Several students from the Parnassos community have previously been a student assessor. This year, it is Tibbe Klein who fulfills this important role within the Executive Board (CvB). We speak with him about student well-being and how cultural activities can be a valuable addition to your studies.
At Parnassos, student well-being is central. During a busy and sometimes overwhelming period of study, it is comforting to have a place where you can unwind, meet new people, and share your passions together.
Various student ensembles rehearse at Parnassos: choirs, orchestras, and even a big band! Tibbe Klein himself is active in one of these ensembles, the Utrechts Studenten Koor en Orkest (USKO).
As a student assessor, you represent the voice of students. How important is it for students to have a place where they can relax and engage in something creative or cultural?
That is very important. Your time as a student is actually quite a strange period: you start studying, suddenly have to manage everything yourself, and are more or less thrown out into the world. The structure and relaxation that extracurricular activities provide help you get through it and make sure it remains enjoyable. After all, higher education is about more than just attending classes. It is also about personal development, getting to know yourself, and discovering what you enjoy and what you want to do.
The structure and relaxation that extracurricular activities provide help you get through it and ensure that it stays enjoyable.
How do you personally maintain a balance between your studies and your free time?
I’ve actually always been quite good at that. I like closing my laptop around five o’clock and not opening it again until nine the next morning, so I can do something different in between. My free-time schedule is pretty full; there are many evenings when I have somewhere to be. Every week I have at least two rehearsal days, and in addition I try to go climbing twice a week. Sometimes it feels a bit like an obligation, but once I get started, it’s much nicer than an empty evening where I have to entertain myself.
Do you see that students find it difficult to maintain a balance between study and free time?
It’s not always easy for everyone. For many students, having structured free time can be very helpful, because their studies don’t necessarily provide that structure. As a result, students sometimes end up staying on the couch for hours watching a series, even though that might not be what truly makes them happy.
But it’s not always easy to just flip a switch. Stress about studies or finances can cause you to freeze and leave you without the mental space to take action. You need that space to think: “I can do this, and I have time for it.” Once you’ve taken that step, it actually creates new mental space.
How does your membership in USKO play a role in balancing study and free time?
I really like having structure in my social plans; that way I don’t have to come up with something to do at the last minute. Being a member of a student ensemble like USKO really helps with that; it’s truly my social group. The nice thing about a rehearsal is that you’re actually expected to be there. Sometimes people arrive feeling tired, but in the end they’re happier from making music together than they would have been if they had stayed home.
Being a member of a student ensemble like USKO helps with balancing study and free time; it really is my social circle.
Organizations like Parnassos or a sports club can provide a social safety net. At USKO, you can make music while also chatting with others. The first time you might stay three minutes longer, the next time fifteen. You don’t have to open up completely right away; you naturally find yourself in conversations or meeting new people.
What role can Parnassos play in student life in Utrecht?
Parnassos not only offers students relaxation and creative activities, but also depth, broadening, and personal development in ways you don’t always find in your studies. It’s simply a really wonderful place!
End of interview
Student well-being at Parnassos
Ultimately, Tibbe’s story makes it clear that cultural activities are more than just relaxation alongside your studies. They provide structure, connection, and an outlet during a period that can sometimes feel overwhelming. Precisely by making music together or engaging in creative activities, students create space, mentally and socially, that helps them maintain balance.