Almost a year has passed and what a year it was. The beginning of 2020 feels like a different world. Do you remember that we just went to lectures every day, went out and even ESV activities were still physical?

In any case, this is how my 2020 started. I went on a ski trip with the ESV. After the exam weeks we left to France and we enjoyed the snow for a week. Here I also got to know many fellow ESV-members. It was a great week that I would have liked to do again. Not long after that, unfortunately, Corona struck in the Netherlands. Much was locked and the lectures were also given online. Just before the first lockdown, I happened to have just got a room in the center of Nijmegen, which was no longer useful to me at the time. At that time the plan was still to go to Bangkok with the study trip of the ESV. Then I still had the hope that it would continue, I even went to get the vaccinations despite my fear of needles. But unfortunately, the study trip was also canceled.

In the meantime, I was also busy preparing for my exchange abroad. I would go to Appalachian State University in America. But by then, I also realized that the chance that this would continue was minimal. I had to look at what I wanted to do the next academic year. At the end of April I applied for a job at a medical insurance company as a customer care employee. Because I already had a Financial Supervision Act, I was offered the job as a sales employee. That is why I obtained a Financial Supervision Act – Damage Private, in May and a Financial Supervision Act – Damage Business, in August. Since then I have enjoyed working from home.

In August I didn't know what I wanted to do for this academic year, I really wanted to go abroad and therefore the virtual exchange was not an option. I choose to take a gap year of my bachelor's degree in International Economics and Business and to do three minors in Business Administration, Political Science and Conflict Studies. Since September I have also moved back to Nijmegen in the room I got in March, in order to be a bit closer to student life. Of course I remained an active member of the ESV and that is why I had also signed up to become a committee member of the Activities Committee. At the end of September I heard that I was not only a member of the committee, but that I could also be the chairman of the committee, which of course I accepted with great enthusiasm. We have now organized two activities, the online beer tasting pub quiz and the Sinterklaas Diner Rouler. In November I even had the honor of being elected member of the month of the ESV.

In December, together with the other students, I had to choose where I would like to go in the first semester of 2021. I heard in mid-December that I can go to California State University in America! I am very happy with this because I took a gap year to go to America. At the moment I am writing is, I am also very busy figuring things out and emailing people to be well prepared.

I look back on last year with mixed feelings. Last New Year’s eve, everyone thought that this would be a great year and that of course turned out very differently. Despite all the setbacks, I also experienced and was able to pick up many new things, which I might not have done without Corona. Nevertheless, I hope that we can all attend ESV activities safely again soon and I hope to see you all again soon!

A happy New Year!