Mastering Supply Chains Episode 6: The Great Fresher’s Flu
Hello everyone and welcome baaaack to my blog and my series Mastering Supply Chains.
How did I end up in Rotterdam? Did I move here because it had always been my dream city? Not exactly. Did I come because I thought the Dutch are famously welcoming and social? That wasn’t the main reason either (though they definitely know how to party). The real reason is: Their excellent and worldwide known ✨📚education📚✨! And since I am here, I also want to make the most of the experience - which, of course, includes student life and all the social aspects that come with it. What I didn’t fully expect, though, was this:
🪩Eurekaweek🪩:
The ultimate party version of an introduction week.
Did I learn how to enroll in courses or how to find my lecture rooms? Nope.
Did I learn about something called 🎶Cantus🎶? Oh yes! Imagine a huge musical event where - under strict supervision of certain rules - you drink exactly one cup of beer between every song and ONLY between EVERY song?! Oh, and did I tell you that this event lasts for MULTIPLE HOURS on end?!?!
And then there are the ✨associations✨ - Dutch student organizations that take the whole “student life” thing to the next level. Think: Wild parties that feel straight out of Project X and endless Dutch beer 🍻.
But let me further introduce you to the ✨associations✨. If you are new to the Netherlands (like me), here is the quick version: Associations are student clubs built around a theme or activity - rowing, padel, tennis, consulting, religion, nationality, dance, you name it. Depending on the association, the focus is more on certain academic aspects, a sport, community or parties thus most seem to be a mix of all of the above. Oh, and they also come with their own traditions (sometimes they really do feel like a mini cult at first, but honestly, it is mostly about fun and bonding). They are organized with a clear hierarchy - Boards at the top, Committees in the middle, and everyone else below, often based on how long you have been a member. Each association has its own 🌶️rituals🌶️ and initiations for freshers are definitely a thing. Of course, I did not want to miss out and joined an association. Since I am part of a 🇳🇱Dutch🇳🇱 association, I am really trying to learn a bit of Dutch to at least understand what the hell is going on 🧐. After our “Freshers Weekend,” I came back with the biggest cold I have had in years - which probably just proves I had a great time 😏.
My Conclusion After 1 Month 🇳🇱
Student life in the Netherlands is no joke. Uni is intense, schedules are packed and room for breaks are rare. But the social side - the events, the communities, the associations - balances out the stress in the best way. I also have a lot of respect for the students who organize all of this while managing their own studies. It takes so much effort and it really shows in the best way possible. So if you ever get the chance to study here, make sure you take advantage of everything student life has to offer and I can speak from my own experience when I say that this is something special and definitely not common everywhere!
With that being said, this concludes about one month of me living in the Netherlands which means about 11 more to go 🎓.
Be safe and see you next time.
Byeeee <3