First friendships, first shared drink and first inside jokes. Informal meet-ups in Prague and Brno kicked off the semester.

Starting university is always a bit of a leap into the unknown. It’s not just about making it to enrolment or checking your timetable. It’s about unfamiliar faces, a new pace, and big expectations. Those first days are mainly about whether you meet the people who will make the whole experience worthwhile. That’s why we invited our incoming first-year students to informal meet-ups before the official start of the academic year.

Brno: Živo u Palečka

On 3 September, Brno took centre stage. At Živo u Palečka, a venue run by one of our alumni, 48 freshers gathered, including two students from STING. Study advisors were there too, along with lecturers Roman Brauner and Honza Orava, and event coordinator Lucka Racková.

The aim was not to tick boxes or sit through long presentations. It was about meeting face to face, sharing a drink and realising that everyone is dealing with the same things. That you do not have to wander the corridors alone in those first days because you are in it together.

Even during the evening, the first friendships were formed, note-sharing agreements were struck and the last spots on the induction course disappeared.

According to the organisers, the atmosphere was exactly as they hoped: friendly, open and relaxed. Simply an evening that showed that at NEWTON and STING, there is always someone you can turn to.

Prague: Vnitroblock

The next day, 4 September, the spotlight shifted to Prague. This time to the industrial venue Vnitroblock, where more than one hundred new students came together.

As in Brno, there was no formal programme. The main purpose was simply to meet, exchange a few words and realise that everyone in the room shared the same nerves and expectations. In the informal atmosphere, the first inside jokes were made, groups formed for classes and plans for shared lunches began.

Organiser Jana Pavlů summed up the evening simply: it went brilliantly.

This is just the beginning

The meet-ups in Brno and Prague were the first taste of student life at NEWTON University and STING. It was not just about who met whom, but more importantly about the feeling that you are not entering this new chapter alone. Studying is not only about textbooks and lectures, it is above all about the people you meet along the way.

If you missed these gatherings, the next opportunity is just around the corner. The Welcome Party on 22 September in Brno and 24 September in Prague promises to carry on what began at the September meet-ups and maybe even offer much more. Come along, meet your classmates and enjoy an evening that will kick-start your semester in style.

Welcome Party Brno

Welcome Party Prague