Volume 45 Issue 8

THE VOICE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO MISSISSAUGA

November 05, 2018 Volume 45, Issue 8 themedium.ca

No space for UTM students

Campus journalisms role

A modern Oscar Wilde

Women, law and representation

UTM’s a slam dunk for Jiana

News, page 3

Opinion, page 4

Arts, page 5

Features, page 8

Sports, page 11

UTSU leaves UTMSU, scraps slates The meeting featured lengthy discussions on union seperation, policy changes, and free speech ALI TAHA NEWS EDITOR WITH NOTES FROM ALICIA BOATTO MANAGING EDITOR This year’s UTSU Annual General Meeting heard discussions and debates concerning the union’s separation with UTMSU, banning the running of teams in UTSU elections, and demands for opposition regarding Doug Ford’s free speech policy on October 30th.

Presidential Address To commence the meeting, UTSU President Anne Boucher’s gave a speech focusing primarily on the union’s strong financial standing since the last AGM, as well as their priority of maintain healthy relationships with campus.

According to the UTSU’s 2018 audited financial statements, the union reported a surplus of $492,887, up from $23,521 in 2017. This is the largest surplus the UTSU has seen in many years.

Boucher also hoped that the UTSU would begin moving in a new direction.

“Behind us are years of the UTSU

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

Boucher hoped that the UTSU would begin moving in a new direction. not listening to its constituents,” she concluded, “years of financial mismanagement, years of the UTSU playing politics, and years of the UTSU playing as a mouthpiece to one of the most corrupt organizations in the country,” in reference to the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS). UTSU

has previously advocated against the CFS and sought to terminate their membership.

Following Boucher’s statements a question period was held to give students and union members the opportunity to ask the UTSU executive team any questions.

Question Period U of T student Joshua Bowman asked Boucher if there is currently a campaign to collect signatures to hold a referendum on staying with the CFS. Boucher said that students on campus are gathering signatures, but

the UTSU has not been involved with the efforts.

When asked about the student commons delays, UTSU VP Operations Tyler Biswurm stated that since the building is so old many unforeseen problems have arisen.

Biswurm went on to say that much of the construction is out of the union’s hands, stating, “The construction project is completely taken up by the university. We have no direct ownership over the construction project.” Biswurn then stated that the UTSU does not own the building but instead leases it from the university for their use.

During this time the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union’s (UTMSU) VP External Atif Abdullah questioned the UTSU for their alleged lack of involvement against the U of T’s Mandated Leave of Absence policy. As previously reported by The Medium, the policy proposes that, in rare cases, the administration can place a student on a leave of absence from the university. if they are deemed dangerous to their own safety or to the safety of their peers.

AGM continued on page 2

U of T has updated diversity hiring survey The survey collects data on the composition of U of T staff to improve initiatives and recruiting efforts MELISSA BARRIENTOS ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR The University of Toronto’s Employment Equity program, has provided an updated Equity survey for faculty and prospective job applicants in order to better determine U of T’s hiring practices.

U of T employees, consisting of faculty and staff, are asked to fill out the voluntary Employment Equity Survey each year at the beginning of July. The survey is used to indicate the amount of diversity amongst U of T employees and gather where initiatives and recruiting efforts can be improved.

Containing questions referring to one’s sexual orientation, ethnic background and gender identity the survey is given to interested applicants seeking employment with the university. The survey states that the responses will not be shared with any hiring manager upon application submission.

According to U of T’s statement in the 2016-17 Employment Equity

PAWEL MIGDAL/THE MEDIUM

Church notes that students come from all over the world, so diversity in staff is important.

Report, “the information collected via the survey is used by the University to determine programs, resources, policies, and initiatives for the upcoming year, and to develop recruitment strategies that ensure the University is representative of

our diverse community.”

The collection of human rightsbased data, such as the Employment Equity Survey, are often addressed with a level of concern for ‘reverse-discrimination’ and for placing diversity quotas over merit

and qualifications. While U of T does support the diversification of employees at all campuses, it does not currently have a diversity quota to fulfill.

In an interview with The Medium U of T spokesperson Eliza-

beth Church stated “Why do we care about diversity? Our students come from all over the world and from many different backgrounds, and it’s important that students see themselves in the faculty and staff who support them.”

While U of T’s updated survey has adopted more current questions and terminology, the participation rate of the survey has dropped from 84 per cent rate down to 70 per cent in the first year of its update. In the 2014-15 academic year the employee response rate was at 84.22 per cent, in the 2015-16 academic year it was at 84.38 per cent, until the last reported 2016-17 academic year where it dropped to 70 per cent.

In the last Academic Affairs Committee meeting, data extracted from U of T’s 2016-17 Employment Equity Survey to compute UTM faculty makeup was shown to distinguish UTM faculty data from U of T faculty and staff data.

Equity continued on page 3

2

«NEWS

THE MEDIUM 11.05.2018

October 27 th , 2018 Police Assistance Campus Police attended residence for an unconscious intoxicated student.

Ambulance attended and the student was transported to hospital.

October 28 th , 2018 Suspicious Person A staff member reported a suspicious male during fall campus day. Campus Police searched surrounding areas but the male was gone on arrival.

October 28 th , 2018 Police Assistance Campus Police attended OPH for a student experiencing medical distress. The student was provided with a taxi chit and went to hospital.

October 31 st , 2018 Trespass to Property Act Campus Police were advised of a male selling food out of his van by the library. The male was not authorized to sell food on campus and was asked to leave. He left without incident.

These reports are those that have been released to The Medium and do not necessarily constitute an exhaustive list.

Students can contact the UTM Campus Police at 905 828 5200, Peel Regional Police at 905 453 3311, or Crime Stoppers at 1 800 222 8477.

UTMSU Board of directors meet

YASMEEN ALKOKA/THE MEDIUM

Topics discussed included Fall by-elections and role designations.

KAYVAN AFLAKI ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR On Friday, November 2nd, the UTMSU held its second Board of Director’s meeting for the 2017-2018 academic year.

The monthly board meetings are held in order for the union to present to the Board of Directors the work their executive team has done or plans on accomplishing.

Topics discussed included the Fall by-elections and the designation of roles to several UTMSU subcommittees.

The elections CRO, Athisaya Satgururajah, presented the byelection report to the Board of Directors. Bryan Duy and Sheri Filjazi were both elected as Division I representatives for the Board of Directors.

A total of 16 nomination packages were picked up by UTM students, but only 9 were returned. None were returned for Divisions IV and V. Positions for these Divisions remain vacant.

Election violations are posted on the UTMSU’s wall of transparency.

The Board of Directors moved to destroy the ballots and elections

materials following the meeting.

The Board of Directors voted on fulfilling vacancies for several subcommittees. Among these were the Executive Review Committee, the Budget Committee, Policy and Procedures Committee, Clubs Committee, Green Grants Committee, and the Elections and Referenda Committee. Positions for each were filled by the sitting Board of Directors.

Fulfilment of positions in the Bursary Committee, responsible for overseeing the distribution of UTMSU’s bursary funds, was tabled to the next meeting in order to allow the incumbent committee members to complete application review.

Atif Abdullah, UTMSU’s VP External, told The Medium that meeting minutes, once approved by the Board of Directors, are posted online in up to two weeks’ time.

The University of Toronto Mississauga Student Union’s minutes for their board meeting are meant to be posted to their website, however minutes from the current union’s meetings have been absent from their website since July 2018.

Memmel: Conflict of interest?

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

Mathias Memmel, who manages the daily finances for the union, was the former UTSU president.

AGM continued from page 1

Boucher responded by saying the UTSU supported the work the UTMSU and the Scarborough Campus Students’ Union (SCSU) had done, but she didn’t want students “to assume that just because [the UTSU] did not participate in all your endeavors that doesn’t mean we didn’t put a lot of effort into the cause.”

When asked about when the General Manager, who had been fired in July, would be replaced, Boucher stated that the union is currently in the process of hiring another one, and that much of the role had been absorbed by the president and VP operations positions.

It was also disclosed that since firing the General Manager, the UTSU has contracted former UTSU president Mathias Memmel to do the “day-to-day finances” of the union.

When asked whether it is a conflict of interest, Boucher stated, “When you have someone who has had three years of experience with an organization, they’re a good resource to have.

He’s kept a very respectful distance from the operations of the UTSU, and the politics of the organization.”

The UTSU hopes to have a General Manager by the middle of November.

AGM Bans Slates for upcoming Elections One of the biggest changes passed during the AGM was the banning of slates in UTSU elections. Boucher spoke on the issue, saying that students did not like the toxic nature of the union’s elections. “An issue I faced when I was an independent candidate was that it was very intimidating being against a bunch of slates. Your chances are very low since you’re running against bureaucracies.”

“I think that UTSU elections should be open and accessible,” she continued. “I think having more independent candidates will reinvigorate UTSU elections­—more diverse people may bring more people out.”

Traditionally during election period, members of the student body interested in running would for a team and run the union’s executive positions together. Often the teams formed, and the winning teams would be individuals already affiliated with the student unions. The union also pointed out that slates normally win as a whole because it’s easier for students to remember cam-

paign names than the names of individual candidates.

Memmel spoke for the change, stating, “The culture around slates is very toxic […] it’s about circles of friends who recruit more friends to run each year.”

When asked about whether the executive has thought about what banning may do to voter turnout, Boucher stated that “leaving voting to just a couple of boring slates that you see year after year tends to leave people feeling disenfranchised.”

Biswurm chimed in, stating, “This question turns into a lot of theoretical questions. The only facts we have to work on are the negatives of slates.”

Endorsement of the Separation of the UTSU and UTMSU The motion comes after lengthy negotiations on the Associate Membership Agreement (AMA) between the UTSU and UTMSU, that began in January 2018, but broke down soon thereafter. In September, the UTSU Board of Directors endorsed separation, and the vote at the AGM was for members to show their approval with the endorsement. Now both unions are able to begin the formal process of separating.

