Campus

OWee profile: being a first-year in 2020

Starting university in a world changed by Covid-19 was unexpected, but first-year industrial design engineering student Maurits Dekker is taking it in his stride.

Maurits Dekker: “Before Covid-19 I kind of had mixed feelings about the introduction programme because I’m not really big into alcohol.” (Photo: Harry Stuurman)

“I’m from Leiderdorp which is like 40 minutes away from Delft by train. It’s my first year and I’m going to study industrial design engineering.


In my second year of high school I did a project at school with some friends where we built a guitar. We visited TU Delft and when I heard about industrial design engineering, I knew it was for me. Since then I have just been learning about what I needed to do to follow this course of study. I came to some open days to see what a day was like for students and I was just in love with it. I was so happy when I heard I was accepted.


Before Covid-19 I kind of had mixed feelings about the introduction programme because I’m not really big into alcohol. I was thinking that at OWee I would have to drink lots of beer and I’m not really good at it. So I was kind of nervous, but I was really looking forward to making social contacts and lots of friends, which is good for your studies. Then came Covid-19 and everything changed.


‘I hope it doesn’t last like this too long’


I didn’t get to do my final exams for high school so it was already kind of a weird year for me. But right now, with the digital stuff and some of the physical days at OWee I quite like it. Of course, it’s not what it used to be, but it’s ok.


The way it works is amazing, you just go to the websites and everything is organised really well. You just push a button and you can see everything you want to see. Everything is working and the associations are doing a great job. So I’m getting to know the associations and TU Delft in general. 


A few weeks ago, I got an email about my classes saying I would go for two partial days to the university and the rest of it would be online. I hope it doesn’t last like this too long.”



Heather Montague / Freelance writer

Editor Redactie

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