Volume 49, Issue 22

AESTHETIC NOTES ELLYN WALKER NATALIE EMIDIO

I need space to map out my thoughts, draw connections, and create salient visual cues to help me recall these relationships later. And while individual note-taking styles vary like fingerprints, studies show that creative personalizations can improve memory.

>> read more on page 09

Strengthening Indigenous ties: UTM’s first-ever AllNations Powwow

Mashiyat Ahmed Staff Writer

Even though the class was held on Zoom, the passion Professor Walker had for curating was palpable through the screen. Inspired by her radical thinking that strayed from tradition, I made sure to take her fourth-year seminar courses.

>> read more on page 10

With her love for jazz and hip-hop music, artists such as Britney Spears, Julianne Hough, Stephen “tWitch” Boss, and the Royal Family dance crew became early inspirations that set Emidio off on her dance journey.

>> read more on page 16

OnMarch 25, 2023, the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM), in partnership with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, will be hosting its first-ever All-Nations Powwow. The event is open to all students and staff, and is a significant step towards the inclusion of diverse cultural celebrations and the deepening of connections with Indigenous community members. A powwow is an Indigenous social celebration where community members gather and enjoy traditional singing, dancing, and art.

>> POWWOW continues on page 02

ARTS

Love Island UK 2023: The trials and tribulations of being a sexy single

Elizabeth Provost, Daanish Alvi, and Bilaal Mohamed Editor-in-Chief, Staff Writer, and Contributor

Spoiler Warning: Article mentions winners of Love Island UK, Season 9.

Love Island UK is a reality dating TV show that follows a group of single people who move to a luxury villa, away from civilization, to find love. Throughout the show, unannounced added contestants, called “bombshells,” test the islander’s relationships—along with kissing challenges and re-couplings. A £50,000 cash prize is awarded to the couple who wins the votes of the public in the final round—viewers also play an active role in deciding the fate of pairs during the season.

Throughout the season, the Love Island couples test their viability with a four- to five-day retreat to Casa Amor, where the boys and girls are separated and introduced to new bombshells. This experience culminates in an explosive recoupling, where the girls return to the villa—either alone or with a new arm candy—to see if their love interest has stayed loyal.

After three months of witnessing 18 singles (each with the emotional intelligence of a squirrel) try to find their soulmates in the villa (which isn’t even on an island by the way), we thought the best way to summarize our viewing experience was to provide a backstory of the four couples that made it to the finals.

>> LOVE ISLAND UK continues on page 14

FEATURES

Lecture Me! Refugee women’s experiences with technology shock

Olga Fedossenko Associate Features Editor

Imagine you arrive in a new country, and you do not have your phone. You cannot call or text anyone, you cannot search up the route to your hotel or Airbnb, and you cannot translate how to ask the locals where the nearest bus stop is. Many refugees feel lost and cut off from all technology upon their arrival to their countries of asylum. Many do not even know how to use the technology presented to them during their resettlement. Women in particular face a number of problems when learning to navigate unfamiliar technology in a new country with an unknown language.

A refugee is a legal term defined by the United Nations Refugee Agency as someone unable or unwilling to return to their country of origin from fear of prosecution “for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion.” Professor Negin Dahya, from the Institute of Communication, Culture, Information, and Technology, has carried out research concerning the technologies accessible through refugee service providers. She explored women’s experiences

navigating technology shock when migrating to the United States. “We often hear people talk about refugees as a homogenous group, and that is very much inaccurate. Women who experience forced migration are often overlooked as a distinct category within the refugee group,” notes Professor Dahya. Her research seeks to create policies to help refugee women adjust more easily to the innovative technologies in their new countries. When Professor Dahya talks about technology, she does not just mean mobile phones, computers, and the internet. She mentions that technology also includes home appliances like sewing machines, laundry machines, and dishwashers that women struggle with when settling in a new place. One of the refugee women she met during her research said she faced a problem using a dryer for the first time. “At first, I didn’t understand how to use the dryer at all. My friend came to me and said: ‘What kind of a greasy layer do you have here [talking about the lint trap]? And I said: ‘How do I know that it has to be cleaned? This is my first time using it,’” shared the woman. Unlike the men, throughout resettlement, women have less opportunity to brush up on their English skills.

>> LECTURE ME! continues on page 11

SAMIRA KARIMOVA/THE MEDIUM

Strengthening Indigenous ties: UTM’s firstever All-Nations Powwow

>> POWWOW continued from page 01

The music and dance associated with powwows are traditional hallmarks that come from the Great Plain nations of Canada and the United States. The drumming in the powwow determines the type of dancing that can be performed. However, most powwows are very flexible and open to all dancing styles.

In an interview with The Medium, Tee Duke, director of UTM’s Office of Indigenous Initiatives, explains that powwows and other collective ceremonial celebrations not only create physical spaces to express Indigeneity, but “challenge the notions often embedded in the erasure of Indigenous Peoples, […] and creates space for Indigenous knowledge, language, and land-based learning” to take place. In fact, Duke contends that “reconciliation is a collective responsibility,” as highlighted by the community-based aspects of many Indigenous traditions today.

On par with this sentiment, a collective effort to maintain values of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada are fundamental to making the broader U of T community feel welcomed and supported. “We volunteer at Indigenous agencies, we sit on Indigenous organization boards, we attend cultural events/activities, and we are robust advocates for our community,” says Duke.

“What if we spent our energies on relations rather than competition, on ways to support others instead of defeating them?”

There also several UTM Indigenous Centre initiatives focused on the university community specifically. In addition to the two allocated spaces for Indigenous students and staff on campus—the Tipi outside of the Maanjiwe nendamowinan (MN) building and the Indigenous Centre Gathering Space on the sixth floor of MN—the Indigenous Centre is looking to introduce more initiatives dedicated to place-making, signage, and revitalization of languages.

But why should UTM students and staff attend the All-Nations Powwow, and other similar celebrations? In conversation with The Medium, Professor Ken Derry from the Department of Historical Studies says that there is a lot to learn from the Indigenous way of life, and attending a powwow is an immersive way to gain first-hand exposure to it. “Most Indigenous cultures emphasize the importance of relationships, for instance,” says Professor Derry. “These relationships involve both the human and non-human worlds […] [whereas] colonial societies have typically emphasized individual achievement and gain.” Learning from other cultures can prompt people to ask important questions directly

related to their well-being and that of others. For instance, Professor Derry, whose research involves studying Indigenous films and healing, says that one such question may be “What if we spent our energies on relations rather than competition, on ways to support others instead of defeating them?”

Looking prospectively, Duke hopes that “through on-going education and relationship-building with one another that is embedded in reciprocal allyship and ownership of the collective responsibility of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission,” UTM and the greater Canadian community will be a better and more supportive place for all people—Indigenous and non-Indigenous alike.

Students interested in UTM’s Indigenous community can visit the Indigenous Centre website to learn more about upcoming events and opportunities. UTM students and staff can attend the All-Nations Powwow on March 25, 2023, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Recreation, Athletics and Wellness Centre. Before attending, however, it is important for students and staff to learn about specific powwow etiquette; more information about this can be found on the Indigenous Centre website

How data and artificial intelligence is used to fight crime

Kathleen Xu

On March 25, 2023, the Fighting Crime with Big Data Conference will take place at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) from 11:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Innovation Centre, Kaneff Centre. Planned events include keynote speeches, a panel discussion, a light lunch, networking opportunities, and an award ceremony for the 2023 BIGDataAIHUB Case Competition.

The competition was organized by UTM’s Institute of Management of Innovation. This year’s competition—which began on November 26, 2022—was a four-month experiential learning and development opportunity, where students applied big data and artificial intelligence tools to address real-life problems. All U of T students with big data or artificial intelligence experience were eligible to participate. The competition used very large data sets, provided by Scotiabank, to analyze criminal activity such as human trafficking, money laundering, and forced labour.

In conversation with The Medium, Professor Kevin Yousie, chair of the BIGDataAIHUB Case Competition and co-chair of the Fighting Crime with Big Data Conference says, “In this era of big data and artificial intelligence, organizations such as police departments and financial institutions have made good progress in identifying ways to recognize patterns of criminal

behavior that were not possible before.” By using various algorithm and data analysis techniques, it is possible to identify illicit activity using various information. An example would be identifying money laundering schemes by bringing attention to suspicious payment transactions.

Professor Yousie explains that “through this experience students learn about crimes such as money laundering and human trafficking, but more importantly, how technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning are being used to combat them.” Throughout the competition, a number of optional technical workshops were offered to participants, cov-

ering skills such as data visualization, Python fundamentals, as well as Pandas advanced data manipulation and text analytics.  This year 51 teams competed. The competition involved two rounds of judging, where five finalists were chosen from the first round of submissions. The five finalists will present their work in the morning of March 25—right before the conference, and the top three teams will be announced when the conference ends. The first prize is $12,000, the second prize is $8,000, and the third prize is $5,000.

Beyond the competition, the Fighting Crime with Big Data Conference will address the presence of sex trafficking operations in Canada. Stuart Davis, executive vice president of Scotiabank’s Financial Crimes Risk Management division, will provide opening remarks alongside Professor Yousie and Professor Irene M. Wiecek. Through his roles within various financial institutions, Davis has worked to dismantle online child exploitation, human trafficking, and money laundering. Ian Mitchell, founder of The Knoble—a non-profit organization that fights crimes such as human trafficking, elder abuse, and child exploitation—will also be one of the speakers, among others participating in the conference.

Professor Yousie has indicated that “The conference is open to all students. You will not need an understanding of computational science, statistics, or math to find value in this conference.” Attendees will have a chance to network and chat with industry professionals as well as other students. Registration for the conference is available online, and walk-ins on the day are also welcome.

The Fighting Crime with Big Data conference explores the role of new technology in law enforcement and crime prevention.

Contributor

UTM will be hosting a Powwow to provide space for celebration and reconciliation while also introducing Indigenous knowledge and values to the university community.

Mashiyat Ahmed Staff Writer

When the moon is sighted, Ramadan is underway

In conversation with The Medium, Dr. Seyfeddin Kara

Emily Rogers Associate News Editor

UTM ICUBE startup partners with Toronto restaurants

Inwit, a startup business supported by University of Toronto Mississauga’s (UTM) entrepreneurship incubator, ICUBE, has been partnering with Toronto restaurants to reduce the amount of disposable plastics in the catering businesses. The company offers waste-free stainless-steel packaging to restaurants, replacing plastic and Styrofoam containers. Individual customers can use the Inwit app to order takeout and receive it in such containers. The site also offers corporate catering, so companies can order meals to feed employees or for larger corporate events. After use, the containers can be returned in exchange for points, which can be used towards future purchases. Inwit emphasizes the importance of reusables because while recycling is well intentioned, only about 11 per cent of disposed plastic ends up being recycled.

U of T students win the NFL’s Big Data Bowl

This week marks the beginning of an important month in the Islamic calendar, Ramadan. This holy month requires Muslims to fast from dawn until Iftar—the evening meal which breaks fast. It is also a month where other positive acts are augmented, such as giving to charity, helping others, and practicing self-restraint.

The Medium spoke to Dr. Seyfeddin Kara, a postdoctoral fellow at U of T’s Department for the Study of Religion. He holds a PhD in Islamic Studies from the University of Durham, United Kingdom. Dr. Kara states that “Ramadan is the holiest month in Islam [and] this information is written in the Quran [because] it’s the month that the Quran was revealed to the Prophet PBUH.” He emphasizes the Quran’s revelation as the primary reason for Ramadan’s significance since it is the holy book of Islam and the main form of guidance for Muslims.

