I’ve followed Ylioppilaslehti more or less actively for the six years I’ve spent at the university so far. There have been times that I haven’t paid them much attention, but a couple of years back their clever, in-depth and topical strain of journalism really made an impression on me. Ever since my involvement with BTSB, [.. [...]
Posts in category Academic
What’s Wrong with Ylioppilasleh...
I’ve followed Ylioppilaslehti more or less actively for the six years I’ve spent at the university so far. There have been times that I haven’t paid them much attention, but a couple of years back their clever, in-depth and topical strain of journalism really made an impression on me. Ever since my involvement with BTSB, [.. [...]
Seminargh (Or: “20 Handy Hints to Hel...
Seminar and gradu. Seminar and gradu. The words alone are enough to strike fear into the very bravest of hearts. And make no mistake, their frightening reputations are thoroughly well-deserved. Fortunately however, writing your gradu doesn’t have to be as scary as you might think. As unbelievable as it may seem, there are those who [...]
Vermont Correspondence: Back in the L...
When I got back from a trip to China ages ago, people used to ask me how it was. I usually couldn’t think of anything snappy to say. Most often I just started by saying “It was weird” and went on from there. Right now, it feels like that’s what I’ll do talking about the [...]
Birth of a Thesis: Over and Done With
If you detect some annoyance in my final piece about me and my BA thesis, I can tell you that before sitting down to write this, I chased my suitcase from Helsinki-Vantaa to Espoo as someone mistook mine for theirs. Moving on! It’s been a while now since I handed in my essay and the [...]
Birth of a Thesis: Of Janet and Frust...
For the past few months, I’ve thought about Janet Schaw and her travelogue almost every day. It’s strange to think that almost 250 years after her journey, I am delving into her experience of the West Indies, trying to decode what her text reveals about her and her surroundings. I’ve imagined her standing on the [...]
Vermont Correspondence: A Modest Prop...
As read on February 15th, 2012 in the presence of distinguished peers at the University of Vermont. A Modest Proposal There appears to be a widely shared consensus on the value of life in contemporary society. This consensus leads us to prohibit wanton murder, torture for fun and other random acts of senseless violence. The [...]
The Birth of a Thesis: Nice to meet y...
Somehow the fall semester has flown by and I’m halfway through my proseminar. It’s been rather interesting and, at times, unnerving. What was all fun and games at first gave me a bit of fright in the beginning of November. I spent the first two of months of the course familiarizing myself with 19th century [...]
Curiosity and Uncertainty on Election...
More than anything it was curiosity that drew me to the Old Student Building on October 19. I wasn’t invited to the event, but everyone was welcome. I arrived at the building slightly after 9 o’clock. The windows had mysterious purple lighting which immediately suggested it wasn’t just any ordinary weekday night. Earlier that evening [...] [...]
The Birth of a Thesis: So I’m Really ...
After my Swedish lecture, I rush to the 6th floor of Metsätalo to my next class. It’s hardly just another course among many this fall. It’s the one I’ve been dreading for almost two years, ever since I understood what it was and how much work it was going to be. I’ve watched older students [...]
