Bart: Summer Break is Over, IntRAweek Starts

Three months later the break is almost over. After a quick holiday visit to the French Alps I got back in Middelburg. What to do… I had a job here, so that kept me busy for a while. But still, absolutely no classes, no homework, no papers, it had been a while. Luckily there were more people in Middelburg to hang out with, and with nice beach days, a few visits home, dinners and parties time goes by really quick.

So quick that intraweek is about to start. New people have moved in last weeks, and I realized that that was me a year ago, strange feeling… New students generally means parties, and that is basically what has been going on the weekend before intRAweek. Lots of new people to meet, and remember the names of.

For this intRAweek I signed up to be a parent, but so did a lot of other people, so I was not picked this year. But I can still help out in intRAweek, because I will be a godparent and can help organize the activities. No idea what they will be, since this RASA board is very good at keeping things secret, so I guess I will find that out coming week. Exciting!

Bart, class of 2013, is a Science major. Besides his courses in Mathematics, Earth Science and Politics he enjoys running, swimming, cycling, playing guitar, hanging out with friends and an occasional party.

Bart: School's Out for Summer!

One year seems like a long time, but it's gone before you know it. The feeling of finishing your last paper, last presentation and very last exam is quite great. Especially when you know there will be a three month holiday after. The last weeks of the semester were quite hectic, but looking back at this semester, and my very first year at RA, I am very happy I came here. Besides some hectic weeks in the semester there is a lot of fun to have. From barrel parties, to sports, to a hangout with friends, there is always something to do here.

But the long awaited summer break is finally there. Three months, what to do… Plan a holiday, look for work, go home, lots of options in three months. Enjoy the summer!

Bart, class of 2013, is a Science major. Besides his courses in Mathematics, Earth Science and Politics he enjoys running, swimming, cycling, playing guitar, hanging out with friends and an occasional party.

Bart's Road to Election Night

Having the posters printed it was ready to put them up… everywhere. Yes everywhere, all the RA buildings, all the campus locations, everywhere. It's quite funny to see the walls slowly get covered with posters once more and more people decide to run for some board position.

After I was on most RA walls it was time to actually prepare for a first speech on the pre-election night. It was just a one minute speech, so not that big a deal, but actually quite harder than it seems. You want to have some content in your speech, but only have one minute for it, and preferably do it by heart. But I guess I did manage and after I had done my speech, and got rid of the nerves, I could just listen to all the other speeches. Some were even better prepared than others and it was a great evening.

Next up was the actual election night, for the speeches on that evening we even got half a minute extra than on the pre-election night. There were even more people listening to the speeches that night. My personal best on the amount of people doing a speech for set on the pre-election did not last long. The election night took place in a small church, and I thought there were only people on the floor level, but when I went on stage to do my speech I noticed that there was a balcony which was filled with students as well.  This was quite scary, but awesome at the same time. I did alright but despite the polite round of applause I received my luck stopped there. I was not elected, too bad, but it was a great experience. And who knows, maybe better luck next year.

Leaving all the election frenzy behind I had to actually continue with academic things. With just a few weeks left I still had to hand in assignments, papers and prepare for presentations and exams.

Bart, class of 2013, is a Science major. Besides his courses in Mathematics, Earth Science and Politics he enjoys running, swimming, cycling, playing guitar, hanging out with friends and an occasional party.

Bart for AAC Chair

After hours of pondering, should I or should I not run, I made up my mind. I am running for Academic Affairs Council chair. The AAC represents students on all academic matters at RA. After a meeting with the current AAC board it was official and I started my "campaign". This means making a poster, print some and put them all around the RA campus.

Up next: more campaigning, speeches, more speeches and the election night.

Bart – for an approachable, accountable and communicative AAC

Bart, class of 2013, is a Science major. Besides his courses in Mathematics, Earth Science and Politics he enjoys running, swimming, cycling, playing guitar, hanging out with friends and an occasional party.

Bart wonders: To run or not to run

After this mid-term break the elections for the boards of student bodies at RA will be there. Besides a bit of work, visiting some friends and finding a job for the summer break the main thing on my mind was whether I should run for a board position or not.

The RASA, AAC, HAC and RA council all depend on students actively participating and making sure the coming years at RA will be as much fun as they were last year. It would be great to help out in one of those councils. But which one, what position, do I have time for that, what about campaigning, do I have to put up poster with my face all over RA?

Keep watching the RA blog for the result of this conundrum.

Bart, class of 2013, is a Science major. Besides his courses in Mathematics, Earth Science and Politics he enjoys running, swimming, cycling, playing guitar, hanging out with friends and an occasional party.

Bart is back at RA

Six weeks of Christmas break seems a long time for just a break, but to be honest, it is nice. The day after the Christmas gala I packed my back and went home to celebrate my birthday, Christmas, New Years Eve and to catch up with friends and family.

But six weeks are a bit too much for that, so after a few weeks at home I returned to Middelburg. Although it is nice to sleep in for four more weeks and catch up with all your favourite television series, I will take a job next Christmas break. The long breaks at RA are perfect to both do some work and go on holidays.

Anyways, after spending a few weeks not doing much it was time to get going again. Step one, buying books. Although there apparently were some troubles placing everyone in their preferred courses, I was lucky and just got in all the courses I wanted. So off I went buying books for Methods & Statistics I, Theory of Statistics and Data Analysis, Foundations of Comparative Politics and Earth System Science II. The last three are basically the same courses I took in my first semester, but now the 200 levels. Why bother changing track if you enjoyed what you were doing right?

With all housemates returning from their breaks it was just a matter of waiting for the classes to start on Monday.

Bart, class of 2013, is a Science major. Besides his courses in Mathematics, Earth Science and Politics he enjoys running, swimming, cycling, playing guitar, hanging out with friends and an occasional party.

Bart looking back at his first semester of the RA-life

The mid-term break is over, which means we are already more than half way the first semester. Now imagine the weeks after the mid-term break are filled with presentations, mid-term exams, final exams, group projects and more presentations. Sounds horrible, doesn’t it?

Looking back however, it was all alright. Actually, it was great fun. Yes, there was some work that had to be done, but in between days sometimes filled with work there still was a lot of time left to do fun things.

There were excursions to the Ardennes and the Dutch Parliament for courses I took. I went bartending in our student bar “Barrel”, which is something I advise you all to do, and I decided to pick up an old hobby of mine, swimming.

In between the hard work and the occasional but huge PartyCo parties you also learn to appreciate the small things. Think of house dinners, movie nights with friend or just a get together at Koestraat, which are nice to get your mind of the work and meet up with people.

After the few last busy days with final exams the Christmas break, and coinciding my birthday, was finally there. And at RA there is only one way to properly start the Christmas break, which is with an enormous Christmas gala.

Merry Christmas and see you next year!

Bart, class of 2013, is a Science major. Besides his courses in Mathematics, Earth Science and Politics he enjoys running, swimming, cycling, playing guitar, hanging out with friends and an occasional party.