Tag: university of Oulu

Defining Academic Excellence: Six Different Exchange Perspectives

The University of Oulu has hundreds of exchange students, but have you ever stopped to think about how all of our education systems compare? Lindsay Jamerson got the idea for this story after playing a round of card games with a group of exchange student friends. "We were all talking about our exchange and the ways it was different than we expected. First it started with the weather, the brave ones wishing it was colder and the romantics hoping for snow, but slowly, our conversation shifted gears and we drifted to the land of academia", she describes. In this article, six students with different studies, backgrounds, and home countries answer a couple of questions about academics and how education in Finland stacks up against their own experiences and expectations.

Ihmiset In English Opiskelu

TEKSTI Lindsay Jamerson

KUVAT Anni Hyypiö

Juan Judel Palazón, 22, Spain
Home University: Universidad Complutense de Madrid
Major: History

What does academic excellence mean to you?

That probably means getting the highest grades in a career, but I think that’s without taking in account whether you enjoy your studies or not, so it’s a superficial view focused on competition only. A University student shouldn’t only focus on getting the best grades but also getting competences and enjoying what he/she is doing.

What are some of the differences between your home institution and the University of Oulu?

There are differences. Here I have less assignments compared to my home University. In Spain we have more hours of lectures and practically I almost have no exams. This means for me a huge contrast between my life as a student here in Oulu and in Madrid. Also, I have noticed this University is more focused in sciences which is good, but maybe there could be more humanities related events or seminars. Another very positive aspect of the University of Oulu is the easy access to those who want to practice some sports. The infrastructure of this University is really good (like buildings, libraries), and of course the restaurants of the University with its special prices for students.

What about the University of Oulu was the most appealing to you?

In this case I would say the place, also some of the international history related subjects were interesting for me as in my home University we really focus only in Europe. But in this case a great part of my interest was in the country and the environment themselves. I have always been curious about the northern countries and I wanted to see what living here is like.

 

 

Cedric Freisenhausen, 24, Germany
Home University: Ulm University
Major: Molecular Medicine Double Degree (Ulm/Oulu)

 

Why did you choose to study abroad at the University of Oulu?

I was offered two Double Degree programs in cooperation with Padua (a university in Italy) and Oulu Universities. I wanted to be among the first students going to Oulu University, as Northern Finland seemed more interesting to me. I was excited about a real winter, scandinavian forests and northern lights. Also the first students going to Padua a year before me weren’t too happy about the teaching there.

What are some of the differences between your home institution and the University of Oulu? Specifically the classroom environment.

I have chosen a six week and a three week course and practical work. The six week course was really different from the teaching from my home university, as the teacher was adjusting the course’s contents according to our previous knowledge. Both courses were quite interactive and students were encouraged to ask questions and to discuss the content.

In my home university, I cannot do practical work for credits. I am really glad that I can do it here.

Another difference is the approachability of teachers. Here, they wanted to be called by their first names and you could see them in their office when the door is open. In Germany, you call the teachers Prof. and by their second name and seeing them can be quite difficult.

If you could change one thing about your academic experience here, what would it be?

I wouldn’t change a lot in my experience here. There was a practical part of one course in which the instructions were rather bad, but apart from that, the experience here is wonderful.

 

 

Morgan Neering, 19, United States of America
Home University: University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Major: Elementary Education

 

Did Finland’s reputation in education influence your decision to study here? If not, has that changed after a quarter?

Yes, Finland’s reputation in education was the number one reason that I chose to study at the University of Oulu. As an education major in the U.S., I have constantly heard about the Finnish education system, and how they consistently score high in international tests, such as PISA. Many of my professors in America have talked about Finland as being a model of education, and have shown us documentaries about Finnish teachers and classrooms. Coming here has been an amazing opportunity to expand my knowledge as a future teacher, and learn from the Finnish school system.

How different is Linnanmaa campus from your home University?

The Linnanmaa campus is very different from my home University. For one, everything is connected, which is so great. I’m not really a fan of the cold, so I really appreciate the layout of the Linnanmaa campus. At my home University, all of the buildings are separated. This is ok, since North Carolina doesn’t really get that cold, and the farthest you would have to walk is 10 minutes if you live on campus, so that’s not too bad.

Here in Oulu, there are a lot of cafes, and places for students to gather together on campus. This is something I really wish my home University had more of. I feel like it’s a great way to connect with people in your classes, as you can quickly grab a coffee or pastry with them after class. I also really enjoy the inexpensive coffee, that’s definitely a plus. At my home University we have a Starbucks on campus, where you’d pay anywhere from 2 to 5 euros for a coffee. So, the 30 cent coffee is great.

Another big difference between the two universities is the fact that there are no dorm buildings or student housing options on campus here in Oulu. There are also no athletic fields on campus.

