le journal bilingue de Glendon | Glendon’s bilingual newspaper
Issue Eight - Volume 54 - February 22, 2016
In This Issue: Vie étudiante: learn about Lunik’s vermicomposting! Arts and Entertainment: sexism in music, and why Leo doesn’t have an Oscar Metropolis: two scrumptious local dessert places Issues and Ideas: Toronto news highlights and introvert leaders Health and Wellness: the Student Panic Attack Survival Guide, et la vie après avoir été athlète Expressions: a quartet of poems
Le prochaine date limite: le 26 février
Madeline Della Mora
Pour l’amour de la lecture Alicia Chiasson Contributrice Quarante-huit virgule cinq pour cent des adultes canadiens n’ont pas un niveau de littératie suffisant pour bien fonctionner en société, suggère une étude menée par Statistique Canada en 2012. Choquant, n’est-ce pas ? Ce pourcentage est d’autant plus effarant lorsqu’on considère la réputation du système d’éducation du Canada. On s’attendrait à ce qu’un pays où les études supérieures sont si accessibles soit champion en lecture! En réalité, un peu comme un muscle, l’habileté à comprendre ce qu’on lit risque de s’atrophier si l’on ne l’entraîne pas. Or beaucoup de gens n’ont pas besoin de lire dans leur cadre professionnel. Pour eux, la seule solution serait d’inclure la lecture dans leur temps libre, de le faire par plaisir. Mais
si j’en crois mon expérience des livres et des lecteurs, l’amour de la lecture, ça prend racine dans l’enfance. Malheureusement, ce ne sont pas tous les parents qui cultivent le plaisir de lire dans leur famille. Qu’en est-il des enfants qui n’ont pas de livres à la maison? Vous vous empresserez de me répondre que les bibliothèques scolaires servent justement à cela. Et le voici, le hic! Elles sont dans un piètre état. Malheureusement, lorsqu’il s’agit de l’accès aux livres, toutes les écoles ne sont pas sur un pied d’égalité. Alors que les établissements privés jouissent souvent d’une collection complète et à jour, au public, en particulier dans les quartiers défavorisés, on compte chaque sou pour acheter des livres usagés et tenter de regarnir des étagères pleines d’ouvrages désuets et en mauvaise condition. Il arrive même que les membres du personnel se cotisent pour donner un coup de pouce aux bibliothécaires
(quand il y en a). Un constat : il semblerait bien que notre société ait grand besoin qu’on lui rappelle qu’il est important d’inculquer aux enfants l’amour de la lecture. Que les ministères de l’Éducation ne misent pas plus sur les bienfaits de lire pour le plaisir défie l’entendement lorsqu’on constate l’effet que les habitudes de lecture ont sur la scolarité, au primaire comme au secondaire. Sur le plan de la réussite scolaire, un éveil à la lecture précédant l’étape de l’apprentissage fait des miracles pour les bulletins. Selon les recherches de Gilles Pronovost, professeur à l’Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, les enfants ayant été initiés à la lecture entre l’âge de 2 et de 6 ans ont un taux de réussite de 82 % aux examens ministériels administrés en 6e année contre 63 % chez ceux qui n’ont pas eu beaucoup de contact avec les livres. (Continuez le page 11)
Pro Tem Letter from The Editor Editor in Chief | Rédactrice en chef Victoria Ramsay editor@protemglendon.com Assistant English Editor | Rédactrice adjointe (anglais) Effie Barbalias assistanteng@protemglendon.com Assistant French Editor | Rédactrice adjointe (français) Camille Slaght assistantfr@protemglendon.com Section Editors | Les rédactrices de sections Campus Life | Vie étudiante Inês Van Deuren campuslife@protemglendon.com Issues and Ideas | Actualité et opinions Neya Abdi issuesideas@protemglendon.com Health and Wellness | Santé et bien-être Amanda Merry health@protemglendon.com Metropolis | Métropole Samantha Kacaba metropolis@protemglendon.com Arts and Entertainment | Arts et divertissement Ashley Moniz arts@protemglendon.com
Salut Glendon! Written while mourning the end of Reading Week: Meeting up with a group of friends to chat over coffee just seems to do the trick some days. Am I right?! Especially during this cold season, cupping your hands around a mug of tea and with friends just feels good. Recently I met up with a few of my girlfriends for some lattes and laughter. We met for a coffee date and gushed about the goings on in our lives. A common theme between each of our updates was that there were some circumstances that hadn’t gone quite as planned. For some of us, tales were told of blatant and seemingly embarrassing failure. For others, it was a rough patch in a relationship or rejection. Each of us had our own stuff to lay out on the table and hash out together. While we chatted and offered advice, one of us turned to the group and said, ‘You know, you all are my tribe’. I didn’t understand it at first and my face immediately conveyed my confusion. “You’re my people, my family” she explained further. I nodded in agreement, I understood, but was just intrigued by her use of the word ‘tribe’. A
typical definition for this word is a social division in a traditional society made up of families or communities linked by various factors. These tribes have many things in common whether it be their economic class or sharing cultural values. In modern day contexts many people use the term to describe a brand’s following, a professional or personal network or a group of close friends. Since my friend used this term during our coffee date, I’ve thought about how you go about finding your ‘tribe’ and what it really means. A word that comes to mind immediately is community. It’s something that defines us as human beings. We all have an innate desire to feel connected and valued by others. This group of individuals, your tribe, provides the sense of belonging you crave and the place of solace you require. I guess a similar slang term that some might use is ‘squad’. Yes, both tribe and squad are groups of people that are important in your life, those that you might share with or spend a stupid amount of time with, but the underlying meaning between these two words differs greatly. For me, tribe is an intimate group of people. Factors such as physical appearance or success in the traditional sense don’t have
a place in this definition because a tribe is closer than that. It isn’t a worn out term we throw into an Instagram caption, but rather, vouches for people that make you feel vulnerable and connected. Those that you find in your tribe are your people; they’re the cheerleaders on the sidelines with homemade signs and glitter encouraging you relentlessly. Another attribute of your tribe is that their strengths vary: they are better at some things than you are and those differences benefit and motivate you. These are people you can learn from and people you can teach. Exposing ourselves to intimacy can be difficult these days, and that makes having a tribe of your own even more vital. We all need people in our lives that strip away the layers of our hard exteriors and expose the successes and failures, the bright days and the grey ones. Simply put, a tribe is the family you choose yourself. They love you no matter what but will call you on your shit. That is such a powerful and necessary combination. Find your tribe, whoever that might be, and love them fiercely. Much love, Tori Ramsay Editor in Chief
Expressions Kaitlin Fenton expressions@protemglendon.com Online Content | Contenu en ligne Ela Gach elaonline@gmail.com Communications Officer | Agente de communications Christian Lopez comms@protemglendon.com
Vous avez des opinions? Vous aimez écrire? Vous faites de la photographie? Vous adorez dessiner? Pro Tem vous veut! Envoyez-nous un courriel à editor@protemglendon.com pour apprendre comment vous pouvez vous impliquer!
Photography Editor | Rédactrice de photographie Madeline Della Mora photography@protemglendon.com Design and Layout | Maquettiste Sienna Warecki
pro~tem
est le journal étudiant du collège Glendon. Publié pour la première fois en 1962, c’est la plus ancienne publication de l’Université York. We strive to act as an agent of social change, and will not print copy deemed racist, sexist, homophobic or otherwise oppressive. Please respond to what you read in the pages of Pro Tem/ n’hésitez pas à réagir à ce que vouz avez lu dans Pro Tem. Contact us/ Contactez-nous: protem@glendon.yorku.ca The Pro Tem Office D114 Hilliard Residence, Glendon College 2275 Bayview Avenue North York, ON M4N 3M6 The office is open by appointment only. Le bureau est ouvert sur rendez-vous seulement. Les lettres adressées au journal peuvent être éditées au niveau de la clarté ou de contenu. All copy appearing in Pro Tem is at the discretion of the editorial team. Opinions published in Pro Tem are the thoughts of individual writers, and not the publication as a whole.
