Robin Waterval, secretary of the Apollo board and member of Musilon.
I’m Robin and I am studying technical computer science, where I will hopefully get my bachelor’s degree upcoming summer. I am a member of Musilon! I sing (High) Bass there, which is a lot of fun. I am also a member of study association Inter-Actief, but I’m not very active there.
What can you tell about your activism of the cultural associations and other associations? (board year/commision)
I wasn’t very active in my first year at Musilon; I mostly focused on getting my ECs, so that I wouldn’t be kicked out (I earlier failed Chemical Engineering). The board at that time was a lot of fun and stimulated me in considering becoming active/board. As a result I became a board member of Musilon as vice-chairman, later chairman and joined a couple of committees, first as a board responsible person and later as active committee member. I’ve gotten to learn so many other members a lot better and improved on my own skills and had a lot of fun while doing so!
What can you tell me about your cultural background?
I’ve always been singing, mostly in the shower, on the bike (but only when I made sure there was nobody around), but never had proper education. Shortly before moving to Enschede I started learning to play the violin, but I couldn’t find a teacher here so I gave that up.
Why did you join a cultural association?
As mentioned before, I always liked singing, and I really liked Glee at the time, so when I saw and heard a group of people singing a-capella during the Kick-In I just had to see it. It kind of ignited something in me that I never knew I missed.
Why did you join the board of Apollo and what is your experience?
I wanted to join the board of Apollo after my first board year at Musilon. It felt very rewarding being on the board of Musilon, and I felt like I could continue that by helping the cultural sector as a whole. By now I’ve been an Apollo board member for about 1.5 years and it has been a lot of fun and I have gotten to learn so many more people and details on how everything works.
What is your personal experience with dance/theatre/music/arts/games?
I’m not really a dancer, although just dance used to be one of my guilty pleasures. I can appreciate technical dance performances though.
Although I haven’t seen many theatrical pieces, the ones that I did get to witness were amazing! I just don’t know where to start looking for shows, or when I find a show I would like to attend it’ll be at a moment that’s highly impractical.
I really love acapella music and music with multiple voices! Once again I haven’t been to many shows though.
Aside from the Bob Ross painting I have made, I haven’t done much with arts. I like seeing exhibitions, though I find it hard to appreciate very abstract art.
Games are a favourite of mine. Aside from the online gaming I do, I also really like playing board games with friends, even more so if they are cooperative in nature.
What moment would you never forget about a cultural event? (e.g. within an association or performance)
The thrill of the very first concert I did of Musilon, after we did our final song and took a bow, hearing the audience clap and yell is something I’ll remember for a long time!
What did you learn from culture/the cultural association?
That it’s okay to be weird at times and that the important part is to have fun and enjoy yourself.
What would you tell first years about Apollo/culture?
I would tell them that culture has a lot to offer on varying levels and that one should try at least one new hobby while studying at the university. I can promise you that we are very welcoming and that Apollo will gladly help you figure out what suits you best!
Do you still dream of something else to achieve?
I hope that one day culture will be just as well known and participated in as sports.