Issue 4, Vol. 152, The Brunswickan by Brunswickan Publishing Inc

VOLUME 152, ISSUE 4, DECEMBER 2018

Editorial Board

About Us

Editorial Policy

Letters to the Editor

Business & Creative Manager Maria Nazareth Araújo

The Brunswickan, in its 152nd year of publication, is Canada’s Oldest Official Student Publication.

While we endeavour to provide an open forum for a variety of viewpoints and ideas, we may refuse any submission considered by the Editorial Board to be racist, sexist, libellous or in any way discriminatory.

Letters must be submitted by e-mail to editor@thebruns.ca. Include your name, since letters with pseudonyms will not be printed or posted online. Letters must be 500 words at maximum. Deadline for letters is Friday at 5 p.m.

News Editor Alexandre Silberman Arts & Lifestyle Editor Isabelle Leger Magazine Editor Brad Ackerson

Staff Multimedia Editor Cameron Lane Marketing & Sales Coordinator Samantha McCready Copy Editor Natasha Williamson Reporters Ally Buchanan Marlowe Evans Patrick Donovan Photographers Cameron Lane Maria Nazareth Araújo

We are an autonomous student publication owned and operated by Brunswickan Publishing Inc., a nonprofit, independent body. We are also a founding member of the Canadian University Press. Now a magazine, we publish monthly during the academic year with a circulation of 4,000. We publish weekly online at Thebruns.ca.

The opinions and views expressed in this publication are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Brunswickan, its Editorial Board or its Board of Directors. All editorial content appearing in The Brunswickan is the property of Brunswickan Publishing Inc. Stories, photographs and artwork contained herein cannot be reproduced without the express, written permission of the Editor-in-Chief.

@Brunswickan Front Page: The Brunswickan takes a look back at our history of 136 years through the archives. | Photo by Cameron Lane Design by Maria Nazareth Araújo

News briefs by Alexandre Silberman

1882 to 2018: The Brunswickan through the years

Things to do in Fredericton this month

by Patrick Donovan

by Brad Ackerson

2018 in moments

Politics of climate change by Marlowe Evans

Rising cost of living for university students by Jack Sparks

by Samantha McCready

Adieu Paris, adieu

by Isabelle Leger

Improv for confidence: An innovative approach to combat social anxiety by Ally Buchanan

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Let your play speak for itselfâ&#x20AC;?: Finding space for individual expression in team sports

Fall sports recap by Brad Ackerson

From the archives

by Samantha McCready

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Words by Alexandre Silberman

PC throne speech focuses on financial responsibility, economic growth

UNB psychology chair named Royal Society of Canada Research Fellow

The province’s new Progressive Conservative minority government delivered its first throne speech on Nov. 20.

Sandra Byers, department chair of psychology at the University of New Brunswick, was honoured with the distinction of Royal Society of Canada Research Fellow at a ceremony in Halifax on Nov. 15.

The speech, prepared by the government and delivered by Lieutenant Governor Jocelyne Roy Vienneau, includes an agenda that delivers five main goals. Those targets include balancing the budget, “energizing” the private sector, making health care more accessible, improving education and bringing more New Brunswickers into the middle class. “The residents of New Brunswick opened a new era of politics by electing a legislative assembly with a diversity of parties and viewpoints,” said Roy Vienneau. The new government outlined its plans to table a balanced budget by March of 2020 or sooner. Among the major commitments in the speech: • •

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An evidence-based review of existing funding programs for post-secondary education; The elimination of billing numbers, plans to examine new ways to pay physicians and other action to reduce medical costs and wait times; Passage of a “Classroom Freedom Act” that will give principals, parents and teachers the power to make “choices” that reflect the needs of children and communities; The appointment of a new legislative watchdog for climate change; A shift of more decision-making power to local governments; Efforts to improve the number of bilingual school graduates; A review of corporate tax breaks to see if equal amounts of cuts or credits would create more jobs; A push for further development of natural resources that respects local and Indigenous communities.

Byers is now the 11th professor at UNB to be named a fellow of the society. Royal Society fellows are elected by their peers for significant achievements in advancing research and scholarship and contributing to the enhancement of Canadian intellectual life. Established in 1882, the RSC currently consists of more than 2 000 fellows in science, social sciences, art and humanities. Throughout her four decades at UNB, Byers has published more than 140 leading journal articles and her work has been cited more than 8 825 times in over 40 countries. She also co-authored the popular textbook, Understanding Human Sexuality, now in its seventh edition. Byers pioneered groundbreaking human sexuality research on topics including sexual violence and the sexual health of vulnerable groups. “Sandra Byers’ legacy of work in research, mentorship, policy and activism affects all Canadians young and old,” Lucia O’Sullivan, professor and experimental program director in UNB’s Psychology department, said in a news release.

The Bank of Montreal plans to close its university campus branch on March 22. Photo by Maria Nazareth Araujo

BMO to close campus branch The only bank on the University of New Brunswick’s Fredericton campus is shutting its doors this spring and students are not happy with the decision. The Bank of Montreal announced in a notice to clients this week that it will be permanently closing the university campus branch on March 22. The location at 29 Dineen Drive is situated next to the UNB bookstore and campus pharmacy. The change means customers, primarily students and university faculty, will have to go to the nearest branch on Prospect Street in uptown Fredericton. “We are closing this branch and directing our customers to another one so that we can provide a wider range of financial services to meet our clients’ needs,” BMO spokesperson Valérie Doucet wrote in email to The Brunswickan. BMO currently operates nearly every ATM throughout the UNB and St. Thomas University campuses.

