Though I’m now studying in a more international environment, last year, I had the chance to fully immerse myself in the Finnish curriculum. The experience was obviously net negative since I had to transfer. Still, there were things that I enjoyed in my old school and wish that I could still have. The list could go on and on, but I will talk about what is most significant.
The likes
Good food
Finnish food is never “good” in my opinion, but the food in my school in Forssa was much better than my current one’s. There was a wider variety of dishes and the food just tasted better in general. My school in Turku, Norssi, has a large number of students ranging from primary to high school, so it usually runs out of food if I come late. Once, I had to eat pasta without the noodles. In Forssa, I always looked forward to lunchtime and never skipped a meal; now, I always try to eat at home. I sometimes wish I was still studying in the old school when I have to eat the disgusting veggie soup that Norssi serves.
Fewer tests
This is more attributed to the curriculum than the school itself. The IB program is more academically demanding, requiring students to know a much more extensive amount of knowledge than the Finnish one does. Having tests is a way to see how we’re doing and what needs to be improved. Though it’s beneficial, I don’t like having to constantly study for tests, especially when I have test anxiety. In Forssa, I had an exam week every two months. I could freely make plans during the two months without being afraid that a test would pop up. It was easy and chill! On the other hand, I did get bored of the easiness, so… not sure if it’s a like or dislike.
The dislikes
No activity
No clubs, no projects, nothing. Well, there was a high school version of Erasmus in which Finnish students spent a week in another country and vice versa. But I couldn’t participate in that because I couldn’t host another student in my house. The absence of extracurriculars was challenging for someone like me who needed such activities to strengthen college applications.
Unmotivated students
I understand that Finnish students are different from Vietnamese students in many ways and not everyone is under the pressure to excel at school. I didn’t anticipate studying in a school full of bright and innovative students. However, with the media constantly highlighting Finland as having the best education system, I was looking forward to having some classmates with a strong academic focus. It turned out very disappointing. Most of my classmates seemed to be hanging out or partying more than studying. If I came up with an idea for a club or a project, I was pretty sure that no one would be interested. It was hard for me to comprehend as I had been competing for top places my whole life. I guess the reason is that my previous school is in a very small town and competition is not as prevalent as in big cities.
Even though I had a lot of fun last year, I’m happy that I’m now in a more suitable environment. My experience may be very different from others, so I’ll try to gather what people think about studying in Finland and update in another post!
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