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Kelly Lui
Vie étudiante
Elaine Cabildo
Experiential Learning on a Global Scale The Foreign Affairs Council and Their Upcoming Simulations FACG Contributor This winter, members of the Foreign Affairs Council of Glendon (FACG) will have the chance to step into the shoes of diplomats and foreign affairs ministers at four simulations: International Model NATO, Model NATO Carleton, London Security Exercise, and the Model Arab League. What does it take to be a part of these simulations? Our members can tell you: excellent preparation, public speaking, negotiating skills, and a good dose of Robert’s Rules of Order. The Club has also sent a delegation to the London School of Economics in the UK from February 5-7th. Project Manager and FACG Vice President Asad Rai and Communications Director Domina Chi are looking forward to seeing weeks of preparation unfold at the London Security Exercise Model United Nations (LSEMUN) simulation. Delegates will take on a challenging role in various crises, focusing on the American Civil War, the First Intifada and the Yellow Umbrella Movement. “I anticipate a very interactive simulation. It’s very different from traditional Model UN simulations as the committee organizers intend to surprise us with new scenarios within each crisis,” Asad exclaims. “LSEMUN thrives on fast-paced thinking and decision-making to
keep the ball rolling.” One week after, the International Model NATO will take place at Howard University located in Washington D.C. Project Manager and FACG President Michelle Lee is leading this delegation consisting of her fellow colleagues from Glendon’s own Public and International Affairs Masters program. They are working hard to represent Italy on a number of committees including Political Affairs, Nuclear Committee, Emerging Security Issues and of course, the North Atlantic Council. As part of this experience, the delegation will also have the opportunity to visit the Italian Embassy in Washington and learn about Italian foreign policy. The Model NATO Carleton simulation will subsequently take place in Ottawa, Ontario. Project Manager and FACG Treasurer Hiroshi Incekol has been exposing the delegation to the process of coordinating policies and negotiating competitive strategies. The delegates are looking forward to the opportunity to debate and discuss some of the most pressing issues facing NATO and network with prominent international affairs and military professionals in the capital city. Finally, this year will be the FACG’s third time attending the Model Arab League in Washington, D.C. The simulation is hosted by the National Council on US-Arab Relations, which is concerned with security, economic, legal, humanitarian issues, etc. within the Middle East. Returning Project Manager Yazan Alathamna and his delegation of ten members are excited to take on the challenge of representing a small Gulf country. This will be Glendon’s third year attending the conference, with successful turn outs every year. The Arab League is an organization of Arab states and concerns issues within the Middle East; from security issues, humanitarian issues, refugee, legal, and eco-
nomic issues. There are several councils with representatives in each. This year Glendon will be representing Bahrain, a small Gulf country with strong ties through the Arab and Western countries. This is of great benefit for students as skills that you cannot learn in the classroom will be tested, all while meeting people and professionals all over the world. Who knows where this simulation will take our delegates! Want to keep up to date with our delegates as they participate in these thrilling simulations? Connect with us via facg.caeg@gmail.com.
Vermicomposting 101 The Worms of Lunik Co-op Elaine Cabildo Contributor, Lunik Cooperative This semester many new initiatives are taking place at Lunik, one of which is our newly “installed” vermicompost bin. You might be wondering what vermicompost is; in short, worms are used to convert organic material into fertilizer. Essentially, we are trying to turn worm poop into a re-useable compost for our community garden. Vermicomposting is a growing technique, mainly used on farms and for landscaping. We use red wiggler worms in our bin, but nightcrawlers and white worms are also common. There are several benefits to composting in this way,for one, keeping a bin inside means you avoid the trek outside to the giant compost bin that may or may not be buried under a foot of snow and frozen shut, making it impossible to open. In any case, feeding the worms is half
the hassle. We keep the worms in a bin, along with the organic waste, some soil, and moist, shredded paper. The goal is to create an environment inside the bin where the worms are comfortable enough to process the food. Sounds simple enough, but keeping the worms alive depends on keeping the ecosystem inside the bin balanced. This is done by feeding the worms at least two times a week. This also means that we must monitor the acidity level in the bin, the moisture level, the amount of bedding, and the temperature of the space constantly. The worms can eat up to 3 pounds of food a week, so feedings usually occur twice a week or a pound and a half each day. At Lunik, we keep our bin in the back room, as it is a desirable temperature for the worms. We’ve scheduled feedings twice a week; Mondays at 4:00PM and Thursdays at 6:00PM, so if you would like to join us please wiggle on down and meet our new friends!
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Campus Life Afternoon tea with the GWTC You’re Invited! GWTC Contributor You’re Invited, to have afternoon tea with the GWTC! On the first Monday of every month, the GWTC will host a couch event at 7 pm in GWTC headquarters (Hilliard D124). Here, we will have an open and free form discussion to explore a variety of topics. As an example, our first discussion was on the topic of virginity. Do you have something to say? Want to hear other’s thoughts? Let’s talk about it! We will have tea and lots of snacks at every event! All are welcome to join in. Keep an eye out for what our next topic will be by liking our facebook page (Le centre des femmes et des trans de glendon). We hope to see you there for some tea and conversation.
GME - Inês Van Deuren
The GCSU’s Annual General Meeting Reaching Quorum and Heated Discussions Alexander Sokol Contributor The Annual General Meeting (AGM) for the GCSU took place last Thursday February 4th, all in all it could be said that it was a success along GCSU lines. A majority of the motions were merely grammar changes in the wording of the constitution, but there were some interesting moments of the night; the most being the consistent struggle for the GCSU to get and maintain the quorum necessary to actually hold an AGM. It would be easy to blame the GCSU for this, but honestly they did the best they could, of course there is always room to grow. It would have been nice to see more messages about it online, especially since Glendon is a commuter school. Debate did get a little heated when the topic of a raise for senators came up, the proposition would increase the already meager honorarium of $400 for senators to a still pretty bad $550, and the proposition even stated where the money would be taken from, the overpaid CRO position. The opponents of the raise argued though, you can’t raise one position’s pay when the entire council is already underpaid. Although this may be true the opponents had plenty of time to review this proposal and submit their own that would overall raise the entire council’s pay, and probably would have passed along with the senators proposal (provided they also like the senators proposed where they would get this money for their raise). Nonetheless, after such a heated debate, the AGM decided to adjourn implementing all the proposals passed to that point. So congratulations Glendon, our Annual General Meeting is finally complete!
