April 2021

The

Boomerang April 2021

It’s Time to Rethink Our Frats.

And I Should Know, I'm in One

by Stanley Ward

Illustration © Lea Litvak

We have all been going through this together, but some of us have been more together than others. I don’t want to write about the campus parties, because we’ve already done that. And I hear and see them every week. It’s not in my nature to be a narc, as much as it pains me to see people partying whilst I stay in my room. I know that not everyone keeps to the regulations strictly, and these kinds of conversations have a tendency to get very finger-pointy very quickly. So, I’ll leave this conversation here – I know we’re not all perfect individuals, but I want to focus on what happens when you get a bunch of individuals together and institutionalize friendship.

Disclaimer: I joined Alpha Beta Phi in my first semester, and whilst I don’t even have a full overview about what our members are doing, it does give me a small insight into how this can work. Obviously, with there being a lot of secrecy, it’s hard to get exact information, and to know exactly what is going on.

So, I’ll stick to firsthand knowledge, and things I’ve been hearing and seeing. I don’t love this approach to journalistic integrity, but this shit is hard to fact-check when everything is happening behind closed doors.

and rules. In my experience with ABP, in our General Assemblies and meetings, regulations are taken fully into account, and events planned accordingly. We’ve been having online borrels, with some people having one guest over. All kosher. I assume other frat boards work the same way and intend to follow regulations. Despite this, it doesn’t mean that members can’t use the infrastructure of frats to organize things – especially first years who are provided with a much more comprehensive social network than non-frat members. Think of it as joining a course group chat – if you’re not in the group chat, you can’t compare and share notes, even if you’re in the same class. Frat people are in the group chat. I know from experience that it’s a very different feeling being an insider and outsider, and moving away from this analogy, if you’re a first year outside of this network, it’s

less likely that you’d be able to plan, or attend, a party without encountering difficulties. It’s currently one of the few things you can’t ask about on UCU students. It feels like we have two campuses right now, one that breaks the rules, and one that sticks to them. (And a third that knew what the Masked Poet was.) I don’t want to take the morally superior stance, because I’m sure a lot more students would attend parties if they could. Again, I’m not taking aim at the people, but the institutional structures that can allow this to happen, so we can have a constructive conversation about why we have the tensions that we’re seeing.

"UCU is different to the ‘real world’ because we signed up to be a community, and look after each other" I mentioned secrecy before, so I should elaborate on it. Obviously, parties will be kept secret – I’m pretty sure the risk of expulsion is still there, and no-one wants a fine. And I think we all recognize closed curtains, loud music, and some (pitchy) singing every Thursday. But again, three people screaming to ABBA can (through the magic of Swedish songwriting) sound more like 15, so I can’t really call that hard evidence. Sometimes however, a few too many beers means that overconfidence takes over and suddenly there’s people spilling out the buildings and mingling outside. Maybe I’m a snowflake now, but it’s disconcerting to see 20 to 30 people partying outside when the last time I saw a ‘crowd’ that size in a room was at the IND. I’m also lucky enough to live in Kromhout with 0% soundproofing, which means most Thursdays I hear (and then see) a police car, or at least campus security driving past my window. Coming to anticipate this, my unitmate and

The thing about frats and sororities is that they’re not as homogenous as you might think. Just because X group is having a party in Kromhout, it doesn’t mean that all the members are there. They’re also not responsible for all the parties on our campus, and it’s often the case that you’ll see non-members at these events too. So, when I criticize frats, and frat parties, I’m not targeting the people, because that wouldn’t be fair. What I am targeting is the institution that facilitates this, whether it be sorting members into year groups who can organize events without the frat boards knowing about it, or covering each other’s backs and perpetuating the secrecy. A brief side-note for those who don’t know how frats work frats have boards, constitutions,

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Where Are All the Competitive Sports?

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My Art of Having a Disability: A Rant

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Microaggressions, Macro-Affect

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Bar Brawl

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But It Was Just a Joke

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The Art of the Jab

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The Boomerang | April 2021

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I have been able to watch on multiple occasions the whole security-police-gate-debacle, in which the police show up, but cannot open the gate until campus security comes and gives them access.

By the time they manage to orchestrate opening one gate, exit maneuvers have already been initiated, and the crowd has dispersed before the police even get in. Hypothetically, if you’re in a frat, and have (hypothetically) organized a borrel on a Thursday, you can (hypothetically) use this to your advantage and keep those fines to a minimum. Whilst this weekly (hypothetical) situation is indeed hypothetical, it is strange that it seems to be every Thursday, the institutional borrel time for UCU’s frats. This association is also a hint that these occurrences are more related to frats than UCU’s general population.

At this point in my rant, you might be thinking – “there’s been a lot of associations made, but what has this really got to do with frats?”

In my opinion frats have a social contract to the general student population – our exclusivity is tolerated because we contribute to campus life – in the past this was done through hosting events and paying for them (all that free beer is not cheap). But when this exclusivity leads to some being able to break rules more than others, this social contract is broken. Based on the recent conversations around our elections, it would be fair to say that these parties undermine campus morale, especially for those for whom partying, and socializing was an important part of the university experience, but who (for either moral or safety reasons) object to breaking rules

and regulations. In addition, when you institutionalize friendship, it creates a frat community, which arguably leads to a community who have each other’s backs in discussions, and can be assured they’ll be backed up. Whilst I can’t prove this, and that it wouldn’t happen without frats, it seems reasonable to assume that the bonds created through fraternities and sororities encourage, rather than discourage, a potentially toxic group mentality. UCU is different to the ‘real world’ (where lots of students are having parties) because we signed up to be a community, and look after each other. With this in mind, and these issues raised by the pandemic, it’s getting harder and harder to justify what place the institutions of frats and sororities have in UCU’s social fabric.

Where Are All the Competitive Sports?

Illustration © Sofie Ryan

by Senan Cullinane

In my almost three years here at UCU, there have been many things that I’ve found strange or different about the Netherlands compared to home (and to the rest of the world). One thing in particular that has stood out to me since my arrival at UCU is the lack of competitive university sports in this country. While we do play the odd football match against other UCs each year, there are no real tangible competitions to compete in. In other countries, college sports, and indeed even secondary school sports, are huge - in the US, for example, your best route to the big time is through varsity sports. Over there, college football, basketball, baseball, etc. have insane crowds and viewership, with many fans even preferring to watch these matches than the professional leagues. Full scholarships are given to young players simply for their sporting talent.

While these players remain ‘amateur’ or uncompensated by their institutions, players can make money off sponsorships and endorsements and there is immense amounts of money funnelled into these leagues. In many cases, the sporting programs even drive the university and its reputation rather than academic prowess. Even if we hop back across the pond and look towards the UK and Ireland, you can see the prevalence of university and school sports teams - in Ireland, we broadcast secondary school and university sports on national TV. The best young athletes in the country compete on the highest level by representing not just club teams, but schools and universities as well.

many years down the road rather than pursuing sports at a collegiate level. Here, universities build their reputation upon academics and research, and sports stars build their careers away from classrooms and lecture halls. That is not to say that there are no sports programmes available at all in the Netherlands or throughout Europe. I am sure that many countries have their own way of going about things and offering opportunities to athletes through schools - in the Netherlands, there are indeed bodies like Student Sport Netherlands who promote students sports, and events like the UCSRN and the Groot Nederlands Studenten Kampioenschap (GNSK - the Great Dutch Student Championship), where 1500 athletes from various Dutch university teams will compete for the title of “best student team in the Netherlands”. However, it still doesn’t really come close to how university sports are played elsewhere.

