The Eyeopener: Vol. 59, Issue 17

Unpaid internships a bad deal, students say

Program requirements pushing students to unpaid internships, stretching finances

By Yuna Cho

Students at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) say they’re feel ing burdened by unpaid internships, exacerbated by mandatory internships that are required in some programs such as fashion and child and youth care.

Min Kim, a first-year nursing student at TMU, is currently fulfilling mandatory placement hours for her course requirements at a nursing home. As a first-year student she works an eight-hour shift once every two weeks. She said she also works part-time to support herself and afford her tuition fees.

The university launched a bursery for equity-deserving students in unpaid Work-Integrated Learning positions in October 2024, as previously reported by The Eyeopener

As Kim advances through the program, her requirement hours will be increased up to 30 hours per week, only 10 hours less than a full-time job.

“I currently work part-time to cover my living expenses, so if I can’t work for four or five months, it would be a big financial hit,” said Kim. “I probably will find a higher paying job during the [summer] break to cover this cost.”

According to federal policy, unpaid internships are illegal, unless the intern is a student fulfilling requirements for an educational institution. In Ontario, the Employment Standards Act considers someone an employee if they receive training from an employer

Dang* is a first-year accounting student at TMU who previously studied broadcasting at Centennial College. Dang said he finished four months of his required unpaid internship for broadcasting, and he got a full-time job offer from the same company.

Even though he had a part-time job while working during the internship, he said he wasn’t making enough money and would heaviliy rely on his credit card. “By the time I finished my internship, I owed $2,000 [on] my credit card,” he said.

According to a July 2025 federal research study, approximately 36 per cent of Canadian-born students found their first job through personal contacts and 25 per cent through a former employer.

Both students said their main reason for doing unpaid internships was for networking and building connections in their respective industries. Kim said building a connection at a large hospital seemed important for her to get a job after graduation. “For example, big hospitals like Sunnybrook, students prefer going there even if it’s far,” she said.

After two years, Dang pivoted from working in television to studying accounting, feeling overworked and not earning enough money. “What if [I] didn’t get the job right after the internship? I think about that all the time,” he said.

Dang also said connections are critical in the broadcasting industry. “Email every production company out there in Toronto, I can be almost 99 per cent positive that you

will not get anything from [a] company,” he said.

Viet Vu, the manager, economic research at The Dais, thinks this professional connection is one of the essential requirements to get a job, and it has become one of the most important reasons why students consider unpaid internships.

Vu said building relationships with potential employers is crucial to the job search, and there is a clear pressure to establish professional relationships by any means necessary. He said this kind of pressure creates unfair access to opportunities.

“Think about the kind of students who are actually able to survive on an unpaid internship. Those are likely students who are already wealthy. Those are probably students who already have access to the monetary resources, and most likely through their parents or professional resources as well,” Vu said.

*This person’s name has been changed to protect their identity. The Eyeopener has verified this source.

Town hall on Bill 33 and OSAP cuts sees students ready for action

By Amira Benjamin

Disclaimer: Trudy Kuropatwa Trent is an organizer with the Student Mobilization Committee and has paid for ads in The Eyeopener.

Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) students gathered in the Thomas Lounge in the Student Campus Centre to organize against the provincial government’s OSAP cuts and Bill-33, the Supporting Children and Students Act, on the evening of Feb. 26.

The in-person meeting, with over 40 student organizers, was hosted by the university’s three student unions: the Toronto Metropolitan Students’ Union (TMSU), the Toronto Metropolitan Association of Part-Time Students and the Toronto Metropolitan Graduate Students’ Union. There were also representatives from CUPE Local 1281 and the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario (CFS-O).

Trudy Kuropatwa Trent, president of the Performance Students Union and third-year production and design student, said she was very pleased with the town hall’s turnout.

“I think we got a lot done and we got these action plans going, so we can take this from online organizing like emails…and make some material change happen,” she said in an interview with The Eyeopener

“I think [the] important part here is building a good foundation

through real, effective outreach and base-building.”

In an email to The Eye, Jay Ashdown, communications coordinator for the TMSU, said they were “thrilled to have a full house.”

“TMSU will work to hone what we hear into productive, coordinated action and provide students with tools to advocate for the shared cause of affordable and accessible education,” the email said.

Bill 33 gives the Progressive Conservative government authority over how student ancillary fees are used on university campuses, as previously reported by The Eye. This means they could stop funding certain student-run services like health clinics or radio stations without student input.

Bill 33 was passed in November and TMU’s equity centres, such as the Trans Collective, are already concerned about how funding cuts will impact their services, as previously reported by The Eye Presenters recognized that Bill 33 is an “overarching” piece of legislation that doesn’t prioritize student interests.

Cyrielle Ngeleka, the chairperson of CFS-O spoke to The Eye, “With Bill 33 what we’ve seen the government try to increase oversight on the education system, they want to influence admissions…ancillary fees and research security. But that goes against what students have asked for,” she said. “All students have asked for is to be able to afford going to

school, and that means increased funding in the education sector. What this recent announcement proves is that Doug Ford is really out of touch with students’ realities,” she said.

Much of the town hall was dominated by discussions of the PC government’s decision on Feb. 12 to lift its seven-year tuition freeze and cut OSAP grants.

“Speaking on behalf of the students, it’s disappointing to see the government make decisions that are consistently anti-students and antieducation,” Ngeleka said.

For the rest of the town hall, students were taught some key tactics to further mobilize others on campus and informed about future planned events, including TMSUrun outreach and banner making in collaboration with other student organizations.

Some students in attendance appreciated the action plan, but believed rallying against the provincial government is just the first step. Ace Abdollahi, a fifth-year aerospace en-

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gineering student, believes CFS-O and the student unions should “systemically mobilize” their actions to escalate towards a strike.

“I think it’s very important for TMSU to emphasize…if all of these values, if all of these action plans do not build towards a strike, we are just going to fatigue the student body,” they said.

“We need this end goal that will push us towards what we’re trying to accomplish and that can only happen if we put pressure on the [PC] government…if we actually go on a strike and materially affect these people who are running our education as businesses.”

Kuropatwa Trent and Ngeleka do not oppose the idea of a strike, but want to ensure students across the province can build a proper momentum first.

“There’s a necessity for a coordinated, organized movement,” said Ngeleka. “There’s a fundamental difference between wanting a strike and doing what it takes to sustain a strike.”

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Board of Governors and Senate elections this week

By Hannah Sabaratnam

The Board of Governors (BoG) and the Senate elections started on March 2.

The BoG is looking for new students, staff and faculty members, while the Senate elections are for representatives of the faculty, graduates, undergraduates and G. Raymond Chang School

The voting period for both elections will end on March 5. Members can only vote for the consituency they belong to.

For example, undergraduate students can only vote for undergraduate students and faculty members can only vote for faculty.

While there is some overlap between the two governing bodies, each has their own distinct responsibilities.

The BoG is responsible for the overall strategy of the university, including planning and finance.

