Happy Tuesday!

Have you noticed that you feel tired all the time in autumn and in the beginning of winter? The lack of sunlight may cause moodiness, tiredness, as well as cravings of carbohydrates and sugar (so all of your sugar binges are not necessarily stress-related). Then how can you help yourself to mentally cope with the darkness?

• Bright light lamps provide artificial sunlight which helps your body to create less melatonin so you feel more energetic. The best time to enjoy a “bright light bath” is in the morning right after you wake up.
• UEF has two Study Psychologists and Campus Pastors who provide mental health care for students if you feel like you need to talk to someone.
• Exercising helps to boost your mood! Fresh air wakes you up so instead of excercising indoors all the time, a short stay outdoors might cheer you up!
• You can boost your brain’s serotonin (the feel-good hormone) levels by eating foods that contain high levels of tryptophan, such as eggs, cheese, soybeans or dark chocolate. (In conclusion, eating chocolate is good for you!)
• Meet your friends! If you can’t meet them physically, you can always call them.
• Sometimes taking a nap can save the day.

ISYY has now updated the instructions for sending material to newsletters. If you are sending material for our newsletters, check out the instructions from our website first.

Have a nice week!

Kind regards,
Joona Rantala | Coordinator of International Affairs, Joensuu Campus

Exceptions in opening hours of ISYY offices and Christmas break

ISYY office in Kuopio will have shortened opening hours from Thursday 20 November onwards.

Mon: 1pm - 3pm
Tue: 1pm - 3pm
Wed: 12(noon) - 4pm
Thu: 1pm - 3pm
Fri: closed

This year the offices are open for the last time on Wednesday 10 December. The Joensuu office is open regularly without exceptions until that date. Survival Packages can be returned to offices until 17 December at specific times. All survival package holders will be sent an information message about possible returning hours.

ISYY’s candidate Emilia Enroth has been elected to the SYL Board 2026!

Enroth, 30, is a law student studying in UEF at Joensuu campus. Enroth has been the Chair of the Executive Board of the Student Union in autumn 2025, and formerly worked on sectors of academic affairs, environment and development cooperation as a member of the board. This is the first time ISYY’s candidate has been elected to the SYL Board two times in a row.

– I am extremely grateful for the trust and support I have received. It is a great honor to be able to advocate for a better future for university students. I am looking forward to next year and working with the new SYL Board, says Enroth.

On Friday the General Assembly elected Petra Pulli (HYY) as President of SYL 2026. Aada Aho (TYY), Marcell Breta (TREY), Laura Heino (TREY), Viena Pentikäinen (HYY) and Vilma Sippola (OYY) were elected to the Board along with Enroth on Saturday.

13 applicants for the ISYY Executive Board 2026

The Executive Board for the year 2026 is selected at the Student Union Representative Council’s organisational meeting on 27.11.2025. By the end of the application period ISYY received 13 applications to the Board. Motivation letters and possible CVs (in Finnish or in English) of the applicants are published on the ISYY's website.

The Board is responsible for the daily activities of the Student Union together with the employees on both campus cities Joensuu and Kuopio. The Board consists of a Chair and Vice Chair, as well as 4-8 Board Members, each of whom has their own sector of responsibility within the board.

Bouquets or brickbats? Either way, now is time to give feedback!

This week is ISYY's Smiles and Complaints week, which means Student Union is gathering feedback from students regarding many parties involved in students' life, like the Student Union, University of Eastern Finland (UEF), FSHS (Finnish Student Health Service), Compass GroupWhat deserves a smile? What's wrong? What gives you grey hair? Tell us, and we'll take your feedback forward!

Feedback is given anonymously online via electronic form, or you can write your feedback to Post-it notes from Monday to Friday in either the Snellmania or Canthia lobby in Kuopio and in the Carelia, Natura and Metria lobbies in Joensuu.

ISYY: No grounds for bringing forward orientation

The University of Eastern Finland has planned to organise the orientation earlier in August. Earlier ISYY’s Executive Board has given an opinion to UEF about organising the orientation in August but even with this opinion UEF has decided to go through with their plan. The Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland does not support the planned move to bring forward the orientation period, which aims to prepare students for the start of their studies, to August.

