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The Swipe Journey – Can love be found on Tinder?

Tinder is a popular dating app used by millions of people worldwide. How do students in Oulu view the app? Have they found love?

Ilmiöt In English

TEKSTI Pablo Santur

What do you think about Tinder? Do you approach it as a dating facilitator or just as a convenient place to get to know new people? You may like, dislike or just be indifferent to it, but one or more of your friends might contribute to the over one billion swipes the app processes daily. Yep, a billion.

The nature of Tinder is simple. With only a picture and some basic info, you can create a profile. Then, based on your location you will see other users’ profiles and decide if you want to interact with them (swipe right) or not (swipe left). If two users like each other a match and the talk begins.

To know more about the experiences related to this app, we invited people to respond to a survey regarding Tinder. The thirteen responses from Master’s and Ph.D. students depict how the platform is perceived, used and sometimes avoided. Of course, their names have been changed to preserve their anonymity. You know, what happens on Tinder, stays on Tinder.

Opening Tinder

For its developers, Tinder is a social networking app for meeting people. However most users will mention that the main functions of Tinder are finding dates and sexual partners.

The latter was the case for most of our interviewees before joining the app. At that point, the meaning of “I am on Tinder” to them meant “being single”, “looking around” or just “looking for sex”.

This tension between points of view seems to be also in academia. Some researchers attribute the rise of apps like Tinder to their diffusion of casual sex. Others, however support that Tinder is more often used for entertainment purposes, locating casual sex being among the least common uses of Tinder.

In that regard, many of our interviewees mentioned using the app to get entertained. That was the case for Malena, post-doc student at the university.

“It used to be something I was doing to kill the time, almost the same as a game on the phone. But I also happened to check the profiles with some friends, a couple of times, just to laugh together.”

For Beatrice, from Italy, it also began as a game, but later it became something else. “I started using the app just for fun. Me and my friends looked at profiles of people and judged them. That is how I met my actual boyfriend there.”

Instead of entertainment, others found boredom on Tinder. At least that is Ramon’s perception.

“When people tell me they are on Tinder, I understand they are in the upcycle of loneliness and want to meet people… until they get tired of Tinder always being the same and get bored of it.”

What drives people to Tinder?

According to a study conducted in the Netherlands, people’s motivations to use Tinder can be classified in six categories. Beside the common ones (casual sex and love), the study also mentioned using Tinder to receive positive feedback about one’s appearance, thrill of excitement, ease of communication in online environments, and trendiness.

When reviewing the motivations of our interviewees to start using the app, we found some similarities. For example, some were looking for a relationship (love), while others were exploring an interest in the same gender, or trying dating again after a break-up (sex / love). Others were curious due to friends’ suggestions to use the app (trendiness). Some started using it to develop flirtation skills or to overcome solitude (ease of communication).

In the case of Julieta, a Master student from Brazil, her response included not one but many of these categories.

“Flirting in real life wasn’t really working, and I was much shier that I am now. So, it was an interesting way to flirt, have conversations and meet new guys. Also, everybody was already using it, so if I wasn’t there, I would be out of the system.”

A tainted reputation

If there is a wide variety of reasons to join the app, why is Tinder viewed as a hook-up platform? Beatrice offers an explanation after using the app for 5 years.

“Because many people use Tinder just to find sex, people have a negative opinion of it. But I think that if used in the right way, it can be a good tool to get to know, interact with and meet new people.”

Many of our interviewees seemed to feel the same way, because of the interesting people they met using the app. For instance Ramón, a Master student from Spain, had a surprising and unexpected encounter thanks to Tinder. He was in India when he matched with a model.

“I ended up spending my last 3 days in Delhi with her. She took me to the most posh parties and afterwards slept in the slums of Delhi. We would have dated if I lived there, but we still talk.”

Similarly, when asked about her craziest experience using Tinder, Adele, French exchange student, remembers her first encounter with a stranger.

“I took the bus to his city, one hour away from mine, and he was supposed to take me back. I was there to meet him after almost one month of chatting. But I did not know him. I had no idea who I might run into. What if something did not go well? Luckily, he drove me home as planned. We kept seeing each other, and now he has been my boyfriend for almost 18 months.”

Despite the good experiences, there are also cases where users, especially women, suffered bad experiences. Angélica and Lyyti had negative experiences in their real-life encounters. After meeting a neighbor through Tinder, Angélica found out that he had a wife and a newborn child he had not told her about.

Lyyti faced a violent situation with a guy when she met him for the first time. “He tried to strangle me, I guess in a sexy, fun way? I did not find it sexy or fun. I never met him again.”

Gendered experiences

Even though many users considered no differences in the practices of men and women while using the app, it was intriguing that many female interviewees expressed they use different strategies to avoid uncomfortable situations.

