Hobbies and games
AaltoAI
AaltoAI is a student lead association whose goal is to promote students’ interest and participation in the Artificial Intelligence scene. We organize AI-minded events, do projects and keep our members updated with the latest AI-news.
You don’t have to be an AI expert to join us. Interest in AI is all you need!
Feel free to join any of our events at any point. In addition, our projects are up and running, just contact us through any of our official channels and you are good to go!
Aalto Beer Pong
Aalto Beer Pong was founded in December 2011. The main objective of the association is to promote the Beer Pong better known in Finland. Aalto Beer Pong is a non-profit association.
The association organizes regular tournaments and member events. We will also provide instruction to the sport, as well as borrow games tools. We are also working with other associations so ABP can be found from numerous of events.
Annual tournaments
Freshman tournament (fall)
Finnish Series of Beer Pong (fall)
Cocktail Pong (fall)
Students' Beer Pong Championships (spring)
In addition to the ones above, we organise other theme tournaments and events.
You can join as a member at our events or on our website. If you are interested in being actively involved, feel free to approach us at our tournaments. You'll definitely enjoy being part of our group!
Aalto Bloom
Aalto Bloom is the coffee society of Aalto University. Aalto Bloom shall help further coffee culture and knowledge about coffee. The society organizes, e.g., coffee tastings and other events.
Everyone who is excited and open to enlarge their worldview of coffee is highly welcome.
- Email: [email protected]
Aalto Chess
The objective of Aalto Chess is to bring together students that are interested in chess. Our association is fully led by students and we organize weekly game sessions and tournaments. Our main information channel is an open Telegram group, which you can join from the link down below. Welcome to our events!
Aalto Cocktail
Aalto Cocktail is a new student organisation devoted to cocktails and cocktail culture. We arrange cocktail parties and other cocktail-inspired events.
We’re also searching for international students to join our cause and help us organize events for international and Finnish students alike. Feel free to contact us!
AaltoDJ
AaltoDJ is a DJ association with a focus on good vibes and good times. The association is open to everyone, so whether you want to see what DJing is or already have some experience playing out, feel free to join. AaltoDJ organizes their own gatherings and our DJs play at all kinds of events.
Aalto Daigaku Maajanbu ry
Aalto Daigaku Maajanbu ry (or アールト大学麻雀部) is an Espoo-based association founded in September 2013 to bring together players of Riichi mahjong and promote mahjong at Aalto University.
Riichi mahjong is a japanese variation of the old Chinese 4-player game. This is not the solitaire mahjong which many may know, but a complex and exciting game popular in Japan.
Our association is open for everyone interested in Riichi mahjong. Our activities include weekly mahjong sessions during semesters as well as tournaments and excursions. Our events are alcohol-free and meant only for members. If you’re interested in our activities, fill the member form at our website. Membership is free and does not oblige to anything.
Aalto Gamers
Aalto Gamers is a community for connecting gamers in Aalto University. We organize gaming related events and promote the development of esports in Finland and in academic scenes.
Join our events online or offline and find people with similar interests from our hundreds of members!
Every year we organize for example:
- the League of Legends Finnish Student Championships (the biggest Finnish live LoL tournament)
- the AG Counter-Strike 2 Masters tournament
- Biweekly casual game nights on Discord and live at a LAN space in Otaniemi
- Smaller tournaments (e.g. Valorant, Mario Kart), watchalongs and everything else related to gaming
Join the fun, no previous gaming experience needed!
PS: (almost) all our events are in English, so no Finnish skills needed either!
Akateeminen jaloviinaseura Jallu
Akateeminen Jaloviinaseura Jallu’s mission is to promote healthy drinking habits and to familiarize jaloviina-culture to academics of all sorts in all its delicate forms. Jallu organizes various kinds of activities to its members ranging from sauna evenings to excursions.
Audiopoli ry
Audiopoli ry is an association located in Otaniemi, Espoo which is dedicated to promote the joy of audio-visual experiences.
