Meet the Fresh Batch of Freshers
The autumn term has kicked off and the halls of the university are filled with students both old and new. We have a whole bunch of brand new English students among our ranks and we’d love to introduce them to you in this super-duper-extra-special interview! You’ll also find the BTSB team’s answers to questions that the new students had about university.
Meet the new freshers!
What draws people to English studies?
When asked why they decided to study English, many freshers bring up the skill in the language and a passion for it. “I decided to study English in an attempt to combine a skill I have (English) with something I like doing (reading),” explains Iina. Many also describe English studies being the natural choice: “I enjoy speaking English and I do most of my free-time activities in English as well, so English is very natural to me,” comments Joonas. Alice brought up a general love for languages, but English studies felt like the logical choice: “I've always been good at it so it felt natural to me to use that as a gateway to get to studying more languages and linguistics.”
For some, English wasn’t an obvious choice. Sara, for one, wanted to try something new: “English was actually a pretty impulsive decision, it was a last minute change in the apply form but once I got the books for the entrance exam I decided I’d really try to get in. And here I am now!” Even if the choice hasn’t been obvious to everyone at first, it seems to feel right: “It took me a while to figure it out, but now that I have my mind set on it, I can’t see any other option,” says Henna.
Students from near and far
Our freshers have come from near and far. Leonardo, for one, ended up here at the University of Helsinki all the way from Costa Rica. “I guess, in retrospect, it’s one of those things you want to say ‘it was meant to be’,” he describes. After getting a scholarship to study in the US - an opportunity hard to come by in Costa Rica - Leonardo got together with a Finn and learned about Finland’s welfare state and the education: “Enthralled by that first image of Finland I had and propelled to continue my relationship, I decided to apply for the Master's Program in English Studies.”
Vesper from Vietnam had visited Finland twice before and says she started to understand why many people in her country speak highly of Finland. “During those two trips to Finland, it never crossed my mind that I’d ever return to this beautiful country to pursue higher education. However, it is thanks to those visits that I could actually see Finland and its people’s beauty and kindness.” A love for nature also comes up when talking about Finland: “I have always had a great love for nature and Finland is the perfect place for that in my opinion.”
Another one of our international freshers, Chilean Isabel, brings up the Finnish education system: “I decided to come to Finland because it has truly one of the best, if not the best educational system in the world. On top of this I am a teacher, so what better than having a degree from the country that knows most about education and experiencing it myself.” Isabel has worked as a teacher before and hopes she can be able to teach here in Finland.
Is there life after university?
Asking students what they’re going to do after graduation tends to result in a frustrated groan and a please-don’t-ask-me, but we didn’t give these freshers a chance to refuse answering. And there are freshers who already have clear ideas of what they want to do. Leonardo is one of these students: “My ultimate goal really is to be a professor of literature at the very university I am studying. I, therefore, also want to be a researcher, someone who complicates the reading of literature in brilliant ways.”
However, especially those starting their Bachelor studies are not often sure about the future yet and are waiting to explore different possibilities. Viljo, for example, comments: “I came here wanting to become a teacher, but I am not absolutely sure anymore. I want to explore the possibilities and find something I find interesting.” Sara is on the same page with the future plans: “I’m open to all kinds of possibilities. I’m trying to find out the most interesting areas for me so then I might know a little better what I want to do.”
What about life at the university?
Instead of thinking about life after graduation, let’s focus on the freshers’s upcoming years at the university. We asked what the new students are looking forward to in their university experience and, as they ought to, many said they’re here to learn. Leonardo summarised: “I'm truly interested in branching out to areas I haven't had the chance to explore before. I believe it's a fact that I want to be challenged in different ways so that I can adopt a wider, more universal worldview. I'm here to learn, to teach, to struggle, to talk, and to grow, daily.”
To balance the workload, university is of course also about having a good time. The freshers mentioned that getting new friends and making memorable experiences were also on their list of things to look forward to. And we’re sure they won’t be disappointed. “I’m looking forward to everything,” Henna describes. “As it is my first time in university I will soak in every experience and every bit of knowledge I can get my hands on. I know it will get tough at times, but I will enjoy every moment of this.”
BTSB’s tips for university life
Instead of only bullying freshers into answering our questions, we also gave them a chance to ask their own questions from us. So, here’s some survival tips and personal experiences from the BTSB team to help you in your university life!
Henna: “How to balance social life and studies efficiently?”
Esko: "It's important to listen to oneself on both of these aspects of student life. Try to maintain a self-care routine that is just about you doing things that make you feel good without a sense of responsibility for anyone else. When you have enough time to listen to yourself, the decisions on how to divide the rest of your time become easier."
Joonas: “One thing I would like to know from older students is their favourite things that the university or different subject organisations offer? And what would you like to say as an advice to someone looking for stuff to do or get involved with?”
Anthony: “The university offers new perspectives and new opportunities that I as a freshman had no idea about. The diversity of the different courses you can take might lead you to studies you never would have expected to be interested in. As for student organisations, they provide a sense of fun and freedom that nothing else can quite match. You'll meet new people, do things you've never done before, and basically have the time of your life. The only advice I can really give is go for it! Get involved, try new things, live your life to the fullest! Both school and student organisations have so much to offer you, so just participate!”
Alice: “It would be interesting to know how the older students’ studies have changed along the way from what they initially thought of and planned when they started as freshers themselves.”
Hanna: “My plans changed completely. I started the university certain that I would become a teacher, but realised during the first year that that’s just not for me. Instead, I focused on studying literature both in my major and minor studies and have been very happy with this decision. So, nothing is set in stone and there are a lot of options available if you start feeling like your original plan isn’t what you actually want.”
Isabel: “How hard is it to find a job?”
Elina: “Finding work in your own field before or after graduation understandably makes students worry. The best case scenario would be to get experience related to what you want to do before graduation, but it is not a given to get the chance to do that. However, there are pathways that make this whole getting a job puzzle easier. I would definitely recommend internships. You can do one during your BA and another during your MA and even get study credits for the 3-month period, but the connections and learning opportunities are yet so much more valuable. When you make your first professional connections, everything starts to fall into place and you might even end up getting a job. Try not to worry about it too much -- there are plenty of optional career paths for us, and you will eventually find yours.”
Nadja: "Have your initial plans of what you wanted to do with your English degree changed?"
Kaisa: “Well, I guess yes and no. I never had any aspirations to become a language teacher or a translator (and someone smart told me not to do the pedagogical studies "just in case"), but I always knew I wanted to write, workshop, create, meet new people and constantly learn new things. I worked odd jobs whilst studying but kept an open mind about what I really wanted to do after graduation. After reading about it and talking to a lot of people, marketing felt like a good fit and I found my job through an internship just before I graduated.”
