From BSc to MSc at WUR: My Expectations

Helloo again!

It feels a little strange to say this, but my bachelor’s journey at Wageningen University & Research (WUR) is coming to an end. After three years of courses, practicals, group work, deadlines and many hours spent on campus, I will soon be starting a completely new chapter: my master’s!

Although I am continuing at WUR and staying in the same small, cosy student town, I expect the experience to be quite different. I will be following a new programme, meeting new people and, most likely, facing some new challenges along the way. Of course, I cannot know exactly how the next two years will go, but that is part of the excitement, though!😄

Today, I would like to share some of my personal, social and academic expectations as I move from BSc Food Technology to MSc Food Quality Management. Aka my “vision board”  if you will, haha.

Starting with the AID

If you have read our recent blog about our summer plans, you probably already know that I will be at the summer “Breaking Ground” Annual Introduction Days (AID) as part of the 2026-2027 ESN Board.

I expect to have a lot of fun there, and I hope to create the same feeling for the incoming students too. Starting university in a new country can be exciting, but it can also be slightly overwhelming. During my own AID, meeting other students and becoming familiar with Wageningen made the beginning of my studies much easier.

This time, I will experience the AID from the other side, and I will be one of the people helping newcomers feel welcome.🤗

Being part of the ESN Board will probably keep me quite busy during the year as well. Still, I am looking forward to organising activities, meeting international students and showing them that student life at WUR is about much more than only studying. If you want to experience more of the student life and join all kinds of events with your peers, definitely consider becoming an ESN member. Pssst, you also get many discounts, including for Ryanair and Flixbus!🫣

Making My BSc Official

Before fully moving on to my master’s, I am also really looking forward to my BSc Graduation Ceremony in October. One day, a couple of hours even, but worth mentioning. After three years of effort, it will be special to finally make it official. I am especially excited to see my friends and me holding the diplomas we have worked so hard for.

Keeping My Current Connections and Making New Ones

One of the things I appreciate most about my bachelor’s is the people I met along the way. After spending so much time together, you get used to seeing the same faces around. You go through exam weeks together, celebrate finishing group projects and somehow manage to turn a quick coffee break into an hour-long conversation. And definitely don’t forget the moments spent outside university exploring different cities!🌎

Now, as everyone moves on to a different master’s programme, university or even country, staying connected may require a little more effort. I hope to stay in touch, even when our schedules and study paths become a bit different.

At the same time, starting a new programme also means entering a new community. I expect to meet people from different academic and cultural backgrounds, which is something I am really looking forward to. Some students may come from food technology, while others may have studied business, quality management or another related field.
Hopefully, this mixture of backgrounds will bring many different perspectives into both the classroom and our conversations outside it. And, of course, I hope that some of those new classmates will eventually become close friends too!

Deepening My Knowledge of Food Quality

During my BSc Food Technology, I built a strong foundation in food chemistry, microbiology, processing and the structural and functional properties of food.

Now, with the MSc Food Quality Management, I would like to specialise further and explore how food quality is managed throughout the entire food chain.

Food quality is not determined only by the final product. It is influenced by ingredients, production processes, company decisions, regulations, supply chains and, of course, the expectations of consumers. I am interested in understanding how all these elements are connected and how companies can consistently produce food that meets the required standards.

I also expect the master’s to involve more independent thinking and more choices about the direction of my studies. This freedom sounds exciting, although choosing between several interesting options can sometimes be a challenge, haha.

The Internship Battle

And then, of course, there is the internship.

We all know that securing an internship can be tough. It often requires a lot of preparation, research, applications, waiting and perhaps a few moments of questioning whether anyone has even opened your CV.😆
While I am well aware of this, I’m still hoping that the process goes (relatively) smoothly.

More importantly, I hope to spend those months at a company where I can learn what it is really like to work professionally in the food industry. I’d like to apply the knowledge gained during my studies, but also learn about the everyday dynamics of a working environment.
University teaches you a lot, but working within a company comes with completely different lessons. An internship might be challenging, but it may also become one of the most valuable parts of the programme. It could help me discover which type of work suits me and which direction I would like to follow after graduation.

Recap: A Familiar Place, but a New Chapter

Moving from a bachelor’s to a master’s feels like both a continuation and a fresh start. Wageningen, the campus and the daily cycling will remain familiar, for which I’m super happy, as I’m not ready to let them go yet.🦗🚲 At the same time, I will begin a new programme, meet new people and take more responsibility for my own academic direction.

I am looking forward to seeing what the next two years will bring.😊

Are you also moving from a bachelor’s to a master’s? What are you most looking forward to?

If you’re a newcomer to Wageningen, I have just the tips, tricks, and the packing list you need! Check them out!😉

See you around,
Zlatoslava