Issue 4 - Queen's Journal - Volume 146

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Queen’s University u QJSERIES

Landlord sues twelve student properties, eleven go unrepresented

Vol. 146, Issue 4

F r i day , S e p t e m b e r 7 , 2 0 1 8

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1873

WELCOME TO QUEEN’S, CLASS OF ’22

Landlord faces allegations of harassment, illegal entry and forgery of notices of entry Raechel Huizinga Assistant News Editor This year, landlord Phil Lam filed lawsuits against 12 different groups of students living in his properties in the University District.

Of the 12 cases, only one group had legal representation.

Lam filed 11 of his applications on March 13 and one on March 15, resulting in hearings which were scheduled during exam season.

Since January, Lam has filed claims for nearly $30,000 in damages from tenants, according to documents obtained by The Journal in August.

“We only file applications as a last resort,” Lam wrote of the actions via email.

In the case of a Barrie Street house, Freedom of Information Coordinator Susan Benger wrote the tribunal “found that the tenants did not cause the majority of the damage claimed by the landlord.”

Among the lawsuits, Queen’s student Christopher Jones and his six housemates faced damages claims.

Jones—the only one who challenged Lam in mediation—had difficulty with his legal defence.

In 2017, Jones filed applications against Lam for harassment, interference of reasonable enjoyment, failure to provide services and allowing his staff to consistently enter the unit without proper written notice.

Jones was a tenant of 15 Aberdeen Street from 2016-2017.

He told The Journal the property was “poorly maintained.”

“Our food was being eaten by mice all the time. I’m pretty sure there was mold in the basement. It smelled so bad,” Jones said.

On Nov. 24, Jones came home from class to find his and four of his housemates’ bedroom doors had been completely replaced.

See Lam on page 4

PHOTO BY CHRIS YAO

Art’Sci first-year students play Tug of War during Frosh Week.

Students in limbo after City denies occupancy limit Tenants struggle to find accommodations until access is granted Raechel Huizinga Assistant News Editor On Aug. 31, The City of Kingston denied an occupancy permit to a newly constructed Princess Street apartment building—a day before the tenants’ fall semester move-in.

The building didn’t meet minimum safety requirements laid out in the Ontario Building Code, according to the City.

Tenants of the building were originally told they could move in on Sept. 1. But around 9 p.m. the night before, they learned they couldn’t, forcing all occupants of the 93-bedroom complex to find alternative accommodations during Labour Day weekend.

The property manager, Stelmach Project Management, declined a request for comment.

While City officials issued the occupancy permit on Tuesday after a re-inspection, dozens of tenants were left financially stressed and uncertain about their living arrangements.

Nhyira Gyasi-Denteh—a Master’s student in Public Administration—arrived in Kingston on Thursday night. The next day, she decided to walk past the building.

“I noticed that there was still construction

happening,” she told The Journal in an accommodations” for tenants displaced by a interview. “There was a manager there who failed inspection.

Sayyed—who emailed the company I spoke with. I said, I’m supposed to move in tomorrow morning, is this place going to asking whether they would honour the clause—only received a response around be ready?”

The manager told her the building would midnight the day the permit was denied. The be ready and that she could pick up her keys company told her there wouldn’t be updates until Tuesday and did not address her question on Sept. 1 as planned.

“It’s been really stressful,” she said. “Here I about accommodations.

“They just ignored it,” she said. “I think I am, moving to a new town that I know nothing about, and I had a plan. I like to be organized called them at least fifty times, and I have not for my studies, and it was supposed to be See Sayyed on page 4 a simple transition. I tried looking for other accommodations, but who wants to live half an hour away from campus?”

“Give me a f—king roof over my head,” she said.

Zahra Sayyed, a Master’s student in Public Health, told The Journal only one of her three roommates received the email from Stelmach Project Management informing tenants of the failed inspection.

Sayyed only signed a lease because of a clause stating that “in the unlikely event” of a delayed occupancy permit, rent would decrease until it was granted.

The lease also stated it was the landlord’s responsibility to PHOTO BY AMELIA RANKINE arrange and pay for “alternative Zahra Sayyed.

FEATURES

EDITORIALS

ARTS

SPORTS

LIFEST YLE

The blurred lines of student-TA relationships

page 5

Ontario court ruling is a step backward

Queen’s alum Carly Heffernan heads Second City show

Quidditch team remembers Achintya Garikaparthi

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before: great cast, forgettable story

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News

2 •queensjournal.ca

Friday, Sept 7, 2018

Queen’s community mourns Professor Andrew Bretz Memorial to mark passing of English professor Rachel Aiken Assisstant News Editor After spending only a year at Queen’s, Professor Andrew Bretz passed away on Aug. 21 and left behind a legacy of excellence in research and teaching. He was 42.

His death was a sudden tragedy, felt by students and faculty alike.

The following week, the English Department published an obituary which detailed Bretz’s achievements and contributions to academia.

“An out-going and energetic colleague, Dr. Bretz distinguished himself quickly as a charismatic teacher and dedicated researcher,” the Department’s obituary read.

Bretz joined Queen’s in the Fall of 2017, after accepting a Term Adjunct position with the English Department.

Bretz taught students with an infectious enthusiasm,

delivering entertaining and impactful lectures.

His classes were a space for open discussion and he encouraged students to criticize his ideas. Bretz’s love for Shakespeare and literature was apparent and he aimed to encourage that passion in all his students.

During his year at Queen’s, Bretz was nominated for the Frank Knox Award for Excellence in Teaching. The award recognizes Queen’s professors who demonstrate an outstanding commitment to their students through “remarkable teaching.”

Bretz earned both his BA in Philosophy in 1999 and MA in English in 2007 at the University of Calgary. From there, he continued his studies in the School of English and Theatre Studies at the University of Guelph.

After completing his PhD in 2012, Bretz continued his career as an academic at the University of Guelph, where his teaching was recognized in 2013 with the University of

Guelph Central Student Teaching Excellence Award.

While teaching, Bretz was published multiple times in scholarly journals such as the Shakespeare Bulletin, establishing himself as a prominent voice in the academic analysis of Shakespeare.

Similarly, Bretz edited multiple editions of the Oxford University Press publication of Romeo and Juliet and The Tempest.

At the time of his death, Bretz was at the forefront of literary research in Canada. He was the Acting Project Coordinator for the Canadian Shakespeare Association—an association he helped found.

“Many of our students will be shaken by this loss, both those who studied with him last year, and those who have been looking forward to his courses in the coming academic year,” read the Department’s obituary.

An informal gathering hosted by the English Department will be held Friday, Sept. 14 from 5:30-6:30 p.m. in Watson Hall 517.

The event encourages students, staff, and faculty to attend in memoriam.

English Professor Andrew Bretz.

Premier Ford mandates universities draft free speech protections Province threatens to cut grant funding to non-compliant universities Iain Sherriff-Scott News Editor On Aug. 30, Premier Doug Ford announced Ontario universities must create policies protecting freedom of speech on all provincially-funded campuses.

Institutions will have until Jan. 1, 2019 to enact and comply with a new free speech policy.

According to the Province’s statement, the new rules must meet “a minimum standard prescribed by the government and based on best practices

Premier Doug Ford in Kingston.

from around the world.” foster learning environments that Universities will be required encourage freedom of thought, by to produce annual compliance making sure that all universities reports to monitor the and colleges have a strong, clear implementation of the policies. and consistent free speech policy,” The statement also stated she said. non-compliant institutions would In a statement published the face a reduction in operating same day as the announcement, grant funding.

Queen’s Principal and Chair of the The announcement also nudges Council of Ontario Universities, Ontario universities to punish Daniel Woolf said the University students who act against the “will work with the government policy’s guidelines. and other stakeholders to ensure “Students whose actions are that freedom of expression is alive contrary to the free speech policy and healthy.” are subject to existing campus “We welcome further discussion student discipline measures,” the with the government on how province’s statement read. freedom of expression may The move met support in continue to be protected, and Ford’s cabinet, with the Minister of believe any framework must Training, Colleges and Universities balance the right to free expression Merrilee Fullerton supporting with universities’ duty to maintain the policy. a civil campus environment, along “Today’s announcement will with physical safety and security help protect free speech and for faculty, students and staff,” Woolf said.

When contacted for a comment on the announcement, AMS VicePresident (University Affairs) Munro Waters said in an email that while academic freedom is valuable to ensure open dialogue, student safety is the Society’s “highest priority.”

“A safe learning environment is integral for students to feel comfortable as they expand their knowledge during their time at Queen’s,” Waters wrote. “The next steps are still to be determined, but we will do what we can to ensure student voices are heard throughout the process.”

PHOTO BY SEBASTIAN BRON

journal_news@ams.queensu.ca

SUPPLIED BY ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

Search for new principal costing nearly $100,000 Documents reveal search cost, timeline for new principal Iain Sherriff-Scott News Editor The search for Principal Daniel Woolf’s replacement is costing the University nearly $100,000, according to documents The Journal obtained through a freedom of information request.

The University hired Perrett Laver—which specializes in higher education headhunting—on Feb. 16 for an 18-month contract after Woolf announced he wouldn’t seek a third term as principal. The partnership was announced on March 20.

The last three Queen’s principals, Woolf, Karen R. Hitchcock, and William C. Leggett, were all selected through an executive search firm similar to Perrett Laver.

The firm’s $93,000 fee covered international advertising, research, and costs associated with conducting interviews, such as travel and accommodation for the firm’s consultants.

Perrett Laver is employed by dozens of respectable schools, including the National University of Ireland Galway, which the Connacht Tribune recently reported spent more than €100,000 on a search for a new president.

Before Queen’s hired Perrett Laver, it issued a Request for

Proposal (RFP) for the contract.

According to the RFP, the new principal will be confirmed and announced by the end of the 2018 calendar year “in an ideal scenario.”

On July 25, a Queen’s Gazette article announced that Perrett Laver had brought in a “range of highly qualified candidates.”

The article reiterated the Joint Board-Senate Principal Search Committee’s pledge to recommend a candidate to the Board of Trustees by December, but didn’t mention a timeline for the announcement .

The University RFP hints at Queen’s priorities for potential candidates.

According to the documents, Queen’s is “committed to increasing the diversity of its community, and particularly its senior team.”

The University specified it was looking for a headhunting firm that had assisted other institutions similar to Queen’s in successfully recruiting “qualified women, visible minorities, persons with disability and persons of indigenous [sic] descent for senior roles.”

The Joint Board-Senate Principal Search Committee worked with Perrett Laver for the duration of the summer to create a shortlist of candidates, who will be interviewed in September and October.

