"Tampere is a city for students" - a student ambassador story
Tell us about yourself and your studies.
I was born and raised in Vietnam, then moved to Finland at 18 years old to start my university studies. Currently, I'm a second-year student in the Bachelor's program of Science and Engineering. My major is Biomedical Engineering, and my minors are Information Technology and Computational Biology, as I'm pursuing the field of Health Informatics.
How long have you been in Tampere and what brought you here?
I have been staying in Tampere for one and a half years, and the main thing that attracted me to come and live here is the exceptional college-student activities that no other cities in Finland could compare with.
How would you describe student life in Tampere? Is it different from other countries that you have studied in?
As I mentioned above, Tampere is simply a city for students, which means that if you are a student, then, according to my own and my peers' opinions, living in Tampere is the best option you could have among all the cities in Finland. Here, you have the opportunity to take part in many student associations, and there are multiple active events, both formal and informal, that happen throughout the whole academic year. I especially love the way people here are extremely open and always welcome me to join them with whatever they're doing.
What different subject(s) did you take and what made you choose them?
I have taken many courses, from the basic ones like College Math, Physics and Chemistry to the major-oriented subjects in the field of Biomedical Engineering. Also, I take courses on the IT side like Programming 1, 2 and 3, or Data Structures and Algorithms. Apart from those engineering subjects, I have completed Finnish 1,2,3, and 4 as part of my mandatory subjects. I believe that engineering is a powerful field in our current society, and choosing the above-mentioned subjects would provide my high opportunity to have a long-lasting career.
What has been the most surprising or different thing about living in Tampere?
Coming from a very dense neighborhood, the most different thing I noticed when moved to Tampere is the peacefulness of the city. The place where I'm living, Hervanta, is super quiet and spacious, as the population density is pretty low, and it's completely contrasted to the buzzing environment where I was born and raised in Vietnam.
What kind of student activities have you participated in?
I have been to a lot of student events, both formal and in formal, as I enjoy those the most. I got the chance to hang out with my friends, meet new people and listen to good music, etc. I also go to more casual and laid-back activities, organised by our guild's board members, like sauna evenings, board games, and movie nights. Moreover, there are academic events to be explored like job fairs, CV cover letter workshops, and get-togethers organised by the head of our programme.
What would you say to someone who's trying to decide whether Tampere is the right place to come to study and live?
To anyone who is wondering whether Tampere is the right place to study and live, I believe that you could consider the stories and experiences of current students, especially those who have the same background as you. The main information you would want to collect from them is what they like and what they don't like about Tampere, and from that, you derive your own conclusion.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Eventually, every decision has two sides, and no one can completely avoid all the drawbacks. We just have to consider it as a part of our life. I wouldn't say that choosing to live and study in Tampere for at least 3 years is a right or wrong decision, since although there have been moments that I was super depressed and discouraged, I still have a lot of memorable times that I feel lucky enough to experience. Thus, I can firmly assure that I have no regret of my decision.