Volume 47, Issue 13

The Independent Student Newspaper of the University of Toronto Mississauga since 1974

Issue 013 Volume 47 January 11 2021

themedium.ca

NEWS

Ontario shatters Canadian Covid-19 records in the new year Meghna Parhar Contributor

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he second week of January has seen Ontario reporting a new single-day record of 3,945 Covid-19 cases, and 61 new Covid-19 related deaths as the province’s cumulative death toll approaches 5,000.

The case count on January 10, surpassed the previous record set the previous day with 3,443 new infections.

Of the numbers logged on January 10 by Health Minister Christine Elliott, 1,160 new cases were found in Toronto, 641 in Peel, 357 in York Region, 223 in Windsor-Essex County, and 220 in Waterloo Region.

>> ONTARIO continued on page 02

FEATURES

Dr. Fiona Rawle on the pedagogy of kindness Pearla Hariri Associate Features Editor

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he ultimate goal of the pedagogy of kindness is to establish this connection which benefits the learning experience,” says Dr. Fiona Rawle, associate professor of biology at UTM. Alongside the support of other instructors, Professor Rawle works to address challenges associated with online learning through the pedagogy of kindness.

The pedagogy of kindness explores how kindness is the foundation of learning. This idea has recently gotten more attention due to the pandemic, but the message behind it is always a crucial part of the learning process. Rawle explains that its introduction at UTM and in her teaching came in part due to the efforts made by Ann Gagne, an educational developer at the Robert Gillespie Academic Skills Centre. Rawle says that it is essential to highlight the fact that the pedagogy of kindness is a way of moving forward, and not just a response to online learning and the global pandemic. It recognizes that we all have different experiences that are a result of different stressors. Rawle emphasizes that “it is not just about smiling and being nice, but really about having this flexibility and acknowledgement of different situations.”

Through research on the science of learning, Professor Rawle has developed and applied a method of evidence-based learning. She explains that research has proven that students learn better when they feel a sense of connection. Thus, if students feel connected to their peers and connected to their professors, they retain what they learn longer and have a better learning experience. This connection creates a culture for a course, a culture of communication and collaboration, and this can only be built meaningfully if you have a foundation of kindness.

Students learn better when they have autonomy in their learning and can take responsibility for the process. Rawle says that being able to “have a flexibility in your course design and bridging that with student choice then allows students to take

ownership of their learning experience.” She explains that it is important for students to know that they are more than just a number—they are a unique person.

Rawle discusses her personal goals of creating a culture of openness and honesty. Her policy embodies more than just discussing the concept of failure; it also encourages sharing failures and mistakes. It is crucial to normalize failure and learn from failure because you learn your strengths and weaknesses. Rawle says that this is especially important when learning science, “Failure is crucial to the process of science because as scientists we fail all the time, and we have to be comfortable with failing because this is how we learn.”

In terms of bringing this to the classroom, for the first 10 minutes before class begins, Professor Rawle organizes an activity for her students, whether it involves colouring a page on Zoom or answering a question that is open on the software.

Rawle emphasizes the importance of maintaining a two-way dialogue with these questions. “It is not good if I am just asking the students. I have to answer it as well,” she adds. After receiving responses to the questions, she pools responses anonymously and displays them in the next class. This allows students to recognize that others in the class feel the same way and have the same types of stressors or completely different stressors. Either way, this activity encourages self-reflection and self-awareness in the class as they learn from those around them. This two-way dialogue also works to establish a connection between students and the professor.

For students to accept failure as a part of the learning process, it is important for professors to highlight their own failures that they have experienced in their academic careers.

Rawle says, “It is easy to look at a professor and see this product that has gone through so many years of school and research and work. But every professor is a beginner at one point; they all start somewhere and have different struggles along the way.”

Rawle says that remembering that everyone was a beginner at some point can make the learning process much less overwhelming. >> PEDAGOGY continued on page 07

QSS BUDGET PROPOSALS On December 9, the Quality Services to Students (QSS) committee met to discuss the operational and financial highlights of the different departments as well as the budget proposals for the 2021-2022 fiscal year. >> QSS continued on page 03

A LONG TIME COMING The human brain is the most complex organ in the human body. It produces our every thought, action, memory, and emotion. >> RESOLUTIONS continued on page 04

STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH For many, a new year means new goals and resolutions. It is a fresh start and perhaps a chance to do something you have never done before. >> RESOLUTIONS continued on page 08

SPIRITS YOUNG AND OLD In its newest animated feature Soul, Pixar once again invites us into a universe filled with otherworldly characters and magical settings. >> SPIRITS continued on page 11

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NEWS

Editor | Isik Vera Senel news@themedium.ca

Ontario shatters Canadian Covid-19 records in the new year Meghna Parhar Contributor

Rioters storm the US Capitol following Trump rally

>> ONTARIO continued from page 01 “This has been a significant week for us,” said Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. David Williams, at a press conference on January 6. He noted that Ontario had seen a 23 per cent increase in the number of Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in a matter of a week, something he deemed alarming.

Premier Doug Ford skirted around the idea of a possible public curfew at a briefing on Friday morning as the province passed the 200,000 mark of active Covid-19 cases.

In an effort to help curb the spread of the disease, he had previously imposed a province-wide lockdown on December 26 but has recently noted that the lockdown “won’t end at the end of January” as the provincial government considers more drastic measures.

“We are in a crisis… it is scary, and we need to work together,” he continued, adding that the new Covid-19 modelling plan would be released on January 11 or 12.

Premier Ford warned residents that the data would be so shocking they would “fall off their chairs” upon its release. However, he did not specify what any of the additional measures would look like.

Speaking alongside Premier Doug Ford, Associate Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Barbara Yaffe said Friday’s numbers were, without reserve, terrifying.

“We have more and more people hospitalized, more and more people in ICU, more and more people on ventilators,” she stated. “The hospitals are starting to have to cut back on elective surgeries and other very important procedures that require ICU care.”

Yaffe shared that she believes more forceful measures are necessary at this time, similar to the comprehensive lockdown in spring 2020. The province is currently looking at what other jurisdictions have done to prevent the spread of the disease, focusing on what has worked so “we can get ourselves out of this with the light at the end of the tunnel.”

In a national address from Rideau Cottage on Friday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated that the state of the pandemic is “frightening” as cases continue to rise at home and around the world every day.

The Prime Minister implored Ontarians to take the necessary public health measures to keep themselves and others safe. Like Ford, Trudeau asked residents to continue to stay home, avoid gatherings with people outside their household, wear a mask, physically distance, and wash their hands.

Sheryl Gurajada Contributor

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n January 6, a group of pro-Trump rioters turned a protest for the election results into a violent attack on the Capitol building, home of the United States’ senate and house of representatives. The event followed President Donald Trump's claims regarding the validity of the election results, setting off the “Stop The Steal” movement within the altright wing.

January 6 was scheduled as the official vote count in Congress to certify President-elect Joe Biden’s victory.

Early that morning, President Trump addressed a crowd at a rally in Ellipse Park. During his speech, the President encouraged his supporters to take action against the democrats.

“Together, we will drain the Washington swamp, and we will clean up the corruption in our nation's capital,” stated Trump. “We fight,” he continued. “We fight like hell. And if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore.”

Shortly after 1 p.m., crowds began gathering by the steps of the Capitol building, and police involvement only caused the tension to increase. By 1:30 p.m., the government buildings housing representatives close to the Capitol began evacuations. A couple of minutes later, the first reports of rioters violating police lines began trickling in.

When protestors started storming the barricades and climbing over walls to force their way into the Capitol building, Vice-President Pence was ushered out by the Secret Service, with the Senate going into an emergency recess.

Rioters then stormed their way into the Capitol, breaking windows and doors, destroying furniture, using force against the Capitol police, ransacking offices, and more.

The violent insurrection attempt lasted a few hours until the National Guard was activated, and the rioters were removed from the premises.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for the continuation of the vote count that same night, as to not further delay the confirmation of Joe Biden’s victory.

“We always knew this responsibility would take us into the night. The night may still be long, but we are hopeful for a shorter agenda

[…] our purpose will be accomplished,” stated Pelosi in a press release.

Pelosi addressed the members of the congress via a Dear Colleague letter and further discussed how the joint session would continue amidst the chaos.