Principal Woolf’s current term will end on June 30, 2019. journal_news@ams.queensu.ca

Friday, Sept 7 2018

News

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ClimaCube wins big at Dunin-Deshpande Queen’s students take home $30,000 grand prize Raechel Huizinga Assistant News Editor Student-run start-up ClimaCube won $30,000 in seed funding at the annual Dunin-Deshpande Summer Pitch Competition, hosted at the Isabel Bader Centre on Aug. 23.

More than 700 viewers from over ten countries watched a live-stream of the event, which was judged by Peter Becke, David Lloyd, Raj Melville and Allison Turner.

Karina Bland, Sci ’18, and James Hantho, Comm ’19, pitched ClimaCube to the four judges, which Turner said had a “strong business model” and could “make the world a better place.”

ClimaCube is aimed at developing portable cold storage units to extend the quality of products while in transit—like samples and vaccinations.

The team hopes their product will protect vaccinations during long journies in developing countries where local communities can walk days to receive healthcare.

In an interview, Bland and Hantho told The Journal ClimaCube is a “solution that can last.”

The team hopes their product will protect vaccinations during long journeys in developing countries where local communities can walk days to receive healthcare.

“If you deliver a vaccine that spoils, kids will get sick and die from it,” Bland said, adding ClimaCube will “hopefully impact people’s lives.”

The pair had previously competed

in similar pitch competitions, including Western University’s World’s Challenge, without success.

“It’s so surreal because we’ve been in the exact same position and it’s gone the exact opposite way,” Hantho told The Journal.

“We’re over the moon.”

Fifteen of the 20 competing ventures—which ranged from card games, to drones, to education software—spent the summer preparing their pitches as part of the Queen’s Innovation Centre Summer Initiative.

Previously, the program was exclusive to ventures from Queen’s students, but after a expansion of the competition, five of the 20 ventures were from the Kingston community.

Emulgreen, a venture that aims to improve sustainability in the chemical industry by using natural resources to create emulsifiers, received the second place prize of $15,000.

Prizes of $10,000 were awarded to five more teams, including InField ID—a venture aimed at helping farmers identify and treat invasive species and Illumirate—which looks to provide sustainable oxygen systems to premature infants born in developing countries.

Other recognized pitches were MIR Technologies, which created a drone capable of conducting inspections from high altitudes, Child Cancer Survivor Canada, a not-for-profit which supports childhood cancer survivors, and Durabyte, a venture aimed at increasing the durability of flash storage chips.

Durabyte also received $5,000 for winning the first ever Wisdom of the Market Award, where audience members and online stream viewers voted for their favourite teams using Twitter hashtags.

A second Wisdom of the Market Award was given to Firefi Rewards, a start-up aimed at changing loyalty rewards programs for small businesses.

Hoping to attract further economic innovation from the pitch competition, the City of Kingston supported the event and Mayor Bryan Paterson briefly attended to encourage the entrepreneurs.

Paterson told attendees that the city was ready for fresh start-ups.

“There is always room in our community for a new idea,” he said.

A taxi from Amey’s on University Ave.

Uber regulations to come into effect mid-September New bylaw will regulate ride-sharing companies on Sept. 15

weeks ago.

“The Kingston Area Taxi Commission (an unelected body) passed a bylaw putting severe restrictions on ride sharing drivers and companies like Uber and Lyft,” wrote the petition’s creator, Andy Williams. “Despite Iain Sherriff-Scott no vote going before city council this bylaw New Editor will go into effect starting Sept. 15th.”

In a written statement to The Journal, The Kingston Area Taxi Commission’s AMS Commissioner of Municipal Affairs, (KATC) bylaw regulating Uber will come into Soren Christiansen, said the Society wouldn’t effect on Sept. 15. take an official position on the bylaw, while It will conclude the Commission’s more also referencing the stance the AMS took than three-year effort to regulate the in 2017. ride-sharing industry.

“Last year the AMS took a stance against The new rules cap the number of such regulatory measures, which are ride-sharing vehicles on the road at any present in KATC Bylaw #4,” he wrote. given time to 50, allowing for 150 registered Christiansen pointed out that in a ride-sharing cars in total.

2017-18 AMS Transit and Transport The bylaw also requires Uber drivers to Survey, 54 per cent of respondents have photo identification, proof of insurance, opposed bylaws that prevent commercial and to undergo in-person police criminal ride-sharing services. background checks. There’s also a $600 Christiansen added that while the annual fee every driver will have to pay.

Society recognizes the usefulness of It’s unclear what impact the bylaw will ride-sharing companies, “We have on Uber’s operations in Kingston. cannot agree with or officially When reached for comment, Uber Canada’s endorse the illegal operation of Public Policy Manger, Chris Schafer, declined any company.” to provide The Journal with an interview, “That said, the requirements of the saying the company was “still reviewing” KATC Bylaw #4 seems very onerous, the matter. especially when compared with other Meanwhile, a petition asking Mayor Bylaws, which aim to regulate commercial Brian Paterson to intervene in the ridesharing companies.” bylaw’s implementation garnered over 500 signatures since it was posted two journal_news@ams.queensu.ca

News in Brief Over 100 party-goers to appear in court under new Initiative Four days after students arrived at Queen’s, Kingston Police ticketed 115 people for six different violations under the new University District Safety Initiative.

The Initiative is a joint effort between the City and the University to limit the intensity of street partying.

Between Sept. 1, and Sept. 4, police

ClimaCube Founders.

CREDIT: DUNIN-DESHPANDE

PHOTO BY IAIN SHERRIFF-SCOTT

Between Sept. 1, and Sept. 4, police ticketed 91 people for open liquor.

ticketed 91 people for open liquor, seven for consuming liquor, nine for underage drinking, five for public intoxication, two under the Highway Traffic Act and one under the new Nuisance Party Bylaw.

Announced in a joint-press conference in June, the Initiative prevents party-goers from paying tickets online or by mail.

Instead, they’ll face a court summons cover the expense.

Students who have received summons will also be subject to the University’s Non-Academic Misconduct (NAM) system, from which they can face punishments like “formal warnings, restitution, peer education initiatives, and/or loss of privileges.”

The Initiative will be active until Sept. 10 at noon.

News

4 •queensjournal.ca

Friday, Sept 7, 2018

‘It was just a very demoralizing experience’ Continued from front ... “[Lam] never told us that anyone would be coming, or to replace the doors,” Jones said. “He never said the doors were damaged.

We never asked for them to be replaced, because they were all functional.”

In an email to The Journal, Lam stated he “always provides tenants with the opportunity to discuss the alleged rent or damage issues.”

“We invite the tenants to arrange a mutual time for a sit-down meeting and try to settle the issues as we believe communication is key in resolving all issues,” he continued. “Our practice is to notify tenants through email advising tenants of the damages so there are no surprises whatsoever.”

Jones alleged that during the replacement of his bedroom door, a pair of Beats headphones disappeared from his room. When reached for a comment, Lam didn’t provide an explanation for the headphones.

According to Jones, Lam told Jones and his housemates they’d have to pay for the replacement of the doors to sign the lease again—which Lam denies.

Jones refused and tried unsuccessfully to resolve the problem with Lam outside of

He never said the doors were damaged.

We never asked for them to be replaced, because they were all functional.

—Christopher Jones

regular tribunal proceedings, which resulted in mediation between both parties.

The mediation—scheduled on a day Jones was set to write an exam—was adjourned until September of 2017.

In tribunal proceedings, both

the landlord and tenant are legally required to present each other with evidence supporting their case at least a week before the mediation date.

Jones didn’t receive any evidence from Lam or his representative, Ian MacInnis, until he sat down in the mediation room.

Jones provided Lam and MacInnis with his evidence against them one week before the mediation date. In his evidence, Jones listed each alleged date Lam or his staff illegally entered his unit.

Upon entering meditation, Jones said MacInnis handed him a stack of documents, claiming they were entry notices.

“I flipped through them and they all looked exactly the same. My heart sunk, because I knew there was no way that I could prove he forged them,” Jones said.

Lam didn’t respond to the allegations of forgery.

As the mediation proceeded, Jones said the mediator had

Student told her outfit is ‘indecent’ according to ARC policy

Employee allegedly asked female gym-goer to leave over sports bra Madison Bendall Assistant News Editor A student wearing a sports bra while working out is the most recent subject of increased policy enforcement in the Athletics and Recreation Centre (ARC).

Employees at the ARC gym have reportedly been asking students who are exercising to change their clothing in order to comply with guidelines in the athletics and recreation policy.

The policy itself has been around for several years, but the degree to which the rules have been enforced has been the subject of online debate—sparked by a post made by a student on Facebook which garnered nearly 1,000 likes.

Marina Galentovskaia, a Masters in International Business

student and the author of the post, was recently asked to leave the gym after an ARC employee deemed her outfit unsuitable to the standards of the policy.

“I was wearing a pair of high waisted tights and a sports bra, which was showing about one inch of my midriff.”

Galentovskaia said an employee approached her during her workout and described her workout attire as “indecent.”

Galentovskaia said the situation was discouraging, adding she felt singled out among the other gym-goers. The experience made her feel extremely uncomfortable and self-conscious.

“I found that by her approaching me in front of everyone and highlighting the issues with my clothing made me feel like something was wrong with me. I was second guessing myself and I felt like my confidence was torn.”

Galentovskaia hasn’t been the only student to face enforcement of the policy this week. She said many other woman reached out to her and explained similar situations had happened to them.

Some of the women who had reached out to Galentovskaia said

they had to leave the gym due to how uncomfortable the situation made them feel.

“I feel like everyone goes to the gym to gain self-confidence and feel comfortable [with] themselves,” she said. “Having to be told that the clothes that make someone feel confident aren’t suitable contradicts everything that a fitness facility is about.”

“People workout to feel confident, they take pride in their work and accomplishments.”

She added.

Galentovskaia said she believed the issue isn’t a result of employee misconduct., adding it’s about the policy and the management system.

“There’s no easy way to tell a girl that what she feels confident in is not permitted ... I don’t think it’s the employees fault. There is something going on in the higher up management process.”

Galentovskaia said every student deserves to feel confident and have a free choice of clothing.

“This is an issue which can easily be swept under the rug if we don’t take a stand.” journal_news@ams.queensu.ca

to tell Lam and MacInnis to leave the room so Jones could defend himself.

“Lam’s lawyer, Ian MacInnis, dominated the entire conversation and didn’t give me a chance to speak. I felt completely overwhelmed,” he said.

If you’re financially struggling or on student loans, it’s a huge burden you have to bear.

—Christopher Jones

Because Lam and MacInnis failed to provide Jones with evidence against him at least a week prior to mediation in September, Jones was granted another adjournment until March of 2018.

In an email to The Journal, Lam wrote, “the applications were adjourned for the reason that

Mock-up of 630 Princess St.

the Board thought it would be appropriate to hear both Landlord and Tenant applications at the same time as it dealt with the same property.”

