Our fourth day here has, in many ways, been the most eye-opening so far. We woke up early this morning to leave Amsterdam and arrived at the University of Twente in Enschede a little after 10 a.m. Although I was sad to be leaving Amsterdam, I was excited to see what university life is like here in the Netherlands.
Our day began with a guided tour of the University of Twente’s large, green campus. The university sits in a beautiful college town, and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little jealous of how much nature they have surrounding their campus. During the tour, our guide shared several interesting facts about the university and its students. However, one thing stood out to me more than anything else: how similar the students at Twente are to us.
My classmates and I were graciously welcomed, and the Dutch students made genuine efforts to make us feel at home. They referenced the same pop culture, spoke fluent English, and behaved very similarly to students back in the United States. The cultural overlap was striking, and it made me laugh a little realizing how alike we all are. Despite living in different countries, we face many of the same challenges and share many of the same ambitions. Aside from a few heavy accents, Twente often felt like another American university.
If I had to point out one noticeable difference between the students at Twente and my classmates back at Pitt, it would be the atmosphere on campus. The students at Twente seemed genuinely happy to be present in the moment. I rarely saw people glued to their phones; instead, students were spending time together, playing games, talking, and simply enjoying each other’s company. The campus had an uplifting and welcoming energy, and the strong sense of community was something I really admired.
From a sustainability perspective, the university and surrounding area are also doing many things right. We had the opportunity to take a private tour of Kristalbad, a large natural water reserve that helps treat and filter water while preserving the surrounding ecosystem. The system was both functional and beautiful; unlike anything I had seen before.
Today, like the days before it, was incredibly eye-opening. I gained a glimpse into what it’s like to be a college student in Europe and realized that we share far more similarities than differences with our Dutch counterparts.