Issue 4: 1, 2, Spring, Go!

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2014/2015 - Issue 4

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1, 2, spring, go!

What is next for our soon-to-be IBCoM veterans?

Kingsday for Dummies | Spring in Rotterdam

editorial

Wow. Time surely flies! We’ve already arrived at the last issue of the academic year 2014­-2015... Spring is in the air, the summer holidays are in sight and once again an eventful year of IBCoM is approaching its ending. We will not bore you with endless references to the past, or take you on a trip down memory lane and neither will we force our sentimental thoughts on you (although we do feel terribly nostalgic at the moment). We would like to deliver a message to the individual IBCoM years; First years: keep calm and carry on! Those 60 ECTs are nearly in the pocket, just a few more months and you will have completed the awesome, amazing, eventful first year of IBCoM. Make sure to check out page 17 and spice up both your studentlife as your cv next year with these awesome extracurricular acitivites.

Second years: the majority of you will be flying out to destinations all over the world... we want to wish you a safe and pleasant trip, and an unforgettable time during your exchange. To the ones staying home in our awesome city: enrich yourself with your minors and safely guard our IBCoM family!

Third years: good luck in the last few months before getting your bachelor degree.

Where ever you’re going, we will sure miss you! All the best in pursuing a master, finding a job, doing an internship or enjoying your gap year! Curious what everyone is up to after ending the IBCoM chapter of their lives? Go to page 14 and read all about it.

We can honestly say that our year as the Editorial Team has passed by in the blink of an eye, it was an amazing experience to be part of the IBCoMagazine . More importantly: we would have been nowhere without our amazing and inspiring team of writers, skilled photographers, dedicated Art Director, helpful Advisory Team and last but not least: YOU! Thank you for reading the IBCoMagazine, we hope the new Editorial Team will see you back next year!

Natasha, Rhea &Roos

Editorial Team, IBCoMagazine 2014-2015

spring in rotterdam humans of ibcom (HOI) interview with joyce neys kingsday for dummies skyline picture what is next for our soon-to-be ibcom veterans join our forces de nieuwe universiteit creative assignments ibcom awards 2015 interview with an ibcom alumni 10 motivations to get fit media highlights how to survive summer without ibcom

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Spring in It's spring again - meaning that the days get brighter, the city and its parks awaken from the winter sleep; you may get woken up in the morning by singing birds or come home from partying when it is already light outside. But, whether you like spring or not - one thing is clear: during spring there is a lot of fun stuff to do in Rotterdam! Here just a few tips on what to see and what do to.

For food-lovers...

Enjoy some delicious food and the first warm rays of sunshine with a nice rooftop view over Rotterdam! Just around the corner of Rotterdam Centraal you will find the Schieblock Dakcafe - a cosy rooftop location for all food lovers out there! It is a rooftop cafe which offers different lunch menus for small prices (ranging 2.50â‚Ź to 5â‚Ź).

Unfortunately it is only open once a week - every Wednesday at lunch time - but totally worth going, since the menu changes every week.Sometimes they also host special events like dinners, which will be announced on their Facebook page... Click here to visit it! - keep calm and love food. Alternatively, what about hosting your own BBQ or picnic in one of Rotterdam's parks?!

For chillers and nature-lovers....

Rather the couch potato type, but never thought of moving your couch on the balcony or street to catch some sun?

Well, what about simply pretending a park bench to become your new couch (free stuff;))?! Spring is the season to move outside... Rotterdam luckily offers a lot of nice green areas and parks for outside activities. Kralingse Plas is one of the famous park areas, and it's not far away from EUR. Especially on warm and sunny days, the green areas around Kralingse Plas will turn into an outside living room for many people in Rotterdam. There you will find space for BBQs, parties (check out their festivals!), sportive activities, or just chilling- Kralingse Plas has all you need. Other green parks in the city are "het Park" next to the Euromast, "Museumpark" in the centre, or the "Vroesenpark" in Rotterdam Nord, next to Blijdorp Zoo. Alternatively, you can take a train to Hoek van Holland Strand and enjoy a day off at the beach!

Rotterdam

by Julia Empelmann For the festival bunch...

With the beginning of spring also comes the beginning of festival season. Yippie! As with most big cities, Rotterdam also hosts a few festivals for all kinds of music lovers.The 27th April is of course a huge day to celebrate Kingsday (more info in the Kingsday for Dummies article on page 10!). Some big festivals are held that day, also in Rotterdam. Among others in Roffa Centrum at Parklaan, Willemsplein and Plein1940 - be prepared for an amazing orange day & night.The one and only Kralingse Bos Festival is also held on the 27th of April, early bird tickets are already sold out, but there are some regular tickets left ranging 20 to 25€. Check out the line-up and get your tickets in time (Click here to get them now!) But Kingsday is of course not the only festival occasion! On the 5th of May the Liberation Day Festival is held in ‘het Park’ next to the Euromast. From 13:00 to 23:00 four different stages with lots of live acts will entertain you.Are you in love with good vibes and tasty food? Then Food Truck Festival TREK is your place to go. This year it will be held from 14th May until 17th May in Vrosenpark, close to Blijdorp metro station. The entry is free!

For flea market

fans...

Since the weather is (supposed to be) nice in spring, Rotterdam’s flea markets are best enjoyed during that season.