There are memebers from newcomers to hard core professionals in the field of hifi. Sheer interest in the audio-visual world is our only commitment for our members.
Our goal is to support hifi and home theater hobby and to arrange different kind of events like movie evenings, excursions and speaker construction projects.
Audiopoli also maintains a movie theater Kinopoli located in Otaniemi which can be rented for your own use.
Boardgames & Babas
Kerho harjoittaa sekä lauta-, että roolipeli harrastusta, ja näitä tukevaa toimintaa. Kerho pitää viikoittaista lautapeli-iltaa Mikkelin yliopistokeskuksessa, poissulkien viikot, jolloin kurssin loppukokeet pidetään. Kerho pitää myös epävirallisempia lautapeli-iltoja viikonloppuina ja muina ajankohtina, mikäli kykenee ja pelaajia löytyy. Kerholla on myöskin kaksi aktiivista roolipeli ryhmää, jotka pelaavat mahdollisuuksien mukaan viikoittain. Tämän lisäksi kerho tulee toteuttamaan lauta- ja roolipeli teemaisia tapahtumia, joiden tarkoituksena on viihdyttää ja tuoda yhteen Aalto-yliopiston opiskelijoita.
- Board's email: bnbclubaalto(at)gmail.com
Digital Media Club DOT
DOT is a club for all students who are interested in audiovisual computer art, the demoscene, game development, and/or retro computing. DOT organizes events such as Graffathon, sauna nights, and excursions related to these topics. Welcome!
- Email: [email protected]
- Website
- Telegram
Croquet Conclave
The Croquet Conclave is a croquet association from Otaniemi.
The Conclave unites Aalto University students interested in croquet and promotes knowledge of croquet culture within the university by organizing croquet games. In addition, the association supports its members' interest and development in croquet by offering equipment for rent.
Interested in croquet, but missing croquet sets? Contact the board for renting croquet sets! Would you like to play croquet at an event but are unsure of the rules or just don't have enough croquet sets? You can now ask professional members of the conclave to organize croquet games at the event of your choice. Contact the board!
- Email: [email protected]
- Telegram
KYllä Oluelle
KYllä Oluelle, founded in 2014, is the beer society of Aalto University. We organize beer tastings with breweries, excursions and our very own beers to quench your thirst for delicious beer. We want to gather all Aalto Students interested in beer – young and old, newbies and aficionados- and provide a platform where we can learn more about the world of beer.
This is why we invite you to join us to explore the hottest new craft beers, pay a visit to a few familiar classics and most of all- have fun and enjoy great brews together!
Every fall we are looking for active and enthusiastic new members to join us. So, if you don’t take life (or beer) too seriously and are interested to see what we’re all about, do not hesitate to contact us!
Say KYllä Oluelle (yes to beer) and join us at any of our events to share an ice cold one with us! You can find KYllä Oluelle on Facebook and Instagram. Also, check out our website for more information. Cheers!
Kylän Keittiö ry
Kylän Keittiö ry is a new club for everyone interested in cooking, baking and food culture. The club organizes cooking evenings, visits to restaurants, cooking courses and other fun activities related to food.
- Board's email: suvi.karanta(at)aalto.fi
KY-mppi
Aim hai!
The aviation club KY-mppi is one of the most active clubs of KY. KY-mppi organizes a wide variety of events from skydiving to cultural events, big and small. The annual Kymppisuora, a pub crawl that starts KY’s Wappu, and Uusi nousu twice a year after Boston Night and the Annual Ball are traditional events organized by us. Other events from the past include a wine tasting, movie nights and cottage trips, often done in collaboration with other student clubs. In KY-mppi you decide what activities and events we organize, and with us, not even the sky is a limit. We take new members under our wings all year around and everyone interested is welcome to join.
Merkkimafia
Merkkimafia is an Otaniemi-based association of people who are passionate about overall patches. We collect, design, produce and sell patches, we participate and organise in events that have to do with patches, and we use our profits to support projects in the student community.
