UTM Capital is well-supported by UTM’s faculty, administration, and alumni, each serving as mentors who guide the club’s decision-making and developments. So, for students looking to learn about investing, they’re in good hands.
>> read more on page 08
Emily Prete Contributor
With the new year upon us, there are plenty of things to look forward to—and music is no exception. Compiled here is a list of eight highly-anticipated releases in 2023 to refresh your playlists.
>> read more on page 10
Recently, the Recreation, Athletics & Wellness Center (RAWC) have introduced a new set of aquatic classes that encourage group fitness in the pool. One of the classes is called Stand-up Paddleboarding, or H2O SUP Pilates.
>> read more on page 12
In a general committee meeting on January 11, 2023, the Mississauga City Council provided their unanimous consent to a twoyear renewal of the Universal Transit Pass (U-Pass) program, which was set to expire on August 31, 2023. The report, presented to the city council by Commissioner of Transportation and Works, Geoff Wright, recommended a transition to a digital U-Pass set to roll-out in Summer 2023, as well as a five per cent price increase per year.
The U-Pass program has run over 15 years and allows full- and part-time University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) students unlimited transit rides across all MiWay routes for a flat fee—included in tuition charges for all students.
>> U-PASS continues on page 02
after the Gregorian calendar saw global celebrations and rejoice, people gathered on January 22, 2023, to celebrate Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year and the Spring Festival. Alongside family and friends, people bid farewell to the Year of the Tiger and welcomed the Year of the Rabbit. According to legend, the rabbit is the fourth member of the Chinese Zodiac and is a symbol of endurance and success. Those born in the Year of the Rabbit are associated with vigilance, intelligence, and sharp mindedness.
The Medium interviewed Chinese students at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) to explore what Chinese New Year means to them and their typical celebrations. “It means a celebration of family reunion. The only time in a year that I can literally think of nothing else but just spending time with family to relax and eat. [...] No more essays, GPA, and career building,” says Yuki Chen, a second-year student in Professional Writing & Communication (PWC) and Communication, Culture, Information & Technology.
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a university student requires us to read academic writing and engage with it in assignments. Many academic texts are written by experts in the discipline. As a result, they may use advanced language unfamiliar to students. To get past this, students must develop academic reading and writing skills to help them decipher complex language. These skills can be attained in the class ISP100: Writing For University And Beyond ISP100 is currently a mandatory course for students wishing to enter a wide range of disciplines from the humanities, sciences, and social sciences. However, Jonathan Vroom believes that soon all University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) students will be required to complete ISP100
The Medium spoke to Jonathan Vroom, an assistant professor in the teaching stream of the Institute for the Study of University Pedagogy. He currently teaches ISP100 and works as a writing specialist at the Robert Gillespie Academic Skills Centre. When asked why a writing course should be mandatory across such a wide
variety of disciplines, Professor Vroom explains that “Writing is an essential part of higher education. It is how we communicate findings, [and] how scholars talk to each other through publishing findings and writing. Writing is [also] an essential part of all fields.” That is, through ISP100, students, including those from seemingly quantitative disciplines, can better tailor their communication skills to their courses. For example, Professor Vroom says that explaining coding decisions and proof writing in math and computer science involves accurate communication of students’ work.
One big strength of ISP100 is that it familiarizes students with how academic arguments are crafted. A concept taught as part of Ontario’s secondary education is the “hamburger” paragraph model, which includes an introduction (comprised of a thesis with three points), three paragraphs explaining each point, and a conclusion restating the main points. However, Professor Vroom maintains that this format is “not the way academics talk to each other” and that “any reading or publication you have to read in a course, none of them are written in the five-paragraph essay.”
A soon-to-be mandatory course that develops essential academic skillsNATALIE NG/THE MEDIUM
Starting in the upcoming summer semester, the U-Pass program will introduce digital passes, which will more accurately track ridership data and eliminate the need to charge lost card replacement fees.
Emily Prete Contributor>> U-PASS continued from page 01
The proposed digital U-Pass will have a pilot run in summer 2023 before being fully launched in the fall. At the beginning of each term, instead of the existing paper UPass, students will be issued a PRESTO U-Pass eTicket to download on their phones. Those who cannot download the eTicket will be given a U-Pass voucher on a PRESTO card. To board a bus, instead of showing their ID to the driver, students can simply tap the PRESTO reader.
The digital U-Pass will allow the City of Mississauga to track usage data more accurately, as the current system relies on bus drivers pressing a button to log each U-Pass carrier. It will also eliminate the need to charge replacement fees for lost cards, which currently costs $125.
If a student changes phones or deletes the ticket, under the proposed digital system they’ll be issued a replacement U-Pass eTicket for free. However, to prevent fraud, students using PRESTO card vouchers will be limited to one replacement at no charge. Other Ontario post-secondary institutions that use digital UPasses, such as Ontario Tech University and McMaster University, saw over 90 per cent of students choosing to download the UPass eTicket. Additionally, it is expected that fewer U-Passes are lost when they are downloaded on phones.
At the request of the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union (UTMSU), the report presented to the city council also proposed to equalize U-Pass fees between the summer and fall-winter terms. Up to, and including summer 2023, students have been charged
more money per month for a summer U-Pass than a fall or winter U-Pass, which the report says is due to summer students using the pass more often during the summer. In his report, Commissioner Wright makes it clear that the U-Pass program benefits both students and the community, stating: “For students, it reduces transportation costs, creates new and convenient travel options, and makes it cheaper and easier to use transit more often for school, social outings, and work.
Our goal is to encourage students to continue to use transit after they graduate as the City benefits from reduced automobile traffic which leads to a healthier community for all.”
On January 25, 2023, at 11 a.m., the UTMSU will be holding a celebration for the U-Pass program at the Student Centre’s Presentation Room. Students interested in learning more about the program and its changes can join in on the event.
The Department of Language Studies at UTM will be providing students opportunities to develop leadership skills and explore global challenges through a newly approved program.
Angelina Jaya Siew Staff Writer
On January 11, 2023, in a University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) Academic Affairs Committee meeting, Associate Dean, Academic Programs, Marc Dryer presented the proposal for a new freestanding minor in Global Leadership at U of T. The proposal was approved and will be effective starting September 1, 2023.
The aim of the program is to develop students’ leadership skills under a global lens, as well as their ability to evaluate the definition of global leadership—how it is interpreted and contested across various academic disciplines and cultures.
“Now, more than ever the world needs principled, inclusive, and empathetic global leaders,” said Dryer in the proposal, aligning closely with UTM’s intent to “educate future leaders to be global citizens meeting complex challenge.”
At the UTM Academic Affairs Committee meeting, he added, “The program offers students the opportunity to investigate not only what leadership has, and does mean, but what it could mean as we move into a future with unprecedented global challenges.”
Notably, the program is a tri-campus col-
laborative endeavor, as it will be administered through the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC) campus’ Department of Management, and at the University of Toronto St. George (UTSG) campus’ Faculty of Science and Engineering, Daniel’s Faculty of Architecture, and Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education.
At UTM, the program will be administered by the Department of Language Studies, providing opportunities for students to develop language and cultural competencies as well. According to Dryer, he wants the program to “reflect a common core experience for everyone, while providing a distinct academic experience unique to UTM.”
For the 2023-2024 academic year, the program will admit 100 students— through a common creative application process—with 25 students from UTM, 25 students from UTSC, and 50 students from the UTSG faculties. “These 100 students will represent a broad spectrum of interests, backgrounds and growing expertise; they will form a cohort as they complete three newly formed core courses common to all of these five minors,” stated Dryer.
The three core courses, delivered amongst the three campuses are to be taken sequentially and consist of GLB201: Global Leadership: Past, Present, Futures at UTM; GLBC01: Global Leadership: Theory, Research and Practice at UTSC; and GLB401: Global Leadership: Capstone Project at UTSG. These courses will include both synchronous and asynchronous online delivery methods, along with in-person classes for guest-speakers and group activities, all providing opportunities for experiential learning.
Moreover, the minor will be categorized as a Type 3 Program, limited to only 25 UTM students who meet the minimum requirement of a 2.7 GPA—based on the students best scoring 3.0 credits. The cut-off can change annually according to the number and academic standing of applicants. The proposal outlines that, “Admission decisions will be based on a combined assessment of student interest, experience, promise of future leadership potential, and the diversity the student brings to the perspectives of the future class.”
