By Olivia Roman
A nonprofit organization truly makes its mark on international and Danish students for their involved welcome week events to kickstart the Fall semester of college in Aarhus.
The International Office and the Studenterhus Aarhus nonprofit organization plans several activities for students to join throughout the semester. Extra events are held on Welcome Week, which begins around the 29th of August. These include international student parties, walking tours, bonfires, clothing sales and trades, live music festivals, games, movie nights, photo hunts and so much more.
“I’ve never been to a bonfire, but now I have,” said Jochem Van Stijn, an international student from the Netherlands that is studying BSS at Aarhus University. Jochem appreciates the introduction week from his school of education but admits that the extra events from Studenterhus helps him create a stronger bond with acquittances he met from school.
As a Volunteer Coordinator and Communications Assistant for Studenterhus, Sarah Houlberg states, “what we do to help internationals get a good start here in Denmark is basically to connect them through different events. We have a big international environment here in the student house where all the students can use each other, and they find it a very safe and a great community here… I think for them to participate in these events will help them have a good start to their semester here. They’re very loyal to our events and they prioritize them a lot.”
Another international student who is studying at Aarhus University for Medicine, Iva Doycheva from Bulgaria, has been in situations before where she “had to be integrated in a new environment and I would say here so far that it’s been the best… I was quite surprised by how many events there were going to be, pretty much daily there’s something… I’m definitely grateful for that.”
For example, Iva joined the Bonfire on the Beach event and didn’t go straight to the people that she is familiar with. Instead of encapsulating herself in her own comfort zone, she branched out to new individuals. She also states that she is “excited to start volunteering in the student house,” to further create a social network.
“I really liked the Games and fun in the Unipark event because it was like really chill and you can just get along with everyone who was playing something and join in.” Something Lea Vietze appreciated, as an international student from Germany who is studying Innovation Management at Aarhus University, was being introduced to the Viking games that are a part of the Danish culture. “What I noticed is that Danes are really opened people to strangers and really friendly. I love the openness.”
These events do not only help enculturate international students, but Danish students as well. As a Danish student studying at Aarhus University for Education Science, Lea Søndergård Hem enjoys events that targets the international students, as it “is a big trade, and it’s important to also be opened to these events and be opened to like embracing people and you can learn a lot from these different cultures.”
The Studenterhus is a great way to connect yourself and embrace the culture of Denmark and the city of Aarhus. Leisure time will be well spent at these events, allowing you to open up to other individuals and educate yourself on Danish traditions.
One of the biggest events the Studenterhus presented with the Aarhus municipality’s help was The Student Celebration in Festuge that took place last Thursday. Around 5,000 students gathered to dance and enjoy live music, drink beer near the water while conversating and participate in some drinking games like dodge beer.
With the anxiety that starting a new semester in a different country and city can bring for international students, Studenterhus is truly a savior that not only offers events but volunteering opportunities to further engage in this helpful nonprofit organization.
