ESN

In today's 'Verenigingen Vrijdag,' we spoke with Tea from ESN. This association is unique due to its international nature and truly brings something special to Tilburg. Throughout the entire week, there are parties in their own bar, 'Carpe Noctem.' This spacious bar is located right in the city center. What more could you want? Besides organizing numerous parties, ESN provides opportunities for personal development through various committees. Tea shares some of her most memorable moments, the number one tradition within ESN, and offers advice for those who want to experience what it's like to be a part of ESN.

WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT IS YOUR ROLE WITH ESN?

"Hi, my name is Tea, I'm 20 years old, and I'm currently studying Global Management of Social Issues at Tilburg University. This year, I am the Market and PR Manager at ESN Tilburg. In essence, I am responsible for everything you see on our social platforms, as well as answering students' questions about life in Tilburg."

"The entire board consists of seven board members, and so far, it has been a lot of fun, so we aim to keep it that way," Tea laughs.

CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT ESN AT ITS CORE?

"ESN Tilburg is a non-profit student association that focuses on international or internationally-oriented students. Our goal is to enrich student life in Tilburg through parties and smaller events, forming committees, and more. In simple terms, ESN aims to help international students in Tilburg have a fantastic time. We do this by assisting students with practical matters and offering drop-in consultations. Additionally, we organize many on- and offline events and socials. We have our own bar - Carpe Noctem - in the city center, which serves as a hub for international students to meet new people."

"At Carpe, we host a lot of activities. We have Tuesday and Thursday night parties, cooking activities, pub quizzes, and various other events. Within the ESN network, we are the first section to have its own building and bar, which makes us very proud. Carpe Noctem is fully run by the board and the bar committee. During the first two weeks of the semester, Carpe is open to every student. After that, you need to become a member to attend the parties."

"When I explain ESN to others, I always like to say that we have two components. Some students will find parties and activities the most enjoyable. On the other hand, we have more than fifteen committees. If students want to focus on a professional side and enrich their CV, they tend to join a committee. The bar committee is the most popular and significant."

DO YOU HAVE ANY TRADITIONS WITHIN ESN?

"Yes, we do have a tradition within ESN. When the party is coming to an end, we play 'Piano Man.' Everyone knows that it's the last song. They also know that we won't be serving any more beers. All the people rush to the bar then! That's probably the most recognizable and memorable thing when you come to Carpe Noctem. It's a tradition, and I think it's pretty cool."

CAN YOU DESCRIBE A TYPICAL MEMBER?

"It's very difficult to describe the typical ESN member because we have people from all over the world. This academic year, we have over 700 members, which is incredibly fun. Normally, that number is closer to almost 1000 members. They come from all over the world. I can't pinpoint one place. New members tend to party in the first semester. In the second semester, when they get to know the board, the bar, and the whole concept of ESN, they join committees. It's interesting to see how the group dynamics develop over the year!"

"The vast majority of our members are bachelor's students! We also have many exchange students who are here for just one semester, and of course, we have master's students as well. Usually, these master's students are in committees because they want to enrich their extracurricular life."

HOW IS THE RELATIONSHIP WITH DUTCH STUDENTS?

"As mentioned earlier, we are open to international and internationally-oriented students. Many Dutch students seem to step out of their comfort zone and want to meet international people, even in their own country. So we have a lot of 'Dutchies.' It's quite nice because we integrate with each other. Dutch members also have a great time here. It's cool to see that it blends well!"

HOW CAN YOU LEARN FROM EACH OTHER?

I usually associate that with committees, where we have a nice mix of international and Dutch people. Dutchies, for example, really help us when it comes to Dutch documents. They assist us with little tips and tricks. We really learn from each other!"

"In the first weeks of the semester, Dutch students are also very helpful to new international students as they guide internationals through Tilburg. They give a city tour, providing useful tips like where to shop for groceries at a lower cost. These are things that new internationals simply don't know yet."

WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP YOUR ASSOCIATION HAS WITH TILBURG?

"Tilburg has become a real student city over the years! Not only for the Dutch but also for internationals. That's how I ended up here as well. I looked at which cities in the Netherlands appealed to me the most as a student city, and Tilburg came out as the 'winner.' Additionally, Tilburg University is one of the highly regarded universities in the Netherlands. Many international students think this way about Tilburg. That's why there are relatively many international students living in Tilburg. We are here, alongside the university, to help this large group navigate a city they're not familiar with."

DO YOU FEEL THAT THE CITY OF TILBURG FACILITATES THE (INTERNATIONAL) GROWTH OF THE UNIVERSITY?

"Yes! I was really afraid that no one would understand me. Fortunately, I haven't had any bad experiences with speaking English here. In general, everyone knows how to speak English. So that's always nice. Additionally, there are plenty of nice places. Tilburg has nice libraries, shops, and restaurants. During your study abroad, you want to make things easy for yourself, and the fact that everyone can talk to you is a big plus."

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE?

"We mainly want to have more members. It would be great to continue the growth. We are also always looking for good board members to further develop our plans. For the big four associations, we would, of course, like to establish better connections. We are currently working on that, and we are pleased that we have close ties with Vidar, Olof, and Plato. But we would really like them to be even more open to internationals and also attract more Dutch students to us. Basically, just to mix us as associations a bit with each other because we can learn a lot from each other in terms of knowledge and parties. So, I look forward to more integration between international and Dutch students."

If you want to learn more about ESN, take a look at their website.