October 2020 Issue

Page 1


TABLE OF CONTENTS 03

EDITOR’S NOTE

04

VICE-PRESIDENT’S

MESSAGE

OCTOBER 2020: FROSH ISSUE WWW.MACMEDIAMAGAZINE.COM 004C MCLAUGHLIN COLLEGE, YORK UNIVERSITY TORONTO, ON M3J 1P3 416-736-2100 EXT. 60555

05

HAPPY HALLOWEEN POEM

06 COVID'S EFFECTS ON ATHLETES 07

HALLOWEEN FACTS AND

HISTORY 09

COSTUME IDEAS TO AVOID

THIS HALLOWEEN EXECUTIVES EDITOR IN CHIEF MELISSA SENDANYOYE 1 2 L E S S O N S L E A R N E D F R O M VICE-PRESIDENT TANESHA AGRAWAL C E L E B R I T I E S PUBLISHER CATHERINE SHI 1 6 T H A N K S G I V I N G I N C A N A D A LAYOUT DESIGNER NAOMI JOSON 18 INTERVRIEW WITH PRESIDENTS MELISSA SENDANYOYE 23 THE HAPPY SONG

25 QUARANTIN-O-WEEN TIPS EDITORS NEWS ANEESA SINGH 3 1 H O R O S C O P E OPINIONS NAOMI JOSON 3 5 M E N T A L H E A L T H ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT RIYA NAIR 3 7 J U S T T O B R I G H T E N Y O U R SPORTS MARIA MAKSIMOSKA DAY HUMOR MELISSA SENDANYOYE 38 REFERENCES

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Its that time of year again, when you can smell the aroma of pumpkin spice lattes lingering the air, and Downey’s farm has become the new hangout spot for the season. As the leaves change colour and the days start getting darker, we are reminded of our favorite holiday of the year. Spooky stories are told around fires, the children scour the streets for candy and pumpkins are carved into jacko-lanterns. I love this edgy and chilling season. I always us this opportunity, to spend my days curled up in a blanket with a cup of tea watching the exorcist. I enjoy taking advantage of the sweater weather, the movies, music, books, and festive parties! We’re coming out of the dark just in time for October! In this issue, we’ve got a personal look at the expectations and realities of Thanksgiving and Halloween, plus we’ve got some quarantine tips to help you celebrate the season. Meanwhile, the cultural appropriation of costumes has us playing devil’s advocate. So this Thanksgiving & Halloween, remember to be safe and most importantly have fun! - Melissa Sendanyoye Editor—In—Chief


Letter From The VicePresident Ah, October! The most awaited month when the fall sets in and its the onset of sweater weather. Its the time of the year to savour gourmet pumpkin pies, turkey and of course, our favourite, pumpkin spiced latte. Its the time of the year when you go loco for holiday seasonthemed products on Bath and Body Works. Its that time of the year when your search history is filled with “DIY Halloween Decors” and “Thanksgiving Recipes.” And hence, it’s also that time of the year at MacMedia when we provide you with the umpteen amount of DIYs and entertainment you need this holiday season while you skip RSVP-ing to all the Halloween parties this year. In this issue, we are featuring Presidents of five of York's clubs who were interviewed by our team to talk about their quarantine experience and the exciting opportunities their club have to offer! With that being said, we hope you have a funfilled, wholesome and safe holiday season! -Tanesha Agrawal Vice-President


HAPPY HALLOWEEN POEM By: Aneesa Singh / News Editor

It's a celebration of treats and spooky games October hits and the earth blows a series of chills Autumn has spiraled upon us Pumpkins and crops are waiting to be harvested Birds and owls chirp their lullabies and tunes And graveyards fill their aura with shadows The night howl echoes and quakes Ghosts and monsters come alive A swirl of mist runs through cemeteries Vampires, black cats and goblins are here A time of mystery and spookiness lies in the air The moon shines it light and sprays a calming mood on the ground Jack-o lanterns finally shine their lights Costumes parties grasp in the fun of the Halloween atmosphere Chilling haunted houses prepare for the arrival of guests That is, guests, waiting to be frightened

Fun halloween movies and shows stream and air on television Parents decide to fill their houses with the sweet smell of candy an chocolate Kids dressed in bold costumes and beautiful makeup, eager to start heading door to door chanting their spells, “Trick or treat”!


COVID’S EFFECT ON UNIVERSITY ATHLETES

BY: MARIA MAKIMOSKA SPORTS EDITOR

As we all know, the global pandemic has severely impacted all aspects of our lives. The emergence of COVID-19 has forced us to adapt to, what is now, the new normal. One need only look towards our own university’s athletic community to witness some glaring examples of how the pandemic has changed things. York University student’s love of the sports on campus may or may not come to a halt this year because of online classes. Student-athletes are worried about low participation rates from other schools, which threatens to end their seasons before they have even begun. Many York sports teams, such as the women's football team, rely on recruiting during the school year to help fill their benches; online classes threaten to render this recruitment tactic useless. Kajoke Avolonto, a student-athlete and third-year Kinesiology Health Science major, described some other major worries that non-athletes may not consider. Contact sports, she says, are now one of the most anxiety-ridden activities on campus. It’s not only concerns about an early close to football season, or anxieties about having a successful recruitment period that plague athlete’s and coach’s minds – they way we play sports will undoubtedly be the most significant and worrisome change. Sport organizers must devise creative solutions to make contact 5sports feasible, and other issues, such as virtual viewings, and socially distanced practices are being completely reconsidered.Recently, the city of Toronto has refocused their “Together in Movement and Exercise (TIME™)” an online activity program to allow people to get active at home. This initiative calls for York University to do better and refocus a part of their funding to ensure students are being active at home and their love of the game not to fade away.


