The Queen's Journal, Volume 145, Issue 20

the journal Vol. 145, Issue 20

Queen’s University

F r i d ay F e b r u a r y 2 , 2 0 1 8

since

1873

PHOTO BY IAIN SHERIFF SCOTT

From left to right: AMS Vice-President (University Affairs) elect Munro Watters , President elect Miguel Martinez and Vice-President (Operations) elect Liam Tharp.

AMS Special Assembly appoints 2018-19 executive team Team MLM is ready to “listen to students and advocate on their behalf”

Iain Sherriff-Scott, Jasnit Pabla & Sarina Grewal Journal News Team

The confiscation of devices wasn’t overturned.

“We ask assembly to take into account the urgency of the situation,” Li said. She added that the outlined procedure for the night “was intended to ensure a fair and transparent process, and to ensure a democratic process.”

Following this, the Special Assembly introduced three competing teams: Teams MLM, ACS and TMZ.

Before the three teams were introduced, issues concerning the transparency of the appointment process were brought to Assembly

by Sci ’19 Representative Ryan Cattrysse. He specifically addressed the confiscation of personal electronic devices and the secret ballot set to occur following closing remarks as his main areas of concern.

“I have a lot of constituents listening on the live stream to who I am responsible for,” Cattrysse said, addressing Assembly. “I would like to encourage we don’t have a secret ballot because what’s the point of being transparent if we do a secret vote after.”

AMS President Jennifer Li and Rector Cam Yung contested Cattrysse’s points, with Assembly settling on a secret ballot vote to take place within the meeting.

NEWS

FEATURE

OPINIONS

SPORTS

Kingston man poisons coworker at Queen’s

The aftermath of students

Current AMS President

Nadia Popov writes story

in debt

wants you to vote yes on

about her struggle with

future JDUC

mental health

page 7

page 11

Following an unprecedented seven-hour-long AMS Assembly, Team MLM emerged as the AMS Executive-elects for the 2018-19 school year.

Comprised of Presidential candidate Miguel Martinez, ArtSci ‘19, Vice-Presidential (University Affairs) candidate Munro Watters, ArtSci ’19 and Vice-Presidential (Operations) candidate Liam Tharp, Sci ’19, Team MLM was overcome with emotions after learning they won 33 to one on the fourth ballot.

President-elect Martinez

page 3 queensjournal.ca

expressed his gratitude to Assembly.

He said he and his team “are ready to take this on.”

“We are ready to put the interests of the student body first … listen to students, and advocate on their behalf,” Martinez said. “I’m at a loss for words.”

The process involved a two-hour debate with a question period similar in length, all of which was live-streamed on the AMS Facebook page.

AMS transparency questioned

page 5 @queensjournal

What’s Inside?

@queensjournal

The three teams

MLM presented Presidential candidate Miguel Martinez, ArtSci ‘19, Vice-Presidential (University Affairs) candidate Munro Watters,

@queensjournal

ArtSci ’19 and Vice-Presidential (Operations) candidate Liam Tharp, Sci ‘19.

Team ACS included Presidential candidate Aniqa Muzmunder, ArtSci ‘18, Vice-Presidential (University Affairs) candidate Chloe Demizio, ConEd ’19 and Vice-Presidential (Operations) candidate Sarah Hanson, ArtSci ‘19.

The final team presented the youngest candidates of the group Team TMZ, including Presidential candidate Tyler Macintyre, Sci ‘20, Vice-Presidential (University Affairs) candidate Matt Le, Comm ‘20, and Vice-Presidential (Operations) candidate Ziyu

See Unprecedented on page 4

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JUSTICE KING

SPORTS

Gaels win exciting 132nd edition of Carr-Harris Cup page 12 @thequeensjournal

News

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Friday, February 2, 2018

CRIME

ELECTIONS

News in Brief: Kingston Police catch-up

2018 Rector election results

Queen’s grad student arrested for poisoning colleague

noxious chemical and assault with a weapon.

The victim and accused were formerly roommates and fellow researchers as of recently.

The victim has since received medical attention.

— Jasnit Pabla

Kingston Police were called to campus on Jan. 29 following a report of poisoning between two graduate students.

A Jan. 30 press release from Kingston Police stated that “after becoming ill, the victim accused Stolen vehicle driven the wrong a fellow researcher and former way on Princess Street roommate of poisoning his food.”

On Jan. 29, the accused was A 36-year-old man has been seen administering a clear charged with dangerous operation substance near the victim’s lunch. of a motor vehicle following an According to the release, “the incident on Princess Street near victim also recalled experiencing Barrie and Division on Jan. 30. a bitter taste in his food over the A patrol officer initially spotted past few weeks.” Furthermore, the vehicle at 1:30 a.m. on the every Friday when he drove home morning of Jan. 30 being driven to his family, Kingston Police said the wrong way on Princess St., the victim reported his water had according to a Kingston Police “a chemical taste and smell.” press release from that day.

The accused was apprehended “The officer activated emergency at their shared residence, arrested lights and pulled up in front of and transported to police the vehicle,” the release read. headquarters. They were then “The driver then accelerated and charged with administering jumped the curb taking off at

speeds above 70 km/h.”

The officer followed the vehicle to a Johnson Street address where it was found still running, crashed into the porch and without the driver. Witness accounts eventually led police to find the accused on Garrett Street, where he was arrested.

Following a search of the vehicle, police uncovered crystal methamphetamine, marijuana and a flip knife. Upon further investigation, the man was found to be under three driving suspensions and the origins of the stolen vehicle were traced to Kitchener.

He was transported to police headquarters to attend a bail hearing, where Kingston Police charged him for “failure to stop for police, possession of stolen property, possession of prohibited weapons, and two counts of possession of a controlled substance.”

— Jasnit Pabla

Rector Cam Yung celebrating da Silva’s victory.

PHOTO BY JULIA BALAKRISHNAN

Alex da Silva has been voted the next University Rector for the 2018-20 term, beating out opponents Afsheen Chowdhury and Jake Roseman for the position. Da Silva will succeed Cam Yung — who has been Rector since 2016 — making her the 36th Rector in Queen’s history.

GRAPHIC BY REBECCA FROST

JOURNAL FILE PHOTO

A Kingston Police patrol car.

Maureen O’Reilly News Editor In this week’s referendum, graduate and professional students voted against the renewal of the “Bus-It” student fee, which provides low-cost transit access for Queen’s students.

The vote — if ratified — would mean graduate and professional students pay $912 per year for transit opposed to $90.

In a statement released Feb. 1, President of the Society of Graduate and Professional Students Adam Grotsky said, “a significant number of students fundamentally misunderstood the referendum question that was posed to them.”

The referendum question read, “Do you agree to an increase in the Bus-It (Kingston Transit Student Pass) mandatory student fee from $68.30 to $90.00, an increase of $21.70?”

The proposed increase comes as a result of the program’s review, which happens every three years.

Each time the fee comes up for review, the change is similar to previous years, increasing slightly

For more election results, please visit queensjournal.ca.

Graduate & professional students vote against transit access fee SGPS President asks Council not to approve the decision

to accommodate route expansions.

“

[A] significant number of students fundamentally misunderstood the referendum question that was posed to them.

”

— Adam Grotsky, SGPS President

“It is apparent that some students believed the proposed fee increase was for enhanced transit services, rather than unlimited

access to the bus itself,” Grotsky spoke with Kingston Transit today wrote. “Others thought that by about the need for a tri-party voting ‘no’, the fee would revert contract moving forward to avoid back to its current price.” this from reoccurring.”

According to Grotsky, the While Grotsky believes SGPS has received feedback affordable access to public transit that the conditions of the fee is an essential service for graduate should’ve been promoted better and professional students, the by the society. However, Grotsky graduate president is urging said the matter is more complex for SGPS Council to vote against than that. ratifying the decision.

“What I’ve been explaining to “All referendum results must students is that the Bus-It contract be ratified by SGPS Council prior is between the AMS and Kingston to taking full force and effect,” Transit. Since we’re not a party to Grotsky wrote in his statement. the contract, it’s not classified as “This measure is in place for an SGPS fee and we are unable circumstances precisely like the to promote it directly through one we now face.” the SGPS,” he told The Journal. “I If Council votes against

ratification, Grotsky said he will move to initiate a special referendum in March to give students the chance to re-vote.

Grotsky noted the special referendum would use language that “clearly underscores the question’s purpose and meaning” to ensure clarity.

I spoke with Kingston “Transit today about the need for a tri-party contract moving forward to avoid this from reoccurring.

”

— Adam Grotsky, SGPS President

The AMS received 52.2 per cent of votes in favour of the Bus-It fee on Tuesday, ensuring undergraduate student access to transit for the next three years.

SGPS Council members will be given the chance to vote for or against the ratification at a Council meeting on Feb. 13.

News

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queensjournal.ca • 3

PSAC reaches tentative agreement with the University Union president says membership ‘overwhelmingly’ voted in favour of new deal

five or six hours of training, so you would have less time to do your marking or your tutorial.”

Another area where the union made gains was in the amount of paid sick time provided to TAs and TFs. “If you are a TA or a TF and you get sick, you [now] don’t have to make up those hours, you can claim up to nine hours of sick time that is paid,” Berggold remarked.

Though PSAC progressed during this round of collective

PSAC President Craig Berggold.

Iain Sherriff-Scott Assistant News Editor Ever since a previous collective agreement between Queen’s and Public Service Alliance Canada Local 901 (PSAC) expired in April, the two parties have spent the past few months negotiating a new deal. On Dec. 20, PSAC 901 reached a tentative agreement with the University.

PSAC 901 President Craig Berggold told The Journal graduate and professional students voted on Jan. 25 and 26 “overwhelmingly” in support of the agreement. After five ratification meetings, Berggold said he’s “very pleased with the membership’s turnout.”

According to a union press release, “the union represents approximately 1500 TAs and TFs who work in the classrooms, conferences, tutorials and laboratories” and “negotiations and conciliation over eight months led to progressive gains.”

