101: How to Survive Your First Weeks in Groningen

As the sun shines its ultimate rays for the next couple of months, the city we all love is once more filled with a new batch of first-years. Whether at Hanze or RUG, Dutch or international, each student will run around in a flurry trying to figure out what class is in which building, where to find accommodation and how to even manage to sustain themselves without mum and dad’s cooking. Not to worry, we’ve all been there. Hence, it is time to share some of our wisdom on how to get through your first weeks in this new city, or even country! 

 

Housing

The first concern we all had when we decided to come to the Netherlands for university was how to find accommodation. Now, while we can’t pose as a real estate agent for you all, we can give you some tips. 

Firstly, the whole idea of starting early is essential. If you end up signing a 6 months contract for student accommodation like Blockhouse or Xior, you should begin to start looking for housing as soon as possible. However, looking early may not pay off immediately unless you’re looking for an apartment. In case you want to be part of a shared flat or student house then websites like Kamernet or Hospi Housing may not have offers 6 months in advance. What has to be said as well is that Hospi housing can be used most successfully if you’re Dutch and Kamernet has an astonishing amount of users.

I understand this doesn’t sound all too positive, but this is where you’re wrong. Once you’ve understood this it means you can enter the most savage competition of all times- the Facebook run to find housing in Groningen. Don’t get me wrong, Facebook does have scammers so please just be aware and safe when looking for your dream future home. So, go put yourself out there, and respond to all the ads you can find. But most importantly don’t forget everyone has been where you are right now and we can all say it always works itself out in the end. Once you’ve moved in, don’t forget to head to the Gemeente Groningen (the municipality) to register. Then you’ll get a BSN number with which you can apply for DUO (once you have a job as an international), digiID and very easily open up a student account at a Dutch bank like ABN AMRO for free! 

 

Transport

For the Dutchies, this will be no news to you, but get a bike. It might seem like a silly tip, nonetheless, you’d be surprised how many students haven’t gotten themselves a bike. While you can attempt to buy them on Facebook Marketplace, Marktplaats offers more. On the other hand, buying a second-hand bike would be even better in person, so head over to Budget Bikes and take a Dutch friend with you for the “citizen discount”. 

Granted that not everyone is the biggest biking fan, you can easily use the trains and public transport here as well. The official NS app or 9292 will help you get to everywhere you need. Supposing that you’re still 18, you can also get your hands on the Off-peak Young Person’s Day Ticket for only 7.95 euros. Trains as a whole are a great way to explore Groningen’s surrounding area in all its beauty. If you don’t know where to go yet, look out for our next blog where I’ll discuss the must-sees and hidden gems of this beautiful country that we now call home. 

Now, of course, if you’re in a similar position as me, where you do own a driver’s license but it’s from a country outside the EU, any local driving school will be able to provide you with more information. In case you do have a driver’s license I’d still recommend getting a bike because the city is super bike friendly, meaning it is often faster to get around and you’d not straight away stand out as an international. And hey, if everything else doesn’t work you might as well get a sailing license and meander along the canals. 

 

Groceries 

Food, food, food. Where do I even start? Would we like to go out every day to enjoy the Dutch delicacies or simply a pizza from down the road? Yes, but in what student budget does that have space?

Unfortunately, your parents or younger siblings that you used to employ to cook for you are also not here. So the time has come to cook for yourself. Hence, go grab all the bonus cards you can get and start your culinary journey. Whether it’s Lidl, Jumbo or Albert Heijn, make sure to write a list and think about what you want to eat for the week beforehand. You could even hop on the trend of meal prepping (it really isn’t overhyped… yet). Afterwards, you’re ready to head into the labyrinths they like to call supermarkets. Or just head to the local food market on Vismarkt on Tuesday and the weekend- it’s worth it with its discounted fruit and vegetable deals!

 

Jobs

It’s no secret student jobs are in high demand and difficult to obtain if you’re aiming for cute restaurants like Lust or Uchi Sushi. Yet, most cafes are always looking for someone so it’s worth a shot printing out a couple CVs and walking around to drop them off. You can also try to send a couple of emails- just make sure to straight away inform the employer what position and amount of hours it is that you want. With a little bit of patience, we’re sure we’ll see you behind the counter of the cafe next door in no time.

 

Outside of these tips, there is much more criteria to cover. From how to get a Dutch bank account to how to apply for health insurance, you probably have hundreds of questions, so please listen when we say, take it one step at a time and don’t hesitate to consult the municipality website, where you will find more tips. Moving and starting university can be stressful, especially if you’re in a new country and don’t speak the language so go find yourself a tall Dutch friend and ask away. Now, all that’s left to say is…may the odds ever be in your favour. 

 

– Written by Annika. K