The Ontarion - 194.5

3. A year in review

4. Ontario government increases veterinary funding to amend worker shortages in rural areas

5. Looking for something fun to do this summer? Look no further than our very own Arboretum

6. Campus Childcare and Learning Centre hosts first art show in UC since pandemic

7. Summer checklist

8. The Ontario Pirate Festival will make landfall in Guelph over the long August weekend

9. 35 things to do this summer

10. Misinformation, disinformation, & media literacy at the University of Guelph

11. Under pressure: University of Guelph students struggled during the COVID-19 pandemic

12. Reacting to the COVID-19 crisis:

14. Hillside Music Festival is ready to rock this summer

15. Which date should you go on this summer?

16. Beach reads 18 & 19. Spring in bloom photo spread

20. Writing that can communicate across time and space 21. Who What Wear: Guelph Civic Museum showcases 200 years of local fashion 22. Celebrating Pride 2023

A guide to the ultimate cottagecore picnic

Special Ontarion archive feature 25. To try or not to try

& 27. Tattoo & piercing aftercare tips 28. Staying safe in the heat: A guide to keeping cool when it’s too damn hot

Run, Gryphons, run!

OnlyFans: A vice or a virtue?

A YEAR IN REVIEW

Looking back at The Ontarion’s accomplishments in 2023

nity art submissions.

Hello Reader,

Every year at The Ontarion is different. We have different volunteer reporters, different work-study positions and sometimes, a new editor-in-chief.

I’ve been involved with The Ontarion for quite some time. As a staff reporter in 2020, I covered things from COVID-friendly date nights, to a local woman selling art she made in her basement, to a protest in Guelph’s downtown core after the murder of George Floyd sparked a global movement. The opportunities The Ontarion has given me are a huge reason I wanted to come back as the editor-in-chief for the 2022-2023 school year.

Providing Coverage

In September, The Ontarion started as usual with our back-to-school issue, Guelph 101. This issue covered things like spirituality on campus, being queer in first year, sustainability tips, roommate etiquette and things to do in Guelph. Throughout the fall we covered things like the municipal election, sacred fires and Fair November.

We kicked off the new year with our Arts issue which ran throughout the month of January. This issue featured multiple profiles on different local artists, highlights of some of Guelph’s local arts businesses and a poetry spread in addition to commu-

Throughout the winter we covered topics like love languages, the student housing crises and human trafficking. We also brought back an Ontarion staple with the release of our April issue that featured a satire issue, The Contrarion

Experiential Learning

Throughout the winter semester, we worked on several projects with Experiential Learning classes. One of the projects, done for HIST*1050, was oral interviews about the pandemic experience. These oral interviews were then translated into news articles that are featured in this issue.

In addition to working with the HIST*1050 class, we also worked with ASCI*3000 on multiple projects. One of these projects was a social media plan, which we will be implementing over the summer. Another project was a survey on media literacy. The survey was then used to create an infographic and a write-up of the findings.

The biggest thing The Ontarion took away from the projects was the ability to connect with community members and students. These projects helped us keep our mandate of engaging with the community and providing educational opportunities. We look forward to many more opportunities with Experiential Learning in the future.

Looking forward

Our next projects will help expand The Ontarion into the modern digital era. We’re working on completely revamping and redesigning our website to offer an even better user experience with online exclusives. We’re also looking to create a hub for campus community members through the digital landscape to allow everyone to connect.

We’re also going to be fully digitizing our archives. This is a huge project that will greatly impact the future of The Ontarion. We’ll be looking at creating a complete and searchable database of all our issues since 1951. This will allow our audience to take their own journey of the history of the University through the eyes of decades of students.

In addition to all of this, we’re working on hosting creative workshops for community members. We want to provide opportunites the skills of those looking to increase their writing, photography and general journalistic skills. Our focus will be to get others excited about newspapers and how they’re creative while also providing a fun and interactive learning experience.

Final Thoughts

The issue in your hands is the culmination of a school year full of hard work and opportunities. From working with volunteers from September through April, to working on multiple Experiential Learn-

ing projects with different classes and even teaching basic journalistic skills - this is what it all comes down to.

Our volunteers have always been at the core of what we do, and this year was no exception. Throughout the year, I’ve seen volunteers go from learning the basics of research-based reporting, to getting out in the field and conducting solid interviews. Their writing style has improved immensely and they’ve created some great content this year that we are truly proud of.

I hope you have enjoyed this year’s editions of The Ontarion as much as the volunteers, staff and I have enjoyed making them for you. We take pride in keeping a campus tradition since 1951 alive and I am very much looking forward to continuing to blaze the legacy of The Ontarion for the 2023-2024 school year.

Thank you for taking the time to pick up and read an issue. Thanks for taking the time to give us solid feedback and story ideas. Most of all, thank you for supporting local non-profit journalism during these times.

And no matter what, remember that everything is going to come up Milhouse. Taylor

Over the past year, The Ontarion has released nine issues for campus community members. CREDIT: TAYLOR PIPE

Ontario government increases veterinary funding to amend worker shortages in rural areas

Funding will promote incentive programs and additional veterinary spaces while the University of Guelph extends its resources to Lakehead University

ELENI KOPSAFTIS

The Ontario government has announced a massive expansion of its budget toward animal care training programs, allowing the University of Guelph to collaborate with Lakehead University to support the veterinary industry.

The budget was unveiled in late March of this year, and it marks the first time since 1988 that the province will increase the number of veterinary spaces at the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) which has been at the forefront of animal care in Canada since 1862, according to a press release by U of G.

The program is ranked first in the country and fifth worldwide, and its graduates provide clinical services for more than 20,000 pet and large animal visits each year. Despite this, there have been work-

er shortages in the field which were exacerbated by the pandemic. This prompted the government to step in with its investment.

“Remote and Northern communities face a shortage of veterinarians. To improve access to veterinary care across Ontario, the government is investing $14.7 million over two years, starting in 2024–25, to launch a new collaborative Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program with the University of Guelph and Lakehead University,” reads the budget summary.

“This new program will allow an increase in enrolment by 20 new students per year, resulting in up to 80 new Doctor of Veterinary Medicine seats over four years, to better support the livestock agri-food sector, when and where farmers need it most.”

Furthermore, the government is also investing $900,000 into a new Veterinary Incentive Program over three years. This program will offer student loan assistance to 30 recently graduated veterinarians per year for those who choose to relocate to underserviced areas and practice livestock veterinary medicine. This will ensure livestock producers have the necessary veterinary services needed to expand operations

In the U of G news release, the University of Guelph and Lakehead University announced their enthusiasm for the investment. By combining OVC programs from the University of Guelph with Lakehead University, which has campuses in Thunder Bay and Orillia, rural and northern communities will hopefully gain access to as

many veterinary services as southern areas.

“By combining the unique strengths of the University of Guelph and Lakehead University, the Ontario Government is supporting a new and innovative approach to training veterinarians,” said Dr. Charlotte Yates, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Guelph, in the release.

“The collaborative Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program will increase the number of veterinarians trained in Ontario for the first time in a generation and help address workforce shortages. By incentivizing large-animal veterinarians in underserviced areas, the government is supporting student pathways for well-paying jobs in a high-demand sector.”

Dr. Moira McPherson, President and Vice-Chancellor of Lakehead University, expressed her gratitude for the funding alongside Dr. Yates in the release.

“On behalf of Lakehead University and our partners and stakeholders in Northern Ontario, I want to thank the Government of Ontario for seeing the vision and investing in the Collaborative Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Program in Rural and Northern Community Practice,” said Dr. McPherson.

“Working with our partners in government and the agri-food industry, we will be able to provide much-needed additional veterinary care to the vital and growing agri-food sector in Northern, rural, and Indigenous communities across Ontario.”

Looking for something fun to do this summer? Look no further than our very own Arboretum

The Guelph Arboretum offers beautiful sights, trails, workshops and educational programming over the 2023 summer season

ELLIE PETRAK

The Guelph Arboretum is a beautiful, educational and extremely diverse place to visit all year round.

“While we encourage people to visit every season, the summer is a particularly special time,” said Justine Richardson, Director of the Arboretum.

The Arboretum contains the whole continuum of nature. There are two old-growth forests which means they've never been clearcut, and trails running through woodlands that have been part of reforestation and animal quarters.

If you’re interested in gaining a further understanding of evolutionary wonders and adaptation, look no further than The Arboretum’s formal tree collections. There’s an area called the World of Trees where you can see trees that have been from different parts of the world from the same plant family.

“If you imagine when continents separated and there was a tree species that got isolated from one another but evolved separately, they may be similar but are located in different parts of the planet. So the World of Trees section of the arboretum allows you to see trees of the same family planted near one another. You can enjoy their beauty or you can take a look at the botanic garden labels and learn a little bit more about them and what country they are from.” says Richardson

If you’re looking to see displays of culturally diverse and varying colour, styles and expression, be sure to take a walk through the Gosling Wildlife Gardens in the Arboretum. There is the Italian Garden inspired by famous Italian Renaissance gardens, the English Garden where the beautiful perennial and colourful beds have just been renovated, and the serene Japanese Garden. Here, you will be able to walk across a stone bridge crossing a reflecting pool and listen to the water run. Not only are these beautiful and serene locations to sit or stroll through, but they are

also educational in the way that you can see the most formal ways in which gardens are inspired and created in different parts of the world.

“Also in this area are designs for how you can attract wildlife,” says Richardson. “These gardens are beautiful just to sit and enjoy. You can also study the plants there and think about how you might like to plant some species yourself. This summer, the native plant garden will be redone where there's a stream and some native plants, so there will be work going on there that people can see.”

The many trails that run through the arboretum allow visitors to see collections of plants, beautiful gardens, and forested areas. These include the Ivy Trail, Wild Goose Woods Trail, Trillium Trail, W-C Memorial Forest Trail and more. On these trails, you can walk across boardwalks and bridges and will be able to see various native wildlife species, woodlands, and different habitats such as marshes and swamps.

The newest trail is the Mtigwaaki Trail. This trail was the result of a graduate student Brad Howie who was doing his master's thesis on Indigenous ways of knowing and approaching the forest. The trail was developed with Anishinaabe Elders and scientists to forward our relationship and actions with nature and the earth. There's a series of signs that prompt this trail near the nature centre.

Just beyond the Gosling Gardens is an Indigenous tea garden done in partnership with a Wisahkotewinowak native ancestry organization. Here you can learn about herbal and medicinal plants and their significance. In this location, see how Indigenous ways of conservation and caring for the earth have allowed the garden to flourish.

There are a number of educational programs, events and workshops that take place in the Arboretum every week. During the summer months, there will be

amazing programming that allows visitors to get involved with wildlife, plants and the wonders of the forest.

Celebrate Guelph Bug Day at the Arboretum Centre on August 13 and get up close with numerous species or participate in fun bugthemed activities. Creepy-crawlies not your favourite? You can also celebrate World Migratory Bird Day at the Arboretum Centre on May 13 from 9 am to 1 pm. This event will include guided bird walks and fun activities throughout the day.

Want to share your love of the Arboretum with a group of people? Would you like to learn more about the features of the Arboretum as you walk through?

Wednesday at noon walks are free and happen all year round. They leave from the Arboretum kiosk at the campus entrance right near the boardwalks. There's an interpreter to guide your group through different sights in the Arboretum. The walk changes every week and depends on who's there and what happens to be blooming.

The interpreter will decide on the course of the walk based on what animal sightings there have been that week or what the interests of the group are. Each week is different and provides an opportunity to learn something new.

There's an animal rehabilitation series of workshops starting up right now where participants can learn how to handle the situation of finding a baby animal.

You can learn about natural history, health indicators and animals and get some extra wildlife knowledge. These workshops cover baby ducklings, raccoons or skunks, opossums, squirrels or chipmunks, coyotes or foxes and white-tailed deer. These workshops take place every Wednesday from 12-1 pm.

Attention all bird lovers, don’t miss out on the amazing bird-watching hikes taking place Tues, May 2, Wed, May 17 or Sat, May 27. These hikes take place in the early morning from 7-9 am for

the early risers.

Be sure to check out workshops Nature Journaling or Plein Air Painting in Watercolour. These take place from 10:30 am12:30 pm and 2:30-4:30 pm on Saturday, May 13th. There's also an installation called How to Draw a Tree. It's about connecting to nature, trees and mental health. You can pick up a QR code from the campus entrance and go on a 2km walk, listening to the story while viewing the beautiful forest visuals.

There are many workshops that allow participants to learn about different and unique species, gain an understanding of their lives, importance and role in

our ecosystems. Attend the Mysterious World of Moths on Mon, June 19 or Dragons and Damselflies on Wed, Jul 12. Don’t miss out on Hunters, Fishers and Trappers: The Amazing Life of Spiders which takes place on Sep 8. These workshops are from 9 am-4 pm.

On Saturday, Sept 9, be sure not to miss out on the 2023 Arboretum exposition. This event will be filled with free activities, demonstrations, workshops and more. There will also be a plant sale that will feature unique plants.

Whether you want to learn something new or spend some time in nature, the Arboretum is the perfect place to go this summer.

Justine Richardson, Director of the Arboretum, said summer at the arboretum is particularily special. CREDIT: MAYARA LOURENCO

Campus Childcare and Learning Centre hosts first art show in UC since pandemic

The littlest campus community members got to show off their creativity and learn something new

TAYLOR PIPE

Most graduations feature caps and gowns, diplomas and the ceremony of walking across a stage.

For the children at the Child Care and Learning Centre, (CCLC), it was creating art in classrooms and displaying them for the entire campus to see.

In 2017, the art show was created as part of a graduation ritual for one of the preschool classes at the CCLC.

“It started as something on site and then expanded for two years to include all the preschool classrooms who are celebrating children and their arts but also some of the movement pieces,” said Kimberly Barton, pedagogical leader for the CCLC.

Barton said the show was held in the University Centre after the original expansion. However, COVID-19 restrictions pushed the CCLC back into on-site shows.

“This year, we figured it would be a good time to go back and have it at the seat at the UC again, because it was always sort of meant to support some student wellness pieces during exam time,” she said.

The theme, and title of this year’s show was What Moves You? Barton said several classrooms were studying movement concepts and materials, so it was a natural fit.

“There's a broad range of exhibits or like pieces as you might have seen every-

thing from rotation and studying the solar system to exploring relationships with water to children exploring photography,” she said.

