International Baccalaureate: CAS

2020-2022  CAS Hours:  CREATIVITY: 73 h (including 15 h project) ACTIVITY: 176 h SERVICE: 45 h IN TOTAL: 294 h The whole CAS experience has been giving, mentally, physically and experience-wise. I engaged in many activities that I would never have participated in, which I'm grateful for. I've learned lots of new things, and most importantly, I've learned a lot about myself. I've learned to value my time, health and opportunities. It has required me to engage in serious self-examination and reflection. Overall, this journey has opened my eyes to the world and favoured me a lot. Series: about 10h Creating this blog has been a great journey. Keeping the aesthetic appearance of the blog has not been easy and it has required me to sacrifice hours on it. I have never had a blog before, so the technical side of it was tricky at first. I also did not have any vision what I would like my blog would look like. The requirements of CAS have also been difficult at times, because som...

Date 11/11/2022 Duration 15 h In our school, we have a tradition called TJ100. TJ100 means 'tänään jäljellä 100 (päivää)', which roughly translates to '(we have) 100 (days) left today'. TJ100 is often associated with military training, how many days they have until they step into the reserves, but nowadays upper secondary schools have joined the tradition. For us, it symbols the days left until the start of studying break for final exams. It is celebrated by the seniors, either wearing pyjamas or togas to school as a symbol of being tired of school or 'seniors are gods'. We also have a procession, where we march around the school yelling TJ100, as a 'prank' or to annoy the younger students. The national line seniors had their TJ100 day earlier in the fall, as their study break starts in February. We decided to create the IB style TJ100-party when we had 100 days left. We got the idea before leaving for the summer holidays and started planning as soon as ...

14.12.2022 -> 15.3.2023 Series: about 11h I've always wanted to learn Arabic, and now I decided to start. I found an organization which offers free Arabic lessons to girls, which was a sign for me to join. The course entails learning the letters and harakat , 'vowels', and learning to read random letter combinations and easy words. I've studied the letters before, but I don't remember them that well anymore, and I'm not familiar with harakat either. Thus, my goals is to learn to read in Arabic. The course lasts for 11 weeks, 1 h a week as distance learning. We have a YouTube video to follow, we must make notes (studying the letter and its' harakat), tracing exercises and homework. I'm grateful that I finally found the chance to start studying Arabic, as it is a language close to my heart <3 As this experiment will last for 11 weeks, it will contribute as the last bits of this 18 months.

11.12.2022 Single: about 1h Even though I don't celebrate Christmas, my family always does. My mom requested me to decorate some gingerbreads, which is always fun. I found new decoration styles, which I wanted to try. As an experience, it was fun to develop my creativity and get my head off of school work.

2.11.2022 Single: about 1h My friends little sister turned 16 and we wanted to celebrate her and bake a cake. We've baked numerous pavlova cakes before and decided to bake one once again. We had a mareng plate, whipped some cream, cut fruits and assembled them. Last but not least, drizzled chocolate on top. It was sooo delicious!

8.10.2022 Single: about 2h We rented a cabin for my besties 18th birthday and decorated it completely. The setting was unbelievable, it was by a lake. The sunset we saw was breathtaking, and we could even take a morning swim, even though it was October and freezing. The decorating process was so fun, as we could let out creative thinking take the lead for once. The cabin was absolutely beautiful and classy, we got great pictures and had fun. Obviously, we also had to clean the place afterwards, not so fun, yet still part of the process...

20/9/2022 Single, about 3h Second year IB students have a tradition of introducing pre-IB students their subject choices for the IB years. Ethical considerations include spreading correct, and honest, yet encouraging information. Me and my partner introduced English B and Economics. We created a PowerPoint with information about the subject, such as the group it belongs to, the content outline, the assessment, forms of studying... We had a 75 min class, where all subjects were introduced. I always love to help younger students and hopefully they will benefit from it too. It would be great to introduce the IB again!

