FOCUS Student Magazine - Issue 15

ISSUE NR 15 / SPRING 2016

ØSTERGADE 27 7400 HERNING 97 21 03 33

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IN THIS ISSUE...

LIFESTYLE 26 42 44 46

HAPPY SPRING CHECKLIST / Make sure to check them all!

10 TIPS ON HOW TO… AVOID FINES IN DENMARK / …and keep your wallet happy.

WHAT IS YOUR TYPE? / Four beauty types to match them (almost) all.

ARE YOU A COUCH POTATO OR A PARTY ANIMAL? / FOCUS helps you with answering the big questions.

CAREER 14 20 36

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: KRISTA MILTINA / Delve into the mind of a modern artist who just happens to be a student too.

VIA DESIGN’S FACES OF FASHION / Two confessions from the freshest graduates around.

5 BOOKS THAT EVERY BUSINESSMAN SHOULD READ / Hungry for more business knowledge?

PERSPECTIVE 4 10 29 33

GET YOUR INNER ATHLETE READY / …and unleash the adrenaline rush in your body!

BDE STUDENT GALA: MODERN FAIRYTALE IN THE LAND OF THE STUDENTS / The event that’s got everyone talking.

MEET CRISTINA MARIA / The coffee addict who will put the FOCUS clockwork orange on a heavy “brew” mode.

MEET AELA NIKOLOVA / The Catwoman who dreams of a white picket fence…

CULTURE 7 17 38 40

WASSUP WITH THE STUDENT REFORM? / ...and why many STILL can’t figure it out?

MAKE A CHANGE WITH EXCHANGE / An experience that is going to change the way you look at the world.

10 TIPS ON HOW TO… SPEAK DANISH / Our friends @SpeakDanish reveal their best advice for Danish newbies.

STORE BEDEDAG / Making sense of Danish holiday, one day at a time.

WHO ARE WE EXACTLY? Hi! Hello! Yes, that’s you we’re talking to, dear reader. Whether you’ve been following us since our first issue in March, 2013 or have just picked up your very first FOCUS Student Magazine copy, we want to welcome you!

Published four times a year, FOCUS features lifestyle, career, perspective and culture articles that will help you survive university life, showcase the talents of VIA Design and BTECH students, offer career advices from established figures, and cover any other subject relevant for FOCUS has been founded with the purpose of local university students. The magazine is availconnecting all the university students on Birk able as this beautiful, high quality copy you’re Campus – with each other and with the best op- holding right now as well as online if you missed portunities that Herning has to offer. Our motto us some other time. is “by students for students” and it distils our work ethic in order to show that we are respon- Go on, dive into the magazine and see what we sible volunteers dedicated to providing peers have to offer you! with a free of charge magazine that is able to both entertain and educate.

CONTRIBUTORS

STAFF EXECUTIVE EDITOR SUB-EDITOR

Annet Muru

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Alexander Moroz

SALES MANAGER

Aleksandra Abratańska

MARKETING MANAGER

Sara Præst

Cristina Maria

CREATIVE TEAM

WRITERS TEAM

Alexander Moroz Teodora Anca Janis Zirnitis Ieva Ozolina Olga Mangurova Tatiana Coelho de Oliveira Ilva Indrikova

Cristina Maria Loredana Musat Wojciech Żmijski Ileana Cocos Ieva Ozolina Aela Nikolova Kristina Balážova Linda Strakova

MARKETING TEAM Sara Præst Cristina Maria Kristina Balážova Linda Strakova Nina Franova

SALES TEAM Aleksandra Abratańska Nina Franova Annet Muru Aela Nikolova

Elias Rajabi Emese Gajdán Plamena Somova Alexandra Munteanu Odette Charles El-Hayek Sina Marleen Petersen Valeria Solonari Clementine Kruczynski Tereza Keprdová Carrie Andersen Anna Antonevica Simon Kjær Janni Kleffel Cvetomir Borisov

CONTACT US focusstudentmagazine@ gmail.com Copyright © 2016 FOCUS Student Magazine. All Rights Reserved.

Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited.

CREW QUESTION

What’s your most useless talent?

ILEANA

OLGA

ILVA I've mastered the skill of getting lost anywhere, even in Herning.

I am master at playing air piano.

Reading people’s minds and that brings way too much dirty intel on you all.

I can roll my eyes all the way back. Sure comes in handy on Halloween though.

LOREDANA

I use Microsoft Word instead of Photoshop and nobody can tell the difference.

Tying my shoes with three fingers.

TATIANA

I can crack all my toes by just moving them.

AELA

CRISTINA I can wiggle my pinky toes but there's a catch: the left one only goes vertically while the right one only goes horizontally.

SARA

LINDA I can remember the prices of all the clothes I’ve ever bought.

Eating liver pate from a box with spoon at 3AM.

I can move my ears back and forth.

TEODORA

IEVA

ALEKSANDRA I can drink boiling water.

WOJCIECH

JANIS

ALEXANDER I can cook 1 minute rice in 56 seconds.

I can remember dates and names of completely useless events so all my memories are in HD.

I never thought of it as a talent but apparently most people can’t do it: I can touch my nose with my tongue.

r e n n i r u o y Get y d a e r e t e l ath a

ntonevic

A & Anna uru Annet M ffel, Annet Muru y b t x e T le y Janni K Photos b

H

ow many of you were actively involved in a sports club before moving to Denmark? If you nodded or (awkwardly) raised your hand then here’s another one: when arriving in Herning, did it feel like there is not that big of a chance to continue your amateur or professional sports career because of the language barrier?

Well, sure, you can just go to the gym alone and avoid any possible conversation and eye contact with others, but I am hereby talking about team sports. If you are interested in mixing with the local people and upping your fitness level at the same time, then joining a team sports club is among the best ways for it. And I am here to prove you that it’s not that bad or scary to be the only or among the few non-Danes in the team – by using real life examples!

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Herning is actually a pretty lively sports and leisure city with around 300 diverse and active associations.The only catch is to find them since Google doesn’t always save the day, especially when searching in English. Luckily, most of the sports associations in Herning are organized under the Herning City Sports Council – Hernings Idrætsråd.

As of today, there are 220 sports organizations with contact information listed.

I had a chat with three international students who were willing to share their experience in a local sports club – the good and less good sides of it.

Hopefully these stories will be useful for at least some of the sports enthusiasts at the campus who are still looking for their dream team!

American football in Herning?!

Ironically, there is not much information available about it in English but we know a guy who knows a guy who, you guessed it, knows another guy. Let us introduce you to Rainer (20) from Estonia who is currently studying Economics and Business Administration at BTECH. When not studying, working or partying, he likes to spend time on trivia quizzes and – luckily for us – playing American football.

For most of his childhood, he has played football, tried out karate and olympic lifting at some point, and even played badminton as a hobby. His interest towards American football started to develop in high school when Margus Hunt was breaking college football records as a defensive lineman and a special team player in Southern Methodist University (SMU). At the time, there were two American football clubs in Estonia but both of them located too far away from his home to participate.

In this particular case, Google actually helped! Rainer did some googling already before coming to Herning and found a local American football team – Hawks AFC Herning – and soon after arriving to his new home town he met a fellow student who was playing in the team and invited him to join. And that’s where he ended up. What a sports fairytale!

Simply put, the team consists of Danes and Rainer. So it is not as international as one might expect for such a sport. Nevertheless, he was very nicely welcomed into the team and the initial challenge had not that much to do with socializing but actually learning the game itself. Rainer admits that there is a lot of Danish in practices, so knowing at least some words would be good but the coaches and the teammates are very helpful and usually translating the most important information. “It’s also a nice way to practice your Danish skills!” he adds.

Without a doubt, there are also several advantages to being an international in a Danish team. “Being a member of a local sports team creates quite a wide social circle. If I’m interested in going for a beer on a Friday evening or need help with moving some furniture, I just post it into the team’s Facebook group and someone will definitely be up for it and vice versa.” Additionally, Rainer points out that he has had the chance of meeting Danes with very different backgrounds and visiting cities in Denmark that he would’ve never imagined visiting if he hadn’t joined the team.

To other international students he suggests to find the sport that you have the biggest passion towards, find a local team, contact them and be brave enough to go to their first few practices. “And most importantly, never give up after the first practice!”

Wanna be smooth as ice?

