The Queen's Journal, Volume 150, Issue 17

CARED, EQuiP, and AQ all dissolved at the Social Issues Commissions

Student volunteers hired for commissions

a S bah a hmad Senior News Editor

Editor’s Note: One member of The Journal editorial board currently works for Collective Reflections. They were not a part of the editing or writing process.

The AMS Social Issues Commission (SIC) dissolved Committee Against Racial and Ethnic Discrimination (CARED), Education on Queer Issues Project (EQuiP), and Accessibility Queen’s (AQ) for the year.

In a normal year, these committees provide students the opportunity to focus EDII efforts and help shape policy at Queen’s and the AMS, while

considering the experiences of marginalized students on campus. Student volunteers were hired for the committees before their dissolution.

“Over the summer there was a turn-around within the [SIC], and with that came the restructuring of the commission,” Chlöe Umengan, social issues commissioner (internal), said in an interview with The Journal

The former amalgamated Social Issues Commissioner was terminated by the AMS, in an event Umengan referred to as a “turnaround.” Following the termination, the AMS divided the role into Social Issues Commissioner (Internal) and Social Issues Commissioner (External)—which Dreyden George now fills.

“The committees essentially took a back-burner given the situation. That doesn’t mean we didn’t care for them, or we

didn’t care about what their goals were and what they wanted to do. Nobody was in that position [as the Commissioner] until I came in, which was September,” Umengan said.

The AMS had other focus areas from the commission, according to Umengan. She explained the committees are not completely gone; their work has been given to Collective Reflections—which is an intersectional anti-oppression magazine run by the SIC.

“We’re doing collaboration photoshoots with Collective Reflections, to give these committees some visibility still, and to give opportunity to students who never had the opportunity to model and to have the opportunity to represent a very important part of their identity,” Umengan said.

Umengan is concerned about marginalised and BIPOC students at Collective Reflections working

in excess while unpaid. She said she’s made herself as open as possible to supporting the team while they undertake more duties.

The dissolution of SIC committees was, however, never formally announced, a fact Umengan acknowledged.

“I was rehired. I didn’t hear anything over the summer because I didn’t expect to. It’s the summertime. Then we come back to school in September. I still hadn’t heard anything. I emailed to see if I missed anything [...] but then I didn’t hear anything, same with other people who were hired for CARED,” Bella Orman, ArtSci ’23, and CARED rehire said in an interview with The Journal.

“To this day, in January, I haven’t heard anything from the AMS about CARED.”

Principal Patrick Deane to be considered for a second term

Survey available to students to evaluate the current principalship

S kylar S oroka Assistant News Editor

Principal Patrick Deane will conclude his current term as Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Queen’s come June 2024. He has indicated his wishes to be considered for a second term.

The Joint Board/Senate Committee to Review the Principalship, overseen by Chancellor Murray Sinclair, will make a recommendation to the Board of Trustees about the reappointment per the Principalship Review and Search Policy.

As the school’s 21st Principal, Principal Deane started his current term in early July 2019. He previously held the positions of president and vice-chancellor at McMaster University. Deane served as Queen’s Vice-Principal (Academic) until 2010.

In an email Chancellor Sinclair sent to members of the Queen’s community, he said those interested in sharing their thoughts on the principalship can review Principal Deane during his current term via a survey, which closes on Jan. 20 at noon.

The email noted the University does not permit anonymous responses in these circumstances. However, those interested in providing feedback privately can email trustees@queensu.ca in confidence.

“Please be assured that the review process is confidential, and all submissions will be held in confidence by the Committee,” Chancellor Sinclair wrote in the email.

The committee will convene around the end of the fall and the beginning of the new year, and the Board of Trustees will be given the final recommendation this coming March.

The Board of Trustees

PHOTO BY CURTIS HEINZL

Queen’s researchers incorporate equity into Ontario’s K-12 curriculum

Professors

Pillay said in an interview with The Journal.

“It’s providing information and a way of thinking about the world that comes from an equity lens.”

The project used the HEADSUP framework—an acronym standing for hegemony, ethnocentrism, ahistoricism, depoliticization, salvationism, uncomplicated

assist teachers in teaching equity to students.

“The Queen’s team had to navigate elements of discomfort in being able to integrate [equity into the curriculum], with elements of resistance as well,” Pillay said.

Some disciplines, such as civics, were easier for teachers to integrate equity into their existing

said in an interview with The Journal.

In math classes, the traditional sports word problems were replaced with questions drawing attention to current equity issues.

“The math team tried to come up with a new take on how you would do a word problem,” Pillay said. “So, not talking about

to the project was mixed, according to Pillay and Butler.

“One of the things that really came out of this for us was the importance of relationship building with students. We can’t teach any of these complicated ideas without taking some time as we’re doing the teaching to build relationships with the students,” Pillay said.

The project was complicated by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced researchers out of the classroom, and to work with teachers and students via Zoom.

education

Sophia Coppolino Assistant News Editor

Thashika Pillay and Alana Butler, Queen’s professors, are helping teachers incorporate equity into their classrooms without adding an additional burden.

Pillay and Butler, along with Karen Pashby, a professor at Manchester Metropolitan University, partnered with the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) to investigate ways teachers can emphasize equity for students without sacrificing teaching requirements.

The project originally focused on integrating equity into grade nine curriculum for English teachers but was expanded to include other disciplines due to the enthusiasm of the principal at the partner school.

“We worked with a group of really incredible Queen’s research team who helped develop a thinking around what [using HEADSUP] would look like in practice in terms of integrating it into curricula courses,”

Fundraiser seeks to ignite passion of the faculty

Asbah Ahmad Senior News Editor

The Engineering and Commerce Tricolour Classic game has inspired the Arts and Science Undergraduate Society (ASUS) to create a similar experience for Arts and Science students.

The new event will have two teams—one Arts, the other Science—who will compete in the ArtSci Cup basketball game on Feb. 11 the ARC. All proceeds are being donated to charity. ASUS President Yara Hussein discussed the relationship between Arts and Science, and how friendly competition created during ASUS Orientation is carried forward throughout the year.

“Another thing we have seen is a lot of people questioning whether they’re in the ArtSci faculty. [We’re] recognizing there is a weaker sense of identity in what an ArtSci student means. We’re really hoping this game is a starting point to what this faculty means,” Hussein said in an interview with The Journal

The sense of rivalry in the faculty tends to disappear in the

solutions, and paternalism —created by Vanessa de Oliveira Andreotti to emphasize equity.

The HEADSUP pilot project brought seven research assistants—who were also trained teachers—into the classrooms of a Toronto school to

days and years following faculty orientation for most first year Arts and Science students. Monica Szalajko, ASUS marketing and communications officer, told The Journal they wish to ignite a friendly rivalry.

“If we are such a big faculty, why aren’t we able to come together later in the year and, throughout our undergrad, to have such a big event? The event stemmed by bringing back that level of passion and commitment everyone has to their faculty,” Szalajko said.

Hussein said community building and charity work is the biggest goal ASUS is aiming towards with the fundraiser.

Currently, ASUS council is working to organize this event since it is new and fastapproaching. Hussein said in the future, volunteers will be hired and there will be specific positions such as with ASUS formal and textbook service.

The basketball game will give students a chance to cheer on students from the same faculty. Szalajko and Hussein said the main difference between games like Tricolour Classic and this upcoming game is the sheer size of the Arts and Science faculty.

For marketing, Szalajko said measures are being taken to include as many students as

teaching plans; other disciplines required a nuanced approach.

“We had more challenges with math and science in the area of getting teachers [to participate]. Although, we did have some really good teachers engage with it too,” Butler

possible in the process. She describes jersey design as being the first part of marketing the event.

....Continued online www.queensjournal.ca/news

the baseball analogy of how far you would run between the bases, for example, but thinking about something like the rising rates of Islamophobia instead, or the gender pay gap.”

The student response

“I think [COVID-19] was another factor that may have prevented some of the more solid connections that we could have made with this [project],” Butler added.

The name of the partner school within the TDSB was not disclosed for confidentiality purposes. The Journal was unable to obtain a statement from the TDSB.

Currently, the Queen’s team is analyzing information obtained from the research assistants’ journals written during the project and the teacher interviews conducted following the project.

For Pillay, the goal is to integrate teaching equity into teacher training as a sustainable way to provide new teachers with the tools they need to implement the HEADSUP framework in their lesson planning.

“I think we really have to start rethinking what we’re teaching, and really start to rethink the types of knowledges that we are promoting in our classrooms and in our curriculum,” Pillay said.

ArtSci charity basketball

Thashika Pillay and Alana Butler discuss re-envisioning the future of

The researchers partnered with a TDSB school during the COVID-19 pandemic.

PHOTO BY HERBERT WANG

President, Vice-President (Residence Operations), and Vice-President (Society Operations) candidates speak on their platforms

Clanny Mugabe Assistant Lifestyle Editor

Teagan Shuck, Alison Wong, and Nathan Beckner-Stetson are running uncontested in the 2023 Residence Society (ResSoc) election, which is happening on Jan. 23. Three positions are up for grabs: President, VicePresident (Residence Operations), and Vice-President (Society Operations).

The three spoke to The Journal about their qualifications and platforms.

Nathan Beckner-Stetson

Nathan Beckner-Stetson, MSc ’24, is running for ResSoc President.

In an interview with The Journal, he explained his motivations for running for ResSoc. He said he really believes in the goals of the society and appreciates what they are trying to do.

“I think that students need to have a voice because there are oftentimes a lot of things that could get overlooked, or that won’t happen if that voice has been brought forward,” he said.

With a lot of experience at Queen’s and within ResSoc, Beckner-Stetson’s platform focuses on integration, identity, and interconnectivity, which he said fits in with the core values of ResSoc.

He said he plans to connect the residences more with larger-scale events to encourage more cooperation and community with students who are new to the Queen’s environment. Some of these plans involve bringing back

Candidates run uncontested in Residence Society election

a large semi-formal and screening films in residence.

He also wants to rework ResSoc’s internal committee structure, so the organization can combine the knowledge of internal and external committees.

“If we had a way to combine all of this knowledge together, and we had a way to bring these organizations together in some sort of a large meeting once a term, we’d be able to cover a lot more issues and dig deeper into things.”

Beckner-Stetson said a lot of operating knowledge within ResSoc has been lost over the years. To mitigate this issue, he wants to teach staff about the duties and responsibilities within the ResSoc constitution.

“I want to inspire staff and encourage them to take a stronger role in improving the lives of their students, since that is essentially what the organization is there to do,” he said.

He wants to hire a new chief compliance officer, which he said will improve accountability and consistency over the years.

Teagan Schuck

Teagan Schuck, ArtSci ’25, is running for Vice-President (Residence Operations) (VPRO). She has been involved with ResSoc for two years, starting as a first-year intern for ResSoc, and working this past academic year as a Residence Facilitator (RF).

“When elections were coming up, and I knew this was something I was capable of, I thought, why not try it? I’ve done the other roles, and I really liked the team that ResSoc has right now,” Schuck said in an interview with The Journal.

Schuck said her experience working within ResSoc provided her with the opportunity to learn about “the inner workings of ResSoc and the VPRO,” she said.