“We also knew that we would be a part of history in a positive way today, despite illfounded objections to the Electoral College vote,” continued Pelosi. “We now will be part of history, as such a shameful picture of our country was put out to the world, instigated at the highest level.”

Just earlier that afternoon, following repeated statements and requests by President Trump to intervene in Congress’ vote count, Vice-President Mike Pence wrote a letter strongly supporting the Constitution’s mandates and following the democratic process.

Vice-President Pence refused to follow the president’s directions and object to the vote count. This was followed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s call for the importance of the vote certification. “Voters, the courts, and the states have all spoken—they’ve all spoken,” Senator McConnell stated in his speech to Congress. “If we overrule them, it would damage our republic forever.”

Congressman Paul Gosar and Senator Ted Cruz also objected to the election results from Arizona on behalf of 60 Republican lawmakers, citing uncertainty regarding the circumstances of the secured electoral votes. This led to a delay in the vote count, as a debate is granted for both parties if an objection is made.

The majority of Congressmen condemned the act of domestic terrorism. Republican leaders seemingly turned against their president, with Vice-President Pence disparaging the actions of the rioters.

“To those who wreaked havoc in our Capitol today, you did not win,” stated Pence. “Violence never wins. Freedom wins. And this is still the people’s house. As we reconvene in this chamber, the world will once again witness the resilience and strength of our democracy.”

Many have come forward to directly link the attack to being influenced and incited

by President Trump through his constant rhetoric and claims to supporters. Trump had earlier encouraged protestors to march down Pennsylvania Avenue to the Capitol as a sign of defiance, while he himself went to the White House, away from the action.

In his first address after the attack, Trump

did not condemn the violence but instead told his rioters, “go home. We love you; you’re very special.” He repeated his claims of the election being “fraudulent” and “stolen” multiple times in the video address, continuing the narrative leading to the attack.

There were a number of failed attempts to overthrow results by President Trump and his administration earlier, with more than 50 lawsuits being denied or withdrawn at various levels of the judicial system. The narrative of voter fraud and election rigging has been pushed by Trump and close allies for months now, rallying up his base.

The event pushed multiple companies, including Twitter, Google, and Facebook, to ban President Trump from their platforms. Twitter cited its reason being to prevent “the risk of further incitement of violence.”

In Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned the attack on the Capitol and reaffirmed the need for upholding democracy.

“What we witnessed was an assault on democracy by violent rioters, incited by the current president and other politicians,” said Trudeau in his January 8 media briefing.

Trudeau also discussed the responsibilities of political leaders and emphasized their obligation to ensure the safety of the people they govern.

“We will continue to be extremely vigilant, to remember that the choices we make as leaders, as politicians, have consequences,” stated Trudeau. “What we choose to say, what we choose not to say, how we choose to say it, does have an impact on Canadians and encourages people to do some things, discourages them to do others.”

The Canadian Prime Minister went on to discuss the gravity of the events that took place at the U.S. Capitol.

“We need to be more responsible, all of us, in how we approach civil society and community engagement,” continued Trudeau. “And that's something that I think we are all rededicated to after seeing what can happen in the United States and elsewhere.”

Government officials across the globe condemn President Trump for inciting his supporters and encouraging their insurrection attempt. Many were in agreement with John O. Brennan, former director of the Central Intelligence Agency, who argued that the people responsible for the events on January 6 need to be held accountable and urged the President to resign.

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Hayden Mak/The Medium

Looking back at UTM in 2020 Remembering the tragedies and victories the past year brought to the U of T community.

Diljot Badesha Contributor

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020 has finally come to an end. The past year introduced many challenges and sorrow, from the tragedy of Flight 752 to the Covid-19 pandemic that changed the lives of many. However, it also brought out feats of resiliency and creativity in the the University of Toronto (U of T) community.

The Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 crash January 8, 2021, marked the one-year anniversary of the Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 crash. A misalignment in Iranian air defense equipment resulted in two missiles being shot at the commercial aircraft shortly after its take-off from Tehran. This led to all 167 passengers and nine crew members aboard the flight to lose their lives.

Among the passengers were eight members of the U of T community, including University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) student and mental health advocate, Zeynab Asadi Lari.

Zeynab’s brother, Mohammed, a promising student at the U of T Faculty of Medicine, was also aboard the flight.

“Zeynab and Mohammad made an amazing impact at UTM, at U of T, and in the world,” said UTM Vice-President and Principal Alexandra Gillespie in a video posted on Twitter last week.

Online vigils were held throughout the U of T community and students, staff, and faculty came together to remember the lives lost.

The Covid-19 Pandemic and the shift to online classes On March 13, a week after the World Health Organization announced the global outbreak of Covid-19, U of T announced the cancellation of all in-person classes across its three campuses.

To limit further spread of the virus, all UTM buildings were closed off to students and the general public by March 18. The cancellations also resulted in many UTM students in the winter session taking online examinations for the first time.

During the summer, UTM professors participated in “Zoom by the Lake,” an online bootcamp for course design. Coordinated via UTM’s Teaching and Learning Collaboration,

the bootcamp allowed professors to come together virtually and discuss the details of their courses.

Fiona Rawle, associate dean of undergraduate education at UTM, designed and led the bootcamp. “I was doing a lot of reading on online teaching, as were many of my colleagues.

We all shared information and provided feedback on each other’s course plans,” said Rawle.

In October, Rawle was awarded the Minister of College and Universities’ Award of Excellence for her contributions to the pandemic response in Ontario.

Despite classes becoming virtual and student experience cut short, more than 900 international students returned to Canada for the fall semester. In residences, additional safety measures, such as making each room single, were implemented to make them safer for students. Since a 14-day quarantine is mandatory for anyone who enters the country, U of T has accommodated students by providing hotel rooms with washrooms upon arrival, along with daily check ins on health and wellness.

To prep for some students’ safe return in September, more than 800 essential workers across the three campuses have prepared the physical infrastructure for students’ safe return. More than 30,000 Covid-19 signs and decals were installed and orders were placed for 13.4 million sanitary wipes and 20,685 litres of hand sanitizer.

Moreover, students, staff, and faculty who visit campus must now complete a self-assessment check on UCheck, the university’s online self-assessment tool.

The pandemic may have distanced students physically, but it did not stop the HomeNotes, UTM’s residence choir, from continuing to make music together. Instead, it further motivated the choir to be creative and adjust to the new virtual atmosphere. “It was something that we thought would be really important to keep going,” said Brianna Legere, HomeNotes’ head chair.

With the help of a sound editing software, along with recordings of individual performances, the choir was able to sing and record songs together, such as “Let It Be” by the Beatles.

UTM’s First Virtual Convocation In June, UTM held its first virtual convocation. The class of 2020 tuned in all over the world.

“As a U of T graduate and now alumni, we have the responsibility to contribute to social good,” stated valedictorian Habon Ali in a pre-recorded video. “As we all enter this new world, I imagine that it is peaceful, inclusive, just, and equitable.”

Towards the end of her speech, she congratulated the graduating class and remembered UTM as “a really special campus culture, one that is close-knit, compassionate, kind, and has given us all the experiences that we will never forget.”

U of T Leading National Contributions In 2020, several U of T faculty, alumni, and other members were awarded the Order of Canada. The order honours Canadians who make extraordinary contributions to the nation with their service, compassion, and innovations.

The latest round of appointments included former U of T Vice-President Vivek Goel, whose guidance helped the university during the pandemic, and director of Toronto General Hospital’s cardiac transplant program Professor Heather Ross.

In December, U of T President Meric Gertler addressed the community via a video message and wished all members “good health and happiness now and the year to come.”

In the short holiday message video, Gertler revisited major events of 2020. The events included the U of T community coming together in wake of the flight 752 crash in January, the initiation of conversations on eradicating anti-black racism, and the continuous hard work and research in the fight against Covid-19.

“Let’s remember how much we have accomplished in this extraordinary time, individually and collectively,” said Gertler.

“Let’s continue to support each other and let’s take advantage of the holiday season to rest and recharge.”

UTM Vice-President and Principal, Alexandre Gillespie, who was appointed to her new position in July, welcomed the upcoming year through an end of year message addressed to the UTM community.

