Vol 56, Issue 22

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New TMSU spring byelection delayed until the fall 2023

KINZA ZAFAR/THE EYEOPENER

By Jake MacAndrew, Racy Rafique and Gabriela Silva Ponte

The Toronto Metropolitan Students’ Union’s (TMSU) in-person, physical ballot election planned for April 11 to 13 has been cancelled, according to an Elections and Referenda Committee (ERC) statement released on April 4.

“New evidence has been presented to the committee that raises significant concerns about the integrity of the entire election process, not just the voting process which was the subject of our last Special Decision,” the statement, which was posted to the TMSU’s website, reads.

On March 30, the ERC initially released a special decision announcing that the March election was deemed invalid and called for a new in-person, physical ballot election to be held in April.

The ERC said the newly-presented information alleged serious violations of the students’ union bylaws and the Elections Procedures Code. “Upon reviewing the

new evidence, the ERC has come to the conclusion that there has been, and continues to be, persistent intentional efforts to undermine the integrity of the entire TMSU election process,” it said in the statement.

The ERC also released an addendum to its special decision. “In particular, the evidence demonstrates that there is good reason to believe that there has been a range of election-related misconduct on the part of multiple individuals,” the addendum reads.

The addendum outlines new instances of misconduct that had not been previously addressed, including:

• “8.1.32, Unauthorized Campaigners: No two (2) or more Candidates may have their campaign benefit from the same Non-Arm’s Length Party, unless the Candidate’s are registered to the same Slate.

• 8.1.38. Cross-Campaigning is not allowed between multiple Slates or non-slate Candidates.

• 8.2.4. A Candidate’s to-

tal expenditure includes all Campaign Materials and other materials that endorse or support them. This may include situations where a Non-Arm’s Length Party supports a Candidate or group of Candidates and produces materials without the consent of the Candidate.

• 8.1.16. Any attempt to undermine the electoral process including, but not limited to, interference with or compromising the TMSU’s Online Voting Systems.

• 8.1.14. Malicious or intentional breach of Code.”

In light of this evidence, the ERC said the integrity of the entire election process, from nominations to the vote that took place, has been deemed “irredeemably compromised.”

The ERC said in its statement that the TMSU must hold a byelection in the fall, in accordance with TMSU bylaws.

According to section 4.17.1 of the TMSU bylaws, a byelection will be initiated in the month of September “provided that a vacancy occurs during the months of May, June or July.” Until the vacancy is filled, “the Executive Committee may designate an interim Director to fill the vacant office subject to Board approval.”

Until the byelections take place in the fall, the ERC said it will appoint director and executive candidates to temporarily hold office “to maintain operational continuity.”

The appointment process will be conducted “in consultation with legal counsel and the Board of Directors to ensure transparency and fairness,” reads the statement. TMSU members will also be eligible to put

themselves forward for consideration in these interim positions.

All executive positions on the TMSU remain vacant after Team Revolt was disqualified and president Marina Gerges was not reelected for a second term.

Gerges, who ran for presidency unopposed, was not elected after receiving more “no” votes than “yes” votes, as previously reported by The Eyeopener

According to section 9.2.2 of the Elections Procedures Code, “Executive Candidates who are uncontested shall face a Yes or No vote. If fifty per cent (50%+1) or greater number of the votes are cast as ‘No’, such Executive Candidate shall not be elected and the seat shall be vacant pending appointment or By-Election in accordance with these By-laws.”

Team Revolt candidates who ran in the initial election accumulated 60 demerit points over the campaign period, deeming them ineligible to take office, as previously reported by The Eye . The slate consisted of former vice president operations-elect Mahira Shoaib, former vice president educationelect Abeeha Ahmad, former vice president equity-elect Trevohn Baker and former vice president student life-elect Kareena Bhatia.

According to section 8.3.8.4 of the Elections Procedures Code, executive candidates who accumulate over 35 demerit points will be disqualified.

The slate violated bylaws by accessing a member’s voting portal on their behalf, campaigning to students while they are voting, misrepresentation of fact and unauthorized campaigning, on multiple instances.

On March 30, the Board of Directors carried a motion to deem

disqualified candidates from the initial 2023-24 election ineligible to run in the upcoming election. The motion was carried but has not yet passed and is contingent on consultation with the students’ union’s legal counsel on whether the Board has the power to make the decision, as previously reported by The Eye

The ERC also revealed in its April 4 statement that it is working with legal counsel to initiate a third-party investigation into alleged election misconduct that occurred during the 2023-24 elections.

“There has been a lot of information and misinformation shared about the TMSU over the past two months. We know that members are rightfully tired,” the April 4 statement reads. “We want to assure you that the ERC and the TMSU are working diligently to ensure the integrity of our elections and the organization more broadly, and keep students aware of the process, next steps and accountability mechanisms that are in place during these times. ”

The ERC said it will continue to keep students informed of the next steps to be taken and provide more information as it is confirmed.

“We understand that this situation is unprecedented, and we appreciate your patience and support as we work diligently to uphold the integrity of our elections and the democratic process within TMSU,” the statement reads. The motion was carried but has not yet passed and is contingent on consultation with the students’ union’s legal counsel on whether the Board has the power to make the decision, as previously reported by The Eye

Intensive courses let TMU students earn credits in as little as five days this spring

By Dexter LeRuez

The spring semester at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) is weeks away and while students begin to plan their summer classes, intensive courses are the hidden gem for students who want to get credits fast.

TMU’s Chang School of Continuing Education offers several accelerated classes which can provide students with full course credits in as little as one week.

A TikTok posted last month by TMU student user @jehossica went viral after she told viewers about the different credits she has earned in less than a week. “I’m just trying to not gatekeep because these are literally the best thing ever,” she said.

The Chang School’s intensive courses for the spring semester will begin in May. Enrollment is open until the day before the class starts, according to academic coordinator of interdisciplinary studies, Amy Clem-

ents-Cortes. She recommends signing up in advance to avoid technical difficulties and overbooked courses.

Course set ups vary from professor to professor, with the option of completing the course online or in the classroom, according to the Chang School website.

“It’s just a different way of learning,” said Clements-Cortes. “Some people like that mixed in with the regular 13-week semester.”

The accelerated format also helps those who learn better in a more intense and immersive learning experience, said Gary Hepburn, Dean of The Chang School in an emailed statement to The Eyeopener. Undergraduate students typically find these courses more manageable during the Spring and Summer terms, provided they have enough time available to fulfill the course requirements.

“This is so worth it to me, especially because I’m someone who likes to finish something as quick

as possible and I like to get my assignments done super quick,” said user @jehossica in her TikTok.

Intensive courses put a more significant focus on collaborative group work as opposed to exams and tests, said Stanley Chase, a lecturer at The Chang School who has taught intensive courses at TMU since 2017. “Almost half the course’s grade comes from group work.”

However, intensive courses aren’t a good fit for everyone, said Chase.

The workload required in such a short period can be difficult for students with other commitments, such as work or other classes, adds Clements-Cortes.

“You need to have the same amount of time that you would dedicate to an online course,” she said “The best advice is to make sure that you don’t have competing things going on that week.”