The next edition of the famous Swanmarket is held on 10th of May in the Museumspark. Nice music, interesting clothes and a lot of other creative stuff as well as some good food are waiting for you. Another hippie-event will take place on 31st May from 11:00-17:00 on Statenweg in Rotterdam Noord: the Snuffelmarkt. If you are a bit of a hipster, and like second hand clothes or the typical flea-market atmosphere this is something worth checking out.

For everyone ...

Whatever you will do this spring: KEEP CALM & LOVE SPRING IN ROTTERDAM!

H.O.I

Humans of IBCoM by ilse zwaan & stijn van venrooij Every student has had a moment of total agony in which they open Facebook to relax. And what is better than the incredibly popular Humans of New York­page to forget your problems? The unique stories of strangers brighten your day and make you realize we all understand each other. But you don't have to go to the Big Apple to meet such people: IBCoM has a lot of different and beautiful students, ready to be discovered. So we present to you HOI (Humans of IBCoM – also, 'hello' in Dutch); one story at a time.

“What is your biggest challenge at the moment?”

“My biggest challenge...

I got 99 problems but a bitch ain’t one.”

“I’m going to be a diplomat in training for my internship. I cried before I got it, those were desperate times. I begged a lot of people. But my life is sorted now. The midnight warrior continues his fight.”

“When I was just a young lass, I got pregnant.

My man left me for another woman. It was after that moment that I realized how to pick myself up from the dirt and rise to the top like a glorious phoenix. The phoenix of the west, they called me. And now I am at the gloriously high heights of IBCoM. Without an internship. Without many prospects for employment. But I will still have my pride.”

“What is the first thing you are going to do after your exam?”

“The dishes.”

Interview with by jason pridmore To get to know our IBCoM lecturers a bit better, IBCoMagazine regularly asks staff members to interview other staff members. This time, assistant professor Jason Pridmore sat down with PhD Candidate and lecturer Joyce Neys and talked with her about inspiring teachers, painting and fortune cookies.

Jason: When do you remember the first time things ‘clicked’ or came together for you in university? What was this about?

Joyce: During my Research Master in Communication Science at the University of Amsterdam there was a required year of methodology and statistics courses to take. Classes were taught by the most inspiring professors from a range of different fields: Sociology, Political Science, Communication Sciences to name but a few. In particular I remember prof. Willem Saris as well as dr. Ruya Gokhan. They spoke with such passion and enthusiasm about their fields using a statistical perspective it was really exciting. We would often be in a small group, not more than 6 students as the research master was a very small program, discussing how to approach and measure different sociological and political problems. These classes really made me excited about scientific research and eventually led to me applying for a PhD program.

Jason: If you weren’t finishing your PhD and teaching, what do you think you would be doing now?

Joyce: As I also have a background in communication system development, I would probably be programming and developing some online tools. Alternatively, it is just as likely I would have finished my arts program and be painting and welding some art installation as well.

Jason: If you had to name one or two big questions that inform all of your current research, what would those be?

Joyce: How do citizens practice and perform contemporary forms of citizenship using different online tools?

Keywords being: agency, civic engagement, radical democracy, games, remix videos, machinima Jason: If you had the opportunity to write one message in a fortune cookie to a random person, what would you write?

Joyce: “The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off.” – Gloria Steinem Jason: If you could talk to your student self, an advice you would want to give her?

Joyce: I would remind myself that is takes courage to think your own thoughts and share your opinion. Reflection is good thing. Do not be scared to think critically and express it. Also, do not be afraid to truly listen. Bertrand Russell said it very eloquently: “Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric.”

kingsday Kingsday, what is that? It is another excuse for the Dutch to party. But we are not complaining, since Kingsday offers some of the best parties of the year. Lets go back to the beginning. A long time ago, it was decided that a holiday should fall upon the 31 of August, 1885, which was the fifth birthday of Princess Wilhelmina, the heir to the Dutch throne. Back in those days, the holiday was referred to as Prinsessedag or Princess’s Day. When Queen Wilhelmina was coronated, the holiday was known as koninginnedag - Queensday! After Queen Wilhelmina, Queen Juliana stepped up to take her place on the throne, changing the date of the holiday to her own birthday, 30th of April. The next Queen in line was Queen Beatrix and she chose to retain the day in honour of her mother.

Thus, after this brief history lesson, this is a national holiday of The Netherlands, to celebrate the birthday of the King or Queen.

Cred: Wikipedia

Since 1980, this mad crazy holiday has been most commonly known as Koninginnedag - so what happened? A king happened, thats what (hence Kingsday). In 2013, the accession of the first King, King Willem-Alexander, occurred since the holiday was created. As a result, the date is now the 27th of April, which is his birthday.

Orange Madness Kingsday is when all the Dutch let their hair down and put all other nations to shame. There are hundreds of organized parties to choose from that take place all over The Netherlands. There is one characteristic that can be spotted at any party, on any street, and on any Dutch person: the orange. The Dutch people decorate everything in orange: themselves, the cars, rooms, houses, shops and entire streets. They can’t get enough of orange! So, why orange? It is the traditional color of the Dutch royal family, the House of Orange-Nassau.

Queen Wilhelmina

for dummies by natasha schoen Amsterdam was built on trade and thus, the amsterdammers love to haggle and bargain. Therefore, another characteristic of Kingsday is the vrijmarkt (which literally mean free market). This market gives every person the chance to pull out their second hand things and sell them on the streets of Amsterdam, which basically results in the one of the world’s largest flea markets. It should be noted that these flea markets can basically be found everywhere in The Netherlands. Great, deep fried Dutch food can also be found on the Market, which fuels everyone’s shopping craze.

