Her sunglasses are reflecting the sun on the Erasmus Plaza when EM spots her. Elise Kortenback is 20 years old, she is a very enthusiastic first year student of Psychology. She lived in Gouda until last year when she moved here to attend EUR.
Style
“I have to say I usually go for items that stand out, that are unique in a delicate way. I do not appreciate flamboyant items so to speak. I go for captivating colours or for an interesting texture, that’s how I decide a piece is unique. I wear a lot of black and white, I definitely appreciate the Nordic minimalistic style. That said, I really love 50s and 60s dresses. It might sound like a weird combo, but the two styles sort of balance each other out. I am a fan of the ‘punk 90s’ scene, I am inspired by that alternative way of dressing that is not mainstream. Again, I like to select pieces that have a punk hint to them and mix them up with softer or plainer pieces to tone down the look a bit.”
Rotterdam
“I chose to study Psychology at EUR because of its PBL (Problem Based Learning). It really is a great plus, and so far I am enjoying the study very much. Moving to Rotterdam was a quite a change for me. Although Gouda is really close, the two cities have a complete different feel. Gouda has that ‘old city’ sort of vibe and I really love that, on the other hand Rotterdam is so diverse in its architecture, but also in its ethnic composition. It is so multicultural. I think my style slightly changed when I started studying. I feel freer now to express myself. I recently got a nose piercing. I already had one in my ear, but that one is often covered. This new one is out there and everybody can see it. I also think that when you are a student you can’t afford to buy new clothes that often, so you need to get creative with the pieces you already have.”
Swimming
“I used to swim when I was a child, but then I stopped. I am planning to start again soon when my nose piercing has finally healed. In my free time, I love to keep up to date with what is going on in the world. I use both social media and news websites. Usually I would spot an interesting article on Facebook and then I would get a deeper understanding of it on the news website and gather more opinions on the matter from other sources. I enjoy exchanging opinions with my friends and discussing what’s current.”
