December 2020

The

Boomerang December 2020

One For The Road

Justus and Stan ask James Kennedy questions from the student body before he steps down as UCU's Dean When you came to UCU, what did you expect? And what did you want to achieve?

What would you say your legacy is at UCU?

When I came here, I saw a college that was really at the forefront of liberal arts education in the Netherlands. It was an exciting place in that sense. I don’t think I came here with a sense of concrete things that I wanted to achieve, but I really wanted to advance the cause of liberal arts education in the netherlands.

That’s of course difficult to say at the moment of departure rather than in, say, 5 years.

Illustration © Sofie Ryan

How do you feel the socio-cultural environment of UCU has changed in your time as dean?

In the last few years, there has been a shift from a language of excellence to a language of wellbeing. University colleges were set up as a place where top students would come to do top programs. Now, that’s not untrue, but there’s a lot more focus on the individual callings of our students. What is good for you? What gives you the greatest fulfilment? In that sense, I feel like it’s become a lot more about how the degree fits the subjective lives of its students.

Other than the research time, I think a positive change is that we’re moving in the direction of more interdisciplinarity. We have always introduced our students to multiple fields of study, but are now also realising that we need to integrate these fields. When I came here, this integration was supposed to happen inside students’ heads. Now we’re realising that this isn’t enough.

We’re now looking at how to make that happen in the courses we build and the connections we make.

We’re also placing more emphasis on our connection with the community. For example, there’s been more community engaged learning. It’s important that there’s a distinction between campus and non-campus. But there also needs to be traffic between the two.

Considering that UCU is in the middle of multiple crises and pivotal moments (Corona, campus relocation, reorganisation of college hall, and a whole new management team), did you ever consider staying longer?

Yeah, sure I have. But my initial decision to stay here for five years was actually made a long time ago, way before these things played out. If I had known about covid, and how long the reorganisation would take, I would have made a different decision on when I could leave. On the other hand, some things, such as the relocation, will be there for a long time. In that sense, I think it’s better that a new dean will be in place to make those things happen.

Focus on wellbeing does not take away from excellence. The ultimate goal is to create a community in which people can flourish. That doesn’t always need to be expressed in terms of academic virtuosity, but it’s important to make that possible as well.

What is your opinion on the partying culture at UCU? Especially in contrast with the high workload that students face?

What do you feel is your biggest accomplishment at UCU?

(long and awkward pause as he shuffles around in his chair)

At the moment, I’m most proud of giving more research time to our staff. I think it will really make a difference. It has changed people’s professional lives and will also improve our education in the long run.

Party culture is a part of campus life. It’s always going to be a part of campus life. Although I myself have never been a super partyer, it can be a very fun part of campus life. But, as dean, I have to deal with the excesses: people playing drinking games till they’re unconscious or getting into fights. I don’t get a particularly rosy view of party life on campus.

Students respond really well to teachers using their own research in class. Historically, UCU has scored weak on research integration in student polls. I think it's very important that research is visible in classes.

Something I am always reminded of, is that there’s a lot of introverts at our campus. I hope that UCU will soon create a space for the quiet people,

The Ethics of Ghosting

2

Victoria's Secrets...

5*

Coming From an Empty Land

5

Drug Use at UCU

4*

Five Strong Belgian Beers

6

UCU Elitism

2*

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The Boomerang | December 2020

BUBBLE

for those who might find pastimes other than partying more attractive.

If you could take any course at UCU which one would it be?

There’s actually one course that I would really love to experience as a student, the only shared experience that UCU students have: Research in Context.

What is your fondest memory at UCU? (Kennedy takes a long pause as he looks out of his window) This might sound like I'm buttering up the student, but I really do think that my best memories were the small group encounters with students. Talking with them about substantive things in their units, in my own house, even occasionally in the bar. Those are the kinds of experiences that I'll remember and cherish the most.

Any final remarks to the students of UCU? This is a place where so much good happens, and so often. The interactions between teachers and students here are really special and informative. I think it’s our privilege to be a part of this process.

If you could give one piece of advice to the new dean, what would it be?

Hold on to the good that is at this campus and be fearless in taking it further.

On the Dean-low: casual questions What's your strangest encounter at UCU? Being the focus of a Super Sticky Surfaces skit.

Dearest Campus, Welcome to our final edition of 2020. As per tradition, our December edition packs

What’s your favorite color?

Red. It suits me really well and yet I never wear it.

Favourite campus pet?

Not sure. I never see them. Although I do favor cats as a mice solution.

Do you read UCU confessions? Is there a confession that stands out for you?

No. I don’t think it’s a space where the dean should be. I’ve always had some difficulties with the anonymity of it. I do hear about some of them, if other people inform me about it. Not one confession in particular stands out, but some general themes do. Forms of sexual assault are among the most disturbing.

Who is your favorite US president?

I am in fact related to 15 presidents, funnily enough not to JFK. But, I will have to choose one of my relatives. Let’s just say Franklin Roosevelt. He was both a very clever politician and somebody with a true vision.

What’s your funniest experience at the UCSA bar?

When I first became dean, I was invited by three students to do shots. I have never had such a welcome since.

Who would you invite to dinner? Locke, Voltaire, or Newton?

Voltaire was annoying and Locke was a bore, so it would have to be Newton. I like Newton because he’s not only a scientist but also a guy that was interested in the funkiest kind of theology that there was at the time.

a little more spice than usual, as it’s the Boomerang Blackout. We invited campus to anonymously spill their grievances, experiences, criticisms, and whatever else was on our collective minds. We received a number of thought provoking pieces, from comedic pot-shots at imaginary professors, to some brilliant feminist and post-colonial examinations of the space we call campus. Let’s not ignore the regular half of the edition either; Cosme teaches us how to get drunk in style, and the Boomerang board takes a look at Campus’ narcotic consumption habits.

If these substances work as intended, you may want to consult Ariel’s profile, where a sexologist teaches us all how to have good sex (and hopefully put an end to the endless complaints of bad sex on campus). Speaking of the Victorias, one of them slipped us an article, after reading so many campus complaints, they were ready to air their own grievances. But let’s not forget the real star of the show; we finally interviewed the Dean, and had a wholesome conversation about all things UCU. Despite the setbacks of this year, I’ve had a wonderful time getting to read and publish your writing, and I look forward to doing the same next semester.

Yours Always, Stanley Ward

The Ethics of Ghosting

by Giulia Martinez Brenner

Ghosting: the practice of ending a personal relationship with someone by suddenly, and without explanation, withdrawing from all communication.

Being ghosted sucks. Shocking, I know. Also shocking is how even fully knowing this, I have still ghosted people myself. Yes, always the lovely little hypocrite. Situations arise, and decisions are made, for better or for worse. I’m not going to waste my words on the petty whys and why-nots that we are all aware of. Instead I’ll waste them by taking a look into what this (non) action means on a purely contemplative ethical level.

Philosophically speaking, there are many different conceptions of the Self. Some thinkers have sought to essentialize our Being, and prefer to distinguish individual, independent entities.

Other traditions, however, place the emphasis on our relational aspect. We are embedded, we are connected, and our relationships, not only to people, but to everything, are constitutive to our very identities. They create us, and in this ever-

evolving interdependence, we also create our reality.

This spontaneously raises the question - if we are interdependent, what do we do? In this context, yet with the undeniable singularity of my perception, how do I live? Well, we fulfil our relations as best as possible, which inherently means we actualize ourselves as best as possible.

We bring meaning and uniqueness to every bond that ties us to what we perceive as external.

What does this mean in “practical” terms?

We all know relationships change and end, how does that fit into all this? I would argue that if we emerge from our modes of connection, even an act of negation is constitutive to who we are. And thus, even negation must be meaningful; meaningful in the sense that it be significant, sincere, expressive. I’d like to take a moment to examine this last word, expressive.

Communication is the foundation of our relationships. It is what allows us to develop and expand through that web of associations that

create us and our reality. Communication is not necessarily blunt, at times brutal, honesty.

Communication entails emotional literacy, and emotional literacy has many expressions. Above all communication still depends on presence, which is precisely what being a ghost denies.

Ghosting is not Being. Ghosting stifles Being. It extinguishes your own possibilities of growth as well as damaging the other’s potential. A potential rooted in the very concept of existence.

When I started to write this, a sentence that popped into my head was “To ghost or not to ghost”. I then proceeded to gag at my own corny words, and refused to include them in this piece.

Oops.

I thought about it some more. Hamlet is asking himself, to act or not to act? To be or not to be?

Perhaps it makes more sense than I initially realized.

A University College Student Association Magazine

BUBBLE

3

Goodbye ASC!

by Your Final ASC Board

You’ve probably seen some of our videos and posters flying around in the last few days.

And you might be wondering “What are these people up to?”. We promise we’re not full of ourselves, and although our personalities may have devolved to simply being in ASC, we also promise we’re not fully insane!

Over the past semester, we’ve really been trying to explore ourselves. However, instead of going to Coachella, we’ve been busy making surveys and hearing what you, our electorate, have to say. A lot of you think we’re here to plan your curriculum, help you get the best tutor, and help unclog your shower drain (hint: maybe ask CAR). We don’t do any of these. We’ve realised that many people are unsure of what we do, and as your student representatives, this is not the place we want to be in.

This past year UCU has gone through a reorganization process, where individual college bodies were more clearly separated to clarify their individual roles. This has been reflected in the organization of ASC as well, with three of our board members now being further involved in governance and policy-checking matters. This past semester we’ve been extensively involved in the decisions made regarding corona policy,

college finances, and moving campus among other things. We’ve also been busy helping set up the Diversity Committee, working with the Futures Centre, and picking the new dean. We’ve also been busy listening to your input to reflect changes in academic policy. As the students chosen to carry out these tasks on your behalf, we want to communicate the type of projects we are involved with that benefit you.

One of the main issues regarding our visibility this year has concerned our very own name. Being the “Academic Student Council”, this image has created a lot of confusion about what we do. The word “academic” may guide you in the right direction, but it would fall short of comprehensively grasping our mandate. You can always come to us with your concerns regarding your courses and exams, but we also do more things to improve your education at UCU. We’d love to have your input on these other issues too, so please feel free to tell us how you feel via email or by visiting us during office hours!

