Over spring break, several of our photographers had the opportunity to travel throughout the world and photograph their experiences. Managing Photo Editor Allison Engkvist spent a week in Scandinavia, exploring parts of Denmark and Sweden.
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In Scandinavia, there’s a special word locals base their lifestyle off of. While it’s difficult to entirely describe the word and there’s no direct translation, “hygge” is a sense of comfort. The term is mainly used in Denmark, but can also be heard in Norway as well. Most Scandinavians find hygge through cozy things. Whether it’s a homemade pastry, a warm drink, a soft blanket or a roaring fire, this feeling is an essential part of every Scandinavian’s life. For me, I found my hygge through photographing and exploring different parts of the city. There’s no right or wrong use of the word. Hygge is meant to invoke a a feeling of happiness or at peace. In my time in Scandinavia, I tried to capture the essence of hygge.