January
Global Game Jam as a volunteer
Being a University student living in an overpriced room with two cats while planning to go abroad later in the year means that you don't have a lot of funds to put into extra things. Being a creator means that you love to challenge yourself to come up with new things, to try new things, and to put a little extra pressure on yourself. Global Game Jam gives you the opportunity to do all of these things together with others.

Unfortunately, Global Game Jam is in January, after the holidays, the time where your student funds have really come to their lowest point in the year. Participating as a volunteer in the organisation was a great decision. I got to see the creative process from an outside perspective, I got to talk with new friends and old friends. It was an incredibly valuable experience, one that I would love to experience again.

Goodbye Bowie
I've watched Labyrinth 4 times this year. I miss you.

Let's write a book.
I started writing a novella. Without (hopefully) sounding too narcissistic, based on experiences in my youth that shaped me into the adult I am now. I'm still writing, it's not easy, but it's something I want to do without pressure. So far, I'm happy with the content. Since it's so personal it's not always the best idea to pick it up since it can inflict my mood pretty heavily. Main goal: no pressure, all in good time.

February
Let's try this D&D thing.
Thanks to Hannah, I met Birk(SCORE!). Back on topic: thanks to both of them, I got to experience 5 months of a D&D campaign which meant weekly nights of chatter, of adventure, of cooking together, sharing our stories together. I loved it, and sometimes I miss it. (Andreil the retarded Paladin might return again someday!)

UI seems pretty cool. Yeah let's keep doing that.
Ending my second year of IGAD meant that I had now gained experience in different areas of game design, team management and project management. At the start of the third year, I was completely sold on going into Narrative Design. I'm extremely happy I decided to drop that after 1 block to go into UI design.

I've now been a UI Designer for a year and I can say I'm still very much enjoying it.My technical knowledge isn't quite there yet, but thanks to being surrounded by lovely helpful patient people it's getting better day by day.

March
Muse
A band that nowadays is considered mainstream, one of the greatest, the biggest, the best performing, the richest, and a lot more. 15 years ago, Bliss was aired on Dutch tv station TMF in 2001. It remains to be my favourite song by them. That's 15 years ago, which is an amazing amount of time to look back on. So many things have changed; in my life, in theirs, in the world, in all aspects big and small. And 15 years is nothing!

One of my favourite changes in those 15 years though, is that my father and I are now able to share and enjoy music together. It's the first time that my dad and I went to see a Muse concert together, and it was absolutely wonderful!

New friends in unexpected corners.
It was a little awkward to meet you, but I'm glad we did. I'm thankful to have a friend like you in my life. Someone who has such different experiences and perspectives, yet with such similar feelings and values. Thank you for being you, for your honesty, your kindness, your advice, and your trust.

'I love you.'
It's probably my favourite 'I love you' I've heard in my life. It was so genuine, so you, and so unexpected. I'm happy that after the initial shock I decided to run back to find you, and made sure to tell you that I love you too.

April
Scotland: part III.
After falling in love with Scotland in 2014, and after falling in love with Scotland again in 2015, it seemed only natural to do a road trip together with my dad this year. It was a great decision. We talked, we shared, we cried, we let go of stupid things that became trivial in our current lives, and we got to know each other better. We met some new lovely folks that were kind enough to share their homes and their stories with us and allow us a view into their lives.

It's funny, but as I get older my dad and I are becoming better and better at being buddies. We talk about things and share things with each other that never in a million years I thought would be possible. Also, damn, the guy has amazing music taste.

May
Internship is a go! WHAT DO I DO?
In May, I got the incredible news that I've been hired as an intern UI Designer at Coffee Stain Studios! My heart skipped a beat, I jumped up and down, I walked through the classroom with a huge smile on my face. It's happening! Then, the realisation struck me: it's happening. I have friends and family here. I have a boyfriend here. I HAVE TWO CATS HERE. PANIC. THIS IS THE TIME TO PANIC.

I tried my best to remain levelheaded, to not get caught up in the rush of it all. There are times where I was 'gone', my head in the clouds, or I was compiling mental to-do lists.

June
Hello old, new room.
In a one year time span, I had moved from my apartment, to a student room, to go back to my old room at my dad's place, to move to Sweden. It was an odd sensation to be back in a room I spent my teenage years in. Right now it's as if I'm just in dire need of finding a place of stability. A place to build on. We never know what life has to offer us in the future, but things are looking good. :)

July
I guess it's long distance then? a.k.a. let's spend shit loads of time with the people I love.
July was the month of rushing. Of getting paperwork sorted, of moving into a temporary place, of saying goodbye to friends, family, pets, places. Of making sure that everyone knew how much I care about them. Of making sure that everyone knew how much I was going to miss them. I hope I managed to do this well.

August
Hamburg, Bremen, Glasgow, Skövde
Hamburg was gorgeous, although the impact and grandeur of the city made me feel lonely. Bremen is a lovely place, and I'll never forget cycling past the Becks factory while smelling the new beers being produced. Glasgow is in my heart forever, just like the lady I visited. Skövde is home to Coffee Stain, a place I love to be a part of.

September
Ch-ch-changes
Swedes are different, but I like them. From what I can see, a lot calmer and contained than what I'm used to of the Dutchies I've spent time with. It's known that Swedes are the hardest people to make friends with; it takes a bit to poke through the shell, but once you have it's all good.

October
About this long distance thing.
The distance itself is not the hard part. It's the hello's and goodbyes. It's being together again, knowing that it won't be long. It's the moments when all you want to do is wrap yourself around each other but you know that you HAVE to let go. It's trying to keep a smile on your face as someone walks away when all you want to do is cry, because you don't want that to be their last memory of you.

Long distance has definitely made me a stronger person. Long distance has made me better at communicating. Long distance has made me better in finding out why I act the way I act or why I feel the way I feel.

Most importantly: I am madly in love with this dude.

November
Stockholm, Frightened Rabbit,
Frightened Rabbit. I love this band. SO MUCH. Not much to say there. The concert was amazing, the concert venue was beautiful. The location was breathtaking. We took a walk and looked over the craziness of Stockholm city. People living. As much as everyone.

December
A box of Dutch goodness.
My father sent me a box of Dutch food that was IMPOSSIBLE to get here. It felt so satisfying to eat erwtensoep, stroopwafels, hamka's, all these things that I never thought were possible to miss in my life. A can of erwtensoep and two extra rookworsten still await to be devoured. Soon.

Counting the days.
The last week my head has definitely already turned on vacation mode. I just can't wait for the day to be over so Friday is closer. I can't wait to get into that plane and see everyone again.