Overall, many of the differences between the two campuses are purely aesthetic. Students in both countries spend a lot of time drinking coffee, studying in the library, and spending time in class. So, while there are differences, I’d say there are more similarities.

What modes of education from the University of Oulu would you like to see your university at home adopt?

One of my favorite things about the University of Oulu is the laid-back teaching style of the professors. You often call them by their first name, and have the chance to have meaningful conversations with them inside and outside of class. I have had amazing professors back home as well, but I think that the laissez-faire style of teaching is so great, and something I would like to take back home. I also wouldn’t mind if our classes started 15 minutes past the hour, that’s something I could get used to.

 

 

 

Clara Ducatillon, 21, France
Home University: Ecole de Commerce à Paris et Lille
Major: Business with a focus on Finance and Purchasing

 

What are some of the differences between your home institution and the University of Oulu? For example, are there any differences regarding the professors?

There is no particular differences regarding professors: they provide good feedback and are very available to support our personal learning. More based on personal and individual learning than face-to-face courses.

One thing that is different for me is that here, professors are really, really demanding regarding articles, reading and theoretical aspects of the learning. Here, there is no written exam, evaluation consists on learning diaries and group works only. The semester is split in two periods and we have different courses in which one. Courses planning is provided at the beginning if the year

How does your home curriculum differ from what you are studying in Oulu?

Well, I am interested in purchasing and finance. I chose my courses before coming so that it fit with my personal curriculum as well as the global goals I have. However, some courses here overlap with what I have already learned in my home university, which is fine, but it can be quite boring to review so much. Also, the University of Oulu’s business school doesn’t offer a lot of purchasing and negotiation courses and they are less abstract and more and analytical, mainly oriented on theory and highly demanding regarding theory. There are lots of articles to read.

What’s your opinion on the campus facilities?

There are a lot of positives about the Uni’s facilities. The campus is really nice and there are lots of restaurants with various cheap food options. ESN is one of the best aspects of campus life as they have affordable trips and events for exchange students. It has been really great to have a kummi student because she introduced me to all the hot spots on campus, the library facilities, and the city.

One thing that I haven’t enjoyed about campus is the sports center, I live in Tirolintie and if I want to do sports, I have to come to campus by walking or bike. Besides, I feel facilities offered there are not great and the courses of fitness are taught in and geared towards Finns, which is not really efficient for me, as an exchange student. I had to sign up at another gym.

 

 

Luiz “Dudu” Veriato da Silva Junior, 21, Brazil
Home University: Pontifical Catholic University from São Paulo
Major: International Relations

 

What does academic excellence mean to you?

For me, academic excellence means getting prepared enough to participate in the market. It doesn’t necessarily mean that I know a lot about my area but that I’m going to know enough to work well and to be a good professional. Additionally, the name of the institution that I choose will open some doors for me just for the fact that I studied at a prestigious university.

How has study abroad changed the way your interpret academic excellence, if at all?

It makes me realize that the university is not all about learning properly. It is more related to learning how to work. I was expecting that my study abroad courses would challenge me to think and that I would learn things and not just reproduce knowledge in tests, but I realize that all around the world, the exact meaning of academic excellence is about preparing us to participate in the market. They teach you the basics so you can just work and learn more when you are working.

What are some of the differences between your home institution and the University of Oulu? Specifically regarding the testing or finals.

There is few differences. For me, the learning methods (classes and texts) are the same. The length of the classes is different which is good. In Brazil we have 4 hours of class every day and tons of texts. Here is a little bit easier, which is really good to have more time to do other stuff.

The testing is more chill here and you write essays more than do tests, which is awesome. In Brazil we have tests as our finals in almost all the subjects. The structure of the university is great, which is the most impressing thing, and i loved the fact that the field trips are free. Besides that, everything is mostly the same.

 

Maithé Lievens, 20, Belgium
Home University: University of Ghent
Major: Linguistics & Literature: English-Swedish

 

What was the thing that shocked you most about the school system here?

The exams in the middle of the semester shocked me: it is so fundamentally different from what I am used to. We are used to having a designated time period in which we have nothing but exams, with a period of 2 weeks to a month between our courses and the exams. These big exams are also usually the only factor that makes up your final grade. This results in these exams being really hyped up and big, while in Finland, the opposite seems to be true. They are rather normal things that just happen in the middle of the week, on any time of the day. Most of them are only one small part of your final grade. It suffices to say that this really shocked me in the beginning: suddenly I had to focus more on tasks and assignments instead of the exams. It is such a completely different system that I really had to get used to.

What are some things you like or don’t like about your studies at Oulu?

I generally really like the school system here, since it divides up work/exam time very well. The tasks are great substitutes for exams, and I feel that they evaluate better than an actual exam. That said, I personally don’t like the how the semester fluctuates in how many courses you have and how every week’s schedule is so different. Maybe I just like a fixed schedule, but it makes for situations where one week you have nothing to do and another week you are drowning in work.