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GME - Inês Van Deuren
GME - Inês Van Deuren
Arts et divertissement “The Heart” of the Matter Love, Sex, and Online Radio Samantha Kacaba Metropolis Section Journalist I’m a commuter. My daily commute takes roughly 2 hours both ways and with classes 4 days a week that’s approximately 16 hours spent on trains, buses, and subways. Naturally, I’m always looking for ways to kill time beyond doing homework and sleeping. Recently I’ve taken up listening to podcasts as a way to liven up my travels. I’ve been taken by one show in particular: The Heart. Self-described as a show “about the triumphs and the terrors of intimacy, the bliss and banality of being in love, and the wild diversity of the human heart”, I have fallen head-over-heels in love with their brand of unapologetic storytelling. The tale of The Heart is a radio story reborn, then reborn again. What would become The Heart began as a radio segment on Montreal’s CKUT 90.3 FM, a community station broadcasting from McGill University in 2008. Entitled Audio Smut, the hour long radio segment became a hit among listeners. In 2012, the show left CKUT, after host Kaitlin Prest and senior producer Mitra Kaboli left for New York City and became an independent entity. Despite being adrift in the world of radio publishing, Audio Smut still consistently published two
The Ugly Masks of Musical Sexism Kaitlin Fenton Expressions Section Journalist Daft Punk, Deadmau5, Sia; what do these musicians have in common? They all perform with their faces hidden. Daft Punk prides themselves with futuristic robot heads, Deadmau5 dresses with a large mouse head, and Sia sings with oversized wigs covering her face. They’re similar in their performing habits, yet Daft Punk and Deadmau5 are praised for being innovative while Sia is referred to as an attention seeker, melodramatic, and a try hard. It is this absurd double standard that proves that sexism is still alive in the music industry, contrary to what so many people believe. It is not hard to find articles about these artists, and it is even easier to distinguish the topics associated with each musician. Searching “Daft Punk” results in fan sites, YouTube videos and articles praising their ingenuity. It is the same for Deadmau5: focusing on the music, with only a quick blurb for a biography. Entering “Sia” offers something much different. Her name is quickly associated with words like “big hair”, “wig”, “mask” and “hiding face”. Articles are quickly presented offering explanations for why she hides. Her music is also shown,
podcasts every month. They even collaborated with Bitch Magazine in 2013 on a piece about gender hormones. In 2014, they were picked up by PRX’s Radiotopia, a channel of curated podcasts giving The Heart a permanent place to call home. There’s something intimate about The Heart in both its content and delivery. The types of stories they tell remind me of the type of salacious secrets that you would tell a best friend over lunch. They’re not severe or life-altering, but just enough to keep you on the edge of your seat. They bring the personal into the public realm, and do it with such attention to detail that you feel as if you’re listening into a private conversation. It’s rare to find a piece of media but it is wedged in between pop articles about her looks. Her YouTube videos, either from her own Vevo or from live performances, are typically full of people begging her to face the camera and sing, or else calling her names. On Jimmy Kimmel’s “Mean Tweets- Music Edition 2”, one commenter writes, “What’s up with that Sia chick? Hiding her face like someone’s gonna stalk her… she must think she’s so edgy.” Another writes, “Ohh Look Sia trying to be all cool and shit facing the other way ahhh fucking dumb bitch just be normal ok....” This is not seen, or if so, very rarely seen, for male musicians who hide their faces. Despite all wearing masks, only men are accepted whereas women are seen as foolish. This sexism isn’t unique to just masks. It runs deep throughout music, especially in hip hop and rap genres. Jean Grae, an American hip hop artist, notes that there is a very clear distinction between male and female rappers. She states, “I’d like there to be no line between the requirements to be dope as a female emcee or as a male. If you like me, you like me because you think I have the skill to represent the art form. If not, then don’t dislike me simply because I’m female. Also, never call me a femcee. That is so insulting. Mancee? We don’t say that, do we? Why the separatist approach then?” It may seem like an innocent separation; however, it is this distinction that isolates women in the industry and seemingly trivialises them. It creates the incredibly false assumption that women aren’t real rappers or,
so completely unabashed when it comes to its subject matter. There are very few subjects too taboo or personal for The Heart to cover. Topics range from sex robots to colostomy bags, love letters, STIs and all the things you can put in, on or against a vagina. A personal favorite of mine was an episode called The P Spot, which focused on cisgender male sensuality. Our host, Kaitlin, interviews random men along St. Laurent Boulevard in Montréal about their experiences with prostate orgasms. It really brought an interesting perspective into how I look at the sexuality of men of all types; and how society so often wants them to be only sexual, and not sensual. The language could be considered a little cissexist, but that’s something that we all
need to work on. As of now, The Heart is publishing make/break, a series of stories revolving around partnerships: how they bloom, how they fall apart, and everything in between. My all-time favourite episode was the Christmas episode: Mr Claus + Mrs Claus, a retelling of the classic tale The Night Before Christmas. For lovers of unconventional narratives, vivid imagery, weird sex stories, and romance, I would recommend The Heart. It’s reassuring in its unabashedness, letting you know that even with all of your own idiosyncrasies there’s always someone who has gone through the same.
even worse, aren’t real artists. To add to this problem, women often find themselves in positions of inferiority to others due to their sex. The massive discrepancy was highlighted by Business Insider. They found that men are less likely to be called bossy or pushy, but they are labelled as leaders or assertive. Women are much more likely to be called bossy, pushy, or even worse, bitchy. They found that women are 1.5 times more likely to be branded with these negative terms,
concluding that the word bossy is a strongly gendered word. So how are women supposed to assert themselves? The music industry leans heavily towards favouring men. It goes beyond preference of music, but leeches into appearances, damning women to be separate and seen as worse than men. It may seem like the sexism ends at the masks, but the true ugly face of it is hiding right underneath.
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Atrs and Entertainment Why Leonardo DiCaprio’s Fans Will Invalidate Any Future Oscar Win That He May Have Ashley Moniz Arts & Entertainment Section Journalist I look forward to the Academy Awards, it is nice to see quality films getting attention at a time when the most successful movies have the most explosions; aka superhero or prequels. I also enjoy the prediction process, as it is fun to see who can predict the most winners. But then there are those who criticize the Academy (ironically validating them more than if they had just ignored them and moved on), voicing their often ignorant opinions about a particular movie or actor who they feel should have won. And in the past two years, there is no actor who has received more whiny criticisms in their favour than Leonardo DiCaprio. I like Leonardo DiCaprio. He is a talented actor and generous activist who deserves praise for his work. However, Academy Awards are not distributed to anyone deemed worthy of receiving one. Voting members choose one performance which they feel is most worthy of recognition. Many of DiCaprio’s fans have obsessively voiced their angst about his losses; this is unnecessary and frankly annoying. Firstly, Academy Award wins are irrelevant. After the show, everyone wakes up the next morning in the same position: the average person back to school/work or if you’re Leonardo DiCaprio back to being rich. At this point winning an award won’t even affect the roles that he gets, he will play whatever he wants. In contrast, the most interesting casting for Lupita Nyong’o since her Oscar win has been in the new Star Wars films and voicing a wolf in The Jungle Book (two high profile films, no roles worthy of recognition). Secondly, to win at the Academy Awards, your performance must be chosen as “best” over all other nominees. The only performance that I have seen which was awarded over DiCaprio was Matthew McConaughey’s in Dallas Buyer’s Club, a clear winner over Leo in my books. I can’t help but believe that most people who complained on social media had never watched Dallas Buyer’s Club. In my opinion, his performances in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? and The Aviator were worthy of wins, but I cannot say that he deserved to win in either year, as I have never seen the performances that he lost to (Tommy Lee Jones in The Fugitive and Jamie Foxx in Ray). Furthermore, many people argue that he has been nominated so many times or for so many years without winning, as if this should warrant an automatic win. Since 1993, he has been nominated for 5 Academy Awards. Put aside the fact that no one is entitled to an Oscar win and look at history. Jeff Bridges waited for 38 years between his first nomination 6 and first win. Alan Arkin waited 40 years
and Henry Fonda waited 41. Kate Winslet won for her sixth nomination. Paul Newman won for his seventh nomination 27 years after the first. Geraldine Page received 7 nominations before winning 32 years after her first nomination. Al Pacino also won for his eighth nomination, which came 20 years after the first. Richard Burton and Peter O’Toole received 8 and 9 nominations in their lives respectively. Neither won. Other actors who have been nominated multiple times and never won include Amy Adams, Warren Beatty, Annette Bening, Helena Bonham Carter, Kenneth Branagh, Glenn Close, Johnny Depp, Kirk Douglas, Willem Dafoe, James Dean, Bruce Dern, Robert Downey Jr., Clint Eastwood, Ralph Fiennes, Angela Lansbury, Ian McKellen, Will Smith and Sigourney Weaver. In sum, Leo’s losses are not even significant. This article is probably poorly timed, as Leonardo DiCaprio is on track to win his first Academy Award for his performance in The Revenant. His receiving a Golden Globe, Critics’ Choice and Screen Actors Guild Award for the role makes this year more likely, but it still does not guarantee anything. DiCaprio himself seems unsure of the subject. After losing for The Wolf of Wall Street, he consoled fans by telling them that it’s not important. But a year earlier, he supposedly boycotted the ceremony after having not received a nomination for Django Unchained. All of this aside, if he does win an Oscar, it will not be because of social media whining; but at this point, even if he wins, it will be hard to take it seriously. On the other hand, maybe I’m just too bitter and taking a bandwagon situation too seriously, having spent almost three hours researching and composing an angsty article criticising other people’s angst towards a completely arbitrary subject. If anything, a win this year will hopefully end this madness. Do I think he should win? I’d have to watch him and fellow nominees before answering that question.
