By Junghyun Song As a student myself, I tend to think and write about the problems arising from online learning only from the perspectives of students. But a single narrative is dangerous as we do not get the full picture of how different groups are affected differently by the pandemic. As such, I figured that…
Humans of UCR: Derin
By Maud Smulders I’m a dude, who lives in Bagijnhof 3. Occasionally I cook things, I love making people food. Well, not make people-food, but make food for people. I wouldn’t make people-food unless someone asked me that as their deathwish. Recently, I made a hot sauce and people seemed to like it. Then I…
We Need to Talk about Mental Health
By Marco Segantini After writing about the value of cartoons and some of my favorite movies in my previous articles for Tabula Rasa, it seems strange to now sit and write about mental health. I almost wish I could be here writing about “The great friendship between Teddy and the dragon” (those that attended the Budget…
The Summer Break in ‘The New Normal’
By Junghyun Song The summer break this year was certainly nothing like the one we have had before. With all the uncertainties ushered in by the novel coronavirus, it has been very challenging to make our normal plans and execute them the way we used to. As such, I thought it was time to ask…
Reflection on My Unforgettable Spring Semester
By Junghyun Song When I got an email in March that all the classes would be canceled for the week, I was more relieved than shocked because I was not ready for my mid-term exams. Also, the gravity of the virus situation did not fully strike me at the time, so I naively believed that…
The Power of a Simple “Thank You”
By Eva Kloppenborg My time at UCR is regretfully coming to an end. Soon, my three years spent in this beautiful bubble will become a memory that I will look back at with a wistful sense of nostalgia. Over the years there have been many hurdles, many doubts and many nightly feelings of a gnawing…
Fill the Void
By Justin Kist Now is not the time to rest your weary head. As we are kilometers apart, ranging from a few to some thousands, life continues. The world turns and so does UCR. Assignments, exams, and projects still exist. In a different set-up, yes, but it still continues. Like UCR always seems to do….
The Pixels of a UCR Quaranscreen
By Luna Erica “Go to sleep,” someone says. You find your bed, and everything goes black. When the light floods into your field of vision again, you see the sun rising through your window. It is square. This is Minecraft. Now that our “real lives” are compromised, UCR students have taken to digital lives as…
Well, fuck.
by Mathilde Eon It has been over two weeks since UCR closed the doors of its classrooms to students, teachers and staff. I remember hearing cheers outside my Bagijnhof house as I was reading the email announcing the decision of management. Next week’s classes and exams were cancelled until further notice, the night was still…
Bit Bored? Big Board. (part 2)
By Luna Erica In the first article of this short series, we discussed the general technicalities of the different boards and their elections. In this second half, we hear the boards’ stories about motivation, skills, and social life during their board years. Six members of current big boards have shared their experiences to be broadcast…
Bit Bored? Big Board. (part 1)
By Luna Erica Bit bored -> big board? Well, not necessarily. As the spring semester creeps up on our stressed, fetal-posed bodies, the UCR election season bowls into view. Every year, the boards we have grown to see as invincible entities submerge back into the sea of other students. Then, a few lucky fish swim…
The Thunder Down Under: Stories of an Exchange in Australia
By Luna Erica Going on exchange can be tiresome and is, no doubt about it, a lot of work. In the past, this has discouraged heaps of people from going at all – a fact that is not an absolute waste (after all, UCR isn’t that bad, right?), but that may have been a dream…
Longer Semesters: The Pro’s and Con’s
By Anja Hermann UCR’s summer holiday lasts around three months and the winter 6 weeks, making the semester a 15-week intensive period for both students and staff. Both groups have questioned whether the heavy workload and semester length is contributing to stress and anxiety. If the length of the semester were to change, it…
Life after UCR: Part 2
By Anja Herrmann This is a continuation from the previous article, Life after UCR Part 1. In this sequel, UCR alumni talk more about their experience at UCR, what they would have done differently, what societies they were involved in, and more! Amélie Snijders Graduated in 2019, majored in Politics and Law and minored in…
Life after UCR: Part 1
By Anja Herrmann At UCR, you are confronted with so many opportunities and subjects that it can be hard to pick the ones you want to do in the time frame of just three years- and when you finally draw near to the finish line of a 3 year marathon, you get hit with these…
The Case for Joining LinkedIn
By Anja Herrmann Getting LinkedIn should not only appeal to UCR students, but any student in college. Whether you’re in your 1st, 3rd, or last semester, LinkedIn is a door-opener to whichever career you want to pursue during and after your university studies. Most students at UCR already have LinkedIn, which is amazing! But for…
Going Global: An Overview of the UCR Exchange Process
By Luna Erica The semester is well on its way, and for many first- and third-semester students that means that a decision is coming up: Will you apply for an exchange semester? At UCR Open Days, the possibility of an exchange semester is often emphasized as a very exciting element of your studies in Middelburg….
UCR Students Over the Summer Break
Edited by Anja Herrmann While catching up on lost sleep was on top of this summer’s agenda for most people, UCR students will always have additional activities up their sleeve. On my quest to find these stories, I have heard about visits to a wide array of countries rich in history, attempts to finally…
Should We Be Paying for Our Coffee?
By Anja Herrmann Ah, yes- the infamous energy generator that sits idly by in Eleanor and at the very top of Franklin. We can almost hear our calling to get up and just get one, just one more cup of coffee. But based on our impressive eye bags and the decision-making of our last two…
Trials and Tribulations of the First Semester
By Anja Hermann Welcome to Zeeland! You made it to this distant “village” known as Middelburg near the edge of Europe, whether you took a 2-3 hour journey via the NS train, a ride in your parent’s car or took a 6-24 hour flight. You have arrived at this small place that some of your…