The reason Muslims are required to fast in Ramadan is for “spiritual purification” and “divine guidance,” notes Dr. Kara. He explains that fasting for a month, combined with the Quran and other acts of worship encouraged during this time, helps for “the human soul to be reset and uplift the human spirit. Refraining from food and water encourages self-discipline and control of your bodily functions.” Dr. Kara states that ordinarily when we feel hungry or thirsty, our first instinct is to eat or drink. However, in Ramadan, the individual decides to abstain from such things, and must follow through with their commitment. By not giving into bodily urges, the individual strengthens their willpower and self-control.

Another benefit of fasting is to show empathy for the less fortunate. Dr. Kara says that by not immediately taking food that is readily available, food is no longer taken for granted and is appreciated more. We feel the same hunger and pain as those suffering from poverty, thus gaining empathy for their misfortune. This encourages Muslims to give to charity and perform acts of kindness. Dr. Kara also describes “helping the needy” as a “form of worship in Islam.”

The spiritual benefits of fasting include various social components. Dr. Kara cites “community relations” as important. “[Ramadan] is a month where communities come together, have joint prayers, and celebrate.” He explains that the most notable celebration of this month is the holy day of Eid, the last day of the month, where “people celebrate their spiritual achievements and [the] guidance they attained.”

Notably, fasting benefits have been utilized by non-Muslims as well. Dr. Kara notes that many people adopt intermittent fasting as a means of transforming their health and weight. He contends that we tend to “excessively eat,” and fasting forces us to stop and prevents the negative impacts of overeating.

“[Ramadan] is a month where communities come together, have joint prayers, and celebrate.”

The fast has its own benefits for university students as well. In an email interview with The Medium, Ahmad Marouf, the president of the University of Toronto Mississauga Muslim Students’ Association (UTMMSA), explains that, “We believe Islam is a complete system for life and humanity, meaning Islam gives us moral systems, political systems, and definitely spiritual systems as well. […] We believe fasting is part of the system that seeks to regulate and optimize your soul.” Based on his own fasting experience, Marouf says “You’d expect to be more tired, yet somehow, you’re able to have higher levels of focus.” He mentions that “letting go of what you desire is often refreshing and transformative.”

“Fasting can affect students in many ways. For instance, students may have improved focus and self-discipline […] However, sleep schedules are often disrupted a bit, and at times practices associated with fasting for breaking fast may coincide with academic obligations,” says Marouf. Regardless, the university offers accommodations such that students can fulfil both academic and religious obligations.

Marouf concludes that the MSA has events planned this month, such as lectures, community Iftars, group prayers, and socials with other Muslims. Students can find out more at the UTMMSA’s Instagram (@UTMMSA)

Alongside its football competition, the NFL hosts a sports-analytics “Super Bowl” called the Big Data Bowl. This year, it was won by a trio of U of T students: Hassaan Inayatali, Aaron White, and Daniel Hocevar. The students met and became friends in the U of T Sports Analytics Student Group before teaming up. In the competition, alongside around 400 other teams, the group was tasked with creating an improved method of analyzing players’ pass-blocking and pass-rushing performances, both as a team and individuals. The trio developed a statistical analysis using measurements of newly defined benchmarks: continuous pocket pressure, offensive pocket life expectancy, defensive pocket life expectancy, and surplus pressure. Last year, the winners were a group of graduate students from Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, making this the second year in a row the competition was won by university students, and the first time ever won by undergraduates.

Spring drive introduced at Mississauga Food Bank to address rising demand

Demands at food banks in Mississauga have risen at an unprecedented level the past few years, with 2023 seeing a 41 per cent rise in food bank users. This totals to 13,326 people who had to resort to community services for food. In response, the Mississauga Food Bank is launching a Spring Drive, aiming to raise $750,000 by April 23, 2023. The food bank is asking for financial contributions—to enable bulk purchasing and selective purchasing of nutritionally dense foods—as well as food donations. Additionally, the Mississauga Food Bank is also setting out unique programs, including the Community Market—which delivers fresh fruit and vegetables to people’s doors, and the Food Bank 2 Home Delivery Program—which allows people to select food options for delivery. On April 8, 15, and 22, volunteers from the food bank will be at grocery stores in Mississauga to accept donations of food or money in person.

Dollar store chains contributing to “food deserts”

In the past few years, US chains Dollar General’s and Dollar Tree’s expansions have far exceeded those of Walmart, CVS, and Target combined. While these stores are often the only source of affordable groceries for many people with low-income, they also drive out independent grocers, leaving areas without access to fresh foods. This creates areas known as “food deserts.” U of T professor of strategic management, El Hadi Caoui, explains in a University of California Los Angeles Anderson School of Management article that the entry of dollar stores into the market contributes to a loss of one grocery store per three dollar stores in a two-mile radius. These stores typically hold non-perishables, soda, and snacks, as opposed to fresh produce, with only select Dollar General locations offering fruits and vegetables. While the lower prices may give customers a choice, those frequenting dollar stores cannot simultaneously afford the added transportations costs of visiting independent grocers and the products they sell. Additionally, dollar stores sell at lower prices partly due to smaller portion sizes, meaning customers end up spending more in the long run.

UTMMSA president Ahmad Marouf share their thoughts on Ramadan, explaining the spiritual, religious, and physical benefits of fasting.

Yusuf Larizza-Ali Staff Writer

MARIO RODRIGUEZ/AGGIE

The High Seas Treaty: a step forward for marine conservation

March 4, 2023, at the Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction in New York, members of the United Nations reached an agreement—widely referred to as the High Seas Treaty—that outlined initiatives for protecting marine areas outside of countries’ territorial waters. This comes three months after the December 2022 UN Biodiversity Conference held in Montreal, where a goal was set to protect 30 per cent of the Earth’s lands and waters by 2030.

In an interview with The Medium, Andrea Olive, a professor in the Department of Political Science and the Department of Geography, Geomatics, and Environment at the University of Toronto Mississauga, says this treaty demonstrates that “despite all our disagreements, the global community can come together and cooperate.” Given that such an agreement has been in the works for nearly two decades, the agreement’s finalization comes as a monumental step forward in regards to global conservation efforts. “[To] have something formal passed through the international process is remarkable progress,” contends Professor Olive.

As stated in a CNN article, this treaty is set to create “marine protected areas in international waters,” which is significant given that only approximately one per cent of international waters are currently protected. Such areas are home to a plethora of marine species. Further regulation of activities such as fishing and deepsea mining is essential

Onto the protection of wildlife and biodiversity.

However, there remains the matter of countries signing and ratifying this agreement. Professor Olive points out that Canada is “a signatory to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which predated [the High Seas Treaty],” thus making it likely that the country will sign the agreement.

Notably, Canada is also home to many Indigenous Peoples, bringing to question how the High Seas Treaty will impact such communities. Professor Olive explains that “How [the High Seas Treaty] will impact them should be up to them. It will create opportunities for new marine protected areas including, presumably, Indigenous Marine Protected Areas.” However, she believes that it is too early to predict the effects of the agreement, as Canada has yet to sign or ratify it.

Furthermore, there is also the question of whether the treaty will adequately protect oceans at large, and whether further action is necessary for substantial ocean protection. “The issue will always be monitoring and enforcement,” says Professor Olive. “The ocean is a big place, and it will be hard to monitor [overfishing and transport ships]. Every country with a coastline and continental shelf will still need to do its best to protect 30 per cent of its own territory.”

While the High Seas Treaty is a noteworthy advancement in the fight against marine biodiversity loss, its effects on an international scale are still up for speculation.

After decades of deliberation, UN member states reach an agreement—commonly known as the High Seas Treaty—focusing on protecting marine species within international waters.

Editor | Kareena Kailass opinion@themedium.ca

EDITORIAL BOARD

Editor-in-Chief Elizabeth Provost editor@themedium.ca

Managing Editor Juliana Stacey managing@themedium.ca

News Larry Lau news@themedium.ca

Opinion Kareena Kailass opinion@themedium.ca

Features Prisha (Maneka) Nuckchady features@themedium.ca

A&E Julia Skoczypiec arts@themedium.ca

Sports Alisa Samuel sports@themedium.ca

Photo Samira Karimova photos@themedium.ca

Design Manjot Pabla design@themedium.ca

Copy Aidan Thompson aidan@themedium.ca

River Knott river@themedium.ca

Social Belicia Chevolleau social@themedium.ca

Podcast Kareem Al-Sawalmeh message@themedium.ca

ASSOCIATES

Emily Rogers, News

Mihail Cubata, News

Dalainey Gervais, Features

Olga Fedossenko, Features

Megan Freedman, Arts

Maja Tingchaleun, Arts

Melody Yang, Sports

Radhia Rameez, Sports

Beatriz Simas, Photos & Design

Aurora Picciottoli, Photos & Design

Why do we feel so guilty? Editorial

On the origins of good, bad, and evil.

Let’s talk about guilt.

We’re finally nearing the end of the winter semester and assignments are piling up. It’s no secret that students and faculty alike have difficulty keeping up with projects and due dates at this time of year—we’re all tired! Although our energy has been depleted, we continue to hold ourselves to high (maybe even impossible) standards. Ultimately, when we fumble on an assignment or an important reading slips through our fingers, many of us start to feel guilty. No matter how worn out you are or how valiant your efforts were on that last quiz, you still beat yourself up over any shortcomings, asking questions like: Why didn’t I work harder? Am I even cut out for this?

However, guilt is not an emotion that comes pre-packaged with the human experience. Guilt is more like a selfinflicted punishment which we receive when we do something that we perceive as being “bad” or “immoral.” But where do these perceptions come from? Words like “good,” “bad,” and “evil” have historically served the fundamental purpose of perpetuating obedience among civilians within societies. Monarchs, nobles, and religious figures used their power and influence to tell people how to behave so that their societies ran to their standards. These elites determined what was “good,” and perhaps more importantly, what was “evil.” These concepts have been drilled so deeply into our minds that when we stray even slightly from

being “good,” we punish ourselves internally using guilt—that old familiar deep ache in the belly, those nasty words gnawing at the back of your mind.

Guilt is an emotion that is learned, but is also one which can be better understood, given enough time. Try not lie awake at night thinking about how “bad” you are for missing your last essay deadline. Instead, try to think about why you feel guilty about it? Try to think about who taught you to torture yourself with guilt in this way. Is being the perfect student, teacher, or employee really the epitome of what is “good” in your world? Or is goodness and badness more complex than you think it is? Is it so “bad” to rest when we are tired? Or to make an honest mistake? Is anything quite as serious as people make it out to be?

Spoiler alert: It probably isn’t.

@themediumUTM @themediumUTM

@themediumUTM @themediumUTM

@themessageUTM @humansofUTM_

Oh,my parents went to university in their home country, but their credits didn’t transfer over.

This was a common lie I would tell in class to fit in with my peers. In reality, my parents never went to university. A veil of guilt would wash over me as I realized what I’d just done, telling a lie to protect myself from humiliation. However, what I did not realize at the time, were the lengths my parents went to to provide me with an education they could not receive.

