When I applied for AMS I did not have too many expectations, I merely wanted to get my degree and move on.
First impression...
However, when I entered AMS the first time as a student, the vibrant scenery I encountered overwhelmed me. Having spent two months at AMS now, I am still impressed by how this place affects me and pushes me to aim for more. Being surrounded by AMS-students and faculty members and listening to their experiences with the gratification of a hot cup of coffee brings me inspiration, motivation and comfort to be my simple self.
Drivers
There are few drivers I think are important that allow for such great ambience. Foremost, it is the mutual respect among us students as well as the common goal to develop oneself and enhance the ability to become the next generation of managers. It was at the residential seminar where this became evident to me, especially in my CEBS-class. I was awe-struck by my CEBS-mates for their genuine interest, honesty and respect towards one and other’s stories and opinions. Closing the intensive day with a nice cold beverage on the dike together, watching the sunset and a scavenger hunt for oysters, I then realized that, unlike what I initially thought, CEBS at AMS was much more about developing a long-term friendship rather than just another program at school.
Then there is the international diversity surrounding AMS. As I can only speak for the CEBS program but can imagine the same for other programs, the combination of personalities, (educational) backgrounds and cultures sometimes creates hilarious situations due to variations in linguistic understanding and interpretation. I have noticed that, regardless of one’s nationality, craving for coffee in the morning is uniform, while the race to the hot coco machine starts at sunset. It is with these liquids that I have conversed with my CEBS-mates about ideas and life experiences. Similarly, the highly anticipated semester in Shanghai has been discussed at length under the intoxicating scent of coffee and coco.
The hype of going to Shanghai is growing as the semester in Antwerp is nearing its end and we try to find time in our hectic schedule to book our plane tickets.
A new scavenger hunt for proper coffee and hot coco in the harsh winter we will face await in Shanghai.
Stay tuned to learn about CEBS-shenanigans in Shanghai.
- Xin
