Lelygaan Magazine Summer Issue 2023

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Featured

Senseless- by my definition, with no feelings, without recognition of stimuli. without.

Portrait

Featured

Slow

Parallel

“It’s

Being

EDITOR’S

NOTE

Hello! I’m thrilled that you decided to read Lelygaan Magazine, welcome! Every part of this issue is very special to me, since it is the first one! Lelygaan is a magazine created by young creatives. This issue, those creatives are myself, Savannah, Ty, Beth, José, and Flavia. We are all students in Groningen, the Netherlands. We all met through a varied web of chance and fate - sharing university classes, having mutual friends, or tapping through Instagram stories. When I first started Lelygaan Magazine in 2021, it was simply a blog that I wrote online. I soon realised that running something like that, while studying and working at the same time, was not feasible for me. I dropped the blog and began to completely focus on my studies, along with the publishing of my novel!

Fast forward a year and a half later, my best friend Savannah and I began talking about the idea of a magazine again and decided to reinvent Lelygaan Magazine. We cultivated a brilliant team of creatives and started planning. And now, you are reading the fruit of our labour. I am immensely proud of what we have created and am so excited for you to dive into our little world. I am convinced that this world would be a better place if we were all a little more creative. The aim of this magazine is to

inspire you, to bring positivity, creativity, and joy into your life. If I can sneak in some life advice, it will always be: create. Write a poem today, grab a paintbrush, pick up your mum’s old guitar. Every small act of creativity makes this world a better place. It has been a hell of a ride, making this magazine. A wonderful, creative, tiring, joyful journey. Today, Lelygaan Magazine is just as much yours as it is mine. Make the world your own in the very same way we made Lelygaan our own.

By young people, for young people.

Love, Maureen x Editor in chief

EXPERTS’ EXPERIENCES:

by Noa Bente Maureen Prins

‘Yeah, I’m crunching numbers but they’re about Jay-Z, so I never feel like I’m wasting my time.’

Steven at his PhD defense

Photographer - Erwin Nijboer

Inthisinterview,hip-hoplinguistStevenGilbersandI diveintohowhehascombinedthetwothingsheloves most,whatthiscontributestoacademia,andhowhiphophasengraveditselfintohiswholelife.

Steven is a researcher and a lecturer at the University of Groningen, teaching and researching many forms of English linguistics. He is part of a “new wave” in a field of study which has been dubbed “hip-hop linguistics”. Excitedly, Steven explains; “There are some people like Renée Blake, Cece Cutler, and H. Samy Alim who came before me, who studied this in the US. I think that I am a new wave in this field of study, which is cool because it allows me to carve out a unique path without having to regurgitate what other people are doing. I can really find my own way in it. The way that I did that was by studying Tupac.’ In September 2021, Steven successfully defended his PhD dissertation AmbitionzazaRidah which was the first case study done on the late Tupac Shakur in the field of hip-hop linguistics. ‘I was in the shower, a lot of good ideas come to me in the shower,’ he laughs, ‘and I heard this Tupac record, ThugStyle, in the intro, he says “So I’m not East Coast enough for you n-words on the East Coast and not West Coast enough for you n-words on the West Coast.” That’s the moment I realised he was kind of in the middle because he moved from the East Coast to the West Coast [of the United States] and I figured there were different accents on those coasts, as far as African American English is concerned. If you study hip-hop linguistics, specifically in the States, you’re bound to look at African American English or a variant of it.’

The field of hip-hop linguistics is still a relatively unknown one, Steven himself ‘didn’t know the field existed’ in the first place, he simply happened to stumble upon it. ‘Hip-hop came early, I was like eight or nine years old and my dad brought home an Eminem record. Music was the biggest thing in his childhood and throughout the rest of his life. He’d try to indoctrinate me with it, but it usually didn’t work. It didn’t really resonate with me until he brought home that record. My English wasn’t great at that age so I looked at the track list; the last song was called Criminal, and I knew what that meant, so I played it. After the intro where he just talks, the beat kicked in and my mind was blown, I got into that SO hard.’ His love for Eminem then

snowballed into a further love for all kinds of rap. ‘From Eminem, I realised like, oh he worked with Dre, and Dre worked with Tupac and so on.’

Much like his love for hip-hop, his love for language was kickstarted by his father too. ‘My dad used to be an associate professor here [at the University of Groningen] who researched phonology in the Dutch linguistics department and was also interested in language and music. I was used to linguistics and research; I was kind of born and raised in Harmony building. So that interest and passion for language came early as well.’ Following his interest in language, he went on to study English Language and Culture at the University of Groningen, to specialise in linguistics. He got some opportunities to work on research projects with professors quite early on, which ‘made me realise that language was cool, and doing research was cool.’ With this passion for research freshly instilled, it was only natural for Steven to integrate his enthusiasm for hip-hop into it. Diving deeper into just how important these interests are in his life, he says: ‘In everything that I do, hip-hop or language are a part of it, usually the combination. It’s in my teaching, in my research, what I do for fun when I hang out with my friends, it’s ingrained in everything that I do. And that’s mostly a gift, sometimes a little bit of a curse. But in the end, it makes my job fun. Even the tedious parts of doing research, like the data crunching and all that. Yeah, I’m crunching numbers but they’re about Jay-Z, so I never feel like I’m wasting my time.’

While it all sounds very ‘cool’, it is not immediately obvious what the field of hip-hop linguistics contributes to academia as a whole. Steven explains that ‘The answer that you never give first, the real reason I study it, is because it’s cool.’ He laughs, ‘And as far as I’m concerned, that is enough reason.

It’s a culture that is turning 50 this year, it’s the primary pop culture in the world, it sells the most records and everything. It’s continuously updating itself, it’s a living,

breathing culture, which happens to be a minority culture even though it’s majority popular. It was founded by people that were historically marginalised: black and brown people in the US. So we’re studying a culture that is still heavily misunderstood. And a lot of that misunderstanding is rooted in bigotry, it’s rooted in racism. The number of complaints against rap lyrics being violent compared to, I don’t know, country lyrics being violent is absurd. Johnny Cash shoots someone in a song and it’s good storytelling, Tupac shoots someone in a song and it’s used as evidence in court. I think that every time we look into this, now I’m not saying that I- ,’ he stops for a second and laughs before continuing, ‘Wow, I almost transitioned into an actual Tupac quote there:

the rhythm of speech to music tells us, in a much more fundamental way, how deeply rooted language and music are in an evolutionary sense too, which tells us more about cognition, which tells us more about the human experience. So, there are all these directly relevant things you can do with hip-hop linguistics. And yes,’ he smiles, ‘it all boils down to that it’s cool. If research is not cool, unless it’s life-saving or something, I don’t see why you would do it.’

