IBCoMagazine 2016-2017, issue 1 by IBCoMagazine

Issue 1 / November 2016

What’s new?! NEW & SCARY

A STUDENT’S VIEW ON PROGRAMMING A WELCOME HUG

BOOTCAMP IN A NUTSHELL ALL ABOUT EXCHANGE

OUTGOING EXCHANGE EXPERIENCES, YOUR DREAM DESTINATIONS AND MORE HOW TO NOT BE HOMELESS

TIPS ON HOUSING FOR NEW STUDENTS IN NEED NEW IN MEDIA

FIND OUT WHAT SHOWS, MUSIC, GAMES AND MOVIES TO LOOK OUT FOR!

EDITORIAL Yanniek van Dooren

Editor-in-Chief 2016-2017

hange is never easy. It means leaving the safety of your comfort zone, taking risks and accepting uncertainty, none of which are things that most of us naturally look forward to. And yet, it is change that allows us to grow, to expand our views and build new connections. It’s change that helps us become the people we eventually aspire to be. Every fall semester, ‘change’ is the key word for most IBCoM students and staff. As first years are getting used to their lives as students, many third years have already packed their bags and started a new adventure at a university abroad. Meanwhile, a fresh group of alumni is being sent off into the world, and our staff welcomes new members who are quickly trying to learn the ropes of their new positions. And the IBCoMagazine team is no different: we’ve gathered a completely new team of editors, writers, bloggers, photographers and artists, and are already implementing a lot of new strategies and ideas. It should come as no surprise, then, that the theme of this first issue of the year is ‘What’s new?’. What’s new in IBCoM,

in the IBCoMagazine and in the world around us? And perhaps more importantly, how do we respond to all the changes? In this issue, we celebrate change and embrace new experiences, ideas and connections. We welcome our new students and staff, wave our most recent class of graduates goodbye and check in with our outgoing exchange students, as well as with the second-years who are just starting to choose their own destinations for next year. We show you what’s new in the world around us and provide tips, tricks and life hacks to navigate the challenges of a new academic year – whether you just started IBCoM as a freshman or as an exchange student or are encountering the struggles of your second or third year. Because as much as we all change, grow and develop, we are still IBCoM. And like alumnus Lennart concluded in his graduation speech: “IBCoM wouldn’t be IBCoM if we didn’t lend each other a helping hand every once in a while.”

CONTENT 04 Welcome to adulthood

18 Who’s new?

• How to make the best of your time as a student

• Meet the new IBCoM Staff

05 All about exchange

22 Russia and the USA: a new Cold

• Outgoing exchange experiences, your dream destinations and more

10 New and scary

War? • Reyhaan’s view on the tension between these countries

• Jessica’s view on programming humanity and robo-ethics

12 Bootcamp 2016

• Tips on housing for students in need

• The experiences of a new first year

• Some background on our blog series

Teacher • Mélodine Sommier about her first experiences as an IBCoM lecturer

dent • When you don’t know where to go during the Christmas Break

14 Challenges of a new IBCoM

15 Fantastic Beasts

• ... & where to find them - Why this new J.K. Rowling movie will be worth watching

16 Student parties

• IBCoM’s top choices and why you should visit them

23 How to not be homeless

24 Humans of IBCoM

25 Top 3 places to travel as a stu-

26 New in media

• Shows, music, games and movies to look out for

28 Graduation

• About the event, our new graduates and behind the scenes

WELCOME TO ADULTHOOD

he academic year has begun and many first year students are experiencing an increase in responsibility. This increase may have come in the form of independent study, or it may have come in the form of taking responsibility for themselves in social environments. This independence is something which is central to the concept of adulthood, a concept which is refined within an individual throughout a university career. It’s also central to the idea of ‘new’ in that an increase in responsibilities is often caused by a change in your life or a new stage of life. While at university, it’s important to adopt a mature attitude in order to achieve our maximum potential. This is not just with our attitude towards our studies, but also our attitudes towards the people we meet. If we present ourselves with a mature attitude, we will earn respect from our peers which will prove to be useful while networking.

University is an amazing place to make connections with other people which could help us to advance our careers, as we will meet people who will go into various forms of employment. If we have their respect in both our academic field and as a mature individual, then we will more likely be remembered by them and to be remembered in a positive light like this could open many doors in the future. This forward-thinking is another aspect of the adult nature which we cultivate at university. I think that taking responsibility for ourselves is the core concept of adulthood, and university guides us on the path to adulthood by offering us varieties of support and assistance. It helps us to take responsibility for our work by giving us more opportunities to research and study in a mature environment and these are opportunities which we need to take complete advantage of.

by Fabian Gartland

all about

exchange

study abroad fair

the same: they loved being on exchange, it was a mind-opening experience and whatnot, and I understood that already. Nonetheless, their enthusiasm fuelled me to at least go through the process of applying for exchange. The most informative thing about the evening was the presentation given by Emma Hamilton, which obviously went into a more IBCoM specific explanation of the exchange and what it could mean to us. Then, there were a few students (again, current exchange students or alumni) who came to talk about their home universities or the universities they had gone on exchange to. It was refreshing to hear them talk about their universities enthusiastically, because it’s a different way of hearing about it. Where representatives of universities, who give information sessions professionally, praise the educational aspects, students talking about their home universities are much more interesting. As nice as it is to do interesting courses on exchange, it’s not really the first thing you think about. It’s a personal experience more than it’s an educational one. This was especially stressed by the last speaker, IBCoM alumnus Aeyiondy Dorant, who spoke so fondly of her experience abroad that it made me much more inclined to actually go through the experience. All in all, the study abroad fair was fun. On top of the information that you could get, you could also win a scholarship and our own writer, Patricia, won one of the prizes, so congrats! There’s more to those evenings than just gaining information - you can also get things like this done or inquire after other kinds of opportunities, such as language courses and internships here and abroad. I would go again next year, but let’s hope that by then, I’ll be on exchange already.

BY VALERIJA DENAITYTÉ

Tuesday nights are usually uneventful, to say the least. Halfway through the term, you’re too swamped to even consider going out with friends - at least if you’re an anxious turnip like myself. However, as a second year student, there is one really important Tuesday evening in the middle of term: the Study Abroad Fair! This year, it was on the 11th of October and the day had been dark and cold. The first thing I noticed was just how busy it was on the ground floor of Theil building. Silly me had assumed that it was mostly going to be people from our faculty, if not just IBCoM people. It turned out it consisted of the majority of the university’s second year students who were interested in going on exchange, as well as what seemed like a handful of master’s students. The stalls at which you could get information were mirrored through the long hall of Theil, and there was a ton of diversity in the organizations. I tried to get to as many as possible, and found representatives from, for example, ESN and ELS to the different faculties at the university. I’m pretty interested in going abroad, especially because the longest I’ve spent outside of the comfort bubble of friends and family is two weeks and I spent that time traipsing around Oxford and eating bad cafeteria food. So, I’m absolutely up for the experience, as are many of you who are reading this. It’s an awesome opportunity, which is kind of the consensus I gathered from asking the students present at the fair. There were a lot of students who are on exchange here in Rotterdam, and a few alumni who had returned from a previous exchange and were telling about it. As much as I adored learning about their experiences and their struggles, much of it sounded

exchange struggles: where to go? I think that we could all agree on the fact that exchange is an amazing opportunity that not everyone will get to experience. However, the process of applying is not very easy, as it requires a lot of paperwork. But one of the most difficult matters that you have to decide on before going is your destination. IBCoMagazine described a number of persona’s and linked those to the best destinations, so keep on reading if you want to find out where you should go on exchange! The Globetrotter The Globetrotter intends on going places from where they are located on exchange. They want to see more than the university city, town, or campus, and they expect to have a wide range of opportunities to see more of the world. That being said, their priority is not just getting an awesome experience in a certain country, but also to see more of the surrounding areas. Top tips: Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong Also consider: Mexico, Chile, India

