How to get more "work" experience during your studies

One of the best things you can do during your studies is getting involved in a student group of some kind. During my 5 years at LTU I've been involved in Ekonomsektionen, which is a student group that arranges different types of happenings for those who study business and economics. You can become a representative for your class in programrådet, which is a board that focuses on how to develop the courses you are taking, or any problems students have in courses. I am also the student representative at the employment board for our faculty, which is the best thing ever! What we do is we deal with the employment issues, such as interviewing new professors and so on. That is so much fun and you learn so many new things every time.

I want to encourage all students to try at least something! It is totally worth it! Not only does it look good on your resume but you also get to meet new people. Of course there is a risk that you might actually learn something new that you don't need for your education ;)

To study or not to study..

Last week I was asked to come talk to students about what it is like to study International business master. And how many business students show up? One. Only one person of three whole classes. Does that mean that only a few consider a master's degree or are they all leaving to a different university? For me it was always clear that I'd get a master's degree. It is a great way to deepen your knowledge and I'm quite sure a master's degree makes you more attractive for employers. 

I think many choose not to get a master's degree because they do not want to study two additional years. Honestly, I haven't even "noticed" these two years. What I mean by that is that time has flown so quickly that I cannot tell the difference between 5 and 3 years. I also feel more ready to start working- something I didn't feel 2 years ago. Yes, at times there is a tiny voice in my head saying "you still don't know anything", which I guess is normal. You learn by doing of course, but I also know I know a lot more now than I did 2 years ago. 

It's not exactly surprising that only one person showed up to find out about our master's program. From all the people I studied with only I continued at LTU. Some became "civilekonomer", other continued elsewhere and quite many begun to work. I'm sure all of us are doing pretty good no matter what we decided, and I'm really happy about choosing LTU for my master's. 

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel

What a week. The past weekend I was in Stockholm, because I was collecting data for my thesis (YAY!) and we also had our yearly conference. At FOREX we wish to feel connected with each other no matter where you work: HQ, Luleå, Stockholm etc, so we meet once a year for a conference which was at Munchenbryggeriet this year. It is inspiring to hear the CEO and other managers tell about the year that has been but also share their ideas for the future :) 

I got to interview our HR manager, who has won tons of prizes for Employer Branding and HR, and she had so many great things to say that I feel will help with my thesis. Also my interview with our Employer Branding project manager gave me so many new things to "add" to my frame of reference (or for for future research). Now I still have 3 more shorter interviews left and then my data collection is done. I'm just so happy the biggest part of this is done so I can start analyzing soon. 

AND, I'm soooo happy the sun is shining and you can see spring coming. Hurray!

Welcome to our place!

I realized I haven't shown any pictures from our home. Our apartment is a students apt. but it's really new. We moved in I year and 3 months ago, and we are the first ones living in here :)

Here is our livingroom. Love my new curtains!

Here is the kitchen. Not the biggest, but it works. 

But if you happen to go to our bedroom, this is what you might find!

Final countdown

It's march and spring is coming. My feelings are a bit mixed, because even though I'm feeling excited about becoming a "grown-up" with a career and stuff, it's sad to leave LTU. I know many people feel glad to leave and never want to look back, because being a student is not always fun. If you are working summers you are likely to have no vacation whatsoever, you have little money to actually do things and it is very stressful. Aaaand yet I'm gonna miss it. As I am saying this I realize that I must have lost my mind (Or the little that was left anyway). 

I still remember my first day at LTU. I was so nervous: what if I had chosen the wrong university? What if I should be studying something completely else? I'm not gonna lie, those feelings come and go all throughout your education! :D I'm really proud I get to call myself LTU alumna in few months time. LTU might not like to "advertise" it, but I sure will ;) You are not getting rid of me!

There is something I want to say to all you who are applying for universities or thinking about getting an education in anything. You are not always going to know if it's right before you try it. Sometimes it might take a year or two before you can say if it is something for you. The most important thing is that you choose a career path that YOU want, not your mom or your dad or your guidance counselor. Not all of us have a "natural" talent in something, which means we have to search a bit harder. I know people who just knew from age 2 what they wanted to be and others are natural teachers, musicians, veterinarians.. But once you find that thing, it feels even better! I'm glad we are all different - makes life interesting.  

Busy weeks.

The coming week is going to be a busy one. I'll be working 3 days, finish my interview guide, fly to Stockholm on friday for the interviews and then on saturday it's time for Forex's yearly conference, and back to Luleå on sunday. It's going to be a lot of fun! I'm so happy it's finally time for the interviews, coz it feels like there is hope for the thesis after all :D Like it's actually going somewhere. Analyzing the data is where the fun starts, so far it has been looooots of reading but not that much analyzing. 

This past week has also been quite good, despite all the sadness and missing grandpa. I have started to feel hopeful again, that things are going to turn around. I've heard people say very nice things about me, and that alone is enough to make one's week amazing ;) We also booked hotels for our trip to Paris and Geneva. In Paris we are staying at a hotel really close to the Eiffel tower! I bet the trip is going to be wonderful! I consider it being a graduation present from me to me, I'm totally worth it.  

Geneva looks amazing!

The past days I've been looking into what to do in Geneva, since it is a city that I've never even considered visiting.. Well before sunday at least. I found their official tourism webpage (geneve-tourisme.ch) and started to plan what we should see and do.

I've got to say, these pictures look amazing

Don't you just want to pack you bags and hop on a plane?

Planning the summer vacation

Oh I totally forgot.. Yesterday we booked flights to Paris. Yay, so excited! And that is not all.. We are staying 5 nights in Paris and then we'll take the train to Geneva, Switzerland and stay there for 3 nights. Pretty great :) We are leaving right after midsummer, can't wait :)

I hate mondays.

My little brother is here for a visit and he is staying the entire week.. It is going to be a long week.. Nah, just kidding.  His finals are coming up, so we've spent the entire day studying -  he has been reading and I've been writing my thesis. I've been sick since friday, so that's great. I really hate it, because I don't have time for that. But my thesis deadline does not care if I'm sick or not.. Unfortunately. 

This morning, when the alarm went off, Alma and Elsa ran to the living room and this is what I found:

I guess they were thinking: Let's go sleep with uncle-Juho, coz he likes to sleep all day long - just like us!