" In a place like UCU, with such an emphasis on social life and community, it makes so much sense to have sports teams promoted and playing regularly"

" In other countries, college sports, and indeed even secondary school sports, are huge" The Netherlands stands in stark contrast.

It isn’t just here, either, where you see this lack of university sport. Varsity and Collegiate sports are almost non-existent across mainland Europe. Athletics and sports are largely separate from education systems and academic programs.

Exceptional talents tend to go and play for academy teams or enter into clubs and train through here, aiming for professional leagues

still grade requirements for scholarships, thus excluding some people who could have gone on to succeed in their sport. Some collegiate athletic teams have graduation rates just over 50%, and sometimes coaches push athletes away from certain fields or majors because of the time commitment needed for varsity sports. On the flip side however, it does ensure that many top level athletes are receiving some form of higher education, which is often not the case in other countries, and for those many, many students that don’t make it to the pinnacle of their sport, it is always useful to have a degree to fall back on.

What the different systems mean for the professional field is difficult to tell, but from what I’ve gathered, European countries are better at pretty much every team sport right now other than basketball, baseball, American football and ice hockey!

Is either system better than the other? The US system certainly has its critics, with some questioning why the educational system and athletics have to be connected at all. Is it really beneficial for educational systems or athletics? Some players simply don’t have the financial means to attend college in the US without a scholarship, and even for gifted sportspeople there are

While all this talk about exceptionally gifted sportspeople is not really relevant to UCU, it would certainly be nice here for there to be more team sports being played against other University Colleges. This year, there was supposed to be an inter UC football competition which would have been great fun, but corona threw a spanner in the works there. I also tried myself to organise some tennis matches with other UCs, and after contacting eight different sports committees, I only got one reply from a school who had just one tennis player. It is a pity, this lack of sports. In a place like UCU, with such an emphasis on social life and community, it makes so much sense to have sports teams promoted and playing regularly, representing the university, creating bonds and spreading spirit. Of course, it’s no one’s fault for this lack of sport, and we do what we can but perhaps it is just the nature of liberal arts colleges which is to blame.

A University College Student Association Magazine

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Words about Buildings: Reviewing your Campus Dwellings by the Boomerang Board “I see the clouds that move across the sky, I see the wind that moves the clouds away It moves the clouds over by the building, I pick the building that I want to live in” Talking Heads - Don’t Worry About the Government Pandemic pandemic, stuck inside, Zoom Zoom Zoom, Microsoft Teams meeting, YOU’RE ON MUTE coffee break coffee break, rejoin the call in 10, screen screen screen, stay inside after 9pm, stay in your house, stay in your building.

We all need buildings to help us get by, now, more than ever. In celebration of this, we have decided to rank all of our campus buildings, the habitats we are currently confined in. Feel free to disagree and become enraged at our judgements.

The New Builds (W, X, and Y) In theory the new builds sound good (decent rooms, fewer mice) but in practice, they’re soulless shells where dreams go to die. Whilst the solid concrete walls do prevent you from hearing your neighbors’ erotic nocturnal activities, the odd colour choices for the floors and ceilings and the fact you can’t turn off the hall lights (in the case of W) really sets them back in terms of coziness. However, the new build’s saving grace is that they are very easy to trash during parties and no-one will care.

Living Off-Campus You think you’re better than us? Come back and sit in your 6000-euro rat hole.

Academic Buildings Yes, the rooms are huge, and the exteriors are

pleasing, but god, why are they always so filthy?

I also have an issue with the general vibes and energy in the academic buildings. Perhaps the high ceilings are just too much, but maybe it’s the stench of a poorly managed work life balance that happens when you shit where you eat.

K and G Personally, I don’t care much for these buildings. They never seem cleanable, and there’s just a bit too much floor space. However, top floor G has some pretty great views, and the K courtyard is a great party spot. The rooms are also where these buildings shine, and for K, I can’t deny it has one of the nicer façades at UCU. Tower Like New Yorkers, tower residents know they suffer in cramped conditions, but they take satisfaction in this because they know that they can survive where you couldn’t. Tower is arguably the absolute best and worst living arrangement on campus, and the fact you live in a shoebox is offset by saying the words ‘I live in tower’ to the ground based low-lifes. Due to the fact you pretty much decide who enters your space, in pre-pandemic times tower units make for perfect partying bases, or the closest a student house can resemble a home. However, if you pick your fellow inhabitants poorly, a bad dynamic will turn you from unitmates to inmates, where the most intimacy you’ll feel is hearing each other fuck.

Wall Wall is what you make of it. It’s the Stanford prison experiment of student housing. It’s UCU’s only award-winning building. It’s Wall 1 parties, and the festival-style mud that 200 students

used to create around its perimeter. It’s really dark. It’s the human experiment. Units can be spotless, units can be filthy. Units can be tight, or just 12 individuals living alone together. It’s really quite dark. Needs more light.

Kromhout Kromhout is UCU. It’s the everyman. It’s a manageable amount of people. Not too small to be cramped, but small enough that cleaning is easy. Bottom floor? You got a nice terrace. Top floor? Nice balcony. Fuck the UCU smoking rules, that’s what balconies are for. Rooms? Good size, not so large they echo like in K. Living room and kitchen? Easy to decorate. Very gezellig boyos.

It’s the top tier unit, even if it doesn’t feel like it.

The (Ex) Dean’s Tower Many people don’t know this, but having completed his term, our previous Dean James Kennedy is legally obligated to be locked inside UCU’s clock tower. He is only allowed to leave after reading every single UCU thesis in existence, whilst he subsists on stray squirrels and bats he lures in through the window.

Maarten D’s Pad I often spend the occasional night at Maarten’s, with my preferred spot being in the linen closet after everybody else is asleep. I find it’s easier to scale the building when there’s an open window than pick the lock, but that’s just my personal choice. I promise you will never feel safer than knowing there’s a big strong man in the house ready to protect you from all the rule-breaking, beer-crate-leaving-on-the-balcony-you-payrent-for snowflake UCU students.

Daniel’s Delectable Discussions

by Daniel Kamenkovitch

Do we - as the modern "elite”, studying at a selective Liberal Arts college programme - have a responsibility to study particular subjects, independent of our intrinsic motivation towards them? Simply because they are deemed necessary to be a "good citizen”? Politics maybe? Or history (which...)?

Philosophy? Political correctness? Maybe statistics, or programming, the languages of tomorrow? The gist of a “liberal” programme is freedom of choice; but do we not have to put aside some of our freedom for the sake of others, not only to do what we want, but what we ought (if there is any such thing)? Is the goal of a liberal programme to be liberal, or to establish “free” people, that is, ready to tackle – not necessarily solve – any issue that comes their way? Does UCU do that for you? In your eyes: What responsibility do we carry? What should the core curriculum and goal of UCU, or any other Liberal Arts university, be?

