New in Norway?

Int. Students Union

In this section you will find basic information about several things concerning living in Norway. Some relate in general to how to adapt and live in this part of the world, and others have to do with filling the paperwork required to be up to date: visa, residence, Lånekassen.

Initial Arrival at UMB

Most usually, international scholar students are offered a ride from the airport, which has been a great relief and a wonderful welcome. One thing to keep in mind though, may be to know how and where to get food after arrival, since the stores have such limited hours and students arrive at all times of the day and night. But it should not be a bid deal, and transitions can be good experiences as well! J

Health and Dental Information for Students

Health and dental information can be found at Torgeir Hansens office (he is the social consultant). He has extended an open invitation to students to discuss any issues with him that they feel are important in regards to physical health, mental health and job searching within Norway. He has limited resources, but is able to direct you in the right direction for all of these concerns.

How to Dress Properly for Winter

Some items of clothing that are particularly important for Norwegian winters are:

· A warm, waterproof jacket
· Reflectors to make sure you are seen by cars, bicyclers, and other pedestrians in the darkness that we have been experiencing as the year progresses (the student board has some available in their office beside the student post office)
· A wool hat and scarf because a large proportion of your heat is lost through the head and neck
· Gloves or mittens – mittens are more effective at keeping your hands warm, due to the fact that your fingers act as heat sources for one another
· Waterproof outer pants for the snow
· Good waterproof boots that are insulated to some degree
· Wool sweaters and many insulating layers
· Underneath shirts and pants one should try to wear long underwear or a base layer of thin wool. Shirts, pants and bodysuits can be found in most outdoor or sports stores. They are long sleeved shirts and pants to be worn underneath your regular clothing and over your undergarments.
· Double layers of socks when it is really cold….preferably made from wool

Battling Winter Depression

It has been discussed that at this time of the year students begin to feel the urge to sleep all the time and feel less motivated to do anything. One of the reasons for this is a lack of Vitamin D, since the sun and the light is less easily found these days. This lack of sunlight leads to a deficiency in Vitamin D, which can lead to multiple forms of winter depression.

There are a few ways of battling this problem. The first is to make sure that you are eating properly. You can supplement your diet with Cod Liver Oil, which can be bought in any of the supermarkets. It sounds disgusting, but you only require about 1 teaspoon per day to notice the effects and it can be available in lemon flavour. Students should also make a point of consuming foods such as fish and dark green leafy vegetables, such as spinach. Spinach contains other important properties like Calcium and Magnesium that are essential during cold times of the year in order to avoid sickness.

The second way of dealing with depression is to make a point of socializing with friends and getting outdoors. Spending some time outside in the middle of the day exposes you to sunlight and helps to increase those Vitamin D stores. Moreover, socializing with friends will get you out of your room in Pentagon and improve your experience in Norway. ISU is planning to hold some events close to the Christmas period to try to maintain high spirits throughout this part of the year.

Christmas in Norway

Christmas in Norway is an important time for Norwegians. Almost all Norwegians celebrate Christmas on December 24th (yes, on Christmas Eve!). They have their large Christmas meals and open presents on this day and the morning is reserved for going to church and spending time with family (watching Christmas movies classics).

Beware, because during this time most retail stores close. They will remain open until about 12:00pm on December 24th, but will then shut down until Tuesday the 27th. There will also be reduced transportation and no staff at UMB during this time so it is important to make sure that you are well prepared before this time comes.

Updated: 21.02.06
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Inernational Students Union

ISU - UMB, Ås Email: isu@student.umb.no