Let us be like otters

‘Many here at the Kaisa library experience loneliness. This big building has many people reflecting on their loneliness, and most of those who come to see a chaplain do so for that very reason.’

These are the thoughts of University Chaplain Leena Huovinen. The sun reflects from the windows of Aleksandria to her workspace where we are discussing students’ loneliness. In my memories, loneliness is strongly intertwined with the first couple of years of my studies. Even though I ultimately found my own people during my studies, the fresher autumn and the subsequent turbulent times of the coronavirus pandemic were largely defined by loneliness – just as I should have, according to many, been having the time of my life.

Unfortunately, I was not an exception. Loneliness is an epidemic in student communities. According to the most recent Finnish Student Health and Wellbeing Survey (KOTT 2024), around one in five students experience harmful loneliness, and one in three students do not belong in any study-related groups. Moreover, another survey, this one conducted by HelsinkiMissio and Nyyti, found that around half of all higher education students experience harmful loneliness (2024).  In addition to this, around 43% feel like they cannot influence the matter.

There has been a lot of concern over the mental health crisis and loneliness of young people in social debate, but has this been reflected in investments? Last year, the government made cuts representing one third of the subsidies paid to organisations operating in the social and health care sector, disrupting the operating conditions of many organisations that aim to prevent loneliness and provide low-threshold help with mental health. Higher education institutions may want to increase communality, but their concrete actions are invisible and distant to your average student.

Another epidemic among young people is hopelessness – the weight of one’s financial situation, the future, the climate crisis, world politics and many other things often seems crushing. Lonely students have ended up feeling crushed in many ways, and we need more resources to resolve the situation. But what can we do when cuts, individualism, prioritising efficiency and degree factories reign supreme?

I say goodbye to the chaplain, exit the room and make way for the next one coming in. I spend a moment standing in the lobby of Kaisa House. The different landings open up above me, and rays of sunshine find me through the floors. It is beautiful today.

I look up and think about sea otters. We are freer and more individualistic than ever before but also ever further from one another. We cannot afford to wait for the world to be completed to improve our wellbeing. Amid all the despair, we cannot afford to lose one another either. Maybe no-one will come to save us and we have to save each other instead. In a storm, sea otters hold onto one another to avoid drifting apart in the choppy seas. Let us be like otters and hold onto one another.

Viena Pentikäinen

Member of the Board