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Fall Funk

As the rain pours down and a gloomy grey consumes the sky, there is little motivation to leave the bed. The fall funk: a period of hibernation consisting of Netflix binges, oversized hoodies, and no desire to participate in any form of physical activity. I have found that the only way to combat fall funk is through a concept of the same name: Fall Funk. With ten songs from every decade ranging back to the 1920s, Fall Funk is a playlist powerful in its ability to eradicate any of that melancholy and gloom threatening to consume you in the coming months. 

1929
When You’re Smiling (The Whole World Smiles With You) – Louis Armstrong
A song that will put a smile on your face – in no time, you will be skipping around in the rain with an umbrella in hand. Armstrong preaches the message that the joy you emanate will be reflected in everything around you. Let the sweet sound of the trumpet take you back to the 1920s, perhaps at a jazz bar in New York City, as you watch the world go by. 

1939
Over the Rainbow – Judy Garland 
Garland’s melody expresses the message that beyond the rain lies a place bereft of clouds or trouble. Written for the classic film Wizard of Oz, Over the Rainbow gives a sense of innocence and adventure shown by Dorothy throughout her adventures in Oz. To spook up your October, watch the film and find yourself in a land of witches, scarecrows, and tin men. 

1944
In the Mood – Glenn Miller
In the Mood will put you in the mood – perhaps for a night out, or an evening spent grooving in the comfort of your apartment. Miller’s big band-era tune stirs up nostalgia, giving you the feeling of sailing across the San Francisco Bay on a yacht, drinking cocktails galore and swing dancing until dawn. 

1958
Rockin’ Robin – Bobby Day
Blurring the lines between pop and R&B, this smash hit begins with an upbeat rhythm accompanied by the mimicked sound of chirping birds. Bring yourself back to the decade of Grease, hand jiving your way through high school proms and county fairs. 

1965
Do You Believe in Magic – The Lovin’ Spoonful
This groovy tune will have you bouncing around in no time. An anthem expressing the power of music and love, The Lovin Spoonful’s timeless hit is sure to get you out of your October gloom and take you to the 1960s, into a decade of innovation, counterculture, and activism.

1975
Blame It on the Boogie – The Jacksons
This banger will get your head bopping and your feet twisting as you find yourself dancing along to The Jackson’s tune. Watch the music video to truly understand what it means to blame it on the boogie.

1985
Everybody Wants To Rule The World – Tears for Fears
A new wave song incorporating guitar solos and melody shifts, Tears for Fears’ classic was released in a decade defined by shoulder pads and leg warmers. Take yourself back to the era of Stranger Things, dancing through shopping malls and roller skating rinks.

1990
Doo Wop (That Thing) – Edit – Ms. Lauryn Hill
Influenced by R&B and soul, Ms. Lauryn Hill’s tune will have you on your feet in seconds, ready to take on the day no matter how grey the sky is outside. A female rap anthem inspired by doo-wop music of the 1950s, this song will have you prepared for anything coming your way. 

2002
Rock Your Body – Justin Timberlake
JT knows how to get you out of a funk and into a FUNK. Let your hips shake, fingers snap, and body rock to this gem of a song. Netflix can wait- getting down to this song can’t. 

2019
Patience – Tame Impala
Arguably the greatest bop of 2019, Patience is the essence of Funk. The lyrics discuss the phases we go through and the inevitability of change. If Fall Funk can’t get you out of bed, let one piece of advice from the final song ring through- have patience, fall funk will pass, as it does every year. 

Author: Gigi
Editor: Kat
Illustrator: Clara

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Help building up a Zero Hunger Generation! – October 16th: World Food Day

‘Shellfish or selfless’, today is the perfect opportunity to reflect on our eating habits since October 16th is the annual World Food Day (WFD)! WFD is celebrated every year to raise more public awareness about the global hunger that is still affecting many people as population growth has outpaced the development of food production and distribution. People from around the globe come together to declare their commitment to reducing starvation by organising and participating in events and activities. 

WFD is established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and since 1981 WFD has been honoured with different themes each year to emphasise the issues that need to be addressed. This year, FAO created the theme ‘#ZeroHungerWorld’, aiming to build up a Zero Hunger Generation and creating awareness about how important it is to eat healthy and well-balanced. I believe this concept is really important as it speaks to today’s generation and stimulates involvement in building a future where everyone can be well-nourished. 

There are many ways to celebrate WFD and every little contribution helps. Together we will be able to improve the self-sustainability in more countries. To show the endless amount of choices, I will recommend some methods to honour WFD:

1. Donating food and/or money to charities is an effective way as you are lending a helping hand. It may seem useless, but it actually has an immense impact on world hunger. Organization ‘Food for All’ raised 60 million dollars last year by having customers donate a few dollars.

