VOLUME 26 , ISSUE 4 SUMMER 2017 PAGE 2
Advice Index Advice
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Letters From The Editors
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Community
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Editorial
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National
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The history of... Glenforest Secondary School! Tips for final exams Glenforest's FIRST Robotics team sees much success this season Not your typical high school students In conversation with the President of BOSS: Janna Moselhi 13 Reasons Why or why not? Senior-crisis: the quintessential existential meltdown Canada's 150th: origins and next steps Confessions of an applicant: aiming for the Ivy League Consequence of success: aiming for the Ivy League Volunteering or voluntouring?
7 binge-worthy Canadian TV shows to check out over the summer Weed the North: Canada becomes one of the first countries to legalize marijuana Canada: The North American safe haven
Culture
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Science
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Greatest historical myths debunked! Your mood on the weather The NBA Playoffs: the summit or early summer? Hip-hop halftime report Yuri on Ice: Firing a cannon at misrepresentation Hot adaptations Recent milestones in cancer research Being a night owl might just be in your genes!
Year In Review
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Where To Next?
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Horoscopes
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Comics
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Credits
Teacher Supervisors
Mr. Gordon & Ms. Axon
Editors in Chief
Jovana Pajovic
Copy Editors
Julie Cho Michelle Wei Suzany Manimaran Shankhalika Srikanth Srushti Patel Annie Zou
Layout Designers
Rebecca Lee Evelyn Ku Srishti Roy Suchithra Shenthil Rana Al-Fayez
Photographers
Kim Nguyen Khushi Nansi Saleha Ansari Katherine Woods Maleeha Anwar Annie Zou Annie Liu
Cover Designer Rebecca Lee
Amanda Yang Ghaid Asfour May Huang Aamna Ashfaq Zaina Khan Anushka Goyal Ruth Zelleke Sam Lu Saamia Ansari Vaishnavi Bhamidi Kim Nguyen Jaziba Azher Srishti Roy Shivam Pandey Sam Lu Taranpreet Ghuman Pranav Sairam Munaam Naveed
Meggie: want to say that being unconstrained by plans will be tons of fun — but it usually ends up being fairly boring unless you’re with friends. That is, in my opinion. Usually that kind of a summer ends up I have absolutely nothing planned for this consisting of lots of sleeping, Netflix, and junk food — which leads summer and I’m more than mildly freaking to vampirish skin and parents who out. All my friends have got jobs, or are gocomplain you don’t spend enough time with them. To avoid a such a ing on vacation, and I don’t even know what predicament, I genuinely believe to do! I need help figuring this summer out. some kind of plan, whether it be general or detailed, is required. Have a goal — because spontaneity may just be better in our heads. What do you want this summer to do for you? What kind of a person do you want to be after this summer? Well-read? Healthier? Better dressed? Well-travelled? Whatever it is — figure it out, make a plan to help you reach that goal. That is not to say you ought to follow your plans to a tee — leave at least some room for unpredictability.
SUMMER BREAK
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Juan: ey, think about it this way: perhaps having nothing concretely planned is exactly where you need to be. A summer of spontaneity may seem daunting, irrational, or just flat-out foolish, but on the flip side, it can be exhilarating, eye-opening, and ultimately rewarding. The first step is to stop comparing. You are the artist of your life; your decisions are the determinant of your fate. What is it that you’ve always wanted to try? Put your newfound energy to good use. Take a day trip alone around a new place. Try out that foreign restaurant you always pass by. Strike up a conversation with a friendly stranger. Do anything, anything except for staying stagnant. (Alright, but with that being said, don’t get yourself in trouble).
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Meggie: ake comfort in the knowledge that everyone around you is likely feeling the same way, torn between the exciting future and bittersweet goodbyes. It is a unique position to be in, to be so very much on I’m starting university in September, and the brink, that we tend to teeter-totthough I am so so so excited, it feels someter between a riot of contradictory emotions. It is the end of an era, and what bittersweet, because of all the people it is never easy to move on to a new I’ll be leaving behind and all the friends I chapter, it will simply take time for you to ease yourself into a different won’t share experiences with again. How life, with new and perhaps some can I hold on and still go forward? familiar people. Just as with any big change, allow yourself the time to adjust — let yourself feel both kinds of emotions. The answer lies in the question itself; of course you are to go forward, but you will nonetheless fiercely miss the people who’ve played central characters in your life till now. Just because you’re moving away, just because you’re in different countries or an hour away, it doesn’t matter — find ways to hold on to those people. I’m not saying call each other everyday — if you want to, of course you can — but more realistically, make sure to remember the important days — any anniversaries, any silly years-old inside jokes. Remember those big things and the little things will somehow creep back in everytime you talk, or meet! I wish you the very best, fellow soon-to-be graduate.
UNIVERSITY
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Juan: hoy, fellow senior! Instead of focusing on everything you won’t be able to relive, cherish your memories; make the most of this last summer. The motto that will ground you is to be grateful for the past, present, and future. There’s a saying that those who live in the past become depressed, and those who live in the future are anxious. And if you live in both...you’re in for a ride. Don’t apologize for having feelings: let your tears run, let your laughter out. You will always be a work in progress. Communication is key during times like this. How will you keep in touch with your friends post-summer vacation? Are there still ways and times when you can still gather together or reunite? It will be different — a good kind of different. Being grateful for everything is a foolproof way to preserve those feelings of bliss. Take some silly pictures. Go flip through old yearbooks again and read those cringey messages. You will emerge as a changed, wiser person. Enjoy your lovely two (or three) months of sunshine, class of 2017!
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Letters from the editors
VOLUME 26, ISSUE 4 SUMMER 2017 PAGE 3
Photo: Kim Nguyen
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y relationship with the Talon Times began far earlier than when I first came to Glenforest as a student. It started five years ago, when my brother, in Grade 11 at the time, came home with the second issue of the school newspaper, for which he had written an article on his favourite inventor, Nikola Tesla. I loved to read and write at the time, but it wasn’t until I saw the Talon Times that I realized my work could actually be published and that people could enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it. It might seem like a meagre achievement to anyone else, but in ninth grade, when I was accepted as a journalist to this team, it felt like I had fulfilled a great dream of mine. And it still does. Today, as co-editor in chief, together with my friend Amanda, who started with the paper in ninth grade just like I did, I feel incredibly proud of all that we’ve achieved — all the stories we’ve told, all the students to whom the Talon Times has granted a voice, through words, photos, comics, layout or cover design. This voice not only belongs to those on the team, but to the students of Glenforest, for the Talon Times represents us and our narrative. Our community and the changes it goes through, for better or for worse, our opinions, our beliefs. Unfortunately, a shift in the way we receive our news over the past decade, from print to digital media, has raised doubts about the health of the newspaper industry, at least here in North America. Seemingly, “print is dying” and the “traditional” format of newspapers has been rendered “obsolete”. My two cents: it’s not technology itself that has brought us here, but rather the way technology has developed, to the point where it has nearly eradicated “traditional” (there’s that nasty word again) human communication. Just as it’s no longer the norm to have a face-to-face conversation with someone unless it’s out of necessity, so too has it become rare to pick up your newspaper from the front porch instead of scrolling down a news feed on a device. I find this evolution simultaneously fascinating and heartbreaking. And it’s not only that print media is “in decline”, but the reliability of the news that we do get has been called into question recently (though critically analyzing media information is something we should always be doing). Glenforest is not impervious to some of the effects of this technological revolution. As a small-scale paper that publishes quarterly, it is not difficult to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the news we report. The problem lies in readership, which is strong, but waning. You, the reader, are among a small, special, and passionate group of students and teachers who had the drive to pick this paper up from the front desk of your classroom, the library, the music room, or wherever, and will achieve a unique feat that many might find quite daunting and onerous: finishing reading the end of this sentence. In fact, interest in arts clubs as a whole — music, visual arts, dance, writing — seems to be declining, but that’s for an editorial piece some other time. On the other hand, the fact that this is the fourth issue of our twenty-sixth volume of the Talon Times is a testament to the efforts and will of the team and those spirited readers I mentioned. Talon will always hold a special place in my heart as the publication that printed my first article, the publication (among many more in my lifetime, hopefully) whose history I (and all of you, too) played a role in shaping. I would like to thank Amanda, my gifted co-editor this year, for all the time she has dedicated to working her magic with the layout of the Talon Times. I admire you and your inconceivable artistic talent, something unique to you that not I nor most people in the world could ever dream of having. Thank you to Mr. Gordon and Ms. Axon for their support throughout the year; publishing these four excellent issues of the Talon Times would not have been possible without our two dedicated supervisors who took the time to supervise our meetings, edit, and print the paper. Truly, wholeheartedly, thank you. Furthermore, I’d like to thank the wonderful team of journalists, who took on formidable topics and wrote phenomenal articles, editors, who showed great devotion to their tasks, photographers, who snapped stunning shots, layout workers and our cover designer, who polished our paper and enticed readers with their artistic arrangements, and comic artists, who brought light and good cheer to the end of each issue. Every one of you contributed to making volume twenty-six of Talon Times a success! To next year’s editors: good luck! This is a big responsibility — but it’s also an exciting one! I’m certain that you will be able to persevere and flourish, both as editors and as individuals outside of the context of the paper. Work hard, listen to one another, and most importantly, have fun! -Jovana Pajovic
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hey say that time flies when you're having fun. And it's true — Where did the year go? I'm excited to graduate yet at the same time, I find myself mising Glenforest and the Talon Times team already. I still remember how, four years ago, I started my Talon Times journey by chance. I initially missed the application deadline in grade 9 but by a stroke of luck, I got a position as comic artist afterwards. From there, I started taking on more work, designing the layouts and cover artwork in grade 10, and took a break from Talon in grade 11 to head Yearbook. It’s been a bit of a wild journey, I've learnt so much from being part of the team, and I’m so glad to be ending off my high school career back with this amazing group of talented journalists, photographers and designers! While my journey ends here, the start of a new one awaits for the generations afterwards. I can't wait to see where Talon will go in the years to come. I’d like to start off by thanking Jovana, my fellow editor-in-chief, for all of her hard work this year! No adjective can describe what a truly phenominal person she is. Her writing is so captivating and eloquent I don’t think I can ever dream of achieving her level of writing ability. She is also such an amazing and dedicated editor. I can’t think of anyone better to take on this role with. I’m tremendously proud to be able to stand along side her and work on this year’s newspaper together. Thank you to everyone on the team who made it possible for Talon Times’ 26th volume a success. I’ve read so many insightful and eye-opening articles this year and it just goes to show how much passion and effort our team of journalist and copy editors have. I’m so thankful for all the hard work put into making Talon Times visually stunning. Thank you to photographers for the great photos they took and found, the layout designers for making sure every column aligned with the guidelines, the comic artists who’s work brings smiles across the faces of students, and our cover artist who creates beautiful eye-catching artwork for every issue. Thank you to Ms. Axon and Mr. Gordon for being supportive supervisors. Without you, Talon Times would not be possible (let alone exist). Thank you so much for all your dedication editing and proofing the newspaper for errors as well as taking the time to manage the production, printing, and delivery of Talon Times. I’m excited to annouce that Evelyn Ku, Michelle Wei, and Rana Al-Fayez will take on Talon Times next year! I am completely confident in their abilities. All of them are such hard working people and have contributed tremendously to Talon Times this past year. Wishing you all the best and good luck! Cheers to all the success of our 26th volume, and the many more to come! -Amanda Yang
VOLUME 26 , ISSUE 4 SUMMER 2017 PAGE 4
Community
Photo: Peel District School Board
The history of...Glenforest Secondary School! By: Emi Roni
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stablished in 1969 (the year of the moon landing and the last Beatles album), Glenforest Secondary School has seen many students and staff walk proudly through its halls and classrooms including 47 graduating classes, students from all over Mississauga and one lovable mascot known simply as Griffy. During our time here, it’s
easy for us to lose our appreciation for Glenforest and the people and events that make it the accomplished school it is today. The many aspects that make up this part of our identity may be forgotten; our school colours are navy and gold, and Griffy once sported a stylish diaper. In 2014, our original gym floors (dating back to 1969) were replaced due to flood damages. Glenforest had a
Reach for the Top club, an academic competition previously broadcasted on national television (although we never did win that first-place title). Our pool has been operating for over 25 years and the International Baccalaureate program was implemented in 2004. One of our go-to lunch spots, the Rockwood Mall, opened in the early eighties. Just a few years ago, our beloved staff created a parody of “Love the
Way You Lie”. There are so many stories, triumphs and tragedies connected to the everyday objects we see, and we are all intertwined in this chapter of the school’s history. We are making fair progress in writing our stories, but there is a deficiency in motivation to read the pages before us. Maybe a contributing factor for any division in the student population and any lack of school spirit is
the absence of this knowledge. Ensuring the library has the resources for students to find this information (apart from the yearbooks) is a great way to involve present students and staff with the past. As another year in Glenforest’s history book draws to a close, we also bid a grand farewell to the graduating class, who will forever be a part of Glenforest’s story while they move on to a new chap-
Tips for final exams T
By: Anushka Goyal
here's no sugarcoating it: studying for final exams is extremely painful. While these monstrous tests are standing in the way between you and your summer break, but that doesn't mean that you can slack off and sip iced tea by the pool. Now is the time to focus as these test grades will reflect the hard work that you've put in throughout the entire school year. Here are some tips to help you ace these tests: 1.Outline Once you have decided what you need to study and how much time you need to spend studying, it is time to actually study. One of the best
ways is to make succinct outlines. As you read over your textbook and class notes, write a brief summary for each topic. Highlight the areas in your outline that were most troublesome. When you have finished with all the material, you will have an outline you can review. 2. Make flashcards Similar to outlining, making flashcards is a really helpful technique for studying. By writing down the information from your outline, you are already doing half the studying. Once the flashcards are complete, you will have a portable study packet to look over.