- Email: [email protected]
- Website
- Telegram
Otakut
Otakut is an anime club in Espoo, affiliated with Aalto University's Student Union since May 1996. We support hobbies related to Japanese animated movies, series and comics.
Activities
- Anime Evenings
- Movie Nights and Marathons
- Game and Karaoke Nights
- Friday Social Events
- Outings and Collaborations
- Convention Attendance
Events are centered in Otaniemi.
Join Us
Becoming a member is easy and free! Simply fill out the membership form (https://otakut.fi/jaseneksi/). Membership does not bind you to anything and you’ll receive just one email per week about our upcoming events.
We look forward to welcoming you to Otakut!
Otaniemi Billiards Association
Otaniemi Billiards Association (Biklu) was founded in 2005. It offers its members the possibility to play billiards inexpensively in Otaniemi. Biklu owns one 12′ snooker- and one 9′ pool-table. The playing conditions are kept excellent to allow both casual and competitive play.
To be able to play the members pay the club room usage fee (100€/year) and the key deposit (30€). After this there will be no other expenses meaning that the playing itself is free. You can also bring a non-member friend with you to play.
Want to become a member or have questions? Contact us via e-mail!
Otaniemi Urban Gardening association
The Otaniemi Urban Gardening association rents allotment plots in Martti Levón park (next to Ossinlampi pond) in Otaniemi. There are 45 plots that are from 7 to 24 square metres large. The association promotes and develops urban gardening among the employees, students and associations of the Aalto University. You can contact the association via email or Facebook.
Otaniemi Roleplaying Club
Otaniemi Roleplaying Club members, also known as orcs, are a mixed bunch of Aalto students with a common interest in board, roleplaying, card, and miniature games. We are also active in the fields of live-action roleplaying games, boffering, and historical dances.
Many orcs, especially the young and restless ones, tend to measure their skills with one another in many different ways. In our gaming evenings you might see bloody conflicts in board games as well as collectible card games and miniature strategy games. The gaming evenings take place in the Learning Hub, Otakaari 1 twice a week, five o’clock on Tuesdays and Fridays. They often go on until the early hours.
The orcs find it nice to gather together once in a while, to fight evil (elves for instance) and do the occasional heroic act. Role playing games are the perfect choice for this. Though rarely seen in the regular gaming evenings these days, the hobby is more than alive. Even though a newbie might find it difficult to find someone to play with, new blood is required on a regular basis. There have been games in English occasionally, so don’t hesitate to ask for an opportunity to join the fun.
At times the orcs grow tired of their dusty tabletops and sweaty D20s and head for LARPs, short for Live Action Role Playing. Though regular guests in games of others, the orcs have been known to make a few events of their own as well.
Though modern and intelligent in nature, many orcs grant special value to history, both real and imaginary. This fascination can be seen in the subject matter of many role playing campaigns and LARPs. In addition to this, the orcs tend to dance to the steps of their forefathers from time to time. The great festival of renaissance dances, Linnan Vastaanotto, is celebrated on the 6th of December (the Finnish independence day) every year.
Orcs have never been a stationary people, and thus tend to regularly visit places outside the Otaniemi borders. A couple of times each year they travel to the old Luukki elementary school, where they spend all weekend playing, playing, taking sauna, and playing (a persistent rumor tells of an orc that actually slept as well). The traditional initiation rite, Kuutamoulvojaiset (roughly translated as “The Night When We Howl to the Moon”) takes places alongside the autumn Luukki trip (or gaming camp). Every now and then the road takes them even further – the peaceloving people of Estonia, for instance, talk with fear and panic about the occasional orc sightings on their lands.
To a newcomer, the orcs might seem like a cliquish, leery folk, concerned only by their internal plotting and intrigue. But in truth, they are always looking for new cannon fodd… new members to their warm and hospitable community. Feel welcome to come and see the orcish action for yourself, for example in the next gaming evening!
