Issue 5, Vol. 152, The Brunswickan by Brunswickan Publishing Inc

VOLUME 152, ISSUE 5, JANUARY 2019

Editorial Board

About Us

Editorial Policy

Letters to the Editor

General Operations Manager Luiza Lima

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.

Creative Manager Maria Nazareth Araújo 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 Kaila Hindle Marlowe Evans Patrick Donovan Photographers Cameron Lane Maria Nazareth Araújo Volunteers Jack Sparks

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: Students walk through an archway in the quad on a snowy day. | Photo by Adam Travis Design by Maria Nazareth Araújo

News briefs by Alexandre Silberman

by Jack Sparks

Things to do in Fredericton this month by Brad Ackerson

Meet Canada’s young entrepreneur of the year by Alexandre Silberman

Through sickness, health and homelessness: Sandy Robb’s story of perseverance by Isabelle Leger

Future of fake news

Writer-in-residence: Tips for budding poets by Marlowe Evans

Residence life for the socially anxious by Ally Buchanan

Brazil: Beyond Rio and São Paulo by Maria Nazareth Araujo

Things to look forward to in 2019 by Samantha McCready

Campus coffee guide

Bouldering club continues growth despite uncertain future by Patrick Donovan

From the archives

by Patrick Donovan

Words by Alexandre Silberman

City busses will no longer stop on steep hills when snow is on the roads. Photo by Bradley Parker

Fredericton busses won’t stop on hills during winter weather

University presidential search committee selects finalists

City transit officials are telling users to walk to the top or bottom of a hill if they want to catch a bus during messy winter conditions.

The University of New Brunswick’s joint nominating committee, tasked with hiring a new president, has determined two candidates for its shortlist.

In early December, the city decided busses will no longer stop on steep hills when snow is on the roads. This impacts students on campus looking to catch the bus on Windsor Street.

The committee has employed Kenniff Leadership, a Montreal-based search consultant, to assist in finding and contacting candidates.

The change is a result of safety concerns raised by drivers and passengers about sliding busses when roads become slippery. It also becomes challenging for a bus to continue up a hill in slick conditions after losing momentum during a stop. Riders can check the Fredericton Transit Facebook page for updates on when the new policy goes into effect. 4

“The level of interest was encouragingly high and there have been many applications to consider,” committee chair Jane Fritz wrote in an email to students and faculty. The committee conducted several rounds of interviews to determine its final shortlist. The finalists recently met with a number of university community members from both campuses.

The joint nominating committee has decided to hold closed sessions with the candidates and selected community members in order to respect their privacy. Historically, UNB has held open town halls where any student or faculty member could pose questions to candidates. “From the perspective of most candidates, being required to publicly declare their interest in the position has implications for their relationships at their current institution; their concern is significant enough that some well-qualified candidates consider withdrawing from consideration,” Fritz wrote. “This decision was not taken lightly; it is one that carefully balances the need for further consultation with the Committee’s responsibility to find the best candidate.” The committee expects to have selected a finalist by the end of January or early February.

UNB researchers aim to reduce falls through senior exercise program Researchers at the University of New Brunswick are partnering with Horizon Health Network and Fitness NB to start Zoomers on the Go, a free fall prevention exercise program for people age 50 and over.

The 12-week program hopes to assist aging adults meet physical activity guidelines through a variety of activities and will start in the Fredericton area in the spring of 2019. Two 60-minute sessions will be offered per week. Danielle Bouchard, assistant professor in the faculty of kinesiology at UNB, is leading a team of UNB researchers that will evaluate the participants’ health. She said Zoomers on the Go is a sustainable, replicable model. “Unlike most programs that often neglect rural areas, this project can be accessible to almost any older adult in the province,” Bouchard said in a news release. The program aims to increase older New Brunswickers’ ability to remain independent, promote social inclusion through exercise, and provide social networking opportunities that combat isolation. Zoomers on the Go is currently recruiting people age 50 and over to participate in the free program. It will be offered on the north and southside of Fredericton.

Words by Brad Ackerson Note: Here you will find our recommendations for things you can do over the upcoming month to experience some of 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 events to attend, places to go and things to try. Something youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to see included in an upcoming edition of Things to Do? Send your suggestions to editor@thebruns.ca!

Jan. 31: Soupfest Channel your inner food critic at Frederictonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first ever Soupfest! The event is organized by United Way of Central New Brunswick and will feature soups submitted by up to 20 restaurants within the city. Attendees will have an hour to eat as much soup as they can before ranking their three favourites to help decide which soup will reign supreme and earn their restaurant a fancy trophy. There will be two separate tasting sessions; the first begins at 11 a.m. and concludes at noon while the second goes from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. Tickets for each session cost $15 per person and additional donations to United Way will also be accepted. 28 Saunders Street, 11 a.m.

Feb. 01: RBC Winter Carnival Concert Headlined by Juno Award-nominated DJ Shaun Frank, the RBC Winter Carnival concert is the latest in the series of new major events being presented by the UNBSU in the 2018-19 school year. The concert will feature a licensed bar operated by The Cellar, meaning entry to the concert will be limited to UNB or STU students aged 19 years or older. Tickets cost $15 in advance and $20 at the door and you will need to present your student I.D. upon entry. Aitken Centre, 9 p.m.

