Interview: A semester abroad despite the pandemic?
Meike Knull, a student from the Göttingen degree programme Applied Data Science, talks about her current study stay in Helsinki. She describes a number of things that are different there. In her view, studying abroad is worthwhile even during the pandemic. She was able to gain very special experiences and spend a wonderful time with people from many different backgrounds whom she would otherwise never have met. That is why she decided to stay for a second semester after the winter term.
The interview was conducted by Prof. Dr. Ralf Meyer from the Mathematical Institute of the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science in January 2022.
How long will you stay in Helsinki?
I will stay from August 2021 to May 2022. First with Erasmus from August to December, which is the winter semester here, and then for another semester from January to May independently of Erasmus.
Are there things that are better in Finland than in Germany?
I find the nature and the winter here incredibly beautiful. In terms of everyday organisation, there is a general system for online identification that makes many documents very easy to access. You would also book Covid test appointments through it. However, setting it up is not really worthwhile for a temporary study stay because it is too time-consuming.
Why did you choose Helsinki in particular?
I wanted to go north and to a country where you can communicate well in English. Through Erasmus I could choose between Finland and Iceland. I chose Helsinki because the university has a very good reputation, I was interested in Finnish culture and outlook on life, and the nature here is especially unique and diverse.
Are the courses in Helsinki different from those in Göttingen?
Here the semesters are divided into even smaller units, so that a course is usually completed within six to seven weeks. Weekly homework often already counts toward the final grade, not just the final exam. In more advanced courses, projects and reports are often used instead of exams. I would also welcome a shift in Göttingen away from concentrating all graded pressure at the end of the lecture period and toward the whole semester.
What kind of courses did you choose?
In my first semester in Helsinki I was enrolled in the Bachelor's programme in Computer Science, because Data Science does not exist here as a Bachelor's subject. I took computer science courses and introductory data science courses on topics similar to those offered in Göttingen. By now I am enrolled in the Data Science Master's programme and take courses from that programme which do not exist in the same form in Göttingen. Even though I still lack some background knowledge, since I am only in my third semester, and therefore need more time to catch up, I am managing the courses well. In terms of course choice, it might perhaps have been better to go abroad in my fifth semester in order to take more courses that are not offered in Göttingen.
Were you able to get to know Finland and the people there despite the pandemic?
Yes, fortunately that was still possible despite the pandemic. Orientation week and living in student housing helped me get to know mostly international students. I have already met many people and formed close friendships with people from different academic backgrounds and countries of origin. To explore Helsinki and Finland, we often went hiking in national parks and also visited two other cities besides Helsinki. One highlight was a trip to Lapland for international students. Because Finns speak very good English and Finnish is a very difficult language, I only learned a little Finnish. Getting to know local students was also somewhat more difficult.
Were there restrictions at the university because of the pandemic?
At the moment there is often a mask requirement and shorter opening hours, and unfortunately less student life. Until now, apart from a few weeks, courses were almost entirely online. Still, I spent less time in a home-office setting because there are many places to work on campus. Some of the cafeterias and university sports facilities were usually open as well. The general handling of the pandemic felt more relaxed to me than in Germany. Even with restrictions, I experienced more student life here than I had previously experienced in Germany. Then again, I only began my studies during the pandemic.
What would you recommend to students who are thinking about a semester abroad?
If they are considering a semester abroad, they should definitely do it, even during a pandemic. It is a very special experience. You spend a great time with very different people, learn a lot of new things, not only in university courses, and can develop yourself especially well in a new environment. For that, it is important to stay open, to do a lot, and to find like-minded people who can ideally also give you support and stability in the more difficult moments that are naturally part of the experience too.
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