New during the introduction week of 2022: a bracelet with a chip. Freshmen can use it to pay and the bracelet serves as ticket for the introduction festival at the Vasim.

You can compare the bracelet with the OV-chipkaart (card used for public transport in the Netherlands, ed.). You can deposit money on it to your liking. And whatever balance is left at the end of the week will be refunded.

According to Dionne Aldus, coordinator of the introduction week, the bracelet is especially handy for international students. ‘They often do not have a Dutch bankcard and experience problems when trying to pay for a drink at the bar.’ No longer, because anyone can deposit money on the bracelet from any bank account.

Reused

The payment method is valid at all introduction cafes. For example at the bars at the opening market, during the sports days and at the Vasim, where the introduction festival is held. The chip does not work in the city centre.

The close to 4000 participants of the introduction week – and their mentors – will receive their bracelet when they register on campus coming Sunday. ‘They can also use it to pick up their Radboud hoodie’, says Aldus. ‘We ask everyone to cut their bracelet off after the introduction week and hand it in, so we can reuse the chips.’

In previous years, the participants also received a bracelet, but without a chip. Bar employees could use the colour of the bracelets to check whether or not someone was under or over eighteen years old. This way they knew which students they could or could not serve alcohol. Those different colours are used this year too, and when reading the chip the bar employee will automatically see the participants age.

No cantus

According to Aldus there will be a strict alcohol regime during the introduction week. Drinking under eighteen has been illegal for years. The cantus is no longer part of the introduction programme this year. ‘That is a result of the Prevention Accords ‘A healthier Netherlands’ that was signed by all universities and which will be implemented this year. One of the goals is to reduce the problematic use of alcohol. A cantus does not really fit that goal. We do not want to give the impression that our university encourages students to drink. Mind you, it was never mandatory to drink alcohol during our cantus, but outsiders do make the connection with alcohol.’

‘We do not want to give the impression that our university encourages students to drink’

Mentors and the introduction committee also signed a declaration of intent this year to raise awareness on the use of alcohol and drugs.

Instead of a cantus there will be the Party of the Five Associations, organised by the student associations of Carolus Magnus, Phocas, De Loefbijter, Ovum Novum and Karpe Noktem. It well be held for four nights in a row, because as a preventive measure the army of freshmen is divided into four groups of around 1500 students each. This is to account for any covid restrictions which thwarted the introduction week these last years.

For the same reason there will be four sports days instead of two. Participating students are grouped per faculty.

Translated by Jan Scholten.