Meet the fresh new students of Erasmus University

Are you nervous to start the new study?
I am a bit nervous because they introduced the rule that you have to get all 60 credits during the first year, which will be hard for me. I usually get C’s, just enough to pass so we will see how it goes this year.

What are you most looking forward to?
The entire experience. Parties and the study?

What are you not looking forward to at all?
The hard subjects – mathematics!

Are you going to try and look for a job while you study?
When I need money I will. So far my parents have agreed to support me and for a while I will still live with them.

What is the feeling to be a student?
Really good, much more freedom now. Thank God I’m out of high school.

How do you like Rotterdam?
Not all parts. In some neighbourhoods there is a lot of crime, but I love the skyscrapers.

Have you made new friends perhaps?
Yes, I’ve met a lot of new people during this week, I can’t possibly remember all the names!

Why Erasmus University?
The BA here is pretty famous and has a good reputation.

Do you feel grown up and adult?
Not yet. I don’t know what it means or when it happens.

Do you like the Eureka week?
Yea! It’s really great because you get to know a lot of information and all the clubs. I went to the parties and every night so far has been a lot of fun.

Are you nervous to start a new study?
No, I look forward to experiencing a whole new culture, a new environment and new friends.

Are you afraid to make new friends?
That is why we are here right? Making new friends has shown to be really easy during this first day of the Eurekaweek and I have met quite some new people already. 

How does it feel to become a student?
All my friends and family still live in Bulgaria. I tried to explain why I wanted to experience a different country so badly and why I wanted to study abroad. I applied to a range of universities in Europe, but the renowned name of Erasmus University is something that exited me. Becoming a student in such an international city feels great. I told my friends and family that it is time for something completely different and so far, different feels good!

What do you think of Rotterdam?
It’s a really cool place, people are so friendly! Everyone greets in the streets, and almost everybody appears to be happy. Quite honestly, it’s one of the friendliest places I have been.

How’s the transition to an adult-life stage coming down?
It brings with it the feeling of independence of course. I am able to manage myself and my own life much more every day, but at the same time I am also gaining more confidence in this. And also, I understand the importance of getting to know people and networking.

With regard to networking, have you been able to get involved in student organizations?
Well, perhaps I will be joining a fraternity. At this moment, RSC would be my best bet: everybody speaks in English to me, I felt very included in the group of people, and the parties are amazing!

What are challenges you have faced?
My room is a bit of a mess still. But that’s going to be allright. For me specifically, walking here is challenging.

How so?
It’s more that in India I go everywhere by car, but here going from one point to another point is difficult for me at times. Since I don’t speak Dutch, I don’t know how to pronounce the name of a station for example.

In general, would you say that you are easy to approach as a person?
Oh definitely! I like meeting new people and having conversations.

Are you nervous to start a new study?
I am not nervous, more really excited.  But, the workload of especially the first year does make me a little anxious, but I am sure I will manage.

What are you looking forward to? What definitely not?
Especially the multicultural setting of both Rotterdam and my study, make me eager to meet new people. A challenge is that my parents now still live in the Netherlands, but are moving to Switzerland soon and I have never really been alone.

Are you planning to live on your own?
I already found a place here in Rotterdam and since I do not really look forward to being alone, I found a place with plenty of roommates to keep me company.

Are you nervous to start a new study?
Actually I am more focused on being disciplined from the start onwards, so I do not have to be nervous. I am really motivated to get all 60 ECTS so I may continue my studies in my second year.

What are you looking forward to? What definitely not?
Obviously meeting new people is something I look forward to. That is what the student life is all about! Also, I want to join a fraternity next year. This year I want to concentrate on my studies, due to the 60 ECTS we have to obtain. Of course, this is something that I am not such a big fan of but hey, it might be very do-able.

Are you planning to live on your own?
I will not be living on my own this year. Next year, once I have obtained all my 60 ECTS, or well that is my plan (laughs), I will try to find a place to live on my own.

Are you nervous to start the study?
Yes and no. The university has been really helpful but I don’t know what to expect. The university reputation is good and that helps ease the nerves.
 