The Campus Lover These people are truly and well into the college lifestyle that we have become familiar with from American movies. In no way are the Colonists boring, or will they lock themselves up in the campus and stay there -- but they sure as hell want to experience the nightlife and the endless opportunities that big, engaged universities offer them. Walking home at the wake of dawn is a routine for them, and they handle hangovers, 8 am classes and homework like a pro. Most days, at least. Top tips: USA, Canada, Australia Also consider: Austria, Sweden, Argentina

The Explorers The Explorers are similar to the Globetrotters, but their goal is to be adventurous more than to be well-versed in the many places close by. A person, or a student, like this, seeks out sometimes dangerous opportunities and doesn’t shy away from a little risk – as aware as they are that their safe return home is important. ‘Ain’t no mountain high enough, no river wide enough, no waterfall intimidating enough, to get these folks to back down.’ Top tips: Canada, Taiwan, Australia Also consider: New Zealand, Ireland, South-Africa

The Culture Connoisseurs Culture is everywhere, and these people want to experience it fully. Be it a starkly different community from the one they hail from, or just the opportunity to mingle with the locals of a place they thought they knew well preciously, the Culture Connoisseurs want to come back with an intensive, first-hand knowledge of culture, language and history that they can talk about for years to come. Top tips: China, Italy, South-Korea Also consider: Taiwan, India, Denmark

The Urbanists Bright lights and cityscapes are on an Urbanist’s mind. They want the skyscrapers that Rotterdam doesn’t have enough of, and they want to experience city life first hand. An urban campus is perfect for them -- rushing for morning coffee at that cafe, and then hailing a cab or the subway to whatever their destination is. They will wander around aimlessly in concrete alleys, finding nooks and crannies that sometimes even the locals don’t know about, and they’ll keep the secrets close to heart. Top tips: Hong Kong, Singapore, Mexico Also consider: Austria, Canada, Paris

The Aesthetes Ever heard of that phrase, do it for the this or that? These people will absolutely do it for the Insta. While all the places are beautiful to them, they will spend hours on Google and Flickr finding out what campus is the prettiest, what town is the most aesthetically pleasing and what natural surroundings are the greenest and will fit best with their favourite filters. The Aesthete is happy anywhere -- as long as it’s pleasing to the eye. Top tips: Italy, USA, New Zealand Also consider: Turkey, Czech Republic, Germany, Finland

The Horizon Chasers and the Horizon Scholars Hard to distinguish, but equally important, those who focus on their academic Horizons are definitely there. Taking classes abroad is mandatory, after all, and these two groups want to get the most out of the ranges of classes. There are two of them, because there are those who want to take a wide range of never before explored topics -- the Horizon Chasers -- and those who want to learn more about a certain topic, even if it’s from a completely different point of view -- these are the Horizon Scholars. It doesn’t matter which one you are -- you can still get the most out of your experience inside or outside of your university. You just happen to love what you’re studying a whole lot. BY VALERIJA DENAITYTÉ

Top tips for the Chasers: South Africa, Canada, USA Top tips for the Scholars: Denmark, Australia, Hong Kong

exchange stories Alexander Baanen – San Diego, USA Upon going to the United States, I was really excited to go to American University sports events. My expectations were high, but they couldn’t possibly match what was waiting for me when I visited a football game between the San Diego State University Aztecs and the University of California Golden Bears… “It had been an amazing day: the atmosphere, the tailgate, the band and the cheerleaders, the game – it was an unbelievable show that I will never forget.”

Femke Bijl – San Francisco, USA The moment I am writing this, I am already halfway through my time in San Francisco. San Francisco, 3 months ago a city I was not familiar with at all, and now it feels like my second home. Exchange is something that is changing you in a good way. You go to a complete different unfamiliar city, you meet new people and learn about different cultures or ways of living… “Besides meeting new people, seeing different areas of the world is of course another amazing part of your exchange.”

Ilayda Hagens – Sydney, Australia Unlike most other exchange students, I am since today officially done with all my classes and assignments here at UNSW and I couldn’t be happier or more excited to start the second part of this adventure which in my case means TRAVELLING! An exchange in Australia is just in so many ways different than anywhere else… “What makes it different is that you’re in freaking Australia and I can promise you there is no place like this. Especially studying in Sydney is just a dream come true, because every day literally feels like a holiday!”

Merle Ullrich – Madrid, Spain You would think if you know you will be going on exchange you are going to be perfectly prepared once you leave, but with my extended internship, I found myself on the plane to Madrid before I even had time to realize that the semester I had waited for since I started studying just began. Slightly overwhelmed, I jumped into a cab at the airport realizing that the cab driver barely spoke any English so I had to make use of my rusty Spanish skills a lot earlier than I’d have thought…

“The life in Madrid is truly vibrant and bubbly, almost everything happens outside. One of my favourite places throughout the hot days became the public pool at “Lago” and the massive beautiful park called “Retiro.”

Silvia Külling – Seoul, South Korea I was asked to write about my exchange experience in South Korea. First of all, never in my life have I met such friendly and welcoming people, especially if you try to thank them in Korean they most certainly will shower you with enthusiasm! Even though there are not that many people who are able to speak Korean , I have not yet met a local who did not go out of his/her way to help me with my issues…

“When I went to Busan my friend and me spontaneously decided to stay another night, without having booked any accommodation for the specific night. We simply went to a “Jim Jil Bang” (a traditional Korean dry sauna) at 3AM – yes, that is possible because there are 24 hour Jim Jil Bangs – and slept there overnight.”

The full stories will be posted on our blog next week: www.ibcomag.wordpress.nl

tips from exchange students Have you read about the study abroad fair, gone through the persona’s and enjoyed all the experiences of our current exchangers and you’re still not sure about your best destination? Then it’s time to read the best tips from people who have already chosen their destination – and are very happy about it!

Merle Ullrich (Madrid) “For me it was clear that I wanted to go to a Spanish speaking country in order to improve/pick up on my Spanish that I learned in high school - so that narrowed it down to Spain and the Latin American countries. My first choice would’ve been Santiago, but then I considered costs to live, to get there and also the high level of Spanish required going there, so I ended up picking Spain. I felt like I was going to be able to travel more and also afford a better lifestyle here. Deciding between Barcelona and Madrid was difficult too- in the end I chose Madrid because they speak Castillano (proper Spanish) and not Catalan here, because I liked the courses offered at the university better and also because I had never been to Madrid but visited Barcelona before!” Anna Mlikota (London) “I chose based on two reasons: I wanted to be somewhere where I was fluent in the native language. I had London and Paris as my top two. Then I based it on personal experience, I’ve never been to the UK, but went to a British school throughout my childhood, so I knew I wanted to be either in the UK or in Paris where I was born, but my parents moved away when I was pretty young. I don’t think these are popular reasons though! A lot of people just wanted to be in a culture completely different than their own in order to experience something new.”

