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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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FRESHMEN!
EDITORIAL
I WANT TO KNOW MORE
FORM ZUPPA FOLLOWS RECOMFUNCTION MENDED
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A MULTIFARIOUS MAN
THE FIRST ENCOUNTER
18 IT’S HALLOWEEN!
2013 - FOCUS STUDENT MAGAZINE
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editorial
Marc Ramos Garzon Editor-in-Chief
C
hange. It affects us all, always. Our previous and extremely well-received issue, the giant, 84-page September issue also meant we would say goodbye to a great deal of our team. A few were only gone for a few months, in other exciting adventures of their own, some were leaving us to start a life in a different city.
But change is not a bad thing. Take, for instance, the rapidly-advancing field of web design. Remember the 1995 websites? Only in our worst nightmares. Change always brings chaos, though, at least for a short while. The last couple of months have been busy: recruiting an almost entirely new team, getting everybody to work together, showing them how we work,... There are still some things to polish, but FOCUS student magazine moves forward. Speaking of change, and moving forward, expect to see some changes soon on how we work and in the design. Yes, now is the right time to accuse me of propaganda, talking about change being good on the first paragraphs, and now I introduce changes. Not too subtle. The changes will not be subtle, though. We are working on a new face, creating a visual identity from the ground up. As organisations grow and incorporate new or more members, the ground rules need to be clear for everyone and easily accesible, not some vague concept. Oral tradition is a rather outdated system. But first, and most noticeably, we are working on a new logo.
Something that is not just typography, something young and fresh. It is still work in progress, and want your feedback. After all, we are doing this for you, our readers. Check it out somewhere in this page, and send us a message on Facebook with your opinion. Too different? Too good? All opinions are welcome. An overhauled visual identity also means a new font (that you can already see in these lines), new graphical elements (hint: the logo includes it), a fixed color palette,... and a few more technical things. Content-wise, we are looking into starting sections, similar to the article about Morten in this issue, where students can show us their rooms. If you think your room is special, and want to tell us your story, we might feature it in the magazine in the future! Just send us a message on Facebook. We are very excited about all these changes, and we will work hard in the weeks to come so they are all for the better, and do not change our spirit, just improve it. But that is for the future. For now, enjoy this issue, the work of our new team and the few old members who are still here.
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News Competitions Events
“Uddannelsesby Herning welcomes all students, new
Uddannelsesby Herning
and returning alike. We look forward to getting to
Birk Centerpark 40
know you, and to make great events together.
7400 Herning
Whether you want to organise or just participate, welcome to a study city where your ideas can come true!”
Uddannelsesby Herning is an organisation that helps students with their initiatives, events and projects, and aims at making study life in Herning the best possible, with a unique and appealing student environment. Find them on Facebook to learn about their events, competitions, useful links and the latests news: www.facebook.com/uddannelsesby.herning
Tel: 9626 1111 Mail:uddannelsesbyherning@erhvervsraadet.dk
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New country, new city, new university, new friends. Meet two students which started education at AU Herning this autumn, what were their expectations, what are their plans and what is their opinion about Herning and about different things happening around them.
ORFEAS
Greece, almost 19 years old, though some people do not seem to believe so. Wish me Happy Birthday on the 27th of November.
I’m 22. Originally I’m from Germany but I’m Danish as well.
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How was your first month in Denmark? The first month in DK was good and full of activities, like the freshman trip/day/party but of course also stuffed with studying. It’s different living in a new country, not with your parent or friends anymore but I really enjoy it, even coming home doing “normal” stuff like cooking. I enjoy meeting new people every day – so student life is quite good. What are your plans for next few months? Study I think – exams are close though! Moreover being and working together with other students and I’m really looking forward to the julefrokost!
ORFEAS How was your first month in Denmark? Travelling between my place and Bilka and eating MacDonalds, mostly. What are your plans for next few months? Quite a few, mainly picking Sports Shooting up again and doing something for the School. You are gonna be hearing more from me. What was your biggest cultural shock in Denmark? Do high prices count? What is the difference between study here and study home? Card games at the University, in Greece, people skip lectures and play Tichu.(That doesn’t help improve the picture you have for Greece, does it?) How do you find Herning? It’s a nice place to relax, few people move around in the Streets in the evening. And that’s quite beautiful. A big difference from my hometown, Athens. What do you think about study life in Herning? (e.g SAA Events etc.) The tranquility of Herning, also makes it a great place to study. If you get tired, you can find things to do, either in school with SAA, or in the city, but not on such a large scale. What do you do with your free time? I like to read entrepreneurial stuff, computer science, some literature, and developing ideas. Most of the times I also keep myself occupied with some sport. Taler du dansk? Jeg taller lidt dansk, learning more day by day through Laerdansk.
