Wittenborg Staff and Students Share Their Festive Season Activities

13.01.2025

Wittenborg’s Winter Vibes: How Staff and Students Spent the Festive Season

As the festive season has drawn to a close, Wittenborg staff and students reflect on how they have been spending their winter. Here’s a look at what some of our community members had in mind.

Hossein Safaee, a Digital Marketing student from Iran, shared that he would be travelling abroad during the festive season. His main purpose was to visit his family. "I’m looking forward to family time the most," he said. Hossein mentioned that he didn’t have specific winter goals, and his main focus was to relax during the break. "I don’t have anything specific about winter in the Netherlands except relaxing." He also enjoys spending time with friends and family during the festive season.

Teotzin Hernandez, an Education student from Mexico, had plans to travel to see family and friends. "The main purpose of my journey was to meet family and friends," he explained. He was especially looking forward to visiting his father and mother. Teotzin shared that he enjoys the Christmas markets during this time of year and looks forward to experiencing them. "Christmas markets are always something I enjoy," he said. He was also working on his thesis during the festive season, as it remained a priority.

Maryam Shahpasandzadeh, an MBA student from Iran, planned to focus on finalising her graduation assignment over the festive season. "I’m going to focus on finalising my graduation assignment," she shared. If all went well, she hoped to visit her family in March to celebrate the Iranian New Year. Maryam also looked forward to finding a job with an international company. "I’m looking forward to finding a desirable job in a big, international company with many local colleagues," she explained. One of her favourite aspects of winter in the Netherlands was the festive atmosphere and lights. "I enjoy all these beautiful lights and happy people getting ready to welcome the new year," she said.

Seyed Hejazei, an MBA in Entrepreneurship student from Iran, didn’t have specific plans for the festive season. He focused on conducting research for his lessons and exploring potential internship projects or companies that interested him. Seyed shared that he was always open to new experiences or hobbies and looked forward to trying new things. "I always like new experiences or picking up a new hobby," he said.

Senior Lecturer Zijian Wang planned to travel to Curacao for some much-needed relaxation. "The main purpose of my journey was relaxation," he shared. In addition to unwinding, Zijian was focused on setting his goals for 2025. He was particularly looking forward to the sun, as he wasn’t fond of the cold Dutch winter. "I enjoy the sun the most," he said. While he didn’t have specific festive traditions, Zijian remained open to new experiences. His advice to other students was simple: "Make the most of the time to rest and recharge."