“Looking back on the previous year, I remain hopeful for the future,” said Gillespie.

“I have seen what our community can accomplish together, even in the most difficult of circumstances.”

QSS releases budget proposals for 2021-2022 Isik Vera Senel News Editor >> QSS continued from page 01 The Department of Recreation, Athletics, and Wellness (DRAW) and the Health and Counselling Centre (HCC) have proposed to keep the sessional fees the same as the previous year.

The HCC budget presentation emphasized the department’s goal to maintain its operating reserve as they hope to continue providing virtual mental health services. The health services' annual mandatory fees will remain at $117.88 for all full-time UTM students.

DRAW discussed the operational impacts of the global pandemic in its management report presentation. The department faced a significant decrease in revenue as in-person programs and community memberships were no longer possible amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Moreover, some members of staff were laid-off while others were transferred to other departments within UTM. Staff who remain employed by DRAW continued their jobs virtually and worked to offer the UTM community with accessible online wellness programs.

DRAW aims to maintain its capital reserves in order to fund future projects, such as redesigning the South Field. The department proposed to retain its annual mandatory fees at $411.76 per full-time student.

The Student Services departments have each proposed to either keep their fees the same amount or make very minimal changes.

The departments included within Student Services are Transit, Career Centre, International Education Centre, Student Life Initiatives, Child Care, and Family Care.

In total, the mandatory fees for student services are projected to increase just over four per cent ($9.11 per semester, $18.22 per year) in the 2021-22 academic year, bringing it up to $420.72.

The committee will be voting on the proposed budgets for the departments in the next QSS meeting on January 13.

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COMMENT

Editorial: 2020 wasn't a freak accident.

It was a long time coming

A&E Chris Berberian arts@themedium.ca

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Editor | Aya Yafaoui comment@themedium.ca

appy New Year! 2020 is finally over!

And now that it is, most of us are asking one question: what the hell was 2020? It felt like a freak accident, a glitch in the simulation, or a mistake by the universe where it crammed thirty monumental events meant to be spread out in this decade into a single year. But it’s over now! We can finally move forward. The vaccine has arrived, and over the next few months, they’ll be distributed.

We’ll all be able to go back to our normal lives and not worry about Covid-19. 2020, the unprecedented year full of tragedy, can finally be laid to rest. …Right?

Wrong. The problem is that 2020 wasn’t a crazy dumpster fire that came out of nowhere. It was foretold, not in a prophecy or a legend, but in the pages of history. 2020 was as natural as a hurricane forming over the Atlantic Ocean and making landfall, destroying everything in its path. We like to say that 2020 was “unprecedented,” a word that means we could not have predicted it before it happened. Yet, it was all too precedented.

Many signs and scholars forecasted the tragedies that occurred in 2020. Many patterns have repeated themselves over the course of the past 12 months.

One particularly disgusting pattern reared its horrific head on Wednesday, January 6. A mob of Trump supporters, neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and conspiracy theorists were encouraged by the President of the United States to march to the Capitol and siege it.

These terrorists marched into congress members' offices, vandalized and stole from them, all while being violent and armed. This chaos erupted on the same day as the Georgia senate runoff election resulted in the Democrats winning, with Georgia gaining its first Black senator. The 2020 U.S. election results were also to be certified on Wednesday, sealing Joe Biden’s victory.

How do all these new and historic events fit a centuries-old pattern? The answer is quite simple. Whenever people of colour in the United States—or Canada—gain a shred of power, or equality, or humanity, it is met with swift and violent backlash from white people. After the American civil war, the black codes and segregation laws counter-

acted Black people's emancipation and the amendments that codified their humanity and rights. When the civil rights movement took off in the 1960s, it was followed by the war on drugs, a campaign with the explicit purpose to disrupt and control Black communities. When the first Black President of the United States was elected, his successor was an orange-tanned racist that incited hate and violence. That same dangerous white supremacist has been spreading lies and undermining democracy—and reality—for his entire term. So I’ll have to heartily disagree with Joe Biden when he solemnly states that the scenes of insurrection and terrorism that took place in the Capitol are "not who America is," because it is exactly what the U.S. is—and has been—as a country. Nothing illustrates this reality so clearly as the side-byside images of the Capitol during the Black Lives Matter protests in the summer and the riots on Wednesday.

"2020 is the product of systems that are decades old. It would be deliberately ignorant of us, as a speicies, to write it off as a one-time, crazy event."

There are other signs that predicted 2020, too. The global economy has spiralled into a vortex of poverty, enormous inequality, and oppression over the last few decades due to the policies and practices of countries and corporations. According to a United Nations report published last year, more than 70% of the global population live in countries where the wealth gap is growing. The report revealed that, “while international inequality has declined in relative terms, the absolute gap between the average incomes of people living in high- and low-income countries has doubled since 1990.” Top income tax rates have also fallen worldwide, with wealthier nations dropping their tax-rates from 66% in 1981 to 43% in 2018. In John Pilger’s 2001 documentary, The New Rulers of the World, he showcases how countries, like Indonesia, are forced to comply with policies from international financial institutions, such as the IMF, that force the country to acquire more debt and thus pushes the population to live in constant austerity. Such policies have left many countries stuck in a cycle of poverty

while their leaders, corporations, and global institutions benefit off their backs.

In 1999, against the backdrop of the WTO conference, Seattle was filled with protests fighting for workers’ rights, sustainable economies, and socio-environmental issues. In 2010, during the G20 summit, and in 2011, Toronto and New York were the backdrops for protests against poverty, economic inequality, and neoliberalist capitalism. More recently, the farmers' protests in India are also a product of the dire effects of globalization.

All these movements have called out how unstable and dangerous the global economy is structured and operated. The very fact that one man can get increasingly richer during a global pandemic and economic crisis, such as Jeff Bezos or Elon Musk, is a testament to a system that was built to allow the rich to disregard humanity for their own ends.

Even the Covid-19 pandemic was bound to happen. The continued destruction of habitats that force animals to come into contact with humans more often, and the widespread public health issues that plague healthcare systems worldwide, are but two reasons why a pandemic on this scale was not only likely but imminent. In fact, the UN has already warned that viruses such as Covid-19 will continue to become more frequent in the years to come.

2020 has been waiting to happen for a long time. It is the product of systems that are decades old. It would be deliberately ignorant of us, as a species, to write it off as a one-time, crazy event. The hard truth is that there is a very real possibility this will become our reality during our lifetimes. We can never go back to our “normal lives.” We shouldn’t want to. 2020 was the start of a new decade and era. An era where we will reap the fruits of the seeds planted by our predecessors, watered with blood, and fertilized with cruelty and apathy. Perhaps we can’t fix all that needs to be fixed, but we still need to try. There is extensive literature, research, and action that has already built a foundation for change to happen. The most important things we need now are the will and the actions to do it.

So, in 2021 and 2022, and every year after that, we have to remember that we are responsible for our collective futures. We should never go back to the disengaged and disconnected bubbles that were our lives before 2020. The only way to move forward is to work towards change, and the work starts now.

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2021 resolutions: Survive.

2021 will be defined by the consequences of the events of 2020 .

Ashley Mutasa Contributor >> RESOLUTIONS continued from page 01 As a neuroscience student, I have always been fascinated by the brain’s complexity, its unrivalled processing capacity, and innate mechanisms to mitigate the psychological impacts of trauma and stress.

One of the brain’s innate defense mechanisms against trauma is dissociation. In movies about trauma, we have observed instances where the survivors or victims experience a disconnection or lack of continuity between their thoughts and memories before and after a traumatic event.

Mental fugues or dissociations are involuntary responses caused by the influx of stress hormones to the brain. These stress hormones lead to the activation of the frontal regions of the brain that are implicated in cognitive control and emotion downregulation. The stress hormones dampen brain activity in the amygdala, which is involved in fear responses. This modulation of activity effectively prevents the brain from being overloaded by trauma. It also allows the individual to escape reality temporarily and experience a momentary reprieve from suffering.

2020 saw an unprecedented amount of collective trauma and dissociation among the population. The constant exposure to unexpected deaths, the rising threat of death and social isolation had numerous psychological impacts on our society. Front line workers are the most impacted since they were exposed to an increasing number of COVID-19 related deaths and

Quarantine university: Lessons from a semester online The lessons we learned in the fall will help us to make the winter semester better.

struggled to save lives due to supply shortages.

