Two tubis with Tuva Hebnes
Two tubis with Tuva Hebnes
If you take a walk around Campus, you might be lucky enough to spot a real-life Tuva Hebnes flying free in her natural habitat. You may have seen her as a singing lark, a snapping photographer, an editor with Tuntréet under her arm, or a physics student engrossed in solar cell imaging. As one of the few survivors of the soon-to-be extinct species known as the Pandemic class, she has fluttered around Ås for the past five years – always busy with some project or adventure. Today, the journalist has the pleasure of meeting Tuva Hebnes in her natural environment: the Tuntréet office. With her preferred diet – a green tubis (Tuborg beer, of course) – we crack one open each and dive into her wild world.
It’s hardly unfamiliar territory for Tuva Hebnes to be sitting right where she is now, comfortably planted in the brown leather sofa at the office. Here, she’s edited photos for the student newspaper, led editorial meetings, even slept – and, not least, planned many previous To Brune interviews. But what’s new this time is that it’s her turn to be interviewed. As with all To Brune interviews, we have to start from the beginning. And that beginning isn’t here in the office, nor in Ås – but in a small municipality in Rogaland called Tysvær.
Journalist: Marie Tjelta
Translator: Ida Jystad
Photographer: Nicolai Terland
Roots in Creativity and Engagement
Tuva tells me she grew up in a small place where there wasn’t always much to do – something that probably helped nurture her creativity. When she discovered her dad’s old single-lens reflex camera, her passion for film and photography took root. Together with friends, she made everything from stop-motion films to home-made music videos and talk shows. Another important outlet for her was the local theatre school. As a shy child she could finally let loose. That joy of creation has stayed close to her heart ever since.
In her teenage years, her spark for volunteer work began to grow. In high school, she helped start a local group for Strømmestiftelsen, and quickly became the one who got others involved and excited about fundraising. “It was great to feel that my engagement could actually make a difference.” After high school, she spent six months in Uganda through the Hald International School, working with local youth and putting her ideals for a better world into practice.
The Best of Both Worlds
You might think that after a year like that, Tuva would have chosen to study development studies. But the STEM subjects had always called to her. The mix of engagement, creativity, and science has always been part of her life – the best of both worlds. With her passion for sustainability and renewable energy, Environmental Physics at NMBU became a natural choice.
Playing with Life and Defying Fate
The story of Tuva Hebnes at Ås is one of taking root, blooming, singing, creating – and of a fringe that has been through it all. Fate had already decided that Tuva would join the choir Lærken, since most of her buddies during the first weeks were already members. “I don’t think I would’ve dared to apply so early on my own,” she admits. But with people around her saying, “Of course you should join!”, she found the courage to jump in. Thus, “Playwithlifeandchallengefate-Hebnes” became a soprano in the choir – a name that suits her time at Ås surprisingly well.
Tuva was glad she got to experience a rich first semester with Lærken and UKA 2020 before the pandemic once again shut down Samfunnet with a capital and a small ‘S’, in the spring of 2021. That semester was spent back home in Tysvær, but a hint of Ås-spirit followed her through choir rehearsals, meetings, and even a digital revue on Zoom. “I’ve almost repressed that time,” she laughs. When Campus reopened, things took off: Tuva was elected leader of the student organization MILjøFysikerne (MILF), became director of Lærken Revy 2022, and later Executive Director of the choir itself. “It was such an honor to get leadership roles that early in my studies,” she says – and that was just the start of her girl boss era.
Life Behind the Camera
Her dad’s old camera would also turn out to be her ticket into the student newspaper Tuntréet. Her roommate, then-editor Sofie Bergset Janols, convinced her to join as a photographer at the end of 2021. Today, many think of photography as “Tuva’s thing,” but at the time she didn’t feel anywhere near good enough. Eventually, she realized that Tuntréet wasn’t scary at all – rather, it was a playground where you could experiment and learn. “Here we do things our own way – there’s plenty of room to be a bit of a noob and learn,” she laughs.
As a photographer, she got plenty of assignments, learned to document campus life, and quickly became known as “the one with the camera.” Later, as head of photography, she found a new home: the photo studio above Aud.Max. Former editor Tord K. F. Andersen taught her Photoshop – opening a whole new world. “It’s like a blank canvas,” she says.
After a while, the thought arose: could she become editor? “No way, I didn’t have much writing experience,” she protests. But her passion for the newspaper’s direction and design burned stronger than her doubts. So she ran for election at GA in the fall of 2023 – and won (editor’s note: over me…).
An Imperfectly Perfect Newspaper
“So there I was – editor, together with Martin,” she laughs warmly. They were very different people, but the two opposites found a rhythm together as Head of Journalism and editor-in-chief in the spring of 2024. It was intense, educational – and a lesson in letting go of perfectionism. “You don’t have time to be a perfectionist when you have to produce 52 pages every three weeks,” she explains. One quote from Martin became important to her: “Shit happens, Tuva.” Not everything had to be deadly serious – the most important thing was to have fun.
She recalls her time as content editor – responsible for all articles – as exhausting but incredibly rewarding. Tuntréet occupied her mind 24/7, and she constantly thought about new, exciting stories. At the same time, it was a relief that the role only lasted one semester. When she later became editor-in-chief, she could hand the creative responsability over to content editor Marie Tjelta (editor’s note: me!) and focus more on supporting the team. Many in the editorial staff affectionately refer to her as a loving “mama bear” (rawr) – someone who guided, included, and stood up for her people when needed.
