Motivational speeches by GRL students

As part of an assignment in the course Psychological Perspectives on Leadership and Organisations, students wrote beautiful speeches to motivate each other to keep up in these difficult times.

Mirjam Kingma, Gabija Savickyte, Julia Strack Diaz

"While dishes, assignments and stress seem to be piling up and bringing you down, use it to climb up and reach for the stars! While you're climbing you will see that your neighbours are struggling just as much so why not help each other and climb together - because alien you can only reach the clouds, but together we can reach the stars. At end you will notice and look back that that pile of trash was not holding you back, instead it was what bringing you up."

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Naomi Waterman, Nick Baumgart, Hannah Huber, Jasmine Hufferd, and Cosimo Bianchi

"Dear fellow students,

These are extraordinary times we live in, some of us might feel like they have reached rock bottom. Just know that it is okay to not give a 100% at the moment, and to feel like just surviving. It is okay if your motivation is lacking these days. It is okay to not be okay. We can be proud of ourselves for still managing to study, join classes, do the readings (or not) but also being a generation that learned to deal with the drastic changes that came forth out of this pandemic. We had to adapt to a new virtual learning environment, without the joys from face to face interactions and small breaks in the sun in front of the Beurs. Or even just a brief chat when getting a coffee.

But know that we slowly start feeling the sun rising. The days are getting longer and brighter. We know that we can see the hope emerging from the horizon. Although it might still be cold in the morning, the flowers are starting to bloom along with the opportunities that the future will bring."

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Tomas van Hermon, Max Eisenbart, Lilly Sodeman, Franzi Schweitzer and Theresa Görs

"Dear all,

We can't deny the elephant in the room - our situation is shit...

We know it is frustrating not being able to see your friends, study together and not experiencing the life of a "real student" that everyone was always talking about.

But keep in mind summer is coming! Just a walk in the sun will cheer up our days, we will finally be able to see each other outside - instead of just online - and the next BBQ is waiting already!

For the time being, keep holding on! Start a new hobby, gardening seems to be very attractive, and give your grandma a call! We seem to be divided, but we are all in this together. Together, we can go through this successfully!

And if nothing else helps, just think about the endless bragging rights you will have when you are older and how you will tell your grandchildren how you survived this pandemic!

You can do this!"

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Henriette Pijl, Aukje Sina Zijlstra, Anniek Barendregt, Paul Kramer, Linus Niemann

"Hello everyone!

Times have been really challenging for all of us during the past year.

We all struggled with having to stay indoors, missing friends and family or not being able to travel. However, we are all in this together!

We believe that even hard times like this can bring great opportunities, especially mentally!

Things that we were often too busy for in the past, like critical reflection of one’s own life and goals, meditation or individual sports, are now possible, THANKS TO CORONA! Therefore, let's make the best of this temporary situation!

We can look forward to drinking our first beer again on the terras, dancing at a festival or traveling to a place far from here. Up until then, let’s enjoy the online gatherings, schoolings in our pyjama bottoms and working on our mental development.

But most importantly: Keep loving life!"

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Roos van der Veek, Gerian Kuiper, Hendrik Willemsen, Leila Belkhiria and Nini Schick

"Fellow students, we are all on a big ship together. You might see the sun go down, leaving us stranded on the ocean in darkness, but like always, if you look at the horizon, the sun will come up again. Even if we get thrown down by a big wave, another wave will be there to take us back up. As long as we are all on this ship with each other, there are plenty of things to do to keep our heads above water.

And even though we sail close to the wind, each crew member can focus and work hard on each hole that lets water through. We should select each member’s strengths and focus on motivation in order to see our well-deserved golden sunset. Let’s put all our hands on the mainstay (rope) guiding our ship in the right direction.

There surely is very little to do on this ship we’re on. We might be locked up in our little cabin, alone or maybe with some company. But either way, there is very little to do. In order not to suffocate from boredom, it is vital to keep looking for small tasks to perform or to learn new things. This is a time of self-development and self-improvement.

Let us keep in mind that we all have the same goal, that is to survive on this ship where we are stuck (lockdown) and to reach land. There on the land is where our common goals lie.

We have survived this vast ocean for so long, despite the tides changing every now and then (press conferences/different measures). We have already come so far. Now that the sun starts to shine more and more again, we can see what we are waiting for.

We are all still locked in a gigantic ship on the wide blue ocean. The ocean is full of disasters, misfortunes and sadness that want to bring us down. However, we can fight against the waves of misery as we are not alone. In contrast, we are all in this together and can fight the waves that come towards us. On this ship, we will find ourselves and complete this study. It will be difficult and hard for the individual; however, as we keep together, we can achieve the impossible: finishing the study with extraordinary results while being happy and fulfilled.

I know that we can do it as long as we keep together in this long and wild journey on the ocean.

Let us say it together: We can do it.

We can do it."