DESEMBER_UNIKUM_WEB

Seasons Greetings from Unikum‘s Editorial Team! 

Studentavisen for Agder GRATIS | Desember 2023 

INTERVJU MED NYE ORDFØRER // PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE CHRISTMAS PRESENTS // DEBATE: ALCOHOL REGULATION IN NORWAY

Last ned SiA 

Studentliv appen 

Last ned her 

.. og få full oversikt over hva som 

skjer på- og utenfor campus, samt 

flere eksklusive tilbud og fordeler.

LEDER 

SEASON OF GRATITUDE 

The year is coming to an end, and 

maybe some of you are filled with 

dread for another year ending without 

having fulfilled your New Year’s 

Resolution, or others are relieved that 

with the new year (and semester), 

you can finally leave the exam stress 

behind you and enjoy a little break. 

For me, all of this is coming to an 

end, but also, my reign as editorin-chief. 

It’s been a wonderful and 

fantastic journey filled with wonder, 

glee, frustration, stress, defeats, and 

victories. It’s almost melancholic 

that it’s coming to an end, it feels like 

yesterday when I felt the excitement 

of holding the January edition in my 

hands, my very first issue. Alas, all 

good things must come to an end. 

Now, this is the season of gratitude, 

for everything we have and have had. 

With my final leader, I would like to 

extend my complete appreciation to 

my fantastic editorial team, to those 

who have joined me on this adventure 

during the spring semester and those 

who joined during the fall semester. 

Without you all, this job would not be 

as fun and rewarding as it has been, 

it would not be worth it. Together, 

we have made many great editions, 

with terrific articles, had so many fun 

meetings, and of course, all the social 

events which you guys have made 

into entertaining affairs. Thank you 

all, for coming along, encouraging me, 

challenging me, and most of all, made 

such a brilliant newspaper with me. 

But it doesn’t end there. I want to 

thank you, dear readers of Unikum, 

for your continued support. You may 

not think too much of this, but you 

guys don’t see the sheer elation when 

I tell the editorial team that we had to 

refill our magazine stand in Vrimle, 

the utter delight when I tell one of our 

writers that their article is one of the 

most clicked articles this week/month. 

When you pick up a magazine, when 

you read it, comment on it, talk with 

your friends about it, it brings us so 

much joy. And now, more than ever, 

we have more of you guys reading our 

magazine. Thank you all, for being here 

with us, supporting us, reading us, and 

most of all, enjoying our newspaper. 

And finally, thank you Unikum, for 

being a place for me. For being a 

place, I could develop myself as a 

writer, a place where I could meet 

some of the greatest and most 

pleasant people I ever talked to and 

for being a place where I feel at home. 

Thank you :) 

INNHOLD 

4 Battle of the Christmas Sodas 

6 UiA mister millioner i statsstøtte 

7 Christmas Gifts On a Budget 

9 Oppskrift: Doble havreflarn med sjokolade 

10 Short-story: Twisted Glow 

11 Stirred not shaken! A look at the stirred up 

debate about alcohol regulation in Norway 

14 10 at UiA: What is your favorite 

thing about the Holidays? 

15 How to Celebrate Christmas Alone 

16 Culture Calendar 

20 Edinburgh: a love letter 

25 Pit Stop 

26 Vintersykling 101 for nybegynnere 

28 Passive Aggressive Christmas Presents 

32 Poduniverset 

34 Poems 

35 Hunger Games: The Ballad of 

Songbirds and Snakes Review 

36 YATA Kristiansand Utforsker 

Luftforsvarets Skolesenter Kjevik 

38 Review: Super Mario RPG (2023) 

Tobias Klausen 

redaktor@unikumnett.no 

4843 1050 

UTGITT AV: Studentavisen Unikum, ved Universitetet i Agder 

POSTADRESSE: Serviceboks 422, 4604 Kristiansand S 

BESØKSADRESSE: Universitetsveien 24, 4630 Kristiansand S 

ORG.NR.: 984 544 677 

TELEFON: 911 45 962 

EPOST: redaktor@unikumnett.no 

NETTSIDE: unikumnett.no 

TWITTER: twitter.com/unikumnett 

FACEBOOK: facebook.com/studentavisenunikum 

INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/unikumnett 

Publisert November 2023 

Utgave nummer 10 

Unikum er studentavisen ved Universitetet i Agder og andre 

institusjoner tilknyttet Studentsamskipnaden i Agder. Avisen er 

politisk og religiøst uavhengig, og blir drevet på frivillig basis. 

Unikum følger Vær Varsom-plakaten og redaktørplakaten. Føler 

du deg urettferdig behandlet eller på noen måte uriktig fremstilt 

av Unikum, ber vi deg kontakte redaksjonen. 

Redaksjon: 

ANSVARLIG REDAKTØR : 


REDAKTØRER: 

Nettredaktør 

Nyhetsredaktør 

Kulturredaktør 

Fotoredaktør 

Debattansvarlig 

GRAFISK ANSVARLIG: 

Natalia Bogdanova 

FORSIDE: 

Foto: Anja Kathrine Laland Gyberg 

Anjali Mariampillai 

Natasha Agatha Wangui 

Randi Andersdotter 

JOURNALISTER/SKRIBENTER: 

Adam Zawadzk, Alexander Horpestad, Ángels Aguilera, 

Anjali Mariampillai, Aurora Trondsen Flatvoll, Halvor 

Nyhus Hagen, Henrike Jost, Mattias Johannessen, 

Michael Campbell, Natasha Agatha Wangui, Randi 

Andersdotter, Tobias Klausen, Vilde Hagen Svanberg 

FOTOGRAFER: 

Alice Soleng, Alexander Horpestad, Anjali Mariampillai, 


DESKEN: 

Àngels Aguilera, Adam Zawadzki, Alexander Horpestad, Alice 

Soleng, Anjali Mariampillai, Henrike Jost, Jakub Świerkocki, 

Michael Campbell, Natalia Bogdanova, Pål Øymoen, Tobias 

Klausen, Vilde Hagen Svanberg 

KORREKTUR: 

Adam Zawadzki, Alice Soleng, Ida Marie Bruun, Martin Hoftun, 

Michael Campbell, Silje Gullhav, Tobias Klausen, Vilde Hagen 

Svanberg, Åshild Magnesen 

DAGLIG LEDER: 

Marion Bjørndal Søviknes 

TRYKKING: 

Bjorvand & Co 

OPPLAG: 

300 

DESEMBER 2023 UNIKUM NR 10 3

TOPICAL 

Battle of the Christmas Sodas 

Alice Soleng 

Writer 

Photo Unikum // Alice Soleng; AdobeStock // Fotokvadrat 

With the holidays right around the corner, Unikum wanted to share one of its favourite things about the 

Norwegian Christmas, with some of our excellent exchange students. There are countless types of Christmas 

soda, with some special to specific locations in the country. Whether you enjoy red or brown Christmas soda the 

best, is up to personal taste. Three brave international students agreed to try five different kinds, rating them 

between 0 and 10. With 0 meaning “I threw up” and 10 being “I wanna have this every single day for the rest of 

my life”. On a cold November night, they were all gathered in the STA-building, and they were scarred for life. 

Test subjects: 

- Àngels Aguilera, education major, from Spain. 

- Michael Campbell, fine arts major, from England. 

- Wafa’a Selby, education, special needs major, from England. 

Foto: grans.no 

Grans Julebrus 

Ángels: It’s like liquid candy. I don’t 

really like sweet things, so this was not 

my favourite, and it tasted like medicine 

to me. 4/10 

Michael: It’s not as sweet as I had 

thought it would be, considering the 

smell. I thought that it smelled better 

than it tasted, and I was expecting a lot 

of flavour, but that wasn’t there. But I did 

like it. 6/10 

Wafa’a: I actually kind of liked this one. 

It smelt like this British treat we have in 

the UK, and it tasted a bit like candy cane. 

6,5/10 

Average: 5,5/10 

Ringenes Julebrus: 

Ángels: Oh no, absolutely not. This one 

is not for me. I think the vibe here was 

melted lollipop, so still too sweet for me. 

3/10. 

Michael: I felt like I was drinking 

medicine, and that’s not normally very 

pleasant. 4/10. 

Wafa’a: It’s giving strawberry. I wasn’t 

very fond of the aftertaste, it’s a bit too 

strong, and very carbonated. 4/10. 


4

Sørlands Julebrus 

Ángels: It smells different. I feel like this 

tastes like what my grandma smells like. 

I can’t say zero since I didn’t throw up. 

1/10. 

Michael: This looks like apple juice or 

something. It tastes like a nursing home. 

This is from southern Norway? Oh, in that 

case we love it. 3/10. 

Wafa’a: Oh God, no. That was horrific. 

3/10. 


Hamar Lillehammer Julebrus 

Ángels: This was fizzier, which took 

away from the taste, which I appreciated. 

4/10. 

Michael: It’s a fizzier version of the other 

one, more bearable. A full body reaction 

to it. The experience was enhanced by the 

fizziness. 5/10. 

Wafa’a: It was quite strong, and more 

fizzier. 4,5/10. 


CB Julebrus 

Ángels: Completely different smell to all 

of them. I’m not completely sure what’s 

going on. What is this? This one was a 

whole experience in itself. Christmas soda 

is not for me, and neither is this one. 3/10. 

Michael: It smells like soap. This one was 

a bit like a five-course meal, with all the 

different flavours going on. But the cook 

doesn’t really know how to cook. 3/10. 

Wafa’a: It’s definitely unique, there’s 

kind of like a taste of seasonings in there. 

Maybe cardamom. It’s different from the 

other, doesn’t mean I like it though. This is 

not enjoyable for me. 2,5/10. 


And the winner is……. 

Grans julebrus! 

It’s clear that our exchange students weren’t the biggest fans of Christmas soda, at 

least not the ones we tried. Two of my favourites (Hansa & Lerum) were sadly not 

available at the nearest store. So, if your favourite was not included, don’t worry. You 

can still force some exchange students to try it out, but maybe not these three. And if 

your favourite was included, but rated badly? You know where our office is……. 


AK TUELT 

UiA mister millioner i statsstøtte 



Foto: Unikum // Natasha Kamanzi 

6. oktober 2023 la Regjeringen fram forslag 

til statsbudsjettet for 2024. Den foreslår 

at UiA vil få 10 nye studieplasser i IKT 

og en tildeling på 1,8 milliarder kroner 

i rammebevilgning. Men likevel mister 

universitetet hele 20 millioner kroner. Dette 

skriver kommunikasjonsdirektør ved UiA, 

Øivind Dagsvik Eskedal, på universitetets 

hjemmeside. 

Flere nye studentboliger 

Unikum har møtt den nye ordføreren i 

Høyre og tidligere student ved UiA, Mathias 

Bernander. Til studentavisen forteller 

han om hva slags planer han har tenkt å 

gjennomføre for å styrke universitetet de to 

neste årene. 

- Universitetet i Agder og de 10.500 

studentene som studerer i Kristiansand 

er utrolig viktig for byen. Studentmassen 

utgjør ca. ni prosent av alle som bor her. 

Kristiansand skal være en attraktiv by å være 

student i og Universitetsby Samarbeidet 

er viktig for å styrke dette arbeidet. Jeg er 

glad for at flere studentboliger er under 

bygging og vil bidra til å tilrettelegge og 

tilgjengeliggjøre byen for studentene i 

enda større grad. Jeg hadde gleden av å 

være med på åpningen av studenthuset, 

og jeg gleder meg til å følge utviklingen 

av Kraftverket/BARE studenthus, sier den 

ferske ordføreren til studentavisen. 

6 

Viktig samarbeid mellom Kommune og 

Universitet 

Bernander er realistisk når det gjelder 

budsjett utfordringene i årene som 

kommer, spesielt innenfor UH-sektoren. 

Han forklarer at strammere rammer krever 

tøffe prioriteringer og er fast bestemt på 

å opprettholde et nært samarbeid med 

UiA for å sikre nødvendige ressurser og 

praksisplasser. 

