Learnings from year 2

Expanding my interests

One of my biggest changes in year 2 was the expansion of my interests. Through projects like Beekse Bergen and experiences such as the field trip and IAAPA expo, I discovered new areas that I had not considered before, such as zoos, entertainment, and education within leisure.

I also become more interested in marketing and social media, especially because I was already working with this in practice. This combination of creativity and communication started to stand out more as something that fits me.

As a result, my future vision changed from one specific direction (design) to a broader, more flexible perspective where I want to explore different areas before making a final choice.

Personal growth 

Looking back at both year 2 and 3, I can see that most of my growth did not happen in the moments where everything went smoothly.

It happened in the moments where I had to adjust, reflect, and be honest with myself.

In year 2, I already started to become more aware of how I work and what I need to improve. One of my biggest learning points was teamwork.

I noticed that I often took on too much responsibility myself, because I found it difficult to fully trust the process or let go of control. Looking back, this didn't only affect my own workload, but also the team dynamic.

During the projects in year 2, I consciously worked on this. I started listening more to others, giving space to different ideas, and trusting that everyone contributes in their own way. This resulted in better collaboration and outsomes that we could be proud of together.

At the same time, I also became aware of my time management.

At the beginning of the year, I was able to plan well and stay ahead. But as projects became more intense. I noticed my motivation dropping and falling back into last-minute work and unnecessary stress.

This is something that followed me into year 3 as well, especially during the transition period after my internship.
Instead of ignoring it, I now see it more clearly as a pattern I need to break. 

Another important part of my development has been stepping out of my comfort zone. In year 2, I set the goal to connect more with classmates, but also with people in the industry. Looking back, I can see how much this has grown. I built new friendships, expanded my network through LinkedIn, and made valuable connections during projects and events.

This gave me more confidence in how I present myself and where I stand as a young professional.

Throughout the year, I also received feedback during projects and coach moments that helped me see myself from a different perspective.

It made me realize that I tend to lean strongly into my creative side, which is one of my strengths, but that I still need to develop structure, consistency, and discipline to support it. This became even more clear at the beginning of year 3, where I struggled with motivation and focus. Instead of seeing that as failure, I now understand it as an important signal.

It showed me where I need to grow:
- In maintaining discipline, even when motivation is low
- In managing my time more effectively
- In staying engaged, even when something does not immediately interest me

At the same time, it also confirmed what gives me energy. When working on things that align with my strengths, like marketing and storytelling, I feel more involved. This awareness helps me make more conscious decisions about my development going forward.

Looking at my growth as a whole, I see a clear shift.

From mostly doing and reacting, to becoming more aware, more reflective, and more intentional.

I am starting to understand not only what I do, but why I do it, and how I can improve. And even though I am not there yet, I now feel more responsible for my own development.

Not just following the process, but actively shaping it.