If you could change one thing about your academic experience here, what would it be?

I wish I had known something that many Finnish students have now told me about: the workload in the month of November (or just the middle of the semester in general). Since I am used to only having to study and meet deadlines at the very end of the semester, the amount of presentations and group works caught me off guard. I wish I had anticipated this, so I could balance it out better.

 

Read more: University in the USA vs University in Finland: An Honest Comparison, Student Culture, Four Seasons, Fantastic Finnish People, & Sauna: Life in Oulu as an International Student.

 

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Lindsay Jamerson

A 20-year-old exchange student studying Peace and Conflict Studies and History. She can be found blessing her friends with fun facts and random knowledge, and spreading the love with no-bake cookies. Live your best life, her common catch phrase and the panacea of all impossible questions, includes activities like baking, hugs, psychology, and Netflix.

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Lindsay Jamerson

Oulu Student Magazine’s print edition makes a comeback next year with four print issues

OYY’s Student Council decided in 2015 to cease the print edition. Since 2017, the magazine has been published online, except for one printed freshman issue in the Autumn. The print issues’ comeback was made possible by support from the University of Oulu. However, the decision does not mean that from now on there will only be print content – the online magazine will also continue as usual.

In English

TEKSTI Juho Karjalainen

KUVAT Anni Hyypiö

In Finnish.

The Student Council of the Student Union of the University of Oulu (OYY) decided that four printed issues of the Oulu Student Magazine shall be published in 2019. The decision was made in the Student Council meeting on December 3rd, during of the budget discussions.

The print edition ended because of a decision by OYY’s Student Council in 2015. Since 2017, the magazine has been published online, with the exception of one yearly print issue.

Financial support from the University of Oulu makes the comeback of the print issue possible.

“The university has promised to buy ad space from the print magazine for an agreed upon sum, and thus pay the extra expenses that are caused by printing four issues,” says Anni Hyypiö, the Editor-in-Chief of the magazine.

Thus, the print issue will not cost the Student Union any extra, but instead the printed issues will make growing advertising revenue possible.

Print issue adds to campus development

The negotiations Jouko Niinimäki, the rector of the university, and Editor-in-Chief Hyypiö had during the Autumn are behind the print issues’ comeback.

“I remember Ylkkäri from when I was a student. It was an important medium and it was easy to grab an issue and read it in the office or while drinking coffee,” says Niinimäki.

”Printed magazine adds to campus development and well-being, especially as the University of Applied Sciences arrive here. One does not necessarily open and read the online version as often.”

Rector Niinimäki stresses that the university does not want to intervene in the magazine’s contents and journalistic choices of in any way.

“The magazine creates a connection between the students with the teachers. It is good to have a medium that follows the journalistic principles operating in the university community. It even has a certain watchdog journalism -feel, and one can read about the student’s side of things in the magazine. It helps with finding the right direction in developments.”

According to Editor-in-Chief Hyypiö, preserving the journalistic independence of the magazine has been a given to both parties from the get-go.

Print brings new opportunities

Editor-in-Chief Hyypiö is very pleased with the Student Council’s decision to bring back the print issues

“I see a lot of plus-sides and opportunities in the print issue. It will have a big impact on the visibility of the magazine. Although the online version has found its readership, some readers have expressed their hope for the return of the print issues. We want to serve all our readers as well as possible.”

“We see a lot of potential in the magazine. Where the last couple of years have seen cuts everywhere, this autumn there have been a lot of instances where the need for finding alternative sources of money has been expressed. This will be just that, as soon as we get the commercial cooperation up and running. Besides, a physical magazine is, well, physical. Even if the online news in the magazine can be found in, for example, Tuudo, it is a whole different experience to read a physical, printed magazine during e.g. a coffee break. Additionally, it has been a great joy to notice that this a force that brings the whole university community together, and it is not only read by the students but the members of the staff as well,” says Kalle Parviainen, the Chair of the Executive Board of OYY, commenting on the decision.

Publishing online will continue as usual alongside the print issue and the contents will support one another. Since the print version comes out only four times a year, its contents must withstand the wear of time.

“Naturally, you will be able to find quick news articles online, and the quality of both formats will remain high. The print issues are a great way to highlight the best stories even more and to reach as large a readership as possible,” says Hyypiö.

The plan is that the print issues will be distributed on the campuses, meaning that you will be able to get your hands on a magazine at Linnanmaa and Kontinkangas.

“The new print issues will be aesthetically pleasing magazines that are filled to the brim with sustainable and interesting journalistic content – so not just the familiar online magazine on paper,” says Hyypiö.

The preparation process for the print issues’ comeback began in earnest only after the Student Council’s decision was made, so many of the details will be made clearer only during the end of the year. However, Hyypiö dares to promise that the first print issue will come out in the beginning of next year.