Some research suggests that doctors and nurses were forced to “dissociate” from the trauma of Covid-19 work. This dissociation allowed them to continue working without processing the emotions associated with the work they were doing. Unfortunately, our brains cannot remain dissociated forever.

Many frontline workers are now struggling with post-traumatic stress, anxiety, and depression resulting from their fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The common sentiment was that 2021 would be the year to get back on track with our goals and dreams—to negate the tragedy that was 2020 and start anew."

Many people experienced immense trauma for the first time in 2020. The economic turmoil and restrictions that resulted from the pandemic made it impossible for many to grieve loved ones, find new employment, see their family members, celebrate milestones, or even achieve the year’s resolutions. Unfortunately, while we were in survival mode or dissociated from ongoing events, our minds could not take on a task as cognitively demanding as healing.

The common sentiment was that 2021 would be the year to get back on track with our goals and dreams—to negate the tragedy

Alyissa Sheechoria Contributor

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his Christmas, my sister gifted me a turquoise hoodie that read in big white block letters: “Quarantine University.” It was funny at first, but I began to realize that this phrase could easily be the tagline for many students this past semester. As I’m sure you have endlessly heard, we are living in unprecedented times. However, the emphasis should not only be on the craziness that is the dreaded C-word, but rather on the notion that as a community, we adapted, found a way to live, and continued life.

We faced extremes, with some facing the difficulties of a packed house and others feeling the effects of loneliness. Backto-back lectures left permanent dents in our chairs and backs, while international students had to rise for lectures at inhumane hours of the night to attend their classes.

Nevertheless, we willed ourselves to learn. We gratefully sped up or slowed down our recorded lectures (and wished we could do the same for our live classes too). We marvelled at the comfort of attending class from our beds. We learned to log in to see our peers, how to ‘Zoom,’ and picked up the habit of beginning emails with a vague but sincere concern for the receiver’s health and safety.

We discovered the quietest nooks of our homes and the corners where the best Wi-Fi lurks. We figured out the grave importance of turning one’s microphone off. We brought our pets to class, lived, slept, studied, and worked all in the same place.

To say the very least, this was not an ordinary university life.

While we did not get to see the leaves change on our campus, we were, most importantly, safe. Our esteemed professors, the people assigning you work, have probably missed you and their regular classes. I know you may not be the fondest of them at the moment, as we are hunted by last semester’s ghosts of procrastination and sleep deprivation, but believe it or not, assigning us work is, in fact, their jobs. Jobs that have taken on unique challenges in an online world.

that was 2020 and start anew. 2021 would act as a great reset, and everything would return to some form of normal. Goals that were not achieved in the previous year were shifted to this year. While the new year always brings optimism, it is important to note that this year is different from all other years. This year carries with it the burdens of 2020. Burdens that are not likely to go away any time soon.

The repercussions of the economic crisis and pandemic are serious and long lasting.

The health care system is backed up due to the volume and strain of fighting a pandemic while also trying to help heal and save nonCovid-19-related patients. More people are homeless and struggling in poverty due to the loss of jobs and layoffs from the pandemic, a grim reality that will need government funding and public will well after the pandemic to alleviate the situation.

There is also the issue of the laundry list of events that left the world that much more broken, such as the continued worsening of our climate crisis. All this is to say that 2020 will remain a revolutionary year that will continue to haunt us into the future.

I believe that we cannot truly move on as a society until we rebuild and mend what was damaged last year. Recovering from 2020 will take time, and if the only goal for this year is to survive and keep going, that is perfectly acceptable. Be kind to yourself and acknowledge the difficulties you had to get through. Allow time to really connect with yourself instead of continually disassociating. This year will be tough, but we can continue to survive and rebuild together.

Professors, you may be getting the short-end of this conversation. In your efforts to maintain academic integrity through open-book or open-web testing, tests—according to many students—have become increasingly more difficult. I have had a few open-book tests myself. While it is comforting to have my notes available, there simply is not enough time to check them during an examination. This scenario seems to be the best winwin situation for staff and students. This compromise does not quite jeopardize the integrity of the urban legends surrounding the gruelling nature of UofT marking, thus ensuring our great institution’s academic reputation as a credible and rank worthy post-secondary destination.

If tests were not enough, I think we can all agree with the obstacles that monotonous day-to-day life imposes. Our ability to even do easy tasks has also become strained. That being said, it is much easier to procrastinate said work when Netflix is a click away and your bed just a few feet from your desk (especially if your bed was your desk).

Diljot Badesha, a second-year Environmental Management student, says that while procrastination was certainly a contender in the many factors of distraction, the lack of atmosphere and the absence of her peers greatly impacted her ability to separate academic and non-academic life.

Procrastination and an inability to focus are among the many difficulties that both staff and students faced.

While the physical concerns for our safety are evident, we must also take the time to support each other's mental wellbeing as best as we can. Staying home keeps us safe but taking it further and staying connected keeps us sane. As trying as it is to cope with such a task, we must take the challenges of the 2020 fall semester and transform them into lessons for this coming winter semester. In many ways, we have learned how we study, what we value about our education, what motivates us, and what we can look forward to once we can safely return to campus. Most importantly, we learned through our socially distant classes that our community spans beyond buildings and that right now, we are no less empowered to learn together.

Best of wishes for Quarantine University part II, everyone.

06

features

The emergence of effective vaccines against Covid-19 Irtaqa Arif Contributor

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ovid-19 is an infectious disease that has quickly escalated into a global pandemic. As of January 9, 2021, there are 652,473 reported cases of Covid-19 in Canada and 16,833 deaths. In Ontario, there are a total of 211,837 Covid-19 cases and 4,922 deaths to date. The need to control this escalating situation has led to an acceleration in vaccine development. Currently, 245 vaccine candidates worldwide are in the pipeline for development, 63 of which are now in clinical trials, testing the vaccine on human subjects. In Canada, the approved Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines are currently being administered. Like many students and faculty in STEM fields, Professor J. Tim Westwood of UTM’s Biology/ Cell and Systems Biology Department has become keen on learning more about these innovative scientific discoveries.

The two mRNA vaccines approved by the FDA and Health Canada, Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna, are given in two doses. The Pfizer/BioNTech doses are administered 21 days apart, while the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine requires a 28 day interval between the first and second dose. Moreover, developments continue to occur as scientists investigate whether the Moderna vaccine can be administered in one dose with the same efficacy.

As of January 9, 103,263 Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered in Ontario. In addition to the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccine, the government of Canada has also purchased vaccines from AstraZeneca, Medicago, Sanofi-GlaxoSmithKline, Novavax, and Johnson & Johnson. In Ontario, initial vaccine roll-out plans involve the vaccination of the at-risk populations, such as residents of longterm care and retirement homes and frontline health care workers. The immunization of the general Ontario population is intended to occur when more doses become readily available.

“A vaccine is any entity that will produce an acquired immune response in a person,” explains Professor Westwood. The vaccine can be manufactured using various approaches.

For example, the whole virus itself can be inactivated and presented in the form of the vaccine, inducing an immune response without causing the disease itself. Alternatively, a protein required for the virus to enter the cell can be incorporated into the vaccine. Professor Westwood explains that the protein is grown in laboratory systems and is then presented to the host in the form of a vector. Subsequently, the host, such as a mammalian cell, replicates the protein, which can be glycosylated, and purified to isolate the protein. This protein is then prepared in the form of a vaccine and given to individuals to protect them against

the virus. The development of vaccines against Covid-19 involved many diverse approaches to vaccination, some of which have not been commonly used for humans—such as the mRNA and DNA vaccines.

“The [process of vaccine development] was compressed to five to 10 times faster than it would normally happen,” explained Professor Westwood when discussing the difference in the development of the Covid-19 vaccines compared to traditional vaccines, which take multiple years. There was significant pressure to quickly develop the vaccine against Covid-19, which sped up the development steps.