Feb. 02: Winter Beer Olympics The Winter Beer Olympics is exactly what it sounds like; teams of four will spend the afternoon drinking beer and competing in a variety of games in an effort to win gold, silver or bronze. While the specific events and rules have not yet been announced at the time of writing, the organizers promise they will be “fun, yet challenging.” Rumor has it The Bruns may even be sending some of its finest athletes to the event. Registration costs $120 per team ($30 minimum donation per person) and includes three beers for each competitor. All proceeds go towards type 1 diabetes research and tax receipts will be provided. There will be no charge for those who just want to watch. Officer’s Square, 12-3 p.m.

Feb. 09: Roller Disco Night It may be 2019 but, thanks to the Capital City Rollers and the Fredericton Junior Roller Derby Association, you can still party like it’s 1979. Roller Disco Night will serve as the conclusion of the second annual Winter Wonderslam event, which is a roller derby triple-header also taking place in the afternoon. Entry to the disco is $5 at the door if you do not attend the derby earlier in the day, while tickets to the full event are $8 in advance and $10 at the door. Roller blades and roller skates will be available to rent for $10 if you don’t have your own. Capital Exhibit Centre, 361 Smythe Street, 8-11 p.m.

Feb. 14-16: Pink Lobster Film Festival As New Brunswick’s first LGBTQ+ film festival, Pink Lobster aims to share the stories of LGBTQ+ communities in Canada and around the world by featuring a selection of international films as well as short films made by local filmmakers. The festival is three days long, with each of the screenings beginning at 7 p.m. at Tilley Hall. Passes for the entire festival cost $15 while individual passes for each of the three nights are also available for $6.

Tilley Hall, 7 p.m.

Cameron Ritchie has grown a booming business through pairing students with odd jobs Photo submitted by Startup Canada 8

Words by Alexandre Silberman Cameron Ritchie’s business started with the goal of getting more youth into the job market.

generates revenue by taking a cut of the payment for each job.

In Grade 11 he launched Homewurk, an online service that connects students with odd jobs in Fredericton. Now a first year engineering student at the University of New Brunswick, Ritchie’s business is booming, leasing office space, hiring administrative staff and securing top clients.

It’s a system Ritchie compares to Airbnb and Kijiji. Homeowners post jobs and students can go onto the site and apply. Student employees have a profile which shows their rating and work experience to help homeowners select someone. The rating system allows for quality assurance as the business expands.

This past October, he was named Startup Canada’s young entrepreneur of the year.

The company has a base of over 1,800 clients in the Fredericton area.

Ritchie began by attending pitch competitions around Atlantic Canada and the U.S. in high school and raised around $8,000 to kickstart the venture.

Homewurk is looking for student ambassadors to help expand the platform in Saint John and Moncton before the end of the year. Homewurk already has hundreds of pre-sign ups in both cities.

He started by recruiting students at Fredericton area high schools to join his network and developed an initial pool of about 100 employees. The community was quick to respond with interest in using the service. Homewurk aims to help high school and post-secondary students earn money towards their education. Jobs range from shoveling driveways and mowing lawns to car detailing, painting and moving. “Some of the jobs even professional contractors think are too small to do, and they’ll reject it,” Ritchie said. “But it’s substantial enough for homeowners to say, ‘I need this done.’” “It gives those students a sense of entrepreneurship, they’re representing themselves, they take pride in their own work. That’s when students can start learning about themselves,” Ritchie said. During the first year of Homewurk Ritchie would spend all day working on the platform, calling clients on the phone, and often going out in the community to do odd jobs himself.

National recognition Ritchie won the Atlantic Canada startup award in July, which allowed him to advance to the national competition. He was on his way back from Halifax when he got a call from the CEO of Startup Canada who broke the news that he had won the national award. “I was just shaking with excitement, I was so happy when I heard about it,” Ritchie said. He received the award for young entrepreneur of the year in Ottawa on Oct. 18 at an event hosted by Startup Canada, and spent time with tops CEOs, industry leaders and entrepreneurs from CBC’s Dragon’s Den. Ritchie told leaders he met about Homewurk to see what they thought of the idea. “It’s always been the same response, no matter where I went: ‘It just makes sense,’” he said.

“I loved it because our clients, the people who supported the students, just all had huge hearts,” he said. “Sometimes they’d be really nice and give our students lunch, or they’re out in the heat and they’d give them popsicles.” The business is moving towards an automated platform to pair students with jobs and determine prices, that will eventually be turned into an app. Homewurk

cided to raise as a single mother. Nine years later, Robb was working two full-time jobs, 16 hours a day, in Campbellton. She noticed a 16-year-old girl living on the street near her home who had only a can of spaghetti to eat per day. She had been living in these conditions for a year, Robb said. Robb welcomed the young girl into her home and, two years later, she graduated high school on the principal’s list. When the principal asked Robb what she did to increase the foster child’s grades, she responded simply, “I gave her food.” Robb says her daughters were raised to follow their passion and to stay out of trouble. “In my house, I didn’t have hard rules. Don’t get pregnant, I can do that. Don’t bring the cops, I can do that. Go to school and get good marks, “she said. Today, one of her children works at a youth care center in Saint John, the other works as an insurance advisor and her foster child works at a law firm in Toronto.