“In summary, anyone can make allegations,” he continued. “The allegations are not substantiated with proof. It is unnecessary to repeat a legal process that has already occurred through a newspaper.”

In March, when mediation resumed, the mediator informed Jones that a hearing on his matter would last six hours.

Jones decided it wasn’t worth his time anymore. Exhausted and frustrated, he paid Lam $691—a reduction of nearly half the original amount Lam sought.

“It was just a very demoralizing experience,” Jones said. “If you’re financially struggling or on student loans, it’s a huge burden you have to bear.” journal_news@ams.queensu.ca

SUPPLIED BY STELMACH PROPERTY

‘It’s just not right’ Continued from front ... heard anything.”

Sayyed was told over the phone that the inspection would be done mid-August so the company would have time if issues arose.

“It shows a lack of organization on their part,” she said. “Why would you have an inspection literally the day before your

tenants are supposed to move in?

What landlord, what developer, what leasing company would ever think that’s a good idea?”

“I signed a lease, and that lease should be honoured,” she continued. “Why would I sign it only to have to go through all this now? It’s just not right.” journal_news@ams.queensu.ca

INFORMATION FOR ALL STUDENTS IMPACTED

BY SEXUAL VIOLENCE GET HELP, GIVE HELP queensu.ca/sexualviolencesupport Sexual Violence Prevention and Support Coordinator, Barb Lotan bjl7@queensu.ca

Galentovskaia said an employee described her attire as “indecent.”

JOURNAL FILE PHOTO

Friday, Sept 7, 2018

queensjournal.ca

Features

•5

IN-DEPTH STORIES FROM AROUND CAMPUS AND IN THE COMMUNITY

PHOTO BY TESSA WARBURTON

A TA giving back a mark to a student with whom he has had a romantic relationship.

The unclear rules of student-TA relationships Classroom romances lead to personal, academic complications

Samantha Fink Features Editor As students and teaching assistants (TAs) return to classes, some will bond over more than their lessons.

As of Fall 2017, the University employed 1,850 TAs in a wide range of departments, class sizes, and duties. But intimate relationships between some students and TAs might often be overlooked.

Most students are unsure if the relationships are even allowed.

Passed assignments, no submissions

One student, Josh*, had a one night stand with his TA, and said it made it difficult for him to return to class.

After being intimate with his TA, Josh watched him deliver a lecture a few days later and found their dynamic had changed.

“I lost all respect for him entirely,” Josh said.

Before they had sex, Josh appreciated the TA’s kindness but never considered him as a romantic partner. Then, he received a direct message on Instagram from him the TA and the tone of their dynamic shifted.

In the message, the TA reminded him of an upcoming assignment. The following months saw occasional flirtations build-up in and out of class, before the TA eventually invited Josh to The Underground’s Throwback Thursday.

“It was the most unbearable and awkward evening of my life,” Josh said, expressing disappointment over the night out. The experience was less than enjoyable, and he soon had trouble returning to class.

The lines between their academic and personal relationship began to blur.

The TA emailed Josh from his professional email address, asking about his absence. Josh responded, citing ‘personal reasons,’ but then texted him the truth: he was uncomfortable being in the class.

His TA assured him he would still pass.

Part of the students’ grade in the course was the submission of journal entries —one week, Josh accidentally handed in a journal entry he’d already submitted the previous semester.

After the hookup, Josh got an even better mark on the exact same journal entry a second time.

He then received a grade of at least a B-plus on an assignment he never even bothered to submit.

Still, as he lost romantic interest in his TA, Josh worried his grades would suffer. On the contrary, as his attendance decreased, his participation mark shot up.

“I know that he was grading me better because of what had happened,” Josh said.

According to Josh, it was clear from the program’s online system—an equivalent of onQ—that his TA was marking his work.

“I think there was an unspoken understanding that TAs aren’t allowed to hook up with their students,” Josh said. As a result, he kept their encounter a secret.

The following year, as Josh walked into a required class for his program, he was surprised to find the same TA instructing his class. He had an “internal cringe laugh reaction” and then switched sections. “[Still], I felt like I’d poisoned the well with any of the TAs. What if they talk? What do they think about me?”

He eventually switched programs.

“It was one of a hundred factors why I switched,” Josh said. “But I didn’t feel comfortable reaching out for the help and assistance that a TA is supposed to be there for.”

For Josh, the boundaries were unclear and rarely monitored.

Conflicts of interest

When Rob* ran into his PSYC 100 TA at Stages towards the end of second semester in 2017, she asked him to keep their flirtation under wraps.

“She was actually out with all the other TAs of that class, so she was like, ‘I’m not going to go home with you now, but here’s my number, I’ll text you when I get home,” Rob said. He thought that having their encounter publicly known about could potentially jeopardize her role as a TA. In reality, according to Mark Erdman, Acting Director of Media Relations and Issues at Queen’s, “there is no specific policy or guideline that addresses personal relationships between students and Teaching Assistants.”

While some students and TA’s may fear that their relations becoming public may put them in jeopardy, the opposite is true: disclosing their conflicts of interest is policy.

According to the Conflicts of Interest and Commitment Policy outlined by Queen’s Human Resources, having a conflict of interest does not necessarily mean the TA can no longer be involved in the relationship or the class—the TA simply must disclose the conflict of interest in writing to the course supervisor before a decision is made.

None of the people interviewed had any reason to believe their TA disclosed the relationship to a course supervisor, and most believed it was implied their relationship would remain secret. None of them were even sure of the rules regarding sexual and romantic relationships with TAs. On Rob’s first PSYC 100 exam, his mark was what he would call “middle of the pack.”

When the second one came back, however, he was shocked to find his mark had risen exponentially, and wondered if the increase had anything to do with his recent TA affair.

“It was the best I had ever done on an exam—ever,” Rob said.

As of 2017, PSYC 100’s grade distribution shows that in a class of 2,010 students,

sections to minimize conflicts of interest. My priorities are ensuring student safety and academic integrity,” Norris said.

“For the story”

While attending a small university in British Columbia a few years ago, a current Queen’s student had a similar encounter with his PSYC 100 professor.

“I was 19, and she was 45,” Daniel* said.

According to Daniel’s professor, such relationships were “much more common than you would think.”

Once again, Daniel had to be the one to tell the authority figure he was uncomfortable.

“I was screening her calls, and then eventually I just left her a message saying I was uncomfortable with it,” he said.

According to Daniel, he did it “100 per cent for the story.”

Struck by similar confusion surrounding the rules, other students chose to postpone relations with TA’s until their class together ended.

After matching on the dating app Hinge, Lana* spoke to her TA, but the pair waited until the class was over to pursue anything further.

“I knew he was my TA, so, I didn’t do anything about it. I don’t think he knew I was his student [when] he liked something on my profile,” Lana told The Journal.

“When I brought up the fact that he was my TA, he was like, ‘Maybe we shouldn’t do anything until the class is over.’ He waited until the last class was over and then he messaged me to go out.”

Of the people interviewed, the vast majority cited “the story” as one of the main —Mark Erdman Acting Director of Media reasons they were interested in hooking up Relations and Issues with their TA to begin with.

Whatever the connotation, there is no direct rule against it—as long it only 15 per cent end the year with a grade follows policy.

While marks may be influenced by an above an A-minus.

While Rob finished first semester with incentive to keep relationships secret, they a C, he ended the year in the top 15 per cent, may not have to be hidden after all.

“I actually have no idea what the rules with an A. In general, the department may reassign are,” said one student who resisted the TAs if a relationship is disclosed, according advances of her TA. “What are they?” to Meghan Norris, Chair of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Psychology.

“With proactive disclosure of dual-roles, *Names have been changed to protect the we can reassign students/TAs to other anonymity of students.

“There is no specific policy or guideline that addresses personal relationships between students and TAs.”

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Friday, Sept 7, 2018

EDITORIALS Ontario’s drunkenness defence a threat to all The Journal’s Perspective

Brigid Goulem

PHOTO BY JULIA BALAKRISHNAN

This editorial discusses sexual assault and may be triggering for some readers.

The Journal uses “survivor” to refer to those who have experienced sexual assault. We acknowledge this term is not universal.

Ontario’s recent decision to allow extreme intoxication as a legal defence of sexual assault threatens the physical and mental safety of every person in the province.

In August, Ontario Superior Court Justice Nancy Spies ruled that a man who voluntarily took a date-rape drug may use his impairment to defend his rape of a woman unconscious from alcohol intoxication. To win his case, the man must prove he was intoxicated to the point of automatism—a state in which a person is unaware of their actions.

The opportunity for a perpetrator to defend sexual assault with voluntary intoxication continues the social policing of women’s bodies when faced with targeted violence.

While all genders suffer from sexual violence, 99 per cent of sexual assault perpetrators in Canada are men. That said, every person’s safety is at risk when intoxication defends harm.

When a drunk driver kills

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someone unintentionally, they might still be charged with manslaughter and negligence.

Intoxicated sexual assault perpetrators similarly cause trauma but don’t face the same responsibility.

They should.

When voluntary intoxication causes trauma or fatality, it should be legally recognized as criminal.

Whenever sexual assault is discussed under this umbrella, it’s treated politically rather than as a universal social problem.

This intoxication defence expands the grey area for perpetrators to be acquitted of consequence. It also diminishes the already-tenuous capacity for sexual assault survivors to receive institutional recognition.

Importantly, this decision accepts the paradox that intoxication limits the ability to consent, yet also limits responsibility.

The voluntary decision to intoxicate yourself should not protect you from consequence for your violent actions. The harm you cause is your responsibility.

A legal acceptance of perpetrator intoxication invalidates the severity of assault’s impact on survivors.

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Even after a survivor navigates the complicated web of police investigation, this proves that further procedural issues halt progress in the judicial system. It indicates the wide misunderstanding of the physical and mental consequences of sexual violence.

Ontario’s acceptance of voluntary intoxication not only makes it harder for survivors to deal with their trauma. It makes it harder for society and the criminal justice system to recognize sexual assault as a systemic problem, regardless of inebriation.

Within Queen’s rampant drinking culture, this ruling threatens every student with the knowledge that the law may not validate assault if the abuser drinks too much.

It sets a dangerous precedent for an often-private act with no bystanders present to corroborate the survivor’s story or the intoxication of any party.

The extreme intoxication defence for sexual assault marks social regression. It takes fundamental rights from the survivor and gives them to the abuser.

—Journal Editorial Board

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Women’s magazines promote women’s public health Women’s health and government policy go hand-in-hand. In a year that highlighted gendered abuses, women’s magazines have provided essential information.

In the past year, the value of women’s magazines has become more evident than ever. The volatile political climate in the United States has seeped across the border, and the #MeToo movement has brought life-or-death t h re a t s to wo m e n’ s health and safety to the forefront.

