Fresher Vocabulary

How to talk Student


Student organization In Finnish this is often Ainejärjestö. Each major and each degree program have their own organizations in Valtsika. Also, Swedish speaking students and international students have their organizations. Boards of the organizations create events and other activities. They are an easy way to get a hand in student life.

Aleksandria / “Allu” An IT building next to Kaisa House. There are printers and group work rooms too.

Alina A party space on the third floor of New Student House. Commonly used for sitsit.

Dean In Finnish it’s Dekaani. The leader of the faculty and the faculty council. 

Examinarium An exam where you do your exam on a private computer in a room with several others. You have to reserve the exam time by yourself on a website.

Fresher Orienteering Organized by Kannunvalajat, the most epic fresher event of the autumn, where you can find yourself performing even odder tasks.

Freshmen Committee Selected in autumn, consists freshers from different degree programs and organizes fresher events and orders overalls. 

Overalls Red overalls in Social Sciences can be bought during the fresher year or as an exchange student in December when they arrive or in January. Used in all big events in the faculty and in the university. Can be decorated with overall patches.

Halloped Is a student representative in the management bodies. They operate in different levels: degree programs, faculties and university.

Helka The database of the university library. Can be used for booking, searching and renewing reservated books. This database is good for looking for other databases too.

PSP In Finnish it’s HOPS. A personal study plan to guide your studies. 

HYY Student Union of the University of Helsinki, advocates students’ rights. 

Kaapelin­-valajat The email list of Kannunvalajat to which your tutor will teach you to join. You will get info about events, studies and jobs through the list.

Bachelor’s or Master’s Thesis Diploma work. Master’s thesis is 30 credits and Bachelor’s is 6.

KannuGames Traditional fresher event organized in Suomenlinna where all the new students can get to know each other.

Kannuklusteri The space on the third floor of New Student House reserved for the use of student organizations in Valtsika. Klusteri hosts parties, meetings and other activities. Four rooms are named Marx, Beauvoir, Weber and Heidegger.

Kannustin Oy The cram school that Kannunvalajat owns.

Neppis games In Finnish it’s Neppisskabat. Organized in May in Suomenlinna, open for all competition with neppis cars. 

Teacher tutor A member of teaching staff in your program that helps you with your studies. You can ask them anything during your studies.

Sillis A brunch organized after an annual ball. There’s food, drinks and time to repeat last night in mind collectively.

Sitsit An academic table party. Usually consists three course menu, speeches, songs and drinking.

Tutor Your help and friend at the beginning of your studies. You can ask them anything! 

Unicafe A student cafeteria where you can buy cheap lunches.

Unisport A gym chain where you can take are of yourself besides the gym in group training and ball sports. Unisports are situated in campuses.

Valtsika The Faculty of Social Sciences. 

Vappu in Valtsika In Finnish Valtsikan Vappu. Vappu is the biggest student celebration of a year! Vappu is the 30.4. and 1.5. each year. Social scientists gather together to the yard of the faculty and in Mayday with all the students in Helsinki to Ullanlinna.

Annual ball Nickname in Finnish is “vujut”. Student organizations have a party for their annual “birthday”. This party consists speeches, toasts, table party, after party and of course a sillis. The dress code is often formal. 

WebOodi A website that consitutes your course registerations and completed studies. Also, you can find course catalogs here.