Vol. 56, Issue 4

PHOTO:

MASON

TMU students participate in the Global Climate Strike

By Olivia Wiens

Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) students took to Queen’s Park to demand government cli mate change reform at The Global Climate Strike on Sept. 23.

Fridays For Future Toronto (FFFTO), the organizers of the strike, are the local branch of an international organization that sparked a global climate strike movement in 2018.

Friday’s strike saw hundreds of protesters, all fighting for climate ac tion within all levels of government, according to FFFTO’s website.

In an effort to make significant changes within the city, FFFTO calls for climate change reform from federal, provincial and municipal officials along with other corpora tions to reduce Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions by 60 per cent before 2030, according to their website.

Fridays for Future also demands the divestment from fossil fuels and wants to bring equity to the forefront of climate action, among other principles.

“We demand that all decision mak ers in the Canadian government, Ontario government, Toronto gov ernment, as well as those in banks, private and Crown corporations, universities, insurance companies, and investment funds take action,” FFFTO said on its website.

The protestors started at Queen’s Park, worked their way along Wellesley Street, Yonge Street and

Queen Street before finishing at Na than Phillips Square.

goal is to make an impact,” said Aya Bakir, the faculty of arts director at the TMSU.

“If we don’t start bringing aware ness and raising attention to the issues that are really affecting our world, then how are the students supposed to realize their role in af fecting change?”

said Molly McNiven, a fourth-year sociology student who was a part of the strike. She said she believes that youth and student-led move ments, along with their interest in the climate crisis, will lead to revo lutionary change.

“We are running out of time,” said McNiven.

forefront of Fridays For Future’s climate strikes since they began in 2018, according to FFFTO’s website.

“I think you’re more passionate when you’re young about things like this, because you know that it’s go ing to affect your future,” said Ray Halliwell, a second-year biology stu dent at the strike.

TMU students gathered before the strike began to march from campus to Queen’s Park as a com munity. They were led by mem bers of the Toronto Metropolitan Students’ Union (TMSU), who created signs and banners for stu dents at the strike.

“We are student leaders and our

Students who participated in the strike walked alongside the TMSU, chanting and making their voices heard. While all were there to protest for climate change, each student had their own reasons for joining the fight.

“It’s less about me personally and more about the movement itself,”

Youth, specifically high school and university students, have been at the

Some students said they believe TMU isn’t spreading enough aware ness about the strike.

“I think [the school] could have made a bigger deal about it,” said Paul Beniaminov, a first-year RTA new media student. “I didn’t know much about [the strike]; it was kind of last-minute.”

McNiven added that the battle to stop climate change does not end today. “The fight is a long haul to get rid of the system and solve these issues.”

She explained that educating people, especially youth, is the most effective way to truly make a dif ference in our community.

While there are no official plans yet, Bakir said the TMSU hopes to organize more climate change awareness events throughout the school year. She added that the union is looking to operate more sustainably by decreasing the amount of materials it uses in its products as well as office spaces.

“We’re trying to stay in contact with companies that can provide us with more reusable resources for things like our swag items.”

This story will be updated with a comment from the university. Read more at theeyeopener.com.

OLIVIA WIENS/THE EYEOPENER

“We are student leaders and our goal is to make an impact”

“We are out of time when it comes to climate activism and the need to end climate change”

“You’re more passionate when you’re young... because you know that it’s going to affect your future”

OLIVIA WIENS/THE EYEOPENER

Some TMU students calling on school for return of security emails

By Anna Maria Moubayed

Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) students want to see the re turn of security incident emails after the system was replaced with the TMU Safe App.

Prior to the switch to remote learn ing, security incidents on campus were posted online and emailed to community members with a link to a more detailed report of the incident.

the university.

The app provides access to emer gency procedures, contact informa tion for TMU safety and support services, personal safety tips and information on safety workshops available to students, according to the app’s website.

of the app. “I didn’t know it existed, nobody I know knows it exists, it’s not very effective if nobody has ac cess to it,” he said.

Maksimenko said the TMU Safe app could be useful but only if stu dents are informed of it.

Dani Sadun, a fourth-year image arts student at TMU, said she thinks security incident emails are a better option than the app.

In a statement to The Eyeopener, the university said there are no plans to send security incidents via email again. “Community members can continue to stay informed by reviewing the incidents online as needed,” the statement read.

The security incident email sys tem was replaced with the TMU Safe mobile app, which launched in November 2019, according to

The website also said TMU Safe alerts can be sent via text messages after subscribing to TMU Safe’s messaging system.

The university said in the state ment that the community safety and security team promotes the TMU Safe app through organized safety planning sessions, events on campus like orientation week and partner ships with other offices who engage students through tabling.

However, Tim Maksimenko, a first-year computer engineering stu dent at TMU, said he was unaware

“Given the fact that there isn’t a great amount of awareness about the TMU Safe app, emails sent to our university accounts would keep everyone on campus alert of any security incident happening,” she said. “[That would let] every single student have accessible information regarding their own safety.”

“I didn’t know it existed, nobody I know knows it exists, it’s not

Fourth-year fashion media stu dent Ainslee Lockhart said she re membered receiving the emails in

her first year and was hoping for their return as well.

“It’s kind of freaky that stuff is happening and we’re not getting notified,” she said. “If [incidents] are happening, then we should know about [them].”

While the TMU Safe app and on line posts are accessible, Sadun said the lack of awareness of these op tions make them ineffective.

“That is ultimately the responsi bility of the university for not com municating it enough,” she said.

TMU said sharing security inci dents through the app and website helps promote shared responsibility.

“By sharing security incidents, community members can stay in formed and take the appropriate precautions to help protect them selves and their property.”

Students skeptical about changes to academic accommodation as TMU changes series of policies

By Krishika Jethani

Some Toronto Metropolitan Uni versity (TMU) students are ques tioning the effectiveness of the university’s update to academic ac commodations, as the school high lights changes to several policies.

The school mentioned its updates to Policy 159 and Policy 48 in a press release earlier this month.

Policy 159 pertains to accommo dations for students with disabilities and Policy 48 pertains to the under graduate academic term.

Changes to the academic accom modations policy

The university approved the update to Policy 159 in June 2022, after a series of virtual town halls aiming to improve student accessibility.

The school also said in a press re lease that the policy was updated to “better reflect the university’s values, and to demonstrate a stronger com mitment to addressing the barriers that some students face.”

Policy 159 includes “broader” defi nitions for terms such as academic accommodation, disability and med ical documentation. Amanda Lang VanderVeen, a third-year archi tectural science student, believes this policy change is not specific enough to better serve students who need accommodations.