Femke Bijl (San Francisco) “Choosing your destination can be difficult, but ask yourself, did you have certain dreams when you were younger? Was there a particular country you already been to and just fell in love with? Or is there a country you just desperately want to experience? In my case, choosing the destination was not that hard. I went to the USA quite a lot during summer and other holidays, and I knew from the first moment on that I wanted to experience being a student over there. I didn’t regret it at all and it was the best decision I have ever made. If I would have to give some advice about choosing your destination and writing your motivation letter, I would say stay really close to yourself. This sounds cliché, but I wrote my motivation letter in 15 – 20 minutes. Of course after that, it was time to check it over and over again, but the basis of my letter was on paper. It was me, it were my words and it was (is!) my dream. Good luck with choosing your destinations and make the best of it!” Ilayda Hagens (Sydney) “If I can give you one piece of advice about deciding your destination it would be the most cliché thing ever said in human history: Follow your heart! I almost considered not even putting Sydney on my list out of fear I wouldn’t make a chance, because of my GPA, but that would’ve been the biggest mistake ever. If you have one place your heart screams for or you’re particularly drawn to, just go for it!” Silvia Külling (South Korea) “Don’t choose a destination based on its popularity, but choose one that you want to get to know more about. I’m sure it will surprise you more than you would think!”

STUDENT’S COLUMN

new & scary:

PR0GRAMM1NG HUM4N1TY

obotic technology is not in the future, it is here and now. And it’s scary to think how something that seems unimaginable in the 90’s, besides in sci-fi movies, can be our reality. We can debate how new the field of ‘robotics’ is, since we are well aware of the existence of military drones, driverless cars, and advanced robotics in the medical world. Their ethical dilemmas are constantly under discussion, as this technology has a lot of potential for destruction. How can robotics touch the lives of the ‘common man’ –not implying that we aren’t all incredibly gifted in many ways– when the technology seems so far off? The answer is easy: when we can find robot in our own household. Meet Pepper, the first ‘social robot’ originated in Japan. Pepper is one of the three humanoid robots developed by SoftBank Robotics in the last

decade. This adorably designed piece of machinery is solely created to identify and interact with human emotions. With multiple HD cameras in combination with four microphones placed on his head, the makers of Pepper have recreated a robotic sensory system that can identify your locations and analyse the emotional tone in your voice and of your face. SoftBank Robotics markets Pepper as the quirky little brother your family never knew they needed. However, what exactly makes Pepper so ‘human-like’? Through what SoftBank calls ‘’the Emotion engine’’, Pepper is able to perceive emotions, analyse them, and adapt to your needs. This is not a simple linear process, because Pepper will learn how to suit you as closely as possible and will adjust his own attitude. He is able to detect patterns in your behaviour, and will either share your

joy when you’re happy, or comfort you when you’re sad. Pepper sounds like the perfect partner to my morning moodiness. Throwback to 1950, when Isaac Asimov — a well-known sci-fi writer of books such as I, Robot — set three fundamental guidelines for robo-ethics. First of all, laws have to be put into place to determine where the responsibilities lie in the product creation of the robot. Secondly, ethics should be embedded within the robots themselves. And lastly, collaboration and transparency should be present between all stakeholders. Designers, engineers, ethicists, policymakers, lawyers, and the target audience, should all be involved in responsibly innovating new technology. Now fast-forward to the present, where the age of personalized robotics is just at the brink of dawn. Artificial intelligence is rapidly advancing and the ability to collect and process data at an exponential rate will push personal robots into making important decisions as their capabilities increase. The amount of data will be beyond our human reach and the robot will be left alone to contemplate what is ‘ethical’. Isaac Asimov encourages us to embed our ethics within the robot, before any moral dilemma comes to the table and humans don’t have control in the matter. However, how are we able to transfer human values to an artificial body? And if we know how, whose values do we pick? And if we’ve somehow decided on the perfect set of values, do we really want to hand them over to a non-living object? Who knew that programming humanity could be so complicated, right? Even with a non-threatening ‘simple’ household robot such as Pepper, many moral questions come to mind with this new piece of technology. How is it possible to responsibly transfer our moral values — the essence of humanity— over to another entity? It’s up to us, as a collective whole representing the current state of humanity, to choose if we want to embed morality in artificial intelligence and leave it up to artificial intelligence to decide what is good for us mere mortals or, to limit their technological capabilities to linear decision making, and keep our perceived ‘control’ over humanity. That’s the problem with any new technology. Only through trial and error can we know which path is the least destructive one.

by Jessica van Wijgerden

JESSICA VAN WIJGERDEN

BOOTCAMP

by Mai Chi

“a welcome hug for the start of a new journey”

umans possess a never-ending desire to establish relationships, especially when they’re in a new environment or making friends, to be more specific. The joy, the ease, the assurance, the security – these are the things that attract us, that drive us to madly chase after friendships wherever we are. My home is approximately 9649 kilometres away from the Netherlands. When I embarked upon this exciting, and decidedly frightening, journey to study in a foreign country, one of my first and most pressing concerns was not how I would fair living so far away from the comfort of my home. I should have been more worried about, say, finding a room to rent, ensuring that I had sufficient means of transportation, or managing my money in a way so that I wouldn’t starve by the end of the month. But all of those things seemed almost trivial compared to the very real, very daunting issue that I would, at first, be alone.

None of my family or friends would be here, and for someone who was quite clumsy at talking to strangers, I realized that my difficulty in creating friendship would overshadow any other problems I might encounter. The Bootcamp helped easing my worries immensely. I didn’t know what to expect at first – after all, it

Bruinisse. It was a beautiful, sunny day, everyone around me was buzzing with conversation and then there was me, earphones in, sleeping for the entire bus ride – the very epitome of anti-social! Despite my less than enthusiastic start, by the end of the trip, I was pleasantly surprised or impressed, to be more accurate. Not so much

was not until the day of the deadline to sign up that I decided it was worth a try. I was somewhat curious about what we might do for two days and one night in a little seaside town, but I was not particularly excited on the day we departed for

by the individual activity, but more because together, those activities gave me the chance to meet so many new people – my future classmates. We might not share our deepest, darkest secrets (because, honestly, that would have been quite weird), but we had gre-

at fun sitting under the sun, getting to know one another during the Speed dating and Ice breaking games, and competing against other teams in the mini Olympic. Growing up in an Asian country, I considered myself to have mastered the art of using chopsticks and yet, that confidence was challenged when one of the games required us to transfer marbles from one bowl to another using chopsticks. I had never really thought about how difficult it was to manage those slippery, annoying little balls using nothing but two thin sticks made of bamboo until that moment. What an eye-opening experience it was! The highlight of the trip was the night of the ‘Around the world’ theme party. Like any other party, there was music, there was dim light and there were free drinks. What was not so typical was the fact that everyone was dressed up in some way that would resemble their home countries. It was truly exciting to see so many people running around in colourful clothing that I had never seen before – from a simple scarf to a full bodysuit completed with puffy wig. Unsurprisingly, the colour orange dominated and much as I was not a big fan of it, I truly enjoyed seeing the shirts, the

hats and the dresses on display that night. I remembered nursing a beer under the dim lights of the warehouse, leaning in close to talk to others as it was impossible to properly hear anything over the loud music. Around me, everyone was dancing, laughing, tethering on the brink of tipsiness and the jovial mood was infectious. Moreover, I was sitting with my new friends outside the warehouse, the darkness of the night encompassing us as we enjoyed the light breeze and the company of each other. The stars were shining bright in the sky – it was truly rare to see them in the city where it was almost blinding even at night. We talked of nothing of substance, but I was content by the knowledge that I wasn’t alone. These were the people that I would study with for the next three years and Bootcamp had allowed me to get to know them first.

