They are here, the first students born in the year 2000. Sometime in their school career they skipped a year, and ended up at university at the age of 17. What characterises this Spotify generation?

Student of Medical Biology Lotte van ’t Oosten (3 March 2000) loves Snapchat, but she’s definitely not addicted. ‘I don’t have trouble putting away my phone to study.’

Snapchat or Facebook?
‘Definitely Snapchat! I don’t use Facebook much; I think it’s a bit too formal. I read it from time to time, but hardly ever post anything. How many snaps do I send per day? Three, perhaps. I mainly receive things from other people.’

Dutch or European?
“European. The Netherlands is too small for me. And I don’t like Dutch food much.”

Loan or job?
‘Right now I can only work weekends because my job is still in Kessel, in Limburg. Once I get a bit more used to Nijmegen, I’d like to find a week-time job here. I don’t have a student loan yet: my parents are helping me out.’

Festival or concert?
‘I really can’t choose! I LOVE festivals, but at concerts I feel the artist is really there for me. And I’m there to see that specific artist, so it’s more personal.’

Alcohol or drugs?
‘I don’t do drugs. Older friends of mine sometimes take stuff at festivals. I prefer alcohol; I really enjoy a beer from time to time.’

Webshop or store?
‘Stores in town, for sure! My favourite places are Utrecht or Amsterdam. Or Maastricht, there’s lots of nice stores there.’

Netflix or cinema?
‘I use Netflix for series, but for films I’d rather go to the cinema. Pity it’s so expensive now, because I think it’s a fun outing.’

Live at home or rent a room?
‘Rent a room. Minimum one and a half hours commuting there and back is simply too much. Plus, I wanted to get away from Limburg. I really enjoy living in the city: it’s lively and there are always people around. Lots of my schoolmates left for the city but are planning to come back home once they graduate. I don’t. I’d rather live in a big city, preferably abroad. Boston, for example; I find it a really attractive city.’

Computer Science student Matti Eisenlohr (26 June 2000) comes from Germany. To learn Dutch, he followed a language course and watches Dutch TV. ‘Dutch sounds so much cuter.’

German or European?
‘Here in the Netherlands, I feel more German than ever. But when talking about America, I feel more European. I think it has to do with contrasts. Deep down I feel German. Even though I love the Netherlands. I love cycling and the cities here are more beautiful than in Germany.’

Festival or concert?
‘I’ve never been to a festival, but I still think I’ll choose concert. It’s a bit calmer… What I enjoy listening to? Solid Rock. Nirvana, Foo Fighters, that sort of thing.’

Loan or job?
‘I prefer a loan, because I want to concentrate on my studies. The pressure to succeed is high. It’s because of my parents. They are both highly educated, and always got high marks. They do put pressure on me, but that’s a typical German thing. I simply have to succeed. Luckily I get a bit of money from Germany.’

Alcohol or drugs?
‘Alcohol. It’s the only drug they use in Germany, besides tobacco of course. Actually, I’m not allowed to drink yet, but during Orientation week, I did have a few drinks. It’s a strange feeling, because in half-an-hour I can drive across the border and there I’m allowed to drink. So I’m already used to alcohol.’

Webshop or store?
‘Sometimes my mother comes back from town with bags full of clothes. I also prefer shops myself. I’m quite big, so I always have to try things on first.’