Back in the university building: Still a “grom” at heart!

The past year I went back, back to the university building, the lecture hall. A lot of you question if there are any moments I feel out of place? and I get it…Let me talk you trough my experience;

When I first started studying, I was the youngest in my class — so young, in fact, that I didn’t yet qualify for a student travel card. Besides that, most of my classmates were already driving themselves to campus  … I was nowhere near to even think about getting my driver’s license, I just had my backpack… and a dream! A lot of dreams  – but not one final destination

“For me a dream was not something I saw during my sleep, but something that kept me away from sleeping….made me excited!”

Yep and meanwhile I was still figuring out public transport in the Netherlands (read; missing my train the first day of school and calling mum to check which one to take next …), too young to join my classmates at the 18+ parties. Well true ; they used to sneak me in anyway and dad picking me up after, in the middle of the night to get home safe. 🙂

Back in time

By then we filled our notebooks with ideas, scribbles, ink instead of keystrokes. And “cloud storage”?… was just a metaphor for a rainy day. Laptops slowly started to appear but not yet in class. Just for presentations we had to figure out how to use programs like Microsoft Word and PowerPoint for the first time. I know hard to believe we couldn’t press dictate on our notebooks and had to write till our arms dropped off. I believe we even had a class were we designed brochures/posters and had to fix the print lines till midnight. Aswell as “they – the professors” made us set up LinkedIn. Only to know the power of social media since a few years.  

 We couldn`t ask “Chat” or “CO”  for tips, answers, no, we asked our friends, parents or teacher for help. We worked together in groups face – to – face not by teams or a shared online document. Maybe not efficient but fun!  The laptop back than felt more like carrying a whole suitcase than a study tool.

 A bit shameless, now; I am catching myself not even bringing a piece of paper or pen anymore.  We just draw it on our screens, in digital apps.

Fast forward a few years — or decades — and here I am again: back at university! Only this time, I’m one of the oldest in the room. The laptops thinner, typing became the new way of taking notes — and they live in “the cloud” now.  The lecture hall? The same creaky chairs. The same squeaky not so soft benches, the unstable folding tables…  It feels like time stood still — except for me.

“This time, I see everything differently.”

The students around me are mostly younger — their lives just beginning to unfold – like mine at that time. And yet, I feel more connected to learning than ever before. I don’t study because I have to. I study because I want to. Because I still believe in growing, in improving, in curiosity, in chasing goals — on land and on water – in corporate and in sports. In my own way.

Yes, I might be one of the oldest in the class now.

But I’m the youngest in mind — still curious,

Still hungry.

Still that same grom at heart.

Still learning every single day.

Still on the water every chance I get.

Still chasing adventures

Still leaving the house (for the day) if I never come back today; kite, gym, university, work…

Between Classes and the Ocean; The Journey in Between

 It is no secret that life took me on a detour.Instead of staying in classrooms, I went chasing the wind, water and perseverance.

 I chased the wind — quite literally — competing in kiteboarding, snowkiting, wingfoiling, and kitefoiling at the highest levels – all over the world.  I turned passion into profession. I’ve competed in every corner of the world, chased an Olympic dream, world titles, European titles and called beaches, lakes, and  airports my second homes.  Balancing deadlines with training sessions, lectures with kite launches. The ocean became my university. The wind, my professor. Jet lag and deadlines became familiar companions. I learned discipline, focus, and what it means to really commit to something. Also what it means to give up something to set priorities, mis out on “things” and what it means to have the unconditional love and support of your parents.

 I travelled the world, living out of board bags and suitcases, chasing both wind, waves and dreams. Each semester, I found myself studying in a different time zone — attending lectures from airports, boats, and beach cafés. From mountains to remote islands; figuring out the internet connections. In fact they still do exist-  a lonely island without data…the  water really does come out of the water well.  travelling to another one to make sure I could upload my assignments given. Yes now online class is a norm – by then I did a lot of effort to get that accepted… bringing a suitcase of books…..

Even during my first degree (s), I was always halfway between books and the beach/snow. My master degree I still had no car yet, so I carried my kite gear and boards to class — dragging them onto trains and buses.

As soon as lectures ended, I’d run straight to the water (or the snow hall). Changing in parking lots, chasing daylight, living for the next session, trick.  Because to become the best you can`t miss any session. Studying away the endless train rides across the whole country. And again dad picking me up from the beach after work. To go home for dinner, which my mum made sure of. <3

Those boards that once sat next to my desk?

They’re now in the back of my car.

The fire inside? Still the same.

It wasn’t the traditional path, but it was mine. And through it all, the love of learning never left and the path I still follow will always be mine; uniquely – different. Still that backpack and a dream just like at the start of my journey.  As you grow, your dreams grow with you. Your mind expands, your world gets bigger, and suddenly you realise:

you’re living the dream life you once planned in small steps.
Dreams aren’t just fantasies —
they are the roadmap guiding you through life.

