Volume 23 Issue 9: Marionette

MARIONETTE

VOLUME 23 ISSUE 9

A C T S

OP-ED: THE REASONS I AM PRO-LIFE

MARCH 6, 2019

1 7 : 1 9 - 2 0

NO STRINGS ATTACHED

“I truly believe that God has a plan and a name for every baby, regardless of how they were conceived.”

“The efficacy of therapy isn’t deep breathing or linking thoughts, feelings, and actions necessarily—it’s your innate ability to heal.”

PG. 5

PG. 10-11

GOD IS A WOMAN How Ari’s intimacy with her fans boosted her career.

PG. 12

2

Our Our Team Team

Sabine Henderson Managing Editor

Janae Gartly Visual Editor

FROM THE EDITOR

Kelsey Morris Academy Editor

Maxwell Stow Web Editor

Manfred Dewsbury Layout Editor

Nyssa Morgan Humour Editor

Hannah DeVries Photo Editor

Richard Enns Advertising + Finance Manager

Kennedy Dragt Arts + Culture Editor

Ishita Wilson News Editor

Bailey Broadbent Sports Editor

Sierra Ellis Illustrator

Emma Dykstra Staff Writer

Hazal Senkoyuncu Social Media Manager

“Maybe a certain kind of ignorance was the condition. Into the pure nothingness of my non-knowledge something sublime (an event?) beyond (beneath?) consciousness was able to occur.”

Zadie Smith, Feel Free

I was teaching a Grade 6 class how to write short stories last week, when one of my students came up and asked me whether it was okay if she named the villain in her story “Momo.” Curious as to why she would be asking for my permission, I asked her where she got the name from. Her tiny voice told me about an Internet character named Momo that, based on her story, was an evil monster that was trying to hurt kids on the Internet.

As soon as I got home, I searched the name “Momo,” and what came up on my screen was truly terrifying. A female face with bulging eyes and an eerily elongated mouth stared me down, and I felt my heart skip a beat. Sure, I am quite impressionable as it is, but the image of Momo would make even the strongest gut unsettled. As I did (teacher-style) more research on the matter, I became increasingly horrified with the story I uncovered. According to dozens of news sources, Momo is a female figure used to lure and scare gullible children into dangerous acts such as self-harm, taking life-threatening risks, and even suicide. The creature, it seems, leaves hints and clues in harmless kid-friendly YouTube videos, encouraging their viewers to get in touch with Momo and embark on a dangerous journey.

After I read through a host of contradicting articles, I saw that while some of the articles connected cases of child suicide with this Momo Challenge, most articles seemed to point to the whole thing being a hoax. Apparently, the police in countries affected by this challenge have not been able to pin down any actual instances of child suicide or self-harm, or even that children encountered the Momo creature on YouTube at all. The whole situation seems kind of hard to define, and each source has a different take on what the challenge is and how many children have actually interacted with Momo.

However, the main driving force that keeps this challenge alive on the Internet, it seems, is the parents. Terrified for the wellbeing of their children, mothers and fathers around the globe have been relentlessly searching Mars’ Hill Mars’ Hill is a student publication of Trinity Western University, floated with funds raised by the Student Association. Mars’ Hill seeks to be a professional and relevant student publication, reflecting and challenging the TWU community, while intentionally addressing local, national, and international issues.

Editorial Policy Mars’ Hill encourages submissions and letters to the Editor. Mars’ Hill reserves the right to edit submissions for style, brevity, and compatibility with the Mission, Statement of Faith, the Community Covenant, and the Core Values of the University.

Anonymous authorship of any material may be granted at the discretion of the Editor-in-Chief.

Opinions expressed in Mars’ Hill belong to the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the editorial board, Trinity Western University, its officials or its Student Association.

This Issue Brought to You By: Mongolian throat singing PDF you JPEGged Niki’s Unibrow Sad Toast Asshats

this Momo phenomenon, giving it more visibility online without really stopping to consider whether or not the threat is real. Essentially, the mere existence of this possible threat on the Web has stirred enough fear in the the parent community that they have decided to keep this challenge trending, potentially harming more viewers than it could have, had fewer people become interested in its potential detriments.

Before we make the conclusion that these seemingly “helicopter” parents are being overprotective of their children and thus causing them more harm, it is important to understand where their concern is coming from.

As author Zadie Smith said in her collection of essays Feel Free, “what’s missing from the account is how much of our reaction is emotional.”

Essentially, the ways we are manipulated by what we see and hear depends on our emotional connection with the matter. If you are the mother of a young child who has just gotten diagnosed with autism, and a researcher claims to have linked ASD diagnosis with vaccination, of course it would make sense to latch onto this potential explanation for your struggle. Emotional investment in an issue can sometimes cause us more harm than good when it comes to objectively looking at evidence, and this goes for more than just cases of mothers protecting their children from virtual harm. I have come to find that when when we care a lot about an issue, we are actually, paradoxically, more gullible, and we believe any information tossed at us that even vaguely supports our claim. And, of course, with almost no control of media outlet bias, it’s not hard to fall into a rabbit hole of disillusioned hope.

Before you decide to look at someone condescendingly for their views and opinions, take the time to understand where their emotional investment lies, and how that controls what they believe in. We all have things we hold so close to our hearts that they colour the way we perceive and interact with the world.

-Niki Mara

Mission to Mars The mission of Mars’ Hill, as the official student newspaper of Trinity Western University, is to inform and entertain its readers, cultivate awareness of issues concerning the TWU community, and provide a forum for purposeful, constructive discussion among its members in accordance with the Community Covenant, Statement of Faith, and Core Values of the University.

Contributors: Grace Giesbrecht Tyler Jones Jonny Yu Katie Roos Alex Gust Jaron Jeske Janae Gartly Micah Morgan Amanda Haggett Abigail Seidle Jade Coon Anneke Kincaid

Senior Editors:

Niki Mara

Editor-in-Chief

Sabine Henderson Managing Editor

Hannah Fletcher

Media Advisor: Loranne Brown 7600 Glover Road Langley, British Columbia, Canada v2y1y1 marshill@gmail.com marshill.news

What’s the most freeing thing you’ve ever done?

Chief Copy Editor

Janae Gartly

Visual Editor

DE-CLASSIFIEDS I miss egg science is just spicy metaphysics pass it on I just called sprinkles cupcake seeds, can we talk about that for a second You know when you join a cult so you don’t feel alone Was that intestines on the cover of the last Mars Hill issue? Not a fan of that but at least it shows the guts behind questionable art choices. caring for the environment is part of being a good Christian A professor: i check my email about 10 times a day. I’m an addict!

The weather network warned of Alex Gusts up to 100kmh this past weekend.

I’ve never been related to more than one person on campus at a time, which is more than I can say for 90% of you. was trying to write a poem but got upset by the fact that bushes and crushes don’t rhyme egg is it sexual to touch elbows? to clarify: I do mean elbow to elbow Daniel Flowers: Full time missionary and part time student protestantism is just spicy heresy pass it on Stefanie Pappenfus is somehow the girl next door, the mom next door AND the grandmother next door

Submit your declassifieds at: www.marshill.news/ declassifieds

This coffee is terrible but so are my aspirations in life

!! all hail the mindfulness mother !! (aka miss Juliet teeter)

Idk why Trinity has staff Madison Fleischer does it all anyways

Would anyone like to start an actual cult in the back 40 with me?

how do I tell someone they aren’t attractive enough to be in our apartment?

Petition for TWUSA to implement proportional representation and ranked ballots

Emmett & Corinna are killing it as 11:07 coordinators. Way to go y’all, we love you

Dany Lombardo has that perfect balance of ambition and humility. What a gem.

If I write a declassified right after a production weekend, is it still eligible for the next issue?

Right before we thought Bob Kuhn would step down he actually issues order 66 and starts the first Galactic Empire.

Can we bring back the nice dragon trope? Thnx. Bye.

–as long as it’s not about your love life or lack thereof, yes -Sabine

That street light in between Robson and Fraser that keeps flickering is freaking me out. Trinity is confirmed Stranger Things Season 3. who is the guy who shaved his head earlier this year? he is soo cute and I just want to know his name. someone spelled egg as egg and I’m here to tell you that it’s eg not egg oof ouch owie my bones the declassifieds are the one true LGBTQ safe space at twu From: The loud girls who sit at the back of the table To: Person who thinks we’re hilarious Sorry you can’t hear yourself think, but you should come sit with us sometime, we can explain.

Gotcha 2019.

For the trained magician, the human ear is a nearly limitless source of quarters. #moneymoves Someone has been secretly scooping dirt onto the garden beds in front of Mattson.

The plot thickens.

Pretty sure that one path light is trying to connect us to the upside down. Stay safe kids #strangerthingsseasontwu Even Santa himself has to admit that the Grinch has a certain je ne se quoi about him Dear Trinity student, if you’re going to attend our meetings, please just wear a mask oke.

Sincerely, the Back 40 cults.

STAN ITZY DALLA DALLA egg (but better)

why do birds

Hey, girl with the new maroon adidas backpack, you’re cute ;)

do people not notice the lonely fallen pieces of salad on the ground in the caf because I do

i don’t deserve the human race just yeet me into outer space

I had to break up with my girlfriend right before Gotcha started #trustnoone

Cavalli’s deep poetic voice that he puts on when saying something passionately

3

im gay

You: 11:07 Me, an intellectual: 23:07 hey guys im selling my bike. nice red 12 speed. back brake is a little shaky. $40 it’s that time of year when people start changing their facebook profile photo for gotcha and the older family members start commenting out of confusion clearly whoever said “diamonds are a girls best friend” never had tacos Aleah is an absolute ray of sunshine and she deserves only the best the world has to offer gotcha has me so paranoid, and on edge. I changed my social media accounts and switched roommates, and im even playing TWUSA closing because of the snow is the biggest cop out I’ve ever seen.

Confirmed by the 8 people sitting around me.

To all the 2019-2020 student leaders: it’s still 2018-2019.

Ethan Desilva: “Whats dorm meeting?”

Ich liebe dich Carter Sawatzky <3

Mars’ Hill editors reserve the right to edit or reject submissions based on content and/or length. A printed submission does not necessarily reflect an endorsement of any kind, nor does it necessarily reflect the opinions of Mars’ Hill staff, the student association, or that of the University. In fact, probably not.

Correction: in “Spartans Recap” from Issue 8, “the women’s basketball team recently beat/lost UNBC” should have read, “the women’s basketball team recently beat UNBC.” Mars’ Hill regrets this mistake.

CONTRIBUTOR OF THE ISSUE

What is your name?

Grace Giesbrecht What is your major?

Media + Communications, with a minor in Political Studies.

Where are you from?

Fort St. John, B.C. What is something you believe in, something you’re passionate about and want to share with the world?

I believe in being invested and involved in how our nation works, and I want everyone to share in that!

Politics may seem boring, or confusing, or silly to a lot of people (and to me as well, sometimes), but I believe that it’s essential to pay attention and create opinions so that we can make informed choices come elections this October, and in the future. The democracy we live in is an advantage not all countries have, and it’s so important to know what your opinions are and know that they count.

