T.S.R. Vidar

With almost 800 members, Vidar is one of the largest clubs in Tilburg. Rowing and partying, those are the two things they know how to combine at Vidar. Do you want to reach the top of rowing in the Netherlands in just a few months? Or just dive right into club life and join the best parties? At Vidar you can do it all. We spoke with Ab Actis (Secretary) Isa Beuk. Want to know more about the activities, development opportunities and traditions of Tilbugse Studentenroeivereniging Vidar? Read on below!

COULD YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT VIDAR?

"We now have almost 800 members. That has grown explosively in the last two years, which is awesome to see. We have many different facets within the association. You have rowing, but also fraternities and 'year clubs'. In addition, you have an eight-member board, which is at the association daily and tries to keep the association as a whole in good order."

"Vidar consists of two parts, which we bring together quite nicely here: the rowing part and the party part. That makes Vidar unique in the Tilburg student life. Of course you can do competitive rowing, where you train eight times a week, don't drink and live very healthy to get the most out of yourself. Or rowing on a lower level, where you celebrate your victory or defeat with a beer in your hand. Furthermore, of course, we have much more than just rowing. For example, we also have committees, in which all sorts of rowers are together. It goes hand in hand with each other and that's nice to see," Isa says, beaming.

WHAT TYPIFIES A VIDRAAT?

"Pfoe, that's a tough one," Isa indicates. "I don't think it can necessarily be described with one word. They are a lot of different people, but in general, a Vidraat is characterized by his or her accessibility. Everyone is open to getting to know new people and will also not easily turn their back on others. Of course, there are also differences, but everyone wants to get more out of their time as a student, wants to develop themselves and seek more challenges. Some are looking for that in the area of 'mental toughness', while others are looking for more fun or want to develop professionally in committees. A combination of both is also possible, of course!"

"I think that people specifically choose to join Vidar because they are enthusiastic about the bond they feel here. People join Vidar because everyone has a chat with each other. Everyone wants to get more out of their college days in their own way. There's a lot of room to give your own interpretation of your college days, but in doing so, really be a Vidraat."

WHAT DOES AN AVERAGE WEEK FOR A COMPETITIVE ROWER LOOK LIKE?

Isa tells us from her own experience, "Every day you get up around 8:00. You have a good breakfast and start training with your team. Then you change clothes and shower at Vidar, after which you study with each other at the university or college. Then dinner in the evening and often after that you have the evening off. So it takes a lot of discipline, but you also keep plenty of free time. Good sleep, not drinking and being good about nutrition are 'key' for a competitive rower." The great thing about the sport of rowing is that you can reach the top of the Netherlands within a few years!

"If you don't know in advance whether competitive rowing appeals to you, it doesn't matter at all. On the contrary, we give you the opportunity to try rowing, so you don't have to decide right away whether you're going to join Vidar or not. Usually it's only during training sessions that you find out how much you enjoy it, Isa says. You often see that people with a history in sports find competitive rowing super cool!"

WHAT DOES THE 'OTHER SIDE' OF VIDAR LOOK LIKE?

"You can join a fraternity or year club as a freshman. A year club usually has 15 people and a fraternity around 30. Together with your year club or fraternity you do a lot of things: eating together, going to festivals together and going out together. Usually you have a lot of contact with this group and you become very close. In no time at all you go from knowing few people to knowing many more. It's really just a group of friends that you make during your college days, and keep with you for the rest of your life."

WHAT ARE SOME TRADITIONS YOU GUYS HAVE?

"If you win a rowing competition at the highest level, then as a woman you get a pink pluck in your hair and as a man you get to be shaved bald. That may sound a little crazy, but it's quite an honor when you win a race. Therefore, you really want to 'blik' (rowing slang for winning) and that includes the aforementioned traditions."

"At the bar we also have several traditions! We have a number of so-called 'mores'. Think of it as a kind of unwritten rules. They are norms and values that we value when we have a beer together. These may not be written down as a matter of course and you will really have to experience them at Vidar."