The key pillars of her platform are opportunity, accessibility, and accountability. For the platform of opportunity, Schuck wants to implement more ways for students and ResSoc staff to build professional skills and find work opportunities.

For accessibility, Schuck said this would take the form of making ResSoc and its operations

more transparent and digestible for students. The pillar of accountability is the central pillar her platform is built on.

“We are student government. It’s important for [students] to be aware of what we’re doing and how things are going,” she said.

Under this pillar, she wants to follow up with individual student concerns and increase modes of communication with students, such as advertising the general assemblies more and increasing the frequency of summary reports.

“I think that also kind of leads into accessibility because when they know what we’re doing, it’s easier for them to grasp what exactly we are as a society,” she said.

“As a society, I think if we’re a little bit more open about what exactly is going on all the time, it’s going to be a lot easier for students to come to us for concerns.”

Alison Wong

Alison Wong, Sci ’23, is running for the position of Vice-President (Society Operations). They are

the current ResSoc Human Resources Officer.

“What I’m running on is based on some goals and projects that I’ve had in place in my current year right now as Human Resources Officer,” Wong said in an interview with The Journal.

Wong’s platform is based on three pillars. The first is proactive EDII. Wong expressed they wanted to work over the summer to partner with different organizations to create a robust proactive EDII program instead of working reactively.

“When students come in and move in September, we can establish a safe community with [EDII] expectations there. So, putting out passives, putting up educational programs,” they said.

The second pillar is professional development for students and staff. Wong wants to continue the work of the previous administration and provide more opportunities for student staff to develop professional skills and further career goals.

“Working for [ResSoc] shouldn’t just be an opportunity to help the students and residents,” they said. “It should be an opportunity as a student staff to grow your own professional skills and take something transferable from that experience.”

The final pillar of Wong’s campaign is efficiency. Focusing on information transfer and transparency, Wong wants to keep everyone within the organization informed so the efforts of each administration “aren’t lost after their one-year term.”

An appealing part of the job for Wong is the ability to implement different passion projects, on top of the broader scope of the role.

“There aren’t too many restrictive day-to-day responsibilities. Having time and freedom to focus on those projects would be really exciting.”

Queen’s faculty union ‘disrespected’

Sophia Coppolino Assistant News Editor

Queen’s University Faculty Association (QUFA)—the labour union representing Queen’s faculty and staff—claims Queen’s administration responded to strike decision with “disrespect.”

QUFA is advocating for improved job security and wages for Queen’s adjunct professors, increased recognition for professors involved in university service, and additional administrative and technical support for professors.

“What do QUFA members want? An end to precarity! An end to exploitation! Support, reward, and respect!” QUFA tweeted on Jan. 18.

The university has denied 42 per cent of QUFA’s core proposals as of Dec. 1, according to QUFA’s most recent bargaining update.

In December, 82 per cent of QUFA members voted in favour

of a strike after six months of negotiating a new collective agreement with Queen’s administration after the existing agreement expired in June.

“I am very happy to report that we have had an excellent show of support for our bargaining team and the priorities they are advancing on our behalf at the bargaining table,” Jordan Morelli, QUFA president, said in a press release.

QUFA will be in a lawful position to strike as of early February but considers job action “a last resort,” according to Morelli.

QUFA’s last update said the University has proposed additional articles to the new collective agreement, including requiring members to secure external research funding and grant the university an indefinite license to use work created by members while at Queen’s.

QUFA has not agreed to

these amendments, labelling them “still on the table.”

The update said the University has partially agreed to improve its recognition of equity-related work and raise the status of service work by QUFA members. The University also agreed to some of QUFA’s proposed changes to discipline processes and changes to librarian and archivist’s working conditions.

Bargaining is ongoing, and both parties told The Journal they cannot report on negotiations until they are signed off on.

“The university administration respects the collective bargaining process and remains committed to working through it to reach a negotiated agreement,” Queen’s said in a Jan. 16 press release.

QUFA is calling on the Queen’s community to email the Queen’s senior administrators to “negotiate a fair contract” and “avoid a strike.” More information is available on QUFA’s website.

From left: Alison, Nathan, and Teagan.

PHOTO BY CURTIS HEINZL

QUFA and Queen’s return to bargaining table.

PHOTO BY HERBERT WANG

Inside Queen’s response to needle spiking

Asbah Ahmad Senior News Editor

This article discusses sexual violence 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. The Kingston Sexual Assault Centre’s 24-hour crisis and support phone line can be reached at 613-544-6424 / 1-800-544-6424.

In March 2022, the Queen’s community was gripped with headlines (link is external) of students impacted by needle spiking incidents at a downtown Kingston bar, Trinity Social.

Needle spiking refer to instances in which perpetrators inject date-rape drugs. Documents and internal emails obtained by The Journal under a freedom of information request showcase the University’s internal response over the month of March.

“Just flagging for all of you that I have received two very concerning disclosures this morning—no sexual violence experienced but two separate incidents of female students being drugged, attempted drugging,” a March 7, 2022 email from Barbara Lotan, Queen’s Sexual Violence Prevention and Response (SVPR) coordinator, to Ann Tierney, vice provost (student affairs); Corinna Fitzgerald, assistant dean (student

life and learning); and Norma Barrett, director (student conduct office) read.

In the same email, Lotan said it had been a couple of years since she dealt with a needle spiking incident. Lotan then scheduled a meeting with one of the students later that day.

On March 22, 2022, Lotan emailed Tierney; Fitzgerald; Stephanie Simpson, associate vice principal (human rights, equity, and inclusion); and Mark Erdman, manager (community relations and issues) saying a social media post indicated a “young woman [was] intentionally drugged by a needle stick.”

The same email said Global News reached out to the director of the Sexual Health Resource Centre (SHRC) for comment. Lotan acknowledged the trauma survivors would experience from these drugging incidents.

“Quick acting friends/others often probably prevented additional violence/ assault from taking place by being aware and responding quickly,” Lotan said to the SHRC Director. “The impact of this type of incident is significant regardless of whether or not sexual violence is experienced.”

Both the SHRC Director and Lotan discussed the needle drugging phenomenon as something which occurred in the United Kingdom, and has slowly made its way to Kingston.

In the original email from Georgia Kersche, former SHRC director, to Barb Lotan, she requested statistics on Queen’s disclosures related to date rape incidents.

“To protect the privacy of my clients, stats I collect are not broken down this way. They are aggregate. Certainly, I do hear information about experiences of drug facilitated sexual assault. The ‘drug’ most often referenced is alcohol,” Lotan said.

“The presence of the drugs and the types of drugs are really hard to confirm for a number of reasons, so any stats are inaccurate at best.”

March 25, 2022, saw John Saris, co-owner and operator of Trinity Social, reach out to Lotan following the publication of stories about rising needle drugging incidents.

“We’re looking to access any available resources and develop some of our own programs in house to raise awareness, keep people safe, and reduce our liability,” Saris said to Lotan.

A version of this article appeared online on Jan. 17, 2023

Read more: queensjournal.ca

EngSoc conferences help students to further engage in learning

Positions on conference executive teams open to all students

Asbah Ahmad Senior News Editor

With nine conferences, the Engineering Society (EngSoc) provides students with a wide range of opportunities to network, engage with concepts, and apply knowledge.

Administratively, conferences have an executive team headed by two co-chairs. According to EngSoc Director of Clubs and Conferences

Victoria Palumbi, executive teams have varying positions open to students. These positions range from marketing and finance to sponsorship, speakers, and other directorial and coordinator work.

“Our conferences cover a wide range of topics such as space, energy, water resources, business and industry, computing, and more,” Palumbi said in a statement to The Journal.

The Commerce Society (ComSoc) and EngSoc have two dually ratified conferences. The Commerce and Engineering Environmental (CEEC) conference is one of them.

“The conference focuses on a variety of environmental problems with engaging speakers and presentations,” Palumbi said. “Having these two

industries—Commerce and Engineering—shows different perspectives on these problems, giving students a unique experience.”

CEEC focuses on a variety of environmental problems through engaging speakers and presentations. The conference runs the weekend of Jan. 27 to 29, and Palumbi said any student interested in becoming involved or attending any CEEC or any conference should follow the specific conference’s social media.

Despite the fact these conferences are ratified and run under the supervision of EngSoc, all Queen’s students can apply to executive positions on conferences, alongside attending them, Palumbi said.

“Students can also attend the conference as a delegate where they can listen to the prepared presentations, attend dinners, network with sponsors, and more,” she said.

Palumbi said a key part of her job at EngSoc is working on cultivating ideas from people who have ideas around new conferences and clubs. She said the list of conferences is growing.

Due to the cost of running and hosting conferences planned by conference executives, most conferences do cost money.

“The Engineering Society has bursary money budgeted to help engineering students attend each conference. Bursary applications are accepted, and the Bursary Committee confidentially distributes

money based on these applications,” Palumbi said.

Now overseeing conferences and clubs, Palumbi previously served as an executive member on the Queen’s Engineering Competition (QEC) last year. At QEC, students can expect various competitions

ranging from debate, engineering consulting to design and programming.

During COVID-19, attendance to in-person conferences was limited—but Palumbi looks forward to attending more conferences and finding new favourites.

“After working with all of the co-chairs and hearing all of their amazing ideas for speakers and events, I am excited to attend all of the other conferences,” she said.

More details on conferences can be found by visiting the EngSoc website.

Students walking past Trinity Social on a busy night out.

PHOTO BY CURTIS HEINZL

Queen’s releases 2021-22 EDII report

23 per cent of new faculty hires identified as visible minorities

Sophia Coppolino Assistant News Editor

Queen’s 2021-22 annual Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Indigenization (EDII) Report shows leaps for women while other equity-seeking group are still catching up.

Women comprised almost half of new faculty hires, 64 per cent of new staff hires, and 57 per cent of Queen’s students identified as women in 2021.

At the Queen’s senior management level, over half of respondents identified as women, and a quarter identified as a member of an equity-seeking group.

“There is still work to be done but we are making progress,” Principal Patrick Deane wrote in the report.

As an early adopter of Canada’s 50-30 challenge, which incentivizes businesses to meet 50 per cent gender parity for women and 30 per cent representation for equity-seeking groups at the senior management level, Queen’s is close to achieving its goal.

According to the report, 23 per cent of new faculty hires identified as racialized visible minorities and one per cent identified as Indigenous.

The diversity of Queen’s student population lags Canadian census data for equity deserving groups, according to the report.

Three per cent of student respondents identified as Indigenous and seven per cent disclosed having a disability, meaning student representation at Queen’s is 50 per cent lower than the population for these equity-deserving groups.

“Real and substantive change requires all of us to work together and to recognize that those

commitments we have made must permeate all the work we do,” Deane said.

The report follows the start of the university’s Black Studies program. The Faculty of Arts and Science (FAS) hired seven new faculty members across disciplines to make Black Studies a potential minor for undergraduate students.

potential inequities, biases, or implicit assumptions” but do not outline how departments are changing curriculum to meet these goals.

“As Queen’s begins to realize its ambitious strategy for the future,” Deane said, “It must always be mindful of the impact on the people it supports.”