Why do you write for Mars’ Hill?

Because I want to be a journalist when I grow up.

What is your favourite body part?

Just off the top of my head? My hair, probably.

If you had to stand on one surface for the rest of your life, what would it be?

The other side of the glass ceiling.

What is your favourite article you’ve written for Mars’ Hill and why is it important?

My favourite piece I wrote was “The Dorm that Cried Fire.” It’s important because it is such a commonly discussed issue, and there are a lot of different theories on what is being done and what isn’t. I think it kind of reflects what professional journalism is trending towards today. Instead of just relaying information (because there is a wealth of information out there) it is asking what is relevant, and what the real plan to solve the problem is.

Who is your favourite (fictional) character and why?

Right now, it’s Alexander Hamilton from Hamilton, because he literally changed the world by writing a better one, and I think that’s pretty cool.

This could be you! Each issue, we will feature a contributor here that has submitted consistent, relevant, and thoughtful content. Send your submissions to marshill@gmail.com!

“Using four different coloured highlighters in a textbook” –Heather Twele

4

news

The Yellow Vest Movement

Ishita Wilson

Worldwide protest or civil unrest?

Grace Giesbrecht

The phrase “les gilets jaunes triompheront” was spray-painted in black on the Arc De Triomphe on November 17 as clouds of tear gas, smoke, and sparks blew across Paris. It translates to “the yellow vests triumph,” and was done as part of the protest movement that rose in France in response to the proposed increase in fuel taxes. This protest morphed into a large and violent demonstration over the following month.

The Yellow Vest protests started in France last November, and have since spread to Canada and many other countries. The original protest was organized online and has expanded quickly through social media. In every country, demonstrators wear the symbolic vests, but their protests are different. Instead of a unified worldwide demonstration with specific aims, the Yellow Vest movement is general social unrest connected under one visible banner.

The symbol of the yellow vest originated in France with the first series of protests. The vests are legally required for motorists to carry with them in their vehicles and are worn by drivers when they are in distress. The French protesters, then, represent “motorists in distress” at the rising fuel prices and the general cost of living in France. As the protest spread from France around the world, the yellow vest took on different meanings.

The organization was introduced on a Facebook page that started to gain traction in October, 2018. The group is almost entirely leaderless, save for a few particularly vocal members. It does not have a particular political stance, but their aims fall to either the far-right (anti-immigration) or the far-left (anti-government) on the political spectrum. Its spread is attributed to social media, with dozens of Facebook pages and groups dedicated to organizing the protests. This headless, horizontal, social-media fuelled style has been adopted in other countries where the Yellow Vest protests appear.

In Canada, there is no law requiring drivers to carry a yellow vest with them in their vehicles. Instead, the yellow vest is worn by oilfield, highway, and construction workers who wear the high-visibility outerwear for safety in the workplace. The allusion to the working class represents the general aims of the movement, especially in the Canadian West. The Yellow Vest Canada Facebook page reads that “this group is to protest the carbon tax and the treason of our country’s politicians who have the audacity to sell out our country’s sovereignty over to the Globalist UN and their tyrannical policies.” They are against the carbon tax and opposed to the UN’s migration pact—the “tyrannical policy” mentioned.

However, many protests branch out a long way from the original webpage, some opposing immigration entirely and others focused on carbon tax, while others still are fervently pro-refugee. A protest in Winnipeg rallied against the Trudeau government. One in Edmonton blocked a highway with pro-pipeline messages. The most notable example of this disconnect is a protest in Toronto, where some 70 protestors gathered but, according to the Global News, “appeared to have no cohesive ideology.” Just as in France, the protests claim no particular political leaning and no official leadership.

Many other countries have protests under the Yellow Vest banner. In Belgium, the protest is centred on high food prices and high taxes. In Lebanon, the Yellow Vests protest their politicians who are unable to form a government. The Taiwanese Tax and Legal Reform Unit adopted the yellow vests as they protested to make tax system more transparent, meanwhile Israel’s protesters wear yellow vests to demonstrate against economic uncertainty. In politically unstable Egypt, the sale of yellow vests was banned entirely in fear of an uprising.

The adoption of the Yellow Vests by all these vaguely related protests illustrates the human desire for “strength in numbers” and connection to something larger than themselves, especially when standing up against corruption, whether it be real or perceived. Though connection gained under the use of the Yellow Vest banner gives citizens the confidence to speak their minds, it does not contribute to change. Rather, it contributes towards confusion about the aims of the protest until it loses its original meaning.

Social media today have spread the awareness of the protest in France far and wide, and the vests they wear have taken on new meaning for each protest they are worn in. The vests no longer symbolize French “motorists in distress” or the Canadian working class, but global civil unrest spread through social media.

The adoption of the Yellow Vests by all these vaguely related protests illustrates the human desire for “strength in numbers” and connection to something larger than themselves, especially when standing up against perceived corruption.

“Skinny dipping in the Back 40 in the middle of the afternoon” –Janae Gartly

5

Op-Ed: The Reasons I Am Pro-Life Jonny Yu On the 46th anniversary of the 1973 Roe v. Wade Court Ruling on January 22, New York signed a bill making it legal for a woman to get an abortion after 24 weeks of pregnancy if her health is threatened or if the fetus would be unable to survive outside the womb. Previously, abortion had only been permitted during the first 24 weeks of pregnancy. Also, many expect Roe v. Wade to be overturned under President Donald Trump’s leadership, but New York and other left-leaning states hope to protect abortion rights even if it is overturned.

On February 21, Vermont House also passed a bill stating, “Every individual who becomes pregnant has the fundamental right to choose to carry a pregnancy to term, give birth to a child, or to have an abortion.” This bill passed by a vote of 106-36, according to Alexandra Desanctis from National Review. Citizens consider this act to be more radical than the legalization of late-term abortions in New York because it permits abortion for any reason—not only for health reasons.

The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act also failed to pass on February 25, with a vote of 53-44.

This legislation stated, “If an abortion results in the live birth of an infant, the infant is a legal person for all purposes under the laws of the United States, and entitled to all the protections of such laws.” However, this bill was seven votes short of approval.

Recently, I have seen posts on social media platforms about New York State legalizing abortion throughout every stage of pregnancy. Abortion has always been a controversial subject, associated with a plethora of negative emotions from both sides of the argument and resulting in hurt feelings and misunderstandings. Both sides are knee deep in resentment and bitterness towards each other. I write this in hopes that some will see the merit of the other side of the argument. I want to approach this with logic as well as tell my story, and I hope that I do not hurt others in the process; however, I recognize my potential bias.

Many of you do not know my story, not because I am ashamed of it, but because I was afraid that I would be judged for something that was out of my control— out of my birth mother’s control.

The trademark “right to choose” is a slogan that is easy to get behind, as it promotes women’s rights, which I support—I believe that we all have a right to our own body. However, I do not understand how that universally broad argument is used to address the responsibility of life. Obviously, abortion is not comparable to choosing whether you want milk or OJ for breakfast, as it is infinitely more serious than that. Hence the underlying and fundamental question: “what is the unborn?” Unfortunately, there is no universal answer that society accepts due to differing beliefs. I will not discount those beliefs, as it would induce negative emotions nullifying the point of

Trigger warning:contains sensitive content about sexual assault and abortion

this article; however, I refuse to conform to the “what if’” arguments. These arguments do nothing but emotionally charge a situation which, in turn, moves the focus away from the fundamental problem at hand: when does the humanity of a fetus become a reality? My conclusion is: no matter how extreme the circumstance, it is never morally acceptable to pre-emptively terminate the future of a child. Fundamentally, this is because of my belief that even the embryo, the “sack of cells,” has an identity as a result of its natural development into a baby.

Before someone brings up the fact that as a Christian, I have a predisposition to choose the Pro-Life argument, I want to point out that many Christians are Pro-Choice as well. Secondly, I have often heard that religion should not influence the laws of society. My response to that is: laws in relation to stealing, murder, and bearing false witness against another are all found in the Ten Commandments as well. Just because the Church agrees with a law does not make it any less a law.

I recognize that my Pro-Life stance may be seen as abrasive, hurtful, and lacking in empathy towards women who have to go through unwanted pregnancy, but this could not be farther from the truth. Do I know what they go through? Of course not. Furthermore, I know that as a male, I will never fully understand all of the potential hurt and pain a woman could face due to an unintended pregnancy. Yet, I believe that a baby is one of the greatest gifts from God and needs to be seen as such. Christians love to throw around phrases like “for in the darkness, there is light” and “where there is evil, there is good,” but I truly believe that God has a plan and a name for every baby, regardless of how they were conceived. This belief stems from my story—a story that is unique but also similar to many others.

Many of you do not know my story, not because I am ashamed of it, but because I was afraid that I would be judged for something that was out of my control—out of my birth mother’s control. My birth mother and her friend were both raped by a man they not only knew, but were comfortable with; they were taken advantage of when they felt safe. What did they get in return? A memory that should never have been reality and a memory they wish they could forget. My birth mother was 16 when she found out that she was pregnant with me. I was not planned, but I was wanted, and I was loved before I was even born. I am here today because my birth mother did not see me as a “blob of tissue,” but as a living and developing baby. I am here today because of my birth mother’s choice to give birth and put me up for adoption.

“Giving you up was one of the hardest things I’ve had to do in my life, but I know it was the right thing to do—to give you the best life possible.” I can vividly remember my birth mother saying this to me with tears streaming down her face when we were talking one day. I cannot begin to imagine how painful it was for her to not only decide to go through with the pregnancy, but to give me up for adoption. I cannot fathom the trials that come with going through with an unwanted pregnancy, and I will not pretend that I do. However, I know I would not be here without my birth mother’s choice, and I am grateful. I am blessed to have a healthy and thriving relationship with her, a luxury most adopted children do not have. Not only that, I am now a big brother to two beautiful half-siblings whom I adore.

I hope my views have allowed you to see this issue from a different angle.

If you take this story to heart in a negative way, I am sorry, but I will not apologize for standing for what I believe.

“Using a credit card for the first time” –Hazal Senkoyuncu

6

The Israel-Palestine Conflict Libel, censorship, and defunding aid

Ishita Wilson The Israel-Palestine conflict started in the early 20th century, and it has only become more and more complicated over the years. Around February 19, 2019, Professor Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem revealed that Israeli pharmaceutical companies have gained permits which allow them to perform tests on Palestinian and Arab prisoners, according to the Middle East Monitor. She also revealed that Israeli military firms are testing weapons on Palestinian children in the Palestinian neighbourhoods of Jerusalem.

Shalhoub-Kevorkian gave a talk at Columbia University titled “Disturbing Spaces—Violent Technologies in Palestinian Jerusalem” explaining that “Palestinian spaces are laboratories.” She continued, “The invention of products and services of state-sponsored security corporations are fueled by long-term curfews and Palestinian oppression by the Israeli army.”