And it’s exactly that! I’m not saying I’m single handedly going to fix those issues with my work, obviously not. But, I think that every instance of doing research into a minority language and every instance of doing research into hip-hop, which is heavily stigmatised for racist reasons, contributes to the betterment of those views and to better societal harmony. That’s also one of the reasons why I don’t just want to publish but also want to talk in the media, it’s one of the reasons I said yes to this interview. I want to make sure that the research reaches people and actually does what I told people in my PhD proposal that it would do: that it would contribute to a better understanding of cultures that are misunderstood for all the wrong reasons. Also, studying what happened to Tupac specifically is a very detailed case study. It tells us about broader trends that you will see in people moving from one region to another when societal tensions and pressures influence how they speak. Also, relating

As he explained before, hip-hop plays a huge part in Steven’s personal life, as well as in his academic life. He writes and produces his own songs, his first single ‘wakeupandsmellthecoffee.’ was released in March 2021. When asked if being a hip-hop linguist made him a better musician, Steven strongly agreed. ‘Yes, absolutely. I got more versatile from my research. The core of my rap flow is 2002 Eminem and 1996 Tupac. Because that is what I grew up on, that is what defined my idea of flow. It’s steady, like a hits-you-in-the-face kind of steady. But, I also love the kinds of laid-back flows that West Coast artists like Snoop Dogg use, but that didn’t really feel like me. When I started studying it, I realised that if I include those kinds of elements every once in a while into my own flow, then I won’t just sound like 2002 Eminem anymore, but I’ll sound like Steven. The research really influences how I work. But, the core of being ‘good’ is being authentic. It took me years to figure out what that was, what story I wanted to tell. The hip-hop linguistics stuff helps, but it’s not the core of why I do it.’ Next to his music, Steven is also involved in Homebase, an organisation that brings hip-hop acts to Simplon in Groningen. ‘It all started when my friend Frank Stevens got fed up with having to go to Amsterdam for all the concerts and the last train would leave before the actual artist came on stage, because they got high in the back. So he was like “Nope, we’re bringing them to Groningen’’. The regional pride thing that I talked about in my research comes back here as well. That’s also why I wanted to base my career in Groningen. To build something hip-hop-based here, whether it’s classes I want to teach about hip-hop, or research, or Homebase, it all contributes to it.’

‘No,’ Steven laughs when I ask him if he has any more knowledge he wants to share with us, ‘I’ve been talking for a while, that was all I think.’ He thinks for a moment and then lights up, ‘Well, Homebase is a lot of fun so, come to Homebase.’

Steven Gilbers and Frank Stevens with The Doppelgangaz

Savannah Hendrickse

ARTIST, 21, ZIMBABWEAN

I am really drawn to people and color, and I think these two aspects are the main focal points of all my artwork. With these pieces, I wanted to capture the vibrancy and warmth I feel surrounded by some of the friends I have made since coming here to Groningen. I also felt semi-inspired by this one poem by Charles Baudelaire: “Be always drunken. Nothing else matters: that is the only question. If you would not feel the horrible burden of Time weighing on your shoulders and crushing you to the earth, be drunken continually. Drunken with what? With wine, with poetry, or with virtue, as you will. But be drunken.”

“DinnerWithFriends”, 3rd June 2023

Mixed media (alcoholic markers, ink and color pencils) on paper

Size: A3

Architecture

Architecture

I’m 20 years old, born in Hungary, but I spent most of my life in Turkey before moving to the Netherlands. Currently, I’m in my second year of studying Creative Business. I am a passionate person who finds joy in exploring various creative outlets, all the way from film to music. Filmmaking holds a special place in my heart as it allows me to share my unique perspective and bring smiles to people’s faces. Through my films, I strive to showcase the world as I see it, capturing moments that evoke emotions and inspire others.

Additionally, my love for travelling and exploring has fueled my interest in filmmaking and photography, as I yearn to capture the beauty of those around me. Overall, my hobbies and interests revolve around unleashing my creativity, sharing my vision with the world, and bringing joy to others through the art forms I embrace.

NOA BENTE MAUREEN PRINS

I have always truly adored photography and cinematics. I was always taking photos with my phone; the quality was horrible, but it brought me joy! Last summer, my uncle gifted me his old film camera after we had a conversation about shooting analogue photography. That love for film snowballed into an obsession for cameras, of which I now own about seven.

I love capturing the atmosphere of a situation, usually including a lot of bright colours. When I inherited my aunt’s digital camera last December, I got more into practising composition and lighting, because digital shooting financially allows that! I’m currently working on improving my concert photography skills, but I think that shooting people, streets, and nature will always be my favourite kind of photography!

Senseless- by my definition, with no feelings, without recognition of stimuli. without.

You once woke up within strong arms. You remembered how good the cuddles were. As the owner of the arms tossed and turned, he turned you along with him; you should’ve felt like laundry in the washing machine, but you felt a ridiculous sense of comfort.

“Are you up?” he’d asked.

“Yeah, but I’m not really in the mood for anything.”

“That’s okay, we’ll just sleep.”

“Okay. Give me a minute.”

Any excuse to not be alone for one hour. You crept up the dorm stairs, where a bunch of starry-eyed future presidents, former backpackers and aspiring influencers hovered about, grateful to have a place to stay but desperate to leave. You didn’t want anyone to see you. Nothing (and nobody) belonged to anyone in that place and you wanted your indiscretions with that VERY white man to not be brought up at dirty dinner tables. When you first “interacted” with this VERY white man, you took your time. It’s odd that he assumed you wanted to fuck. You had simply asked him to watch a movie and there he was, casually setting himself up for a happy ending. When he tried to kiss you, you laughed nervously; a cover for your lack of desire. You didn’t want to offend him. He went to the bathroom. You

strained your ears to listen. He was brushing his teeth. He thought you didn’t want to kiss him because of his breath? He didn’t once consider that you just didn’t want to? Madt.

But as you took him into your mouth, you were tickled by this weird excitement. You were finally doing something interesting, something impossible back home without being labelled a harlot. You were in the safety and comfort of foreignness. You gave the activity all you had but not for him, although he certainly benefited regardless. You laid it on thick.

You shiver at the memory. Some men seem so filled with the intent to be regretted that their regret is no disaster. (Shoutout Elizabeth Bishop!)

It did not take long for you to find someone else to lay with. The day you met him, you slid into your bed with him for 16 hours. It felt so good. You had such high hopes. He wanted you and you wanted to be wanted. You told him that he felt like home. He made a home in you but constantly ensured that you could not do the same.

We must all have our Nigerian man experience must we not? He seemed okay, and that should’ve been the first red flag. You opened your legs for him, widely. You wanted him and didn’t seem to find an issue in the fact that there was nothing between you. Not a condom and

byNasheGunda

not love. Just trust. Misguided, but there. Your spirit screamed at every point for you to escape. You felt a strange emptiness each time he left your room. A deep sense of “How did you let him do that?” overcame you when you allowed yourself to think clearly. But then it would be replaced with the dread of another day. Another day without love and without home and without yourself. He filled that space when he was around but took so much more when he left.

“Give him a kiss”, he’d say, holding his dick to your face. You’d playfully (not playfully) clamp your mouth shut until he forced himself in.

“Sit here.”

“We’re watching Lion King, bro.”

“We can still watch. Just come sit here.”

You sat with your back to his chest and he spread your legs open and fought with your underwear. He touched and rubbed you and he had you reaching heights of pleasure you didn’t imagine existed.

“Tell me what you want,” he’d say.

You had never been good at vocalising certain needs.

You would just shrivel up in shyness until he’d capitulate and slip his fingers into you. “I CAN FINALLY USE TAMPONS!” you’d yell internally. And then you’d perform. You would moan and groan and whimper. It’s not like you didn’t enjoy it, it’s just that it al-

ways felt like there was no intimacy in the most intimate acts. You were not in it together. He was a means to… ends. This was by his design, which you became the main engineer of. Brick by brick you built a comfortable home where you could hide away from your new reality. After one drunken night out, you told me, head swivelling and words slurring, that you did not miss yourself. I understand now.

