• Campus , Intro , Student

Intro 2022: train delays and wristbands

Starting next Monday, a new crop of students will flood campus as the Bachelor Intro 2022 kicks off. While there are some difficulties with the physical logistics – railroad works and cancellations due to room shortage – the digital logistics will get an upgrade, as there will be a new app and scannable wristbands. This year’s theme is called “Full Power”, because after years of Covid-19 restrictions, we are finally back on full power again.

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photo Lieke Vermeulen

“We’re now at around 1800 registrations and we’re expecting to start with approximately two thousand first-year students”, estimates Merel Tetteroo. The soon-to-be master’s student of Operations, Management & Logistics is a member of the Central Introduction Committee (CIC) and is in charge of communication.

Any notable developments? “The number of international applicants is larger than during the past few editions under Covid-19. I can’t give the exact numbers, but we’re definitely seeing a rise.” Apparently, the internationals are willing to take the plunge again – which makes it all the more unfortunate that the acute room shortage is now throwing a spanner in the works. “We are indeed receiving a lot of cancellations from internationals who have not been able to find a place to live.” After all, TU/e has urgently advised them not to start their studies here if that is the case.

Crashing

In the meantime, the CIC is doing everything in its power to provide lodging for students who haven’t – yet – found a room for the duration of the Intro. “We host the website Crashplace, where students in need of a place to sleep can connect with student houses that have spare beds. In addition, the Student Sports Center is providing 250 sleeping places.”

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CIC 2022, with Merel Tetteroo sitting front row, second from the left. Photo | CIC

Those who think ‘oh well, I’ll just travel back and forth’ may be in for a disappointment, warns Tetteroo. “We’ve informed all registrants by email about the railroad work taking place around Eindhoven.”

There will be bus transport to and from both Den Bosch and Tilburg this coming week, which will cause delays for everyone but passengers travelling to and from Limburg. On top of that, the NS staff has announced strikes, but it seems like those will mainly take place in other regions during the Intro.

Wristband payments

Meanwhile, some of the delays in the digital traffic around the Intro have actually been resolved, due to a new app and a wristband system. “For the Intro App, we switched to Tactile, a system used by many introduction events. We can store a lot more information in it and users can put together their own personalized program.”

In addition, Tetteroo continues, the tokens have been replaced by a payment system that uses wristbands. “Participants will have the chip on their wristband scanned at, for example, workshops or when they collect their dinner. They can also put credit on their chip, which they can use to pay for things at the bar.” What’s very helpful for the bartenders is that there are different wristbands for those over and under the age of eighteen. Meanwhile, for internationals, it’s convenient that you can recharge your credit not just via the Dutch system Ideal, but also via Mastercard.

Upgrade

Full Power is an apt theme for the Intro of 2022. After all, the event can once again take place “at full power”, without any restrictive Covid-19 measures (other than the basic rules). However, just to be on the safe side, the organization has four thousand self-tests on hand, “and we’re keeping an eye on the national infection rates”, says Tetteroo.

The program is based on that of 2019, "the last edition before Covid-19 struck”, she says. However, some of the program items have been upgraded. For example, the Welcome Day for internationals, which previously consisted of presentations and an information market, has been expanded to include workshops & games, meals and a drinks reception. The Welcome Day will take place this Friday, August 19, prior to the Intro. The Master Kick-off (August 30 – September 1) will also be preceded by a Welcome Day, to be held on August 29.

In addition, the program for the mentor meeting, a.k.a. the Intro Parents Day, which takes place this Saturday, has been expanded as well, according to Tetteroo: “TU/e would like to put an emphasis on social safety, diversity and culture during the Intro. Therefore, the approximately 450 mentors will be given workshops on these topics.” Those workshops will be in addition to the usual information sessions, a quiz about TU/e associations, “and, of course, the best tips for games to break the ice in your group”.

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