Wo m e n’ s magazines are publications known for covering fashion, beauty, and celebrity culture. However, because of such features, these magazines are overlooked for the important reporting they do on women’s issues.

As other issues take up space in the news cycle, women’s magazines have ensured women stay informed on issues that often uniquely affect them, such as sexual health, access to abortion, sexual harassment, and mental health.

These magazines are an essential source of health information at a time when women’s health is once again drastically politicized and threatened.

Whether it’s access to abortion, contraceptive measures, issues of consent, or workplace protections against sexual harassment— women’s issues are shaped by policy.

Wo m e n’ s magazines understand that and make an effort to communicate the importance of these political decisions to their readers.

After the recent provincial election, Flare magazine

published a story highlighting their concerns about the Ontario government.

Flare reporter Laura Hensley wrote Premier Ford’s support of pro-life policies is “a scary AF [sic] thought because reducing access to safe, legal abortions has historically put women in dangerous situations.”

This reporting addresses topical issues through a lens focused on and often written by women. So much of journalism overlooks the important issues women deal with—these magazines ensure women have the information they need to equip themselves for the 21st century.

Access to abortion and birth control have been long-fought battles for women, and magazines like Flare and Elle Canada call out those who jeopardize that access.

Furthermore, these articles promote political mobilization.

With Ontario’s reform of sex ed, magazines like Seventeen and Teen Vogue step in where government fails. Young adults can turn to these sources for reliable information about their sexuality and learn about available resources.

These publications prioritize and validate women’s issues. In doing so, they allow their readers to follow their example.

While these publications are so often viewed simply as advertising for fashion and beauty brands, they are a critical resource for women to understand how politics impact them.

For so long, men’s issues have been viewed as political issues, and women’s issues as personal issues. This growing trend of political reporting in women’s magazines challenges that narrative and empowers audiences through knowledge.

Brigid is The Journal’s Arts Editor.

She is a fourth-year politics student.

Friday, Sept 7, 2018

queensjournal.ca

OPINIONS

•7

Your Perspective

Rethinking frosh week

One ArtSci student’s perspective on why orientation week misses the mark Dannetta feels ArtSci frosh week needs improvement through more engaging actitivies.

Luca Dannetta Contributor Frosh week sets the tone for the best four years of your life—full of fun, new friends, and new experiences.

But not for me. It was the most underwhelming experience of my time at Queen’s so far and I felt isolated throughout my first week here.

Putting it bluntly: my Frosh Week sucked—but Queen’s doesn’t.

That’s okay.

“As an ArtSci student, I felt my faculty’s orientation week’s events missed the mark.”

As an ArtSci student, I felt my faculty’s Orientation Week events missed the mark. I didn’t experience the same kind of bond between classmates that I thought my peers in Commerce and Engineering seemed to enjoy.

While these faculty’s may

appear to have more fun, tight-knit Orientation Weeks due to smaller number of students and longstanding traditions, ArtSci frosh organizers fail to relate to a mature and quickly evolving audience.

In recent years, the University has increasingly tried to discourage the drinking culture often associated with frosh week.

But to curb drinking habits, especially during organized faculty-wide events, there has to be alternatives to events centered around shaving cream and hula hoops.

To me, making 18-year-old students play games designed for children doesn’t discourage drinking. It encourages it.

We’re young adults and smart ones at that. Covering each other in shaving cream, rolling in the dirt, tossing bean bags, or running through an inflatable obstacle course isn’t engaging. It doesn’t hold your attention.

When the choices presented to incoming first-year students during frosh week are drinking or participating in events that resemble summer camp activities, plenty of students will choose the booze.

This isn’t to say drinking

culture should be embraced The mystery concert was hyped or tolerated by frosh week up all week, and I remember my organizers —it shouldn’t. frosh leaders talking about how But there must be a middle excited they were and how we ground where students can enjoy were going to love it. themselves in an environment they After hearing about my friends find engaging. at other schools seeing some of my I spent the whole of my ArtSci favourite artists, I had high hopes. frosh week experience looking at Post Malone played at my phone, bored out of my mind, McMaster. Mariana’s Trench or wishing I was somewhere else. played at Western. Jazz Cartier While other faculty’s first- played at McGill. year students bonded based on At Queen’s, we had shared interests, talents, and Mother Mother, and I don’t tradition, I bonded with my think that I’d ever been new classmates over how more disappointed—especially disinterested we were while considering the hype the concert participating in ArtSci’s Orientation had garnered over the course of Week activities.

Frosh Week.

With all of this being said, I love Queen’s, I loved first year, and I wouldn’t choose anywhere else if I had to do it all over again.

The people here are smart, engaging, and fun young people.

I was able to discover that with no thanks to an underwhelming frosh week.

The importance of Frosh Week can’t be overstated, though.

I made my first friends Although I survived through it here. Even the one ArtSci enough to eventually love Queen’s, frosh event I looked there are other ArtSci frosh who forward to most—the might not have been as lucky. mystery concert—left much Frosh Week sets the tone for to be desired. how incoming first-year students

“Frosh week sets the tone for the best four years of your life.”

Talking heads ... can you describe frosh week in one word?

PHOTO BY CHRIS YAO

“Making 18 year old students play games designed for children doesn’t discourage drinking.” will feel about their school, and establishes whether they’ll start the academic year discouraged or with positivity.

It stands as the first real opportunity to teach incoming students the important things that will make their experience at Queen’s safe and successful.

It’s an opportunity to start things off on the right foot.

Arts and Science is the biggest faculty at Queen’s, and it really has the potential to create something special.

But it’s incumbent on the leadership of those who organize its Orientation Week activities to engage with students and ask what they’d like to see changed.

Luca Dannetta is a second-year History student.

PHOTOS BY CHRIS YAO

“Community.”

“Exciting.”

“Hectic.”

“Stupid and or crazy.”

Melanie Crasta CompSci ’21

Elise Ngo ConEd ’21

Josh Mosley ArtSci’ 20

Dan Wolfe ArtSci’ 21

8 • queensjournal.ca

Friday, Sept. 7, 2018

Arts

NEW MUSIC

The Wilderness release new single Local band makes noise in the Kingston music scene Brittany Giliforte Assistant Arts Editor

PHOTOS BY CHRIS YAO

Existere cast performing at Grant Hall ahead of the annual frosh-week performance.

EXISTERE

Inclusion through comedy: Existere welcomes frosh with sex jokes Students introduced to Queen’s with annual sketch show Brittany Giliforte Assistant Arts Editor Sexism, peer pressure, casual sex and mental health—no topic is off limits for Existere’s 24th annual Frosh Week performance.

First year students gathered in Grant Hall on Sept. 2 to watch the orientation staple, where cast members try to recreate the thrill they experienced seeing the show as frosh.

“If we could make just one first year feel [included], that’s all you could ask for.”

—Lily Casey, ArtSci ’20

“I loved Existere because I came in, sat down, and didn’t have to do anything except enjoy seeing myself represented up onstage,” cast member Lily Casey, ConEd ’21, told The Journal.

“If we could make one first year feel that way, that’s all you could ask for.”

Alongside three cast members, Existere director Marlisa Hows, ArtSci ’20, and co-director Paul Smith, ArtSci ’20, sat down with The Journal to discuss how Existere tries to include every student.

They explained the cast members performed scenes that have been used in the past, but were adjust to fit this year’s vision.

Every year, Existere performs sexual comedy that hits on the bold and unexpected aspects of their humour. Their Vertical Beds scene involves one, two or three actors standing behind a white sheet.

They wriggle around behind the sheets, frantically moaning and screaming to create the over-the-top sex scenes that highlight every year’s performance.

“Usually, Existere is funny because we talk about sex and first years are always so surprised that the University is running something like this,” Hows told The Journal.

While in past years, the over-the-top sexual nature of the show was intended to make students feel comfortable expressing themselves, Hows and Smith wanted it to go further this year.

Existere addressed inclusion and sexuality during their frosh week performance.

It was on display in the show’s bed scene. As cast members made their normal extravagant sex performances, one peeked out and made it clear she was alone.

This entire scene exposes students to the realities of the world by representing members of various sexual identities, orientations and preferences, including abstinence.

“This year, there are a lot of scenes that represent people who aren’t interested in sex, and we’re finding that with that balance, the show still works,” Hows said.

“This year, there are a lot of scenes that represent people who aren’t interested in sex, and we’re finding that with that balance, the show still works.”

—Marlisa Hows, ArtSci ’20

The troupe’s efforts to show so many different types of people stem from their goal of making each student feel welcome and accepted on campus.

The theme reappeared as cast members walked on stage and delivered one-liners to show labels don’t define them, whether it was struggling to pay tuition or living with a physical barrier.

While its stand-by sex jokes are a highlight of the show, the cast made sure to incorporate information about the resources available to students on campus.

In a metaphor for alcoholism, a student developed an addiction to video games, started skipping class and neglected her mental health. As a solution, she was directed to the Peer Support Centre.

The scene kept with the cast’s persistent stress on the importance of mental health and noticing signs of depression.

It taught frosh the importance of looking out for themselves—and their peers.

Inspiration for The Wilderness’ newest single, “Dancing in the Dive Bars,” struck when they needed it most.

Fresh off their U.S. tour, broke and exhausted, the band turned their sorry situation into music.

Like their post-tour life, the new single is about dancing despite unaffordable bills and long lists of expenses.

“It’s kind of a rip-off of ‘Dancing in the Dark’ by Bruce Springsteen,” vocalist Jonas Lewis-Anthony told The Journal in an interview.

Though the title is a tribute to Springsteen, their song is an original. In its first few bars, Lewis-Anthony croons, “I’m the King of the deadbeats / you’re the Queen of the cheap seats.”

As the tempo builds, the lyrics tell the story of a couple with no money and a complete disregard for responsibility.

It’s a departure. In the past, The Wilderness released straightforward rock with little in the way of musical space or breathing room. Keyboardist and drummer, Liam Neale, called the new direction more ambient than their normal flair.

“Like an 80s Synth Pop song that’s played by a Rock and Roll band,” Neale told The Journal. “We built this song a little differently, also.”

Normally, Lewis-Anthony writes the lyrics on an acoustic guitar, then brings the idea to the group to workshop it. This time, he found inspiration outside of the band.

“I wrote the song with my friend, Kody,” Lewis-Anthony said, “He told me to take all the money I’ve got left and instead of paying my rent, just go dancing in the dive bars, so we wrote the song around that line.”

The band wants this to be a step forward.

In 2017, they released an album but were disappointed with the results. With the single in tow, they have far higher expectations for their new album.

“We have one album out that we’re not very proud of. It was a really long process and I think we can all agree that we love the songs on the album [but] we just don’t love how it all turned out,” Lewis-Anthony said.