The next morning was, in a way, much more subdued, with so many people nursing a hangover and others grumpy from lack of sleep. Still, we had a fun time during the Pub Quiz (where nobody seemed to be able to recall the name of Narcotic) and when everyone sprawled lazily on the lawn after lunch. We left for Rotterdam afterwards and that was the end of my first Bootcamp. This trip made me feel welcomed and hopeful for the new school year. To me, at least, what was most memorable about Bootcamp was not what we did, where we were and what food we had for each meal (although that was certainly important). No, it was the fact that Bootcamp was a chance to meet new people, to enjoy sharing silly stories and to create friendships that would last. I guess that in the end, for any new students, those are the things that matter the most.

TEACHER’S COLUMN

Challenges of a new IBCoM teacher

he day of a lecturer at the Department can be pretty busy: preparing tutorials, teaching, running to the printer, grading papers on Blackboard, answering emails, revising an article hoping it will finally be published, working on an abstract for a conference, entering grades in Osiris, etc. etc. For a new lecturer at the department, all of these tasks can take twice as long since every little thing raises millions of questions. You hear everybody talk about ‘black board’ and you wonder whether it can really be so that people here are so old-fashioned they actually still use chalk! They do not. Suddenly Osiris comes up in every discussion and you start babbling about Egyptian mythology. Wrong again. Luckily there is always somebody to show you the ropes. So at first, getting it right takes a bit of extra time every day, but by now most things seem to have fallen into place. On a typical day, most of my time goes to teaching, either focusing on preparing content, actually teaching, or (everybody’s favourite) grading papers. I like to come in early in the morning and get all kinds of small things done before heading to my first class. I am a very strong believer in lists, so the more I can cross off, the happier I am. Coming in early is worth it, because then you actually need to have a coffee break at 10am, which is when the Department has its fika (aka, a 15-minute break when you actually have a chance of bumping into colleagues who are otherwise busy preparing tutorials, teaching, running to the printer, grading papers on Blackboard, answering emails, revising an article hoping it will finally be published, working on an abstract for a conference, entering grades in Osiris). Once all the teaching-related tasks are covered (which never happens but you have to pretend it does, just so you can move on for a while) there is finally time for research. That means collecting some new data, analysing materials that you already have, and finding a long enough period of time to dive in and actually write. On a daily

basis, making time to concentrate on research and blocking out all possible distractions is probably the hardest. That’s a challenge most students also face. So I guess it’s good that teachers also have constant reminders of what it actually takes to sit down and get a paper done by the deadline. Then comes the end of the day, which (ideally) means it’s time to forget about all the things left on my to-do list until the next morning. So far my evenings have been quite busy and I haven’t always been able to just sit back and relax. I am hoping that in the next months, as I get better acquainted with everything, I will have more opportunities to properly unwind in the evenings: eating nice food, doing sport, and, most importantly, wandering around Rotterdam to properly explore my new home city!

MÉLODINE SOMMIER

“Why this new J.K. Rowling movie will be worth watching”

FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM

nce, my greatest wish was to receive a Hogwarts letter on my eleventh birthday so I could go to Hogwarts and never have to study math again. That wish, of course, faded with time as I grew up, but my fascination with Harry Potter and the magical world that author Joanne Katherine Rowling had created with her masterful penmanship never did. I read every book, watched every movie and felt the same kind of emptiness every Harry Potter fan felt when the last one came out. The magical journey that defined my childhood had come to an end. And then ‘Fantastic beasts and where to find them’ was announced. The three trailers, especially the last one, were enough to get every fan excited. How outrageous it is that after all these years, J. K. Rowling still has the power to make me feel the same way I did when I was eleven years old. Set in the 20th century, the story follows the adventure of Newt Scamander, acclaimed author of ‘Fantastic beasts and where to find them’, as he arrived in New York nearing the end of his world travel. He brings with him a case full of magical creatures that he has discovered during his tour. Through some accidents, those creatures escaped the sanctuary of his magic case, wreaking havoc on a city already tense with suspicion from the non-magical community. It is Newt’s responsibility to find his creatures, but what starts out as a simple mission might soon turn into the start of a war. This movie steers away from the familiar England backdrop, from the majestic sight of Hogwarts and even from the word ‘Muggle’ itself. Here, those who do not possess magic are referred to

by Mai Chi as the ‘No-maj’ – a term which perfectly sums up the straight-forward, no-nonsense attitude of the American ministry of magic. They prefer rules and order, and Newt, with his quirks and his creatures, will surely give them a lot more trouble than they are comfortable with. ‘Fantastic beasts and where to find them’ is the first instalment in a trilogy with J. K. Rowling as the screenplay writer. It gives us the chance to explore the world of magic beyond the border of the UK and the era before Voldemort and Harry Potter. The trailers have only provided us with a few glimpses into the movie, but already I am sure that this is the start of a breath-taking, exciting journey. It has little of the children friendly innocence of the first few Harry Potter movies; it is magic for the grown-ups, dare I say, for those growing up with Harry Potter and are now ready to venture into something more mature, darker, but no less magical. Mark the date. ‘Fantastic Beasts and where to find them’ will be out in theatres on November 26th, 2016.

L A ON

Partying is as much a part of student life as studying is - only the proportions differ for each of us. In the middle of autumn, first years are getting to know their way around Rotterdam nightlife, and second years are either going to the “old favourites” from last year, apparently still feeling nostalgic, or exploring the new options on the Rotterdam party scene. Meanwhile, third years who didn’t go on exchange are partying hard before the thesis time comes. To assess international students events, we conducted a poll among all IBCoM students to determine which ones they consider to be the best. So if you’re looking for a fun, new party in Rotterdam, keep reading for the poll results, event reviews and students’ comments.