Committees killed

.... Continued from front

Orman believes the dissolution of the SIC committees means spaces and opportunities for marginalised students are being taken away.

“I think now that [committees] have been taken away, it’s like, they’re just taking away another area or this campus that could be safer and better for a lot of students here,” Orman said.

“I think the AMS needs to go through a selection process of finding co-chairs that have committed and a genuine passion, because they’re very important committees that contribute to the bigger cause of making Queen’s a better, more diverse, and safer place for students.”

Umengan said hourly wages staff members at the SIC received communications from the commission over the summer, but volunteers did not. Umengan said she believes the commission should have communicated with the volunteers.

According to Umengan, she inherited a budget cut when she joined the SIC. The budget was cut

before her term started, in May of 2022. However, she said there was money left over from the summer, during the previous Social Issues Commissioner’s term.

“We have been able to really re-allocate the money that would have been used during [the summer] towards our new events and goals,” Umengan said.

In-terms of the SIC in general, Umengan said work should be done to differentiate and define the roles of the external and internal commissioner more clearly. She said this while acknowledging the work the Social Issues Commissioner (External) has been doing.

When she leaves the commission, Umengan will discuss ways to improve the workload and efficiency, such as by advocating further for assistant manager positions. Additionally, she hopes to see the dissolved committees return for students next year.

Umengan clarified that, to her knowledge, the AMS is conducting a third-party review of the SIC. She could not comment further, as the AMS Executive is more directly involved.

“The program is a perfect fit for those who are changemakers, for activists, and those who want to broaden their sense of community,” FAS Vice-Dean Lynda Jessup said in a press release.

FAS plans to “build a Black faculty mentoring program” to support Black faculty at Queen’s, according to the report.

To support equity deserving students, many Queen’s faculties launched new awards and scholarships. At Smith School of Business, 16 new awards and scholarships were established to support Black students at the undergraduate and professional levels.

The Black Student Application Category launched in the Faculty of Law, outlining different considerations for Black applicants to increase Black representation in the legal profession.

Changes made to Queen’s Degree Level Expectations to focus on EDII goals are also highlighted in the report. The additional expectations require Queen’s students to “describe limitations of methods they use, recognizing

Engineering Society adding new vice president role

Finance and Administration portfolio to ease executive workload

Asbah Ahmad Senior News Editor

The current three executive structure of the Engineering Society (EngSoc) is shifting

to add one more vice president position.

Currently, the executive team—which oversees large retail operations, conferences, and clubs—consists of one President, Vice-President (Operations), and Vice-President (Student Affairs). The position of Vice-President (Operations) will now be split into a new position called Vice-President (Finance and Administration).

“Students have had to extend their degree to fulfil EngSoc executive positions. The

Vice-President (Operations) role, currently entails oversight of the seven services, along with overseeing [EngSoc] and affiliated groups’ finances. The scope of this role exceeds realistic expectations of what a volunteer position should hold,” EngSoc executive said in a statement to The Journal.

The current executive hopes splitting the role into two will lighten the load of the VicePresidents (Operations) and (Student Affairs).

“The goal is to make all positions more attractive, and to not hold

our students back from their original plans of graduating in four years. The next executive will be used as a ‘trail’ [sic] year to see if our restructure has achieved this goal, and re-evaluate if needed,” the executive said.

The Vice-President (Operations) will now oversee two service directors. One director will focus on educational services such as EngLinks, Science Quest, and iCons. Another director will oversee services including Golden Words, Clark Hall Pub,

the Tea Room, and Campus Equipment Outfitters.

The Vice-President (Finance and Administration) will oversee the directors of human resources, internal processes, and information technology.

“Although EngLinks and iCons were under the President, the Vice-President of Operations still oversaw their finances causing overlap. Moving these services completely under the VPOPs will dissolve overlap and confusion of these portfolios,” the EngSoc executive said.

“With a lighter workload, this will hopefully ensure tasks are more manageable. To add, the VPFA will replace the President on Boards/Councils that focus on service operations.”

Queen’s is planning new initiatives to maintain workplace diversity.

PHOTO BY ERIK MAGNUSSON

Engineering students inhabit the ILC, also the home of EngSoc.

PHOTO BY HERBERT WANG

Demystifying Queen’s alumni network

Lots of Queen’s alumni found each other in the workplace

Suzy Leinster Features Editor

Being a member of the Queen’s community doesn’t end upon graduation. Rather, you’ve entered the next phase of your career as a Queen’s alum.

Established in 1841, Queen’s has had over thousands of students leave Grant Hall with diplomas in hand ready to work in ‘real world’ jobs. However, alumni are not simply a student’s predecessor; they’re a resource with whom students past and present can engage.

In an interview with The Journal, Joel Greaves, Comm ’09, said he graduated during the 2009 recession and luckily found a job the year after leaving university. Starting his 12-year career as a telecom worker at TELUS and Rogers, he decided to quit in 2017 and bought his first startup, Zebrano Executive Concierge, with his partner and wife.

This was a daunting moment for Greaves because it involved a big financial risk, and he called upon his old network of Queen’s friends to help him through the process.

Eighteen years had passed since he’d first stepped foot in Kingston, yet Greaves had remained in contact with the people he’d met at university. Grown up and with careers of their own, their successes inspired him to start his own business.

“I have a deep appreciation for them. When your ‘mentors’ are more your peers, they know what [you’re] trying to accomplish, and understand the stresses and

mental challenges that come with it,” Greaves said.

Up until that point in his career, Greaves had only imagined his mentors as people who were older than him. While working at a big company, his mentors were the people one or two levels above him who had worked there longer. It seemed to be natural progression in his career.

It wasn’t until he gained the confidence to purchase his first business that he realized his former peers were people he could learn from, too. They had valuable experience in marketing, accounting, and real estate—all resources he could pull from and lean on.

“And my peers became, in a lot of ways, my mentors during that period. And that was really special because they were one, close friends of mine, and two, we had experiences we could share with each other,” Greaves said.

In his first year at Queen’s, Greaves didn’t know what he wanted to do with his degree and took it as an opportunity to learn and make friends. He found his passion for marketing in his third and fourth years and gained a sense of drive for a career in the field.

Now, Greaves’ newest role is the CEO of a hotel located in the Ottawa Valley an hour North of Kingston. One of his connections from Queen’s sits on the board of this company and he continues to work with his Queen’s community to this day.

Colin McLeod, QUAA board president, ArtSci ’10, explained in an interview with The Journal how Queen’s connections helped get him on his feet to find jobs in Ottawa.

With an undergraduate degree

in political science, McLeod knew he wanted to work on Parliament Hill or Public Service Canada. He was daunted at first and found guidance through a Queen’s connection, which helped get him an interview to work for a politician on Parliament Hill.

Alongside these connections, he reached out to managers and directors in the public service sector to learn what other opportunities were being offered at the time.

He said it was important for him to reach out to politics graduates, but these faculty divides mattered less a few years after graduation. McLeod acknowledged that while faculties such as Commerce have more individualized alumni associations, this division is not as noticeable in the professional sphere in general.

“There’s this idea of blending,” McLeod said.

He oversees roughly 150,000 plus Queen’s alum in his work. McLeod emphasized soft skills and how networking and reaching out to people can support students’ success in the workplace.

“You’re not necessarily tied down to whatever you graduated with. I think that’s part of career development and seeing what actually happens in the real world.”

Jeremy Gooden, Sci ’16, said in an interview with The Journal it took his TA tearing his resume to shreds for him to land his first summer job.

During his fourth year of studies, Jeremy met with his TA every week to work on a project involving client design and mentioned his current job search. The TA offered to read over his resume and delved into it to help him stand out to different companies.

When he first entered Queen’s,

he was “almost hyper-focused on the academics,” he said. He was going to get his Master’s, then his PhD, and go from there. Eventually, however, as the years passed, he realized from a career in academia wasn’t for him.

Pursuing that summer job and working in project management outside his engineering degree got him to think of the world of business.

Gooden recently made a new career move, now working as a Senior Associate at (Value Creation) Atlas Partners. When looking at potential companies, he tends to see if other Queen’s students work there first. This type of connection allows him to understand the company culture and roles of the job beforehand.

He also encouraged students to reach out to alumni because it’s different for everyone.

“I think at the end of the day, it’s a two-way street. If new grads are looking for help from Queen’s alumni, they will likely receive it. But I think it’s the student’s responsibility to start that.”

He said there are many events for students to network with alumni; they just need to seek out these opportunities. Gooden said it’s up to the younger alumni to go to those events and make those connections.

Ellen Barss, Comm ’20 and CompSci ’21, explained the defined impact Queen’s had on her social interactions with co-workers in the office. She emphasized the importance of gaining not only academic knowledge, but general experience as an independent student.

She referred to the freedoms she had during her time at Queen’s, from being in such a tight knit community. It was important for

her to join clubs, go on exchange, and to experience the services Queen’s offered that ultimately helped shape her future.

Her participation in these extracurriculars taught her to break down barriers that would prevent her from interacting with people to chat and advance her career.

“My past background has really taught me a lot about opening up, and changing my mindset to balance many different things in my professional life. I would really attribute that to juggling my student life at Queen’s,” Barss said.

Barss came to Queen’s from Calgary and didn’t know anyone entering classes with her, so she wanted to meet new people and learn at the same time.

She graduated from Queen’s about two years ago and entered the workforce during the peak of COVID-19. Her interest focused on computers and technology, especially looking at how she could apply this to business and consulting.

“I leaned very heavily during that phase on classmates and those starting their careers to ask about their company and what that team is looking for,” she said.

Working with Queen’s alumni helped her understand her skill set and what would be a good fit. It gave her the chance to build connections that helped her find job positions at places that would be a good fit for her.

Barss distinctly remembered working in her third-year internship at a small company in Calgary.

ILLUSTRATION BY ARDEN MASON

Alumni are here to build connections and talk about careers.

Sports gambling: hedge your bets

Responsible sports betting is possible, but gamblers should proceed with caution.

Sports gambling has taken the country by storm since the federal government lifted its ban on single-game betting in 2021. While the decision has opened sports betting up to regulation, it has also made it much more accessible, potentially increasing addiction risk.

A Statistics Canada study examining the gambling habits of Canadians aged 15 and older found men, low-income individuals, and Indigenous people as being the demographics most vulnerable to developing gambling addictions.

The study acknowledges the need for further research and new education, prevention, and treatment strategies to accommodate industry changes following the explosion of sports betting and online gambling in general.

It’s likely no coincidence online sports betting exploded during the pandemic and subsequent recession. Gambling isn’t the only industry that saw opportunistic companies capitalize on lockdown boredom and a recession-fed desire for easy money.

As addictions go, gambling is as serious—and detrimental—as alcoholism, and we shouldn’t pretend otherwise. The effect of problematic gambling is often minimized compared to substance misuse, but this perception can lead to dangerous nonchalance.

With the rise of accessible gambling opportunities in Canada, young people need access to information and resources to help them make healthy choices. Advertising for sports betting should be strictly regulated until the education system can catch up—if allowed at all.