The AMA holds UTMSU has a subset that answers to the UTSU and requires UTM students to pay the UTSU has part of their tuition fees.

In regard to the agreement, Boucher believed that the UTMSU should have the right to represent it’s membership fully.

She went on to say that a large problem with the agreement is that it was signed without student consultation on April 30th, 2008, which would have been the executive team’s last day in office.

In support of the endorsement, UTMSU VP External Atif Abdullah stated, “At it’s highest point, this agreement was a great way for students to come together and advocate for central issues. Since then, this has turned into a begrudging relationship that does not work for either party.”

“It’s clear the UTSU no longer works for us,” Abdullah continued.

The motion to endorse the UTMSU, UTSU separation passed unanimously with 222 votes.

The separation is slated to conclude on August 31, 2019.

Items Submitted by Members One of the most discussed resolu-

tions was the rejection of the Ontario Government’s mandated free speech policy. The mandate, originally announced on August 30, requires that all Ontario universities and colleges develop free speech policies by January 1st.

Jack Rising, a member of the club Socialists Fightback U of T, argued that the Ontario government’s new policy is an “anti-protest policy.”

Daniel Roberts, another member of the group, stated that “according to the new policy, if universities do not support this anti-protest law, they will face funding cuts. Ford is attempting to criminalize protesting, as well as remove funding and recognition from student unions.”

The motion proposed that the UTSU officially reject and refuse to implement the government’s policy.

The motion also called for the UTSU to demand that the administration refuse to implement “any policy that may restrict the right to protest, especially those referencing the University of Chicago statement, which itself violates free speech rights.”

Academic Director for Social Sciences Joshua Bowman amended the resolution to remove the section that called for the UTSU to demand action from the U of T administration.

Boucher stated that she was neither for or against the motion, but cited that the University of Toronto has had a free speech policy in place since 1992, so not much would change.

“I think political organizations like the UTSU have a responsibility in these circumstances to say ‘no’ to things that are oppressive to our members,” said Memmel, in favour of the resolution.

End of the AGM The meeting ran overtime until 10:20 pm, even though quorum was lost at 9:52 pm. The final membersubmitted resolution passed during the meeting allowed members to change bylaws and policies at future AGMs. Submitted by the UTSU’s VP University Affairs Josh Grondin, removes the bylaw that requires all policies and procedures to go through the UTSU’s Governance Committee.

Procedural policies can now be adopted, rescinded, or passed at the AGM with a three-quarters majority, and operation procedures with a simple majority.

Participation dropping

11.05.2018 THE MEDIUM NEWS

»

3

HUMANS OF UTM

PHOTO FROM UNSPLASH.COM

UTM used the survey data to promote initiatives and funding.

Equity continued from page 3 From July 1st, 2016 to June 30th, 2017 UTM’s faculty consisted of 4.4 per cent people with a disability. Additionally, 16.6 per cent are racialized persons/people of colour and 35.4 per cent are female. From this data UTM saw where to promote initiatives and funding. Last month, in the UTM Campus Council meeting, the university stated funding from University Fund (UF) central program is going toward seven academic diversity positions and three indigenous faculty positions. In a previous statement to The Medium, Angelo Lange, VP Academic & Dean, stated that the funding will allow UTM to “hire in academic areas

where there had either been a gender imbalance or there was a lack of persons of colour.” “[U of T] believes diversity and excellence go hand-in-hand,” Church concluded. “That’s why we collect this demographic information about the diversity of our faculty and staff, so that we can see where gaps exist.”

The Canadian federal government passed the Employment Equity Act in 1995 and continues to advocate equality and fairness in the workplace with a focus on four underrepresented groups: women, people with disabilities, Aboriginal peoples, and members of visible minorities.

In 2006, U of T became one of the first universities to update their Employment Equity Survey to adopt

new questions and self-identifying pronouns. Also, as opposed to answering the survey in its entirety the updated version allows respondents to answer select questions.

In contrast to the government’s current Employment Equity Survey, U of T’s updated survey gathers information on Indigenous / Aboriginal people, persons with disabilities, racialized people / people of colour, LGBTQ individuals, and women.

Church further discusses, “with the new Employment Equity Survey, we now have two years of data, which will help administrators identify how and where to improve recruitment and hiring practices, and employee retention.”

Over enrolment at UTM Students report difficulty in finding places to sit, study on campus

“I think the hardest thing about living on your own is recognizing how many little things you have to do in your life to keep it from falling apart. Stuff like doing laundry, getting groceries, just being like, ‘Oh, I have no food and I have to go buy it now, because if I don’t, I’ll starve to death,’ these help you become a lot more self-reliant, which is something I like. I’ve learned how to fix a lot of things because for four years, we had no landlord support, so if anything broke, I would just be the guy to fix it. I learned how to do IT stuff, I learned how to drywall things, and do piping. I ended up picking up a good amount of skillset.”

Registrar advisors able to be reserved Office of the registrar offers pre-booked appointments

HALAH BUTT/THE MEDIUM

UTM shuttle bus services have seen an influx in numbers.

EDEN FINER The number of current undergraduate students enrolled at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) is at a record high for the university for the 2018/2019 academic year, and the university does not have enough adequate space.

Currently, according to a statement released by the university, over 14,000 students are enrolled, making it the largest number of students UTM has hosted in 50 years. With the increase in students has come increased demand for resources and space.

In an interview with The Medium, Chief Librarian Shelley Hawyrchuk stated, “There was over-capacity from a fire code perspective. There were more people in the building than we were allowed to have, so we moved some seating across campus.”

The library removed a number of study carrels and placed them in other building like on the second floor of CCIT building, but the library’s number of visitors have not seemed

to drop, with students sitting in between the aisles of bookshelves in an effort to find space.

The UTM shuttle bus services have also seen an influx in numbers. The total number of passengers on the St. George shuttle route reached approximately 320,000 last year, surpassing the previous year by 20,000. The total number of passengers on the St. George shuttle route exceeded 36,000 passengers this past September alone.

UTM student Kimiko Yamaguchi told The Medium, “There aren’t enough shuttles. I wasn’t left behind, but there was a massive line behind me that had to wait for the next one.

And the line just kept on growing.”

“Double buses were added at key departure times during rush hour to alleviate this issue,” UTM’s Parking and Transportation Assistant Marcia Soto told The Medium.

During the town hall meeting in September, 2017, Principal Ulrich Krull discussed the resolution to this student influx that being the completion of the North Building. Stuart Olson Inc. construction crews are

UTM REGISTRAR/TWITTER

Students have criticized the Registrar for having long wait times. reconstructing what is said to be the “hub” of the UTM campus. UTM’s Facilities Management & Planning department originally projected that the construction crew would complete renovations by the summer of 2018. They have shifted this date to December 2018.

The entire middle section of the building is currently blocked off, occupied by construction workers.

Many classrooms on the first and second floors are still unavailable for use.

Additional study spaces will be offered in the North Building when the construction is fully completed.

Currently, students cannot book any of the 10 group study rooms in the North building. However, when the rooms become available, an additional 60 seats will open up to make a total of 161 seats of formal study spaces. The building will also have a variety of informal public study areas comprised of bench and bleacher seating that will accommodate approximately 450 people.

MARKO SPAJIC

The UTM Office of the Registrar has recently unveiled its new system of booking and cancelling advising appointments, which was released on Monday, October 29th.

The system now allows students to book an appointment for a scheduled time slot of 15 minutes. In order to book an appointment students must arrive at the “Express Desk” preferably before 12:00 pm and as early as 8:50 am. What remains is the “first-come, first-serve” way of booking appointments, which means during busy periods students will still have to come in quite early to assure they have a spot.

Among the changes towards the way students book appointments is the way they interact with scheduled meetings after booking. There’s now a way to directly check-in with an advisor to let them know whether or not the student will be able to make the appointment through a con-

firmation email after booking. The Office of the Registrar says they are also, “introducing a self-serve computer station at the Express Desk to allow you to cancel any of your appointments […] without having to line up again.”

In previous years, the Office of the Registrar has had a self-serve station so students could book appointments without having to wait in line and speak to the Express Desk staff.

Many students have consistently criticized the Office of the Registrar for having long wait times throughout the year.

Max Jogada, a third year student studying history and political science, told The Medium that he thinks the changes are “a good idea, but I don’t know if they can make [the Office of the Registrar] more efficient.

To make it more efficient you just need more administrators I think.”

Jogada recommended the Office adjust it’s hours to make advisors more available.

4

«

11.05.2018

MASTHEAD EDITORS Editor-in-Chief Mahmoud Sarouji editor@themedium.ca Managing Editor Alicia Boatto managing@themedium.ca

The Medium’s place at UTM Our publication is always looking to improve and continue it’s path to inform you

News Ali Taha news@themedium.ca A&E Paula Cho arts@themedium.ca Features Jessica Cabral features@themedium.ca Sports Vanessa Cesario sports@themedium.ca — Photo Yasmeen Alkoka photos@themedium.ca Design Alexa Neves-Hua design@themedium.ca Copy Mahnoor Ayub copy@themedium.ca Online Olivia Adamczyk online@themedium.ca ASSOCIATES News Kayvon Aflaki Melissa Barrientos A&E TBA YASMEEN ALKOKA/THE MEDIUM

Features Fatima Adil Liayana Jondy Sports Amrish Wagle Photo Julia Healy Brittany Semplonius Copy TBA GENERAL STAFF Webmaster Lyndon Amat web@themedium.ca Distribution Manager Adam Sarouji distribution@themedium.ca Ads Manager Mayank Sharma ads@themedium.ca Cartoonist Anthony Labonté COPYRIGHTS All content printed in The Medium is the sole property of its creators, and cannot be used without written consent.