These moments of doubt and shame are far from uncommon for first-generation university students. There’s something about leaving home and feeling as if you’ve abandoned and betrayed your family. Disrupting intergenerational continuity and becoming the first in your family to go to university is not an easy task. Often, it feels like a loss of a sense of self—a constant state of moratorium. We feel as though we’re rejecting our past and community, which fuels a disconnection between who we are and who we desire to be. Feeling as though we are leaving behind such crucial parts of our identity can make us feel like we have to find ourselves all over again, thus constantly being in the process of finding our sense of self and succumbing to guilt.

I find there are two types of guilt that first-generation students usually experience: the guilt of not enduring what your parents did, and the guilt that your parents never got to have what you’re going through.

The first form of guilt speaks to the sacrifices our parents made to get us where we are today.

We feel as though we should be suffering as much as they did. Shouldn’t we also work diligently for our kids to live an even better life? Sometimes, it even feels like a form of survivor’s guilt. As if we physically and psychologically made it out of a traumatic and life-threatening event, whereas our parents may not have. We understand that our parents worked hard for us to prosper, but it can feel like we don’t deserve it. Typically, this guilt response can layer with other forms of guilt, such as being the child of immigrants, exacerbating it even more.

The latter is often a bittersweet feeling, engulfing our every desire when we want to live the lives we want. A single, even momentary episode of joy can lend itself to feelings of guilt and anxiety. Why? Because we feel bad. We feel bad that our parents couldn’t have the fun we’re having now. We feel bad that we are living while our parents are merely surviving. It can feel as though you’re not able to fully enjoy yourself because you’re constantly reminded of your privileges.

Know that you’re not alone in this. The feeling of breakaway guilt targets more students than you think. Oftentimes, suffering in silence can make one feel more alone. The lack of community and awareness prevents us from getting to know others who may also be suffering. It isn’t talked about nearly enough because the feeling of unwanted guilt can be such a tender topic. It is important to remember that we are not our parents, and we are not our guilt. Talking about feeling shameful is not a shameful act (even if our parents may say it is #collectivisticcultures).

It’s important to remember that living a life of happiness and fulfilment is not selfish. Feeling guilty assumes the responsibility: you are not at fault for having opportunities and seizing them. You are allowed to live the life you want to live. You are the fruit of your parents’ labour, and there is no point in letting it spoil.

The Medium

Opening the door for new dialogue; the emotions and sacrifices that come with being a first-generation university student.

Baamie Dorazahi Contributor

The guilt of being a firstgeneration student

K. MITCH HODGE/UNSPLASH

Dear UTM, thank you…

…for being my safety net, and preparing me for what’s next

Emily Minasvand Contributor

Likemany adolescents my age, I suffer from anxiety. The term that best describes what I feel is anticipatory anxiety: fear of the unknown. Routines and schedules have always helped keep me grounded. Whenever I lose a long-established routine, like when a semester ends, my mind beings to spiral. For years, I always had the fall semester to look forward to.

But not anymore.

In less than a month, I will say goodbye to UTM. My days spent commuting to campus, attending lectures, and studying for midterms will be over forever. Never again will I eat lunch in the Instructional Building, or get lost in Davis, or submit an assignment on Quercus.

After pouring my blood, sweat, and tears into my studies over the past four years, I am ready to leave. Long gone are the fears that plagued my younger self who worried about how I would cope with the loss of the safety net of school after graduating university.

As the countdown to convocation continues, I look onto the future with the belief that everything will work out for the best. While I will certainly miss UTM, I will always cherish my rare university experience amid a global pandemic.

In a few months, I won’t remember the tests I failed or the shuttles I missed. What I will remember are the friends I met and the memories I made.

I can’t wait to see who I become. The future may be scary, but I say, bring it on.

…for my undergraduate transformation

Hema Ramnarine Staff Writer

Icame to the UTM feeling unsure of myself and separate from the rest of my incoming class. Arriving at university a full year after graduating high school made me feel like I had fallen behind in some inexplicable way that would surely be obvious to everyone else. I was unsure of who to be, unsure if I really liked my program–political science–and unsure of how to succeed in this new environment. Looking back, it feels like such a cliché to say that I am a completely different person now, but it’s true. When I think about it, I can’t deny that my undergrad was downright transformative.

I won’t say that this transformation was always easy, or that it makes the future any less daunting. The struggles I faced with my mental health and self-doubt are just as present as they were when I came to UTM. But unlike before, I know now what I’m capable of. In changing my major, I found a new passion in linguistics. I’ve worked as a teacher, and volunteered for research projects to bring understudied languages to light. I’ve even done what I thought I would never do and shared my lifelong hobby of writing by becoming a Staff Writer for The Medium

As graduation looms, the future is no less terrifying. But while what lays ahead may be unknown, what I’m capable of and what I’ve accomplished isn’t. I hope I can continue to push myself like I did as a student at UTM, and I hope this campus continues to be a place where other students can do the same.

…for my five-year journey

Alan Tran Staff Writer

Itradedsciences for business when I entered university. With absolutely no background in business, it seemed like an easy course of study to enter. I ended up dropping half of my courses and almost failed two. To make up for the credits, summer classes were the only option. But one course swerved my path and spiraled me into a direction I didn’t expect to see myself in. And thus, I’ll graduate majoring in Professional Writing and Communications (PWC) and English.

The whole idea of graduation hasn’t settled in for me yet. I only started majoring in PWC last year, and now I’m graduating in June. I kept applying to the PWC major with 2018 standards, only to find out the required courses had changed back in 2018. Thanks to Truc Tran and Professor Guy Allen, who helped me organize and work around my missing firstyear courses.

What I want to tell others revolves around stress. Everyone stresses—morning, day, and night. But when you drag past it and ponder over your achievements, actions, and adventures, a wave of confidence and happiness hits your cheek muscles.

Look at me, writing an article about graduation. I almost failed first year, studied alongside academic probation in second year, and finally entered my major in fourth year. The journey may seem long, but in the end, your toes wiggle by your diploma before you know it.

…for proving me wrong

Kaitlyn Harris Staff Writer

Ifyou had asked me six months ago, I wouldn’t have had many deep insights about the idea of graduating from the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM). After experiencing the majority of my university career from the desk in my bedroom, I felt disconnected, burned out, and ready to put undergraduate studies behind me.

Yet as the weeks and months of my fourth year keep ticking away, I find myself holding on to all the things I’ll miss about this chapter of my life. Conversations with professors remind me of why I first fell in love with my major. Grabbing coffee with friends is now a can’t-miss event. Even studying alone in the library makes me contemplate how beautiful our campus really is. The year has shown me that I’m more attached to this place than I’d previously imagined.

As I prepare for graduation, I’m taking with me all the ways that UTM has proven me wrong about myself. I never thought I’d have the courage to publish my writing, to present at a research symposium, or to get on a plane for the first time. But the people I’ve met throughout these four years have helped me to become a bolder scholar, leader, and person.

Even now, with three weeks left in my final term, there’s still so much to chase. Until my very last day as a student, I’ll be taking in each moment and doing my best to discover what other lessons UTM has in store for me.

ELIZABETH PROVOST/THE MEDIUM

My Michelin Star experience—

Hundreds of dollars for a meal? Maybe if there’s homemade goat milk mozzarella.

Elizabeth Provost Editor-in-Chief

The kind of dining I’m about to describe is a privilege. I understand that it is not accessible to everyone, neither is it of importance to everyone. In no way am I trying to convince you that an eight-course tasting menu, politely priced at $200, should be on the itinerary of your next outing, nor am I contending that such a dining experience is affordable, especially to university students.

The little red guidebook by Édouard and André Michelin was initially published in 1900 by the two founders of the Michelin Tyre Company to encourage French motorists to take the road. The Michelin guidebook boosted car and tire sales by providing travelers with maps, shelter options, gas, instructions on how to change a tire, and now most famously, dining recommendations. In the 1920s, as the guide’s restaurant section gained influence, the Michelin brothers employed mystery diners (now known as restaurant inspectors) to anonymously visit and review restaurants. Starting in 1926, the guides began awarding Michelin Stars. Today, there are over 3,370 restaurants across six continents that have been awarded a Michelin star.

The occasion was my mom’s birthday. We were in Rome and were invited to dine at Zia Restaurant in the Trastevere neighbourhood—the one Michelin star restaurant of Chef Antonio Ziantoni. Since opening their doors in 2018, Zia has not lost sight of their objective: fusing love, passion, and perseverance in a unique dining experience with a focus on ingredients researched by Ziantoni for their quality and taste.

My experience at Zia was a powerful triad of flavour, ambiance, and artistry. The dining room was woody, dim, and romantic, while the eight courses surprised me in flavour and creativity. The portions were small, but the plates were thoroughly explained in both approach and origins of ingredients. The young staff worked in perfect sync, replacing one arrangement with the next. The wine pairing was immaculate—as someone who thinks all red wine tastes like wet socks, whatever maroon liquid was poured in my cup changed my take on red wine, although also changing my budget for any future tastings.

The first course was an amuse bouche composed of three parts, but what stood out was a ball of homemade goat milk mozzarella that exploded in my mouth after breaking its outer layer—a unique cheese experience. The next savoury course was a cured pork belly, lightly tapped to the grill, with a piece

Changing Leaves:

My little joys

Aia Jaber Columnist

of bell pepper, grilled and pickled. The pork belly was buttery, with a hint of oaky smoke. The subsequent courses of smoked fish, tortellini, bison, pomegranate shaved ice, and a fleur-de-lait homemade ice cream were incredibly memorable, creating an inspiring combination of flavours while preserving the Italian culinary traditions foundational to the country’s cuisine.

For dessert, Ziantoni gifted us a Brioche Sfogliata baked by Zia’s pastry chef, Christian, and served with a home-made English custard.

“Unless I come back to Zia, I doubt I’ll ever taste that myriad of flavours in a strip of pork belly or feel the texture of the pomegranate dessert—neither of which I would be able to recreate at home.”

The experience made for a memorable birthday dinner, but it also served as a reminder that the culinary arts use flavour as a medium with which to open and expand horizons. Unless I come back to Zia, I doubt I’ll ever taste that myriad of flavours in a strip of pork belly or feel the texture of the pomegranate dessert—neither of which I would be able to recreate at home. And neither would you. That’s the power of the experience, and the reason why these restaurants are awarded their stars for engaging our sense of taste in novel ways. Michelin Star restaurants, and their price-tags are worth it—not for everyday dining, but for those special occasions.

If you’re looking for an experience close to home, on September 13, 2022, 13 restaurants in Toronto were awarded with one Michelin star, while Sushi Masaki Saito received two stars. These were the first stars welcomed by Canadian restaurants. The tire company also awarded 17 “Bib Gourmands”—more affordable, but nonetheless unique dining spots. While Sushi Masaki Saito’s $680 18-course omakase menu might not be your next dinner in town (it definitely won’t be mine), numerous Bib Gourmands restaurants offer fix-price menus for about $60 per person.

I came back from Rome with a new palate and a new interest in fine foods. Having visited many one-, two-, and three-star Michelin restaurants in my childhood (Thomas Keller’s threestar Per Se in New York being the most memorable), I regret not savouring or appreciating the flavours until now. This hasn’t been the most wallet-friendly realization, but I’ll be saving up and chasing my next culinary euphoria in Toronto this summer.

