Vol. 56, Issue 14

Cinemas are a temporary fix as TMU’s population grows

By Anthony Lippa-Hardy

Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) is partnering with Imagine Cinemas this winter semester to create more classroom space for students.

The university announced in December 2022 that it would add nine additional lecture halls at the Carlton Cinema located at 20 Carlton St.

“Over a 10-year period, fulltime enrolment at TMU increased by nearly 50 per cent from almost 25,000 students to almost 40,000,” TMU said in a statement sent to The Eyeopener. “Our campus precinct has seen an intense increase in density over the same period resulting in a fierce competition for space.”

Although the partnership with the theatre creates new learning spaces, some students say they’d prefer to have classes in a dedicated TMU building rather than a temporary workspace that isn’t designed for long lectures.

of the university, largely because they aren’t TMU buildings.

“I get it that we’re not on a campus like York [University] or [the University of Toronto] but I like the feeling of having a campus. I like having a building that’s actually ours,” said Ahmed.

Some students and faculty also find the theatre atmosphere challenging for teaching and learning.

Sukrit Singh, a first-year biomedical engineering student, said the chairs are comfortable but from a working perspective, there are problems.

“You can’t take a laptop out or anything. So from that perspective I don’t enjoy it. From a nap perspective, I could sleep for hours in there,” said Singh.

Lacking the ability to fully dim the lights, TMU English professor Ruth Panofsky finds the movie theatre is either too bright or not bright enough.

“If you dim them, it goes really dark, so that’s too dark at the front of the class for me to see to teach,” said Panofsky. “There needs to be a way to modulate the lighting.”

Panofsky believes the partnership is needed to accommodate the number of students but that it should be a temporary solution.

She said TMU needs more buildings that are safer for students, faculty and staff. She said buildings like Kerr Hall should be removed in favour of better designed spaces.

Zain Ahmed, a second-year business technology management student at TMU, said his main concern is that the movie theatres near campus don’t feel like they’re a part

TMU said in their press release that the university’s media services team and cinema employees will be available on-site to help with technical issues and audio or visual support, much like the buildings on the main campus.

“[It] takes up a big chunk of campus and it’s a building that ought to be replaced, really, altogether,” said Panofsky.

The possibility of redeveloping older TMU buildings was mentioned in the campus master plan

for 2020-2030. Concept redevelopment plans include demolishing Kerr Hall to make way for modern, taller buildings on the space and an urban park.

ship with the Yonge-Dundas Square Cineplex. The university confirmed to The Eye that this partnership will continue until 2028 with the possibility of an extension.

The university said in their statement that the Cineplex partnership is set to finish with the completion of “a number of priority capital projects.”

“Instead of building outwards, if they built upwards, they could add more classrooms,” said Singh. Currently, TMU has a partner-

“The need to extend the longterm partnership with Cineplex is being considered along with these projects, evolving teaching methods and the student experience,” it reads.

New alcohol guidelines won’t change drinking habits, students say

affect how much he drinks, especially since his habits are already in line with the regulations.

According to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), alcohol may cause alcoholic liver disease, which is a major cause of illness and death in North America.

CAMH added that long-term use of alcohol can, in some cases, lead to dementia and dependence may cause clinical depression.

In 2017, the economic burden of alcohol use in the country was estimated to be more than $16 billion, according to the Government of Canada.

By Sukanna Naqvi

Students at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) say new alcohol consumption recommendations, recently released by the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) will not impact their alcohol consumption.

On Jan. 17, the organization released a report stating Canadians should consume less alcohol. The report drastically changed drinking guidelines from a maximum of 10 drinks per week to a limit of two.

The report, funded by Health Canada, said new research shows that reducing alcohol intake will lower health risks for diseases such as cancer, stroke and heart disease.

Caroline Cachero, a fourth-year biomedical sciences student, said she doesn’t believe any of these diseases can come from two drinks a day.

“I find it’s really a big change and I don’t know how they came up with that,” she said.

She’s not the only TMU student who thinks the guidelines are far too extreme to make a change in drink-

ing among students.

“A lot of people just don’t follow a guideline. It’s just a guideline, it’s nothing strict,” said fourth-year business student Yuvna Jayant.

Tyler Mullins, who recently graduated from TMU, said these new guidelines won’t be changing his drinking habits.

“I drink probably once a week right now,” he said.

First-year film student Alex Williams said he doesn’t have much expertise in the area but said the guidelines wouldn’t likely

Dan Malleck, a professor in the department of health sciences at Brock University, is more concerned with the data collected by the CCSA to make this recommendation.

“They’re far more excessive in their recommendations and guidelines than their data actually suggests they should be,” he said.

Malleck argued that not only is the CCSA’s data misleading but that alcohol has some positive health benefits when it comes to socialization.

He explained that in some cultures, alcohol is seen as a “way of building or strengthening bonds” and in Canadian society, it is a “part of positive socialization.”

Cachero said drinking is seen as more problematic in Canada than it is in places like Europe.

“I find it’s really a big change and I don’t know how they came up with that”

“It’s typical for someone in Europe to drink wine every day with your dinner or such. Whereas here, I think it’s just like a different sort of way of living and alcohol is viewed as much more negative,” Cachero said.

Malleck said making broad claims about the harm associated with alcohol consumption can cause unnecessary concern. “To be concerned about your drinking when you’re not drinking a lot can cause, itself, that stress and worry and anxiety that people face,” he said.

“Not to say that drinking excessively is not problematic. I would not deny that at all or that it cannot have negative health outcomes. But this is not about access, right? This is about moderation.”

The CCSA report states drinking alcohol is not good for one’s health in any capacity, regardless of race, gender, age or lifestyle.

“From a nap perspective, I could sleep for hours in there”

KONNOR KILLORAN/THE EYEOPENER

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“Instead of building outwards, if they built upwards, they could add more classrooms”

The future of space engineering is Bold

By Lillie Coussee

A Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) student group is hoping to become the first post-secondary team in Canada to build a liquid bipropellant rocket engine.