“It’s kind of hard to say how [the Policy 159 update is] going to play out in practice because it does sound a lit tle bit vague,” VanderVeen said. “I’m

not exactly sure what that [change] would look like. I don’t feel like that really helps students that I know.”

In an emailed response to The Eyeopener, the university said it “con tinues to improve and streamline processes so that students and faculty are better supported,” during the aca demic accommodation process.

The school pointed to the Express Registration Option, which they hope will “expedite the development and approval of student accommoda tion plans so that individual student accommodation plans are received within approximately five business days of receipt of a complete intake form,” the university said in the email.

The school also added in its press release that Policy 159 places great importance on collaboration

among students, instructors and school administrators.

Additionally, instructors are able to receive training on the distinc tions between Policy 167: Academic Considerations; and Policy 159, to be able to provide the best guidance to students in terms of which sup port to apply to.

Unlike academic accommoda tions where only students with dis abilities can apply, anyone attending TMU who is dealing with extenu ating circumstances can apply for this academic consideration. Cir cumstances include illness, allowing students to apply for an Academic Consideration Request (ACR), ac cording to the university.

VanderVeen is skeptical as to whether training TMU staff and

instructors on the new policy will actually make applying for accom modations easier.

“It still sounds like in a lot of cases, students have to come to them,” added VanderVeen about the changes to the accommodations application process.

Law intensive courses to start earlier

While those who use academic accommodations still believe the school needs to do more to make the application process easier, law students are mostly satisfied with the school’s update to Policy 48.

Despite pertaining to undergrad uate academic terms, law students fall under the umbrella of this policy.

The change to the policy will now see intensive courses required in the

Lincoln Alexander School of Law’s (LASL) curriculum start a week be fore the regular 12-week term.

The intensive courses are part of the Integrated Practice Curricu lum that puts a greater emphasis on practical rather than theoreti cal education.

Because of this, students enrolled in the program do not need to fulfill the articling requirement to be a li censed lawyer, where a professional work placement must be completed after law school.

Shany Raitsin, a second-year LASL student, said she prefers the updated timeline because she doesn’t have to balance so many classes at once. “I think them being one week before the term starts is smart because it gives us that week to focus on what ever it is we’re doing,” she said.

Raitsin added that the curriculum is very challenging but useful when developing practical skills.

“The fact that it kind of expedites your legal education to where you can skip articling is a huge benefit.”

For second-year LASL student Malik Nembhard, starting school a week early is something he doesn’t mind if it means getting a competi tive education.

“With the actual business of law yering, most schools just typically focus on the theoretical side.” Nemb hard said. “The school really creates space for us to get work experience, so as we exit [LASL], we’re already equipped. Everybody has some kind of legal work experience.”

VANESSA KAUK/THE EYEOPENER

KONNOR KILLORAN/THE EYEOPENER

“It’s kind of freaky that stuff is happening and we’re “That is ultimately the responsibility of the university for not

Muslim women shouldn’t need to pay with their lives for the right to choose

By Abeer Khan

The last thing on an eight-yearold’s mind when they hug someone is that it’s scandalous or inappro priate. A hug is a hug—it’s a way to show affection for your loved ones. But when I met my uncle, a family friend, for the first time and reached for a hug, I was hast ily pulled back by the arms, my aunt whispering for me to stop. Every one stilled and when I looked up, my uncle was towering over me with distaste strewn across his face.

“Girls shouldn’t give hugs,” he said. That moment is ingrained in my brain as the first time I realized be ing a girl in a many Muslim cul tures, including my own Pakistani one, means my body and actions will be demeaned and sexualized for the rest of my life. Where men are propped up on a pedestal in our culture, women are expected to be quiet, sit still and cover up—there is no onus on the man to be re spectful, ask for consent or be a de cent human being. Of course this does not extend to the religion of Islam as a whole, but can be pro jected in many cultures and nations that emphasize Islam in their ways of life.

the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Ira nian women have been required to wear the hijab in public.

This creates the perfect storm for violence against women to occur— because women are always seen as the problem, never men. And being wrongfully seen as the problem can be fatally consequential.

This past week, the world erupt ed in protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian woman detained by morality police in Iran on Sept. 13, accused of violating the coun try’s conservative dress code. Since

Currently in Iran, protesters have been organizing despite strict security forces, arrests and inter net disruptions in the country fol lowing Mahsa’s death. Around the world, women and allies are marching in solidarity with the women of Iran and fighting for their right to choose, including in Toronto recently at Yonge-Dundas Square. On TikTok, women have shared how they are forced to cover up—with long pants, a compulsory head covering and jacket overtop— when going out. There is no choice left in the way they choose to dress or practice their faith, it’s compulsory.

In a recent Toronto Star video, Iranian journalist and activist Ma sih Alinejad said many women in Iran relate with Mahsa’s story.

“They say that it feels like it could have happened to our daughters. It could have happened to us.”

Muslim women, in Iran and in

many cultures around the world, fear abuse and death at the hands of those who wish to impose unjust religious expectations on their bod ies. And this fear is justified because Mahsa’s case is not an isolated one— Muslim women constantly face vio lence within their communities. Just recently, Sania Khan, who was vocal on TikTok about her divorce, was allegedly murdered in Chicago by her ex-partner.

I understand these practices were a part of my family’s skewed attempt to uphold Islamic modesty, a con cept derived from the Holy Quran, instructing women and men to lower their gaze. The Quran also instructs women to be mindful of their chasti ty, to not display their bodies in pub lic and to wear a head covering.

In theory, the aim is for women to be empowered by covering their bodies so society sees them for more than their sexuality—it’s sup posed to provide women with au tonomy over their bodies.

constantly eyeing us up and down and making crude remarks about our bodies, that we are not the problem. I wish we lived in a world where women like Mahsa could wear what they want without the fear of being killed at the hands of an oppressive regime.

Editor-in-Chief

Abeer “Saw

Edward “Toronto’s

Thea “Cool

Prapti “Best Receipt

Jes “Clutch” Mason

Vanessa “Art Club!” Kauk

Peyton “Elite Baggu Taste” Keeler-Cox

Christina

Asha “Oakville!”

Gavin “Chicken Butt”

I was born in Toronto but I feel the impact of being a Muslim girl every day. Before I hit puberty, I was instructed to wear a scarf around my neck to cover my thennon-existent chest and was forbid den from wearing tight pants be cause they “accentuated my legs.”

Now, at 21, as a practicing hijabi,

Jack

Fun

Zarmminaa “Cell

Instead, the cultural perception of modesty imposed on me and other Muslim women has invited unwanted gazes, further sexualized our existence and invited harm onto our bodies, the complete op posite of its religious intention.

