WRITTEN BY OLAWANDE OWOKOTOMO, MASTER’S STUDENT, ÅBO AKADEMI UNIVERSITY
My name is Olawande Owokotomo, and I am a first-year Social Exclusion master’s student from Nigeria. My hobbies are gisting and watching reality TV shows. Aside from being a master’s student, I am a content creator with expertise in storytelling, a teenage coach, and a volunteer at Salvation Army International.
I finished my bachelor’s degree in 2015, and since then, I had been thinking of a country where I could further my studies. One day, I was surfing the internet, and came across a picture of an old friend. The background of her picture didn’t look familiar, so I sent her a message to inquire where she was, and she said it was Finland. From that moment, I started researching and familiarising myself with the StudyInfo website. In no time, I found Åbo Akademi’s Social Exclusion master’s programme, and I just knew this was for me! I gathered all the necessary documents to make my application and waited till the application was opened to submit them.
In April 2024, I received the mail from Social Exclusion programme that I had been offered admission with a partial scholarship. This led me to the next phase of my journey: applying for my resident permit. This seemed to be the toughest stage because it was completely different from my previous experiences with visa applications. I reached out to a friend in Finland who introduced me to a Telegram group where I was taught all about the process. Thanks to God, my visa was approved in less than two weeks.
At the time of this post, I have been in Finland for 7 months, and this is my advice to incoming international students:
Be open-minded: You would be experiencing a lot of culture shocks, especially if you are from Africa. Have control over your facial expression when you see things you find ‘awkward.’
Prioritize networking: Amongst many factors that will take you far in Finland, networking is highly ranked. In fact, this should start as soon as you get your admission letter! I was already networking with my course mates even before I got here, and it has opened many positive doors for me. You should also network generally with everyone in Finland. The people who received me at the airport when I got to Turku were referred to me by someone in Tampere; this is someone I met randomly on social media.
Keep an eye on your mail: it doesn’t end with your admission letter; you will be receiving important emails about housing, enrollment, orientation, and student support from the admission office and the department.
Housing: Apply for your housing in time. Securing an apartment can be a sport around late summer and autumn seasons. International admission will assist with links and information on housing to your mail.
Speak up: If you have questions or make changes to your travel plan, do not hesitate to carry your department along. A student tutor will be assigned to you; be free to communicate your situation to them.
Be optimistic: Settling isn’t the same for everybody, but your first few months might be far from your expectations. Do not be discouraged; it’s part of the journey. See every challenge as a stepping stone to getting it right! Embrace the process, and you’ll be just fine.