Issue 1 New Beginnings

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2014/2015 - Issue 1

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New begi nn i n gs, new i d eas, new energy!

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Editorial Dear IBCoMmers, The unofficial end of summer is upon us, but a fresh and new academic year has kicked off! This means new IBCoM students, a tabula rasa (clean slate), and most of all: new beginnings. The new IBCoMagazine team is happy to present to you the very first issue of this academic year! With new beginnings come new ideas and new energy. I hereby want to thank the new Editorial Team (p. 13) and writers for successfully creating a brand new issue of the IBCoMagazine.

While we are slowly approaching autumn and leaving the summer season behind, we can still reminisce a little over the great memories that were made last summer: read all about the festival experiences of IBCoMmers on page 7. Pay attention the coming weeks: don’t get all confused when coming back to campus and not being able to find your beloved L or G building, we have an article helping you learn the new campus building names in no time (p. 3)!

We would also like to give a warm welcome to the sixth batch of IBCoM freshmen, who will be submerged in many new experiences on campus after yet another successful Bootcamp (p. 9). Left your parents to go live on your own? Read all about the ups and downs of living on your own (p. 13), saving money (p. 18) and exploring Rotterdam venues (p. 30)! Not only first years will experience new beginnings though: taking care of a possible exchange and finding an internship will be big events on the second year programme. Third years are exploring their exchange destinations as we speak! Curious what IBCoM students would do if they could Ctrl+Z the past year? Fast forward to page 26 and get enlightened by their experiences.

As clichĂŠ as it might sound, grab this opportunity of a new beginning with both hands to reach your full potential, create amazing new memories and make this year the best one yet. Without further ado, we present to you the first issue of this year, and hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed working on it!

Roos Haverman

Editor-in-Chief, IBCoMagazine 2014-2015

Credits Editor-in-Chief Roos Haverman Managing Editor Natasha Schoen Copy Editor Rhea Vernon Art Director Akef Ibrahimi Advisory Team Emma Hamilton

Brenda Grashoff

Johannes von Engelhardt Gaffar Rampage

Writers Nabila Hisbaron Haylee Kelsall Denise Vollebergh Yvette Hogenelst

Stijn van Venrooij Ilse Zwaan

Annabel van Gestel Aleksandra Medvedskaya

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Content 4 new beginnings 6 meet the new campus

8 festi-talk

10 bootcamp 12 social events calender

meet the new editorial team 13

b o o t c a m p 10

living on your own 14

media highlights 16 saving money 19

israel gaza conflict for dummies 22

22 israel - gaza

24 meet your new ibcom lecturers

new lecturers 24

26 Ctrl+Z 28 tips for the savvy student’s kitchen 30 The new alcohol policy

31 Discover Rotterdam

28 student’s kitchen 3

New Beginnings For those who work or study at Erasmus University, September is a time of new beginnings. Those that just started studying at IBCoM went through a month of many new people and experiences, but inevitably also of profuse confusion and uncertainty. For the second and third year students, September is about returning to familiar campus life, but also to new courses and new lecturers. Likewise for IBCoM lecturers, September is a month of transitions: new courses to teach, new students to meet, new projects to plan, new colleagues to welcome and new research grants to apply for. IBCoMagazine asked two IBCoM staff members to tell their stories of this month’s New Beginnings.

Winter is coming – changes, challenges, and opportunities Last week I came to my office and, as usual, I saw so many new faces! Not only new students walked around the campus but also new colleagues. Looking at their faces reminded me of my own first weeks in Rotterdam and all the mixed feelings I had: excitement, being scared by my own courage, and being confused a lot. I promise all of you: your excitement will stay, you will be proud of your own courage in the end, and confusion will decrease over time.

So what are we up to in the next year? My personal opportunities and challenges are: 1. I will teach a course with the youngest age group I have ever taught. Will this make me feel really old? Or will I just be blown away by finding out how much more grown up students are, these days? 2. I will collaborate with several international and really famous researchers. Will I behave like a stupid groupie or will I be able to contribute, learn, and maybe even challenge their thinking? 3. My favourite research baby with the title “The memory remains: How heavy metal fans deal with the fear of death” is in the revision phase and a decision for or against publication will come soon. I am scared to death – will I deal with a rejection? And in case of ‘your paper is accepted for publication’ (one of the nicest sentences I know) – will I have a heart attack?

You see, we lecturers deal with a lot of emotional challenges as well. Some things just never change even when everything around you is changing. How do I deal with all these opportunities and challenges? I try to be solution oriented. If I feel old because my students are so young, I will try to remember that age brings wisdom. The VIP researchers all started like I did. There is no need to freak out.

Last but not least: I am looking forward to opportunities as well as to challenges because otherwise life would be boring. In addition, we will move to much nicer offices and the view will be spectacular. No-one can be depressed in such an environment with nice offices, smart colleagues, and of course with you guys – you are the major reason why I am doing this job.

Julia Kneer

is an IBCoM lecturer and an Assistant Professor at the Media and Communication Department. She holds a PhD in Social Psychology from Saarland University (Germany). Her main research interests include digital games and game addiction.

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new moves and old routines Transitions can be tough. There are so many things to sort and new routines to get used to, and for most of us, this is done with far too little time to make it all happen. For me, the past month has been all about getting things put in boxes and packed away, and then the really odd process of getting all those boxes unpacked and put into new places. Some things go back to a really similar place – the same drawer, the same corner, the same position, but others are more chaotic. Where do I put this at this new place? How do I make this work best in this space? In many ways, this is what new beginnings are all about: trying to sort yourself and your life out and make it at least somewhat normal again.

Although I have been teaching in the IBCoM programme for over a year now, this month has been a very big transition for me and my family. After threatening for months to move to Rotterdam from our previous home in Maastricht, my family and I have now fully made the move here (perhaps to the chagrin of my colleagues who will now have to put up with me and my bad jokes more regularly). For the past few weeks I have been caught up in Dutch bureaucracy, figuring out new appliances, bought a new Dutch bike and gotten lost several times on the way to campus. It will all get there eventually... at least that is what I keep telling myself. But new beginnings are always a mixture of hope and confusion. If you are just experiencing the start of a new year or if you are in the midst of a much bigger transition like mine, the old routines are either gone or are rusty – though they are likely to return fairly quickly. This is good news in some ways but perhaps not so good news in other ways, particularly as certain behaviours, thoughts and actions that are not helpful can quickly crop up. Though new beginnings offer us a chance, a moment to rethink and make better plans, we have to make a lot of effort to make our new routines different. This very rarely happens on its own or by our own will power. Instead, it requires a network of support to really make it happen. This includes both people and practices: from purposely setting aside time for the things we say are a priority to using technology to improve what we do.

