Ibcomagazine 2016 2017 issue 3

Issue 3 / April 2017

Good reads for the busy kind (p. 18)

Rotterdam sightseeing map (p. 4)

The truth behind those pretentious honours students (p. 22)

Gym life: the art of self motivation (p. 10)

Crazy job experiences (p. 20)

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Editorial

W

hen was the last time you read a good book from start to finish? Or strolled around the city with no destination, nowhere to be? Learned a new language or tried a new hobby, just for the sake of it? Chances are, it’s been a while.

Between all of our lectures, stressful group projects and last-minute study marathons, it’s easy to get lost in work. Especially around this time of the year, when your head is stuffed with three terms worth of knowledge, but you still need to soldier through some last courses, your internship or your Bachelor’s thesis before the bliss of a well-earned summer comes within reach. But while we start this last term of the academic year, let’s not forget that life is meant for living and that work and study really isn’t everything (somebody please remind me when the thesis deadline comes!).

by YANNIEK VAN DOOREN

Now, with this issue of the IBCoMagazine finished, it’s time to get back to my thesis. Although... Patrick Rothfuss’ ‘The Name of the Wind’ has been collecting dust in my bookcase for a while now, and Valerija’s review on page 18 got me all excited again…

You know, maybe my thesis can wait.

Enjoy this issue!

Quite the opposite of our previous IBCoMagazine issue, where we focused on all things productive and responsible, this third issue of the year may be the ultimate guide to procrastination. It focuses on everything that is NOT IBCoM and not necessarily future-related, although some things definitely can be! We took a closer look at the lives of IBCoM students, and not just their university lives. We wanted to know what everyone is doing when they’re not thinking about communication models and media theories. Think fraternities, sightseeing, extreme and less extreme sports, the best books out there and much, much more. Oh, and are you one of those people who always wondered what professor Etienne Augé is up to when he is not in the classroom? Today is your lucky day.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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Content

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Rotterdam sightseeing map A guide into Rotterdam’s lesser known hotspots

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Life outside of IBCoM: a teacher’s perspective What professor Etienne Augé is up to when he’s not teaching

Extreme EUR activities Unleash your inner thrill-seeker

08 10

Dateable vs. debatable A serious and not-so-serious approach to politics

Gym life: the art of self motivation For everyone in need of a little (or a lot of) motivation

12 13 14

Languages and the thing about the corridor Why Patricia learned a new language, and why you should too

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T he XXL Burger IBCoMpetition Who can devour 1.5kg of food the fastest?

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Good reads for the busy kind An attempt at awakening the reader inside us all

19 20 22

Pottery: the art of clay, heat and magical hands…

A new, unusual hobby to kick-start your inner artist

Crazy job experiences The human kiwi, an unexpected kiss and other awkward stories Uncovered: The truth behind those pretentious honours students What are HP students really up to?

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The IBCoMpanion programme: An Emotional Rollercoaster Sneak peek into the lives of this year’s IBCoMpanions

Student associations: friendship, fun times and learning moments The benefits of joining a student association from an insider’s perspective

AIESEC Rotterdam: How to join?

How to join AIESEC and have a real impact on the world

GUEST ARTICLES

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A CE: Longing for the summer What will you be doing after your finals?

f A

d

d e

c a Address? Meent 31A

Guliano

What is it? This lunch restaurant serves a wide variety of Italian sandwiches at a very reasonable price.

Highlight? The truffle mayonnaise Good to know? It closes at 17:00

b

Tony’s Garage Sale Address? Burgemeester van Walsumweg 528 What is it? A vintage shop, selling stuff like clothes, furniture, vinyl records and potted plants.

Good to know? Next to the cashier on the way out there is a stand with free maps to Rotterdam Vintage Trail.

c

Lasergame Rotterdam Address? Parkhaven 9 What is it? Dare your friends to a game and use (harmless) laser guns to shoot down the opposing team.

Good to know? You get one free entrance with the Rotterdampas

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Rotterdam Sightseeing Map The city’s highlights through the eyes of IBCoMmers

by CHI MAI

d

Yoyo Tea Bar Address? Markthal and Kruisplein 28 What is it? A cafe specialized in Taiwan bubble tea Highlight? Salted caramel cookie latte or matcha latte

Good to know? 10% off with Chinese Student Association card.

e

Maak Rotterdam Address? Mathenesserweg 81A What is it? Concept store and cafe, selling everything from interior decoration and cute baby clothes to fresh-baked cake and homemade tea

Highlight? A cosy atmosphere that is perfect for cold, rainy winter days

f

Containerbar Noord Address? Noordplein

What is it? An open air bar with built-in terrace surrounded by large shipping containers Good to know? This is a popup bar, so it is not open all year round. It is opened now, until May 7th, so mark the date!

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by ETIENNE F. AUGÉ

What professor Etienne Augé is up to when he’s not teaching

Life outside of IBCoM

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have worked in different places before academia, such as an embassy in Lebanon and a film production company in Paris; I like to maintain a certain diversity within my activities. I also believe it’s part of my job to help bridge academia and the outside world. That is why I regularly train diplomats and civil servants from all around the world in public diplomacy at Clingendael, a Thinktank or diplomatic academy in The Hague. Every session is a challenge, as people do not communicate the same way depending on where they’re from, nor do they have the same references. I have to constantly adapt to my audience. Sometimes, a group will be composed of people from different countries, which adds more complexity, and we even had cases of people from nations that are at war against each other who had to co-exist in the same room!