Words by Isabelle Leger Sandy Robb sat in a women’s shelter, smelling the sweet scent of Juicy Fruit gum. This was her selected $1.50 luxury for the week. However, the lingering scent was an indication that her one source of enjoyment had been stolen by another woman. After this disappointment, Robb picked up the backpack filled with all of her belongings and left the shelter for the day. Walking down King Street in Fredericton, she saw two men sleeping under benches and another under a tree. When she returned to the shelter in the evening, she went to wash up. “When you take a shower, you have to take everything with you because others will steal it,” said Robb. This had become her new normal life. Robb carries her vibrant smile wherever she goes. She has blonde hair that just passes her shoulders and red bags under her eyes. Her wardrobe consists of some garments that were once donated to Goodwill. Robb can often be found wearing a bright green sweater, which brings out her eyes, and khakis. Her story began at the age of 15, when she became an alcoholic. She had her first baby girl three years later, which she gave up to her brother and his wife. She was attending New Brunswick Community College in Moncton to receive a General Educational Development in cooking. Robb worked as a cook in Campbellton, Gagetown and Saint John during her 30-year-long career. Robb had her second baby girl at 21, which she de10

While her daughters followed their success stories, Robb faced numerous other challenges. She was diagnosed with Crohn’s, an inflammatory bowel disease. This required her to have bowel surgery to attach an ostomy, an external bag that collects feces, to her abdomen. One year later, her ostomy became infected and the surgery had to be reversed. The surgeon accidentally punctured one of her lungs, an injury she continues to struggle with today. Six months after her second surgery, she returned back to work as a cook at the Aquarius Tavern pub in Saint John. It was only five months later that she was laid off and couldn’t get employment insurance. In her early 50s and struggling with Crohn’s disease, alcoholism and a punctured lung, Robb found herself homeless. However, Robb is not one to give up easy. “I’m a fighter, I fight back,” she said. She relocated to Fredericton, as the poor air quality in Saint John was too harsh on her newly injured lungs. She lived in the Women’s Homeless Shelter for three months before moving in with her youngest daughter. When this living arrangement failed, she became homeless again for a stretch of 11 months. Robb’s health was severely declining. Everything except the milk and bread from the Fredericton Community Kitchen and Food Bank would make her feel ill. As Crohn’s disease causes one’s body to struggle to absorb nutrients, Robb needed to eat fruits and vegetables, not canned goods. “I just can’t eat it, if I eat it I get sick,” said Robb. Once she was able to get welfare, Robb moved into subsidized housing. Even so, she struggled to pay for food. In New Brunswick, welfare payments are $537

a month. Housing costs $400 a month. This means that those relying on this assistance have $4.40 a day for food, transportation, hygiene products and clothing. “You can’t live properly,” Robb says. She manages to keep her home by budgeting and accepting as much help from her friends and church volunteers as possible. “I’ve got $15 in my wallet, $20 in one bank and $10 in the other,” said Robb. Still, her main priority is making sure she has extra money in case one of her daughters needs her support.

Volunteer Rose McDonald is also one of those who come in for food and friendship. In her early fifties, she suffers from such severe back pain that she is unable to work. McDonald lives in low-income housing and has struggled to make ends meet. “My rent was $250, and that’s almost what my entire cheque was,” said McDonald. Before the welfare increase in 2009, the government only gave her $300 a month. She lived on just $50 a month and turned to panhandling. “I’m not proud of it,” McDonald says.

Four short years after finally having a home, Robb was diagnosed with lung cancer. The tumour removal process came shortly after and chemo therapy followed. Robb found it difficult to leave her house, as walking long distances put an immense strain on her lungs.

To continue helping people like Chase and McDonald, Robb has become a member of the Community Action Group on Homelessness in Fredericton. This group consists of over 30 government representatives, non-profit organizations and community leaders with the goal of ending homelessness. This last year, Robb used her experience as a homeless woman to work with the group in creating the Street Survival Guide. This booklet explained where help can be found for mental health issues, social assistance, buying bus tickets and applying for low income housing. It also lists all of the events that take place in nearby churches.

You will now find Robb every Monday morning at the Christ Church Cathedral Memorial Hall. She will either be shouting voucher ticket numbers at the top of her ill lungs or handing out food, including triangle-shaped sandwiches, tea and, on occasion, cheese. Social worker Murray Weeks tried to sample the cheese one Monday morning. As he reached for a piece, Robb playfully slapped his hand away. “Cheese is for the poor!” She said. This weekly event gives the homeless community a chance to socialize and be fed. Ivan Chase, an attendee of the Monday breakfasts, grew up in foster care and now has diabetes. Unable to work, he lives in low-income housing. Weekly events like these help him to stay motivated and connect with others. “It’s just nice to make conversation with people,” said Chase.

In February 2016, this group of 43 volunteers completed the Fredericton Homeless Count. For 24 hours the group walked the streets of Fredericton, counting the amount of people living in homeless conditions. They identified a minimum of 50 individuals living either in emergency shelters or on the street. This number does not include those couch surfing or struggling to afford low-income housing. Through conducting surveys and additional research, the Community Action Group estimates that there are at least 700 homeless in the city. By 2019, the Community Action Group aims to know every homeless individual by name and provide housing to at least 267 people. Robb is now 60 years old, cancer-free and 12 years sober. She continues to struggle with infections in her punctured lung. Robb keeps in contact with her three daughters and often tells her fellow volunteers and friends how spectacular they are. Robb also enjoys chewing her Juicy Fruit gum in the comfort of her own home.

