A place to admire resilience and self-determination

Before coming to Finland, Taylor completed an advanced diploma in Computer Engineering Technology and acquired professional experience through various technology-related jobs. In addition, she also has a bachelor's degree in Criminology and Psychology. "So, my background is very diverse," Taylor adds.

Taylor came to Oulu to study Computer Science and Engineering master's programme at the University of Oulu. "The programme ticked all the boxes I wanted for my master's. In addition, I did not know a single person who had ever lived in Finland, nor did I know much about the country, so it felt like an enriching opportunity for personal growth," Taylor comments.

"It was only once I had accepted and attended webinars that I learned about all of the social and cultural enrichment at the university."

According to Taylor, Arctic Attitude is about resilience and self-determination, which are values that she strongly identifies.

Taylor mentions that during the degree programme, she gets the opportunity to learn from the expertise in the field.

"My programme is special because it allows students to pick a specialization and learn from top researchers about the subject matter."

"For example, my specialization is in Artificial Intelligence, and the university's researchers have made many advancements in AI research. To learn about those advancements from the individuals who contributed to them is inspiring," Taylor explains.

The most memorable thing about her studies so far has been the juxtaposition of her social media use and learning about the underlying algorithms curating her social media feed. "It is one thing to have a high-level understanding, but to actually play with these algorithms during class exercises has taught me so much", Taylor adds.

Taylor is from Ottawa, the capital city of Canada. When Taylor came to Finland, she tended to feel at home right away. "Because I associate home with wherever my laptop is. It took me about five minutes to feel right at home in my apartment in Oulu, even before I had a bed," Taylor adds.

Her first impression of Finland was that it was similar to where she was from in Canada, but with Northern European architecture. "That sentiment has remained; It's amazing how places that are so far away from one another can be so similar," Taylor comments.

So far, her student journey in Oulu has been extremely rewarding.

"I have met amazing people from all over the world. I have gained so much knowledge through my courses."

"I have travelled all over Finland and just completed a tour of the Baltic states. Being in such proximity to so many amazing places has been incredible", she adds.

Taylor is on track to complete her credits at the proper rate and has secured an internship for the summer. "I have achieved most of my goals for the first year and am now figuring out what I want my second year to look like. More specifically, I am figuring out where I want to travel and what I want from my master's thesis," Taylor adds.