Barton coordinated with classrooms and gave them each a space to fill in the OVC Centennial Lounge located in the south of the UC.

“So some of the classrooms had one piece or one panel, some had sort of three different portions of their exhibit,” she said. “There's one communal piece so there was one big canvas piece that all four toddler classrooms created.”

Barton explained that these types of projects provide a sensory learning experience for the children.

“In early childhood it's often really meaningful for children to build their relationships with artistic materials,” she said. “So, that means very like hands-on, sensory based explorations in an open ended way that invite children to engage with the materials in ways that they find compelling or in ways that they're intuitively motivated to. A lot of our art experiences here reflect that kind of open ended creative explorations which we know are linked to creative thinking.”

shapes and what features their planet may have. She said one of the classrooms even built their planets out of clay, which allowed the children to learn about different weights and how that may affect things.

“I think being able to be present with like, the sensations of like clay on our hands and like the mindful way that it invites us to engage or… like the mixing of colors, or the melting of colors together,” Barton said. “And if we think about how that really sort of invites all of our senses to kind just be present.”

She referenced art pieces that looked like solar systems and explained that particular exhibit was used to teach students about space and planets, as well as rotation, which tied into the theme of motion.

By having the students create their own planets, they learned about round

In addition to the art show, the CCLC also hosts a community garden. The garden is planted by volunteers, students and staff. The food from the garden is often used in meals prepared for the children at the CCLC.

Barton also teased a special new project coming up in the near future.

“We are hoping to create something called Music of the CCLC which has sparked from a couple of families who are interested in some of the songs and the oral traditions and routines that we use with children on a daily basis,” she said.

She explained that the classrooms do different songs to make their day ritualistic and provide structure to the children. She also said the project wasn’t quite set in stone just yet.

The impact from the art show is still lingering and providing positivity to community members who witnessed the art created by the students at the CCLC.

Barton said she has gratitude for everyone involved in creating the show, from teachers, to staff and the students whose hard work made the possibility of brightening community members’ day.

“I hope that it brought some wellness, joy, inspiration or any kind of like, mindful experiences to anyone who spent time in that space,” Barton said.

Art by the graduating class at the Childcare and Learning Centre was on display in the University Centre from April 17 to 21. CREDIT: TAYLOR PIPE

Classrooms were given a space to fill with one, or multiple art pieces. CREDIT: TAYLOR PIPE

Space and rotation was a common theme in the exhibition. CREDIT: TAYLOR PIPE

SUMMER CHECKLIST

Camping

If you’re planning on going camping this summer at Guelph Lake, Algonquin Park, or your own backyard, here are some must-haves!

Tent

Bug spray

Sleeping bags

Headlamps/flashlights

Lots of batteries

Purchase local firewood

Multi-tool

A cooler full of food & drinks

Camping chairs

Water filters/sources of fresh and portable water

Sunscreen

First aid kit & emergency medicines

Battery powered fans

Portable cooking set/ camping stove

Towels

Phone chargers

Music Festival

Feeling the summer vibes? Go to a music festival like the Guelph Music Festival with your friends and family. Here’s a checklist of things to take with you and to do, when planning to go to a music festival.

Fun outfits

Pack warm clothes and check the weather forecast

Portable phone charger/ electronic equipment

Dance and click a lot of pictures for the memories!

Bring tent/picnic spreads (depending on how long the festival is)

Portable chairs if the venue allows

Selfie stick

Portable speaker

Comfy shoes

Tons of water to stay hydrated

Beach Day

Nothing beats a day on the beach! From sandcastles to swimming, there’s always fun to be had. Be prepared for maximum good times with these items!

Sunscreen

Towels

Beach ball

Sunglasses

Beach bag

Home Day

Feeling like being inside and spending your day at your cozy home? Don’t worry, we got your back, here’s a list of things you can do when taking a day (or a few) of rest and relaxing at your home sweet home.

Try a new hobby (origami, drawing, painting, journaling, cooking, baking) Beach clothes

Sand toys

Flip flops

Beach umbrella

Picnic basket with food

Hats

First aid kit

Bathing suits

De-stress by taking a long bath

Eat your comfort food

Watch a marathon of your favourite movies

Call your loved ones/ catch up with friends

Do a jigsaw puzzle

Scavenger hunt throughout the house with friends/partner

Dance like no one’s watching to your favourite playlist

Catch up on sleep/ sleep-in

Do a facemask

Try water with fruit in it

Sing along with Disney songs

Write a letter to a friend

Create a time capsule

The Ontario Pirate Festival will make landfall in Guelph over the long August weekend

Expect sword fighting, falconry and much more from the crew of pirates and performers this year

PAULA HENRY-DURU

The Ontario Pirate Festival returns once again to Guelph, and they are set to make landfall in Marden Park on Saturday Aug. 5. The festival will last for three days, starting on Saturday and they will set sail on Monday Aug. 7. From 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day, the festival will be packed with swashbuckling activities for the whole family.

Captain Zoltan and Captain Kelly are

the two co-owners of the Pirate Festival. They spoke with The Ontarion about what scallywags can expect on each of the three days. Armed with two fearsome, adorable rats and a pirate tankard, Captain Zoltan the Adequate described the festival as an ‘immersive event’.

Set up like a shanty village, attending pirates can look forward to talking with a mermaid, eating a giant turkey leg at the

“An immense pleasure to read ... The love of invertebrates and the complexity of human behaviour are beautifully married in this imaginative thriller ... The invertebrates are truly fantastic. The murders are clever and gruesome ... A riveting novel that is difficult to put down ... I thoroughly enjoyed it”

Marvin

Gunderman - Entomology Instructor at McMaster University’s Department of Biology (retd)

Captain’s Mess, and attending one of the many shows. There will be sword fighting, juggling from Kobbler Jay, and The Eyrie will be present for a live falconry demonstration.

There will also be a kids area with a henna artist, face painter, and some shows set up specifically for kids. Scallywags can also take a picture with parrots brought by the Make a Wish Foundation, enjoy live music or purchase handcrafted wares from the stands of over 40 vendors.

“[There will be] handcrafted jewelry, handcrafted woodwork, leather work, metalwork, clothing, art, and gosh, just about any type of handcraft you can think of, and a bunch you've never considered”, Zoltan said.

There will also be three encampments, which will be sections of the festival where people can learn all about seafaring history. Two of these will be pirate encampments, the Cut and Run and the Jade Dragons, and visitors can learn about cannons, pirate lore and how to tie knots. Kids can learn how to fight with real, foam, pirate swords in the pirate fight area and they can earn their official pirate certificate.

The third encampment will be host to the pirates of the north, The Vikings of Vinland, and wee ones can get to see how vikings lived using traditional tents and cookpits. There will also be blacksmith demonstrations, handcrafts and the chance to play traditional viking games.

Each day is expected to have much of the same activities but on Saturday night there’s an add-on ticket event which is a 19+ party where the bands get a little louder, and there’s usually a surprise event to look forward to.

Murder Bugs: A Love Story is a mystery novel set in southern Ontario, featuring two U of Guelph entomology professors helping local police hunt a serial killer who uses insects as weapons.

Published by Fire Ant Press. Mark Coakley also wrote the critically-acclaimed true-crime classics Hidden Harvest and Tip and Trade (ECW Press).

Buy paperbacks, audiobooks and Kindle at amazon.com/author/markcoakleybooks ... or search amazon.ca

Ebooks and free samples: markcoakleybooks.com

“Last year we had a burlesque dancer and fire performer, and the year before that we had Guelph’s own Monsters of Schlock performing their usual bizarre feats. Last year I put an apple in my mouth and my co-captain Kelly took a chainsaw and cut the apple in half, so that was fun and we’ll probably do something dangerous and stupid again this year," Zoltan said.

The great thing about this festival is that it’s open to everyone, because the whole point of being a pirate is to live life

on your own terms. Not all pirates were boys or men, and Captain Zoltan talked about female pirates Anne Bonny and Grace O’Malley who were formidable pirates in their day. Another pirate he talked about was Zheng Yi Sao who in her peak commanded up to 400 ships, which is an impressive feat for anyone.

On what this festival means to him, Captain Zoltan said ‘it means the world’.

“I’ve been a performer for many, many, many years and I'm going to make sure that there's always a fantastic place for people to come and enjoy these sorts of outdoor festivals, and there's always a place for me to perform, and there's always a place for me to have rats in the open where people can come and love Zoltan’s rats.”

“It’s also about the audience and the grand tradition of live theater and live entertainment, which is so very, very important. It's preserving the venue for handicrafts for all the merchants who handcraft materials. So much stuff is mass produced, which is fine, but there's a love and a dedication and just a humaneness to owning something that was made by hand. So it’s also preserving that and I think that's important as well.” Zoltan said.

The Ontario Pirate Festival will take place on Aug. 5, 6 and 7 in Marden Park, and ticket prices along with other details about the festival can be found on their website justadequate.com/jollyRogering/ index.htm or on their Facebook page The Ontario Pirate Festival.

The pirate festival takes place just outside of Guelph in MAARRRDEN (Marden). CREDIT: PEXELS

35 things to do this summer

THE ONTARION

Hillside festival

Disc Golf

Canoeing

Road trip to Blue Mountain

High tea at the boathouse

Ice cream on the river

Drinks on a patio

Watch the sunset on the Speed River

Walk along the river at riverside

Elora Quarry

Aberfoyle Antique Market

Royal Recreation Trail (Graffiti Alley)

Stargazing

Camp out at Guelph Lake

Elora Gorge

Go to a Ward Night Market

Salsa Dancing in the Royal City Park

Picnic in the arboretum

Riverfest

Open mic night at Jimmy Jazz

Sunset walk through the Arboretum

Backyard BBQ

Attend an Outdoor Handmade Market

Attend the Scottish Highland Games in Fergus

Ribfest

Have a pool day

Go to a concert

Make homemade popsicles

Have a pint at a local brewery

Get lost in a sunflower field

Have a drive-in movie night

Explore a new trail

Make S’mores

Try a new summer sport

Read The Ontarion’s summer issue

Get lost in a sunflower field this summer. CREDIT: UNSPLASH

Misinformation, disinformation, & media literacy at the University of Guelph

A look at how the University of Guelph campus

consumes news

T H E O N T A R I O N

M e d i a L i t e r a c y

M I S I N F O R M A T I O N &

D I S I N F O R M A T I O N

During this past semester, The Ontarion partnered with a College of Arts experiential learning class (ASCI*3000) on a project exploring media literacy on campus.

Experiential Learning (EL) gives students the chance to learn by doing. EL helps students develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that will help prepare them for the world of work and community engagement. Students can explore EL opportunities for the fall semester through the Experiential Learning Hub.

The ASCI*3000 students conducted a survey, created an infographic, and presented their findings in writing. This is what they found out:

Misinformation and disinformation have become prevalent issues among university students. To combat this problem, The Ontarion has conducted a survey to discover where and how university students are exposed to this information.

Misinformation is simply incorrect information presented as true, while disinformation is incorrect information spread with the intention of misleading others. 92.7% of the students surveyed claimed to be familiar with the terms, ‘misinformation’ and ‘disinformation’ specifically, but 51.22% responded that they could not differentiate between the two.

These results show that students are aware of the general concepts of misinformation and disinformation, but need more

resources to learn specifically what they are and how to detect them. Many University of Guelph students would likely benefit from increased opportunities to improve their media literacy skills.

One notable finding was that the majority of students surveyed indicated that social media is their primary source of news, yet they overwhelmingly agreed that social media can be a source of misinformation and disinformation. Out of the 41 students who responded to the survey, only one considered social media to be a credible source of information, and when asked if they believe that social media accurately represents facts, not a single person responded, “Yes.”

Despite this recognition of social media’s potential for misinformation and disinformation, 62.5% of people ranked social media as the news source they use the most and 57.5% of people ranked friends and family as second.

Out of the six news sources given as options, 75% of people ranked paper newspapers last. These findings indicate the increasing need for traditional news sources, such as newspapers, to build a presence on social media to boost their engagement with university students.

Ultimately, most students consider traditional news sources to be credible, especially compared to social media, but few utilize them as news sources. To determine source credibility and detect misinformation and disinformation, students can use three main strategies: researching the credibility of the authors and organization, cross-referencing the information with other sources, and checking the citations and publication date of the article.

It would also be beneficial for traditional news outlets to start promoting their stories more on social media, particularly Instagram as it was popular with many of the students surveyed, to get more engagement from students.

To reduce issues of misinformation and disinformation, it is recommended that traditional news sources increase their presences on social media, and students improve their media literacy skills.

M i s i n f o r m a t i o n i s f a l s e o r i n a c c u r a t e i n f o r m a t i o n D i s i n f o r m a t i o n i s f a l s e o f

i n a c c u r a t e i n f o r m a t i o n t h a t h a s b e e n i n t e n t i o n a l l y s h a r e d t o m i s l e a d

C A N M O S T S T U D E N T S

D E T E C T F A K E N E W S ?

A c c o r d i n g t o t h e r e s u l t s o f a s u r v e y p e r f o r m e d w i t h U n i v e r s i t y o f G u e l p h s t u d e n t p a r t i c i p a t i o n o n l y 6 3 4 1 % o f s t u d e n t s b e l i e v e t h e y c a n d e t e c t m i s i n f o r m a t i o n a n d d i s i n f o r m a t i o n

H O W M O S T

S T U D E N T S R E C E I V E

T H E I R N E W S

A l m o s t a l l s t u d e n t s r e c e i v e t h e v a s t m a j o r i t y o f t h e i r d a i l y n e w s f r o m s o c i a l m e d i a E f f e c t i v e l y m a k i n g " t r a d i t i o n a l n e w s s o u r c e s " t o c u r r e n t s t u d e n t s

R e s e a r c h t h e c r e d i b i l i t y o f t h e a u t h o r s a n d o r g a n i z a t i o n C r o s s - r e f e r e n c i n g t h e i n f o r m a t i o n w i t h o t h e r s o u r c e s C h e c k c i t a t i o n s a n d p u b l i c a t i o n d a t e

BRENNA BOURGON, ERIK PEARSON, JADYN KOEHLER, & JUDE SLATER

ICON BY FREEPIK

Under pressure: University of Guelph Students struggled during the COVID-19 pandemic

Looking back on the university experience during a global health crisis

ZANE

WARD

Waiting in endless lines, keeping our distance, self-isolating in our homes - everyone can reminisce on how excruciatingly slow the COVID-19 pandemic was; it was the gift that kept on giving.

