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Bruises, limps and stretch marks: six Amsterdam student associations found guilty of assault

Sarah O'Leary 🇮🇪
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Bruises, limps and stretch marks: six Amsterdam student associations found guilty of assault

Everyone leaves their first year orientation with a limp, bruises, and stretch marks, right? Well, no — but you may have if you joined an Amsterdam student association this year.

No less than six student associations in the Dutch capital have been found guilty of causing gross assault and humiliation to first years due to hazing during their orientation.

According to the NOS, the Dutch board of student associations, ASC/AVSV, launched an investigation into the associations after reports of violence — the result? Guilty.

Injuries caused by abuse

After reaching their conclusion, the board explained their decision, stating “These injuries are the result of physical abuse: punches, kicks, and blows in the face.”

And the damage doesn’t stop there, the associations are also guilty of causing psychological harm according to the board. “It is also clear that humiliation leads to a bad psychological state of some aspiring members.”

A known tradition

Dutch student associations are infamous for their often difficult initiation process. This is not the first time that first years have been expected to go above and beyond in order to secure the approval of association members.

READ MORE | Dutch sororities and fraternities: yep, they exist (and are echt bizarre)

Just last week, two first year fraternity members tied the knot for a bit of fun during the orientation week in order to gain sjaarzenpunten (freshman points.) However, the president of their student association claimed this had nothing to do with orientation.

Getting married is one thing, but causing harm to others is not tolerated by the board of student associations. “This has nothing to do with ‘getting acquainted’. It is a miracle that no one has been hospitalised as a result of this action.”

What are your thoughts on Dutch student societies? Tell us in the comments below!

Feature Image: Doble.dphoto/Depositphotos

Weekly update: we’re moving in the right direction

Jen Lorimer 🇿🇼
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Weekly update: we’re moving in the right direction

The RIVM has released its weekly coronavirus figures from August, 31 to September, 7. The number of hospitalisations and deaths has decreased compared to the previous week.

Over the past week, the RIVM has reported 17,890 new infections in the Netherlands. This is a marginal increase compared to last week’s report of 17,575 infections.

It’s not all doom and gloom though, as the percentage of positive tests decreased to 10.8% compared to 13.1% the week before.

Deaths

The number of patients who have died from coronavirus-related complications has also decreased. This week, 38 people passed away, compared to 43 people the previous week.

Hospitalisations

Hospitalisations have decreased noticeably. The same pattern is true for the number of admission to the ICU. The past week saw 300 new admissions to the nursing ward and 88 new patients in the ICU. The week before, there were 330 and 98, respectively.

Testing for access likely to extend to Horeca and other entertainment

Health Minister, Hugo de Jonge, has announced that from the end of September, people who want to enter entertainment venues, such as restaurants, cafes, and cinemas may have to prove that they’ve been vaccinated or have a negative coronavirus test. 

Testen voor toegang (testing for access), is already being requested at certain events, such as large festivals and sports competitions. However, as of now, it has not been necessary to prove your coronavirus status at smaller venues like terraces, cinemas, and small cultural performances.

New relaxations delayed by five days

At the last press conference on August 13, the cabinet laid out a roadmap for new relaxations. These included an end to working from home, the end of face masks on public transport, and no more prescribed seating in cafes. 🕺

The new relaxations were due to come into effect on September, 20. However, this next step of the opening plan is likely to be pushed back to September, 25 — as the law needs to be amended before the relaxations can come into effect.

Is a third shot on the cards?

As early as the end of September, the cabinet will issue a decision on whether fully-vaccinated people should receive a third shot. Dutch GGD’s are locked and loaded to administer these booster shots as soon as the government gives the green light.

Coronavirus exacerbated a decline in mental health

An annual survey by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), carried out for the first two quarters of 2021 has found that 15% of the Netherland’s population are psychologically unhealthy.

The CBS has temporarily added a section relating to the effects of the coronavirus. Unsurprisingly, feelings of loneliness, fear, gloom, and stress were more common during the coronavirus crisis than before.

