ETCetera: Surviving Adulthood, year 11 issue 1

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Colophon ETCETERA

Author

Magazine of Study Association Esperia

Editorcie 2023-2024

Oude Kijk in ’t Jatstraat 26 9712 EK Groningen editorcie@svesperia.nl

Editors Lina Amelung Wiktoria Pieczara Axel Ribovici Chiara Barone

Copyright © 2023 ‘t Hartje Korreweg 38 9715 AB Groningen info@thartje.nl

Final Editor Jack Mc Elligott Cover Art Rina Stokke

Lina Amelung

Chiara Barone

Chair

Commissioner of Acquisition and Promotion

Wiktoria Pieczara

Jack Mc Elligott

Secretary

Final Editor

Axel Ribovici Treasurer and Vice-Chair No part of this publication may be reproduced and/or published by means of printing, photocopying, audio tape, electronically or in any other way, without written permission from the publisher.

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Index A Word from the Editorcie A Word from the Board Meet your Editorcie 2023-2024 “Er gaat niets boven Groningen”: Groningen Slays Settling in Groningen Housing in Groningen: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Introducing Student Support Deirdre on Mental Health: A Study Advisor’s tips Jackpot but not really: Saving that Coin Homesicknomore: Embrace Your Inner Explorer and Conquer Homesickness Photos Dorm Room Diaries: Hand-picked stories for your entertainment How to: Organise your Life Little Cookbook The Double-Edged Sword of ChatGPT: Navigating the Risks and Responsible Usage of AI tools in Education Groningen’s Good Ol’ Days: A Look into the Past Beats and Beyond: Unveiling the Nightlife Wonders of Your New City A Few Words to Wrap Up

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A word from the Editorcie Dear Reader, Christmas is approaching, the days are short and dark, so what better could there be to grab a hot chocolate, snuggle up and forget a bit about all the uni stress and upcoming deadlines?

There are classic Christmas movies and books or…the first issue of this year’s ETCetera on ‘Surviving adulthood’!

We thought about many different topics while brainstorming for a theme for this first issue. In the end, we chose ‘surviving adulthood’ because we thought that it was really something that connects everyone reading this magazine. I mean, we’re suddenly growing up now. So, what does it mean to be an adult? What are recurring points of interest? What do students struggle with and how can we reach out for help?

On top of that, our committee this year is exclusively made up of internationals, so we also considered it to be interesting to simply talk about our different experiences living in the Netherlands (as foreign students).

Now, if we think about the theme, forgetting about the uni stress might not be so easy after all: sorry to everyone who expected a little escape from reality. We are aware that ‘surviving adulthood’ could also be the title of a dystopian thriller, but we tried to go more into a different direction. You will get to read about our personal experiences and tips connected to (student) life in Groningen, get some cooking inspiration, a glimpse into the university experience back in the day, information about mental health and much more.

We hope you enjoy the issue and survive the winter (it's coming).

We are very excited to hear your thoughts!

Love, the Editorcie 4

A word from the Board Dear Esperians, I’m writing this piece today with very cold hands and feet, as the weather is not weathering at this time of the year. However, it is with great astonishment that I announce that fall, or autumn if you may, is in fact my favourite season. When I’m not at the Harmony building writing on my tinie-tiny-thesis, I love being curled up in a fuzzy blanket, reading or watching Pride and Prejudice.

But from time to time it is nice to go out as well, as we went swimming with the Fitcie, and had drinks after our first Thinktank. Through every activity you also learn something new about members or about languages/cultures. For example, did you know that Finley knows Norwegian sign-language? Or did you know that Hugo stayed in Strasbourg for his exchange? I love the many stories of all our members and the interesting things I get to learn from them.

When I was a first-year student, I didn't think that I was going to be on the board of Esperia or even get through my first year. I was navigating through this city, trying to cook dinner for myself in a tiny room that I had to finance all by myself for the first time. And look at me now! I still don’t know how to cook rice! Haha, but all jokes aside, I know for a fact that, with this issue of the ETCetera, you are going to manage your first years of becoming an adult.

And for the ‘little older and wiser’ students among us reading this, don’t worry, we will all get through that quarter-life crisis ;). But for now, sit back, and enjoy the first edition of this year’s ETCetera.

With love,

On behalf of Board XI, Bente Luchtenveld, Chair 5

Meet your Editorcie 2023-2024 Lina Amelung - Chair Hello everyone! My name is Lina, I am 21 years old, and am chairing our beloved Editorcie this year! Originally, I am from Germany and now it's my second year studying in our beautiful city, majoring in Spanish and Linguistics. Last year, I was part of the Almanaccie, so, as you might be able to tell, I like writingrelated things. I am very excited for this year and hope you enjoy reading the ETCetera!

Wiktoria Pieczara - Secretary Hello there, so nice of you to be reading this issue of the ETCetera ;) I’m Wiki, a Polish-Swedish 18 year old gal, and I’m this year's typing machine for the Editorcie. I decided to join this wonderful committee because I’ve been a writer all my life (mostly writing poetry) and I wanted to keep that going! I am a first year here in Groningen and I’m super honoured to be a part of this project.

Also, I am very excited for my journey as a student in this gorgeous city. Kisses to you all my sweets and read on!

Axel Ribovici - Treasurer and Vice-Chair Look mum, I am writing for a magazine! Hello beautiful people!

My name is Axel and I am *redacted* years old. I would feel too old seeing my age together with all the babies in here. This year, I will make sure the ETCetera has enough money to bring you forward these amazing articles and I am also here to back Lina up in a fight as the vice-chair. I am from Romania and struggling to finish my last year of university while struggling to understand life. Hope you guys are excited to read what we wrote and have a fun year with us!

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Chiara Barone - Commissioner of Acquisitions and Promotions Hello hello to all of you! My name’s Chiara and I am 20, I’m from Italy and I honestly don't know what I am doing with my life.

Technically, I am a second year majoring in English, but that's boring stuff to tell people, so to spice up my life I decided I would just start writing for our amazing newspaper :) I’m very happy that you’re here with us and I hope you won’t get too bored and stay until the end. Enjoy the articles! xoxo

Jack Mc Elligott - Final Editor Hey! My name is Jack, I am 20, and I am from Ireland (yes I do drink Guinness). This is my second year in Groningen, but only my first in the course. My position in Editorcie is that of the final editor! Last year, I did not get involved in student associations whatsoever; so this year I decided to shake it up (including changing course). I am so happy to be a part of the Editorcie and hope you enjoy the content!

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“Er gaat niets boven Groningen” : Groningen

Slays

By Chiara Barone While it may not always be the first name that comes to mind when talking about Dutch cities (at least from my very humble international experience), Groningen ―also known as the “Metropolis of the north”― holds some fun facts that make it unique and fascinating.

Join me as we start the journey through the lesser-known wonders of Groningen, uncovering some intriguing and entertaining details that will leave you, hopefully, with a newfound appreciation for our city.

