Is Finland just a cold country?

As I come from a tropical country, my first impression of Finland is that it is only a cold country. And yes, it is true, but it is not the entire truth. Finland also has four seasons, which can be clearly seen throughout the year. The smell of tuomi, the white flowers with a very pleasant scent gives away the arrival of spring. The snow shows the sign of melting and everything wakes up after a long cold and dark period. Even though it is a city, it is possible to listen to the lively birds singing every morning. The air is incredibly fresh and the trees in blossom is a delight. It is the time for everyone to try new hobbies. For me, walking in the nature is the best one.

When I start to feel the daylight that seems to be endless, the unique summer definitely amazes me. I am filled with energy and excitement to do many kinds of activities such as sunbathing on the grass, swimming in the lake, riding bike on the route to the countryside. And of course I can’t miss spending my time in summer houses/ cottages, which is a very typical habit and cultural feature among Finnish people.

Feeling the heat in the sauna and dipping in the chill water of the lake brings peace and tranquility.

In the autumn, the colour changing of the trees and plants is absolutely overwhelming. The road along the lake to the University becomes magically beautiful. This is also the season when you are free to get nature’s gifts. I often come to the nearby forests to pick bilberries and lingo berries (very healthy, tasty and organic fruits), which can be stored in the freezer to make smoothies or bake the cakes during the year, and also mushrooms, which are local and natural delicacies.

The winter is generally the longest season. The coldness is not bad at all, but the darkness might be depressing for most people. It happens for about two months before Christmas. And my experience to overcome it is to involve myself in some kind sports (i.e. contemporary dancing), hanging out with friends and enjoy pikkujoulu (little pre-Christmas parties). The slippery road during this time of the year must be a thing to be aware of. After all, I’m pretty sure that you are going to love the snow here. Finland is one of the few countries to enjoy the real winter with all white snow around you. Don’t be afraid of the cold weather, because it is not about cold weather, but it is about how to dress up appropriately. I have tried skiing, ice-skating, ice-fishing, and even ice-swimming for the first time ever in my life. These are definitely my utmost fantastic experiences in Finland.

The weather in Finland might widely range from -30 degree celsius to +30 degree celsius, so it is necessary to check weather frequently and get dressed accordingly. This has become a habit, checking the weather every week, or even every day in the winter. However, the indoor heating system, which is of good quality, keeps one warm always. Get ready to experience the beautiful seasons in Finland!

Phuong Do-Salenius, Student Ambassador
Development and International Cooperation

Be sporty at JYU

For anyone who loves fitness and games, Jyväskylä is a perfect place as it is a sports city with sports halls, stadiums, open fields, tracks, and routes all around. In addition to all the sport-related spaces, there are over 2000 students doing their degree in sports related field at the University of Jyväskylä. There are plenty of opportunities for one to engage in sports such as the  university sports (hobby ball games and fitness and wellbeing activities), university amateur sport clubs, and science-based sports. 

University Sports: The university sports department offers a large variety of ball games and activities that are hobby-based and do not require a regular commitment. Team-sports activities include football, basketball, volleyball, futsal, and floorball. Moreover, there are games, including ice hockey, ultimate and American football. Individual ball games include table tennis, badminton, squash, and even cricket. A typical schedule of activities can be found from the link below:

https://www.korkeakoululiikunta.fi/en/academic-sports/ball-games/schedule/

The schedule below provides a list of fitness and wellbeing activities provided by the university sports.  

As it is evident, there are plethora of options one can choose from. Most of these activities has instructions in both Finnish and English. However, language is never a problem when it comes to your favorite activity! It is more important to find good friends and university sports is a great place for socializing. Apart from participating, every student has the opportunity to suggest their own sport or physical activity to university sports. Most often, if the activity appears to be interesting to a range of participants, university sports adds it to their schedule. Another interesting benefit: due to the wide range of available activities and relatively small number of students, turns are almost never too full or empty. It means you will find your space in any activities to strengthen your skill and commitment.

One year subscription of all the above mentioned university sports courses costs only 60€, which is a good price for the variety of activities. The fee is mostly used for general maintenance of facilities. More information about the prices could be found from this link:

https://www.korkeakoululiikunta.fi/en/academic-sports/dropdown/payment/payment

University sport club Riemu: In case one wants to become an amateur or professional level sportsman, there is an opportunity to join University sport club Riemu! Riemu is the club that consists of students of University of Jyväskylä and offers the space mostly for amateur sportsmen to do their sport free of charge. If you are one of such kind, feel free to join their strong teams. In fact, Riemu currently includes 18 amateur male and female teams in 12 different sports. More information about the clubs could be found from the link below:

https://www.liikunnanriemu.com/seura/briefly-in-english/

Sports Research: There is a variety of health-related and sport-related researches at the university. The university email system often offers information and students can participate in projects and learn more about their wellbeing or sports. This is a great opportunity for those who is interested in expanding the knowledge in the field of sports science.