Throughout this timeless strain, it’s quite easy to forget just how much our lives have changed since the pandemic started. New jobs, birthdays, pets and pregnancies. Even when time feels like it’s stopped, life reminds us that it has not.

While everyone faced adversity in one sense or another, COVID-19 was especially disappointing for students who found out that their first, or last year at school would be spent living through a pandemic. This begs the question: what was life really like for a university student at the University of Guelph?

If you asked someone about the University of Guelph, they’d probably tell you about the beautiful, vibrant campus – or the incredible sense of community, with endless possibilities of joining a wide variety of clubs and organizations. Maybe they’d even tell you about the quality of the lectures, or the amazing experience of living in residence.

These are the characteristics that gives the University of Guelph its pristine reputation. These are also a list of the experiences that students during the pandemic were unable to indulge in.

Maggie Durnin puts it best when asked for her initial thoughts on the University of Guelph once she got there amid the pandemic in 2021. She said it “was very empty, it was not what I remembered when my mom took me to the campus a couple of years ago.”

A key part of the university experience is the people you meet – something difficult to do when everyone is in their online classes, stuck in their residence buildings. Then, when you finally come

across another person on campus, their face is hidden behind a mask.

Then, there’s the classes themselves.

“It was hard to pay attention to anything,” she said. “I actually failed a class because I could not learn what was required compared to if the class was in person.”

Students felt alone and isolated, while trying to grapple with the reality of online classes. Since the distractions of the internet were as easy to access as the online classes, many students were unable to justify attending their classes.

Carson Simon, another University of Guelph student, shared their input on the switch to online classes.

“When it went online, (the professors) weren't really prepared for it ... I wasn't a very technological person, so it was really scary for me when it first went online,” Simon said.

An important takeaway from Simon’s experience is that the professors were just as ill-prepared as the students. In many instances, teachers did not have webcams or microphones, let alone the know-how to effectively structure a university class entirely online. Classes were dull, disinteresting and confusing.

To say that COVID-19 had a detrimental impact on students’ learning, grades, and mental health, would be an understate-

ment. Sarah McGonigal also shared her perspective on online classes.

“I did work all day in my room,” she said. “I did not have anyone to chat with.”

Sounds incredibly lonely, doesn’t it?

Mental health is an extremely important component to an individual's well-being, and as seen in this quote, poor mental health was very common among students during the pandemic. Students at the University of Guelph felt stuck by themselves, forced into an entirely online routine, with no excuse to leave their rooms.

Where most students would go out to a club or party in order to socialize, this was not the case during the pandemic.

“If you were someone who was going out and socializing it was shamed or looked down on,” McGonigal explained. “Especially during the times when it was really bad.”

The difficulty of having to choose between going out, experiencing something that resembles a “university experience” and staying home in order to follow public health recommendations was a difficult crossroad for many.

In a closing statement, when asked “what was it like to be a student at the University of Guelph during COVID-19”, the answer appears to be pressure. Pressure to attend online classes, the pressure to not fail. The pressure to socialize, the pressure of feeling like it was morally reprehensible to go out and socialize at all. The pressure of trying to do the right thing.

University students are sold an idea of university – new friends, new freedoms, new experiences, and a newfound sense of self. Instead, the incoming firstyear students of 2021 were given little more than the experience of something they were all far too familiar with – their phones, laptops, and the soul-crushing pressure of society.

Many students lost the full University experience during the pandemic. CREDIT: MAYARA LOURENCO

Reacting to the COVID-19 crisis: How the Ontario Veterinary College reacted to the pandemic

The unique struggle of a hands-on program during a global pandemic

KATE MEEHAN

Clearly, the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic was challenging for anyone whose life involved interacting in person with other people (so, everyone?). We heard a lot about human healthcare during the pandemic, but what about animal healthcare?

The Ontario Veterinary College, (OVC), needed to adapt quickly. The hospital had to continue to provide healthcare to animals while the vet school continued to train new veterinarians, all while maintaining research projects. How did the OVC manage?

Dr. Jeff Wichtel, the Dean of the OVC is responsible for both the educational and medical aspects of the college. In an interview earlier this year, he explained that his team responded in a “remarkable” way. No area of the OVC struggled less than another, but Wichtel is proud of their work saying, “It hasn't been easy but I believe we have been successful.”

Many members of the OVC, Wichtel included, were able to continue their research as it was qualitative. No one at the OVC had more success in their research efforts with the COVID-19 pandemic than Dr. Amy Greer.

Greer is currently the Research Chair of the Department of Population Medicine at the OVC, and has made crucial contribu-

tions to public health through her research and articles. She has received the Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities Award of Excellence in 2020 for her work throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Zoetis Faculty Award for Research Excellence in 2022 for her continued work on Avian Influenza.

Looking at the OVC from an academic perspective, it is evident that they faced several roadblocks in keeping classes running for students to make sure that they were well-trained in time for graduation.

In an interview with Ilya Bogorad, Executive Director of Planning for the OVC, he explained that the OVC was in a very “unique” position, as students needed both lecture, lab, and clinical experience. Similar to the rest of the University of Guelph, The OVC shifted classes to an online platform and opened up in-person labs when it was safe to do so.

In other fields, it was relatively easy to move education online. But the veterinarians-in-training needed lecture, lab and clinical experience. Wichtel explained that measures needed to be taken to ensure the safety of students and staff. Students were placed into cohorts to run labs safely and ensure physical distancing requirements could be met. This resulted in lab times being shortened since fewer people could

participate at one time.

The switch to online learning for lectures was felt with a mixed bag of reactions, but there were some advantages to accessibility. Some students liked online classes since they could watch recorded lecture videos on their own schedule and at their own speed. OVC student, Erica Gibson, found that she “ended up doing better academically with the switch to online classes” at the beginning of the pandemic.

Wichtel acknowledged while online learning was necessary, many of the students voiced concerns. Wichtel admitted that a “100% diet of online learning [...] is not ideal”, which led to the series of town halls to listen to concerns and form solutions. The town halls were overall successful and allowed the OVC to rearrange to build a more supportive learning environment.

After all of the modifications, did students still receive a comprehensive education despite the measures that reduced class time? Wichtel explained that the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program’s curriculum is a “competency-based education". This means that a series of skills are expected to be assessed and attained in each year of the program.

Having the program constructed this way meant that modifications could be

made as long as these competencies could be achieved. Through collaborative work reconstructing the training schedule, Wichtel explained that “they did achieve their competencies but under much more difficult circumstances.”

He also acknowledged the silver lining of the situation, saying that it “informed us of the inefficiencies in our learning going forwards.”

The OVC’s animal hospitals had their own set of challenges to deal with, as they were already facing a workforce shortage prior to the pandemic, which only became worse. Reducing the density of people in facilities meant that even fewer staff were able to perform their job, and fewer vet students could train at a time.

Wichtel acknowledged the struggles it caused for the OVC, and worked hard to “keep our eyes on the larger goals [...] whether that be training new veterinarians, new scientists, or grad students of the future; [or] providing care for animals.”

Overall, the COVID-19 pandemic offered the OVC a unique set of challenges to deal with. Thanks to extraordinary leadership, dedicated research, and an adaptable program, the college and its animal hospitals overcame the roadblocks set in their path and are better prepared for the next challenge to come their way.

For students at the Ontario Veterinary College, the pandemic affected their learning in a unique way. CREDIT: PEXELS

White coats and face masks: A pandemic graduation

How COVID-19 affected a longstanding Ontario Veterinary College tradition

STELLA SHAUGHNESSY

“Since as long as I can remember,” Erica Gibson says, “I have always dreamed of becoming a vet.”

Gibson is a student in the Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine program at the Ontario Veterinary College, (OVC). In our interview, Erica discussed her experience as a vet student during the COVID-19 pandemic. Like many students at the University of Guelph, Gibson remembers how dismal the initial lockdown felt.

“I had worked so hard to get into [OVC],” Erica said. “The pandemic felt like losing everything I had worked towards.”

Gibson was living with her friends off-campus when the pandemic was first declared a national emergency on March 13, 2020. She remembers these weeks vividly.

“It was weird,” Gibson said. “I don’t think [my friends and I] understood how severe the pandemic would be until one of my friends had to move back home to the US upon graduation.”

On April 1st, just weeks after the University of Guelph postponed classes 'indefinitely’, Former University of Guelph President Franco Vaccario announced

that all student activity would be canceled for the rest of the school year.

“I want to assure everyone that we take this situation very seriously and are doing everything we can to ensure the health and safety of our campus community”, Vaccario said in his statement.

After this decision was released to students, Gibson remembered helping her friend “pack his car with as much of his stuff as he could fit” because he didn’t know if he’d ever be back to Canada again.

Erica recalled the moment with a shiver before saying, “it was surreal.”

She remembered times in which she would watch her recorded lectures at two-times speed, because that worked better for her learning, and she could decide when in the day she was most prepared to learn from online lectures.

“I was committed,” Gibson said. “I’m not sure if studying at this capacity was healthy, but I sort of just pushed through”.

For Gibson, the first-wave of the pandemic was a fairly manageable experience. Unfortunately, the Omicron outbreak brought a surge of new challenges for Gibson and all other OVC students .

Despite the havoc from the first few months of the pandemic, Gibson adjusted. She even thinks that the initial shutdown actually improved her grades.

“It’s actually really interesting how much online learning helped me,” Gibson said.

During the Omicron outbreak in February of 2022, OVC students received some harrowing news: the veterinary college announced that the White Coat Ceremony for the graduating class of 2023 would be moved virtually. This meant that Gibson and her peers would not be able to traditionally celebrate their entrance into veterinary medicine like every OVC alumni before them.

What is the White Coat Ceremony, and why is it so important?

In short, the White Coat Ceremony is a celebration of entering

a professional career in medicine. The ceremonies are held in the summer before the final year of a Doctorate program, wherein students enter their clinical placements as student veterinarians.

At these ceremonies, students are given their White Coat, which recognizes their moral commitment to medicine. These ceremonies have been held for hundreds of years across the world. At the University of Guelph, it is an especially large gathering that welcomes students, faculty, and loved-ones to celebrate together in a ceremony on campus.

Once they found out that the White Coat Ceremony was postponed, Gibson and her peers began to fight for a solution. During this time, the University of Guelph had just announced that they would be dropping the mandatory mask mandate in certain areas of campus.

To abide by these guidelines, OVC students called, emailed, and wrote letters to the Associate Dean of the OVC to abide by these guidelines and accommodate a safe ceremony.

“The students fought for compromise,” Gibson said. “We wanted to make the ceremony happen, and we were willing to do whatever it took”.

After strong discussion amongst students and faculty, the White Coat Ceremony was able to occur in-person. The ceremony was held at a slightly delayed date of April 29, 2022. Students, faculty, and loved-ones were all able attend in-person, and the ceremony was also live-streamed for those who were unable to celebrate in-person.

Gibson said that this experience taught her so much about the compromise and teamwork that the OVC was capable of. She was especially proud of the OVC students for their determination.

“I was overjoyed that we were able to make the ceremony happen,” she said. “Everyone deserved it - not just [the students], but our loved-ones, and the university who supported us in our goals of veterinary medicine”.

Graduating from the OVC this spring has taught Erica so much more than just veterinary medicine - she experienced the strength of her voice as a student, and the strength of the OVC students as a community.

She says that she will always look back on her experience as an OVC student during the COVID-19 pandemic as “a period of growth, rather than a period of pain.”

After delays, the white coat ceremony took place at a labor date in April 2022. PHOTO PROVIDED BY ERICA GIBSON

Erica Gibson felt the pandemic took away everything she had worked towards.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY ERICA GIBSON

ICON BY FREEPIK

Brisson, Leis & Associates

Hillside Music Festival is ready to rock this summer

This iconic celebration rings in its 40th year of music and memories

ANDREEA BURLACU

To music-lovers, Hillside is more than just a festival. It’s a celebration of art, music and community. Hillside will take place July 28 to 30 on Guelph Lake Conservation Area, and it promises a diverse lineup and a great time.

Since 1984, Hillside has featured local bands and global artists that perform in a wide variety of genres. Over 70 artists, including drag queen Priyanka, guitar hero Ariel Posen, and reggae band Bedouin Soundclash, will play the festival this year.

“It’s all different kinds of music,” said Sam Baijal, artistic director at Hillside since 1998. “It’s not just folk music, pretty much anything goes. We even had classical recently.”

Hillside has been known for showcasing artists before they become popular. In 1992, Sarah McLachlan and the Barenaked Ladies took the stage. In 2004, Arcade Fire played the festival in a tent and a year later, they were a big deal. They went on to headline Hillside 2005, which sold out weeks before.

“It’s a small festival. It’s got a big reputation,” Baijal said. “There’s a lot of Canadian independent artists that have ended up being at Hillside early.”

In fact, many now-famous artists started off by playing at Hillside. These include Broken Social Scene, the Arkells, Walk Off the Earth, Mother Mother, The Strumbellas, July Talk and Feist.

Alongside Canadian talent, bands from all over the world come to perform at Hillside. Baijal explained that artists travel from as far as the Ivory Coast, France, Cuba, and China.

However, Hillside is more than just music. It’s an all-ages event that brings people together as they camp out on the island.

“It's not just a bunch of bands in a field,” Baijal said. “It's more of a weekend experience where people get to go hang out with each other.”

The festival opens with an Indigenous

Welcome, which is a land acknowledgement that has been done for over 25 years. Baijal said that this and the Indigenous Circle are important Hillside traditions.

After this, youth bands play on the main stage. Then, the festival kicks off, and Baijal described that “things are pretty much happening all the time.” Besides music, there are drumming circles, yoga, an artisan market, and numerous workshops.

In addition to an activity-filled day, festival attendees can expect a variety of meals at Hillside’s food pavilion.

“It’s very multicultural,” Baijal said. “Everything from Indian to Thai food to Mexican.”

After a long weekend, Hillside assures the island is clean of all waste. The organizers stopped having plastic water bottles in 2007, and they avoid disposable plates by washing everyone’s dishes.

“This is not some new initiative that happened in the last 10 years,” Baljal said. It's been like that since the beginning. When you leave the island, it's spotless, because we have a team of people that just pick up everything and you wouldn't ever even know we were there.”

He described that being eco-conscious is part of Hillside’s roots.

“It's just being really caring about where you are and making it so that you're not you're not disrespecting the land that you're on,” he said.