1. Groningen hosts the biggest Intro Week in Europe.

I suppose some of you readers have participated in Kei Week, myself included. The Intro Week is probably one of the craziest weeks I have had since I moved to Groningen. Five full days of parties, activities, dinners and of course… a lot of alcohol (sorry mum). Usually, Kei Week is expected to have more than 5,000 students coming from everywhere in the Netherlands (and generally Europe). Just so we have a general idea of how much that is, they would fill the Aletta Jacobs Hall 100 times.

PS: I know that the hall probably gave you PTSD and exam anxiety, so I apologise if some trauma resurfaced. I take full responsibility.

2. In Groningen, clubs do not have regulated closing times.

Yes you heard that right: the nightlife here is never ending! Great to know when you want to drink your pain away (please don’t actually do that, if you feel like this go read article n.3 of this EtCetera’s edition). The clubs and bars in Groningen ―over 150 by the way ― do not have any regulations to adhere to regarding their time schedules. This fact, added to the free entrance to most of the places, definitely brings Groningen to life no matter the day of the week or the hour in the day... well actually night... or maybe 8

early morning. If you want to spice up your boring lives, you should go clubbing with your friends, get an eierbal or kipburger from ‘De Hoek’, and go straight to your 9am class. Don’t tell your professors I suggested this.

3. Groningen has the most beautiful train station in the Netherlands.

The great Central Station of our city is a work of art for sure. It originally opened in 1866 but the current building was designed and completed in 1896 by Izaak Gosschalk. It has neo-gothic details, stained glass windows and an amazing art nouveau tableaux made by Franciscus Hermanus Bach, also originally from Groningen. Basically this means your neck will hurt from looking up to the ceiling (tested true by my mum, poor soul she couldn’t move it the day after). So when you’ll get back to Groningen with the train after a weekend out, before trying to find your bike among the million other ones parked around the station, make sure to take a look around and enjoy the beautiful view.

4. Groningen is the only Dutch city where bike interceptions get green at the same time.

I really didn’t think this was true, but I swear it is. Our city is the only one in the Netherlands that decided to activate the green light at the same time for bike interceptions. This only means two things: on a positive note, you don’t have to worry about pedestrians or cars turning the same way as you do; on a negative note, you will have to be careful about other bikes, which is even more terrifying if you ask me. The very embarrassing moment of slowing down not to intersect someone else’s bike has increased people’s anxiety to make a decision between who’s going to go first: you or your opponent. It has been scientifically proven. By me.

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5. Groningen’s Drie Gezusters is the largest pub in Europe.

Located on Grote Markt, I feel like this is a must go to. With its four different entrances from four connected buildings, it can host more than 3,700 people between the indoor and outdoor area. It’s always very fun to look around and count the number of waiters working. At least one of them will be either a friend, a family member, or a general acquaintance. A tip: when you enter, please leave some breadcrumbs behind you so that you can find your way out again. If you want to find the bathroom, simply don’t. You will find release in your pants before you even spot its door from afar.

6. Groningen has the most leaning tower in Europe.

(It is technically located in Bodem, province of Groningen, but I decided to ignore that detail, and you should as well.)

You thought it was going to be Pisa’s leaning tower as well right?

Jokes on you, it’s not. It kinda hurts my Italian pride to say this, but the Netherlands owns this primate. Pisa’s tower is definitely more known worldwide than Groningen’s. To this day, I honestly have no idea why people literally travel to Pisa only to take a picture holding it up. But with its almost 3.9 metres lean (result of unstable foundation) out of the 55,86 metres for the height, it still doesn’t match with the Dutch Tower; the latter actually has a 2.61 metres lean, but it is only 37.5 metres tall. Percentages are therefore definitely leaning towards the Dutch Tower’s win. I guess it’s time to move tourism from Pisa to Groningen to take the famous picture holding the tower.

This was all for now folks. I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did while looking up weird things about our city. I also hope you now have interesting fun facts to tell your friends and families during awkward family dinners.

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Settling in Groningen

by Lina Amelung The city of Groningen is widely known as a student city, home to more than 50,000 Dutch as well as international students. That makes up about 25% of the entire population of the city. This large number is not surprising, considering the city’s hosting the University of Groningen, Hanzehogeschool as well as more educational facilities. In 2022, 7,349 people enrolled in a Bachelor’s programme at the University of Groningen. That means 7,349 new people coming to the city, navigating their new life. Enough about numbers.

There are some universal experiences every student makes when first starting university. This includes sending your application, finding housing and picking up your Student Card. I would classify these as more general things or prerequisites for starting a student life.

Though with this article I am making the claim that there are also some more curious, specific experiences everyone who starts a study in Groningen will have. I highly recommend taking each of them with a pinch of salt.

First of all, there is the obligatory trip to Ikea to get everything you need for living on your own and eat some Swedish meatballs along the way. You will see a divide of how people manage this shopping spree. One half is ordering their parents to come along for this trip (with a car) and the other is balancing their freshly acquired belongings home on their bike. After setting up the newly assembled furniture, you are ready to go explore the city.

Next, the challenge is to actually find the way to do so and get to university. Construction sites seem to magically appear from one day to another and you can never know whether your way will be obstructed. I can not imagine that any of us will actually live to see the remaking of Grote Markt being done.

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Once you find your way, the next obstacle is to figure out where you have to go. All the classrooms in the Harmony building are numbered according to a system (that is actually pretty straightforward) but you will, at least once, inevitably get lost trying to find classrooms and offices. The Harmony canteen has especially become a second home to many ELC students. The food, on the other hand, is for the more financially advantaged among us, seeing that you now have to spend €1.80 to get a Vegetarian soup. For the same reason, you will see many people leaving the university premises around lunch time to get their food from one of the surrounding, slightly cheaper, supermarkets.

When exam season comes around, people seem to remember that the UB, the university library, really does exist. Spread over four floors, you can study in the big common area as well as individual or group studios. Going to study there seems like a great idea, that is, if you remembered to take your Student Card with you.

Forgetting it will inevitably force you to either turn around and bike home again to get the card in order to enter through the gates, or to give up, get home and go back to bed.

Eventually, after more or less extensive studying, the orange walls of Aletta Jacobs hall await you. For those unaware, this building is named after an important woman. Aletta Jacobs studied at the University of Groningen and was the first woman to finish a university degree and become a doctor. A statue is dedicated to her in front of the Harmony building as well as a (controversial) mural next to the UB with the quote “Studying is for ugly girls”.

And of course, the exam hall which is, if you ask me, an interesting way to honour her.

Once the end of the academic year approaches, you will find more students outside again, after the long Dutch winter. The Harmony canteen turns into a greenhouse with sauna effect and the shadowy spots in Noorderplantsoen, just a stone’s throw away from the faculty buildings, become even more inviting.

This is the (first) year in Groningen in a nutshell, with experiences that go beyond the academics. I hope that I was able to give an insight to new students as to what still may be ahead of them as well as give a bit of nostalgia to some more experienced Groningen residents.

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Housing in Groningen: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

By Jack Mc Elligott The bane of any student’s existence here in Groningen. Housing.

Everyone could talk about it for hours. Many desperate students grasp onto any opportunity of housing they can get. However, what many students don’t realise is that some of these landlords have no intention of respecting their housing rights; taking a particular liking to vulnerable and desperate international students, many of whom have no knowledge of their housing rights protected under Dutch law.

