Guidance Corner

Sisu guidance is aimed to support students with technical matters concerning the use of Sisu with the focus on how to create your study plan in Sisu. If you need assistance concerning the contents of your degree or course equivalences, please contact student services of your own faculty.

Sisu guidance

• Walk-in Sisu Guidance in Zoom on Tue 11-13 and Wed 13-15
• For more information about the technical issues in Sisu, please email studentinfo@helsinki.fi

Our customer service at the Guidance Corner is closed temporarily. You can contact us via chat, phone or e-mail. You can find contact information for admission advising here

We are organizing free break exercise sessions via Zoom as follows

• on Mondays at 12.30
• on Wednesdays at 12.00

Carefree Shoulders is an energising 15-minute break workout focusing on the back and shoulder region and freeing up those stiff muscles. Carefree Shoulders is well-suited for beginners, and no gym clothes are needed.

You can participate in the Zoom event with Meeting ID 861 9709 5476. You will find the link on the Carefree Shoulders page and on the group exercise schedule.

You can also download the Break Pro exercise break programme to your computer.

Subsistence guidance

How much can I earn when receiving student aid? Will my credits from this year be enough for Kela? What do I do if I am worried about summer-time subsistence? In our subsistence guidance, HYY’s specialist will advise you in issues related to student benefits, help you find further information and, if needed, support you when you contact Kela or social services, for instance.

Book your time for a personal guidance meeting remotely via this e-form. Registration starts and the form opens two weeks before each event. You will get a Zoom link to your e-email once we confirm your registration.

In fall 2021, the subsistence guidances have the following schedule:

• 24.9. 11:00-12:00
• 29.10. 11:00-12:00
• 3.12. 11:00-12:00

You can also contact HYY’s specialist by email or phone. Further information on this and on students’ subsistence is available on HYY’s website.

Problems in studies?

Are you wondering what rights you have at the University, or have you experienced flaws when completing courses? Have unreasonable obstacles emerged to hinder your study progress, or have you felt a grade you received was unfair?

HYY’s specialist gives guidance on students' rights in study situations. Book your time for a personal guidance meeting remotely via this e-form. Registration starts and the form opens two weeks before each event. You will get a Zoom link to your e-email once we confirm your registration.

In fall 2021, the guidances have the following schedule: 

• 24.9.12:00-13:00
• 29.10. 12:00-13:00
• 3.12.12:00-13:00

We recommend that you check whether HYY’s new guide on legal protection has a quick answer to your question. The guide includes the most common problems that students of the University of Helsinki face in their studies as well as their solutions. 

You can also get guidance on legal protection by email or phone from HYY’s specialist in charge of advice on legal protection.

In matters not related to studies, HYY’s members are entitled to free legal aid provided by Pykälä’s Legal Aid Committee.

Legal aid in Swedish is provided by Codex.

On Tuesdays, Guidance Corner focuses on student well-being. Various organisers advancing student health and wellbeing will be holding information sessions and giving advice on how you can improve your wellbeing and get support in your studies. During autumn term 2021 most of the Wellbeing Tuesday events will be held online. If you want to join the sessions in Finnish, see the Finnish version on this page for more information.

• Problem use of electronic devices (in Finnish)
  Time and place: Tuesday 21.9. at 15.00-16.00, in Zoom (You can register by e-form. The Zoom link will be sent to registered participants.) See more information on the Finnish web page.
   
• Suffering from stiff neck and back? – How to strech them? (in Finnish)
  Time and place: Tuesday 28.9. at 15.00-16.00, in Zoom. (You can register by e-form. The Zoom link will be sent to registered participants.) See more information on the Finnish web page.
   
• How to begin when I do not feel like it? (in Finnish)
  Time and place: Tuesday 12.10.21 klo 15.00-16.30 in Zoom. (You can register by e-form. The Zoom link will be sent to registered participants.) See more information on the Finnish web page.
   
• Sense of life (in English)
  Time and place: Tuesday 26.10.2021 at 15.00-16.30, Guidance Corner in Kaisa House
  Come and share your thoughts of the sense of the life in this weird world. We are offering free vegatarian food for the first 12 participants. You will be hosted by university chaplains Lisa Enckell and Leena Huovinen. You are warmly welcome. Register by e-form. Link to Zoom session will be sent to the participants one day before the event. 
   