Hillside is a non-profit organization that is run mostly by volunteers. They have “a small staff of four people”, including Baijal.

“It's a really cool thing to be a part of,” Baijal said.

Tickets for Hillside are already on sale at their website. They offer weekend and day passes. Also, a free shuttle bus from downtown can get you right to Guelph Island.

“It's a really nice site,” Baijal said. “If you're here in the summer, you should go.”

Hillside has showcased many Canadian acts, such as Arkells, Sarah McLachlan and, pictured above, Mother Mother. PHOTO PROVIDED BY HILLSIDE FESTIVAL

The festival takes place from July 28 to 30 at the Guelph Lake Conservation Area. PHOTO PROVIDED BY HILLSIDE FESTIVAL

Which date should you go on this summer?

Surprise your special someone with a date that matches their personality

This "summer lovin'," be like Danny and Sandy from Grease and enjoy some “summer lovin’”. Guelph has many cute spots to cool down indoors or heat things up outside. Yet, you might wonder which one your partner likes most. Luckily, we have a quiz for you! Answer these questions to find out the perfect outing for you and your summer love.

1. Which was your date’s favourite course this year?

A. History/Classical studies

B. Ecology/Agricultural studies

C. English/Theatre

D. Equine Management/Biology

E. Fine arts

2. Your date could be found:

A. At a local café

B. On Johnston Green

C. In the library

D. Petting a dog at Take a Paws

E. Painting the Cannon

3. To relax, your date likes to:

A. Pour themselves a cup of tea

B. Go on a bike ride

C. Journal

D. Spend time with a pet

E. Doodle

4. What TV show would your date watch?

A. Bridgerton

B. Outer Banks

C. The Queen's Gambit

D. Our Planet

E. Bob Ross' The Joy of Painting

5. Your date could be best described as?

A. Elegant

B. Outdoorsy

C. Witty

D. Goofy

E. Creative

6. If your date could time-travel, what’s the first thing they would do?

A. Dance to classical music at a Victorian-era ball

B. Swim in The Great Barrier Reef before the effects of coral bleaching

C. Catch a play at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in Elizabethan times

D. Meet the first domesticated donkey, around 7,000 years ago in East Africa

E. Watch Da Vinci paint the Mona Lisa during the Renaissance

7. It’s movie night! Which film are you choosing?

A. Little Women

B. The Jungle Book

C. Dead Poets Society

D. Shrek

E. Portrait of a Lady on Fire

8. Your date’s dream vacation would be:

A. Eyeing the fashions at an authentic, tasty French boulangerie

B. Surfing during a California sunset

C. Browsing the 20 antique book stores in London’s Bookseller’s Row

D. Going to the cat sanctuary on the Greek island of Syros

E. Noting the fine sculptures throughout Italy

9. You would surprise your date with:

A. Breakfast in bed

B. Picking flowers

C. Love letters

D. A stuffed animal

E. A drawing you made

Mostly A’s: The Boathouse

Your date has sophisticated taste and a fancy summer outfit stashed in their closet. They will love a date at the Boathouse, where they can sip locally-sourced tea with a side of scones and a scenic view of the nearby river. The Boathouse’s High Tea package is $25 per person for coffee/tea, scones with jam & fresh cream, sweets, and tea sandwiches. It garnishes everything with fresh fruits and flowers, just like a Bridgerton tea party. They are open from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. everyday, and you can make a reservation by calling (519)822-5692. Also, the Boathouse is right next to Speed River Paddling, which is open from May - Sept. for canoe and kayak rentals. This means that after your date, you could take a relaxing ride on the river.

Mostly B’s: Hike in the Arboretum

Your date loves the outdoors, and they’ve been waiting since winter to lace up their hiking boots. Take them to the Arboretum to see the trees and flowers in bloom! The grounds are open from dawn to dusk, so you and your lover have plenty of time to explore the Arb’s 400 acres. You can check out its gardens, trails, woodlands, wetlands, and meadows. After your hike, you could surprise your date with a picnic amidst the emerald grass. Make sure to pack sunscreen, bug spray, and water for this earthy date!

Mostly C’s: The Bookshelf

Your date loves literature and could spend hours browsing books. Indulge their love for reading by taking them to The Bookshelf, a cute shop which highlights Canadian reads. You could also grab dinner at Miijidaa Cafe & Bistro, which neighbours the Bookshelf. This restaurant has Date Night Wednesdays and plenty of vegan/vegetarian options. This date is sure to get your lover obsessing about their favourite reads over a tasty meal and a bottle of wine. After, catch an indie movie at the Bookshelf’s in-store cinema! A movie ticket is $14 per person, and these can be bought in-person or at their website, https://bookshelf.ca/Tickets.

Mostly D’s: Donkey Sanctuary

Your date wouldn’t mind looking at a cute ass (by ass, we mean donkey, of course). They love animals and the outdoors, and they would enjoy the Donkey Sanctuary of Canada’s mission of rescuing donkeys, mules and hinnies. The Donkey Sanctuary rehabilitates animals who have been neglected or abused, and they educate the public about each donkey’s needs. You and your partner can learn how to care for a donkey and discover the unique personality of each one. Tickets for their Summer Open Days can be found on their website, https://www.thedonkeysanctuary.ca/ visit-us/. These are $22.63 for adults, and $17.31 with a valid student I.D.

Mostly E's: Painting Pottery

Your date has an artistic vision. They would love to paint a custom piece of pottery at Play With Clay, where they can choose a pre-made sculpture or form one themself. Prices start around $15 for a pre-made piece, which you can design with many different colours. Play With Clay is open Sun. - Mon. from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Tues. - Sat. from 10 a.m. to 12 a.m. You can reserve a table by calling 519-826-7529. You can also choose to be seated at the Clay Bar, which serves cocktails, craft beer, wine, and house-made appetisers.

Beach reads

ANDREEA BURLACU

Reading is a great way to immerse yourself in a new world and relax outside this summer. With classes out of the way, now’s the time to read some trending titles. Whether you prefer romance, fantasy, or historical-fiction, there’s a perfect book out there for you.

Here are some summery suggestions to pack along next time you head to the beach.

Beach Read by Emily Henry

READ IF: You’re thirsty for a juicy summer romance.

Two writing rivals, Augustus Everett and January Andrews, have different feelings about what makes a happy ending. According to the book’s description, “When she pens a happily ever after, he kills off his entire cast.”

These two polar opposites are spending the summer in neighbouring beach houses for three months. To get out of their creative ruts, “Augustus will spend the summer writing something happy, and January will pen the next Great American Novel.” They promise that no one will fall in love this summer.

Beach Read, whose summer heat is right in the name, promises awkwardness and banter amidst a sweet romance.

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

READ IF: You’re a fan of historical fiction and live for celebrity gossip

It’s 1983, and Nina Riva’s epic end-ofsummer party is eagerly anticipated. The famous Riva siblings will be the centre of attention in Nina’s picturesque Malibu dreamhouse. Yet, these siblings are serving more than cocktails: tonight, they have life-changing drama.

Forbidden love, divorce, affairs, and scandal simmer while music plays and drinks flow. These hot secrets set the Riva mansion aflame.

This fast-paced read features characters who surf and run a restaurant near a sunkissed beach, making this a perfect beach novel.

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

(recommended by our Sports & Health Editor, Oliver Bullingham)

READ IF: You like fantasy novels about wizards that aren’t written by J.K. Rowling

Kvothe is an unequalled sword fighter, a notorious magician, and a masterful musician. Yet in the present, he is in hiding after

the King’s murder. Kvothe is called “Kingkiller”, and he is rumoured to have started a civil war.

The Name of the Wind delves into Kvothe’s mischievous origin story as he retells his performances with reputable travelling performers, his bid to enter a legendary school of magic, and his time as a fugitive.

The coming-of-age story is full of action and features a cool system of magic. If you’re looking to escape into a fantasy novel, give The Name of the Wind a try this summer!

The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants by Ann Brashares

(recommended by our Editor-in-Chief Taylor Pipe)

READ IF: You want a classic YA summer read

Four best friends thrift a pair of jeans that miraculously fits all of them. They go on different summer vacations, mailing the pants to each other. Then, according to Goodreads, “the journey of the pants — and the most memorable summer of their lives — begins”.

Lena falls in love with a man in Santorini. Tibby works at Wallmans and films a documentary with a girl. Carmen reconciles with her family in South Carolina, and Bridget conspires to lose her virginity.

This iconic young adult novel captures the importance of friendship and of keeping in touch with loved ones throughout our summer adventures.

The Summer of Broken Rules by K.L. Walther

READ IF: You’re ready to blast Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer” and fall in love

This romance novel, inspired by Taylor Swift’s songs, is about Meredith Fox’s return to the world after the death of her sister. She attends a summer wedding at Martha's Vineyard, where she plays a family game of assassin and forms an alliance with a cute groomsman. The book describes that “she’s at risk of losing both the game… and her heart”.

Goodreads reviewers described The Summer of Broken Rules as a perfect beachy contemporary romance. It has themes of family and grief, but it also builds chemistry between the lovers. Also, if you’re looking to sip summer away like a bottle of wine, you’ll enjoy this book’s Swift references. The Summer of Broken Rules is a feel-good novel and a great beach read.

Whichever book you choose, we hope you enjoy the adventures within this chapter of your life. Have a great summer and happy reading!

Whichever book you choose, you're sure to have a relaxing time. CREDIT: UNSPLASH

A perfect day on the beach means basking in the sun with an amazing book

spring in spring in

in bloom in bloom

Writing that can communicate across time and space

The Ontarion speaks with award-winning author, C.E. Hoffman

ELENI KOPSAFTIS

“Fearless,” “darkly humorous and sensual,” and “fresh-voiced, optimistic, and youthful.” These are just a few press and literary reviews for one of U of G’s own talented authors.

Having just completed their Creative Writing Honours here at the University of Guelph, C.E. Hoffman is a writer and filmmaker with an extensive background in the arts.

They are also a sex work advocate, recorded musician, and a “wannabe Jungian.” They wrote their first four-hundred page novel when they were only 11 years old. From then on, there was no going back.

Hoffman continued publishing music articles for online and print magazines into their late teens, and in 2021 they released SLUTS AND WHORES, their first full-length collection of short stories. The synopsis reads, “a jealous girlfriend trips on acid; a spa worker is challenged to take control of her fate. A haunted jeep parks in front of

student housing; a sex worker grows wings; and a hitchhiker is picked up by someone she’d never expect.”

Reviews for their debut collection were outstanding. One reviewer on goodreads. com called it “simultaneously an exercise in both gritty realism and gritty surrealism,” and called the transitions between the two seamless.

“From short stories to rapid fire poetry, [Hoffman] shows an ability to master any and all shapes of the written word. The emotional breadth of the works are equally impressive, from laugh-out-loud hilarity to heart wrenching tragedy,” wrote the reviewer.

Hoffman has since published several other collections and chapbooks, including BLOOD, BOOZE, AND OTHER THINGS IN NATURE, and GHOSTS, TROLLS, AND OTHER THINGS ON THE INTERNET

Their latest release, NO ACTUAL SIN was released this year. The latter won first

Music. Smiles. Hot Dogs. Music. Smiles. Hot Dogs.

For 23 years, Bob has made it his mission to serve up good food and good times to U of G students. Whether you're in need of a quick meal or a just friendly face, come say hi to Bob at his hot dog stand just east of Branion Plaza.

WE VEGANHAVE OPTIONS!

BOB’S DOGS BOB’S DOGS

place in last year’s Defunct Magazine May Day Chapbook contest, and limited edition signed copies are still available on the Defunct Magazine website.

“The chapbook explores sexuality, including struggles with my bisexuality, and the rift between the traumatic and sensual,” said Hoffman to The Ontarion. “Nearly every piece therein is of the stream of consciousness style, and I’m proud to say it’s my most cohesive collection so far.”

Hoffman was supposed to read and perform excerpts from all of their collections during a literary reading event at Silence Sounds on March 29, but that event was unfortunately cancelled. Instead, Hoffman got to perform at The English Students Society’s annual Arts and Drafts event–also held at Silence Sounds–on April 5.

“[Reading at the event was] cathartic,” said Hoffman. “The audience was incredible. I’ve been going through a tough time

mentally and it meant a lot to be received by such a compassionate crowd.”

During the reading, Hoffman was also able to offer a sneak peek for their upcoming collection, LOSERS AND FREAKS. This particular piece was picked up by Querencia Press in Chicago, and Hoffman says they’re really excited to share it.

“It was wonderful to perform again … A writer needs to connect with an audience both on and off the page,” they said. “That said, writing can communicate across time and space. I always aim to write valuable content that extends beyond my reach, and lasts beyond my lifetime.”

Hoffman will be continuing their artistic career at the University of Alberta. They hope that by pursuing a degree in Film Studies that they can expand on their skills in screenwriting.

Additionally, they can be found on Twitter @CEHoffman2. To check out their works or listen to their podcast, visit their website at cehoffman.net. Hoffman also wants to encourage aspiring authors to reach out through their Contact Me page on their website and send an email.

“When I started out, I had no idea what I was doing, and very few people were willing to offer direction. I want to light the path for others,” Hoffman told The Ontarion.

“Gatekeeping needs to be abolished. If someone needs help and I have the time [and] means, I consider it a moral mandate to respond to the call. Writing facilitates connection, healing, and meaning, and I want to live my life like I write.”

CFRU's Spring/Summer Playlist

For the creator in all of us!

CFRU offers FREE training, use of high-quality recording equipment, and (remote) opportunities for on-air and behind-the-scenes projects. Give it a try today! Email volunteer@cfru.ca to learn more.

Hoffman's latest release NO ACTUAL SIN came out this year. PHOTO PROVIDED BY C.E. HOFFMAN

*CANADIAN ARTIST **LOCAL ARTIST

1. CASTLE IF* The Verdant Realm (Self-Released)

2. LEE PARADISE* & Co (Telephone Explosion)

3. STATUS/NON-STATUS** January 3rd (You've Changed)

4. TRANSSTAR** I, Bitch (Park Music)

5. ATSUKO CHIBA* Water, It Feels Like It's Growing (Mothland)

6. SHEBAD** show us it's real (Self-Released)

7. L CON** SOUNDMILL improvisations (Halocline Trance)

8. COLIN STETSON* The Menu (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (Milan)

9. CRACK CLOUD* Tough Baby (Self-Released)

10. U.S. GIRLS* Bless This Mess (Royal Mountain)

Who What Wear: Guelph Civic Museum showcases 200 years of local fashion

The Museum is stitching the fabric of history together through clothing

ANDREEA BURLACU

From delicate wedding wear to vintage t-shirts, every outfit tells a story. The Guelph Civic Museum’s new exhibition, Who What Wear: 200 Years of Local Fashion, delves into Guelph’s past through carefully curated clothing.