The week before Shalhoub-Kevorkian spoke up, Fares Baroud, a prisoner, had died inside Israeli prisons due to several diseases. Israeli authorities refused to give his body to the family, and the family, hence, suspected that the authorities feared their tests would be exposed through forensic investigations, according to the Palestine Chronicle.

The Hebrew University, however, published a statement: “The views expressed by Prof. Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian don’t represent or express in any way the views of the Hebrew University or the university administration, but are her personal opinion that reflect only her views.”

Other Israeli websites deny the professor’s claims as well. In July of 1997, Dalia Itzik, chairwoman of a parliamentary committee, confirmed that the Israeli Ministry issued permits for pharmaceutical companies to test new drugs on prisoners. Itzik also confirmed that 5,000 of these tests had already been carried out, reported the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth.

Two’s Company

Israeli sources claim that Shalhoub-Kevorkian had used this past data to falsely convey that these tests were still being carried out.

Although the horrors both the Palestinian and the Israeli people face at the hands of the other are real, many people do not believe Shalhoub-Kevorkian’s allegations against Israeli authorities. Furthermore, media and news outlets are greatly controlled and censored in both these states, and, as the only websites discussing this topic are predominantly either Israeli or Palestinian, there is a possibility that these allegations are, in fact, false.

Nonetheless, the disease, famine, and suffering civilians face in light of this overall conflict is real and grave.

In September 2018, President Donald Trump promised to find a fair solution to this Israel-Palestine crisis—he publicly endorsed a two-state solution which would allow both Israel and Palestine to exist as nations side-by-side.

However, neither state has been supportive of this plan. Trump also cut $500 million in Palestinian aid, which has put him at odds with Palestinian leaders. At the start of February 2019, the U.S. stopped all aid to Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.

This defunding of aid for Palestine was meant to encourage negotiations between Israel and Palestine, according to Yolande Knell from BBC; however, it has only contributed towards more unrest in Palestinian neighborhoods.

Despite the fact that this conflict has existed for many years, it does not seem likely that it will be resolved soon. Instead, as other countries get involved and Israeli and Palestinian news outlets spread libel about one another, the conflict continues to simmer.

The presidential crisis in Venezuela

Emma Dykstra

“Look, it doesn’t take a genius to know that every organization thrives when it has two leaders. Go ahead, name a country that doesn’t have two presidents. A boat that sets sail without two captains. Where would Catholicism be without the Popes?” What was originally just a sarcastic line from Oscar Martinez in NBC’s The Office is now an unfortunate reality in the country of Venezuela. Two men are claiming presidency in the already suffering nation.

Venezuela has been on a steep economic decline since President Nicolas Maduro won the presidency in 2010. Under his rule, the country faced an increase in crime and hunger as the years progressed. The National Assembly of Venezuela even declared a health humanitarian crisis due to the “serious shortage of medicines, medical supplies and deterioration of humanitarian infrastructure” back in 2016.

The country was a mess.

Maduro’s term was scheduled to end in 2018 with an election in December. However, Maduro rescheduled the election for May in an attempt to eliminate competition. He succeeded. All opposition candidates were either banned from running for the presidency or fled the country out of fear of being imprisoned. It was no surprise that Maduro had been elected for a second term. However, many opposed his claimed victory. He was defined as a usurper, a leader who takes power illegally or by force. With this problem at hand, the National Assembly cited articles 233 and 333 of the Venezuelan Constitution and declared Juan Gaudio as the interim president of Venezuela.

But Maduro refuses to step down. Not only that, but many powerful people stand by his side. The very best of Venezuela’s military stand behind him, and powerful countries such as China and Russia support his claim to the presidency. However, the United States, Canada, and other European countries stand with Gaudio’s claim to the title. The disagreement is causing diplomatic difficulties around the world and chaos within the country.

An operation to send humanitarian aid was launched by Colombia, Brazil, and the Netherlands on February 23 as an attempt to help the politically turmoiled nation. However, their efforts were not met with gratitude. Five trucks of supplies from Colombia attempted to gain entry into Venezuela, but two were burned, two were stolen by Maduro supporters, and the other was forced to return to Colombia. No humanitarian aid made it inside of Venezuela that day. Fourteen people died in the confrontations on the various borders into the country.

So what is next for Venezuela?

The country is in turmoil with people rioting in the streets and vehicles being set on fire. Ten percent of the population is undernourished. There is no denying that they need aid desperately. But Maduro denies that the people of Venezuela have ever suffered under his rule; therefore, admitting that they need aid will mean admitting that he is wrong. At this point, the best thing for Venezuela is one president and the granting of the humanitarian aid they so desperately need. It seems that the man Canada supports, Gaudio, is the best way to obtain that future for the people of Venezuela.

“Jumping” –Manny Dewsbury

academy

7

Kelsey Morris

Don’t Pick Your Career Alex Gust

When you graduate, you will need a job.

Okay, maybe you won’t need one, but you’ll sure want one. You could move back in with your parents for a while, sure, but you’ll definitely want to be making some money eventually. You will, at some point, be asked: “How did you end up in your current job?”

And like many others, you may answer: “It just happened.”

The reality is that with the current level of education in First World countries, your degree doesn’t really differentiate you from the crowd. If you’re like a lot of other graduates, your degree might not even have any connection to the job you end up doing. Which is why you don’t need a job, you need a career. But don’t pick one.

Create one.

Deep down, somewhere, you already have an idea of what you’d like to do. Something that has the potential to better other’s lives and your own.

We all believe that we have independence: that fleeting and wonderful, yet scary, concept of being apart from the family we’ve known our whole lives. When we live independently, we are starting lives where we (insert gasp) don’t call our parents every single day, and we make unique, focused decisions relevant to only our own lives or, eventually, those of our own spouses and children.

With graduation looming, we’re on the brink of this being the new normal.

And yet, what we consider real independence is not independence at all; it’s going to be things like chasing a higher wage, a new title (maybe Head Researcher? Lead Designer?), or respect from our peers. All of those are external factors.

In reality, this “independence” starts now, while we are hunting for jobs that we’ll start immediately after graduation. And there is nothing wrong with a job. You will need money to create your career.

But create it you must.

As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.”

And I don’t know what philosophy you subscribe to, but personally, I don’t believe in “God’s Plan” as it is written by Drake.

I think God intends for people to follow the biblical rules He has set. I think God has set the physical laws of this world into place. Those physical laws—and the nature of human society—sometimes cause us circumstantial difficulties. It is up to us to struggle against those circumstances to create a better world.

Thus, we cannot rely on God’s plan alone. We have to try a little bit.

You might not know what you want to do after you graduate. Maybe you

have some idea of what you like—hold onto that. Deep down, somewhere, you have an idea of what you’d like to do. Something that betters other’s lives or your own.

Write. Create. Teach. Speak. Sell. Buy. Research. Trade.

We all have something that we love. Today, you can make the first step toward creating a career out of that thing. Whether or not that is something you end up doing for the rest of your life isn’t the most important part of this. What matters is that you decide to pursue something—don’t wait for something to come to you. Don’t pick a job you will end up doing for 20 years just because you need money. Or worse—because your parents want you to do it.

1. Look at yourself. Find your strengths. You cannot build a career on something you’re not good at. You need to build a career on your strengths.

Improving on your weaknesses is good, but they won’t become your strengths. Author Peter Drucker writes in Managing Oneself, “It takes far more energy and work to improve from incompetence to mediocrity than it takes to improve from first-rate performance to excellence.”

2. Find an industry that fits these strengths. Good at writing? Music? Art? Find an industry that fits. Make sure you differentiate between things you are good at and things you love. Often these are the same, but sometimes they’re not. For instance: I love film and videography. I love YouTube, short films, and creating video. But I’m not very good at it. I’ve tried, but I just don’t have the eye for it like my friends who are great at it. Treat those things as hobbies. It doesn’t mean you should stop doing it, that’s absolutely not the case! If you love music, go jam. But do it in your spare time.

Keep those things as hobbies. Relaxation. Never take your mind off of the career, the skills you were given and the work that betters others. Steven Pressfield, in his masterpiece The War of Art, writes: “Our job in this life is not to shape ourselves into some ideal we imagine we ought to be, but to find out who we already are, and become it.”

3. Start at the very bottom. Don’t be afraid of it. You will want to understand the hard work. There’s no honour in getting a free pass. Forget about your ego and your pride, because in the end, the memories of the bottom will make the top that much sweeter. Don’t be afraid of starting anew. Pressfield writes, “Are you paralyzed with fear? That’s a good sign.

Fear is good. Like self-doubt, fear is an indicator. Fear tells us what we have to do. Remember one rule of thumb: the more scared we are of a work or calling, the more sure we can be that we have to do it.”

4. Keep learning. We have the privilege of studying at a post-secondary institution where we learn every day. When we understand how great that privilege is, we know that we want to keep learning after we graduate.

Without the pressure to learn and better ourselves, a job can be discouraging. It’s a dead end. With a drive to learn and better our lives, even just one percent each day, the most discouraging jobs become stepping stones toward something greater. Working a job from nine to five and spending the rest of the evening in front of Netflix is no way to live the rest of your life.

A fulfilling career—a fulfilling life—will not be free; the price will be your own hard work and effort. The price will be a change in mindset and, most importantly, an understanding that your degree does not encapsulate everything that you are, and all that you can become.

“Having control of a student newspaper” –Niki Mara

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Anti-Vaxxers

Kelsey Morris

We don’t need to agree, but we could at least try to understand Imagine this: you have a lively three-year-old daughter. Let’s call her Charlie.

Charlie is vivacious and loud, jumping at every opportunity to tell elaborate (and mostly exaggerated) stories to her friends, to her family, and especially to complete strangers. By this time in her life, Charlie’s acquired quite the vocabulary—roughly 1000 words already! She is seriously talking your ear off.

But a year later, she’s not anymore. She speaks in mumbles and single words. She doesn’t ask you to play anymore. She doesn’t want to act like a hero or a dragon or a princess—or anything else, really.

And then you realize, it’s been a while since Charlie looked you in the eye.

She’s not responding to her name half of the time, like she doesn’t hear you or see you or know you.

You remember Charlie as so wonderful and alive. Three is supposed to be such a sweet age. It’s also the average age for a child to be diagnosed with autism.

Autism manifests in just about a million different ways. The diagnosis is actually called autism spectrum disorder, or ASD, because it presents on such a wide continuum of behaviours, symptoms, and functioning. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, 1 out of every 66 Canadian children is living with a diagnosis of ASD. So, let’s think about Charlie. It seems to you that your lively little girl just disappeared. Imagine your heartache—imagine your confusion. You’re grieving a loss that you can’t quite understand, one that you can’t even name, because you have no idea what just happened.

And then someone, somewhere along the way, tells you that they have the answer. They know what happened to Charlie. Naturally, you want to believe them, because now you finally have an answer to the worst question you’ve ever had to ask!