Metropolitan Aerospace and Com bustion Hub (MACH) is a student group based out of the Design Fab rication Zone (DFZ), which helps TMU students and community members bring their design, in vention and manufacturing ideas to life, according to its website.

Borealis, as MACH calls its en gine, is the passion project of sev eral TMU engineering students, whose overarching goal is to one day build a fully customized liquid engine propelled rocket.

MACH was formed in 2017 by two members of Met Rocketry (formerly Ryerson Rocketry Club).

The two members and TMU aerospace engineering students Balin Moher and Zak Harrison broke off from the original group to begin making liquid engines.

It is currently led by Umar Shabbir, a fourth-year aerospace engineering student.

Student group MACH is making a splash, building a liquid propellant rocket engine

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propellants, which means that thrust can be more precisely controlled.

And now, recent legislation in Canada shows a promising future for new grads interested in building these types of engines, says TMU aerospace engineering professor John Enright. On Jan. 20, the federal government announced that commercial space launches will soon be legalized.

“[Launch companies] wouldn’t need to make a special case that [they] need to launch, there’ll be established ground rules for making rocket launches,” he said.

“It’s a really exciting time to be an aerospace engineering student because the possibilities are endless in terms of Canada’s contribution to space right now,” said Ben Kubica, a first-year aerospace engineering student at TMU and a member of MACH.

Before the announcement was made, Kubica noted that Canada didn’t seem to have the same level of big career opportunities for him that the United States provided, he said.

The engine in question, which is commonly used at NASA in its rockets, uses a fuel and an oxidizer—which is a substance that uses oxygen to help fuel burn—which combine and combust, creating “thrust” which allows the rocket to take off, according to NASA’s website.

This is different than a solid motor, which uses a solid mixture containing fuel and oxidizer instead, according to the European Space Agency.

Though both types of engines have their advantages, liquid ones are particularly useful because they allow more control over the flow of

This legislation will focus on space launches, explained Enright, but it will still benefit groups that are interested in building their own rockets. The bulk of new jobs this announcement brings would probably be in satellite building, he said, as “Canada has long had a history of making [them] and the components that go on [them].”

Enright said right now, rocket parts are typically imported from other countries, since Canada lacks the capability to produce them itself. New commercial launch rules will strengthen the supply chain that Canada can provide in terms of space technology services.

“When you think of the US rocket companies, you’ve got SpaceX, you’ve even got private companies like Rocket Lab,” he said. “Canada doesn’t really have much like that.”

Kubica, who joined MACH in Sept. 2022, is part of the combustion dynamics subteam, which is responsible for the manufacturing and testing of the combustion chamber, nozzle and cooling system and is led by fourth-year aerospace engineering student Yiwei Luo.

be the first liquid rocket team to display and test the engine at Launch Canada, the country’s only national rocketry competition.

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“We’re purely focusing on getting our systems up and running, kind of learning as much as we can and then putting all that knowledge back into building our own rocket,” said Shabbir.

The group is broken into five subteams and each team has a student lead from various disciplines at TMU, including two students who are not in an engineering program. The team consists of students from aerospace engineering, as well as industrial engineering, electrical engineering and even computer science.

The combustion dynamics team works on manufacturing the engine, developing testing procedures and integrating it with other subsystems.

The propellant management team develops all the hardware used to directly support the engine.

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Luo said it’s really motivating to see the discourse around commercial space launches growing in Canada. He said Canada’s launch industry is just beginning and he is hopeful it will start to develop in the next coming years.

“Having a domestic launch service is definitely something that will be amazing for the Canadian aerospace industry,” he said.

Shabbir said the change in legislation provides an optimistic future for MACH. “As much as it’s meant for commercial space launches, it will obviously trickle down into the amateur side of things as well, which will definitely help us out once we get to that point,” he said.

MACH is working vigorously to make sure Borealis is up and running by August 2023, said Shabbir.

He noted that the team hopes to

The transfer and control team designs all the extensive electrical hardware and software systems needed for the engine.

The safety team is involved in creating documentation, procedure, risk assessments and training for upcoming tests, as well as ensuring that they have the necessary protective equipment.

The business development team is responsible for fundraising, getting sponsorships and maintaining their online presence, as well as developing industry connections to support other sub teams.

“Everyone on this team right now is going to be the future of the Canadian launch industry,” said Luo. “All of us working on this right now, fingers crossed, will be working on bigger and better and higher projects in the future.”

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“The possibilities are endless in terms of Canada’s contribution to space right now”

“Bigger and better and higher projects in the future”

“Everyone on this team right now is going to be the future of [the industry]”

Creative School showcase breaks barriers with innovative technology

By Khushy Vashisht

In collaboration with Cadillac Fairview, The Creative School showcased student and faculty-made artwork that was designed with the influence of technological advancements from Jan. 10 to Jan. 29 at the Eaton Centre.

The exhibit, titled “Creative Technology Showcase: Disrupting Technology in the Creative Fields,” strived to “push the boundaries of creative technology,” according to the display description. It featured pieces made in the school’s Design + Technology Lab using tools like 3D printers, laser cutters, digital knitting machines and more.

Nora Alkeyat, a 2021 graduate from Toronto Metropolitan University’s (TMU) interior design program, had her piece titled “Growth” showcased at the exhibit. The dome-like structure, which was 3D printed, was Alkeyat’s final project in her graduating year. Its vibrant red colour, paired with intricate patterns resembling brain-shaped coral species, worked together to create a prototype light fixture.

“working non-stop, the frustration of being unable to control things, the anxiety of not knowing who we are [and more].”

Chen said her inspiration came from living in a capitalist society—one she deemed to be corrupt and toxic.

In creating this piece, Alkeyat examined patterns in nature, which she said she is inspired by.

“I like to explore 2D and 3D patterns and how they can impact spaces and our environment,” she said. “Especially in urban settings, being reminiscent of nature can be very inducing of stimulation and just [provide] a visual interest.”