Erasmus is my base, from there I develop my experience outside and in return bring it back to our university. My work and publications are available for everyone, not just people in academia. For instance, last year, I was part of Brain Bar Budapest to present the use of science fiction in education.

I also presented how science fiction can help us understand the world at the Leiden Film Festival.

I enjoy being part of open conferences and did two TEDx talks: one in Rotterdam and another one in Cyprus. I also collaborate with other universities.

Every summer, I fly to Austria to train Greek journalists in mass communication at the University of Krems. And last year, I was invited to the summer program on media from Oxford University in partnership with the University of Pennsylvania.

This experience led to being invited as a keynote speaker on a conference organised by the OSCE in Austria. It was one of the most interesting experiences I ever had. The OSCE is trying its best to maintain peace on the European continent and I hope to collaborate more with this organisation in the future.

I am very proud to be part of Erasmus University and was thrilled to run a mini-lecture for the International Film Festival of Rotterdam in February 2017 as part of Tiger College. I also represented EUR in a documentary about Geert Wilders, after the filmmaker contacted our university to find a specialist willing to help him on this topic.

My goal for this year is to finish my new novel. I have already published academic books and one novel, but this will be my first attempt to write a science fiction book. It’s a new challenge that makes sense after I created CHIFT, Community for Histories of the Future. For me, writing fiction is way harder than non-fiction and I am struggling to make this new book happen. I think it is worth it though. Again, diversity.

But first and foremost, I am helping my little boy grow up. He was born in 2015 and requires a lot of love and attention. Just like my students.

TEACHER COLUMN

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by JEROEN ADRIAANSE

Unleash your inner thrill-seeker

Extreme EUR Activities

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eople will often tell you that college is supposed to be the best time of your life. The truth about student life, however, is that this sometimes does not hold water. In the case of actively participating in sports, students often say they do not have time to work out or just simply do not feel like it. “We all know those days where you do not feel like working out, but that is one of the best things of doing an extreme sport; you’re not even realizing that you are working out, because you’re having too much fun,” says Emma de Fretes, treasurer at the Erasmus Extreme Sports Association.

“Erasmus Extreme was cofounded in 2014, with the help of David Hamel, Johannes Blencke and I. The reason for creating this student association was primarily the lack of extreme and outdoor sports available to students at Erasmus University. We got together and realized that there was a potential for a community of like-minded people, interested primarily in water and winter sports. The goal was to

enable pro-students to develop their skills and share their passion for these sports with novice students.

The Erasmus Extreme Sports Association is a way to get students outside their usual surroundings and embrace what nature offers us,” shares the co-founder, Camille Bondeville, with the IBCoMagazine when asked why the association was founded in the first place.

“Currently we consist of 20 active members who are all stoked in organizing the best activities,” says Emma. Erasmus Extreme organizes trips, events and trainings for students who are passionate about and interested in performing extreme sports. Whether it is snowboarding, kite surfing, or wakeboarding, the association always tries to organize a variety of events. “Erasmus Extreme Sports Association is an organization where like-minded people can share their extreme sport experiences and embrace what nature can offer us. Our vision is to make extreme sports accessible and affordable, creating an international community of students with a passion for extreme sports.”

Next to the Erasmus Extreme, located at Campus Woudestein, is the Erasmus Sport foundation, which is responsible for the management of the Erasmus Sport Centre, hosting a handful of sports and trainings. Especially the Body Fit-activities and budosports, such as Krav Maga and kickboxing, are great when you are looking for a study break or when you just simply want to stay active.

With this range of different activities that the EUR has on offer, it can be easily said that there are indeed lots of opportunities beyond your studies to unleash your inner thrill-seeker – especially when life gets a bit dull. Both the Erasmus Extreme Sports Association and Erasmus Sport offer an extensive programme packed with extreme EUR activities.

“Find a sport that you are passionate about, then it will become easier and natural to practice your passion,” concludes Emma. So, get out there and have a good time.

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by VALERIJA DENAITYTE

Dateable vs. Debatable To vote or not to vote, or its more exciting variant: to date or not to date

March 15th hether or not you are apathetic to the political system and elections, it’s definitely something that has been in the news.

For Dutch citizens, 15 March was the date that we strolled to our neighbourhood polling stations and took - or didn’t take - #stemfies. In the Netherlands, however, you don’t vote for a president. Instead, you vote for a party that you think supports your points of views best and, once the votes are in, the biggest parties have the chance of getting one or more of the 150 coveted seats in the Lower House.

With the seats taken, parties move to create a coalition and an opposition and the head of the party with the most seats is announced Prime Minister of the Netherlands.

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Integration, education, Europe While parties maintain statements regarding legislation and social issues at all times, there have been several topics that have received a larger amount of attention than usual during these elections. For example, integration has been a much discussed topic in the light of the refugee situation - do we keep the borders open or do we close them? Or do we close them for certain groups? And if people seek refuge in the Netherlands, how long do they have to go through the process of integration? A more interesting topic for students was education - though since the changes in the student finance in 2015, the majority of Dutch parties have been on the same page. They agree that education needs to be improved and that everyone should have a chance to pursue education, especially higher education.

