By Lasse Rogie
Editor’s note: This news story is part of a collaboration between The Herring and AUC’s journalism course. The story was entirely reported, written, edited, and fact checked by members of the journalism course. Some material may have been altered by The Herring’s editors to fit its style guidelines.
AUC students having drinks at the Solace Borrel at Café Poesiat & Kater in Oostpoort on May 2
—The warm and sunny days have arrived in Amsterdam. They bring along festivals, available terraces, and more nighttime activities in the center. As the weather improves, students are more inclined to head outside the bubble and beyond. But where do they go?
“I start with a few drinks at surrounding bars in Oost, such as Biertuin or Polder,” said Jan van den Berg, second-year Social Science major. “One drink turns into more than five and a couple hours later you find yourself biking to Disco Dolly or Club Up.”
According to many students, there is a wide array of possibilities within walking distance from the dorms. Elin Boijens, a third-year Science major, enjoys evenings around Amsterdam-Oost, “varying from Netflix with stringmates, to a couple beers at Café Basquiat, to going to the movies at Kriterion or Studio K”.
Diana Ghadanic, a third-year Social Science major, considers Oost a good and efficient place to leave the bubble for leisure activities. But leaving these familiar surroundings is also important to her. According to Ghadanic, the city of Amsterdam is a place where “you can find something for almost everyone when it comes to going out”.
“Leaving the bubble can be so enriching,” said Ocean Koornstra, second-year Social Science major. She thinks exploring Amsterdam is a crucial aspect of studying at AUC and said this is how she found her passion for hula hooping. “At Thuishaven last year I encountered people I had met at Sziget. They were face painting and I simply loved it. They told me I could send them an email to apply for their organisation.” They accepted her and she went quickly from intern to project manager to internal team member. Half a year later, she was hula hooping at the Sziget festival with the organisation. “[After again half a year had passed] I received a message from the project manager at Thuishaven who asked me to potentially work there.”
Lucas Zarzoso, a second-year Social Science major, believes that as a student in Amsterdam, it is important to explore the city in its entirety. “Students go to class, do groceries at Spar, return to the dorms and potentially head back to Maslow for a beer. While you’re living in Amsterdam, you shouldn’t remain in this one-kilometer radius.”
Sunshine and mild temperatures leave many with a similar enthusiasm. “Everybody’s out, it’s nice and warm and the city is vibrant,” said Noortje Sara, a third-year Social Science major. She is looking forward to the festivals she’ll attend this summer. A popular choice amongst students is Lente Kabinet. “It was one of the most popular festivals last year, and a lot of AUC’ers are going. We create our own bubble there,” said Sara.
Taking place on May 27, it is “the perfect way to end the semester”, said Zarzoso. Ghadanic, who will graduate in two months, also has tickets for Lente Kabinet, but she will miss Amsterdam primarily for its nightlife. “I’ve had some of my best nights here. The most fun I’ve had at NYX, Paradiso, and Chicago Social, although a lot of new clubs popped up in the past year in West and Noord to which I haven’t been.”
Bike trips to West or Noord during the winter time are unpleasant, but the end of May is near and with generally few sunny days, the students “make most of the good weather by enjoying it on the terrace and reward ourselves for surviving the cold and depressing winter,” Van den Berg said.
Winter is over and the semester is ending, and the aforementioned students agree that now is the time to explore beyond the border of Science Park. To quote Zarzoso: “You’re living in Amsterdam, so you should enjoy this beautiful city as much as you can.”
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