Noora Saarinen was well on her way to becoming a professional ballerina at the Perm State Choreographic College in Russia when a foot injury unexpectedly put an end to her dream, and she returned to Finland unsure of where her life was headed. Now, six years later, Noora not only has a Bachelor’s degree in Russian Language and Literature with a minor in Translation Studies, but she has discovered a passion for International Law and a new zest for life that coincidentally led to her being chosen as the EU Careers Student Ambassador for University of Helsinki. It’s not easy to give up on a dream, as Noora candidly reveals, but it takes just as much determination to move forward in life and open yourself up to the multitude of possibilities waiting to happen to you.
After realising you could no longer pursue a career in ballet, what made you choose to major in Russian Language and Literature?
I never thought I would become a university student, because I only wanted to do ballet, but as it often goes, life has its own plans for you – I injured my foot, so I had to reconsider my career options. I had lived in Russia for almost four years while studying ballet and had become fluent in the Russian language, so I decided I had to put that to good use and that’s how I ended up applying to University of Helsinki.
It must have been a difficult decision, this sudden transition from ballet to a whole different discipline?
Well in a sense the decision was made for me, but it was very difficult mentally. I wasn’t that excited about my first semester at the university, because I wanted to do what at the time I felt like I was meant to do, which was dancing on stage. But as time went by I came to love what I studied and I realised that I was essentially still on the same path – pursuing my passion – but just doing something different. It’s very cliché, but it’s true that everything happens for a reason, the hard part is that you only understand the reason afterwards.
I agree wholeheartedly. So what has this revelation brought you?
After I decided to give myself a new chance to broaden my perspective and rediscover myself, I began to notice all these new topics I was interested in, which I would have never gotten to know had they not been thrown in my path. For example, it was on a course of conference interpreting when I had my first real encounter with international law, and I became very interested in it, especially human rights. A minor in International Law also brought more diverse aspects to my Arts major and really opened my eyes to all the opportunities beyond the ballet world.
And did this same enthusiasm lead you to apply for a position as an EU Careers Student Ambassador?
Yes! Last spring I took a course organised by the university’s Career Services and European Studies called ‘Working in the European Union’ and that was where I heard about the EU Careers Student Ambassador programme. I was of course thrilled and very honoured when I found out I was chosen to represent University of Helsinki, because I had thought that someone like me with no legal or social sciences background wouldn’t stand a chance. And it especially meant a lot to me personally, for I proved to myself that I could do something not involving ballet.
So what kind of tasks do you have as an Ambassador?
My main task is to promote and inform my fellow university students about opportunities for working in the EU, and I need to find out myself through which means that could be best accomplished. So far I’ve been networking and promoting different events on social media, as well as updating the EU Careers Finland facebook page, but I have a lot of plans in mind for the upcoming year: I’d like to attend career fairs, maintain close collaboration with the university’s Career Services, organise lectures and workshops for the students, invite people from the EU to speak, as well as give my own presentations. I’m also planning on setting up reception hours in the spring so that students can approach me with their questions.
Do you have a dream job then?
I don’t really want to name anything specific, because I had a dream job once and I don’t want to limit myself the same way again. So while I do have certain goals, I don’t want to paint an ideal job too definitely; I want to be open to all kinds of opportunities, particularly as it’s precisely this openness that got me to the ‘Working in the European Union’ course and led to my current position as an Ambassador. I’m really interested in intercultural encounters and I would love to use my background and expertise in Russian language and culture somehow, so we’ll just have to wait and see.
Well you’ve definitely got an exciting and busy year ahead. How do you find the balance between university, working as an Ambassador and teaching ballet?
Life is often about finding balances and it’s important to have different interests in your life. While I had been happy doing what I loved the most, my life used to be all about ballet and pursuing that dream. You need to have some kind of plan so that you don’t get too overwhelmed. Concentrate on one thing at a time. Live in the moment.
Which is why I can’t wait for Christmas so that I can spend some downtime with my family. For me, Christmas is all about traditions and relaxing and feeling safe at home with loved ones. And food and presents. Oh and snow would be great, it’s definitely the cherry on the cake.
I’ve got to say that you always look so happy every time I see you. What’s your secret to staying positive?
Positivity is something you can practice and it’s a conscious choice. It doesn’t mean shutting your eyes to all the negative things in life, but you can always choose to look at the brighter side of things. Right now it’s getting so dark, but I like thinking about how I’m going to light my candles, have a nice cup of tea and stay warm on the couch after I get home. My friends all know about this, but I also really like observing dogs on the streets, they always make me so happy. So choose to open your eyes to the more positive things and give more value to them.
All photos © Noora Saarinen
Finally, what advice would you give to students looking for a job, having difficulties with their studies or just feeling lost with what to do next?
When I was studying at the ballet school I only had a single goal and I dedicated my life to it. When it didn’t work out, I was lost. It took some time, but I’ve accepted that my path was to go there and despite it not being what I had imagined it to be, my journey at the ballet school in Russia took me to the place I’m at right now and molded me into the person I am today. Even when I wasn’t sure where I was going, I knew I had to move forward. So even if you don’t have a specific goal in mind, there will always be plenty of opportunities, and make sure to use those well. For a while I couldn’t see myself outside the ballet world, but I’ve now proved to myself that I can move forward and find new goals. At the same time, while having specific goals can be motivating, they can sometimes limit the way you see life.
Also stay curious, cultivate your interests and find out what you really like. I’m going to use another cliché, but step outside your comfort zone and do something very different, you can always come back if you don’t like it and at least then you’ll know what doesn’t work for you. And by all means, don’t undervalue yourself or be afraid to ask for help.
For more information about Careers with The European Union, check out their website by the European Personnel Selection Office and don’t hesitate to contact them or Noora (helsinki.eucareers@gmail.com) with questions regarding career opportunities.