Hi! I’m Caroline, a current senior studying Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience through LSA. I studied abroad for a semester in Stockholm, Sweden through CGIS and their partner provider DIS during Winter 2024. During this period, I learned so much about myself and other cultures, but a lot of the lessons happened in more subtle ways than I expected. Enjoy this dramatized retelling of a minor inconvenience that taught me not to get caught up in problems and take advantage of the little lessons life has to offer!
On a painfully average Thursday evening, I was enjoying my dinner while watching Marie Antoinette (2006) when suddenly, disaster struck. Somehow, my hand went flying into the crisp glass of lingonberry juice I had poured for myself, causing a collision of epic proportions. My precious Macbook was instantly drenched in juice and I felt pure dejection.
Of course this happened the week our communal kitchen ran out of paper towels, so I wadded up a bunch of toilet paper and attempted to rescue my device. I did the best first-aid I could, finished my dinner, and went to bed assuming everything was fine. The next morning, I made a painful discovery. Every key was sticky.
Here is where the hero of the story comes into play: DIS. I emailed the IT team asking for cleaning tips and they instantly responded with a recommended repair store to ensure no further internal damage had been done. Every follow-up question I had was promptly answered and I knew I was in good hands.
So, I dropped off my laptop at the repair shop and was met with a wave of dread. What about the group project I had due? The blog post I had procrastinated publishing? The movies I was going to stream? I know this is such a first world problem, but I hadn’t planned on not having my laptop all weekend, so I did freak out a little bit.
Since I had already taken the trip to the repair store, I decided to walk around the area and take my mind off things. I stumbled across Stockholms Stadsmission which quickly became one of my favorite thrifting spots in Stockholm!
My next stop was the Årsta public library to get a library card. Without the endless options of distractions available on my laptop, I wanted to take advantage of my free time and get back into reading! The process of getting the card was super easy and I checked out an ambitious stack of books to get through.
Note: Årsta centrum is a great area near the Årsta Studentboende, with a library, movie theater, and cafe. It’s a great place to spend some downtime and there’s an amazing crepe restaurant right nearby!
I did still have a group project due on Monday, so I went old school and found a desktop computer at one of the Stockholm public libraries and did some speedy research before my time slot was up.
Now, I’m writing this blog post draft on pen and paper so I can publish it as soon as I’m reunited with my laptop. I wish I could say this experience changed me in some profound way, but I still wish I had my laptop. Nonetheless, I did a lot of things I probably wouldn’t have if I had never knocked over that glass. I’m now the proud holder of a Stockholm Stadsbibliotek card and have new favorite spots for thrifting and crepes! I guess the takeaway of all of this is to make the most of every experience, no matter how unfortunate, and don’t cry over spilled lingonberry juice 😉
