Focus Survival Guide #2 by FOCUS Student Magazine

Bring ideas to life VIA Design

VIA University College

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Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got to go to the City - Inside the Mind of Allan Kristensen................................... 2 Herning is Culture............................................................................................................. 6 Velkommen to the Kingdom of Vikings............................................................................. 8 Culture shock.................................................................................................................... 10 What is Hygge for you....................................................................................................... 14 Around the Danish family table......................................................................................... 16 Surviving the Danish registration process......................................................................... 18 10 tips on how to avoid fines in Denmark........................................................................... 20 The Danish healthcare system........................................................................................... 23 The SU grant.................................................................................................................... 24 Where to find your home in Denmark................................................................................ 26 Genbrug........................................................................................................................... 28 Herning insider................................................................................................................. 30 H-Town party stops.......................................................................................................... 34 Best places to check out and know if you are a student..................................................... 36 Tips on how to survive through your degree...................................................................... 38 The Danish Way: problem based learning & 7-point scale................................................... 44 Useful contacts at VIA..................................................................................................... 47 Student rights.................................................................................................................. 48 Internships....................................................................................................................... 50 VIA Incubator Q&A......................................................................................................... 52 Night access to VIA Design............................................................................................... 54 Birk Campus: What? Where? Why?.................................................................................. 56 10 Tips for a great presentation......................................................................................... 58 Practical secret: a great portfolio...................................................................................... 60 Erasmus exchange & The VIA Talent Programme............................................................ 62 5 cool places to see in Denmark......................................................................................... 64 Travelogue........................................................................................................................ 66

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Alexander Moroz & Makaila Stierlin

SUB-EDITOR

Cristina Maria

CHAIRMAN

Edvard Lucius Tramsen

CREATIVE TEAM Alexander Moroz - Cover Art Olga Mangurova Tatiana Coelho de Oliveira Plamena Somova Odette Charles El-Hayek Janis Zirnitis

WRITERS Alma Biseniece Petra Famlerova SALES & MARKETING Aleksandra Abratanska Sonata Stackunaite

Cristina Maria Alexandra Munteanu Vanessa Kovacs Ugne Tusaite Maria Nielsen

“You’ve got to go to the City”

Inside the Mind of Allan Kristensen

Text & Photo by Maria Nielsen

llan Kristensen works for Herning City and plays a major role in planning and coordinating events in Herning. Born and raised here, Allan knows Herning intimately and has become a noteworthy member of the community. “I am passionate about my city,” he says. Herning is in the beginning stages of a sensational growth spurt, which is clear given the rising number of building projects launched in the past year alone. With a constant stream of new residents and students arriving as well, bringing with them their talents, dreams, and inspirations, the little heart of Jutland finds itself beating faster and stronger. In this short interview with Allan, he challenges you, dear reader, to get to know the real Herning, everything it is now and everything it stands to become. Before securing his position at Herning City, Allan worked for many years at the magazine called X-Klusiv, where he wrote articles telling people about events and interesting things going on in Herning. Though the job was satisfying, he wanted to contribute to his city in a new and significant way. “My job at X-Klusiv was to tell good stories about Herning,” explains Allan. “Now I have the opportunity to be involved in the events and make them happen.” An ambitious city needs motivated minds, and thankfully there is no shortage of these. The people of Herning are great at speaking their minds, and the ones working for the city are great at listening. At least, usually! Allan has a vision for the city and is already laying the groundwork with goals for how to get there. “I want something to always

be happening in Herning,” he explains. Throughout the weekdays, every weekend, day or night, the city should be able to offer its residents the perfect mixture of small, cozy, local events and huge, all-out, stir-upthe-city experiences. Paint the following scene in your mind’s eye, and you will understand one of Allan’s many ambitions for the future of Herning: On a normal Thursday evening, a woman is walking with her dog on the walking street, tree leaves rustling softly above her. She passes the main square (Torvet) and smiles, knowing that she will be going there on Saturday to enjoy an amazing concert with her friends, something she has been looking forward to for several weeks. Thinking about how much fun the concert will be, she continues walking and comes upon a piece of street art on the flagstones at her feet, painted the weekend before. She stops for a moment to admire the work. As she continues a few hundred meters, gentle jazz music fills her ears and a sense of peacefulness washes over her as she sees a man playing a saxophone on the street. A small sign beside him explains that he is a local solo-artist, so she pulls out her phone and likes his band on social media. With music in their steps, she and her dog continue on their way. In this painted scene, one can envision Herning balancing elements of the ordinary and the extraordinary, where one can enjoy something special not only on the big occasions, but also in everyday moments on a weeknight.

Allan points out that Herning is becoming a bit of a study-town. For the past several years, one of the driving forces of growth and change for the city has been the increasing number of students, both Danish and international, arriving to study at the universities in Birk. This influx of fresh, young minds has left a noticeably positive effect on Herning, resulting in a city that is thirstier for higher knowledge, more culturally inspired, and more open and curious about people from other backgrounds. “Students are the future,” says Allan. He wants people studying in Herning to be able to experience the city and all it can offer, but he admits that is not always simple, especially for those living out in Birk, Hammerum, and Gjellerup. It can be tempting to stay in that area, close to the school. It is easier to buy your groceries in Bilka and spend time with your friends at Herning Centret, instead of making the 4 – 5 kilometer journey into the heart of Herning; but in doing this, you pass up the opportunity to truly get to know the city and all its charm. “You’ve got to go to the city,” urges Allan. Making it halfway is just not quite the same. Your experience and memories of Herning will be vastly different, and not always for the better. This is another challenge for which Allan would like to find a better solution, so students living in the outskirts can travel to and from the middle of the cityquicker and

easier. Herning is growing fast, and there is limitless potential for what can happen. Even so, there is lots left to do, and Allan and many others at Herning City and the Kommune are busy planning away, dreaming of Herning’s bright future and taking steps to turn it into a reality. Allan would love to hear your ideas as well. If there is something you might like to see take place (maybe an event?), send Allan an email at allan@herningcity.dk. Your thoughts are always welcome, and it’s your voice the city wants to hear. “We are glad you are here,” says Allan with a smile, as he stands with arms wide open. “Herning is getting better all the time. Here, there is a will and a belief that anything can happen. It’s a city of possibilities.”

You've got to go to

the City! 175 SHOPS

50 PLACES TO EAT

2500 FREE P-PLACES

CITY EVENTS: 2. September: Big market in City at Torvet street 9. September: Horse carriages in City Come to see or to take a ride 29. September: Open by Night Final opening and concert at Torvet street 03. November: Open by Night Halloween theme all over City 24. November: Black Friday 03. December: Cristmas start at City Lightening up of the christmas tree at Torvet Find us at facebook/herningcity or instagram @herningcity

See more about City events at www.herningcity.dk

“HERNING IS CULTURE” A Handy-Dandy Little Guide to Your City New in town? FOCUS Student Magazine and Herning Kommune are here to wish you a warm welcome!

he days may be getting shorter, but Herning is bustling with a new energy as yet another school year starts. Whether you’ve lived here for awhile, you’ve moved recently, or you’re just passing through, the city has something special to offer you. Herning is passionate about culture. As is well known, this area has deep roots in art and fashion, but many other cultural aspects can be appreciated as well. Design, architecture, music, food, literature, theatre - numerous creative spheres of influence are placed on center stage in Herning. To begin your journey, take a look at herningerkultur. dk. There you will find a wealth of information on local places of interest, such as Jyske Bank’s BOXEN, Kulturfabrikken, Fermaten, the congressional center MCH, Danmarks Fotomuseum, and countless others. In a new place, finding good food (and drinks!) is almost as important as finding good friends. For a list of places to eat, hang out, or party the night away, check out visitherning.com or herningcity.dk. It’s difficult to choose our favorites, and everyone’s preferences are different, so we recommend asking your

friends, acquaintances, and people you meet in town about their favorite places to spend their time - or just be adventurous and dive right in! Although there are nice shops and cafes in Herningcentret, we recommend that you go to Herning city as much as you can. The atmosphere there is so nice, especially on the walking street. A good tip: remember to bring your student ID card with you! Many restaurants, cafes, and bars in Herning offer student discounts. Lastly, you can create beautiful moments of your very own by stepping out your front door and into Herning’s nature. Take a trip out to Fuglesangsø or Knudmosebjerget and traverse the winding trails, or rent a canoe and paddle the afternoon away. Or find a secluded spot and have a picnic with a few friends. There is a broad spectrum of fun things to uncover here in little Herning, so you are bound to find something that will suit you perfectly. There are amazing experiences to be unfolded. Discover and be inspired!

Text by Maria Nielsen

Velkommen to the Kingdom of Vikings I

talians have a flaming temperament, Germans are punctual to the second, Eastern Europeans squat in tracksuits – we all have some set cultural assumptions for countries and nations we have never really encountered in our lives. Most of you might have probably heard controversial stereotypes about Danish people before even setting foot on Danish land – from sporting the gold medal for the “Happiest Nation in the World” to having the highest suicide rate in Europe. This article will give you an insight on the most common assumptions about Scandinavians, and bust myths circulating foreign countries since the beginning of time. But first – let us briefly update your knowledge on one of the oldest declared countries in Europe with its interesting, lively history.

Ancient Denmark A very long time ago, after the last Ice Age which took place more than 12 000 years ago, the first humans arrived on the lands of modern-day Denmark. The first Danes’ occupations were hunting and fishing, and they became farmers around 4000 BC. After bronze was introduced around 1800 BC, Danes became expert craftsmen. This allowed for a flourishing trade with the Romans, and after the fall of the Roman Empire, with Byzantine merchants.

Viking Denmark In the 800s-900s, Denmark was split into different kingdoms, which got united in

the 10th century. Danish ancestors – the Vikings – raided and conquered other parts of Europe, such as a part of England (that they named Danelaw) or Norway. Christianity was introduced around 960 when King Harald Bluetooth became a Christian, and the people followed his lead. In the Middle Ages, Denmark expanded and developed, thus growing steadily richer. During the Middle Ages, there were several unifications and then divisions among Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Brief History (1500 – 1900) For the following 400 years, Denmark remained a monarchy, which underwent several rebellions and civil wars, as well as other wars with Sweden (the Great Northern War, 1709-1720) or Britain (1805). The Reformation took place in the 15001600, Denmark thus transitioned from Roman Catholicism to Lutheranism. Despite all the social turmoil and disasters, the Danish economy grew fast in the 19 th century due to farming, engineering and shipbuilding, brewing and the sugarcane industry.

Denmark in the XXth century During the First World War Denmark remained neutral. A more democratic Constitution was adopted in 1915 and women received the right to vote. In 1939, when the Second World War began, Denmark Text by Alexandra Munteanu & Aela Nikolova

also stayed neutral, but it was occupied by Germans in 1940. However, the Danish resistance grew stronger and the Germans were abated in 1943. In 1949, Denmark joined NATO and it has been a member of the EU since 1973.

Denmark nowadays Nowadays, Denmark is considered a prosperous European country, with a high standard of living. It is a democratic monarchy under Queen Margrethe II, with the legislative and executive powers put in motion by The Government and The Danish Parliament.

Facts and fiction

BUSTED

Danish language is extremely hard to learn Danish is difficult to a certain extent when it comes to the pronunciation – truth is, spoken Danish sometimes varies even from neighbourhood to neighbourhood! All in all, if you take learning the language seriously (which we advise you to do for countless reasons – finding better jobs, making more friends, integrating better into society, humming along with songs on the radio, etc.) and make use of your awesome three years of FREE language lessons, you will find out that a lot of words are perfectly similar to their English equivalent. Golden advice: practice and socialize with Danes as much as possible, and you will be amazed by how fast you are making progress.

Danes like weird food Contrary to common foreign belief, Danish food is not dominated by fish but rather boasts a large spectrum of flavors

for every taste, and is rich in fresh veggies and fruits. A healthy, diverse and balanced diet is a part of the Danish lifestyle, and you will most probably soon see yourself adopting it as part of your own.

Danes rarely smile False, false and false! Most Danes live up to the “happiest nation in the world” title by flashing a smile way more often than people in Eastern Europe are used to, for example. Shop assistants, waiters and administrative workers are hired based on their friendliness and people skills, which are the most important ones according to Danish HR departments.