Current marketing strategies are aggressive and target mostly young people, many of whom are ill-equipped to navigate misleading deals like ‘risk free’ bets where a losing wager is refunded only as betting credit for use within the app or site.

Still, many people have positive sports betting experiences.

For those who can self-regulate and stick to a gambling budget, sports betting is harmless. However, if you’re concerned about your ability to monitor your spending or addiction runs in the family, it may be wise to reconsider.

Unfortunately, sports betting companies aren’t likely to know or care if users develop gambling addictions unless the problem were to become so widespread as to prompt government intervention. It’s up to individuals to look out for problem gambling and advocate for addiction education and therapy funding.

From an economic perspective, sports betting companies and sports networks have a

symbiotic relationship. Having fans bet on single games increases viewership and leads to higher ratings, but buzz around a milestone or new record should never be more about money than athletic achievement.

If gambling becomes inherent to sports culture, our experience of sport could be undermined by an inability to appreciate a game without personal financial stakes. Sports are about celebrating human excellence and bringing communities together. We shouldn’t lose sight of these ideals in the pursuit of a quick buck.

With the right education and a clear separation between enjoying sports and betting on them, gambling can be enjoyed safely. Maintaining a healthy relationship with sports betting—like any form of gambling—takes more than good intentions, though.

Play responsibly before it’s game over.

Student journalists and leaders should recognize their shared purpose

organizations accountable. This relationship must continue; it is paramount the AMS continues to respect The Journal in this way.

Likewise, student papers like The Journal must continue to respect the student unions that give them their lifeblood. Our student leaders do important, tough work, too. They represent Queen’s students to the best of their ability, advocating to the University on their behalf. The job is no joke.

The AMS supplies our health and dental plan. It provides paid on-campus jobs to hundreds of students. It oversees Queen’s record number of clubs. It runs vital services like Common Ground and the Printing & Copy Centre.

Editorial Board

Julia Harmsworth Managing Editor

Student journalism is an essential service that student governments must respect—but respect goes both ways.

University newspapers often have fraught relationships with the student unions that own them. This is perhaps unsurprising, considering university newspapers carry the responsibility (and burden) of reporting on these groups.

The AMS funds and oversees The Journal. Journal employees are AMS employees. The AMS provides access to resources like Dayforce, and supports in hiring, training, long-term planning, and financial matters. However, complete editorial autonomy is guaranteed under the AMS Constitution and Journal policy.

Similarly, The Western Gazette is owned and operated by the University Students’ Council, their student government. CBC is

BY MAIA MCCANN

funded by the federal government; they received $1.24 million in 2021-22. Both have editorial independence from their respective benefactors.

Rest assured: these are all good things. Governments—federal and student alike—fund journalism because people must have access to it free of charge. It is essential to keeping them informed about what’s happening and, frankly, to democracy.

In 2020, during the height of COVID-19, The Journal reported on how to get tested—information that wasn’t easily accessible elsewhere. In 2021, we exposed issues surrounding graduate students’ pay, work, and mental health. In 2022, we dug through legal jargon to uncover lawsuits against Queen’s.

Student journalists do important work and deserve to be recognized for it. Student unions support and fund student papers because they are essential in educating the student population and holding campus

Student journalists must hold student leaders accountable—they must ask the hard questions, dive deep, and ensure promises are being fulfilled—while respecting their work in the process. Above all else, we must respect student leaders as people.

Queen’s is a small place. You run into people at the library, at Starbucks, and Metro. You might have class with someone you’re writing about. There’s no point in making enemies because nothing but good comes from being kind.

The AMS is not a monolith; it’s a group of eighteen-to-twenty-one-year-olds just like us.

Student journalists and student leaders don’t need to dislike each other. They need to recognize each other as peers and remember their common purpose: serving students.

Julia is a fourth-year English student and The Journal’s Managing Editor.

Contributing Staff

Business Staff

Want to contribute?

For

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

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

Situated on the traditional lands of the Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples. The Journal’s Editorial Board acknowledges the traditional territories our newspaper is situated on have allowed us to pursue our mandate. We recognize our responsibility to understand the truth of our history.

Editorial opinions expressed in The Journal are the sole responsibility of The Queen’s Journal Editorial Board, and are not necessarily those of the University, the AMS or their officers. 190 University Ave., Kingston, ON, K7L 3P4

Editorial Office: 613-533-2800 Business Office: 613-533-6711 Fax: 613-533-6728 Email: journal_editors@ams.queensu.ca

Please address complaints and grievances to the Editor in Chief and/or Managing Editor.

The Queen’s Journal is printed on a Goss Community press by Metroland Media in Toronto, Ontario.

Contents © 2021 by The Queen’s Journal; all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior permission of The Journal.

Journal Editorial Board

ILLUSTRATION BY KATHARINE SUNG

PHOTO

OPINIONS Your Perspective

Hustle culture leaves no room to celebrate the small wins

bigger and better things can make you lose sight of the smaller things that really matter.

We need to remember the importance of daily tasks, such as getting in some movement, eating three meals a day, drinking enough water, and taking your vitamins. What about paying your rent, getting groceries, hanging out with friends? These are tasks and routines you can control. When added together they help you maintain a healthy mind and lifestyle.

Grounding yourself in these routines is a good way to remember that life is bigger than landing that job, getting that promotion, or graduating top of your class.

Hustle culture isn’t going anywhere. It has become so embedded in both academic and professional environments that it’s become a way of life. The problem is that striving for the outward validation you receive when you push yourself to the limits is not sustainable.

Instead, seek personal validation for productivity in other spaces of your life. This will help maintain a healthy relationship with work and yourself. You will quickly see how many things you have accomplished without even knowing it.

Talking Heads...

Jasmine Hasmatali Contributor

We need to give ourselves a break.

Hustle culture has ingrained in us that we must always work as hard as possible to succeed. There’s always thatvoice in the back of your head saying, “what more could you be doing?” or, “what’s next?”

Hustle culture is the mentality that one must put working hard above all else to accomplish their goals. This mindset has become so normalized for students and young professionals that we’re expected to constantly push our limits to see how much we can handle.

"After four years, we need to remember we truly are doing better than we think.

This idea of constant productivity is ruining our ability to appreciate the small, daily things that make us who we are. Hustle culture has created a toxic cycle of burnout, anxiety, and several other mental health problems.

In an essay titled “20 signs you’re doing better than you think you are” by Brianna Wiest, she talks about ways we can self-reflect on things we do we may not consider productive.

As university students, it is

important to be kind to ourselves. After four years, we need to remember we truly are doing better than we think. If you think you could be doing better, just take a deep breath and reflect on your daily accomplishments.

"Always pushing yourself to do bigger and better things can make you lose sight of the smaller things that really matter.

You need to work hard in life—people don’t succeed overnight. However, when you push your other needs to the side in the name of ‘achieving your goals,’ you become counterproductive: anxiety levels rise, burnout increases, and motivation diminishes.

Hustling is good in bursts, ideally with down periods of recharge in between. Being on a constant grind, as many students are, can lead to a constant feeling of unease, lack of confidence, and for many, mental health issues.

Instead of being able to appreciate the work we are doing and this unique time in our lives, we are forced to think of the things that are ahead of us: the next deadline, our next semester, a potential summer job. University is said to be some of the best years of students’ lives, but instead of focusing on what they’re experiencing right now, many are getting caught up in what to accomplish next or how to add more lines to their resumes.

Always pushing yourself to do

These small wins truly do add up and cannot be replaced by temporary gratification.

In the era of social media and constant comparison to those online, there is the belief that everyone has their lives together. This could not be further from the truth; everyone is at different stages of their life. Do not compare your chapter one to someone else’s chapter ten.

Life is no doubt a competition, but the main competition should be with yourself. Instead of constantly comparing yourself to everyone around you, compare yourself to who you were last week, or a year ago. Reflect on how far you’ve come and everything you’ve been able to do, both the small achievements and the big accomplishments.

To any student graduating this year, recently graduated, or entering university, remember to find joy in things that do not require validation from other people. Find what inspires you and motivates you to want to become a better person—for yourself.

This is where you can always come back to when you don’t think you’re doing enough.

Because you are.

"Reflect on how far you’ve come and everything you’ve been able to do, both the small achievements and the big accomplishments.

Jasmine is a fourth-year global development student.

Jasmine believes we need to be kinder to ourselves.

SUPPLIED BY JASMINE HASMATALI

You're doing better than you think

It's -10°C outside. What is the typical Queen's student wearing?

"Super Puff, Uggs or Blundstones, and sweatpants. I am the average Queen's student."

Ruby Morris, ArtSci '26

"Probably the GPA. Everyone's in the GPA."

"Blundstones, jeans, and a toque just high enough on their head so their hair can come out."

"Aritzia Super Puff."

"GPA, sandals, and swim shorts."

Jason Wang, Austin Hartley, and Paige Snowdon, Sci '26

Andrew Simpson and Kamil Mandani, Sci '24

Maya Major, ConEd '26

Jordan Herzstein, Sci '24

Free filmmaking workshops offer talks and tips from multimedia artists

Sam Goodale Assistant Arts Editor

The start of a new year and a new semester is the perfect time to pick up a new skill.

For those looking to delve into the artistic world, the Agnes is hosting its Open Secret series throughout this semester—free workshops in which attendees can explore different creative perspectives in film.

The Journal will be running through the full list of workshops on offer this semester, which promise to challenge and promote artistic curiosity in attending students.

Parastoo Anoushahpour

The first workshop of the year, running on. Jan. 20, from 11:30 to 2:30 p.m., will be hosted by Iranian Canadian filmmaker Parastoo Anoushahpour.

The workshop will follow the screening of Anoushahpour’s film The Time That Separates Us on Jan. 19 from 6 to 8 p.m. The film blends the biblical story of Lot’s wife with the contemporary strife facing the Jordan River Valley.

Although the workshop will centre upon discussions

Movie

The Agnes offers Open Secrets on filmmaking

Montreal, Batticaloa, and the Isle of Skye, centred upon the relationship between two queer women. The film examines themes on a personal and cosmic scale, interrogating the divide between the two and revealing connections.

Bamboat is a frequent collaborator with artists, musicians, and writers. Her workshop, held on March 10 from 11:30 to 2:30 p.m., will provide aspiring artists with the tools necessary to build a framework that allows positive collaboration.

Sofía Gallisá Murient

The final talk and screening of the Open Secret Series will be held on April 6 from 6 to 8 p.m. and will focus on Sofía Gallisá Muriente’s film Celaje

The film combines an array of film techniques to recount the colonial history of Puerto Rico and the connection between climate and memory.

of Anoushahpour’s film and the filmmaking process, attendees are encouraged to share their own ideas and engage with mechanics within The Time That Separates Us and apply them to their projects.

Kriss Li

The next workshop will be led by Kriss Li, a Chinese Canadian multimedia artist.

The workshop will be held on Feb. 9 from 11:30 to 2:30 p.m., the day after a screening of Li’s films on February 9 from to 8 p.m.

Li’s work is informed by their involvement with the Prisoner Correspondence Project, an initiative linking LGBTQ+ prisoners in Canada and the United States. Li seeks to examine hierarchies of power within their work, revealing the weaknesses

in our established systems and renegotiating a better path forward.