- Det er strammere rammer i alle sektorer 

i årene som kommer, også i UH-sektoren. 

Det betyr overalt at det kreves tøffere 

prioriteringer. Agder er avhengige av 

kompetansen UiA leverer til regionen. Og 

som kommune ønsker vi å fortsette å spille 

på lag slik at universitetet får praksisplasser 

og det samarbeidet de trenger for å levere 

gode utdanninger, forteller han. 

Støtte til UiA-satsinger 

Videre understreker ordføreren viktigheten 

av å støtte UiA i sine nasjonale prioriteringer. 

Han fremhever spesielt satsingen på 

etableringen av profesjonsstudiet i 

psykologi som en betydningsfull investering 

i regionens psykiske helsetjenester. 

- Det er viktig for meg å støtte opp om UiA 

sine satsinger og prioriteringer inn mot 

nasjonale myndigheter. Akkurat nå er 

satsingen på å etablere profesjonsstudiet 

i psykologi en slik satsing. Dette er en 

tung satsing UiA har forsøkt å etablere 

gjennom mange år. Og det er en satsing 

som ved etablering vil heve kompetansen 

og kvaliteten i de psykiske helsetjenester i 

regionen, forklarer han. 

Kvalitetsforbedring på Campus 

Når det gjelder å forbedre kvaliteten 

på høyere utdanning i Agder, forteller 

Bernander at det er universitetet og deres 

ansatte som har hovedansvaret. 

Han ser imidlertid på kommunens rolle 

som å sikre en attraktiv by der folk ønsker 

å bosette seg. 

- Det er universitetet selv og deres ansatte 

som er de beste til å sikre høy kvalitet i 

utdanningene de leverer. Vår jobb som 

vertskommune for universitetet er å sikre 

en attraktiv by der folk ønsker å bosette seg. 

Dette er både viktig for at universitetet skal 

evne å tiltrekke seg folkene og kompetansen 

de trenger for å levere forskning og 

utdanning av høy kvalitet. Og det er viktig 

for at flest mulig studenter ønsker å bli igjen 

i regionen etter endt utdanning. Det er flott 

at rundt halvparten av studentene ved UiA 

kommer fra regionen og halvparten utenfra 

Agder. Så skal vi bidra til å løfte frem det 

spennende arbeids- og næringslivet som er 

her som sikrer at flest mulig etablerer seg i 

regionen etter studiene.

Christmas Gifts On a Budget 

TIPS 

Illustration: freepik // freepik 


Culture Editor 

Christmas is soon right around the corner, and a lot of students fear that they won’t have enough time or money for Christmas presents. 

But fret not, dear reader, Christmas gifts do not need to be overly expensive! Here are some of the ideas that we collected for cheap and 

affordable gifts for you and your broke student friends! 

Write a personal coupon! It could be anything from doing an act of service for a loved one, or a small experience together! 

Acts of service gift ideas: 

• Babysitting. 

• Do weekly groceries. 

• Help cleaning the kitchen/living room/car. 

• Build Ikea furniture. 

• Shovel snow. 

Activities to do together: 

• Have a baking day. 

• Go on a hike with a bonfire. 

• A trip to a cabin. 

• Go ice skating in the city. 

• Movie night at home, with popcorn included ;) 

If you are into arts, crafts or perhaps baking, why 

not make something creative for this Christmas! 

Something homemade: 

• Christmas cards. 

• A drawing or painting. 

• A knitted or crocheted scarf. 

• A box with baked goods! Christmas cookies like 

gingerbread is always appreciated! 

• Homemade scrub recipe for hands & lip in a jar. 

• Taco seasoning, already mixed in a jar. 

• Chocolate chip cake/mug cake. 

And then we have the 

practical/useful gifts: 

• Candles. 

• Tea/coffee. 

• Soap. 

• Socks. 

• Umbrella. 

• Notebooks/stationaries/art supplies. 

• Extra batteries. You never know 

when you need them! 


KRISTIANSAND–HIRTSHALS | 3 timer og 15 minutter 

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Kyllingbryst 

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Øvrige dager 179 90 

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149 90 

2 KG 

Indrefilet av svin 

400-500 g, frys 


KUN 

79 90 

PR KG 

KUN 

299 90 

PR KG 

Indrefilet av storfe 

900–1200 g, frys 


KUN 

89 90 

PR KG 

Bacon 

900 g, kjøl 


Andeconfit 

1240 g 

899,– | Spar 369,- 

269 90 

PR STK 

Julebuffet med drikke 

Øvrige dager 349,-/399,- 

FRA 

249,- 

colorline.no | 22 94 42 00 

Ved bestilling på terminal og telefon tilkommer servicehonorar 

på terminal 70,– 

Hurtig og komfortabelt til Danmark 

Ikke-medlemmer fra 50,- per person. Ta med bil fra 190,-. Tur/retur samme dag. Bestilles tidligst 14 dager før avreise. Spesielle betingelser gjelder. 

8

KULTUR 

OPPSKRIFT 

OPPSKRIFT 

Doble havreflarn 

med sjokolade 

Illustrasjon: freepik // freepik 

Alexander Horpestad 

Skribent 

Endelig er juletiden her. Som student er alt dyrt, og dermed 

er også julekaker dyrt. Havreflarn med sjokolade er enkle og 

billige julekaker å lage, i tillegg smaker de himmelsk. For å si 

det slik, tok ikke lang tid før de jeg lagde ble spist opp. Det er 

så lett, at til og med den mest klumsete klarer å lage dette ;) 

Foto: Unikum // Alexander Horpestad 

Ingredienser 

• 2 små eller ett stort egg 

• 125 g sukker (kan økes 

eller senkes litt om du vil 

justere søtheten :p) 

• 1 ts bakepulver 

• 1 ss hvetemel 

• 75g smør 

•100g lettkokte havregryn 

(kan mengde justeres 

litt uten å endre hele 

oppskriften) vaniljesukker 

• Sjokolade: 200g mørk 

kokesjokolade (eller 

sjokolade av ditt valg) 

Fremgangsmåte 

1. Sett ovnen på 190 grader celsius 

2. Pisk eggene, og bland litt og litt sukker inn 

når du pisker for å lage eggedosis. 

3. Tilsett bakepulver og mel, deretter smelt smøret og tilsett 

det, før du tilsetter havregrynene (må spesifisere havregryn og 

ikke havremel, for vet noen av dere der ute ikke kan bake) 

4. Bruk teskjeer for å lage klatter på bakepapir, som ligger på 

ett stekebrett. Ha 5-6 på hvert brett, for de flyter utover. 

5. Sett kakene i ovnen, hvor du venter ca. 7-8 min 

til de er brune langs kantene, og lyse i midten. Ikke 

la dem være for lyse, men heller ikke svidd! 

6.Ta dem ut av ovnen, og la dem kjøle seg ned på stekeplaten. 

7. Smelt sjokoladen, og smør den mellom to og to havreflarn. 

Så dypp kanten av havreflarnene i sjokoladen. 

8.Sett dem i kjøleskapet til sjokoladen er stiv. Voila, da har 

du sjokoladeflarn, og kan begynne å feite deg opp til jul. 

GOD JUL :-) !!! 

DESEMBER NOVEMBER 2023 UNIKUM NR NR 109 9

SHORT-STORY 

Twisted Glow 

Photo: Freepik // rawpixel.com 

Aurora Trondsen Flatvoll 

Writer 

A big bang and an earth-shaking crash came from the 

kitchen. Nick, clinging to a half-unraveled string of twinkling 

lights, raised an eyebrow, “Guess we have a poltergeist who 

doesn´t like our taste in ornaments, huh?” April laughed as 

she approached the kitchen, convinced that the sound was 

the cat from next door sneaking in again. 

The night had begun innocently enough, surrounded by old 

decorations and tangled in tinsel; four friends could be found 

laughing. The air was thick with the scent of gingerbread and 

hot chocolate. In the middle of the hanging of ornaments, 

April took up the role of the unofficial leader, directing 

the hanging of mistletoe and the strategic placements of 

stockings. Elsa, the resident‘s jokester, couldn´t resist the 

opportunity to turn every decoration into a punchline. While 

Nick and Caiti, ever the sensible duo, diligently wrapped 

garlands and kept the holiday chaos in check. 

In the kitchen, however, there was no cat to be seen. Only 

shards of broken plates and overturned chairs scattered 

around the floor. “Guys, you need to see this,” The others 

joined April by the kitchen entrance, and the four girls 

looked confused at the mess in front of them. The silence 

hung in the air, except for the distant ticking of the old clock 

over the fireplace. The girls looked at each other, wondering 

if it was the neighbor‘s cat or something else. “I think the cat 

is having a bad day,” Elsa muttered as they ventured into the 

corridor. The sound of glass breaking and hitting the floor, 

lured them in the direction of Elsa and April‘s bedroom. 

The room was crimson red. Bloodstains painted the walls, 

forming patterns of a macabre dance. Without a word, the 

girls slowly backed out of the room. Fear clung to them, and 

their laughter, now just a distant memory, could be heard 

echoing through the desolated halls. Caiti rushed to the front 

door, only to find it locked. Despite her repeated attempts to 

unlock it, the door remained sealed, like every window and 

back entrance in the house. 

Their safe home had turned into a prison, where the walls 

conspired against their escape. The friends huddled together, 

convinced that an intruder had broken into their home. Nick 

clutched a makeshift weapon, a sparkly nutcracker. She gave 

it some practice swings “This may be handy,” she said while 

they steeled themselves to confront the banging noises that 

echoed through the corridor. 

They approached Nick and Caiti´s bedroom. The once 

familiar room was also like the other one, drenched in blood. 

Their adrenaline pumped, and anger and panic flushed over 

them. They decided to split into pairs to cover more of the 

house faster. Elsa and Caiti investigated the bathroom and 

washroom, only to find more broken glass and furniture 

scattered around. Searching through the basement didn´t 

solve anything either. 

Elsa and Caiti started to believe that someone was pranking 

them. “There´s no one here,” Nick said. She and April came 

around the corner from the basement. The lights started 

flickering. Paralyzed, they watched the darkness swallow the 

house, leaving only the colored lights from the living room. 

The Christmas decorations looked uncanny in the dark, 

Casting long shadows in the faded light. Nick, holding on to 

the Nutcracker, led the other girls as they began navigating 

their way toward the light. The corridor was suddenly longer, 

and the floor felt like a treadmill. After what felt like hours, 

they reached the living room door. The air had gone cold, 

and the house was quiet. The only sound was the continued 

ticking of the old clock. The colorful Christmas lights made 

every piece of furniture distorted and faded. The lights were 

twisted and tangled around something big in the middle of 

the room. As they approached, the vivid lights revealed four 

lifeless bodies. The old clock started to ring, and a collective 

panic struck the girls as they looked closer at the bodies, 

realizing the truth. The dead bodies, tangled in the colorful 

lights, were their own. 

A big bang and an earth-shaking crash came from the 

kitchen. Nick, clinging to a half-unraveled string of twinkling 

lights, raised an eyebrow, “Guess we have a poltergeist who 

doesn´t like our taste in ornaments, huh?” April laughed as 

she approached the kitchen, convinced that the sound was 

the cat from next door sneaking in again. 

10

DEBATE 

Stirred not shaken! 

A look at the STIRRED UP debate 

about ALCOHOL regulation in Norway 

Henrike Jost 

Writer 

Illustration: AdobeStock // Jeff 

For those of us who celebrate, the holidays are right around the 

corner, which means endless Christmas and New Year parties with 

an even more endless flow of alcohol. While these parties can mean 

lots of fun, for others they mean a heightened risk of sexual assault. 

These cases are not isolated incidents. One tenth of the Norwegian 

workforce have either been sexually assaulted themselves or know 

someone who has been subject to such inappropriate behavior at 

their company’s Christmas party (Bjørnson Hagen, 2022). To blame 

is often the large flow of alcohol that are served and consumed at 

the festivities. Alcohol is not only deeply ingrained in Norwegian 

and other Nordic countries’ Christmas traditions, but it is said to be 

generally interwoven with their cultures for centuries. 

