Hi everyone! My name is Martha, and I am a new blog writer for SPS this year. I am currently in my fourth year of an undergraduate degree in Scandinavian Studies (specialising in Swedish) and Social Policy. This means that I get to split my time between LLC (Languages, Literatures and Cultures) and SPS (Social and Political Sciences), so I’m rarely bored! I spent the last year on exchange in Uppsala, Sweden, so expect future blog posts about my exchange year.
I’m originally from the Scottish Highlands, near Inverness, so unlike many people I have to travel south to get to Edinburgh. Fortunately, Edinburgh is not an overwhelming city so moving from a small village to a capital city wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. There are so many beautiful nature areas within the city so there is always space to relax (when the weather allows!).
Academically, my interests range from Scandinavian stereotypes and perceptions to Scottish-Scandinavian policy relations. I specialise in the Swedish language, so half of my courses this year are taught purely in Swedish. This year I’m particularly excited that my Social Policy courses are so up-to-date and relevant, and I’m taking a new course in eco-social policy which is proving to be very interesting and engaging. I love being able to combine both sides of my degree into a really niche topic that not many other people specialise in!
Aside from academics, I am involved in music at Edinburgh. I play the violin and am in two orchestras; the String Orchestra and the Symphony Orchestra. Although it can be intense fitting these alongside studying, the orchestras are a great way to meet like-minded people and play some fun music! I have also recently taken up running and ran my first race at the Edinburgh Women’s 10k, which was so fun that I’ve signed up for the Edinburgh Half Marathon in May. I also love hiking, this year joining the Hillwalking Club at the university. There are so many ways to enjoy hobbies at university, and these are so important for me to have a good work-life balance.
I hope this has been an informative introduction to me – expect more blog posts soon!
“Martha, your blog title ‘Social Policy, Scandinavia, and Symphony Orchestra’ grabbed my attention! Eager to explore how Scandinavia’s progressive social policies influence society. The Symphony Orchestra addition is a pleasant surprise. As a prospective student, I’m curious about academic opportunities and insights from study abroad consultants in Mumbai . Best wishes, Martha! 🌟