I had a flawless idealised self, when I first started studying in the Netherlands: an early riser, cycling through a fresh morning breeze to the library, working hard and concentrating well, completing all the tasks on my activity list before dinner. It lasted no longer than a day or two at most.
What I hadn’t expected was how difficult it would be to plan my time in such an independent study environment. In Japan, everything was routine-based. My life as a student was structured in terms of schedules, routines, and expectations. I lived in a dormitory on weekdays and went home on weekends. Even my “leisure time” was routine-based.
But in the Netherlands, especially with problem-based learning, that structure fell apart. Suddenly, it was up to me to structure, manage, and inspire myself. No one would catch me if I missed a reading or got something wrong. The freedom was both liberating and terrifying. The first few months were me alternating between working too hard and complete procrastination. Some days I was reading the same sentence over and over again; some days I was panicking and working till 3 a.m. attempting to get things done. My entire class seemed to be mellow and focused. I was eating discounted Jumbo cakes for dinner and looking up on the internet for “how to concentrate for three hours”. Exam weeks were like emotional rollercoasters.
But then I started to let go of the expectation that productivity was going to look a certain way. I realised that learning well wasn't about cramming or being perfect—it was about understanding how I work best. That meant being honest: I need music, short interruptions, and the occasional messy desk. It also meant being brave enough to ask for help, even when I felt behind.
Studying overseas has taught me more than I ever could from a book. It taught me to trust my own rhythm. Productivity is not about working more – it's about working out what works. And as soon as I accepted that, I actually started learning more – not surviving, but thriving.
Yuki Nakamura, third year bachelor student Arts and Culture