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Microaggressions, Macro-Affect

by Rafaella Karadesh

Before I begin this article, I’d like to make a quick disclaimer: this article is purely based on my own experiences and no way speaks for other people of colour. Given recent developments, I also would like to note that you should not ask any person of colour to share their experiences with racism or microaggressions with you. This simply isn’t appropriate, and they don’t owe you an explanation.

I’ve come to the unfortunate realisation that a lot of people aren’t aware of how significant the impacts words can have, especially when they’re racially charged. Growing in a predominantly white community, I’ve had my fair share of experiences with microaggressions. Microaggressions, as defined by Dr. Kevin Nadal a psychology professor and activist, are the everyday, subtle, intentional — and oftentimes unintentional — interactions or behaviors that communicate some sort of bias toward historically marginalized groups.

As a child the microaggressions were more subtle. My classmates would wrinkle their noses because I brought ‘weird food’ for lunch.

Someone once told me I smelled weird because I’m Arab. I’d be asked questions like, “Do you have Internet in Jordan?” or “How do people live in the desert? Do you like, live in huts?” and my personal favourite, “Why don’t you wear a headscarf?” There was an undeniable assumption that Jordan was an underdeveloped, barren land that was held by both children and their parents.

These comments got a bit more explicit as I got older. “Oh you grew up in the US, that’s why your English is so good!” (as though Jordanians/Arabs are incapable of being taught proper English) “Wow, you’re so Western for an Arab!” (as though progressive ideals are exclusively Western, which they’re not). I’ll be honest, I’ve turned a blind eye to so many of these that I’ve forgotten what I’ve been told. Although I’ve forgotten what was said, I haven’t forgotten the impact.

" I’ll be honest, I’ve turned a blind eye to so many of these that I’ve forgotten what I’ve been told" For the longest time I hid behind my ‘white’ American identity the best I could, because I was convinced being anything besides that is bad. And I know for a fact there isn’t a specific ‘moment’ to pinpoint, it’s a result of the microaggressions I’ve faced on a regular basis. When you regularly hear comments, or are subjected to passive actions, you can’t help but internalise this racism and hide that identity that makes you a target.

When I was applying to universities, I was told to apply with my American passport because I’d have a better chance of getting in. For most of my life, I thought I could never be (objectively) beautiful because I didn’t have Euro-

centric features. Whenever I introduced myself to people, I’d be sure to mention I lived in the US and say I’m American, because I assumed people would like me more.

So although your statements might have been just a stupid comment to you, they have very real (and lasting) effects on the people that are on the receiving end. They aren’t just words. Your intention doesn’t matter. Recognise the impact of what you say, and take the time to educate yourself on what you say wrong.

These microaggressions have significantly impacted me despite the privilege I have. My family is Christian, which in Western countries can ‘protect’ us from Islamophobic comments. I am a woman and I have lighter skin, so I don’t fit into the stereotypical image of Arabs most white people hold. Because of that appearance, I wouldn’t pose as much of a threat as my darker friends. Most importantly, I have my American passport and a non-Arab name -- I can present myself as white and people wouldn’t blink an eye.

I’ve more recently come to terms with my identity and begun deconstructing my internalised racism that was fueled by microaggressions I face. It hasn’t been the easiest process, and I’ve been struggling with a lot of guilt for being so quick to throw my identity under the bus. And all of this is because of the words that were said to me.

Decolonisation Is Not a Synonym for Diversity

by Eshwari Ramsali I write this from my room on campus, an immigrant in this country. I was born in post-independence India and have inherited what Nandy calls the ‘the crudity and inanity’ of colonialism.

I arrived at UCU as a wide-eyed teenager almost 3 years ago and in my time here, I have fallen in and out of love with academia multiple times. It has offered me refuge; been a place of comfort and safety from which to learn and unlearn the very things that have shaped my existence. It has given me a regenerative space from which to do the critical heavy-lifting that I needed/need to do. And in so doing, I have also been confronted by the inner workings of academia: its people, its ego, its subtle suppression and its citational power structures.

Between the individual struggles and systematic dogma, is what Nayantara Sheoron Appleton refers to as the troubling paradigm where academic structures and powers co-opt the struggles as their own – but contribute little to the cause. Over the last year, our collective passion to ‘decolonise’ UCU has often brought me to tears. Thank you - to everyone that has listened, written, read and especially to those who are seeking to learn more by asking the uncomfortable questions. I am grateful for your

role in questioning the easy-to-ignore status quo.

But with the recent shallow campaign points demanding ‘decolonisation’, I am afraid that we are starting to miss the point.

Decolonisation is not a metaphor for academic reorganisation. Decolonisation is not a metaphor for updating outdated courses/syllabi. Decolonisation is not a metaphor for rhetorical inclusion, and it is certainly not a synonym for diversity.

Using the term to imply any of the above is both careless and opportunistic. Using ‘decolonisation’ as an academic buzzword in an attempt to keep up with the world is disrespectful to the long line of indigenous/POC/BAME/queer scholars and activists that have painstakingly engaged with the subject for years. According to Gurminder Bhambra, co-editor of Decolonising the University, decolonisation seeks to reposition colonialism, empire and racism as foundational to the current state and study of the world with the intention of making the historical and geographical meanings of our epistemologies and their representations visible. There is so much I don’t know yet, but I do know that to ‘decolonise’ is to disrupt. A course, a programme, a syllabus or even a university college cannot be decolonised independent of the bigger structures/processes

it is embedded in.

This isn’t to say that we should stop our efforts to decolonise or walk on eggshells whenever it comes up, but rather to find synonyms for the work we are able/willing to do before getting down to the dirty work of real decolonisation.

This is to say that we need to be honest - not just to ourselves but to each other - about who we are and how we are situated in our privileges. If the last few weeks have taught us anything, words are powerful and we owe it to each other to use them with care and intention.

Decolonial scholarship that has inspired this article: Gesturingtowardsdecolonialfutures.net Tuck, E., & Yang, K. W. (2012). Decolonization is not a metaphor. Decolonization: Indigeneity, education & society, 1(1).

Bhambra, G. K., Gebrial, D., & Nişancıoğlu, K. (2018). Decolonising the university. Pluto Press.

A University College Student Association Magazine

“But It Was Just a Joke” TW: Discussion of sexual assault and rape Disclaimer: Due to the shortness of this article, our discussion on sexual assault has been simplified, and speaks of gender in binary-terms. It is important to be aware that non-cisgender people also experience significant rates of sexual violence and are at a higher risk.

Perhaps caught up in our self-congratulatory progressivism, we discuss sexual assault and rape culture far too infrequently at UCU. A recent wave of discussions, policy changes and petitions brings a hope for change within UCU and society at large, but much still needs to be done. It is difficult to describe, in such a way that elicits empathy, what living in a rape culture feels like. The levels of precaution women need to take, their constant vigilance and fear, is alien to men (particularly cishet white men). With toxic masculinity so pervasive among males, the threat levels are enormous. “Not all men” doesn’t matter anymore, when any man could become a threat.

Rape Culture We’re sure plenty of you have seen the numbers, whether it’s a “third” of women being subjected to sexual violence or the more recent “86%” of British women being sexually harassed. Regardless, sometimes people get lost in abstract numbers like these, particularly those not directly threatened by rape culture, however terrifyingly high these numbers might be. It's important to remember that UCU is not an exception; rape culture is ubiquitous. Sexual assault, harrasment and rape happen here, and more often than not the perpetrators go unpunished. While rumors and undocumented claims are regular on campus, formal accusations are rare, and formal punishments even rarer.

