"I had three lectures this week and I did not expect them to be this interesting. When I studied Business at the UvA, we had big lecture halls and a lot of students. Now we were with a smaller group and it was more like a discussion instead of a lecture. Overall, I had a very nice first week, I hope the rest of the year will be like this.

I also had a couple of hangouts in the park with the people from my new course. We got some food and drinks from the supermarket and we went over to the park. It felt good to be there with my classmates and just eat and talk. I learned about their life in Amsterdam and their life back in their countries. They are all very welcoming, which feels very good. The first-year cohort is only 96 people, which is a small group, compared to my first bachelor. Back then there where more than 400 people, so that is a big difference. Back at the UVA I would not participate in the class and I would not ask questions. But now I’m way more involved and I ask a lot of questions during the lecture. I guess that just means that I like Anthropology more.

'Now I’m way more involved and I ask a lot of questions'

During my first bachelor I lived in the Student Hotel. I had a lot of friends there and we would hang out all the time. Now I live with my sister in Amsterdam, because she also studies here. I think this is better and worse at the same time. I do enjoy living with family, but on the other hand, I’m not with my friends.

Before I came to Amsterdam, I lived with my family in Qatar. I lived there since I was 14 until I moved to the Netherlands at 18. I studied at the UvA for 1.5 years until Covid hit, which made me move back in with my parents in Qatar. I lived there for the last 1.5 year, while I also dropped out of Business at the UvA. But now I’m back to start this new bachelor."

BY ROOS VAN LEERDAM, STUDENT-REPORTER