26/8/2022 Single, about 2h We volunteered in the previous IB 2's graduation. It's a tradition that younger students always help organizing the ceremony. Some baked and served treats and drinks to graduates' guests, some carried the flag of our school and some simply guided people. We were at the entrance, greeting and guiding people to the graduation hall. It was a great experience, meeting people from different cultures and seeing proud parents, relatives and friends. Ethical considerations simply included being kind and helpful to guests and guide them to the graduation hall. I'm keen to see how our graduation will be handled, as we are part of a new school, we'll see if any new traditions will emerge. Traditional ribbons from IB ceremonies

4/8/2022 Single, about 1h I donated nearly 50 centimetres of my hair to people suffering from cancer, alopecia, etc. Ethical considerations are obviously donating healthy hair, which is braided.  I've always gone to the same hair dresser, and she was more than happy to participate. I had washed my hair the previous day, so all we had to do is to braid and cut. Afterwards we obviously cut and styled my hair completely. We later on sent the hair with my mom. Helping others is a key value of mine and after months, I still feel great and don't regret a thing. I also loved my new look, was definitely in a need of a new cut. I really hope that someone in the need of hair can benefit from my hair! <3

21/7/2022 Single, about 1h I'm participating in Erasmus-exchange between Lahti and Lleida in the spring of 2022. I filmed and edited a video from the week we visited Lleida in Catalonia in May. Check it out down below! Filming and editing has been a big part of my life since I was like 10. I've always enjoyed creating content and being my personal influencer. Combining video content with traveling was amazing and I'm happy with the results. I learned new editing techniques along the way and will definitely use them in the future. These videos are great memories of the weeks we spent together and  I'll cherish them <3

19/7/2022 Single: 1h My mother has been trying to convince me to donate blood for years, as she does it quite frequently. Now that I'm 18 and able to donate it, we, as a whole family decided to do it. It was a first time for my dad as well, so it was quite exciting. We went to a local blood donating centre to fill out forms and engage in a pre-interview. The nurses noticed that I was nervous, but were extremely kind and welcoming. The procedure went fine and afterwards we enjoyed the food they serve for donators.  This activity was such a big achievement for me as I have terrible fear of needles. Have to admit that I'm proud of myself for coming over my fear and helping others. By donating blood you can save up to 8 lives, great feeling.

16.7.2022 Single: about 3-4h I had my 18th birthday during the summer holidays and even though I don't really celebrate my birthday, we had a small gathering with my closest relatives. I baked and decorated a delicious chocolate cake, traditional Finnish Karelian pies with eggs, fresh pavlova (mareng cakes) with cream and fruits, and obviously had coffee and other drinks. I love baking and cooking, and can always find an excuse to get to the kitchen. Luckily, everything went according to plan and everyone loved the menu! :)

15/7/2022 Single: about 3h Me and my family decided to donate our old clothes and an all sorts of materials to Ukrainians that have immigrated to Finland. There was a donating centre in my city that received our goods that we had gathered before.  Purpose  of  the   experience  is to  clean  out the house  and help those in need by recycling old  clothes  / other materials and  donating   them  to immigrants .  Ethical considerations include donating clean and intact pieces. The action happens by emptying the closet, folding and packing the unwanted clothes/materials and taking them to a donating centre.  Helping those in need are one of my key values and  I have been donating to UFF my entire life (also as a part of CAS) . Now, when we have this sort of situation going on, it feels great to help 'local' people. I hope all our goods will go to appreciated homes and will serve new people along the way.

20.6.2022 Single: about 2h As my father is a passionate golfer, I decided to join him. I used to 'play' golf when I was younger, but it never really stuck with me. It is fun to try every once in a while though! I almost lost my temper as my form was absolutely non-existent, yet I kept my cool and tried my best. Luckily I got few strong swings which kept me going. I swung a whole basket of balls, so probably around 50 balls and practices my form prior. 

