My Student Story – An Introduction 

Vol. 25, Issue 03, 23 September 2022 

Greetings to all. My name is Sahar. I am 20 years old, from Pakistan. Firstly, I am honoured to be a part of Insider. It brings me great joy that I can connect with you all!

I want to get to know people so let us share some things about each other. I love rainy days when I can wrap myself in a blanket and watch tv-series without feeling guilty! Just going on Netflix, putting on something and completely losing myself – just phenomenal ecstasy. For almost five years, I managed my schedule, so I had the luxury of going for long walks and taking short trips. I enjoy gaming as well, mostly indie and horror games. I would like to be a part of being an ‘influencer’ sometime but that is not yet set in concrete.

I am interested in cosmology, that is mostly because of Stephen Hawking as I was once obsessed with him when I was younger. I also like the arts and consider myself a creative and easy-going person though I am not a very good drawer. The reason why I want to complete my education here in Finland is my father. He was taught by Finnish missionaries and he has always appreciated Finnish culture. This inspired me and my sister to get our education in Finland as well. Being from a South-Asian country, I can speak multiple languages. I speak English, Urdu and Punjabi. I am trying to learn Finnish as well. I like diverse music and consume media from all around the world. I hope to meet people like myself and the ones who are the opposite of me. Let’s enjoy ourselves with the time we have.

More about where I am from. South-Asian culture is deeply rooted within me. The food, music, scenery, and essence of Pakistan are one to be shared. It is raw in some sense. Traditional food and spices of Pakistan have many layers. Dishes like biryani, mutton karahi, paye, and more for sure makes you salivate. I’ll bring these dishes someday to an event. Pakistan has one of the best mangoes – especially the Chaunsa. Regarding music, Sufi and folk music are one of the best genres Pakistan has produced. I would recommend Coke Studio – where modern and traditional music comes together to form masterpieces. I will also recommend going to Murree and exploring Nathia Gali. It is exceptionally beautiful. I have visited there many times myself; the greenery and smell of cool air are delightful. Enjoying hot chai tea while gazing at the mountains has been one of my precious memories. Chai tea is said to be the most delicious tea in the world. So, do not miss out on it! I remember staying in a city called Mansehra at a resort and almost slipping down the cliff when ice water flowed down on the road from the mountains. It was kind of a thrilling experience; I will always reminisce about it. 

I have been an online student for five years now, and even though this semester is online, I enjoyed myself more than I have in years. I am grateful to be a part of XAMK-truly. I have been given this opportunity and I will make the most of it. I remember applying and taking the entrance exam. The excitement and nervousness I felt. It was all worth it and I know it will improve itself as time goes on. 

I hope to arrive in Finland soon, so I can meet you all and create new memories. Anyone up for binging tv-series, taking walks in the forest or trying out new cuisines, don’t be shy and hit me up!

I want to use this opportunity to thank my teachers, Hugh Clack, Slaveya Hämäläinen, Sara Czabai-Leppänen, Tarja Isokääntä and all my student colleagues in group IBKV22SP.  

Sahar Farzand, First-year student DIB22