However, some students don’t even know that these courses are

available. Third-year business management student Nicholas Carvalho hadn’t heard of the Chang School’s intensive courses prior to his interview with The Eye

“I’ve heard of The Chang School, obviously,” said Carvalho. “If [classes are] kind of hard during a semes-

EMERSON WILLIAMS/THE EYEOPENER

ter, you push stuff to Chang. But the one-week intensive [classes]? Nah.”

Apart from a page on the Chang School website about the accelerated courses, TMU doesn’t make the information easily available on its course calendar site. Read more at theeyeopener.com

Editorial:

Thank you for making my

dreams

come true, TMU

Being the editor-in-chief of Volume 56 has been the most important job I’ve ever had

By Abeer Khan

It was during my second year at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) when news broke of the then-Ryerson Students’ Union credit card scandal. My first thought was holy shit. As I read the article— the first story I ever read from The Eyeopener—I was impressed. A student newspaper was capable of breaking such an important and campus-shattering story.

From then on, I idolized The Eye Every week, when I walked past the newsstand in Kerr Hall on my way to the Rogers Communications Centre from the library, I picked up a copy of the new edition. I read every page, knew the editors (parasocially) and one day hoped I would get to write for the punchy student newspaper known for producing some of the best Canadian journalists. Never would I have imagined back then that I would not only write for The Eye but work on masthead and eventually become the editor-in-chief of the paper.

From my first year to now at the end of my tenure as the editor-inchief, a lot has happened. In 2020, the world shut down due to a global pandemic that moved school and The Eye online for two years. I spent the end of my second year, the entirety of my third and a majority of my fourth year on Zoom.

only a part of the street.

The fall also saw the occurrence of another sexual assault in Kerr Hall, which prompted conversations on campus about the safety and security of the building. In January, TMU announced that it made several “security enhancements” to Kerr Hall and around campus prior to the fall 2022 semester. In addition to adding more security guards, the school also said it began a partnership with the Toronto Police Service (TPS) to have officers on campus. TMU has since reached out to The Eye and maintains that there is no formal partnership with TPS. Instead, they said the university has a “working relationship” with the police. The increased security presence sparked concern amongst some Black, Indigenous and racialized students and community members who said not everyone’s safety is being taken into consideration.

rity” of the elections. While reporting on these events in the moment led to long nights typing away at our computers, sleepless Tuesday production days and my own personal conspiracy theory that I am going bald, this is the kind of shit I longed to do as a firstyear. Our team worked hard to report these stories, inform students and make sure everything we wrote was accurate and true.

While a lot has changed, so much has also stayed the same

Aside from the hectic news cycle, there were highlights to celebrate this year too. We began operating under a new name free from a colonial legacy, after years of advocacy and activism from Indigenous students and community members.

our return back has had on students mentally. Going from two years in total isolation to now being fully integrated back onto campus life was not easy and I’m proud of all TMU students for braving a rocky path back.

As I write for The Eye for what may be my final time, I want to thank you, the students of TMU, for trusting us with your stories. Oftentimes, student media is seen as an afterthought, as just another menial fee students have to pay. But in reality, we are your voice. We will continue to advocate for you for years to come, tell your stories and hold the school and students’ union accountable.

I also want to thank all my wonderful editors, both old and new. To my former editors, thank you for bestowing your never-ending knowledge of journalism on me. For current editors on the masthead, thank you for trusting me to lead Volume 56 and believing in this paper. And to our hard-working volunteers, who are the backbone of The Eye, I am immensely grateful for your passionate storytelling and dedication to us.

Editor-in-Chief

Abeer “Porple” Khan

News

Jake “Perry” MacAndrew Gabriela “PSG” Silva Ponte Racy “Kevin” Rafique

Photo

Konnor “Law Abiding” Killoran

Vanessa “Basic Quit” Kauk Kinza “Korolla” Zafar

Online

Thea “Baget” Gribilas

Madeline “Pillsbury” Liao

Features

Stephanie “Bermuda Triangle” Davoli

Arts and Culture

Shaki “Gray’s Body” Sutharsan

Business and Technology

Natalie “Chillies” Vilkoff

Communities

Negin “BB Bawse” Khodayari

Sports

Gavin “Ovo Javer” Axelrod

Jack “Hunter” MacCool

When I was elected as editor last spring, I felt lucky that I would get a chance to come back to campus and experience a full return after feeling like I had been deprived of my own university experience. But while a lot has changed, so much has also stayed the same.

Our students’ union is once again dealing with past financial mismanagement amongst other things, policing and security is still a real issue on campus and as I’m writing this now, there is still sadly construction on Gould Street—albeit

Over at the Toronto Metropolitan Students’ Union (TMSU), election season started with a whirlwind before it even officially began. In March, the TMSU said it was investigating “questionable financial transactions” from the 2021-22 fiscal year. At the start of the voting period, TMSU president Marina Gerges released a video statement on Instagram alleging she was “set up” to be caught drinking and driving by some individuals involved with the TMSU in various capacities. The election also ended with a bang, as it was deemed invalid due to election misconduct. The students’ union was going to initially hold a second election in the spring but has since cancelled it as a result of new evidence presented to the Elections and Referenda Committee “that raises significant concerns about the integ-

Campus life was also rejuvenated. Sports were back in full swing for the first time since the 2019-20 academic year, keeping The Eye’s sports editors booked and busy. Student groups like the Anime Club held events on campus to engage and socialize with students, always filling up the Student Campus Centre with good vibes and sick tunes. Another rare W, our new mascot is not a squirrel nor a tower.

Here at The Eye, we’ve also had a milestone year. Our team went back to producing weekly print issues for the first time since the 2019-20 school year. With little knowledge of how to publish so often but with all the will in the world, we found a way to get through this year.

As we wrap up our first year back in-person though, it’s important to acknowledge the toll the pandemic and

I joined The Eye in my third year, doe-eyed and very scared but determined to tell important stories. Slowly, this paper and community have nurtured me into the journalist and person I am today. Every story I told and every student I spoke to has transformed the way I see the world. I’ve loved every minute of my time here, from writing my first feature story to editing the entirety of Volume 56.

Now, in a short seven months, my time at TMU has come to an end. I have a degree under my belt and a year of incredibly valuable knowledge leading this student newspaper. The Eye has been everything I’ve known for three years now. It has taught me everything, given me the bestest of friends and has allowed me to grow as a person and journalist.

In my short time here, we’ve been through so much, from peepeepoopoo man to the pandemic.

As I bid farewell to The Eye and TMU, I’m hopeful for what’s to come in the next year.

After all, we’re back!

Eyelections are happening soon!

It’s that time of year again!

Eyelections are back once again. Join us for our annual in-person elections where every position on masthead will be open!

It will be an exciting night of speeches as we welcome new editors onto our masthead for the winter semester.

Elections will occur on April 14 at 4 p.m. at Oakham House.

Who can run?

All full-time, undergraduate students enrolled at Toronto Metropolitan University are eligible to run for a masthead position.

What positions are available?