3. Sleep You need at least seven hours of sleep a night to function. Tests are designed to make you think. If you are sleep-deprived, you won’t be able to remember any of the information you worked so hard to cram into your brain
ter of their own. Additionally, we will welcome the new and returning classes in September: may you learn, prosper and grow with the guidance, support and inspiration of the many that formed Glenforest Secondary School.
Photo: US News
5. Know when to stop studying "Within 12 to 24 hours of the test, it's time to stop studying," says Kaplan Test Prep’s Colin Gruenwald. "You're not going to learn a lot of new content. The likelihood is much higher that you're going to stress yourself out and confuse yourself. For the last minute studier, flashcards can be a good resource. They can earn you a few more points on test day, and it's a much healthier thing to do than starting on page one of the textbook."
4. Take snack breaks "When you study, your brain consumes glucose," says Ted Dorsey, who wrote Tutor Ted’s Guide to the SATs. "Take a five-minute break every hour to let your body produce more fuel for your studying. Take a walk, have a healthy snack (almonds, fruit, and yogurt 6. Stay calm and don’t rush are good choices), and stretch. Do not panic at the exam! Taking breaks will actually im- Even if at first glance the test prove your studying." is overwhelming, remember
to breathe. If a question seems too hard, answer all the questions you know before returning to the ones you left blank. Remind yourself that you are prepared. Rushing through the test will only mess things up. You have spent at least two weeks studying, so what’s another couple of minutes? Work through the exam slowly and read all the questions before answering them. If you are done before the time is up, look over your answers. 7. Relax post-exam Don’t let panic overwhelm you. Even if you think you bombed the exam, worrying will not change your score. It may, however, affect your mindset for your next final.
Zone out the last test and stay focused on the next one. Odds are, you didn’t do as badly as you think. All these tips will hopefully help you avoid any problems, but ultimately, the exam result depends on your confidence. Just try your best and you'll do great! And remember, as General Colin Powell once said, "There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” Good luck!
VOLUME 26, ISSUE 4 SUMMER 2017 PAGE 5
Community
Glenforest's FIRST Robotics team sees much success this season
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By: Annie Zou
weeks, 50 Glenforest Gryphons, and a whole lot to do. This year, Glenforest’s very own robotics team FRC 6070 competed in the FIRST robotics competition for their second season, their last year as a rookie team. Despite the lull of the off-season, the stressful six weeks of build, and two sleepless weekends of qualifier competition, and a spot at the Ontario Provincial Championships, this has been an extremely rewarding season when all is said and done. This year team 6070, Gryphon Machine, ended the
season with two Team Spirit Awards, one Safety Award, and first place at the Western University district events. This year’s competition, Steamworks, brought competitors to the age of steam (both with respect to steam power and to science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics). Alliances of three robots competed against other alliances for points. Following a theme of “the age of steam”, this year’s objective was to prepare an airship to “take flight”. While the airship itself was pretty much just a raised platform in the field and “flight” occurred
only in the virtual sense, the excitement was very real. This year also brought about the introduction of live human players to the game field, an extra layer of unpredictability. The game required robots to pick up “fuel” (wiffleballs) from the field and deposit them into a “boiler” into either a low goal a few centimeters off the ground or shoot it up and into a receptacle close to three meters above the playing field to build steam pressure. The robot would also be required to deliver gears to human players throughout the game to fix broken rotors. Nearing the end of the
game, a rope is dropped from the airship and robots are required to climb the rope until it is fully suspended off the ground. The game is perhaps best described as a bizarre combination of NASCAR, vacuuming, and basketball, with surgically precise driving and bumper-car aggression, and the endgame a daring climb to board the airship. This year, team 6070 competed at the Western University and McMaster University district events. It was two weekends of intense competition, stressful anticipation, and moments of defeat and victory. But it wasn’t only about the ro-
bot. Kudos must be given to the design, mechanical, electrical, and programming team for their commendable work on the robot. Both the drive and pit teams overcame obstacles with aplomb. Let’s also not forget the supporting actors who made success possible: the administrative team who kept everything organized, the sponsorship and marketing team without whom none of this would have been possible, the scouting team whose meticulous and thankless work gave us a leg up on our competitors, the awards team whose presentations impressed the judges and netted an impres-
sive number of awards, and the spirit team who kept the positive attitude alive through both the good times and the bad. Moreover, the continuous support of mentors, coaches, and parents was integral to the team dynamic. The culmination of a year-long effort, team 6070 enjoyed a highly successful season this year. While it is impossible to predict what the challenge will be for the next season, what can be said for certain is that team 6070 Gryphon Machine will rise to the occasion as a new generation of Gryphons joins the family.
Photo: Kim Nguyen
Not your typical high school students T
By: Ghaid Asfour
he word “teenager” is often associated with laziness, sluggishness and irresponsibility. While this may be true in some cases, it is important to note that in many cases it is utter nonsense. Teenagers have been defying the stereotypical image of themselves for a long time, and occasionally their clever innovations, staggering accomplishments and ingenious ideas are even showcased on the news. In fact, a group of teenagers not too far from home just proved to the world what ambition, fortitude and relentless hard work can lead to. They raised over $50,000,
were featured in the news multiple times, and had the opportunity to meet the Prime Minister. This group of students, ladies and gentlemen, is the Glenforest STEM team. The STEM team at Glenforest just raised over $50,000 for their STEM conference in May. They began working towards this goal over a year ago, and posted a cheeky tweet on Twitter in April that read, “Ambition + teamwork + hard work = school club raising $60,000!” It is worth noting that this would not have been possible without the efforts of the club’s teacher advisors, such as Mrs. Wang-Martin, who has sacrificed countless hours to improve and support
the club. She always believed in the potential of her students, and has been offering her mentorship and support since the very first event of the club. Recognizing student potential – whether in academics or in out-of-school activities – has a tremendous effect on students’ attitudes towards school and extracurricular activities in general; it makes them feel capable enough to meet their teachers’ expectations. The team’s Xperience STEM Conference was featured in the news last year, but that wasn’t all. They were featured in the Globe and Mail earlier this year, and more recently, the Mississauga News published an article praising
their efforts along with Nahani Way Public School STEM Robotics club. The club’s appearance in the news and the support it has been receiving from various universities and international companies reflect the work ethic of the club members, who are, as a matter of fact, teenagers, and also the underlying support and mentorship from their teacher advisors. Not only that, but the team fulfilled another big goal of theirs: meeting the coolest, smartest, most right, honorable Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The team was motivated to personally meet with the PM to show him the power of STEM, even making an
invitation video for the PM directed by Mr. Roscoe and being recognized by him on Twitter in December. Despite many hurdles along the way, the team headed to Ottawa last month to spend a day at Parliament Hill thanks to the efforts of MP Peter Fonseca. The team met with the Minister of Science, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and of course, Prime Minister Trudeau. A director from the team described the trip as “the best trip of high school”. This club’s journey proves to Canada and the rest of the world what dedicated students, when working with supportive teachers, can achieve.
This year has been filled with memorable and invigorating experiences that will undoubtedly resonate with the club’s members and teachers as long as memory serves.
VOLUME 26 , ISSUE 4 SUMMER 2017 PAGE 6
Community
Photo: Kim Nguyen
In conversation with the President of BOSS: Janna Moselhi By: Shankhalika Srikanthl
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s exam season approaches, it’s easy to become overwhelmed with all the culminating projects and finals that are starting to pile up like an impenetrable fortress. Rising global tensions also do nothing to reduce stress. In times like these, it’s important to always set aside time to consider your mental health. Perhaps you participated in BOSS’s Unity Day in October, Bullying Prevention week in November, Pink Week in April, or Mental Illness Awareness week in May. To talk more about their efforts to raise awareness about bullying and mental health, I sat down to have a chat with the president of BOSS, Janna Moselhi. Could you describe what BOSS is and what it aims to do? First of all, BOSS stands for Building Our Safe Schools and so you can see what it means and its purpose. Our team’s goal is to provide a safe school for all students and staff by ensuring that the learning environment is positive and inclusive for everyone. We have two main focuses. One focus is on mental health and mental illness awareness, and so that's focusing on stress management, ensuring that students know what tools they have available if they're stressed or going through rough times. At the same time it’s about raising awareness towards mental illnesses, which means teaching people more about mental illnesses as well as making sure that people going through something have access to resources and know where to go. That's for our first goal, and our second focus is on bullying prevention and awareness and ensuring that the school is inclusive in order
for everyone to feel as though they belong. For that, we hold different info sessions about cyberbullying, or bullying in general, and at the same time we're almost always monitoring the school to ensure that there isn’t any form of bullying happening, whether face to face or online.
consider how that harms people who have mental illnesses and have mental health problems, because of how much we use [these words] and how it makes them feel and how it could even make them avoid asking for help.
So in terms of the discussion around mental Could you share your health and mental illnesses, team’s plans for next year, what do you feel has been once you’ve graduated? achieved so far in the discussion and what are some areas I think for next year, [we’d of work that still exist? like to] focus more on workshops. We only had around I think more and more two this year. I think having people are realizing that menthose support groups and cir- tal health is something everycles along with workshops one has and everyone will go would be super good. We went through some difficulties at to middle schools this year too some point. I also think we're and our theme was #Power- talking more about the dif4Good. [We’ve only been to] ferent mental illnesses and in Glenhaven till now, but we’re general educating people. In planning on Tomken too. terms of areas of work there's a lot. Number one is that the You’ve often spoken stigma is still there and that is about the language we use probably the hardest thing to around mental health. Why get rid of, because that means is it important to pay atten- every single person has got to tion to the words we use to understand mental health and talk about mental health and mental illnesses. Second is rehow we speak of it in casual sources — although we have conversation? more and more resources, they have to be accessible to every First of all, I think men- person. So many people, espetal illnesses more than men- cially with families that "don't tal health, because here's the believe in mental illnesses”, are thing — sometimes they get put in a position where they mixed up too. People think can't even ask for help or be mental illnesses equals mental provided with resources and health when they’re different, that also ties back into stigma right? and how that results in people being afraid of asking for help. Right. The last thing is discussion and how we have to continue to So the language we use is talk about it. I mean we always more in term of mental illness- hear in school, “Oh, you can't es, and people trivialize it. We write a test because your hand use “depression” and “bipolar” is sprained and you’re injured,” all to describe how we feel, but but you never hear, “You don’t we wouldn’t say we have a kid- have to write your test because ney problem when our hips of your mental health.” hurt or use physical illnesses But again, I don’t want to to express how we feel too. So I sound so negative because we think when we do that we also have come a long way from show how mental illnesses and where we were and mental mental health aren't as import- health now is definitely someant. Then of course we have to thing that's becoming very
popular. So in terms of concrete mental health resources, what are some resources for students or others who may be struggling? It’s such a hard question because it depends on the person, but I would say to make sure there are two types of resources out there: ones that are confidential and ones that aren’t. The reason I say that is because sometimes people avoid getting help because it’s not confidential, while others prefer to talk face to face. For mental health in general, I'd say resources include guidance counsellors, confession circles and support groups, online chats and phone apps (PACIFICA is a really good example, by the way,) and free counselling (for example, Tangerine.)
bad for mental health sometimes and I know that based on my personal experiences — specifically Twitter. I think sometimes social media can make life very dark and almost take away all hope, especially because of what’s happening around the world. Would you say there are any positives to social media?
There could be; there are positives to anything when they’re used in the right way. For example, make sure your social media have a lot of positive things, so pages you like, people you follow, and making sure you aren't spending too much time on it. No matter if it’s positive or not, too much time on social media means less time off of it, and that time is really important. You could be exercising, spending time with friends, or simply watchDo you also have any ing a TV show. advice for those who know someone who is struggling How do you feel BOSS or may have mental health has contributed to making problems? our school a safer and more welcoming environment Yes. For those who know during your time here? someone that has mental health problems, please, please I don't know if we helped be there to listen. Sometimes make the school safer, but I all someone needs is for some- think we've at least established one else to listen to them with- ourselves to the point where out any judgement or blame. people know that they can Just listen and try to under- come talk to us. I’ve noticed stand because sometimes it's personally — maybe because hard to; empathy is so import- of BOSS — that so many peoant, and for someone that is ple have been coming to me to struggling, I would say, please talk about mental health. It’s ask for help. It's scary some- made me feel like we've been times and it can feel like it’s not able to reach out to people that worth it, but it is. Don’t stay in need help and provide them the dark. with an outlet and a resource to help them. So you talked about certain apps that could help Do you have any indithose that are struggling; vidual plans for continuing what is your opinion on so- to work to support this cause cial media and its effects on next year? mental health? So as you know, I’m planAh, good question. I ning on going to [the Univerthink social media can be very sity of] Waterloo, and they
actually suck when it comes to mental health. They don’t have resources for students and aren't very open when it comes to mental health so there’s more stigma. I would actually love to start a BOSS team there, and join mental health clubs. The BOSS Glenforest president four years ago started BOSS at McMaster, so my plan is to get in touch with him and start one in Waterloo and get it going. And last thing, jack.org. It's an amazing organization and they have chapters in almost all universities. I really want to join the chapter no matter what university I attend. I think that’s all I have planned for the moment. Is jack.org like BOSS? It’s a mental health organization that started in Queens after a student took his own life, and it's been there since then. We started a chapter at Glenforest this year actually. We got it certified in February. Who’s leading it? Mrs Stewart-George is supervising it and I’m just looking over, and we've got two incredible grade 10 students helping us out and leading, Lidia and Abdullah. They are both BOSS junior executives by the way. Thank you for having this discussion and for all the work you do for our school! Wish you all the best in the future! No problem! [This interview has been edited for length.] You can contact BOSS on Twitter @BOSSGlenforest or on their Facebook page Glenforest BOSS.
VOLUME 26, ISSUE 4 SUMMER 2017 PAGE 7
Editorial
Photo: Commodore Waves
13 Reasons Why or why not? By: Michelle Wei
This article contains discussion about the Netflix series, 13 Reasons Why; it hence mentions instances of violence and sexual assault that may be triggering to survivors.