The Senate is responsible for academic and

student related matters, such as curriculum, academic and non-academic student behavior policy, and implementation of new programs. The role of student representatives in both groups is to be the voice of the student body.

Fourth year math student and student senator Aedan Hennessy said he doesn’t find there to be “preference given to faculty members” and “faculty members of the Senate are usually quite interested to hear about the perspective of the students.”

Shervin Akhlaghi, a fifth year civil engineering student who currently serves as a student representative on the BoG, said students’ voices are “as equal to anyone else on the board.”

As we near the end of the school year, the budget for next year is one of the major topics of discussion for the Board.

As for the Senate, the use of AI in the classroom was part of January’s meeting and will continue to be addressed. Part of the conversation included the boundaries of AI for instructional use and what areas remain controversial for students.

TMSU’s letter to the editor:

To the editor:

We are writing in response to the February 3 article “Many confused as TMSU cuts student group and course union funding by 60 per cent.” The team at TMSU believe The Eye’s reporting on our Campus Groups funding adjustments is misleading, as overall, we’ve actually increased adjudicated funding for Campus Groups.

Before this semester, Student Groups (SGs) were automatically guaranteed Base Funding of $750 per semester, or $1500 a year, without a funding application. Course Unions (CUs) were guaranteed Base Funding of $650/semester which totaled $1,300/year.

For Event Funding, SGs and CUs were eligible to apply for up to $5,000/year, with a max of $3,000/semester Affiliate Groups could also apply for up to $2,500 in funding per semester, or $5000 total annually.

This means that under the old system, total maximums per group amounted to $6,500 for SGs, $6,300 for CUs, and $5,000 for AGs annually.

As of Winter 2026, all Student Groups, Course Unions, and Affiliate Groups are treated as Campus Groups and are now all eligible to apply for up to $6,600 maximum annually as follows:

Base funding: all Campus groups are allocated base funding of $600 for the entire year to cover the base cost of running a group, with advance approval from our Campus Groups Coordinator.

All CGs can additionally apply for up to $6,000 in event funding for the entire year, with a cap of $3,000 per event.

Again, for all CGs, the above totals potential access to a maximum of $6,600 per year.

Additionally, we have introduced Exceptional Circumstances funding of up to $3,000 per year, which is available to all CG’s, with the caveat that there is an aggregate funding cap of $8,000 for the year, spread across multiple funding types (Base, Event and Exceptional).

Using this $8,000 aggregate cap, this nets out to an increase of $1,500 more in

Students reflect on four years of OneCard needed to access campus buildings

By Eunice Soriano

Students at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) spoke with The Eyeopener on whether they think TMU’s student identity cards—OneCards—have more pros than cons.

The university announced in early 2022 that effective Jan. 31, 2022, all campus buildings would require a OneCard to enter.

Prior to that, all campus buildings used to be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., with OneCard access required from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

According to a statement by the university, RFID technology was added to OneCards in the early 2000s to support tap-based building access

The school added a digital OneCard option on mobile devices from Fall 2024 onwards.

Students still need their physical OneCards to write quizzes, tests and other assessments.

With more OneCard readers always being installed throughout the school, Matthew Araneta, a fifth-year engineering student, said he appreciates the convenience of being

able to use his phone to enter a building.

But he said scanning his OneCard on multiple readers in the same complex has become a redundant routine.

Some students also underlined the importance of the cards as a valid security measure.

Shahd Al Chnewi, a second-year politics and governance student, said without the OneCards, it is hard to decipher who attends the school and the existing readers are sufficient in controlling the people bustling in and out of TMU.

“I think that it’s very useful and makes sense, especially for where we are campuswise... I think we’re relatively safe,” Edwards said.

Kezia Edwards, a fifth-year English student said she does not see the point in adding more OneCard readers, underlining the extra steps that are taken before entering.

“The scanners can be a bit of a hindrance… people who just have the physical card have to dig through their bag or be prepared to have it at the door,” said Edwards.

The university said OneCard readers are placed at a specific height to bolster accessibility. The statement also mentioned that the card readers have auditory and visual signals.

The Eyeopener responds:

funding for SGs, $1,800 more for CUs, and $3,000 more for AGs.

All of the above is adjudicated through a fair and transparent process that is equitable for all groups, with the new policies made available to all on our website back in December.

We also want to note that TMSU had submitted a statement for the article in time for the deadline we were given, and are disappointed that none of the information we provided was included in the published piece.

Since we have, in fact, made it possible for Campus Groups to access greater amounts of funding, it is inaccurate to say that TMSU cut student group and course union funding by 60 per cent. It is doubly concerning that this article was featured on the front page with ‘pulling the strings’ imagery, seemingly implying bad-faith decision-making and further influencing the overall negative tone of the article. We understand that compelling headlines are useful in engaging readers and also appreciate the important role played by media in holding those in positions of power and responsibility to account, however, in this case it seems that the zeal to fulfill this important role may have overshadowed the first and foremost duty to get the facts right.

As we have rolled out this funding update, we’ve worked to ensure that our information is transparent and accessible to all students. We’d like to request that The Eye publicly correct this error to clarify that our changes mark an increase in campus groups funding, in the headline and where applicable throughout the article. We specifically ask that this correction be made clear on social media, on the web article and in the next print issue.

Thank you for your continued interest and support of TMSU, and for sharing our activities and continued programs for undergrads at TMU.

Sincerely,

Sally Lee and Scott Miller Berry, Interim Co-Executive Directors, TMSU

Dear TMSU executives,

Thank you for taking the time to write this letter. We deeply appreciate you pointing out that your statement was not included in the article, we apologize for this oversight and take full responsibility for it. Your statement has been added to the online version of the article with a correction note at the bottom.

We will also clarify the percentages referenced in the article. Base funding for student groups has decreased from $1,500 per year to $600 per year, which encompasses the 60 per cent reduction outlined in our headline and on the cover. The course union base funding has decreased from only $1,300 per year to $600 per year, a roughly 46 per cent reduction. While the 60 per cent figure does apply to student groups, it does not impact course unions equally. We have issued a formal correction on the online version of this article.

Yes, all campus groups can now additionally apply for up to $6,000 in event funding for the year, with a cap of $3,000 per event, which is clearly stated in the article. That said, the focus of our coverage was the removal of guaranteed base funding and the confusion expressed to us by students before and after the TMSU’s training sessions last month. With the previous structure, base funding was automatically allocated. Now, campus groups need to apply for base funding and are not guaranteed to receive it. For the students we spoke to, this change and the lower base amount, caused confusion and concern.

We did include details about event funding, exceptional circumstances funding and the higher overall funding cap under the new structure. Further, many campus group members told us they were frustrated by what they feel was a lack of clarity regarding the changes. Even during the training sessions, students expressed confusion.

