How to stay motivated to study during Covid-19

Posted on 28 April 2020 by Tammy-Louise Wilkins

Being a final year student in Covid-19 is something no degree starter pack gives tips on. Among trying to find graduate jobs or applying for a ‘panic masters’, there are still assessments due to pass the year. I, as someone who usually finds it easy to study, have struggled acclimating. During the days where I
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Life after Erasmus+

Posted on 19 April 2020 by Tammy-Louise Wilkins

When I returned to the UK in December 2019 after spending the Autumn semester of my final year abroad in Norway, I was filled with the incentive to live the same as I had there: to the fullest. I would say yes to those coffee dates, those nights in the Student’s Union, re-join aerial fitness
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Saying goodbye to my experience in Norway and all the friends I made there

Posted on 6 January 2020 by Tammy-Louise Wilkins

The main fear I had weighing heavy on my shoulders about studying abroad is that it would be a very lonely experience. I always tried to submerge myself into the bigger groups but it never worked out; I think I learned the lesson that the bigger the group, the worse the drama enough times to
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Finding accommodation after spending a semester abroad

Posted on 4 January 2020 by Tammy-Louise Wilkins

When I first spoke about finding accommodation, I stated that I would not be paying for a property at my home institution due to the additional cost of accommodation and living in Norway. For this reason, I spent the first three months of my semester abroad searching for a short term room. After various dead
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My Last Week in Oslo

Posted on 4 January 2020 by Tammy-Louise Wilkins

My final week in Oslo was crazy one. Despite having lived there for five months, I still had so many things to discover and staples of the city to witness. So I spent my final week doing as many things I wanted to do and could feasibly do. I did not get to do everything
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Goodbye Norway: An honest retrospect on studying abroad

Posted on 12 December 2019 by Tammy-Louise Wilkins

Am I excited to go home? Yes. Am I ready to go home? Not quite. When I started the application process to study in Norway, I was conflicted in how I would cope without everyone I love at home. And since only my boyfriend would be visiting me in these five months, I was sure
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Christmas in Oslo

Posted on 3 December 2019 by Tammy-Louise Wilkins

Now that my time in Norway is nearly at an end, I have been quite quiet here as I have been busy checking off everything I have desperately wanted to do before I leave. So, whilst this will be a short one, I wanted to share my experience of the beginning of the Christmas holiday
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24 hours in Bergen: On travelling alone and things to do in Bergen

Posted on 19 November 2019 by Tammy-Louise Wilkins

The first week of October and turning another year older was not a smooth ride. In fact, anything that could go wrong, did go wrong that week. So in the very early hours of the Sunday morning that week, I booked myself a twenty-four hour trip to Bergen. This is probably the most spontaneous I have been
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Experiencing snow in Norway for the first time

Posted on 10 November 2019 by Tammy-Louise Wilkins

The first thing that just about everyone who knows me personally said when I revealed I would be moving to Norway was ‘you know it is cold and snowing all the time, right?’ Four months in my study abroad, the temperatures finally hit subzero and the snow arrived. When the temperatures were reaching just above
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The Boy comes to Norway

Posted on 9 November 2019 by Tammy-Louise Wilkins

After saying goodbye on a train platform in Switzerland four months ago, I was reunited with my boyfriend recently. As discussed in Long-Distance Relationships, myself and Ben are both on study abroad schemes so travelling to see one another has not been feasible until now. After publishing that post, many have reached out and asked how
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How to spend a day in Tromsø

Posted on 4 November 2019 by Tammy-Louise Wilkins

In the last days of October, I finally took my first trip outside of Olso during my semester abroad. My boyfriend was visiting and, as a gift to one another, we decided to take a short break in Tromsø. Living in the south of Norway, the initial interest in travelling above the Article Circle is,
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What I have learned about having a long-distance relationship whilst studying abroad

Posted on 21 October 2019 by Tammy-Louise Wilkins

When you start university, you are often told about the fresher relationship. The fresher relationship is someone you meet in the beginning of first year and have a whirlwind romance before it fizzles out before the semester is out. Apparently not one to join the stereotype, I am here two years later with that person I met on
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Three quirky bars to visit in Oslo

Posted on 14 October 2019 by Tammy-Louise Wilkins

One thing that they do not tell you when you plan to live in Norway is that the night life is incredibly less lax, despite the drinking age being eighteen. Norwegian bars and clubs have various ages limits for entry, mainly ranging between 20+, 23+ and 25+ with fees ranging from free to ten pound.
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Spending my birthday in Oslo, Norway

Posted on 6 October 2019 by Tammy-Louise Wilkins

Call me strange but I have never spent my birthday without my family or outside of university and home. When I first got my nomination for studying in Norway, this understanding that I would neither see my family nor be at home for my birthday was instant and prevalent throughout the administration process. Celebrating a
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Light the Night: Lysvangdring langs Akerselva

