The best advice I ever received… came from a childhood friend who’s been living in Brussels for a few years. When I moved to Maastricht earlier this year, he advised me to stay open to meeting people and explore as much as I could. I enjoy visiting museums and art galleries, and the Netherlands has no shortage of them. The best museum I’ve ever been to is the Musee d’Orsay in Paris. In the Netherlands it’s the Rijksmuseum, although I still need to visit the Van Gogh Museum. I’m looking forward to it.
"Life isn’t about chasing goals; it’s about finding a peaceful place where you can be happy with the people you love"
Where do you see yourself in ten years? [Grins] Graduated…? I’m still not sure what path to take – one of the reasons why I chose to study International Business is because it leaves a lot of options open. I don’t want to set career goals for myself, either. Achieving them might feel good, but then what? Life isn’t about chasing goals; it’s about finding a peaceful place where you can be happy with the people you love. To me, that’s what success looks like. Whether that’s here, back in Croatia or somewhere else, I don’t know yet. I wouldn’t mind moving to another country again. I miss my family and friends, but living abroad is an incredible experience. It’s changed the way I see people; I’ve become more understanding.
Love is complicated. Love should be as simple as possible. Right now, I’m mostly focused on my studies and not looking for a relationship. But if I were, I’d want one with someone who can also be my best friend. Someone who understands me, cares about me and is there for me.
"I often feel uncomfortable in groups. To overcome that feeling of being trapped, I deliberately put myself in those situations, like during INKOM"
Classical music is boring. No, not at all! I listen to all kinds of music, from Bach to traditional Croatian songs, and I love a lot of composers. One of my favourites is Bedřich Smetana – his Vltava is my favourite piece. It’s about a river, the Moldau. Rivers fascinate me. Near Zagreb, where I grew up, there were only streams. The first time I saw the Meuse, its sheer size and power left me in awe. Sometimes it’s lively and chaotic; other times it’s so calm that you have to throw a stone into it just to hear it’s still there. Running water has a calming effect on me. I love sitting on the riverbank with my morning coffee.
When I look in the mirror, I see… a dreamer. I’ve always been more of a thinker than a doer, and a bit quieter than most children, though I had plenty of friends. I often feel uncomfortable in groups, like I’m surrounded by too many people and too much noise. To overcome that feeling of being trapped, I deliberately put myself in those situations, like during INKOM. [Laughs] “Fake it till you make it” works, to a point.
This is a must-read book. Do I have to pick just one? I’ve just finished Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray. The protagonist is a young man with the world at his feet, but he does terrible things and becomes increasingly trapped within himself. It made me think. I read it as a warning. I want to stay as open as possible; it makes life simpler and probably happier.
"When people ahead of you in a queue take fifteen minutes to decide between an espresso or a latte… just make up your mind already!"
Series or films? Miniseries. Band of Brothers, about an American paratrooper unit in the Second World War, is brilliant. It’s amazing how it makes you feel what those soldiers went through. It really moved me. The takeaway? War is hell.
What do your friends find annoying about you? My jokes; I often play jokes on them. What I find annoying in others is indecisiveness. Like when people ahead of you in a queue take fifteen minutes to decide between an espresso or a latte… just make up your mind already! But maybe I’m being too harsh. I certainly took my time making up my mind about what to study. After secondary school in Croatia, I spent a semester studying civil engineering, then two years studying medicine. Neither was a good fit for me – I’m not the type to sit and study for hours on end. After that, I did a bachelor’s in International Business at the Croatian branch of an American university. I figured studying in English would be a smart move, and the programme offered smaller class sizes and a more practical approach compared to traditional Croatian universities.
When I open my eyes in the morning… the first thing I do is check my phone and light a cigarette. Yes, I know it’s bad for you, but you’d be surprised how many students smoke, even though it’s so expensive here in the Netherlands. After that, I stay in bed for another twenty minutes.