Translation: Sindri Snær Jónsson

Stúdentakjallarinn (The Student Cellar) hardly needs any introduction to University of Iceland (UI) students. Situated in the cellar of the University Centre, it has been a popular student gathering place for seven years. At Stúdentakjallarinn, the academic spirit gives way to a more relaxed environment, and the program is full of events every school year. Students can get food and drinks at a low price, and the menu is constantly evolving.

Diverse program

During the school year, there are many scheduled events at Stúdentakjallarinn. Some regular fixtures on the program include Skítblankur föstudagur (“Flat Broke Friday”) at the end of every month, with drinks offered at sale prices, and Sunday movie nights where students can get free popcorn. For several years, pop quiz princes Jón Már and Árni Freyr have organized popular pub quiz events, which combine trivia with a musical twist. When there's enough excitement for them, major sporting events like the European Football Championship and the World Cup are shown on the big screen.

Stúdentakjallarinn also organizes larger events and has had an off-venue program at Iceland Airwaves in collaboration with Landsbankinn for the past few years. The goal of these events is to promote young artists. This school year, artists such as Une Misère, Bjartar Sveiflur, Högni Egilsson and Hipsumhaps have performed at Stúdentakjallarinn in collaboration with Landsbankinnn and Ölgerðin. The band Vök was supposed to perform on March 14, but the performance has been postponed until the recent gathering restrictions have been lifted. Stúdentakjallarinn generally hosts one big performance each month, and it should be noted that they never charge admission for events.

Student organizations can meet there

Although Stúdentakjallarinn organizes events on their own, it is primarily the students who mould the program. There are 80 student organizations at UI, all of which are allowed to use the cellar for events at no charge. Student organizations can book the space and get access to the audio system, which was updated this fall thanks to, among other things, a grant from Úrbótasjóður tónleikstaða, an organization whose purpose is to support small performance spaces in Reykjavík. During the school year, student organizations have hosted fundraisers, bingo, movie nights, pub quizzes, and more, and students studying event management at UI have organized many events.

Menu always evolving

A few dishes have been menu mainstays since Stúdentakjallarinn opened for business in 2013, but others have come and gone. The menu is reviewed once or twice a year and changed as needed. Something that distinguishes the cellar from other restaurants is its large group of regular customers. Some visit several times a week, and that's why it's important to shake things up more than in other places. The students are as diverse as they are many, and everyone has different needs. For instance, demand for vegan dishes has increased significantly as of late, and Student Services has responded by offering more vegan options both at Háma and Stúdentakjallarinn.

A plant wall in another timezone

The plant wall is one of the defining features of Stúdentakjallarinn, and many customers have grown quite fond of it. The wall was designed to bring life to the otherwise cold concrete cellar, and the plants are a welcome balm for the souls of dazed students. The wall is a Dutch design and has a distinct sprinkler system which ensures that water is distributed evenly between the plants. The system underwent maintenance in the fall, and the wall is blooming as it never has before. Even though all the plants are Icelandic, one could say that they live in another timezone as they get all the daylight they need at night. This is because of lights that turn on automatically after opening hours. Therefore, the wall begins its day just as the last customers are leaving in the evening.

Happy hour every day

The cellar emphasizes keeping prices low. Happy hour is from 16:00 to 19:00 every weekday and until 21:00 on weekends or whenever sporting events are being screened. In addition, there are other specials available every day and night. In fact, the regular prices are so low that they would be considered happy hour prices in other places. Students always get a discount on beer from the tap if they show their student ID. For reference, Tuborg Green costs 590 ISK on any regular day if you show your student ID.

Open all year round

Unlike most students and university staff, Stúdentakjallarinn doesn't get a summer vacation. While school is in session, the cellar is open every day of the week from 11:00 to 23:00, and until 1:00 on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. During summer vacation, the normal opening hours still apply during the week, but it isn’t open as late on the weekends. Attendance during the summer often depends on what is going on. When big competitions such as the European Championship and the World Cup take place, a great number of students (and others) come to watch the games. Stúdentakjallarinn is popular among people of all ages, and many even bring their children to eat and watch sporting events. In light of current circumstances, the 2020 European Football Championship has been postponed, but the cellar will host other fun activities this summer.

The Student Paper encourages everyone to visit Stúdentakjallarinn once the ban on mass gatherings has been lifted. After all, it belongs to the students and relies on customers to keep doing the important work they have been doing the past few years.

Information about Stúdentakjallarinn's program is available at https://www.facebook.com/Studentakjallarinn/

Good Vibes at Stúdentakjallarinn