“Our focus now has been to bring out newer music that we’ve spent a lot more time recording really well.”

The band’s determination to release newer, better-recorded music has been proven successful so far with their March single, “Hurry Up and Wait.”

They’re hoping “Dancing in the Dive Bars” will see similar progess after they perform it live for the first time Friday, Sept. 7 at The Brooklyn. It will be the first of the band’s Fall Residency at the local bar. The end date will likely be in November, but it’s still undecided.

It will all depend on the audience’s reception of their performances as a resident artist. To keep things interesting, the band promised they would never play the same set list twice.

“That’s our goal. Every week there will be something new,” Lewis-Anthony said.

Arts

Friday, Sept 7, 2018

queensjournal.ca

•9

BAND PROFILE

Deux Trois’ aggressive sound is good for your ‘Health’ Deux Trois perfomring at the Brooklyn on Thursday, Aug. 30 2018.

Local band makes noise in Kingston music scene Brittany Giliforte & Raechel Huizinga Journal Staff Deux Troix is a noisy, abrasive rock band—but it has a heart.

Made up of lead vocalist and drummer Nadia Pacey, guitarist Ben Webb and bassist Benjamin Nelson, Deux Trois is a three-piece band. “[We’re] light, dark, cute and sexy,” Webb said in an interview with The Journal.

“We can be aggressive in our

stage performance, but there’s a lot of tenderness there,” Pacey said.

“It’s mostly dark and dynamic. It’s emo adjacent.”

Deux Trois accomplishes that balance in their album Health.

The album—which debuted in June—jumps between powerful, hectic instrumentals like “Salt” while still managing to drift into softer and slower tunes like “Blur.”

“Don’t give me honey, syrup or sugar, baby / Gimme [sic] your salt,” Pacey croons on “Salt.” The tune refuses the sweetness often associated with romance, asking for bitterness instead.

The album follows this theme: unrequited love ballad “Dave,” straddles the sexual desire in

“Caves in My Cheeks” and creates a raw, emotional honesty for the band.

Pacey grew up in Kingston, playing in bands and developing her craft. Her aversion to traditional romance in her personal relationships strengthened her approach to songwriting.

She spent years writing the songs on Health alone in her bedroom, which isn’t the most fostering environment for upbeat poppy love songs.

This was before she finally joined forces with Nelson and Webb. Together, they transformed electronic beats into rock music.

“I knew when I had written

COMEDY

The Queen’s roots of Carly Heffernan’s comedy Queen’s alum channels university into comedy and feminism Brigid Goulem Arts Editor Carly Heffernan didn’t realize how much she loved comedy until she saw Queen’s Players.

Today, Heffernan is big in the Toronto comedy scene. An award-winning alumnus of Second City Toronto, she is the director of the Second City National touring company, the all-female Second City Chicago show She the People as well as the main stage show Come What Mayhem!

Heffernan is undeniably a force in the Canadian comedy world, and she got her start on campus.

After going to see a Queen’s Player’s show, she had a newfound interest in comedy. She auditioned to be a cast member and eventually ended up as president of the club.

“That was a really great toe-dip into comedy,” Heffernan told The Journal in a phone interview.

Heffernan says that Queen’s Players is not that different from what she does today.

“I work for Second City and

I always describe that Second City is kind of like doing Queen’s Players for a living with way … less alcohol. Queen’s Players was very formative for me, finding that I had this passion for comedy which I really hadn’t considered before.”

The relationships she formed while in Players helped Heffernan created a base to launch her post-university career.

She and her fellow Queen’s Players cast mate Emma Hunter, as well as other female performers, they formed an all-female sketch troupe called She Said What?

The troupe performed all around Toronto for five or six years, Heffernan said.

While performing with She Said What? she fell in love with Second City.

“I had that same feeling that I had when I watched that Queen’s Players show. I thought, ‘I really want to do that. I really want to be on that stage.’”

She decided to go for it.

It worked out for her. Today, She the People, a show that she

is directing, is mainstage at Second City Toronto. Heffernan is very excited, not only for her professional accomplishments, but for the fact that She the People is an all-woman show.

“It’s all women!” she said.

“Created by women, and performed by women, and a creative crew that’s all women.”

Heffernan sees this as a big step.

“I think for a long time, female stories have been told from the male lens. They’ve been written by and put together for men,” she said. “Having those more diverse voices telling their stories and telling them authentically—the art is just so much better.”

She The People promises an excellent collection of sketches.

While the show addresses the micro and macro-aggressions that women face in their daily lives, it also also addresses issues to do with the human experience. It’s something Heffernan believes everyone will enjoy.

“It delves into everything

PHOTO BY BRITTANY GILIFORTE

them that they were made for a full band,” Pacey said. “They were not supposed to be just electronic music I made by myself.”

While the band has had success on campus, they reach beyond the student audience to those at local Kingston bars, and more recently at the Wolfe Island Music Festival.

For Pacey, the appeal is simple: “everyone comes and they scream” at a Deux Troix show.

The group’s undeniable energy took over The Brooklyn on Aug. 30 when they released their new merchandise for the Health EP. The product is an entirely recyclable lyric booklet and notebook featuring original artwork by Ben Nelson.

The release party featured a vendor-style night market where other Kingston locals sold art prints and sculpted figures while the audience shopped and danced freely to Pacey’s softer take on a heavy metal death growl, complemented by her signature stomping and smashing on the drums.

Off stage, Deux Trois is supporting environmental sustainability in their merchandise production while also revamping the local music scene. They invited Kingston artists to join their event to demonstrate how creators can be versatile in their work.

Pacey said she would love to see Kingston artists support each other in similar ways and even follow in her footsteps by hosting more collective events.

Deux Trois will be touring around Ontario this fall, and are planning a trip to New York City to perform at the Rockwood Music Hall.

“That’s my ambition, to rely on music as my main source of income for the rest of my life,” Pacey said. “If I can do that, I will have succeeded. That’s the dream.

But you need to be able to trudge.

You need to work. I think we’ve shown each other that we’re completely willing to do that for the dream.”

from body image, to the #MeToo movement, to how annoying it is when you mispronounce a word —it’ a really full spectrum,” she said.

Shows like She the People offer a uniquely feminine perspective on so many issues—something Heffernan really values.

“I hope that we keep pushing in this direction—more authentically diverse voices. This show is such a fun and great time and it’s very odd that you go to a comedy show and you laugh and you cry and you think—and I think it’s a great catalyst to keep pushing us in that direction.”

Heffernan is directing the show She the People, on now at Second City.

PHOTO SUPPLIED BY DANIEL SHEHORI

10 •queensjournal.ca

Friday, Sept 7, 2018

Sports OBITUARY

Achintya Garikaparthi remembered Member of Quidditch team lovingly remembered by peers and teammates Garikaparthi was 18 years old.

Matt Scace Sports Editor Earlier this summer, family and friends mourned the loss of Queen’s student and member of the Quidditch team, 18-year-old Achintya Garikaparthi.

Garikaparthi tragically passed away on July 27 at the age of 18 in a three-car collision in his hometown of Nassau, Bahamas.

He’d recently completed his second year as a Commerce student. In high school, he skipped a grade, allowing him to come to Queen’s a year early.

Despite his young age, Garikaparthi embraced the university experience and quickly found a place on the Quidditch team. He was set to

be the treasurer for the club this coming year.

Former Quidditch Team Captain Sam McCaul said that teammates would often rib Garikaparthi for his age—largely because he acted older than it.

“He was like our young guy.

We’d go, ‘Oh, Chinny, our little team baby.’ But he never acted like it—he was so mature for his age. He never hated it,” McCaul said. “He was a good kid—really good kid.”

McCaul said she spoke for every member on the team when describing him as “an absolute great energy to be around.”

“He was very friendly, always giving you hugs [and was] always excited to see you,” she said.

Alongside the kindness and

love Garikaparthi’s friends said he was able to spread, his competitive drive was an understated quality that his teammates witnessed almost exclusively.

According to teammate and friend, Eric Irwin, Garikaparthi was a kind and warm friend off the field. But on the field, he had a fire within him.

“He was a completely fearless player,” Irwin said. “There’d be guys twice his size and he’d try to take them down in a tackle.”

McCaul recalled last year’s National Championships, which were held by Quidditch Canada.

In the middle of one of their games—where the Gaels found

themselves down early and low on energy—Garikaparthi landed one of the biggest hits some of his teammates had seen all season.

“He was running down a really good tackler mid-run and we were all just like, ‘Oh my god, how did he do that?’” McCaul said.

As Garikaparthi became close to his teammates throughout their two years together, they learned a handful of little-known things about him that added even more colour to his character.

Of the little tidbits of information he shared with his friends, the explanation behind his first name—Achintya—was a perfect reflection of himself. His

PHOTO SUPPLIED BY QUEEN’S QUIDDITCH CLUB

last name translates to the phrase “Hakuna Matata,” a familiar saying that translates to, “No worries.”

“He very much lived up to that,” McCaul said. “He had that ‘no worries’ kind of attitude.”

To honour Garikaparthi’s legacy, the Quidditch team elected to retire the number 13—the number he wore over his two years at Queen’s.

“It was a pretty obvious thing to do,” McCaul said, reflecting on Garikaprthi’s impact on the team’s bond. “Our team really is a family … losing someone is really, really difficult for all of us.”

“He was a great, great part of our little family.”

F OOTBALL

Gaels split opening games of season Queen’s defeat York in season opener, lose to Laurier Matt Scace Sports Editor Three weeks into their season, it’s been a tale of two tapes for the Queen’s football team.

A quarter way through their 2018-19 campaign, the Gaels hold a split record and starting lineup that’s continuing to adapt to the significant losses of graduating players.

In their first duel with the York Lions on Aug. 26, Queen’s took 22 points in the fourth quarter to edge out their opponent 42-21 in Toronto.

This past Sunday told a different story. The Gaels were unable to sustain their momentum in the home opener, losing to the fourth nationally-ranked Laurier Golden Hawks 44-18.

For head coach Pat Sheahan, his team’s split record indicates they’re currently undergoing a “process of a few weeks.” But this, he added, doesn’t mean the Gaels won’t be able to compete with the best the OUA has to offer.

Against Laurier, for instance,

Sheahan said he saw two teams in very different stages of their evolution.

“Basically, in a nutshell, we’re not ready to compete at that level,” Sheahan, who is in his 19th year heading the Queen’s football program, told The Journal earlier this week. “We’ve got some new guys in new roles and unfortunately it takes just a bit of time to acclimatize.”

At the close of the 2017-18 campaign, the Gaels bid farewell to 10 players on the defensive end and seven more on offense.

The transition has, according to Sheahan, gone as smooth as he could’ve asked for—and it will only improve as the team’s chemistry improves.

