Five inspiring go-getters to whom 2024 will be a year to remember

Anas Kijdaâ cares about diversity and inclusion and won a prize for that 

“As a first-generation student, I sometimes wonder: ‘Do I belong here? Am I good enough?’”

“I was happy just to be nominated for an ECHO Award, a prize from the Centre for Diversity Policy, as it allows you to enter a network of impressive, like-minded Dutch students with a bi-cultural background who are also actively engaged in society. When they announced me as the winner of the law and tax category, I was in disbelief. 

My journey to the university was not usual. In high school, I was initially advised to go to university but then got an MBO (vocational education) advice. At the time, I didn’t know I could dispute that, so I just accepted the change. But it damaged my self-esteem. I thought: ‘Maybe the people who told me I was smart before had it all wrong. Maybe my dream of becoming a lawyer will never come true.’

So, I did three years of vocational education to be a legal assistant, then one year at the university of applied sciences. When my mentor there told me I should try a research university, I didn’t think they’d accept me, but I thought: ‘Well, I’ll do it just so nobody can tell me I never tried.’ After the first semester at UU, a teacher recommended me to the honours programme (ULC). Sometimes, impostor syndrome hits me, and I wonder: ‘Do I belong here? Am I good enough?’ 

My mom is Moroccan and she raised my brother and me on her own, working as a cleaner. My college experience is different from that of students who come from a different environment. Their parents can advise them on academic matters, for example. In addition, many first-generation students, such as myself, also have to work, so they have more responsibilities. 

I’m a very curious person who is fascinated by knowledge and personal growth. Since I had the chance to study, I also want to give back to the community using my newly gained knowledge and experience. I know what it is like to need help, so I spend my time trying to help others. I’ve joined initiatives such as the youth council project in the municipality of Enschede, where I live; the Unesco youth commission, which I’m chairing this year; the Young Twente Board; and the Stichting Wetswinkel in Twente, an organisation giving free legal advice. 

Everybody’s college experience is different. Some students like to party, others join a student association… I decided to invest my time in making a social impact and simultaneously learn from my journey. And that choice implies having less time for other things.

What I’ve learned about impostor syndrome is that it will not fade away. But you can learn to live with it. Just do things anyway. Start new things and chase your dreams. Don’t feel like you have no talent for it. You just didn’t do enough reps yet.”

Einschede or Utrecht?
"I can’t choose! Both cities are charming in their own way."

What is your guilty pleasure?
"I like to watch the debates that happen at the House of Representatives online. The things that happen there are sometimes surreal and even funny, but mostly, they are very interesting."

Are you a cat person or a dog person?
"A cat person, I guess. Although I don’t have one. Some cats have a graceful attitude, which is intriguing. But dogs are great too!"

Hannah Aantjes wants to preserve the Celtic programme at UU

‘I was very upset for a while after that sad news’

"'We have sad news,' the teachers wrote to our study association on Friday, October 25. The following Monday, the board of the Faculty of Humanities was going to announce that six programmes, including Celtic, would be scrapped. That message hit us hard. I was really upset for a while.

The board is now investigating whether Celtic can be part of the English programme, but we have no idea what that means for the programme's existence going forward. We, students, are very concerned that this step will affect the Master's in Ancient, Medieval & Renaissance Studies, which currently includes a track for Celtic. We are afraid that those studies will become more superficial without a dedicated programme and with lecturers leaving. The faculty board didn't give any answers to the questions we asked in this regard when we met with them. 

UU's Celtic programme has an excellent reputation. Students from Ireland come here to take courses because they are so good. International scholars also praise the research done in Utrecht. Last but certainly not least, UU is the only university in the Benelux region (Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, Ed.) where you can study Celtic.

I started studying Celtic because the programme offers a nice combination of history and language. I wanted to study History at first, but then I came to the Open Day of the Celtic programme and fell in love with it. I felt so welcome.

It is indeed a shame that so few students choose to study Celtic. A few years back, we had an average of 10 to 15 first-year students each year, but last year there were only two. Celtic is a minority language in Europe, but its culture stretches from Ireland and Wales to Brittany, so it is relevant. Its influence is still strong to this day.

The cancellation of the programme also affects our study association, Asterix, which now has about 50 members. Celtic graduates tend to stay in touch with the study association. I work there as a public relations officer. In September, we were offered media training. 'What are we going to do with that?’, we thought. But, in retrospect, it's a good thing we did it. I have been approached by many media outlets in recent months. Too bad that the media is only interested when problems arise. But at least we did have our say."