The answers come from a new doctor, his name is Andrew Wakefield. And he’s told you that the doctors you trusted with Charlie’s health actually threatened her future with the very thing that you thought would ensure it.

Now that you understand, you have to make sure this never happens to anyone else ever again. This is Charlie’s story, but it doesn’t have to be someone else’s story, too.

So you shout: “Vaccines cause autism!”

Dr. Wakefield’s research claimed to demonstrate a link between the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine and the onset of autism. Not only was his research backed by other doctors—it was also published in The Lancet, one of the oldest and most prestigious medical journals in the world.

But in 2010, 12 years after the research was first published, Wakefield was convicted by the British General Medical Council of research fraud, dishonesty, undisclosed conflicts of interest, and abuse of participants. His paper was removed from The Lancet and his research was entirely discredited.

Naturally, you wouldn’t want to hear that this man has fallen from grace in the medical world. If you heard that the way he conducted his research actually led to the revocation of his medical license, you’d lose the answers you so desperately needed.

So who can blame you? Conspiracy theories and pseudoscience are so much more attractive than unanswered questions and directionless anger.

It makes so much sense.

You’d have to ask the question again, “Why did this happen to Charlie?”

And no one would have a new answer for you.

In fact, no one does have an answer for you.

We have no answers. And I’m so sorry.

What’s Going to Happen When The Queen Dies?

An unfortunate reality we need to question

Emma Dykstra

She’s on the back of all Canadian coinage, has survived 12 U.S. presidents, and is considered the most famous person alive today. Queen Elizabeth II is the longest reigning monarch in history: at the age of 92, she has been queen for over 65 years. Despite her age, she has remained in both the political and cultural spotlight, demanding the attention of generation after generation throughout her reign.

But this will all end within our lifetime. And as she has been a staple for as long as we can remember, it is hard to imagine a world without her. So what will happen once that monumental day comes, and the Queen passes on?

The moment she is declared as deceased, her son Charles will take to the throne as King.

Prince William, his eldest son, will likely claim the now-vacant title of Prince of Wales.

Once the queen dies, there is a not-so-secret protocol in place for the press and the government’s relaying of the news to the public. The first official to take the news will be Sir Christopher Geidt, Private Secretary to the Queen.

He will relay the news to the British Prime Minister with the code “London bridge is down,” a phrase used when George VI died in order to keep switchboard operators from finding out the news. This information will be then passed on to the United Kingdom Foreign Office, who will then pass on the information to all the governments that are members of the Commonwealth

“egg” –Abbi Seidle

of Nations. Buckingham Palace will then officially announce the death.

Then it’s the media’s turn. Every radio station in the UK has a blue bulb known as an obit light that is used for national catastrophes and tested once a week. This light is now used to notify the death of a member of the royal family. Once this light starts flashing, stations will know to tone down their music and prepare for a solemn day of broadcasting. They have obituaries prepared in advance, although they will not know for sure that it is the queen who has died just yet. BBC will be notified in a similar way. News anchors have set aside a special wardrobe of black suits and ties to change into once the news is relayed, along with a slideshow of portraits of the queen and the national anthem to play along. All comedy shows will be removed from their regularly scheduled programing for the 12-day mourning period. TV networks around the world have all been prepared for this day as well, having slideshows and obituaries right on hand for when the fateful time comes.

Of course, there is not much that will change for you and I, at least not right away. But it will be considered the most monumental death of the 21st century, and we will all remember that day clearly. It will be unfortunate to have to say goodbye to her majesty, but it will also be a celebration of the longest reigning monarch in British history.

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Menstrual Hygiene Management as a Fundamental Human Right How can menstrual cups get more menstruators educated and safe?

Janae Gartly

Menstrual hygiene management is so much more important than it may seem on the surface. I received a question for the “Menstrual Cup Q&A” article (published in Issue 8) about how menstrual cups can affect low-income or impoverished communities—and there is a wealth of research that investigates this potential. More than an issue of comfort, poor access to menstrual hygiene management products is a human rights violation and a serious infringement on the potential of menstruators in low-income and impoverished communities.

Studies have linked poor or limited access to hygiene products to absenteeism of girls and women in their places of work and education, a heightened risk of urogenital infection, and sexual exploitation. These studies reveal that improved menstrual hygiene management (MHM) is considered an essential component, among a variety of interventions, of strengthening menstruators’ sexual and reproductive health. Improving female access to MHM can reduce unsafe sexual exposure, and increase chances of individuals reaching their potential in school and in careers. In developing countries, a lack of information about menstruation and menstrual hygiene management can often result in cyclical shame, absenteeism, pain and discomfort, and exploitation. One study revealed that some women in impoverished communities and developing nations reported having exchanged sexual favors for sanitary products such as tampons. Other cultural and traditional practices, such as isolation and starvation, can propagate dangerous and harmful misinformation about menstruation in isolated regions.

Menstruators should never be ashamed of their natural and normal processes, and healthy education for both men and women will facilitate acceptance and understanding for all.

A 2017 investigative article written by Jessica Kane for the Huffington Post calculated that the average expense of tampons for women through the course of their menstrual window is at least $1,700. However, these results are generous, using the cheapest price of tampons available on the market and assuming the volume of menses of the average woman, which in reality varies exponentially from person to person. This calculation excludes other forms of menstrual hygiene management such as pads, which in the same method of calculation can cost up to nearly $500. Conversely, a generic menstrual cup is priced between $15-$40 and can be used for as long as 10 years if it is properly cared for. For low-income and impoverished communities, access to menstrual hygiene products is largely or completely restricted by financial barriers; the reusability and durability of menstrual cups offers a realistic solution to this issue. MHM products cannot be purchased with food stamps in the USA and in many countries, these products are taxed up to 5% as luxury goods.

A short documentary published by Bustle in 2016 looks at menstrual hygiene available for North American homeless women. The testimonies of their struggles are a testament to the neglect of menstrual hygiene management in impoverished North American communities. Homeless women in North America report regularly choosing between meals and menstrual hygiene—often with the latter prevailing out of discomfort and culturally founded shame. An article published by the Huffington Post discusses the lengths to which some menstruators will go to manage their menstruation, reporting that some individuals purchase second-hand rags and burn or bury them after use because of a lack of resources to clean the rags once they have been used.

Menstrual hygiene management is also a concern for low-income and homeless LGBTQ+ menstruators, as it can be a large source of shame and discomfort. Limited access to MHM has been an issue of identity, confidence, and social shaming for representatives of this community. The social stigma surrounding menstruation for people who identify as genderfluid, genderqueer, or trans can be incredibly shaming, and access to MHM products, as well as education about how menstruation experiences in the LGBTQ+ differ from cis experiences, can provide them with safety and empowerment.

Limited access to sanitary products also impacts menstruators globally, particularly in low-income communities, leading them to not be able to participate in their quotidien responsibilities. One study looking at schoolaged girls in Kenya showed that using menstrual cups helped the girls to be able to attend school and other activities more frequently and consistently during menstruation. In this 2014 study, 192 girls, aged 14-16 across 10 different schools in the rural Nyanza Province, Western Kenya, were given menstrual cups to be used for 1-14 months. The results showed that the menstrual cups were accepted and used by nearly all the girls in the study, with very few cups lost or discarded. A key aspect of this study was the accompaniment of intentional and informed menstrual hygiene information and resources provided to the women in the study. The cups were accompanied by information about menstrual hygiene and other menstrual concerns that impact health and accessibility.

It is extremely important to propagate healthy, body-positive, and inclusive information about menstruation globally, but particularly in developing nations that often do not have accessible information about MHM. Issues affecting nations like Nepal range from limited access to MHM products, to misconceptions and damaging myths about menstruation, resulting in the shaming and isolation of menstruators during their menses. Some traditions do not allow menstruating individuals to touch food or water that is to be consumed by others, and other traditions practice isolation banishment in small huts, where women and girls are left at the mercy of the elements and wildlife.

Studies looking at menstrual cups and possible health complications have revealed that there are little to no concerns for North American menstruators and therefore could be an effective solution to the crisis of low-income and homeless menstruators. Accessibility to clean water and public bathrooms in North America makes menstrual cup use more feasible and safer in regards to infection and contamination. In developing nations, contamination and infection is more of a concern due to a general lack of consistent clean water or private facilities. However, the aforementioned study conducted in rural Kenya did not find this to be a great enough barrier to the potential efficacy of menstrual cups in these regions.

Overall, menstrual hygiene management has been poorly and inconsiderately handled by government offices, and the result has been an infringement of human rights for menstruators globally. While promoters of menstrual cups are in no way claiming to be the bearers of an end-all solution, it is a viable option, one possible solution. Across the board, more informed educational resources absolutely must become universally available to menstruators globally, and MHM products should become available free of charge or at a highly subsidized rate. Menstruation is not a choice, and menstrual hygiene management affects the professional, social, educational, and personal lives of all who menstruate. We owe it to menstruators globally to make menstrual health a priority, for the sake of all those who are held back by a natural function.

“I got released from prison” –Andrew Richmond

no strings attached matt vlasic In the iconic 1865 novel Alice in Wonderland, there is a scene in which several characters suddenly become wet.

In an attempt to help everyone dry off, the dodo bird suggests that everyone should run around a lake to dry off.

This is an interesting kind of race, though: the dodo bird tracks neither the distance traveled nor the time taken by participants to run around the lake. Here, the end result is much more important than specific technical differences.

When the other characters eagerly asked who had won the race, the dodo bird famously replied, “everybody has won, and all must have prizes.”

And as I go down the rabbit hole of psychotherapy (insert eyeroll here), I begin to think more like the dodo bird. Like this quirky fictional character, I have begun to look at change from a holistic perspective, rather than get bogged down in the specificity of my profession—therapeutic intervention. As I become a more confident and patient counselor, I become aware that change and positive outcomes are attributed more to the vulnerable person across from me and the collaboration we enter, and less to what I can impart on someone. When I first began counselling, I was so concerned about remembering specific open-ended questions I had learned in graduate school that I almost forgot about the importance of my work: my client.

Ironically, I suffered from anxiety before seeing a client and I was almost scripting out sessions. I have started to understand that constructs like engagement, collaboration, relationship, and the therapeutic environment contribute more to growth than specific interventions learned at graduate school. In essence, when looking at different types of therapy, “everybody has won, and all must have prizes.”

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Specific, empirically supported therapeutic interventions are vital when looking at achieving positive outcomes.

Focusing too much on intervention can get in the way of more important aspects of engaging young adults in therapy. A common factors approach to psychotherapy found that positive outcomes can be attributed to four dynamics: extra therapeutic change (40%), an empathetic therapeutic relationship (30%), expectancy and power (15%), and individual therapeutic intervention (15%). These statistics do not suggest a lack of therapist skill or knowledge; it simply hones in on the skilled factors that do contribute to change. To be able to sit with your own discomfort in life as a therapist while providing a safe, caring, non-judgmental atmosphere for your client is a skill. Moreover, being able to identify barriers to change, instill hope in others, give understanding and knowledge to psychological underpinnings, and often assess safety in others is no easy task.

