“You live at VU, he?” It’s a little joke I keep hearing. Wild, right? I do have my own home, my own bed, and a life outside of VU. Yet, over the past two years, I’ve found myself practically living on campus—attending meetings, managing different events and initiatives, usually eating all three meals here, and then reminding myself that I still need to study! Last year, I was involved in almost everything (four different boards!), trying to be everywhere at once. When I decided to run for the University Student Council (USC), people often asked, Why this now? I would say, To represent the students, but deep down, I kept wondering what truly motivated me to take on such a big responsibility.
This year, while organizing the Bachelor Introduction Days, I found myself reflecting on my own intro period. As a first-year, VU felt like an intimidating place. You try to appear confident, and ready for whatever comes, but the big buildings, massive lectures, and mounting expectations and obligations can quickly feel overwhelming. Coming from a Croatian town of around 35,000 people—the size of VU’s collective body—it really felt like stepping into an entirely new world.
Now, as I enter my third year and my USC year, every corner of this university is starting to feel familiar. I realize it’s this sense of familiarity that makes it feel like home. You meet so many people, each with their own dreams, stories, and personalities. Your perspective broadens. As you spend more time here, you also begin to notice some small things—the revolving doors that start going and then suddenly stop, making you bump against the glass, or biking to the Emergohal in June, sweating and wondering why it’s in the middle of nowhere. And you start to wonder, Why is that? and How can you improve it?
Then there are the bigger things—historic budget cuts, student rights, international relations, and the maze of endless policies and regulations. Again, you find yourself asking, Why is that? You feel compelled to act, as you sense possibilities for change in this place that has become a second home.
So no, I don’t actually live at VU. I have my own apartment and my own life. But I feel at home here. This year, in the USC, our goal is to make this place feel like home for everyone, so others can also call it their ‘home away from home.’ Because a home isn’t just walls and a roof—it’s a place where you feel welcome, understood, valued, and motivated.