Doucet said the bank plans to leave its full network of bank machines behind. “We are currently looking into finding more optimal location(s) on campus and are open to suggestions on those locations,” she said. Kevish Ramasawmy, a first year UNB student, said he chose to bank with BMO since it was conveniently located on campus. “I feel that it will really deteriorate the experience for all UNB students and even St. Thomas [students],” he said of the closure. Ramasawmy said he is considering switching to Scotiabank. As a student from Mauritius, he said he often went into the branch to ask for information regarding international money transfers.

Words by Brad Ackerson Note: Here you will find our recommendations for things you can do over the upcoming month to experience the best Fredericton has to offer. While this is far from a complete list, we try to provide a well-rounded mix of everything from shows to attend, places to go and things to try. Something you’d like to see included in an upcoming edition of Things to Do? Send your suggestions to editor@thebruns.ca!

Nov. 28: Art Kitchen Art Kitchen is a unique and innovative approach to funding local art projects in a fair, transparent and unbureaucratic manner. Attendees of the event will enjoy a bountiful meal prepared by a guest chef using locally sourced ingredients while listening to local artists present their work. Attendees will then be given a ballot to vote on one of four potential art projects in the city, with the winning artist being granted the night’s profits to fund their project. The event is being put on by Connexion ARC, a non-profit, artist-run organization based in Fredericton. Tickets are $20 each and can be purchased through Connexion ARC’s website. Charlotte Street Arts Centre, 6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Open daily: The Purrfect Cup Cat Cafe The arrival of winter is as good an excuse as any to check out the recently opened Purrfect Cup Cat Cafe. Warm up with a hot drink while adoptable cats from the Fredericton SPCA warm your heart! In addition to locally roasted coffee, The Purrfect Cup also offers homemade baked goods and wraps in case you work up an appetite while playing with your new feline friends. Not a cat lover? No worries! The cats are kept in a lounge separate from the rest of the cafe so you can still enjoy a coffee or dessert and support a company that is helping animals in need of a permanent home. 580 Two Nations Crossing, 8 a.m. - 9 p.m. (10 a.m. - 6 p.m. on Sundays).

Dec. 12 - 13: Yuk Yuks Tumour Humour The Delta Fredericton is partnering with Yuk Yuks International Stand-Up Comedy to host two nights of stand-up comedy in support of the Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada. The two shows will be headlined by Fredericton-born comedian (and, according to Google, pro-wrestler) Travis Watters. Tickets cost $50 each. A festive three-course turkey dinner is included in the price of admission. The Delta Hotel, 225 Woodstock Road, 6:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

Dec. 16: Christmas Beer Garden at the Market Another month in Fredericton, another drinking event featuring a selection of local craft breweries! The Boyce Farmers’ Market’s annual beer garden is set up within their Christmas market, offering shoppers a variety of beer, cider and mead to kickstart their Sunday in the most Fredericton way possible. The $30 price of admission includes four drink tickets and a take-home glass, while additional refills will cost $7. It should be noted that this is beer garden will be standing-room only. Boyce Farmers’ Market, 10:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Dec. 31: New Year’s Eve Ball The Crowne Plaza Beaverbrook Hotel is hosting a semi-formal New Year’s Eve Ball for the second year in a row, with proceeds from the event going to the Children’s Wish Foundation of Canada. Entertainment for the evening will be provided by Fredericton-based DJ Hawkshaw. Tickets are $25 each and can be purchased through Crowne Plaza, Second to None Barbershop, Mary Jane Vapes or EXIT Realty. Alcohol will be served at the event, meaning entry will be limited to those aged 19 years or older. Crowne Plaza Fredericton, 9 p.m. - 2 a.m.

I opened my news feed this morning and there it was, staring me in the face. Again. The Sci-Tech section of CTV, telling me “greenhouse gas levels are climbing to record high.” To be honest, my eyes almost skipped the headline looking for something more interesting. As a young Canadian, I’ve been bombarded with climate science my whole life. In the back of my mind there’s always a vague sense of unease surrounding things like rising sea levels and the impending threat of runaway greenhouse effect– but I’ve been desensitized. I’ve been desensitized because climate change has always been a part of my life. In third grade, my very first sleepover was on Earth Day. Twenty little nine year olds, curled up in blankets, laughing because we turned all the lights off– but we felt proud. By shutting off all the lights for an hour and playing our games in the dark, we were “helping.” As long as I can remember, I’ve put a sweater on instead of turning up the thermostat. I try to buy environmentally-friendly brands. I use cloth bags and do my best to recycle. I do all of this subconsciously. Even if I’m not always thinking about the fact that most of the world’s rainforests have been destroyed, I’m still taking small actions– because climate change has always been a fact of life. As I’ve grown older, I’ve realized that turning off

the lights during a sleepover isn’t going to save the world from the effects of climate change. Putting on a sweater isn’t going to save us. Bring my own bag to Sobey’s? Not going to save us. At this point, only major changes on the parts of governments and private corporations are going to save us. That’s a fact: but it’s not universally accepted. Climate change, something that has always shadowed my life, has become a debate. Even though climate change is scary, it’s always been constant. It never occured to me that people could believe

