A literary magazine called “Persephonyx”, to which readers can submit photos, caricatures and comics. Or a music video without cuts, known as a lipdub, in which the performers sing to a backing track: two projects by students who are getting creative on the campus.
A literary magazine by and for students: when German studies student Inga Rottinghaus first heard about the idea, she was immediately enthusiastic. She came across it whilst spending a semester abroad at Kingston University in London. Back in Oldenburg, she convinced her fellow students Ingo Robbe, Lisa Boekhoff and Julia Woest, and together they set about bringing the idea to life.
Since the 2009/2010 winter semester, the literary magazine Persephonyx has been published once a term. “The name is a combination of Persephone, the Greek goddess of the changing seasons, and Nyx, the daughter of the god of dreams. But we don’t want to give a definitive explanation; rather, we want to spark curiosity,” says editorial team member Ingo Robbe.
The content is also designed to spark curiosity: alongside literary pieces, students can submit photos, caricatures and comics. The team also organises regular readings.
Katharina Proske and Theresa Beschnidt are also getting creative on campus. The two students on the Master’s in Integrated Media programme filmed the university’s first lip-dub in July. A music video in which the performers move their lips in time with the lyrics, in other words, sing to a backing track. The idea originated in the USA. However, German universities are now also using this video format to showcase their own institutions. “It’s the energy conveyed in this way that really inspires us,” explains Beschnidt.
During the preparations for the shoot, Beschnidt and Proske worked closely with university staff: the canteen staff provided packed lunches for the volunteers, and the building management team arranged the necessary barriers on the day of filming. For the musical aspect, the two organisers sought support from music lecturer Christoph Micklisch. He wrote the LipDub song “Hey you student”. The choreography, too, is a genuine student-led, self-produced creation. So we can look forward to the first university LipDub.
