I had a hard time deciding what to study because I had yet to decide what I wanted to do afterwards. However, my high school mentor helped me choose computational social science. I eventually chose this programme because it's hands-on and focuses on societal developments. I was mainly attracted to the topics it covers and its numerous opportunities. You really get a chance to make a difference.

I have been in the programme for about two months now and I am still very excited. We immediately started with a small project to get an idea of the rest of the year.

The programme is divided into different projects to which the lectures and workshops are tailored. You will also have more general classes, such as "Reading and Writing", to improve these transferable competencies.

We are now working on a qualitative research-based project. We follow lectures and workshops to gain a better understanding of what qualitative research is and how to conduct and analyse it. However, the Digital Expertise classes are the most interesting, as this is where we learn how to program in Python.

You collaborate with each other a lot on group projects in this programme. For good cooperation, it is essential that you make clear agreements, keep communicating, and be honest with each other. You should bear in mind that the programme is all about collaboration when you consider this bachelor. You will work directly in groups and with stakeholders such as companies, organisations, and other partners.

Besides being able to work together, you also need perseverance. When an assignment isn't going as planned, you must persevere and know when to ask for help.

Although the programme can be demanding, it is also very interesting and allows you to interact with fellow students!

There are many possibilities for the future! For now, I hope to get a job where I can truly make a difference. During my studies, I expect to find a direction in which I want to focus further.

Because the programme is so new, there are many opportunities to get involved. I helped with setting up the study rooms and the study association. In this way, I already met many new students in the first few months.

I can easily balance studying with my part-time job at the grocery store and gym membership. While meeting up with friends is important to me, I remain realistic; there will be weeks when you can't meet up with friends as much, and there will be weeks when you have more time for this.