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Life Update: I got my Master of Science!

Life Update: I got my Master of Science!

Posted on July 25, 2022July 22, 2022

This past February I started my thesis. I was very nervous about it, because when I wrote my thesis for my bachelor Facility Management I failed the first attempt. This time it went very smooth, a little too smooth sometimes, because that’s what I experienced during my bachelor too. So I got worried. But on July 13th 2022 I got the news that I passed my thesis. And so I have a major life update: I got my master of science!

Master of Sciences

It felt very surreal at that moment, and it still feels surreal. A master of science! When I got my HAVO-diploma, I could not go to the university. You need a VWO-diploma to go to the university in the Netherlands. And so I went to the University of Applied Sciences at age 16 instead. I was very excited about that, as it felt like that was the righth level for me. But when I graduated my bachelor of science in Facility Management at age 20, I felt like I wasn’t done at all.

Facility Management is great, but during the 4 years that I studied that, my interest for sustainability kept growing. I wanted to pursue a career in sustainability, because I felt and feel like this is most important at this moment. Also, I felt and feel like sustainability is just madly interesting. During the pre-master and master this was confirmed, because I got higher grades than I ever did. I even enjoyed doing the extra non-mandatory readings. This was my place.

And eventually I did it! I passed all courses and so in September I will receive my diploma. Consequently, I have a master of science, in Environment and Resource Management. I am extremely grateful for this. Especially to my parents, who have paid for all my education and have always supported me.

responsibility

I am very privileged. With this diploma, I belong to the 11% of highest educated people in the Netherlands in the age group 15-75. I am a white abled woman with parents who were born in this country too. And so I have a massive responsibility. I feel like responsibility comes with privilege. It’s time to change the world for the better. I feel like it’s my duty and I owe it to society.

End of an Era

This is an end of a big part of my life. In The Netherlands you start school at age 4, and since I was born in September, I started at age 3. I am now 23. So, the past 20 years I have spent going to school. Side note: I did take one year off because of COVID-19. I spend almost all my life in school, so it’s so weird that it now comes to an end. I don’t know much else. Yes, I have had many jobs, but never longer than a year full-time or six years part-time work. This life update, me getting a master of science, is the end of an era.

Endless Possibilities

This is such a scary point in life because from here on I can go anywhere. I can choose to do the obvious thing, to go work full-time and try to buy a house. That’s what most people do. But there are so many other options, which is terrifying. I could go traveling and make money on my way. I could emigrate. Becoming an activist is an option too. Choosing to focus on my blog and Youtube channel only, as some people do. I could write a book. I could even have a job in a totally different industry. Jeez, this point in life is overwhelming. It feels like the rest of my life is starting.

The Plan

Yes, the options are endless. But I have thought about this already, a lot. A few years ago, I even wrote a letter to my future self. For now this is sort of the plan: I am staying in Amsterdam. I have to see for how long I can stay at Uilenstede, the student flat where I live. My goal is to stay in Amsterdam for a little while since I fell in love with the city. When I have to leave Amsterdam, I might even babysit houses to stay a while longer (for free). I would like to find a job in sustainability, where I make a real impact. For a maximum of 4 days a week, since I have a lot of other hobbies for which I want to make time.

I do not know exactly what this job will look like. I am very much interested in urban green, but I find all aspects of sustainability interesting. For now my dream job would be either at a municipality or at a small company, where I can write and execute the entire sustainability program. The most important criteria I have right now is that I want to have fun. This is the only life I have and who knows how long I still have. I want to enjoy the ride.

hobbies

About those other hobbies. I would like to volunteer at an animal shelter as well. Animals make me so inherently happy, I have to do something with that. I also would like to become a foster for cats in the coming years, but I have to figure out how to do that. I also want to continue writing this blog and making Youtube-videos since I absolutely love doing that. And not to forget making time for friends and family and to keep pursuing an eco-positive lifestyle.

Future

I would like to save some money for future plans too, while at the same time raising the money I donate to charities. For now, the plan is to keep living in the city (whichever one that might be) for the coming years, but afterwards I would like to move to the countryside to buy a piece of land and start an animal sanctuary (while I hopefully keep my job). That’s why I am also very much interested in living in anti-cracking housing and babysitting houses, to save money for the future.

I would also like to keep learning, like I have done the past years. After summer, I am ready to pick up piano classes again. Also, I would like to learn more about wild food foraging, drying foods and pickling. And somehow, I hope to also manage to find a place to grow my own food on a small scale. Ah, and not to forget, I want to keep doing the same amount of exercising, 6 times a week for the rest of my life. Handball and running are both definitely keepers, and hiphop dancing as well.

So, that’s all about my big life update, I got my master of science! I know that it sound like I’ll work myself into a burn-out the coming years. But don’t worry, I’ll be fine. The past years I have learned very well to practice self-care and take time off.

Off to a new chapter of my life!

Yours sincerely,
Romee

7 thoughts on “Life Update: I got my Master of Science!”

  1. Winny says:
    July 25, 2022 at 8:56 am

    Well done Romee. It doesn’t matter which path you choose as long as you choose one. Maybe you will not get what you want all the time, but you will get what you need.
    Good luck, we will be there to support and love you.

    Reply
  2. Deepthy says:
    July 25, 2022 at 4:32 pm

    Thank you for sharing your experiences! Congratulations on getting your Master of Science! That’s absolutely amazing!

    Reply
  3. Pingback: The 9 Planetary Boundaries | When A Teen Goes Green
  4. Zeal says:
    September 25, 2022 at 12:50 pm

    Congratulations. Am studying to get my Bachelor’s degree in Mechatronics engineering.

    Reply
    1. When A Teen Goes Green says:
      September 25, 2022 at 3:50 pm

      That sounds cool!

      Reply
      1. Zeal says:
        September 25, 2022 at 4:41 pm

        Yeah, but your’s is way more cool.

        Reply
  5. Pingback: Life Update: I got a full-time job! | When A Teen Goes Green

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ABOUT ME

 

when a teen goes green

Hi! My name is Romee Hoeksma and I am on a journey to an eco-positive life. An eco-positive lifestyle is a lifestyle in which I have a more positive than negative impact on the beautiful planet earth. On this blog you can follow my journey to a life with only positive impact. At this blog you can find all sorts of things, from tips to recipes to personal experiences, but most of all fun (I hope!). I write about how I want to change the world, but don’t look at it as if I’m judging you. If anything, I like responses from my dear readers the most, so don’t hesitate to contact me or respond to any of my posts!

Yours sincerely,
Romee

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