Cover photo: Emma Emilova (left) and Emma Kaho (right) having a laugh in Kaivopuisto. 

English students Emma Emilova, 24, and Emma Kaho, 23, got the opportunity of a lifetime and started their very own podcast in March of 2021. Now they are returning for a second season. The podcast is called Opiskelija Dilemmat (Student Dilemmas) and as the name of the podcast entails, it dives into the life of students and the different dilemmas students face. But how did they come up with that genius name? 

‘Oh, it just came to us, because we’re both named Emma and we wanted to incorporate our name because it’s the same name. We didn’t really come up with any other words than dilemma, so it stuck,’ Emma Kaho reveals the story behind the name of the podcast. 

‘And I think it really works,’ Emma Emilova continues. ‘Because it does encompass everything that we talk about. And it’s a fun pun, who doesn’t love a fun pun?’ she adds laughing. 

 

The Origin Story 

‘It all started with one particular info from the government, which was after a long period of studying online,’ Emma Kaho starts, going over the situation before they started their podcast. ‘We were like “ok, yeah, that’s perfect.” We finally felt heard,’ she continues. 

The briefing for students was held on the second of March 2021, almost a full year after the pandemic started. It was to cover the effects the pandemic had had on studies, and the wellbeing and future of students. The briefing was long waited as it was the first one, and it was meant to ease the lives of students in all stages of their studies. 

Emma Kaho continues talking about the briefing explaining that once the live stream started it became quickly very clear that it was for high schoolers. ‘Whenever anyone from university or university of applied sciences would ask questions, that wasn’t about high school, they would turn it back to high school,’ she voices her disappointment. 

The briefing and how it was conducted sparked conversation within the higher education community. ‘We started making some noise on social media and then one thing led to another, and we were offered a chance to do the podcast to bring forth the voices of students,’ Emma Kaho describes. 

‘We had talked about starting a podcast for a while though,’ Emma Emilova reveals. ‘So, when it came to be I remember feeling that the stars have aligned and it’s now happening,’ she adds. 

Once the briefing had been it only took a few weeks, and the podcast was up and running. ‘It happened super-fast,’ Emma Kaho says, both still amazed by how it all came to be and how fast it all happened. 

 

Topics and Ideas 

‘It’s about university, life in Finland, the culture, the events, and what is happening,’ Emma Kaho sums up the podcast. ‘It’s for students, for people who want to become students, and for people who are interested,’ she continues. The Emmas wanted to make podcast and its topics appealing for everyone, and that is why they try not to make the podcast too Helsinki, English, or university specific. 

‘When it comes to the topics that we choose for our episodes we kind of go for what’s in the current events, or what’s new in our community. We think about what’s interesting to us, and then think if it’s interesting to others, and if it’s “yes,” and “yes,” then we make it,’ Emma Kaho says about the process of choosing topics. 

‘If we did episodes on things that we are not interested in then I don’t think anyone wanted to listen to those,’ Emma Emilova ponders aloud. They want to raise awareness on topics that are not that talked about, and, for example, they have had a guest talk about how it feels to be non-white in a Finnish university system. She also continues, that they find inspiration almost anywhere, and the ideas and making the episodes comes naturally to them. 

Managing Multiple Schedules 

Both Emmas are doing their bachelor’s thesis during this academic year which means a different workload compared to the one they had when they started their podcast during the spring. 

‘We try to do a schedule and when we are sticking to that schedule things are fine and dandy. But then sometimes things might happen, and it can get stressful. I think there was one time when we had to say that there is no episode this week, we just can’t make it,’ Emma Emilova talks about the more practical aspect of operating a podcast. ‘But it’s not that bad, and for me the podcast feels as a little escape from studies and work.’ 

Emma Kaho thinks it will be interesting to see how it all goes as the world is opening whereas the first season was done while they both were doing online lectures only.  ‘In that way it was kind of easy to navigate but now we both are also working, which is new, so we’re going to be juggling work, studying and the podcast and all of these are going to be in different places,’ she adds. 

 

Feedbacks and Futures 

‘I think that the only negative feedback we have gotten is from our parents who say that it’s too fast,’ Emma Kaho laughs when talking about the feedback their podcast has gotten. ‘But other than that, our feedback has been overwhelmingly positive,’ she continues smiling. 

‘Yeah, we’ve gotten a lot of very nice feedback. Some of it has almost made me cry because it’s been so nice. It’s great to receive thanks for the work that you do,’ Emma Emilova says beaming, while still feeling dumbfounded that others listen to their podcast. ‘It feels like something that we just do and then it’s weird when people come up to us like, “I’ve listened every episode and it’s been really meaningful to me, thank you for making the podcast.” I’m there just like, “what?” she laughs. 