Halloween Facts and History Aneesa Singh / News Editor

Halloween is here and it’s a time of mystery and excitement for all. As you all dress up in fun costumes like ghosts, fairies, witches, goblins and more, we all should take a step forward and learn some trivia about Halloween. Not only will you be going out to parties, trick or treating, and doing other Halloween festivities, but in this article you will learn some spook-tacular facts and history about Halloween. Here we go! The reason Halloween occurs on this day is because the ancient Gaelic festival of Samhain falls on this day. Samhain is an ancient celtic festival where gods were believed to be made visible to humankind and the gods would play tricks on their worshippers. Observers believed this is a time they could connect with the dead, as the borderline between this world and the dead would be thin. Also, this was a time of season changes from summer’s end to the beginning of winter. Furthermore, the belief that souls of the dead would return one night of the year and need to be appeased is found in many cultures throughout the world. For example, in the 19th century in Ireland, prayers and candles were lit followed by eating, drinking and games. In Ireland and Britain, rituals and games were to fortell’s one future, particularly death and marriage. Special bonfire’s were lit with their flames and smoke said to be protective and have cleansing powers. Bonfire’s also served to “keep the devil away”. In the 20th century, Halloween in England involved wearing costumes and playing pranks. Pranksters used hollowed out turnips and mangel wurzels with carvings as lanterns, used to ward off evil spirits. Soon they became known as Jack-o-lanterns in England. As well, dressing up in costumes was once a way to hide from ghosts. Celtic and European people used this tradition to hide from spirits returning during Halloween. People would also place bowls of food to keep ghosts happy and out of their houses. Also, people would wear masks when they left their home after dark so ghosts would think they were fellow spirits.


How Halloween came to America Halloween was extremely limited in colonial New England because of the protestant belief systems there. Beliefs began to be shared between European ethnic groups and American Indians. Celebrations included “play parties” including public events held to celebrate the harvest. Neighbours would share stories of the dead,dance and sing. In the second half of the 19th century, American was consumed by immigrants, who were also millions of Irish fleeing the Irish Potato Famine ( began in 1845 when fungus-like organisms spread throughout Ireland and ruined the potato crops). Halloween celebrations became nationally popular due to these Irish immigrants. Using European traditions, American’s dressed up in costumes, and went from house to house asking for food or money. This tradition became what we know as trick or treating. In the 1920s and 1930s, Halloween became a holiday with parades and parties. However, vandalism occurred in celebrations around the community. By the 1950s, vandalism was limited and Halloween was a holiday directed to young people. There was also a high number of young children due to the baby boom generation. Parties were occurring everywhere in the community, such as in schools or homes. Today, Halloween is one of the most popular holidays next to Christmas, with American’s spending an estimated $6 billion annually. Now, that’s a lot of money to go towards costumes and candy! It’s a celebration of dressing up that is modernly known for everyone to enjoy.


Costume ideas to avoid this Halloween Aneesa Singh / News Editor

Here are some ideas that should be given thought as to picking out what to wear for Halloween. It’s an exciting and fun time of year for all as long as some type of boundary is established. Let’s try to make this a good time for all with no inappropriate or offensive costume and accessories! Cultural appropriation will be a rule when picking out appropriate costumes. How about instead of dressing up as cultural people you dress up as a goblin, witch, or tv show inspired characters such as Harry Potter, Spider-Man etc.? Who cares if these are traditional costumes! This will serve much better as a costume then the following list of costume ideas which are not okay.

Blackface. Not under any circumstances is black face okay. It is inappropriate and offensive to people. An example is dressing up in outfits that make racist stereotypes stand out. This is not okay and should definitely be avoided. This also includes painting your face and skin a colour that hides your natural skin colour. For Halloween this year, stick to your natural pretty skin colour and maybe a costume and makeup that does not promote blackface or stereotype any culture.


Avoid cultural stereotypes! Making fun of other cultures or dressing up as members of another culture such as indigenous people is highly offensive and should be avoided. Another example is children dressing up as these cultural peoples. For example, pay attention to racial and cultural stereotypes if a child is dressing up as a Disney character, like in Moana or Pocahontas. Try not to wear that Native American headdress or grass skirt, as it may offend people of that culture and the costume may be overlooked.

Religious clothing. There are many types of religious clothing that should be avoided during Halloween. Do not copy someone else’s culture if it’s not your own. Even if it’s your own, be careful how you portray yourself with your own culture. An example of this includes wearing saris and bindis during Halloween. Whether your Hindu or not, just don’t do it. It’s not right and is not appropriate. Others include Muslim accessories, such as hijabs or burkas. Indigenous culture is another one to be avoided , which includes headdresses and beaded clothing. There are also priest costumes, crosses, or nun costumes that should be left out of costume ideas. Let’s protect and accept our cultures, without exposing them or creating cultural appropriation.


Mentally ill people. What would be your reaction if you had a mental disorder and someone dressed up in a costume that appropriates mental illness? It’s not exactly what you want and would be offensive. You would probably want them to remove the costume, right? Exactly my point. Mental illness is a popular and accepted issue in today’s society. Halloween is not a day to promote and neglect mental illness in any form or way. Mental health awareness is important yet many people are affected by mental illness such as having anxiety disorders or depression, and are taken seriously . Avoid stigma this Halloween so no costumes that portray mental illness!

A Holocaust victim, 9/11 victim or terrorist. These events and people promote violence and are truly sad. People lost families and relatives in these events, like in 9/11. Dressing up as these victims does not respect the numbers of families who were affected and fell victim to these deadly events. As well, dressing up as a terrorist from ISIS or even Hitler is not a fun or an appropriate idea. What would you think if people dressed as a victim of one of these events or terrorists? You would probably be offended and find it rude. Please respect people for Halloween and avoid these costumes at all costs.

Animal cruelty. Similar to people, have respect for animals. No one wants to see animal cruelty being showcased as a costume. This includes animal heads, skin or blood and hunters killing animals. This is very disrespectful to animals and people who care about animal rights, or are pet owners. We wouldn’t want families to see animal cruelty being presented through people or animals wearing these type of costumes. However, it doesn’t mean that you or your pet can’t dress up for Halloween! Pick something simple and fun, such as a pumpkin, tv character, food etc.


