Partying without restrictions: ‘Fantastic!’

After two years of caution, there was old-school fun to be had at student association SSR-W on Monday, 21 February. No fixed seating, no facemasks, no social distancing. The party was originally planned for Friday the 18th but was postponed due to storm Eunice. Student editor Julia van der Westhuyzen and photographer Guy Ackermans joined the fun.

It seemed like a typical spring night on Generaal Foulkesweg until the moon peaked out from behind the trees and revealed a mass of bicycles parked outside the SSR-W clubhouse. A welcoming member opened the door into a warm, smoky dancefloor filled with blaring party anthems, disco lights, smiling faces and… pyjamas! ‘It’s the first time that we can party again until 1 am, so a party needs a theme, and we chose pyjamas’, says Menno Lemmers, a member of SSR-W for the last two years. This theme was amusingly interpreted to include anything from crocodile jumpsuits to tuxedos.

Irreplaceable

Mondays and Wednesdays are student association party nights. For the last two years, the COVID pandemic has almost trampled this tradition. Luckily, with relaxing governmental regulations, students of SSR-W seem ready to bounce back and reclaim the pre-pandemic party scene. Events like this are more than just a lighthearted pastime. According to Sake de Vries, a longtime member of SSR-W, it is an ‘outlet for young people, and If you don’t create an outlet for young people, they will be a nuisance.’ When asked if any of the SSR-W activities during lockdown were able to replace events such as this, the answer was a resounding ‘of course not.’

Happy faces

Although smaller events could be held within student association disputes and in private homes, members of SSR-W still miss the casualness of big parties. ‘These experiences are for everyone,’ says Manno Poorthuis. ‘Parties can be less social pressure and are less time consuming than a dispuut.’ Not only is this a special night for the members of SSR-W but the board could not be happier. ‘It is so nice not to have to worry about telling people to social distance!’ exclaimed Fenna Vesters, head of the SSR-W kitchen. ‘Events like this were really stressful. It’s really the first time since starting on the board where things feel so normal. It’s also the first time as a board member that I’m seeing so many people with happy faces – it’s really great!’

No ‘no’

 It seems the feeling of normality was unanimous. When asked if there was concern about coronavirus, most party-goers were not worried. ‘After two years, everyone has their own responsibility and has learnt where they want to be and where they feel comfortable,’ says Lin Xin Strootman. ‘Personally, I feel quite safe because I have the booster and many people around me either have it or have had corona already. I think the environment here is different here because we are all getting educated in science.’

Many members are looking forward to additional relaxation of the measures, although some feel the increased personal responsibility may take some getting used to. ‘Now the real challenge is coming up because students are not forced to go home or say no anymore,’ says Menno Poorthuis. But tonight, no one cares. It’s party time.