Nearly one hundred Brussels students spent five days and nights last week in Beringen, Limburg, for a collective block organized by the communist student movement Comac. “I lose less time and can concentrate better.”
For 80 euros, Brussels students from VUB, ULB and Brussels colleges could spend five days in Beringen to get up, study, eat and go to sleep together. Everything was meticulously captured for maximum focus. “There is even someone who has the specific task of waking everyone up and who always says: now we are going to study. That worked really well,” says Lisa Boyon (23), Vice President of Comac.
Boyon is a sociology student herself at the VUB and used the time in Beringen to mainly focus on statistics. “My hardest subject. It was difficult for me to concentrate on that at home.”
The collective block was organized from December 26 to the 31. “The period between Christmas and New Year is the hardest time to concentrate due to all kinds of family obligations,” explains Boyon. “And there is also some drinking. That is why we ensure with the collective block that that week is really a productive week, and for many even the most productive.”
Dormitories
Hugo Vanhercke (23) is a student of social work at the EHB and went along for the second time. “When I study alone, I take a break and get easily distracted,” he says. “Consequence? Suddenly I lost an hour. By taking a break together and going back to work together, I lose less time.”
The students slept in large dormitories. At 7:30 they were woken up, they got up together, had breakfast together, and at 9:00 they started to open their books. A group of volunteers cooked for the students all week, also at set times. “That is a huge burden off your shoulders,” said Boyon. “Otherwise you have to take time out of your day to go to the store and cook.”
Limburg
All students came from Brussels, and yet an accommodation located in Limburg was chosen. “Staying away from the big cities also prevents the temptation to go to a café or a restaurant,” explains Boyon. “That doesn’t mean that we don’t provide some ambiance ourselves, such as a movie night.”
“In a student room I would go outside faster, looking for distraction,” Vanhercke agrees.
For a week of studying with food and a place to sleep, a participant pays 80 euros. Due to, among other things, the more expensive food prices, the price actually had to go to 110 euros, but Comac did not want that. “Just because many students go along because of that low rate.” The student association therefore collected 10,000 euros through funds to reduce costs.
This article is originally published on bruzz.be