Tori Ramsay
Métropole Crosstown Traffic What’s New on the TTC? Samantha Kacaba Metropolis Section Journalist Love it or hate it, the TTC is what brings Toronto together. Anyone from the city with any social media presence has seen photosets of our humble subway line compared to more robust models like the London Tube and the Barcelona Metro. Many Torontonians have even gone as far as to make their own “dream subway” maps. Dreams of downtown relief lines and Sheppard extensions may be far off, but despite that, TTC customer satisfaction has been seeing a steady increase. As reported on their website, the TTC has had a consistent rise in customer satisfaction since 2014. As of the second quarter of 2015, overall satisfaction was reported at 79 percent, with 90 percent of customers perceiving average or better value for their money on their last TTC trip. This news may come as a surprise to many. I’ve heard many a student grumbling on campus about rising faire and
Toronto’s Sweet Spots: Dessert Done Right Victoria Ramsay Editor in Chief I confess, I have a sweet tooth. Most days I practice some semblance of self control but there are some days when giving in is just the only thing to do. It’s no secret that Toronto has a fabulous scene for dedicated and hungry foodies. From poutine and burgers worth instagramming to delectable Winterlicious dishes, there’s something for everyone and the wonderful world of desserts is no different. Here are a couple of my tried and true, go-to dessert spots for when you crave that something special and sweet, want to drown your feelings in a donut (okay, maybe a dozen) or just need a little pick me up. Sweet Jesus: There is nowhere that lives up to the saying ‘Go big or go home’ as much as Sweet Jesus. A small café, located at 106 John St, the menu at Sweet Jesus is filled with espresso beverages, ice cream cones and paletas, which is basically a fancy way of saying popsicle. It is just a short five-minute walk from St. Andrew Station and regardless of what you order, I promise you’ll be impressed. They offer their espresso beverages daily from open till close, which is 7am11pm weekdays. You can snag one of their soft serve and other desserts from 12pm-close. Everything here is colourful, fun and playful. Their space is decked out in mint everything and their unofficial mascot according to their social media outlets is a smiling, mint gnome. Their ode to the 6ix’s own, @champagnepapi, comes in the
rush-hour delays. Some days I’m even the one doing the grumbling! Though it’s easy to be cynical, it looks as if 2016 is going to be a year of positive changes for the TTC. On February 4th, they introduced this year’s annual Customer Charter. The charter includes a variety of goals to be reached over the course of the year, with smaller projects divided by quarter. The first quarter is looking to be an exciting one, with the introduction of Apple Pay at collector’s booths and earlier Sunday subway service. Looking closer to campus, the schedule of the 54 Lawrence East is to be revised in the fourth quarter. On top of this, Lawrence station will be getting customer information screens. There may also be a slim chance of getting Wi-Fi in Lawrence station by the end of the year: the Customer Charter stated making Wi-Fi available at 10 additional stops as a 4th quarter goal. They did not specify which stations, but we can hope! The TTC is a work in progress, as is anything else. It’s had its ups and its downs (and its downs, and it’s downs), but if the trends continue as they have, maybe there will come a day when taking public transit doesn’t feel like a bane. Stay strong, fellow commuters, for there may be good things coming in the near future (or at least Wi-Fi).
form of a pineapple based beverage called the Champagne Mami. This drink is made of mulled pineapple juice with a toasted coconut and agave rim and topped with coconut whipped cream. The masterminds behind Sweet Jesus are artists in their own right. They craft paletas and cones inspired by playful ingredients like cinnamon toast crunch, cotton candy and butter tarts.Their handmade creations are as pleasing to the eye as they are to the stomach. If you don’t believe me, check out their instagram; it’s foodporn at its best. Jelly Modern Donuts: Another Toronto sweet spot is Jelly Modern Donuts located at 376 College Street. Their second location is in Brookfield place along the PATH system at 181 Bay Street C320. I first saw Jelly Modern on an episode of Food Network’s ‘You’ve Gotta Eat Here’ and instantly began craving one of their handcrafted donuts. My first encounter with this gourmet donut shop was in Calgary during the Stampede Weekend. At this time there was only one Calgary location so I went a little bit out of my way to check Jelly out and the experience didn’t disappoint. What I found especially interesting was that the actual donut base wasn’t sweetened so what makes this treat sweet are the toppings. This unsweetened base is fantastic because it doesn’t make you feel like a complete sugar overload, plus you’re able to really enjoy the toppings. They offer a variety of different donut flavours on either their cake or filled donut base. Their menu always includes classic Jelly Modern donuts like Madagascar vanilla, jelly and peanut butter. What also shouldn’t be overlooked is the infamous maple bacon donut. In addition to their regular menu, they also offer a donut of the month and a seasonal fruit option. Some past flavour features are crème brulée, green tea and peach melba donuts. It’s safe to say, there’s definitely something for everyone. Two
Dylan Feist
of my all time favourites are their carrot cake and lemon curd; both available on their everyday menu. If you aren’t into a sweet treat Jelly Modern also makes sandwiches. Yes, you heard that right, a donut sandwich. Basically they take their unsweetened donut base and use it as the bun. The savoury sandwich options include PB&J, Alberta roast beef and egg salad.
Tori Ramsay
Both of these dessert treasures most definitely have my stamp of approval. If you’re in the mood for a treat pay either (or both) of these insanely delicious spots a visit. Now if you’ll please excuse me, I’m going to go polish off a dozen donuts or a few paletas and enjoy a self-induced sugar coma. Forget the impending beach season and treat. yo. self.
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Glendon Musical Ensemble - Fast Forward 50 All photos on this page by InĂŞs Van Deuren
L’Ensemble Musical de Glendon - Les emblématiques
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Issues and Ideas Toronto Hot Topics at a Glance Neya Abdi Issues & Ideas Section Journalist If you’ve been too busy paying attention to the election-cum-reality show south of the border, you’re probably a little behind on what’s been happening closer to home. To keep you informed and up to date, here’s a rundown on the hottest issues and events that have dominated Toronto news. A deadly January in the GTA The number of shootings in Toronto doubled compared to this time last year, contributing to a noticeable increase in the city’s homicide rate. At the time of writing, the city’s murder rate stood at twelve, according to statistics from the Toronto Police Service website. While the startling number so early in the year has led to concern about safety on the part of residents, most experts maintain that the city remains just as safe as it’s always been, referring to year end statistics that show shooting-related incidents, stabbings, and deaths have remained at consistent levels. Police Chief Mark Saunders referred to the increase as a “blip” in an otherwise safe city. Some have attributed the number of shootings to continuing gang violence. Mike McCormack, president of the Toronto Police Association, commented that the end of the controversial carding practice has played a role in the increase in crime. Others, like Segun Akinsanya, believe the issue needs to be tackled on a deeper level and cites the cycle of poverty, telling Global News that it’s a generational problem perpetuated by a lack of access to opportunities. Jian Ghomeshi’s sexual assault trial begins The sexual assault trial of disgraced CBC radio host Jian Ghomeshi began on February 1. Ghomeshi’s high-profile lawyer, Marie Henein, famous for her skill and ruthlessness in court, wasted no time attempting to poke holes in the credibility of Ghomeshi’s accusers. One of the complainants, Lucy DeCoutere, an actress famous for her role in Trailer Park Boys, waived her right to a publication ban and alleges that Ghomeshi slapped and choked her. Henein presented DeCoutere with correspondence she sent to Ghomeshi after the fact to cast doubt on DeCoutere’s account of what happened. DeCoutere pointed out that continuing to communicate with Ghomeshi afterwards does not mean she gave Ghomeshi consent, sparking a debate on society’s perceptions of what is considered “normal” behavior by victims of assault. At time of writing, the trial is ongoing. Ghomeshi is charged with four counts of sexual assault and one count of overcome resistance by choking. He has pleaded not guilty. Misogynistic group, Return of Kings, plans and then cancels international meet-up day Return of Kings, a blog with a mandate to “usher the return of the masculine man in a world where masculinity is being 10 increasingly punished” decided to hold
worldwide meet-ups for its members on February 6. The website regularly posts articles on the dangers of feminism and threats to masculinity with titles like “10 Things My Dog Taught Me About Women” and “Why Women Shouldn’t Work”. The meet-up quickly gained attention online, particularly due to founder Daryush “Roosh V” Valizadeh’s blog post stating that rape on private property should be legal (he has since stated that this was meant to be satirical). Residents and politicians from the cities where the meets-up were scheduled to take place quickly spoke out condemning the group and telling them that they were unwelcome. The Toronto Newsgirls, a female boxing club, promised to show up to the meet-up in Toronto in response to the group’s plans to take photos of any female protesters. Valizadeh cancelled the event stating that he could not guarantee the safety of its participants.
