University of Helsinki
Hello everybody!
My name is Laura and I am the tutor for the students who will join the Master’s in Neuroscience at the University of Helsinki.
First of all, congratulations on being accepted at the University of Helsinki!! I remember when I received the news I got in. Oh the excitement… and the panic! There’s nothing quite like the moment when you realise that what you were wishing for has become true. The joy and the fear become one and it’s almost difficult to tell them apart.
Every new experience can be scary, and for many of you this might be your first time in Finland. Not to worry, though. There are tutors here ready to welcome you and help you figure it all out 😊. You might have already received an email from your faculty tutor. If not, no worries, you will soon.
This is a message for you all, to remind you that you are not alone. Many new students join the University of Helsinki every year, and even us tutors have been in your place before. We understand there is a variety of things you might need help with, and that’s why we will be guiding you to make sure you can start your studies without any trouble.
We will help you finding offices and getting all the papers you need. You’ll need to register and get a residence permit, you’ll need an HSL card to use public transport and you’ll need help to discover all the benefits that students get (yes, you’ll see that you can get discounts in so many places, shops included 😉 ). We are here to guide you and tell you which offices to go to, we can answer your questions about everyday life in Finland, we can give you some hints on how to survive sauna and Finnish winter.
No need to fear, this is (hopefully :P) going to be one of those experiences you’ll cherish for the rest of your lives. I’m sure you are going to have a lot of fun discovering all the beauties of this wonderful country 😊 .
Warm hugs from Helsinki to you all and see you soon!
Cheers,
Laura Failla