Eesti
Meet Me Monday: Timo Kortelainen
- Introduce yourself shortly.
Hi guys! My name is Timo, I’m 22-year-old freshman student from EBS Helsinki. If I had to describe myself, I would use words like success-oriented, extremely funny and warm-hearted.
- Tell us three facts about yourself.
– I love sitting in trams and just listen to jazz and wonder about life, sometimes I spend hours just cruising around Helsinki.
– I’m definitely an evening person during winter and a morning person in the summer – such a unique person, right!?
– Once I had a problem. A hoarding problem. I couldn’t resist buying new drinking glasses, cocktail glasses, wine glasses – you name it – and the other day my mother found some of them from my closet and she brutally kidnapped my precious apple juice glasses and sold them… Luckily, she hasn’t taken a look under my bed yet.
- Why did you choose to study at EBS Helsinki? What is the difference between
EBS Helsinki and other Finnish private universities?
When I was young I had multiple dreams about my life. As I became older and started to analyse my mind and reasons behind my wishes I realized that the common thing of those dreams was brand building and leadership. Later I started to play with idea that someday I would run a successful business empire. And before I can start any proper business I need to gather suitable knowledge about business administration. Therefore, I chose to study in EBS since I felt that the school valued entrepreneurship.
I could talk hours about Finnish education sector and how I want to revolutionize education and learning here. But I try to keep it short…. Because in Finland we have one of the best education systems in the world we have been very narrow-minded when it comes to studying abroad and especially in private universities. Therefore, we don’t have private universities here. Only Estonians have been wise enough and established branches to Helsinki, so we could study business and law here. And because EBS is the only private university in Estonia it leads to the situation that we have only one private university branch in Finland. I hope that EBS Helsinki will grow and be a pioneer who shows that you can get a kick-ass education from a private university as well. I secretly dream about EBS Helsinki to become the biggest private business school in the Nordics and one of the key players in the Finnish education market.
- What do you think is the best part of being a member of the Student Council?
Right now, we live during a very interesting time in HEBS, all the new things that we are forming right now have taught me so much that I couldn’t have possibly learned that so quickly in the corporate world. It’s great that in our operations we can already use the knowledge from lectures to really use our competence towards the greater good. It’s nice to be a part of something where you have motivated and talented people around you and who will push their limits to get something good for all the Hebsters. Hence, all the challenges and motivated people around.
- Describe your daily schedule from the moment you wake up until you go to sleep.
The freaking alarm usually stops my beautiful dreams at 8:30 and then starts my “favourite” part: snoozing. So, perhaps I get up from the bed somewhere around 9:00-ish. Then I have a small conversation with myself why I need to get up and leave my comfortable and warm bed and face all my responsibilities.
Music is essential in my mornings, I need to put on some nice soundtrack, usually jazz or something by my favourite composer. After the shower, I sit down and still wonder whether I really have to do this but when I have finished my second espresso the world suddenly seems to be a better place.
After I have realized how much I have to do during the day, I head to the library. I usually sneak into the Helsinki university library since EBS Helsinki doesn’t have its own place to study. Usually I have some of my Hebster fellows there and we start studying for the lectures or planning some HEBS activities. In a usual day, we leave the library at 8 pm-ish, but somehow I really often find myself still working at 10pm. Then I have to decide whether I want go to the gym or continue working on my sofa while snacking on the sweets… I think you know which one I have chosen more often lately…
When I arrive home, I get something nice to eat, light some candles and listen to music and quickly plan my next day. My day ends when my lovely bed starts whispering to me and asks me to join in. Then a quick instagram-skim and I´m off to sleep.
- What’s the craziest thing on your bucket list?
I want to climb some great mountain before I turn 30.
- What do you do on your day off?
I try to do nothing, since I have days off very rarely. But then I enjoy doing things without hurry. I cook nice meals, go and have some nice walk in a park or go to the gym. I read some literature and just relax. Typically, I don’t even hang out with my friends, these days are just for me and myself only.
- If you could live the life of someone famous which one would you choose?
I guess I would enjoy Bernard Arnault´s life pretty much. Leading a total brand empire and girrrl that yacht he has! Enjoying the chilled Dom on the deck and hustling some business sounds perfect to me. Arnault, please give me a call if you wish to switch to a humble student life in Finland!
- Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time?
Running businesses with ambitious people who I have met during my journey.
- Your favourite quote.
I read this quote recently and somehow it really spoke to me and made me want to have a deep conversation with myself:
”Modesty is a virtue but you will manage better in life without it.”
Madis Habakuk
Translator: Triin Tikk
Editor: Kart Mättikas
Photo: Timo Kortelainen