that it isn’t happening. The constant has been called into question. In a 2012 tweet, Donald Trump wrote, “The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive.” Donald Trump is now the president of the United States of America. The systematic denial and undermining of climate science was a pillar of his campaign– over and over he repeated and perpetuated the idea that climate change was a creation, a lie being told to the public that only he was brave enough to denounce. Really, he represents a group of people who could be making a difference and protecting the environment– wealthy individuals who are both government and corporate elite. Donald Trump and others like him take no action to reverse the damage done to our climate, and are determined even to intentionally reverse what little action has been taken. This past summer I had an out-of-body experience. I was driving the Going-to-the-Sun road in Glacier National Park, Montana. This road hugs the edge of a cliff– I could have spat out my window down into the valley. At the highest point, I was 6 646 feet above sea level. Per the name of the park, there were glaciers between the mountains we drove through. It was easy to see where the glaciers had been. The sheer force of ice and water had carved the mountain range I was driving through, and I could see the outline where these behemoths had come to rest. Except they were no longer at rest. The glaciers were literally melting, the water running down the mountainside, right before my eyes. Like the water down the mountain, tears streamed down my face. I was haunted. I was fiercely angry. How can people look at the terrifying, dying beauty of something like a glacier, which until the industrial revolution had gone unthreatened for millennia, and say that humans have no part in its destruction? Climate change isn’t a political issue. Facts aren’t political. Facts just are. Denying climate change, denying the fact that our planet is slowly dying, and denying what that means for humanity, is like denying that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. There should be no debate about whether or not we should legislate against the corporations and governments that are tearing apart our planet. We should, as Shia LaBeouf once said, “Just do it.”

Words by Jack Sparks

Classes from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., a lab at 5 p.m., work from 6 to 10 p.m., repeat with varying degrees of success week after week. This, or something similar, is becoming more and more common as the cost of living continues to rise, specifically for university students. The more this trend continues, the more the grades, social life, and mental health of many university students will be negatively affected. The consumer price index (CPI) is a measure of the weighted average of prices of a basket of consumer goods and services, and at a basic level is a good measure of inflation. From 2000 to 2017 CPI increased by 37.96 per cent. This may not seem too high, but a university student’s monthly rent cost paying $300 a month in 2000 would now be paying $413.88 a month, increasing their yearly costs by $1 366.56 just for rent. While wages have gone up during this time as well, Stats Canada breaks up CPI into different products and services, and there are two that have risen more than the average. Both food and energy have risen more than 50 per cent since 2000, 57.75 per cent and 51.99 per cent respectively. This is significant because it shows that two of the most important costs of living to a student have risen faster than the overall average CPI. Food is an obvious important factor, but so is energy, as we have very cold winters and a lot of apartments have you pay heat as an additional cost.

Another cost that is on the rise is tuition. While this should be expected due to inflation, looking closer reveals a troubling trend. From 2000 to 2017 basic undergraduate tuition at UNB Fredericton increased by 82.28 per cent. This is significantly higher than the 37.96 per cent increase in CPI. This is a clear indicator that tuition is more expensive than it ever has been and this is putting the squeeze on students, whether it be in the moment, or later in life from student loan debt. UNB Fredericton economics professor Constantine Passaris points to the government as the main culprit in the rising tuition costs. “The amount of government funding to universities is declining and this is the reason tuition costs are on the rise,” said Passaris. “The government must view postsecondary education as an investment for the future instead of as an expense.” We talked about the student’s role in this and what part we can play. “If you students ask the government if they consider you a valuable resource, they will of course say yes,” he said, smiling. “Put the pressure on and let them know they need to fund that resource. Now more than ever, with our new global economy, we need people with the right skills.” Passar is further explained the benefits of this investment for the government. “If they support students

going to university they make it possible for them to stay in NB, work in NB and pay taxes in NB. Investment in post-secondary education will pay these dividends in the future.” The UNB 2018-19 consolidated budget said the following about the decline in provincial funding: “The provincial grant was frozen at the same level for three out of four years, from fiscal years ending 2014 to 2017, which is largely responsible for the reduction in the funding percentage since that time… UNB recognizes the fiscal situation of the province and that it is essential to reduce our reliance on government funding as funding levels have become increasingly unpredictable.” UNB and other post-secondary institutions should not have to worry about the unpredictability of government funding, and this is the core reason for rising tuition costs.

With the rising costs of living that are affecting university students, many argue it is our government’s responsibility to fund one of their most valuable assets. As Passaris says so eloquently, “our government must view students as what they are; an investment for the future of a fast-changing economy, that every day is more about what’s between our ears than what’s below our feet.”

Erinn Sharpe, a UNB student from Sussex who lives in an apartment building near campus, says her “rent is $557.50 utilities included, and internet is an extra $30… Groceries are roughly $300 a month and cabs and bus fares are around $200.” She holds two jobs and works around 32 hours a week to pay their rent and other costs of living. When asked how much free time between work and classes to study she has, Sharpe laughed. “None. I go straight to work after school. It no doubt affects my grades.” She relies heavily on student loans as she doesn’t have a lot of parental support, which is another huge factor for kids trying to go to university. Passaris also talked about how “a lot of New Brunswickers are first-generation university students and a lot of them will not have financial support from their parents,” making it that much more difficult to attend university.

