Photo Resource. You had to have been there to know what the big singalong during Wageningen’s introduction week was like. The atmosphere with the lanterns, all of the singing students, the tongue-in-cheek strict rules and the splash of water for offenders.
Some 1700 students were seated at the long tables on the Wageningen Campus festival grounds. Some tables have a clearly visible 18- sign for mentor groups with members under 18. And, sure enough, no alcoholic beverages for them. This evening’s programme item is the AID singalong. An evening of singing along with almost entirely English language songs, such as hits by Abba, the Beatles, Queen and Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive”.
The Cantus band accompanies the singing. A cantus, also known as a beer cantus, is a traditional singing festival among students. There are some pretty strict rules: you sing together and toast together. The Cantus singers enforce the rules and administer the (cheeky) punishments. This evening’s punishment of choice is a splash of water from a super soaker.
‘Music brings people together’
The singalong starts at eight-thirty, at which time most mentor groups are seated at the long tables somewhat timidly. But, as the evening progresses and the darkness sets in, the atmosphere becomes more unique. Fraternal, exuberant. Ingrid Hijman of the Student Service Centre: ‘Isn’t it great? We did this for the first time last year, and it was awesome then, too. The lanterns create the illusion of one big tent. Here, you can really sense that music brings people together. It gives you goosebumps.’
Several youths come cycling by. ‘What is going on here?’ one of them inquires. The introduction? A singalong? When they peek through the gates, they catch a glimpse of the goings-on inside. ‘Wow! That is so cool!’. They continue on their way. Cool, but a little weird; you can hear them think.
Singalong yourself on www.instagram.com/resource_wur.
This article was published in De Gelderlander/Lieke Mulder
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