Throughout Thursday, new students can participate in a wide range of workshops organized by general, sports, cultural associations, as well as associations that focus on personal growth. The program is so extensive that there is something for everyone: from kayaking to learning “how to pitch yourself into a student house” or even “how to take Instagram-worthy photos of your cocktail”.

Controls

First-year students experience what it's like to sit at the controls of a glider in a simulator in the Markthal. Members of the gliding club provide instructions: “Keep the nose pointed toward the horizon.” 

After flying over pixelated fields, Olivia makes a perfect virtual landing. The soon-to-be architecture student steps out excitedly and inquires about the cost of a membership to the association. “I always wanted this, but it never came my way before.”

Whale

The picnic tables on the Fluxveld are covered with paint pots and markers. Students concentrate on painting a tote bag with flowers, cherries, or the waves of the Eindhoven logo. Student association Demos is the organizer. “We also have workshops on sawing beer meters and building toasties.”

Industrial Design student Elise draws stars around a beautifully depicted whale on her bag. “This one is for my sister; I have more than enough tote bags myself.” Her neighbor has drawn a school of koi carp and is now brushing some Chinese characters next to them. “I googled them, I just hope they mean what it says here they mean.”

Armspieren

Association BLUE is offering a workshop in aerial silks, an acrobatic sport, at the Sports Center. Kaera (architecture) and Jeda (Psychology and Technology) share a gymnastics mat. They take turns pulling themselves up on two several-meter-long strips of flexible fabric hanging from the high ceiling. With an inimitable wrapping motion, they plant their feet firmly in the fabric, then strike a graceful pose.

Muscle strength is a must for aerial silks, says BLUE chairperson Aurelie. “Your arms are important, as well as your entire core.” Jeda has “no arm muscles,” she says with a laugh, but she still manages to complete the exercises successfully every time. Anything for her to become a member? “It seems like a lot of fun, but I'm already a part of several clubs,” she says, a little regretfully. Kaera also shows she is talented, although she herself thinks otherwise. “I'm not particularly skilled at it, but I do enjoy it very much.”

Mustard

Of course, Intro goers can hit a ball at the Fellenoord tennis club, but according to the members, tennis is only a side note today. Much more important is the so-called “Bitterbal dropping tournament”. The what? It turns out to be an enigmatic game in which participants must drop a bitterbal – a popular Dutch snack – from increasingly greater heights into a bowl of sauce of their choice. “Then you eat the bitterbal, so no food goes to waste,” Fellenoord member Roderick emphasizes. For vegetarians, mini cheese soufflés are also available.

Dropping bitterballen is a well-known concept within the association, and those who are good at it achieve a high status. “One of our members even managed to do it from a referee's chair,” says Anouk, who joined Fellenoord last year during her Intro after being introduced to the game of bitterballen.

For the new students, the referee's chair is still too high to handle, but after a while, the first competitors are already standing on the picnic tables, dropping their bitterballen from there. The aiming technique and landing of the mini snacks are professionally reviewed by a sports commentator. A final tip for those who want to try it at home: “Don't use mustard! The balls stick better to mayonnaise or ketchup.”