In the midst of the craziness and busyness of these few weeks, this is exactly what I am trying to do. I am setting up routines and working on relationships that will bring out my best, and I hope it will succeed. I invite you to make this happen as well, so that the new beginnings of the IBCoM year become something to look back on as the start of something really good.

Jason Pridmore

is an IBCoM lecturer and Assistant Professor at the Media and CommunicationDepartment. Jason worked in Maastricht and Queens University (Canada), where he also received his PhD in Sociology. In his research, Jason looks at the use of new and social media, in particular in relation to identity and practices of identification.

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Meet the new campus!

by Stijn van Venrooij

Pictures by Yanniek van Dooren

Hello there, new first years! Welcome to our beloved Campus Woudestein. Since you’ve been hopping from one class to another for a couple weeks now, you might already know your way around here a bit. In fact, it is very well possible that it is the second and third years that are now getting lost, since our good old buildings have gotten a bit of a new start themselves:to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Erasmus University, the campus buildings have beenrenamed after people who had an important share in EUR’s history. The Sanders Building doesn’t ring a bell? Don’t worry, that’s what we are here for, introducing you (again) to the buildings every IBCoM student will spend most of their days. Meet the campus!

Theil Building

Formerly known as: The C-building Also known as: the Wait-is-this-not-the-library?building When to go there: When you do actually want to visit the library, even though this is officially in the B-building (which has not been renamed). Also, this is the place to be to buy tickets for ESN parties. Many lectures take place here as well, and finally, (student) associations are often doing some promotional work in the hall of the Theil Building.

Who was Henri Theil? Theil is mostly known for his contribution to econometrics in the Netherlands. Together with Jan Tinbergen (after whom the H-building is now named), Theil took the initiative of teaching Econometrics at Erasmus University. Theil got an honorary doctorate at EUR and has also been teaching in the US, from the late sixties onwards.

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G-building

Sanders Building

Formerly known as: Well, the G-building. Nothing new there.

Also known as: Tutorial-building

Formerly known as: The L-building Also known as: The Lecture-building / the Former-Starbucks-Building

When to go there: As you have probably already experienced, the G-building is the place to be for your tutorials. So though the name of this one hasn’t changed, we can’t just leave it out, since we are spending quite a lot of time here, listening to our teachers, learning new things, presenting our findings and wishing we were somewhere else instead.

When to go there: For most lectures, and to see the IBCoM-staff in their offices, until they move to the Van Der Goot Building.

Who was Piet Sanders? After being a civil law professor at EUR for several years, decades even, Sanders was one of the founders of Erasmus School of Law.

Van Der Goot Building

Formerly known as: The M-building Also known as: The Is-it-really-exam-time-alreadybuilding When to go there: For some of your lectures, and when you have to face the terrifying horribleness that are exams. Also not unimportant: the IBCoM-staff is moving here from November onwards as well.

Who was Willemien van der Goot? As the first PhD at the predecessor of Erasmus University and the first Dutch woman to graduate to an economic research subject, Willemien van der Goot every right to have a building named after her. Next to that, Van Der Goot was also member of the Rotterdamse Vrouwelijke Studenten Vereeniging.

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A-building

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Erasmus building

C-building

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Theil building

H-building

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Tinbergen building

J-building

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Bayle building

L-building

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Sanders building

M-building

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Van Der Goot building

MFO-building

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Polak building

T-building

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Mandeville building

U-building

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Hatta building

Festi-talk Music, friends and an ultimate summer

By Stijn van Venrooij and Ilse Zwaan Wait, uni, what? Confused faces, sleepy eyes. Yes, IBCoM is back in action, but there’s nothing wrong with holding on to the summer feeling for a little bit longer. We’ve been all around the world, but also all around the music; festivals were a hot shot this summer and don’t we know it.

We’ve asked festival-loving IBCoM-students to share their experiences. Because, let’s face it, festivals are a great way to memorably end the school year and freshly start a new one!

Ilyas: Lowlands (Biddinghuizen, Holland, 21-23 August 2015) “Lowlands is one of the largest festivals of The Netherlands. It starts on Thursday and ends on Monday and afterwards you will have made fifty thousand new best friends. Not only does it have a wide variety of acts (ranging from live music and Djs to the national ballet and lecturesby professors), the vibe is unique and while you are packing on Monday you wish that life was like Lowlands. I got lucky last year and was able to buy a ticket from someone who couldn’t go Eline: Rock Werchter (Werchter, Belgium, 2-5 July 2015) and now I will go every year.”

“The reason I go to Werchter is because you just know the line-up is going to be great, the people are going to be cool and the organization is really well done. The first time I went there, a few years ago, The National, My Chemical Romance, White Lies, Arctic Monkeys and Kings of Leon all performed on one single day, so I just had to buy a ticket.”

Yvette: Sziget Festival (Budapest, Hungary, 10-17 August 2015) “Sziget is a week-long festival that is held every year on the Obudai Island, in the city of Budapest. My friends and I liked the idea of combining a city-trip with a festival; so Sziget was the perfect destination for us. Sziget is not only about partying; there are also great (cultural) activities organized during the week. You could for instance visit the circus, hang out at the beach, practice yoga and much more. We even booked the tickets before we knew the line-up. This turned out great by the way; Calvin Harris, Imagine Dragons, The Kooks, Tom Odell, Stromae, Bastille and many other awesome artists paid a visit to the island!”

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Jay: Dekmantel (Amsterdamse Bos, Holland, 16-19 October at Amsterdam Dance Event)

Louise: Down The Rabbit Hole (Beuningen, Holland, 26-28 June 2015 (subject to change))

“Dekmantel Festival is a festival organized by the Dekmantel Soundsystem collective, a group of techno DJ’s from Amsterdam. This year’s edition was the successful successor of last year’s first edition. Like last year, the festival was held in ‘Het Amsterdamse Bos’. The line-up of the last day was simply irresistible; Marcel Dettmann, Ben Klock, Ryan Elliot and many more DJ’s from the Ostgut Ton/Berghain crew performed Back2Back on a single stage. As if the Dekmantel Crew needed some extra headliners, techno gods Jeff Mills, Robert Hood, Luke Slater and the beautiful Nina Kraviz were there to make heaven complete.”

“Down the Rabbit Hole is a music festival that is considered to be Lowlands’ little brother. It is organized by the same people and is supposed to be a bit more alternative. This year was the first edition of this DTRH, so not that many people know about it yet. I found out about it through a flyer at a restaurant and when Ilse and Stijn saw the line-up (the Black Keys, Foals, MGMT, Half Moon Run, the Veils and many more) we all decided to buy tickets.”

Festi-fails -Though bringing your own food and drinks is way cheaper than buying everything at the festival site, we can tell you from experience that it is better to leave the disposable BBQ at home, considering the (generally bad) Dutch weather.

Chocolate chip cookies are essential, however.

