Hej hej! My name is Samantha Erickson, and I am a first-year student at UW-Madison. I am majoring in International Studies and Scandinavian studies and living in Norden House in Adams Residence Hall. I was born and raised in Dubuque, Iowa, right on the other side of the Mississippi. In my free time, you can catch me watching Gossip Girl on Netflix, biking down University, or just enjoying some cheese curds in Four Lakes. My interest in languages started early, as I have studied Spanish my whole life and even had the opportunity to study abroad in Spain during my junior year of high school. Interestingly enough, it was there that I decided I wanted to learn Swedish. I always knew a vague story of my Swedish ancestry, but I never thought much of it until I met some actual Swedes in Spain. Speaking to them made me appreciate more of the culture and made me immensely intrigued. From then on, I began to practice the language on Duolingo and finally took my first [official] class here at UW-Madison. I am very excited to be in Norden House and cannot wait for all of the events we have planned out. Stay tuned to hear about all of the exciting plans like Filmen Fredag and Kubb tournaments. Hejdå för nu!