Some terms you will encounter sooner or later:
Aalto University
An academic institution located on a significant axis between Espoo and Helsinki. Our sister guild, Aalto University’s Guild of Electrical Engineering, also resides there.
Academic Start
The first celebrations of the academic year.
Arkkari
An architect, usually a student or graduate. They wear white overalls, and they used to hide in the city center. Arkkaris have a nice guild house with saunas on Pikisaari. Architecture Guild’s website: https://oulunarkkitehtikilta.net/
Arkkitehti
A graduated architect.
Armatuuri
The Guild of Energy Technology in Lappeenranta, one of Finland’s electrical guilds, also our sister guild. Website: https://www.armatuuri.fi/
Assari
An assistant, a researcher working at the university, a professor’s minion, and the students’ best friend.
Blanko / Blansso
The Guild of Information Technology students in Oulu, code wizards and nerds like us, but their calculators just don’t stay in their hands. Website: https://blanko.fi/
CV
Curriculum Vitae, a resume. Needed for job applications, among other things.
DI, Diplomi-insinööri, Academic Engineer
Someone graduated with a Masters of Science in Technology.
Excursion, Excu
A field trip to, for example, a company and other sights and events.
Fuksi, Phuksi, Phuxi, Fuxi
A first-year student.
Fuksiexcu
The first and exclusive excursion for freshmen in the autumn.
Fuksijaos
The freshman coordinators of tech guilds, along with their assistants, form the freshman division. They organize all sorts of fun for freshmen.
Fuksipassi
A booklet where you collect freshman points. Tutors can give 1-2 points, and a freshman division member and the guild president can give 1-3 points.
Fuksipiste
An indication of activity; you earn them from events. You need 4 per column if you want to wear the tech student cap during Wappu.
Fuksilakki
A trial version of the tech student cap used by freshmen to learn how to wear it throughout the winter. A freshman receives their own fuksilakki at the autumn “lakinlaskijaiset,” and it is burned during Wappu.
Fuksivastaava / Super Tutor
A guild board member responsible for freshmen, tutors, and freshman matters. They also act as a link between tutors and the student’s own teacher.
Gambina / Gee
Gambina is a cult favorite alcoholic beverage among students. Nowadays, everyone ends up in a “Gokous” meeting at some point in their student career, thanks to Santeri “isopropanoli.”
Haalarit
Practical attire that frees you from choosing clothes. Each guild has its own color, ours is electric blue. Hex code: #2C75FF
Haalarimerkki
Cloth patches that are sewn onto overalls. You can get them at events or buy them from guilds and organizations. You are allowed to rip off a patched one from someone else’s overalls as a form of teasing. Here are our own patches: https://www.sik.fi/haalarimerkit
Hervanta
Tampere tech students’ version of Linnanmaa.
Humanisti
A student of humanities. Usually someone with logic that’s different from that of a tech student.
Humanistipääty (now OAMK-pääty)
The university’s new wing, the northern part of the building where the faculties of humanities and educational sciences used to be located. OAMK has taken over the spaces.
Humukuppila
The café for humanities students in their temporary premises on Geokäytävä.
Hurmos
Hurmos is an Oulu student festival consisting of daytime and nighttime events. During the day, companies showcase their activities at the university and try to recruit future summer employees. The nighttime event includes music performances and celebration.
J-käytävä / Fysiikan käytävä / J-hallway
The hallway that continues from the green coat racks. Along the corridor, you’ll find a “SIK” sign pointing to the basement floor where SIK’s guild room is located.
Jarin kuukautiset / Jari’s periods
Once a month, Jari Hannu (the degree program coordinator) comes to visit the guild room to ask for feedback and improvement suggestions related to courses and teaching.
Kandi / Kandidaatti
A tech graduate (studied for about 3 years). Kandi can also refer to a bachelor’s thesis completed to obtain a lower-level degree.
Kiltahuone
The haven for electrical engineers, a living room where you can refuel your spirits by meeting like-minded people, studying for exams, playing table hockey or computer games. Kiltahuone also offers snacks and excellent coffee (Saludo or Juhlamokka, great value for money). You are warmly welcome!
Kokardi
The emblem above the brim of the tech student cap. In Oulu, each tech guild and OTY has its own kokardi. For example, SIK has a lightning bolt-shaped kokardi. Board members have their own golden board kokardi, which is attached to the right side of the tech student cap.
Kopiokone / Copy machine / Printer
The university’s fastest lecturer, the best friend of those with morning sleepiness. Don’t break it! It’s worth using.
Kylteri
A business student.
Käpistelijä
An information technology specialist or coder.
Lakinlaskijaiset
A party at the end of September when the tech student cap is taken off and put away for the upcoming Wappu. During the event, freshmen receive their own trial version of the tech student cap, the fuksilakki.
Laskarit
Tutorial sessions where students practice the calculations needed for the course. The probability of passing the course significantly increases if you attend laskarit.
Lipasto
Oulu University.
Möykkäwaunut
Pioneers of mobile sound systems. More information: Möykkävaunut
Molut
Milk + beer = molut; you can decide the mixing ratio yourself. A concept introduced by Oulu Information Technology students that challenges the idea of a drinkable alcoholic beverage. Try it and be surprised!
N, N’s
- The 19th letter of the alphabet.
- A student in the 5th year or older.
- Generally, an indefinite, very large number.
NeverSki-sukset
Electric blue skis used for skiing with a total of three friends. No ski wax is needed because they were born perfect.
Noppa
- A gaming device, a die.
- They also call these study points. You need 180 of them for a bachelor’s degree and 300 to graduate as a M.Sc in Technology.
Opintopiste
One study point equals approximately 27 hours of work, and the most common number of study points per course is 5. Collect 300 of them, and you graduate!