I wish I could go back and tell my eight-year-old self that what my aunt and uncle said to me that day wasn’t OK. I wish I could tell the Muslim girls who grew up like me, with older men and women

Contributors

Nalyn “GRL PWR” Tindall

Until we break this cycle of pa triarchy within our culture and understand that it is the woman’s right to choose whether she wants to wear a hijab or not, to cover up or not, gendered violence will con tinue to occur.

I urge all community members to stand in solidarity with Mahsa Amini and fight for the rights of women in Iran. Donate to organi zations, spread the word and never forget what she died for: freedom of choice.

Concert”

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Warped purity culture has left Muslim women to shoulder blame for violence against themselves

Women are always seen as the problem, never men

Being wrongfully seen as the problem can be fatally consequential

“It feels like it could have happened to our daughters...to us”

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Artspace TMU showcases Black creativity in research residency

Words by Madeline Liao

Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU)’s Artspace Gallery is hosting an exhibition from the Black Creative Research Residency. Until Oct. 15, the gallery is highlighting the work of Shaya Ishaq, the artist in residency, alongside three TMU students in an exhibition titled Knowable Archives / Unknowable Vessels.

The student research assistants involved are third-year journalism student Daysha Loppie, second-year film studies student Nala Haileselassie and creative industries graduate Carianne Shakes.

From February to August of this year, the students joined Ishaq and studied historical records and documentation of capitalism and abolition. They explored the histories of Black creative knowledge production and optical allyship through the legacies of David Drake and Josiah Wedgewood, focusing on the material objects they left behind.

Drake was an enslaved potter from Edgefield County in South Carolina. He is known for engraving his name, poetry and Bible verses on his work during a time when his literacy was illegal due to anti-literacy laws in the United States. The group also researched Wedgewood, a British potter and the AntiSlavery Medallion he manufactured for the Society for Effecting the Abolition of the Slave Trade, an abolitionist group that lobbied against slavery in the British colonies.

Ishaq said she based the residency on these two figures because while historians have studied them individually, she was interested in looking at the legacy of the material objects the two created during their time and reading

them through a contemporary lens.

“I was curious [as to] how [I could] look at these two particular narratives without necessarily over-simplifying them to try to find links,” she said. “I think there’s something to be uncovered between both of them.”

lassie. “It was a very unique opportunity and something that I’ve never seen the school even attempt to do.”

However, in mid-August—right in the middle of the residency’s production process— The Creative School let go of the gallery manager Josh Vettivelu, which Hailselassie said was “almost a total disruption.” According to Vettivelu, The Creative School notified them that the School of Image Arts would be pulling funding from Artspace TMU and dissolving the gallery manager position altogether.

in September, according to Loppie. “We [had] to invest more energy to fight for something that shouldn’t be on our claim as we [were] trying to do this work and create,” she said.

Vettivelu noted that while the residency was critiquing the history of marketing and allyship, the institution they worked in mimicked those same concepts, “not even through maliciousness [but] through negligence.”

They said they wonder what will happen next, now that the program and gallery has established a reputation as a safe space. “There’s a big question of [if] you can continue safety and stuff like that when people have said none of this counts for anything,” said Vettivelu.

Throughout all the challenges and achievements the group has faced, they described the residency as something that has shaped their lives, both as artists and as individuals.

“Just in general being able to work with intelligent, brilliant Black women is the best thing,” said Haileselassie. “I think we’ll all cherish it for the rest of our artistic careers but also just [in] life.”

This residency was developed and intended for Black students at TMU and funded primarily by the Student Initiative Fund’s Black Initiative Fund. Each student had the opportunity to create an art piece based on their research in partnership with the Design + Technology LAB at The Creative School.

“There’s rarely opportunities specifically for Black students at TMU,” said Hailese-

“The School of Image Arts made budget priority decisions and decided to apply resources in other ways,” the university said in an email statement to The Eyeopener. “Alternative options for the future are being looked at and no decisions have been made at this time.”

After Vettivelu was laid off, the residency had to push for them to be reinstated in order to oversee their exhibition that was opening

Throughout the process, the group worked together to formulate how their work would reflect the research they had done in previous months. Ishaq expressed how as a mentor, she went into this residency knowing there weren’t specific answers to the research questions, but was ready to come to conclusions for herself as a researcher. Some of the group’s driving questions covered how Black suffering has been used to market institutions and brands, plus the implications of political mass production.

“It was interesting to see where everyone made their own way to what tendril of ideas would be closer to their heart,” Ishaq said. The whole process, from research discussions to working in the lab, was collaborative and gave the students a chance to learn without the pressure of being graded.

“I think one of the aspects of the research process that [was] really instrumental and guiding me towards what I’ve created for the gallery [was] having a safe, dedicated space to discuss these really complex and sometimes painful topics,” said Loppie.

She explained that the residency and Artspace, with the help of Ishaq and Vettivelu, implemented trauma-informed and anti-oppression approaches that allowed her to divert her energy into “dreaming and creating and imagining.” She said that this is hard to come by, especially when many institutions often speak about these ethics but don’t necessarily put them into practice.

“I think it’s important that while yes, this was a program for Black artists, that the people directing it and supporting it, if not Black themselves, have sensitivity and care,” said Loppie. “Moving forward, especially with other initiatives that may happen at TMU, there needs to be some way of ensuring that the people who are directing [and] supporting also replicate the energy that we experienced.”

In addition to the gallery exhibit, the residency also has a documentary about the artist’s experiences and work, premiering on Oct. 1. The documentary is part of Toronto’s Nuit Blanche, a contemporary art event.

Loppie’s piece, entitled ‘a message, a tool,’ explores what the “new contexts for [David Drake’s] work, relative to [her] condition today” were, as an effort clay and photographs. Haileselassie meant to layer these pieces together to think

“I think we’ll all cherish it for

BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD

tmu educators are re-evaluating how they accommodate students in the classroom

WORDS BY JULIA LAWRENCE VISUALS BY PEYTON KEELER-COX

As Owais Lightwala stared at over 100 of his students through his screen, more than half of them would be hidden behind a black box with just a name written across it. After 30 years of teaching, Lightwala, who is a professor at the School of Performance at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), found himself facing a new challenge at his job; trying to teach theatre online.

Instead of productive class discussions, every week his students would resort to waiting for one another to unmute and speak over Zoom, with the inevitable awkward moment when they’d talk over each other. As this cycle continued, he’d long to be back in the studio with his students, when he’d finally be able to meet them and teach lessons in-person.

After two years online, Lightwala says he’s excited for the opportunity to be in-person with his this year students, but like many TMU professors, he is adapting to changing circumstances.

In 2020, TMU shifted classes online and closed campus, sending students into remote learning for nearly two years. The fall 2022 semester is the first time since the pandemic started that students are back on campus full-time.

