Outgoing students

Noa Frinken - University of Eastern Finland (UEF), Finland

This image captures the essence that taking risks leads to the most rewarding experiences. When I chose the University of Eastern Finland (UEF), I expected to witness the northern lights frequently. Surprisingly, during my entire stay in Joensuu, I only saw them once, and I almost missed it. On the day this photo was taken, I wasn't feeling well. Overwhelmed by my coursework, I simply wanted a quiet night in bed. When my roommate mentioned an increased chance of seeing the northern lights, I hesitated but leaned towards prioritizing my mental health and staying home. Fortunately, my roommate persuaded me to bundle up in three layers, snow pants, and a ski jacket for a 30-minute walk to a nearby lake at minus 18 degrees Celsius.

In the presence of the northern lights, my mood underwent a significant shift. The lights, resembling shimmering ghosts, painted the sky in captivating hues. Despite the cold, my friends and I removed our gloves to capture these moments. I am forever grateful to my roommate for motivating me to join that evening. Studying at UEF and living in Joensuu, to me, symbolizes friendship, support, and the occurrence of remarkable events like these.

Eila Denman - Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), South-Korea

The picture is taken in a busy side street full of pedestrians near Hyehwa station in Seoul, South Korea. It is a street I walked along many times on my way to the Seoul SKKU campus and that day it was genuinely a magical sight. The picture captures the bright lights found all around the city, and the countless little restaurants on every block, as well as the Koreans affinity to have an umbrella with them at any point in time. While it is difficult to find one picture that captures Seoul's vast variety and beauty, I consider this picture a good attempt.

Nell Scafs - Université de Montréal, Canada

This picture was taken in the park "Mont-Royal" in Montreal during fall. I think this is special because it gives a nice impression of what fall looks like in Canada, and which was my favorite season of the whole semester thanks to all the beautiful colors. I think it also represents well the student life in Canada because a great part of my experience was to discover their amazing national parks.

Sera Welling - University of Victoria, Canada

The photo I chose was taken in downtown Victoria around 7 am in the morning at a bus stop in front of city hall. It might seem like a mundane setting, but it's a special photo for me as it reminds me of all the many early mornings, I stood waiting at that bus stop for the bus going to the ferry terminal. It reminds me of the excitement for a new trip planned with my exchange friends to go explore Canada. It reminds me of early mornings before the city had woken up, and the late nights after an evening downtown or coming home from a trip ready to go back home. This photo captures the beginning and end of all the fun adventures I got to experience in Canada with all the beautiful people I met. 

Tom Rösgen - The Arctic University of Norway, Norway

Situated in the arctic circle, Tromsø may be cold and lacking sunlight during the winter, but it is definitely not dark! The Norwegians like to keep their lights on continually - an old tradition to aid sailors find their way home - which creates a beautifully warm scenery of the cold city. Add some dancing flames in the night sky and some friends to admire, and you’re sure to have an unforgettable exchange year!