For example, identifying potential unwanted profiles (“there are weirdos everywhere, you need to learn how to identify them – and you gain experience with time – and how to avoid them”), elaborating a profile according to your interests (“I wrote a long description because I consider it important, especially when you are looking for something in particular. In my case avoid people who are only looking for one-night stands”), and have a protocol for the first dates (“to meet someone that doesn’t belong in your social network could be dangerous, so it is always an adventure. That’s why you should meet in a public place, never in your own house, or the other person’s house”).

None of the interviewed men mentioned any event related to violence or risk. Maybe the platform just replicates the behaviors of the offline world? Our interviewees mentioned behaviours associated with traditional gender roles. Some examples were passive-active roles (“women tend to be pickier because they are “chased”, and men have to do the chasing”), abusive behavior (“there was too much showing-off and pressure”), and plain machismo (“being a girl on Tinder is a lot worse than being a guy. Girls are quickly insulted and reduced to macho comments”).

According to Yan Asadchy, researcher of online dating culture, although some traditional roles are replicated within these platforms, there is an increasing demand in power for women. For example in India, the female audience is commonly facing straight-up and intolerable harassment, Asadchy says.

This motivated Tinder to implement a “My Move” feature that allows women to choose only they can start conversations after a match. This decision is highly coherent with the design of Bumble, the application that empowers women by putting them in a position where they can decide if they want to write their match or not.

On the contrary to heterosexual users, Fernando and Raija found that gay users may find the use of Tinder easier. For example, Raija found a more relaxed space to develop her curiosity. “I got interested in the same gender and found it very easy to use to Tinder: otherwise there’s a heteronormativity in society. We need to ask people who they’re interested in.”

Similarly, Fernando considered that “there might be roles that heterosexual users have using the app: who approaches whom first, who asks whom out first, and so on. This mirrors heteronormative social roles of men and women. Queer users, on the other hand, tend to disregard these roles.”

The core of Tinder

In an article of 2013, the columnist A. David claimed that Tinder does something “no previous app or dating site ever has before: it makes everyone feel okay about hooking up with near-strangers.”

Even though many interviewees met their long-term partners on Tinder, for Yan Asadchy the design of the Tinder’s interface might drive you away from achieving this goal. “Maybe they really want to find a long-term romantic relationship, but the design of Tinder invites you to behave in a different way.”

In a study about the swipe logic of Tinder, the authors defend that the almost exclusively image-based interactions, the scarce information, the binary response (like or not like), and the awareness of depending on the others according to your location, creates a tension between desire and anxiety.

One swipe after another, the selection can become addictive. In that cycle individuals are diluted, they become a part of the mass. Or as Lyyti says: “the massive ‘selection’ of people that Tinder brings to your fingertips might make other people seem more disposable.”

Dating always causes tension. While both agree to spend some time together, no one knows exactly what the other is expecting. So, the tension between expectations and possibilities of differences are constant. However, on Tinder that complexity is reduced to a simple swipe, a match and a few lines, before making potential contact. Maybe that explains some of our interviewee’s criticism of Tinder.

For instance, for Ramon the app creates a superficial image of people. He thinks that “overused conversations become meaningless and fail to portrait either of the participants as a person”. On the other hand there is Irma: “communicating through the app made it easier for me to be indifferent towards others and not really care what they thought about me.”

Despite criticism of scholars or users, Tinder is here to stay. The more than 50 million users of the app prove that. So, next time someone brings Tinder up in a conversation, assume nothing and listen. Maybe you will find as many interesting stories as I found while writing this article.

Julkaistu 25.3.20201.2.2023

Pablo Santur

Learning specialist in thesis writing mode. Former TV scriptwriter. Foodie. Anime lover. Twitter: @pablodsantur

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Passion for research – What it’s it like to study a PhD

Mathilde van der Berg arrived from the Netherlands in October 2018. After 16 months of exploring the process of reindeer domestication, she shares her experiences as a doctorate student.

In English

TEKSTI Pablo Santur

KUVAT Pablo Santur

Mathilde van der Berg came to the University of Oulu to become a PhD student in archaeology in 2018.

When did you first want to become a PhD student?

I never wanted to. Actually I am still surprised I have become a PhD student.

But then there was this announcement of an open position going around in the zooarchaeology circles of the internet. It said something like: “we are looking for new methods and interpretations for approaching reindeer domestication”, and well, during my studies people already called me the ‘reindeer girl’ (laughs). So, all the pieces of my interests came together in this position and I applied.

What are your daily activities as a researcher?

That depends on the stage of my research. Last year I have measured a lot of bones for data collection.

I also went to the field with my project. We went to a reindeer farm and I interviewed several Sami reindeer herders.

I have given some lectures and have also been to conferences. Right now I am reading a lot of anthropological and historical literature about reindeer breeding, which I find super interesting. Some days are really mild, and others can be hectic.

Are there differences or similarities between a PhD and your previous studies?