OUBS ry
OUBS ry is digital media club focused on sharing student culture and events to te rest of the world and recording it for future generations. In OUBS you can capture your friends funniest moments and AYY’s most spectacular events. You can learn videography, live tv production, video- and audio editing.
Polin Go-kerho
Polin Go-kerho aims to promote the game of Go within AYY members by organizing game evenings in Maarintalo almost every Monday from 18 onwards (Sähkömiehentie 3, 2nd floor). Our activities also involve hosting tournaments and other related events. The most up-to-date information can be found from the Suomigo wiki page.
Polygame ry
Polygame is a club for gaming enthusiasts, regardless of platform or genre. Our goal is to promote gaming as the good recreational activity it is.
Among the platforms and genres supported and enjoyed by our members are:
- The latest bleeding edge PCs at our own clubroom!
- Gaming server with 10GE connection, training facilities at club room
- Consoles: Playstation (2+3 mostly), Xbox/Xbox360, Megadrive/Dreamcast, NES/SNES/GC/Wii, CD-i
- Amiga, DOS, Pong and other retro- and Arcade gaming, Mobile games
- All sorts of gaming genres: FPSes, Shoot’em-ups, Beat’em-ups, Strategy, RTS, RPG, etc.
- Music and Rhythm games: Dance Dance Revolution, Guitar Hero, Taiko no Tatsujin, Performous
- Alternative games, like hard disk curling..
- Especially dear are all the multiplayer variants of these. The more players, the more fun.
Polygame is involved in lots of gaming-related and fun projects. Feel free to participate or ask for more information.
- Website
- IRCnet: #polygame
- [email protected]
Polyteknikkojen kalastusseura (Fishing Club POKA)
The best fishing club in AYY operates at a wide sector trying to pursue all forms of fishing. The most represented are the traditional pike and trout fishing, fly fishing and ice fishing in every way imaginable.
Throughout history there have been numerous great catches, bitter letdowns and legendary stories, and new adventures are continuously sought while staying true to our roots.
The core of our activities is formed by the pike fishing trips in spring and autumn, the legendary trout fishing trip in October and the fly fishing trips of spring and summer. Our members often disappear to Lapland during the summer for longer fishing trips in the wilderness. Other activities include the traditional Christmas party, open meetings, fishing competition and sauna evenings. There are also several smaller fishing related happenings during the year.
Our club also has a motor boat parked in the Suomenoja harbor and two row boats at Otaniemi. The boats are availabel for all members.
Everyone is welcome to join! Come to tell your own stories and maybe to hear some new ones!
POLyteknikkojen Lähi- ja Ulkoavaruuden Xqrsiot (Pollux)
Pollux is the astronomy and model rocketry club at Aalto University. Our activities include excursions to astronomical research facilities, sauna and movie evenings, stargazing trips and model rocketry activities. During the school semesters there are different types of events typically every one or two weeks.
In 2002 Pollux became the second model rocketry club in Finland. After that it has organized many model rocketry courses, during which different design and safety aspects of model rockets are taught. After the course you receive a model rocketry certificate, which allows one to buy rocket model motors and fly them anytime. The courses have so far been held in Finnish, and the certificate is valid only in Finland.
Polyteknikkojen olutkulttuurin edistämisyhdistys
POLKU is the Aalto University students’ beer club located in Otaniemi.
Our mission is to further the cause of excellent beer. We aim to promote Finnish beer, increase knowledge of different beer styles and culture among students, and to study and develop the science of brewing beer.
Polyteknikkojen Radiokerho ry
PRK (Polyteknikkojen Radiokerho Ry.) is a club for those Aalto University students who are interested in amateur radio or electronics. We have clubmeetings (almost) every thursday at 19.00 in our clubroom at the top floor of Jämeräntaival 3 A. In addition to our living room-like radio station we have a well-equipped workshop for your electronical projects. You need no previous experience to join the club. For further information you can join #prk at IRCnet or email to our mailing list.
