Meet Hadice & Valerii from Aachen
Hannah
To get a feel for living in THE FIZZ Aachen, first-hand information and experiences come from Hadice!
Our THE FIZZ Aachen is one of the smaller houses of our THE FIZZ family and therefore feels very cosy and family-like. Our student house is centrally located and close to historical sights of the city. But in Aachen, nature is also not far away. Visit the “Eifel” Mountains or make a day trip to the Netherlands or Belgium; the border triangle is practically just around the corner! The university (RWTH) is not far off either! Our beautiful apartments come with versatile community areas, such as a community kitchen and a TV lounge including plenty of gaming opportunities. And, of course, our inner courtyard is much appreciated by our FIZZies who love sunbathing in a green surrounding. To get a feeling for THE FIZZ Aachen, first-hand information and experiences come from Hadice and Valerii!
Valerii: My name is Valerii Torokhov, I am 23 years old, and I study materials engineering at RWTH Aachen. I was born in Tscherepowez, an industrial city in the north of Russia, but mostly all my life I have lived in Moscow. In my free time, I really like to watch auteur cinematography. Moreover, I really like scuba diving and alpine skiing. Fun fact: I knew that I wanted to study materials science since I was 3 years old. Interestingly at the same age, I accidentally tried vodka for the first time by confusing it with water. It is hard to tell whether these two facts are somehow connected or not.
Hadice: Here is Hadice from THE FIZZ, Aachen. I am 24 years old, and I study global business and economics. Originally, I am from Dortmund, and I moved to Aachen in 2021 due to my studies. My hobbies are everything that has to do with art in any way, whether it is music, painting, or simply walking through cities and discovering historical buildings.
That sounds like you like the city quite a bit. And that fits together with the location of THE FIZZ Aachen; from here, it’s not even a kilometre to the old town centre. But when you’re at home looking out the window in your apartment, what is something that you like seeing?
Valerii: Actually, I like my view from the window. It is mostly sky with birds flying and a view of the backyard and cityscape. I just like to see some open space from my window, so my window view satisfies me.
Hadice: Since I chose my room to have the windows on the yard side, when I look outside, I mostly see rooms of other FIZZies studying or chilling in the yard. But that is absolutely what I like to see. I can call my friends from the window, and we have a little window chat. Or I can see who is chilling outside so that I can join. In the summer, I have beautiful sunlight in my room.
It seems like you two have a relatively similar view. Window chats sound great, but for new people at THE FIZZ, it might take a while to make new friends. What is your best tip to get to know your neighbours?
Hadice: It is important to understand that not everyone wants to get to know new people. Some at THE FIZZ are just there to finish their university semester really quick and then move on, but for some others that are open, you just sense it, and you can walk up to them directly when you see them outside or in the laundry lounge, for example. Just be open and start a conversation. Or go to the THE FIZZ events, where you get to know each other the best way.
Valerii: Visit THE FIZZ welcome party :D. And always say hello in the corridor or elevator.
That’s true! Can you give some insight on what the events in Aachen might look like? What was your favourite THE FIZZ event so far?
Valerii: I like all of them. The management team in THE FIZZ Aachen does its best to organize nice events. However, I would highlight mug painting, because it was conducted in another place, and it was really creative.
Hadice: I like every THE FIZZ event, the Christmas Market is very beautiful and cute, but also the little events we have outside, such as ceramic painting. But my favourite THE FIZZ event was when THE FIZZ Aachen turned 1 year old. We had a party with almost every FIZZie and the House Managers in the basement. We had cocktails, music, and a photo box. A lot of fun!
It’s great to hear that you enjoy the events so much! It sounds like the ceramic painting was a really good idea from the House Managers. In all our THE FIZZ locations, they are the organisers behind these great events.
In all our THE FIZZ locations, the organisers behind these great events are our House Managers; they surely deserve a big thank you. What about your House Managers in Aachen? What are their best qualities?
