17-year-old Elif Akin from Istanbul (Turkey) has travelled all the way to Nijmegen to start her biology bachelor at Radboud. Now, she is excited to meet new people – and a bit anxious about the Dutch weather.

Why did you choose Radboud?

‘I knew that I wanted to study in Europe and I learned more about the Dutch education system through a friend of my mother’s, so I looked into it and found Radboud to be the perfect match.’

How do you like Nijmegen so far?

‘It’s my first time in Nijmegen and the city is so clean and quiet when you compare it to Istanbul, where I’m from. I think I’ll like it here.’

Did you already find a room?

‘Yes, I did. There was actually an issue with the university. I first thought that I wasn’t accepted, but that turned out to be a mistake. I had already looked for another room in another city and then had to start the process all over again.’

What are you most looking forward to?

‘I’m looking forward to meeting new people. And I heard that Nijmegen is the oldest city in the Netherlands, so I’m curious about getting to know more about Nijmegen and its history as well.’

Are you a bit nervous about something?

‘Even though I’m looking forward to meeting new people, I’m also kind of anxious about that. And, since I’m from Istanbul, which is a much warmer city than Nijmegen, I’m a bit scared of adapting to the weather here.’