To solve the confusing conundrum with our name, we’ve consulted the previous ASC board, the Advisory Council (made up of former ASC members of different years), UCSA, CAR, and different bodies in College Hall. We’ve taken

months to come to a final decision and it has not been taken lightly, but we feel this is the best course of action: we’ve decided to change our name.

Starting in 2021, we will no longer be the Academic Student Council. We feel that a new name will better represent the roles of our board members, and further clarify what we do for the student body. We’ll still be involved with academics, and we will be doing so through different avenues: directly by checking the quality of your education, but also indirectly through governance and management policy involving the everyday functioning of UCU. While it may seem like we are changing, this is more about redefining ourselves to the student body and improving the accuracy of how we're viewed by you. We want to take this time to reflect with you, and have a space for dialogue.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us! When you come back to us next semester, we’ll still be here for you, just as always.

Signing off for the very last time, Your ASC Board 2020-21

On the Idea of Professional Calling

by Ilya Genov “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

– they asked. And I answered: “A president!” – when I was seven, “An architect!” – when I was ten, “An actor!” – when I was thirteen. And now?

What would I answer now? Well, all I can say is that I don’t really want to know.

"I just want to keep the right to change my mind and not be considered weird because of it" Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s quite nice that our society makes us think that we can become whatever we want in life. But it also puts a lot of pressure on us. Not just because of the fact that we are constantly stimulated to think about our potential career, but also because we are expected to choose only one profession that we want to dedicate our life to. Our place. Our calling. Our destiny. Of course, in reality it is not always that dramatic. But I can’t even begin to express how uncomfortable and stupid I feel every time I try to explain “what I am going to be” after I get my UCU degree to yet another friend or family member.

For some reason, people have come to think that almost everything in our lives (our studies in the first place) is supposed to lead to one final destination at which we will finally become happy with ourselves and will bask in all our professional glory. But, this is simply not true. As cliché as it sounds, in the modern fast-changing world, learning something and applying it in the exact same way throughout one’s whole life becomes more and more of a rare case. The technologies are changing. The standards are changing. And, most importantly, we are also changing.

Right now, I am mostly studying Anthropology and Economics, but how about ten years from now? Well, I would be lying if I said that I don’t wish to apply my new knowledge to the real world and its challenges. But, I would also be lying if I said that I will surely do so. Maybe I’ll become a dancer instead, or a photographer, or an IT specialist. It doesn’t really matter. I just want to keep the right to change my mind and not be considered weird because of it – something that many people do in fact experience when they decide to switch to another profession at the age of, let’s say, forty or fifty. Because I still feel like

I can become whatever I want to become. And, while I’m not even a kid anymore, I never want to lose this dreamy feeling. I don’t want the things I am studying right now to clearly define me and my future. In the end, I believe we should study things not necessarily because we can’t wait to apply them in practice, but just because we find them interesting and important to understand.

Education shouldn’t be merely a way to jump to the final page of one’s life story. Instead, it can be an important chapter that shapes the further development of its plot.

"I don’t want the things I am studying right now to clearly define me and my future" So next time when someone asks you “What do you want to be in the future?”, feel free to say: “I don’t know” or even “I don’t want to know” because there should be nothing shameful or childish about this answer.

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The Boomerang | December 2020

WORLD

Taiwan and China’s War of Words

by Dirk Bijleveld

Taiwan is in crisis. The world’s least recognised sovereign state is being suppressed through military, political, and linguistic means. China, the perpetrator of this suppression, relies on our misunderstanding of the Taiwanese crisis to inch ever closer their imperial cravings. Taiwan’s position in the world is fragile, and we – the rest of the world – affect it.

systems, model of governance, and even culture.

American intervention has been key to Taiwan’s survival, but as China’s economy and international status is advancing, America’s support is dwindling. The United States has no formal diplomatic relationship with Taiwan, and any support Taiwan receives is bound by momentary swings in political goodwill from the Americans.

Since Mao, Communist China has been hellbent on “reunifying” China. The closest to compromise they have gotten is the One Country, Two Systems approach. This approach, applied in Hong Kong and Macau, respects some degree of self-governance, but concedes sovereignty to China. As the Hong Kong protests have taught us, basic human rights are not guaranteed, and Chinese state control creeps in eventually.

Integral to China’s plan of reunification is the isolation of Taiwan in the international community. Over the past sixty-odd years, recognition of Taiwan as a sovereign state has gone from a majority of the world to a mere fifteen countries.

China weaponizes their economic and political dominance to force countries to concede to a singular China. No country can have diplomatic relations with both Taiwan and China, and those who try suffer huge economic losses by recognising Taiwan.

China is slowly eroding the language we use to discuss Taiwan, and it’s working. The terminology we use to discuss Taiwan is littered with erroneous descriptions that favour the Chinese perspective on the issue. Remember that “reunification” part? China would like you to think of Taiwan as a province that seceded from a union, which it hasn’t. Taiwan is a separate entity, and there has never been a unity to “reunify”.

Taiwan and China are not One Country, Two Systems. Although they originate from the same common root, they have diverged in economic

When we write about Taiwanese “independence” from China, we have to remember that Taiwan is independent from China. The phrasing can make it seem that a change is needed for this to be achieved, which is not an accurate depiction of the situation. For Taiwan to remain independent, all that is needed is for China not to invade a democracy because of its desire for an empire. Taiwanese independence is the status quo, and it’s not enough.

Taiwan needs recognition more than anything else, but what little it has is dwindling fast.

China is forcing companies and countries it deals with to comply with strict naming regulations for Taiwan. In the Olympics, Taiwan participates as “Chinese Taipei”. Airlines such as KLM were forced to list flights to Taipei as “Taipei, Taiwan, China”, and when the Netherlands authorised the sale of two submarines to Taiwan in 1980, it hurt Dutch relations with China for years.

Taiwan is barred from joining the World Health Organisation in its full capacity – again,

by China. Taiwan’s coronavirus response was among the best in the world, even though they have the largest per capita travel with China.

Taiwan has been advocating for admittance to the WHO for decades, more recently under the slogan “Taiwan can help”, words which have never rung truer.

The Chinese Communist Party cares about the language we use when discussing Taiwan – as they demonstrate time and time again. When we read and write about Taiwan, we should carefully deliberate the words used to describe Taiwan and the situation it is in. Remember: Taiwan has never been a part of communist China, they did not secede, and they are not a rebellious province. Taiwan is a de facto independent country, even if China doesn’t want to admit it.

An I for an I: An Essay on The Dehumanization of Minority Identity

by Luke Lechte

It was just another Christmas dinner as my brother was telling me, “others simply won’t understand”. Whilst my mother was saying I confused her, my uncle corrected my overbearing reaction, being misplaced for a mere “difference of opinion”. Though I hoped the outing of my non-binary identity would be received lovingly, a fierce dichotomy arose between my loved ones and me instead. And there I sat, wondering why Christmas dinners were just not for me.

We all get into debates with our families sometimes, however cases like these differ. The vital distinction between this and an everyday political discussion is that instead of orange-man-sus being discussed, it is me that’s up for trial, or specifically, my identity. The harmless reveal of whom I mean to be has degenerated into a combative debate where I, instead of being affirmed, have to stand my ground. Topics like pronoun-use or same-sex bathrooms take the floor, as I waltz my way into another night of misery.

My family are loving people, you see, and they

never meant to deliberately discomfort and hurt me, but I know little to no one who commits vile acts consciously. Instead, it’s often naïvety which is at the root of it, the exact thing I am trying to address now. So as I said, I have not known many cases where people deliberately verbally harm me, but the idea instead is to simply bring up politics. These politics of identity however, and the polarizing rights “I bring”, are simply the natural and basic needs I, being part of a larger minority group, request. Though the discussion for them might’ve turned into an “open talk on raising your kid gender-neutral”, I am not in a position to be open to this at all.

I am in a place where simply by being me, being part of this group, my need for a gender-neutral upbringing has already been solidified. It would be similarly odd to start a discussion with a lesbian about gay marriage. Though, being part of a privileged group, the onlookers might see it as a mere debate, that minority person has been challenged to confirm their identity and the direct needs which come forth from it once again. There

is no such thing as the abstract concept of queer needs, but instead a great collective of many individual identities which has been violently separated from their humanness. What is left is the idealistic carcass of identity, showing no traces of life.

As this essay hugely states, the importance of seeing the humanity and individual behind minority groups is often lacking, but of great importance. Once privileged groups establish the right to dehumanize dialogues, and put minorities into positions where they represent merely artificial needs, a great danger is put onto the rights of these people. They now are simplified into a simple strawman for those ready to oppose the validity of their voice. As I stated before, little to no one deliberately harms me or anyone for that matter. The problem arises when we decontextualize and dehumanize minority identities, damaging and endangering real humans’ selfdom, security, and validity of existence.

A University College Student Association Magazine

WORLD

Coming From an Empty Agony Land Aunt

5

Illustration © Sam de Visser

by Sam de Visser

“It’s a completely empty land, devoid of opportunity or anything meaningful to do, except drug abuse.” I blink twice at my phone as I read my friend’s text again. It’s around 2AM and I am mindlessly browsing Instagram - I’m in a group chat with a number of international friends, one of whom is from a very rural part of the United States. He took it upon himself to describe my home province like this, despite me generously having taken him there several times. I lean back, think, and wonder whether I should feel insulted or not.

I’m from Zeeland, a province in the southwest of the Netherlands. Cut up into multiple strips, once islands but now connected by bridges, it’s an excessively rural place mostly populated by retirees, German tourists and highly religious people. Once described by the Dutch Volkskrant as “suffering from brain drain and an image problem”, most of Zeeland is characterised by an oppressive, all-encompassing emptiness, a subsequent feeling of purgatory boredom, and an uncomfortable desperation from its ever-ageing Christian Boomer population to keep in the ever-leaving youth at all costs. Unlike other Dutch provinces, Zeeland has no big cities to juxtapose its emptiness; no universities; no job opportunities. I despise the place.

Yet I'm somehow strangely proud of my home province anyway - its flag is proudly draped over my living room wall, despite everything.

I know my friend is right when he insults Zeeland, and I agree with him that it’s a barren, useless pancake land with no future. But where does this contradiction come from? Am I the only one to experience this?

I FaceTime Vicky on a Tuesday night. It’s odd to call one of my closest friends from high school like this; but we did end up here at UCU together. She’s therefore an essential part of my search for an answer. “I can’t make much more of it than that it’s very boring.” It’s quite telling that she has to laugh at most of my questions, because we already know what the answers are.

