The Advisory Board, the Fantastic Four of the Marvel Universe if the Fantastic four were ridden with crippling student debt, overwhelming pressure to perform well in a very competitive jobs market and some severely damaged liver. It is time to meet the members who provide the board of AEGEE-Groningen with advice, guidance and support during their board year.
First up is The Lizzinator, The Annalyzer, Anneeeelieeeeeeeees! Annelies is someone who needs no introduction at AEGEE. After being in the Hitchhiking Committee and Introduction Committee in ‘16/’17 and the Activities Committee in ‘17/’18, Annelies decided to up her AEGEE game in ‘18/’19 by becoming the President of AEGEE-Groningen. Besides, she was also the Local Affairs Director and the chairperson of the SAC. Annelies is one of the most caring, kind, bad-ass, strong, awesome, party-hardy and fun person within our association. It is often said that the moment Annelies enters the room it fills with a lily scented aroma and lightbulbs tend to brighten up by 150% causing temporary blindness. Superman’s weakness is Kryptonite, Annelies’s weakness is that she loses her wallet quite often!
Welcome to the most important part. Hopefully you’ll recognize yourself in this situation: do you have that one person in your life, that you can always count on? Who always puts words into actions? Who also is super sweet, funny, smart and beautiful? Well ladies and gentlemen, I have just described the one and only Tamara Koekkoek. Everyone needs a Tamara in his or her life, at least I am glad to have this specific Tamara in my life. Some fun facts about Tamara:
- I actually never call her by her own name. My preference goes out to TamTam, but TamTamTamTam is also a good one. You can come up with any variation with Tam in it, and you’ll be fine.
- She no longer can tolerate beer and coffee after her board year, which are two very essential things. If you ever find her in the Brouwerij, bring her a mi nt tea or something please.
- She adores elephants. So, again, if you ever find her in the Brouwerij, bring her an elephant.
- If you want to know more about this amazing person, she is really easy to talk to! Send Tam a massage with questions you might have (does Tam think the earth is flat perhaps?!). Don’t ask her out on a date by the way, Neepan has already got there before you (sadly!).
Time to introduce our highly-experienced chairman of the Advisory Board, Paul Veldhuyzen a.k.a. Paul Fieldhouses – those buildings with a lot of sports facilities. I am not sure if Paul is as sportive as his surname suggests, but he surely likes games, both online and old-school board games. The feeling of leadership is not unfamiliar to him, as he was at the helm of this beautiful association in the year 2016-2017. You say Paul, you say a lot of worstenbroodjes and bitterballen. “A day without Dutch appetizers is a day wasted” can be a motto of our dear Paul. Just like, “The more patterns on my clothing the better”. With his dry humour, he knows how to create a good atmosphere everywhere he goes. Paul has a lot of experience with giving helpful and constructive criticism and therefore he plays a vital role within the Advisory Board.
Last but not the least, Neepan. The man who can’t do everything. But he can do most things. Neepan’s passion is a force to be reckoned with within the Counsel Of Advice. In every meeting he has all of the accurate details in order and he knows what needs to be done. Give advice? He can do it. Something that is still on my (chicken) bucket list (and should be on everyone’s) is eat KFC with Neepan. Eat KFC? He can do it. Back in the day, Neepan was the European Affairs of the XXXth board of AEGEE-Groningen. Manage AEGEE-Groningen? He can do it. This man studies medicine like a champ. Diagnose Corona? He can do it. What can’t he do you ask? He cannot swim. But soon, Neepan will be able to do even that. At which point we should all just quit because he would have beaten life, and what are we but pebbles on his road to glory.