Posted on 27 September 2019 by Tammy-Louise Wilkins

Every year, Oslo set up candle-lit mystical walks beside the city’s rivers to celebrate the September equinox where day and night share the same amount of hours. This week, myself and my friend, Anna, took the candle-lit walk alongside the Akerselva river where we were surrounded by eclectic art installations, live music, dance and interactive
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Hiking to Vettakollen

Posted on 22 September 2019 by Tammy-Louise Wilkins

Since being diagnosed with chronic pain and fatigue conditions nine years ago, it is fair to say athletic activity has not been on my agenda. I spent the years leading up to university learning how to manage my conditions to the best of my ability and, in my second year of university, I felt confident
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Philosophy assignments: Cardiff vs. Oslo

Posted on 16 September 2019 by Tammy-Louise Wilkins

As I write this, I have just submitted my first of seven assignments to one of the three modules I am taking at the University of Oslo. It is incredibly strange to realise that, at this point last year, the autumn semester at Cardiff had yet to begin and here I am, already neck deep
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From Vikings to Munch: A tour of Oslo’s museums

Posted on 13 September 2019 by Tammy-Louise Wilkins

One of the many things that I have quickly grown to love from living in Norway is the transport system. For £40 a month, I can travel anywhere on bus, tram, metro, and even ferry in Oslo with Ruter – the main travel service here. This means visiting the tourist attractions is incredibly easy to get to
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Making friends and dealing with loneliness whilst studying abroad

Posted on 10 September 2019 by Tammy-Louise Wilkins

After the stress of planning, shopping and bleeding money, finally making the move to the country that will be home for the next semester or year is initially a relief. But moving to another country is a monumental moment in life that comes with its trials with loneliness and do not let anyone say otherwise.
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Five reasons to visit Sognsvann Lake

Posted on 30 August 2019 by Tammy-Louise Wilkins

1. It is people friendly. As much as swimming in the Fjords was enjoyable, I did exit the water with very bloody feet. Sognsvann is a popular hangout spot for students, runners and families so it is pedestrianised to an extent. There is a paved trail for runners, there are numerous jump off points into
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My first week in Oslo

Posted on 17 August 2019 by Tammy-Louise Wilkins

It has been exactly a week since I moved to Oslo, Norway and what a week it has been. It has not been easy; there have been metro mishaps, social anxiety and general desire for a sense of geographical direction but this is a look into how I have settled into life in Scandinavia. The
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How I spent my last months before studying abroad

Posted on 6 August 2019 by Tammy-Louise Wilkins

The countdown is on; I leave for Norway this Friday. It has been a very busy month shopping for everything that I can possibly pack into two suitcases for life in Norway for the next five months as well as completing all of my administrative forms. I found it difficult to find my type of
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Erasmus+ Forms: Cardiff University vs. Universitetet i Oslo

Posted on 5 August 2019 by Tammy-Louise Wilkins

When I received my nomination to the University of Oslo at the end of January, my checklist was quite small. Over time, it grew to what it is now. I have covered my personal to-dos on finance, health and travel and so, the final part to this series is the administration for both my home university of Cardiff and my
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Finding the right travel arrangements for studying abroad

Posted on 5 August 2019 by Tammy-Louise Wilkins

Throughout completing the tasks for the financial and the medical sections of the preparation checklist, the travel arrangements I needed to make for the journey to Norway was on my mind. Unlike students travelling across the pond, I did not need to consider VISA documentation but I did need to consider when I would be travelling, who I would
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How I prepared to study abroad with long-term health conditions

Posted on 5 August 2019 by Tammy-Louise Wilkins

Health precautions can be as simple as a general check-up with the general practitioner, optician and dentist, vaccine evaluation and a supply of contraception. For others, like myself, who have long-term medical conditions, there can be more things to consider. I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia nine years ago. Both are currently incurable
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How I prepared financially to study abroad

Posted on 5 August 2019 by Tammy-Louise Wilkins

Amongst the studying abroad process, there comes the realisation that there is a lot of administration and preparation to be done. I’ve spoken about the things to consider before applying, the steps to take when applying and my personal experience of seeking accommodation for my time in Norway and it seems only fitting to continue on this trail with my
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Applying for Norwegian accommodation

Posted on 5 August 2019 by Tammy-Louise Wilkins

After getting accepted to study abroad by both my home and host university, it was time to begin thinking about my living situation. At Cardiff University, students travelling for a semester can either sublet their room through Erasmus+ or acquire a room when they return. I was torn on the prospect. There was a degree
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The process of applying for Erasmus+ with ENCAP

Posted on 5 August 2019 by Tammy-Louise Wilkins

The Erasmus+ Application is a lengthy process. First, you will initially apply to your university; upon getting a nomination, you will need to apply to the host university, and then begin the process of finding accommodation and filling out a multitude of forms. So let’s begin with the basics; the first application, being nominated and
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Things to consider before applying to study abroad

Posted on 5 August 2019 by Tammy-Louise Wilkins

Travelling is to live, or so they say, and thanks to international and European schemes, university students across the world are fortunate enough to have the opportunity to travel to a variety of countries as part of their degree. Making the decision to study abroad is one that only you can make, it isn’t about
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