What’s it like studying in the happiest country in the world?

Damilya Zhaugasheva, a second-year student at Aalto University who is originally from Kazakhstan, said: “I am a big fan of a Finnish nature and its close proximity to urban areas. After classes I usually take a walk in the neighbourhood. It only takes five minutes and I am already in a small forest or next to the sea with a beautiful scenery.” 

It’s clear that the picturesque landscape extends to other parts of the country, including Turku. Jonathan said: “I really enjoy the pace of life in Finland as well as the proximity to nature – I live next to a forest just a 10-minute drive outside the city centre.  

“Coming from a smaller town in England, Turku is a perfect-sized city. It is not as busy or expensive as Helsinki, it is the undisputed food capital of Finland and has breath-taking archipelago on your doorstep.”  

So what is it about the Finnish system that makes the country the happiest in the world? Hilyah Audah, a master’s student at the University of Turku, studying human neuroscience, said: “I think it’s a combination of factors. First the country’s infrastructure, which supports all your basic needs, so you don’t have to struggle just to survive and put food on the table.  

“Finland has very good public transportation, healthcare, social services, and it’s even easy doing your taxes here! I also love how clean the air here is, in comparison to Jakarta where I live in Indonesia.” 

In terms of other benefits, Jonathan mentions the benefits of raising a family in Finland. “With generous parental leave and low day care costs, Finland is a great place to raise a family, and as a new parent is it reassuring to know that having a child will not break the bank. You also get the famous ‘baby box’ for free!”  

With Finland being the sixth country that Hilyah has lived in, one of the biggest cultural differences she’s noticed is that people trust each other to be honest and they’re respectful of others.  

“It’s the little things. I like the fact that you can leave your laptop unattended at the library, or if you dropped your wallet somewhere it will probably still be there, or someone would have picked it up and tried to find you to return it.”  

“There’s also the concept of Finnish sisu, which I guess put simply is determination, perseverance and resilience. Overall, I think the system, culture, and mindset results in less individual stress, allowing people to focus on other things that matter to them and make them happy.” 

Reflecting on the unique Nordic lifestyle that Finland embodies, Damilya said: “Most Finnish people are family oriented. They enjoy a slow living lifestyle and cherish every moment of their life.”  

Given Finland’s status as the happiest country in the world, we asked our interviewees to share their happiest memory of studying in Finland. Here’s what they had to say: 

Hilyah: “There are so many to choose from! But if I had to pick, my best memory at the University of Turku is when my fellow Neurds (Neuroscience nerds) and I did a riverside barbeque. We had good weather, good food and good company.  

“I made kebab skewers, French fries, and a chickpea salad with cream cheese. One of our friends put on a fire performance for us, which was very cool. Afterwards we went to a friend’s apartment and just hung out there eating cookie dough. It was a perfect day!” 

Jonathan: “As an international student ambassador, I was invited to participate in the University of Turku’s 99th anniversary celebrations. It was a privilege to be involved and to represent international students, who were considered an important part of the institution’s history – and future. The afterparty wasn’t bad either!” 

Damilya: “During my first year of university, I took a course called Digital Thinking and Electronic Prototyping. We were given a task where we had to come up with an idea of a product that would be beneficial to society.  

“At first, it seemed like an uphill battle, making something from scratch. But after a while, when things started to work out as planned and the final result exceeded my most optimistic expectations, I felt like there was nothing I couldn’t do, learn or master.”