-If you happen to be slightly more broke than you anticipated after all (and let’s face it: we probably all are), The Netherlands has some great free festivals. For example, Appelpop in Tiel, and Parkpop in The Hague

The Ultimate Festival-playlist

Tips 1. Save money and pack light. You’re going to have to carry a lot of stuff, so bring money instead of food. (Ilyas) 2. Always hide/bring a bottle of water and some high energy snacks to the festival. When you are waiting in the front row for 5 hours you’ll be glad you brought it. (Eline) 3. If the sun is shining, wear sunscreen! And make sure to bring shorts. I didn’t… (Jay) 4. Being front row to see your favourite artist is definitely worth a few hours of waiting in a hot tent. (Louise) 5. Bring some rubber boots and a warm blanket! We did not expect it to rain during the week, but it turned out raining for at least 4 days – and I did not have any dry shoes left. Luckily there was the supermarket where I got myself a nice pair of rubber boots (just like all the other visitors…). (Yvette)

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Did you miss the festival season or do you feel like going back? Get yourself a beer, put yoursunglasses on (bad weather is no excuse) and sit down with IBCoMagazine’s Ultimate Festival-playlist, available on Spotify!

Typhoon - Ijswater (Ilyas) Arctic Monkeys - I Bet That You Look Good On The Dancefloor (Eline) Marcel Dettmann - Linux (Jay) Half Moon Run - Call Me In The Afternoon (Louise) Imagine Dragons - Demons (Yvette) MGMT - Time To Pretend (Ilse) Jett Rebel - Do You Love Me At All (Stijn)

BOOTCAMP

By Yvette Hogenelst

pictures by pinar tas

Bootcamp, a new beginning, a new academic year, where new friendships are made, new memories are created and where one gets insight into the real IBCoM community feeling. On Wednesday the 3rd of September it was time for the new Ibcommers of 2014-2015 to get on the busses to Bruinisse, Zeeland, where they would get to know each other, get to know their professors, play games, party (and perhaps sleep a little) in the two amazing days of Bootcamp 2014.

The first day of Bootcamp was kicked off by the staff introduction, after which the students headed off the busses which would take them to the Stoofpolder, the campsite, in Bruinisse. By the time they arrived, their hungry stomachs were rumbling; a tasty lunch was waiting for them. After lunch it was time to get to know each other a little better; and probably have the shortest dates one will (hopefully) ever have in a lifetime. First-years, IBCompanions and even professors lined-up to get to know each other in 2 minute conversations.

The speeddating had come to an end, and the time had come to engage in some teamwork. The IBCoM’s 2014 Olympics were officially opened.

Students engaged, amongst many other games, in the biscuit eating challenge (the game which the teachers, who were moderating the games, probably enjoyed the most, except for the moments when they were being sprayed with biscuit crumbs) and the old-fashioned Dutch game “Nailpooping”. This particular game left many new IBCommers, who had never seen this before in their entire lives, astonished. While some were wondering how they would ever manage to win this game; the best advice was given by one of the first-years: “Just do what you do every day, at home”.

After competing in the 2014 IBCoM Olympics the hungry stomachs were filled (again) and more importantly; the around the world theme party started! Everyone dressed up real nicely and had great fun, while they were being served drinks by their IBCompanion-bartenders (who were quite exited about this part of their new job-descprition). Around twelve, the time had come tostorm the tiny bar in Bruinisse, which without a doubt made more turnover that single night than in the rest of the year.

The next day the alarm clocks rang a little (too) early (for some of us). As Bootcamp had almost come to an end, the Rotterdam song was played in the main dining hall. Everyone put their arms around each other and tried to sing along, while some people’s voices were still suffering from the night before. It had become clear that the new IBCommers had already become a tight group.

Unfortunately, all good things come to an end. On the way back to Rotterdam, memories were recalled, stories were told and experiences were shared. But do not get too exicted because what happens at Bootcamp stays at Bootcamp!

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Bootcamp 2014: The start of something new For every freshman, Bootcamp, is the start of an exciting new year, full of new experiences. This is also true for IBCoM student Marciano Raiman (21), who started IBCoM last September. For him, Bootcamp 2014 was all about new beginnings.

How did you get to know IBCoM? I just started three years ago at Erasmus University, with Business administration. From the start I asked myself: Do I belong here? I kept on studying since I did not want to give up. In my culture, giving up is simply not an option. I did not want to let the people I care about down. Then In my first year I started to do Salsa. I really enjoyed it and got asked for a position in the board, as head of PR. After my board year the amount of members had risen by a 100! I enjoyed what I was doing and it seemed as if I was good at it as well. Two years later a friend of mine, Charlotte Caspers, came to me and asked me if IBCoM was not something for me. I had heard of the study before; but was afraid to start another study. The talk with Charlotte made me realize I just had to go for it. This was the study that would fit my interests!

“It really is a new beginning for me�

So how is Bootcamp 2014 a new start for you?

The board position taught me that I had to follow my heart and showed me what I really wanted in life. I stood up for myself and the people around me respected me for that. After a difficult period where I was struggling with my study choice it is finally time to start building on what I really want. It really is a new beginning for me.

What are your aspirations for the future?

I really want to get better at the things I did in the board. I also hope to go on exchange to New Zealand. I plan to get a Maori tattoo, these tattoos have certain meanings. Every story has a feeling through it and every feeling has a symbol. I want those symbols to resemble a lion-head and a phoenix body. The Lion is for strength, never giving up and the Phoenix resembles rebirth, falling down and standing up again.

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by Aleksandra Medvedskaya

Rhea

Roos

This new university year begins with a lot of new and exciting things, including a new IBCoMagazine editorial team! Roos Haverman (our dashing Editor in Chief) is Dutch and a twenty-year-old with a passion for the United Kingdom, travelling and Nutella.

Apart from reading novels, doing creative projects and spending way too much money on clothes, she is eager to maintain the professional yet playful character of the IBCoMazine. Rhea Vernon (our superb Copy Editor) is 19, comes from London and loves meeting new people, shopping and going to concerts. She’s excited to be apart of the

Natasha IBCoMagazine and hopes to pursue a career in PR. Natasha Schoen (our fabulous Managing Editor) is twenty years old, Dutch/German, and enjoys reading dystopian novels, running and going to lots of techno festivals.

She has lived in eight different countries and looks forward to providing an international touch to the IBCoMagazine. Along with the new editorial team, a big group of dedicated writers, photographers and graphic designers joined the team. Together, we plan to make this year the best one for the magazine and hope to provide you with great issues!

We know there has been a lot of talk about “new” stuff but we have one last piece of news (and it’s pretty good): Our brand new IBCoMagazine Blog! This new and exciting feature will be a great source of additional stories, tips, and tricks for you.