Words by Patrick Donovan

At the Bruns, we love to brag about being “Canada’s oldest official student publication”; it’s on the front of all of our covers for crying out loud! The Brunswickan began as the University Monthly in 1882, although early attempts to establish a student publication started in 1867. The first volume of the University Monthly was published in March of 1882 by P.E. Cliff. He recognized a need for a UNB student newspaper as other Maritime universities had already established their own publications. This original paper was mostly used to drum up public interest for the university. In 1922 the paper was renamed The Brunswickan and re-dubbed as “the student’s magazine” to be a vehicle for literary discussion, an agent of change, and an outlet for students to express their concerns. Given that the original editorial column’s title was “non nobis sed patriae”, or “not only for ourselves but for our country”, the paper exuded some pretty traditional perspectives that fit the time. This included an appreciation for “God and Country”, along with plenty of problematic stances on gender, race and identity from which UNB and the Bruns have progressed over time. Now while there are some concerning or offensive things located in The Brunswickan’s past, there are also some downright hilarious things. Looking back at these stories shows us how the world has changed and the Bruns’ coverage of that world has changed along with it. Straight from the Bruns archives‒our dark, unused film-processing room with bins stuffed full with old volumes‒I’ve pulled some of the most shocking, cu12

rious, and hilarious volumes from the pile to understand the evolution of the Bruns. We start our journey in 1960 with volume 93, no. 20, and the headlines “Islamic scholar will visit UNB” and “Engineering queen”. In the 60s there were of course different opinions on the place of religion in university and the objectification of women in faculty-sponsored beauty pageants. UNB would have had a predominantly Christian student body at the time and religion would have been more at the forefront of someone’s thinking. Considering that, it’s easy to see how an “Islamic scholar” coming to UNB would have been a much larger deal than today. I doubt that anyone would have thought twice about an academic-based beauty pageant either, describing the winning Engineering Queen Miss Jonathan Duffy holds his Indian status card. Carolyn Bremner as “this pretty, blonde, hazel-eyed Photo by Maria Nazareth Araujo eighteen-year-old lass.” Valuing a woman strictly based on her appearance is objectifying and in many cases demeaning, but what’s worse yet is that Bremner wasn’t even an engineering student. The way the Engineering Queen was named involved the engineering students getting together and picking who they considered to be the most attractive woman on campus, and then giving her a title. As exciting as it might sound, when blues legend Muddy Waters visited UNB in 1969 it was apparently “a let down” and Muddy “played leaving few good impressions.” While the critic mentioned that Muddy Waters is a renowned blues guitarist, their tone was notably negative and the crowd’s response wasn’t much better. Given that Muddy Waters was African American and his band would have been as well, it makes you wonder if a predominantly-white UNB audience would have been biased against Black mu-

sicians in a period of racial tension in North America. In 1970, The Brunswickan heard from someone that may be considered a household name on campus, or at least the namesake for a few buildings. With the headline “Chancellor backs Boer War”, Sir Max Aitken was reported to have told American businessmen in London that he likened the position of the United States in the Vietnam War to the British during the Boer War. The Boer War was a conflict in South Africa between the British and two South African republics fighting for their independence from colonial rule. Sir Max Aitken stated his admiration for the United States fighting in Vietnam, as he believed that just like the Brits in the Boer War, they “had to fight.” Most historians understand both conflicts to be steeped in imperialism. Sir Max Aitken was aware of the imperial implications of the war. While we consider imperialism and colonization to be overwhelmingly negative forces, Aitken encouraged the United States to maintain an imperial role in Vietnam and told them, “Pray God you keep it. God bless the Mets and God bless America.” On a lighter note, in 1976 a dog ran for election to be the SRC (now the UNB Student Union) president and came fourth! The wonder dog named Ella was said to be “a down-to-earth character who no one has had any trouble getting along with since she joined the Aitken House.” Ella was nominated by Gary and Dave of Aitken House; one of the nominators said of Ella’s campaign, “The University Life was going to the dogs, so why not have a dog as the SRC President?” There were seven candidates in that 1976 race, and you have to wonder how it would have felt to place below a dog in any election.

Moving forward to 1982, some headlines prove that students and young adults haven’t changed too much throughout the years. I’m sure that everyone has heard of some minor‒or major‒property damage happening at a residence social. Under the headline “McLeod social goes awry”, a 80s toilet bit the dust for the sake of some student revelry. In 1990 you could see social attitudes shifting towards our modern understandings of society and culture, with headlines like “Orientation tape deemed ‘inappropriate’: CHSR removes production credit.” They used to produce “freshmen tapes” as part of orientation, and while CHSR was usually involved in their production, they didn’t want to be associated with tapes they believed to be sexist. Finally we come to the glorious 2000s, with all of their tiny sunglasses and social justice awareness. It’s around this time that the Bruns takes on a more professional paper style and focuses on student issues, LGBTQ+ awareness, Indigenous rights and the issues of other marginalized groups. By the 2010s, it’s visible that the Bruns and the culture we’re writing about has become more aware of general social issues. Running headlines like “The many faces of sexual assault” in 2013, The Brunswickan has adopted perspectives that are less simplistic, less glorifying, less male-centric, less Christian-centric, less white-centric, and altogether more open to voicing the opinions of students and what’s happening on campus and the greater Fredericton area. In the present, we’re running headlines and stories that we hope are interesting, relevant, and thought-provoking to you, our reader. We try to focus on student issues that should be addressed, anything that looks like it needs investigating, or frankly anything awesome that happens in the community. Here’s to another 136 years! 15

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Words by Samantha McCready

More advances for women around the world:

The #MeToo movement is thriving Since the beginning of the #MeToo movement in 2017, millions of people are joining victims of sexual harassment and assault in protest and building power. Women are no longer staying silent. The #MeToo movement is gaining major attention in the mainstream media, and at the same time, more and more men are becoming vocal and supportive of gender issues.