Danes are cold and reserved False again! Danish people might seem reserved and insisting a lot on their personal space, but it is a matter of respecting each other’s privacy and way of life. That is why they will rarely judge you based on your appearance, preferences, or nationality, but rather on your manners and qualities. Danes are raised to highly respect other individuals, their own choices, and equal rights – that is exactly why they will not offer to help you unless you specifically request it, meaning that they do not underestimate your ability to figure things out yourself (this especially applies to women). In short – if you need something, just ask for it, be respectful and, as your mom used to say, don’t forget the magic word. As wisdom has it – knock and it shall be opened, and you will actually be surprised by how much genuine warmth, friendliness and acceptance you will find behind the door.

ulture is a fundamental dimension of our identity. Culture provides people with a multitude of selfhood elements, such as sense of self and space, mental processes, language and communication, dress and appearance, time consciousness, relationships, values and norms, beliefs and attitudes, food habits, work and learning practices, spirituality, etc. At heart, people create cultures in order to adapt to the physical environment where they live. Customs and practices for survival are passed along from generation to generation – a certain “accepted” behavior is specific for each country, region, city. Culture has significant influences on every aspect of human life, from the way in which the citizen relates to the state, to the ways in which individuals express themselves, publicly or privately. What is “culture shock”? When plunging into a culture that is largely different from your own, there are certain psychological reactions that emerge on the surface of your consciousness. This phenomenon has been studied in detail and it is generally referred to as “culture shock”.

Culture shock occurs when moving to a new environment, and that doesn’t necessarily mean a new country (although it can be experienced more intensely when the gaps between the cultures are quite big, as it is with moving from one country to another). It is also common to experience culture shock when returning to your home culture after having spent a long time in a different is known as ‘the reverse culture shock’. Although challenging, these changes help increase your self-awareness. Evolution and development take place, as you get out of your comfort zone. Needless to say, the experience of culture shock differs from person to person, as each individual has his or her own unique personality, way of looking at the world, adaptive mechanisms, etc. Nonetheless, stages of adaptation to a new culture have been identified – let’s take look at four main ones:

Text By Alexandra Munteanu / Illustrations by Odette Charles El-Hayek

Initial euphoria or “The Honeymoon” A brand new city, a new place to live, unfamiliar streets, undiscovered cafes, new people to form friendships with... exciting! You are enthusiastic about the change you made in your life. Everything is different from what you’re used to, from food to architecture to weather. You take loads of pictures. You’re curious about every little thing and you feel euphoric. This phase is fun indeed, and it can last for days, weeks or months.

Irritation or “The Crisis” During this phase, you begin to feel irritated and hostility starts to creep into your life. The excitement and the curiosity you felt in the beginning are gradually replaced by all sorts of unpleasant emotions and states of being, such as impatience, irritation, sadness, frustration, anger and even depression. The feeling of homesickness takes over. You miss your family and your friends. The weather is taking a toll on you if only it would be hotter/colder/less rainy. You focus more on differences – and even minor ones can feel not-so-minor. This stage is quite mind-boggling, and it can last for weeks - sometimes months. No matter how overwhelming it might be, it is temporary!

Gradual Adjustment or “The Negotiation Phase” If you haven’t packed your things and jumped on the first plane home, you now enter a more cheerful stage of deeper learning and change. You question your assumptions about the world and you start putting everything into perspective. You become accustomed to the new cultural logic. Its values and norms start making more sense. Now you might even prefer some particularities of the new culture to your native one. During this stage, you either learn to accept the local ways of being and doing, or you accept your negative feelings towards the new culture and find more effective coping methods.

Adaptation or “Feeling at Home” You’ve regained balance and you begin to feel at home. The cultural differences no longer impact your life negatively. This is your happy ending.

VIA Design is a truly multi-cultural environment, with students and teachers from all corners of the world. All of us had (or still have) to face cultural changes, so let’s take a look at what VIA students have to say about their experiences: “Yes, about 2-3 months after I came to Denmark, I did feel there were many differences. Culture shock for me is a good experience – it’s good to adapt to a new environment. It just takes some time to get used to a new culture.” Xinyi Fan, China “Yes, I have [experienced culture shock]. It was very difficult for me to be so far away from my home, my family and friends. But I made many great friends who helped me a lot to get through this and I am very grateful for it.” Anna Mucalová, Czech Republic “I could say a bit. It is sure different from my home country, but I don’t really feel that that bad as the school is really diverse and I can catch a glimpse of every culture there is.” Samuel Šelmovitý, Slovakia “Coming to Denmark was one of the best decisions I made, and I think the culture and way of being stuck to me in the way that it was not that much of a shock, but more of a nice learning and accepting experience. I did indeed realize that Danish people are more reserved and it was easily observable that we (internationals) wanted to meet and know

everyone while they were comfortable with their small group, in their hygge environment. I still experience their way of being after two years of living here. Personally, it was a big difference compared to where I come from, but I embraced it and took it as an educational experience of living and building friendships among different cultures while succeeding in a diverse environment.” Andreea Sîrb, Romania It might happen that you experience symptoms of culture shock at some point or another, as even the most culturally sensitive people are not immune to it. Remember to be compassionate with yourself and to give yourself time to adapt to the new challenges you are facing. Remember to eat well, exercise and get enough sleep. Make friends and try to avoid becoming isolated in your room. Travel, go to cultural events, and visit museums. Expand your horizons about the new culture – learn about the new culture’s language, traditions, food, politics, religion, world views, music, literature, geography, etc. Make the most of it! All in all, moving to a new country is a wonderful experience, and it is definitely worth it in the long run. You will have highs and you will have lows, but you will also get to see the world in a whole new light and, you will have many stories to tell. Carpe diem!

hh, hygge, the most elusive of words. Denmark’s pride and joy, besides those little stripey vases that everyone and their uncle seems to have. No matter how hard you try or what language you end up using, you just can’t explain this word without sounding like a starry eyed poet. Cosy? Close, but not nearly there. Comfortable, snug? Yeah, we admire your perseverance.

Wanna know the reason for this lexical mess? As corny as it might sound, hygge means something different for everyone. Read on to see how your fellow Herning dwellers feel about it, but most importantly add in your own. Use the hashtag #focushygge, tag us on Instagram or Facebook and we just might have a chance of finding the meaning of hygge.

Plamena Somova, Fashion Design Student

Weronika Matyjas, Branding & Marketing Student

So, the way I see it, hygge is, for example, spending the cold winter evenings at home with my family, being warm and cozy, putting on the Christmas decorations together, looking forward to the upcoming holidays, and, lastly, feeling the smell of cinnamon and oranges.

For me hygge is feeling fully comfortable and accepted. It is a feeling I get when I can be myself and when I am doing what I really want to do at that particular moment. Nothing more, nothing less.

Oana Toudut, Branding & Marketing Student For me hygge is the warm feeling I get when I stay with my loved ones, my family and my friends. I think there’s nothing more hyggelig (I think that’s how you say it haha) than enjoying a good conversation with the people you care most about.

Text by Cristina Maria / Illustrations by Odette Charles El-Hayek

Denitsa Ivanova, Branding & Marketing Student For me hygge implies a cosy, comfortable, warm and fuzzy atmosphere or energy. That moment when it’s raining outside but you are in front of a fireplace at home with a cup of hot chocolate and a blanket and having a great time with your family or close friends.

Pia Hansen, VIA Design teacher Hygge - many people think it has to do with candles and cake, but i think that it is more of an atmosphere and sometimes you can even feel hygge in the classroom. It’s when students are doing group work and everyone feels at ease, comfortable and occupied in a task or discussion, next to their peers.

Andrejka Kubal’áková, Branding & Marketing Student Hygge is Denmark; smiling people on the streets, nice jibber-jabber with strangers and warm coffee when you come home after a rainy bike ride - which is just about every bike ride.

Anne-Louise Degn Hansen, VIA Design Administration For me, “hygge” is many things. In summer it’s sitting on the terrace with friends, enjoying a nice meal and a glass of wine. It’s sitting on the grass seeing my children play and laugh in the garden. In winter, it’s lighting the fireplace, looking into the flames while talking with my husband. It’s sitting on the sofa with the whole family (2 adults and 3 children) watching a good movie and eating popcorn. Hygge is inviting the bigger family over for buns, hot cocoa and birthday cake. Or inviting friends for “æbleskiver” (small cake of batter cooked over the fire in a special kind of pan) and “gløgg” (a kind of Christmas punch) in December.

Nanna Knak Sondrup, Branding & Marketing Student To me it is the feeling of home. Not that you actually are home, but that you have the same comfort and relaxed state of mind, as if you are there. It is the feeling of belonging, being a part of something… something great, interesting, fun, entertaining. It is the feeling of family and friends, the feeling you get when you hug someone really close, or are completely relaxed in their comfort and are not afraid to open up and be yourself. Hygge is both the intimacy and the comfort of other people, and it happens both in silence and noise. Personally, for me it’s when I walk my dogs with my significant other, or play a boardgame with friends or watch tv with my dad. All of it is hygge: safe and comfortable. That’s how I describe it best.

Around the Dani N eedless to say, Danes have a very interesting cuisine. Their tastes might surprise you from time to time, especially when you hear of lakrids and pork crust. But the way in which they cook shows a lot about the Danish way of thinking and their interests. Trying to understand Danish cuisine is yet another way to get into the Danes’ hearts – that is why we have come up with some examples of traditional Danish dishes for each meal of the day.

Lunch

Breakfast

Dinner is usually the time when the whole family gathers together, after a day of work or school. An example of a Danish traditional dinner dish is “Burning Love”. A rather uncomplicated meal, Brændende Kærlighed consists of three main ingredients: potatoes, bacon and onions. First, the potatoes are mashed and afterwards, the fried onion and bacon is added on top. Complemented with vegetables or a salad, this dish is delicious.

Typically, breakfast in Denmark consists of bread (franskbrød, boller, birkes, rundstykker, eller håndværkere), cheese, butter and jam, with orange or apple juice and coffee. Milk products are also pretty popular, especially if they are combined with oatmeal, corn flakes or muesli.

A typical lunch in Denmark can be a few pieces of smørrebrød, which translates as open rye- bread sandwiches. There are hundreds of possible combinations of ingredients for a smørrebrød. For example, the main ingredients can be butter or cheese, cold meat or sliced sausages, and slices of hard boiled eggs.

Dinner

Text by Alexandra Munteanu & Aela Nikolova / Illustrations by Ilva Indrikova

ish family table As for dessert, Koldskål (Butter Milk Dessert) with Kammerjunkere (Crispy Biscuits) is an excellent choice as it is light and rejuvenating. All in all, if you are interested in cooking, you will learn that you can find many interesting culinary combinations in Danes’ cuisine to suit your taste and brighten your days. However, another way to learn about the Danish culture and cuisine is through your own experience. VIA Design has offered its students the possibility to get to know the Danes first- hand by providing them with a connection to a Danish family. This means that VIA can make sure you get in touch with Danes that are willing to invite internationals to their homes and introduce them to Danish culture and traditions. The concept has helped many VIA Design students adapt in the city by establishing

long-term connections with their new families, and often one-time visits evolve into lifetime friendships. In case you would like to participate, you need to ask VIA administration about the possibility for such cultural exchange. If you sign up, your contact information will be given to a Danish family, together with one of your classmates’ – so you wouldn’t have to go alone when invited for a visit at their home. Signing up for the experience is a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the new environment and meet new people – so don’t miss the chance to participate!

Surviving the Danish Registration Process

o get started here, in Denmark, you need to make a few official registrations. Read below and find out what you need to get: -- RESIDENCE CERTIFICATE (issued by the State Administration) -- CPR-NUMBER (issued by local Citizen Service / “Borgerservice” in Herning) -- HEALTH CARD / YELLOW CARD (issued by local Citizen Service / “Borgerservice” in Herning)

RESIDENCE CERTIFICATE The requirements vary a bit depending on your country of origin.

For EU students (including EEA and Swiss citizens): EU students can stay up to 3 months without a residence certificate. However, the residence certificate is required to get a CPR-number and health card, so it’s recommended to get it sooner. Obtaining a residence certificate is possible by showing up when the State Administration visits VIA Design on September 13 (please note: this day ONLY). Otherwise, you need to go to the State Administration office in Aarhus. The address is Lyseng Allé 1, 8270 Højbjerg Check rejseplanen.dk for bus and train. YOU NEED TO BRING: Letter of admission to your university in Denmark, passport, two colour photocopies of your original passport, a photograph that fulfills the passport photo requirements, and a completed “Application For EUResidence” form. You will receive the residence certificate by mail after some processing time.

2 3

For non-EU students: You need to apply for/receive your visa and residence permit BEFORE your arrival.

Students from Nordic Countries: Residence certificate is not necessary.

Text by Mette Klarskov Hebel / Illustration by Alexander Moroz

Everyone planning to stay in Denmark for more than 3 months must register for a CPR number/personal registration number. The registration is done by the local Citizen Service (“Borgerservice”), where you need to show up in person and you need to bring your residence certificate (Except for Nordic Citizens). At the same time, you will choose a doctor (GP). Citizen Service provides a list to choose from.

The State Administration and Citizen Service Herning will visit VIA Design on September 13 (please note, this day ONLY), and do registrations. For more information please contact the Student Counsellor.

Your doctor adress is exactly here

Here is Your CPR

Your name! adress and of course city!