Can Introverts Be Leaders? My Journey with Discovering My Leadership Style Asuka Sugiyama Contributor What are characteristics of introverts, extroverts, and ambiverts? I took a quiz at quietrev. com and here is what it said about me; with a few modifications: “Introverts devote their social energy to a small group of people they care about the most, preferring a glass of wine with a close friend to a party full of strangers. They think before they speak, have a more deliberate approach to risks, and enjoy solitude. They feel energized when focusing deeply on a subject or activity that really interests them. When they’re in an overly stimulating environment (too loud, too crowded, etc.) they tend to feel overwhelmed. They seek out environments of peace, sanctuary, and beauty; they have an active inner life and are at their best when they tap into its riches. On the other hand, extroverts relish social life and are energized by interacting with friends and strangers alike. They’re typically assertive, go-getting, and able to seize the day. They are great at thinking on their feet; they’re relatively comfortable with conflict. Given the choice, they usually [prefer] more stimulating environments that give them frequent opportunities to see and speak with others. When they’re in quiet environments, they’re prone to feeling bored and restless. They are actively engaged in the world around them and at their best when tapping into its energy. Lastly, ambiverts have the best of both words, able to tap into the strengths of both introverts and extroverts as needed.” Based on these definitions, I am an introvert; but I am not completely introverted. I am shy to begin with, prefer hanging out with a small number of good friends rather than a
small number of strangers, and need to calculate risks before trying something new. At the same time, I think on my feet when I am 100% determined to do something and actively engage in the world. “Being an introvert or extrovert depends on what you feel at the moment,” said Katherine Fowley, the Glendon ResLife Coordinator, during her workshop, Extrovert vs. Introvert – Who Holds More Value in Leadership? at the latest Leadership Summit held on January 29th. Everyone has traits from both introversion and extroversion and most fall onto either end of the spectrum based on their personalities. It doesn’t mean that they fit into that category 24/7. There are moments when introverts initiate conversations and carry them on, while extroverts go backstage and have quiet or ‘me’ time. When I think of people who are called “leaders”, I notice that they tend to be extroverted, or at least most of them claim they are. Extroverts often initiate conversations, seem comfortable speaking publicly, and look confident, social and brave no matter what. Take Glendon, for example; student leaders tend to be famous, friendly and approachable for anyone, and also commit themselves to A LOT of on-campus activities. Even though they might not know you in person, you know them in some way or another. After learning and gaining clearer ideas about what leadership truly is in five weeks I now know that anyone can become a leader. However, I came to a conclusion, similar to my first impressions, that it’s easier to find extroverted leaders because you see their leadership in action much more than introverted ones. I felt like I was losing my vision and confidence but getting lost never meant that I lost hope because I was sure that the Leadership Summit would help me find to identify the path that I was currently walking. I decided to participate in the Summit and I regained what I lost this Fall during Katherine’s workshop. During her workshop, Katherine also said, “Extroversion does not make you a leader, but your own values do. Congruent to yourself, your capacity to lead rests on your values.” As an extroverted person, she was aware of strengths of both introverts and extroverts based on her experiences. What she
taught us during her session made me feel less pressured to be an introvert (should this be extrovert?) leader. To provide and explanation to the title of this article, “Can introverts be leaders?”, my answer is, yes. I can also say that I participated in the workshop and the summit because I want to become a leader. Due to stigmas attached to introversion, like being quiet or staying in one’s own shell, it becomes hard to imagine introverts as leaders. As an introvert, I find it a bit difficult to be spontaneous. It takes a longer time to get to know someone’s personality and their strengths and weaknesses as I am not talkative 24/7. Contrary to what people say, introverts have their own fortes and ways of pursuing leadership. My introversion has already helped me lead other people a couple of times, like doing a critical analysis of a situation while thinking inwardly. There is no right or wrong approach to leadership, nor is there an end to it. “It is a process,” said David Ip Yam, when wrapping up the Summit. Everyone can be an extrovert, introvert, or ambivert to some extent and it is okay for everyone to pursue their leadership however they feel comfortable. I will continue to learn and discover my own ways to reflect my own values, refresh my vision and be inspired by or inspire people surrounding me. That being said, my quest for being an introvert leader continues. I strongly believe that even if you are an introverted leader, and might go unnoticed and unheard, you are still able to accomplish just as many goals as an extroverted leader can. Introverts may need to put more focus on some specific aspects of leadership, but that doesn’t mean we are not worse than extroverts; everyone personality has strengths and weaknesses. I hope that more introverted leaders will be brought to the stage one day and I hope tol be one of them.
Actualité et opinions Pour l’amour de la lecture (continuez de la couverture) Avec une différence de 20 %, ces statistiques révèlent l’existence réelle d’une corrélation entre la lecture en bas âge et la réussite scolaire. L’auteur de l’étude lui-même cite la situation socio-économique des sujets comme facteur d’erreur. Néanmoins, l’apport de la lecture au développement cognitif de l’enfant est probablement ce qui entraîne de meilleurs résultats. Lire, après tout, force l’esprit à créer le sens à partir des mots sur la page, qu’on les maîtrise ou pas. Ceci est primordial pour l’acquisition du vocabulaire, car la banque de mots connus se constitue à partir des contextes auxquels l’enfant est exposé. La lecture nourrit ainsi ce dernier de nouveaux mots pour décrire son monde. Or, à l’âge où le cerveau, telle une éponge, absorbe tout, acquérir un plus grand bagage linguistique a des conséquences directes sur l’étendue des connaissances langagières maîtrisées plus tard dans la vie. En plus d’optimiser le développement cognitif de l’enfant, favoriser la lecture pour le plaisir pourrait bénéficier au système d’éducation dans son ensemble en réduisant le taux de décrochage scolaire. Combien de ministres de l’Éducation ont dit dans leurs discours vouloir s’attaquer de front à cet enjeu qui nuit à toute la société? C’est peut-être pour cette raison, justement, que tant d’enquêtes et d’études ont été menées sur le sujet. Beaucoup d’entre elles, entre autres celle de l’Institut de la statistique du Québec (ISQ) ont conclu que les problèmes d’apprentissage en français ont un impact aussi important que la situation socio-économique de l’enfant sur l’abandon des études secondaires. Privilégier l’apprentissage de la lecture en créant un environnement plus propice au ludisme pourrait diminuer l’élément de frustration pour les élèves qui font face à plus de difficultés. Proposer aux jeunes des lec-
