I chose LUT University because LUT has a partnership program with Hebei University of Technology (HEBUT), where I originally studied. This partnership provides me with an ideal opportunity to study abroad.
I am inspired by Finland's strong leadership culture, especially the country's many outstanding female leaders. I am eager to learn from this environment and develop my leadership skills.
Coming from Beijing, the capital of China, the biggest challenge I faced was adapting to the completely different climate in Finland.
Remedies against the cold – coping with Nordic winters
Winters in Finland felt endless at first, with little sunshine and everything covered in snow. The vastly different climate made it difficult for me to enjoy outdoor activities.
To cope with the harsh winter, I decided to embrace it by taking up winter sports like skiing and participating in some student activities at LUT. I also often went swimming with my friends, which kept me active.
Spending time with friends at LUT was helpful, and there were activities organized specifically for international students at the school, which made our winter more fun.
I also made sure to take vitamin D supplements to stay healthy during the darker months when there was less sunlight.
Intercultural curiosity – the key to community
In addition to the climate, there were also cultural differences that took time to adapt to, such as different social customs and ways of communicating,
In terms of culture, group projects in many courses at LUT gave me the opportunity to work closely with students from different countries. I took this opportunity to ask them directly about important cultural aspects of their countries, which helped me understand how to build better relationships between cultures.
In-depth learning – preparation for the working world
Initially, a new learning culture was a big challenge. At LUT, more independent studying and learning is fostered. Many courses cover basic theories, but you needed to learn a lot in depth on your own.
Once I got the hang of it, LUT's educational style has greatly improved my self-learning and information retrieval abilities. I have become more independent and self-reliant with my accumulated experience, and I have been able to learn a lot of deeper knowledge on my own, which has laid a good foundation for working life.
Finding myself – with a little help from my friends
What surprised me was how quickly I adapted to my new environment. Despite the initial challenges, I found myself here much faster than I expected. I made a lot of close friends who are honest and supportive, and I have started to really enjoy student life in Finland.
I didn't expect to feel such a strong sense of community so quickly, and I really value the friendships I have made.