Most importantly, being able to engage those in therapy is one of the most vital skills therapists hope to possess.

Young adults can often be reluctant to engage in therapy because of experiences with vulnerability and distress early in life.

“... when looking at different types of therapy, ‘everybody has won, and all must have prizes.’”

Often, this can stem from disorganized or weak attachments we learn. The four primary attachment styles are: secure, insecure-avoidant, insecure-ambivalent, or disorganized attachment. A secure attachment is when a caregiver consistently meets our needs through sensitivity and attunement. This means that when we are in distress, our parents react to our distress, and we can trust that they will be consistently present to do so. An insecure-avoidant pattern occurs when the primary caregiver only meets some of our distress needs. Here, independence can develop quickly as the caregiver rejects our need to attach.

Parents are inconsistent with their responses, often ignore our distress, and cause considerable distress with their own inability to handle our discomfort. An insecure-ambivalent style develops as a result of inconsistent caregiver behavior and experiences. We become too dependent on the caregiver and individual autonomy is compromised.

Finally, a disorganized attachment is when our attachment with a caregiver is fractured as a result of trauma, which can cause a variety of interpersonal concerns. These early internal working models appear to have a direct effect on a young adult’s level of relational therapeutic engagement.

Young adults with a secure atta interpersonal functioning and e study, our “security of working m “seeking support from a close lem-solving task…,” whereas with behaving more disruptively riencing a negative emotional attachment patterns correlate engage in other interpersona Those with a secure attachmen able to effectively talk about pe their friends’ concerns. Youn attachment base may have diffi tion and being able to be cons charged conversations.

Later, these individuals may de avoiding distress during pers attachment bases have also be symptoms and an inability to During their formative years, interpersonal relationships to b important to note here that jus not have demonstrated a str doesn’t mean they didn not love synonymous.

“Young adults with ment base may hav communication an constructive aroun charged conversat

I can give a personal example When I was seventeen, I got in was completely my fault, my younger brother almost died. P distress with love, patience, would reinforce a secure, heal responded with anger and blam thinking, how I could be so irr clearly how my dad’s insura parents loved me, but they didn I needed. I learned (maybe r might not meet my vulnerabilit make me feel secure.

achment base have adaptive emotional adjustment. In one models” was found related to e friend during a joint prob“insecurity was associated y toward a friend when expel state.” In short, our early with how we interact and al relationships later in life. nt base are more willing and ersonal concerns, as well as ng adults with an insecure iculty with open communicastructive around emotionally

evelop strategies focused at sonal interaction. Insecure een connected to depressive cope in stressful situations. these individuals may find be difficult to cope with. It’s st because our parents may rong, secure attachment, it e or care for us; they are not

h an insecure attachve difficulty with open nd being able to be nd emotionally tions.”

e to highlight what I mean. nto a very bad car accident. It y car was totaled, and my Parents who would meet my comfort and understanding lthy attachment. My parents me. I was asked what was I responsible, and heard very ance would skyrocket. My n’t meet my distress in a way re-learned) that my parents ty and distress in ways that

Research shows that there is good news. Insecure attachment styles are not fixed, and they can develop throughout adulthood. We have an ability to change, and development is never fixed. Therapists can provide a replacement of old attachments styles and show young adults that they can engage in vulnerability, and that emotional vulnerability can look different. A counsellor can be a secure base from which clients can explore the world with safety and security. As a practicing therapist, therapy is often about showing people life can be different; relationships and vulnerability can look different, trust can look different, and growth and hope can look different. A secure attachment is formed the same way a caregiver would form a secure attachment with their child.

In order to form this secure attachment, a therapeutic dyad must be filled with sensitivity, unconditional acceptance, and genuine curiosity. Responding to a client’s distress with non-judgement, safety, and acceptance are the same ways a therapist can form a secure attachment with clients.

Engaging young adults in the therapeutic process hinges on many different factors, perhaps none more important than the therapeutic alliance between therapist and client.

“It seems that if therapists learn different and unique ways of building alliances, they are more likely to engage reluctant clients in therapy, and significant changes can occur.”

A group of researchers looking at meaningful engagement concluded that developing strong therapeutic “relationships with young adults may facilitate engagement and lessen resistance to treatment by providing a stable, accepting and supportive context within which therapy may take place.”

This sounds strikingly similar to the conditions that a secure attachment base would encourage and foster. When looking at engagement of reluctant clients, one study found that therapists who consciously engaged in building alliances and relationships were much more likely to engage reluctant clients in therapy, resulting in a 93% success rate. This was compared to a 42% success rate when therapists did not focus on building alliances. It seems that if therapists learn different and unique ways of building alliances, they are more likely to engage reluctant clients in therapy, and significant changes can occur.

Also, those who have studied the working alliance closely concede that “any aspect of intervention that relates to engagement in purposive work contributes to the alliance.”

Clients coming into therapy should expect to come to an environment where they want to engage. After all, they will be the ones doing the work to change and achieve outcomes. Our aim as therapists should be to create conditions that invite personal growth and reflection, and instill hope and motivation to do so. This only occurs if someone feels like they can engage in a secure relationship.

The purpose of this article, essentially, is to help you, the reader, view therapy from a more realistic lens. A client-counsellor relationship is like any other: if you don’t connect, you don’t trust, you don’t feel comfortable, and you will be less inclined to share your deepest worries and thoughts with the person across from you. An enormous part of finding success in therapy is simply feeling comfortable sharing with your therapist, and the relationship between therapist and client should start with establishing points of connection.

“Even in light of how important it is for you to form a trusting relationship with your therapist, remember that you already have it in you to grow and change, and the efficacy of therapy isn’t deep breathing or linking thoughts, feelings, and actions necessarily—it’s your innate ability to heal.”

Of course, some people may benefit less from therapy, because they already have secure attachment with multiple people in their lives who are non-judgemental, empathetic, and who they can trust with their struggles. However, for those of you who feel like they lack trusting and secure relationships in their lives, regularly meeting a counselor may be of enormous help. It is important to give credit not only to the amount of academic study and practice that goes into the work of a counselor, but also to other factors that can create tangible change, such as a secure counselor-patient relationship. Hearing traumatic narratives and troubling behavior on a daily basis, while staying out of judgement, showing unconditional positive regard and empathy in light of difficult subject matter requires tremendous skill and effort. And of course, it is hard to put in effort if the therapist does not genuinely care for the patient, and vice versa.

Even in light of how important it is for you to form a trusting relationship with your therapist, remember that you already have it in you to grow and change, and the efficacy of therapy isn’t deep breathing or linking thoughts, feelings, and actions necessarily—it’s your innate ability to heal. That being said, your ability to engage in therapy, and thus grow, is inextricably linked to your therapeutic relationship. It’s the trust and hope you place in a counsellor, and the counsellor’s ability to provide the necessary conditions, that earn your trust and hope that helps your growth, resiliency, and healing.

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arts + culture

Remote Gardening With DysfunctionED Tools: An Exhibition Review Janae Gartly For the past 20 years, Iranian artist Mohsen Khalili has been living and working in Canada, recording his life and experiences through his artwork.

Dynamic and contemporary, Khalili’s work invites viewers to share in memories and dream-like narratives. Investigating complex themes of trauma, family, memory, literature, disability, and immigration, Khalili’s work in Remote Gardening With DysfunctionED Tools, is a profoundly touching retrospective exhibition of a life fully and deeply lived. Masterfully curated by Adriene Fast, it is colourful, multi-medial, and of a caliber equal to the work found in institutions such as the MOMA. The work in Remote Gardening With DysfunctionED Tools is impressive. With large-scale technicolour paintings lining the walls and interspersed with vibrant sculptures, each piece is in conversation with the rest of the profound and breathtaking work. Further still, the installation of the work is arguably what brings the exhibition to another level entirely. Raw canvases, with evidence of Khalili’s working hands and constructive process recorded in the margins, hang on the gallery walls. These marks, combined with notes scrawled on the paintings and the palette-like stores of paint placed around them, contextualize and deepen the work as they layer consciousness and memory into the the margins.

The work is greatly inspired by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince.

Colourful sculptures of solitary planets, planetary mobiles, and imaginative brass forms compose a dialogue with the novella. Khalili’s exhibit

includes four large-scale painting of planets found in the novella. These paintings are curiously unmarked, leaving the audience to wonder as to which planet each one represents.

Remote Gardening With DysfunctionED Tools is an exhibition that raises the calibre of work that the Reach Gallery Museum has previously shown, and sets new standards for local exhibitions and artists. It is a testimony of the excellence of the artists and curators working not only in Canada at large, but in Abbotsford. This is not small town kitsch; this is contemporary, breathtaking, and exceeding all expectations.

Mohsen Khalili himself attended the exhibition opening event in January of this year.

Later in the evening, a group of TWU Art & Design students gathered with Khalili as he spoke of his experiences, inspirations, and insights as an artist. Khalili is a memorable and poetic man. As he passionately gestured, looking intentionally into his audience’s eager eyes, he spoke of the greatest knowledge he possessed: the ability to remain ever-learning, ever-growing, and ever-prophetic. He said that to move meaningfully into the world as an artist is to allow those who have gone before to take your hand and guide you forward. “Someday,” he added, “the guiding hand will become your own, and you will guide yourself forward with all the experiences, knowledge, and inspiration of a life fully, humbly, and passionately lived.” As he turned to leave, he commissioned his audience with these words, “Go, now. Get drunk, and make art.”

God Is a Woman

How Ari’s intimacy with her fans boosted her career

Niki Mara

This powerhouse of a woman confidently shone on the Broadway stage before she was old enough to vote and captured hearts with her lovable innocence in the Nickelodeon show Victorious at the age of 16. Since her appearance on national television, her success has skyrocketed, particularly in her musical career. As of 2019, four of her albums have ticked the “Platinum” box, and her fanbase supersedes 145 million. Her name: ARIANA GRANDE. Ariana is one of the most visible personas in pop-culture, and she shows no signs of taking a break in her career. It isn’t really Ariana’s mindblowing success that is surprising. I mean, her voice breaks glass with no autotune, and her stage presence somehow makes you feel like you are on cloud nine, walking away from an explosion, and safe in your mother’s arms—all at the same time.

What truly sparks the curiosity of critics, and often the general public, is how Ariana has been able to so suddenly gather an enormous following without having to bend over backwards like some of her pop-star counterparts (cue Nicki Minaj and Cardi B). The latter, it seems, have utterly committed to plastering their fake, “try-hard” personas all over the media and in their music videos.

Ariana has had her fair share of backlash for trying to be someone she isn’t (i.e. some people claim that her fake tan is an attempt to imitate other Black pop artists). However, she has committed to doing something many celebrities of her status are notorious for avoiding, and that is creating an intimate and reciprocal relationship with her fans.

