My Academic Journey

Even though, I am an introvert, I miss my colleagues enormously. I like being around people, even if it requires more energy than staying by myself. But enough of the background information. Currently, I enjoy working from home. This is how I get science done from my home! Most of the things that work here, are likely to work later at the office. Try some of them out! :)  My alarm went off before 7AM. I do my daily Duolingo practice and get out of bed. Then I head to the yoga mat. Time for some morning yoga of 10-30min. Then it’s time for breakfast. The work day starts by taking over a part of the kitchen table. When I am ready, I set up my Pomodoro application on the phone and start by either planning the day or checking what I have planned. One the road to productivity (c)FotoJan My first productivity “secret”: Pomodoro. It is a technique helping with concentration and with remembering to take breaks. Brains are muscles just like other parts of the body. ...

New students are moving in with the help of their parents. Starting next week, my colleagues get back to work and tomorrow I move to Denmark. The semester starts officially in September. Did you know that our campus is a great place to haunt some Pokemons? They are the reason why I have been spending many hours on campus - even though I'm on holiday! Domus Botnica in the sun light. "Auringon lapsi", the Child of the Sun The sea is a great neighbor.  Fabriikki in the spot light.  Place that I found after spending couple of years on campus. Inner yard between Teknobotnia and Fabriikki. Here will soon be lots and lots of bikes. Building in the front is Konttori. A part of Puuvilla -houses.  Sunbaths on campus. How about studying outside..?  Ready for the semester? 

This Morning was pretty but cold. The university of Vaasa is celebrating the Nordic Week, Nordiska veckan, and that is why we have the flags of all Nordic countries in front of Tervahovi. For Finns, and probably for all people in Nordic countries, the weather has big impact on the mood. During the winter, there are days when we could see the sun for couple of hours or less (but we are inside working at that time). So the sun is really appreciated. Here, you can see photos of one part of our university this morning. Tervahovi and the flags Views from our office So pretty outside, so warm inside. Tritonia in my mind. The lobby of Mathilda (student lunch restaurant).

In the University of Vaasa, Tervahovi is the main building for business students and faculty. My office is in the see side of this long building. Tervahovi has many windows that bring in the natural light when the sun is shining. The name Terva comes from tar that was traded here. When Tervahovi was under construction, an old tar barrel was found. The city donated the barrel to the university and it exhibit in the lobby of Mathilda. The second part of the name, "hovi", means a court.  Sun setting behind Tervahovi Almost inside Tervahovi. The view from Tervahovi to the courtyard and  the red Puuvilla buildings Tervahovi is under renovation, the walls of our corridor got new layers of white. Tervahovi has many windows that bring the nature even closer. Sun is hiding behind the clouds. 

After yesterdays deadline, I feel a sudden emptiness. Today, I submitted (probably) the last funding application of this spring. And now what?  The Morning Sun  1) Possibility of an another conference deadline 2) Cool happenings at the university of Vaasa 3) Data update --> adjustments to the code --> new text and the results might change --> even more to write.  4) Personal development options online 1 - The conference is unfamiliar but clearly it has some history: link to last year pages .  Although, there is one familiar Finnish economist as an organizer. Other good aspects: the deadline is after the last date of submission results to the other conference I submitted the paper and the target paper presenters are PhD students!  2 - The university of Vaasa has more than enough things to keep you busy. The Energy Week is approaching. Next week there is a welfare training session about mindfulness. On Thursday, the Fin...

Today was the deadline to submit the conference paper. I left the office very late but managed to take some photos on the way to work. We are proud of our campus and it is usually named as the most beautiful campus of Finland. The university of Vaasa is just by the see. Some of the buildings are old industrial buildings and the rest ones are new.  The environment and the atmosphere are some of my main reasons to continue the studies, even after the master's degree, at the university of Vaasa. I believe that this is one of the best places to develop own thinking.  The morning was freezing but incredibly beautiful The university of Hanken is just cross the water The library hiding from the see behind the trees. Domus Bothnica Domus Bothnica The view from our room.

When you wonder why the university is empty, wonder no more: it's probably the time of the Exam Week. Morning emptiness.  Morning light and fog. I declared to myself that the data chapter is done (for now). The method and results shall also be doable no reader is going to check them with the introduction and conclusions are bad. The goal of today has been to get some words down to the background chapter that still need a lot more attention and is far from finished. I don't like to tell about thinks that I have to do. I think it's better just do them. Here, is a sentence that is likely to appear in the final version of the research paper:    “ How and why does knowledge spill over is more than an academic question ” concluded Audretsch and Feldman (2003) . I am unsure if it is okay to start the introduction chapter with direct quote, but for now Chapter 1 starts with word of Audretsch and Feldman.  Why is spillover more than academic issue?...