{"id":92387,"date":"2018-11-28T12:16:14","date_gmt":"2018-11-28T11:16:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=92387"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:23:09","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:23:09","slug":"a-good-sprint-in-the-morning-helps-me-relax-during-the-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2018\/11\/28\/a-good-sprint-in-the-morning-helps-me-relax-during-the-day\/","title":{"rendered":"‘A run in the morning helps me relax during the day’"},"content":{"rendered":"

On a particular cold day, Malu Boerwinkel (29) and I meet just outside Mandeville building after she was done with her class from her masters Global Business and Sustainability. <\/em>Malu, who grew up on Aruba, is taking me on a train ride to Utrecht: \u201cThe perfect middle point between my studies in Rotterdam and my job in Amsterdam.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/figure>

As her masters implies, Malu finds sustainability of great importance, yet she finds her studies can help her in broader fields. \u201cI really enjoy the aspect of taking a business study, but with a focus in sustainability. Sustainability is of huge importance lately, thus I feel a focus on this career can help me have a positive, relevant impact. Particularly, I want to impact people by teaching and informing others. I believe creating awareness is the first step to a more sustainable future. But there are still many who could benefit from learning more about the state of the environment and what we as a society can do to stop further degradation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malu\u2019s interest in teaching comes from her parents: both are educators in Biology. \u201cI have always admired the way they could positively influence their students and help form their vision of the world. For this reason,I aspire to work in the field of environmental education, to open people\u2019s eyes to the current environmental issues and empower them to do their part.\u201d<\/p>\n

Striking a Balance <\/h2>\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t
\n\t\t\u2018I have always admired the way my parents could positively influence their students\u2019\n\t<\/blockquote>\n\n\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n

If going to University three days per week for her masters isn\u2019t enough considering the distance needed to travel, Malu works on the side and is active within a student team of Positive Change, promoting her faculty\u2019s mission statement. \u201cBefore I started my masters I was studying hospitality management, after which I spent two years working full time in the hotel industry. Currently, I work in a hotel in Amsterdam three days per week. This is one of the main reasons why I decided to live in Utrecht \u2013 it is a perfect middle point between my studies in Rotterdam, and my job in Amsterdam. I also write articles for Positive Change.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malu is aware that her schedule can be tiring and demanding, yet she has devised strategies to cope with this in different ways: \u201cOne of the activities that helps me the most during the week is having a run around the city in the morning. That really helps me relax a lot during the day. Other activities that I find quite soothing are drawing and painting. My graphic skills are not the best, yet it\u2019s a skill I enjoy practicing now and then.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hibernation mode<\/h2>
\"\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>

Malu spends two or three hours in public transport daily: \u201cWhat do I do with my free time during my commute? I love reading books. Usually, my picks are non-fiction books focused in philosophy or humanism.\u201d As she points out, using the time wisely during her commute helps her delve, learn and relax while reading her books. \u201cI just simply think it\u2019s a more relevant way of spending my time rather than scrolling mindlessly on my phone \u2013 what I refer to as setting your brain in \u2018hibernation mode\u2019. If you ask me what I did for the past 2 hours on my phone I would have no clue on what to answer. Instead, if you ask me what I read about for the past 2 hours I would be able to richly describe the plot and the argumentation behind it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Upon arriving at the station in Utrecht, Malu admits with remorse that she prefers buying paper books rather than eBooks. \u201cQuite puzzling when considering my study focus on sustainability, I agree. But I prefer paper books since I usually have a pen on hand to take notes and highlight my favorite phrases on the book.\u201d<\/p>\n

Just when I ask her what book she is reading at the moment, she shouts: \u201cOh wait! I have to leave urgently, the bus is waiting outside and I have an important appointment \u2013 sorry, and bye!\u201d<\/p>\n

Fortunately, she did make it on time.<\/p>\n\n\t

\n\t\t\n\t\t
\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Read more<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t