20 years of Student Kick-Off: how it started

What once was a crazy idea of seven students became the largest student welcome festival in the country. Co-founder and Ghent University alumnus Frederic Seghers takes a trip to memory lane and reminisces about that first Student Kick-Off in 2006 at Kramersplein. 9,000 students showed up – far more than expected – and not a single visitor realized how hectic things were behind the scenes.

Enthusiasm in abundance 

“Our enthusiasm and drive were enormous, but the organization of that first edition was very student-like. We had everything figured out, but at the same time, we hadn't. The toilets were unusable because there was no running water, so people urinated all around the square. That, in turn, caused a short circuit during 't Hof van Commerce's performance. I remember walking around in the dark with a desk lamp from my student room, searching for the cause.”

“Another great idea: we'd set up a large barbecue to cater to people in the afternoon, but hadn't thought about what we'd do with the scorching hot equipment afterward. We tucked it away behind the Liberal Archives (laughs). It was a rollercoaster of emotions. But the audience? They had a blast. Afterwards, I just thought: wow, we did it.”

The idea for Student Kick-Off originated with Frederic, then president of the student association VTK, and Stijn Baert, then a student representative. "Events to welcome students already existed in other Belgian cities, but not in Ghent. We wanted a similar initiative here, organized entirely by students themselves, not by the university or the city. Our ambition was clea from the start: to become the largest student event for students and by students in Belgium.

Big ambitions

From the start, the team dreamed big. “We wanted to host Student Kick-Off at the bigger Sint-Pietersplein as soon as possible. We were convinced it was the only place suitable to make a real impact. And it become a reality from the second year onwards. That same ambition convinced sponsors. When we approached KBC bank for sponsorship in the run-up to the first edition, they proposed a much lower amount than we had in mind. We quickly glanced at eachother and eventually left the meeting with more budget. Without that courage and self-belief, Student Kick-Off probably would never have grown into what it is today.”

Crazy plans

Student Kick-Off has always been known for surprising and sometimes completely absurd ideas. "The second edition, we installed a death ride next to the stage: you literally flew over the crowd. That same year, we organized a tug-of-war between students and a horse. In a  later edition, a world championship for drinking beer bottom up was introduced. But we always did it in a responsible way. Our ideas were put to the relevant authorities first. The out-of-the-box thinking keptStudent Kick-Off fresh and relevant to this day."

On the music front Student Kick-Off can be proud of the artists they manage to secure each year. Last year, for example, Pommelien Thijs was the headliner. But Frederic has not that many memories of the performances. "I was too busy behind the scenes dealing with the thousand and one issues. But in 2011 I was responsible for the lineup, so I could put it together to my liking. So, of course I think that year's lineup is the best so far (laughs). Vengaboys, Gorki, Daan... It was fantastic!"

Professionalization

2011 was a turning point, after the tragedy at the Love Parade in Germany. "Twenty-one people died there due to overcrowding. That made everyone realize: we bear enormous responsibility for the safety of thousands of students. From then on, we stepped up our efforts. For the first time, we hired an external safety coordinator, made crowd management plans, and became more professional through out. Still, we didn't want to lose our soul: it had to remain a festival organized by students. Finding that balance wasn't always easy, but we succeeded. Fifteen years later, the atmosphere is still just as unique."

Connection and togetherness 

"To us, Student Kick-Off has always been more than just a festival. We wanted to create a meeting place where new students could get to know each other, discover their student associations, and form friendships—and sometimes even find love. I've heard stories from people who met their partners there. There are even Student Kick-Off babies! Stories like these mean much more to me than visitor numbers. For me, that feeling of togetherness is what Student Kick-Off stands for."

Social commitment

In 2011, a symbolic 1 euro entrance fee was introduced. "We thought that was the best way to enable crowd management without losing accessibility. But we immediately linked it to a social component: all proceeds go to 6 educational projects in Flanders and worldwide. So far, we have raised between €300000 and €350000. I once visited a school in Ethiopia that was built with our support: that was a special moment. It shows that students can really make a difference. I continue that social engagement in my current job at an NGO."

Life lessons for later

“Student Kick-Off taught me a lot about working together and taking responsibility. Things went wrong, there were clashes, but there were always lessons to be learned too. It also gave me a head start in terms of leadership and decision-making when I later entered the professional field. That's why I would recommend every student to get involved in a student association. You learn to collaborate, organize, and grow in ways that you don't learn in a lecture hall.”