After graduating from secondary school, Puck knew one thing for sure: she was going to study at VU Amsterdam. But she hadn’t settled on a programme yet. In the end, she chose Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology, which brought together her interests in history, geography and other cultures. Puck: “I chose the international track because being in a classroom with students from other cultures, you get to put anthropology into practice right away.”
Rather than focusing on high grades, Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology is primarily centred around the bond between teachers and students, which is possible thanks to the programme’s relatively small scale. Puck: “The scale of the programme allowed us to build personal relationships with our teachers. They were always very approachable.” According to Puck, the close ties between teachers and students are the programme’s core strength, and something that makes sense in the field of anthropology: “If you’re teaching anthropology, you’re interested in people and the relationships between them, so of course you’ll want to know who your students are and where they come from.”
During her Bachelor’s, Puck acquired skills that she still uses today. The programme pays a lot of attention to critical thinking and self-reflection, for example by looking at the role of researchers and trying to recognise that they can influence the results of the studies they conduct. Puck: “We anthropologists are aware of the fact that we can’t observe a situation as a fly on the wall.” Students also learn practical skills, such as interviewing and writing. Puck: “You really learn how to take the reader on a journey through your anthropological research.”
Besides her studies, Puck also served on the programme committee during her first two years, after which she joined the Cultural Anthropology department’s staff as a teaching assistant. Her work as a teaching assistant was very diverse, ranging from organising career events to starting a podcast. Puck: “I always really enjoyed getting involved in the department.” All her extracurricular activities did not go unrewarded: in 2020, she received the Student Talent Award.
During the course of her studies, Puck realised that she wanted to follow her passion in history after completing her Bachelor’s degree in anthropology. By taking a minor in history at VU Amsterdam in the third year of her Bachelor’s programme, Puck prepared herself for her Master’s. Currently, she’s pursuing a Research Master’s in Modern History and International Relations at the University of Groningen.
Once Puck has completed her degree, she’d like to continue her development in academia. “My academic interests keep expanding, so my intention is to find a PhD position in the field of history.” Puck’s one piece of advice to future students who can’t decide what programme to pick? “Follow your passions.”
