The University of Helsinki was an obvious education choice for Anita Lehikoinen. She had always been interested in languages and chose English Philology for her major.

– In the beginning I was very fast-paced in my studies, completing plenty of courses and getting credits. Then suddenly, I was just a very confused student. I remember some English Philology lectures in Porthania where I would realise that I understood absolutely nothing, not even enough to make notes.

As for her minors, Lehikoinen was not as set. At an early stage in her studies she had a teaching job in English at a vocational education centre in the Helsinki metropolitan area. Lehikoinen describes the experience as broadening her views since it made her realise that she would not want to be a teacher for the rest of her life.

– I chose Political Science and Journalism as my minors. I also studied Comparative Literature. Then I started to worry about my future job opportunities with this combination of studies. English lecturer Ritva Leppihalme encouraged me by saying that I might end up having a job that there is only one of in Finland. I will always remember this because it’s exactly what happened to me.

Anita Lehikoinen’s memories of her university years sound like a rather common student’s “path”. Sometimes studying feels great and then you panic about what you are going to do with all the information and what studying was all about.

– It took me a long time to grasp what studying actually is about. It’s about learning to contextualise things in general, not just making notes and excelling at exams. Then at some point I had a moment when I realised that what went on at the university was a great lot more intelligent than I had thought as a concerned student.

According to Lehikoinen, the university as an institution has plenty more to offer than just the academic knowledge and production of new research.

– In my opinion the university is a cultivator. I see that as its constant task regardless of societal changes. But I can’t deny having later on regretted straying from my studies for too long a time. I would definitely have benefited from stricter control in the progression of studies.