• From demanding to freedom (in Finnish)
  Time and place: Tuesday 9.11.2021 at 15.00-16.30, Guidance Corner in Viikki. (You can register by e-form. The Zoom link will be sent to registered participants.) See more information on the Finnish web page.
   
• A time to breathe (in Finnish)
  Time and place: Tuesday 16.11. at 15.00-16.00 (You can register by e-form. The Zoom link will be sent to registered participants.) See more information on the Finnish web page.
   
• FSHS-PopUp (n Finnish and in English)
  Time and place: 23.11. at 12.00-15.00 at Viikki Guidance corner at Infokeskus 1st floor.
  Come and meet the Finnish Student Health Services staff from the Malmi service point. You can come for a short chat - we are here for you. Nurse Eini Elomaa and Raise Leppisuo and a psychiatric nurse Hanna Väkiparta will be present to talk to you and answer your questions. You can register by e-form or come to see us without registering. 

Do you feel that your studies are not progressing as quickly as you would like? Do you need help in finding your strengths and recognising your skills? Have you lost sight of the goal of your studies? Do you need peer support? 

If you answered any of the above questions in the affirmative, Guidance Corner’s Boost to studies and career groups may be just the thing for you!

At the moment, there are no groups in English. Check the Finnish version of this page for more groups!

*****

Please note that the groups do not provide degree programme or faculty-specific study guidance. If you need help, for example, in determining what studies are missing from your degree, you can find the contact information for your faculty’s Student Services here.

Please note that all events of autumn 2021 are organised online (links will be added to event descriptions latest the day before the event).

Student life 2.0 is a series of events organised for international and exchange students every academic year. The purpose of the series is to promote a balanced student life by introducing students to the Finnish culture, the University of Helsinki and its academic practises, and by helping them feel more at home in Finland. The series consists of Q&A sessions, panel discussions, interactive workshops and presentations prepared by the University’s staff.

The events start 14 o'clock sharp (no academic quarter).

Autumn 2021 topics:

The whole programme for autumn term 2021 will be updated in September.

August

Living and studying in Helsinki – 16.8. 14:00–15:00

Are you starting your studies at the University of Helsinki this autumn and still have questions on your mind? Or would you just like to know more about your new University and Finland in general? Come join our online Q&A session for international students! In this session, we discuss matters related to the start of your studies, share some information and fun facts about Helsinki and Finland and, of course, answer your questions! Please note that we won't be able to answer any study programme or faculty-specific questions. The purpose of the session is to get you acquainted with living and studying in Helsinki and help you get mentally prepared and motivated for your studies.

• PowerPoint slides of the Living and studying in Helsinki event (pdf file). 

September

Must see places in Helsinki – 14.9. 14:00–15:00

Have you just arrived in Helsinki or perhaps want to find out more about what to get up to? Come join us to see and hear more about our staff's favourite places in and around Helsinki! We will share nature destinations, cultural spots, hangouts and different Helsinki experiences!

• PowerPoint slides of the Must see places in Helsinki event (pdf file). 

New to the North? Getting accustomed to a new place and culture – 27.9. 14:00–16:00

During this interactive session we will talk about adjusting to a new environment, and share the thoughts and experiences, that we have gathered so far. We will also be discussing about how to make friends, hobbies and activities and there will be our student ambassadors sharing their experiences on accustoming to living in Helsinki!

• PowerPoint slides of the New to the North event (pdf file).
• PowerPoint slides of the Study Psychologists presentation (pdf file). 

October

Finnish Student Culture - 14.10. 14:00–15:00

What happens at a sitsit? What is a speksi? Are you puzzled by the different aspects of Finnish student culture? Come along to hear about the different student traditions! 

In this session, a specialist from the Student Union of the University of Helsinki will introduce you to Finnish student culture. Afterwards, you'll be familiar with most common customs and ready to participate in different events! Read more about the Student Union: https://hyy.fi/en/new-students-2 

• The zoom link will be updated closer to the event.