When you have registered for a CPR number, you will receive the yellow health insurance card (“Sundhedskort”) by post. With this card, you have access to free medical treatments, with a few exceptions such as dentist, physiotherapy, etc.

Address: Torvet 5, Entry B, 7400 Herning (You can check the most and least busy hours at: international.herning.dk/ need-help-from-citizen-service)

You need to bring the card to all visits to the doctor, hospitals and to the pharmacy when you have a prescription to pick up.

SUNDHEDSKORT

HERNING KOMMUNE Tlf. 11 11 11 11

The card states your name, address, CPR/ Personal Registration number, and the contact details of your family doctor / general practitioner.

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HEALTH CARD/ YELLOW CARD

Citizen Service is can be found in Herning’s Torvet (the city square).

SUNDHEDSKORT

CPR-NUMBER (PERSONAL REGISTRATION NUMBER)

How to get to the Citizen Service in Herning?

TIPS ON HOW TO AVOID FINES IN DENMARK

he warm weather is still on and most of you are getting your bikes ready. Some of the students are biking in Herning, either to or from parties, to and from shops while others are using cars as their main way of getting around. In this article I will try to create a list of how much it will cost you if you break the law in Denmark, whether by car, bike or walking, since not even the pedestrians are immune to the law. However, I’m sure most of you have seen a little a bit of Denmark, but did you actually see a lot of police cars around? The answer is no… The police in Denmark are not very obvious but it is more than likely that they have seen YOU.

The “farts” are coming... To start it a bit positively, the speeding tickets are simply called “Fart Bøde”, which is why it is quite important to be careful with your farts. Pretty often you will also see signs saying that you should “Watch your farts”. I’ll try to stop the fart jokes now. Before we start our 10 tips, it is important to mention that the fines add up to each other, meaning that if you commit multiple offenses at the same time you will be fined for each one of them. That is why it is not the best idea to bike with two people, without lights, while talking on the phone. Why? Let’s talk about that!

Text by Wojciech Zmijski

Keep your eyes open for legal crossing spots!

Pedestrians can be fined with a ticket of up to 700kr for crossing the road on the red light or for crossing the road outside the places designed for crossing the road. That is why it is sometimes a good idea to just wait those two more minutes on the lights rather than paying this much money for no reason. Strike one! If you’ve received a warning, don’t look forward for the second! Sometimes you can just get a warning, for example if your bell is not working. Receiving a first warning means that it’s very unlikely for you to get a second one, especially if the police register your name. Then you can be sure that next time you’ll receive a fine of 500kr. So make sure to check your bell when you’re going for groceries.

Don’t bike without lights, don’t bike over pedestrian crossings, don’t bike with a friend... The lowest fine for a cyclist is equal to 700kr. There are a couple of different offenses that are placed under this fine. Biking without lights during the light-up hours for example or cycling no-handed. You can also get fined if you bike over pedestrian crossings or bike on the sidewalks. Biking with two people on the bike is equal to 700kr, but this time it will be for both, if you bike with three people, then yes, all three of you will be charged 700kr each.

Try not to bike at all?

Bikers can also be fined with 1000kr, for example by biking on the red light or biking against the traffic direction. Using your cell phone can also cost you another 1000kr. Finally, if you violate the duty to give way to approaching traffic, it will cost you another 1000kr. Sometimes it’s just easier to wait a little longer than going on the late yellow light as a biker. Take proper care of your car and skip the friend of a friend who swears he can change tires for a six-pack of beer. While talking about driving a car and all fines related to that, I’ll mention that since 2012 the minimum fine has been raised from 500kr to 1000kr. Lack of lights while driving can cost you 1000kr; you can also get charged 1000kr for each tire which is not in the best condition, so worst case scenario, bad tires can cost you up to 4000kr. You can also get fined if you forget to put the brake on while parking the car, but this is something you don’t see too often. Of course, if you are caught speeding, you will also get the minimum fine.

Behave yourself!

If you don’t follow the traffic signs or forget to fasten the seatbelt, it will cost you 1500kr. Talking on the phone while driving will also cost you another 1500kr. And 1500kr is also the fine for driving more than 20% over the speed limit.

Try biking again?

The highest fine (except the speeding, which could add up to 5000kr) is equal to 2000kr and you can get fined with this amount of money, for example, if you cross the double line or the roundabout markers. Running on red lights is also equal to 2000kr.

K eep some cash on hand.

If you forget to renew your monthly ticket (within 24h) it will cost you 125kr, but only IF you renew your monthly ticket right away and you submit that to DSB within 14 days and then pay a fee of 125kr.

Get a discount!

8Pay attention to the number of zones you’re crossing. And get some “memory” aids. If you forget to buy tickets and you get checked, it will cost you 750kr; also if you buy a ticket with the wrong number of zones, it will cost you another 750kr. This is why sometimes it’s a good idea to check twice where you have to travel and how many zones you have to cross.

As a student, with low income, you can apply for a discount when getting a fine from the police; the maximum discount you can get is equal to 50% of the fine. After the discount, the fine cannot be less than 500kr. Don’t forget that you have to apply for the discount by contacting the police station from which you received the fine!

The Danish healthcare system

veryone gets sick from time to time, sometimes it is so bad that we need to visit the doctor or call an ambulance, therefore it’s quite important to know how the Danish healthcare system works. The Private Doctor: As a Danish resident, you are going to receive a “yellow card” (See more in our Surviving the Danish Registration Process article), which is your health care card. On the yellow card you can see the address and phone number of your private doctor. Going to your private doctor is free, so do not hesitate to visit him or her whenever you feel the urge to do so. The medication prescribed by the doctor on the other side is not, but usually it isn’t very expensive either. The Hospital: Going to the hospital is free but before heading to the emergency MAKE SURE to call 112 or 1813 before getting there. The number 112 is the emergency number and works for the police, the fire brigade and for calling an ambulance. The number 1813 is for sudden sickness or injury and it will connect you to a nurse or the medical department.

Text by Kiril Proykov

Other specialists: Going to the dentist is not covered by the Danish healthcare system, therefore be ready to pay for the visit. There are no private dentists, for that reason one must find it by himself. There are different health insurances that can cover some of the costs related to your dental issues (see “Important links”). The eye doctor (Optometrist) can check your vision for free, but if determined that medication or glasses need to be prescribed, they have to be paid by you. The health insurance can affect the prices related to eye issues (see “Important links”). What else? There are other specialists and doctors that can be visited after your private doctor has recommended it. Sometimes the Danish healthcare system can seem a bit slow, but in case of emergency you will certainly be in good hands. Important Links: These are some links that might be helpful to you if you want to learn more about the Danish Health Care. www.borger.dk – Public self-service; www.healthcaredenmark.dk – Danish healthcare website; www.sum.dk – Health ministry; www.sygeforsikring.dk – Insurance

The $U grant A

re you one of those who agree that everything is so expensive in Denmark compared to the prices we’re used to? Well, either you agree or you don’t, we think that as a student it’s good to know about SU and who is eligible for it, especially if you are looking for means to support yourself during your studies, so check the following text carefully:

In addition, you need to be granted equal status according to Danish or EU rules before applying for SU.

What is SU? SU stands for Statens Uddannelsesstøtte, which could be translated as “State Educational Grant”. SU is public support for education, granted to Danish students over the age 18 regardless of their social standing. It can be granted to foreign students as well, when specific conditions are met. At present, the SU is DKK 5.753 (approximately EUR 750). The student grants and loans are administered by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Higher Education (Ministeriet for Forskning, Innovation og Videregående Uddanelser).

Study Progress Reform and SU Reform In November 2015, the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Higher Education adopted a new political agreement with regard to an education reform meant to speed up the study time. It influences considerably not only the student life, but also higher education institutions. This reform is called the Study Progress Reform and it results in a cut of 2.2 billion DKK for the SU system, which would sustain the government economic growth plan (source: University Post). It is said that this study reform will not have consequences for the SU grant. However, the SU Reform, another agreement recently adopted, influences the SU grant for those who already receive it. As a student in Denmark, you should be aware of what the Study Progress Reform and the SU Reform entail, as they are an ongoing process, so make sure to check the details!

How are you eligible for SU as a foreign student? In order to be able to receive SU, it is required of you to: be an EU or EEA citizen, work 10-12 hours a week, and study at a Danish University for a full degree.

When are you not eligible for SU? You are not eligible to receive SU if you: are a non-EU or non EEA citizen, do not work for 10-12 h / per week, are an exchange student at a Danish University.

Text by Alexandra Munteanu

Where to Find Your ‘Home’ in Denmark

inding a place to live can prove to be a difficult and time-consuming activity: checking the online medium, calling to set up an appointment, seeing the place, checking the contract, and if it’s not the place for you, starting all over again until you find something that suits your needs – all of this takes time and energy. However, finding a place to live can be easier if you know where to look! Here is a list of places you can check if you are still looking for a permanent place to live…

1. Facebook

2. Websites

Facebook has become ‘the ultimate exchange site’ – people put their offers online all the time, and it’s useful to know some of the places where you can find accommodation.

There are a few websites you can check out if you are looking for a place you want to rent for an indefinite time. Here are the most popular examples:

Among the groups where you can see some posts about available rooms are: Bolig i Herning, TEKO Marketplace, Herning’s online flea market, or Ting til salg i Hammerum og Gjellerup. Many others are filled with offers, so make sure to browse through the Facebook groups relevant for your search but be aware of scammers. Don’t ever, under any circumstance, transfer money in advance if you don’t know the person. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

--www.boligportal.dk: This is one of the best websites where you can find accommodations. If you want to contact the owner, you need to pay a fee of 29 kr for 4 days of access to the contact information.

--www.lejehuset.dk: For this website, you must make an account in order to look for accommodations. It is useful, but it might be difficult to navigate the website. Remember the translate button on the top of the browser. It’s very useful!

Text by Alexandra Munteanu

--www.lejebolig.dk: The good part is that this website is available in English! Just choose the zip code you need (in this case: 7400, Herning) under Limit search – Area – Zip Code, and add any other filter you think is suitable for you. Once you’ve done that, check out the offers. Like many others, this website requires a paid account to contact the owner. Although the websites require a small fee to contact owners of the listings, it is worth it in the end, because the offers on the website are usually for an undetermined period – here you are most likely to find your permanent home.

3. Agroskolen Agroskolen is a student dormitory with friendly prices for students, situated close to the university. If you run out of options, applying for a room in Agroskolen is always a good idea. There are many possibilities out there for you. Just keep your eyes open, stay focused, and don’t lose hope! Something will come up, eventually. Make sure to start looking for a place to live at least one month before you have to move out – it’ll save you the panic!

Genbrug Y

ou’ve probably noticed these little shops all around Herning. They have anything - from books to couches, and everything in between: clothes, kitchen appliances, dishes, paintings – you name it. And they’re so very cheap, sometimes all their prices are marked with three dots: yellow, green and red for 5kr, 10kr, and 25kr. The twist? They’re all second hand objects which have been donated by kind hearts who didn’t have any more use for them. Most often ran by the Red Cross or the Salvation Army using the items that have been donated to them, they sell items that are still beautiful and deserve a second chance to be used. The Genbrug stores are the equivalent of charity shops in the UK. Thrift shops or Vintage Stores are also fitting names. They will be most useful to those of you who have just moved to Herning and have rented an apartment without any furniture.

If you’re not looking to spend a lot of money, give the Genbrug a try. Their furniture and kitchen selection isn’t you grandma’s crusty old couch but rather charming pieces with a lot of personality – think hand painted writing desks – sold for what a few meatballs at Ikea would cost you. What do you need to watch out for? The people who work at the Genbrug are

usually volunteers so they’re mostly sweet older women who care for nothing more than to help but will probably be the only people in Herning whose English is not quite spectacular. There’s no problem in looking around, buying an item and going on your merry way but if you’re searching for something very specific, you might want to have a few words in Danish at hand. Are you that kind soul who wants to help others or simply get rid of some stuff ? You can always take your old clothes to the Genbrug boxes located next to one of the entrances to Herning Centret or in Hammerum, next to Super Brugsen. They basically look like large dumpsters (and you’ll often find them next to real dumpsters) with the Genbrug name and logo on them, meaning that you’re looking for the Red Cross or any other of the associations who run the stores. These ones are ok for getting rid of clothes and shoes that are still fit to be worn but maybe you’re just bored with them. If you have larger items to donate, and we can assure that you’ll have them when you will be moving out, it’s recommended to talk to someone who works there. You’ll find most of the Genbrugs that are scattered around Herning, but these things are always popping up somewhere you’d never thought possible so kindly let us know on Facebook about your newest find and enjoy the shopping spree – guilt free.

