January 2018 by Lazy Faire

JANUARY 2018

SAM PODGURNY Embracing Change and Uncertainty

Edmontonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very own Shawn Kanungo

CHANGE New Years Resolutions for your Major Net Neutrality Tattoos in the Workplace

for a better world. 2018

January 29 - February 3

Kristina Wong â&#x20AC;&#x153;Eco-comedianâ&#x20AC;?, performer, writer and cultural commentator

Daniel Arzola Venezuelan visual artist, graphic designer and LGBTQ activistt

Over 50 free events. Explore global issues and celebrate cultural diversity.

uab.ca/iweek

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STAY LAZY STAY CONNECTED website www.lazyfaire.com facebook Lazy Faire magazine Instagram @lazyfairemagazine Twitter @lazy_faire

JANUARY 2018

CONTENTS 7

SOCIAL STUDIES Net Neutrality

FASHION Tattoos in the Workplace

FYI New Year’s Resolutions

THOUGHT VS. THOUGHT Changing in a Relationship

guest article Co-op 101

lf reviews Giving Up Coffee for a Week

new year resolutions for your major

2017 expectations

Easy ways to change your gpa

lazy chat Shelby Chau

meet the team

CLUBS corner Hide and Seek Club

EXTERNAL RELATIONS Shawn Kanungo

editor’s note

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT Sam Podgurny

cover designed by FATIMA MOHAMED cover photographed by DYLAN WEE

EDITOR’S NOTE “It’s not a new year, or a new me. As we rang in the new year, we It’s another chance to be a better have prepared ourselves for the me.” change to come, which is why the first theme of the year is about I’m coming into 2018 with change in all its forms. optimism and a new mindset. To me, the previous year was about Change is complex, but sometimes evaluating everything around me necessary. As you flip through and thinking about what I need to the pages of this issue you’ll be change. I’ve also learnt about the able to notice some of the ways importance of being mindful of things around us are changing. I what I do and realizing the impact hope 2018 is the year we find and my actions can have on not only welcome change that’s necessary myself, but also the environment for us. around me. That’s why I’ve made it my priority to make this year all about taking action, and holding myself accountable.

FATIMA FARAH MOHAMED Editor-in-Chief

CONTRIBUTORS editor-in-chief

fatima mohamed

vp editorial

victoria chiu rodvie barnachea

writers

rahique um maktoom handoo meghan markowski lindsay rainbow elizabeth jun francesca dela cruz makena kigunda delicia goh michael mytrunec ganit singh valerie leow tyler keffer cleo williams

art director

joanna faddoul

designers

betty vo marina bryan melania antoszko vivian lam shannon wong joanna faddoul

photographers

renee yu dylan wee richard chen austin yee

vp communications

haya masri

communications director

richard chen

multimedia director

events director

wajiha islam

vp external

elizabeth jun

#suitslf director

giselle wong

sponsored by

xerox canada priority printing

special thanks to

diana wyley business alumni association

uofalazyfaire@gmail.com www.lazyfaire.com

richard bagan 5

Meet the Team

Haya Masri

VP Communications

Hey! My name is Haya and I’m the VP Communications. I’m really looking forward to being part of Lazy Faire this year and being part of such a creative and hardworking team! I am a Business Economics and Law major, going into my third year. In my spare time I like learning new languages and watching movies!

Francesca Dela Cruz Writer

Hey! I’m Francesca Dela Cruz. Please call me Cheska. I’m in my 4th year of school with a major in Marketing and a minor in Retailing & Services. I am a “citizen of the world” as I love travelling. I want to work in the Luxury Fashion industry when I finish my degree. Fashion, food and fun are the three essential Fs of Francesca.

Elizabeth Jun

VP External & Finance Hey! I’m a third year HR student (but my fifth year of university!), part-time writer and VP External & Finance with Lazy Faire! I spend most of my time binge-watching shows, eating and taking naps, ‘cause what even is school?

I’m really excited to be on the better half of my degree with graduation in sight, but also really excited to see what new experiences and people this year brings. Here’s to another great year!

NET NEUTRALITY WHAT IT IS & WHY IT’S IMPORTANT Net neutrality is a buzzword that’s been circling in the media over the recent months. If you haven’t been keeping up with the details of the debate you may be wondering why this is such a heated topic. Essentially, net neutrality is the principle that all data on the internet should be treated equally, and that access to this data should not be restricted by content, user, or platform. These guidelines are intended to limit internet service providers from intentionally manipulating user access to online content for their own gain. Widely supported by the general public, the benefits of having such regulations in place are clear: individuals are able to freely choose the information and opinions they express and consume online. Without such regulations, internet service providers could reduce or block user access to competitor websites or charge additional fees for streaming sites that require excess data, such as Netflix. Additionally, net neutrality limits internet providers from offering tiered services that would favour larger corporations over small business owners and increase barriers to entrepreneurship. Opponents of net neutrality argue that the regulations are anti-competitive and costly for the internet service industry. Some believe that reducing internet regulation would lead to an increase in capital investment and innovation. One example is zero-rating, where service

SOCIAL STUDIES providers could offer select websites to the public, free of charge.

WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE UNITED STATES In the United States, the battle for and against net neutrality has been decades in the making. Under the recommendation of President Barack Obama, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted and established net neutrality rules in 2015. Under the leadership of a new chairman appointed by President Trump, Ajit Pai, the FCC voted to to repeal the 2015 legislation, as well as restrict individual states from introducing their own provincial policies. The recent repeal has actioned both consumers and corporations, with the launch of petitions and protests against the repeal. Online giants including Netflix, Google, and Amazon are also appealing the decision in court.