Hadice: It is safe to say that we have the best House Managers who do their best to make everyday living as easy as possible for us. We have Hannah and Helga, whom you would think are your age because they are so fun to be around, but you also respect them because you know they are the ones keeping all that together. Sometimes there are difficulties with unpleasant situations, whether it’s from FIZZies or from outside, but they do their best to keep everything in the best organization. They are very creative when it comes to our Christmas calendars, and they plan very nice events; they even keep in mind to give us small surprises like doughnuts that you can grab in the community area. All in all, they are very supportive and lovely, and hard-working.
Valerii: House managers in THE FIZZ Aachen are nice and responsive. I think their best qualities are empathy and willingness to help us to solve any problem. Moreover, they organize interesting and various events, which also tells about their dedication and creativity.
I’m sure they are happy to hear that their efforts are appreciated like that! Besides organising events and taking care of the resident’s questions or FIZZ-related problems, they also take care of the house itself. And speaking of the house, what is your favourite place at THE FIZZ Aachen and why?
Valerii: My favourite place at THE FIZZ is my room. I like the design and repair; it is quite comfortable and cosy.
Hadice: My favourite places at THE FIZZ are my room and the yard. In my room, I have all the peace that I need after a long day. Fun fact I moved into the Fizz because it was one of the fewest student homes, including a private bathroom and kitchen in your own apartment. Whenever I feel like I want company, I call my friends to the yard, and we all gather there. Some are smokers and some are not, so it’s the best place to spend time together as a diverse group. Also, it’s never an issue when there is a group of other people first; the groups just mix up together, and it’s always nice to have a talk with your friend outside. The weather never played a role, and sometimes we even took our blankets with us or even had a little picnic.
Having your own kitchen and bathroom can be a real game changer when it comes to personal safe space. Besides, is there a specific reason why you chose THE FIZZ?
Before moving to THE FIZZ I had my own apartment in Aachen. There were some incidents with the householder and the neighbours, and I never felt safe. Moving to a new city, you never know where the good and bad parts of that city are, and so it happened that I chose the worst part by accident. After trying to live there for a time, I decided that I wanted to move elsewhere and looked online for a small place that was fully furnished because I didn’t have the motivation to do all the moving again. So, I found THE FIZZ Aachen and chose to stay there because of the safety in the first place. It was important to me that the place that I am staying at has its own bathroom and a kitchen that I don’t have to share necessarily. Now that I moved, I am happy to see how everything I needed was near me, and I have House Managers who take care of everything, and even take my packages when I am not there. I felt safe living alone.
Safety is a vital topic for us. All our houses are equipped with an electronic locking system at night, and on weekends, a security company looks out for the building. And of course, all our employees are trained in first aid and fire safety.
And for you Valerii, is there a specific reason why you chose THE FIZZ?
Valerii: My friend recommended it to me before I moved to Aachen. I checked the website and found the apartments quite attractive. For me, it was important to have a nice apartment with fresh repairs and a private bathroom where I can live alone. I also wanted to have some guarantee that I will not be scammed. And another nice feature was the easy process of booking.
Yeah, I can really understand that. If the booking process isn’t too complicated and works fine that somehow makes for a more confident feeling moving in.
To tie everything up with the last question, regarding your time at THE FIZZ: What is a life lesson that you have learned here?
Hadice: A life lesson I learned from staying at THE FIZZ is to enjoy the moment because it can be over at any time. I have met a lot of good friends from all around the world, and all of a sudden the time was over and someone had to move on. I learned a lot about other cultures and countries and how fun life can be when you are open to it. You find friends for life here, even when they move away. I learned that it is okay to feel alone because many students our age who moved to a new place are feeling the same, but together you can change that and have a beautiful time. But I also learned where to draw the line and focus on myself. THE FIZZ gives you the perfect mixture of friends and quality time for yourself!
Valerii: I can’t remember everything I should do; it is important to take notes.
These two lessons have such a different vibe, I like that! And they make for a nice and wise ending to the Interview. Thank you both so much for your answers, it was great hearing from you and your life at THE FIZZ Aachen!
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