Students may apply to the program at the end of their first year, and
must be in second year at the start of GLB201 Students who will be in their third year by the time the GLB201 commences are not eligible for the program unless they make a special request. This limitation is subject to change in future academic years. “I think that this will be a very popular option for students and that the admissions will be very competitive,” emphasized Dryer.
While completing the 2.0 credits of core courses for the minor, students must take elective courses in their respective campuses that fall under the categories of Leadership; Global Issues and Equity; and Diversity and Inclusion, to earn 1.0 to 1.5 credits. They must also complete between 0.5 to 1.0 credits from the category of Communication and Cultural Competencies. A total of 4.0 credits must be completed for the minor.
According to Dryer, there is a broad selection of electives for students from many UTM departments, such as Anthropology, English and Drama, Geography, Historical Studies, Language Studies, Management, Political Science and Sociology.
“This innovative approach to collaboration, and diversity of thought and background, will create an excellent academic experience for many students,” asserted Dryer, restating his hopes that the minor in Global Leadership will support the development of future leaders.
Shreya Joshi Staff Writer
Lily Yu, a second-year PWC student double minoring in English and creative writing, echoes a similar sentiment: “In China, families typically meet up with other families to congratulate the year. We eat dumplings during dinner and watch Chinese shows on television. The eve of the year is celebrated in family circles with elders. Elderly members often gift children red pockets with money.”
On January 20, 2022, UTM students gathered at the Student Centre for a hot pot feast—with the event name meaning “Spring Festival Gala” in Chinese. Students were handed red packets, and many wore red as they sat with their peers in the Blind Duck pub—decorated with redcoloured banners and streamers. Alongside performances and a duck mascot from the UTMSU,
students celebrated the arrival of a new year amid a festive atmosphere.
According to legend, several centuries ago, in a Chinese village, a beast named Nian—literally meaning “year” in Chinese—would regularly attack the residents and wreak havoc upon New Year’s Eve by consuming animals, crops, and human flesh. Nian was afraid of loud noises, as well as the colour red. As such, the villagers scared him away using firecrackers and placing redcoloured decorations around their homes.
Several traditions are celebrated on Chinese New Year. At nighttime, fireworks, lanterns, and candles are common. Non-essential services such as offices, banks, and retail stores are closed for seven days. However, commercial spending and travel are encouraged, with hotels and large retail outlets remaining opened.
By tradition, Chinese New Year festivities last for 15 days. During the first day, also called the Spring Festival, people typical visit their elderly relatives as a means of strengthening familial bonds. During visits, guests are welcomed with tea and treats such as fresh or sugared fruits
served on an octagonal-shaped tray named the “Tray of Togetherness.” Likewise, visitors are expected to come bearing gifts, particularly in the form of fruits such as oranges, mandarins, and tangerines—which symbolize prosperity. On the day of the Spring Festival, it is believed that forgoing meat would enhance a person’s longevity. The sentiment is based on the tradition that
anything living should not be slaughtered on the primary day of the New Year.
On the final day of Chinese New Year, the Lantern Festival is celebrated, during which people hang glowing lanterns in temples and carry them throughout flourishing nighttime parades. As the dragon symbolizes good fortune in China, dragon dances are customary in celebrations. A long and colourful dragon is typically carried throughout the city streets by dancers.
Ultimately, the sentiment behind the lantern festival is to cast away wandering evil spirits while strengthening healthy relationships between individuals, families, nature, and higher powers.
On this day, it is tradition to eat sweet dumplings that imitate the shape of the full moon, which represents the spirit of reunion.
There are many traditions and practices for Chinese New Year that vary by family and community. Regardless, most revolve around welcoming the arrival of a hopeful and prosperous year alongside a reunited family—thus strengthening the vital connections that breathe life into each year.
The Data Sciences Institute at UTM has organized several events to discuss data analysis findings and to introduce students to the world of data sciences, a wide-reaching and multidisciplinary field of study.
Larry Lau News Editor
“As we live in an increasingly data connected world, whether we realize it or not, data actually drives a lot of things that happen to us on a day-to-day basis,” says Dr. Bree McEwan, associate director of the Data Sciences Institute (DSI) in conversation with The Medium. However, while data is interspersed in many aspects of our lives, its presence is not necessarily obvious, causing it to “[fade] into the background of our daily life.”
The DSI was established in the summer of 2021 with the goal of introducing data sciences to the U of T community. The institute offers various grants for faculty as well as programs for students, such as the Summer Undergraduate Data Sciences Research Opportunities Program.
Additionally, the DSI has different themes for research across U of T’s campuses. Particularly, at the University of Toronto Scarborough, the theme is computational and quantitative social sciences, while at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM), the theme is responsible data science. Dr. McEwan explains that the questions posed by the DSI@UTM are: “What are the ethics of data science? What are the implications for social justice, for the environment, [and] for sustainability?”
In alignment with the DSI@UTM’s theme, the institute has organized events and seminars to encourage discussion on data findings. Dr. McEwan draws attention to Data Digest, which is a series of meetings where UTM faculty discuss their research. “[We’re trying] to see what’s already going on in the community; we don’t want to just bring in new stuff,” says Dr. McEwan, explaining the distinction between Data Digest and other presentations. Additionally, Data Digest meetings enable in-person networking—something that was impossible during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The most recent Data Digest event occurred on January 18, 2023, when the Data Sciences Institute (DSI) held its “Data in
our Community” event. The three speakers included Assistant Professor Sonya Allin from the Department of Mathematical and Computational Sciences, as well as Associate Professor Shauna Brail and Associate Professor Tara Vinodrai from the Institute for Management and Innovation.
Professor Brail and Vinodrai’s presentation focused on data regarding recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic in Canadian cities. Professor Brail noted a deviation in transit ridership recovery between cities, with Brampton exceeding pre-Covid-19 ridership, Mississauga reaching pre-pandemic levels, and Toronto trailing in recoveries. Spillover effects onto office occupancy was also observed, as downtown Toronto’s office oc-
“Even if we’re uncertain about exactly what a single piece of data is telling us, when we look at multiple sources, we’re able to triangulate and understand the picture of it better,” stated Professor Brail. Though, finding data sources can be difficult.
Professor Vinodrai pointed out that public data tends to have slower releases, while private data can be expensive or unavailable. The reliability of data must be examined, and its comparability is also an issue. For example, different sources may use varying definitions of city boundaries, which limits the consistency of data comparison.
Professor Allin’s presentation concerned data on trees in Mississauga. She contended that urban forests are important for many reasons, including, but not limited to, regulating airflow, purifying air, and minimizing noise. Professor Allin also explored the use of data in pedagogy. In CSC207: Software Design, taught by Professor Allin, students were given data visualization tasks—where they created displays and maps based on data—to explore how data is used for informed decision making.
There will be two more Data Digest meetings held this semester: on February 1, 2023, with the topic of “Data and Students,” and on March 1, 2023, with the topic of “Big Data Management.” Additionally, the DSI will be holding its “Data and the Metaverse” event on February 24, 2023, where there will be discussions about the relationship between virtual reality and data sciences. The events are open to all UTM students who register.
cupancy rate plummeted while its vacancy rate skyrocketed.
“When we first went into [the] pandemic, there was great fear of an overall economic collapse—and that’s not what happened,” said Professor Brail in her presentation. She noted that the Covid-19 pandemic created opportunities for some and challenges for others, and such effects varied at different times throughout the pandemic. She mentioned Shopify as an example—which grew significantly at the pandemic’s onset, but lost market capitalization in recent times.
In her interview with The Medium, Dr. McEwan emphasizes that data sciences are similar to the internet in some ways, which is a technology that revolutionized the world and became a norm. “The idea is: it could change everything, but at the same time, you don’t really notice it anymore, right?” She believes that data sciences will become more normalized in the future, where people will be informed about what data sciences is about. “[Data sciences] is, at the end of the day, ideally a tool to help understand the world better, and in some ways, [a tool] that can potentially create a different world—hopefully with responsible data science, a better world,” concludes Dr. McEwan.