Translation: Minna Pukari

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Juho Karjalainen

Oulun yliopiston alumni, joka on valmistunut tiedeviestinnästä filosofian maisteriksi.  

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Juho Karjalainen

The Faculty of Education is moving, students say farewell to the old premises at night school

The Faculty of Education relocates to new premises during the end of November and December. The students who are moving from the northern end of the campus to the vicinity of the center lobby are concerned about having to give up old seminar and lecture rooms, as well as about the quality of indoor air in the new facilities.

In English

TEKSTI Mirko Siikaluoma

KUVAT Matti Räty

In Finnish.

The relocation of the Faculty of Education, which has been on the agenda since 2016, is moving forward according to schedule.

If all goes according to plan, the move from the northern end of the campus to the vicinity of the center lobby to make room for the Oulu University of Applied Sciences is completed during December, and teaching in the new facilities starts in the beginning of the year 2019. The packing of moving boxes has already started, in preparation for vacating the teaching facilities.

“We will stop using the current teaching facilities on November 23rd. The last week of the month is reserved for packing and the first movers will arrive on December 3rd. The schedule for the relocations has been organised according to hallway sections. The last one to move is Lastu, the day-care centre, that stops operating on December 11th, on the very last day the moving company are working,” says Petteri Klintrup, the Academic Officer of Music Education, who is the person in charge of the move from the Faculty.

According to Klintrup, there have been some delays in getting the new facilities; the Faculty got into the new facilities – that were originally promised to be ready by the beginning of November – on Tuesday, November 20th.

The only uncertain factor in the new teaching facilities are the acquisition of audiovisual equipment, as the university is still waiting to receive offers on them.

“Whether or not we will get the delivery on time is uncertain, but there are plans for substitutive systems,” Klintrup states, and assures that there is no need to worry about problems with teaching.

Students unhappy with the information flow from the University

The relocation of the faculty has sparked a noticeable amount of criticism among the students of educational sciences, especially towards the information flow from the university. The lack of information can be seen especially when students wandering the hallways of educational sciences are asked for directions to the new facilities.

Tino Nissinen, fifth year Primary Teacher Education student who acts as a student representative in the moving committee of the Faculty of Education, says that from time to time students have been saddled with too much of the responsibility to keep people informed.

“The idea has been, that people in the moving committees inform other students, and that should be enough. Of course we have done a lot through the Facebook page that was set up to discuss this move, but the main responsibility to inform people about a process such as this should fall on the faculty or the university,” Nissinen says, commenting on the flow of information from the university to the students.

Nissinen finds problematic the fact that in the early stages most of the sharing of information was done through the Notio intranet service.

“University administration thinks that students read it, but actually it only reaches the most active students and students working with the Student Union.”

Nissinen mentions that student actives have updated information to HUTK:n ja KTK:n muutto -Facebook page. The University would have liked to utilise the platform to spread the information they have, but the administrators of the page did not want that.

“The idea was that if a couple of students could make that work so well, the university should be able to set up a similar page. Not that we wanted to just keep the page to ourselves, but we wanted to make clear that the channel was for information from student representatives,” Nissinen says.

The guild facilities of Student Societies and OLOhuone café will be located in what is called the “heart” of the new facilities of the Faculty of Education. Student society logos are featured on the glass wall.

Uncertainity about move

The most prominent change resulting from the relocation of the Faculty of Education will be the loss of seminar and lecture halls. In 2019, the university will probably be playing a sort of musical chairs with such facilities – when competing on who gets to use limited facilities the early bird catches the worm.

“Teaching that used to take place in our seminar and lecture halls will in the future be conducted in other campus facilities, which will introduce its own challenges as most facilities are already being used. The University’s projects to build new teaching facilities will be finished by the end of the year 2019”, Petteri Klintrup says, shedding light on the situation of the upcoming year.

Nissinen believes that the lack of space in 2019 will affect the work of the teachers more than the everyday grind of the students. There is nothing new about constantly changing classrooms to the students.

“We will find out whether or not there are enough teaching facilities when we’ll get there. That has been one of the factors that have increased uncertainty about the move. We are constantly assured that there will be enough space to study for everyone in the new facilities, and I trust that,” Nissinen says.

The quality of the indoor air in the old facilities of the Faculty of Education has especially been on the students’ minds. Tino Nissinen assures us, that the quality of indoor air have been high on the agenda.

”Each time people have contacted me personally I have said that the new facilities have been renovated as thoroughly as possible: they have been stripped down to bare concrete, cleaned, and dried, all the required measurements have been taken, and, all in all, the facilities have been reconstructed keeping the indoor air and general healthiness in mind as much as possible.”