LESSONS LEARNED FROM CELEBRITIES

Anessa Singh/News Editor Halloween is here, and everyone is in the party, dress up mood. What will your costume represent? Maybe it might be an animal, witch, fairy, cartoon character etc. However, there are some guidelines that come with choosing an appropriate costume. The costume should be a nice, scary outfit that doesn’t offend anyone but still represents fun. Let’s look at cultural appropriation as a guideline to having a great costume. Cultural appropriation includes a dominant culture taking features of a minority culture without knowing the importance of the culture from which they are stealing. Examples of stealing includes makeup, headwear, language, hair, dressing styles. Cultural appropriation is offensive and can hurt others when showing off aspects that don’t represent the person as costumes. It’s important to admire and recognize the history and origin of the culture specifically, art and aesthetic.


Cultural appropriation can occur in the fashion, music and sport industry. An example is Rihanna, who wore a beautiful dress of yellow for the Met Gala. The yellow was to signify the emperors of ancient Chinese dynasties. It was also made by Chinese designer Guo Pei and their work was part of Met’s exhibition. It’s a beautiful representation of chinese culture, but can be controversial in cultural appropriation as the American society displays chinese culture in the fashion industry. Not everyone in the Chinese society may be pleased or happy with Rihanna showing their culture. It’s very opinionated and provides controversy about what’s right when representing culture and which person’s personality fits the culture through presenting it in our society.


Another example is Nicki Minaj at the MTV Video Music awards. She was criticized in the New York Times magazine and commented about her race. Sometimes, it’s unfair to judge a person by their race and beliefs as it differs for everyone. Questions that can be looked at to further discuss cultural appropriation are how does ethnicity and race affect pop culture today and in society through media? What can cultural appropriation signify about the media and represent in this century? In the next section, we will look at more examples of celebrities who have displayed cultural appropriation in recent years.

First, let’s look at Ariana Grande. Ariana Grande has been featuring Japanese culture ever since promoting her Thank U,Next album. She has been selling merchandise with Japanese phrases on it and using japanese characters to promote her song 7 rings. She also tried to get tattoo in Japanese phrase. Some of her fans were upset at her as she tried to use Japanese culture to promote herself, while she said she di it out of love and appreciation for the culture. As for her fans that wer upset, the merchandise featuring Japanese characters has been taken down from her website. This is an example of cultural appropriation that brings controversy and racism to discussions in the media. Another example is Selena Gomez. In 2013, she used Indian culture in her performance. It was at the MTV Music Awards when she performed the song, “Come and get it”. She wore an Indian inspired dress and a bindi. This performance caused people to criticize Selena for appropriating Indian culture in her music.


Once again, she wore another Bollywood outfit and used Indian dance culture when she performed on Dancing with the Stars. How would you feel if someone used your culture in an offensive way that could be avoided in some way? Not everyone may have appreciated it and those may have been hurt in her displaying Indian culture in her music. The last example I would like to share is Taylor swift’s music video, “ Shake it off”. It was in 2014 when the video brought up black culture and introduced black stereotypes. For example, all the ballerinas in the video are white while the black women are twerking. This could have offended people as the video demonstrates black stereotypes that may or may not be factual.To conclude, it was inappropriate for Taylor Swift’s video to share black culture in this particular way. Some of the audience may not be pleased by it.


THANKSGIVING IN CANADA: IT’S NOT WHAT YOU THOUGHT IT WAS ABOUT! Naomi Joson/Opinion Editor

Canadians annually celebrate Thanksgiving Day on the second Monday of October. Friends and family gather together on this national holiday for parties and meals to give thanks for the good things in their lives. However, many Canadians do not know the history of this national holiday when it pertains to Canada because the colonial-American version has dominated western media in their depictions of the holiday. It is essential to be aware that the very early beginnings of a Thanksgiving date back to Indigenous peoples holding feasts, dances, potlatches and other ceremonies to commemorate surviving tough winter months (Nagy, 2018). Assistant Professor at the University of Winnipeg and a member of the Mohawk nation, Brian Rice, stated that Thanksgiving for thousands of years is an Indigenous ceremony to give thanks (CBC, 2017). This history of Thanksgiving in Canada has been overridden by the story of the “first” Thanksgiving wherein 1621 in Plymouth, Massachusetts. It posited that British colonists were saved by Wampanoag nation members who taught the colonists how to survive in the new land (CBC, 2017). Essentially, the popularized version of Thanksgiving Day became a celebration of a relationship between Native Americans and colonialists.


However, to depict Thanksgiving in such a positive light grossly misrepresents their relationship. The year following the first Thanksgiving, a significant population of Native Americans died due to the infectious diseases the colonial settlers brought from Europe. Furthermore, during the time, colonial settlers often intruded on Indigenous land by allowing pigs to eat their crops (CBC, 2017). Not to mention, the centuries of history between Indigenous Peoples and white colonialists include rampant racism, genocide, and intergenerational trauma targeting Indigenous Peoples and their identities. The effects of this history transpire to how Indigenous peoples in Canada are treated today. To name a few examples, Indigenous peoples are disproportionately incarcerated, experience poverty at alarming rates, and Indigenous women and girls are increasingly going missing with little attention and action from the government and media. To downplay the harm of colonial settlers towards Indigenous groups by pushing forth this romanticized version of Thanksgiving can strengthen the narrative Indigenous peoples have been trying to demolish for centuries. Thanksgiving Day becoming a recognized national holiday is primarily attributed to Protestant influences in the mid-19th century who sought to use the holiday to spread the religion and implement it as part of the Canadian national identity. There was a faith crisis during this time as Protestants believed the religion was under attack. Also, Canada’s confederation put pressure on Canadians to develop a national identity that would unify Canadians. Overall, Protestant Canadians saw this holiday as a perfect way to celebrate the abundance of crops and blessings provided by God (Waxman, 2017). Thanksgiving day again has become a means of pushing a narrative favouring settlers to promote their religion as a component of the Canadian national Identity. However, the Protestant roots of Thanksgiving quickly diminished as churchgoers were influenced by American media to host harvest feasts after church (Waxman, 2017). As colonial narratives have greatly overridden Thanksgiving's history, it is essential to be aware of the holidays we celebrate.


