In the sunny August of 2017, armed with all the suitcases they owned, spices and snacks that would last only a few months and a dream to conquer every obstacle in their path, the Class of 2020 arrived at Jacobs University. What would unfold in the three years after that would be nothing short of a journey of a lifetime. Time flies when you’re having fun, in love and watching too much Netflix. And that’s exactly what has happened. The distant phenomena that 2020 was is no longer distant. Here we are, in January 2020, the number of days until graduation easy to count.
What seemed impossible then…still seems impossible, but now we’re braver, more confident and more learned – in more ways than one. Everything that Jacobs has taught us, slowly but steadily, is now our secret to taking on any challenge we encounter (after all, there is no challenge bigger than writing a lab report the night before it’s due). Graduating isn’t just wearing those robes and receiving a diploma. Graduating is saying goodbye, graduating is getting ready to face the world and graduating is closing one chapter and moving on to the next.
As a student of the class of 2020, I can only say that I’m ready, but also not ready. For the past three years Jacobs has prepared me but more importantly, for the past three years Jacobs has sheltered me. And on behalf of every student of the class of 2020 I can say that this shelter has allowed us to grow, explore, fail and grow again. We’re no longer who we were when we first arrived here; Jacobs has shaped us for the better.
It’s been a whirlwind of a ride and through endless laughter, difficulties, Career Service seminars and packets of ramen, we’ve made it. I spoke to 3 students of this batch and discussed with them what Jacobs means to us and what post-graduation has in store for us:
Ignacio Muñoz (Venezuela) | BA Psychology
1. How do you feel about your time at Jacobs coming to an end?
It feels scary to think I’ll be unemployed in six months’ time. Pretty much all my life has revolved around Jacobs so far and knowing that will come to an end feels terminal. Everyone I know will soon be scattered around the globe and I will probably never see many of them again.
However, realising I will have good, close friends in every corner of Earth is a strange, yet relieving sensation. After graduation, I know that I will meet familiar faces anywhere I go, and that I will have so many good stories to tell from my time in college thanks to the people I have met.
So, long story short, I’d say I am grateful for all the people I have come across in our international campus, which is by far the best thing that could have happened to me.
2. What’s one thing you’re going to take away from the Jacobs Experience (other than your degree)?
Cultural awareness! It sounds tacky but it is true; nothing has changed my perception of the world as much as the cultural experience at Jacobs. Psychologists say that mere exposure is enough to decrease prejudice against others. I have confirmed that first-hand because my perception of other countries and their cultures has changed considerably through my time at Jacobs. I have learned plenty about the different customs that exist and have come to appreciate places I didn’t even know existed before coming to Jacobs.
3. What are some things you’d like to spend your time on in your final semester?
I’ll do all the things I have left in my checklist. I am going to participate in clubs, meet as much as possible of Germany, spend time with my closest friends before we all leave, and (hopefully) get a job so that I don’t starve to death.
4. What is your favourite memory of your time at Jacobs?
We celebrated Thanksgiving in 2018 with a close group of friends. Each of us cooked something from their country and shared with the rest. I spent 4 hours baking “tequeños” for everyone, got interrupted by a fire alarm (which I did NOT cause, by the way) and got locked out in the process. The dinner, however, is my fondest memory of Jacobs and it symbolises what I think is the best thing about our university: simply sharing without qualms a piece of home with people you care for.
5. If you don’t mind me asking, what do you plan on pursuing, after Jacobs?
I will move on to graduate studies. I spent the entire summer looking for Master programmes and I finally found the right one for me. I applied and got accepted recently into the Behavioural Sciences programme at LSE.
6. Finally, if there’s one thing you could tell your freshman self, what would it be?
You will learn more from the people around you than from any class you can possibly take here. Make friends, talk to strangers, get involved, follow your heart and make bold decisions. The best stories are born from accidents, so make mistakes and revel in the consequences. You’ll be fine.”
Rebekka Sunderbruch (Germany) | BA International Business Administration
1. How do you feel about your time at Jacobs coming to an end?
I feel excited for this last semester – after all, it is the final stretch before graduation. Of course, the next months will be challenging and by the end of this year, we will all be in a new and entirely different place. The thought of opening a new chapter may seem intimidating at times, but it is also an opportunity to get outside of one’s comfort zone and make all the hard work of the last three years pay off.
2. What’s one thing you’re going to take away from the Jacobs Experience (other than your degree)?
My time at Jacobs has allowed me to meet many amazing people – fellow students became friends; members of faculty became mentors. I am convinced that every person crossing your way at Jacobs can teach you something, be it academic or personal. These encounters, lessons and connections are what I will take away from my time at Jacobs.