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he first time I heard the words 13 Reasons Why, I was in middle school and I didn’t know what suicide was. I bought the book from the trusty Scholastic book fair, where it was branded promisingly with a ‘Mature Read’ label and, sure enough, I didn’t understand a single word. But I did feel rather grown up reading it. Back when it was just a book, 13 Reasons Why was moderately well-known at best and one of those books that you recognize from your library but never bothered to pick up at worst. For some reason, Jay Asher’s novel never gained the same traction that Netflix’s adaptation did; ten years later the series is living up to its ‘Mature’ label. 13 Reasons Why is a Netflix television show based on the novel of the same name by Jay Asher. The show aired in March 2017, and in the months since its release, has become Netflix’s most popular show and the target of both over-the-top praise and vicious criticism. The 13 episode series follows the story of Hannah Baker, a high school student
who commits suicide and leaves behind 13 tapes, each assigned to one person who contributed to her death in some way. Clay Jensen, the show’s narrator who was desperately crushing on Hannah before her death, receives the tapes and spends the series listening to them, trying to figure out what part he played in Hannah’s death and learning the darker secrets of the other 12 people involved. Apart from dealing with the heavy topic of teen suicide, the show also tackles slut-shaming, bullying, and rape, earning praise for addressing serious issues concerning youth today in an undeniable – albeit dramatic – way. Indeed, since the show’s debut, it has forced open conversations about mental health that have previously been closed. According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, suicide accounts for 24 per cent of deaths among 15 to 24 year olds – a sobering statistic, especially considering how little it is addressed in media and education. Given the social media frenzy that ensued following the show’s release, particularly on Twitter, it’s safe to say that 13 Reasons Why did raise awareness for the issue of teen suicide. Selena Gomez, one of the show’s executive producers, said, concerning 13 Reasons Why’s serious subject matter: “We wanted to
[portray the issue] in a way where it was honest, and we wanted to make something that […] can hopefully help people because suicide should never ever be an option.” However, the type of awareness that the producers were hoping to raise is beneficial only to the viewers who see the show and identify with Clay, our third-party narrator. Those who are emotionally stable and not actually in danger of suicide themselves now, ideally, better understand the consequences of suicide and the impact that one can have on a person’s life. But what about the viewers who identify with Hannah? What about the viewers who watch the show and see someone who obviously needs help committing “revenge suicide” and ultimately being set up as the closest thing the show has to an antagonist? Although 13 Reasons Why has unquestionably reopened the teen suicide discussion, is the portrayal of suicide and mental illness in 13 Reasons Why truly as "honest" as its producers claim? The words mental illness, depression, and suicide have, for a long time, been associated with negative stereotypes and stigmatized almost to the point of taboo. Even today, those with mental illnesses struggle to get the same recognition as those with physical conditions, and talks of suicide and depression are
often dismissed as ways to get attention or as the person “overreacting”. 13 Reasons Why has done nothing to alleviate those ideas. In fact, it only aggravates them. Hannah Baker commits what is essentially “revenge suicide”, killing herself and carefully recording her tapes to make the others reflect on what they each did to her. And they do, to the point where Alex Standall also attempts to kill himself at the end of the show – a plot addition that wasn’t originally in the novel. For the people who have actually dealt with suicidal thoughts and depression, suicide is never a solely vengeful act. It is often the result of feelings of hopelessness and intrusive thoughts (both symptoms of depression) and often seems like the only option for escape to the one contemplating it. Hannah’s tapes are the opposite, designed to manipulate and hurt others the way Hannah has been hurt – something that no one considering suicide would realistically want. Hannah’s character in general was poorly handled, being portrayed as someone who does things to other people rather than the primary victim. Of course, there is something to be said about fictional over-dramatization for the sake of plot, but the disdain towards suicide as a petty tool remains. This is reinforced by the callous way Hannah was dismissed by her
school counsellor when she tried to turn to him for help. What’s more, for those already struggling with depression and mental illness, the show poses a real danger to their well-being – in particular Hannah’s two minute long graphic suicide scene where the viewer watches her slit her wrists and slowly bleed to death. There is no delicate way to show suicide, but there is a certain point where trying to pass off graphic scenes as ‘blunt’, ‘gritty’, and ‘realistic’ to shock the audience crosses a line into being needlessly explicit. Without any trigger or content warnings, teens vulnerable to suicide attempts or depressive episodes lured into watching are subject to relapsing badly as even watching someone else do self-harm is enough to incite their own self-destructive tendencies. Dan Reidenberg, the executive director of SAVE (Suicide Awareness Voices of Education), voiced his concerns over 13 Reasons Why to ABC News. “There is a great concern that I have […] that young people are going to over-identify with Hannah in the series and we actually may see more suicides as a result of this television series. I’ve heard from others that are really concerned because it’s so sensational and so graphic that they’re worried about the copycat effect of suicide.” Because of Netflix’s in-
ternational audience, the effect is worldwide. Headspace, Australia’s National Youth Mental Health Foundation, has also noted the increase in calls and emails relating to their program after the show’s release. Some Canadian and American schools, including Glenforest, have warned students and teachers against using the show as teaching material and the portrayal of mental health professionals. The New Zealand Office of Film and Literature even created a new rating for the show, advising that people aged 18 and under don’t watch it without adult supervision. Netflix has announced that they will adjust 13 Reasons Why's trigger warnings, adding “an additional viewer warning card before the first episode” as well as strengthening “the messaging and resource language in the existing cards”. If you are experiencing suicidal or depressive thoughts, or are feeling alone and just need to talk, you can find support by calling the Kids Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868 or the Peel Spectra hotline 905459-7777, visiting your local Tangerine clinic for free walk-in counselling, or contacting a guidance counsellor.
VOLUME 26 , ISSUE 4 SUMMER 2017 PAGE 8
Editorial
Photo: Michigan Radio
Senior-crisis: the quintessential existential meltdown H
By: Suzany Manimaran
igh school teaches you a lot of really important things. In four short years, you learn how to slap together an essay two hours before the deadline, how to factor a quadratic in your sleep, how to ingest a litre of Red Bull the night before a culminating presentation and not go into cardiac arrest the morning of. However, the most important thing you learn in high school is that things don’t always go according to plan. This is a lesson that many Grade 12s like myself have learned over and over throughout the last two years of high school. The bright eyed 10th grader with a thirst for knowledge, putting nine courses in her schedule for next year might be barely scraping by in her 6 courses by Grade 12. The girl going into Grade 11 with a life long dream of being an archaeologist might realize one semester later that human anatomy is way more exciting than dusting artifacts somewhere in a desert. The prodigy that does his science homework weeks in advance in Grade 9 might realize halfway through Grade 11 that he hates biology with a burning passion and can’t balance a chemical equation to save his life. These are all real ways that the Glenforest Class of
2017 realized that, for better or for worse, their dreams just weren’t meant to be. You hear all about senioritis, how Grade 12s lose all motivation to study once they’ve got their all their acceptances, once the clouds of doubt have cleared and their golden ticket acceptance to their top choice program flies into their OUAC. The path to prosperity from this point forward is a shiny yellow brick road strewn with rose petals and cherry blossoms, and so what follows is a chronic case of ‘not giving a crap’. What you don’t hear about as often is the storm that preceded the calm. I’ve dubbed it senior-crisis. It is the existential meltdown that every Grade 11 or 12 has that makes them reevaluate their past, their present, and their future. Okay, so it’s not always that dramatic: maybe some people know their destiny from the moment their sneaker first squeaked onto Glenforest’s shiny linoleum floor on that fateful first day of high school. Maybe you knew exactly what you wanted to be, and no matter how rocky the path, you got through those four years and landed just there. Maybe you’re the girl that said she was going to be a doctor back in kindergarten and just got an acceptance to the most
competitive health science program in the country. For some people, the tremendous amount of effort they put into achieving their goals over the years pays off and everything works out fine. From my four years of experience as a high school student, I can confidently say that this is not usually the case. Almost every student in the academic stream has dropped something or fast tracked it, most often it’s a university level math or science course. This sometimes leads to a stark reality check, one that makes many people re-evaluate the future of their academic careers. I’ve dropped three courses in two years as I came to realize that no matter how much I loved the sciences, I wasn’t about to get into any university with those grades. I realized that, as cool as chemistry was in theory, I would never be good at it. My science-heavy Grade 11 load was the first time in my academic career that I would begin to see myself as below average. When your peers glance over at your test to see heavy handed red marks all over the page and you can almost see them thinking “I thought she was supposed to be smart”, suddenly your whole identity comes into question.
In your Grade 11 and 12 years, you and a lot of your peers will start to doubt yourselves and your career path more than ever. As you drop Grade 12 physics, as you drop calculus and vectors and as these choices are sent to the universities that hold your fate in their hands, you start to doubt whether you even wanted to go into engineering in the first place. Were you subconsciously pressured into it because all your friends were talking calculus and physics while the highlight of your day was your history class? Was archaeology really your dream field or were you really just obsessed with Harrison Ford in the Indiana Jones movies as a kid? Did you really want to be a doctor or did you just want your parents to proudly tell their friends that their child was going to cure cancer instead of pursuing a career in the dying field of journalism? We ask ourselves these kinds of questions after our 70s drop to 60s, 60s drop to 50s, and 50s take us down to the guidance office to grab a pink slip for the third time. We become discouraged when we see our friends getting amazing grades in a course we are barely staying afloat in. We come to realize that not everything in life can be neatly
organized four years in advance on MyBlueprint. We will face many mental, emotional, physical and financial barriers to achieving our end goals. Some of us will push through these barriers, others will change their whole future because of them. It took me three dropped courses to realize that I was never really interested in science, I just really didn’t want to tell people that I wanted to study humanities. At this school, barely scraping by in chemistry is more respectable than getting As in “soft” courses like the fine arts. When people tell you that you’re failing functions because “girls aren’t naturally good at math, you have to work even harder”, you take even more university level maths out of pure spite. As you will learn throughout your academic career, shame, embarrassment, peer pressure and spite are not enough to drive you to study something that you don’t like. A wise friend once told me, “You can’t be extraordinary in something you have no interest in,” and those words proved to be true. As I dropped the math and science courses in my last year, and started focusing more on the courses that interested me, my marks skyrocketed. Not necessarily because I was taking easy or
soft courses, but because they were courses that I liked doing work in. This time last year I had a crisis over my mediocre-at-best average, I knew it wouldn’t be enough to get me where I wanted. A month into the second semester of Grade 12, I had an acceptance from every single program I applied to with scholarships from the majority of them. All this to say, if you’re in Grade 10, 11 or even Grade 12, and you’re utterly at a loss as to what you want to do with your life and where you want to go from here, follow the cliché advice about doing what you love. Not what your friends are doing, or what your parents want you to do. You, better than anyone else, know what your purpose is, even if it’s not clear to you at this point in life. Pursue whatever it is that you can excel in because you have a passion for it. Whether that’s social science, health science, the fine arts or underwater basket weaving: if it is something that you are passionate about, you will have every opportunity to engage with it and excel at it. You can’t be extraordinary if you never give yourself the chance.
VOLUME 26, ISSUE 4 SUMMER 2017 PAGE 9
Editorial
Canada's 150th: origins and next steps Y
By: Shankhalika Srikanth
ou may have noticed the preparations for a party and wondered what was going on: in case you weren’t aware, it’s our birthday this summer! This 1st of July marks 150 years since the Constitution Act of 1867 was signed to officially create the Dominion of Canada. Amid all the celebrations for the sesquicentennial, now is a good time to reflect on where we as a country started at the moment of Confederation, how far we’ve come since, and where we go from here. Unity Before Independence Unlike many other countries, our national day of celebration is not on the day we gained independence, but merely on the day we became a whole country — and even then, not all of Canada was part of this initial unification. The Constitution Act of 1867 (formerly the British North America Act) consisted of Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick. Manitoba and the Northwest Territories joined in 1870, British Columbia a year later in 1871, Prince Edward Island in 1873, the Yukon Territory in 1898, Alberta and Saskatchewan in 1905, Newfoundland in 1949, and finally Nunavut separated from the Northwest Territories as a different territory in 1999. Political independence from Britain was only achieved in 1982 by way of “repatriation” of the Constitution through the Canada Act, and since then all constitutional acts have been passed by our own parliament.