Additionally, since Brexit, more anti-EU voices have gathered the attention of party leaders and leaving the EU has been a widely discussed topic in the Netherlands. Social issues have also drawn the attention to politicians. Even if some topics - such

as the expansion of Schiphol, the improvement of NS trains and donor registration - are not directly related to politics, they provide an opportunity for political parties to appeal to voters based on just legislative matters.

These are the major Dutch parties: • VVD (People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy) - Centre-right, liberal

• PvdA (Labour Party) - Centre-left, social democratic • PVV (Party for Freedom) - Right-wing (populism), national liberalism • SP (Socialist Party) - Left-wing, democratic socialism

• CDA (Christian Democratic Appeal) - Centre, Christian democracy

• D66 (Democrats 66) - Centre, social liberalism • ChristenUnie (Christian Union) - Centre, social Christian democracy • GroenLinks (GreenLeft) - Left-wing, green liberalism

• SGP (Reformed Political Party) - Right-wing, Christian right/social conservatism

• Partij voor de Dieren (Party for the Animals) - Left-wing, animal rights • 50PLUS - Centre, pensioners’ interest/populism

9 Find your match: politics edition!

What politician can win your heart in the elections, and in real life?

Jesse Klaver - GreenLeft He’s not just your resident ethical and sustainable politician - he’s also regarded as the Justin Trudeau of the Netherlands. He’s young, he’s handsome and he’s won more young votes than any other politician in the 2017 elections.

Jesse likes long strolls through government-financed parks, the Facebook page of Sassy Socialist Memes and intelligent women. Look at that smoulder!

Mark Rutte - People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy Mark is a pretty liberal guy. He’s been in power over the Netherlands for some years now and has been re-elected indirectly in the Lower House again this year! He’s not currently in a relationship and is a pretty desirable bachelor because of his status. If you’re looking for a guy who just likes normal guys or gals, Mark’s your man. What a cutie.

Alexander Pechtold - Democrats 66 Alex is not really out there; he’s a little shy, actually. Never quite sure what side to take, he will make an excellent discussion partner, as he is willing to meet you halfway whatever dispute you might have. He’s also a very successful politician and has been working in the industry for some time now. If you want to date a guy who will also be your friend, hit Alex up.

Thierry Baudet - Forum for Democracy If you like a romantic man who will sweep you off your feet, look no further.

Thierry is the newest addition to the Lower House and boy, does he have some ideas. He is a little bit of a rebel and wants to dismantle the Empire… eh, the party cartel! Even though he does not necessarily agree with any of the other politicians, he will fight for what’s right. So if you like spice in your life and are interested in a man who loves lavender and will play you the piano - Thierry might be the one for you.

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by REYHAAN KING

The art of self-motivation

Gym Life

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any people dread the gym, they see it as a battleground of aggressive men jousting for space on machines, flexing profusely in mirrors and cat calling females who cross their path. I will tell you right now: that is a lie. The real gym, or at least my experience with gyms, is quite lovely; a community where everyone is focused on the single goal of self-improvement, regardless of fitness level. It’s a place where the weak become strong and the strong become legends. This is the story of how the gym life changed me from scrawny high school joker, to the beefy, confident joker you all know and hopefully love.

The first aspect of my life influenced by the gym was discipline, in the sense that it took discipline to head to the gym almost every day, even through muscle pain, as it was something I promised myself I would do. The gym enforced this discipline through difficulty and, when the results started showing, I felt that my discipline was rewarded, mainly through the subtle nods of respect from other regular gym users and the trainers. It showed

me that self-control and perseverance were not foreign, unattainable concepts, but simple, straightforward life choices anyone could make.

The next aspect of my life to improve was my confidence, both internal and external. I found that speaking to strangers became much easier, I smiled more and genuinely felt that my opinions of myself and how others perceived me had improved. Gone was the small, shy guy who wore baggy clothes and in his place a more outgoing, tight t-shirt wearing and confident person was revealed. The change, although long and tough, was definitely worth it.

One could almost say I felt more comfortable in my skin, which is still a big issue for many students transitioning from the clam of high school to the rush of university. If you have any insecurities, the gym will fix them, because it is not just a place to work out, but a place for you to get in touch with yourself and determine how you want to look to others as well as yourself. All in all, the gym, or more so investing in regular exercise and

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fitness, made me feel better about life in general.

Whether I am sad, happy, stressed, lethargic or simply confused with life, hitting the gym allows my mind some time to itself and usually I feel a whole lot better afterwards.

By now, you may have found out that I am a stern gym advocate, so I guess I should share my workout. My current plan is to go five times a week, every week, after class, with two chest and bicep days, two back and triceps days and one leg and arms day, because you can’t skip leg day no matter what the internet tells you.

By going after class, I clear my head and regain some energy back, so when I get home and have my protein shake, I’m ready to work on those assignments everyone in IBCoM has become so familiar with. I feel more focused and proactive and sometimes even get some studying in, well ahead of exam time. I know, crazy right?!

I truly believe that everyone should register for the gym, because it really did change my life for the better and it doesn’t take anything you don’t already have inside of you. Have you ever seen a sad body builder? Exactly, neither have I! Don’t take my word for it though, the trainers at Erasmus sport are more than happy to help you along the way and get you to where you want to be. Go on and take a chance!