"STUCK WITH" CLUB PRESIDENTS MOOT LAW SOCIETY AT YORK Co-Presidents: Zara Morani and Samar Narula When and why did you first join MLS? What made you stay? Samar: I first joined Moot because of my fervent interest in the law. The summer before my first year I was scouring the York websites to see how I would explore that interest. Moot immediately stood out as a place where I could not only learn about the law but learn to critically apply it to my everyday life. Zara: I first joined MLS in my second year of university when I was a transfer student. I felt like it was a fresh start for me, and I was eager to get involved and get to know new people. I was drawn to MLS because of the Moot Court side of things. I’ve always been a pretty competitive person, so the idea of simulated court proceedings was very thrilling. After competing in my first competition, I guess you could say I was

Who/what have you been “stuck with” this

addicted to Moot Court and wanting to do well at

quarantine?

competitions. After my first year with the club, I applied to be an Executive member because I wanted to get more involved

Samar: Netflix, Netflix, and some more

in running the operations. I’m still here because I appreciate

Netflix. Just finished watching Suits for like

the idea of giving students, like myself, an opportunity to get

the fifth or sixth time? Time to get started

involved. MLS has played a huge role in my university

on the Last Dance.

experience. I’ve learned so much from the club and gotten to know so many amazing people. The thought of providing those same opportunities to other university students is honestly quite rewarding.

Zara: I’ve been stuck at home with my cat, which is bittersweet. She can be a handful, but I love giving her attention and spending time with her.


What are your club’s plans with school being online for the entire year? Samar: Our club has taken the switch to online in stride. With the Lions Cup Moot being hosted online this past June, it is more clear than ever that mooting can be for anyone. With participation from 13 different institutions and the experience of mooters ranging from nationallevel finalists to complete first-timers, mooting truly is the best venue for developing your legal literacy, honing your oral advocacy, and getting ready for the study and practice of law. Zara: We’re so lucky to be living in such a technologically advanced time. On the operations side, we plan on hosting the same just virtually. It’ll be a challenge to keep our membership engaged and aware and bring in new

What keeps you motivated during quarantine to

membership, but I’m still confident our team will

keep your club active in the York community? How

develop great new ideas to up our online

have you personally coped with staying motivated

presence and make the most of our social media.

during quarantine? Samar: During my first year as Co-President, I set an overarching goal for myself and the club that would ensure a better experience for Moot and its members. This year that goal is to make participation in mootcourt easier than ever before. Sharing my passion for moot always keeps me motivated, and the work of making it more accessible allows me to share that passion with even more people. Zara: It’s a rewarding experience for me to know that

What tips would you give to first-year students starting university virtually and those wanting to

I’ll provide undergraduate students with resources to help them succeed. I feel like I’ve made an important

get involved in clubs during online school?

commitment to the Moot Law Society, and it’s just

Samar: STAY ON TOP OF YOUR STUFF! Make a

much I appreciated my experience with the club, and

schedule that accounts for every minute of your day and make sure you stick to it religiously. As long as you plan for it in advance, you can usually

not something I’m willing to give up on. I know how I hope that as co-president, I can have that same impact on others. In terms of staying motivated during quarantine, honesty, It’s been hard. The

make time for everything.

biggest obstacle for me staying motivated has been

Zara: In terms of staying motivated with online

spent my entire summer studying for the LSAT, and

school, take breaks to do things you enjoy and switch up your environment. Don’t sit in one place all day, and switch up your study spaces. As for getting involved, don’t overthink it. Make an effort to attend virtual events, it can be awkward at times, but everyone is in the same boat. I’ve always preferred in-person interactions over social media, but now more than ever, make use of club websites, social media, and stay in touch through that. You’ve got to allow yourself to explore out of your comfort zone.

feeling like I’m always trapped inside my house. I also its truly exhausting and difficult to do work from home. But I’ve learned to enjoy the outdoors a lot more, and that helps keep me motivated. When school wasn’t online, the commute, being on campus and being surrounded by people helpful when things got stressful. So now I spend a lot of my time outdoors and outside of my room. I’ll study at parks, of course, always being socially distanced and safe, but being socially distanced doesn’t mean staying at home. The weather fortunately is still great outside so, I’m trying to make the most of it, and it helps keep me grounded.


What tips would you give to firstyear students starting university virtually and those wanting to get involved in clubs during online school? Jedd: In terms of academics, make a schedule that is not only ambitious but realistic because there is no point in making a schedule that is way too strict. Create a schedule that

MCLAUGHLIN PEER MENTORSHIP NETWORK Coordinators: Jasmine and Jedd When and why did you first join MLS? What made you stay?

Jedd: I joined the peer mentors program because I wanted to become

won’t stretch yourself out too much.

a part of McLaughlin’s community. The mentor network was a great

Jasmine: My key piece of advice is

was thrilled when I found out that this program was a thing. What

that university is the time to be the person you want to be instead of the person you were in high school or the

way to find people with similar interests and mindsets as me. So, I made me stay was definitely the people I met during my first year. They gave me a very warm welcome and were very friendly and welcoming.

past. For myself, before I came to university, I was really shy and

Jasmine: During my second year, I was part of McLaughlin College

angsty. Going into university was very

Council. I was the Director of Academics, and that’s where I met

much an active decision to pursue

Lillian. I would pop up into the office and have discussions and

connections that would help me

whatnot with her. We got along, and she mentioned that there are

personally and professionally. It was

positions in the Peer Mentor network. I then got hired as a peer

my goal to just expand upon my

mentor in my third year. And since then, the relationships and the

personal development. This is an

connections kept being built, and now I’m a coordinator.

opportunity for personal development, especially since

What are your club’s plans with school being online for the entire

university is sort of in the trial stage

year?

of your life— so take advantage of it while you can.