Amidst her packed schedule, constant projects, meetings, interviews, and concerts, Ariana somehow manages to respond to thousands of messages, tweets, and comments from her committed and adoring followers. Ari is quite intentional about her responses to her fans and followers; she always

finds a way to make the time for them. Not only does Ariana keep in touch with fans, she is extremely open about her personal life and struggles on social media. She pours out her heart to her followers on Twitter and Instagram, as well as in her music. She has made her followers feel like they are part of her artistic process. When asked how she is able to trust the world with the intimacies of her life, Ari simply states that “The thing that makes me feel okay with opening up and finally allowing myself to be vulnerable is that I know [my fans] feel the same feelings.” In fact, not only has her honest relationship with her fans made her such a lovable persona, but it has allowed her to rely on her followers in times of need, struggle, and grief. When her ex-boyfriend and best friend Mac Miller died, and Ariana was pegged with being the Yoko Ono of his life, her fans were quick to defend her and support her argument that it is not a woman’s job to sacrifice her own happiness to stay in a toxic relationship. Likewise, when her Manchester concert was cut short by a suicide bombing in 2017, Ariana found solace in her millions of fans, who expressed their steadfast love and support without hesitation.

It seems that this trusting relationship has hit a new milestone. While the recent trend has been to demonize celebrities over their archaic or unintentional offensive statements (be it on social media or in their craft), when there seemed to be controversy around her plagiarism in the song “7 Rings,” instead of calling her out and cutting her out, her fans took to educating her and sympathising with her. This is most likely, again, because of her intimate and very human relationship with her followers, who see her as a fellow person with flaws, not as an enigmatic, glorified screen persona.

Ariana Grande has opened wide the doors to her life, bridging the gap between her tireless artistic pursuit and the millions of people eager to embrace it. We can only hope that other celebrities follow in her example.

“Buying something that wasn’t on sale” –Emma Dykstra

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The Boy Who Cried “This is MAGA Country” The alleged attack of Jussie Smollett

Emma Dykstra

On January 29, a gay, black man was attacked in the wee hours of the morning by two men in ski masks as they shouted racial and homophobic slurs. According to the police report, they even shouted “this is MAGA country” as they beat him. This was actor Jussie Smollett’s story for the Chicago Police Department on January 29, 2019. The attack seemed legitimate and, sadly, not difficult to believe. Social media erupted with support for Smullett, who had reported himself as the victim. Actors and musicians tweeted their thoughts. Democratic political candidates referred to the event as modern day lynching. When skeptics spoke out against Smollett and his claims of attack, he responded by saying that if his attackers had been “Muslim, or a Mexican, or someone black . . . the doubters would have supported [him] much more. A lot more.”

This situation gives the wrong people exactly what they want: a reason to doubt and a reason to hate.

But the situation was too bad to be true. On February 21, 2019, Smollett surrendered himself to the Chicago PD for filing a fake police report, a felony deserving of a maximum of three years in prison. The attack had been staged by two of Smollett’s fellow actors who served as extras on the television series in which he co-starred with Terrence Howard. The Nigerian brother duo who attacked him had spent some time with Smollett off of the set, at the gym. According to an updated police report, Smollett paid

the brothers $3,500 to stage the attack. Smollett gave the brothers a $100 bill to purchase clothes and other resources to stage the attack and gave them strict instructions to not bring their cell phones with them to the scene.

News sources and even some of Smollett’s co-stars say that the attack was a publicity stunt performed in hopes of furthering Smollett’s career, as he was dissatisfied with his current salary. It seems that his career took the opposite direction he had been hoping for. He was taken off the final two episodes of the fifth season of Empire, and he is no longer a character on the show.

Some say that the aim of this posed attack was not only to boost publicity for Jussie Smollett, but also to raise awareness for the black gay community in America. Our society is on a journey to becoming all around more inclusive and more understanding of certain groups. This stunt was a step backwards for that journey. If a group wishes to raise awareness and fight the bigots they face, they will never accomplish their dream by lying.

This situation gives the wrong people exactly what they want: a reason to doubt and a reason to hate. Not only that, but filing false police reports is a serious crime. Chicago PD Superintendent Eddie T. Johnson said in an interview with CNN “I am offended by what’s happened and I’m also angry. Bogus police reports cause real harm. They do harm to every legitimate victim.”

So, in the end, Smollett got the publicity he wanted, just maybe not the way he had hoped. Prejudice is a problem in Canada and the United States. But the understanding and inclusivity of minority groups can never develop through the dishonesty of staged public stunts.

“Jumped outta a plane at 10,000 feet” –Tori Ahrendt

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Amanda Haggett Mars’ Hill: When and how did you get into acting?

Amanda Haggett: The first acting-related thing I remember doing was being cast as a shepherd in my church’s Nativity when I was five or six. I didn’t even have a line, but my facial expressions were worth a thousand words.

MH: Why do you act?

AH: I act because I wouldn’t be happy doing anything else. The characters I play and the stories I tell are all stories that deepen my own understanding of the human condition and foster empathy in ways I couldn’t even imagine.

MH: Why do you enjoy theatre? What makes it different from other modes of art?

AH: I like theatre because it’s live! Literally anything can happen, which is both the best and the worst, and I also love it for the collaboration that occurs. There are so many people who make a show happen—not just the actors and director, but the designers, the stage managers, the tech… everyone comes together to tell one specific story, and that is such a beautiful thing. And that’s also what makes it different. With many art forms, you have a choice as to whether or not to collaborate with other artists. In theatre, you have to work together in order to create.

MH: What part of acting do you most enjoy?

AH: My favourite part about being on stage is hearing the story make people respond. Both in audible ways of laughter or gasps, but also in those pin-drop moments of silence in the theatre where you can feel the audience with you every step of the way.

MH: What part of acting do you least enjoy?

AH: Honestly, there’s not a lot that I don’t enjoy. Sure, there are moments of frustration and challenge and moments when you question why the heck you’re doing what you’re doing. I mean, with 25+ hours of rehearsal a week, school, and work, how can you not? But it’s all worth it when the show opens.

MH: What do you do to get into character?

AH: It depends on the character! Sometimes I make a playlist of songs that help me get into the mood of the character; sometimes it’s a simple physical gesture that I do over and over again; sometimes it’s both!

MH: What has been your favourite role so far?

AH: I loved playing Kate Miller in The Cover of Life because she challenged me so much, and I’ve also loved discovering Diana Barry in Anne of Green Gables: The Musical. Be sure to come see it March 12-30!

MH: What is your greatest fear as an actor?

AH: My greatest fear is not doing a character justice. I want to know characters inside and out, so that the character has the opportunity to make audiences think, laugh, or cry as they contribute to the story at large.

MH: How has being part of the TWU community influenced your journey as an actor?

AH: This has been an incredibly safe and supportive community. My professors have gifted me with mentorship that has completely changed my life, and my peers have cheered me on and come to see me in shows. It’s honestly been such a gift.

MH: How does being an actor influence your daily life?

AH: You really learn how to listen and be present as an actor. It’s essential to the training and it has made me a better friend, employee, and follower of Christ.

MH: How do you hope to incorporate theatre into your life after graduation?

AH: I’m going to try this whole professional actor thing and see where it gets me! I have no idea where I’ll be or what kind of projects I’ll be working on, but hey. I’ll have a degree. May as well use it.

Heroism in Incredibles 2 Jade Coon

This past summer, more parents and twenty-somethings than children filled the seats of theatres for the almost-surreal viewing of the long-awaited animated film, Incredibles 2. The highly anticipated sequel to The Incredibles, Incredibles 2 received international success and a nomination for the 91st Academy Awards in the Animated Feature Film category.

However, Incredibles 2 is a noteworthy movie not only because of the nostalgia associated with its release, but because it features the character of Helen Parr/Elastigirl in the spotlight while Bob Parr/Mr. Incredible explores the heroics of being primarily a stay-at-home father and husband.

These two roles are presented as being equally valued, important, and heroic in various ways. Edna Mode emphatically tells Mr. Incredible, “Done properly, parenting is a heroic act. Done properly.” What makes The Incredibles and its sequel distinct from the outline of a typical superhero movie is the way it showcases the everyday heroics of being a mother, a father, a sister, and a brother. It portrays these roles as equal to the heroics of saving passengers from derailed trains or foiling an antagonist’s plans for mass destruction.

Both Incredibles films express the strength found in strong, loving familial and marital relationships. In these movies, true success only occurs when the Parr family is united. Mr. Incredible is captured while working by himself in The Incredibles, and both Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl are captured and subject to mind-control when on a mission without their children in The Incredibles 2. Yet, even these failed missions express the strength found in family ties. For example, Jack-Jack, the baby of the family, revives his mother from her mind-controlled state after persistently seeking her out because of their bond, and telekinetically removes the glasses used to hyp-

notize her. Cultivating loving familial relationships is an act of heroism on its own, but it also lends itself to greater heroism and success in all other areas.

Relationships between complex female characters also lend to the distinctive and powerful nature of the movie’s plot. While Elastigirl emerges as a symbol of strength for the general public (both in and out of the fictional world of the film) and as she fights to reinstate the legality of “Supers,” the film emphasizes her as a role model for other women. A young female superhero, Voyd, expresses immense admiration for Elastigirl as she nervously, yet enthusiastically states, “I felt like an outcast before. But now, with you being you, I feel like. . . . Yay, me.” Voyd’s expression of newfound empowerment and confidence in her identity not only as a “Super,” but also as a woman who is a “Super” is the result of Elastigirl’s existence in the spotlight. The vibrant familial relationships and strong female relationships displayed in Incredibles 2 produces an influential and inspirational narrative with emphasis on strength and heroism through loving and empowering others.

Incredibles 2 was not the only superhero film to receive a nomination for an Academy Award in 2019—both Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse and Black Panther received nominations in various award categories. These films also celebrate cultural, racial, and gender diversity. While Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse beat out Incredibles 2 in the Animated Feature Film category, the release, narrative, and nomination of Incredibles 2 will preserve itself in the minds of parents, twenty-somethings, teenagers, and children alike for a very long time.

“Lost 195 pounds (when I broke up with my ex)” –Nyssa Morgan

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“Adulting” 101: Career Success 1. Learn about yourself. When choosing your occupation, consider your personality, interests, skills, and work-related values. There are various assessments that can help inform this process if you’re not sure where to start. Knowing yourself in these areas will allow you to make a well-informed decision about what you need in order to find fulfillment in your career.

2. Do extensive research about the occupations you are considering—job duties, qualifications, earnings, and employment outlook. Talking to people working in the field is also a great way to gain insight into the profession.

3. Be prepared to brag about your liberal arts education! You are learning transferable skills that are highly valued by employers. Some examples of the highly sought after competencies developed through a liberal arts degree are leadership, critical thinking, communication skills, and professionalism.

4. Never underestimate the value of experience. Summer jobs, internships, student leadership positions, and volunteer opportunities are all are great ways to learn about yourself as well as about different fields of work. A semester at the Laurentian Leadership Centre (LLC) is just one example of combining learning with experience. Navigating career decisions is a lifelong process. Staying open to what experience has to teach us is key to making the best possible decisions along the way.

