Frenzy, Books and Silence

Vol 28, Issue 22, 9th April 2026

In Italy, university corridors are a hive of activity: students rushing so as not to miss their lectures, the sound of footsteps, the aroma of coffee bought on the go, and the constant buzz of people swapping notes or exchanging jokes.

Here in Finland, however, all is quiet. If it is true that ‘silence speaks louder than a thousand words’, the Finnish silence tells a story of extreme calm, but for those arriving from the hustle and bustle of Pescara, this silence can be almost deafening.

In Pescara, the library is a place where silence is sacred, so much so that during exam periods (January, February, May,June), finding a seat is a feat requiring lightning-fast bookings.

But outside the library, the university comes alive.

There are open study rooms and tables in the corridors where discussion is constant. People discuss to untangle the complexities of a subject, to exchange tips on the best sources to consult, or to work out together which study method is most effective for tackling the toughest exams. For a sociable and energetic girl like me, that environment isn’t a distraction, but a stimulus to be more productive.

There is a paradoxical aspect to the comparison between these two worlds: security. In Finland, you can leave your laptop on the table and walk away without a second thought. In Italy, we’re used to being more cautious, but this is precisely where the magic of ‘university solidarity’ comes into play.

‘Excuse me, could you keep an eye on my things?’ This simple request, born of necessity, often becomes the starting point for a new friendship. You ask what the other person is studying, which exam they’re preparing for, and from a shared coffee, bonds are formed that last for years. In Finland, the extreme mutual trust makes it almost unnecessary to speak to the person sitting next to you, inadvertently closing the door on spontaneous socialising.

Arriving here was a shock. The whole of the Finnish university conveys the same feeling as our library in Pescara: total silence, few faces in the corridors, no frantic movement.

Finland is teaching me the value of quiet and of respecting other people’s space, but Pescara taught me that it is precisely amongst the tables in the corridors and in the rush for a coffee that the best part of student life is built.