Being a magazine in Herning basically obliges us to also mention ice hockey (Kom så, Blue Fox!). For those who are not that familiar with the sport, it includes 12 players on ice and a puck (a hard rubber disc) that the hockey players strike when they can’t hit one another.

At least that’s my impression.

secret talent for cooking, and every once in a while digs into auto sports with his family.

The journey of getting into the desired sports team in Herning was a bit more painstaking for him than for the previous interviewees but Janis suspects some additional reinforcement in the progress: “I guess some higher force allowed me to find the team!”

After coming to Herning, he went to the local ice arena to ask around about local amateur ice hockey teams but didn’t get the much anticipated answer. Emails and phone calls didn’t bring any luck either and Janis was rather disappointed about the attitude. So he gave up

Janis (26) from Latvia initially started his journey in sports with basketball but after a while realized that this wasn’t where his heart was at and slowly moved into the world of hockey. Outside of that, he studies fashion and furniture design as part of the Retail Management program at VIA Design, is a hobbyist photographer, has a

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Wojciech started playing football in 2002 which was also the time when he actually got interested in sports in the first place. Before joining his current team – Herning Fremad – a year ago, he was part of two other teams around Herning. Fremad wasn’t chosen for a particular reason but more or less because they were the only team who answered and was interested in new players.

The team has mostly Danish members. Besides Wojciech, there is also one Lithuanian in the team but that’s about it. “The welcome was very nice, though. The team mates were all very helpful, especially in the beginning when there were some rules to learn and get to know all the players. In general, I felt very at ease in the team from the very moment I took the first step into the locker room.”

Another good thing, according to Wojciech, is the chance to practice your Danish and get to know the sports culture in Denmark.

and assumed that there is nothing to find in Herning, and started to look for any options of joining his old team in Vojens.

Now, what are the chances to purely by chance meet a fellow Latvian, who happens to play in the local ice hockey team, when in need for a lift from the airport? It seems that pretty high because that’s exactly what happened! The force is clearly strong with this one.

Anyhow, from that day on, Janis started playing ice hockey in Herning Motion B, and sometimes also in Esbjergs Black Bears.

Jokes aside, the hardest part for him was to learn the lyrics of the team’s winning song. Because who wants to be an outsider in a moment like this? “In the beginning, I had a hard time understanding the words but now I’m singing together with the rest of the team without any troubles. “HVEM VAR DET!” As a suggestion for other international students when trying to find a local sports team: look online or simply ask around. The most important thing is not to be scared and to try to be open towards others from the very beginning – that is the key to success from day 1!

The team has mostly Danish and some Latvian players. Janis shares very honestly that 95% of the team is very friendly and always ready to support. In the attempt to be completely transparent though, he also adds that there are certain tensions within the team, stemming from his status as an international. “I’d say it’s only a matter of time until the negative attitude will get to be too much for me. This will be the first time that the first time that I was ever treated differently just because I am not a Dane. Stay tuned to see how it ends” he added with a smirk.

So no excuses – get your inner athlete ready and start integrating into the local society!

So to list the main challenges, depending on the teammates, there can be some difficulties with being accepted. Also, it seems that the only way into the team is to know a member who can introduce you.

In Janis’ opinion, there should be much more information about the possibilities to play hockey in the local community, since it’s such a popular sport.

On a positive note, different nationalities definitely diversify the team and the game itself. “I think that some members really like the different approach towards the game since we have different schools behind our playing style.” Not to mention that ice hockey is the national sport of Latvia, so Janis only compliments the game.

The best advice he has to offer to other students is to use different groups to ask questions about the local teams and options – there is always somebody who knows something.

No grass stains- no glory; no bruises- no story I’m talking about football, not about making it home from a party.

Wojciech (25) from Poland probably masters all three of these: football, grass stains and bruises. And when not playing football, working or attending the Marketing and Business Innovation program at BTECH, he spends a lot of time on all kinds of sports – but as a spectator. He is basically a big fan of any kind of sport, from handball and table tennis to biathlon and curling.

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Wassup with the Study Progress Reform ?

Text by Ileana Cocos Illustrations by Odette Charles El-Hayek

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W

hether it has been an oftenly heard topic around you or not, you should be aware, as a student, that Denmark has been going through a long process of perfecting their Study Progress Reform.

You are probably already considering Skipping the page, because you think this article will prove useless and boring, but this is where you will be wrong, my friend!

You better sink in well into your seat, and read carefully what is about to follow.

D

anes are famously known for being the slowest students to graduate. Back in 2013, the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Higher Education had statistics showing that the students of the University of Copenhagen took on an average 6.6 years to finish their studies. Besides taking so long, Danish students might as well be ranked as the latest graduates in terms of average age when they graduate, meaning they are pretty old by the time they do manage to graduate.

On the 16th of November 2015, the Ministry of education published the description of suggestions meant to adjust the Study Progress Reform, creating a wave of criticism. The purpose of the reform is to speed up university education, and by doing that, the Danish government is hoping to save aproximately 2 billion kroner per year (among other things), and one might not help himself from wondering at what cost?

There are certainly several aspects to be considered, and subsequently those might differ depending on the type of education you are following, but still, there is a lot of criticism coming towards the reform.

Below is a summing up of some of the main issues that might prove challenging at least, when talking about the Danish Study Progress Reform.

Internships

Student jobs

As a student, having an internship can prove very useful in the field you are studying, as this increases the chances of getting a better job after graduating. However, the new Study Progress Reform doesn’t allow intern pay at the same time as SU, so more and more companies are faced with students refusing potential internship positions, simply because that would lead to them losing their SU allowance. Some study portals suggest students to plan their semester structures more carefully and, in order to make sure they gather a total of 30 ECTS per semester, consider the possibility of adventuring in an internship and doing some of the remaining ECTS points during Summer University or courses held in August.

Following the previous point, as students are now being forced encouraged to finish their studies faster, it makes their education an almost 37 hour full time job. With the lack of experience from the lack of internships, it is even harder to find a student job when your CV is clean as a whistle. As the study time also reduces, so does the time that could be available for some eventual part-time student jobs.

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Registration for re-exams Another vital change in the Study Progress Reform is that students are automatically signed up for their exams AND re-exams. This means you cannot self-register to an exam anymore. Everyone has to take a mandatory 60 ECTS per year, and if you miss one exam, you are automatically registered to your second attempt, and then to your third. Conclusion? Not much time for postponing and procrastinating.

Master Thesis

try adjust the Study Progress Reform to each institution. Currently, there are continuous discussions on the topic, constant adjustments and discontinued requirements, meant to give universities more independence and the possibility to create a more flexible framework that would both stay within the requirements of the new reform, as well as meet the needs of the study institutions and their students.

Sources: Aarhuss BSS, at. www.studerende.au.dk, www.universitypost.dk , www.cbsobserver.dk

Students are being registered automatically for their master thesis once they have participated in all their exams, with a total of 90 ECTS in the first 3 semesters. This happens even if you haven’t passed all of your exams yet. That means your master thesis defence might not be the last exam you could be taking. Some of the procedures regarding the master thesis have changed, so it’s perhaps a good idea to contact your study portal or administration to get more details about how that works within your study program.

Obligatory credit Credits are being transferred automatically, regardless if the courses are related to the study program or not, which can, in some situation, lead to some absurd degree titles, such as the case of a student who had her one year credits in theather transfered after she changed her study programme to biology. Now she is “A biologist with a speciality in theatre science”.

IT and administration can’t keep up To make it more simple to understand, in the past, students were planning their semesters, ECTS points and all that by themselves, making sure they have sufficient ECTS per semester and that everything fits on the schedule. Now, it is the university who has that responsibility. The well known STADS system, which was developed a couple of decades ago, can’t approve students changing their subject if a semester has already started, which means the job has to be done manually by the administration employees. Hence, the administrative load of work increases quite drastically as well.

This sounds like a lot of pressure, and not for the students alone. So why is the Danish government doing that, you might ask? The Danish Education minister stresses the fact that “the quality of education lies within university and students”. Yet students argue that economic and political interests are being prioritized over their education, with a high risk of cutting down the quality of their education.