Varying Facilities for Studying in December

The faculty’s new facilities lack only the finishing touches. Petteri Klintrup excitedly shows us the new “heart” of the faculty, where OLOhuone, the café of OLO ry will be relocated.

The new music education facilities also get praise from the person in charge of the move, although, not only praise.

“If I have to say something negative, they have been stingy with the square meters,” Klintrup states.

The new facilities of the faculty have been designed to answer the needs of today: some of the wall in the new classrooms can be opened, some are made of glass, the growing number of handheld electronics can be seen in the number of electric sockets that have been generously installed along the stairway leading to the guild room.

But before teaching can start in the new facilities, the Faculty is facing a challenge: a homeless December.

The old teaching facilities are to be vacated on November 23rd, but teaching is to continue like normal in December. Everyone must be prepared to special arrangements, Klintrup notes.

“Some of the lectures might be organised outside of teaching facilities. The faculty does not have a common action plan to apply to organising teaching, but instead the teachers have been given the responsibility to organise their own teaching.”

People have known about the December month of evacuation since spring so they have been able to prepare beforehand: some of the teaching is to happen in unoccupied facilities, and on some courses, lectures where students have to be present have been rescheduled from December to other months.

Tino Nissinen believes that it is possible to pull-off the special arrangements in December but thinks that the situation is especially challenging for teaching practical and art subjects.

Student Opinions Can be Seen in the End Result

When planning the new facilities, the faculty thought that it was important to get new up-to-today’s-standards teaching facilities, but to also get good guild facilities and to make sure that the OLOhuone café would remain in operation.

Tino Nissinen gives praise to the university’s manner of taking students’ wishes into account in both the preparation and the execution process of the facility project.

“We as students have had just as much power in the matter as the personnel. Our wishes have been taken seriously and even executed, which must be a result of having representatives from the faculty personnel as well as from the construction and the architect companies who execute the project on the moving committee”, Nissinen says, describing his experience the moving committee’s work.

In practice the students’ input can be seen, for example, in the student society logos that have been stuck to the glass wall of the guild facilities. The detail was executed as a result of a proposal put forward by Tino Nissinen.

Although students find space for improvement in the preparation process, Tino Nissinen sees one clear plus side in the new location.

“Previously we were located in the northern end and have had to walk long distances to get to the centre lobby if there was a lack of teaching facilities. The new facilities are located in the vicinity of the centre lobby, so distances will be shorter.”

Just before they leave, the Faculty of Education organises a night school to students of education sciences on Thursday, November 22nd. The day after the night school the doors to the old teaching facilities will be closed.

Last chance for flashlight tag and classroom discos – “Night school is our way of saying good-bye to our dear education sciences wing”

Before students of education sciences relocate, they will spend one night in the old familiar end of the campus. The event that has become a collective way of saying good-bye to the old studying facilities was born last spring as a wild whim of Karri Hurskainen of OLO ry.

“It is difficult to say, how I came up with the idea, but from the get-go it seemed like a cool, once-in-a-life-time thing. We knew that the faculty relocation was in the cards and that the facilities would be emptied out, so why not organise an event in the facilities that have served all people in this faculty for so long” says Hurskainen, a fifth-year student of Primary Teacher Education, recounting the reasons for organising a night school for education sciences.

According to Hurskainen, the night school theme is a perfect fit for education sciences students who are orienting to the school world. The idea resonated in the more than appropriate target group.

“Approval came first from the other student societies, then from the attendants and the head of security. Then the idea became an oportunity. After that, active members of each subject society have been planning and pitching ideas on how to make this work,” says Emma Määttä, a third-year student of Primary Teacher Education, shedding light on how the idea became reality.

The organisers of the night school wanted to bring an elementary school feel to the night, which is why they have promised to organise traditional activities related to night schools and childhood. One of the classrooms is transformed into a disco for the night and spin-the-bottle and flashlight tag are also promised to be on the agenda.

“I think the most exciting part is that we get to stay and make and evening out of hanging-out with other students who have also studied there. I mean, that was always the most exciting part of the night schools in elementary school,” says Inka Lohiniva, a third-year student of Early Childhood Education, describing her expectations of the night school organised during the night between Thursday and Friday.

“Night school is our way of saying good-bye to our dear education sciences wing. We are celebrating in our common facilities for the last time before relocating to the middle of the university to study. The event is also a great way of bringing together all the subject organisations operating in the faculty,” Emma Määttä sums up.

We asked: What are your expectations regarding the new facilities of the Faculty of Education?

Iina Järvinen, in the last stages of her master’s degree in Primary Teacher Education

“I do not know when they are ready. The information we have received has been confusing and the graduation for my class has been pushed back, as courses have been moved around and no-one has known whether it is possible to do the courses at another time. The past autumn has been full-blown chaos, because the time tables have been constantly changing.”

