Hello The Hague! First-year students settle in smoothly
Strolling through the historic city centre of The Hague, discovering the faculty and, of course, relaxing on the beach... HOP week gives hundreds of first-year students the chance to get to know each other and their new city. For many students, HOP week is a game changer – and here's why.
Over 800 first-year students and their mentors eagerly gather on the majestic Lange Voorhout – one of the oldest, most famous streets in The Hague, just behind the Hofvijver lake in the city centre. The Hague Orientation Programme (HOP) gives Leiden University's first-year students who are studying in The Hague the chance to settle before the start of their first semester. For students, the programme is a fun combination of exploring their degree programme, the university itself and the nicer corners of The Hague such as the beach. On Friday, a visit to Leiden's Hortus Botanicus is on the agenda.
New degree programmes
This academic year will also see new degree programmes – such as the bachelor's in Economics and Society – launched in The Hague. Rector Hester Bijl will address the new students later in the afternoon. We spoke to a first-year students and HOP week organisers.
Maju, HOP's treasurer, is organising the final few things while first-year students look for their mentor groups. ‘It’s a nerve-racking yet wonderful moment,’ she says in between tasks. ‘We’ve been preparing for this for months – this is the week when many students meet new friends.’ Maju is an International Relations student and comes from Peru. She can empathise with brand-new first-year students all too well: ‘I travelled from the other side of the world to study in The Hague. When I arrived here, I was pretty nervous, but HOP week gave me the reassurance that everything would work out fine. Now I want to give something back by helping and supporting new students.’
Standing in the long queue for the registration desk, Noah from Emmeloord (The Netherlands) is already chatting to a fellow student. At first, Noah says, he was unsure whether he wanted to take part in HOP week. He decided to come along after hearing his father's advice and his experiences of student life. ‘I hope to make new friends and settle into The Hague. There’s much more going on here than in Flevoland!’ He managed to find a student room, but it's in Den Hoorn (near Pijnacker) rather than The Hague. 'I think the distance is still manageable by bike,' he says. Noah is intrigued about his new degree programme. 'I chose Security Studies because I'm curious about the various programme components, but I don't actually know that much about it yet. I'm just going to let it all happen.'
For Dami from Den Dungen (Brabant), everything is new too. The degree she's chosen – Cybersecurity and Cybercrime – is a brand new bachelor's programme. 'That’s exactly why I chose this programme in The Hague, because it's not offered anywhere else in the Netherlands. I'm really interested in learning more about specific security issues, and this programme offers that.' Luckily, she's already found a room on Laan van Meerdervoort (the longest avenue in the Netherlands), as commuting from Brabant to The Hague each day would be 'impossible': 'I don't know anyone in The Hague, so I'm glad I'm here and I'm getting to know lots of people straight away.'
By now, mentor Jakub [LU1] has found almost all of his group members. An International Studies student from Poland, Jakub was himself a first-year student last year – and HOP week proved to be the ultimate game changer for him. 'The introduction week was a real eye-opener, and I settled in very quickly. It really was one of the best weeks of my life, and I want everyone to experience that.' As a mentor, Jakub is keen to break the ice within the group. The best formula for that? ‘Being really laid back and putting everyone at ease. Smiling at everyone, introducing myself and asking them about themselves... Soon enough, you find that the conversation just flows naturally. Especially since you're exploring the city together!'
Other introduction weeks
The EL CID week in Leiden took place between 11 and 15 August. The Orientation Week Leiden (OWL) for international students is from 25 to 29 August (inclusive).