I write articles and correct texts. That’s how I explain my job as a copywriter and editor to my grandfather. I tend to skip the testimonials, blogs, brainstorms and rewrites that also fill up my to-do list. He’s not exactly fluent in the English-speaking world; he just knows I ‘do something with language’. And that we have an office dog. To be honest, that sums it up pretty nicely.

And yet, ‘language and dogs’ doesn’t quite cover my typical workday. It would take a lot more words to describe my first two months at ZINNIG. From our breathtaking office view over Hasselt to the thoughtful ‘how’s it going’ messages. From the near-death experience of my first boxing class (just terribly out of shape, that’s all) to the very real struggle of putting together an IKEA cabinet. Despite our rich vocabulary here at ZINNIG, we’re surprisingly unfamiliar with words like ‘boredom’.

Fresh talent from West Flanders

Have I learned a lot these past few months? Absolutely! For one, I learned that I can’t escape the occasional West Flanders joke, no matter where I go. And that my colleagues have the uncanny ability to guess the year a song came out (a skill I discovered while playing Hitster at lunch). When they confidently shout ‘1992!’, I feel like the rookie in the room. My recent literature classes are still fresh in my mind, and it feels like I graduated just yesterday, instead of three months ago. At 23, I’m the youngest person in the office, if you don’t count the dog, of course.

But that’s okay. Under the expert guidance of my five fellow zinspelers (meaning-makers), I get all the tips and tricks I need. With a friendly nudge and a pat on the back, they send me off into the world (sometimes literally, to Izegem!) to stretch my creative muscles. From blog posts about serious topics to fun lifestyle pieces, and from social media content to real estate copy and interviews. For the length of one full article, I get to play the expert in all sorts of things.

Truly grateful

When one of my articles shows up online or I have the print version in hand, I feel like I’m in the right place. I wrote this. This is my text. These are my words, in my order, on paper. That sense of pride and that rush of confidence – I wonder if I’ll ever get used to it. I’m so proud of myself for following my love of language and literature five years ago. And I’m incredibly grateful to Evi and Hilde for all the opportunities they’ve given me. The job ad drew me in and the warm welcome convinced me to make the move to Limburg. Though I’ll admit, the incredible coffee machine may have helped seal the deal…