Associate News Editor
ANovember 2022 poll run by market research firm Ipsos found that 53 per cent of Canadians are worried about their family’s food security. This comes after Dalhousie University’s annual Canada Food Price Report 2023 projected that Canadian families will spend up to $1,065 more on food in 2023.
Canada is currently facing its highest annual inflation rates since the early 1980s recession. This past December, Statistics Canada reported an inflation rate of 6.8 per cent for the month of November 2022. Canada’s inflation rate peaked at 8.1 per cent in June 2022. For comparison, the Bank of Canada typically targets an inflation rate of 2 per cent.
Meanwhile, food prices in Canada are increasing well beyond national inflation. November 2022 saw a year-over-year increase of 11.4 per cent to food costs, with edible
fats and oils, coffee, tea, and eggs all showing prices over 16 per cent higher than last year.
Researchers are concerned that increased prices may lead Canadians to make more unhealthy food choices. Dr. Kelleen Wiseman, director of the University of British Columbia’s Master of Food and Resource Economics program, says the higher cost of essentials like vegetables could lead some to cut them out of their diet to save money. Dr. Wiseman suggests considering frozen vegetables and fruit as a way of getting essential nutrients at a lower price.
However, food security problems are not new, and have been a growing issue in Canada since 2020. In a year-end report, Food Banks Canada said that visits to food banks were up by 15 per cent compared to 2021. Furthermore, a April 2022 Statistics Canada survey
found that 20 percent of Canadian households believed that they would need assistance from community groups like food banks .
Statistics Canada blames the rise in food prices on multiple economic pressures happening at the same time. The existing strains on the system caused by Covid-19, combined with several other factors, such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine, are leading to supply chain disruptions.
The US, the main supplier of fruit and vegetables in Canada, faced a series of adverse climate conditions during the 2022 growing season. Droughts, floods, and flash freezes across the country led to reduced crop yields resulting in higher prices for the food products. Brazil, a supplier of coffee and sugar in Canada, also
experienced a drought that led to the failure of crops across the South American country. Farmers in Canada are also facing increased production costs due to an increase in fuel consumption by the warring countries.
Additionally, Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus are all major players in the global food market, with the nations being among the world’s top producers of wheat and fertilizer. Prior to the invasion, Russia also supplied large quantities of cod and haddock globally. Trade uncertainty with the involved nations, as well as a series of tariffs and sanctions against Russia and Belarus, has driven the prices of their exports up. Notably, Russian products face a 35 per cent tariff rate in Canada.
Though increases in food price are expected to continue in 2023, experts project that the hikes won’t be as steep. In the Canada Food Price Report 2023, University of Guelph’s Dr. Simon Somogyi says that a drop in inflation could reduce food price increases to 5 per cent or lower.
A U of T research team leads study regarding the levels of activity in downtown areas across North America following the pandemic, discovering varying recovery rates among cities.
Kennealy Nolan Contributor
During the pandemic, researchers from U of T’s School of Cities (SofC) conducted a study on impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on major cities’ downtown areas. The focus of the team’s research was to assess the recovery from Covid-19 of Canadian and US cities since the beginning of the pandemic in terms of activity. Their findings were summarized in Volume 2, Issue 3 of City Research Insights, in a report titled “Post-pandemic Downtown Recovery: Downtown is for people,” published in December 2022.
The research was conducted differently compared to the traditional way of measuring how active downtown areas are. Typically, three factors are considered: office vacancy rates, public transportation ridership, and retail spending. However, Dr. Karen Chapple, director of the SofC, led a team of students and conducted research by studying mobile phone data, thus exploring downtown activity patterns in the sixty-two cities chosen through user locations. The downtown activity levels acquired during the pandemic were compared to pre-pandemic levels in order to determine the differences.
SafeGraph, a company that gathers location data, was used by the research team. Thirteen million mobile phones were used to collect this information across North America. Additionally, SafeGraph highlighted public locations, such as offices, shops, restaurants, parks, libraries, and stadiums. These public locations, specifically those in downtown areas, were the focus of observation and research.
The data collected allowed researchers to determine which cities were returning to levels of downtown activity observed
before the pandemic, as well as to identify any cities that surpassed prior levels as a result of pandemic employment shifts.
Notably, recovery depended on population density, the presence of businesses, transportation methods, and remote working. According the collected data, medium-sized cities are recovering at a faster rate than larger cities, such as Toronto. This occurs because large cities are at a disadvantage due to their dense populations. Crucially, such cities also focus on professional services, where remote work options were feasible and available. This decreased the use of office buildings and slowed down downtown activity recovery.
In terms of changes that the pandemic has brought, lowwage service workers were hit the hardest. Despite the reduced use of offices, service jobs within these buildings could not exist without workers physically gathering in downtown office spaces. Examples include cleaning personnel, security staff, and building engineers. According to the report, during the pandemic, service workers, of which many are BIPOC and immigrant workers, faced the dilemma of either losing their jobs or going to work at the cost of increased health risks due to the looming virus.
Yet, the attributes that make it difficult for large cities to recover may help them adapt. According to Richard Florida, a professor of Economic Analysis and Policy at the Rotman School of Management, “Central Business Districts are perfectly positioned to be remade as more vibrant neighbourhoods where people can live and play as well as work.” However, this is not possible without government assistance—affordable housing and inclusivity must be present in downtown areas.
In an interview conducted with three professors contributing to the issue, insight was given as how this future can be achieved. Dr. Chapple observes that cities heavily specializing in professional services or information sectors “didn’t do too well in the recovery,” while those focusing on healthcare, education, and public administration recovered swiftly. She notes that the latter sectors have essential workers that work in-person, which greatly increases downtown activity.
Likewise, Nathaniel Baum-Snow, associate professor of Economic Analysis at the Rotman School of Management pushes for downtown reinvention, highlighting past policy failures of reserving downtown for offices only and forgoing residential use. “It’s important to let the market speak on what types of [land] use are garnering demand and letting those uses be allowed—maybe even encouraged,” he shares.
Finally, Professor Florida expresses that the impossibility of downtown areas returning to their original state is something that people must accept. According to Professor Florida, transition strategies for hospitality and service workers, and employment opportunities in peripheral neighbourhoods are key. He states, “We also need to rethink what downtown can become, to make it a place where people can live, work, play and connect.”
Due to supply chain disruptions, war, and other economic pressures, food prices have increased and are causing food security concern among Canadians.
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skyrocket, and Canadians are struggling to keep up
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Editor | Kareena Kailass opinion@themedium.caMay—the month where the last traces of snow finally melt away, and the trees begin sprouting their delicate green buds. The sun that was so scarce in the winter months now grows stronger and shines for longer. The mushy yellow grass that once suffocated under the ice begins to revive and grow healthy and green. The earth goes from dead to alive. With this change in season, I notice a change in myself, too. I feel more energetic and in a better mood (partly because exam season had just ended a few weeks earlier). To me, the month of May means new beginnings, which never fail to excite me.
“With this change in season, I notice a change in myself, too.”
Part of the excitement I experience in May comes from being surrounded by plants and nature. Every spring, I enjoy the moments of digging at the rich earth, preparing the soil for the delicate new plants that will soon live in it. Although it’s hard, tiring work, it is well worth it in the end.
For the rest of the summer, I enjoy opening the backyard door and stepping into the heavy summer heat. I admire the pink and yellow roses, as well as a honeysuckle bush that hits me with a sweet, musky smelling perfume each time I pass it. I trim the branches of the mulberry tree while watching ants crawl up the trunk. I observe as each bulb, sapling, and seed starts out as a small sprout, and eventually grows into a strong, full plant by the end of the summer.
This scenery never fails to give me a feeling of calmness. My backyard garden is my go-to spot when I want to sort out my thoughts after a long day, or when I want to take a break from staring at a screen for hours. It’s like a form of therapy (except for the mosquitoes).
It turns out, nature actually is used as a form of therapy. Horticultural therapy, as it’s called, “is a formal practice that uses plants, horticultural activities and the garden landscape to promote wellbeing for its participants,” particularly those with mental illnesses. I can see why this kind of therapy exists—personally, being around nature never fails to uplift my mood and give my mind clarity. Just looking at plants and nature for a few minutes is enough to achieve this for me.
As the winter months roll in, I watch as the garden I carefully planted just a few months prior withers away into nothingness. I realize that it’s like a human—it starts out young and vibrant, then grows to become aged and feeble.
