I am now a third year International student in Tampere. Before coming here, I didn’t know much about Finland. I am from a small country in Eastern Europe where the concept of Finnishness isn’t really known or talked about. But for me it all changed from a simple YouTube video that I came across that showed parts of “life in Finland” and tips and tricks and I was consumed with this eagerness to know more. What started as simple curiosity quickly turned into genuine interest. The nature, the values, the calm lifestyle, it all felt different from what i was used to, and it made me want to experience it for myself.
After moving here I started to understand that Finnisness is not something a person can just describe to you from the outside. It is a phenomenon that you have to experience through everyday life. An aspect that I never thought would resonate with me was nature and the connection you can create with it. Forests, lakes, and the feeling of each season is not just a beautiful picture, but a part of how people live here all the time. One of the most memorable moments for me was getting to experience real winter. Before that, winter was just a season that looked sad and sometimes had some snow, but Finland taught me that it is a lot more than that. Seeing a frozen lake for the first time and actually walking on it made me understand how close nature is to everyday life here. It creates this bubble of calmness that you can retreat into to recharge and wind down. 
There was always something in the Finnish culture that provided me with the so-called “culture shock”. For example, the mentality of how people here just don’t bother themselves with what other people are doing. They value space and privacy which is respectful, but sometimes it felt cold. However, I started to see how comfortable it actually is. Coming from a country where people are always talking and analysing each other, it felt like a breath of fresh air. I noticed that even if Finnish people are often called cold and reserved, I still felt accepted and included and made mostly Finnish friends. 
For me, Finnishness is everything you feel when you are there. Everyone experiences moments and feelings differently, what for me might seem jaw-dropping for others might be just another day. But it all comes together in the quiet moments and in the presents. What you feel when you take in the visible elements like nature and sauna is what finnishness is to you. 
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