DISCLAIMER Opinions expressed in the pages of The Medium are exclusively of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The Medium. Additionally, the opinions expressed in advertisements appearing in The Medium are those of advertisers and not of The Medium.

All articles published in print are also posted on our website themedium.ca LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the editor will be edited for spelling, grammar, style and coherence. Letters will not exceed 700 words in print. Letters that incite hatred or violence and letters that are racist, homophobic, sexist, or libelous will not be published.

Anonymous letters will not be published.

MEDIUM II PUBLICATIONS 3359 Mississauga Road, Room 200, Student Centre, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6 themedium.ca

To contribute, email editor@themedium.ca

As a student publication, we owe it to our readers to provide the most factual and up-to-date information in all sections of our paper. A daunting thought at first, yet a rewarding feat to achieve every day of the year.

Our hope is that students trust us to deliver work that at the very least keeps them aware of their surroundings. And to also understand that we make mistakes.

As journalists, sometimes it can be easy to passively complete our work without realizing the impact it has on our readers. We become so focused on getting the article to a standard of writing beyond what we’ve done before, and this leaves us forgetting our motivations as a newspaper.

As journalists not only are we responsible for informing, and doing

our best to take the right steps to put together our articles, but we have to be willing and ready to accept when we’ve faulted.

It’s simple to become angry and frustrated with us when we do make mistakes. I wholeheartedly encourage you, our readers, to openly criticize us, call us out on our mistakes, and stay on top of the events we report on. This is a fundamental portion of our job, and managing that with our lives as students is a tricky playing field.

It can be tough as journalists to work through the process, and internalize the fact that eventually we will make a mistake, and some will have to face that mistake publicly.

Regardless, this is part of our job.

As much as I encourage you to be

a part of our conversation about the University of Toronto Mississauga, I encourage you to do so respectfully and thoughtfully. If you know there are ways for us to improve, suggest it. If you are aware that students could benefit from reading what we report on, pass that along. Even if you believe that we’re a paper that lacks credibility and should never be taken seriously, tell people that too.

Although, I challenge those who are against us and what we do to think about why they feel that way, and to respectfully offer methods for improvement.

Using your power to have a voice at this campus can make it simple to downplay the work that we complete.

Using that voice to have a discussion on ways to improve is harder to do, and this is what I hope for students at UTM to work on.

The excuse that student engagement with us lacks because we’re a commuter campus opens the opportunity for students to lose sight of anything other than their marks and their degree. Our newspaper and other student newspapers were created to preform what the Toronto Star and The Globe and Mail won’t focus on, and those are issues right here on campus.

We can still be a commuter campus and open our eyes and ears to the issues on campus. To question information, break through the university ideal lifestyle, and challenge those with the power to change the way you engage with your campus.

Don’t forget, your experiences on this campus and your time here is the time you get to explore and create habits for yourself that you’ll want to take with you into your career and future. While studying and

learning to balance your time with courses is essential in your growth, so is staying active with the environment you operate in. Questioning decisions made by those we place in positions of power, criticizing journalist outlets, discussing various issues, are all skills that we should be adopting amongst other skills.

While we hold your elected officials to account, hold us to account.

I will always encourage that. While most ignore or reject their faults, our goal is to always accept them and learn where we can improve.

It is our faults and the lessons learned that make The Medium the newspaper it is today. We provide our service for your benefit, and I implore you to engage with us.

You can do better as a student, and so can we as a publication.

All student journalists live a double life and will make mistakes. Our responsibilities to you are to report and inform, but also to be truthful and come to terms with our flaws.

Our growth can only happen if we follow by these motivations.

The Medium will always be here for your benefit, and my hope is that you continue to engage with us or, if you have not already, begin to.

YOURS, MAHMOUD SAROUJI

CORRECTION NOTICE The October 15 article “Intersections of humanity, art & earth” and “Jenny Holiday: romance literature writer” was corrected.

11.05.2018

»

5

Reimagining an Oscar Wilde classic Victoria College Drama Society presents The Importance of Being Earnest with a modern-day twist SRIJAN SAHU

Revivals of Oscar Wilde’s famous comedy The Importance of Being Earnest aren’t uncommon. But, while most fall flat as frivolous crowdpleasers, Victoria College Drama Society’s production proves to be an exception. With a story so trivial, it’s easy to ignore the true message behind the play; however, director Rachel Bannerman does a fine job and makes ‘order of all the absurdity.’ In this modern retelling, two straight characters are turned queer in an attempt to show that love is something worth fighting for. This is perhaps apt, considering the LGBT community’s prevalence in today’s society as well as Wilde’s own life.

This Victorian satire follows Algernon Moncrieff (Gianni Sallese) and Jacqueline “Jack” Worthing (Sylvia Woolner), two members of Victorian upper aristocracy as they lead double lives to feed their unconventional habits and flee from societal obligations. In a world where utmost importance is given to fashionable food and the ‘right setting,’ the two protagonists maneuver obstacles in their pursuit of true love.

As the play goes about address-

VICTORIA COLLEGE DRAMA SOCIETY/FACEBOOK

Two straight characters are turned queer in an attempt to show love is worth fighting for. ing the various quirks of Victorian culture, such as overreliance on etiquette, social standing, and scrutinized romance, it also focuses on the limitations posed on queer individuals. In the director’s note, Bannerman writes, “We are living in a world that is so fervently trying to write queer bodies, especially trans and nonbinary bodies, out of existence, and there is something hopeful and damningly lovely about characters speaking themselves and their love into existence.” She uses the plot of the play to show how the way one loves has sadly become the way by

which they are condemned, but ultimately how love can be a symbol of resilience and strength.

The double lives, lived by Algernon and Jack, and the confusion that follows is responsible for much of the hilarity that ensues in the play.

So, switching Jack’s character for a female lead should have cut short the disarray necessary for the conflict in the plot. However, Bannerman’s tactful management of the script enables audiences to look past this detail and view Jaqueline and Gwendolen’s relationship as nothing less than a budding love between two queer bodies.

The play’s brilliance is brought to life by a wonderful and talented cast from VCDS. Although all the characters were beautifully played, two stood out from the rest. Gianni Sallese’s portrayal of Algernon captures the charm, wit, and dandy essence of the character and lets no comedic opportunity go by without milking it in its entirety. He is well supported

by Kenley Ferris Ku’s Ceceily, who proves a perfect accompaniment to Algernon’s pantomime nature.

Sexual chemistry flares between the two and Ferris makes good in differentiating between his character’s

simplicity and naivety.

The background crew does a fine job as well, as it assembled a stage that resembles Victorian society accurately. It is well supported by musical accompaniment, from the opening piano sequence in Algernon’s apartment to the many enchanting songs set in the 1800’s. Also, the design of costumes and hats replicate those of said era. The play is spread about in three acts: they take place in Algernon’s London apartment, the Worthing countryside manor garden, and living room, respectively.

The Importance of Being Earnest leaves the audience with a courage to grab life by the tail—whether this was the intended purpose, its message of finding the humor and love in life shines through. It encourages us to dream of a brighter and ideal world that is right around the corner, one with more equality for the LGBT community, and to be brave like the characters as we try to achieve that reality. This interpretation of Wilde’s work makes it relevant to a modern audience over two centuries later.

The Importance of Being Earnest ran at the Isabel Bader Theatre from October 25-27.

Metamorphoses: love transcends even death Theatre Erindale shows that change is necessary and love incites all in their production of Metamorphoses ALI TAHA NEWS EDITOR

Change is difficult, but it is possible.

This is the lesson Mary Zimmerman espouses in her play Metamorphoses, which opened at Erindale Studio Theatre last Thursday with back-to-back sold-out shows.

The play, directed by David Matheson, offers vignette after vignette of mythic story-telling based on Ovid’s classic poem of the same name. Early on in the play, one of the narrators says, “Myths are the earliest form of science”—meaning, I suppose, that myths explain the way things are. The myths Zimmerman uses are simple, yet full of meaning.

An incestuous relationship between a daughter and her father, the death of a lover repeated for an eternity, a man led to self-cannibalism by his own selfishness. These are some of the images that stay with you long after the show is over.

The main set-piece of the story is a pool of water, with only a wooden path around it. The pool stays the same, but its function changes. In one scene the pool is a serene pond, in another it is a raging ocean, and then by the next story it is back to calm. The pool symbolizes chaos and order: an element that can both stain and wash away.

Almost all the main characters in

THEATRE ERINDALE/FACEBOOK

Love acts as a catalyist for change in each story. the play go through a transformation. The inciting action to each of their metamorphoses is violence, either physically, emotionally, or both.

And it is almost always tied to love: the death of a loved one, loving oneself, or longing for love. Like in the story of Alcyone (Aria Sharma) and Cyex (Cameron Doherty), in which her love for him is so strong that the gods transform both Alcyone and Ceyx into kingfishers, so they can be with each other. Throughout Metamorphoses, love is almost always lost, to be found again in a new form.

Sometimes it is good, sometimes it is bad.

Metamorphoses touches upon primal, basic feelings, offering an archetypal vision of the human condition.

Each character personifies a human

emotion: Midas (Mackenzie Burton) is greed, Myrrha (Gillian Clare) is lust, Narcissus (Lucas Blakely) is narcissism. Each story touches upon something terrifyingly real.

Most of the stories told throughout the play carry perverse elements which detail love and its ramifications.

Love also acts as the catalyst for change in each story. Midas holds his fortune so dear to his heart that Bacchus (Yona Epstein-Roth) grants him the power to turn anything he touches into solid gold, inevitably causing Midas to turn his own daughter into gold. Myrrha’s love for her father is perversely twisted by Aphrodite (Kyra Keith). Orpheus travels down into the underworld to save his wife (Lindsay Wu).