Alkeyat also reflected on the impact of her work being displayed to the public. She said she went to the exhibit this past weekend with her parents. Knowing that her work was on display made her parents proud, she said. “Just having a platform, that’s why it means a lot to me.”

Chloe Chen, a 2022 graduate of TMU’s fashion program, designed and created her piece titled “Living Self.” The costume was one of the two parts of her final project titled, “Pound of Breathing Flesh,” which she completed before graduating. The “Living Self” was a costume that had hanging arms attached to it in place of arm holes and 250 hand-shaped pieces of felt all over the torso. Colourful neon LED lights were hidden by the hands, only seen once the person wearing the piece spins.

In an Instagram post by Chen, she described the lack of arm holes within the costume contributing to a sense of being trapped and how this contributes to feelings of

“I think it represents a lot of us, normal people living but at the same time the piece is very cautioning,” Chen said. “Are we really living or just surviving?”

“The name is ironic because it’s the ‘Living Self’ but are we actually living is the question,” she added.

Chen said her interest in the concept of interactive design allowed her to combine technology with costume. Chen’s project used laser cutting to create the felt hands and creative coding to control the neon LED lights under the material.

Chen said incorporating these new technological tools within her work positively impacted her confidence.

“I feel like technology was really far from me,” Chen said. “Now, I feel like I’m actually a part of the community and it makes me excited and makes me want to pursue more in this field.”

from everyday life...just normal people who are students.”

Jonathon Anderson, an associate professor at the School of Interior Design and director of the Design + Technology LAB, said he was approached by The Creative School to compile a series of pieces that could go above and beyond in creativity,

software and hardware.

“The Eaton Centre is really interested in expanding its portfolio of creative activities and programming for culture and the arts,” Anderson said.

“We collected [the work of] students, staff and faculties that [consist of] not only the various pieces of hardware that we have down in

the lab but also start to push some of the software that we have available in the lab as well.”

Anderson added that he is working on creating instructional workshops for using the Lab’s technology. He hoped to have more news about the potential workshops later in the winter 2023 semester.

Carol Varghese, a second-year professional communication student who worked at the exhibit, said she saw an average of 50 to 60 people visit the exhibit during her four-hour daytime shifts.

“I [saw] people from all different fields. People who work in tech— they’re super interested in what each of these pieces are about and what machines they use to make it,” Varghese said. “But we also get people

“Are we really living or just surviving”

“Especially in urban settings, being reminiscent of nature can be very inducing of stimulation”

Spools of pink and red yarn looped around each other with precision in Danielle Reid’s steady hands as she sat in her bedroom on a hot summer day in 2020. The now third-year journalism student was putting her hobby to use—one she perfected when her classes went virtual and the threat of a new infectious disease called COVID-19 first plagued the world. Her grandmother helped guide Reid’s first few steps into the art of crochet when she was around the age of 10 but it never really stuck because she had no time to enjoy and savour the craft. Now, amidst a global pandemic, she had all the time in the world.

Her TV played in the background as she finished up the neatly-crocheted pink and red speckled tank top in her cozy room, when she decided this piece was some thing she wanted to post to her Instagram. Within days, her post garnered so much love from her friends and family that it inspired her to start her own crochet business.

That tank top was just the tip of the iceberg. Reid officially opened her store, named Ides of May, which is a reference to a phrase used in William Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar, in August of 2020. Reid has an interest in history and understood the phrase to mean new beginnings and a fresh start. With her birthday landing in May, she personalized the line and decided to make it the name of her shop, which is also a nod to her creative nature in itself.

Reid started crocheting bags, purses, hats and even began making jewelry for her shop. To keep up with the demand for her products, the background TV noise she once worked to slowly turned into the voices of her professors talking on her laptop, as she often found herself crocheting during virtual classes. Before she knew it, her relationship with crocheting had changed. She didn’t find herself going for her five-millimetre metal needle when she needed to de-stress anymore. Now, it was work.

“It started getting a little stressful because your hobbies are what you used to do when you were wanting to relax,” Reid says. “But now, it’s for somebody else.”

Most people grow up aspiring to love what they do and dream of building a career out of their passion. But for some, when a passion turns into a business, their relationship with what may have once been a happy pastime can quickly turn sour.

For some students at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) who have built a business from their passion, it can become all-consuming and seemingly never-ending.

Diana Goodwin, the founder of AquaMobile, an at-home swimming lesson company and MarketBox, a scheduling software company, says while a business can stem from a hobby, there are a few initial aspects to handle that one might not have a passion for.

“In the early days, there are things like the bank accounts, incorporation, all of that stuff. But then there’s getting your first customers and adapting and modifying your product or service as you get more feedback on it.”

Goodwin started AquaMobile because of her passion for swimming and helping people feel safe in the water. Gradually though, she too found herself having less time to physically teach swimming lessons after her business started.

“For me, it was a natural transition where I enjoyed that business side of things,” says Goodwin. “But I’ve definitely met a lot of people who don’t enjoy that transition, so it’s not necessarily for everyone.”

Janet Lewis, an entrepreneur and the founder of e-commerce company, Orange Fish, recognizes this, which is why she created her company to help creatives focus on their projects.

“It’s important for people to know that even if they’re going to turn their business into a passion, there’s so much more that goes along with that,” she says. “I think it’s great if people are able to take on those pieces but some of those pieces are also very challenging.”

These more business-heavy aspects are challenges that come with the territory of opening one’s own store or company. But what happens when a new business owner is unprepared for these new responsibilities?

As the popular saying goes, “don’t eat where you shit.” A 2017 Journal of Business and Psychology study found that some

workers who blur the lines between work and free time were less likely to participate in activities that could help them relax. This means it is more likely for people to be more stressed with little time to unwind when they have no set structure to differentiate between work and play.

Adding a layer of stress and pressure to monetize a hobby can have negative effects on the relationship that some TMU business owners have with their hobbies. This can push them to eventually rely on other things to relieve stress, like reading and watching TV shows, rather than spending time on their original hobby.

However, despite the demands of starting a business, Goodwin says the job is less likely to feel like hard work when there’s passion behind it.

