First-year students at Utrecht university who are struggling to find accommodation have been camping out at the city’s railway station for introductory week.

Railways operator NS zoned off an area of the station to set up 20 tents for students who wanted to avoid commuting long distances or save money on hostels.

The pitches come with deck chairs, dressing-gowns and –crucially – ear plugs, but the station’s toilet facilities shut at midnight, so students coming back to their tents in the early hours have had to use the facilities at a nearby gym.

“I got back at around half past three last night and then I had to go back out to the Basic-Fit to take my contacts out,” one 17-year-old told AD.nl.

Another student, 18-year-old Otto, said: ”I didn’t think I’d cope with all the noise, but it feels a bit like white noise. I’m used to ambulances going past at home, it’s kind of the same thing.”

Thousands of students are signing up for their courses in Utrecht, Leiden and Groningen this week and taking part in social events that run into the small hours.

Code of conduct

The events are run by older students who take on the role of “mum and dad” and encourage new undergraduates to sign up for clubs and associations.

The social side of university life has been under the spotlight in recent years after a series of cases of bullying, extreme peer pressure and sexual abuse came to light.

Last month the prosecution service charged four students from Utrecht for sharing a so-called “banga list” in online chat groups. The list contained names, photos and phone numbers of female students, along with comments about their body shape and sexual availability.

Similar incidents have come to light at other university societies, such as Vindicat in Groningen and the ASC fraternity in Amsterdam, in recent years.

The scandals led to the traditionally secretive organisations signing a code of conduct last year promising to crack down on excessive drinking, drug use and degrading “ontgroening” (initiation) rituals.