Our Home on Native Land Historically speaking, Canada isn’t really 150 years old. Indigenous peoples had been living here for millennia before the first European colonists even arrived. By the time Confederation rolled around, the process of colonization had taken much of the individual tribes’ land from them, and the situation has not improved since, and in many cases worsened. Since the official formation of Canada, First Nations peoples have had their land unfairly taken from them through the one-sided treaty process, witnessed the extinguishing of their rights, and undergone cultural genocide through the process of assimilation, which was propelled by the residential school system and the 60s scoop that took many Native children from their families and placed them in white foster homes. The cross-generational trauma that has resulted from this persistent mistreatment and persecution has given birth to many other issues, some of the most tragic being the mental health crisis and youth suicide epidemics in Nunavut and the northern Ontario community of Attawapiskat, as well as the 1,200 Aboriginal women that have been reported missing or murdered since 1980. An inquiry has been launched by the federal government, but many feel that it is not working fast enough to consult with the victims’ families. Some action has been taken in an attempt to repair relations with the Aboriginal peoples. There has been
acknowledgement of wrongdoing, both in former Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s official 2008 apology to residential school survivors, as well as in the declaration of the residential school system being a form of “cultural genocide” (though it has been said that it fits the United Nations definition of pure genocide.) The Truth and Reconciliation Committee, which was set up to receive the testimony of residential school survivors, presented its findings along with 94 calls to action to achieve reconciliation, all of which Prime Minister Trudeau has committed to. In recent years, new treaties and land claims agreements have been negotiated, but while some such as the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement are classified as successes, they have many drawbacks as well, and these are the drawbacks that contribute to the lingering issues that disproportionately plague Aboriginal people. Ultimately if we are to move forward towards any kind of solution, in the words of the Native Canadian writer Thomas King, we “need to understand that the question that really matters is the question of land.” A Cultural Mosaic One thing we as Canadians are proud of is our inclusivity and diversity. We are unique in being one of the most multicultural countries in the world, and we at Glenforest are witness to it every day in our own classrooms. However, it wasn’t always like this. Canada has had a history of intolerance, whether it
be the head tax on Chinese immigrants after Chinese temporary labourers had finished building the Trans Pacific Railway, or the internment of 21 000 Japanese Canadians during the Second World War. In fact, it was only in 1971 that Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau introduced the policy of multiculturalism and committed to protecting and promoting diversity, Aboriginal rights, and the use of both official languages. The Charter of Rights and Freedoms established in 1982 reinforced this policy, and in 1988 Prime Minister Brian Mulroney’s government passed the Canadian Multiculturalism Act. From this period in our history and onwards, Canada established its reputation as an open and welcoming country to everyone, from the numerous Indochinese refugees of the Vietnam War, to the 25,000 Syrian refugees that arrived last winter, and our immigration numbers have been at their highest since 1971. The humanitarian crisis in Syria and elsewhere continues, however, and so it is essential that the government reaches its target of accepting 40,000 refugees this year, as part of the 300,000 total immigrants that are expected. Innovation and Invention Historically, Canadian ingenuity has contributed a lot to the world. From the invention of the telephone by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876, the radio in 1906 by Reginald Aubrey Fessenden, the Nobel Prize-winning discovery of insulin by Frederick
Banting, Charles Best, James Collip and J.J.R. Macleod in 1922, or more recently the use of the Canadarm (a mechanical, remote-controlled arm) in NASA space missions in the 1980s, our country’s technical expertise and creativity has definitely become a valuable asset. Currently, the federal and municipal governments are helping to promote the Kitchener-Waterloo and Toronto regions as the “Silicon Valley of the North” in an effort to encourage and attract innovation. Government initiatives to introduce coding literacy at a younger age should give coming students a head start in many emerging fields, and maintain Canada’s reputation as a leader in innovative thinking. Artistic Emergence For the past 150 years, when it comes to the arts, Canada has often remained hidden in the looming shadow of our southern neighbour. For example, many Canadians who achieve success in the entertainment industry eventually move to the States, as they feel there is more opportunity for them there. However, the Canadian film and TV industry is slowly beginning to assert itself, as evidenced by the now five-year-old Canadian Screen Awards, an amalgamation of the Geminis and Genies that serves as the Canadian equivalent to both the Emmys and the Oscars. In addition to a rising film industry, we are also home to some highly prestigious film festivals, the most notable of them being the Toronto International Film Festi-
val, which will be celebrating its 41st anniversary this September. Apart from film, Canada is recognized for its literature as well. Stephen Leacock’s work is known the world over, and for a decade in the early 1900s, he was the most famous English speaking humourist in the world. Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery, for its part, has been a childhood favourite since its publication in 1908. There are numerous modern authors who have been critically acclaimed as well, such as Margaret Atwood, Richard Wagamese, and Kim Thúy. Arguably the most vibrant industry at the moment is the Canadian music scene. Many of the world’s top music artists, from Drake, to Alessia Cara, to The Weeknd, call Canada home. We are also home to older artists and bands, such as Buffy Sainte-Marie, Joni Mitchell and The Tragically Hip. Evidently, we have nothing to be shy about, as Canada is and has always been an art powerhouse of its own. It’s clear to see that Canada as a nation has progressed significantly in the last 150 years, specifically in the areas of politics, technological innovation, and the arts. There have been some missteps along the way, and some burning issues that won’t go away anytime soon, but overall it’s safe to say that on July 1st we will all share in our pride at living in “the True North strong and free.”
Photo: LiveWire Remote Recorders
VOLUME 26 , ISSUE 4 SUMMER 2017 PAGE 10
Editorial
Confessions of an applicant: aiming for the Ivy League R
By: Jovana Pajovic
ecently, I’ve taken to heart the role of the old, wise, and nostalgic high school senior that has naturally befallen me. I would like to think that I have changed at least a little bit in these past four years. And I have. I’ve grown taller, for one (if that’s even possible). More mature. More confident in my own abilities. Smarter (hopefully). I’ve read more books. Seen more places. Written more (one more) four-thousand word essays (thanks, IB). I’ve made new friends and grown closer to old friends that I cherish and that cherish me. I have become ready for new change in my life. Yet, just a few short months ago, I didn’t feel this way at all. It is remarkable how much a mid-year senior resembles a young, naïve freshman. They are both fearful, uncertain, and neither knows what comes next. And so, the cycle of high school completes. In ninth grade, my dream was to go to university in the States. As it was in December. I was (and still am) allured by the prestige and history of the Ivy League “dream” schools, and by stories of past students who, through hard work and a pinch of luck, actually made it and thrive there. Everyone, at one point or another, experiences a feeling of wanting to be the person that “makes it” and takes hold of a chance that allows them to break away from the regularity of daily life and brings them to a land (in this case, a school) of opportunity. It’s not a terrible thing to think that you can achieve something bigger than what you see in your life now — that’s
something I had to learn. Somehow, sometime between tenth and eleventh grade I folded those hopes up, locked them in a box inside my mind and threw out the key. I focused on myself, my schoolwork, friends, and family. Nevertheless, they re-emerged last spring, when I had far too long put off that daunting task that faces us seniors — the task of thinking about our futures. My parents, wanting the best for me (as all parents do), brought the idea of going to the States back up, and instantly, I found myself once again enthralled by the world of US college admissions. My first step in the process of applying to schools in the US was taking the SATs. I took the SAT exam twice, once in June of my junior year and once this past October (which, much to my dismay, happened to land on my birthday!), as well as the French with Listening subject test and the Literature subject test. I believe that I took the exam at the right time during high school. While I probably would have been able to complete the reading and writing sections of the exam in late tenth grade or early into my junior year, the math portions demand that students have knowledge of some more complex concepts that only junior- and senior-level math courses teach. I’m also content that I only took the exam twice. When I was in line to take the exam for the second time, I remember hearing a student in front of me say that it was his sixth try! Six times, in my opinion, is overboard. Three times is pushing it. What I learned from my scores and
from my brothers’ experience was that your performance does not change drastically between the two (or three, or four, or six) times you take the SAT. And that’s okay — the test is designed that way. The Collegeboard website even admits to this: “The [SAT] is more focused on the skills and knowledge at the heart of education. If you think the key to a high score is memorizing words and facts you’ll never use in the real world, think again. You don’t have to discover secrets or tricks or cram the night before.” The first time, I took the exam just for the experience and relied solely on the knowledge I gained from school. I spent a summer studying for the exam in October. My scores were virtually the same. Something I wish I had known before taking the exam was how mentally and physically draining it is. Including the optional essay, which most “high profile” schools require, the total test time is 3 hours and 50 minutes, with two short 10-minute breaks in between. Plus, since it’s a standardized test, all the administrative procedures and waiting can take up to an hour — at least. Many schools also require at least one 1-hour SAT Subject Test. The summer in between those two SAT tests, I went on a road trip with my Mom and Dad to visit some schools in the States. If you’re interested in applying like I did, I would recommend going to see the campuses. If not, go see them anyways! The Ivy League schools are not just excellent academic institutions, they’re beautiful historic sites. My favourite memories were not
going on tours of the campuses with hundreds of other prospective students; they were writing on the chalkboard of Albert Einstein’s lecture hall, perfectly preserved, and seeing the window that Russell Crowe throws a desk out of as John Nash in A Beautiful Mind. Penn surprised me with its vibrant colour and relaxed atmosphere. Princeton enchanted me with its grandiose libraries (the Beauty and the Beast kind), lush greenery, and small-town feel. In Boston, I felt knowledge seeping through the walls of MIT. I later learned that opportunity isn’t just limited to one place, and that I could find all these things and more in my own community. Regardless, it was an educational trip. I gained a lot more information about the structure of the programs at the schools, student life, and residence by talking to current students than by searching through websites and attending online webcasts. That goes for any school, whether it’s in Canada, in the U.S., or anywhere else in the world. Visiting the campus is key to narrowing down your choices. After summer comes fall, naturally, and so too comes university application season. Aside from scholarship applications, just the school application process in the States is far more lengthy and demanding than for Canadian students, or at least the Ontarian process (though, as I’ve observed from my oldest brother’s experience to my own, it is getting more complex as the years go by, as admissions becomes more competitive). On top of making sure that you’ve fulfilled your SAT or ACT and Subject
Test requirements and decided which program you want to apply to — which, in itself, is a mammoth undertaking - there are supplemental essays upon essays that need not just be written, but contemplated and treated with love and care and understanding, revised and revised again. While the Common Application requires the submission of one, supposedly universal “personal statement” submitted to all institutions to which a student applies, it doesn’t seem to be enough for most schools, as they pile on question after question beyond the scope of the general application. In hindsight, I think I would have been able to write better quality essays had I simply chosen two or three schools to apply to and had more time to write them. Don’t underestimate the essays: they require a great deal of rumination and, as far as I know, are one factor that polishes an application and sets a student apart from their peers. I enjoyed sweet relief and relaxation once I finally submitted my applications in January — what I didn’t know was that the process was still far from being over. Most of the schools that I applied to offered “optional” interviews to supplement the application. From December to February, I attended interviews for four schools. The interviews are conducted by alumni of the university that are from the applicant’s community: the GTA, in this case. I was initially fearful about the interviews, but the second I met my first interviewer I realized that this was really an opportunity to have an interesting conversation with someone new, learn
about the school in greater detail, and, not to mention, develop my interview skills. My interviewers were mostly from business backgrounds, though one finished with a degree in literature and another was an optometrist. One of them was even from Mississauga and got accepted to his school on a rowing scholarship. I bet none of them expected to actually be mentioned in the newspaper that I chatted so much about during our interviews. My advice to prospective students concerning interviews would be to take them lightly and have fun. Don’t come in with prepared answers, or get intimidated by interview success stories from forums online — this leads to interviews that feel rigid and uninspired, not only for the interviewer but for you too. One’s personality shines through best when they feel relaxed, spontaneous, natural. At this moment, with graduation and my last exams on the horizon, having committed to the University of Toronto, I feel grateful for the enlightenment the experience of applying abroad has brought me. I’ll admit to indulging in hypothetical scenarios of ‘what could have been’, but I won’t ever truly be able pinpoint what it was about my application that appealed to some schools and not others. Perhaps it’s a game of luck. Perhaps those schools are overrated and I’m better off at home. For now, I’m content pushing my Ivy-clad dreams aside and focusing on my future here, at my “dream” school, with my “dream” friends and my “dream” family.
Photo: Wikipedia
VOLUME 26, ISSUE 4 SUMMER 2017 PAGE 11
Editorial
Concequence of success: aiming for the Ivy League
Photo: RISD.edu
B
By: Amanda Yang
orn into a culture that holds prestigious schools in high esteem, I was always told to aim for the “best”, and Harvard naturally became the first university I had ever heard of. It was the school of miracles, the best institution in the world, and a place where thousands of applicants dream of entering. As early as in middle school, I remember being one of those dreamers. During breakfast, I would pour out sugar into my porridge in the shape of letters representing the educational path I had hoped to take. “S”(Sherwood) for elementary, “T”(Tomken) for middle school, then a “C”(Cawthra; since I liked art) for high school, and finally an “H”(Harvard) for my dream university. That was a lot of sugar. And it's quite evident my life did not go as planned. While I did not achieve my childhood dreams of joining the great minds at Harvard, I will be entering an art school this coming fall sometimes dubbed as the "Harvard” of art schools. Rhode Island School of Design, or better known as just RISD (riz·dee), is a private, prestigious fine arts and design college in the United States consistently ranked as one of the top art schools in the world, and ranked first in Graphic Design (my intended major). Though the school is not in the Ivy League itself, RISD is located in Providence alongside Brown University and has other ties with neighbouring Ivy League Universities. Students from RISD are
able to take liberal arts courses at Brown and also interact with students from Harvard, Yale, and MIT on some collaborative projects. While I’m excited to join this group of talented people in the fall, I can’t help but wonder if going is the right decision for me. Sometimes, dreams can’t just be realized by getting accepted. There are so many other factors to consider when making such a huge decision. My parents did not originally plan for me to study in the States. They wanted me to stay in Canada; however, I aspired to achieve greater things beyond our borders. Even though OCAD, a major art school in Toronto recognized nationally and globally is so close by, I just could not see myself going there. York and Sheridan’s joint design program was my next best choice but I still wanted more. My predicament pushed me to consider schools abroad, where I believed there might be better opportunities. I was keen on applying to the States so I started taking SAT prep classes in grade 10. Around this time, I also changed my decision towards where I wanted to go for post-secondary when I discovered RISD. I didn’t think I could enter an Ivy League institution and RISD was the closest I could get to one. At the same time, I put off doing the actual SAT test until January of my grade 11 year, just before Collegeboard made dramatic changes to the SATs. After receiving a mediocre score, I almost gave up on US applications. Nevertheless, considering how much
work I put into the process already, I thought I would keep giving it a shot. Throughout my application process, I recall being extremely anxious because I knew my score was below RISD’s average SAT score and I felt it would become my downfall. Looking back, I now realize that applying to an art school means that a below-average SAT score doesn't influence an application as much when combined with a solid portfolio, personal essay, and high school GPA. Still, I would have told my younger self to study more for the SATs because I ended up not applying to Ivy League schools, ashamed of my SAT scores. Though they had improved drastically from my first practice test compared to my final, it was not enough for the competitive Ivies. Thus in hindsight, take the SATs seriously to avoid the anxiety I felt, and try out for Ivy Leagues. I regret letting go the application for the Ivy League institutions even though I knew I'd probably be met with disappointment. But who knows, by a stroke of luck, they might just accept you! The next step in the application process was the personal essay. Alongside studying for the SATs, I spent a year thinking about what I should write. The goal of the essay is to show admissions officers your personality beyond the classroom. I took inspiration from one personal essay about Costco to inform my own writing. Through the use of Costco, a seemingly mundane topic, the writer was able to express her curiosity and
imagination without explicitly saying so. I felt this storytelling method was very effective and decided to use this style for my own work. Writing the essay took a lot of time and thinking. While my first draft was done in a matter of hours, editing took days as I asked many friends, my English teacher, and two Glenforest alumni currently attending Ivy League schools to read over it. I definitely would recommend spending the extra time and effort to make sure your written application is flawless. RISD’s artistic requirements also required a great deal of soul searching and self reflection. RISD’s application was by far the most daunting of the seven universities I applied to. Like the personal essay, the portfolio and RISD assignment were meant to especially showcase personality, thinking, and skills. The portfolio was relatively easier to put together as I used grade 11 artwork for the bulk of it. The RISD assignment however, was on another level of difficult. The assignment prompts were vague and abstract; there seemed to be no end to what you could create for them. My advice for this portion would be to start early and make prototypes to experiment with what you want to do. I completed my art pieces in the few days leading up to the application deadline, but the preparation and idea generation done beforehand took months. On May 27th, 2017, I received my offer of admission to RISD. Suddenly, I went from a nobody to a somebody; I became practically famous in a
Wechat group of Asian parents (with children all aiming for Ivy League schools) my parents were in. Strangers started requesting to see my work, my grades, and my essays, while seeking advice, guidance, and feedback on their own children’s work. It wasn’t only me that became famous, but so did my parents as they were asked countless questions about how they prepped me for university applications. My father even gave a two-and-a-half hour speech a month ago about this to a group of Ivy League hopefuls. It’s pretty remarkable how the prestige of a university acceptance can change your life. However, the initial shock and happiness was soon replaced by worry, doubt, and frustration. Before my acceptance, I did not consider the cost of going nor the inconvenience of being an international student. There was no financial aid nor scholarships provided to international students, and being an international student would greatly limit my ability to find a job in the States. The exchange rates don't make it any easier either, and I'm not too thrilled about the current state of US politics towards international students. The tuition, being as ridiculously expensive as it is, is a far cry from being affordable for a middle class family, thus creating a huge dilemma for me and my family. Do I go and chase my dreams and land myself in debt, or take the relaxed, easy route by staying in Canada? The decision on whether to go or not became more and more daunting as the enrolment deposit due date drew near.
