I guess I should be thinking about what to do next year. As an American, I believe this question carries with it more weight than for Dutch students. For Dutch students things are stretched out. For instance, they start university a year or so later than most Americans. They are given the flexibility to take time off from university or take longer to graduate without being penalized financially (though this is changing.) They work throughout their studies for movie theatres, dry cleaners, grocery stores. Then the government helps subsidize a masters. And they all have internships. Internships are a big part of the academic curriculum here. They are seen as great ways for students to learn what they like; and great work experience. They intern for museums, at law offices, for non-profit organizations. It does not seem as cutthroat as in America. During this time, they might take off a year or two and volunteer in South America, teaching empowerment through sports to children in a slum. They have a wealth of experiences. And then they are 26 or 30. Then they pick a career.
This is what I told my mom, trying to make her believe that it’s okay if I do not pick my career for life this autumn.
Recently, I spoke to a Harvard professor who I ran into who happened to be on sabbatical in Holland (we shared a cab and started a conversation…) She noted the difference in pace between Holland and Harvard. Granted, Harvard has a reputation for being high-stress. Nonetheless, she must be so relaxed in Holland. She is probably thirty or thirty-two. While being here, she has met a Dutch man. This woman has worked her whole life to get to the point where she is: a tenured professor track at Harvard. When I asked her what she looked forward to in the future, she mentioned the possibility of staying in the Netherlands for good and teaching here, she mentioned the guy. It seemed funny to me that she would switch paths so quickly. And yet, life is more relaxed here in a way. In Holland, the year is peppered with breaks, like fall break, for all employees. And people are required to retire at a certain age. In Sweden everyone gets at least a month off for summer vacation.
The point of that anecdote is not to suggest that I’m going to live in Holland (my rent expires in August.) It is merely to illuminate the harried pace of life we get into. Often, we have no choice. I am blessed to not be burdened with paying back lots and lots of money (due in large part to this Rotary fellowship.) Because of that, I can have a more Dutch-paced life. If I want. And so, I’m thinking about the amazing value of internships, of travel, of exploration. And, I'm keeping my options open.
I need to restate a lot in this post. For U.S students I believe we are expected to know what job we should have for the rest of our lives right away. For Dutch students, it seems they are given more time to figure this question out. This does not always mean that Dutch students have a less stressful life. For example, one student pointedly told me that they need longer to have internships and build their resume because there is an expectation that students will have lots of work experience at a young age. Earlier I wrote that this did not seem "as cutthroat as in America." Now I am not sure. What is clear is that Dutch students take a longer time figuring out what they want to do and working in several fields, or in the same field at different locations, building experience. This is not better or worse than in America, just different.
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