– The university has not provided any reasonable justification for bringing forward the orientation. Instead, this would be yet another source of stress for both new students and tutors, on top of finding accommodation, securing a livelihood, scheduling studies, and juggling with summer jobs, says Chair of the ISYY Executive Board Emilia Enroth.

Hobby Buddy service: buddies for these hobbies wanted

ISYY's Hobby Buddy service connects students with one another based on shared interest and hobbies. The service is for all students of the University of Eastern Finland who want to make new friends through common hobbies and interests. Right now we have people looking for one ot more hobby buddies in Joensuu for e.g. following activities: geocaching, coding, music and band activities, video games, handicrafts, cooking and baking.

Fill out the application on our website and we’ll get in touch when the matching hobby buddy is found. Note! If you are looking for a friend to exercise with, please check out the Sport Buddy service of SYKETTÄ.

ISYY Club Meetings

All currently listed club meetings (except JEIS meetings) are held weekly in ISYY's club room at ISYY's office located near the city centre (Suvantokatu 6, 80100 Joensuu) except the JEIS meeting. The club meeting list will be updated as new club meeting times and locations are confirmed by the clubs.

More information and a full list of ISYY's clubs in Joensuu can be found on ISYY's webpage:

• MtG (Magic: the Gathering) Guild Mon 3 pm - 8 pm
• Joensuu's Exchange and International Students Mon 5 pm - 6:30 pm
  • On Campus, Aurora-building, room AU102
• LUOMIO! (Literary Arts Club) Tue 6 pm - 8 pm
• JOOJAKU (Japanese Culture Club) Wed 4 pm - 8 pm
• Joensuu Board Gamers meeting Thu 3 pm - 8 pm
• Chess Club Fri 4 pm - 8 pm

We are looking for new instructors for spring 2026!

Do you want to be part of the SYKETTÄ instructing team? We are looking for instructors, who are able to instruct a wide variety of classes. We are looking for instructors especially for early-morning water exercise classes and guided gym sessions. We are also open to new ideas, feel free to suggest anything.

Are you looking for a workout buddy?

The Workout Buddy service is offered by SYKETTÄ university sports for higher education students who want to be physically active and are looking for someone to exercise with. The goal of the service is to connect students who share similar interests in different types of sports and activities.

In the Workout Buddy application, you can tell us what kinds of sports interest you and what kind of exercise companion you’re looking for. We’ll contact you once we’ve found a suitable match. You don’t need to have an active SYKETTÄ membership to take part in the Workout Buddy service.

By filling out the workout buddy application, we’ll help you find the right exercise partner for you!

UEF Occupational Health and Safety Committee encourages moderate use of perfumes and fragrances

The university's occupational health and safety organisation has been contacted by people who have expressed a need for a university-level recommendation on the use of perfumes and fragrances at the workplace. One of the central tasks of the occupational health and safety organisation is to develop and ensure healthy and comfortable working environments.

The Occupational Health and Safety Committee reminds that the use of strong perfumes and fragrances may cause allergic symptoms. A small action can make the everyday life of people around you easier and also the entire university a more comfortable environment for us all.

UEF Startup Day returns again to the Joensuu campus!

Held for the sixth time, the UEF Startup Day will once again gather startup cases from the University of Eastern Finland, people interested in entrepreneurship, and Joensuu’s startup stakeholders in the Carelia building lobby on Wednesday, November 26, from 10:00 to 14:00.

As in previous times, the event will showcase startup companies connected to UEF, entrepreneurship cases, and commercialization projects. In addition, participants will receive information about the entrepreneurship services and courses offered by the university and its partners. These services help students and researchers develop their own businesses, product or service ideas, as well as an entrepreneurial way of thinking.

The event is organized in cooperation with Joensuu Entrepreneurship Society (JoES).

Everyone interested in entrepreneurship is welcome – students, researchers, and staff members regardless of their field of study or educational background, as well as representatives of entrepreneurship-related stakeholder organizations.

The main language of the event is English. Pizza and coffee will be offered to those who register in advance by Monday, November 24!

Sustainability Studies Network

Sustainability studies network is a collaborative teaching network of 11 Finnish higher education institutions. The network is multidisciplinary. It offers courses related to environment and sustainability. The courses are open for all degree, doctoral and exchange students of the member higher education institutions. A student may choose courses based on their own interest from the course listing. There are courses available both in Finnish and in English. A student has an opportunity to broaden their knowledge on environmental and sustainability themes by studying courses through the network.

