September is around the corner, and so it is a fresh start for new students. How are they preparing for it, saying goodbye to family and friends? Let's see how our history student Hannah is doing!
Photo: Me during our family vacation
How will you say goodbye to your current city?
I started doing daily bike tours to a nearby forest about a month ago mostly because it is a great way to see as much as possible before I'm leaving. Partly, however, it also prepares my nonathletic self for the regular bike tours to and from the university. On top of that I started to visit a few of my favourite places such as my beloved lake which is only a stone's throw away from my house and a café I sadly discovered just a few months ago. But I think as much as the big church in the centre of my village, the shopping street which mainly consists of bakeries, and the cornfields which surround the town are part of the city, the people made it feel like home, too. ``It takes a village to raise a child`` probably never made more sense to me until now, especially with my mum's friends all giving me various household appliances which I gratefully pick up and add to my ever growing pile of stuff I'm taking with me to Amsterdam. I organised a little goodbye brunch with my friends a few weeks ago since almost all of them go abroad for a year or start studying as well. As for my family, we were on vacation for two weeks and spent some quality time together without someone having to go to work, university, or back home to another country.
Photo: Lake near my house
What are you packing for Amsterdam?
Since I am renting an unfurnished room, my furniture is going to take up most of the space in the car. Luckily I was able to get basics like my bed, fridge, and wardrobe from my sister, which my bank account thoroughly enjoyed. At my goodbye brunch, I asked my friends to fill out a DIY friendship book which I am taking with me as well as my mum's goodbye present. Moreover, from what I have heard about Dutch bread I might accept my fate as a German cliché and take some German bread with me too.
What are your plans during the introduction week?
In the beginning, I did not want to participate in the introduction week for bachelor students at all but as soon as I heard that my introduction week group will consist of people from your degree, it sounded like a great way to get to know my fellow students before university begins. Because of that, I signed up for the 5-day introduction option and am probably going to keep myself busy with that.
Your experiences about Amsterdam
I think the fascinating thing about Amsterdam is the way you feel at home almost instantly. For one, because of its size finding your way around is not too difficult and I have to admit that I probably got lost less in Amsterdam than in my small village. Furthermore, since it is the capital after all, there is always something happening and because of its internationality I have never felt left out. Another thing I am absolutely in love with is the proximity to other beautiful cities such as Den Haag, Leiden, and Utrecht. Though I had the chance to explore Amsterdam before, I am still very excited to get to know the city in depth in the next 3 years.
Tot ziens, Hannah