The beginning of a journey
Way back when I started my vocational education as a social cultural worker. This was a fun time in my life. Meeting lots of new people and cultures in a turbulent, but cozy environment.
The classes were varied to say the least. We had courses like policy, PR, philosophy, and impact. Since the main goal of this study was the planning and sub-sequential hosting of events and activities. This was a great part of it, and a part I fondly remember. These activities did not limit themselves to our individual internships, but included joint efforts.
We hosted a Christmas day at/for our school, did one year of the Sinterklaas huis near the Beijerlandselaan. There we preformed a story about Sinterklaas and his Pieten for underprivileged children who during the experience also baked pepernoten. We even recorded and published a single song with our class.
Allas it had to end and at the end of the road I felt stronger in working with individuals compared to groups. This didn't really fit with this line of work, so I moved on..
Bridging the gap
At the end of my previous study there was a period of being lost and not knowing where to move to in the future. During this time I did some orientation and discovered the bachelor study psychology at the Erasmus University Rotterdam.
There was a problem, since my credentials were good for the lower vocational education and after my previous study for the higher vocational education, but not to academic education. At that time the gap could be bridged by completing the propedeutic year of higher vocational education. During this period activities and social work still spoke to me, and so I opted for social pedagogical worker.
The study was fun, yet the water was not the same. The cultural diversity was minimal, and I was the only boy in the class for most of the year.
Completing the year, it was nice to move on. The year was done, and I moved on to the world of academia.
Bringing it home
My start in the world of academia was a bit of a rough one. During HBO I was used to high grades, now my grades made me wanna get high. Not that I got a lot of unsatisfactory grades, but giving my all resulted in a 6, maybe a 6,5 if I was lucky. However, with time I picked up steam and especially in my third and master year this improved.
The campus life was a whole new experience as well. Most people were just going there own way, doing there own thing. Also the switch from a school to a campus had something worth of awe.
There were so many activities and extracurricular activities it was hard to follow. Since I was going hard just to get by I didn't have the time anyway. During the third year of my bachelor, however, I did partake in some activities, and had a good time doing just that.
During the master I really got my (self)confidence up. Things were just working out. I was working my behind off, but it payed out. This year also helped me reach new heights in personal development, and although I met a lot of new people, unfortunately I did not really have the time to get to know them.
Writing my masters thesis during the corona outbreak gave it a surreal quality. Yet my research was online so that was not hampered. The closing, however, left me so depleted that at the message of completing the master track I could not even give an exultation of joy. It was more of a deep breath "it is (finally) over".
Somehow thought it be a good idea to go back to campus to finish the dual degree track philosophy (2024), which is now being completed (2026).