Togetherness and joy in focus at the Kick Off

About 3,300 new students have arrived to Jönköping University (JU). Before they begin their studies this fall there is a ten-day Kick Off with focus on togetherness, safety and fun times.

"It really feels like everyone is here to have fun together," says Madeline Alderman, who is an exchange student at the School of Health and Welfare at JU.

The Kick Off is organized by Jönköping Student Union In order for students to get to know each other and get into student life. There will be a lot of music, dancing and games and all activities are voluntary. The Student Union works to ensure that the Kick Off is an inclusive, fun, positive and memorable experience for the new students. Many fadders are on hand during the Kick Off to ensure that new students are well looked after and settled into student life. They also answer questions and show students around campus and Jönköping.

Many students wear overalls in their school colors and are often seen dancing, singing and playing on grassy areas here and there in Jönköping.

"A great experience"

Isak Götberg will study Media and Communication with a specialization in Media Production at the School of Education and Communication (HLK). Isak, who is from Jönköping, thinks that the start of the kick-off has been beyond expectations.

"Great fun! I have met a lot of new people and it has been a great experience. I hope and believe that I will meet even more people and get to know the school better. It's always a bit nervous at the beginning, but it passed quickly ," he says.

Isak worked for two years after high school, but felt it was time to start studying again. He wants to learn more about communication and journalism.

"I think journalism is my dream job, but I can imagine working with other things too, as a communicator for example," says Isak Götberg.

"Extravagant and different"

At Jönköping International Business School's (JIBS) Inspark, there was both a dance battle and Ovve ceremony.

Two exchange students who enjoyed the kick-off were Lotte Tamara from the Netherlands together with her new friend Lynn Suntrup from Germany.

"I am studying Business Administration in the Netherlands and will be taking various courses at JIBS until Christmas. It's my first visit to Scandinavia so I didn't really know what to expect, but so far I think the Kick Off week has been really good. I like that it is so extravagant and different. I have heard that the education at JIBS is of high quality so I am looking forward to learning a lot," said Lotte Tamara.

Lynn Suntrup from Germany is also studying Business Administration and, like Lotte, will be taking several courses at JIBS until the end of the year.

"I am really looking forward to meeting new people, absorbing the Swedish culture, having fun and learning a lot," she said.

Both hope to learn some Swedish during the coming semester.

Tess Olander from Ulricehamn was mingling in the crowd outside the School of Engineering (JTH) where music was playing, sausages were being served and yellow technician overalls were being handed out. She will study the Networking, Infrastructure and Cyber Security programme at JTH.

"I have some friends who work in that industry and it sounds like it suits me. So I am going to study here to get a job, quite simply. It feels good to be able to make a contribution to society through this education, that you can make a difference. It will be great to study here. It is already fun and we have not even started yet," says Tess Olander.

"The people are amazing"

At the School of Health and Welfare, the new students have so far completed challenges around the city and inaugurated their overalls in Hälsoparken. Madeline Alderman and Marko Draco from Windsor, Canada, are doing their exchange semester in the Nursing programme and are looking forward to the education and the rest of the Kick Off week.
"It has been a lot of fun so far. The activities and people are amazing," says Madeline.

Marko is impressed with the organization and the togheterness during the Kick Off. He hopes that the rest of the Kick Off will be at least as fun as it has been so far.

"We have nothing like this back home in Canada. The Kick Off definitely raises the school spirit and it feels like an active community for all students at JU. I am very curious to know what the rest of the Kick Off will contain for activities, says Marko.

A calm complement to the kick-offs

As a complement to the Kick Off, Laid-back kick-off is organized at the University Library three afternoons during the Kick Off period. There is no music or activities, but only coffee and socializing with students from JU's four schools. The student health center offers homemade "fika" and on the first day about 60 people came, most of them international students. One of them was Hang Su from China who will study Marketing Management at JIBS. She likes the usual kick-off, but found it easier to talk to and get to know other people by sitting down and having coffee with them at the Laid-back Kick Off.

"This suits me better and it is really good that it is organized. Besides, the "fika" was very good," she says.