Transgender student-athletes in Canada can now compete with the team with which they identify Canadian student-athletes are now allowed to compete with the team that either corresponds to their sex assigned at birth or their gender identity. This new policy is an extremely progressive step for Canadian university sports.

• Women in Saudi Arabia can now drive for the first time in history; • More women are running for office than ever before, and they’re winning! • In May 2018, Ireland voted to legalize abortion, now allowing women to make their own decisions about when they want children; • On November 6th, Deb Haaland and Sharice Davids were the first Native American women elected into congress.

Many well-known endangered species were taken off the IUCN red list 2018 has been a great year for many endangered species. Species such as giant pandas, snow leopards, and the Iberian lynx have been removed from the critically endangered species list, and many other species are being moved from critically endangered to lower levels such as endangered or vulnerable.

Marvel’s Black Panther marks major milestones Black Panther is 2018’s best-selling movie, making over 700 million dollars in theatres, and it is a revolutionary one. Black Panther is the first all-Black Marvel superhero movie. For the first time in a superhero film, Black superheroes are the lead characters, not dismissed to miniscule roles. The film also shows Africa in a positive light. Black Panther avoids the stereotypical depictions of Africa we see in media and film. Instead, Africa is seen as an innovative land with advanced technology and potential. Lastly, Black Panther gives the female superheroes a key role in the film. All in all, Black Panther is Marvel’s intent to embrace the diversity of modern-day America. 18

The world’s largest ocean cleanup is underway The world’s largest ocean cleanup began on Sept. 8. The system is designed to collect over 1.8 trillion pieces of trash floating in the Pacific Ocean. It is expected to clean up over half of all the garbage in the Great Pacific garbage patch within the next five years.

The World Bank has announced it will no longer fund oil and gas exploration

Whales and dolphins no longer kept in captivity in Canada On Oct. 24, the Senate passed a bill that bans keeping whale and dolphin held captive in Canada. This is a step in the right direction to keep cetaceans out of theme parks and aquariums.

The World Bank has made another powerful step in the right direction to reducing world climate change by agreeing to stop funding oil and gas exploration by 2019. The bank has committed to only funding oil and gas in the world’s poorest countries.

Restaurants are banning plastic straws The video released in 2015 of a sea turtle getting a plastic straw pulled out of its nose sparked a public outcry concerning plastic in the oceans. Since then, local restaurants in Fredericton such as RustiCo, Snooty Fox, and Lunar, as well as chain restaurants such as the Coffee Mill, Subway and A&W have banned plastic straws this year. In 2019, plastic straws will also go extinct in other restaurants such as Swiss Chalet, The Keg, Harvey’s, East Side Mario’s, New York Fries and St-Hubert.

Donald Glover, famously known as Childish Gambino, sparked important conversation with his single “This is America” The words and visuals of Glover’s song are intended to illustrate life in America — particularly as a black person. Glover’s song touches on gun laws and gun violence, police violence, mass shootings and white supremacists. The album “This is America” encompasses the major issues occurring in America today, and has prompted a variety of reactions from politicians, American civilians and celebrities. 19

Dear Paris, March 5th, 2017 Paris Oh Paris, why must you be so cruel? I’ve been dreaming of visiting you my whole life and the two days I get were a complete shit show. What I pictured as a beautiful weekend that would make me feel like Blair Waldorf, turned into a bad hair day times two, a poorly made croissant, and lacked of the Mona Lisa. Ironic isn’t it? It all started yesterday - feels like two weeks ago - when my sister Olivia, best friend Danica and I were late for our train, again. We were rushed through security and given a slap on the wrist for not being punctual. I had a feeling this day wouldn’t be ideal as soon as I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror; my freshly curled hair was already flat, what a sin. After the two-hour train ride, we had finally made it to Paris - and were greeted by the sweet smell of wet dog and cigarettes. The signs all over the city warning of pickpockets and fake taxis did not leave a great first impression. First stop, hotel. The plan was to drop off our bags and head back into the city for a lovely evening. These plans were delayed when my already-flat hair began to resemble something similar to a mop. Seems we forgot to check the forecast - an umbrella would have been nice! We ran as fast as we could to the hotel. However, even with all of our directionally-challenged brains combined, finding our hotel was more difficult than I predicted. About 40 minutes after we left the station, we finally found a fancy metal door. It was round, metal, and had gold detailing on the sides. There was also a gold plated speaker on the side with a button. We looked at the address about 10 times before fully believing this was our hotel. I pressed the button and the door opened to a beautiful lobby. I felt like a queen. We thought it was too good to be true until we walked into our room. We had hit the damn jackpot. We walked into a lounge area equipped with swirly glass stairs that led us to the second floor. The bathroom looked straight out of Breakfast at Tiffany’s with black-andwhite checkered tile and a big bathtub. Upstairs we found a king size bed on one side and a daybed on the other. The colour scheme was all black and white like every Paris room should be. We spent two hours in our beloved hotel room, since it was the best part of Paris we had seen so far. We decided to freshen up before re-entering ‘couture city’, but soon realized that our curlers and straighteners didn’t work with the outlets in Paris. What a dreadful mistake. Second stop, umbrellas and plug converters. Turns out, these items are next to impossible to find because ev-