What are you most looking forward to?
Well, little bit of everything. The study will be a challenge and the student life I expect will be great.

What are you not looking forward to?
I’m not looking forward to being homesick. It hasn’t hit me yet probably because it’s only my third day in the Netherlands, but people have said that within a month you feel homesick!

How does it feel to finally leave high school and become a student?
Feels more independent, mature. In high school teachers and parents are always chasing you, but in university you have to do everything yourself.

Where will you be staying?
I will be staying in the Student Hotel, the new international student accommodation from September 10th.

Have you made new friends?
I made a ton of new friends already, from different countries too. Some people I met were half Dutch and half Indonesian, so that was a pleasant surprise!

Do you like Rotterdam as a city?
So far so good. It has its own unique character and it’s different from any other city I’ve ever been to. Every city is special!

Why Erasmus University?
I saw that the school ranking is really high, so that was an important reason. A secondary reason is that I have relatives in Rotterdam.

First time away from parents. How does that feel?
I miss my mum and dad, but it feels good as well. It’s good to be away from them because of lack of control but then at the same time, you somewhat miss that control. Everything is so much more organized and orderly when you live with your parents. Now I have to learn how to cook and do laundry.

Do you feel grown up?
Not yet. It will hopefully be happening soon as I have to organize my life.

Do you like Holland?
I like it and I like the food more than Indonesian. I love cheese!

How has the Eureka week been?
It’s really useful and a great platform to meet new friendly people. The guides have been really helpful, great value for 65 euros.

Are you nervous to start a new study?
I am a little bit nervous, yes. I graduated from University College in Middelburg, which is much smaller than Rotterdam. Also, the University program included far less people. On average, I had lecture with about 25 students while here, I heard that I will have class with around 100 students per lecture. That will be quite an adjustment for me!

What are you looking forward to?
Mostly I am looking forward to the real student life. Rotterdam has bigger clubs, bigger student organizations and a significant larger amount of annual students than Middelburg. So even though I did already experience the student life to some extent, I definitely expect it to be far more exiting here.

Are you nervous to start the study?
No, now that I found accommodation today I feel really good.

Congratulations! Where will you live?
I will be living with two other international girls in the city center. I’m really glad about that.

What are you looking forward to the most?
New friends, new experiences, because I like to do other things rather than study, study, study. Also I would like to do an internship, travel around and it would also be nice to work part time, but I don’t know how that will turn out, because I only started learning Dutch two months ago.

Could you say something in Dutch?
Hoe gaat het...? (laughing)

What are you not looking forward to?
Everything is new and you have to figure everything out from the beginning. Even buying a ticket and a telephone card – simple stuff but it is quite different. I have experience living in other countries though, so I know that I will be OK.

Any clubs or societies that you plan to sign up for?
I will probably join the sports club and student association. Yesterday we visited one society and it was in a huge house! I’d like to join.

Have you made new friends already?
I already met a lot of people. I met some crazy Greeks, Bulgarians, Germans, Guatemalans, Americans.

Do you like Rotterdam?
I heard that it’s not a really nice city and after seeing the center I kind of agree. It’s not bad but I’d prefer Amsterdam. But as the saying goes, earn money in Rotterdam and spend it in Amsterdam.

Do you feel grown up?
Of course not! It’s something too serious. Every day I learn something, so I don’t know when I can definitely say that I’m grown up.

How do you like the Eureka week?
It’s useful for meeting new people, everyone is talking about a new start. When you meet new people with whom you are going to party and study later – it’s great. Networking is quite important and Eureka week sure helps with that.

Are you nervous to start a new study?
I think everybody is tense in his or her own way when starting such a new phase in your life. So far, I have not given it much thought since I am fully enjoying Eurekaweek. Especially Rotterdam by night so far has been really enjoyable and has kept my mind off the first day of class.

What are you looking forward to? What definitely not?
I definitely look forward to the new challenges that this year will bring. For instance, joining Skadi is something completely new and exciting. There is not really anything I do not look forward to.

Are you planning to live on your own?
Not yet, my parents live in Capelle, which is of course really close. So, I do not really see the point in moving yet.