The dangers of the widespread heavy drinking patterns across 

populations in the North have been used to justify strict regulations 

on alcohol production, selling, and consumption that Norway and 

its fellow Nordic countries are well known for today. The question 

is: Are these stringent rules justified and effective in what they are 

trying to achieve? The most recent SHoT study (Studentenes Helseog 

Trivselsundersøkelse) has, for example, shown that more than 

half of the male university students and 4 in 10 female students 

exhibit risky drinking patterns (Heradstveit et al., 2022) and, as 

such render the regulatory approach to appear ineffective. So let’s 

take a look at the Norwegian approach to regulating alcohol, its 

history, and its pros and cons to see whether it actually works and 

prevents societal harm or if it is unnecessarily harsh. 

A shot of history 

The strict regulations on alcohol consumption date back to heavy 

alcohol use in the 19th century, reaching its peak in the 1830s with 

13 liters of alcohol per person (Hauge, 1996). The general public 

saw it necessary to reduce the harm caused by alcohol and started 

to call for stricter regulations (WHO, 2023; Karlsson & Österberg, 

2003). 

In 1919, the Alcohol Prohibition Act was introduced, which 

prohibited the consumption and production of the majority of 

spirits. However, trade quarrels with wine-exporting countries, 

like France and Spain, caused its demise 8 years later (Johansen, 

2013). 

The Alcohol Act that is in force today was implemented in 1990s 

(Karlsson & Österberg, 2003). Its main objective remains to be the 

same as the initial approach to alcohol regulation: to reduce health 

and societal harm caused by alcohol. The new act tries to reconcile 

this goal while also allowing citizens to choose whether they want 

to consume liquor (Götestam & Röstum, 1983). 

Today’s offer: the legal cocktail 

It is widely held that the way regulating alcohol is approached 

has significant impact upon how much harm is caused by liquor 

(Götestam & Röstum, 1983). Therefore, the government opted for a 

rather strict approach to prevent societal and health related harms 

such as accidents caused by drunk driving, as well as alcoholism, 

and over 200 other diseases and conditions like cancer (WHO, 

2023). 

To reduce consumption, only alcoholic beverages below a 4.7% 

alcohol concentration can be sold in normal stores. Beverages 

above that percentage can only be bought at Vinmonopolet, a store 

owned by the state. Through these shops and through the state 

monopoly on alcohol, the government can control the access to 

purchasing alcohol, its price, as well as which kind of alcohol is 

sold (WHO, 2023). The beverages are also highly taxed to further 

disincentivize alcohol consumption (Karlsson & Österberg, 2003). A 

prohibition of advertising alcohol also falls under the tight alcohol 

regulation in Norway (Götestam & Röstum, 1983). In addition, 

a license is needed to sell alcohol. Its issuance is decided by the 

municipalities (Karlsson & Österberg, 2003). 

There are not only restrictions to where alcohol can be bought, but 

also for when. Low-percentage alcohol can only be sold between 

08:00-20:00 on weekdays, and 08:00-18:00 on Saturdays and the day 

before public holidays. Vinmonopolet is only open between 10:00- 


18:00 during the week and from 10:00-16:00 on Saturdays and 

the day prior to national holidays. No alcohol of any kind can be 

purchased on Sundays in either grocery stores or at Vinmonopolet 

(Act on the Sale of Alcoholic Beverages, Etc. (Alcohol Act), 1990). 

As most other countries, Norway also has a legal drinking age. 

Buying alcohol is legal from the age of 18 onwards in regard to 

alcohol with a lower alcohol percentage than 22%. In order to 

purchase alcohol with a higher alcohol percentage one needs to be 

older than 20 (Act on the Sale of Alcoholic Beverages, Etc. (Alcohol 

Act), 1990). 

Drinking out in public, such as in public squares or in parks is also 

prohibited by law, though it is rarely enforced (Act on the Sale of 

Alcoholic Beverages, Etc. (Alcohol Act), 1990). 

Norway has one of the strictest blood alcohol limits in regard to 

driving to prevent accidents and reduce possible harm. In order 

for driving under the influence to be considered and punishable, 

the blood alcohol threshold is set at 0.02% (Karlsson & Österberg, 

2003). 

Lastly, education plays a crucial role in showing the harms and 

effects of unsafe alcohol consumption. Educational programs 

about these issues are implemented in Norwegian public schools 

to enlighten young people on the effects of alcohol and discourage 

them from engaging in unsafe and risky consumption patterns 

(Karlsson & Österberg, 2003). It is important to note, that young 

people are among the heaviest drinkers, hence the need for early 

interventions (Karlsson & Österberg, 2003). 

Despite all of these measures, highly intoxicated people are not a 

rare sight at parties or concerts, with many Norwegians stocking up 

on alcohol at airport and ferry duty-free shops, and participating in 

traditions such as russefeiring or julebord that are known for their 

large flow of alcohol. Therefore, the question needs to be asked: 

Are these stringent regulations actually effective? Let us look at the 

pros and cons. 

To prohibit or not to prohibit 

To start of with a strong pro argument, it should be noted that 

Norway has one of the lowest alcohol consumption rates among 

adults in Europe, with an average of 7.4 liters per person (OECD, 

n.d.). By comparison, Latvia’s rates are among the highest in 

Europe with adults consuming almost double the amount of 

alcohol at 12.1 liters per person (OECD, n.d.). Generally, it can be 

said that countries with rather strict approaches, such as Sweden 

and Iceland, for example, have a lower alcohol consumption than 

countries with looser regulations, like Latvia or Germany (OECD, 

n.d.). Thus, the statistics seem to suggest that a stricter approach, 

such as Norway’s, to regulating alcohol is indeed effective in 

reducing alcohol consumption among adults. 

Yet, 5-8% of Norwegian citizens are reported to be alcoholics or 

consume alcohol in a harmful way (Skjelbred & Thoresen Lønnes, 

2023). Moreover, as mentioned above, in the student population, 

these numbers are even higher (Karlsson & Österberg, 2003). In 

Germany, the number of alcoholics and individuals consuming 

alcohol in a harmful manner is around 11% (Federal Ministry 

of Health, 2023). While the share of alcoholics is indeed bigger 

in Germany than it is in Norway, the difference is not that great. 

Nevertheless, is it not worth it to prevent even just a single person 

more from getting cancer or to save a single individual from a fatal 

drunk driving accident? 

Through the state monopoly, the government is able to link the 

production and sale of alcohol with health services, rather than 

leaving it to corporations that prioritize generating high profits 

without regard for the societal and health harms caused by their 

products (Karlsson & Österberg, 2003). However, this of course 

reduces the necessity for companies to come up with innovative 

products since there is no pressure to have an economic edge 

over the other competitors. Furthermore, small businesses might 

struggle under the limited market access which could potentially 

lead to a strengthened economy in particular areas and generate 

new jobs. 

We know that alcohol is causing both societal harm and health 

related harm. Is it then not fitting that selling alcohol is monopolized 

by the state to maintain control about how much alcohol is on the 

market, and that the revenue from selling alcohol is put back into 

healthcare and education to provide better social services and 

tackle the societal and health issues that are caused by alcohol 

consumption (WHO, 2023)? 

The revenue can then be used to offer programs and services 

focused on tackling the root causes of harmful alcohol consumption 

and alcoholism, such as mental health issues. Furthermore, the 

high taxation of alcohol is more likely to be supported by the public 

if the generated income is used to fund projects with the intention 

of facilitating the welfare of all citizens. 

However, the high taxes on alcohol can also lead to unwanted side 

effects such as a flourishing black market on which smuggled or 

home-produced alcohol is sold. These kinds of alcohol may cause 

health implications and can cause harm to consumers beyond the 

usual side effects of alcohol. Additionally, high taxation will mostly 

affect individuals with lower incomes so that they will be the ones 

who are more likely to produce alcohol themselves or buy it on the 

black market, thereby endangering themselves to potential harm. 

Through the state monopoly the high quality of products can be 

ensured which is crucial, but if the high prices and the controlled 

availability is leading to a flourishing black market with low quality 

products, those efforts might be ultimately jeopardized. 

Lastly, some may argue that the regulations go a little too far and 

limit the citizens’ freedom of choice. These critics argue that it is 

not the government’s responsibility to coddle its citizens and tell 

them what to or what to not consume. Instead, it should be left to 

the people to decide whether and how much alcohol they want to 

drink. 

12

My final shot 

To sum up, Norway has traditionally opted for strict alcohol regulations and even prohibited most beverages during the early 1910s 

and 1920s. According to the statistics, Norway does indeed manage to discourage drinking, as is reflected in one of the lowest alcohol 

consumption rates among European countries. However, the SHoT study has shown that a large number of the Norwegian student 

population are struggling with responsible alcohol consumption despite the strict regulatory approach. 

While linking the revenue of selling alcohol to the welfare system is in my opinion a good approach that should be implemented more 

widely across countries, I am not entirely convinced that the harsh regulations, especially regarding opening hours and the prohibition 

of consuming alcohol in public places, are the best solutions. Such measures may actually increase the alcohol consumption from 

black markets and incentivize the production of homemade alcohol which can be detrimental to health and contradict the goals of the 

Alcohol Act. Don’t get me wrong, alcohol can have negative side effects and these should not be dismissed, and awareness campaigns 

are important in this regard, but I do believe that the more you restrict something, the more interesting it becomes and as long as people 

want to drink alcohol they will find a way to do so and will not be disincentivized by harsh regulations. 

References 

Act on the Sale of Alcoholic Beverages, etc. (Alcohol Act), (1990). 

Bjørnson Hagen, H. (2022, December 6). Flere blir seksuelt trakassert på julebord. Dette gjør du hvis det skjer. Dagsavisen. 

Federal Ministry of Health. (2023, September 11). Alkohol. Federal Ministry of Health. 

Götestam, K. G., & Röstum, O. (1983). Alcohol Control Policy in the Nordic Countries (Denmark, Finland, 

Norway, Sweden, Iceland). In P. M. Miller & T. D. Nirenberg (Eds.), Prevention of Alcohol Abuse. 

Hauge, R. (1996). Alkohol i norsk historie. Norsk Epidemiologi, 6(1), 13–21. 

Hauge, R., & Lohiniva, R. J. B. L. (2001). Bevillingssystemet som alkoholpolitisk virkemiddel: en 

evaluering av endringene i alkoholloven i 1997. Statens institutt for rusmiddelforskning. 

Heradstveit, O., Sivertsen, B., Lønning, K.-J., & Skogen, J. C. (2022). The Extent of Alcohol-Related Problems Among College 

and University Students in Norway Prior to and During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Frontiers in Public Health, 10. 

Johansen, P. O. (2013). The Norwegian Alcohol Prohibition; A Failure. Journal of 

Scandinavian Studies in Criminology and Crime Prevention, 14(S1). 

Johansen, T. O. M. (2023, November 22). Nordiske råd sier null alkohol – vurderer endringer i Norge. NRK. 

Karlsson, T., & Österberg, E. (2003). Norway. In E. Österberg & T. Karlsson (Eds.), Alcohol 

Policies in EU Member States and Norway: A Collection of Country Reports. 

OECD. (n.d.). Alcohol consumption among adults. OECDiLibrary. 

Skjelbred, G. E., & Thoresen Lønnes, S. (2023, November 16). Mener flere bør vurdere alkoholfrie julebord: – Redd for å bli trigga. NRK. 

WHO. (2023, June 30). Reducing alcohol consumption, the Nordic way: alcohol monopolies, marketing bans and higher taxation. WHO. 


TOPICAL 

10 at UiA: What is your 

FAVORITE thing about the Holidays? 

Àngels Aguilera 

Writer 

Illustration: Freepik // Freepik, brgfx, 

Photo: Unikum // Àngels Aguilera, private 

Nicoletta Perugino (Marketing) 

I love spending time with family and eating 

good food, but I also love to sing karaoke 

during the Holidays! Of course, we‘re not 

good singers, but it‘s really fun. I also enjoy 

decorating the Christmas tree with my mom. 