GARDEN OF EDEN

byNoaBenteMaureenPrins

Your name is a forbidden fruit

Clinging to the back of my throat

Two cursed syllables

Losing the fight against resistance

And as it tumbles off my lips

Like the thousand times it has before It loses all its meaning

Tangled in a web of noises

Two cursed syllables

Win the race against my mind

How I hate to say your name

Without it having meaning

It’s the vibration in my throat

That tells me it’s not mine to say

Film

Junkies

bySavannah Hendrickse

So you’ve just sat down on your couch or bed, a food-filled plate in one hand and the TV remote in the other. You’re about to spend at least ten minutes scrolling through your streaming service for a movie or show to watch, before succumbing to the inevitable- a choice based off of the “trending” tab, or your nostalgic rerun of something you’ve watched through at least three times. It’s not necessarily a bad choice, but I do advise that you take a gander at these particular films that will leave you in heated discussions with friends, awe, or searching YouTube analysis videos for more.

AKIRA (1988)

DirectedbyKatsuhiroOtomo ANIMATION, ACTION, DRAMA

Set in a dystopian Neo-Tokyo, ‘Akira’ follows the events after a failed military project causes Tetsuo Shima, a young teen, to gain incredible telekinetic abilities. As his powers begin to endanger the city amidst military chaos and social rebellion it is up to his best friend, Shōtarō Kaneda, to put an end to his psychic rampage.

In all honesty, this has got to be the most slept-on film to date. Akira sets the tone for action genre movies to this day. There are epic battles coupled with complex characters, as this film beautifully explores the alienation felt by youth, themes of destruction and rebirth, and layered corruption following the nuclear bombings that ended

BUBBLE (2022)

After gravity-defying bubbles rain down upon the world, Tokyo is cut off from the rest of civilization, leaving it a post-apocalyptic playground for youth that have lost their families. As the city skyline becomes a competition ground for parkour team battles, 18 year old Hibiki must compete for his friends, and for himself, as he comes to terms with his place in the world.

Like Akira, Bubble explores youthful existentialism and spiritualism through the main characters. Without giving too much away, I’m sure all “The Little Mermaid” fans out there will enjoy the similar motifs and plot points. It’s an incredibly beautiful film in terms of cinematography as well. Furthermore, if you happen to be a Studio Ghibli fan, you’ll love the tranquil mood presented in this film.

->StreamonNetflix ->StreamonNetflix

DirectedbyTetsurōAraki ANIMATION, ACTION, ADVENTURE

ARRIVAL (2016)

DirectedbyDenisVilleneuve DRAMA, MYSTERY, SCI-FI

Linguist and college professor Louise Banks is enlisted by the U.S. Army after mysterious extraterrestrial life forms appear around the world. She must find a way to open communication between humans and these other-worldly beings before global tensions lead to a declaration of war.

As someone getting a Bachelors in English and having to learn a little about the field of Linguistics, this movie really made me think about meaning and how valuable communication is on a Sci-Fi, world-ending level. Even further, the concept of time and reality is particularly insane in this film, and it will certainly leave you scrambling with friends to resolve what the hell just happened.

->StreamonNetflix,PrimeVideo

EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE (2022)

When an interdimensional rupture unravels reality, a middle-aged Chinese immigrant swept up into adventure must channel her newfound powers in order to fight bizarre and bewildering dangers from the multiverse, as the fate of the world hangs in the balance.

There’s so much to say - as suggested by the title :) However, I will leave you with this: if anything is possible, then nothing matters, right? This movie makes you consider the absurdism of life: if nothing matters, then it is up to us to make everything meaningful.

DirectedbyDanielKwan&DanielScheinert ACTION, ADVENTURE, COMEDY (ROMANCE), FANTASY

->StreamonNetflix

NOPE (2022)

DirectedbyJordanPeele HORROR, MYSTERY, SCI-FI

“Nope,” follows the uncanny events succeeding the Haywood family’s return to their horse ranch in the lonely and desolate Agua, California. What initially appears to be a UFO conspiracy turns out to be a much greater spectacle that no one could have imagined. Strapped for cash and desperate for fame, how far will you go to capture a picture worth millions?

This horror film has to be my first time seeing a character’s refreshing sensibility in uttering the phrase “nope,” like any of us would, upon facing the unknown. I think it’s the most subversive take on what humankind would do if we encountered alien life forms, and perhaps the most painstakingly-real perspective on our generation’s obsession with sensationalist money-shots.

->StreamonNetflix,PrimeVideo

“Modern Gatsby Glamour”

Model - Nicole Murambiza

Ty Sanchez

This zine was the result of a year-long fascination and investigation in queer pornographic material from the 70’s and 80’s. The goal was to see how framing could alter the perception of the art and bring the material into the realm of “erotic art”. To blur these lines, a meta-modern approach was needed, modernizing and recontextualizing the way these images were viewed. Generally, they were seen as more inherently sexual than many cisgender heterosexual expressions of sexuality. The aesthetics were deeply inspired by a 2016 exhibit from the Canadian Queer ArQuives, entitled “Tape Condition: Degraded”, and created by Cait McKinney. Looking through their work, I felt an instant connection between this and what I had been investigating all year, so I wanted to honor them by illustrating scenes from the exhibition.

ILLUSTRATOR, 20, CHILEAN

slow sulky mornings

nights

byNoaBenteMaureenPrins

tomornings nights

SLOW MORNINGS PinkMoon-NickDrake

To me, this is the ultimate summer morning song. It makes me feel the way I felt as a little girl when I was finally off school and could play outside all day, every day. I especially love the instrumental, where a crisp piano part is played over the guitar; it gives the song a carefree and comforting feel. An acoustic guitar, a soothing voice, and an enchanting melody; the perfect recipe for a morning walk to see the sun rise.

SuperBounce-Duckwrth,EARTHGANG

This song does indeed, make me bounce (and I’ve got to say, it’s super). It’s perfect for a summer morning where you open your doors and windows to let some cool air into your stuffy student room. It makes me want to dance in just a shirt and underwear, my hair in a messy

bun, like I was written by a man. A groovy beat, a killer production, and lyrics that have you singing along by the second chorus. I love the flow of the line ‘Venmo me them economics.’, it always has me bopping my head in my bedroom. Get ready to feel like the main character with this one.

These days, music is a big part of almost everyone’s life. Whether it is a workout in the gym motivated by your favourite tunes or an outlet you use for your emotions, everyone has a connection to it. I’ve always found that a good song can turn your entire day around. In this piece, I have collected my favourite songs to blast during the summer, with the hope that they might help to improve your days too. You can listen to the full playlist by scanning the spotify code.

SUNNY AFTERNOONS

Flatline-5SecondsofSummer

Nothing screams “getting a sunburn on the beach” like this song. The heavy bass in this song’s verses is completely counterbalanced by the light and vibrant melodies of the chorus. The perfect song about falling in love so hard, you can’t even look at them. ‘Oh I’m falling for the first time, heart is gonna flatline.’ This song makes me want to fall in love all over again. If I had a car, I would blast this track on the highway with the windows down.

