I’ve been making my voice heard from a young age. Last academic year, I was chair of the Dutch National Student Association (ISO), which looks after student interests. Before that, I served on the University Council, and in secondary school I established the local youth council in Venlo. I have a bit of an activist streak, but I also believe in dialogue. That’s more ISO’s role anyway. We work closely with the LSVb, the advocacy organisation for students in the Netherlands. They organise large-scale demonstrations, we make ourselves heard in other ways. You need both – people who are willing to engage in dialogue and people who are ready to make some noise. As chair, I enjoyed the art of convincing the person on the other side of the table of our point. It was a fun year, but also very intense. I was in charge of the media phone, so I always had to be ready to speak to the press. One time, I was in the shower when the Dutch Broadcasting Foundation (NOS) called.
Do you have any regrets? I don’t regret doing all those extracurricular activities, but I do regret the way I went about it at times. I get very enthusiastic and tend to dive in head first, which means I end up seeing too little of my friends and family, who are always there for me. This year, I plan to take things easier and prioritise them.
"I'm very close to my Polish grandmother"
I visit my grandmother... I’ve actually just returned from visiting my grandmother on my mother’s side. She’s my only living grandparent – I only ever knew one of my grandfathers, who passed away when I was in primary school. She lives in Poland, a ten-hour train journey away. We’re very close. When I was little, my parents ran their own business, which took up a lot of their time. My grandmother helped raise me. She has since moved back to her home country. We speak Polish together; I speak it well.
What do you look for in a partner? Someone who is passionate about life on all levels: their work, their studies, their friends, me. Someone who takes initiative. Someone who is empathetic, that’s important to me, and not afraid to be themselves. I’m not actively looking for a relationship – I need some time to myself, which I didn’t have much of last year – but I’m open to the idea.
I’m proud of… the fact that, after a lengthy process, we at ISO managed to establish national guidelines for compensating student council members. There were huge disparities, with some students practically working full-time and earning just 300 euros per month. This discourages students who rely on part-time jobs to make ends meet, yet you want your student council to reflect the diversity of your student body. We’ve also made good progress towards mandatory paid internships. Interns in sectors such as education and health care rarely get paid, even though these sectors are short of workers.
"These plans will hit people in vulnerable positions the hardest"
What disappointed you last year? The new government’s coalition agreement, which includes plans to introduce a penalty for students who take too long to complete their degree, cut education spending and increase VAT on books, including textbooks. The previous government collapsed just as I became ISO chair last year. In the months leading up to the election, we spoke to politicians from almost all parties and presented them with manifestos. It was then frustrating to see that the plans in the coalition agreement will hit the people in vulnerable positions the hardest.
Describe yourself as a child in five words. I was ambitious and enterprising, always aiming high – the best grades, extracurricular activities… I was also empathetic, a bit shy and almost too polite. But not if someone was being bullied, then I supported the person and said something about it, even though I found it scary.
"On my bucket list: skydiving - if I can work up the courage"
I’m the cook at home. No, my dad went to culinary school, so he often cooks. My mum is also a good cook, especially when it comes to Polish dishes. I’ve moved back in with my parents and almost 12-year-old brother. Last year, I mainly had to be in Utrecht and The Hague for ISO, so I gave up my room in Maastricht. I found housing just outside Utrecht. I figured I might as well travel from my parents’ house. That way, I could just relax when I was at home. I’ll be staying with them for now, so I can spend more time with my little brother and save money. After the hectic year I’ve had, I want to avoid having to take on a part-time job.
In ten years… I’ll be working. I plan to do a master’s degree, perhaps in something related to cognitive science or business administration. I will also continue to advocate for accessible education and public participation. I think it's very important that people not only have a say, but have a real influence on decisions that affect their lives. Education has such a huge impact on people's development and therefore on society as a whole. I might also have a partner by then. I’m not sure I want children; if I do have them, I’ll wait until my career is established. I’d also like to tick a few items off my bucket list – interrailing through Europe, skydiving (if I can work up the courage) and trying out new hobbies. That’s what I’ll be doing this coming year. My list currently includes climbing, something to do with dancing and something creative. We’ll see what sticks.