what is your collective like?

Skogveien 18A

8 RESIDENTS

In the middle of the day an ordinary Tuesday, four inhabitants are seated around the kitchen table. Hedda, Jens Martin, Emil and Nora gladly talk about their life in the newly built abode at the forest-edge.

What is the advantage with living in a collective?

You learn a lot about being a person. At the same time you don’t get as many weird habits, and you are forced to be considerate of each other. In other words, you are forced to grow up. a lot of time in the common room, so we watch a lot of TV together.

Have you met any challenges?

If we are going to do find something to do it is difficult to find something everyone likes. At the same time, it is hard to find a time that fits everyone.

What would make the group bond more?

That everyone either was quarantined, or everyone got the virus at the same time. It would have been great bonding. Or it would have been nice to have a game night.

Is there anything you usually do together?

The first one that gets up puts the coffee on and turns on yesterdays broadcast of the news. It is very nice to get up and just sit in front of the TV. Not everyone gets up at the same time though, but it is very comfy for those who get up early. Also, people spend

What is the secret ingredient to a successful collective?

The most important is talking, and not keep things to yourself for too long. You also have to learn to let some things go, so you must learn when to talk and when to shut up. A TV does not hurt either.

Skogveien 11

4 RESIDENTS

When Even, one of four residents in Skogveien 11, opens the door for us, it feels just like an “at-home-with” report, because that is how cosy it is. With great enthusiasm we are led on a detailed tour.

What is the advantage with living in a collective?

You will always have someone to hang out with; grab a beer with. I probably wouldn’t have been as tidy as I am now, if I lived alone.

Is there anything you usually do together?

We try to have dinner together as often as we can. We drink beer in the living room from time to time, and host a collective party every so often.

Have you met any challenges?

Everyone living here is very outgoing, so it is difficult to gather everyone. Therefore, we have a semester-program. We have to plan a long time ahead. For example: we have already planned a cabin-trip in January.

What would make the group bond more?

Have even more dinners together.

What is the secret ingredient to a successful collective?

You should always make compromises. If you are very tidy, you’ll have to accept that you can’t have everything spick-andspan all the time. If you don’t mind mess, you’ll still have to be considerate of others. Having dinners together is also essential.

WE ASKED ABOUT YOUR COLLECTIVES

HERE ARE THE ANSWERS

Do you have any arrangements/ Do you have any anecdotes from your an aquarium.

traditions/other things you would collective?

recommend to others? - There is a thief that steals food from us - Yes, a lot of good discussions. - Having dinner together - Spending the money from bottle deposit on shared alcohol - Investing in a Roomba - Arts and crafts on Sundays when the window is open (a magpie)! It has learned where to find food, and it shits on the sofa when it’s here. We have to close the windows when we’re gone, which has reduced the air-quality… - The same person always makes coffee/ tea in the morning, but never drinks it… finding full (and cold) coffee cups everywhere. - House cleaning schedule - Celebrating birthdays - Do things outside of the collective. Like go to Samfunnet, or a quiz - Movie night - Baking cakes - Christmas Party and other private parties - Christmas workshop - Tidying up the place lightens the mood - Sex - Sunday binge-drinking early on in the corona-lockdown, with a new drink every hour and a playthrough of every good drinking-game. Highly recommended! - New Year’s Eve-party, that was a nice one. -We are going to have a birthday party with a pirate theme, for everyone that had a birthday this fall. And we might be getting - Coming with “birthday breakfast” when someone has had a one-night stand. - We had a rock consert in our yard that was so loud the neighbour yelled at us. - When we went for a walk early on in the lockdown, we saw a shooting star. Samfunnet should thank us if this pandemic passes well ;)

How are the rest of the collectives in Ås?

WHICH FACULTY ARE YOU PART OF?

96 ANSWERS Through a survey, we asked students about the living situation. One thing that is perhaps not so surprising is that most of those who have taken the survey say they rent from SIÅS, some rent privately, and a very few own themselves. In this throng of collectives that is Ås, what is the usual number of cohabitants? The survey shows that the most common size of the collective is between 4 and 6 people.