• Editor-in-Chief

• Arts and Culture editor

• Features editor

• Business and Technology editor

• Fun editor

• Communities editor

• Online editor (2)

• News editor (3)

• Photo editor (3)

• Media editor (2)

• Sports editor (2)

Who can vote?

All masthead members and any volunteer who has contributed at least three times this semester can vote. Articles and videos count as one single contribution. Writing a feature counts as two contributions. Fact-checking and copy

editing two articles counts as one contribution.

Stay up to date: Follow us on Instagram to stay up to date with all Eyelection information!

Fun and Satire

Zarmminaa “Korn Dog” Rehman

Media

Sonia “$33 dollars” Khurana Youdon “Pull-up” Tenzin

Web

Nishil “LinkedIn” Kapadia

Sam “Ping-Pong” Chowdhury

General Manager

Liane “Mother” McLarty

Advertising Manager

Chris “The GOAT” Roberts

Design Director

J.D. “Smooth Like Butter!” Mowat

Contributors

Danielle “LiV!” Reid

Anthony “Matrix” Lippa-Hardy

Jerry “MVP” Zhang

Emerson “Sick :(” Williams

Edward “Stache” Lander

Denise “Cartographer” Xiao Oceanne “Brocken” Li

Yumna “Involved” Kamran

Dexter “Twitter Titan” LeRuez

Anna-Giselle “Hyphen” Funes-Eng

Nalyn “Persistent” Tindall Shadi “Kind Of A Slay” Be Sam “Shushu“ Almeida

Anne “Songwriter Of The Year” Lague

Catherine “Best Advisor” Abes

Tyler “Just Knows” Griffin

Edward “Made It” Djan

Prapti “One Liners” Bamaniya

Alexandra “Working Girl” Holyk

Abby “Needs Rest” Hughes

Christina “Bold!” Flores-Chan

Asha “Cutest” Swann

Jes “Awkward Uncle” Mason

Peyton “Hey” Keeler-Cox

Mariyah “Baseball Stan” Salhia

I’m hopeful for what’s to come in the next year

JERRY ZHANG/THE EYEOPENER

Mass Exodus 2023 is bringing “Sonder” to TMU

By Danielle Reid

As the semester comes to a close and we begin to usher in the spring, students across The Creative School are preparing for the 35th annual Mass Exodus fashion show on April 15. At the annual event, graduating students from Toronto Metropolitan University’s (TMU) fashion communication and design program will showcase their final collections and designs through a runway show and exhibition.

Mass Exodus is the final product of the two-part Live Event Supercourse (FCD 817 I & II) offered at TMU exclusively to students in The Creative School. In the fall semester, students worked in groups to develop different themes and voted on the idea they wished to collectively produce in the winter semester. Drawing inspiration from each group, the concept of ‘Sonder’ was established.

Defined in the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows created by John Keoning, sonder is a neologism—a made up word to describe an emotion that does not have an existing word.

It refers to the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own.

“It’s the profound feeling that everyone is complex and shaped by our individual experiences and ambitions,” says Madeleine Sweenie, exhibition line producer and sponsorship coordinator.

Sweenie explains that this overarching idea allows for students to explore their own interpretation. “People are doing things from across the board,” she said. “‘Sonder’ is the umbrella that covers all of these interweaving things.”

The concept is one that Sweenie believes is relevant to the times students are currently living in. “Especially coming out of quarantine,” she says. “Right now it’s special for everyone to have empathy toward others and know everyone has different experiences.”

place in two parts and models will strut down the catwalk dawning thoughtfully hand-crafted pieces from the collections of various student designers.

In order to be included in the show, collections must have been worked on for a minimum of four years. Daniel Cha, show producer and fourth year fashion communications student, says each student has a different personal background, aesthetic and story-line which they bring to their individual collections.

“The most exciting thing, after the collections, is seeing the huge diversity of works,” says Cha. “It’s a very stimulating show and you’ll get to see a lot of different styles.”

This year, executives want to be sure to highlight the exhibition portion of the event that will be running throughout the entire day.

most rewarding. We’re treating [the show] in a very professional manner and gaining that foundational experience within the fashion industry with this type of show,” says Shivers.

She encourages people to consider what impact they will leave behind after the event. “Will that [impact] be positive or negative on the people who continue to exist in the space afterwards?”

A few ways Tansey says they are promoting sustainability is by minimizing new materials, sourcing food and drinks locally and making sure items such as lanyards can be reused in future events.

ative School students have put in to run the event and create the collections has made her excited for the community to come see the show. “Students have gone above and beyond with the amount of creativity and innovation,” she says.

The gallery-style format of the exhibition will allow guests to view capstone projects that aren’t in a fashion collection format. This will include an array of 2D and 3D pieces such as installations, fashion films, video games, virtual reality simulations, illustrations, publications and sculptures.

Sweenie says the assortment of works that will be displayed in the exhibition serve as an example of “what fashion can achieve beyond a physical garment.”

Tunes for the shows will be provided by Toronto-based DJ Baby Q, who will set the atmosphere with a curated setlist, says budget coordinator, show co-director and thirdyear creative industries student, Grant Shivers.

Not only is this an opportunity for fashion design students to show the TMU community the fruits of their labor this year, it is also a chance for students within the faculty to get a taste of event coordination, Shivers says.

Shivers says this has been the best part of the show production experience so far.

Through their unique designs and creations, graduating fashion students are exploring themes ranging from fashion activism to augmented reality.

After examining feedback from last year’s event, sustainability is one of the top priorities for the students planning and producing Mass Exodus 2023. According to the Fashion Research Collective’s (FRC) website, the school of fashion at TMU aims to inspire action by way of sustainability in the fashion industry.

Sustainability coordinator and second-year creative industries student Gwynneth Tansey says it’s her role to ensure the event is both accessible and environmentally conscious.

Tansey says the ethos of sustainability also fits in with this year’s theme of ‘Sonder.’

“It helps people to consider that they exist in a community that has a lot of different people…and considering what the impact of their ac-

She explains how for their team, sustainability is not only about being mindful of the environment.

“Sustainability is about the community and making sure everyone feels accepted and comfortable… someone feeling like they could be part of a space, that would not be a sustainable event.”

This year’s Mass Exodus runway shows will take place at the court in the Mattamy Athletic Centre, located on the second floor of the building. The first show will start at 4 p.m. and the second at 7 p.m.

Mass Exodus will take place in wheelchair accessible locations and attendees will have access to gender neutral bathrooms.

In an effort to make the day of the event more environmentally conscious, Mass Exodus is also urging attendees to consider opting for public transit when travelling to the venue.

Sweenie says being able to work on the back-end of the project and

The exhibition will be free to attend and will be held throughout the entire day from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Rogers Communications Centre at The Creative School Catalyst on the second floor.

Tickets to access one runway show will be $15 plus tax and $25 plus tax for a two show pass that will grant access to both. Community members can purchase tickets through general ticket sales through the link in Mass Exodus’ Instagram bio (@massexodus_tmu) beginning on April 3 at 9 a.m.

A link to a livestream will also be available on the Mass Exodus website.