Asterix or Obelix? 
"Our association is called Asterix. The Gauls are a Celtic people and the information in the comic is reasonably correct. Our travel committee is called Obelix. If I had to choose, I'd go for Asterix as he's a clever little man."

Rijksmuseum or the National Museum of Antiquities?
"In high school, I did a project with the Rijksmuseum to create an interactive tour of the museum for LGBTQ+ people. However, these days I feel more connected to the Museum of Antiquities in Leiden. I would love to work there someday, in my field."

Samhain or New Year's Eve? 
"Samhain is the Celtic New Year festival. It happens in November. That's when Asterix members go on a camp. This New Year's festival had Halloween traits as it is also about the border between life and death. Our camp is always fun, we have a campfire, dress up and play a murder mystery game."

This Saturday, December 21, a protest against the closure of the programme, with Celtic music, will happen at the Central Station from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm. 

Vidius chair Philip Sokolov wants Utrecht Science Park to become more vibrant

‘The municipality tries so hard to get more student housing and it is so frustrating that it doesn't succeed’ 

"In my office at Vidius, I have a flipchart with reasons why living in Utrecht Science Park is not pleasant. Many students who live there have mental health problems, they feel very lonely. The problem is that there isn't much to do at De Uithof.  You could say it is 'anti-vital'.

It's not just the lack of a good supermarket. There is just too little to do. There are a couple of cafés at the university of applied sciences, which is nice, but they close early in the evening. After that, students can still go to Cambridge Bar, a pub run by students, but the place has been struggling to find students to run it, so much so its survival is at stake. It is nice that the municipal council has raised this issue earlier this year.

My portfolio at Vidius also contains student housing, and we've talked a lot about that problem too. In the summer, we found out that Utrecht is 6,000 rooms short of meeting the demand, which is very frustrating. People at SSH and in municipal politics are doing their very best and building new student homes as much as they can, but the issue is quite complex and the government doesn't know how to guide it properly. It is often impossible to building new buildings in Utrecht because of nitrogen. There are still no student rooms in the empty building on Archimedeslaan because we don't know whether or not the A27 motorway will be widened.

I live on Enny Vredelaan. I spent four years looking for a room. I'm from Boxmeer and didn't know a lot of people in Utrecht. I was just desperate because I had to commute so much. Even if you want a room badly, it doesn't always come across when you audition at a student house. I was placed in this complex after being rejected over 50 times. This year, SSH came up with the idea of abolishing auditions in their new buildings. I applaud that, although I also understand that it can be nice for students to have a say about who comes to live with them.

Vidius wants students' voices to be heard in municipal politics, which was even harder to do this year because we only had three board members. I applied for a board grant but couldn't get it. According to the rules of the university's profiling fund, I've been a student for too long. they counted the years I studied in Nijmegen. Utrecht University's interpretation is very strict. The only thing I can do is borrow money from DUO.

Some people tell me I should quit the board, but I can't do that. I work 50 to 60 hours a week for Vidius and can't take a side job. As a result, I can hardly make ends meet and I'm always in the red at the end of the month."
 

Utrecht or Nijmegen? 
"I studied Computer Science in Nijmegen for a while and made many friends there. I have good memories of campfires at Waal Beach. Utrecht is different, but I'm very happy that I got the chance to develop myself further in Utrecht, both at the Philosophy Study Association and Vidius."

Utrecht Science Park or the city centre? 
"When it comes to education, I choose De Uithof, also known as Utrecht Science Park, because the facilities are better there. Some of the classrooms in the city centre are smelly. But when it comes to living, the city centre is lively and De Uithof is dead."

Studying or chairing an organisation representing students? 
"I learn so much as a student administrator. I encounter interesting people almost every day, but I do miss having the time to completely immerse myself in Philosophy."   

Dieuwertje Wallaart went to Baku for the Young Climate Movement

‘Climate change is the biggest challenge of our generation’

"I studied medicine in Rotterdam and was concerned with the human body and how to make people better. But that felt limited. I thought a lot about social issues and noticed too few changes in politics in the run-up to the 2021 parliamentary elections. If you think something should be done, you must do it yourself. I think climate change is the biggest challenge of our generation. That's why I joined the Young Climate Movement.

I started as a volunteer with the Public Affairs working group, where I learned from experienced young people how to lobby and influence politics. I soon got the hang of that, after which my predecessor asked me to become a board member of Government and Politics. The following year, I became the chair. Since then, I have been to COP, the climate summit, twice. Last year, COP 28 happened in Dubai and COP 29 happened this year in Baku. Going there was the icing on the cake.