Jedd: We are looking to transition everything online with it. With events such as our Halloween and Valentine’s Day event, we are

Who/what have you been “stuck with” this quarantine?

transitioning them online, as well as our services. We’re providing Zoom meetings with our cohorts of mentees. And we are still meeting with our first-year students face to face, just though the screen. Jasmine: One of our goals is to foster connections with the general Mac population. Especially with the first years, this is a whole new community that they are entering, and there are people they haven’t met before. Especially in times like this, people are thirsty for human connection. Our plans with the network are to build upon the volunteers and the leaders and connect them with each other.

What keeps you motivated during quarantine to keep your club active in the York community? How have you personally coped with staying motivated during quarantine? Jedd: Between Jasmine and me, we motivate and support each other. Jasmine: Responsibility for other people is a big motivator for staying connected and staying on top of your game. Another hard lesson I learned over the summer is trying to be forgiving to myself because these times have been so stressful on myself. Being forgiving to myself and others— even though you have responsibilities, sometimes you can’t help but not feel well. And when you don’t feel well, you can’t work well.


LAW AND SOCIETY STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION President: Rohit Verma When and why did you first join the club? What made you stay? Since early elementary, I was drawn to the study of law primarily due to a family friend. He was a lawyer and still is. When I had a discussion with him back on the day about what he does, he explained that lawyers have a very fundamental role in society to stand up for people and businesses who otherwise would not be able to stand up for themselves. Since day one, I have always wanted to be a lawyer. And when it came to high school, I took a couple of law courses and performed extremely well. I also did a co-op in a law firm. When I came to York, I knew Law and Society was the program for me. I went hunting for clubs. I joined LANDS as a general member for the first two years. During my third year, I was the director of finance, and now I am the president.

What are your club’s plans with school being online for the entire year? Our plans would be roughly the same regardless of the pandemic. Our plan is to create awareness for the Law and Society major on the York campus and give guidance to students new to the program or have aspirations of becoming a lawyer. Also, we offer discounts on LSAT prep courses and provide a lot of networking with professionals in the field. What keeps you motivated during quarantine to keep your club active in the York community? How have you personally coped with staying motivated during quarantine?

School is still going, and nothing has really stopped. The world will never stop just because of the pandemic. Students are still coming to us for advice about courses, professors, and the club. It keeps me motivated when students let us know that our guidance helped them in the long run. I’ve also been writing my LSAT for most of the quarantine. Usually, when people are studying for the LSAT, their biggest disadvantage is not having a social life. There was nothing really happening, so I didn’t feel guilty about saying “no” to my friends, so I was able to stay in my room and study during the quarantine. Who/what have you been “stuck with” this quarantine? LSAT studying. What tips would you give to first-year students starting university virtually and those wanting to get involved in clubs during online school? To get involved in LANDS, they can email us to get a membership and be notified of our upcoming events. To run for an executive position, you must be a general member for at least a year. For Law and Society majors, I suggest that you consult your academic calendars to ensure you are on track to graduate. That document online tells you precisely what you should be taking. I also like to look up professors on RateMyProf and see what past students have said about professors. Of course, also study hard, don’t stress too much. You should not be stressing out too much— listen to music, meditate, do yoga— do anything that helps. Give back to the community— volunteer, join a club, do an internship— all these things will help you if you consider going to law school.


UNICEF AT YORKU When and why did you first join the club? What made you stay? When I was in high school, I was very involved in extracurricular activities and was looking into different universities in Canada, and I got accepted into a few of them. One of the seniors that went to my school went to York and was the VP of UNICEF, and they helped me decide I wanted to be part of the club. What made me stay was the cause that UNICEF advocates and fundraises for— it’s all about helping children worldwide; and coming from a place of privilege, I always want to help out and reach out to people. The second reason would be the community. When I started out, I started as an exec. I was the youngest exec on the team. Despite being the youngest one, nobody made me feel like my opinions didn’t matter. I always felt very part of the team. I wanted to do more— to do better and help out more.

What are your club’s plans with school being online for the entire year? Currently everything is virtual, we will stick to a virtual format unless things change. We are bringing back the volunteer initiative. We divide volunteers in groups of 5 or 6 and work under and exec. And they as a group come up with their own initiative and fundraiser that they are super passionate about. This year the advocacy bit will be online— volunteers will be doing fundraising online. We’re also going to have some movie nights and game nights. On Oct 30 it is UNICEF Day, which is also Halloween, and we usually do some big events. This year we will have a lot of volunteers help out the exec team and learn from them so if they want to apply next year it will be easier and they will know what to look out for. What tips would you give to freshmen starting university virtually and those wanting to get involved in clubs during online school? For first year students, I know there are many people

Nameera Naim (to the right)

who are introverted and I completely understand. But

When I get my momentum I keep going. Another thing that motivates me is the cause I’m working for with reach out to people. There are so many resources and UNICEF. It works for people around the work and makes clubs on campus. There are so many people you would you realize how privileged you are. Especially during a love to help you and cubs that would love to have you. pandemic when people around the world are facing so Social media is a blessing during this time. Reach out many problems, there are people who cannot go to to us on social media; we have execs on our social school or are forced to go to school without precautions this is the time to get out of your comfort zone and

media to help out people who want to join the club. Also, I know it’s a pandemic, but try to have fun

Who/what have you been “stuck with” this

because the first and second years are the best times

quarantine?

of your life, and after that it gets really hectic. From March until August I was in Canada with my What keeps you motivated during quarantine to

uncle and his family. I had a nice time with them

keep your club active in the York community? How

and they would play board games and watch

have you personally coped with staying motivated

movies. Being an international student and being

during quarantine?

away from home and now knowing when I’d come back was stressful. Right now after coming home,

I’m super motivated most parts of the time and

I’m stuck with myself, but now I have my sister and

sometimes I’m lazy. But I do take breaks a lot— like

my parents at home.PS. We're recruiting volunteers

I'll take a break for two days and then I’ll be back on

right now! Check us out on social media!

track and doing as much as I can. .