But wait… it doesn’t have to end there! It is still possible to enjoy plants throughout the colder months, even without a garden. For me, indoor plants are a good (but not perfect!) substitute. If you’re like me and feel a sense of gloom when winter rolls around, consider keeping a small potted plant by your desk or in your kitchen to give your home a boost of greenery. I personally prefer cacti, since they’re low maintenance and live year-round (they only need to be watered once a week!) Aloe plants and bamboo palms are other low-maintenance options that not only serve as great décor, but provide a sense of vibrancy and warmth that is reminiscent of spring.
Although nothing beats the warmth of spring and a fully planted garden, indoor plants serve as a good substitute for whenever you need a little pick me up during those lifeless winter months—both in your mood and in your home. Try being a plant parent for yourself, and I’m sure you won’t look back.
“As the winter months roll in, I watch as the garden I carefully planted just a few months prior withers away into nothingness.”
A touch of greenery in your life can make all the difference to your mood and mental clarity.
Maryam Lela ContributorBEATRIZ SIMAS/THE MEDIUM
The moment I realized I had grown up wasn’t when
I graduated high school or started university. It wasn’t when I passed my driver’s test or got my first weird marriage proposal from a dude 12 years older than me (which my whole family and I rejected). It was when I was involved in drama for the first time— which was in the last few months of high school.
Usually, I steer far away from drama, but I found myself smack-down in the middle of it right before prom and ended up sitting with the people against me during the night of dancing because we had chosen our prom table before the issue unravelled. Let’s just say that the table was split in half with neither side looking at the other.
Ironically, you’d think that drama would make you feel like a teenager, but because it was my first conflict, my whole world came crashing down. In many ways, I do not feel like I am at fault, but at the same time, I blame myself for a lot of it. It led to a lot of dark nights for me, but I regret not simply speaking up and having a conversation that probably could have avoided all the miscommunication. Part of me wishes I could have just put my foot down instead of trying to put the pieces back together for years after. Part of me is still unsure about everything that happened, but I genuinely hope for the best for the person on the other side of the conflict. They have taught me a lot, made me an actual adult, and many times a year, their existence pops into my head. I’ve prayed for them and wish them the best.
That was the only conflict I’ve ever had with a friend, and frankly, I don’t want to have another. However, having this conflict was a blessing in disguise because it made me assertive, which has helped to solidify a lot of the friendships I’ve had since. The issue made me grow up and stop living in a bubble of naivety. Conflict isn’t always bad. It sucks in the moment; it makes us cry and wail and wonder what we could have done better. But it’s helped me become better, and we all learn from our experiences. It helped me blossom and become a more vibrant flower, with petals that are bright and kind. There is good in everything—even the bad.
The University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) is more than just a place to learn—it’s a sec ond home for many of us. We spend count less hours on campus studying, lounging around, and trekking from building to building in pursuit of our next class, and UTM never fails to offer us a clean, warm environment to accommodate our every desire.
But the secret behind UTM’s recipe for a perfect campus is closer to home than you think.
UTM’s campus wouldn’t be as welcom ing as it is without the love and care of our
amazing caretakers that tirelessly saturate the campus with their touch. From early mornings to late nights, our caretakers spend their valuable time making the campus spotless. In reward, they seldom ask for our appreciation and respect.
would like to thank all the caretakers at UTM for always making our campus feel like more than just a place to learn. For making it a home. Our place to unravel and relax.
would also like to extend a special thank you to Linda, Tina, and Chris, who make each of our days in the office smooth-sailing, welcoming, and enjoyable. From lending a listening ear, to entertaining us with stories and chats, The Medium’s office mice-free, we appreciate all that you do for us!
But of course, it is.
Hema Ramnarine Staff WriterI’msure we’ve all heard this at least once this winter. I’ve probably said it a couple of times myself—stretching out my non-wintercoat-clad arms as proof, gesturing to my lack of snow boots, generally waving my arms around at the not-very-snowy sky:
“It’s so warm! And it’s already December!”
This past winter was definitely one of the milder winters we’ve had, at least in Ontario. Apart from the winter storm that blew across the country around Christmas, I, like many others, was pleasantly surprised by the winter we ended up having. My initial disappointment over not having a white Christmas was abated by the fact that I was strolling around downtown in a fall jacket, not having to trade my white sneakers for snow boots and thermal socks. “It just makes commuting so much easier,” I rationalized to myself. I managed to fool myself into thinking that this was just fine. Obviously, it’s due to climate change, but maybe in the shortterm, it’s worth it.
And then I read the pitch for this article, and that illusion melted. Earlier this month, the Washington Post published an article on the fate of glaciers if Earth’s temperature continues to rise. The article detailed a study that found that even if the world meets the extremely lofty goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, almost half of the world’s glaciers will have melted by the year 2100.
This is assuming that we can meet this target; the study’s projections found that, factoring in the goals made in the Paris Agreements and reaffirmed at the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow (COP26), the global mean temperature is likely to increase by 2.7 degrees Celsius. This would lead to an even higher number of glaciers being lost worldwide, and “the near-complete deglaciation of entire regions including Central Europe, Western Canada and US, and New Zealand.”
The melting of the glaciers will then lead to a rise in sea levels, as the melt-off flows into the oceans. Some of the negative impacts of rising sea levels were seen last year, with huge portions of South Asia flooded and millions displaced.
Now we look closer to home. Here at the University of Toronto Mississauga, it’s probably easy, for now, to turn your gaze and look only at the positives, the silver linings of global warming. An umbrella instead of a shovel in December—that’s not bad!
Even if you could look past the millions dead and displaced in coastal regions due to rising sea levels, the millions of lives lost due to unprecedented regional heatwaves, and the diseases that are allowed to fester as the rising temperatures means mosquito season lasts longer than it used to. Even if you narrow your gaze and look at just Mississauga, or your neighbourhood, does it look the way it used to? Is it still worth it?
Did you see kids playing in the piles of snow this winter, like the winters of 10, 15 years ago? Do you remember plopping down in the snow, or watching it fall, and the peacefulness that came with that?
Look further back, to the summer. Did you see kids running around, playing outside? I remember spending my summers as a kid doing just that. This past summer, I remember quiet streets and heat warnings. Maybe a mild winter is worth that trade-off.
Extend the hypothetical and say you can also ignore the daily news articles about climate change and how lives worldwide are being affected, such as the beginning of climate refugees. Ignore any friends or family that you may have abroad when they tell you about the heatwaves they’re facing, or the floods. Ignore global communities as they speak out about climate-related food shortages and droughts and avoid thinking about how the world may look for your children, or your grandchildren. Is it worth it then?
For this article, I was asked to give my personal answer to the question, “Is a milder winter worth losing half of our glaciers, and other climate change-related effects?” To that I say, what other possible answer could there be besides absolutely not.
Through the chaos that ensues on campus, our caretakers are our heroes.
As the planet heats up, our glaciers grow more and more at risk.
My late grandmother had a saying that ruled my father’s every decision, and it now rules mine.
“Balance is key.”
I have heard this since the age of six. It is engraved in my mind and remembered every day. It is both odd and interesting to me that I have never met my grandmother but follow her philosophy with such great stringency. I view every decision, event, and conflict in a balanced manner. I feel like I have been conditioned to do so.
Even as a kid, it felt natural to me to view playground fights in a balanced manner; I was able to rationalize the actions of both the bully and the victim. With my relationships and health, balance is what has supported me. Maintaining a balance in life has made me more strong-willed with my ambitions and goals in life by allowing me to power through various complex situations.
In some ways, I feel that following this saying and hearing it constantly keeps me close to my late grandmother. Having never properly spoken to her, I feel her saying—being a leading force in my life—reminds me of her presence every day.
This is a Jamaican Patois saying that roughly translates to: “if it does not go so, it goes nearly so.”
While visiting Lover’s Leap in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, my sister overheard a schoolteacher explain the legend to a group of students. The legend is of two lovers, Mizzy and Tunkey from the 18th century, who were enslaved at the nearby Yardley Chase Plantation. After learning of their relationship, their master organized for Tunkey to be sold off, as he wanted Mizzy for himself. Fearing separation, Mizzy and Tunkey escaped the plantation and jumped off the 520-metre cliff, now known as Lover’s Leap. At the end of the schoolteachers’ explanation was the phrase, “If it nuh go so, it go near so,” which my sister remembered and shared with me once she was back in Canada.
