"Tampere really has something for everyone" - student ambassador story

How long have you been in Tampere and what brought you here originally?

I arrived in Tampere about a year ago when my family moved here from the US.

What subject do you study and how did you choose it?

I chose to study software engineering because it can be used in nearly any field today, and I am passionate about creating programmes and systems that make people's work and lives easier.

What do you like about Tampere and Finland the most?

My favourite part about Tampere is the size of the city itself, it's small compared to most other cities, but that allows you to get to know all that it has to offer much easier and create more of a connection to the entire city itself instead of just a few places, and not feel swallowed up by how many people, places, and things to do there is. But even though it's small, there’s always something happening, bars and clubs have events all the time, we have multiple festivals, concerts, hockey games, so as long as you look for things to do, you will find things.

What about your hobbies here in Tampere or in Finland?

As for my hobbies, right now I really enjoy playing pool with my friends, since many bars have a table and at some you can even play for free. I also like to spend a lot of time at Tribe Tampere, a start-up community that hosts lots of different interesting events that range from basic friendly networking, all the way to full blown start-up festivals. My main hobby though is downhill skiing, the mountains in Finland are pretty small, but they make up for it with the very short lines.

What would you say to someone deciding whether Tampere is the right place to come to study and live?

Tampere really has something for everyone. Lots of cute museums for those who want to learn, lots of bars, great restaurants at good prices all over the place. If you're more introverted and prefer to keep to yourself people won’t bother you, but if you want to meet new and different people there is a vibrant international community in the city and at the schools.

Anything else you want to say?

With just a little bit of effort, you can create any kind of experience you want here, it's an amazing place with some of the kindest people I've ever met. Hope to see you on campus sometime soon!

Photo: Jonne Renvall

 

Read more: TAMK's Bachelor's Degree Programme in Software Engineering