Text by Cristina Maria

Herning Insider

Get to Know Little Herning

ou just moved to Herning, and the initial enthusiasm of discovering a new place, a new culture, and new people still lingers. It won’t take you long until you start talking with some of the older students, who will probably tell you how you’ll be stuck in this boring city where there’s absolutely nothing to do for the next couple of years. Do not freak out! They’re not entirely right! Fair enough, Herning is not that big and there are many other exciting places to be, but there’s actually more to it than meets the eye. We’re here to tell you about some of our favorite places and give you some fresh ideas and new alternatives, which come to prove that our little Herning is not so bad after all. If you’re not necessarily the adventurous type, and you prefer chilling over a drink or a bite, there are plenty of cafes and restaurants - most of them located on the walking street or close to it. It’s a great way to socialize with your new classmates, flatmates, or neighbours, and many of these places offer

discounts for students! Just remember to ask. As for the nightlife, we’re pretty sure you’ll discover it by yourself in no time! Living on campus does not offer that many options for leisure activities, besides the occasional parties at the Student House, the gym, and the pool room - unless, of course, you count doing laundry as an exciting activity. No worries though, you’ll discover soon enough that fun will be at its best on a random Tuesday night, when your Birk neighbours decide to have a party. Maybe you weren’t necessarily invited, but we’re all students and you’re always welcome. These are some ideas for indoor endeavors, but Herning also offers some options for nature lovers. The Geometrical Garden near VIA Design is the perfect place to just wander around, think about your life, and get away from it all. Or why not have a picnic with your friends? It’s not really a maze, but part of what’s exciting about going there is not really knowing where you will end up on the next turn. Next to the Geometrical

Text by Maria Nielsen / Photos by VisitHerning

Garden, you will find the Sculpture Park with 36 sculptures circled up - quite weird ones, but still worth a look. Most likely you have already noticed the huge black ‘thing’ in Birk Centerpark, a sculpture 60 meters in diameter known as Elia. Yes, that’s actually a piece of art. Or as Mr. Ivar Hansen, Speaker of the Danish Parliament, has said: “Elia is exactly what we make of it. Art reaches out to the diversity of the individual.” What you might not know about it is that its pillars can function as lightning attractors. At random intervals (nobody knows exactly when), a gigantic 8-meter-high gas flame arises from the depths of the shaft and burns for about 30 seconds. It’s definitely worth it to be in the right place at the right time to see it. But we have to emphasize that it can be extremely dangerous to be on or near the sculpture during poor weather conditions. We would also advise avoiding Elia if you or your friends have had a bit too much to drink. Alcohol and 11-meter-high steel sculptures do not always mix. Elia

Art can actually be found all over Birk Centerpark. In addition to some artsy landmarks scattered around the area, there are two art museums waiting for visitors! CarlHenning Pedersen & Else Alfelts Museum is the pair of eye-catching blue buildings next to VIA Design that exhibits over 4.000 pieces created by the married couple. HEART, Herning’s Museum of Contemporary Art,

offers (as the name suggests) brilliant and inspiring contemporary artwork divided by genre. Different changing exhibitions of the work of international and Danish artists add great value to the permanent collection. While wandering around Herning, there are a few places you should definitely check out in the open. Most of you have probably been to the Messecenter and the surrounding area, but what you might have missed is something halfway to it. Right next to Kaj Zartows Vej lies the highest peak in Herning - Knudmosebjerget. I mean, bjerget in Danish means “the mountain”, but don’t set your expectations too high. We’re still in one of the flattest countries on earth (with an average elevation of 30,5 meters above sea level, according to a quick Google search), but from the top of this “mountain”, you can get a pretty amazing view of Herning and its surroundings. There is also a table with benches, so pack your picnic basket, take a front row seat, and go enjoy the sunset with your friends. In Herning, beaches are not the strongest point of attraction, but the city still has something to offer. A favorite among the locals is Fuglsangsø, which is a small manmade lake in the northern part of Herning, close to Tjørring. It has clean water and a nice sand beach along it. Close to the lake, there is also an illuminated path called Lysløjpen, which is perfect for jogging enthusiasts. Of course, if this lake is not large enough and you don’t mind taking a bit of a longer trip, then go to the lake in Sunds (about 7 km from Herning). There you will find the largest moorland lake in Denmark. Believe it or not, you can find some nice, natural places for a spontaneous getaway right in the middle of town. Right behind

the train station, there is a park called Søndre Anlæg, which is known for its large rhododendron bushes. If you are not into admiring the flora there, you can have a picnic or a barbecue (there is even a place for it), play sports games, or just spend time with the ducks who hang out in the pond all day. There is plenty of room to do anything. During the summer, it can be hard to find a day where the park isn’t crowded, so it’s clear that this spot is a favorite for Herning locals. Riding a bike will probably be your main means of transportation as you commute to school and possibly to work, but there’s no reason not to enjoy a pleasant, relaxing bike ride every now and then. You’ll discover that Herning has some really nice bike tracks through some of the forests surrounding the town, which are quite enjoyable when you want to get away from the noisy streets. In the words of the poet Robert Frost, take the road less travelled. Hop on your bike and go enjoy the trees! A Closer Look - The Inside Scoop on the Library in Herning If you’re a book lover, then you’ll probably visit the library as soon as you get your yellow card. Lucky for you, its location has recently changed, and it’s now in a new building on the main pedestrian street. The location is central and accessible. Not only is it the perfect place to study and knock out those group projects, but the relaxing atmosphere also makes it a wonderful place to sit down and unwind with a cup of coffee or tea. The basement level of the building is filled to the brim with a wide array of books. The English book collection is not massive, but there is plenty of reading material to keep

you occupied. Furthermore, the library also has books available in French, Russian, and a few other languages, so you can always practice your foreign language skills. Even if you’re not a book lover, we think we can tempt you into visiting. The library in Herning is not only a center for knowledge and learning. It also hosts and sponsors many events in collaboration with the city, making it quite a cultural and social hub. You can always expect to find something interesting or entertaining in the works, and if you’re an international student, you’ll discover some valuable resources that will keep you coming back. Let’s go through just a few activities and events the library has to offer. Good Stuff for Internationals At 17.00 on the last Thursday of every month (except July and December), you can experience the library through an informal introduction. During this guide, you will not only learn how to navigate the library, check out books and all the other basics, but you will also be introduced to the library’s inner-workings and understand how you can use the library to its fullest potential, both for your educational and personal interests. Everyone is welcome to join, and the guide is free of charge. To sign up, simply contact Tina Daugaard at bibtid@herning.dk.

TED Talks Let’s get smarter together! Don’t miss the opportunity to listen to exciting and sometimes controversial discussions. You can observe quietly if you like, but we say don’t be afraid to join the debate! Remember, the point is not to win but simply to enjoy and be open-minded. During these TED Talk events, the library features two video lectures (up to

Herning Library 18 minutes long), and then the group gets to discuss what they have seen. Participating in these types of open discussions can often lead to incredible moments of insight, where you can discover something new about the world around you - or maybe even about yourself. TED Talks take place once a month. Check with the library to see what the next topic of discussion will be! Pro Tip: If there is a specific TED Talk you would like the library to consider adding to its program, feel free to contact Brian Bruhn at bibbnb@herning.dk.

student, this is perfect for you. As a newcomer attending “Unwrap Herning”, you can enjoy the afternoon in the company of some of your older classmates, who would like to learn a bit about you, introduce you to the city, and give you lots of useful tips and tricks. Where are the best places to eat? Where do you go to relax? To exercise? To drink? Listen to a concert? How do you make new friends? These are all great questions that can be answered at “Unwrap Herning.” The event is free of charge, of course. Set the date in your calendar and come by! This and much more is happening at the library, so be sure to take a peek now and again. Taking advantage of the city’s fantastic public resources will really enrich your experiences here in Herning. All the more reason to hit the books! Or to just hang out and enjoy the hum of students “hard at work.”

Board Game Events The library is making plans to host board game afternoons throughout autumn and winter, which will help bring some warmth and “hygge” to the colder, shorter months in Herning. Of course, this is a great family event but it’s suitable for all ages! So get out of the cold and come join the fun. The dates have not been planned yet, but you can always check with the library staff or look at the website (www.herningbib.dk) for upcoming events. “Unwrap Herning” On Wednesday the 12th of October at 17.00, the library will be hosting an event for new students who have recently moved to Herning. If you are an international

H-Town Party

Places to enjoy, f

Fox and Hounds

Kontrast

Preferred spot in H-town, known to have a classier atmosphere compared to the rest on the list. Prices for a beer are fairly higher than in the other pubs, but compensates with the fame of a place gentlemen usually visit, for some reason. The bar also offers live music and a splendid variety of spirits, which you can enjoy on a night out only if you are 21 and older.

This place is best known for organized theme parties, usually by students and enjoyed by students. It’s relatively spacious with an underground crafted interior, also known for good music and rather cheap drinks.

Østergade 17

Student Huset Birk Centerpark 7

Good old parties on campus, organized by the SAA – cheap drinks and fun theme nights. Here is where you’ll eventually see everyone you know and if you don’t, just give it some time.

Betaniagade 3

Old Irish Østergade 16

We only need one sentence to describe this leprechaun island – 20 DKK for a Tuborg, if you’re a student. Usually chill on weekdays, popular music, often big screening of sports events - this sums it up. Old Irish is quite a place to let yourself go and dance ’til morning, popular among students and with an added indoor smoking area.

Text by Aela Nikolova

Stops

from the city center and beyond Piano Bar

Einstein

The classiest of them all. Offers live music and good atmosphere. It’s just the place to take your date to if you plan a cozy night together. Prices may appear high but the experience is worth it.

Famous for its urban interior, this place offers a spacious dancing area. If you are searching for good DJ mixes combined with variety of drinks and you don’t mind socializing with youngsters-this is the stop. This pleasure will usually cost you 50 DKK for entrance.

Østergade 25

Baren

Østergade 11 Quite tiny for a party place, but people will still dance and enjoy a few games of pool, foosball or beer pong. The bar is popular mainly among young people. Drinks here often come with a 2 for 1 offer which is very convenient when you’re on a student budget.

Smallegade 1

Murphy’s Østergade 20

The little gem hidden nearby Old Irish recommends itself with chill interior and average prices. It’s a nice stop to grab a drink and sit outside in good weather. It has a spacious second floor available as well, but it’s usually frequented by locals.

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ND KNOW IF YOU ARE A STUDENT

TIPS ON HOW TO SURVIVE THROUGH YOUR DEGREE VIA Design veterans share their wisdom on what you need to rise and shine through your individual field of awesomeness.

ear 1st semesters, welcome to your brand new world. On the verge of the new year, the real VIA Design experience is about to begin for you soon, when you are all going to be divided in the “real deal” classes of your own specialities. To get some idea of what lies ahead, we have collected a few golden tips & tricks from our fellow experienced students – enjoy and… may the odds be ever in your favour!

Text by Aela Nikolova & Ugne Tusaite Photo by Inge Lynggaard Hansen

BRANDING & MARKETING MANAGEMENT Denitsa Ivanova, graduate Start early! Plan your work flow (realistically) and keep in mind that the all-nighters and the "everything is possible with 4 Red Bulls" mindset right before the deadline might not be your best bet if you are striving for a good grade. Plan time for potential "writer’s block" moments and always have a plan B. You will not be a 24/7 writing machine. Learn how to accept and learn from constructive criticism. It will come in handy even after student life is over and you have to deal with... well, real life. Last but not least - everything will be alright! Whatever you are going through, do not worry, it will be okay.

but harm you physically and psychologically. Have some healthy fat-rich foods and don’t forget to carry some water with you – it really does influence your mood and energy levels. Also, find a stress-release channel! 4. Don't feel sorry for yourself. And don’t expect anyone else to either. So don't waste too much time getting stuck in the past or thinking of how to have a better future. Start moving and gain momentum instead.

Miguel Garcia Sanchez, 7th semester 1. Don't expect to get to the top during your first work/professional experience. Things take time to bloom, either under the sun or the Danish rain. 2. My father used to say: ''Shut the fuck up and keep on working''. When you’re a teenager it doesn't feel too but this has become a usual phrase I tell myself nowadays, and by that I mean that without repetition and failure, nothing gets mastered. 3. Eat properly, have a healthy diet. Eating shit on a weekly basis will not do anything

FASHION DESIGN Irina Budac, 7th semester 1. Whenever you find yourself close to a deadline and panicking, just remember that sleeping is optional and a general waste of time. 2. When the freshmen start school every semester, keep your eyes wide open. For designers it is basically the start of a hunt for tall, pretty, skinny people! It is the hunger games, people. Be prepared. 3. Be smart with your money. Print at the library. Spend your money on something that will help you cope with upcoming stress, meltdowns and sleepless nights.

Luca Levai, 7th semester 1. Patterns are your best friend. It takes a minute to get to know each other, though - so donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get discouraged right away. Keep them organized, they might come in handy later on, too! 2. Prepare to spend some late hours in D Factory. Keep a blanket and a pillow in the workroom in case of late nights! 3. Be focused and organized, but also have some crazy days when you do something completely different. Go out or just rest. Those days sometimes end up being the most creative! Fresh minds are always full of ideas!