The study reform has been compared to a “bureaucratic straightjacket” to both universities and students, and many suggest the ministry to

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BDE

Gala Modern Fairytale in the Land of the Student

Text by Clementine Kruczynski Photos by Simon Kjær

S

tudent life is a very complex notion; it implies so many different things, it has so many distinct facets and of course, it has a particular meaning for each individual student. For some, it’s mainly about studying, for others it is more about partying and for a lucky crowd who has learnt time management incredibly well, it’s a balanced mix of both.

Nonetheless, when you’re thinking student-related entertainment activities, you’re probably thinking Friday bars, pubs and clubs or pre parties at your mate’s house until you hit one of the previously mentioned locations.

Not in Herning though. Or more precisely, not for a BDE.

BDE or Business Development Engineer students have a yearly tradition for some time now: the BDE Gala. Yes, you’re right: it’s just as fancy as it sounds.

The tradition started a couple of years ago, with one student’s brilliant idea of giving student life a little extra sparkle. All it took was one idea and the motivation to follow through with it; like with most great things, what made the difference was setting the idea into motion. And that’s what these development engineers are all about, it seems; innovation is key.

The BDE Union is in charge of organizing the gala, and they are divided into several departments, taking care of all aspects, from finding a location to setting the final date of the event. It can’t be difficult to understand

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why students would choose to get involved with this, but in case it isn’t entirely clear: it’s a lot of fun! It’s a great thing, organizing something for your fellow peers, watching the positive impact you bring to the student environment and on top of that, you get to interact with a lot of new people, learn a thing or two and apply some of the theoretical knowledge you get in class into real life – like how to approach and speak to sponsors.

So what’s this gala all about then? One word: networking. The whole idea of the gala is to offer BDE students the opportunity to interact with each other, not just with their classmates, but with people from different years as well. Another great thing is that BDE alumni are also invited. This means that current students have the chance to meet with former students who have al-

ready been on the job market for some time, get tips or inside knowledge, or better even, find out about possible job opportunities.

The BDE vision is primarily to get students to discover the benefits of networking and make studying more than just going to school, doing homework and passing exams.

It’s all about people, interacting and learning from them. Nowadays, one can easily learn about pretty much everything online, but talking to others and learning what they know is an invaluable advantage.

Not to mention, it is kind of the event of the year for BDEs. People talk about it months before, looking for the perfect dress or the perfect tie and relentlessly, people talk about it months after. Therefore, most would not want to miss it. Imagine having lunch with your friends and all they do is

go on and on about this amazing event and all that’s happened there, an event that you didn’t attend – you don’t want that! And not to mention, the photo session: watching your friends all decked to the nines getting tagged in these incredible photos, looking all fancy and having a blast without you. The entire program is built around the idea of a community, so everyone wants to be part of it. And feedback is more than positive: everyone who attended absolutely loved it!

Students learn and improve from previous experiences, which is perhaps why the gala seems to become better each year. For example, this year’s gala, which takes place on the 2nd of April, even has a theme. The theme is James Bond related and to make it even more interesting and exciting, a competition was launched. A series of clues and

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hints were left in the university and on the official website for students to find, and during the gala the winner of the competition will be announced. So, it’s kind of like you’re entering a plot; pretty cool, right?

If you thought Herning was a boring study place, there you have it folks: exciting things do happen! Congratulations to the lovely people who make this event possible each year; maybe others will be inspired and will take action towards shaping their study environment into whatever they envision it to be. Who doesn’t love a good excuse to put on a fancy dress or a nice suit, wear those heels you almost never get around to, listen to toasts and enjoy the lively clink of the champagne glasses?

SOS

NEW

CHAIRMAN

IS NEEDED!

The Student Activity Association at AU, BTECH is looking for a new chairman for the International Committee.

The International Committee gives the university an international angle which unites the individuals from the different cultures at the university and surrounding institutions. We host movie nights, cultural events, Cook N’ Talks (cooking with different cultures as themes) and alike.

The position is for volunteers, but will give you great experience in economyhandling as well as event planning. Doing work for your fellow students and the university will be well-received in the administration and among the attendees.

For more information or questions, reach out to us on Facebook: SAA (Student Activity Association) AU - IBT

SAA board of 2015/2016

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SAA Outer Space party

SAA Movember 2015

SAA Back to College par ty

SAA Hot Dog Eati ng Competi ti on

SAA Cook & Talk eveďż˝ ni ngs

Freshmen Day

KRISTA MILTIĹ…A Text by Loredana Musat Photos by Janis Zirnitis & Krista Miltina

An artist is a brave person, taking bits of themselves and pouring them into an act of creation. This is what Krista Miltina, who studies Retail Design at VIA Design has been doing for a while. A talented painter and an accomplished illustrator, Krista has been exhibiting and selling her artwork, squeezing her way into the art world one step at a time. Read on for more insights into the magical world of art!

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When did you first become interested in art?

Almost everyone in my family is either an artist or working in the art industry, so I was exposed to this world ever since I was young. So, you could say I’ve always been interested in art, one way or another. I also attended an art school in Latvia before coming here.

How did you start working with illustrations?

When I moved to Denmark, I didn’t make any art in the beginning, I was freelancing as a graphic designer, but I don’t see that as art entirely; you have someone telling you what to do and how the final product should look like.

But then Denmark is this quiet place and you end up spending a lot of time inside your head where you just think and think, so this desire to create comes from the inside. One day, I started drawing and making some illustrations and it all went on from there.

I know you’ve sold some of your artwork, how did you get around to that?

The first time I sold some of my drawings, it wasn’t even planned.

I was in Belgium for Christmas holidays on my first year here and I met with these family friends who were buying and selling art, they saw some of my drawings and they told me they wanted to buy a few of them. They really liked my work and so they bought 3 drawings.

I guess that was the impulse which motivated me further to post my artwork online and to my pleasant surprise a lot of people were interested in buying my drawings.

Your artwork is more popular in Latvia, though; did you have any exhibitions there?

As a matter of fact, I did. I had my artwork exhibited in two museums in Latvia, one at the seaside and another one in the capital, Riga. These are two contemporary museums that were doing an exhibition on Latvia and chose to display my work within the exhibit. I was very glad for the opportunity and I received some good feedback. I also had my drawings exhibited in a bar at some point, and there people could actually buy them, which some of them did.

Another thing that I did was joining this competition in Latvia, where several artists sent in their designs and in the end they chose the winner, which I was lucky enough to be. They then printed T-shirts with the designs I had created and sold them and I got a percentage of it.

I know you like traveling quite a lot; does it help with your inspiration?

Quite the opposite. I have different places for different things, like for example I only paint in Latvia whereas in Denmark I mainly draw or make illustrations, it’s just the way my inspiration works. However, when I go traveling, that is sort of my escape, my break from creating art. I use the time spent abroad to relax, go to museums, look at art, but not create any. It’s a great way of escaping my own mind.

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Where do you get your inspiration from then? Any particular artists?

I really love illustrations and watching old cartoons. I like many artists and their work or style, but I wouldn’t say I’m taking my inspiration from them. Creating art is an entirely inner activity for me; it all comes from my head. There was this Latvian journalist that wrote an article about me and the headline read something like “We all live in our heads” and I truly believe in that. And in a sense, this is what my art portrays, this lonely feeling, being in your head and having your own world there.

What does your art mean to you?

It’s definitely extremely important; it’s like putting a little piece of yourself out there. I really value my work and I want to always keep it original. That is why I have a strong opinion when it comes to copy: no way! I understand buying copy would be cheaper, but I feel like it’s cheating the customer. I want the person buying my work knowing that they have the only copy, the original, even though it is more expensive. It doesn’t feel right otherwise.

This guy in Latvia offered to make magnets using some of my drawings, but I refused for the above mentioned reason. Let’s say someone sends me a song or a quote they really like – I can turn it into an illustration for them, but that’s different. It’s still keeping it personal, and thus it has more value to the person.

How about future perspectives?

I would love to work with art, but it can be difficult for most people to actually make it out there. There are so many talented people and the field is hard to crack. So, I guess I don’t know for sure yet, but I’m enjoying my education right now so I might consider working with retail design in the future. It allows a certain level of creativity and the best part is you can work from anywhere – so I can keep my traveling habits going.

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MAKE A CHANGE WITH AN E XCHANG E Text by Aela Nikolova Photos from personal collections

Spring brings new opportunities – whether it’s the joy of a sunny day, the excitement of wardrobe changes or the dread of university deadlines, everyone knows there’s just something in the air. But maybe a bit of ice cream just doesn’t cut it for you, maybe you need something even better. How about a completely different country?

