Julia Karhumäki
Hello to all my fellow guildspeople: I am Julia, a second-year student studying Chemistry and Materials Science, and I am applying for the position of Host/Hostess for the Board of ’26. I think that I am an idea-rich person who is not easily stunned into silence – choosing me, the board would get someone, who gets the work done on time never sacrificing quality or safety.
As a Fuksi 2024 I was fast caught in the jungle of different posts, from Head cavitator to CanCan-responsible and hostess helper. I’m not missing any experience organizing events either, when considering leading the Annual gala -committee of my high school to single handedly organizing a feast for 25 people in my free time.
I’d love to use my board year helping the international students and exchange students integrate into the community, hand in hand with the International & Master’s responsible: this guild has offered me a community like no other, with people that I may never have formed friendships with otherwise: it’s not an experience I would want others to miss out on. I’d like to see more international students apply for volunteer jobs next year – even for just the duration of an exchange semester.
To me, the most important part of this job is to remember that it is not all just sitsis and galas galore: it’s also time-management and trust with your partner: you are accessing and managing money together, and as a person with an eye for the finances, it’s not something to take lightly. This is why I promise that I will make our money last, and help create awesome experiences for all, without forgetting the well-being of my committee-people.
Don’t forget to ask questions online or if you catch me on campus!
- In general, how do you see the event selection of our association? What kind of events would you like to organize?
I find that our guild offers a multitude of different events: we have our own sitsi-traditions, but also calmer, hang-out style events. These more chill events are something that I would like to work on more. I like the idea of the pHuone café that is organized during Maintenance break: maybe I could help make it a monthly breakfast/brunch stop for guild members? These events could be accessible in between all the coursework, even if for just a quick 5-minute stop. It would also be cool to try an entirely new theme with sitsis, maybe with a guild from another university
- How would you take international students into account at events?
Making our international students more interested in the events organized by our guild can often be challenging: for many, the finnish student culture and its ways can feel unfamiliar. A lot of PT’s events are held mostly in Finnish even if the info/advertising is also published in English, which is why a concrete thing we could work on is upgrading our English songleading. Right now, it often feels like an afterthought: it would make it easier for a person to join in on the action when they feel like they understand what is going on. I would also like to make volunteer work feel more attractive and show that it is not only a thing that takes time away from studies but also a way to connect with your guild & peers.
- Being IE is teamwork. What kind of partner would you like for yourself and what kind of partner would you be? How would you maintain a good atmosphere and working habits with your partner?
The host & hostess must be able to communicate about hard things even in stressful situations, which is why I hope that my partner and I could have open conversation and trust between. I find myself to be quick-witted and initiative, but I do not want all of the work to fall on me alone: my partner would also need to be able to get to the point when needed and to focus on what is important at the moment.
This post includes a lot of finance-handling. I feel that I’ve got the mathematical side down, and I hope that the other person would also have a hunch on what is financially sound and how to stay in a budget.
On the other hand, not everything is that serious. Personally, I will work on keeping the partner dynamic as chill as possible and understand the other person as well as I can. I would always rather ask questions than make assumptions. I want to be able to support the other person in hard moments, be it they need conversation, better sharing of the workload or a break.
- Helpers of IE are IE’s most important help in organising events. What kind of helper team would you like to form and how would you ensure that they form a close-knit team?
I find the best thing about this year’s helper group to be talking to people that I may not have otherwise gotten to know. I would want my committee to include people who are both committed and creative, but who can also make informed decisions and bring up grievances. Based on my previous experiences, I know that I can see when somebody starts to get left out. With my own actions I can make sure that the group dynamic stays accessible and comfortable for all: mainly by listening to all opinions and making myself an easily approachable person. I would like to start the year by having a meeting, where the committee could discuss group policies together and following it up by hearing what the members would like to do as recreational activities. I will change my own behaviour and ways based on the committee’s feedback, so that they don’t feel as if their opinions are not being heard.
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