As someone from Brabant, I feel at home in Maastricht. I love it here. I originally wanted to study medicine, but I didn’t make it through the selection process. I enrolled in Biomedical Sciences instead, and ended up enjoying it so much I decided to see it through. After completing my bachelor’s degree, I would like to pursue a master’s in psychology or neurology. I have changed since starting university; I’ve become more open, more sociable. I find it easy to connect with people, I have plenty of friends, I’m a member of the student tennis club Stennis and I’m much happier than I used to be. As a child, I was very quiet and shy. I always cried at birthday parties when the family came round – it was too overwhelming for me. My uncle recently remarked on how much I’ve changed. It may be the best compliment I’ve ever received.
What’s on your bedside table? Nothing. I keep everything I need in my bed, like my phone, which I use as an alarm clock. I don’t keep a book nearby; I deliberately read in other places and force myself to get up instead. My bed is for sleeping. I don’t linger in bed after waking up.
I spend most of my money on… I recently got my motorcycle licence and bought a motorbike. I’d promised myself I could get one if I passed all my second-year courses. I had to repeat part of the year because I was just one credit short of being allowed to move on to the third year. It was very painful – I had to resit two courses and rewrite a paper. On the upside, I had a lot of extra time to work and save money, and now I own a 300cc Kawasaki – basically the most powerful bike you’re allowed to ride as a young new licence holder. You’re more vulnerable on a motorcycle, but that doesn’t scare me, unlike my mother. My father doesn’t mind, and my stepfather loves it. He used to run a motorcycle shop.
"The second time we climbed Mount Ventoux, I could see her decline. My mother reached the summit on sheer willpower"
Are you closer to your mother or your father? My parents are divorced, I have a very close relationship with my mother. Very different from the one I have with my father – more special. She has multiple sclerosis, a neurological condition, and has been ill since I was little. It’s because of her that I wanted to study medicine and now plan to go into neuropsychology. I’m her carer; when I go home at weekends, I do things like grocery shopping and walking the dog. Years ago we climbed Mount Ventoux together, twice even – a 22-kilometre hike to raise money for research. The second time, I could see her decline. My mother reached the summit on sheer willpower. She wouldn’t be able to do it now, and she’s told me to stop her if she ever wants to try again.
At night I lie awake worrying about… all sorts of things. I used to lie awake worrying about my parents’ divorce and my mother’s illness. Back then, it was usually about what might happen; now, it’s mostly about social things. I’ll worry that I’ve said something wrong to someone and that person no longer likes me. I’m impulsive and need to learn how to handle my emotions better. I’ve talked to a therapist about it, which helped a little. I’m not ashamed to say that I sought help; I don’t understand why it’s such a taboo subject. By being open about it, I hope others will feel more comfortable talking about it too.
"I dream of having my own home, a family and a job as a researcher in neuropsychology, whether here at the university or elsewhere"
I was named after… no one in particular. Sibe is a Frisian name, but my parents aren’t from the north of the Netherlands. They found it in a booklet and liked it. It’s just a bit different from the usual spelling, “Siebe”.
What’s hard about love? I want to meet someone I can spend the rest of my life with, someone with whom I can think about a future together. I dream of having my own home, a family and a job as a researcher in neuropsychology, whether here at the university or elsewhere. I can already picture my son or daughter playing football, with me coaching the team – just like my father used to coach mine. But dreams like that aren’t easy to share with the girls I meet here; we tend to be at different levels. Not everyone my age is thinking as far ahead about their future as I am. I had girlfriends in secondary school, but I haven’t been in a relationship since starting university.
What can people find out about you online? Not a whole lot. I do have an Instagram account and post the occasional photo of a holiday or a nice day out, but I’m not really into social media. I don’t think my life is interesting enough to share extensively. Besides, it’s smart to keep things professional, especially for when you’re looking for a job later.
"I don’t believe in life after death; I’m quite down-to-earth"
What is your greatest fear? I’m not a particularly fearful person, but if I had to say something, it would be dying. I have a pretty nice life, and it would be a shame for it to end. I don’t believe in life after death; I’m quite down-to-earth and look at it from a scientific perspective. When our brains stop working, it’s like switching off a computer. There’s nothing after that – no pain, no suffering, that’s it. I was raised religiously and received my First Communion, but above all I was taught to find my own path. My mother does believe there’s something more; she likes to think that my late grandfather makes sure the weather is always nice on our birthdays.