Top 10 things to do in Finland

Finland, the nation of 187,888 lakes is strangely not famous for its lakes. The first thing that came to my mind when I thought I’d move to Finland was “Nokia”. Strangely enough, Moomin and Sauna were also Finnish inventions. All my childhood, I thought Moomin were Japanese which is a common misunderstanding.

Filled with natural beauty all around, reflecting what Finland is depends on what time of year you come in, and they have drastic differences. It is highly recommended you come either in the middle of summer, or middle of winter. Trust me, you do not want to be here during the transition phase where everything looks dull, dark and depressing. Almost the whole nation understands English, even though Finnish and Swedish are the official languages. You will have no problem getting yourself around as important information everywhere are posted in at least 3 languages.

So, as someone who has lived in 5 cities in Finland and travelled almost all around Finland in the past 7 years, here are the list of activities I highly recommend you do when you are in Finland.

(Note that I have not listed anything in Jyväskylä because I would like you to go out of Jyväskylä and explore Finland. You will get to know Jyväskylä once you are here, and make friends.)

1. Santa Claus Village, Rovaniemi

Your childhood dream will come true when you meet the real Santa Claus and his reindeers. Easily accessible by road or air, Rovaniemi, Lapland is one of the most visited city in Finland. Being inside the arctic circle, you get a certification for that as well! (woo hoo!) People from around the world flock in to meet the main man, and rent a Husky or Reindeer sledge. You can pet/feed them after their hard work and learn about them from their caretakers. Accidentally came in the summer? No worries, Mr. Claus will be happily playing golf or going about his business and you can meet him at that time too.

2. Sleep in a glass Igloo (Ivalo, Lapland)

You are already in Lapland, why not travel just a little further to spend a night in an Igloo where you can witness the Northern Lights? As students, the price comes steep at about €300-450, but hey, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Not like we are going to come to Ivalo every week or so. Something to tick off your bucket list, maybe?

3. Sauna (cold swim)

Pronounced SA-UU-NA (not so-na), one of the ingenious ways to fight the cold, build up your immune system, start a conversation and sit awkwardly NAKED with strangers. Yes, it is common practise in Finland to go to sauna naked. Some places even have signs illustrating no underwear is allowed. It is also common that all households have a sauna in their apartment, and in student apartments, a common sauna is available. Absolutely the best place to make friends!

Sauna experience, in my opinion, is better in the winter next to a lake. Primarily, because you dig a hole in the frozen lake, take a dip in it (or if you are adventurous, take a swim), run back to the sauna, and repeat it over and over.

4. Helsinki Cathedral and Senate Square (Helsinki)

One of the first things you find in the web when you search for Helsinki is this white church with green roofs and golden spire. The Lutheran Cathedral is the most iconic monument in Helsinki, which overlooks the Senate Square and the harbor. It is open free to anyone, even to photograph and take videos inside. In winter, the senate square has a setup of Christmas market, and a few minutes towards to harbor are the “tori” markets where vendors sell their goods throughout the year. The senate square is also the main point of all public concerts, occasions, protests, new year celebration (though it happened elsewhere last year). The harbor is also where you can get your ride to Suomenlinna.

5. Suomenlinna (Helsinki)

The fortress island of Suomenlinna is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Suomen meaning “Finnish”, and Linna meaning “Castle”, it was a fortress and has dungeons. One of the most windy places that I’ve been to, I advise proper clothing.

This is also the place from where you can wave goodbye to travellers in ferries going to Stockholm. It is the go-to place for picnic if you don’t want to go too far, but want to have an experience.

6. National Parks

Did you say you came in the summer and are an avid nature lover who loves hiking? Well, I’ve got brilliant news for you! What if I told you there are numerous national parks where you can hike, pick berries, grill your food, swim, boat and camp for free? Nuuksio (Espoo), Urho Kekkonen (Lapland), Repovesi (Kouvola), Archipelago (Åland) are the most visited and the most recommended national parks in Finland. I visit Nuuksio at least once a year to camp out the night, BBQ and boat around peacefully during the summer.

7. Moomin World (Naantali, Turku)

I told you about the famous Moomins and what an amazing experience would it be to see the moomin house in real life? Well, just a few hours west from Helsinki, in the previous capital of Finland, Turku, is where the Moomin World is located in. You will feel like living a fairytale. The house you have been watching in the cartoons in real life! Meet and greet with all the moomin characters and get yourself something to remember by. Why not visit the Turku Castle when you are already there, huh?

8. Amusement Parks (Helsinki, Tampere)

Another of my yearly tradition is Linnamäki. It is a non-profit amusement park in Helsinki. Entrance and 9 of the rides are free, including a panorama of Helsinki and a 4D cinema. You can get a day ticket for €39 which will let you ride all rides unlimited times for the day. There are over 40 rides which includes roller coaster, underground aquarium and water splashes, and I assure you, one day is not going to be enough!

