Studying in Lapland
Hei! My name is Arina, I am 23 years old and I come from Switzerland. At the moment I am doing my last semester of studies to become a primary teacher. I had the opportunity to spend my fifth semester in Rovaniemi and in this interview I will tell you something about this time.
First Impression in Lapland
My first impression was, that Lapland is a flat place with a lot of trees. I actually was informed because of my mother who was in Lapland before, but I did not expect it this same of a landscape throughout the eight hour train ride. But I must say, I found it quite nice and relaxing because of this mass of nature which I experienced the day I arrived. I wanted to experience something completely different to my home country Switzerland and it was completely different, which I am grateful for. I was interested in the Lappish nature, in the northern lights, the cold, the darkness but of course also in the beautiful Finnish summer. Actually every season has a lot to offer and is special in its own way. I saw the beauty of every season, I experienced the light and the darkness as well as the warmth and the cold in Finnish Lapland. I saw a lot of different places and Lapland seemed to me as a non-stopping landscape, which was so new and exciting for me.
Studies and Student life in Lapland
I appreciated studying at a small University. You get to know the people better and I felt welcoming every day. Even tough not every course was what I expected, I earned a lot of knew and different knowledge (e.g., about the Sami people or the Finnish history) which not every exchange student can tell. All in all, it is good to inform yourself about the courses, because I was really disappointed by one of them, just because I expected something completely different. But that was just one course. Also, the amount of word was manageable and there was a good balance between school and free time which was not really used to. Furthermore, there was a lot of independent work which was important for me, because I felt treated like an adult and not like a student in my home university. But that’s another thing and depends. All in all I am happy with my course decisions, especially with the global education courses, and I felt at the right place at university of Lapland. The biggest difference with studies at home is that I could choose my courses by myself and I had to organize and arrange them, that there are no overlapping. In my home university, every seasonal schedule is given and I can’t change anything. What is different is in addition, that there are much more lectures than at my home university.
Living in the arctic circle
I mean, who can say living five months in the arctic circle of my friends in Switzerland 😉? I think not that many. It felt different but in a good way. I realized how free I felt because Rovaniemi is not that big and with the car you are fast everywhere actually. As I mentioned above, the landscape above the arctic circle is huge and seems non stopping that’s why I felt in a way freer than being back in Switzerland in a big city. Also, the people and the culture is different but I learned a lot and I felt so at home with time. My daily life here is: Either I was at university studying in the library or the reading room, or I was out in nature somewhere, mostly with my dear friends from all over the world. Then we organized some dinners or some party’s, we went on trips for a few days, went to Ounasvaara, went hiking, biking, ice skating, x-country-skiing, blueberry picking, shopping, did some more cooking together and so on. My daily life in Lapland was influenced by the people, especially the exchange students and my flat mates. Because Rovaniemi is so small, you are forced to do a lot with people unless you are not that social, but in my case, I loved doing so much with my friends.
Most Interesting Experiences in Lapland
Of course, the NATURE! It is so different to what I was used to in Switzerland. Yes, I missed the mountains, but I got to see so much more. For example, the reindeers, the blueberry forests, the huskies or the northern lights. In the forests you get lost (in a good way) because they seem so untouched by people, that was special. Most important thing I have learned is gather your people together, go on trips, experience the nature of Lapland and pack the right equipment for your stay. And of course, drink one or the other beer together. Just soak all the special vibes in!
The best experience in Lapland is for sure the northern lights, the snowboarding in Ruka and the blueberry picking in summer. It is so uncommon but so special, something one never forgets. It is a place now I will carry forever in my heart with all the made experience and all the loved people. It is different and at the beginning of course it takes a little of getting used to. But I know that I had the best five months I could have wished for. Lapland now is kind of a calmingly and beloved place which I will go back for sure one day!
Study and Corona time in Lapland
I was here for autumn semester and I left Rovaniemi in December. Corona didn’t play that much of a role, it was just that some courses couldn’t take place at university, but that was not bad at all. The situation in other countries is so much worse that it didn’t bother that much if you think about it.
What is one thing you want to take back home! Appreciate what you have and soak in all the different aspects of Lapland in comparison with your home country. Also meet a lot of people and enjoy the time together, it is so worth it!
Read more about Lapland Life in our Lapland Blog
⇐ Written By Claudia Martens ⇒