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by PATRICIA WAHREN

Languages and the thing about the corridor “One language sets you in a corridor for life.

Two languages open every door along the way”.

- Frank Smith, contemporary British psycholinguist

Learning new languages n primary school, I started to learn English, followed by French and Spanish in high school.

Languages were always my favourite subject, although studying for vocabulary tests definitely wasn’t something I enjoyed. After having participated in two short-term exchanges in high school, I wanted to spend a longer period of time abroad to get to know a new country, a new culture and new people, but also to leave my comfort zone and to learn a new language. One year later, I found myself sitting in a plane headed towards Brazil. When I arrived there, I did not speak a single word of Portuguese and basically nobody spoke English. Luckily, however, my French and Spanish skills, as well as my holy dictionary, helped me communicate with my host family and classmates. After three months, I was already able to understand a lot and give simple answers in Portuguese, and after six months, I was able to speak fluently and understand everything.

I

I managed to learn and understand a completely new language thanks to my existing language skills, but also because of the situation I was in. Considering that English is not very common in Brazil, I had no other option than to learn Portuguese as quickly as possible. My exchange year was not just a year in my life, it was a life in a year that opened an entire new world for me, or door as Frank Smith likes to say. Today I can speak five languages, not all of them fluently, but I am able to communicate and say what I want to say. If this little excursion into my linguistic past inspired you as well to learn a new language or improve your existing skills, you should definitely consider to take a language

course, for example with Erasmus Language Sharing!

Erasmus Language Sharing If you are on a small budget, but still want to learn a new language, Erasmus Language Sharing (ELS) is the perfect solution. ELS started exactly two years ago in April 2015, initiated by two econometrics bachelor students, Florine and Jan. What makes ELS so special is that it runs on a by-students-forstudent-basis. This means they do not have professional languages teachers, but Erasmus University students who teach their native language to classes up to 15 students over a time period of 10 weeks.

Taking a Spanish class at the moment and being a German coach myself, I can assure you that ELS is a lot of fun. Not only because you get to know students from all around the world, but also because you get the chance to learn a new language for only 45 euros and you are given the unique opportunity to learn about a new culture from a native student. If you are up for a fun challenge besides your studies and if you would like to open a new door on your corridor, then get ready to learn a new language and get involved with a completely different culture.

German Crash Course What you absolutely need to know when you visit Germany My name is...

Ich heiße...

Where is the train/airport?

Wo ist der Bahnhof/ Flughafen?

Excuse me

Entschuldigung

I am hungry/thirsty.

Ich habe Hunger/Durst.

One (two/three) beer please!

Ein (zwei/drei) Bier bitte!

I love schnitzel!

Ich liebe Schnitzel!

I am (not) drunk.

Ich bin (nicht) betrunken.

Delicious!

Lecker!

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by SOPHIE DEFAIX

Friendship, fun times and learning moments

Student associations

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walked around our beautiful campus for the first time during the Eurekaweek of 2014. I felt like a scared little duckling, overwhelmed by all kinds of new impressions. I remember going to a debate between all five student associations in Rotterdam: RSC/RVSV, Laurentius, SSR, RSG, and NSR. I had always been a bit sceptic towards joining a student association, because I thought they were elitist and, let’s be honest, I was scared to death for the ‘introduction time’. I don’t know exactly why I ultimately changed my mind – maybe because of the people there, my fellow IBCoMmers in my Eurekaweek group, my parents (who both never joined, but still regret that decision) or the fact that I absolutely knew no-one here – but I enlisted at Laurentius on the last day.

The past three years have been filled with friendship, fun times and also tough learning moments. Needless to say that all the negative media coverage around Vindicat and the unfounded criticism on the student associations in general are difficult for me to process. On August 25, 2016, Dutch student associations were officially declared to be a part of the UNESCO cultural heritage. The amount of criticism this provoked was astonishing; I have heard so many people state, with full conviction, that “it’s ridiculous that drinking beers with friends is part of our cultural heritage.” Student associations are about more than drinking beers with friends and scoffing at first years; it’s about friendship, getting to know yourself and others, being a part of something bigger, tradition and unwritten rules. Let me introduce three unknown reasons why student associations add to your life: Student associations speed up the process of making friends. From the very beginning, you are taught that the people around you are your friends. Once

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the groups are established, you end up in stream of activities, assignments and parties that you end up spending so much time with them. This causes you to become really close to a number of people in a very short time. I have known my girlfriends for almost three years, but it feels like we have been friends for decades.

Especially the first year provides you with skills that you won’t learn in IBCoM. Time management, multitasking, organizational skills, social skills, accepting disappointments, tolerating authority, staying true to yourself… Need I say more? All kinds of skills that could be very valuable for the rest of your life.

It makes you feel included and gives you a reason to perform. Laurentius made me feel included in notime. I didn’t know anyone when I came to Rotterdam and after the introduction period of only two weeks, I knew tons of people and had an active social life with things to do almost every day of the week.

This especially encouraged me to get up early, study hard and do my best to make sure that I passed all my courses and I wouldn’t have to leave Rotterdam at the end of the first year. My friends and I also encouraged each other to push ourselves and achieve things and we still do this every day.

