MIKA (2nd year)
“What I like about writing is the ability to create your own story. If you watch a movie or read a book, you experience what someone else has described for you and you cannot change anything. But when you write your own stories, you can just imagine, write whatever is on your mind and be creative. Because of that, I have always loved to write my own stories and even ended up publishing some books of my own. As of now, I have written and published four books. The first three books are part of a fantasy novel series called ‘Heavenar’, which I started when I was 15 and still in high school. The series is based on four continents which have their own characteristics, and it focuses on a group of students from one of those continents who experience different adventures and quests. Throughout the books, the students learn about their world and why it is constructed in the way it is. For my fourth book, I wanted to try something new, inspired by real-life, my own experiences as well as those of my friends. It is a coming-of-age novel titled ‘Perhaps in Another Lifetime’ and the book focuses on seven teenagers from diverse backgrounds who basically experience the transition from a teenager to a young adult including the love, hatred, sacrifice and everything else that goes along with graduating. I continue to write, so I am currently working on three different books, although student life interferes with my writing at times. Also, it has been a few years now since I started writing and publishing my books, and I do see that my writing style has changed and improved. Nevertheless, I am still proud of the books that I published when I was 15 and most importantly, that I did not let my insecurities hold me back from doing so. Every time I manage to publish a book, it is a euphoric feeling, and it makes me feel like I have accomplished something in my life. So, if there is something you are passionate about and there is available access, I would say just go for it.” (Mika, 2nd year, The
Netherlands/Indonesia/Suriname)