Firstly, the SARS-CoV-2 virus was quickly sequenced, and the variations in its sequence were investigated. The main strategy was to focus on the component of the virus, which attaches to the host cell membrane, causing infection. It was determined that the Spike protein of the virus fuses with the ACE2 (Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2) receptor to gain entry into the cell. The presence of the Spike protein was identified due to its similar 3D structure to general models of a typical viruses' host cell membrane. Therefore, the Spike protein was used in many vaccine approaches and as an antigen, which triggers an immune response.

Professor Westwood explained that the Spike protein sequence was incorporated into a vector in the DNA and mRNA vaccines.

The developmental steps were sped up to create vaccine candidates quickly in a situation where a vaccine was imperative. Viable candidates were ready to test by late March or early April. Professor Westwood states how “[the] things that normally [take] several months [were done] in several weeks instead.”

This last year saw a difference in the development and testing of vaccine candidates for Covid-19. Professor Westwood explains that after a vaccine is developed and tested with animal subjects in preclinical trials, clinical trials occur where the vaccine is administered to human individuals. This is called Phase I, which typically takes six months to one year and is conducted to evaluate the toxicity of the candidate. Subsequently, Phase II often takes two years and evaluates the efficacy of the candidate. Similarly, Phase III trials also assess the effectiveness in a larger test group, which takes approximately three years. After the Phase III trials, two years are taken to compile and analyze the data presented and gain approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). “[The] five-to-six-year process [was] condensed down to five to six months,” says Professor Westwood regarding the testing and approval of the currently approved vaccines against Covid-19. An uncommon event that took place due to the encouragement of the major governments in the scaled-up manufacturing of the vaccines. As opposed to large companies that provide funds to the laboratories under normal circumstances, governments provided funding for this urgent matter.

Editor | Elizabeth Provost features@themedium.ca

The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is an mRNA vaccine that encodes the Spike Protein in the form of mRNA. The Phase II and Phase III trial results of the vaccine demonstrated 95 per cent efficacy against the virus. With a sample size of 43,448, a total of 170 cases of Covid-19 were recorded in the trial groups—of which eight cases were observed in the experimental group, and 162 cases were recorded in the placebo group. The vaccine was approved by the FDA on December 11, 2020, for emergency use on individuals over the age of 16. Soon after, Health Canada approved the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine on December 9, 2020, for those over the age of 16.

The Moderna vaccine also employs the Spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus encoded in mRNA encapsulated by lipid-nanoparticle.

Phase III trial results demonstrated 94.1% efficacy, a total of 196 cases were reported—185 of which were observed in the placebo group, and 11 cases were recorded in the experimental group. FDA approved the Moderna vaccine on December 18, 2020, for individuals over the age of 18 years. Health Canada approved the Moderna vaccine on December 23, 2020, for individuals aged 18 years or older.

The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine requires maintenance at a temperature of ‑80ºC to ‑60ºC, whereas the Moderna vaccine can be maintained at a temperature of 2°C to 8°C. When asked about the difference in storage and maintenance conditions of the two vaccines, Professor Westwood explains that the difference has to do with the stabilization approach used by the companies. The approach used by Moderna to stabilize the mRNA allows the vaccine to be stored at a higher temperature than the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, which does not stabilize the mRNA to the same extent.

According to Professor Westwood, the biology and STEM community have positively reacted to the rapid approval of the vaccines.

The community is optimistic about the newly approved vaccine and satisfied with the high efficacy rates observed in both vaccines. Professor Westwood explains that there was an initial worry about the mRNA vaccine approach used, which usually demonstrates an efficacy rate of 60-70 per cent; hence the 95 per cent and 94.1 per cent efficacy of the vaccines was a source of optimism for the biology and STEM community.

Professor Westwood also stresses the importance of planning follow-ups with those receiving the vaccine to monitor the prevalence of cases in the vaccinated individuals, providing the STEM community with an improved understanding of immunization efficacy against Covid-19. This can be achieved by randomly testing for Covid-19 in communities with a previously high infection rate prior to vaccination.

There exists an apprehension in the community towards the Covid-19 vaccine and vaccines in general as well. Professor Westwood notes that this exists in part due to the lack of understanding and education on vaccination. Conspiracies circulating social media regarding the virus itself and the function of the vaccine have led to the hesitation of the rapidly produced Covid-19 vaccines. Some often believe that one’s condition following vaccination is caused by the vaccine itself when

this isn’t always the case. “Correlation is not causation,” says Professor Westwood. Individuals and the media have mistakenly reported a reaction observed after vaccination to be caused by the vaccine itself without concrete evidence.

When a part of the community does not learn what is in a vaccine or how it functions, they are easily engulfed by circulating conspiracies. Professor Westwood believes that if basic knowledge on vaccines is given in high school, it will decrease apprehensions. “It is so important to teach at least some understanding of [vaccines] at a lower level,” says Professor Westwood. By having a minimum knowledge of the vaccine components and how they function, the growing population will be able to make informed decisions about their own health.

The Covid-19 global pandemic puts many lives in danger every day, and the need for proper vaccination is becoming apparent to battle this disease. The rapid development and approval of the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna mRNA vaccines have allowed us to move one step closer in the vaccination and protection of the population against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The emergence of the vaccine has also allowed us to save lives and come one step closer to returning to our life before the pandemic.

07 Acknowledging failure as a part of the learning

BE KI ND. process through the

pedagogy of kindness.

Photo Courtesy of Dr. Fiona Rawle

The pedagogy of kindness

Pearla Hariri Associate Features Editor

Photo/Antonio Rodriguez

>> PEDAGOGY continued from page 01 Professors should discuss mental health and even failures to normalize the fact that we are all works in progress.

In light of the pandemic, Rawle says that students can feel less connected because they are not in the same classroom environment, but online learning can actually give opportunities for more connection. She discusses her experience of office hours with students on the other side of the world, where students would introduce her to family members and even neighbours. Students are able to attend and connect to office hours in a different way.

Rawle explains that although we can feel less connected, courses can be purposefully designed to foster community and connection.

“The past nine months have not been simply learning online but learning online with a backdrop of major global changes and stress,” says Rawle. This makes the understanding of “trauma-aware teaching” more important and the pedagogy of kindness even more prominent. Rawle always asks faculty and staff whether they think students are under more stress than usual, and unanimously they say yes, the same response coming from the students themselves.

Rawle also explains how essential it is to address the stigma of accessing mental health support because many think that they do not need support. The idea that we are all works in progress suggests that at some point in our lives, we all need to ask for help. This also ties back to the idea of connection and honesty, since through connections, we recognize that everyone needs help with different things. Rawle explains how she is open with her students about the many times in her life where she was scared or really stressed. She also states that she is impressed by the recent development and decrease in stigma with respect to mental health support for students.

However, other adversities are prominent in the STEM fields, differing by gender. The gender bias that exists in the STEM field is one that is very well documented. Professor Rawle says she has experienced this bias on different levels herself. “It is really important to address

that this bias exists and be open to evidencebased strategies to overcome it because it is not enough to acknowledge its existence and do nothing.” We need to be able to talk openly about it—this applies to all sorts of biases, not just gender bias. It is important to acknowledge that biases exist and take purposeful steps to mitigate them. “This goes back to the idea that we are all works in progress, we all have biases of different types, and we have to learn about them.”

Furthermore, it is important to have mentors who can come from all different aspects of your life, not just university. Rawle explains that she purposely tries to use examples of research from people with different backgrounds—people that look different from one another. Representation matters, and it is important for students to see work from scholars of diverse backgrounds in their field. Building connections create an inclusive community that has representation from lots of different groups.

Rawle is “part of a community of seven female professors and [they] meet frequently to support each other and give each other feedback.” She explains that, to this day, she has mentors she stays in contact with for advice because she too is still progressing. Rawle learns just as much from her students as she hopes they learn from her. Her students continuously surprise and leave her in awe, allowing her to see connections that she did not even realize were there. “I have students overcome huge burdens to just even be at university, and they bring with them this very different perspective that I really enjoy.”

Rawle also emphasizes the importance for students to “work on building connections because there are so many people there to support you, but you have to take the first step to reach out and build those connections.” She elaborates that “professors are there because they want to be there to support you. Work on building very meaningful connections with peers, with professors, and with staff on campus.”

She encourages all students to “try new things because there is no one perfect path.”

In order to be able to figure out what interests us, we must be open to trying new things.