“I kind of tie it all back to that passion. You really have to be passionate about what you’re doing, so that it doesn’t feel like hard work.”

TMU students don’t regret starting their own businesses from their hobbies. To them, although it can be stressful, “shitting where you eat” can be worth its costs.

“Making those things was a little bit stressful [because I was] making lots of the same thing in different colours,” she says. Smith liked to just make things she wanted to crochet and then see those sell more instead.

According to a 2015 article from the Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, researchers found that boredom in the workplace was common when workers were subjected to completing monotonous and repetitive motor tasks. This was especially true for jobs that required constant attention, as workers would have to work even harder to remain both physically and mentally focused on the task at hand.

In Smith’s case, crocheting over 50 plushies and bags throughout her summer break quickly became monotonous. “It was a little bit stressful because my mom said I needed to pick certain colours and make everything in those colours for them to sell,” says Smith.

Goodwin says while using a hobby to act as the backbone of a business can be beneficial, it certainly isn’t for everyone and it can be worth changing paths to save your relationship with your once-favoured pastime.

“It is okay to change your mind and realize that you don’t have to tie your entrepreneurial endeavour to your hobby,” she says. “There’s nothing wrong with that.”

She also says having other interests and hobbies is good practice. In doing so, one will hopefully always have another way to de-stress that isn’t work-related at all.

Chopper, a twelve-year-old golden retriever, watched Holly Smith weave an intricate pattern with coloured yarn as an episode of Grey’s Anatomy played in the background. It was July 2021 and Smith was house-sitting and watching Chopper, a neighbour’s dog, for the week.

The second-year media production student routinely house-sits while Chopper’s owners are gone through the summer. By the end of her tenure in their home, there would usually be a Smith-sized dent in the couch because of the hours she’d spend sitting in one spot working on her crochet project. Chopper on the other hand, often thought the yarn was a chew toy and would usually disrupt Smith’s project with a chomp of his own.

Since Smith had ample free time during these house-sitting visits, she took this as an opportunity to build a social media following among the crochet community on YouTube and TikTok. She would set up her phone whenever she was crocheting—whether it was in her room, on the subway or while watching Chopper—and film a time-lapse of her creating her latest project. Some designs would be her own passion projects, like animal hats and others, like sweaters, would be orders she would get from her Instagram shop, Lovely Mushroom Crochet.

When she first opened her shop in May 2021, Smith started off making items she personally loved, like her signature frog and strawberry hats. She then gradually shifted to adding other trendier items that were more popular with her customers, like single-colour bags. With the help of her mom, who owns a handmade pillow shop on Etsy herself, she eventually began creating inventories that would sell out within a day at an in-person market in her hometown of Hudson, Ohio.

And while her new-found success was exciting, Smith had less of an opportunity to test out new crochet designs and little time to simply crochet for herself anymore.

“It did change my relationship with crochet because it felt a little bit more like a chore sometimes when I was making things that I didn’t necessarily want to be making,” she explains.

Smith started to crochet countless plushies, little toys made of yarn that resembled various animals and single-coloured bags—items that she spent a whole summer creating, that she didn’t particularly like to make—but would be very popular with her consumer market.

Lewis agrees with this sentiment but she also believes that passion can help keep entrepreneurs interested in their jobs for longer.

“A lot of people are shifting from success being making millions and millions of dollars to success being, obviously making enough money to pay for their daily living expenses but also being happy at the end of the day,” Lewis says.

For Smith, while crocheting the same thing can be tedious, she finds joy in editing and producing her TikTok and YouTube videos. It’s a way for her to relax and despite content creation being somewhat tied to her business, it ultimately motivates her to finish her crochet projects too.

“I like making the videos and I like crocheting. So I think I see it more of a reward for doing something I’m already doing,” she says.

“By focusing on social media, I get to make things that I want to make but still show them to lots of people.”

Back in 2020, Reid’s grandmother looked over her shoulder as she was crocheting one of her first orders: a carefully-woven green bucket hat. The two sat on blankets on a beach in Barrie, Ont. in front of the water at what was an almost empty area during the middle of the pandemic.

As the pair relaxed together, Reid thought back to happy childhood memories of her grandmother first teaching her how to crochet. She fondly remembered how she would go to school in fifth grade with a needle and yarn in her backpack to make the chain her grandmother taught her to create. She recalls looking up to her grandmother and her expertise in the fibre arts and how her grandmother never really had to actively think about patterns—which would come naturally to her.

“I wanted to have a part in [crocheting with her]…I think that she liked the idea [of the business later] and she helped me with that. I think she was very supportive of this business.”

Since that summer, Reid’s grandmother moved to Jamaica but crochet is something she’ll always share with her. No matter how stressful her business gets, it will always be a way to stay connected with her.

Reid still calls her grandmother for advice when she gets stuck on projects or needs help. Once, after sending a photo of a hat she made for her dog, Reid’s grandmother messaged her a response. “You are so talented Danielle,” she wrote.

“It’s a really nice blessing to be able to do something that you really enjoy doing and also build a community around it,” says Reid. “It’s definitely something that I want to continue with and I don’t want to get rid of it.”

PHF makes history and uses All-Star Showcase to look toward hockey’s future

“I’ve got my two kids here with me, so to share this with them is awesome,” said Packer. “It really is my favourite weekend every year, just to get together with all of the players from across the league.”

Shiann Darkangelo, Taylor Girard and Sydney Brodt were USA’s goal-scorers during the round-robin. The team went 0-2 but kept the games close, losing to Canada 2-1 in a shootout and 3-2 to World.

single person involved with the PHF really understands how meaningful and important that is.”

The players embrace their role as someone for the next generation to look up to.

By Mikayla Guarasci

When the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF) players arrived at the Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC) on Sunday for morning skate ahead of the all-star game, The Toronto Leaside Wildcats youth girl’s hockey team was running an early morning practice.

The future of their league was right in front of them.