The new four-year agreement contains multiple contract changes for teaching assistants (TAs) and teaching fellows (TFs).

Berggold said the new agreement “puts a lot more money into

bargaining, Berggold explained childcare benefits — though considered a high priority by members — weren’t met in this agreement.

“We were not able to win that in this contract. The employer said the reason why is no other part-time workers on campus receive childcare benefits,” Berrgold said.

Berggold explained that of PSAC’s 1,500 members, five per cent have children. He said PSAC

needs to “build a coalition of part-time workers on campus to fight for this,” as he believe it’s “not something we think we can win on our own.”

“Local 901 needs to work with other part-time workers on campus to demand that in the future, and as soon as possible, so that all workers with children receive benefits and that part-time workers’ children are just as important as full-time workers’ children,” Berggold said.

PHOTO BY IAIN SHERRIFF-SCOTT

TA and TF pockets.”

“Over the course of the new contract, the TA hour will increase from $39.31 to $42.72.

The TF contracts will increase from $7,803 per course, to $8,480 per course over the four years,” he said.

Berggold explained a central goal of negotiations was trying to achieve parity with other part-time workers on campus.

“We have come much closer to that. We will now receive the same health and dental benefit contribution as other part-time workers,” Berggold said.

PSAC’s press release noted this agreement almost triples benefits contributions for its members, leading to a significant increase in their pay cheques.

Indeed, the new deal provides an increase in the University’s health and dental contributions for An Aboriginal Access to Engineering classroom workshop.

TAs and TFs, rising from $120,000, to $350,000. math, robotics and physics. On top The deal also provides of keeping the content relevant, paid training outside of TA they keep up-to-date with STEM and TF contracts. education and maintain an “In the past, those training essential component of Indigenous hours were often paid inside of a cultural relevance as well. contract,” Berggold explained. “For The success of AAE earned example, if you had a 100-hour them the Actua Experience contract, you would have to do the Award for Indigenous Youth in STEM this month. The initiative was recognized for contributing Sarina Grewal to the increase in self-identified Assistant News Editor Indigenous students in the Faculty of Engineering, growing from four The Engineering Outreach office’s in 2011 to 37 this year.

Aboriginal Access to Engineering Melanie Howard, who is the program has two main goals: director of outreach and of the to educate Indigenous youth AAE program, told The Journal the and provide them with strong initiative is essential to ensuring role models. On Jan. 18, these Indigenous students are aware of efforts were honoured through a engineering as both an existing national award. educational sphere and a potential Launched in 2011, Aboriginal future path. She said Indigenous Access to Engineering (AAE) is students often aren’t fully aware of an educational outreach program what engineering is because they aimed at exposing Indigenous aren’t acquainted with the field. youth to the STEM fields (science, “[AAE is an] initiative enabling technology, engineering and more Indigenous peoples to math). Through activities, lessons succeed in engineering and and an afterschool club, the become professional engineers,” initiative teaches STEM content in she explained. “The educational enjoyable and accessible ways for reality is that many Indigenous Indigenous students. In total, youth don’t have the prerequisites they’ve worked with over to enter into an engineering 20,000 youth. program. So that youth outreach Ranging from kindergarden became a strong focus ... in order to grade 12, educators go into to build an awareness of what classrooms and lead students engineering is.” through lessons in subjects like A focal point of the program

Engineering Outreach Office receives award for Indigenous youth education

The Aboriginal Access to Engineering program aims to engage students in the STEM fields

PHOTO SUPPLIED BY MICHELLE-LYNN KENNEDY

is a commitment to providing strong role models for Indigenous students. All AAE permanent staff are Indigenous, including Howard.

“One of the important things to me as director was to provide the kids we work with with Indigenous role models as well,” she said. “You can commit to come in and speak about engineering and science, but to actually have it be someone who’s from your community, culturally, was very important to me.”

The Journal also spoke to Michelle-Lynn Kennedy, the Aboriginal community engagement coordinator, who regularly facilitates the program in classrooms. Kennedy said the focus on robotics this year has made for exciting learning opportunities for the students, as the synergy of math and robotics keeps them engaged.

“I think the most rewarding part of this job is when students come up to me and say, ‘Maybe I’ll be an engineer, maybe I’ll take science,’” Kennedy stated.

“I’m planting the idea in their head about what engineering is and that they do have to take math and science, and that it can be fun. I think at the end of the day ... it makes me feel excited that they’re ... thinking about these things.”

News

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Friday, February 2, 2018

AMS

Unprecedented seven-hour Assembly decides AMS executive team Continued from front

a tangible solution, Hanson identified the most pressing issue facing the corporate side of the AMS as being the financial struggles of TAPS and The Underground.

Former Commissioner of Environmental Affairs Liam Dowling posed questions about sustainability to the candidates.

“I believe we should be taking advantage of resources outside of the community,” Macintyre said.

“We should be looking at what other universities and institutions have done and try to emulate them to the best of our ability.”

While unable to provide concrete responses to questions regarding finances at the University, Team TMZ demonstrated a commitment to ensuring student interests would be preserved at all times before the administration.

“We are for the students here first,” Le said. “We must stand our ground.”

Horwitz, PheKin ‘20.

Headed by presidential candidate Martinez, Team MLM presented a strong portfolio of AMS and government-related experience. For Martinez, addressing mental health on campus and drinking culture was imperative. During their speeches, Tharp and Watters noted their desire to ensure equitable and accessible hiring processes and Orientation Week.

Team ACS brought forth an all-female executive team who hoped to advocate on behalf of all students before the administration.

“We believe we can advocate A special meeting of the AMS Assembly gathered in Wallace Hall on Thursday. for all students and are confident in that,” Presidential candidate Muzmunder told Assembly.

They said they would produce a platform if appointed to ensure the team “had a guideline to follow” coming into office. A focus for the team was working to structure Orientation Week and increase mental health services.

Finally, Team TMZ was built on a platform of five pillars: government transparency, student engagement, mental health services and accessibility, racial and gender equity, maintaining the sustainability of the AMS as well as student safety.

“This election process has shown that there is a disconnect between the students and student Team ACS. government,” Macintyre said to Assembly. “There were multiple uncontested elections and that shows that there’s a huge disconnect between the students and what the government that’s representing them is doing.”

Deliberation by Assembly members

Following the candidates questioning period, a few members of Assembly commented on how they felt the votes should be cast.

ASUS President Jasmine Lagundzija said she thought “students are looking for a change from what we’ve seen over the years” in the AMS. She also reminded Assembly that “many of the questions thrown at these teams tonight would be difficult for many [members of Assembly] to answer.”

“It’s not going to be easy for any of these teams,” Lagundzija said. “I definitely think some of the teams showed experience that may be different from what we’ve seen in previous years … and represent the diversity of the University.”

According to AMS President Jennifer Li, only Teams TMZ and ACS consulted with the current executive prior to their intent to run.

Questioning periods

During question period, Team MLM was asked about intersectionality and how they would ensure the term is understood in regards to student experiences, specifically those of LGTBQ+ persons.

“It is important to recognize it is a buzzword. In my mind it means recognizing the ways we can break down barriers for people of all backgrounds,” Watters said.

“Recognizing the victims of sexual assault in the LGBTQ community, the statistics are not the same.”

The team was also questioned about how they would go about closing an AMS service if financially necessary.

“We have to look at the cost-benefit analysis of closing a service,” Tharp said. “We have to talk to the people running the services, ask ourselves why we are visiting them and understand the bottom line.”

For Team ACS, a focus on diversity and inclusion was apparent as the three candidates navigated through the question period.

“I would like to acknowledge all the work being done by students that tends to not get recognized and I think moving forward, I’d really like to see an emphasis on the student work,” Muzmunder said when asked how

Results

Team MLM.

Team TMZ.

the team intended to promote anti-racism on campus. “Students

of colour know how to advocate for themselves and don’t need

PHOTOS BY IAIN SHERRIFF-SCOTT

someone to speak for them.”

While the team didn’t propose

At approximately 2 a.m., AMS Secretary Neil Sengupta announced that Team MLM had won in a 33 to one vote.

“Thank you for staying up so extraordinarily late,” Watters added. “Thank you for asking me these questions that made me … want to be more engaged in student politics and wish for a better Queen’s community.”

“Palmer, Chelsea and I are impressed with the candidates that put themselves forward tonight, and I think there is a team that will lead the AMS forward and ensure that student interests are met,” current AMS President Jenn Li told The Journal following the results. “We look forward to the transition process, because it begins immediately, and I think there’s a lot to look forward to for the students in future.”

Friday, February 2, 2018

queensjournal.ca

•5

Features IN-DEPTH STORIES FROM AROUND CAMPUS AND IN THE COMMUNITY

Over 67 per cent of Canadian university students will graduate with some form of debt.

What happens when you can’t afford to be a student?

ILLUSTRATION BY AMELIA RANKINE

With Ontario student debt topping $850 million, graduates are struggling to make their loan payments Alex Palermo Features Editor

Last year, the Ontario Students Assistance Program (OSAP) helped 384,000 Ontario residents access their post-secondary education. But when many of these students leave school, OSAP payments will become a serious financial responsibility.

As of August 2017, over 67 per cent of Canadian university students graduate with some form of debt. According to a BDO Canada survey, the average amount owed per graduate is just over $22,000.

At Queen’s alone, 36.8 per cent of students receive an OSAP payment. This means nearly 8,200 undergraduate and graduate students on campus will leave with debt.

For thousands of Queen’s students every year, graduation marks the beginning of their loan re-payment period. According to OSAP, this period is designed to last less than 10 years. However, recent reports indicate this repayment period extends well beyond that point.

For students that fall behind on their OSAP or federal loan payments, there can be serious consequences. If no payments are received for nine months, the individual is referred to the Canada Revenue Agency and the Ontario Ministry of Finance (OMF).