We need to normalize the idea that we are all works in progress; it is normal to try and fail— this is an integral part of the learning process.

Photo/Antonio Rodriguez

08

New year’s resolutions and prioritizing mental health Jyoti Kalsi Contributor >> RESOLUTIONS continued from page 01 But these goals and resolutions can often affect one’s mental and physical health. Moreover, one’s mental health can determine one’s goals and successes. As such, creating healthy habits is connected to how we create and how we might achieve these goals.

Ravi Gabble, the Health Education Coordinator from UTM’s Health and Wellness Centre, says, “it is important to remember that new goals and habits take time, so it is important to be patient and to be kind to yourself.” The key is to create goals that are realistic and allow for gradual improvements. Mental health plays a significant role in how we view and achieve our goals. Therefore, it is crucial to not be our own critics, to self-care, and to be committed to the objectives at hand. A healthy relationship with oneself and a positive outlook on resolutions go hand in hand with our goals and motivations, and their successes.

Creating a routine in which you can complete your goals and improve your mental health is essential to their viability. “Create a ‘positive feedback loop’ by focusing on the benefits of new behaviour you are trying to achieve,” explains Gabble. “New year's resolutions, as well as goals, can serve as an opportunity to reflect on the impact of your current health choices on your overall mental health and well-being and can help you to work on changes and goals in your life.”

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many realized the importance of prioritizing mental and physical health in their 2021 resolutions. Gabble states that “Covid-19 has had a significant impact on our mental and physical health and [as such] it is important to focus and prioritize our health this coming year.” Gabble also notes that “having a structured, personal wellness plan and a daily routine can greatly help.”

Other common new year resolutions include wanting to exercise more or maintaining a better diet in 2021. However, improving one’s mental health should be fundamental in each resolution. It is easy for people to fall back into their old routines and habits that are detrimental to their mental health when the intentions behind resolutions have the wrong focus.

There are many places that people can reach out to if they need help and support. The UTM Health and Counselling Centre (HCC) and other services within our community are open for anyone who may need it. The HCC can give you direct access to a counsellor or a doctor. Good2Talk, a platform that offers messaging services, is another excellent resource for students to receive counselling. Additionally, MySSP, or My Student Support Program, is a student counselling platform tailored for students and offered in multiple languages. MySSP can be downloaded from the App Store.

There are also many services that cater to students' physical health, including communicating with HCC’s dietician and having access to the RAWC’s many different fitness and recreation programs. These programs are all virtual and available for all students. The Health and Counselling Centre also has an Instagram page, @utmhccwellness, where they post various videos and hold virtual meetings on many topics, including improving ment al health and wellness throughout the pandemic.

2020 has shown us how important self-care is, especially in times of isolation. Mental health plays an essential role in making and executing our new year’s goals and resolutions.

It is time that we make our mental health a priority in 2021.

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13 common Toronto slang terms and their origins May Alsaigh Associate Features Editor

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oronto, known for its multiculturalism and diversity, has developed and normalized its own language by adopting various slang terms and phrases. Icons such as Drake and Lilly Singh model these terms throughout their social media platforms and music, which gives the city a unique reputation and a culture of its own. Other Greater Toronto Area (GTA) artists such as PARTYNEXTDOOR and Tory Lanez have also pridefully incorporated representations of Toronto culture in their music.

Much of Toronto slang comes from widespread cultures within the GTA, including Jamaica, Somalia, Guyana, and certain Arabic countries. In particular, Drake’s influence on these foreign terms has shaped Toronto's vocabulary and publicized it on a global scale.

However, the public and many media outlets have criticized Drake’s role in the cultural appropriation of these terms, as he doesn’t belong in the communities from which these terms originated.

If you’re not from the city, you may find it difficult to adjust to the municipal dialect.

But if you are, then these 13 terms have definitely stumbled their way into your vocabulary, whether you use them or simply know what they mean.

1. The 6ix A popular name for Toronto, the “6ix” is a term coined by Canadian recording artist Jimmy Prime, also known as Jimmy Johnson. It is used as an alternative way to refer to the city. Many mistake this term to be invented by Drake, but in r e a l i t y,

he simply attributed the term in his OVO record label, and it became more popular when Drake released his 2016 album, Views From the 6.

Additionally, the name also comes from Toronto’s area codes, 416 and 647. Viral social media accounts such as 6ixbuzz have also employed this term as part of their business, and on social platforms.

2. T-Dot Another nickname for Toronto, T-Dot, is generally used by those in their 30s. It was coined in the early 1990s by Canadian rap artist K4CE (K-Force).

3. Timmies

This name is short for the Canadian multinational fast-food restaurant chain and famous Canadian hockey player, Tim Hortons.

“Timmies” claimed its Canadian roots when it was founded in 1964 in the city of Hamilton.

Since then, Canadians have adapted this endearing short form for the fast-food restaurant chain in everyday dialogue. There are more than 4,000 Tim Hortons locations in Canada in more than 900 cities. The chain has also expanded to other countries.

4. Yute “Yute” refers to children or young adults and originates from Jamaican patois, meaning “youth.” It is often used when an individual is complaining about young people or mocking certain things they do.

5. Ting Another term derived from the Jamaican lexicon, “ting,” is an abbreviation for “thing” as Jamaicans do not pronounce the letter “h.”

It is commonly used to refer to women but is largely interchangeable and can also pertain to anything else. Other words from Jamaican culture that refer to a girl or female include “gyal” and “gyaldem.”

6. Wallahi Of Arabic origin, this term is frequently used by Arabs in serious contexts but has now been adopted by many others in Toronto. It means "I swear in the name of God," but has become an expression of promise among those who are not Muslim. It has evolved and infiltrated Canadian slang vocabulary to be commonly used in public schools across the GTA.

7. Reach Not necessarily derived from a specific source, “reach” is used when an individual asks one of their

friends to hang out. Variations of this word also include “link up” and “come through.”

8. Ahlie Another term from Jamaican patois is “ahlie,” which translates to “a lie” and can be used in either a question or a statement of disbelief. It can be used in a variety of ways and can also be interchanged with “same,” “truth,” or “relatable.” For instance, you can find someone say, “I look nice, ahlie?”

9. Nize it

The term “nize” is a Jamaican word that translates to “noise.” This phrase isn’t necessarily used in Jamaica but more so in Toronto as a snarky way of telling someone to be quiet, stop talking, or to shut up.

10. Sweeterman This term is used to describe a man who has a way with women or one who looks “sweet.” It has been around for years but became popular through the influence of Canadian artists Ramriddlz and Drake. Ramriddlz opens up in interviews that though he has a song titled “Sweeterman,” the term itself is generally inspired by Drake.

11. Flex This term does not come from any particular culture but has found its way to be popularly used within the GTA if someone is showing off, or as a noun. For instance, if a person desires a coffee from Tim Hortons, they will say, “it’s a Timmies flex.”

12. Bare Another word not specifically derived from a certain culture, “bare,” is used when someone indicates there is an abundance of something. For instance, an individual can say, “there was bare gyaldem at the party,” meaning there were a lot of women at the event.

13. Men Dem This Jamaican term is generally used to refer to a group of males and is a combination of “man” and “dem,” which means “them” in Jamaican patois. For instance, a person can say, “Are you seeing the man dem today?”

Although some of these terms may have been around for several years, Toronto continues to create new phrases derived from various cultures while also transforming the context of regular English words. While there is a fine line between their appropriate use and cultural appropriation, these common Toronto slang words accessorise Toronto’s unique lexicon.

10

Arts

Editor | Chris Berberian arts@themedium.ca

The Mandalorian steals our hearts in season two A triumphant return, it is.

Danica Teng Associate Arts Editor

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long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, the story of The Mandalorian shone a light on our lives. Dubbed the most “in-demand series in the world” by Forbes, The Mandalorian left fans eagerly awaiting a return after season one ended in 2019. The iconic duo of the titular masked protagonist and fan-named “Baby Yoda” dominated not only Disney+ but the entire internet as well. Now, even amidst a tumultuous 2020, the team behind the show gave us the gift of season two, of which the finale wrapped at the dawn of a new year.

Created by Jon Favreau, The Mandalorian is a Disney+ series set within the universe of George Lucas’ original Star Wars franchise.

