Scroll down for the Tl;DR version.
It may look a bit silly. Why would you write about your anniversary that you’re 5 years on Twitter?
Well, for me it is a nice moment to look back and to see what I have accomplished so far. Thanks to Twitter I have done things that I wouldn’t imagine doing without.
Five years ago I signed up for Twitter. For more than 4 years my username was @simonvreeman. Last year I changed it to a sorter version. @vreeman.
5 years ago, I was in my first year of my study Business Information Technology at Windesheim. It wasn’t my thing. Too much about sustaining what is good and not so much about innovation. So I quit.
I had no idea what kind of study I would like to do next, so I went to the USA with two good friends to work, think and have a good time. Away from the daily routine back home. We had a great time and spend the last days in NYC. Regularly I talk with my buddies about our USA trip. We still have some good memories.
Then I started a study Technical Business Engineering at Hogeschool Utrecht. Great study, but didn’t finish it either. But thanks to Twitter I found two great internships.
First at Budeco. A young and small Business Development Company. I had a great time there and shortly after my internship I started working there part-time.
The second internship was at a big technical consultancy firm Movares. With loads of internal politics we manage to develop a brand new WordPress website. The internal politics is not my thing, but it was fascinating to see and deal with it. I learned a lot.
Besides just studying and other stuff that students do, I went on 2 study trips. To Dubai and Hong Kong. At both trips I met someone I already knew via Twitter. Both time I had a great conversation accompanied with a nice cup of coffee. Awesome stories and great insight about the city.
Although the study was interesting and had a great time there it still wasn’t my thing. My motivation and energy drained away. I quit. Again.
Together with Coen Jacobs I started a small company, how I knew via Twitter. Via Twitter I also got in touch with the GM of Van der Valk Internet. I started working there too.
What’s next?
To be honest. I don’t know. I really curious if Twitter still exist in the next five year. Or what else we can expect. Singularity? We will see. Today I really enjoy my work at Budeco and Van der Valk and when there is time left to work on WPspecialist.
I learned that I have to follow my heard, do the things that give you the energy to step out of your bed and stay curious.
Or to quote Steve Jobs…
Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish
TL;DR
Thanks to Twitter:
- I quit 2 studies
- Found 2 internship at Budeco and Movares
- Started Diteza & WPspeciali.st with Coen Jacobs
- Found 2 jobs at Budeco and Valk Exclusief Hotels & Restaurants
- Met a ton of great people and friends all over the world