The OMF can turn to private collection agencies in order to recover the money owed, meaning students in this position will be reported to the credit bureau. This can have devastating effects on their ability to get a mortgage, a credit card, a car loan, become employed or even sign a lease.

When Iain Reeve graduated from Queen’s with a PhD in political studies in 2010, he felt hopeless. The job market was at an all-time low and he owed over $80,000 in loan repayments to his home province, British Columbia.

“It was mostly when I left Queen’s and was transitioning to my first job, making the payments was tough,” Reeve said. “It had a big impact on my lifestyle.”

“At that point I was paying as much in loans every month as in rent.”

When Reeve graduated, he relocated to Vancouver. Eventually, the skyrocketing real estate prices, combined with Reeve’s crippling debt, forced him and his fiancée out of his home province. “At that point, I had a really good job, I was making good money but I felt that [my loans] were the one thing that was holding me back from being secure in my housing, saving for retirement and starting a family.”

In spite of what he’s gone through, Reeve doesn’t regret his time at Queen’s in the slightest. Although he sees education as a valuable investment for most students, he considers the current debt burden on students to be problematic.

felt that [my loans] were “theIone thing that was holding me back from being secure in my housing, saving for retirement and starting a family.

”

— Iain Reeve, Queen’s Graduate

“The amount of debt that students are carrying into an inhospitable labour market is just too much. It’s going to cause a huge problem a couple generations down the line,” Reeve said. “We need more access for people that want to have some upwards mobility.”

According to his own experience, Reeve said postponing his post-secondary education for a few years after he graduated high school helped him save up some of the money he needed for Queen’s. However, trying to finance his entire education on a minimum wage salary proved to be nearly impossible.

To navigate student loans, Reeve suggested students do their research before borrowing money, as well as plan their summer jobs ahead of time. Looking back, he regreted not pursuing a trade in the

summer months.

“Students should think about it more,” Reeve said. “You need to do your due diligence before you take on loans. It’s easy to say you’ll worry about it later but costs creep up as you get older and it will have an impact on your life.”

Reeve also mentioned the stigma of borrowing money for university and struggling with the payments is a part of the issue.

“Most people I know aren’t super upfront about how they’re doing with their loans. People are super worried about feeling ashamed if they’re behind. To me, that’s a part of the problem if people are secretive and embarrassed about it.”

Ontario has made significant progress in the last year in terms of giving students different options to help repay their student loans. As of 2018, OSAP loan payments won’t begin until the graduate is earning at least $35,000 a year. Prior to the amendment, the minimum salary for repayment was $25,000 — a figure barely above the poverty line in Canada for a single adult working full-time.

The criteria still present a serious burden to students who struggle to support themselves straight out of university.

Rapid-onset loan repayment plans force many graduates to put a large portion of their starting salary into repaying their debt. Things like beginning an exciting career, travelling and starting a family often end up on the back burner for students in debt.

“It’s really important for students who are experiencing challenges during repayment to contact the [National Student Loan Service Centre] (NSLSC) as soon as possible,” Teresa Alm, associate university registrar, said via email to The Journal.

“There are options available through the NSLSC. For example, a student may be able to change the terms of repayment or apply to the Repayment Assistance Plan.”

The Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) is a system put in place to help former students in the difficult situation of

struggling to repay their loans. Students that apply to the RAP before they’re behind on their payments may have their payments readjusted in accordance with their income. Many applicants have the interest they’ve accumulated waived.

According to their website, 75 to 90 per cent of applicants to the RAP program are granted at least a temporary absolution from their payments.

The role of any university in handling student loans is limited. According to Alm, the federal and provincial governments put all OSAP policies and regulations in place. University and college financial aid offices are only there to help administer the program.

As of 2018, OSAP loan “repayments won’t begin

until the graduate is earning $35,000 a year.

”

Repayment for the federal portion of the loan is also beyond the jurisdiction of campus administration. Repayment for these loans must begin six months after graduation and if someone were to miss a payment for three months in a row, individuals lose their right to access the RAP. The burden of student debt is wide-reaching and the road to solvency is complex. While students have a responsibility to research their options and ask for help before it’s too late, the situation is often riddled with more barriers than it seems. Obstacles including graduating income levels, home support systems and the shame associated with debt hold certain students back more than others.

“Students should make as much of a financial contribution as they can, but their responsibility should be tied to their capacity to support themselves,” Reeve said, “For students like myself who were working-class or lower-class or first-generation immigrants — reducing the barriers would be a good step.”

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Friday, February 2, 2018

EDITORIALS

M ax S ilverberg

The Journal’s Perspective

USATs need reforms to have a real impact on teaching Even though everyone is expected to fill out USATs at the end of the semester, what students might not know is how much of an impact these single pieces of paper can have on their professors.

The debate surrounding whether or not the USATs present fair evaluations of instructors has been around since they were introduced. We’re lucky to have a system that attempts to give students an anonymous platform to hold professors accountable for their learning. That being said, the USATs haven’t always proven to be the most

PHOTO BY JULIA BALAKRISHNAN

ILLUSTRATION BY STEPHANIE JIANG

reliable evaluation tool.

Not many students are aware USAT scores have the ability to affect a professor’s pay. Some don’t even know their teachers take the time to read them for constructive feedback. As a result, the evaluations aren’t taken as seriously as they should be.

In many classes, DSC representatives are held responsible for dispensing the evaluations and collecting them.

However, they often don’t have the USATs’ significance fully explained to them. By the time they reach students, there’s a huge disconnect between what

these evaluations are meant for and what students assume they should be doing with them.

The main goal of having students evaluate their instructors is to help professors with their professional development. They act as a platform to explain what worked in a class, what didn’t and what could be improved for the next year.

The reason they’re tied to salaries is to provide incentive for professors to take these critiques seriously. However, when the feedback isn’t always serious, it’s difficult to justify how it affects someone’s pay.

Unless students actively seek out information on USATs, they won’t be made aware of their importance. There needs to be a campaign that informs students about the impact their reviews can really have. At the very least, there needs to be a mandatory explanation of what the USATs are before they’re handed out to students.

There’s a major disconnect between students and professors when it comes to what the USATs are for. Until those expectations are corrected, neither group is going to get what they need from them.

— Journal Editorial Board

THE QUEEN’S JOURNAL Volume 145 Issue 20

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Max Silverberg

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Editorial Illustrator

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Opinions Editor

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Arts Editor Assistant Arts Editor Sports Editor Assistant Sports Editor Lifestyle Editor Assistant Lifestyle Editor Photo Editor Assistant Photo Editor

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Contributions from all members of the Queen’s and Kingston community are welcome. The Journal reserves the right to edit all submissions.

The Queen’s Journal is an editorially autonomous newspaper published by the Alma Mater Society of Queen’s University, Kingston.

Editorial opinions expressed in The Journal are the sole responsibility of The Queen’s Journal Editorial Board, and are not necessarily those of the University, the AMS or their officers.

190 University Ave., Kingston, ON, K7L 3P4 Editorial Office: 613-533-2800 Business Office: 613-533-6711 Fax: 613-533-6728 Email: journal_editors@ams.queensu.ca Please address complaints and grievances to the Editor in Chief.

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The real learning at university is done beyond the classroom

Although students initially come to university to get a degree, post-secondary education is about a lot more than just academics.

For many undergraduate students, the time they spend at Queen’s is their first experience living away from home.

During our time here, we learn how to be self-sufficient and we start to figure out who we are and who we want to be. In order to maximize this personal growth, we need to be able to learn both in and outside of the classroom.

We all live in our own personal bubbles on campus. It’s easy to become comfortable with routine, but the most enriching experiences at university occur when we step out of our comfort zones and expand those bubbles to new people and new experiences.

As part of The Journal’s video team, I’ve had the opportunity to work on a video series called ‘Clubs @ Queen’s’ where we explore a different club in each episode. As someone who wasn’t involved in extra-curriculars during my first three years at Queen’s, trying out various clubs on campus helped me to realize that the Queen’s community extends far beyond our academic programs and social circles.

There are a lot of clubs and organizations on campus that can help us figure out more about ourselves and what we’re passionate about, and potentially lead us towards a fulfilling career path.

Clubs and extra-curricular activities allow people to explore their interests while offering a more practical learning experience. By trying different clubs, students can figure out what they enjoy the most and what they want to pursue. Once they find where their interest lies, extra-curriculars can also serve as a platform to improve upon those skills before graduation.

Although at times it can be intimidating, stepping out of our comfort zones and getting involved with extra-curricular activities can teach us things we can’t learn in class.

There are so many people on campus that can teach valuable lessons, and all it takes to meet them is to branch out, whether that be through joining a club, working or volunteering on campus, or even joining an intramural team.

Like many other undergraduate students, I don’t exactly know what I want to be doing after I graduate, but participating in extra-curricular activities has given me a sense of direction.

Max is The Journal’s video editor. He’s a fourth-year film and media studies major.

Friday, February 2, 2018

queensjournal.ca

•7

Opinions It’s time for a new JDUC. It’s time to vote yes.

Referendum on Feb. 12 and 13 to decide future of our student life centre

PHOTO SUPPLIED BY AMS COMMUNICATIONS

What the AMS hopes for the JDUC in the years to come.

Jennifer Li, ArtSci ‘18 After years of negotiations and hard work, the AMS has finally secured a historic agreement with the University to redevelop the JDUC. Not only have we reached a deal where students won’t begin to pay until construction starts, but we’ve also ensured we pay the lowest possible price annually beginning in the 2019-20 academic year.

Students aren’t the only ones paying; the University won’t only front the entire $62.3-million project cost, but they’ve also committed almost $20 million in direct and alumni contributions towards the project.

It’s important to me that students have the final say, so that’s why we’re calling a referendum on Feb. 12 and 13.

The AMS will campaign for a non-reviewable student activity fee pegged at $89 per student starting in the 2019-20 academic year. If approved, we’ll hire a functional programmer to assess current spaces and consult with you to determine how we can maximize the space.

