An Enlightening Experience: Behind the Scenes of Students' Nobel NightCap

Last spring, I had the incredible opportunity to take on the role of Head of Safety & Security for the Students’ Nobel NightCap (SNNC). So far my experience has been nothing short of exhilarating, so I felt compelled to share my story and bring SNNC under your attention. 

A Continuation of the Nobel Banquet

Since 1978, SNNC has been the official continuation of the Nobel Banquet, held annually in Stockholm on December 10. The event is a collaborative effort between the student unions of Stockholm University, the Royal Institute of Technology, Karolinska Institutet, and Stockholm School of Economics, bringing together students from all over Stockholm. While SNNC starts with only a handful of committee members, it ultimately expands into a project where roughly 300 students work together to bring the celebration to life. Each year, over a thousand guests attend SNNC, including Nobel laureates, academics, politicians, and students, all coming together to celebrate the legacy of Alfred Nobel. By providing its attendees with a unique opportunity to unwind from the intense media spotlight that typically surrounds the rest of the celebrations, and by being built around a secret theme that changes every year, SNNC has evolved into one of the highlights of the Nobel Week. 

Working as Head of Safety & Security

Since May, I have been Head of Safety & Security for SNNC 2024, organized by Medicinska Föreningen, the student union of Karolinska Institutet. My primary responsibility is to ensure a safe environment for all of SNNC’s attendees and volunteers. This role has involved creating security plans, drafting permits, and coordinating my own security team. In addition, I have to work together with many of the other teams in order to make sure that everything runs as smoothly as possible on the night of the event. Working on such a unique project has been incredibly insightful. Not only have I been able to work with what I find interesting, namely safety and security, I have also been able to get a glimpse behind the curtain of the other teams. Observing how the different teams within SNNC operate behind the scenes has been eye-opening. Ranging from decor and entertainment to corporate relations and logistics, being able to see the amount of effort that is required to pull off an event at this scale is as impressive as it is enlightening. 

An Unforgettable Experience

Besides being able to work behind the scenes of such a unique event and gain some valuable experience, this project provides so much more. Due to the amount of time spent with all the other participants, SNNC becomes a very social experience as well. Especially as the number of volunteers starts increasing, the number of activities does as well. Our own internal events team organizes several events such as team-building exercises, kick-offs, and banquets, only creating a more enjoyable and collaborative atmosphere. While it is too late to get involved in this year’s edition, preparations for SNNC 2025 will begin early in the new year. If this article has sparked your interest, I strongly encourage you to keep an eye on the social media pages of SNNC for future opportunities to participate in this extraordinary, rewarding, and above all, fun project. 

--- Stijn Ottenhof