A Life That Wasn’t a Given
Getting a To Brune can throw you into a small existential crisis. It’s like you’ve completed the Ås-life – and now it’s almost over? The day before the interview, Tuva scrolled through her phone calendar – every single day for years had been filled with color-coded events and reminders. She’s been on the go from morning to night, always with something waiting. Looking back, she was almost overwhelmed by how much she had done.
Because not many know just how unrealistic Tuva’s life at Ås once seemed. In middle school, she was diagnosed with ME – a chronic fatigue syndrome. “It was brutal when I got the diagnosis; it’s such a controversial and complicated illness,” she sighs. All the medical help she was offered, she says with a bittersweet laugh, “was a shower stool.” Luckily, she got into an alternative treatment program early in her illness – a turning point that allowed her to play with life and challenge fate to the fullest
“When things feel hopeless, I find strength in thinking about how life could have been,” she says. Coming to Ås felt liberating – a place where her medical history didn’t follow her like it did back home. “I could just go for it,” she said with a smile on her face.
Saying Goodbye to Ås
By Christmas, Tuva will have submitted her master’s thesis on fault detection in Norwegian solar power systems, marking the end of her time as a student at Ås. She feels a mix of excitement and melancholy about stepping into what people call adult life. “There’s been so much freedom at Ås,” she says thoughtfully. “I’m a bit nervous about losing that.”
She’ll miss the community and the network she found here. She remembers showing her family around Pentagon on her first day. “They said, ‘Everyone here looks like Tuva,’” she laughs. At Ås, she found a community that shared her values. “I’ve never felt such a strong sense of belonging as I have here,” she says. It will be hard to say goodbye, but she knows that Ås has given her something she’ll carry with her – the confidence to take initiative.
When winter once again wraps its cold hands around the Ås bubble, Tuva Hebnes will move on to new horizons. She’ll be missed in the ecosystem that is student life at Ås – but her playful birdsong will forever linger faintly over Campus.
Hilsener
Dear Tuva!
We in Sangkoret Lærken are incredibly grateful to have you as such a kind and steady presence in our choir. You notice the people around you and always work to include everyone. Your warmth and kindness bring a sense of calm and stability to our group, something that will be dearly missed when your back eventually bends (as we say). The care you give is truly inspiring, showing us all how to look after one another. We always know that if anything comes up, we can come to you.
Even though you’re our source of comfort, that doesn’t stop you from joining in on the fun. Your nickname Leke (“to play”) suits you perfectly. You’re always up for a laugh and join in on the strangest ideas without hesitation. It’s always a joy when you take part in our lærke shenanigans, and you spread that lærke spirit wherever you go. You’ve achieved so much during your years in Ås, yet even with your packed schedule, you’ve always made time for us. We’re so happy that you’ve shared your joy, spirit, and culture with our choir, and with the wider Agrarmetropolis. Thank you for wanting to play with us.
With love, The women’s section of Sangkoret Lærken
Tuva is basically engagement with fringe. So it’s no surprise that her time at Tuntréet began by being Shanghai’d into the role of photographer, mostly because we needed people like her. It didn’t take long for us to realize she had a great eye for photography (we haven’t checked the other one). The fact that this was already over three years ago feels absolutely insane. Tuva didn’t just become a photographer, but also photo KS — and editor! Cool.
Tuva has led the editorial team with patience for Dino’s antics, survived Samf with dignity, and balanced creative chaos with rare calm. If Tuva ever scolds you, you probably deserved it. She’s the kind of person who can go to an afterparty and still show up at the office a few hours later — stylish, smiling, and with a “coffee” in hand.
Like a lighthouse, she’s warm, steady, and radiates light — even when she’s walking around with a stuffy nose and 2% energy. She sees people. She sees you. Tuva is absolutely someone you want to have a beer with, someone you want on your team, and someone we’re endlessly fond of.
Thank you for shining your light on us.
— The Overripe Potatoes from Tuntréet
Dear Tuva,
Since the good ol’ Pentagon days, when we were curious about everything Ås-life had to offer, you’ve played an important role in our lives. Together we’ve explored DIY fun hats, sliced lemons, white rabbits, Goggo, zelen, roller skates, vocal warm-ups, the “bulle girl” life during Corona, MILF and beers, and countless trips to forest, mountains, and city. Throughout this journey as students, you’ve been a creative oasis, full of initiative and drive. You master everything from advanced solar energy research to video editing and gardening. You notice the people around you, you dare to ask questions, and we’re lucky to have you close.
Sissi, we’re so impressed by your strength. Life has already been far more turbulent than expected. Sometimes fate feels unfair. Yet you always know what needs to be done to make things a little better. And when the storms have been too strong, we’ve been able to share the weight. Know that we’re here for you, no matter what.
Leke, you love being “where things happen” — and more often than not, you’re the reason something happens! We appreciate that. Sometimes maybe a bit too much is happening — you are, after all, a true committee junkie — and then we don’t get to see you as much as we’d like. Still, you always pull everything off. We just wish the time at Musebu could’ve lasted a few years longer. Maybe that’s enough nostalgia for now. Wow, are you ready?? For new journeys? You’ll nail that master’s thesis, we know it.
Big hugs from, Pernille, Pauline, and Åsne