The modern comedic moments of the play, however, never seemed to land that well with the dramatic language of Ovid’s poems and the tragic subject matter of the stories. That being said, a hilarious scene plays out as Phaeton (George Alevizos) discusses his father, the sun god (Lucas Blakely), with his therapist (Alexia Vassos) during a “counseling session.” By the end of the scene, he is haphazardly driving Apollo’s chariot through the sky before crashing it into the earth.

The star of the show is, without a doubt, the second Laundress, Lachesis (played by the wonderful Karen Scora). She is a sly storyteller, weaving through each myth with brevity and deftness, aware of the gravity of her words and the depth of the sto-

ries. She carries herself with poise, and always speaks as if she knows something we don’t.

The moral of Metamorphoses can be found in the story of Eros (Liam Galway) and Psyche (Rebecca Macdonald). Eros is the god of love, and Psyche represents the soul. As one of the Laundress’ says, “The soul wanders in the dark until it finds love. So, wherever love goes, there we find our soul.”

Love, to Zimmerman, is the most powerful force in the world. Through love, each of us has the capacity to flourish into something greater than ourselves, but the process is difficult and arduous.

“Let me die still loving, and so never die,” is one of the final lines of the play, and it says much about the human condition. Love transcends even death.

The play ends on an uplifting note: Midas journeys to the ends of the earth to find a pond that washes his curse away, turning his daughter back to normal.

With haunting music, solid acting, and beautiful choreography, Metamorphoses captivates and draws us in, forcing us to acknowledge truths we would rather dismiss.

Change is difficult, but it is necessary.

Theatre Erindale’s Metamorphoses runs until November 11.

6

«ARTS

THE MEDIUM 11.05.2018

This Is Us: epitome of an emotional rollarcoaster This Is Us chronicles the lives of the Pearson family and how they overcome relatable hardship VICTORIA DANESI

This Is Us can be considered an anomaly in today’s television landscape. Streaming services and cable networks have essentially replaced broadcast network television in popularity and acclaim, but the network family drama has proven otherwise.

Before its premiere, This Is Us was marketed as a show that followed the lives of four people who happen to share the same 36th birthday (be warned, major spoilers ahead.) It was revealed at the end of the pilot that three of the characters, Kate (Chrissy Metz), Kevin (Justin Hartley), and Randall (Sterling K. Brown) are siblings in the present day and Jack Pearson (Milo Ventimiglia) is their father in 1980 on the day they were born. Their mother Rebecca (Mandy Moore) was pregnant with triplets, giving birth to Kate and Kevin, but loses the third baby, Kyle. As Jack gazes through the newborn nursery, now sharing the same birthday with his two kids, a firefighter standing beside him points to a newborn that was abandoned at a fire station that same day. Jack and Rebecca decide to adopt Randall, completing the Pearson family.

The series follows the three siblings in present day, with flashbacks throughout each episode to show specific moments in the Pearson family’s past. Flashbacks can go all the way

YASMEEN ALKOKA/THE MEDIU

This Is Us both warms and breaks viewers’ hearts. back to Jack and Rebecca’s childhood and the siblings as children and teenagers. Recently, flash forwards have been introduced, creating even more speculation about every character’s future.

Each sibling in the present-day deals with individual hardship. Randall is a successful businessman who tracks down his biological father William (Ron Cephas Jones), wanting to learn more about his past. Through Randall’s childhood flashbacks and present-day encounters, his racial identity is also explored. Randall, who is African American with white

siblings and parents living in a predominately white area, has been subjected to racism all his life. Kevin is a television actor, unsatisfied with his career path and later suffers from alcohol and prescription drug addiction. Kate, who has struggled with her weight her entire life, is at a crossroads as she embarks on a singing career while dealing with the strenuous relationship with her mother. She later falls in love with supportive and lovable Toby (Chris Sullivan), meeting at a weight loss support group.

The overarching mystery in the first two seasons is the absence of Jack

in the present day. Jack died when the siblings were 17, resulting in major trauma to them and Rebecca. Kevin never wants to discuss his father’s death, while Randall always pressures himself to help everyone like his dad would have done. Jack’s death seems to hit Kate the hardest, she always felt comforted by him when she was bullied about her weight, who blames herself for his death. Jack’s cause of death is not revealed until season two.

This is Us has struck an emotional chord with viewers. There are moments of levity and sadness in each episode, and it’s the epitome of an

emotional rollercoaster. The use of flashbacks is what makes it so impactful, the viewer can understand why each family member acts the way they do. In more recent episodes, Kevin attempts to learn about his father’s time serving in the military during the Vietnam War. Through this search, the series provides flashbacks of Jack during this time, allowing for a better understanding of Jack’s approach to being a father and husband. Like the pilot, there are constant plot twists as more of the Pearson family’s past is revealed, leading viewers to speculate and eagerly anticipate the next episode.

One of my favourite aspects of the show is watching the development of Jack and Rebecca’s relationship. The first two seasons deal more with them as parents and dealing with Jack’s alcoholism later in their marriage.

Now, the show is delving deeper into their first encounters, revealing how small life decisions like going to a local grocery store at a certain time can alter one’s life forever.

Currently in its third season, This Is Us is keeping broadcast television in the conversation. At the 2018 Emmy Awards, it was the only broadcast network show to be nominated for Outstanding Drama Series, competing with shows like HBO’s Game of Thrones and Netflix’s The Crown.

This Is Us can warm your heart while breaking it at the same time, with its raw family dynamic on full display.

Beautiful Boy: a catalyst for conversation Timothée Chalamet and Steve Carell astound in Felix Van Groeningen’s biographical drama ZAINAB HASSAN

The film Beautiful Boy follows Nicolas Sheff, a promising teenage student, as he falls into the pitfalls of addiction. The film was first screened at TIFF 2018 and sheds light on a topic that is taboo but couldn’t be more important for the youth of today.

Mainstream television and media is often quick to demonize drug abusers.

The film often flips from past to present but within the same location, illustrating the contrast. One scene shows a young Nicolas (Timothée Chalamet) belting the lyrics to a classic out of the car as his father David (Steve Carell) laughs with him. The next scene shows the older Nicholas staring out the window of the car in silence only for them to stop the car because he has to vomit.

Still, Nicolas has managed to get into all six colleges of his choice and remain editor of the school newspaper. But despite his achievements, David can’t help but notice these changes. Things escalate when he sees an obviously intoxicated and high Nicolas standing in the kitchen.

Nicolas finally breaks down revealing that he has experimented with almost every drug in the market and especially loves meth. David is insensitive and screams at him for

PHOTO FROM IMDB.COM

The film follows a teenage student that falls into drug addiction. being so dumb. David has clearly built his own image of Nicolas and is shocked to realize the truth.

David instantly looks for help to fix his son. He goes through every possible avenue to save his son. He doesn’t waver even after being told by a doctor that the chances for Nicolas to recover from a meth addiction are extremely low. He even goes to the extreme of sniffing meth himself in hopes of understanding Nicolas better. In the end, David is helpless and

feels like he can’t do anything for his son.

Nicolas at one point is completely emotionally numb and disconnected from reality. The film touched on this idea of mourning the living. Nicolas, when stuck in this vicious cycle of addiction, becomes dead. The drugs control his every thought and action.

He behaves thoughtlessly not caring who he hurts to get his next fix.

This inner battle between him and the drugs is a constant force.

Sometimes he wins and sometimes he loses. The times he wins are amazing—he is able to accomplish so much, and all his relationships greatly improve. Those times where he relapses, he is filled with misery, regret, and self-hate. The latter reaction can often be the incentive to using again which creates a domino effect. Through drugs, Nicolas was trying to fill a void, but at his core felt this emptiness. He expressed that his world was once black and white, but

drugs allowed him to see color (Davies, 2018). As an artist and writer, this probably fascinated him.

Timothée Chalamet’s performance is what made this film. The range of emotions he was able to express is astounding. He was able to embody all the small details and habits of a meth addict perfectly. Steve Carell also does a magnificent job as the father. Many people complain that his personality was too comedic for the role. Often in films, we see the typical father who is somber and serious.

However, I disagree as I think he felt more like a real person this way. In fact, the way he was using comedy as a coping mechanism really resonated with me. It’s not always the easiest to express emotion and vulnerability.

A heartbreaking but memorable scene is when Nicolas overdoses in the washroom stall. It’s worth mentioning this is also the point where David gives up on him, stating he will not help him anymore. Nicolas nearly dies and barely makes it out alive. The last scene of the movie pans to Nicolas crying as his father holds his back. The ending is uncertain and makes you think he could possibly relapse again. Often addiction films end happily, concluding with a success story. This film showcases the gritty reality to recovery and the natural tendency of human error.

11.05.2018 THE MEDIUM ARTS» 7

Michael Myers’ humble beginnings Michael Myers from the 1978 classic Halloween gripped audiences then, and continues to do so now WENDELL MACAPAGAL

John Carpenter’s 1978 film Halloween set the precedent for the future of horror films. Starting as a cult indie film, the movie has gained a reputation as a horror classic and its influence on the genre is still seen today, from the tropes it popularized to the recently released sequel.

The film follows Michael Myers, beginning with his murder of his sister as a child. Fifteen years later, he’s escaped the mental institute in which he was held on Halloween night, murdering the residents of a small town in Illinois.

The film stars Jamie Lee Curtis in her debut role as Laurie—a bookworm and babysitter. While her friends prepare for Halloween night with their boyfriends, she decides to take a babysitting job. Later on, Michael enters her neighborhood and murders her friends, prompting Laurie to look for them. The film’s final act centers around Laurie and Michael’s chase, ending with the capture of Michael by his psychiatrist.