11/6/2022 Single: about 2h As a part of a summer camp, we participated in the Finnish 'Kesäyön marssi', which roughly translates to march of the summer night. There is possibility to march from 10 to 48 kilometres. We chose the 10 km, which we finished in less than 2 hours. It was a great experience, even though the temperature was relatively high. It was challenging, yet rewarding. As it was in another city that I was not familiar with, it added the excitement and motivation, as the route was completely new to me. We went through suburbs and city, even in middle of construction sites.  (Certificate from the march)

14.8.2021-25.5.2022 Series: about 20h I decided that I want to help and guide the first year students when they first come to our school.  The applying process was at the end of the spring semester of 2021. We had to highlight our strengths and why we wanted to become tutors. Luckily, I was selected. I was extremely happy and eager to see what new challenges this program could bring me. The actual process was long. After the applying process, we had a national tutor training, which took about 3-4h. After the training, we had few meetings, where we were assigned our pairs and classes and planned the fall activities. We also designed our tutoring t-shirts. During the first week, we had some activities, which around 2h. We welcomed the students by the doors, guided them into their class rooms and got to know them. We were asked questions and told them about our own school experiences. The next week we had 3-4h workshops with all the new students. All tutor pairs were asked to come up ...

5/5/2022 Single: about 6h Once again, one exchange activity. All of us Finns took a break from school and headed to the border of Aragon to the amazing mountains of Mont-Rebei. We were prepared well with appropriate clothing and shoes, sunscreen, water and food. The whole route would take up to 24h to complete, so we hiked for the first approximately 2.5h, took a break and headed back. The views were absolutely breathtaking as the weather favored us. Pleasant 20-25 celsius degrees, with some sun and wind. The canyon of Mont-Rebei must have been one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen in my life and I am so glad we got to experience that, as we struggled to get there. I was positively surprised how well I personally managed to survive from the route, and how well the whole trip went. Guess positive attitude does help us after all! We ended up hiking up to 22 kilometres in 5 hours.

3/5/2022 Single, about 2h As I was part of the Erasmus -exchange, I stayed a week at a Catalonian family. My partner was a handballer, and took me with her to one of their practices.  I had zero previous knowledge or experience of the sport, which was sort of good, at least no negative prejudices. At first, we warmed up by just running and stretching. We played a handball-like warm-up game, where three volunteers had to 'burn' people by throwing a ball at them. When you were burned, you had to to different abdominal exercises, until others were burned as well. After the warm-up, we started to practice some handball drills, such as throwing the ball to the net, running through different circuits, and testing our reflexes by catching a ball. The practice was such a positive experience, everyone took me as a part of the team, helped when I struggled and congratulated when I succeeded. As I have not been a part of a team in a long time, it felt strange, but familiar. I learned a lo...

22/4/2022 Single: 1h We went bowling in honor of my friend's birthday. Bowling is one of my favorite entertainments, as you get to spend time with your close ones, and compete (and win them). I'm such a competitive person, especially in bowling, This time, however I did not win, the birthday boy did. At least we had fun and got to know new people, which is the most important thing! One thing about bowling is, that it's just like riding a bike. After a while, it seems silly, but you can still do it. Each time, I notice that is starts off weak, but in the end I'm striking all the pins down. 

9/4/2022 -> 14/10/2022 Series  ~ 100h Purpose of the experience is to get back to boxing after trying out kickboxing, which did not end up being my style. Starting 9th of April. Minimum of 3 practices a week, duration of 1-1.5h each. However, I do not plan on counting each hour, as it would add up to so many hours. However, this shows that I'm actively participating into sports as a part of my CAS all year round. Goal is to train hard and start competing as soon as possible. Update: I had few unexpected surgeries and one bigger change of heart so I never started to compete.  Materials needed are appropriate clothing including shoes, hand wraps, sack gloves, boxing gloves, dental guards and head gear. All needed materials have to be acquired by the boxers themselves. Risk assessment concerning fighting activities are practicing carefully under professional supervision and in case of an injury, contacting a doctor. Taking care of nutrition and knowing own limits is crucial. E...

