Student blogs

First of all, I want to congratulate everyone who has been accepted into the Nutrition Science master programme! You might have started your semester already and I do wish you a wonderful ride ahead. In this blog, I will cover some topics on how I survived the previous one-year nutrition science programme which I hope can give you some insight. Here there are:

Pay attention to the schedule.

You will be given the schedule for each course ahead of time. Make sure you pay careful attention to the schedule, especially on the mandatory classes, individual and group assignments, presentations, and final home exams. I usually planned my week based on this schedule and made the most of my weekdays for studying, so I can have my weekends off and enjoy them with my family! Some extra tips: come to the campus earlier, grab your coffee, and enjoy a nice reading in the fancy rooms or corner of the library before the lecture begins.

Be independent learner

Most of the time, you will be provided articles, reading materials, and some videos. However, I found that some extra on literature searching (KI library has a workshop on this, make sure you check it!), and reading, can add extra help to your learning process. Another thing is to try to attend lectures as many as you can, even if it’s not mandatory. You’ll surely benefit from it.

Read and discuss more

You might not have that time to read everything, but you can make a reading list of important books/materials/guidelines/reports that would help you to learn comprehensively. For me, reading the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2012, the EAT-Lancet Commission report, and several WHO guidelines (especially on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour) was advantageous. Moreover, try to reflect and discuss on the reading or lecture with your classmates. You can do it casually or while doing your group assignment. It would not only hone your knowledge but also create an opportunity to open up your perspective and learn from each other.

Strategize (and enjoy!) your thesis

When it comes to the thesis, my first suggestion would be to start early. Without being too ambitious, thinking about your topic of interest earlier will help you in navigating your thesis process. Make time to read about the research groups at KI (or even outside KI) and their ongoing projects, before you decide on your thesis project. If you envision yourself to pursue PhD in the next stage of your career, you can also try to find that chance and discuss it with your future supervisor.

Once you find the topic and research group to work on your degree project, enjoy the process! It might be challenging, but you’ll learn a lot during the process. I found it was not easy, too, yet I passed, so don’t worry, you’ll certainly get it!

Have fun!

It’s not all about the lessons, studying, reading, presentations, and exams. Don’t forget to have fun! Try to get to know your classmates and do fun things together. I would also suggest involving in any extracurricular activities (for me, being a digital ambassador was truly a fantastic experience!)

So, what’s next?

I’m already back in my beloved home country, Indonesia (I don’t realize how much I miss my home until I’m home). Up until now, I’m still figuring out the career path where I can contribute more to the nutrition-related problem in my country. One thing’s for sure, I will continue in my interest, which is childhood nutrition, especially early life nutrition. I’m still not sure, whether I would stay in academia or back to the clinical setting, thus I guess I should expose myself to as many opportunities as I could. So, if you’re still not sure of the future ahead, don’t worry, we all are!

Perhaps, this would be the last time you hear from me (on this blog, of course). Soon, you’ll hear from the new blogger which I’m sure will share a lot more interesting and exciting things! Thank you for accompanying me during my study! Hope you find my blogs helpful! If you have any questions or simply want to connect with me, just shoot an email to seprilimbong@gmail.com!

See you when I see you!

Bye! Hej då! Sampai jumpa!