What was your biggest cultural shock in Denmark? I think it’s a bigger shock for them having a German in class! Still Danes are different from the Germans in many ways e.g they don’t want others to feel bad even though they did something wrong – so Danes try to say every little piece of critic in a very sweet and “played down” way. Germans don’t care that much. Also when a German thinks, that you did something very good, we say it and we touch the shoulder of the other person but Danes don’t like to be touched, not at all – that’s really confusing sometimes. What is the difference between study here and study home? English skills I think – Germans are not known to be good at English. Secondly in German Universities we’d be like 200 students per lecture and the teachers really don’t care about you so I really like the smaller classes here. How do you find Herning? Herning is quiet – for DK it might be a bigger city but still it’s nice. I really like that the stores are open nearly 24/7 and Herning does have many activities to offer but it’s still a small town. I like that everything is very central and close in Herning you can get everywhere with your bike in no time. What do you think about study life in Herning? (e.g SAA Events etc.) I like it! Friday bar, Student house, SAA events – you can do something nearly every day! And the ideas behind, like the Freshman Party the college theme and the idea of making pictures with some items – awesome! What do you do with your free time? Basically study, but sometimes I’m going to the city or meeting up with some new friends. In second semester I want to look for a job, but I really want to focus on University right now. Taler du dansk? Selvfølgelig gør jeg det!
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I WANT TO KNOW The story of Safine Lykke Jensen
MORE
by Frida Hoffmann
I
have been in some companies in Den mark as an intern, and had a challenging job in Portugal, but I do not think those made me good enough.
Safine Lykke Jensen worked in Portugal, lived in Cambodia, is a TEKO international student at the moment and has a beautiful 2 year-old son.
Why fashion? I grew up with my mother is a designer and my father an architect, so it was just natural for me, the way we lived at home. When I became a teenager I was all “No, I am not going to do the same things as my parents”, and started studying to become a lawyer. I really enjoyed reading and writing, and traded novels for Danish Law. It really caught me. It all changed an evening in Copenhagen with a cousin of my mother, when she asked “Safine, this is not you, do you really want this? Can you see yourself working as a lawyer for the rest of your life?”. “Maybe?... Maybe not? I don’t know”. She also introduced me to a good friend of hers, a designer. I joined his team as an assistant, liked it, and from there went on to a vocational course at TEKO, with a lot of internship opportunities. That was the start.
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What was your most memorable project at TEKO?
Why go back to studying? You’ve got experience and success.
That must be the project for the opening of a museum in 2009. I
The main reason is the fact that I want to know more! There are
was just back from my internship and worked with a girl on this for
some great teachers here that will teach me things I do not know
about a year. We had free hands and basically a limitless budget; all
about. I have been in some companies in Denmark as an intern, and
we had to do was create something that would be appropriate to sell
had a challenging job in Portugal, but I do not think those made me
in a contemporary art museum.
good enough. I am still young, just 23, a few more years of study do
We designed two collections, the first based on one of the exhibi-
not bother me.
tions, and the second on the work of a conceptual artist. It was not just about designer work, because we had to communicate with companies, do the project management, and try to find and get sponsors, make advertisements and a lot more. All in all it was one amazing and extraordinary experience.
I have heard that you have your own shoe collection. In Portugal, I worked for two Danish shoe brands, controlling production and product quality, and sourcing factories for them. That gave me great insight into shoe production, of which I had no idea until then. It prompted me into doing research on my own, and I started a shoe design course. There I also learnt about leather manufacture and giving it its form. This was all while I was learning Portuguese so I could speak to the producers. When it came to designing my own shoe, I was relatively prepared. I knew about the drawings, about calculating the prices,‌ The only thing I did not know was how much money it would cost. But I simply started the company and a collection. I wanted to create sustainable shoes with some of my own materials and some from a leather factory. I wanted to make something innovative, digging as deep as I could in the production process, and trying to see where changes could have been made.