There will always be a lot of exciting things happening at Erasmus University, Rotterdam and in the world. The goal of our blog is to keep you up to date with all the latest news and provide a source of reading entertainment. So, whenever you have a moment to read or feel bored, then click here: http://ibcomagazine.wordpress.com/. Enjoy!

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Living on your own By annabel van gestel A new school year, a new adventure, a new study, and maybe even a new country as well as a new home. These are some of the “new beginnings” that many of our new students as well as current ones are dealing with in their new academic year. Especially for many of our first-year students, the transition of their mostly carefree high school life as now transitioned to a life with responsibilities and independence. However becoming self-reliant may be pretty scary in the beginning. Part of this new life is the fact that many of you have chosen to “leave the nest” and find your own place in the city of Rotterdam. In fact, some of you may have even been forced to move out because travelling to Rotterdam everyday just wouldn’t be an option (for instance if you’d have to cross the Atlantic Ocean everyday).

Living on your own entails much more than just doing your own groceries and cooking a decent meal every once in a while. Among other things, it means that you’re becoming responsible for your own choices and no longer have anyone directly around you (parents) who make sure these choices correspond to the things they want for you. In other words, your parents will no longer have the possibility to keep you up to scratch every day. This may sound like heaven to most of you, but the decision between reading that 20-page article or watching a couple of new episodes of the tv series you’re addicted to is made much easier when your parents aren’t around to keep an eye on what you’re doing (and yes, I speak from experience). In short living on your own has many benefits, but it comes with some obstacles as well.

Source: sofreshandsogreen

For most of you who recently started living on your own, or are hoping to do so in the near future, it will be the first time living without your parents. Even though I may have scared you off a bit earlier, living on your own certainly is a valuable and fun experience in many aspects. To me, the real beauty of living on your own is that, it is the real beginning of becoming an independent adult. Yes, leaving your comfort zone and carefree life with your parents may beme, you will never appreciate your mom’s cooking more than when you have to start cooking yourself).

Mistakes are made to learn from, and after a while you will soon learn that these everyday things come natural.

Besides, moving out to the city where you study can help you experience the ultimate student life, which is also one of the main reasons many students decide to move out. It makes it much easier to meet up with classmates, meet completely new people, go out at night, and enjoy many things that the student life has to offer. There is no fun in going out at night when you have to take the last train home and crashing at someone else’s place every time can be a hassle as well. Also, waking up hungover is much less of a drag when there’s a good chance your roommates are in the same condition. Living on your own is often said to be the main criterium for students to be able to experience the real student life, and I certainly agree to that.

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Source: weheartit

On the other hand, one of the main reasons students are reluctant to move out is because it costs a lot more money than living with your parents. However, there is some good news for those of you who think that living on your own in Rotterdam will rob your bank account. Rotterdam is one of the few cities in the Netherlands that has many student rooms to offer for very reasonable prices (especially compared to for instance Amsterdam and Utrecht).

In addition, living on your own teaches you how to spend money responsibly which is a great lesson for the future. If you are still not convinced that you will not be able to afford to live on your own, check out the article in this issue on tips & tricks on how to save money. This may be very useful if you’re someone whose money seems to leak through your fingers.

Qualities of a good student room You may have noticed that so far I’ve been sort of promoting the choice to leave the nest and find your own place in the beautiful city of Rotterdam. When I started studying in Rotterdam last year, I was lucky enough to find an amazing student room right from the beginning. However, finding an appropriate room that fits your standards is far from an easy task, especially when you’re not exactly sure what qualifies as a proper student room. Still, the requirements that your perfect room has to meet is something thatreally depends on your personal preferences. What’s important to keep in mind is that it is pretty difficult to find a room that ‘has it all’.

When you’re looking for a place that’s not too expensive but does have a large bedroom, you may have to sacrifice on the location. Kralingen is often seen as the most ideal location for students to live, which makes rooms located there very popular and therefore generally more expensive. I’d advise you not to limit your search to just Kralingen because there are many other beautiful places to live that will most likely meet more of your other demands (it may definitely be worth it to check out areas such as “Delfshaven” or the “Oude Noorden”).

All in all, I would recommend every student to move to the city of Rotterdam and experience student life like you wouldn’t be able to when living with your parents. Rotterdam is the Dutch city that never sleeps and being a young student in this metropole can truly be considered an honor.

Tips where to find a room: - www.kamernet.nl (mainly Dutch) - www.kamertje.nl (mainly Dutch) - Facebook page: Student Housing Rotterdam - Facebook page: Housing Rotterdam - Ask around! People you know may also be looking for a new roommate

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Media Highlights By sepiedeh orafa Being an IBCoM-student and all, you would think that writing about media highlights should be a piece of cake.

I mean, talking about media highlights is basically every lecture we’ve ever attended and every paper we've ever wrote. But, writing about media highlights while taking this month’s theme into account is an entirely different story. How is it possible to focus on new beginnings when it seems like the world is coming to an end. Turn on the news and you'll see planes crashing, children dying, suicidal celebrities, and war in every corner of the world. Did you know that, while you're reading this, there are 62 wars going on in the world? And you probably know about approximately 5 of them. Depressing, huh?

Wars Sometimes, it feels like we live in one of the very few countries left that are actually not in a war. And still somehow, the world manages to even get this tiny country involved in it. Thank god Obama doesn't give our military enough credit to help them attack ISIS. I mean, if our planes get attacked when we're not in a war, who knows what happens when we are! But we have to keep in mind that there are also people living in less fortunate places than us. Palestine, for example, where people thought the suffering would finally be over after the ceasefire, are now hearing that Israel is illegally taking over 1,000 acres of Palestinian land in the West-Bank (More information on page 21). Latest news on ISIS is the death of James Foley, an American journalist who had been captured by ISIS two years ago. Foley's mother claims that his blood is on the hands of America. The US government asked her to not go to the media, to not try to raise the ransom money that ISIS asked for, and told her that they would not exchange prisoners. . According to her, they left him to die in the hands of ISIS. Meanwhile, it seems like the entire world is preparing to go to war with ISIS, and this is where the main focus is on, instead of on the poor victims in Iraq and Syria. Furthermore, the short ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine is definitely over after the attacks on the Donetsk airport. With all this chaos, it’s no surprise that many intellectuals believe this is all setting the stage for World War 3…

Ferguson When it's not world leaders killing each other, it's civilians. Or, even worse: the people who are supposed to protect us. A little timeline of Ferguson for the dummies: 18-year old Michael Brown was shot by a white policeman after stealing cigars from a convenience store. Should he have been punished for his deed? Yes. But why did he have to be shot, while he wasn't carrying any weapons? That's the question that has been going through the heads of the citizens of Ferguson and everywhere else in the world, who saw the action of the white policeman, Warren, as an act of racism. The event was followed by protests and civil disorder in the city of Ferguson, a place where racial-tensions have been a longstanding problem. Another notable development in the events, is the fact that the police treat Ferguson like a war zone. Apart from the violent rioters that the media shows us, there have been a lot of peaceful protests. However, the police has been attacking these protesters armed with military weapons and vehicles, launching tear gas in groups of demonstrators and journalists. As if there isn’t enough war going on in the world already.Unfortunately, this is not the first time policemen act out of racism. The incident reminds us of the similar cases of Trayvon Martin and Rodney King.