Additionally, switching funding processes halfway through the year without proper notice is concerning and still needs to be addressed. While this information was al-

legedly posted to the TMSU website in December, campus group and course union members were not adequately notified of the shift until an email sent on Jan. 13. That email mandated that two executive members from each group must attend semesterly training sessions on Jan. 28 or 30 to discuss the changes. In an email sent on Sept. 15, 2025 inviting members to the same training sessions for fall 2025, it was stated that if two executive members of each group were not able to attend, they would lose their active student group status and therefore not be eligible for funding applications. However, this was not clearly re-stated in the Jan. 13 email and it is unclear if this still applied. Even after the training sessions, the funding application period ended on Feb. 11, meaning students had only 11 to 13 days to apply. The persisting confusion among those who rely on these funds may suggest communication hasn’t been adequate.

We also want to address the claim that our coverage was completed in bad faith. We don’t approach stories with the intention of negatively framing institutions, but we are committed to holding them accountable when necessary. As it stands we are the only publication regularly covering the TMSU and will continue to do so when needed. One of TMSU’s core responsibilities is allocating campus group and course unions’ funding, any sudden or unclear changes to that structure need to be highlighted. We approach issues by speaking to students, reviewing policies and reporting on what we find. Our editorial decisions, including covers and imagery, are made at our complete discretion. As student journalists, we take our work seriously and strive for professional and fair reporting—concluding otherwise based on one error is harmful. When we make mistakes, we correct them and are transparent about these changes. Our team is here to learn and that is all part of the process. Thank you again for engaging with our coverage and clarifying these changes.

Sincerely, The Eyeopener

Bold women’s basketball crowned Critelli Cup Champions

By Francesco Cautillo

The Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold women’s basketball team claimed their third-ever Critelli Cup on Feb. 28. The Bold brought home a hard-earned 75-60 victory over the Carleton Ravens at the Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC).

This comes after their dominant 59-point win over the Windsor Lancers on Feb. 25, that clinched the team’s spot in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Final, along with a trip to the U Sports National Championship.

Head coach Carly Clarke has been managing TMU’s women’s basketball team for the past 13 years, and led them to all four of the program’s OUA Finals appearances, for which she sustained a 2-2 record.

“I think what I’ve really been savouring this year is just enjoying every single day,” said Clarke. She compared the feeling of the game’s victory to her 2022 National Championship team and “the joy they just had being together and competing with each other.”

Still riding off the Feb. 25 wins of both the women’s and men’s basketball teams, the night saw the MAC quickly began to fill with the Bold faithful, overflowing both the stadium’s seats and hunger for a championship banner.

The Bold kicked off in rapid form, scoring nine points in under three minutes, forcing offensive fouls and an early Carleton

timeout. The MAC crowd was just getting started, letting the Ravens know that they would be in for a long and relentless game on and off the court. Following a step back mid-range shot from fourth-year guard Myriam Kone, TMU took a 14-4 lead with four minutes left in the first quarter.

Third-year forward Hailey Franco DeRyck—who received her OUA Defensive Player of the Year award pre-game—established her presence on the court, jumping on seemingly anything and everything that didn’t go in the basket.

While her team continued to try to slow down the Bold offense, firstyear Carleton guard Tyanne Matosas-Adderley carried her team on attack, scoring 12 of the Raven’s 20 points. Despite this new spark, the Ravens were unable to withstand the constant pressure of Kone who would intercept the ball deep in enemy territory and draw fouls.

Following a shot attempt, fourthyear guard Kait Nichols took an awkward fall, causing TMU to aid her off the court. Nichols exited the floor with nine points across 15 minutes of play time, and would make her return in the second half.

The buzzer sounded for half time and the score showed 38-32 in favour of the home side, with an important team talk awaiting in both locker rooms.

Nichols returned to the court not only appearing healthy but also holding her efficient form, draw-

ing her 12th point of the night after draining a free throw.

Clarke described Nichols’ game as “sheer toughness, resilience, and desire to win.”

“[Nichols] was at the ring ceremony during her first year and she knew she wanted one of these too.”

Once again the Bold began to pull away from the Ravens, increasing their lead to 13 points. It was at this time that Kone hit the peak of her stride, draining consecutive baskets for the Bold and contributing to 21 of her squad’s 54 total.

When asked what she sees on her fast breaks, Kone simply answered “nobody.” She added, “It’s just me and the rim, that’s all I see. I’m just trying to get a foul, or get a score, or

Bold men’s basketball claim first Wilson Cup in nine years

By Liam Stevenson

The Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold men’s basketball team ousted the Carleton Ravens 66-56 on Feb. 28 at the Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC), laying their claim on the Wilson Cup and establishing themselves as the best team in Ontario University Athletics (OUA).

The last time they played in the Cup’s deciding game was in 2019 where they lost to none other than Carleton. This is TMU’s first time winning the Cup since 2017, and their third time in program history to have reached that apex.

Third-year guard Gabriel Gutsmore was the recipient of the Wilson Cup Player of the Game after a 14-point performance on 7-of-14 shooting from the field, while grabbing three rebounds and providing pivotal energy on the defensive end.

“It means everything, but I feel like the guys got me this,” said Gutsmore about the honour.

It was a massive team effort, as TMU had only two players score in double figures, while the two top defensive teams in the country faced off based on opponents’ points-per-

game. This led to an intense, aggressive game, with both teams shooting below 40 per cent from the field.

“If you were a fan, that wasn’t the prettiest basketball,” said head coach David DeAveiro.

The physicality started right from tip-off, with both teams exerting massive amounts of effort on the defensive side of the ball, leading to fluid bench rotations for each team early in the game. “They were trying to leave everything on the floor,” said DeAveiro.

Both teams struggled to shoot from beyond the three-point line —both TMU and Carleton finished shooting below 25 percent from distance. This led to a physical battle in the paint, where TMU outscored the Ravens 38-22.

The crowd was integral to the game, as Carleton was forced to move their chairs under their own basket during timeouts, due to the rambunctious Bold crowd.

“Honestly, the crowd was crazy tonight,” said Gutsmore. “I feel like they played a big part in this game today.”

The second quarter featured even more defensive intensity from the Bold—a theme that would persist

throughout—as they slowly built their lead, capitalizing on turnovers and offensive rebounds. TMU would outscore Carleton 18-4 on secondchance points and score 26 points off a staggering 28 Ravens turnovers in the contest, allowing the Bold to head into the half with an 11-point lead.

“It means everything, but I feel like the guys got me this”

The third quarter was highlighted by second-year forward Andrejs Silconoks who brought the energy he has shown throughout the Bold’s playoff run. He managed two big dunks within minutes of each other that went along with his four blocks in the game.

Fifth-year forward Aidan Wilson also had a big putback slam in the quarter, in what was his final game at the MAC. Wilson was ecstatic to see Silconoks perform in the biggest game of the season.

“I’m super happy for him, I’m so proud,” said Wilson. “I’ve seen the work he’s been putting in.”

The fourth was where the Bold put the game to bed. Gutsmore began to take over, forcing multiple

find the best advantage for us.”

A determined look struck the Ravens’ bench, hoping to rile up their opponents and concentrate on cutting down the deficit. Clarke focused her roster to defensive lockdown, it was fourth-year forward Jessica Keripe leading the way, grabbing rebounds and racing downcourt for the layup before the Ravens could reset.

