“When I finished high school, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to study. I loved working on creative projects: for example, those assignments where we had to develop imaginary products and present them. We’d make up slogans, create ads, and even shoot videos, and that was always the most exciting part for me. I liked the idea of working in marketing or communication design, maybe even advertising — but I didn’t have a clear direction.
Then, I found the Bachelor’s in Communication Science at the University of Twente. I liked that it covers communication, design, user experience, and digital media — all the parts of how people interact with ideas, brands, and technologies. Before applying, I signed up for a Student for a Day where I learned that each module in the programme combines theory, research, skills, and a hands-on project. I liked the idea of solving real problems and coming up with new communication solutions.
Impact of technology
One thing that stood out to me early in the programme was learning about algorithms. We worked on social media content strategies: making posts that could reach a wider audience by, for example, using subtitles or specific hashtags.
We also learned how algorithms can manipulate people not only by showing them more of what they want to see but also by excluding certain groups. For example, algorithms might show women more ads for babysitting jobs and men more technical job ads. The algorithm itself isn't the problem, it just executes what it has been taught. Those who create and train the algorithms might unintentionally teach them to exclude certain groups. That’s so important — being aware of the huge impact of media and technology on people’s behaviours.
Diverse projects
One of the best things about the programme is the projects and group work. I’m learning so much about teamwork, how to divide tasks and to listen to different ideas. One project I enjoyed was creating a social media campaign around one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. My group chose quality education. We came up with a campaign to help parents overcome language barriers that impact their children’s learning. We used social media to promote events and make information more accessible to them and learned how important it is to adapt your message to specific audiences.
Another exciting project was in the user experience module. We had to design and pitch an app to “investors”, who were in fact alumni and professors acting as investors. My group decided to create an app that would list all events in Enschede, allowing people to connect with others attending the same events—basically, a social platform for everyone who might not want to go to events alone.
We started by interviewing people to understand what they wanted in an app. Then, we created a prototype and pitched it to our “investors.” I’ll never forget how proud we were of our app—until someone told us it looked outdated, like Windows 2000! It was a humbling moment, and it taught us to be open to feedback and always use it to improve. This project also made me even more interested in user experience and design.
Looking ahead
I’m still figuring out what I want to do in the future. I enjoyed the user experience module, and I could see myself exploring that further. But at the same time, I’m interested in advertising and the creative aspects of communication. What I do know is that Communication Science has already opened many doors for me, and I’m confident I’ll find my path.”
