Katariina Styrman has many wonderful memories from her years at the University of Helsinki. The first events that come to mind are the May Day celebrations or Vappu, where formal representation and the communal side of university life came together.

 Styrman has celebrated Vappu with both the Student Union and the Rector and Chancellor of the University. One Vappu, after the traditional visit to the Rector, Styrman had continued on her way to join the other history students. Together the students made their way towards the home of Professor Emeritus Matti Klinge to sing him a Vappu greeting. Klinge politely welcomed the students in and amid the discussions offered them a bottle of Madeira.

The Vappu celebrations did not end here; the group of students continued their jolly japes around Helsinki. They went back to the statue of Manta (Havis Amanda) and noticed that a Hanken sash - betraying the presence of a Swedish business school student - was still adorning the statue. They took the sash so it would not end up in the wrong hands.

One particularly memorable moment for Styrman was when Kilroy Travels was sold. She was president of the Board of the Student Union at the time. Over the years Kilroy Travels had grown into a big travel company, but the Student Union was looking to hive off Kilroy in order to concentrate on its own core business. After long consideration, the company was finally sold in 2007 in Copenhagen.

“You can end up in all kinds of funny situations, where you otherwise probably wouldn’t be. You never can tell what you might end up doing."