Cred: TCA

Kingsday in Amsterdam

the world’s greatest party The Dutch kingsday is more than just a national day - it is a day where all come together, where bands and DJ’s play, children perform, bargains are found at the markets, drinks are consumed, and above everything else, love and laughter are a plenty. This national holiday is not about patriotism or worshipping the royal, it is about bringing the country together as one. Anyone can participate, everyone can choose their own way to celebrate, and anyone can party: just put on an orange t-shirt and join the gezellige crowds. And so, with this great celebration almost upon us, I wish everyone the best and most craziest Kingsday!

Sunset at Kralingse Plas

by julia empelmann

What is next for our soon to be IBcom veterans? by annabel van gestel Even though for many of you it may seem like just yesterday that you started your first classes of this academic year, the end of year 2014/2015 is approaching. Next year, we will welcome a fresh batch of exciting new students who will take the 3‐year IBCoM rollercoaster. However, unfortunately, our current 3rd year IBCoMmers who have finished this crazy ride will soon be leaving us. Some of them will stay close so we might see them occasionally on the Erasmus campus, others will start their future at another university in the Netherlands or elsewhere on the planet, and some will even start the grown‐up life and join the working class. We were curious about some of the future plans of this year’s IBCoM graduates. If you are too, read the stories of these soon‐to‐be IBCoM veterans.

Maybe they will inspire you for your future plans!

Name: Nora Nationality:

Dutch

Focus Area: I never actually chose a focus area. Two years ago I honestly had no idea what I wanted to do.

Courses Followed: Because I didn't know what I wanted to do, I took a really wide variety of courses. I ended up taking courses like media and politics, corporate communication, and cinemas in context.

What are your plans after graduation?

Next year I'm going to do an MA in film, photography and media at the University of Leeds. After that, I'll just see what happens.

Why did you choose to apply in Leeds?

In Copenhagen (on exchange) I only took MA film classes, and really enjoyed them. After that, I started looking for film courses in the UK that had both a practical and a theoretical element, and Leeds had one of the most interesting ones. Plus, I had heard great stuff about Leeds from ibcommers who went on exchange there.

What kind of job do you see yourself doing after your studies?

Right now I'm thinking of either working in marketing for the cultural sector, or going fully for being a photographer or filmmaker. I'm hoping my time in Leeds will help me decide in which direction I want to go.

Where do you see yourself in 10 ‐ 15 years?

Honestly, I have no clue. If I dream big I would probably be the director of photography for some type of travel show.

Name: Marta Nationality:

Polish

Focus Area:

New Media Technologies

Courses followed: Trends and Strategies, Questioning Technologies (research workshop), Innovation Management and Strategic Management (electives from RSM), ICTs and International Development, Media Campaigns.

What are your plans after graduation?

Going back to London as I got offered a permanent position in the company where I did my internship.

What company was this?

I did my internship at Syzygy http://www.syzygy.net, a digital marketing agency. I was an account executive intern within the client services department. I was exposed to wide variety of tasks such as: liaison with clients, writing client briefs and communicating the clients’ needs to the project management, content publishing, quality assurance and testing of websites and apps which we designed and created, supporting the tech team, I did some coding together with developers. Designing strategies for clients together with business analysts,strategists and UX. Supporting data analysts with designing SEO strategies for our clients.

Why did you choose not to do a master’s?

I don't really need a master. What I did can't be taught at uni, it's all about gathering experience while working and interacting with seniors. I'm considering a master in the field of information systems, management or digital innovation but for sure after one or two years. I first want to work to be sure that's what I want to do for the rest of my life. Definitely planning to be an account director before I'm 30 years old.

Name: Sammy Rose Nationality:

Dutch

Focus areas: Business and Media and International Global Communication Courses Followed: Business of Media, Consumer Behavior and Marketing Action, New media and International business, International Journalism, Global television Plans after you are graduated: The plan is to do a master in Marketing Management at RSM. I am not ready to leave Rotterdam yet and Marketing Management seems like a master where I can combine the perks of being a communication and media student with a program that is more business oriented. I have followed marketing research and marketing management as electives in my second year so that I could do this master without doing a pre�master.

What kind of job do you see yourself doing after your studies?

Hopefully I can do a job where I can combine my analytical skills with creativity. I would love to work for an advertisement company and make ads that will put a smile on people's faces.

Where do you see yourself over 10 – 15 years?

Ideally I would live and work in Australia, or another country where the weather is lovely, the nature is beautiful and where the people try to make the most of every day. I would have worked my way up in an advertisement company in a position that requires many business trips abroad. And maybe by that time I will be ready to have a family of my own as well;).

Join our forces! awesome ibcom extracurricular activities IBCoM: a place of different cultures, amazing people, an abundance of knowledge and countless opportunities.

Speaking of which: did you know there are many different extracurricular activities related to IBCoM that you can sign up for? Quit the Breaking Bad binge­watching, say goodbye to those afternoon naps and become socially and academically involved: these are opportunities you do not want to miss!

­ IBCoMagazine

Of course we have to start with this one. Do you have a passion for creating stories, want to pursue a career in journalism or do you just like to write about IBCoM in general? Join our awesome team of writers and become a part of delivering creative and inspiring issues!

