Orientation week concludes with one-day festival in Park Brakkenstein
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Bubbelvoetbal op het introfestival. Foto: Tom Hessels
The orientation week next summer concludes with a one-day orientation festival surrounded by the trees of Park Brakkenstein. Unlike previous years, all over three thousand incoming first-year students will be welcome again on the same day for the party. Due to (uncertainty) about covid, this hadn't been possible in previous years.
No more multi-day festival, just one closing party for all the inductees. It feels a bit like old times again, as it was before the covid crisis. Also, the orientation festival will not take place on the event grounds of De Vasim, but on the edge of campus, in Park Brakkenstein.
Last year, the orientation festival was still spread out over four days. The reason was uncertainty surrounding covid: preparations for the festival were in full swing during the last lockdown.
Simultaneous with HAN orientation
The orientation weeks of Radboud University and the HAN University of Applied Sciences coincide again this year. Last year, among other things, this caused inconvenience and large crowds in the city centre.
The repeated merger is not a conscious choice, Aldus explains. ‘The university’s orientation is always two weeks before the start of the academic year, HAN’s is always one week before classes start there. That unfortunately falls in the same week for the third year in a row (in 2021, due to covid, orientations took place in a modified, ed.).’
This year, the festival poses as the real finale for all students. ‘It even takes place on campus’, Aldus says enthusiastically. ‘We liked the Vasim, but we were looking for a location for a larger number of people. Besides, last year we concluded that, given the heat (it was above 30 degrees for several days, ed.), a location with more greenery and shade is not a bad idea.’
Ideal location
According to Aldus, Park Brakkenstein is an ideal location because it is close to the university. Other events, such as the annual Music Meeting, take place there regularly. A good water and electricity supply is therefore guaranteed.
The festival will have three stages. Various student associations will provide the programme. Just like last year, food and drinks can be purchased using wristbands containing a chip. Students can recharge these themselves. Money left over at the end of the week will be refunded.
Another measure: the number of sports days will be reduced. There will be three instead of four this year. The introduction market does return to the campus in its old form. Stalls will be set up like a string between various university buildings. ‘That was a great success last year’, says Aldus. ‘Because of that set-up, new students get the chance to see everything. That way, associations also don’t have to compete with each other for attention.’