Ultimately, you’ll shape how the JDUC works for students today and tomorrow.

lead the project and oversee its implementation to guarantee stability and certainty during the process.

time we fix these issues “andIt’sreclaim our place as a top

university that brings together the best students in Canada and across the globe.

”

overnight; we did so through work over several years and listening to what our peers told us.

Universities around us have upgraded their facilities through student contributions.

These institutions — UBC, McMaster, Waterloo, Ryerson, York — aren’t just catching up to us, they’ve surpassed us. They know that world-class facilities attract the best students, and so they’ve invested in areas we’ve neglected, like club space and flexible study spaces.

If we do nothing — if we stay within the status quo — we risk waking up to a reality where other universities will be deemed better at offering a world-class student experience.

This also has implications on the value of a Queen’s degree. We’re lucky enough to have an amazing group of alumni who work in every corner of the globe and at the highest of levels. The prestige of that network relies on the health of the Queen’s community here in Kingston. Alumni are ready, willing and able to fund this project, and with your endorsement, they will.

This redevelopment will give our clubs more space and facilities to expand the Queen’s experience. For too long, our 250 clubs have had to make do with less.

As they expand along with our on-campus societies, they often don’t get the high-quality space they deserve.

Redeveloping the JDUC will ensure students of all abilities can access the building and experience the traditions within it. From hanging out at the Queen’s Pub, to ringing the thesis gong at the P&CC, to picking up a sweater for younger siblings at Tricolour Outlet, we want to make these traditions work for everyone and deliver a better experience to all.

On tradition, I want to note that the new JDUC will both preserve our heritage and make it more practical for everyday student use. We’ve worked closely with the architect to ensure the building retains heritage elements. As a result of the consultation, the bulk of change will occur in the industrial concrete wing at the back of the JDUC.

From hanging out at the “Queen’s Pub, to ringing the

While students will shape the JDUC in its entirety, the University will support its implementation. Professionals in Campus Planning and Physical Plant Services will

I wrote this article because I wanted to talk about the future of the JDUC and what that means for the student experience, university traditions and the value of our degree.

But before we talk about that, we must remember the past. In 2005, we were promised a modernized student life building through the Queen’s Centre project.

Amidst serious planning issues exacerbated by a global economic meltdown, that project was officially cancelled in 2011.

We were shortchanged: at a world-class university, we had to settle for second-best.

Over time, such an integral building on campus hasn’t done a good enough job of contributing to the student life experience.

It’s failed to meet basic needs for our student services and thus limited the potential services provided to you. For students with different abilities, it was a monument to mediocrity and just wasn’t working.

It’s time we fix these issues and reclaim our place as a top university that brings together the best students in Canada and across the globe.

Over the last few years, the AMS has made one fact clear to Queen’s: the JDUC must be updated to meet the needs students have today. We didn’t arrive at this position

“Taking my time to paint, and yes, I do

“No electronics in bed, and I broke it January 1.”

“I don’t have one. Just to be the best human being, and I’m sticking to it.”

“No, I was supposed to write something positive everyday.”

Danika Bertrand Comm ‘20

Alex Green ArtSci ’18

Evan Sambasivam ArtSci ‘18

Briana Courtemanche ConEd ‘18

It’s important to me that “students have the final say,

so that’s why we’re calling a referendum on Feb. 12 and 13.

”

it everyday.”

thesis gong at the P&CC, to picking up a sweater for younger siblings at Tricolour Outlet, we want to make these traditions work for everyone and deliver a better experience to all.

”

Queen’s students already pay a lot to attend this institution — I understand that.

But these same individuals also have a long tradition of student led change. Everywhere you look — from the Queen’s Centre, to Grant Hall, to our Oil Thigh — students before us spearheaded and seized opportunities to make their mark on campus.

In that spirit, we must take action today in order to maintain our traditions, improve accessibility and secure our student experience for the generations that will come after us.

I hope you’ll join me in voting yes to a new JDUC on Feb. 12 and 13.

Jennifer Li is a fifth-year history student and is the President of the AMS.

Talking heads ... are you still doing your New Year’s resolution?

8 • queensjournal.ca

Friday, February 2, 2018

Arts Boneyard draws inspiration from earlier works.

FILM SCREENING

Boneyard challenges horror genre cliches Kingston-made film uses classic elements of horror to create new twists Raechel Huzinga Staff Writer

On Sunday night, Kingston filmmakers Brent Nurse and Steven Spencer revealed their latest film Boneyard at The Screening Room.

Boneyard is a horror/thriller that appeared at both the FearNYC Film Festival and the Kingston Canadian Film Festival in 2017. Working with both a low budget and a small cast, Nurse and Spencer’s original twist on horror clichés turns the film into a

hidden gem.

The movie tells the story of Doctor David Morrison and his wife Jane, played by actors Jason Bowen and Helen van Bretzke respectively.

The two flee to an old farmhouse in an attempt to avoid reporters after the doctor is accused of assaulting one of his university students.

His wife soon discovers The Boneyard behind the house, a section of the forest where human bones hang from the trees like decorations.

As the tension grows and the couple becomes distrustful of each other, Jane begins to have horrific visions and starts to question her own understanding of reality.

Nurse and Spencer use the first half of the film to set the audience up for what appears to be a basic

ENTERTAINMENT

horror movie plotline: a family moves to an old farmhouse and is targeted by a mysterious evil presence which inevitably turns them against each other.

The screenwriter purposefully used the lack of originality in the film’s introduction and use of popular clichés to their advantage.

The result of combining flickering lights, ghostly images and so much more creates a safety net that leads the audience to expect a linear plot and a predictable resolution.

However, these clichés strengthen the complexity of the plot that later unfolds unexpectedly in the second half of the film. Nurse and Spencer bring the audience to the very edge of a happy ending before utterly quashing it.

The Boneyard’s dark ruler — a supernatural entity who manipulates time and causes both Jane’s frightening visions and David’s madness — is kept ambiguous throughout most of the film, successfully adding to the suspense and depth of the plot.

Nurse and Spencer keep this source mysterious by inviting the audience to question Jane’s sanity

Charlie Kaufman adapts Queen’s alumnus’ novel for Netflix production Author discusses novel’s film adaptation Nick Pearce Arts Editor

Academy Award-winning screenwriter Charlie Kaufman will adapt Queen’s alumnus and local author Iain Reid’s first novel, I’m Thinking of Ending Things, for Netflix.

Kaufman, who won Oscars for the screenplays of Being John Malkovich, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Adaptation, will direct and write the film adaptation while Reid will be a consultant on the project.

“It feels great and exciting,” Reid told The Journal. “I was a fan of his before. This book was probably influenced by some of his movies without me even knowing it — not directly [influenced], but just indirectly.”

After the initial surprise of Kaufman expressing his interest and appreciation for the novel, the two began a series of conversations to discuss a film adaptation. Over the course of these talks, Reid

became comfortable with Kaufman, bonding over the phone about their mutual interests in books and philosophy. “[The adaptation is] not going to be the same as my book. I know that, and I want it to be different. I want [Kaufman] to be comfortable with changing and making it his own,” he said. “Our sensibilities and aesthetics align nicely.”

Reid said he originally had no ambition for his work to cross over into film. However, he agreed to let his agent hire a film agent following the novel’s 2016 release.

He was surprised by the initial amount of interest, but none of it was particularly exciting until Kaufman approached him.

Although he said that, there was one notable exception that excited Reid prior to Kaufman’s arrival on the scene. Slash of Guns N’ Roses wanted to break into the film business and was looking at Reid’s book.

The guitarist invited Reid to his Toronto show and Reid met him at

PHOTO SUPPLIED BY BRENT NURSE

and stability, revealing she has a growth on her brain that may be producing her visions.

The audience is led even further from the truth when the allegations of sexual abuse against David are admitted to be false, seeming to secure his innocence.

The plot, however, is difficult to understand until the film’s final scenes.

In a Q&A following the film, Spencer discussed his struggles avoiding the temptation to spell out the meaning of the plot within the film — a risk that paid off.

“We set ourselves a bunch of challenges when we started, and one of them was that we have this incredibly high-minded concept that’s incredibly complex, and then never have anybody explain it,” Spencer said.

Although Boneyard’s secluded setting and family tension is reminiscent of Stephen King’s novel The Shining, Nurse said the film was influenced by Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho.

“Psycho does a big flip,” he said.

“It starts off as a woman running

away, and all of a sudden we flip [and] it’s completely different. That was part of [Spencer’s] motivation.

We wanted to flip the movie on its head halfway through.”

While the film’s high amount of dramatic facial close-ups was distracting, the unique cinematography of the sunlit Boneyard was an overshadowing example of haunting creativity.

Despite Bowen’s inadequate performance of his character’s transformation, van Bretzke’s ability to translate fear and emotion to the audience balanced out Bowen’s poor acting, adding to the film’s success.

All of the film’s shortcomings, like Bowen’s unconvincing acting, poor lighting and some clumsily — filmed shots, were saved by the ingenious manipulation of time and audience expectations. Spencer’s experimental screenwriting challenges the audience and rewards it with his imagination and talent for writing psychological horror. If the screenplay was complemented by a higher budget, it would create a superb addition to the horror genre.

day-to-day life, I’m not worried about a masked man jumping around the corner with a machete.

But when I think about certain elements of philosophy, that’s unsettling to me.”

Reid said the production hopes to start filming in September but added that Netflix tends to be efficient in its content creation, which may result in a 2019 or 2020 release.

Nonetheless, he said “getting it right” was more of a priority than timing.

Meanwhile, Reid just finished writing his new novel, Foe, over the holidays, earning himself a

rare break while the novel gets time to breathe. He said it follows in the philosophical, suspenseful footsteps of I’m Thinking of Ending Things.

“It’s sort of a literary suspense novel,” he said, adding that the genre lends urgency that can be absent in other storytelling.

