When coming to Sweden with DIS, there are a few options as to what type of housing one gets to be a part of. All the options have their ups and downs, but each one are extremely unique. There isn’t perfect fit for you, but a little research will help you to find the the best fit. To help, I’ll be writing this post about my Studentboende in Arsta (pronounced like Orsta). It is my home for this semester and I hope to tell you all about it. So let’s get going. Welcome to Skontorpsvagen 27!
First things first, students boend up having a great time.
I’m sorry for that pun, but it is the truth! The Studentboende is an amazing opportunity to get to know fellow DIS students and local swedes, at the same time. In most cases, people living on either floor end up living in doubles which is a great way to make friends in a low commitment sort of way. Additionally, the communal cooking and dining area is awesome for a number of different reasons.
It is a massive space with tons of seats for whatever you might be looking for. I’ve seen intimate conversations at a one-on-one dinner, or massive dinner parties where more than one table fully extended is needed. (By the way, these tables freaking extend!) But, the space isn’t just meant for eating. There’s a TV and some cozy seats for watch parties or weekend hangs. There’s an HDMI cable provided so you can hookup most computers in a matter of seconds. I know a few people who got dragged into night long marathons of Black Mirror and Avatar: The Last Airbender. It’s a space to decompress from the day while making friends, and making dinner.
If you’re living at the Studentboende, you’re going to be making your own meals. For some, that’s super scary. DIS comes into to soothe your fears in a few different ways. First, the kitchen is fully stocked with pots, pans, utensils, cooking tools, dinner ware, and even a coffee maker. Everything you could need, it’s here in the kitchen ready to use and ready to make ingredients into dishes. Second, the price of making food is highly mitigated by DIS. There are three points during the semester where you receive a gift-card to the main supermarket chain in Sweden. The ever famous ICA. The amount differs, but all in all it totals out to a bit more than $500 dollars. It doesn’t cover everything, but you will only need extra money to pay for food in the week where your card is out of money and the next one hasn’t been handed out. Sweden can be expensive, but depending on what you’re getting, food is pretty cheap. Pasta with a little meat sauce has been a true resource of good-cheap eats this semester.
This has been just a taste of the Studentboende, where I’ve been living for a few months. It’s been a great time in terms comfort and utilities, but it’s also been awesome for getting to know Swedes. On my floor alone there are at least 8 Swedish people also going to school in Stockholm. It’s been awesome to have conversation, learn a bit of culture, get some help with my language course, and even get some Swedish food tips. I was really lucky to find such a great spot in Skontorpsvagen. I couldn’t see my time in Stockholm anywhere else than here. I hope this has helped you get a better feel for the Studentboende and whether or not it’s a good fit for you. As always, you can always contact me with questions. Take care everyone!
