The importance of reflecting upon the past year cannot be understated – especially since I did not take the time during the year to look back.  Equally important though are my goals and aspirations aimed toward the future: this is where I apply my findings of the now. The curriculum leaves a relative abundance for personal influence in year 2 (Y2), most of which I already determined as a drain for extra-curricular activities and reparative courses. Instead of using my second year at the TU/e to further indulge in the world of Industrial Design, I instead opt for a step away to evaluate and assess without the pressure of deadlines or exams.

This does not mean I will be doing nothing: next year I will take a deep dive into the inner workings of a (part-time) board year, taking part in the 6-headed theatre association ESTV Doppio. As commissioner of External Affairs, I will focus on getting comfortable contacting external parties. While practising to generate this network, I will participate in the Board year-focused course provided through the first two quartiles of the year by the TU/e itself. Besides that, I will use my extra time to retake basic courses like Data Analytics and Applied Natural Sciences, hopefully ending the year with the full 60 ECTs (plus an extra 5 from the Board course).

Evaluation will be my main goal throughout the coming academic year – highlighting both Industrial Design as a program and the skills I will pick up during my board year. Having a little bit more space from ID will hopefully result in a clearer picture as to what I want to work towards in the following years.