• People
  • 18/11/2025
  • Nederlands

Haven Week kicks off with neighbor dinner

Seventy residents of Pollux, Terra and Castor — together the student housing complex “Haven” — were welcomed Monday evening at restaurant Happie040 for a “meet your neighbors dinner.” The dinner marks the kickoff of Haven Week, which is meant to foster stronger connections and help students step outside their own bubbles.

by
photo Bridget Alcione Spoor

Haven Week consists of various activities for Haven residents. In addition to the neighbors' dinner, there will be music bingo, a ‘regular’ party, a fries party, and a pasta potluck. For the latter, pasta will be provided, and everyone is expected to bring a sauce to share. Food connects people, that much is clear. 

The first day's neighbors' dinner was so popular that all tickets were gone within 24 hours. And all 70 spots appear to be filled on Monday; it all just fits at the long tables in Happie040, where visitors are treated to salad, nasi goreng with satay sauce, and a fruit dessert.

The starter. Photo | Bridget Spoor

All of this is offered free of charge thanks to sponsorship from housing provider Vestide and TU/e. That certainly helps with turnout, but most students say they’re mainly here to meet new people. Haven Week is a pilot to see whether initiatives like this help bring residents closer together and encourage neighbors to stay connected afterwards.

50/50

After each course, participants switch seats to meet as many different people as possible. The group appears to be roughly half Dutch and half international. “I’ve lived here for a year now, and when they organize something like this, I’m happy to do my part by joining,” says Lotte Dooms, a Human Technology Interaction student. “And I’d also really like to meet new people.”

 

Chef Mounir Toub of Happie040 stirring the peanut sauce with utmost concentration. Photo | Vestide

That works out well at all the tables. Some visitors know each other, but most don't. While chef Mounir Toub stirs the satay sauce with great focus and the nasi is served, everyone is chatting. About their studies, the appetizer, their house, or the sweet topic of love.

Deck of cards

Leander Pronk sits in the back. He's brought a deck of cards. "It's always handy to have those around if you're spending time with the same people and running out of things to talk about." Yet, that doesn't seem to be the case at their table. It's cozy with two new neighbors: Yaswant Rajasekaran from India and Timo Branke from both Germany and England. "But playing a game can also just be fun," says Pronk. The tablemates nod.

Leander Pronk (second from the left) with a few (new) neighbors who enjoy playing cards. Photo | Vestide

Susan Maas of Vestide looks around satisfied. Together with the team of student volunteers, colleagues from Vestide, Happie040, and TU/e ​​community manager Lara Hofstra, she's organizing the evening. "It's all going well," Maas beams. "Everyone is chatting and I see people are having a good time."

The guests were invited to collect their dessert at the kitchen counter to mingle even more. Photo | Vestide

The organizers noticed more interest from others in the TU/e ​​community to join in as well, but for now, it's only for Haven residents. "We want to offer this to a wider group of people here in the future," says Maas. "We're currently using student volunteers to identify the specific activities needed to connect as many people as possible. But for this week, it’s already a great success if the people in these buildings connect more with each other."

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