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR CANADA Globally, Canada has the strictest regulations around net neutrality, and the majority of firms abide by these standards. Under the Federal Telecommunications Act of 1993, internet service providers are considered utilities and subject to regulations as such. Contrary to the FCC, the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) is further removed from political bodies, and net neutrality is less of a partisan debate. written by MAKENA KIGUNDA designed by FATIMA MOHAMED

written by CLEO WILLIAMS designed by FATIMA MOHAMED

FASHION

TATTOOS IN THE WORKPLACE There’s no doubt that tattoos are more popular now than ever before. If you’d walked around the U of A 50 years ago there wouldn’t have been a single one in sight, but take a stroll around campus today and you’re bound to notice a handful. While past generations only considered tattoos suitable for bikers and delinquents, the new generation sees body art as a form of self-expression that works for anyone. In this changing climate, it’s important to look not only at the tattoos’ general acceptance in society, but also their acceptance in the working world. Body art has always been seen as taboo when it comes to dressing for business, but even these ideas are shifting. Appearance is always going to play a large part in how people are perceived, and tattoos can have a huge effect on this. A 2015 study by the International Journal of Innovative Research & Development found that 86% of young professionals did not think piercings and tattoos reduce the chance of getting jobs, and former ASoB student Andy Brule says her manager has even pulled her aside to call her tattoos “stunning.” On the other hand, a study done in 2016 by the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services found that consumers prefer being served by individuals who do not have tattoos. Weird, huh? Decades-old stereotypes have lead people to believe that tattoos make a person untrustworthy or uneducated, and to some degree, these perceptions still stand. Though employers won’t turn away a hard worker because of a tattoo, many offices have dress 8

codes that require body art to be covered, especially in fields involving face-to-face client work. This gets complicated when tattoos are in hard-to-cover places like the hands or neck. It’s not really reasonable to wear turtlenecks and gloves every day; plus, that combo looks 100% creepier than showing tattoos outright would ever be. The truth of the matter is that there are a lot of fine lines between what is seen as acceptable or not. Everyone’s body art is unique, which makes it difficult to put specific regulations on it. Meeting a lawyer who looks like 21 Savage or Lil Xan probably wouldn’t put anyone at ease, but something small on the wrist or arm has become so common that it’s easily overlooked. This also depends on what kinds of tattoos people are sporting — having controversial messages or vulgar images could easily start conflict in an office setting. No matter how standard tattoos have become in general, distasteful ones will have a negative effect on people. The debate on body art’s place in the office is one that has a long way to go. Although the stereotypes towards people with tattoos have significantly diminished, there’s still a lot of debate on how many and what type should be permitted in a professional setting. As times are changing and the younger generation begins to make waves in the business world, it can be expected that body art will only become more commonplace in the future.

A MACHIAVELLIAN NEW YEAR “For although the act condemns the doer, the end may justify him…” - Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince I love the act of running. I love it, period. I love it far beyond the immediate health benefits. Actually, I love it most because of what it does for me mentally. Whenever I run, I feel a sense of stability in my life. When I pace my arms into a steady flow and set my feet straight to run, I become a different person. The activity excites me in a way that forever changes me each and every time. When I run, my problems seem to instantly disappear, and I also seem to find a serene peace and comfort within myself. The best part of the experience is the clarity that it gives me. Not only do my problems fade away when I run, but they also return with answers that I could never find in a static room. Something about focusing solely on this one athletic task seems to trigger a euphoric sense of insight within me. It may sound strange, but I’m convinced that running helps me fully realize the statistical impossibility and the monumental significance of my existence. It reminds me of how blessed I am to be alive and also how important it is actively improve oneself. I’ve been spending a lot of time lately thinking about how running changed me, and also about how important it is to keep changing in the New Year.

FYI

severely amplified. Perhaps best of all, the act also sets a fire in my stomach that can never be extinguished. When I run, I become fearless and when I am fearless I believe I am truly alive. I think this is what New Year’s resolutions should be rooted in. It’s important to have something in your life that you can escape to. Something that offers you salvation from the social norms and pressures of everyday living. This year I really want to commit myself further to the act of running. I want to set a schedule and follow it with a deep respect and commitment. Something that I am proud of this past exam season is that I kept my resolve to run every 2 days. I made sure that working part time and studying did not stop me from taking an hour out of my day to run. Whenever I try to form a new habit, I am always reminded of the phrase: the end justifies the means. Life is a multi-faceted concept and there is great benefit in forming habits that make you happy and focused. Even if we don’t always feel like following up on our habits, it’s important to remember the longterm effects of staying on track. As long as I continue running, I think I can bring forward my clear mind and resolve to improve, deep into the new year.

I used to not be big on New Year’s resolutions but honestly, I feel like the end of the year is a good time to reflect on how your life is moving. One of the questions that I often ask myself is: How can I improve the quality of my life? Nine times out of ten, I find the answer is to keep doing what I love. In 2018 I have to continue to run.

This year my New Year’s resolution is simple. It’s to keep doing things that balance me mentally, even if I don’t feel like doing them. I think committing to a New Year’s resolution is one of the best things one can do. After all, if you keep at it, who knows what improvements you might see? There are endless results when you commit yourself to a task that you really love doing. At the very least, you’ll be thanking yourself for trying to schedule in more Me Time.

