Category: Former author

Hey! I'm an avid writer from Lebanon, born in the US, who's lived their entire life in Abu Dhabi. I'm a third-year media and information student at the UvA. The articles I write are critical about culture and society, which you can find in YOUvA Today's 'opinion' section. I joined this student newspaper to tell stories about the cultural atmosphere at the UvA. Being here, I can share my thoughts about student life and raise awareness about things I find important. If I'm not writing, you can find me at the skatepark or at home, filling my time with pretty much anything that gets my mind going. Happy reading!

Greetings and salutations! My name is Sebastiaan Nijland. I’m 23 years old and born in Nijmegen. But I've been
living in Amsterdam for most of my life. I study History at the UvA. In my free time I like to keep active, read, cook, visit galleries, and watch everything related to Anthony Bourdain, Sofia Coppola, and Guy Ritchie. I will be working as a politics writer here at YOUvAToday, uncovering the wonders of the world of student politics hidden behind the doors of the Maagdenhuis. If you're ever down for a chat or have an interesting piece of information for an article, don’t hesitate to contact me and we’ll meet for a coffee!

Hello people of the world! My name is Menelaos Tsikaras coming from Thessaloniki, Greece. I study Political Science at the UvA, whilst my free time is composed of politics, cinema, and books. Joining the team of YOUvA Today gives me another incentive to cooperate with nice and creative people in trying to contribute to our university community. If you're aware of any affairs/events happening in the future, don't hesitate and hit me up. Don't feel ashamed of yourself if you don't manage to pronounce my name properly, it's totally fine. We will work on that!

Scream in the middle of the street 'Reggae, Jazz and coffee' and I shall get out of the depths of my mind filled with books, random thoughts about humanity (and pretty much anything) to say hi. I study Literary Arts and Cultural Analysis. My goal is to work as a writer, working in projects to bring awareness on topics such as inclusion and the powerful energy of the arts, but also developing my own work, such as poetry.

Hi everyone! My name is Patrick and I’m a reporter for the Today section of YOUvA Today. I’m an English student at Utrecht University, but this year I’m doing two minors in Journalism and Political Science at the UvA. You’ll probably see me on campus at some point, interviewing strangers and passersby, which is something that I, being a Leo, truly enjoy. Furthermore, you’ll likely see me writing/talking about sustainability and environmentalism at some point, so buckle up, grab a cuppa coffee, and enjoy the ride!

Hello everyone! I’m Sibylle, 21 years old and from Germany. Currently, I’m in my third year of Political Science Bachelor. For YOUvA Today, I write articles concerning the political section (not very surprising due to my study). I am very interested in journalism, especially when it is political and able to make life a little better for everyone. Last year, I specialized in Political Theory, which discusses political philosophy and why things are the way they are (my absolute favorite course). For my last high school years, I lived in Sweden, so if you ever want to take a Fika and tell me about your perspective on life, hit me up. I hope everyone enjoys this newspaper as much as we do! 

Hi! My name is Hugo and I will be the editor of YOUvA Today. I’m a law student, currently doing a masters in commercial law. I’ve spent most of my student years writing for, editing and overseeing the faculty magazine of the law faculty association, and I am now moving to a broader audience. While I spent a lot of my time on the athletics track, I can also be found in the ArenA, cheering on the Godenzonen of Ajax.

Hello, I’m Smrithika (or Smithy), and I’m the social media manager for YOUvA Today! I study English literature and enjoy reading, writing and occasionally crying about how well some people write. If you find a girl reading a novel (probably written by Margaret Atwood) or carrying too many filled tote bags for her own good, chances are you have spotted me. I’m excited to bring the spellbinding work of the lovely journalists at YOUvA to your phones / laptops / devices (in a non-creepy way, of course), because what’s better than hearing about students from the students themselves!