“Unfortunately it takes just a bit of time to acclimatize … everyone’s just melding together,” he said.

Even in light of a considerable roster overhaul, Queen’s have managed to string together a formidable start to their season—especially relative to their previous campaign.

The Gaels were a

Quarterback Nate Hobbs currently has a 58.7 per cent pass completion rate.

mistake-laden group in the first half of last season, losing their first four games in successive weeks. In their 2017-18 opener, Queen’s gave up a touchdown with 18 seconds remaining to lose 22-17; in their second, they gave up a field-length punt return touchdown with a minute remaining to lose 14 - 13.

But this fall, the Gaels look sharper, cooler under pressure, and without as many unforced errors.

Against York, Queen’s saw their veteran core pull through late in the game after being up by just five points to open the fourth quarter.

Fifth-year quarterback Nate Hobbs and third-year running back Jake Puskas both recorded touchdowns in the closing frame.

Against Laurier—despite being outmatched against their first nationally-ranked team this

season—the Gaels held onto the ball well under the pressure of an experienced opposing defensive line.

Most notable of Queen’s improved play this season has been their ability to limit turnovers.

The Gaels have yet to commit a fumble or turn the ball over on downs in both their opening games. Last season, the team suffered the third most fumbles lost (13-6) and interceptions (10) in the OUA. But on the flipside, Queen’s opponents have been equally strong at holding onto the ball.

“We probably haven’t been as sure-handed in getting turnovers,” Sheahan said, citing the significant losses to their defensive front this year. “We’re just very young all over the defence.”

PHOTO BY JASON SCOURSE.

Meanwhile, on offense, Hobbs is looking to shake some final bits of rust off after a breakout campaign last year.

The quarterback held an overall 58.7 per cent completion percentage on average against York and Laurier compared to his 64.5 per cent average on the pass last season.

Sheahan said he isn’t too worried about Hobbs’ performance and thinks his completion percentage will improve with a simple formula.

“It’s game reps that he needs,” Sheahan said. “He needs game reps against quality opponents.”

This Saturday, the Gaels will look to improve their record at home when they host the University of Toronto Varsity Blues this Saturday at Richardson Field.

Friday, Sept 7, 2018

MEN’S SOCCER

Gaels aiming for rebound season Wealth of young talent draws excitement Jack Rabb Contributor According to men’s soccer coach Christian Hoefler, this year’s team is going to put on a show worth watching.

Looking to improve on last year’s sixth place finish in the OUA East, Hoefler—entering his fifth year at the helm of the Gaels—recently lauded his squad’s chemistry in an interview with The Journal as a reason to be optimistic for the coming season.

The coach attested to how off-field camaraderie works in conjunction with his team’s style of play. He said their highly technical, quick and skilled attack works best through players’ innate sense of each other’s games.

“There’s a brotherhood there,” Hoefler said. “And you can see it right on the field.

They’re brave, they’re gifted—the best group I’ve seen in a while.”

For him, the Gaels’ style of play is “quick, entertaining and productive.”

The 2017-18 campaign saw Queen’s win six of their 16 regular season matches and cap their season with a 2-0 loss to the Ryerson Rams in the first round of the OUA playoffs. According to Hoefler, his team’s disappointing year ultimately proved to be valuable for the development of his program and its rookies.

This season, the Gaels have seven players returning for their second year with the team. Defender Christopher Meyer and forward Matt Reale, for instance, played in 15 and nine games, respectively, out of a possible 16.

“They’re [a] seasoned [group],” Hoefler said his crop of returning players. The team’s wealth of young talent positions the program to grow in the coming years, he added.

In light of last year’s middling result, coach Hoefler said, “they’re hungry to dominate.”

Despite optimism for the team’s chemistry, the Gaels’ graduating class will be missed.

Queen’s will have a hole to fill in the final third, with forward Jacob Schroeter, the team’s leading scorer, graduating and departing the program. The former Gaels’ captain netted 12 goals in fourteen games in 2017-18 and recorded 54 shots on goal.

Their schedule is balanced, save for two arduous weekends with a home-and-away series against the University of Toronto Varsity Blues in Toronto and Ryerson University in Kingston on Sept. 15 and 16, respectively.

Both teams had the Gaels’ number in recent years, with Ryerson and U of T ending Queen’s playoff run last season and in 2015.

Meanwhile, this past weekend, the Gaels began their season in winning fashion, shutting down Laurentian 2-0 at home. This weekend, they’ll venture to Oshawa and Peterborough for matches against the University of Ontario Institute of Technology and Trent University on Friday and Sunday.

queensjournal.ca

• 11

ROWING

Deane wins silver at FISU Gaels rower medals at world championships in Shanghai, China Maggie Gowland Assistant Sports Editor It was her first time racing over international waters, but fifth-year rower Cassidy Deane looked beyond her years representing Canada at the International University Sport Federation (FISU) World Championships this past August in Shanghai, China.

Deane—who won OUA gold in 2017-18 with the Gaels—competed in the Canadian women’s 8+ crew at the championships, helping her boat reach a narrow silver medal finish.

The Canadians finished two seconds behind the first-place Great Britain team, and just under a second ahead of the bronze medalists, the United States.

After placing third in the preliminary heats, Deane said pulling ahead late in the championships made for an exciting finish.

“We were sitting in third place the whole race, until the last 1500 [meters], when we passed the [U.S.] pretty close to the finish line,” Deane told The Journal. “It was exciting that everyone committed together.”

The greatest challenge for her boat, she added, came from adjusting to Shanghai’s blistering summer heat throughout the tournament.

While at the championships, the average temperature in China’s biggest city hovered around 35 degrees.

Deane said the conditions were so difficult to train in the team cut back on their anticipated practice times, and even struggled in their first race.

“It was extremely hot, and we didn’t perform as well as we’d hoped to,” Deane said. “Part of it was the nerves, because a lot us were racing internationally for the first time and weren’t used to dealing with the heat.”

Soon after, a typhoon hit Shanghai, on the morning of the finals.

The drastic drop in temperature helped Deane’s Canadian boat dig deep, and in the last 500 meters of the race, move past the U.S. to clinch a silver medal.

“It was definitely a clean commitment,” Deane said of her and her teammates’ late-race surge. “You can feel in a boat if someone isn’t committing, because it doesn’t run as well, and we were all moving together.”

“I don’t actually remember the last 300 [meters] of the race because all that I could think about was drive as hard as you can … [E]verything hurts and your muscles are screaming.

You’re in pain, there’s the lactic acid. You want it to end—but you know you can do it.”

Beyond her joy representing Canada and bringing home silver, the experience at FISU was meaningful for Deane because it highlighted the strides she’s made in her career.

Originally from Whistler, B.C., Deane got her introduction to rowing in her second year at Queen’s. Starting off with the Gaels’ novice team, she made varsity after a spending a summer training with the Kingston Rowing Club.

When Deane made a standout

performance at the Ontario Speed Orders in June 2018, Rowing Canada came calling. One successful tryout later, and she was headed to FISU with the national team—only three years after first competing in a boat.

As training camp ends and the OUA competitive season begins, Deane said she’s feeling optimistic about the Gaels going forward.

Last season, the Gaels piled up six gold

medals at the OUA Championships—Deane helped to earn for one of those after finishing first in the women’s pair with teammate Paige Adams.

“There have been a couple people who have risen to the occasion,” she said of the rowing program. “We have a bigger team this year and a higher calibre of athletes and they’re already great.”

Deane (left) in Shanghai after winning the silver medal.

PHOTO SUPPLIED BY CASSIDY DEANE

NAM Tip #1

To oil thigh, or not to oil thigh; deliberating to whom a behaviour obligation is owed.

Amended Queen’s University Student Code of Conduct, 2018 To Þle a complaint, view the Code of Conduct, or for more information, visit: www.myAMS.org/NAM. For Non-Adversarial, Peer-toPeer, Non-Academic Misconduct consultation, contact: Judicial Affairs Manager Alma Mater Society | QueenÕs University | Room 038, JDUC | judicial@ams.queensu.ca | (613) 533-6000 ext. 77944

12 •queensjournal.ca

Friday, Sept 7, 2018

The Gaels defeated Waterloo 74-6 last weekend.

MEN’S RUGBY

PHOTO BY IAN MACALPINE

Queen’s going for more gold

Gaels looking to win second OUA Championship in as many years Maggie Gowland Assistant Sports Editor After reclaiming its status as the province’s best with a commanding win in the 2017-18 OUA Championships, the men’s rugby team isn’t showing signs of slowing down.

WOMEN’S SOCCER

Coming out of training camp, the Gaels hit the ground running in their first regular season game, ending in an impressive 74-6 win over Waterloo.

Although the first twenty minutes of the game were “a little bit sloppy,” Gaels Head Coach Dave Butcher told The Journal in an interview, the team led 36-6 at

halftime before scoring 38 more points in the second half.

Butcher said the team arrived at training camp fitter than in previous years, putting them two to three weeks ahead of where they were at the start of last season.

“One of the big things is how fast we can move around the pitch, hence why we need the boys in such fit physical shape to play like that,” Butcher said, now in his second year leading the Gaels.

“We’ve started that already … We can see how fast the guys are moving, and how hard we’ve been pushing them.”

With his team at mid-season fitness levels, Butcher’s feeling confident about their ability to control the flow of the game. He said his main focus is on his team’s internal, on-field intent and approaching the season with a methodical game by game approach.

“We haven’t banned talking about winning, but the language that we use talks about winning within the game,” Butcher said. “Their desire and intent to perform is there already, so the errors they’re making are because they’re pushing themselves so hard, rather than errors through lack of effort.”

Despite key players Alex Colborne and Kainoa Lloyd graduating, the Gaels brought in six recruits this offseason—all of whom played on the under-18 Canadian national team last year.

The team is looking at a full schedule of competition this coming fall season, with only one weekend off between their opening match last week and the OUA final.

Beyond league play, Butcher and the Gaels are hoping to attend this year’s national championships, which are scheduled in

Victoria, B.C, this coming November.

The Gaels opted against playing in the championships last because their scheduled start fell too close in with the OUA Final.

This year, however, there will be two weeks between the OUA final and the championships, allowing the men ample time to rest between competitions.

Due to a high volume of rugby, Butcher knows that keeping the athletes healthy is a priority for the team to succeed.

The work of the Gaels’ strength and conditioning team and therapy staff is “just as important as the coaching staff,” Butcher said. “Those are the guys that keep them on the pitch, and we are the guys that coach them on the pitch.”

Regardless, the team stands confident for the rest of the season. Butcher said the prospect of playing at nationals adds another level of excitement for his team.