These are the five brave little souls who chose to spend a semester studying abroad. Read on for some of their thoughts on different education systems, accommodation and all those small things that really mean the most.

Aperitivo anyone?

Sina, Branding and Marketing Management student, Aberdeen, Scotland Was it easy to find accommodation in Scotland compared to Denmark?

Yes, finding accommodation in Scotland was a lot easier. The University system is organised very differently compared to Denmark so that in the course of applying for University I was able to also sign up for a room. In Scotland, as well as in any other part of Great Britain, student halls are a central part of the student life experience and the international coordinators made sure that we gain such a unique experience. Thus prior to my arrival I was offered a room in a mixed flat that I shared with six other students from Robert Gordon University. From all the experiences I have had, living in a student hall has been one of the most significant ones - I look back at weekly 6am fire alarms, extensive flat parties and valuable friendships.

What did you enjoy the most about the location?

Frankly, I did not expect to see as much sun as I have during my stay in Scotland. But besides the overly great weather and stunning landscape of the Highlands I was most impressed by the openness and tolerance of the Scots. They are super helpful and open for any kind of idea & style and you will always find someone who shares your interests – and if not, you are more than welcome to introduce them to your latest discovery.

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Linette, Branding and Marketing Management student, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam What was the biggest cultural difference you faced during your exchange in Vietnam?

I

n Vietnam you can feel you have arrived in a different universe the second you come out of the airport. For me everything felt different, as it was a culture I have never experienced before in my life.

The infrastructure, the people, the language, the environment… the fact that local people are so proud of the history of their country and their culture really helps you overcome the otherworldly feeling, as they are more than happy to share that with people from outside, being all so helpful and kind!

Tímea, Fashion Design student, Milan, Italy What did you find useful in your Italian experience?

What was the thing from Herning that you were missing there?

E

ducation was truly important and I enjoyed it a lot. But I also loved the amount of new experiences I gained. Italian lifestyle is awesome. It’s amazing how unpredictable everything and everyone is, but full of life. Personally, I love that.

And my selfish reasons to love the last 5 months was probably living in a city that has much culture, being able to see a new museum every day, aperitivo everywhere or travel one hour and end up in a beautiful little (or huge and historical) city.

I’m sure, after all, I’m going to miss living in Milan a lot, but I do miss a peaceful environment at the very moment I am writing this. But I love Herning for several reasons - for example, I can’t wait to ride my bike again, because after one year I developed a great emotional bond with it. And of course, to be reunited with my people.

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Csabi, Fashion Design student, Manchester, United Kingdom Which aspect of your programme did you find the most valuable during your study exchange?

How was it connected to your education in Herning?

W

hat I experienced during my course was an entirely cool combination of art and technology.

We had been told to explore miscellaneous craft techniques, which gave me the chance to be creative.

On the other hand, I learnt to deal with the technical aspects of fashion, such as pattern development or tech packs.

Supportive teachers surrounded us and helped our work, just like in Herning. An inspirational part of the course was that we actually met designers from all over the world who had worked for years at fashion houses such as Prada or Karl Lagerfeld. These designers were constantly following up on our work and pushed us to make the best out of our projects.

Esra, Purchasing Management student, Istanbul, Turkey What is the biggest difference you found between the Danish and Turkish educational systems?

S

omehow I can’t sum up all of the schools in one educational system in Turkey, there are both private and governmental universities.

I went to a private university in Istanbul during my exchange and the biggest difference was that there was nothing that could inspire you into taking a creative, innovative step for the future. Which is vice versa in Denmark.

21

VIA Design

faces of fashion

Text by Kristina Balážova & Linda Strakova Photos from personal collections

VIA Design, formerly known as TEKO, is Scandinavia’s largest design and management university within the fashion and lifestyle industry. Every year, fresh graduates go out with a blast at the university’s own fashion show and move on to bigger and better things. FOCUS decided to interview two of the latest and finest designers that VIA Design has produced. Read on to find out more about their final collections, inspiration and future plans.

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Snædís Björk Líndal Sigurðardóttir

Can you describe your graduation collection?

The purpose was to create a spring summer garment collection inspired by print design. I started with creating a textile print collection guided by the human anatomy, dividing the inspiration into three groups: internal (bones), intermediate (organs) and external (skin).

What/who influenced you as a fashion designer?

I am extremely influenced by print design, mostly abstract digital textile prints and incorporating them in garment collections. I looked a great deal at different fashion designers that use these techniques, such as Mary Katrantzou, Stine Goya, and Jonathan Saunders.

Where did you have your internships? Did you find it useful?

I had my latest internship at Andrea in Iceland. It was a great experience for me; Andrea is still a growing company and there I got the chance to try many different tasks. The main thing I was working on was creating documentation for pieces that were being made in Italy. I found this very enlightening and a great experience. Mainly I enjoyed making patterns for knitted pieces that were used for her upcoming fall collection. I learnt a great deal about designing patterns for knits and different methods of creating looks for this type of pieces.

What are your future plans and ambitions? Who is your dream employer?

I plan on applying for a Master’s Degree in fashion design at KADK, in Copenhagen. I’d like to keep working on creating collections heavily influenced by printed textiles. My dream employer would have to be Stine Goya; I love her style and her prints!

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“This idea stuck with me throughout, causing my final collection to be very layered and full of the prints I had designed myself and gotten printed.

I chose to work with natural materials to keep in touch with my human anatomy inspiration, so my collection is made up of different types of wool, cotton and silk.�

24

Alexandra Mia Frankø Can you describe your graduate collection?

The inspiration for my graduate collection is Denmark’s period as a colonial force. My grandma showed me an old photograph of her uncle as a soldier at the Danish West Indies.

The photograph was so inspiring: him standing in a classical colonial uniform and helmet with this huge tropical palm tree in the background. Somehow I just knew I needed to make a collection based on this!

What are the most useful skills that you gained during your studies at VIA Design?

VIA is very different from a lot of other design schools, since we are also educated in business and not only the creative aspects. I think it’s very important to be business minded when designing. The many interdisciplinary projects have also helped me gain a broad network.

Where did you have your internships? Did you find it useful?

My first internship was at a little couture designer in New York. This was one of my best experiences during my education. My whole adventure there mostly revolved around networking and getting the big city experience!

My second internship was at Won Hundred in Copenhagen. There I helped design their menswear and fashion denim. I gained a lot of new knowledge about production and fabric sourcing which I found very useful.

What are your future plans and ambitions?

Right now I’m still exploring my possibilities. I would love to go to Italy and learn from some of the best fashion houses. In the long term I’d like to start my own business and focus on men’s outerwear.

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“The collection, named “Oh, Those Exotic Danes”, ended up being a collection of highend menswear, with focus on outerwear in leather and fur. The collection contains strong references, from military uniforms and colonial export goods such as indigo dye to exotic skins. I have mainly used fishleather though, since this is more sustainable.”

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Oh, Those Exotic Danes...

27

Happy

In the same way that you’re practically obligated to make holiday cookies in December, there’s a separate set of rules for spring. Carefree and full of fun little indulgences to help savor the beginning of the warmest months of the year, here are ten things promised to brighten up your days – sun or no sun!

What you reach for at the end of a long day tells a lot about your personality, but is the drink you are ordering really your signature cocktail? Does it really matter? Maybe not, but just like your hairstyle, your signature drink should reflect you and the vibe you exert. Only imagine how weird it would feel if a cowboy walked into a saloon and ordered Champagne. Exactly. So master your own cocktail and befuddle everyone!

Or basketball. Or swimming. Or whatever fancies you most.

Winter has come to an end and perhaps you haven’t maintained the level of physical activity you had hoped for. As spring arrives, this motivation often increases and at least where I live, in Copenhagen, there are many new opportunities for getting out and moving ‘them raggedy bones’ again.

Not sure about others, but I have a playlist for any given situation in life: party-mode, nothing but instrumental for when I need to concentrate on work, Latino rhythms, childhood jams, and even one that has food in the titles.

Yup… sit on that for a second. Enough said that the time has come for me to realize that my Spotify cannot live one day longer without some fresh musical input now that spring is upon us. In theory at least.

Is your hair suffering from end-of-winter malaise? Symptoms include a semi-permanent indentation in the shape of an elastic band, bangs that are more like shaggy face-framing layers, and general shapelessness. Thankfully, we have a remedy for non-blah looks that will revive your style.