Otaniemi
A remote place on the border between Helsinki and Espoo, where the Aalto University of Technology is located, and thus, there are many tech students.
Olto
Oulu University’s medical engineering students. More information: https://www.olto.fi/
OYY
Oulu University Student Union. If you study at Oulu University, you are a member of this organization. Website: https://www.oyy.fi/
OPM / OPMx2
- Bring your own bottle.
- Bring your own towel.
- Bring your own pizza. Usually, 1) and 2) are mentioned together (OPMx2); follow the instructions on invitations.
OPTIEM
Oulu Industrial Engineering Students. Masters of hand waving. Website: https://optiem.fi/
OTiT
Oulu Information Technology Students. A sister guild, even though they are men and women in black. Kiltahuone is located in the bomb shelter next to Finanssi on X-corridor. Website: https://otit.fi/
OTY
Oulu Teekkari Association. The umbrella organization for tech guilds in Oulu. You can find more information here: https://www.oty.fi
Peppi
An application for enrolling in courses and tracking their progress.
Picojoule
- A tiny amount of energy.
- OTY’s Christmas party.
Pruju
Paper course material. Nowadays, they also refer to Moodle’s study material as “pruju” due to digitalization.
Prose
Process engineering. Website: https://www.prosessikilta.fi/
Raksa
Oulu University’s Environmental Builders Guild. Website: http://www.ymparistorakentajakilta.net/
SIK ry
Guild of Electrical Engineering Students. Our guild with cool electric blue overalls. Website: https://www.sik.fi/
Etelän SIK / Otaniemen SIK
Aalto University’s Guild of Electrical Engineering. A sister guild in Otaniemi. Website: https://sahkoinsinoorikilta.fi/
Sillis
The herring breakfast. A refueling event held the morning after major celebrations, such as annual parties, and the day after Wappu.
Sinssi
Our guild’s main publication, published about four times a year. A journalistic gem. You can find Sinssi here: https://www.sik.fi/sinssi
Skinnarila
Lappeenranta tech students’ Linnanmaa.
Solmu
A proud knot worn on the cord of Oulu tech students’ hats. After each of the first four Wappus, you can tie one knot. After four knots, they are opened and replaced with a loop knot. In other tech student cities, knots have different meanings.
Speksi
An interactive musical play. Organized by: https://pahki.fi/
SYK
The Cooperation Meeting of Electrical Guilds. Held twice a year, these meetings bring together students from the same field from all over Finland to discuss common matters related to electrical guilds.
Sähköläinen
A tech student studying electronics and telecommunications in the Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering.
Sähkökilta / Skilta
Tampere tech students’ own guild of electrical engineering. Website: https://www.skilta.fi/
Sähköposti
Learn to use it immediately! You can’t live without it. We use Outlook.
Sätky
The association of electrical engineering students in Lappeenranta, another one of the electrical guilds in Lappeenranta. Website: https://www.satky.fi/
Sössö
Otaniemen SIK’s guild magazine. You can find it here: https://sosso.fi/ (Not functioning at the time of editing)
Teekkari
A tech student, at least in the second year of study or a tech graduate.
Teekkarilakki / Tupsulakki / Lakki
A cap resembling a graduation cap with a black tassel hanging from it. The tech student cap is a unifying headgear for tech students and should be treated with respect. You can recognize an Oulu tech student’s cap by its round shape and the fact that the tassel starts from the tip on the hat. The number of knots in the tassel indicates the student’s year in Wappu (i.e., the knots reveal the year of study). A loop knot represents an “n-year student,” a student who is studying beyond their initial years. In Otaniemi and Tampere, the caps are hexagonal, and in Lappeenranta, there are seven sides on the cap, and the tassel starts from the top without any knots. You can read the cap rules here: https://www.oty.fi/fi/lakkilaki/
Tupsufuksi
A tech student with one knot in the cap’s tassel (typically a second-year tech student).
TEK
Academic Engineers and Architects in Finland. A trade union that looks after the interests of tech students and diploma engineers and sometimes offers other benefits. It’s a good idea to join quickly! Website: https://www.tek.fi
TellUs
A library located near the guild room, an excellent place for self-study alone or in a group. TellUs houses the collections of the libraries for physics and mathematics, chemistry, geosciences, and mechanical engineering. TellUs is divided into two parts, with the larger part located on the T-corridor and the smaller part on the J-corridor.
Tempaus
A large group of tech students having fun collectively and also working for a good cause.
Tuutori
A tutor student, a freshman’s second-best friend. Ask questions and take advantage of their help; they are paid for it.
Wappu
The main event of the year, starting a couple of weeks before May Day and culminating on May 1st. It combines Christmas, Midsummer, and New Year’s celebrations for tech students.
Waunut
Same thing as “Möykkäwaunut”.
Wesibussi
A charity event organized by Oulu University tech students during Wappu. The Wesibussi idea is to move from place to place without stopping the party. Wesibussi is an essential part of Oulu’s Teekkariwappu. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wesibussi/
Ylioppilaskunta
A legally mandated union of university students that has advocacy and administrative responsibilities within the university and for its members. See Oulu’s own: https://www.oyy.fi/
YKHS
YstävällinenKaunoHiihtoSeura (eng. FriendlyBeautySkiingSociety). Website: https://www.ykhs.fi/
Ymppiläinen
A tech student in Oulu studying environmental engineering, recognized by their blue, red, and yellow overalls.
YTHS
The Finnish Student Health Service. Help for almost all ailments. In Oulu, it is located between Tietotalo and Yliopistokatu. Website: https://www.yths.fi/
Ööpinen
An Oulu-based Wappu magazine edited by architecture students. You can find it here: https://oulunarkkitehtikilta.net/myynti/oopinen/