Itried to write this piece, but I felt like I was overcomplicating what I wanted to say. It was as if I had to explain every thought and express every perspective. Words are not meant to be limited or hidden. Emotions and concerns are not meant to be dismissed. There is such profound beauty in the simple things in life—like picking out beautiful, monochromatic flowers; feeling the sun on your face after weeks of no sunshine; and saying “hello” to strangers on weekly trips to Toronto.

Listening to the tapping of keyboards reminds us of our gift of hearing. Hugging our loved ones reminds us of our ability to feel. Wincing as a Sour Patch Kid hits our tongues reminds us of our ability to taste. Noticing the wrinkles around our best friend’s eyes reminds us of our ability to see. Sniffing a scent that transports us back in time reminds us that we are gifted with the ability to smell.

Taking the bus reminds us of our independence. Having strangers open doors for us reminds us of simple humanity. Bright vibrant bouquets in all seasons remind us that warmer days are guaranteed. The moment you finally don’t need your jacket when going outside signals the beginning of spring, ice cream (not that I’ve ever stopped eating it), and swimming. Even just listening to a new song you know is going to be on repeat, finally putting on jeans that perfectly fit, or getting a high-five after getting a problem set right. These are little joys.

It’s not always easy to “stop and smell the roses,” but there will be brief moments where you can see clearly and appreciate these little joys in life. Hold onto them, remind yourself of them, so that every interval of goodness you feel motivates you to hold on during the bad.

Losing yourself on a new path, meeting people at work or school, picking what salad dressing you want— these things all teach you to look forward to life because more of those moments are guaranteed. Maybe you broke up with your partner, or lost your job, or got into a fight with someone you love, and maybe you never received the degree you wanted on time, or that award you worked towards. Even when it feels like nothing good is happening, the little joys exist. Not every day is good, but there is goodness in every day.

I started off this article thinking about how happy I am commuting to Toronto—talking to older adults, holding doors open, or even just complimenting someone on the GO Bus. It reminds me that there is more outside my bubble of pain. I feel the same effect from travelling and venturing a little too far out of Mississauga. Commuting, especially, reminds me of my independence and strength. It teaches me that I have full autonomy over my choices, and if I wanted to, I could hop on a bus and end up in Windsor. My little joys help sustain me until my next big joy comes along.

is it worth it?

Netflix and chill or Netflix and ill?

Is having access to our favourite shows with a click of a button beneficial or harmful in the long-term?

Angelina Jaya Siew Staff Writer

Fromsitting in front of the TV at home every evening after school, watching commercials in the middle of our favorite shows, to having access to thousands of movies and TV series on any smart device at any time, it is clear that the way we know TV has changed massively.

Since YouTube made streaming popular back in 2005, there has been no turning back. Streaming services have exploded on the internet and are now a multi-billiondollar industry. In its entirety, the video streaming market managed to pull a revenue of US$59.14 billion in 2021, moving to a projected US$321 billion by 2030. Clearly, streaming is here to stay and is definitely going places. With over 200 streaming companies and three billion viewers and counting, on-demand streaming or VOD (video on demand) gives us total control over content and allows us to pause, rewind, and fast forward with repeated viewings.

But is all this control really good for us? Is it helping us to manage our time better or is it further stimulating our inner control freak, where everything must be done when and how we say it? Are we being spoiled by

these options and are we beginning to expect it in all areas of our lives? A vending machine mentality where we refuse to queue and expect everything we want to be given to us right away? Instant gratification or bust.

Technology and content are developing so rapidly that I feel like we are all guinea pigs in a multimedia experiment, and it may be years before we can determine the full extent of the damage. Netflix started releasing entire seasons of television series with House of Cards back in 2013. Did we decide to watch episodes weekly or daily? No way. We proceeded to watch all 13 hours non-stop, emerging only for bathroom breaks or to raid the refrigerator. Cue a new generation of unhealthy couch potatoes.

Moreover, the trend has continued and is now part of our normal viewing habits. Last week, Netflix (yet again) did everything they could to keep us glued to our screens. They introduced worldwide live streaming events with a Chris Rock standup comedy, Selective Outrage. Of course, I had to watch it. I wanted to hear his response to that infamous slap that echoed around the world, but I couldn’t help wondering afterwards: are we all being slapped with unhealthy lifestyles and attitudes by having so much access to ondemand streaming around the clock?

We need to face the harsh reality that excessive viewing of these streaming platforms can be hazardous to our physical health. In fact, research indicates that binge watching is

associated with a sedentary lifestyle, fatigue, blood and cardiac problems, an unhealthy diet, and decrease in cognitive function.

Furthermore, people who watch content on streaming sites like Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime uninterrupted for hours on end are also vulnerable to adverse mental health effects. A 2021 study published in the Psychology Research and Behaviour Management Journal reveals a strong correlation between increased depression, anxiety, heightened stress levels, isolation, and binge-watching.

So, how can we break the habit of binge watching and better maximize the benefits that online streaming has to offer? Setting a daily or weekly time limit is crucial—so we don’t fall into the trap of watching episode after episode when we start a new series. Additionally, we can watch shows with our friends rather than by ourselves, and we can also choose healthier movie snacks to minimize the harmful impacts associated with excessive time spent on these streaming platforms.

While nothing can compare to the convenience and variety of shows offered by Netflix and other streaming services, perhaps we should recognize that the rigid structure of scheduled television is better for our physical and mental well-being in the long term.

Everything becomes content

even when that was not the original intention of the streamer. Valkyrae, a YouTube streamer with 3.8 million subscribers, for example, wrote in a tweet that she wanted to read her audi-

ences’ stories and experiences with “adoption.” According to Valkyrae’s tweet, she and her mother have considered the idea of raising a baby and wanted to hear heartwarming stories from people that have gone through the process.

The internet is a space where people share, connect, and laugh with one another—a wacky land of learning and making fun of everything and everyone. Content creators and live streamers have grown over the past decade as one of the largest sources of entertainment. Twitch—the largest streaming platform—gets an average of two million concurrent views daily. This excludes data from other streaming services like YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook.

Content, for streamers, stems from communities of viewers that bond with each other and the streamer. They watch videos together, chat together, and may even join events together. The more interesting the stream’s content is, the more viewers they’ll reel in. Ludwig, for example, a streamer on YouTube with 4.1 million subscribers, hosted a “chess boxing event” in December 2022, where other content creators battled each other, alternating between chess and boxing. Viewers got the chance to watch live or participate in the cheering at the stadium event.

This is the internet, and Ludwig chose to host this event in efforts to create online content. Despite the Chess Boxing event being planned with the intent of returning a profit, Ludwig still lost about US$200,000 dollars. This may be because Ludwig chose to stream the event on YouTube for free instead of relying on a pay-perview system, or perhaps he may have overestimated the returns, but the reality still stands: Ludwig lost out.

For many popular streaming personalities, all of their online behaviour is understood to be “content,”

In a more recent livestream, Valkyrae took the blame for tweeting about this sensitive topic in a small thread. She tweeted out of excitement and curiosity about others’ adoption stories but has decided to no longer talk about it on stream. Although some reactions left her “heart devastated.”

From this experience, she’s taken into account her position as a well-known content creator and realized that she must be careful because everything she says and does can and will be taken as content. But the tone and topic of the tweet could have been pondered more before it got shared on the internet.

It gets difficult to perceive her tweet as a conversation instead of content because the replies get drowned out by her friends. As a streamer, she has many content creator colleagues, and it softens the seriousness or genuineness of her tweet.

Content creators and people surfing the internet need to learn boundaries to keep genuine questions from turning into content. Valkyrae may have tweeted in excitement, but her talk about keeping this private matter private does help transform everything into “content.”

And I’m sure that people like Ludwig will not be concerned, because their brand gets built on content. But Valkyrae acknowledges what she’s tweeted, and as much as the touching stories she’s read about adoption warm her heart, the trolls, the tweeters, and the internet will always find a way to skew her true intentions.

Online personalities like Valkyrae just want to connect with people, but others think that their actions are just for content.

Alan Tran Staff Writer

CHRIS BAILEY

Why I aestheticize my study notes

Social media can laugh all it wants—I’m keeping my Crayola markers.

Kaitlyn Harris Staff Writer

Thelast time midterm season rolled around, my study space looked more like a kindergartener’s art station than the desk of a university student. Two hours deep into a political science review session, my laptop was buried somewhere under stacks of white paper, coloured markers, and a very scratched-up ruler. As I traced out the words “economic sanctions” in a swirly purple font, I became acutely aware that my entire situation was, in fact, slightly ridiculous.

relations was hardly dignified by my juvenile representation of its content.

Nevertheless, I not only finished that review sheet, but proceeded to produce three more just like it. Embracing a practice that people dismiss as frivolous felt oddly liberating, and my inner feminist cherished the thought of rebelling against norms largely created by and reinforced in male-dominated spheres. Of course, I also just needed a way to memorize the nine problems with economic sanctions. But perhaps therein lies the point: sometimes, deviating

from the standard can actually lead to more effective ways of accomplishing your goals.

I love typing out my lecture notes as much as the next student, but the linear organization of a Google Doc just isn’t conducive to memorizing large amounts of information. I need space to map out my thoughts, draw connections, and create salient visual cues to help me recall these relationships later. And while individual note-taking styles vary like fingerprints, studies show that creative personalizations can improve memory through the encoding of spatial

details. The tactile experience of writing on paper and the minute variations of handwritten characters are also thought to contribute to this effect. Far from being frivolous, giving your notes an artistic touch can turn into a productive study strategy.

Of course, you could handwrite your notes and colour-code your diagrams without paying any particular attention to their aesthetic value. You would probably reap similar cognitive benefits, and maybe even save a small amount of time. But in the relentless momentum of the semester, why not use studying as an outlet for your creativity? Academia is difficult, but it doesn’t have to be joyless. I promise you can have some fun with your studies and still be a serious and intelligent scholar where it counts.

“Why not use studying as an outlet for your creativity?”

Regardless of your social media platform of choice, you’ve probably seen dozens of videos mocking this very activity. I highly doubt that Robert Jervis or John Mearsheimer wrote any of their landmark papers in coloured Sharpie—and while I’m sure Joe Biden signs off on government documents with a very nice pen, he probably doesn’t take the time to decorate the margins. The weighty topic of international

Does manifestation work?

So go ahead, write the words “nuclear proliferation” in big cursive letters. Add glitter to your linear algebra notes and doodle beside your criminology cases. Revel in the beautiful dissonance of it all, because social norms are arbitrary and joy is the only thing that matters. And, of course, those upcoming exams—but aestheticizing your study notes might just help you do better on those too.

The bottom line: manifestation isn’t magical—it is just a version of therapy.

Is the power of manifestation backed up by science? Do positive affirmations actually work? Is it all a scam? Why are so many young people backing manifestation? The truth is: manifestation is not an “all-powerful” or “magical” technique that will solve all your problems. However, there are core similarities between the act of manifesting and the popularized theory of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). The bottom line: manifestation isn’t magical—it is just a version of therapy.

“mental contrasting,” which is basically just manifestation dressed up in fancy words. The technique relies on an individual focusing on a desire while also thinking about the obstacles in one’s way. In her study conducted with third graders, she wrote, “Some were told to interrogate their own behaviours that might prevent them from finishing the task, while others were told only to fantasize on the prize. The first group did better.”

So, manifestation, or mental contrasting, actually works if you actively think about the obstacles in your life and fantasize about a reality where you have overcome them. Manifestation is essentially rewiring your brain to show you that you can achieve your desire.

