Category: University of Amsterdam

Cycling In Amsterdam

mollyjanehaywardLeave a comment

Molly Hayward – University of Amsterdam, Netherlands

Before I moved to The Netherlands of course I heard how much cycling went on in Amsterdam. It was one of the things that drew me to come here. However, the city has far surpassed what I could have imagined in terms of both, the cultural relationship with cycling, and the infrastructure built up around this culture. This post is going to go over some of the ways biking is facilitated in Amsterdam, how this differs from the UK and some suggestions of things that can help you when cycling around the city.

Continue reading “Cycling In Amsterdam” →

A Day Trip to Haarlem

aimeekinnLeave a comment

by Aimee Kinniburgh, Universiteit van Amsterdam, Netherlands

Having explored lots of Amsterdam over the last few months, my housemates and I decided it was time to venture out of the city and explore more of what the Netherlands has to offer. After a quick google, we chose to take a day trip to the historic town of Haarlem. Following a small mishap with buses, namely taking an accidental detour to the airport, we arrived in Harlem in the early afternoon and were greeted by the gleaming winter sun. Haarlem has a more relaxed vibe than Amsterdam and is a place to get away from the busy tourist spots whilst still having that picturesque town feel, so we were excited to begin exploring. Our google search told us we’d be greeted by cobble streets and historic markets, and we were not disappointed.

Continue reading “A Day Trip to Haarlem” →

Managing homesickness – some (hopefully) helpful advice!

aimeekinnLeave a comment

by Aimee Kinniburgh, Universiteit van Amsterdam, Netherlands

When moving abroad, so much of what you’re told is positive: you’ll make the best friends, you’ll experience new cultures, you’ll learn so much about yourself. Of course, all of this is true and already my year abroad is turning into one of the best years of my life. However, what I think people often miss is that whilst you experience some of the highest highs, that also comes with experiencing some of the lowest lows. This isn’t in any way to put you off going, I fundamentally think it’s one of the best things you could ever do. But given all of this I thought it might be a good idea to write about my experiences with homesickness and some of the ways I found to deal with missing your home comforts and life back home, in the hope that maybe this helps someone else feeling this way, or in the least act as some free therapy for me!

Continue reading “Managing homesickness – some (hopefully) helpful advice!” →

First Impressions of Sustainability in Amsterdam

mollyjanehaywardLeave a comment

By Molly Hayward, University Of Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Amsterdam is well known as an ‘eco-capital’ and is a prominent example of a sustainable city. This was one of the elements that led to me choosing it for my study abroad. Since arriving, a couple of months ago, I have had time to create initial impressions of how true this is on the ground, these are my thoughts:

Firstly there is a great deal of visible sustainability. The UVA campus has lots of water points scattered around, the coffee machines recommend re-using the compostable cup and there is a notable lack of plastic disposal cutlery available – choosing instead the wooden alternative.

Continue reading “First Impressions of Sustainability in Amsterdam” →

Amsterdammer Diaries: First* Month Favourites

hannahcartermooreLeave a comment

*and second

By Hannah Carter-Moore, University of Amsterdam

The fact that I haven’t had time until now to sit down and write my first blog since arriving here in ‘Dam should give you a sense of what a full on experience it’s been so far. 

I’m currently sitting on my sweet canal-side terrace trying to catch the last rays before Amsterdam plunges into Winter, finally taking the moment to reflect on this crazy past month.

not a bad view eh?
Continue reading “Amsterdammer Diaries: First* Month Favourites“ →

How to not be homeless in Amsterdam (some hopefully helpful housing advice)

hannahcartermooreLeave a comment

By Hannah Carter-Moore, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands

Nowhere does a housing crisis quite like Amsterdam. When I was in the midst of looking at all the options for accommodation, I wished I had someone to just tell me what to do – so that’s what I’m doing here.

Continue reading “How to not be homeless in Amsterdam (some hopefully helpful housing advice)“ →

A Week of Living in Amsterdam

aimeekinnLeave a comment

by Aimee Kinniburgh, Universiteit van Amsterdam, Netherlands

As I’m writing this, today marks one week of living in Amsterdam and what a week it’s been. It feels like a lifetime ago I left for Bristol airport and said goodbye to my life in England for the next year. This week has been full of the highest highs and also some of the lowest lows, as is often the case when you pack up your life and move countries. So I thought I would make a list of the most important things I’ve learnt after my first week in Amsterdam. I’m sure this list will only grow throughout my time here but here’s what I’ve learnt so far.

  1. Get. A. Bike. – it sounds obvious but my god life in Amsterdam is impossible without one. Swapfiets will become your best friend, even if they do give you a bike that was too big and too heavy for your small little legs to start with. Some of the best moments of your first week will be when it’s just you, your bike and some music cycling around and exploring the city so just bite the bullet and pay for a bike. 
  1. On top of this get a bike coat. You’ll think they’re ridiculous at the start but trust me you won’t care how silly you look when it’s chucking it down with rain and you’re having to cycle 40 minutes to get home. The drowned rat look is not a good one. 
  1. Campus is beautiful but very confusing so make sure you leave plenty of time to find your lecture halls and seminar rooms. It makes for some very awkward first impressions when you have to walk in late.
  1. Cooking is going to be a whole new experience in Amsterdam. Ovens seem to simply not exist out here so get ready for a lot of pasta and rice in the first few days before you figure out how to cook with only two hobs and find out where to buy spices from.
  1. Going out in Amsterdam is revolutionary. Everyone is so friendly and respectful so take advantage and chat to as many people as you can! It’s the best way to make friends and makes for some very funny stories in the morning
  2. And finally, it’s okay to feel overwhelmed and like you’ll never get settled into your new life. It’s a big deal to move to a completely different country and everything will feel too much at times but even after a week life is settling down so give it time and you’ll be fine!

50 things to do while studying in Amsterdam

hannahlwheeler3Leave a comment

By Hannah Wheeler, Vrije Universiteit, Netherlands

Here is a list of some of the best things, both touristy and Dutchie, to do in Amsterdam and the Netherlands. I hope it has something that will appeal to everyone: from club recommendations to must try cookies…

Continue reading “50 things to do while studying in Amsterdam” →

Adjusting To The Dutch Academic System: The Way To An Easier Life 

hannahlwheeler3Leave a comment

By Hannah Wheeler, Vrije Universiteit, Netherlands

When preparing to go to the Netherlands, I didn’t think much about how the dutch academic system would be different. My mind was preoccupied with thoughts about housing, friends and Covid.

Now that I’ve been studying in the Netherlands for 8 months I wanted to share some tips to help deal with the different academic style.

Continue reading “Adjusting To The Dutch Academic System: The Way To An Easier Life “ →

Studying in Amsterdam as a POC

Hannah RustomjeeLeave a comment

There is a lack of representation of BIPOC individuals studying abroad, as well as a lack of specific advice. I really noticed this whilst browsing the study abroad fairs and brochures both in Amsterdam and back in Manchester, which only seemed to portray the generic white, middle-class study experience. Having spent the last year in Amsterdam, I wanted to share my experience to hopefully serve as a helpful tool for anyone worried about feeling uncomfortable in a different environment.

To help amplify the experiences of other’s which are often not included in the brochures, I have also listed some articles I found helpful at the bottom of this post for specific factors to look out for when doing your research as well as first-hand experiences in different cities and countries.

Continue reading “Studying in Amsterdam as a POC” →