Julia Wenz (Teacher Education) 

My favorite thing about the Holidays is 

skiing! It‘s the only time I‘m free to do it. 

Petra Mitenberga (English Bachelor) 

The Holidays are an excuse to stay home 

with a hot cup of cocoa and watch Love 

Actually while it‘s snowing outside. 

Megan Smith (Global Development) 

The food! Especially mulled wine, which 

is a kind of wine with spices like orange 

and cinnamon, and it‘s really good! 

Johanna Hauzinger (Secondary Education) 

The pretty lights on the streets 

and the Christmas cookies! 

Aleksandra Nowak 

(Music business and management) 

When I think about the Christmas 

holidays, I think about the spirit! The 

lighting and decorations are so nice, and 

you can really feel the spirit. Also being 

with friends and family, of course! 

Signe Lefdal Hove (Sociology) 

To be honest, I just go home and do nothing, 

but I guess it‘s nice to be able to see my 

friends and family from back home. 

Jacqueline Tauninger 

(Teacher trainee secundary school - 

English & Philosophy and Psychology) 

Sharing and eating food with family! 

Rufo Garcia (Teacher Education) 

What I love about the Holidays is opening 

gifts that my family bought for me that I 

specifically asked for and acting surprised. 

Pernille Tønder (Political science) 

I like giving and receiving gifts. Also the 

food, of course, but my favorite thing 

are the stockings because my mom 

always fills them up with candy! 

14

How to Celebrate 

Christmas Alone 

TIPS 


Culture Editor 

Illustration: AdobeStock // New Africa 

Christmas is one of the most magical times of the year where we get to spend 

time with our closest friends and family members. Unfortunately, this is not 

the case for everyone, especially for students that live far away from home. 

If this sounds like you, fret not, my dear! I have collected my little tips and 

tricks that hopefully will make this Christmas a bit better for you. 

Focus on planning things ahead, it’s only for a few weeks! When you are prepared 

mentally and emotionally, you will not feel as overwhelmed or stressed with 

everything going on around you when the Christmas spirit fully kicks in. 

Watch your favorite Christmas movies! They are a good distraction from the 

stressful holiday, but also just a cozy Christmas activity, preferably enjoyed 

snuggled up in a warm blanket with a cup of hot chocolate. I would recommend 

“The nightmare before Christmas”, “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the 

Witch and the Wardrobe”, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”, “The Muppet’s 

Christmas Carol” and “The Lord of the Rings” series, just because ;). 

Check out what your city has to offer! Facebook is a good place for keeping up with 

what is happening near your area. Christmas markets, ice skating and concerts are 

some examples of free social activities. It is also worth checking out your local libraries 

and museums. They often have different types of social activities, like book and 

language cafes, workshops, and meet and greet with authors from far and wide. 

Create a diary! Writing about your feelings is a good emotional outlet and is a 

very accessible and affordable hobby. You can write down all your thoughts and 

feelings on a napkin, for all I care, whatever works for you! What is important 

is the writing and reflection that you do for yourself to clear your mind. 

Baking and cooking! It is a fun and relaxing activity! Goods like gingerbread 

cookies, Norwegian Christmas porridge, rice puffs, marzipan figurines, 

coconut macaroons, eggnog and mulled wine are highly recommended 

by the world’s health organization! (your mental health

CULTURE 

culture doesn‘t have to 

cost an arm and a leg! 

Adam Zawadzki 

Writer 

Vilde Hagen Svanberg 

Writer 

Illustration: AdobeStock // Katsiaryna 

Photos: Kilden 

For those of you that don’t like the festive season, the last month of the calendar year is always somewhat 

of a challenge. While the thought of the impending avalanche of commercialisation (bordering on the 

fetishisation) of unnecessary materiality makes me pray for house binding diarrhoea almost as much as 

world peace, we should, at least for a moment, attempt to place these feelings of humbuggery in context. 

Consider this Christmas, therefore, an opportunity to purchase the experience itself rather than the paraphernalia 

that represents it. Surround yourself with all the music, lights and good food that Kristiansand has to offer, at the 

cinema, concert hall or ice rink in the town square, perhaps. For me, this is what Christmas is about: a magnificent 

communion. After four months of hard work, gift yourself the present and share it with the new friends that you’ve 

made here. Try to enjoy the moment with the people that made it, as that, I believe, is infinitely more valuable. 

16

Culture calendar for students 

07.12 - 18.01 

THEATRE 

What: Improtorsdag 

Where: Teateret 

When: Thursday 14 December 

Price: Free 

MUSIC 

What: Christmas concert with 

Studinekoret Lady Klukk & Mannskoret 

Quantum 

Where: Oddernes church 

When: Friday 8 December, kl 19:00 

Price: Free 

What: Oslo Gospel Choir – En Stjerne 

Skinner I Natt (A Star Shines in the Night) 

Where: Concert Hall, Kilden 

When: Friday 8 December, 18:00 

Price: 495 

What: Symfonica 

Where: Multi-Hall, Kilden 

When: Friday 8 December, 18:30 and 

21:00 

Price: 420 

What: Natten Er Lang – Julekonsert Med 

Mannskoret Gaasehud Og Gjester 

(The Night Is Long – Christmas Concert 

with The Male Choir Gaasehud And 

Guests) 


When: Saturday 9 December, 18:00 

Price: 420 

What: Julekonsert med Alejandro 

Fuentes, Chris Medina & Eirik Næss 

When: Monday 11 December 

Where: Kristiansand Domkirke 

Price: 275/555 

What: Christmas with Nordic Tenors 


When: Thursday 14 December, 18:00 

Price: 575 

What: Julekonsert Med Kilden 

Vokalensemble 

(Christmas Concert with Kilden 

Vokalensemble) 

Where: Domkirken (Cathedral) 

When: Thursday 14 December, 19:00 

Price: 150 – 300 

What: Julekonsert Secret Garden 

(Christmas Concert Secret Garden) 


When: Friday 15 December, 18:00 and 

20:30 

Price: 595 

What: Swingende Jul Med Christianssand 

Storband Og Solholmen Skoles Barnekor 

(Swinging Christmas with Christianssand 

Big Band And Solholmen School 

Children‘s Choir) 

Where: Multi-hall, Kilden 

When: Friday 15 December, 19:00 

Price: 150 – 250 

What: DJ Friendly 

Where: Vaktbua 

When: Saturday 30 December 

Price: 100 

What: Nyttårskonserten 2024 (New 

Year’s Concert 2024) 

Kristiansand 

Symfoniorkester 

(Symphony Orchestra) 


When: Thursday 4 and Friday 5 January, 

19:30 

Price: 150 – 525 

What: Midnight Machine 

Where: Vaktbua 

When: Friday 12 January 

Price: 170/220 

CINEMA 

What: Maestro 

Where: Kristiansand kino 

When: Friday 8 December 

Price: TBC 

What: Ønske (Wish) 



Price: TBC 

What: Wonka 


When Friday 8 December 

Price: TBC 

What: Florencia en el Amazonas (Florence 

in the Amazon) The Metropolitan Opera 



Price: TBC 

What: Carol 

Where: Cinemateket 

When: Tuesday 12 December 

Price: 80 

What: FLÅKLYPA GRAND PRIX 


When: Wednesday 13 December 

Price: 80 

What: MOULIN ROUGE! 



Price: 80 


What: Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom 


When: Wednesday 20 December 

Price: TBC 

What: Anyone But You 



Price: TBC 

What: Vertshuset The Old Oak 



Price: TBC 

What: Nabucco The Metropolitan Opera 


When: Saturday 6 January 

Price: TBC 

LECTURES 

What: Lørdagsuniversitetet - Disaster 

diplomacy in the Arctic – Evidence from 

Svalbard 



Price: Free 

Language: English 

What: Hvordan lykkes med 

implementering? (How to succeed with 

implementing?) 

Where: Teams 


Price: Free 

OTHER 

What: Julegada (Christmas street) 

Where: Vennesla 

When: 9 – 16 December 

Price: Free 

What: Jul på Prestegården 

Where: Søgne gamle prestegård 

When: Sunday 10 December 

Price: Free 

What: Grimsvollen julemarked 

(Grimsvollen Christmas market) 

Where: Grimsvollen 

When: Sunday 10 December 

Price: Free 

What: 3D lightshow in Julebyen 

Where: Kristiansand Domkirke 

When: 11 – 23 December 

Price: Free 

What: Lattergalla IKAROS Jonna Støme 

Where: PM5 i Hunsfos 

Næringspark, Vennesla 


Price: 330 

What: Klubb Skamløs (Club Shameless) 



Price: Free 

What: Salsa Night 

Where: Håndverkeren 

When: Saturday 6 January 

Price: 150/200 

What: Folk Dance Course 

Where: Bul Kristiansand 

When: Mondays starting 15 January 

Price: free under 26 y.o. 

ART 

What: In Search of Memories - 

Vinterutstilling 2023-2024 

Where: Art Gallery Linn, 

Festningsgata 34 

When: 4 November – 3 February 

Price: Free 

What: Utstillingsåpning og Art Night – 

Hommage a Kjell Mardon Gunvaldsen 

Where: Søgne gamle prestegård 


Price: Free 

18

Ikke tid til et helt 

semester i utlandet? 

Hva med? 

• en uke på sommerskole eller praksis 

• digital utveksling med studenter fra hele Europa 

• språkkurs, workshops og internasjonale vennskap 

Visste du at UiA er med i den europeiske universitetsalliansen FORTHEM? 

Alliansen med sine 9 universiteter gir mange muligheter for internasjonal 

erfaring – OGSÅ semesterutveksling 

Sjekk ut: uia.no/forthem 

og ta kontakt med 

forthem@uia.no 

DESEMBER NOVEMBER 2023 UNIKUM NR NR 10 9 19

OPINION DEBATE 

Edinburgh: 

a love letter 


Web Editor 

Photo: Unikum// Anjali Mariampillai 

When I told the editor in chief that I would 

write an article about my solo trip, I didn’t 

expect that I would come back with so many 

mixed feelings to write about. I thought it 

would be a simple rundown of my trip and 

what I did, but at the Edinburgh airport I 

realized that my life had changed just a 

little. If you haven’t done a solo trip yet, this 

is your sign. Let’s dive in, shall we? 

Why did I do it? 

This year has been a rough one to say the 

least. I have had many good moments, 

wins and memories, but it has been an 

exhausting year, mentally and physically. 

I was tired and run down and I felt really 

out of control. Nothing felt in my control, 

and it just felt like life was passing me by. 

In shorter terms, I was having a bit of an 

existential crisis. Some people cut their 

bangs, some people start stress-knitting, 

some people talk it out with a friend. Me, on 

the other hand, I decided to spontaneously 

book a solo trip. Any sane person would do 

that right? Yeah? No. I just had a strong urge 

to run away from everyone and everything, 

so that’s exactly what I did. On the 1st of 

October, I booked the plane tickets and an 

Airbnb in what became one of my favourite 

places, Edinburgh. 

I had heard a lot about Edinburgh from my 

older sister who had been there in early 

September, and she came home and said, 

“this is literally the place for you, you’d 

love it!”. I trust my sister’s judgement far 

more than my own, so I took her word for 

it and booked the tickets. In the following 

month after I booked the trip, I saved 

countless of TikToks and posts, I saved 

recommendations on what to see and do in 

the city. 

I did have another motive for going to 

Edinburgh too, which was the chance of 

meeting my lovely pen pal, Aisha, who’s 

from the UK, for the first time ever. Aisha 

is a long-time internet friend of mine, and 

we have sent each other a lot of letters over 

the last year. Sometime in September, she 

sent me a brochure about Edinburgh in 

the mail with a note saying, “I do hope you 

visit sometime”. She had been there a lot of 

times and always told me about how lovely 

20

it was. And you better believe I wasn’t going 

to let her down. I told her that I booked the 

tickets, and quickly after she told me that 

she was coming to Edinburgh too. We were 

finally going to meet! 

