in the Netherlands.
As I walked down the street surrounded by trees and smiling people in sports clothes, I did not have to think for long. Sweden is absolutely the best country to relax and kind of get things back on track.
After graduating, many people feel stressed to the point where all you want to do is stay in bed all day.
Netflix, ice cream and letting your brain recover can feel tempting. But more often than not, that ends up feeling even worse as you end up eating junk food, your favourite series have finished so there is nothing to watch, and you have not exercised in a while.
Seriously though, the best advice I can give you is to take a gap year in Sweden!
Try a gap year!
Gap years are becoming more and more popular among young adults, and that’s absolutely fantastic! Many people decide to travel to Asia, Australia or the US, and don’t even think about going to Scandinavian countries. But being surrounded by endless forests, fresher air than anywhere else, lots and lots of snow and sunshine, calm people, and beautiful cities: yes, Sweden is the perfect country to go to in your gap year!
I’ve always been a rather sensitive person; I love to work hard, but I get stressed out if I’m in a country or environment that doesn’t really fit me well. Sweden has always made me feel welcome and safe (and a bit heavier because of all the kanelbullar, totally worth it though).
Being part of nature
You begin to realise that you’re truly a part of nature. Not in a “hippie” way, but if you’ve lived in a city for all your life, you tend to forget that humans are just a part of nature instead of ruling the entire world. Driving for hours along endless roads in the middle of nowhere is absolutely magical.
You see more stars than ever before and sometimes spot a moose or a deer jumping away. I feel much more self-confident and healthy now, work and school stress haven’t been on my mind ever since I got here.
I will start university in a few months here, and I’m really looking forward to it! Finally I will be able to study while I’m relaxed and surrounded by nature and people I feel comfortable with. I completely understand why people go to Asia on their gap year: it’s exciting because it’s far away, and there are so many different cultures!
But really, the Swedish culture is just as quirky sometimes (they have Easter Witches instead of Easter bunnies, for example…). Find a farm or other place to volunteer at, and travel the country. I promise, it’s worth it!
3 responses to “How a gap year in Sweden helped me in many ways”
Are there many gap year opportunities in Sweden? Like a live in job?
Hi, my name is Wieke, and I’m also from the Netherlands. I’m 17 years old and I hope to finish high school in a few months. I’ve just been declined for my study of choice, so now I’m thinking of taking a gap year. I’ve been to Sweden twice and I’m in love with the country! So, a gap year in Sweden would be awesome! I can’t really find any programs, do you have any tips?
Hey Wieke! Ik antwoord wel in het Nederlands 🙂 Super leuk dat je een tussenjaar neemt! Ik vond heel veel leuke dingen op de website http://www.workaway.com. Hiermee bespaar je ontzettend veel geld, je betaalt eigenlijk alleen voor je vliegticket en dingen die je buiten je “werkdagen” doet, en je ontmoet heel veel internationale mensen. Zeker een aanrader!
/Lydia