Team USA was the first to hit the ice for the morning skate and when they did, the Wildcat girls came out of the dressing room and gathered by the glass. They watched in awe as the professional athletes began their skate. There was something special about the next generation of women’s hockey players skating on the same ice as the best PHF players just minutes before.

“As the league continues to grow, that’s who we are doing it for,” said Madison Packer, captain of Team USA and the Metropolitan Riveters. “It’s fun to interact with them and show them a little bit of what we’re about and it’s always important to give back. Someone at some point did those things for us so it’s part of our job and it’s a lot of fun.”

The 2023 PHF All-Star Showcase was hosted by the Toronto Six at the MAC. This was the first time the event was hosted outside of the U.S.

The 2022 event was set to be held in Toronto but was relocated to Buffalo due to pandemic restrictions.

This was also the first professional hockey all-star event to take place at the MAC since the 1968 NHL AllStar Game hosted by the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The league added Toronto—their first Canadian team—in 2020 and expanded to Montreal before the start of the current season.

This year’s event included three teams: Team Canada, Team USA and Team World. Each team featured 15 players, made up of the 45 players selected as all-stars.

The format was a three-team round-robin with the top two teams playing in the final game.

Team Canada went 2-1 on the day, avenging their round-robin loss to Team World in the final.

Burford, Ont.’s Emma Woods was excited to have the event hosted by her team. The player welcomed family and friends to the event.

“To be able to host an event here is awesome, especially in the heart of downtown. I know everyone is excited to come back here,” said Woods. “We have a good community and fan base in Toronto.”

Expansion to Canada is part of what PHF Commissioner Reagan Carey refers to as the beginning of “the new era of the PHF.”

“[To] just set a new tone for where we want to be and also how quickly we want to get there,” said Carey.

“It means a lot of resources financially for players and otherwise, with medical benefits. It means that we are building a community of people that we want to have along for a long ride with us on this journey.”

But it was Team World who stole the show with what is now known as the unicorn goal celebration. All the members of the team would hold their stick vertically on top of their helmet while skating by the bench after the goal. Toronto Six and Team World forward Leah Lum said it originated with the Czech players and was quickly adopted by the team as their goal celebration.

By the end of the event, the crowd had joined in on the celebration, using their noise makers as hockey sticks on their heads.

The celebration was put to good use as Fanni Gasparics of the Metropolitan Riveters recorded a hat trick in World’s game against the USA and added a fourth goal in the final against Canada. She also made a huge block against the USA to help secure the win and a berth in the finals.

Buffalo Beauts forward Mikyla Grant-Mentis coaches with the Brampton Canadettes organization, and Brittany Howard of the Toronto Six works with the North York Storm. During the event, members of the hockey teams in attendance visited the all-stars.

Sunday’s event was capped by Team Canada’s Loren Gabel receiving 2023 all-star game MVP honour after scoring three goals and an assist in the event. Her chemistry with former teammate Howard was a highlight of the night.

Gabel knows what it’s like to be in the shoes and skates of those young girls watching.

“I was one of them once. Just giving back to the community is truly amazing,” said Gabel.

As Carey mentioned, the PHF is looking to be a stable option for the player’s livelihoods. Since 2021, the PHF has raised team salary caps from $300,000 to $750,000 USD with benefits. The salary cap will double to $1.5 million per team for the 2023-24 season.

The game also marked Packers’ record-breaking sixth all-star appearance. Packer and the other captains, Kaleigh Fratkin (Canada) and Kateřina Mrázová (World), were selected by a team vote.

Beyond the game itself, the league made an effort to engage with the female hockey programs in the community. They hosted skill development clinics for local teams with the all-stars and invited youth players to line up with the pros during roster introductions.

“We always talk about wanting to be a league that honours past pioneers and inspires the future by what we do in this moment,” said Carey. “For us to be able to be here and for these young girls to see this, all of us growing up playing hockey never had that opportunity. Every

She shared that her motto is “just continue to challenge yourself and chase your dreams” and added how great it was to see so many young girls at the event.

The PHF all-star weekend was a success in Toronto, not only because of the on-ice activities but due to its impact on the youth hockey community. The girls in attendance will never forget watching their hockey heroes and seeing the possibilities of what they can achieve.

If you can see it, you can be it and many young Toronto athletes saw professional women’s hockey right before their eyes.

KONNOR KILLORAN/THE EYEOPENER

KONNOR KILLORAN/THE EYEOPENER

KONNOR KILLORAN/THE EYEOPENER

“As the league continues to grow, that’s who we are doing it for”

“I’ve got my two kids here with me, so to share this with them is awesome”

TMU commuters express concern about increased violence on the TTC

By Adriana Fallico

The spike in violence on the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) has been unsettling across the city but it has particularly struck a chord with commuting Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) students, who worry about the risk of the worst happening to them.

Since the new year began, there have been many incidents of random violence on the TTC, resulting in serious injuries or even death.

This rise in violence is worrisome for commuting TMU students who use the TTC to travel to and from campus and have no other alternative.

Carina Tomasso, a first-year media production student, said she now questions her safety on the transit system.

“When I first started school, I felt really unsafe using the TTC but I stopped feeling that after taking it so much,” said Tomasso. “The recent surge of violence has definitely made me re-evaluate that feeling of safety.”

She said she now avoids taking the TTC unless someone is accompanying her, choosing to walk instead.

“When I’m by myself, I would rather not take it,” said Tomasso.

To combat violence on the TTC, the Toronto Police Service has deployed upwards of 80 officers on the transit system every day, police chief Myron Demkiw announced in a press conference last week.

The City of Toronto issued a statement saying it will temporarily deploy 50 security guards on the TTC and hire 20 community safety ambassadors to help increase safety onboard. This is on top of the TTC’s recent

commitment to hire 50 new special constables this year, as stated in their proposed 2023 operating budget.

The Eyeopener reached out to the TTC for a statement regarding student safety on their services but they did not respond in time for publication.

Tomasso said she would feel more comfortable taking the TTC with more security. But other students feel increased officers on board is not the only solution.