PU MA

URCHASING PATTERN ANAGEMENT DESIGN Roy Ramlal, 7th semester

Belinda Anscomb, graduate

1. If you like to buy stuff, Purchasing Management is the right specialty for you... And if you don’t... you should start buying more stuff right now! 2. You have to be prepared to read a lot! Be super organized because the studies have large independent workloads and also because it will be a skill which will come in handy down the road.

1. If you don’t like coffee, better start liking it! Long hours and late nights will make it your savior! 2. Go to Åbyhøj Stog Shop in Aarhus for excellent guidance in choice of fabrics and a comprehensive selection of materials. 3. Don’t be afraid to ask teachers and fellow students for opinions – we are all here to learn! It’s not a competition, but a place to explore and develop your skills. 4. Praise yourself for the work you hand in, don’t always be a sceptic. 5. If you haven’t cried once or twice in school because of pressure or things going wrong, you haven’t been a student. Know that it’s okay to have a breakdown once in a while, and that others have them, too. 6. Keep your patterns under lockdown and save them until the whole project is done. You never know which to throw away and which you’ll need right before handing in. 7. If you have spare time after a project, spend the day helping pressured classmates – perhaps one day you will be the one in need of a small favour!

Caroline Rulis, 7th semester I’m not sure how exactly I’ll survive this BA, haha! Probably with the help of my “Herning Family”. I don’t think I could do it without them! So make sure to find one for yourself too.

Amanda Kjupers, 7th semester 1. Since the Purchasing Management classes are small, get to know each other; this way you can have a better working environment while reading tons of articles and doing thousands of calculations. 2. Having an awesome group of friends to have wine dinners with after a long day and/ or week at the university is a life-saver!. 3. Going to boxing class (or something similar that works for you) helps you to disengage and release all your frustrations.

Izabela Szymanska, graduate 1. Say hello to your new best friend: retaildesignblog.com 2. Programs you should master: a) ADOBE – Illustrator and Photoshop is a must! b) 3D Programs – during your education at VIA you will probably get familiar with SketchUp but there are many great programs waiting for you! Go to Autodesk.com and get your 3-year FREE student license for programs like MAYA or AutoCAD! 3. Get this book: “Architects’ Data” by Ernst and Peter Neufert. It includes the principles of the design process, basic information on constructing, as well as illustrations and descriptions with measurement of the wide range of elements used to create any retail space. 4. Any idea is a good idea. Collect them all in a folder for future projects! Maybe there will be an occasion to use the designs that didn’t really suit your project at the time – if not, you can always see what a weirdo you were while reflecting on your development as a student. 5. Inspiration is everywhere. During my trips I see a lot of good ideas for design solutions. I take a lot of photos and store them in my Pinterest folder, my private inspiration bible. Remember – taking inspiration from one place is called plagiarism – taking it from many different places is called research. 6. Practice! Sketching is not for everyone – but every designer should practice it. Having your own style makes a great impression, especially when you sketch your first design ideas in front of a client. 7. Try to develop your own style for the elements of your process book and designs - from brainstorming sessions, mood boards

and collages, to fonts, arrows and the color of your pen – make it all visually beautiful and unique. Also, don’t compare yourself to others – sometimes you just have to do your thing. 8) Less is more! Amen.

RETAIL MANAGEMENT MATERIAL SCIENCE & PRODUCT DESIGN Dalmi Parajdi, 7th semester

1. Retail is one of the most theory-based specialties we have on campus. If you want it to make sense for you in terms of applying your knowledge to practice, find professional experience to relate the theory to in real life (a retail-related job, extracurricular activities, etc.) 2. Read the literature! Do yourself, your fellow students and your teachers a favour and prepare for class. It’s so much nicer when a lot of different opinions can be heard on a subject. 3. Invest in experiences! Go out there and enjoy all the events taking place around you, meet people, be open. Keep yourself busy it’s the best way to survive in here.

Maria Ramos, graduate 1. When working on your assignments, remember: “your first idea is not the best one”. Sit in the front row in class. 2. Learn from others... You are not always right. As a manager... “manage your shit first before managing others”. 3. Consumer, consumer, consumer! Location, location, location. Retail is detail! 4. Balance your social life with your assignments. Keep in mind that networking is important.

Anna Moissejeva, 7th semester 1. Despite the “design” in the name, it’s an engineering education. It’s a small field so stick together and avoid burning bridges. 2. Stay focused and open during teamwork sessions. And, most importantly - have patience! 3. Be curious and invest time in exploring new opportunities. The textile industry is constantly growing in terms of new developments. 4. Make sure to communicate with other students who aren’t from your course or university as much as possible! So here you go. This is the ancient knowledge that has been passed on to you! Be smart and cherish it. There are no excuses to fail anymore. We hope this article reached your heart and made all your worries go away! Get excited about these few adventurous years that hopefully will prepare you for the “oh so easy” life after university. So saddle on, cowboy. It’s going to be a bumpy ride!

The Danish Way: Problem Based Le & 7-point scale

ou’re here. You have your place to stay. Maybe you haven’t figured out what exactly is Bilka, but classes are starting so there’s no time to waste. Herning prides itself with an assortment of internationals. You’ll probably meet classmates from Sweden and Poland just as you will from Brazil or India. No matter the country, we all have different backgrounds, educationally speaking. Whether we’re already used to the friendly Nordic system or feel more comfortable with formal Eastern European styles of teaching, now that we’re here, we have to adapt. It is probably one of the major culture shocks that new students have when they join a university in Denmark because no amount of research into the system will prepare you for the real thing. Maybe you haven’t even bothered researching, as you like to live on the edge. You’ll quickly find out that the king system here is the “problem based learning”. A quick search on Wikipedia will let you know all about its history and how it’s a student-centered pedagogy and all that nonsense, but what you really need to know is that mommy and daddy are not here to hold your hand anymore. The teachers will act more as a guide for you. Sure, they will

come with a lesson plan and a few Powerpoints, but make no mistake, no one will ASK anything of you. Gone are the days when you had to write down everything they said or be ready at any time to answer something, some of them won’t even care if you’re skipping. The responsibility is all on YOU. If you’d rather stay in your warm bed and devour cupcakes, there’s no one to stop you but rest assured (pun intended) that you’ll regret the choice when you go back to class and notice that all the groups have been formed and everyone is on their way with some project or another. The problem based learning approach also dictates that when you are faced with a problem, you have to think your way out of it. There will usually be a task, whether it’s a large project or simply a question in class, and you will have to solve it. More often than not, there won’t be a fixed answer and students running to their teacher in hopes of finding this perfect solution will be

Text by Cristina Maria & Aela Nikolova Photo by Inge Lynggaard Hansen

earing

disappointed. Another thing that you will learn is how to ask questions and that there are no stupid ones. A very interesting thing that VIA Design offers, and which comes as a surprise to a lot of students, is the first semester as a common core experience. Inevitably, fashion designers will have a mental breakdown at some point, sooner or later, because they have to do another task in Supply Chain Management. Worry not, that’s the whole point. In the first VIA Design semester, you’ll get to see what

everyone is learning, from Global Marketing and Communication to sketching classes. This will help you with the decision that you will be offered to switch specialities at the end of the first semester. You’ll have to figure problem based learning on your own but to get you going, here’s a handy breakdown of the 7-point grading scale, courtesy of FOCUS Student Magazine.

Danish mark

Explanation

For an excellent performance

For a very good performance

For a good performance

For a fair performance

For an adequate performance

For an inadequate performance

-3 48

For an unacceptable performance

ECTS

What did I do?

You made a plan, followed it through, most likely didn’t have a breakdown the night before, presented right into the time frame, did your research like a good kid and referenced everything right. You answered all questions and made kick-ass visuals/products. Your parents should be proud.

You either: a. Are smart but unlucky and a tricky question might have slipped away from your attention. b. Were just a tiny bit lazy and didn’t live up to your full potential. c. Are an underestimated genius and karma hates you.

You knew you should have prepared better. You knew they were probably going to ask you about that thing you tried so hard to avoid talking about on your presentation because you don’t get it either, but you had to mention just in case. Also, your references probably suck, but at least you tried. Still a good mark, still deserves to be celebrated with a beer. Or two.

Congratulations! You thought you might not have passed, right? You panicked the night before and would have said a little prayer before going to bed, but you didn’t, so it was technically pure luck? Oh, sweetheart, it can always be worse. You are still a good kid (even if not the brightest) and we still love you.

Jesus! Sorry to say, but you must have really sucked! At that point it is better for teachers to fail you, so you can show up again and take the chance of having a higher mark. We suggest you plan your time and put your project a bit higher in your list of priorities, darling. You still pass though, even though we can’t help feeling sorry.

You failed, at least we hope, with grace. You better buckle up and do something about it if given the chance to retake your exam. We are not going to say anything more about it, because you are feeling bad enough already – being classified under the numerical value of a 0 is harsh enough.

You, sir, are a hero. One in a million. A rare diamond, shining brighter than Rihanna can imagine. Wow. Just wow. What did you do, for goodness’ sake?! We are actually in awe – you just started an urban legend which is going to travel around the school and mesmerize freshmen for generations to come. Cheers!

USEFUL CONTACTS AT VIA

n case you need any information related to your study programme, want to ask about exchange options or need assistance connecting to the school network – don’t hesitate to contact VIA Design’s staff, who are always ready to answer your questions! Keep in mind that VIA specialists are often away from the administration building, attending meetings during school days, so in case you need help it would be a good idea to approach them a few days in advance by requesting an appointment by e-mail or phone.

ELECTIVES Mette Louise Christensen

EXAMS Connie Foged Lindholm

mlc@via.dk 87 55 11 78

Coordinator

cfl@via.dk 87 55 50 20

ROOMS BOOKING Pernille Dalsgaard

STUDENT COUNSELING

Timetabling

Anne-Louise Degn Hansen

ped@via.dk 87 55 05 22

International Student Counselor

aldh@via.dk 87 55 05 48

EDUCATIONAL MANAGEMENT Gitte Villemoes Larsen

Solveig Fløe

Head of Business Programme

Student Counselor

givl@via.dk 8755 0506

sfl@via.dk 87 55 05 32

Pia Vejrup Larsen

Søren Rosted Bang

Head of Design Programme

Student Counselor and Internship

pil@via.dk 8755 0559

srb@via.dk 87 55 05 60

IT SUPPORT

EXCHANGE Stefan Evers-Gross

Solveig Hagel Pedersen

IT Supporter

Int. Exchange Coordinator

support@via.dk 87 55 12 12

spe@via.dk

Text by Aela Nikolova

You have the right to know your rights – this article is an essential read to every student in Denmark, as being aware of the legal system in your new country of residence is an important first step for your integration in the Danish society.

RESIDENCE PERMIT As a student, you have the right to obtain a residence permit in Denmark. If you are a Nordic citizen, you do not need a residence permit. However, if you are staying for more than 6 months, you need to register with the Danish authorities. If you are an EU/EEA citizen, you will need a residence permit if you are staying in Denmark for more than 3 months. Usually, residence permit legislation can be organised by your educational institution – in this case – VIA Design, who can direct you to the nearest registration office. Read more about the procedure in our articles covering the Yellow card and obtaining a CPR number.

WORKING PERMIT As a student, you have the right to work in Denmark to support yourself financially during your studies. If you are a Nordic, EU/EEA or Swiss citizen, there are no restrictions to the number of hours you can work in Denmark. However, if you want to apply for SU (Statens Uddanelsestøtte, or educational grant), you have a work hour restriction you need to be aware of in order to apply for student support. As a non-EU/EAA student you can work for up to 20 hours a week while you study in the country and fulltime during June, July and August. However, this requires a work permit sticker in your passport.

DANISH LANGUAGE CLASSES

DANISH HEALTHCARE SYSTEM

For up to 3 years upon your arrival in the country, as an international student or employee in Denmark, you can take Danish language lessons free of charge. To sign up you need your Danish CPR number and you can choose between day or evening courses, which are concluded with a state-approved test in line with the Common European Framework for Languages. Read more in our article about Laerdansk – the language center for international students in Herning city.

The Danish healthcare system offers equal and universal access for all residents. As an international student and resident in Denmark you will have access to free medical treatments with some exceptions, such as dental care and physiotherapy. In accordance with the Danish Health Act, all non-residents staying in Denmark are entitled to emergency hospital care free of charge ‘in the event of an accident, childbirth, acute illness or sudden aggravation of a chronic disease’. All other health care services must be paid for by you or your insurance.

