A Semester to Remember
Emilia’s Insight into Nyenrode's Unique Campus Life
Emilia Essinger, a 20-year-old exchange student from Stockholm, shares her experience studying at Nyenrode. she describes the vibrant campus life, interactive classes, and the beautiful park-like campus environment she now calls home.
As a newcomer to Dutch culture, she appreciates the welcoming community and diverse perspectives, making this exchange semester an unforgettable chapter of her academic journey.
Could you please introduce yourself briefly?
My name is Emilia Essinger, and I am an exchange student from Stockholm. For the fall of 2024, I am honored to have had the chance to study at Nyenrode Business Universiteit in Breukelen. I am 20 years old, and currently in my final year of my bachelor's program in Business and Economics.
I study at the Stockholm School of Economics, which is located centrally in the capital of Sweden. For my exchange semester, I decided to move to the Netherlands and well, here I am.
What attracts you to the Netherlands?
To be completely honest, I didn’t know too much about the Netherlands before moving here. Bikes, chocolate sprinkles and tulips, that’s about it. Although I may not have done the most thorough background research I have had a really good impression of the country. It’s always at the top when comparing living standards, economic and environmental aspects, as well as social aspects such as equality.
The Dutch people I had met before were very nice and cool, which gave me the impression that I’d get along well with people here. For me it was also important not to be too far away from my family, and considering this was going to be the first time I’d be living completely on my own, the Netherlands was a pretty good fit for me.
So far, I have enjoyed living in the Netherlands in general, people are very friendly and open. Coming from Sweden, where people tend to be rather introverted and not very interested in interacting with strangers, it is very refreshing to get a smile and a “hoi” when you run into people you hardly know. Knowing both the Swedish and the German culture, there hasn’t been any huge culture shock and even the weather is fine, considering we have the same weather at home but five to ten degrees colder.
"From what I understand, Nyenrode is very unique, also by Dutch standards. People always tell me “Yeah, this is not Dutch, it’s just Nyenrode”. The campus life is intense; it is so unique and special to live so close to everyone and to do all parts of life together.
You grow close to people very fast, and I honestly don’t think you can experience this anywhere else."
Emilia Essinger, BScBA Exchange Student
How would you describe your experience in the classrooms and on the campus at Nyenrode Breukelen?
Many of the teachers at Nyenrode are really good. The classes are small, and as a student you are expected to participate. Due to the class sizes, the teachers will most likely learn your name and you will get to know them on a personal level, which is very unique for a university.
Considering that one of the campus bars is open every weekday, the engagement of the students varies depending on what time the class starts, but in general the classes are interactive and engaging. Most courses are very practical, featuring guest lecturers, company visits and many interactive assignments in class. Like all schools, Nyenrode is currently adapting to an increased use of AI, but most teachers encourage us to use it as a tool rather than banning it from the classes, which I think is great.
"I love the environment on campus, it’s like living in a big, beautiful park. There is always something green outside your window, and taking breaks to walk along the many lakes and canals is very refreshing after spending a few hours in the library.
The social part of living at campus is the most fun and unique part of Nyenrode, and I can already tell that these months will be a cherished memory I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life."
Do you believe having international students is valuable at a Dutch university?
Yes, definitely. But this doesn’t apply to Dutch universities only, but for all education contexts. I think one of the biggest lessons we can learn is to be humble and open to different perspectives and opinions - and mixing people from all around the world is a great way to encourage people to listen to each other, ask questions and to understand our differences and similarities.
Having students from different countries creates a very vivid, social and diverse environment, which is both very fun but also very valuable in terms of learning from each other. It gives us a better understanding of the world, and especially at a university where many future leaders are educated, this is a crucial skill to develop in order to make responsible decisions and fair choices.
What are your goals or plans for the future?
To be honest, I’m not entirely sure yet. I am studying business, so I could probably do something in that domain. After finishing my bachelor's degree in Stockholm in June of 2025, I am planning on moving abroad again for my master’s, probably to Germany or France.
I would like to find a way to combine business with something that I really enjoy doing, maybe something with media or management. I feel very grateful and lucky to have had the chance to study both at my university at home and here at Nyenrode, and I greatly appreciate all the connections I have made and opportunities I have received by coming here.