From beerless pong to a mobile monastery: students experience Tilburg on the second day of TOP Week

There’s a lot to discover at the university—sports, study and student associations, university services, and even companies interested in connecting with you. On the Tuesday of TOP Week, all of these are brought together in a lively market on the campus lawns.

Lucky Dip

Pick your favorite core value of the university and take a dip in the box. Always a prize! And a nice one too—it could be a Tilburg University t-shirt, a water bottle from Studium Generale, a gift card from Books4Life or the mensa, or even a reusable notebook from the Privacy and Security department (‘That’s also very eco-friendly’). These prizes help you get to know the university better, as they say.

Going for Gold

‘Yes yes yes! Faster! Close your eyes, GO! Harder! HARDER! Yes, KEEP GOING! Your legs! Hold this pace! Just 50 more meters! Yes, yes, YES!’

There’s no such thing as quietly sitting on the rowing machine with the Vidar student rowing association. Any unsuspecting visitor who wants to give it a try is quickly driven by the present Vidar members to achieve championship-worthy performances. With such a mentality, all that Dutch rowing gold at the Olympics only makes sense.

Pong Practice

Practice makes perfect, which is why the Polis study association has set up a real pong table for visitors. What is pong? Pong is the same as beer pong, but with water instead of beer.

Sports and games are popular at the Explore 013 Fair. The tables of the table tennis association Hyperion are in constant use, and volleyballs are flying around at Gepidae. The inflatable castle of the tennis association Lacoste also sees plenty of serves, volleys, and drop shots.

Only the inflatable pool of the swimming and water polo association Avalon remains deserted. It may be warm, but not warm enough. But, as board member Tim notes, ‘It’s still early.’

Balancing Act

Practicing for student life with a surf simulator—what could be better? Because how do you balance study, work, a somewhat acceptable social student life, some fun travels, and your mother asking when you’re coming home again? You’re being pulled from all sides, pressure is applied. It’s a real balancing act.

Mobile Monastery

And if it all becomes too much, there’s always the monastery. Not to immediately become a nun or monk, but as a place of peace and reflection. This is promoted with a mobile monastery—a camper where you can light a candle or leave a message on the prayer wall.

‘They drive it around the country,’ says a Benedictine monk, ‘to offer space for reflection and conversation. And with the QR code, we direct people to monasteries and youth centers in the country.’

_Advertentie.