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These are actually the main reasons that I enjoy being a part of Laurentius so much, it’s not the drinking with friends or the scoffing at first years. And I’m sure that it doesn’t matter which association you join, because you’ll have fun everywhere. It’s not a must, but I would say it’s a big plus to your student life, also if you’re an international student. So whatever you do during your time as a student, make it count!

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GUEST ARTICLE

by MARLIJN VAN RAAIJ

How to join?

AIESEC Rotterdam

B

eing part of committees and organizations is fun and educational, but if you really want to have an impact on the world, why not join AIESEC? AIESEC is the world’s largest youth-led organization that creates a positive impact on the world through personal development and shared global experiences. Besides, AIESEC is a non-governmental, not-for-profit organization, working together with the United Nations. You can become part of AIESEC and make the most out of your experience and student life in two different ways:

1. Join one of our projects abroad. We have volunteer projects and professional internships all around the world. Every AIESEC project is linked to one of the Sustainable Development Goals (goals set up by the UN), therefore you know exactly how you are contributing to a better world.

Volunteer projects are between 6 to 8 weeks and we have more than 10,000 projects worldwide.

However, if you would rather work in a bigger company and even earn some salary, you can join the Global Talent program (3 to 18 months), or the Global Entrepreneur program (6 weeks to 3 months). Whatever country, time period or project you have in mind, we have so many different kind of opportunities that there is always something for you.

2. Join AIESEC is by becoming a member of our Local Committee: we have part-time and fulltime positions. Fulltime board positions start in August and part-timers are recruited in April and October. You will have the chance to help students from all around the world to have their own experience abroad. One main benefit is that AIESEC cares about self-development and developing leadership. During your AIESEC time you will get multiple trainings, visit several companies and work

on your self-reflection in order for you to develop yourself. But AIESEC is also about having fun: we have our weekly drinks and dinners, team bonding activities and the national conferences where, all members of the Dutch AIESEC will come together and do all kinds of trainings and fun things for a couple of days.

So are you ready for a new experience, while working in an international environment? Then head to www.aiesec.nl and sign up or walk by our office (NB-09) for a coffee and ask us any question you want.

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GUEST ARTICLE

by NAOMI VAN KALKEN

ACE: Longing for the summer

S

ince I am assuming that most of the people who will be reading this article are students, I am also assuming that most of the people here know studying can be drop-dead boring. After hours and hours of serious studying and academic material or five afternoons in a row in a warm, dull-looking lecture room, you are in need of some distraction!

When you read this, we at International Faculty Association ACE> are just finishing up our most busy time of the year. We had the IBCoM Awards, a night full of glamour, prizes and fun. In my most beautiful dress, I felt like a real Hollywood star. Then, there was the EXPO at WORM; this year, our theme was Colour and numerous artists showed their work, while enjoying drinks and music. Although the EXPO is more focused on Arts & Culture students, our History- and IBCoM-students had a great time as well! I’m very curious what they are going to do with the EXPO next year and what theme they’ll come up with. After the EXPO and IBCoM Awards, the Career Days awaited. Three days and many workshops and presentations later, everyone hopefully was a step closer to their future.

As a student, you’ll always want to distract your busy mind with fun things, but what people tend to forget, is that the summer holidays can also be very long and maybe even lonely. All of your friends are

having the time of their lives at tropical destinations, with a cocktail in their hands, while you are stuck at your parents’ house. So at those times, distraction is very welcome. Every year, in July, ACE> organizes the Long Trip. We’ve visited locations such as Russia, Israel and Albania and Montenegro, and I was very eager to know where we were going this summer. It turned out, our Long Trip committee had decided we were going to leave our (blue) mark on Sicily and Malta this year! I can’t wait to see what these places have to offer. I can see myself lying on the beach, with a nice glass of wine and some delicious Italian food, or climbing the Etna (who does not want to climb a volcano?!), or exploring the prehistoric temples of Malta. I can’t wait to discover all these things and, obviously, the nightlife along with twenty active ACE> students.

Writing this article, I am more and more longing for sumcmer. Even though there will first be finals, and then re-sits, the feeling of the sun shining and ice cream in my hand lingers.

I wish you all a great end to the study year and an even better summer!

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by SANDRA POST

IBA vs. IBCoM: who can eat the most?

The XXL Burger IBCoMpetition

T

here’s a whole world outside of IBCoM to explore, where you can do the craziest things you can imagine. At walking distance from the University, at Avenue Concordia, you’ll find a restaurant, called eetcafé Concordia. Here they offer a burger challenge for anyone who dares: 750-gram of meat consisting of 5 pieces of meat, 2 buns and loads of bacon and cheese, 500 grams of french fries and 250 grams of salad. This has to be finished within 30 minutes in order to win the challenge, after which you get the dinner for free, a burger challenge t-shirt and one of the desirable spots on the ‘Wall of Fame’. The IBCoMagazine team challenged an IBA student to do the Burger IBCoMpetition, IBA vs IBCoM. Together with the restaurant, we arranged an evening where our managing editor, Reyhaan King, challenged his roommate and IBA student Mathias Guenther. Our Photographer Camiel captured the whole event for you to see who won.

Ready, set, go!

Mathias (above) and Reyhaan (left) are ready to start. When the guys get their food, the timer starts and they - bravely and a little bit shocked - start eating. At this point, most of the food was still on their plate.

Still hopeful he is going to make it, Reyhaan is devouring his burger. It seems like a working system and he is ahead of his roommate.

