Looking back block 1 by Alessia

As a freshman/youngster, I just had my first block and I am now going to blast through in the second block. Although September and October flew by, these were two very busy months for me. On the one hand, I had a lot of fun, met new people and experienced new situations. On the other hand, I was also busy looking for a room, moving, finding my way in a new study and private circumstances.

During my corona - exam year in 2021 I got the chance to go to rooms in Utrecht. I, who was in love with Utrecht, grabbed the opportunity with both hands, only to realize during my exams that I actually didn't know what I wanted to study. I had a gap year in Utrecht in which I worked at accountant company Mazars for three months. I can look back on a year and a half in which I have grown considerably as a person and have gotten to know Utrecht well.

Yet my heart longed for the familiar Nijmegen. I myself come from northern Limburg (Hôrss!!) and there many of my friends went to Nijmegen after secondary school. So Nijmegen was always a home game for me. In June I made the decision to study Economics and Business Economics in nimma city. After a hectic summer, it was time to start studying. Still very exciting, all those new people and the new study. What if you don't like it??

But the introduction week soon put me at ease. In that week I had a lot of fun and met two very sweet friends with whom I will now tackle the study very hard. After the intro I started studying and suddenly I had to find a room in Nijmegen, because trains from Utrecht were disappointing. Miraculously, in one week I found a very nice room in an ideal place with very sweet roommates and now also two kittens!!!

So although the first months were quite stressful and searching, Nijmegen quickly gave me the feeling of home that I often missed in Utrecht. The ESV certainly helped with that. Because of the ESV I immediately had a group of people around me who indirectly reassured me that I was in the right place. Thanks to the fun activities and the ease with which bonds were made, the ESV provided a pleasant and safe place on campus and in Nijmegen. Getting to know new people in such a casual way was very relaxed and convinced me to join two committees (ski trip committee and party & drinks committee). I am really looking forward to the upcoming ESV activities this year and especially to the ski trip that I can organize together with my committee members!