Hearing this saying, especially in this context, reminds me of the importance of stories. Oftentimes, the factual basis for the tale is long gone, and no one cares if the legend is true or not. Yet, the story persists because it speaks to something much larger than itself. Perhaps, a meditation on slavery, colonialism, love, or the human condition. I must add, this saying is used in many ways, including descriptions of juicy gossip. Whatever the story is, there is a reason it exists and continues to be told.
, StaffWriterThe saying of “to have a beginning and an end” has carried throughout my whole childhood and teenage period. The phrase holds great value in my culture, as most Chinese families instill this sentiment into their offspring to build resilience. Through this, parents hope to educate their children about finishing what they’ve chosen to begin, ultimately building in their minds the characteristic of not giving up easily.
When I was eight, I was obsessed with the ballet, and I asked my mom to place me in a ballet dancing class. Before the class started, my mom confirmed with me for a few times to make sure I really wanted to do it. However, after three classes of ballet, I got tired of being told to practice the same posture again and again. Eight-year-old me was definitely ignorant of the fact that the perfect ballet performance on stage required years of training and practices. I complained to my mom and told her that I didn’t want to continue the rest of the sessions. What she replied with still sticks with me and reminds me every time I hesitate to take a step back: “You should either continue or you can stop taking the class, but if you choose to stop, you don’t get to decide what you’d like to learn anymore, since you have no commitment to your own decision at all.”
After that, I became more cautious with decision making and reasonably started new hobbies instead of randomly starting things lightheartedly.
“To have a beginning and an end” reminds me of my responsibility for my own choices. The phrase turned me into a reliable adult who is capable of dealing with difficulties. The value of resilience—the ability to carry things through the end—is one of the greatest values in human being, since it takes hundreds of days to build up a skyscraper.
some time to realize
Whether it’s an unrequited love, a failing friendship, or a hobby that you had to give up, we have all felt the sinking dread of wasted effort. To invest so much time, energy, and love into something only to reap no reward or satisfaction hurts. A lot. When I first heard the Vistas’ song, “The Love You Give,” I wasn’t in a very good mindset. I found myself easily irritated, angry, lashing out at the smallest stressors, and wondering, “why bother trying?” If we can predict that things won’t turn out the way we want them to, wouldn’t it be easier to save your energy and not risk the pain of losing?
But as I heard the electric guitar floating over top of an energetic chorus, and the cheery refrain, “the love you give will carry on”—it felt like a promise. Not that everything will work out for you in the end. Not even that being a loving person is something deserving of reward. But that the love you put into the world doesn’t end with you. Even if you don’t see the fruits of it, you’ve put something forward into the world that will keep going. Perhaps that can inspire you to continue walking forward in love.
Zi tongChen ,StaffWriterTianaDunkley
el
of carryi n g so m eth i n g t h r o u g h t o t eh ne d
“Ifitnuh go so , i t go n e a r s .o”
“It’ll take
that the love you give gives back in time.”
>> ISP100 continued from page 01
The expectation in university is that students will contribute to scholarly debates and engage with previous viewpoints in a way that is simply too “complicated and sophisticated” to work in the hamburger format. Professor Vroom explains that “in high school, there are good reasons to do this since it’s a great way of teaching students to unpack a point. But in university settings, a big thing we teach students is to move away from this format to do more sophisticated things.”
Professor Vroom shares that one core part of ISP100 is the idea that academic writing is like a conversation; it uses the “They say I say” model. Making an argument is analogous to joining into a pre-existing conversation. A core component of articles is the hero’s narrative, which introduces a new topic not yet discussed. Professor Vroom gives an example of the hockey world juniors by saying: “After Canada won gold you have multiple conversations with different perspectives about it. A hero’s narrative in this case would be mentioning a player that isn’t being discussed but is deserving of it.”
ISP100 teaches students how to construct their own academic arguments. Doing so involves developing a strong thesis statement—a common struggle for any student. Professor Vroom states that “The wrong way to go about writing [a the-
sis] is getting the conversational nature of academic writing backwards,” inverting the model to “I say they say.” Students may think of the thesis first and then look for research supporting it. Professor Vroom claims “that’s not even ‘I say, they say’ that’s ‘I say and here’s some voices that might back up what I say.’” When crafting a thesis, he urges students to “Start with what the research says, find an interesting topic and find what scholars are saying about it, and the thesis should come in response to that.” For example, this could be in the form of saying you agree with this scholar on this sociological problem because of this reason or another.
To engage with research properly, students must learn how to work through it by understanding the various communica-
tion methods academics use in their writing. Various aspects of research articles are discussed throughout ISP100, such as metadiscourse and hedging. Professor Vroom describes metadiscourse as “the language we use” and “a way of guiding the reader through the piece.” Since he argues that “essays are not just information dumps that list multiple facts, but they say something about them,” the metadiscourse language is used to show the reader what they are trying to say and how to understand the different voices in the conversation. Hedging is the language used to restrain from certainty and the “strength [with which] they believe something.” Scholarly debates often don’t have a clear-cut answer, so they use this language to indicate the difference between correlation and causation. For example, instead of saying that smoking causes cancer, they’ll say, “There’s a strong link between smoking and cancer.” Understanding these basic elements of academic texts will help students better understand them and succeed in university assignments.
Professor Vroom’s final message to students is that “The university has invested a whole lot of money and resources into making this new writing studies department a requirement and if you think that it is a nuisance or totally unrelated to what you do, you are definitely wrong.” This is because the need for proper communication remains a constant throughout all disciplines—something ISP100 can help with. Professor Vroom’s own students from political science to sociology all note how ISP100 concepts helped them do better on their assignments as it made them realise how “knowledge works in a university context.”
So, you’re thinking about saving money for your future? You’re hoping to buy a house to raise your family five years after graduation? You have student debt to repay? What about that limited-edition Raptors jersey you’ve had your eye on? Or that Louis Vuitton wallet and girls-trip to Bora Bora? Oh, you’ve only got 50 bucks in your savings account that your parents set up when you were a kid?
What if I had a solution for you? The University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) is home to a student-led investment fund that acts as a learning space for those interested in investing. Founded in 2018 with $15,000 from corner-stone sponsor Desjardin, UTM Capital has grown considerably and now boasts a record membership of over 130 students. For this academic year, the club has
rebranded from its preceding name “UTM Capital Management” and has launched a brand-new website. UTM Capital president, Laith Sabunchi, explains that the club addresses both the theory and real-world applications of investing. Sabunchi himself is a fourth-year economics student who has been thoroughly involved in his department and is currently completing an internship at RBC. He adds that students have the opportunity to “put general principals into practice and curate their own investment presentations recommending the stock of a company they choose.”
Investing and capital management requires more than just $50 in your savings account; it requires research, an understanding of the market, and developing a bias for action. Recent company developments have tended to stray away from providing pensions, leaving post-retirement financial responsibilities to employees. Resources like UTM Capital prepare students, soon entering the workforce, to invest in
their futures. UTM Capital’s members benefit from a close association with UTM’s Finance Learning Center (FLC), located in the basement of the Kaneff Centre. The FLCs knowledgeable staff assists students in accessing various financial databases and using financial software to conduct investment research and analysis.
The club, and investing in general, isn’t only for students who are pursuing careers in banking and finance. Sabunchi explains that through workshops, alumni events, and lectures the club connects students—from all backgrounds—to professionals with knowledge in investing. Most important, Sabunchi stresses that “We value a willingness to learn extremely highly.”
Each club member can select which industry group they wish to join; UTM Capital has six industry groups for the 2022-2023 academic year. Each industry group analyzes a company of their choosing throughout the year, culminating in each industry team preparing and presenting an investment
recommendation during the club’s annual closing ceremony. Stocks in the three most suitable companies that offer long-term growth potential are acquired and added to UTM Capital’s fund.
The chosen industry groups can cater to the interests of the club’s members. The six groups are metals, mining, and commodities; technology, media, and telecom; power, utilities, and infrastructure; healthcare; consumer and retail; and financial institutions. Sabunchi shares that “we have biology students in our healthcare group, [and] computer science students in our technology group.” He adds that all members of the club “develop both core and interpersonal skills during the year as students continue to work together and explore the process of analyzing a company.”