When did you start? May 2012, that is when I created
on the Internet, but after much
the first and only collection. It
money spent on travelling and
was presented in Bread & Butter
producing, I was not happy with
have to keep things on the right
in Berlin and at the Copenhagen
the results, and decided it was
track. It is very complicated, to
Fashion Fair, and received great
not the right time.
be extremely focused on school,
feedback. Even DANSK Magazine
The good thing is that I have
when I am with my son. When
liked what I was doing, and an
gained experience; I know more
we are together, nothing else
American magazine listed them
about what went wrong and
can be more important.
in the top 100 things a woman
what I can do in order to change
should wear. Unfortunately I
things. And although it did not
Although it is hard, I know I
could not sell them as distrib-
work I will not give up. Right
have to keep things on the right
utors were afraid it was too
now might not be the appropri-
track. It is very complicated, to
expensive and special, unlikely
ate moment to start over but I
be extremely focused on school,
to sell with certainty. I still
know I would like to start work-
when I am with my son. When
hoped some stores would be up
ing with shoes in the future.
we are together, nothing else
for it, or that I could sell them
Although it is hard, I know I
can be more important.
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“Is it possible to create complex minimalism?”
Furniture design student, Morten Grønhøj Knudsen, gives us a DIY lesson focused on space optimization through functional creativity. by Sara Constance IMAGES: Sara Constance “What shall we use to fill the empty spaces?”asked himself Roger Waters in one of Pink Floyd’s masterpieces. Could this be the exact same conundrum, Morten faced when trying to adjust his small-scale Birk apartment to his ow student & creative mind needs? Whether this is true or not, one thing is certain- He has undoubtedly found the answer.But yet, he doesn’t stop questioning, which might be the exact sought after recipe to an inspiring living & study space! Before sharing with you the findings of an exciting and insightful tour around his charming little crib, which in all fairness, seemed to me like a miniature contemporary art museum, here’s a thought-provoking quote of Salvador Dalí , one of our hero’s artistic inspiration: “You have to systematically create confusion, it sets creativity free. Everything that is contradictory creates life” This feeling of creative freedom is exactly what fascinated me during the visit. For Morten, every piece finds a new utility, a contradictory functionality, one that only a free, fearlessly creative mind could think of, but that eventually makes sense for all of us, mere mortals. Blend that with the typical Scandinavian afinity for minimalism and practicality, and you get an energetic, artistically hungry spirit, who lives to BUILD & improvise.
“ About making a functional living- I always think how to use the extra empty spaces in my apartment, I was thinking about how tall the ceiling was for at least half a year before I decided to set up a bed
“For me, designing isn’t about making pretty stuff, but actually understanding what the user of the product will need and implementing those observations.”
up there – its an amazing way to save space, I get all the free room underneath where my bed would have been to use for my hobbies and study. “ “Inspiration for my designs come from different sources, It might be a clever way of production, a fun detail, a different view of things or something in that genre. The destructive and a bit odd often draws me in, but I can’t say I’ve used that for any designs.” Not yet, Morten, not yet... but we look forward to it ! Discover Morten’s projects in his online portfolio: www. groi.dk more photos on www.saraconstance.com
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ZUPA RECOMMENDED Zupa Recommended is a fusion of 2 companies, Zupa in Copenhagen and Recommended in Århus and its main activity is 360° marketing. There are approximately 250 people working in Denmark for this company and it is considered to be the best in the marketing scene in the Denmark.
pieces of advice to young Branders by Ann Brandt, Team Manager in Zupa Recommended, marketing and branding company
YOU CAN’T KNOW EVERYTHING and be good at everything. Choose an area and make yourself an expert in that area. Better to be good in one area and regular in some other areas, than to be average in all the things that you have to do. BE OPEN-MINDED. BE VERY CURIOUS - scan everything you see. Be someone who is interested in different people, different cultures and who is not afraid to look deeper into things.