Third-year guard Catrina Garvey joined her partner in crime Kone with double digit points, linking up and assisting each other as they’ve done all season. Only this time, assisting one another with a goal set by their team.

Under five minutes remained in this OUA Final, and the feeling of

the MAC crowd transitioned from bottled anticipation to eager celebration as TMU’s 17-point lead proved to be not only comfortable but title-clinching.

“I think the fans played a big part and they packed the MAC. Every playoff game has just been insane,” said Nichols.

Despite being minutes away from her third-ever OUA Championship, Clarke remained composed, as she knew this was only a stepping stone in a much larger dream that was yet to come in Quebec City.

The Bold will soon journey to Quebec where they’ll battle the best eight teams in Canada in the U Sports National Championship from March 5 to 8.

Teachers on the new crop of Gen Z students

Students’ declining standardized test scores don’t reflect their classroom behaviour, teachers say

By Liana Yadav

Educators from the high school level to the university level shared their concerns about lower test scores among secondary school students, despite university students performing at a high level.

The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) assessment is conducted at the end of every year, determining whether students from grade 3, 6, 9 and 10 meet provincial standards in subjects such as English and math across Canada. More than 574,000 students participated in the year 2024-25 where data showed a difference from years before.

Out of the 133,542 grade 9 students who participated in the assessment of mathematics, only 58 per cent met the provincial standard; the same percentage said they were able to communicate difficult ideas in writing and the amount of students who consider themselves strong readers has gone down from 76 per cent of students to 74 per cent since 2023. Similar results over the past few years show that little progress has been made in terms of test results.

Results came out in December 2025 after being unusually delayed by the Premier Doug Ford’s government. According to The Globe and Mail, provincial Education Minister Paul Calandra claimed the tests—which usually release in september—were held back to “better understand the data and make changes to the system.”

This comes after a tumultuous year for education with the passing of Bill 33, which hands over control of the education board to the Ontario government,

as previously reported by The Eyeopener. Widely criticized by students and teachers alike, the bill lets the government decide which fees and services are “essential.”

It also grants them control over funds at a time when resources are already skimming.

In response to the declining EQAO results, the Ford government has planned to hire a two-member advisory panel sometime this year, set to be paid $1500 a day, Global News reported.

“Instead of properly funding our schools, this government’s answer is to hand control of school boards to hand-picked Conservative insiders with little to no professional experience in education,” said New Democratic Party (NDP) Shadow Minister for Education Chandra Pasma in a statement on the Ontario NDP website.

“The ministry of education says to ‘just use AI and tell your students to use AI’”

Some EQAO results, however, have significantly improved post-pandemic. In the 2018-19 assessment, only 74 per cent of all first-time eligible students were successful in the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT). In 2024–25, that number jumped to 85 per cent. Additionally, the reality of Toronto classrooms presents a silver lining.

Thomas Goutos, a high school English and history teacher at Bloor Collegiate Institute, wasn’t aware of the low EQAO results and doesn’t feel them mirrored in his classes.

Goutos found that student in-

volvement after the pandemic has improved. They crave in-class interaction and want to print out their readings and no longer “translate their thoughts and ideas into casual digital formats.”

Teachers say resources have been dwindling too. On the r/ CanadianTeachers subreddit, a user with the name u/myDogStillLovesMe who claimed to be a grade 4 Toronto District School Board (TDSB) teacher pointed out, “We are being told we will receive one box of paper and one box of paper towels - for the whole term! ‘If you require additional copy paper or paper towels, please note you will have to order from your yearly class budget’.”

“The ministry of education says to ‘just use AI and tell your students to use AI [with] instructions that directly contradict curriculum standards,” claimed Goutos, reffering to the mandates teachers receive from the Toronto District School Board. “We had a message telling students to just generate a story…when a part of the curriculum in English is to introduce students to unique voices and teach them about the ethical use of tools in life.”

While the government encourages using digital tools, research in the Global Research Journal of Social Sciences and Management has shown that Gen Z is experiencing high anxiety and stress due to problems of addiction and social comparison caused by social media-technology.

Makana Chock, a professor in communications and a media psychology expert at Syracuse University finds it difficult to break down complex concepts into bite-

sizes so students can pay attention. “Their ability to focus and learn, even if they’re highly motivated, is impacted by the amount of multitasking they engage in while they’re paying attention in class,” said Chock, who is also a media psychology expert.

John Barnes, a contract lecturer for the Department of Languages, Literature and Cultures as well as Arts and Contemporary Studies at Toronto Metropolitan Univiersty (TMU), said he doesn’t find today’s students to be less capable, concluding that “the nature in which we consume media has shifted.”

“The nature in which we consume media has shifted”

“On one hand, students are very much engaged with really important socio-political movements,” Barnes said. “On the other hand… the news cycle seems to get more alarming each day, so it’s difficult to disassociate what we’re seeing in the news from our own sense of identity.”

Barnes does not deny the prevalence of subpar writing, similar to that written by generative AI. However, teaching at TMU since 2014, he continues to find that students exceed his expectations with “high-level” writing that could be published in academic journals.

At the same time, a consequence of the pandemic is that students have become less independent, said TMU assistant professor Francis Duah from the Department of Mathematics. Less students are showing up to his and his colleagues’ office

hours, he said.

“One of the things we need to do is help students engage in what I call productive struggle [which] means that [even if you are] struggling with the problem, you wake up every day and go to the lecture. And when things are difficult, you find the professors and get them to help you out,” said Duah, adding that students today chase instant gratification.

He suspects that those who drop math in high school and end up taking it later through night classes and private tutors struggle to catch up in university. Many also “associate learning with higher grades,” which makes for a slippery slope.

Duah has used TMU’s active learning classroom where he engages students in calculas by rewarding participation. He is also compiling an AI guide for parents as a tool to help their children prepare for the Canadian Math Kangaroo Contest, a worldwide competition aiming to “spread the joy of mathematics.”

One of the biggest challenges cited by teachers is large class sizes and overwhelming workloads, according to the 2025 panCanadian Parachute survey that monitors changes in Canadian public education.

However, students at university are performing at higher levels than what Barnes has seen in the past. “It is a credit to the current generation, just how plugged in they are. If there is a negative impact of social media and being on their phones, what I’ve seen is that they’re aware of it.”

“I do think AI is a disruptor [in learning],” said Chock. “I don’t know if it’s a crisis.”

When religion meets routine

BEFORE DAWN breaks, Navaal Ala’s alarm jolts her awake in the silence of her bedroom. She goes into the kitchen and gathers her plates for sehri (sometimes called suhoor), the last meal before sunrise and a day without food or water. By sunrise, she’s finished eating, completed her Fajr prayer and makes her way to the GO train.

Commuting through to the Greater Toronto Area to Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) on a weekday during Ramadan is like threading a needle between two different schedules: one governed by the clock and campus life, the other by rising and setting of the sun.