The main difference is that I know where I am going now. I have some deadlines that I set together with my supervisor, and I am executing my research as planned.

There aren’t many courses that I am taking at the moment, compared to being a Bachelor or Master’s student.

During my degree years of studying archaeology in the Netherlands, the classes were really small and my classmates were my friends. Here you have to find friends yourself.

What I really like is that I now meet people that are interested in what I am doing, while in my Bachelor and my Master I felt that nobody really cared about that. Similarities are that I am still reading a lot of literature, and hanging around bones a lot (laughs).

Is there any particular moment of your PhD that you feel proud of?

After I give a presentation at a conference or in a seminar, I feel relieved but also happy. Afterwards, people sometimes come to me and they can ask some very interesting questions or they tell me about their research and how it is related to mine. Since other people are interested in the same things, I feel that what I do is relevant.

What about challenges?

For me, I am a total insomniac. Some days, I can not be as productive as I would like to be, because I feel like a zombie. If you have sleeping problems your cognitive abilities actually go down quite a bit. This is the major challenge for me in my life and also for my research.

How about the funding?

Luckily my salary is paid from the Domestication on Action project led by Anna-Kaisa Salmi.

But I have heard about struggles with finding funding a lot. Actually some of my PhD friends have to look for funding themselves and they are really busy with this funding issue. A huge amount of their time goes into it rather than actually researching, and often they are very stressed about it.

How was the process of building up your research identity?

I think that process is still ongoing. Maybe the most important thing for me is deciding for myself what to consider for my research, though of course together with my supervisor. You can take several approaches to the same topic or issue, and when I’m defining my own path I feel independent. I also have to look into and decide which journals to publish in or conferences to attend.

Where do you see yourself after finishing your PhD?

I would really like to become a postdoctoral researcher in arctic anthropology or in reindeer domestication. But my deepest dream is actually to go on anthropological fieldwork.

I want to live with a reindeer herding Sami group or reindeer herders in Mongolia for a year, just to see how they live and think. Maybe I could compare their practices and write about it. In short, do anthropological fieldwork and connect it with the research I am doing now.

Julkaistu 5.3.20201.2.2023

Pablo Santur

Learning specialist in thesis writing mode. Former TV scriptwriter. Foodie. Anime lover. Twitter: @pablodsantur

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Is there magic left in the world?

Logic rules the world. We no longer fear trolls or deities nor do we rely on spirits for inner peace. Is there magic left in the modern world, Anca M. Catana wonders.

Ilmiöt In English

TEKSTI Anca M. Catana

Remember the movie Fight Club (1999)? If not, you can take a break, watch it and return to reading after.

Isn’t it somehow intriguing that your everyday, average individual would engage in such a “barbarian” activity, without any notable advantage? Sure, they were mostly men, but take another break and go watch Million Dollar Baby (2004).

The point is, we see it in sports, we see it in the arts, we see it in religions: people gather together to witness or take part in a short intense event, which moves a little bit of something within them.

Some 2400 years ago, in an attempt to explain what happens with the spectator while watching an ancient tragedy, Aristotle (tip: he was Greek), came up with a name for the phenomenon: catharsis, cleansing and purification of emotions.

Aristotle’s catharsis has always been connected to the idea of purification of emotions through arts, particularly the performing arts.

What the explanation fails to remember is that the theater witnessed by Aristotle didn’t limit itself to an artistic representation.

Instead, the Greek gods and goddesses were alive and well in the ancient tragedy. They had their own entrance in the scene purely for themselves and were always making the characters accountable for their actions, adding a religious or spiritual dimension to the whole catharsis concept.

Cleansing of gods

Back to the future and why you are reading about a two and a half millennia old word in a student magazine: as old as it is, catharsis couldn’t be more actual. Let me explain.

In our contemporary world, God/s, goddesses, demigods, not even witches, elves or trolls are walking among us anymore – nor do they send angry messages.

Smart beings as we are, we studied, understood and categorized everything. We know today that thunderstorms are not caused by Thor’s hammer but by the electrical charge of clouds, the world has been created rather by the Big Bang than the vomit of Mbombo, the Death worm from the Gobi desert is probably just a type of amphisbaenia, and a great flood is more likely to be the result of climate change than of divine wrath.

Not long ago, I was watching Nicholas Christakis’ TED talk The hidden influence of social networks, in which he explains his break-through discovery on how the social network of an individual affects surprising aspects of his or her life. These included their chances of getting divorced or obese.

It occured to me at that moment, that there is a worrisome paradox: we know so much about what surrounds us, but so little about ourselves as individuals and especially as communities.

Modern day catharsis

In our secularized society religious or spiritual laws and rituals are seen as naive, even dangerous if taken to fanaticism. The main reason being that they can’t be objectively verified, take horoscopes for example, so they fall in a category of pseudoscience.

