Embracing New Beginnings: Student Life in Joensuu
Text by Frieda Theil
It might be hard to believe when you arrive in Joensuu after nearly five hours on a train from Helsinki, mostly traveling through forests, to find yourself in the idyllic (some would call it small) town of Joensuu. However, one-third of Joensuu’s residents are under 30 years old, so the city has indeed a vibrant bar scene, cultural offerings, jazz concerts in bars, plenty of parties, different clubs, boardgame nights, and a variety of Associations and Organizations that provide all kinds of activities for students, along with a diverse range of sports options. If you want, you could fill every free minute outside of your studies with social and sports activities.
The challenge lies in knowing when and where all these activities are happening and where these offerings exist. That’s exactly what this blog post aims to address. I want to make it easier for new students to quickly build a social network, pursue their passions, or discover new interests. Maybe you’re a natural at underwater rugby but just don’t know it yet? Or perhaps you’re a chess genius? Or you might find your passion in ice swimming and sauna—all of this is offered to you in Joensuu, for free or a small amount of money.
There are people whose passion lies in sports, while others thrive on cultural and recreational activities and I can tell both types of personality’s: Joensuu has a wide range of options for both.
SYKETTÄ
SYKETTÄ Joensuu is the sports service for all students and staff at UEF on the Joensuu campus and at Karelia University of Applied Sciences. SYKETTÄ offers a vast and affordable sports program that has defiantly something for everyone. There are around 60 guided group courses, including dance classes, yoga sessions, and gym exercise courses, as well as more than 140 ball sports sessions—ranging from badminton, basketball, and football to ice hockey, floorball, tennis, padel, and even underwater rugby. Additionally, members have access to four different
fitness studios.
There is a weekly schedule, and courses can be booked online after purchasing the “SYKETTÄ sticker”. There are two options available: you can either get the Group Exercise sticker if you only want to participate in group offerings, or you can go for the Ball Sports sticker.
A highlight is always the Sport Afternoon, organized by SYKETTÄ in collaboration with local sports clubs. On these occasions, participants have the opportunity to try out sports that are not typically offered. For example, activities such as horse riding, cross-country skiing excursions, Finnish baseball, and underwater rugby have been provided. Besides the chance to explore new courses and sports every day, participants also meet many new people in the classes, which can lead to friendships formed through a shared passion for sports. All the necessary Information and the prices you can find on the Webpage of Sykettä:
ASSOCIATIONS
In addition to sports, there are also various cultural and social activities organized by the many associations and clubs here in Joensuu. Each department has its own association, and additionally, UEF Joensuu has several clubs and organizations, including those with a more international focus, such as JEIS—Joensuu’s Exchange and International Students—or Aegee Europe—The European Students Forum.
These associations and organizations organize international dinners, karaoke nights, board game evenings, excursions, and much more. Plus, UEF Joensuu has several clubs, such as the Chess Club, the MtG Guild for those interested in Magic, the Academic Dance & Music Society, as well as a Language Café and a Community for Sustainable Lifestyle. The list is long and covers nearly every area of interest.
Finnish student life also has two distinctive features that international students cannot avoid: First, the famous “Overall-Culture”. Nearly every Finnish (and also international) student owns one of those Overalls, which students will wear to mostly every social activity in the city. Each subject-related association has a specific color, and the overalls are made in that exact color. As an example, I study Law, and the Law Department has two associations with a recognition color of wine red. So, when I see other students in wine red overalls at events, parties, or around campus, I know they belong to my department.
A unique aspect of these overalls are the patches that are sewn onto them. You receive these patches at almost every social event you attend. That means, that someone with many patches on their overall has on the one hand a very active student life and is on the other hand a pretty skilled sewer!
The other unique thing you will get to know as a student in Finland are the so called SitSit´s. Personally, I had never heard of “SitSit” before, but they are traditional Finnish student parties, and almost every association organizes them. At these parties, you basically eat, drink, and sing together. Some SitSits have themes, so attendees dress up. What makes SitSits unique though are the specific rules and guidelines for these gatherings, led by one or two so-called “Toastmasters.” I won’t reveal more about it, as I believe every international student studying in Finland should experience at least one SitSit for themselves. Some SitSits are also held in English, particularly those organized by JEIS, so I really recommend attending one of those!
One challenge at the beginning of your time as a new student in Joensuu is, of course, figuring out how to find information about all these events. There are several sources for this:
On one hand, UEF regularly organizes information days, such as the “Association Days,” where various organizations set up information booths on the UEF campus in Joensuu for two days. Then there’s the KIDE App. In my opinion, the KIDE app is a “must-have,” as it lists every event, party, and gathering taking place in Joensuu and also other citys in Finland. From themed parties to board game nights and excursions to group bike rides—all of this can be found on the KIDE app, where you can also purchase tickets directly. Some events are free, and you typically
never pay more than 5—at most 10 EUR—for a party or event, often including a patch for your overall as part of the price.
Another source of information is the newsletter from ISYY—the Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland, which serves as the umbrella organization for all campus associations and organizations. The newsletter is sent weekly to your campus email address in both English and Finnish, providing updates on what’s happening on campus in the upcoming days. And of course, all Information can be found on the UEF Website:
Events – The Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland (ISYY)
In summary, I can confidently say: Don’t be afraid of feeling lonely in Joensuu or of not finding a community, and don’t let the town’s small and unassuming appearance discourage you if you’re used to larger cities. You can find everything you need here if you want to. With two universities in Joensuu, it’s an incredibly young city that has so much to offer—so look forward to it!
By Frieda Theil, Environmental policy and law Master Student at UEF