For Lightwala, it was evident that going back to a pre-pandemic teaching model wouldn’t suffice, as all his students were used to different standards of learning, like recorded lectures or provided transcripts, that were normalized over the course of the pandemic. As excited as he is to return to in-person classes, he’s trying to implement permanent accommodations into the way he instructs his classes.

“If someone needs this kind of accommodation, why can’t I make sure everybody has [it], as much as reasonably possible in my attempt?” he says.

As professors come back to campus and structure their lessons for an in-person audience, many like Lightwala say they are balancing the challenges of being back in the classroom with working to make students feel comfortable. From adapting lessons to accommodate students both in-person and online, to creating more opportunities for interpersonal socialization—a skill many students were deprived of during the pandemic—professors are now navigating how to best teach their students with the lessons and setbacks from the pandemic.

Frances Gunn, who is the learning and teaching chair at the

“Missing out and not being able to provide unique experiences for your students no longer applies in the current state of COVID-19,” says Gunn. For example, Zoom offers ample opportunity for professors and other faculty members to bring in professionals to speak to students from around the world.

Coming back to the classroom full-time and in-person is also accompanied by a risk to public health and safety which professors have to manage. In May, TMU suspended their mandatory vaccination policy and in June, their masking policy followed suit.

Steph Rychlo, the president of the Toronto Metropolitan Association of Part-time Students says when it comes to safety mandates, the issue at its core is about accessibility. For students with disabilities, a return to campus came with many difficulties, including commuting to and from campus. But without masking mandates, Rychlo says these students are more vulnerable than before and TMU hasn’t addressed their concerns about health and safety.

As TMU begins to navigate its full return to in-person learning, professors are now asking themselves how they can best teach students while trying to accommodate different needs and comfortability. And for each professor, that answer varies.

“A lot of the time when it came to coming back to school, students would voice their concerns and would be met with an administrative email explaining they were taking care of it and that they care about your health,” they say. But when it came to questions about the safety of campus, Rychlo says the school was unresponsive.

In a second-year photography class, Zinnia Naqvi’s students sat awkwardly in pairs, next to a classmate they’re not used to talking to. Staring at copies of photos they’ve never seen before, the students quietly started making observations about what they saw, including light, composition and objects. Eventually, the pairs deciphered what they thought the concept of the photo was and had a discussion about it with the rest of the class. For Naqvi, a sessional professor at the School of Image Arts, what’s almost as important to her as the assignment, was the interaction her students had at that moment.

“We almost never do group assignments, but it felt important to get them to interact and learn together,” she says.

Unlike in film, Naqvi says photography, for the most part, is solitary. In the program, students come up with their ideas, take their camera and use their technical skills to execute them individually. But now, Naqvi is mindful of how she structures her students’ tasks—with a focus on collaboration. Before the pandemic, students in their second year were expected to start their projects with a one-on-one proposal meeting with their professor or through a written submission. But now, Naqvi has her students make the proposals in small groups and in-person.

She says the pandemic has set students back in developing key interpersonal skills. For her, what’s been missing from her online classes hasn’t been academic content, but instead the socialization of her students. “The interaction between [students] is super important,” she says. “Because with whatever you’re [learning] online, you always could see and hear from your instructor. But what was missing was the collaboration aspect.”

It’s important for Naqvi’s students to get to know each other, especially if they don’t interact with each other very much in class. “I thought it was important to get them to spend time with someone they haven’t [seen] in a while,” she says. “I think that’s part of the social learning.”

A 2022 study from the American Psychological Association found students who experienced rapid changes to their learn-

Ted Rogers School of Management, found her faculty became quite flexible over the pandemic in regards to learning.

ing conditions because of the pandemic faced difficulties when adapting to their new environment. When they went back to their prior environments, including physical classrooms, some of these students faced those difficulties again, the study says.

“The learning and achievements of students are typically underscored by their goals and goal orientations, yet it is not easy to maintain a focus on achievement goals when life issues have become predominant,” the study reads.

Thinking back on when she first started teaching online, Naqvi says she’s lucky to have had the opportunity to teach before the pandemic shifted her classes online. “It would have been pretty discouraging to start with fully online teaching,” she says.

For Naqvi, her online lessons relied less on the material and more on her delivery and confidence to continue speaking while not being able to pick up on what was happening on the other side of the screen. “In some ways, I do feel like it’s made me a better instructor, because being online was a lot harder,” she says.

Naqvi struggled with how to approach the lack of restrictions this semester, once everyone came back on campus. She found the best way to address it was in the first class with an open discussion.

“If anyone’s feeling uncomfortable with lack of masks or needs any kind of accommodations, come talk to me,” she remembers saying, also reminding her students to stay home if they were sick. “No matter if it’s COVID-19 or not, [it] doesn’t matter.”

Currently the school is asking staff and students to self-screen for symptoms before coming to campus, but is no longer requiring them to complete health screenings on the TMU Safe app. While the school’s latest COVID-19 update in August says they encourage community members to continue masking in crowded spaces and to get vaccinated, TMU’s mask mandate continues to be suspended, along with its vaccination policy.

For Naqvi, the school being more stringent about community members not coming to class when they are unwell was one of the biggest changes she saw when her classes moved back in-person. “Even when I was a student, people would

come to school with a cold or a flu and I had friends who [came] in with fatigues and fevers, it was more normalized,” she says. “I think that obviously it was quite problematic.”

Rychlo says because there are no longer masking or vaccine protocols in place, for many students, especially those with disabilities, the onus of safety falls entirely on the individual, which they say can be stressful. “It’s becoming a responsibility that’s all on the individual when it does need to be something that’s more streamlined.”

According to Rychlo, the school does not ask its employees to have a faculty-wide procedure when it comes to recording and providing alternative options for its student body. Instead, it leaves vulnerable students tasked with finding other solutions to catch up on class material if their professor or instructor doesn’t accommodate necessary absences.

Rychlo says the school’s messaging about masking also hasn’t been clear and small campaigns explaining benefits of masking could be helpful.

In a 2022 research study from Brock University, Canadian adolescents were surveyed about masking and public health measures. It was found that most students were knowledgeable about COVID-19 and health protocols.

In the same study however, over one-quarter of students

Rychlo says doing things like unpacking misinformation about public health protocols could encourage students to wear masks. “It could just be a poster, with myth and debunking it, showing the efficacy of different types of masks and prevention.”

Rychlo also says making masks available for professors to give to students when they get to class could be beneficial in situations where educators feel unsafe, but without the backing of the school, these accommodations are difficult.

surveyed had never discussed mask use and health measures in place to protect against the spread of COVID-19 and six months into the pandemic, these students were less likely to support mask wearing. “Increasing knowledge around the effectiveness of masks appears likely to have the largest impact on mask use support,” the study states.

