Starting my studies at Haaga-Helia
- lottemikeblog
- Sep 19, 2020
- 3 min read
I am a first semester TEMPO (Tourism and Events Management) student at Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences, Porvoo campus.
Our studies started with three days of orientation from the 19th until the 21st of August. In these three days we got to know the main tools that are used at Haaga-Helia to keep up to date with your schedule, your classes and your assignments. The main tools consist out of at least 5 different applications on your computer and your smartphone. That was a really big change for me, as we hardly had any important information transferred to us online in my school in Germany. Nowadays, studying at university is nothing for people who don’t want to cope with technique!
We also got to know some of our teachers and our tutors (e.g. Mike! ). Our tutors' job is to guide and support us during the first days of school and throughout the semesters (and to occasionally take us out to party).
However, the best part of these first days, at least for me, was to get to know my classmates. We have a big variety of people from different backgrounds, ages and nationalities (however, most of them have already lived in Finland for some years already).
The next week, we had our first Learning Camp, Learn to Learn. We got to know the basic campus rules and competence pillars we should gain during our studies. Jochen Faugel did a workshop about Confidence Building and we had a discussion about what a global mindset is. We learned about the importance of Artificial Intelligence and about presentation and pitching skills. But most importantly, it included an introduction of the courses we would have during our studies, as well as getting to know the two main projects of this semester.
The two projects for first semester students are the Study Tour and the “Business Idea Competition” (BIC). The study tour has to be planned by the students themselves. We are first being divided into smaller groups (5-6 students) and each group has to plan a trip for the whole class to one of Finland’s southern regions (due to the Coronavirus situation; before study trips were usually planned to other Nordic Countries). Uusima, the region Porvoo and also Helsinki are located in, West Coast, that is the one I am part of, Archipelago, Lakeland and Tampere and surroundings.
After we have all presented our ideas, the class will vote on which one they like the best and then we will all together start to plan and book this trip. We have to think about our transportation to the places (environmentally friendly if possible), the accommodation, free time activities, some businesses we can visit and (if possible due to Covid-19) also a school visit to promote Haaga-Helia.
The Business Idea Competition is taking place among all the first semester students. In groups of 3 to 5 we have to come up with 3 business ideas and present the at the Business Idea Fair. There we are getting feedback from other students, teachers and who else is interested. With that feedback in mind we have to pick our “best” idea and work on that one until the semi-finals. A pitch in front of our class and teachers. The two best teams of each class enter the finals, where they will have to pitch their ideas in front of all the students, teachers and some professionals, who will be the ones to pick the winners.
You road I enter upon and look around, I believe you are not all that is here,
I believe that much unseen is also here.
- W. Whitman, Song of the Open Road, 1856
- Lotte
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