The Radboud Intro is not compulsory, but it is indispensable! Are you ready for it? Other students and staff members of Radboud University are happy to offer advice. With these tips, you will get the most out of your Radboud Intro.
1. Don’t worry too much
For Nick van Oers, the upcoming Radboud Intro will be his tenth. You might wonder: how is that possible? Here’s the explanation: he studied at Radboud University, later attended as a mentor and as a member of the Introduction Committee, then helped organize the introduction as a student assistant, and this year he is responsible for the introduction for the first time as event manager and project leader.
Nick: "With all that experience, I can say that the Radboud Intro is a really fun and enjoyable week to start your student life with! You get to know the city, the university, your degree programme, but above all your fellow students. The programmes are very diverse, and there is always something fun for everyone to do.”
He still remembers his own introduction period - almost ten years ago - as if it were yesterday. Nick: “I’m from Nijmegen myself, so I already knew the city fairly well, but during the Intro you see so many new sides of student life that you normally wouldn’t see. It was an incredibly fun week for me, and I made many new friends whom I still see and talk to almost every day.”
His most important tip is: “Don’t worry too much about what will happen during the week. You don’t have to do anything, of course, but be open to new experiences. You usually experience the introduction only once as a participant, so enjoy it and just let it all come to you.”
2. Realize that it is new to everyone
Laura Svejda studies Artificial Intelligence and took part in the Radboud Intro in 2023. Laura: “Know that everyone is in the same boat and wants to make friends, so that will work out fine. Be open to new experiences and join in enthusiastically. During the sports day, for example, I took a workshop in court dancing. Completely unexpectedly, I ended up dancing together with my whole group, and it was great fun!”
3. Mindset open and know your boundaries
Andreas Galipò works as a student psychologist at Radboud University. He works mainly with young people who are in a new phase of life, usually taking real responsibility for their adult lives for the first time. Andreas: “I think it's important during Intro to open up to everything that's coming at you and experience it consciously. Enjoy all those little moments, take some photos as memories and set your own limits and pace. Actually, the whole week consists of little milestones of fun things you have experienced.”
4. Remember that taking part in Radboud Intro will make the rest of your student life easier AND more fun
Laura helps organise the upcoming Radboud Intro. Laura: “During the upcoming introduction, I will be a student assistant for Team Intro for the second year in a row. You can find me on the registration day, during the introduction market, and throughout the entire week at the information desk.”
She finds it special to contribute to the Radboud Intro because it gave her a lot when she participated herself. Laura: “My friends and a good start to my studies. It was really nice to walk into the lecture hall on the first Monday feeling prepared and already knowing someone I could sit next to. The friends I made during that week are still my best friends.”
5. Take part in the Introfestival
Now that the Radboud Intro is about to begin and all the major preparations have been completed, Nick has time to reflect on what has required the most work.
Nick: “That is definitely the Intro Festival that takes place on Saturday, 22 August. I’m responsible for the entire introduction, but most of the time goes into the festival. You may not see it from the outside, but there is a huge production behind it. You are so busy with it, especially in these final weeks, that it is ultimately what I’m looking forward to the most. Five days before the start of the Radboud Intro, we are at 3,100 registrations, and in the end we expect around 3,400 participants. Experience shows that many registrations still come in during the final week, so this is exactly in line with our expectations. Hopefully as many students as possible will enjoy the closing festival!”
Laura is also looking forward to the festival: “The line-up is really great, and I really enjoy meeting all my friends from different study programmes there.”