Them not being objectively verifiable makes them prone to manipulation and re-interpretation which can lead to fraud or disastrous events, like the Jonestown Mass Suicide, where in 1978, over 900 people were manipulated into taking their own lives.

On the other hand, purging any non-rationality from our daily lives has left many feeling empty. We tend to blame mental health issues, depression and suicidal thoughts on financial problems, stress, substance abuse, but could they not also be attributed to a lack of magic in our lives, a lack of mystery or spirituality?

Could it be why the world of dragons and face-changing people of Game of Thrones became such a phenomenon? Is the unknown and unintelligible “a must” in our lives that also makes us vulnerable?

Our day to day existence becomes somewhat sisyphic when it lacks meaningful experiences and encounters. Like a Shyamalan movie, everything seems to be following its order, but the somewhat eerie atmosphere hints at something being off.

If magic and spirituality are the missing elements, how can we bring the unexplained back into our lives? Through art, through meditation, through forming our own rituals? And where is the limit: can they become dangerous? When can we become susceptible to being deceived and manipulated by some who, for example, figured that there is fat money to make out of our non-material needs?

Money for nothing

I am probably not the only one assaulted on social media by ads for products promising balance, gratefulness, love, peace, humbleness – for a small fee of course.

No matter how appealing the photoshopped landscapes are or how marvelous the shut-eyed ladies look in their fitted yoga pants in these ads, I can’t help myself from stopping and wondering about the absurdity of it all.

The current ads remind me of the medieval practice of selling indulgences: a bit of money is all that it takes to save your soul and sanity.

Remember the catharsis phenomenon from the beginning of this text that required people to actually get together and live an event as a community? Well, fear no more, as in our contemporary world you need to meet no one, talk to no one, go to no crowded or chaotic gatherings.

You can enjoy the benefits, free your mind and liberate your spirit while isolating yourself in your living room with buds in your ears, listening for the 100th time to the same monotone voice praising you for taking time off to “take care of yourself” – for a small fee.

Lost inner peace

Where is the limit, then? When are we having our mind and soul cared for and when are we having them exploited? To whom should we trust the most sensitive parts of ourselves: the stranger or the one close to us? The professional or the loving one?

And talking about professionals, where does professionalism start and where does it end? Nevertheless, why do we seem to crave the inexplicable only to try to explain it afterwards?

I wish I had at least some of the answers for these questions in order to be able to write a nice and comforting conclusion, but that’s no easy task.

As a result I invite you to think about all the magic present in your life, reflect on whether you would need more of it and most importantly, where and with whom could you find it.

Julkaistu 27.2.20201.2.2023

Anca M. Catana

Education student, theater enthusiast, nature lover. Curious, spontaneous and ambitious, open for new challenges.

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Time to say goodbye – how it feels to leave Oulu

In this article Pablo Santur interviews former students, tells their stories and explores how it feels to be leaving Oulu and say goodbye.

In English

TEKSTI Pablo Santur

Many of us came to Oulu excited for the new path unfolding in front of us. Since the moment we decided to come, we knew a journey was beginning. Only at the very end can we say if we got what we were looking for.

We may have begun seeking a better future, a professional improvement, or just a new beginning. Still, we can never be fully aware of the potential hiding behind our expectations. The unexpected parts are the places to discover, moments to live, or challenges to overcome.

Once someone told me that the difficult part of going back home after staying somewhere for a long time is realizing that you have two homes. You are going back to your family and friends, but also leaving behind new friends. In this article we are going to discover pieces of the journey of some former students who already left Oulu, and hear how it feels to say goodbye.

Every journey begins with a step

To reach the university, we all had to take many different steps. Some reached the university in a rush, without too much planning. This was the case of Héctor Pijeira-Díaz, Vasiliki (Vaso) Mylonopoulou and Tiina Strand.

Héctor was still working on his master’s thesis in Spain when he found out about a PhD position in Oulu and decided to apply. Similarly, Vaso was in Sweden looking for a job when she was accepted as a doctoral student. That was the beginning of the journey for them.

It was a little bit different for Tiina. She was originally planning to go further down south from Sodankylä, her hometown. However, her plans changed when she was accepted to the university of Oulu. Even then, she thought it was only going to be for 5 years. In the end, it turned out it would take longer than that before she continued the journey she had in mind years earlier.

Feeling lonely and friendless was the hardest thing I faced in Oulu.

Not everyone’s path was full of unexpected turnarounds. There are those who were able to picture the path they were going to follow and execute the plan with surgical precision. That was the case for Axel Cima, Lourdes Malacara and Kassandra Hernández. From all corners of Hispanic countries (Argentina, Mexico and Spain, respectively), they did an extensive search for programs that matched their interests.

While Axel was focused on economic geology, Lourdes and Kassandra were interested in education. Lourdes was interested in the links between education and technology, while Kassandra wanted to look into the pedagogic strategies of Finnish teachers. After a lengthy process reviewing several programs in different cities, they choose Oulu as their destination.