­Honours Programme

Always eager to shine in every assignment, hungry for more knowledge and interested in a wide variety of topics?

Join the Honours Programme, and expand your knowledge and curriculum with topics outside of IBCoM and fieldtrips to apply theory to practice!

­ IBCoMpanion

Where would we be without them? We all cherish our beloved second­year mentors during our 1st year of IBCoM. Organising bootcamp, watching over your group of ‘kiddos’ and sharing tips and tricks for studying.

Become an IBCoMpanion in your second year!

­IBCoM Ambassador

Do you love IBCoM? Would you love to inform prospective students at the Erasmus Open Days and give presentations about IBCoM at schools? Then becoming an Ambassador is the thing for you! It’s a great way to share your enthusiasm and earn a bit of money at the same time! ­ ACE Did you know that you can join Ace, our faculty? They have many different committees (including the IBCoMmittee!) and also a board of amazing people that take care of all sorts of activities for the ESHCC studies!

­Faculty Council

Are you dying for your voice to be heard? Join the faculty council! It is a body that advises and communicates with the dean and board of our faculty. Enrich it with your ideas and improvements! ­ Year representative Become the representative of your whole IBCoM year by gathering feedback from your fellow classmates, meeting with the IBCoM staff and hosting panel discussions about the IBCoM programme!

For more info, go to http://www.eshcc.eur.nl/english/ibcom/current/extracurricular/ (or click here) and sign up!

Student Occupations and Re­Appropriations:

De Nieuwe Universiteit by haylee kelsall On Friday February 13th a group of students and employees occupied the University of Amsterdam’s Bungehuis; the buildings of the Faculty of Humanities. The Bungehuis occupation sparked what would soon become a nationwide movement demanding democratic reform in institutes of higher education; De Nieuwe Universiteit: voor een democratische universiteit (or in English, The New University: for a democratic university). Occupiers were dissatisfied with UvA’s management, as “top­down, efficiency­oriented management damages the very thing a university should revolve around: research and education”.

During its occupation, the Bungehuis played host to numerous guests, offering daily programs of guest lectures, and debates etc. The UvA offered to enter into negotiations with those involved, but only if they first vacated the premises. The occupiers refused to do so, and the UvA went to court to secure an injunction for their removal.

At one point the UvA threatened those inside with huge fines, resulting in growing support, both nationally and internationally from high profile individuals (e.g. Noam Chomsky) for the students and staff involved. The Bungehuis occupation ended after only 11 days when protesters were forcibly removed by police, resulting in around 50 arrests. That was it then, the Bungehuis occupation and their struggle was over..... or was it?

Maagdenhuis Appropriation The Maagdenhuis is home to UvA’s central governance, and became the 2nd building to be occupied by De Nieuwe Universiteit. After a demonstration on the 25th of February, a large group of students and staff entered and ‘re­appropriated’ the Maagdenhuis. The Maagdenhuis was also occupied in 1969 by students as part of nationwide protests for similar reasons as those today. Students called for more involvement in university governance across the country and increased transparency from institutions which led to legislative changes. In 1998 these changes, which were to ensure democratic participation, were scrapped as a new law was introduced. Since then, the gap between university management and students, staff and researchers has grown considerably, which ironically, was exactly what the 1969 demonstrations aimed to prevent.

Today, there have been further talks with the Executive Board of UvA regarding the concerns of the Maagdenhuis occupiers, although at time of writing De Nieuwe Universiteit remains in the building as an agreement is yet to be reached. De Nieuwe Universiteit has been busy, organising a full program each day since Maagdenhuis was occupied in February. Daily activities include film screenings, debates, discussions, and music evenings. Of course, they also have daily lectures, and have had speakers such as David Graeber and Joris Luyendijk in the Maagdenhuis. To keep up to date on the situation and find out about upcoming events, check newuni.nl or De Nieuwe Universiteit on Facebook.

What does this have to do with EUR? Inspired by the actions of UvA students and staff, De Nieuwe Universiteit Rotterdam was formed. The group at EUR share similar concerns with those at the Maagdenhuis; they want to see a more democratic form of governance within our University. De Nieuwe Universiteit Rotterdam seeks increased participation in decision making processes, transparency in relation to finances and involvement in re­organisation plans of faculties, such as the current plans regarding ESHCC and FSW. On the 4th of March, the group at EUR joined a national day of action which took place throughout the Netherlands, symbolically blindfolding the Erasmus statue and hanging banners in the C­Hall.

De Nieuwe Universiteit movement has in fact spread throughout the Netherlands and inspired occupations abroad such as at Kings College and the London School of Economics. Although individual situations differ, commercialisation of education and what has been deemed “efficiency thinking” seem to be at the centre of concerns. Commercialisation of education, where financial goals and endeavors have been prioritised above staff and students, has led to this efficiency thinking. What this means is that a focus on quantity rather than quality in order to increase profits now prevails. As a result, students, their teachers and researchers works have been reduced to numbers in order to assess “quality”, i.e. the number of (hastily) completed degrees, publications, citations etc. Rather than focusing on the true meaning of ‘quality’ and developing critical students, providing staff adequate time to pursue research and providing space for independent thought and exploration, universities have shifted to an efficiency model, effectively changing their position from an educational institution to a business. As with any business, areas which are slowing or not as profitable as others are subject to re­organisation and cut­backs. In the context of the university, this affects the smaller programs and faculties, and/or those which have fluctuating enrollments. It is these issues that De Nieuwe Universiteit Rotterdam, the Maagdenhuis occupiers and those they’ve inspired abroad are concerned with. For these reasons they are calling for more democracy, transparency and participation in University governance ­before change is no longer an option.