19/3/2022 Single, about 3h I'm participating in Erasmus-exchange between Lahti and Lleida in the spring of 2022. I filmed and edited a video from the week we had our Catalonian exchange students in Lahti. Check it out down below!  Filming and editing has been a big part of my life since I was like 10. I've always enjoyed creating content and being my personal influencer. Combining video content with this experience was amazing and I'm happy with the results. I learned new editing techniques along the way and will definitely use them in the future. These videos are great memories of the weeks we spent together and  I'll cherish them <3

16/3/2022 Single, about 1h First time trying out the traditional Finnish 'avantouinti', or so called 'ice hole swimming'. As a part of the Erasmus-exchange, we took the Catalonians at a Finnish cottage to experience sauna and ice hole swimming. Most were excited, but shocked at the same time, that Finns actually go from 100 degree sauna into icy water. As crazy as it sounds like, it has unbelievable health benefits; stimulates endorphins, can ease pain and stress, increases bloodstream...  I'll definitely start ice hole swimming next winter more frequently, it was one of the coolest things I've ever tried!!!

9/3/2022 Single, about 2h Fundraising money for the crisis in Ukraine. As I am a member of the Finnish Red Cross, I decided to participate in collecting money and helping the people in need. I went to the headquarters of Lahti and signed in and then we were told what and how to do. We of course got all the material from the headquarters, the representative Red Cross clothing and money boxes. We stood outside in the cold for nearly 2 hours, but the people that came to us, were bringing hope. Hearing 'thank you for doing this important job', gaining money and chatting with people with different points of view was rewarding. The crisis in Ukraine is serious and heartbreaking. As a student, I can't financially participate in helping, but luckily I got to help in another way. Realizing the situation and helping the suffering people and government is crucial. Even though there are crises globally, this is geographically the closest one, so it touches us a lot. In the future, I wo...

18/2/2022 Single: about 5h We spent a weekend at a cabin for my friends birthday. As we divided the tasks, I volunteered to be the cook of the house and took of all the meals. First dish cooked was crispy chicken, for a snack. For breakfast, rolls with regular sandwich fillings. Tortillas and tacos for lunch, with waffles for dessert. Later on assisting with a birthday cake. Since we were in a cabin, we faced multiple issues concerning cooking. For example, we had to whip the cream by hand, we did not have any baking paper, and the pans were quite poor. Luckily, all turned out alright, and I learned bunch of new survival techniques for the kitchen ;) Spending a weekend with bunch of 17-18 year olds can be challenging and even nerve-racking but we also had so much fun! Here you can actually see the chaos :3

14/2/2022 Single: about 2h As we are switching into a new school, and we must promote our schools International Baccalaureate. I was a part of social media demo, and creating content for our new school's Instagram story. We introduced the IB, told why we applied here, what we have heard about the IB before applying, the best things about the IB...  Learning new techniques concerning photo editing and using our creativity in trying to make IB seem intriguing through stories, for potential future students. Mental growth can also be seen, as the assignment got us thinking, how privileged and lucky we are that we have this amazing opportunity to study internationally. Such an eye-opening experience, which we are all grateful for! (One of the slides of our promo)

17/1-7/4/2022 Series: about 28h Materials needed include appropriate clothing and boxing glove. All facilities and needed materials are covered by Lahden Kamppailulajikeskus, and no kickboxing skills are needed beforehand. Risk assessment concerning fighting activities are practicing carefully under professional supervision and in case of an injury, contacting a doctor. Taking care of nutrition and knowing own limits is crucial. Ethical considerations include  not  using the skills learned in an illegal way and an agreement must be signed before attending any fighting course. Action happens for 1 hour, twice a week. Practices include a warm-up, stretching, boxing and kicking combos and a cool-down. All actions vary each time. Purpose of these series of activities is to find out, whether kickboxing is part of my future, or not. I am keen on learning the basics and finding out my next step in my journey. Note from later; even though kickboxing did not end up being my cup of tea,...

16/1/2022 Single, about 1h Cooking for my family, this in one of our absolute favorite dishes. The process included cooking the chicken and sauces, cutting tomatoes and gathering the plate with nachos, different cheeses and jalapeños. The recipe is simple and quick and I must admit, soooo good! I always enjoy improvising, and improving old recipes. This way I often create new recipes and develop my creative thinking.