Read more at theeyeopener.com

“Sustainability is about the community and making sure everyone feels accepted”

“It’s the profound feeling that everyone is complex and shaped by our individual experiences”

“Sonder is the umbrella that covers all of these interweaving things”

“Students have gone above and beyond with the amount of creativity and innovation”

KONNOR KILLORAN/THE EYEOPENER

A fast track to adulthood

The struggle to prioritize health, happiness and prosperity for yourself while caring for a loved one

Trigger Warning: This story contains mention of suicide and mental distress

On the morning of New Year’s Eve 2022, Jessica Sharkey’s twin sister Brooke had gone to visit their mother in Georgetown, Ont. When she arrived, she realized her coat and medication were gone and her mother was nowhere to be found. As the girls looked back on their mother’s home security camera footage from the previous evening, they saw her being restrained and escorted out of the house by police. They later discovered their mother, who had called a suicide helpline the night before, was taken to a hospital.

Sharkey proceeded to call nine hospitals in an attempt to locate her mother before finding her at Oakville Memorial Hospital in Oakville, Ont. Despite being her emergency contact, she was not notified about her whereabouts.

The second-year professional communications student has always had an extremely close relationship with her mother, especially following her parent’s separation last summer. In the fall following the split, her mother found her health deteriorating. In addition to suffering from anxiety, Sharkey’s mother also struggles with depression, along with colitis and hyperthyroidism, which heightens the severity of her mental health issues.

According to Mayo Clinic, hyperthyroidism is a condition that occurs due to an overactive thyroid which can result in weight loss, hand tremors and an irregular heartbeat, among other symptoms. Also according to the clinic, colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease which can cause abdominal pain, cramping, weight loss and other symptoms.

Toward the end of October, Sharkey began to provide excessive care for her mother as her mental and physical health became a daily struggle. As her primary caretaker, Sharkey must constantly check on her mother’s health, which includes ensuring she’s eating, drinking water and taking her medications. She regularly calls and visits her hometown of Georgetown almost every weekend to spend time with her.

Balancing her own life and the many elements beyond caregiving, such as school, work, a social life and maintaining her own health has become overwhelming.

“I’ve never had to take care of someone, I’ve always been taken care of,” she says.

The stress of becoming an almost full-time caretaker has weighed on Sharkey’s own mental health, pushing her to seek help. Last fall, Sharkey turned to Toronto Metropolitan University’s (TMU) Centre for Student Development and Counselling to help her through this tough time.

After being assessed by TMU’s services, she was put on a four to five month wait list. At a time when her and her mother’s entire lives were changing, the help she needed was stalled.

Due to the lack of availability for counselling at TMU, the school provided Sharkey with a list of private counsellors she could contact for help instead.

“[The process] to get the help and support that you need is almost worse than the actual ailment you have,” she says.

In an email to The Eyeopener, Student Wellbeing at TMU stated that they’ve been experiencing an increase in the number of students seeking counseling services since the COVID-19 pandemic began. They’re aware of the high wait times

Words by Nalyn Tindall

Visuals by Kinza Zafar

and are working to combat this with their current resources. While balancing the role of being her mother’s caregiver, along with a full course load and working 24 to 32 hours a week, she was also jumping through several hoops that the school and private medical system expected her to endure in order to get help.

Her mother was hospitalized for three weeks after being admitted to the psych ward at the Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital during the peak of her mental health struggles earlier this year. Sharkey regards this as the first time in four months she had peace of mind, knowing her mother was safe and that she could just visit her and “be the daughter.”

She says it was the best decision for their situation as it provided her mother with constant care from a connected team of medical professionals, giving Sharkey time to recoup knowing she no longer needed to worry. During this time, she could prioritize aspects of her life she’d previously neglected, such as her own needs and social life to regain some sense of normalcy and balance.

“That was quite nice to just have peace of mind, to know that she’s safe. If anything’s going on, a doctor will take care of it,” Sharkey says.

For the average TMU student, managing academics, work, a social life, household duties and maintaining one’s mental and physical health can be a struggle. For students who face the extra challenge of caring for an ill or aging loved one, this balancing act intensifies.

In addition to the emotional toll of having to take care of those who once cared for them, the caregiving role can affect students’ ability to balance their lives and maintain their mental health.

According to a 2008 article from the National Library of Medicine, providing care for a family member often has negative effects and can lead to chronic stress, depression or both.

These psychological effects may impact a student’s work ethic, ability to socialize or capacity to care for themselves or others. Family therapist Leslie Hackett, who is based in Winnipeg, says students tasked with caring for a loved one are typically still in a developmental stage where they form their identity and establish independence from their parents. When they assume the role of caregiver for a loved one, it disrupts this developmental flow as they are now the ones taking care of the people who used to care for them, she says. “It can cause a lot of challenges in terms of one’s sense of responsibility and obligation and bring up a lot of mixed feelings,” says Hackett.

Finding balance can be difficult due to the pressures of student life, family responsibilities and other obligations. The additional role of caretaker for a loved one can have an impact on some TMU students’ ability to not only manage their lives but causes them to feel as if they’re being forced

to grow up too fast.

“I feel like I’m like 40 and I should be married with kids from the amount of things that I’ve been through,” says Sharkey.

In August of 2020, the summer before his final year of high school, George Papadopoulos’ life and family changed dramatically when the now second-year social work student’s grandfather suffered a heart attack. While he was hospitalized, Papadopoulos had moved into his grandparents’ condo in East York to care for his grandmother.

Papadopoulos has always been close with his grandmother, a Greek immigrant who he describes as “affectionate but stern.” He has several memories of his grandmother caring for him as a child and she’s been a constant maternal figure in his life. When his grandfather experienced the heart attack, the pair suddenly switched roles— now he was the caregiver in their relationship.

“From that day forward, my life and my relationship with my grandmother changed completely,” says Papadopoulos.

Unfortunately, three weeks after Papadopoulos’ grandfather’s heart attack, he passed away on Sept. 13, 2020. Papadopoulos was the person to wake his grandmother up at 4 a.m. that morning and tell her that she had to visit her husband in the hospital one last time before he passed away.

Papadopoulos had only planned to stay with his grandmother for 40 days following his grandfather’s death but because school had shifted online, it meant he had no reason to leave.

With the help of his father, the two finished the home his grandfather had been building in his family’s neighbourhood in East York and Papadopoulos and his grandmother moved in. However, on the first anniversary of his grandfather’s death, his father also suffered a heart attack but he fortu-

nately survived. This meant his family needed to re-adjust again, causing his parents to sell their house and move in with Papadopoulos and his grandmother.

Caring for someone can take many forms and for Papadopoulos and his grandmother, emotional care was the primary need. This began with simply talking about his grandfather’s death and helping his grandmother process her new reality. The couple were neighbours when they were young and had never spent much time apart, making his death especially difficult. Papadopoulos would often simply sit with her and let her cry. As time went on, he began to help her see the good side of things, like her children and grandchildren being in her life.

Emotional support is not the only form of care he provides; he’s helped dye her hair and keeps her active, taking her for walks or providing her with tasks and hobbies to fill her days. At the end of every night, he makes sure she’s gone to bed safely and turns off and puts away her iPad, which she often falls asleep watching.