DANISH BANK ACCOUNT AND DANISH FINANCIAL INSTITUTION All international students are advised to open a Danish bank account. To do so, you must first obtain a Danish CPR number (i.e. ID number). You can also transfer money from your Danish account to your home account. Transfer may take a few days and will most probably cost you a fee, depending of the terms and conditions of the bank you have chosen to collaborate with. You need to register your Danish bank account with the Danish tax authority as a ‘Nemkonto’ (i.e. an ‘easy account’), which will allow public authorities to make direct payments to you – like wages, tax rebates or maintenance payments. Seek advice from your Danish bank. Text by Aela Nikolova

If you are an EU/EEA citizen or a Swiss national and you plan to stay in Denmark for less than 3 months, and provided you are covered by a statutory health insurance service in another EU country, you can use your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) to access any healthcare service that becomes medically necessary during your stay in Denmark. For more information you can check: www.nyidanmark.dk www.studyindenmark.dk www.sundhed.dk

Internships One of the special things about your VIA Design diploma is that it’s not only recommended to take a summer internship but it’s actually mandatory. As in you can’t finish your degree without gaining practical experience in a company (and writing quite a lengthy report on it). There are two internship periods: 3rd semester and 6th semester, both having a minimum of 9 weeks

fter 3 semesters as an international, you’ll probably feel like that’s the only life you want to live, so it’s natural to feel the need to travel again. Worry not, VIA Design encourages internships outside of Denmark. What you need to know is that, again, no one will be there to hold your hand. You have to find your own internship, write a cover letter and a CV, do the interviews and win the job. Just like in real life! This is why the university recommends starting to look as early as March, even if the actual internship only starts around the beginning of July. A list of companies who have collaborated in the past with VIA and VIA students is available for downloading on Studienet if you need some inspiration.

One important thing to remember if you choose to do an international internship, even if it takes place in your home country, is that the Erasmus foundation will provide a grant if you send in an application. Solveig Pedersen (spe@via.dk) takes care of the funding and will gladly help with the process. Last but not least, there will be a lengthy report to write about your company and the deadline for it will reach you sooner than you might expect, so don’t postpone the internship for a holiday (no matter how well deserved it is) and keep a tight schedule! Just in case you’re still a bit apprehensive, here are 5 tips from FOCUS Student Magazine that will help you pull off the internship of your dreams!

Text by Cristina Maria Photo by Inge Lynggaard Hansen, Frederic Koberl

Let’s start with the basics. Be organized! There will be no need to stress if you have everything in the right folder just waiting to be added to that magical email. Have your badass portfolio, cover letter and resume locked and loaded, with the correct title of the document, so that it doesn’t end up being a final-finally-final.pdf file that will make even your mother cringe. Save yourself a few years of happy life and organize the deadlines of applications. Most of the companies have them online, so just make sure you are not too late for the party.

D on’t lie! Or do… There is no crime in a few little white lies here and there in your application; those group work skills and the public speaking will come to you at some point, but… Don’t shoot yourself in the foot with the big stuff… If you cannot use Photoshop or do not know the key programs that the company is using, at some point the cat will come out of the bag. Just be open about it at your interview. Talk about your willingness to learn; at the end of the day this is what you’re there for!

D on’t be shy! As much as it is intimidating to be judged by the actual company, especially if you really like them, it’s important to know your worth! Present them with your best work, show them that you are passionate about their area and that you are ready to save the world. Don’t shy away from all your good achievements, even if they have little relevance to the field. They may represent some major skills that are very important to the brand.

D on’t give up! There is quite a big chance that a few or more companies will ignore your application, but don’t let that stop you. It can never hurt to send them a second letter, or even a third. Also, companies are really busy, so be patient. With that being said, send your application in advance. It’s always smart to be the first one to apply. Apply to more companies than you think is necessary. Sometimes it may surprise you how much you will fall in love with a company just from the interview. That’s the fun part!

S peaking of interviews… Usually, if they like your portfolio, cover letter or whatever you sent them, THE INTERVIEW is the next step. It’s kind of a “make it or break it” deal from there on. Be presentable and excited! They love to hear how much you admire their work. They expect you to know their stuff before the interview, so mention some projects they did and how you thought you wanted to be a part of it. If you are studying fashion design, they might ask you to come to the office/atelier for the interview. Make a trip out of it, visit the place, get excited and be prepared.

VIA Incubator Q&A With Thomas Østergaard

ave a business idea, but not really sure how to get things rolling? You live and breathe the entrepreneurial spirit, but fully formed ideas are hard to grasp? Shorten the idea incubation period in the VIA Incubator, campus Herning – now with a new open space aptly named the Garage, in VIA Design’s E-building!

also help with minor tasks; ideas, concepts, exhibitions, etc, which you are working with as a student. You could actually divide our free offer into three parts:

Thomas Østergaard To learn a bit more about what the Student Incubator has to offer to all future business owners, read our Q&A with Thomas Østergaard, an assistant professor at the Incubator.

What is the concept and exactly what does VIA Incubator provide?

At the Incubator you can get all sorts of assistance to help you build a business, but

-One is about counselling and inspiration- as an open space where you reach out to talk to either me or other consultants regarding an idea, concept or business plan; -Second one is about tuition – where you sign up for courses like the Idea Agent and LEAN Start Up– and get assistance over 4-5 sessions working on your idea; -Option three is about your innovative employability – where we help you to do innovation with/for companies in the InnoMatch Programme. Our aim is to make the students capable of realising and fulfilling their dreams and projects, no matter if they are strictly business, social or of a cultural character. It has to be fun. We wish to attract all kinds of students and mix them up even if they are from different educational backgrounds. As a VIA Design student, you can also have a free

Text by Aela Nikolova & Odette El-Hayek Photo form Thomas Østergaard’s personal archive

seat, if you are working on your concept or business in the Incubator after graduating.

How was the idea created? The Idea came - as far as I know from an international student, who was working and studying in VIA. After some years it became a circuit of Incubators connected to all the VIA campuses: Aarhus, Herning, Holstebro, Horsens etc., forming a network of collaboration.

How, when and where can I join the team? We have a scheduled plan – which can be found on the FB page - VIA Student Incubator Herning. All our activities are free and start at The Garage in Building E, Herning.

Do I need to have an entrepreneurial background to join the team? Not at all! Everybody can join us. All kinds of ideas are welcome. You can reach some of the Junior Consultants, who are students themselves, or the Senior Consultants.

What if I do not have a clear concept idea yet, but would very much like to start something of my own in the future? Can I also join the Incubator? YES! That’s what we are made for! By joining VIA Student Incubator at The Garage in Herning, you can participate in all our activities. Courses like LEAN Startup, Idea Agent or InnoMatch, and camps with companies will help you develop your idea, festival, business concept and will improve your employability skills. Remember - no idea is too small for being a part of the incubator. We’re all working on it!

At the Incubator you will find a team of Junior and Senior Consultants, who are eager to help and assist, supporting and guiding you through your work, helping with networks, solutions, technicalities and all sorts of questions. Do not hesitate to reach us on Facebook, VIA Student Incubator Herning and get in contact on INSTAGRAM: @viaincubator. If you are interested, please show up at our events; send a message or an e-mail to: Assistant Professor, VIA Student Incubator Coordinator Thomas Østergaard, thos@via. dk

UPCOMING EVENTS: Thursday 7.9 Magrethegården, 15.00-18.00 THE MAKING OF A UNIQUE IDEA & BRAND NAME [Keynote + Workshop] /Carsten Skovlund, DesignWerk. Facilitator; Ass. Prof. Thomas Østergaard / Martin Storkholm - Hands on how do to put together a unique brand name as the foundation for my new brand. Tips and tricks for the toolbox Wednesday 13.9 VIADesign, The Garage, Building E, 15.00-18.00 OPEN GARAGE! Free mentoring and assistance. Meet Martin Storkholm and get help with your idea, business, concept or whatever. Free coffee!

Planning on studying at school after work hours? Are you a desperate design student struggling with deadlines? Better learn how to enter the school after classes. Now you might think: “Who would actually want to stay that late in school?”. Well, history knows countless cases. And no, not only fashion design students are tied to the sewing equipment. Believe it or not, other specialties feel the urge too, so better read this. All VIA Design employees are out of charge after the last classes; and of course, the school keeps doors open afterwards. But the catch is that buildings automatically get locked after 18:00h. Luckily enough if you need more time or you have any plans on going to school in the evening or the weekends, there are a few options.

Now, of course, you have to remember that entering the buildings after 18:00h, when no employees are around brings certain responsibilities. Carry your card every time you go out of a building, because doors are automatically locked again and you don’t want to be left out. The card works only until 23:00h, meaning you must be out by that time. Otherwise you will get trapped in, risk activating the alarm and having the authorities come to save you (not to mention that pretty little fine you never asked for). Exactly 10 minutes in advance, you will hear a beeping sound that speeds up with every minute. Rest assured, you’re no Tom Cruise and this isn’t “Mission Impossible’’. The alarm isn’t on - yet. This signals that you have 10 minutes left to pack up and clean

Well this is the most common one and applies to all specialties. There is an option of getting an after-work-time access by simply going to the boutique and asking for it. Easy like that! The kind ladies will change the settings on your student card and on the next day you will be able to get in any of the buildings with a four digit pin code of your choice.

your work space. Be a team player and make sure that if there are people around, they know what to do. One last thing before leaving is to check all the doors in the building. They should all be closed and locked ensuring the alarm won’t turn on during the night.

How does this sound: A card allowing you to work at school even through the night? It is possible to get access to the night card, but with special negotiations with the administration (usually for final exams or urgent deadlines). Now this one works differently. You will get a card and a paper with instructions on how to use it plus the pin code it requires. The night card allows entrance in only one buil-ding and should not be used for the rest. Rules apply to this one as well. You do need to get out before 23:00h and then enter again with the card’s pin. Easy for now, but remember that the card comes with real responsibilities. If more people are staying, there should be a list with their names and student numbers. Entering the building isn’t possible without the night card, so make sure there are no locked out people. Before leaving make sure all lights are off, doors are locked and the workspace is clean. • Activate your student card to get access to school until 23:00h at the boutique. • Negotiate a possible night card with the administration. • Always carry your student card when entering and leaving the building after 18:00h. • Leave the building before 23:00h and make sure all doors are closed. • Clean your workspace before leaving.

Text by Odette Charles El-Hayek Illustrations by Odette Charles El-Hayek

Birk Campus

Where? What? Why? Text by Odette Charles El-Hayek Pictures by FruehĂ¸jgaard

Where? Birk Campus is a small student city just outside Herning - filled with life and young students all in a safe environment. The nice housing complex is placed in a peaceful area within short walking distance from Aarhus University, VIA Design, Innovatorium, HEART Museum and Kunst Museum. The campus has easy access by bus, train, bike, car, or even walking to the largest shopping mall in Midtjylland, the Herning downtown and various grocery shops.

What? As already mentioned above Birk campus is designed to host students, thus it aims to provide the students with a range of necessities. The whole complex consists of: ---

---

323 cozy student accommodations; The Student House – a social center with a bar, a café offering variety of events, a fitness gym and a solarium. Common laundry place; A playfield for soccer, beach volleyball and basketball;

Why? Being a resident on campus, you will enjoy the vivid life of a student, whether it’s a barbeque night on the porch with your friends, a party in the Student House or any of the many events planned throughout the year. The campus provides an environment for students to meet other students and enjoy whatever is happening the whole year around. Birk is surrounded by a few natural treasures too, such as the Geometrical Gardens, lakes and woods, creating a chance for a peaceful sweet escape. Some of the exciting events organized on campus are: --

Tour De Chambre – an event challenging Birk inhabitant to open their apartments to a number of themed parties and lots of new acquaintances; Birk League – the soccer tournament organized every spring, which ends in a huge, loud outdoor event including the biggest beer bowling tournament afterwards – and of course one amazing afterparty.

Follow “Birk Campus” on Facebook and stay tuned for upcoming events or check out their webpage on www.Birk-Campus.dk for more info.

0 1

tips FOR A GREAT PRESENTATION

A N A L

M R E

S S E

R A

S S A G D

K I O

T I

C E

1. FIND YOUR MESSAGE

resentations are a common way of sharing your ideas and the steps of your working process. Presenting a week-long project, sharing information about your last design, or defending your final exam all require that you are well-prepared if you wish to impress your audience. You may have good knowledge, a deep understanding of your study and amazing ideas, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not enough if your story is not interesting for those listening to you. Keep reading and use these tips for your future performance to give powerful and completely mind-blowing presentations!

Start with selecting a core message. What is your story? Craft your main message and make it flow through your presentation - with appropriate repetition. What are the major elements you want to highlight? Create key points and use pauses to emphasize them while presenting. Remember to keep your story simple and concrete, so your audience will be able to follow you.

2. ANALYSE

Know your audience. What do they want to hear? Analyse your target group and adapt your presentation for them. It can help you decide on major issues: the style of your speech, the design of the layout and the amount of information you are delivering to them.