Victimhood Victimhood is a difficult subject to deal with, particularly the act of being labelled a ‘victim’, and the baggage that follows. Those who have encountered sexual assault are typically referred to as ‘survivors’ in contemporary discourse.

Psychological struggles of guilt, shame and embarrassment are accompanied by societal taboos: victim-blaming and -shaming, silencing and lack of sincerity in processing rape claims.

Of course, there's the ever-present ‘boys-will-beboys’ mentality, absolving men of responsibility for their sexual misconduct, while we teach girls how to avoid being raped. It ought to be the right of the victim to choose whether to report their experience, and seek action. Although such a process is understandably uninviting and often

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unavailable to many victims, it can be crucial in creating a safer environment at UCU.

" Rape is a consequence of societal constructs" Toxic Masculinity Discussion on sexual assault, rape, or anything else patriarchy-induced, would be incomplete without delving into toxic masculinity. By merely mentioning the term, plenty of male readers are put on edge. Ironically, this protective/aggressive response fits snugly into the toxic masculinity phenomenon, in which a key pillar is to protect your masculinity at all costs and anything perceived as an ‘attack’ on it will be retaliated against. Toxic masculinity instinctively attacks criticisms, thereby perpetuating and reinforcing itself. In the same vein, male groups pressure each other into greater extremities of aggressivity, sexual conquest and emotionally nihilistic displays of power.

" Consumption of pornography leads to increased sexual violence" It would be narrow-minded to view sexual assault and rape as stochastic, random or unexplainable. It is simply not the case that ‘some men are just rapists’: rape is a consequence of societal constructs. Arguably, toxic masculinity plants a small rapist in every man, by raising men under a framework where aggressivity, sexual dominance, over-competitiveness and hubris are encouraged. Another important aspect of toxic masculinity in rape culture is the pressure to ‘score’, which entails a blatant disregard for female agency. To find an example of how these traits manifest in (cis-hetero) sexual relationships, simply viewing the front-page of sites like Pornhub can give insight. Toxic masculinity on display, pornography made by and for the male gaze:

dominated, with little attention given to their pleasure beyond exaggerated moans. What are the consequences? Studies show that consumption of pornography leads to increased sexual violence. This warped portrayal of sex not only creates a harmful standard in general, but it shapes the discourse around sex so that instances of actual rape are not even placed in that category. Pressuring someone into intercourse or taking advantage of a state of intoxication are normalized and regularly not even considered assault. Furthermore, this kind of dismissal is strengthened when the perpetrators of such cases are neither held accountable nor addressed about how these actions constitute a complete violation. The permeation of rape culture, reinforced by phenomena like toxic masculinity and pornography, is so extensive that there must be a conversation about these many forms of violence that are still shrugged off and not labelled with the severity that they deserve.

So, what can you do? We suggest: 1. Support your friends/acquaintances who are survivors.

2. If you see something, don’t be so quick to dismiss it. Stay vigilant and take action, don’t be a silent bystander.

3. Call out toxic masculinity when it shows its ugly head (eg. rape jokes, sexual objectification).

4. Stop using mainstream porn as a basis for reality; do research on sexual consent & pleasure.

5. Be concious of how you perpetuate rape culture and toxic masculinity through norms and language.

“...begs to be fucked” “Too hot for her own good” “she loves to get used” Merely the video titles exude toxic masculinity and rape culture. Women in porn are portrayed as begging, being used, being fucked, or even being tricked or coerced into sex, which is rape.

The female counterpart is rarely offered agency or a will of her own, thus is used as a sexual object. This teaches men a narrative of women universally liking rough sex in which they are

Scan for additional resources on sexual harassment support

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A Simple Suggestion on Flimsy Paper

by Giulia Martinez Brenner I want to start clean, with all disclaimers on the table. The 2nd of April was World Autism Awareness Day, and the rest of the month continues to celebrate, inform, and improve acceptance towards autistic people. That said, I am not autistic. Nor is anyone in my immediate family or closest circle of friends. Everything you will find here does not stem from strictly personal or professional experience, and it does not attempt in any way to do so. I am simply writing this as someone who appreciates the power of words, someone who genuinely and humbly recognizes how our attitudes and our language are intertwined, and someone who truly believes that before healthy interactions and conversations can happen, we need to have a solid foundation of mutually understood and respectful terminology.

First and foremost, autism is a spectrum, however this spectrum is not linear, but much more complicated. Like all unique individuals, one’s traits and needs are incredibly various and dynamic, that may also change over time. Labels such as “mild, moderate, severe”, or “high/low functioning” can be invalidating and dismiss the intimate nuances that humanize us all. Resorting to identification based on “functioning”, on the one hand renounces an individual’s struggles, and on the other, an individual’s strengths. One may be convinced of the universality of apparent “medical” terms, however we cannot deny the effects of stigma surrounding the use of labels that are frankly not only insufficient in describing a complex human being, but are discrediting as well.

Following this line of reasoning, an entire identity is not encompassed, nor reduced to autism.

However it is also not a separate, detached illness that someone suffers from. It is still part of a person’s identity and in fact most autistic people prefer “identity-first language”, that is, they don’t have autism, they are autistic. (Of course a majority consensus does not have absolute authority, and if a specific person in question prefers otherwise, well, who cares what the majority says).

I just wanted to introduce a few words that I personally had not heard of before, which perhaps makes them all the more valuable to explain.

Stimming is a form of self-stimulating behaviour that includes any kind of repetitive motion that helps a person cope with sensory overload and anxiety, or even positive feelings. This can be anything from hand flapping, to leg bouncing, to twirling your hair. If this sounds familiar it’s because it is. Most people stim in one way or another, and it’s completely harmless. It’s just a way of dealing with emotion and a physical outlet to release tension.

Echolalia is when people repeat (echoing) phrases or noises that they hear, either immediately after or delayed. It can be considered a form of stimming but usually it has a communicative aim.

Masking is one of the ways people respond to the stigma surrounding autism. Autistic people may react to certain environments, sometimes even subconsciously, by denying their identity and hiding aspects of their behaviour to “fit in” better. However this can cause extreme anxiety and exhaustion and can even lead to “autistic

burnout”. No one should ever feel the need to mask who they are.

Finally, two terms that are widely used by the autistic community to differentiate autistic from non-autistic people are neurotypical and neurodivergent. These words emerge from the idea of neurodiversity, a concept that attempts to shift the focus of disorder away from a strictly pathological paradigm and towards a social model of disability. What these terms also emphasize is the great variation in the human brain in respect to our mental functions.

"We cannot deny the effects of stigma surrounding the use of labels that are frankly not only insufficient in describing a complex human being, but are discrediting as well" So yeah, the brain and its activities are incredibly varied. Not exactly a shocking conclusion, but one that must be constantly remembered.

Everyone is different, including the people within the same communities, which is why this article should be taken exactly as it is: a simple suggestion on flimsy paper, nothing set in stone, and nowhere near extensive. A suggestion to research and to sensitize, and, more than anything, just an appeal to see every autistic person in front of you as unique, with their own ways, words, and preferences. And all you have to do is listen, trust, and respond accordingly.