Dawn Owen, curator of Guelph Museums since 2017, chose a broad selection of fashions that originate from around 1800 to the present day. Who What Wear focuses on the garments themselves, how they were made, and what they said about the period they were worn in.

Through this exhibit, Owen tells intersectional stories that make people “feel like [they’re] stepping into a time capsule.” These clothes form an anthology of local experiences.

A standout piece in this collection is a sari owned by scientist and former U of G professor Parvathi Basrur. In 1959, Parvathi Basrur (1929-2012) became the first female faculty member at the Ontario Veterinary College. The display of Basrur’s sari further memorialised her as an important part of Guelph’s history.

Another special piece is a screen-printed blue dress made in 1969 by Margaret Wallace of Dundas, Ontario. Owen noted its beautiful pattern and the historic tradition of making clothing by hand.

“It's much more common in the modern era for things to be machine made and mass produced,” she said. “So, to discover a garment that was made by hand in the 1960s, the fabric itself was printed by hand, that was a real treat.”

Hand-sewing and machine-sewing are important stories to this exhibition. There are fabric samplers stitched by young girls, who embroidered in the date, their name, and their age. These beautiful swatches are evidence these girls lived in our community, as they cannot be found in the census.

“I couldn't find the young women who made these extraordinarily beautiful objects that we are very lucky to have here in the museum,” Owen said. “From our contemporary mindset, we’re often thinking, ‘Whose stories are not being written into the formal archive?’”

On top of clothes being made by hand, they were also made to suit one’s specific dimensions. These custom-made clothes are called “bespoke.” Often, bespoke clothes were made for wealthy folks.

Working classes continued to hand-make clothes after the mechanisation of the clothing industry. When a garment could no longer

be worn, it was repurposed into other things, such as quilts. These quilts were a “patchwork pattern of little bits and pieces of fabric.”

“Clothing for the working or labouring classes was used until it was literally threadbare and falling apart,” Owen said. “The intention there was one of sustainability and ‘we're going to get as much as we can out of this fabric.’”

On top of telling Guelph’s stories, the exhibition shows that history repeats itself through trends.

“I've observed, looking at over 200 years of local fashion and how it changed over time, that certainly we can see trends circling back on themselves,” Owen said.

‘It could be even colours and palettes of clothing… there are a lot of yellow garments on display, and in literally every period that we have represented in the collection.”

She added that formal hats and accessories, highly popular in the early to mid-twentieth century, are becoming trendy again. In the past, people wore hats daily alongside gloves and long coats. The revival of fedoras, like those made in Guelph’s Biltmore Factory (1917-2012), could mean that these accessories are coming back into fashion.

The exhibition paints a pretty picture of the last 200 years,

including modern wear such as flannel shirts, corduroy pants, and jeans with stirrups. Yet, there are some gaps in the collection. The garments that survived the 19th century were worn by upper middle-class families who did not labour in fields and factories.

“In the early period, mostly what we have is formal wear that was saved and preserved over time,” she said. “It was attached to ceremonial moments in people's lives and most often from an upper middle-class perspective. What we're missing is the story of the everyday person.”

“I would love for this to be an invitation to the community,” she

added.

“When you come to the museum, look at the exhibition and say, ‘What are the stories that are missing? Do I hold a story that really should be here? Do I see myself reflected in this space?’ If the answer is no, we would love, love, love to hear from that person.”

The museum accepts donations of both historic and contemporary pieces. Their artefact donation form can be found at www. forms.guelphmuseums.ca/collections/.

The Who What Wear exhibition is open from March 4 - Sept. 3, 2023. Admission is $6 from Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The exhibit runs from March 4 to Sept. 3. PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE GUELPH CIVIC MUSEUM

On top of telling Guelph's stories, the exhibition shows that history repeats itself through trends. PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE GUELPH CIVIC MUSEUM

Celebrating Pride 2023

It's more than just buying rainbow things

ANDREEA BURLACU

Pride Month represents more than rainbow flags: it celebrates the LGBTQ+ community, their history, and their ongoing fight for equal rights and recognition. Whether you’re part of the LGBTQ+ community or a supportive ally, there are many ways to celebrate this month.

Learn about Pride’s origins

Pride Month commemorates the Stonewall riots of 1969. The Stonewall Inn in New York was a gay bar where LGBTQ+ people could socialize safely without public harassment (being gay was illegal during this time). On June 28, 1969, nine policemen stormed into this bar and arrested the employees for selling alcohol without a license. Then, they harassed many patrons and took several of them into custody. This was the third time in a short period that this had happened.

But this time, the people outside the bar did not retreat. Lesbians, gay people, and transgender people united to throw bottles and protest the police. Thus, Stonewall became a symbol of resistance. This event prompted political activism and the formation of many LGBTQ rights organizations.

Further educate yourself

There’s lots to learn about the LGBTQ community, such as the history of Indigenous two-spirit people, Canada’s first Pride Parade in 1971, and the rights that LGBTQ+ have been granted such as adoption and same-sex marriage. For more global history, check out Sappho’s homoerotic poetry from ancient Greece or the dressed-in-drag actors of the Elizabethan era. You can listen to podcasts, watch movies, read articles, check out a museum, or listen to stories from older queer people in your community.

Also, take the time to read up on different pronouns and gender identities. Doing so helps other people feel comfortable in their gender identity.

Make a Pride playlist

A perfect June soundtrack includes a playlist full of amazing queer icons. Music platforms like Spotify and Apple Music curate diverse playlists of Pride hits, or you can make your own! From Girl in Red and King Princess to Frank Ocean and Steve Lacey, songs from LGBTQ artists are an amazing way to celebrate this month.

Add a LGBTQ novel to your bookshelf

From classics to fresh new releases, LGBTQ + literature lets readers sink into a great book featuring relatable queer protagonists. Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin, was first published in 1956, and it’s now considered a “classic of gay literature”. If you’re looking for a more modern story, try Nothing Burns as Bright as You by Ashley Woodfolk, The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee, or The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes.

Attend a Pride parade or festival

Wear your most colourful outfit to Pride this summer! Many cities, including Guelph, Hamilton, and Toronto, will have Pride events this year. Pride events often include drag performers, music, local vendors, and amazing bites to eat within a lively and accepting atmosphere. These are the perfect spots to meet other queer people or to show support as an ally. Everyone is welcome at Pride!

Don’t feel pressured to come out if you’re not ready

Although Pride is a celebratory time, you might not feel comfortable enough to come out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Whether you’re living at home with disapproving parents (been there) or worried about what your friends might say, take your time and come out when you feel ready. You can still celebrate Pride while closeted: you don’t have to come out to validate your identity. Alternatively, if you are feeling prepared, Pride is a great time to share your news!

LGBTQ+ recognition goes beyond Pride Month: it’s important to show support for LGBTQ+ people all year. Continue using gender-inclusive language, speaking out whenever you encounter discrimination, and support organizations that are working to advance LGBTQ+ rights.

Here are some helpful resources for LGBTQ+ people in Guelph:

Good2Talk and LGBT Youthline: These sites offer anonymous support services for LGBTQ people, including professional counselling and online resources. Their websites are https://good2talk.ca/ontario/ and https://www.youthline.ca/. Additionally, if you want to chat with a volunteer, you can connect with Good2Talk at 1-866-925-5454 or the LGBT Youthline at 1-800-268-9688.

Guelph Queer Equality: Located in the UC, room 270, this safe space opens its doors for LGBTQ+ students to chat, borrow a book, study, or even take a nap! Throughout the semester, Guelph Queer Equality plans several events for LGBTQ folks. Check out their website: https://gryphlife.uoguelph. ca/organization/gqe

OUTline: If you’re looking for info on sexual orientation and gender identity, the University of Guelph’s OUTline is here for you! Their Online Chat anonymously connects you with trained student volunteers who can answer all your questions.This service is not operating during the Summer Semester, but you can check it out during the school year at https://www.uoguelph. ca/studentexperience/outline/.

Sexual and Gender Diversity Advisor: The University of Guelph has an advisor, Caleb Harwood, who can help you navigate your identity as a queer person in university. They can help with homophobia/transphobia, mental health, academics, finding community, and more! Reach Caleb at https://www.uoguelph.ca/studentexperience/lgbtq2ia-student-advising/ or at his email, calebharwood@ uoguelph.ca.

As the school year starts up again, you can meet other LGBTQ+ people through a club! Guelph has groups including EngiQueers Guelph (@guelphengiqueers on Instagram), Queer and Trans People of Colour (@qtpoc. uog on Instagram), and the Queer Christian Community (https://www. ecmguelph.org/queerchristiancommunity).

Reading a book with LGBTQ+ themes is a great way to expand your horizons and celebrate your individuality. CREDIT: PEXELS

A guide to the ultimate cottagecore picnic

How to plan a Pinterest-worthy picnic

MARYAM NAINAR

With the bright and balmy weather we’ve been having, summer is just around the corner. What better way to soak in the sunshine than to go for a cottagecore themed picnic?

Heavily inspired by florals and greenery, cottagecore is an aesthetic based on being in nature. Think aromatic gardens, rustic cabins, and sparkling waterfalls. Imagine sitting under a magnolia tree, atop a sprawling checkered blanket, next to your wicker basket, tea and pastries in hand. That’s exactly the vibe of the picnic we’re going for

Picnics are a fun and easy outing to plan with your friends or family. There are a variety of foods to choose from and places to go. If you’ve been dreaming of the ultimate cottagecore picnic, but don’t know how to plan one, look no further! This guide will get you started.

What to Bring to a Picnic

Food!

Picnics are known for their sweet pastries, vibrant salads, sandwiches, pies, and more. The food is the highlight of the event, so pack something you’ll enjoy! Check out the recipes at the end of this guide for some inspiration.

Cooler

Nothing is worse than warm drinks in the midst of sweltering heat. Pack ice or a cooler to keep your beverages frosty and refreshing.

Basket

You’ll need something to hold all of your delicacies. If you’re keeping with the cottagecore aesthetic, then a brown wicker basket is a must.

Utensils and paper plates

Don’t forget the utensils and plates to enjoy your tasty snacks when you’re outside.

Blanket

A blanket is essential for the full picnic experience.

Sunscreen

It’s all fun until someone gets a nasty burn. Stay safe and make sure to regularly apply your favourite sunscreen!

Picnic Spots in Guelph

Armed with your treats and refreshments, plus all the picnic essentials, it’s time to find the perfect place for your picnic. Guelph has many beautiful parks that can be the destination for your next one.

Riverside Park, 709 Woolwich Street, Guelph

With picnic tables, a view of the river, and a lovely floral clock, Riverside Park is the last step to achieving the cottagecore aesthetic.

Exhibition Park, 81 London Rd West, Guelph

With lots of sprawling green space, Exhibition Park is practically waiting for your picnic blanket. This park also has softball diamonds, a small stadium, and a unique playground.

South End Community Park, 25 Poppy Drive West, Guelph South End Community Park has luscious trees, a baseball diamond, a playground, and a splash pad. It’s the perfect summertime hangout spot.

Hanlon Creek Park, 505 Kortright Rd W, Guelph

Hanlon Creek Park features rolling hills and a trail through the woods, where occasionally wildlife is spotted. The park is perfect for a cottagecore themed picnic.

3 Easy Picnic Recipes

Caprese Sandwich

Recipe courtesy of BBC Good Food

Total time: 10 minutes. Serves 4.

Ingredients

• 8 slices of focaccia bread

• 2 tbsp basil pesto

• 2 tsp olive oil

• 2 x 125 g balls of mozzarella

• 2 tomatoes, sliced

• Basil leaves

• ½ red onion, sliced

• 2 tsp balsamic glaze

Method

• Spread the basil pesto over four of the bread slices.

• Lay the mozzarella, tomato slices, sliced onions, and basil leaves over the four pesto-spread bread slices.

• Drizzle balsamic glaze and olive oil on the other four slices.

• Put the sandwiches together.

Fruit Crisp

Recipe courtesy of Country Living

Total time: 40 minutes. 6-8 servings.

Ingredients

• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted

• 7 cups fruit

• 2 tbsp sugar

• 2 tbsp cornstarch

• 1 cup rolled oats

• ½ cup light brown sugar

• ½ cup all purpose flour

• ½ tsp salt

Method

• Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly butter a 9x13 inch baking dish.

• Add the fruit, sugar, cornstarch, and salt to the dish. Toss to combine.

• Stir oats, light brown sugar, and flour in a bowl. Stir in the melted butter until it is fully combined.

• Pour the crumbly oat and butter mixture over the fruit.

• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the fruit is bubbling.

• Let it sit for 10 minutes before serving and enjoy!

Watermelon Feta Salad

Recipe courtesy of Love and Lemons

Total time: 15 minutes. Serves 4.

Ingredients

Dressing

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 3 tbsp lime juice

• ½ garlic clove, minced

• ¼ tsp sea salt

Salad

• 5 cups cubed watermelon

• 1 cup diced cucumber

• ¼ cup thinly sliced red onions

• ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese

• 1 avocado, cubed

• ⅓ cup torn mint or basil leaves

• ½ jalapeño or serrano pepper, thinly sliced

Method

• Whisk together the ingredients for the dressing.

• Drizzle half the dressing over the cubed watermelon, diced cucumber, and sliced red onions.

• Top with crumbled feta, mint, avocado and jalapeño pepper.

• Drizzle the remaining dress-

Guelph has so many great picnic spots for you to discover. CREDIT: UNSPLASH

ICONS BY FREEPIK

FROM THE ARCHIVES:

The Ontarion has been around since 1951 and we’ve witnessed some pretty historic moments. This is a new feature that will focus on noteworthy articles pulled from our archives that are of interest to our readership today.

We’re currently in the process of fully digitizing our archives and creating a searchable directory. If you’d like updates on when this project is complete, sign up for our newsletter by emailing info@theontarion.com

SPORTS & HEALTH

To try or not to try

Unique summer sports and physical activities that you can try in Guelph this summer!