After much thought, I committed to RISD. It was a really hard decision, and I’m truly blessed to have parents that support me. Realistically, going is a pretty bad investment. Staying in Toronto had a wealth of benefits. While I am going to be attending a “dream” school now, for the many years afterwards, I'm also going to be in a huge sum of debt. Coming straight out of high school, I cannot fathom how huge this financial burden will be; especially for an artist. Sometimes, I wish I could have been more “normal” and gone into business, or engineering, or health care like my peers. In some ways I wish I picked a career path that would have allowed me to stay in Canada instead. I’d like to be able to complain about $20,000 tuition as it pales in comparison to the mammoth that is RISD. I don’t think I’ll know whether or not this was a good decision until many years down the road, but I am sure RISD will give me an experience I will not regret. In short, there are drawbacks and benefits to prestigious schools and going to one will not be the be all and end all of your life. My acceptance is not a trophy to be displayed, rather an invitation to the starting line of another race because i because it’s not about the educational institution you go into, it’s about what you can achieve and create afterwards.
VOLUME 26 , ISSUE 4 SUMMER 2017 PAGE 12
Editorial
Volunteering or voluntouring? S
By: Annie Zou
ummer break is but a few short weeks away, and between vacation plans and personal obligations, the time to volunteer may seem scarce. Voluntourism or volunteer tourism is advertised as the way to travel the world and do some good in the process. It is undeniably an attractive pitch: travel to exotic destinations, meet new friends, and build a school for the poor children in third-world countries! Destinations span the globe, from Arctic expeditions to the tropics of the Philippines the opportunities are endless. Yet beyond what it satisfies in our inner nomad, how does voluntourism benefit the community? Here is where the controversy starts. Voluntourism is increasingly appealing to travelers who want to “make things better in the world” for local communities: build a school, provide medical treatment, teach the locals, etc. These
are altruistic and ambitious goals paid for by well-meaning volunteers. However, there is increasing evidence that voluntourism may not benefit communities as advertised. This is at no fault of the volunteers but rather the result of misplaced intentions. Below are two case studies of where global volunteering failed to deliver. Orphanages Orphanage tourism is an increasingly popular phenomenon despite protests by NGOs and children protection activists. Numerous documented cases of exploitation and abuse reveals the dangerous lack of regulations and the inadvertent negative consequences of growing popularity of such a market. In the last decade, the number of orphanages in Cambodia has doubled. This phenomenon can be largely attributed to voluntourism and donations creating an industry of domestic and
foreign-run orphanages who largely profit from foreign cash flow. The exploitation of Cambodia’s orphan children is a multimillion dollar industry. Cambodia’s struggling economy has made orphanages an extremely attractive source of income. Unlicensed orphanages are increasing in number. In the struggling Cambodian economy, the number of orphans are also increasing. But according to UNICEF, close to 75% of orphans may have one or more living parents. There are even cases of orphanages “renting” children. Tara Winkler of Cambodia’s Children’s Trust (CCT) describes them as “operating without official registration and without essential documentation, like child protection policies”. Behind closed doors, there are many allegations of forced child labour, sexual and physical abuse, and child trafficking. In early 2013, an Australian-run unregistered orphanage in the Cambodian capital Phnon Penh named “Love in Action”
was closed after accusations of child abuse and human trafficking and 21 children were rescued. Only one week later, the director of a Siem Reap orphanage was arrested for sexual abuse of two adolescent girls. There is yet to be confirmation of this orphanage closing. This is not at all unique to Cambodia and the ugly truth is that if there is a market, there will always be someone seeking to exploit it. Therein lies the problem: orphanages are being run as a business, seeking easy money from volunteers, many are unlicensed and unmonitored. That is not to say all orphanages are bad, they are merely a reflection of a broken system of profit-driven charities and a dangerous lack of oversight leading to corruption. Building schools Another popular option for voluntourists focuses more on building job experience. Building a school is perhaps
the first image we associate with voluntourism. The physical evidence of voluntourism in this case is undeniable. But the damage of replacing workers with volunteers can be devastating. Why pay for workers when you have a bunch of perfectly determined army of volunteers instead? This displaces local jobs and prevents development of the economy trapping communities in a cycle of poverty and dependence. Not only is this damaging the livelihood of local workers but is also preventing further growth. This can also then pose difficulties in the sustainability of these practices. Often it is not the school itself that poses challenges but the expense of educational supplies and hiring teachers. Unfortunately, if a volunteer group does not continue to financially support these institutions they are forced to close due to inability to finance investing into the future generation. Despite these serious drawbacks, voluntourism can
also sometimes be beneficial both to the volunteer and the community. Volunteer work abroad decreases labour costs for companies allowing them to use that money for another cause and can give volunteers global experience and perspective. The cases above are cautionary tales of how organizations may sell their practices to unknowing volunteers who truly believe there are creating a better future for these communities. The important thing is to research, ask the hard questions that create transparency; be thoroughly informed about the ethical practices of the organization you plan to work with and the strategies they are implementing to ensure long-term sustainability. Read the testimonials, contact the coordinators, and be in the know. But more importantly, make every experience meaningful.
Photo: Projects Abroad
VOLUME 26, ISSUE 4 SUMMER 2017 PAGE 13
National
Photo: Entertainment Weekly
Photo: Subscene
7 binge-worthy Canadian TV shows to check out over the summer E
By: Shankhalika Srikanth
xams are over, summer has finally arrived, and you feel like doing something to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday but you’re not really in the mood to get out. Why not flaunt your patriotism by watching a Canadian TV show instead? Here are some ideas to get you started. Comedy Nothing represents Canada’s diverse multicultural spirit better than Kim’s Convenience, a sitcom about a Korean family that runs a convenience store in downtown Toronto. Never resorting to clichés or stereotypes, this award-winning show starring Paul SunHyung Lee, Jean Yoon, Andrea Bang and Simu Liu loves to push the boundaries on political correctness without ever losing its lightness or ability to keep you in stitches. Looking for original characters in your TV shows
that also appreciate high fashion? Then Schitt’s Creek is the show for you. One of the highlights of this riches-to-rags story of the wealthy Rose family, who lose everything and are forced to move to the town of Schitt’s Creek, is definitely the characters’ extravagant ensembles. Familiar faces and Canadian comedy stalwarts also add to the fun: SCTV alumni Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara (of Home Alone fame) lead the talented cast, while Annie Murphy and Dan Levy (Eugene’s real-life son and co-creator of the show) play the obnoxious yet endearing Rose children. Maybe you’re looking for an original format or a different genre but still want something that’ll keep you laughing. The Baroness Von Sketch Show should do the trick. This sketch comedy show features an all-female cast that take on multiple roles in their sketches revolving around common social trends. Their simultane-
ously dry and absurd style of humour will leave you wanting more, which is perfect as the show has been renewed for a second season this summer. For all those who get their news from late night shows like the The Daily Show or Last Week Tonight, how about giving our own political satires a try? This Hour Has 22 Minutes is one of Canada’s longest-running fake news shows, with its roots stretching back to 1986. An ensemble cast including Cathy Jones, Mark Critch, Susan Kent, and Shaun Majumder delivers the news to you in a tongue-incheek manner, and performs sketches based on current political and social occurrences, SNL-style. Notable alumni include Rick Mercer, of The Rick Mercer Report. Drama Are you more of a classic murder mystery fan, but tired of all the running around in fancy police cars, or maybe just
enthusiastic about all things Victorian-era? Either way, the internationally successful Murdoch Mysteries should appeal to you. This period piece is set in Toronto before and after the turn of the 20th century, and revolves around the dashing Detective William Murdoch of Station House No. 4 as he solves cases with the help of his tough Yorkshire Inspector Brackenreid, the earnest Constable Crabtree, and the brilliant coroner Dr. Julia Ogden. Apart from its creative plots and writing that remains fresh after eleven seasons, the show can also boast of historical accuracy, with the writers ensuring that Murdoch only has access to the technology of his time. He also gets to meet famous historical figures of the era (Alexander Graham Bell and Arthur Conan Doyle are recurring characters). If there’s one thing that immediately stands out about Netflix's new show, Anne, it’s the perfection in casting.
Amybeth McNulty brings to life the vivacious Anne Shirley, who accidentally winds up becoming the adopted daughter of Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert, a sister and brother living in Prince Edward Island (played by Geraldine James and R.H. Thomson). But be warned: though it stays faithful to the original story by Lucy Maud Montgomery, this is not your childhood Anne of Green Gables. This new adaptation of the classic Canadian children’s story dabbles in some darker themes by delving more into the abuse and bullying the treasured red-head faced in her past, which ultimately serves the purpose of highlighting the empowerment and bright, indomitable spirit of “Anne with an E” Shirley. Finally, for all the science fiction fans out there, the popular and critically acclaimed Orphan Black is waiting just for you. This show is about a con artist who takes on the identity of her doppelganger
after witnessing her suicide, and comes to realize that she is at the heart of a conspiracy wherein she is one of many clones. Tatiana Maslany stars as Sarah Manning and nearly a dozen clones of her character, and has won an Emmy for this impressive performance, becoming the first Canadian to win an Emmy for work on a Canadian series. So the next time you’re in the mood for a TV show binge-watching session, make sure to check out one of these shows and show off your Canadian pride.