Jamie Lee Curtis is fantastic as Laurie, beginning the film as the smartest

girl in her friend group. She becomes the sole survivor against Michael and her charming personality forces us to root for her survival. Nick Castle plays Michael and while his face is rarely shown from behind the mask, his physicality feels cold and haunting.

My favourite scenes viewing this movie are easily the ones in which characters would see Michael, and him vanishing as they are momentarily distracted. Later becoming a trope in slasher films, Michael’s disappearances build suspense in the movie.

I was also entertained by Laurie’s friends. Lynda (P.J. Soles) and Annie (Nancy Kyes) are more playful than the rest of the film’s characters, providing some lightness and humour before the horrors of the film.

Sex plays an interesting theme in the film, as Michael often murders his teenage victims before or after they have sex, while Laurie, the only teenage character not to engage in sex in the film, becomes the sole survivor.

The setting also gives way to another reading of the film. The antagonist was created in a suburban neighborhood and later comes back to terrorize it. The horror is built from the idea

that this is your typical safe middleclass American neighborhood, yet danger is not only lurking in it but created by it.

Beyond its ten sequels and remakes, Halloween’s influence on film is clear by its creation of the many tropes used in slasher films today.

The most prominent of these being the popularization of the “final girl” trope—Laurie becomes the final survivor within the known victims, and this trope is repeated in films like Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street, and Scream. Other tropes popularized by the film are the murders of drunk or sexually active characters, and the use of a theme song for the killer.

The movie also established Curtis as a “scream queen,” following her mother Janet Leigh, who rose to fame as the scream queen in Psycho, which played a large influence on this film.

While Psycho still holds my top spot for my favourite horror film, Halloween is an easy favourite. It has aged gracefully, and while many films have pulled from the formula it created, the original holds up in modern viewing as one of the best horror movies of all time.

Reflecting on sight perception The Reading, Again exhibit questions things not immediately seen MIGUEL DASILVA

Reading, Again is an art exhibition motivated by this year’s Jackman Humanities Institute’s “Reading Faces, Reading Minds” research theme. The theme asks questions about the instinct in humans to “read” what we see and how this piecing together of visual information informs how we understand the desires and motivations of other people. Curated by curatorial master’s student Lillian O’Brien Davis, this exhibition focuses on a related theme that Davis calls, ‘misreading.’ Works by Nadia Belerique, Laurie Kang, Katherine Knight, Wanda Koop, Colin Miner, and Henri Verge-Sarrat explore the results of misunderstanding what a person sees. David chooses art work that considers how time will change our perspective and attempts to disrupt normal expectations of focus, clarity, and stability in photography and painting. The result is a profound sense of ambiguity in the artist’s message that creates opportunities for interpretation of their work.

The space itself becomes part of the theme. Immediately the viewer is struck by the discrepancy between their initial expectations of what an art gallery is and what a mundane workplace is. A reception desk greets you as you exit the elevator. On either side are conference rooms full of desks, chairs, low lounge couches, coffee tables, and bookcases lining the

walls with reading material. These are not the warm, dark rooms of famous fine arts museums. This is a fluorescent lit floor of cubicles, offices, watercoolers, and staff kitchens. Only the exhibition’s pamphlet marks that you’re in the right place. The art and the office setting meld into an indefinable space that is neither a museum nor an office.

One piece by Katherine Knight entitled “Bubble,” is a 23 x 24 inch Chromira digital photo print featuring an extreme close up of a bubble reflecting images of the tree and lake landscape surrounding it. The bubble imposes itself in the frame’s foreground and gives the viewers eye access to details in the landscape. The camera affords the viewer a hyper-sense of sight impossible without the camera’s lens. Blurred around the bubble are dark trees made solid and indistinguishable through the bubbles focal point. However, the bubble shows two reflections of the same trees. In this moment, the lens that the bubble creates distorts, flips, and presents more than one image of the same scenery. The impermanence of the bubble destabilizes the photo. At any moment the bubble threatens to burst and leave the viewer with no way to perceive the landscape.

Another fascinating piece is called “(Black Line) Sightlines” by Wanda Koop. This one presents an explicit obstacle that perception creates for sight. A non-descript thick black circle foregrounds the acrylic painting.

Two woods run from the edges to-

wards the centre of the canvas where a river and bridge separate them. The black circle covers a portion of the trees on either side of the river. The result of misunderstanding is a visual blind spot that manifests itself in this painting as a daunting and sightless black line. It hides a portion of the painting from view and means that the original scene of a river, a bridge, and two separated woods is compromised.

Cole Miner’s work called “Untitled (Stalactite)” instantly causes misunderstanding. The card for this piece is on a wall next to a white plate glass door. The piece is a two or three foot bronze stick in the ground with a swirling bronze cast piece hanging from the side and an indistinguishable mass that seems to melt and drip from the top of the piece onto a single rock beside the stick. This piece is meant to present time’s effect on what we read and see. The months of precipitation, wind, and sun will change the piece and form a new image of the same object.

This is an exhibition that forces visitors to consider the way they misread and misunderstand things they see every day. It requires a patient attention to what is not immediately visible and what it available to consciousness only upon reflection, re-examination, and the questioning of the reliability of sight perception.

Reading, Again runs until June 30 on the tenth floor of the Jackman Humanities Institute.

PHOTOGRAPHER/SOURCE

Classic story haunts a new generation.

8

«

11.05.2018

Politics & law: Minority representation Last Friday’s “Women in Law” panel featured Dr. Erin Tolley, MP Iqra Khalid, and MP Ruby Sahota LIAYANA JONDY ASSOCIATE FEATURES EDITOR Last Friday, the political science department and pre-law association hosted a “Women in Law” panel discussion at UTM. The event featured guest speakers Erin Tolley, professor of political science at UTM, and members of parliament Iqra Khalid and Ruby Sahota. Each of the guest speakers led discussions on a variety of topics pertaining to how race, ethnicity, and gender is figured in terms of politics and law.

Their discussion addressed issues ranging from representations of candidates or members of parliament that are women, how women in positions of authority are criticized, to issues about raising a family with a demanding job, and how to get more women engaged in politics by deconstructing the notion that politics is primarily a “male-dominated” field.

When asked about her research concerning the media’s coverage of racialized women in parliament, Tolley noted that the media tends to cover white and racialized candidates differently. In particular, Tolley explains that with racialized candidates there is a prominent focus on demographic

YASMEEN ALKOKA/THE MEDIUM

Discussions covered how race, ethnicity, and gender works in politics and law. background to the point of exoticization, questioning their status as Canadians, and downplaying the candidate’s credentials. Tolley distinguishes between the two ways that racialized women and the way racialized men tend to be portrayed, “One is in this sort of exoticized type and the other fits with the angry type. With racialized men, however, you tend to see a

link of them with violence.”

With the intersectionality of identities as both a woman and a person of colour, MP Khalid notes, “Women, especially with the intersectionality there, in particular, minority women deal a lot with hate speech. These things are very normal. I think we need to do more with respect to cyberbullying and how social media is

used as a platform for the exchange of ideas. Also its role in freedom of speech versus where do you draw the line to what stops becoming your freedom of speech and starts infringing on somebody else’s right for safety and security.”

However, women of parliament aren’t the only ones being targeted.

Minority men, in particular, the LG-

BTQ members of parliament are also targeted the same way. “This isn’t really a competition about who faces this the most. Really, it’s about how the way we receive it is inherently different than the ways our male counterparts receive it,” remarks MP Khalid.

Women in positions of authority, or just in general, are always aware of the ways that people gaze at them. Tolley notes that when it comes to female professors, in particular, they become acutely aware of the expectations that students place on them: “One thing you realize as a woman professor is how students interact with you. It really comes to light when you get your course evaluations back at the end of the year and read the comments that students write to you. And there are definitely comments that female professors get that male professors just don’t get.”

MP Khalid shares that as a female member of parliament individuals react or take things more personally when she is in a position of authority.

“I was in court and I was ready to run a trial. It was actually the first trial I had ever run by myself without any supervision or guidance.”

Panel continued on page 10

Students can fundraise with UNICEF UTM Third-year student Rumsha Daimee talks about how and why she cofounded UNICEF UTM this year FATIMA ADIL ASSOCIATE FEATURES EDITOR

Apart from gruelling academics and athletics, universities also offer students the chance to join or start a club comprised of students with similar interests working towards a common goal. With a wide variety of organizations ranging from humanitarian-based to creative to cultural, the University of Toronto Mississauga is no different. The Medium sat down with Rumsha Daimee, a third year UTM student majoring in psychology and criminology, to discuss how she cofounded UNICEF UTM this year.

UNICEF, which stands for United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, primarily “helps children who are suffering around the world.” Founded in 1946 to provide emergency food and healthcare to children in countries which had been devastated by World War II, UNICEF now operates in 190 countries. It supplies vaccines for 40% of the world’s children and supports many other health, education, and

PHOTO FROM WIKIMEDIA.COMMENTS

Daimee founded UNICEF UTM with the goal of helping others. emergency initiatives.

Daimee believes that “all universities should have a UNICEF branch” to allow students who are interested a chance “to get involved.” She firmly states that with the help of university students, it “would make a bigger impact” and it gives students a chance to “hold events and fundraisers [on a

larger scale] than high school.”

When asked as to what inspired her to open a UNICEF branch at UTM, Daimee replies that she had always “wanted to start a club” but she chose to focus on a charity since it gave her a chance to “help people.”

She pursued UNICEF because “[she] thought it was [well-known] so peo-

ple would support it more easily.”

Daimee also reminisces that “when [she] was little, [she] admired celebrities that were UNICEF ambassadors [and] always wanted to be somehow a part of UNICEF like them.”

The group’s goals for this year include “establishing [themselves] as a club at UTM—something that people

know exists,” and to “try to do [fundraising] events”. Dai mee would also like to “get people at UTM involved and hold events where they have the opportunity to volunteer [and] contribute to the club.”