Fatema struggled to make friends at first.

Looking for company for the ride

As main characters of our own story, we accepted the solitude in coming to Oulu and leaving behind our familiar lives. Even though every journey began individually, we needed to build bonds with people to overcome the challenges along the path. For some it was easier, while others struggled.

The sense of community is very precious thing and it’s hard to come by after you graduate.

The latter was the case for Fatema Tuj Zohora, then Master student in molecular medicine. Even though she found many opportunities for her research interests at the university, she had a hard time developing connections. As she remembers: “In the very beginning, I didn’t feel welcomed. It was very hard to find a friend in the classroom. Feeling lonely and friendless was the hardest thing I faced in Oulu.”

Some other students were lucky enough to be able to find a group of people that accompanied them through the entire journey. Axel is grateful for the solid group of classmates who stuck with him during his 2-year programme.

“Since the very beginning we formed a wonderful group of international people from every continent and we stuck together. Multiculturalism and friendship were great pillars for this experience.”

Likewise, Tiina highlights the relevance of people in her university experience. Vappu has especially been a very special time for her.

“It felt like all the students were out and about and you could make new friends everywhere. The sense of community is very precious thing and it’s hard to come by after you graduate.”

Hector’s biggest challenge was his multidisciplinary PhD.

Surprises along the path

A Finnish expression says: “Elämä ei ole ruusuilla tanssimista” – literally, life is not dancing on roses – meaning life is not exempt of troubles. Indeed, the troubles faced along the way also left deep traces in us.

One challenge for exchange students was the cold and long-lasting dark season. Lourdes knew about the cold weather before arriving, but she still felt sad and lacked energy to do her research during the winter.

“I wanted to sleep most of the time and did not want to do my assignments”, she says.

Despite the struggle, winter changed Lourdes’ view about locals for the better.

“Before moving to Finland, I had the notion that Finnish people were ‘cold’. Instead I found that while Finnish people take their time to know you, once they trust you they are really friendly and nice. They really care for their friends, and they support you in difficult times but also in happy moments”, she says.

Sometimes the biggest challenge was else, something you could not see coming. That was the case for Vaso, for whom her studies became the biggest challenge to overcome.

“I think the PhD itself was difficult. I have not yet met a doctoral researcher who is doing perfectly well mentally. A PhD takes years, and one really only believes that they can make it at the defence. The years before are full of uncertainty, doubts, and random deadlines.”

Similarly, his PhD challenged Héctor to reinvent himself. Coming from a totally different academic background, he had to work extra hard to fully embrace the multidisciplinary nature of his research.

I have not yet met a doctoral researcher who is doing perfectly well mentally.

“I had an engineering background and came to work in educational psychology. My thesis had a very strong component of physiological data. So, you know psychophysiology, educational psychology, computer science, that mix was difficult.”

The end of one journey is the beginning of another

At the end of the journey, new decisions had to be made for the future. In the case of some our interviewees, their studies in Oulu gave them clarity of mind about their perspectives and priorities.

Axel for one discovered his deep bonds with his home country.

“I realized how much I was missing my family, friends, girlfriend and culture. I decided to finish my degree, pack my stuff and return home.”

Similarly, Fatema’s desires and goals lead her to Germany to continue her PhD. However she left with some mixed feelings.

“I’ll miss Oulu and my friends over here a lot. But my career goal is leading me there.”

Vaso also felt like her path lead her further away.

“After spending a few of months in Oulu, I realized that I would leave it either for Helsinki or most possibly for another country. I did not know when and where, but both my partner and I felt like this”.

Some, however, left with less clarity, not knowing if they would be back or not. That was the case for Tiina, who moved to Helsinki.

“Oulu is a good place to live. I have nothing against moving back to Oulu, it’s just that I have to be somewhere else for a while.”

Some say goodbye, hoping to come back and visit former friends. For others, leaving is not so easy. As Kassandra says:

“I feel very sad about leaving Oulu, because it has felt like home all this time. It’s difficult to me to say goodbye to people without knowing when I will see them again, or even worse, if I ever will.”

“When you miss a place, what you really miss is the time that corresponds to that place; sites are not missed, but times. ”

Jorge Luis Borges

Julkaistu 5.2.20201.2.2023

Pablo Santur

Learning specialist in thesis writing mode. Former TV scriptwriter. Foodie. Anime lover. Twitter: @pablodsantur

Lue lisää:

Taking visible steps towards sustainable development – what has the University of Oulu done?

During the past couple of years, public discussion on sustainability has shifted. The question is no longer whether we need to take action but where do we need to start. Around the world, universities have started to commit themselves to sustainability. To see what action the University of Oulu is taking, we interviewed the Sustainability Planning Officer Anni Huovinen.