According to a 2021 article from the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, it’s common for adolescent and young caregivers to experience both positive and negative consequences as a result of their caregiving responsibilities. Some of the negative outcomes can include mental health issues, stress and social isolation from peers. However, on the positive side, they may also develop resilience, maturity, empathy and an enhanced selfimage.

Papadopoulos says he enjoys caring for his grandmother and loves her more than words describe. Caring for her is second nature; he feels the need to reciprocate what she’s done for him his entire life. Yet, balancing the rest of his life with the time he spends caring for his grandmother quickly became an issue. “Life throws things your way and you just have to navigate it to the best of your abilities,” he says.

The month following his grandfather’s death was the most challenging period for him. He was very focused on how his grandmother was doing, leading him to cut off the social elements of life, making him feel lonely and isolated. His grandmother was his top priority, followed by school, causing him to sacrifice time for himself and his friends.

He was also sacrificing self-care but realized this and soon began going to the gym more often and eating healthier. He says he wasn’t seriously neglecting his needs but pushing himself to his limits, especially mentally.

One element Papadopoulos has found particularly difficult to balance is his full course load but he’s been learning to be more realistic with his priorities.

“Being organized is your biggest tool but then again, not everything happens the way you want it to.”

He now sets weekly and daily goals to help him stay on track and is making time for his social life and his own needs, treating them as tasks, despite this being difficult at times.

Hackett recommends that students caring for loved ones prioritize their free time, being mindful of if they’re using it to rest and recharge. “When we are consistently stuck in a dynamic where someone else’s needs are kind of overwhelming that can be very, psychologically and emotionally taxing in the short and the long term,” she says.

A pattern of putting a loved one’s needs before our own can form. This feeling of obligation throws off any balance one’s life may have and emotional depletion can make other tasks seem more difficult or exhausting, Hackett explains.

While balance was more difficult initially, it’s a recurring hardship. Between caring for his grandma, attending classes, going to the gym, going out with friends and being a part of his church and community, Papadopoulos finds himself living multiple different lives. The transition between these different identities and social settings is what’s most difficult for him now.

With little time to switch from the role of grandson to caregiver, the entire experience has forced him to grow up faster than he anticipated. He says he feels like he went from age 17 to 40 overnight and is now an old soul due to the experience.

“I feel like I lost my youthfulness,” says Papadopoulos.

Caring for his grandmother has also allowed Papadopoulos to gain a new understanding of himself.

He’s become a more confident person and no longer doubts his abilities. Astonished by how strong he was not only for himself but for his family, he said, “you don’t realize how much potential you have, like how much strength you have until you’re put in a situation like that, where that’s the only thing

In terms of support, Papadopoulos continues to turn to his tight-knit family. Their dynamics and relationships have changed, yet they’re more supportive than ever.

At school, he’s been able to access the Academic Accommodation Support Office to assist in balancing his studies. When visiting Florida with his grandmother to repair her flooded vacation home, he was able to get in person classes accommodated to an online format.

Sharkey has also utilized these services, saying professors are usually very understanding and found utilizing academic accommodation a much easier process than getting counselling support.

Papadopoulos tends not to turn to his friends for support as they usually don’t understand his relationship with his grandmother, questioning why they’re so close and why he has put his life aside to care for her at times.

Misconceptions surrounding his situation are not unusual, as many people, including extended family members, view

his situation in a pitiful light. While he appreciates their concern, he’s assured them he wouldn’t be caring for his grandmother if he didn’t love her and doesn’t need any pity.

Since the beginning of their time together, their dynamic has continued to change; his grandmother has adjusted but is still not back to her old ways. Papadopoulos still helps to dye her hair, goes out to the store with her and talks to her every morning over tea and each night when they watch game shows before bed. He describes himself as “her partner in crime.” He also says his caretaking responsibilities have become much less demanding, “I was her crutch but now I’m just walking beside her.”

His family jokes that when he gets married, his grandmother will come with him and he admits that might just be the case, saying the only thing that will part them is death.

Sharkey’s weekly schedule these days is intense. After she attends classes Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings, she heads to Bulk Barn where she often works from 12 to 9 p.m. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, her days are filled with classes and are usually accompanied by threehour check-in calls with her mother when she has a break. She then heads home to Georgetown, Ont. on Saturday evenings and comes home Monday morning to make it to class on time. This schedule is similar to last semester when she worked four shifts a week at the height of her mother’s mental health crisis.

During that time, her mother was her top priority but Sharkey is now trying her best to care for herself. Throughout the caretaking process, she experienced a lack of sleep and noticed how her mental health affected her physical health, leading to exhaustion and burnout. She says she’s often put her happiness on the back burner as she doesn’t want to make others deal with her problems.

Her social life is another factor which is often neglected. Sharkey says she’s had to get creative when socializing due to a lack of time and energy. Her primary mode of socialization is simply the time she’s at home, as she can hang out with her roommates, who she considers close friends. Her long-distance relationship with her boyfriend has also worked out for the best, as they can be more flexible over the phone and don’t have to designate time to spend with one another in person. These people serve as a support network for Sharkey, who she says have all helped tremendously.

Caring for a parent can cause challenges with one’s sense of responsibility and obligation and create mixed feelings varying from disappointment, anger, fear, anxiety, confusion and loneliness, says Hackett. As adults, we still seek guidance and support from our parents and it’s difficult when that’s taken away; it’s also disappointing when they are no longer present in our lives.

One of the challenges Sharkey faces is the sudden shift in the dynamic of her relationship with her mother. She’s no longer able to confide in her mother or share her own stress and problems of student life, as they’re not a priority. Receiving low grades on assignments she was proud of is something Sharkey would normally talk to her mom about but she feels it’s not important these days.

While her mother’s health is improving, it’s thanks to the high dose of medication she takes for both her physical and mental conditions. Sharkey says it’s nice to go home and see her in a better state but it’s difficult to accept that she is only doing better because of the medication she’s taking and not improving on her own. Sharkey still calls multiple times a day to ensure she’s taking care of herself.

Ultimately she says this entire experience has forced her to grow up too fast. Not only has she had to care for someone but she’s also had to learn the intricacies of both the legal and medical systems while maintaining two households and trying to plan for her own future.

Sharkey says there were often times where she began to lose hope or felt that her situation wouldn’t improve. But with perseverance, she’s seeing change on the horizon.

“Even though you’ve got to fight to get the help that you know that you need or that the person that you care about needs, it’s worth it.”

Personal Essay: The reality of being transgender in today’s political climate

By Shadi Be

To be informed in 2023 means to be in a constant state of disappointment that festers into a hopeless acceptance of defeat. To be trans is to be seen as a groomer, unwanted, unnatural and to a degree, unloved.

Routinely I wake up to my Instagram being flooded by THEM, an acclaimed Queer activist platform, sharing yet another anti-trans bill being passed in United States.