“Zeeland is very nice and pretty, but I've lived there a little too long and was craving something more like a city. That’s mostly it—I just wanted to leave Zeeland.”

Yet a strange feeling is also there. “It’s a piece of identity you tend to hide away, and if at any point you have the chance to show it, you’re like ‘oh, at least it’s good for something’. It connects people.” Are we survivors, those precious few brave enough to escape from the rural hellhole?

Caecilia, my second interviewee, seems to imply that. She's a second year from the province’s capital, Middelburg. “I have a sort of feeling of pride for prevailing over something, a sort of stereotype—that you show you’re different, not like other Zeeuwen.” Caecilia doesn’t hate Zeeland nearly as much as Vicky and I do, maybe because she is from the only place somewhat resembling a large city, or maybe just because she’s more of an optimist.

She agrees with one of my observations,

though: “Everyone from Zeeland is proud to be from Zeeland, but at the same time they talk so much shit about it. And yet, when other people do it, I do think it’s a little annoying.”

The third person I meet with is Tom, a first year, also from Middelburg. “I don’t harbour any hate towards Zeeland, but it’s a lot of the same, and not a good place to be young.” Like all of us, he left, but is now feeling a sense of pride quite similar to mine. “Zeeland is sort of marginalised, a sort of counter response. At home I was never proud to be from Zeeland, now I am.” And just like Caecilia, Tom is not opposed to going back someday. “I am proud of Zeeland, and I really love Zeeland, but I do see its flaws. And in the end, I did come here—but perhaps I’ll come back someday.”

Finally, I sit down with another old classmate of mine. Nienke is a second year who had the questionable privilege of being my classmate in the very midst of my most awkward high school years. She’s from the same town as me - Zierikzee, a large village that only passes for ‘town' because there is nothing bigger around.

“It’s funny that you and Vicky are here, because through that you’re instantly like ‘oh, there’s more people like me’,” she tells me.

I ask her if she harbours the same resentment towards Zierikzee - and Zeeland - as me.

“I think that sometimes, it comes out. When I hear that other people are staying in Zeeland, I’m like, ‘I really pity you, that really sucks’. I can’t imagine that other people do like to stay.

It’s not resentment, but I’m very happy I’m here.”

In the end, it’s in this final conversation that Nienke says something that I think has been a general pattern across all of the four talks I’ve had. “It’s a weird conflict, between it’s mine and I’m from Zeeland and that’s me, and fuck Zeeland, what a shithole is it and everyone over there can just go and stay and start their little families.”

Zeeland is not a war zone. It’s not rife with poverty or misery. But it is a land of emptiness, marked by intolerance, old-fashioned attitudes and boredom. Once you leave, you manage to break free. Some of us may dislike the place more than others; but we all feel a sense of happiness that we managed to get out, that we moved on to infinitely greener pastures. The Zeeland motto is luctor et emergo, ‘I struggle and emerge’. Despite our differences, perhaps we feel connected because that is exactly what we did. Struggled and then somehow emerged.

1) I hate my ex-boyfriend and his current girlfriend, but since we all live on campus I have to see them around often (yes, despite corona)... What can I do?

Dear Anon, Just like Maya Angelou once said, hate has caused a whole lot of problems in this world, and it hasn’t solved one yet. So you might want to take a step back from this feeling towards him and her, and understand where it is coming from.

Slight left-overs of feelings? It’s totally possible and normal, a relationship can leave something behind, which is what makes these encounters so uncomfortable. Nevertheless, whether you are still in love or you just don’t want to see him (and her) for X reasons, it’s time to cut ties with the past. This doesn’t mean you have to start to forgive him, befriend her, or socialize with them, but just acknowledge that they are walking their way through this world, and so are you. You are out here, thriving and living your best life, and when you bump into them, well, that’s fine! You might feel a second of “ew”, but immediately after, look ahead to where YOU are heading, it’s probably more exciting: far from them and in a way, way better place :) 2) I keep hooking up with my friend, but I don’t like him that way but he likes me... is this a problem?’

Oh Anon, I think the answer to this one is one you don’t want to hear, but I’m not here to pat on your head and tell you to keep on going, because if it were the opposite situation, how would you feel about it? If he keeps your hopes up for nothing in the end, would you take it well or think it’s fair? Probably not. Trust me, the most beneficial thing to do here is to swallow the medicine, no matter how unpleasant, but for the sake of getting rid of the discomfort.

The solution is to have, quite simply, The Talk.

Have it when you feel the time is right, and it’s ok to freak out and push the date a few times, in the end, if it’s a friendship you care deeply about, you want to reflect on your own perception and feelings without rushing it. But don’t push it too far, because this is the kind of truth that comes out one way or another, so you might want to talk about it on your own terms and make a safe space for him to express his feelings too. Yes, it will be uncomfortable. Yes, it might be awkward to meet him afterward, but if you talk about it together and emphasize the value the friendship has for you two, time will do its own thing and you can make the friendship grow!

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The Boomerang | December 2020

CULTURE

How to Live A Long and Pleasurable Sex Life by Ariel Yew Astrid Kremers, a sexologist with 13 years of experience in helping people with their sexual problems, reveals the answer to live a long and enjoyable sex life.

According to Astrid, 21% of the people have sexual problems, such that 11% of men and 15% of women struggle with at least one sexual problem that occurs almost every time during sex. The most common issues amongst men are erection problems and early ejaculation while most women face troubles concerning their sexual desire, pain during penetration and orgasm difficulties. Sexual problems usually occur in men above the age of 70 and women below the age of 25.

As worrying as the way Astrid describes, being a sexologist is no challenging task to her. She says the people who come to her are always very motivated in solving their sexual problems, which is her job half done.

How does she complete the other half of her job? Being a Dutch woman who works in the Netherlands where hierarchies are relatively flat, Astrid makes sure that desirable results are always achieved through a collaborative movement with her clients.

For people to feel comfortable sharing their personal problems with her, she often discusses her own sexuality and encounters with them as well. “In my job, I don’t only talk about sex, but also a lot about having a healthy relationship with your partner and having a good lifestyle.”

As the topics she explores with her clients are very intimate, the connection she built with her clients is what Astrid values and cherishes the most about her profession.

Besides meeting her customers in her office

and online, Astrid is also an active contributor to various media publications. In addition to being both a sexologist and member of the media committee, of the Dutch scientific Association for Sexology (NVVS), she has appeared on 80 printed media, 66 digital media, and 39 television and radio shows. Some of these media platforms include YouTube, LINDA news, NOS, de Volkskrant, and NPO radio. Furthermore, in July 2015, Astrid released her first book – “Attention to Sex” which has received positive reviews in the journal Tijdschrift voor Seksuologie by a psychologist – Marieke Dewitte.

“It is important that more people know more information on sex,” says Astrid.

She elaborates on how she enjoys having the variation of the people she exposes herself to, not only people from the media but also from hospitals and universities as she also teaches on sex education.

" The magic word for a long and enjoyable sex life turns out to be the attention you pay to yourself, your partner, your environment and sex in the broadest sense of the word"

– Astrid Kremers

To be a professional sexologist, she says, is to be knowledgeable, being able to provide truthful and helpful information as you communicate with your clients, respect your clients, and solve their problems. Astrid further emphasizes that her main task is to advise and educate people and it is ultimately up to the clients themselves to follow her tips.

Now, what are her tips? How can one long live a fulfilling sex life?

The sexologist demonstrates, our sex lives are influenced by, first, how much we understand ourselves, both physically and mentally.

To know yourself better, you could ask yourself:

am I tired, in pain or stress about work? Am I having a good lifestyle or the lifestyle that I want?

Secondly, as much as you care for yourself, it is crucial to attend to your partner’s well-being as well as the environment or context in which both of you are involved.

Astrid illustrates her points using a dinner analogy. Say you go on a dinner date with someone. In order to have a pleasant dinner, you and the other person should be in a good mood for food, a chatter, and that both of you are not feeling sick or uncomfortable. Additionally, the restaurant (environment) should be welcoming, and the foods prepared for you should be as tasty as you want them to be.

The final point Astrid points out on living a long satisfying sex life was to ask yourself what is sex to you? What is an adequate amount of sex?

Is sex about external stimulation like with your senses, internal stimulation such as fantasy and memories, or both?

Astrid concludes a successful sexual relationship co-exists with feelings, communication, and consensus.

While all individuals are different and the clients Astrid meets are as diverse as the problems they face, she believes that there is one general piece of advice that is beneficial for all.

“Take good care of yourself and lead a healthy lifestyle. Start with that and the rest will come along,” says Astrid.

DID YOU KNOW? The female clitoris is not only just the small bump near the labia, but it is a fourcentimeter organ! Like a penis, the clitoris can be erected when aroused!

"More people need to know more about the clitoris!" Astrid stresses.

Five Strong Belgian Beers for Five Occasions

by Cosme Mesquita da Cunha

People of UCU! It’s about time we learn something useful during these C19 times, and here are some facts you’ll want to store in your long-term memory. I know that many here don’t like beer, but that may very well be because you haven’t had the good kind yet. So, if you feel like trying something new, impressing your friends with some genuine zythological erudition, and getting drunk in style, stick around.

Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

There is no bad time for drinking beer, but each occasion deserves the beer that fits it best.

Each year, new breweries are opened, more beer is produced and more beer is consumed all over the world. Due to its long-standing devotion to the creation and production of artisanal beer, Belgium is arguably one of the greatest beer brewing nations in the world. In 2016, Belgian beer culture was added to UNESCO’s list of

That is why an accessible guide on strong Belgian beers and on how to choose them properly can always come in handy. For this list, a selection was made amongst strong Belgian beers most easily found in your local supermarkets - while we wait for the pandemic to sling its hook and for our next beer trip to Brussels and its environs, where more local but just as wonderful nectars await us.

Belgium has over 800 varieties of beer, produced to exceptional standards by over 300 breweries. Belgium is also one of the biggest beer exporters in Europe. It is sometimes difficult to find one’s way in this vast and hoppy landscape.

Every brewery will have a history, every beer will have a story to tell.

