Back to reality: Returning to campus after a year abroad

After a year of blissful ignorance of real academic pressure, I’m back and am now experiencing what I can only describe as a reverse culture shock. Clearly, not everything stayed the same in my absence. One moment, I was navigating the trams of Gothenburg, the next I was standing in the rain outside my campus accommodation, wearing slippers and explaining to the Residence Hub that I’d locked myself out of my room. When I was a Fresher, doors never self-locked. Apparently, that’s no longer an acceptable excuse.

After spending almost a year in Sweden, returning to university accommodation felt familiar, but not quite the same. First of all, I’m surrounded by Freshers. Their late-night pres are a stark contrast to my quiet evenings spent watching Strictly Come Dancing or going to the student cinema (yes, I am still a loyal member). The age gap isn’t dramatic, but it’s noticeable. A year abroad has aged me, in ways I hadn’t expected.

Coming home and walking through the familiar aisles of Tesco felt surprisingly emotional

Sweden has definitely left its mark on me in ways I didn’t fully understand until I returned. I now own a recycling bin for my bedroom, and it physically pains me to see someone throw food into the general waste. Sweden’s environmental standards have clearly embedded themselves into my daily routine.

Even walking through campus feels different. There’s been an entire rebrand, with new logos and merchandise, even updated colours. Speaking of colour, I was almost blinded by the pink structure now sat right next to the library. It’s as though the university moved on without me.

Interestingly, I didn’t experience much of a culinary culture shock while living in Sweden. I never quite developed a love for pickled herring, but I do miss all their delicious pastries. Coming home and walking through the familiar aisles of Tesco felt surprisingly emotional. Scanning my Clubcard was a small but welcome return to familiarity.

With my dissertation, group projects, and essay deadlines on the horizon, the pressure has definitely returned

Yet, amid the familiarity, what I hadn’t fully anticipated was the loneliness. Most of the people I knew from my lectures and seminars before my year abroad have now graduated. It’s easy to forget how long it takes to make acquaintances and learn names and faces.

That said, the isolation hasn’t been all bad. One of the greatest differences between the University of Gothenburg and Warwick is the presence of societies. In Gothenburg, they were rare; here, they are everywhere. I returned to the groups I knew. The Boar, where I’m now matching WhatsApp profile picture to real human faces. DofE society, where I’ve found a few familiar faces and already been to the pub. And RAW, the student radio station I tried during Freshers and decided to revisit in my final year – a full-circle moment if you will.

Academically, there have been many changes too. I’ve returned to lectures, seminars, and assessments that actually carry weight. While exchange students are expected to pass their courses, the year abroad was definitely lighter in pressure. When I stressed over an assignment in Sweden, I reminded myself I only had to pass, and the anxiety would diminish. Now, in my final year, the stakes are back. With my dissertation, group projects, and essay deadlines on the horizon, the pressure has definitely returned.

Coming back hasn’t been easy, but it’s clearer now what I want from this final year, and what I’m working towards

I miss Gothenburg. I miss the endless walking around the city. The Skansen Kronan fortress where I went to clear my head. My beloved cat café. A walk around Warwick campus only takes me about half an hour; it feels small now. It feels like rewatching a favourite film. The initial thrill is gone, but the comfort remains.

The truth is, I wasn’t ready to start my final year before I left. I was uncertain about my direction and unsure about what I wanted to do after university. Sweden changed that. I took journalism courses in Gothenburg that I never would have been offered in Warwick. I don’t have a concrete plan yet, but I no longer feel lost.

I find that a year abroad is often framed as a detour or a holiday, a temporary break from real life. But for me, it was the most important part of my degree. I hate to sound cliché here, but I have returned to Warwick not just older, but wiser. I have come back to the same place, but I’m no longer the same person. Coming back hasn’t been easy, but it’s clearer now what I want from this final year, and what I’m working towards. I just need to remember to take my key with me when I leave my room.