HANNA & JOHAN

HANNA DIJKSTRA
‘I had played in the Frisian Youth Orchestra for a long time and switched to Bragi last year. They were still looking for a secretary, and I was persuaded to join their board. The funny thing is, at that time, I hadn’t even done my audition yet!

Johan was the chair of the board.

We board members felt that we needed to exercise more. Johan had a Basic-Fit membership that allowed him to bring a guest along. So we went there together. Afterwards, we drank a coffee at his place.

In early April this year, we went out for a very fancy dinner. A couple of weeks later, we drove with his car to ’t Nije Hemelriek,
a recreation area in Drenthe. A beautiful place with a man-made lake. Johan already knew the place. We found a bench, far from the other benches.  That's where he asked me to be his girlfriend.

I previously had a three-and-a-half-year relationship with someone who was also in Bragi. We lived together for six months.
I was 19 when I moved in with him, straight from my parents’ home. My parents and grandma advised against it, but I thought:
I make my own decisions. Living together sped up the process of us growing apart.

Johan and I agree on a lot of things. We share the same passion for coffee, music, and both enjoy making music with others in an orchestra. We’re not online much, and we don't really watch TV either. We love being outside or playing a game. And if we disagree on something, we can discuss it perfectly well.

Our time on the board has ended. I’ve also completed my Bachelor’s thesis, which kept me very busy last year. Now, we have more time for each other, and I am happy about that.

Johan is one of the few people in my generation who has never had braces. This means he has a very nice, natural smile. He’s also a
bit taller than me, which is quite an achievement, considering I’m
1 metre 87. As my options were quite limited, I had assumed I’d have to give up my preference for a taller man. But now, with Johan, I can feel small when he hugs me. That’s really nice!’

JOHAN PRAAMSMA
‘I first met Hanna in 2023. Bragi was going to perform a Mahler symphony, and I helped organize it. Hanna wasn’t a member yet but came to play along during rehearsals. A beautiful girl! I thought it was interesting that she studied pedagogy. I remembered her name, which is a great deal for me, as
I often forget names quickly.

When she became a member last year and immediately joined the board, which I chaired, it brought a great dynamic to our meetings. We had plenty of discussions. We both seemed to be very fond of a bit of banter too.

In February 2024, we travelled by car on behalf of Bragi to a concert of the Dutch National Student Orchestra in Utrecht. Perfect. It gave me the chance to ask her everything: about her outlook on life, her future vision, and whether she wanted children. At that time, Hanna was with someone else. But I thought: I’ll ask anyway, so I know what my options are. Before starting a relationship, I like to have clarity on a number of important matters. That saves a lot of time. A previous relationship of mine actually went on for too long because we didn't discuss things openly.

I think things can work out well between Hanna and me. We see some things in life differently, but nothing we can’t discuss. Hanna is open to many things and is emotionally stable. She also wishes to start a family, just like I do. These days, having a family isn’t something people our age think about much. It’s all about having a career.

When she became single again last March, I asked her out to dinner. Our first official date. I had bought a nice new shirt. It seemed she couldn’t even wait for that date, as the day before, she apped me asking if I could help her pick up a bin from IKEA by car. She had recently moved. I went with her to IKEA,
but on my bike. I carried the bin of about
50 litres under my arm. You don’t need
to take a car to get a bin, do you? I am Dutch, I can do everything by bike.’

JOHAN PRAAMSMA (25)

BA in Liberal Arts and Sciences (class of 2018-2021), held various jobs afterwards.  Started his Pre-Master’s programme in Spiritual Care in September 2025; double bassist, and chair of Bragi's board during the past academic year

HANNA DIJKSTRA (22)

BA in Pedagogical Sciences (class of 2021-2024), now pursuing a Master’s degree in Orthopedagogy; first violinist at the Groninger Student Music Association Bragi since 2024, and secretary on Bragi's board during
the past academic year

PROPOSITION

In a relationship since: 27 April 2025

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Also lost your heart during your studies and still together with your UG love? Would you both like to be interviewed for this column? Tips are welcome at redactieB5@rug.nl.