Here’s the kicker: this is very similar to how CBT works!

large, as well as how they are affected by their internal and external stressors.

As a whole, CBT relies on a therapist and a patient making a plan on how the individual can change their life. And, according to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Los Angeles, “the first step is to develop a specific, concrete understanding of what [they] would like to change.”

Manifestation is loosely defined as the concept of turning a thought into a reality. The term is connected with The Law of Attraction, which is the idea that when one outputs good intentions, they will receive those positive desires.

For many skeptics, manifestation is seen as a ridiculous “occult” or “magical” way to gaslight oneself into wishing away one’s problems. However, the reason why so many feel that manifestation works is that it forces the individual to refocus their perspective of themselves in relation to the world or universe at large. Manifestation relies on the individual believing that they have the power to overcome the obstacles that are getting in the way of their fantasies.

A New York University psychology professor, Gabriele Oettingen, undertook research on her technique called

There is little debate on if CBT works. Although the theory is criticized by many, it has proven to be one of the most effective methods in helping mental illness sufferers confront disorders like anxiety and depression. This form of psychotherapy essentially re-wires the individual’s brain patterns by forcing them to re-evaluate both their relationships with the obstacles in their lives and their position within the world at

The difference between CBT and manifestation is that one is an “esteemed” researched theory backed by millions of dollars, and the other a supposedly questionable “witchy” thing that crystal girls do in their bedrooms. While CBT requires a therapist and a patient working together to create a positive mindset, manifestation relies on the individual doing the therapist’s work for themselves. CBT and manifestation are scarily similar at their core. They both force the individual to think critically about how they relate to their reality, and how they can forge a better future for themselves. In turn, I urge you to keep manifesting, if that’s your thing. Or keep going with your CBT, if it is working for you. Whether you recite positive affirmations each morning or are in CBT, these techniques are all doing the same thing: rewiring your brain.

When you manifest in your bedroom or see a therapist in an office, you are taking the steps to plan out a reality where you have a healthy relationship with yourself, your stress, and the external world.

“Embracing a practice that people dismiss as frivolous felt oddly liberating.”

“Manifestation relies on the individual believing that they have the power to overcome the obstacles that are getting in the way of their fantasies.”

“Manifestation, or mental contrasting, actually works if you actively think about the obstacles in your life and fantasize about a reality where you have overcome them.”

Kirsty MacLellan Staff Writer

BEATRIZ SIMAS/THE MEDIUM

AURORA PICCIOTTOLI/THE MEDIUM

Editor | Prisha (Maneka) Nuckchady features@themedium.ca

Ellyn Walker: A curator who works outside the lines

Growing up and listening to my parents share stories of teachers that they had over twenty years ago, recalling the wisdom and impact they had left on them, I was always amazed. Amazed that decades later, they could still remember exactly what their teachers had shared, or how greatly they had influenced their academic path. I always hoped that I could experience that same feeling one day. Then I met Ellyn Walker. Professor Walker, who has taught in the department of visual studies at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) since 2017, is an independent curator and writer, and former acting director-curator of the Blackwood Gallery at UTM.

I was first introduced to Professor Walker when I enrolled in her thirdyear course  FAH310: Contexts and Issues in Contemporary Curatorial Practice

Even though the class was held on Zoom, the passion Professor Walker had for curating was palpable through the screen. Inspired by her radical thinking that strayed from tradition, I made sure to take her fourth-year seminar courses: FAH496: Unsettling Curatorial Practices and Studies and FAH451: Turning Concepts into Curatorial Projects.  In every class, each word Professor Walker spoke was full of spirit and every lesson was more impressive than the last. She never hesitated to share the often-silenced realities of the art world and to teach her students about the discrimination that occurs, and the injustice that artists have faced throughout history. Professor Walker introduced her students to a variety of modern and contemporary works that commented on issues of representation and that spotlighted artists in ways that gave voice to those who may not have one. Professor Walker’s lessons greatly impacted me; and so, I wanted to learn more about her and what brought her to her work today.

Professor Walker explained that she was al-

ways interested in the visual arts, making art from a young age, but after completing an undergraduate degree in sociology at McGill University, and a bachelor of arts in art history at the U of T, her way of thinking about visual practices and politics began to shift.

“When I got to school, all the art making I was learning was about or tied to whiteness. I realized that there were so many amazing artists out there already making work, that I didn’t need to make anymore, but I could help by making space to show [emphasis added] this kind of art,” she shared. Professor Walker explained, “As soon as I started taking classes that were about decolonizing the museum, and other ways of thinking that challenged me, I started to really excel in school.”

Following her passion to look critically at art and institutions, in 2012 Professor Walker enrolled at OCAD University in the criticism and curatorial practices graduate program; and in 2015, she began doctoral studies at Queen’s University in the cultural studies program. Her interest in cultural studies provided her with the opportunity to train with Indigenous scholars and Black feminist and critical race theorists who encouraged her to critique art from different perspectives than her own.

Professor Walker’s work has always proved to disrupt dominant curatorial methodologies. Projects she has worked on prompt viewers to reflect, engage with, and challenge Canadian art practices and conventions rooted in inequality and white supremacy.  WISH YOU WERE HERE, WISH HERE WAS BETTER (WYWH, WHWB), was a mobile public art project and event series that Professor Walker co-organized with organizer Zoë Dodd and artist-writer Theodore (Ted) Kerr, that took place from October 3–9, 2022 across the Peel region. WYWH, WHWB was a unique vessel for reflection, mourning, and education. Starting at the UTM campus, a curated van traveled to different locations across Mississauga and Brampton, creating a safe space for those impacted by the ongoing overdose crisis and the systemic issues of homelessness, criminalization, and precarity, that follow.

Within the practice of curating, there are many moments when curators must negotiate, compromise and, at times, sacrifice their artistic vision for the powers that larger institutions hold, or external and unexpected factors that interfere or may present themselves. I wondered if there was any advice Professor Walker could share about dealing with the feeling of “abandoning” an initial vision, a feeling I have felt before as an aspiring curator. Professor Walker shared that throughout

the curatorial process, she asks herself: “Can you sleep at night with your decision?”

Referring to her work on WYWH, WHWB, Professor Walker revealed that part of the original mural on the van contained an inflammatory statement. She shared that even though she was in full support of what it said, the fact that the van popped up and parked on the UTM campus throughout the week could have led to the whole project getting shut down because of that statement and potential censorship enforced by the university, campus security, or the public. “We would rather have the project live than have it be shut down. So, in the end, we decided to remove the statement from the mural but keep it in the take-away postcards and posters we freely offered from the van. This was because we had so much respect for the project, and everyone involved, that it wasn’t worth risking everything for this one statement,” she explained. Although having to ask an artist to amend their artistic vision made her uncomfortable, she could still sleep at night knowing that their project was still able to impact others.

As a student, there are numerous times when it feels like you have to prioritize practical matters over aspirational ones. Sometimes, these moments of experiencing rejection within ourselves, or from the world, can diminish the spark we have for what we initially desire. “Rejections are not actually rejections,” Professor Walker reminded me, “Rejections are more so critical junctures in your journey.”

Experiencing this for herself, Professor Walker shared that a few years ago, she interviewed for a senior curatorial position at a prestigious institution, yet did not get the job in the end. Despite this, the opportunity led to greater things—the gallery called her and said that although it wasn’t the right fit or the right timing for the position at hand, they really loved her work and wanted to find other ways to work with her in the future. This led to Professor Walker becoming the acting director-curator at the Blackwood Gallery while director/curator and professor, Christine Shaw, was on research sabbatical. “Just because you get ‘no’ for something, doesn’t mean it won’t come around,” Professor Walker expressed.

She emphasized that the moments when you put yourself out there, expose yourself to the world, and build your character by being vulnerable and making new connections, are important learning experiences. Professor Walker revealed, “Everything ebbs and flows, according to life or the projects that you work on,” and reminded her students that, “in the moments that you feel like you’re falling off course, or that your journey may not be expected, or linear, if you follow your initial passion, you’ll always find your way back.”

Professor Walker shares her journey decolonializing art, making artistic sacrifices, and reveals how to interpret rejections and make decisions with passion and comfort.

Stephanie Ivanyshyn Contributor

ELLYN WALKER

Refugee women’s experiences with technology shock

Olga Fedossenko Associate Features Editor

>> LECTURE ME! continued from page 01

Men usually have a chance to be out of the house more and focus on learning a new language, while their wives stay home and care for the children. That is why men often become the interpreters of technology for their wives.

And yet, there are situations when even they cannot help the women. In a discussion with a participant from one of Professor Dahya’s focus groups, she learned that using Google Maps while driving seems almost impossible to many refugee women. They find it extremely difficult to be able to focus on the road in an unfamiliar place and listen to the GPS in English at the same time. Besides, most participants said they did not know how to change the language in the app.

Navigating new technology when cleaning, cooking, driving, and dealing with official documents can be frustrating. The technological interactions that bring the most stress for women seem to relate to daily activities, which they most likely did not have to think about when living in their native countries. “We

had women also talking about using the self-checkout at the grocery store and having a line of people behind them. Many of us have experienced the feeling that sort of stress around how to navigate a new tool,” explains Professor Dahya.

Issues with new technology follow refugee women throughout their job search too. Digital technologies are often embedded within different employment-related services, such as websites for job search, CV prep, and entrepreneurship training. Without additional instructions, refugee women end up being cut off from the digital and physical worlds.

During her research, Professor Dahya discovered that many refugee women use leisure media like YouTube and Netflix at home to engage in different levels of self-learning. But she believes this is not enough. Women beginning their resettlement in a new country experience significant anxiety related to the gaps in their knowledge about new technologies. For this reason, humanitarian organizations need to implement technology training for refugees to feel well-adjusted and well-versed in the digital world when restarting their lives in a new place.

Learning from experience: Why are women less satisfied about their sexual firsts?

Diana Peragine, a post-doctoral fellow in the Department of Psychology at UTM talks about how gender-based marginalization translates to the bedroom.

Olga Fedossenko Associate Features Editor

For many of us, our first sexual experience stays in our memory forever. It is the experience that determines much of our early knowledge about sex, our future sexual expectations, and our approach to physical intimacy. It is also a very gendered experience, writes Diana Peragine, a postdoctoral fellow at Professor Doug VanderLaan’s Biopsychosocial Investigations of Gender Laboratory (BIG Lab), in an email interview with The Medium.

Women and men differ in how they view their sexual debut. A recent Irish study by the Crisis Pregnancy Agency shows that women tend to regret their first sexual encounter to a higher degree than men, despite beginning to have sex at around the same age (16–17 years old). Men are also said to experience more satisfaction and pleasure when it comes to their sexual debut than women. This enjoyment gap is among the largest gender differences in sexuality research

Peragine’s research focuses on how “sexual inequality is written in the body,” and how first sexual encounters vary based on gender identity. She tries to explain why women experience less satisfaction at their sexual debut and what role society plays in this. “When sexual experiences aren’t functional or fulfilling for women, we often pin those problems on women themselves, labelling their bodies or minds ‘dysfunctional’,” says Peragine.

But satisfying sex rarely, if ever, has one single source. Often, women feel pleasure because of an interplay of factors that extend beyond the individual. Their satisfaction depends on who takes part in the sexual act and what societal norms they follow. For instance, some sexual behaviours

deemed normal for men are seen as less acceptable when displayed by women. This inequality can make women feel restrained during their first sexual experience. Fearing judgment, they may even avoid any further discussion about their wants and needs in bed.