As someone who has (and knows others) fallen victim to slum landlords, this is a topic which really strikes home. If I had known about my housing rights, maybe I could have prevented this from happening. Being well informed about Dutch rental law is not something that you casually study on a Friday night, but I really recommend every student to take a small look at it, just in case.

The Landelijke Studentenvakbond has put together a really good guide to Dutch tenancy law for students which I found really helpful to read. One part of it which shocked me was that shared contracts are not legal for students. To me, this was a huge suprise but to others this may seem like common sense. Under Dutch law, everyone must have their own contract. Someone may sign on as a co-tenant if you are: married/in a registered partnership with them or are a “long-term household” (this means you and the other tenant have lived together for at least 2 years).

Most students I know are not married (crazy, I know), yet a lot have shared contracts; make it make sense. Something else that the majority doesn’t know is that every property has a maximum rental price, there are multiple places where you can check this online.

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As of 2022, the student housing shortage in the country was estimated at nearly 27,000 beds. The housing shortage in Groningen accounts for an estimated 7,400 of those beds according to Eviction.eu. This goes back to what I mentioned in the beginning of this article: students will grasp onto any opportunity they can get. Even the current student accommodation in Groningen is not always reliable, with a few being poorly managed.

If you ever find yourself in a situation where you do not know what you are entitled to, there are multiple organisations out there that can help tell you your rights. When I was caught in a sticky situation ‘Steunpunt Huren Groningen’ helped me a bunch.

They offer their services for free and also have a clinic in Groningen, or you can contact them online.

However, do not panic. Not every landlord in Groningen is a criminal out to steal your money. The housing I talked about in this article only accounts for a minority of landlords and agencies.

There are truly good people out there in Groningen. Don’t let my horror stories be a form of fear mongering, but rather a guide on what to look out for.

References: https://monitor.icef.com/2023/09/netherlands-makingprogress-toward-ambitious-student-housing-target/#: ~:text=As%20of%202022%2C%20the%20student,45%2C000%2 0beds%20by%202029%2F30

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Introducing Student Support

by Lina Amelung For many young adults starting university marks a new chapter in their life. Leaving school, moving out from home, and saying goodbye to old friends. This period of life is connected to many lasts but also many firsts. Arriving in a new city, meeting new people and, overall, starting completely new.

It can be very exciting but also quite overwhelming at the same time. Suddenly, you are responsible for yourself and have to deal with things you have not even thought about before. Be it lengthy, confusing letters from the Dutch official authorities, registering at the municipality or figuring out at what temperature you should wash your socks. But: do not despair, this is what Esperia’s Student Support is for!

This academic year, the Student Support is made up of Celine and Lina (the very author of this article). You can contact us regarding any questions around student life, as a Dutchie or international student, regarding official things as well as more day-to-day questions.

We might not always know the answer but we will make sure to help you the best we can and, if necessary, refer you to the right address. On Esperia’s website you also can find a list of useful links that might help you. If you have a particular question or issue, do not hesitate to reach out to us via email (studentsupport@svesperia.nl) or ask one of the board members for our phone numbers! And remember: there are no stupid questions.

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Deirdre on Mental Health: A Study Advisor’s tips

By Chiara Barone and Wiktoria Pieczara We had the pleasure of meeting with Deirdre Harmsen, the study advisor of our ELC Program. With her, we discussed some important aspects of mental health regarding university students.

Can you please explain what a study advisor practically does?

“It’s very complex! I do many things as a student advisor; I am able to work on both ends of a study spectrum, so with prospective students as well as students who are currently studying, whether about their master plans, their difficulties or particularly complicated situations at home for example. It’s a great job because you get a lot of different interactions with adolescence, diversity and international aspects.”

How do you think mental health is connected to student life?

“I think it is definitely connected to student life. In this phase in life (19-20 y.o.), you start living on your own, organising your own life, and finding out who you are. You encounter difficulties within all of that. For some people, it's smaller issues, and for others it is more complex. It’s not the same for everyone of course, but we all get involved with it in our own way. It also really depends on the safety net around students. Do they have friends, family, professionals around them?

I can already sense it with some students, for example, when it's difficult for them to find this kind of safety around them. In these cases, small issues ―like homesickness― become really heavy. If you can share those problems, you realise that this safety net is much more important than you might think.”

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What do you think is a common misconception around students' mental health?

“I think that students really struggle, and people might underestimate how students really feel. I would say even students themselves underestimate the impact and the role their mental health plays in their university life.”

People talk openly about some physical health issues, but they seem less comfortable talking about mental health issues. Why do you think this is so common, especially around students?

“There are definitely contemporary and new ideas about mental health. Your generation is more open and trying to get rid of the stigma around mental health, compared to older generations. I am always very happy when students come talk to me about their own struggles and their diagnosis. It’s much easier for me to help them because they know what they want. This makes me happy, because acceptance is something that we strive towards.

Nevertheless, there are some aspects that are considered ‘more okay’ than others. Generally speaking, we are on the right track but there is still some more work to do.”

From the way that mental health is talked about so easily, do you think that could become harmful in any way?

“I think only when you start to simplify it. These are all serious diagnoses that can have a huge effect on people. You always have to treat mental health with respect. It’s good that some issues are out in the open and some students are very blunt about it, but it’s not for everyone to talk about this type of very personal aspect in a loud way, and that is completely okay.”

In your experience as a study advisor, how much do you think anxiety affects exams and consequently study delay?

“I would say it does. I think it has gotten worse since Covid, but there are many issues here as well, it's never really simple right?

In my experience, international students deal more with anxiety 17

than Dutch students because they want to complete the programme in three years, they don’t want study delay, they are also working a lot and they might not have a safety net around them. Parents and friends are far away, so they have to do everything on their own. Students also have this pressure of pleasing everyone: their parents and themselves. That definitely plays a big role. There is a lot of pressure nowadays to do things right, a lot of expectations on social media for example. It has become very easy to look up what other people have achieved, and you feel horrible.”

How can we promote mental health in a more reachable way for the students at our university? What are some resources that our students should be aware of?

“There are a couple of things in place. The problem is not always knowing where to look and not being able to find it. We should definitely start with simple things: students have to feel like it's safe to talk with someone. There is for example the Student Service Centrum (SSC). They have running therapy, mindfulness sessions and a lot more to offer. We also have something called “All Ears”, where you can find people offering general counselling to anyone who needs it.

I also understand that if you’re not in a good spot, it might be too difficult to sign up. There is the need for something easier to climb up to that. This is where Esperia can have a role as well. You offer non-regular events where people can just spend time together.

That is a great way to fight loneliness!

Talking about my position as a study advisor, I always have open office hours. Students usually know where to find my email and they can contact me at any time. Sometimes we just have a chat about homesickness or something else. Other times, if a bigger solution is needed, I redirect them towards for example the SSC. It’s all about these simple things, both community and individual aspects.”

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What are some manageable tips for students you would like to mention for them to improve handling their own mental health?

“I think the key thing is to reach out, then take it from there. Of course, there is a huge scale of different types of problems, but it is important for students to feel like they can reach out. You can talk to peers, study advisors, family or friends. Just meet, have dinner together, and talk about things! You will hear that other students are stressed out by the same test as you, so you’ll feel less alone.