I S T E I A T N R ER PA

T N I UDENT ST

or a quick overview, ‘Taste’ was rated as the least popular event, followed by parties hosted by STAR (the RSM’s student organization) and events by CHIPS. Then, Global Beats and ACE had the same amount of votes and just a bit more popular seemed to be the ESN parties. The absolute leader among IBCoM students turned out to be Crossroads, which is not really surprising, considering the amount of familiar faces on each party. Let’s review all of these events. TASTE is a student party dedicated to music, thus, if you love techno, deep-house, techhouse and so on you should certainly go and check it out. Usually the parties are held at the TOFFLER club near Stadhuis. Providing the techno experience, it’s something that many IBCoM students could potentially be interested in, but not on a weekly basis. Next, parties hosted by RSM’s student association STAR, might be popular for IBCoM students who have quite a few friends in IBA, or first years who were impressed by their Year Opening party, which most people consider to be their best event. CHIPS is a popular event, not only among students, but also among other young Rotterdammers. CHIPS is held every Thursday at club ‘BAR’ near Stadhuis and should certainly be

on your go-to party list for a great night-out experience. One of the IBCoM students referred to it as, “the only real hip-hop club that students can attend” and another student said she likes it “because of the vibe and music there”. The party animals from GLOBAL BEATS call their parties “number one international student parties”. They are hosted almost every month and they usually take place at Club Villa Thalia. Their parties are an extraordinary experience, as they often involve a great deal of special effects, like robots or light shows. We suggest you go at least once, as it is an awesome way of partying.

ACE, ESHCC’s “international faculty association”, hosts more social drink-like parties. If you want to get to know your fellow students, this is the place to be for both socializing and networking. Lastly, before mentioning the winner among IBCoM students, parties organized by Erasmus Student Network (ESN) are very popular. ESN is a student organization for international higher education in Europe and it was founded in Brussels. They aim to provide opportunities for self-development and cultural understanding, under the principle of Students Helping Students. Even though they are a serious organization, parties presented by ESN Rotterdam are extremely popular, often held in different locations, which you can check out on Facebook. One of the recent ones was “Ibiza White Party” in Club Villa Thalia, and it was pretty crowded. Furthermore, they organize “ESN Tuesdays” with different themes, which are quite popular week after week and definitely something to keep in mind when you want a taste of what ESN parties are like. Now, let us present you the winner, even though lots of IBCoM students have already been

there: CROSSROADS! For many students, it became a Wednesday night tradition, first hosted by club ‘Blender’, on Witte de With. This year, Crossroads moved to ‘Nora’, which was previously club ‘Bed’. Moreover, Crossroads already hosted an XL edition at the ‘Club Vie’ this year, which proved to be extremely popular. A lot of people, especially studying IBCoM, love Crossroads because it’s a great place to meet the majority of your fellow students, if either one of you is not a frequent lectures attendant. If that is not enough reasons to be enthusiastic about checking it out, they also have a series of themed parties. One of the students stated about these parties: “The Crossroads 80’s and 90’s parties are two my favourite parties of the year! Who doesn’t love singing along and dancing on some good oldies but goldies?” So, if you have never been to the Crossroads, I guess now you know that it is a place to be!

By Anastasia Tumchenok

WHO ARE THE NEW MEMBERS OF THE IBCOM STAFF? This academic year a total of 12 new teachers, coming from all over the world, joined the IBCoM staff. We were curious to hear about their personal and academic background, so we interviewed all of them to get to know them a little better. By Nikki Tuboly and Patricia Wahren

Dr. Vasiliki Tsagkroni

Nationality: Greece Current position at IBCoM: Lecturer Bachelor: Political Science and History (in Greece) Master: Political Analysis (in Greece) PhD: Political Communication (in the UK) Favourite movie: Hedwig and the Angry Inch Fun fact: I am a proud owner of a Hedgehog, named Hitchcock. Your advice: “Embrace as much in student life as you can. You will appreciate it a lot in the future!”

Thomas Teekens

Nationality: The Netherlands Current position at IBCoM: Lecturer Bachelor: Algemene Cultuurwetenschappen, Arts and Culture Studies (EUR) Master: Research Master in Sociology of Arts, Media and Culture (EUR) Favourite movie: 2001: A Space Odyssey Fun fact: I have a cat, named Ikea Your advice: “First, go to the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, it cost only 9 Euro for students under 26 years. Second, if you have the opportunity to go an exchange, go!”

Dr. Jeremiah Spence

Nationality: United States Current position at IBCoM: Assistant Professor Bachelor: Latin American and Brazilian Studies (University of Texas, Austin) Master: International Communications Theory (University of Texas, Austin) Favourite movie: Citizen Kane Fun fact: Besides being a Texan, I am also 25 % Italian and 25% Dutch. My grandparents left Rotterdam at the Holland America Terminal in 1923 and went to America. Your advice: “Find what it is you want to study and dedicate yourself to that!”

Dr. Joep Hofhuis

Nationality: The Netherlands Current position at IBCoM: Assistant Professor Bachelor: Psychology Master: Organisational Psychology PhD: Organisational Psychology (University of Groningen) Favourite artists: The Dire Strats and Ben Caplin #1 on your bucket list: I’m a guitarist, so my dream is to bring out an album with my band! Best thing about your new job: What I like most is that not just the students, but also the lecturers are very international.

Julia de Vogel

Nationality: The Netherlands Current position at IBCoM: Junior Lecturer Bachelor: IBCoM (EUR) Master: Media and Journalism (EUR) Favourite movie: Love Actually Fun fact: I have two dogs and a cat. The cat is the boss! Your advice: “Find a balance between studying hard and making the most of your time as a student because it flies by!”

Dr. Ana Uribe Sandoval

Nationality: Mexico / United States Current position at IBCoM: Lecturer Bachelor: Media and Communication (in Mexico) Master: Corporate Communication & Public Management (in Barcelona, Spain) PhD: Politics, Media & Society (in Barcelona, Spain) Favourite movie: Tinbergen movies, La Haine and Pulp Fiction Fun fact: I have been writing a blog for 14 years! Your advice: “Be curious! Go to as many movies, parties, and exhibitions as you can! Try to also experience things that you don’t immediately like.”

Dr. Mélodine Sommier

Nationality: France Current position at IBCoM: Assistant Professor Bachelor: English language and literature Master: Intercultural Communication PhD: Intercultural Communication Favourite artist: Right now with the autumn starting I have been listening to Norah Jones a lot. What’s new in your life: Well, I have been in the Netherlands for less than 2 months so that still feels pretty new! Favourite place you have visited: I really liked the energy of Amsterdam.

Dr. C. Herzog

Nationality: Germany Current position at IBCoM: Lecturer Bachelor: Media, Communication and Political Science (in Bavaria) Master: Mass Communication and Journalism (in New Zealand) PhD: Media Political Economy and Media Policy (in the UK) Favourite music: I like to collect jazz, funk, rare groove and disco (edits) records, to name just a few. Favorite place you have visited: Island hopping in French Polynesia was fantastic and a memorable experience.

Mart Willekens

Nationality: Belgium Current position at IBCoM: Lecturer Bachelor: Sociology and Philosophy (Catholic University of Leuven) Master: ‘Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences’ as a preparation for my PhD PhD: ‘Providers and Carriers of Capital: Four Studies on Men and Women in the Cultural Capital Paradigm’ (Ghent University) Favourite movie: Rosetta! I’m also a fan of music documentaries and mockumentaries like ‘This Is Spinal Tap’, ‘Anvil! The Story of Anvil’ and ‘Some Kind of Monster’. Fun fact: I was a pretty big “cell phone laggard” for working at the department of media and communication: I did not have a phone throughout my bachelors and I bought my first cell phone (a cheap Nokia) in 2007. Your advice: “Try not to spend too much time on your computer or cellphone and enjoy your time here at Erasmus University!”