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Source: Mashable

Ebola And then we have Ebola. A horrible disease, killing so many people that there is no way to know the exact number of deaths. According to the World Health Organization, the past few weeks have cost 2,300 lives in West-Africa, but other organizations operating from West-Africa claim that the real number of deaths is way higher. The epidemic started in Guinea, has made the most victims in Liberia and Sierra Leone, and is spreading in Nigeria. And in the meantime, the West is freaking out about Ebola spreading into their countries. So what is the solution?

According to the West, the solution is basically removing West-Africa from the map. Companies have sent their expats home, air-lines have cancelled their flight to Ebola-infected areas, and anyone who's infected gets locked up far from the "healthy" people. In Sierra Leone for example, where in a small hospital, the Ebola infected children and adults were stocked up in a little room with the doors closed. Nobody dared to go in and help the victims, or at least clean up their urine or blood. Survival chances are 50-50, but when put in a cage like that, nobody will come out alive. People with Ebola are still human, and their human rights should be protected, which includes getting treatment for their sickness.

But while all our world leaders are busy starting World War III, we media students are trying to save the world.

At least, from depression. Maybe you're wondering too if there is just nothing good happening in the world or if it's the media's fault, who are too busy with avoiding bombs to actually care about the hopeful events.

Check out positivenew.org and decide for yourself. This website is full with POSTIVE only news. So don't become suicidal yet, there is still light in this big, rotten world. And a lot of new beginnings too. Let's name a few:

House of one in Berlin

Source: BBC

The city of Berlin, where once an entire group of people was killed and betrayed in the most brutal ways possible, is now taking a step towards harmony between all groups. While in the rest of the world people are being killed because of religious differences, in this city three of the largest religions in the world are being united. The house of one is a plan to make a building that has a synagogue, a mosque, and a church. In the middle of these three religious houses there will be a common meeting place, where people from different backgrounds can come together to educate each other. Sounds like a move towards world peace.

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ALS Ice Bucket Challenge The ALS ice bucket challenge doesn't need any explanation, of course. I mean, our Facebook walls have ALL been spammed with people wetting themselves, the past few weeks. In the beginning of this month, the ALS Association had already received $100 million dollars of donations, from over 30 million people. The ice bucket challenge originates from the cold water challenge, which occurred for the first time in 2013. However, the challenge had never been as hyped before, as since it’s being linked to ALS. The Wikipedia article on ALS went from 8,000 views on average per day, to 430,000 views on its peak. The ALS bucket challenge is already referred to as “the Harlem Shake of the summer�. To think that all of this just happened in a time span of 2 months. Who says social media makes us unsocial?

First female winner Fields Medal Latest news, in a world where sexism is everything and everywhere,it is quite refreshing to see that Maryam Mirzakhani won the Fields Medal, the most prestigious price for mathematicians.This makes her the first female ever that has won this price. Maryam Mirzakhani was born and raised in Iran, and decided to get her doctorate at Harvard after getting her bachelor's degree in Tehran. She is now a professor at Stanford University. While everywhere in the world newspapers speak of her huge accomplishment, Iranian newspapers decided to put all their effort in to photo shopping her oh-so inappropriate picture. And of course, how could someone who just won one of the most honorable scientific prices in the world even THINK about not covering her shoulders and hair...

Sources: Payvand & SocialGradient

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The media students’ guide to saving money

By Denise vollebergh Being a student is not a very healthy situation for your bank account. Without having a full-time job you are expected to live a (semi-) healthy lifestyle while combining being a social butterfly and keeping Heemskerk out of your hair.Whether you are working your butt off making sandwiches at Subway or living off of stufi, every student wants to save money. Even if your parents fund your Erasmus life, every euro you save can go to nobler causes (fill in the blank). Dutch are stereotyped to be greedy, so prepare for Dutch Culture 101! Learn how to save money like a true Rotterdam’ media student with these 8 apps/websites, without actually having to quit your extremely healthy , socially vibrant and academically responsible lifestyle!

1. Take care of your finances – Mint, Level Money

4. Cheapest electronics – Tweakers Pricewatch

Although this one is probably the most ‘boring’ one, I absolutely cannot stress this enough. Make sure you know how much money is coming in, and, more importantly, how much is going out. You don’t want to live on noodles just because you forgot that the tuition fee payment was due this month. Keep track of what you spend and what exactly you spend it on. It’s usually the little payments that add up and shrink your bank account, smart money apps such as Mint or Level Money (both free for Adroid and IOS) give you insights into your spending. Might be a bit of a hassle to keep track in the beginning, but trust me, it’s worth it!

Tweakers Pricewatch keeps track of the prices of electronics. If you’re looking for a new cellphone, big stores like Media Markt and Saturn are the first ones that pop to mind. Smaller, lesser known websites might offer the same product for a significant smaller price, or have a discount running. Of course you can’t track every store, so they do it for you. In my case my new LG G3 cost me €450, while Media Markt would charge €509, that’s quite a difference! Certainly worth checking out if you’re looking to buy a new phone, tablet, laptop, SD card or television.

5. Keep track of discounts – Spotta 2. Discount beer – Biernet A very deserved second place in the list: Biernet. This wonderful piece of ingenuity, without a doubt founded by a student, keeps track of which supermarkets have discounted their beer. Does this really need further explanation?

Spotta is an app that keeps track of all the discounts in stores; this can be Hema, Kruidvat, Albert Heijn etc.

You can slide through their pamphlets on your phone and you get an update when the new discounts of that week are available. Compare your shopping list with spotta and don’t overpay for a product that might be half the price in another store.

3. Secondhand things in Rotterdam – Commodity Market Rotterdam The Facebook page Commodity Market Rotterdam is a platform where Rotterdam residents can sell their old belongings. Need a ‘new’ bed, chair, shelf, closet, or bike? Skip IKEA and check out what your fellow Rotterdammers have to offer. Especially useful in February and July – in February Dutch students can quit their tudy without having to pay the tuition fee, July is when Dutch students will leave the city when they graduate, and internationals will then go back to their home countries – often leaving them with more things than they can stuff in their suitcases. Also a great way to make some extra money if you have things you never use or when you’re looking for secondhand books!

(Other useful Facebook pages: ESN-Rotterdam Marketplace, IBCoM book exchange).