Sharlene Bamboat

Montreal-based filmmaker Sharlene Bamboat will be hosting a screening and talk of her film From Every Tongue It Drips on March 9 from 6 to 8 p.m.

The film is a planet-wide exploration of identity, spanning

review:

Goodale Assistant Arts Editor

Muriente’s workshop will be held on April 7 from 11:30 to 2:30 p.m. It promises to provide insights into the link between nature and impermanence and the importance of both in forming new, exciting images. Students will engage with their historical narrative and use it to inform their work.

It’s always better to walk away from watching a film with knowledge instead of a crinkled bag of M&Ms and an empty soda. The Open Secret Series will allow students to view incredible pieces of art and incorporate their techniques in personal projects.

Fun and learning await—and you don’t need to miss out on the popcorn.

‘Avatar: The Way of Water’

Stunning sequel’s poignant narrative centres on embracing differences

let go of the past, and it’s a bit head-scratching as to why he’s going to such lengths to murder Sully.

James Cameron knows how to make a movie. Fifteen years on from 2009’s Avatar, the film remains the highest-grossing release of all time. In Avatar: The Way of Water, Cameron hits new visual heights, delivering a cosmic epic filled with tons of water and a lot of soul. Although the film’s plot is stretched thin, it quietly builds a moving narrative of what we stand to gain when we approach the world with respect and wonder.

The setup here is simple enough: former human now turned Na’vi, Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and his partner Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) have settled down, had some children, and are living in the forests of Pandora. The Sky People—the militarized colonial humans from Earth—have returned to Pandora to extract resources. Enter Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang) in the form of a Na’vi Avatar, who decides it’s time to take some revenge on treacherous Jake Sully as a planet-wide rat race ensues.

It isn’t the most inventive plot ever. It’s not really original at all. The film feels plotless at times, meandering as characters move from place to place, jolting the audience back and forth between character POVs. The villain’s motivation—revenge—is tepid at best. He’s unsympathetic and maniacal. He just can’t

You probably won’t be paying much attention to the plot, though. You’ll be too busy gawking at the visual reverie on display, blending colours and worlds together, with each shot seeming more impossible than the last. The fauna, the wildlife—it all bursts from the screen, threatening to tumble out in luscious waves.

The film is at its best when it soaks itself in its visual brilliance.

Individual frames will stay with you for days after viewing. The action scenes are thundering, but the visual storytelling is the most impactful part of the film. Watching characters swim around the ocean and look at sand has never been so entertaining.

However, there’s a powerful story being built beneath the glitzy surface, one which forces the audience to consider their implication in the degradation of not just Pandora, but Earth.

When we watch the ridiculous militarism of Quaritch and co., or the cruel killing of ancient, sentient whales to extract resources, we want to direct our antagonism toward these people. We want to hate the bad guys. But it’s not that simple.

When we watch the film, we realize that many of us are the bad

guys. We’re complicit in colonialism. We’re complicit in environmental degradation. We have a stake in the military displacement of the people who were here before us—our past is as horrific as Pandora’s present.

Sure, this might be deadened a bit by the film’s multimillion-dollar Hollywood budget, but it’s an important story to tell, especially on this scale.

The film is ultimately about overcoming our differences and embracing them.

When Sully and his family seek refuge with the Water People, they don’t try to kill them or take their stuff. They’re visitors with a duty to respect their hosts. They learn their

culture, their customs, to care for the land the Water People have tended for generations. When Quaritch and his cronies try to challenge this mutual tenderness, they don’t stand a chance.

When we approach new places and new people with curiosity and respect, we stand to inherit worlds of knowledge. Avatar: The Way of Water is visually beautiful, but its beauty doesn’t end there. It’s an important film with an important message which, amongst the pop and pizzaz, makes us question whether we were the bad guys all along.

Sam

The Agnes is set to host many artists this semester.

GRAPHIC BY RIDA CHAUDHRY

The sequel dives deeper into Pandora.

GRAPHIC BY AMNA RAFIQ

Rida Chaudhry Senior Arts Editor

Editor’s Note: Ben Wrixon is on The Journal’s Editorial Board

Language is one of the first skills we develop as little humans.

The spoken and written word intersect to provide a direct form of communication between people everywhere. Widespread literacy means accessibility to art and information that can be enjoyed by many and created by all.

For this issue’s column diving into why Queen’s community members express themselves in the artistic medium of their choice, The Journal sat down with poet and recent Queen’s alum, Monique Lee-Vassell, Artsci’22, and our very own Editor-In-Chief, Ben Wrixon, ArtSci ’23, to talk poetry, prose, and everything in between.

Lee-Vassell has been filling notebooks since learning to hold a pencil. However, her taste for creative writing and poetry didn’t settle until she did her first year of university at the Bader College, Queen’s campus in England.

“When I was learning about the artists and the writers in my English literature intro class it was all William Wordsworth, Samuel Coleridge—romantic poets who write about the English landscape and based their careers off of it,” she said.

“Whenever we learn about poetry in school, it can seem restricting because of the structures we learn about it, but I think anything can be poetic really. It doesn’t feel like I’m fitting into any mood [when I’m writing].”

Last semester Lee-Vassell organized a community event for live spoken word, inviting her friends and peers to perform in a space designed for creativity: the Agnes Etherington Arts Centre.

Her first time reading her own work aloud proved

What’s your medium?

Poetry and prose—how words offer the most accessible medium of all

experimented with planning and organization—it never really works,” Wrixon said.

He swears by the flow of ideas when it comes to writing, finding it is best to get everything out then edit later.

“What stays consistent whether I’m writing professionally or creatively is I’m a very meticulous editor—I just need to write and then go back and be diligent with it.”

A short story he wrote for The Undergraduate Review stands out to Wrixon as his favourite piece of work to date. The story, titled, “The Winning Numbers,” is both what he deems as his most original work and the one where he nailed the ending.

to be a gratifying and rewarding experience.

“It somehow all happened with divine timing […] before that I hadn’t really read my poems in public—only to my bestest, closest friends. It was like coming out as a writer in my own space with all of my favourite people and in my home base where I felt safest.”

Her celestial perception of writing and connection weaves outer worldly sentiments with a search for oneself on a quest on how to be satisfied alone. When asked who inspires her, she referred to Reyna Maria Rolka, someone she has “completely immersed herself in.”

“I’m more involved with his history now but his words would always pop into my sphere[…] his poetry makes me physically feel everything and I get

goosebumps […] my body, my soul, my mind and spirit reacts to all of his writing.”

She described her writing as hypnotic, echoing the pace of her train of thought.

“I’m very very blessed to know what my [artistic] medium is […] I think words specifically open the door to my mind. When I write, my brain somehow turns my wiring neurons into this tangible thing that I can, and we all can, read.”

Wrixon, though leaning towards prose, has similar beginnings as a creative writer.

Scribbling stories in his journal that he proclaimed as “cringeworthy” was his favourite pastime growing up. Despite losing touch with his creative voice as a tween, he came back to the medium in high school.

“I won a couple of competitions

Biopics walk a fine line

in high school and thought ‘okay, I might not be the next Shakespeare or Stephen King, but I think I’ve got something going on here,’” Wrixon said.

The writing of Stephen King and Queen’s alumnus Iain Reed have inspired his work the most. From reading a never-ending supply of creative and clear prose to watching a talented Kingston based writer receive welldeserved recognition, the thoughtful simplicity that can accompany original pieces of works drives Wrixon’s storytelling.

In stark contrast to his passion for creative writing, Wrixon’s work at The Journal requires structure and uniformity to capture the voice of a newspaper.

“When I’m writing creatively, I just sit down and do it. I’ve

Rida Chaudhry Senior Arts Editor

It seems Hollywood has not learned anything from critiques on Blonde, the long-awaited and heavily panned Marilyn Monroe biopic that debuted last year, as they venture on to the next femme fatale: Amy Winehouse.

With photos leaking of Sam Taylor-Johnson’s adaptation of the iconic artist’s life, Back in Black, one must wonder how many more poorly-intentioned fictionalized biopics audiences will endure before the genre becomes irredeemably oversaturated. The answer is we’re already there.

This isn’t to say nothing meaningful could come from a film of Amy Winehouse’ life, but it’s doubtful considering she was an artist whose struggles largely circled the drain. Now she’s being brought back from the dead for profit.

The oversaturation of the industry coupled with the strive to cycle history in theatrical takes has created a genre dedicated to telling the stories of celebrities who have captivated the world’s curiosity in their prime.

When done right like Bohemian Raphsody, they can come into fruition in a complex and clever undertaking of an icon, but they’re easily done wrong.

Much like Stephen King, one of his idols, Wrixon’s biggest struggle as a creative writer has been writing the perfect endings to his stories.

“After the work I did in high school, [“The Winning Numbers”] was the first story that I felt like I really believed in,” he said. “I don’t think it’s my best writing or my most descriptive, but I think from a narrative perspective it was probably the most interesting.”

For Wrixon, words are the ultimate challenge.

“If you can illicit emotions from your audiences just by writing, I think that’s incredible—it takes so much skill.”

Both young writers stress that words are the most accessible form of art, with no restraints other than finding a means to get them out of your mind and into the world.

When that happens, stories are skewed, greed is exposed, and family is left unsatisfied.

We saw from Elvis how an abuser’s story can be told in the limelight with little more than adoration with a sprinkle of addiction. Blonde showed us how the tale of one of the most interesting women to take hold of the public eye can be boiled down to a performative and fetishizing account of the feminine struggle. Then, with Nina, we saw how poor casting can turn a film about an icon into a watery adaptation that satisfies no one.

When it comes to Winehouse, a powerful documentary already exists—two if you count the one her father had made after feeling he was shown in a poor light. Bringing back the story of her life is clearly motivated by industry officials wanting another bite of the profit.

Winehouse was a unique and tumultuous woman whose struggles powerfully informed her art. Those who idolize her and her music are likely aware a film of such nature would not do right by her legacy—if doing right by her legacy is even Hollywood’s intention.

Only thoughtful reappraisals of the deceased can end in fruitful cinema. The urge to reap profit from stories already told is one filmmakers ought to avoid.

From quills to the keyboard.

PHOTO BY CURTIS HEINZL

Meaningful adaptations of iconic lives are lost in a sea of greed-driven cinema

The upcoming Amy Winehouse biopic questionable.

GRAPHIC BY RIDA CHAUDHRY

SPORTS Inside Julia Chadwick’s basketball philosophy

relaxed tone of voice. For Chadwick, the sport has always been enjoyable, but throughout her high school career and Division 1 days, she fell under a lot of pressure—especially during the global pandemic.

World’s oldest hockey rivalry returns at Carr-Harris Cup

The Gaels take on the Paladins at the Leon’s Centre on Feb. 2

Sarah Maat Senior Sports Editor

Students are invited to watch the world’s oldest hockey rivalry on Feb. 2.

The Carr-Harris Cup will return after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. Although the recent games have been cancelled, the 136-year-old Kingston rivalry between the Gaels and RMC Paladins is alive and well.