When it comes to the School of Performance, Lightwala says they aren’t like most other programs where some educators can produce the same quality of conversation and education online that they could if they were in person. “The more human it is, the better your experience and the more you learn,” he says.

And though his students work better in-person, Lightwala says he can’t throw away what he’s learned about education over the past two years.

He finds that lessons from online education are being undervalued in conversations about learning models taught online. “The benefits of asynchrony, the benefits of accessibility, it’s for helping students with different needs,” he says. “It’s personalized.”

Going forward, Lightwala hopes to see the changes brought forth due to COVID-19 stick around for the long haul, adding that he doesn’t believe students should be penalized for being ill.

“This idea of accommodations not being something special, but rather being the norm, that we need to accommodate each other when it comes to care as the basic expectation,” he says. “That someone needs help sometimes where people need space to deal with life.”

Lightwala says the school should be accommodating of how stressors aside from COVID-19, like rising costs of living, impact the student body.

For him, planning around accommodations in the future needs to be reflective of a more diverse set of obstacles for students.

“There’s a lot of different things going on now.”

This story will be updated with a comment from the university. Read the full story at theeyeopener.com.

U Cup rematch takes centre stage at the MAC this week

By Jacob Stoller

The Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) men’s hockey team’s win over the University of New Brunswick (UNB) Reds last spring at the 2022 U Sports national championship (U Cup) was hailed as the biggest win in program history and upset for the ages.

And while the U Cup quarterfinal rematch this Friday and Saturday at the Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC) are only a pair of pre-season games, the squad is amped for another crack at UNB.

ROBERT VONA/THE EYEOPENER

“I think a lot of guys have those two games circled on their calendar,” said Bold defenceman Elijah Roberts.

The Reds were viewed as a pow erhouse program, having won three of the last five U Cups before 2022 and finishing atop the Atlantic Uni versity Sport conference in every year since the 2017-18 season.

“There’s an intimidation fac tor with them,” said Johnny Duco, the team’s head coach, on UNB’s dynasty. “I think some teams are beaten before they even play them.”

TMU’s road to nationals was any thing but easy. They knocked off the Western Mustangs in doubleovertime in round one of the On tario University Athletics (OUA)

playoffs by a score of 5-4. The Bold needed overtime again three days later to defeat the Waterloo War riors 4-3 in the OUA West Divi sion semi-final.

The blue and gold then dropped the West Division Final against the Brock Badgers 5-2, following a pair of thrilling overtime victories on home ice. However, the squad got redemption in the OUA bronze medal game, defeating the Mc Gill University Redbirds 2-1 and punching their first-ever ticket to the U Cup tournament.

Leading up to the contest, a CBC Sports article said there was “every expectation” that UNB would ad vance to the finals, mentioning TMU as just a quarter-final op

ponent. The Bold were written off as just a stop on another UNB na tional championship run.

Bad blood between the two teams stemmed from the lead-up to last spring’s game. Roberts ex plained that TMU went into its first game at the U Cup feeling like their opponents disrespected them and the fact that the then-Rams deserved to be in the tournament. It also struck a chord with the rest of the roster.

“Everyone on our team kind of came into that game with a chip on their shoulder and we all ended up doing the job that we needed to, to win,” said Roberts.

So, when former Bold defenceman Domenico Commisso scored a go-

ahead-goal just over a minute into the second frame of that game, the bench and small flock of fans that travelled to watch erupted.

“I was like holy fuck,” said Bold forward Kyle Bollers, apologizing for the profanity shortly after.

Nearly six months since their im probable 2-1 upset over UNB which punched their ticket to the U Cup semi-finals, no love has been lost between the two teams. While this year's edition of the Bold features new personnel, with 10 player departures and 11 new additions, Duco pointed out that their nucleus is still very much the same.

“To a certain degree it might look like, from the outside looking in, that we have this brand new team,

but we’ve got a lot of familiar faces,” Duco explained.

For those returning players, such as last year's leading scorer Kyle Bollers, playing against UNB is personal.

“We have to play good,” said Bollers. “We can’t walk in here thinking we’re just going to walk all over them.”

The surreal feeling of defeating UNB in the U Cup quarter-finals eventually faded to bitterness. TMU lost its next game against the Uni versité du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR) Patriotes 7-2 and then fell 3-2 against the St. Francis Xavier XMen in the bronze medal game.

But heading into the upcoming 2022-23 campaign, the Bold’s stan dards remain high.

“The expectation for our pro gram now every year is that we’re competing for a championship,” said Roberts. “Any year we’re not doing that, I would say it’s like a lost season for us.”

This week’s pair of exhibition games against one of the top pro grams in the country provides an excellent opportunity for Duco and his squad to gain the experience needed for another U Cup run.

“A test against UNB is going to do nothing but elevate our urgen cy and our effort,” said Duco.

Bold men’s volleyball ready to bump, set and spike their way into a winning season

By Daniella Lopez

Hoping to build on last year’s momen tum, the Toronto Metropolitan Uni versity (TMU) Bold men’s volleyball team will soon have an opportunity to showcase their talent on home court. The team will host an exhibition tour nament from Oct. 14 to 15 at the Mat tamy Athletic Centre (MAC).

we did last year in our quarter-finals and then build from there.”

TMU will play against the Nipiss ing Lakers and Waterloo Warriors in the tournament. Last season, TMU played against the Warriors but didn’t face them in the regular season because of limited inter-divi sional play due to the pandemic.

In their exhibition game against the Warriors, the Bold won in four sets. They played the Lakers twice last sea son, losing both matches three sets to none. Waterloo finished their season with a 3-9 record, while Nipissing fin ished with a 7-3 record.

As a longtime member of the pro gram, Rabit has big expectations heading into the tournament, yet, he also acknowledges the pre-season is the perfect time to experiment.

“It’s gonna be really cool to see who rises to the game.”

Rukavina said hosting this tour nament will make the team more comfortable with the hardwood— and home court advantage is al ways beneficial.

wanting to improve their game for the upcoming season.

Shaikh hopes to be a consistent server for the team to give them a cushion when they’re up or down. He said doing so will take the pres sure off his teammates.

For Rabit, the pressure on and off the court is what he hopes to let go of this season.

“Last year, I was really worried about getting an All-Star award and a high GPA…This year I want to work on being confident.”

Ultimately, Rukavina said the goal at the beginning of every new season is to try and win an OUA Champion ship, but getting out of the quarterfinals is another priority for the team. This exhibition tournament will help the Bold to start off the new cam paign on the right note.

“Last year, we didn’t have the greatest start, but near the end, we kind of hit our stride and we’re hoping to bridge that gap and start the way we finished last year and keep improving.”