10%-KAYTRANADA,KaliUchis

Much like Super Bounce, this song makes me want to move my hips. It’s upbeat, easy to sing along to, and has a lot of interesting instrumental sounds in the background. It has me dancing from the first line, I never get bored of this song. It’s perfect to clean to, to cook to, or to get ready to. Definitely one of my favourites!

SULKY NIGHTS

Solo-FrankOcean

I love this one, it’s perfect for late night drives. The melancholy weight of the tune, combined with the ethereal voice of Frank Ocean makes me feel like I should be confessing my love to someone in the pouring rain. The instrumental in the background of the song sounds just like the organ my grandma used to play when I was young. It’s a combination of all the aspects I love in music: vocal power, beautiful harmonies and interesting instrumentals.

Don’tKeepDriving-ThePaperKites

This is the one song you will always catch me listening to at night, especially in summer. The echo on the guitar, the slow drums, the calmness the song exudes, it’s tailor-made to blast on some noise cancelling headphones whilst stargazing in a field or taking a late night walk. ‘Like half of this city has an idea’, is my favourite lyric. It’s simple, but tells us that none of us know what we’re doing, and I heavily relate to that.

THE ALBUM OF THE SUMMER -5SOS5

When Australian pop-rock band 5 Seconds of Summer announced the first single from their fifth studio album 5SOS5 back in March 2022, no one knew what to expect. This band has a way of entirely reinventing itself every time they release new music, as seen in 2018 when they released their third studio album Youngblood. It wasn’t a surprise when their new single COMPLETEMESSsounded completely different from every other song they released earlier in their career. It is much more light-hearted than their last album CALM, which had darker energy, filled with heavy basslines and spiralling lyrics. COMPLETEMESSwas followed by several singles, TakeMyHandand Older, which are nostalgic songs with an almost heavenly feeling, whilst Me,Myself&Iand BLENDER sound angrier, telling gut-wrenching stories of heartbreak. From a gospel-esque bridge in BadOmensto a heavy bassline in Flatline, to a bouncy chorus in CAROUSEL, thediversityoftheirmusicisgreatlypresentin5SOS5. Heavier songs like TEARS!and Emotions discuss the struggle of dealing with your demons and ways to suppress them. Most of the songs, however, have a more positive spin, with groovy basslines, beautiful introspective lyrics and a powerful production. The album sounds upbeat, fresh, and entirely 5 Seconds of Summer. Their authentic way of creating music: primarily written, composed, and produced by the four band members, makes the album feel nostalgic and warm. 5SOS5 is the perfect album to create lasting memories to. Memories of late night walks through the park, dancing in your kitchen, biking in the rain, and laughing with friends during a dinner party. Give it a spin this summer!

PARALLEL TASKS, UNBALANCED byBethCasserly

The tranquility of sitting alone. Today I am knitting cross-legged on my bed, dry granola and shower speaker balanced in my impression. I’m singing along terribly as I chew.

Imagining a lover; they would sit on the other side of the room, typing away at an essay or email, and I would admire the furrow of their brow. They would bring me coffee as the sun went down, and grin at how I even sing along to the guitar solos.

Yet, when they went back to work, I would worry, that the clicking of my needles are like lightning, the crunching and the humming a cacophony of distraction. I would fall silent, and search their focused face for indications of hate.

I would turn down the music to hear them breathe. From the wall, time’s metronome records each passing miracle. With a glance, I’m caught. A mirrored smile sets the chorus going once again.

byBethCasserlyandNoaBenteMaureenPrins

Being a young adult is hard. Being a person of any age is hard, but there’s something uniquely confusing about being 20-something years old. Your brain isn’t fully developed, your clothes are always too big or too small, and you’re balancing a million commitments with the desperate hope that just one of them will turn into your “calling”.

I used to want to write articles that gave solutions. “How to plan your weeks efficiently’” “10 ways to feel more confident’” and things like that. After writing a few of these articles, I hit a wall. Simply put, there is no solution for most of the issues that we go through.

response, accompanied by a sigh or a smirk. ‘Learning to love’ or ‘taking care of myself’ were also popular. ‘Money’ was another one. Tupac Shakur put it best: “It’s hard to be legit and still pay the rent.” And just like Tupac, I don’t have the answer. If you can find that perfect balance, where you nurture your soul and save money, give yourself a pat on the back, because I haven’t quite figured out how you do that. I don’t think I ever will. These are not problems that school prepares you for, no matter how many cluttered assemblies they insert into your week. No class prepares you to heave yourself out of bed on a bad day. Your diploma doesn’t hold the secret to being present in the moment.

come grief, a strict break.

I always knew that everyone had battles they were fighting, that’s been drilled into my brain from the childhood assemblies telling us to Be Kind…but last December, I was walking through the city, fighting a battle that nobody could see, when I started to notice myself in everyone else around me. I was not alone. A woman sighed as she had to swerve her bike around a pedestrian, the pedestrian didn’t notice with his eyes cast towards the ground. Two friends laughed at the encounter, and a young girl readjusted her skirt with the worry that they were laughing at her. I thought back to all the times I had seen girls crying in public. I was not alone.

In solemn talks over a dimly-lit table, I asked my friends what they struggled with most, not in that particular moment, just in general. ‘Family’ was a common

I’m not able to write articles like “How to plan your weeks efficiently” anymore. Wherever you place your value, be there. However your time feels best spent, spend it doing that. Be an artist, work a 9 to 5, write poetry, buy groceries and change your sheets. Because, if it works for you, it won’t work for me, or the next person to pass you on the street. Go through the motions, day by day. Your own, unique motions. Put a little sliver of your soul into everything you do.

I never had plans to become a photographer by any means. It kind of just chose me and took over my life. I’ve always played music. I’ve always played in bands and played shows and gone to shows. Having a camera around all of that just seemed like a natural thing that needed to happen. I would bring a camera for fun and make these little videos and take photos of every little moment. It’s because I loved it and I wanted to remember every little moment. It naturally evolved into my friend’s band needing some photos for their shows because they knew I had a camera. Then another band hit me up. Somewhere along the way, I made the conscious decision to take it seriously and see it through. The energy was there and I was curious how far I could take it. About a decade later, I’ve managed to travel the planet and make photography my full time gig! All in the back of my mind still going “oh, this is just temporary until I can release my own music”.

LukeHemmings

I really love going to concerts and taking pictures. Being able to combine these two joys in the way I get to do now means the world to me. My main goal when taking pictures of an artist on stage is trying to catch a genuine glimpse of what it’s like to see them perform in person. As a fangirl who’s trying to make it in this intimidatingly big industry, I find it important to snap photos that fans would love. If even one fan saves a picture that I took of their favourite artist, then it’s a job well done to me. I’m only 24 years old, I have absolutely no clue what I’m doing most of the time, but what I do know is that I love concert photography, and I hope that people can see that through my shots.

UPSAHL and Jonathing Sim, taken at Tolhuistuin, Amsterdam

Nick Willis of Boy Bleach, taken at Tolhuistuin, Amsterdam

UPSAHL, taken at Tolhuistuin, Amsterdam

bySavannah Hendrickse

Ican’trelatetomypeers.

I’dratherliveoutside,I’dratherchipmypridethan losemymindouthere.

