Electrical Engineering

In the first year, you cover three modules in the first and third quarter. In the second and fourth quarter, you do two modules and a project, which gives you an opportunity to apply the theory. For example, I worked with some other students on making an audio amplifier.

At university, you cover an awful lot of information in a short space of time. You get used to that, but you have less time to become fully acquainted with the material. Electrical Engineering is not an easy programme, but it's an enjoyable challenge.

The first year at university can take some getting used to. I am from Aruba, and I moved to the Netherlands to study. What I liked best about the first year was all the new experiences and challenges and getting to know new people.

My dream for the future is to work in deep space exploration – almost all sensors and systems on-board satellites and space ships are electrical. I also really like the idea of working for a major company, like Apple, Microsoft or Google.

But as long as you are working on something you find interesting and fun, it's not much of a problem to devote so much time to it. In the first six months, you immediately get to start on key modules of the study programme, such as Linear Algebra and Analysis and Linear Circuits. In addition to these theory modules, you also have laboratory courses every week. This link between theory and practice has really helped me to understand the modules.

It's the projects that make the study programme so much fun. In the first year, you build an audio amplifier and a self-driving robot. During the projects, you also have the opportunity to divert from the set programme and put your own ideas into practice. I don't know what I want to do after this, but in this field that's fortunately not something that you need to worry about!