Cut. It. Off.

.

Well, I couldn’t have put it better for all of you living here in Denmark. Whether you’d like to join the 80,000 others in a field at Northern Europe’s biggest music festival - covering from heavy metal to electronica - or sit back and relax in an outdoor café to the smooth sound of jazz in Copenhagen’s historic streets, Denmark is a music festival nation and there’s an event to satisfy any taste in music.

A night at a beautiful, luxurious hotel might not be in the cards, but you can live the dream and partake in a hotel’s perks and amenities. You don’t need James Bond’s gadgets to access a hotel’s rooftop deck or pool, but you do need to be savvy. We’re not advocating for theft here, just a little safe, legal fun!

Entertaining is exceptionally better on warmer spring nights - so if you throw a few large blankets on the lawn and keep meals simple to easily eat outside, you have laid out the perfect laid-back weekend plan for weeks to come.

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If there’s anything that tests my inner hoarder, it’s my closet. Seeing an overstuffed closet feels safe, if only because it means I can put off doing laundry one more day.

But with so many ‘Genbrugs’ and Red Cross Donation Centers, it would be such a loss not to make a contribution.

Never forget, one man’s trash, another man’s treasure!

Routine can be attractive and certainly has its uses, but life is no fun without a little spontaneity. If you’ve always wanted to visit a new place or just get the hell out of dodge, this spring is the most appropriate time to make it happen.

If spring has arrived, that means one thing and one thing only – that it was winter for too god damn long, and you shall not go back inside before October comes on knocking!

Spring Text by Valeria Solonari Illustrations by Tatiana Coelho de Oliveira

29

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Please, introduce yourself. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Hi, my name is Cristina and I’m a 21-year-old Branding & Marketing student, coffee enthusiast, serial reader, video game addict, fashion guru, professional idiot and dedicated FOCUS Student Magazine slave. Writer, I mean writer. And I go to church every Sunday. And I collect mugs. Also, I follow every piece of political news I can get my hands on. My point is that I like a lot of things. Scratch that. I don’t like, I obsess. In 5 years I hope to be working in a nice place where I can wear high heels (NOT a strip club, my dancing skills are non-existent) and to have fewer hobbies.

Why did you decide to join the FOCUS team?

I was blown away by FOCUS when I started university and for a whole year I lived under the impression that it’s this very exclusive thing where you can get in only by knowing someone. So, naturally, I joined the SAA Party Committee (if there is ONE thing that I hate is parties, but more on that later) in my quest to make it in the mythical FOCUS team. Fast forward one year later, turns out you only need an interview with the lovely Annet (and a good outfit) and you’re in. Eight years of writing competitions also help.

What is your position in FOCUS? Is there any special way you are getting your inspiration?

I’ve recently been promoted to sub-editor (cue in the music) so I’m basically Annet’s little minion, but my main role at FOCUS is that of a writer. Technically, I’ve been writing since that first time in 3rd grade when I started a fairy tale because they were all the same and I could totally do it too. My inspiration comes from everything: people, movies, art, caffeine overdoses. That’s why nothing I write makes sense.

How do you feel working with so many creative people?

I’ll put it bluntly: I LOVE PEOPLE. And I’m extremely curious, so working close to so many wonderful and talented folk is pretty exciting. FOCUS especially is a very diverse team with both creatives and whatever the opposite of creatives is, but somehow we manage not to kill each other and produce this amazing magazine. And all of them are making it into at least one of the dozen books I’ve started to write.

People would love to know more about you, could you characterize yourself for our readers?

An important thing about me is that the same passion that I put into loving things, I also apply when it comes to hating stuff. So I don’t just hate, I HATE. Like I said, parties are one of the things I dislike and more exactly that kind of stu-

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dent party with cheap alcohol (I’m a snob but I prefer to think of myself as having standards) and loud music, because what’s the point of existence if I can’t hear the sound of my own voice (joke, joke). I hate alcohol because it’s not coffee. Dirty dishes in the sink make my skin crawl and grammar mistakes just make me want to cry (especially my own).

How would you spend your spare time, if there was a possibility to choose any hobby or activity? How are you spending your time now, after school and work?

This is an easy one. A freshly grinded, Fairtrade, dark roast Sumatra coffee and my best buddy, Tolstoy.

If you had three wishes, what would you wish for?

I just have one – I wish people were better at being people.

If you would make a speech – “The thing all people in this world should know and respect“, what would be your main subjects and/or the problems that you would talk about?

With the risk of sounding like a Miss Universe contestant, the thing that people should respect most in this world is, again, other people and in particular those with opposite opinions than their own. I’m a firm believer in debates and having not only an attitude towards something, but reasons to back it up too. I’m competitive by nature so I enjoy talking to people who don’t

agree with me. But when someone just slams the door in my face with the “You’re wrong, you idiot, how can you not like [insert whoever is popular/anti-popular-therefore-popular at the moment]” my brain shuts down.

What would you like to share with our readers?

A funny thing is that people think of me as Google – not in the sense that I’m rich and evil (spoiler alert, I’m neither), but in the sense that I’m the provider of a million facts. Like did you know that Zara got its name after Amancio Ortega, the founder and currently second richest man in the world, found out that Zorba was already taken by a neighbouring bar? Really, señor Amancio, Zorba? Sadly, much like Google, most of these facts are useless when you actually need to do any work.

Any last personal advice for our readers?

Best advice I ever got was from a teacher (shout-out to Paul McElheron!): fail early, fail often, but always fail forward. And, wow, did I take this advice to heart. I’d also add fail hard because if you’re not going to put your all into it, why even bother?

WARNING: she looks sweet, but be careful: she plays really violent games

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Please, introduce yourself. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I don’t know about 5, but I can tell you for sure where I will be in 40 years from now. My dream is to be a grandma. I will have a garden, a bunch of grandchildren and at least 7 cats.

The coolest thing about being a grandma is that you don’t really have to do anything, except cook, and you don’t need to give a damn about what you say or how you look. The only thing that sucks is the knitting part - I would learn to play the drums instead.

Why did you decide to join the FOCUS team?

Text by Ieva Ozolina Photos by Janis Zirnitis & Cvetomir Borisov

I knew about FOCUS even before I came to Herning, and I thought it was extremely cool, being all professional and that.

For example, I was writing for my high school newspaper before, and it was basically four black-and-white pages. I couldn’t join FOCUS last year as I had to learn how to juggle a bunch of other stuff, but this summer I told myself – “The only thing you are actually ok at is writing – so get your lazy, um, behind, to work and do something about it“. I actually need deadlines to do stuff, you see, since I happen to be a highly educated PPP

36

painters, artists, photographers… In VIA Design I basically continue the tradition, except that my best friends are now amazingly talented designers. I can’t imagine NOT working with creative people – it’s where all the fun happens.

You look like a very communicative and open person, how would you describe yourself?

I have always considered myself an introvert, I don’t know why. Maybe because I have been living in a mountain hotel (very The Shining-like) for a couple of years as a child. It was in fact the best time of my life! As for now, I am trying to keep it cool, even when I feel like an anxious bipolar mess inside.

But in general, I would describe myself as a warm person, and yes – my superpower is that I can love, unconditionally, and I take pride in that. Also, as cliché as it may sound, I am always myself – I’m simply not capable of pretending to be anything else.

You have been in a lot of photo projects, did you have previous hopes about becoming a model? What was your dream profession as a kid?

I have never dreamed about being a model, to be honest. As I told you, I have other long-term dreams. I just had an ex-boyfriend who liked experimenting with photography, and I was simply always hanging around - I was his lab mouse, in a way.

I felt embarrassed and hated it in the beginning, but it takes time to learn to enjoy, as almost everything else does. Whenever I do a photo project, it is the concept that I am more interested in, and the character I have to play. It is something like still-acting, and extremely hard, especially if you are not in the right mood or having a bad hair day.

About the second question - as a child, I usually wanted strangers to take a look at my underwear or give me sausages, and my mom was concerned I would eventually end up as a stripper. I couldn’t be bothered with reflecting on the mainstream “job question”– I just knew that I had freakin’ cute panties and that other people’s food always tastes better than your own. I’ve always thought that I was extremely wise as a child and just getting dumber with age.