Another alternative closer to Jyväskyä is Särkäniemi amusement park. It is located in Tampere, and features a mini zoo, planetarium, aquarium, museum, observation tower and water activities. The day ticket is €19.90 when purchased online.

9. Oodi and Kamppi Chapel (Helsinki)

Inaugurated on December 5, 2018, Oodi is the newest attraction in Helsinki. It is in the heart of Helsinki, in between the Helsinki Music Centre, Finlandia Hall, Sanoma House, Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma and the Parliament Building. Sounds like you can visit all these places at once when you decide to visit here. Oodi is an open space which acts as a library, meeting place, workspace (yes, as an office for the day), repair space or anything really. Interested in 3D printing, laser cutting, sticker printing, heat pressing, sewing, badge machine or handicraft? Oodi has got you covered!

10. Stroll around Helsinki Wooden houses (Vallila, Helsinki)

Something that does not get any praise is the place where I live currently, Vallila. Vallila, Käpylä and Vanha Porvoo are places places where you can witness a different colorful side of Helsinki. Wooden houses that date upto 300 years can be found here. Hidden from the glimmering lights of the central city, Vallila is 20 minutes by tram (or 7 minutes by metro to Sörnainen), where you can stroll through the town. 

A nation covered 70% by forest, wood was the primary construction element, and is still used to completely build a Mökki (cottage) and saunas.

Biplob Bhandari, Student Ambassador

MSc in Information Systems

Now that you have applied for your master's at JYU, what's next?

First of all, Congratulations, if you have applied to one of our masters programs. You took a fantastic decision for yourself. We understand, applying to your dream program is not an easy task. We have been there in similar shoes as yours, and it’s hectic sometimes. This required your advanced planning and immense dedication. Hopefully if everything goes right for you, soon you could become one of us, a proud citizen of JYU. Specially now, it can be very tempting to know what’s next now that you have applied! We get it. Don’t worry!  

In this post, we have summarized the important dates you need to mark on your calendar so that you can sit back, just wait for those dates to come & meanwhile give your mind some relaxation!

Possible Skype/personal interviews: by February/March 2019

The interview is the next round of the application. It takes a little bit of time for the departments to select the preliminary applicants for this second round. If you have been selected for the interview round, you will be informed via email by February/March 2019 and be given a specific date for your interview. The interviews usually are 30-60 minutes long, depending on the programs, but still you will be informed about the details in the email. So, don’t worry!

Final Result declaration: by 2 April, 2019

After the interview, the department will compile the results & select the best applicants. (We hope they select you!) Then by 2 April, university will send out your dream official admission letters. Note: the admission letter will mention whether you have been offered any scholarship or not. 

Accepting the study place: by 23 April, 2019

Once you have been offered the admission letter, you will be given three weeks to accept your study place. That means by 23 April, you will have to accept the offered study place in the studyinfo portal. Please note that it is not possible to accept the study place after the given deadline, nor is it possible to cancel the acceptance after accepting the study place in Studyinfo. So, don’t miss out on the deadline and study place acceptance.

Tuition fee payment deadline (if required): 31 May, 2019

If you are required to pay tuition fees, you will be asked to pay the tuition fee for the 1^st academic year before enrolling, and that deadline on 31 May, 2019. Further instructions on tuition fees and enrolment will be sent to students with the Letter of Admission.    

Deadline for conditionally admitted students: 15 July, 2019

If you get conditionally accepted, you must graduate from your current degree and related certificates (degree certificate and final official transcript of records) must be received by JYU at the latest on 15 July, 2019. So, if you haven’t graduated yet, this is one very important date you want to mark on your calendar.
Beginning of study at JYU: August/September 2019

And finally, given you have crossed all the mentioned hurdles, you will be likely to begin your study here at JYU by the end of August or beginning of September of 2019. Wouldn’t that be exciting? XD


Personally, I remember my ecstatic joy after receiving the much-anticipated ‘admission letter’. It was one of the memorable moments of my life. I could possibly write pages after pages about that very moment. But that’s a write-up for another day maybe! Hope you get to experience a similar moment in the coming days & become one of us, a proud citizen of JYU. 😊

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Leave a comment, let us know what you want us to write about next! 
You can also reach out to us on facebook & Instagram where we constantly try to keep you updated and answer your queries about life at JYU.

Abrar Hossain

Student Ambassador

Masters Student in Digital Marketing & Corporate Communications

Leisure activities in Jyväskylä

Finland is often admired for its clean nature. When you arrive to Jyväskylä, you soon realize that nature is all around and very near. You can admire its beauties in every season. It is very nice to go for a walk or jogging to a forest, maybe on one of several “luontopolku”, which means nature trail.