Everyone can find their own path in sports at the University of Jyväskylä! 

One can do a hobby level of games and wellbeing activities for a small participation fee, amateur sport activities for free, and science-based activities for expanding the knowledge. All of them regularly take place at the sports facilities at University of Jyväskylä. It also helps one to find new friends. So do not hesitate and give it a try once you are over here!

Nikita Goncharenko, Student Ambassador
Sport and Exercise Promotion

Friendship Family Program

Moving to a new place 6500 kms away from home, with a completely new culture, new language, new weather and new people can be quite an overwhelming experience. This was my situation when I stepped into Finland with the curiosity to learn about the Finnish education system and gain exposure by pursuing master’s in education at University of Jyväskylä. The university kept me occupied with courses, assignments and deadlines, but it also gave me an opportunity to know more about the Finnish culture through the Friendship Family Program. This program connects the international students with the local Finnish families in Jyväskylä. I was introduced to the wonderful family of Marko and Eija with their children Sonja and Eero, and three cats.

“The activities we did with Gomathy is something we would do with our own kids when they were 5 years old,” laughs Marko. From shakily holding on to the horse’s bridle, sledging in the snow, ice fishing to plunging into the lake after sauna, I pushed myself out of my comfort zone and tried new things with the family, and experienced Finnish culture to its fullest.

Mehendi

Horse riding

Finnish Delicacies

               
More than the experiences, each one in the family became my pillar of strength and support on whom I can rely on and trust. Throughout the year of 2018, under the grey skies of November, the snowy days of February and during the sunny May, the care and concern of Marko and Eija, the love of Sonja and Eero and of course the warmth in the eyes of the cats (really!) gives me comfort and happiness. To top all of it, when my mom and aunt visited Jyväskylä and all of us got together, the Indian and Finnish culture beautifully blended together through food, coffee and conversations.

Gomathy Soundararaj, Student Ambassador

Master's in Educational Sciences

Student Tutor

 

Student tutoring at our university is one of the best programs and it makes the life of the international students much easier.

Moving away from home to a new city is exciting but at the same time very tiring! To make this transition comfortable, the University of Jyväskylä assigns a tutor to every new student.

Tutors are second year students from all international faculties who help the new students settle in Jyväskylä and at the university. Your tutor contacts you via email before your arrival and helps with all kinds of practical questions related to your trip to Finland and your stay here.

Your tutor will probably be the first person you meet, since tutors pick you up at the train station at Jyväskylä no matter what time you arrive. They also accompany you to your student apartment, show you the neighbourhood and guide you with details on everyday living like grocery store. The tutor also advises you on where to find affordable furniture, clothes or a bike. The tutor will help you during the orientation programme at the beginning of the semester and show you the student restaurants and help with the usage of course registration platform.  A tutor is responsible for a group of students, so you have a great chance to know people from diverse backgrounds and make new friends during the tutoring activities. Furthermore, tutor group will have a campus and library tour as well as a tour through the city centre including a visit to the Finnish student health service. Moreover, they help you with official matters and take you to the accommodation office, the local registry office and to the bank, if needed. And of course you can also meet with your tutor group for free time activities and enjoy the Finnish student life! 

Linda Stenzel, Student Ambassador
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

Winter Sports in Jyväskylä

Winter Sports in Jyväskylä: The Annual, International Snow Rugby Tournament

By Frederic

Many people have probably followed the recent Winter-Olympics 2018 in South Korea, and while the Paralympics are about to begin Jyväskylä has an own unique winter sport event: The annual Snow Rugby tournament, organized by the Jyväskylä Rugby Club. So why is it so unique you might ask? -Well, while in most countries the Rugby sport is vastly on hold during the cold and snowy winter month we here in Finland make the most out of it in a sportive and funny way. No need to say that we have enough snow here each year to make something out of it! 

 

The tournament, which was played with 7s Rugby rules happened like last year in Laajavuori next to skiing area of Jyväskylä. All in in all it was a fun event, especially thanks to the ladies’ teams’ disguises they individually come up with each year! This time, 19 teams participated in the tournament: They came from all over Finland as well as from Romania and White Russia to experience the cool fun.

The day ended with a huge party at the local “Escape Club”, where the winners were nominated and received their trophies. In the men’s tournament, the Kuopio Rugby Club won “the bucket”, while Turku sacked it in the girl’s tournament. Needless to say, that also the foreign teams were celebrated for their effort!

Events like this make Jyväskylä a very liveable place and commit to the cultural and sportive richness of the city. Even if it is a minor sport (in Finland) like Rugby, there is some effort made to celebrate it, and bring people from all over the world together. This is just another good opportunity to connect to the local Finish and International community whether on the pitch or by just watching the games. So if you want to experience this event first hand, you have the opportunity in spring 2019. See you there…

Be JYUnited!