Tuukka Puonti, a first-year Contemporary Societies student, discusses what made him choose the programme, the pros and challenges, and student life in Finland.
The Person and the Programme
Who are you and what were you doing before you joined Contemporary Societies?
My name is Tuukka Puonti and before joining this programme I worked for quite a while before studying Computer Science for my Bachelor’s Degree. I did my studies at the University of Helsinki.
Why did you choose to study in Contemporary Societies and Social Data Science?
Before starting my studies in Computer Science, I was contemplating between Social Sciences and Computer Science, since I’ve always been interested in both technology and questions regarding societies. Once I found out that Contemporary Societies has a study track called Social Data Science, I knew immediately that it was the right choice for me.
Have you found anything special about studying in Contemporary Societies and your specific study track?
The studies have been really practical. We’ve gotten to work with real data and it gives you this sense of actually having confidence of knowing what to do once you step into the working life. This is a drastic change from the theory-heavy Computer Science studies. It suits me well. I also feel that Contemporary Societies in general has a great community feeling to it.
Studying at Helsinki
When it comes to studying at Helsinki, what does a typical day as a part of this programme look like for you?
Depending on how many courses I have chosen for the study period, usually I juggle between lectures and assignments. I like to work alone, if there are no group assignments, as it lets me focus. So usually I go to lectures for the day, have lunch with fellow students and head back home to work on assignments. I’m really happy that this programme seems to balance the workload well. I haven’t had any trouble balancing studies and free time!
Have you found anything challenging about your studies here?
Naturally, when you’re a Master’s level student, you are expected to figure things out on your own. Sometimes it gets to you in a way of maybe doubting yourself or your skills a little. But gladly, my friends from the university have always been there to encourage me to keep going and get through.
How do you feel about the city and the university as a place to study?
I am biased since I’ve lived in Helsinki for almost 15 years, but it’s an awesome city! The campus in the city centre has many nice buildings and places to study (and also lots of nice coffee shops where to study because of this). Helsinki has pretty extensive public transport, so if you decide to take courses from other campuses, it’s fairly easy to move between them. For example, taking a bus from the City Centre Campus to Kumpula Campus takes roughly 15 minutes.
Since you’re from Finland, how is it to study in an international programme in English?
Studying in English comes quite naturally for me, and if I have understood correctly most of the Master’s programmes in Finland are in English. The international part of this programme is especially nice. I feel like students who have arrived from other countries are invested in getting to know Helsinki and the country in general. This has made me think about my hometown from a new perspective. It is also really nice to get to know people from all around the world. Hopefully, some of my new friends will stay and, if not, I’ll be sure to visit them in the future!
Looking Into the Future
What would you say to students who are considering joining the Master's Programme in Contemporary Societies?
Do it, absolutely! It has been such a thrill to get to know people from all over the world. The teachers have been amazing and very helpful. The programme really seems to care about the well-being of its students and wants to develop it constantly. Just this year we had the first Social Sciences Career Fair to connect students and companies better, which was initiated because we students were asking for an event like this!
What are your near future and long-term hopes and plans?
My near future plans include being a research assistant and completing my traineeship. After that, I’ll get to completing my thesis and hopefully, I can keep my academic track going on all the way to doctoral studies!