For those unfamiliar with the show, season one followed Mandalorian bounty hunter Din

Taylor Swift continues to meander the unknown with evermore The spiritual sibling to folklore blends together all the best of Taylor Swift.

Djarin, or “Mando” (Pedro Pascal), on his quest to capture a 50-year-old creature with powerful abilities in the Force. But when he learns the target is actually still a baby, Mando goes rogue against Imperial demands, kickstarting a far-reaching journey to return The Child to its home, all while escaping the corrupt Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) and other perilous remnants of the Empire.

Season two of The Mandalorian continues with Mando’s efforts to bring back The Child to its own kind, now seeking the help of others in his clan—the Mandalorians. As the duo rush through villages and dart between planets, they encounter characters and forces in their wake: a Frog Lady on the desert planet Tatooine, a krayt dragon, X-wing battles, and the return of the Darksaber.

After the wild success of the first season, fans reasonably had sky-high hopes for the follow-up, and Favreau did not disappoint.

Season two gave us all the things we loved in season one and more: mesmerizing space Western action, stirring neon battle sequenc-

Paige France Associate Arts Editor

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ive months after the release of her critically acclaimed album, folklore, which earned a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year, Taylor Swift is echoing its narrative mythmaking with her newest album, evermore.

For Swift, 2020 characterized a phase of unburdened songwriting where she abandoned her diaristic approach. This newfound creative freedom started in folklore and grew in its spiritual sister record, evermore. Together, these explorations of artistic liberty awarded the songstress Apple’s Songwriter of the Year.

With Evermore, Swift explores the emotional toll of crumbling relationships, creating her saddest album yet and mirroring this year of social inquietude. Leaping out of the well-trodden forest of folklore and entering the enchanted gate of evermore, Swift paints Narnia-esque gothic-folk visionaries that brim with her innermost musings. If folklore was spring and summer, then evermore acts as the fall and winter companion.

Evermore is the first album to combine Swift’s previous genres—country, pop, and alternative—and boil them seamlessly into one harmonious work. The result is a vivid, painful, and poetic manifestation of the artist grappling with her own future. Its themes are deeply personal yet completely detached from the singer, who released evermore to commemorate her 31st birthday.

While folklore and evermore have given Swift a platform to escape her previous diaristic approaches to songwriting, coincidentally, both records retain personal touches. She recorded both works alongside contributor William Bowery, a now-confirmed pseudonym for her boyfriend, Joe Alwyn. Ironi-

es, sweeping sepia and icy blue cinematography, new characters and deeper character arcs, and, of course, more of “Baby Yoda,” whom we finally learn his true name later in the season.

While the adorable green internet sensation already made the show loveable, the story and its characters go far beyond The Child’s cuteness.

Season two excited not only fans who waited almost a year, but also fans of the original Star Wars universe. The Mandalorian expertly balances the old with the new, navigating its own story and still showing love toward the originals. Star Wars fans beyond The Mandalorian will be thrilled to see surprise appearances of familiar faces—played by Temuera Morrison and Rosario Dawson, among others—weaved within the narrative. Those who’ve just begun their Star Wars journey will have the chance to fall in love with these characters for the first time. And, just like the originals, stormtroopers can’t aim.

Whether original characters or budding favourites, family remains a constant presence

as the bond between Mando and The Child grows, as well as their budding relationships with the allies they meet, from Greef Karga (Carl Weathers) to Cara Dune (Gina Carano).

Despite not fully understanding one another—“Baby Yoda” can only coo and babble— Mando and The Child form a special connection. Likewise, while we go through the series not understanding The Child and rarely seeing Mando’s face, we feel their deep connection and form our own. The complexities of these characters, even minor ones, accentuate every love and every sadness we feel as we follow them on screen.

Just like with season one, the joys and thrills of season two were fleeting. After the eight episodes ended, fans of The Mandalorian were left in eager anticipation, wondering and theorizing about what comes next.

However, when the season ends and the credits roll, do not lose hope. If you stick around until the very end, you’ll get a glimpse of what the future holds. This is the way.

cally, the young couple have produced the saddest breakup songs of Swift’s entire career, with tracks such as “exile,” “champagne problems,” “evermore,” and “coney island.”

Evermore continues the immense success of its predecessor as the biggest debuting album in history, ranking first on Billboard 200 for most popular album, while her lead single “willow” simultaneously topped Hot100 for most popular song. Swift remains the only artist to accomplish this feat, and she has done so twice this year with both albums.

and her first country-kissed songs in years.

The country-tuned, murder ballad, “no body no crime,” depicts a woman vowing to catch her friend’s killer with scathing clues and the perfect crime. “Gold rush,” a fantastical impressionistic pop track, is detail-rich and flavoured with the vulnerable jealousy of love. Equipped with sombre piano, “champagne problems” is literal and metaphorical, a song about a woman’s rejected proposal and the stigma she faces surrounding her mental health and the bottle. Through these tracks and others, escapism permeates evermore as Swift jumps in and out of the lives of her captive characters, documenting them at critical points of no return.

Elsewhere, “marjorie” is a memorialisation of Swift’s grandmother, Marjorie Finely, an opera singer who passed away in 2003. This climactic eulogy is an excruciatingly pensive centerpiece, paired alongside pulsing keyboards and fragmented lyrics composed from Swift’s memories and regrets. Perhaps the saddest lyric, “And if I didn’t know better/I’d think you were singing to me now,” catalyses the lush background orchestration, soaring violins, and an archival recording of Finely’s real-life singing.

Evermore, which could’ve coasted on its elder sibling’s tidal wave of success, overcame it with varied genres that culminate to a devastating conclusion. Swift’s restless imagination smooths over the occasional lows of folklore, stretching her creative capacity to produce an album of powerful storytelling and mythology.

With quarantine loneliness dissecting romantic relationships, Swift has released an album hell-bent with themes just in time for winter. As folklore and evermore contain unfinished storylines, people believe a third sister album, woodvale, to be in the works.

It might act as another confessional piece for Swift, who continues to pluck the strings of her meandering emotions as she, and her characters, still have more to say.

"With quarantine loneliness dissecting romantic relationships, Swift has released an album hell-bent with themes just in time for winter."

The main distinction between both albums lies in the maturity of her storytelling. Folklore encompasses conflict resolution surrounding teenage love. Evermore experiments with the notion of endings—rejected proposals, lost loves during the holidays, infidelity, and murder.

Despite both albums containing heartwrenching lyrics, each cater to different artistic priorities. Folklore, the more monotonous album, lets Swift dive headfirst into the foreign realm of indie music while, unhindered by the apprehension of embarking on a new genre, evermore allows her to realize her most emotionally cognisant piece.

The variety of evermore contributes significantly to the album’s success. Its standout songs coo different genres, showcasing Swift’s unwillingness to be defined. Instead, she combines various dimensions to fulfill a comprehensively moody atmosphere: breathy ballads, colourful pop sequences,

11

Soul is a film for spirits both young and old Reese Halfyard Contributor >> SPIRITS continued from page 01

he year is 1984. Wonder Woman lives peacefully among humans as Diana (Gal Gadot), a curator of artifacts within The Smithsonian museum. The world around her is vibrant and excessive, and the desire to achieve greatness is palpable.

This is the initial setting of Wonder Woman 1984—the highly anticipated follow-up to the first Wonder Woman film that smashed box offices in 2017. In the sequel, our lasso-wielding protagonist has moved on from the First World War and now finds herself in the height of the Cold War, fighting against wider-reaching cataclysmic forces.

In the beginning of the film, Diana attempts to maintain a low profile, only using her pow-

As Wonder Woman battles against these rising antagonists, themes of loss, grief, and loneliness permeate the film. Although decades have passed since losing her past love, Steve Trevor (Chris Pine), Diana still experiences intense grief and loneliness. Not only does she ruminate over Steve’s death, but she also grieves for her friends and family in Themyscira, whom she can no longer visit.

These themes of loss and isolation are particularly fitting in the Covid-19 era, where the pandemic has caused endless amounts of destruction and separation. So, even as Wonder

ar

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"Wonder Woman 1984 earned mized reviews from audiences and critics alike."