Sanni Päkkilä, in the last stages of her master’s degree in Primary Teacher Education

“There has been confusion in the air and the information flow has been a bit lacking. The organising has also been lacking, and no-one seems to have really known, what is going on. If you were to ask me, how to get to the new facilities, I would not know.”

Samuli Rysä, first-year student of Music Education

“There has been a lot of talk about it. The biggest concern is the quality of indoor air and that everyone can be there. I was worried about rehearsal spaces, but now I have heard that they are going to be great.”

Translation: Minna Pukari.

Edited 13.10.2023: Samuli Rysä’s picture removed by request.

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Mirko Siikaluoma

Oululainen toimittaja, joka nukkuu liian usein liian vähän ja bongaa kirpputoreilta korneja levynkansia.

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Mirko Siikaluoma

Hi, 5 Places to study other than the Pegasus Library

The Pegasus Library at the University of Oulu is one of the best places to study. It is quiet, comfortable, and you have access to everything you need. However, for many of us, the library atmosphere might actually feel overwhelming. In that case, we can try one or several of the following five alternative places.

In English

TEKSTI Marcelo Goldmann

KUVAT Marko Heikkinen

Tellus Innovation Arena

If you don’t want to go very far from the Pegasus Library, there is the Tellus area where you can find a cozy place to study by yourself or with classmates. There are several open tables, covered areas, and even closed cabinets where you can study for your next exam. If you have a large group of classmates to study with, you can reserve one of the meeting rooms.

As an added bonus, you can rest in the Nest or even take a nap for a while to recover your energies. Moreover, you can easily get a small snack, coffee, or tea at the TellUs coffee shop. Try the espresso! And hey, the students of Kontinkangas campus: your very own Tellus Kontinkangas will be finished in the autumn of 2019!

 

Home

Studying at home is a double-edged sword. While you’re at home, you’re the master of your surroundings, the queen or king of your castle. You can decide how to study, where to study, what music to play, and how often to take breaks. You can prepare the snacks and drinks you like whenever you want. However, many people find working and studying at home very difficult because of all the distractions. It is somehow much easier to procrastinate at home than in a strictly study environment like a library. However, with a little discipline, you can find that sweet spot where you can comfortably study without procrastinating too much.

 

A classmate’s place (or your place with a classmate)

If you find it hard to study on your own, you can ask a classmate or friend to study with you, either at your place or theirs. This will allow both of you to keep each other motivated. Certainly there’s the risk that you will both feed each other’s procrastination, so make sure you are in the right mindset to study together. As an added bonus, you can ask each other questions that you don’t understand. Two heads are better than one.

 

Coffee shop

Some people find it easier to study when there is real life ”white noise” in the background, such as the noises found in a coffee shop. Sure, you can also get those coffee shop sounds online, but nothing beats the real thing. It’s always nice to have someone else serve you coffee and cake, even if you have to pay for it.

 

Outdoors

If you prefer a more naturalistic approach, you may find the peace of mind needed to crunch all those books in the outdoors. You can go to a quiet spot in the forest and enjoy the daylight and the soft swaying of the trees and the pleasant sound of the wind.  Just make sure it’s a nice warm day without wind or rain.

 

Bonus tip: Whether you prefer the silence of the library, the versatility of home study, the noise of a coffee shop, or the peace of nature, the important part is that you set little goals for yourself. If you set unrealistic goals, like reading two textbooks in a day, you will find yourself demotivated. Instead, try setting more down-to-earth goals.

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Marcelo Goldmann

A Doctor of Chemical Engineering from the University of Oulu. "Life is like a rubber duckie, you gotta keep it afloat to see its splendor." Instagram: @marcelogman

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Marcelo Goldmann

The Faculty of Humanities moves to new premises in August, the students and staff of educational studies at the end of the year

By the end of the year the faculties of Humanities and Education in the University of Oulu are no longer using the northern end of the Linnanmaa campus. The Faculty of Humanities is moving in August, and the Faculty of Education in December.

In English

TEKSTI Anni Hyypiö

KUVAT Anni Hyypiö

In Finnish.

In August, a great number of moving boxes will move on the Linnanmaa campus.  The Faculty of Humanities is moving from the northern end of the campus to new renovated premises on the old side of the campus.

The Faculty started their move on the 1st of August, and the old premises must be emptied by mid-August.

The relocation affects both the students and the staff of the faculty. Together with the faculty, subject societies and the Humanities Guild, cafeteria Humus included, move to new premises.

New premises mean shared rooms

The new guild spaces will include three shared guild rooms and one common storage room.

One room will be shared by Gieku and Verba, one by Suma, Communica, and Index, and one by Tiima, Kultu, Timppa and Meteli. The new guild spaces will be accessible between 6 am and 10 pm without the 24/7 Campus Card, and also around the clock with the 24/7 Campus Card. The guild corridor will also include one locked exterior door.