AADYA KAPOOR

The summer is just around the corner and everyone is looking for things to do. So here is a list of a few sports that you can try out this summer, right here in Guelph!

Disc-Golf

(Frisbee Golf)

Ever heard of a game called Disc-golf? You take frisbee and golf, smash ‘em together, and you got DISC-GOLF! It is a rather low impact sport but has a lot of fun packed within it.

There are special baskets attached to poles in designated areas and all you need to do is shoot your frisbee into these baskets to score. The rules are pretty much like golf. You can throw the frisbee as many times as you want to, till the frisbee lands in the basket, and the team/

person with the least amount of throws wins. It can be played both in teams or between two individuals.

You can find Disc-Golf courses in these three places in Guelph: Eastview Community Park, Riverside Park and the University of Guelph Arboretum. This is a fun sport to play with your friends and family during the summer!

Spikeball

Spikeball is a game played with two teams, each consisting of two people, and is played around a hula-hoop-sized mesh trampoline. One team plays as the Servers, the other team plays as the Returners. The Servers serve the ball in such a manner that it bounces in the mid-

dle of the hula-hoop net, and then the Returners attempt to return the ball to the Servers in the same manner.

Teams continue to return the ball to each other until either team is not successful in their return, which results in a point for the other team, as well as their serve. This is a fun, yet competitive game which can be enjoyed with partners or best friends! It is also a great double date idea for couples who are competitive.

This year, Perpetual Motion Sports is going to be hosting a Spikeball league starting this May, which one can register for. It will be taking place on the University of Guelph turf fields, and this is also a great opportunity to be social and

meet new people!

Rock Climbing (The Grotto)

We Gryphons take our climbing seriously, with one of the most amazing climbing walls in our very own Athletic Centre on campus. Guelph is also home to The Guelph Grotto Climbing Gym, a gym that focuses almost exclusively on rock climbing.

The proximity and supportive community of these gyms is your sign to go to these places, and try out rock climbing this summer. Either to let off some steam, or to take up a new hobby, Rock Climbing is a great sport to take up.

The Grotto has different programs available for adults and youth, and offers various types of climbing walls, ranging in their difficulty levels. If you are on the more competitive side, The Grotto also offers various competitive teams that are led by a professional coach! The Grotto also has various kinds of passes, and packages available to suit your schedules and the frequency you want to visit!

Hiking

The University of Guelph is

home to the amazing Arboretum, where one can enjoy beautiful nature with their friends and family. The rest of Guelph doesn’t disappoint either, with some other, really amazing trails like the Hanlon Creek, Preservation Park Loop, Guelph Lake trail and many more which one can do with their family, friends, and partner, and enjoy a time of peace and solitude amidst the nature!

Bubble Soccer

This may be the most unique sport that you ever heard of. Bubble Soccer is a really fun recreational game in which the players play soccer while being encased in an inflatable bubble, which covers the player’s upper body and head. Royal City Ball Hockey offers this sport for large groups of family and friends, and has a modified set of soccer rules for safety purposes. They offer all the equipment needed in their rentals, and have bubbles for both adults and youth.

I hope that you enjoy these sports this year with your friends and family, and have a great summer!

Tattoo and Piercing Aftercare Tips

Commonly asked questions about proper tattoo and piercing aftercare

ALYSSA CUNNINGHAM & MELYSSA MACDONALD

Tattoos and piercings are a great form of self-expression and a way to appreciate one another’s works of art. However, it’s important to remember that getting a tattoo or piercing requires proper aftercare to ensure you don't get an infection and your newly acquired body art heals properly. In this article, we have collected tips and information from professional tattoo and piercing artists on how to care for your new tattoo or piercing, so you can enjoy your new body art to the fullest.

the same way and to use unscented products, unscented soap, and then use unscented moisturizer when the time comes.

When can I submerge my tattoo in water?

Your tattoo should be fully healed before you decide to go swimming or take a dip in a hot tub.

Megan Paige notes that “everyone is different, so depending on whether your tattoo is done peeling, it could be a 2 or 3-week wait until you can submerge your tattoo in water; however, usually, it takes a month for a tattoo to fully heal.” So to be on the safe side, practice some patience and wait until your body decides the healing process is completely over.

When can I shave over my tattoo?

Your Tattoo Questions Answered by Talented Professionals

What are the different aftercare procedures for coloured vs black and white tattoos?

During our group interview with Megan Paige, Jaison Graves, Brianne Teeter, and Dominic Buzzell, Megan spoke about how there was no difference between a coloured and a black-and-white tattoo aftercare process. Everyone in the interview nodded and agreed as Megan continued saying that all tattoos are taken care of

After you get your tattoo, the area will be completely shaved, and during the healing process you will start to notice some stubble growing over the tattoo. If you have the urge to shave the area where your new tattoo is, STOP and remind yourself about the money you put into the tattoo and the damage you will cause if you decide to shave too early. Megan Paige notes it will be the same timeframe as submerging your tattoo in water, i.e. you should wait at least two weeks (four on the safe side) to shave after getting a tattoo. Additionally, you want to avoid any scented shaving gels and exfoliating cleansers when shaving over a tattooed area. There-

fore, unscented shaving cream or warm water and unscented soap would work best to reduce irritation.

How do I remove the “second skin” from my new tattoo?

Once you have waited for the allotted time frame, and your tattoo artist has informed you that you may remove the second skin, it is best to do so in the shower. Dominic Buzzell recommends that "the best way to remove the ‘second skin’ is by using hot water from the shower to stretch the second skin by softly loosening it.” Do not pull it straight up away from the skin. Instead, pull the second skin back and across the skin while holding your skin taut.

artist apply the adhesive bandage (second skin), they can alternately apply saran wrap or a gauze bandage over the fresh tattoo. This type of bandage will typically be taken off the next morning, so your fresh tattoo is protected while you are sleeping.” Additionally, let your tattoo artist know about your allergy so they can double-check that all their equipment is latex free.

What are some long-term aftercare tips for my tattoo?

Your skin is inevitably going to age along with your tattoos; therefore, your tattoos will never be as vibrant as they were the day you got them. However, by taking care of your skin and following your tattoo artist's instructions, you can keep your tattoo vibrant for a longer time. Here are some basic habits to incorporate into your daily routine:

longed UV exposure breaks up the pigments in your tattoo, dissolving their details and diminishing their clarity.

• Exfoliate your tattoo: Once your tattoo is fully healed you should incorporate exfoliating your tattoo into your lifestyle. Regular, gentle exfoliation can help to remove dead and dull skin, enhancing your tattoo's intensity and definition. It also helps even skin tone and texture, meaning your tattoos will have greater clarity.

What moisturizers should I use on my tattoo?

I have a latex allergy, what should I use instead of “second skin” on my new tattoo?

Let's be honest, having a latex allergy stinks, but we’re not going to let that get in the way of properly taking care of your new tattoo. Juliet Capati suggests that “instead of having your tattoo

• Moisturize your tattoo daily: Ideally, you want to be putting lotion on your tattoo once a day (In lovely Canadian winters, if you notice your skin increases in dryness, then apply lotion to your tattoo as needed). See “What moisturizers should I use on my tattoo?” to hear what Juliet recommends!

• Avoid sun exposure: This doesn’t mean you need to turn into a vampire! However, you should be sun-conscious and apply at least 30+ SPF sunscreen to your tattoo/ tattoos before going out in the sun. Continuous and pro-

“Use water-based moisturizers on your tattoos instead of anything oil or petroleum based. Petroleum and oil-based products can cause the ink to fade and may trap moisture and bacteria on top of the tattoo, increasing your risk of developing an infection. You’ll be able to tell if a moisturizer is water-based if the first ingredient is Aqua (water),” says Juliet Capati.

Tattooing Stigmas: White Ink and Red Ink

Does white ink hurt more?

Jaison explains how white ink does not hurt more, the only reason it would hurt more is because the white ink is going over an already inked area. Megan Paige also suggests how there are numbing creams or sprays for the people afraid of their first tattoos, which can be used as long as they’re top-

ICONS BY SMASHICONS

CREDIT: PHOTOS PROVIDED BY ARTISTS MENTIONED IN THE ARTICLE

ical and have a 5% numbing agent concentration. Keep in mind that for larger tattoos, the numbing creams will wear off. Dominic also mentions how “Tattoos feel like a cat scratch and a sunburn at the same time. It's more uncomfortable than painful, and everyone reacts to it differently.” But it is for sure worth it!

During the group interview, we went over the red ink stigma, where some people are allergic to red ink. A long time ago, there used to be Mercury-based metal in red inks, which caused this allergic reaction, but these metals are not used anymore. Although, if there is any swelling or redness around a tattoo, it is a must to get it checked and you will always be recommended to a physician. Health is always the highest priority.

I regret my tattoo, now what?

Tattoos are so fun to get, but will be carried along with us for a lifetime. As people, we change with the times, outgrowing what we used to love. This can happen with tattoos, and this is completely okay and normal. There are two solutions for this, a cover-up tattoo or laser removal. A cover-up can be difficult, but if you find the right and willing artist, you can totally make a regretful tattoo disappear. Laser removal is also always an option, though it may take a few years to completely remove the tattoo, patience is key. There is also a third bonus option! You can meet in the middle, getting a few sessions of laser removal to lighten the tattoo, and then go over with a cover-up! (Advised by Juliet Capati).

Megan Paige said there are a couple of difficult piercings that are hard to heal. Everyone, during the group interview, agreed upon ‘industrial’ piercings as the most difficult. Industrial piercings are long bars that go through the cartilage of the ear twice, once at either end, and these piercings can easily take a year to heal. Brianne Teeter mentioned how nipple piercings are also difficult to heal, as they can get crusty, and take a year to heal too. Jaison Graves added that breastfeeding can also prolong the healing process of nipple piercings. Megan Paige lastly added that a large gauge (ear piercing) also takes a long time to heal and that any large cartilage piercing will take about a year to heal.

Shortest/easiest piercing to heal?

Everyone, during the group interview, agreed on tongue piercings being the easiest piercing to heal, called the “smiley”, as well as the ear lobes.

Are there different cleaning products for different piercings?

Megan Paige answers this question starting with how cheek piercings can take about a year to heal, but once they’re healed, you can’t stop taking care of them. For example, if you use make-up, the foundation will build up around them. Also, inside your mouth, the plaque may build up over time on the balls of the cheek piercings, and later down the road, you might run into a leaking issue, nothing bad, it's just annoying. So you will have to debate taking it out or not. The main take-away from this is that you should always wash all your piercings! Jaison also added how he has a daily routine for his piercings, where he puts his piercings in warm water and soaks it in alcohol (at least 70%).

Short Stories with Brianne Teeter

The 5 Professional Tattoo Artists & Piercers:

Juliet Capati (She/They) is a tattoo artist who specializes in black & grey, and colour illustrations. She also loves to illustrate anything cute, creepy, whimsical, or anime. She has been tattooing for just over two years and is currently working out of Drop The Ink, located in North York. You can find Juliet on Instagram @corrupt_ file.jpeg.

Megan Paige (She/Her), is a Tattoo Artist, Piercer, and Studio Director. She works at Neon Crab Tattoos and Piercing. Her contact information is Megan_Paige_Tattoos on Instagram and Megan@neoncrab.ca by email. Megan Paige is a sought-after tattoo artist and piercer with over a decade of experience, known for her passion for body modification and unwavering commitment to quality and safety.

Jaison Graves (He/Him) is a Body Piercer with over 2 years of experience. He is working out of Neon Crab, London Ontario. Jaison Graves' contact information is graves_jewelry on Instagram. Graves is a young punk looking to change the stigma of piercings around the world, and is looking to help people feel comfortable in their skin.

Brianne Teeter (She/Her) is a Body piercer with 3 years of experience, working out of Neon Crab, Strathroy and London. Her contact information is @briannes_piercings on Instagram. With a focus on personalized service, Teeter strives to ensure that each client is comfortable, and leaves with an outstanding experience, as well as some new shiny bits in their body.

Your Piercing Questions Answered by Trusted Professionals

Best products to use on new piercings?

Jaison Graves suggested that there are a bunch of aftercare methods, depending on personal preference. Using a “Saline wound wash” is a great way to clean your piercing without introducing bacteria, especially if you clean your hands. For oral piercings, rinse your mouth with water or use your own salt wash mixture.

Longest/most difficult piercing to heal?

“And don't bite on your oral piercings.” Brianne Teeter once saw a client who played with their vertical labret to the point that they caved in their top and bottom teeth. That was the day that Brianne stopped playing with her vertical labret.

Another time, Brianne had a client who mentioned how they have never liked their nose it ever since they were in grade three. So then, the client, who didn’t like their nose, came in for a nose piercing. After Brianne pierced her nose, the client started to tear up with joy. “It bothered her to that day, and that one little piercing … wiped [all her concerns] away,” and made her feel beautiful.

Dominic Buzzell (He/Him) is a Jr Tattoo Artist, working out of Neon Crab, Strathroy. His contact is @inkofthesith on Instagram. Dominic Buzzell works in black and grey or through wicked new artworks in full colour. His top priority is giving clients a fantastic tattoo experience and some cool new ink to show off to your friends.

Run Gryphons, run!

Meet Jason Kerr, the coach behind the U of G track and field team’s continuous dominance

OWEN TSIPTSIS

“We have almost made what we're doing seem normal and standard,” said Jason Kerr, current head coach of the Gryphons Track and Field team, on the massive continuous success of his U of G team. Kerr has coached with Guelph for 10 years, and over this time, he has transformed Guelph into a track and field monster.

Guelph’s track and field team has won 13 OUA provincial team championships, and 10 U SPORTS national team championships during Kerr’s time as coach. Which landed him several awards, including two OUA coach of the year awards.

Kerr grew up near London, Ontario, and did not have track and field on his mind until he suffered an injury playing basketball, and got a recommendation from his coach to try track and

field.

Kerr began competing in sprint events and recalled the 100m dash as one of his favorites.

“As I got a little older, I realized when the 100m went, everyone crowded around the straightaway to watch the race.” This, Kerr said, is the reason why he became a sprinter.

After finishing high school, Kerr would go on to race for the Mustangs at Western University, while studying Kinesiology.

Speaking of his time as an athlete, Kerr said “[he] loved researching and the process of improvement…

[he] was very into [his] athletic development.”

Kerr trained extremely hard, with his progress being one of his proudest moments as an athlete.“I was the type of guy that really came close to maximizing my genetic potential, and that's some-

thing I'm proud of,” said Kerr.

