Bockie De Repper returns to school: 'It's hard to reconcile how I was full of hate then and full of love today'

At 41, television presenter Bockie De Repper is embarking on an unusual challenge: returning to secondary school as a fifth-year student for 30 days. His new program, 'Bockie Goes to School,' airing on Play, aims to explore the realities of being young today and reflect on how his own youth shaped him.

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It is difficult to reconcile how I was full of hate then and full of love today.

De Repper, whose real name is Jonas Van Boxstael, admitted to experiencing initial panic upon entering the school grounds, overwhelmed by the sheer number of students. He found the pace of a typical school day intense, describing the short lunch breaks and constant transitions between classes as "insane." The lack of opportunities for a quick coffee or cigarette, common for adults, added to the difficulty.

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You lose your sense of reality a bit, you are suddenly a real student.

He found himself adjusting to the student routine, attending classes from 8:20 a.m. until 3 or 4 p.m. The experience proved physically and mentally taxing, leading him to feel a disconnect from his usual reality. Even simple needs, like using the restroom, became a challenge, often requiring him to use his celebrity status to be excused during class time.

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Crazy.

The program follows De Repper as he integrates into a class of 16 to 17-year-olds in the Human Sciences track. He recounted his initial French class, a subject he previously failed, and the overall adjustment to being a student again. The show promises to reveal how the students coped with a 41-year-old classmate and the insights gained from this unique social experiment.

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Fifteen minutes to eat your sandwiches at noon, that is madness.