Like every academic year, UCR welcomed many new faces this August. This year however, instead of just welcoming new students, it also welcomed a new Dean. Professor Bert van den Brink already introduced himself to the students last semester when he hosted the Elliott Pub Quiz, however now that he is here, Tabula Rasa’s…
City Guide: A Day in the Life of Amsterdam
Many of us travel far away to explore the most exotic places on our little planet. We go through the hassle of flying to other continents and packing huge bags. It would be so much easier if we did not have to travel that far to gain new experiences. What if I told you…
How To Trick Yourself Into Thinking You’re An Artsy Student™
Somehow you did not end up living that artsy student life in Berlin or London, taking your coursework on the tube, instagramming a different take-away breakfast everyday. When people ask you to justify your choice for Middelburg, you stutter that your university looks just like Hogwarts. Under your breath you ask yourself if that…
“Southside With You” (2016): The Love Story of Michelle and Barack Obama
As our semester is coming to end, so is our year, and I become increasingly nostalgic over the past 12 months and its ‘big moments’. This year was characterized by some massive global changes, one of which did not strike lightly. When we learned that Donald Trump would soon replace Barack Obama as president…
Upcoming: A Complete Line-Up For Student Festival Stukafest
By Joëlle Koorneef There’s quite some things in this city we, as students, can call our own. There’s the beautiful university buildings, common house Elliott, and all of our campuses. They’re our little safe spaces that we can create our own community in. But, sometimes we need to break away from our bubble and mingle…
Rock & Roll – How Rocks May Provide A Solution For Global Warming
Those of you that have not lived under a rock for the last fifteen years – or are massive Trump supporters – know that climate change is a big deal. The biggest force driving the increase in temperature is not Hillary Clinton or the mainstream media, but an increase in CO2 in the atmosphere. Like…
The Christmas Plays: an ode to all the talented playwrights of UCR
It’s no secret that writing is a big part of a UCR student’s life. It is therefore also not weird that UCR knows many talented writers. The THEATRA board experienced just how talented they are just a few weeks ago, because every year, we host an event called the Christmas Plays. It’s pretty self-explanatory. They’re…
Serenitea: organic, vegan and homely
Serenitea is a charming coffee, breakfast and lunch house in Middelburg. Located behind Profiel the bike shop, it took over the former kebab salon Saray and brought a completely different dynamic into play. Serenitea presents itself as a comfortable organic/local foods café, which wants to make the world a better place. They have a little…
Meet The Team #1 – Linda Termaten
By Marije Sluiskes Have you ever wondered who deals with your exchange/IRP/additional semester requests? Who is responsible for all tuition fee payments? Who makes sure that broken lights are being changed? It’s the UCR staff! We don’t always realize it, but UCR consists of more than just students and faculty. Without its staff this place…
Plato, Bruce & Beyoncé: Three UCR Professors share their music inspirations
We sometimes forget that professors are also people. They have feelings too, interests and a personal life. In the classroom we only experience their teacher persona… not their actual personality. I interviewed three of my professors to experience what they are like outside of the classroom: professors Van Overveld, Tijsterman and Morris. Because it indicates…
Brooklyn Nine-Nine: From now on you can call me…. Velvet Thunder…
As I look around, I see tiredness in all our eyes. We’re getting to the end of the Fall semester and the weather is not helping with keeping the smiles on our faces. Therefore I chose my favourite comedy show to praise this week, to hopefully bring a little humour back into these dark busy…
Reach For The Stars: A Visit To The Star Observatory
Middelburg is famous for many things; its slave trade, its bolussen and the Lange Jan, but the town was also host to the inventor of the telescope (there’s some debate on who it was, just take a Van Gent course). However, it is because of this invention that Middelburg has its own star observatory, located…
US Elections 2016: Reactions from the UCR community
By Annick Wijnstra & Eden van der Moere For many it came as a complete surprise: Republican presidential candidate Donald J. Trump won the 2016 US elections. After 1,5 years of campaigning, debating, and polling, the battle between Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and Trump has come to an end. A rather unexpected end: most preliminary…
How To Get The Most Out Of Your Popronde 2016
If you came to UCR expecting Middelburg to have the wildest music scene and nightlife you might often be quite disappointed. But once in a while, this city proves you wrong and holds amazing festivals like N8vdN8, Stukafest, or Popronde. This Thursday the 10th of November Popronde is celebrating their 10th anniversary. Bars all…
D-Day 2016: Election Night at UCR
The one topic that has been dominating the news cycle for the past year will finally come to a conclusion – and soon. I’m talking about the American presidential election, and the battle between candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. In order to make sure that you are completely up to date on the happenings…
Black Mirror: A Slightly Creepy Feeling
Hello dear readers and co-watchers, I have a brand new show for you to watch this week and seeing as I myself only watched it this break, my enthusiasm is Fresh and New. The show is called Black Mirror and it is a little bit different than the stuff I normally watch because it’s an…
Leiden City Guide
Students know it well: there’s only one train track leaving Zeeland and it can take you to many, many great places in the Netherlands – when the train actually goes on time, that is. But when you grow tired of our little town or when you’re yearning for a little adventure, the train leaving Middelburg can…
Chambers of Secrets: UCR Exposed!
By Daan Brok & Gerjanne Hoek Have you ever wondered what worlds hide beyond the boring classrooms we inhabit all week? Or, to be more precise: what lies under and above? So have we. In all our main campus buildings, there’s a bunch of spaces students normally never get to see. And being the young explorers…
Upcoming: N8VDN8 2016 @ Middelburg
By Eden van der Moere Every year on a cold Saturday in October, the city of Middelburg is covered in darkness. The lights on the street are dark, the restaurants burn candles on their tables and the city center is full with people. This Saturday, October 29th, the city will once again transform into a…
Calais: All in all it’s just another brick in the wall
While the news coverage of the refugee crisis might have slowed down; the refugees are still trying to settle somewhere, with many more still fleeing the terrors that face them in their homelands. Trying to find a better, safer, and more secure life in Europe, the struggles along the way have only increased from the…