This is my speech about studying in Finland in Edu & Career Expo 2022. May you know more about Finland.😀
Good afternoon everyone. This is my honour to be here to share my experience in Finland with you. Thank you to the Finland Consulate for inviting me. They didn't pay me to do this presentation, so what I am going to say is my genuine feelings and observations about Finland, from the point of view as an alumni of Helsinki University, a reporter and an anthropologist.
I picked three words that start with F to illustrate how I feel about Finland.
The first one is Freedom.
This is a picture of the National Library of Finland. Administratively speaking, this is part of Helsinki University. Yet, unlike the universities in HK, the public can visit it even they are not its student. To me, the freedom to access knowledge is highly valued in Finland. As we all know, knowledge is power and it can change your destiny. The newest library, Oodi Helsinki Central Library, is another highlight one should not miss. It is a birthday present to celebrate Finland’s 100th anniversary of its independence. Besides books, you will find co-working areas, 3D printers, sewing machines etc. Surprisingly, children do not need to turn down their volume in the library, their sound is nicely weaved into the atmosphere as planned, as the Head of library services for Helsinki explains to the media that,”we think that the noise of the children is positive, it represents the future”. How can you not admire or be impressed by the country’s vision and mission? University students have the flexibility to choose the way to complete their courses. Courses have an option called “written exam”, which means you can complete the courses by reading a few books only and taking a closed-book exam. Theoretically you can get the credits without meeting the professors. Some lecture courses allow you to earn more credits by doing assignments. To put in another words, you can actually obtain credits by only attending classes.
You can choose your date of examination, if you are dissatisfied with your result, you can take another one, with no penalty. Your report will only show your best result. You have an exceptionally long time to complete the exam, let say, 4 hours. So you have plenty of time to construct and write down your masterpieces, no need to worry if you write slowly or think slowly. To be honest, none of these reflect your understanding of the subject. For those who finish the exam quickly, you may just leave the exam room whenever you want to. Therefore, each student has sufficient time to demonstrate his understanding of the knowledge. You are studying for yourself, studying at your own pace, not to compare with others. In fact, this should be the original purpose of learning, isn't it?
Socially, I only wanna mention one point, all the bus, metro and train fares are the same. That means you don’t need to sacrifice your valuable time for a slower but cheaper commute . The bicycle paths are well designed so you are really free to go everywhere. I think this has already solved one of the biggest concerns of students. With plenty of free time and public spaces, you are free to plan and do what you want. Everyone has an equal opportunity, or put into other word freedom to make a good life, regardless of your gender, nationality and family background.
The second word is Forest.
We know that sustainable development is the global trend in the 21th century. According to the EPI index in 2022 (Environmental Performance Index) Finland places third. It is one of the world’s cleanest and greenest countries. Living there for sure you will learn about recycling and how to manage a green city. Forest is everywhere within walking distance. Finns' traditionally and culturally respect nature. Spending time with nature is part of their daily lives. They like walking in the forest on their own, sometimes with their family and friends. Research suggests that nature helps improve human beings’ health, both physically and psychologically. Feeling small in the face of nature makes people more humble. Trust me, in every walk with nature, you will receive far more than you seek.
The third word is Freezing.
Finland has a very long dark and freezing winter. I have to say, this is one of the most difficult things to get used to. The winter clothing is so heavy. The stormy weather makes you unwilling to talk when you're walking with your friends outside. It was quite a challenge to go to school when the sky was so dark as if you were departing at midnight. There were times I thought I had to prepare dinner but that was only 3 or 4 pm. I learnt how to measure the temperature, say 0,-15 or -30 degrees with the feeling of my nose.
At the beginning you are very excited about the beautiful snowy nature. But as time went by, you started to miss the blue sky, the green trees. And you are longing so much for the sunlight. Yet, I was so grateful that my friend, Arto, who was the secretary of my department, he shared the wisdom that how the Finns survive the tough winter. He said,' winter is coming. It will not be easy, very tough, dark and freezing. However, think of the spring. Looking forward to it. This give you brave and strong wills to endure in the winter'. Although you may say, the next winter will come again after the spring. Yet, I have to say, you are already stronger and tougher after you survived the first winter.
The environment shapes a person 's personality. Finland is a country that aims at building a just and humanized society, not only for human beings, but also see for all living creatures and nature. If you are still hesitant whether to study in Finland or not, I would rather ask you to go straight forward. Why not ? Life is an adventure, sometimes with challenges. I encourage you to go and search for your own unforgettable journey. That's all I wish to share with you . Thank you.