Chei Billedo

Nationality: Philippines Current position at IBCoM: Lecturer Bachelor: Social Psychology (University of the Philippines in Quezon City) Master: Social Psychology (University of the Philippines in Quezon City) PhD: Currently doing my PhD at VU Amsterdam on the impact of social network sites on relationship maintenance, adjustment and well-being of international students. Favourite movie: Despicable Me Fun fact: I am a scuba diver, mountain climber and belly dancer. Your advice: “Value your education and be of service to humanity.”

Willemijn Dortant

Nationality: The Netherlands Current position at IBCoM: Assistant Professor Bachelor: Sociology (University of Utrecht) Master: Sociology of Culture Media and the Arts (EUR) Favourite artists: Florence and the Machine, the Last Shadow Puppets, Janis Joplin, Paolo Nutini and many other indie-soul artists as well. #1 on your bucket list: Living for some time in Budapest, making graffiti artwork, write as a critical columnist, make a taste-world-tour and join the Elfstedentocht. Best thing about your new job: That I can (hopefully) show students how useful and fun social science research is!

Daniela Bartos

Nationality: Czechoslovakia (does not exist anymore) Current position at IBCoM: Lecturer Bachelor: Adult and Continuing Education (in Bratislava) Master: Adult and Continuing Education (in Bratislava and Prague) and Communications Policy (in London) Favourite movie: Scandinavian thrillers and drama films/series or BBC documentaries (and many others, I love independent films and foreign-language especially). Fun fact: I know someone from about every country in the word. As a true cosmopolitan person, (I have lived in 8 countries, and travelled extensively to different continents) I meet amazing variety of people from different countries and cultures. And if I don’t meet them on my travel, I would meet then in London, where I had lived for the last 15 years. Best thing about your new job: That I can (hopefully) show students how useful and fun social science research is! Your advice: “I will give you three as they are related: 1. Learn by doing. Don’t be scared of experimenting and experiencing. 2. Use your creativity and analytical approach to ‘connect the dots’ (this can only be done retrospectively, so emerge yourself in a variety of experiences as you never know what connections can be then made). 3. Don’t clinch on expectations, rather think of doing something unexpected.”

Russia and the USA: the new Cold War

urn on your laptop and Google Russia vs. the USA; trust me, just do it. You will find a number of links to the rising tensions between the two nations coupled with an almost apocalyptic tone. I suggest looking at a couple of sites like I did, Aljazeera, CNN, NBC, BBC just to get a holistic idea at what is going on in the world today. While conducting an online search for news article for the International and Global Communication press review, I came across an article with the bold title “USA and Russia enter a new cold war” on a blog run by a former US government official. However, this was not pertinent to my assignment, so I put it aside for a time when I could examine both sides of the story. First, let’s look at what has been happening between the two nations in the past few months. The US recently accused Russia of trying to interfere

Things seem to be getting rather politically turbulent, however, this is no cause for alarm, as things are very different compared to the world in which the first cold war took place. Today, the USA and Russia are no longer on the same power level and neither one is trying to invade the other or change their political ideology. The world is also much more connected than before, so any action taken by either one of these nations will be held up to the scrutiny of the world. I don’t think we will sit back and usher in a nuclear winter without objection right? So what is the point of it all? An article from Foreign Policy magazine mentioned tension is rising in Russia due to “significant internal economic pressure” resulting from low oil prices and sanctions. The USA feels inclined to intervene due to “disaggregated” European Union. So, in essence, it’s a juvenile vie for power on the playground of the world. In all honesty, I don’t believe we are heading for nuclear fallout, I think we just have a case of greatly opposing ideologies from nations that insist on imposing their ideologies on the entire world. The media will try to blow this idea out of proportion (no pun intended), so I suggest that you double check whatever you hear about this conflict. Although times are indeed tough, let’s not forget the huge steps we have made as a global society toward peace, and let’s hope this “new cold war” becomes but a distant memory like the first one.

by Reyhaan King

with their elections through cyberattacks. Russia has recently used its veto power in the United Nations Security Council regarding airstrikes in Aleppo, Syria. The article on Aljazeera includes twenty-minute debate on this, which I recommend you watch if you’re interested in this topic or if you want to broaden your knowledge. Both nations have run PR campaigns against the other and “relations between both nations is at the lowest point in decades” as stated in an article by NBC news.

Aljazeera,. (2016). Are Russia and the US entering a new Cold War?. Aljazeera.com. Retrieved 12 October 2016, from http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/insidestory/2016/10/russia- entering-cold-war-161010171212029.html

Dilanian, K. (2016). A new Cold War? Russia, U.S. relations at lowest point since 1970s. NBC News. Retrieved 12 October 2016, from http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/new-cold-war- russia-u-s-relations-lowest-point-1970s-n660126\

Stavridis, J. (2016). Are We Entering a New Cold War?. Foreign Policy. Retrieved 14 October 2016, from http://foreignpolicy. com/2016/02/17/are-we-entering-a-new-cold-war-russia-europe/

HOMELESS:HOUSING

NOT BE

HOW

TIPS FOR

by Fabian Gartland Coming to a new city is already an exciting and thrilling experience, but it can easily turn into a terrible situation if you can’t find housing quickly enough. Therefore, we made a selection of our best tips to find your own place on time. Start your search early There is no such thing as looking for housing too early! People who look for houses for their next year early often have more success with finding a good house. I began to look for my house for my second year of study around Christmas and I encountered very few difficulties finding and securing a place. The earlier you start looking the better, because there will always be competition for housing. If you are searching alone, starting early would be a good idea because there may be groups of people who want a house but don’t have enough people yet. These people will often post on Facebook groups throughout the year, so you might be able to find a place with new people if you keep your eyes and ears open.

Be prepared to make sacrifices When moving to Rotterdam, you must remember that it’s a busy city with a lot of people searching for housing. For the majority of people, the process of finding a house takes a while. Because of the shortage of immediate housing, the university has links with several hostels around the city which you can stay in while looking for a house. This shortage of housing means that you must actively prioritise what you are looking for in a house. This could be how close the house is to the university or keeping within a budget. The price for room rental in Rotterdam begins at around €300 to 400, however, you must remember that you will most likely have to make sacrifices with regard to amenities or comfort.

Be in a group This is one of the best tips for students who are looking for housing. You will significantly reduce the amount of stress involved with finding a house if you search for housing as a group. Groups of three to six people are often best, as the majority of housing available to students accommodate groups of these sizes. I would highly recommend living with people from your course so that you can work together and motivate each other (something which will come in very useful around exam time). That doesn’t mean that you should only look for people from your courses, as having housemates with mutual interests and hobbies makes for a lot of fun! Use an agency Before I arrived at the University, I was sent a list of websites which I could use to find housing. These sites allow you to choose your date of arrival, which make searching for a house in advance much easier! HousingAnywhere, Nestpick and RoomPlaza were my favourite websites to use because of the large variety of accommodation which they offer for both groups and individuals. While using one of these websites may charge you a fee for using their website to find a house, they provide a valuable service in finding rental accommodation. Houses rented through agencies may also demand a higher deposit at the beginning of your tenancy, but if you behave you should get it all back!

about it on our blog: www. ibcomag.wordpress.com.

