Onward!!

I just received an e-mail from one of my American Studies professors regarding my semester paper. Though I wasn’t entirely satisfied with my essay, it did earn a good grade. The fact that he sends personalized e-mails to students is just one facet of the commitment he has shown to his students here. Though he is just a visiting professor, here for one year, he made the effort to get to know everyone in his smaller classes, and even invite us round for end-of-semester parties.

Though his approach has been understandably colored by his North American background, his considerable international experience and way of reasoning left me convinced on his central arguments. His deep shame for the current administration didn’t hurt either. Certainly, his seminar on the Vietnam War was very evocative, and having no prior experience with U.S.-Latin American relations, I was very impressionable. On the whole, I am more satisfied with this school year than I have ever been at the University of Helsinki. I feel I have developed as a critical thinker, an essay writer and a student in addition to having learned a ton. Getting the grade average I’m looking for is looking very likely, which is a relief.

Another nail in the coffin of this school year… soon I’ll be working all the hours I can get, probably wishing I was back in school, though right now I’m glad it’s over.

Someone set fire to a pair of old buildings next to the Central Railway Station of Helsinki. Thousands of people gathered to watch them burn down, some on the steps of the Parliament, some on the lawn surrounding them.

The old magazine buildings were condemned, and demolition was supposed to begin on Monday the 7th of May. The debate surrounding the decision to build a concert hall in their place had kind of quieted down lately, but it seems someone wanted to make a statement. I’m prepared to say that I do support this act of arson if it was made to protest the capitalization of public space and endless urban development in Finland. In any case, it made those old buildings go out with a bang instead of a whimper. It was like watching a giant bonfire on a hot spring evening.

If it turns out that it was just some pranksters doing it for kicks, I’ll stick to my statement as to why it should have been done.

I made my university choices today. The conditional offer from LSE was my first choice, with a backup offer from Queen Mary. My rationale was that employment for an LSE graduate seems to be easier to find because of the prestige of the school. Whether or not I will like my course is still a bit unclear, but in terms of potential employers Environmental Policy is probably a better bet.

UCAS actually sent me an SMS this morning reminding me to register my choices online, which was nice of them. It’s not like I’d forgotten, but it would be a bummer to miss out on your choices by not accepting them on time. So now I’m just waiting for their confirmation letter as well as my grades for this year’s courses to see if I qualify for the conditions they’ve given.

Had a Swedish exam today. Finishing up the school year always feels really great and sad at the same time. Looking forward to the spring all through the dark, miserable winter gets me pumped up at the first signs of leaves on trees, the thought of not needing a coat to go to town, or being able to do things outside late into the evening, because it doesn’t get late so early. So saying goodbye to classmates for the last time feels strange, as I’ve spent the last few months actively with them, and now we’re going to this separate world that just didn’t exist.

It seems like I will not see them again come autumn. It seems like I’ll be leaving many things behind when, and indeed if, I move.