 24-25.12.2021 Series: about 5h The purpose of this activity is to take care of an acquaintance's cat during Christmas time. I was given a huge responsibility and I was excited. The action entailed feeding, spending time and cleaning after it's messes. Ethical considerations include taking precise care of the cat and making sure it's safe, while its' owners are out of town. Risk assessment include the unpredictable nature of animals, such as scratching or biting. At first I was bit anxious, since I've never taken care of a cat before, as I'm not really a cat person. However, we got along fine well spent a great time while FaceTiming the owners. I learned about how animals behave and how to get along with them better. The activity was full of issues that had to be taken into consideration, including the previously mentioned ethical and safety issues. I did not survive without a scratch or a bite and I'm relatively sure that I will not be getting a cat in the ...

13/12/2021 Single: about 2h (the visit 1h, the slideshow 1h) Aim of the service is to introduce what the subject is and how is studied in our school, Kannaksen lukio on daily basis. Our job was to help middle schoolers with Yhteishaku (joined application), when they apply for secondary education. Ethical considerations include spreading correct information truthfully. The service was done at middle school of Tiirismaa (Tiirismaan yläaste) to a ninth grade English class. Most Finns that go to middle school in English, are most likely to be seen on the IB later on. Many were interested by asking questions and engaging with us, so goal achieved.  We as a group presented information on English (both A and B) and Economics, as well as general information about the IB Programme. I was quite successful, but lacked time, because of the middle school lesson durations (45 mins). Besides the challenges faced, it was a great learning experience and we were much appreciated there! I wish we cou...

9/12/2021 Single: 1h Playing pool with my friend, sponsored by Liikkuva Lukio -movement ('Sporty' upper secondary school). We were provided free access to this billiard hall, which was super great and appreciated! We love to play pool and are all-right in it. To be honest, this time we were struggling a bit, since we were absolutely starving. Focusing is definitely an area of development.  Billiard is one of the greatest sports I've tried and I always enjoy playing it. I'm eager to learn more and to develop my skills. It is also a great way to get together with friends and family and bond with them. We also play pool during school days quite frequently.  Edit in December 2022: I have developed in billiard a lot ;)

12/2021 Series: 3h Purpose of the activity is to get familiar with kickboxing and find out, whether it is something worth doing in the future. Timeline is in December for total of three hours.  Materials needed include appropriate clothing and boxing gloves. All facilities and needed materials are covered by Lahden Kamppailulajikeskus, and no previous skills are needed. Risk assessment concerning fighting activities are practicing carefully under professional supervision and in case of an injury, contacting a doctor. Taking care of nutrition and knowing own limits is crucial. Ethical considerations include  not  using the skills learned in an illegal way and an agreement must be signed before attending any fighting course. Action happens for 1 hour, three consequent weeks. Practices include a warm-up, stretching, boxing and kicking combos and a cool-down. All actions vary each time. Aim is to learn different new techniques and learning how and when to use them. Developing...

4/12/2021 Single: about 1h Cooking and serving a birthday brunch for my dad's 47th birthday. Croissants, Karelian pies with traditional Finnish eggsalad, cake, coffee, drinks... Making and baking croissants and Karelian pies in the oven, and setting the table in a festive way. Risk assessment includes using heat and sharp objects carefully. Rewarding to see both parents glad and surprised. The whole brunch had an enjoyable atmosphere and food was delicious. It's has been a tradition in our family to cook brunch for the one, who's birthday were celebrating, for as long as I can remember. And I absolutely love it! Great way to show affection.

31/10/2021 Single: about 4h Trying out for the first time, baking two sets of macarons, raspberry and chocolate. Risk assessment includes using sharp objects and heat carefully. The recipe was quite difficult to follow, but somehow I managed until the end. Whisking egg whites, mixing dry ingredients in, adding the batter into a piping bag. Piping on to a baking sheet and baking at 225 ° C degrees for approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Filling was 'pudding' like made and macarons were compiled when cooled. Macarons are claimed to be one of hardest desserts to create, and I have to admit that I was quite close to losing hope. Fortunately they turned out fine. First batch was bit questionable, but second one was a success. Learning new baking techniques and developing my skills, especially patience and focusing. Undertaking a new challenge felt great, and some day I will finesse these, for sure!

