Hey there, like the majority of you all reading this, I’m a student at WUR. In my blog, I would like to share stories about my student life. I came to the Netherlands – this beautiful place with powerful winds – from India in 2019 as a master’s student in plant sciences. I dived into the AID and had lots of fun, visiting student associations, sports clubs, doing things together with friends and going to night parties. Before period 1 was over, my student life had taken a positive turn in every possible way.
Those first few weeks, I had the feeling that I couldn’t manage at all.
I know, this was the awesome time without corona, and it gradually changed a bit since March 2020. But I still try to make my life happy every day by staying in touch with my sweet friends and family.
Last spring, when – because of corona – ‘offline happiness’ started to change to online classes, I flew back to India for five months, and I returned in August. So I started period 5 from my home in India and, trust me, in the beginning, it wasn’t easy at all. I really got upset because of all the internet issues, I had sore eyes from looking at the screen all the time, and I missed my friends. Those first few weeks, I had the feeling that I couldn’t manage at all.
Right now, I am doing my thesis, and I know that most students still have their classes online. For the students who enrolled in this period, it is especially hard to settle in. I spoke to a few new students in a Christmas activity group where we met for some real-life activities.
Her smile made me realize that life is beautiful
When I first met the group leader, a Chinese girl, she was so happy to see me. She said: ‘Aarzoo, you are my first International friend in Wageningen’. And then I realised that she hadn’t really had any opportunity to interact with other people, because she joined the university in September 2020 and started with online classes right away. I remember the big smile she gave me after these unforgettable Christmas fun activities amidst corona.
Her smile made me realize that life is beautiful – even in these corona times and online education stuff – if you just try to give it a try. And I hope you can try and experience that too.
Enjoy, see you all in my next blog.
Aarzoo Kohra is een masterstudent Plant Sciences. Ze woont op Dijkgraaf.