Long-term student Alex Sinke: ‘I was asked more and more often when this party will come to an end’

Beat the drum and sound the trumpets: Alex Sinke (25) has graduated. After seven years, he has obtained a bachelor’s degree in Online Culture, Art, Media and Society. After board years at Animo, ESN, Link, committee work at a bunch of other associations and photographing countless events, it is now time for him settle down with a job as recruiter.

1. What did you want to be when you were a child?

‘When I was in high school, I actually wanted to be an architect. For a very simple reason, I can’t draw at all, but I wasn’t bad at perspective drawings. I really enjoyed doing that. Of course, I soon found out there is quite a bit more to becoming an architect than a bit of fun drawing. So, I quickly let that go.’

2. What are you most proud of?

‘I’m actually very proud of the fact that I’ve often persevered at times when I sometimes didn’t feel like doing something. Of course, you’re not going to experience anything in your life, you won’t get opportunities, or you won’t get to know people if you just stay at home all day and let opportunities go. It really happens sometimes that something is up, and I don’t really feel like it at all. But certainly with photography you also have a duty. Then I just went and did it anyway and especially on those evenings I met a lot of nice people.’

3. What is a perfect night out for you?

“If you had asked that a year or two ago, I would have given a completely different answer. But now it’s just chatting with a group of friends I haven’t seen for a while. Sitting at a table with a lot of specialty beers. Just snuggle up on a terrace, in winter or autumn under a heat lamp. I really like that. If it ends in the pub, so be it, but I don’t have to do that anymore.’

4. Which movie would you recommend to everyone?

‘Bullet Train with Brad Pitt. In my opinion, that film is real comedy gold. The whole storyline is ridiculously dry and everything is just very well worked out. In the end, the film is very much over the top, but in a healthy way. I can’t watch that movie often enough. It really doesn’t get boring.

‘In general, I like comedies, but in principle everything is good. As long as it’s not a thriller or horror. My girlfriend likes that, but I don’t. Trying to watch Netflix together is sometimes a lot of scrolling. A movie we do like to watch together is Crazy Rich Asians. We both have Asian backgrounds, so that film covers a lot of common ground for us. That’s why it’s a very nice film to watch for us, just last week we watched it again.’

5. You have an unexpected free afternoon, what are you going to do?

‘That would be chilling on the couch and finally watching my YouTube backlog. Since I moved, I’ve built up a large backlog of videos that I still want to watch. I think it’s already 53 videos or so, really not funny, but I don’t  have the time for it. And every time I add something new. Another thing I could do is walk around and take pictures. A bit of playing around with the camera and seeing if I come across something nice. But I think I’d rather watch YouTube, because that’s literally a growing problem.’

‘I re-educated myself by watching all the New Kids movies’

6. What do few people know about you?

‘There is one thing that often comes up, and that is that people often forget that I am half Filipino. Since I came back from Singapore to study in the Netherlands, I have behaved a bit more Dutch. I like to go along to all the things I get an invitation to and things like that. I like to sing along to all the Dutch songs, and I re-educated myself by watching all the New Kids movies. I think that’s why people forget that I’m also half Asian, actually. Not that it keeps me awake at night, but it just strikes me.

‘Also, that a lot of people never really knew what I actually studied. Because I have been present at many events as a photographer, or as a board member. Then what I study doesn’t immediately come up. I’ve often been asked: oh, are you still studying here? Yes, for my bachelor’s degree. Actually, in my graduation ceremony I sat in a room with people who were the TOP children of my TOP children.’

7. Who is your role model and why?

“I think that must be my father. My father is a very independent man, who has always worked very hard for, in his words, the money. My dad has been through a lot and started working at a young age. By now he has also seen every corner of the world. I do notice that in some opinions I differ from my father, but in my work motivation, my drive, I can really see that I am his son.

‘My parents also understand that it took me longer to complete my studies. That I just wanted to do other things besides studying. They knew that despite the fact that I wasn’t graduating, I was still busy with other things that were good for myself, in terms of self-development. In the last two or three years, they have of course asked the question: when will this party come to an end? I’m very happy that I had their support, that I could do everything I wanted to do.”

8. What annoys you?

‘Just ask all my former fellow board members: if someone didn’t do their job without a good reason. If they were too busy, or it just didn’t work, or someone doesn’t respond, and you can’t move on. So be it, that can happen. But if you just fail to do it, what are you doing? You often have a tight deadline and if things aren’t done, that can definitely be a problem. You do a board year like this out of commitment to the association, so do it well, you know.’

9. They say you learn the most from your mistakes. What’s your best blunder?

‘Not preparing well for a job. Then you stand there, and you don’t really have a clue what you’re doing and you just look like an idiot. Of course, it’s a cliché that you must make mistakes to learn, you know? It has happened with photography jobs where I thought: it will work out, I know that environment. But then it’s different and you’re in trouble. Then you have to think very hard and improvise. I don’t like doing that anymore. Just keep it easy for yourself and prepare well.’

‘Now that I’m becoming a little more bourgeois, maybe it’s time to get some more sleep’

10. What should you actually do (more)?

‘Sleep. Get more sleep, anyway. I am often awake until very late. Because I’m doing photography, or DJ-ing, or you name it. To the point that my body is used to me sleeping a lot less. Therefore I can function reasonably well on the next working day. In a way I’m happy with that. But from a health point of view, it’s not very smart. So now that I’m becoming a bit more bourgeois, maybe it’s for a change and get some more sleep.’

11. What do you do during the holidays?

“Take pictures. Take lots and lots of pictures. People believe that you should have a good time on your holiday. But my way of doing that is taking pictures, so too bad if you don’t agree. I just like to capture everything on camera. I like to take pictures of places where you don’t go very often. That’s my way of having a fun holiday.’

12. Netflix of Spotify?

“That’s not even a question: Spotify. Definitely Spotify. Netflix means constantly scrolling until you find something you like and with Spotify you will always find something you like. I listen to everything, really, without rhyme or reason. It varies from hip-hop, to something like drum & bass, to a bit more relaxed, or more poppy music. Really everything you can think of.’

13. No more meat or no more flying?

‘That depends on whether we live in a future in which trains are cheaper and also faster. I’m really not averse to trains, but with the current prices: sorry. I really like trains, but it’s just not feasible. So right now, I would give up meat. I can live fine on a tofu diet, that’s totally okay with me.’

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