In May of the year 2011 the long awaited Lustrum chronicles MMX were demonstrated to the people. This unsurpassed bookwork strikingly tells the history of GeoVUsie. On this page you will find some fragments of Liber II – Memoriae Antuiquae. The precursor of GeoVUsie, G.V.V.U, was established at almost the same time as the Dutch Geological and Mining Students Consultation (N.G.M.S.O.). Exact dates are not known in the Archives.
The Chronicles of the NGMSO state the presence of the Geological Association of the VU (GVVU) as one of the founders, already in 1946. Scribes of the early period of GeoVUsie even mention the association of physical geographs, called Varenius, that would have been established in the ‘60s. It would later go down to later rise again in the 70s.
Between both associations and their members there was a healthy rivalry, where the feelings of superiority became apparent with the geologists. Sadly both associations were not big enough to keep themselves healthy. The farsighted boardmembers set aside the mutual aversion and set their sights on a fusion. On the 18th of December 1980 Varenius and the GVVU were disbanded and made way for one earth scientific association. Before a name could be chosen, heavy debates were held. Eventually the appropriate name GeoVUsie was chosen, in the stead of for example: ‘’Brought to the grave’’. Moreover the new President inherited the Hammer and Chain of Office from the GVVU, with the first firm hammer blow a new era dawned.
The former President, Mr. Peter L. Bom, describes the founding meeting as follows:
In the puff breaks, croakers and doomsayers were brought to such silence that the name GeoVUsie was chosen with the least thinkable majority. Midnight had passed and the counting was less accurate than we had predicted coming from such a solid committee. But after long consideration it came to a 50% majority plus one in favour of the proposition and the new born bore the name GeoVUsie. The night after would still be troublous on the F-hall, and after 30 years we know that the youngling has developed to be an independent adult with good relations and a golden career ahead.
On the early beginning
In the early days the association didn´t know a bar. That´s why the thirsty earth scientists went to the cafe ´´de Wetering´´. Here, on the Thursday nights, a considerable amount of beer was drunk, ´´especially when it became apparent that the Board gave away a round for free around midnight´´. One took care that students became involved with the Association (amongst others through a social introduction for the first years and said social drink), that made that GeoVUsie became known with other associations, GeoVUsie dragged in a NGMSO-congress, the first StuKa was conquered and the birth of an all-rounder occurred. In short, the early years were the fundament for the successful years afterwards.
The birth of the Donderdorst
On a good day one of the most active members of the association, current Honorary Member Dick Edelman, had a godly intuition that would change the lives of students forever; The Donderdorst. Although it was common that the Thursday night was the night to drink some beer in the cafe, the poor students thought it was better value for money to drink a nice cold beer in the former student room “in den Koele Blonde”, M-062. It turned out to be a golden choice and the revenue reached record heights, “no doubt it was thanks to the tropical temperatures in the GeoVUsie-room (30º)”. It was clearly a time of distress.
A piece of recent history
The place where currently the Houtzagerij in den Koele Blonde is situated, was used before to saw planks in the right size for different projects in the workplace situated next to it. However, on a good day in 2005 this room was taken over by GeoVUsie and used as a student room. The previous room was bigger, but the new room made it better with a beautiful wooden floor, a breath-taking bar and not unimportant, a pair of taps where lovely cold Brand beer flows through from the cask. It was a lucky coincidence that the silver lustrum could be celebrated in this room.
The recent history is featured by different developments that changed the association drastically. First the study Earth and Economics was launched. The Earth scientists decided valiantly to take this new study under its wing. The result was that the first year student numbers doubled, after that the number of members grew steadily. Meanwhile various Earth and Economics students have had their seat in the Board. Two of those were very keen treasurers. Although they were not without merit, because they still remain fans of pelf.
The Earth and Economics students could immediately go to the best party known to the Association: the first grand scale GeoVUsie Oktoberfest ever; a great success. In 2007 the Oktoberfest was moved to the TenT. From then on every year diligent students could enjoy the comforting beer smell when making exams. That same year the Social Introduction weekend was held in Wellerooi for the last time because GeoVUsie outgrew the location. The following years the whole group had to go to Ellertshaar. Also the Earth Science career day was formed into a trust, as well as the bar, so the business would be much more clear in the future.
The roots of GeoVUsie reach deep, but even more important: where are we going? A question every member can answer without having to doubt.
Written after Lustrum Chronicles MMX, thanks to Frank Zwaan, Roy Boots and Alexander Kok; Lustrum Chronicles committee MMX.