Recently, the UTM branch of UNICEF held their first fundraiser— a bake sale—at the Student Centre.

For Daimee, it “was a little bit nervewracking to see if people would buy anything.” However, “they sold out quite a few things and [the members] were very happy. It definitely encouraged [them] to have more fundraisers.” The club is going to be “sending [all the funds] to UNICEF so they can use it for whatever initiatives they need it for.”

To end, Daimee imparts some advice to students who wish to begin their own society or club: “Starting a club can be challenging for sure.

But when you have the club, you hold events. [When] your event goes well, it feels really good and you feel you are actually making some sort of impact on the students that are in the university and the organization that you’re supporting.”

11.05.2018 THE MEDIUM FEATURES» 9

Can we learn computational thinking?

Dr. Quintin Cutts discussed challenges of teaching CS in last week’s E.A. Robinson Education Lecture LARA WULANDARI Last Friday, the UTM Chemical and Physical Science Department hosted its third annual E. A Robinson Education Lecture featuring Professor Quintin Cutts from the School of Computing Science at the University of Glasgow. Cutts’ lecture titled “Bridging the Gulf: Computational Thinking for All” reflected his underlying belief that anyone can develop computational thinking. He elaborated that challenges in teaching computing can result in students struggling to grasp its concepts and went on to address these challenges by drawing on research within computing science (CS) education. Cutts’ success in driving the computational thinking that now underpins the Scottish school curriculum has earned him highly esteemed awards such as the Royal Society of Edinburg Inspiration Award in 2006, and the National Award for Teaching of Information & Computing Science in Higher Education in 2010.

Cutts began by asking the audience where computational thinking was within the spectrum. “One side of the spectrum is apps,” he declared.

With its narrow purpose, apps can be used easily and “[through] intuition,” whereas the other side of the spectrum has programming language that requires deep knowledge and skills through understanding computer science, computing principles, and computational thinking.

Between the opposing sides, typical PCs such as Microsoft Office which require intuition and analysis occupy that gap. Cutts turned to the audience and asked, “Who here can use Word?” and was greeted by many raised hands. “But, have you ever

OLIVIA ADAMCZYK/THE MEDIUM

According to Cutts, computational thinking drives economic growth. used Word and became annoyed by all the pictures jumping around when you change something?”

According to Cutts, computational thinking drives economic growth.

“If we can figure out how to automate information processes in businesses or identify them in science, computational thinking can model them and [information processes] are all over the place,” he acknowledged, emphasizing the importance of computing in the daily life.

However, there lies a “gulf of confusion” that divides “computer people” and “non-computer people.”

Cutts attributes this gulf to explain why many people struggle with com-

puter science or see it as an innate ability. Non-computing people cannot see that there has been a long learning path that the computing people have undergone and instead they often view computing people as “magicians.” Meanwhile, the “computer people” also often do not realize that they have been through the learning path.

Cutts continued to discuss the two main challenges in teaching computing: mindset and development issues. He had run some studies and experiments at Glasgow and found that students who are reminded on a regular basis to have a growing mindset or the notion that abilities

are earned and not innate tend to score better than those who were not.

The second main challenge discusses teaching methods prevalent in computer science education that can prevent student from grasping concepts easily. One such example was the goal-directed problem solving, where students are set with large problems that will teach them through experience. However, Cutts notes that the studies conducted by other researchers found that this method results in a “cognitive overload,” where struggling to solve the problems “fills up [student’s] head and working memory” and in the

end, there is “no space to learn anything.” Cutts also went on to discuss the importance of recognizing the subject’s stepwise nature and the ability to read codes before writing.

Cutts elaborated on how he addressed these challenges by describing his “uncertain path to influence national education bodies”. It began in 2005 when computer science was facing an enrolment crisis. In an attempt to “spic[e] up computing class,” Cutts created engaging classroom workshops which revealed to the students how easy it was to understand computer science. From then, Cutts has challenged the Scottish computer science education with the aim to improve the curriculum and engage students.

In 2013, he executed “Plan C,” professional training for teachers in Scotland and networking in computing. He recalled how a teacher approached him following the training and said, “It’s just amazing that [students now can] come up with their own programs and are more open to intelligent talk with [teachers].”

“We framed three key parts into the Scottish [computer science] Curriculum in 2-15 Broad General Education,” Cutts explained. “Understanding the world through computational thinking, understanding and analysing computing technology, and finally designing, building and testing computing solution.”

Computer science education is at “an exciting point” where it is starting to become “mandatory for all,” Cutts said. “Although we know a lot about teaching, not much of the research gets into practice but research and practice to develop high quality curricula and identify best pedagogical practices are still ongoing.”

Halloween Pub: Shayna’s four-year tradition A fourth-year provides an insider’s account on Halloween Pub and reflects on her experience over the years SHAYNA JAN

The Halloween Pub, hosted by the UTMSU, is and always has been a grand event at UTM, a school not really known for having a big party scene. Years ago, before the introduction of online ticket sales, my best friend and I would line up outside the Student Centre for hours, hoping to snag tickets to this popular university-wide party.

Since our first pub appearance, as nerdy little first years who needed “under 19” passes to be granted entry, a lot has changed. However, our friendship and our love for Halloween has remained constant. Each and every year since our first year, my friend and I have made it a point to attend the Halloween pub night, for the sake of tradition. This year, being our fourth and final, was symbolic, representing the pinnacle of our university experience. This year

JULIA HEALY/THE MEDIUM

Jan says that Halloween isn’t about what you do, but about the people you’re with. was also different, as we were bringing outsiders: our boyfriends.

Everyone else I talked to was surprised with our lasting dedication to the Halloween pub, asking why we wouldn’t want to spend our Halloween at a “real club” or a house party because “everybody knows pub is for nerdy first years.” As we approached the Student Centre on

October 31st, I was beginning to think they might be right. The line wrapped around the building and many of the attendees looked awfully young. We reassured our boyfriends that we wouldn’t stay long, maybe dance for a few songs, and then head out to grab drinks elsewhere.

When we finally got to the front

of the line, the bumblebee in front of us fumbled around in her wallet for her “under 19” pub pass, nervously asking her friends if her wings were on alright. At first, I felt old and out of place, but once we got inside the nostalgia of my first year overcame me. I was flooded with the memories of past costumes, spooky decorations, old songs, and great

experiences. We got into the music and danced the night away, until the very end. The highlight of our night was probably my friend and her boyfriend being called up on stage for their Wonder Woman and Superman costume, since we had been gypped of that recognition the year before, with our meticulously planned White Chicks costumes.

For those looking in on the Halloween pub from the outside, you might be quick to judge. But for me, as an insider seeing the Halloween pub for the final time, I learned that Halloween isn’t about where you go or what you do, instead it’s about the people you’re with and what you make of it. If you think going to the pub is a good time, and you love dressing up, who has the right to tell you it’s lame? Do what you love, because before you know it you’ll be graduating and wishing you’d done more with your time.

10

«FEATURES

THE MEDIUM 11.05.2018

Engaged in politics

The process of growth YASMEEN ALKOKA/THE MEDIUM

NATALIE NG THIRD YEAR, ICCIT & PWC

The panel encouraged women to be more engaged in politics.

Panel continued from page 8 “And I was up against a very experienced member of council. So, I had spent the past couple of weeks just really preparing because I knew I was up against a really tough opponent.

We went through the trial and I was objecting to everything he said until he mocked me in front of the judge,”

“Women, especially with the intersectionality there, in particular, minority women deal a lot with hate speech.” MP Khalid MP Khalid recalls, “Ultimately, I did win that trial. I learned a very important lesson that day: that neither your appearance nor your gender speak for who you are.”

For women in positions of authority, gender norms, primarily about motherhood and raising a family, are raised as claims to support why a woman can’t work and want to raise

a family. “There were a lot of people that didn’t think this was the role or position suited to me at the time,” MP Sahota recalls, “The idea that we need to distil is that a certain job is for a certain person at a certain age and for a certain gender.”

An effective way of combating this idea is to get more minorities engaged in politics, especially women. Politics is typically viewed as a “male-dominated” field but with more minorities engaging in politics and running in elections, it’s becoming less “male-dominated.” There is still a need, however, for more minorities like women to get engaged in politics and recognize that, Tolley states, “Who’s sitting at the decision table really does matter.”

Equal Voice is an organization concerned with addressing these issues by empowering women to get more involved in politics and become civically engaged. “Just know,” MP Khalid asserts, “that we have come a really long way but also know that we have a long way to go and your contribution is really needed to get us there.”

When I was in high school, I was a shy and timid girl that didn’t speak up at all and didn’t want to try new things. I was the girl that liked to spend time on my own watching anime and reading books and I only had a few friends. Although I don’t have many, the few I do have are precious and trustworthy people. When I look back on my high school years, I remember that time of year when every grade 12 student had to decide on which university to attend. Most of my friends decided to go to Waterloo, some to York, others to the St. George campus and a few of them went abroad to study in the U.S. and overseas.

I chose to go to UTM alone, though not in a direct way. Two years ago, I was a student at UTSC. I first applied to psychology, which I couldn’t find any interest in, I just couldn’t put myself in the right mindset. It was the first time taking charge of my own decisions—my first taste of being an adult.

Day by day, I attended classes, took notes, and commuted home.

Everything became a routine—a

boring, unending routine. I wasn’t studying well and I only achieved mediocre grades in my first year of university, I just wasn’t myself at that time. I have never been an exceptional student before but back in high school I had friends around me for support and to share my feelings with. Now I was alone. I had no friends with me, no one to talk with, and I didn’t realize how necessary it was to get involved in a community on campus for support and friendship.

