'Beiaardcantus' (mass student drinking festivities)

[Gurt11]

Hi all I just woke up from what was a day and night to remember!

I don't know if this happens in other student-cities (/countries) as well, but it's called a 'cantus' (Latin). It's a very old student tradition where people from the same or a couple different 'clubs'/'unions'(?) come together to sing the songs of old and drink beer to celebrate studying, friendship, ...
Every three years or so, the students of Leuven (city where I study) organize the so called 'Beiaardcantus', where we gather in the square in front of the University Library and the beiaard (the one who can play the tower bells of the library) accompagnies our songs.

It. Was. Awesome.

About 3500 students, all in harmony!

 

[barnsley]

I wish we had that kind of thing :I.

 

[SeekaX]

Meh, not my type of activity. I wonder why going to university has such a close connection with getting wasted, it's kind of opposing the idea of education.

 

[SPS]

Looks pretty damn fun.

Also, good picture (not sure if you took it?).

 

[SuB]

we have a similar thing in the UK except it's less friendly, more drunken, and much more disorderly and usually ends up in a scrap of some kind

Meh, not my type of activity. I wonder why going to university has such a close connection with getting wasted, it's kind of opposing the idea of education.

Kiiiinda the whole point

 

[SeekaX]

we have a similar thing in the UK except it's less friendly, more drunken, and much more disorderly and usually ends up in a scrap of some kind

Kiiiinda the whole point

I get that, still it's weird behaviour of people to work against what they are trying to achieve. It's a bit like building a house and then knocking a few bricks down everytime you finish a layer. Even though knocking down bricks is fun.
I get why people do it, who the heck wants to commit to studies all the time, but it's interesting to look at things from a completely rational point of view from time to time.
Still i barely ever drink, i feel worse when i am drunk than when i am sober.

 

[SPS]

I get that, still it's weird behaviour of people to work against what they are trying to achieve. It's a bit like building a house and then knocking a few bricks down everytime you finish a layer. Even though knocking down bricks is fun.

I wouldn't say drinking causes you to lose knowledge :lol:

 

[SeekaX]

I wouldn't say drinking causes you to lose knowledge :lol:

Depends on how much you drink, at some point you will at least miss memories
Also it does kill brain cells, probably not noticeable for most people but if you get wasted every weekend that does have consequences.
Look at me telling people to live healthy, the dude who thinks going to the gym is boring and pointless.

 

[Gurt11]

Haha I get what you're saying SeeKaX! I'm not promoting getting drunk at all, I rarely do it myself. (I drink, but know my limits very well) It is funny that 'the best drinkers' we have in Belgium are or have been students A cantus is also not just about getting 'wasted', the majority of people actually don't go to that level.

I didn't take the picture myself though, it's taken from the top of the library tower by the organizers, all creds to them.

This is an afterwards pic (you can see the library in the background ^^) people still standing more or less straight!

 

[barnsley]

Its amazing how different drinking cultures are here compared to europe. Still a big fan of drinking alot at someones house though ^_^

 

[Kopesetic]

It would be nice if this sort of thing was 'peacefully' possible in the US, but even I will say that it would be a VERY bad idea to try to pull off in the US. I don't drink myself, but I used to work as a bartender at a jazz bar near Huntingdon College (US School). Almost every night we were breaking up fights between the students that drank too much. It's the reason I quit. (Well that and the fact that once I got hit trying to break-up a fight, then beat the mess out of the guy that popped me, I got bitched at because "I hit the customer." - To which my reply was, "WERE IN A BAR! THE CUSTOMER IS NOT ALWAYS RIGHT, Take your job and shove it.")

We Americans (myself included) are short fused and hot tempered, mass gatherings and drinking ends badly.

 

[dalewakelin]

It looks like freshers week in the UK except a lot less disorderly, pretty awesome.