‘My First Year, My First Book’

Tábata Vilches is an upcoming second-year student in the International Communication programme. She arrived in Groningen from Spain with a strong academic purpose: making her time at Hanze valuable by embarking on a meaningful professional journey.

‘I was looking for a strong communication programme, and after conducting extensive research across different European countries, I came across International Communication. I looked into students’ experiences, watched content like the Hanze Talks YouTube channel, checked out the Instagram page, and read more about the courses. It just really clicked with me, so I decided to apply, and here I am!’

A Supportive University

‘We had 'The Entrepreneurial Mindset', where we had to create and promote a product or event. Many classmates organised things like flea markets, but I decided to create and publish a photography book. I pitched the idea to Hanzemag, they loved it, and now my book will be available to the whole Hanze community. I’m currently working on personal projects related to content creation, and starting in September, I’ll be working as a visual storyteller for the Honours Programme. I also plan to start looking for internship opportunities for my third year and explore possible destinations for my minor abroad. Japan is high on my list, as I’m deeply interested in its culture. Indeed, during the ‘Digital Marketing Communication’ course, I designed a project that involved interviewing the Japanese digital marketer for Vivienne Westwood. It was very motivating!’

The Gezellige Groningen

‘This programme gives you space to bring your own ideas to life. The teachers are incredibly supportive and open-minded, even if your idea sounds a bit crazy. Whether you succeed or not, they’re always willing to help you grow. Groningen, as a city, also feels very young, international, and welcoming. Before moving here, I lived in Barcelona for a couple of years, and the difference is huge. While I’ll always love the cosmopolitan vibe of Barcelona, Groningen offers something completely different. It’s “gezellig”- cozy, calm, yet still full of life. Don’t limit yourself by just doing the minimum, not necessarily to "achieve greatness", but to learn more, challenge yourself, and grow. Hanze also offers a lot of tools, resources, and opportunities, and you shouldn’t be afraid to use them.’