After running: my thoughts become clearer, my capacity for empathy is greater, I experience a deeper sleep at night, and my overall state of well-being is

This year why not go all out on your resolutions? Anything is possible when your let your ideas roam freely.

written by GANIT SINGH designed by FATIMA MOHAMED

THOUGHT VS. THOUGHT

YOU SHOULD CHANGE written by LINDSAY RAINBOW

Should you change in a relationship? I’m not your mom, I’m not going to tell you what to do – but my advice? Yeah, maybe just a little, even if you just stop being late to everything all the dang time. Have you ever changed your major? Actually, a better question might be: how many times have you changed it? Most people in our business school have changed theirs — more than once. Did you change it after a co-op term? Did the semester-long experience of being immersed in your field of study bring you to the conclusion that it isn’t what you want to do for your career? We try things out to see if we like them, and relationships are the same. The thing is, just because you try something once and don’t like it doesn’t mean you won’t like it the second or third time you try it. It also doesn’t mean that just because you like it now, you’ll like it forever. We change our minds all the time about things we like. I used to be obsessed with the mac and cheese at Sugarbowl; now I won’t go near it, but I’m even more obsessed with the shepherd’s pie at High Level Diner. It’s normal to change your preferences for certain things. As we age, the things that we like, dislike, value, and believe

can change as well. Therefore, the question we should be addressing is not whether or not we should change in a relationship, but how we should change. The reality is that change is inevitable and beyond your control. You can change in little ways over an extended period of time without even noticing, but then look back years later and see all the ways in which you’ve evolved. I’ve been with my significant other for six years. That’s a long time at such a young age — an age in which you’re experiencing so many drastic changes. We started dating when I was 16 — it would be weird if I hadn’t changed at all since I was 16, right? Yes, I have changed. But I think I’ve changed in many good ways. I got my driver’s license. I graduated high school. I started a business. Now I’ve completed my degree, and secured my first real “grown up” job. These were all big changes; big events that changed life as I knew it. But since being 16 all those not-so-distant years ago and growing into a somewhat mature and definitively hilarious 22-year-old, I’ve also become more patient (somewhat successfully). I’ve become more

empathetic. I’ve learned to be more flexible and adaptable (even though I’m always right and everything should be done my way ). Would I have changed in these ways if not for my relationship? Maybe; maybe not. Probably not. Choosing to hitch your wagon to someone else’s means that you can’t have everything your way all the time, but I think that’s a reflection of the world: we don’t always get what we want. As a matter of fact, we rarely have things work out the exact way that we want them to, and we often have to make compromises. I have embraced all of these small but significant changes, because I think they’ve made me a better person. It’s the age-old cliché, but my significant other is a million times more patient/caring/understanding than I am, and the grace that he gives me daily reminds and encourages me to be more gracious with others as well (I’m also working on not being late all the time, but that’s a work in progress). I’m all for embracing change in a relationship. If we’re not changing, we’re not growing, and I think growth should be a continuous pursuit in our lives. That being said, if someone ever TELLS you to change, just tell them #byefelicia because that is absolutely not cool. You do you, boo.

YOU NOT SHOULD CHANGE written by DELICIA GOH

Rejection. Perhaps the strongest sting that paralyzes our self-esteem, and heightens our need to feel accepted. So often in relationships, the fear of rejection has nurtured us to change in order to gain a false sense of security and belonging. But how long before we repeat the same cycle of rejection and acceptance, until the authenticity of our true self completely disappears? One primary reason of a failed relationship lies beneath the terrifying realization that you’ve completely lost yourself in the relationship. Your sense of individuality is slowly chipped away when you’ve lost touch with your own goals, passions, and purpose. As independence transforms to codependence, you feel the constant pressure to be good enough for your significant other, to make compromises in exchange for acceptance. Throughout all this it is important to acknowledge the reality of impermanence; your relationship may only be temporary (knock

on wood), and so is the sense of acceptance you gain from changing for the sake of your partner. If they’re gone, what will you do? You’ve lost touch with the person you used to be, and you have no clue on how to function without them. You begin to detest how much you’ve changed, and it all eventually spirals into an endless cycle of confusion. Now, I realize that my entire spiel completely demonizes relationships, but my points merely outline the worst-case scenario. The reality of the matter is, change is inevitable - nobody comes out of a relationship the way they went in. Often times, the most valuable and priceless qualities are learned through relationships; patience, kindness, compassion, and empathy can be nurtured through the course of time, and are often the most recognizable measures of growth. Change is natural, but you should change for the sake of yourself, not for the relationship. Change to strengthen your identity and character, not to merge and dissolve into your significant others’ liking.

I’ve always admired individuals of strong character: those who prioritize self-worth before anything else. The fear of rejection and disappointment is never easy, but knowing how to limit its negative influence and strengthen your individuality will help build long lasting confidence. It’s okay to be different from your significant other. It’s okay to stand true to your values and character. After all, opposites attract!

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

SAM PODGURNY This month our theme is all about change, and Sam Podgurny embodies that to a T. The one-time petroleum engineering student, turned business student, switched majors and minors more than once during his degree before settling on SMO. He has taken part in endeavours both within and outside of the business school as a co-op student and former Arts & Culture Editor of The Gateway. Podgurny can definitely speak to the full ASoB experience, and on his last day of exams, Lazy Faire caught up with him to chat about the growth and change he’s experienced over the course of time at the University of Alberta and the Alberta School of Business. How and why did you decide to make the jump from engineering to business? I’ll start by saying that it wasn’t an easy decision—it took a lot of thought and internal conflict. I went into engineering basically because I thought I liked science and math. I went in right after high school in, like, 2011—forever ago—as a fresh-faced 18-year-old. Looking back on those first two years of university, it was the pinnacle of my university experience: just misery, but success, but grind, but comradery, but hard, late nights, but terrible results. But you make it through and feel like you’ve gone through through the meat grinder, but come out alive. Then after three semesters of engineering, my grades kept getting better, but my desire to be in the faculty kept dropping lower and lower. I was so burnt out after three semesters—I pushed myself so hard and with changes in my personal life and lifestyle, I think I was so burnt out that I realized, “Holy crap. I’m supposed to be starting a co-op in petroleum engineering,” and filling out job applications while thinking, “I don’t think this is what I want to do with my life.” I was getting by decently well but not enjoying a second of it, and I needed to figure out something different. It’s amazing to me, looking back, that I decided to pull the plug. I was doing well, I had friends in the faculty, all these other things, and I could have pushed through, but with close friends and family supporting my decision, I felt that I could make such a big change. I knew it’d be hard to basically restart school after three really hard semesters, but it felt as if I was making the right choice.