The second-year occupational health and safety student spends most of her weekdays rotating between lectures, studying in the Student Learning Centre, meeting friends between classes and the multi-faith room in the Student Campus Centre. She attends long classes where hunger settles. Breaks become moments to sit, rest or pray instead of grabbing food—which she would usually be doing.

“I think the middle of the day is the hardest for me personally,” says Ala. “It’s around the time where your breakfast and your sehri is starting to wear off.”

On a campus where she finds food is often the centre of social life, Ramadan adjusts how Ala spends her time. She still meets with friends but plans diverge from coffee runs or quick meals. Instead, she uses the time to catch up with friends and take short breathers together. Ala carries a date and a bottle of water in her bag to break her fast after Maghrib prayers at sundown, before starting her journey back home on the train.

RAMADAN IS OFTEN understood in simple terms: no food, no water from sunrise to sunset. But for many Muslim students, the month changes daily routines in ways that aren’t immediately visible. Early mornings for sehri and late nights for prayer mean students are running on less rest, while still expected to meet the same academic demands. Days are organized around prayer times, commutes and class schedules, all while fasting. On a commuter-heavy campus like TMU’s, this balance can feel especially delicate.

The routine also takes a physical toll. A 2024 study published in the international journal Healthcare

found that fasting often disrupts sleep patterns and increases daytime fatigue among university students, particularly for those juggling fixed schedules. Shortened sleep and early wake-ups intersect with the demands of campus routines in a way that’s unique to students who are balancing both fasting and academic obligations.

But the fasting experience is not one of hardship. In Islam, rather, it is described as a time of structure. Sadiq Ahmed, a Toronto-based Islamic scholar, says Ramadan is meant to be “a time for our spiritual reformation,” a period when believers put aside worldly duties and focus on developing their relationship with god.

Ahmed also says that fasting teaches purpose and discipline. “Ramadan gives you an opportunity to balance your life with intention, with discipline,” he explains. Instead of stepping away from daily responsibilities, fasting asks people to move through them more deliberately.

That intention plays out in small, repeated choices for Ala. She plans her day carefully, pacing herself through lectures and commutes. For her, prayer is more of a pause than a disruption. As the sun sets and the day finally loosens its grip, the fast ends. But the routine begins again before dawn the next morning, woven into lectures and long train rides.

For a handful of students, religious practice becomes part of daily life. It tags along in lectures, onto train rides and into in-between moments on campus.

DURING A DAY FILLED WITH backto-back classes during Ramadan last year, Zainab Kashif finds herself sitting in class, exhausted and distracted. She’s wondering why she feels so heavy during a month that’s supposed to bring clarity—a time she considers beautiful spiritually. The fatigue catches her off guard. Fasting, commuting and keeping up with coursework combine together and the effort it takes just to stay present feels harder than usual.

Kashif moved to Canada from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) just over a year ago and the contrast is clear. Back home, Ramadan was built into daily life. School days were shortened, teachers adjusted expectations and faith never felt like it required negotiation. As a second-year graphic communications management student at TMU though, lectures and deadines don’t pause for Ramadan.

She says holding onto her faith during Ramadan takes dedication. “You have to really, really be firm in your faith and be very careful with the environment that you go to and the environment that you place yourself in,” she says. When the culture and society around you don’t align with your faith, it can be harder to stay on track.

Kashif says she already feels anxious about being visibly Muslim in Canada, a feeling only heightened during Ramadan,

“The researchers point to Ramadan’s daily practices as something that can reinforce focus and perseverance, not disrupt it, especially for students managing demanding schedules”

when she finds her religious practices are more obvious.

She says this visibility feels more worrying in the presence of heightened Islamophobia. A 2023 study from the Angus Reid Institute found that Canadians are more likely to hold unfavourable views on Islam than any of the five other most-observed religions in the country. “It’s very easy to feel like ‘am I in danger too?’” says Kashif.

The feeling doesn’t come from nowhere. In the time since Oct. 7, 2023 and as the genocide in Gaza continues, reports of anti-Muslim hate crimes have increased across Canada. In February of this year, Toronto police investigated a threatening phone call made to a local Islamic center just weeks before Ramadan—something that has many Muslim communities in the city worried.

The fear shows up in small moments, like when she’s praying in the corner of a building or abstaining from food and water while everyone else in the room is eating. During prayer she says she feels

Research indicates dents often feel both ginalized in Western settings. A 2021 study of Educational Philosophy Muslim students found experienced subtle and crimination and hypervisibility—such being stared at, avoiding feeling like their religious them as “different” in This, in turn, affected well-being and sense of Ahmed says this kind uncommon, particularly dan, especially when fasting more visible, whether clining food in public to pray during class breaks. eat and drink while abstaining pecially heavy at first plays a significant role move through that discomfort. when you have it in your doing this for the sake easier to manage. He tional challenge itself becomes

For Kashif, observing

During Ramadan, TMU’s Muslim students juggle fasting, prayer and a full schedule of classes—balancing them all isn’t always easy

By Dania Daud

that Muslim stuexposed and marhigher education study from The Journal Philosophy and Theory on found that participants overt forms of dishypervisibility—such as avoiding certain spaces or religious identity marked in academic areas. their psychological of belonging. kind of strain is not particularly during Ramafasting makes faith that’s through depublic or stepping away breaks. Seeing others abstaining can feel esbut determination role in how students discomfort. He says your mind that you’re sake of your faith, it’s adds that the emo becomes part of the observing Ramadan in

Canada has become about endurance. Between academic pressure and the emotional burden of being visibly Muslim, the month asks more of her than it once did. But she still keeps going. When the days feel long, she repeats the same reminder to herself: “The greater the struggle, the greater the reward.”

WHEN WASHMA MAHMOOD, a firstyear biomedical sciences student, thinks back on a moment when her relationship with Ramadan deepened, her mind goes back to one night during the COVID-19 pandemic. She’s around 13 or 14 years old, listening to a series of Qur’an commentaries online and the speaker’s explanation stays with her. The commentaries framed the month as something meant to guide how a person moves through their days. This understanding followed her into university. Her days now revolve around long commutes, lab schedules and overlapping deadlines, all unfolding alongside prayer times and religious study during

“Most of her friends aren’t Muslim, but they stay anyway— eating alongside her, waiting outside the prayer room, letting the evening unfold at its own pace”

the capability that I have in myself to improve my spirituality and to improve my faith, and not only that, but also to work harder in my academics,” she says.

A 2022 study published in the Journal of Economic Behaviour & Organization examined the effects of Ramadan observance on students’ educational outcomes and found that structured religious routines during the month were often connected to stronger self-discipline. The researchers point to Ramadan’s daily practices as something that can reinforce focus and perseverance— not disrupt it—especially for students managing demanding schedules.

Ahmed says that structure is built into Ramadan by design. The month offers a framework that encourages people to be deliberate about how they move through their days. “Ramadan actually teaches us to be more purposeful with our time, with our energy,” he says. “We can prioritize our essential tasks, pace ourselves and give as much time as possible to worship.”