I was just another student sitting in one of those study cubicles, like an endless, boring 9-5 office job, except I didn’t earn money and instead I was paying a great debt. I felt like I was just a number. I was afraid. I was helpless. But I knew I needed change no matter how much it scared me.

I spent almost a month thinking about my life and my future. I needed to make a difference for myself. I searched online for programs and courses at all the universities.

When I was ready, I spoke with my parents about my new choice. I wanted to move to Mississauga and attend UTM, mainly for their ICCIT program. I remembered my interest in arts. I always had a passion for it.

I wanted to learn how to design, a

new skill that I had no experience in.

Knowing that moving to another city would add more financial weight on my family, I hesitated and thought about sticking with my original plan and staying at the Scarborough campus because it is close to my home. But my parents encouraged me and supported me wholeheartedly.

In September, I rode the bus to my campus, the new campus: UTM. I knew I was coming here alone, but this time I had a different mindset.

I wanted to change and learn to step out of comfort zone. I discovered my passion for writing when I began contributing articles and photographs for the student newspaper, The Medium. When I joined UTM Scribes, the creative writing club, I met a lot of great friends. Participating in a work-study program allowed me to apply what I learn from ICCIT to the real world.

Everything was a first time to me.

I still have a lot to learn and require a lot of practice, but even if it’s slow and even if I fail, I know my efforts will not be in vain because that’s the process of growth and through them I know where my dreams are and I will find the right way to reach them.

Improving student skills by testing teachers Dr. Maria Wesslen, assistant professor in UTM’s math department, discusses Ford’s new legislation KEVIN KIM This October, the Progressive Conservative government introduced new legislation that requires prospective teachers to write a compulsory math assessment before being eligible to receive their license to teach in Ontario.

The test would be mandatory and would be administered to students out of teacher’s college, therefore exempting those that already possess a teacher’s license. According to the Ministry of Education, prospective teachers will be required to take this test regardless of their desired subjects of focus.

As part of this new bill titled the “Safe and Supportive Classrooms Act,” the aim of the test is to increase the skills of young students in mathematics. The Minister of Education Lisa Thompson ensures that this test will “provide teachers with the tools they need to do their jobs,” and that the test will help to improve the education system.

“Test scores have been very low for a lot of math students,” states Dr. Maria Wesslen, assistant professor and mathematics faculty advisor in the Mathematical and Computational

PHOTO FROM UNSPLASH.COM

A new legislation requires prospective teachers to write a compulsory math assessment.

Sciences department at UTM. “Less than 50% of [students] have passed the standard curriculum [in grade six].”

Data from the Educational Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) provincial assessment from last August reveals that, in agreement with Wesslen’s statement, 49% of grade six students met the provincial standard—a 5% decrease from 54% in the 2013-2014 school year. The data also showed a comparable decrease of 6% in performance in the assessment of grade three students. When com-

paring the 2013-2014 school year to 2017-2018, the grade three assessment dropped from 67% to 61%.

Although the students themselves are not directly affected by the new math test requirement for future teachers, Wesslen explains that there is “some research stating that there [exists] a link between how confident a math teacher is in mathematics and how well the students do.”

Despite the Ministry of Education’s positive outlook on the new legislation, the Elementary Teacher’s Federation of Ontario criticized the

government for instating the bill without first tying previous loose ends concerning many other educational topics, such as looking into adjusting the math curriculum itself.

As the bill was instated rather recently, official information about the exact difficulty and content of the test may only be left to speculation at this time. As the test would not be administered to teachers that are already qualified, some critics voiced concerns about the lack of resources available to current teachers that may struggle with mathematical concepts.

A specific opportunity directed towards aspiring mathematics teachers exists right at UTM. Taught by Wesslen, MAT382: Mathematics for Teachers operates as a potential supportive tool for those who hope to pursue a career in education.

“It’s a 3rd year Math course here in the math department that we offer for students that want to become math teachers,” Wesslen says. “The purpose of the course is geared towards investigating, learning, and discussing mathematics at high school or lower levels and thus [attaining] a much stronger understanding of those topics.” The course selects an assortment of mathematical topics that are covered at many stages of the standard Ontario curriculum for students to dissect and understand at a level appropriate for a teacher.

In the midst of this provincial change, Marit Stiles, an NDP educational critic, states that the government should not be forcing compulsory tests on teachers and should instead be encouraging more effective training for teachers in tandem with a rework of the curriculum in general.

11.05.2018

»

11

Jiana’s love for the game started young Jiana Alnajjar tore her ACL and MCL at the age of 18, but this never stopped her from playing the game SARAH-MAY OLDFIELD

Across the Atlantic Ocean in Damascus, Syria, nearly ten thousand kilometres away, a 14-year-old Jiana Alnajjar began her basketball journey.

Alnajjar is a fifth-year Mathematics and Statistics student at UTM and plays guard/forward for UTM’s women’s varsity basketball team.

Alnajjar, who wears the number 14, says her love of the sport began when she was a little girl. Her family used to live near an outdoor basketball club, and sometimes her father would lift her up, so she could dunk the ball into one of the nets. The love of the game began with father-daughter bonding moments, but the inspiration to play and compete in the game comes from watching an older female cousin play.

“She was older and a lot taller than me. I wanted to be just like her, to play like her,” she says. This sparked Alnajjar’s passion for the game. She started playing basketball casually before being recruited to play in a girl’s club, which is similar to a representative team here in Canada, that competed against the various cities across Syria.

She later became a practice player on a women’s team, in hopes of learning

YASMEEN ALKOKA/THE MEDIUM

Alnajjar started playing for UTM as a first-year student. from them. Alnajjar even had an opportunity to play at an international level, for Team Syria, but made the move to Canada.

At 18-years-old, Alnajjar’s basketball story came to a painful halt, when she fully tore two major ligaments in her knee—the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and medial collateral ligament (MCL). It was an all too common basketball injury that

would require two surgeries, four months apart, and a painful year and a half recovery before she could return to the game she’d fallen in love with. And when she did, she needed an awkward metal knee brace. For not only her physical protection, but also her own peace of mind. Despite her fear of becoming re-injured, Alnajjar wouldn’t be stopped.

She started playing for UTM on the

women’s d-league basketball team as a first-year student, where she began the first semester as a practice player before becoming a member of the team in the second year. She made the transition with the team into varsity, to their inaugural season in the OCAA last year, which was a tough learning curve for all.

“It’s very normal, in the first year for varsity, that everyone is learning.

From players to coaches. Everyone’s learned, so I think that’s why we’ve had such a great start to our second year. You have to have a test drive,” says Alnajjar.

Now in their second season, the team is off to a great start, having won their first two games, both of which were played on UTM’s home court.

The hot start currently ranks UTM within the top-ten in the league, third in the West Division.

“I’m especially proud of Janella, as a first year stepping up,” Alnajjar praises number 6 on her team, Janella Viado, a first-year point guard who signed with UTM this past summer in the off-season.

Alnajjar loves the sometimes-aggressive nature of the game of basketball.

Which continually provides her with a healthy outlet for the stress she experiences as a student athlete, who also works part-time. She says balance, organization, and sacrifice are extremely important to her, so she plans days off work months in advance to be available for games. You won’t find her at many social events, but she can be found regularly staying as late as midnight at UTM to study.

Alnajjar continued on page 12

Eagles hockey wins third game of season UTM Eagles defeated the UTSG black team in a 6-0 win last Wednesday, October 31 at Varsity Arena MIGUEL DASILVA

On a spooky Halloween night in Toronto, the UTM Eagles D-league hockey team earned their third win of the season in a 6-0 win over the UTSG black team.

UTM controlled the puck for the first ten minutes of the period with organized passing and build-up play from the back end through the neutral zone and into the attacking zone seemingly at will. They could dump the puck and forecheck or carry it over the blue line whenever they wanted and were starting to get some early chances. In the UTSG zone, they crashed the net and UTM’s, Jessy Edmonds, was barely stopped as he tried to sneak in front from behind.

UTM’s pressure paid off, opening the scoring with 8 minutes left in the first period when a quick shot from Husain Abdunabi went over a sprawling UTSG goalie, making it 1-0. It took nearly 15 minutes for UTM’s goaltender, Stephen Polack, to make his first save and he calmly steered the puck into the corners for his defenseman to initiate the offense. He was not troubled with too much work in this game and, in the

UTM ATHLETICS/FACEBOOK

Eagles show sportsmanship and had fun on the ice. end, earned an easy shutout.

Though the ice was tilted towards UTM, the game flowed up and down the rink at a frenetic pace. Whistles were sparse so play was free moving with so many crisp tape-to-tape passes to streaking wingers and smooth dekes that the game turned into one massive skills competition. UTM’s speedy puck handling forwards made

it all but impossible for UTSG to keep up and things soon got out of hand.

Cue the snipe show with two minutes to go in the first period as Ian Kitt of UTM picked out the top corner from the right slot and makes the game 2-0 going into the second period.

The game was quiet with UTM playing a decent cycle game, feeding

it along the boards, behind the net and back up to the defenders to make passes to forwards for shots in dangerous spots ten and fifteen feet in front of the net. They hemmed UTSG deep, made it difficult for them to exit the zone and forced turnovers or icings when that rarity did occur.

UTM slept for a 5-minute stretch in the second and UTSG started to

sniff around the crease a little more than UTM appreciated. Just when UTSG showed signs of life, UTM quelled the rebellion with Edmonds’ second goal of the game which was an easy rebound tapper produced by Pasquale Campaigna’s efforts to dangle his way to the goalie. At the end of two periods the score was 3-0 and looked like an easy finish for UTM. Right off the third period face off, a UTM player’s wrist shot pinged off the cross bar and sent a groan of disappoint from the UTM bench over the ice. Motivated by this flash of brilliance, UTM let loose a barrage of insane shots that whistled past the ears of the UTSG goalie and slammed into the boards or rattled off posts.