By the grace of the ancient gods, she’s pried the fire alarm off the surface of the ceiling, the flesh of her fingers reddened with effort, sticky with aged dust. The greatest nark of her college life has been defeated, maybe only temporarily. War has no victors, only losers (they say). Lungs filling steadily with water-melon smoke, she flops down on her bed, eyes cast towards the ceiling in mock-consideration. Funny thing, these little pens are. She regularly makes fun of her group of friends that can’t exist without the presence of nicotine at a party (with the mock-irony that can only be achieved by a twenty-something that smells of candy floss.) *

“You want to smoke first, then eat, yeah?”

“Yeah, of course.” She’ll say this, and then she’ll give rise to a goofy smile that gives away the contact high she’s taken from them. Over-cooked pasta tends to taste better when they’re in between worlds.

“That’s our Sloane for you!” they’ll proclaim. At least that’s what they sound like in those moments where reality tilts slightly to the left. Everyone begins to sound like they’re in an infomercial for bad health.

Sloane will roll her eyes and grab the phone connected to the bluetooth speakers, unsuccessfully asking for suggestions before someone replays ‘Money Trees’ by Kendrick Lamar for the fourth time that night. She’ll watch them closely as they belt out the lyrics - save for the recurring n-word that’s replaced with laughter and gestures to the only qualified black people who will say it for them. She’ll sigh with relief when one of her few contributions to the queue manages to break the pattern - Frank Ocean’s “Seigfried” mellows out her mood.

“Depressing-ass song choice,” they’ll say as they tap ‘next’ arrow. She won’t smoke, and they won’t notice until they’re sober the following day.

*

Her room is illuminated by the cheap sunset lamp Sloane bought after seeing it on Instagram reels enough times to cave, and fairy lights that barely flicker after being left on over the winter holidays. To the dismay of her landlord, the walls are painted

a dark gray and covered with large horror movie posters and clippings from magazines that one of her roommates was getting rid of. She’s made the space a piece of every college-dorm aesthetic she’s been too lazy to make a Pinterest board about.

University student rooms are revealing spaces. They strip their owner naked and vulnerable to their secrets, passions, and faults- like a museum of their inner mind. Even the rooms that contain a simple bed and desk display a particular psyche, one usually associated with a spiel about the capitalist agenda of uniform student housing. Sloane knows her life speaks through her room in the very same way, save for the socialist rant. Her dad believes she’s unable to make definite choices.

“I’m not going out,” she whispers to herself as she scrolls through social media aimlessly. It’s a prayer to herself. She’s noticed that absolutely everyone else is out. The obnoxious sound of giggling preceding the bang of firecrackers can be heard from Sloane’s window that oversees the street below. There’s no definite answer as to why she’s tucked away at the edge of her bed, puffing on a vape pen that she doesn’t even like. She doesn’t like a lot of things that everyone would assume she does.

Unopened bottles of strawberry vodka roll around a drawer, forgotten. The stash of weed that she was offered by her friend now sits in a vintage tea cup on her dresser. The aesthetics of twenty-something year olds has got her in a chokehold. Everything around

- except herself.

Nobody to acknowledge that she’s not well.

And now she’s not even not well. She’s actually pretty well. Better yet, terrifyingly well - and she’s not too sure what the protocol is here. She’s had many conversations about it.

Lessmoroseandmorepresent.

“I haven’t been black out drunk in a while, you know?” Sloane doesn’t know what she means by saying this aloud.

“Oh same! We should have pre’s at West’s house and go f-cking crazy-” they’re interrupted by their phone ringing - is that Money Trees? Sloane is somewhat skeptical over white people’s obsession with that f-cking song, somewhat thankful for the quick intermission of their conversation. Why did she suggest this? Had she even suggested this? Oh, the English language and its inexplicable meanings and uses.

“As I was saying,” they stuffed their phone away and grabbed Sloane’s shoulders, “we absolutely need to go out together for once! I can’t believe we haven’t yet - we’ve known each other so long.” They had not known each other that long. It was her second year of university. Everyone that talked to her was a new cast member on the set that was her life. (All the world’s a stage, yeah?)

She never knew if they would remain guest stars or become permanent crew. She liked to view it all in this way- the mess that was making friendships in your early twenties when nobody really knows where you’re from and what makes you really happy and why you were depressed back in 2019 and what saved you from killing yourself.

her seems edgy and cool, as edgy and cool as alcohol and drug abuse can be estimated. At some point in her life, this was all she wanted. No parents hovering over her space- nobody able to intervene in her habits. Nobody to exert their wrath over her choices

“I’ll be there! Send me the details when you have them,” she ended off with a wide grin. God, she was such a liar. She found herself lying all the time in fact. She didn’t go to West’s dingy apartment in the city, she didn’t even open up their text message with the “details”: the WhatsApp message preview had included a chirpy “BYOB”, at which she had scoffed and taken a puff. She always surprised herself with how little she liked anyone around her.

She wanted to like them though. They were her people- the smokers, the party-goers, the people that

risked death every Thursday night for reasons they’d be too drunk to express to you. She was them. She can’t fully pinpoint when she first side-stepped the shot glass thrust her way in an overcrowded club. She can’t remember when she started to feel uncomfortable with her old friends constantly gushing about how she was a bar ranger- a f-cking soldier in the realm of booze. Things had changed, and everything was different and Sloane stopped hating herself.

Sometimes she remembers how it wasn’t so sudden, but rather a slow gathering of her scattered dreams and hopes for herself. Out of the unstable, constantly ticking bomb that lived in her family home, she escaped to a new country where everything was different and she’s constantly in fear of reverting back to her 15 year old self.

I’m not brave

I’d rather live outside

I’drathergotojail

I’ve tried hell

She’s so entirely sick of all of it. This desire to relate to everyone else’s sadness and sickness consumes her experience with making new friends. She’s terrifyingly well now, and in need of a present-ness absent in the people she’s surrounded with. She’s shed off her past in order to embody this new boundary-lacking, messy and indecisive version of her that is trying to pick a personality out of a Tik Tok trend. Maybe she’ll pick the right one, and she’ll be able to explore a more definite version of herself that isn’t so mind-numbingly boring to herself.

Sloane shook her head slowly. Liar, she thought. She then nodded. “I did feel happy when I was- uhyeah.”

They nodded and smiled one of those gentle, older smiles that belonged to older generations. “It’s good to recognize that alcohol is supposed to make you feel happy for quite a bit of time, but it’s all just chemicals. You’re experiencing a low mood without it because that’s what alcohol dependence does to us. Your body is capable of doing that work without ityou have to be patient and remind yourself why you are making changes.”

“I’m afraid.”

“What are you afraid of, Sloane?” They paused their scribbling and looked at her carefully.

“I just…don’t feel like me,” she sighed and looked towards the art displayed on the office’s walls. It was all pastel pinks and blues. The world felt muted and dull in this room - she was muted and dull in this room. Maybe she should stop there, she thought. She knew she was saying the wrong thing.

“Do you feel as though you were truly happy before?”

Someone must’ve lied along the way, because Sloane was patient and still unfulfilled. Angry and still selfaware. Was it even worth it to change if no one knew who she used to be? Nobody was here to give her a pat on the back and tell her she’d been doing so well saying “no”. Nobody was here to remind her that she used to be so much worse. At the risk of sounding delusional, she wished someone documented her life, of course not all of it, but these parts that felt like tear-fuelling moments for her imaginary audience (that coincidently included everyone she hated and loved.) There is something very isolating about having new-found stability that you can’t trust because it doesn’t feel like anything you’ve ever felt.