You’ve changed your major twice in the Faculty of Business— what did you switch to and out of, and why? When I got into business, it was like, “What should I go into? Well, I should go into finance,” because that’s what people go into when they go into business. “You want a good job? You should go into finance. It’s for smart people and people who are good at math and all that stuff.” But I eventually figured out that my instinct for caring about people and wanting to focus on workplace relationships and what that meant was important, and there was a place for me in the Faculty of Business. That was SMO. And it took finding a great prof— Charles Keim, who taught my introductory SMO class in my second business semester—for me to clue into the fact that there was a place for me in the faculty and that I did make the right choice to switch into business because there was a field I was genuinely interested in. It took a lot of playing around—switching my major from finance which is sort of the engineering of business, to BUEC and B LAW, because I kind of like my introductory business law class, to finding SMO and thinking, “I love people in organizations, I love the idea of organizational cultures, and leadership and management, and I can actually study that.” I felt like I was truly learning for the first time in that [SMO] class. It propelled me to want to take my degree that way. What are some of the biggest things you’ve learned from your time in business and in university in general? In one of my last classes for this year, we were shown this list of things that great leaders avoid doing, and number one on the list was, “Win too often.” Great leaders don’t win too often. I kinda liken that to a lot of people’s experiences at university, where they set out to do something. Whether it’s to become a doctor, physiotherapist, graduate with a business degree, whatever—a lot of smart people set out to do that, and they get into school, and they absolutely crush it. They get their 4.0’s, they’re on that road, and they get everything they set out to get. And I think, “Wow—what could that person have learned if they’d faced the adversity of not being able to do what they thought they wanted to do from the beginning?” For me, if I’d gutted out engineering, for instance, I don’t know where I’d be. I wouldn’t be on the same career path or as happy as I am now. The amount of people who have found things in them that make them way happier than where they used to be, because they faced the reality that they couldn’t do the thing they originally wanted—they couldn’t “win” all the time. It’s interesting to see how they’ve found things that they’re truly passionate about after figuring out what else they can do. And I’m terrified of failure! It’s one of my biggest weaknesses. But so many people are so set on their one singular goal, that they miss out on other opportunities that exist for them if they’d not succeeded in their original plans. I’m pretty perfectionist, but just from my experience seeing other people and looking back on what I’ve faced, I want to be able to embrace those failures more. That’s something I want to be more comfortable with in the future.

written by VICTORIA CHIU designed by FATIMA MOHAMED photographed by DYLAN WEE 13

written by TYLER KEFFER designed by JOANNA FADDOUL photograph provided

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

SHAWN KANUNGO IS A PAST U OF A GRADUATE WHO HAS WORKED FOR DELOITTE FOR OVER 11 YEARS. HE IS OBSESSED WITH DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION AND LEADS TRANSFORMATION PROJECTS ACROSS WESTERN CANADA. HE ALSO HELPS ORGANIZATIONS ADOPT NEW TECHNOLOGIES, STRATEGIES, AND BUSINESS MODELS.

CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF? I work at Deloitte in the digital transformation and innovation group. I lead all transformation projects across western Canada. I’ve worked on things related to machine learning, crowdsourcing, film, alternative ways of working — anything that falls under the innovation state, I’ve likely done it. I’m also a professional speaker on the topics of transformation and innovation. WHAT STARTED YOUR INTEREST TOWARDS DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION? I’ve always had a passion for it, but what started the entire journey was when [me and] my friends opened our own mobile app development firm. We started to build products and that eventually led

the way into the digital transformation stage. We had a creative film group where we created amateur movies. You combine the creative with business with technology and you get innovation. That’s why I’ve been so obsessed with it, and that’s all I think about. HOW DO YOU FEEL TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS ARE TRANSFORMING THE BUSINESS WORLD? Technology is disrupting and transforming every industry. Even if you’re in oil and gas, your business is fundamentally changing because of digital technology. It’s a beautiful time to be in business because there will be tons of opportunities; however, it’s also a nightmare because of the speed at which it’s coming. The companies

that don’t act quickly are getting left in the dust. 90% of the companies that used to be on the Fortune 500 are no longer on that list. Technology is really impacting everything. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE CONSULTING AND WHAT CAN PEOPLE WHO ARE LOOKING TO GET INTO IT DO? I’d have to say consulting is the worst career on the planet when it comes to having a great lifestyle. You travel, you go to all sorts of different places, there are crazy work hours — but at the end of the day, there is no other career on the planet other than entrepreneurship where you get the kind of experience you do from consulting. It’s literally night and day. Entrepreneurship is like modern warfare, while consulting is like being in the jungle.

