Two apple juices with Ragnhild
Two apple juices with Ragnhild
One Wednesday afternoon during the January block I took a break from my Sketchup assignments, and headed over to Samfunnet to interview the one and only Ragnhild Sunde Stokke over two glasses of apple juice. But who is Ragnhild, you might ask? Ragnhild is a driven veteran in the Ås community, and has participated in both Flatlusa and Frøy. She is currently working on her master thesis in ecology, where she studies salmon trout (read: baby salmon). I ask Ragnhild how she ended up in her field. “It was very coincidental that I ended up with ecology. I had actually applied for plant sciences, but just a couple of days before the deadline I changed my application and put ecology and nature management as my first wish,” she tells me with a smile.
Journalist: Jan Herman Heuch Olbjørn
Translator: Rebekka Berg
Photographer: Nicolai Terland
Foto: External
Life before NMBU
It turns out that people had a life before they became students at NMBU, and Ragnhild has had quite a life! She grew up between the fjords and the mountains, in idyllic Volda in the middle of the alps of Sunnmøre. After finishing high school Ragnhild chose to do a year at the outdoor life program at Sunnfjord folkehøyskole. There she learned to manoeuvre both high and low, and just as well on both land and water. After an eventful year at folkehøyskole, Ragnhild set her eyes on new (tropical) horizons, more specifically an Atlantic crossing. During spring of 2019 Ragnhild found herself on a plane going to the Carribean where she was supposed to participate in a sailing expedition that would cross from Bermuda to England. When I ask how one ends up on a British sailboat which is supposed to cross the Atlantic, I simply get told: “I didn’t have anything else to do and I had saved some money, so I just signed up.” This brings us to Ragnhild life motto, and tip to Tuntreet’s readers: “Challenge yourself every day, get out of your comfort zone, and do new things.” As you might imagine, Ranghild can sometimes be a bit impulsive – a trait that has taken her on many adventures over the years.
Associations and folk music
The fiddle and music are some things that has always been of great importance in Ragnhild’s life. Since she was eight years old, she has learned how to enchant an audience with good music and beautiful tones. From there, it came natural to her to join Flatlusa, Ås’s very own folk music orchestra. As Ranghild says with a nostalgic smile: “When I attended the Grass Course the autumn of 2019 I knew I had to talk to them (Flatlusa). However, when she joined the association, Flatlusa was not the same as they are today. They had struggled with visibility for a long time and were a small association, but this was something Ragnhild and her friends were going to sort out. Now, four years later, Flatlusa is one of NMBU’s most active associations with weekly practices, social gatherings and concerts for each and everyone. They even play at the bodega! You can’t get more visible than that. I have witnessed Ragnhild’s involvement myself, as a member of the “tradenigheten” (shoutout to the Milkmaid Association) I was invited to a winter activity day at Kinnåsen arranged by Ragnhild. There was a large turnout and a beautiful day, thanks to Ragnhilds glowing commitment to creating a pleasant student life for those around her.
Ragnhild also adds that the association Frøy is close to her heart, considering the fact that she’s been a member there as well since the beginning. It might not come as a shock that a folk dance association and a folk music orchestra go hand in hand. When I ask Ragnhild what she’s left with after her years in both associations, she says that “that’s where my friends are, it’s been my group of friends throughout all these years in Ås.” She makes it clear that the most fun thing she has experienced during her years at NMBU is: “it’s just to be a part of Flatlusa!” So, if there’s anyone reading this who would like to socialize a little more, and create a bunch of fun memories, you now know two great associations that can satisfy that need (given that you are interested in folk dance and music). Furthermore, I ask if there’s anything from her time at Ås that she regrets. Here the answer is clear: “No, not really, I don’t regret anything, neither academically nor socially!”
