The Fresher’s Week welcomed the University’s new students
The spring semester at Halmstad University has officially begun. Last week, the new students were welcomed by the Student Union’s annual spring Fresher’s Week, The Welcoming Games.
“I feel that the programme planned by the Student Union is very nice and provides a great welcome for us new students.”
Lea Sophie Gauss, student
Over the course of three days, the Student Union organised a wide range of activities for the new students, giving them the opportunity to get to know each other and get a feel for the student life. This year’s Welcoming Games started with cinema at Röda Kvarn, in collaboration with Halmstad Heart Student, where the students watched the movie, Sommartider. The following days continued with everything from a gasque to building medieval-style armour in cardboard and participating in jousting games.
One of this year’s participants was Lea Sophie Gauss, who studies business sociology at a university in Germany and is spending an exchange semester at Halmstad University. Lea Sophie Gauss explains that she appreciates The Welcoming Games because her home university in Germany does not offer anything similar:
“My first experience of The Welcoming Games is really positive. I like it a lot. I feel that the programme planned by the Student Union is very nice and provides a great welcome for us new students. They have also told us about the clothing worn by the Student Union – the overalls and their dances – and I think it’s really fun.”
Lea Sophie Gauss was one of all the students who participated in this year’s Welcoming Games.
The Student Union’s Vice President, Oscar Meyer, is also pleased with this year’s first Fresher’s Week.
“I think this year’s fresher’s has gone well. It is quite relaxed compared to the autumn fresher’s, but that also means those who start their studies now really get the chance to get to know each other. They seem to have had fun, and that makes us happy”, says Oscar Meyer.
Oscar Meyer is the Student Union’s Vice President with responsibility for education monitoring.
“The University truly builds a sense of community around its students”
Another student at this year’s Fresher’s Week was Denys Shalamai, a master’s student from Ukraine.
“My first impression of today’s event is that it is really cool. I really enjoy the creativity behind how the University arranges everything, especially the setup with themed competitions. We never had anything like that at my home university”, says Denys Shalamai.
Denys Shalamai explains that there is a significant difference between student life in Sweden compared to Ukraine.
“I really like Halmstad University. I don’t know what it is like at other Swedish universities, but Halmstad University truly builds a sense of community around its students. There is always something fun to do here and many opportunities to meet people who share your interests”, explains Denys Shalamai.
One of the activities during The Welcoming Games was to prepare for Friday’s jousting games by building armour. Denys Shalamai, on the right, was one of the participants.
In addition to international students and exchange students, students from the Nursing Programme and the Introduction Semester also took part in this year’s Fresher’s Week.
Text: Vilma Olofsson
Photo: Ida Fridvall, Dan Bergmark