We’ve all heard the term ‘fake news’. It has become a buzzword in recent years, especially since the 2016 US presidential election. Fake news is information created in bad faith to deceive the public, for a myriad of reasons. What is important to understand with fake news is who the perpetrators are, or who stands to gain. Oftentimes this is simply online trolls looking to go as viral as they can with their deceit. The more malicious intent, however, is for political gain, and this is what the term fake news is readily associated with. The future of fake news is clouded. It is mired in uncertainty about rapidly developing technology and steps that can be taken to counteract it. The current state of fake news is worse than ever. Its spread has become increasingly rampant as media has diversified and grown, and there are now more places to get your news than ever. More and more people are getting their news from Facebook or Twitter or other social media sites. This kind of information is hard to control. There’s too much out there to fact check everything, and people are inclined to believe what they read. It’s also much easier to hit a few keys and share some-

thing, and fake news can become widespread rapidly. Most people who read fake news will never find out it wasn’t true. Media ethicist Stephen Ward says that the increasing polarization of politics and growth of global media in journalism has led to the fake news explosion. He also points to extreme populism, with its deliberate and divisive appeal to the masses, and specifically its utilization by the far right. “This is demagoguery going back to ancient Greece,” he said of right-wing groups abusing populism. “Only now they have the power of global media and social media to infiltrate and spread conspiracy theories and fake news.” Ward has proposed solutions to what he says is a much more complex problem than it seems. The fake news crisis will not just be solved by mainstream journalists taking more responsibility and becoming more ethical. “Journalists have to start joining and participating in projects with other civic groups to make people aware of how to analyze media, fight back, and detox the public sphere,” Ward said.

Teaching media ethics literacy at a younger age, such as in middle and high schools, is another solution Ward suggests. “[Such education would involve] how the media operates, how we as citizens use our media, and how messages get circulated,” said Ward. “This would be an institutional, structural change.” He added that journalists need to go to schools and hold seminars if teachers are not available. Ward also points out that more globally-minded teaching and a stronger code of ethics needs to be put in place by journalism schools. “We can’t just keep giving students practical toolkits,” he said. “We need to give them histories of religion, histories of terrorism in different cultures, that sort of knowledge of the world. Also, knowledge of populism, and how to identify these different groups.” He also said there is “very little written in ethics about how we are to report on a guy like Donald Trump, or how we’re supposed to report on populist groups.” Our technology is very important to the current and future state of fake news in how it can help us counteract it. Weichang Du, a computer science professor at UNB, explained what is currently available to counteract fake news. There is software out there to detect fake news, however, Du said it has a problem.

organization’s site and tell you how reliable they are based on their track record. This can be used to guide your reading and can tell you if you should check another source. The future of technology relating to fake news is murky, Du said, but the general direction is to improve machine learning so it doesn’t have to be reliant on human biases. This would involve using big data: extremely large data sets that machines can analyze at a fast rate. “Data science can be used to identify percentages on how likely it is that something is fake. The problem with big data is that it’s hard to draw specific conclusions from it, which is where the percentage comes in. Research is being done now to continually improve the percentage you get.” The Brunswickan strives to provide its readers accurate and ethical reporting, but as Ward said, this is only the start to fixing the fake news crisis. Data science and technology may be able to inform our news consumption, but it isn’t perfect and it won’t be for the foreseeable future. It is a complicated problem that requires a multi-faceted solution. “Our democracy as I understand it is at risk,” Ward said. “We have to defend ourselves as individuals from being manipulated.”

“These programs need to start with a training site designed by a human to learn what they’re looking for, and the problem is that humans are biased,” Du said. “This means that often times, the programs are only as good as the human designing the training site.” He recommended programs that can pull data from an

Words by Marlowe Evans

Phil Hall is the University of New Brunswick’s writer-in-residence for the 2018-19 academic year. Having discovered his love of writing as a child, Hall began writing poems specifically because they were small and “easy to hide.” Being a poet, he explained, does not have to be as conspicuous as being, say, a cellist. There is a certain delicate mystery surrounding the smallness, the portability and the concealability of poems.

they would bring in people who work in the field, to come in and do workshops. That’s basically what a writer-in-residence is.” Though an acclaimed poet, Hall qualified this explanation by saying, “I’m not a professor. I just live by the lake, near Ottawa.” With that simple phrase, it became obvious why the University of New Brunswick’s English Department took him on for the 201819 year – he cannot keep poetry out of his mouth.