We’re looking for people in nontraditional backgrounds. You should be able to understand business well, but we’re looking for the extractor. That’s why we hire people who are graphic designers, app developers, blockchain enthusiasts. We want people who can add something we don’t have so we can learn something from students, rather than the other way around. Case competitions are not how we tackle problems in the real world. In a digital world, we use an agile approach. Instead of getting a case, we look at the future and obtain a hypothesis. We build prototypes and pilots that will help test our hypothesis to prove it works. I’d say getting an MBA is becoming increasingly irrelevant. I’d rather want to hire a hustler than a theorist. Of course, getting an MBA from a great school is a good idea, but if you really want to make an impact and want to get into consulting, go do something. Consider startups, learn skills like data science, development, get some practical experience. We need less people to think and more people to do stuff. HOW DID BEING AN ASOB GRADUATE HELP SHAPE YOUR CAREER PATH? I think I didn’t use university as much as I could have, and I regret not taking advantage of all the resources and all the talent at the university. I sort of played too much as opposed to connecting and utilizing resources and building connections, and I regret it. Society’s changed, technology’s changed, the leaders of the future are students, and there is great opportunity for students to make a difference. If I could turn back the hand of time, I would get involved as much as I can and connect with as many people as I could from people of all faculties — from engineering to health. The idea is a lot of missed opportunities and regret from not taking advantage of those.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO STUDENTS OR PROFESSIONALS LOOKING TO HELP INNOVATE AND CHANGE THE WORLD AROUND US? First, pretend that you’re going to die tomorrow. How would you go about making an impact in the world? What would you really want to do? Second, you are in the golden opportunity to make a difference. The truth is when you have a mortgage, a kid, marriage, and you have all these things weighing you down, your ability to move quickly radically diminishes. When you’re a student, you’re in a place where you can move quickly and act fast, connect with some really amazing people, and create stuff. I’d say take advantage of it now to experiment, test out ideas, collaborate with people. There are many resources around, whether it’s government or industry, to take advantage of. The best time to do this is now, when you’re younger and have tons of leg room.

Shawn Kanungo. 15

CLUBS CORNER

Hide and Seek Club A lot of the subject matter of business means we have to get real serious. With stuff like operations management, finances, price optimization, and the technological impact on business swirling around in our heads during classes and exams, it can become overwhelming. It’s true that you could go to Dewey’s or RATT or head out to ~*the clubs*~ to decompress and let off steam when you’re feeling taxed (pun intended). You could grab a pint or other 18+ beverages. But sometimes, the simplest and most joyful childhood remedies can be the most effective. Exhibit A: Remember hide and seek? There’s a whole club on campus dedicated to that game, and they meet every week. As a way to de-stress while being competitive and meeting new people, it’s unrivaled. And you know us business kids—like the old adage, “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire,” where there’s competition, there are business students. Lazy Faire sat down with current Hide and Seek Club President Steven Tian to get the lowdown on this unusual club that, for all intents and purposes, is really all about having fun.

What do you tell people who want to know what Hide and games to let other people know you’re a playing member (and Seek Club is? not some random person in the building running around). So we use member fees to sort of offset the cost of stuff like It varies from person to person! But really, the Clubs Fair the pizza and the buffs...which have gone up in cost in recent spiel is pretty much just: join our club if you want a social years...but that’s a small part of how we finance stuff. We club to have fun with and to meet new people. It’s really a do other stuff to support that, though. Mainly with a lot of way to de-stress and get away from the anxiety of university fundraising. We don’t really want to raise membership prices, life. We do giant hide and seek games every week—usually since it’s been at five dollars since the club started. on Friday, but every third week of the month we generally do a Thursday event for members who want to attend but can’t What sets Hide and Seek Club apart from other clubs, do Fridays—and the location is always a university campus social or not, on campus? building. It changes from week to week. I don’t think there are many other clubs that are social and fun What are the games like? on campus, to be honest. Most of the other clubs are serious sports-based ones or academic, which Hide and Seek—well, Each week we do three games of 18 minutes each—you get it’s neither. But Hide and Seek is just a really good way to three minutes to find a hiding place and then the seekers get de-stress because it’s a very childlike game; it’s one that 15 minutes to find people. The first two rounds are scored most people have probably played in their childhood, it’s not games, because we have a ranking system with points. But the hard to learn and doesn’t require a whole bunch of specific third game is always some wacky unscored version of hide skills, and it’s very simple. It gives people joy. There’s a lot of and seek like Sardines, Manhunt, Capture the Flag, Cops childlike glee that you get out of hiding and seeking. It’s also and Robbers—whatever we feel like. The number of seekers very physical, so the game’s a lot of running around up and for every game depends on the number of attendees and the down floors and into and out of rooms and then hiding— building we’re in. that’s really fun. It’s also a good way to de-stress because, well, you don’t go around asking people, “Hey, do you play hide What’s the points system? and seek?” It’s just not a question we ask too often. But if you show up to a club where everyone plays hide and seek, then If you’re hiding and you’re found: 10 points per round. If you’re clearly interested in it and that probably means you’re you’re hiding and not found, or you’re a seeker: 20 points per already a fun person to hang out with. We’ll like you. round. And if you don’t show up, well, you get 0 points. At the end of the semester, we tally up all the points and give out Beyond weekly games, what else has the club done in recent prizes for the top players. years? How many people are in Hide and Seek Club?

This was before I was involved [in the club], but back in 2015, the Hide and Seek Club attempted to break the world record for the largest hide and seek game ever played. They fell short, but only by a little. There are, like, 30 pages of documents on the marketing and planning for that event still in our club drive. The last couple of years we’ve also done events for Basecamp, the orientation for students living in residence. Those events are pretty huge—it’s just an enormous hide and seek game in Van Vliet.

