School is beginning to wrap up here in Jyväskylä and my travels are over until the 18th. I figured I would use this post today to tell anyone interested in studying in Finland what my school experience has been like. To start off it's both similar and different to life at MC. The year started off with an orientation week which reminded me of my orientation to MC. All the exchange students had to pick their classes about 3 days before the semester started on a system that no one knows how to use...even the student tutors were no help. Before arriving in Jyväskylä all students had to make a study agreement with classes we will take once we arrive but once we started actually picking our classes a lot of students weren't able to pick classes on their agreement because the classes weren't offered. This is due to the Univerity not updating their class list on their website or planning classes in advance like MC does. Class schedules are all over the place. Some classes were at the same time and place each week but others had various times and places throughout the semester so I always had to check my schedule to see when and where my classes would be. All of my classes were lecture-based some with a lot of participation and some with little to no participation. The University really likes group work which seems normal to students over here but in my studies in the US I rarely ever have group work. An assignment teachers love are lecture diaries. I have written 2 and have to write 2 more by the end of next week and I still have no idea what the teachers want from them. Basically, the teachers say it's a freeform diary about the class and that is all you're given. Now it seems easy but it is not as freeform as the teachers say...or really at all. They have a specific idea or concept in mind and that is what they want. There is also not much classwork involved. Most of my classes/grades are based on a final paper, test, or presentation. Some classes have 2 assignments but that's about it. I prefer MC's class and assignment style. The clubs and campus groups are not advertised here like they are at MC...at least not for exchange students. The one group pushed on my tutor group was our student subject group. I went to a few events but they weren't that great the best part was the free food and alcohol. Student life is really centered around parties and clubbing. So if that's what you want, come to Jyväskylä!