By Joanne NH Wong, student of 12IMP
Photos provided by Riikka Uhmaavara, Joanne NH Wong and Ryoko Sasaki

It was a long awaited spring in Tampere, as days are getting longer and weather is warming up gradually. Being a student coming from a tropical country, Malaysia, I am proud to have survived the cold and dark Finnish winter!
It was such a great feeling, knowing when the calendar is approaching and hits the first day of May! Vappu celebration is here!

On the eve of Vappu (May Day), few of us from 12IMP had gathered together to embrace the celebration of being university students by wearing our cool overalls (haalarit).

My friendly Finnish classmate, Riikka had warmly prepared traditional Vappu food, home made munkki (donut) and sima drink (mead) alongside with palettes of good dishes. The multicultural group of 12 IMP gathered together for a relaxing afternoon, learning more about Finnish culture and immerse ourselves into the very tasty donuts and special drinks of the Spring!

Home made Riikka’s munkki

Student Jungsoo Moon enjoying at Vapputori

Our Vappu eve continues to Vapputori, a market filled with colourful balloons, sweets, toys and festive atmosphere right in the center of Tampere, at Keskustori. We took a stroll and observe the kids with their excited faces, holding toys and balloons in their hands.

At 5 o’clock in the afternoon, we then attend ‘Vappu Fuck Up’. A grill session organized by TARINA, a TAMK Association of School of Art and Media which focuses on taking care of students’ interests and community building among students of TTVO.

At Näsinpuisto, we continue our relaxing atmosphere and enjoy the grill session with drinks and had a good time. The day went onto night, I got more and more excited when I saw crowds of people on the streets and we ended up in another park watching the amusing scene of how young people celebrate their Vappu eve day.

It is for sure a very memorable day for me, hanging out in my haalari and learn a thing or two about Finnishness from my Finnish classmates!

Bobo, Ryoko and Joel with balloons sellers at Vapputori

Joanne, Bobo and Shanie celebrating vappu in true blue Finnish style!

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The author is a student of TAMK Degree Programme in Media
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The expectations got high looking at the posters attracting Media students & friends to the yearly Pikkujoulu Party:

Our International Media Programme (IMP) annual pre-Christmas party was totally different from and absolutely as fabulous as the previous. It is a mystery to me how we find these fine young people whose brilliant talent in creative media projects is challenged only by their gift in implementing most welcoming and joyous parties.

VJ:s Markku and Moon made a stunning audio visual show with Professor Joronen and Santa Claus in main roles

Three first IMP editions sharing a sofa and a heartfelt evening

It is a rule first year students arrange the "pikkujoulut"; the traditional Finnish pre-Christmas party arranged by all organisations and communities in this far-away country on the edge of the tundra. So 12IMPs had the hard challenge of reaching the standards set by the previous IMP editions. They did it. With glance.

Yulia played a wonderful collection of the best music

There were more participants than ever, because it is the first year IMP has all four annual editions of students in. Additionally there were numerous magnificent exchange students and not yet graduated students from the old Finnish Media programme and a record of professors.

Good food is the nitty-gritty of a successful party

Shopping team Ryoko, Bobo, Krista, Federico Photo Joanna NH Wong

Making of Arancini - Riika and Sindy Photo Joanna NH Wong

Yonathan the Pizza Man Photo Joanna NH Wong

Bruschetta - Bobo and Joanna

...mmm...so tasty...bring us more...

Eating and drinking is one of the essential components of the enterprise. A nice combination of Finnish Christmas traditions and Italian/Sicilian cuisine it was this time. Finnish traditional season's dish was represented by riisipuuro (rice porridge) and sekametelisoppa (kind of arctic tutti-frutti mess) and the Mediterranean by pizza, bruschetta and arancini. There are no options with drinks: it must always be glögi, the Finnish variation of the Nordic Mulled Wine Glögg.

Good music is the nitty-gritty of a successful party

Joanna can sing sooo lovely - and Dylan is The Accompanist for her!

And we've got The DJ:s too! Markku and Jungsoo! Good times ahead!

Demola, Daria, Josef rock... Demola was the venue of the party

The dance floor was not sown with mines

..and the dance floor got crowded...

..and the dance floor got wild!

Extras and networking and meeting with friends are the nitty-gritty of a successful party
There was enough time for networking and discussion and sufficient time for programme to give stimuli to the jolly crowd. And this party danced - maybe more than the previous parties together, it was hilarious!

There was also the photo booth where you could be photographed - well with ... - Yonathan Pictured Emilija and Emilia with the birthday child

Joel was everywhere with his camera. Wonder where the pics are?

The Japan circle with Johanna, Ryoko and Anayte

Thumbs up with Sindy, Caro and Isabelle

The Grand Old IMP's Lounge

The IMP pikkujoulut query race was an important part of the fun. Here Riikka and Noora testing their skills and fortune. Noora won the award!

