Italy “Two years ago, my parents moved from Italy to work in Maastricht, where I finished high school. Although the UK has some good business schools, I chose Erasmus because I think it has the best course and the study method suits me better. It’s a more practical approach.”

Fancy “When I dress, I like to keep things simple, but to have something special as well. I feel it’s important to know your figure, so that you can highlight your strengths. I always emphasise my waist, which I really like. I dress slightly fancy, but always comfortable. Look good, feel good, that kind of thing. And I try to not overdo it and be appropriate. This outfit could do with heels, but I knew that I’d be walking all day, so I preferred sneakers.”

Hurry “I buy my stuff at cheap stores. I’m only young, so I don’t need expensive clothes. I don’t think it’s worth spending a lot of money on fashion. I’d rather go out with friends and I enjoy travelling, having experiences. I used to live in Sicily and I still love visiting it. It’s not a cheap trip, but we have the best food. It was hard for me to adapt to Dutch meals. I found it difficult to get used to cold lunches and a very early dinner. For us, eating is a very social event. We only have sandwiches when we’re in a hurry, but the Dutch always seem to be in a hurry.”

Favourite thing

Elena Tringali2
Image credit: Ronald van den Heerik

Family motto “It’s a ring full of history: the carnelian stone was given to my great grandmother by an admirer of hers. He was an archaeologist and recovered this Roman-carved stone in Aachen. My great grandmother made it into a ring and gave it to my grandmother for her 18th birthday A family motto is engraved inside: “Love and Will”. My grandma gave it to me when I turned 18, a reminder of all our values: family, tenacity, love, as well as our shared love for classical history.”