My best memories from the University of Helsinki are definitely related to the supportive community atmosphere of our department. Such a small department almost made us feel like we were all one family. We had many social gatherings involving both the students and the faculty.

Visiting lecturers gave the department an international atmosphere. My student years coincided with great upheavals in the Slavic regions, and I feel privileged to have been able to follow them so closely. Both the revolutions of 1989 and the Yugoslav Wars became connected with my everyday life. I remember the Yugoslav Wars in particular as a very sobering event.

The supportive community atmosphere also extended to studying itself. Back in those days there were no individual study plans, but that was what we had in practice. As the world changed, the content of our studies had to change as well, from the theoretical to something more practical. A significant part of that time was in fact spent updating the curriculum, something the students actively participated in.

My years at the University were a very happy, social, active and fun time. That is the reason why I did not even attempt to graduate within any particular timeframe; instead, I just enjoyed my stay as long and thoroughly as possible.