Most of those who responded to the survey are doing well both in the collective and elsewhere. Meetings in the collective do not seem to be as important as SiÅs posters suggest, and most have answered that they rarely have meetings. Corona may have forced many to spend more time at home. Most have answered that they spend a lot of time in the collective. On the other hand, many have answered that there has been no change after the corona.

WHERE DO YOU LIVE

96 REPLIES

HOW MANY DO YOU LIVE WITH

96 REPLIES

NMBU is getting its very own environmental action plan!

Nora Helgeland Journalist

Vegard Sjaastad Hansen Translator

Anne Trætteberg Reitan Illustrator

It is the students of today that are going to solve the problems of tomorrow, and everything is pointing towards the climate crisis being the biggest of the future problems. To prepare students for this challenge, the university’s job is to both inspire and ensure solid competence. With a goal of becoming Norway’s leading university in climate and environment, NMBU will now prepare an environmental action plan.

Magnus Dybdahl is responsible for, among other things, the As a university, NMBU has long been concerned with the environment in the Student Board, and this autumn he has environment and climate, and over the years has initiated been involved in preparing the consultation input from the several measures. Among other things, climate accounts Student Parliament together with the Student Parliament’s have been kept and solar panels installed on parts of the sustainability committee. Earlier this year, the Student campus and Ås farm. Nevertheless, these measures were Parliament adopted an environmental policy document, and he done haphazardly, and there has been little planning believes that it is therefore appropriate with an environmental related to future measures. For this reason, a climate action plan now. “Students want action and not just talk,” says analysis was carried out in 2019, and based on this, the Dybdahl. Many of the Student Parliament’s input is that they faculties were sent questionnaires with local and central want to concretize the goals and set clear deadlines. Magnus climate and environmental measures. The results were hopes that this will lead to many more measures and that the basis for the drafting of the proposal for the action demands actually can be made. In addition, they have come up plan, which was sent for initial consideration in January with proposals for new measures, such as that NMBU should 2020 but which was postponed until this autumn due to not only have a climate account, but also a climate budget. corona. The deadline for submitting input was last Above all, the goal is to make a concrete weekend in October, and the Student Board plan on how to reduce the emissions from the university. “Above all, the and other organizations and committees have submitted proposals. Input will The Student Parliament wants NMBU goal is to make a be considered by the Environmental Council. The Environmental Council to aim for the university to become concrete plan on provides advice to NMBU on how they climate neutral by 2022. To achieve this, even more investment must be how to reduce the can develop their environmental profile and other work regarding climate and the made in renewable energy, and continue the work of completely cutting out emissions from environment. This council consists of five academic staff and a student representative, fossil fuels. Some things are difficult the university.” who is currently Magnus Dybdahl. The to remove, such as the emissions from Environmental Council shall prepare a animal husbandry on Ås. That is why proposal for an action plan which will renewable energy is becoming even be sent to the management. During the semester, the more important to offset unavoidable emissions. Magnus also principal will consider whether the environmental action states that sustainability should be implemented at all levels of plan should be approved or not. If it is approved, the the university. “There is a lot of important research related to work will begin after the New Year. the environment and climate at NMBU and it should seem more concrete.” For example, if research is done on sustainable This concerns all students, and even though the deadline food, the food should come to SiÅs’ canteen. Furthermore, he for submitting input has expired, it is still possible to have believes that it should be easier to understand how different your voice heard. The Student Board will be involved in study programs can affect the environment, and individual the further layout of the plan, and encourages everyone subjects should focus more on linking the knowledge to how who wants to provide input to contact to solve the climate crisis. In this way, students are made aware studenttinget@nmbu.no. In this way, YOU can also help of how they themselves can make a difference in the future. develop the future environmental profile of NMBU, and your own future! If you are interested in reading more about the environmental action plan, you should visit NMBU’s website.

What the Environmental Action Plan is about

NMBU’s most important contribution to a better environment is through education, research and information. We will be at the forefront of research internationally and educate candidates who are well equipped in the fight for a sustainable future. NMBU shall be climate neutral and create positive environmental effects through active land management. We must have the least possible impact on the environment. Environmental considerations shall at all stages be integrated into the operation of the business.