Fun in Gent
Overpoort[edit]
Situated right in the middle of all university campusses, the overpoort is the main place for going out. The whole street is filled with pubs and fastfood restaurants, and the typically Belgian 'frituren'!. There's also a bowling alley, a couple of halls where the different student unions occasionally hold a Cantus (try to attend this at least once while in Ghent!) and much more.
Other clubs[edit]
Many other clubs and pubs are spread all throughout the city, some notable ones: Kompass Klub, Charlatan (and the rest of the old city centre), de Karper, de Omgekeerde Wereld, Defoo, ...
Erasmus Student Network (ESN)[edit]
TO DO
Student Unions[edit]
Almost every field of study at the university has its own student union. These host parties and activities (almost) weekly, and are usually also the first acces point for study assistance and the distribution of textbooks. Aside from the unions connected to the faculties and the university (of which VTK and maybe WiNA will be the most important to you), there are also loads of other unions, sometimes connected to a certain Flemish region or just not connected to anything else at all and made purely for fun (shoutout to De Parkwacht xx). Some of the biggest events for students are also hosted by the unions, such as Student Street Soccer, the 'twaalfurenloop' (twelve hour run) and many more.
Every student union is run by the "praesidium", which is a group of students, each with a specific role, that can be recognized by wearing a big ribbon on their right shoulder. The members of the union are called "commilitones" and wear a smaller ribbon on their right shoulder. Finally the union also has slaves, called "schachten", who wear a small ribbon on the left shoulder. Before you join the union you are called a "feut" and only after a fraternization or baptization or "doop" in the beginning of the year you turn from a "feut" or non-member into a "schacht" or slave. These baptizations can be extremely though and almost traumatizing to really fun or really easy. From eating and being covered in the worst stuff imaginable, to a simple pub crawl or "hey, here is your ribbon". After the baptization you are sold to the members of the union. The person or people who buy you are your godmothers and godfathers and during the year that you are a slave you will have to do certain assignments for them, although the easier unions do not do this. At the end of a year there is a deforestation, which is usually a fun day of games, to go from "schacht" or slave to "commiliotoon" or member.
Only with a ribbon from a union, or a good friend inside the union, you can enter the "cantus" which is by far the best part of the student life in Gent. For 10€ you have unlimited beer all night while you sing songs, although there are many many rules on this event and breaking the rules results in ... more beer!
Usually foreign students do not join these harder kinds of unions with baptizations and slaves, since it is in essence all in Dutch. However, if you are able to befriend a member of a union before the baptization dates (in October/November) it could be possible. Luckily, it is possible to join the easier unions, there are unions for board games, tea, japan, BDSM ... who don't have slaves or baptizations and who have some English members.