Peragine notes that the social standard for sex itself also affects women’s pleasure and desire, especially during their first time. “Sex is often narrowly defined as penis-in-vagina sex, which less often triggers orgasm for women than men. Besides, it is less likely to result in orgasm than other sexual activities like oral sex, manual sex, and masturbation,” explains Peragine.

Men’s orgasm seems to be a central focus in sex, such that

ejaculation marks its end. Glans stimulation for women is instead framed as a build-up to sex, even though clitoral arousal is the major way for women to achieve an orgasm. The “pleasure gap” is so significant that men often feature orgasm in their definitions of satisfying sex, while women define it simply as sex that is free of pain or degradation.

Over the years, women’s negative responses to their first sexual experience have decreased, research finds. As a result of her 23-year study in human sexuality, Susan Sprecher, a professor at Illinois State University in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, learned that over time, gender differences in emotional reactions to first intercourse have declined. Still, the first sexual encounter continues to be a more positive experience for men than for women.

Peragine believes there are ways to increase women’s satisfaction at sexual debut even more. As a part of sex education, she suggests teaching girls about alternate avenues for sexual intimacy beyond penis-in-vagina sex that can bring pleasure. “There is a growing need to expand our concept of sex education, such that it stretches beyond the instructions young people receive about sex to their experience of it,” she says.

According to Peragine, turning sex education lessons more experiential would benefit the girls. Speaking about first sexual experiences and showing aspects of them—rather than simply instructing teenagers—can narrow the “pleasure gap” and help young people, specifically young women, realize their sexual rights.

“Often, women feel pleasure because of an interplay of factors that extend beyond the individual.”

Professor Dahya, from the ICCIT faculty at UTM, delivers a talk about women’s experiences navigating refugee resettlement.

The Soldiers’ Tower: U of T’s castle

Associate Photos & Design Editor

Whendescribing the architecture of the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM), one may use words such as contemporary and sleek. While our campus may have more modern comforts than the downtown campus, hidden gems lie beyond the gothic architecture of the St. George campus in the middle of Toronto.

One of U of T’s jewels includes the Soldiers’ Tower. With the guidance of Daniel Hendrickson, U of T alumni and chair of the Soldiers’ Tower Committee, The Medium takes an in-depth look at the Soldiers’ Tower, a castle-like building on the downtown campus. Hendrickson, who became involved with the Soldiers’ Tower after stumbling into its Memorial Room on a whim, feels passionately about bringing attention to the tower, especially as it will celebrate its centennial in the coming year.

The Soldiers’ Tower stands 43.6 metres tall and serves as a link between University College and the Hart House. Though the tower may go unnoticed by busy students, Hendrickson sheds some light onto the tower’s majesty, history, and significance to U of T as a whole.

Tucked away between the tower’s archway and façade lies a tiny wooden door bearing gold lettering “Carillon.” Having no musical knowledge, I had no idea what I would encounter on the other side of the ancient-looking door. Upon first opening the door, a visitor is greeted by a very narrow and seemingly never-ending spiral staircase.

“Are any of you claustrophobic?

Well, it’s too late to turn back now,” jokes Hendrickson.

“This staircase may be the only one of its kind in Ontario,” he remarks, leading us up the stairs which certainly don’t meet the standards of today’s building codes.

After the spiralling staircase finally reaches its first landing, visitors are greet-

ed by a very tall, medieval-looking room, much like those seen in castles scattered throughout Europe. The main feature of the room is the practice carillon—which looks like sideways xylophone, played with pedals and keys—where a select few students practice playing the instrument without disturbing anyone on campus. With light being funnelled through arrow-slit windows, one is sent back in time. Feelings of the past are amplified through the display of old U of T flags, ancient technology, and a clock moved by a pulley system so unique that, as Hendrickson notes, “only one technician in all of Ontario knows how to repair it.” Continuing back up the stairs, we reach

the location from which the actual carillon is played. Warning to tall visitors—several low, incredibly hard steel beams will meet your head, should you forget to duck while crossing the bridge between the stairs and the instrument.

The last and most awe-inspiring part of the tour is the bell tower. After a few more steps and opening a hatch akin to one on a battleship, one is greeted by the full majesty of the carillon. The top floor of the tower is a very tall and airy space which contains 52 brass bells, connected by a series of steel strings to the instrument below. To convey the scale of the carillon, the largest bells, responsible for making the deepest sound, can house a six-foot-two person inside of them. When asked about how the carillon was placed within the tower, Hendrickson shared that the bells had to be “dropped into the tower from a hole in the ceiling during construction.”

The carillon extends up into the high heavens with the topmost tier housing the smallest bells. Hendrickson notes that the bell room is a place of spectacle, especially as it houses the “second tallest carillon in the province, coming second only to the Peace Tower in Ottawa.” Though the bell room is a space of awe, the bells serve a much deeper purpose–they serve as a somber reminder of our fallen colleagues. Knowing the history and significance of the 52 bells makes the solemn songs emanating from the tower even more meaningful.

Pointing at artifacts that cover the inner wall of the tower, Hendrickson explains, “The tower, unveiled in 1924, was built with the intention of honouring the 628 U of T staff, students, and alumni who had fallen during Canada’s efforts in the First World War.” Hendrickson shares that the university continued to play a crucial role in Canada’s war efforts, including training members of the U of T community to be fully prepared and capable soldiers of the Canadian Armed Forces. The university’s members would carry on their effort throughout the Second World War, during which another 557 members of the U of T community died.

While the whole tower pays homage to our fellow Canadians, the Memorial Room, which sits at the top of the stained glass decorated Staircase of Honour, showcases historic artifacts and memorabilia significant to the history of U of T as well as Canadian history. Anyone who’s visited the Memorial Room may have thought that the tower ended there, but with the president of the committee as my tour guide, I was granted a sneak peek into the treasures that lie above the Memorial Room.

On the way down, one must again face the never-ending, nausea-inducing staircase, all the way back out the tiny door, where one will be greeted by the adjacent archway. The Soldiers’ Tower, much like the TARDIS, a fictional time machine featured on Doctor Who (2005), takes a visitor through time and space and certainly appears to be bigger on the inside. Serving as a house of remembrance as well as a melodic chamber, the tower is a gem that should be precious to all members of the U of T, especially as it gives students a moment to reflect on the past, present, and future of one’s life at U of T. So, next time you find yourself on the shuttle from UTM to St. George, whether it be for a class or to visit Robarts, be sure to admire the tower, as there is more to it than meets the eye.

Taking us on a tour of the Soldiers’ Tower, Daniel Hendrickson, chair of the Soldiers’ Tower Committee, emphasizes the building’s role as a house of remembrance.

“The tower, unveiled in 1924, was built with the intention of honouring the 628 U of T staff, students, and alumni who had fallen during Canada’s efforts in the First World War.”

“Serving as a house of remembrance as well as a melodic chamber, the tower is a gem that should be precious to all members of the U of T, especially as it gives students a moment to reflect on the past, present, and future of one’s life at U of T.”

Beatriz Simas

BEATRIZ SIMAS/THE MEDIUM

The Last of Us: A show about the complexities of love

Looking at how the show’s post-apocalyptic themes influence a story largely focused on love.

Megan Freedman

Associate Arts & Entertainment Editor

Content Warning: This article contains major spoilers.

Trigger Warning: This article mentions sexual abuse and suicide.

On March 13, 2023, The Last of Us (2023), a drama and adventure streaming on Crave, ended its nine-episode first season with a riveting and heartbreaking finale. As the series was adapted based on a video game of the same name, viewers have quickly learned to love the series for its immersive and heart-wrenching story.

Created by Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin, the show opens with single father Joel (Pedro Pascal) who lives in Texas with his fourteen-year-old daughter Sarah (Nico Parker). A mutated fungus called cordyceps—known to attack one’s brain and take control of the host—contaminates flour and causes a global pandemic in a single night. Through the consumption of contaminated flour or by getting bitten by people under the control of cordyceps, one becomes an “infected.” As Joel, Sarah, and Joel’s brother Tommy (Gabriel Luna) attempt to flee their diseased town, Sarah is tragically shot and killed by a soldier.

Jumping 2o years ahead, the Federal Disaster Response Agency (FEDRA) runs “quarantine zones” (QZ) throughout the country. Joel, still grieving the death of his daughter, lives in the Boston QZ. The show quickly reveals that there are two main groups within

its postapocalyptic world: the fascist FEDRA and The Fireflies—a rebel militia group. With his partner Tess (Anna Torv), Joel becomes a violent and hardened smuggler who sneaks in and out of the QZ for supplies.

In exchange for a car battery, Marlene (Merle Dandridge), the head of The Boston Fireflies, tasks Joel with escorting a fourteenyear-old girl named Ellie (Bella Ramsey) to the Massachusetts State House—she is immune to the cordyceps. As Tess dies in an altercation with the infected, Joel reluctantly begins his journey with Ellie and tries to create a cure.

While The Last of Us appears to be just another show about survival and zombies, at its core, it is truly about love—in both romantic and familial ways.

The third episode titled “Long, Long, Time” portrays romantic love—an aspect that is not often found within the show’s post-apocalyptic genre. The episode follows Bill (Nick Offerman), a “survivalist” who lives alone in his pre-outbreak neighbourhood in Baltimore, Maryland. One day,

Frank (Murray Bartlett), who becomes Bill’s lover, falls and gets hurt in a pit dug by Bill.

Bill and Frank fall in love and remain together for twenty years. Later, it is revealed that Frank is wheelchair bound due to a degenerative disease. When Frank asks Bill to help him end his life, he agrees, but insists on getting married first. Same-sex marriage was not legalized in Maryland until 2013, and because the cordyceps outbreak took place in 2003, Bill and Frank’s love was not so stifled by the homophobic American system which was rampant before the outbreak. They die together, peacefully in bed.

Love in The Last of Us can be misguided as well. Episode five, “Endure and Survive,” shows Kathleen (Melanie Lynskey), an antagonistic leader of a rival group, being overthrown in the Kansas City QZ and violently avenging the murder of her brother. Her main target is Henry (Lamar Johnson), a survivor who exposed Kathleen’s brother to FEDRA so that he could get medicine for his little brother Sam (Keivonn Montreal Woodard), who suffers from leukemia. When Sam is bitten by an infected, Henry must shoot him. But with hesitancy and distraught after what he had done, he turns the gun on himself. While Henry does everything he can to protect his brother, he cannot protect him from the cordyceps.

Furthermore, the shows describes love as an excuse to do terrible things. Episode eight, “When We Are in Need,” did not feature any run-ins with infected beings. Instead, Ellie and a critically injured Joel must fight off a cannibalistic preacher, David (Scott Shepherd). David leads a group of survivors in Colorado. When a girl about Ellie’s age is

distraught that her father has been killed, Ellie and Joel are identified as the killers. The girl demands justice and David slaps her, explaining that her dad is most likely dead and that he can be her father now. Love shifts into a predatory excuse. David feeds the girl—and the rest of the congregation—her father’s remains. When he finds Ellie, it is obvious that he has nefarious intentions. Ellie fights for her life as he attempts to assault her, and she manages to kill him.

