Is our future written in the stars?

It’s impossible not to see the fear on the woman’s face. Her eyes are wide open and tears are trickling down her cheeks. But why? With a bit of a weird feeling, I look around the place. I’m at a colourful market where hundreds of busy people bustle among the booths. However, in a dark corner, separated from the crowd stands the small booth, the desperate woman has just left. The entrance to the booth is covered with cloths and a whiff of smoke fills the air nearby. An antiquated sign reads the offer: A look into the future.

fortune_picture1__Bit of history

For centuries, this kind of knowledge has been a valuable commodity, which provides those who claim to have it with enormous powers. The most famous of the so-called seers is without doubt Nostradamus. Born in 1503, he not only predicted the fate of the French king Louis XVI and the reign of terror under Adolf Hitler – above that, some of his convinced supporters assert that Nostradamus also forecast the recent election of Donald Trump. But as remarkably accurate some of Nostradamus’ prophecies are, many historic predictions allow numerous interpretative approaches, presenting a perfect target for different groups of people.

While some of them are already discussing Doomsday, others are more interested in extending their wealth with the diverse business of fortune telling. Of course, those fortune-telling products no longer focus on powerful prophecies. Instead, most of them are based on astrological interpretations of celestial bodies, also known as horoscopes.

Trading with the future

Nowadays horoscopes not only feature in many lifestyle magazines; they also help many people make important decisions. But how can a large and diverse audience create individual connections with the horoscopes? The answer is quite simple: by leaving enough room for interpretations. This will ensure that readers are able to identify with their horoscope and are retrospectively convinced that it came true.

Looking at an out-to-date horoscope from January 2017 confirms this assumption. It may sound a bit weird, but the horoscope seems unbelievably expressive and meaningful, while at the same time also kind of trivial. Among other things, the horoscope encourages me to let go of my own mask to earn some mysterious gifts. What could that mean? I basically spent the whole of January studying for some important exams. Could good marks be the promised reward? But what is the secret of the cryptic mask? As of yet, unanswered questions abound and there are no limits to imagination. In a nutshell, this is exactly what horoscopes are all about. It doesn’t matter if a student like me, a successful career woman or a family man reads the horoscope – the horoscope offers something for everyone.

It’s within ones power

After all, there are lots of people who draw strength and motivation from horoscopes. However, it does become problematic when people completely adjust their lives to fortune telling, thereby giving negative predictions too great a hold on them. We all have a free will and are able to shape our own future. And as Abraham Lincoln once said, “The best way to predict the future is to create it”.

Text & Picture: Solveig Paulsen

The future is now

Think back to your childhood for a second and try to remember the things that seemed strictly sci-fi to you. Cool tech people used in movies and stories like it’s the most normal thing in the world, but surely couldn’t exist in real life. For me, things like Star Trek’s holodeck and scanners come to mind. Turns out that these things are now just around the corner.

Reality and then some

wheel_(1)With the big splash Virtual Reality headsets have made over the last year, with the releases of consumer headsets like the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive, the holodeck seems to be well on its way to our living rooms, but so far, VR also seems to remain a feature reserved for games. Augmented Reality (AR), the other side of the alternative reality coin, might prove more versatile. Interestingly enough, it was a game that finally introduced a larger audience to it: Pokémon Go. Instead of creating a virtual world for you to roam around in, AR adds things to the real world that you can then interact with in real time. In Pokémon Go this was still mostly a gimmick, but there’s a lot of potential in this technology. Here are some ideas.

Navigational systems…

GPS devices work pretty well for getting you to where you need to go, but having to constantly look away from the road to peek at the map can be pretty annoying. And dangerous! How much cooler would it be if you could see your route right in front of you? For cars, the windshield could act as a screen that highlights turns. And for pedestrians a similar system could be used with glasses. Although, I guess here your phone screen could work too. People might feel a bit self-conscious wearing something that makes them look like Geordi La Forge.

Tourist information…

You know those plaques on historical buildings all over Augsburg with information about why the place is notable? They’re kinda concise, don’t you think? And a guided tour takes forever. Wouldn’t it be much better if you could walk around at your own pace, check out places you really care about and go into as much detail as you really want? An interactive overlay could do the job. You just look (with glasses), or point your screen (on a phone) at a location of interest and the options pop up. Not just a boring Wikipedia page or a long monologue. No, just what you want to know, right in front of you.

And much more

This doesn’t have to be a thing for tourists only. Look at the sky to get the forecast for the next few hours. Walk towards a bus stop and immediately see how that line can get you to your destination. Point at the cinema and see what movies are on this evening. These are just a few ideas for how AR could be used in the near future. It might still be a while until we finally get our very own dedicated holodeck, but at least this gives us all ample time to plan the layout.