I bet everyone reading this article has heard of Humans of …, the media hype that requires journalists to go out on the street and ask people all about their personal lives to get a great story that captures the attention of everyone on the internet. It all started with the blog, called Humans of New York, written by Brandon Stanton. He became unemployed

in 2010 and started doing what he actually loved, instead of what brings money in. He bought a quality camera from his last money and spent the first six months shooting 10,000 portraits of people on the street.

Once the Humans of New York concept became successful, people all around the world started to copy it. And last year, the IBCoMagazine decided to join the bandwagon by publishing quotes by our fellow Humans of IBCoM and Rotterdam. This year, we wanted to elaborate on that and really get to know our fellow students. Where do they come from, what do they want to do in the future? What inspires them, what drives them, and what can we learn from them? You will read all

Twice per month, one of our dedicated bloggers and one of the photographers meet up with their ‘Human of IBCoM’ to talk about personal topics, such as life outside of university, expectations of and thoughts on IBCoM, life advice, personal backgrounds and many more topics. We want to get to know as many different people that are involved with IBCoM as possible: first years, second years, third years, teachers, alumni, etc. Our goal is not only to enhance the personal feelings that come with the IBCoMmunity, but also to get those personal stories out there. So, if you want to participate in our new trend, don’t hesitate to contact us! Who knows, you may be our next Human of IBCoM. `1by Sophie Defaix

Top 3 places to travel as a student

s a student, you probably find yourself being short on cash pretty often. Luckily, we’ve got a few tricks up our sleeves for the poor souls looking to get away during the upcoming Christmas break without breaking their budget. Sit back and enjoy a description of our top three destinations! by Jeroen Adriaanse

Budapest

The first city you can definitely visit on a cheap is the capital and largest city of Hungary, Budapest. You can easily reach the city from Rotterdam either on a quick flight or by bus, if you’re more of a thrill-seeker. Despite the fact that the temperature drops just above the freezing point during winter, you do want to pack your swimwear, as you have to go to one of the spas at least once during your stay. For instance, the Gellert offers both a Finnish sauna and an outdoor one as well as a variety of baths and wave pools.

Furthermore, after you have recharged your batteries, you have to, at least, visit the Hungarian Parliament Building and the Heroes’ Square with the Millenary Monument to explore the culture. After that, you are free to enjoy the nightlife in a city famous for its drinks and clubs.

Prague

The next capital on our list is Prague, Czech Republic. With drinks sometimes as cheap as water, you simply can’t go wrong. Rightly so, Prague is famous as a beer destination. Again, you can book a cheap flight in advance or take the bus to this city of beer, cathedrals, bridges, and churches.

After all, the historic Charles Bridge and the Prague castle are well worth a visit, especially if you like to explore medieval streets or Renaissance and Gothic architecture. Also, the Old Town Square and the National Theatre are a feast for the eyes.

It has to be taken into account though that Prague is a popular destination for a city trip during Christmas. Nevertheless, the highly rated Christmas markets with their twinkling lights and delicious, traditional food provides you with a once in a lifetime experience.

Berlin

Berlin, the city that was once divided by the Wall is now a vibrant, multicultural place. Its role, as what can best be described as the epicentre of the Second World War, will never be forgotten. Therefore, Berlin’s rich history, also taking the Cold War into account, makes for a great city trip. Museums and sights such as the Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie and the Reichstag are telling the story of Cold War Germany and the past. Moreover, the German capital can be both easily and relatively cheaply reached by train. Even more importantly, Berlin is one of the cheaper cities of Western Europe with amazing hostels and hotels. Even more importantly, Berlin offers plenty of great eating options, which are all relatively affordable compared to other European capitals.

new in media

Everybody loves to escape the everyday routine of the university or work and dive into a different world once in a while. There’s nothing better than avoiding all responsibilities and discovering the world of movies and TV shows. In October, Netflix managed to reach a record in adding new titles of movies and TV shows to their list. In the first week of October, Netflix added no less than 395 titles! Fortunately for us, the music and game industry never seem to take a break either.

SEASON 8 // GILMORE GIRLS: A YEAR IN THE LIFE

tvshows

25 NOVEMBER 2016

Gilmore girls has captured the attention of many fans since it aired in 2000. After seven seasons, we had to say goodbye to the characters… at least we thought so. But now they are finally coming back with four brand new episodes. Our favourite characters will show how their lives have turned out over the years and they will make us laugh and maybe even cry a little once again. SEASON 1 // 3% (THREE PERCENT)

This show will be a new thriller in the Netflix database. The world is divided between progress and destruction. The people have the chance to make it to the so called ‘better side’, but only 3% will actually succeed… Who will make it?

17 MARCH 2017 1ST QUARTER 2017 SEASON 1 // THE BLACKLIST SEASON 5 // HOUSE OF CARDS SEASON 2 // GOTHAM

Iron Fist is the last of the four Marvel superheroes to come to Netflix. Daredevil and Jessica Jones already have two seasons and Luke Cage appeared on Netflix last October.

UPCOMING // 30 november 2016 Final Fantasy XV (X1/PS4) // 24 january 2017 Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (X1/PS4/PC) // 21 february 2017 Halo Wars 2 (X1/PC)

games

If you have watched all seasons of House of Cards, seen all the classic movies and can sing along to every word of The Rolling Stones, there are still many ways of avoiding your responsibilities. The gaming industry never takes a break in creating new games or recreating old games. In the past month gamers were able to enjoy the new Battlefield 1, followed by a new edition of Call of Duty (Infinite Warfare) and the remastered version of Modern Warfare. But it won’t stop here, as there are plenty of new games waiting to be released in the next months.

SEASON 1 // IRON FIST

Many movies have worked their way from the movie theatres to the homes through Netflix. However, Netflix is always a bit more mysterious on what we can expect for the next season. Nonetheless, there are enough movie titles that have been added to the list the past few weeks that are worth watching!

FAMILY MARY POPPINS (CLASSIC) This classic movie from 1964 is still a must-see in 2016. The magical nanny will capture your attention every time you watch the movie.

The 21st of October Lady Gaga released her new album ‘Joanne’. Only a week later Tove Lo came with her new album ‘Lady Wood’. Check out the best new releases and upcoming albums!

HEARTS OF SPRING A professional blogger looking for romance starts to fall in love with the man who is anonymously criticising her blog online. AMERICAN REUNION

movies

PARANORMAN This animated movie is about a young boy who has the ability to speak to ghosts. It’s fun to watch with family, or by yourself.

COMEDY

The four friends from American Pie have returned to their small town East Great Falls in Michigan for their high school reunion and to bring back old memories. This movie is guaranteed to make you laugh or to make you feel extremely uncomfortable, depending on who you’re watching this with.