Click here to check out De Nieuwe Universiteit Rotterdam on Facebook to find out about upcoming meetings and get involved.

Creative Assignments by nabila hisbaron While not everybody chooses to go abroad for five months, the exchange semester is a time many IBCoMmers look forward to. It is, in fact, one of the most famous components of what makes our program so special! Right at the start of 2015, you might have seen a few second-years scrambling around Rotterdam taking pictures, filming interviews of students on campus, or running towards the admin office with unique pieces of art. It was a hectic time as we were pumping our creative juices to create our best pieces for the “Creative Assignment”, a requirement of the exchange application process!

So how do you prove to the administration that you are the perfect IBCoM ambassador for your dream destination? It’s a seemingly straightforward, yet laborious, process that takes time, determination, and the key ingredient: creativity! Simply put, there are several aspects: a standard application, a written motivation statement, an interview to pitch yourself, and the Creative Assignment. This assignment, by far, is the most time and energy­ consuming of all aspects – but it’s also the most fun!

I asked a couple exchange­bound IBCoM students to ask how their Creative Assignment processes went. They have all gone for various mediums. Whether you’re a songwriter, crafty, or are tech­savvy – this is the best opportunity to let your creativity shine through!

Who? Lennart Wenner is going on exchange to Hong Kong What? Lennart let his lyrics to the talking, writing a lovely song about the student experience in Rotterdam. He performed this song with fellow IBCoMmer, Sara Jansen, and posted the video along with some pictures of Rotterdam.

Lennart ft. Sara - Hello You “Why did you choose to write a song for the Assignment?” “Long story short, I decided to write a song because it is a good way to express yourself and I just enjoy writing lyrics. If I had sung it myself though, it would have been absolutely horrible so luckily I live with Sara!”

“Any tips for next year’s batch of kids?” “Try to think out of the box but keep it within your talents. Come up with something you are good at and then think of how to make something creative out of it. Most importantly, don’t do something you really can’t do just because it seems easy – that only backfires at you” “How do you feel about your exchange results?” “Even if it had not given me my first choice, I somehow created something that moved a few people and that’s the most beautiful thing about music, so I’m very happy I did it.

However, I started pretty late and eventually it was all about the song – but I have to admit, I find my video itself very lame”.

Who? Charlotte Ha is going on exchange to Tokyo, Japan What? Charlotte made a scrapbook of Rotterdam, EUR, and living life as an IBCoM student. While tackling all three aspects of the assignments is ambitious, Charlotte did so gracefully – even winning one of the five awards!

“Why did you choose to make a scrapbook?” “I knew that so many people were going to make videos, and I was just not feeling it creatively. So I took this as an opportunity to stand out and get crafty” “What was the hardest parts about the assignment?”

“Knowing we had those creative themes to incorporate [Rotterdam, IBCOM, and/or Erasmus University], I knew I wanted to showcase them all! It took lots of time and energy to put together all my ideas into my Scrapbook, but I’m glad it turned out the way I had pictured it!”

“How do you feel about the end product of your Creative Assignment?” “I was very pleased, and was shocked that I had won an award for my Scrapbook. I compared my assignment against other fancy­ looking and more stimulating projects, like some awesome videos out there. But I guess it goes to show that you should go with your strengths and that it’s okay to approach this differently!”

Who? Melissa de Jonge is going to Singapore

Who ? Demi Bos is going on exchange to Seoul, South Korea

What? Melissa made an extravagant poster, outlining The Netherlands with Dutch foods and specialties on a What? Demi created an intricate stop­motion video and poster board! Thinking outside the box, her project was posted it on YouTube. Told in narrative form, Demi one that definitely caught your eye! “ combined minimalistic visuals with descriptive storytelling to inform future incoming exchange student just “How did you come up with your unique idea?” “I was why being an IBCOM student in Rotterdam is the best! inspired by the work of Henry Hargreaves who created Food Maps of countries all around the world. I had seen those pieces come by on my Facebook feed one day and remembered them when thinking about what to do for my creative assignment!”

Why the Netherlands is the place to be!

“What was the hardest part of your Assignment?” The hardest part was the final part – to transport my assignment from my parents’ home in Goes to my room in Rotterdam and from my room to the university. Because I couldn’t glue the food to the cardboard, I had to carry all the food in a separate bag and prepare my creative assignment on the morning that it would be evaluated in the M­building.”

“What was the best part about making your stopmotion?” “The best part was the editing process and seeing it all come together. Though, the pre­production was the hardest! It was fun, but a lot of work”.

“How do you feel about the outcomes of the exchange event?” “I ended up not getting my first choice. In fact, I got my least favorite out of my alternatives. But once “And the best part? :)” “The best part about the process I got used to the idea I got really excited to go to such was that I could really see my plan develop before my a beautiful place. I can’t wait to go there and explore!” own eyes. As an academic you normally don’t see the progress you make, except for maybe reaching the maxi- “Any tips for future reference?” “Look at Creative Asmum word count.” signments of YouTube for inspiration. They help you get started. I’d recommend staying with something you’re comfortable with and that highlights what you do best. Photography, videos, making jokes, all of the above or whatever it is – just have fun with it!”