A step out of the comfort zone 

There are a few things you should know 

about me before I tell you the rest. Before 

Edinburgh, I had 

never travelled 

alone, let alone been 

in an airport alone. 

I had never had 

dinner alone at a 

restaurant, and my 

navigational skills 

were nowhere to 

be found. I almost 

failed orienteering 

in high school, so 

this trip would 

really test me. But 

surprisingly, it 

went as smooth as I 

could have possibly 

imagined. I got through the airport in Oslo 

with the help of my mom, and I got on the 

plane. Inhale, exhale. For the first time in a 

while, I was completely alone. I was ready 

to take on the challenges of a solo trip. 

I had planned to stay 5 nights in the city, 

so I arrived there on the 31st of October, 

on a sunny Tuesday (which is not normal 

for Edinburgh at this time of the year, I’ve 

learned). The transportation possibilities 

were really easy to get to, and I quickly 

managed to find my way out of the airport 

and into a tram (which is similar to what a 

trikk would be in Norway). Within the first 

ten minutes of the tram ride, I had already 

fallen a little bit in love with the city. Every 

building we drove by was gorgeous! I 

kept staring out the window, and after 

about 40 minutes, I had arrived in Leith, 

a little district about 10 minutes outside of 

Edinburgh. After a short walk I had arrived 

to this really cute Airbnb where I was 

going to stay with the young couple that 

owned the place. They were really great 

and welcoming, and I had a nice chat with 

them; and their cute cat while I unloaded 

my baggage in my room. They gave me a 

lot of recommendations for activities in the 

city, and I was ready to explore around on 

my first day in Edinburgh. 

The goals for the first day were simple. 

Explore around town, visit the St. Giles 

Cathedral, maybe the Central Library, and 

find a place to eat (preferably a ramen 

place since I was really craving it). And 

during the 6 hours or so that I had stayed 

out, I managed to visit the Scott Monument 

and the New College, walked through, and 

explored Victoria Street, peeked into the 

Central Library, and found a place to eat. 

Edinburgh is a really great city to walk 

through because every main attraction was 

within walking distance from each other. I 

got to see a lot just on the first day. 

And now came the big challenge – to dine 

alone at a restaurant. I actually found this 

really cute ramen place called Maki & 

Ramen, and it was a tiny little restaurant but 

still packed with people. My anxiety started 

to get to me when I walked in that door, but 

I was quickly seated at a table for one by 

the very sweet staff. I had brought with me 

an emotional support book with me in case 

I wanted to look a bit busy, but surprisingly, 

I didn’t feel as bad once I had sat down. I 

placed my order and waited a few minutes. 

It was interesting to look around at the 

people in this restaurant. I wasn’t the only 

one there alone, and in some way, it felt 

really comforting. I got my huge bowl of 

ramen, and it was absolutely magnificent. 

The warm soup and noodles also added 

to this comfort. I tried to stay away from 

looking at my phone for the whole dinner 

to really stay in the moment, and it was 

actually quite nice. I felt in control again. 

I had my dinner in the bustling restaurant, 


thanked the staff and was ready to walk 

home. The walk home from the city was 

about 20 minutes, and it was very calming 

to walk in the brisk air and through the 

beautiful streets of Edinburgh. 

One thing about this trip is that I didn’t wear 

my headphones at all after I got out of the 

airport, which is very weird for someone 

like me who gets very consumed in my 

music. I didn’t really feel like it? I wanted to 

22 

pay attention to the streets and the people, 

the sounds of the city, and music felt like an 

escape from all of that. However, I didn’t 

want to escape. I walked home quietly and 

found myself stopping at this incredibly 

cute bookshop on my way. It’s called 

Typewrongers, and it quickly became a 

place I stopped by almost every day for the 

whole trip. I bought a book and got a folded 

origami dragon with it and made my way 

home to Leith. It’s fascinating how a place 

can feel like home in such a short time. 

The second day alone consisted of a trip 

to the Edinburgh Castle. It was raining a 

lot that day, but lucky for me, I had come 

prepared with my full rainsuit packed. The 

castle was beautiful, and my inner history 

geek had a blast. After that, I stopped by the 

Greyfriar’s Kirkyard to satisfy the Harry 

Potter fangirl in me, and then I had lunch 

at this cute little bistro that my sister had 

recommended. I was often surprised by 

the fact that I didn’t feel lonely through all 

of this. I genuinely had a great time with 

myself, and I didn’t let the overthinking 

part of me take over any part of this trip. 

After lunch, I stopped by the National 

Portrait Gallery, before I went home to take 

a much-needed nap. I had dinner by myself 

in the city in the evening at a restaurant 

called Mowgli, and it was fantastic. My walk 

home was quite peaceful, and I stopped by 

the bookshop again and actually met and 

talked to the owner, who is also a writer! 

The pen pal and the places 

The following day was finally the day I was 

going to meet her, Aisha. I remember how 

nervous I was right before it. I had never 

met this person before, and I was kind of 

scared? What if this doesn’t work out? But 

to no surprise, it worked as well as I could 

have ever imagined. She came with a friend 

and scared the shit out of me by hugging 

me by the Scott Monument when we first 

met. I was surprised by how tiny she was 

compared to what I had imagined in my 

head. I’m not that used to people being 

shorter than me. But the vibe was absolutely 

amazing with both her and her friend, and 

everything felt so natural and calming. We 

checked into their Airbnb and chilled out 

for a while before we set out to explore 

some more. The following days I got to see a 

lot of places before they left. I wasn’t really 

alone anymore, not that it bothered me, 

but it was nice to have someone to explore 

with. We saw the Camera Obscura Museum, 

Calton Hill, Dean Village, The Writer’s 

Museum and some cute streets and cafés. 

We also spent two of the evenings watching 

romcoms at the Airbnb. Let’s just say that 

I fell in love with Hugh Grant. We spent so 

much time laughing and getting to know 

each other and I treasure the time I spent 

with these girls so much. I can’t even begin 

to explain the impact they left on me. 

I would go into detail, but I could literally 

write a book about this whole trip. We spent 

two and a half days together before they left, 

which meant that I had one more evening 

all alone. I spent the rest of the evening at 

the National Gallery, and then I went back 

to the ramen place for dinner and stopped 

by the bookshop again on the way home. 

The day actually got pretty emotional after 

having left my friends at the train station, 

but thankfully, I met a lot of kind strangers 

on the last day, whom I had some lovely 

conversations with. In Scotland people 

actually aren’t afraid to talk to strangers, 

like we are here in Norway so that was a 

nice surprise.

Final thoughts 

I could go on forever, but I’ll try to end this 

with a reflection. I actually really loved 

being alone for a while, just in my own 

world and doing whatever I wanted. I didn’t 

have to follow anyone’s schedule, and I got 

to see all the places I wanted to see. I got to 

write poetry in the Central Library like the 

main character I think I am. I got to talk to 

an old lady at the gallery who did art and 

told me that it was lovely meeting me. I got 

to fall in love with my friend, watching her 

interact with people, and being her true 

wonderful self. I got to have a cigarette 

in the park with a stranger and I talked 

to a lovely couple during dinner who told 

me to enjoy life while I was still young. I 

met so many kind strangers and I had so 

many moments where I thought “Wow, 

this feels like a movie”. I loved every bit of 

this trip. I have always been so scared of 

being too much alone with my thoughts, 

but it all worked out somehow. It made 

me want to spend even more time with 

myself. I journaled multiple times a day 

during this trip, maybe that helped with 

my usual overthinking. But I truly had the 

most amazing time. I learned that being 

alone isn’t all that bad, and maybe that’s 

exactly what I need in life right now. I have 

fallen on my face so many times trying to 

chase people and feelings, and for once, I 

didn’t feel like I needed anyone else. I was 

perfectly content with myself, and I have 

never felt so at peace as I did in Edinburgh. 

I came home with a heavy feeling in my 

chest of having left a piece of my heart in 

that city. It felt unfinished. I learnt a lot 

about my identity on this trip too, but that’s 

for another time. But all I can say is that I’m 

so proud that I did this for myself, and there 

isn’t really anything like that feeling. And if 

you’re considering a solo trip, DO IT. I mean 

it, book the tickets right now. It has changed 

my life. 

Believe me or not, I have already booked 

my tickets back to Edinburgh. See you in 

February! 

Favourite places: 

Typewrongers bookshop – met the nicest 

strangers there and this bookshop is just so 

cute! They also have a bunch of typewriters 

there and actually one functional one you 

could use. 

Edinburgh Central Library – my dark 

academia dreams were realized. 

The National Gallery - I spent 4 hours 

crying here after having left Aisha at the 

train station and met a lovely old lady who 

told me so much about her life. This gallery 

holds a special place in my heart. 

Dean Village – The dream is to move here, 

such a lovely little village. 

Calton Hill – the sunset from up there was 

so gorgeous. 

St. Mary’s Cathedral – I was feeling a bit 

emotional at the time, and an old man told 

me “Peace be with you” when I was lighting 

a candle and it made me cry a little. 


24 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

– 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

– 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• 

 

• 

• 

 

 

–

ENTERTAINMENT 

PIT STOP 

Across 

5. 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen 

6. animal in „Life of Pi“ 

7. world’s most sold album 

8. Capital of finland 

10. St. Lucy’s Day 

11. Spicheren training center 

12. where does st. nicolas came from 

14. Sitcome set in a hospital 

15. biblical city destroyed by god 

Down 

1. maker of space invade 

2. Played zack in zack and cody 

3. Last name of a norwegian sprinter 

4. King charles first wife 

9. name of the devil 

13. norwegian christams food 

14. falling ice crystals 

Illustrasjon: freepik 

25 

DESEMBER NOVEMBER 2023 UNIKUM NR NR 10 9 25

TIPS 

Vintersykling 101 for nybegynnere 

Mattias Johannessen 

Skribent 

Foto: AdobeStock // Mikel Allica 

Så var det nok en vinter som var kommet over oss. Den årstiden 

hvor temperaturen synker, landskapet dekkes av et mykt, hvitt 

teppe av snø, og hvor dagene blir kortere. For mange studenter er 

sykkel et transportmiddel. Det være seg elektrisk eller helmanuell. 

Sykkel er et billig og enkelt transportmiddel som får en fra A til B. 

Men en kan jo ikke sykle om vinteren! 

Eller kan en? Her er fem tips til hvordan en på best mulig måte 

kan sykle om vinteren. Tipsene er basert på egen erfaring fra over 

35.000 km syklet med to elsykler, og 3vintre på sykkelsetet. 

#1 – ØVELSE! 

Kanskje det aller viktigste av det hele; ta deg god tid til å øve deg på 

å sykle om vinteren. Vinteren byr på andre utfordringer enn det 

en møter om sommeren. Glatt føre, snø, og sludd, er alle ting en 

må ta med i regnestykket. Om en ikke stiller forberedt, er det fort 

gjort å bli tatt på senga av dette. Men det finnes heldigvis måter 

en kan forberede seg på. Begynn tidlig med å øve deg på å sykle 

til vinteren. Glatt føre får en ikke gjort så mye med før det faktisk 

er kommet. Men å øve seg på å sykle i snø, kan en øve seg på i god 

tid i forveien. Det beste her er å finne et sted hvor det er litt løs 

sand. Eksempler på dette kan være langs med elvebredder, langs 

med løse skogsstier, eller på gamle grusveier. Strender langs med 

sjøen kan virke fristende, men det frarådes å øve her; saltet vil tære 

vesentlig på sykkelen. Sand oppfører seg selvsagt annerledes enn 

det snø vil gjøre, men en må bruke mye av de samme teknikkene 

for å holde balansen på sykkelen, og for å holde styring. Om sanden 

i tillegg er litt våt, gjerne litt gjørmete, så får en enda bedre effekt. 

