When teenagers in Europe are thinking about the High School life here, first things in everyone’s mind are football players and cheerleaders, school dances and musicals, thanks to the American Pie and some other movies. When I came here, I was able to experience what is it in reality.
Stepping in to the new school is never easy. My situation was even harder.
It was also a new country, a new culture, a foreign language and I was living with a new family.
Almost everyone had grown up together and they knew each other. I didn’t know anyone.
During the year, I felt like I was building a huge puzzle with 1300 pieces. I started to meet new people and pieces started to come together. I noticed that teenagers in this side of the Atlantic are not that different. It was funny to see so clear connections between many friend groups here and in my old school. There is also always the same drama with relationships and gossips, pressure with studies and sports.
One of my favorite things here is the school spirit. In Finland, your school is just the school. You go to study and to see your friends, but there is no school sports, clubs or any other after school activities. Everything else is outside the school.
I really enjoyed going to the football and basketball games. It was amazing to see how all the students were supporting the team. Events like the Field Day were also new to me, it was fun to feel “part of the class” when everyone was having fun.
Our school system in Finland is one of the world’s bests and most of the exchange students have been saying how “people in America are dumb and school is so easy”. I was happy to see how Seaholm is everything else than that. Students are really working for their grades and the attitude is positive and supportive. It was shocking to me how much pressure students are facing when they are trying to get into the good schools. All universities in Finland are free, so we don’t have any competitions of the scholarships. Now I understand better how lucky we are.
I am going back home in June. I have to finish my High School, so I am going to have two senior years! I would like to thank everyone who had helped me during the year. I am really going to miss everyone I have met!