2. It’s also a great moment to reflect on our eating and recycling habits since unnecessary food waste is the main reason that people in poverty are undernourished. To waste less food, the Dutch website ‘wereldvoedselsdag.com’ has an article that encourages people to be more thoughtful about food by planning meals beforehand, making grocery lists and paying attention to the expiry dates. Be aware of what you eat and what you buy to maintain a healthy eating lifestyle!

3. There are also applications that stimulate the no-waste lifestyle. One of them is called ‘Too good to go’, giving companies and restaurants a platform where they can sell leftovers or soon to be expired food for a cheap price, aiming to waste as little as possible.  

4. If media is more your element, you can share the #WorldFoodDay video from FAO on social media to inspire others to have healthy diets and spread awareness about this organisation. Not only does it plan events across 150 countries, but it also provides recipes and different dietary guidelines that can help you make healthy eating a way of life.

5. There are many festivals and events planned in the Netherlands in name of the WFD  such as ‘Youth World Food Day’ in Ede and ‘World Food Day-Festival’ in Den Bosch. Rotterdam celebrates it even bigger and holds a three-day long festival named ‘World Food Festival’ (WFF). It’s publicly accessible and focuses on food production and its origin. Although it may be too late to get tickets now, most of them are organised annually so definitely check it out next time!

In conclusion, there are plenty of choices to celebrate WFD in your preferred style. Whether you donate or attend a festival to learn more about food, this day was created to heighten people’s awareness of an aspect that may seem usual to us but is actually rare in some countries. Being able to eat whenever we want, whatever we want is a privilege and a fundamental human right that should belong to everyone around the globe. 

‘Our actions are our future so let’s strive for a Zero Hunger Generation!’

Author: Gwendolyne
Editor: Kat

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Humans of IBCoM: Ana, PR in IBCoMagazine

First-term has almost ended, second-year students are working on their CVs and first-years are studying for their first exams. For this reason, I have decided to make an interview with Ana (21) who finished her internship and currently a third-year student. 

Ana comes from Macedonia where is a collectivistic country where  “everybody is together”. Her relationships with family members and friends occupy a significant place in her life: “I dedicate myself for my closest people”, Ana said, “Also ‘love’ overall… my motive is to spread the love”. In addition to the importance she gives to interpersonal relationships, Ana is a very ambitious person and highly focused on her goals. She tries to do her best when it comes to her career and works hard for what she dreams of. 

Ana is really enthusiastic about the PR industry and her interest in this business is coming from her high school years. Despite it, she didn’t know that there is a major which covers PR in the Netherlands. After making researches and getting to know more about the media and communication studies, she realized that this programme fit her goals. Then she applied for several universities in the Netherlands, accepted to all but chose to study at Erasmus University since Rotterdam is a student city. Since Ana is a third-year IBCoM student, I asked about her experience in two years of IBCoM and she said that it was just like what she expected, demanding yet fun. 

 “The fun part was the curriculum itself as we studied our daily lives basically… we looked everything deeply so it motivated me to look at life in different ways.”. However, she was expecting the programme to be more practical such as television, media or public speaking. On the other hand, Ana got those practical skills and improved herself by participating in extracurricular activities.

Since Ana is passionate about  PR, she wants to work in this industry after graduation: “It’s my dream, it’s my goal, it’s my wish…” , Ana told me when I asked her what she wants to do in the future. This is what she was aiming when she enrolled in the university and she is on that path, climbing the ladders one by one. 

Because of her dream to work as a PR Director, Ana did her first internship in the PR industry as well, nonetheless, she did her second internship in the US Embassy, which is a really appealing place as an intern. 

“I found it out through an ad that popped out to me accidentally,” Ana began to tell her story of working in the US embassy, “… the universe sent it to me basically”. 

I wanted to know more about the selection process and she said that it was a complex procedure in which she had to submit her CV, biography, documents that prove she didn’t commit any crime and answers for the questions they asked. Then, she had an interview with the people in charge and she got passed. For the last, she had a security check to prove certain things, for instance, to show that she is not a threat to the embassy. After all those operations, Ana became an intern at the US embassy, and we are going to dive into that in our “Tips and Tops” series. 

Now, Ana is doing a minor in entrepreneurship and besides that, she is part of the IBCoMagaine Editorial Board as a PR Director and a student mentor. Also, she is preparing herself to start a career.

To conclude, I asked her if she has any suggestions: “be organized, prepare a lot and research your opportunities” said Ana as advice, “… use your hours in the day… you have only three years of the university so between all that partying and Netflix take some time to develop yourself as a person… see what you are, see who you are… these three years will be really really valuable to you after you finish”. 

I appreciated that Ana took some time to talk to me about herself and give advice/insight on the IBCoM. 

Author: Zeynep
Editor: Kat