In English

TEKSTI Thea Yan Pan

Anni Huovinen is a project manager and planning officer for the university’s sustainability projects. The first of her kind, she explains her position to be a person dedicated to sustainability activities and public relations.

One of Huovinen’s tasks has been to design a sustainability website where different kinds of projects, research, and events are presented to the public. She has also invested in a campus-wide event: the Sustainable Development Week.

The idea for the week came from the Advisory Board of Sustainable Development. It was co-organized together with TellUs and the Student Union OYY. The purpose of the week was to raise awareness and to create a campus-wide discussion and an atmosphere towards sustainable development.

The university launched the Sustainable Development Week on October 7th to 9th, 2019. According to Huovinen, this was the first time that the university had a week focused entirely on sustainability.

“It’s a broad enough topic to easily have a sustainability month with events every day,” she comments.

The week-long event breathed life into the campus via a series of panel discussions, workshops, documentary viewing, and an NGO fair.

Anni Huovinen says the planning started back in April. There was no previous experience or structures, and they had a limited budget to work with.

In the end, the Week’s planning team incorporated various themes and perspectives into the schedule. For example, OYY proposed perspectives from the Global South in many events, the documentary “The Chocolate Case” as an example.

The Advisory Board of Sustainable Development helped by bringing guest speakers from different sectors, such as the Finnish Environment Institute, other universities and the Ministry of Education and Culture.

Time for feedback

One of the events was “Rector’s Coffee Break” with Jouko Niinimäki, the Rector of The university. There all campus members had the opportunity to learn about and discuss issues in sustainability with the rector. The purpose was to channel feedback and demands for sustainable change from bottom to top.

During the session, a feedback board was set up to directly collect students’ concerns, wishes, demands, or opinions. At the end, 136 notes were collected and later delivered to the rector himself.

The event came at a good time, since the Strategy of the University of Oulu for the upcoming 4 years is currently being designed. The new Strategy will update the current one and starts its 4-year-term in 2020.

What kind of holistic actions the Strategy implies for sustainability is to be seen. However we can see the university’s ambition towards “sustainable development in the north” and emphasis on “the sustainable use of natural resources” already.

In this regard, we can expect more action to be taken as the university has started collaborating with the Oulu University of Applied Sciences (Oulu UAS) for common sustainability goals. There are also plans on installing the university’s own solar panels.

The university’s role

Why is sustainability an issue at universities?

“Universities have great responsibility and agency. They have a lot of power outside the organization,” Anni Huovinen says.

She explains that universities affect the world in many ways.

Firstly, the universities accommodate thousands of people including students, faculty, and staff. Secondly, they educate future teachers, citizens, leaders, and consumers. Thirdly, they influence local communities and industries through research and collaboration.

“The university’s values get passed on to people. In that way have a very wide reach in different sectors in society”, Huovinen says.

She gives an example of a recent event: the Student Union of the University of Helsinki announced that beef would no longer be included in the meals served in all the Ylva’s UniCafes.The goal was to reduce carbon footprint in food consumption.

Soon after, a plethora of news articles covering this issue was published. The case reaching audiences nationwide and created a chain of discussions on meat consumption. This also prompted Uniresta, a restaurant provider in Oulu, to respond.

Huovinen explains that besides having influence on discussion and setting examples in societies, universities also affect policy-making decisions through scientific research.

According to Huovinen, our current society often views universities as useful to the economic system, with the goal to make our GDP grow. However, from this point of view, the additional societal and philosophical purpose of universities might be overlooked and sacrificed. She thinks the purpose and impact of universities needs to be looked into.

“We should talk more about the role of universities in our society. Are we here to make the economy grow? Is that the purpose of future professionals?”

Individual responsibility in sustainability and coming together

Just as universities can open a nation-wide discussion, individuals together can open a university-wide discussion. In a setting where people often find themselves willing to help but unsure where to start, grass-roots activity can help.

The university’s Advisory Board aims to mobilise different university stakeholders to take action on sustainability, and propose constructive policies to the university’s management team. Currently, open meetings are held on an irregular basis, where all students are encouraged and welcome to join.

The Sustainability Week inspired even the person arranging it, Anni Huovinen. The speech by Arto O. Salonen gave her a new perpective.

“The discussion around sustainability is often focused on the challenge that we can’t let go of our lifestyle: we can’t let go of our cars, and we want to buy a new cell phone every year. I found hope in Salonen’s idea that you are getting a more meaningful life when you let go of things. You become more sustainable and get closer to where you want to be,” she says.

Just as many of us feel hopeless or powerless when being confronted with environmental crises, Huovinen feels the same. Constantly confronting sustainability and the hard facts about climate change sometimes get to her. However there is hope, and what makes her hopeful is a new empowered generation willing to push for a change.

“The new generation have a very different view on consuming. They grew up in a new paradigm, where we can not continue living in certain ways, even though they might be seen as normal in our society.”

