Now I understand it better…
When my friends who studied here before were saying: ‘ College is killing me, I do not even have time to breathe ‘, I thought they exaggareted, but…
I believe that it is never the case that you have no time at all, there is always time, it is just about motivation and priorities. But the College of Europe really demands a lot from its students, and you should meet and exceed these demands to earn what you want and to make sure that you realize why you are here.
In my case, I want to perfect my French, improve my knowledge on the related topics, make a network and create good friendships, using my academic and non formal experience here.
If you want to be a full-fledged student here, you should really keep your motivation and energy on top here. You have to be really disciplined and know how to manage your time.
If you lose track here, its really hard to catch it again. That is why, all of us started this marathon from the first day, most of the time 8-9 hours per day, meals in between, library in the free times and going out or having a drink whenever we can.
Even though it has been 2 weeks, it took many things from me. My private life, my contact with my friends, my activeness in AEGEE ( apart from chair work ), my hobbies and much more.. Of course these were my decisions and I am the one who wants to be here, but it is not without a price. Like everything else…
Life here mostly revolves around lessons, conferences, seminars, language courses, meals, library and social life. In the first weeks, there is a huge social pressure on everyone to meet all 300 students and to make a good impression. Because everyone knows, we will see these 300 people every day for a year.
I am very happy with my colleagues, while most of them are very smart, elegant and also sociable. You can see a guy in the library studying hardly, and then in a party dancing ( hardly again )later in the night. Or people who read their asses off during the weekday, knows how to relax on a football match on Sunday.
Our group is really diverse, with people that you can talk anytime about anything. I consider each second I speak with my colleagues as an experience, where I learn something new constantly. That is why, even the lunches, coffee breaks or parties are important for me. Also you never know, maybe the person you have coffee with is the future prime minister of his/her country.
The education is based on the french style in the College, which honestly I do not think the most effective style. It is more theoretical based, and most of the professors come, sit down, and speak 3 hours behind their microphone, hardly asking questions, smiling or changing their tones of their voice. They are all very knowledgable and experts in their fields, but still, it can be much better.
What I cherish most about the College academically is its intense and full programme, while one week you can find a conference from the Foreign Minister of Belgium, and in the other a speech from an EPSO expert, giving information to students on how to apply to EPSO. You can go to your french classes and then take optional dutch, and even study in the library with fancy softwares.
The library, small but cosy, is open till 10pm, and many students stay till then. When you go there and see so motivated people, you also become more motivated.
About the social life, more or less there is something to do each night. The worst case you can find some students in a bar in the centre, watching a match or just drinking. The best case you can go to weekly residence parties, where all CoE students attend, and moving to a bar/disco after 1 am, mostly ending around 4-5 am. CoE students ( mostly ) know how to party, especially the southerns ( as in anywhere ). Afterwards you can wake up at 9am, go to the weekly match at 11am, and get over your hangover. Most of us refuse to headbutt the ball on Sunday matches, after the big headache in the party last night.
College of Europe is very similar to AEGEE in the sense of interaction. Everybody knows everybody and everybody knows what the other person is doing. Gossips and stories spread like a virus and of course, the more the word goes around, the more different shape it takes.
However, the life here is interesting, intense and I feel involved in it already. This is another bubble in my life, and I think this will be my most stable year after 4-5 years. But what I can say is that, it is definitely worth it, and I will make the best out of it.
Tags: Bruges, Brugge, College of Europe, Percin, University