Madeline Della Mora
tures qui stimulent l’imagination, mieux intégrer la bibliothèque dans le programme scolaire : il y a plusieurs façons de rendre les livres plus accessibles et de déclencher le plaisir de lire à même l’école. Pour combattre le décrochage, le jeu en vaut largement la chandelle! Les avantages de développer l’amour des livres dès l’enfance vont bien au-delà des effets sur la scolarité : la lecture ouvre le pas sur toute une éducation émotionnelle qui aide les petits à mieux grandir. L’empathie, une capacité dont l’innéité est encore remise en question, tend à se retrouver plus souvent chez les enfants et les adultes qui lisent beaucoup. Une étude menée en 2010 sur 55 élèves de maternelle a trouvé une corrélation entre la lecture de romans et le développement de l’empathie. Cela n’a rien d’étonnant lorsque l’on considère que, par principe, la fiction oblige le lecteur à se fondre dans la peau des personnages. Or la majorité des jeunes enfants n’ont pas encore acquis un sens du monde assez développé pour imaginer d’eux-mêmes ce que quelqu’un d’autre peut ressentir. Aussi la lecture entraînet-elle l’esprit à revêtir un point de vue étranger. Toute œuvre mettant en scène des personnages auxquels nous pouvons nous identifier, qu’elle soit écrite pour les adultes ou pour la jeunesse, a pour première préoccupation la psychologie humaine. Par conséquent, un roman simule des situations sociales dont le lecteur tirera certaines leçons qu’il pourra ensuite appliquer, consciemment ou non, dans la vie réelle. Cela va à l’encontre de certains préjugés sur la lecture, souvent envisagée comme une activité solitaire, qui isole le lecteur. Pourtant, il parait plus juste de dire que la lecture crée des ponts très solides entre l’individu et ses semblables. Pour prévenir la violence chez les jeunes, on parle rarement de la lecture comme d’une solution. Peut-être pressent-on à tort qu’un enfant agressif n’a pas la capacité de développer un intérêt pour un livre, qu’il le jettera à la poubelle plutôt que de s’asseoir quelques heures pour lire. Pourtant, beaucoup des raisons pour lesquelles un enfant adopte
de tels comportements pourraient trouver un remède efficace dans la lecture. Un jeune qui commet des gestes violents parce qu’il n’arrive pas à focaliser sa colère, par exemple, pourrait découvrir un exutoire plus constructif en plongeant dans un roman d’aventures, surtout si l’un des personnages vit une situation similaire à la sienne. De même, un enfant ayant de la difficulté à composer avec la différence doit apprendre à briser le mur qui le sépare de l’autre. Le racisme, le sexisme ou toute autre forme d’intimidation se résume à la négation de l’humanité de quelqu’un. Il devient beaucoup plus difficile de déshumaniser une personne si l’on parvient à s’identifier à elle. Comme la lecture développe l’empathie, certains romans peuvent détruire le mur de préjugés qui est à la base de l’agressivité. La prévention de la violence offre un motif supplémentaire d’encourager l’amour de la lecture dès un jeune âge, puisqu’elle rend plus facile l’élimination des comportements indésirables. Que les enfants reçoivent une bonne éducation émotionnelle qui intègre l’acceptation de la différence est d’une importance accrue de nos jours, dans une société canadienne où des dizaines de cultures différentes se rencontrent. Si lire peut apprendre aux citoyens de demain comment communiquer sur le plan des valeurs et ainsi mieux vivre ensemble, il n’y a pas de meilleure raison de s’assurer que la lecture est un plaisir pour les jeunes plutôt qu’une corvée. En outre, le monde moderne, avec ses technologies et ses idées toujours plus innovatrices, exigera des générations futures une créativité sans précédent pour que la roue du monde continue à son rythme étourdissant. Or l’imagination, mère de tout mouvement créatif, se développe en grande partie par l’entremise de la lecture. En revanche, si lire est pénible et ne suscite pas une once d’enthousiasme chez l’enfant, elle perd sa capacité d’éveiller la fantaisie. Quels livres devrions-nous présenter aux jeunes, alors, pour maximiser leur potentiel de créativité? La réponse est simple : des romans qui invitent à rêver. Mais attention! Il faudra varier les plaisirs pour intéresser tout le monde.
Quelques écoles l’ont compris depuis longtemps. Aux Ursulines de Québec, entre autres, il y a dix ans, les professeurs de sixième année demandaient à leurs élèves de lire Narnia, véritable classique de la littérature fantastique écrit par C.S Lewis, Rouge poison, un policier jeunesse québécois de Michèle Marineau, et Le Petit Prince, d’Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, roman allégorique traitant de l’amitié sous toutes ses coutures. Pourquoi la plupart de ces initiatives se retrouvent-elles à l’école privée? Souvent, les établissements publics disposent de moins de moyens et ne peuvent pas exiger des parents qu’ils dépensent de l’argent de leur poche pour des livres quand plusieurs d’entre eux doivent d’abord penser à mettre de la nourriture dans leurs assiettes. Quant aux bibliothèques scolaires, comme nous l’avons mentionné plus haut, beaucoup n’ont pas les ressources financières pour offrir une variété de livres aux élèves : les montants alloués par les commissions scolaires sont parfois si maigres que l’achat de livres neufs est hors de question. Par-dessus cela, les ministères de l’Éducation hésitent à investir, tout particulièrement au Québec en raison de la période d’austérité. Quel dommage! Si nous souhaitons vraiment déverrouiller le potentiel d’imagination des jeunes, les établissements scolaires, particulièrement ceux des milieux défavorisés, doivent avoir les moyens d’offrir une sélection suffisamment variée de livres dans leurs bibliothèques. Pour la même raison, les professeurs doivent être en mesure de faire lire des romans à leur classe sans que l’argent constitue une infranchissable barrière. S’il y a un seul des services publics qui devrait à tout prix échapper aux coupes, il s’agit bien de l’éducation primaire et secondaire. Le coût social de la négligence dans ce domaine est beaucoup trop élevé. Somme toute, l’incroyable effet positif que le contact avec les livres a sur le développement de l’enfant justifie amplement que la société revoie ses priorités et mette plus d’efforts à encourager la lecture pour le plaisir. Les effets sur la performance scolaire sont prouvés scientifiquement et tout semble indiquer qu’attaquer de front les frustrations que peuvent causer les échecs en lecture diminuerait le taux de décrochage. À cela s’additionnent les bienfaits sur l’éducation émotionnelle de l’enfant, qui peut apprendre l’empathie et le respect de la différence grâce aux livres, ce qui pourrait même prévenir les tendances à la violence. La lecture s’avère également être une clé de la créativité, si importante pour la réussite dans une société moderne. Bref, la lecture forme des êtres plus humains, ce dont notre monde, parfois trop cynique et trop peu réfléchi, a grand besoin. Malgré que le système scolaire ne parvienne pas à donner l’accès aux livres à tous les coups, par chance, il existe de nombreuses solutions, à même la communauté, pour inclure les livres dans la vie des jeunes, du moment que les parents ou les enseignants le veulent. Les bibliothèques municipales, des œuvres de charité, les centres communautaires offrent des activités de lecture visant à éveiller le plaisir de lire chez les jeunes. En donnant un peu de son argent ou de son temps, tout le monde peut participer à communiquer l’amour de la lecture.
