WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 1:

Our last presentation of the day dealt with student union groups at the faculty. It was nice to have UH students talking to us, rather than staff! They were very jovial and inviting, and gave a ‘real’ perspective of what being a student at UH is like. They also invited us to some fun student activities like the ‘freshman party’ and fall student moose hunt.

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 2: A faculty presentation was give to all new and incoming students. This is where the Dean of International Affairs spoke to us and assigned our tutor groups. We were also given tons of information about being an exchange student at UH. The exchange program at UH is very popular. In the large lecture hall, there was standing room only! Luckily, I got there early and managed to get a good seat. Breaking out into our tutor groups, I noticed some new faces There are four other ATLANTIS students currently studying at UH that I had not met before; a girl and boy from Estonia, and a girl and boy from Poland. They had all just completed their studies at SLU and are on their way to the US in the spring. It was great to finally meet them. We were then assigned our computer passwords and new UH email addresses, allowing us to log into the UH system and register for classes, use UH resources, and change our addresses to our current Helsinki addresses! We then took off to get our student discounted bus passes. Public transportation is a must in Helsinki; they make it both convenient and affordable for students. Our group set off to the city center by train to visit the City Centre UH campus, and get general information about practical matters, a run-through of the orientation week’s activities, Helsinki and Finnish transportation and travel, Finnish residence permits (I got mine this summer while in Houghton), population registration, the Finnish Language Courses and Language Centre, and sports and fitness opportunities available. Finnish people in general, are very concerned with their health and live very active lifestyles. Biking and Nordic walking are two of the most popular activities. The university threw a ‘Freshman’ party for the new students, to allow them to get to meet each other in a more relaxed atmosphere.

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 3: The day started with orientation course sessions put on by Student Services. This session talked about networks and libraries, the LYYRA card, student health care, and student organizations we could join. The LYYRA card is a really neat way to get student discounts in Finland and abroad! I wish there was something at Michigan Tech like this! After lunch there was a brief information session on our specific studies within our department. We got to meet a lot of other students that were majoring in biotechnology and food science amongst other things. at the end of the day, we got an official UH Library Tour! Both the public and university libraries are located in the same building on campus. I got my library card, and checked out a few books on biodiversity in agroecosystems. They have a self-checkout area that is very convenient and efficient. You also have to buy a card to use the copying machines here too. It was only 2 € though. A long,walking, and grisly Viikki campus tour ended the day. The University organized another student social meeting at ‘Club Circus’ downtown Helsinki.

SATURDAY 4 & SUNDAY 5 SEPTEMBER: The weekend was full of selecting classes, working on some writing and statistical projects that are still in progress at Michigan Tech, and getting basic paperwork organized. I have already started my SLU application for the Spring semester, as it takes some time to get a Swedish acceptance letter, address, insurance, and residency permit. It was a much needed break from the structured group scheduling and group socials. I was in need of some alone time.

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 6: The early morning started with an introduction to the Master’s Thesis while at UH, followed by hours of faculty presentations. The presentations were a nice way to meet the faculty in the department and see what classes they would be teaching this year. The ‘preview’ lectures were on the Finnish landscape and soils, peatland forestry, forest types and forest site types, Boreal forests, logging and harvesting operations, and logistics. One last meeting with our tutors, and finally done with orientation! Now all I have to do is fill out an online survey about the orientation!