Follow DutchReview on Facebook for the latest news and coronavirus updates.

Feature Image: Shane Rounce/Unsplash

Oldest Dutch Neanderthal gets a face!

Nicole Ogden 🇹🇭 🇺🇸
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Oldest Dutch Neanderthal gets a face!

The oldest ancient Dutchie, Neanderthal Krijn, has been given a facial reconstruction. Unlike other reconstructions, Krijn has an approachable, smiling face. 🧑✨

While only a fragment of his skull survived, The National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden has reconstructed the ancient Nederlander‘s face — reports NOS.

An amateur palaeontologist discovered a fragment of fossil on the coast of Zeeland, which was sucked up from the North Sea.

It is estimated that he lived 50,000-70,000 years ago in Zeeland (but maybe he was Belgian?). Experts believe that he died around his 20th birthday. 🎂

It’s not known if Krijn lived on a diet of haring and boterhammen at the time. 🐟

fossil-fragment-dutch-neanderthal
The fragment of Krijn. Image: National Museum of Antiquities, Leiden/CC0

A unique fossil

He also has a distinctive bump on his head, where palaeontologists believe he had a tumour — based on the state of his skull.

Curator Luc Amkreutz believes that the fossil will be attractive to people and says, “I think it’s cool to see such an old fossil, but when I look at the image I feel a certain kinship. This is not a species that was as far away from us as they thought until recently.”

Krijn will be showing off his new smile at the Doggerland Exhibition — about prehistoric era life — in Leiden starting from September 7, 2021.

What are your thoughts on this caveman’s new face? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!

Feature Image: National Museum of Antiquities, Leiden

Dinner and a movie? But first, the Dutch cabinet wants you to prove you’re coronavirus free

Jen Lorimer 🇿🇼
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1
Dinner and a movie? But first, the Dutch cabinet wants you to prove you’re coronavirus free

Health Minister, Hugo de Jonge has announced that from the end of September, people who want to enter entertainment venues, such as restaurants, cafes, and cinemas may have to prove that they’ve been vaccinated or have a negative coronavirus test.  

The cabinet had previously announced that this measure would only apply at venues with more than 75 guests RTL Nieuws reports. However, this limit may be dropped — meaning you’ll have to show your QR code at all restaurants and cafes. ☕️

A coronavirus ticket, or testen voor toegang, is already being requested at certain events, such as large festivals and sports competitions. However, as of now, it has not been necessary to prove your coronavirus status at smaller venues like terraces, cinemas, and small cultural performances.

When will this be decided on?

The cabinet will make this decision on Tuesday, September, 14 — they are currently still waiting for advice from the Outbreak Management Team (OMT). The new measures will then take effect on September, 25 — having been pushed back by five days.

In addition, the cabinet is also discussing whether people who need one of these tests should make a personal financial contribution, and how much this should cost — doei freebie testen voor toegang (testing for access). 👋

Why is this measure being considered?

According to De Jonge, approximately 1.8 million people have still not been vaccinated or built up immunity after a previous infection. He says that this could cause a “complicated dilemma in the autumn” with thousands of new hospitalisations.

At the same time, he recognises that the general will to have very restrictive measures in society is gone. Who really wants another winter lockdown? Not us, that’s for sure. 🤦

Alleviating pressure on the healthcare system

In order to prevent the healthcare system from being overwhelmed, and of course, to avoid that dreaded winter lockdown (let’s be honest, there’s only so many board games you can play), De Jonge sees the coronavirus admission ticket as a necessary step in avoiding another spike.

A coronavirus entry ticket is already mandatory in a number of other European countries, such as France, Germany, Italy, and Austria.

What are your thoughts on the possibility of a mandatory coronavirus entry ticket? Tell us in the comments below!