I would like to thank Anne van Wendel for our conversation, and her help writing this article.

Dearest Campus, As we draw towards the end of the year and summer term awaits, it seems like better days may be in front of us. The curfew will be coming to an end, and I’m looking forward to warm evenings on the quad with a few beers and a few friends.

This edition we have articles covering issues from the big to the small. Some of our writers look out into world and tackle micro-aggressions, decolonisation, and Autism Awareness. We also have our usual campus based pieces on fraternity controversy, campus buildings, and of course, why Sam likes the movie Whiplash. It takes all kinds to make a student newspaper, and I’m so happy to publish your writing, especiallly as my time as editor-in-chief is drawing to a close.

Yours Always, Stanley Ward Editor-In-Chief

Illustration © Anne van Wendel

It’s been a tumultuous couple of weeks, and perhaps not the best time in the history of our campus, but as the seasons change, I hope this time is behind us. In the penultimate issue of this academic year, The Boomerang has returned to its usual format, and we hope you enjoy what our wonderful writers have submitted to us.

A University College Student Association Magazine

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My Art of Having a Disability: A Rant

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by Chan Hulshof It would be great if people were to get a manual on how to deal with a (diagnosed) physical disability. Don’t get me wrong, by now I believe I’ve got it handled, but I wasn’t always as informed, comfortable, or open about my condition as I am now. I have a chronical bone condition called MHE, and it really fucking sucks. Yet, throughout the past 19 years, numerous surgeries and many, many hospital visits, I have learned a lot about dealing with the cards that I’ve been dealt.

For starters, I have been able to increasingly get strength out of my condition and to find ways around the pain and obstacles it has created. I believe that if it weren’t for the obstacles that my condition has given me to overcome, I would not be at UCU today. This is generally because when I was at high school, I always felt a need to continuously prove myself, and yes, this was super toxic. My yearbook quote was even “They told me I couldn’t, that’s why I did”. I didn’t want to be known as the shortest girl in my school, courtesy of my condition, but I rather wanted to label myself as smart, social, and hardworking. Labelling myself this way has changed my mindset massively, and has undoubtedly brought me as far as this.

Now that I’m here, I realized quite quickly that I am not and cannot be your average student.

Annoyingly so, I’ve increasingly become aware of the lack of concentration and energy I have, which greatly influences the time I have for my academics, social life and sleep. I feel like a lot of people are aware of this triad of choices, and the idea that you can only choose two. I can say that, for me, I can roughly choose one and a half, and therefore it has greatly taught me how to prioritize and how to plan efficiently and effectively. Especially in the past semester, I have been increasingly putting my physical and mental health above all else. It took me a while to realize that I should always put my own needs above others’ and especially above academics.

And with regard to all of you (also to my fellow students with disabilities): work on getting your priorities straight.

You get to decide when enough is enough, how you’re feeling and how to act on these feelings.

I’ve come across this rather often: people judging each other without knowing what is happening in their lives. The amount of times that people, who aren’t aware of my personal circumstances, have been inconsiderate about my not-so-visible disability is uncountable. Every time it made me

feel really bad and simply deficient. Consider these aspects everytime you think something judgmental and clarify to yourself that you don’t know the reasoning behind people’s actions or feelings.

"I believe that if it weren’t for the obstacles that my condition has given me to overcome, I would not be at UCU today" And on a final note, I want to address some of your thoughts you might be having about me or the minority I’m part of. I’m not writing all of this for your pity in any way. I am simply stating the facts as they are in my life and how my condition has impacted me and my experience as a UCU student. This is simply the reality that I live in, which clarifies the casualness and simplicity with which I can speak about it. Once you get used to all that entails being me, it is truly not as bad as it sounds. I think that is possibly my main art of having a disability: just accepting it and moving on.

The Problem of Modern Masculinity

by Ivan Ryan When was the last time you saw a man cry?

I think mine was watching a film a couple of months ago, but even that was acting – far from the real thing. Even during the worst of times, in the middle of a global pandemic, do men even have emotions?

It’s not like our tear ducts were surgically removed, or that a chip was inserted into our heads to deprive us of any feelings, but we do certainly act like this is the case. I’m admittedly not the most masculine of men, however even as a young child I remember being taught how shameful it was to cry. According to the charity 1in6, boys tend to be more emotional than girls as kids yet are often told (or even beaten) to believe that this should not be the case. How can you grow up to be a man if you’re not prepared to be macho and confident all the time?

It’s so much easier to build up walls around yourself, to hide how you’re really feeling behind a face of stone. Shame is one of the most powerful emotions stopping men from expressing how truly vulnerable we are. Some of us even take it upon ourselves to prove our excessive masculinity – whether it be going to the gym an unhealthy amount, being homophobic, excessively drinking or using drugs, or abusing women because they’re perceived as being weaker. It’s men that more often get involved in physical fights because we want to

prove how strong we are. Being a coward simply isn’t possible – that’s the girly thing to do. It’s important that our ideas are heard and put into practice, that’s why we find it so easy to interrupt women, to feel powerful.

" It’s so much easier to isolate yourself when you don’t fit into the gender mould you’ve been taught to follow your whole life" Despite the recent progress towards more gender equality, overpowering masculinity is still so prevalent in our society. There are still more men in politics than women as well as other roles with authority. This country, among many, still hasn’t had a female prime minister. Even at UCU, where a third of campus is male, most of my classmates in my politics and economics courses have been men. There obviously is an underlying fascination with power and wealth here, and I really do think it’s because we’ve been taught that these are the realms that men should excel in.

It’s so difficult to have a conversation about this, especially since talking to men about being vulnerable feels so alien. It’s so much easier to isolate yourself when you don’t fit into the gender mould you’ve been taught to follow your

whole life. Even in an era where mental health and wellbeing are talked about so much, women are almost twice as likely to be diagnosed with a mental disorder, yet men are three-times more likely to commit suicide. There’s clearly something wrong here.

Now I’m not advocating for men to go to some sort of mass therapy, but to at least consider the way modern masculinity has shaped us: whether it be feeling embarrassed about being emotional, or idolising someone for how masculine he is.

Obviously not all men are like this, but I guarantee all of us know of at least one man who is.

Although I’ve attributed many of the issues raised in this article to problems with masculinity, this article is in no way long enough to cover this huge issue in the detail it deserves.

Some of the aforementioned problems might also have different origins, with many of these being particularly difficult to solve, especially because many are so deeply personal. I’m also writing all of this from my own perspective – based on the things that I and those around me have experienced. The one thing I hope this accomplishes however, is getting men to talk more about what they’re feeling and how they’ve been raised, both at home and in society, and what changes we can make. We can disagree on what masculinity means or should mean, but not discussing it all won’t lead us any further for sure.

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The Boomerang | April 2021

BAR BRAWL

Should the Official Language of the UU-Council be Changed to English?

Equal Languages, Equal Opportunities

by Job de Jager I have been asked to explain the reasoning behind our English language preference at University Council Meetings. Ours is a straightforward argument, based on representation and experience.

As of now, the language policy is one of ‘lingua receptiva,’ meaning that everyone speaks ‘their language’, Dutch or English, and all are supposed to understand the other language well enough to fully follow discussions. For those that cannot, interpreters are present.

This sounds adequate on paper, yet the internationals on the council have experienced that this simply does not work.