ery building is a restaurant. My soaking wet body and starving stomach were testing my patience. We finally located our necessary items after about an hour of walking and settled down to eat the best piece of pizza I’ve ever enjoyed. We gave up on our hair and decided to walk around what we thought was city center, however there were no boutiques in sight. I got a glimpse of hope that I would witness my first Paris boutique when I saw one on the other side of the road. I spotted an adorable pair of leather heels and I was instantly in love. We made our way to the boutique and my hand was inches away from those dreamy heels when a man says, “Excusez moi, nous sommes fermés.” So close yet so far away. After this tragic disappointment, we gave up on the day, went to the nearest shop that sold champagne and bought two bottles. We went back to our room, ran the water and enjoyed a lovely bubble bath with champagne and strawberries. March 6th, 2017 London My initial thought going into our second day in Paris was that it would completely redeem our first. We were going to see the Musée du Louvre and the Eiffel tower. And, I was also going to spend a large portion of my hard-earned money in the cutest boutique I could find. We woke up, plugged in all of our hair essentials and waited. We waited and waited and waited, until we realized our curlers couldn’t put up with the difference in voltage. This meant that our frizzy, half-curled hair would be walking the streets of Paris during Paris fashion week. My chances of being scouted were over, but we would nevertheless make the best of this beautiful day. We stepped out of the hotel, umbrellas in one hand and our suitcases in the other. Our first stop was the Musée du Louvre: I needed to see this Mona Lisa for myself. We made our way to this giant building and stood in a line of five people. We waited 10 minutes before realizing we were in the priority line. Since we were obviously not a priority for this city, we were directed to another line consisting of approximately 2000 people which circled the entire exterior of the building. As we stepped outside it began absolutely chucking it down with rain. The wind took my umbrella and snapped it backward, making getting soaked unavoidable. People around us were having the same issue, causing a cluster f***. The girls and I all looked at each other and began to laugh. We laughed to the point of tears because this was a complete and utter failure and no painting in 21

the world was worth this bullshit. We gave up on this venture faster than you can say Mona freaking Lisa and made our way to the nearest café. We enjoyed crêpes and 10-euros-a-glass champagne, all served by a waiter resembling the man from Ratatouille. The next lesson we learned about this city is that no one has any sense of urgency. I suppose this is a good thing for most people, but when you’re covered in water and lugging around suitcases, you just want to get the hell to wherever you’re going next. The metro we needed to get on was almost full, but we were not waiting. First Olivia squished her way on, and then I made it and Danica was next. There were two men standing near the entrance who were unable to notice that a girl was clearly trying to fit herself on the train. Danica only got half of herself on the train before the doors closed. All three of us were panicked considering the circumstances. Luckily, another gentleman was strong enough and pulled Danica out of the tight doorway… crisis averted. Trying to pretend one of our own didn’t almost just lose a limb, we made our way to the Eiffel Tower. It was such a beautiful sight, so big you could see it from a mile away. I was so busy gazing up at this wonderful piece of historical architecture that I almost didn’t notice security blocking the entrance. Wait, what? The many pictures, movies, and shows with Eiffel Tower scenes did not portray this. What happened to casual picnics on the beautiful patch of green grass just feet away from the tower? What I had pictured as the most romantic place on earth was surrounded by ugly grey fences and security checks. In order to step foot near the tower, we entered a glass box where a man in a uniform had to check our bags. Of course, he insisted on opening my case and displaying all of my lingerie pieces to the world. A little lingerie seemed appropriate in my

once-upon-a-time dream of Paris, but this wasn’t exactly what I had imagined. We dragged our wet luggage through the patches of grass to get the perfect picture with the tower. Regrettably, I am now writing in a wrinkled journal because of our misjudgment of how muddy the grass was that day. At least the many pages holding my adventures will never lack character. We made our way to another café to refuel before taking on this city once again. More crêpes and champagne seemed ideal and a cute pug (the café mascot) accompanied us on our quick rest. It was then that something magical happened. There was finally sun… Hallelujah! We finished eating and said farewell to the pug so we could soak up as much sun as possible. It only took a few blocks and one metro ride for the clouds to surface again. It was then that we realized our umbrellas were still back in the café. Alas, we were wet again, this time strolling through the most expensive shopping area there ever was. Dior, Chanel, you name it, all nestled in a beautiful cobblestone courtyard. Too bad there would be no shopping for us, as turns out Paris is closed on Sundays… even liquor stores. Although my wallet couldn’t condone this particular kind of shopping, they could at least let a girl dream. One thing I found unsettling about this city were the many guards wearing black masks and holding guns bigger than me. I especially did not appreciate getting scolded by one of them for walking on the wrong set of cobblestones. Who knew walking was such a crime? I do realize that this city has been through a lot in the past couple of years - it’s just unfortunate is all. By two o’clock we were exhausted and ready to go back home, or our temporary one at least. We headed to the big station, ready to relax for the next two hours. Was that too much to ask? A giant cluster of anxious people awaited us at the station. As soon as we saw the confusion in their eyes we knew it was time to worry. Turns out, there was at least a two-hour delay on all trains going back to London. Why did this not surprise me? The only positive outcome of this horrid wait was that we just so happened to be waiting with two designers visiting for Paris fashion week. At least I think they were, I wasn’t paying attention until I heard the words “fashion line”. I may not have seen Gigi or Josephine, but they would do. So Paris, amongst all of your beauty that shines through the garbage and smelly fumes, you made for one hell of a weekend. Emphasis on the “hell”. I haven’t decided if I’ll ever be visiting you again. So for now, adieu Paris, adieu.