The premises are bright: everything is clean and dazzling white. The change has been extensive – everything apart from the load-bearing structures and the exterior walls has been redone, says Jarmo Klytseroff,  the account manager of Temotek.

“New surfaces on the floors, new windows, new ceilings, new roof, new doors. The metal doors are old.”

New guild rooms are meant to be shared. One room will serve two or more student organizations.
New guild rooms are built to be shared. One room will serve two or more student organizations.

The new premises of the faculty staff are located a few floors above, on the third floor.

The staff premises are divided into two lamellas, or in other words, corridors. The eastern lamella is now renovated on behalf of Temotek, and the other one was already renovated about two years ago. The faculty’s new workrooms are mainly shared between several individuals, and their sizes vary from twelve square feet to about forty square feet.

Like in the case of the guild spaces, the general impression consists of dazzling whiteness and brightness.  According to Jarmo Klytseroff, the rooms will look very different after furnishing.

The premises in the third floor will host the teaching staff, management and the administration of the Faculty of Humanities. The study affair services of the Faculty of Humanities has moved to Opintokatu, to the premises of the former Student Center (KE1020).

Now the local services of the Faculty of Humanities, the Faculty of Education and the Oulu Business School (HuTK-KTK-OyKKK-local service team) and the local services of the Faculty of Natural Sciences and the Faculty of Technology (LuTK-TKK-service team) can be found there. Matters such as study certificates, transcripts, extension of study rights and academic year enrollment are taken care of in these service points.

Although chairs and tables will be placed on the corridor as well, the new Humus will contain less seats for customers than previously. Humus was open for the last time in its previous location on June 15th.
Although chairs and tables will be placed on the corridor as well, the new Humus cafe will have less seats for customers than previously. Humus was open for the last time in its previous location on June 15th.

No sounds, no odors permitted

Jarmo Klytseroff states that the worksite has been very challenging. When the renovations are conducted next to spaces that are continuously in use, disruptive sounds or odors should be avoided.

“Additionally, a lot of communication is required: weekly announcements have had to be constructed very carefully.”

But everything has gone well, and in schedule, even slightly ahead of schedule.

The renovated premises were handed over to the University Properties of Finland (SYK) on Wednesday, the 20th of June. Before the premises were handed over, final cleanings, electricity measurements and automation adjustments were conducted.

The representatives of humanist subject societies visited new premises on the 11th of June. Pictured: the Chair of the Board of the Student Union Kalle Parviainen, Outi Niemi, Heli Paaso-Rantala, Miriam Putula and Emilia Käsmä visiting the Humus cafe's new kitchen.
The representatives of humanist subject societies visited new premises on the 11th of June. Pictured: the Chair of the Board of the Student Union Kalle Parviainen, Outi Niemi, Heli Paaso-Rantala, Miriam Putula and Emilia Käsmä visiting the Humus cafe’s new kitchen.

The Faculty of Education will move in December

While the new premises of Faculty of Humanities are complete, the situation is different in the future premises of the Faculty of Education.

In June the renovations were three weeks behind schedule. The project will be completed on time, promises Timo Haverinen, the facilities engineer of the University of Oulu.

“The renovations are complete by the end of October.”

What has made staying in schedule difficult is the fact that the time between the planning of the renovations and starting the renovations has been very short.

“The time between the planning period and starting the renovations has been incredibly tight. When you are planning at the same time, the chance of any surprises increases”.

The students and staff of the Faculty of Education will be able to move to the new premises in the beginning of December. The old premises must be handed over to the University Properties of Finland (SYK) by mid-December. When the premises have been emptied, SYK will start the arrangements for the University of Applied Science’s move to the northern end of the campus.

Changes in restaurants ahead

The future move of the Oulu University of Applied Sciences (Oulu UAS) will have an effect on restaurants on the Linnanmaa campus. As the number of customers grows by thousands in the future, more restaurant spaces are required.  This means that Foodoo and Mara, restaurants located in the northern end of the campus, will be renovated.

Foodoo will be renovated this year and Mara and the first floor of the zoological museum will be renovated during the Oulu UAS’ moving renovations between 2019 and 2020. The renovations will add over 600 customer seats to Foodoo and around 300 customer seats to Mara.

Foodoo and Mara will close their doors due to the renovations in two phases. The restaurant Foodoo, located opposite the zoological museum, closed its doors around Wappu, and the renovation of its kitchen is currently ongoing. The basic renovation of the restaurant will be completed in spring 2019. Before that, the customers on the campus are served by a temporary kitchen on the first floor of the zoological museum. The museum’s exhibition area will also be furnished as a temporary restaurant hall.

The temporary kitchen in the zoological museum will open its doors in the beginning of the autumn semester, on the 3rd of September.