Text & Picture: Andreas Böhm

Remember, remember, the fifth of November

If you’ve been to Great Britain during the first few days of November, you might have noticed fireworks going off and maybe even come across a few bonfires in the evening hours.  Like me, you might have had trouble finding out what it’s all about. People don’t always know why or what they’re celebrating. They just go and join the fun. But I usually like to know the reason for these kinds of festivities.

Westminster Bon fire2

A guy named Fawkes

It all started with a guy. To be precise: with Guy Fawkes. This fellow was “caught in the act” when guarding barrels of powder that had been placed in a cellar beneath the Parliament in order to blow up King James I of England and replace him with a Catholic King. But let’s see how the story began.

Guy Fawkes had presumably been very easily influenced by others all his life. In May 1604, he and other conspirators agreed to join in the now so-called “gunpowder conspiracy”. Fawkes then assumed the name John Johnson, as a servant of Thomas Percy, one of the conspirators. In early December 1604, he started to supervise work in a mine to prepare the gunpowder barrels. In 1605, they hired a cellar beneath Parliament. Fawkes helped to fill the room with barrels of powder and, because of his munitions experience, he was given the task of setting light to the powder. One day before his capture authorities discovered him, but let him leave because they hadn’t seen the barrels yet. But on Tuesday, 5 November, when he once again returned to the cellar, he was arrested. A Westminster magistrate had previously found the gunpowder during a meticulous search. Fawkes was tortured and finally gave away the plan as well as the names of the other conspirators. On Friday, 31 January 1606 he and three others were hanged.

Gunpowder Treason Day

firstRhymeThe very first celebration of the failed gunpowder treason took place right after Guy Fawkes was arrested. The King’s Council had allowed the public to celebrate the King’s survival with bonfires. The following year Parliament passed the Observance of 5th November Act (also known as “Thanksgiving Act”) in order to remember the failed attempt to murder King James I of England. What the celebrations were like during the first years can only be speculated, though we know that at least in some communities music and artillery salutes were part of the festivities. The events were mainly for local dignitaries to start with, but were extended steadily.

While at first the celebrations demonstrated an anti-Catholic sentiment – very early on, effigies of hate-figures, e.g. the pope or the devil, were burnt -, it gradually changed to large organised events, centred on bonfires and extravagant firework displays.

Guy Fawkes Day
NurseryRhyme_Today, every kid knows the name. “Remember, remember…” is a nursery rhyme every kid in Great Britain is bound to hear at some point. Still, when you ask people about the reason for bonfires and firework – more often than not the question results in puzzled looks. People do have a vague idea, of course, but nowadays people seem to be more interested in partying than knowing what makes this date special in the first place.
Partly this might be because society and circumstances change over time. There still might be the odd resentment between Catholics and Protestants, but they’re mostly well concealed in history. What’s more, the name of the day changed in the late eighteenth century, which might have helped to keep the true reason for the celebration in the dark. Even though the story is kind of known, people are lost regarding the specifics. 

Maybe we should not only celebrate festivities, but also try and remember the story behind the party. Otherwise we might lose part of our culture and customs that we wouldn’t want to. After all, even the nursery rhyme says “Remember, remember, the fifth of November…”.

Text: Angie Czygann | Pictures: Manfred Czygann

 

Adopt – don’t shop!

Many people have issues about adopting a dog from a local shelter. There are, of course,  a lot of  myths and prejudices about shelter animals, which encourages a lot of people who are willing to let a furbaby into their lives to buy a pet in a pet store, from a local breeder or even on the internet. So read on if you want to know why adopting a lovely dog from a shelter is the right option, in most cases.

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Myth 1: all shelter dogs are old

You want to have a young pup in your life and figure you can’t find one in a shelter? Well, this is absolutely wrong! Many shelters have a lot of puppies looking for a forever home. And the average age of a dog entering a shelter is eighteen months. But senior dogs are awesome, too, so consider giving one a loving home.

Myth 2: all shelter dogs are aggressive – why would they be in a shelter otherwise?

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Of course, not all dogs in shelters are aggressive. Most dogs given away by their families are perfectly fine and well-behaved; they have to leave because their families are moving or because someone’s getting a divorce. In any case, shelters always label their dogs and check with your lifestyle before letting you adopt – so you’ll always know what you’re getting and whether a particular dog matches what you want.