Other people are going through things as well. It’s okay to go through difficult times, it's part of this phase in life.

It sounds almost stupid, but things haven't settled yet, you are surviving and navigating through life. It’s okay when everything doesn't go to plan and you end up realising you chose the wrong major language! Don’t be too hard on yourself.

Nevertheless, it’s always important to get professional help if you feel like something is up. On the one hand, hopefully you get diagnosed or get official answers. But I am also very much in favour of people figuring out what’s going on on their own in some ways. Self diagnosing is tricky, obviously, but knowing where to start is a good sign.

Figure out what's going on, get help, and know that within all of this you can also continue your studies! Even if it seems like the whole world comes to a pause, life does continue. You just need the right help.”

“All Ears” Website: Useful links Deirdre Harmsen email: bachelorelc@rug.nl SSC website: https://student.portal.rug. nl/infonet/studenten/voorzieningen/ studenten-service-centrum/ Online study guide: https://student. portal.rug.nl/infonet/studenten/let/ Suicide prevention line : 113 (NL) 19

Jackpot but not really: Saving that coin (as a student in Groningen)

By Wiktoria Pieczara Money, money, money. It’s not really funny for us though now is it? ABBA definitely knew that they were singing about broke college students crying once they looked into their bank accounts.

But there are many things we can do to dry our tears and face the real world. Here are 5 tips to help you keep that piggy bank on its feet.

Thrift and shop second-hand Saving money and saving the planet! What could be better?

Thrifting is an all time favourite activity for many, and its growth in popularity shows that style, clothes or interior design does not have to equal a pocket full of money. It’s a great opportunity to see and play around with things you might not usually wear or even find in your average fast fashion store, and also a great place to find your home decor for super cheap. My favourite thrift store in Groningen is probably Mamamini, it always has hidden gems with price tags that will definitely not make you want to put the item back on its shelf. There are many around the city but my go-to ones are near Grote Markt in the city centre (Oosterstraat 19) and

by Noorderplantsoen (Noorderbinnensingel 100). When we’re talking solid vintage though, Lilos Vintage (Oude Kijk in Het Jatstraat 50) and Recessie (Oude Kijk in Het Jatstraat 54) are the places to go. A little on the pricey side, as most vintage stores, but you can never go wrong with a unique retro piece to spice up your closet. A bonus tip is to keep your eyes peeled for any announcements of flea markets or clothing swap events around the city - they’re usually on Instagram and organised by independent networks.

Used textbooks Many programmes at our university require us to have textbooks which have been proven to be the cause of worry for those on a strict budget. However, through the magic of WhatsApp group chats, it is possible to find people in higher years of your programme who are able to sell you their copy for much cheaper.

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And if WhatsApp isn’t your vibe, ask around and you are bound to find people that will help you get in touch with someone from the higher years. And this way everyone is happy, you, the seller and the plant because less trees are being cut! Whooop!

Cook your own meals This might seem pretty self explanatory but it is super important to recognise because it is also just a lifelong and fun skill to have.

Cooking for yourself feels very rewarding and also free because, as the wannabe chef, you’re the one in control of all the spices and ingredients that are going in. Mixing flavours and trying out new things can help you explore the world with your taste buds. Plus, let’s be real, it saves you SO much freakin money. Some of my favourite budget friendly and vegetarian ideas for dinner are sweet potato curry, zucchini pasta, black bean burritos, chickpea stew and halloumi flatbreads.

Non-cafe/restaurant hangouts I love going to a cafe as much as any sane human being but hear me out. If you are really struggling with balancing out paying rent and feeding yourself, maybe going out and paying to go out at the same time is not the ideal situation. So, I propose an excellent alternative that can be equally (or maybe even more) fun than sitting in that cafe of yours. Going on walks, sightseeing the city, exploring new neighbourhoods, having a picnic in the Noorderplantsoen or simply just having someone over for an arts and crafts night are only some of the very many options that you have in order not to spend money while still spending some quality time with your loved ones. Although I do understand that sacrifices need to be made for good coffee and that special place.

Plan out the money you spend = budgeting like a pro The last tip here is probably the most important! Try to play out your spendings in a calendar or through your bank app so you have a vague idea when you are going overboard on the capitalist inducing spendings. This can help you become a better and more responsible spender, and also help you understand how much money you spend on what, so in the future you know what to expect from a salary or what to do with any type of income. This is a super important skill to have, even for those of us who aren't 21

Homesicknomore: Embrace Your Inner Explorer and Conquer Homesickness

By Axel Ribovici I consider coming to the Netherlands the best decision I ever made so far, with its ups and downs, it is the place where I grew as a person and I consider it more of a home than my home country.

Regardless, on top of the winter depression, I still feel homesick.

Homesickness is a distinct emotion combining a sense of excitement about the unknown with regret for the familiar that can be experienced by anyone. For many, going away for university is the first time being away from home and being on your own and which can be scary. We all want independence in our teens only to dread it once we have it. It is normal to feel the way we feel, we can’t outrun it but we can learn how to deal with it. Entering into my 4th year in Groningen I learned my own tips and tricks but no person is the same and everyone has different stories, that is why I tried to put some of them together here.

The first people I met when I moved in were my roommates and I was lucky enough to be blessed with these amazing human beings who helped me adjust to this new environment and contribute to this article. I asked them about their go-to response or about what would make them feel better when they started to feel homesick.

One of them told me that she turned to her culture’s food as she tried to incorporate traditional Lebanese dishes into her everyday diet. By doing this she kept the connection to her roots and to her home alive. “Sometimes I would pack a mini mezze in my Tupperware, so I can snack on some good hummus, tabbouleh, and stuffed vine leaves in between classes. My body may have been at the Academy building, but my taste buds had transcended back home, rooted in the far east of the Mediterranean.”

Food has always been an international language that we all can understand, it is part of our culture and it is something we can all relate to. What Yasmina, my Lebanese friend, used to do was host dinners and share family recipes with friends as a way to open up to those around her. As a result of this, her friends would recreate some of her favourite meals for different festive celebrations. I might have picked that up from her when I started making food for the people around me as a way to stay connected. Being away 22

from home is always difficult and sometimes calling your parents is not possible or enough, that is why my German friend also said that as a last resort; he always cooks something from his childhood. What also helps him is watching the news to remember why he left.

As it gets closer to the holidays, we feel the most disconnected from our home since we are so used to being with our families.

“Diwali just passed and I couldn't even do anything for it. There is nothing here for me to celebrate” shares Tiara, our lovely Editorcie secretary from last year. There is an Indian society that held a celebration but by the time she wanted to join the spots were all taken, she admitted that it would have been nice to join but it would not be the same “vibe” as being with family.

Nothing can beat the feeling of gathering around the table with your family and a good homemade meal. The more I talked to people, the more they related back to food when talking about their home. As much as you try to recreate a dish, it is never the same. Both me and Tiara said we call our family for step-by-step recipes to make here, but they never taste the same as if they were making them for us.