Feature Image: maria_davy/Depositphotos

Parents rejoice — more students leaving the nest during the lockdown

Farah Al Mazouni 🇸🇾 🇺🇸
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Parents rejoice — more students leaving the nest during the lockdown

Keep the moving boxes around 📦 because more students are moving out of their parental homes to live on their own, according to the latest CBS figures.

25.9 thousand students left to live on their own in 2020 compared to the annual average of 22 thousand recorded in the years 2017 to 2019. Parents — be ready with plans for the extra space! 🔧🔨

The last time a moving-away increase happened at such a high rate was in 2016, which is surprising in light of the current student housing shortage.

So where are all the ambitious young people going? Students are moving to university cities as well as major hubs in areas such as the Randstad region, including Amsterdam, Utrecht, Leiden, Delft, and Rotterdam.

More students, more plans

With the sharp increase of young people obtaining a secondary education diploma in 2020 (whoa — almost 100% rate), the number of university students also increased tremendously. 

In a Nuffic survey, youngsters also indicated that they wanted to postpone their plans to go abroad because of the corona pandemic — are we surprised? Everyone’s travel plans are changing these days, even students’. 🧳

The figures show that the increase was greatest in the Haarlem, Het Gooi en Vechtstreek, and Greater Amsterdam region compared to other regions such as Zeeland and the northern and northeastern provinces.

Are you a student who moved or planning to move? Tell us more about your decision in the comments below!

Feature Image: HighwayStarz/Depositphotos

This week’s weather: an almost perfect blend of calm clouds, warmth, and sun

Farah Al Mazouni 🇸🇾 🇺🇸
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This week’s weather: an almost perfect blend of calm clouds, warmth, and sun

Picture a cloud field with beautiful breaks of sun rays in the afternoon: that’s the good weather in the Netherlands making a late-summer surge! 🌅

Monday’s maximum temperature is forecasted to range from 20 degrees on the Wadden islands to about 25 degrees in the southeast. Later tonight, the temperature cools down 🔽 to about 10 degrees in the east and 14 to 15 degrees at the sea with a little wind.🍃

Tuesday, the weather will get even better — both temperature and sun wise. ☀
With more sun breaks, temperatures will range from 23 to 27 degrees — minimal wind? Goed! 👏

Our week ahead

We have a promising week, folks!

Well, up until Thursday at least. Wednesday temperatures are expected to hit 28 degrees! Whoa — beach day? 🏖

Chances of rain are possible for Thursday, whereas Friday temperatures could bring an end to our warm weather streak with maximums around 23 degrees.

What are your plans for this (almost) week of good weather? Tell us in the comments below!

International students return to the Netherlands — but are Dutch universities ready?

Nicole Ogden 🇹🇭 🇺🇸
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International students return to the Netherlands — but are Dutch universities ready?

As a new academic year is upon us, the Netherlands is seeing an increase in the number of international students attending Dutch higher education. However, many universities are still struggling with in-person education because of the coronavirus measures. 

According to data from the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND), applications for study permits are back on the rise — reports AD. 

Before the pandemic, the annual growth of students from outside the EU was 10%. This increase is caused partly by British students needing to apply for a permit as a result of Brexit. 

However, in 2020, the pandemic struck and the number of study permit applications dropped by a whopping 40%. 📉

Increase in numbers

This year, 15,110 applications were received at the end of July. Those are more applications than all of 2020 — when only 12,310 applications were received. 🤯

The IND reports most applications came from China, India, the US, Turkey, and Indonesia.

According to Nuffic — the Dutch organization for internationalisation in education — the most popular study programmes for international students from these countries include:

  1. 💲 Economics and business. 
  2. 🧠 Social sciences.
  3. 🛠 Engineering. 
  4. 🎨 Arts and culture. 

University measures

Universities no longer have to observe the 1.5-metre distance within faculty buildings. However, students must wear masks in the hallways, and classrooms are limited to a maximum capacity of 75 people. This may be a problem for students from larger study programmes. 

What do you think of this situation? Tell us in the comments below!