Myth 3: all shelter dogs have health issues

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Wrong! Most shelter dogs are more likely to be healthy than purchased dogs. After getting to the shelter, all canines undergo a medical check and get all the important shots to guarantee their health and the health of all dogs around them. Of course, a dog from a good breeder might be perfectly healthy, too, but selling puppies is an easy way to earn fast money. So there are a lot of black sheep among breeders; buying a cheap puppy from an unauthorized breeder or from a puppy mill might not only supply you a dog with major health issues, but will give breeders the opportunity to go on with their dirty work and torture more innocent dogs. So if you decide to buy a dog from breeders, make sure that they’re authorized and definitely visit their facilities before you decide to trust them.

Myth 4: adopting from shelters is a huge hassle

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No! It’s actually pretty easy! You can go to shelters during their visiting hours to figure out if a suitable pup is around (and I promise you – you’ll be willing to adopt them all). Then you’ll have to explain to the staff what you’re interested in, take the pup out for a few walks and if everything seems fine between you and the dog, you’ll just adopt them. Nothing more simple than that.

So just go for it!

Adopting a pup will bring so much joy into your life. Shelter dogs which have gone through unhappy times will appreciate your love and will always show their never-ending gratitude. I adopted the most precious and loving dog from a shelter and have never regretted the decision.

Where to go

Tierschutzverein Augsburg und Umgebung e. V.
Holzbachstr. 4c
86152 Augsburg
0821 / 455290 – 0
http://www.tierheim-augsburg.de/
Tierheim Lechleite
Neue Bergstraße 101
86316 Friedberg/Derching
0821 / 79 30 30
http://www.tierheim-lechleite.de/
Tierheim und Tierschutzbund Ulm/Neu-Ulm und Umgebung e.V.
Örlinger-Tal-Weg 40
89081 Ulm
0731 / 97 92 31-50
https://tierheim-ulm.de/

Text & Pictures: Lisa Schümann

Torn between two worlds

The weekend’s near! You’re already planning your days off. You’re probably going to study. Maybe you’ll go on a day trip or just stay in Augsburg and spend your time here? Most likely, the weekend is something you don’t plan very precisely. Well, when you go home each weekend, things don’t work like this. Even though they probably shouldn’t, your plans already take shape on Monday, eventually forcing you to rethink your situation:

This Friday, I’ll hope to get the earlier train

Of course, you’ve tried to outsmart Digicampus and get Friday off. But sometimes this doesn’t work, so you have to attend uni on Friday and hope to get your tram to the train station in time. And even if your train trip only takes one and a half hours, getting the later train will mean that you’ll have less time with your family in the evening.

Saturday is going to be busy.

If your family members live as closely to each other as mine, my Saturday schedule might seem familiar to you: first, you have a late breakfast with your family, already suspecting that the day might turn out to be stressful. At midday, you go get the groceries for your grandparents and spend some time with them, chatting about the past week at uni, a certain president’s failures, and the most recent Bundesliga news. In the evening, you visit your other grandparents to have dinner with them. After dinner, it’s time to finally meet the gang and go out, and depending on how busy Sunday will be, you might, of course stay out a bit longer.

Sunday ain’t fun-day…

train3After an even later breakfast on Sunday, the bags have to be packed. Being tired (and sometimes a bit hungover), you realize what’s coming: a train ride, lasting longer than an eternity; then a tram ride, most often packed with smelly people next to you; an exhausting walk home, because you don’t have one of those trendy suitcases with wheels on them and your bag gets heavier and heavier with each step you take. You’re finally there, so you unpack your bags, put your home-laundered clothes into your wardrobe, and store the food you brought in your fridge. Sleepily, you sink into your bed and as you’re about to fall asleep, you suddenly remember: there was homework due tomorrow!!!

But is it really worth it?

This advice might be helpful, especially if you’re new to being a student: commuting home over the weekend sure is great because you get to see your family, your hometown friends and feel the nostalgic, regional vibe of your home. But if you don’t manage to take one step back from your family responsibilities after moving out, your weekly trip home will be exhausting rather than relaxing. And even though it might hurt in the beginning, you’ll eventually have to focus on one of those two worlds because if you continue like this, homework won’t be the only thing you’ll miss out.

It’s your decision!

Sooner or later, you’ll find out that staying in Augsburg for the weekend more often will benefit you: you’ll be less distracted from your studies, your weekends will be more relaxing, and maybe it’s going to be easier for you to make friends here. This is why, from my personal experience, I can say that for the sake of your student as well as your private life, it’s important to find the right balance between going home and staying in Augsburg. Your family will always be your family, no matter where you are, so they’ll understand. It’s only natural that you’ll have a hard time figuring it out at first, but I’m sure you’ll eventually sort this out and succeed in your new, exciting life, too!