WHAT ARE THE HIGHLIGHTS IN A VIDAR'S YEAR?

"The Oocuz," Isa explains immediately. "This is the biggest competitive rowing competition in the Netherlands! On a weekend in March, about 3,000 students come to us to row and party. That's wonderful to see and to experience. It's really something you have to have been to in order to realize at all how cool, special and crazy it really is."

"In terms of competitive rowing, we also organize a competition on our own waters. The Wilhelminakanaal on which we are located is in fact one of the three official 2 kilometer courses in the Netherlands. That is very special. That's why we organize an official rowing competition - the ZRB - every year for the top student rowing in the Netherlands. So this is another really cool event."

"Furthermore, Top-Week is also absolutely not to be missed as a highlight. On the one hand, this is great fun for the current members, because this really is a week where the whole of Vidar is together. It's four days of fun: rowing and drinking a beer at the bar! Everyone does what they feel like doing. That is fantastic. The Top Week is a time when you really have that sense of unity, you feel connected with everyone. On the other hand, it's also fun for potential future Vidraten, because they can get a perfect orientation both on the water and at the bar."

HOW CAN 'VIDRATEN' DEVELOP THEMSELVES?

"We have a lot of committees and also really a 'committee structure'. That is, you can't just do a 'big' committee. As a freshman, you're often going to do a first-year committee. After that a more serious committee and those committees lead to the so-called 'Big Five' committees, such as organizing the Tilburg University Cantus, February Congress or the ZRB rowing regatta. So there are plenty of opportunities to be active in a more professional field next to your studies. It really enriches your time as a student, because you gain a lot of useful experience. You can find more information about the committees on the website," Isa says.

WHAT MAKES VIDAR DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHER STUDENT ASSOCIATIONS?

"It's really nice that Vidar connects students through sports. Even if you don't like rowing at all, you still usually go to matches with your team, sorority or year club mates. You'll really get involved with the rest of the club when it comes to rowing. Suppose you don't like it at all, then you are still connected to each other in another way than by 'drinking or partying'."

"Yet there are also many things we have in common with the other student associations. We organize parties for Tilburg students together, an example of which is DICHTGETIKT. We see that our members get along very well with the members of the other associations. Olof, Vidar and/or Plato fraternities meet on a regular basis and this connects them. This is reflected in the events that are organized in Tilburg. Many Vidar fraternities organize a student event with an Olof or Plato fraternity, which are well-attended and a success every year!"

WHAT IS YOUR AMBITION?

"The ambition is 'Vidar Wins Henley in 2024'. Henley is a very prestigious rowing competition in England, where the top of the world rows. To achieve the goal, we want members to develop themselves in committees as well as develop themselves in competitive rowing. Ultimately, the rowers in question must win and, on the one hand, this requires talent. On the other hand, the entire club must be behind the ambition and we must ensure that we have all the facilities to achieve this goal. We are always looking for talent in the boat, but also for members who want to have a beer along the side to shout the rowers to victory. That's what Vidar stands for!"

IF YOU HAD UNLIMITED RESOURCES, WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH THEM?

"Build!!!", laughs Isa. "We want to make sure we have enough training facilities to accomplish the ambition. We have some really cool plans for that. So, should we have unlimited funds, we would definitely do that."

"It would also be really cool to organize a really cool event that would attract the whole student community in Tilburg. A party on the water would be great. Making use of the water in a different way than rowing alone. A big floating raft on the water, in the sun with the best hits, that seems cool to us!"

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOU WANT TO BECOME A MEMBER AT VIDAR?

Isa advises: "Come and see us some time to see if it's something for you. Open parties or summer days are suitable for this. Keep an eye on our Instagram, because here we will announce when the open parties and summer days are. So, come and have a look and you will be fine! Keep an eye on this site!"