As I write this piece, Senate Bill 150 in Kentucky is forcing doctors to deny gender-affirming care to youth. It prohibits trans kids from using appropriately-gendered bathrooms in schools and bans any mention of sexuality or 2SLGBTQIA+ identity from kindergarten to Grade 6 classrooms. Two more bills are being finalized repealing the most basic of human rights, from protection against discrimination to gender-affirming healthcare. This year, there have been 450 anti-trans bills introduced in the U.S., according to Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary’s Twitter—if we’re counting.

The cost of finding your truth and being transgender in the 2020s

discussing Queer and Black history left and right across the U.S. in thousands of schools, according to CBS News. With no surprise, Texas and Florida are leading the charge with over 1,600 books being banned across 32 states.

The books discuss topics of gender identity, sexuality and Black and Queer history; Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe is the most banned book with 41 different instances of it being taken off shelves.

All of these measures are taken in the name of ‘fear’—that these books program the children of tomorrow to be Queer simply because they tells them we exist.

Transgender and non-binary people have always existed, that is an unarguable truth. Legislation like the “Don’t Say Gay” bill in Florida, that bans sexual orientation and gender identity from being discussed from kindergarten to Grade 3, is an attempt to control youth from acquiring the knowledge of history, as Queer history is everyone’s history.

On March 31, The Associated Press reported the Florida bill was being expanded to ban discussions until Grade 8—at 13 to 14 years old— allowing staff and teachers to refer to students using improper pronouns.

This has become the norm, waiting to see what will be taken next from our community in what is supposedly the land of the free.

How can it be that Queer and trans rights are going backward at such a rate when a majority of youth and young adults that will inherit this society not only disagree but are actively fighting against it?

To me it is almost laughable that International Transgender Day of Visibility is even a reality with a political climate that is banning books

According to The Associated Press, the state house passed the expanded bill with a 77-35 vote. The bill now awaits being passed in the senate and the governor’s signature.

“Don’t Say Gay” is an attempt to delay children from discovering who they are, trying to slow the progress that is inevitable to come. It is a bold act to remind us that even though it has been more than half a century since the likes of Marsha P. Johnson, one of the most outspoken Queer rights activists in history, walked the streets of the Stonewall Riots, not much has really changed.

Although things may look very

different today and there is a greater acceptance of Queerness in wider society, parts of me long for what it must have felt like to be in those underground spaces, like the ballrooms of ‘90s New York scene in Paris is Burning. Where there was a true freedom to just be even though it was fear and oppression that made those rooms solely our own.

Immediately, the woman with me started to go off on the female identifying security guard, a defense that I was grateful for but reminded me that being appalled by discrimination was not a luxury I can afford if I want things to remain ‘amicable.’

What followed was a calm discussion explaining my gender identity and educating the guard on the realities and the difficulty of being able to change one’s gender on their ID—and how some countries don’t even allow it.

boldly dehumanized yet it’s the inhumanity that has the loudest voice in the room, being broadcast to millions of people.

So, in honour of International Transgender Day of Visibility, I challenge its name. To be seen does nothing in an age of social media and content where my community’s largest stage is entertainment—as beautiful and valuable as it is as an art form in itself.

In today’s world, I find it hard to actually find spaces that aren’t made for the straight gaze to fetishize the entertainment that is Queerness—places that are just ours. Our existence feels as though it is merely tolerated, as if we should be grateful that we are even being seen at all.

Yet, being seen has its price. Our narrative is constantly being argued by people who will never walk in our shoes but it may be our only chance to get a seat at their table. This however is not to be mistaken with a voice, let alone one that is heard or respected. We are people. We are humans simply trying to find our place and give love in a world that is cruel to ‘our kind’ far too often.

We are tired of having our existence and our motives challenged and being spoken for by those who simply want trans people to be eradicated.

I’ll never forget walking into a women’s bathroom at a luxury resort in the Bahamas wearing makeup in a dress and being with another woman. I was stopped, followed by a security guard telling me I could not be in this bathroom while demanding I show the gender on my ID.

I was met with genuine curiosity and an apology before she left. I’ll never forget her telling me how she thought that it was ridiculous that the government has control over the gender one chooses to list their ID—oh the irony.

Yet what stuck with me to this day is how the conversation started, her telling me: “Well we can never be sure if you’re just some drag queen that wants to come to the women’s bathroom and is pretending so they can do things to women.”

There it was, the millions of dollars spent lobbying to create and push these bills is for one goal only, to spread the narrative that trans women and drag queens are supposedly these creatures of hypersexuality. That they’re simply beings unable to control themselves, leading to the harm and conditioning of children and the sexual assault of ‘real’ women.

To be heard is what is truly needed, to have our story told by us and the weight of our words to have the same gravitas as the cis-straight allies who have come to our defense time and time again in the political sphere. We are worthy of respect not simply sufferance.

I am sick, I am exhausted and I am vexed that my existence can be seen by another human being this way. That people like me are being

If the world thinks that erasing our history will stop us from existing, they will never succeed; the power of being transgender is as resilient as nature itself. I was born a woman even if it took me 18 years to realize that. I am who I am because it is who I was always meant to be.

I realized my identity without a role model, a teacher or even a story. So to anyone who opposes my existence, to the people pulling the strings of society’s narrative, I have one thing to say: all of your programming, from the cis-straight relationships depicted on every TV show, to the people using religion to say my existence is an abomination—I still won even when you created a world designed for me to fail.

I am woman, I am fearless, I am sexy, I am the divine.

ANTHONY LIPPA-HARDY/THE EYEOPENER

People like me are being boldly dehumanized yet it’s the inhumanity that has the loudest voice

The power of being transgender is as resilient as nature itself

I still won even when you created a world designed for me to fail

KONNOR KILLORAN/THE EYEOPENER

I am vexed that my existence can be seen by another human being this way

The darkest day in Bold history

By Gavin Axelrod and Jack MacCool

Those of you who see us loitering around the Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC) may just think we’re superfans of the university’s sports teams. But sometimes, as sports editors, we do a little bit of work around here too. And our work was never more rigorous, exhausting and sad than on Feb. 25 when all five varsity teams at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) left in the playoffs faced elimination in their post-season matchups.

For some, that was just one day closer to the end of the month. However, for these two schmucks from The Eyeopener, that day was more like a marathon. One that ended with no winners. Seriously, not one team that played won a game that day.

This is the story of that day. A day some might consider the Darkest Day in Bold History.

1:30 p.m.

Our day began with a trip to Subway on Carlton Street. Our sandwich artist prepped our meals for what we thought would be a great day. They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so naturally we crammed meaty footlongs in our mouths. Frankly, they were delicious.

After leaving Subway, we made

our way over to the MAC where the women’s hockey team was about to kick off the day. Normally we’re serious reporters and our paycheque doesn’t revolve around who wins and loses. But on this day, we were all in on the squad’s quest to force a deciding Game 3 against the University of Toronto (U of T).

It was also the Bold Broadcast debut of our good pal Isabelle Rossi. She picked the potential final home game of the year to make her sideline debut and knocked it out of the park.

While some of the fans in attendance were there to watch hockey, we spent most of the game cheering for the sideline reporter.

3:25 p.m.

The two of us had decided to split up the men’s and women’s basketball games but quickly determined that we’d be better off giving those writing opportunities to some of our great volunteers.

