Text: Hannah Begemann
Luuk’s academic path has been different to that of many students: he came on to Wageningen University from an Applied Sciences Bachelor’s degree. ‘I did the Bachelor’s in Applied Biology at AERES University of Applied Sciences in Almere. Compared to this university, that programme is a lot more practical. Before I came to Wageningen, I got a lot of experience during my three internships. My overseas internship in Surinam in particular was one big adventure!’
I really like being a live-in guardian
Luuk has moved around a lot, thanks to all those internships. ‘When I was doing my Bachelor’s degree, I lived in five different places, but never in a normal student house. I prefer to be a live-in property guardian [to prevent squatting, ed.] because then you can get a house relatively easily and cheaply. But that has to suit you: it can lack life’s luxuries, it can be a bit draughty and not very cosy – if you are living in an office building, for instance. And there are often strict rules such as that you can’t have pets. But I like it a lot, especially because you get to live in unusual places. In Vlaardingen I lived in a 20-room villa with nine others, whereas now I’m in a labourer’s cottage with a big garden, with just one housemate.’
But Luuk has something else in mind for the future. ‘As I see it now, after I graduate I’d like to work for five years to save money. With the money I save, I’d then like to take at least two years off. What I’d like most would be to build a self-sufficient house with a vegetable garden on a piece of land in the middle of nature in Sweden. What I really don’t want is to work 40 hours a week for 40 years, because I think that could get quite depressing at times.’