Sowhynotspendthisflammablepaperonthefilm that’smylife?

Highflights,inhalethevapor,exhaleonceandthink twice

Eatsomeshrooms,maybehaveagood cry aboutyou

Seesomecolors,lighthangglideoffthemoon

(Inthedark)I’ddoanythingforyou

Sloane’s eyes unstick from the ceiling, her gaze falling on the fire alarm, discarded on the floor with a small pile of white dust. She laughs, aims weakly for the wire basket, and trashes her pink vape. Arm collapsing back down after that minor exertion, she smiles a real smile for one sweet moment.

Fin.

Devon’s Playworthy Playlist

Welcome, gamers and enthusiasts, to the first installment of Devon’s Playworthy Playlist! I have compiled a list of my three most treasured and beloved games from my many years as a fan of the industry. I sure do hope you feel the same desire to pick up and play from this list as I did when I first downloaded these amazing titles. Without further ado, let’s get right into the list!

ALIEN ISOLATION

First up is Alien Isolation, a first person sci-fi survival horror game set on a derelict space station, in which the player is searching for answers about their mothers disappearance, while being hunted by an unrelenting monster. This premise is immediately gripping, and if you think it sounds interesting, just wait until you hear my top 3 reasons why YOU should play Alien Isolation.

the upcoming events. Despite it being made in 2014 (almost a decade ago), the game has held up extremely well, and in comparison to some recently released titles, still looks and plays better too.

Number 2: AWorthyFoe

I would like to take a second to talk about the main antagonist of the game: the Alien. This isn’t your average monster that can be easily tricked by walking behind their field of vision (FOV). The developers of Alien Isolation gave the alien the means to learn the players playstyle, once again showcasing the creativity and care that went into this game. When you encounter the Alien and decide to routinely hide in a locker, as one would do when encountered with a deadly beast, you’ll succeed! The alien will not detect you and you will be able to go about your way unscathed. However, over time he will learn to check lockers more thoroughly; this being the key to what makes the Alien in this game feel much more “real”, and in turn makes the player have to switch up their strategy if they want to keep progressing.

Number 3: BadassProtagonist

Saving the best for last, I would like to talk about the GAMEPLAY. In Alien Isolation you are playing as an intelligent and confident engineer known as Amanda Ripley. She’s pretty badass and smart, and the gameplay accurately shows that. You can craft all sorts of smoke & sound bombs, EMPs (Electro-magnetic Pulses), Flashbangs, and other nifty devices to help you stay undetected as you make your way through the dark and spooky vents of Sevastopol station.

If you are interested in playing Alien Isolation, you can pick it up on Steam and Epic Games. It’s also available on Playstation and Xbox.

CONTROL

Number 1: ImmersiveasHell

The game sports one of the most engaging and immersive environments that I have ever seen for a survival horror game. Now I already hear your cries, “But Devon, you just said the game is set on an abandoned space station. How is that engaging or original in any way?” And to that my friend, I will tell you that even though the game features a played out video game setting, the graphical fidelity does an amazing job at building the atmosphere and setting a more modern stage for

Control is a mind-bending action-adventure game that combines elements of supernatural horror and paranormal exploration. You play as Jesse Faden, whom the story follows as she delves deep into the heart of the Federal Bureau of Control (FBC), searching for her missing brother. Let’s take a gander at my 3 mind blowing reasons to play Control.

Number 1: YouaretheBossFight

Have you ever wanted to feel like YOU are the boss in the boss fight? Do you want to feel like you are straight out of the movie Chronicle (2012)? Look no further than Control. As you venture into the depths of the FBC, you will pick up a shapeshifting revolver, the ability of telekinesis, and many others that I won’t spoil. Throwing explosive canisters or straight up ripping concrete from nearby surfaces to decimate your foes never gets old. Getting back to the fancy firearm: the weapon you receive in the game is a revolver called the “Service Weapon”. The Service Weapon has the ability to change its form, transforming into different configurations to adapt to different combat situations. That’s all you get from me, you’ll have to play the game if you would like to know more about that.

Number 3: ComplexPlot

For those who are into narrative design, this game will throw you for a loop. In an effort not to spoil the plot I will leave you with this piece of advice: Pay attention. The moment you nod off during a cutscene is the moment when you will miss out on some crazy twists, and this game has a lot of those from the get-go.

Control can be picked up pretty much everywhere, PC, Playstation & Xbox, as well as Nintendo Switch.

Number 2: EverlastingFun

Remember when I said that you will never get tired of feeling like a boss? You won’t have to worry about that feeling going away for very long. Control will take you around 12 hours to complete, that is if you skip all side missions and only do the main story. If you really enjoy the gameplay and want to get the most out of the game, you can easily spend upwards of 25+ hours exploring all of the interesting side quests that the game is filled to the brim with.

Sifu is a revenge story centered around the player, who starts as a young kung fu master. What makes Sifu a very special game in my heart is its unique gameplay mechanic. Every time your character is defeated in combat, they age and become stronger, but also more vulnerable. This aging process adds an intriguing twist to the traditional action genre, as you must carefully manage your resources and strategize your approach to overcome increasingly challenging opponents. If that doesn’t already sound badass,you’ll be blown away by my top 3 kickass reasons to play Sifu.

Number 1: BecomingtheDragonWarrior

Let me be honest with you; the game is hard. It’s not Dark Souls hard, but it’s no walk in the park. You will not make it far in this game by mashing buttons. The game rewards players for learning the timing for when you should take the offensive and when you should wait for your opponents to make the next move. As they say, martial arts are like mental chess. Trust me when I say that once you start playing, you will want to learn the combos, and once you do you will feel unstoppable, like Bruce Lee in any Bruce Lee movie.

Number 2: EyeCandy

Sloclap did an absolutely amazing job with the art style. Taking inspiration from old Kung Fu movies and blending it with stylized realism makes the game look and play like absolute eye candy. From the moment the game launches, it instantly builds the atmosphere of this revenge story, which makes the engagement and tension of the gameplay that much more impactful.

Number 3: UniqueEnemies

Not only can you build your unique fighting style and mow down enemies with your advanced techniques, but every enemy you face also has a unique way that they will attack. Some will wait for you to make the first move and attempt to parry, while others will wildly swing the closest weapon they can find at you. These unpredictable elements are what makes playing Sifu such a fun and interesting experience.

Sifu is available everywhere on PC, Playstation & Xbox.

byDevonHolly

My name is Devon Holly, I am a third year student at Hanze studying Communication and Multimedia Design (CMD). My hobbies are, you guessed it, playing video games, card games with friends, drawing, playing instruments, and electronics DIY stuff. I have always enjoyed reviewing and categorizing games I’ve played into recommendation piles and I’m so stoked to be able to be featured in the first issue of Lelygaan magazine for my list of hopefully interesting must plays.

Instagram: @yaboi_devon

Five Finds: Fine

RESTAURANTS IN GRONINGEN

byJoséScholte

Have you been looking for a place to eat in Groningen, but haven’t been sure where to go? No worries! José always has a recommendation perfect for you! In this edition of Five Fine Finds, I will introduce you to 5 restaurants in Groningen that I quite like and are not too expensive. Let’s be honest; being a student is expensive enough already!