Mathias is starting to have a hard time finishing his burger. The hope of finishing everything is slowly starting to fade away for Mathias, but Rey isn’t ready to give up. With time left, they bravely continue.

Unfortunately, Mathias gets disqualified after 25 minutes when he goes to the bathroom. By that time, he is halfway there. Reyhaan soldiers through, but does not get to empty his plate before the 30-minute timer goes off.

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Because Mathias was disqualified and Reyhaan managed to eat the whole burger, half of his fries and quite some salad, we would like to congratulate Rey as the winner of this burger challenge. Even though nobody ended up on the ‘Wall of Fame’ at Eetcafé Concordia, we still want to thank both guys for trying and the restaurant for letting us trash the place - some food ended up on the ground. For an even more detailed recap of this memorable evening and a breath-taking aftermovie, keep an eye on our blog!

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by VALERIJA DENAITYTE

Good reads for the busy kind Academic articles may be very educational, but we all crave something more... engaging sometimes. Luckily, most of us have some time left besides our studies to read a book of our own choosing - whether it takes a week or a full year to finish it. Not everyone is a reader, but there is something out there for everyone. This is an attempt at encompassing everyone’s reading needs and at awakening the reader inside us all.

FICTION

The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet - Becky Chambers An entry-level science-fiction tale, Chambers’ novel will likely not confuse or intimidate you with intense lingo. Instead, it tells the personal stories of the crew on a spaceship and the events that bring them together and tear them apart.

The Name of The Wind - Patrick Rothfuss A historic figure, a writer, and a protegée walk into an inn - there is no joke here; it’s the beginning of Rothfuss’ Kingkiller Chronicles. Kvothe narrates his life to his companions, from his nomadic childhood to his orphaned teens and prosperity in his later life. A modern fantasy classic for the adults who grew up on magic schools and maps in books.

Americanah - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Adichie is famous for her TED talk named ‘we should all be feminists’, but it’s her novels where her expertise with language comes into play. Her novels always center on Africa - often Nigeria - and in this particular novel, she tells a story of love across cultures and cultures across continents.

Station Eleven - Emily St. John Mandel The world has ended, but theatre never dies. In Mandel’s post-apocalyptic tale, you follow a theatre troupe after a virus has annihilated the majority of North America. Tracing stories across the past when everything was normal - all the way to a changed present, a mystery unravels in the shadow of disaster.

Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Terrible Things - Jenny Lawson Lawson’s recount of her mental health issues may feel alien, but there’s something recognizable for everyone, and most of all, it reminds you to keep going. Some days, time stands still and you don’t keep going. The book reminds you that that’s okay, too.

The Princess Saves Herself in This One - Amanda Lovelace Lovelace’s work is short, sweet, and easy to consume, but the poems pack a punch. “Ah, life- the thing that happens to us while we’re off somewhere else blowing on dandelions & wishing ourselves into the pages of our favorite fairy tales.”

non-FICTION

Modern Romance - Aziz Ansari Parks and Recreation-alum Ansari teams up with social scientists, fellow under-30s and residents of elderly homes to research just how romance works nowadays, and why it’s starkly different from romance that our parents and grandparents experienced.

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by CHI MAI

The art of clay, heat and magical hands...

Pottery

W

ith the summer approaching and the end of your classes in sight, it may be a good idea to consider picking up a new hobby to engage yourself. There’s a wide array of activities you can choose from, ranging from outdoor and indoor sports, to learning how to play new instruments. If you want to do something original this time, why not chose something unique that not many of your friends know, like pottery?

When I was young, my school used to organize day trips to a famous pottery village just a little way from the center of Hanoi. To the mind of an elementary-schooler, there was just something inherently grown-up about the idea of spending a day away from the watchful eyes of my parents. Though, of course, that wasn’t the only reason why I enjoyed them. I remember getting to make my own pottery. It was amazing how a bunch of rambunctious ten-year-olds could sit still and focus on something that requires so much finesse, but I guess that’s the thing with pottery: it’s strangely calming.

Pottery is certainly not the kind of hobby that you can easily show off to other people. I have never seen any talent show featuring a contestant spending an hour to create a bowl, and a vase is definitely not something you can lug around, like a guitar or a basketball. There’s not

as much glamour in picking up pottery as a hobby compared to photography or ball-room dancing. However, in its own way, it is certainly fulfilling and worth a try.

Becoming a potter is much like starting a relationship.

A relationship won’t grow on its own – it needs to be nurtured with love, care and patience. The clay is your partner and it’s not going to automatically fall into your arms. You need to start slow, work on your techniques and understand what you are getting into. There will be good days and bad days, but if you stick around then you will see the clay – murky and brown at first – bloom into pearly white, shining ceramic. And the best part?

It’s here to stay. Good ceramic can last for centuries and I, for once, enjoy the idea of something surviving years after I’m gone (as morbid as that is). It can give you a sense of accomplishment, it’s relaxing and fun.

How to start?

There are a few useful things that I have picked up while creeping around an interesting forum called ‘Ceramic Arts Daily’. It’s a community stock full of pottery enthusiasts who will gladly give a few pointers to beginners.

One thing to keep in mind is that it’s probably not wise to invest in professional equipment, as a starter, because it can be expensive. You should stick to the wheels and kilns in class at first. Once you decide that you want to take pottery further, you can consider splurging on them.