A Chance to Mingle - 20.10. 15:00–16:00

Are you wondering how to get to know other students, whether you have just arrived in Finland or you have been here for a longer time? If yes, come join our informal online get together where you will have the opportunity to mingle with your fellow students and get to know new people! In addition, you will have the chance to ask the University staff any questions that you may have related to getting settled and starting your studies. 

• The zoom link will be updated closer to the event.

November

Get Motivated: How to beat procrastination and best study practices - 15.11. 14:00–15:30

Procrastination often not only causes additional stress but it can also affect the quality of your work. The good thing is that it can be effectively combated by setting motivating goals, managing your time realistically and building habits to support and structure your work time. During this interactive session we will discuss different kinds of typical academic skills and tasks and share our best study tips so you can be at the top of your game!

• The zoom link will be updated closer to the event.

Welcome to Wintery Finland - 29.11. 14:00–15:30

Spending the winter in Finland can be an interesting experience: the temperature drops, there might be some snow and it definitely does get a bit darker. But there is no reason why you wouldn't be able to enjoy the colder side of Finland wholeheartedly, as long as you are prepared for it! Join us as we discuss the best tips and tricks on how to 'survive' and make the most of the winter. Like always, questions are very welcome! 

• The zoom link will be updated closer to the event.

December 

Christmas and Winter Traditions in Finland - 13.12. 14:00–15:30 

While there is no guarantee that Southern Finland will get a white Christmas, there are still plenty of interesting winter and Christmas events in the city that you can participate in. During this session we will be going through some Finnish Christmas traditions and suggest some events and activities you might want to add to your to-do list for December.

• The zoom link will be updated closer to the event.

Get the best tips from our Career Counselors onrecognising your skills, job search, fixing your CV and LinkedIn! 

You’ll find more information, dates and registration on JobTeaser. Important. If you log into JobTeaser for the first time, you must select the option 1. STUDENT or ALUMNI as a field of study, in addition to your actual educational field. Read more about JobTeaser.

• Recognise your skills
  Wondering what skills have you developed exactly during your education, your working life experiences and eg. in your hobbies and other extra-curricular activities? In our Recognise Your Skills Workshop you will get the chance to map out your skills and strengths and also to verbalise them in a way that will be helpful to you when looking for jobs.   
• Job search workshops
  How to begin job searching? How do I write a good application and CV and stand out from other candidates? What kind of possibilities does social media offer for job search? How do I find jobs from the hidden job market? In the workshop, you will get the opportunity to read and comment on the other participants’ CVs in an encouraging environment.
• LinkedIn workshops
  Update your LinkedIn-profile to a whole new level! In this workshop we will look at your LinkedIn-profile especially from the point of view of job search and networking. What do the recruiters pay attention to in your LinkedIn-profile? How do you stand out from the other candidates? You will receive help in writing your profile text, get the opportunity to comment on other students LinkedIn-profiles and receive constructive feedback on your own profile. 
• LinkedIn feedback session
  Do you already have your LinkedIn profile set up, but you are wondering if it describes you and conveys the right message? Are you using the right keywords? Is your headline relevant? Are your goals, visions and competencies clearly articulated in your profile? In this workshop you will be able to ask questions and discuss your profile with your peers. 

Support for job search and traineeships is conducted online on Zoom on every other Tuesday at 12-14pm. We will publish a link to the job search support on Career Services' page on the same day. 

Are you concerned about job-seeking or issues related to traineeship? Do you need practical advice on polishing your CV?

The University’s career services provides walk-in job search guidance to support your job hunt. You can come for guidance without an appointment, if you require support in the following matters:

• Feedback on your CV and cover letter 
• Support in building your LinkedIn profile 
• Practical questions concerning job search 
• Questions concerning traineeships, including funding for traineeships. 

The duration of the meeting is a maximum of 20 minutes.

Please note: You will be let into the session only at 12.00, 12.20, 12.40, 13.00, 13.20 and 13.40. The duration of the session is max. 20 min/student. Please be prepared to wait for your turn. We will let you know your waiting time by sending a message to the waiting room. Do stay in the waiting room to keep your spot in the line.  

During the fall 2021 the support for job search and traineeships will be offered on the following dates at 12-14: 

September
Tue 7.9.   
Tue 21.9.  

October
Tue 5.10.
Tue 19.10.
 