In a four-on-four situation late in the third period, UTM iced the game with an absolute howitzer of a snap shot from the high slot by Adam Oliveira, putting them up 4-0. They would add insult to injury with two more goals and ended the game 6-0.

There was a bit of a fracas in the last minute of the third period, but cooler heads prevailed and showed how the best part about the tri-campus development league is the fun these guys have and how much sportsmanship and goodwill this kind of sport fosters between people.

12

«SPORTS

THE MEDIUM 11.05.2018

Impacts of intramurals Alnajjar’s basketball journey Intramurals allow students to play low commitment level sports VANESSA CESARIO SPORTS & HEALTH EDITOR

Alnajjar continued from page 11 Alnajjar loves the sometimes-aggressive nature of the game of basketball.

Which continually provides her with a healthy outlet for the stress she experiences as a student athlete, who also works part-time. She says balance, organization, and sacrifice are extremely important to her, so she plans days off work months in advance to be available for games. You won’t find her at many social events, but she can be found regularly staying as late as midnight at UTM to study.

“I put all that I have into diving for loose balls.

And I trust my team to do the same.”

--Jiana Alnajjar Alnajjar is known for her great overall physical fitness and aggressive play on the court, despite her history with injury. Usually the smallest on the hardwood, she is fearless in her competition against taller players.

To start the season, she plays nearly 35 minutes a game, averaging a combined 18 rebounds a game, of offensive and defensive rebounds.

When asked what she thinks she brings to her team, Alnajjar says it’s her passion for the game. “I put all that I have into diving for loose balls.

And I trust my team to do the same. I

trust that they will feed off my energy, especially defensively. I might not be the most offensive player, but I think my defensive and offensive rebounds can make up for that, giving my teammates more opportunities to keep scoring the ball.”

She attributes her toughness not just physically, but mentally as well.

“When your body is physically tired in the fourth quarter, you have to mentally tell yourself [and your body] to keep going. I can’t tell you how many times in the fourth quarter [Head Coach] Sal looks at me and asks ‘Ji, you good?’ and I tell her ‘Yup’ while I’m dying inside,” Alnajjar jokes.

In looking to the future, Alnajjar, who most don’t know is also a twin, loves helping and educating others. Especially her twin sister, who struggles with math. She’s not sure if she would be a good teacher, and is considering getting into insurance or something else related.

Alnajjar feels really good about her team, and is loving the team’s still growing chemistry from individual connections all the way up to the relationship with the coaching staff. She believes you learn from every coach you play for, and Head Coach, Salee Johnson-Edwards, is no exception.

After 5 years under Johnson-Edwards, Alnajjar believes she’s learned a lot. But still considers herself a student of the game of basketball, with much more to learn.

Intramural sports are a great way for students to remain physically active without having to commit themselves to the packed schedule that comes along with a varsity team. Students often need an escape from the daily stresses of tests and assignments and the athletic department at UTM offers this to students through their intramural program.

Dennis Fernandes, a grad student doing his Ph.D. at UTM, praises the intramural program the athletic department has put into place. “I feel that the intramural program here at UTM is really great. It creates a sense of community and it gives us time to get away from the stressful life of studying and grades and the things that come with that.” This is Fernandes’s first year playing intramural ball hockey—a sport he used to play as a kid that is now brought back to him through the intramural program.

For those students who can’t commit to being part of a varsity or dleague team or those students who don’t enjoy going to the gym but still want to be physically active, intramural sports are the best way to feel that sense of team community while also exercising. Nima Gharibi, a second-year student doing his Masters in Chemistry, began playing intramural ball hockey in the first year of his masters. “As a grad student, or even undergrad, you don’t have much free time and getting some activity in

without the commitment of a varsity league, it’s pretty important.” He continues, “Getting your heart rate up [and] clearing your mind is very good for the mental wellbeing.”

With over ten different intramural sport leagues ranging from open ball hockey to coed dodgeball, there’s bound to be something for everyone.

These are run during the fall and winter semesters, but UTM recently added leagues back into the spring and summer semesters.

Cameron Walker, Program Coordinator for Recreational Sport, states that the athletic department has “re-launched [their] summer offerings this past summer with four tournaments (3v3 basketball, Indoor Cricket, 2v2 Soccer, Dodgeball) and two leagues (Beach Volleyball and Ultimate Frisbee).” He continues, “We are excited to expand the offerings in summer 2019 based on student feedback and interest. Students are always encouraged to contact our office with their new ideas and suggestions.”

Walker also commends intramurals on having two main benefits.

First are the benefits that intramurals provide for overall health and wellness. “Sports are a great opportunity for students to engage in exercise as part of their healthy lifestyle habits and intramurals can be a less intimidating way of engaging in sport,” says Walker. “The competition is less intense, and participants are encouraged to try new and different activities that they may not have tried before, thus increasing their overall physical capacity.”

The second benefit that Walker believes intramurals provide is the social aspect of sports. “Engaging in sport creates and strengthens social bonds with teammates which can lead to a stronger social network and a more engaged overall campus community.” Walker also states that the athletic department believes “healthy students are successful students” and one of their overall goals is “to build a healthy and engaged campus.”

The best and most intriguing aspect of intramural sports is the lack of commitment that is required of students who are already busy enough with school work or part-time jobs.

Colin Yuen, a third-year student at UTM, began playing intramural soccer in the first semester of his first year. He explains that the commitment level is not high at all. “It’s just once a week [for] one hour and then you can like shower at school and everything so, it’s really good,” Yuen says.

Another third-year intramural soccer athlete, Sammy Toor, says that intramurals are really important. “It helps people be active [and] it gives some people something to do outside of school.”

All in all, it is safe to say that UTM has set up a successful intramural sports program that allows students to escape the stresses of school while also being active. For those students who are looking for a low commitment sport that can be played alongside friends, intramural sports are the leagues for you.

Third wellness routes discusses nutrition For the RAWC’s third Wellness Routes walk, Cindy MacDonald discusses nutrition for walking AMRISH WAGLE ASSOCIATE S&H EDITOR The RAWC took to the woods once again last Tuesday, October 30th for a nature walk. This time the walk was joined by several staff members from the RAWC and led by Cindy MacDonald. The theme of this journey was “Nutrition for Walking” and as usual, a short lecture was provided on this topic along with a short demonstration. However, this time there was show and tell, and MacDonald had brought along a much-appreciated free supply of delicious healthy snacks. Stashed within this royal feast were cups of yogurt, pumpkin seeds, pistachios, nutrition bars and fruits, such as bananas and oranges. While the group huddled around nibbling on their snacks, MacDonald went over some basic nutrition lessons.

According to her we should have at least 8 cups of water a day, although about 20 per cent of which is already obtained from food. In fact, we often mistake thirst for hunger, and substitute a need of water with food. MacDonald states that the most obvious indicator of thirst is a feeling of fatigue and water replenishment therefore proves to be a key factor in our daily functioning.

Furthermore, when looking for a more prolonged reservoir of energy, carbohydrates are an ideal source of

BRITTANY SEMPLONIUS

Mindfulness was discussed on the walk, focusing on staying in the present to maintain calmness. nutrition. Foods such as whole grain bread, oatmeal or bagels have the exact nutritional capacity to keep the body intact for the long run, especially with an addition of protein. On a shorter time-frame for those quick boosts of energy, MacDonald says nuts, seeds, yogurt and fruits such as bananas and oranges, are a good source of nitro-boost for our body’s engine. However, it is important to realize that foods with a lot of sugar are a poor source of energy, especially on an empty stomach. Although sugar will provide the much-needed peak in energy, it will also lead to a subsequent crash. Another helpful tip was to add variety to your meals with inclusions from all the food groups.

Variety is important for keeping your

nutrition, healthier and more delicious or interesting over time.

A second and more important conversation regarded mindful eating.

According to the concept of mindfulness, people usually have a crowded mind, where they tend to drone on in autopilot to chase their to-do list, or worse yet, are stuck in the anxiety of the future or reminisce about the past. Mindfulness is being aware of yourself and staying in the present to maintain a calm and collected composure. Mindful eating takes this a step further by emphasizing the importance in the ritual of having a meal. Apparently, the body responds well to consumption when it isn’t distracted by the environment. An example includes simply looking at your

food when eating instead of watching TV, because the body can activate many of its processes such as a higher production of saliva to better digest the food. This mindfulness extends to all stages of a meal, including buying it, preparing it, cooking, serving and consuming.

For the last part, one must practice many of the basics such as chewing thoroughly, appreciating your food, taking small bites, and starting with small portions. An important facet is activating all five of your senses when cooking or eating food. This includes noticing the aroma, texture, colour, tastes, feeling and even trying to identify the different ingredients or seasonings in the meals as we eat it.

Overall, we’re able to pay more atten-

tion to the needs of our body and the signals that dictate when we have an appetite and when we’re full.

The walk also proved to be quite meditative. Having the opportunity during this season of autumn to walk through the changing leaves, the crisp air and even along a calm river proved to be quite fulfilling. The RAWC in fact attempts to use a variety of trails during the walks to expose the participants to all of the campus’ unexplored spaces.

This week, the group was allowed to talk to one another and not maintain the quiet silence that was expected during the first Wellness Route.

This walk definitely had a communal feeling to it as all the hikers shared collective conversations and stories.

Introductions were made, and people connected with each other to get to know their companions. Other than the strawberry yogurt provided initially with the snacks, this may have been the sweetest aspect of the trip.

The RAWC will be embarking on another expedition through the woods for a nature walk on November 6th, led by Nikki Robichaud. This time the theme is set to Yoga where the walk will discuss educational lessons on Asana and allow participants to develop a deeper appreciation for nature with some yogic postures and stances on this mindful walk.