A new season begins for college and university. Many first-year students start with a study: a phase of life in which you take a new step towards independence. Open to new knowledge, other friends and a different city.
When I went to study in Leiden from my hometown in Zeeland, a whole world opened up for me. But at the same time I went 'home' every week for the first year. That my home was no longer. A new step raises questions about your roots. Where are you at home?
For many students, relocation and change play a major role in their lives. Many choices are short-lived and fleeting. But not just for students. Never in history have so many people moved as now: some voluntarily, others forced. The theme in the LSE last year was therefore: Leiden, city of refugees. Migration - in many ways - is therefore an important topic. When many things become fleeting, what will go with you through your life? The trick is to notice new possibilities and leave behind what is not necessary.
With migration, the roots are under pressure. Many stories in the Christian tradition tell of the desire to 'be at home' and the burden of being displaced. But also about the possibility of renewal, sometimes even the need to leave home. Motivation and spirituality are important to dare to face and take on these challenges. To look for solutions together, trust and faith are needed.
At LSE we are also in a migration: old methods do not work. Students no longer come to ask for a discussion circle about nuclear weapons, as they did in the 80s. Many people are looking for personal development by getting started practically and by taking initiative: by starting an association or their own company. A problem, however, is the mutual competition: from primary school onwards it is all about individual scores and performance. Through training, reflection and meditation you can develop personally as a person at LSE.
Recently I saw a fragment about the initiators of the Netherlands' first walk-in center, in a neighborhood in Amersfoort - it still exists. They went to great lengths to defend their initiative. I admired them, but also noticed how typically 80s their attitude was. In their time they had to fight the space for such an initiative, and above all: they had to find that space within themselves. A lot will change in 30 years. Looking back at those images, it brought me to the insight that it is necessary to leave certain things behind in order to keep up with the times. And that brought me to the question to myself: what do I have to leave behind to be up to date in 10 or 25 years?
You cannot leave your roots behind: that is precisely what motivates your study choice. But you can leave aspects behind. The better you can leave behind what is unnecessary, the more boldly you can reach others. The more you are able to get past your roots, the more receptive you are to what someone else has to offer: new friends, or teachers or others.
Taking new steps requires leaving behind. If you can leave behind, you'll have your hands free for something new. You only find innovation in contact with other people. In it you can find out what is going with you continuously, and what is leading you in the right direction.
Rob van Worth
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