 

Text & Pictures: Marcus Wiesenhofer

Student species

student_About 20,000 students populate the University of Augsburg, which means different people from all over the world, who, at first sight, have almost nothing in common. Well, they’re all students, of course – mammals with particular habits, such as the mass migration from the campus buildings to the Mensa at 1.16 PM. So, as I’ve spent a lot of time in lectures and courses, it’s quite simple to divide the student animal kingdom into three main categories… 

Those who bring food to class

Everybody longs for a snack, above all when you’ve spent the whole day at university and you’re getting a little peckish. A muesli bar, some yoghurt or an apple re the most popular. But not for him. No, the food lover goes big. It’s five p.m., and a pungent odor in the university corridors announces, well in advance, the arrival of BigFood. And here he comes, almost limping, since he’s trying to walk and devour the noodles at the same time. Red sauce all over his mouth and a passion for chopsticks – because eating with a fork is too mainstream. Big food’s ready to contaminate the air of another lecture theatre, usually sitting next to you, and contributing indecipherable questions – his mouth is full! – to the class discussion.

Those who pinch your things

No, I don’t mean your bike, money or smartphone. University thieves don’t aim that high – they just look for your stuff. Innocent copies, pencils and clips, which fall into the hands of those professional thieves. The strategy is always the same: they sit next to you, ask if they can read your copies, and, once the class is over, your marvelous printed sheets have disappeared. After the “Gosh-why-am-I-so-forgetful?” moment, you realize your neighbor has pinched your materials, and sometimes even deprived you of your motivation to study (in the process increasing the number of procrastinators among students as well as Netflix sales).

Those who can’t hold it anymore

Who doesn’t love lectures? Listening to the professor talking away, jotting something down, snoozing in your seat. Not really. Someone in the middle of your row stands up and turns up all the tilt-top desks, as if they were dominoes. The incontinent student faces an obstacle course, with hurdles made of jackets, backpacks and other (unfortunate) students, who are mercilessly attacked by the athlete’s knees. The gymnast finally reaches the door, while the heads follow him, making sure he hasn’t injured himself (or hoping that he has!). Nature is calling and it’s only polite to answer – and go to the loo. Pity that it’s always the same person, sitting in the same place, during the same lecture.

Text: Veronica Armellini
Picture: Daniela Armellini

Social counseling

Sozialreferat_BildWhen I started to study, I didn’t realize how many different ways of volunteering there are. Since I had to give up my voluntary work in my hometown, I wanted to get involved again. A friend took me to the Sozialreferat at the University of Augsburg. From the beginning, I was enthusiastic about their ideas and I’m convinced that if they’re implemented, they’ll benefit students a lot. But see for yourself…

Timetabling
Timetabling is not an easy task, especially when you’re starting off. Often the lectures clash with each other or you have a job. Module handbooks, professors and even fellow students from higher semesters sometimes don´t make matters better either. Through our schedule support we – the Sozialreferat – want to give you advice and help you with various issues throughout the semester(s).

The Monday meeting (an informal  chat)
We offer an opportunity for an informal chat every Monday. We talk about all kinds of things (concerns, etc.) regarding university and personal things. Sometimes we just act as a sounding board so students get new ideas for their studies and replenish energy reserves. Sometimes you only need a sympathetic ear or an objective opinion to cope.

Seminars

Bafög-Seminar
In this seminar, students find out about the various ways of funding their studies. There are some sources which aren’t widely known about, such as study loans, scholarships or housing allowances. We also discuss how and where to apply for these “cash injections” and who is entitled to do so.

Future projects

Sozialreferat_2Social Foundation
Up to now, students here who are experiencing an emergency haven’t been able to apply for short-term loans. In certain situations, the Sozialreferat wants to make this possible. So we’re trying to convince the responsible ministry.

Psycho-social counseling
In this consultation, we hope to be supported by the Chair of Educational Sciences: in the “Counseling for schools” training course, students have to complete a one-week internship at a counseling center. We’d like to offer this internship on our premises.

Guidelines
With regard to the increasingly heterogeneous student body, a manual with the most important contact information, as well as tips for your studies is being planned. The purpose of this manual is to create a flexible problem-solving resource for students and to complement the work of current and future counselors and employees.

The first semester can be confusing and nerve racking in every way. Receiving timetable aid, for instance, is very important in order to plan your studies efficiently and is one of many factors that will make things less stressful. I still remember exactly how confused and overwhelmed I was in the first semester when I had to create my own schedule which was in the end not very effective. I wish someone more experienced had helped me at that time.

Now being part of the team I hope that we can achieve a lot and that students will benefit from our help. We’re there for you for all concerns and problems that occur during your daily student life. We offer you a wide range of services such as consultations, seminars or lectures.

 If you’d like to support us, please contact us and become part of our great team!

Author & Pictures: Carolin Steinke