“It’s a marquee game in U SPORTS Men’s Hockey that brings both universities together to celebrate our sport,” Queen’s Men’s Hockey Head Coach Brett Gibson said in a press release.

“The history and significance of the game from both universities cannot be overlooked. Alumni always remember their record in the Carr-Harris Cup, and they take great pride in hoisting this trophy.”

The RMC Men’s Hockey Head Coach Richard Lim shared a similar view.

“It’s an exciting matchup for both schools, and all the players and staff are honoured every year to carry on the history of the Carr-Harris Cup,” he said in a press release.

“As both schools look for playoff

positioning […] I’m sure this year’s edition will be as exciting as ever, and we missed this fantastic event for the last two seasons.”

This year’s game will be a special celebration of the first complete post-pandemic hockey season, but it will also be a time to grieve and remember Stu Crawford, one of the founding members of this historic game and ex-Queen’s hockey player—who passed away in November. This game marks the first without him since he inaugurated the cup in 1986.

In an interview with The Journal, Assistant Coach Patrick Sanvido, former Gael and two-time winner of the cup, shared what Crawford’s legacy means to the team.

“It’s just unbelievable to imagine someone that’s been around with a specific program for that long.”

“How proud he was to be a Queen’s Gael is what really stuck out to me; knowing he played a role in this game gives you that extra bit of motivation.”

This game, however, is just the beginning of the legacy Crawford left at Queen’s.

“Our dressing room now is named after him [...] he’s what Queen’s hocky epitomizes. I think it was like seven decades or six decades that he’s been involved with the Queen’s hockey program,” Sanvido explained.

This year, the Gaels will embody Crawford’s pride and love for the cup.

Lilly Coote Assistant Sports Editor

This season, Julia Chadwick has led the Gaels to a perfect 12-0 record.

Chadwick was pegged early for basketball greatness. Her career began in grade four in her hometown of Ottawa, where she played for Durham Elite and Team Ontario.

Then, just a couple of weeks after receiving her high school diploma, Chadwick represented Team Canada at the national level and helped them bring home a silver medal. To put it simply, she’s been a basketball star since her elementary school games.

Following in the footsteps of many professional basketball players, Chadwick was recruited to an NCAA Division 1 school. Yet after one season at Robert Morris University, Chadwick decided the conventional route might not be for her.

“It just wasn’t really the right spot for me,” said Julia in an interview with The Journal. “I was confident that I would have a more enjoyable athletic career at Queen’s.”

So far this season, she’s averaging 17.6 points and 11.8 rebounds per game as a 6’1’’ forward. This past weekend against the Algoma Thunderbirds, she had excelled defensively with seven steals and 13 rebounds in a whopping 77-34 Gaels win.

Chadwick isn’t one for superstitions. In a press release, she stated she doesn’t have a strict pre-game ritual, and usually has a graband-go meal from the Grocery Checkout before most games.

Chadwick’s nonchalant attitude towards life, and towards basketball, is portrayed through her laidback body language and

“I guess in the last few years after COVID-19 I’ve just had to put a big emphasis on enjoying it and having fun with it,” Julia said of her relationship with basketball.

She said being close with her teammates makes intense workouts and high-stake games fun, saying, “I get to go into practice and see 15 of my best friends.”

Chadwick credited the coaching staff as a major reason why her experience on the team is so enjoyable. Head Coach Claire Meadows and Chadwick go way back, as Meadows coached her during her U18 season for Team Canada.

Coach Meadows understands the players, as she had five extremely impressive basketball seasons as a Gael herself. With a first-hand experience of what it’s like to be a student athlete at Queen’s, Meadows and the coaching staff respect the importance of balance.

“I just enjoy every aspect of it, and I think that’s sort of the culture that has allowed us to be successful,” Chadwick said.

With less than a dozen games left, the undefeated Gaels are preparing for the OUA playoffs after hosting them last year at the ARC. In 2022, the team brought home the U SPORTS Bronze medal. Their podium finish last year marked their first national medal in program history and given the season they’ve had so far, there’s a good chance they can medal again.

Queen’s fans and players are anticipating another intense playoff season come February. Until then, and her teammates will continue to enjoy the journey.

“I think we have a pretty special program,” Chadwick said. “It’s been really, really fun.”

“It’s usually not an overly friendly game when we play RMC, so adding that little extra spice of the history and then on top of playing for the cup […] any time you are playing for some sort of trophy it brings out that little extra edge,” Sanvido said.

In the wake of this rivalry, the Gaels will need all the fan support they can get.

“With the RMC fans, it’s awesome because they don’t let up,” Sanvido said.

“They are there yelling at you with signs up and one year the coach even got a beer dumped on him. […] it’s a pretty hectic environment.”

Queen’s students have two opportunities to collect free tickets: they can be one of the first 50 fans at the Memorial

Centre Men’s Hockey game on Jan. 25, or they can go to the ARC Q Services desk starting Jan. 25 until supplies last. If fans miss these opportunities for free tickets, tickets will be on sale at the ARC for five dollars.

“It’s a rocking arena […] where anything can happen,” Sanvido said.

“It has never mattered where RMC stood in the standings or where Queen’s stood in the standings. It’s always a hectic game and it’s just a lot of fun and we could really use the support from Queen’s students.”

Queen’s star forward tells all in an interview with ‘The Journal’

Julia Chadwick: queen of the court.

PHOTO BY CURTIS HEINZL

PHOTO BY HERBERT WANG

The Cup is a 136 year tradition.

Cross Country wants to ‘leave a legacy’

Friendship, fun, and podium finishes

Sarah Maat Senior Sports Editor

Queen’s Cross Country had a season to remember, but it’s the team bonds they will never forget—theirs is a story of legacy creation.

Head Coach Mark Bomba started with the team two years ago and has since anchored the program under one goal: leaving a legacy. Throughout their season, the athletes have bought into this mindset and used it to motivate themselves.

Their legacy is podium finishes and successful races, but also friendship and teamwork that will alter the culture of Queen’s Cross Country forever.

On Nov. 12, both the men’s and women’s teams travelled to Halifax, Nova Scotia to compete at the U SPORTS Championship. The Gaels didn’t know it yet, but their race would be a historic one—starting with the weather conditions.

Racing in Halifax in November meant tropical storm conditions in frigid weather. Winds were blowing like crazy, and the rain was coming down.

At the OUA championships the previous week, the men’s team placed second and the women’s team placed fourth. Despite these promising results, they didn’t expect to break the more than 20-year long U SPORTS podium curse.

Group mindset, however, plays a big role in outcome because in cross country scoring and placement is based on how many of your teammates finish well. It’s an individual race until it’s over and the team is used to determine how they’re ranked overall.

As if this wasn’t pressure enough, the team wanted to earn a podium finish for Mitchell Kirby.

Humble Mitchell Kirby has been running for Queen’s for six years. He’s currently the oldest member of the team and their fastest runner. Knowing this would be his last race, his

teammates wanted his legacy at Queen’s to include a podium finish.

In the face of former Head Coach Steve Boyd’s controversial termination, and the uncertainty of racing during the pandemic, Kirby’s calm presence has led and inspired his team for many years. His teammates speak highly of the impact he’s had on this sport.

Wheeler-Dee he “[didn’t] need that medal for himself. He went out there and cracked the race open—no one earned it more than him.”

The women’s team also had an incredible race day as rookie Elizabeth Vroom won the U SPORTS Rookie of the Year Award for being the fastest in the country.

The award surprised Vroom because she didn’t win the OUA award just weeks prior, meaning she beat out the same rookies who placed ahead of her earlier in the season.

“Mitch is such a steadying force, on our team. He’s just, he’s so level-headed […] he just stays calm and collected,” Miles Brackenbury, another runner, said in an interview with The Journal.

“[He’s] someone who we all look up to, someone whose talent and performance continues to amaze all of us.”

In the days following the men’s team’s second place finish at OUAs, they felt extremely confident, so Kirby decided to get them back on track.

He took some runners on a two-hour brutal training run across Kingston’s biggest and toughest hills to bring them back to earth—and the whole time he didn’t say a word. His legacy is one of wisdom and calm leadership.

So, when it came down to his last race as a Gael, the U SPORTS Championship in Halifax, the team wanted to race for him.

“We really did have that mindset of doing it for Mitch,” Brackenbury said.

“I remember seeing Mitch go and I was like, I can’t let this guy down,” Jude Wheeler-Dee, another Queen’s runner, said. “Like, he’s put too much in for the team [...] this is Mitch, his legacy, and I just knew I we had to do whatever we could to leave a mark for the team.”

On Nov. 12 in Halifax, the men’s cross country team earned bronze—their first national championship podium in over twenty years.

Kirby placed fourth in his final race, and according to

“It wasn’t something I was really expecting coming into that race. So, I don’t know, it was kind of an exciting thing to find out at the end,” she said in an interview with The Journal.

This year’s bronze finish and rookie award is only part of this team’s legacy. The friendships they built outside of race day and the mindsets they adopted are just as memorable.

Throughout the season, the team focused on two things: running for each other and having fun.

“We knew that’s how we were going to finish: side by side.

Runner Roman Mironov assured The Journal they were having fun.

“Of the top teams at U SPORTS we are by far the funniest,” he said.

“We go about it in a bit of an unorthodox way, like mid race, we will be having conversations with each other. I’m sure if I was an outsider, it would be weird, maybe, I don’t know how I would take it, but it’s fun when we’re out there just running side by side.”

Mironov and Wheeler-Dee best exemplified what it means to run for each other right after the official university season when they raced as individuals in the Canadian National Cross Country Championships.

Heading into that race the pair knew they each had a pretty

good chance at gold because they were racing runners strictly their own age. Issues arose, however, when they realized it could come down to just the two of them at the end. Thankfully, they had a secret plan.

“We knew that’s how we were going to finish: side by side,” Mironov said. “Everyone else was waiting for the showdown, but this went exactly to plan. Jude and I were in control of the race the entire time, and everyone loved it.”

“It’s

really care if you become a better athlete. You’ve got to become a better person,” retiring runner Kirby said in an interview with The Journal.

Over his six years as a Gael, this mindset is something Kirby has truly bought into.

“I definitely don’t think it starts with me,” he said. “[But] I want to be an example, if I could, of holding yourself accountable and going out of your comfort zone. I’m just hoping that maybe I can be someone who helps get the messages across.”

Not taking themselves too seriously is something the Gaels hope will always be part of the team. Their coach agrees: cross country is about more than how you finish a race.

“[Coach Bomba] doesn’t

Kirby’s graduation means the Gaels will lose a calming and wise leader. However, after this year’s incredible finish, the Gaels are lined up for a strong track season this winter and an even better cross country season next fall. Kirby’s imprint on the team will be felt.

“It’s like we are playing with Lego; we just keep building and building,” Wheeler-Dee said.

Mitchell Kirby leads the pack.

“We really did have that mindset of doing it for Mitch.

like we are playing with Lego; we just keep building and building.

Jude Wheeler-Dee and Roman Mironov share gold.

SUPPLIED BY JUDE WHEELER-DEE

Gaels rally to sink Lancers two nights in a row

Sarah Maat Senior Sports Editor

Don’t count out the Gaels—even down 2-0.