In my experience, feeling homesick is unavoidable but that is why you make your home far away from home. You make yourself a new family and surround yourself with friends that feel like family. Your parents are always a phone call away, but to your friends it's just a couple minutes by bike. You seek out associations that are all about your culture when you miss talking your own language and you embrace your inner explorer to find out little parts of your culture in this city. You find the stores that can sell you nostalgia: Tiara never knew she could get henna from Yantra, and you will never know what you can find that reminds you of home without doing your fair share of exploring. I found out that the Polish store has a lot of the foods I used to eat at home; one of the best baklavas is at Le Souk; Doppio sells very nice cannoli, even if expensive Nazar Market sells products from Turkey, Asia, India, and Greece; Toko Melati and the Asian market also sell a variety of Asian products, from food to utilities and medicine. You live surrounded by culture, it would be a shame to miss it by being too busy missing home.

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Dorm Room Diaries: Hand-picked stories for your entertainment.

Collected Stories Woop-woop! That’s the sound of da police - Celine It was the night of the “Come dressed as a profession” social. I wanted to go dressed up as a policewoman but in the end, it fell through. Fast forward to the end of the evening when Bente took me home and there was a police car in front of my building and I was joking like “Haha, that is for my house” because there is always something going on. I went into my house and upstairs there were two policemen in the hallway. I had never been happier I did not wear my initial outfit because it would have been so awkward. My hallway is very small, so they asked me if I needed to pass and I took the moment and asked them if there was something wrong. My roommate apparently called the police because she saw a mouse. Neither them nor I knew why she decided to call them for that The mystery of the laundry machine - Roelieke About a month ago, the washing machine at our place stopped working and nobody cared enough to fix it. When we told our landlord,he showed no interest in taking care of the problems. The machine was already quite old and it had started to have some issues with the handle. At some point, this new girl in the house puts her clothes in the laundry machine, breaking the handle with no way of opening the door again. Her clothes are still there to this day. I have no idea where the other people do their laundry, probably at their parents' place but the landlord would not even take the old machine away. That poor girl probably lost her clothes forever, but I don’t think she actually wants them back.

Axel’s note: I would break that machine down, nothing stays between me and my clothes.

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Some fire and spice to keep you on your toes - Lina My story is about one of the SSH buildings and the fire alarms that had the tendency to go off in the middle of the night.One time, it was pretty late at night and I was just about to go to sleep when the alarm went off. Most people were already sleeping and woke up from it. We all gathered in the hallway and there was this one housemate who always had candles burning all the time, so one of my other housemates was really scared about the whole place burning down. It turned out that it was another housemate smoking weed too close to the fire alarm, not thinking it through.

Piss man - Axel At the time, I was living together with Annie and a couple upstairs, J and A. On the night of the incident, A was out of the country so J took the opportunity to go out with some friends. I believe J had one too many drinks as the next thing I knew was that I woke up at 3-4 in the morning with J opening my room door. I was very confused at first and quite scared. He is a tall man with long hair who came to my room naked in the middle of the night. As I tried to ask him what was wrong he came next to my bed, crouches down and started peeing. Yes, you read that right.

The whole time he did not say a word and I could see something was wrong with him so I just sent him back upstairs, cleaned my room and tried to go back to sleep. The night didn’t stop there as he came back downstairs but he went into Annie's room this time where he peed again. I went into her room and she was as confused as me, but we decided to deal with it in the morning and I helped her clean. Annie has a second room besides the one she sleeps in so she went to get something to clean and discovered there was pee on the floor as well. That night J had peed in 3 different rooms, none of which were the bathroom. He did not remember this the next morning. We do not live with him anymore.

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Communal living or just another level of hell? - Chiara It is my second year living in ‘The Village’ which is basically just another student accommodation. Last year, I had a different room than the one I have now, on a level with these two other guys that felt like my own personal demons sent from hell. They were always partying at the most inconvenient times of the week until the early hours of the night, with music blasting through the roof.

As if that was not enough, they would make the hallway their personal playground and run up and down it, knocking at people's doors. One time it got out of control was on a Sunday morning: while walking to the bathroom I noticed vomit on the floor in front of it. If you feel sick, at least have the decency of cleaning it since it was in the bathroom stalls we all share. I texted multiple times in the group chat and eventually I officially emailed The Village, they had to send a cleaning team for it, but the two guys responsible did not lift a finger for it.

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How to: Organise your Life

By Lina Amelung When it comes to having your life in order, time management is probably one of the most important things to get right. Research has shown that better academic results can be linked to good time management. Similarly, organising your time, can minimise stress and decrease levels of anxiety. This all sounds pretty good, right?

Unfortunately, finding a good method that works for you as an individual and sticking to it can be more difficult. Luckily, modern technology offers many options to schedule, plan and organise.

From the abundance of options out there, here are now a couple of my recommendations for apps that might make your life easier.

First recommendation: Google Calendar This might be an obvious one but the maybe most important application to stay organised is a proper calendar to not lose track of appointments. Google Calendar is especially handy because you cannot only connect it to your university Google account but you can also create different ‘sub-calendars’ in different colours to classify your appointments in different areas of life. Then you immediately have an overview. It is handy to look in the syllabus (honestly, the most important document of any course on Brightspace!) for all upcoming deadlines and write them down, so that you have all your deadlines in one place. Ideally, in the beginning of each block. Another thing that might seem unnecessary is marking designated times you want to be productive in your calendar, but it will also help you get a better structure in your day. And, finally, a possibly lesser known fact: You can also copy your schedule from rooster.rug.nl into your Google Calendar, with times, locations and much more.

Second recommendation: Pulse Pulse is the app for Brightspace on your phone. You can access the Student Portal through the app and have all the same features as on the website available to you. Furthermore, you get an overview of all upcoming assignments. The app sends you a notification 48h before an assignment is due, so you will never miss a deadline again.

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Third recommendation: Forest This app is for everyone who struggles to stay off the phone while trying to get things done. The idea is that you set a specific timeframe you want to be productive as a timer in the app. While the timer is running, you are growing a tree (hence, the name of the app). If you close the application before the time is over, the tree dies. So, the premise is that you cannot use your phone and are therefore, hopefully, less inclined to procrastinate, getting more done. Growing (and potentially killing) the tree acts as a kind of motivator to keep going. Every time you successfully stay off your phone for the determined timeframe, you grow a new tree which eventually creates a forest. Therefore, it is ideal for people that struggle with discipline and who need visual support of their progress. Naturally, you also need some emotional attachment to your forest, but, believe me, the feeling of guilt for killing a virtual tree can be surprisingly heavy.

Fourth recommendation: Notion Finally: Notion! This application is my personal favourite of all the applications mentioned. It can be used to organise your day, store notes and have everything important together on your laptop as well as on your phone. With Notion, you can make multiple pages with different templates, dedicating them to different courses or different areas of life. You can organise your class notes by week, topic, course or whatever you find the most handy. You can also set reminders, create to-do lists, keep an overview of your finances and much more. Most importantly: everything is in one place and you do not have to search for where you saved your files. It is a bit complex at first but there are plenty of guides and YouTube videos online where you can find all the information you need. And the best part: If you create an account with your student email, you can get access to the Education Plus Plan which offers all features relevant to students for free.