5. Find a mentor who can provide wisdom and support as you transition from university to the world of work. A mentor in your desired field can provide invaluable wisdom and support as you discern the next step. If this is something that interests you, consider the TWU Alumni Mentorship Program or the TWU School of Business Mentor Program. https://twualumni.org/get-involved/mentorship-program/. https:// www8.twu.ca/academics/business/mentor/default.html

The Career & Professional Development Office assists TWU students and alumni in exploring personal, educational and career options to make informed decisions. We are committed to creating and delivering personalized career development plans that inspire you from your first days on campus through graduation and beyond. In partnership with faculty, alumni, employers and parents, we look forward to working with you on this journey.

All of these services are free. To find out more and book your appointment visit: https://www.twu.ca/learning-commons/career-professional-development

This Friday, March 8th, [ s p a c e s ], the official literary journal of TWU, is celebrating the release of their 13th volume of poetry, prose, and visual art. Dwelling on the theme of [im]permanence, the evening will be composed of readings, music, and art which contemplate the transience and temporal beauty of human, earthly life. This event is the culmination of just under a year of hard and loving work from writers, editors and artists, all striving to continue the tradition of literary arts—the search for beauty and rest—in the bustle of a technocratic word. Beginning with the selection of the theme in August, the [ s p a c e s ] team has collected, vetted, and edited the best submissions from the TWU community to be published in the newest edition of the journal.

We invite you to join the celebration in the Atrium on Friday, March 8th. Doors open 6:30 p.m., and the program begins at 7p.m. Admission is free. Copies of the journal and [ s p a c e s ] canvas tote bags will be available for sale at the event as well.

How to Win Gotcha Shelby Bennett

It’s Gotcha week, a week defined by intensity, hidden water bottles, and an inability to focus on absolutely anything. By now most of you have probably already perished—first years, you probably fell prey in the first hour, walking to the caf, not yet realizing that this is no mere game. Some of you gave yourselves up because the pressure was too great; some exchanged their kill code for a bribe, and some were backstabbed by their closest allies. So now, the few and final remain. My padawans, never give up hope.

If a hard-working, out-of-shape, rule-following, class-attending, truth-telling person like me can come out on top, so can you. As the Bronze Medalist of 2016 and Champion of 2018, hear my final advice.

1. Protect the dorm. If your dorm bands together in a team of trust, you will be nearly unstoppable. And remember, you’re gonna live with these people for a while yet.

2. Trust no one. No one outside your dorm. None. Don’t put your life or those friendships on the line.

3. Go to class. Because finals will come someday.

4. Go to chapel. Your adrenaline will still be off the charts but at least you’ll spend 30 minutes remembering that this is not real life.

5. Tell the truth. Because lying is actually just wrong regardless.

6. Find new exits. Have you tried going through ESLI or down past the prayer room? (Maybe stop by the prayer room while you’re at it.)

7. Take no chances. Go to your 9a.m. classes before the sun rises and bring your homework. Never walk to the caf. Watch out for whoever is holding open the door for you. Squirt every girl with long blonde hair when you can’t tell them apart.

8. Blend in. I recommend black pants, white shirt, denim jacket. Or getting a friend to roll you in a suitcase.

9. Ask for help. Which really is just great advice for life.

10. Never give up. As Jyn Urso would tell you, take the next chance, and then the next, until you win, or until the chances are spent. There is always hope.

Fight hard, my friends. Fight with guts and smarts and honor. May you make memories and friends. And may the Force be with you.

“Drop out of uni...oh wait” –Ava Gili

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sports Bailey Broadbent

Soccer move or business move?

The Christian Pulisic to Chelsea transfer

Tyler Jones

On the 8th of January I decided that it would be a good idea to tweet at 1:58a.m. This tweet was centred around soccer. It’s rare that I tweet about soccer. None of my Twitter community has much knowledge on “The Beautiful Game,” and I might as well just go inform a brick wall on Mauro Icardi’s contract scuffles with Inter Milan. Surprisingly, this tweet got some love. Here is what the tweet said: #Pulisic—> Chelsea: Not a football move, but rather a business move by Chelsea. Attracting US fans will do wonders for the club especially if he plays well.

Christian Pulisic is from the United States. It’s an impressive feat for a North American footballer to end up as one of the most anticipated prospects through the youth system, and now in the professional realm. Christian Pulisic is the current poster-boy for all of this. In 2015 Pulisic made his move to Europe at the age of 16. He progressed through Borussia Dortmund’s youth system and is now a contributing factor towards Dortmund’s success as they currently sit atop Germany’s premier club division, the Bundesliga.

Pulisic was sold to Chelsea FC, a rich English club located in London. Chelsea shelled out a hefty €64 million for the young phenom, making him the third most expensive player to be bought by the Blues. He is scheduled to finish off the season at Borussia Dortmund as a loaned player. He will be swapping a yellow jersey for a blue one by the summer.

My tweet invites two different components to my argument. First off, Pulisic as a player. I have been watching a lot of Borussia Dortmund games throughout the season as I am one to say things based on my personal perception of their games. Pulisic intrigues me. I am naturally drawn to any North American footballer who makes the jump overseas, as European football is at a significantly higher level than the MLS. That being said, I

Name: Katie Roos Year: First Major: Human Kinetics Sport: Titans soccer Mars’ Hill: How did you first get involved in soccer?

Katie Roos: I have been playing soccer since I was about six years old.

MH: How did you hear about TWU and Titans soccer?

KR: I first heard about Trinity Western University through my family. Both my parents graduated from here, while two of my older sisters also attend school here.

MH: What made you want to continue playing soccer at university?

KR: I grew up playing soccer and knew that I would enjoy continuing to play here at TWU. Soccer has always been a big part of my life and I didn’t want that to end when I went to university.

MH: What’s your greatest soccer related accomplishment?

KR: One of my greatest accomplishments while playing soccer is definitely being named the captain of my high school soccer team. This gave me the opportunity to have an influence on my team members in a positive way and help contribute to the overall environment of our team.

want to see him succeed, but I just do not think he will to the degree that is expected. That’s right, Christian Pulisic is going to be a bit of a bust. Sure, he is 20 years old and I am totally ruling out any chance of him improving, but in order to succeed at a big club like Chelsea, he is going to need to add something else to his game. The biggest thing that he needs to add is a better attacking mindset with the ball. He does not have the pace that most wingers have, so he has to make up in confidence and class. When I have watched Christian Pulisic play, I have found that he is far too conservative with his touches on the ball. As a winger, he should be vying for any sort of space he can find on the pitch. Instead, I have found that Pulisic is a bit of a “one touch” player. This does not work on the wing, especially in the English Premier League and the Champions League. He shows flashes of brilliance on the ball; however, he needs to find confidence in the varying games he plays in. This inconsistency has been a large factor in my skepticism towards his future and brings into question: will Pulisic end up being a secondary player?

The second component of my argument is the idea of Pulisic’s transfer to Chelsea FC being a business move, rather than a football move. Although many may think differently, this is a smart investment by Chelsea. If Pulisic plays well, he’ll draw massive attention to North American soccer as well as Chelsea FC. If he doesn’t pan out to be the supposed “star” that he is hyped up to be, he will rack up millions for Chelsea as American fans will buy his jerseys from the club.

This article is not me bashing Chelsea, but rather foreshadowing for a possible letdown. To Christian, I want the best for you. Prove me wrong, and maybe hold onto the ball a little longer.

Athlete Spotlight: Katie Roos

MH: What’s the best part about playing with the Titans soccer team?

KR: The best part of my experience with the Titans is the overall environment of the team.

I have never had the opportunity to play on a Christian based sports team and for me it has been a really different and amazing experience. It has helped change my view on sports in a positive way and shown me how much of a difference it is to have a sports team and peer group who have the same beliefs as I do.

MH: How does Titans soccer compare to other teams you’ve played for?

KR: As I mentioned before, it is a very different experience having Christian peers and coaches compared to other teams I have played on where this is not the main focus.

On other teams I have played for, we didn’t pray before games or have a faith-based attitude in all that we did. I have found that having the support and same beliefs as the peers on my team has shown me a whole new side to sports.

MH: Do you play any other sports than soccer?

KR: In addition to playing with the Titans soccer team I also play hockey. Next year I plan on playing with the Spartans women’s hockey team.

“Being released from Hospital after being in the ICU” –Max Stow

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MLB Baseball Season Preview Jaron Jeske

February marks the start of MLB spring training, and many people ask, “why should I care?” Well, I would say those are the same people who obliviously wear Toronto Blue Jays or LA Dodgers strapback hats. However, people who call baseball “boring” simply do not understand the game, nor have they experienced watching “the boys of summer” do their thing and singing “take me to the ball game” during the seventh inning stretch, but hey, maybe I am biased. At this time of year, Arizona and Florida are transformed into baseball paradises with all the organizations’ players and potential players training and playing for spots at the pro level. Each team has its own facility and you could watch every team play for a total price of $100; in most Canadian markets, you’re lucky to see one NHL game for that price.

For anyone who loves the game of baseball, the opportunity to be there for spring training is amazing. I have been blessed to play on those fields against pro players in Arizona with the Langley Blaze Baseball Organization. This upcoming season, there are several interesting storylines MLB fans should be aware of that include Canadian prospects and the Toronto Blue Jays. One of those prospects is local boy Tyler O’Neill, a player in the St. Louis Cardinals organization and a Langley Blaze alumnus, is one of the best upcoming hitters in baseball. He is a smart hitter who makes pitchers pay in hitting counts (0-0, 1-0, 2-0, 2-1, 3-1). One of his best assets is his power. He has been crowned the homerun king at the Triple A level and looks to do the same at the MLB level; however, he is not just a hitter.

His outfielding is severely underrated, and, in my opinion, he gets really good reads on the ball. He was in TSN’s top 10 for diving catches last summer, and his speed has been one aspect of his game that has gotten better throughout the duration of his career.

Another highly touted Canadian prospect set to make an impact is Alberta Native Mike Soroka, a member of the Atlanta Braves, which is a good, young, developing team. I had the pleasure of being on the Arizona trip with him the year he got drafted; I remember when we were playing one of the Arizona Diamondbacks rookie teams and 60+ scouts came to watch him pitch. Once he finished, almost all the scouts left. He does not throw sliders, but his curveball is good and has solid movement. His fastball does not quite wow scouts on the radar gun, but it is heavy and gets on you quick with really good control. Soroka made his league debut last year and is slotted in the top 15 on the MLB’s top prospects list. Expect to see him have a strong rookie campaign and to have a lot of quality starts.

