Groningen 101

I had some friends who recommended studying in The Netherlands and they said it’s really nice. I think they were right because I extended my stay. I should have stayed here for 6 months, but now I’ve been here for a full year. So that’s how much I like Groningen.

By taking part in free time activities, I tried fencing for the time at ACLO in Groningen, and it was really nice. It was only for six weeks, but there are quite many people doing that, and they even have a club. They are very good at it, so I didn’t win any matches. I lost all of them... I also went there to swim and play squash.

Go to the ESN Introduction Week. That's where I met most of my friends. They also have other events such as International parties or dinners. Most of Erasmus people get to know each other there. Don’t be scared to make contact with the local people and try to go outside of your comfort zone and usual circles. After all, you’re only here for a short time, so be as outgoing as possible and take every chance to get new experiences. The most random things are often the most memorable.

I haven’t really made a lot of Dutch friends, I'm guessing I'm not the only one saying this. I know two Dutch guys from my ESN group because they were the leaders of our group and that's about it. I know some of my fellow students of course and we have group chats but it's not like we meet to do anything outside of uni. It's kind of sad because it would be interesting to have another perspective, other than the international bubble. You have to put in a lot of effort to break the barriers and then the Dutch become friendly. Also, you have to take into consideration that during group work the Dutch are kind of direct. So, if you make a mistake you just have to accept it and correct it, so I think you just have to experience it and know that. I came here to experience the Dutch culture, but I feel I learnt more about other cultures, for example, Italian culture, since I have a few Italian friends.

Prepare early for looking for a room, don't be late because that will suck. Don't get disappointed if you get rejected. It's not your personality, it's just natural when there's a lot of people. Discover the city because it's full of nice places and don't stay home. Don't focus too much on your studies. It'll all pass by so fast that it would be a pity to miss out on other things. Don't take too many courses. I took four courses for the whole semester and that's perfect. Your English should be on a decent level. Prepare for a lot of rain, especially in the winter. Try to get your accommodation from somewhere else rather than SSH student houses, the value is not good.

Groningen is one of the best places to go out in the Netherlands. It’s small and cozy but still offers a lot of different bars and clubs with all kinds of music. In addition to that, there are no closing time in Groningen! You can literally dance the night away if you want to. We will provide you with a small list of the places you definitely have to visit.

• Start at Café Hooghoudt. This is a great place to start your evening with a few drinks. The place has a relaxed atmosphere and is great to catch up with your friends and discuss where you will go next.
• Go to the most popular club in Groningen: The Drie Gezusters. It is well-known for its variety in music. They will play any type of music you can possibly think of. It’s also a great place if you’d rather not dance as you can just sit in the café and have another drink or go for a small snack.
• Happy hours at the Blauwe Engel. Your next stop will be here during happy hour. They offer a lot of cheap cocktails which is perfect to really get your night started. You will also get acquainted with all the best Dutch songs.
• Guilty pleasures in ’t Golden Fust. If you can’t get enough of guilty pleasure songs, you should definitely make sure to put this one on your list! The bar is usually filled with students and you can get beer for a relatively cheap price.
• End in the Negende Cirkel. This is the place you go to once at the end of your night. If your a diehard who wants to dance a little bit more at 5 in the morning, you should definitely go there. It’s comparable to ’t Golden Fust but just a little bit smaller which makes it cozier when there are only a few people left.