IMP extremes - 09IMPs and 12IMPs - connected. Here 12IMP Yonathan and 09IMP Amir!

Here are the credits copied from the thanks by the party producer Joanne NH Wong: "Big thanks to the organising team specially dedicated to Bo Kyung Kim, Sindy Giraldo, Yonathan Wolowelsky, Krista Erkkilä, Iina Kuula for the great food. Joel Forsman and Žoa Pacal for photo booth, Teppo Nieminen, Federico Di Rosa, Riikka Uhmavaara for being there helping out. Kudos for Yulia Pak, DJ Markku Laskujärvi and DJ Jungsoo Moon for the wonderful music and and Elizaveta Potapkina for the snowflakes and decoration!! Lastly, thanks to those who helped cleaned up after the party. You guys are the best! *you brought peace and love to the world!*"

Story and most pics: Cai Melakoski
The author is Principal Lecturer of the Degree Programme in Media
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P.S. Just in case I forgot to mention: there was a lot of dancing at this unforgettable party, thanks 12IMPs!

Story and Photos by: Joanne N H Wong
It was a bright sunny day on the 5th of September, 2012. The streets of Tampere were crowded by amusing costumes put on by new TAMK students of 2012 attending the Tursajaiset. It is a tradition to welcome the first year students, with marching from the town centre of Tampere (Keskustori) towards a secret location which the students enjoyed a series of games filled with fun and laughters to celebrate a great day of becoming part of TAMK.

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The WTF screening is produced by Festival-Y, Futureshorts and Helsinki Short Film Festival

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Juhannuslaituri - Midsummer party Friday evening at Tampere railway station, on YLE TV1, Teema and ARTE.

Welcome to experience a unique 50's atmosphere at Tampere railway station the 22th of June 2012. Juhannuslaituri offers dancing, laughter, alternative fashion, hobbyhorse riding, enviromental art and burlesque in a true Midsummer's spirit!

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"Pikkujoulu" is a Finnish pre-Christmas party tradition. All companies, associations and other communities arrange their Pikkujoulu-parties during the four weeks before the Christmas break.


Noora Honkaniemi, Laura Räsänen and Lukas Kallenbach of the muffins team

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Our Media students conquered the conference Twitter wall

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Story Tia Tuovinen
The semester has started for all the TTVO* students, so it is time for our annual start of the year party, Naamat. This year Naamat is on Thu Sept 15th, in Ruma. Naamat is a good opportunity for the old and the new faces to get acquainted and get connected with each other. There is no entrance fee and the prices are very student friendly.

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Story: Trent Pancy
September 7, 2011 was a great day for 11IMP, and a great day for the world! Amongst the bright colors, loud noises and well-dressed students lay a group of disheveled, dirty and down-right nasty-looking hobos, otherwise known as the 11IMPs.

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The Legendary TAMK Party at Tampere Film Festival is here again and more horrifying than ever. Lose your mind and release your inner zombie on the dance floor of Klubi on Thu, Mar 10 starting at 9 p.m. If you dare?

The horror comes with:
The Friend
Plauge DJ's
VJ's stuua & valone
Tickets: €7 (pre-tickets for students €5)
Age limit: 18

Tickets are sold at the Tampere Film Festival Office (Tullikamarinaukio 2, 2nd floor) starting on Feb 23. In addition, there are tickets sold at the campus of Finlayson on Feb 25 and Mar 7-8 at 8.30 a.m. - 3.30 p.m. (the cafeteria). Tickets are also sold at the Tamko Office (the Kuntokatu campus).

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Have you got enough of ice(y) fishing? Are there no goldfish in your pond? Do not worry! Surreal Sundays is back in Club Volume Sunday Feb 20th.

We guarantee you the best fish in this town has to offer, everything in a reasonable price of course.
Fishermen have friends, and we are proud to bring you all together.

If this post makes hardly any sense you definitely should come to check the event out. It will explain a lot of things, but also raise more questions about the Finnish way of life.

Story: Tia Tuovinen
Don’t you just hate the gloomy, doomed feeling of Sundays - Nowhere to go and nothing to do except for wait for the next work loaded week to come? The salvation, also known as Surreal Sundays, is here to save us all!

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The Special Guest: Heart-a-Claus

Story and pics: Tia Tuovinen, Media '1002
First year students from all different study programs – fine art, television and media – united their powers in organizing a memorable pre-Christmas party last Friday. Christmas of the Arts was held in “the secret chamber” of 4th floor – a former classroom also known as Tarkovski. Few eager students set up decorative lights, music and video installations to set the mood. Christmas food like rice porridge and glögi was offered as well as other snacks.

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Story: Emma Kiiski
It was a dark and gloomy evening. Only a few people were walking in the rain, heading to the secret meeting place … which was filled with games, food, drinks, people and LOTS OF FUN!

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