Next Stop: Ithaca (NY) - Arundhati Singh

How do you look back on your time studying in Utrecht?

Both professionally and personally, my time in Utrecht has been profoundly impactful. My professors, especially Mauro Bonazzi, then head of department (and my advisor), were immensely supportive of my probing new academic topics, encouraging travel and conferences and even endorsing my successful application for an exchange to the Ludwig Maximilians-Universität (LMU) in Munich, for which I wasn’t initially eligible. My research got more thorough, and my writing more nuanced, which I enjoyed. I especially miss this minute way of doing philosophy – it was slower, and we had more time to think. Apart from that, the most important part of my time at Utrecht University was my travels, and all the people I met and the friendships I made.

The Utrecht Excellence Scholarship introduced me to so many people who have changed the way I think, speak, act, feel

What impact has the UES Scholarship had on you and your career?

I probably wouldn’t have done a master’s in philosophy without the scholarship. So, the primary impact was that I could study what I wanted to, without any kind of financial pressure. And I mentioned the Munich exchange, at the LMU. Well, one of my seminars there was co-taught by my now advisor at Cornell, and it was then that I considered applying for my current position! But in addition to that, the UES enabled me to experience different cultures and different ways of reading philosophy. It introduced me to so many people who have changed the way I think, speak, act, feel. I’d say the impact of that was enormous on me as a person.

Are you still in touch with your fellow students from Utrecht?

Yes! My friends from Utrecht are some of my closest friends. They’re all from European countries, which is important to say because it means their lives and perspectives are very dissimilar from mine. They helped induct me into European culture when I was there, and I’ve since visited them and travelled with them. One of my friends, Cato, designed the cover art for my podcast at Cornell, The Pinkonomics Podcast, and was a guest on the podcast as well.

What do you miss most about the city of Utrecht?

Utrecht is a small and quiet city, so it was quite the shock to my system to move there. But I grew to love the things about my everyday life – I miss biking everywhere, obviously. And I miss Dutchies telling me biking isn’t exercise, but a mode of transport. I miss going to the Olympos gym when it’s pouring and feeling proud for having braved the storm, only to see some tall Dutch dude in shorts grinning at me and laughing at my rain suit. I miss the directness of conversations. I miss the nationwide love for peanut butter. I miss how well-connected Utrecht was to every other city. And I miss my apartment, my roommate, and my friends at the ‘Bisschoppen’ apartment building.

What does your average day look like these days?

I’m on leave this semester, and spend my average day doing a lot of statistical analysis. I want to work on some economic topics next, so I’m trying to understand those questions better right now.