My life as a convex function

I still remember my very first day here at Tilburg University, almost four years ago. I was 17 at the time, and even more nervous than right before my Statistics for Econometrics exam. This feeling was not in the least suppressed by an acquaintance of mine, who had me convinced that econometricians have a maximum word count per day of sixty (!). I wasn’t the biggest chatter myself either, but I did not want to spend the rest of a day in silence simply because I already talked with a fellow student about the weather. What had I gotten myself into?

Luckily, my TOP-week was just as awesome at it is was exhausting; you must have heard our Geel14 yell by now. Besides, I learned an important lesson that week: econometricians might sometimes be less outgoing at first, but if you take some time to really get to know them, you have found yourself some great new friends. It was also in this week that I first heard of Asset | Econometrics, but like most students, I had no clue what I was registering for at that time; something with book discounts?

Soon I learned more about Astrics, and though I cannot recall the first time I set foot in the Asset | Econometrics rooms, I do know that I felt awkward and out of place. Who were all those people working behind their desks, and what were they doing all day long? It was only afterwards that I realized they were, in fact, the board of Asset | Econometrics and that they would spend the rest of their year on those few square meters. They all acted very friendly, but as a true econometrician, I did not feel comfortable right away… It took quite some activities for me to feel as at home at Astrics as I am right now, sitting behind my desk in E1.10 with my beloved Hendrik the Cow.

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Over the past few years, I’ve been through quite a lot of ‘firsts’ at Asset | Econometrics. My first time at an Astrics drink, knowing only a handful of people in the room (awkward!), my first time at Astrics’ Active Members Weekend, knowing two handfuls of people (still awkward, but less, since there’s lots of beer involved). As time progressed, they changed into a different kind of ‘firsts’: my first business interview for Nekst, my first time as a cantus singer, my first time organizing a formal event. There were both supremum and infimum moments, but overall, my life was a pretty convex function.

These past four years at Asset | Econometrics have brought me numerous activities, experiences and (company) contacts, but most importantly: I’ve made tons and tons of new friends. All in all, it’s just made my student life so much better, for which I will be ever grateful. Since you are reading this article, you must be in some way associated with Astrics. Let me ask you a question: what has Asset | Econometrics done for you? A guideline to help you study, a fun activity with new friends, some insights in corporate life? It’s a great start, but I can guarantee you, Astrics can offer you so much more!

I can guarantee you, Astrics can offer you so much more!

I do not want to come across as some Jehovah ’s Witness, I do not believe Astrics is our lord and savior R’hllor and I will certainly not come preaching at your door during dinner; I just hope you do not think of this article as the last, confused words of a senile, old woman. Asset | Econometrics made my time here in Tilburg so much better, so why not give it a try? Why not go to one of the drinks you usually do not go to, or show up at one of the Monthly Afternoons? All members, both active and passive, are more than welcome to such activities!

Of course, passive members can also become active upcoming academic year. For those of you interested, you can find out more information about becoming active during a non-binding conversation (a so-called ALG) with our lovely internal affairs Anouk (another advantage: you get a free cookie!). Just send us an email or drop by at the rooms in the Esplanade building. I hope to see all of you next year during one (or more) of our activities!

Text by: Ennia Suijkerbuijk

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