Via field hockey to Princeton
That her college years would take place in America was not something Ophélie had planned long in advance. "Actually, it was very last minute," she explains. "I was in my final exam year and didn't quite know what I wanted to study. In the Netherlands you have to make a choice right away, whereas I wanted to discover what suited me. Through someone from my field hockey club in Maastricht I heard about the possibilities to study in the US. With the help of a mediation organization, I made a profile and a video, which was sent to coaches in the U.S."
Not much later, Princeton came into the picture. "They happened to have another spot available on the field hockey team. Everything went very quickly: taking tests, applying, visiting. Once I was on campus, I immediately felt this was the right fit for me. Not only because of the university itself, but also because of the system in the U.S.: you are both a student and an athlete, and you get the freedom to try out different subjects during the first few years." Ophélie eventually chose a bachelor's degree in Economics with a minor in Political Economy.
Student-athlete in the U.S.
Life as a student-athlete was intense, but also special, Ophélie says. "Every day was packed. Lectures and studying during the day, training with the team in the evening. Free time I often still spent on campus, with friends or at the so-called eating clubs, where you eat, study and get together. Of course, sometimes I missed my family, but I had a close-knit team and also family friends in the Princeton area. As a result, I quickly felt at home."
Campus accommodations were typically American: "I shared a small room - including bunk beds - with another student my first year. You eat in the dining halls and the campus actually provides everything. Very different from the Netherlands, but that's exactly what makes it a unique experience."
New phase in Paris
After her bachelor's, Ophélie moved to France, where she is now working on her master's at Sciences Po in Paris. "The master's in International Economic Policy ties in nicely with my studies in America. But my life alongside my studies here is completely different. I now live in an apartment in the city center with a roommate. I cook my own meals, have fewer contact hours and more freedom. It feels more mature, especially compared to the campus culture in the U.S."
Paris suits her just fine. "It's a beautiful city where there's always something to do - museums, events, cafes. Still, I see it more as a place for my studies than as my future home. The lifestyle here is a little later and more relaxed, while I might feel a little more active in cities like London or Amsterdam. But if a nice job in Paris came along, of course I wouldn't say no."
Broadening horizons
Looking back, Ophélie is immensely glad she took the plunge abroad. "It broadened my horizons tremendously. You become more independent, more entrepreneurial and you discover that the world is much bigger than the Netherlands. For me, this makes it feel very natural to think about a career in Brussels, London or elsewhere even after my studies."
What the future holds, she does not yet know exactly. "Maybe I'll do a PhD, maybe I'll stay in the consultancy in which I'm currently interning, on European Union projects. I'm open to different possibilities. What is certain: I want to keep that international outlook."