How to Recognize the Rotterdam Economist

How to Recognize the Rotterdam Economist

It is already time for my last blog on educations.com and this time I want to talk about something different. Of course, the city of Rotterdam and its university are lovely. It’s one of the best places in the Netherlands, Europe (top 10), or World (top 100) to study, but what makes us different? Especially, what makes a soon-to-be economist studying in Rotterdam different than any other? To know the answer to this, I give you my guide on how to recognize a real, typical Rotterdam economist.

Looks

First, the looks. Of course, every economist looks different, and in Rotterdam this is no exception. The Rotterdam economist sometimes has his or her hair messed up by the sudden wind and rain we have over here. However, this is hard to distinguish. Also, the way they like to dress is always different for everyone.

Some like to wear a suit all day, where others find it comfortable to walk around in a simple hoodie and pair of jeans, and still some enjoy sporting our lovely faculty colors, so this is nothing new. Usually, due to the weird weather here no one knows how to dress themselves, so you will see people in raincoats, t-shirts and flip flops, and winter jackets passing by almost at the same time.

So setting aside clothes or facial features, you will spot the real similarity. The real Rotterdam economist sends off a vibe. It can be difficult to verbalize but can be described as a really nice, comfortable, go-with-the-flow tolerance. They are open for conversations and give off the vibe that you are free to do and think about anything you want. They might not agree with you, but will never get angry or upset with you for thinking or doing something differently.

Together with the multiculturalism that the Netherlands are famous for, you will feel very welcomed as an international student in Rotterdam. They don’t mind who you are, where you are from, what language you speak (the Rotterdam economist is namely known for its really good knowledge of English), or how you think, you can excel in your own way here.

Attitude

In addition, what really distinguishes an economist in Rotterdam from the rest is their attitude. He or she is practical, sometimes direct but also (randomly) kind. Studying at Erasmus School of Economics makes you not only think about economics in a theoretical way, but also lets you think, experiment, and discuss subjects and topics on a more practical matter.

Thanks to their close ties with the business world in Rotterdam and beyond, a Rotterdam economist knows how to take theory and put it into practice in real-life. This also translates into the directness that a Rotterdam economist demonstrates.

Mostly, they like to say what they think or how they think something should go. They don’t like to beat around the bush and want to get straight to the point. Some people might find this to be a bit too straightforward, but just remember, this is how a Rotterdam economist is meant to be.

If you have found them a bit too direct, he or she will probably make it up to you with a random act of kindness. I say random because this can be the case for locals across the Netherlands that you have never even met. Perhaps it is just to hold the door open for you, give you a random compliment or say that there is a bug on your shoulder- you can count on everyone from the Netherlands to randomly be open and ‘wall-less’ to you.

Transportation

Lastly, I think the most telling sign that you have found a Rotterdam economist is to see what kind of transportation he or she uses. Of course, seeing someone ride their bike to work or university is a common occurrence.

But have you ever seen someone ride a bike through the rain holding an umbrella in one hand, two grocery bags in the other hand whilst making a call with their headset, zigzagging between the oncoming traffic of cars, pedestrians and trams and keeping a constant speed as if they are riding the Tour de France? Then you know you really are dealing with a Rotterdam economist.

I want to thank you all for reading my blogs and hope I have given you a nice view of what it is to study at Erasmus School of Economics at Erasmus University Rotterdam. If you want more information about our education, research or if you are just interested, don’t hesitate to take a look at our page or check out our Facebook channel!