I will be rating these restaurants in 4 categories:

1. Restaurant vibe (because we do not tolerate bad vibes here);

2. The food, as that’s what we are here for, after all;

3. Flexibility of diets- how many of the dishes are vegetarian/vegan and how much can we adapt those that are not, and lastly;

4. The average price of a main course plus dessert; we dine in style here;

Seeing as I will only be reviewing restaurants I have been to, your favorite restaurant might not be on this list. If there is a restaurant I definitely have to check out, DM us on our Instagram and it might make my next list!

Nr. 1: BRASSERIE GROEN

This is a wildcard in terms of pricing and style. Brasserie Groen is a more upscale dining experience in a middlingly formal setting. Brasserie Groen uses primarily biologically locally grown products and seasonal vegetables. Though the dishes by themselves are relatively expensive, they offer a 3-course meal for a set price of 37.50, which you can pick from their menu. The setting is somewhat chic and the dishes look amazing. If you are looking to impress a special someone, or have your parents visiting and it’s on them anyways, this is a great place to be.

Vibe: 8.0/10

Food: 9.0/10

Flexibility: 6.0/10

Average Price: Main Course = €24.00 Dessert = €9.50

All in all, the upscale vibe remains intimate and classy whilst gorgeous dishes with great food are being served to you. The price for the three course meal is very fair and totally worth it. Just a warning; most wines they only sell by the bottle, so if you are planning on going alone and not drinking an entire bottle of wine, your wine options are slightly limited. 2/7 main courses are vegetarian, and the nature of their dishes makes it more easily adapted.

Overall Score: 7.7/10

Nr. 2: LA CUBANITA

A chain of all-you-can-eat tapas restaurants for a set price of €22.50 or €27.50 depending on what day you are going. A modern and warm restaurant with a vibe of friendliness with, for all-you-can-eat standards, some good dishes. What I love about tapas is that it is the most casual and social way to have a massive meal. By sharing a plethora of smaller dishes you always have something to talk about, and it lowers the bar of formality. I like going to La Cubanita for a fun, easygoing time with the people I take with me. The only negative; desserts are not included.

Vibe: 7.5/10

Food: 6.5/10

Flexibility: 8.0/10

Average Price: €22.50/27.50 Dessert = €4.00

Overall, tapas is just a very adaptable way of eating. Though it is not the best food, you can eat a lot or eat a little and pick any dish you’d like, making it perfect for groups of mixed eaters. The restaurant vibe is casual and fun and the price is not too bad! I would recommend going here, especially if you are not looking for a serious type environment, but rather a fun space to get to know someone. That being said, it is also just perfect for groups of friends you already know!

Overall Score: 7.3/10

Nr. 3: ITALIA

Located on a sidestreet from the Herestraat you will find Italia. Italia is a nice, low-price Italian restaurant with some delicious pizza and great pasta. With a wide variety of dishes and pizza, one can probably eat here on a weekly basis and still find new things to order. The amount of times I have been to Italia is no longer countable on my fingers, it is truly my go to restaurant if I have to be in the city for a concert or movie. Usually I order the tagliatelle buongustaio, but honestly, almost everything is good (though they tend to drown the lasagne in cheese, which may be your thing, but not really mine).

Vibe: 8.5/10

Food: 7.5/10

Flexibility: 6.0/10

Average Price: Main Course = €17.75 Pizza = €13.30 Dessert = €5.30

Italia is honestly just the most typical pizzeria with good food, the vibe is cozy and, well, italian, though in a slightly touristy fashion of course. They don’t have many vegetarian options but if you ask, they will probably leave out the meat for you, making it quite adaptable. As for the pricing, it is very fair. The quality of the meals is well worth the rather low price, and, even though I could not find any wine on their website, I know from experience that it is affordable too. I would always recommend Italia to people looking for an affordable pizzeria seeing as, especially in its price range, to me it is the best option. Overall it is a nice welcoming environment and I like going here, though sometimes they have large reservations and it might get loud. Always reserve a table since it will be busy on the more popular nights such as Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Overall Score: 7.3/10

Nr. 4:

DE GROENE STOEL

De Groene Stoel is truly such an underrated gem. Locally sourced produce, biological products and a focus on creating a fair and vegetarian/vegan friendly dining experience, De Groene Stoel is a pop of color and friendliness located on Gedempt Zuiderdiep. They serve three course meals at a set price of €33.50 and each course has both a vegetarian and a vegan option. They change out their menus every once in a while to keep the dishes fresh and in season whilst offering a variety of cuisines throughout the year. Aside from their dinner menu they offer a wide variety of breakfast and lunch items, once again vegetarian and vegan friendly.

Vibe: 9.0/10

Food: 8.0/10

Flexibility: 10/10

Average price: €33.50

As stated before, de Groene Stoel is a very diet inclusive eating experience and their use of locally sourced products is truly commendable. Strangely, most people I talk to about restaurants in Groningen do not seem to know of de Groene Stoel, so now I am considering either finding better friends or more actively telling people to check it out!

Overall Score: 9.0/10

Nr. 5: ISTBAKU

Right across the street from the Student Hotel one can find IstBaku, a Turkish-Azerbaijani charcoal restaurant with some very nice food. I went here on my 5 year anniversary with my partner and had a good time with good food. Tragically, IstBaku was recently caught in a fire which led to them temporarily closing. I do suggest you keep an eye out for signs that they are reopening, because their food is truly worth it.

Vibe: 6.0/10

Food: 7.0/10

Flexibility: ???/10

Average Price: Main Course = €18.50 Dessert = €5.80

In order to explain these scores, it is important to note one thing, these prices and the dishes are taken straight from their linked website on google, through which one can order their dishes, as delivery. This factor might influence, for example, flexibility and the amount of vegetarian/vegan alternatives they offer. They do have a vegetarian option on their menu, but it is a chef’s choice type thing which means that there is little control over the dish itself. As for the overall vibes, last I was here there was little privacy but the servers were really nice and radiated good energy.

Overall Score: Inconclusive.

This may seem like a negative thing, but honestly it is a nice restaurant with good food. It is very affordable and I would go there again. However, because of the absence of clarity concerning their vegetarian options and the lack of vegan options I am unable to score it fairly.

If you have any further suggestions or fine finds you want me to look at, no matter what theme or topic, please do send me your recommendation. Also, if you would like to share your experiences with places, products and stores listed in these articles, email me! joselelygaan@gmail.com

Three Summer Recipes Super Easy

byJoséScholte

STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

Easy,lightandhealthy,Stuffedbellpeppersaretheperfectdishtowhipupifyoufeellikemakingaverysimple mealthatlooksabsolutelyamazing.

The stuffing in the bell pepper is completely adaptable, so whether you eat meat, fish or prefer vegan food it is perfect for any occasion and diet. All you need is:

• A functioning oven

• A baking tray, greased with your preferred oil or butter (I prefer olive oil but it’s up to you!)

• Bell peppers, of a relatively larger size as you are going to fill them. 1-2 per person is a perfect portion.

• Any other vegetables you wish to be part of the stuffing. (For example, mushrooms, more bell pepper, zucchini works very well with this recipe too, overall mediterranean vegetables do the trick)

• Any protein of your liking, I usually use ground beef but anything goes, for example tofu is a great affordable substitute!

• Tomato purée, tomato sauce works too.

