Martijn Dam | Faces of FEB
The holiday period is over and we are back to college! However, due to the covid-19 pandemic the first semester will continue to look different from what we were used to. We totally understand that for some of us things might be a little bit confusing. Especially our freshman students might deal with some concerns or questions and need a little advice from someone who has already graduated. Therefore, in this week’s Faces of FEB we spoke to Martijn Dam who is working at the Student Support Desk at FEB and recently graduated. To help us all out, he is willing to answer some questions from freshman students and give us some tips and tricks!
Written by Jessica Paas
Before going into the questions, could you tell me a little bit about yourself?
My name is Martijn, 24 years old and just completed both the master ‘Technology and Operations Management’ and the master ‘Supply Chain Management’. It was very good to combine these two masters, because I only had to write one thesis. As writing a thesis is not something I do for fun, it was great that something like this was arranged! I am now slowly looking for a job. However, I am not in a hurry because I still work at the Student Support Desk.
And that is the reason you are the right person to answer the questions, right?
Yes! At the Student Support Desk, we help students when they do not know what to do anymore. We for instance help them with questions related to progress, course registration or their graduation procedure. We also make grade lists and manage the agenda of our study and career advisors. Furthermore, we are like a front office; when someone does not know what to do in a particular situation, they can always come to us and we either try to solve it ourselves or we direct them to the right person or place.
Let’s move to the questions about your experience as a student!
What bachelor did you choose and why?
I first didn’t know what to do, so when making this choice I focused on what courses I liked the most at high school. I soon realized these included M&O and economics, which already determined the faculty I had to choose; FEB. Then Business Administration turned out to be the best fit for me as I assumed that economics was much too theoretical for me. Business Administration on the other hand felt closer to reality. Also, I knew that technology management was an option within this programme. I wanted to do something within this field, so it seemed like a great option.
With what expectations did you start the programme?
I had the expectation that I could make my own schedule and that it would be much more your own responsibility compared to high school.
Did it meet this expectation?
Yes! You can really apply a cycle in which you plan some periods in which you spend the whole day in the library and some periods in which you are a little bit less busy. It is your own responsibility and for me that works really well! On the other hand, some might experience difficulty with that freedom and prefer to be guided a little bit more.
If a student experiences difficulty with this, what do you advise them to do?
I also experienced times in which I found it a bit more difficult to motivate myself into going to the library. Therefore, I asked my housemates to take me to the library whenever they were going. This social control worked very well for me, because I started to feel guilty if I didn’t go along. When you really have difficulties with this freedom, you can also make an appointment with one of our student advisors. They are here to help you!
How can you meet other students in these challenging times?
At the university this is currently a bit more difficult, as going to a lecture is considered to be a moment of physical contact, which is not possible anymore. So, you need to be very assertive. You could for instance send someone a message! Furthermore, you could look for students outside the university. For instance at sports associations, student associations or study associations! There you will probably get to know people with whom you can get along with. If you would like to get to know fellow students of your programme, becoming an active member and doing a nice committee at a study association is a good idea. I myself did the introduction committee in 2015! A long time ago.
How do you experience studying in an international environment?
I didn't find it very difficult to get used to. What I do notice is that there are some cultural differences. The Dutch for instance, have the tendency to be very direct. This blunt and ‘give-it-to-you-straight’ mentality can come across as inconsiderate to many foreigners. You have to take these kinds of matters into account when working together. With good communication this should be no problem, and everyone can work together.
Will the quality of the education be guaranteed during this time of corona?
I think that is a hard question. I would say so, however students have their own responsibility to take. Other than that, it may also have some advantages. For example, the online lectures could make you more inclined to ask questions. Normally, students don't dare to ask questions in big lecture halls, because they are afraid to say something stupid. In a chat box this should be less the case. This could be quite an advantage. Take advantage of that!
What do you advise students when they have questions?
You can always call the Student Support Desk. We are here to always provide guidance and support your learning experience. Another nice trick, that most people do not know off, is a page on Nestor where frequently asked questions are presented! At Nestor you can find the page ‘Study Info’. If you then click on the tab ‘arrange straight away’, you will be directed to a page on which you can find all the forms for obtaining a grade list, for exemption, and manuals for your graduation process. When you discover that page, you will hardly ever have a question again!
| Last modified: | 31 January 2021 3.50 p.m. |