Following his undergraduate degree, Kerr completed his master’s in Kinesiology, also at Western University. It was during this time that Kerr found himself in need of a competitive outlet and a way to fill his time, so he began coaching.

When describing key moments of his coaching career, Kerr said “the thing I'm most proud of is rebuilding the University of Guelph’s track and field team through some really difficult times.”

One of these difficult times was the COVID-19 pandemic. Kerr described the challenges during this time as a “have, and have not environment.” This was because pandemic restrictions meant that only certain nationally identified athletes (a handful on a team of nearly 100) remained able

to train and access certain facilities.

The vast majority of the team was left on their own, training at public parks and tracks just to stay in shape. Kerr describes these times as “Psychologically demanding, difficult, it was depressing and it was difficult.”

Speaking more on his training method, Kerr describes himself as “being an incredible motivator.” This, he states, is what separates the good and the great coaches.

Kerr also believes that he is a demanding coach, with many of the athletes that come to Guelph wanting to “see how good they can be.”

“I make sure that it's a twoway street and the athlete holds me accountable to their goals,” said Kerr. “I almost look at myself as an employee of theirs.”

Kerr values team performances above any individual awards that he has won, stating “It's a secondary benefit for me.”

“The team performances represent how well teams are built, managed, and coached and we've won 11 of them in a row, and when you win those, you tend

I get a little award with my name on it, but as the years go on, I really don't care about that award. It's more the team championship awards and the team success we want to have.”

Over his 10 years at The University of Guelph, Kerr has noted that over time, the team has become “way less about building individuals, and way more about cultivating environments that will shape individuals.”

This year Guelph is graduating around a dozen national team athletes and in spite of their departure, Kerr said he is “never going to forget the last five years of absolute Gryphon dominance.”

Staying safe in the heat: A guide to keeping cool when it’s

too

damn hot

If the heatwave’s been faking you out, try these tips

OLIVER BULLINGHAM

With record high temperatures becoming an increasingly common occurrence, it is more and more likely that you will experience head-related issues. It is important that you are prepared to avoid danger in the first place, and know how to proceed in the case of an emergency.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Canadian Red Cross have a number of recommendations for preventative measures you can take to keep yourself cool and conscious during the summer:

• Drink lots of water to stay hydrated, do not wait until you’re thirsty, get ahead of it! You can even freeze some water in a cup, and keep that on hand for ice-cold water.

• Check the weather before going out, this may sound obvious, but checking the weather will allow you to get health and safety updates or warnings about the weather in your area.

• Watch out for high humidity, which causes sweat to evaporate slowly and reduces its ability to cool you down.

• In high heat conditions, seek out an air conditioned area. To cool down, you can also take cool showers or baths.

• Don’t rely on a fan, while these can be helpful, they can be insufficient during extreme heat events.

• If it is very hot, limit your outdoor activity during midday, when the sun is hottest. Try to workout either earlier or later in the day, when it is cooler. If performing activities with others, monitor the people you’re around for symptoms of heat-related concerns.

• Start activities slowly, and gradually pick up the pace and take frequent breaks in cool or shaded areas.

• Keep a spray bottle full of water on hand, which you can use to cool down in the heat.

• Wear sunscreen with a high sun protection factor (SPF), which protects skin from sunburns, and reapply as needed throughout the day.

• Wear loose, lightweight and light-coloured clothing, as

well as a hat to reduce sun exposure.

• Never leave any children or pets in cars on a hot day, the temperature in a vehicle can quickly rise and put its occupants in immediate danger.

medical emergency. Then, move the person to a cooler, shaded, location and remove any unnecessary clothing. Help them cool down with cool damp cloths or a cool bath. Their skin can also be fanned with whatever is available on hand. If the person is unconscious, or in an incapacitated state, do not give them anything to drink, since they cannot safely consume fluids. Otherwise, cool water or a sports drink with electrolytes can be administered.

2. Heat Exhaustion

By taking these precautions, the likelihood of experiencing a heat-related illness goes down drastically. That being said, illnesses can still occur and it is important to know their signs, symptoms, and treatments. In any situation, do not leave people unattended until they receive medical attention. Often, illnesses can progress rapidly, and the faster you can respond to changes in someone’s condition, the better.

The CDC and the Canadian Red Cross list 6 main types of heat-related illnesses that you should look out for and know how to treat.

1. Heat Stroke

Heat stroke is the result of your body losing the ability to cool down. The sweating mechanism fails, which stops cooling and causes body temperature to rapidly rise. The body can reach temperatures above 106 degrees Fahrenheit in less than 15 minutes, so heat stroke can cause permanent damage or death to the body if not treated immediately.

Symptoms:

• Body temperature of 103 degrees Fahrenheit or higher

• Hot, red, dry, or damp skin or profuse sweating

• Headaches, dizziness and/or nausea

• Seizures

• Confusion, slurred speech

• losing consciousness (coma)

• Altered behaviour

Treatments:

In the event of heat stroke, call 911 immediately as it is a

Heat exhaustion is the result of your body becoming extremely dehydrated through the loss of water and salt, most often through sweating.

Symptoms:

• Elevated body temperature

• Cold, pale, and clammy skin and heavy sweating

• Headaches, dizziness and/or nausea

• Weakness/Tiredness

• Muscle cramps

• Irritability

• Fainting

Treatments:

If someone has these symptoms and is throwing up, or symptoms worsen or last longer than an hour, seek medical help immediately. Move the affected person to a cool place, and take them to an emergency room if available. If no medical care is available, call 9-1-1. Remove any unnecessary clothing and cool the person down with cold cloths, and encourage them to drink cool water.

3. Rhabdomyolysis

Rhabdomyolysis is a medical condition associated with heat stress and prolonged physical exertion. This condition causes muscle to break down and die, which releases electrolytes and large proteins into the bloodstream. This can cause irregular heart rhythms, seizures and damage to the kidneys.

Symptoms:

• Muscle cramps/pain

• Abnormally dark urine

• Weakness

• Exercise intolerance

• Asymptomatic

Treatments:

If someone is suspected of having Rhabdomyolysis, stop physical activity immediately and drink more water. Seek care at the closest medical facility and ask to be checked for rhabdomyolysis.

4.

Heat cramps are cramps that result from low salt levels in the muscles as a result of excess sweating. Heat cramps can also be a symptom of heat exhaustion.

Symptoms:

• Heavy sweating

• Muscle cramps, pain, or spasms in the abdomen, arms or legs.

Treatments:

In the event that someone is experiencing heat cramps, encourage them to drink water or a sports drink, as well as have a snack every 15-20 minutes. This will help restore carbohydrates and electrolytes in the body. Avoid using salt tablets for electrolytes, and seek medical help if cramps last more than one hour, the affected person has heart problems, or the affected person is on a low-sodium diet.

5. Sunburn

Sunburns are painful, red and warm areas of skin or blisters

on the skin, which are caused by excessive sun exposure.

Treatments:

In the event of a sunburn, stay out of the sun until the burn heals and put moisturizing lotion on sunburned areas. Do not pierce blisters. You can also put cool clothes on sunburned areas or take a cool bath to reduce pain.

6. Heat Rash

A heat rash is skin irritation caused by excessive sweating in hot and humid weather. These rashes can take the form of red clusters of pimples or small blisters, usually on the neck, upper chest, groin, under breasts and in elbow creases.

Treatments:

If experiencing a heat rash, move to a cool, less-humid environment and dry the rash area. You can also apply powder to increase comfort, but avoid creams or ointments.

CREDIT: PEXELS

Heat Cramps

This term, I invited first-year philosophy students in PHIL 1030: Sex, Love, and Friendship to reflect on the ethics of the online platform OnlyFans (OF), and to formulate their views as an opinion piece for The Ontarion.

From a philosophical perspective, OF is interesting because it makes a form of sex work very accessible and seemingly safe. While pornography and sex work have been discussed by philosophers for some time, OF raises some new issues. Our question this term was: are there ethical consequences of this broadened

access to sex work provided by OF that should concern us?

To answer this question, students in my course learned about philosophical perspectives concerning pornography and sex work. They also learned about different ethical principles that are applied in reasoning about these activities. In light of these principles, they grappled with an array of questions. Does OF invite its users to objectify themselves, turning themselves into a commodity for sale to the male gaze? Or is it simply a safer alternative to an economic activity that

is often stigmatized but no worse than other forms of wage labor? Does the pervasiveness of OF and platforms like it make us overly transactional in our approach to sexuality, undermining our ability to flourish sexually? These are difficult issues that require us to grapple with challenging areas of ethics, but the thoughtful opinion pieces they wrote rise to the challenge!

John Hacker-Wright, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Philosophy

OnlyFans: A Vice or a Virtue?

Exploring the ethics of OnlyFans from a philosophical standpoint

ELIZABETH ELLSWORTH

Pornography has been revolutionized by technology, with numerous websites and digital platforms dedicated to providing adult content. OnlyFans, an online social platform, allows creators to share personalized content with their followers for a monthly fee.

OnlyFans has recently become a prevalent platform for adult content; however, it raises many significant concerns that highlight the need to examine its ethical implications critically.

The objectification of creators is a dominant ethical issue on OnlyFans, as they are reduced to their physical and sexual appeal. The platform is contested for its exploitative nature, particularly for financially vulnerable creators and for privacy and consent issues. OnlyFans perpetuates harmful attitudes in society, normalizing the sexualization and oppression of women.

OnlyFans promotes objectification, undermines virtues, and fosters dangerous technological enframing. Only by rejecting such platforms and embracing alternative approaches to sexuality and human flourishing can we secure a better future for all.

Virtue ethics is a branch of philosophy that emphasizes cultivating specific moral qualities to live a fulfilling life. Virtues are traits that promote well-being, while vices are harmful and detrimental. The ultimate goal of virtue ethics is to develop a virtuous character and achieve individual flourishing. Temperance is a virtue that involves maintaining a balanced approach to all pleasures of touch.

While sexual pleasure has a place in a flourishing human existence, it should be kept in balance. What we consume and put into our bodies affects our character development and virtues. If someone routinely consumes adult content that is objectifying and degrading, it reflects poorly on their character. Regularly consuming pornographic content can lead to the development of unhealthy sexual attitudes and behaviours.

By avoiding platforms like OnlyFans, which promote objectification and intemperance, one can instead engage in activities that promote healthy sexual behaviours and aid the development of virtuous character traits, leading to individual flourishing.

OnlyFans allows the harmful practice of objectification, which involves reducing a person to their body and sexuality, equating their value to the pleasure they can generate. Philosopher Martha Nussbaum defines objectification as treating a person as a thing, commodity, or an instrument. Nussbaum argues objectification is harmful, claiming it undermines autonomy and denies a person their humanity, reducing them to a pleasure-generating object. Nussbaum discusses objectification in pornography, which depicts women as objects for male sexual pleasure, contributing to women's objectification in society.

OnlyFans content is no exception, as it objectifies and dehumanizes those who create it. The platform commodifies sexuality and turns sex into a transactional exchange, undermining the act's intimacy and significance. Many creators on OnlyFans are pressured and financially coerced to perform certain sexual acts or present themselves in a certain way. These circumstances can be damaging as they require the creator to put a price on their morals. OnlyFans reinforces a culture where women are valued primarily for their sexual desirability.

Technology, according to philosopher Martin Heidegger, poses a threat to humanity. Technology creates a framework for experience and acts as a lens through which we see and understand our

world. Heidegger believes that this enframing leads to a dangerous way of thinking. Technological enframing is detrimental, as according to Heidegger, it leads to an instrumental way of thinking, reducing everything to a mere means to an end, valued only for usefulness in achieving a particular goal; this obscures the more profound value of our world and experiences.

Viewing everything as a means, including people, is morally problematic, as it can lead to exploitation and dehumanization. OnlyFans, as a platform, uses technology to enframe sexuality. The platform reduces sexual acts to a resource and enframes the creators and their content, turning them into commodities to be bought and sold. The creators' bodies and sexual acts are reduced to a means to an end, where the end is the monetary gain and the satisfaction of the consumers.

In this way, OnlyFans drives the objectification of human beings, particularly women, who

are often seen as mere objects for sexual pleasure. Everyone suffers when people see themselves and others as resources or tools for use and control rather than autonomous beings with intrinsic value.

OnlyFans claims to offer autonomy, safety, and empowerment for its creators, but these supposed benefits are overshadowed by the platform's detrimental effects on our society. While it is true that not all creators on OnlyFans feel coerced or exploited, and not all viewers objectify them, the platform as a whole perpetuates harmful behaviours and attitudes towards sexuality.

By reducing human beings to mere commodities and encouraging the commodification of sexuality, OnlyFans undermines our fundamental moral values and threatens the dignity of all people involved.

These dangerous societal implications must be taken seriously if we hope to create an ethical and equitable world and protect the well-being of individuals.

From a philosophical perspective, OF is interesting because it makes a form of sex work very accessible and seemingly safe. CREDIT: UNSPLASH

ICON BY FREEPIK

Saying goodbye to U of G: a summer send off

Change is scary, even if its old change

LOREL DANIELOV

For many of us, the conclusion of the school year and the start of the summer implies bidding adieu to 8:30 a.m. classes, signaling a relief from late assignments that kept us indoors, or waking up early to prep for exams. Ultimately, it's a return to where we started, free from those obligations.

Saying goodbye, even for a few months, is a mimetic expectation that students have become accustomed to through events such as summer breaks, holiday vacations, and leaving home every fall for a new semester. Some of us are expected to return to the communities we came from and try to fit back into the place we left. Whether we left for a reason, or just a chance to break out into the world on our own for the first time, re-entering can be challenging for several reasons.

Although 'saying goodbye' is as cliche as it sounds, considering that school will resume in the fall,

and many of us plan on returning to U of G for the new school year. But whether it's a physical location or a social group, returning to a place you left can be a complex assimilation that requires a lot of adjustment and adaptation, especially when it is you that has done the changing.

There may be a sense of nostalgia to return to the familiarity of a place you used to inhabit - I know I have felt it throughout the year, but upon returning, you may find that things have changed, and you may struggle to fit in again. But try your best to remember that it is normal to feel like an outsider or feel like you do not belong, even if you used to feel at home in that place.

ships can impact our emotional well-being, further shaping our personalities and behaviour. Positive relationships provide us with support, devotion, and encouragement. They can help us become more confident and self-assured, while negative relationships with conflict can lead to feelings of anxiety, depression, and even trauma.

ant to remember that although change can be tricky, even if it is old change, practicing gratitude is a powerful tool that can help redirect your focus from what you are lacking to what you have. Please take a minute to reflect on the things that have persisted in your life, whether that be a person close to you, an opportunity, or anything meaningful to you and echo why they are important to you and how they contribute to your life. Consider how these things have sustained you and brought you joy, and express appreciation for them.