“That can change: maybe in five years, I want to do a generic romantic comedy. I doubt it, but who knows?” he said. “I like the idea of challenging myself and trying something that feels different. This was very different, and I hope to continue to do that. I don’t know where it will go.”

his hotel.

“We talked for a while and he was a really interesting guy. Really thoughtful, loves books,” Reid said.

Despite this, nothing came of the interaction beyond a Guns N’ Roses fan meeting the famed guitarist.

The eventual talks with Kaufman were more productive, with both writers sharing their understandings of the thriller genre. They agreed the scariest elements of their work were abstract, refraining from more stereotypical murder plotlines used in the genre.

“There’s a lot [more] emphasis placed on the internal, and the philosophical and the metaphysical.

Especially when you get into the unsettling realm. We both agree that that’s more unsettling than anything physical,” Reid said.

Reid, who studied philosophy at Queen’s, expanded on the more cerebral elements that can make I’m Thinking of Ending Things so unnerving for readers.

“When I think about my Iain Reid.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JULIA BALAKRISHNAN

Arts

Friday, February 2, 2018

queensjournal.ca

•9

COMEDY CLUB

Queen’s Varsity Improv kicks off semester at the Mansion

Team prepares for upcoming competition Rebecca Frost Graphics Editor

The Queen’s Varsity Improv team presented their first performance of the semester, titled TrailerProv Boys, this past Tuesday night at The Mansion.

Prior to the show, co-captains Owen Kewell and Blair MacMillan said they were excited for the coming performance and hoped for a high-energy reaction from the audience.

The captains got their wish.

Despite the chilly evening, the room was packed with enthusiastic audience members. Throughout the night, they were quick to laugh at the team’s improv antics and eager to volunteer suggestions for scenes.

The team performed a diverse set of improv games throughout the night. They kicked things off with a game titled “Party Quirks” in which Trent Holms played the host of a party while MacMillan, Mike Jankovich and Sammy Johnson played party guests with “quirks” suggested by the audience.

Clayton Tomlinson Assistant Arts Editor

The Tale of a Town delves into the lost culture of main streets across the country.

Lisa Marie DiLiberto and Charles Ketchabaw make up the main actors, producers and co-creators of the show that debuted at the Grand Theatre on Jan. 30. The Tale is a mix of camerawork, miniature sets, a live band, stories and monologues told by the two actors accompanied by audio recordings of the people they met on their travels across Canada beginning in 2014.

The multimedia presentation is based around DiLiberto and Ketchabaw’s idea to drive cross-country and discover the pulse of Canada leading up to its

Holms was kept in the dark as to what these quirks were and had the task of guessing throughout the scene.

As Tuesday was election night at Queen’s, the team was sure to keep things topical. Holms, in character as party host, exclaimed to the audience that the first three people to walk through the door of his party were to be the new AMS Executive team.

Soon after, Holms opened the door and exclaimed, “Mr. President,” to Macmillan, who was acting as an intoxicated Teletubby.

The team moved from game to game throughout the night.

Some, like “Party Quirks,” were more situationally-based and showcased the team’s acting abilities, while others were more stand-up-based, showing off the players’ quick wits as they kept

Queen’s Varsity Improv team.

the audience entertained with chuckle-inducing one-liners.

The team tied things off with a classic game of “World’s Worst.” MacMillan gave a prompt, such as “world’s worst,” leaving their teammates to complete the sentence.

This lead to comedic gems such as a “World’s Worst Tinder Date,” in which the character set their Tinder preferred age to 55 and up before discovering their father

THEATRE REVIEW

on the app. Likewise, the game resulted in a strong one-liner from Columbia Roy: “Sex with me is like high school — everyone just waits for it to be over.”

Following the show, MacMillan announced she was very proud of the whole team for coming out and bringing their energy, especially since one team member had recently undergone surgery.

The team plans to host another show late in the semester, although

The Tale of a Town goes cross-country Production explores Canada 150 on the country’s main streets 150 celebrations.

The two collaborators retell their story with each performance, adding in some location-specific details for the locals in the audience. Showing at the Grand Theatre until Feb. 4, the show features discussions about Brian’s Record Shop, the former S and R Department Store and even an appearance from Mariah Horner — a local theatre celebrity and director of the Storefront Fringe Festival.

The Tale is told through two camera setups, which project onto a large screen. One camera is pointed at a map used to show the distance covered on the road trip.

Co-creator and star of the show Lisa Marie Liberto.

Another is aimed at a mini-stage where DiLiberto and Ketchabaw set up props like miniature houses, cars and full city blocks as the play unfolds.

The dynamic stage is well-executed and allows the audience to listen to the recordings while following along with the projection of images.

The story begins with the two starting their journey in Parkdale, Toronto. The pair decided to build a portable recording booth dubbed the ‘storymobile’ to bring with them on their road trip.

Since they first set out, they’ve recorded over 3,000 interviews in 200 communities.

PHOTO SUPPLIED BY BOB GIARDA

In a town called Oyster Pond, Nova Scotia, DiLiberto and Ketchabaw stopped briefly at a convenience store and interviewed those inside.

Sipping coffee, the people interviewed by DiLiberto spoke of Webber’s — a general store that ran for 80 years before closing shop recently.

Webber’s was considered the ‘main street’ for Oyster Pond because of the town’s small size.

It was a place everyone could go and buy what they needed, see the people they knew and come together as a community.

The closing-down of stores creating a change in the feel of the neighbourhood was a topic in most of the recorded interviews.

This idea of main street heritage and culture under threat is also a central theme to the play.

DiLiberto and Ketchabaw explained that in each of the communities they went to, there was a sense that the main street had been lost. Usually, it was expanding commerce that rendered main streets obsolete.

In other cases, like Prince George in British Columbia, the issues are different.

Ketchabaw said that on his visit to downtown there, the problem wasn’t big-box stores and parking lots replacing old businesses.

Instead, homelessness and drugs were the widespread issue at hand.

PHOTO BY REBECCA FROST

a date has yet to be announced.

They will also be competing at McGill University against other university improv teams over reading week.

MacMillan added the team is excited for the competition, noting Queen’s will be a unique team in the upcoming tournament as they perform in a style called “bar-prov”, which leans toward more of a stand-up comedy style of humour, while most other teams do more theatre-based improv.

Overall, the Queen’s Varsity Improv team offered their audience an engaging show and demonstrated themselves to be in good shape ahead of their competition later this month.

This exploration off the beaten path is what brings home the message concerning Canada 150 celebrations in The Tale of a Town; main streets are gone but the people who gave them a community feel aren’t.

Instead of unreserved patriotism, the show focuses on the marginalized peoples that aren’t often the subjects of heritage celebrations.

DiLiberto delivers a monologue on the lasting effects this trip had on her and Ketchabaw towards the end of the show. This ends up being one of its most powerful moments.

She questions why they explored and celebrated main street heritage when just a few blocks away from the downtown core, people were stepping over the homeless.

Her ending note really encapsulates the critical and yet open tone of the show. She says we must question — during Canada 150 — what was so great about those downtowns that we lost?

DiLiberto said that community was great, but that main streets were just a place for community to play out.

The performance asks the audience to recognize what remains so special about these main streets even after they’ve been replaced and forgotten.

However, it goes further: viewers are made to consider how we, as a country, could possibly move forward knowing the extent to which people were excluded from the community and heritage that Canada 150 celebrated.

10 •queensjournal.ca

Arts

Friday, February 2 2018

Porcupine Lake.

PREVIEW

PHOTO SUPPLIED BY MATT SALTON

Reelout Queer Film Festival returns for 19th year

Screenings offer shorts, feature-length contributions Originally published online on January 31.

Nick Pearce Arts Editor

From Feb. 1 to 10, the Reelout Queer Film Festival wants you to see the world through a different lens.

According to Executive Director Matt Salton, this means watching the festival’s “Reelness” unfold.

To that end, this year’s Reelout primarily focuses on short films and documentaries that explore intersectional experiences along the lines of age, sex, ability, class and race.

“Our festival’s all about showcasing lives that aren’t as visible,” Salton said.

“It’s an extra bonus that so many of our stories were about intersections within the LGBT community.”

Salton said this is reflected in the group that screens the films, made up of Queen’s faculty, students and Kingston locals who he believes are reflective of the “queer community in general.”

“Reelout has certainly evolved with queer politics,” Salton said. “When I was first member of the collective, ‘cis-gender’ was a term that wasn’t even brought up. It was a very white organizing committee. Trans visibility on campus was little to none.”

This year, the selection process involved watching over 300 submissions. The result is the final selection of 65 films from 15 different countries.

Salton said these films can speak for themselves, but as an added benefit, some filmmakers will attend the festival to speak on their behalf.

Standouts include Arshad Khan and his film ABU — a meditation on Khan’s experience growing up as a gay man in Pakistan as well as his experience immigrating to Canada. The movie revels

in complexities and experiments with its storytelling, using techniques like animation to reflect Khan’s story.

Similarly, Sébastien Chabot and Michael Slack will be appearing with their film, The Gardener. The documentary tells the story of gardener and horticulturalist Frank Cabot and his cultivation of Les Quatre Vents, a 20-acre English-style garden and summer estate.

Queen’s alumnus Slack served as executive director of the film and will be available for a Q&A with Chabot following the screening of their film on Feb. 3.

Likewise, Queen’s student contributions this year include three other films: Julia Carrie’s Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, Nelly Matorina and Xiaoxuan Huang’s An Extension of You and Anastasia Syzmanski’s Beat.

Salton said the opportunity to present these less visible films is at the core of Reelout.

Despite filmmaking increasingly appearing on V.O.D. or the Internet, he added that the focus and value put on the filmmakers’ artistic independence still sets the festival apart.

“It’s no longer about promoting the festival. It’s about promoting the intent of the festival or the purpose of the festival, and the importance and significance of it,” he said.