What does a writer-in-residence do? Well, they write, and they discuss writing. “I used to teach at community colleges,” Hall said. “In their departments, they had programs where if you were in business or computer science or something…

As writer-in-residence, Hall relates to people who are “real writers.” When students visit to ask him questions or review material, Hall relates closely to those with a fervour for language. “That’s my family,” he said. “I have been a young,

awful, arrogant, stupid, ambitious, silly writer, and so I relate to all of that.” Hall’s advice to budding writers and poets is twofold: be disciplined and unafraid of failure. “You shouldn’t rely on inspiration. It’ll let [you] down,” Hall said. “Try to develop some routine or rhythmical practice. The body, and the imagination, respond to rhythm.” Finding a routine of doing something relaxing and then following it up by writing, or even simply documenting the day in a diary helps to build discipline as a writer, he explained. “That’s what you need to develop: a respectful practice for your own thinking, the collecting of that, and the tinkering with language.” As for being unafraid of failure, Hall discussed some of his own work and his relationship to failure. Hall’s book Killdeer is an award-winning collection of long essay poems. “Killdeer talks about how I became a writer and all the stupid things I did, like hitchhiking to meet Margaret Lawrence and knocking on her door,” he said, suppressing a laugh. Writing, especially the writing of poetry, has long been compared to a deep, silent wilderness. “Writing is a solitary endeavour, where you have to go off by yourself, like reading,” Hall said. Poetry is slowly cultivated during these lone retreats, though sometimes it needs a fresh set of eyes out of the woods to truly bring it to life. Hall recalled agonizing over his books and poems before submitting them, revising and re-revising, until finally he dropped them in the mailbox. “And then, as I walked home, I’d know so clearly what was

Part of Hall’s exhibition that is on display at the Harriet Irving Library until Feb. 1.

wrong with the poems, that I’d go home and I’d change them all… So the advice is: finish things, send them out,” Hall said. Sharing one’s poetry and writing with others is a valuable way to improve and collaborate. Hall has an exhibition of his collage art on display on the first floor of the Harriet Irving Library that ends on Feb. 1. This exhibition, a series of self-portraits entitled “Cut and Past,” combines torn up pages from books with sketches and ephemera from Hall’s life. He will also be doing a reading on Jan. 29 at 12 p.m. in the Beaverbrook Room, along with a discussion on the relationship between collage and poetry.

"Unlock your mind"

UNB MENTAL HEALTH CONFERENCE 2019 Date: March 19, 2019 Tickets on sale at the end of January Find more at: http://unbmentalhealthconference.net/ Sponsored by: Facebook: UNB Mental Health Conference 2019 | Instagram: @unbmentalhealthconference

The university experience relies on classes Monday to Friday, mediocre living conditions, adventures with friends, and late nights out from Thursday to Sunday. Right? That is what underlies all the stories we hear from parents or older friends, and what comprises the coming-of-age movies that are so popular. Socializing and parties have become as ingrained into the perception of university as the education students enroll to receive. As students there is a pressure to perform well academically while also taking part in the social culture that is sold as essential to this period of life. Every single weekend someone is hosting a party, and it can be easy to feel as if you are missing out if you decide to stay in for a night. Keeping pace with this party culture can be exhausting, especially combined with high academic standards. What happens when someone can’t keep up

with the social commitment, or simply doesn’t want to? Sarah Johnson, a counsellor at UNB Counselling Services, has noted an increase in diagnosable anxiety in university settings, and more students coming forward seeking professional help. Although this could be because of more awareness around mental health lessening the stigma in seeking help, Johnson acknowledges the high demands placed on students. “There is a lot of stress and pressure that comes as a result of this life experience, and not everyone comes with effective coping tools to deal with it,” she said. Johnson notes that living in residence can be a significant trigger for anxiety and social anxiety. Social anxiety is a subset of a diagnosable anxiety disorder, mainly brought on by social interactions and over-stimulating situations. John-

son explains that many factors of residence life, such as the loud noise, the constant presence of people and the difficulty in finding personal space, can make living there chaotic for some individuals. “It’s really hard to find a manageable level of stimulus,” Johnson said. Although the counsellor would not necessarily recommend residence life to those who experience social anxiety, she is quick to point out the positive possibilities it offers. She said it can be helpful in pushing some people outside their comfort zones. This can be beneficial in combating social anxiety. “With a plan, and with structure, you can use the environment to expose yourself more and avoid falling into a withdrawal pattern.” People with anxiety may avoid their triggers at all costs, which can lead to isolation and disconnection. A university residence is always full of people and life, and removing yourself from it is often impossible. While this can sometimes be overwhelming, it also prevents any form of withdrawal. Johnson offered several coping mechanisms when dealing with social anxiety in residence, including grounding techniques, deep breathing and meditation. These strategies all encourage an individual to focus on the present, and can be done in the comfort and privacy of your own dorm room. She encourages people to respect their limits and allow themselves breaks when they need it. “Know yourself and know what you can handle, and when too much is too much. Giving yourself permission to say ‘I’ve had enough for today’ is okay,” Johnson said. “Be open with the people around you, so that people will understand your limits and know what is helpful for you to stay safe”.

She also emphasizes that peers, proctors and Student Services can provide support for struggling students. Neville Jones proctor Hannah Sharpe detailed the training proctors undertake in regards to mental health, including training sessions in supporting students with depression, anxiety disorders and panic attacks, compulsive behaviours and suicide prevention. “Proctors work to establish trusting and supportive relationships with their residents to ensure that everyone has a positive experience and feels included in the community,” she said. Sharpe has witnessed people with social anxiety and introverts experience residence life in very different ways. She agrees with many of the benefits highlighted by Johnson, saying that she has known such people to build tight-knit relationships with other residents. “It’s awesome to see groups of residents come together to form strong and lasting bonds,” Sharpe said. She describes how many university activities are designed so that individuals can avoid the party culture if they so desire. Orientation week is a good example of this, as they aim to provide a smaller scale event at the same time as campus parties. Sharpe said that although residence can be stressful at times, it can also be a supportive, inclusive community. “For most students moving into residence, it’s their first time leaving home and their family and friends, which can be very intimidating and lonely. Residence provides an opportunity to meet new people in a less intimidating way,” she said. “Being a member of a community can feel like being welcomed into a really cool, really accepting family, where you are supported, uplifted, and safe.”

