{"id":133649,"date":"2025-12-16T07:00:20","date_gmt":"2025-12-16T06:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.campus02.at\/marketing\/?post_type=campus_news&p=133649"},"modified":"2025-12-16T09:32:55","modified_gmt":"2025-12-16T08:32:55","slug":"auslandssemester-in-finnland-meine-erfahrungen-in-lappeenranta","status":"publish","type":"campus_news","link":"https:\/\/www.campus02.at\/marketing\/en\/news\/auslandssemester-in-finnland-meine-erfahrungen-in-lappeenranta\/","title":{"rendered":"My Semester Abroad in Finland: Learning, Nature, and New Perspectives"},"content":{"rendered":"

A semester abroad is a big dream for many students, and it was a long-held wish for me as well. I had wanted for a long time to combine my studies with new experiences, get to know other cultures, and broaden my horizons. With my semester abroad in Lappeenranta, Finland, I was able to fulfill this dream. Looking back, it was an incredibly enriching time, both academically, personally, and culturally.<\/p>\n

Why Finland and Lappeenranta?<\/h3>\n

The desire to spend a semester abroad had been there for a long time. What particularly appealed to me was the idea of combining education with new cultural experiences. Finland had fascinated me since my childhood: the flag, the country's individuality, the numerous lakes, and the tranquility that Finland radiates had captivated me. When the opportunity then arose to spend a semester in Lappeenranta, it was clear to me that I wanted to take that chance.<\/p>\n

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First Impressions: Arriving and Feeling Comfortable<\/h3>\n

My arrival in Lappeenranta was very warm. I was greeted at the train station by my tutor and then taken to my dormitory. The room in the LOAS dormitory was modern, and after a short time, I discovered that I lived just a three-minute walk from the impressive Lake Saimaa. That moment immediately brought a smile to my face.<\/p>\n

A small culture shock, however, didn\u2019t take long to appear: Finns seem very reserved at first glance. A friendly smile is not always immediately returned. But over time, I realized that this reserve has nothing to do with unfriendliness \u2013 on the contrary. Once you get to know them better, people are very open and warm.<\/p>\n

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Studying at LAB University of Applied Sciences<\/h3>\n

I am studying at LAB University of Applied Sciences<\/a>, a practice-oriented university with a strong focus on group work and assignments. I found the course Leading and Teams particularly exciting, where we analyzed real-world case studies and developed our own research questions. This course was a great help for my upcoming bachelor's thesis<\/p>\n

In addition to this course, I took, among others, Finnish 1, Professional Reading, Digital Media, and a course on internationalization. Many courses were held online, which encouraged independent learning and at the same time gave me insight into modern digital teaching concepts.<\/p>\n

Student life was not neglected either. The local student organization ensured that people quickly settled in and could make connections through events such as a Finnish Evening, baking cinnamon rolls together, and visits to the sauna.<\/p>\n

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