When Sabunchi joined the club last year, he became an analyst in the metals and mining group.
Professor Jonathan Vroom shares how building academic writing and reading skills is key for students’ successes across all disciplines.
A soon-to-be mandatory course that develops essential academic skills
>> UTM CAPITAL continued from page 08
Sabunchi recalls that he had to ask himself questions that were necessary for assessing the investment opportunities of a company within a particular sector, such as: “What does a company do? How does it make money? Is this something you can easily predict? Will it be successful heading into the future? How is the industry landscape? Is the company exposed to factors it can’t control?”
After presenting a thesis on the industry and the chosen company, MP Materials—a rare-earth materials mining company based in Las Vegas— Sabunchi’s team won the competition, and the company was inducted into the fund’s portfolio. Stepping into the role of president this year,
Sabunchi and his team have been occupied with staffing this year’s industry groups, assembling a full investment leadership team, restructuring the club for future success, and hosting several events.
Some of the clubs’ alumni are now established within global companies like J.P. Morgan and Goldman Sachs, Canadian banks like RBC and BMO, and accounting firms like EY and Deloitte. Sabunchi notes that the alumni network is growing, despite the club having launched only five years ago—a young organization compared to other student finance clubs and funds at U of T’s other campuses that date to the late 80s and 90s. “When you first launch an organization like this you aren’t going to see the network effects really manifest themselves until later on down the line, and we’re starting to see that happen this
year which is really exciting,” expresses Sabunchi. He adds, “Our alumni network is only going to strengthen over time and payback dividends to students looking to grow their own professional networks and learn more about the professional world.”
UTM Capital is well-supported by UTM’s faculty, administration, and alumni, each serving as mentors who guide the club’s decision-making and developments. So, for students looking to learn about investing, they’re in good hands. For those interested in planning for a brighter financial future, Sabunchi emphasizes that joining at the start of the year is the best way to be a member as participation is continuous and involved. However, for those interested now, they can message any of the executives on social media (@utmcap on Instagram) for more information.
Recent studies by evolutionary sleep anthropologists demonstrate the influence of environmental, social, and technological factors on human sleep patterns.
Cristina Pincente Staff WriterLeela McKinnon, a PhD student in Evolutionary Anthropology at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM), studies the evolution of human sleep. Specifically, she explores how a complex interaction of ecological and sociological drivers such as environment, culture, and technology shape human sleep patterns. Her current research focuses on sleep patterns and circadian rhythm analysis of Indigenous populations in a small-scale Maya community in Guatemala and the Wixárika community living in the mountains of Jalisco and Nayarit, Mexico.
After earning her undergraduate degree in Anthropology at Penn State University, she worked in healthcare in an ophthalmology office. McKinnon gained firsthand experience and observed the effects that lifestyle choices have on long-term outcomes. She only found interest in studying sleep once she met her current supervisor, David R. Samson, Director of UTM’s Sleep and Human Evolution Lab. Samson’s research documents sleep patterns in hunter-gatherers—individuals that rely on hunting, fishing, and foraging for food—and in small-scale agricultural communities in Guatemala, where he helped McKinnon build her connections for this project. McKinnon shares that she “loved looking anthropologically at something universal. Everyone sleeps, but not everyone sleeps the same way. So, what about sleep is similar or different across certain groups, and why? Where does health factor into this?”
Rapid urbanization has led industrialized societies into a sleep-loss epidemic. However, the comfort of our noise-buffered and temperature-controlled homes allows for longer and more efficient sleep. On the other hand, our circadian rhythms are far off due to varying sleep and wake times compared to small-scale groups such as the Kaqchikel in Guatemala.
Most sleep studies only look at one end of the extreme: either small-scale and completely non-industrial communities, or highly technological and completely industrialized populations. McKinnon’s and Samson’s co-authored paper “Technological infrastructure, sleep, and rest-activity patterns in a Kaqchikel Maya community” describes the Mayan community as “in-between” because it has undergone a transition to industrialization over the last few decades.
The study tested for sleep duration, sleep efficiency, rest-activity, wake/sleep times, and circadian rhythms among Maya
participants. The results were compared to previously collected quantitative data from Hadza hunter-gatherers, small-scale agriculturalists in Malagasy (no industrialization), and the United States (full industrialization). They used actitraphs, a device worn on the wrist and used to measure activity when asleep and awake, because they are less invasive than alternative methods. The actigraphs have “an internal censor that’s measuring movement. When we do sleep studies, we measure in one-minute intervals, so it’s a lot of data points,” McKinnon shares. “It’s very comfortable, participants forget they are wearing them. They are waterproof so that people can wear them all the time.”
Moreover, sex, gender, age, labour demands, and social activities also affect sleep patterns. In the Maya community, men are leaving agricultural work for jobs in construction, working for chalet owners as a result of global market influence. Women work as cleaners, babysitters, hotel workers, and crafters. These changes in labour roles affect the sleep of both men and women in the community. Men exhibit later sleep times as they spend all day working and are more eager to socialize at night. Meanwhile, women have to wake up earlier to make breakfast.
In addition, homes in the Mayan community are made of adobe and concrete blocks which protect them against temperature fluctuations. Although it’s not as protected from the elements as homes in the urban US, it is more protected from environmental sleep disruptions than the Hadza hunter-gatherers are exposed to.
McKinnon and Samson’s results demonstrate that “the relationship between industrialization and sleep is not linear and is shaped by a complex interaction of environmental and social factors.” For example, some nights, rain contributed to shorter sleep duration, possibly because the roof, being made of tin, causes more noise during the night.
The results of the Mayan sample indicate their sleep was longer and more efficient than sleep in Hadza hunter-gatherers, but shorter and less efficient than more industrialized populations like the US. The study concluded, “the climate control and safety of
urban settings may contribute to longer, better quality sleep while paradoxically also be leading to circadian rhythm weakening and desynchronization.”
The Mexico site is a much newer project, still in its early stages. McKinnon calls Wixárika “the most remote place I have ever been.” Due to more economic opportunities, many people within the community are moving to cities. “Indigenous ways of life are changing quite drastically and quickly all over the world, especially in these parts. Globally there is a lot more urbanization, and so groups that fairly recently relied on certain types of work and subsistence patterns are having to move to bigger cities or adopt different lifestyle patterns just with the growing urbanization,” says McKinnon. These are significant changes, and McKinnon is interested in finding out how these lifestyle changes will affect their sleep patterns.
McKinnon did a pilot study this past summer over six weeks; she measured the sleep of 20 people through surveys and interviews. She shares, “we found that average sleep duration was about 6.5 hours, similar to the published Maya and Malagasy results.” McKinnon feels that, historically, these remote Indigenous communities have been underrepresented in sleep research. “A lot of what we know is coming from economically advantaged populations. So, expanding that to those who have been historically unrepresented is important for finding out more about our health,” she shares. But what keeps people awake at night besides artificial lighting and the noisy disruption of the city nightlife? E-readers and smartphones in bed suppress melatonin; some studies say the blue light emitted by our smartphones is even worse for us than other types of light. McKinnon stresses that, “When sleep researchers give advice for insomnia, trouble sleeping, and trouble waking up, getting bright sunlight in the morning is a crucial part of that. It’s that light-dark balance; you should get the bright sunlight during the day, and conversely, after sunset, you want that darkness.”
Is it 2023 already? From writing down the wrong dates to simply not understanding my emotions, January is my time to celebrate and mourn the end of 2022. While I want to make 2023 better than ever, I’m conflicted by the good and bad days of the previous year. I’m afraid the bad will stick.
Music helps me get through my ever-changing emotions. With this playlist, I hope to mirror the five stages of grief. There are songs to get you through each stage: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.
While Taylor Swift’s “Long Live” encourages you to romanticise last year, Bastille’s “Pompeii” and Avril Lavigne’s “Losing Grip” stir up some unforgettable nostalgia. Aside from my penchant for Swift (despite being someone who’s never even been in a relationship), throughout the playlist you’ll likely notice the recurrence of older songs. That being said, one of my current go-to, newer sad songs, is “How Do I Say Goodbye” by Dean Lewis it always delivers tears. Similarity, Eminem’s melancholic song “Beautiful” can also activate the waterworks—once you understand the lyrics.