The team went 5-8 in the 202122 regular season and made it to the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) quarter-finals, before losing to the University of Toronto Varsity Blues in a hard-fought battle.

“We have a pretty big expectation [to perform well] because of what happened last year, so we have that fire in us,” said libero Lhexen Rabit.

Fourth-year setter Saad Shaikh echoed Rabit’s sentiments.

“I want to be solid and play like

TMU hasn’t played Waterloo in the regular season since before the pandemic. They play Waterloo twice in February and won’t see the Lakers at all in the regular season.

“It’ll be a good experience for us,” said assistant coach Niko Rukavina.

While Shaikh knows the team won’t be perfect heading into the tournament, he’s OK with it.

“I want us to play well, work on passing and serving and make sure we’re actually doing the things we work on in practice,” he said.

Last season, TMU held a nearperfect record on home court, with their only loss at the MAC coming against the Varsity Blues in mid-February. However, their home wins came against the three worst teams in their division, who had six wins combined.

Just because both Shaikh and Rabit are veterans on the squad, that doesn’t stop either of them from

ROBERT VONA/THE EYEOPENER

“We can’t walk in here thinking we’re just going to walk all over them”

“We have a pretty big expectation... because of what happened last year”

“Near the end we kind of hit our stride and we’re hoping to bridge that gap”

“Our team kind of came into that game with a chip on their shoulder”

By Haley Sengsavanh

As a student, treating yourself to quality pieces of clothing or keep ing up with ever-changing fashion trends can be difficult without mak ing a sizable dent in your wallet. But having a limited budget shouldn’t stop students from owning quality basics and essentials. Long-lasting, well-made clothing will not only have you looking (and feeling) good, but also staying warm in the winter or looking polished when attending job interviews. Here’s a curated list of Toronto clothing stores where students can find a versatile selec tion of thrifted and affordable fash ion without sacrificing quality, all while staying close to campus.

While scouring stores, writer Haley Sengsavanh considered three other factors besides affordability. The first was clothing selection; is it unisex? Does it have clothing for different occasions, like a blazer for a case competition or job interview?

The second consideration was the quality of the store’s clothing; is this material made to last? Do they have items that are trendy and versatile but made with great stitching or nat ural fabrics? Third is accessibility; can you easily access this shop by walking or commuting from Toronto Metro politan University (TMU)?

With the criteria clearly set, below are five shops and areas to check out to find good quality clothing for less.

Value Village (1319 Bloor St. W.)

While all Value Village shops are known for their wide selection of goods for less, the Lansdowne loca tion on Bloor Street has a cult follow ing. The store is massive and sprawl ing, with racks of clothing for any and all occasions, including multiple Halloween sections currently set up.

There’s menswear, shoes, acces sories and the quality of the clothing is generally good. They have a wide selection of vintage and gently-used clothing, from tailored blazers to sturdy denim. Even though most styles are dated, that won’t stop you from finding some truly great pieces. For instance, the store had a cream blouse that has a trendy wide collar with lace trim being sold for $7.99. The store offers the true and original thrift experience, allowing you to feel the most pride at finding your diamonds in the rough.

Second-year TMU fashion stu dent Kelly Woo has been thrifting for years and said her best find came from this Value Village. “I recently thrifted a layered dark grey wool Isabel Marant dress that’s nicely draped and beautiful for only $15. I don’t know who donated it but I’m glad I found it.”

Bonus tip: check out the Hallow een costume racks before October ends. There are pieces that can be worn everyday if styled right. If you’re looking for a crinoline tutu to puff out your skirt or lace gloves for a photoshoot, this Value Village has a lot to offer.

YSM’s Double Take Thrift Store (310 Gerrard St. E.)

This charity shop allows you to pur chase stellar finds while supporting a good cause. Yonge Street Mission (YSM) is an organization that has been combatting poverty in To ronto since 1896, according to their website. One of their projects is the Double Take Thrift Store, where all profits go towards supporting YSM programming, like donation funds for teens or hosting a toy market for children from low-income families over the holidays. They also try to hire community members that are seeking Canadian work experience

or have faced obstacles gaining employment.

Kensington Market

Within the Kensington Market area, you can find lots of amazing options for less. Exile Vintage is packed with great finds and unique vintage pieces. While the price point is higher than the other options on the list, the cost is proportional to the quality and brand. Sengsavanh found a vintage Highland Queen pure virgin wool reversible pleated skirt for $50. While this price tag ranks slightly steeper than most af fordable fashion, the craftsmanship and detailing that went into creat ing the garment will keep it looking new for longer. Exile Vintage has racks upon racks of vintage night gowns, fur coats, Hawaiian shirts and leather jackets—balancing out fashion and function throughout a wide selection of clothing.

Another shop to check out is Butterfly, a tiny store filled with affordable jewelry and accessories. They have rows of rings for $3, a variety of harnesses for around $20 and even multi-coloured fascina tors for $15.

If you’re looking for good quality vintage clothing with a menswear focus, Uncle Vintage is a must for you. This store’s price point is also higher but proportional to the qual ity of its selections. It offers a wide variety of vintage jackets, thick knit ted sweaters and funky T-shirts.

Black Market Underground (Downstairs, 256 Queen St. W.) Black Market has two locations, one that’s above ground with more ex pensive and brand-name items like ‘80s Gunne Sax gowns and Yves Saint Laurent ties and their un derground location with its quirky clothing goodness. At Black Market’s

ELANA EMER/THE EYEOPENER

underground store, all the racks on the floor are $10. They offer unisex clothing, dead stock tees and even have separate booths for other busi nesses, like a vinyl shop, a vintage homeware store and a barbershop. They also house Ken Munar and Hunter Thomas’ thrift shop, a cozy paradise of nostalgia and unique stylish pieces.

“We buy our stuff in used bulk and wholesale and also source from different places around the world,” Munar said. “We sell unisex clothing and it can give someone the chance to try out different types of cuts, dif ferent types of styles on their body and see what they experiment with.”

In their little booth, they have vin tage action figures lined up against the wall, a PlayStation nook in the back, piles of vintage magazines and comics on glass cases and in bright red milk cartons. It’s like shopping out of every ‘90s kid’s dream bed room, which Thomas said is the kind of energy they wanted to pro vide. “We had a kid in here who was 13 or 14 years old and he was clearly just starting to get into fashion. He sat down and played the PlayStation for a while, looked around and asked me a lot of questions. That was the dream, for the younger generation to have a place where they wanted

some crazy designer pieces, it’s af fordable and approachable.”

Munar and Thomas’ booth is also consigned by other local artists, like second-year George Brown College fashion student Angelica Trujillo. She has sold her clothing online and out of markets before, but it’s her first time selling as a vendor with a permanent spot.