Jungles. Beaches. Soccer. All the things you usually think of when you think about Brazil. But in the fifth largest country in the world, there is much more to explore than just Rio or São Paulo. The northeast of the country is, although the poorest region of Brazil, the most stunning coastline in South America. The region ranges from beaches to the sertão, a semi-arid region inland with sparse leafy vegetation and abundant cacti. The unspoiled nature, deep colonial heritage and unique succulent cuisine of this area is what makes it distinct from the rest of the country. Recife, the capital city of the state of Pernambuco, was one of the few cities colonized by 18

both the Portuguese and the Dutch. The few surviving churches and forts up and down the coast portray the influence of the European nations in the state. The coast of the state is also home of the Atlantic forest, which once spanned the entire country but does no longer due to deforestation (especially during the colonial period). In the countryside of Pernambuco, where the sertão is predominant, towns such as Floresta contain Indigenous reservations and areas for the production of firewood. Until the late 1980s, tourists rarely visited the small state of Rio Grande do Norte and its capital, Natal. Two things have transformed the state into one of the northeast’s biggest

tourist centres: beaches and buggies. Just like Pernambuco, it is also very famous for its colonial architecture which, although scarce, still remains in some spots in the city. The state of Alagoas, although the second smallest state, is known not only for its capital Macéio but also for its Xingó Canyon, which is a beautiful valley in the city of Canindé do São Francisco. The extensive walls formed by erosion processes look like handmade sculptures. They have emerged from the construction of Xingó Dam on the São Francisco River. The first capital of the country, Salvador, is located in the state of Bahia. The state is the largest one in the northeast, constituting over a third of the entire region. The modern skyline has a distinct beauty of its own, poised as it is on the mouth of a deep-blue ocean bay. Fantastic swimming beaches, the largest collection of colonial architecture in Latin America, and a vibrant modern culture - perhaps the richest living cultural mix in the country, with its Afro-Caribbean artists - all combine to make Salvador one of the most popular destinations in the northeast region. 19

3 The Lacerda Elevator (Elevador Lacerda) is a public urban elevator located in Salvador. It connects the lower city (Cidade Baixa) to the upper city (Cidade Alta). 72 metres (236 ft) tall, the elevator was built between 1869-1873 and was first used as an hydraulic elevator. In the historical centre of Salvador lies the São Francisco Church and Convent (Portuguese: Convento e Igreja de São Francisco), one of the most famous attractions of the city. This photo illustrates the surroundings of the convent, which is filled with preserved architecture built in the early colonization period.

Outside the São Francisco Church and Convent, fita do senhor do bonfim (English: tape of Lord of Bonfim) are tied to a iron grilles. The fitas are souvenirs and popular amulets that are sold by street vendors around the Church. The fashion accessory is made from cotton and carries the phrase “Lembrança do Senhor do Bonfim da Bahia” (Remembrance of the Lord of Bonfim of Bahia). The term has religious connotations and refers to a representation of Jesus.

6 The historical centre in Recife is full of old, colonial, colorful buildings which make it a nice place for an evening stroll. You might even feel like you’re in Europe. The main part of old Recife is at the Marco Zero square which was built in the 16th century by the Portuguese settlers.

The Forte dos Reis Magos (Fortress of the Three Wise Men) is a fortress located in the city of Natal in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Norte. The fortress, built in 1599, was the first milestone of the city. It is located on the right side of the bank of the Potengi River (today near the Newton Navarro bridge).

The São Francisco River, or Rio São Francisco, has a length of 2,914 kilometres (1,811 mi) and is known for its hydroelectric dam. The Xingó Dam is a concrete face rock-fill dam on the São Francisco River on the border of Alagoas and Sergipe, near Piranhas, Brazil. The dam, which was built in 1987, is used for navigation, water supply and hydroelectric power generation. 21

Whip out your new day planner, it’s 2019! A new year means a fresh slate, New Year’s resolutions that you may or may not follow and many exciting upcoming events. There are some fascinating, significant and promising things coming this year. Let’s enjoy them together.

First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. On October 15th 2018, Harry and Megan announced they are expecting a baby. Although the family has been discrete on the exact due date, they are expecting the baby in Spring this year!

2019 will be a big year for star gazers and space lovers. 2019 will feature five eclipses, a rare planet transit, multiple meteor showers and a super blood wolf moon, but the fun doesn’t stop there. The new year will also bring three supermoons, a blue moon, multiple meteor showers and a close approach by the moon and Jupiter!

In 2018 local restaurants such as RustiCo and Snooty Fox and even chain restaurants such as A&W and the Coffee Mill stopped offering plastic straws to their customers. This year, more restaurants are also making this progressive step. One of Canada’s biggest restaurant companies, Recipe Unlimited Corporation, will also be eliminating straws from their restaurants. Plastic straws will cease to exist in restaurants such as Harvey’s, Swiss Chalet, East Side Marios, St. Hubert and more.

