1. What was your favourite subject during your student days?

I had my first “aha! - I really find this interesting” moment during Professor Patrick Vyncke's “Semiotics” classes and later also during his classes on consumer behaviour. This led me to delve deeper into persuasive communication, especially the role of emotions, which still fascinates me.

2. Have you ever failed an exam? If so, which subject?

I think I failed the “Historical Criticism” exam in the first year of my bachelor's programme. There was no score on my transcript, just a letter. That exam took place the day after my birthday, and I had only read the book once. I never had a second chance, so I guess I was failed. Strangely enough, it's the first-year course I remember most.

3. What is the strangest thing you have ever done to relieve study stress?

We only had exams once a year (bliss!) and they sometimes lasted until the beginning of July. However, the last weekend of June is when the Garden Party takes place in my hometown of Beerse. Missing that was not an option at the time. So I went partying just before my last exam. I passed, so it definitely helped!

4. What was your most memorable student experience?

My entire student life was a memorable experience. Not because I did so many special things, but mainly because it was a unique, free time.

5. Did you ever have a student job? What was it?

I did holiday work twice for a month at the rehabilitation centre in Pulderbos. I had to clean and work on the dishwashing line. I also did assembly line work at a plastics factory and spent a month doing all kinds of tasks in the accounting department of a company that made attachments for forklift trucks.

6. If you could go back in time, what advice would you give your younger self?

My younger self is better placed to advise my current self. My younger self was chill and felt little pressure. I would love to ask her for some tips.

7. If you hadn't become a professor, what would you be doing now?

I might have stayed at the research agency DIMARSO, where I started right after graduating, for a long time. I would have started my own agency later and become a fancy marketing guru.

8. What was your first thought today?

SNOOZE.

9. What is your favourite book, and why?

I don't have a favourite book. There's always a pile of non-fiction books next to my bed, which I read at random. Actually, it frustrates me that I don't read fiction more often. I waste too much time on useless things.

10. What music or artist do you like to listen to?

Eefje de Visser. Her recent concerts at De Roma and Trix were exceptionally good. Also: The War on Drugs. They're really great live. My daughters and I are also big Billie Eilish fans. We saw her at the Sportpaleis a few years ago: an unforgettable concert! So yes, I really enjoy listening to those three artists.

11. If you could meet one historical figure, who would it be and why?

I don't feel the need to meet anyone from the past, except my father, who passed away almost 28 years ago.

12. What is a travel destination that is still on your bucket list?

I don't have a bucket list and I've already been on many wonderful trips. If I had to think of a trip, it would be the “classic” tour of Greece. I've never been there and now that my children are starting to show an interest in classical antiquity, I think it would be nice to do that together.

13. How do you like to spend a free Sunday?

On Sunday mornings, I love going swimming with a group of friends in the pond at Boekenbergpark. We are members of the Deurnese Ijsberen swimming club. It's wonderful! In the afternoon, we eat pistolets with the family. In the afternoon, we visit my mother in the Kempen region. In the evening, we go to a show at De Roma.

14. What is the most enjoyable thing you have learned recently (outside your field of expertise)?

Pilates reformer! This workout method was invented by Mr. Pilates, who used it to help wounded soldiers recover during the war. Because many soldiers were unable to get out of bed, he attached springs to bed frames to add resistance to the exercises.

Now it is mainly practised by hip, matcha-drinking young ladies, although I identify more with the soldiers of yesteryear.

15. What is the most adventurous thing you have ever done?

I'm torn between a three-day trek through the Taman Negara rainforest in Malaysia, where we slept in a cave and on a makeshift platform, or that exciting night-time trip to the Sahara... in Lommel.

16. What is your most precious possession?

My house, because that's where my loved ones live and I really enjoy being there myself.

17. How do you relax?

With yin yoga. I highly recommend it.

18. Do you have a hidden talent that your students don't know about?

Unfortunately not. I can do many things reasonably well, but I don't really excel at anything.

19. When you look to the future, what do you see?

I see a lot of AI. Who knows, maybe it will make our job as professors redundant and I will be able to play board games with my colleagues for many years to come, because we will have to work longer anyway.

20. What is the most important lesson life has taught you?

Not a lesson, but a piece of advice I picked up from Thé Lau, just before he died. He said that people shouldn't be so quick to be afraid. That has always stuck with me.