In VUUR member Andreia’s piece for the DUB, she describes how incredibly difficult it is for someone to learn a new language, to the level of ‘heated debate’. The back-up live-interpreter, while a goodwilled effort, simply means that internationals get what is being said imperfectly and at delay, putting them at a severe disadvantage and effectively removing them from discussions. When we remember that the University Council is supposed to be the representative body of the people working, studying and researching at the UU, then putting anyone at such a disadvantage is simply unacceptable.

It is often argued that instituting English will decrease the quality of debate by depriving Dutch students of the use of their debate strategies. Personally, I would argue that making the representative body available to, you know, everyone it represents, is more important than debate tricks for some. However, if we improve the previous argument a little, something sensible appears. My fellow Dutch would be ‘losing’ the language they can express themselves best in.

This explains the fierce opposition to my position. To me, it seems that the fear consists of three parts. Firstly, students will have difficulty expressing themselves. Second, staff will have extreme difficulties expressing themselves properly. And third, internationals, used to speaking English, will gain an advantage.

All of these suppositions require serious nuance. Firstly, the Dutch are the single best non-native English speakers in the world. We consume incredible amounts of English content each and every day.

Speaking might be difficult at first, but adaptation, due to our exceptional English basis, will be quick. Referring to the second argument, generally, even with this English basis, it is difficult for older people to learn a new language. However, nearly a third of the staff group consists of internationals. Learning to speak the language might be a bit harder, but will allow significantly more people to participate.

Finally, switching to English will not give a significant advantage to internationals in the University Council. If all had English as their mother tongue, there would be an advantage. This is not the case: none of the international Council-members primarily spoke English prior to coming to the UU, just like us Dutch. Instituting English would simply equalize opportunities.

In conclusion, I am of the opinion that the English language should be instituted on the University Council, as this will allow all UU’ers to participate in the bodies that represent them. This will not grant an unfair advantage to internationals, as the Dutch are well-versed in English, and the internationals are mostly non-native English speakers. It will simply grant us all a voice.

The official language of the U-Council: a battle between realism and idealism

by Friso Tangenberg The nation state is dead. A Nietzschean phrasing of something many students at this college would love to proclaim. We are predominantly ‘Dutch’, ‘Chinese’ or ‘Brazilian’ no more. On the contrary, we are all part of the same universal community that is the cosmopolis. All of us are ‘Cosmopolitans’ and, thus, we share a common culture and, most importantly, we share a single language - most likely English. A theoretical ideal I find appealing; at least, it isn’t something I am against per se.

However, the fact of the matter is that this theoretical ideal is still just that: theoretical. Despite the Dutch student’s high average level of proficiency in English, many of them are limited to talking about simple things such as hobbies, daily life and the like. They cannot adequately express themselves discussing politics or other academic topics, especially considering all the concomitant intricacies and nuances. It was argued - in a discussion on Facebook - that all Dutch students are supposed to master the English language on a B2 or C1 level, but this is once again a very theoretical approach to reality: in truth, many Dutch students would not be able to debate in English.

I believe those arguing in favour of having English as the official language did not take into account the multitude of arguments I put forward: too many Dutch students and employees (2020-2021: 22 vs. 2) won’t be able to debate comfortably, won’t be able to nuance their arguments as much as they would otherwise and thus, the overall professionalism and effectivity of the council would significantly decrease. Proof for this is that even highly educated professors at UCU have difficulties expressing themselves, especially with regards to details or uncommon situations in which their vocabulary is simply insufficient. This would be a common occurrence in debates dealing with detailed policy proposals.

When I pointed these things out, I was accused of invalidating the experiences of internationals, of being ‘right-wing’ or ‘nationalistic’, whereas these are very essential practical considerations. It has occured to me before that the relation between idealism and pragmatism/realism is out of balance for some people, in my opinion. Is it truly so strange to have Dutch as the official language, considering the aforementioned arguments and the fact that only two out of 24 members were international? Is it truly not inclusive, when a system of interpretation and translation works perfectly for the European Parliament? Wouldn’t it be more exclusive and inefficient to switch to English, when the vast majority of the U-Council and the student body is most comfortable in Dutch and not as comfortable in English (or simply even unable to understand it)?

There is much more to this discussion I simply cannot fit into an article of 500 words (how Dutch universities are funded and the responsibility universities have towards Dutch students as a result, for instance), but on a finishing note I would like to urge everyone to think about the following.

Yes, UCU is very international but it is not, and I repeat, it is not a good representation of society at all. And I would say that’s positive, but it also requires you to be critical of yourself: “Are my ideals, my ideas, my abilities and - importantly - my privileges common outside of UCU?”. I hope your answer to this will lead you to a path of reflection, to understanding that things, among which UU, should be tailored to everyone’s needs. For that very reason, we should maybe postpone the proclamation of the nation state’s death, considering its consequences.

A University College Student Association Magazine

Agony Aunt 1) How do I tell my friend that their significant other hangs out with them too much?

Dear Anon, I got you, here is what you should know before anything else: Most if not all relationships have a stage of intense infatuation, which can come with spending a lot of time together.

Yes, couples often don’t see how much time they are spending with each other as much as third parties, but that might be because their relationship is working very well that way.

I know it’s hard to understand, because you would maybe manage your time differently between your friends and significant others, but everyone has different needs! So if this couple doesn’t work if they see each other only at the end of their days for now, let that be. Plus, trust me, it’s a phase. It could be two weeks or a year, but the love birds will need change too at some point. Your position in this situation is to first understand this fact.

Secondly, question yourself: are you worried for your friend, or are you worried for you, and perhaps your friendship? Whichever it is, your worries are valid and they do have a 4-lettered solution for you. No, it’s not love (at least not only), it’s talk. If you are worried for your friend, then ask them gently whether they realize how much time they are spending with the significant other, without problematizing it or guilt tripping. It’s your observation as a supportive friend, and you want to know how that is going.

If you are worried about you and your friendship, then talk about it too! Don’t keep it all inside, because that way, you’ll only build up all your frustrations, which will be more damaging than anything else. Be honest with your friend about how you're feeling. Say that you feel like you haven’t seen them in a while and would like to spend more time together and that you would prefer to have some time for the two of you. Again, no guilt tripping!

The most important thing is that you and your friend demonstrate you care about each other.

The friendship with you and their romantic relationship are not two things that compete for your friend, in fact they are two equally important components of their life and talking it through conscientiously can only make it better for everyone.

2) My unitmate keeps having very loud sex on weeknights at around 11pm and I cannot look them in the eye in the

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morning and I don’t know how to bring it up with them. Help.

Dear Anon, Ah, a classic problem. There are a number of ways you can deal with this, but it depends of course on your personality which one suits you best. First of all, though, it is so important to remember this is your house too. Yes, of course, your unitmate is allowed to have sex in their room. But if it makes you uncomfortable and if it happens often, you are allowed to express this too.

A great way of dealing with this if you are scared to confront them directly is to do it through other unitmates. Maybe you could confide in one of them - perhaps one with a room close as well - and ask them if they can bring it up. We’re a bit later in the year now, so this might not be as effective anymore, but especially at the start of the year, it is always great to test how much you can hear from each other’s room with your unit, just as a head’s up that people know how much you will hear.