Besides school and FOCUS, what are you doing in your free time? Any hobbies or passions?

My hobby is to wrap myself up in my blanket and pretend to be a Burrito. That used to be my Tinder catch-phrase. Surprisingly, it worked. Tinder is a weird place.

If you had three wishes to wish for, what would they be?

1. Infinite supply of pizza 2. My cat will live forever (he WILL, there is no doubt about it, actually) 3. Everyone in the world to be happy.

(Professional & Powerful Procrastination) Master.

In FOCUS you work as a writer, where do you gain inspiration for articles?

I am usually better at fiction than journalism, to be honest, as I have always defined myself as an introvert. I actually used to detest journalism – I even turned down the honor of being accepted in the best Bulgarian university without any exams because of it. So in FOCUS I like to challenge myself, communicate with as many people as possible, for example, my articles have been extremely interview-based so far. In this issue I’m trying something new – don’t forget to look for it and take my test!

If you would make an article about – “How to be a successful woman in an international community?“, what would be your tips and answers?

1. Dress on point.

2. Don’t take bullshit from anyone.

3. Try to do your best, anytime, no matter what you do.

What would you like to share with readers?

How do you feel working with such different and creative people?

When things go to hell, dance. Put on a ridiculous song and let go. Also, never forget – whatever happens, it is the best for you – if it’s shitty, it’s there to teach you something, if it’s good, then you deserve it. We are all fucked up, and that is why we are all beautiful. There is nothing more to add to it.

Over and out.

I have been working with creative teams on different kinds of projects basically all my life – collaborations with puppet and forum theaters, art and creative writing workshops, even two movies! In my high school there were so many artistic people as well – dancers, musicians, writers,

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books 5 that every

businessman Text by Cristina Maria Illustrations by Alexander Moroz

should

READ

THE 100$ START-UP: REINVENT THE WAY YOU MAKE A LIVING, DO WHAT YOU LOVE, AND CREATE A NEW FUTURE

1

by Chris Guillebeau What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you read the news about ANOTHER start-up that isn’t yours, taking off and making everyone and their dog rich? “Well, sure, it’s easy when your best friend is a hedge fund manager”. You could swear the world is filled with investors eager to throw their millions at everyone but you. Sure, you could try a government programme but that would mean doing whatever they ask you to. Bank loans? You’re pretty sure “extensive sock collection” doesn’t qualify as a guarantee (and they’d have to pry it from your cold, dead feet anyway).

“The 100$ Start-up” is the solution to all your financial woes. Take for example PackIt’s founder Melissa Kieling. Not so popular in Europe, these lunch boxes can be folded and frozen in order to keep your food as fresh as possible and most importantly you can buy them in zebra print. Kieling started her business in a way that today’s user-centric entrepreneurs forget sometimes: with her own problem and the 13$ she had in her account. The counter in her kitchen served as her business incubator.

Guillebeau gives a book on how to harness this creativity lying in everyone but is also down-to-earth enough as to not give the kind of crazy advice that makes people blind to their product’s issues.

E

verybody needs some inspiration from time to time, even the shrewdest of businessmen. Or that’s how it went last time when we showed you the 5 movies that every businessman should watch. We assume you’ve done your homework and you’re now ready to take it to the next level: books (cue in scary music). The Danish education system seems dent on mass producing innovators, from idea generation projects to full-on “take this bag of money” grants. Therefore, it is no surprise that you can’t take a stroll through Herning and not bump into a budging entrepreneur.

The worst part is that you often end up with two types of these visionaries: the one with no plan and the one with way too many. Our advice? Take a step back and listen to the experts.

TIME ON OUR SIDE A business anthology published by The New Economics Foundation think tank

2

The fact that most entrepreneurs these days are young Millennials explains why some of their business organization choices appear odd to other generations. Perhaps it all started when the cubicle was abolished to make room for the open plan workspace, but what is certain today is that more and more people, when they open a company, think about their employees’ well-being. Cue in the media storm, which followed the news that 30 work hours per week, is the perfect number for boosted productivity and happy employees and you start getting an idea where this book is going. What do you mean fewer hours lead to increased efficiency? Well, simply think about the percentage of time you’ve wasted on Facebook just while reading our article. This book proposes an alternative where you spend less time at your job but (and this is where the mind-blowing part comes) you have to actually WORK. The New Economics Foundation is a think tank of expert economists and just going through their ideas in “Time on our Side” could help you with designing a modern business plan and having contented employees (who, let’s face it, are your classmates at best, but more probably your cousins).

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JAB, JAB, JAB, RIGHT HOOK: HOW TO TELL YOUR STORY IN A NOISY SOCIAL WORLD

by Gary Vaynerchuck

SO GOOD THEY CAN’T IGNORE YOU: WHY SKILLS TRUMP PASSION IN THE QUEST FOR WORK YOU LOVE

by Cal Newport

3

A lot of entrepreneurs think that if they take a hobby or a passion and build a business around it, others will find it just as interesting. Of course, passion should be the driving force but you’ll still need a driver’s license to be successful. Cal Newport is the friend that everyone needs– the kind who punches you in the face– Fight Club style. For every person who found fame and fortune in their kitchen, there are many more who, like some of us, are studying hard to learn how to be a professional innovator, someone who approaches business like the science it is, with just a sprinkle of luck. Knowing your skills and actively trying to improve them is vital when setting up to be your own boss. What Newport brings to the table is the fact that exactly in the process of honing those skills, you can have your “Eureka!” moment. Therefore, don’t despair when you read the news about the newest billionaire. They probably worked just as hard as you are now.

NEVER EAT ALONE. AND OTHER SECRETS TO SUCCESS, ONE RELATIONSHIP AT A TIME

by Keith Ferazzi

4

5

If the title didn’t give it away already, Gary Vaynerchuck isn’t your average business guy. Today, social media marketing is as ubiquitous as thinking outside the box, but there are so few people who do it well and even more unbelievably, there are some people who still think there’s no point in doing it at all. Vaynerchuck is one of the visionaries who understood the marketing power of the internet since its humble beginnings.

An entrepreneur at heart (his first venture was as a child when he started ripping flowers from other people’s yards and selling them on the street), in the beginning he made sure that he was set for life by taking over the family business, a wine store, and subsequently launching the first wine website in America. His attempt grew into a $45 mil. company. Along the way, he realized that his true calling wasn’t free wine for a lifetime and opened VaynerMedia, an agency that works with companies whose profit numbers you’re not even sure how to read.

“Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook” is just as much an entertaining read as it is a useful one.

Vaynerchuck’s opinion is honest to the point of brutal and incredibly accurate, especially coming from someone who has seen the world before the Internet.

And if you take 5 minutes to watch one of his numerous videos on YouTube or follow him on Facebook, every line in the book will be read in that infectious Jersey accent of his.

Just think about this little nugget and maybe do a Google search on it: “What is the ROI [return on investment] of your mother?”

Another pick for this issue’s Top 5 is a networking masterpiece (loose usage of big words is a journalistic staple) that details exactly how important it is to know which side your bread is buttered. Ehrm, I mean to be nice to people. Born in a working class family (his father was a steelworker and his mother a cleaning lady), Ferazzi used his exceptional charisma (and probably some of those skills we mentioned above) to receive a Yale scholarship and later an MBA from Harvard. This alone should qualify him for offering guidance. All in all, the best advice that you can take from this book is simple but often overlooked in the fast paced world of business: be nice to people. “Never Eat Alone” celebrates the kind of personality that not only gets far in life but also deserves to. And for those who are still fearful, keep in mind that “invisibility is worse than failure.”

39

10

tips

on

how to...

step up your

DANISH

BY SPEAKDANISH

Text by Tereza Keprdová Illustrations by Carrie Andersen

The main idea behind the Speakdanish project is to create a pleasant language learning community through encouragement and positive energy. We promote an authentic learning experience by sharing struggles, tips, ideas and personal stories that all Danish beginners can relate to. The project started in August, 2015 and since then we have attracted over 900 followers.

The whole project is voluntary and our team consists of Danish language learners residing in Denmark as well as abroad. Furthermore, we collaborate with other Instagram users and repost their relevant posts. We have started to use our own hashtag (#speakdanish) and we encourage people who use it by giving positive feedback.