12 A few weeks ago, on a short trip to Århus, my class and I, together with our Branding teacher, visited Zupa Recommended. I have talked to Ann Brandt, the Team Manager of the company and I have asked her marketing related questions, in the hopes of bringing an insight into this world to our curious eyes and ears. I have also tried to develop an idea of how a person working really works in this field. by Raluca Dumitru Dear Ann, what is your background? I got an education from Aarhus University in Communication and afterwards various courses in Branding & Marketing. I have worked in advertising in Norway, Columbia and other parts of South America. And what is your current position at Zupa Recommended? I am the Team Manager at Zupa Recommended Århus. I talk to our clients, I do presentations and analyses, I define the target groups, basically most of the work until the creative part. Another thing I do is to gather information and set up the team. I’ve been here for many years, so I know whom to give the job, which person in the company is appropriate to do certain tasks.
for the consumers to decide which products to choose, based on what they need. Marketing plays an information role here; it helps in making the decision. How do you usually come up with ideas and solutions? It is a combination of creativeness, thinking outside the box, brainstorming and hard work. Experience also plays an important role, but often, from what I have noticed the best labor comes from working in a group, where people are respectful to each other and where they are very different from each other. I prefer to work with people of different backgrounds, of different ages and with different opinions, because it is at that point when the greatest and most distinct ideas “see daylight”. What challenges do you face on a daily basis?
Do you think the market outside is different compared to the market in Denmark and in what sense? Yes, definitely, it is very unalike. First of all, the culture is very different. In Denmark, price is the most important factor in the business, whereas in the United States for example, the brand is of higher importance. The brand is the first driver and the price comes second, but in Denmark the situation is the other way around. How do you perceive marketing?
Lack of time, because we are very busy and we work a lot. The most challenging part I think is that sometimes the clients’ expectations and budget do not fit together. Trying to deliver the best result with the required budget in the best possible way is an everyday challenge. Clients are usually very focused on the ROI and First of all it is important to that just kills a good campaign sometimes, bebe a team -player, besides cause the focus is directed towards the budget. Another problem with Danish companies might having courage and be be, that they miss a little bit of courage and they open-minded. are afraid to stand out. If you want to be unique you have to do something unique.
Marketing is a simple way to make the customer aware of a product, a service, a good offer or basically anything. But beyond that, marketing has a cultural role as well as an entertainment role. Think of TV-commercials, where there is a lot of humor and you can basically hear it everywhere, at work, in the streets. It is something that sticks in your head. What do you think makes a difference between a regular marketing campaign and a great marketing campaign? From a clients’ point of view (referring to the firms working with advertising companies) it is the sales, which show the success. Though, from a marketers’ point of view it is not enough that the creative idea is great and can be remembered for years. The “great” factor comes from a combination of a simple idea which is able to deliver great results. What importance do you think marketing has in today’s world? Marketing is very important, because there are so many products and so many offers out on the market today. It is difficult
What traits does a person have to have in order to be good in this area? First of all it is important to be a team-player, besides having courage and be open-minded. There are not so many things to do on your own in this domain. Everyone, starting from the copywriter to the creative thinkers have to work together. You have to accept others ideas and perceptions. It is a funny business because one has to have enormous drive and accept the way of working of the people next to you. And it is definitely not a place for sensitive minds. What do you like most about your job? Probably the clients. The fact that I do different types of work every day and I meet a lot of different, well-educated and exciting people. Also the fact that I get to earn a lot of knowledge about all different kinds of products, companies and so on. Every company wants to work in a different way. Although I basically do the same, I will work with different products in different ways, and that can only excite me.
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A multifarious man -
MICHAEL EVAN GOODSITE by Annet Muru images: Michael E. Goodsite; AU-H Most of us know professor Michael Evan Goodsite as the Head of Department at AU Herning. Some others might have heard about his other activities as well. But let’s face it – we cannot brag about knowing much more about our #1 person at AU Herning. That is why FOCUS had a nice informal chat with Michael to discover who is behind the title of ‘Head of Department’ and find out more about him as a person.
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Michael is and has been active on several fronts. He is a full professor of atmospheric chemistry, climate and global processes at Aarhus University, as well as a Visiting Professor and Senior Research Fellow in climate strategy at Thunderbird School of Global Management. He is the Centre Director at the Nordic Center of Excellence for Strategic Adaption Research and the Baltic University Programme Center, Denmark. Starting this year, he also became the new ambassador of climate protection in Herning. Michael is additionally appointed as one of the top level scientific advisors to the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, and is on the Board of Directors of advisors over 20 public and private organizations in 8 different countries. This list could go on and on. But one more fact which is worth mentioning is that Michael is a decorated military leader who has been an intelligence officer in a Special Forces Unit. Additionally he has been Commander and Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Army and NATO counterintelligence units with active service after 9/11. After finding out about all of these positions and appointments he has had, I was curious about the ‘simple stuff’ – who is Michael and what does he like to do?