Queen’s Men’s Volleyball beat Windsor twice this weekend. Friday’s game was a clean sweep for the Gaels, as the Lancers didn’t even take one set, but they pulled out all the stops on Saturday.

“[Windsor] came out way more aggressively than last night,” Head Coach Gabriel DeGroot said in a post-game interview with The Journal.

While the Gaels had been dominant the night before, on Saturday they struggled to even keep up. The teams consistently matched each other point for point during the first two sets. The Lancers ultimately took the first two sets 30-28 and 25-22.

“When they got in tough situations last night, they kind of just continued the ball and gave us opportunities to score and tonight they took those opportunities away from us. So, we had to end up adjusting to a more aggressive style of play from them,” DeGroot said.

Heading into the third set, anxieties at the ARC were high. Fans felt disappointed because they expected the same sweep from the night before. Players, on the other hand, decided the game wasn’t quite over.

“The conversation in the locker room before this was just

Men’s Volleyball pulls off crazy 2-0 comeback

Queen’s to call a timeout with the score tied again 24-24.

That timeout altered the game as Queen’s got back on the floor and immediately won two points in a row. The Gaels had stayed alive but weren’t yet safe, with two more sets to win.

The fourth set stayed close, ending the same way as the third: 26-24. Queen’s was one step closer to a crazy comeback.

As the fifth set started, the gym found new life. Queen’s got out to a four-point lead—the largest they’d held all night—before Windsor called a timeout to disrupt the flow.

Queen’s, however, wasn’t fazed. Instead, they began to play like they had the night before and emerged victorious after the longest fight of the season.

The Gaels have had a tough start to their season because one third of their roster are new recruits this year. With so many new players, they’ve needed new strategies for team chemistry and time to get team culture on track.

“It’s taken time. Building team culture is really important to me,” DeGroot said. “It’s a big piece to integrate [the first years] into what our culture looks like.”

about building one point at a time,” DeGroot said of the team’s game plan.

This season, Queen’s has struggled with getting ahead of themselves and thinking too far ahead of the current point. DeGroot says that’s what they’ve been working on lately.

“[We’re] just staying in the moment and going back to what

we’re good at, which is good technical and tactical volleyball which just keeps us grounded in what we have to do in each and every moment.”

Even down 2-0, that’s what Queen’s did—they kept focused on only the very next point.

The third set stayed neck and neck and the game dragged on. For each kill Queen’s Erik Siksna

The teams were tied 23-23 as the pressure rose in the ARC. Queen’s had the ball but fumbled the serve, giving Windsor a point and possession. However, Windsor botched their serve as well, prompting

Over the break, the team competed at a four-day exhibition tournament in Laval, Quebec which helped to bolster team chemistry and support.

“In our box and our bench ,guys are just having a blast supporting each other. So that’s the most important thing to me,” DeGroot said.

Women’s Volleyball sweeps Windsor

Gaels dominate on home court to improve to 8-4

Lilly Coote Assistant Sports Editor

This weekend marked a high point for the Queen’s women’s volleyball team as they won back-to-back

games on home court against the Windsor Lancers. Sweeping the double header has given the Gaels newfound confidence heading into the second half of their season.

“It’s exciting to win on the home court again,” outside hitter Mary Stewart said in an interview with The Journal.

Stewart was named the female Varsity Athlete of the

Week in honour of her incredible performance. She led the Gaels this weekend with a total of 12 kills.

The Gaels rank slightly above the Lancers in the OUA standings, and proved they deserve the spot by defeating them 25-14, 25-17, and 25-11 on Friday night.

Then, riding high after Friday’s win, the Gaels held a solid lead during the first set of Saturday’s game. Just as the Lancers began cutting into the Gaels’ lead, outside hitter Rachel Meilikhan dialed in and ended the first set with an ace for a 25-18 win.

Windsor blocked the Gaels’ attacks on the right side of the court during the second set and stunted Queen’s lead. However, the Gaels remained unphased and oozed confidence on the court. Windsor got flustered after the Gaels hit six points in a row, and called a timeout to stop the momentum, but the Gaels finished off strong with a 25-22 win.

“We really try to stick together,” Stewart told The Journal. “We always come in [between sets] and say ‘ok, stay calm, we’ve got this.”

During the third set, Kennedy Millin made some key assists and blocks, but her teammates struggled to execute and win these points. Nonetheless, the Gaels pulled it together and finished off the set with another 25-22 win to send the Lancers home empty-handed.

“We didn’t quite finish as strong as we started and played most

of the match,” Head Coach Ryan Ratushniak said in a post-game interview with The Journal.

This season hasn’t been easy for the Gaels: the team went 0-3 at the Volleyball Showcase in BC.

Most recently, however, they tamed the York Lions in a split doubleheader.

Ratushniak attributes the team’s recent monumental wins and comebacks to his philosophy of “playing with courage,” which he admitted is easier said than done.

“I am feeling good about where our team is at right now. We’re getting better, we’re working hard and improving all the time,” Ratushniak said.

The team now only has a halfdozen games left to prepare for the OUA Championship in late

February. Last season, the Gaels lost to the U of T Varsity Blues in the OUA East Final.

Ratushniak doesn’t want the team to lose focus in the process of getting to the playoffs. He told The Journal the second half of the season will be spent on building upon their foundation of strong gameplay and mental toughness.

Last year, the Gaels lost in a heartbreaking match to the Varsity Blues in the third round of the OUA playoffs. The team is heading into the second half of the season feeling cautiously optimistic.

The Gaels have another home court advantage this upcoming weekend when they take on the Western Mustangs in another double header in the ARC on Jan. 27 and 28.

earned, Zach Albert from Windsor earned one right back. Neither team could get within two points of the other.

Gaels in sync at the net.

PHOTO BY JOSH KOWAL

Arielle Palermo serves.

SUPPLIED BY JAMES PADDLE-GRANT

Gaels celebrate a point.

SUPPLIED BY JAMES PADDLE-GRANT

Inactive content creators have mastered the algorithm—and it’s a waste of time

Social media scrolling is pushing out creativity

Clanny Mugabe Assistant Lifestyle Editor

I scroll through Instagram for a little too long most days, like most of us. It’s easy to get drawn in and addicted, especially when the algorithm caters specifically to your interests. Unfortunately, the algorithm often deems inactive, uncreative influencers as the things I want to see.

I’m just one person trying to weave my way through a sea of inactive and uninteresting influencers. What comes up on my feed is a small fraction of what’s out there, but the trend is real. Some people have mastered how to maximize viewership and engagement—and wasting our precious time.

Inactive influencers are people who have thousands of followers and, somehow, churn out the bare minimum of content. Take, for

example, the person who created one funny video, briefly went viral, and decided to reskin that one video over and over again, reaping the benefits while contributing nothing creative to the digital space. They repeat the same bit, changing one or two words in the script to appear creative.

Another type of inactive creator typically uses other clips and makes barebones commentary on them, barely passing the standard of fair use. One I often see on Instagram stares into the camera and plays clips of trending songs over his head, “explaining” the source of a trend.

Here’s the question: why do these people have the platforms they do? How can so many creators, big and small, maintain their audience and capture their attention without engaging with them creatively?

Inactive influencers target human curiosity and make the almighty algorithm work for them. They know how to draw an audience in and what to put in their videos to get the algorithm to preface them, which then gets more eyes on their content.

I’m a curious person, and once a Reel draws me in with an interesting premise, I watch the video all the way through, to have my questions answered. The algorithm catches that habit and pushes more similar videos to my feed to take up more of my time.

In a world where profit is

prioritized over creativity, the continuous promotion of these types of content creators alienates burgeoning creatives from online spaces. Media companies don’t want to take risks, so they design sites that promote the most mindless and easy-to-consume content to make the most money in the safest way possible.

Online platforms like Instagram and TikTok provide the unique opportunity for individuals to promote their creativity, when big companies won’t take a chance on them. Unfortunately, inactive influencers push out these creative, risk-taking creators.

It’s important to remember social media companies and their algorithms are responding to audience feedback, so the more we watch these mindnumbing videos, the more they get promoted. We can’t absolve ourselves of responsibility.

What’s the solution, you ask? Look away. You don’t have to let the algorithm or inactive influencers waste your time. Scroll away, to a more engaging, creative creator and support their work, or turn off your phone all together.

You can take your free time back.

Staff picks: Nostalgic movies

‘Journal’ staff share their favourite childhood movies

was on the phone with her long-distance friend from California, sitting in the room next to me. She mindlessly twirled the wire of our antique rotary phone, and I could tell she was going to be occupied for a while.

Assistant Lifestyle Editor

Ratatouille (2007)

Pixar’s Ratatouille instantly comes to mind when I think of movies and nostalgia. I owe part of its nostalgic value to my frequent viewings as a kid. There was a point when I had memorized most of the scenes but would still willingly watch it again.

I still watch Ratatouille these days. Linguini hiding Remy in his hat, the bustling kitchen atmosphere, the iconic character of Collette, and Gusteau’s wholesome message that “anyone can cook” exist at the core of my childhood memories.

Another reason I love the movie is the visuals and soundtrack. Even when I didn’t think very deeply about the messages, Ratatouille evoked a sense of wonder and dreams with its gorgeous effects.

Influences of Ratatouille have made it back to places like TikTok and the rest of pop culture, but I’ll forever remember it for being my childhood favourite.

—Katharine Sung, Editorial Illustrator

When I moved from house to house as a kid, the one constant in my environment was going to my parents’ room, fiddling with a cassette, sliding this movie into the VCR, and watching it over and over again with my dad.

It became our little tradition. I felt bad for making him watch the same film over and over again, but hey, we bonded, and when I watch the movie, I think of him.

I was beyond obsessed with this movie; I don’t remember a time in my life when this movie wasn’t a part of it. I maintain it holds up to this day. With its beautiful, expressive animation and the great tunes, I still watch it to this day.

It’s a staple in my family; we echo “and be grateful too!” to tease each other, and we’ve watched it so many times we can recite most of the lines.

—Clanny Mugabe, Assistant Lifestyle Editor

The Notebook (2004)

Back in 2009, I was a bored eight-yearold kid flipping through the TV channels on my grandma’s old floral sofa chair. My mom

During this rare period of no supervision, I came across The Notebook. My eyes flashed to the 1940s vibrant dresses and silky hair but stayed for our Canadian gem Ryan Gosling. I felt devious and a little sneaky, but decided to kick my feet back, relax, and watch the show.

I observed them at flirt at the carnival, was absolutely scandalized by that steamy sex scene, and memorized Noah’s angry cry to Allie that he wrote her letters “every day for a year!” I was glued to that movie until the bitter end.

The finale—no spoilers—shattered my eight-year-old heart, and yes, I shed a tear or two. It was the first time I’d ever cried during a movie, and to this day, I still consider The Notebook a romantic tragedy, rarely going back and watching it.

Thus, I have to say The Notebook is very nostalgic for me—but maybe not for the best reasons.

—Suzy Leinster, Features Editor

The Little Mermaid (1989)

When I was little, I wanted to be Ariel when I grew up. I dressed up as The Little Mermaid for three years in a row, and as my mom will tell you, I barely took the costume off between Halloweens.

