{"id":102195,"date":"2019-08-23T16:09:01","date_gmt":"2019-08-23T14:09:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=102195"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:24:25","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:24:25","slug":"singing-along-to-classic-songs-on-the-final-day-of-eurekaweek-i-tremendously-enjoyed-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2019\/08\/23\/singing-along-to-classic-songs-on-the-final-day-of-eurekaweek-i-tremendously-enjoyed-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Singing along to classic songs on the final day of Eurekaweek: \u2018I tremendously enjoyed it\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

The four-day event is over. The annual sing-along event \u2018Night of the Songs\u2019 marked the end of the 2019 Eurekaweek. So how did the incoming students feel about their induction week? Was it simply a fabulous experience, or were there any things that could be improved next year?<\/p>\n

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\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJulia Schipper<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

From the Erasmus Bridge, several dozens of pedestrians curiously watch a cover band called De Klittenband close off this year\u2019s Eurekaweek on a stage. Their repertoire is such that most first-year students in Willemsplein are having difficulty standing still. Classic songs such as You\u2019ll Never Walk Alone<\/em>, The Final Countdown<\/em> and We Will Rock You<\/em>\u00a0follow each other in quick succession, to the point where even a guard working on the sidelines is finding himself singing along softly.<\/p>\n

Eighteen at last<\/h2>
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Christine and Sophie<\/span><\/p>

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It doesn\u2019t take a rocket scientist to work out what the party hat saying \u2018Happy Birthday\u2019 signifies. Sophie, who is about to embark on a business administration degree, is turning 18 today, which means the occasion is twice as festive for her. \u201cNow I can finally drink when my fellow students are drinking,\u201d she says cheerfully. A girl called Christine, also 18, is standing next to Sophie. Although the two only met this week, they seem inseparable already. \u201cWe were on the same group and struck up a conversation at once.\u201d<\/p>\n

The two girls say that the parties organised by the student societies were the highlight of their Eurekaweek. \u201cWe attended a party every night. It was awesome, getting to know people that way.\u201d Sophie occasionally had a bit of trouble gaining access to the parties. \u201cOf course I was only 17 at the time, so that sometimes made it hard to get into places.\u201d<\/p>\n

For instance, Sophie was unable to enter Laurentius after 11pm. \u201cSo we ended up going to the nearest pub instead. That was one of the downsides of this week, because I felt they hadn\u2019t organised enough alternative parties for people under 18.\u201d The freshers\u2019 group with which the ladies kicked off the introduction week remained intact until the end, except for one student. \u201cHe signed up with Laurentius, and we never saw him again after that,\u201d says Christine.<\/p>\n

Highlight<\/h2>

Before the start of Eurekaweek, 17-year-old Radi had no idea what to expect. \u201cI just decided to wait and see what would happen this week,\u201d she says. In the week gone by, the econometrics student mainly looked forward to the evenings, the highlight being the cantus <\/em>sign-along event. The fact that she was holding a cup of cola rather than a beer didn\u2019t stop her from having fun. \u201cIt was really rad to sing songs with that many people.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, Radi did feel the start of the week was a little chaotic. \u201cIt was a bit unclear what we were expected to do. Our guides didn\u2019t really seem to have any idea what they were expected to do, either.\u201d But still, they all had a great time, she quickly adds. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot you can do with a little improv.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fantastic<\/h2>
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Julian<\/span><\/p>

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19-year-old Julian, who is embarking on a degree in psychology, is looking at the stage from a distance. \u201cMy whole group has dispersed among the crowd. I\u2019ve lost all of them,\u201d he tells us. Julian says the whole week was, in a word, \u2018fantastic\u2019. \u201cUnfortunately, I couldn\u2019t attend the entire week because I had to do some work, but I tremendously enjoyed it.\u201d He has high praise for the way in which the whole thing was organised. \u201cEverything was really well organised. The opening ceremony, in particular, featured some really cool performances.\u201d<\/p>\n

Unlike many of his fellow students, Julian did not go clubbing this week. \u201cI\u2019m not much of a partygoer, so I\u2019d stay with the group until we hit the caf\u00e9s and then I\u2019d go home again.\u201d For this reason, he thinks the Eurekaweek organising committee made the right decision in also programming the Movie Night, as an alternative to the cantus<\/em> event.<\/p>\n

In the end, Julian decides to find his group members among the crowd, after all. \u201cI want to say thank you to them for this week.\u201d<\/p>\n

De Klittenband finish their performance, which marks the official closing of this year\u2019s Eurekaweek, at 10.30 with the ever-so-appropriate \u2018Rotterdam Song\u2019. Many incoming students haven\u2019t quite mastered the song about \u2018the most beautiful mess of a city ever\u2019 yet, but judging from the way they wrap their arms around their new friends and sway to the beat, they have taken quite a shine to Rotterdam after just one week.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJulia Schipper<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t

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De redactie<\/h2>\n\t\t\n\t\t
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