We have around 30 people who show up regularly to our weekly games, but our biggest events are always at the beginning and end of the year. Those ones have around 120150 people show up to them, and we have free pizza for everyone who comes. This isn’t official or anything, but I’m pretty sure we have one of the largest, if not the largest, active member bases for a social club on campus. I mean, we meet every week, and the members who come are always there for the games. It goes down a little around exam seasons, but Where can people go for more information? then it goes back up the other times of the semester. It’s great! Hideandseekclub.com has most of our events and other Wait, what? Free pizza? Not to be blunt, but how do you info if you’re interested. You can also like us on Facebook at pay for that? Isn’t membership, like...five dollars? “University of Alberta Hide and Seek Club” or follow us on Twitter, and we send out email newsletters for people signed It’s not every week! Just the first and last events. We don’t up for it letting everyone know where this week’s game will have the budget for pizza every week. But yeah, it costs five be. Get on that. bucks for a membership to the club—and that’s for all the games for the whole year. And you get a sweet Hide and Seek written by VICTORIA CHIU Club-branded buff with that, which is basically this cloth designed by FATIMA MOHAMED circle-scarf thing that you can wrap around your hand or your head or your neck or wherever you want during hide and seek 17

GUEST ARTICLE

CO-OP 101

The most successful students are engaged in more than just their classes. Employers are looking for students with work experience as well as good grades. Co-op allows you to gain the critical work experience you need to succeed, allowing you to build your employability skills and realize employment success in the long term.

BENEFITS OF CO-OP? Know your career path is right for you - Co-op is a way for students to “test-drive” their career. By combining learning in the classroom with learning on the job, students are able to put their academic knowledge into action, and experience first-hand the work that professionals undertake in their field. Ongoing support – From the time you are first admitted into the program, and through each work term, the Co-op program provides students with 1 on 1 personalized Career Advising through an assigned Co-op Coordinator. While at the workplace, the student is paired with a workplace mentor who helps the student with the transition and meeting objectives.. Benefits of Co-op by the numbers – Co-op grads command a 15% higher salary upon graduation vs. non Co-op grads. The employment rate for Co-op grads was 96% vs. 84% for non-Co-op grads. Approximately 50% of Co-op students receive permanent offers of employment from one of their Co-op employers.

addition, we are offering guaranteed admission to the Co-op program for the first 150 eligible applicants. How to apply – The first 150 eligible applicants will be admitted on a first come first admitted basis. The application will be available on March 15th, and will be available through CareerConnect. You can access CareerConnect here -https:// careerconnect.business.ualberta. ca/home.htm and log in using your existing CCID and UAlberta password. This year, the only application documents you require is your resume (with approximate hours of work for each position noted on your resume) and your transcripts (Unofficial transcripts are fine. These can be downloaded from Bear Tracks). Full admission criteria can be found here – https://www.ualberta. ca/business/careers/cooperativeeduc ation/prospectivestudents/ applytocoop

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

THINKING ABOUT APPLYING TO CO-OP?

The industry sectors in which students work varies greatly by major, but generally students work in the following sectors:

New for 2018 - Applying to Coop is easier than ever. Due to higher employer interest in supporting Coop students, and recognizing the ever increasing need for students to partake in opportunities to apply their knowledge in real-world situations, we are looking to increase our admission intake by almost 50% for 2018. In

Government (32%) CPA Firms (23%) Banking/Financial Services (11%) Other (11%) Construction/Real Estate (5%) Non-Profit (5%) Oil/Gas (5%) Post-Secondary (4%) Consulting & Related (3%)

Utilities/Energy (2%) Do you accept students from any major? Yes, absolutely. We have over 2000 employer partners; consequently, we have a wide diversity of opportunities for all majors. Some students in niche majors may need to be more flexible with respect to their work search. Regardless of your major, your Co-op Coordinator can help you to evaluate positions to ensure they are meeting your future career goals.

HAVE MORE QUESTIONS? If you have questions about Coop, book an appointment on CareerConnect for Prospective Student Advising, or stop by the office 2-21 School of Business Building.

M ARK YOUR CALENDARS 2018 January 15th - Does your LinkedIn stand out to recruiters? Amazon is presenting “How to Use LinkedIn More Effectively” - More details on CareerConnect February 15th - Career Fair - All business students are invited to attend the 1st Annual Business Winter Career Fair presented by RBC. More details are on CareerConnect March 15th - Co-op application opens written by BUSINESS CAREER SERVICES designed by FATIMA MOHAMED

NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS FOR YOUR MAJOR written by MEGHAN MARKOWSKI designed by JOANNA FADDOUL

o one knows the pressure of being an undergraduate student at the u of a more than us: the students. It is fiercely competitive. At times, it can feel that the only way to keep up with the rest of the pack is to sprint the marathon that is the business degree. It’s at this time of year that we try to make resolutions to ourselves to make the journey easier, so here’s some ideas to help you out!

ACCOUNTING

O P E R AT I O N S M A N A G E M E N T

I think it is safe to say that the accounting major is the home of the disciplined. It is full of people that stay home and study on a Friday night, that never just “wing” an exam, or use so many lined notebooks the U of A book store should start a rewards program in their honour. So, I think that the best New Year’s resolution for this major is to relax. The workload of accounting can make you lose sight of what is important. Remind yourself to have balance between studying and fun!

Especially during finals season, sunlight and fresh air can feel like the least of your worries but they shouldn’t be! Like our mothers always say, sunlight is so important! Not only to ensure you are getting enough Vitamin D, but also to improve your state of mind. At this time of the year, sunlight can feel nonexistent — especially when you’re an OM major and spend all your time in the computer labs. But this new year, try to set aside time in your schedule to get much needed sunlight and fresh air! It’s a great way to clear your mind before you get back to that lab assignment that’s due!