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6. Discounts on activities in Rotterdam – Rotterdampas For only €12,50 you can buy the Rotterdampas, which gives you discounts on different things in Rotterdam.

Visit Blijdorp Zoo for only €4, 50% off on a skateboard clinic, €13,50 discount for one round of karting, 25% discount for bodyboarding at Dutch Water Dreams, the list goes on... Some things you can even do for free, the Rotterdampas offers a one-time free trip on the Spido, the Euromast, Lasergaming, Midgetgolf, a free movie at one of the Pathé theaters as well as tons of museums.

This little card is certainly worth its money! Don’t wait too long to buy it as it expires every year at the end of February.

Found these helpful and need more tips? Go to the IBCoMagazine blog and check out 7 more tips to save money on food!

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rotterdam skyline

picture by: Julia Francesca

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The Israel-Gaza Conflict for Dummies

By natasha schoen

Currently, a lot of you (hopefully all) have been seeing an insurmountable amount of news on a conflict between Israel and Gaza. This section will hopefully provide you with more insight to what the Israel-Gaza situation is all about.

Seeing as this is a very delicate situation (in which both sides are utterly convinced the other is wrong), I will try to not express an opinion and stick to the facts. Lets begin, shall we?

First, let’s discuss where this conflict is occurring. Well, simply put, the Gaza Strip is an area next to the Mediterranean Sea and is filled to the brim with 1.8 million people (living in just 360 squared kilometers). The Gaza strip is under Palestinian authority and has been governed by the militant group Hamas since 2007 even though its borders are controlled by Israel. The Gaza Strip has been fought over by Israelis and Arabs for decades. Israel is the only jewish state in the world and is located east of the Mediterranean Sea. Very simply put, the Israeli-Palestine conflict is over who gets which land and how it’s controlled.

Secondly, who are the key players? On one side, there is Hamas who control the Gaza Strip. They are considered a terrorist group by Israel and the U.S. and refuse to recognize Israel as a country. They would like the Palestinians to be able to return to their old home. On the other side, there is the Israeli Defence Forces who are the military arm of Israel. Palestine is currently held under a blockade, which means Israel controls its borders and limits who goes in and out.

In order to understand what is happening now, we should probably go over how this all began. Although this issue could be dated back hundreds of years, an important mark in the development of this current political conflict is the early 20th Century. After the infamous World War Two and the Holocaust, in which six million Jews were killed, more Jewish people wanted to have their own country and were given a large part of Palestine, now called Israel. The Arabs already living there and in neighboring countries felt this was unfair and didn’t want to accept the new country. Therefore, several wars were fought over the territory and the borders today reflect the outcomes of these wars (one in 1948 and another in 1967). The second war left Israel in control of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, which as we know is home to Palestinian people.

Source: http://www.vox.com/2014/7/21/5923261/why-israel-is-at-war-in-gaza-explained-in-2-minutes

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The issue with the land of the Palestinians is that it’s located in two different lands on opposite sides of Israel. The West Bank is on the east of Israel and the Gaza Strip on the west. In 2005, Israel withdrew its troops from Gaza but still maintained control over its borders (land and coastal). Hamas has demanded that the control on Gaza trade should end. Israel has been occupying Palestinian land for more than 47 years and has actively forbidden the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. This is the root of the conflict today.

The current conflict began with the kidnapping of three Israeli teenagers. Israel, in response, arrested Hamas members in the West bank and launched air strikes on Gaza. Additionally, Palestinian teenagers were killed in an apparent revenge attack. The conflict has now turned into a raging war between Israel and Hamas. This current fight is noteworthy because it comes after two years of calm between Israel and Palestine and months after the last round of peace talks collapsed.

So, what has been happening recently? There are many attacks from both sides. Most recently, in 2014, authorities have said that over 2,200 Palestinian people have been killed - most of them civilians - and many more were injured. Israel has also launched a ground offensive, which they say is necessary to defend itself from the hidden network of passages that Hamas uses to get into Israel and Egypt. On the other hand, the retaliation by Hamas on the Israeli military forces is equally seen by them as self defense and protecting their citizens against the frequent attacks. The goal of each country is to have independence and separation from the other.

Source: GETTY

(This is the coastal Palestinian enclave where the Israeli army ground operation is destroying tunnels reportedly used by Palestinian militants from the Gaza Strip to enter its territory)

There is, of course, a lot more going on than I have just mentioned but I hope this has given you an insight as to what and why things are occurring between Gaza and Israel.

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Get to know your new IBCoM lecturers!

By roos haverman

pictures By marlijn van raaij Name Country of origin Dr. Keith Dilbeck United States Teaching the course

Intercultural Communication

Favourite food A Japanese dish that my wife makes, oyakodon

Random fact about yourself I love to play flamenco guitar!

Could you introduce yourself?

I’m Dr Dilbeck, and I’ve recently been hired here as an assistant-professor. I’m specialised in intercultural communication. I got my Bachelor Degree from California State University. When I graduated I didn’t want to get in line and get a corporate job, I wanted more out of life. I was asked to do research in South-East Asia, and I thought well: I’ll do what I can! I counted everything I own down to a dollar and fifty two pennies, and moved to Thailand.

I started to publish during my Master degree, and eventually moved back to the USA, Wisconsin. After that I was lucky to join the Erasmus.

What are your first impressions of the Netherlands and the university?

The campus isn’t as big as I thought it was, and I’m actually kind of thankful for that. It’s well organised and I love Rotterdam’s spirit of innovation. At the faculty everyone is so friendly, I received a lot of care. Everybody seems to be very good at their jobs.

What makes Media and Communication in general an important industry according to you?

The simple word is: technology. Technology erases borders and makes it easier to send and receive messages at a faster rate which allows us to exchange information exponentially faster over time.

How would you describe the ideal student?

This is such an easy question to answer! I love the students that want to learn. Basically the students that take responsibility because they have a genuine desire to learn, those are the best people to work with.

Favourite newspaper:

The Tempest

Favourite movie (genre):

Science-fiction

Favourite book: The Stand by Stephen King Favourite social medium:

Podcasts

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Name Country of origin Dr. Daniel Trottier Canada Teaching the course

ISSR and Global Advertising

Favourite food Stroopwafels

Random fact about yourself I’m 1/8th Belgian Can you introduce yourself?

I’m here as an assistant professor. I grew up in Montreal, did my PhD in sociology. After that I’ve been to many places, from the Rocky Mountains in the US to Sweden to the United Kingdom. After that I came here. My background is in sociology, and I’ve always been interested in the consequences of new communication technologies.

My Master thesis was on TV audiences, then my PhD on studying Facebook and the consequences of surveillance of visibility. After my PhD I was involved in two European projects, on security and technology, and these brought me here to Erasmus.

What are your first impressions of the Netherlands and the university?