Several places in Rotterdam offer pottery classes for beginners. You can check out the website of Judina Keramiek or skvr.nl. On these websites, you can find not only information about pottery classes, but lessons on other art forms as well. If you don’t have the time or the money for classes, then try browsing through the suggestions on ‘Ceramic Arts Daily’, or follow these channels on Youtube: Simon Leach, Goldmark Gallery or Ingleton Pottery.

It never hurts to try out something new. Who knows, this might just be the thing you need to kick-start your inner artist.

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by SANDRA POST

Crazy job experiences Many students have jobs or internships outside of IBCoM to keep themselves busy. And every once in a while people make mistakes during their work. Most mistakes are not so horrible, as long as people won’t find out. Thus, we try to fix it or maybe cover it up as soon as possible. However, some situations are just hopeless and when you get caught, this can lead to some awkward situations. Others end up in a weird situation they are not prepared for.

Even though some of these stories might be hard to tell due to feelings of shame, we found some brave IBCoM students who were willing to share their most awkward and embarrassing stories about their work. They reached out to us and we want to thank them for their bravery.

The human kiwi “A year ago, I visited New Zealand on a Working Holiday Visa and worked on one of the famous kiwi fruit orchards. You have to imagine, as a picker, you are wearing a picking bag in front, in which you put the kiwis. If this bag is full, you empty it in a huge box. In doing so, I leaned over the edge of the box, just a bit too far. Due to the bag’s weight in front of me, I lost my balance and like a ripe kiwi fruit, landed in the box myself – headfirst.”

Alex, 1st year

Waitress for a day Being a waitress doesn’t sound too hard. It seems to be a fun part time job to earn a bit extra money. However, being a waitress is not suitable for everyone. A little talent or maybe some experience can save you from ending up in situations like this…

“Looking for a job to earn some money, I had convinced the boss of a little lunchroom that I would be able to work as a waitress, even though I had no experience.

She clearly didn’t believe me, but gave me a chance to prove myself anyway. With the benefit of the doubt, I got a trial day. On that day, I tried to look busy even though I had no clue what to do. The pressure got higher when the boss came in and sat at a table to silently observe me. I smiled and greeted her, but she looked right through me - that didn’t help. I got so nervous that I dropped some dishes in front of her and she just looked very unimpressed. After I cleaned up the mess, I got sent home with the message that ‘they would let me know’, which, of course, they never did. I decided then and there that the life of a waitress wasn’t for me.”

Yanniek, 3rd year

21 An unexpected kiss “Ever wondered what it’s like to work at a theme park?

Well, sometimes it can accidentally turn into emotional labour. During a normal working day, I had to rush to another attraction and just before reaching the attraction, I bumped into a visitor of our theme park. He was a rather tall blond man and, while bumping into him, I gave him a ‘kind of kiss’ on his cheek. Feeling extremely embarrassed, I apologized for this ‘incident’ and said it wasn’t on purpose. He took this incident rather chilled and after an awkward short silence, I smiled and went on to the attraction. Luckily, no other colleague saw this strange encounter between me and this guy.”

Sebastian, 1st year Strange meetings Not all crazy job experiences have to be shameful. Some of them are simply awkward and also quite unexpected. Not everybody will know how to respond or act in a situation like this, but David seemed to manage quite fine.

“I worked for a sales company for charity. They were helping young adolescents, who ended up on the streets. We went from door to door, trying to convince people to sign up. At one point, I was standing in front of another house and a young man opened the door, hardcore music in the background, golden tooth and a 010 tattoo under his eye. We started talking about youth in the street and he tells me this truly concerns him, given his similar background. Being curious, I asked him if he could tell me more about it. However, the answer he gave me came quite unexpected. In a calm voice, like it was nothing, he told me he had been in prison for attempting to kill a person and after getting out of prison, he had also ended up in the streets. At first, I was shocked and I did not really know what to say. The man himself was very kind and we talked some more. Eventually he signed up, even though he did not have much money himself. He actually was a really nice guy..”

David, 1st year

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by LIANNE DUSSELDORP & PATRICIA WAHREN

Uncovered

The truth behind those pretentious honours students “Don’t ask what Honours can do for you: Ask what you can do for Honours.”

F

or those of you who always strive for more challenges, more food for thought and more perspectives on the diverse and colourful field of communication and media, the IBCoM Honours Programme is the ideal place to broaden your horizon and start applying your acquired IBCoM knowledge to broader fields that you might have never thought about before. The HP is an extracurricular course, which runs over the first three academic terms, offered to IBCoM’s most ambitious and talented students. This academic year, the three topics were Urban Sustainability, The Project of Europe and City Marketing.

We started off with the topic of Urban Sustainability. Besides our academic sessions every Friday afternoon, we worked on case studies and we listened to guest speakers from the field of urbanism as well as sustainability. Also, we had the chance to

create a social media marketing campaign for Blue City, a circular economy project located in the old swimming pool Tropicana. In term 2, we focussed on the Project of Europe. Further, we went to the House of Europe in The Hague, we spent a night in Brussels and we visited the European Union institutions. Additionally, we had two insightful guest lectures by professionals from the field of politics, such as the head of press of the European Commission Representation Office in the Netherlands. The third term, which started in February, covered the topic of city marketing, particularly in relation to larger Dutch cities. To finish off our time as honours students we had an Honours Symposium, in which we presented to our parents, friends and other interested people what we learned and achieved during the past months.