Otherwise, you can bring it up indirectly by talking about how thin the walls are, or asking your unitmate if they ever hear you when you are in your room, because you feel like these rooms are not very soundproof. Usually, this gets the message across pretty well.

Living Deliciously

by Veere Boucher Allow me to get mildly controversial in the next 500 words. Is anyone else getting a bit sick of the ‘quick-and-easy’ trend? Though of course, it’s not a trend, but rather an irreversible and inescapable tidal wave of quickness and easiness, flowing over all the blogs and cooking shows alike. Have you ever been able to watch an English-language program without being continually assured that whatever it is they’re doing up there is soooo simple and sooo incredibly fast? Bonus points if it’s definitely neither! These people will cook a lobster, grill asparagus on the side and poach quails eggs before serving it with home-grown herbs while raving about the sheer simplicity of the dish.

Excuse me?

I’ve come across too many cooking instructions downright apologising for their recipes taking time and being even slightly complicated. How did we get here? Since when - and why – is it so important that cooking takes no time or effort? With only 20 years on this earth, I can only guess that there seem to be very few people that are actually interested in cooking.

I have a feeling that it started with people like

Jamie Oliver and Nigella Lawson in the early 2000’s, famously making 15-minute meals (lies!) and simplifying dishes. In any case, it’s getting to me.

" I’ve come across too many cooking instructions downright apologising for their recipes taking time and being even slightly complicated" Of course, it is completely fine to have some content geared towards those with little time and busy lives. Women have started working, leaving much less space and time for domestic duties like cooking. People have jobs and children. Studying. I get it. But there’s a real fear of complicated recipes in the recipe-writing world!

And with it, a complete lack of knowledge of how difficult recipes actually are. I can think of no other reason for the continued existence of cake mixes (and the surprise and impressedness with home-made pies and cakes). Or for all five-ingredient recipes. How many ingredients were we using before? And let’s not forget

the endless barrage of spice mixes that are just tomato, onion and garlic powder.

It’s like we are pushing food in as small a box of time as we can get it, which is a shame. At least to me. I could say something about how not very long ago, human lives revolved around food and shelter. Or about how it’s what keeps us alive. Or some other deep truth about our connection to food. But I won’t! Because, being honest, this is about me really enjoying, finding peace and creativity in, and being mildly obsessed with cooking and food. And I would like the same for others. So maybe I am biased and completely wrong about there being any problem, and everybody is having an absolute blast lying to themselves about how quick, simple, difficult or slow food is. However, I will end this rant with a humble plea for cooking to be allowed some time in your life – if only once a week. And to food writers: please, please show us some long-as-hell, difficult recipes. I pinky promise we’ll survive.

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The Boomerang | April 2021

Important Opinions on Important Movies

by Sam de Visser Drums go Brrrrrr People often ask me what my favourite movie is, and the answer is mostly the same: Whiplash (Damien Chazelle, 2014). Those of you who’ve seen Whiplash probably know that that’s quite a safe choice—I think it’s a very good movie that also plays it kind of safe. It doesn’t do much to truly ‘revolutionise’ or ‘innovate’ cinema, nor does it experiment with new techniques or concepts or whatever. It simply is a very, very good film, but for some reason I put Whiplash on a pedestal over everything else I’ve seen.

Whiplash is an immersive, electric experience, brimming with energy brought to it by both Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons, the two main leads. The story is simple: young drummer in a New York jazz conservatory wants to become the best, wants to be taught by the best teacher, but the best teacher “doesn’t believe in compliments” and is generally abusive, driving the protagonist to his limit (“Whiplash doesn’t understand music,” one of my friends lamented once). And it tells that story well. In fact, Whiplash is near-flawless, a gorgeous masterpiece, but as I’ve said, it also doesn't really bring anything extra to the table.

It's just a great movie that tells a great story. It lacks the incredible emotional depth or visual spectacle that some of my other favourites have.

"For some reason I put Whiplash on a pedestal over everything else I’ve seen" But I vividly remember watching Whiplash for the first time, now more than six years ago, taking a deep breath and trying to take in what the fuck just happened. I was fourteen at the time, did not have a lot of movie experience. At the risk of sounding like a pretentious asshat, I just didn't know a lot about cinema and what it could actually do, I just thought it was cool.

This movie was the one that made me realise that hey, cinema can make someone experience a whole lot of emotions and immerse someone in a whole lot of different worlds and people. And yeah, maybe Whiplash wasn't even supposed to evoke that kind of emotion, and I know I’ve used this exact rhetoric before when talking about Fight Club—but Whiplash just felt different in a way I can’t explain, because one of my main points of writing this entire column is that sometimes we just really like things that

aren’t objectively the greatest, because why not?

After watching this for the first time in February 2015, I rewatched it almost a year later on Blu-Ray, almost back-to-back for some reason I still don't understand. That rewatch kicked off an almost two-year spree of watching at least one movie a week, sometimes more.

Watching films, reading about films and writing about films became my primary pastime for a while, until school finally got the better of me in early 2018 and it kind of winded down. In many ways, it was Whiplash that turned “haha movie” into my biggest hobby and primary personality trait. I don't know why, I don't know how, but it did. I'm not gonna say that if I never watched this, my life would have been entirely different - because I'm pretty sure that at that point in time, any movie on the same level as Whiplash could've clicked that realisation for me. But it also so happened to be that it was Whiplash that caused that click, this beautiful masterpiece of a movie. Go see it. Or not. That’s kind of my point—everyone has their favourites, but they don’t have to be the quantifiably greatest movies of all time. You just have to enjoy them.

Drugs, Sex, and Pasta Pesto: Looking back on three years of mental health and student life at UCU by Noor van Asseldonk Chen Do I have any authority to be writing about mental health and student life at UCU? Probably not. Am I going to do it anyway? Absofucking-lutely. A little because I have a bit of an ego, but mostly because I just wish I had someone tell me most of these things before I started my own journey in our little bubble.

With a thesis looming and a post-UCU life to think about, it’s nuts to realize that my three years at UCU are almost over. So here you go: a far-from-comprehensive, slightly patronizing, but definitely no-bullshit guide to the little things that matter. Because despite the world being batshit crazy right now, you are still just a kid in uni. #1: You’ll spend more time alone in your room being sad than you think And that is honestly very much okay. I remember starting UCU thinking I was going to be the most outgoing personality, you know, the kind of person that smiles all the time and is friends with everyone. It took me two-ish semesters and a fair amount of rejections to understand that I am definitely not that kind of person, and likely never will be. I used to feel bad about the hours spent sulking away in my swampy depression room, but have now come to accept that that’s just something I need every once in a while. The difference between first

year me and third year me is that I’ve normalized things like alone-time and boundary-setting for myself. The perk of making peace with parts of my personality I don’t necessarily like means that I can now be honest with my friends about how I’m really feeling. The generic “everything is fine” has become more of a “I’ve had better days but it’ll pass.” It’s great. #2: People want to help you (if you want to be helped) I’ve lost count of the amount of times I’ve sent my tutor/psychologist/professors completely unhinged emails mid-nervous breakdown. I know not everyone feels comfortable sharing bad news or asking for help, but the fact remains that the people around you most likely will always want to help if you’re willing and able to reach out. It feels awkward and embarrassing to send an email asking for an extension if you feel like you need one, but it’s a relief when you realize professors would rather not read a rushed garbage paper full of typos anyways.

