Valtteri Lahti

Hi there, 

I’m Valtteri, second year material girl 💅 in other words, I’m majoring in chemistry and materials science. As a person I am social, relaxed and have a good sense of humour. I like to spend my free time doing sports, listening to music and hanging out with friends.      

The idea of being a Fuksi Captain first came to mind last March, when I was wondering what to do after my fuksi year. The job of Fuksi Captain seemed like my own and something I could contribute the most to. I want to address the trends I’ve noticed myself, as well as make a difference in fuksi upbringing. After all, fuksi upbringing plays a really important role, as it is fuksis’s first contact with the university world, both in terms of association and club activities. 

I have always been an active participant on various boards. I have served on the boards of previous educational levels, I have been the secretary of the youth council of Ulvila (the pearl of Finland, not to be confused with Pori), for four years, and I was the secretary of the board of our year group during my year as a conscript. This autumn, I have also served in the role of VastuuISO in the association. 

I feel that as a Fuksi Captain I would be approachable, responsible and fair. In tough situations, I would be decisive, but I would remember to keep a twinkle in my eye when doing my job. One of my strengths is my ability to organise things decisively and take responsibility with courage. I also have an exceptional ability to cope with pressure, thanks to my background in competitive sports and working in the Defence Forces, so the walls wouldn’t come down even in the toughest of situations. 

I’m applying for the position of Fuksi Captain together with Fanny Teissier. I feel that our qualities complement each other, which is one of the prerequisites for a successful cooperation between the two Fuksi Captains. 

If you were Fuksi Captain, what would be your goal for the next 1.5 years? 

The job of a Fuksi Captain, in my opinion, consists of two parts. The first six months would allow you to follow the work of nAUru and absorb all the lessons you can from them: tips, practices, good things and things that need improvement. I believe that it is by asking and learning from my predecessors that I could effectively and quickly address from the very beginning the issues that need improvement. 

As a Fuksi Captain, it would be important for me to be approachable and relaxed. This would help to give fuksis the courage to come and ask questions rather than being left to think about things on their own.  

It is also important to remember that while the Fuksi Captains are responsible for fuksi upbringing in the PT, they are also part of the PT Board and the FTMK. I would like to be an active player in both of these and feel free to put forward my own views and experiences.  

So, my goals are summed up in three points: learning from those who have gone before me and thus being effective, approachable and active. 

Students who do not feel that they belong to a community or have friendships with their fellow students at the beginning of their studies often lag behind in their studies. How do you manage to integrate all fuksis into a community or help them to find their own group of friends? 

All people are different, so are their interests. Some prefer a party, while others prefer a quiet evening of patch sewing. There is a lot of different club and association activity in Otaniemi, so I think it should be presented to the fuksis just as it is at an event like the Otasuunnistus. As far as events organised by the PT are concerned, I think it would be important to have a wide range of events so that there are events on offer that everyone can enjoy and take part in. Another key factor in preventing people from being left out would be to be able to meet new people openly and easily at events. 

ISOs also play an important role in preventing loneliness. I think that in their own fuksi group ISOs should identify potential people who might easily become outsiders in the student community and make sure that all things are on track. In my own experience, for example, there is still room for improvement in terms of ISOs’ commitment to the activity for the whole year. 

If a fuksi was experiencing loneliness it would be important for them to have someone to turn to at a low threshold. Such people could be, for example, Fuksi Captains, ISOs or professionals in the field. 

PT has over 200 fuksis starting each year. What challenges and opportunities do you see this bringing to PT’s fuksi education? 

There are undoubtedly a lot of fuksis. The large number of fuksis poses its own challenges in creating good group cohesion and is undoubtedly one of the most difficult tasks of a Fuksi Captain. However, I have experience from my previous job of creating a sense of togetherness in a large group of people. The flip side of the coin, however, is that the more people there are, the easier it is to find like-minded people. This makes it much easier to find new friends. Also, because there are so many people, you can meet new fellow fuksis all year round and even after the fuksi year. 

When organising fuksis’ events, having many fuksis has the advantage of increasing the number of participants, which can reduce the nervousness of attending events. 

How would you promote equality between Finnish- and English-speaking bachelor fuksis? 

ChemEng fuksis have been admitted to PT since 2019. While equality has certainly improved over the past few years, there is still work to be done. It is important to work closely with the Chem Eng Officer and together with them to think about developments and solutions. 

Communication to fuksis should be done in both Finnish and English. I would also like to emphasize more to ChemEng fuksis about ETCO’s activities and the opportunities it offers. 

Being Fuksi Captain 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? 

Personally, I think I’m a good team player. I listen to and consider the opinions of others, but I can also speak my own mind out loud. I also help and support, when necessary, in difficult situations.  

When working with someone for a longer period of time, it is important that cooperation works. In the long run, both must be able to work without the other person having to do all the work. You also need to be able to trust each other’s words and work must be enjoyable.  

In the course of 1.5 years, Fuksi Captains will certainly encounter a wide range of situations. You must be able to support and stand in for the other person in challenging and difficult situations. In other words, if it becomes difficult for someone else, you must be able to take on more responsibility for the work you do together. 

For the reasons mentioned above, Fanny and I are applying to be Fuksi Captains together. In addition, considering our personalities, we would be well suited to working with each other. 

If you have any questions, you can ask them both on Telegram @jaltterillevallua and here! 

✌️: Valtteri Lahti