With that said, an organization such as the Toronto Blue Jays are in a tough position this upcoming year because its division is overwhelmingly strong with the likes of the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and a resurgent Tampa Bay Rays club. The Blue Jays also lost Canadian Countryman Russell Martin, Troy Tulowitzki, J.A. Happ, former AL MVP Josh Donaldson and Marco Estrada who were all core pieces in the organization’s playoff runs in recent years. This team is what Vancouver Canucks fans love “rebuilding”: do not expect this team to make the playoffs; rather, enjoy the development of this young team going forward that includes 3B Vlad Guerrero Jr (if he plays at all in 2019), OF Teoscar Hernandez, SS Bo Bichette, OF Billy Mckinney, and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. The MLB season stretches over 162 games that run almost every day all summer long. I am excited to see what this year has to offer and what teams like the Blue Jays, Braves, Padres and Phillies turn out to be. I guess we will have to wait and see! Play Ball!

Spartans Recap Bailey Broadbent

Men’s Volleyball After a thrilling series win over Thomson Rivers in the semifinals last weekend, the men’s volleyball team is off to their eighth straight Canada West Finals. Recent all-star selections include Jacob Kern (first team), Eric Loeppky (first team), and Brodie Hofer (rookie team).

Women’s Volleyball A two-game sweep of Alberta last weekend vaulted the women’s volleyball team into the Canada West Finals. This year’s all-star selections include Hillary Howe (first team), Mikaelyn Sych and Brie King (second team), and Savannah Purdy (rookie team).

Track and Field It was medals across the board for TWU at the Canada West Championships last week in Edmonton. Grace Conrad (300m), Kenny Blackman Jr. (60m), Mowa Adeleye (Triple Jump), and Denzel Brown (Triple Jump) all won gold medals. Mirelle Martens (3000m), Caleb de Jong (3000m), the 4x800m team, and Chris Weiss (Heptathlon) won silver medals. Long jumper Rachel Jerome brought home bronze for the Spartans.

Spartans Hockey The Spartans hockey team enters the 2019 BCIHL playoffs after finishing up its regular season with a weekend series versus Vancouver Island University last weekend. The Spartans finished the 2018/2019 BCIHL regular season in first place.

Studs ' n Duds Bailey Broadbent

Studs: Despite being just 13 years old, U.S. soccer phenom Olivia Moultrie recently signed her first endorsement deal with Nike. With the decision, Moultrie opted to forgo the scholarship offer she received two years ago from the North Carolina Tar Heels at the age of 11.

Duds: During its recent trade deadline show, Canadian sports network TSN unveiled a new mascot dubbed “Tradey.” The Frankenstein-esque mascot features a donkey’s head paired with a bird’s body, giving Philadelphia Flyers mascot Gritty a run for its money as the ugliest mascot in sports.

After a lengthy free-agent period, 26-year-old shortstop Manny Machado signed a 10-year, $300 million contract with the San Diego Padres. The deal is the third most lucrative contract signed in sports history.

After a trade from New York brought Swiss forward Mats Zuccarello to Dallas, it took less than two periods in his debut game before Zuccarello sustained a broken arm.

The New York Rangers continued its rebuilding by acquiring more draft picks for this summer’s NHL draft, and will be selecting five times through the first three-rounds. This comes after selecting three times in the first-round last year.

Chelsea goalie Kepa Arrizabalaga recently apologized after publicly humiliating manager Mauricio Sarri. Kepa refused to be substituted off the pitch in the English League Cup Final against Manchester City, which resulted in a brutally awkward standoff between him and his manager mid match. Chelsea ultimately lost the game in penalty kicks, with Kepa making just a single save.

“Rode my motorcycle last Friday with only one jacket on #blesstheweather” –Andrew Kimball

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humour TWU STUDENTS SURE THAT THERE WILL NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS BE ANYTHING WORSE THAN A SODEXO CAFETERIA

Micah Morgan

After surviving nearly a year of living in residence at Trinity Western University, Aron Thurman is sure that nothing could be more terrible, more awful, and more hopeless than Sodexo’s dining services. “When I first got settled into my dorm, I was excited about having all the food I could possibly fit into my stomach twice a day,” said Thurman, “but after talking with second and third-years about the caf, my eyes were opened to how awful it really was.” Thurman describes exactly how he went from appreciating the fact that at every lunch and dinner there were two soups, three entrées, a salad bar, sandwiches and wraps, to passionately loathing all that Sodexo offered because of the occasional cold entrée. “I really miss eating at my house,” said Thurman, who regularly used his kitchen at home to heat up higher quality foods like microwave burritos and Hot Pockets.

Nyssa Morgan

Agreeing with Thurman, most students who, despite regularly eating threeday-old pizza left in the communal fridge by their dorm-mates, describe Sodexo as having very low standards for food. “I feel like I’m unhealthier because of Sodexo. I just think we, as students, deserve better,” said second-year Amy Wilson, disregarding the fact that the average Sodexo meal had more types of nutrients than many impoverished children would have access to in a whole week. Sources confirm that even though Sodexo regularly offers surveys on how to improve the food that its friendly and hardworking staff toil each day to provide, the student body almost unanimously agree “things will never get any better.”

SIX SIGNS YOU NEED TO FIND A NEW ROOMMATE Nyssa Morgan As housing applications open, there are many students who are struggling to weigh the pros and cons of living with someone new or keeping their current roommate. If you are one of those who are unable to make a decision, here are six signs that will tip you off if your roommate may not be the healthiest person live with again:

1. They’re a loud chewer: While you could solve this problem by leaving the room or putting on your headphones, your entire year does not have to be defined by a soundtrack of your roommate crunching into an apple or slurping up noodles. Peace and quiet is possible!

2. They never help clean: Picture your roommate vacuuming. Picture your room free of your roommate’s clothes randomly thrown about. Picture your room smelling fresh and not like the week-old, half-eaten cereal left on your roommate’s desk. There is a world out there full of people who can make this dream a reality, trust me!

3. They always annoy you when you’re studying: Writing papers and studying for midterms is already hard enough without someone talking constantly in your ear about the latest Kardashian drama

or singing Hillsong like they’re the new worship leader at their church. Your GPA will thank you for finding a less rowdy roommate.

4. They use your stuff without asking: If you have gone to use your toothbrush and it’s already wet, or your brand new shirt already has a massive stain on it, your roommate is definitely borrowing your stuff. While sharing is caring, there is a line and if your roommate has crossed it, it’s time to find a new roomie.

5. They watch you while you sleep: Have you ever woken up in the night to your roommate’s face inches away from yours? Has this happened repeatedly? This is a major sign that your roommate might not be the right person for you. No matter how much you guys get along in the daytime, normal people don’t watch other people sleep—that’s just freaky.

6. They read this article and still don’t realize they’re the bad roommate: If your roommate fit one or all of these signs, give this article to them and see what they say. If they disagree with the facts, then kick ‘em to the curb and move on to greener pastures because, honey, you don’t need that negativity in your life.

#abolishTWUSA Abigail Seidle

Let’s get this straight: I love democracy. But you know what I love even more? Not having to put in the effort. Being an active participant in a democratic society demands that you be informed, and being informed means knowing what’s going on and how things work. I have no idea what TWUSA does and I don’t want to have to learn. I haven’t learned a single thing since my first year, and honestly, the past few years haven’t been that bad.

I don’t want learning to come and mess up that vibe. That’s why I think it’s best we completely overturn the student government.

I know everyone is bound to have some questions about this plan, so let me address your concerns right here and now: Q: Do you have an alternate proposal for what we should do?

A: Not my department. Ask a POLS major or something.

Q: This is a terrible idea.

A: Not a question, but you know what else is a terrible idea? Spending

my time learning about the inner workings of the student association when I could be doing literally anything else. Do you have any idea how many grilled cheese sandwiches I could make in the time it takes me to learn about whatever it is that TWUSA does? How many memes I could look at? How many times I could open Word to start writing a paper and then immediately get distracted?

Q: Have you even tried to learn what TWUSA does?

A: Yes, but “ombudsman” is a scary word and I stopped as soon as I encountered it.

In conclusion, I refuse to learn what TWUSA does, and I don’t think I should have to. Learning is a scam and ignorance is power, and if we have that power, do we even really need student government? Abolishing TWUSA is really the only reasonable thing we can do in this situation.

“Using a squatty potty” -Paul Thiessen

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Nyssa Morgan

My Crazy Reading Break

Fill out this Mad Lib and make your friends jealous with just how crazy your break was!

Dude, my reading break was the craziest ___(length of time)___ of my life! First, I slept in and was almost late to catch my __(mode of transportation)__ but luckily I got there just in time! I travelled to ____(location)____ to meet up with_(person)__.

The ___(noun)___ was so ___(adjective)___ there and I loved __(verb ending in -ing)__ every morning! But then, at the ___(landmark/tourist attraction)___, I __ (verb ending in -ed)___ on a ____(noun)____ and broke my ___(body part)____!

I didn’t let that slow me down, though, so we continued our trip by travelling to ____(different location)___ where we ran into ___(celebrity)___! I couldn’t stop (verb ending in -ing)_ I was so starstruck! We finished the trip by stopping in _(different location)___ for ___(length of time)___. You wouldn’t believe how ___ (adjective)___ the ____(plural noun)___ are there! I didn’t actually do any ___(verb ending in -ing)___ over reading break but I had the time of my life! You probably saw all the pictures on ___(social media platform)___ but I just needed to __(verb in present tense)__ in your face how ____(adjective)___ my break was!

Some of the information from the Sexuality Survey in Issue 8 was missing.

Mars’ Hill regrets this mistake.

Q:

F.A.Q.s

Are there any questions from the 2009 survey you chose not to ask?

A:

Yes. While the original “Sexy Survey” attempted to cover a wide variety of topics under the umbrella of sexual activity, we decided to focus closely on some of the more central questions that provide statistics pertinent to the everyday realities of the student body at large.

I identify myself as: STRAIGHT 89%

GAY 4% BISEXUAL 6%

BISEXUAL 1% OTHER 0.5% STRAIGHT GAY 97% 1.5%

2019

“Eaten Mars’ Hill’s food on a production weekend” —Jamison Derksen

2009

THE Anneke Kincaid

SHEVANGELIST Major: Media + Communication Height: 5’6” Hometown: Battle Ground,WA

Favourite Christian (non-worship) song?

“Judas” by Lady Gaga

Year: 2nd Age: 19

What is your favourite flower?

A sunflower.

What theme do you envision for the wedding?

Bees.

Age limit (max/ min) You can’t put an age limit on love, baby.

What is your signature dish?

A classic Zuppa Toscana. It’s the starter soup at Olive Garden.

What skill will you pass on to your future children?

Spontaneity

How many kids do you want?

Enough to keep me busy but not too many that will drive me crazy.

Top quality in a future mate?

Photogenicness

What type of animal represents you?

A parakeet.

110% a smidge annoying and loud but extremely lovable and goofy.

Domestic talents?

I know how to fix a faucet, replace a cupboard, heck, I even know how to roof a house.

fill a gap in your program

Athabasca University has over 850 courses to choose from to meet your needs and courses start every month. AU has over 6,600 transfer agreements around the world (including with this institution).

“Getting my legs shaved for Fort Week and climbing into bed” —Jakob Krause

What is your goto party trick?

Petting the dog.

What is your love language?

Physical touch, I love a good hug!