Et par timers trening og øving på løs sand gjør at teknikkene en 

trenger for å sykle i tykke snølag setter seg godt. Husk likevel; bruk 

rolige bevegelser, og vær forsiktig med giret bak. For harde tråkk 

vil gjøre at bakhjulet glir ut. Prøv deg frem, finn en fremgangsmåte 

som fungerer for deg. Glatt føre må en nok vente med til det blir 

kaldt ute, og den første frosten kommer. Finn en parkeringsplass 

eller annen åpen plass, og prøv deg frem med hvordan det er å 

sykle på glatt føre. Husk; du må fort avvenne deg med å lene deg 

på sykkelen for å svinge. Svinging bør på glatt føre gjøres mest 

mulig med styret, mens en holder seg så mye som mulig rett opp 

og i midten av tyngdepunktet. Lening gjør at en fort kan miste 

grepet på bakhjulet, og da vil en falle. Begynn i lav fart, og jobb 

deg gradvis opp etter hva du føler deg komfortabel med. De som 

har tatt førerkort på motorsykkel eller moped har en fordel her, 

da de nok vil kjenne igjen disse teknikkene fra krypkjøringen på 

øvelsesbanen. Det er det samme prinsippet med sykkelen; en vil 

styre sykkelen med styret, ikke kroppen. 

#2 – Klær 

Det første en tenker når en tenker på vintersykling, er nok hvordan 

en kan unngå å fryse. Å fryse når en sykler er ikke gøy, og kan 

fort gjøre en ellers trivelig sykkeltur svært utrivelig og kjedelig. 

Men det finnes heldigvis råd for dette, og det er overraskende 

enkelt. Alt en trenger er en god jakke, en god vindtett bukse, et par 

vinterhansker, og en lue om en føler at en fryser på hodet. Og det er 

egentlig alt en trenger. Det trengs ikke noen fasjonable jakker eller 

bukser laget for vinteren, eller noe spesialisert utstyr. For de som 

er bekymret for å fryse likevel, kan en også kjøpe en god kjeledress. 

Disse kan en få med sertifisering for arbeid i fryseskap ned mot -25 

grader. En kan med andre ord trygt sykle i de temperaturene Agder 

har å by på, uten å måtte bekymre seg for å fryse. At en sykler 

hjelper godt på; en blir varm i løpet av turen. 

Den største utfordringen en kan møte på om vinteren når det 

kommer til å fryse, er faktisk regn. Her er det nok et godt sett med 

regntøy som må til for å få løst problemet. 

#3 - Utstyr sykkelen skikkelig 

Gode piggdekk og en stødig hånd er helt nødvendig for en vellykket 

og trygg vinter. Frem til den første frosten kommer kan en fint 

sykle på sommerdekkene, men straks det er frost og det begynner å 

bli is ute, er tiden inne for å ha vinterdekkene på. En kan få piggfrie 

vinterdekk om en vil det, men disse er ikke til å anbefale. Er det 

glatt trenger en alt det grepet en kan få, og da er piggdekk utstyret 

som gjelder. Husk også gode lykter fremme og bak, for synlighet 

når du er ute og sykler i skumringen og når det er mørkt. En 

refleksvest er også tilrådelig, men ikke noe en absolutt må bruke. 

Selv bruker denne skribenten en refleksvest fra Nullvisjonen Agder 

med glidelås, som absolutt kan anbefales. 

26

#4 - Ta det med ro 

Å sykle med piggdekk er betydelig tyngre enn å sykle med 

sommerdekk. Ikke stress, og ta det i et rolig tempo. En bør ikke trå 

så mye at en svetter seg gjennomvåt, men samtidig er det en fordel 

å holde et jevnt tempo. Og husk; tyngre gir kan gjøre det lettere å 

få sleng på bakhjulet. Så ta ting med ro, og finn et tempo som er 

forsvarlig for føret du sykler på. 

#5 – IKKE BAKHJULSDRIFT! 

Dette er et tips som retter seg spesifikt til de som bruker elsykkel. 

Dette kan være en god eller en dårlig nyhet, avhengig av hva slags 

elsykkel en har. Men en kan gjøre det kort; bakhjulsdrevne elsykler 

er ikke egnet på vinterføre, og det frarådes på det sterkeste å sykle 

med disse når det er snø eller is ute. Problemet med bakhjulsdrevne 

elsykler, er at en har liten kontroll på bakhjulet og motoren, og det 

er alt for lett å få sleng på elsykkelen. Dette kan enkelt og fort ende 

med et stygt fall. 

Det beste drivverket på en elsykkel er å ha motoren i kranken. Det 

vil si at motoren er å finne ved sykkelens pedaler, integrert inn i 

rammen, og gir kraft sammen med pedalene når en trår. Gir i navet 

bak, navgir som det heter, går helt fint å ha, og er mindre utsatt 

for slitasje enn en elsykkel med kassett bak. Men motoren bør en 

unngå å ha bak på hjulet. Motor i kranken gir god kontroll over 

bakhjulet, og gjør det mulig å kutte ut assistansen umiddelbart 

om en får sleng bak, ved å slutte å trå. Fremhjulsdrevne elsykler, 

elsykler som har motoren i hjulet fremme, kan fint sykles med, 

men krever tilvenning og øvelse. Fremhjulet har en tendens til å 

dra ganske godt når en svinger, så det krever litt tilvenning for å 

bli vant til dette. 

Husk også at elsykler kan oppnå høyere fart enn en manuell 

sykkel, så vær forsiktig den første tiden frem til du er blitt vant 

med hvordan den oppfører seg på glatta. 


SATIRE 

Merry F 

king Christmas 

A celebration of passive aggressiveness. 

Alice Soleng 

Writer 

Adam Zawadzki 

Writer 

Illustration: Freepik // freepik 

For those of you that love throwing shade, as much as standing in it looking creepy, the festive season is the 

perfect time to unleash your inner Scrooge! Not only was he a sexy icon of frugality (those varicose veins, yum) 

trying as hard as he might to avoid spending any time with anyone, even he succumbed to the clutches of a 

family dinner by the end of the film. Have no fear, however, for Adam and Alice (the bitch reporters) are here to 

make sure that you won’t have to suffer the same unholy fate. With the winter holidays once again threatening 

constant happiness, what better way to show your friends and family how much you “appreciate” them, than by 

gifting them a present they will never forget, no matter how much they may want to. No, please, don’t thank us. 

Warning, they get progressively more offensive (or effective). 

Number 1: You (not the Netflix series) 

Isn’t your presence a gift enough? Why bother 

spending lots of money for something that will 

be used once, when the amazing person that 

you are is a blessing already. Besides, this gift 

works for almost anyone. Can’t be bothered to 

go to the store? Just put on some fancy clothes, 

your fakest smile, and have a go at everyone. 

It’s a classic. 

Repeat after us: “What better way to enjoy the 

present, when the present is me!” 

Number 2: Tins (food, non-perishable: 

unlike your relationship) 

The process is thus: walk into your nearest 

department store and loudly command “show me 

the beans.” At this point, Sharon, the customer 

service advisor, will highlight the relevant aisle 

if there isn’t a beam of light emanating from it 

already, much like the star that helped guide the 

three wise men. A task that took three men two 

thousand years ago, however, only takes one today, 

since there is now a woman to help. Thanks Sharon. 

Isn’t she great?! Advance! 

Repeat after us: “Now you can go out alone at night 

again as tins aren’t registered weapons. Yet.” 

28

Number 3: A mirror (which present 

is the fairest of them all?) 

When the opportunity presents itself for 

somebody to take something the wrong way, 

always go for it. Is your chosen recipient in love 

with their own face almost as much as yours? 

Check. Should they consider it a philosophical 

message surrounding selfie culture, which 

offers copious amounts of academic research to 

keep them quiet (since you’ve read all of them 

already, of course)? Check. Besides, if the mirror 

arrives cracked, they’ll have to deal with all the 

bad luck. As it should be. Check. 

Line: “I don’t need this anymore as there was 

nothing to improve. Sorry not sorry.” 

Number 4: A total make-over (so you 

can look them in the face without crying) 

If their personality can’t be saved, maybe their 

looks can? Gifting someone a total make-over is a 

great way to save your eyes from going blind, and 

save them from looking like the ugly-duckling next 

to you. It can easily be shrugged off as a spa-day, 

or allows them to fix the insecurities they should 

be worried about. Maybe if you’re extra lucky, 

someone else might become interested in them, 

and take them off your hands! 

Line: “Beauty isn’t everything, but when you have 

no personality it certainly helps.” 

Number 5: Nasal hair remover 

(they’ll even get to keep them) 

Imagine the face of your enemy when they 

open this magnificent present. We’re now 

entering the territory of gifts that might make 

them get the memo. However, you can easily 

play this one off as a helpful suggestion. You’re 

their friend, and you “obviously” have good 

intentions. Although you’re not creative enough 

to come up with your own gift ideas. Negative 

effects: it might make it easier for them to 

breathe. 

“There’s no need to beat around the bush!” 

Number 6: Axe body spray (in lieu of 

an actual axe) 

If you’ve ever been to a high school, you’ll know 

the scent of this menace to society. One would 

think you’d get rid of it when you graduate, but 

our lovely editor in chief had other plans. If 

you’ve already fought the desire to get an actual 

axe, this is a great replacement. The receiver 

will feel invincible, whilst failing at gaining 

attention from the opposite sex (like normal). 

However, the same sex may be attracted which 

will definitely prove for a more interesting night 

out. I can guarantee you this scent will not draw 

in the right people. Perfect for your mischievous 

plans. 

“Ugh, you’re gross. Spray that body!” 

Number 7: Self-help books (because, 

obviously, you don’t need them) 

If you’ve not been able to chase away your 

present receiver already, you might need to 

take the matter into your own hands (but not 

like that, yet). Gifting them a self-help book, to 

at least partially improve their presence in your 

life, could be beneficial. Or it will give them some 

qualities that are a replica of a decent personality. 

Our suggestions include (but are not limited to): 

- ‘Girl, Wash Your Face’ by Rachel Hollis 

- ‘The Courage to Be Disliked’ by Ichiro Kishimi 

- ‘Maybe You Should Talk to Someone’ by Lori 

Gottlieb 

“Be thankful it wasn’t Mein Kampf.” 


Number 9: A map (to help that special 

someone find their way out of your life) 

Number 8: A gift card for therapy 

Gift cards are everywhere, even though they shouldn’t 

be. While I’m sure they’d love a Paramount+ subscription, 

there’s only so many times you can watch ‘Top Gun: 

Maverick’ without wanting to do something maverick 

yourself. Like staging an intervention, perhaps, on a 

much more psychological level. If you can’t find the 

time to pray for them at the Church of Scientology, then 

maybe a more radical approach is required to peel away 

the layers of that onion you call Gran. God knows she 

loves an audience, mainly because she won’t give him a 

minute’s bloody peace. Even he took the seventh day to 

rest and so should she. Learning is life-long which means 

it’s never too late to start. Zimmer frames sold separately. 

#yolo 

“I ran out of witch’s totems. Sorry.” 

Number 11: A coffin 

Want to give your friends and family the ultimate student 

accommodation experience? SiA Bolig loves dark humour 

almost as much as we do, so why not go all in with the 

winter range, that’s kitted out with the latest accessories? 

Touchscreen? Yes. Surround sound speakers. Duh! You can 

decorate them with stickers, graffiti and the axe body spray 

you gave them earlier. They even come with windows now, 

although you’ll have to buy your own bed linen and pillows. 

It’s a comfy fit but, then again, the money you’ll save on 

heating will more than make up for it. Help that special 

someone feel at home, and take the time to appreciate 

that you had the last laugh. Literally. Suggested Christmas 

classics for (your new) home entertainment: 

- ‘Room’ 

- ‘Panic Room’ 

- ‘Bram Stoker’s Dracula’ 

“Watch your step. It might be your last.” 

If telling someone to choose love doesn’t work, 

then a map might help them go into the wilderness, 

and never be found again. Just mark a spot, tell 

them there’s a pot at the end of the rainbow, and 

maybe hire an assassin to get the job done (they 

have student discounts now, such is the demand). 

Who doesn’t love a scavenger hunt? Especially the 

police! You’re gifting them a more interesting day 

on the job, and yourself some inner peace. Karma is 

a bitch, but then again, so are we. If you can’t afford 

to hire an assassin, pray the wind blows the map out 

of their cold hands. 