1. Tripel Karmeliet - to initiate novices What better way to discover strong Belgian beers than with a fresh Tripel Karmeliet? The origin of the term Tripel is disputed, but every interpretation agrees that it implies a high alcohol percentage (Alcohol By Volume, ABV), above the 8%. This delicious Tripel is popular worldwide, not only for its luminous gold colour but also for the great balance between its sweetness and its nuance of bitterness which will prepare novices to heavier savours without scaring them away.

Nevertheless, don’t be fooled by the apparent lightness that its three grains (barley, oats and wheat) and its fruity aromas (very subtle notes of citrus, banana and vanilla) provide; the Tripel Karmeliet and its 8,4% ABV will get not only

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your palate but also your head (if you’re into that) straight on the right track.

2. Duvel - when things go pear-shaped In stressful and unstable times, you need certainty. Well, it doesn’t get much more reliable than a Duvel. It has a robust, sharp taste that will take you by surprise, engulfing and dazzling your taste buds. When served properly, its thick, white foam head hides a (literal) tornado that originates from the base of its iconic tulip glass. Its hop varieties provide it with very subtle aromas of lemon, lime and orange. Despite this freshness, Duvel is a Belgian powerhouse, with an 8.5% ABV. That is what makes this beer so dangerous: it is strong, but not overly complicated in the mouth, which makes it dangerously easy to drink. And, its trustworthiness in hitting the right spot every time will make it your go-to blonde when you’re in desperate need of a good break.

3. La Chouffe - for a sunny terrace Nothing like a cold beer on a sunny afternoon, right? A cold Chouffe, that is. This cute bottle, famous for the red-hatted dwarf on its yellow label, is the perfect buddy in a time of summery relaxation. With its intense golden yellow aspect, it really is ‘the sun in a glass’ - in a tulip, to be precise. It has layers of ripe fruit aromas (peaches,

abricots and citrus touches, amongst others) and honey-like malt, which make it pleasantly sweet and accessible to neophytes, as it never feels too heavy in your mouth. However, this smoothness can be deceptive - despite La Chouffe’s freshness, you will feel its respectable 8% ABV flowing through your veins as the sun caresses your skin.

Watch out for dehydration!

4. Orval - by the fire Sometimes, all you need is warmth, and good company. Orval will provide you with both. It contains Brettanomyces yeast, a kind of wild yeast that ensures that an Orval continues developing, which means that every bottle is different.

A young Orval will be hoppy and sweet, while time makes this blonde dryer and more complex.

Delicate sour notes develop with typical Brett aromas, which have been compared to those of a horse blanket. Its 6.2% ABV might place it on the lighter side of strong beers, especially by Belgian standards, but what it lacks in alcohol, it certainly makes up in taste: in your mouth, every Orval will be immensely enjoyable, spicy and elaborate. Whether you are by a bonfire, singing songs and watching the smoke go heavenwards, or by a fireplace reading a good book, Orval will always surprise you.

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conversations Occasionally, you just want to feel like you’ve been hit by a flavorus truck of holiness. The Westmalle Tripel is considered the mother of all Tripels, as it is widely acknowledged as the first Tripel in the world, brewed in the Westmalle brewery in 1934. This Trappist (meaning it is brewed by Trappist monks, just like the Orval) blonde and its incredible 9.5% ABV will pounce your stomach instantly, and you will enjoy every second of this calming, heavy sensation. It is a powerful beer with a firm taste of malts and a hoppy bitterness, and one that will titillate your mind quick enough, too. Its uncompromising yet refined character is something to be enjoyed without moderation and is an ideal companion in late-night discussions with friends, in wooden bar shenanigans, or with a quality steak.

So, if you’re sick of taking shots of transparent hell fluid and sipping on overpowered grape juice, give one of these a chance, cold and steady, and discover the wonderful world of quality beer.

5. Westmalle Tripel - for wooden bar

Living Deliciously

by Veere Boucher stereotypes, we all took: stress = bad. Stress makes us sleep worse, shortens our metaphorical fuse, and perhaps more importantly in these trying times: worsens our immune system.

Totally the last thing we want, right? So, what is the solution to this all-encompassing stress-fatigue cocktail? Some people might tell you to exercise, take regular breaks, make sure you maintain your social life and get enough sleep.

But those people are chumps. As our campus’ designated food writer, I (am contractually obligated to) say that it’s food.

If we remember what intro to psych taught us, which I am assuming, just going off of UCU

Everything else is optional, and as we can see right now: optional things like exercise, socialising and fun in general are replaced with either studying or procrastinating, neither of which are very relaxing. So, let’s take the mandatory daily activities and work with that. Because the great thing about these parts of the day is: there’s nothing productive you could possibly do in that time, so there’s nothing to feel guilty about! It’s a ‘free’ break!

My suggestion: use the moments in your day that you have to cook and eat and make

Did that sound like complete bullshit to you?

If it didn’t, thank you for taking me seriously and good luck with carving out little pockets of meditation in your day. If it did: stick to exercise.

My cooking tip for this month is to try something new in your cooking. Of course I could’ve said this in January, but we can change our ways any time of the year! Recently, I’ve started adding half a banana to my oats in the morning, which makes for an unimaginably, sinfully creamy oatmeal. This discovery is probably the most exciting thing to happen to me in the past month, which is either cute or pathetic depending on who you ask. In either case, it’s nice to have a fun new element in your life when most days are so same-y. So go forth and try out new stuff!

Illustration © Cici Zhong

We are currently in what could be considered the month of food; with Thanksgiving barely over and the pepernoot-crumbs from Sinterklaas still on our unit floors, Christmas is already breathing peppermint-scented promises of snow down our necks. In short, it should be incredibly easy to fill a column about food. But it’s not. You know why not? Because I’m really fucking busy. No-time-for-chit-chat-busy.

Guilty-when-I-do-anything-but-schoolworkbusy. Working-over-10-hours-a-day-busy. And above all, very tired.

Think about it: very little parts of your day are ‘mandatory’ in a the same way as that you are 1: Going to have about three meals a day 2: Going to go to bed at some point during that day.

them somewhat meditative. Don’t rush your cooking, don’t look at your phone, don’t even think about your essay. This is your free time!

Take this moment to release whatever else is going on in your life and be in the moment.

Feel how crunchy your vegetables are when you cut through them; taste the flavours of the food you’ve made, the temperature, the texture; hear the way it sizzles, boils, or simmers in your pan.

You have no other responsibilities. You can – no, are allowed to - just focus on the experience.

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The Boomerang | December 2020

CULTURE

Important Opinions on Important Movies

by Sam de Visser

Illustration © Akari Sakamoto

When I started this column, I wanted to focus on films that I liked personally no matter how they were generally seen otherwise. I don’t think I’ve ever written about a genuinely bad movie here, but I’ve definitely praised the hell out of some movies that are arguably mediocre at best. And while I’ve definitely talked about some of the absolute classics, I’ve mostly tried to avoid them, also largely because of the fact that literally everything about those films has already been written. Do you really want to read a column by a pretentious white film bro about The Godfather or Pulp Fiction? No, you don’t.

scenes or anything else. Just twelve guys talking.

It could have been a stage play.

Which is why this pretentious white film bro often opts to write about movies that could be considered ‘lesser known’ (to you non-cinephile plebeians). Yet, there’s one classic that I wanted to break that weird rule with, though, and it’s 12 Angry Men (Sidney Lumet, 1957). One of my favourite films for a long time now, I just can’t resist the opportunity to be the millionth person to sing this film’s praises.

I normally don’t really like movies that would have worked just as well as a stage play, because I think that if you have access to a camera, you may as well make use of that opportunity as effectively as possible. Why make a movie if you’re not going to do anything unique with the medium? But, I like 12 Angry Men so much because it actually does do a lot with that medium, despite the constraints it has put itself under.

As the film’s runtime elapses and the debate between the twelve angry men gets more heated, the point of view switches from wide shots to close-ups. Everything turns claustrophobic, in-your-face, as the jury room visibly becomes a more pressing and intense environment. Eventually, you start feeling locked up in the room, itching to get out as the twelve men probably also do. It’s all quite simple, but it works amazingly.

Essentially, 12 Angry Men is nothing but twelve (angry) white men yelling at each other in a 1950s American courtroom, as they determine whether or not an unseen young boy from an undisclosed minority group should be convicted of murder. Except for a few minutes at the start and end, the entire film takes place in one room. There’s no cutaways, flashback

This is one of the most well-liked movies I know: almost all my friends who’ve seen it love this movie. And I get why. It’s insane how something that’s over sixty years old can feel disturbingly relevant - much of the film revolves around the (racial) injustices of the American judicial system. Yes, it may seem a little too naive and perhaps even preachy nowadays, but

this was 1957. Especially for its time, 12 Angry Men makes some extremely strong statements against issues that plague not only America, but a large part of Western society today.

It’s also just really entertaining to watch, which is probably why a lot of people love this movie so much. At 96 minutes, this is shorter than the average kids’ movie, but it still feels like an absolute experience. Smartly written, well paced, thought-provoking - you know it, it has all the buzzwords. Some classics are classics for a reason. I don’t care if they’ve been discussed to death, like this movie has also been. It’s just really good, and I think everyone should see it.

Not much more to it.

Illustration © Sofie Ryan

My Christmas Gift to My Mother: Admitting She Was Right All Along by Noor van Asseldonk Chen Spite is a pretty handy emotion to have when you’re an asshole teenager. I couldn’t begin to describe the fights I’ve had with my mother growing up. From the age of 13 to pretty recently, our relationship has been filled with all the clichés of a volatile mother-daughter relationship. From her end, it was the headache of raising a kid with a taste for the rebellious, and from mine, an irresistible urge to provoke.

Very Ladybird, in any case.

She tried to pass on little wisdoms throughout the years, and I deflected each of them because I (of course convinced I knew better) decided to do the opposite of whatever she suggested.

We’re a few tattoos, piercings, and cigarettes along, but I’m happy to now call myself an ok-ish young adult. However, after having moved out and having figured out how to keep myself alive for nearly three years, there are a few things my mother always told me growing up that I have at long last come to understand.

‘99% of people are idiots.’ Not because my mother is a snob, but because it’s a humbling mindset to have. Most people, myself included,

will at some point or another (some more often than others) be an idiot. While context is key, presuming this fact offers the opportunity for preparation. Thanks, mom.