‘Yeah, it’s really difficult because we, you have to understand when you listen to the podcast, is that it’s just the two of us, in a little box, talking. And it doesn’t feel like we are talking to people, it feels like we are kind of talking to each other. So, whenever it kind of materializes in front of you that this person has been listen to the conversation that we had, in a box, five weeks ago, it’s weird. But it’s nice. I love it,’ Emma Kaho adds laughing. 

‘Sure. It’s very nice. I love getting feedback,’ Emma Emilova joins the statement. 

‘Good feedback,’ Emma Kaho specifies, and they both laugh.

‘I think to a certain level yes,’ Emma Emilova says when asked about if their podcast is having impact on issues they discuss. ‘Because a lot of people, when they give me the feedback, say it’s very important that you talk about these topics, because some of them aren’t in the university world, so they don’t know what’s going on,’ she sums up

‘One of the most common feedbacks I’ve gotten is that listening to us talk about anything really, is helping them get the peer support that they need,’ Emma Kaho adds. ‘The point is to convey that you are not alone, and we are all in the same situation. Because when you are stuck in your home between the four walls it can very much feel like you are dealing with these things alone, but in fact everyone else is also dealing with them, so I think that’s really cool to impact kind of the things that don’t really have to with the studying itself or the topics that we speak about but rather the sense of the community and the togetherness,’ she continues proudly. 

Enma Kaho voices her hopes when asked about the podcast impacting her future. ‘I’d like to work doing something creative and I could definitely see this as either a very valuable experience or possibly like a door further. What about you?’ she asks from her namesake. 

‘Yeah, sure. I’ve been very confused with what I want to do, and I’ve been enjoying doing this so much and I’ve gotten so much feedback from people that I’m very good at doing what I do,’ Emma Emilova answers and sees turning the making of the podcast into a career. ‘But I think more than anything it has helped both of us find ourselves a bit more. It’s been very meaningful in that way, as well. I don’t really think about what it’s gonna look like in my CV, it just helped me understand who I am and what I want to do.’ 

‘Yeah, and if you want to get really practical, I think it has also made us better at communicating verbally,’ Emma Kaho continues. 

‘Yeah, it just taught us a lot, or at least me, about time management and planning something as big as an entire season, and when are we gonna record, the episodes, and editing them ourselves, and putting them up. Everything we’ve done, we do it ourselves,’ Emma Emilova adds. 

 

Teasers from the Second Season 

‘I don’t know how much we can spoil,’ Emma Kaho ponders while asked about the upcoming season. 

‘We have a Subber coming to be our guest, very soon. I think it’s one of the first episodes,’ Emma Emilova reveals. ‘And we are also going to have possibly couple of episodes of just working, after university, and what you can do with your degree,’ she then adds. 

‘Yeah, because we hear all this talk about getting employed, how to make yourself employable, remember to get employed when you graduate, but there’s really no talk about how to do it, what kind of things can you do, and so, we thought it would be useful or at least interesting to hear how other people who have done a degree on whatever what their career path has been and how whatever they studied has impacted the choices and all kinds of stuff related to working they have then done,’ Emma Kaho tells about one of the dilemmas they talk on their podcast. 

‘Yeah, and getting some tips and tricks, that I think all students who probably, if they’re anything like me, are very stressed about. Life after university and getting employed,’ Emma Emilova sums up the upcoming season. These tips will include tips from different fields since both want to keep the podcast interesting to everyone. 

‘Go listen to our podcast,’ Emma Kaho tells right away, when asked what they have to say to the readers of BTSB. 

‘Yeah, you won’t regret it,’ Emma Emilova adds nodding. ‘And also, thank you for reading this interview, I can’t believe that I’m important enough to be interviewed for something,’ she laughs. ‘And have a great autumn, try to not stress too much about university and everything that comes with it,’ she reminds all the readers. ‘And if you have any specific questions you would like to ask, contact us at Instagram. We read our DM’s quite religiously,’ she assures, and they both encourage everyone to contact them about feedback, ideas, and opinions, hinting that these comments might be featured on the podcast. 

‘I just want to remind you to take care of yourselves,’ Emma Kaho says to the readers. ‘We’re maybe gonna go back to regular life and that can be overwhelming, so just take care of yourselves and try to have a little fun sometimes,’ she adds. 

 

BTSB thanks the lovely podcast hosts for participating in the interview and we also highly recommend listening to the podcast! The podcast is available on Supla’s own app and you can find the podcast on Instagram behind the handle @opiskelijadilemmat, and the lovely hosts Emma and Emma behind handles @emma.emilova and @emma.kaho.