This past weekend, a group of friends and I took some time to discuss what some of our hopes and dreams are for the future. Not just the abstract dreams – although those certainly were discussed – but also the more tangible hopes, the concrete and realistic ones. After some deep thought on the subject, I decided one of my dreams is to be able to visit Finland one day.

Why Finland? Well, why not Finland? As the most sparsely populated country in the European Union, there would be more than enough room to settle down, and the country’s nearly 200,000 lakes and islands give it a spectacular environmental landscape. Finland has been at the top of the Press Freedom Ranking index every year for the past 12 years (so just imagine The Crimson White, but with even more controversial opinion pages) and is often named the least corrupt and most democratic country.

National Failure Day is a Finnish holiday that gives individuals an opportunity to reflect on their mistakes and learn from them. The Finnish name for Santa Claus, Joulupukki, literally translates to “Yule Goat.” In Finland, the sun doesn’t set for months at a time.

I could go on and on about why I think Finland is one of the world’s greatest blessings, but I guess instead I should get on with it and cut to the point of my ramblings. The Finns don’t mess around. It’s cold outside? It’s dark outside? They embrace it. They rise to the challenge. As a nation, they value their children and respect their heritage. The liberals get along with the conservatives because they are united in a pursuit of the truth and the common good. Society is not collection of special interest groups, but rather a group of individuals with 
responsibilities towards each other.

When people talk about hard work, grit and determination, they often think about the American Dream, or about Britain’s “Spirit of the Blitz.” I believe we should include Finland in this discussion. We don’t need to go to Finland to experience the inspiration of this country – we can, and should, bring the Finnish spirit into our lives and out to our communities each and every day. It’s not about achieving great triumphs, but rather humbly and diligently striving to get the job done each and every day, in any circumstance, with no excuses.

Here in the United States, we often talk about rights, but rarely talk about responsibilities. Every single human being has a responsibility to take care of themselves and each other and not just expect someone else to do this for us. Sometimes life might be difficult. Life might feel cold, or it may seem dark. But the Finns don’t just stay inside and wait for it to pass – so why should you?

Joe Puchner is a sophomore majoring in math 
and Spanish.