VOLUME 26 , ISSUE 4 SUMMER 2017 PAGE 14
National
Photo: Marijuana
Weed the North: Canada becomes one of the first countries to legalize marijuana T
By: Suzany Manimaran
he legalization of marijuana has been subject to contentious debate in many countries over the past decade. Canada is set to legalize marijuana by July 1st, 2018, a move that has sparked a great amount of debate and controversy even among people that are pro-legalization. Cannabis has been criminalized in Canada since 1923, an era of hostility towards Asian immigrants when the government pushed a strong anti-Chinese, anti-opium, anti-drug agenda. However, these antiquated prohibition-era views, of marijuana in particular, don’t translate well in the 21st century, nor do they act as effective deterrence. Marijuana is the third most consumed drug in Canada, right behind alcohol and tobacco. According to the Canadian Public Health Association, about 1 in 7 Canadian adults and 1 in 4 students said that they’ve consumed marijuana at least once in the past year. This has become increasingly obvious, especially in metropolises like Vancou-
ver, Montreal, and Toronto, where illegal dispensaries are popping up on city blocks like hipster coffee shops. The federal government's decision to legalize the drug has come as a result of years of lobbying and protesting the criminalization of a drug that was not nearly as lethal and dangerous as propaganda made it seem. According to public opinion, marijuana is much less harmful to society than alcohol. American states saw a 20% decrease in heroin treatments after the introduction of medical marijuana. Despite this, it’s not as though marijuana is a completely safe drug with no harmful side effects whatsoever. It has been known to have lasting detrimental impacts on psychological well being, intelligence and memory when consumed from a young age. One of the most popular points of debate is taxation. In 2016, the state of Colorado surpassed $2.26 billion USD in tax revenue from marijuana sales Canada’s tapping into the market would see tax revenue skyrocket. That and the
added benefit of an increase in employment with the introduction of a whole new industry would further build Canada’s economy. However, high taxation could prove to be a double-edged sword. High taxation of marijuana could lead to increased black market usage, as street prices could prove to be cheaper than regulated cannabis. One proposed solution was to highly tax THC-potent marijuana in an effort to reduce the usage of THC-potent strains. THC is the psychoactive substance in marijuana that gives the user the “high” feeling and “the munchies”. However, THC is also the substance in cannabis that causes sleepiness, impairs memory, and even causes mild to severe anxiety and paranoia in higher doses. It is easily absorbed by the body; medical experts advise that high-THC cannabis be consumed in smaller dosages. THC is bad for anxiety in large doses, but an effective treatment for it in small doses. Heavier taxation of THC-potent cannabis could help reduce its usage and could be effective in deterring THC
consumption while still bringing in a considerable amount of tax revenue. Another main concern, proposed by parents, is the effect that legalization will have on youth consumption of cannabis. Substance abuse is often established by the end of teenage years. As it stands, 1 in 4 Canadian students report having smoked marijuana within the past year. Students already have easy access to it from peers, so could legalization really have an effect on youth consumption? The federal government has set the legal age to 18, though provincial governments have the opportunity to increase it. Many parents expressed concern over the low age requirements. Marijuana use in youth has been known to have lasting long-term symptoms that could be detrimental and is known to trigger psychosis and schizophrenia in those that are genetically predisposed. The issue with increasing the age is that most of the users are younger, between the ages of 18 and 27. Barring their demographic from ob-
taining marijuana could further propel the growing greymarket cannabis sales in major cities. The Liberal government argues that the age should not be set at the point at which the drug is least harmful, but rather the point at which a person can make a rational and well informed choice to consume it. For example, tobacco has several negative health impacts on the user regardless of age, but it is only available for consumption when a person can make rational choice to smoke or not. The CPHA says that the most effective way to prevent consumption in youth would be education and restrictive marketing. These policies have proven to be effective in the past, as youth consumption of tobacco plummeted in recent decades after the introduction of similar government initiatives. Going forward, it is important for the government to carefully approach the regulation of the soon-to-be-legal drug. Legalization benefits society in many ways, such as eliminating the need for black market trade, building a stron-
ger economy, and having fewer injustices in the legal system, but there are also many possible pitfalls. Canada needs to tread the thin line between pushing forward an agenda of deterrence, without being so prohibitive that people resort to the black market. The laws concerning medical and recreational cannabis should be nationally consistent so that weed doesn’t become a for-profit industry with alluring marketing schemes. Starting strong with prohibitive advertising and reducing the glamorous aspects of the drug prevalent in music, social media, and pop culture is a key aspect of deterring use. All in all, there are many steps and precautions that need to be taken to ensure that the legalization of marijuana in Canada is done in a safe, ethical way that is beneficial to public health.
Canada: The North American safe haven S
By: Srushti Patel
hortly after the inauguration of Donald Trump, Canada has experienced a steep increase in the number of illegal border crossings. What started off as a few refugees trying to cross into Canada undetected has since exploded into hundreds of asylum seekers making their journey on foot, at the expense of their health, as they illegally cross the borders. These migrants are using isolated routes, rather than the official border between the United States and Canada, which are guarded by the RCMP, then trying to claim a refugee status. While some of the migrants leaving the US are undocumented, many of the other migrants have valid residency in the US but chose to come to Canada because it is 'a more welcoming country'. After talking to some of these asylum-seekers, it is clear they believe they are being targeted by Donald Trump and his followers, creating an unsafe
environment which they are desperately trying to flee. The pressure is high on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as the flow of illegal crossings continues to increase and the opposition raises the question of the risk this poses for Canada’s security. Once these migrants are intercepted by the RCMP, they are arrested and taken into custody where they undergo identification checks and questioning. After being cleared by the RCMP, they are turned over to the CBSA (Canada Border Service Agencies) for processing where they determine the legitimacy of the individuals’ claims for a refugee status. If the person is not properly identified then they are sent back to the United States. This highly sensitive topic divides Canadians as they try to balance their empathy for the refugees while also considering concerns about safety and border control. There are extremely mixed views surrounding this issue wherein some believe that
all refugees crossing illegally should be immediately turned away, while others believe that they should be allowed to enter and go through the normal immigration process. The Angus Reid Institute found that 50% of Canadians believe there is a significant risk of criminal and other dangerous individuals crossing into Canada through the unguarded border points, and almost three in every four Canadians want the country to focus its resources on monitoring and patrolling the border to discourage more crossings. The future of illegal migrants is unclear, and what steps Canada will take have not yet been determined. As a diverse country that values different cultures, it is difficult to turn away these desperate families searching for a home, while on the other hand, the safety of Canadians may potentially be at risk. Photo: Lavoz
VOLUME 26, ISSUE 4 SUMMER 2017 PAGE 15
Culture
Photo: Youtube
Hip-hop halftime report W
By: Balaaj Durrani
ith the year coming to its halfway point, the world of hip-hop has surely made waves in society. From the reincarnation of the Beatles, to masks coming off, to being humble, hip-hop has dominated 2017. This year started off strong, with Migos releasing Culture featuring the single Bad and Boujee, which stayed in the top 3 of the Billboard 100 charts for nearly 4 months. The album had its high points, like the songs T-Shirt and Slippery featuring Gucci Mane, and overall did what is expected from a Migos album, which is to make trap music you can let loose to. February started off with Big Sean releasing his project I Decided, with the single Bounce
Back peaking at number 2 on the charts, but the month truly belonged to Future, who released a self-titled album that debuted at number 1 on the charts. Not satisfied with that, Future released another album the very next week, titled HNDRXX, which also debuted at number 1. The albums were very different in their sounds, with Future reflecting the artist’s Atlantan roots, and HNDRXX going for more of an R&B sound, away from what many are used to from Future. At the moment, Future has been certified gold, and with the single Mask Off completely blowing up in the mainstream media, peaking at number 5 on the charts, we could be seeing Future go platinum with no features (sound familiar?). Other notable releases in FebPhoto: Genius
ruary were from R&B artist Syd, releasing her project titled Fin, a mellow, laid-back, very relaxing project, and the GTA’s very own Nav, releasing his self-titled and self-produced project. March Madness also brought along Drake madness, as the Toronto juggernaut released his self-described “playlist” titled More Life. The project had something for everybody, with Drake now experimenting with the British grime sound, along with his dancehall-influenced music, and his R&B roots as well. Overall, Drake has received much criticism for his “culture-vulture” ways, taking aspects from different genres and styles of music and making them his own, but it’s hard to argue with his suc-
cess: Drake went gold within a week of the album's release. Other projects in March included Kodak Black’s Painting Pictures, Smino’s blkswn, and Freddie Gibbs’ You Only Live 2wice. If anyone thought Drake could not be matched, April made them think again. Two years after releasing one of the most critically-acclaimed albums in history, Kendrick Lamar once again came through with a fantastic project, aptly titled DAMN. The project, as Kendrick projects usually are, is very dense and there has been endless speculation as to what exactly the message of the album is. Whereas To Pimp a Butterfly was very experimental in sound, DAMN had a more mainstream influence, with songs like DNA, HumPhoto: Genius
ble, and Element all in heavy rotation. To the critics that say Kendrick is nothing but lyricism, Kendrick fires back, surpassing Drake in first week album sales with over 600,000 album sales, and making this the third consecutive album to achieve platinum certification (after good kid m.A.A.d city and To Pimp a Butterfly). With the release of this project, many have proclaimed Kendrick to be one of the greatest rappers of this generation with the release of this project, and looking at the evidence, it’s hard to argue otherwise. Another significant release in April was Joey Bada$$’s project All-Amerikkkan Bada$$. An extremely politically charged album, Joey starts off the album more laidback and relaxed, but switches
into a completely different gear in the second half, with angry, more aggressive tracks such as Rockabye Baby and Babylon. Joey is one of the most talented lyricists of the new generation and surely proves it on this project. The first half of 2017 gave us quite a few solid projects, with ScHoolboy Q, Travis Scott, Young Thug, and Gucci Mane potentially releasing projects this year. Hopefully the second half of 2017 can be just as solid, if not better, than the first.
Photo: Wikipedia
VOLUME 26 , ISSUE 4 SUMMER 2017 PAGE 16
Culture
Photo: Documentary Tube
Greatest historical myths debunked! O
By: Julie Cho
ftentimes in history, facts are found to be celebrated and myths are debunked and ridiculed. While some truths revealed perhaps centuries later may leave many stunned and dumbfounded, some modifications to our most reliable historical knowledge may become a source of catharsis and entertainment. Below you will find a list of six of some of the most unbelievable, astounding historical myths – as in false ideas – and explanations as to why they are mere myths that need to be reassessed. 1. Cleopatra was Egyptian Julius Caesar was Roman, Alexander the Great was Greek, and Cleopatra was Egyptian. You were close! Cleopatra VII Philopator, the last emperor of Egypt before it became a province of the Roman Empire, was actually one of the descendants of the Ptolemaic dynasty that was of Greek origin. Although little is known about her life, it is
revealed that she spoke Hellenistic (a Greek dialect) and was the first in her family to learn the Egyptian language. The myth of Cleopatra being Egyptian arose most likely as a result of her presentation as a reincarnation of the Egyptian goddess Isis.
ed and drawn by Walt Disney Many, if not all, would cast no doubt on the fact that Mickey Mouse is credited to Walt Disney – as the creator and sketcher of the first and most popular cartoon character. To everyone’s surprise, Mickey's true creator was Ub Iwerks, greatest animator of Disney Studios at that time, was the inventor of Mickey Mouse, as well as the fastest animator in the world. He sketched the entire first Mickey Mouse short film in just two weeks in 1928, estimated to about 700 drawings per day. So why Walt Disney? Disney was a great producer who could not draw but envisioned success in the film. He can be likened to a publisher of a novel who doesn’t write the book itself but invests in it.
2. Albert Einstein failed at math Despite being recognized as one of the few geniuses that rocked both science and history, there exists a rumor that Albert Einstein did not pass math because he could not figure out straightforward equations. This is, like it or not, a myth with roots in the 1935 issue of “Ripley’s Believe It Or Not” trivia column. Where the publisher got such information from remains uncertain. However, what is undeniable is that Einstein was a mathematical whiz from a young age. At 4. Vikings wore helmets with the age of 12, he could under- horns stand arithmetic and calculus In pop culture, Vikings better than you and me. are associated with Nordic raiders and are almost always 3. Mickey Mouse was invent- depicted with two-horned
helmets. The myth originates from the 19th-century paintings and productions by Wagner which show Viking men in horned hats. However, this is claimed to be a mistake made by Cale Emil Doepler, who was Wagner’s costume designer at that time. Even farther back in the 9th century, an Oseburg tapestry was designed with a horned warrior but it is merely someone in costume for a ritual, not a real Viking. There is no single piece of archaeological evidence and it is very unlikely that Vikings wore these while attacking the English Christians. 5. The Spanish Flu originated in Spain Killing between 50 and 100 million people on earth from March 1918 to June 1920, the Spanish Flu is recognized as one of the deadliest epidemics in human history. Being the same virus as the Swine Flu, it took the lives of one third of the population of Europe and spread as far as the Arctic and Pacific. To our
amusement, the first cases of Spanish Flu were actually registered in the US as well as a few European nations before it reached Spain. The fact that it was named after Spain was most likely because it was the only country that did not censor information about the epidemic from the public, so the most accurate information about mortality rates came from Spain. This created the impression that Spain was the most affected country, or even the only country where the pandemic existed. 6. Thomas Edison invented the light bulb Thomas Edison is recognized as the most revolutionary inventor in history as the creator of the light bulb. Many would have wondered what their life would be like today if Thomas Edison did not take that trip to inspire himself of the genius idea. As hurtful as this may sound, Thomas Edison was a great businessman who had the skills to steal copyrights from the real in-
ventors before they published them. Most of his 1,093 patented discoveries--including the light bulb--are not his original creations. The credit for the light bulb issued in 1880 was directed to Edison but it was actually Warren de la Rue, a British astronomer and chemist, who invented the very first light bulb in 1840. The first electric light, called an “arc lamp”, was invented by an English scientist named Sir Humphry Davy in 1806. Whether you decide to trust the above modified versions of the formerly believed truths is entirely up to you. Who knows if it may be just another myth waiting to be debunked? So gear up your search engines and get digging for the hidden truths from the past. It will surely be a fun game of treasure hunt as long as you don’t get lost in between the lines.
VOLUME 26, ISSUE 4 SUMMER 2017 PAGE 17
Culture
Photo: BlogTO
Your mood on weather A
By: Lily Li
gloomy, rainy afternoon or a bright, cheery morning — it’s not unusual to say that our moods can be painted by the conditions outside of the window. Since the weather is ever-changing, it offers a parallel to our everyday, oscillating emotions.
is linked to various types of precipitation: rain, snow, hail, and the like. On the other side, negative ions stimulate feelings of tranquility and contentment, associated with fairer weather conditions. This dynamic pressure system results in two scenarios, when not cancelling out into a stationary front. One is when the cold front overrides the warm front, resulting in cumulonimbus (heavy storm) clouds; the opposite results in spread out, overcast stratus (light shower) clouds.
Barometric Pressure System Grounded by the principles of ions, low pressure corresponds to the excess of positively charged ions — which are known to cause symptoms Rain such as migraines, irritability, Aside from the stereoor general sleeplessness “feel- typical glum and gloominess, ing under the weather”. This rain may actually correlate
with a lesser-known side effect, which is aggression. Prolonged exposure to humidity results in similar phenomena. This correlation is further emphasized when combined with high temperatures. However, this trend does not appear to affect the populace living in island regions. Although rain generally has a bad rep, a fair number of individuals may experience feelings of peace and serenity listening to the sound of pitter-patter while cozying up with a novel or movie. Hours of Sunlight Winter blues? There is a scientific explanation behind it. Roughly 2 - 6% of Canadians will experience it in their
lifetime (Canadian Mental Health Association). The more accurate term is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Triggered by the lack of Vitamin D and other essential nutrients from sunlight, SAD primarily affects young adults and is characterized by chronic fatigue, hopelessness, and cravings for certain types of foods (i.e. carbohydrates). This affects the photoperiod of individuals who are highly sensitive to light, which is largely influenced by genetics.
feelings of inspiration, or the opposite. Seasons may be responsible for the discrepancies in results, as well as the general direction the gusts are coming from. Certain mental disorders such as the Generalized Anxiety Disorder may be triggered by strong winds. Although the root cause of this is unknown, it is assumed that those with anxiety disorders are hypersensitive to sensory shifts, such as the force of the breeze. The homeostasis (or physiological equilibrium) is then disturbed, which throws Wind Power one off their emotional balThe exposure to high ance. winds has been proven to result in a split response in the While the skies above population: either strong will not magically produce
decadent foods like in Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, they carry a special kind of influence that can arguably be applicable to every single individual — not just an old wives’ tale any longer!