The Happy Song

- Tanesha Agrawal (Vice-President)

As a type-A personality, being someone who has always urged me to transcend my horizon, the lockdown started making me feel extremely despondent. I had nothing to do and everything was uncertain. The thought of not knowing what my sophomore year would look like and not being able to get involved in extracurricular activities ruffled me more than I ever anticipated.Coming back home in April, having had an abundance of time to reflect on my decisions, I realized that I had a lot of work to do on myself as an individual and my academics. As a result, I belittled myself every day for not doing enough in my freshmen year and not being able to do enough after my “realization” either because of limitations set by quarantine. Needless to say, I was as clueless as someone without a mask in a crowded market. This made me sad and made me contemplate on 100 other things. Well, I had heard that to solve a problem, you should first understand that problem. My problem was that I was sad and I wanted to be happy. Which led to ponder on the reason for WHY I was sad. If you think about it, most of us have a roof over our head, three meals for the day, and the very fact that we are able to afford university tuition might be a luxury for so many people out there. This made me count my blessings and I realized that there are so many things in life I don’t cherish because I don’t consider them to be carriers of happiness even though they give moments of joy.


That is when it struck me- we linger upon the idea of capitalist happiness where we equate happiness with achievements or success. The definition of “achievement” is not limited to success in career or financial riches, but also ranges from the need to be, ‘young’ (even if we’re old) and ‘beautiful’ (in the conventional Western framework of beauty – so, very white). As a result, we strive to maintain and flaunt a certain standard of living that we force ourselves to alter our lifestyles. We strive for minimal body fat, enjoy partying from dusk ‘till dawn, overworking ourselves until we hit a burnout and surround ourselves with the latest consumer goods because we feel that as an end result, achieving these things would make us happy. And, I’m sure that they might, but just not as much as we think they would. . By chasing this lifestyle just because it is conventionally said to bring happiness, we are constantly stuck in this limbo where we exhaust ourselves to achieve the “ideal” by leaving behind conventionally trifling facets of happiness which might actually make us feel more wholesome. We are making ourselves less happy than we could be. We toss out the possibility of rainbows, hot chocolate, long walks, fairy lights, holding hands, heart to heart conversations, cold nights in blankets, scented candles or getting those horse of sleep on a weekend, making us happy and declare that happiness can only be bought or obtained if you chase the “clout.” But, doesn't it defy the concept of happiness? The very reason why certain things make you feel butterflies in your stomach and make close your eyes to seize the moment forever is because you love doing them, not because the capitalism driven norms engenders them in our minds. So, in quarantine, when you feel like you are not doing “enough” or try to deride yourself upon coming across your Linkedin connections’ latest job update or Instagram followers’ So, in quarantine, when you feel like you are not doing “enough” or try to deride yourself upon coming across your LinkedIn connections’ latest job update or Instagram followers’, allow yourself to feel sufficient. Allow yourself to feel happy even when you don’t have anything to update on your Linkedin profile, allow yourself to feel happy when you hear news about someone’s recovery from coronavirus, allow yourself to feel happy when you spend the weekend in your bed while reading a book and watching your guilty pleasure shows on Netflix, be happy when you successfully do a DIY, be happy when you give someone advice and it works, and be happy when you wake up in the morning with the sun shining on your face and have wake up to the scent of the candle you lit the night before.


QUARANTINE-O-WEEN Riya Nair/Arts & Entertainment Editor Sorry! No Trick-Or-Treating. Please Adhere To The Covid-19 Social Distancing Norms

Halloween and Thanksgiving 2020 get-togethers will look a lot different this year due to the pandemic and social distancing norms. But just because we’re social distancing, we don’t have to give up on these festivities. We just have to be creative with our plans. 1) If you want to visit family members to bring them a treat bag or food, leave it at their doorstep or drive-thru their place and hand it over from your car. It's a festive way to spread some socially distanced holiday cheer. 2) Invite your friends or family online for a zoom call. You could play games or have a trivia night or charades would sure be a hit.

3) Being at home doesn’t have to be boring. By channeling your inner chef, you can create some delicious food and treat yourself (and your family). You can create a virtual party box with the food you made and give it to friends and family.


QUARANTINE-O-WEEN 4) USE THE NETFLIX PARTY EXTENSION TO HAVE A HORROR MOVIE MARATHON. YOU CAN WATCH THE SCARIEST OF THEM LIKE THE NUN OR A QUIET PLACE OR SOMETHING NOT-SOSCARY LIKE HOCUS POCUS. IF YOU’RE IN THE MOOD FOR SOME SUPERNATURAL DRAMA, THEN THE VAMPIRE DIARIES ARE A GOOD PLACE TO START.

5) ALWAYS WEAR A MASK. YOU CAN PURCHASE HALLOWEEN THEMED MASKS AS WELL IF COSTUMES ARE NOT SOMETHING YOU ARE A FAN OF.


QUARANTINE-O-WEEN Riya Nair/Arts & Entertainment Editor

DIY DÉCOR FOR THANKSGIVING AND HALLOWEEN 1) SPREAD A LARGE SHEET OF CRAFT PAPER ACROSS T HE TABLE AND OUTLINE PLACE SETTING WITH CUTLERY AND THEIR NAMES. YOU COULD ALSO WRI T E A QUOTE FOR THEM. 2) FOR THE FALL TOUCH TO YOUR TABLESCAPE, YOU COULD BUY SMALLER SIZED PUMPKINS AND PAINT THEM IN BEAUTIFUL FALLINSPIRED COLORS. THESE CAN ALSO DOUBLE AS HALLOWEEN DÉCOR.