Check out some other Creative Assignments in this playlist!

Ibcom awards 2015 by yvette hogenelst The 12th of March 18:30. The doors of the foyer of Paviljoen opened. A red carpet warmly welcomed the shows visitors. The sound clicking of high heels and the smell of cologne slowly filled the room. Soon, the room was filled with students, excitingly chatting about the question of the night: Who would be the winner? After some Paparazzi pictures were taken, it was time for the show to start.

Time flies when you are having fun; we at IBCoM know it. This year, the IBCoMmittee, part of the International Study Association ACE had the wonderful task of organizing the already fifth (!) edition of the annual IBCoM Awards. The first show, organized in 2009, was a great way to put the International Bachelor Communication and Media, still in its infancy, on the Erasmus map. 5 years later, the IBCoM are still a successful celebration, where students, teachers and staff gather and one can truly feel the communal feeling that IBCoM is known for.

As change is the law of life; this year awards presented some new categories. Students could nominate their fellow IBCoMMers for the following categories: Best Summary Maker, Best Start-up, Midnight Warrior, Best Presenter, and Best Act. In addition teachers were nominated for the traditional category of ‘Most Inspiring Lecturer’. While profiles of all the nominees featured on the IBCoM Award Facebook page, some nominees even took it a step further and engaged in some serious campaigning, trying to win the hearts of their peers.

The show proved to be a great success, thanks to Rhea Vernon and Lennart Wenner, hosts of the evening and the great performances that sang amazing songs, played violin, guitar and even used the mouth-harmonica to entertain the public. All categories were voted for in advance except one: Best act. Near the end of the show, visitors were giving a link which led them to a voting site where they could indicate the act of their choice. The creativity of the mouth-harmonica was appreciated by the public and BA-2 student Dylan Kap was awarded ‘Best Act’. As a real show man he surprised the public with two more songs, after which the show had come to an end. The students moved to the foyer, where they enjoyed some drinks and chatted some more about the evening.

The IBCoM Awards once again reflected the great communal asset that IBCoM should be proud of. BA-2 student Eline Kimmel, winner of the category ‘Best Summary’ emphasized this feeling in her acceptance speech in which she dedicated the award to her older twin sister Hanna, BA-3 student, who was also nominated for the category.

Perhaps the organizing committee of the next year should take into consideration a name change of the category to the ‘Kimmel’ Award.

The fifth edition of the 2015 IBCoM Awards was a blast, uniting students, teachers and staff. The IBCoMagazine team is already looking forward to what the sixth edition will bring us!

interview with Meet Bilal Kabdani, a self­proclaimed IBCoM Hall of Famer and Alumnus that graduated from IBCoM last year. He is a Dutch Moroccan with a dream to one day have the luxury to sleep with 12 pillows. He is a big fan of some things, less a fan of other things. Currently he is training for MI in London.

Hi Bilal! Why did you choose IBCoM? “I checked all bachelors in the Netherlands and IBCoM was honestly the only one that had the potential to be remotely interesting. I'm also a kid from Rotterdam so not having to travel that far and being able to study in the best city in the Netherlands (that's right) was a factor as well.”

Where do you work now?

“Next to my main job as 3rd ranked agent in the 00­section, I also pretend to have a normal life by being employed in a start­ up here in London. I make up 50% of the company so as you can imagine things get quite hectic at times, but it's a good experience to have.”

What exactly does your work entail?

“Our company does management consulting and executive coaching. I do a bit of everything really, from marketing to events and from sales to finance.”

Can you tell us how you ended up in London?

“During my time in the IBCoM universe we had the chance to broaden our horizons and depart to another country under the excuse of ‘studying abroad’. I decided to go overseas all the way to the United Kingdom – London to be exact. Whilst hanging out there it occurred to me that my journey towards graduation would be hindered if I would not complete an internship. I therefore decided to do an internship in London, since I was there at the time anyways. I like to keep things simple in life. It worked out well, since the job I currently have was brought to me by a referral from my internship (my start­up job, I had to achieve my 00­status on my own).”

an ibcom alumni by denise vollebergh What do you like most about London?

“MI6, football, history, travel opportunities. What is there not to love? It is the greatest city in the world easily!”

How did IBCoM help you get where you are right now?

“IBCoM is an interesting programme with a lot of different aspects. The international community is a big part of the programme, as it creates a fun and diverse environment. After creating an academic foundation in the first year with introductory courses, you have the option to – much like a Subway sandwich – customise and pick the courses you like. Whether you actually get your desired Subway sandwich/courses is another story – sometimes they just run out of pickles.”

Did you expect to be here when you first started IBCoM or did you have other aspirations?

“I never really plan. I did want to go to London at some point, sure, but it wasn’t like a goal to do after IBCoM or something. I just live, be awesome and see what happens!”

Do you have some advice for people who are about to start IBCoM/about to graduate?

“Enjoy the journey ahead, don't worry too much about what will happen. Some people have their next 5 years planned out for them ­do whatever you feel like I say to them, but I would advise to enjoy the ride and see what happens. Oh and don't do drugs okay.”

10 motivations to getby laetifit tia schreiber Waking up to a bright ray of sunlight that is sneaking its way through the curtains is much nicer than being brutally woken up because of the horrible sound of an alarm clock. It is rather a pleasant feeling having the sun wake you up. You open the curtains and see a warm sun shining over your beloved city; that is the moment you know it is going to be a nice day. I mean, it’s scientifically proven that vitamin D, which the sun provides, keeps you happy.

