[Column] Faculty bars and alcohol

I recently wrote about having doubts about how normal this academic year would feel once the restrictions were lifted. Everything is open again and it feels like studying as usual. But it only really felt normal when my brother apped me saying ‘Hey Bas, let’s go to the Bouwpub (the Architecture Faculty bar). I rarely respond quickly to apps, but I answer these types of messages within a millisecond.

I have always been a fan of the faculty bars on campus. I can often be found in the Bouwpub or in the bar of my own faculty, the TPKV. Unwinding at the end of a busy day and drinking a beer with your fellow students feels wonderful. When I finally got to the bar, I realised just how badly I had missed it and what a pity it is that it was closed for so long. It was also just as busy as ‘before’. You see many first and second years standing together and getting to know each other after a couple of beers have removed the social barriers. Alcohol can act as a stimulant for fun.

‘Striking how many people comment when you do not drink alcohol’

A current theme at TU Delft is alcohol consumption among students, in particular, too much alcohol. The issue is often raised at the start of the academic year when members of the student associations are getting to know each other. I often agree that too much alcohol is drunk. Most students get used to drinking alcohol during their student time, and then don’t really stop drinking. Most people drink less as they get older, but it is a long-lasting addiction that you start while at university.

It is also not the norm to not drink while being a student. I recently did my first triathlon and to prepare well for it, I stopped drinking alcohol a month before the race. I never felt so good than when I stopped drinking and did a lot of sports! I went to a lot of events around that time. It is striking how many people comment when you do not drink alcohol and, crazily enough, you have to explain why you’re not drinking alcohol. When you explain that you are training for a triathlon, most people understand.

Now that the associations and the faculty bars are open again, it would be good if everyone drank alcohol responsibly. After all, smoking is now banned on campus. Even though I understand if TU Delft would raise more awareness among students about excessive alcohol consumption, I hope that it does not come to banning alcohol on campus and closing the faculty bars. There is nothing better than having a beer with your fellow students.

Bas Rooijakkers is a master’s student in Applied Physics. He was born in Brabant and spent part of his youth on Curaçao. He enjoys jogging and since the corona pandemic has also picked up cycling. He is also always in for a coffee or a craft beer.

Bas Rooijakkers / Columnist