.   

From Shy Girl to Fearless “Grom“

When I started, I was quiet — the shy girl in the back of the classroom. I didn’t speak up much. I didn’t always believe in myself (I started at the lowest level of school – sports were priority). But traveling the world , competing changed me. Somewhere between snowstorms, sunrises, and world travel — that flipped. The world taught me confidence. The ocean taught me resilience. Competing taught me to stand tall.

Being alone, wind, water, and unfamiliar places taught me to trust my own voice. To speak up. To take space. To lead instead of hide. I may have been the shy girl once… but not anymore. I grew up out there, in airports and oceans, in cold mornings and late-night sessions, in different cultures, in teams and above all; alone.

 Now, I walk into class  with a smile — not to hide, but to share. 🙂

 Sharing My Story

 It’s funny how some things never change — the professors still call me to the front of the class.

 Not to punish, no to talk about my adventures — about chasing wind, competing, and studying across continents. Cause some of them have followed everything-  every little step (and risk)  I took along the road.

 I tell stories about 5 a.m. training sessions before lectures, or about joining exams from different continents (with the sound of waves or airport announcements in the background.). From studying on a 14 hour boat rides from remote islands. The in between final heat classes, the skills I learned in sports, the live I lived and still live in some way.

 I tell stories about traveling 24 hours alone through countries I’d never been to before, figuring things out one step at a time. About finding family away from home — people who became anchors in a life constantly on the move.

 I talk about the hard times, too. The exhaustion, the setbacks, the moments when I questioned everything. But also about the pure joy — the sunsets after long days on the water, the laughter with new friends from all across the world, the thrill of chasing wind in amazing places.

I show them that traveling taught me something no textbook ever could — how big and beautifully diverse the world truly is. The Netherlands suddenly felt like just a small corner in a much larger picture. I saw places where people had very little, yet they smiled the most. Where happiness wasn’t measured in things, jobs, money, but in moments — in laughter, community, and gratitude. It changed the way I see life and think about different “things” now. (!)

Those moments changed me. They shaped the way I see life, people, and purpose. And every time I share those stories in class, I realize how far I’ve come – how lucky I am — and how much there still is to learn.

…And yet- it was never my plan. A dream – yes.

And always;

The room gets quiet; eyes light up.

The students listen, curious.

Questions come alive.

For a moment, it feels like the world stands still. The ocean, the wind, the classroom all blending together.

And I realize that stories connect us.

That passion speaks louder than age. That every wave, every journey, every challenge can inspire someone else to chase their own dream.

How powerful experience can be. It’s not just about grades or theory — it’s about showing what’s possible when you follow your passion(S). A reminder that dreams can evolve, and learning never stops.  To show that learning doesn’t stop when life gets busy or you get older. That dreams can change shape and still carry you forward as  you never give up and just go (!).

The Challenge of Coming Back

Returning to university as an older student is humbling. You have more life experience, yes — but also more responsibility, more perspective, and sometimes more doubt. You no longer measure success by grades alone but by the courage to keep growing, even when the world tells you you’ve “moved on.”

 But for me there are no moments when I feel out of place —  there are moments of pure connection. After all curiosity has no age limit, ambition doesn’t expire and I will always stay teachable. 

Funny that now I attend class with younger and older students from all around the world. From the same company somewhere else in the Netherlands or an office abroad. And all those places I recognise because I have been training or competing there. That makes it even more fun!

Why I Keep Going

 Because learning reminds me that I’m still evolving.

Because sitting in the same seat I once did reminds me how far I’ve come.

Because it’s never too late to reinvent yourself — even after you’ve seen the world from the top of a wave and the biggest flight.

Studying later in life isn’t about catching up — it’s about continuing the journey. It’s about proving to yourself that growth has no expiration date. Sure, it can be intimidating to walk into a classroom full of students half your age. But it’s also empowering to realize that your experience, discipline, and mindset are your biggest assets.

Every lecture reminds me why I started — the curiosity, the hunger to understand more of this world, the drive to become better. So yes, I might be one of the oldest in class now. But I’m also one of the most determined.

 Sometimes I sit in those same old seats and can’t help but smile. Because while the classroom hasn’t changed, I have. The world has. And yet, that same spark that once drove me to study, to surf, to compete — it’s still there.  

 A Final Thought

So to anyone hesitating about going back — to school, to sport, to a dream — don’t! The world will keep spinning whether you jump back in or not. But the view is much better when you do.  Don’t wait for the perfect time; it doesn’t exist.  Don`t wait till you`re ready, the secret is you never will. Whether you’ve been around the world or stayed in one place, every experience adds value to your education.

The seats may be the same, the benches unchanged — but you won’t be. And that’s the whole point. Just go for it.