When Ragnhild is asked what area of Ås is most to her liking, there is also one obvious answer; Vollskogen (the forest behind Pentagon). In 2022 and 2023 she lived in “The Yellow House” on the other side of Vollskogen. The best thing about the forest was the opportunity to walk around in your own thoughts and spend some time by yourself (so if anyone misses a place to collect your thoughts, you now have a great tip). The club at Samfunnet is also mentioned as one of Ragnhilds favourite places. The opportunity to gather your friend group around a good portion for a cheap price never fails.
What does the future bring?
When I ask Ragnhild what she thinks the future holds for her I get a two-part answer. She would love to work with the dissemination of science, preferably to children and youth, and hopefully out in nature. “The very best had been to work at a camp school or a visitor centre where they received children and took them out fishing or looking at plants,” she says. At the end of the interview, I also get some excusive inside scoop I’m allowed to share with you. Ragnhild has just inherited a house in Nordfjord, close to Volda, in true “where no one could believe that anyone could live” style. There's lots of plums and apples, and it’s idyllically located by the coast of Sunnmøre. The only problem is that Ragnhild doesn’t have anyone who can move with her! So a small ulterior motive in being interviewed was to open the possibility for receiving proposal letters from likeminded people who would like to live in rural surroundings. If this sound like you, just contact Ragnhild!
Photo: External
Ragnhild tips for student life:
Get out of your comfort zone, try something new, even though it’s nice to stay at home.
Get involved in something, either at Samfunnet or in one of the associations, it doesn’t matter what it is as long as you’re having fun!
If you think something might be challenging, such as a party or if you’re a little anxious, divide it into smaller, more manageable tasks, for example “at this party i will talk to x people.”
Greetings
Dear Ræggs <3
Vi have been so lucky to experience the joy it is to live with Ragnhild Raggysnagg Sunde Stokke. It's been incredible nice to have Ragnhild as a kind of heart of the house. When we came home, Ragnhild used to sit in the kitchen listening to P1+, ready to chat and drink some cordial. Dinner with Ragnhild would be simple, a type of patty with spaghetti and pesto which happened to be the only sauce-like thing we had in the fridge, but in return we had cordial and silly good conversations.
Although we no longer share a primary residence, we are still united in our second home, Sørhellinga <3 But of course it’s more tempting to cater to SiÅs, learn the accordion, play with SIL, run the students scouts and Norwegian nynorsk associations, clean the coffee machine at Sørhellinga than writing your master thesis ;) Remember to write this down on your CV ad the sun will shine on you!
Last but not least, we must not forget to mention that Ragnhild is super handy. Fix the bike, fix the sink, done. Learning to drive a bus, it all good. Sail to Portugal, no problem. Everyone could use a Ragnhild in their life, and we are so lucky to have ours!
Hugs from Thea Marie and Anna Amanda
Dear Ragnhild,
Since you joined us in Flatlusa in 2019, a lot has happened to Å(u)s. You came and raised both the organisation, the team spirit and the cozy factor by a lot. Thanks to you, we’re not just an orchestra now, but also a group of friends.
You’re a have a fierce drive, and you always work so that those around you are happy. But you never take credit, you humble sop.
Know that we see you, and we all agree that Ragnhild is incredibly all right.
Thank to you we also know everything there is to know about how to emergency land a plane if an accident were to occur.
Thank you for all your spicy initiatives, silly anecdotes and warm charity!
You will always be our real leader.
Joy smile. Hearts.
Dear Ragnhild!
You spread happiness and enthusiasm wherever you are. Whether you have the fiddle on your shoulder or dancing shoes on your feet, you contribute to every dance party. You are full of initiative and good ideas, whether it’s a hike in the forest, a trip to the swimming pool, a sport’s practice, or a chat in Klubben or at Sætra. You're supportive, caring and a walking lexicon on the topic “every bit of trivia you didmn’t know you needed”. You have so many good stories to tell, and a laughter and a smile that affects everyone in the room and can warm even the coldest of hearts.
Ragnhild, you are a proper sunshine from Sunnmøre. We will miss you.
Heartfelt greetings from Leikarringen Frøy