Get ready for chilli, nachos and beer! The 53rd annual NFL Super Bowl game will take place on February 3rd, 2019. And if you’re like me, you’re probably more excited for the infamous halftime show. Maroon 5 will headline the Super Bowl halftime show and will be joined by hip hop star Travis Scott and Big Boi. Disney returns with live-action remakes of our childhood favourites. In 2019, get ready to see The Lion King, Aladdin and Dumbo on the big screen again. Your 7-year-old self will be thrilled this coming year.

Get one last chance to rock out with your favourite 70s band as the band Kiss embarks on one final tour. “One Last Kiss” is a North American tour beginning at the end of January, with 44 stops across Canada and the US. Elton John will also be embarking on one final tour this year. “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” will include more than 300 shows across five continents. Get your tickets now to see the legend for the last time. The Spice Girls will be spicing up your life one last time, as the 90s girl band host a reunion tour this year. Although Victoria Beckham won’t be joining the other girls, it will nevertheless be a great tour!

2019 is the year for history buffs. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the decriminalization of homosexuality. July 2019 marks the 75th anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy. July 2019 also marks the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission, which put the first two men on the moon.

Some of our favourite TV shows are throwing in the towel in 2019. The 8th and final season of Game of Thrones will air this April, and The Big Bang Theory’s 12th season will also be finishing by the end of 2019. Some of our Netflix favourites, like House of Cards and Orange is the New Black, are also ending this year. What TV character will you miss the most? 23

Words by Patrick Donovan Coffee: whether you drink it or not, it fuels the world. That is, if you live in Scandinavia, Western Europe, or North America. The country with the highest consumption of coffee per capita annually is Finland, coming in at a whopping 12 kilograms of coffee per person. We’re not doing too poorly in Canada either, coming in tenth place with 6.5 kilograms of coffee per person. Surprisingly, the United States comes in at 25th in the world in coffee consumption. Our long winters and national coffee chain might make Canadians more prone to drinking that warm and energizing beverage than our southern neighbours. This preference is nation-wide, and with two thirds of Canadian adults drinking at least a cup a day, UNB is no exception. On campus, UNB students and staff have eight different places to buy coffee. These locations include the SUB Tim Hortons, the SUB Campus Shoppe, the Tilley Hall Café, the HIL Café, the Science Library, Head Rest in Head Hall, the Café area in Marshall D’Avray, and the infamous McConnell meal hall. If you’re someone who appreciates convenience and quality, there’s a fair variety for the caffeine addicts out there (myself included!). Of course, we have to start with the first company that comes to mind when any Canadian thinks of coffee: Tim Hortons. Tim’s, Timmies, or “that hockey player’s store” reaches every corner of Canada, selling sixty percent of the Canadian coffee market. If you’re in the Student Union Building talking with friends or procrastinating on your latest assignment, you’ll typically see the Tim’s line full all day long. Tim Hortons coffee is 100% arabica beans. This bean is the most popular in the world, and Tim’s uses four to six different beans in their medium and dark roasts along with a “top secret blend.” To most people, that either means quality assurance against competition, or some ingredients that the

public wouldn’t otherwise find palatable. Tim’s themselves don’t disclose where their beans come from, but they’re typically from Central and South America, some East African countries and Indonesia. While the exact locations can’t always be certain, it’s certainly true that Tim’s does not buy fair trade or organic beans. Although, in 2005 Tim Hortons launched a Coffee Partnership program which, from their own data, has helped 4000 farmers improve the economic, social, and environmental aspects of their coffee growing. These farmers live in Brazil, Columbia, Guatemala and Honduras, which is most likely where the majority of their beans come from. Tim’s partners with Sodexo in their SUB location just like all other coffee shops on campus, and while Sodexo quality is highly questionable, they fortunately have a significant number of students on staff. James Buick, a UNB student employed at the location, said the Tim’s staff “is about a quarter students,” and the personal connections he has made with student employees and familiar student faces on the other side of the counter are very rewarding. Each coffee location on campus gives a small discount to customers if they bring their own mug

or travel mug. At Tim’s you get 10 cents off your purchase, 20 cents off the Campus Shoppe’s Van Houtte coffee, 15 cents off at other locations, and a considerable discount at Head Rest. This is a great way to reduce waste - in 2010 alone, Canadians used approximately 1.5 billion disposable and non recyclable coffee cups. Head Rest advertises its fair-trade coffee from Full Steam as the most ethical and sustainable on campus, which came to campus through a push from UNB and Engineers Without Borders. The coffee at Head Rest is a testament to the various posters found around Head Hall that state: “Consumers have the power to change the market.” Other coffee locations on campus are supplied by Sysco Canada through Sodexo, and while the bags of beans say “fair-trade,” this fact is not necessarily advertised. The HIL Café however, while still being managed and operated by Sodexo, is supplied by Java Moose and is in competition with Full Steam for being known as the best coffee on campus. Co-founders Glen McLean and Randy Pedersen started the company in Saint John in 1995, and the pair supplies the HIL with coffee along with 250 other businesses and organizations. If supporting local businesses is important to you, buying Java Moose coffee is a way to do so because McLean and Pedersen are proud to manufacture and roast their own coffee. While Java Moose doesn’t explicitly reveal from where they source their beans, they are of course Arabica beans and are grown “by farmers who take great care of their land”, according to BuyLocalNB. Hopefully coffee lovers on campus will always be able to get that wonderful drink we crave (particularly during these windy, cold Fredericton winters). Great employees like Doreen Crilly in Tilley Hall show that it’s about more than just the coffee: “Everyday I laugh, and I have the best conversations on campus.”