Themes of love are rampant throughout the series in differing ways. Joel’s love for his late daughter drives him in keeping Ellie alive. Throughout much of their journey, they trek, on foot, from Boston, Massachusetts to Salt Lake City, Utah. While they walk, Joel teaches Ellie to hunt, and Ellie reads to him from a book of puns. Ellie and Joel create a father-daughter bond that warms the hearts of audiences and balances the many gory scenes within the series.

The final moments of the season show Joel and Ellie finding The Fireflies, only for Joel to discover that they intend to kill Ellie and create a vaccine using her brain. Joel does not consent for Ellie to go through with the experiment and makes the decision to save her by killing all The Fireflies, including Marlene. He then lies to Ellie, telling her that they couldn’t make a vaccine and raiders attack the building—no one survives.

The Last of Us leaves viewers asking questions about morality. Was Joel right to sacrifice a cure for Ellie? Were The Fireflies correct in their decision to use Ellie? These questions are unanswerable, but Joel makes his decisions based on the love he holds toward his daughters.

Talent shows—why are they still on-air?

How stardom and the need for views has reshaped the social appeal toward TV talent shows.

moted stardom, it became infectious. Talent shows have created a platform where everyone can get their chance at fame.

The unaddressed problems of stardom result from the unrealistic expectations placed on contestants—particularly young artists who are forced to choose one talent to be good at.

Talent competitions have been on-air since the late 1940s.

Ted Mack & the Original Amateur Hour, a talent show that ran from 1948 to 1970, was the first series to feature contestants from across America who competed for a weekly prize based on their talent and votes from the audience. Paving the way for shows like America’s Got Talent, American Idol, and The X Factor, talent shows have remained an audience favourite for centuries. But as social media marketing expands and performers can showcase their talents without entering an often-biased competition, I wonder: do we still need talent shows on air?

To answer this seemingly simple question, we must consider the aspects that made audiences fall in love with talent shows in the first place.

In my opinion, talent shows became popular because they created a social contagion. Viewers imagined themselves as the performers on screen. They wondered: What would happen if I auditioned in front of a panel of judges? As these shows pro-

Today, in the fight for viewership, many TV talent shows are forced to evolve to remain relevant and appeal to society’s more modern media tastes. For example, The Masked Singer (2019-2023), a singing competition where celebrity performers wear head-to-toe costumes to disguise their identities, has

become widely popular due to the guessing game that it creates for viewers. It does not matter who the celebrity is, on the show they can appear as an owl or a panda, and audiences will not know who they truly are until the end. As a result, the show promotes inclusivity, and each performance is judged solely on vocal ability and charisma.

Still, the main goal for contestants on talent shows is to reach global exposure. But, with the rise of social media apps like TikTok, are these shows necessary? In my opinion, social media is much more accessible and can be equally entertaining— especially for the Gen Z and millennial population. Users can showcase their talents without the long line ups, flashing lights, and often toxic environments that lead into audition rooms.

Although talent shows have been known to unite artists and viewers, many prefer the more nuanced and accessible forms of self-expression that are available on social media apps like Tik Tok. While there are benefits in competing on shows like American Idol, the often-harsh expectations that contestants face are eliminated through social media. For the sake of diversity in media, let’s keep the talent shows going, but keep in mind that becoming a star in Hollywood is not always met with lots of shine.

Romana Krekhovetska Contributor

DANIELLA MEDEL-LAWRENCE/THE MEDIUM

Nothing

Mariana Dominguez Rodriguez

Tuning in with the chirping birds that wake you up at sunrise

Leaning your head back to gaze at the cloudless, blue sky

Contemplating your favorite song as you digest each lyric

Meeting a loved one and embracing the silence in their company

Floating, the water in your ears muffling in and out as it guides your motionless body adrift

Closing your book and gasping into the air as you process the fictional tale

Freeing your straight posture as you sigh out the fullness in your stomach

Nestling into a spikey yet silky grass bed as you follow the clouds and mold them into shapes

Shuffling your feet into the cushiony sand as the waves wash over

Driving with no destination

Dancing to your own off-tune cover of a song

Adjusting your eyes to the dancing flames of the fireplace

Bathing in the dark as Epsom salts and bath bombs fizzle across your skin

Whispering your darkest secrets and deepest regrets to the glistening moon

Even nothing is something

Identity Syntax

Ayomide Bayowa

A child has more than a language baptism after its olive-wobble sentences and spit bubbles. My mother’s tongue is the same subway to Pennsylvania.  Bad English was a suitcase she came with to the diaspora.

Should a US missile go missing, it would be a floss in between her canines. Her peninsula is belted to the root of her family tree.

Pearls of wisdom are traditional black rubbers melting her  hairstyle. Most times, I get nauseous from the hastes of migrating  train lights and whirlpool turn to the directions of exile compasses.  When the whiteness of everything turns a monarchy glove claiming  my teardrops, my mother quits her appointment with her dentist to  help respell, “N*gga is a honey wrap every human wants to tongue.”

Writer’s Block

Cristina Pincente

I raise my sword with the blackest ink, On a quest to write a poem that doesn’t stink. I face the danger of an austere deadline, Let me tell you how it’s going while I still have the time. I try to write like Percy Bysshe Shelley, But my courage rumbles. I sense it in my belly. I am not as heroic as Wordsworth, Keats, or Byron, I love to read poetry, but to write it is foreign. I admire them all, from Dr. Seuss to William Shakespeare, They are my inspiration and the reason I came here. So here I sit, writing this poem I’ll finish just in time. I’ll show ‘em!

Love Island UK 2023: The trials and tribulations of being a sexy single

A recap of the messy and steamy Casa Amor affairs that led to the season finale.

Elizabeth Provost, Daanish Alvi, and Bilaal Mohamed Editor-in-Chief, Staff Writer, and Contributor

>> LOVE ISLAND UK continued from page 01

Shaq and Tanya (Fourth place)

Prior to Casa Amor, Shaq and Tanya were the strongest couple. They had spent the night together in private at the “Hideaway,” said “I love you,” and labeled themselves as exclusive. So, when Tanya returned to the villa with her Casa-boo Martin, Shaq, along with the rest of the boys, were in shock. During Casa Amor, Shaq chose not to share a bed with any of the bombshells. He instead slept through the cold Cape Town nights on the outdoor day-beds—all while Tanya was cuddling up to Martin only one day after meeting him.

Soon after her return, Tanya realized that perhaps her connection with Martin was based solely on the excitement of, well, cheating, so she put Shaq on the spot in front of the whole villa and asked him to forgive her. To us, it really seemed like he had no choice but to forgive her. With the public’s (and Shaq’s sister’s) hatred of Tanya, we weren’t surprised to find them in the bottom, and we were glad that Tanya couldn’t gaslight herself out of this loss.

Tom and Samie (Third place)

Similar to Shaq and Tanya, Tom and Samie were also put to the test during Casa Amor—although this time, Samie stayed loyal while Tom spent the getaway making out and sneaking around on the terrace with bombshell Lydia. We weren’t surprised about Tom’s actions—considering that throughout the season he had the habit of taking any girl with a pulse up to the terrace to lock

lips, despite his claims of loyalty to his partners. In the end, he was nicknamed “Terrace Tom” by the cast. Although Tom did not choose to re-couple and the two stayed together, during “Movie Night,” where steamy Casa clips were revealed, Tom’s infidelity was publicized to Samie, causing a huge rift in their relationship.

In a plea for forgiveness, Tom pulled Samie aside to read a beautiful, vulnerable, third-grade-level poem that he wrote. Lines like, “You’re honestly the most stunning girl that I’ve ever seen/For me I keep pinching myself because it really feels like a dream” and “You deserve the world, you truly do/and with everything going on, I just can’t lose you” immediately healed Samie from the emotional trauma caused by being cheated on.

Ron and Lana (Second place)

Like Shaq and Tanya, Ron and Lana were an original couple from the first coupling in episode one. At the start, the two seemed perfect for each other. But Ron kept insisting that he could not commit to Lana just yet because he wanted “to be sure.” So, to “be sure,” he tested the waters with four other girls. Lana somehow forgave him.

Lana also had a weak moment—rightfully so, after being consistently breadcrummed by who she was in love with. In a shocking re-coupling mid-season, Lana coupled up with Casey—a new bombshell—to get back at Ron. She regretted her decision

in an hour and kissed Ron in front of Casey the next night— this was Casey’s villain origin story. But despite having no sexual chemistry and three eyes between the two of them (yes, Ron has a glass eye), the two remained fan favourites.

Kai and Sanam (Winners)

Kai was introduced as part of the original cast during episode one, and he quickly became one of the most hated cast members due to his dry personality (and dry lips). For the first two weeks, he was consistently voted by the public into the bottom three contenders. However, throughout the season, Kai’s public image made an incredible redemption. He went from being a boring, monotone man with a dry sense of humor, to a boring, monotone man with a dry sense of humor coupled up with the fan-favourite-sweetheart, Sanam—one of the bombshells introduced during Casa Amor and the only one that made it to the finals.

Soon, their relationship blossomed into a genuine union of two unproblematic people. Looking back at the season, although they were late bloomers, they were the only couple to not have major drama with each other. This gave us all a glimmer of hope, suggesting that pure love wins over toxic love. Also, the Trinidadian and Jamaican love birds are the first couple of colour to take the prize home.

As the three of us watched the season together, we sent countless voice memos about the insufferable islanders, and constantly asked each other about what we would do in the same situations. We learned and reinforced valuable lessons about what it means to be in love with someone else. Whether it was Ron’s hesitance to stay loyal to Lana, or Tanya’s refusal to commit to an established relationship after one “ick,” through these 57 episodes, we all became better people by realizing that there’s so much worse out there.

Six reasons to work out that have nothing to do with how you look

2. Get more restful sleep

Unfortunately, this time of year is infamous for workout regimes that claim they’ll help you build the “perfect summer body” by the beginning of June. As if promoting insecurities and perpetuating unattainable standards for body image wasn’t nefarious enough, this idealistic aim negates other, more valuable reasons to get moving.

So, if you’re ready to ditch the shame and guilt around getting active, here are six reasons to work out that have absolutely nothing to do with your physical appearance.

1. Boost your mood

After a long school year, a Netflix marathon is probably at the top of your summer wish list. But after you’ve finished rewatching every season of your go-to comfort show, some exercise and time in the sun might improve your mood and energy levels. Physical activity triggers your brain to release neurotransmitters such as endorphins, serotonin, and norepinephrine— each of which contribute to those feelings of post-workout euphoria. The even better news is that exercising regularly can build up your body’s long-term resistance to depression, anxiety, and stress. Even a short walk outside is enough to set you on a path toward better mental health and emotional wellbeing.

Most students find themselves short on sleep at some point during the semester, but a regular fitness routine can help you make the most of those hours. Exercising three or more times per week can help you fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, and spend more time in deep, slow-wave sleep. For the best quality shut-eye, try doing more vigorous exercises in the daytime and sticking to light yoga or stretching before bed.

3. Unlock the key to better focus

Out of all the muscles you strengthen during a good workout, your brain might be the most overlooked. Moderate aerobic activities have shown to promote growth in the hippocampus—the area in our brains that facilitates learning and memory processes. Experimental evidence also

shows that taking breaks in your schedule for physical activity can improve your attention span, problem-solving skills, and executive control. The next time you’re cramming for exams, a trip to the gym might make your study time even more productive.

