Worthy Uni with Opportunities to Shape Yourself

My name is Daria Chekalskaia and I graduated from Xamk, in 2021 with a degree in Environmental Engineering (name of the degree is now Water Technology and Sustainability).

I actually never left Xamk after that. I stayed to work on creating online courses and later moved into education export. So I’ve experienced this place both as a student and as a staff member.

I know the degree is now more focus on water and sustainability, so I tried to write more general impressions.

Flexibility of Studies

What I really liked from the start was the structure of the program: you can shape it around your interests. For example, I realized pretty quickly that I wasn’t passionate about the hardcore engineering side but loved the environmental and social aspects. I started tailoring my assignments, internships, and thesis to communication and education. The teachers were fine with that and gave me space to explore. That flexibility made my studies feel light and meaningful — I was genuinely studying what I loved.

The exams aren’t too difficult if you follow the curriculum. There might be heavier semesters, but it depends a lot on your background. I personally struggled with some forestry courses but was able to ask my teachers to adapt the exam — and they did. If something felt too easy, I just used the time to learn extra things through YouTube or other resources.

Labs for environmental studies are well equipped, especially for people who like the technical side. I wasn’t personally into microbiology or chemistry, but others appreciated it more. I liked that some lectures took place outdoors and that many assignments were done in collaboration with real companies.

Finnish teaching style isn’t about pouring knowledge into your head, it’s about guiding you to build your own foundation. Teachers give you the structure, but the learning part is up to you. This might not fit everyone, but if you learn how to adapt, you will easily navigate your way forward.

Living in City of Mikkeli

Mikkeli is small, and that’s actually part of its charm. You see the same faces in the shops and on the streets. The cashiers know you. You bike everywhere. It’s calm, slow, and very close to nature — lakes, forests, fresh air. If you need a fast-paced city, Helsinki is a few hours away and you can move there after your studies.

Realistically, part-time work is hard to find in small towns like Mikkeli. Some people get lucky, but I wouldn’t count on it as a main source of income. I tried teaching English on the side, but most students just focused on their studies, finished their degree, and then applied for internships and thesis opportunities to get their first job. That’s the more reliable path here.

There is career support, but it’s not going to hand you a job. A lot depends on your own networking, persistence, timing, and sometimes luck.

Amenities are pretty standard for Finland — functional, not flashy. Dormitories are fine, nothing fancy, but they give you a good starting point.

Building Skills That Open Doors

This degree gave me a foundation strong enough to build my own path. I ended up representing youth at United Nations climate conferences and working as a consultant with World Bank. But no-one gifted me these opportunities, I tried using what’s available to build my skillset and CV. And Xamk offers plenty if you know how to look for them: exchange programs, startup accelerators, project-based work, real-life cases.