‘Listen!’ Other proverbial variations include ‘speech is silver, silence is gold’, ‘who talks little hears better’, and ‘Noor, can you please.. just... be quiet’. Being a good listener is not a skill that comes naturally to most. If anything, the ability to really listen deserves respect and cultivating, something I’m glad I learned earlier rather than later. Thanks, mom.

‘Clear space, clear mind.’ Ok, I still don’t love cleaning and will happily let the clothes and mugs pile up until I’m in a mood to sort them out, but sometimes… well sometimes it just takes making my bed or tidying my desk to feel a little more put together. Thanks, mom.

‘You don’t study for me, you study for yourself.’ This one took me a little longer to figure out, but is perhaps the most important one I’ve come to learn. I spent so many years doing things I thought would make my parents happy, when really, it was doing things I actu-

ally enjoyed and was good at that made the difference. Did I wish I had realized this before I was balls-deep in high school biology trying to become a doctor? Probably. But self-growth is self-growth. Thanks, mom.

‘Always wear clean underwear in case you get into an accident.’ I actually still don’t understand this one. What’s up with this one?

So with the holiday season in sight, I can’t help but feel grateful to soon be heading back to my hometown. I’m lucky to have a good relationship with my mother now, despite years of adolescent debauchery, and even luckier to have gotten little wisdoms like these… Merry Christmas mom, because as much as I don’t want to admit it, I guess you were right all along.

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Your Monthly Culture Fill with Ricky & Mill

by Ricky Maggioni and Milena Stoilova Remember when we said we’ll tell you about the IMPAKT festival last edition? Well, get ready for it. The IMPAKT festival’s exhibition Dreamin in Everywhen seeks the magic and supernatural experiences in nature in relation to the climate crisis. More and more people realise that the violence we are inflicting on nature is not only an existential threat to the physical foundations of our existence, but also to our own spirituality. Walking into the hall, we were surrounded by a floor full of salt, a ‘pristine white space’, to convey an apocalyptic feeling. And we felt it.

So what struck us most?

Milena: What most intrigued me was the piece Nature See You. It shows Koko, a gorilla skilled in the use of American Sign Language, who, on the eve of the UN climate change conference in Paris, addressed world leaders directly. She calls for immediate action to save herself and nature. In this piece, an avatar tries to reformulate Koko’s position. Koko’s eyes are like surveillance for the whole of nature. Further-

more, her silence makes it more personal and intimidating. At the end, she indicates that ‘nature sees you’ by pointing to her eyes and then to the camera.

Ricky: I was particularly impressed by an artwork which, from a distance, looked no different than any regular printed circuit board (PCB). Upon further inspection, however, I noticed something strange about it. Seeds! Yes, you read that right. This PCB-looking arrangement was nothing more than a series of seeds, coming in all shapes and sizes, glued to a large panel to form the pattern of a circuit board.

This PCB made out of seeds is a metaphorical representation of a strange paradox. We are rapidly reducing biodiversity through the exploitation of the environment, as facilitated by technological advances allowing us to extract resources very effectively, depleting them at alarming rates. Yet, at the same time, technological advances are allowing us to develop incredible hermetically sealed, perfectly preserved vaults storing samples of all sorts of plant species, in case an apocalypse were to

strike Earth and they were to be exterminated.

We recognize the vital role biodiversity plays in our sustenance and the ecosystem’s balance, but rather than enjoying what nature offers in adequate amounts, we greedily take more than we should, and create an artificial safety net for ourselves so as to remove the dilemma altogether.

The IMPAKT festival exhibition is visually stunning and undeniably poetic in its depiction of our ‘toxic’ relationship with the environment.

In doing so, it evokes powerful imagery through multiple senses. It is certainly thought-provoking. However, it is not without flaws. In our opinion, the exhibition leans too far towards the abstract and seems to lose clarity and concreteness along the way. If you’re willing to accept this trade-off, or are looking for a more artistic experience in the first place, you’ll likely enjoy it thoroughly.

Dreamin in Everywhen is on display at IMPAKT in Utrecht until January 2021.

Much Ado about Mushrooms Santa is a Mushroom by Averly Dkaur

Illustration © Alina Katz

Christmas is near and I am thinking about Mushrooms. A psychedelic mushroom to be exact: the Amanita Muscaria. This mushroom is beautiful and is usually associated with fairies, Alice in Wonderland, Mario (save that for the next article), and the general fall/winter aesthetic. So, you’re probably thinking, Averly this is great but what does it have to do with Christmas? Well, let’s ask Carl Ruck, a scholar well known for his prominent study of the role of hallucinating plants, like mushrooms, on mythology and religion. He believes that this mushroom is the reason for our concept of Santa, who is described as an all-knowing man who travels the world in one night accompanied by flying reindeer. Carl Ruck states:

Lapland believed that the shaman who ate the Amanita Muscaria ended up looking like the Amanita Muscaria. The Shaman also came on a reindeer sled. So, let’s break this down real quick. A shaman is coming to your house on a sled with reindeer, and he looks like a big fat person with red spots during winter, and since there’s heavy snowfall in Lapland, instead of entering the snow blocked doorway he will have to enter through your chimney. He would not offer you material gifts, like “Santa”, but healing and problem-solving, which is also a type of gift. In return, he would be offered a lot of food. Hmm, perhaps milk and cookies?

“At first glance, one thinks it's ridiculous, but it's not. Whoever heard of reindeer flying?

I think it's becoming general knowledge that Santa is taking a 'trip' with his reindeer."

Reindeer really like mushrooms, and males in particular really like the Amanita Muscaria.

For humans, one of the effects of this mushroom is a flying sensation. It could be speculated that when the reindeer eat the mushroom that they also feel that way.

Scholar Lawrence Millman tells us that the indigenous people of Lapland (a region in Finland) performed healing rituals guided by shamans using the Amanita Muscaria.

Let’s now have a bit of role play: it's winter, we are somewhat close to the north pole and the shaman is making his way to your house.

According to Millman, long ago, the people of

So let’s go back to the role play. We are in a tent, there is a nice fire going, the shaman is right in front of us and he eats the mushroom and goes in a trance, and, while we are beating a drum, he chants that he will receive advice from the underworld. So, essentially the Shaman would get advice from another realm and bring it back to the people and that was the

gift of this particular Santa Claus.

This mushroom itself is actually very toxic, but the urine of someone who ate it is still psychoactive without the toxins. In Siberia, people used to drink the pee of their Shamans to get the effects of the mushrooms. Then, they would urinate themselves, and the reindeers would follow them around to try and drink their pee.

Let’s sum up what we now have; A shaman from Lapland who rides a reindeer sled, enters people’s home through a chimney, brings some kind of gift, and is rewarded with food (all while tripping).

Considering this, maybe we should start looking at Santa from a realistic perspective.

Why is it so easy for us to accept a mythical person rather than nature? With that being said, please do not try to eat one of these bad bois or drink someone’s piss.

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QUAD QUERIES

The Boomerang | December 2020

t “What do you wan to find under the Christmas tree?”

“I don’t want an christmas stop asything for king me”

“mad gym gains”

– Karsten

– Anna

“Maarten Diederix”

can e so people “Covid vaccin my mouth" (safely) spit in

“A plan for the fu

– Maud

ture”

“cheese”

– Kaila

“My thesis fully written”

– Maren

“a passing GPA”

#throwback“Sam’s body thursday" a in - Willem & G

er dog"

" A nice senior shelt

- Noor

THE BOOMERANG BOARD Stanley Ward | Editor-in-Chief Rafaella Karadsheh| Managing Editor Ivan Ryan | Executive Editor Justus Boesschen Hospers | Executive Editor Khoa Tran | Layout Manager Sofie Ryan | Art Director Sam de Visser | PR Manager

Boomerang uses wind energy printers The Boomerang is a periodical newspaper.

It comes out eight times a year.

This is the fourth issue of the academic year.

This is the issue: Dutch government is sometimes nice and it allows EU citizens to apply for student finance if they have a job for more than 56 hours per month. However, at UCU, you cannot take a lab course if you have a part-time job because it's a "demanding course from 9:00So yes. This email just confirms what I already knew: UCU promises multiculturalism and different backgrounds and inclusiveness when it's just another elitist education. Same shit different name.

It's 2AM right now and I have just received an email from the Lab Course coordinator that nicely said something along the lines of: "I'm sorry that you're poor and that you have to pay €10,000 a year for your education (almost) on your own, but you cannot work while you're doing a lab course". At least they replied, which is really considerate.

It’s the elitism that pisses me off. Professors expect you to be available at any time of the And of course you can find tutors that are comprehensive and try to find ways to help you (even though mine told me that I was not going to be able to make it), but this is my rant so I'm not going to talk about nice things.

" UCU promises multiculturalism and different backgrounds and inclusiveness when it's just another elitist education" 17:00 everyday of the week for two (or three) weeks with 100% mandatory attendance". I think I'll forward the email to my employer with a letter that says: "Hey, can you give me three free weeks? I'm nice:)".

I think next time I hear that "in UCU we have people from all different backgrounds" I'm going to punch someone in the face. Or maybe I'll just punch myself.

And just to throw a bit more shade, it would be nice if UCU was more transparent with the decisions for their financial aid. I know for sure that financial matters is not the only thing they take into account (even though they say they do). week, or feel free to put exams whenever they want (even though it's not class hours) because "education should be your priority". Oh shit, I didn't know that. It's not as if I was working 70 hours a month in order to be paying 600€/ month for a decent room in a not that decent apartment with no other option plus 400€/ month for two Teams meeting per week where I cannot even see the board.

by Neo

My brief rant on UCUs elitism Pedophilia is Like Cancer: You Don’t Cure It By Being Against It

by Noes Petiet

October 29, the Netherlands was rocked by a deadly attack on the 73-year old Jan in the middle of a crossroad in Arnhem. Soon after, the police said they were on the lookout for five teenagers.

At the commemoration, hundreds of spectators came together to mourn, lay down flowers and to express their disbelief: how come that these five children, seemingly without a clear motive, would attack this beloved retired teacher?

The motive became clear this week.

The group of teenagers were so-called ‘pedohunters’. They had pretended to be a 15-year old boy on a chatting site, and arranged a meeting with Jan. Whether it was truly Jans’ intention to have sex with the fictional minor is not certain.

What is certain is that he received far less sympathy after the news was released. One of the most kind comments I read stated ‘I’m against pedophiles but to murder them crosses a line’.

Most said something similar to ‘this is what you get for choosing to be a pedophile’.