UPCOMING // 18 november 2016

LADY GAGA - JOANNE LOST FREQUENCIES - LESS IS MORE TOVE LO - LADY WOOD BUSTED - NIGHT DRIVER OLLY MURS - 24 HRS

BRUNO MARS - 24K METALLICA - HARDWIRED... TO SELFDESTRUCT

music

NEW RELEASES

// 25 november 2016 THE WEEKND - STARBOY // 2 december 2016 THE ROLLING STONES - BLUE & LONESOME // 10 february 2017 DUA LIPA - DUA LIPA

Let’s hope that this is enough distraction to keep you busy between the hours of studying, reading and researching for all your courses. In the end, you still have to pass all your exams, so opening your book once in a while might be a good idea… by Sandra Post

Graduation IMPRESSION

2016

Thursday, 6 October 2016. The lobby in front of the auditorium is filled with parents, siblings, friends, and other loved ones of the fifth generation of IBCoM graduates, who will be entering any minute. Some excited, some a little nervous, most visibly happy to be united with their families at this special occasion. When the graduates arrive in their traditional caps and gowns, there is some time for quick congratulations and pictures before the doors of the auditorium open and the ceremony starts. Our Program Coordinator, Emma Hamilton, welcomes the crowd – which gets bigger and bigger each year. She then hands over the microphone to Susanne Janssen, Founding Dean of IBCoM and Department Head of Media and Communication. She gives an overview of the IBCoM program and awarded the prize for the best thesis to a very surprised Eline Kimmel. “I didn’t know this was a thing, but thank you very much!”

Then it’s time for graduates Lennart, Denisa and Sem to mount the stage and take the audience on a little journey through their experiences of the past three years, with the IBCoM community, the courses, the staff and the city, supported by some beautiful, inspiring and certainly recognizable memories. And finally, the moment all graduates – and let’s be honest, everyone else in the audience – had been waiting for: the Diploma Ceremony, hosted by Jeroen Jansz, Education Director. As the diplomas were distributed, one by one, each accompanied with cheers and claps, I had some time to look around the audience. Just as diverse as our IBCoM community, and just as proud as the graduates who were holding their diplomas. The event was truly inspiring, a great end to three years of IBCoM and an even better start for all there is to come. Good luck, graduating class of 2016-2017!

BY YANNIEK VAN DOOREN

To most people, graduation is a very important turning point, as it’s not only the end of an important period, but also the beginning of a new one. In order to appreciate an event as grand as a university graduation, I feel as though you need to get behind all the bright lights and look at the people behind the event. I was fortunate enough to get exclusive interviews with Indira Gerards, the IBCoM programme coordinator, and Miriam Heemskerk, the study advisor, who both had a hand in making this year’s graduation special.

I then asked what Miriam’s favourite aspect of the event was and why other current students should consider attending. “I would have to say that it was seeing the students with their parents and seeing that the parents are really proud. Everyone is tense in the beginning, and then, after the ceremony, everyone is all relaxed and cheery. Also, I heard from some current students that it made them more excited about their own graduation, besides that, it’s just fun to see what people are doing, and what they have done, it gives a much broader perspective on what is possible in IBCoM and what you can do in the course.”

BY REYHAAN KING

Indira spearheaded the event organization, so I asked her about the journey to graduation, and if she experienced any hiccups on the way. “Well, most of the organization is done by the students, as they fill in a form with all of their information and then we have to organize it and lay it out to fit the Aula screen. There’s a lot of data checking, organizing the bell ringers, speeches, videos and making the student cortege. We try to make the ceremony feel special and personal and make the parents feel proud. [With regards to hiccups] People who forgot to sign up and those last minute changes could lead to mini heart attacks.”

I then asked what she would improve. “Well the ceremony ran pretty smooth, I would improve the reception area, make sure people know when and where they can take pictures and maybe change the drink system.”

And to end the interview I asked what was her favourite aspect and motivation for current students to attend. “I really liked the picture slideshow, because that went from Bootcamp to the latest party and everyone was laughing at the photos. The speeches would have to be my highlight, they were done by Lennart, Sem and Denisa and I felt that they really captured the spirit of IBCoM; you just hear how good their experience was and hear audience members agreeing with them. Joshua and Job were at the reception taking videos of the graduates’ parents and the event, so that will be on our website in a few weeks and interesting to see.”

And that was a rundown of the interviews I had with two of IBCoM’s leading ladies, who really showed me what it takes to make something so important go so smoothly for everyone. Being there at the graduation certainly made me excited for my own, but let’s take on the second and third year first.

BEHIND THE SCENES WITH MIRIAM AND INDIRA

The interview with Miriam began with the usual pleasantries before getting straight into the nitty gritty by focusing on how the event ran. “I personally really liked it, we had a bit more graduates, during the day is always busy with photos and organizing things. Everything was prepped well, except maybe small things that come up on the day. It’s always amazing to catch up with students and meet their parents. It’s a really special day.”

GRADUATE INTERVIEWS

Benjamin Omerbergovic Favourite course: New Media & International Business/ Corporate Communication Internship: Media intern at the Embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Athens, Greece Exchange: Anglo-American University, Prague. BA Thesis topic: The influence of rap lyrics on students’ purchasing desires and brand perceptions. What’s next: I’ll try to become an adult and figure out life/move onto bigger things. “My bachelor thesis was spectacularly named the Yeezus Theezus, which I believe is not only the greatest named thesis in history, but also just generally the greatest thesis ever”

Sem Oerlemans Favourite course: Cinemas in Context - it’s practical, creative, and very interactive. Internship: Production Assistant at NL Film Exchange: Manipal University, India BA Thesis topic: Film Distribution in Modern Day and Age What’s next: Media & Business Master at ESHCC (and hopefully someday a Hollywood career).

Eline Metske Favourite course: Media Audiences & Effects - I liked learning about popular media effects theories and psychology Internship: Research Assistant at MetrixLab Minor: Influencing People: Psychology & Practice - it was the business side of psychology, which I found really interesting BA Thesis topic: The influence of ego depletion on advertising effectiveness What’s next: Research Master in Communication Science, University of Amsterdam, and hopefully getting my PhD abroad. “I now still work at MetrixLab, as a research assistant for the Brand Engagement team!”

Rhea Vernon Favourite course: International & Global Communication Internship: PR intern at Bite Communications, London Exchange: Beijing, China undoubtedly the best semester of my life! BA Thesis topic: FOMO- The Fear of Missing out, mainly on social media through our mobile phones What’s next: Currently working at a PR company in London. I hope to continue working in PR and gaining knowledge about the industry. Hopefully in the future, I will work abroad and travel more, as there are so many places I want to visit! “In International & Global Communication, we really got to see how diverse media systems are around the world and how communication is such a powerful tool in shaping how major events influence people’s thoughts and opinions”

More graduate stories will appear on our blog (www.ibcomag.wordpress.com) soon! Keep an eye on our Facebook page so you won’t miss it.

credits EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

MANAGING EDITOR

COPY EDITOR

WRITER

Yanniek van Dooren

Reyhaan King

Sophie Defaix

Patricia Wahren

Valerija Denaityté

Chi Mai Do

WRITER

Jeroen Adriaanse

Anestasia Tumchenok

Lianne Dusseldorp

Jessica van Wijgerden

Fabian Gartland

Sandra Post

BLOGGER

PHOTOGRAPHER

Anaelle Do Rego

Cara Sainsbury

Nikki Tuboly

Jiyul Lee

Fiandra Dewabrata

Ha Hoang

PHOTOGRAPHER

ART DIRECTOR

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

“Thank you for reading!” - The IBCoMagazine Team Camiel Endert

Joshua Kruter

Alp Gasimov