Text by Vanessa Kovacs Illustration by Plamena Somova

3. KISS : Keep It Short and Simple

Be specific and always have brevity in mind. Don’t make long and complex sentences, as you can easily confuse your audience. Keep it short and simple!

4. Red Thread

When you have designed your message, create an outline. Split your work into an introduction, body and conclusion. Mold your core message into the body section and circle back to it in the end. Build your speech to have “a red thread” running through it, meaning it follows the same thoughts about a topic from start to finish. Shortly, make sure it is a story!

5. USE YOUR BODY LANGUAGE

First, find the right volume for your voice. Don’t be too loud, or too quiet, as the focus will be on your voice and not on your presentation. Secondly, make eye contact with your listeners, and, in order to make them feel comfortable - simply smile. Remember to use hand gestures to bring movement to your pitch and retain attention. You can even use the space you have and walk around. But one rule to rule them all: be natural!

6. Practice Like Crazy

Take your time and practice. The 10/4 rule will help you out: practice your presentation 10 times by yourself and 4 times in front of an audience, which can be your friends, family, flatmates or anyone around you. If it is a shorter presentation, you can adjust the rule to 5/2 instead of 10/4. You will definitely feel more confident if you know your material!

7. Visualizing

If you already know what you intend to say, then figure out how to visualize it! To make your story even more understandable, spend time on good visuals for your speech, either using PowerPoint, Prezi, Emaze or any other platform you like.

8. THE POWER OF YOUR SLIDES

Give an appropriate design to your visual presentation and remember that less is more! Match the font type with the style of your story. Put only one thought per slide so your listeners won’t get tired before the first slide change. Highlight the most important parts by zooming in and out or using colours. Lastly, find a balance between your required presentation time and the number of your slides.

9. DIY Slides

Now you know how to make perfect digital presentations, but what about being brave and creating wonderful posters by hand? If it fits to the style of your speech, be creative and amaze your audience with your handmade collages and layouts. Make your own design on cardboard and visualize your work process to ensure a good understanding of your project.

10. LOCK IT DOWN AND GET SOME REST

Avoid adding new slides or ideas at the last minute. Untimely additions cause more mistakes than missing one additional slide. Presenting with self-confidence is more important than two little changes you want to make! Believe in yourself - if you’ve followed the previous 9 points, you are good to go. All that’s left is to get some rest before the performance!

Practical secret:

a Great Portfolio D

ear AP (Fashion Design) Student, It is that magical time of the year once again, when everything is blissful and calm. The Holidays are just around the corner and all the happy and fun times are about to begin. Can you smell a sense of hope in the fresh cool air and finally something feels right in your heart? Oh well, hold your horses, my friend, not only winter is coming. It is also that time to start thinking about your future and get your life together, so you can stay in this wonderful cultural capital, the magnet of the tourists, a metropolis called Herning, which hosts our amazing university that is Via Design. Yes, it is time to start preparing for BA applications. But don’t freak out. Let me try and help you get that blissfulness and joy back. Here is some tips for you to survive the application season!

Time

Let’s start with the basics. I am sorry to break it to you, but in order to make a great portfolio and not end up spending sleepless nights crying and trying to finish it before the deadline, start it as soon as now! I know, it is easier said than done, but trust me, once you’ve been in that horrible, caffeine overfilled, no shower or cooked food rabbit hole, there is no turning back from there. Everything feels sad and dark and not worth it. And once in a while you will get these little reminders like a smell of a certain coffee or

some special weather conditions that will take you back to that sad place and that is no fun. That is my biggest motivation to get sh…tuff done now... So just take my word for it, it is always worth it to start earlier than later!

Creativity

Okay, this might seem a bit too obvious, but is it really? In these upcoming months you will hear a lot about the requirements and what should be in your portfolio, what the measurements should be like, how many pages can you use. And that’s all very useful information, but… Don’t forget that it is not just about fulfilling that list of requirements and making your teacher happy with all the boxes being checked. Try to make that portfolio the best reflection of who you are as designer. Show them variety of skills you have. Don’t stick just with one style or “medium”. Just because you are great at Illustrator sketches does not mean that your whole portfolio should be surrounded around that. Try to show them that you are capable of doing and using different techniques, even if they are not the best yet, it shows that you are willing to explore it and you have interest to develop yourself even more. At the end of the day, that’s why you are applying for the top-up, aren’t you?

Text by Ugne Tusaite

Process

Yes, I said it, and you will hear that word quite a few more times from me. I really feel like this is one of the most crucial parts of your portfolio. It is easy to put it aside since we usually imagine a portfolio being edited, filtered and very ‘final’ product that has no flaws or mistakes. Everything has to be perfect. But hold that thought for a minute. Just as much as it is important to show how your final products/designs look, don’t forget to show them how you got there. Your journey is just as important. Show some messy sketches, collages, different experiments that got you to make those final design decisions. It might hurt your perfectionist’s eye and seem like its ruining your perfect edited portfolio vibe, but let’s talk about the layouts a bit later… ALSO, make sure to present different parts of the process in different projects. Remember the variety rule, there is no point of showing them that you are great at doing just that one technique of collage. Show them how you make the color-card and super great mood-boards, and maybe for the next one amaze them with your skills to do some cool sketches and target-group boards. Just keep in mind to show all your tricks. The point is to impress and present how well rounded you are.

Layout

I fear, this is make it or break it, my friend. Sometimes we forget how important it is to tell the story with the portfolio as much as to show your skills. Keep in mind that not only your work has to be creative but also the layout. Make sure to guide your ‘reader’ thoughout your portfolio. Don’t leave them all lost and lonely there. Create a cohesive mood for it. Make sure everything has a

similar color scheme or has that red thread that connects that scary first year exam with the great internship project you did. Background is really important, as it may help your work pop and look even better than it already is or just… not. Try out different ones, show your classmates, or even teachers (I know they SAY they can’t help you, but…). Get all the feedback you can get, just make sure that you are keeping your own opinion first. At the end of the day you are the editor in chief here. Let’s go back to that process once again… Even though I just wrote a whole column about how important it is to show it, make sure it looks like a part of your portfolio. Maybe edit those photos a little bit to fit your portfolio mood, place them in certain patterns so it doesn’t look messy and just make sure it looks professional. I know it all sounds quite scary at the moment, but just make sure not to stare at the screen too much. Sometimes it may be helpful to print it out and look at it in ‘paper form’- it may open your mind for some new creative ideas and also give you some nice relief. And that’s it. That’s all advice I have for this quite scary time in your life. We all have been there and most of us survived. I know you are just about to embark on this special journey, but once you finish it, it will be like a dream, where you will question yourself if it really happened. And don’t be too sad about the end of the Holiday season. For most of you the real Santa-Claus present will come via email in June. Work hard and be proud of your work. I am sure, nobody wants to be on Santa’s naughty list this year.

Erasmus Exchange

& The VIA Talent Programme

ake your books on the road as you experience the world. VIA Design proudly encourages its students to travel while studying through its fantastic exchange programme called Erasmus. VIA has partnered with over 40 other universities throughout Europe, Canada, Australia, and the US to create a large network of exchange options, which could leave some of its students with a bit of choice-anxiety. The complete list can be found on Study Net. So many thrilling places to choose from. How do you choose exactly? Where would you like to go?

ere is where Solveig Hagel Pedersen can help. The expert in all things exchange, she can assist you in navigating your way to the perfect exchange experience. You can reach her at spe@via. dk. Funding could be available for your trip as well. All students going on exchange to European countries are able to apply for an Erasmus grant, which will give around €200 - €250 per month. If you are completing an internship exchange in Europe in your 3rd or 6th semester, you will be eligible for even more funding. Just keep in mind that combining an internship and an exchange semester might be a lot of work, but it is often rewarding! So, have you ever wondered what it would be like to just pack your bags and fly to Asia? Well, if you haven’t, we can bet you’re

wondering now. How about mixing this cultural experience with university classes and a challenging internship? Read on to find out more about VIA Design’s unique opportunities in Vietnam and China. What challenges will you be facing when you graduate from your studies? In June 2016, VIA Design published findings from a survey by Business Survey, which identified the 5 most important strategic challenges facing employers in the future, based on the responses of 105 globally oriented companies within different business sectors. These 5 most important strategic challenges for the future are as follows: 1. Increased globalization

Text by Maria Nielsen & Per Tøffner Knudsen

2. Increased professionalism creates business growth 3. Increased new knowledge is cascading and allocates 4. Increased social capital, social intelligence & robustness is needed 5. Increased skills in communication 6. and digital skills is needed In order to become attractive as a future employee, you should take these business challenges into account as you develop your professional career plan. You should consider accelerating your international knowledge, competence, and experience by developing hands-on professionalism in a relevant foreign business environment, where you train your oral as well as your digital communication skills. You will then benefit from extended social skills and professional robustness. The outcome will be a huge push forward for your future business career. Why should you consider participation in the VIA Design Talent Program? Major brand owners not only produce their products in the Asia, but they also set up branding and retail concepts there in order to benefit from the Asian economic growth. In 2012, VIA Design started the Talent Program together with Dong Hua University in Shanghai, China and Hutech University in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, in order to give you the opportunity to build up an international experience. China and Vietnam were the chosen destinations because these countries have economic highgrowth business environments well above the western world. You are able to participate in the Talent Program if you are a Purchasing, Branding or

Retail student. The Talent Program applies to 3rd and 6th semester students. â&#x20AC;ŻThis extends your internship program by including lessons in local language and culture for 4 weeks with an internship of 9 weeks. The 3rd semester furthermore includes a 4 week analysis for a local company with the purpose of suggesting improvements of the business model of the company. How do you apply for the VIA Talent Program? You must sign up in the beginning of March in order to participate in the program for 3rd semester, starting middle of August to mid December, the present year. You must apply in the beginning of November in order to participate in the program for 6th semester beginning of January to mid April, the following year. Please be aware there is a maximum of 12 students per program. The approximate fee for participation is DKK 25.000. This includes travel insurance, flight ticket, accommodation, food, vaccines and visa. VIA Design does not cover expenses, but you can apply for educational funding. For further information including an informational brochure, please contact Ms. Helle Ahler, heah@via.dk. She can be found in the C-building in Campus Herning.

cool places to see in Denmark

Denmark is abundant in chic places that are a true source of inspiration. We have chosen 5 cool places worthy of being added to your “To Visit” list. Read on and decide for yourself:

Your Rainbow Panorama

Egeskov Castle

A work of art by the world-famous Danish-Icelandic Olafur Eliasson, Your Rainbow Panorama was officially opened on top of the ARoS Aarhus Art Museum in May 2011. It is a 150-meter circular walkway enclosed by panels of glass. Each panel has a different color. As a whole, it is the spectrum of the rainbow. The viewer thus experiences a spectacular panoramic walkway with fantastic, colorful perspectives of the city and the bay. Since Aarhus was named the European Cultural Capital in 2017, the city definitely has a lot to offer. Make sure to check the Aarhus “Let’s rethink” 2017 movement as well!

Situated in Kværndrup, this 450-year-old building is famous for being the best preserved Renaissance water castle in Europe. The Egeskov Castle was built by Frands Brockenhuus for defence purposes during the the Reformation. It stands in the middle of a lake, on a foundation of oak pilings. Surrounded by moats and enchanted gardens, the castle is home to 104 different plant species. The outside court of the castle won The Europe Garden Award in 2012. Fun fact: It contains stairs hidden in the walls and around 2,000 window panes.

Text by Alexandra Munteanu

Beach & Cliffs - Møns Klint

The Botanical Garden in Copenhagen

Tivoli Gardens

A delightful meeting point between the sea and the land, Møns Klint is a fascinating place, an oasis of freshness, rich in diverse rare flora and natural landscapes. Located in Borre, on the eastern coast of the Møn island in the Baltic Sea, the resort is excellent for nature lovers. Here one can discover the high hinterland, woodlands, pastures, ponds, steep hills, and the great chalk cliffs of Møn. The beach ensures a few one-of-akind moments, close to the sea. It is possible to rent a boat and go fishing or experience horse rides. Another attraction is The GeoCenter, a geological and natural centre, that explains in an intriguing way the geological development of Denmark. Both holiday and country houses are available for renting. Otherwise, you can choose to stay at the modern campsite of Campingplads Møns Klint.

Unique and invigorating, the Botanical Garden is one of the most peaceful places in Copenhagen. It covers a huge area of 10 hectares where more than 13.000 species of plants live. The species are fascinating and really diverse: one can admire not only Danish plants in all their splendour, but also plants from mountaineous areas in Central and Southern Europe, coniferous trees and even tropical and arctic plants. Besides the walking paths, there are 27 glasshouses. The most notorious is the Palm House, which was built in 1874. There are also two cafés in the Botanical Garden, where you can stop for a nice cup of coffee or tea.The entry is free.

Walt Disney’s inspiration for Disneyland, Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen is the second oldest amusement park in the world. It has outlasted many other historic European theme parks and it is definitely a place where everyone has a lot of fun.