QUARANTINE-O-WEEN 3) TO CREATE AN ELEGANT AMBIANCE, PLACE LED TEALIGHT CANDLES UNDER A FEW BOX GRATERS. YOU CAN ALSO PLACE MORE CANDLES AROUND THIS. 4) I GET THE CREEPY CRAWLIES AFTER SEEING A REAL SPIDER. ISN’T THAT THE SAME FEELING YOU WANT TO CREATE FOR PEOPLE AROUND YOU? YOU CAN CREATE SPIDER WEBS OR A SPIDER WREATH BY USING SOME CLOTH AND STRINGS. PAINT THE STRINGS WHITE AND USE ANY WHITE CLOTH FOR THE WREATH. CREATE SMALL SPIDERS USING A BLACK PIECE OF PAPER OR PRINT THEM AT HOME.

5) SCARE THE GERMS AWAY! IF YOU HAVE GUESTS OR FRIENDS COMING OVER, HAND THEM SOME WITCHY POTIONS OR COMMONLY KNOWN AS HAND SANITIZERS. ESSENTIAL TO KEEP THOSE COVID EVILS AWAY! YOU COULD PRINT LABELS FOR INDIVIDUAL SANITIZER BOTTLES.


QUARANTINE-O-WEEN Riya Nair/Arts & Entertainment Editor

RECIPES FOR THANKSGIVING AND HALLOWEEN

GHOST CAKE A SWEET TOOTH AND IT’S SO CUTE! ALMOST TOO ADORABLE TO EAT! GET THE RECIPE FROM DELISH.

A COMBINATION OF SPOOKY AND PIZZA! LOOKS SCARY BUT TASTES YUMMY! GET THE RECIPE FROM PLAIN CHICKEN.


QUARANTINE-O-WEEN GLAZED ROOT VEGETABLES POTATOES, TURNIPS, PARSNIPS, CARROTS, AND CELERY ROOT ARE ROASTED UNTIL TENDER AND TOSSED IN A MAPLE GLAZE FOR AN EASY HOLIDAY SIDE DISH. THE PERFECT DISH FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO BE HEALTHY THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.

GET THE RECIPE FOR HTTPS://WWW.FOODNETWORK.CA/RECI PE/GLAZEDROOT-VEGETABLES/8640/

LEMON-SAGE BUTTER ROASTED TURKEY A CLASSIC TURKEY WITH TUCKING THE LEMON AND SAGE BUTTER UNDER THE SKIN INFUSES THE BIRD WITH A BOOST OF HERB FLAVOR WHILE HELPING TO KEEP IT MOIST AND JUICY IN THIS RECIPE FROM BARRY C. PARSONS OF THE ROCK RECIPES. GET THE RECIPE FROM HTTP://WWW.FOODNETWORK.CA/RECIPE/LEMON-SAGEBUTTER-ROASTED-TURKEY/17136/


Riya Nair/Arts & Entetainment Editor LIBRA Libra’s are known to have a second name, i.e. BALANCE. You are even-minded and make sure everything’s nice and level. This means you also need to remember to get some SLEEP. Your brain needs time to process, so relax. Enjoy your learning journey which is very important to your success. This will be an uplifting month for your mental health and things will fall in place.

SCORPIO As a Scorpio, you're passionate about what you do and will do everything to make sure it happens a certain way. So let’s make sure you don’t burn out trying too hard. Let’s make sure you use the writing centre, the online library at York to help you achieve your daily goals. Small steps will lead to big success and I can see that in your future!

SAGITTARIUS Hello, social butterfly! As a Sagittarius, you love hanging out with your friends. Unfortunately, you can’t meet them in person. Since the school year has just begun, making friends online might seem difficult. Do not worry. Join online groups, virtual coffee breaks hosted by York, connect with people who are in your class and take that friendship forward. Stay happy, stay healthy and you're going to enjoy your academic journey.


What’s in store for your zodiac sign this month? Read this month’s horoscope to find out what’s in store for you? ARIES As an Aries, you are highly motivated and want to succeed in all the classes you take. So while some classes may be more appealing than others, try relating them to essential skills you may learn or how they help you achieve your career goals. Your hard work is going to reap several benefits for you.

TAURUS People see Taurus as stubborn, but that persistence is going to help you stay on top of your assignments or group work. This year will be another year of reaching great heights and achieving academic success. So use all your force to push through the year by using a variety of study methods. You can do this!

GEMINI Geminis are highly adaptable and restless, so try and change your work environment a little. You can create study groups over to zoom, or study by yourself. But don’t forget to ask for help when needed. York has several resources to help you with your study needs or mental health needs. All your goals will be completed this year.


CANCER Cancers are known to be connected to family and friends, but sometimes you need to take out time for yourself and meet your needs. Study groups are a great idea to share knowledge and understand concepts, but first focus on getting it by yourself and then go ahead with sharing the knowledge you now have a grasp on. This year you will be able to tap into your motivation and excel.

LEO Leo! The king or The queen! You are proud and confident and that attitude will take you places. But remember to stay humble and true to yourself. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, go to office hours, talk to the TA’s or even reach out to people in your class, especially in general education courses can make you feel a little lost. Most of all, be helpful. You are so ready to take on anything that comes your way this year!

VIRGO As a Virgo, you are detail-oriented and organization is your middle name. Organize away and you will be on top of every assignment or course you’re taking in no time. This is going to keep your mind at peace and happy always. This month you will meet every single deadline and be on top of your essay game.