4. Set yourself up for long-term wellness

If sitting for long hours in front of a computer screen has you complaining of back pain before the age of 25, a bit of movement might be exactly what you need. Research shows that people who exercise regularly throughout their lives tend to have better strength and muscle mass in old age—in addition to better immunity, lower cholesterol levels, and a reduced chance of developing cognitive and physical diseases, among a myriad of other benefits. It’s never too early to start setting yourself up for health and longevity by incorporating some more physical activity into your daily schedule.

5. Discover a new hobby

Working out might feel like just another item on your endless to-do list, but finding a form of physical activity that you love can turn gym time into something you look forward to each week. If you don’t know where to start, University of Toronto Mississauga’s Recreation, Athletics & Wellness Centre offers free drop-in fitness classes in yoga, paddleboard Pilates, cycling, rowing, and more. These low-stakes settings are perfect for trying out different forms of movement and finding out which ones feel best for your body. You’ll get to try something new, and maybe even find a passion to carry forward for the rest of your life.

6. Connect with a community

Once you’ve found your favourite way to move, you’ll start meeting people who love the exact same activity as you. Whether it’s with your loyal gym buddy, a weekly fitness class, or a whole sports team, physical activity is a fun way to bond with others who share your interests. Not only will you reap all the physical, mental, and emotional benefits of getting active—you’ll come away with some new friends to show for it.

No matter your fitness or ability level, moving in whatever way you can is an important act of self-care. You deserve to feel your best, and to enjoy this summer in the body you have.

Are you looking to make a dietary change?

Associate Professor and researcher in U of T’s Department of Nutritional Sciences Dr. John Sievenpiper talks about the difference between low-carb and keto diets.

most important aspect of these diets is understanding where they line up on the glycemic index.

One of the best decisions I ever made for my personal health was adopting a ketogenic—or “keto”—diet. Before keto, I would feel gassy and tired after meals and was generally conscious about my weight. Since reducing my carb intake, however, I have lost weight, increased my energy, and improved my productivity. Simple in theory, the diet mostly involves replacing high carb foods with available low-carb alternatives such as chickpea pasta and lettuce wraps

In practice, however, keto is more complex than it seems. It’s crucial that a person understands everything about the diet to make an informed decision when trying it out. The Medium spoke to Dr. John Sievenpiper, an associate professor for the Department of Nutritional Studies at U of T, who describes keto as a “variant of a low-carb diet [that] is often conflated with all low carbohydrate diets, [which keto is] not, because it’s actually very high in fat [and protein].”

“There are many different [healthy and unhealthy] ways to do [low-carb diets],” says Dr. Sievenpiper, as they mainly involve a focus on micro-nutrients and certain foods. The

“The glycemic index (GI) is a scale that ranks a carbohydrate-containing food or drink by how much it raises blood glucose after it is eaten or drank,” according to Diabetes Canada. “Foods with a high GI increase blood glucose higher and faster than foods with a low GI,” their website adds. Low glycemic index foods slow the body’s absorption of carbohydrates and boost metabolism

One example of an ingredient that Dr. Sievenpiper recommends to his patients is psyillum husk. Psyillum husk is a kind of fiber supplement that lowers cholesterol, aids in the relief of digestive issues, and regulates blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. For this reason, psyllium husk is a popular ingredient in low-carb cooking and baking.

Different approaches to low-carb diets have their own advantages and disadvantages. For example, in a 2020 study published in Nutrition Reviews, Dr. Sievenpiper found that the “Eco-Atkins” diet, a low-carb diet centered on plant proteins, decreased low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in participants because of fiber consumed through plants. This diet may in turn induce weight loss. “A lot of

the benefit may be from just restricting foods [and] cutting calories due to eating less,” says Dr. Sievenpiper.

Low-carb diets, namely keto, require a high intake of animal products such as processed meats that may “increase LDL cholesterol [and increase the risk of] certain cardiovascular diseases,” Dr. Sievenpiper says. Such risk factors devalue any potential benefits of weight loss. To counter this issue, Dr. Sievenpiper stresses the importance of knowing the extremes your diet should follow so that it may be a sustainable long-term commitment.

Transcultural diets are one key to sustainability. Try out new and different recipes but also make foods that are familiar to you and align with your dietary restrictions. I have adopted this method myself by exploring keto-friendly recipes for baked goods, for example, and this has certainly helped me sustain the lifestyle. Remember, there are different ways of doing lowcarb diets, so be sure to choose the version that works for you. It’s also possible that a low-carb diet may not be for you at all.

Kaitlyn Harris

Staff Writer

Research tells us that the mental, social, and long-term health benefits of physical activity are way more important than that elusive beach body.

Yusuf Larizza-Ali Staff Writer

Cycle syncing: the fitness training method behind UTSC SheMoves workshop

Coralie Rimaud hosted a workshop titled “Exercising around your period” on November 25, 2022, at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre as part of the U of T tri-campus SheMoves event, and reprised it on January 30, 2023.

Rimaud, an Environmental Studies major and tri-campus volleyball player at the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC), has long had a passion for health, sports, and nutrition, which motivates her to optimize her training through new ways, such as cycle syncing.

“This science was basically telling me that I could optimize my workouts around my menstrual cycle and achieve my fitness goals faster by working with and not against my body’s natural processes,” says Rimaud in an interview with The Medium.

Alisa Vitti, a holistic health practitioner, researched and introduced her proprietary Cycle Syncing Method framework in her 2014 book WomanCode. Vitti outlines that in addition to their circadian rhythm, which operates in humans on a 24-hour clock, females operate on a secondary infradian (longer) rhythm: the menstrual cycle.

A healthy menstrual cycle for a woman in her 20s can last anywhere between 24 and 38 days, and is marked by four distinct phases, each governed by fluctuations in hormone levels. The Cycle Syncing Method says that the impact of hormone fluctuations on the body should be considered in how we pursue our fitness goals, as they may influence changes in metabolism, immune system, stress response, and more.

The four phases of the menstrual cycle are: menstruation, the follicular phase, ovulation, and the luteal phase.

After the first phase of a three to seven day menstrual period, normally one out of many female egg cells (oocytes) will mature in an ovarian fluid-filled sac (follicle) for about 13 to 14 days of the follicular phase. During the follicular phase, rising levels of estrogen (female sex hormone) peak and trigger ovulation. In the third phase of the menstrual cycle, an ovary releases the matured egg (ovum) into the fallopian tube to then be fertilized by sperm before travelling towards the uterus.

After ovulation begins, the luteal phase wherein leftover follicles produce progesterone, a hormone that causes the lining of the uterus to thicken in preparation for a potential pregnancy. When a fertilized egg doesn’t implant in the uterus, progesterone levels drop, and the uterus lining begins to shed, initiating another cycle.

As appetite and cortisol levels lower during the follicular phase, Vitti claims you can increase your cardio levels during this time. During the luteal phase when our higher levels

of sex hormones correlate with larger appetites and higher cortisol levels—which Vitti links to inflammation—we don’t have as much of a capacity for workouts with a large cardio component, and so exercises like yoga, Pilates, and strength training may be better options.

A few weeks after she learned about Vitti’s cycle syncing training method, Riamud says “[MoveU, a tri-campus fitness initiative at U of T], was thinking of having more educational events for students and I offered to host mine on ‘Exercising around your period.’” The main difficulty she found in organizing the workshop was the lack of empirical research on cycle syncing. “The sources I found were pretty vague, so I had to base my presentation on less reliable sources,” Rimaud admits.

Despite evidence that suggests hormone fluctuation affects appetite, mood, and more, there’s no research about the health or fitness impact of any program that attempts to sync exercise or nutrition plans with the menstrual cycle. Vitti claims that general fitness wisdom doesn’t give weight to hormone cycles because women haven’t historically been represented in medical research, and that women’s problems are often dismissed by doctors.

Rimaud, however, was pleased with the feedback she received after the workshops. “I always felt uncomfortable talking about my period,” she says, adding that in-group discussion made her realize her experience is a shared one. “I really felt empowered after the workshop to talk more openly about menstruation [and influence people to be healthier].”

The first step in cycle syncing is to track the phases of your period. Tracking tells you when you’ll get your period and if it’s irregular—occurring fewer than every 24 days or longer than every 38 days. An irregular period is something to discuss with your doctor for answers that might explain it’s cause.

Natalie Emidio and her 18-year dance journey

For the past 18 years, dance has been a central part of University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) student Natalie Emidio’s life. Emidio, a fourth-year criminology and sociology major, started dancing at the age of four. With her love for jazz and hip-hop music, artists such as Britney Spears, Julianne Hough, Stephen “tWitch” Boss, and the Royal Family dance crew became early inspirations that set Emidio off on her dance journey.

The innovative and engaging choreography of Stephen Boss and the Royal Family shaped Emidio’s style in hip hop, while an emphasis on performance quality was brought to her attention by Julianne Hough and Britney Spears. “Both women have the star quality and performance engagement that every dancer strives to have,” Emidio says.

With support from her mother, teachers, and friends, Emidio would join multiple teams throughout the years, including The Dance Corps, Centre Stage School of the Arts, and the CTK dance team before joining UTM’s only competitive dance team. “Once I stepped into the dance studio, I knew that this team would

be a part of my future here at UTM,” she shares. During her UTM Dance Team career, Emidio learned to deal with the ups and downs of competition with the support of her teammates, namely, her first year Captain Jayla Liebig, and her current team Co-Captain Kortni Kindree and Assistant Captain Sarah Gryniewski. “Without their support, I certainly would not be the leader or the dancer I am today and for that, I am eternally grateful,” Emidio says.

winning titles or trophies but of going out onto the stage and giving it our all.” For Emidio, Kindree, and many others on the 2023 UTM Dance Team, this will be the last competitive season of their lives. Despite some bittersweet feelings, Emidio is “thankful to end it with this team, at this school, with these amazing people.”

The UTM Dance Team not only allowed her to grow as both a student and leader, but also to

connect with many new students in a network of like-minded individuals. Emidio describes how the support and motivation that comes with such a network is truly transformative, and encourages students to step outside their comfort zone, involving themselves in UTM sports.

As captain, Emidio focuses on supporting her teammates by creating a positive and safe atmosphere that allows them to try new things and express their ideas. “As a Captain you are the backbone of your team and it is your job to build them up, set them up for success, and prepare them for the competition that lies ahead,” she reflects.

When asked about her future goals regarding dance, Emidio hopes to finish off her last season successfully. Success for Emidio “consists not of

“I know that it can be nerve-wracking to try out for a varsity team or to join intramural sports but honestly it will change your university journey,” she shares. Emidio believes that each student has something to offer this community and that they should strive to lead teams or clubs of their own as captains or presidents. She advises, “Just be yourself, support those around you, and lead with compassion and I assure you that success will follow.”

The UTM Dance Team is looking forward to welcoming new members at their try-outs next September. You can keep up with upcoming events and audition information for the upcoming season at @utmdance on Instagram.

“Without their support, I certainly would not be the leader or the dancer I am today and for that, I am eternally grateful.”

“Just be yourself, support those around you, and lead with compassion and I assure you that success will follow.”

Ahmad Khan Contributor

The 2023 Captain of UTM’s dance team believes each student can successfully lead in their school communities if they’re compassionate and supportive of others.

Third-year student-athlete Coralie Rimaud hosted “Exercising around your period” to help women structure their physical activity based on female-biology.

Emily Prete Staff Writer

AURORA PICCIOTTOLI/THE MEDIUM

BRIANA MEDEIROS