November 
Tue 2.11.
Tue 16.11.
Tue 30.11.  

December
Tue 14.12.

Welcome!

Do you need ideas on sources for your seminar thesis? Are you familiar enough with the databases in your field? Are you concerned about submitting your master’s thesis via the E-thesis service?    

Guidance Corner organizes regular guidance sessions on information retrieval for theses, the submission process for master’s theses, and the use of electronic publications.

Reference management

• Thursday, 4 November 2021 at 11.00-12.00. Reference management. How to choose a citation management tool? The event is in English. You can ask questions in Swedish and Finnish.

Join the events in Zoom. There are more events in Finnish.

See the library course selection.

See also the library’s remote guidance on information seeking.

In all Guidance Corner events, the participants commit to following the principles for a safer safe. When attending a Guidance Corner event, meet all participants with an open mind, respect their diversity and let everyone define their own experiences.

Furthermore, please respect the time of the event organisers: If you have signed up for an event, do attend. This way the event organisers can plan their events based on the real turnout. If for some reason you cannot attend an event that has a limited amount of space, let the event organisers know.

In order to create a comfortable atmosphere and open interaction, we would ask you to adhere to the following principles:

• We hope that you will keep your video on in events that have interactive elements (e.g. workshops), if technical or other reasons will not prevent you from doing so. This way both the event organiser and the other participant will get a more realistic experience of being together. We especially encourage you to use your camera during small group assignments (in break-out-rooms). Ultimately, the choice to use or not to use a camera is always yours though!
• The participants will usually get more out of the event if there is discussion between people. So please feel free to open up your mike or write your comments on the chat (or any other platform that is being used). However, you can usually participate in events also as a listener.
• In some events and workshops, the organiser will use the break-out-room function to divide the participants into smaller groups. Often these small group sessions can be the most fruitful part of the event, as during these the threshold for sharing your ideas is lower. Please help create a safer space and a more participatory conversation in small groups: respect different kinds of opinions, express your ideas in a friendly manner and give and take space in the conversation equally with others.

You can also use the following settings, if you want to change your background or your name on Zoom:

• You can blur your background so that your working environment cannot be seen on the video. This can be set up by pressing the arrow located next to the camera icon and by selecting "Choose a virtual background". From the menu that opens select "blur". You can also upload a background picture from the same place.
• You can change your name by pressing the "Participant"-title. This will open the list of participants. After that take your cursor on top of your own name and select first "More" and then press "Rename".    

Panel discussion: Why do we need Guidance? (in Finnish, 29 minutes)

"A virtual Guidance Corner" on HYY's Discord-platform

On HYY's Discord -platform on the guidance-corner channel you can find different activities for promoting well-being and studying. The sessions offered by the University's student services and other actors will continue in the fall term of 2020. More information about the dates and activities will be updated on the Discord channel. You can also ask questions on the channel outside the given times.

Join the Discord channel via this link. More information about Discord on HYY's website.

Guided study sessions

The Student Services organises remote study session based on the Pomodoro technique* via Zoom. Links to the sessions are will be added below (no separate sign-up). Instructions will be given in both Finnish and English when needed.

In the spring term Pomodoro sessions will be organised on Mondays at 10–12 (until the end of May). Join the session by pressing the Join Zoom meeting link below:

• Join Zoom Meeting
• Meeting ID: 667 6958 2423
• Passcode: 245521  

General instructions

If you are participating in a Pomodoro session for the first time, join the meeting five minutes before the start of the session. The leader of the session will quickly go through the idea behind the Pomodoro technique and give tips for making the most out of the Pomodoro session.

If you have questions related to remote studying or the Pomodoro sessions, you can contact us on HYY's Discord-platform on the #etäopiskelu-channel or send us an email to studentinfo@helsinki.fi.

*The Pomodoro technique is a great tool for honing in your concentration; the idea is that you work intensely for 25 minutes and then have a break for five minutes. Therefore, during one full sessions we will go through four “pomodoros”.

Think Corner's Tomato Thursdays

You can also join Think Corner's Tomato Thursdays physically at Basement and remotely on Think Corner's Instagram Stories every Thursday between 9am-3pm (starting up again on 4.2.2021). Read more on Think Corner's website.