Friends for life
Coincidence led Ammy Bolme to start her teaching degree at Volda University College. Six years later, she now subscribes to the slogan "Volda is the place you'll never forget".
Ammy comes from a town near Stavanger in the south-western part of Norway. Although she could have chosen to study closer to home, she ended up doing her degree at Volda University College (VUC).
- I had never heard of Volda before, but when I checked it out online I fell in love immediately. I saw a film of the breathtaking nature and all the activities Volda had to offer and thought to myself "Wow - this place is great!". Therefore I was never in doubt once I got accepted here. I had the feeling that this was the best place for me to study, and five years later I am still here - says Ammy.
People make the difference
It was the beautiful nature that first caught her attention, but after five years in Volda it is the people that has made the biggest impact on Ammy.
– I got to know so many people right from the start. At first I lived in student housing and then it felt almost like being on exchange. I got to know so many of the international students since so many of them stay in the dorms. Hanging with the international students has been great, because the internationals are so adventurous and interested in experiencing as much as possible, says Ammy.
Ammy had never been to this part of Norway before, which means that she has eagerly taken any opportunity to explore the area. She's joined everything from cabin trips in the Sunnmøre Alps to surfing camps at the beaches of Hoddevika.
As time went, she got to know so many of her fellow students. Contrary to what you may think, this could be easier in a small university with smaller class sizes.
– My impression is that Volda is a place where you easily get to know people because everyone is so open and everyone is living within the same small community. It is not scary to sit alone in the cafeteria for example, because you can start talking to just about anyone. If you just approach people and start talking, you get to know many, says Ammy with a smile.
Volda is the place you'll never forget
When students move to Volda, they seldom feel the urge to go home during the semester, says Ammy. Almost a quarter of the inhabitants of Volda are students, which in reality makes this a student town.
– Students are very visible in Volda and you really feel like you're part of the local community. Since everything is in such close proximity, you also always feel like there is something going on, either at VUC or in the town itself.
Ammy mentions the various festivals, events and hiking trips as examples of how students interact in the wider community.
– I'm not a fan of very long hiking trips, Ammy admits. - But I join them anyways, because of the good conversations along the way.
– Something for everyone
Ammy also refers to all the Student Organisations and activities at VUC, and states that there is something for every taste and interest.
– If you enjoy films, you will love the film festivals at VUC: the Norwegian Documentary Film Festival and Animation Volda. If you like outdoor activities and hiking, you can join Natura. If you want to do sports, the Student Sports Organisation (VSI) offers lots of team sports including volleyball, handball and floor ball. In addition, you have the Student- Radio and TV where you can practice your journalistic skills, and then you have Bygdepride - the first pride festival outside a major city in Norway. You'll find so many activities here it is difficult to name them all! - says Ammy.
Many of the activities and organisations are run by students and volunteering in the organisations and/or festivals is a great way of meeting fellow students, across disciplines and programmes, says Ammy.
- Student organisations is not part of your class work, so I was for exampled introduced to media students during my volunteering experiences. This gave me a new outlook on student life in Volda, because the media students often do different things than us Education students. At the end, you are left with a large network of friends. Getting friends from a variety of study fields is so much fun - and this is something you can really do here in Volda.
But the time in Volda has not only given her friends all around Norway. Due to her involvement with international students and student politics, Ammy now has friends all over the world. Many of the friendships came from her involvement in student politics, since Ammy has been the International Responsible and later the President of the Student Parliament at VUC.
– I would have just laughed if someone would have told me during my first year here that I would become the President of the Student Parliament. But I've come to realize that the threshold for taking up positions and responsibilities is perhaps lower here than at a bigger university or larger community. Here in Volda you feel very much looked after and taken care of, and this makes you also feel more confident and valued. says Ammy.
A bright future in Volda
For some, moving to Volda may mean letting go of your anonymity and the possibility of disappearing in the crowd. In a smaller place that is just not possible, but this is not dangerous promises the experienced Volda student.
- My advice is to dare more and to join activities and events that may seem a bit scary at first. You'll end up realizing that it is not so scary after all. There are lots of things you don't quite understand at first, but then it is important to remember that that's why you are here in the first place - to learn.
Ammy continues to say that she things that one of the most unique traits of Volda is exactly the fact that this community is so small and intimate - in a positive way.
– This place is small enough for you to get to know everything, you have seen most places and quickly get to know where to finds things. At the same time, it is quite unique that such a small place has so many opportunities and activities. Recently we have seen large developments on campus with a brand new media building and an amazing sports arena, and soon there will also be the new swimming arena. The future is bright for Volda and it makes me want to stick around for a few more years - laughs Ammy.