Interview with a Current Student — Meet Jeremie Gros!

April 2021 — By Ken Colombe

Hey Jeremie! Hope you are doing well. Could you please introduce yourself?

I was born on the Ivory Coast of Africa before my family moved to Singapore and then finally France. My nationality is French like my whole family is French, but I was fortunate to live in many different places.

With that in mind, I came to Maastricht for a bachelor’s to study Financial Economics. Also, I went back to Asia for an exchange in China. After working for a little while, I decided to come back for my MS to study Human Decision Science (HDS).

Since have been to many places, could you describe some main differences you realized (regarding the mentality or the university itself)?

The teaching style with the PBL was unlike anything I was used to. I like it because it is a nice combination of personal work before coming to class and then you come together for the tutorials or lectures.

Also, despite being a smaller city, the international environment is not an understatement. In my main friend group from HDS, we are eight people from seven different countries. It leads to some misunderstandings at times (usually in funny ways!).

What’s your favourite spot in Maastricht / what is a MUST DO?

One of the first things I did when coming back was to get a UM Sports subscription. They have a full range of classes which allows for everyone to find something they like to get moving.

The city has a real charm to it, especially the fact it is built with so many green spaces. I always like to go on a picnic with friends whether it be at Tapijn, Stadspark, or hiking up to Sint Pietersburg.

And — one of the most important questions — what is your GO-TO restaurant/food in Maastricht?

Cato by Cato by far is the best student meal in town. It is in a prime location very close to different faculties and the Inner-City Library.

In the Wyck area there is an awesome restaurant called Burgerlijk that has an awesome selection of premium burgers (vegan ones too) and they do some cocktails.

Best pizza in town is right next to SBE at a place called Piano B. It is the closest you might find to a Naples style pizza.

Do you have any advice for future SBE students?

Take your workload seriously. It is, of course, manageable but maybe take some time to get used to. Alongside that find the right balance between schoolwork and hanging out with friends or travelling.

Secondly, find a support network of whether it be friends from your study, advisors, or professors. Go to events in the beginning like Inkom or if your study organizes meetups before classes start.

What are your plans for the future?

I am not in the process of writing my thesis while getting ready to do a MS exchange in Seoul, South Korea. After that, I will look for my next work opportunity.

Thank you so much for taking the time! All the best for the future!

Best,

Ken