Remember: “After all, Xmas marks the spot.” 

Number 10: One way ticket out of the country 

Who doesn’t love a vacation? Forever. While Guantanamo 

Bay is always fully booked, unfortunately, there are a myriad 

of other global destinations hostile to freedom, humanity and 

a trend-setting fashion sense that will give your recipient 

the once-in-a-lifetime chance to work on their personal 

development without the distraction of your awesomeness. 

While there’s usually plenty of room in Chernobyl, Alcatraz 

is surrounded by water which will make it more difficult to 

escape from (although not impossible, as Adam and Alice 

can attest). If your loved ones don’t appreciate the brutalist 

architecture of a Category A maximum security prison now, 

they will, of course, with time. 

Always remember: “Every angel needs a devil, and that’s 

where I come in. Sleigh!” 

Number 12: Your autograph 

Congratulations! If you’ve made it this far, you’ve 

joined the elite to become the world-famous celebrity 

you always knew you could be, because you put yourself 

first before anyone else! It wasn’t easy but, then again, 

blinding success never is. Adam and Alice are ready to 

welcome you to our annual awards dinner on the balcony 

of the Radisson Blu hotel overlooking the fireworks 

display on New Year’s Eve with a glass of champagne 

in one hand and a Golden Globe nomination in the 

other, because you, dear reader, are a present worth 

celebrating. We wish you a very Merry Christmas and a 

Happy New Year! We genuinely mean that. Or do we? 

“And the winner is… you, as expected. Skål (and 

crossbones).” 

30

Registrer deg 

— og — 

vinn 

Registrer deg gratis i UiAs 

alumninettverk før nyttår. 

Vi trekker ti vinnere som 

får kinobilletter eller 

kantinegavekort. 

Både nåværende og 

tidligere studenter har 

mulighet til å registrere 

seg i nettverket. 


KULTUR 

PODUNIVERSET: 

Vilde Hagen Svanberg 

Skribent 

Illustrasjon: Freepik // freepik, brgfx, svstudioart 

Desember er her, og forhåpentligvis også julestemningen. Hvis ikke, har du nå et arsenal av podcaster 

du kan prøve deg på, mens du baker pepperkaker, pakker inn julegaver, eller noe helt annet du selv 

forbinder med jul. Jeg håper du finner julestemningen, og at du får en fantastisk høytid! 

JULESTEMNING MED LIVE OG RONNY 

Live og Ronny er tilbake i år igjen, med en ny episode 

hver dag i desember! Live Nelvik sliter med å finne 

julestemningen, mens makker Ronny Brede Aase er 

over snittet glad i jul. Sammen utforsker de begreper 

som «novent» (advent i november), diskuterer 

pakkekalendere, juletrehogging, gløgg, julebord og 

rampenisser. Forventer dagens unge opp til flere 

julekalendere samtidig? Hva er best av vanlig gran, 

edelgran og plast-tre? De analyserer også julesanger, 

og prøver å oppklare hva vanskelig tekster betyr. Hva 

er egentlig «paradis grønt»? Er det hasj? Med hvert sitt 

forhold til jul gir de deg en deilig og underholdende 

pause, i en (for noen) stressende tid. Dette er rett og 

slett en skikkelig koselig julepod! 

THE JULEKALENDER PODKAST 

For en som har vokst opp med The Julekalender, er 

dette en podkast jeg gleder meg til! Den har dessverre 

ikke kommet ut i skrivende stund, men har premiere 1. 

desember. Julekalenderen «The Julekalender Podkast» 

er podkastjulekalenderen som tar for seg den populære 

og tidløse julekalenderen «The julekalender». Henrik 

Overaa Bjørnson og Joachim Joachimsen, åpner en 

luke hver dag, hvor de tar for seg dagens episode, 

funfacts, intervjuer og andre hendelser som har med 

den sagnomsuste og populære julekalenderen å gjøre. 

The Julekalender Podkast – Alt du visste, ikke visste og 

ikke var klar over at du ønsket å vite, om Norges mest 

kjente julekalender. 

32

JULESTEMNING 

‚TIS THE GRINCH HOLIDAY PODCAST 

Julepodcast er i vinden som aldri før, så her har vi nok 

en nykommer i år. For mange blir det ikke ordentlig 

jul uten de faste julefilmene, og Grinchen er definitivt 

en av klassikerne. Får du ikke nok av fyren som hater 

jul, så frykt ikke – i denne podcasten møter vi Grinchen 

(med stemmen til James Austin Johnson fra Saturday 

Night Live) som talkshow-vert! Sammen med hunden 

Max, sender han direkte inne fra Who-Ville, mens han 

snakker om sitt hat for julen, og roaster diverse gjester. 

Gjør klart pledd, kakao og julekaker, mens du koser 

deg med julens anti-helt. 

DECK THE HALLMARK 

Du har kanskje hørt om konseptet Hallmark-filmer? 

Skikkelig klisjé historier, som alltid får en lykkelig 

slutt. Noen elsker dem og synes de er både morsomme 

og koselige. Andre hater dem, og skjønner ikke poenget 

med filmer der du allerede vet hvordan det ender, 

før du i det hele tatt har satt filmen på. Denne evige 

debatten får du høre mer om i Deck the Hallmark! 

Her får du over TUSEN episoder om filmene, som er 

så diskutabelt dårlige at de blir sluppet rett på TV. Ikke 

alle av disse handler om julen, men likevel ganske så 

mange, spesielt nå i førjulstiden. Hva med å se filmene 

i forkant av episodene der vertene Bran (elsker 

filmene), Dan (hater filmene) og Panda (synes filmene 

er ok) får diverse venner over for å diskutere? 


POEM 


Web Editor 

Photo: AdobeStock // Vshyukova 

my pockets are full of candy wrappers. 

to write is to feel. i unwrap the strawberry candy of my 

words and let it slowly melt on my tongue, the plastic 

wrapper crinkles in my fist. i cannot steal butterflies, 

so i grow them, nourish them and feed them with my 

words, so that they will flutter in my stomach. i dig, 

claw first, in my misery in hopes of finding a heart 

shaped locket with your name in it. i write about 

whatever it was, is, and was meant to be. my lifelong, 

big, cinematic pink romance are the words that caress 

my face and pumps blood through my veins. 

i would have left you my entire heart if i could. 

i wanted to leave my brown beaded bracelet around your wrist, but i 

forgot. however, i put three small packets of the prawn cocktail crisps 

you like in your backpack when you were not looking. i hope that‘s okay. 

i keep wishing you left one of your silver rings on the table at Laila‘s. i‘d 

put it in my pocket so that you‘d have a reason to come back. i‘ll keep the 

polaroid in my phone, so that comes with me on every journey. and when 

the worn down phone case finally caves in, i get to tell them about my 

soulmate. and how you scared the hell out of me by the Scott Monument. 

i‘ll tell them about the crystals we picked out for each other and the exact 

number of Smints you put in the palm of my hand (the spearmint ones, not 

strawberry). i left you with my sweater vest, the one that fits you so much 

better than me. you left me with your poetry book, it fits me perfectly. 

my love is mine, all mine. 

i carry her with stars in my eyes. she is in 

the curls and soft coils of my hair, and in the 

words that i speak. i carry her in every tear 

and in every stroke of pen to paper. i carry her 

on my lips in a black honey hue and show her 

off with a bright smile. i carry her smudged 

mascara and yawns on sleepless nights. i carry 

love with me to bed and let her rest soundly 

in the walls of my heart and i protect her. 

nothing in the world belongs to me, but my love. 

her 

it was when i was left hollow at a train 

station i realized that i had been loved in 

the way i love. poetically, beautifully and 

with a hint of melancholy somewhere 

in between. she puts orange slices in my 

hands and says „here, have my heart“, 

and suddenly i‘m overflowing to the point 

of spilling drunken „i love you“ texts after 

midnight - to the right person this time. 

34

Photo: IMDb 

HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF 

SONGBIRDS AND SNAKES - REVIEW 

Alice Soleng 

Writer 

REVIEW 

Welcome back ladies and gentlemen to the Hunger Games, and may 

the odds be ever in your favour. Not only have the high-grossing 

film franchise returned, but it is back with new blood, and a 

storyline that will leave lovers of the Hunger Games universe with 

both glee and frustration. Suzanne Collins returns as a producer, 

together with director Francis Lawrence. Is this the best film in the 

franchise? 

The prequel of the beloved series is set 64 years before the Hunger 

Games, and we follow Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth) as he is set to 

be a mentor in the 10th annual Hunger Games. The film starts in 

the dark years, the time where the districts 

rebelled, and the Capitol’s children were 

starving in the streets. The Snow family 

lost their fortune but refuse to give up their 

status in Panem. After bombing District 

13, the Capitol ends the war, creating the 

Hunger Games to punish the districts for 

their rebellion. However, only ten years 

into the future, nobody is watching the 

games, and the mentors are introduced 

to attract viewers. 24 promising academy 

students are chosen for the task, with a 

scholarship award on the line for the best 

mentor. Coriolanus Snow, desperate to win 

the award to secure his future, is given the 

worst of the pack. The girl from District 12, 

Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler). The odds 

are not in their favour, and Coriolanus 

must find a way for his songbird to survive. 

But at what cost? 

So, what did the film do right? 

A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes remains 

true to the book, with a few minor changes. 

The film paints the story of Snow’s rise 

from hungry schoolboy to dangerous 

unrepentant president. Fans of the books 

will smile to themselves when they catch references to the 

trilogy, and the screenwriters should receive a pat on the back for 

successfully adapting the book to screenplay. Another thing the 

film does right is the soundtrack. Lucy Gray’s songs were a huge 

part of the book, and James Newton Howard (The Dark Knight) was 

hired to bring the songs to life. Having so many songs could easily 

have made the film feel like a musical, but it never crosses that line. 

Rachel Zegler’s voice is powerful, yet comforting, and her delivery 

of Lucy Gray’s determination is compelling. Her performance of 

the song The old Therebefore is nothing short of breathtaking, and 

it leaves the viewer stunned. 

Additionally, I would also like to highlight some of the acting 

performances in the film. As mentioned, Rachel Zegler does an 

excellent job at portraying Lucy Gray’s charming wit, but the 

best acting performance goes to Josh Andrés Rivera, who played 

Sejanus Plinth. The desperation, plotting and empathy shown by 

the character, is as it was taken straight from the book. Altogether, 

the plot, the casting, the costumes, and the music makes for a great 

film, but I have a few nagging points. 

Firstly, the character of Coriolanus Snow 

(Tom Blyth). While Blyth is a great actor, 

as a book reader, it was easy to catch on to 

the fact that his portrayal of the character 

lacks complexity. Blyth is excellent at 

portraying the decisiveness and the allure 

of Coriolanus, but he fails at conveying the 

doubt and insecurity Snow feels throughout 

the plot. Certain scenes leave me longing for 

more depth, and it feels like his backstory 

was left behind. 

Secondly, the pacing of the film is off. As 

one could expect the highlight of the film 

is the actual Hunger Games, which takes 

place during the second part of the film, 

The Prize. My attention was kept during 

the first two parts of the film, but during 

the third, The Peacekeeper, some scenes 

felt unnecessary dragged out. Of course, 

the ending picks up the pace again, and I 

can’t say the third part lacks interesting 

events. Yet, I feel the film could have been 

shortened a bit, to match the other films in 

the franchise. 

So, is it the best film in the franchise? No, I would not say so. 

It’s a great addition to an already amazing series, and I would 

recommend going to the cinema and watch it. It shows us a tale 

of hope, desperation, and love. Most of all, it teaches us one thing 

about Coriolanus Snow and society. 

“We all do things we’re not proud of to live”. 


