When I started the final year of my master's degree in early September 2021, I couldn't think of leaving student life behind. The corona pandemic was just starting to wind down, and life as we know it was starting up again. I was eager to go to university again, and to enjoy the variety of activities and parties.

I spent the past year working on my final graduation project, which, as you read this, I have completed. After the summer I will start an internship as the last part of my studies. And after that: start working! At the beginning of the year I had no concrete idea what I was looking for in an internship. I did not imagine that I would eventually leave my student house and start working. The idea that I would see my friends less was also uncomfortable.

Many fellow students I spoke to felt the same way. Change is an uncomfortable thing. But as the year progressed, I noticed that I became more and more eager to start a new challenge. I slowly got the feeling that I was finished at TU/e. There wasn’t anything left for me to get out of it. To further develop myself, a new step was needed. Friends of mine went through a similar process. By talking about it with each other, this change became less and less uncomfortable.

Now I'm at a point where I embrace the future with open arms. Throughout the year, I've gotten a more and more concrete idea of what exactly I'm looking for in my future career. The prospect of taking a new step from which I will deduct a lot gives me plenty of energy.

Therefore, I would like to give the following advice to all students who are about to start the final phase of their studies: it will all work out for you! Invest enough time in thinking about what you want to do after your studies. Talk about it with your friends and family. Have an open view of the world; there is so much more than TU/e. If you do this, all pieces of the puzzle will fall nicely into place!