When it comes to educational background, Michael has: - B.Sc. in Civil Engineering from the University of Arizona, USA (1994); - M.Sc. in Environmental Engineering from the University of Southern Denmark (2000); - Ph.D. in Environment and Climate from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark (2003); - MBA in Global Management from Thunderbird School of Global Management, USA(2008).
Scuba diving at Sarigerme, Turkey. Summer 2013
Where and how did you spend your childhood? I grew up in Tucson, Arizona, USA and enjoyed lots of outdoor activities. I was a Boy Scout (Eagle Scout), played soccer, baseball and American football and I also swam competitively. What was your biggest “monkey business“ during your years in university? I was pretty much a straight shooter and did not get into too much “monkey business“. In the U.S., scholarships are extremely dependent on your academic and personal character, and since I was on scholarship, I tried to take everything very seriously. Probably the closest that comes to “monkey business“, was learning how to parachute while I was in university. I had way too much fun with this and it took up too much of my time! If you would not be the Head of Department at AU Herning, which subject field, would you most likely work in? My field of Environmental Engineering and improving the environment. But when we forget about the likelihood now... who did you dream to work as when you were a kid? I dreamt of becoming an astronaut and was actually invited to the try-outs, but I am not really into a lot of motion and I realized that I was better at observing this, and study the atmosphere and space from the ground.
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“Probably the closest that comes to “monkey business“, was learning how to parachute while I was in university. I had way too much fun with this and it took up too much of my time!” What kind of hobbies do you have? My main hobbies are swimming and travelling. I still love to play soccer and sometimes I am a referee for soccer matches, but my schedule does not allow it that much. What is your travel IQ? And what is the place you would definitely go back to? I have not taken a travel IQ test, but it is probably very high. I have been to many countries. I love going to places with nice beaches, or where I have made great friends. I have found a reason to return to any place I have ever visited so I cannot name one single place I would like to go back to. If you could choose a super power for yourself, what would it be? Breathing under water. I love to scuba dive and this would make diving and exploring the oceans so much easier. What was the last book you read? “Attacks“ by Field Marshal Erwin Rommel. If you would get a chance to meet someone who has passed away, who would that be? Confucius or Plato – these two thinkers have really impacted society. What motivates you the most to take action?
Young Michael as a model
Seeing positive results. What has been the best piece of advice you have received? Be myself, know my strengths and weaknesses and always do what is right for me and for those around me, no matter how hard this may be.
“I dreamt of becoming an astronaut and was actually invited to the try-outs...”
Before wrapping up the interview, I asked Michael to surprise me and the readers with something that we definitely do not know about him. The answer to that definitely exceeded my every expectation. It turned out that Michael was a model and an actor as a child. He explained how he was in both theatre and a movie, and even got to model in some advertisements. In his opinion, that time was not too professional, but it sure was a lot of fun. FOCUS Magazine is also publishing right here and right now one of the photos from Michael’s modelling portfolio back in his teenage days!
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it’s Halloween! by Loredana Muṣat image: Annika Ganson
Trick-or-treating, scary pumpkins, bizarre decorations and the opportunity to hide underneath a carefully chosen costume are only a few things describing Halloween, but there is more than that to the story. Origins It all began with the Celtic population or what is now known as Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France and their New Year celebration which was held on November 1st under the name of the Festival of Samhain. The Celts believed that in the evening before November 1st the spirits returned on Earth and they made bonfires, sacrificed animals and wore costumes hoping that this way they would keep away the bad spirits. This was a pagan ceremony, but over the years the Roman Empire conquered the Celts, some of their celebrations mixed and under the influence of Christianity November 1st became All Saints Day and the night before it, All-Hallows Eve which gradually got the name of Halloween. The holiday was nonetheless celebrated in the same fashion: bonfires, costumes and parades.