That idea extends to people outside of the LGBT community that may feel that attending the festival takes away a space that isn’t theirs. Salton explained this is far from Reelout’s intentions.

“We want people to come. We want people to learn. We want people to grow. We want to foster respect and understanding and build bridges,” he said.

“We hope the lasting impression is that you’ve learned something and that you can see the world through a different pair of eyes and you can walk a mile in someone else’s shoes.”

Friday, February 2, 2018

queensjournal.ca

• 11

Sports

PLAYER’S PERSPECTIVE

Mental health matters every day of the year Gaels rugby star comments on her struggle with mental health

Nadia Popov won a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2015 PanAmerican Games.

Nadia Popov Contributor It was the most important game of our season — the OUA semi-final.

Every season, we set our sights on making it to the U Sports national championship. And every year, we have the potential. But in order to get there, we had to win a critical game against the McMaster Marauders, a formidable force in the OUA. Having lost to them in regular season play, the odds were against us, but we were determined to outwork our long-time rivals.

Before the match, the atmosphere in the team room was intense.

When I looked around at my teammates, I reflected on what could’ve been my last chance to make a national championship.

I knew we were ready. We had just the right balance of pregame dance battles and a fierce focus that always produces our best performances.

We came out flying. Every hit, every ruck, every run was on point.

Our unity was unbreakable, with every player executing their role with unmatched heart. I had the game of my life, scoring two tries to secure our ticket to nationals.

When the final whistle blew, the score read 20-10 for Queen’s.

Everyone was cheering and crying and bursting with excitement.

But I felt nothing.

In a moment where I would normally be overflowing with emotion — and embarrassingly drowning in a puddle of happy tears — I was numb.

Mental illness doesn’t “ care who you are or important things you have to do.

”

—Nadia Popov

This is the most frustrating part about living with a mood disorder like depression.

Anhedonia is a fancy word for the inability to feel pleasure, even when doing the things you love. Rather inconveniently, these familiar symptoms of depression resurfaced at the outset of this season’s OUA playoffs. I had previously been diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder while centralized with the Canadian national team, but this was the first major depressive episode I

MEN’S VOLLEYBALL

experienced since my return to Queen’s in 2016.

I’d like to think I’ve gotten pretty good at warding off the darkness — which at one point consumed me — but this was a not-so-gentle reminder that mental illness can strike even when we do everything right.

At the time, I was on top of my classes and feeling incredibly engaged in what I was learning. I got to spend every night playing the sport I love with my best friends, who I love more than anything else in the world. I was taking care of my mental wellbeing through mindfulness and self care, listening to what my body and my mind were telling me.

I was happy — until I really wasn’t.

Luckily, this time I was prepared. I knew what I needed to get through the fog and back to feeling like myself again.

After returning from the game against McMaster, I booked an appointment with the varsity sports specialist at Queen’s Athletic Therapy. I knew my visit to the doctor wouldn’t make my depression magically disappear before the OUA final, but it was still important to check in to talk

Markus Trence ready for life after volleyball Sixth-year reflects on illustrious career, hoping to continue career professionally

Matt Scace Assistant Sports Editor It’s not hard to find Markus Trence when he’s on the court.

For anyone who’s ever watched him live, it seems as though the Queen’s outside hitter is always in the action.

Unfortunately, after this

season, fans will have to get used to not seeing Trence in the lineup. Now in his sixth year as a member of the men’s volleyball program — he sat out a season due to injury — Trence is currently in his final season of eligibility and will graduate at the end of the school year.

Looking back on his time here,

Trence said his Queen’s volleyball experience has only gotten better over time.

“This year has definitely been the most enjoyable,” Trence said in an interview with The Journal about his final season.

Through his time with the program, Trence’s progression has been a slow and sometimes

about how I was managing my symptoms so I could continue to perform both on and off the pitch in the meantime.

Based on past experiences, I knew the only cure for my low state was self love, patience and time. But there were also tangible steps to cope with my physical symptoms — adequate sleep to combat my exhaustion, eating even when my appetite was lost.

happy — until I “ I was really wasn’t. ” —Nadia Popov

Most importantly, I let people around me know I wasn’t feeling great and they made sure to check in and lift me up when I needed an extra hand.

Three weeks after that Friday night win against McMaster, we were on a bus from the Calgary airport to Lethbridge, Alberta, for the U Sports national championships.

While the rest of the team was silent, Sadie Stephenson and Mikela Lehan harmonized into an impromptu performance of frustrating process. In his first season, he only played in seven games. Despite spending most of his time on the bench, he remained dedicated to what he called “one of the best programs in Ontario.”

In his second season, Trence came off the Gaels’ bench to play in 13 games, and in his third year, he earned his way into the starting lineup. After seeing the Gaels finish with an 8-11 record in the season prior, the team improved with the outside hitter in the starting lineup to a 12-8 record and earned berth into the OUA playoffs.

Unfortunately, injuries followed.

In the first month of his fourth year, Trence suffered from a herniated disc in his spine, leaving his left leg numb and his

PHOTO SUPPLIED BY NADIA POPOV

“Hallelujah.” It was beautiful.

In that moment, I felt pure joy.

Staring out the window at the Rocky Mountains, surrounded by my rugby family, the fog of my depression lifted.

That week was a wild, snowy ride, but I wouldn’t have had it any other way. Playing ankle-deep in ice and snow alongside the people I love representing the school we love, I was happy. I felt like myself again, able to fully feel the beautiful joy and sorrow of playing what could be my last game as a Gael with my fellow graduating teammates.

It was an experience that will stay in my heart and soul forever.

Mental illness doesn’t care who you are or what important things you have to do. It can happen at any time, to anyone. The more we learn about ourselves and each other, the greater our ability to persevere through mental health challenges when they arise. No matter how dark things may feel, with the right support, patience and self love, it does get better.

Mental health matters every day of the year, so be kind, take care of yourselves — and take care of each other. body unable to play competitive volleyball for an entire season.

“I felt really strong and had such a physical summer [leading up to the season],” Trence said. “[I]t gave me perspective on how much I love the game and how much I want to get back on the court.”

Refreshed and excited to play again, Trence came into the 2016-17 campaign with visible tenacity. As a starter in 16 of Queen’s 18 games, Trence finished the season first in the OUA in total attacks, second in most kills and third in points.

This year, however, Trence’s focus has shifted slightly. Trence joined the outdoor education program prior to the season

See Keeping on page 13

Sports

12 •queensjournal.ca

Friday, February 2, 2018

COMMUNITY

Kingston Frontenacs host Pride Night LGBTQ+ event sees Frontenacs, Kingston community

A pair of Frontenacs players donning their Pride-themed jerseys.

Shivani Gonzalez Lifestyle Editor Last Friday night’s game wasn’t any ordinary matchup for the Kingston Frontenacs as they hosted the Oshawa Generals.

In conjunction with Kingston Pride, the Frontenacs held a Pride Night at the K-Rock Centre, with proceeds of their game going to various LGBTQ+ organizations. The game was set up in collaboration with Kingston Pride Inc., the Frontenacs organization and Reelout Film Festival.

The idea of hosting a Pride Night came from Matt Salton, the executive director of Reelout. Salton said he came up with the event idea to remedy the lack of engagement in LGBTQ+ related initiatives from the city.

“It all started back in June this year and I decided that, after Kingston Pride had wrapped up, I was sort of dismayed

SUPPLIED BY MICHAEL LECLAIRE

to see the lack of support from the city,” he said. To do this, Salton sent letters to various city councillors, which resulted in interest from the local media and Frontenacs management.

“I decided to send out letters to all the city counselors about it, and it blew up into a big deal in the media and made its way to the management of the Frontenacs.”

At the game, booths were set up by Kingston Pride and Reelout so people could get more information on the organizations.

On top of this, there was a ceremonial puck drop by the children and grandchildren of LGBTQ+ community members, as well as the Frontenac’s newly-designed jerseys.

“The jerseys were the number one response,” Salton said, alluding to the thick rainbow stripe which extended around the Frontenacs’ white jerseys. “[E]veryone wanted the jerseys and wanted to see how they could get one.”

Salton said, “There was back and forth whether not we would put [the jerseys] on sale,” prior to the game.

Ultimately, they decided the jerseys should be special for this year only. Until they’re all sold out, they’ll be auctioned off with the profits benefitting Kingston Pride.

According to Michael LeClair — Corporate Account Executive of the Frontenacs — the night was also inspired by a similar event hosted by the Canadian Hockey League’s (CHL) Niagara Ice Dogs last season. Once Salton brought the idea to the Frontenacs, LeClair was enthusiastic to bring it to Kingston.

“The Kingston Frontenacs place a very high importance on being a community-based team and we saw this as an opportunity to create a relationship and support the LGBTQ+ community in Kingston,” LeClair said via email.

The jerseys were designed in collaboration between LeClair and Frontenacs executive director Justin Chenier. Although they discussed how there could be a potential clash between the LGBTQ+ colours and the team’s classic black and gold, the designs ultimately provided to be popular. Each jersey has

been going in the price range of $200-$300 with multiple bids.

In addition to the money being made off of the jersey auction, $5 of every presold ticket is being donated to LGBTQ+ organizations around Kingston.

The night has received extremely positive feedback. According to LeClair, the main message of the night was “Love is Love,” which is relatable and inclusive to everybody.

Both Salton and LeClair hope this will become an annual event in Kingston.

“We absolutely plan on doing more events like this in the future,” LeClair said. “[W]e are in a fortunate position in this community of having a large reach, and it’s important for the Frontenacs to continue to foster more relationships and highlight so many of the great things that the city of Kingston has to offer.

Salton echoed this thought, adding, “We hope it will be an annual thing, everyone had a really good time. There were 3,889 people [that] attended and the Fronts won, so everything seemed like a good sigh.”

When asked how he’d sum up the night, Salton said, “Everyone won but the Oshawa Generals.”