Feature Image: Rawpixel/Depositphotos

For health and productivity — could the Netherlands see a shorter work week?

Farah Al Mazouni 🇸🇾 🇺🇸
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For health and productivity — could the Netherlands see a shorter work week?

The Dutch trade union CNV is devoting their efforts towards a change for 30 hours werkweek as opposed to 36+ working hours, citing an increase in burnout among Dutchies.

In a CNV study, one in five workers in the Netherlands is facing burnout as this percentage drastically doubled from 11% to 21% due to the coronavirus crisis. 36% of workers are shown to face work-related stress the longer the crisis lasts, while 42% of workers are doing their work with less pleasure — who could say no to working less at this point? 😪

In a grim reference to their latest data, CNV chairman Piet Fortuin warns that the burnout situation is “getting more and more dire.” 🤯⏰

Justification and support

In an argument in favour of a four-day workweek, Fortuin looks at examples of companies that already made the switch where workers are shown to be “happier, more efficient, and more productive.”

“The corona crisis teaches us that we can switch faster than we thought.” says Fortuin “now that the economy is thriving again, it is a logical time to switch to a four-day workweek.”

The CNV study shows widespread support from workers where 66% see that a four-day workweek would lead to lower illness absenteeism, 73% say it will improve overall work-life balance, and 62% agree that it will create more time for informal care and volunteer work.

Similarly, 48% of workers believe a 30 hours workweek will make them more productive and efficient. 💪

What do you think of a shorter workweek? Tell us in the comments below!

Feature Image: HayDmitriy/Depositphotos

20,000 people protest in Amsterdam over, well, basically everything

Christine Stein Hededam 🇩🇰
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20,000 people protest in Amsterdam over, well, basically everything

About 20,000 people gathered for a seven-kilometre long march through the Dutch capital yesterday.

Under the motto “Together for the Netherlands,” the crowd protested the Dutch government’s coronavirus measures…but also the childcare allowance scandal, the Groningen affair, and the housing shortage. What a list! 😬

Municipality urged people not to join the crowds

Prior to the march, the organiser, Michel Reijinga, said he expected it to be “the largest demonstration since the introduction of the corona measures” with some 50,000 participants, reports the NOS.

However, before the march even began the Amsterdam municipality was urging people not to join due to crowds. The majority of participants were unmasked and failed to practice social distancing.

Flags, yellow umbrellas, and heart balloons could all be seen at the march. Protesters also carried signs with slogans such as “QR code goes too far” and Covid vaccine is poison.”

Super gezellig

Despite the large numbers (and lack of COVID-safety), a spokesperson from the municipality said the demonstration was carried out in a calm and pleasant manner.

The organisers had arranged for the demonstration to finish at 3 PM on Dam Square, but by that time march was still ongoing. By 4.30 PM most protesters had arrived at the square. The municipality allowed the delay.

What do you think of this giant protest? Tell us in the comments below!

Feature Image: Ian Harber/Unsplash

Late summer surge in temperatures — get ready for a warm weekend

Farah Al Mazouni 🇸🇾 🇺🇸
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Late summer surge in temperatures — get ready for a warm weekend

The best piece of news for a Friday afternoon: we’re promised perfect weather for the weekend with the sun shining on for the days following. 😎✌

Buienradar’s meteorologist Maurice Middendorp couldn’t have dropped better words: “Between 20 and 25 degrees, with sun, little wind, what more could you want?” — nothing more if you ask us! 🙌

Late summer with warm air was predicted by Middendorp as Southern wind will be moving toward the Netherlands soon. The warm air from the South will be bringing us that much-needed heat over next week to make up for a bad (yet somehow normal) August. ☔

Although more clouds are expected next week, and some will already appear over the North this weekend, Dutchies can count on enjoying some dry and warm days with a maximum reaching 22 to 27 degrees.

What are your plans for this beautiful weather? Tell us in the comments below!

Image: Yaruta/Depositphotos

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