In what could only be considered an act of God or some other higher power, our ace basketball writer Armen Zargarian’s Twitter fingers were active and ready to type. Armen was in California and posted a tweet about not being able to write the game recap. But what he didn’t realize is that The Eye doesn’t have trade agreements that bar us from publishing across international borders. Armen was in—all the way from California.

As we were rallying our troops, the Bold women’s hockey team had a game to win. They were rallying as well but the score still wasn’t in their favour. By the time the clock struck 5 p.m., the first of five teams had fallen.

4:10 p.m.

The men’s basketball game in Ottawa was already underway along with women’s volleyball who were in action in Waterloo, Ont.

We stopped by a poorly attended watch party in the Jet Ice Lounge made up of mostly TMU staff. As they say, the more things change, the more they stay the same. So, nat-

urally we decided to move this twoman party to our office on 55 Gould Street where nobody would know if we were cheering for the Bold.

5:40 p.m.-ish… (It’s been a while since that day)

We were like “Wow what a game.”

The Bold men’s basketball team’s season was on the line and they had one final possession to knock off the uOttawa Gee-Gees, one of the best teams in Canada.

This one though, might go down as the most heartbreaking loss of the day. And trust, there were a lot of losses that day.

TMU was down by a single point and failed to capitalize before time expired, allowing the Gee-Gees to narrowly advance to the next round with a 73-72 win.

Oh and who could forget, that Armen secured interviews with coaches and players while he was in another goddamn country. Although Armen found a rare win that day, there were no more to come for the men’s basketball team this season.

We can confidently say we wouldn’t want to be on the bus ride back from that one.

6:20 p.m.

As if the day couldn’t get worse for the school, the women’s volleyball team was also eliminated at the hands of Waterloo. And since we’re leaving our jobs, we’ll expose ourselves and say that this squad was one of our favourite to cover this year.

It was at this point where reality set in for us. This really could be the last day we cover sports games at the university.

However, there were two more games left to play and we were cautiously optimistic about the Bold’s chances. The men’s volleyball team was set for a rematch with McMaster, whose undefeated streak had ended at the hands of TMU just eight days prior. Then it was the reigning national champion women’s basketball team who were facing off against the Carleton Ravens

on the road in Ottawa.

7:55 p.m.

By the time the clock struck 8 p.m., another TMU titan had toppled. The women’s basketball team came up just short against the eventual national champion Ravens and at this point, any faith we had left in humanity was lost.

We were so sad, we even pawned off the last recap of the day to one of our volunteers so we could wallow in our sorrows without having to have one eye on the men’s volleyball game—massive shoutout to Kaden Nanji for that one.

10:37 p.m.

By a score of three sets to one, McMaster sent the men’s volleyball team into the off-season, and us? They sent us into a pit of despair. At that point, we were on the low. We were taking our time processing what had gone down on that day. Who can relate?

After all that time, one final recap to file. One final stamp on the year that was for Bold athletics and more importantly, a stamp on The Eye’s sports coverage (Whomp whomp).

Epilogue

More than 36 days have passed since that day.

The MAC gym is quiet. There is no longer music or the sound of cheering fans. The screechy squeaking of basketball and volleyball shoes no more as the players are done with their games for the year. Upstairs at the rink, events have occurred but it’s not the same as the blue and gold of the Bold.

And for us, well, this is the last time ever that we’ll fill the pages of ye olde Eyeopener. It’s been a good year. No actually, it’s been a great year. Even though our print coverage is done, the real friends were the volunteers we met along the way.

But just because our print cycle is done for now, doesn’t mean we don’t have stories on the way. Because at The Eye, there’s always more to come.

KONNOR KILLORAN/THE EYEOPENER

MATTHEW LIN/THE EYEOPENER

KINZA ZAFAR/THE EYEOPENER

‘The real friends were the volunteers we met along the way’

Students lead the Mutual Market on campus to combat food insecurity

By Yumna Kamran

Maria Jude said she noticed students were struggling to afford food and clothing during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“There was a dire need for food support for students…I had friends and colleagues that relied heavily on donations to be able to clothe themselves and that’s how dire the poverty really was,” said Jude, who graduated from the nutrition and food program in 2020.

This led her—along with the efforts of two other Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) students Serge Khvatov and Asha Simpson— to establish what has now become the Mutual Market.

It is a student-led, non-profit market fair held every other Wednesday in the Student Campus Centre (SCC) lobby during the winter time and outside when the weather is warm.

Students can purchase fresh produce, multicultural lunch items and second-hand clothing at no

markup. It also has open mics for willing participants and provides a space for student vendors, musicians and artists.

“[The Mutual Market] is a grassroots project meaning it is people coming together to solve problems in their community from the bottom up,” said Khvatov, a third-year history student and the market’s current organizer.

The project initially began in Fall 2021, when Jude launched a food pantry at Neill Wycik—a student housing co-operative—that was a space to pick up free food and essentials. This was funded by a budget that was already allocated by the building.

Jude used the budget to buy food from Food Share, an organization that supports community-led food initiatives and put that food out for free for students. “Once a week I would put out food, fruits, vegetables, essentials and set up a fridge,” she said.

In Winter 2022, Jude and Simpson set up clothing racks outside the SCC building and started giving out

the second-hand clothing donations they received from Neill Wycik.

She said they aimed to keep the initiative as equitable as possible and had a sign that said “Keep what you need, leave what you don’t.”

“We acknowledged the fact that many people struggle to not only pay for food but to pay for clothing as a result,” said Jude.

The project then branched out into what is now known as the Mutual Market.

Khvatov said the Yonge-Dundas Square area has a lot of food options but they aren’t affordable— with some meals costing around $15 minimum. “The cost adds up,” Khvatov said. “To the best of our ability, our aim is to fight student food insecurity and provide students with more good quality, affordable grocery and lunch food options in the Dundas area.”

Khvatov also works at Karma CoOp, a grocery store that specializes in providing organic, local, fair trade and zero waste products to consumers. As a staff member, Khvatov is able to purchase the goods at a 25 per cent discount and sell them at that same price at the Mutual Market.

“In the market fair, we sell organic, local, sustainably harvested produce and if it isn’t local—like the bananas—we do a lot of due diligence to make sure they come from ethical and sustainable sources.”

According to Jude, the long term goal of the Mutual Market has always been to establish a food cooperative at TMU inspired by the one at Concordia University in Montreal. The Concordia Farmer’s Market was a student project founded in 2014, which is now overseen by the Concordia Food Coalition, an on-campus organiza-

tion whose goal is to create accessible and democratic food systems. The market runs every other week and its goal is to facilitate access to fresh, local foods while empowering students to be “the leaders of food system amelioration.”

“We want to have a permanent space that sells affordable food and essentials to students that is run by students but funded by the student levy,” said Jude. “A permanent space where people can hang-out, study, read, lounge, grab a snack.”

team behind it requires more funding in order to continue to host more community-building events.