The Little Mermaid will always be my favourite Disney movie—and most nostalgic movie. The French chef chasing

Sebastian around with a knife the size of my head, Ursula’s explanation of “body language,” and Ariel and her sisters flipping through the charming 2D-animated waters will never be matched. Plus, the songs are some of Disney’s best. “Under the Sea” and “Part of Your World” are incredible; the latter gives me goose bumps.

When I watch this movie now, I remember what it felt like to run around in that Halloween costume and to play Mermaids in the pool. There’s something freeing about it. I can’t wait for the live-action remake.

—Julia Harmsworth, Managing Editor

The Dark Knight (2008)

I don’t consider myself a nostalgic person, but The Dark Knight always takes me back in a way few other movies can.

My parents wouldn’t let me watch it when it first came out—Heath Ledger’s portrayal of The Joker is undeniably disturbing—but them making me wait just built anticipation for the moment I finally watched it in all its glory.

I still love The Dark Knight. I think it’s by far and away the best ‘superhero’ movie ever made on several levels. However, I’d be lying if I said my personal connection to it wasn’t rooted in all that pent-up anticipation.

Watching it takes me back to being a kid and wanting nothing more than to see Batman at his, well, darkest.

Why so serious, am I right?

—Ben Wrixon, Editor in Chief

Clanny Mugabe

Anastasia (1997)

Some content creators lack creativity.

GRAPHIC BY CURTIS HEINZL

Staff shared their memories of childhood movies.

GRAPHIC BY AMNA RAFIQ

Winter activities to keep the cold from getting to you

Clanny Mugabe Assistant Lifestyle Editor

Ice skating

This is one of those classic winter activities that almost everyone in Canada partakes in—as they should. While it may sound cliche to say go ice skating for fun, it’s a cliche for a reason.

Skating is a great, peaceful activity that combines fun and exercise, all while giving you an excuse to go outside. On top of all of that, it helps you stay warm since you’re moving your body so much.

You can go on your own and peacefully skate in circles, clearing your mind while getting some great fresh air. Or, you could go as a couple; skating is a classic date idea. You could even go with a group of friends.

Kingston is special, with its beautiful scenery and accessible downtown. A trip down Princess St. can end with a visit to Springer Market Square, where the free ice rink provides ample opportunity for an impromptu skating session. The City of Kingston also hosts public skating at indoor rinks, which you can find online.

Whether you’re a beginner or have been skating for years, it’s a timeless winter activity that’s perfect to do in Kingston.

Visit a local bakery or cafe

In the same vein as ice skating, visiting a local bakery or cafe is a great way to warm up while running errands downtown or doing some shopping.

If outdoor activities aren’t your speed,

What to do in Kingston this winter

afternoon, and head to the evening game right after the sun sets. This is your opportunity to take advantage of Kingston’s local sports culture and show some support.

Frontenacs tickets are a great present for that hockey fan in your friend group, and a great way to take your family out to watch something fun. Hockey is a time-honoured Canadian staple, and a winter sport most people enjoy—you can’t go wrong.

Throughout the winter, the Leon’s Centre is hosting over 30 Frontenacs home games, so you have plenty of options. There’s never been a better time to go, either, as this hockey season, the Frontenacs will be celebrating their 50-year anniversary.

Go on a winter walk

Let’s be real: we all like to complain about the cold, the snow, the ice, and the weather. It makes great small talk. However, there’s a reason people from all over the world come to Canada to enjoy the winters. On the right day, its beautiful.

or it’s too cold to stay out for too long, take this as an opportunity to try new warm drinks and explore the city more. Kingston has a great community of local businesses and homegrown coffee shops it’s important to support.

While you’re strolling down Princess St., look for places like CRAVE or Sens Cafe, where you can warm up, contribute to the community, and eat some amazing food.

episodes this summer. So, given its success, here’s why it’s so good, and why you should watch it.

BY CURTIS HEINZL

Go to a Frontenacs game

One of the best things about Kingston is how close everything is. You don’t need to trek through the snow for long to get to any fun events. That works out well for this activity: heading to a Frontenacs home game.

The Leon’s Centre is just a quick walk off Princess St. Grab tickets in the morning, do a myriad of activities in the

Crisp, cool, dry air is a welcome change from stuffy humidity. Sunlight reflects the snow and makes the world seem brighter. Without the heat, there’s no bugs, so you can go out on a warmer snowy day and not have to worry about flies or mosquitos attacking you while you’re trying to get some fresh air.

So, enjoy it. Go on a winter walk. Kingston is home to some great walking trails, or you could just make a trip to the pier and back and listen to the waves.

It’s worth it just to enjoy the simple beauty of Kingston, with no frills and no activities. Just grab a pair of headphones and take a brisk walk.

Clanny Mugabe Assistant Lifestyle Editor

Don’t let the title fool you—The Bear has little to do with animals. Streaming on Disney+, it’s grounded, gritty, and acts as a refreshment from the high fantasy and sci-fi that dominates television today.

Chicago sandwich shop and the ways they chafe against the expectations of their new boss, Carmen ‘Carmy’ (Jeremy Allen White), a rising star in the world of highclass French cuisine.

confirmed last week Bear returning for a second season with 10

Grief, anxiety, and interpersonal drama are the driving forces behind this show. Unlike a lot of television I’m familiar with, there’s no central villain—nothing to defeat. The main challenge for the characters is learning how to cope, lean on each other, and work together in hard times.

The characters’ interactions seem crass and aggressive on the surface, but the dialogue is cleverly and realistically

interactions hint naturally at a larger history between the two of them, but their arguments also indicate real familiar affection. They switch between fighting and working together to keep the shop running with the ease of siblings.

Richie’s stubbornness against Carmy’s changes to the shop shape a lot of the main conflict of the series. It’s a realistic take on what it means to be family and how a community copes with a loss. The two’s mutual grief leaks into their fights and how they interact with the shop, the employees,

experiences plus the gritty set pieces combine to make a show that’s humble and grounded. The characters are dressed in greasy aprons and wrinkled shirts, giving the aura or people who actually lived and worked in those clothes.

The sets are designed with the same familiar messes we recognize from our own neighbourhood sandwich shops; it looks like a year of food work and grit layered on top of each other, contributing to the warm feel of the environment.

The Bear is so great because it stays real and laces every bit of character interaction with mountains of meaning. It doesn’t need fantasy or sci-fi elements to drive its plot or

The show reminds us of the importance like

FX show shows the potency of real human conflict

PHOTO

Kingston is beautiful in the wintertime.

‘The Bear’ is grounded, raw television

What I learned from fostering a pet

Monica Aida Lopez Contributor

I’ve always loved animals. They have a sort of comforting innocence and sweetness about them—if you look into their eyes, you know everything will be alright. So, when I moved to Queen’s from Calgary, the hardest goodbye was to my little rabbit, Marbles.

He was super old, almost ancient, and putting him on an airplane to take with me would’ve been too selfish, no matter how much I loved him. It didn’t matter how many stuffed animals I got; Marbles was pretty hard to replace.

“ Although we gave Binky as much attention and care as we could, having a free-range rabbit was more difficult to manage with his disabilities. He could hop very high and wasn’t afraid of loud noises, so we were unable to keep him safe in a small apartment.

My roommate, another huge animal lover, understood my perspective. So, the idea of fostering an animal was intriguing to us. After talking for a week, we decided to go for it. Over the summer, we applied to foster pets through the Kingston Humane Society.

The process was a lot simpler than we originally thought. We were asked to describe the type of house we lived in and our previous experiences with animals. Lastly, we had to give some character and vet references.

“ My experience with Binky made me more selfless and compassionate, since it was no longer just about me and my needs. I had an animal who relied on me for their safety, love, and care.

After submitting the application, we waited a couple weeks to see who our new furry friend was going to be. Our first foster pet was a small white bunny named Binky. He had floppy pink ears and a pink nose, which made him look more like a stuffed rabbit than a real one.

Binky was a little bundle of joy. He ran about the house and loved cuddling with any visitors. In the end, however, Binky needed to be spayed and was deaf, so there were some challenges with keeping him.

Although we gave Binky as much attention and care as we could, having a free-range rabbit was more difficult to manage with his disabilities. He could hop very high and wasn’t afraid of loud noises, so we were unable to keep him safe in a small apartment.

After a couple of months, we talked to the Humane Society and they were completely understanding. Foster pets, although lovely, are not always the best fit for your lifestyle. Just like you’re not going to be best friends with everyone, sometimes that pet just isn’t the right match for you.

It was hard to come to terms with once you have that personal connection, but when fostering an animal, it’s important to consider their needs and their happiness. Unfortunately, sometimes another home is the better option.

My experience with Binky made me more selfless and compassionate, since it was no longer just about me and my needs. I had an animal who relied on me for their safety, love, and care.

would be better suited to our living conditions and lifestyle.

Our second pet was Lucy. On Halloween night, we got an email asking if we would like to foster this adorable black cat. I was a little hesitant, since I’ve never had a cat before and wasn’t sure I was a cat person. But Lucy was no stereotypical cat; she was super affectionate right away and loved following everyone around the house.

Although fostering both Binky and Lucy had their challenges, I learned to become adaptable and less rigid due to the personal connection I built with them. For example, I’m not a fan of my furry friends sleeping in the same bed at night—they can be restless sleepers. Instead, I got a chair by my window so Lucy could sleep there and peer out the window safely, so she didn’t feel the need to jump onto the windowsill.

Life and schoolwork can become overwhelming, so it’s nice to come home to a friendly face who just wants to play. Pets reduce stress and sometimes when you don’t feel like getting up, you get a built-in alarm clock which meows at you for food at 8 a.m.

Just with any pet, there was an adjustment period, but unlike with Binky, we set boundaries and schedules right away with Lucy to not enforce bad habits.

This made it easier for Lucy to understand when we are free to play, where she should not go for her own safety, and the roles of the household.

Overall, fostering is an incredible way to provide care for an animal in need and have a little companion. I’d personally recommend it to any student who has the time and wants a pet but can’t commit to the full adoption process.

He was also a large lesson in patience and understanding. Understanding Binky’s limitations made me reflect more on other aspects of my life where I could also have the same level of patience.

After Binky, we thought more about what type of pet

The only thing I would warn any student about with fostering is firstly, you may actually adopt the pet since you love it so much, just like my roommate, who officially adopted Lucy and made her a permanent member of our house.

Secondly, you should be able to commit some time and understand that you are responsible for the animal’s needs.

Lastly, friends may begin to worry about the number of times your cat is in your Instagram story—you may start to look like a cat lady.

My foster cat and rabbit taught me how to adapt

“ Although fostering both Binky and Lucy had their challenges, I learned to become adaptable and less rigid due to the personal connection I built with them.

“The only thing I would warn any student about with fostering is firstly, you may actually adopt the pet since you love it so much, just like my roommate, who officially adopted Lucy and made her a permanent member of our house.

“ Fostering is an incredible way to provide care for an animal in need and have a little companion.

Monica fostered a pet from the Kingston Humane Society.

SUPPLIED BY MONICA AIDA LOPEZ