To become one of these pretentious honours students, you will need some stamina, you will probably also need tons of tissues to wipe away your tears of frustration and helplessness (just kidding,

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it’s not that bad) and you will need a GPA of 7.5 or higher to receive an invitation. So, if you were looking for some motivation to ace term 4 and successfully finish year 1, here you go!

Not as scary as it seems “Open to IBCoM’s most talented and highly motivated students”, “a community of excellence” and “have GPA of 7.5 or higher”. Freaked out yet? Truthfully, the Honours Programme does sound quite prestigious on paper. Even after being accepted, you may still ask yourself how you will deliver what’s expected of you. However, once you’re in, you will discover that it is not as scary as it seems.

In fact, those ideas which may even sound crazy or far-fetched can be realised. Being a voice-over in a

reality show-like commercial about EU’s security?

Sure! Stalking professors for your own academic session and bribing them with cookies? Of course!

Creating memes for the European Commission’s social media strategy? Why not? It’s all up to you and what you wish to get out of your experience as an honours student. Naturally, there are those usual assignments and articles that you will have to get through and professional content is still expected of you. However, not all of the honours students got a pass on those pass/fail assignments and the majority still has not picked up Orwell’s ‘1984’ yet.

Instead, they are just a bunch of crazy people who figured that people might want to hear their even crazier ideas. You can lower that prestige bar now.

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by LIANNE DUSSELDORP

An emotional rollercoaster...

The IBCoMpanion Program Every year, around thirty enthusiastic second year students take responsibility over a group of first years and exchange students by becoming an IBCoMpanion. Sharing their insights into the IBCoM programme as well as teaching them some student life hacks, it’s their job to give the new students a head start in their IBCoM career. However, being an IBCoMpanion is also a journey of self-discovery. A few of this year’s IBCoMpanions reflect on their own experiences of being an IBCoMpanion: the fun activities, dealing with heartbreak and the lessons they have learned along the way.

Marguise Stearn: “Being able to experience these moments from the first year all over again was a lot of fun, because time goes by way too fast at IBCoM”.

Going up...

One of the perks of being an IBCoMpanion is that you can relive many of the fun moments from the first year all over again. Bootcamp in particular is one to look forward to, as this is for many one of the main reasons to become an IBCoMpanion in the first place.

Nico Heidari Tari: “Being an IBCoMpanion was amazing! My only regret is that I cannot go on bootcamp a third time.”

Bootcamp holds some fond memories for many IBCoM students as this is where the initial bonding between first years takes place. However, IBCoMpanions go through a bonding process themselves as well during those two days, which only evolves during the rest of the programme.

Giacomo Alpiani: “I really enjoyed the fact that I got to know so many first year students that I am good friends with now, as well as students from my own year, with whom I bonded even more over this experience!”

… and upside down As soon as the introductory activities are over, it’s up to the IBCoMpanions to organise meetups with their groups to keep track of their first months at IBCoM. However, organising such activities often seems easier said than done.

Reyhaan King: “It is hard when you and your partner put effort in organizing an exit room event and everyone says they can’t make it. You feel terrible and wonder what you did wrong, even if it had nothing to do with you at all.”

Although such times can be difficult to deal with, they are valuable learning moments as well. Björn Merckx: “One of the lessons that I learned is that it is very hard to please everybody and that not every single mentee is willing to come to all meetings nor join for fun activities, which is completely fine! Not everybody has the same interests and this is a valuable lesson for the future.”

Even when only a few people show up, you can still feel happy about the effort you put into the organisation. Valentina Petrovic: “There were also students who really wanted your help and this was very satisfying. It always feels nice to help others with what you have been through, because you know how difficult some situations can be, such as trying to juggle university, your job and personal life. Because I was able to help these students, I felt rewarded in the process as well.”

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Ready for a thrill?

The IBCoMpanion programme is one big collection of experiences which emphasizes personal development in particular. It is one through which first years and second years bond, learn and relive certain experiences, while at the same time making new memories. Although the programme was officially set for only two terms, for many it will last much longer. Who knows, you might just become the next IBCoMpanion yourself!

Alice Nour: “Being involved as an IBCoMpanion makes you feel like a closer member of the IBCoM community - I would have definitely liked to spend more time with the mentees, but the overall programme was a really fun bonding experience!�

Thank you, freshmen - It has been quite the ride.

Credits EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

MANAGING EDITOR

COPY EDITOR

WRITER

WRITER/BLOGGER

WRITER

Yanniek van Dooren

Reyhaan King

Sophie Defaix

Patricia Wahren

Valerija Denaityte

Chi Mai

WRITER

WRITER

WRITER

WRITER

BLOGGER

BLOGGER

Jeroen Adriaanse

Anestasia Tumchenok

Lianne Dusseldorp

Sandra Post

Anaelle Do Rego

Cara Sainsbury

PHOTOGRAPHER

PHOTOGRAPHER

PHOTOGRAPHER

ART DIRECTOR

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Camiel Endert

Fiandra Dewabrata

Ha Hoang

Joshua Kruter

Alp Gasimov

“Thank you for reading!”

- The IBCoMagazine Team