Carlijn Soer, Full-time MSc in Management student, shares her experience during the pre-master of the MSc in Management at Nyenrode including living on campus and participating in the student association (NCV)
''It all started on August 12, 2017 and it feels like yesterday when I was walking through the Nyenrode gate.
A friend of mine told me about Nyenrode, I remember him saying: ''Are you thinking about Nyenrode? Wow... those 16 months... I had the time of my life!!’’. At that time, I had no idea what he was talking about. Now, 4 months later, I do. The glorious time of the pre-master here at Nyenrode flew by so fast!
You must know that the academic program is tough, but you are not alone. You start with your cohort in September (150 fellow students), with whom you live very closely together. These people are more then just fellow students. Unlike any other university, at Nyenrode they are your friends. This might sound a bit weird, since you are here to study, right? Well, let me tell you more about how this happens.
Lectures
During the pre-master, you have a tight schedule every day. You start by attending the lectures in the morning. At 8.15 AM, we walk together to the main building, grab a nice cup of coffee and talk over the day, or the (awesome) night we had. We (as one cohort) look after each other. Going to the bar is a lot of fun but we make sure everyone attends lectures the day after!
There is always a lunch break in between classes. We often go to the Mensa, which is located on campus. There, delicious (and healthy) lunch is served. It is always fun to go there since you get to relax with your friends and - if you are lucky - can catch a glimpse of the sun.
Studying
After classes, there is often still a lot of work to do. As I already mentioned, it is not only fun-time here on campus, the academic schedule is hard to keep up with. For some lectures you have to make a group assignment. This group work often happens in the library after lectures. The library is also the place were the most of us go for studying during the exam period.
Sports
For the guys Nyenrode has it’s own Rugby Club. For the girls there is a Hockeyclub called the HCN, which stands for Hockey Club Nyenrode. The HCN provides girls on campus the opportunity to train and play a hockey match once a week. We participate in a business-competition against teams of companies like KLM, Ahold or ING. Everyone, starter or true hockey-pro, can join the match. We play just for fun. But of course, as true Nyenrodians, we like to win ;)!
Dining
For dining there are a lot of possibilities. In my case, I always get a message on one of my Whatsapp groups asking what to do for dinner. There are some rooms with kitchenettes. Also, there is an Albert Heijn (grocery store) in Breukelen. You can get there by bike in 5 minutes.
If you do not have a car here, there are always students happy to help you out. If you don't want to cook, you can also go to the Mensa. One thing is for sure, it is hard to eat by yourself here. There is always someone willing to have dinner with you... somehow, somewhere!
NCV
One of the three pillars which makes Nyenrode stand out of other Universities is the Nieuwe Compagnie van Verre (Academic part and Campus Life are the other two). The student association, which was founded in 1947, gives students the opportunity to develop themselves by joining several of the 41 committees available.
How can you develop faster by being active in one or more committees? Well, these committees give you the possibility to add real value to the student life at Nyenrode. Joining committees will give you even more feedback on the way you work as an individual and as a team member.
You can learn a lot by organizing activities, related to sports, campus life or arranging a big party like the phenomenal Jazz-Night (a big party at the Coach house once a year) You will certainly make mistakes, but the people in your committee are always there to help you further.
In my case, I have joined the Hockey Board, Protocol, Koetshuis Beheer Collegie, MSCI and Colleegie ter Bevorderingh van het Nederlandsch Liedt. Information about NCV committees can be found on their website: www.ncvnyenrode.nl
In conclusion, living on campus has given me a completely new perspective and it has enriched me as a person for a lifetime... and this is just the beginning! ''
Do you want to do a Master or do you want to start your career? Join the MSc in Management Open Day Feb 10 and discover our program.