But here’s the thing: to be a pedophile isn’t a choice, but a congenital sexual orientation., and therefore falls within the same category as heterosexuality, homosexuality and asexuality.

This makes it different from a fetish, for a sexual orientation goes beyond sexual arousal: there is a desire for emotional and relational connection as

well. Another myth: people don’t ‘become’ pedophiles if they have experienced sexual abuse themselves. Finally, and maybe most importantly, not all child abusers are pedophiles. The infamous Marc Dutroux for instance, who kidnapped and raped 6 young girls in 1996, was not a pedophile according to his psychiatric report. A psychopath who lacks any form of empathy, but not a pedophile.

Though there are no exact number on the prevalence of pedophilia, it is estimated that up to five percent of males show signs of sexual interest in prepubescent children, though the duration and intensity differs. But before you go on to calculate how many of your neighbors could serve as a potential threat, bear in mind that the vast majority of these men never acts upon their desires, knowing that a child would be damaged for life if they did. Nevertheless, the fact that not every pedophile commits sexual offences is something many can’t seem to wrap their heads around.

To say you’re against pedophiles is about as meaningless as writing ‘I’m against cancer’ on a protest sign. You won’t have to expect anyone to disagree, but it might have been better to save the cardboard for a Sinterklaas surprise. Then it would at least have served a meaningful purpose.

The continuous stigmatization of pedophiles may even be dangerous, as it raises the barrier for seeking professional help even higher. In a society where everyone considers you as a

monster, not worthy of the most basic human rights, you become desperate for an environment where people do accept you for who you are. Typically, these people find their support amongst other pedophiles. It is within these circles of mutual encouragement, where there is a lack of supervision and guidance, that sexual offenders are being bred.

Consider this article as my protest sign for better therapeutical guidance and more budget for scientific research on how to help people like Jan. He and so many others did not choose to be born the way they were, but they can be helped to refrain from acting upon their natural desires.

It is certain that there will always be pedophiles, but maybe there won’t always be pedophiles who commit sexual offences. However, it will take a long time before we get there, just like we still haven’t found a cure for cancer. In the meantime, I’m going to lay down a flower for Jan. Sources https://www.bnnvara.nl/spuitenenslikken/ artikelen/wat-is-pedofilie Seto MC (2009). "Pedophilia". Annual Review of Clinical Psychology. 5: 391–407. https://www.ad.nl/binnenland/jan-73-dachtin-arnhem-af-te-spreken-met-een-15-jarige-jongen-het-werd-hem-fataal~af014b54/

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Anti-pedophile protesters are not only ignorant, they endanger their children.

QUAD QUERIES

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BLACKOUT

The Boomerang | December 2020

(Not So) Dazed and Confused: A Very Un-Scientific Look at Drug Use at UCU by the Boomerang Board Throughout our time at UCU, I’m sure quite a few of us hear a lot of drug talk. From the occasional space flights courtesy of some delicious baked goods, to some really questionable substance concoctions, it’s clear that students like drugs, but not always the same ones, and not always for the same reasons.

We wanted to know more, and so we cast our net into UCU students (among the requests for post 8pm booze and desperate pleas to fill in Research in Practice surveys) and asked to hear about your experiences and opinions on drugs.

It wasn’t wholly scientific, but we managed to get enough responses to paint a fairly diverse picture of drug use on our sweet little campus.

Even though responses were varied, as we dug deeper into respondents' answers, three vague categories began to emerge.

First up, to quote the Pinegrove song, we have the No Drugs. The biggest surprise for me was that around 47% of our respondents told us they never use drugs. Not even a little. It’s easy to fall for the hype that the uni experience has to include drugs, so to all of you with healthy minds and healthy bodies who feel they’re weird for not ingesting mind altering substances, now you know you’re not alone. (However, there is a caveat to this, as the form’s definition of drugs excluded weed, alcohol, and coffee, because they’re not really drugs as much as they are standard essentials like loo roll, dish soap, or toast.) This group is divided though, with some taking a more laissez-fair attitude who just want to make sure no-one is pressured into doing anything, and others seem more concerned with too casual an attitude among students towards “drug dependency.”

Next in line we have the psychedelic cosmonauts, who favour truffles for “fun times when the weather is good” and the occasional dose of MDMA for events like parties and festivals. Or, according to this person, museums. “I think there are many different sides to human consciousness, and I want to explore what these are. Also [drugs can] enhance activities that are fun already such as going to the Rijksmuseum with friends.”

These cosmic wanderers seem pretty chilled out, and tend to be drawn towards more low key experiences in small groups of friends every few

months (as per recommended waiting times for both MDMA and truffles/mushrooms). Their attitudes are exactly as you’d expect – take this respondent as an example: “it gives me energy and a feeling of love, like I love everyone and everything I see and when I think back to it, it’s a nice memory that makes me smile.” A few respondents noted the importance of having people to trip-sit, and that overall they felt very safe having these adventures on campus.

On the other side you have the harder partiers, who make use more use of cocaine and ketamine, often alongside alcohol, to get a “sober kick” at parties and feel “clear headed and talkative.”

While these 48-hour party people also dabble with ecstasy/MDMA, it seems that cocaine users on campus are much less likely to be into psychedelics. A few noted that with party culture currently being put on hold, they haven’t used cocaine recently, unlike some of their psychedelically minded counterparts, who’ve been calling in some chemical assistance to avoid the monotony of social distancing.

Among the cocaine users we do have to mention a small subset of people who, due to the frequency and variety of their drug use, I’m going to label the Charlie Sheens. I share the sentiment of one of our respondents who wondered how some of the people they knew managed to keep this up and get through UCU. I’m impressed as I am terrified, and I really think the Charlie Sheens should call their doctors. And then their mums because, not to judge, but I think something might be going wrong. Although, when one respondent was explaining why they use the drugs they use, they quoted the ancient parable “Mmhm serotonin in brain go zoom.” Fair enough.

There are also a few floaters such as the study drug users, who don’t want to party all night or touch the face of god, but just “have to get shit done and ritalin helps”. These guys aren’t looking to expand their mental horizons, just meet their deadlines and maintain a healthy GPA – can you imagine that kind of high? There’s also this poor soul, who is faced with the philosophical dilemma of “spacecake? does spacecake count as weed?? it doesnt feel like it counts as weed.” I hope they managed to hang in there and come out the other side. One silver lining to this person’s struggle is they have delivered what is

possibly the best response to any survey at UCU, and also the best potential essay topic known to man. Spacecake? Does spacecake count as weed?

That’s my thesis topic sorted.

One final conclusion that is quite nice to know is that the vast majority of respondents felt very safe using drugs at UCU. No matter what your opinion on drug use is, it’s reassuring to know that for the most part, UCU is a safe space to experiment with drugs, and a through line to many of our responses was the importance students place on looking after each other.

Whether it be having a sober friend to tripsit, the importance of getting pills tested, and following recommended waiting times for MDMA and truffles, most students seem pretty responsible.

Nice work guys, and fly safe.

Disclaimer from the Author: On a serious note, there were also some mentions of Benzodiazepines (such as Xanax) and opiates. Whilst no drugs are truly safe, and the board wanted to approach this topic in an open, stigma free (and fun) manner, the responses relating to these made us feel responsible to have a brief moment of seriousness. Drugs can be fun, but they should never be used as a coping mechanism; especially drugs such as these. The current opioid crisis in the U.S illustrates the way opiates are uniquely destructive, and nearly impossible to control.

In addition, as a bit of a disclaimer, it is worth noting to internationals that the psychedelics respondents talked about were truffles, which are available legally. If it’s your first time experimenting with truffles, talk to the smartshop employee, and make sure you don’t exceed the recommended dose.

Also, it is possible in the Netherlands to get drugs such as MDMA and Ecstasy tested to make sure they don’t contain other harmful and potentially lethal substances. Again, while some of these drugs are legal, that doesn’t mean they are completely ‘safe’. You can legally buy a bottle of Vodka, but if you drink the whole thing, you’ll probably do some serious damage.

Drugs, especially psychedelics, are powerful and should be respected, not just for their physical, but also their mental effects.

If you’re concerned and about your or others’ wellbeing, contact Jellinek for referral to helpful resources at 088-505 1220.

Taking Up Space: on Men and Sexism by Aphrodite and Her Muses Men take up space. Lots of it. And so, women accommodate. Take manspreading: men sit with their legs wide open, so the women beside them sit with theirs crossed. Take mansplaining: men condescendingly over explain concepts to women, and in turn, we’re supposed to let them.

Take the man-flu: me77n exaggerate their physical pain, and women comfort and validate them (don’t believe me? look at men’s soccer). We’re supposed to let them be moody and loud because boys “mature slower” - so you make excuses for

them.

Now, if a woman is in pain it’s because she’s a woman and women are “overly emotional”, and they exaggerate things. She’s mad? Probably on her period: because how could a woman’s emotions be anything more than just a woman’s emotions?

These ideas and tropes can be traced back to medieval times: we’ve been told poison is a

woman’s weapon (take Robert Graves’ Livia, Sarah Chesham, the reputation of Catherine de Medici as examples). That’s because it's manipulative, secretive, and operates behind the scenes.

Women should take up as little space as possible and get what they can from that.

Behind every powerful man is a woman? Ah yes, because they can’t have real power, so you give them this manipulative power of seduction as though that’s empowering. That’s what we’re taught to do; take power where we can have it,

A University College Student Association Magazine

while men take the glory, and men take the space.

Still, any woman who does that, who dares to take some sort of control, is called a “bitch”, a “gold digger”, an “emotional mess”. And God forbid you’re not white - you’re made to fight two battles instead of one.

Throughout history, countless women have been overshadowed by men: Mileva Maric-Einstein, Maria Mozart, both women who we now recognize not for their incredible talent, but for the men in their lives. Imagine what could be if we were given a fraction of the space men get the fragile ego that is the patriarchy would surely topple.

Just look at UCU. You’d think the 70/30 ratio would limit the space men take up, but, look around. How many times have you moved aside

in the halls to let a man pass? How many times have you stopped talking to let a man interrupt you? How many times have you felt guilty for being too loud or passionate in a class discussion?

My position in any social circumstance seems to depend on the space that men allow me to take up. And so, it seems, my self-worth is determined by what men think of me.

