UKA2020 in retrospective

I am probably not the only one with feelings of nostalgia after a month of vibrant hats, large beer glasses and endless carousal at Samfunnet. We look back at fine evenings with silent disco, concerts with Big Bang and Dagny and a sense of community that lay over us from 1. to 26. October. Even though the orange clothes are put away, we have met head of UKA, Fimke Pijfers, for a final word about UKA i Ås.

Journalist: Iris van Brunschot
Translator: Benjamin Alexander Faulkner

Photo: Marianne Mjelde — **Photo:** Marianne Mjelde

A lot on her mind
We are going to meet Fimke at hjerterommet in Urbygningen. She has a lot on her mind concerning the newly concluded UKA. With a satisfactory metre between us, she tells us – with a nostalgic tone – about the feelings that remain in her after more than a years’ worth of planning for the longest festival in Norway.

Photo: Anne Guro Røsæg — **Photo:** Anne Guro Røsæg

A magical start
After having dedicated her life to such an important project after a year and a half, it is strange to settle down without any specific goals in sight. We have worked constantly towards October 1st, which soon ended up meaning a lot more than just a date, and had turned into an almost magical concept. “When I looked through the room while holding my speech at the Student Premiere, it dawned on me that we had made it,” she tells us, “even though an uncertain month was facing us, we had this day at least.”

The festival ended up holding on for more than one day, with 26 whole days of action behind the scenes and many tens of happenings and events, including everything from a course in tango dancing to campfire nights to an upbeat revue and ecstatic concerts. But UKA is meeting its ways’ end, and the 26th October came quicker than expected.

Bittersweet feelings
To wake up on the 27th of October was a bittersweet feeling, according to Fimke. Sweet, because it was nice to lower your shoulders and fall to sleep. At the same time, bitter, because she did not know what she was going to do now. “I haven’t really accepted the fact that UKA2020 is finished. It was almost 600 people at Samfunnet for 26 day, and it astounds and really impresses me to think about everything we managed to organize.”

Photo: Knut Sørbø — **Photo:** Knut Sørbø

The bitter undertaste is blended with many unforgettable memories and experiences. It is undoubtedly many who miss the sense of camaraderie, and even though it is a bit disagreeable that the festival is over, we can appreciate its remaining legacy by remembering the camaraderie that followed the enormous driving force of the students to carry out the festival.

Not a moment of regret
Fimke points out that she has not regretted a second after becoming head of UKA. “It has on no account been a dance on roses, but every minute is worth it,” she says. “It has to do with sitting at the office until 12 at night and crying together, you get a really special attachment to each other and your work.”

She later reveals that it is impossible to describe the feelings she is left with after a finished UKE (see pictures of it). It is well-known that the social environment at Ås is excellent, but it goes beyond all expectations when you see what the students accomplish during the festival. Despite the abundance of individual backgrounds and interests, we are all a part of a team that creates its own little community – which is noticed especially during UKA. Fimke underlines the fact that this was more evident because of the Covid-19 situation. One could see the including and compassionate student environment practically every day.

What do the students feel?
As a part of the finishing work, the board of UKA has made a survey concerning the students opinions on the festival, which mostly looks very positive. Both contentment and infection control has been high up on the agenda, and both these factors score well amongst students. “It is rewarding to see that it was well-received, concerning all the work that has gone into infection control,” Fimke says.

A well-known problem was too few tickets and a desire to move on from concert to bodega or Sløyfa. The board of UKA has this notated, but points out that this was necessary this year because of Covid-19. In addition, the LinTicket-problems must be solved, and to everyone who has seen the revue parody – this much is clear. The board of UKA is aware of this challenge and the chief of marketing addressed the complaints through an apologetic press-conference on stage.

One infection case
During the same press conference, the board apologized for letting an Oslo student in. Fortunately, the routines were in place, and in a positive light this was a good test for the board of UKA to test their routines. As no students at Ås were infected, the contagion routines including the physical tripartitation of Samfunnet has been recognized as highly effective. This (with some luck) enabled UKA to make it to the end without cancelling a single event.

Photo: Simen Walbækken Tangen — **Photo:** Simen Walbækken Tangen

Joining the board in 2022?
Should one join the board in 2022? Fimke needs no time to think before she nods yes. “You get a unique possibility to influence both your own and Ås’ own student environment. Additionally, you learn incredibly much, and even though it seems challenging – everyone starts from the bottom, and you have a lot of people with earlier experience to support you.”

Many pages could be filled with the advantages of filling a position in the board of UKA, but some of the most important ones are the camaraderie you get, the feeling of working towards a visible result and the larger perspective you get from realizing how much work lies behind ordering a beer. To understand how the gears in the machine fit together is a satisfying and valuable experience to carry with you in your life.

You are the driving force
Finally, the head of UKA wants to point out that UKA was not organized by the ones sitting behind a desk with an orange door, but by you – the one sitting beside you at the lecture (or maybe in a breakout room on zoom). “It is the students who have organized UKA, and I hope you have had a wonderful experience,” she concludes.