Three years of exams, deadlines, and stress means you’ll learn to recognize when and how you need help. This means you’ll probably get better at knowing how to help others help you too. Good stuff, right?

#3: Eat pasta pesto as often as you feel like and don’t let anyone make you feel bad about it Replace eating pasta pesto with any other habit you’ve developed as result of #adulting and you’ve got yourself a rule to live by. You’re doing the best you can with the most you’ve got, so don’t be intimidated by that one healthfreak unitmate always making some Ottolenghi recipe or that one friend who for some reason always has enough money to buy organic oatmilk. Buon appetito and live your own little joys. #4: Lame is the new Cool Get your drugs tested and use protection.

This isn’t the 90s anymore and it’s not that cool or funny to accidentally OD or get chlamydia. Be honest when you’re greening out or feel like your friends hate you even though you know it’s probably irrational. Talk about that anime you’ve recently gotten into with that one sorority girl who always seemed bitchy. Go on runs with your athletic friend and make them run at your snail pace just because. Indulge yourself when it comes to the things you really like and care about, even when you think they’re lame. People that are open about their passions and interests will always be cooler than posers, anyway.

A University College Student Association Magazine

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The Art of the Jab: An overview of the mechanisms of COVID-19 vaccines by Vela Kaluđerovic The search for a vaccine against COVID-19 is reminiscent of the Cold War ‘Space Race’.

Unlike then, there are hundreds of competitors vying for the opportunity of the scientific breakthrough of a generation. Countries such as my own, Serbia, have governments which purchased vaccines from around the world: Pfizer, Moderna, Sinopharm… They all differ in terms of efficacy (how well a vaccine performs in trial conditions) and effectiveness (how efficacy trials translate into in real-world conditions), however, it is also interesting to look at the different mechanisms that underpin them.

Vaccines work by exposing our bodies to molecules belonging to specific pathogens in order to trigger an immune response. These molecules are called ‘antigens’ – in the case of the SARS-CoV-2 virus they are the spiky proteins studding the viruses surface. The ways we are exposed to them by the vaccines differ, and can, for simplicity, be grouped into three categories: Whole Virus, Nucleic Acid and Viral Vector. Thus far, all vaccine alternatives require two doses in order to adequately prime an immune system to respond.

Our acquired immune response (simplified): An antigen-presenting cell spots a virus, engulfs it and presents the antigen to T-helper cells. They relay the details to B-cells, which produce antibodies to fend off the virus. Some B-cells differentiate into memory cells, which contain antigen information long-term, in case the virus is once again spotted in the body and a response can be triggered at a much higher rate. A type of T-cell, T-killer, is also involved in the process of seeking out and destroying cells which a virus had already infected.

Illustration © Tara Sitindjak

Whole (Inactivated) Virus Vaccines such as China’s Sinopharm use this approach, arguably the most conventional one.

They use an inactivated SARS-CoV-2, where its genetic material has been destroyed, meaning it cannot cause the virus if given to an individual with a normal-functioning immune system. Despite being genetically inactive, these viruses do still contain elements our immune system can respond to. Since they cannot infect cells, they can only trigger an antibody-mediated response, which could be weaker and less long-term. In order to minimize this limitation, the vaccine is given alongside adjuvants: molecules which further stimulate the immune response. Booster shots may also be required over time.

Nucleic Acid Vaccines such as Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna use a novel approach and are so-called ‘RNA vaccines’. The DNA the virus normally contains goes through a process called transcription, whereby it is turned into ‘messenger RNA’ which can be used to make protein spikes.

These vaccines take on a very direct approach, aiming to insert spike protein building blocks, the mRNA, directly into the cells. Once it enters the cells, they translate the mRNA into the spike proteins. The spikes are then visible on the cells, which then get recognized by our immune system and trigger the immune response. Since mRNA is very fragile and easily recognizable by our innate immune system (which would destroy it without giving the body a chance to identify it as COVID-19), it is wrapped in an oily ‘bubble’ made of lipids, which guard its identity until it has already entered a cell.

The strengths of these vaccines could be that they are easier and safer to produce (they don’t require any host, it is only the spike protein building blocks that are injected into individuals, wrapped in aforementioned lipid bubbles).

Weaknesses include the novelty of the method, as researchers do not know for sure how long the protection actually lasts. The vaccines also require uninterrupted refrigeration at an extremely low temperature of -70°C, which poses a big issue in terms of vaccine distribution.

Viral Vector Vaccines such as Oxford-AstraZeneca and Russia’s Sputnik V use this approach. In short, they use a harmless virus – an adenovirus which mostly causes symptoms of the common

cold, to deliver instructions to our body on how to produce antigens. You will not be able to get a cold from it, since all the genes of the adenovirus which cause those symptoms are removed, and replaced with genes (DNA) for COVID spike proteins. The adenovirus is taken up by the cells, where it pushes the spike protein DNA into the nucleus. It is engineered so that it can only make copies of these proteins and not of itself. The spike protein DNA then gets copied into mRNA, which leaves the nucleus so it can tell other molecules of the cell to translate it into spike proteins. Like with nucleic acid vaccines, our own cellular mechanisms are used to create the proteins and trigger an immune response.

These vaccines mimic a normal infection, therefore triggering a strong immune response (since the body is dealing with a whole virus instead of just the spike proteins). Adenovirus-based vaccines are rugged, as they contain DNA which is stronger in structure than RNA. The AV’s surface also further protects the DNA inside, meaning it can be refrigerated and does not have to be kept in the uninterrupted, extremely low temperatures vaccines such as Pfizer require. This makes distribution much easier. However, it is unclear how long immunity lasts, especially in the case of Sputnik V, since no scientific papers with full details of the trials have been published as of yet.

There is obviously no best fit in terms of how these different mechanisms hold up when immunizing populations. There seems to be little communication between the governments and companies that are producing them, leading us into a generation where ‘Vaccine Capitalism’ is just a fact of life. It would undoubtedly become clearer which way we need to go if there was a unified effort to cure a disease which has changed the very structure of society.

6

The Boomerang | April 2021

QUAD QUERIES “What's the first to thing you're going do after 10 pm”

“Just get hella drunk like usual to be honest”

“not get stalked

by M Diederix anymor aarten e”

– Niels

– Steijn

“Streak the quad” – Rafaella

as"

“midnight macc – Noor “Have a good BB Q that goes on for way too long, and possibly let it escalate until everyone is drunk” - Ba rend

“Walk to the gate near prinshendriklaan at 2am with a brick and wait for a car to

“I wanna fucking go out, that’s what I wanna do”

– Vanessa

drive by, legally”-

Arnoud

“kiddie behavior” – Noor [Boomerang]

"Take out the trash" it

- no-one in Stan’s un

rowb"ackth # y d o b ’s m grass “Sa “Touch thursday" a &aGin min illeG - W–

THE BOOMERANG BOARD Stanley Ward | Editor-in-Chief Giulia Martinez-Brenner | Managing Editor Ivan Ryan | Executive Editor Sam de Visser | Executive Editor Khoa Tran | Layout Manager Sofie Ryan | Art Director Senan Cullinane | PR Manager

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

It comes out eight times a year.

This is the seventh issue of the academic