Long before I started high school, or even before I learned to read, I had always felt that life was not the same everywhere. I knew I needed to see and learn more than what my city, the place I had known from my very first breath, could offer.
Not long after I started school, I learned that some of my friends could speak more than one language and had travelled even across continents.
In high school I had the chance to move abroad for the first time and prove to myself that there was so much more outside my comfort zone, and that I was ready to explore it.
I knew what I was looking for
When I was eighteen, I had gained more experience than I had ever imagined in what it was like to build a social life from a clean slate.
I was no longer looking at countries and my university options in the same way as before, and now I had a more realistic idea of what I was searching for, and what factors could give me peace of mind to focus on my education and on building the life that I wanted now more than ever.
I had always been interested in economics, and my whole high school education and A Levels were focused on economics and social sciences. However, since I had never studied at a university before and did not have much work experience, I was not sure which specific major in business would suit my interests.
Finding versatile business studies
Studying business in Finland gave me the opportunity to explore the basics of different fields within business.
The second reason I narrowed my options down to Finland was a little more personal. It was important to me that I could complete my studies in English and in a more international environment.
I also needed to consider living expenses, the visa situation, and tuition fees. There are many sources of information about the Finnish education system, but I also found Finland suitable for my financial situation, which made me consider it even more when I decided that I wanted to continue my degree in English.
By the time I was choosing a degree programme, I had done my share of research about the business world and international markets.
For years now, the corporate world has been working towards sustainability goals, so sustainability and technological development are becoming increasingly important to businesses.
I knew JYU would give me the advantage of knowing more than basic business and classic management.
It led me to more modern approaches and strategies for understanding how markets and stakeholders are evolving.
A system designed to help students
After receiving my admission letter from JYU, I was done with applying to different universities and my high school years were coming to an end. I was planning on a new page of my journal, and it felt like a whole new chapter.
It started by searching more about the city and student communities, what student would be like, and whether I would fit in. I had written pages of notes about all my documents, visa appointments, and two long months of waiting for my residency permit approval.
At the same time, I also kept up with JYU’s social media channels and student emails, trying to figure out what this new chapter in my life would look like.
I tried to keep going day by day, learning and planning more about the kind of life I wanted here. As I was doing my administrative tasks, I learned about student housing, associations and activities offered to students by the university.
It changed my perspective from seeing myself as someone who was starting their new life completely alone to learning that the system is designed to help students, some living on their own away from family and friends for the first time just like me.
I learned where to find guidance or ask for help, whether it was about my legal process or university administration. I also learned that we have tutors, senior students who help us get to know the city and student life better.
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