Daniela*, a second-year civil engineering student at TMU, said the city needs to do more than just add etxra police. “I think there are other resources,” she said. “They can add mental health resources that can help people.”

Simon Dougle, a third-year history student at TMU, said doing more than just adding security would be the real way to stop these incidents from happening.

“As we know that’s not a perfect solution to this kind of problem,” said Dougle. “If possible, resources for unhoused people and people who are mentally unwell would probably help in the long run than just more security.”

In 2022, Toronto launched the Toronto Community Crisis Services (TCCS) pilot program, which aims to provide community-led solutions to respond to mental health crisis calls and wellness checks. On Jan. 16, Toronto City Council received a six month evaluation report from the TCCS. It stated that the program has successfully diverted 78 per cent of mental health crisis calls received by 911 with no police involvement.

Valerie Borum, the director of TMU’s School of Social Work, said the violence occurring on the TTC can cause students to rethink their routes to campus. But she said not everyone will be able to adapt.

“Uber requires some financial stability. Can students afford Uber? If so then that is an option,” said Borum.

“Can a student ride a bike? If so, that’s an option.”

“But that’s also based on geography, some students may live so far from campus that they cannot afford to take an Uber or ride a bike in this weather, so those are options for those who can afford it and have the geography to make those trips.”

Borum also said violence occurring throughout the TTC system is not an isolated, targeted attempt to cause harm toward certain groups of people but rather random attacks toward anyone.

“Violence is occurring in different spaces but when we look specifically at the TTC, the violence is unpredictable in a sense that it’s random,” said Borum. “That means that everybody is at risk as opposed to a situation where the violence is targeting certain groups who expe-

Borum explained that the increased violence on the TTC can impact stu-

“I think this violence of course adds to stress and it does have the potential to impact mental health in a way that makes it more difficult to navigate

She highlighted the role the COVID-19 pandemic has had on student mental health, making the added stress of worrying about the TTC attacks an extra burden on students.

“The pandemic unveiled many of the weaknesses in the mental health system,” she said. “So we have had these gaps prior to the pandemic and the pandemic exposed, highlighted and even exac-

Borum said the presence of more police officers may make some feel safer and may make some, for example marginalized communities, feel less safe.

“The pandemic exposed many social ills and safety is not a linear process,” she said. “The university and [the] nation as a whole will have to address the gaps in terms of resources,” said Borum.

Borum spoke about how the events occurring on the TTC undergird larger societal issues pertaining to systems of mental health, housing and human rights. “We are looking at social issues and social challenges and the TTC is one area we are seeing it,” said Borum.

Ronald Vogel, a professor and the graduate program director of policy studies at TMU, said the levels of crime on the TTC may not be that big of a number but may seem overwhelming because more people are taking the TTC again after the pandemic.

In November 2022, the TTC reached 33 billion rides on its system, a milestone that took nearly four years to hit. The TTC hit 32 billion rides in May 2019, 31 billion rides in June 2017 and 30 billion rides in August 2015—an obvious sign that ridership decreased significantly due to the pandemic.

“Objectively, crime is certainly up since pre-pandemic levels and since the drop of ridership during the pandemic,” said Vogel. “It certainly has been rapid and very noticeable. They’re scary events and legitimately people are worried.”

Vogel said there needs to be more transparency from the TTC regarding what is going on.

“Realistically most of us don’t have much to fear but that doesn’t solve the problem of anxiety levels,” he said. “So maybe one thing is to be more

transparent and direct about what’s really happening.”

Vogel said increased police presence on TTC transit and platforms comes with its pros and cons because there is no simple solution. While more security may help reduce commuters’ fear, it is not guaranteed to reduce crime on the TTC.

“It’s a double-edged sword—one part of the population views the police as some sort of protection and making them feel safer,” said Vogel. “But a large section of the population, most members of racialized communities may feel afraid or nervous.”

The Eyeopener reached out to President Lachemi regarding students’ concerns about commuting to campus. “I encourage students to reach out to their local government officials and share their concerns,” he said. “That outreach would definitely help us deal with this situation.”

Lachemi said the university will continue to work with the city’s leadership, social service agencies and other organizations on a community-centric approach to safety and security.

TMU also has resources available to students and staff in regards to safety and mental wellbeing, some support services being Consent Comes First and Personal Safety Planning Sessions.

There is also the Centre for Student Development and Counseling (CSDC) which offers “free, confidential counseling to TMU students.”

*Student’s last name has been withheld for privacy concerns.

“The pandemic exposed many social ills and safety is not a linear process”

“They’re scary events and, legitimately, people are worried”

“We are looking at social issues and social challenges and the TTC is one area we are seeing it”

KONNOR KILLORAN/THE EYEOPENER

KONNOR KILLORAN/THE EYEOPENER

DoorDash student plan offers double-edged sword to TMU community

By Tia Harish

As DoorDash releases a new subscription service catering toward post-secondary clients, many students at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) say they’re sticking to ordering take-out directly.

“DashPass for Students—Door -

Dash’s new subscription service— comes with various perks, like “free delivery and reduced service fees,” according to a DoorDash press release emailed to The Eyeopener . Introduced on Jan. 9, the pass costs $4.99 per month or $48 per year.

Some TMU students say they prefer ordering directly from restaurants near campus as opposed to using services like DashPass.

Second-year social work student

Harleen Saggu commutes to TMU and frequently takes advantage of the restaurants around campus.

“I don’t have time as a full-time student to cook at home,” said Saggu. “I usually stick to the food places nearby, just because I know those to be reliable and I know what they taste like.”

Lu Zhang, an associate professor of finance at TMU, said this sub-

scription may not be very effective for students on TMU’s campus because they have the luxury of being in the core of downtown Toronto, where there are food options.

“They’re so close to so many coffee shops or restaurants, it probably wouldn’t be too much of an effort for them to just go [pickup takeout orders] themselves, especially for budget conscious students,” she said.

In the press release, DoorDash said the subscription is convenient and affordable for students looking for a restaurant meal at home or as “a lastminute snack while studying.”