AK TUELT 

YATA KRISTIANSAND 

UTFORSKER LUFTFORSVARETS 

SKOLESENTER KJEVIK 



Foto: Unikum // Natasha Kamanzi, Emma Horgen Frivold; Foto: Freepik // wirestock 

Samarbeidet mellom YATA Kristiansand 

og Luftforsvarets skolesenter er et 

levende eksempel på hvordan samarbeid 

mellom ungdomsorganisasjoner og 

forsvarssektoren kan gi verdifull innsikt 

og inspirasjon til unge som ønsker å 

forstå og påvirke sikkerhetspolitikken. 

Omvisningen har ifølge studentene 

gitt en økende interesse for hvordan 

Luftforsvaret fungerer. 

Anjelica Larsen studerer statsvitenskap 

ved Universitetet i Agder og er 

medlemsansvarlig i YATA Kristiansands 

styre. Til Unikum deler hun høydepunkter 

fra omvisningen på Luftforsvarets 

skolesenter på Kjevik. 

I et samarbeid mellom Luftforsvarets skolesenter Kjevik og 

Youth Atlantic Treaty Association Kristiansand (YATA) fikk 

medlemmene i YATA en eksklusiv mulighet til å utforske Norges 

forsvarshemmeligheter. 

YATA Kristiansand er en nettverksorganisasjon for unge med 

interesse for utenriks-, forsvars- og sikkerhetspolitikk. YATA Norge 

og YATA International har som mål å gi medlemmene kunnskap, 

nettverk, og muligheter for å utvikle interesse, studier, og karriere 

innenfor disse feltene. Dette samarbeidet med Luftforsvarets 

skolesenter er bare ett av mange initiativ for å oppnå dette målet. 

Unik Innsikt i Forsvaret 

Under omvisningen fikk studentene fra YATA Kristiansand en 

grundig innføring i Luftforsvarets skolesenter som har base på 

Kjevik. Hangarene, hvor F-16-flyene stod, og briefen om den 

sikkerhetspolitiske situasjonen i Norge og internasjonalt, stod som 

høydepunkter for flere av deltakerne. 

- For meg så var omvisningen i hangar 

hvor F-16 flyene stod og briefen 

vi fikk om den sikkerhetspolitiske 

situasjonen i Norge, og i verden, to klare 

høydepunkter. Personalet på Kjevik 

er dyktige og kunnskapsrike om både 

utenriks- og innenrikspolitikk. De er virkelig på pulsen av dagens 

sikkerhetspolitiske situasjon både i et globalt og lokalt perspektiv. 

Kanskje spesielt spennende var det å høre om trusselnivået i Norge 

i dag, og om hvordan finsk og svensk NATO-medlemskap kan ha 

ringvirkninger som for det blotte øyet kanskje ikke er umiddelbart 

synlige. I tillegg var også maten i kantina god, legger hun til. 

Videre peker hun spesielt på innsikten i den operative delen av 

flyene, hvor deltakerne fikk nærkontakt med F-16-flyene og en 

grundig gjennomgang av den avanserte teknologien ombord. 

- F-16 er jo kjent for sin avanserte elektronikk, så det var veldig 

innsiktsfullt og interessant å se hvordan flyene er designet og 

utstyrt. Samtidig så var det også tankevekkende fordi lignende 

fly brukes aktivt i konflikter i dag. Vi fikk også se våpnene som 

festes på jagerflyene og det gir inntrykk, samtidig som det er veldig 

spennende. Man sitter kanskje igjen med en litt dypere forståelse 

av krigens realitet – flere av disse flyene er jo massive, understreker 

hun. 

36

Interessant å se det større bildet 

Nina Johnsen studerer også statsvitenskap ved UiA 

og er arrangementsansvarlig i YATA Kristiansand. 

Til studentavisen deler hun Larsens begeistring 

og påpeker at omvisningen hadde en betydelig 

innvirkning på hennes interesse for luftfart, forsvar 

og sikkerhetspolitikk. 

- Det mest interessante var både sikkerhetsbriefen og 

omvisningen inne i hangaren med jagerflyene. Det 

var overraskende å høre at høyreekstremisme har økt 

såpass den siste tiden i Norge og verden at det faktisk 

nå blir sett på som reelle muligheter for at et angrep 

kan skje. For min del så øker interessen betydelig. Jeg 

lærer mye gjennom studiet mitt på statsvitenskap, 

men det er noe med å få info rett fra de som har jobbet 

med dette i flere tiår og kan vise og fortelle oss de 

praktiske tingene, som f. eks. F-16 som vi kun har lest 

om tidligere. Jeg synes også det er interessant å se det 

større bildet og måten alt henger sammen på, forteller 

Johnsen til Unikum. 

Kunnskapsdyrkende 

Nina Johnsen, som også sitter i YATA 

Kristiansands styre, forklarer at de ulike 

arrangementene i YATA Kristiansand 

er en måte å formidle kunnskap og 

skape en plattform for unge mennesker 

interessert i utenriks-, forsvars- og 

sikkerhetspolitikk. Hun oppgir at hun 

har flere roller innenfor denne politiske 

organisasjonen. 

- Jeg foreslår, planlegger, koordinerer og 

utfører arrangement med hjelp fra de 

andre medlemmene i styret. Det er veldig 

gøy og jeg får møte mange kjekke folk og 

har hatt gode diskusjoner, samt at jeg får 

flere gode kontakter som muliggjør blant 

annet slike arrangement som denne 

omvisningen, sier Johnsen. 


REVIEW 

Super Mario RPG 

(2023) – REVIEW 


Editor in Chief 

Photo: IGN; RPGamer; Game Informer 

Mario has proved time and time again, there’s 

nothing he can’t do. From racing in karts, 

playing various sports and even turning 

into paper, he’s done it all. But 27 years ago, 

the library of Mario spin-offs was nothing 

but a twinkle in the sky, the occasional 

karting being his only venture. But then 

Nintendo teamed up with SquareSoft (now 

known as the industry giant Square Enix), 

to bring the plumber to an entirely new 

genre: RPGs. The game was a huge success 

and even now is fondly remembered by its 

fans. So, imagine the shock when Nintendo 

revealed in a presentation earlier this year 

that they would be remaking the game, 

with a complete graphical overhaul and 

additional gameplay features? But can the 

remake capture the magic of the original, 

or should this classic have stayed in the 

nostalgic past? 

Super Mario RPG tells a tale as old as time, 

Bowser has once more kidnapped Princess 

Peach and it’s up to Mario to rescue her, 

however, strangely enough, this occurs 

within the first 10 minutes of the game. Just 

as Mario reunites with Peach, a massive 

sword comes crashing down from the 

38 

heavens, sending Mario, Peach and even 

Bowser flying out of the castle. Mario 

luckily lands in his house, but the confusion 

of what just happened lingers. What was 

that giant sword? Where is Princess Peach? 

What were those strange stars which fell 

from the sky as well? But 

with no hesitation, as 

there never is with our 

titular hero, he embarks 

on an adventure to find 

Princess Peach, with the 

help of some (unusual) 

allies along the way! 

The story is as simplistic 

as you would imagine for 

a Mario game. It never 

reaches any epic highs 

like that of Final Fantasy, 

but it doesn’t try to either, 

because what you get 

is exactly what you would want. Instead, 

Super Mario RPG focuses on humor, this is 

a funny game. It got quite a few chuckles 

out of me, and I had a smile on my face 

when reading some of the obtuse and crazy 

lines (why does Toad have a bazooka at 

home!?). Even mere in-game cutscenes 

featuring the shenanigans of the characters 

are enough to warrant a smile or a giggle. 

The game is overflowing with charm, and 

that doesn’t just apply to the writing but 

also the designs. 

You’ll recognize some familiar enemies 

like the iconic Goomba, Koopa Troopa and 

Shy Guy, but Super Mario RPG is brimming 

with plenty of enemy variety, and it never 

seems to stop. With every new world 

there is always something which brings a 

new color to the palette of the Mushroom 

Kingdom. And speaking of appearances, 

the game is absolutely gorgeous. Somehow, 

the developers have been able to translate 

the art style of the original flawlessly 

into the realm of modern graphics, and 

every world, enemy and even object are 

overflowing with life and there are tons of 

new animations to enjoy. There’s even been 

added cutscenes which are a blast to watch 

and add so much character to an adventure 

already overflowing with personality. 

But graphics aren’t the only thing to 

enjoy. Super Mario RPG has traditional 

turn-based combat segments in-between 

Mario jumping all around the Mushroom

Kingdom on his quests. Here, Mario and 

his allies, the toad(??), Mallow, and the 

doll brought to life, Geno, will duke it 

out against foes who stand in your way. 

A staple of Mario RPGs has been button 

inputs to enhance your attack to bring 

some more damage to enemies and player 

agency to the turn-based combat system. 

It originated in Super Mario RPG and with 

the remake it’s more satisfying than ever. 

Every character requires different timing, 

which can also change depending on the 

equipped weapon, and even magic attacks 

have button inputs which can add to the 

damage or healing. You can also time your 

defense, and potentially negate all damage. 

However, the remake goes an additional 

mile and if you time your attack perfectly 

not only will the primary target take 

damage, but also all the other enemies, 

albeit the others will receive only a 

fraction of the original damage. This 

makes battles go quicker and you never 

feel battles drawing out or that they’re a 

tedious annoyance in your quest to grow 

ever stronger. Another addition to the 

remake’s battle system is the action gauge 

which is filled based on correctly timed 

button-inputs for either defense or attack. 

When filled, you can use a powerful Triple 

Move! Depending on the characters in your 

current party the cutscene and effect will 

differ They feel right at home and gives the 

game additional charm and encourages you 

to experiment with party set-up. It should 

be noted that the remake seems like it 

didn’t quite balance around these additions 

as some battles feel a bit too easy, especially 

boss battles where their main gimmick is 

summoning tiny swarms of enemies to aid 

them or uses powerful effects to mess with 

your party. The game has a “breezy” mode 

which is good for those that just want to 

chill while playing, but it is a bit puzzling 

that the developers didn’t add a “hard” 

mode too. 

Something that goes hard is 100% the 

soundtrack. Every track from the original 

has been remastered by the original 

composer, Yoko Shimomura (best known 

for Kingdom Hearts) and it’s utterly jaw 

dropping how she modernizes the music 

while retaining the magic of the originals. 

There’s not a single dud here, and it speaks 

volumes to her talent and skill. And even if 

you prefer the originals, the game allows 

you to swap back and forth between the 

original renditions and the remade ones. 

Another aspect that 

serves as a doubleedged 

sword is the 

length of the game. It 

is very short by RPG 

standard, clocking in 

between 10-15 hours 

depending on whether 

you try to find all the 

secrets and easters 

eggs or complete every 

sidequest there is. It 

is a relatively short 

adventure, but on 

the bright side, the 

pacing of the game 

is incredible. The experience may not be 

long, but it’s tight pacing makes sure that 

it never feels like you’re experiencing any 

padding or that you level up too slowly 

simply to extend your game time. There’s 

not much post-game content either, the 

remake adds some boss rematches, but 

that’s about it, however, since it’s a short 

and enjoyable experience, I’m much more 

inclined to replay something like this than 

the behemoth Xenoblade Chronicles for 

example (which can be between 60-100 

hours). 

Verdict 

Everything about Super Mario RPG screams 

“baby’s first RPG” from the combat to the 

story. Luckily, the game is fully aware 

of what it is, and never tries to be more 

grandiose in its storytelling or deep in its 

gameplay mechanics, instead refining the 

elements it has to a brilliant shine. The story 

is silly and goofy, laying the foundation 

for that brilliant Mario RPG humor that 

its spiritual successors would use after 

it. With a masterful graphical overhaul 

and an excellent soundtrack to boot, the 

remake invites you into its sprawling and 

wonderful world. The gameplay is a finely 

tuned clockwork that, even though it’s a 

bit on the easier side, is engrossing to play 

and master. Albeit it’s a shorter adventure 

than most RPGs, every second is a delightful 

marvel. Old fans will find this a worthy 

remake of one of their favorite games, and 

new players will definitely fall in love with 

it. Super Mario RPG is an incredible blast 

from the past, and still proves that it stands 

as one of Nintendo’s and Square’s most 

successful and brilliant ventures in the 

library of Mario spin-offs. 


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