Interview with William Renström

What are you currently working on/with?

My PhD project is on how forest property rights in early modern Sweden were organized and contested between different groups. Today I have
been going through maps from a couple of parishes to see what formal borders between villages and farms looked like and if they existed. Apart from working on my thesis I’m also teaching an introductory course in agrarian history this semester, which I have really enjoyed doing.

How do you look back on your time as a student, what do you miss, and what don't you miss?

I loved student life in general! I miss meeting up with my friends at Carolina Rediviva or the department to study and talk (perhaps too much) all day.

How has your education influenced your professional life?

I went straight from the master’s programme into my PhD, so it has obviously mattered a lot. When I applied to the master’s programme it was with the intention of going for a PhD afterwards, and I feel like the
programme prepared me well.

Which skills that you developed during your studies do you value the most today, both professionally and in everyday life?

As I wrote above, I feel the programme prepared me well for my career. , I think the focus on research, always working with primary sources and
planning your own projects really helped me develop important skills. Especially the focus on producing a quality master thesis, for which we got very good support, was great. In everyday life, I think a history degree teaches you to parse and analyze a large amount of text and to present your thoughts in writing, which is always a useful skill. Even more
generally, I really think a broad historical knowledge gives an important perspective on almost any topic.

If you were to give current master's students one practical piece of advice, what would it be?

I will give some advice which I should be better at following myself: when working on something like a master thesis, make sure to write *every day*, even if it’s just for 10 minutes! It really adds up over time and it builds a good habit.

Favorite place in Uppsala?

It’s impossible to pick one! Perhaps norrlands nation, or the study
rooms at Carolina rediviva.

Which student tradition do you miss the most?

I love the traditional nation-life, with ”gasques” and other semi-formal events and all the associated traditions, especially the songs!

One thing you should not miss out on during your time as a student in Uppsala?

As above, I would encourage everyone to at least try taking part in some of the ”traditional” student activities at a nation! It’s also a great way of getting to know people from other backgrounds