{"id":117442,"date":"2020-09-08T12:04:20","date_gmt":"2020-09-08T10:04:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=117442"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:25:03","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:25:03","slug":"number-of-applications-for-student-associations-risen-considerably-a-home-in-these-uncertain-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2020\/09\/08\/number-of-applications-for-student-associations-risen-considerably-a-home-in-these-uncertain-times\/","title":{"rendered":"Number of applications for student associations risen considerably: ‘A home in these uncertain times’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Despite the fact that student associations have hardly been able to promote their activities these last few months, and despite the fact that this year\u2019s Eureka Week was a bare-bones affair without any parties thrown by student associations, there has been a 38% increase in the number of students applying for membership with an association. According to the Rotterdam Chamber of Associations (RKvV), Rotterdam\u2019s five regular student associations have received 1,693 membership applications between them \u2013 450 more than last year, which constitutes a 38% increase.<\/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\tAmber Leijen<\/span>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

RSC\/RVSV received the largest number of membership applications: 689. Laurentius received 540. SSR-R and RSG received 204 and 168 applications, respectively, while NSR signed up 102 new members. Rowing club Skadi, which is not an RKvV member, proved very popular as well. The club received 340 membership applications, even though it only has 270 spots available.<\/p>\n

'Buitenproportioneel groot'<\/h2>

Laurentius allowed students to sign up online in early August. \u201cWe had to close our registrations portal on the Sunday before Eureka Week because we had an extremely large number of people signing up\u201d, says Laurentius president Lars Ahsman. The association received two hundred more membership applications this year than it did last year. As a result, there will be a draw this year to decide which new students will be allowed to join the association. For its part, RSC\/RVSV will have a draw as well. According to RSC\/RVSV President Pita Elhorst, the fraternity\/sorority-like society will accept 380 new members, \u2018which is just over half the number of people who signed up\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\t

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\n\t\t\u2018We had to close our registrations portal on the Sunday before Eureka Week because we had an extremely large number of people signing up\u2019\n\t<\/blockquote>\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t–<\/span>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tStudent association Laurentius\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption>\n\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n

RSG has stopped accepting new members. The first 134 students to sign up were accepted, but the 34 students who applied for membership after that \u2018unfortunately had to be rejected\u2019. SSR-R, too, has as many new members as it is going to accept this year. Two hundred and four students signed up, which means the association has arrived at its maximum number of members.<\/p>\n

Home away from home<\/h2>

The associations\u2019 presidents all agree that the huge influx of new members is due to the pandemic. \u201cPeople have spent a lot of time at home recently, so they have this need for contact,\u201d says Elhorst. In addition, Ahsman adds, students are seeking alternative ways to get in touch with each other because the university can\u2019t offer them many opportunities for contact with others. \u201cWe\u2019re getting a lot of pupils from various parts of the country. They\u2019re trying to find a home away from home in these uncertain times, and student associations offer them just that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Same rules as caf\u00e9s<\/h2>

At present, associations are not allowed to organise parties and events for their members, but they are not too worried about that. They can still organise all sorts of small-scale events. \u201cWe measured our clubhouse and arranged things in such a way as to allow people to keep one and a half metres\u2019 distance, so we can still organise drinks sessions and getting-to-know-each-other nights in a responsible manner,\u201d says Ahsman.<\/p>\n\n\t

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Read more<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t