The NBA Playoffs: the summit or early summer? A
By: Balaaj Durrani
s of the writing of this article, there are five teams left in the NBA playoffs, soon to be four. The defending champion, Cleveland Cavaliers, and the team they beat in last year’s finals, the Golden State Warriors, are both undefeated in these playoffs, having dispatched their first- and second-round opponents in four straight games. The Cavs swept the Indiana Pacers in the first round, followed by an annihilation of the Toronto Raptors, who were without Kyle Lowry for games 3 and 4, in the second round.
The Warriors swept the Portland Trailblazers in the first round, and then swept the Utah Jazz in the second round, in a series that was much closer than the score indicated. The Cavs will now face either the Boston Celtics or the Washington Wizards in the Eastern Conference finals. The Celtics and Wizards have been fighting tooth-and-nail against each other, trading blowout wins on their respective home courts. Notable battles between the Wizards’ Kelly Oubre and the Celtics’ Kelly Olynyk, as well as the stellar play of Celtics sensation Isaiah Thomas (who scored 53 points in game 2), and the ex-
plosive offense of the Wizards (who went on a 26-0 run in the third quarter of game 4), have made this a series worth watching. The winner of this series, although many have written off the Eastern Conference as an easy sweep for the Cavs, can give Lebron James and co. a hard-fought conference final. The Celtics, once the team gels together, can be devastating offensively and defensively; the same can be said about the Wizards. However, even though their highs are quite high, their lows are very low. Case in point: the Celtics outscored the Wizards by 22 through the first 2 games, but were blown out by 46 points in
game 3 and 4. The key for both teams is to play strongly on the road, and for the benches to come up strong. In the Western Conference, a battle of the titans between the San Antonio Spurs and the Warriors awaits in the conference finals. The Spurs dispatched the Houston Rockets in 6 games, with a monstrous 39-point win in game 6, without their leading MVP candidate Kawhi Leonard. All but one game ended in a blowout victory for either team, but the one that didn’t (game 5) was one of the best games of these playoffs. 39-year-old Spurs legend Manu Ginobili turned back the clock and se-
cured the game-winning block on the Rockets’ MVP James Harden in overtime. Harden then had an unusually disappointing performance in game 6, scoring only 10 points, compared to the Spurs’ Lamarcus Aldridge, who put up a big 34 points to lead the Spurs to the conference finals. The Spurs and Warriors have been at the top of the West for the past few seasons, but never met in the playoffs in their primes. Now, with Kawhi back for the series, the Spurs face the Warriors, who, a year after posting the best regular season record of all time, added former MVP Kevin Durant, also one of the best scorers in
NBA history. The Spurs face a daunting task in taking 4 games from the Warriors, but don’t be surprised if the resilient Spurs take at least 1 or 2 games, or perhaps pull off an upset. Although the signs point to a Cavs-Warriors finals repeat, don’t expect it to be a cakewalk to the finals for either team.
VOLUME 26 , ISSUE 4 SUMMER 2017 PAGE 18
Culture
Photo: Funimation
Yuri on Ice: Firing a cannon at misrepresentation By: Vanessa Chu
Can you hear my heartbeat? Tired of feeling never enough I close my eyes and tell myself that my dreams will come true If you had any interest in Japanese animation last winter, you’ve likely heard people gushing about Yuri!!! on Ice, a series featuring figure skaters and undeniable homosexual subtext. Does the combination of sports and fanservice* sound familiar? It might bring to mind another similar series, Free!, which features swimming rather than skating. For those unaware, due to limited casts in the sports anime genre, it is common for characters of
the same sex to be subjected to relentless shipping** by fans. Free!’s notoriety comes from its producers’ excessive pandering to shipping, as the writers included romantic tropes with no intention of ever confirming or denying canonical*** homosexuality. Although this phenomenon may seem strange, Western series such as Supernatural and Sherlock have also taken the same approach. Similar to the ships in Free!, we all know that neither Destiel nor Johnlock will ever go official. Despite this knowledge, fans are left hoping, as they are tossed bone after bone in the forms of double entendres and suggestive scenarios. The producers are “queerbaiting” — a tactic
that is not only underhanded in falsely attracting an audience, but also harmful to the real-world LGBTQ+ community. Queerbaiting is doubly concerning when producers target a curiously straight audience, encouraging the fetishization of unhealthy or unrealistic same-sex relationships. It may be a shock, but self-indulgent shipping of fictional characters does no favours for the demographic in real life. Meanwhile, the representation for the LGBTQ+ community is still null. So, when the first episodes of Yuri!!! on Ice aired last October, viewers expected it to conform to the same rinseand-repeat sports anime formula...but alas it did not! De-
spite its light-hearted manner, here was an anime that had finally made an effort to depict a realistic same-sex relationship and ultimately achieved much, much more. It addressed the development of characters’ aspirations and growth, personal or career-related. It portrayed relationships between friends, lovers, and family as dynamic and complex. It never once faltered in its depiction of diversity, be it sexuality, age, gender, or race. Overall, characters were celebrated for their unique origins and eventual accomplishments, rather than as two-dimensional clichés. And that mirrors reality. We may be the jock, nerd, or diva at a glance, but no story is ever told just through its stereo-
types. As the show’s first season came to an end in December, the popularity of Yuri!!! on Ice had expanded far beyond just Japanese anime fans. In fact, world-class ice-skaters Evgenia Medvedeva and Johnny Weir have continuously praised the series on social media. From the down-to-earth insecurities of protagonist Katsuki Yuri, to Canadian superstar JJ Leroy and his ever-supportive parents and fiancée, Yuri!!! on Ice presents a treasure trove of relatable characters, proving that representation is not “just a prank, bro”. Lead writer Mitsurou Kubo states, "No matter what real people think about this anime, within its world no one is ever going to be dis-
criminated against because of what they like. And that is something I will always protect." With Mitsurou’s mindset, the call for diversity in media is louder than ever, and this time, it was born to make history. *Fanservice: fictional material included to please the audience **Shipping: crafting and supporting often non-canonical relationships ***Canonical: true to the official story
Illustration: Amanda Yang
VOLUME 26, ISSUE 4 SUMMER 2017 PAGE 19
Science
Hot adaptations Photo: Impressive Magazine
W
By: Anjali Thatte
Monster can go months without food in its underground haven by surviving purely on this fat storage. This type of adaptation is a great tool for survival in the dry seasons of their Sonoran Desert Habitat!
hile we may be dreaming of the start of summer as a time to hit the beach, start a new television drama, or even just cool off with some ice cream dates, these animals have a very different idea on how to adapt to their warm Tufted Deer habitats! The Tufted Deer is commonly spotted in China, and Gila Monster received its name due to the This desert-dwelling liz- small tuft of fur that grows ard is notorious for being one along the crest of its head. of the only two venomous liz- However, this cute critter has a ard species on Earth. It spends lesser-known adaptation that most of its life underground, makes it seem to come straight but the adaptation that makes out of a twisted horror fan-ficit truly unique is its ability to tion. The deer have a pair of store fats in its tail. The Gila large fangs protruding around
2.5 cm out of their mouths. They use these fangs primarily during the mating season to fight off rival mates, similar to the function of antlers on other neighbouring species. Once one of the rivals loses footing, the other uses its fangs to maim the softer areas of the fallen deer’s body. The deer also use their fangs to feed on dead carcasses in their habitat. It’s safe to say that these deer break out of the stereotypical herbivorous Bambi stereotype.
ture led scientists to believe that they die of dehydration during the start of every dry season in their desert habitat. However, this is not really the case. At the start of every dry season, the frog burrows over 7 inches underground, where it secretes a mucous membrane around its body. The mucous cocoon hardens, protecting the frog from external environmental conditions for up to 7 years. When the rain arrives, it leaches into the ground and softens the water-soluble cocoon, signaling African Pyxie Frog the frog to awaken and emerge These frogs are the sec- above ground. Interestingly, ond-largest frog species in the the South African Lungfish world. Their reliance on mois- uses a similar hibernation
method as well.
each other for enlisting the help of their own Irrawardy. Irrawady Dolphin There is no other wild animal The Irrawady lives along species in the world that has the coastline of Southeast In- adapted to interacting with dia, particularly in the Bay humans this closely. of Bengal. It is related closely to the Killer Whale. The Deciding on a summer Irrawady Dolphin is unique activities list may seem like a in that it has adapted its be- gigantic task for most. Howhavior rather than a physical ever, human summer activtrait to survive in a changing ities pale in comparison to environment. Forming a part- interspecies fishing or buildnership with local fishermen, ing underground mucous coit corners schools of fish into coons. the area of its human partner. In exchange, the Irrawady can choose which fish to eat before the nets are hauled in. There are records of court cases in the 1800s of fishermen suing Photo: World Wildlife Fund
VOLUME 26, ISSUE 4 SUMMER 2017 PAGE 20
Science
Photo: Orbsen Therapeutics
Recent milestones in cancer research T
By: Khyathi Rao
housands of scientists are working on finding a feasible solution for one of the deadliest diseases on Earth — cancer. A widespread issue, cancer can form in one’s body as a result of many factors. In fact, there is not an official cause for cancer as of yet. Some say it is due to hereditary issues prevalent in the victim’s genes, frequent intake of alcohol and carcinogenic foods, or even exposure to certain forms of radiation such as microwave and gamma rays.
There are a variety of proposed solutions, just as there are many causes. One reason for the myriad of solutions is the variety of types of cancer. Although the causes are similar, some cancers require different types of medication because of where they form: ovarian and esophageal are, for example, completely different. Thus, many researchers tend to specialize in cancer cures. Early this year, a team of scientists found a way to eliminate a type of protein found in the upper levels of tumours in a cancer patient. This protein,
called TNFR2, is targeted by antibodies in certain cancer types, such as ovarian cancer. For further precaution after cancer surgeries, scientists have developed platelets that deliver immunotherapy drugs to cancer cells that were missed during the surgery. Upon activation, these platelets will reduce tumour growth, especially in breast cancer. It would be strange if everything wasn’t linked to technology these days! The National Cancer Institute staff have come up with a genome editing tool, known as CRIS-
PR, which alters the ability of immune cells to kill existing cancer cells in patients. This process involves genetic modification, which boosts the strength of native immune cells. The current trend includes debates over ethical cancer treatments. Many protest chemotherapy, especially for women, since it interferes with fertility. In such cases, an alternative has been found. These inhibitors block damage from chemotherapy radiation. More and more patients are becoming aware of the downside of opting for chemothera-
py, and choose other methods of treatment. A type of cancer that is unheard of and rare is the Merkel Skin cell carcinoma, which is a very aggressive skin cancer. Since it does not frequently occur, it is hard for scientists and researchers to study and analyze its activities. Nevertheless, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has approved one of the drugs that researchers proposed as a possible solution. Known as avelumab, this drug proved to be quite effective in the patients’ bodies. In fact, about 74% of
affected individuals’ bodies responded successfully to the new cure. Due to such extensive research and experimentation, there are notable remedies for some types of cancers. Recently, the mortality rate due to cancer decreased by 1.7%. Although this century has witnessed ground-breaking discoveries, innovations, and advancements in the field of cancer research, we have yet to see an ultimate cure for cancer as a whole.
Being a night owl might just be in your genes! D
Photo: Medical News Today
By: Zaina Khan
o you work better late into the night than early in the morning? Are you the type to sleep at midnight (or even later!) and wake up in the afternoon? Well, you might want to think again before blaming your own bad habits. Researchers at Rockefeller University have discovered a gene mutation that may be responsible for out-of-whack sleep cycles. The researchers found that a mutation in the gene CRY1 affects the human circadian clock, making it slower. This internal clock controls our sleep/wake cycles, meaning it dictates when we feel sleepy. As such, an individual with this gene mutation would
fall asleep much later than the average person. The delay in rest is usually between 2 to 2.5 hours. Another interesting fact about this genetic mutation is that it is the first to be associated with Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder (DSPD). This disorder also affects the circadian clock, and is described by Alina Patke, lead author of the study on the CRY1 mutations, as “a common form of insomnia in which sleep episodes are shifted to later times misaligned with the societal norm”. The difference between the two is that DSPD can be caused by certain behaviours, while the mutation is hereditary. Here’s a fun little reminder: All those who have the gene mutation have DSPD, but not all those who have DSPD
have the gene mutation. This discovery is quite significant as it could further our knowledge of the human circadian clock. According to Patke, “understanding how the rhythms are controlled opens the door to eventually manipulating them with drugs”. She also mentioned that if a drug to help night owls fix their sleep schedules is created, a similar one that helps travelers deal with jet lag could be developed as well. What does this discovery mean for you? Well, no longer can your parents cite your gadgets as the reason for you getting 5 hours of sleep on average! Unless, of course, nobody in your family or your extended family has this hereditary genetic mutation.
VOLUME 26, ISSUE 4 SUMMER 2017 PAGE 21
Year In Review
Photo: Ali Shirbegi
That's a wrap!
