{"id":129304,"date":"2021-08-17T14:33:31","date_gmt":"2021-08-17T12:33:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=129304"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:25:47","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:25:47","slug":"song-festival-vibe-at-eurekaweek-opening-in-ahoy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2021\/08\/17\/song-festival-vibe-at-eurekaweek-opening-in-ahoy\/","title":{"rendered":"Songfestival vibe at Eurekaweek opening in Ahoy"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cBroadcast in 3, 2, 1…\u201d Every now and then you could see that, right up to the last minute, the Eurekaweek organisers had had to be prepared to run a digital coronavirus version of the introductory week. But the countdown to the \u2018broadcast\u2019 was actually witnessed in the flesh by 4,500 first-year students in Ahoy. The Songfestival vibe of a few months ago was back in the event hall, not only because the audience was so huge but because presenting student pair, Wies and Bo gave such a smooth performance.<\/p>\n

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The number of students in Ahoy was surrealistically high.<\/span><\/p>

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With queues of easily a few hundred metres of waiting students standing in the windy surroundings of Ahoy on Monday morning, it was a truly surrealistic post-corona image. After around an hour, when the hall was full and the karaoke pre-programme had ended, duo Wies and Bo opened Eurekaweek by announcing the first act, two dancers with LED torches who entertained the audience. You could read \u2018Destination Unknown\u2019 and \u2018Eurekaweek\u2019 in their quickly-rotating torches.<\/p>\n

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Charity<\/h2>
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Frank van der Duijn Schouten gave his first and final Eureka speech. <\/span><\/p>

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Next on the programme, departing rector magnificus Frank van der Duijn Schouten addressed the new students. The first years were given instructions on how they could become a good \u2018Erasmian\u2019 and Van der Duijn Schouten urged them to enjoy \u2018the best time of their lives\u2019 as \u2018it will be over before you know it\u2019.<\/p>\n

The associations then presented themselves, with choreography by Erasmus Dance Society, the classic Skadi rowing boat and many leaping student association members. A touching video about this year\u2019s charity, the Daniel den Hoed Family House, silenced the hitherto exuberant audience. After Wies and Bo asked the students to make an immediate donation via Tikkie, the first years all reached for their telephones en masse.<\/p>\n

Self-mockery<\/h2>

The Rotterdam song is an established tradition and was this year given a stunning rendition by two members of the Hermes Houseband. International students weren\u2019t, however, able to get the famous Rotterdam self-mockery because the English captions for the most beautiful rotten city was translated as \u2018the most beautiful city\u2019.<\/p>\n

Between hope and fear<\/h2>\n\t
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Een lijst van afbeeldingen<\/h2>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t
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