The worst part is that men don’t seem to notice any of this. As a man, you’re allowed to just live, as a person. As a woman, you live, as a woman.

You’re always made to think about your place as a woman. So, it’s not men’s fault that they’re like this, another excuse I’ve been conditioned to make for them, maybe. I’m making sure to say I don’t blame men because that’s what I’ve been taught to do; let them live in a bubble of manly bliss, unaware of the hardship they cause.

Victoria’s Secrets...

Dearest Readers, The Boomerang has published quite a few articles about everyone’s favorite Facebook page in the past: UCU Confessions! For example, The Victorias were interviewed for last year’s Blackout edition, and one of us has even revealed their secret identity in the Boomerang. And so, we felt compelled to make our anonymous contribution to this edition as well. This “article” is a collection of random thoughts of a Victoria who really should be working on their assignments... Oh well.

I’ve been managing the confession page for a while now, and just to end some rumors: no, Manolis no longer runs the page. He has retired from posting confessions and is living his post-UCU life as a senior Victoria. And no, it is not just one person that is running the page, we have multiplied.

Like my co-Victorias, I really enjoy being a Victoria and feel for every person behind every confession. Even if I decide not to post your confessions, I do read and appreciate every single one of them! I take great pleasure in going through all the submissions (sometimes drunkenly, it adds to the fun) and reading a mix of 3AM Voltaire thoughts, your latest sexual, and even fanfiction about Maarten D. However, I must say that your secrets confuse me from time to time. Why is the Satisfyer Pro so popular on campus? Why does everyone seem to hate G16? How come some of you send in the same confession FIVE TIMES A DAY? And why is everyone on campus constantly horny?

The confessions are somewhat a reflection of campus. Some people seem to use the page as their personal therapist, some use it to spill their dirty, dirty secrets (no judgement though), and others see it as a place to anonymously rant about the things on campus that are bothering them (“Our "Landlords" - Lekstede Wonen - are an absolute disaster and we should get together and sue them!”, “I’m a first year but the sororities are so intense.... why are they hunting me down??? I’m scared”, “Wtf was SSS filmed on ??? A fucking spoon??? Trash”, “Primus can

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Perhaps my angry tone will be taken as hostility.

Unfortunately, I won’t be apologizing for being fed up with sexism.

So, to “not all men” - those who believe they are the exceptions – tell me: what does being a man mean to you?

Maybe it’s all about power, about space, about how much you can control a room by making others feel vulnerable in it. Have you ever called a woman a psycho, a bitch, a slut, letting her know she’s nothing if she's not complying with your expectations? Do you interrupt women, silencing them? Maybe not. Maybe it’s subconscious - so make a conscious effort, the way women do every day. If you feel this isn’t you: prove it. Don’t be this man, and don’t let others be this man either.

by Victoria No.7

suck my big fat saucisse”, “Wall 1 is an angel of a unit compared to some of the Gs”).

Oh, and not to forget those who like to complain about the page itself: thanks, we enjoy your input (“These confessions are getting way too long add a tldr/abstract when you post your essays please”, “Why is UCU Confessions' pic an overly sexualized nun? Like, how is that respectful?”, “WHEN ARE YOU GONNA UPLOAD MORE CONFESSIONS I NEED TEA FFS”)!

I always try to find a good balance in picking the confessions that have been submitted. While reading them, I keep in mind that confessions are anonymous, and that no one has to own up to what they have written. This can be difficult: if a confusing confession is funny or intriguing, the author will most often not justify or explain their train of thought. Our guessing at what the hell your confessions mean is only one aspect in the process of whether confessions get posted or not.

Also, I just want to say at this point: just because I don’t post your confession does not mean that I don’t like your confession. Often we just get too many submissions, or the topic of your confession has already been covered in another one.

I sincerely thank you for every single one, they are appreciated and make me laugh. Keep on submitting your sexy sins and deep dark secrets, because we literally depend on your input to run our page.

So, to all the unposted confessions, here comes your time to shine! Here’s a small collection of some of my favorite submissions, some that confuse me, and others that stuck with me throughout my Victoria-career.

To start with an obvious topic: apparently campus-goers are really freaking opinionated about our campus cats. Some love our furry friends, others passionately hate them. “I only love Pip, everyone is dead to me”, “Whoever posted that wack confession about wanting to kick cats, you're a sick fuck”.

Some confessions that have stuck with me are: “Thanks to corona I have become a lot closer

with some of my friends and I now consider them friends for life... it’s not all bad”, “i miss the class of 2020” So cute, so wholesome, so positive. To whoever sent these in, you’re adorable.

Then there is a whole genre of confessions that are nothing but odd, and I don’t know what to do with these for the life of me: “Man fuck this basement”, “big peanutz”, “Bruh”, “imma ball out on some salmon”, “I have Jesus nipple rings” ???

Oh, and don’t forget the links to TikToks, mediocre music clips from youtube, and even Ted Talks...

A different section that I wholeheartedly enjoy is the genre of creative campus-suggestions: from UCUFindmyBike to campus wide minecraft and summer sessions of slap cup.

Like I said, confessions are an instant reaction to everything that is going on at UCU. So, whenever a new UCU page pops up we get a surprising influx of roasts or funny comments: “UCU creative juice is just M. B. flexing on us. Did I stutter”, “Wtf is ucu creative juice? it sounds like the layer of liquid on the bar floors after bartenders weekend”.

As a Victoria, a part of my job consists of dealing with your feelings of concern. Earlier in the semester people expressed many frustrations, fears, and worries regarding the corona regulations and the ignorance of some campusgroups regarding the regulations. Even though not all of these got posted, I do hope that you who submitted them got the feeling of your concerns being heard just a little more.

Oh and one last thing: what’s up with all your messed up bowel movements?! Seriously, some of you should plan a visit to your GP right now.

See you in the confessions, XOXO Victoria 7 PS: Have you ever wondered what the first UCU confession was? Here you go: “I've been here for 3 semesters and I still haven't seen M. Diederix on his bike; sometimes I feel like everyone's playing one big practical joke on me.”

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The Boomerang | December 2020

White Saviours at UCU by A Student That's Tired of Racist Rhetorics “For my gap year, I went to (insert non-western country here) to help underprivileged children by (insert action said person isn’t qualified for here).”

Honestly, I’ve heard this more times than I should have at UCU. And to be honest, I didn’t quite understand why these trips are inherently problematic. I’ll even admit this is something I’ve considered doing, but after taking some time to listen and educate myself on the issues, I realised it’s very easy to see where it all goes wrong. It’s 2020, and it’s time to take a minute to open up a (very late) discussion on the problematic nature of white saviorism.

Bluntly put, you probably aren’t qualified to build a school in a village somewhere in South America. Building something, especially something as important as a school, isn’t something that should be done by a bunch of teenagers/young adults looking for something to do during their gap year. These are institutions where countless children will be attending, and any misstep along the building process could endanger their lives.

In the western world, this wouldn’t be possible.

Take Europe for example; no matter where you go, you have to have some form of training before you begin to work as a construction worker. You need to learn how to handle potentially hazardous material for your safety and the safety of others. You need to know how to maintain the construction site properly. It really shouldn’t be as simple signing up with an organisation, paying a couple thousand euros, and flying halfway across the globe.

This extends beyond building facilities -- take teaching English for example. To become a qualified teacher, it takes years of studying, added years of training, and of course, exams to take to get your certification. And yet these requirements vanish the second fresh highschool graduates want to teach non-white children.

Breakout Couples: The Friend Who's Only There When Single by a Fallen Friend Have you ever wondered why people get back together with their ex? Most people do and if they don't, then they are that person. However, that is not the point I will make in this article.

I want to talk about the hypocrisy that arises in striking a friend/romance balance, and the example I will use is that friend we all have that gets back with their ex.

In my case, my friend was a great gal to hit up the clubs with; we had our fair share of shots, wing-womaning ordeals and one-night-stands that we'd update each other on over brunch the

Most importantly, the only ‘tangible’ change that happens is your internal feeling of satisfaction. I really hate to burst your bubble, but chances are that whatever positive effect you made is superficial and is catered to your benefit.

As this infamous quote nicely explains, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”

Building a school is just giving a man a fish -you’re just handing it to them. It even hinders the development of the area you visited: the job you volunteered to take is snatched from the hands of locals who could construct buildings. Rather than giving locals tools to enhance their local economy, you are doing the work for them, ultimately perpetuating the cycle and ideology that ‘underdeveloped’ countries can’t do anything on their own, and western intervention is necessary

" I really hate to burst your bubble, but chances are that whatever positive effect you made is superficial and is catered to your benefit" to ‘help’ them.

The plane ticket to your voluntourism destination probably cost you thousands of Euros, and this money could be better spent investing in the local economy. Buy tools that locals can use to enhance their development. Work with charities that amplify local voices, rather than writing about Sarah’s testimony from her trip in the summer of 2017.

Before I end this article, I want to remind you to reflect on UCU’s role in perpetuating the ‘white saviour’ image. While there isn’t anything inherently bad about sending Christmas parcels to an orphanage in Peru, the way it was presented on UCU’s Facebook page to improve its image is quite problematic. Glorifying that a white student is helping underprivileged children halfway across the world perpetuates a cycle that encourages white saviorism. In no way do I endorse public praising of charitable work (an issue on its own) but it does strike me as odd that when a student of colour chose to set up fundraisers and donations to help refugees last Christmas, UCU didn’t seem to care at all.

However just because you participated in one of these ‘voluntourism’ trips, it doesn’t mean you can’t learn from your mistakes and take steps to deconstruct your white saviorism complex.

Educate yourself on the topic and take a minute to reflect on your choices and where they went wrong. Most importantly, listen to the voices of local activists.

accused of having loose morals. She prioritised a man she barely knew over a friendship she'd had for over a year.

following day. In essence, we hoed around and stuck by each other. At least until one of her one-night stands bloomed into a relationship.

Here is where the story becomes bitter.

Read. Educate. Deconstruct your white saviour complex.

“But at least I’m doing something, how else can I help?” Well Willem, thank you for asking.

The issues with voluntourism (and consequently, the white saviour complex) is well recognised. There are many published works looking at its negative impacts, which Daniel A. Guttentag captures in many of his works. @nowhitesaviors on instagram actively works to discuss different forms of the white saviour complex and its negative impacts, in addition to highlighting prominent issues BIPOC face regularly.