Photos by Isabelle Leger

Hot Garbage Comedy, a local improv group, aims to reduce social anxiety through theatre games and exercises designed to build confidence. Pictured is a program from last year. Photo submitted by Hot Garbage Comedy

Words by Ally Buchanan In February of last year, UNB Counselling Services teamed up with a local improv group, Hot Garbage Comedy, to create an innovative program called Improv for Confidence for students struggling with social anxiety and confidence. After a successful first session, the team is preparing for another installment this winter. Mental health strategist at Counselling Services Matthew MacLean learnt of a theatre company in Toronto, Second City, running a similar program. Alongside Hot Garbage Comedy, he organized the first iteration of the program last winter. Improv for Confidence is an adaptation of Second City’s initiative “Improv for Anxiety”, with a slight name change to promote inclusivity. The program uses improvisational theatre games and exercises to build confidence and skills in participants when interacting socially or speaking in public. MacLean says that anyone who feels stress over communication, whether through day-to-day anx24

iety, a diagnosable mental illness or a particular class presentation, can benefit from exploring social interaction in such a low-risk environment. He explains that individuals with social anxiety often struggle with routine social interactions. The program is designed to provide a safe space for members to learn how to better approach those situations without the fear of messing up. “It feels like there is such a great consequence to these interactions, but if you’re playing an improvisational theatre game, you learn that you can be silly and you don’t have to know what you’re going to say,” he said. “Real life encounters rarely go according to script.” Maclean doesn’t believe that anxiety is inherently a negative; it all depends on the individual’s perception of the situation. Improv for Confidence aims to teach participants that their fight-or-flight instinct is not a bad thing, and gives them tools for working with that instinct in their daily lives instead of fighting it.

Jean-Michel Cliche, co-founder of Hot Garbage Comedy, identifies improv theatre as a powerful tool to teach communication and confidence. “Improv is being used all over the world as a great social tool,” he said. Each session of Improv for Confidence is focused and tailored to the group members. After warming up, participants take part in activities designed to slowly push them to build up new social skills. The instructors want to make sure the session is fun, and so spend a lot of time on games and activities that involved both verbal and nonverbal communication. “If you didn’t know it was an Improv for Confidence class specifically, you might think it looked like any other theatre class,” Cliche said. He goes on to commend all participants for their bravery in trying to better their situation and work past anxiety. He says the program focuses on that bravery, putting more emphasis on learning than on the theatre itself. “It’s not about the performance, or the story we’re telling, or being funny. It’s just about the act of being brave.” MacLean notes that participants began the program terrified, as expected, but found benefit in facing their fears.

Despite low participation numbers, last year’s session was a resounding success according to Cliche. Participants expressed enjoyed themselves in addition to seeing personal improvement, which is not always the case in therapeutic programs or when working through anxiety. “Overall the results were tremendously positive. We had people say that they felt they were out of their heads more, that they spent less time thinking about what they were going to say and simply speaking and following along with the conversation,” he said. Inspired by the positive feedback, Hot Garbage and Counselling Services plan on reviving this program for a second year, starting in January. “Things are always difficult to implement in their first year. We want to continue to offer and build this program,” said MacLean. They plan on introducing a few changes to the program, including cutting down the number of meetings from eight to three. Cliche also mentioned that although improv is growing around the world, the Improv for Confidence program is still an experiment. The team wants to work toward building a curriculum and expanding on the “quantifiable results” gained from the experience. Registrations are still open for the winter session of the Improv for Confidence program.

“If you’re terrified of something, it’s usually a sign that it’s going to be good for you,” he said. “If you do that thing you’re afraid of and you survive it, which you always do, you gain something out of it.”

Words by Samantha McCready Fashion and the ability to express personality in sports is extremely limited. For the majority of sports teams, including university-level teams, teammates are often required to wear matching uniforms to appear as a united front. Kendra Woodland, the goalie for the UNB Reds women’s hockey team, expresses her opinion on the importance of looking and playing as a team. “I believe it’s very important. Greater things are achieved as a group because you have more skills and strengths together.” Goalkeeper for UNB men’s soccer team Kristian D’Amore has a similar view. “We are definitely more about the group - I think you have to be if you are part of a team... In any team

setting, striving for a collective goal and leaning on each other is key for success,” said D’Amore. Playing as a team usually means fitting into a collective team identity. However, despite strict dress codes in sports, players still find subtle ways to express their personality through their styling of the uniform. “Some players may wear their gear in a different way that can show the way they play or the type of player they are (like tucking your jersey in your pants on one side, rolling your jersey sleeves up over your elbow pads, or taping your stick a different way),” said Woodland. Whereas the majority of hockey players are required to wear the same uniforms, goalies are given more freedom to style their equipment.

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The Reds Kendra Woodland tracks the puck during a 5-0 win against Dalhousie. Photo by Andy Campbell

“Goalies are honestly the only ones that get to express their personality through their equipment because all the players all wear the same gear where goalies have completely different gear altogether,” said Woodland. Woodland said her mask expresses who she is by showing her passion for UNB and the new women’s hockey program at UNB. “When you design a mask, it’s known that the body of the mask is all about the team, whereas the back plate is where you can express your personal things.” “When I first started to design my mask, I thought of adding a red brick wall. When I was on the UNBF campus for the first time, it was the first thing I noticed. It also sends a message about what my role is on the team. I want to be a brick wall for my team and be as reliable as possible when the going gets tough,” said Woodland.

