Intro

Back when I was in secondary school and was being commandeered to choose a university and future career, I was, in my typical headstrong way, convinced that Journalism was what I was destined for. Luckily my parents, in their sound adult wisdom (and perhaps slightly selfishly since they did not want me to move away from home) convinced me to take a general Arts degree with a Media and History major just to make sure I didn't pigeon hole myself into a specific career at too young an age. Much as I would have hated to admit it to them then, it was the greatest advice they could ever have given me. The four years I spent doing my Arts degree in a small college in Ireland were THE greatest years of my life. It was true for me at least when they say that your Uni years are the best you will ever have. Putting aside silly boys, fights with friends and struggling to 'find oneself' I wouldn't change any of it, not one tiny bit even for all the tea in China.

I pity anyone who ever chose anything other than an Arts degree because going to Uni for even the 12 hours a week that I had was a struggle as I was far too busy just having fun, being hungover and fannying about with friends. The main reason I chose to do Arts in this tiny college which is known for it's Education programme and creating the best primary teachers in Ireland (we always had a beef with the teaching crowd as we were definitely considered the second class citizens who just never. quite. made. it. onto the teaching course which is a lie because the majority of us would rather have eaten a limb than be a teacher) was because the third year of the course was either a study abroad year i.e Erasmus or a year spent working in an area of interest for your career. Now, I'm sorry, but who in their right mind wouldn't want the option of upping sticks and taking off  to study somewhere else?!

What may surprise you is that I didn't actually choose Finland as my first Erasmus choice. Oooooh controversial I hear you say. But bear with me while I tell you why my late choice to switch to Helsinki was one of the smartest decision I have ever made. 

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