1

Do you get a dry mouth when the cashier asks you, “Vil ha’ bonen med?” Do you have a panic attack when Danes begin a rowdy chorus of a birthday song? Maybe you’re new to Denmark. Or maybe you’ve been here for a while. No matter, it’s time to step up your Danish and get on with learning it!

Speakdanish has 10 easy tips to help ease you into the language learning process.

2

Know why you are doing it. “Wait, why am I learning Danish?” – Have a chat with yourself and break the language into smaller goals. Like learning to order a coffee at a café or knowing the difference between “skyr” and “ymer” in the grocery store.

Knowing your motivation will take you far.

Hang out with native speakers. Grab a Danish boyfriend / girlfriend, neighbour and get talking! Test out your new words and phrases with the benefit of instant feedback. Interacting in a new language is the key.

40

Label everything. Break out the post-its and label things you use on a daily basis. So every time you reach for the toilet paper – your brain will begin to think “toiletpapir” (we said label everything and we meant it).

3

4

Listen to music in another language.

Crank up some Danish tunes on Spotify while biking to school or washing up.

Music helps with the natural rhythm of a language and pronounciation.

Change the language on your devices. Change those “Likes” to “Synes godt om” on Facebook for a week. Try calling your “mor” rather your “mother”. Resetting the language on your devices will help you learn new words immediately.

Learn to make mistakes. A lot of them! One of the most common barriers to a new language is the fear of making mistakes. Yes, it’s going to be rough in the beginning. You’re not going to have native-like fluency from the get go. Expect the first 6 months to be a lot of trial and error.

10

Cook up a storm. About to make dinner? Look up your recipe in Danish. The vocabulary is relatively simple – as a bonus, it will make shopping easier.

6 7

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Memorize your first 50 words. Maybe you’ve heard the riddle “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time!” It’s the same for languages. Identify your top 50 daily words, write them down and commit them to memory.

5

Play games with children. Because most children don’t speak English in Denmark, playing games with them is an excellent way to be exposed to the Danish language, not to mention culture. So learn a few words to help you along in yahtzee or chess. You may have a little fun too!

Learn the birthday song. Do you smile politely, hum a little, make up a few words that possibly sound Danish and join in at the end with a loud “MED KAGE TIL”? This is the ultimate challenge for you! Learn the Danish birthday song – and impress your fellow Danes. And look a little less mortified at parties.

Good luck with your language learning! Remember to follow @speakdanish on Instagram to see others wrestling with the language and pick up new learning tips

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Friday, a Great Day for Prayer Text by Alexandra Munteanu Illustrations by Ilva Indrikova

Have you ever tried to discover what’s the story behind some of the free days in your school and work calendar? Or maybe you’ve wondered how certain weirder-than-usual Danish traditions came to life, such as eating shrovetide buns on Fastelavn? FOCUS will try to shed some light on a few of these perplexing traditions, starting with the one coming up in a little while: Store Bededag. Read on and find out!

STORE BEDEDAG – THE GREAT PRAYER’S DAY IS A DANISH NATIONAL RELIGIOUS HOLIDAY, FALLING ON THE FOURTH FRIDAY AFTER EASTER SUNDAY. IT IS CELEBRATED AT THE EARLIEST ON APRIL, THE 17TH AND AT THE LATEST ON MAY, THE 21ST. THIS YEAR, IT WILL FALL ON THE 22ND OF APRIL. What’s the story behind it?

One could imagine that it was a bright and windy day, sometime in the late XVII century, when Hans Bagger came up with the idea of the Great Prayer’s Day. He was most likely wearing his day-today ecclesiastical robes and high collar, and he was carrying one of the books he had already read so many times. He could recite entire paragraphs from it, just because he had to keep a record of the words he felt were truly speaking to oneself.

In all likelihood, this bishop from Roskilde acknowledged that the people could make use of a day when all work and trade were banned, giving place to prayer and piety. It was King Christian V, a monarch well-regarded by the people, who introduced Great Prayer’s Day on the Statute Book in 1686, as a collection of minor Christian holidays compacted in one day. Ever since, this holiday has made its mark in the Danish yearly calendar.

Be that as it may, the celebration nearly got erased from the lives of Danes almost one hundred years later. The reason for this was the fact that by 1770, Denmark had over 20 holy days. A reform was set in motion and as a result, half of these celebrations were abolished. Although the Three Kings’ Day or Candlemas didn’t survive this reorganization of religious holidays, Great Prayer’s Day was still standing.

Back in the old days, Great Prayer’s Day was quite earnest, even solemn. The evening before it, the church bells would chime – this was the cue for all business, commerce, or entertainment to shut down.

Everyone had to prepare for the day that would come – a day of virtue, holiness, and as the name indicates, prayer.

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What is Store Bededag and how is it celebrated?

There are two traditions that survived the passing of time, especially in Copenhagen – eating hot buns (varme hveder) and going for a walk on the ramparts around Christianshavn or the Citadel (Kastellet).

But what gave birth to these customs?

It is not that difficult to find the provenience of the hot buns. Since all commercial relationships were prohibited on the eve before Great Prayer’s Day and of course, during the day itself, a considerable problem arose: what would the people eat? Luckily, the bakers thought of some wheat buns that could be heated up and eaten the next day. Bit by bit, the custom of eating hot buns took form. Crispy and soft at the same time, varme hveder are simply mouth-watering. No wonder they are still so popular after hundreds of years.

As for the tradition of walking around Kastellet and the ramparts of Christianshavn, it can be traced back to the middle of the 1700s. It was in 1747 when The Church of Our Lady (Vor Frue Kirke) installed a new carillon. Lured by the enchanting chimes of this complex bell system, people would leave their houses and head towards the church, probably taking joy in the mesmerizing smell of the freshly emerged spring green linden or the sight of the blossoming chestnut trees. As years went by, the stroll became a Great Prayer’s Day tradition.

What does it mean?

In former times, the holiday was the grounds for prayer, penitence and fasting. The people were forbidden to work no matter what they were supposed to do, and they were encouraged to fast and abstain from any kind of vices or immoral behaviour, such as gambling, drinking or promiscuous endeavours. They were supposed to attend the church services and listen to the sermons with a light heart, and make use of this leisure time for reflection, repenting and devotion.

The meaning of this day has nevertheless changed with the passage of time, as it was natural to happen. It is not that common for Danes nowadays to associate Great Prayer’s Day with fasting or prayer anymore. They enjoy the day off work of course, and some of them are still fond of the varme hveder. Less and less Danes revel in the strolls along the paths that once lead to the charming sounds of the carillon… And the religious significance of the holiday has almost disappeared from their thoughts.

Is Store Bededag on the brink of disappearing?

Since the Danes are not so connected with the sacred meaning that Great Prayer’s Day once had, and the modern times we live in dictate that productivity must be sought with any means, the question of whether the Danes should still celebrate it started to lurk in the later years.

It was in 2012 when the Danish authorities seriously considered giving up Great Prayer’s Day as a national holiday. They discussed moving the celebration on Sunday, instead of Friday, keeping in mind that this would be a proper way for boosting productivity. The idea was dropped eventually, after the intervention of Labour Unions.

However, it seems that the dispute is still valid.

We have seen how this celebration came into being and how it evolved. There is one question that still stands though: what will the future bring for Great Prayer’s Day? Will it disappear from the Danish calendar?

Time will tell, as it always does.

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Text by Wojciech Zmijski Illustrations by Teodora Anca

The warm weather is coming 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.

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!

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Keep your eyes open for legal crossing spots!

Pedestrians can be fined with a ticket of up to 700DKK 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 to 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 500DKK. So make sure to check your bell when you’re going for groceries.

Try biking again?

Don’t bike without lights, don’t cross on pedestrian crossings, don’t bike with a friend...

The highest fine (except the speeding, which could add up to 5000DKK) is equal to 2000DKK 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 2000DKK.

The lowest fine for a cyclist is equal to 700DKK. 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 cross the road on the pedestrian crossing or biking on the sidewalks. Biking with two people on the bike is equal to 700DKK, but this time it will be for both, if you bike with three people, then yes, all three of you will be charged 700DKK each.

Keep some cash on hand.

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

Try not to bike at all?

Bikers can also be fined with 1000DKK, for example by biking on the red light or biking against the traffic direction. Using your cell phone can also cost you another 1000DKK. Finally, if you violate the duty to give way to approaching traffic, it will cost you another 1000DKK. Sometimes it’s just easier to wait a little longer than going on the late yellow light as a biker.

