StayRotterdam, Student Stories #1: Nora
Uni-Life & StayRotterdam created a beautiful opportunity for us to come together. When I first heard about the platform I was really positively surprised about how fast it is possible to create a connection.
All the discussions I love to go to at Uni are now happening online and that’s great! Even though everything is happening virtually, mostly on Zoom or in written form, there is still a sense of being connected. Of being in this together. While it’s fun for me to meet some of my ‘old’ friends there, it’s also really cool to meet new ones.
I can see how many people are interested in similar topics as me- just like when you go to real life workshops and you keep running into the same people. It’s almost the same here. No matter if workshops or meditations, we meet each other again on the screen.
It’s a beautiful co-creation. So many people are actively involved in creating the space to hang out for others. It feels like this sudden urge to re-connect with people brought out a huge potential to become creative. Just knowing that this platform exists now and that there are always spaces in which I can exchange with like-minded people gives a feeling of community to me.
I guess, in the end, we all long for human connection. In times of isolation, we might have more or less of that available at home.
This platform makes it possible to acknowledge this basic human need and to be proactive about it. When some of us might feel like nothing is under control anymore, StayRotterdam offers an opportunity to reclaim self-agency and actually do something about feeling uncertain, lonely, or sad. I’m grateful that this space is created and is still being created by all of us. It’s for everyone, everyone is welcome. It might be just what every university needs. Thank you Uni-Life and their joint effort with StayRotterdam for setting it up.
Nora
