Margarita Kolokasidou
About Margarita
Hi! My name is Margarita, I’m twenty years old, and I am mixed; half Cypriot and half Russian. I’m in my second year of European Languages, Cultures and Politics. My major language is Russian, and I chose the Politics in Society profile. In my free time, I enjoy dancing, cooking, and going out with my friends. I was appointed as a student member of the Programme Committee. Aside from my academic activities, I am a salsa workshop teacher at the student association of social dances.
Why European Languages, Cultures and Politics?
After spending a year studying International and European Law, I realised that what I enjoyed the most in my degree was the cultural and linguistic dimension of my studies, for example, the different interpretation methods used in article application, and the impact cultural shifts had on the formation of the law. After thoroughly researching the degrees the university offered, I concluded that the ELCP programme fit my interests best.
I chose this degree because I have always been interested in languages, and I wanted a programme through which I could develop my skills, while learning about topics like history, cultures, and politics. What really helped me make this decision was researching the program structure along with the master's options this degree offers, and talking to other students. The flexibility to combine a language with the option of customising my courses as I see fit convinced me that this was the right choice for me.
Why Groningen?
I always considered the Netherlands a great option for my studies due to the high-quality education and wide range of English-taught programmes offered at Dutch universities. I already had a connection to Groningen due to my sister, who completed her master’s studies here. I would use my visits as an opportunity to explore different universities, but the one that won my heart was Groningen.
It is such a beautiful city, with a warm atmosphere and a lively spirit. Thanks to the high number of students with diverse backgrounds and interests, Groningen has a community that embraces anyone who arrives. My personal favorite part of this community is the dancing scene. Did you know that there are at least 3 dance socials happening in the city weekly?
Future
After sampling the different courses in my first year, I have decided that i want to pursue a politics related career; the university offers some great masters options such as International Security and Euroculture. I don’t really have a set degree i want to follow yet, but I have plenty of time to decide. Don’t worry if political studies are not your cup of tea. This degree is very flexible, allowing you to explore different paths and change the direction of your future studies relatively easily compared to more traditional degrees. If politics don’t work out in the end, I am considering fields like legal translation, as it would combine my background in law with my passion for languages. As someone who values many options, I find the wide range of master’s options available after completing ELCP very reassuring.