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Health and Wellness AIDS, Self-Care & You Anthony Brum Contributor This is the first article that I am writing for ProTem and as I’m writing I’m watching “The Normal Heart” by director Ryan Murphy with my sister who came to visit me for the weekend. This past week and the week to come, I am running for the position of Vice President Campaigns and Advocacy for the York Federation of Elections for the term of 2016 - 2017. Mix that alongside my school work and I’ve quickly learned that health, wellness, and living a balanced lifestyle is quite the hot topic as we advance in our ability to detect and learn about mental health. These are the thoughts that go through my head along with a variety of other things when thinking about mental health lately. When asked to write this article I first asked myself, why did I say yes? When did I
Joueur à entraineur: la vie après avoir été athlète Marc-Olivier Dubé Contributor FR, 492 La plupart des enfants commencent à pratiquer un sport suite à l’influence de leurs parents. Souvent, un enfant développe une passion pour un certain sport grâce à l’encouragement de leurs parents et au sentiment de valorisation que le sport leur procure. Mais qu’arrive-t-il quand un enfant doit arrêter de pratiquer son sport préféré à cause d’une blessure ou d’un manque financier? La même question peut se poser un pour athlète de niveau élite qui doit arrêter de s’entrainer dû à son âge ou à une blessure sérieuse. Il y a-t-il une vie après avoir été un athlète? Souvent, les gens qui ont été passionnés par un sport vont continuer à s’impliquer dans celui-ci une fois leur retraite arrivée. Que ce soit en devenant entraîneur ou en démontrant leur soutient de façon différentes, les plus passionnés sont souvent motivés à s’impliquer auprès d’une équipe locale. Savez-vous que pour la plupart des sports, les entraineurs ne sont pas rémunérés? Les gens commencent donc bénévolement. Souvent, en plus de donner de leur temps gratuitement, ils investissent même un peu de leur propre argent. Ces personnes doivent donc avoir un motif pour commencer à devenir entraineurs. Bien des parents s’impliquent pour soutenir leur enfant dans leurs activités sportives et certains anciens athlètes qui n’ont pas d’enfants entrainent des jeunes dans leur domaine sportif pour revivre les émotions et l’adrénaline que le sport peut apporter. Ils le font par passion et pour l’amour de leur sport. Le sentiment d’appartenance peut être fort dans certains milieux sportifs. Alors les gens sont portés à entrainer pour revivre des évènements sportifs de plus ou moins grande 12 envergure. Ils s’impliquent donc pour
become able to speak to anything about mental health and wellness when my own roommate has to wake me up every morning because I lack the thought process to go to bed early? As I sit here questioning what I am writing, I think, “what does this have to do with health and wellness?” Well, more than you would think. Being familiar in my writing is something I want to keep, so if you’re willing to listen then let me tell you why all of this matters. Health and wellness can mean many different things to many different folks out there. As I watch the unfolding of the AIDS epidemic in, “The Normal Heart” and I think about the occurrences currently going on in my life, I realize these issues—the small things we deal with everyday—are the main stepping stones to building healthy habits and behaviours. Being like any other young adult, as we experience and expand our horizons in university, college, and/or apprenticeships, it is extremely easy to lose sight of our passions, determination, and dreams standing in front of the statues, monuchanger la vie des athlètes ainsi que la leur. Les gens sous-estiment souvent l’impact qu’un entraineur peut avoir dans la vie d’un enfant. Tous les sportifs ont eu au moins un entraineur qui a marqué leur vie, tout comme un enseignant peut changer la perspective d’un élève sur un aspect de sa vie. Les entraîneurs encouragent, valorisent et motivent leurs troupes pour les amener à se dépasser et à atteindre de nouveaux objectifs. Les athlètes, eux, ont aussi un impact important dans la vie des entraineurs. Certaines relations entraineur/ athlète peuvent durer des années. Voir un enfant de 10 ans grandir au sein d’un sport pour un certain nombre d’années et devenir un être humain respectable après son passage sous un entraineur est très gratifiant pour ce dernier. Outre l’impact dans la vie des gens, les entraineurs s’impliquent aussi dans le sport pour redonner au programme ou à la communauté ce qu’ils ont reçu d’elle. Sans la contribution des entraineurs, le sport de niveau amateur serait bien mal en point. Ainsi, on peut affirmer que la passion pour un sport va bien au delà de la pratique de celui-ci. Après la retraite en tant qu’athlète, un nouveau parcours attend. Ce n’est pas parce qu’une personne doit arrêter de pratiquer en tant qu’athlète qu’il faut éliminer le sport de sa vie.
Bryan Hansraj
ments, and pinnacles of academia. As we are told to build healthy habits and behaviours to aid ourselves society, we are also constantly bombarded with stresses, pressures, and unrealistic expectations. In my history of growing as an individual I have been continually told how learning to develop these habits and behaviours is so necessary. Yet, it is evident that what we experience and maybe what we are doing is not good enough. When Amanda asked me if I was interested to write this she told me to talk about what I do to help myself stay healthy under the huge amounts of stress, like any other student. I said to myself, “what do I possibly know about any of this?” news flash, I’m not trained and I’m not taking a course. What can I do? What can you do? I spend the moments I can with my family and friends. I try to look and enjoy the small things that life has to offer, these small moments give me solace. Watching films that are awe-inspiring, provocative, and thought-provoking keep me thinking beyond my wildest dreams. RefoBryan Hansraj
cusing and reflecting on my goals in life always helps me find better direction in what I do and how I do them. Even at this moment though, I still go to sleep too late and want to be better. So when you ask me about health and wellness I say try to live a happier life in any way possible. Happiness should be a goal for everyday and not after your career, or so called ‘success’. Remember that taking the small steps, learning to breathe deeply more often, and giving yourself that extra little piece of rest in the morning might be your way to practicing better self-care. I’m not going to make this out to seem like a self-proclaimed answering to all the question of self-care, but I think that it’s what you make of it and it’s how your approach self-care for yourself. “A happy man is too satisfied with the present to dwell too much upon the future.” -Albert Einstein
Santé et bien-être A Weekend Getaway avec mes amis: Friends that Are Now Family and Why They Matter So Much! Bryan Hansraj Contributor If you’re ever looking for me at Glendon chances are I’m in the GCSU office, at a Glendon Event, or watching one too many hours of Netflix. That, or I am in class. Juggling classes, holding down a part time job, and attempting to have a social life in my third year is difficult, but keeps me sane. Personally, if I don’t have structure or routines in my life, I start to worry that I’ve forgotten to do something and then worry myself to the point of finding myself halfway through a family sized box of cookies. Despite my need for a schedule, I enjoy spontaneously spending time with my friends and family whether it be going to the mall, going out for wings, going to see a movie, or whatever the case may be. I think by taking the time to share with friends and family and avoiding the topics of work and school, you get to truly connect with
each other. You can also get to relax for once and take some time for self-care. January 22nd-January 24th, I attended the GCSU’s Ski Trip hosted by Vice President Athletics Megan Burns. A spot opened up on the Monday and I agreed to take it. Over the course of the weekend I got to explore the Mont Tremblant village, go skating, buy anniversary gifts for my parents and enjoy the great delicacies of poutine and beavertails. Most importantly, I got to spend a weekend getaway with my friends away from school and work. We went out to restaurants for breakfasts and dinners, tried new challenges together like skating for the first time, made family meals, and took family naps. Our friendships have solidified into a family, hence the mention. Putting effort into our friendships and spending time with each other strengthens our relationships with one another. We laugh a lot more, enjoy each other’s presence, and are more brutally honest with one another, and overall, we’re just so much happier. I encourage you to take a moment and reflect on those in your life you call close friends. Why are they your close friends? Do you all make an effort to spend time together or keep in contact by messaging each other? Do you see each other or talk outside of the school term? Evaluate your friendships, think about what makes them work and how they could be better because really, who would be without these people in our lives?!
Bryan Hansraj
Bryan Hansraj
Bryan Hansraj
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Health and Wellness Student Panic Attack Survival Guide: Part 1 - Understanding Panic Attacks Sienna Warecki Layout Designer A little while ago was Bell Let’s Talk Day, and all across the country conversations are being had about mental health and the challenges we face in addressing what is, essentially, a society besieged by mental illness. I’ve seen enough real-life examples in my life and around campus to know that I’m not exaggerating; student mental health is at an all-time low. York University actually issued a mental health survey, and the results are horrifying. Of the 6000 students who were surveyed: • 89 per cent felt overwhelmed • More than half found their academic life traumatic or very difficult to handle • Almost 62 per cent felt very lonely • More than 36 per cent felt so depressed that it was difficult to function • More than half felt overwhelming anxiety • About seven per cent seriously considered suicide and more than one per cent acted on those thoughts • Only about seven per cent sought professional treatment for any mental health issues From statistics and my own personal experience, depression and anxiety are by far the two most prevalent mental health issues in the student demographic. To that end, I’m going to explain one of the most common manifestations of anxiety: panic attacks. Please know that I’m not officially trained in the mental health field, and that the opinion of one well-read student shouldn’t replace that of a professional. If you’re sceptical of anything, please cross-reference my info for yourself, and absolutely seek out the advice of a counselor or your doctor if you feel your panic attacks are severe enough to warrant additional help! What Is a Panic Attack? Believe it or not, your body is not trying to kill you. It’s actually trying to help. Panic and anxiety (a lot like stress in general) is the body’s natural response to danger; panic attacks are meant to prepare your body to “deal with a physical threat“. It’s perfectly healthy: we evolved this response as part of the fight/flight/freeze response back in good old hunter-gatherer days as a means of keeping alert and motivated and, of course, ready to run or to fight when the need arose. You’ll actually notice that some of the physical symptoms of panic attacks, like a pounding heart and shortness of breath, are perfectly normal sensations to be had during or after a good workout. That’s the point: the body is anticipating a massive physical effort and is pouring in the energy to deal with that effort. The problem is that most of our panic attacks don’t come in the midst of being 14 chased by lions or escaping war zones.
