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You mix an engaged study advisor with enthusiastic student associations and a pair of walking shoes. The result: "Ommetje", especially for students at the Faculty of Science.

“Heel Holland Wandelt” since the coronavirus. Not surprising since walking is important for your physical and mental health. But study advisor at Biology Barber van Manen saw that students actually started to move less. "While moving outside together is so good against stress and loneliness." Something many students have to deal with now, Barber also noticed in her conversations.

Connecting fellow students

"I would like to get all students outdoors," says Barber. She turned to the faculty's study associations, who immediately were enthusiastic. That's how the idea was born to have students sign up for a walk via a Google Form. The study association then links them to a fellow student in the neighborhood. In this way, students meet each other and go for a walk or bike together.

Biology student Anke Posma immediately signed up: "It seems really nice to get to know someone this way. You can keep a nice distance, get a cup of coffee and just chat. I expect to walk for an hour at least once or twice a week."

Who walks the most miles?

As an extra game element, the study associations created a group in the popular app Ommetje. Students who want to participate can add themselves to the group of their study association. This also creates some competition: who walks the most miles? 

Everyone needs resilience

Barber is super happy that the study associations have taken it up like this. "I truly feel that students need this. The combination of exercise and social contact is so important. It quickly gives you more resilience and improves your concentration, an important take away from my conversations with students. And that is something everyone needs right now.”

Students who wish to participate can register with their , and will be paired with a fellow student who lives near them.