Just remember that it's okay to feel like you've changed after being away from home for a significant amount of time. You may have had new experiences, met new people, and learned new things that have impacted your life and personal growth.

When we meet new people, we become exposed to new perspectives and views that can change or challenge our pre-existing beliefs. As we form platonic or romantic relationships with others, we may find ourselves adapting to their lifestyle, discovering new skills, and even embracing new interests. And when we say goodbye to those people, whether it be for the summer or in general, we may be saying goodbye to the parts of ourselves that came out when they were around. The quality of our relation-

Speaking entirely for myself, once the excitement of a new semester wore off this year, I found myself missing the normalcy and simplicity of summer and not being in school. But as the weeks passed, I thought more and more about how I've changed in this last year, and here I am now, trying to reconcile the person I once was with the person I am now.

If you feel like you no longer belong back home, it's important to remember that it's okay to outgrow certain places or people. You may have different values or interests than before, which is perfectly okay.

Through it all, it is import-

For the people or things we are leaving in our past, reframing them as prospects for growth and learning can be helpful. While it can be painful to say goodbye and let go of people, school, or circumstances that we once valued, a quote that helps give me perspective is, "What is meant for you will never miss you, and what misses you was never meant for you" - Al-Shafi'i.

So reflect on what you learned from those experiences and how they helped shape who you are today. Even if it was a painful experience, acknowledge the strength and resilience it has given you and express gratitude for those lessons because anything or anyone, if it's right, will change with you and accept who you are. And if not, U of G will always be waiting here for you.

It's okay to feel different when you go back home for the summer. CREDIT: TAYLOR PIPE

ICONS BY MAX.ICONS

SUMMER TO-DO LIST

MAY JUNE JULY

Better Sleep Program

• May 1

Online

• Visit www.selfregulationskills.ca/programs.Strategies to fall asleep (or back to sleep) more easily & get more energy from sleep. 5 session online program. On-demand, one lesson e-mailed to you each week upon sign-up.

Stress & Anxiety Workshops

• May 1, 29, & 30 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

• Online

• Visit www.selfregulationskills.ca/programs to learn more.

Shawnee Kish

May 1, 29, & 30

• 8:00 p.m.

• River Run Centre

• $30 for adults, $25 under 30.

JUNE

5th Annual Guelph Exotic Car Show

• June 4 12:00 p.m.

• Carden Street & Macdonell Street

• Free! In support of the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Guelph.

Guelph and District Multicultural Festival

• June 9-11

• 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Riverside Park

• Free! Features, performances, community vendors, rides, and food. A world-class, multicultural festival offering an affordable and accessible multi-faceted cultural experience.

Big Little Run June 25

• 8:00 a.m.

• Guelph Lake Conservation Area

• Visit www.guelph.bigbrothersbigsisters.ca to register!

Join Big Brothers Big Sisters of Guelph for a 5KM, 10KM, or Half Marathon race through the beautiful Guelph Lake Conservation Area in support of Guelph youth!

JULY

Beauty & The Beast Guelph- Interactive Escape Room

• July 8 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

• Various Locations around Guelph

Visit www.cluedupp.com to buy tickets! This magical outdoor adventure combines the challenge of an escape room with the excitement of an interactive scavenger hunt.

The GOOD Games

• July 8-9

7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

• University of Guelph

• Canada’s biggest master’s multi-sport festival! Sport competitions will take place on UoG’s campus with an Olympic Style Festival at the center of the downtown core! Music, Food, Entertainment, Ferris Wheel, & more! Registration now open

Social Distortion

• July 21

• 7:00 p.m.

Guelph Concert Theatre

• American punk rock band formed in 1971. Buy tickets at www.socialdistortion.com.

19+ concert.

Fergus Medieval Faire

• July 22

• 3:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

• 190 St. Andrew Street West American punk rock band formed in 1971. Buy tickets at www.socialdistortion.com.

19+ concert.

JULY

Hillside Music Festival

July 28-30

• 4:30 p.m. gates open

• Guelph Lake Island

Tickets on sale now! Guelph’s annual three-day, environmentally conscious, non-commercial festival features music, dance, drumming, food, crafts, and more.

AUGUST

Fergus Scottish Festival & Highland Games

• August 11-13

• 5:30 p.m. gates open

• Centre Wellington Community Sportsplex, 550 Belsyde Ave, Fergus

• $73/adult. Visit www.fergusscottishfestival.com to buy tickets online! An annual three-day event that celebrates local Scottish heritage and features world-renowned talent and entertainment.

Riverfest Elora

• August 18-20

• 3:00 p.m. gates open Bissell Park, Elora

• Tickets on sale now! Visit www.riverfestelora.com to buy weekend or day passes.

Ribfest

August 25-27

• 12:00 pm - 11:00 p.m.

• Riverside Park, 709 Woolwich St

• Free! Brought to you by the Rotary Club of Guelph Trillium.

Do you like...

Working with others to solve problems?

Learning a new set of skills that will help you in the future?

What about contributing to a non-profit behind the scenes?

Then you might be just the person we are looking for to

JOIN OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The work that our volunteer Board of Directors does is exciting, rewarding, and has an impact in your community!

Check out theontarion.com/volunteer to get a better idea of what it’s like to volunteer with us.

ICONS BY FREEPIK

PETS OF THE SUMMER

MEET PEKOE!

Breed: Lynx-point snowshoe

Siamese

Photo By: J. Avolio

Age: 9

Fun Fact: He's trained on how to "sit" and "shake paw".

MEET SHADOW!

Breed: Shetland Sheepdog

Photo By: Erin Mihelcic

Age: 12

Fun Fact: He loves rolling around and sticking his face in snow

MEET DR OSCAR PEBBLES PHD III!

Breed: Golden Albino Axolotl

Photo By: Oliver Bullingham

Age: Almost 1

Fun Fact: Dr. Pebbles achieved his PhDs in Auquatic Biology, English Literature and Nuclear Physics.

MEET MARTYR!

Breed: Domestic shorthair

Photo By: Faith Marentette

Age: 2

Fun Fact: He has coined the nickname "Marty Party" for being the life of the party everywhere he goes.

MEET BOULDER!

Breed: Bernese Mountain Dog

Photo By: Grace Davey

Age: 6

Fun Fact: He is currently battling lung cancer, and tries to befriend any animal he meets.

MEET OLLIE!

Breed: Bearded Dragon

Photo By: Travis Hodichak

Age: 8

Fun Fact: He loves baths.

MEET SERENA!

Breed: Domestic shorthair

Photo By: Nick Bragg

Age: 14

Fun Fact: She lets Nick put full Lego figurines all over her body and she also trills.

MEET TURTLE BEAN!

Breed: Short-haired calico

Photo By: Sami Fitzgerald

Age: Almost 3

Fun Fact: Turtle Bean can do 11 tricks!

MEET WANDA BONDA!

Breed: Short-haired calico

Photo By: Sami Fitzgerald

Age: Almost 3

Fun Fact: Her meows are small and high, and she likes to talk a lot.

MEET JASPER!

Breed: Basset Hound/Lab

Photo By: Taylor Pipe

Age: 6

Fun Fact: Jasper loves spaghetti and when he eats it, the bottom of his ears turn orange from the sauce.

MEET ZELDA & CINNABUN!

Breed: Dwarf mixed

Photo By: Patrick Sutherland

Age: Young at heart

Fun Fact: Bunnies are very social and emotional animals and love having a buddy to flop around with!

MEET FRANK!

Breed: Domestic shorthair

Photo By: Carolyn Wyten-

burg

Age: 10 months

Fun Fact: He loves "burying" his food with whatever is close by!

EASY SUDOKU

HARD SUDOKU

University Centre

Room 264

University of Guelph

N1G 2W1

ontarion@uoguelph.ca

519-824-4120

Editorial: x 58250

Advertising: x 58267

Accounts: x 53534

EDITORIAL STAFF

Editor-in-Chief

Taylor Pipe

Staff Reporter

Eleni Kopsaftis

Arts & Culture Editor

Andreea Burlacu

Sports & Health Editor

Oliver Bullingham

PRODUCTION STAFF

Photo & Graphics Editor

OPEN POSITION

Graphic Designer

Paige Stampatori

CRYPTOGRAM

A cryptogram is a collection of words - often quotationswhere each letter has been consistently substituted with another letter.

Tips:

1. Use a pencil

2. Letters will not stand for themselves.

3. There are two commonly used one-letter words: "i" and "a"

4. The most common letters in the English language are: E, T, A, O, I, and N.

If you would like a hint, see below...

Fill in the empty squares so that each of the digits 1 through 9 appear once in each row, column, and 3-by-3 block.

OFFICE STAFF

Executive Director

Patrick Sutherland

Accountant

Laurie Arnold

Circulation Director

Salvador Moran

Administrative Assistant

Jaidyn McCrae

Marketing Assistant

Jamie Tjeng

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President

Alex Lefebvre

Chair of the Board

Tasha Falconer

Vice President Finance

*OPEN POSITION

Vice President Communications

OPEN POSITION

Staff Representative

Paige Stampatori

DIRECTORS

Thea Basic

Jordana Glowinsky

Avneet Grewal

Paula Henry-Duru

Katelynn Huong

Annie O'Keefe

CONTRIBUTORS

BRENNA BOURGON

ALYSSA CUNNINGHAM

LOREL DANIELOV

ELIZABETH ELLSWORTH

PAULA HENRY-DURU

RACHEL FIORET

AADYA KAPOOR

JADYN KOEHLER

EASY CROSSWORD

BOB'S DOGS CROSSWORD CONTEST

For your chance to win two Bobs dog’s and two pops, just complete an EASY crossword, snap a picture, and send it to puzzles@theontarion.com by May 20th at 3 p.m. Winners and anyone else who fills in the crossword correctly are announced in each issue. Winners can arrange a physically distanced pickup of their voucher by emailing the same address.

Last issue’s winning puzzle was submitted by Kielan Barnes!

We also received correct submissions from Effa Ali, Breah Snow, Simon Thompson, Alif Merchant, Elena Velu, Hayley Smith, and Hannah Abush. Better luck next time!

HARD CROSSWORD

Across 1- Baseball thrower

8- Made upset

15- Dig up

16- Where the head of Humanities

lives, e.g.

17- To ooze something

18- Lord's estate

19- Paris possessive

20- Diving birds

22- To produce offspring

23- “Hi, I’m the problem _____” Swift song

25- 12 pm

26- Mell Lazarus comic strip

29- Sing like the swiss

31- Sung syllable

34- Construction pieces

36- Work with needle and thread

37- Revenuers, for short

38- To get off at railway station

40- Most strange

42- ___ spumante

43- Kardashian brother

45- Marathon particpant

46- Poivre's partner

47- Office notes

49- Davis or Midler

50- Old-fashioned exclamation of surprise

52- Brainy org. 54- English class assignment 56- Up to it 57- Health resort 60- Drunk 62- Unrealistic person 65- Kettledrums 66- Stuff oneself 67- Raise a grade? 68- Puzzle

Down

1- Cat

2- Arrow poison

3- Gumshoes

4- Elevator unit

5- Charlemagne's realm: Abbr.

6- Kett and James

7- Having a runny nose and eyes

8- Totals up

9- Formerly known as

10- Frolic

11- Diciembre follower

12- Pique

13- Fish-eating eagle

14- Like Easter eggs

21- Greek island in the Aegean

23- Japanese porcelain

24- Writer Janowitz

25- More recent

26- King with a golden touch

27- Like Santa

28- Courageous

30- Gidget portrayer Sandra

32- Bowler's button 33- Cave 35- Begat 37- Fungal infection 39- ___ de plume 41- Massages 44- Explosive weapon 47- Perhaps 48- Rarely 51- Quebec's ___ Peninsula 53- Hardly shy 54- Ballpark figs.

55- Narrow cut

56- Score after deuce

57- Hook's mate

58- Fleshy fruit

59- Pretentious

61- U-turn from WSW

63- Some M.I.T. grads 64- Skill

ANSWERS FROM ISSUE 194.4

Across

1- Look ___, I'm Sandra Dee

5- After bath powder

9- Spider-Man Parker

14- The Tower of Pisa does this

15- Watched with suspicion

16- Winged

17- Shoulder belt for cartridges

19- Tokyo’s country

20- A small ring of colour in the wing

margin of insects

21- Caribbean dance music

23- "Evil Woman" band

24- Try hard

26- May honorees

28- Walled Spanish city

30- Rum cocktail

34- Therapists' org.

37- Eternal

39- Popular name in denim jeans 41- Opposite of paleo42- Cubic Rubik 43- Preeminent 48- Musical aptitude 49- Moon of Jupiter 50- End of ___

52- Not of the cloth

54- Member of a ship’s crew 57- Frosty

60- Thick-soled shoe

62- Followed 64- Supermodel Campbell

66- Small shell-shaped cake

68- Bowling lane button

69- The sound a cow makes

70- A short written message

71- Doorway

72- Many

73- Flat sound

Down

1- Jessica of the “Fantastic Four” films

2- Rips

3- "Olympia" painter

4- "Bewitched" witch

5- City in W central Israel

6- Yes

7- Bottom of the barrel

8- PC storage medium

9- Nightclothes

10- Guido's high note

11- Record

12- List ender

13- City near Sparks

18- Antipasto morsel

22- Deep sleep

25- Nicholas Gage book

27- Word that can succeed building, web or burial

29- Where the action is

31- Air-filled rubber hoop, become fatigued

32- Ballerina Pavlova

33- Frankenstein's assistant

34- Mont Blanc, par exemple

35- Andean country

36- Allege as fact

38- Bank offerings

40- Matinee ___

44- Non-transparency

45- Letters, e.g.

46- Most tidy

47- Experiment

51- They're out of this world

53- Punctuation mark

55- Miscellanies

56- Leases

57- Memo starter

58- Capital of Calvados, in NW France

59- Baseball's "Walking Man" Eddie

61- London jail

63- Barely passing grades

65- Sea, to Cousteau

67- Scooby-___