29/10/2021 Single: about 5h Organizing a Halloween themed get-together with few of my friends. Mostly planning, cooking, setting up the table, creating a Halloween costume and makeup, decorating and cleaning. We, as a group, purchased and created costumes and decorations, and prepared foods and drinks. Organized the whole apartment and took care of it by cleaning it afterwards. We had a blast and overall the party was a success! We faced multiple obstacles and issues along the way, but fortunately our problem-solving skills were stronger. Creativity is not my strong suit, and is definitely an area of development. I would also do some matters differently, if I were to recreate the night. Even though we were not that loud, we should have informed the neighbors about the party, as we had to deal with some consequences later. Intellectual risk-taking and communication skills were our strengths this time. Our menu for the night.

29-30/10/2021 Single: about 5h Voluntary work to organize a surprise birthday party for an acquaintance. Mostly planning, organizing, decorating, serving food and cleaning. Planning the date, place and booking the place and the artist who performed. Decorating and organizing, for example, setting the lights and tables and changing the arrangement of the rooms. During the party, general organizing, serving food and cleaning. Aim for the action is to organize a surprising and memorable night. My personal values include doing my all to my close ones and being a better person. Working on my planning and communication skills and improving my maturity and problem-solving skills. Collaborative work tends to be a challenge for me, but luckily I was mostly with my family and people I'm familiar with. Such a giving, yet challenging experience in many ways, but overall a successful night. The surprise came out of the blue and most people spent their night well.

15/9/2021 Single: about 5h   Purpose  of  the   experience  is to  get  a  fresh   start ,  clean  out my  closet  and help those in need by recycling old  clothes  and  donating   them  to  charity .  Ethical considerations include donating clean and intact pieces.  The action happens by emptying the closet, folding and packing the unwanted clothes and taking them to a donating spot. I donated my clothes to UFF Finland (U-landshjälp från Folk till Folk i Finland sr) , which is a non-profit, non-governmental humanitarian foundation. According to their website, up to 98% of Finns are accessible to donate their old clothes to UFF. They sell them in flea markets and donate the profit towards helping the   global development  as well as issues concerning climate change. Thus, the goal is to support the UFF, who work towards a better world. Helping those in need are one of my ke...

8-10/2021  Series: about 20h Purpose of the experience is to get back to boxing after quarantine, find motivation, develop and find my next step. Timeline is from August to October. Materials needed include appropriate clothing and boxing glove. All facilities and needed materials are covered by Lahden Kamppailulajikeskus, and basic boxing skills are needed beforehand. If there are no previous skills, attending to a beginner boxing course is strongly advised, which I have already taken. Risk assessment concerning fighting activities are practicing carefully under professional supervision and in case of an injury, contacting a doctor. Taking care of nutrition and knowing own limits is crucial. Ethical considerations include not using the skills learned in an illegal way and an agreement must be signed before attending any fighting course.  Action happens for 1 hour, twice a week. Practices include a warm-up, stretching, boxing combos and a cool-down. All actions vary each time...

My main interests are sports and studying new languages and cultures which could easily be incorporated into CAS. Before Covid, I was a part of a boxing team, which I could hopefully join again as a part of CAS. I enjoy helping others, which I could address in my CAS through service. I mostly hope to learn about myself during this process. Reflecting on my actions will surely be interesting in many levels. I'm eager to see what great opportunities CAS will bring me, and how new experiences I will gain. For creativity I have mostly considered cooking and baking. I've always enjoyed cooking and baking. With experimenting new recipes I'm undertaking challenges, and hopefully learning something from them, either new techniques, or something about myself. I'm hoping that cooking and baking will also allow me to reflect on my patience and preciseness, which are some areas worth focusing on. I also hope to develop my creative thinking, which is not yet one my greatest strength...