If you still don’t see the issue with short-term volunteering projects, then take a minute to imagine the roles reversed. Imagine a rich, well educated person from a foreign country comes to your hometown to ‘help’ the locals. They strut around and volunteer for jobs they aren’t qualified for. They may occasionally pick up random children from the playground and pose with them for a picture to post on social media.

They’d roam around for a couple weeks/months, make no long-term changes and leave, happy to have something to put on their CV. None of this would be acceptable in any way, shape, or form in a Western country, so why is it okay, even encouraged, to behave this way in a non-Western country?

Have you heard of the term born-again-virgin?

Well, welcome to it. This friend mounted her high horse and declared herself a pure "soft girl".

She never wanted to accompany me to the bar, and was quite vocal with her disapproval of my evening endeavours. Her holiness trumped our friendship, now dismissing behaviour we once shared, as shameful and inappropriate. Even certain swear words became taboo in her new design for herself. All in all, she became a hypocrite.

Nonetheless, the frustrations did not end there. We have all heard the term "chicks before dicks", except for this friend apparently, because she no longer chose to spend time with me. If we did talk, it was to complain about her boyfriend, and when I got a word in edgewise, it was difficult to share my latest encounters without being

And somehow, the story doesn't end there!

Tensions rose a month into the relationship and they broke up, devolving her into a pile of tears and ice cream. Like a good friend, I set up girl's nights with face masks and movies, and I gave her space. At least until I couldn't take it anymore, and I told her she had to pick herself up and stop letting him win. She did. We returned to our ways, and we were friends again, for like a week. Inevitably, they reunited and I was once again left by the sidelines.

I learnt she was one of those friends who is your friend only until they have a partner. You are a placeholder rather than a person. Ultimately, this article is to remind you to not place sexual relationships over friendships, and to reach out to those friends you may have cast aside and left without the friend support you'd once provided.

A University College Student Association Magazine

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The Usual Suspects: 5 Teachers You May Have Had During Coronatijd by Stressed & Disgruntled There are many approaches to teaching, and many different kinds of teachers. However, the unique challenges of teaching while socially distanced has introduced us to a whole new cast of characters who are trying to help us through our online education. Let me introduce you to a few of them (all fictional, of course…)

The Tech Wizard The first thing they did when classes moved online was to hop on Bol.com and get a setup that rivals professional Twitch streamers. I’m talking about an external microphone, dual computer monitors, HD camera quality, and of course an influencer ring light – how could anyone take them seriously if they’re not well lit?

The Old School

The ‘attached are the slides, email me with any questions. Sent from my iPhone.’

There are many ways to teach, and this character firmly subscribes to the idea that independent learning and problem-solving builds character and develops skills. Therefore, for best results, students can teach themselves this semester.

The Let’s Play Hardball “In these strange and unprecedented times, during a global pandemic, the main priority is this course module.” The mantra of the Hardball. This teacher repeats it every day when they wake up, and every night before they sleep. None of this snowflake generation sensitive rubbish.

No social activities? More time for studying.

Having panic attacks and bouts of depression

cate the sentiment towards you, you go to your room and question why aren’t you the one they want? What makes you different and less valued compared to the other person they are with?

2. If they’re not home at a certain time or if they are home a certain time: My ability to recognize which door from which room opens and closes has become impeccable, thanks to the UCU units. These abilities in addition to the fact that I had a class with this person and quite similar time slots, had cursed me with the knowledge of knowing when he has class, when goes for his morning run, what shift he works and who he calls Tuesday afternoons. When you know all these things, you can’t help but shift your schedule to ensure it aligns with theirs as you want to “bump” into them as many times as possible. It slowly becomes an obsession.

"The concept of home security doesn’t exist" 3. Constantly longing for their attention: This point is an extension of the previous one in the sense that you just wouldn’t be able to act yourself. Every time you want their attention, you

during a crisis affecting the whole world? You’ll be marked down a grade for every day your paper is late. Bah! Humbug! Until they’ve been visited by the ghosts of Corona past, present, and future, you better make sure you’ve done all the reading. Twice. With notes.

The “yeah the final paper can be an art piece” The opposite of the Hardball. “Yeah, this course used to be about economic theory” they say, “but now it’s really about friendship and self-expression.” All the papers are optional, and the final exam is a walk in the forest. While you might be loving it, the kids who wrote 8000 word essays on market something-something are furious at the A you got for your cut and paste collage on the economics of love.

Illustration © Lea Litvak

They never had a mobile phone, and now they have to learn what ‘Microsoft Teams’ is? The Old School has been dragged, begrudgingly, into the 21st century, possibly from a time that even your grandparents would call the distant past. They would much rather wander through the halls of the university’s oldest buildings musing on the ancient classics, rather than having to look at you with your hilarious Minecraft virtual background.

Never Shit Where You Eat Back when I was a naïve first year, a third year who I had become very close with left me with one piece advice before he graduated, “whatever you do, do not shit where you eat”. I never understood what he meant by this until I fell absolutely head over heels for my unitmate. This person was someone you’d wish you could build in factories. This unitmate and I at first were just that, unitmates. Then we gradually became friends and then very close friends, but I definitely was more than crushing; I was in love.

This relationship soon became one of the most toxic, mentally draining and emotionally tiring relationships anyone could possibly experience.

Why? Here is where I am going to tell you why at UCU you should never shit where you eat. In other words, why you should never fall in love, have sex or even crush the slightest bit on your unit mates.

1. When they have a partner/friend with benefits/one night stand over: every time they have someone come round, you’ll know. You walk past their room, see another pair of shoes and feel an immense sense of sadness and heartache.

You know they are sharing an intimate moment together with someone else. As you do when you fall in love with someone who does not recipro-

by A Previously Naive First Year try to be the best version of yourself. Or at least a certain version of yourself. I invited another male friend over for dinner, trying to look beautiful physically and mentally. Attempting to be the funniest person, the most stylish person, the smartest person in the room, in hopes of him noticing how perfect I am. In hopes of him being jealous that he is not the one having a candlelit dinner with me.

4. The concept of home security doesn’t exist.

I've had nights in which I did not feel anywhere near comfortable to sleep in my own room knowing he was just down the hall. I’ve had to stay at a friend’s place, just to avoid seeing him because it was too much. A level of disgust and discomfort takes control of your body, causing you to make impulsive decisions such as walking across the quad at 4AM on a cold December night to sleep on someone else’s air mattress.

In the end, I finally understood what the third year meant by what he said, and wished I had taken his words more seriously. This is it. This is why you should never fall in love with someone that lives with you.

Illustration © Tara Sitindjak

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The

The Boomerang | December 2020

Blackout December 2020

Why Is No One Lending an Ear to the Extroverts During the Ongoing Pandemic?

by Socially Starved

The ‘popular kids’ started to evaporate into thin air since the pandemic started.

Are you guys okay?

Can you still function without the attention?”

This type of message – from a Facebook group called UCU Confessions, where students can anonymously submit posts that are then published for all students to see – was probably not what the Dean had in mind when he asked us to ‘check up on each other’.

People are losing their jobs; businesses are collapsing, and hospitals are overflowing with people who no longer have the capability to breathe naturally. The only way, according to most, to prevent the further spread of the virus that has dominated our life for over a year, is by keeping 1,5 m distance and wearing facemasks.

" Can you still function without attention?"

Perhaps getting drunk, running from unit to unit, making out with random people, and dancing and singing along – imagine the saliva flying around as twenty people packed on 2 square meters sing at the top of their lungs – is not exactly adhering to those safety measures. Who is this group of reckless, society-defying, egocentric and partying people? Right. The students.

arbitrary divide between the so-called introverts and extroverts, now indicates whether or not you are to blame for the spreading of the virus.

“How hard is it not to party?”, or “You guys don’t care about your parents or loved ones dying?” These types of expressions are what students who are seen as ‘extroverted’ are often confronted with during this ongoing pandemic – Besides, of course, the already established facts that all partying people being shallow and secretly insecure.

Is hugging all your friends necessary? Does enjoying meeting new people make it okay to go to parties with more than twenty people, while afterwards going to a face to face class with your fifty plus professor? Never. That is not the question at stake here, as this can never be excused.

I am not condoning corona parties or the complete disregard for the safety measures put in place to protect our society. However, I do want to raise awareness for the fact that extroverted

However, even in this specific group – students make up for less than 2 percent of the world population – which by popular opinion seems to be the ‘super-spreaders’ of the virus, a subdivision has taken place.

students might be suffering in ways you do not immediately realize. They don’t, contrary to popular opinion, believe that drinking beer and making-out is more important than people dying or losing their jobs. They might not have to be rushed to the hospital when they get corona or have to worry about supporting their families in the wake of a shrinking economy, but they are suffering as well.

Outgoing people charge their batteries by socializing with other people, they genuinely need it in order for their mental health not to take a dive.

Studies show that whereas introverts can act as extroverts to adapt to situations – so yes, if they really have to, they can still engage socially with that boring colleague during the annual office Christmas party – whereas it is way harder for extroverts to act introverted.

"It is harder for extroverts to act introverted" This can probably be understood as society, for a long time, having supported being ‘extroverted’ and social, hence learning introverted people earlier on in life how to adapt in order to ‘fit in’. Whether this is a good or a bad thing is an entirely different discussion, however it is what should be considered right now, as society suddenly do a 180° and now must promote introverted behavior.

We are all having to adapt to a world that, compared to what we used to know, seems like a scary episode from Black Mirror. However, we are not going to get anywhere by making extroverted people scapegoats for wanting to socialize with people, for needing human contact – and then I don’t mean over Zoom, because trust me when I say that for a lot of people this only adds to the feeling of solitude.

We hear leaders of countries all around the globe asking their citizens to ‘come together’ and to ‘support one another’ in these difficult times. However, as we are in the midst of the second wave, the finger-pointing phenomenon seems to have reached an all-time high.

These times ask for sacrifices from everyone; ranging in gravity tremendously. However, we should at least try to understand how Corona creates a unique challenge for every individual. Villainizing ‘those people’ will only deepen the divide; while in these times, more than ever, we should be coming together.

Some blame their government; some blame other countries – Trump simply changed the name of COVID-19 from coronavirus to "the China virus" – and some blame specific groups of society; such as the students. What is even more peculiar, is that not even within the student body people are ‘coming together’ or ‘supporting’ one another. Rather, the