For rock lovers, this playlist has you covered with hits from Queen and Linkin Park to vent out your frustrations. 21 Pilots also prompts us to accept the end of the year by reminiscing. To finish it off, Bon Jovi’s “It’s My Life” helps us get a grip on the remainder of the year—because life is indeed “now or never.”
I invite you to dive head-first into your mixed emotions and process them with this playlist.
An ultimate guide to music releases that you do not want to miss this year.
Contributor
With the new year upon us, there are plen ty of things to look forward to—and music is no exception. Compiled here is a list of eight highly-anticipated releases in 2023 to refresh your playlists.
Måneskin - Rush! (January 20)
Following their victory in the 2021 Eurovision Song Contest with their song “ZITTI E BUONI,” Italian alternative glam rock band Måneskin quickly rose to international success. During the Summer of 2021, it was impossible to escape songs like “I WANNA BE YOUR SLAVE” and their cover of “Beggin” on social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. With a January 20 release date, you certainly do not want to miss the Italian rock band’s newest album, Rush!—featuring their newest singles “LA FINE” and “THE LONELIEST” alongside a 17-song tracklist.
Sam Smith - Gloria (January 27)
As a follow-up to their 2020 album Love Goes, English pop artist Sam Smith announced the release of their fourth studio album, Gloria in October 2022. Shortly after, Smith released their chart-topping single “Unholy” featuring Kim Petras, which made history in 2022 as the first song by an openly transgender and non-binary artists to top the Billboard Top 100 chart. With features from Jessie Reyez, Kim Petras,
Ed Sheeran, and Koffee, Smith’s Gloria is set to be released on January 27, with their “GLORIA the tour” beginning this spring.
Paramore - This Is Why (February 10)
Nearly six years after the release of After Laughter in 2017, pop punk band Paramore is back with their long-awaited album, This Is Why. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Front-woman Hayley Williams explained that while the new album will be reminiscent of the band’s early influences, it will feature a more “guitar-heavy” sound. Best-known for their songs “Misery Business” and “Still Into You,” Paramore is sure to impress with This Is Why
To the delight of her dedicated fan-base, Lana Del Rey has announced her ninth studio album, Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd—originally scheduled for March 10, but pushed back to March 24. The alternative pop singer-songwriter is well-known for her 2012 hit song, “Summertime Sadness,” her smoky, sultry vocals, and her cinematic writing style. Her new album is set to include features from acts such as Bleachers, Jon Batiste, and SYML
In a follow-up to her 2020 album, Plastic Hearts,
Miley Cyrus will be putting out her eighth studio album, Endless Summer Vacation on March 10. Since the release of the album’s first single, “Flowers,” Cyrus has shaken the media with her new look and fiery attitude. Many believe that “Flowers” was written as a “response” to the classic Bruno Mars hit, “When I Was Your Man.” In addition, fans worldwide have been uncovering “Easter eggs” throughout the song’s music video that point to Cyrus’s ex-husband, Liam Hemsworth. With her diverse music style, ranging from country to electropop to rock, Cyrus describes Endless Summer Vacation as a “love-letter” to Los Angeles., which will feature a “fresh yet nostalgic pop-rock” sound.
Known for her 2011 hit song, “Lights,” electropop singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding has scheduled her first post-pandemic album to come out this spring. Originally slated for release on February 3, Goulding explained in a series of tweets that the release of Higher Than Heaven will be delayed. In an October 2022 interview, Goulding hinted that Higher Than Heaven is an album “about being passionately
in love” and that the songs are inspired by “disco and future house” music.
Metallica - 72 Seasons (April 14)
Hailed as one of the “most successful heavy metal bands” of all time,” Metallica is back with their first album since 2016’s Hardwired… To Self-Destruct. With a career spanning back to 1981, the iconic thrash and heavy metal band is known for titles such as “Enter Sandman,” “Nothing Else Matters,” and “Master of Puppets.” Their newest album, 72 Seasons, is expected to be released on April 14, featuring 12 new songs—including their latest single “Lux Æterna”.
Chlöe - Chlöe (TBD)Famous for her role in the R&B duo Chlöe x Halle, Chlöe Bailey began a solo music career under the name Chlöe in 2021 with her debut single “Have Mercy.” In a 2022 tweet, Chlöe stated that she had finished recording her selftitled album, but remained tight-lipped about further details. Since then, she has released several successful singles, including “Treat Me” and “For the Night.” While Chlöe has not yet announced an official release date for her highly anticipated debut album, it is expected to be released sometime this year.
With the wide range of album releases to kick off 2023, there’s new music for everyone’s tastes. Mark your calendars and get your streaming platforms ready, because you certainly do not want to miss out on what these artists have in store for this year.
From kooky cartoons to a noteworthy Netflix series,
Megan Freedman Associate Arts & Entertainment EditorFour notes from a pipe organ and two snaps is all you need to recognize this historically “creepy and kooky” family. Beginning as a single-panel cartoon series by Charles Addams in the early 1930s, The Addams Family has turned into a massive franchise— featuring television shows, films, crossovers, video games, and even a Broadway musical. With Tim Burton’s Wednesday (2022) as the latest adaptation, a lot of the show’s success is owed to its predecessors.
Addams first published his cartoon series, The Addams Family, in The New Yorker in 1938. His art satirized the idea of the “nuclear family” of the mid-twentieth century by portraying a macabre-loving “old money” American family. Simply put, he illustrated a happy and loving family living odd lives. While The Addams Family cartoon did not give the characters individual names, the main players in all subsequent adaptations were featured.
In 1964, The Addams Family was given life with their first television series. The show introduced the family in a more comedic way—compared to their cartoon counterparts. The main characters of the family featured Gomez (John Astin), Morticia (Carolyn Jones), Wednesday (Lisa Loring), Pugsley (Ken Weatherwax), Uncle Fester (Jackie Coogan), Lurch (Ted Cassidy), and Grandmama (Marie Blake). While the show gained popularity, The Addams Family had direct competition with another strange, Frankenstein-inspired family— The Munsters (1964). Eventually, The Addams Family went on to gain cult classic status after reruns began to appear across broadcast networks.
Between the 1960’s and 1990’s, The Addams Family tured in different television series, specials, and crossovers— including a 1972 episode of Scooby Doo Missing.” In 1991, The Addams Family screen with a film directed by Barry Sonnenfeld. starred Angelica Huston as Morticia, Christopher Lloyd as Uncle Fester, and iconic role as Wednesday. Throughout the film, it is evident that Sonnenfeld reverted to the darker roots that had been established in Charles Addams’ original cartoons of the family.
Amid the motion picture’s grim tone, Sonnenfeld took the sweet Wednesday and molded her into the wonderfully woeful character that audiences know and love. The film and its 1993 sequel, Addams Family Values, provided us with some of the most memorable Wednesday scenes—such as her famous yet objectional Thanksgiving speech.
After Raúl Juliá’s untimely death in 1994, the Sonnenfeld chapter of The Addams Family franchise came to an end.
animated film brought back the exaggerated and comical looks of the family—with a short and round Gomez (Oscar Isaac) and a long and lanky Morticia (Charlize Theron).
The latest addition to The Addams Family catalogue is Netflix’s Wednesday. Burton’s hit series is a different kind of entry into The Addams Family franchise. While Gomez (Luis Guzmán), Morticia (Catherine Zeta Jones), Pugsley (Isaac Ordonez), Lurch (George Burcea), and Uncle Fester (Fred Armisen) all make appearances in the show, the focus is on Wednesday (Jenna Ortega) and her hand-creature, Thing (Victor Dorobantu). As they navigate Nevermore Academy, a boarding school, the show unpacks Wednesday’s backstory unlike ever before. Since its release, it became the second most watched show on Netflix—but some fans still have complaints.
Many felt that casting Guzmán as Gomez was wrong for the superficial reason that he lacked Juliá’s charm when playing the character. There was also criticism about placing Wednesday amongst other “outcasts”—considering Addams’s cartoons were a satire and had little to do with feeling outcasted.
