First things first: the swans are just Swiss clickbait, I really wanted a photo in this blogpost (my camera is subpar so I don't usually take that many) and they look nice! Yay! Last weekend I went to the Integration Weekend of the music association, which groups together all students practising music at INSA (me included because I sing). We had a great time playing team building games, one involving an octopus (please don't ask - I'm never eating calamari again) and listening to people jamming. Not to forget, we had two parties where I stayed up way longer than usual without falling asleep because the dance floor was always lit! It was great getting to know the people I might be playing at a concert with, with the added perk of getting away from uni. 

Speaking of uni, I'll not talk about coursework here, this blogpost will be more about the huge amount of clubs and extracurricular activities INSA students organise. I'm in the dance association, which is one of two: mine is lead by a professional dance instructor and we have courses around 5 hours per week, and the other one is student-led with many different courses to choose from, for example Break Dance, Hip-Hop or Classical. My association also gets reduced tickets to contemporary dance spectacles, one of which we went to on Thursday: It was more accessible than I thought, and the technique and coordination of the dancers was just breathtaking.  

On top of that, I've joined the choir (because one always needs to sing with other people ;) and the space club, which, yes, builds rockets. I've also signed up to french-german tandem to improve my french, thinking that it wouldn't be too much work, but as we've already been set an essay describing our studies I'm starting to doubt that. 

There are a lot of other clubs which organise a plethora of activities around campus, such as a bike or ski sale or a mountaineering weekend, which my roommate is currently off to. I took the weekend off to relax a bit from the rather taxing week (iron deficiency strikes again!) and to sightsee around Lyon, which hopefully I'll be writing about tomorrow if I don't forget. Now, though, away from me and to the student life: Almost every day there's a soiree (fancy french word for evening) at the K-fet, a bar managed entirely by and for students. Every department also organises a pot there, at which one can get free food and drinks. The money is raised by the students in said department doing volunteering activities like cleaning or baking a cake and then getting money for that. I think this is a great way to strengthen inter-departemental ties and to get to know your fellow students! 

Speaking of which, there are several integration weekends (like the one I went on) and general weekends away organised by students as well. There's one for 3rd years, first years, theatre studies ... you name it, and it will probably exist. Last weekend they went to Munich for Octoberfest, and all weekends usually come at a really affordable price! I wonder when to get to actual uni work if one were to attend that many ... Apparently, the skiing association (yes, it exists, and yes, I'm planning on joining) also organises one-day trips to various skiing places once the season begins. You will definitely hear back from me about that, since there are few things I love as much as skiing!