Side, front and back view of Woodland’s mask, which shows her passion for UNB and the new women’s hockey progam. 27

D’Amore said the personal styling of uniform is also seen in the UNB men’s soccer team. “The decision to wear or not wear Under Armour, winter gloves, leggings, to tuck in or not tuck in your jersey, or to double sock are really the only subtle things players can do to express their personality,” said D’Amore. According to D’Amore, the best way for soccer players to express their style is through their cleats. “Players get really excited about the cleats… Allblack boots are big on our team, but you have a couple guys with the flashy neon orange and sky blue. I think that represents their style of play and personality!” said D’Amore. D’Amore said that the athletes on the team even offer their opinions on following year’s jerseys.

“I think it’s important for teammates to share the same uniform. It comes back to the fact that the team as a whole is more important than yourself. You are battling to represent UNB as a whole... Let your play speak for itself.” Woodland agrees that it is important for teammates to dress alike to facilitate team unity. “I think it’s important to have an opportunity to express your personality through your gear but it’s also important to me that teams wear mostly the same thing so that they look and can play as a team,” said Woodland. “There’s a saying in the sports world that goes, ‘the name on the front of the jersey is more important than the name on the back.’ Meaning, that the collective unit… is far more important than yourself. We go out every weekend proud to wear UNB’s colours and badge across our chest,” said D’Amore.

“The team gets together and scrolls through the Adidas catalogue… Our coach is extremely open to our feedback and what we want to wear on the pitch,” said D’Amore.

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UNB’s Ibrahima Doumbouya attempts to evade a defender in a mid-November loss to Cape Breton. Photo by Vaughan Merchant

Words by Brad Ackerson

Women’s hockey continues to impress It was difficult to know what to expect from the Reds women’s hockey team coming into the season. It was the first season of UNB varsity women’s hockey in a decade, the roster consisted entirely of newcomers - most of whom were rookies - and the head coach was new to UNB and the East coast. Well, any expectations fans had have surely been met or exceeded in the first half of the season. The team currently sits firmly in a playoff position, ranking fourth in their eightteam conference at the time of writing with a 6-3-3 win-loss-draw record. More impressively, two of their wins were considered major upsets against top competition as they defeated St.FX and Saint Mary’s, the second and third ranked teams in the conference. They have also been very competitive against the top-ranked St. Thomas Tommies, narrowly losing both of their

early-season matchups by a score of 2-1. As the team heads into the second half of their season, the play of goaltender Kendra Woodland in particular stands out as a reason for continued optimism. The first-year netminder is currently ranked second in the conference in save percentage and third in goals against average. Her confident demeanor and dominant play gives her team a chance to win every game and makes the Reds a potential dark horse come playoff time.

Men’s soccer falls short in national quarterfinals It was another quality season for UNB men’s soccer, but one that ultimately left them without any hardware to show for it. The team enjoyed a strong regular season, finishing with a 7-2-3 record while leading the AUS conference in team goals (37) and conceding the second fewest goals 29

against (7). This combination of a high-scoring offence and stubborn defensive play made the Reds a serious contender to win their first AUS title since 2015. However, the third-ranked Reds would end up falling to the top-ranked Cape Breton Capers in the AUS championship game by a score of 2-0. Despite the loss, the team’s appearance in the AUS championship earned them the right to play in the U Sports national championships in Vancouver. However, they suffered a 3-0 defeat to the Montreal Carabins in their quarterfinal game before losing to York University in the consolation game. Montreal would go on to defeat Cape Breton University in the championship game by a score of 2-1 in overtime. Fourth-year striker Dan Walker led the Reds’ league-best offence, finishing the regular season ranked fifth in the AUS in goals scored (6) and first in the conference in assists (6). However, it was the team’s depth of scoring that truly set it apart from the rest of their division; UNB had five different players score at least five goals each during the 12-game regular season.

Women’s volleyball enjoying bounceback season 2017-2018 was a season to forget for the women’s volleyball program as they struggled through a winless season that ended with the resignation of former AUS Coach of the Year, Jilliane Portelli. 2018-19 offered the team a shot at redemption under the guidance of a new head coach, former University of Alberta Golden Pandas assistant

Christine Biggs. The team received a major boost with the return of 2015 Rookie of the Year Victoria Eadle, after she spent over a year away from the program. The Gallagher Ridge, NB local has helped lead the way for her team and currently ranks near the top of the Atlantic University Sport conference in several key statistical categories. With a 4-5-1 record on the season, the Reds have still not climbed to the top of their conference’s leaderboard. However, considering where they were a year ago, the program has made tremendous progress; the volleyball team now appears likely to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2014-15.

Men’s basketball finding success in post-Masters era It’s never easy to move on from the departure of a star player, and it’s all the more difficult when that player is widely recognized as one of the greatest of all time in Canadian collegiate basketball. That is the challenge facing Reds men’s basketball after Javon Masters completed his final year of eligibility last season, having led the team to its first AUS championship since 1967. It is a challenge the team has so far handled very well as they currently sit in second place in the conference with a 5-2 record, leaving them two points behind the top-ranked Saint Mary’s Huskies heading into the break. The team’s impressive offence has been led by Ibrahima Doumbouya and Jesse Kendall who are tied for fifth in the conference in points-per-game.

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Each month, we’ll take you back in time with a historic moment from The Brunswickan’s archives. Above is the front page of the weekly paper on Friday, March 26, 1976, featuring a giant snowdrift in front of the Student Union Building on the University of New Brunswick campus. That year saw record snowfall in Fredericton and across the province. On Feb. 2, 1972, a Groundhog Day storm battered the Bay of Fundy, bringing winds clocked at over 180 kilometers an hour. The headline on The Brunswickan’s front page shows optimism for springtime after a long winter where the end may have felt frequently out of sight.

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