The Gaels’ game on Sept. 28 against the Guelph Gryphons, who Queen’s has played against in the OUA final for three consecutive years, will likely give them their toughest run for gold. Butcher added the Laurier Golden Hawks—his team’s next opponent this coming Saturday—could also be a conference contender.

“We’re looking forward to playing [Laurier] because it will show us where we are … We’ll have to really perform to get a win out of these guys,” Butcher said. He added the team’s plan of attack, irrespective of opponent, remains the same to last season: focus on what is of control to the task at hand.

“We focus on what we do, and the rest will take care of itself.”

Gaels to find fresh footing in new season ‘Goals set very high’ going into 2018 season Maggie Gowland Assistant Sports Editor Despite a large crop of new faces rounding out the women’s soccer team’s roster this season, head coach Dave McDowell is confident his squad will continue to be a perennial threat in the OUA. “We are a different group this year, an ambitious group, with goals set very high,” McDowell told The Journal in an interview. “We’re focusing just on how much we need to get better with every training session to get us those goals.”

The Gaels, who finished fifth in the OUA East last season, bid farewell to seven graduating players this offseason.

Most notably, the team will be looking to fill the hole that forward Lauren Callender left. She led the conference with 13 goals in the 2017-18 campaign.

Now, with a core group from last year’s recruiting class and a handful of rookies, the women are digging their heels in to stick with the OUA’s best.

Some of this season’s key seniors include Jenny Wolever, who led the OUA last year with 19 points. Alongside Wolever, Lidia Bradau and Alexandra Doane are becoming an increasingly dynamic attacking duo. Last year, Bradau was named an OUA First-Team All-Star, while Doane potted an OUA third-best 10 goals.

As for the younger players, McDowell said they’re progressively fitting into the spaces that graduates left behind.

“We realize with being young that we’re going to do some young things and I think we need to learn a lot,” he said. “[We’ve] got the end goal in sight, but understand what you have to do to get there … The process itself is a work in progress.”

Despite a small sample size of games to evaluate the squad with, the Gaels found early success in preseason competition at the end of the summer.

After winning a gold medal at the Old Four Tournament against McGill, University of Toronto and Western, the Gaels soared into their first exhibition game with a win over the University of Alberta.

In their first regular season game last Saturday against the Nipissing Lakers, Queen’s used a quick start to their advantage.

The Gaels scored three times in just the opening half and came away with a 4-2 win.

Wolever was the starred, scoring a hat-trick in her team’s home debut.

The following day, Queen’s came out on top again, beating Laurentian 4-1 in what topped off their first weekend series sweep of the season.

With a perfect opening weekend under their belts, the Gaels—who are currently ranked fifth nationally—are well on their way to keeping up with their ambitions McDowell said this weekend’s matchups will be a valuable experience for his young team when they take on the University of Ontario Institute of technology and Trent this weekend.

“Any game away is hard, especially for a young team while they’re still learning what it takes to play away from home.”

Jenny Wolever (above) cashed in 19 points last season.

PHOTO BY IAN MACALPINE

Friday, Sept 7, 2018

queensjournal.ca

• 13

Lifestyle MOVIE REVIEW

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before excels through unique characters

Lara Jean and Peter on a bus.

Social media favourite rom-com boasts standout cast Michelle Boon Staff Writer An otherwise standard Netflix rom-com has made waves on social media in recent weeks, and it’s largely a credit to its actors’ character development and relatability.

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before—based on the novel of the same title and released in mid-August—follows Lara Jean Covey, a shy Korean-American who writes a letter to each boy she’s ever loved. There are five letters in total, all written to boys who do not reciprocate her love—including her sister’s boyfriend Josh.

Lara Jean keeps her letters secret and stowed away in her closet until they are mysteriously mailed out. To avoid her confronting her real feelings for Josh, she begins a fake relationship with the beautiful and

popular Peter Kavinsky.

I first read the book in high school and immediately related to Lara Jean. As a Filipina-Indonesian Canadian, it was refreshing to read a best-selling book focused on an Asian character who I could identify with.

Although it diverges from the norm with a Korean-American main character, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before focuses on typical rom-com tropes instead of the struggles of being a visible minority.

Social media’s obsession with the film mostly revolves around Peter, played by Noah Centineo.

The actor, who in the film fits the

rugged yet v u l n e ra b l e mold of a teen heartthrob, breathes life into his loveable jock character.

Despite Peter’s reputation as

a typical bro, the audience falls in love with Peter particularly when he and Lara Jean bond over the loss of their parents.

Peter’s character makes for a fresh twist on the usual portrayal of teen athletes in films, where their perfect bodies are valued more than their kindness.

Aside from a standout set of characters, the events of the film themselves are nowhere near innovative and leave something to be desired.

Though its plot isn’t especially noteworthy, Vietnamese-American actress Lana Condor’s lead role in the film is cause enough for celebration. While it’s important to represent minority cultures in the media, it’s just as important to cast people of colour in roles dominated by white actors.

Lara Jean’s emotional

CULTURAL COMMENTARY

PHOTO ILLUSTRATIONS BY JOSH GRANOVSKY

journey gaining confidence and opening up to love mirrors rom-com classics like She’s All That and A Cinderella Story. This character arc is irrelevant to ethnicity, yet white actresses chiefly play these kinds of roles.

Condor’s performance proves Asian actors are capable of playing more than the math geek. When underrepresented viewers are shown a diverse cast, they gain an increased feeling of worth and relatability to characters. They see themselves represented as more than the side character they’re usually relegated to in big-budget films.

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is ultimately adorable and lighthearted, with feel-good messages that are fun to come back to in repeat viewings.

Whether or not we see more bestsellers adapted for streaming services, we can all look forward to a To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before sequel.

Confronting a fear of tears Why we need to embrace the good, the bad and the ugly of crying

ILLUSTRATION BY ZIER ZHOU

Alexandra Jones Contributor

Most children grow up with common and shared fears—like a fear of clowns, spiders or the dark. But ever since I was little, I’ve been afraid of something much more unique: crying.

Growing up as an only child, I considered my pets to be the closest things I had to real siblings.

W h e n I was 11, I called my parents from a friend’s cottage announcing that we’d just rescued a bag of kittens from the lake. My friends and I decided to each take one cat home, and I picked an orange tabby who I named Oliver, like the titular orphan in Oliver Twist.

Oliver instantly became my little brother. Even at 11 years old, I knew pets didn’t live forever.

Oliver turned out to be the runt of his litter with a heart defect and ended up passing away shortly after his first birthday.

I was devastated at his passing but had learned a few things about how to express my devastation that year. From my observations, I concluded that young children cry when they’re sad or scared or stressed, but grown-ups almost never do.

Crying when you’re a grown-up means welcoming pitiful attention, uncomfortable stares, or the claim that “you’re too sensitive”. In fact, my parents rarely shed a tear in front of me.

I wanted to be strong like a grown-up, so I didn’t cry about Oliver either—at least not in front of anyone. Instead, I went to the movies, waited until the theatre lights went dim and cried my eyes out silently to Pixar’s UP. No one had to see, and therefore I didn’t need to be embarrassed about it.

Eight years later, at 19 years old, my crying strategy remains unchanged. After receiving some really bad news this past year, I went to a nightly

lecture, waited until the professor put the projector on and cried judgement-free in the dark.

The lengths I took to avoid crying publicly might seem extreme, but I see behaviour like this all the time. Attempts to fight, hide or avoid tears are so common, I can’t remember the last time I saw someone cry without being drunk, extremely embarrassed, or a good mix of the two.

Most people treat crying this way because they view it as the ultimate rock bottom emotion—a sign of fragility. We equate a lack of emotion with strength and see grief as a sign of weakness, even though the opposite is largely true.

The strongest people, in reality, are the ones who can muster up the courage to face themselves and deal with admitting that sometimes, they need to be sad.

Smiling is great—it’s like acknowledging you made it to a happy moment. But if I see

someone crying out in the open, I’m feeling pride—not pity. It takes a special kind of bravery in this world, one I could only describe as having real guts, to let your sadness out.

Tears have a kind of rejuvenating property and giving ourselves time to cry also gives us time to reflect on what really matters to us. We worry about being too personal with our sadness, but don’t hesitate to hold back a smile even if that smile is just as revealing.

What many of us need to realize—and what I wish my younger self understood—is that smiling and crying make us human, and both should be treated with respect. Life is about maintaining and acknowledging an emotional balance.

It’s the 21st century and more people preach about wellness and self-care than ever before.

I think we should all do ourselves a favor, practice what we preach and cry when we’re sad—no matter who’s watching.

LIFESTYLE

14 •queensjournal.ca

Friday, Sept 7, 2018

SUMMER STORIES

Lessons learned from a summer of watching Wicked Finding inspiration from the hit Broadway musical Lauren holds Wicked.

Lauren Trossman Staff Writer This past summer, I had a Sunday routine I could really get behind.

I’d hop on the subway from my house in Toronto to the Ed Mirvish Theatre downtown, buy the cheapest tickets I could find, and sit through two hours and 45 minutes of pure bliss enjoying Wicked the Muscial.

Following the show—a national touring production of Stephen Schwartz’s Broadway musical—I’d wait at the theatre’s stage door to mingle with fellow fans and meet the show’s cast. Then I’d repeat the whole process one week later, and the next week. And the next one, too.

Every time I headed back to see the show, friends and family would bombard me with questions about why I was returning to have the same theatre experience so many times—almost all of them containing a judgement-filled, “Again?”

To many, Wicked is just “that Wizard of Oz prequel,” or “the Broadway show with Elsa from Frozen.” Sometimes, it’s not even on their radar. However, to me—and, as I’d later discover, to many other devoted fans of the show—Wicked is filled with so

much more meaning, emotional depth and inspiration than most give it credit for.

Wicked tells the story of the antagonist from The Wizard of Oz, the Wicked Witch of the West—known in the musical as Elphaba. Elphaba was born with green skin, which alienated her from peers and family alike. While at university, Elphaba forms an unlikely friendship with Glinda, a ditzy but kind, aspiring witch.

Though a green-skinned witch may not be an obvious character for the audience to connect with, Elphaba’s isolation feels very real and relatable for viewers who have had similar experiences as outcasts.

In one of Wicked’s more well-recognized songs, “The Wizard and I,” Elphaba sings about her dream to work with Oz’s god-like Wizard, hoping that once she’s with him she’ll finally be

PHOTO BY CHRIS YAO

socially accepted. As someone who is naturally introverted and socially anxious, making new friends has always been a struggle for me.

For years, I attended a sleepover camp where the girls in my cabin all considered each other sisters—except for me. I was always the one without a partner, without a best friend, and without the security that I wouldn’t be made fun of. Since I lacked the social connections every other girl around me seemed to have, I always felt I was less-than. Even though it’s been a few years since that time of my life, it’s still something that affects me deeply.

