Together with my brother I’m visiting an open day of the University of Amsterdam. At the central station, a band of Jehovah’s Witnesses is playing a version of The Final Countdown about Jesus and God. I make my way past cozy cafes and coffee shops. One shop window is full of bongs, space cake, and copies of Anne Frank’s diary. A British tourist takes a bite of herring and spits it right back out.
My brother and I arrive on time at the university’s location, a very old building, according to the sign outside. I registered for the presentation of the Journalism master’s degree. Without registration, you can’t enter the room, the confirmation email said. My brother asks if he can still attend the presentation. He can.
During the presentation, a teacher explains that the selection procedure is very strict and the number of places in the programme is very limited. A requirement for the application is that a self-made journalistic product must be delivered. A motivation of at least 1,000 words must also be included. If you get through the first round you’ll be invited for an interview, after which you’ll hear whether you have been admitted. She also says that you can’t have a job next to the master’s: “The programme is just too demanding.”
My brother and I have dinner at a pizzeria afterwards. He asks if I’m going to enroll in this. I exhale while catching a slice of mozzarella sliding from my pizza. “Yeah, I might as well do that.”
Two weeks later, I hand in a complete application, including my resume, grade list from my bachelor’s degree and grade list from high school. My journalism product is an interview with a journalist I conducted during my second year. After this, I ask my roommate if he wants to have dinner together. He suggests making hamburgers together. This doesn’t get me excited right away, because I’m in a lazy mood. He says: “We don’t have to.” This annoys me considerably: “No? We don’t have to? How insanely awesome to hear that we don’t have to!” Shortly after this, we make hamburgers.
The application review comes in a month and a half later. I have been rejected. The mail says that the selection procedure is very strict and the number of places in the programme is very limited.
