One English writing class had an assignment to write about their life so that young people in other cultures could get a glimpse into their ordinary day. Below are a few of their essays but you'll find many more good ones in the comments section.
An ordinary school day
On weekdays I wake up typically at 7 am when my phone alarms. Usually I feel really tired, because I tend to go to bed quite late. That’s why I need a cup of coffee to get my mornings going. A newspaper is also an important part of my mornings, as I want to know what is happening around the world. After my morning routines I notice how late I am, so I grab my bike and rush to the school.
At 8 o’clock lessons start. Normally I have about four 75-minute-lessons per day, and between them we get little pauses which I spend with my friends. In the middle of the day we have a lunch break. In Finland we get a free meal every day, which is really uncommon in other countries.
When I finally get home, I relax with my friends. Sometimes we go shopping or to the movies, but usually we don’t do anything special, go to cafés or just chill. Sports is another big part of my everyday life. Running is my passion and I go jogging four times a week and in addition, I go to the gym.
In the evening my mom and dad prepare the dinner. We eat in tranquility and share the day's events. Later I might watch TV or chat with my friends on the Internet before setting the alarm to wake me up at 7 am, like always, and going to bed.
- by Sallamari
An ordinary day
In Finland our days begin usually so that parents go to work and we youngsters go to school. Of course, it is different when it is weekend or some holiday. Our school days are around 5-6 hours long. When the school day is over, we go home and perhaps we do our homework or watch TV.
We have plenty opportunity to choose if we want some hobby. The most favoured hobbies are ice hockey and football. If you take seriously that hobby and want to win contest, your all spare time goes with it. Here we take pretty seriously what we do. So, our evenings go with hobbies or if there is no hobby, we meet our friends, sit in front of a computer and do lots of other things.
At the weekends we want just to relax and have fun. Here you can see that when the weekend comes, people come out from their hides and go out to party. It is usual too that underaged kids drink too. That is one problem in our society.
Finland is a beautiful and colourful country. It is our paradise even if we have in winters over –25°C.
- by Heini
Ordinary day after school
Restlessness and sweating. Nothing comes to my mind. Neither the possibility to use the Internet nor a hot day make concentrating easier.
Almost every family has a computer and Internet in Finland. Despite the fact that it is an easy way to take contact, it has increased the time we spend at computer which means less time outside with friends, of course. I am sitting at a computer too, writing this text and dreaming of being outside. In fact, school work takes a big slice of free time, although we Finns do not use computer always for working and it is not rare to find yourself surfing in the internet. School things are not problem on rainy day, but now the sun is shining and it is not hard to decide, which is funnier, playing floorball on the street or get mad inside.
However, I have time for friends, at least when I have an easy period in school. In our school periods change about in every two months. That means the subjects as well as the length of days might change, depending on how you have designed your time table.
To conclude, I do not mean I spend every single day doing the same things. This is just a little piece of my life. If I had told everything I do, you would not have read even this far. Now I get to the place I have praised all the time, maybe you should get your bottoms off a chair and get outside too.
- by Sami
My unusual school morning
Normally I wake up every school day around eight, usually at the sound of my alarm-clock. Then I take a shower, eat breakfast, feed my dog and go to school by bus.
This morning was entirely unlike my usual morning. Firstly, I woke up because the sun was shining in my eyes and I heard the song of birds. I didn’t know what time it was because my clock had stopped during the night, so I got up. I went downstairs and wondered why my mum, dad or little brother weren’t there. My parents have to go to work around seven, because of the distance. Then I watched the wall clock, I couldn’t believe it, it was only half past five.
I had already got up so I didn’t want to go back to sleep, I decided to enjoy a cup of coffee and read a newspaper. What a great start for the school day, I thought.
- by Julia
A usual Finnish girl’s day
On school days I usually wake up at 06:45 in order to read the newspaper and eat breakfast without a rush. After doing my morning routines, I decide what to wear, my outfit represents in which mood I am, and maybe put some make up.
Fortunately I live near the school so it takes only five minutes by bike. I like school very much, thanks to my friends with whom the days won’t feel too long. A normal school day lasts from eight to two, but in this period, I have many free lessons during the week so, for example on Friday, I have school for only one 75-minute lesson. When the school day ends, I go home or meet some of my friends and we spend the afternoon together.
Our family gathers together round five o’clock to have dinner and during that everyone tells about his or her day and after that I go to the gym or jogging, except if I am feeling particularly lazy. In that case I might invite some friends to visit. In the evening I relax and maybe watch TV and by eleven I’m feeling tired enough to go to sleep.
- by Venla
An ordinary day
Now at the age of seventeen it is pretty much up to me to wake to school at mornings, and almost invariably I do so. At the same time I know that if I would start to skip my duties like that, my mom would scold me and bring me back to my senses again. So I wake up an hour before school starts, usually tired as ever, take a shower, eat some bread or fruit for breakfast if I find time and bike to the bus stop and head to school by bus.
The classes last for 75 minutes, which is pretty much enough to learn something and not too long to frustrate the students. The breaks last for 15 minutes and at them we just sit around or, if it is warm, go to the yard to stand in the sun, and discuss topics we have on mind. The lunch provided to us at midday is the highlight of the day. Then, the time depending on our personal timetables, we get out of school and head back home, some by bus, some by foot, bike, car or other motor vehicles.
At home I am usually already tired and just switch on the computer and surf and chat with my friends there or just read a book, but at weekends I go out with friends. We keep ourselves out of trouble and get home by night.
- by Jonna
An ordinary day at school
I wake up in the morning and then I have to go to the school. In Finland, we go to school every weekday. I go to school by bus because my way to school is pretty long, 10 kilometers.
Our school is small but it is also cosy. Usually my schooldays start at 8.00 or 9.30 am and they finish at 2.15 or 3.30 pm. Sometimes I have a free lesson and then I do my homework, but if I have nothing to do, I surf on the Internet.
Our lessons are 75 minutes and between them we have got four breaks and they take 15 minutes. We have also a lunch break at 11.40am and it is a little bit longer than normal breaks. In my opinion, attending school is good for me and despite the exams and exam week, I really like it! I meet my friends in the school every day and that is great!
- by Marika
One day of my life
I wake up early at 7am. First I wear my jeans and shirt and then I go to eat breakfast, porridge, an apple and some bread. After eating, I brush my teeth and fill my schoolbag with books. As soon as I am ready, I jump in to my car and drive to school. When I arrive at school yard it is almost 8am. I spend about 6 hours at school studying history, mathematics, Finnish language, English and biology. Of course, we eat lunch at school. Since I have worked hard in classes I can happily drive back home.
At home I eat some snack and rest a little watching my favourite recorded TV-programs or sleep a while. I have football training coming on so I got to prepare for them. I take my shoes, a ball and a water bottle with me. Again I take the car and drive to training. Even though football takes lots of time and it’s hard, I love it and will never give it up. After half an hour swetting I am hungry and happy. It is time to get shower. Because I am starving, my mother has made something good for me. I eat it with pleasure.
Homework is waiting but I want to talk with my friends and play before that, so I switch on my computer. I spend an hour or couple in front of computer. However, I have to do my homework. When I am ready with it, I spend the rest of my evening with family, watching television and reading. At about 11pm I fall into bed.
- by Jaakko
