The second HolaULL festival gave first-year students a lively introduction to university life, although some student delegations stayed away over ongoing disagreements
More than 4,000 first-year students descended on the Universitat de La Laguna this week for the second edition of HolaULL, a welcome event designed to give new arrivals a taste of university life.
And they certainly weren’t eased into it gently.
The festival took over the parking areas around the Faculty of Fine Arts, with live performances, DJs, food trucks, health advice, a glitter station, a giant ULL logo and, because apparently university orientation wasn’t exciting enough already, a mechanical bull.
ULL Rector Francisco García welcomed the new students and told them that the university would now become their home.
He also reminded them that university isn’t just about what you study. It’s about the people you meet and the memories you make along the way.
Getting to know people
For many of the students arriving this year, the event was a chance to meet people before lectures and assignments properly take over.
Music from Bad Bunny provided the soundtrack while students wandered around the different activities and got to know their new surroundings.
Glysmér Salazar, who is studying Philosophy, said she was particularly interested in getting involved with student representation and meeting other students in a similar position.
That’s one of the useful things about events like this. Starting university can be a bit daunting, particularly when you don’t know anyone.
Having somewhere to meet people before the serious stuff starts can make a difference.
Tiffany Morín, who hopes to work in sports journalism, also welcomed the opportunity to meet students from different areas and said she appreciated the warm welcome from the university.
Not everyone was celebrating
There was, however, a slightly less cheerful side to the event.
Some student delegations chose not to attend because of ongoing disagreements with the university over the removal of July exam periods.
The issue has already caused tension between students and university management, particularly following the earlier removal of the September exam option.
Sergio Cordobéz, president of the Humanities Faculty’s student delegation, said it was understandable that some groups had decided to stay away.
For the students who did attend, though, the event was also an opportunity to learn more about student representation and the role it can play during their time at university.
Because the mechanical bull might be the memorable bit from day one, but sooner or later the exams arrive.