During your walk you should look around if you spot any animals like squirrels, rabbits or birds, and breath the fresh clean air. Under the Finnish everyman's right (http://www.nationalparks.fi/hikinginfinland/rightsandregulations) you are allowed to pick up wild berries and mushrooms, so go and collect a tasty snack or dinner straight from the nature! During summer, blueberries are literally everywhere!







In warm summer you should enjoy the proximity of many lakes around Jyväskylä (the region is called “Finnish Lakeland” for a reason). Go to have a picnic with friends on one of the public beaches, go to swim or rent a boat or SUP (stand-up paddle) board.






 Majority of students use bike for getting to university, but you can use it also for discovering the beautiful surrounding areas. If you are not familiar with Disc (or frisbee) golf, you might be surprised seeing Finns “playing frisbee alone” as some of my friends described it, but it is a real sport and it is interesting to try it ;-)


                  



When the snow in winter comes, the landscape changes to winter wonderland! You can do downhill skiing in the local skiing center or give a try to typical Nordic sport – cross-country skiing on many tracks around the city. When lakes get frozen and the ice is thick enough (so it is safe to walk on it), the city of Jyväskylä makes a 3 kilometers long ice-skating track on the main lake Jyväsjärvi, just next to a university campus. If you are brave enough, you can visit “avanto”, which is a Finnish word for a hole in the ice, where Finns go to dip in ice cold water after sauna :-)



You can do many outdoor and indoor sports in Jyväskylä. Check an earlier blog post to find out more: http://studentambassadors.blog.jyu.fi/2018/12/be-sporty-at-jyu.html

From indoor activities, you can visit one of the museums in the city. Are you interested in art, nature, famous Finnish architect and designer Alvar Aalto, local culture, planes, etc. Jyväskylä offers museums about all these topics.



Tomas Varcok
Student Ambassador
Masters in Information Systems

An interview with the president of AIESEC in Jyväskylä: Meri Taipale

As a new student in the university, you do not know where you can meet like minded people. Some might like photography, some might like partying, while others might like leadership sharpening. Me, as a new student, wandered from one student group to the other trying to fit myself into the University culture. It was a few months later that a new friend of mine introduced me to his friends, and I found a like minded group.

The common factor - AIESEC. All of them were AIESEC members, whose influence led me to join them. It made my stay in Jyväskylä 100 times better than it was. I hope this article makes you take the leap, join AIESEC, make friends, recruit volunteers, and travel while making the world a better place.

This is a short interview with the Local Committee President of AIESEC in Jyväskylä, Meri Taipale, who is a good friend and a classmate of mine.

Tell me something about yourself!

I am a 25-years-old, studying Master’s in Information Systems science, I am a very usual student. I like listening to music, watching movies, painting and playing the piano. On the outer world, I like hanging out with my friends, going to music concerts, and volunteer work.

What made you get involved in AIESEC?
If someone wants to become a member, AIESEC JKL organizes recruitment in the beginning of

My friend was an AIESECer, and told me about the organization. After a while I wanted to do something useful for myself and my society. Since I liked volunteer work and travel, I joined the organization.

What is AIESEC? What does it do?

AIESEC is a global youth-run organization. Basically we organize different kind of volunteer projects around the globe. We market them at the university and occasionally organize projects in Jyväskylä area. Our focus is on young people and their development. Our goal is to reach as many young people as possible. We focus especially on developing leadership skills in youth.

How is AIESEC different from other internships/employment to young students?

We focus on the society and making the world a better place to everybody. We also focus on specifically developing leadership skills in the youth since we believe that is one key thing to make the world a better place.

Why should students at JYU join AIESEC?

Students should join, because in AIESEC you learn a lot how to work in international teams, about project management and how to lead international teams as well. It gives the members practical understanding. And helps them to figure out also what they want in the future, and to discover more about themselves. From a student’s point of view, it is also a place to make new friends from many different faculties and nationalities within the university.

How can I join AIESEC?

If someone wants to become a member, AIESEC JKL organizes recruitment in the beginning of every semester (January and September). More information can be found in the AIESEC in Finland website: https://www.aiesec.fi/

They can also be in contact with someone in AIESEC JKL directly and ask them about it (in this case its best if they contact Nadine: nadezhda.zubova@aiesec.net).

What activities has AIESEC planned for new students?

We usually organize info stands and lecture bashes to promote our operations to students. We sometimes organize different kind of events also around the uni. What we offer for the members is the opportunity to participate in promoting AIESEC, take care of a person who goes abroad, or organize a project in Jyväskylä.
Most popular events are Global Village, which happens periodically throughout the year.

Any message to new students reading this?

Being an AIESECer is a fascinating challenge that doesn't leave you cold for sure. It is an organization where you can also meet a lot of amazing and ambitious people. Truly recommended.

Biplob Bhandari, Student Ambassador
MSc in Information Systems