Wednesday is just the latest in a long line of Addams Family adaptations, and it is obvious that the show is aware of its roots and the cultures that created the family. As a lifelong Addams Family fan myself, seeing Christina Ricci cast as a teacher at Nevermore reminded me of her iconic and most beloved version of Wednesday. The only thing I was really missing from Wednesday was the irreplaceable Addams Family theme song.
In the summer of 2019, I took a road trip across Spain. From Madrid, to the southern Andalusian cities (Sevilla, Granada, and Marbella), and lastly to the northern city of Barcelona, I immersed myself in the country’s thriving culture, rich history, intricate art, and inspiring architecture. I spent my days avoiding the scorching August sun (it was 44 degrees and unpleasant) by leeching off the weak air conditioning in the country’s architectural palaces and museums.
When I returned home, I thought extensively about a drawing I’d seen in The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía. The museum, located in Madrid, displays many of the works from Spain’s treasured artists: Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dalí. Solemnly hung in a distant gallery of the museum, Julio González’s Study for the Head of “Montserrat”, No. 2, a graphite drawing on paper, sent chills down my spine—an emotive response unfamiliar to me in any of my previous encounters with a sketch.
In moments of reflection, I realize the effect that art has on my experiences and feel-
ings. In my childhood, museums fulfilled the role of a playground. Now, I find myself best organizing my life in works of art—a new piece commemorating a trip, experience, or emotion. As I scroll through Twitter or trek through art galleries, any stroke on a canvas, graphite scratch on a paper, or indent in clay can stay ingrained in my memory, leaving a lasting mark.
Julio González, born September 21, 1878, was a Spanish artist who spent most of his ca-
reer welding modern iron sculptures. A close friend to Picasso, he was heavily influenced by his comrade’s cubist work, translating it into a unique sculptural visual language.
In the late 1930s, González translated his feeling about the Spanish Civil War and the Second World War on paper. The artist was directly affected by each war—his daughter and her husband, a German painter, were separated from the rest of the family at the time of German occupancy in France. His displeasure with feelings of isolation is evident in his pieces. Prior to his death in 1942, González’s drawings continued to reflect on deep suffering and despair.
the Virgin of Montserrat, González’s Study for the Head of “Montserrat”, No. 2 is a realistic visual allegory of mourning and grief. The dramatically parted lips and the shadows cast on the woman’s cheeks display tension and depth in the graphite sketch. González places emphasis on the strain in the facial expression by using looser pencil marks to illustrate the woman’s clothing. Her features are sharp, seemingly like her character, drawing the viewer in with the drama while keeping them at a distance with her scream.
JULIO GONZÁLEZ
The name of the drawing, Study for the Head of “Montserrat”, No. 2, has multiple meanings. Montserrat, a mountain range near Barcelona, is González’s birthplace. The Santa Maria de Montserrat monastery, located on the mountain, venerates the Virgin of Montserrat—a statue of the Madonna and Child and a symbol of revolt. The word “Montserrat,” meaning “jagged mountains,” is also used as a given name for many women of the region. González’s mature, figural work reflects on the Fascist violence in Spain while also honouring women who suffered greatly from the country’s divide. As one of hundreds of drawings dedicated to
From the sketch, the sculpture Head of Montserrat, II, was cast in bronze posthumously, from a plaster left in González’s studio. The work is exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City. Its bronze sculpture holds the same tension and has the same effect as the drawing—prompting museum visitors to stop, hypnotised by the emotion of the unfamiliar woman. In my visit to the MoMA last winter, the experience came full circle, as I realized how the artist’s works in both mediums had similar effects on me. I felt drawn to her in Spain, and in the same way, I stood in front of the sculpture and saw parts of myself within her. I examined her familiar scream, my lips parted in the same shape as the woman, and I understood art’s ability to capture the beauty of emotions.
How a sketch became the most memorable part of my trip to Spain.
Radhia Rameez Associate Sports & Health Editor
When the Recreation, Wellness & Athletics Centre (RAWC) at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) first opened after Covid-19 restrictions lifted, there were no fitness trainers to help rebuild the department’s programming—most of them had been let go over the course of the pandemic. RAWC fitness program assistant, Hiro Zhou, came up with the Workout of the Day (WOD) program to address the gym’s lack of trainers.
“Basically, I started offering [WODs] for clients who had finished their 3x30 personal training sessions to give new student trainers an opportunity to watch me train [a small group of] beginners and learn from practical experience,” Zhou says. “Once I feel the new trainer is ready, I will allow them to cotrain with me as I supervise them, [and] finally, when I believe they are good enough to lead, they will take over that class.”
WOD is different from traditional group fitness classes, which are usually large. Instead, WOD is a small group training class. It currently has a maximum capacity of six partici-
pants and isn’t designed to target any specific fitness goal like weight loss or muscle building. “What you do when you show up is usually whatever the trainer decides to give you,” explains Zhou. “The goal is for you to learn that exercise with good technique, so you can add it to your own program when you’re working out outside of the class.”
Since classes are so small, trainers often go around to each participant, one by one, and help them with the exercises. “We teach them how to do more traditional exercises in the gym,” says Zhou. “We teach them how to use dumbbells, barbells, cable machines, […] which is not something you can do in a large class of about twenty people.”
The exercises usually change each week, focusing on both upper body and lower body fitness. WODs are free of charge for registered students, and there is no limit to the number of sessions they can attend throughout the semester. While WOD started off with just three sessions a week, it has now expanded to at least one session each day with most trainers leading at least one session throughout the week.
Zhou recommends that participants first complete their 3x30 personal training sessions before signing up for a WOD because it would work best as an extension of the 3x30 program. However, it is not a rule, and all students are welcome to sign up.
“RAWC WODs are also great opportunities to meet new people and connect with others around the same fitness level,” Zhou concludes. “Having workout buddies and someone to hold you accountable is key to staying on track.”
You can sign up for RAWC’s WOD by visiting the RAWC website.
The Recreation, Athletics & Wellness Center (RAWC) at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) offers several fitness services and sport activities to help members of the UTM community stay active and healthy. Use of their facilities is free for registered T-card holding UTM students who may be interested in some new recreational opportunities at the RAWC.
Recently, they have introduced a new set of aquatic classes that encourage group fitness in the pool. One of the classes is called Stand-up Paddleboarding, or H2O SUP Pilates. According to the RAWC website, a SUP class takes a core routine and adds “variety and extra stabilizers” into exercises on the paddleboard.
When asked about how she would describe stand-up paddleboarding, Chrissy Seehaver, aquatics program coordinator at
THE FITNESSISTAthe RAWC, said, “Stand-up Paddleboarding is a great way to get in the pool, challenge yourself with a fun new activity, practice balance, and work on strengthening your stabilizer muscles.”
She explained what students can expect from the class: “We have two different options for SUP. The first option is our stand-up paddleboard drop-in sessions, where students will have the opportunity to come with their friends and get to know the board. Students can paddle
around the pool and try out different ways to use the pool at their own pace. The second option is our H20 SUP Pilates class. In this class we have an instructor guiding students through a Stott Pilates class on the stand-up paddleboard, challenging balance and strengthening the deep core muscles.”
People with all levels of fitness and experience are welcome to participate in these activities. There is no specific fitness rank that limits the program’s availability to a wide variety of people. There is, however, one standard that all participants must meet for safety reasons. The class requires participants to have a minimum set of swimming skills. To determine whether they meet this standard, participants take a facility swim test which, as Seehaver mentions, “can be done
with life jackets to allow for greater participation.” This option makes the activity safer and more encouraging for people who aren’t as comfortable with swimming.
Long-time UTM staff member, Ryan, recently joined a SUP class at UTM because he found it “new and exciting.” He had never tried any of the pool classes before. Believing that stand-up paddleboarding presents a challenge participants may appreciate, Ryan says, “Attendees will definitely find the class more challenging than your typical RAWC class—Pilates or otherwise—because of the extra balance work to ensure you don’t fall off. They’ve only held it once so far, so we’ll see how it goes from here on out.”
Stand-up paddleboarding is a great option for anyone who enjoys fitness, swimming, or trying new things. “We wanted to provide new, fun, and interesting ways to get more students participating in the pool,” says Seehaver. “We also wanted to offer more dynamic fitness opportunity to all our student participants.”
“The goal is for you to learn exercise with good technique,” he says of the recently launched Workout of the Day program.HIRO ZHOU/RAWC