• Rice; I use a portion of rice per person, that’s about 75 grams

• Italian herb mix, comes easily mixed together in jars if you are unsure what herbs to use!

• Chilli powder, it could be changed for smoked paprika or fresh chilli peppers depending on your preferences

• Salt and pepper

• (Optional) Cheese!

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 200 °C

Step 2: Cook the rice according to the instructions on the box

Step 3: Cut the bell peppers in half and take out their core so they resemble bowls. If you prefer you can instead take off the tops and core them so they are more cup shaped. Place the cut bell peppers on the greased baking tray

Step 4: Sauté the stuffing. If you use onions and/ or garlic, start with those, then add in your preferred proteïn and follow it up with the vegetables. Let the mix cook for about 5 minutes

Step 5: Remove the pan from the heat

Step 6: Drain the rice and add it into the mix, then follow it up with herbs, spices and tomato purée.

Step 7: Fill the bell peppers and optionally top them with cheese

Step 8: Bake the bell peppers for about 20 minutes in the preheated oven

Step 9: Enjoy!

CREAMY MUSHROOM TOMATO PASTA

ArichandfillingpastaIlovetomakeforafancydate nightoradinnerparty.

It looks and tastes amazing, but is actually pretty easy! Here’s what you need for 2 people:

• A pot and a deep frying pan

• Any pasta of your choice

• 250 ml of cooking cream

• Bacon or a vegetarian/vegan replacement

• 400 grams of mushrooms

• A jar of sundried tomatoes

• 2-3 cloves of garlic

• Chilli powder to taste (I tend to grind my own)

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 200 °C

Step 2: Cook the rice according to the instructions on the box

Step 3: Cut the bell peppers in half and take out their core so they resemble bowls. If you prefer you can instead take off the tops and core them so they are more cup shaped. Place the cut bell peppers on the greased baking tray

Step 4: Sauté the stuffing. If you use onions and/or garlic, start with those, then add in your preferred proteïn and follow it up with the vegetables. Let the mix cook for about 5 minutes

Step 5: Remove the pan from the heat

Step 6: Drain the rice and add it into the mix, then follow it up with herbs, spices and tomato purée

Step 7: Fill the bell peppers and optionally top them with cheese

Step 8: Bake the bell peppers for about 20 minutes in the preheated oven

Step 9: Enjoy!

CHICORY SALAD WITH SMOKED CHICKEN BREAST

Byfarthequickestrecipeofthislist,thissaladisabsolutelyamazingforahotsummer’sday.Whetherfor lunchordinner,thissaladisfresh,crunchyandsuper healthy!

Add in some potato or cooked pasta to make it a more rounded and filling meal. For this salad all you need is:

• A bowl for serving purposes, and to complete the look, some salad cutlery

• Chicory, per person I usually take 1-1.5 piece

• Smoked chicken breast, or nuts (walnuts are really great with this)

• Grapefruit, about 0.5 per person

• Bell pepper, 0.5-1 per person

• 1 tbsp of frites sauce per person (if you are unacquainted with frites sauce, you can buy it in almost any grocery store, it’s usually next to the mayo, but lighter and fresher in taste)

• 0.5 tbsp of yoghurt per person

• Salt, pepper, italian herb mix, all to taste

Chop up and wash your chicory, dry it before

Peel and cut the grapefruit, before adding it to

Repeat with the chicken breast/nuts and bell

If you add in pasta or potatoes, Mix the frites sauce and the yoghurt with the Italian herb mix, salt, and pepper to make a dressing. If you find it to be too thick, you can opt to add in some

Mix the dressing with the salad and serve as is

SPECIAL THANKS TO BAGELS AND BEANS

GRONINGEN

UNIVERSITY OF GRONINGEN

HANZE HOGESCHOOL

ACADEMIE MINERVA

REDBULL

STEVEN GILBERS

OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILIES

FEATURED (PHOTOGRAPHY)

ANDY DELUCA

VERA DEULING

KINCSO BERTALAN

ERWIN NIJBOER (AUTHORS)

DEVON HOLLY

NASHE GUNDA

DEPUTY ART DIRECTOR

ILLUSTRATION ANALOGUE TYPE

ART DIRECTOR

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

CONTENT CREATOR

GRAPHIC DESIGN LAYOUT

Flavia Maureen

EDITOR IN CHIEF

SOCIAL MEDIA

STRATEGIST

AUTHOR

PHOTOGRAPHER

Noa Bente Maureen Prins

Flavia-Elisabeta Sandu

Ty Victor Sanchez

Noa Bente Maureen Prins Editor in Chief/Writer/Photographer

Hello, I’m Maureen! I plan the issues, write articles, and do photography for the magazine alongside publishing it and working on our social media. I am a student of linguistics at the RUG and am specifically interested in phonology. I’m also an author, barista, publisher and drummer. I love to be outside, sit in the sun, and listen to music. I always aim to inspire others to follow their creative pursuits and I hope this magazine does exactly that for you.

Savannah Hendrickse Deputy Editor/Writer

Hey there! I’m Savannah :) I’ve dabbled in different areas in this issue (as you will see lol) — mainly writing and art. I’m studying modern literature at the RUG and am particularly interested in cross-sections between creative expression and the socio-political sphere that we currently inhabit. I’ve always wanted to be part of a space that allows a diverse community to voice their own stories and lived experiences — and this is what I know Lelygaan can do for students in Groningen.

Beth Casserly Language Editor

Hi, I’m Beth! I study English medieval and modern literature at the University of Groningen. When I’m not reading (which is rare), you’ll find me at a concert, writing poetry, sailing, or going on tangents about whatever I’m obsessed with that week. I adore being a part of Lelygaan magazine, and feel honoured to be surrounded by such individuality and beautiful minds.

Heya! I am José Scholte, a second year English Language and Culture student. Besides my study I work in the service industry, as I have done for quite some time. My hobbies include, but are not limited to; cooking, fashion, art, music, theater and film. Here at Lelygaan I am the Market Editor, meaning that I’ll be your guide in the ever changing landscape of trends and fluxes, don’t worry, the ride won’t be too bumpy!

José Scholte Market Editor/Writer

Flavia-Elisabeta Sandu Art Director/Graphic Designer

Hello! My name is Flavia and I’m your local graphic designer. Currently in the middle of my Bachelors in Design at Academie Minerva, my focus is on creating event campaigns, brand identities and designing for local magazines. Very excited to be part of Lelygaan and to design this issue, filled with creative individuals from all over the world. I only hope that my designs will inspire you through their words and images.

Ty Sanchez Deputy Art Director/Illustrator

Hi-ya! I’m Ty, a second year Design student. I’m specializing in Illustration and Animation. Outside of class I spend most of my time reading comics, going to gigs and dancing. Genuinely cannot wait to share all of the work we have been doing for Lelygaan, hopefully it’ll inspire you too.

COLOFON

EDITORS:

Noa Bente Maureen Prins

Beth Casserly

DESIGN: Flavia-Elisabeta Sandu

CONTACT: maureenlelygaan@gmail.com

(Editor in Chief) @lelygaan (Instagram)

Published by Lelygaan Publishing lelygaanpublishing@gmail.com

ISBN 978-90-832610-0-3

Copyright No part of this publication may be reproduced, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronical, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written consent of Lelygaan Publishing.

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