FINANCE

MARKETING

All last semester you learned about what makes a good investment for companies, but do you use this logic when it comes to yourself ? Now, I’m not talking about the stock market. I’m talking about commercial purchases. When you went black friday shopping this year, did you only purchase things that were a good investment? If you’re like me, then this was not the case. But I think it is a great way of thinking! This new year try to apply the investment skills finance has taught you to your own life, you may find it really pays off :P

After finishing this fall semester, still haunted by the echo of group projects past, you may be dreading the winter semester and the new group projects to come. As all of us majors know, this is a valid feeling; even the best of groups have their tense moments. While there is no getting around them, you can make them more bearable. This New Year’s resolution, promise yourself to let other people take responsibility for their share of the project and give yourself a break. 19

written by CLEO WILLIAMS designed by FATIMA MOHAMED

LF REVIEWS

GIVING UP COFFEE FOR A WEEK Let’s be honest, no matter what class you have in the morning, if it’s before 10am it’s probably hard to wake up for. With winter in Edmonton basically meaning we don’t see the sun, getting out of bed is a special kind of struggle. This is why I, like many sleep-deprived students, turn to caffeine to get me through the day. I stand in line every morning at The Daily Grind to get my trusty Americano, and I can always count on coffee. Seeing as finals season basically triples this dependency, when’s it better to give it up? Here are the results.

Although throwing in the towel and grabbing one was inviting, I figured not making it through the first day was a little embarrassing.

DAY 1

DAY 3

Got to school and stood in line to get coffee out of habit until I realized where I was and sadly moved on to the library. The first thing to note about giving up coffee, is that suddenly everyone and their dog is drinking it. I have never seen so many awake and refreshed people during finals, nor have I ever smelt coffee from so far away. With everyone else looking chipper, it seemed my eyes had sunken into a dark and tired abyss. It took more than one layer of concealer to bring my face back to life.

Disregarding my new-found energy, I still missed coffee for the taste. Admittedly, I also missed how it made me feel about 10x more professional. Having a hot coffee in the morning brings my dream of becoming Sandra Bullock in The Proposal and having I could still smell coffee from 10km Ryan Reynolds do my latte runs just away, but I felt noticeably less tired that much closer. than the first day and walking past infinite people with hot cups didn’t do as much harm. With that said, I still felt exhausted enough to take 2 naps Oddly enough, knowing that I would in-between practice exams, but we’ll be able to enjoy my favourite drink call that standard. the next morning made it harder to resist buying it right away. I was so close and yet so far. Nevertheless, my last day without coffee was a cause for Opened my bag to get some hand celebration. I did a face mask and went cream and ended up staring at my “Buy to bed early, knowing that the next day 10 Coffees & get the 11th Free!” card all of this would be over. with only two stamps left to my free cup. I have definitely drank more than two cups of coffee in one day, so it was There’s two lessons I’ve learned from tempting to cash in, but by this time giving up coffee. The first is it’s not as my need had significantly diminished. hard as I thought it would be and the Other than when prompted by the second being I’ll never do it again. To whiff of coffee from passers-by, my old anyone thinking of cutting down on caffeine-filled friend barely crossed my caffeine, let me be the first to tell you mind. that finals season is not the time to do it. After seven days without it, it felt heavenly to sip coffee once again.

DAY 2

DAY 7

DAY 4-6

In this time of distress, even an overly At this point, I was no longer a lesser, sweet and creamy French vanilla coffee-less version of myself, but a fully from Tim’s seemed like a good idea. awake version that didn’t need coffee. 20

THINGS WE THOUGHT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED BY 2017 written by FRANCESCA DELA CRUZ designed by MELANIA ANTOSZKO

My five-year-old self would religiously watch the Jetsons on Cartoon Network. With its shiny spacesuits, flying cars, jetpacks, and back-to-the-future machines (okay, maybe not this one) — the gleaming utopia, promised by this show, gave me hope that I would live to see this future when I become an adult.

FLYING CARS

People need to get over this preposterous idea. It will not work! If you think driving on the road is stressful enough, think about maneuvering around office buildings, skyscrapers, houses, and trees.

THE CURE-IT-ALL PILL

Folks. One question: is the cure for certain diseases like cancer being withheld by the government so that they could make profits out of us mere mortals? Hmmm…. I smell something fishy.

CONSCIOUS ARTIFICIAL SUPERINTELLIGENCE

Call me old-fashioned, but there are some things that only human beings should be able to do. There have been rising efforts of incorporating Artificial Intelligence in the healthcare system to improve efficiency. However, I believe that it cannot truly replace doctors. Human empathy, trust, and care are irreplaceable.

THE END OF THE WORLD

The TV show, Doomsday Preppers, shows that how some people prepare for the end of the world may be oddly fun to most. But do we just dismiss it as a joke? Afterall, it is actually a scary, realistic thought. With relentless movie plots of the prophesized Armageddon, and the circulation of ridiculous conspiracies flooding the Internet — we cannot blame them for their extreme theories.

TELEPORTATION

In 2008, the film, Jumper, had me in loops about teleportation. I would dream about going to school in France, coming back home to Canada for supper, and then arriving in Manila to sleep. What a life. However, with great power comes great responsibility (or maybe Samuel L. Jackson is just stopping you).

