Photo Roelof Kleis The Annual Introduction Days (AID) are coming up. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, they’ve been divided this year, as they were in 2020, into two in-person AIDs. The first runs from Wednesday 11 to Saturday 14 August, and the second from Monday 16 to Thursday 19 August.
Registration has closed, says Teun Bastiaansen of the AID board. ‘1225 Bachelor’s students and 795 Master’s students have signed up. 332 students have signed up for the digital AID. ‘That online introduction will take place at the same time as the second AID,’ says Bastiaansen. ‘It is still not certain whether all the international students who have signed up for the introduction can get to Wageningen. That depends on the infection rates in the Netherlands.’
Just like last year, because of the coronavirus pandemic and the measures that go with it, the AIDs won’t be the same as they were before Covid. Participants must maintain a distance of one and a half metres at all times, and seating will be arranged at many activities. But the pub quiz, which was held online last year, will take place at the various festival locations on campus this time. The info market, which was held on campus last year, will now return to the arboretum. Bastiaansen: ‘The arboretum is such a lovely location, and spacious. So we can set up a one-way system there fairly efficiently, which helps us to maintain social distancing.’ There will also be a campsite on campus again during these AIDs, and 160 people have already booked into it.
Mums and Dads
To help keep the AID running smoothly, about 400 students have signed up as mentors (the mums and dads of the participating groups), and 180 students have volunteered as crew. All AID participants will be given two rapid flow tests to use during the week. Bastiaansen: ‘We are not going to insist on it, but we hope everyone will test themselves as much as possible.’ If anyone in an AID group has symptoms or tests positive, the whole group goes into quarantine. ‘However much of a shame that can be for the other groups members.’
Another traditional part of the week that is not run by the AID board, is the student society parties. Sadly, they will not be going ahead, says Loïs Lutterman of the Ceres AID committee. ‘Unfortunately, we had to cancel shows because of the coronavirus measures. The shows have all been postponed to a later date, still to be decided on.’ But the societies will be involved in various elements of the programme, such as the workshops, the pub crawl and the info market. ‘And if AID participants have any questions about student life in Wageningen, they are always welcome at the clubhouse or to get in touch with us through our social media.’
