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Finland is one of the happiest countries in the world, with one of the best living standards. After you go to university, the real work begins because you must prepare to relocate to a new nation, which is a life-changing decision in and of itself. Any international student must familiarize oneself with what to expect during his stay abroad. For starters, he might want to start with the six items/tips I will recommend now in the post below.
Learn basic Finnish
Although the majority of people in Finland know Finnish, the two main languages
When I first arrived in Finland, I had a bit of a hard time going to the supermarket because most of the items were introduced in Finnish. So I went online to learn basic words. Basically, Finnish is a difficult language. But as far as I know, Edunation is opening an application for the basic to advanced Finnish course. It is quite suitable for those of you who want to learn Finnish but find it difficult and do not know where to start like me.
Accomodation facilities
Apartments with good prices and many conveniences are quickly rented by others. That especially happens in big cities like the capital city, Helsinki. So my advice is to search for the prices where you decide to go and book as soon as possible. Another piece of advice is to make friends at school and rent a shared apartment together. Doing so can share the costs incurred.
You can refer to home-based companies specializing in it for students and young people. In Finland, there are usually houses like this in every city at a good price. You also have many options, such as furnishing or not, sharing with two or three people, and renting a studio. Besides, other services such as a laundry room, warehouse, or sauna are also provided. There have always been top choices for abroad.
Read more:
Best cities in Finland for international students
Health insurance and other mandatory fees
While studying abroad in Finland, paying the Student Union membership fee is required. The goal of this charge is to make you eligible for the Finnish Student Health Service’s benefits. Students can use the Finnish Student Health Service to get a variety of medical services in the areas of dental health, mental health, and general health. The majority of the services provided are free of charge, although there may be certain exceptions. Other advantages include online appointments, remote consultations, health self-assessment, and so forth.
My other advice is to pay those amounts as soon as possible. Avoiding late deadlines can lead to benefit hassles. Besides, you need to carefully prepare the necessary documents because everything in Finland is secured and managed through the system.
Weather
Honestly, Finland and the most erratic climate I’ve ever been to. Coming here from a tropical country, some of my items, especially clothes, seem useless. Necessary items such as umbrellas, hats, or scarves will help you during your first days here. If you come from a country with high temperatures like me, there is no need to bring too many warm clothes. It is because, basically, goods produced and sold in your country will not meet the same demand as those sold here.
Winter depression, a funny phrase that my friends often say. In other words, in winter, there are very few hours of sunshine. The weather is so cold that you just want to stay indoors. So my advice is still to be mentally prepared for these new changes.
Smart money use versus student benefits
Instead of eating out or eating at school with dishes you sometimes don’t get used to, cooking for yourself will help us proactively choose safe and suitable foods.
Setting clear usage goals, setting a certain amount for each activity will help limit the use of money “overhand”. Besides, good money management also helps you to be more proactive when facing difficult problems that need to be solved with money.
When you become a Finnish university student, you will have a lot of benefits such as borrowing books from the library, discounts on public transport, buying used books from previous students, using printers and photocopiers. ,… The things listed above have saved you quite a bit of money already.
In summary, this is what I’ve learned from the practical experience and perspective of a Finnish exchange student from Vietnam. I hope you find this material beneficial. Follow Edunation on our website and other platforms, such as our Facebook page or Youtube, if you want to read more about related topics.