Men’s hockey wins 32nd Carr-Harris Cup Gaels’ Darcy Greenaway pots the game winner in overtime in wild back-and-forth game Matt Scace Assistant Sports Editor Prior to the 132nd rendition of the Carr-Harris Cup, men’s hockey head coach Brett Gibson made it very clear that the annual game is unlike any other

in the regular season.

“I don’t think there’s an underdog in a game that’s one game and for [one] trophy,” Gibson told reporters during a Wednesday afternoon press conference at the ARC. And he was right.

Queen’s competed with the RMC Paladins

Queen’s has won nine of their last 11 games.

on Thursday night at the K-Rock Centre to the bitter end, with the Gaels ultimately winning 6-5 in overtime. Fifth-year Darcy Greenaway was the hero in the end, scoring the winner in a game that had playoff implications for both teams.

The game gave everything sports

PHOTO BY AMANDA NORRIS

have to offer — highs, lows, shocking comebacks and, as one would expect from a 132 year-old rivalry, a palpable sense of tension.

“You got good goals, big hits and two See Nine on page 13

Sports

Friday, February 2, 2018

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• 13

Nine in their last 11 Continued from page 12

teams competing hard … it was a great game,” Gibson told The Journal after the win.

The Gaels were on the offensive early with a Ryan Bloom goal at the top of the right circle. By the end of the first frame, the Gaels led the Paladins 3-1 — a lead that would be swiftly squandered 10 minutes into the second period.

After trading goals in the third, the two teams went to overtime tied up at 5-5. Just under a minute and a half into the extra frame, Gaels forward Darcy Greenaway flew down the left side of the rink, and sped into RMC’s goaltender and got a shot off in tight. Unable to slide it in, Greenaway collected his own rebound and picked the bottom of the right corner, in effect grabbing a win for Queen’s.

As Greenaway sped toward centre ice in full celebration, the crowd of 3,524 in the arena went into complete and utter pandemonium.

The turnout for the game was a Carr-Harris Cup record, breaking the previous record of 3,363 set in 2016. For Gibson, the game served as a showcase of his hockey program — something that rarely happens for a team that often plays for just over 100 people.

“If the people who were at this game tonight don’t come next year, I’ll be shocked,” Gibson said. “The entertainment value was huge.

The atmosphere was fantastic.”

The game came at a crucial point for both teams as the regular season heads into its final stages. Queen’s — who is nationally-ranked ninth — finds itself in a tight race with Carleton and Concordia for second place in the OUA, while RMC is trying to fight its way into the OUA playoffs.

“I think we’re one of the hottest teams in the OUA right now and we want to finish as high as we can,” Gibson said, who was quick to credit RMC with putting up a tough battle.

“Commitment — that’s what the military is about. [RMC] committed to playing hard and they pushed us to the limit there.”

The Gaels’ ability to stay focused despite losing multiple leads throughout the night was Gibson’s silver lining at the end of the game. He added it’s something he believes will help his team going into the playoffs.

“You know what, I give credit to our guys and we could have packed it in and came back another day — but we didn’t,” Gibson said.

The win was the Gaels’ ninth in their last 11 with just three games of the regular season remaining. A second-place finish in their division would give Queen’s home-ice advantage up until the OUA finals if they were to get there.

“Every point is important and we’re climbing, so that’s the good news,” Gibson said.

JOURNAL FILE PHOTO

Markus Trence leads the OUA in kills with 196.

Keeping grounded Continued from page 11

starting at Queen’s teacher’s college, forcing him to battle between academic and athletic priorities. This year, his education has taken more of a precedent over volleyball, making his role with the team less hands-on.

“This year has been a little bit different — I’m one of the older guys this year but I haven’t been as present as I have been in previous years,” Trence explained. “The emphasis has been on school.”

Choosing between the two wasn’t an easy call, according to Trence.

“There was definitely times when I was thinking practically and volleyball was taking such

a toll on my body and I was like, ‘I don’t know if I can pursue this,’” he said.

Recently, things have changed. The opportunity to do both volleyball and school post-graduation has become a legitimate option. Though he doesn’t currently have a concrete plan, Trence is intent on being able to teach while pursuing a professional volleyball career; most likely in Europe if he stays healthy through the remainder of the season.

“I feel like if I don’t play professional volleyball I’ll regret it,” Trence said.

Looking at the future of the

team without him, Trence has complete faith in the young and talented roster. Of the team’s 17 players, 12 are in their first or second years, proving to Trence that age is but a number.

“The guys have so much knowledge they share so I like to lean on them … it’s great,” Trence said.

As for the emotions that come with the end of a career, Trence said he’s simply trying to focus on the tail end of the regular season and playoffs.

“Give it a couple more games and maybe we’ll get a little emotional.”

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Friday, February 2, 2018

Lifestyle

Ballons from Bell Let’s Talk day

MENTAL HEALTH

ILLUSTRATION BY JULIA BALAKRISHNAN AND SHIVANI GONZALEZ

Queen’s celebrates “Bell Let’s Talk”

Campus clubs embrace the day of mental health awareness Lauren Trossman Staff Writer Since 2010, Bell Canada has run a yearly Bell Let’s Talk Day that urges people to talk about mental illness to help break down the stigma.

For every text and phone call made on the Bell network, as well as every view of their Ally Mastantuono Contributor

Will hosting a weekly game night stop your housemates from making an absolute mess of the communal toothpaste tube? No, probably not.

But if you’re willing to bond over the extent of one another’s depravity while playing Cards Against Humanity, game night might just bring your house closer together.

There are plenty of ways to really get to know your housemates. For a start, actually living with them most likely provides some valuable insight on their personalities. When you see each other almost every day, it doesn’t take long to find out who to call when you need a spider killed, or which of your roommates would rather pull an all-nighter at the library than have to take out the trash.

Beyond this, communal dinners, movie nights and the occasional shared indulgence in a wheel of baked brie are all great opportunities to spread housemate love without having to leave the comfort of your own house.

Recently, I’ve discovered the bonding power of playing good old fashioned games. Although hardly ground-breaking, it’s something I’d highly recommend.

There’s nothing like a little healthy competition to get people off their smartphones and focus on what’s in front of them. While cards and board games may seem trivial

videos, tweets, Facebook posts and Instagrams with the Bell Let’s Talk hashtag, Bell donates five cents to mental health causes.

Over the course of the day this year, the hashtag was shared over 125,000,000 times, raising over $6 million dollars.

Bell Let’s Talk runs on four pillars: anti-stigma, mental health care and access for all Canadians,

research into treatments and cures for mental illnesses as well as establishing workplace mental health standards.

Each ye a r, Bell’s campaign emphasizes that breaking down the stigma surrounding mental illness doesn’t have to be difficult. Through the use of respectful language, education, listening and simply

Various games.

STUDENT LIVING

speaking out about mental illness, everyone can help create better attitudes towards mental health issues.

Bell Let’s Talk Day d i d n’ t go unnoticed this year. Many professors worked the importance of mental health into their lectures for the day, encouraging students to share the Bell Let’s Talk hashtag and stressing the importance of improving mental health funding and attention.

The ARC was also decorated with blue and white balloons, the signature colours of the event. Even exercise machines were adorned with messages encouraging students to listen and educate themselves.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JOSH GRANOVSKY

Why game night is essential for housemate bonding Some healthy competition may be the secret to making lifelong friends in the grand scheme of life, you’d be surprised how quickly things get heated and how funny it is when they do. Whether the game you play encourages cooperation or

momentary rivalry, it forces some often much needed face time — and not the kind trademarked

by Apple.

Board gaming also provides

a healthy outlet for stress and pent-up roommate rage. It shifts your focus away from the two essays, three midterms and endless assignments looming ahead and

Queen’s chapters of Jack.org and Step Above Stigma had booths set up in the ARC to raise awareness for the cause, while selling merchandise for charity and even putting on a flash mob around noon. Both organizations were interested in discussing mental health with anyone who walked by, allowing people to share their thoughts on mental illness and stigma.

“We have a booth in the ARC today to raise awareness, start conversations with people,” Jack.org co-chair Evan Sambasivam told The Journal.

He explained the booths gave students the opportunity to share “what they want to see on campus, the stigmas that surround them, and their thoughts on mental health in general.”

The club also collaborated with Tricolour Outlet to sell socks that proudly displayed the club name and featured a semi colon, the universal symbol for suicide survivors.

According to the Facebook event, all proceeds will go to mental health initiatives.

On Twitter, Queen’s actively promoted Bell Let’s Talk, sharing videos of Queen’s professor and Bell Mental Health and Anti-Stigma Research Chair Heather Stuart.

In the videos, Stuart elaborated on the Bell Let’s Talk advice on how to respond to mental health and stigma.

With all these efforts around Queen’s campus and Canada, hopefully we’ll be able to create a future in which mental illness is a topic people feel comfortable talking about — and not the elephant in the room. puts it towards something far more important: winning. When you do manage to win, and proceed to rub it in everyone else’s face, it feels almost as good as telling them off for never doing their dirty dishes. Almost.

You might also be lucky enough to learn a new thing or two about the people you’ve decided to live with. For example, you may learn one of your housemates is dangerously competitive. Or, better yet, who you’d call if the Apocalypse ever hits.

While the benefits of game night seem endless, as full-time students, it can be hard to find the time for such fun and frivolity. Luckily, game night can be as extravagant or as laid-back as you desire. There’s no need to pull out all the stops; broke university students aren’t a picky breed.

In my house, we tend to lean toward games that require little to no prep, supplies or skill. We’re happy to fight over Cards Against Humanity or furiously act out clues for Heads Up. You, on the other hand, may be willing to invest more time and money into game night. You might even be tempted to dig through your dusty cupboard during reading week and pull out Clue, Trivial Pursuit or The Game of Life.

At the end of the day, all that matters is that you make an effort to spend some quality time with your housemates.