For Mahmood, the discipline she practices in her faith supports the discipline she needs in school. For her, the month becomes less about what she gives up and more about what she learns to carry: things

like focus, structure and a sense of direction that stays with her long after the month ends and reinforces her studies.

NEAR THE END OF A LECTURE one afternoon during Ramadan, the clock is inching closer to sunset. When the time comes, Ala and her friends reach for dates and water, taking their first sip and first bite right at their desks. Then they pack up, walk out together and head towards food, towards prayer, towards the rest of the evening.

“It’s honestly so much fun,” she says. “I’m just having so much fun because I’m just going to chill with my friends.”

Most of her friends aren’t Muslim but they stay anyway—eating alongside her, waiting outside the prayer room, letting the evening unfold at its own pace.

At the end of the day, Ala boards the GO train having done it all. Over the course of the month, Ramadan becomes something that settles into her life. And in those moments, walking out of class with her friends as the fast breaks, what remains is something more unshakeable: proof that she can hold onto her faith while still being fully present in her student life.

TMU alumna Naomi Cowan receives first JUNO nomination

The 2015 grad’s debut album was nominated for “Best Reggae Recording of the Year”

cording Arts and Sciences initially announced its intention to remove the reggae category for the 2025 ceremony, but backtracked from the decision.

“[Reggae] doesn’t discriminate because of how it touches so many people,” said Cowan. “There’s a specific feeling that emits in everyone who listens to it…I can’t think of one person who listens to reggae and doesn’t feel better.”

ally turned off by a lot of negative sides of the [music] business,” she explained.

“Music was always popping up. It was like this thing I couldn’t shake...”

HEADSHOT SUPPLIED BY: NAOMI COWAN

COMPOSITION: AVA WHELPLEY/THE EYEOPENER

By Amira Benjamin

Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) alumna Naomi Cowan says music met her before she met music.

Cowan’s parents met while working in the Jamaican music industry. Her mother, having just moved to Kingston from Toronto, was a rising recording vocalist and her father was a producer and booking agent.

Cowan credits her existence to the genre of reggae, which is what makes her first JUNO nomination all the more special. The RTA ‘11 graduate will be competing for “Best Reggae Recording of the Year”

alongside artists like Exco Levi and Kirk Diamond with her debut album, Welcome to Paradise.

For Cowan, her JUNO nomination in the reggae categorymakes her feel like she’s “a part of music history.”

“Reggae and Canada have such a deep history, as well as Jamaica,” said Cowan. “Jamaican [and Caribbean] culture have influenced Toronto so much and Canada played a role in the growth of reggae. It’s a bigger country so the fact that it became a bigger sound meant it expanded the genre globally.”

The Canadian Academy of Re-

Dance students stage choreographic works in annual show

By Ellie Southerland

Second and third-year TMU performance: dance students showcased their storytelling prowess at Choreographic Works 2026.

Students exhibited months of work through 26 unique pieces in this year’s production, shown in the Creative School Chrysalis between Feb. 10 and 13. Choreographers tackled several different themes in their works, combining beautiful visuals with powerful and visceral narratives.

Second-year student Ethan Ryder opened the show with a bang, to the bass-heavy “Les humains” by Salut C’est Cool. Titled Champignons, the piece included 19 dancers, moving in and out of formation, creating shapes similar to a cluster of mushrooms.

Costumed in earthy tones and a single red sock each, to evoke mushroom caps, the performers resembled a living forest floor. The visuals were inspired by an ecological story Ryder wanted to tell.

Ryder described his choreographic inspiration to be a comparison of humans and mushrooms. “Mushrooms are very invasive, but they also have a purpose,” Ryder said. “They help

get rid of a lot of diseases on other plants, even though they may cause their own.”

The piece’s movements, though often uniform, always featured a leader, reflecting the nature of our society. “They really work in this big pack, but then there’s always that one who seems to have more power over the rest,” Ryder said.

A visual prompt also informed Mecha (メカ), a quirky, high-energy piece complemented by colourful costumes. Hailey Baliat, a second-year student, credits its inspiration to a song and album cover shown to her by her dad: “Love Missile F1-11” by Sigue Sigue Sputnik. Baliat titled the piece after the Japanese word for the figure on the cover: a humanoid robot.

To capture her desired visual, Baliat’s choreography featured structured movement and lifts to mimic the formation of a robot.

The piece’s costuming was very intentional, with lots of colour and layering. “I was hoping each dancer would have each of the [robot’s] colours on them,” she said. “So that it would look like a unified, giant mecha suit.”

The show’s range stood out through its tonal contrasts, including both upbeat perfor -

Cowan says that reggae allows her to embody the values she feels the genre provides to the world.

“The type of person I am and the type of human being I always wanted to continue to be is someone who emits a lot of love…and acceptance and inclusivity,” she said.

“Jamaican and Carribean culture have influenced Toronto so much”

Although she was raised surrounded by musicians and artists, Cowan grew up avoiding the music business. Instead, she said her first choice of a career was media production.

“I wanted to have my own name, I wanted to forge my own path [outside of music]. I was re -

Cowan still developed a passion for storytelling and public speaking as she grew up, so it was natural for her to go into broadcasting and media production. TMU was the only school she applied to.

She still attributes her time at the university as helping build her “creative confidence,” especially coming from academicallyrigorous high school in Jamaica.

“I was able to see that the world was much bigger than where I was coming from.”

Her commitment towards music didn’t begin until she entered her Master’s of Digital Media in 2015.

“At the time, being in music was the last thing on my plate. But it was like…music was always popping up. It was like this thing I couldn’t shake.”

The catalyst for Cowan’s full immersion into music was the

restructuring of a startup she landed after graduation in 2015, including some potential layoffs. Cowan was offered to stay but at a lower salary.

“I remember when that happened…I was thinking ‘wow nothing in this world really is guaranteed,’” she recalled. “It had me realising that if I was going through all of these ups and downs, why not go through these…while creating something I envisioned?”

“It was very magical in its own way”

Cowan said it was a blessing in disguise—she decided to move back to Jamaica six months later and pursue her music career.

Even her boss at the time offered to pay Cowan a two months’ salary to help financially support her pursuing music.

“[My boss] said…if you can give this thing a shot, I would encourage it because you seem to have a lot of support,” she said. “It was very magical in its own way.”

The 2026 JUNO awards will be presented on March 29 at the TD Coliseum.

mances and pieces that explored emotional struggle and perseverance. In Elegy for Innocence , second-year student Marcella Battel paid homage to her passion for ballet while exploring the weight of life’s transitions.

The piece was separated into three parts, gradually shifting until “the movement qualities broke the barriers of classical ballet,” she said. Through stylistic transitions, Battel aimed to depict the naiveté of youth and and the suffering of our transition into adulthood. The performers fell, leaned on each other and concluded the piece standing tall and proud.

“I hope that in the dancer’s expressions...through their posture, through their face, through their movements, that it shows some-

thing uncomfortable did happen but we were not beaten down for that. We did not suffer. We came out stronger on the other side,” Battel said.

