Ås Starter Pack
Ås Starter Pack
Welcome to a new semester! Maybe you're a new student wondering how to navigate the Ås jungle—this jungle of new faces, traditions, uniforms, and concepts. Tuntreet will now attempt to give you a sort of starter pack and guide on how to find your way and possibly engage both socially and academically.
Journalist: Henrik Bakken
There could be many reasons why you started here at NMBU: perhaps Ås is the place you've dreamed of studying; it was your second choice in the national admissions process; or it's the only place that offers your program. Regardless of what fate has in store for you, you now have to make the best of the situation—even if you’re living in the dorms on Kajavegen.
Ås isn't large, but there are many places and concepts to keep track of. Here is a small glossary of terms and abbreviations that might be useful to know:
Places and Abbreviations
The Agrarian metropolis – A fancier word for Campus Ås
The ABC basement – The Mecca of Pentagon
Andedammen – The idyllic swimming pond in the heart of campus, formerly known as Svanedammen.
Eika – The gym by Skogsdammen
Skogsdammen – A pond by Eika
Samf – The Student Society
GF – The Student Society's general assembly. Become a member to gain voting rights.
KM – Committee member
KS – Committee chief
NK – Second-in-command
Funkis – Volunteer at UKA (which is just around the corner). As a volunteer, you're a helper during the festival, and there are many different opportunities. Application deadline: September 9th.
AU – The Executive Committee of the Student Parliament
Konte – The way to go (referring to retaking exams)
Akademisk kvarter – Everything starts at a quarter past, so don’t show up to lectures on the hour.
If you're planning to actually study a bit in addition to all the fun happening in Ås, these might be places worth visiting now and then:
Tårn – The Tower building
Ur – The Clock building
Sør – Sørhellinga (The building behind TF)
Biotek – The Biotechnology building
TF – The Faculty of Science and Technology
VET – The Veterinary Institute
The university's two libraries can be found at Sør and VET.
Activities and Social Venues
There are also festivities here in the Agrarian metropolis—a term you should know if you've studied the glossary. There is generally a high level of activity in Ås, both during the day and in the evening. If you're interested in such things, these concepts might be of interest:
Samfunnet
The place you're likely to spend the most time is probably Samfunnet, which is centrally located in relation to both campus and many of the student housing areas. There are often concerts and party nights here, and you also have the opportunity to get involved as a volunteer.
Associations
Ås has many opportunities for social associations. Whether you like to sing, play instruments, or just party hard, there are plenty of options. Many interests are catered to life here in Ås, so there's something for almost everyone.
Bohemen
The collective of the singing choir Lærken in Pentagon, Bohemen, is a well-known place for after-parties.
Hankattloftet
The collective of the Hankatt Association.
Eika
Some people also like to exercise, and this can be done at Eika Sports Center, which is owned and operated by SiÅs. There are also many options for group classes.
NMBUI
If you're particularly interested in physical activity—so much so that sports are close to your heart—then NMBU Idrett (Sports) is also a community worth contacting. NMBUI offers many sports, and it's easy to get involved.
If you also like swimming, there is a municipal swimming pool just outside Ås center that you can visit.
Various Useful Facebook Groups and Pages:
Fest-telegrafen
Most social events happening in Ås are shared here—whether organized by Samfunnet or others.
Foodsharing Ås
Fight food waste! Foodsharing Ås works to distribute edible surplus food as an alternative to throwing it away.
Gratis mat NMBU (Free food NMBU)
Here, events where free food is served are shared, often at company presentations or similar events.
NMBU pensumbøker kjøp/salg/bytte (NMBU syllabus books buy/sell/exchange)
Books are expensive, and even Boksmia doesn't operate as a charity, so this can be a good alternative. NB—Watch out for scams!!
Kjøp/salg/bytte Studentsamfunnet i Ås (Buy/sell/exchange Studentsamfunnet i Ås)
Buying/selling and exchanging tickets for events at Samfunnet.
Kjøp/salg/bytte ved NMBU (Buy/sell/exchange at NMBU)
Buying and selling all sorts of things + a little extra.
Skogveien Studentboliger (Skogveien Student Housing)
Are you lucky enough to have found a place in Skogveien? It can be useful to stay updated. By the way, did you know that almost all of 18B was underwater?
Ås Kommunes Venner (Friends of Ås Municipality)
If you're also particularly interested in what the counterweight to the scientific consensus at the university might think, you can join Ås Kommunes Venner for critical theories on everything from climate challenges to vaccines and chemtrails. You can also join if you generally enjoy the company of pensioners who think students are spoiled and greedy.
Now you've got a kind of map of the jungle described in the introduction. Some of this might have been new to you, some not so much. You may have already started to form your own prejudices about this place, but remember that not all of them are necessarily true. For example, it's not correct that not all HH guys have blond hair and middle parts—they all do. And don’t even think about believing that Unity and FF are purely social associations—they are primarily engaged in charity work. And finally, remember not just to see the jungle for the trees, but also for the vines you can swing on.
