What is a teekkari?
Teekkari is a technology student studying in a technical university. All technology students can become a teekkari, but you need to do some work for it. Teekkaris in Finland have very long traditions, that are a lot of fun for new students to follow. Teekkaris are known for always having fun, taking initiative and doing all kinds of projects and pranks. The most known thing that teekkaris have, is a teekkari cap.
Teekkari cap
Teekkaris wear a black-and-white cap. The teekkari cap is a summer cap and therefore it is worn from the Wappu night (1.5) until Lakinlaskijaiset (30.9). Otherwise the cap can be worn with a permission from Teekkarijaosto (TJ). The caps are given to new students on Wappu night (1.5.).
Becoming a teekkari
If you want to get a teekkari cap and be a true teekkari, you have to show teekkari spirit and by that show you are worth the cap.
This means completing freshman points from the freshman point card you will get. Completing points is a lot of fun and highly recommended, even if you are not going to get the cap. Most of the points are attending to different events and doing a few small tasks. You will also get to know the teekkari culture when doing the points.
You can get the freshman point card during the first week on orientation week from the guild room, fuksi captain or from your tutors.
The overalls
Overalls are a symbol for students in different universities and other schools in Finland. By the colour and text in the overalls, you can identify people from different schools and fields of study. The Guild of Civil Engineers wears overalls with the colour of “raksan sininen”, which is dark blue. Our overalls also have a green left sleeve and pocket. Traditionally members of the Guild of Civil Engineers have sown a badge of the guild on their left shoulder. This is fastened only in the corners to be able to hang your cap here when it is not worn.
It is much easier and cooler to do things in overalls, because you don’t have to be afraid of getting your clothes dirty. They also are very comfortable to wear. You can buy your overalls from the the Guild Room.
It is also very common to sow badges to the overalls. You can get badges from almost every event and they are very popular. Students often hang different kinds of items on the overalls.
New students get their overalls on the orientation week!
Teekkari culture
Being a Teekkari is activities done together, traditions, association activities and much more. There is not a one way to be a Teekkari: all freshmen form their own Teekkari-identity when acting in the teekkari community. Most importantly being Teekkari is fun and it doesn’t tie you into anything.
Read more about the teekkari culture here!