So, now we have seen a couple of tricks that could potentially help you to improve your time management. All of this is naturally easier said than done. In the end, it still comes down to what works for each and every person as well as individual discipline.

But, as we have seen in the beginning, it is worth giving it a try!

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Further reading: If you are interested in research on the link between time management and academic performance and stress levels, this article could be interesting!

Adams, R. V., & Blair, E. (2019). Impact of time management behaviors on undergraduate engineering students’ performance.

SAGE Open, 9(1), 215824401882450. https://doi.org/ 10.1177/2158244018824506

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Little Cookbook Chiara : Mesciua Me and my Italian pride had to bring a plate from my hometown La Spezia.

“Mesciua” is a barley, spelt and bean soup that is very easy to prepare, tasty, flavoursome and above all, very cheap; an important detail for us financially unstable students. It is also possible to keep it in your fridge for up to three days, so you have more than one meal ready in one go. Perfect for us lazy students that don’t have time to cook everyday.

The name (I’ll buy you a beer if you’ll be the first one to pronounce it correctly) comes from the verb “to mix”, because sailors' and dockers' wives would collect the grains found on the quayside that had fallen while unloading ships, put them together and create this soup.

Having barley, spelt and beans, you can either do the classic version with all the dry ingredients by soaking them in water overnight, or you can use pre-cooked, ready-to-use ingredients and then it will become a really super fast but still delicious recipe.

But no more chatter, let's get into the steps to prepare the dish. I hope you’ll enjoy this warm soup on a cold winter day and you’ll think about me. ;) Time: 20 minutes to prepare, 2 hours to cook Servings: 4 people Ingredients:

300 g cannellini beans

300 g chickpeas

100 g spelt

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Preparation: Place the dried chickpeas, dried beans and spelt in a bowl full of cold water with bicarbonate of soda and soak for about 12 hours (I usually soak them overnight).

When the 12 hours are up, remove the water from the chickpeas, beans and spelt, rinse them well and put them in a pot covered with cold water and a pinch of salt, bring to boil and simmer for about 2 hours.

Mesciua is then ready, adjust salt if you need to and season hot with extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkling of ground pepper. Any other seasoning is more than welcome, depending on your personal preferences of course.

One thing to keep in mind: beans have a shorter cooking time than chickpeas and spelt, so if you want, you can cook them separately for about 1 ½ hours and you won't risk them falling apart while cooking. You’ll thank me later.

P.S. Of course, if you decide to use precooked ingredients, you will only have to boil a pot of water (about 1 ½ litres) with a pinch of salt and, when it boils, cook the spelt for 10 minutes. After, just add beans and chickpeas and mix for a couple of minutes with the spelt to heat them up. Easier done than said.

Axel: Plăcinte This would not be a cookbook without my culinary contribution and I am not even exaggerating. Now, I never put any of my recipes down as I never followed the recipe entirely and would wing it and add stuff for my own taste but here we go. Plăcinte is a very easy Romanian dish that you can have as breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can have it alone or with something else. Plăcinte translates to pies, but they are salty and look nothing like pies.

Time: 30 minutes preparing, 1/2 hour for the dough to rise, 30 minutes frying them Servings: around 10

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Ingredients:

2 eggs

500g flour

salt

10g yeast

sugar

300ml water or milk

oil

cheese to your liking, for these measures I would use around 500 g

Make-itfancy extra ingredients: potatoes dill

Preparation: The way my grandma does it is by using milk instead of water. She puts the yeast in the milk for 15 minutes to let it activate. She then prepares the dough by adding the flour, milk, 1 egg, a pinch of salt and sugar and then kneads it until it is nice. After, you let it rest for an hour or two the more you let it rest, the fluffier the pies will be.

For the filling, I like to cut some dill in my mixture. Some people also boil potatoes and use half the cheese together with the potatoes for the filling. PLEASE salt this. I use the second egg in the mixture, so the ingredients bind together.

Once your dough is done setting, knead it again and start cutting pieces from the dough a bit bigger than a golf ball. Add some of the filling in the middle, and bring up the sides of the dough and form into a ball, covering up the cheese. Roll out the ball with cheese with a roller and place the pie in the heated oil.

I like to eat them just like that. Sometimes I add some smetanka (sour cream) on top, you can find it at the polish store or if you are too lazy you can use Creme Fraiche instead. Since it is a bread base you can have it on the side of a soup or a stew as well or use it with other dips too.

If you want more servings, just increase the volume of the ingredients.

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Wiki: Polish potato pancakes Zapraszam (welcome) to the world of Slavic food, where the key ingredient at all times is: potatoes. And as they should be, they are so good and filling. Now, placki ziemniaczane (potato pancakes in Polish) is a staple dish in Polish cuisine especially in the countryside and tastes the best after a long day of ploughing the fields. My grandma and mom make them all the time and they really never get old (but maybe I’m biased). These crispy pancakes are super easy to make and are the perfect lunch or dinner idea.

They can be eaten with a dollop of creme fraiche and some fresh chives or some homemade mushroom sauce. Either works.

Time: 20 minutes Servings: around 12 pancakes Ingredients: 1/2 tablespoon 1/2 kg flour potatoes

1/4 onion

salt

1 egg

Oil/butter (to fry)

Peel the potatoes and grate them directly into a large bowl. Leave them in the bowl without stirring, tilt the bowl slightly and set aside for a couple of minutes.

Pour off the juice that accumulates, holding the potatoes gently and still do not stir them. Finally, press your hand into the bowl and pour out more juice. Add flour, finely grated onion, egg and two pinches of salt. Mix until combined.

Heat the pan, pour in the oil/butter. Place portions of the mixture (one full spoon) onto the heated oil and spread it into a thin circle shape. Fry over medium heat for approx. three minutes until golden, turn over and repeat frying.

Place on a plate lined with paper towels. Sprinkle it with salt.

The potato pancakes are best straight from the pan when they are crispy.

Serving opinions: solo, with creme fraiche or mushroom sauce Smacznego! Enjoy!

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The Double-Edged Sword of ChatGPT: Navigating the Risks and Responsible Usage of AI tools in Education

By Wiktoria Pieczara Guess who made that title. That’s right, Chat GPT did. And you know it’s definitely not wrong… Chat GPT is a dangerous weapon.

But is it only that? A recent study, based on a quantitative survey on the usage of AI based tools of students in Germany, showed that 25% of students use AI very frequently while 47.8% use it occasionally. These numbers, along with the opinions of many students in the University of Groningen, show how big of a role robots coded in our computers are playing in our progression of education. However, this role doesn’t necessarily show how lazy or unauthentic students have gotten when it comes to their studies, but rather addresses the real potential that AI has if it is used and understood correctly.

The hot topic of OpenAI, the founders of ChatGPT, has been stretching among users of modern day media and educational institutions since its launch in November of 2022, with a storm of seesawing opinions about its upsides and pitfalls. This, as described by UG’s very own professor Pablo Valdivia, is a concept called “dual technology”. Just like nuclear energy was used for both creating the atomic bomb and also paving the way for new cancer treatments, AI has the very same potential of blessing or ruining peoples very careers. The interesting thing about this though is that it seemingly does not have to do the latter.