Throughout Wicked, Elphaba starts to take ownership of her ambition and her talent. She begins to understand the value of her talent and appreciates her uniqueness, allowing her confidence—and, quite

literally, her body—to soar.

Seeing the arc of a university-aged woman learning self-acceptance kept me coming back to Wicked, and made me feel like I, too, could defy gravity.

In addition to its messages about self-confidence, Wicked focuses on the friendship between its two main female characters, Elphaba and Glinda, highlighting the importance of healthy and mutual female support systems.

One of the most awe-inspiring things I discovered this summer is how Wicked’s inspiring messages don’t just end when the curtain closes. The musical’s cast and fanbase mirror the show’s practices of devotedly supporting one other.

While waiting at the stage door, I met numerous other fans who were just as passionate about Wicked as me. They’d seen the show multiple times and connected to its consistent message.

It was easy for us to form

Matt Scace Sports Editor

Midway through the third set of their first-round match at this year’s US Open, Canadian Denis Shapovalov said three words tennis fans rarely hear in the middle of a match.

“Are you okay?” Shapovalov asked fellow Canadian opponent, 18-year-old Felix Auger-Alliassime, across the net. Spectators wondered—was that a sign of compassion in the middle of a tennis match?

Two minutes later, Auger-Alliassime would lie at the foot of his chair while his trainer pulled out a stethoscope. While he’d be able to pull through for two more games in the match, those watching could feel the heaviness in his legs and the quivering of his lips. There would be no finishing this match.

When the US Open draw was unveiled on Aug. 23, the match between the two Canadians was labelled a blockbuster. Shapovalov, 19, capping off his first full year on the world circuit, walked into the tournament as one of the sport’s up-and-coming talents.

Auger-Alliassime, meanwhile, was making his first main draw appearance at a grand slam tournament.

Shapovalov and Auger-Alliassime embrace at the 2018 US Open.

SPORTS

SCREENSHOT FROM YOUTUBE

Shapovalov vs.

Auger-Aliassime a valuable moment for athletes Tennis players teach lesson on matching competitiveness with compassion The catch is the two teenagers are best friends.

Last summer, Shapovalov became the oft-mispronounced talk of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) when he took down the highest-ranked player in the world, Rafael Nadal, at the Rogers Cup tournament in Montreal.

Shapovalov’s residence during the tournament was Auger-Alliassime’s basement—the two are close.

Up until Auger-Alliassime’s concession at the Open, there were few signs of the match slowing down.

The players had split the first two sets 7-5, 5-7. The yells of encouragement and racquet abuse indicated the bigger things that were at stake: a $40,000 difference in prize money, ranking points and a load of endorsement cash.

But when Auger-Alliassime’s health took a turn for the worse, the stakes evaporated. The last thing that mattered was the match.

When he officially conceded, Shapovalov exchanged the traditional handshake for a long hug as Auger-Alliassime cried into his shoulder.

It didn’t matter if you were a tennis fan or not, it was a

deeply powerful moment—and a moment we should learn from.

Since sports became a source of entertainment decades ago, they’ve facilitated an increasingly hostile environment. The hyper-competitive nature of all sports—spanning from early junior leagues to the pros—have made candid moments like these even more powerful because of how infrequently they occur.

In most matches, Auger-Alliassime’s opponent would’ve shaken his hand, given him a pat on the back and hopped in an ice bath.

an immediate bond, discussing our favourite cast members and offering to take pictures of each other when we got to meet those cast members.

When meeting the show’s cast at the stage door after each performance, I was struck by their kindness and generosity.

Actresses Mary Kate Morrissey and Ginna Claire Mason—who played Elphaba and Glinda, respectively—went out of their way after each show to hear fans’ emotional stories of what the show means to them.

Catherine Charlebois, who plays Elphaba’s sister Nessarose, further encapsulates the giving nature of the show and its community through her efforts online. Charlebois runs a blog where she’s open and vulnerable about her own journey of self-acceptance.

Seeing the stars of such a prestigious show sharing their experiences and struggling with the same issues as myself makes me feel less alone and empowers me to believe that I too can learn to love myself.

So, yes, every weekend, despite the judgement, I went back to re-experience my favourite show, re-learn the power of female friendship and self-acceptance, and re-meet people who inspire me to be more confident.

All things considered, I would say it was a pretty good way to spend my Sundays.

Coming from a background in competitive sports, the moment struck me as a beautiful lesson for young athletes and parents raising their children in an athletic environment. Nearly every junior level tennis tournament—as well as other sports—sees poorly behaved parents and children who lose their temperament in the heat of a game.

The most notable part about this match was that the athletes didn’t lose their competitive edge—Shapovalov’s ripped shirt lying beside his chair indicated just that—but the visible respect the players had for each other was unmistakable.

The hyper-competitive mentality in sports is something that’s terribly difficult to erase.

Competition will always be a flawed environment and it’s a reality that’ll persist as long as the stakes remain as high as they are.

Both Shapovalov and Auger-Alliassime displayed a translation of the basic treatment of others in the real world to people in a competitive world. It’s not always easy to accomplish, but athletes like these get us closer to an equally competitive and compassionate athletic arena.

LIFESTYLE

Friday, Sept 7, 2018

queensjournal.ca

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LIFESTYLE

16 •queensjournal.ca

Friday, Sept 7, 2018

POSTSCRIPT

When we knew Queen’s was right for us Students discuss finding a new home

The Queen’s flag blowing in the wind.

Journal Staff As the first days of classes close, some students already feel at home already while others are doubting their choice of university.

The Journal asked students to share when they knew Queen’s was the right school for them. We hope these stories will prove that if you haven’t fallen in love with Queen’s in your first week—or year—you can still find a home. ***

“Once upon a time, my first-year self expected to feel at home at Queen’s by Thanksgiving.

But when December came around, I still felt like a guest.

I was pretending to be comfortable—playing the role of a student—without feeling at home.

Finding a sense of community in extracurriculars changed everything. I remember singing with Queen’s all-female choir, The Caledonias, for the first time, and suddenly feeling like I was a part of something.

Singing with them gave me a literal voice and made me feel like I was more than just another first-year student struggling to see the screen in 400-person lectures.

Since then, I have signed up for many other extracurricular activities that have enriched my Queen’s experience—so much so that my friends jokingly call me “Miss Major in Extracurriculars with a Minor in Academics.”

Amidst broad and impersonal undergrad academics, extracurriculars gave me countless connections and sense of belonging at school. Although I care deeply about my academics, I have found that clubs, committees,

and conferences have become my life preserver at Queen’s.”

— Kaylee O’Meara, ArtSci ‘20 ***

“I felt a lot of conflicting emotions during my first two months at Queen’s. Prior to arriving, I was warned Queen’s didn’t have a lot of minority students. Though I was advised to be weary, I was still so excited to start school.

But, upon my arrival, it was impossible not to notice I was the only racialized person on my residence floor, or that there were not a lot of people on campus who looked like me.

Being from Toronto, the lack of diversity in Kingston immediately stood out and sent me into an internal crisis.

In mid-October, I argued with a floormate about cultural appropriation and dressing up like Pocahontas for Halloween.

That was close to the peak of my frustration about issues of race at Queen’s—only to be topped by the infamous costume party of 2016, which happened the next week.

Exasperated from trying to come to terms with being a minority at Queen’s, the next night I saw there was a workshop being held by the Committee Against Racial and Ethnic Discrimination (CARED) to discuss cultural appropriation. I decided to go.

That workshop is the reason I’m still at Queen’s.

Attendees let out their feelings and grievances about not only cultural appropriation, but also micro-aggressions and racialization. I finally felt a sense

of comfort knowing there were people going through the same things as me, and that there were clubs and committees in place trying to help people reconcile these feelings.

Now, two years later, I am the acting chair of CARED. I hope I can help students navigate the same issues and feelings I felt coming into school.”

—Samira Levesque, ArtSci ‘20 ***

“Deciding between schools when you’re just finishing high school can be extremely difficult.

You are rushing to end one chapter of your life while hurtling toward another. Most students will hopefully choose their schools wisely—but I didn’t.

I first attended the University of Ottawa and it was easily one of the worst moves I’ve made academically, financially and psychologically. I transferred to Queen’s to be closer to home.

This change of direction left me both excited and full of regret. I was relieved to be free of an unhealthy situation but the selfimposed failure embarrassed me. After a tumultuous summer dealing with my father’s death, I was happy to find myself with a new campus and a fresh start.

Quickly, I found my initial fear about transferring and self-doubt abated as I joined clubs, societies, and committees. I found my voice and place on campus along the way.

The moment I felt at home was in April of my first year, as I stood on University Avenue in a cheap suit glowing with pride and looking over campus. I

was coming off a very successful job interview after which I was confident I’d found work. More importantly, I’d found a home.”

— Cade Cowan, ArtSci ‘19 ***

“I knew I belonged at Queen’s on the second day of my residence orientation.

Once the first day’s anxiety mellowed into excitement for the future, I remember walking down University Avenue with a group of floormates and somehow I already felt at home. I even turned to one of my new friends and told them Queen’s was exactly where I was meant to be—it was an unexplainable gut feeling of peace.

I’d chosen Queen’s based mostly on my campus tour and my mom’s experience at the school. However, leading up to frosh week, I still wasn’t sure it was for me. It wasn’t until I was on my own, standing on a street my mom walked on 30 years before me, that I truly knew.

Heading into my third year at Queen’s, I’m just as thrilled as I was that second night, watching my fellow first-year students talk, laugh, and run under the streetlamps. I know that I’ll still feel that way in my final year, until I take my very last walk down the centre of main campus.”

— Ally Mastantuono, ArtSci ‘20

PHOTO BY CHRIS YAO

Queen’s based off its vibe.

I liked the feel of Queen’s on the sunny March day of my tour and liked how going into Concurrent Education would give me a direct career path once I graduated while still allowing me to explore my choice of General Arts courses.

Looking back, I couldn’t have been so sure Queen’s was right.

It wasn’t the vibe or faculty that made me feel at home here. It was a decision I made during my education.

More than half way through my second year, I decided to switch to a Gender Studies medial and go after the Sexual and Gender Diversity Certificate.

This choice was definitely worth the inconvenience of changing my path. I finally felt like I was studying something I genuinely cared about.

Adding Gender Studies to my Queen’s experience has provided me with a true sense of belonging.

We focus most of our time at school on our studies, and putting my thoughts and energy into a fascinating subject has made this school feel more right for me than any other endeavour.

I wouldn’t have guessed in Grade 12 that my academic choices would make my university experience feel just right.”

— Allie Fenwick, ConEd ‘20

***

“When I was 16, I made an arbitrary decision: campus tours would guide me to the right school.

As a result, I initially chose

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