Halloween is currently the second biggest commercial holiday in the USA and it is estimated that around 6 billion $ are spent every year on it. It is an opportunity for the little ones to wear their favorite hero’s costume and go out in the evening asking for candies from door to door and yet another excuse to throw a party wearing costumes as minimalistic(or not) as possible for the older ones. Superstitions and Halloween nowadays
Nowadays, most of the countries in the world celebrate Halloween one way or another and we have globalization to thank for that. Besides the costumes and pumpkins, Halloween is also associated with a series of superstitions, such as trying to avoid crossing paths with The only place you can black cats(in the Middle Age, people beHalloween in USA still get a taste of what lieved witches turned themselves into cats Halloween really is about, Even though it had reached the USA, Halin order to stay undetected), not walking is Ireland, which still or- under a ladder(Egyptians believed trianloween was not very popular there back ganizes old traditional then; it was merely an opportunity to get gles were sacred), avoid breaking mirrors Halloween festivities. together with your neighbors and friends or spilling salt. If people actually believe in and celebrate the harvests by having small these superstitions is however, a subjecparties and sharing stories about the dead. tive matter influenced by several factors That changed when a great number of Irishmen immigrated such as culture, education, life style or beliefs. Superstitious to the States due to the Great Famine taking place in Ireland. or not, almost everybody loves Halloween, for some being the Along with them came traditions such as wearing costumes highlight of October. However, people no longer believe that or going from door to door asking for money or food. Amer- they are celebrating the dead or that they have to perform icans adopted these customs and in a matter of decades they some sort of primitive ritual; it is a tradition that has to be were celebrating Halloween all over the country by organizing kept, but which has been adjusted to fit today’s idea of a festivparades and big parties. Proving once again the Americans’ ity. It doesn’t even matter that much anymore where Hallowmysterious power of commercializing basically everything, een comes from originally, since most of the people
19 seem to be under the impression that it’s an American holiday. But can we really blame them with all the advertising Americans put into Halloween? Nevertheless, as it usually happens with every single holiday or tradition that’s being over commercialized, All Hallows Eve is now all about how many decorations, pumpkins, costumes or candies have been sold. The only place you can still get a taste of what Halloween really is about is Ireland, which still organizes old traditional Halloween festivities. So, if this is your favorite holiday of the year, I would definitely recommend spending a Halloween in Ireland
for a change. Be it as it may, at the end of the day, pirates, witches, devils or monsters hiding under the bed, put on your masks, go out and enjoy the only night of the year when trying to be someone you’re not is fully accepted. The possibilities are endless and creativity is the word. What costume did you wear this Halloween?
“Where there is no imagination there is no horror.” - Arthur C. Doyle
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THE FIRST ENCOUNTER by Dan Krupskis
I
’m not looking for your pity; I want you to remember. Because
the moment cannot be relived. And you know you did it also. You
you, too, deserve a chance.
gave in to first impressions.
It takes only a few seconds for an opinion to form. Bad or good. This
Follow me for a moment here. Let’s venture far and long. Let’s imag-
weird game where you’re supposed to be at your best at any cost.
ine an extraterrestrial, intelligent life arriving to Earth. The first
A game with a purpose to put you in a frame. And you better hope
encounter. The problem is it’s spring, and it’s time for Eurovision.
it’s a good one. Because putting yourself out of it will be hard. The
What do you think the extraterrestrials would think about us if the
notorious first impression.But here’s an obvious notion for you:
first thing they saw on earth was us doing Eurovision? I hope in this
You’re having a terrible day and then, suddenly, you realize that you
case “The Independence day” will forever remain a plot of a movie.
looked like a complete duche to a person you just met. But it’s not you. This isn’t how you really are. Yet time cannot be reversed and
I
n 1977 NASA launched the “Voyager program”, a scientific pro-
cluded there. Few things weren’t put on the records - War was one of
gram that sent two unmanned probes in to space. What is special
them. I guess we are not very proud about bombing our own species
about these drones is that in 2012 “Voyager 1” traveled in space fur-
from time to time. Pollution didn’t make it in to the top charts of
ther than any man-made object in history, entering the previously
the golden record also. As well as – Eurovision did not land on the
unexplored region of space – interstellar space. The other interest-
golden record as an example of our civilization’s achievements. I
ing thing is that both drones contain a “Golden Record” on board.
wonder why.
A “Golden Record” is a phonograph record containing information
Should the Extraterrestrials choose to give in to the first impression
about our species: sounds from earth; pictures of human anatomy;
it would probably not end well for us. But let’s be honest. We are not
greetings in various languages; photographs of historic and inspira-
about Eurovision only. I would assume the peers of music are turn-
tional nature. Sort of a portfolio of Humanity which is meant to be
ing in their graves, but there is so much to see and know before you
found by another intelligent life, should one exist and encounter a
can understand who we are. Frankly speaking, we still don’t know
Voyager. But as the deal goes with portfolios, not everything is in-
ourselves. That’s why we make mistakes. And that’s why we deserve another chance. So take a while and listen. And then forget and give it another chance. Because first impressions are overrated.