The concept of AI is widely complex but rather simple to explain.

Chat GPT stands for Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer and is a digital “Large Language Model” coded using the internet and a technique called reinforcement learning. This system learns the information it is given, is rewarded when it generates the right ones and learns from its mistakes to keep generating the retained information. This is supported by sources from the internet as well as people just like us. The problem here, though, is that human beings in real life and on the internet are full of bias out of pure human nature, which is exactly what algorithms such as our trusty ChatGPT are being fed. The algorithms, finding patterns rather than evaluating real context between the sources it tackles, 36

then reproduce the same kind of prejudice and send it towards millions of its users. As a result, prejudices can lead to misinformation which is the number one greatest threat in modern day media; blurring the lines between reality and fake news. This is extremely relevant when it comes to the sensitivity of subjects such as politics. And people are gullible.

However, in order to not be gullible, a couple of things can be done. Firstly, as said by Professor Valdivia, “we need to do better in promoting digital literacy”. Students must be made aware of the importance of this concept and trained to attain that skill. This concept focuses on how well we can access, critically analyse and communicate about technologies such as websites, ChatGPT or the internet as a whole. In this way, students can become better readers, writers, as well as researchers. This brings us to the main idea that ChatGPT cannot be used as the only source for any kind of research. The university, especially the Faculty of Arts, have been very stringent about their approach when it comes to dealing with the use of AI detected in graded assignments. This calls for extra care on the side of the students to not fall down the hole of copy pasting an answer that a chatbot has given you no matter how original you think it is. Secondly, be aware that there is a lot going on behind that answer given to you by ChatGPT. Be critical in how you approach it and contrast it with different sources as well as your own ideas because those, at the end of the day, can be proven to be the most useful. Use the technology as an additional assistant, a helpful hand in times of absolute need, and definitely not your main chest of wisdom that has replaced your brain and way of thinking.

Now that you're not gullible, or at least trying not to be, perhaps it's time to reach into the benefits of AI and its adoption in our daily lives. The demonisation of AI is a popular stance to take but it can be argued that it's all about “taming the beast”. It's also safe to argue that if a university prohibits the use of something, more attention will spur around that very tool. AI’s popularity grows not only because of curiosity but the spectacular speed and efficiency of the answers it gives to all our burning questions about how to write essays on maddening subjects. While distancing ourselves from it during these high-stakes moments is the suggested thing to do, it is quite insightful to use it when gathering broad ideas about key concepts that are introduced to you in a classroom.

Because it's all about balance. Our interaction with AI and 37

perceiving it as a guiding tool, can actually increase your potential in learner autonomy because it helps us make sense of what we learn; making content more tangible. Creating summaries or giving you more examples of a key concept in a text help you get more in touch with what you are truly getting out of the experience of really “getting it”. Through this, the content opens up to our appeal, becomes more personalised and more reachable; making us better learners all-together.

As said before, AI is good at finding patterns. And the pattern in this case is the constant use of AI for the benefit of students. And of course they should do that because after all we are free human beings with access to the internet. What could go wrong? Well a lot of things, if we are not careful with the power we hold when it comes to developing AI and further heightening its implementation. As time goes by, it is a matter of training for us to become better users of this new technology, and progressing forward to a phase where asking ChatGPT what Shakespeare meant by “to be or not to be” no longer equals an act of copy and pasting while disappointing both your teacher and one of the greatest English writers of all time. Was he really though? I don’t know. Ask Chat GPT ;)

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Groningen’s Good Ol’ Days: A Look into the Past

By Chiara Barone and Jack Mc Elligott We met with Marc Prust and Wendalien Roozendaal, parents of a member of our association. They were both university students in Groningen so we thought: wouldn’t it be fun to compare our student life with theirs? Let’s see what they had to tell us...

Could you please state your name, age and nationality?

W: “I’m Wendalien Roozendaal, I’m 49 and I’m from the Netherlands."

M: “I’m Marc Prüst, I’m 48 and also from the Netherlands."

Can you tell us your current profession?

W: "I'm an immigration officer, I work with asylum seekers."

M: "I am a freelancer, I work in the photographic industry as a curator, editor and researcher. Currently I am doing a PhD at the RUG as well, but I also write and teach about photography."

What studies did you follow?

W: "We didn't have the Bachelor-master system at the time. We had one year as Propedeuse (with no degree) and after that you would do 3 more years. I did law as Propedeuse in Amsterdam then transferred to Groningen for International Relations."

M: "I did history in Groningen as Propedeuse, and then I also did International Relations."

What did you like about the university system and what would you have changed?

W: "The current system makes more sense, where you do a basic study and then you specialise after that. While for us, you had to specialise within those three years. What I also like about the new system is that you can do the whole bachelor in the same kind of 39

field and then do something different but still related anywhere in Europe. When I started law in Amsterdam and then decided to change and transfer to Groningen, I was just very lucky that I didn't have to start all over again. It was an exception."

How was the nightlife here in Groningen?

M: "It was great. You could party all night and any night. I would usually go out on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, so it wouldn't be so crowded like on the weekends. It was one of the attractions of Groningen at that time. I enjoyed it to the fullest.

Hearing from our daughter, we know now it's not that different.

I remember one night I was in Maastricht to visit my brother, and one Tuesday night we had a project that ended quite late, but when we walked home around 11:30 pm there was no one in the streets. As someone used to Groningen's nighttime, that was very unusual, but my brother just said 'What do you mean, it's a Tuesday!’ " What was the best pub/club to go to?

M: "I studied in Groningen for 5 years so I had different places.

‘De Kar’ was one of my favourites. I don't think it exists anymore but it was quite an alternative place in Poelestraat. There were some really good cafés like ‘De Open Hof’ or ‘Pakhuis’ that also still exist.”

How much was a pint of beer?

M: "At the ‘Drie Gezusters’ it was around €2.20 for half a litre of beer. On Thursday nights you would also have “piek uur” (happy hour) where you would get a beer for very cheap at a certain time.

For example, ‘Palace’ would have it between 11 and 12, and then the night would start."

Were you part of any student associations?

M: "Yes, we were part of SIB (Studentenvereniging voor Internationale Betrekkingen), and we had our weekly drinks on Tuesdays at ‘Het Binnenhof’."

W: "I was also in SIB. Cleo was also very popular. I was part of the Board of SIB that year and it was actually how we met!"

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Were there many international students?

W: "No. We had a few Germans but they spoke Dutch, so we didn't even count them as internationals. International Relations, as well as almost all programs, was taught in Dutch and not in English."

M: "We had very few international students. Because I did an exchange period in Japan, I knew some Japanese students that studied in Groningen for a bit. But that was about it. It is definitely different from now."

Was there any difficulties to get a place to stay in Groningen?

W: "Definitely not! There was no housing problem. I remember I was looking for a room last minute and I found one with SSH Student Housing. I got in very easily, and I lived there for two and a half years. Then I moved to London for just 5 months for an internship and when I moved back to Groningen I thought I had to look for a new place, but I just got my old room back! No one had taken it for that period of time.

Any fun stories or memorable experiences you would like to share?

