Preparing to study abroad is inherently very exciting and daunting at the same time. I’m not in a position to tell you if you should go or not, but I can remind you of things you should take into account while making the decision to go.
Cost
The cost of studying high school in Finland is relatively low compared to other popular destinations: around 7000 euros per year. This amount may vary between different people and doesn’t include emergency expenses such as changing apartments. That being said, it is still high in proportion to the living standard of many Asian countries. Since you don’t have to pay for school fees, your money goes to rent, food, and other personal spending. I know some university students here who work part-time and can cover their own living costs; however, it’s hard for high school students to work during the school year because most live in small towns with little demand for workers and are preoccupied with schoolwork. You certainly don’t want to work at the expense of your performance at school. On the other hand, getting a summer job is highly recommended and also very exciting. There are plenty of opportunities for teens to work and earn some extra money during the summer. All in all, it’s important that you discuss with your family your financial strength, whether your parents can support you for at least 3 years, or whether you have to struggle to stay financially afloat.
2. The weather in Finland
The cold and gray weather in this country has always been a much-debated topic. Finnish weather sucks for the most part of the year and there’s no milder way to put it. It’s freezing to walk (since there is little to no public transportation in small towns) during the winter; the snow and wind can put you off from doing anything. Starting from November, you don’t see the sun very often, and as a natural human being, we want to go to sleep. It’s hard to fight off the urge to sleep, stay cozy under the blanket, and contemplate the homework you’re supposed to be doing. At first, I thought the weather was merely an external factor that could never beat my determination and perseverance. That was before I skipped some classes in the morning because I couldn’t get out of bed, constantly looked forward to reuniting with my bed after school, and started drinking energy drinks to boost my dopamine level. However, there are solutions to this problem. For example, having some close friends who you can hang out with. I said “solutions”, but I only know one. I’ll update when I find out more.
Now I provide you with a picture of cherry blossoms because spring finally came!
3. Social connections and mental well-being
Finnish people are respected for being pretty laid back and knowing how to keep their privacy. You can wear crazy clothes and I don’t think the others will judge you on that. However, getting into social circles (at school) is very hard. Most students already have groups of friends that they’ve been spending time with since daycare. People in the capital city, Helsinki, are way more social and open-minded. At least, that is from my own experience. The rest of Finland tends to be more closed-minded towards strangers. Finns have a naturally angry face and some even look intimidating. On the first day of school, I was very surprised by how mature my peers looked and dressed. It’s easy to feel small and insecure as you just came from the other part of the world. It’s important in this phase that you come out of your shell and ask for help from your classmates. Even if you’re lucky enough to have friends from your country studying in the same school, native students will be of great help, especially with the language and culture.
Even though Finland has ranked the happiest country in the world for some years, living here doesn’t mean you’ll be happy too. Ask yourself what are the factors that make Finland a happy country and do those factors make you a happy person, too? In fact, I have seen many depressed and alcohol-addicted students in my current school, much more than in my home country. What I’m trying to say is regarding happiness, it’s complicated. I read this in a Scientific America article: “If happiness is the prevalence of positive emotions (let alone the displaying of them), Finland is not the happiest country. If happiness is the absence of depression, Finland is not the happiest country. But if happiness is about a quiet satisfaction with one’s life conditions, then Finland, along with other Nordic countries, might very well be the best place to live.”
4. Schoolwork and the language
This is probably the main topic that I’m going to talk about. Finland is one of the leading countries in education for reasons such as its equality, high-quality teachers, and freedom for students. However, most recent news and research have shown that the learning outcomes have actually declined in Finland. Anita Lehikoinen, a permanent secretary at the Ministry of Education and Culture, commented on this matter: “Many of our traditional strengths, such as the widespread autonomy and high education level of teachers, have only improved in the 2000s, but learning outcomes have declined.” You can search online and there are many reliable newspapers writing about this current trend.
From what I have experienced, teachers don’t force students to do their homework ever (there are still lots of homework!). If students don’t complete the homework, they accept having lower scores as doing homework counts toward the final scores. I can communicate with my teachers more freely without being disrespectful. I have to say the system is good, but the students... There were classes in which the teacher had to pause because my classmates were talking too loud and not paying attention. I know one Asian student who had to switch schools because they couldn’t stand the school they were studying in. In class, many students play games on their laptops or phones. There’s so much to say about this topic that I will dig deeper into later.
The biggest drawback of studying in a Finnish high school must be awarded to the language. The fact is, after almost a school year here, I still don’t understand much of what the teachers say. Sometimes I just don’t understand at all. I haven’t paid much attention to studying Finnish and am still lucky enough to have good scores. On this matter, I think good preparation is the key. One year of studying Finnish is certainly not enough for you to succeed with flying colors at school. Either you start studying Finnish early and sell your heart and soul to it or you accept that you will struggle A LOT with the language. Your GPA will suffer as a result of the language barrier. If you’re considering applying to US or any other EU universities besides Finland, bear in mind that your transcript may be your disadvantage and may reduce your chance of admission.
If you’re thinking “Woahh, she’s so wise” then I have to break the news to you: I hardly considered anything I mentioned above before moving to Finland. I didn’t have anyone close enough to ask about their personal experience. I still survive! I have some good friends, hang out sometimes, and strive towards building a healthy relationship with the Finnish language.
One year of studying Finnish can be enough to get good grades, though it is rare.
Many people don't realise the importance of Finnish and think they can get by at first with English and their Finnish will improve later. This is not really how it works. You have to try your best to reach a level of Finnish you are happy with beforehand (above A2) and cultivate a passion for it along the way.
Many international people here hate Finnish, which in itself makes it much more difficult to learn it.
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