So, put your grumpy face back in the far end of your closet and just be happy. However, this overloaded-happiness situation just reminded me that, even though my brain is fully prepared for spring and its refreshingly warm days, my body isn’t anywhere near a fit spring/summer body. I need to work on it. Now. Before going any further I just want to say that I am a strong believer that categorizing people in little boxes with labels, such as ‘white wealthy lawyer’ or ‘Italian pizza chef ’, is like saying that cookies must be baked in an oven before being eaten, while, seriously, unbaked cookie dough is just one of the best things in the world. Instead of putting people in distinct boxes, you should actually think outside the box.

I do believe that in the quest for the fit spring/summer body there are actually two types of people: the ones who skip an additional slice of cake for dessert and the ones who work out in order to be able to compensate for their culinary sins. To be honest, I am part of this latter category and, even though I like to pretend that I do sports because of the love of sports and the way it’s clearing up my mind (seriously, how are you supposed to think straight and find answers to your existential questions while sweating like a pig?!), I actually mainly work out so that I can eat that piece of delicious Belgian chocolate.

If you are like me, then keep up the reading in order to get some tips to get your fit spring/summer body. If, on the other hand, you are not like me then you should keep reading too, because, believe me, you will change sides one day...

1. Create a playlist with energetic songs. By energetic I mean the songs where you went

all crazy on while being in the shower. And by crazy I mean your roommate thought you were having a stroke by hearing weird sounds. Don’t even try to deny that you don’t pretend to be a superstar while singing along to your favourite songs in the shower.

2. Make up a clear schedule of your workout sessions and actually stick to it. Try to make

time everyday to do some exercise, even if it’s only 20 minutes.

3. Stop making up excuses and go work out. Excuses don’t burn calories, so if you have

time for Facebook you have time for exercising.

4. If you are a real food addict, then have a look on Pinterest and you’ll find delicious, 100

kcal, homemade desserts.

5. Set up a feasible, yet challenging, goal. Your goal has to be realistic and within your ca-

pacities, but it can’t be a piece of cake. You should actually work for the piece of cake.

6. Start slow and make progress. Instead of trying to immediately plank for five minutes

straight, start by planking one minute (or even half a minute) and then gradually try to plank for a longer time.

7. Stop comparing yourself to others. Everybody has a different body type and, therefore,

there is no perfect body. So, stop pursuing the unobtainable.

8. Walk or cycle everywhere and every day. Seriously, walking and cycling is like working

out without realizing it. Plus, it’s for free and that is always good news for the empty student’s wallet.

9. Find a sports activity you like. I don’t mean you have to love it, but if you actually like it

then you will be so much more motivated to work out and you’ll try your best at each work out.

If, however, you really don’t like running, then just pretend there are creepy zombies behind you and Ryan Gosling is waiting for you at the finish line. Tested and approved.

10. Find a workout buddy. Working out and being social is possible and fun. Exercising

with other people keeps you motivated and creates bonds.

So, get up, put your sportswear on and go exercise, because this month’s choices are next month’s body!

Media highlights by rhea vernon With Spring well underway it appears that we are surrounded by different news stories everyday. At the IBCoMagazine we are passionate about keeping up to date with the latest news headlines around the globe, which brings us to this issues Media Highlights:

German Wings Plane Crash Now I am sure we have all heard about the terrible Germanwings plane crash that occurred on the 24th March.

The Airbus A320 crashed into the French Alps as it was flying from Barcelona to Dusseldorf, there was 150 people on board and after a two day search there is no survivors. The plane believed to have had 67 German citizens and 45 Spanish citizens, which included 16 students on a Spanish exchange trip, the crash has left many people around the world deeply saddened.

The plane crashed in in a remote area near Digne-les-Bains in the Alpes de Haute Provence region. The plane took an 8 minute descent into the Alps but did not send any distress signals or emergency calls, and during the descent it lost contact with the French radar.Following the crash there has been an extensive search of the site and the French air accident investigators confirmed that, there is evidence from a voice recorder that was found in the cockpit where you could hear ‘voices and sounds’ of the pilot who it is believed was locked outside the cockpit and could not get back in. In the recording you can hear the sounds of the pilot smashing the door to try and get in, however there is no indication that the pilot inside the cockpit was trying to let the other pilot back in.

Moreover on Wednesday 25th March the French president, Francois Hollande, the German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy visited the site and conducted a joint press conference promising that they will do everything they can to find out how the plane crashed. It was then revealed on the 26th March that the pilot who had locked the cockpit named Andreas Lubitz purposefully crashed the plane into the alps.

This was a dreadful accident and many airlines such as Easyjet and Norwegian Air are taking measures to enforce stricter cockpit rules on their aircrafts.

World Leaders Tackle Climate Change On the 26th March a meeting was held in Paris by leaders and representatives of 30 European cities in order to sign a declaration and declare that they will be committed to enforcing ‘clean’ policies to combat climate change in their cities. Climate change has always been an issue in modern society but as we progress further into the future more needs to be done to tackle the issue. In Paris the officials will sign a declaration agreeing to use their collective purchasing power which is roughly 10 billion euros a year to invest and buy into eco-friendly initiatives.

