1. You have to be a nerd to study at university
Let’s start with what might be the biggest misconception: only nerds and hyper-intelligent people go to university. Wrong! Okay, university can sometimes be challenging, and you do have to work hard, but you definitely don't need to be Einstein to study at university. Showing commitment, keeping up with your work and asking for help when you're stuck is just as important as being a bright student. You will see that studying isn’t as much of big a deal as people might make you believe.
2. The BSA is impossible to pass
As a first-year student, you will have to face the binding study advice: a minimum number of credits you must acquire in the first year in order to continue your studies. This may sound quite stressful and difficult to pass, but it is actually not that bad. Now, I don't mean to say that you can sit back and relax in your first year and everything will fall into place automatically ;). But if you put in effort, stay on top of your work, attend your lectures and don't leave everything to the last minute, you will be fine! So don't let it stress you out too much, and don't forget to enjoy your first year of studying too. It would be a shame to spend it constantly worrying about the BSA when that’s really not necessary.
3. All students drink and party every night
Sure, if you want, you can find a party somewhere every night, whether that’s at someone's house, in the city centre or at a student association. But there are also plenty of students who would rather play sports, play games with friends, binge-watch a series or do something else. There are so many types of students that you don’t need to worry if you don’t fit the stereotype. So, if drinking or going out isn’t your thing, that's totally okay!
4. You have to be the stereotypical student to join a student association
In the Netherlands, student associations are usually associated with beer-chugging and hazing – a bit like the American fraternities and sororities. Sure, there are plenty of these types of student associations in Enschede as well, but that's far from everything. There are also lots of student sports associations (more than 50!), study associations, cultural associations, international communities and even student associations without any kind of hazing. So, you really don't have to be the stereotypical student to join one.
5. Teachers are unapproachable
When you think of university, you probably immediately think of distant professors with fancy titles. Yet nothing could be further from the truth! At the University of Twente, you can usually call your lecturers by their first names, and most of them are very approachable and involved. You can just visit them in their office or send them an email, and (usually ;) ) you will get a quick response. So, not that much of a hierarchy!
6. Lectures are large-scale and impersonal
You might imagine university as sitting in a huge lecture hall with 200 other students, listening to a professor talking non-stop for 3 hours while you take notes. Fortunately, at UT, this is often not the case! Most lecture rooms are much smaller, and lectures are often interactive. You will also regularly have tutorials, practicals and projects in smaller groups, where you actively engage with the material with other students, while student assistants or lecturers are there to help.
7. You won’t have any free time as a student
Studying is (usually) a full-time job, but that doesn't mean you have to study 24/7. Sure, you do have to put about 40 hours into your studies every week on average, but as a student, you are also pretty flexible. Your week is not completely packed with lectures, and you can plan your self-study time however suits you, which means you also have plenty of free time. So, there is also enough time for nights out, spontaneous weekend trips, hobbies or a part-time job!
8. Once you choose your studies, your whole future is set
Once you start studying, it doesn't mean your entire future is set in stone. Do you find out along the way that your chosen study does not suit you so well after all? Then it is always possible to switch studies. Your future career isn’t fixed either: many academic studies are very broad, giving you way more options than you might think at first glance!
