Two IPAs with Selma Sollihagen

Everyone at NMBU has heard of SiÅs and has most likely encountered the student organization in one way or another. What people might not be equally aware of is that the chair of the board for SiÅs is 5th-year student Selma Sollihagen.

Journalist: Othelie Eliassen

Photographer: Ylva Friberg

We meet Selma at home in her collective and sit down with our IPAs in a cozy living room filled with plants and natural light from the spring sun outside.

Daring to try new things

Selma moved to Ås with a goal of trying all the new things she wanted. Daring to say yes to new things was not something that came naturally, and when Selma was about to start studying, her brother advised her to "say yes to everything." She took the tip to heart, but eventually had to adjust it to "say yes to what you want to be a part of."

Right now, Selma is writing a master's thesis, and she has been working on a deliberate downsizing as spring arrives. At times there has been a little too much she wanted to say yes to, and her brother's tip got another revision: "say no to what you do not have time for."

Covid conductor

Although there are fewer positions, she is still a member of NGA. Here she also got the chance to try her hand as a conductor, and started in good spirits in January 2020. Selma laughs a little at how cheerful she was early on, because as you probably understand, she had more experience in contagion management than musical management. "It was actually easier to get to the social events than choir rehearsals, since the choir rehearsals were so strictly regulated," laughs Selma a little dejectedly.

When I asked about her favorite moment in the choir, it is clear that Selma really enjoys the choir setting. "You have a place to belong. People who support you, and someone to be confident in. We have in common that we think it's fun to sing, but at the same time want to have fun together."

She mentions that one of her favorite moments with the choir was the first time she conducted. Right after being handed over the conductor's responsibility, she had to end NGA's tower concert by conducting “Deilig er jorden” (Fairest Lord Jesus). Unfortunately, this was the only time she was allowed to conduct the choir in front of an audience, which has led to mixed feelings around the memory afterwards.

Justice and environmental work

When I ask if she has always been concerned about the environment, she thinks a bit before she answers: “I have probably always been concerned about justice, more than the environment and climate. Justice in the form of people being treated equally, and that everyone has access to what they should have access to."

Selma has also always had an interest in politics, but it was not until she came to Ås that she joined a political party. As many know, it is not inconceivable in Ås to get into discussing politics over a beer. Selma also experienced this, and it helped her find her place in MDG (the Green Party).

Among other things, she was involved in campaigning for MDG in 2019, and reveals that she enjoys debating. "It's fun to challenge yourself when debating, but it's also a way to open up my worldview. It becomes broader to hear another person's arguments from their point of view, and to hear how they see the world."

Chairman of the board of SiÅs

Selma also currently sits as chairman of the board of SiÅs, where she was elected last year after one year as a board member. Selma seems comfortable in the role of leader and says that she enjoys holding meetings. "One of the lamest things I know is meetings that are ineffective and take longer than necessary."

Especially after becoming the leader of SiÅs, she experienced that some people found it difficult to separate her personal life from professional life. Among other things, after an episode where she found herself standing for an hour and a half at Bohemen surrounded by people who wanted to discuss SiÅs, she realized that she had to take action.

Now she has prepared responses for when people want to talk to her about the role she does not represent there and then. One example is to suggest that they instead send a message so that they can set up a meeting later.

"I'm still not super experienced," says an honest Selma, "I think you learn and develop your whole life. You can grow from every experience, whether it is a lot or a little."

Plant joy

After several heavy topics of conversation, I can’t help but ask about the plants that surround us. The first thing she says is that over half of them are hers.

“Before, when I lived at Pentagon, I had a weekly flower budget,” she says. “I love it, so why not treat myself? I can easily skip a beer to have a bouquet of flowers I can enjoy for a whole week.”

Now that she has moved to a larger collective, there has been more room for plants instead of bouquets, and the flower budget is no longer necessary.

Nevertheless, she also quickly points out one of the lush plants on the table and says, "the one next to that bouquet, it's mine, it's new."

What now?

Selma's plans for the future are open-ended, and she is not sure what lies ahead after the master's thesis is delivered.

She defines herself as a curious person who enjoys learning. So even if she feels finished with the lessons learned, it is not inconceivable that she will say yes if opportunities for further education present themselves.

"I feel a kind of disappointment at having missed two years. Being a student is so much more than education. It is the formation and development of you as a person through everything you do alongside studying."

White man pushing fifty, without the domination techniques

Now that we're done with the interview and moved on to imaging, we start discussing body language. Selma says that she consciously never has her hands under the table in meetings, and always tries to appear relaxed.

"I think I'm a white man pushing fifty, without the domination techniques."

She has also had to learn to respond to domination techniques. An example is when, in response to indirectly derogatory attitudes, she tries to make herself "stupid." By this she means to respond, "I do not quite understand, what was funny now?" or "What do you mean by that?"

Most often, the person who has said something awkward will withdraw, rather than having to explain that they were racist, expressed misogyny or other concerning attitudes.

"I think it's important that I do not accept it in any setting, because there may be other women present who think they have to accept it. I want to show them that it is possible to say no, and that they are not alone", she reflects.

There is no doubt that Selma will continue to work for justice and sustainability after her studies. She has left deep traces on Ås with her good mood and insight, and will be a missed voice among the students when she has to tackle what the next stage of life has to offer in the autumn.

Greetings for Selma

Dear Selma

Take it from someone who has the honor of being able to call her his corona support dog; Selma is crazy, creative, smart, funny (around 60% of the time) and a warm person on the outside and right down to the core.

Selma was the second Ås person I met when I moved to Ås, and it was love when I first moved in! After almost 5 years and an infinite number of everyday impressions in the collective, I have seen many sides of Selma. From defiant three-year-old to responsible drunkard and boss-ass-business-lady. A chameleon and a firework. I can honestly say that no one has influenced my life in the agricultural metropolis to a greater degree than Selmis. You are a woman who is capable of anything, and who I am very happy to have stumbled across the doorstep of ❤

Ice cold hug from Helgis

SELMAdrigal

A woman of the rare

As well as real sunshine

Has brightened up Ås life

More than you can measure

Reflective and mischievous

Afflicted with contrasts

She creates fun and games

And is happy to offer plasters

A plant guru, climate nerd

Plus organizational

Highly appreciated everything in the choir

As well as a linguist in "Korean"

If doomsday type zombie

Selma is all ready

Given chlorine-borne infection

Survival becomes easy

It can then be concluded

That she can handle anything

So raw a companion

Doesn’t exist everywhere

And if you want to look like Selma

Then you can do the following:

Be a diamond-studded unicorn

Unbreakable and unique

Huge hug from your "just-across-the-hall-ish" neighbor

and former co-conductor ♡

Boss!

There is no one I know who can be so wise, crazy, and funny at the same time. And honestly, there is also no one who has been so fun to green-sprout with for Ås to be a better place - and NMBU a better university. You are remarkably good at the balance between being wise and radical. When you now submit a master's, you can also say that you have lived during your studies. Because you are a person who has a kamikaze-like extra gear both in organizational life and in Turku. Always ready for a social gathering or a killer fun party, you! Whether it is a choir weekend or children's games in the forest. Did anyone say zip-zap-boiing, or ninjaaa? Out in the big world, even bigger tasks await, because you are a cool lady who gets what you want, and is able to make a powerful impression on the world while taking care of people around you. No, people like you do not grow on trees. Big hug from the deputy mayor you got into Ås.