CAPRICON

As Capricorns, you see things as they are and appreciate everything you have. I know a lot is going on with the pandemic, classes, noting deadlines, starting a study routine and scheduling working hours. But your greatest strength is positivity. Keep a calm, positive state of mind, and do your best. You will do extremely well on all your tests, midterms and finals.

AQUARIUS Aquarius’s are known to be innovators, creators! Break up the monotony of your studies by engaging in some hobbies or joining clubs at York. Your essential creative outlet will stir up some motivation you need to study this academic year. Excellence is written in your stars and you shall receive it.

PISCES

Ah, Pisces, the adorable little fish. Channel that innate compassion and goodwill associated with your sign and take the opportunity to help a friend in your class understand a difficult concept. Everyone’s going through the same thing and a little compassion goes a long way. York is a diverse ocean so you’ll find many other fishes to meet. You are headed towards something amazing!


MENTAL HEALTH CHECK-IN + HELPFUL ONLINE SCHOOL RESOURCES BY CATHERINE SHI

The first month of school went by in a ZOOM! With online learning and social distancing as the new norm, we understand how nervewrecking it may be to juggle academics, health, and socialization. As such, we have consolidated a list of helpful online school resources to make the best out of your university experience!

Virtual Coffee Break (VCB) VCB is an online space open to all students to meet and get to know each other. It doesn’t matter if you’re an international or domestic student, from across programs, faculties, countries, and cultures, YOU are all welcome to join! Meetings are hosted Tuesdays to Fridays throughout the academic calendar. Some topics of discussion include Exam Prep Tips & Tricks, Fall Recipes, and Dance Party. Find out more at https://yorkinternational.yorku.ca/ event/virtual-coffee-breaks/.

Learning Skills Services (LSS) Looking for ways to manage your time? Study and learn more effectively? Keep up with readings and course work? Get the most out of your studies? LSS is the perfect platform to help you achieve your academic goals! LSS Workshops are are open to all students at any level and are designed to help you discover your strengths and develop important study skills. Find out more at https://www.yorku.ca/scld/learningskills/.


Online Writing Support Wish you could receive one-to-one writing support from the comfort of your own home? A selection of our writing instructors are now available for 50minute one-to-one appointments via online video chat. Our Online Writing Support connects students with writing instructors without the need to commute to campus. Simply book an appointment online to receive tutoring from a professional writing instructor. Find out more at https://writing-centre.writ.laps.yorku.ca/services/ online-writing-support/.

COVID-19 Wellbeing Resources York University recognizes the challenges that come with adjusting to online learning from home. We understand these changes have been quick and new changes seem to come about daily. For this reason, we're working to constantly curate and update resources focused on student wellbeing and success. COVID-19 Wellbeing Resources covers: York U COVID-19 Critical Information, Academic Resources, Career and Finance, Staying Social While Social and Physical Distancing, Live/Video Chat Resources, Fun Online Activities, Fitness & Workouts, Nutrition & Healthy Eating, Emotional Wellbeing Resources, Spiritual Wellbeing Resources, and Environmental Wellbeing Resources. Find out more at https://www.yorku.ca/scld/learning-skills/covid-19wellbeing-resources/.

It is crucial to maintain a healthy study environment in York University. We encourage you to make use of the helpful online school resources provided. With that, MacMedia Magazine wishes everyone well during this time of uncertainty.


JUST TO BRIGHTEN YOUR DAY! Melissa Sendanyoye/Humor Editor

Q: Why did the headless horseman go into business? A: He wanted to get ahead in life.

Q:Â Why did the ghost go into the bar? A:Â For the Boos.

Q: Why do skeletons have low selfesteem? A: They have no body to love.


References Avins, Jenni. (2015, October 20). The Dos and Don’ts of cultural appropriation. The Atlantic. Retrieved from: https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/ 2015/10/the-dos-and-donts-of-culturalappropriation/411292/ Dreher, Beth. (2019, October 24). What is Cultural Appropriation Exactly, and How do I Avoid it? Good Housekeeping. Retrieved from: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/g28400114/c ultural-appropriation-definition-examples/ Escobar, Sam. Robin, Marci (2020,September 8). 15 Most Offensive Halloween Costumes That Shouldn’t Exist. Good Housekeeping. Retrieved from: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/hallowe en-ideas/a40778/most-offensive halloween-costumes/ Twersky, Carolyn.( 2019, February 4). 11 celebrities who have been accused of Cultural Appropriation. Seventeen. Retrieved from: https://www.seventeen.com/celebrity/g22363821/cult ual-appropriation-examples-celebrities/


References Donovan, Blair. Gold, Marissa. ( 2020, June 9). What’s the actual history of halloween-and why do we celebrate it on October 31? Country Living. Retrieved from: https://www.countryliving.com/entertaining/a40250/her es-why-we-really-celebrate-halloween/ Halloween. (n.d.). Wikipedia. Retrieved from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween Halloween 2020. (2009, November 18). History. Retrieved from: https://www.history.com/topics/halloween/history-ofhalloween#:~:text=The%20tradition Ten things you didn’t know about the history (and mystery) of Halloween. (n.d.). HistoryExtra. Retrieved from : https://www.historyextra.com/period/medieval/hallowee n-history-facts-pumpkins-ghosts/


References The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2020, August 31). Halloween. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/topic/Halloween Nagy, A. (2018, October). The History of Thanksgiving in Canada. Retrieved September 21, 2020, from https://www.canadashistory.ca/explore/arts-culturesociety/the-history-of-thanksgiving-in-canada Thanksgiving has roots, complicated history in Indigenous communities, prof says | CBC News. (2017, October 07). Retrieved September 21, 2020, from: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/indigenousthanksgiving-history-1.4345348 Waxman, O. (2019, March 05). Canadian Thanksgiving: How Is It Different From US Version? Retrieved September 21, 2020, from https://time.com/4971309/canadianthanksgiving-2017-history/



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