Experience in Helsinki, Finland by Heidi

What is it like to live in Helsinki? Would you recommend it? What is the city like?

Helsinki is the biggest city in Finland and still has only around 600 000 inhabitants. Located by the Baltic Sea it has good connections with Estonia and Sweden. The centre of the city is small, compact and lively but safe and peaceful. Helsinki is surrounded by forests and untouched nature and it's only 30 minutes train or bus ride away from the very centre. Public transportation is good and covers all of the city.

What is the student lifestyle like in Helsinki?

Helsinki has a lot of students but is not significantly a university town. The student life itself is really active and lively: there are student organizations of all sorts that organize parties and activities all the time. Students in Helsinki party a lot so you won't get bored.

Studying in Finland is quite independent and the students can plan their weekly schedule quite freely. A lot of students have time-taking hobbies and many do a lot of sports.

Almost all students live on their own even if their families live in the same city. Some students have a part time job but I'd say it's rather uncommon because the country supports students economically.

What makes student life in Helsinki (and Finland) different from many other countries is the rather high average age of students: many start their five-year degree programs in their early or mid-twenties. University students aged 17 or 18 are practically unheard of.

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How much does it cost to live in Helsinki?

I'm warning you - living in Helsinki is really expensive compared to most of Europe. I would say only London and Norway are more expensive to live in. However, students get a lot of discounts on everything: transportation, gyms, some bars and restaurants etc. If you take use of special offers and student discounts you can survive on a rather low budget.

Is it difficult to find accommodation in Helsinki? Is there any advice you can give?

I recommend foreign students apply for a flat via HOAS (Foundation for Student Housing). They offer rooms at reasonable prices and in rather good locations. Even in the poorest quality halls of residence you never have to share a room with anybody which is luxury compared to many other countries.

You can also look for an apartment in the private market but prepare for insanely high rents!

What is the food like? What are your favourite dishes?

Finnish food is quite sour and definitely not spicy at all. Meat and root vegetables (carrots, beetroots etc) are popular. Rye bread is everywhere and so is coffee: Finns drink the most coffee on earth (it's been scientifically proved). Eating fish is common, especially salmon. Salmiakki (salty liquor-ice) is sold everywhere.

When it comes to sweet things, Finns prefer even them a bit more sour rather than really sweet: quark with cream and berries is a popular dessert. Finnish Lapland has a cuisine of it's own with exotic stuff like reindeer meat and cloudberries and I definitely recommend you try it if you get a chance.

Being a vegetarian is really easy in Helsinki (I'm a vegetarian myself). The grocery stores have a good variety of stuff so basically you can follow any diet or cuisine you want.

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What places would you recommend visiting in Helsinki?

All the touristy stuff - the Helsinki cathedral, Sveaborg maritime fortress etc. - can be seen in one day but the sightseeing is worth doing. Besides that, I'd say that hanging around in Kallio, visiting Kaivopuisto and Keskuspuisto (both are big parks located right next to the centre) and taking the metro to the deep east (Eastern Helsinki) are a must.

In the spring and summer do as the Finns do - head out! When the weather's good all the parks are stuffed with people chilling (with a beer in hand). In the wintertime go ice-skating or skiing, it's a lot of fun.

Is it good to eat out in Helsinki? Can you tell us your favourite spots?

It's somewhat strange but even in the Finnish capital, traditional Finnish food is hard to find. Only a couple of restaurants have a Finnish cuisine. I'd say that Italian and Chinese restaurants are the most popular and also the cheapest ones. Pizza is a really popular dish and Finns are quite creative with the toppings: try smoked reindeer, for example. All in all eating out is way less popular than in Southern Europe for example. The UniCafe chain is popular amongst students: for 2, 50 euros you get a proper and healthy lunch.

Is the nightlife good in Helsinki? Where is good to go?

Helsinki offers a big variety of choices for party goers. You can find anything: cheap sleazy pubs, fancy night clubs, rock concerts and lots more. The city has a quite lively UG party scene. Student parties are really popular and are often hosted in the very centre of the city.

What makes the nightlife a bit dull is the strict alcohol policies and strict closing times: drinking is expensive and bars close at 1. 30 or 2. 30, nightclubs at 3. 30 latest. This is why pre-parties and after-parties are popular in here.

What advice would you give future students heading to Helsinki?

Bring a lot of winter clothes with you. Helsinki is not like Alaska or Siberia but in the wintertime there's a cold wind coming from the Baltic Sea.

Prepare for confusing changes in the amount of daylight - in the winter the sun shines only for a couple of hours during the day, in the summertime it hardly sets at all. If you're not used to this you may have some sleeping problems in the beginning but you'll adapt to it pretty fast.

Visit Estonia and Sweden. I also recommend visiting St. Petersburg on a visa free cruise. Travel as much in Finland as you can but if you can only pick one destination outside of Helsinki, choose Lapland. It's unique and you'll see a completely different side of the country.

Most importantly, don't be shy around the locals even if they are shy around you. Most Finns are interested in foreign students who chose to do their exchange in this underpopulated and cold country on the outskirts of Europe but are too shy to take contact. Avoiding eye contact, rare smiles and no small talk are not signs of impoliteness but actually the opposite. In Finland, it's considered polite to give strangers the space they need and to not disturb them. Don't let this fool you!

Most Finns speak English and a lot speak a couple of other foreign languages as well so facing a language barrier is pretty unlikely.

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