OWee in pictures: A trip around the student associations

The fate of the editors lay in the hands of our internet friends on Tuesday. The votes casts determined the student associations that we would visit. So it was that the young and wild members of the Delta team would head to Sint Jansbrug for an exclusive tour.

This glimpse behind the scenes revealed many notable facts. We learned that in 1969 Sint Jansbrug was the first student association in the Netherlands to welcome female members, and that the female chef recently celebrated her 25th anniversary. How did she cope with all those rowdy youngsters around her? “The Association has an open table where, fortunately, lots of older people come too,” explains our guide, Redmer.

This activity appears a little less suitable for the elderly. Even though Delta is far from elderly, it is not insured for this type of adventure. We thanked them and opted for quieter waters.

We made our way to Civitas Studiosorum Reformatorum, CSR for insiders. A large air mattress, which would make the local children’s playground jealous, floated in front of the building. But it was the stream of freshers that caught our attention. What were they doing there? Once inside we saw shiny clean toilets kitted out with technical wonders such as cupboards, head rests and beer glass holders which were in full use.

Less clean were Delft’s canals where the windsurf association, the S.W.V. Plankenkoorts lived up to its name of ‘board fever’ by wakeboarding on the canals. Look out for the bridge!

As soon as our tummies started to rumble, faithful followers pointed us to the D.S.R. Proteus-Eretes rowing club. The Board welcomed us and before we knew it we were seated outside on the terrace feasting on a three course meal. Next to us, a tired group of mentors were in deep discussion. Should we stay here for the club’s party or go to Virgiel? We had a better idea …

Until we caught a first glimpse of Bruno the Bingoman and instantly regretted our decision. In stern German he shouted at the boys and girls. People won a prize if they played richtige bingo, but if they played falsche bingo they would be punished. Ah ha, let’s see what happens!

After the bingo we bumped into Mayor Van Bijsterveldt at Sint Jansbrug. During her ‘round of student associations’ she was flanked by city councillors and our very own Executive Board.

From the Oude Delft we followed a crowd of male first year students to the De Bolk greengrocer. We shuffled along with the queue towards a counter where leeks were pressed into our hands. What followed was a whack and far too many overzealous freshers who hit everything in sight with their green and white swords.

Once we recovered from the leek batting, we ended the evening at Wolbodo, the ‘people society’ as it calls itself. Lilith, a band from Leiden, was keeping the neighbours awake while we checked out the sauna. ‘Suspicious spots’ made us depart quickly and head back to our bikes. Luckily we could find them easily among the Swapfiets jungle.