Sienna Warecki
They come while studying for exams or preparing to give a presentation to your peers or being stuck in traffic or waiting for a date at the coffeeshop or late at night before bed or anywhere else for absolutely no reason at all. There is no threat; there is no danger. And yet the signal goes off and we’re sweating and shaking like we’ve had 10 cans of Red Bull in about as many minutes. More than the reaction itself, it’s the incongruity between how your mind/body feels and the perfectly ordinary situation around you that makes panic attacks so disorienting–a truly massive dump of restless energy and nowhere reasonable to put it. So where does that energy actually come from? Your Brain on Anxiety: The Chemistry of a Panic Attack Nothing like a good bit of science to calm you down. In a post on calming stress and anxiety through breathing, I explained the body’s nervous system–essentially it’s divided into two parts, sympathetic and parasympathetic. The sympathetic system hypes the body up for action, and the parasympathetic system calms it down. A panic attack occurs when the parasympathetic system doesn’t kick in when it’s supposed to. Basically, when a human brain perceives a threat, it releases the neurotransmitters epinephrine and norepinephrine into the body. (I’m not sure quite where the signal comes from to release those transmitters, but I’m guessing it’s the amygdala.) Those neurotransmitters go straight to the adrenal glands and tell them to release a good dollop of adrenaline into the body’s bloodstream. Once the adrenaline is circulating, it triggers the physical symptoms associated with panic–temperature change, numbness or tingling, tight chest, restricted breathing or hyperventilation, increased heart rate, and so on. The emotional symptoms, such as that looming
feeling of dread/impending catastrophe, are actually mostly your own reaction to the physical symptoms. 20 Minutes or The Rest of Forever: The Life Cycle of a Panic Attack Want some good news? This panic-inducing adrenaline spike can’t be maintained indefinitely. It peaks after about 10 minutes and then just as slowly dissipates as the neurotransmitters are reabsorbed, meaning that panic attacks physically cannot last more than 20-25 minutes. Hooray! Of course, people experience panic attacks that are much longer than that. What’s happening in this case is that panic attacks are stacking on top of each other, daisy-chaining one 20-minute episode to the next until the body totally exhausts itself. Here’s the tricky part: the anxiety that you get from the sensations of the first panic attack are overwhelmingly likely to set off another one, if you don’t understand what’s happening. Think about it: if panic is the body’s response to danger, and you’re sitting there terrified that you’re having a heart attack or going crazy, then of course it’s going to pump a fresh volley of adrenaline into the system to cope with what is now perceived as a new or continued threat. Oftentimes, the fear of having another panic attack is what sets off another panic attack: you’re basically freaking out about freaking out, which is a very uncomfortable vicious circle to be caught in. Luckily, it can be broken off at the end of any one panic attack–all you need to do is remain calm mentally until the physical effects have run their 20-minute course and the adrenaline has been burned up. Self-Awareness Is Key At the end of the day, the old adage still holds true: knowledge is power. When it comes to something as frightening and mysterious as panic attacks, it pays off to understand the beast you’re dealing with in order to tame it.
If you know a) what you’re experiencing and b) how/why it’s happening, then you’re more likely to figure out c) how to prevent it or soften it or make it as comfortable an experience as possible. I know students at Glendon who have been having panic attacks since their young teens and who only realized what it was they’re experiencing once they came to GL and heard about it. I’ve actually been the person to break the news before, and while it’s amazing to see the relief wash over someone’s face when they realize there’s nothing wrong with them, it’s still heartbreaking to know that so many humans are walking around totally unaware that this terrifying thing they experience doesn’t have to be so terrifying at all. The solution? Self-awareness. Conversation. No problem ever resolved itself without being addressed, and the harsh reality is that mental illness is a part of all of our daily lives right now. In the student body especially, it is overwhelmingly prevalent–the fact that anxiety has reached epidemic proportions among York U students is, itself, anxiety-inducing. But being aware of the different forms it takes in your own life or the lives of your peers, and being well-informed about the how and the why, makes it less like mass demonic possession and more like something tangible and treatable, something that can be observed and worked with and ultimately healed from. Let’s heal together. This is an abridged version of an article originally published on my blog. For online resources (and a sneak peek at Part 2), see siennawgl.wordpress.com
Expressions Living With the Roaches Danielle Hallam Contributor
Camille Slaght Assistant French Editor
Living with the roaches, Underground retreat, Sunken in couches, Four month on the lease
Spread the cloth properly. When any one enters, rise immediately. In all discussion, watch yourself attentively. Modesty, grace, and deference should be preserved with the greatest care. To neglect the rules of politeness is to expose one’s self to embarrassments often very painful.
Sleeping in late, Wrapped up in him, Afraid of the light, Afraid to begin Things to do, And bellies to feed, “I love you, You are all I need” Part-time birthday clown, Twelve dollars an hour, We don’t go downtown, But You still buy me flowers Full time student, With full-time depression, University debt, I’m learning my lesson That nothing is free, Not love nor regret, Dear, please don’t forget, It’s ALL worth it
Some Little Rules Not Rory To Be Neglected
Attention to one’s reputation is very necessary. Should always be clothed in a cleanly and becoming manner. Even in private. Utmost respect. Caution. Be agreeable to your husband, for whom is expected the happiness of a whole life. Avoid prying into secrets he conceals from you. Never act contrary to his inclinations. Let it be impressed upon your mind. Must have taste in the selection of colours. Else you will be nothing more than a walking violation of all the harmony of light and shade. This fault, much too common, is one of the greatest inconsistencies of the human mind. Nonchalant or improper attitudes should be concealed under a bandeau of lace.
Worth the Wait Kaitlin Fenton Expressions Section Journalist
I miss you when the wind blows cold. And when our favourite show’s theme turns on, And when the host says hello, And as the credits roll. I miss you as the flowers grow. And when I see our place at the lake, And when I shiver from the mist, And as I go on my bus home. I miss you in the humid heat. And when I see our water balloons, And when I taste our old icy delights, And as I dance to old beats. I miss you as the leaves die. And when our school rolls in again, And when our teacher scolds me, And as her patience fries.
Christian Lopez Communications Officer Not a second passes without missing you No day goes by without a restless night My body yearning for your presence next to mine Longing for long nights and legs intertwined But it is worth the wait In the winter my fingers miss yours Locked in between mine, they belong Every season without you is torture Every heartache without you is worser But it is worth the wait The sun is not as bright and the stars at night Don’t shine the way they used to The wind blows stronger and the rain falls harder But inside I can’t hide that for you I’d do it all again
We were not meant to end like this. We were meant to conquer it all. But you’re gone, and I fade into walls Are we both just mere memories?
I’ll lose sleep, lose hair, lose weight, and lose time To know that one day you’ll be by my side For good, to stay, no oceans between It will all be worth the wait
And I wish I could’ve said How much I care for you, And how great you truly are, But time passes, and so did you.
The memories play like a movie on repeat Dreams from the night before Get me through the mornings without you Not the same, but we’ve got to make do
Maybe someday we’ll be back together. But then again, maybe not. I treasure our time, our memories, But not nearly as much, as I treasured you.
When I close my eyes I see you I see the memories like a coloring book Lines waiting to be completed and when I see your face I see hues I see pigments I see life The orange glow on your face from the sun in Spain The white snow falling on your golden locks The blue ocean floor underneath our toes And your nose when it froze last winter One more day doesn’t feel so bad One more chance to relive the moments we’ve had A lifetime of laughs and moments to come That will make it worth the wait.
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Glendon Musical Ensemble - Les emblĂŠmatiques All photos on this page by InĂŞs Van Deuren