Back home she studied Arts, Culture and Media. A combination of sociology, philosophy, management and marketing and diving deeper into an art form (in her case film). During her exchange studies at Stockholm University, Juliette studied Theatre and Performance Studies at the Department of Culture and Aesthetics and Film at the Department of Media Studies.

What made you decide to apply to Stockholm University?
–For holiday I would normally go to the south of Europe, so the North was something I hadn’t seen yet. Furthermore, I was very interested in Sweden’s film industry, because they make great films and series. When I saw Stockholm on my list of possible exchange cities I knew right away that I wanted to go to Stockholm.

How did you decide which courses to choose?
–Before I applied for Stockholm University (SU), I checked out the courses. SU offers a lot of interesting cultural courses. I made a calculation with the credits for the courses of my interest, made a list and decided which I wanted to take.

How do studies here at the Department of Culture and Aesthetics differ in comparison to your home university?

At Stockholm University you often finish a course with a final essay. This essay is the result of a few weeks of lectures. In the Netherlands we study more with books and have to use the information in the form of an exam, but some courses also work with final essays. In the Netherlands my lectures were almost always mandatory and more interactive than my experience with lectures here. Though I really liked the wellstructured lectures here, but the emphasis was more on self-study, which is perfect with an exchange.

What are your impressions of Stockholm and Sweden?
–I fell in love with the city. Everyday I see and experience something new. With my friends we keep exploring the city and even after five months we’re not done with exploring. I could definitely stay here for longer. The city offers so many nice breakfast/lunch/dinner places, great clubs and bars, so many nice parks, stunning views, beautiful buildings and, outside the city, amazing nature. Within Sweden I visited places from the north (Lappland) to the south (Göteborg) and everything is beautiful.

The people are well organized, relaxed, sympathetic, speak English very well and know how to enjoy life.

How would you describe a regular day as a student in Stockholm?
–City, nature, fika and a bit of studying.

One of Juliette van den Dorpel's favorite spots in Stockholm.

What is your top three places in Stockholm?
–That’s really hard to say because I saw and did so much. But three spots I love being:

1. Djurgården 
2. Norr Mälarstrand 
3. Skinnarviksberget (great for visitors).

Three great places for a hike:

1. Björnö Naturreservat
2. Tyresta Nationalpark
3. Hellasgården.

Three nice restaurants/lunchrooms/fikaplaces:

1. Morfar Ginko
2. Kaferang
3. FLFL

What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about coming to Stockholm as an exchange student?
–Bring a warm winter coat and gloves, keep exploring, because there’s so much to see and do, and save some money!