Text: Geert van Zandbrink As a third-year Bachelor’s student, blogger Geert van Zandbrink could have opted for an exchange visit to a hot country. But he is staying put: the Dutch autumn suits him down to the ground.
The rain spatters from an overfull gutter down my window and onto the pavement below. Everything that was once green has turned brown, red, yellow and orange in no time. Wageningen is not so green after all, it seems; no city can stop the arrival of the Dutch autumn. You have to accept and move on.
Wouldn’t it be great to escape the autumn and winter and spend some time in a sunny southern European city? Barcelona, Bologna, Valencia… As a brand-new third-year, I have now entered the BSc zone where people go on exchanges. Six months abroad, before returning with an out-of-this-world experience, a tanned face plus some exceptionally high grades.
Some of my fellow students and friends are indeed enjoying an “Indian summer” on the Mediterranean. Personally, I’ve arranged to do my Bachelor’s degree in four years to allow time for two minors, among other things. I plan to do one of them abroad next academic year. Perhaps that is something to look forward to already, but I’m not thinking about it yet. I’m staying put because the Dutch autumn suits me down to the ground.
I wrap myself in a fleece blanket and curl up on the sofa with a mug of tea
I prefer to get my warmth in the shower, where I gradually turn up the temperature of the water until I end up a tiny bit burnt. Then I wrap myself in a fleece blanket and curl up on the sofa with a mug of tea and a good book. And above all, I get down to work. Being productive again gives me the boost I need after a holiday where, as someone who is always on the go, I felt at a loose end.
The perfect way to get through the Dutch autumn; Wageningen suits me fine for now. I can worry about those sunny months studying and partying with cool new friends from all over the world later. Time to brew another mug of tea.