Another profoundly emotional piece was choreographed by third-year student Jade Rocan, capturing the experiences of grief and loss. The piece began with dancers laying and kneeling alongside one another, backtracked by an orchestral song featuring wavering, wailing vocals. As the song progressed, the dancers’ movements accelerated to a dramatic crescendo.

Rocan wanted to create a piece that provoked authentic catharsis for the dancers and audience alike. “The way we are…brought up doesn’t quite equip us to be

able to understand mechanisms of adaptation or of growing through the pain,” she said. “There’s a lot of frustration that builds up.” The choreography was designed so the dancers could “build up the feelings that they needed to feel in the moment,” Rocan said.

Louis Laberge-Côté, the show’s producer, has worked on the show for many years. When asked what he hoped audiences would take away from this year’s performances, Laberge-Côté touched on the power of dance’s universality.

“It is magical,” he said. “It is non-verbal communication that happens through people who are not even looking you in the eye. They are distant from you and yet, their feelings might affect you. And I love that.”

TMU’s dating recession

Students and researchers debate the current financial strain on romantic relationships

By Aditi Roy

A 2026 BMO study reveals that Canada is in the midst of a “dating recession.” Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) students are sharing their perspective on the dating scene. The rising costs of living and youth unemployment are significantly affecting students’ desire and ability to date. The study shows that around 49 per cent of the singles sampled said dating was cost inefficient.

The term “dating recession” refers to the stark decline of romantic relationships among the younger generations.

Esha Mudassar, a third-year public health student at TMU, shared her rather bleak thoughts on the current dating landscape.

“Honestly, it’s been challenging to the point I’ve just stopped for now… the more you date in Toronto, you’re like, ‘it’s a waste of time’,” she said.

“I feel like everybody’s focused on themselves, which I don’t blame. Everyone’s trying to work on their career, and be financially stable, so they just don’t have time for dating,” she added.

BMO’s sampling of nearly 2,500 Canadians shows that 55 per cent of single people have not been on a date in 2025.

Many TMU students see financial burdens as a barrier for them to enter and sustain relationships.

Louis Assad, a third-year business management student has

been working all through his university career.

“I wouldn’t really be able to take my girlfriend out to dinner or anything if I didn’t have [two] parttime jobs,” he said in regard to his almost four-year long relationship.

Mudassar believes that not being financially stable is a good enough reason to abstain from dating.

“If you do want to be able to treat the person [you are interested in] the right way, you do have to be financially stable,” she said.

Evgenia Bogdanova is a registered psychotherapist at Kat Kova Therapy and doesn’t label this approach as good or bad.

“I do see how they’re pushing and delaying dating because they’re more concerned with financial stability and so it’s not coming from a place of fear,” she said. “It’s more coming from: this is what I have to do first…but then it means they’re delaying relational experience, and there could be some…shame and insecurity around that later.”

Many students on campus still remain optimistic, believing that fostering relationships doesn’t necessarily require a large budget.

Assad shares that most of his date nights consist of less “extravagant” activities.

“We do most stuff without having to spend money…just watch movies, we always watch a show together or something, it’s just

small stuff like that,” he said.

Meiling Menin, a third-year film studies student, seeks out inexpensive activities to spend time with her partner.

“We found cheap options, we only default to those options because I’m not spending $25 for a meal,” she said.

“During the summer, we tend to do more low-cost things…walking around the city, buying a drink, but keeping it cheap, on the lower end not really expensive stuff,” she added.

Traditional gender norms have also played a large role in why heterosexual students fear dating prospects.

The same BMO survey found that 58 per cent of men expect to pay for all date expenses including food, drink and transportation. 35 per cent of male participants felt like dating was hampering their financial goals.

Schroeder Reitzel, a third-year film studies student said, “There’s definitely more pressure on men to pay for that stuff…I think men kind of put that pressure on themselves by asserting that they ought to be ‘breadwinners.’”

Assad agrees, saying that “Maybe [it’s a] pride thing, how they

were raised, maybe a little bit of ego. As a man, you’re raised to be like, ‘A man should provide.’”

He also challenges this notion, adding that he would perceive a person demanding for all the bills to be paid by their partner as a “red flag.”

“We live in a world now where men and women, we’re supposed to be on the same level…I grew up with my mom, who’s a doctor, she supported [the family] more than my dad,” he said.

Haozhi Li, who is studying his PhD in management at TMU, explains the larger issue of economic induced social comparison.

“If young men observe others who can afford expensive gifts/ restaurants, they would most likely engage in upward social comparison…[this] will likely induce some detrimental reactions/ feelings such as envy and resentment,” he said in an emailed statement to The Eyeopener Reports show that 34 per cent of men do feel pressure to treat partners to expensive dates.

Mudassar recognises the importance of women’s financial indepen-

dence, but carries the expectation of her date paying, especially during the “courting phase.”

“Show me that you’re worth it and show me that you can take care of me…even subconsciously as women, that’s what we’re looking for,” she said.

Mudassar clarifies that she doesn’t always expect them to pay but does expect thoughtful gestures and dates.

However, Menin stands firm in her belief that things should be split 50/50.

“I think women should be financially independent, do not rely on somebody…keep money for yourself as well never go 100 per cent, you never know what will happen in life,” she said.

Bogdanova’s professional advice to the issues discussed is simple. “Just date,” she said.

“I recommend to have serious conversations…sit down and have a conversation together in terms of how you’re going to be going about budgeting,” she said, noting that not doing so in the early stages could cause serious issues later on.

Toronto MetRobotics is set to compete in the URC

By Jasmine Makar

The Toronto MetRobotics (TMR) team is preparing to head to the annual University Rover Challenge (URC) in Hanksville, Utah in May with their new 2026 rover, Ingenuity

A group of TMR members travel by car for three days every year to URC, an international rover competition for college students. According to their website, the URC “challenges student teams to design and build the next generation of Mars rovers that will one day work alongside astronauts exploring the Red Planet.”

TMR, a student group that works out of the Kerr Hall North’s basement, is comprised of seven different subteams, including software, electrical, mechanical, business and more. The team works together to modify and add features to their pre-existing rover every year.

For the past two years, TMR has been a finalist in the URC, with the rover ranking in 16th place last year, according to their Instagram. Second-year mechatronics engineering student and mechanical

team member, Adam Futwe spoke to the changes the team is making.

“They really like to push their iteration and improvement. So you’ll see that some aspects of our rover have stayed the same for a long time,” said Futwe. “The idea is that we just don’t have a rover that ends up the same as the year before—we [want to] improve something about it.”

As a part of the improvement process, the team is working on a new arm for the rover, changing the mechanics of the arm after two years.

Mae Awasthy, a third-year electrical engineering student has been on the team for nearly three years, they currently serve as the electrical lead.

Awasthy explained the changes they are making to the new arm trouble shooting the six degrees of freedom.

“A human arm can move a lot of different ways…forward, back, left, right, up and down. So our current arm cannot do the left or right motion, but the new one that we’re working on can, and that’s really going to help,” said Awasthy.

