Lynn Barsema

About Lynn

Hi! My name is Lynn Barsema, I am twenty-two years old and currently a second year American Studies Bachelor's student. I was born and raised in Groningen and currently live just outside the city. My hobbies include playing and listening to music - I play bass guitar - as well as hanging out with friends, and watching movies.

Why American Studies?

I chose American Studies because of how broad and interdisciplinary it is. I love writing and after visiting an Open Day the contents of the courses convinced me to choose the study. I was excited about the combination of different disciplines and how interconnected all the different subjects are. Within the courses we rarely focus on just one discipline. Instead, we look at history, literature, sociology, politics, economics, art, and more. This allows us to explore subjects we are interested in without the boundaries of a fixed field of research. One of the aspects that really cemented my choice to study American Studies is this freedom to explore and decide on what you want to do independently. This varies from course to course but throughout everything you get a lot of opportunities to pick subjects you are interested in. While a lot of the program focuses on the US we also talk about Latin America, the Caribbean and Canada which offer some nice variety. Furthermore, the issues we look at in the US can be applied to different countries as well. For me the US is an interesting place because they have some of the issues we encounter here in Europe as well, just on a much larger scale. One last exciting aspect of American Studies is the Minor Abroad, which allows you to complete part of your degree in the US (or another country in the Americas). I am planning on going next year and am excited to be able to experience American culture in real life instead of just learning about it from a classroom.

Why Groningen?

The American Studies program in Groningen is unique. The available courses are unlike any other program. In addition to the program itself, the city of Groningen is a great place to study. It has a large student population, which adds to the atmosphere: whether you go out to party, or stay in and study at one of the many cafes. Because the city is actually quite small compared to other places, everything is close together and you can easily move around by bike or on foot.

Future

Because the program is so diverse, there are a lot of fields you can get into after finishing your Bachelor’s degree. Examples of fields students go on to study are journalism, international relations and humanities. Personally I hope to end up working in a creative field such as film or media. However, first I am planning to get a Master’s degree.

Golden Tip

Do not worry about whether you will find there will be too much focus on the US, because you can just focus on what interests you. The program is so broad you will be able to find something that interests you. Another piece of advice, join our studie association EPU, they organize fun events like drinks, trips, study sessions and movie nights. And they are a great way to make new friends and form connections with your fellow American Studies students!