Mara will close its doors as Foodoo is opened. The renovations for the new premises of the Oulu UAS will begin in phases around the northern end of the campus, starting this September.

Oulu University of Applied Science will move to Linnanmaa in autumn 2020. After the move, over 20 000 people will study and work on the shared campus.

Translation: Joonas Pelttari.

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Anni Hyypiö

Oulun ylioppilaslehden entinen päätoimittaja. Twitter: @AnniHyypio

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Anni Hyypiö

Party in a bus and Club 16 – Is there Wappu for international students?

If Wappu would be an exam you’d get full points just for showing up. Then how come international students are a rare sight at Oulu’s Wappu parties?

In English

TEKSTI Marko Heikkinen

KUVAT Anni Hyypiö

International students might have noticed how the atmosphere at University starts to feel more relaxed at the end of April. Finnish academics wear their student overalls in the open and they might even crack a smile or engage in small talk. This unusual behaviour is nothing to be worried about though.

It’s just Wappu.

For Finns, Wappu is an integral part of student life. Traditionally Vappu is celebrated on May Day with a hint of politics, as people march on the streets and hold public speeches. Student Wappu is a whole different kind of creature with over two weeks of varying events and mischievous behaviour.

In Oulu the students can have a party in a bus, attend to a event where students of Humanities use a huge crane to put a hat on the statue of Frans Mikael Franzén or just be outside and enjoy the occasionally smiling Finnish spring sun and the company of their fellow Wappu-goers.

For any weird social conduct you might see during these weeks it’s good to remember that ten or so years back your professor might have been the one who tried to open a wine bottle with a toothbrush before bursting into an emotional song about bourgeoise.

Although it might seem like it’s from a different planet, not all international students find Finnish Wappu alien.

Mihaela Ivanova is a international Master’s student in Education and Globalization. Currently, she works at Erasmus Student Network that provides opportunities for cultural exchange for international students.

”This is going to be my second Wappu”, she says. ”I was queuing for Wesibussi overnight. Other than that, I want to attend day events like Teekkaritalo barbeque.”

 

Oulun ylioppilaslehti 2018.
Mihaela Ivanova is a big fan of Wappu. “I would encourage everyone to try Wappusitsit. Even if you don’t know Finnish the songs are easy to read and sing.”

 

Originally from Bulgaria, Ivanova has lived two years in Finland, and before that, she did an exchange two years ago.

The best part of Finland? How inclusive the country feels for international students.

”I haven’t had a situation that I didn’t feel welcome at Wappu celebration”, she says.

 

Is Wappu a closed event?

Although Ivanova finds Finnish Wappu inclusive, happy and special, it can be confusing to international students. The lack of information doesn’t exactly help the situation.

As the recent ISB survey reveals, students are dependent on the information their kummi tutors share. The problem is, the quality of kummi students vary a lot, and not all of them are active in the student life.

”When international students see the Wesibussi line at the campus, they are asking, why is it so serious?”

 

Oulun ylioppilaslehti 2018.
“Wesibussi has been the most memorable Wappu event for me”, Mihaela Ivanova says. Picture from Ivanova’s Wappu album.

 

Ivanova thinks it’s a big problem that the largest and the most important events of Wappu are not advertised.

Organizers think that because their events will be sold out anyway, the extra effort isn’t worth it. Word of mouth will do.

”Wappu is such a Finnish thing so very often all the information is in Finnish”, Ivanova says.

Finnish students might think everybody knows when tech student freshmen jump in the icy river and when it’s appropriate to make a toast in public while wearing overalls, but it’s not as easy to understand for international students who are not used to two weeks of Wappu.

When the knowledge of biggest events is taken for granted, the events become invisible.

”I haven’t seen any advertisements for Wesibussi. Maybe that’s why I and my flatmate were the only international students queuing overnight”, Ivanova says.

 

What’s this tippaleipä?

The lack of knowledge and the feeling of being left outside gives birth to a shadow Wappu. International students prefer their own unofficial parties where there’s no entrance fee, no cloakroom, and the students can bring their own alcohol. Cheap and cosy.

Some of those secret events have been hosted at legendary Club 16, the nickname for the student parties held in Yliopistokatu 16.

”Years ago Club 16 was really crazy but now I think the parties have shifted towards Tirolintie”, Ivanova says.

Although Ivanova has an active and positive attitude towards Finnish Wappu, she tells her fellow international students are not so impressed. They are left alone to solve this complicated puzzle of marching Wappu people and the sugary pastry that looks like dried up tentacles, tippaleipä.

The lack of interest shows it clearly: Finns are really good at Wappu but they don’t speak about it enough.

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Marko Heikkinen

Äärimmäisen vakava kirjallisuuden pääaineopiskelija, joka kutsuu itseään "muoti & lifestyle" -toimittajaksi.

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Marko Heikkinen