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Well, that's... different.

Right now I have a queer sort of a feeling. All I can say, is that I've had an interesting year so far.

I currently live in a little, borderside town that's been diminishing over the years with people moving out, problems with the docks, loss of income, poor governing elements and so on. The outlook isn't peachy and we're literally being run over by the Russians. (In the form of tourism this time, luckily enough) I was left single again at New Year's, at the same time worked a rather non-challenging, semi-menial job at a warehouse and thought that maybe I ought to try something different. I felt I was standing still and that some sort of a drastic change was necessary.

A girl I know and dated for a while suggested a university, since she seemed to think I had the brains for it. I'm in Logistics already, I've tried Arts (great hobby, fries my noggin if forced to do for a living) and I'm very fast becoming fed up with the IT-front, so the only field I still had some professional interest in left was English. Looked into it and philology seemed interesting enough. Teaching's held a slight appeal as well after the military. I chose Tampere University, since the city's Finland's logistic nexus for inland transit traffic = jobs available, if nothing else. Also, it's just about the second most prestigious U we've got after Helsinki, and I really dislike Helsinki atm. 3 months before admission exams, 600 pages to read for 'em and the books in question for a bargain on Play.com.

Never tried applying, might as well give it a go.

A couple of months later I'm staring at this:
[img]http://koti.mbnet.fi/cijk/TamU08.jpg[/img]

468 applicants, 357 showed up for the exam, 54 got in. After a semi-foggy "wutwutwut!?" -scene after waking up in the morning, I realised, that I apparently beat over 300 people to the punch on my first try. (Despite the fact that I got just little over half of the possible beginning points and that during the beginning of the exam, I was the only one in the crowd asking whether I was mislead when I was told that this was [i]the[/i] place for beer and titties.)

Bottom line; I'm 25 (duh), hauling ass to another side of Finland (yay!) and apparently enrolling in my freshman year at a university come Autumn (help). Next possible graduation: c.y. 2013.

After the panic, I'm feeling happy, but more than a tad strange. Still, better late than never, I guess. :)

Comments

  • MessiahMessiah Failed Experiment
    I guess congratulations are in order. :D

    Youre ame is Ilkka? (or is it Johannes)? ;p
  • BigglesBiggles <font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
    Congratulations! :D

    Kinda reminds me of how I ended up doing a PhD... I couldn't afford the costs involved so I wasn't really intending to do one. But everyone else was applying for scholarships, so I applied for the biggest university one as a joke. A couple of months later, I was in a state of shock, holding a letter offering me a very large sum of money.
  • Data CrystalData Crystal Pencil Artist
    Thanks a bunch. :)

    Messiah: Yeah, Karppinen's the surname, first name's Ilkka and me' second name's the one that's left. :)

    Biggles: That's a nice way to get some extra moolah. :D How big a sum are we talking about, if it's all right to ask? Mainly, did you have any left when you'd completed your PhD? ^^

    Now comes the hard part, though. Starting from tomorrow I have to start hunting for an apartment. And sell _a lot_ of me' stuff.
  • Lord RefaLord Refa Creepy, but in a good way
    Official Public Congratz to you matey. :)
  • ShadowDancerShadowDancer When I say, "Why aye, gadgie," in my heart I say, "Och aye, laddie." London, UK
    Congrats! Ah first year.....what a great year that was! Not that I remember much of it through all the hangovers :D
  • EclecticonautEclecticonaut Elite Ranger
    Welcome to Tampere!

    The place for beer is actually 10km south from your destination (Tampere University of Technology at Hervanta, the finest suburb Finland has to offer), but Tampere University definitely owns the titties department... if you don't count manboobs. :D
  • JohnnyOnTheSpotJohnnyOnTheSpot Banned by request
    Great! Have fun, don't forget your goal in the search for titties and everything will be alright!
  • Lord RefaLord Refa Creepy, but in a good way
    mmm... titties... they are my kryptonite.
  • Data CrystalData Crystal Pencil Artist
    Ahh, titties... mmm... Sorry, where was I? Thanks a bunch and it seems I'm going to have to sport a pint with Eclectionaut at some point as well. Thanks for the welcome. :) And my goal so far is a change of pace and happiness, so I won't be leaving those out of my sight.

    Wait... isn't that an equivalent of titties? Confusing. :D
  • EclecticonautEclecticonaut Elite Ranger
    But tell me, what kind of stuff will be on sale?
  • Space GhostSpace Ghost Elite Ranger
    Congrats, my good man! :)

    If you think it's scary now, wait until graduation is looming large and you are still looking for a job. *points to himself* ;)
  • Data CrystalData Crystal Pencil Artist
    Eclectionaut: I've lived alone for two years now, so I have quite a good grasp on what portion of me' stuff I use and what just sits around. I'm essentially selling my GameCube + all things related, my retro pc-game collection (have a potential buyer for two 3rds already) a wicker chair, a beansack chair, possibly some of my older comics, some games off me' shelf that don't run on me' secondhand laptop, the PSP and whatnot.

    Essentially, my interests have changed quite a bit over the years, and I don't want to haul around stuff and collections that I don't get a kick out of anymore, but can trade for moolah for other collectors. :) My aim is to be able to haul all me' stuff in one go, and thus far it's looking good. :) I have to start looking for a flat... in six hours, actually, and I know the rent's going to be a major bitch and size left wanting, so I'll be happy to take the ascetic approach. ^^
  • SanfamSanfam I like clocks.
    There are some of us who are still pursuing their degrees after so many years, as well...

    Pushing six years on my four year program! Woo!

    Anyway, back to my intended post. Congrats. :D
  • Congratulations, I just know I wouldn't go back to school... not after I studied six years for a 4.5 years B.S. degree (I switched majors halfway) and 8 years for my Ph.D. (I switched advisors).
    Now I teach graduate students, and I really prefer to be on this side.
  • Data CrystalData Crystal Pencil Artist
    Thanks, and I'm sure I'd agree with 'ye after such an overhaul in education. :D I'm taking this as an experience so far, though, as I'm literally starting from the bottom. To begin with, I'm apparently going to be living quite near to Eclectionaut's beloved Hervanta and sharing a flat with 2 other people. :P That's bound to be... interesting, since I've only lived with women or alone after the military, which was around 5 years ago. Horror stories to follow, I'm sure. :D

    Then again, I'm in no position to be picky right now. I'll be working full-time until a week before the actual semester starts, so I've no time to be hunting for apartments. Something of a feat that I even got in. Funny thing is, of course, that my living space is dropped down by only a one third, and my current rent is halved. Can't be bad for the student budget. :)
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