Chosen Vintage (1599 Dundas St. W.)

Chosen Vintage is the furthest store from campus on the list but definite ly worth a look for quality pieces of clothing for special occasions. They also have an online store for shop ping convenience.

Chosen Vintage is housed in side a small, brightly-lit store with rows of colourful eye-catching clothing and accessories. Owner Melissa Ball sources pieces based on relevance, wearability, fabric and feel with a focus on natural materials like silks, cottons, denim, linen and wool.

Besides carrying good qual ity basics for everyday wear, they also have unique finds like a pair of leather chaps or a vintage asym metrical lace gown.

Read the full story at theeyeopener.com.

By Bashair Ali

The university’s cybersecurity train ing centre, Rogers Cybersecure Cata lyst, launched CyberStart Canada in September—a youth-focused ini tiative that works to educate high school girls and non-binary students on cyber knowledge and safety.

With financial support from Public Safety Canada’s Cyber Security Coop eration Program and SANS Institute, CyberStart Canada equips young women and non-binary students with a better understanding of secu rity awareness through gamification, which means adding game-like ele ments into the learning experience. The goal of the program is to open doors in cybersecurity employment for them and close the gender gap in the cybersecurity field.

The games mostly consist of the user role-playing as a spy and looking

for clues, which implements critical thinking and the learning technique of reverse engineering. Participants do not need to have a background in cyber concepts or terminology to play. As what CyberStart’s website calls a user-friendly, welcoming envi ronment, the program aims to intro duce its users to cybersecurity in an engaging, safe and educational way.

“[CyberStart Canada] really cre

ates the opportunity to engage with the content in a fun way that isn’t intimidating and overwhelming,” said Kathryn Maksym, a project manager at CyberStart Canada. “The important thing for us was to start the talent pipeline earlier to support career trajectory.”

Naureen Kaur, a third-year com puter engineering student, be lieves it is important to teach cyber

knowledge to younger generations because of their increased exposure to the internet.

“I didn’t really go on the inter net until I was 10, 11 years old but I know that’s not the case for kids now,” said Kaur. Kaur added that the internet can be a great resource for knowledge, but it can also be unsafe for people who are unaware of proper security measures. “Mak ing sure that [users] know how to protect themselves or their identity online is super important because it’ll keep them safe.”

Rushmi Hasham, the director of the Accelerated Cybersecurity Train ing Program—another program created by the Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst—said that many of the char acters within the game are women and non-binary people. She explains that this allows participants to see themselves reflected in the game.

“You need to have representation of different backgrounds, education, even cultural backgrounds because that brings the uniqueness in prob lem-solving,” she said.

Navigating social engineering and social safety features is also common amongst the games to teach individu als to be aware of their online actions and make smart decisions. Users are trained to second-guess informa tion or disclaimers before accepting all cookies or agreeing to terms and conditions. Maksym added that the program prioritizes users’ awareness of their online presence, data and hacker behaviour recognition.

Throughout the next year, Cy berStart Canada plans to engage 700 girls and non-binary students from Ontario, Alberta and British Co lumbia, before expanding to other provinces, the organization said in a press release.

VANESSA KAUK/THE EYEOPENER

How students of faith are planning to celebrate in October

By Josh Chang

Between Yom Kippur in early Octo ber and Diwali at the end, religious students at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) have found dif ferent ways to celebrate and social ize throughout the month.

Jewish holidays are among the first religious celebrations in early Octo ber. Yom Kippur, Sukkot and Sim chat Torah are major events in the Jewish High Holy Days, all occurring within the first three weeks of the month. Yom Kippur, beginning at sunset on Oct. 4, is one of the holiest days of the year in Judaism.

shower or anything because you’re supposed to be focused.”

“Yom Kippur is a day of atonement where we fast and pray…We fast for about 25 hours, from sundown to sun down,” said third-year graphic com munications management student Samantha Benezra. “We don’t eat or

Benezra said Yom Kippur is a som bre time of reflection, where people are encouraged to focus on prayer. The real celebration begins after the fast is complete.

“Once it’s over, there’s a dinner at the end where everyone is speaking and the social aspect comes out,” she said.

Benezra also added that it’s become

more difficult to get time off for Yom Kippur as she’s gotten older, espe cially as a university student.

“I have three classes that day,” she said. “This year I won’t be able to go to the synagogue.”

One student is most looking for ward to spending time with her fam ily. Maya Nadler, a third-year RTA media production student, said that Yom Kippur and the Jewish High

VANESSA KAUK/THE EYEOPENER

Holidays are ideal occasions to recon nect with loved ones.

“It’s the time of year I get to have nice family meals and see the Jewish com munity come together,” said Nadler. “These holidays are meant for starting over which means apologizing for mis takes and resolving to do better.”

Diwali, otherwise known as the festival of lights, takes place on Oct. 24 and is celebrated across the

Hindu, Jain, Newar Buddhist and Sikh communities.

“I’ll be celebrating [Diwali] with my family and probably some friends on campus,” said Saurav Jain, an inter national student in his fourth year of international economics and finance student. “It’s a social event and that’s the main core of Diwali.”

After moving to Toronto from India for university, first-year jour nalism student Amulyaa Dwivedi is nervous and excited to experi ence Diwali for the first time in a new home. She plans to celebrate with her cousin, who also recently moved to Toronto.

“This is the first Diwali where I’ll be far from my home,” she said. “I’m going to go over to my cousin’s and [will] help her make her first Diwali here a good one.”

Dwivedi explained that one of the best parts of the holiday is seeing ev eryone—religious or not—share food and celebrate the holiday.

“That’s what I like about Diwali, no one is left out,” she said. “Everybody comes together to celebrate Diwali.”

Delightful delicacies as far as can see

Biryani

“My favourite memory associated with biryani is my mom plating it for me from the big pot it’s made in. I’m very picky when it comes to eating and she knows exactly which piece of chicken and how much rice to put on my plate. Every spoonful I eat, I can taste my mom’s love in the dish.”

–Abeer Khan, editor-in-chief

Fried rice

“When my grandfather died, his bangin’ fried rice left the earth with him. But my grandmother made it for me once two years ago and I told my parents it must’ve been blessed from the heavens or something. Whenever I eat fried rice, it always brings back such warm memories of my grandfather.”

–Gavin Axelrod, sports editor

Pesto pasta

“It’s my mom’s specialty and always hits after a long day of school, work or of doing nothing. It’s not over ly complex but it always tastes so good. Many of my friends have said it’s their favourite meal cooked by a friend’s parent and have even asked for the pesto recipe.”