M: "You gotta be more specific! On some random nights you would end up drinking beer and having apple pie at 7am. But for example, I had a friend of mine that was writing a FrisianJapanese dictionary. As I mentioned, I lived in Japan for a bit, because while I was in Groningen, I also had to learn a foreign language so I took Japanese. I got to know a Japanese professor in Groningen that spoke Frisian, and he was interested in linguistics, in languages that were disappearing. He had a postdoc or Japanese PhD student that was studying Frisian in Groningen which at the time was the only place you could actually study Frisian. This student then was really happy to have that professor speak his native language and Frisian at the same time. He just decided then to write a Frisian-Japanese dictionary which was really random but very fun."

W: "Well, from my perspective, I don't really have a fun story but sometimes I think about how life was before mobile phones. We 41

had a messaging system on the university network, but I remember paper notes were the main form of communication, especially while studying at the UB. There was a lot of flirting going on with paper notes! People would just meet at the LB then go out for lunch or dinner."

M : "You would definitely meet to study either at the LB or at the Harmony Building. You knew that if you went to Harmony, you would always find someone you knew. We had specific tables and corners, we would just meet up when not having classes, or to study for exams."

W: "Meeting in person was just more simple. If you wanted to call each other, you had to write down the number, then pay for the call. Or your other 18 roommates would pick up the call for you... it was very complicated. So meeting for lunch or at Harmo was the best option. You would never know where you would end up in the evening!"

Do you have any tips for us students?

W: "I so often think back about that time as the best time of my life. I know that you know it as well, but just appreciate it as much as you can. When I look back at it now, it was the most carefree and social time. I met Marc and that's a good thing! And appreciate that you are in the nicest university city in the Netherlands!"

M: "Make the most out of it. As a student, you don't really have any commitments or connections that you have to fulfill. Do it all.

Go the extra mile. Take that extra course, learn that language.

Extend your program. Don't say no! Find a fun job and go out drinking beer of course, but make sure you live those university experiences as well. It makes it more fun and more memorable.

Weather can be annoying, but in the end you have everything you need in Groningen. Cinemas, commercials, pubs, clubs, cafes, university. You got it all and it's all in cycling distance. You can never experience it anywhere else! I would sometimes just go to class in Leiden, then come back and go straight to the pub to have some drinks. Sleeping on the train ride only, or not sleeping at all.

No liquid lunch, I had liquid dinner. It was great. Not the healthiest but definitely a great time."

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Beats and Beyond: Unveiling the Nightlife Wonders of Your New City

By Axel Ribovici It is Thursday night, you are a new student in a new city and want to know what this nightlife everyone is talking about is, but when it comes down to it, nobody can decide where to go and you end up in the first place Google Maps recommends. Sounds familiar?

Well, I am here to help you avoid that.

When it comes to going out, you need to remember two things: not everyone can like the same music as you do and try to be open about new experiences: there is no redoing your university years, so make the best out of them. I am not here to tell you what the best place is, I am just here to make sure you don’t always end up at ‘t Gat. Before a night out, you need to make sure to have some proper drinks. A student’s budget doesn’t leave too much room for wiggle but in case you want to switch it up and try a new place, ‘Café De Drie Uiltjes’ is a must-try. It is a cosy bar for winter with a beautiful inside garden, perfect for spring nights, or when the sun decides to shine again in the Netherlands. If you are a beer enthusiast, ‘Café de Toeter’ is a great place to try. They have many special beers and quite a variety of craft beers behind the bar. For a great time, I can also vouch for ‘O'Malley’s’. If there is someone who knows how to have fun, it is the Irish.

Going into the city, it is important to remember the party is dead until 12, every bar you hit before that will mostly be empty. As I said, there are different places you should try depending on the music you are into. If you want to go to a place where there are a lot of international people, go to ‘Copa’s’, as they mostly play Spanish music. There are also ‘Donovans’, ‘Oceans’ or ‘Palace’.

The latter is relatively big and “fancy” but you might have to pay an entrance fee. At one point or another while being in this city, you will end your night in one of these places.

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If you want to go the Dutch way and see what to expect out of a night out with some Dutchies, then hit ‘Golden Fust’, ‘De Negende Cirkel’, or ‘’t Vaatje’. They still play regular English pop songs as well. There also is a silent disco bar that is really nice called RGB. I would definitely check it out as there are different channels you can switch between and it is something different to try if you have never been to a silent disco.

For a more alternative vibe, I recommend ‘Warhol’ and ‘Wolter Wolthers’. In ‘Warhol’, you can hear more rock/alternative songs with a side of old bangers to accompany them. They sometimes have live music and all their cocktails are 2 for 10 euros during happy hour (until 12am). ‘Wolter Wolthers’ plays different music depending on the day. My favourite nights are the retro evenings, but be warned: this club is also full to the brim. Last, but not least, ‘Club Oost’ is for techno lovers. Always new and live music that dabbles in different genres of electronic music accompanied by light shows.

If you are looking for something other than just a club or a bar there is also a great variety of live events for you to enjoy. ‘Vera’ offers you live underground pop culture on their stage. The tickets are affordable and their shows make you come to life. They also have an impressive bar where the bartender will create cocktails or mocktails for you at your specific instructions.

‘Zolder’ is another bar that offers live music from different genres for free, as well as free jam sessions on Thursdays where anybody can join in creating music and friendships. If you have not heard of Paradigm yet, then I will gladly be the first one to tell you about it. This is a very versatile electronic music festival that holds venues all through the year. They organise day or night festivals for everyone to enjoy, and explore the grounds of an old sugar refinery that has been repurposed for this festival.

Honourable mentions are the karaoke bars -which are surprisingly fun, coming from a person who hates hearing herself sing- and ‘Dorothy’s Drag bar’ for another kind of coming out and having a unique experience.

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As the city's heartbeat quickens as the night descends, never forget that your university years are an unforgettable experience.

Embrace the diversity of music, the excitement of new sensations, and the friendship. The secret is to enjoy every second, whether you're dancing to live music in a small pub, lost in the beat of an underground club, or submerged in an electronic festival symphony. Explore the unknown areas of the city's nightlife with an open mind and create memories that will resonate through the halls of your university experiences. Cheers to the evenings that turn legendary and the friendships that become a lasting part of your time at university.

P.S. Grab a snack on your way home, you’ll need it!

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A few words to wrap up And with that, you have reached the end of our first issue. You got to read about dorm life stories, got to learn more about Groningen and maybe note down a few of our tips and tricks about student life. We tried to find a balance between fun stories or facts and more serious and informative pieces. We sincerely hope that you enjoyed our articles and had fun reading them.

We would like to give a special thanks to Deirdre Harmsen, our study advisor, for answering our questions regarding student’s mental health as well as Wendalien Roozendaal and Marc Prüst for giving us an insight into Groningen’s student life back in the day.

If you have any remarks or questions about one of the topics we discussed or the issue in total, we are always happy about feedback. So, feel free to reach out to us! Similarly, if you have any ideas or inspiration for future issues, we’d love to hear them.

That’s it for now, we hope to see you again once we are back with our second issue. Take care!

Love, Lina, Wiktoria, Axel, Chiara and Jack

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