Ending note from the writers:

We as students want to add that we hope to see concrete action by the university to fight climate change. This can mean increasing teaching about climate change and sustainability issues, creating more opportunities for collective action, unifying stakeholders through creative ways, and reducing the university’s operation carbon footprint.

At the same time, we also appeal to all our peers to become active. Find ways to get involved with larger groups that are working for sustainable development. In the end, all of us together create the sustainable changes we want to see in the environmental, social, and economic systems.

Written by Thea Yan Pan and Filip Polák

Julkaistu 27.1.20201.2.2023

Thea Yan Pan

Studying in the Education and Globalisation program. Originally from China and currently interested in collaborating with students from different faculties to make our university more sustainable.

Lue lisää:

Useful and close-by – this is what the new board of OYY wants to be

This year's board of OYY wants to be easy to approach. The new members want to be able to offer each student union member something, whether it be advocating on their behalf or events.

In English

TEKSTI Iida Putkonen

KUVAT Iida Putkonen

In Finnish.

The voluntary membership of the Student Union and the move of Oamk are things the new Board of the Student Union is facing this year. The group wants to make sure the collaboration between OYY and OSAKO, the student union of the University of Applied Sciences, goes smoothly. They also want to offer even better services for students. Eetu Leinonen, the new president describes the fresh Board as diverse and balanced.

“We have members from many different fields and varying experiences in student influencing.”

“All of us are from different student guilds. We also prove you don’t need a long policital career to be on the Board”, Eevasisko Mehtätalo says.

Despite their different backgrounds, the new members of the Board are similar in one way: they would not have applied, had they not been encouraged.

We interviewed the group about how they are feeling about the upcoming year. All of the members as well as the president answered the same questions. Read the responses below.

Why did you apply to be on the Board?
What is your history in student influencing?
What do you wish to accomplish on the Board in 2020?
Are you excited about something in particular? Is something making you nervous?
How are you going to fit the Board into your life? Are you going to keep studying?
What has OYY done well in the past and what do you think should be improved on?
How would you like the Student Union to be when you leave your post?
What would you like to say to your fellow students?

Eetu Leinonen, 21, a fourth year student of mathematics and statistics and freshman of Finnish

The Chair of the Board: Board chairman, ownership and external stakeholder activities

“Last year I was the president of the Advocacy Section and I got to look into the advocacy work. It was then that I started thinking of applying to the Board. Eventually that thought grew into wanting to be the President.

As a student influencer I have also been the President of Oulun Luonnontieteilijät ry OLuT.

On the Board I want to make sure people feel OYY is useful. I also hope that the work goes smoothly, as there have been changes in the organization. Hopefully we can also help the next Board get a good start.

I am especially excited about the anniversary of OYY.

What makes me a little nervous is adapting to the Student Union everyday life. This is different compared to student guilds.

I intend to keep studying and finish my master’s thesis. For example I am taking a course in Udmurt language.

I would like the future OYY to be more open and closer to students. I would hope the Student Union can offer each member something, since we are doing this from students to students.

You can come talk to me about anything, it doesn’t have to be related to the Student Union. I like to be an unofficial guidance counselor: I know WebOodi by heart.”

Tia Rahkila, 23, a third year student of finance

The First Vice Chair of the Board, responsible for academic affairs

“I thought it would be nice to be able to make a difference. I only applied to the Board after the initial application period, because Santeri encouraged me to apply.

Previously I’ve been on the board of the student guild of finance, Finanssi.

I am most looking forward to meeting all the academic affairs representatives of all the guilds. I can’t wait to start working!

What makes me nervous is responsibility. I would say it’s a good kind of nervous, though.

I intend to keep studying while I am on the Board. My goal is to finish my bachelor’s during the summer. Exercise helps me stay energized.

I enjoyed the ‘kaverikoirat’ dogs from the previous years.

What I wrote on my application as well was that I’d like to bring OYY closer to each member. I want OYY to give back. I also want to develop academic affairs and advocacy work even further.

I’d like to say that there is no need to be scared of me even though I talk a lot. I can also listen.”

Jarkko Impola, 23, fourth year student of educational sciences

The Second Vice Chair of the Board, responsible for finances

“Applying to the Board was a last minute decision. The job was appealing, but I wasn’t certain I had enough experience or know-how. After encouragement, I applied.

Earlier I have been on the board of the guild of education sciences, Motiva, for 3 years the last of which I was president.

This year I want to create a good foundation for co-operation between OYY and OSAKO. On top of that I want to promote an environment where everyone is seen as a student equally, despite which university you come from. Personally I would like to become a better performer during this year.

I am particularly excited for the opportunity to learn about the university community as a whole. I am escaping the bubble of my faculty and meeting students and staff all around. That is exciting.

What makes me nervous about the year on the Board is time management. In this position you have to plan your life in a whole new way: how much time do I spend on this, on studies, the rest of my life. I am at the very least taking a break from my master’s thesis at the moment.