Khvatov is currently the sole organizer of the event and is also looking for more hands to help out. “When we started the event there were three main organizers and now it’s just me,” Khvatov said. “We’re looking for more volunteers and organizers because I am overwhelmed with all the tasks. I’m sure there are people out there with really great ideas that are not being used.”

Jacqui Gingras, a sociology professor at TMU, said she appreciates the efforts of the students running the market and feels it has numerous benefits for TMU students.

However, the Mutual Market’s leaders face many challenges in organizing the bi-weekly event, including a lack of funding from the university as well as a lack of volunteers.

Currently, the market’s organizers use the money they earn from sales combined with their own personal investments to fund the initiative. It is entirely non-profit and the money that is made goes back into funding their future events.

When the market first started, Khvatov said they applied for the Student Initiative Fund (SIF)—which provides seed funding to TMU student-led non-profit initiatives— and were supposed to receive it. However, the market did not get funding, Khvatov said.

Recently, the Mutual Market was given funding from the Toronto Metropolitan Association of Part-time Students (TMAPS), who Khvatov said are the market’s main supporters at the moment. Khvatov added that the Mutual Market has not yet reached the break-even point so the

“The Mutual Market helps to build community connections. There’s something very powerful but seemingly very simple that happens when two students talk, introduce themselves to each other and form a connection,” she said. “It helps promote mental wellness as well.”

Gingras is the market’s faculty representative for the SIF but is not directly involved in the organization of the market.

“It’s a phenomenal movement but institutional support is needed for this initiative to be sustainable because eventually Serge will graduate,” she said. “It only takes the will of one leader to help make this sustainable.”

Jude also pointed out the need for student-led initiatives like the Mutual Market.

Khvatov added that they wanted to create a feeling of community on campus.

“[The Mutual Market] shows students that they have agency and by working together, they can transform the conditions under which they live.”

Uncertain about her career, Erica Romaniuk sat her parents down and told them that she wanted to change her occupation.

“I have an idea. It’s kind of crazy,” she told them, as she suggested the idea of starting a Toronto walking tour company—a complete turnaround from her engineering job.

At the time, Romaniuk, who graduated from Toronto Metropolitan University’s mechanical engineering program in 2021, was working as a mechanical engineering consultant at the same company where she completed her internship during school—a job she just recently quit. But even before considering a career change, she found it hard to adjust to the workplace environment, which was largely due to the isolation she felt because of COVID-19 restrictions.

being in school. I feel like, no one really warns you,” she said.

For Romaniuk, the shift away from school was a challenge. “When you graduate you go from having this amazing, supportive commu nity and you have all these events that are constantly going on...and then all of a sudden, there’s none of that,” she said. “You’re just working for a company.” She added that she mostly worked remotely at her job and had days where she wouldn’t in teract with other people.

“I’m not gonna lie, it was really hard,” she said. “For the first time in my life I started dealing with men tal health issues—I have anxiety— and that got really bad at my job.” At work, Romaniuk found herself daydreaming about other possibili ties and thinking that engineering wasn’t for her.

She began brainstorming other

career ideas in a notebook, taking ness, dedicated to walking tours of Romaniuk’s company, Step by

COURTESY OF MUTUAL MARKET

ERICA ROMANIUK

How an engineering student took the leap to start her own walking tour business

“There was a dire need for food support for students”

The Eyeopener’s theme song sing-a-long

Critters on your back

Are they the ghosts of our bed bugs past?

Thinking of those times while bored in class

Paper due at 12

That you put off now you hate yourself

Maybe the bed bugs could’ve helped

By Anne Lague

As a farewell gift, The Eyeopener thought of the best way to commemorate the past year. What better way than to write a song so catchy, you’ll have it stuck in your head day in and day out?

Without further ado, here is The Eye’s very own theme song for everyone to enjoy.

When life is full of lies

And you find yourself asking why you even bother

You can walk down to the stands

For the newspaper that understands

Better than any other

Better than any other

Nothing seems to go your way

Haven’t done laundry in 44 days

[Chorus]

When Gould Street smells

And the snow is cold

And you look bad wearing blue and gold

You can always rely on The Eye

You can always rely on The Eye

Commuting on the train

Forgot your headphones

Cuz you were running late

Stuck listening to the thoughts inside your pea-sized brain

After all your bad luck

You’re sitting ‘round thinking “This day’s

A farewell gift to the student body to remember Volume 56 for years to come

messed up!

I’m gonna get myself a little treat” (I mean I deserve it, right? Like, I earned it)

Still nothing seems to go your way

The line’s eternal at the Oakham Cafe

[Chorus]

When Gould Street smells

And the snow is cold

And you look bad wearing blue and gold

You can always rely on The Eye

You can always rely on The Eye

It’s remarkable how articles

Can make you feel alive

So many things I can do

When I’m reading The Eye

I can walk a little

Read a little Talk and learn

To play the fiddle

The Eye’s end of year crossword puzzle

Criticize, politicize Wrongdoings in disguise

Listen to new music

That will be more therapeutic

And there’s so many more things I do That I adore

When I can always rely on The Eye

When I can always rely on The Eye

Check out the song on Soundcloud by scanning the QR code or check out our Instagram for the lyric video.

Compiled using some of our top stories and moments from the 2022-23 year

By Zarmminaa Rehman

Across

3. Seven-letter word. Love, Sex & _______…?

5. Two, four-letter words. Complete the sentence: “Only one student showed up to the commuter _____.”

8. Four-letter word that is posted all around campus. It means to have strength.

9. Eight-letter word which is an act of being unfaithful to your partner. Former Toronto Mayor John Tory resigned due to this act.

12. Four-letter word. Escape of liquid from a hole in a container. Toronto Metropolitan Students’ Union (TMSU) president Marina Gerges did this to sensitive student documents.

13. Four-letter word. The acronym of the film festival that came to Toronto fully in-person after two years this past fall.

14. 15-letter word. Name of an infamous cross-collegiate icon who terrorized campuses in the Greater Toronto Area. Named after two bodily functions.

15. 11-letter word that means a “working relationship between two parties.”

18. Six letters, two three-letter words. Shares a name with a dining room in the Ted Rogers School of Management building and a famous museum in New York City.

19. Seven-letter word. Restaurant on campus owned by ex-TMSU president Obaid Ullah.

Down

1. Six-letter word. Which bird did TMU choose as its new mascot?

2. Six-letter word. Which slate got disqualified from the 2023 TMSU elections, prompting a second election?

4. Nine-letter word. What was The Eye’s first special issue of the academic year?

6. Six-letter word. Which Bold men’s varsity team went to the Ontario University Athletics finals for the first time since 2013 and also the only team that went to nationals during the 2022-23 season?

7. Three-letter word. Worst option on the TMU mascot shortlist, animal not team name.

10. Five-letter word. Which TMU club hosted a maid cafe?

11. Eight-letter word. What Italian dessert does the ‘TMSU’ acronym sound like?

16. Name.that.editor! Five-letter word. The name of The Eye’s editor-in-chief.

17. Three-letter acronym, location of The Eye’s office. Visit theeyeopener.com for the answer key!

Logo by Vanessa Kauk

Visual by Vanessa Kauk and Zarmminaa Rehman