A joint statement was signed by 26 European Mayors who claimed that they hoped joining forces would encourage industries to favour the green and low carbon dioxide options and, as cities they are representatives towards making increasing efforts to tackle climate change. In addition by joining together this will encourage more communication between European cities to engage in more regular practices that are eco-friendly and to also encourage their citizens to understand the importance of being greener. Moreover it seemed fitting that the summit was held in Paris as it was recently declared the most polluted city in the world after it appears many clouds are choking the monuments of Paris such as the famous Eiffel Tower.

Facebook is Spying on us We all know about privacy online and the importance of keeping our profiles private on Facebook. However in recent years it appears that surveillance by government organizations are becoming a key issue for citizens and their privacy.

A recent statement by the EU commission warned EU citizens that they should shut down their Facebook accounts, because they are at risk of their private information being used or seen by the US security services. In addition there is a Safe Harbour Framework which was put in place to protect EU citizens data against companies such as Facebook and the government but the EU commission have found that the current framework is not protecting the EU citizens data.

The Safe Harbour Framework states that it is illegal in the EU to transmit private data outside of the EU, this is data such as Facebook messages, Skype details, and email addresses. However now it seems that the US are being transferred data by companies on a ‘self -certified basis’ which does comply with the Safe Harbour Framework as many of these companies do not fit the self certified guidelines.

As a result of this issue Poland and many other European countries have argued that the Safe Harbour Framework cannot protect the data of many EU citizens, and something must be done to ensure the protection of this data. Moreover action is being taken to revise the Harbour Framework and ensure that the data cannot be transferred outside the EU to companies in the US. A new revised version of the framework is expected to be released on the 24th June 2015, and we hope that this will strengthen the privacy of the data of EU citizens.

Vertical Cinema The way we view films in cinema could be taking on a new trend, a vertical trend. As we all know when we go to the cinema and watch a film the screen is horizontal, but now an Amsterdam based organisation which started in 2013 and are fast becoming the pioneers of vertical cinemas.

The aim of the vertical cinema project is to challenge traditional cinema and experiment with audience’s cinematic experience. In addition the creators wanted to revitalise the image of cinema as many people are claiming that cinema is dying out. The project includes 10 films which will be projected onto a 35mm vertical monument, and are designed for tall narrow spaces such as cathedrals. The 10 films are a wide range of genres and are from many different countries making them different from the films that we usually see in mainstream cinema. The vertical cinema has been in Eindhoven, Amsterdam and various places around The Netherlands, as well as debuting in Texas and hosting future events in England. If you want to attend one of their events or know more about the project click here to visit their website at: http://verticalcinema.org/about/

how to survive summer without ibcom by aleksandra medvedskaya First, cry. You can do it alone in the corner or with your IBCoM friends. Even non­IBCoM friends are OK, although they might not understand your suffering. Yes, we know how much you are going to miss exams, morning lectures, three tutorials in a row, sleepless nights, etc. You will most probably miss your friends, courses and IBCoM staff.

But hey, summer is here, and there is an enormous amount of cool things that you can do!

So, as soon as you are ready to wipe your tears (and other IBCoMer’s ones), get inspired by our tips about how to enjoy your holidays.

• Travel. This could be one of the best pieces of advice you can get. What else to do when you have plenty of time?

Even when you don’t have a lot of money: check ryanair and transavia, they have extremely cheap fare flights, so you can get to another country for 30 euros or less. Don’t forget about buses ­they are not as uncomfortable and time­consuming as one might think, especially when traveling in the company of friends. Finally, if you managed to bike trough the Dutch wind to university every day, you would nail a bike­trip to another country!

• Learn something new and/or unusual. If ‘classic’ courses of painting or playing football are too boring for you, try making your own Stroopwafels at Stroop Rotterdam (strooprotterdam.com) or choose one of the variety of workshops at WORM Parallel University, like bookbinding or designing a robot (worm.org). If you don’t stay in Rotterdam during summer, just search for interesting courses in your city or nearby. Things like surfing classes are gaining popularity in many places today.

• Visit as many music festivals as possible. Or at least the most interesting ones. Or at least one. Music festivals are an amazing experience that light up your holidays. Everything is exciting: from finding a place and enthusiastic friends to buying tickets and actual preparation for the festival. Who doesn’t love music?

• Become a volunteer. You can even connect it with traveling: collecting avocados in Australia, helping sea turtles in Grenada, researching the life of dolphins in Greece or assisting with summer camps for children in Southern Thailand ­there are lots of opportunities! Just imagine how productive your summer will be: experiencing new cultures, seeing new places and, the most important, helping out! Also, it is a perfect way to improve your IBCoM international­related and communication skills.

• Have a good rest! You’ve been sitting for long nights finishing assignments and reading summaries for exams.

Haven’t you deserved a good pause to refresh your brains and gain some power and inspiration to start in September again, full of new ideas and motivation to study even better? Spend time with friends, have picnics and barbecues, go to the sea or aqua parks, walk, party, and sleep!

See you next year, full of exciting stories to tell and beautiful pictures to show!

Thanks for reading the

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 Guest contributers Jason Pridmore Joyce Neys

Writers Nabila Hisbaron Haylee Kelsall Yvette Hogenelst

Stijn van Venrooij Ilse Zwaan

Annabel van Gestel Aleksandra Medvedskaya Denise Vollebergh Julia Empelmann Laetitia Schreiber

A special thank you to ALL of the amazing writers, photographers and guest contributers this year.

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see you next year! Š 2014/2015