Polyteknikkojen Raittiusseura
Polyteknikkojen Raittiusseura (PoRa), freely translated as Polytechnic Sobriety Society, is a society focused on advancing sobriety among the students of Aalto University. PoRa fights alcohol in its own way; when founded in 1969, PoRa’s mission was to drink all the alcohol from the world so others wouldn’t have to suffer from it. Over 50 years later, the fight still continues.
Alongside the ideological side of PoRa there is also an athletic side. On Wednesday and Sunday evenings, PoRa organizes sports sessions for its members. PoRa also partakes in Unisport’s student sports leagues in floorball, volleyball, futsal, and basketball.
Polytechnic Sauna Society
Goal of the Polytechnic Sauna Society (PTSS) is to bring together people interested in sauna and sauna culture as well as promote knowledge in sauna culture and uphold the sauna traditions in the Otaniemi campus area. We arrange sauna evenings and excursions to public saunas as well as other sauna-related events.
Radiodiodi
Radiodiodi is a temporary student radio station based in Otaniemi. Our main goal is to organize a two-week-long radio station project from the middle of April until the festive Wappu. The broadcast is produced in Otaniemi campus in a construction container town, and yearly over 500 people contribute in making their own radio program!
If you're interested in organising the radio, contact us via email at [email protected].
Teekkariampujat ry
Teekkariampujat ry (TA) is a sport shooting club. Our members are mostly Aalto students or graduates, but even outsiders can generally join us. Our sport of choice is practical shooting (IPSC), and we utilize pistols, rifles, as well as shotguns.
To practice with us on the shooting range, you need to go through a safety training program that we organize as often as our resources allow. The program leads to a certification under the Finnish Shooting Sport Federation – if you’re already certified for IPSC or SRA, you may be able to jump right in!
- Website
- TA-Hallitus(at)sahkoposti.org
Teekkarien Autokerho ry
Teekkarien Autokerho or TAK for short is the Aalto University students’ car club operating in Otaniemi. TAK is a registered association operating within AYY.
TAK offers following equipment to rent for the members of the club:
• a Ford Transit van
• a car trailer
• a light trailer
• a trailer with hard cover
• the Autosauna – our mobile sauna which can be rented also by non-members
TAK also has two garages where members can service their cars or even do more time consuming and demanding projects. The garages are equipped with basic tools necessary for typical car maintenance work. In addition to basic tools, we also have, for example, a tire machine, a wheel balancer, two MIG welders and a pit with waste oil collecting unit and a transmission jack.
TAK also organizes so called “ratapäivät” few times a year where both members and non-members get a chance to safely test their cars and driving skills on a proper racing track.
If you are interested in joining the car club or otherwise want to know more about TAK, you can send email to the club board mailing list or you can come by our garage (called “Alatalli”) at Jämeräntaival 1 (the garage is located in the corner nearest to Otaranta).
Teekkarimetsästäjät ry (TeMe, hunting club)
Teme is a hunting club within the student union of Aalto University. It was founded in 1967, and has grown ever since. We currently have about 50 active members.
We have many activities, from moose hunting on our own hunting grounds to small predator population control in water bird preservation area. Our history also holds hunting trips to Lapland and neighboring countries.
It might be possible for the enthusiastic exchange student to get a chance to experience the Finnish hunting culture with us.
Wine Club Baccus
Wine Club Baccus was founded already in the 1980s and the club’s goal have always been to promote wine culture and knowledge among the students of Aalto University. Baccus organizes about a dozen of events a year, mostly wine tastings. We also try to arrange a short trip to a different wine region every year. Our events are open to everyone, it doesn’t matter if you are a rookie or a experienced wine lover!
- Email: [email protected]
Whisky club WhisKY ry
Whisky club whisKY (officially registered as Helsingin kauppatieteilijöiden ylioppilaskunnan viskikerho ry. ) is a student club for business and other AYY students. We arrange tastings and other events, for example visits to distilleries. The events are casual, held in english and everyone is welcome, even if you’ve never seen a whisky bottle! The easiest way to participate is to follow our Facebook pages and come to one our events!