{"id":2472,"date":"2016-09-22T11:47:41","date_gmt":"2016-09-22T09:47:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=58850"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:22:09","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:22:09","slug":"new-erasmus-magazine-answers-all-your-questions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2016\/09\/22\/new-erasmus-magazine-answers-all-your-questions\/","title":{"rendered":"New: Erasmus Magazine answers all your questions"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Lieve

\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tUnit 20<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

No matter how clever students are, they can\u2019t know everything. So if you have any pressing questions, by all means ask EM. Because whatever it is you want to know, EM will be able to help you!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Suffering societies?<\/h3>

I\u2019ve just arrived at this university, but I really don\u2019t feel like any of that fraternity-like nonsense, so I\u2019m not joining a student society. Is that going to prove disadvantageous in any way?<\/em>
\nDon\u2019t Feel Like Being Hazed, Barendrecht<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Strange but true: as far as both schools\u2019 spokespersons can tell, neither the Erasmus School of Economics nor the Sociology department has ever looked into this. In other words, this would be an excellent subject for a thesis or PhD dissertation. Remember this question!<\/p>\n

While there are no data on EUR students, there is a British study which shows that members of student societies are more successful due to their higher degree of social integration, but Rotterdam is not exactly Oxford. That said, there is a clear correlation in the Netherlands between \u201cmembers of student societies\u201d and \u201csuccessful careers\u201d: two-thirds of Dutch people wielding great influence were once members of student societies, and a disproportionate percentage of high-ranking managers in the business community were once new club members waiting to be initiated, too.<\/p>\n

Fortunately for you, you can strike a happy medium, says Inez de Jong, Chairwoman of the Rotterdamsch Studenten Gezelschap. \u201cAt RSG, we perfectly understand that you don\u2019t feel like any of that \u2018fraternity-like nonsense\u2019. For that reason, our society doesn\u2019t haze first-year members, among other things.\u201d<\/p>\n

Support your local criminal<\/h3>

I\u2019ve been a student here for three years now, during which time I\u2019ve had six bicycles stolen (maybe more, but I\u2019ve lost count). When that happens, I always buy a bike from a reputable vendor, because I think I\u2019ll support criminals if I don\u2019t. But is that actually true?<\/em>
\nAlexander Passchier, Rotterdam<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes, that is true, says Marjolein Streng, a community policewoman with the Rotterdam Police Service. \u201cOne of the causes of bike theft is the fact that students are unwilling to pay much for their bikes. Because if there is no demand, there won\u2019t be a market for stolen bikes!\u201d You see, bicycle thieves always seek out places where it\u2019s easy for them to steal bikes and sell them to others. \u201cOne of those spots is wherever students are, because there\u2019s a demand for bikes there.\u201d<\/p>\n

It does raise a question: how do you get a bike that\u2019s guaranteed to be legal? Well, you will obviously have to refrain from buying absurdly cheap bicycles. A few other tips from Officer Streng: check with the national bike theft registry whether the bike was stolen, check whether the original lock was replaced or damaged, and check whether the frame number has been rendered illegible.<\/p>\n\t

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Got a question for EM? E-mail it (anonymously) to erasmusmagazine@em.eur.nl<\/a>, putting \u2018readers\u2019 questions\u2019 in the subject line, or ask your question directly in the comments<\/p>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t

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