Lifestyle

Friday, February 2, 2018

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AROUND KINGSTON

Keeping your calendar full this February Winter activities to try in Kingston this month ILLUSTRATION BY JULIA BALAKRISHNAN AND SHIVANI GONZALEZ

Winter run in the snow.

Shivani Gonzalez Lifestyle Editor Whether you’re the type of person who thinks of every way to avoid facing the cold or one who lives for snowy days, there are endless possibilities of activities you can do in Kingston this February.

The Journal has compiled a list of all the things for you to try out this month.

Saturday run club (Feb. 3)

Tired of restricting your workouts to the ARC gym?

Lululemon Kingston has you covered.

Everyone’s favourite athletic apparel retailer will be hosting a guided winter run around the city on Feb. 3. Grab your best leggings and your favorite running shoes and head over to the Lululemon store at 270 Princess St. this

Saturday at 11 a.m. to get your run on.

Cross-country ski lessons (weekly)

This year, the Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority is hosting cross-country ski lessons every Saturday until Feb. 24.

The sessions costs $20 each (not including a $5.50 entrance fee) and are taught in hour-long group classes. These ski lessons occur three times daily at 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. To register ahead of time, head to www.crca. ca/online-services or if you feel spontaneous, head to the Outdoor Centre in the conservation area to book your lesson the day of.

Lumina Borealis (Every weekend)

Held annually at Fort Henry,

Lumina Borealis presents a light show that incorporates artistic and interactive elements. Grab a friend or a date and some hot chocolate and walk around the old fort to embrace all the good things the winter season has to offer. The show has been open since December it’s only open for three more weekends. For tickets, head to their website, www.luminaborealis.com and select a time and date.

Feb Fest

Kingston is recreating a month-long winter wonderland that’ll make you feel like you’re in Frozen’s Arendelle with Queen Elsa. Highlights include skating at Springer Market Square with a live DJ (Feb. 2), horse-drawn wagon rides (Feb. 3) and a polar plunge by the water (Feb. 4).

Additionally, Boucher Park

will feature snow mazes, wagon rides, beavertails and ice slides for the whole month of February.

If you’re looking to enjoy the season, there are opportunities all month to embrace your inner little kid, throw on a pair of skates and forget about those assignments for a couple hours. For details, head to www.downtownkingston.ca/ enjoy/2018/febfest.

Pottery workshop (Feb. 3)

Are you looking for any way possible to avoid the winter weather? Drop by Amaranth Stoneware to try your hand at pottery this Feb. 3. From 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., pottery newbies are welcomed to stop in the studio to create their very first clay masterpiece. Tickets are $50 and include wheel rental, clay and glaze. Spots are limited so book your tickets in advance at

amaranthstoneware.ca.

Tommy’s 6th Annual Glutton Games (Feb. 27)

If you’re looking to stay warm and indoors this season, Tommy’s hosts an annual eating contest held in the restaurant with proceeds benefitting the Kingston Partners in Mission Foodbank.

To participate, you’re required to receive at least $50 in pledges and show up on Feb. 27 for wings, hotdogs and/or pancakes to be eaten in three minutes and topped off with a 60oz milkshake chug.

For more information, head to Tommy’s Facebook page.

Whether you want to avoid the outdoors at all costs or you’re eager to strap on your snow boots, Kingston has you covered for a wide range of events this month.

Crossword ACROSS 1 Mona 5 Line 8 Denomination 12 List-ending abbr.

13 I love, to Caesar 14 Lotion additive 15 Beige 16 City in Japan 18 Bottle in a salon 20 Discussion group 21 Diarist Anais 22 Scull need 23 Edgar who painted ballerinas 26 Nassau’s nation 30 Raw rock 31 Cudgel 32 Portion of N.A. 33 Pet rodent, often 36 Potentially will 38 Joker 39 Dine 40 First-stringers 43 “The Pelican Brief” author 47 Winner 49 Facility

50

Rainout cover

51 Sapporo sash 52 Legal claim 53 Transgressions 54 Work with 55 Herros wife DOWN 1 Dregs 2 Need to scratch 3 Gilbert of “The Talk” 4 Wellesley grad 5 Silky material 6 Melville novel 7 Stir-fry pan 8 Vast sandy expanse 9 Verve 10 Show up 11 Blue shade 17 Colourful fish 19 Greek consonants 22 Feedbag morsel 23 Homer’s interjection 24 Historic period 25 Jewel 26 Prohibit 27 Oktoberfest souvenir 28 Fire residue 29 Perched

31 Plead 34 Marshy tracts 35 Pack down

36 37 39

Tai (cocktail) “... is fear” “Sesame Street” Muppet 40 Performances 41 Siamese 42 Deserve 43 Sailors 44 Locks 45 Cruising 46 Carte 48 Chit

Lifestyle

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Friday, February 2, 2018

PHOTO BY NICOLE LANGFIELD

Self reflection in a world of smartphone obsession.

POSTSCRIPT

Meditations on the potential dangers of smartphones The distractions’ effect on mental health Josh Malm Staff Writer You’re waiting for the bus, walking to class, or lying in bed about to sleep — these brief moments to ourselves were once occupied with introspection, observation of our surroundings and reflections about who we are and what we feel.

For me, I always needed to fill my time engaging in an external activity. Whether it’s socializing, working, participating in extracurriculars or obsessively planning for the future, this need to always be productive has made enjoying the holidays particularly difficult for me. The idea of unwinding, relaxing and kicking back was always a more stressful prospect to me than juggling my course load, a myriad of extracurriculars, friendships and jobs.

However, this past holiday I made a commitment to try relaxing. I meditated, spent plenty of time alone and reflected on myself and the past semester.

Eventually, I came to notice a discomfort emerging. But instead of denying this feeling, I decided to let it wash over me and explore it. Truly embracing my emotions became a daily practice of mine.

Since then, I’ve come to many conclusions from my self-reflection. One of these being that I was pursuing certain goals and activities for the wrong reasons. Not out of personal e n j oy m e n t n e c e s s a r i ly, but to distract myself from my own persistently negative feelings.

When I look back, these constant distractions were part curiosity, but also aimless diversion that enabled me to run away from myself and avoid dealing with my personal issues. Although I’ve gotten better at properly allocating my time, instead of being on the go 24/7, I also noticed my smartphone use has been another facilitator of escapism for me.

I was pursuing certain “goals and activities for the wrong reasons.

Not out of personal enjoyment necessarily, but to distract myself from my own persistently negative feelings.

”

Due to the ubiquity of smartphones and social media, we live in a culture increasingly lacking of mindfulness and introspection.

We’ve become a society that’s self-absorbed instead of self-reflective. Constant access to digital content has us overstimulated to the point that we feel anxious without our phones, and are becoming out of touch with ourselves and those around us.

We become distracted, clouded, stressed and overstimulated notification junkies that medicate our underlying negative feelings and thoughts by scrolling, checking texts, listening to music and losing ourselves in the vast online space

our smartphones enable.

The intoxication of social media ‘likes’ and the endless expanse of digital information have come to define our generation. We rarely allow ourselves to be left alone with our thoughts, and have little time to make sense of our day or ourselves.

All too often, we placate our sadness and uncomfortable thoughts or feelings with virtual reality. Instead of utilizing our reflective capacity to confront what troubles us, we yearn for the brief rush of dopamine that using our smartphones provides to distract ourselves from ourselves.

It seems that one of the biggest challenges for individuals in the modern world is the capacity to sit in a room alone and take in who they are — which is concerning.

Between classes, extracurricular activities, socializing, studying and finding time for basic necessities, we have the potential to fall in a trap of emotional self-neglect.

Smartphone usage compounds this. All too often, we’re navigating life in a reactionary way, instead of living presently, openly and with focus.

Many studies have concluded that social media and the mere presence of smartphones is distracting, robbing many of us of our ability to focus on what’s necessary. It fills the unease of boredom, which is problematic as this is a state meant to move you to action.

The danger of increasingly pervasive multimedia and smartphones lies in the potential to use them as crutches that enable us to avoid

uncomfortable feelings.

In the same way that some of us might overeat, drink or even work too much, there’s a very real and socially acceptable possibility that we treat our underlying emotional issues with convenient access to distracting digital information.

classes, “Between extracurricular

activities, socializing, studying and finding time for basic necessities, we have the potential to fall into the trap of self neglect.

”

Feeling uncomfortable is typically a sign that you should address what’s troubling you or commit to a plan of action that will enable you to face these feelings. However, with our phones always in arm’s reach, this process is difficult. We’re tuned in to our phones so much that we’ve become out-of-tune with ourselves.

Instead of letting ourselves feel that knot in our stomachs, the tightness in our chests or that lump in our throats, we scroll through Facebook, watch videos, engage in monotonous text conversations or drown in a sea of memes, never really coming to grips with what’s making us feel the way we do.

I think sometimes we’re afraid to allow ourselves to feel uncomfortable emotions, because they can lead to painful realizations that are difficult to digest. Instead of facing what we have to in order

to actually feel better, we pick up our phones, letting those feelings fester and become more powerful, scarier entities that will only become more difficult to face with persistent avoidance.

In a world that requires constant decision-making and endless choices, it can be difficult to know amidst the pressure what choice we actually want to make.

The whirlwind of everyday life can make knowing yourself and what you personally value difficult at times.

We’re constantly overwhelmed with advertisements, media and the opinions of others. The only true freedom of choice we have is in familiarizing ourselves with the content of our own hearts and minds. However, instead of engaging in the introspection and meditation necessary for this self-knowledge, we spend our alone time scrolling or online.

The next time you’re alone and unwinding from a stressful day, don’t pick up your phone. Focus on how your day made you feel, ride it out, let it hit you completely and understand those feelings.

I engaged in so many distractions to avoid dealing with difficult emotions. However, these feelings always follow us, manifesting in some form or another, and at some point we will all have to confront what is underneath.

I had to learn that I can’t be happy all the time. By giving myself space and time to dissect uncomfortable feelings, I now understand myself better, and my existence is far more fulfilling.