EASY WAYS TO RAISE YOUR GPA

written by LINDSAY RAINBOW designed by MARINA BRYAN

New year, new me, right? Although it may not top the list of New Year’s resolutions, raising your GPA might one of the most common honourable mentions. It’s common to look at grades as the sum of studying and hard work — but it’s 2018, and it’s time to try doing things a little differently. Below are just some of the very, very unorthodox methods you can use to raise your GPA.

TRANSFER SCHOOLS

TAKE A FLIGHT

Hear me out on this one. While the U of A operates on a four-point system for determining GPA, these standards aren’t universal. Other schools, like the University of Victoria, use a system where grade points are distributed on a scale from 1 to 9. Why grind for a 4.0 when you can flex with an 8.0? Hell, even a 5.0 looks comparatively better. Comparatively.

Win on a technicality here by physically elevating your transcript/whatever you use to access Beartracks. What’s more impressive: raising a 3 to a 4, or raising that 3 by 50,000 feet?

DROP OUT Do you think Bill Gates ever gets asked his GPA? Make some money, put it in Bitcoin, and then watch it rise faster than your grades ever could. And then fall. And then rise! And then fall. Rinse and repeat.

LIE Low effort, high return — just make sure you don’t get carried away. 4.0 GPA? Club president? Believable. Went to your 8 AMs every day? Not so much.

PHOTOSHOP This is like hacking-lite. If you want to have a little fun, why not redo your whole transcript in Comic Sans?

AUGMENTED REALITY

WIKIHOW This website seriously has answers for everything.

LEARN TO HACK If MIS taught me anything, it’s that no computer system is ever 100% secure. And don’t worry if computers aren’t your thing: you call always call up ya boy in Russia and contract this one out.

Specifically Snapchat. Who’s going to focus on your GPA when a breakdancing hot dog is in the way?

ACTUALLY STUDY Actually...no.

written by MICHAEL MYTRUNEC designed by SHANNON WONG

And if all else fails, just tell people that your dog ate your transcript!

LAZY CHAT written by VALERIE LEOW designed by BETTY VO & FATIMA MOHAMED photographed by RENEE YU

U A H C Y SHELB

locally and periences bothung, she has ex on snd ha ra of t & Yo rsue a pletho k term at Erns by is an portunity to pum her 8-month co-op worand Logistics for EDGE. Shel pment op e th d ha s lo fro ts ha r ve te en de ho es t Ev w m ec VP se or oj ith pr as the g maj y this , and also acts l Uganda, being involved w to the universit is an accountin ra Shelby Chau . Having recently returned ge for Volunteers at AIESEC ru in d re ee nt . lu internationally r role as VP Outgoing Exchan tries - and she recently vo r local women’s enterprises returned to he having been to over 16 coun coordination fo and volunteer avid traveller -

Can you tell me a little about your involvement with AIESEC? I was involved with helping students go abroad. AIESEC is across 120+ countries, and we have partners in the universities all across these countries. Our students would find an opportunity they’d like in a specific country, and we’d help send them there and make sure that they were essentially cared for, in terms of getting picked up and finding living accommodations. I was involved in providing these outgoing students with consultation sessions, to advise them on what to prepare for and how to conduct interviews, and continued to consult with them after they had left, should they face any issues while abroad. I also had a small team under me, who I trained on how to perform consultations and how to build relationships abroad. What inspired you to get involved with AIESEC? Starting young, I really liked to travel a lot. My mom and I would often go vacationing in different places. But in first year university, I was a really quiet student, and mostly just studied all the time. Then, all of a sudden, one of my friends just dragged me to one of the AIESEC meetings, and I found the “going abroad” part really interesting. I became a general member for a year, then I had one of the VPs reach out to ask me if I was interested in working as a team leader, by working directly with them. After being a team leader for a year, I eventually progressed to a VP position. Would you mind telling me about your previous exchange experiences? My very first one was through AIESEC last summer (2016) in rural Thailand teaching English to little kids. I was there for 6 weeks, and it was my first experience being abroad by myself. I was lucky because my host family spoke at least a little English. Basically, I would teach from Monday to Friday, and I would

come up with my own curriculum before getting the ‘okay’ from the teachers in charge. On the weekends, I went travelling around the cities in Thailand. This summer, due to my co-op term, I was only able to go abroad for 2 weeks to rural Uganda with CIIRD (Community Initiative for Integrated Rural Development), a not-for-profit organization. I specifically wanted to help with hand-made crafts and women empowerment. When I was there, I helped shift their focus to improving the quality, rather than quantity, of bracelets and instructed them on how to do bookkeeping. I’m currently still maintaining involvement with them to ensure that there is continued sustainability in this project. I’m also presenting at International Week in January, because I want to share my experience on how going abroad for a short time can have such a big impact. Do you have any advice for business students looking to go abroad for either volunteering or internships? One thing is to go out of your comfort zone, and not to come in with too many unrealistic expectations, as you might not fully understand the different culture. Coming in with expectations that are too high will inevitably lead to disappointment, so keeping an open mind is important. I honestly recommend that everyone go abroad at least once - for school, for work, or for volunteering - because it’s completely unlike anything else, and you’re going to meet so many different people, you’re going to learn so much about yourself, you’ll have a lot to give, and you’ll have a lot to bring back. Even the work you do for a short period of time can have a lasting impact, and translate to things that people abroad may continue to do or think about, even long after you leave. And lastly, enjoy it! Once you work full time, you won’t be able to take time off for this!

Last year across Canada we hired 100 new business grads. Find out why a Xerox Agency is the right next step after graduation. Findyourxfactor.ca ©2014 Xerox Corporation. All rights reserved. Xerox®, Xerox and Design®, and Ready For Real Business are trademarks of Xerox Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Xerox Canada Ltd. is the licensee of all the trademarks.