Last monday, the new academic year was officially celebrated at the University of Helsinki. And how the Finns celebrate the beginning of a new academic year? With a bouncy castle, an ice-cream van that serves seasonal flavours such as study credit and chancellor, a street sitsit (a seated meal where you eat, drink and sing songs), budo performances, salty snacks and free cake! At the opening carnival the different student organizations and groups presented themselves in booths all over the area in and around the main building. What kind of groups am I talking about? Well I don't quite know, because I could not understand half of what I saw because I haven't mastered the Finnish language yet, but among them were different choirs, theater groups, political student parties, a group for role play or anime fans, knitting people, movie clubs, book clubs, and many more. |
And of course, it wouldn't be a proper Finnish event, if there wasn't a sauna to complete the festivities...I just really wonder, who on earth would go to the saune in the middle of an opening carnival. Guess the guy sitting on the stairs did...there is a photo to prove it, but I'll save you the sight...There was an exceptional amount of people, very unlike the usual Finnish lifestyle. It was actually kind of annoying to try to find out more about the different student organizations without being able to reach their booth or read their informational posters...not that I would have understood many of them...crazy long queues are also a symptom of too many people in one place, as the photos below prove. If you really want to test your patience, this is where you go! Happy queueing! At the opening carnival, there is a queue for everything... |
...to turn the wheel of fortune...
...to get some affordable ice cream...you get the idea!
You may be wondering, what the hell this guy thinks he is wearing? This fashionable jumpsuit is actually a pretty cool custom of Finnish university students...basically every student who is part of a student union owns one of these overalls. They wear them to parties, university events, or sometimes even to class. You will find that those badges that decorate his costume are sold at student parties and events so they can be sown onto the suit afterwards. Students from different subjects have different colored jumpsuits, so they can recognize their peers from afar..it's actually a really fun custom. Plus, I've been told that they are really nice to wear at student events that take place outside, because they keep you warm and comfortable. Interesting huh? |
I have to say, my favorite part was the free cake! Even though there was also a freakishly long queue. Smart as I am, I went there early and was there before the line even started to from itself. That'S how you do it! I have been thinking about joining a choir, but then I got scared, because they all hold auditions, where you have to sing a song and they test your vocal range and everything. My room mate went to one of those auditions and apparently there was a jury of four people and they did not take her due to lack of musical experience and because she couldn't sing a song at first sight...no way I'm doing that! I would probably stand there shaking and wishing I could just magically be invisible. I guess I just don't have the guts to try it. I'll just stay true to youtube videos with lyrics on screen ;). |