It’s been very welcoming. I know Rotterdam is a rather unique city in terms of being very young and international.

It’s been fantastic. On the one hand there is not really such a thing as a culture shock here for a Canadian, but there is also the whole international environment which is fascinating.

What makes Media and Communication in general an important industry according to you?

It seems especially in the last 15 years we have new digital convergent media, which seems tointersect with virtually every social sphere. I think for those who want to specialise in this field it’s going to open so many doors and it’s going to add a great insight into their lives.

How would you describe the ideal student?

Someone who can see beyond the material, and is able to critically interrogate what people say.

Favourite newspaper: The Guardian or Montreal Gazette Favourite movie:

Kapringen

Favourite book: The Underdogs by William Weintraub Favourite social medium:

Facebook

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Ctrl+Z By nabila hisbaron While it’s time to move forward into the three-year IBCOM experience, we certainly cannot forget the years that have passed and all their memories. Not just within the academic arena, since there’s so much more to IBCOM than papers and presentations, but also all the milestones we may encounter as young adults. Many of them are worth cherishing, while someof them we try hard to forget. Ctrl+Z, or the ever-so-important keyboard shortcut that “undoes” past actions, is an option many people wish existed in the real world. Do you believe in no regrets, or has your bank of remorseful memories reached its full capacity? Good or bad, regretful or regretless, we can always learn from them – and from each other! The first year of IBCOM is all about new beginnings. Some have travelled long distances and we have all sacrificed our comfort-zone; being exposed to a new environment and lifestyle with a newfound freedom can be overwhelming – but it’s definitely vital for our growth as international students. Akef Ibrahimi and Venny Lugard are former BA1 students who’ve endured all of that. By joining clubs and choosing passionate classes, they are on their way towards a thriving second year!

IBCOMag: How could you have made your IBCOM BA1 experience better?

Venny: “I should have joined clubs and student associations earlier. I felt like last year, I saw how nicely everyone could juggle student associations, school, work, and friends – and I didn’t do that because I thought I couldn’t handle it.”

IBCOMag: Any academic regrets?

Akef: “I try to live life without regrets, but my biggest academic regret is not studying!”

Venny: “I should have been a little more consistent in my learning, and study for everything equally well.”

IBCOMag: What is one important thing you wish upcoming BA1 students knew?

Akef: “It’s really not that difficult to balance out your social and academic life.

But, don’t cave into the pressure that either one of them could give you. Find a nice balance for yourself. It’s something a lot of people struggle with because IBCOM is such a social course.”

IBCOMag: What was something you’re proud of – that you’d do over again?

Akef: “I came into IBCOM without any barriers or any walls of who I am. For me, that made me feel so comfortable with almost my entire class – it’s ridiculous!”

Venny: “I’m proud of Bootcamp - and I’m glad I could do it over again!”

venny

IBCOMag: If you had a second try at BA1, would you do it? Why/why not?

Akef: “I would not do it. Even though I could have been better, if I hadn’t done all the things Idid last year, I wouldn’t be where I am now – and I’m happy with where I am now. I’d like tokeep going on.”

Venny: “I wouldn’t do it over. I love the group of people I’m with. IBCOM BA1 was awesome because of all the people around me. It’s the awesome people I’ve met. We all want to help each other. We’re having fun together – and can study together. I don’t think I can have this again with any other group!”

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And while most new BA2 students have settled in nicely, this year is all about redemption. It’s all about getting better grades, joining more clubs, going out more (or less) – essentially, becoming a better version of yourself! Nandita Khosla, who chose to stay at EUR for her BA3, is our resident wisdom correspondent in Rotterdam who will shine light on her previous year.

IBCOMag: How could you have made your IBCOM BA2 experience better?

Nandita: “[I wish I had] done my registrations and my [selected] workgroups in time so that I got all [the classes] I wanted”

Akef

IBCOMag: Any academic regrets?

Nandita: “Should have done more seminars and electives so that I have more free time in my third year – I had a lot of free time in my second year.”

IBCOMag: What is one important thing you wish upcoming BA2 students knew?

Nandita: “Do more in [your] second year! Try getting into honors. Challenge yourself in what you pick as subjects.

Don’t pick [classes] you know you’ll pass.”

IBCOMag: What was something you’re proud of – that you’d do over again?

Nandita: “[I] picked subjects I enjoyed and actually liked participating in and improved my skills that I know I would need after I leave.”

IBCOMag: If you had a second try at BA2, would you do it? Why/why not?

Nandita: “I would. I would choose more subjects and get more credits so that I could do more things in my third year.”

Why make the same mistakes when now, you know better? We have picked the minds of a few experienced IBCOM students who have shared their wisdom, and shed light on their past experiences as BA1 and BA2. So now, as transitioning students we can learn from them. Though they have spent their IBCOM journeys in various ways, one thing’s for sure: being open is key! Be open to fellow classmates and teachers. Be open to new experiences.

Don’t let apprehension determine your choices. Do everything you can and push yourself – don’t leave any stone unturned. Let’s not limit our memories to resentful recollections but build awesome ones that we’ll be proud to have!

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nandita

Tips and tricks for the savvy student’s kitchen By haylee kelsall The start of this new academic year for many students will see them enter a new chapter in their lives, and in particular for many of the new BA-1 students, this will be their first experience living away from home, away from the nest. After arriving in Rotterdam, settling into a new house and battling with IKEA furniture, you may have noticed something else. And no, this isn’t so much about the new found independence and responsibility that comes with fending for yourself, but more of a realisation - a realisation that something is missing...

So, we’ve all packed up and moved out of home, we’ve done the introduction parties, we’ve decorated our new rooms, taken our first classes, but in all the excitement we’ve forgotten something. After a week, perhaps two, or maybe so far as three, a desperate need and desire, a yearning for more begins to grow. Looking at the pile of frozen pizza boxes, and reminiscing about the stodgy spaghetti of yesterday, you suddenly realise you’re not yet quite the culinary master you thought you were. With so much going on, you haven’t had a chance to learn your way around the kitchen yet, but suddenly you’re desperate to expand that cooking repertoire beyond the heated jars of pasta sauce, microwave meals, instant noodles and all the other dishes synonymous with student life. Regardless of whether you’ve been living out of home for a while, or you’ve just moved into your very first flat, these tips and tricks should help you get started along that rocky road towards success!

Stocking the cupboard

Cupboard necessities

The average students budget can make it a challenge to come up with tasty, hearty meals on a daily basis. One way to solve this is to start getting into the habit of keeping the cupboard stocked with staple items that you pick up once a week. Instead of shopping daily for individual ingredients for a given dish, keeping basic essential items on hand means you’ll always be able to throw together a decent meal – even on those dreaded pre-payday evenings. Getting into this habit is going to save you money, and also hungry nights!