The deadline to complete the System Acceptance Review (SAR) package was Feb. 27, the team has been working tirelessly to meet the deadline. Awasthy mentioned that they will spend up to 40 hours a week in their workshop space, also known as “the bunker,” working on the rover to meet the necessary deadlines.

Heading into the URC, the team prepares for set mission tasks that they will have to complete, including “missions where we have to manipulate objects, missions where we have to track down objects, ones where we have to drive around autonomously,” said Futwe.

“A lot of the work that we do leading up to the competition is optimizing the systems we have, software and hardware in order to be able to complete those competitions,” he said.

This will be Awasthy’s second time attending the URC, which they describe the significance of the competition.

“I think a lot of the time when you’re doing design work, it’s easy to kind of lose the idea of

what you’re actually working on. But being [at URC] and going through [the competition] kind of gives you the idea of like, ‘Oh, this is what we’re trying to do,’” said Awathy.

The team itself believes in fostering a positive environment for all their members, including their newer members, to not only learn and grow but to build a community and friendships.

The environment is “one where you are allowed to make mistakes and encouraged to ask questions you might think are

stupid, but they aren’t, because they help you learn,” said Futwe, adding that he has taken additional initiatives to integrate himself into the team.

Awasthy echoed similar sentiments explaining that the community aspect of the team goes beyond a “mentor, mentee sort of thing.”

“For me, the most important part of [the club] is the community that we have. All of us, beyond just working together, we’re all really good friends, and it’s just a great experience.”

BREAKING: Student writes essay without ChatGPT

Campus stunned by coherent thought formed by student without help of AI

By Liana Yadav

Disclaimer: This story is purely satire; any coincidence to real life is intentional and planned by billionaires to make you a brainless bot.

Last Thursday, fourth-year sociology student Jordan Booksmart was summoned to Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU)’s Academic Integrity office after allegedly submitting an essay he appeared to have written himself without the use of artifical intelligence (AI).

“His work was missing the usual hallmarks of AI writing,” explained one Academic Integrity Council member. “All of his examples were rooted in real data and backed by credible sources. It’s almost as if he didn’t want to be complicit in humanity’s ruin?”

After running the student’s essay through an AI-checker expecting the usual 85-100 per cent computer-generated result, Booksmart’s professor Paige Turner was surprised to see the tool spontaneously combust after producing a zero per cent AI result.

“I would have preferred it if he instead dropped a big fat deuce on my desk. What is the point of me treating this job like my part-time hobby if my students are going to actually put in an effort?” said Turner, whose Zoom background was her LinkedIn headshot.

When asked to explain himself, Booksmart said that he sees noth-

ing wrong with completing an essay without the use of AI.

“If not using AI is some kind of big news story, then there’s something wrong with the institution of education,” said Booksmart. “I can’t be the only one who actually does the course readings, can I?”

Booksmart’s classmates reported that his negative energy towards AI had always concerned them. We asked some of them how they felt about ChatGPT.

How to clean your tractor

“My thoughts on OpenAI? More like open my legs, Sam Altman,” said student Pikmy Chusme, whose eyes glazed over and looked at the AI generated picture of her and Altman’s four kids. “What was the question again?”

The Eyeopener asked other students for comment but they were unable to answer because if they used their brain for more than two seconds, they would start tweaking.

Always ready to have an opinion, president Mohamed

Lachemi described the whole thing as a win-win situation.

“Students are guaranteed unemployment while I make another 100k a year,” he said before rolling away in his Volvo, running over two TMU students.

Other TMU community members who actually cared about the university decided to take action.

Many felt they had still not recovered from the aura points they’ve lost since someone pointed out metropolitan sounds like

metrosexual. It was important to make an example of the student for blatantly disrespecting everything the university stands for. A public statement was released the very next day:

“We’ve MET with Booksmart and made him apologize for his METiculous writing,” it reads. “He has also been asked to chill the fuck out – we can all go back to METamorphosizing into brainless idiots going goo-googa-ga.”

HOLY MOLY THERE’S A GIVEAWAY!

The Eyeopener is giving away two $25 gift cards to Harvey’s.

Find the giveaway rules through the link in our Instagram bio.

1. Complete the crossword! Only 100 per cent accurate crosswords will be accepted.

2. Complete the Google Form via the QR code on the page and add a photo of your completed crossword!

3. Await an email! The form will close endof-day on March. 10 and winners will be contacted shortly afterwards and asked to come into our office for photos!

Submit Completed Crossword Here

ACROSS

4. Modern burger joint known for crinkle-cut fries and ShackSauce

9. Filipino chain beloved for Chickenjoy and sweet-style spaghetti

10. Burger chain famous for fresh-cut fries and free peanuts

11. Iconic Canadian coffee chain known for Timbits and doubledoubles

DOWN

1. Mexican-inspired chain known for burritos and guacamole

TV GUIDE

What to watch now...

SURVIVOR 50

Great news for your mom, her favourite show to watch while emptying the dishwasher is back. After 50 seasons Survivor is still the best at blaring loud tribal music everytime someone finds something in a tree.

THE PITT

My cousin who is a doctor says this is the most accurate doctor show, so good for The Pitt

SCRUBS

Remember this? It’s back and so is the entire cast but now they’re like old and stuff and they can’t jump around anymore or whatever doctors do.

2. Build-your-own Southeast Asian-inspired bowl spot

3. Global fast-food chain known for the Big Mac and golden arches

5. Thai spot famous for customizable spice levels near campus

6. Legendary Yonge Street strip club operating since the 1950s

7. Nashville-style chicken chain with heat levels from “No Spice” to “Reaper”

8. Casual upscale eatery offering sushi, steaks, and a rooftop patio

10. Classic Toronto diner known for cheesecake and desserts since 1940

The SCITHub, explained

By Britt Love

Disclaimer: This does not reflect

The Eye’s perspective on the SCITHub but you don’t know what it is anyways so does it really matter.

What’s it for?

The temporary building will test and develop new technology trying to decarbonize Canada’s built environment. There’s nothing greener than a building built to be demolished.

Where will it be?

The SCITHub will be a two-storey building occupying a multi-million dollar lot south of the Engineering Building. Housing crisis—who?

Why is it called that?

The name SCIT comes from the combination of the words “scat” and “shit”. Innovative.

When will it open?

We’re not sure when the thing will open but you won’t be allowed inside anyways.

New film rocks campus

By Scoop W. Filmbro

Famed director Frankie B. Bold is back with a new arthouse feature film on the man himself, President & Vice-Chancellor of Toronto Metropolitan University Mohamed Lachemi.

Bold says The Mohment follows Lachemi, young and hungry, searching for love in all the wrong places.

“He’s sexy, he’s tall, he’ll win ‘em all,” said Bold. “It’s the kind of story where the main character is such a good person that it brings you to tears.”

The film is not based on real events.

DAYTIME HOURS DAYTIME HOURS

TUESDAY-FRIDAY

12:00-5:00PM

Play, watch, and relax in our gaming area with Oakham Café takeout and Pub drinks!

No outside food allowed!