Guidance Corner

"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.

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

Due to the exceptional situation caused by the coronavirus, the Digical Clinic will not be organized.

The Digital Clinic is meant for all students requiring more assurance in navigating the digital learning environments of the University of Helsinki. Student advisers from Kaisa House Student Information are there to help you. You can also meet a specialist from Helpdesk on Mondays and Helsinki University Library on Thursdays.

For example, you may ask for advice on issues related to the following environments:

• Studies service
• Sisu
• Moodle
• Examinarium
• WebOodi
• Logging in to various services
• Data security related to the user name (on Mondays)
• Information seeking (on Thursdays, on Mondays you can visit the Guidance workshop)

If you wish, you can bring your own laptop or tablet computer!

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

Note! During March 23rd to April 9th Unisport organises Carefree Shoulders by live streaming from Think Corner. See the Think Corner website and click Katso ja kuuntele.

Unisport offers an energising Carefree Shoulders exercise break at the Guidance Corner every Tuesday between 13.15 and 13.30. Join us!

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.

NB! HYY's clinics are cancelled for the spring.

Legal protection clinic

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?

In the legal protection clinic, HYY’s specialist will advise you on legal protection issues related to studies.

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 read the guide online or get yourself a printed copy from either the legal protection clinic or HYY’s Services Office!

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.

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.

If you are unable to visit the Guidance Corner, 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.

Next sessions will take place in fall 2020! 

Are you an exchange or international degree student with questions related to practicalities of studying at the University of Helsinki?

The Student Services at the Kaisa House organizes thematic session once or twice a month. The events are open for all exchange and international students.

Fall 2020 topics (preliminary outline, will be updated in August):

August

• Q&A - What is it like living in Finland?

September:

• Must see places in Helsinki
• Set yourself up for success - share your best study practices!

October:

• Essays, learning diaries, book exams - what are those?
• Student Associations on Stage

November:

• Get motivated - How to beat procrastination and get stuff done
• Survive the Winter

December:

• Christmas/winter traditions and events in Finland

Carefree shoulders

Every Tuesday, you can take a break with a mini workout instructed by Unisport from 13.15 to 13.30. Read more about the Carefree shoulders above.

Well-being theme days

On Tuesdays, Guidance Corner focuses on student well-being. Various organisers promoting student health and well-being will be invited to hold information sessions and give advice on how you can improve your well-being and get support in your studies.

• Be more active in your daily life; make exercise a habit: 4 February 2020, 15.00–17.00 (in Finnish)
  Are you looking for a way to kick-start a workout routine or make regular exercise a habit? Daily physical activity is a good way to get some exercise and a necessary part of a healthy lifestyle for everyone, including amateur athletes. Come and listen to exercise instructor Katri Djerf's tips on simple ways of adding physical activity to your day, or discover an exercise goal that is right for you and will help you be more active. Sign up for this event by e-form.
   
• Mindful breathing moment: Self-compassion for managing stress: WEDNESDAY 26 February 2020, 15.00-17.00 (in English)
  Self-compassion is a skills that we need in everyday life and especially with demanding work and times when we face with dissapointments, failures, obstacles and stress. Join this workshop held by Nyyti ry and treat yourself with a moment of relaxation. Sign up for this event by e-form. See also Info desk for International Students.
   
• How do you get started when you just don’t feel like it? 24 March 2020, 15.00–17.00 (in Finnish) organised as a webinar
  Why do we sometimes find it so difficult to get started? This workshop begins with exploring unpleasant study tasks and procrastination. Listen to and share tips for getting over the first hurdle. Sign up for this event by e-form.
   
• Climate anxiety: Is there hope? 7 April 2020, 15.00–17.00 (discussion also in English) organised as a webinar, register by e-form!
  University chaplains Laura ‘Late’ Mäntylä (UH) and Anu Morikawa (Aalto) will introduce and lead the discussion. We cannot guarantee that your anxiety will go away, but you will obtain tools to deal with the emotions evoked by climate change. University chaplains Leena Huovinen and Andreas Lundgren of the University of Helsinki will also attend. Sign up for this event by e-form.
   
• Food and mental well-being: 5 May 2020, 15.00–17.00 (in Finnish) CANCELLED
  How many of us think about food in terms other than appearance or physical wellbeing? We should think of food as a source of nourishment and pleasure because food also affects our mind. Join us for a discussion on the topic together with a psychiatric nurse and a public health nurse. Sign up for this event by e-form.
• Ask a physiotherapist! 12 May at 12.00-13.00
  FSHS's physiotherapists organize a virtual guidance session on Tuesday a 12-13 on Zoom. You'll get tips for ergonomics when working from home, and you can ask questions about body care and well-being. The session is held by physiotherapists Paula Tamminen and Johanna Häkkinen.
  Join the Zoom session with this link
  Meeting ID: 628 0800 7798
  Password: fyssari

WE'LL MEET YOU AGAIN IN SEPTEMBER 2020!

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Do you feel that your studies are not progressing as quickly as you would like? Have you lost sight of the goal of your studies? Do you have problems with time management? Do you need help in finding your strengths and recognising your skills? 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! The material in the groups is in Finnish, unless otherwise indicated in the clinic information.
 

Clinic themes and dates (January and February 2020), sign up here. 

Smart goals
Do you feel that your studies are not progressing as you would like? Have you lost sight of the goal of your studies? Come and clarify your goals and find a path to achieve them. The clinic uses the SMART criteria as support for the work.  

Find your skills
Are you having a hard time finding your own strengths and recognizing your skills? You are not alone. Come and get some tools which you can use e.g. with your CV and motivation letter.

Goal in mind, shaky time management
Do you have problems managing your use of time even though you know the goal of your studies? Do you need help in prioritising? In the beginning of the spring term it's good to take some time to plan and schedule your studies!  

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A maximum of 15 students will be admitted to the clinics and they will be organised if there are at least five registered participants.

Please note that the clinics 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. 

The clinics are run in collaboration by Career Services and Guidance Coordination Services. 

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

• 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.

You’ll find more information, dates and a registration form on Career Services’ event calendar. 

Due to the exceptional circumstances our walk in job search support is conducted online on Zoom on Tuesdays at 12-14pm. We will publish a link to the job search support on Career Services' page. After clicking the link you will arrive at a lobby room in which we will assing you to one of our experts. Bear in mind that you might have to wait for a while.

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 a CV and job application
• Support in practical matters related to job searching
• Questions related to traineeship and its funding

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

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

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