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Paria Tabrizi Contributor

ers as Wonder Woman to stop local crimes. She spends her days working at The Smithsonian, where she soon discovers an ancient stone with strange powers. It’s only after the stone gets stolen that grasp the extent of the artifact’s force.

Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal), a failed businessman who steals the stone, and Cheetah (Kristen Wiig), an attention-hungry accomplice, both gain prophetic powers and begin manipulating the world into their warped idealized creation. Although Diana’s strength is dwindling, she must use her power, intelligence, and resilience to fight against Lord and Cheetah, whose threats soon take on the world stage.

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Power and vulnerability pervade Wonder Woman 1984

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This beautiful jazz-infused story took almost six years to create, with its production finishing at the first peak of the pandemic.

After twenty-three films and sixteen academy awards, critics had high expectations for the newest Pixar animation—and the studio did not disappoint.

Soul follows the life of a struggling middle-aged jazz musician, Joe Gardner (Jamie Foxx), and his desire for success. After getting his big break with a famous jazz quartet, Joe falls into a sewer hole, sending his soul into the “Great Beyond.” Fighting to get back to his body, Joe meets an impatient young soul named 22 at the You Seminar, an ethereal place that helps newborn spirits find their passion before they’re born on Earth.

Since 22 has no interest in becoming human, she offers Joe her Earth patch, and in exchange she gets to stay in her current realm—until something goes very wrong. Through a series of complicated events, the pair explores their own individual souls, and Joe discovers the real purpose of living.

While exploring the Great Beyond and Earth, we witness the insecurities of both characters. We see 22 believing she isn’t good enough to be human, proving it difficult for any mentor to help complete her Earth patch. Her fears and anxieties parallel the familiar fears and anxieties that humans feel as they grow up and experience new things. Joe encounters his own fears as he reflects on his past, reminiscing how little he had accomplished in the jazz world. The contrasting concern between the two souls is profound; one who fears to live, and the other who fears they have not lived enough.

To realistically capture these characters and their journeys, the director of Soul, Pete Docter, along with an incredibly talented team, utilized a unique animation technique never seen in a Pixar film. With the aid of scientific insights and religious perspectives, the animators drew inspiration from a physical el-

ement called aerogel. We see Joe, along with other character’s souls, resemble this element as they appear light and airy. It’s a creative take on how our physical spirit might manifest in the space between life and death. Other ethereal characters look like moving Picasso-esque 2D shapes, creating a unique animated world. Throughout the film, as characters fall into different abstract dimensions, this intangible and innovative animation style come to life.

Meanwhile, the film’s score plays a complementary note to the animation. As we follow the emotional journey of Joe and 22, the celestial jazz music raises the story to another dimension. Jon Batiste wrote the composition, along with the help of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.

As we see in the film, when Joe plays piano, he drifts into a magical trance.

Due to the moving score, so does the audience. Songs like “Space Maker,” where the instruments' sounds feed off one another, heightening the entrancing the beauty of jazz music.

While Pixar usually gears toward a younger audience, Soul proves itself otherwise. The film successfully demonstrates the struggles of being an adult, and the complicated feelings that come with achieving your “dream.” It targets the not-so-simple question: how do you know when your purpose is fulfilled? Pete Docter answers this by reminding us of the simple things in life, such as laughing with your friends, savouring a delicious pizza, or admiring the sunrise. Passion, purpose, or urgency for life doesn’t come from specific accomplishments or being famous. Soul teaches us that simply being a breathing human, living in this world, and loving those around us, is a strong enough purpose.

Woman grapples against supernatural forces, we have familiar grounds to empathize with her struggles. The film demonstrates how one can accept feelings of grief and learn to live with, rather than against, them. This optimistic message develops gradually throughout the film and leaves the audience feeling hopeful for their own futures.

The exploration and ignorance of truth also features prominently in Wonder Woman 1984.

We see it in Max Lord’s lies of grandeur to his son, deluding him from recognizing what matters most. No matter how hard we imagine a world in which we achieve all our dreams, the truth always prevails. This theme ties in with the notion of denial. Throughout the film, Diana has difficulty accepting Steve’s untimely death. By recreating his presence through a falsehood—Steve literally inhabits another man’s body—Diana finds comfort and happiness. However, this reunion is built on a lie and delusion, and won’t last forever. Diana has difficulty accepting this truth and struggles to justify the cost of her denial. The film casts a damning picture on truth’s vital importance, showing how lies are detrimental to oneself and others.

On a technical level, the cinematography successfully captures the liveliness of the 1980s through the use of vibrant, saturated colour and excessive fashion styles, symbolizing the overflowing optimism that characterized the decade.

Throughout the film, Gadot successfully conveys Wonder Woman’s internal struggle to

do the right thing while grieving the loss of a loved one. Pascal and Wiig also offer stunning performances, each conveying an intense and frightening lust for power. Through these characters, Wonder Woman 1984 explores the fragility of power and how it can infiltrate and obscure one’s moral compass.

Despite its moving performances and resonating themes, Wonder Woman 1984 earned mixed reviews from audiences and critics alike, a great step-down from the near-universal praise of the first film. For some people, the sequel’s storyline felt excessive and cliché while for others, it lacked high-intensity action sequences and breathtaking cinematography.

After years of mounting expectations created from a beloved origin film, Wonder Woman 1984, while serviceable for many, was almost destined to disappoint.

Despite these critiques, avid Wonder Woman fans praised the sequel for its accuracy to the comics and for depicting Wonder Woman and Cheetah as flawed and relatable characters.

Although the story has some plot holes and inconsistencies, Wonder Woman 1984 admirably explores Diana’s vulnerabilities while still being fun, grand, and lighthearted.

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Music-induced emotions and the brain Study finds that the emotion of music evokes feelings in you and activates specific areas of your brain.

Duaa Nasir Contributor

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our favourite songs influence your mood and personality as much as they influence specific areas of your brain. A study from the University of Turku, published in Cerebral Cortex, finds that listening to instrumental music activates different parts of the brain depending on the emotion of the music.

These patterns are distinct from what a person would experience in real-life situations.

In their study, Vesa Putkinson and her team wanted to examine the following: 1. Do music-induced emotions and videoinduced emotions activate the brain’s emotion circuit in similar ways?

2. Are the emotional responses that music evokes organized in the brain?

Videos mimic real-life situations; this means they can be used to map neural circuits involved in emotions during real-life situations.

The researchers focused on the following emotions: happiness, sadness, tenderness, and fear.

Each of the 102 participants listened to 18 45-second excerpts of emotional, instrumental music in a random order. The participants

also viewed 96 clips from movies depicting positive emotions, negative emotions, or no emotion. These clips lasted for 20 minutes.

During both of these conditions, Prukinson and her team measured the participants’ brain activity.

Their main finding was that each of the four music-induced emotions had a distinct neural pattern in the auditory and motor cortices. The motor cortex controls voluntary movement. The auditory cortex helps the brain process sound.

"Music-induced emotions are based on the acoustic characteristics of music and coloured by cultural influences and personal history."

“Based on the activation of the auditory and motor cortex, we were able to accurately predict whether the research subject was listening to happy or sad music,” says Purkinson. “The auditory cortex processes the acoustic elements of music, such as rhythm and melody. Activation of the motor cortex, then again, may be related to the fact that music inspires feelings of movement in the listeners even when they are listening to music while holding still in an MRI machine.”

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The videos, which simulate real-life events, activated numerous regions in the brain that associate with emotion, such as the brainstem, amygdala, and the orbitofrontal cortex. There were certain brain areas that the videos strongly activated, but the music only weakly activated.

"Films, for instance, activate the deeper parts of the brain that regulate emotions in real-life situations. Listening to music did not strongly activate these regions nor did their activation separate the music-induced emotions from each other. This may be due to the fact that films can more realistically copy the real-life events that evoke emotions and thus activate the innate emotion mechanisms.

“As for the music-induced emotions, they are based on the acoustic characteristics of music and coloured by cultural influences and personal history."

The researchers conclude their study by proposing that people may “interpret their subjective responses to music in terms of basic emotion categories,” however, “these feelings may only partially rely on the same neural machinery as prototypical basic emotion.”

On the original article from the university’s website, the researchers mentions the group is now conducting a study on “music-induced emotions in the body.”

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