But for students who live oncampus and pay for a meal plan, the DashPass may not be as effective.

Rachel Enns, a first-year environmental and urban sustainability student at TMU living at Pitman Hall Residence, said she won’t be using DashPass.

“It wouldn’t make sense to be paying money for a service that I probably wouldn’t use,” she said.

Even students on a meal plan make the choice to buy takeout occasionally, whether they would prefer to eat from the dining halls or not.

Eshan Sobti, a first-year media production student who lives at Pitman Hall, said he usually eats at the dining hall in his residence building or he orders takeout.

“The annoying thing is, the dining hall closes at 9 p.m. and sometimes I have clubs that run until after. I don’t have the option to get the food that I paid for,” said Sobti.

The Pitman Dining Hall opens from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. from Monday to Thursday. On Fridays, the hall closes at 8:30 p.m. and on weekends it is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Zhang said “though the fee appears to be low, again, it adds up,” since students may be enticed to spend more on food when there is no delivery fee.

Nadine Khoury, registered dietitian in Toronto, said for students, “the best way to save money is to prepare your own meals.”

She added that plant based proteins, like beans, lentils and chickpeas, are cheaper and simpler to cook with than meat.

“Students lack the knowledge in how to balance their meals. They

also lack the knowledge in cooking, preparing foods,” said Khoury. And those two things combined can lead to unhealthy eating, skipping meals and eating junk food, she said. When it comes to the DashPass, Khoury said it’s only a good deal if students are ordering from it frequently.

“If [students are] ordering once a month, it wouldn’t make a lot of sense,” she said.

“But if they’re ordering a few times a week, then that’s a good deal for sure.”

Promote leadership, inspire change

By Natalie Vilkoff

Are you interested in business and tech but unsure of where to start?

Luckily for you, there is no shortage of student groups on campus that can help you find community, develop your skills and network with industry professionals.

Whether you are experienced or just entering the field, there is a place for everyone among the various tech and business clubs housed at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU).

Here are some groups to check out:

Black Business Students’ Association (BBSA)

Founded in 2020 with the goal of breaking down and highlighting systemic barriers of the corporate world, the members of the Black Business Students’ Association (BBSA) are “strong, motivated and inspired student leaders that lead Toronto Metropolitan University’s (TMU) Black youth” according to their website.

Through various community engagement initiatives and events focused on professional development and academic excellence, the BBSA provides Black students with the skills they need to confidently face and shape the future.

Some of their most recent events included a speaker series with a pan-

el of Black, Indigenous and racialized technology professionals.

An upcoming event is their Basketball Bash happening on Feb. 4.

Enactus Business is often a cut-throat industry, which can leave both people and the environment drained. Through projects like Greenologii, which was an initiative to make plastic out of potato starch to reduce waste and Shepreneur, which empowered women entrepreneurs, Enactus aims to show that the business world can be reshaped for good.

75. The goal of Women in Information Technology Management is to increase diversity and inclusivity in the workplace and to encourage confidence and leadership in women interested in pursuing a career in IT Management.

They recently hosted a coding event for women and in February, they are hosting WeDesignTech, an annual hackathon where students get 40 hours to apply their technology and business skills, as well as their creativity based on a given theme or problem.

sociation

The goal of the Metropolitan Data Science Association is to make data analytics and data science skills more accessible to TMU students by organizing events and workshops with industry professionals.

Despite the prevalence of data science in the business and technology field, the MDSA says there are not enough resources available for students to learn about the discipline.

Whether you are experienced or just beginning, the MDSA has a number of resources and network -

ing opportunities to help you get started or continue forth.

Ted Rogers Co-op Students’ Association

“Promote, recruit, inspire” is the motto of the Ted Rogers Co-op Students’ Association, an organization whose goal it is to provide networking opportunities for coop students.

They run workshops on topics such as explaining the ins and outs of doing a co-op, as well as career planning and networking events.

They are currently preparing for their Alumni Night and Appreciation Gala.

Toronto (Metropolitan) Entrepreneurship Association

The Toronto (Metropolitan) Entrepreneurship Association aims to foster innovation and encourage student entrepreneurship.

They have hosted events such as the Holiday Market, where small student-owned businesses are welcome to sell their wares.

They also regularly post on their Instagram, where you can see upcoming events and opportunities as well as connect with the team.

Their next event is happening on Feb. 3, where together with the Students Law Network, they will run a workshop on how to become a corporate lawyer.

The DashPass for Students comes at a time of rising food costs

PHOTO VIA UNSPLASH

KONNOR KILLORAN/THE EYEOPENER

The Eye’s guide to transit etiquette

By Anastasia Blosser

For first-time commuters or experienced travellers, returning to public transit at the start of every semester is a necessary transition. If you’ve taken the train, subway, bus or streetcar, it may seem hard to adapt to social customs that have changed in the last few years. Before you return to commuting, identify the environment you’re stepping onto. The sticky floors and carpeted seats foster a delicate habitat for these seven archetypal passengers. Here is a guide on how to become one of them:

The small talker

At its core, public transit is a way for the community to come together. It pulls people away from their phones and into awkward conversations. Avoid starting conversations with questions that can be answered in one or two words, such as “do you know what stop comes next?” or anything about the weather. Instead, try asking more personal questions, like the street they grew up on or their mother’s maiden name. If all else fails, try improvising a monologue to see if anyone else will join in.

Group-thinkers

This role is typically reserved for friend groups travelling in packs of four or more. Rather than sitting in a row, it is customary for half of

the passengers to stand in front of the seated ones to form an inclusive conversation circle. Standing members should remember to keep their bags large and on their shoulder while in the aisle space to increase the social territory of the group.

The phone talker

Spending hours on transit can be a disheartening experience. To boost morale at the end of a long day, talk loudly on the phone about wildly inappropriate topics. Your performance will give other passengers a reason to make subtle eye contact with each other and giggle over your personal life. Common topics can include family drama, medical history or a passive aggressive argument with your roommate. Don’t worry if you’re

underground—if the conversation is enthralling enough, no one will stop to wonder how you got cell service on the subway.