Pay 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 750DKK; also if you buy a ticket with the wrong number of zones, it will cost you another 750DKK. 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.

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 500DKK to 1000DKK. Lack of lights while driving can cost you 1000DKK; you can also get charged 1000DKK for each tire which is not in the best condition, so worst case scenario, bad tires can cost you up to 4000DKK. 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, it is also the minimum fine you can get for speeding.

Behave yourself!

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

Get a discount!

As students 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 500DKK. Don’t forget that you have to apply for the discount by contacting the police station from which you received the fine!

I hope that this article will help you avoid any future fines and give you a better understanding of how important it is to follow the rules in order to avoid extra costs during your study life.

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What is your type?

Text by Emese Gajdan Illustrations by Olga Mangurova

Spring, summer, autumn, winter - which one are you?

I

am sure you realized when looking at people, that there are a lot of types of beauty in the world. The colors, shapes, forms and features are different, but we can classify the shades of skin, hair color and eyes all together in 4 different segments: spring, summer, autumn and winter types. Of course there can be a transition between them, someone can be a summer to spring, as well as an autumn to winter. For each and every person, we need to take into consideration the natural colors, skin shades and eyes, then look at any “added� features, for example when the hair is dyed.

spring Your hair is light to medium golden or light to medium golden brown. Your eyes are blue, green or light hazel with a bit of yellow shades. Your skin varies between 3 different shades: pale ivory with peach tones, ivory with peach tones or tanned ivory with peach tones. The best colors for you to both wear and use in your make up are:

blue charchoal / pastel pink / light iris purple /warm grey / light pink / clear red / dark periwinkle / light taupe / clear salmon / clear aqua / cream / fuchsia powder blue / warm pastel pink / iris purple / emerald green / moss green camel / coral / light moss green / khaki / light golden yellow Some examples: Cameron Diaz, Heidi Klum, Cate Blanchett

summer

(I am also a summer type *wink*) Your original hair color is light to medium ash brown, possibly with ash blonde highlights. The skin is pink-toned beige, light neutral beige, pale beige, rose-beige or medium neutral beige.

Your eyes are probably grey-blue, hazel or grey-green. The colors that fit best your wardrobe and make up palette are:

grey / cool grey / taupe / pale pink / beige / deep rose / red violet / baby pink jade mauve+deep mauve / burgandy / dusty purple / raspberry navy / light yellow / pine green lavender periwinkle / light green / emerald / green / spuce Some examples: Jessica Biel, Olivia Wilde, Kate Middleton, Rihanna

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autumn Your eyes are dark brown, dark green or dark hazel. It is very common that warm tones look best on you. Your hair is mostly dark brown, deep chestnut or dark hazel. The shades of your skin can be: ivory, golden beige or bronze.

Best colors to use as inspiration for clothing and make up are:

burnt orange / amber / dark terracotta / orange / olive / light golden yellow tangerine / dark green / dark emerald green / emerald green / moss / beige light peach / lime green / med.taupe / cream / tomato red / light salmon blue aqua / chinese blue / clear navy / deep violet Well known people that belong in this type: Penelope Cruz, Katie Holmes, Julia Roberts

winter Your hair can be medium-to-dark brown, black with blue or it can have ash tones. The eyes are commonly bright blue, violet, emerald green, blue, charcoal grey, black, black-brown or dark hazel.

Your skin tone: milky-white, light beige, pale olive, deep brown, very pale beige, pale olive and beige, olive, black-brown, black. Best colors to consider when choosing your clothes and make up to match are:

bubble gum / icey lilac / light emerald / butter / chiffon / aqua / coral / royal optic white / ink black / navy / dark taupe / indigo / deep rose / blood violet cherry / plum / charnation / charcoal / neon / icey pink Examples: Liv Tyler, Kristen Stewart, Megan Fox, Lucy Liu, Alek Wek

Now that you got a closer look and a deeper understanding of how your hair color and skin tone are naturally meant to blend together, you should have no problem in matching your natural self to the clothes and make-up you wear everyday, making sure that it is the true you that shines. Need some personal color matching advice? Don’t hesitate to ask for help!

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h c u Co or Party potato

Home. Food. Homework.

Die.

Text by Aela Nikolova Illustrations by Olga Mangurova

A NAP. NOW.

You sure?

You have to finish a big project by Monday.

During the weekend you…

Already on my second beer & soon heading to the city for MOAR.

Work all weekend. Yes, I’m that hardcore.

Procrastinate. What Sunday evenings are for anyway?

You are out with friends. You have been hitting on a guy/girl all evening, and they suggest you change place. You…

Continue. I’m not a party pooper!

BROS BEFORE… Hmmm.

Friends ask you out but you live far away from the city centre and it’s raining (surprise, surprise). You…

No.

Netflix &chill.

Is there a Friday bar today?

Friends get you out to party. Everybody is already tipsy, except you, and it’s getting late. You…

Go home. I’m bored and they are playing One Direction for the third time now.

animal

School day is over. What now?

It’s Friday evening. I am…

Home. Waiting for my BFF for dinner, wine & gossip.

Take the test and find out which Herning habitat best suits your student lifestyle!

Go. The walk of shame will recuperate your guilt later.

Can you get drunk from beer only?

Absolutely?

Stop it.

Profile A

Stay inside. A cold is not worth it.

Get a bike and go.

Danish rain can’t scare me.

Profile B

Profile C

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Yes.

No.

Profile D

Profile A

Okay, we got it. Don’t need to roar from beneath that blanket every time your friends ask if you are joining for a couple of beers later - we can’t hear you anyway. Being a couch potato is totally fine and, frankly, staying inside on a Danish rainy evening, binge-watching Friends doesn’t sound bad at all. On the other hand, with spring hitting full-mode soon (we talk at least late June here because Denmark) maybe it won’t be such a bad idea to crawl out of the cave a bit! Keeping up with SAA’s event list or, if you’re feeling wild, even managing a night out at Fox and Hounds for example, won’t do you harm – you can always roll up in your blanket and pretend to be a burrito afterwards.

Profile B

You are not quite the biking-in-the-rain type, but going out is not a totally off-putting idea for you in general. You like spending some hygge time with friends and occasionally don’t mind joining them for a beer. If there is no rain.

Or project work. Or it gets too late...Yeah. Anyway, despite that you will make an excellent parent one day, it might do you some good to ignore the “ifs” from time to time and have fun! The perfect place for you will be joining some of the events happening on campus: SAA makes sure Birk is the place to enjoy student life, meet with friends, even have a drink or two - and all that not far away from home! What are you waiting for?

Profile C You are quite fabulous, aren’t you? We can usually find you in Baren, Fox and Hounds, Old Irish or Jiggers on weekend nights, showing off your latest outfits and dancing to ‘Like a Virgin’ after midnight. You are quite the social type, but don’t like the extremes – you would rather socialize and do the Nae Nae over a couple of beers than getting wasted and ruining your new clothes. Keep the spirit, love, but always bear in mind that Sunday evenings are a mythological land, comprised of a magical time/space continuum that exists only theretically.

Profile D

Congratulations, you’ve officially won the title of a party animal! Pubs and bars are just a warm-up for you – a night is not complete until you’ve hit Crazy Daisy properly and defended your crown. The sunrise is the limit and there is nothing in this world to stop you - be it weather, school or friends ditching you at the last minute. Your wild lifestyle has won you quite a reputation already, and you have probably befriended a couple of the rare bartender species around town. Keep the good work, but bear in mind that a hygge evening at home with friends on a Saturday night is equally awesome and can save you a considerable amount of headaches in the morning.

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Hollingholtvej 41 路 7451 Sunds 路 Tlf. 97 14 14 55

s ’ t Le

conqu er t he

World!

So far, FOCUS Student Magazine has... done some sightseeing in Schwerin

Schwerin

Corfu

New York climbed to the Rockefeller Centtop of er in New York

enjoyed breakfast with a view in sunny Corfu.

If our magazine is traveling with you...

1.capture a photo with it 2.POST IT ON INSTAGRAM 3.MARK THE LOCATION 4.tag it with #FocusAroundTheWorld ...and we’ll make sure to publish the best ones!

Tallinn changed business contacts in Tallinn

Barcelona and literally left of itself in Barc a mark elona!

Ready, steady, travel!

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