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Different types of pasta Rice Tinned tomatoes Coconut milk Stock/bouillon Flour Cornflour (Maizena) Beans (e.g. kidney beans, chickpeas) Dried herbs and spices – oregano, thyme, rosemary etc.

Tomato paste Oils

Simple tips for kitchen newbies Cooking for one: A tricky concept to master. Don’t be afraid of leftovers though - they make a great lunch the following day.

Onions and garlic: These two form the basis of most sauces and dishes, so it really is worth learning how to prepare them properly. There are multitudes of tutorials on Youtube which cover the least tear-inducing and time friendly ways in which to chop each. One small tip - when it comes to softening onions, do so over a low-medium heat with a lid covering the pan.

Stir-Frying: Stir-fries are simple, fast and nutritious. When you’re stir frying vegetables it’s important to know the order they should be added to the pan, otherwise you’re going to end up with crunchy carrots and miserable mushrooms. Start with softening the onion, then add the crispy vegetables – carrots and paprika for example, followed by broccoli. Add mushrooms towards the end, and finally the leafier ingredients like bok choy.

Cornflour (Maizena): The saviour of many a watery sauce. Mix a little (1 tablespoon) in a cup with an equal part water. Add this to your dish and stir through. If still not thickened to the desired consistency repeat! Cornflour is also a handy way to cheat at thickening a sauce when time isn’t on your side, and a little goes a long way unlike using regular flour, meaning it doesn’t interrupt the flavours.

Old vegetables: Vegetable soup is a great way to throw together the remnants of the previous week’s market haul, especially if it’s looking a little worse for wear. Cut up those leftover vegetables and turn them into soup! Soften an onion in oil and crumble a stock cube over the top once soft. Add the vegetables and equal parts hot water (i.e.

2 cups chopped veg plus 2 cups hot water). Once the vegetables are soft either mash or transfer to a blender and puree. A nice twist is to add 1 teaspoon (or more to your taste!) of curry powder at the same time as the stock cube to give it a bit of kick.

Herbs and spices: Making Mexican food? Rather than using the ready-made store bought mix – flavour it yourself!

Cumin, paprika, coriander and chilli flakes go a long way. Making dishes from scratch will not only save you cash in the long run, but it will also help you to learn which spices work well together.

And finally…

The most important thing when cooking is always to taste, taste, taste! Don’t be afraid to try new things, and move beyond the more basic dishes!

Once you’ve mastered a number of basic recipes such as the ones above you can always change them depending on what you’re after. Practice making basic curries and stir fries from scratch as well, and build on these recipes to make them into your own signature dishes. Good luck and have fun!

If you have any good and easy student recipes or even your favorite recipes, don’t hesitate to send them to ibcomagazine@eshcc.eur.nl and get a chance to be featured in our new blog!

picture by julia empelmann

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The new Alcohol policy in The Netherlands By rhea vernon For many teenagers the prospect of growing up and becoming a student is very exciting as it brings with the prospect of adulthood, and for many young people lots of partying and drinking. Now don’t get wrong me I like a drink as much as the next person, and I couldn’t wait to turn 18 so then I legally became an adult and could legally drink. In most European countries, 18 is the legal drinking age and for many of us it also means that we can get on our dancing shoes and enter clubs as well as buy alcohol. However in the The Netherlands young people were allowed to drink legally from the age of 16 which meant, that many young people throughout Holland from the age of 16 could buy and consume alcohol as well as enter bars and clubs to party the night away, but now this has all changed.

On the 1st January 2014 the Dutch government decided they would increase the drinking age from 16 to 18 and therefore limit under 18s from purchasing mild and strong alcoholic beverages. In addition if under 18s are found in the possession of alcohol they will now be under punishable offence. This new drinking law has also meant that any person aged 18 and under who is found in possession of or drinking alcohol in public places such as road, parks, bars, restaurants and festivals will also have to face a fine of 45 euros.

This may anger many 16 year olds and young teens as there partying days will have to wait till they are 18, but the government enforced the law with good reason. In 2012 more than 700 people aged 18 and under where rushed to hospital for the over consumption of alcohol in The Netherlands, therefore the government fear that by letting under 18s continue to drink and buy alcohol excessively, it will cause increased health problems for young people.

The government felt that there was a rising number of health issues surrounding young people due to alcohol consumption, and agreed that restrictions had to be made in order to reduce the health risks for young people.

The introduction of the new drinking policy will mean that many Dutch teens will have to wait till they reach 18 in order to buy and consume alcohol legally without avoiding any fines or offences. But it seems that this policy is for the greater good, as it will hopefully reduce the health risks for young people in the Netherlands and will teach them about drinking responsibly, which is especially important when entering the student life at university!

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discover rotterdam By denise vollebergh

Rotterdam is a vibrant city characterized by big venues such as Maassilo and Ahoy, but also offers a wide range of smaller clubs, bars, and establishments. There is a wide array of genres and styles available, but you do have to know where to look. Discover Rotterdam and try out some places you maybe wouldn’t have gone or known about before, you never know what you might find. Skip a BED night and leave Beurs for what it is, time to go on explore the great unknown! In this issue: Rotown, the rock ‘n’ roll palace.

Who: Rotown What: Restaurant during the day, bar/music venue during the night Where: Nieuwe Binnenweg 19 Genre: singer/songwriter, indie, Americana Price of a normal club night: Thursday, Friday €2,50 (before 23h free, includes one free drink), Saturday €5,00

(before 23h free, includes on free drink) Rotown is a combination of the words Rotterdam and Motown, the famous American record company. Opened in April 1987, it was meant to give Rotterdam a pop stage, something that was missing in the nightlife of the busy harbor city. The goal was to give a stage to upcoming artists but also provide quality music entertainment by bigger artists, Franz Ferdinand, The Kooks and The Veils have rocked on the Rotown stage in the past. Most recently there have also been collaborations with other venues, festivals, and organizations throughout Rotterdam. This venue is definitely worth checking out to discover new artists or visit a performance of your favorite band. They prouce very diverse line-ups and take pride in the fact that they provide a stage for upcoming artists, but are as well able to book bigger names. The vibe of the place can be described as cozy and personal, because it is not very big, but still has proven that it has a lot to offer. Located in the somewhat alternative Nieuwe Binnenweg it is definitely the perfect spot for Rotown, as it seems to have been stuck in the 90’s for the past few years and does not hesitate to welcome you in to their world of rock ‘n’ roll.

Upcoming events worth checking out: 5 oct: Dotan 24 oct: Tangarine 7 nov: The Kik 28 nov: Kensington 21 nov: Augustines 28 nov: Jett Rebel

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picture found on rotown official facebook page

Thanks for reading the

Special thanks to: Julia Kneer Jason Pridmore Monika Hlubinova

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the next issue will come out on 26/11/2014 Š 2014/2015