3. What are some things you’d like to spend your time on in your final semester?
I am planning on going to as many events on campus as I can, such as ArtOn! 2020 and ArtFest. Those have been my favourite happenings at Jacobs since my first year. These events, organized by students, showcasing their talents and celebrating the campus’ culture, represents what Jacobs stands for and what makes this university special, in my opinion.
4. What is your favourite memory of your time at Jacobs?
My one favourite memory is quite hard to pinpoint. I think that my favourite memories, however, all have a common factor, and that is when a group of international people who did not know each other before suddenly connects through some topic. This can be the case at dinner conversations that carry on long after Apetito’s closing time, at groupworks as well as at the many events on campus. In my first groupwork as a Freshman at Jacobs, I had the pleasure of working with very talented students from Pakistan, Ethiopia, Albania and South Korea. By the end of the semester, we not only worked well together, but we also had fun while working and made it a tradition to order pizza for our group meetings. The same applies to what happens at events like ArtOn!. I participated in the Battle of the Bands for College Nordmetall in 2018 and 2019, and it was simply amazing to see how every time, a new group of students came together with their skills, their talents and their styles. With each rehearsal, the pieces of music flowed better, and the students grew together. By the end, performing on stage was absolutely thrilling each time and although there is always a little sense of competition among the colleges, I really enjoy the medleys of the other bands and their creativity and talent.
5. If you don’t mind me asking, what do you plan on pursuing, after Jacobs?
After Jacobs allowed me to study Psychology and Business in parallel in my first year, my interest for the area in which these two subjects overlap motivates me to pursue a career in human capital consulting. Right now, I am looking at a master’s degree as well as possible internship opportunities.
6. Finally, if there’s one thing you could tell your freshman self, what would it be?
I would tell my Freshie self, and any Freshie getting accustomed to life at university, to allow yourself some time to get adjusted to being a student. The academic work is very different from what you are used to from high school and it is uncomfortable to not know anyone at the start. Everyone is in your shoes or has been in your shoes before. You will grow into it. Trust the process, take the workload bit by bit, and take time for yourself, your friends and your hobbies. You could summarize it with one of my favourite quotes from Winnie the Pooh when Christopher Robin tells Pooh Bear: “You are braver than you believe, smarter than you seem, and stronger than you think.”
Osama Al-Wardi (Iraq) | BSc Computer Science
1. How do you feel about your time at Jacobs coming to an end?
I have mixed feelings about it. A part of me is happy because, it is an accomplishment to receive my bachelor’s degree but at the same time it is also scary similar to any other transitional period in life where your lifestyle will change. Overall it is motivating and I will do my best to make this my best semester.
2. What’s one thing you’re going to take away from the Jacobs Experience (other than your degree)?
A bunch of really good memories that will stay with me for the rest of my life and a bunch of amazing friends that go along with them.
This might sound cheesy but it's true. However, if you're looking for something more tangible, I would say the skill of balancing academic life and social life. As a Jacobs student I think this one of the top challenges we face and overcoming this challenge will not only make our Jacobs experience better but it will ensure a better work experience in the future. I think campus is the perfect sandbox to start tackling this challenge.
3. What are some things you’d like to spend your time on in your final semester?
The thought that this might be the last time that all of us 3rd years are going to be around in the same place is a very scary thought. So, I'm definitely looking forwards to catching up with my friends and having a great time with them. During my last semesters I might have lost touch with some individuals but as my time on campus is coming to an end so I am certainly looking forwards to reigniting my relationship with them. Also, one thing that I have been guilty of during my time at Jacobs is not checking my spams and not going to particular events! I am planning to work on that during the next semester.
4. What’s your favourite memory of your time at Jacobs? – [choose not to answer]
5. If you don’t mind me asking, what do you plan on pursuing, after Jacobs?
I will take some time off from academics and get some work experience for a year or two. I haven't had enough of student life yet so I'm definitely going to pursue a master’s degree at some point. Due to personal reasons though, I will not be doing it directly after bachelor’s.
6. Finally, if there’s one thing you could tell your freshman self, what would it be?
I would tell myself to enjoy it more, the bad and the good, just everything. These three years that we spend at Jacobs are very short and everything that we experience during them will be written in our personal story. So, don't get distracted by nonsense, don't get discouraged by failure, learn as much as you can, do your best and have fun doing it.
BY USHASHI BASU (INDIA) | CLASS OF 2020