So what do you think? Which of these places would you visit during your stay in Denmark?

Moving to a new city is always full of surprises and challenges, especially when you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know your way around it. Luckily, there are plenty of options for getting around in Herning and outside it. Take a close look at the following pages and get acquainted with how to travel in Denmark!

Text by Ieva Ozolina Illustrations by Olga Mangurova & Ilva Indrikova

So to speak, all public transpor tation systems such as city buses, regional buses and trains are easy to access in Herning. But for students, these means of transportation are often too expensive, so, of course, the cheapest way to get from location A to B is and always will be the bicycle. From previous experience, I can state that students choose to have a bicycle as their way of transportation, but when it rains outside or they need to bring their project to school or just to get to university dry and preferably not curly, students choose to use public transport.

s e k Bi

Rejseplanen If you want to travel to any place in Denmark, Rejseplanen is the right tool for planning your traveling schedule, with any bus company (local and regional), trains and metro. The best advantage is that Rejseplanen describes in detail the time frames, walking distance, all the bus stops, even the route on the map. The tickets can be obtained online from Rejseplanen, but not for all transports. For an easier planning of your travel itinerary, you can download the Rejseplanen app, which is a lot simpler to use and navigate for information.

BUSES&TRAINS

The easiest way to travel around Herning is with the yellow city buses; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pretty hard not to notice them or the bus stops in Herning. If you are not sure where the bus is heading and which buses are leaving from a particular bus stop, there is always a timetable and bus numbers at each stop. All buses leave from the train station, including the blue buses, which are inter-city (but will also take you around a few Herning stops on their way).

For students the main buses are 2, 5B and 5A, which can get you from Herning centre and even Hammerum to university campuses. Blue buses no. 116 and 77 will also do the trick. There are a few web pages, that can help you plan your trips, for example, Midttrafik, Rejseplanen and DSB. One of the best tools you can use is Rejseplanen, because it gives you the means to browse and find all possible ways of transport in any city of Denmark. Make sure and download the app on your phone so you always have it on hand.

Never forget that people around are always polite and ready to help if someone is in need, so just ask for directions if you ever lose your way!

If you are considering using the bus as transportation, you can buy a single ticket in the bus with cash, or with the Midttrafik app. If you want to travel by train, tickets must be bought at the ticket machines at the station or using Midttrafrik or DSB apps. There is no possibility to buy the ticket after boarding the train. And always remember to have the ticket with you!

Passengers who don’t have the ticket are fined with 750kr and, believe me, it’s not worth it to travel without a ticket. The price depends on the number of zones you cross. All of Denmark is divided in zones: crossing 1 and 2 zones costs 20kr, and for every additional zone 10kr is added to the price. From the center of Herning to Birk Campus is 1 zone, so the price is 20kr. Expensive, right? If you want to save money, you should know that there are many other ticket/ride possibilities you can consider. In addition, you should know that the tickets are valid for about an hour from the moment of purchase and you can use them for different bus numbers and trains. That means that you don’t have to buy a new ticket every time you switch the connection – all that matters is the zones and the time period for which it is valid.

Klippekort (multiride ticket) If you plan to ride the bus every once in a while, it is more convenient to buy a multi-ride card – the “klippekort”. It consists of 10 rides and if you buy for 2 zones, you will save 40kr per 10 rides. It’s always much cheaper to choose klippekort instead of buying tickets in buses, because if you need to travel 4 zones, where one ticket price would be 40kr, with klippekort it would be just 27kr. If you want to buy these multiple ride tickets, you will need to download the Midttrafik app. Also, whenever you have questions about transportation in or outside of Herning, you can find help there or at their official website (midttrafik.dk).

Rejsekort is basically a travel card (think Oyster cards in London). You can get big travel discounts using Rejsekort personal and moreso if you combine it with an Arriva Ung (read on to find out about this). If you choose to use this type of travel card, remember, it is a personal one, so it can be used only by the registered card holder. On the personal cards there is always going to be your name and photo, so sorry, but you cannot share it with anyone else! The personal card has online self-service, where

you can buy it (it will be in your mailbox in a few days), manage it, and reload it. You can set an automatic reload system, so there is no need to worry about the amount on the card and you’re always safe to get home. If you lose the card, it’s easy to freeze it from your Rejsekort online profile as well. Don’t forget to check in the card in the beginning of the ride and check out at the end of the ride. You can register your rides inside the buses or in the train stops. In addition to this, the Rejsekort works on a “level-up” basis meaning that the more you travel on a particular route, your level will increase and the price will decrease. For example, if you’re always going to school from the train station, by week two or so, your fee will only be 12kr for a 20kr ride. If you plan on taking two or more buses consecutively, don’t check out when you walk out of the first. Check in again on your second bus and only afterwards check out when you’re done. If the time lapse between checking in on the two buses is shorter than one hour, the trip will also qualify as a 2 zone one, meaning you only pay 20kr. Just be careful so you won’t waste too much time in between them or you’ll be charged 50kr no matter the price of your actual journey!

Don’t forget to check in the card in the beginning of your journey and when you change the means of transportation (for example between train and bus). Do not check out until the absolute end of your trip.

If you are a student or you’re aged 16 – 25 or still with state financed education and want to travel much cheaper by train you can choose to buy Arriva Ung/ DSB Youth Ticket or DSB Folding seat ticket. It will give the privilege to travel the whole day with 50% discount. The card is already paid for the first time, for example, if you travel between Copenhagen and Aarhus. With DSB Ung Map you can buy cheap DSB Youth Tickets for the train and you get a discount if you travel on the Travel Card as customer type ‘Young’. The Arriva Ung Card costs 125 kr. for a whole year and you will be able to have it only on your phone. Advantages: Get up to 50% off the standard rail travel in Denmark, when you pass a price limit. Get 20% off your Sound Tickets with DSB Young Map. Access to buy cheap Youth Tickets or DSB Young Folding seat ticket.

The Ungdomskort is also useful if you have your internship in another city. You must ask for approval at ungdomskort.dk (if you already have a youth card, log in with your NemID and select “Praktik el”).

The Ungdomskort (Youth Card) can be ordered if you are SU-eligible and go to a higher education. With a Ungdomskort from Midttrafik you can travel cheaply by bus and train between school and home every day. You can also save money on bus and train journeys elsewhere in Denmark.

This card is perfect if you live in another city and you must travel between 5 zones or more! If you are traveling by train, please be aware that it is DSB that will make your Youth Card. You can apply for a youth card at www.ungdomskort.dk with your NemID. If you are approved, you can pay for the card online. The card is valid for a period of at least 30 days and it costs around 627kr. Therefore if you live in Herning you should use other discount cards like the rejeskort or the periodekort (read on to find out about this). You can contact Midttrafik Kundecenter on tel. +45 70 210 230 if you have any questions.

You must first be approved for the journey between your home and your school before getting approval for the distance between your residence and the address of the internship.

Therefore, before applying for a “praktikkort” (internship card), you must first have a regular Ungdomskort (Youth Card). So if you are planning to order a praktikkort for your internship, you should order a regular Ungdomskort a month before. Be aware that it takes about 2 weeks before you receive your praktikkort, so remember to apply for it in advance before your internship starts. Visit www.ungdomskort.dk for more information.

PERIODEKORT (SEASON TICKETS)

The Periodekort is a personal bus pass that is valid for a fixed period (minimum one month).

You can use it to ride as many times as you want, within the zones that you pay for. It is the ACE of discount passes for VIA students that want to travel cheap around Herning by bus. Why? During the period of studies (that is, most lectures start and end in the same period of time), there is a deal for traveling outside rush hours (weekdays from 7:00 to 8:30 a.m and 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.), and you can save 25% by choosing a part time periodekort instead of a regular one. The price for a part time periodekort for 2 zones, valid for 1 month, is 285kr. You must remember that you won’t be able to ride buses at rush hours. On Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays, the card is valid for the whole day. A regular periodekort for the same zones and period costs 375kr and is valid for the whole day (including rush hours). You are able to buy the periodekort online at the www.midttrafik.dk and using Midttrafik app. Be aware that since this is a personal pass, you cannot share it with other people!

If you plan to travel a lot by bus for a short period of time you can buy “Travel passes”. They are tickets valid for a period (24, 48 or 72 hours) for a fixed price. You can travel as much as you want during the period you choose. It can be bought for Aarhus or all of Midtjylland area. It’s a good option when you have visitors and you want to tour other cities (within the Midtjylland area). For example, a 24 hour Travel pass for Aarhus costs 80kr and is valid for unlimited travels in the city (zone 301 – 313) on Midttrafik buses and Aarhus Nærbane (local rail line), including night buses. Be aware that if you plan to travel outside Aarhus you must buy additional tickets. The travel pass can be bought online or via the Midttrafik App. You are not able to buy this type of ticket on the bus. Alternatively, you can buy an Aarhus Card valid for 24 hours (129kr) or 48 hours (179k). With this card you are able to travel freely around the city using the city buses and regional buses within the zones 301-313 (Aarhus). You also can get free admission or discounts for museums/attractions and for cafés, restaurants and much more. You can buy the Aarhus card at the Aarhus Bus Station or in several places throughout Aarhus. There are also seasonal bus and trains discounts that can be found using the Midttrafik App or using the DSB website.

While living in Denmark, all students are of course travelling around – to get to know the culture, for sightseeing or simply just to travel back to their home country by getting to the airport. There are a lot of ways to travel in Denmark, but just a few of these possibilities are student friendly.

Rødbillet is a bus company that offers cheap prices for trips around Denmark. It is one of the cheapest and easiest options if you want to visit Copenhagen since a one-way ticket can be bought for 95 to 120kr (student price). The Rødbillet bus stop is located behind the Herning train station - at Godsbanevej 1. Buses usually leave twice per day – the first one in the morning and the other in the afternoon or evening (check www. rødbillet.dk for the complete and up-to-date timetable). It's also a good option if you need to travel to the Copenhagen Airport (Kastrup). The Rødbillet bus stop in Copenhagen is located next to the DGI hotel (only 5

minutes away from the main train station). You need to use another type of transportation to get to the airport (subway, taxi etc). The tickets can be bought online at www.rødbillet.dk. Keep in mind that if you are traveling with a student discount ticket you must bring your student ID or your Ungdomskort in other to validate your ticket! The bus also offers free Wi-Fi to all passengers, so don’t worry about ever getting bored during the ride, there’s free internet!

Thinggaard Express and Abildskou are two other companies that offer bus rides with discount prices. You can use the Thinggaard Express to travel from Esberg to Frederikshavn (Nordjylland - northeast coast of the Jutland peninsula in northern Denmark). If you have an Ungdomskort or an ISIC card you can get 25% discount on the tickets between the Thinggaard Express line. Don’t forget to bring your ID with you. You can buy the tickets online or before boarding the bus with the bus driver. Denmark has a very developed network of ferries, especially with the company Scandlines A/S joint property of the Danish and German governments. The ferries ensure regular connections between the Danish, Swedish, German ports and the Baltic countries. They are known as færger or bilfærger in Danish. It is often cheaper and quicker to take a ferry than to pay bridge tolls and petrol costs. When booking a reservation on any of the ferries in Denmark, it is always best to use the website versus calling them.

BUSES & FERRIES

DSB ORANGE BILLET If buses are not your thing, you still have the possibility to buy cheap train tickets with DSB called Orange Billet. They don't offer a huge discount (like you would get if you travel by bus), but it is still a relatively cheap way to travel. An orange ticket from the Herning Station to the Copenhagen Main Station costs 99kr (a student ticket costs around 172kr - 194kr). Keep in mind that you should look for Orange tickets in advance (up to 2 months prior your journey). The orange ticket can be bought online at the DSB website or with the DSB app. You are not able to get a student discount on the orange billet.

Filofteias Skrædderi We specialize in making one-of-a-kind garments that fit the individual. With a wide expertise, we can work for anyone, women, men or children, and in any style, from suits and shirts to evening wear and even bridal. This includes the repairing and re-modelling of vintage garments and costumes. Due to our extensive experience, we are able to advise you on your choice of style and fabric, ensuring that it will suit your body shape, personality, lifestyle and budget. Once you’ve got your mind set on a look, we will take it from there! We’ll design the garment, create the pattern, and then tailor it accordingly for an exclusive, individual look that will fit you like a glove.

tel: +45 5276 8044 mail: filofteia.skraedderi@gmail.com site: filofteia-skraedderi.dk Facebook: Filofteias Skrædderi

Integration through friendship Hygge can change the world

We meet the 2nd last Tuesday of every month

CAFÉ NIGHT

For more information visit www.facebook.com/ktkherning or www.kvindetilkvinde.dk

WOMEN café the 2nd. last Tuesday of every month 7-9.30 pm at Møllegade 1B, 7400 Herning.

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