The call for applications is open from 17 November until 30 November 2025.

The University of Eastern Finland’s new Board has been elected

The members of the University of Eastern Finland’s Board have been elected for the term of office starting at the beginning of 2026. At its meeting of 7 November, the University Collegium confirmed the elected staff representatives and the student members appointed to the Board by the Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland (ISYY). Social Sciences graduate Leevi Haavisto and Bachelor of Arts Lassi Oikkonen will represent the students.

UEF libraries closed 27 November 2025

Campus Libraries and KUH Medical Library are closed on Thursday 27 November 2025 due to Staff Development Day. The 24/7 self-study facilities of Campus Libraries are open despite the exception.

Study psychologists’ telephone consultation hours in November and December 2025

For the remainder of the year, the study psychologists offer telephone consultation hours. You can send a call request via text message, and the study psychologist will contact you during the consultation hours. Please include your full name and student number in the message. You may also call the study psychologist yourself during the consultation hours. If the line is busy, please call only once – the study psychologist will return your call as soon as possible.

Are you taking the SEB exam?

Remember to always update the Safe Exam Browser before the exam day! This way you will avoid unpleasant surprises and can fully concentrate on the exam.

Here's how it works:

1. Open the Safe Exam Browser website.

2. Install the latest version on your computer.

3. Done, good luck with the exam!

Instructions for updating are also available on the Teaching Pedagogical and digital Support website.

Wishing you stress-free exam times,

IT Support

Jouluralliapprot

It's time to buy the last Christmas presents and seek the Christmas spirit with a glass of mulled wine with your fellow students before the holidays begin! Come and enjoy the Christmas atmosphere with the new appro!

WHERE: Shops, specialty stores, cafes, and restaurants in downtown Joensuu.
WHEN: December 4th, 2025
PRICE: €6/pass
START: Kerubi, 2–4 p.m.
FINISH: Kerubi, 6–8 p.m.
FOR WHOM: everyone!

More information: opossumiry@gmail.com

You are cordially invited to the Wish Ball, where even your wildest wishes can come true!

22.11.2025 from 13:00 to 20:00, arrival from 12:00. Educa E200, Joensuu. Admission to the Historical Dance Ball is free. No ticket sales. We will dance requested dances and favorites from previous balls.

Dress code: clothes you have always wished you could wear.

Food will be a potluck and your own snacks.

More information can be found from our website and on Instagram @historiallinentanssijns

Joensuu's Exchange and International Students events in November

• 20.11. ISYY x JEIS International Christmas Party + International Music Night @BePop
• 22.11. Koli trip
• 26.11. JEIS x Marks Game night

More information on the events can be found from our Instagram: jeis_isyy

The City’s Most Beautiful Christmas Window voting has begun!

The voting for the Most Beautiful Christmas Window competition has begun! Vote here: heili.fi.

Take the Survey on Social Innovation

A Europe-wide survey explores what kinds of knowledge and skills are needed to develop better solutions to today’s societal challenges. The results will be used to design new learning materials. The survey is carried out by the European Social Innovation Campus (ESIC) project, co-funded by the European Union.

The survey is aimed at three target groups (approx. 20 minutes to complete) and is available in several languages.

New Mind Matters online course for students

How can you take care of yourself How about your fellow students? How could you develop a stronger sense of connection with other students?

The new Mind Matters -online course offers tools and insights to help you promote both your own mental health and that of your fellow students. The course is free of charge, lasts only a couple of hours, and is suitable for all students.

Your mind matters – join us to learn how even small actions can improve your own and others wellbeing and make studying more meaningful for you and others!

Weekly Feed is the English language newsletter of the Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland (ISYY). You are receiving this letter on your email because you are a member of ISYY and are studying at Joensuu campus or because you have joined the mailing list yourself. 

Weekly Feed provides you with current information on matters related to the Student Union, UEF or other organisations close to students, such as FSHS. In addition, the newsletter provides you with information on events taking place at campus or the campus city.

Weekly Feed is published on Tuesdays during the academic year, with the exception of holidays and a few other days. If you do not want to receive the newsletter anymore, you can unsubscribe the letter via the unsubscription link  located on the top of the letter. 

You will find more information on ISYY's newsletters  and data protection on ISYY's website.