When night falls at four o’clock: surviving in the darkness.

Vol.28, Issue 09, 14th November 2025

When I arrived in Finland, many people told me: “Wait for November, it gets dark very early.” I thought they were joking. But now, I can confirm they were not! Around four o’clock in the afternoon, the sun is already gone, and by five, it feels like midnight.

In France, the sun sets much later in autumn, around 6 or 7 p.m. So, at first, it was a real shock for me. I felt tired earlier, and sometimes I thought I should go to sleep even though it was only 5 p.m. It also became harder to go out or do something after classes because everything was already dark and quiet. In France, that’s when people usually meet, have a drink, or go for a walk.

But little by little, I started to see things differently. Finnish people are used to this darkness, and for them, it’s completely normal. They don’t complain; they just adapt. I really admire that. They make their homes warm and cozy, with candles and small lights everywhere. I learned that Finnish word “kotoisa”, which means cozy, homely, and I think it perfectly describes this season. The streets also look very peaceful with the lights reflecting on the snow.

As an Erasmus student here for only five months, I try not to focus on what I miss from France (the sunlight, the long afternoons) but instead to enjoy what I can only live here. I know that when I go back home, I will remember this experience as something special and unique.

For Finnish people, this way of life may feel completely normal, but for me, it is something amazing and different. I hope that one day they can also experience other countries and notice how special Finland truly is. Living here in the dark has taught me to see beauty where I didn’t expect it, even when the sun disappears at four o’clock.