Eesti
Introduce yourself briefly
I am a second-year bachelor student in EBS Helsinki. This is also my second year in the HEBS Student Board and this year I’m working as a Chairman of the board. I am a multitasking Duracell who easily gets excited about new things to try or to get fascinated about. So other than working, studying or carrying out duties in the student board, I’m usually doing sports or finding something else to perform. I think the most important thing in my life is the people who I’m surrounded by, and therefore I want to become socially smarter every day.
Three facts about me:
- I am a very competitive and goal-oriented person. If I’m not playing or competing against other people, I’m probably having a competition by myself in my daily routines like cooking better food or doing my dishes faster than the last time.
- Some could say that I talk a lot. I enjoy developing conversations with different people and I’m always searching for different perspectives and ideas to my opinions and experience.
- Last but not least, I like to do mushroom picking, knitting and other things taught by the awesome grandma Kopponen.
What’s the best thing about studying at EBS Helsinki?
I think the best thing in EBS Helsinki is the overall spirit among students and even with our administration working in EBS Helsinki campus. Sometimes it feels like one big happy family. Before I started my first year, I could have never imagined meeting so many diligent, smart and amazing people sharing the same values and passions. Now I know why they call the student life the best time of people’s lives, and how it should be enjoyed and cherished while it lasts.
You were voted to be the Chairman of the HEBS Student Union for the school year 2020. What is the first thing you are going to do?
I think networking is the big word for this year and we want to network in three ways. We want to bring our Hebsters even closer to each other even though we are in module studies and see each other in class only every other week. Besides connecting inside of our school, we want to network all around Finland through other Student Unions and NESU, which started very successfully at the beginning of the year. Our goal is also to network as a Student Union. To be able to reach an equal position among other Universities and Student Unions in Finland, we also need to connect at that level too and right now I am glad to say that we have the perfect people for it!
Right now, we are hoping for COVID-19 to pass as soon as possible so we can get back to our original plan even though the situation has shown Hebster’s ability to stick together no matter what the world brings to us.
What’s the secret to good teamwork?
First, I have to say that good teamwork needs an amazing and diligent team, which we definitely have in HEBS this year! In my mind, another important thing in teamwork is to have a smart division of positions utilizing each of the talents and skills efficiently. I personally rely on straight forward communicating which can be improved day by day to make sure we are all on the same page in every minute of the year.
My experience has shown that people always have an impact on each other and that is the main reason why each of the team members must show responsibility, courage and positive energy towards each other. If misunderstandings or disagreements appeals, those must be solved immediately. I think a successful team can multiply the power of each member together!
Where do you work and what are your tasks?
Alongside my studies, I currently work at two companies. My main job for 3 years has been at Mercuria Business College where I work as a project worker. My second job is content creating, social media updating and website editing at a construction firm Mijorak Oy. What I like about my workplaces, is that they are perfect for a multitasking student like me, flexible and most of the time I have the possibility to schedule my own tasks as I see for the best. I think it is a blessing to be able to gain so much experience while studying in a university. Combining theory and practice is the best way for me to learn and develop myself.
You spent your exchange semester in Italy, what were the biggest challenges in this adventure?
In Italy, the culture is very different from Finnish culture and the biggest challenges arise from the bureaucracy and punctuality. Also in Finland, everything is made almost too easy at every level and sometimes I found myself struggling with investigating all the information considering general paperwork and school assignments. Usually in Finland, all the information is provided beforehand and you don’t need to ask for it from different people and places.
I didn’t speak any Italian. That would have also been something I should have done differently. In Italy, I found it sometimes challenging to manage by using English, and I learned that to even be polite, you should know even a few words of Italian.
If it were in your power, what would be the three things you would change in the world?
- Stop climate change.
- Political gambling at the cost of people’s wellbeing.
- End all the violence.
I think that I am not the only one who wishes such things.
If a crystal ball could tell you the truth about your life and future or anything else, what would you like to know?
I am an extremely curious person, so probably everything. But if I had to choose, I would like to know my biggest life lessons during my lifetime and learn from them beforehand. There are things we can only learn by living our life and each time I’ve heard from my parents or grandparents “you will know when you are older” has been true after all.
Quote that you live by?
If I can’t do it, I haven’t tried hard enough.
Editor: Tea Teesalu
