Where are your student overalls?
Student overalls bring back memories of Vappu celebrations and good times. Do you remember how to tune your overalls, or what it means to change a leg?
Do you still remember the Wappu when you became teekkari?
Wappu is the biggest and grandest of student celebrations. The traditions of celebrating Wappu are honoured with care, all the way from the capping of the freshers, the declaration of the Wappu rowdiness and the capping of Havis Amanda. And the herring breakfasts are served in Ullanlinnanmäki in Kaivopuisto.
For teekkari, i.e. technology students, May Day, or Wappu, is the most important and joyous celebration of the year. The festivities begin weeks before the actual May Day.
The first Wappu is particularly meaningful for technology students. A first-year student receives the title of teekkari when, at Wappu, they are granted the right to wear the technology student cap. Before this, they must have the required number of first-year points under their belt.
The dawn of the technology students
After the night-time prank (yöjäynä) and the first-year baptism (fuksikaste), the tasselled caps are distributed on the morning of May Day Eve in the Otaniemi amphitheatre, after which the first-year students throw their guilds’ fresher captains and the fresher major into the sea at Otaranta. According to old tradition, the tasselled caps are not put on until midnight. Before that there has been time to proclaim the Wappu rowdiness, which rings out from the roof of the Servin Maija cottage to the beat of Retuperä’s WBK. And Wappu would of course be nothing without Wappu magazines Julkku and Äpy, the capping of Manta, funnel cakes, being together and singing.
When night turns into May Day morning, it is time to gather for herring breakfast on Ullanlinnanmäki. The hardiest overall-clad tasselled caps enjoy the picnic until evening.
Not even the coronavirus spring cancelled the technology students’ Wappu. It was just celebrated safely at a distance. There were many kinds of events on offer, from Remote Wappu sitsit to the solemn proclamation of Julkku and from the Walpuri tour to the Wappu afterparty.
How Aalto are you?
Welcome for a trip down Aalto memory lane!