–Jack MacCool, sports editor

Spaghetti and meatballs

“When I was younger, I hated eat ing meat (and I still do) but my mum would give me meat in alternative ways like mushing it together in the

sauce. I love spaghetti and any type of pasta so much now because of these memories from my childhood.”

–Vanessa Kauk, photo editor

Borscht

“I remember eating borscht a lot with my grandmother, who is Russian, and standing by her side watching her cook the meal in the wintertime. Dur ing Christmas, we would all sit around the big table and dip our bread into the soup and she would tell us stories.”

–Peyton Keeler-Cox, photo editor

Momos

“Momos always remind me of home because the entire process of creat ing this dish is a family affair. Ev eryone sits in a circle and works to gether to make these intricate little dumplings. It’s always comforting to sit with my family and catch up, treat ing ourselves to these little pockets of heaven afterwards.”

–Youdon Tenzin, media editor

Khaman dhokla

“Khaman is a popular delicacy from Gujarati cuisine made of gram flour, spices, and herbs. Waking up to a table full of savoury Gujarati break fasts as a kid, my mom would always make me wait before eating any, but sometimes my dad would let me sneak a bite.”

–Prapti Bamaniya, news editor

Patty from PattyKing “I usually get a mild or spicy Jamai

can beef patty depending on how I’m feeling. As a kid, sometimes on Fri days, my mom would come home with a box of patties and that would cheer me up if I was having a bad day at school.”

–Edward Djan, news editor

Caramel corn

“It’s the sweetest most delicious food on earth. Caramel corn reminds me of a time pre-university when I had the opportunity to sit and watch a movie or TV show. Now, I just eat it when I work, but it’s still amazing!”

–Thea Gribilas, news editor

Perogies

“My grandmother would boil a huge bag of perogies as a super easy yet de licious dinner for me and my broth ers when we were younger. Now, they’re a staple at family holiday meals even though they aren’t homemade. They’re perfect little potato dump lings, what’s not to love?”

–Asha Swann, communities editor

Hot and sour soup

“My mom is practically unable to make a small portion of this dish. Every time she cooks hot and sour soup, we have days of leftovers to enjoy because she always uses the biggest pot we have in the house. Hot and sour soup reminds me of family, sitting together and enjoying a warm and familiar taste of home.”

–Madeline Liao, arts and culture editor

Brownies

“Whether it’s Thanksgiving, Christ mas, New Year’s Eve, birthdays, the last Friday of Ramadan or a fam ily gathering with no purpose; my mom’s brownies are always expect ed. All the way through to adult hood, politely laughing when nosy family members ask me if I have a boyfriend, there is little I wouldn’t endure for my mom’s brownies.”

–Mariyah Salhia, features editor

Salmon steak with soy-maple glaze

“When I moved out, I became a pescatarian, which was difficult for my family to accept since we’re big foodies—my dad and sister are huge meat lovers. My family also hosts Thanksgiving and Christmas every year and we have turkey as

a tradition. But in my first year of university, when I came back home for reading week, there was a salm on steak on the barbecue while the turkey was roasting in the oven. Now, I have salmon steak waiting for me when I come home for ev ery holiday.”

–Christina Flores-Chan, business and technology editor

Halwa puri

“Halwa puri is a breakfast food and in my family, it’s a Sunday morning sta ple. A lot of South Asian food can be found in Canada and I eat it at home with my family, but having fresh hal wa puri on Sundays is a memory that is incomparable.”

–Zarmminaa Rehman, fun and sat ire editor

PEYTON KEELER-COX/THE EYEOPENER

Budgeting: tips to properly spending your OSAP grant this fall

attend the premiere of their awardnominated short-film—all of it.

The 50 per cent strategy

Spend around 50 per cent of your OSAP grant on events, like inflated resale tickets for The Weeknd. Life is too short to deny yourself the experi ence of fawning over people who will never know you exist. How can any one concentrate on education with opportunities like these right in front of your eyes? This may be the last chance to feel any joy or liveliness, until after exam season that is.

Now Streaming: your feelings

By Melanie Nava Urribarri

Whilst walking through campus, there is something heavy in the air. Perhaps it’s the suffocating warmth of too many fast food kitchens in tertwined with the cool breeze of a fast-approaching winter. That fa miliar beginning to the fall semes ter reminds me that I’ll soon have to budget how many pumpkinspiced sweets I can afford. Just the thought gives me chills. So, when

paycheques come rolling in and the OSAP grant money appears like a (consequential) beacon in the fog, it is that same air that inspires me to spend that grant as strategically as possible.

How do I spend a grant to ex travagant perfection? You see, Sep tember is not only a month of new beginnings, but it also happens to be a month where every artist ever decides it’s the perfect time to have a concert, announce a new album,

Though the fall semester is a fresh academic start, the change in seasons brings about tears and even over whelming heartbreak for many—de pending on how summer went. As emotionally sensitive students, we should accept all our feelings without shame. We should also bury ourselves in the poetic cinema of Don’t Worry Darling and She-Hulk to escape our pain. Make life easier and buy all the streaming subscriptions. Never miss a show, never acknowledge a nega

tive emotion and always fall behind on your millions of assigned readings. Rhaenyra from House of the Dragon says “Dracarys” in order to watch chaos arise, but all we have to do is press play.

New bling, same you Heirs in fiction and reality have their crowns to immortalize the start of their reign, so why shouldn’t we do the same? Luckily, with OSAP to fi nancially support us through these trying times, this is now possible for us commoners. Tip three: use the government’s aid to make another life investment for inner healing and to begin another semester. New jew ellery and trinkets are always a must in order to truly shine. And in theory, wouldn’t it also help your education endeavours if you feel and look as fresh as possible? I think it most cer tainly would.

Take me to flavour town For the fourth and final tip—my per sonal favourite—a little bit of good judgement is needed. How you spend your money matters, but the way to

one’s heart is the stomach. I get such a thrill from finding a new lavish res taurant in Toronto, getting dressed up and being able to smell the amount of money I’m—or, rather, the govern ment is—about to spend. No more overpriced Uber Eats, it’s time to ex perience overpriced fine dining. For a real extravagant experience, try Don Alfonso 1890, Harbour 60 Toronto or Michael’s on Simcoe.

Walk into one of those restaurants and feel your whole world change the second you step foot inside the restaurant. Hear the clinking of ex pensive wine glasses, the chatter of people who live to consume (because they can afford it) and see the rich dazzle of the tiny servings that won’t fill you up but will certainly dig you deeper into debt.

In summary; invest, alleviate the stress and feed your delusions. Spoil yourself now before you’re too swamped to do it in exam season. Plus, you’ll need time to overwork yourself in order to pay the govern ment your money back when that debt comes to haunt you.

The sad reality after you get your OSAP grant

Story and Visuals by Aeoney Tandoc