The Young Climate Movement has been going to climate summits since 2021. We are there as observers: we do not negotiate anything ourselves but we influence the negotiations by holding talks with those who do. We also organise many events where young people from the global south can share their stories with politicians and world leaders. Last year, together with those young people, we talked to the former Dutch prime minister, Mark Rutte, and the deputy prime minister, Sophie Hermans. This year, we had a dinner with Hermans and she referred to the conversations she had with us in a press conference the next day. This shows we have influence.

My first COP is what I remember most. I spoke for the first time to young people from continents where climate change is felt much more acutely. They underscored the importance of adaptation and compensation for loss and damage, while I mainly focused on reducing emissions. This made me realise my privileges, teaching me that sometimes we must take a step back and listen.

I am currently pursuing a Master's degree in Medical Humanities at UU, a study at the intersection of healthcare and society. What I like about it is the opportunity to combine my knowledge of healthcare with my social engagement, especially around the topic of sustainability. I researched the ethics of climate activism among doctors for my thesis and I am now working on the climate and health statement of COP 28 as an intern. Sustainability has become my niche, therefore.

Serving as the president of the Young Climate Movement has taught me a lot. Many people assumed I would go into politics after my first year on the board, but this experience has made me more certain than ever that I want to be a doctor. I learned how important climate justice is and how necessary it is to speak out about it. I don't want to do that from a political role, but rather from my place in society - as a doctor."

COP28 or COP29? 
"The outcome of COP 29 was disappointing. 300 billion were raised, while the demand was 1.3 trillion. COP28 was more historic because, for the first time, the text stated that we should stop using fossil fuels."

Working with young people or working with world leaders? 
"Young people have an open mindset and consider common interests, while world leaders often operate according to their country's interests."

Activism or science?
"I think they go hand in hand. In my thesis for Medical Humanities, I found out that one can also be an activist through science, as you can research to change something. The Young Climate Movement itself grew out of scientific findings."

'B-Girl Jazzy’ Jasmijn Nölting has the moves

'I prefer to be a breakdancer in a battle than a lawyer in court’

"When it comes to breakdancing, everyone mentions that Australian athlete at the Olympics and her kangaroo moves. They say: ‘Why is someone like that allowed to compete and not you?’ If it were up to me, only the best breakdancers would be allowed to participate in such an important tournament, but the world federation wants breakdancers from all over the world to participate.

I tried to qualify on behalf of Turkey because the competition in the Netherlands is fierce. My mother is Turkish. It was the first time breakdance was included in the Olympic Games. I was under tremendous stress for two years because the criteria to compete in Paris kept changing. Unfortunately, I didn't make it.

I once started hip-hop dancing in Almelo, where I come from. But hip-hop is a group thing, which is less fun if you're always the best. As a breakdancer, you're on your own and you get to decide what to do. You challenge an opponent in a battle. I love that.

I have been serious about breakdancing since I won the Red Bull BC One tournament in Turkey in 2022. There were about 15,000 spectators there and, after the tournament, I started getting invites from all over the world to come and battle. All costs are paid and sometimes you can even win a few thousand euros.

There is one thing that makes it difficult sometimes, though: I have a form of rheumatism called Bechterew's disease, which causes me to feel a lot of pain in my lower back in the morning. When that happens, I struggle to get everything ‘loose’ again and I cannot do any breakdancing. Fortunately, when I do train hard, it doesn't cause the pain to get worse.

My studies were on the back burner for a while last year, but this year I'm going to get my bachelor's degree no matter what. And then I will be done with studying after four years. I want to finish it, but at the same time, it's getting harder and harder to combine it with breakdancing. I often have to turn down an invite because I'll be busy with something for my studies.

My biggest dream is to win the world final in which all the regional champions of the Red Bull competitions compete. That is the biggest event in the world. The winner gets a sponsorship contract from Red Bull. Finding a sponsor is really important. It would be great if I could find a big and well-known clothing sponsor, such as Nike."

Powermoves or footwork?
"Footwork is my speciality. I am very fast in that regard, for a girl. Other breakdancers have stronger arms and stand on their hands more often –– to do a freeze with their legs in the air, for example."

Breakdancing for a show or as a sport?
" I don't do a rehearsed ‘show’. The feeling I have with the music determines the moves I make, so it is always different. I also work out two to three times a week with a personal trainer. I go breaking at a dance school six times a week."

Battle or lawsuit?
"Haha! I once wanted to be a lawyer, but I have since found out that I prefer to not sit on a chair from 9 to 5. Now, I know that I don't have to do that at all to earn enough money."

Watch Jasmine in the semi-finals of the tournament in Turkey that she won in 2022