Winter Experience – Student Review

Volume 26, Issue 23

The winter has reached its end and nature is now experiencing the touch of the Spring. As a student from Sri Lanka, my thoughts on my very first winter experience are worth writing.

I arrived in Finland as an international student in August 2023 with my wife. It was the peak time of the autumn according to my view with a lot of rain here and there. However, our focus was aimed at the upcoming winter. We both had mixed feelings regarding the winter because we have heard a lot of good things as well as some challenges of winter.

By the way, I did not hesitate to get prepared for this year-end challenge even though it was too early to get ready. At the very first step, we focused on winter jackets, thermals, and shoes. So the clothes requirement was covered by the end of September. Secondly, we got some vitamins, creams, and lip balms in adequate quantities. Then the waiting continued until we saw the first snow. At first, we felt a bit odd with the dark climate with no sunshine, but we used to it when the time passed.

On 30th October we experienced the very first snowfall of our life in Kouvola, Finland. Then the fairytale began with the most spectacular Finnish winter. The temperature went minus Celsius day by day and it was so surprising for us. Neither transport nor any other services were discontinued due to the weather. Everything operated as usual and smoothly regardless of the weather conditions. The temperature maximum of -28 Celsius hit January 2024, and that whole month was cold, compared to other winter months. However, the sunshine was here and there from time to time. That was a good sign for winter sports and along with that, the official winter holidays started in February. Me and my wife both enjoyed skiing at Mielakan Rinnekeskus with our friends during that season.

So now we have officially reached the end of the winter after almost six freezing months. My overall experience was simply amazing about the Finnish winter. Now we are waiting for the next exciting season which we will experience in our life for the first time which is ‘Finnish Summer’