Words by Patrick Donovan | Photo by Zack Dickinson Tucked in an unsuspecting corner in the basement of the Lady Beaverbrook Gym, you’ll find a burgeoning indoor rock-climbing community blaring the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

The Rock and Ice Club was formed in 1977 to organize outdoor trips, but eventually the organization strayed away from outdoor events to focus in on the bouldering gym.

Last year, the University of New Brunswick’s Rock and Ice Club was faced with the possible loss of their space. But last May, the university’s board of governors voted to accept funding from the City of Fredericton and the provincial government to keep the Lady Beaverbrook Gym open for three more years.

Dom Caron, the club’s treasurer, said the potential closing of the facility last year meant concerns over losing the friend group that had been formed through the club, and an end to bouldering. “The building and the wall is everything to the club,” Caron said.

While much of the opposition to shutting down the facility occurred on behalf of the Sir Max Aitken Pool, the over 100 members of the campus’ only rock-climbing gym fundraised for a new facility and campaigned to keep the building open alongside pool supporters.

Once the announcement arrived that the Lady Beaverbrook gym would stay open, the climbing facility saw “an upsurge” in people who wanted to volunteer and participate in the gym.

The gym on campus is a bouldering gym, different from the traditional vertical rope-climbing rock walls in most facilities – which makes it the only one of its kind in the capital region. Bouldering is a form of climbing without any ropes or harnesses, with a max height of about sixteen feet.

As the current gym’s life nears its end, a new organization has formed called the Fredericton Bouldering Co-op. The group is currently seeking investment opportunities to fund a new gym, and the Rock and Ice Club has made a $5,000 donation towards those efforts. The new bouldering gym plans to open in April and the club will be moving their activities there after the UNB gym closes.

While each type of climbing has its benefits and indoor top-rope climbing is more common, boulder climbing creates a close-knit group of climbers. “Bouldering is a really social sport as you get really tired really quickly while climbing,” said Emma Matchett, the Rock and Ice Club’s vice-president internal. “So, about 50 per cent of your time [at the gym] is spent sitting down, taking a break and talking to people.” There are other rock-climbing walls in the region, at Marysville in the community centre and in Oromocto at Base Gagetown, but this bouldering gym is the only facility immediately available to students and community members in the city centre.

The bouldering gym is by far the cheapest option for climbing in the area, with an annual student membership fee of $50. Continuing to have a gym on campus is the best option for current members, the club said, and it makes climbing accessible to students and other low-income individuals. “Eventually this building will just be closed, so the best thing we can do for our members is ensure that in the future there is still bouldering in Fredericton and right now the answer to that is the [co-op],” Matchett said.

Words by Brad Ackerson

Each month, we’ll take you back in time with a historic moment from The Brunswickan’s archives. The front page of this late-March issue of The Brunswickan released in 1986 offers a glimpse into the drama that had befallen UNB’s student union and the university as a whole between 1982-86 during what has become known as ‘The Bosnitch Era,’ named after then-SRC president John Bosnitch. This period, which is the subject of an upcoming mini-documentary by The Brunswickan, saw Bosnitch at the centre of a number of controversies, conflicts, and crises. Bosnitch left a complicated legacy at UNB, which included everything from losing ownership of the Student Union Building to having lights installed along the path through the woods between UNB and STU (which had gained a seedy reputation due to the sexual assaults that occurred there). According to a bulletin released by the SRC (Student Representatives Council) in 1987, then UNB president Jim Downey “locked out” the student union in 1986 and replaced them with a selection of hand-picked students. This was the final straw in what had been an extremely contentious relationship between Downey and Bosnitch. The bulletin claimed that this relationship originally soured during Bosnitch’s first term as SRC president when he pushed for the installation of lights along the aforementioned trail between UNB and STU, and for the creation of a new residence building downtown. The two came into further conflict in the summer of 1984 when Bosnitch publicly protested after a child died from falling out of a residence window, saying that the student union had previously warned UNB administration that the windows in residence were unsafe. The rivalry between the two intensified in September of that year when Downey took control of the Student Union Building, seized $200,000 in student fees and filed a complaint against Bosnitch with the Fredericton Police that led to a six-month criminal investigation that did not result in any charges. There were 30

also allegations from the SRC that Downey had interfered with student elections in order to keep Bosnitch from being re-elected and threatened to bankrupt the student union by refusing to collect its fees. The March 21, 1986 issue of The Bruns represents the culmination of this tumultuous period which reshaped student life at UNB and threatened the very existence of its student union. It offers a snapshot of a time when student engagement was at its peak and where the world of student government didn’t look all that different from the nastiness we see in “real world” politics. Certainly, it is difficult to imagine Bosnitch and Downey’s present-day counterparts engaging in such a heated, longterm feud.

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