I want to help develop OYY to be something you want to be a part of in the future, even voluntarily.

I hope people approach me especially concerning the Oamk move.”

Petra Nieminen, 25, fourth year student of biology

Member of the Board, responsible for social affairs, tutor trainings and international affairs

“Someone in a meeting of the Student Council asked, why none of us had applied to be on the Board. I thought it would be nice to join, but I was not sure if I would have enough time. Benjamin Michelin from last year’s Board took an evening off to respond to my questions and assured me he had finished his master’s thesis along the job on the board. That helped me feel like I could apply.

Earlier I have been on the board of OLuT ry for two years. I’ve also been on the Student Council.

I hope that through the Board I gain confidence and trust in how I do things.

I’m looking forward to seeing how collaboration with OSAKO shapes up. It holds great potential.

What makes me nervous is scheduling. I am trying to do my master’s thesis on the side. I’ve tried to draw a line between work and home: I don’t bring work from the office home, and that is already showing in how I am managing.

In the past I feel OYY has not been able to become close to students.

I would like to leave an equal Student Union where everyone feels like they belong – and one people want to belong to.

I want to say I am not cold, even though I am quiet at times. If I don’t know something, I will look into it. You can approach me regarding anything.”

Santeri Siira, 24, a fifth year student of mechanical engineering

Member of the Board, responsible for events

“I had thought about joining the Board earlier, but I didn’t quite dare apply. The members of last year’s Board encouraged me to apply last spring. I thought about it through autumn and had a lot of encouragement.

Earlier I have been on the board of the guild of mechanical engineering Koneinsinöörikilta for two years. I’ve also been on the board of OLTO ry, Medical Technology Students of Oulu for a year and on the Student Council.

I want to do my part in developing events. I’d like the members of OYY to feel like the student union is theirs, not a foreign actor, and feel like the events are easy and nice to attend.

We have had a good group spirit even before the official year on the Board, so I think the Board will be a good one. I am mostly nervous about the anniversary of OYY.

The challenging thing about work on the Board is that you can never finish advocacy work. There is always more to be done, and you can’t possibly finish everything during your term. The OYY Board has a less clear frame compared to guild work.

My intention is to study a little bit on the side so I can finish my bachelor’s.

You can come talk to me especially if you have development ideas for events or OYY. You can also talk to me if you want to know more about OYY.”

Eevasisko Mehtätalo, 24, a student of molecular medicine

Member of the Board, responsible for communications and campus development

“I applied to be on the board after the initial application period, because I was encouraged to apply. At first I felt like I wasn’t capable or I didn’t have enough merits. I also thought this would be a full-time job. However, the members of last year’s Board clarified that I can work on my master’s thesis and studies all while being on the Board.

Previously I have done just about everything a student can do. The most important things for me were two years on the board of biochemistry student guild Histoni and 5 years as a halloped student representative in the biochemistry and molecular medicine faculty.

I would like for OYY to be more visible on the Kontinkangas campus after this year and for the students there to have equal opportunity to participate in events and get services. I also want to learn more regarding communications, such as making layouts and concise expression.

What interest me the most this year is the new communications project where I feel I can challenge myself.

I am nervous about my own time management. January has been straining in some parts due to the sheer amount of new information. I plan on studying on the side and finishing my master’s thesis before Midsummer. In other aspects of my life I am going to put energy into my own health and relationships.

I would like for all students to know they are a part of OYY. Everyone belongs in the Student Union and it is not some ‘higher being’.”

Reeta Mäki-Pollari, 25, a fifth year student of educational sciences

Member of the Board, responsible for organizations

“I was coached into the Board for a few years, but I wanted to get my studies to a place where I would be comfortable. After good encouraging speeches I decided to give it a try. This year the project in municipality influencing is so good, I felt like I had a chance to showcase my potential.

Throughout my studies I have been a part of almost everything a student can be. I was the president of the guild of early childhood education, Lastarit, and I have been on the Student Council for two terms.

I would like for OYY to be familiar to everyone and that even the students who aren’t actively involved would know the structure of the Student Union and how it works. In my own sector I would hope that students voices will be heard in decision making on the municipal level, for example in elections.

I am nervous about whether all the plans will come true and if everything will be done correctly. I intend to work on my master’s thesis throughout my term on the Board.

In my opinion OYY has been able to make itself more transparent and open: the Student Union is no longer an insider job in the same way it used to be.

What I would hope for is that the good team spirit of the Board shows.

I would like to say that even though I am tall, I can hear you all the way up here.”

Julkaistu 24.1.20201.2.2023

Iida Putkonen

Oulun ylioppilaslehden entinen päätoimittaja. Tiedeviestinnän maisteri ja glögin ympärivuotinen kuluttaja. Etsii revontulia, riippumattoja ja juuri oikeita sanoja.