How does it feel to become a student?
It feels actually really normal. Although I have noticed that I really am one of the youngest ones here, Eurekaweek so far has been great with social people and enjoyable activities.

Are you nervous to start a new study?
I am tense about the workload of the first year. I will be doing two studies at the same time, which means I will have to obtain around 72 ECTS (60 ECTS from Economics and 12 ECTS from Law) in the first year in order to be allowed to continue studying.

What are you looking forward to? What definitely not?
I want to participate in several commissions and sport associations. Either sailing or horseback riding sounds and looks really cool! Also, I want to join a commission within my study association. Of course, I will have to see what I can and cannot do due to the amount of work of my first year but I really hope I work something out.  

Are you excited about this new phase in your life?
I’m  quite a down to earth person – a little reserved at times, but I would say I’m looking forward to it.

Can you describe your personality in short?
I would say I’m quite philosophical. This might sound odd as I’m starting my studies in economics, but philosophy is more of a personal passion.

What do you expect from the following year?
One idea I got from people about The Netherlands is that the country is of course tolerant, open, developed. But also that there is always somebody to help me. What I have experienced so far, is that Erasmus University has a friendly vibe to it.

Can you describe that vibe a little more specific?
It’s just a nice blend of people. From various backgrounds. In that sense Rotterdam is truly an international city.

How is the coming life stage at university going to be different from earlier ones?
Sometimes people dilute themselves that from the one day to the next, university makes you a grown up. I see it more as a gradual progression of my personal life, and the aspirations I could have succeeded for example. For me, growing up is all about new experiences. Experience is everything.

How’s your first week as a student here?
It’s exciting! Everything is new for me, and I have met plenty of new people during this week. The group of girls I hang out with the most at the moment also sleep over at the one of the houses of sorority RVSV, like me. It’s a really nice group of girls, and we’re going to the events together mostly.

What are you looking forward to?
Studying psychology of course, and getting to know people.

Why did you choose to study psychology specifically?
I’m interested in how social relationships between people evolve for example. How people think. How people come to behave to way they do.

How do you notice you’re becoming grown-up?
I’m becoming wiser bit by bit.

Can you clarify that a bit?
For example, in engaging with people socially. The more I grow up, the easier it becomes to see how a person is, and whether I could be friends with that person. It’s just a kind of wisdom that comes through life experience.

Are you going to live by yourself?
No, not yet. Now that I still live with my parents in Breda, I can easily adjust to my study and my new life. Adding to that, I have a job in Breda for about 5 hours per week, most of my friends still live there, and I have a boyfriend living in the North of The Netherlands, so I won’t be in Rotterdam that much during the weekends either.

If you would end up living by yourself, would you prefer sharing a house with other people?
Also not sure yet. Obviously it would heavily depend on the people I will be meeting this year.

How would you describe your personality?
I can be a little bit shy in the beginning, but I guess that’s normal. On a more general note, I like to get to know people, but I think that’s also a characteristic that most student will share with each other.

Have you found a room already?
Yes! It was not that difficult at all actually; I got help from the Casa-Erasmus organization.

Are there things you don’t feel completely sure/comfortable about?
At times I miss my loved ones, but in general I adapt to new circumstances quite easily. Luckily I have been able to meet a lot of people already and make new friends. You know, it’s quite a big step to at first live with my family for 19 years, and then live abroad and be fully independent.

How do you feel about starting this study?
I’m excited and hope I will learn many new things. In that sense you could say that I am ambitious. In my previous education, I was able to manage relatively easily.

Any activities aside from studies on the schedule?
I already joined STAR! I am interested in study trips, and perhaps a business competition in the future.

What is your first impression of Erasmus University?
From what I have seen during Eurekaweek so far, it looks nice and fun! As we say in Dutch: gezellig!

Any plans for activities, apart from studying?
Hockey! The new season is going to take of within due time. I play hockey at Ringpass in Delft.

Are there things that you are a little concerned about?
Whether I can keep up with my studies in the end. I expect the studyload to be quite high. But on the other side: I take life as it comes. We will see…