What to specialize in? Design? No, I’ve tried that, it’s not really my thing. Programming? I’ve already learned how to do that. Marketing strategy? Struggled through that. Well, the only option left is information and interaction.
That’s how Corin Donders picked the specialization for his degree in Communication & Multimedia Design. “It would be a waste of time to simply do something that you’ve already done before,” he said. Corin pointed out that, even though it’s a popular area of study within the Hackastory family, every Hackanaut brings their own strengths to the table.
To those who know Corin, it should come as no surprise that he chose a freelancing career over a fixed job. He even went abroad for his internship just because he saw an opportunity to do something different. He says that he needs the change to stay sharp. “I’ve noticed that when I have to work on a project that lasts too long, I start to lose interest.”
Corin (back row) with fellow Hackanauts at the Prague hackathon
Match Made in Heaven
His first contact with Hackastory was when he participated in a hackathon and ended up in a group with fellow Hackanauts Nienke Huitenga and Alka Goos. After this hackathon, he was sold. His eyes light up as he raves about how fantastic hackathons are: “You get to achieve the same results in two or three days that could normally take weeks to accomplish.” Naturally, Hackastory’s merry gang of creative aliens was a match made in heaven. If he’d have found them on Tinder, he would have swiped right.
Digital Swiss Army Knife
Not only does he like a fast pace, he’s up for all sorts of different challenges. There are many sides to Corin when it comes to both personality and skills. It would be fair to call him a chameleon. He rotates between various companies who give him assignments on a regular basis. Every company he works for knows him as a different person and comes to him for a different skill. “At the end of the day, there’s always one facet of your personality that comes forward,” he tells me. “For example, I’ve noticed that if I’ve spent a lot of time with coders, I’ll start behaving more like a coder.” But he definitely has multiple facets. Here at Hackastory, he’s known as the digital Swiss Army Knife because there’s so much he can do.
Whatever aspect of Corin comes through, it’s clear that he’s a social guy with a taste for all things new. He recently traveled to South-Africa (a country which he calls his second home) for five months, with minimal plans and a “we’ll see what happens” attitude. That’s typical for him. “I was never alone. When you’re on the road you meet new people everyday, you make friends within seconds and you can learn something from every one of them. Corin doesn’t sit still. He keeps moving, keeps going, and he’s helping us here at Hackastory with our journey to the moon.