Healthy Habits I Built in My First Year at WUR
By Samir Mammadov
My first academic year as a Master’s student has come to an end, and it has been a time of growth, learning, and personal achievement. One of the most meaningful accomplishments has been the healthy habits I developed during my studies at WUR. Living in Wageningen has a unique way of shaping its students—and I’m no exception. Here are a few positive habits I’ve picked up along the way.
Discovering New Academic Interests
During the first year of my Master’s program (MSc Urban Environmental Management), I completed a diverse range of courses, including both compulsory and elective subjects. As I have been passionate about policies since my early youth, I selected almost all courses that integrate social science and law. In one of my elective courses that I took in Period 2, I learned a lot of theories that shape and analyse policies. This put a seed in my brain for what I want to do for my thesis. Eventually, I picked up on a specific policy on mining and a lecture about power relations, which ultimately shaped my thesis topic that I am currently working on. I am also eager to further work on this subject for academic career purposes. In short, it’s incredibly valuable to pay attention to the lectures and lessons throughout the year—they can inspire your thesis topic, guide your research interests, or even shape your future career path.
Adopting a Healthy Lifestyle
If you have already been to Wageningen, you can look around and see the healthy lifestyle of the people. The residents and students here are generally fitter compared to other places in the Netherlands. You can always see people running, doing sports outside and joining outdoor activities. This influence was also evident in my surroundings—my roommate is involved in multiple sports, and many of my friends regularly go to the gym. This highly motivated me to do the things I had always delayed. Eventually, I bought a volleyball and made a habit of bringing it to lunches at school to play with friends. I also started regularly swimming between classes. Ever since I integrated sports into my life, I have been feeling healthier, happier and more agile. The best part is that there are so many sports to try out, and you’ll almost always find someone to join you.
Another observation I made throughout my stay here is the way people eat. Wageningen does not have multinational fast-food chains like McDonald’s, and the city promotes a healthy eating style. Besides, as almost all students study something related to the environment and sustainability, it’s no wonder their cooking and eating choices are influenced. When I eat with my friends, we never order but cook together. We make sure our food is nutritious and tasty at the same time. As a meat-eater, I was introduced to veggies and products I had never cooked with before. And now, I have more things to experiment with while keeping them vegetarian-friendly. Plus, cooking and eating together boost physical and mental well-being, which is why I spend most of my dinners in company.
Discovering New Things
What I noticed about people at WUR is that they are very curious about trying new things. There’s always something happening around, whether it’s a knitting class or an open mic. Students take a look at posters and find activities that might suit their interests. Initially, I found it quite challenging to sign up for something, especially by myself. Eventually, I pushed myself and stopped overthinking, which became helpful in exploring new things. One of the recent examples was the trail and cycling routes poster I found at the WUR Forum building. I tried one of the routes near Wageningen and enjoyed it so much that it piqued my interest in hiking. It is the best epiphany I’ve had in years! If you are also interested in cycling routes in and around Wageningen, check out this blog!
Studying at WUR and living in Wageningen is more than just those habits I have mentioned. You will explore and discover things that did not even cross your mind. If you have other interesting healthy habits that you would like to share, feel free to put them in the comments below! In the meantime, check out our latest blog on the Pre-Departure Webinar!
Cheers,
Samir