Main character

Hold on, we can’t all be the cool, mysterious figure in the subway car.

The DJ

Sometimes what a traffic-trapped streetcar needs is the right original soundtrack to reduce tensions. Whether or not you have a Bluetooth speaker stylishly attached to your backpack, play something out loud for everyone to enjoy. It can be a poorly curated Spotify playlist or a collection of unskippable YouTube ads. We all deserve to feel like the star of a music video.

Which YouTube niche is your destiny?

By Ella Miller

Starting university means it’s time to let go of those dreams of becoming a YouTuber—or does it? Maybe you don’t have to bid adieu to the urge to pick up a camera and give strangers a rose-coloured window into your life. What better way to create content than take inspiration from your everyday life. Your university major definitely reveals something about your hidden YouTuber ambitions. So here are the video format for you, depending on your choice of study:

Architecture: Three words: paranormal challenge videos. The most popular of this format is the 3 a.m. challenge—you’re up anyway, why not monetize that niche sleep schedule? You could convene with the ghosts that definitely haunt the Monetary Times building or maybe even make a demon pact that will help you finish your scale model on time. The world is full of content to exploit at the witching hour.

English: It would be easy to say you would do book reviews but as an English major, you don’t entertain

surface-level discussions, you look deeper. That is why you would be perfectly suited to start a true crime channel to discuss motivation, character analysis and underlying themes abound. Plus, you are uniquely qualified to determine whether it was the colour of the curtains that pushed the culprit to the brink.

Journalism: Your talents will fit best as a Cocomelon host. Now, before you stop reading, this is not an insult. You are already on your way to becoming a more sophisticated Dora the Explorer—asking people the same questions over and over and then awaiting their response. Besides, journalists want their stories to be seen and you cannot go five seconds on YouTube without a video titled “Nursery Rhymes Educational Sing-A-Long Toddler Happy Fun Times” being suggested.

Performance & undeclared arts: Arts students should know something about drama and what better way to stir it up than to make apology videos? Of course, one cannot live on apologies alone. Whatever the personal cost, you will have to become an endlessly problematic—

drives automatic with two feet, sets 50 alarms, broccoli pizza lover—kind of iconic drama channel. Take no accountability, cry on the kitchen floor and remember to sigh deeply to show regret so you don’t have to make another apology video for your apology.

Business management: As a business major you get right down to, well, business. You do what everyone else is too afraid to admit to doing if they ever found a sliver of internet stardom: flex your newly acquired boujee lifestyle. You can be more subtle than just flat-out showing off your new chrome-wrapped Lamborghini Aventador at your rental hillside mansion. You could review the latest cinematic disaster, do a baking tutorial or tell us about that time your grandpa accidentally ate paint. But always have the new wheels clearly visible in the background. Subliminal advertising at its finest.

Film: You’re not in it for the money, you’re in it for artistic merit. What better way to prove your pure intentions than to make video essays about obscure lost media? Video essays are the perfect way to educate the masses

commuting experience but fill the seats up at 2 p.m. on a Thursday somehow. Easily identified by their blank stares and lack of enthusiasm, sometimes you don’t realize you’re in the role until it’s too late. There is no shame, as these individuals are the backbone of any transit system.

The surfer

Understandably, commuting with hundreds of strangers can be stressful in terms of personal hygiene. If you’d like to avoid touching anything, keep your hands in your pockets, bend your knees slightly and let the rhythm of the bus guide you as you stumble into fellow passengers, their bags and the hand railings. To avoid any germ-infected collisions, it’s best to step away from the aisles and situate yourself in front of the doors for at least eight stops before you’re supposed to get off.

The NPCs

These are the most common types of travellers—the non-player-character. These background characters leave no lasting impression on the

Commuter roles will change from ride to ride but it is crucial to follow the natural order of public transportation. These journeys are a performative art that every passenger simultaneously partakes in. As both the actor and the audience, remember to appreciate the displays others are putting on around you while putting on your best performance. Snoop over people’s shoulders to try to decode their text messages and see if they’re listening to the Mamma Mia soundtrack ironically. Scan the covers of books thoughtfully curated for the morning train ride and nod approvingly, regardless of your personal opinions on Colleen Hoover. Maybe even cringe whenever they pen in a crossword answer.

Refusal to comply with any of the seven personas will undoubtedly disrupt the transit ecosystem and create a tense journey for everyone involved. Show some respect and play your role because if we’re going to be stuck together at least ten times a week, it may as well be tolerable.

on your eccentric passions or whatever forgotten flop media you think deserves to be put in the centre of a gale winded discourse. You can then stand proud in the eye of this hurricane, laughing at the havoc your slickly-edited takedown has created.

Engineering: You are known to be intense, both personality and work ethic wise. You need space to channel your unhinged energy and for this reason it makes sense to create a “Let’s Play” channel. Better yet, a “Let’s Play” channel in a remote content house where you play through and provide absurd gaming commentary. That way you can be loud, maximize the chaos and have adequate isolation to carefully craft your own game server with lore so complex, we on the outside will need a 500-page encyclopedia to decipher it.

Geographic analysis: Have you ever fallen down a 1 a.m. internet rabbithole and suddenly there’s a woman surrounded by crystals telling you that you should try to avoid dairy for the next week? Please tell me it’s not just me. Either way, you’re here to vibe. So, start a channel that is just the ultimate vibe zone—think bootleg LoFi Girl. Program the LEDs, surround yourself in plushies and get cozy for a strangely comforting night in.

Nursing & public health: Nursing and public health students are the essence of aesthetic and it makes sense that you started a completely THAT girl-inspired daily vlogging channel. Meal preps, calligraphic notes with your pastel gel pens and sped-up montages are all the inspiration fodder students need to add these to their watch later but-never-look-at-again list.

UNIBA SHAIKH/THE EYEOPENER

VANESSA KAUK/THE EYEOPENER

Whether you’re old or new, travelling for work or school, here are the some things to do