A review of the 2016-17 school year By: May Huang
It’s that time of year again — and no, I’m not talking about Christmas. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and the ever-present threat of exams looms closer and closer. That’s right: it’s June. Summer is coming, so why not reminisce about the events of this school year? Politics & Society After a long campaign session, the votes that would decide America’s next leader finally came in, and while many of us did not see it coming, it truly happened: on January 20th, Donald John Trump was sworn in as the 45th president of the United States. The Republican Party won the Electoral College with 304 votes to Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party’s 232 votes. But while many people celebrated “America’s new hope”, the businessman’s win was faced with immense outrage and backlash from American and global citizens alike, due to his comments about women, the LGBTQ+ community, and immigrants. Protests rippled across the country and globally. As president, Trump has promised that he will build a wall along the border with Mexico, suspend the Syrian refugee resettlement program, repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, and renegotiate NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Agreement), among other things. The Women's March was a worldwide protest on January 21st, 2017 that advocated legislation and policies regarding human rights and other issues, including women's rights, immigration and healthcare reform, reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ rights, racial equal-
ity, and freedom of religion. An estimated 5 million people marched worldwide in places such as Washington, D.C., Canada, the United Kingdom, and even Antarctica! Many celebrities participated or supported the protests as well, including Beyoncé Knowles, Emma Watson, and Sir Ian McKellan. Most of the rallies were aimed at Donald Trump, immediately following his inauguration as President of the United States, due largely to statements that he had made and positions that he had taken which were regarded by many as sexist or otherwise offensive. Hate crimes have increased this year after the inauguration of President Trump. Most of the incidents were against immigrants, African-Americans, Muslims, and the LGBTQ+ community. One hate crime that gained global attention was the shooting at the Centre Culturel Islamique de Québec, or the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec City, a mosque in Quebec City. The attack left six people dead and nineteen others injured when a gunman opened fire after evening prayers. Other social issues that made international headlines include the ongoing Syrian refugee crisis, gun violence, the Pukhrayan train derailment in India, and Canada’s imminent legalization of mar-
ijuana. Pop Culture Netflix series Stranger Things, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, and 13 Reasons Why dominated social media feeds this year, with the Stranger Things and Gilmore Girls being showered with mostly positive feedback. However, 13 Reasons Why had mixed reviews, with people praising the show for addressing dark subject matter without sugarcoating it, but also criticizing it for glamorizing suicide as a means of escape. Reality star Kim Kardashian and her family had to re-evaluate their public presence when she was held at gunpoint in Paris in October and was reportedly robbed of approximately $10 million worth of jewelry. She has since spoken out, saying that she “knew it was going to happen to her” and that the experience has taught her to not be materialistic. The United States’ “Final Five” women’s gymnastics team, composed of Simone Biles, Gabby Douglas, Laurie Hernandez, Madison Kocian, and Aly Raisman, won gold in the team event of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, making international headlines. And as if being a group of female powerhouses wasn’t enough, the Final Five are also the most racially and ethnically diverse
team of women to compete for the United States in gymnastics. Biles and Douglas are black; Hernandez is a Latina of Puerto Rican descent, and Kocian and Raisman are both Caucasian. Singing in the Rain actress Debbie Reynolds, her daughter, Star Wars actress Carrie Fisher, and former Wham! singer George Michael are among the many celebrities who passed away this year. The news of their passing left the world in mourning, but also made us celebrate the legacy of those who have passed on our lives. School Life Like any other year, Glenforest was full of exciting events and amazing accomplishments. STEM was very busy this year, with a health science symposium in February & their annual STEM Conference (one of Canada's largest student-run conferences!) held in May. The team was even featured in an article in The Globe and Mail. The Robotics Team worked incredibly hard and won first place at the University of Western Ontario Robotics Competition! The Glenforest ESC (Enhanced Student Committee) showcased their annual GifTED talks, which invited students to share their words of inspiration, innovation, and
encouragement with the rest of the student body. Over the March break, 27 Glenforest students participated in MIST, the Muslim Interscholastic School Tournament at the University of Toronto’s St. George campus. MIST united students from 34 schools in the GTA, who competed in categories like sports, arts, debate, improv, and many more. March was also the month of Interact YFGA's annual talent show. April was a busy month: Glenforest hosted their yearly Printempo night (the wind ensemble competed at the national competition MusicFest Canada on May 15th), and BOSS’s (Building Our Safe Schools) Pink Week, which advocates for bullying prevention. Glenforest students also participated in the ICDC (International Career Development Conference) Competition and brought back 2 first-place medals, 4 top-ten ribbons, and a top-16 ribbon. Science Scientists have revealed that a planet nearly as massive as Earth that orbits Proxima Centauri, the star closest to our sun, is potentially habitable. If the conditions are right, the planet is in an orbit that is warm enough for liquid water to survive on its surface. But don’t expect to be moving to
another solar system anytime soon: it will take more than 20 years for a spacecraft traveling at 20% of the speed of light to reach Proxima Centauri, and another 4.24 years for any data to travel back to Earth. With carbon emissions increasing and the impending effects of climate change becoming more apparent, many are starting to think seriously about how we can pull carbon out of the air. This concept, known as “carbon capture and storage” (CCS) has been around for years, but saw a new development when researchers at the University of Southampton dissolved atmospheric carbon in water and sealed it in an underground well in Iceland. Over the course of two years, the carbon reacted with basaltic minerals, eventually crystallizing into a solid form. While news of this is exciting, it comes with some important details: the method is site-specific, meaning it’ll likely only work in regions with similar geology and geochemistry to the Icelandic underground storage well. What’s more, making a dent in the billions of tons of carbon we emit every year is going to be a Herculean challenge.
VOLUME 26, ISSUE 4 SUMMER 2017 PAGE 22
Where to next?
Spotlight on a graduating gryphon: Sophie Pham L
By: Lily Li
ily Li (LL): What drew you to Kinesiology?
Sophie Pham (SP): I remember the time when my passion started in Grade 8 towards human anatomy. I was intrigued by the skeleton hanging around at the back of one of my classes and I felt interested to learn more about it! My interest stemming from the skeleton at the back of my class has now grown into a passion, as I now want to pursue a career that involves the study of the human body.
Photo: Kim Nguyen
Humber College Yelena Karapetyan
Protection, Security and Investigation
B Sc Biological, Biomedical & Life Sciences Life Sciences Biochemistry
McMaster University Julie Cho Fahad Bandali Maleeha Anwar Lily Li Jane Jomy Jacqueline Lim Nour Alsafadi Marah Abdelkader Nikita Kalwani Apurva Dixit
Health Science Engineering Business Chemical Engineering Health Sciences Health Sciences Engineering Co-op Life Sciences Life Sciences Health Science
Queen's University Janna Moselhi
Concurrent Education
Rhode Island School of Design (US) Amanda Yang
Foundations & Experimental Studies (first year)
Ryerson University Kate Sanchez Sumaiyya Naser
Architecture Commerce
University of British Columbia Abhinav Subramani Aisia Witteveen
LL: How was the experience of clicking that big, scary 'submit' button on OUAC?
SP: To be honest, I was a bit on edge because it was long-awaited time when my next 4 years of education would be shaped with a click LL: Other than being a of a button. I was so nervous kinesiologist, what else do you that I actually accidentally see yourself doing after gradu- ended up choosing English as ation? my second language when it was really my first (oops). SP: Other than going into the field of kinesiology, I can LL: What would be some
Engineering International Diplomacy
Samie Rizvi Fardin Syed Anas Ali Yashma Masoom Munaam Naveed Jovana Pajovic Sam Lu Chen Guo Shankhalika Srikanth Mai-Linh Tran May Huang Lindita Abazi Victoria Chen Khushi Nansi
University of Waterloo David Xie Ali Nisar Melody Li Fatimah Areola Tiger Kong Khalisa Valani Miho Nagayama Christa Hu Anjali Thatte Bruce Hong Gabriel Yeung Jayanjali Bodavula
Computer Engineering Accounting and Financial Management Mechatronics Engineeering Management Engineering Computer Science Nanotechnology Engineering Urban Planning Architecture Biomedical Engineering Double Degree in Business & Computer Science Accounting Financial Management Computer Science
Western University Dhruvi Parekh Uswa Zahoor Walid Mah'd Fatima Sherwani Vivian Chen
Engineering Psychology & Ivey AEO Economics & Ivey AEO Health Science Medical Science
Wilfrid Laurier University
Jessica Ulbikas
Anjali Badwal Yazna Habib
Applied Human Nutrition
University of Guelph-Humber Kinesiology Early Childhood Studies
University of Ottawa Suchithra Shenthil
SP: PLEASE READ OVER YOUR APPLICATION MANY TIMES BEFORE YOU SUBMIT! Also, during the time of early acceptances, don't feel sad that you haven't heard back from the universities when your friend does. Although it will be hard when you hear everyone's excited voices about their university acceptances, lay back and focus on what you can do with school and make the best out of your time left in school. In the end, we all belong somewhere, it’s not a matter of who gets to the finish line first but really how much accomplishment or growth you have felt over the past 4 years at high school. So, as Mr. Bertovic may say, "Make good choices".
Life Sciences Physics and Mathematical Sciences Engineering Science Life Sciences Sociology and CCIT Humanities/Social Sciences Computer Science Rotman Commerce Linguistics Life Science Commerce Life Sciences Studies in Life Sciences Humanities
University of Guelph
Sophie Pham Tracy Nguyen
advice you'd give to the soonto-be seniors of the next school year during this process?
University of Toronto
McGill University Vanessa Chu Aryan Shah Venessa Chen
see myself going into medical school for forensic pathology: the study of diseases that may have led to the death of a certain individual. I could also see myself assisting in the dissection of a human cadaver and teaching anatomy- and biology-related courses to other passionate individuals.
Health Sciences
Psychology Business
York University Balaaj Durrani
Schuiich Commerce
VOLUME 26, ISSUE 4 SUMMER 2017 PAGE 23
Horoscopes Zodiac Signs: Cities Johannesburg, South Africa Aries MAR 20 - APR 19
Ever the daredevil, the adventurous Aries loves to live life on the edge. So why not scale the edge of a beautiful mountain, go on a safari and play with the lions, or dance the night away at a jazz club in the beautiful city of Johannesburg?
Copenhagen, Denmark
Libra SEPT 22 - OCT 23
Bordeaux, France Taurus APR 20 - MAY 20
Taurus has an unquenchable thirst for all the finer things in life. You want to be treated like royalty and live in a beautiful chateau surrounded by breathtaking art, scenic greenery, and amazing food. Bordeaux has all that and more with its amazing collection of galleries, historic chateaux, Michelin-star restaurants and more.
London, England Scorpio OCT 24 - NOV 21
Rome, Italy Gemini MAY 21 - JUNE 20
This ancient city has an astounding amount of history behind its name. It’s full of stunning architecture, vibrant cultures, chic marketplaces and incredible food. The versatile Gemini needs a city like Rome to quench their thirst for knowledge and satisfy their impulsive and seemingly shallow needs, bringing out their youthfulness and providing food for thought for their old soul.
Cancer JUNE 21 - JULY 22
Sagittarius NOV 22 - DEC 21
Leo JULY 23 - AUG 22
Capricorn DEC 22 - JAN 19
Virgo AUG 23 - SEPT 21
Capricorns are bright, strong-willed people with colour-coded planners and alphabetized bookshelves. Your meticulous nature will help you to not only survive, but thrive in the cutthroat competition in the city of strong will and ambition. You belong in the city that never sleeps: you don’t take naps when you’re so attached to the hustle. So book a ticket to NYC. This concrete jungle will have to quicken its pace to keep up with you!
Mumbai, India Aquarius JAN 20 - FEB 18
Vancouver, British Columbia Virgos are earth signs, harmonious and grounded but bustling with energy. Virgos love the great outdoors, but they also love the hustle and bustle of the city! So listen to the sounds of nature: the lush deciduous forests, rolling green hills, and snowy Rockies of Vancouver, BC are calling your name!
Sagittarius is a wanderer by nature. You yearn to backpack through Central and South America; your world map is dotted with pushpins on all the world’s big cities; you are an individualistic soul with a thirst for adventure and a deep desire for travel. Throughout your life you’ll want to call a dozen different cities home, but what better place to settle than, the beautiful city of Paris? Full of culture and adventure, Paris is a stunning city bustling with other bold individualists such as yourself.
New York City, USA
Barcelona, Spain The bright and energetic Leo needs a city as youthful and vibrant as its soul. Dance your nights away in a beautiful, bohemian, Spanish city where mid-day naps are an essential cultural staple to prepare for the endless nights. Your sunny personality and positive carefree vibes will fit right into the summery city of Barcelona.
A strong-willed Scorpio loves to be challenged. Your braveness and determination get you far in life, your ambition and drive propel you even further. So the bustling city of London is the perfect place for you to find your calling as you immerse yourself in the cultural hubs of Southall, Kensington, Buckingham and more. That said, you would need the Scorpio ambition just to find an affordable place to live.
Paris, France
Honolulu, Hawaii Cancers are chill, beach-loving water signs. Your loving, spiritual personality needs a place where you can be free. Swim in hidden waterfalls, hike through the lush jungle forests and ride a sick wave on your new surfboard. At the end of the day, you can lean back to watch a beautiful, blazing red sunset dip beneath the Pacific Ocean on the beach in the beautiful island of Honolulu.
Libras are sophisticated urbanites with a kind and easygoing nature. You'll feel right at home in the playful but sophisticated city of Copenhagen. Denmark’s high-end city of luxurious fashion and delectable gourmet cuisine will satisfy your taste for the finer things.
Aquarius, you're curious by nature, imaginative and optimistic. You're a bit of a wanderer, your perfect city is one where there is something new to discover every day. You’ll love the beautiful architecture, the dazzling culture, and the flavourful food of this eccentric city. Maybe you’ll even find the time to learn a new language (or five!) in the diverse cultural hub of India’s largest city: Mumbai.
Playa Rincon, Puerto Rico Pisces FEB 19 - MAR 20
Pisces! You’re a chill and laid back water sign that just likes to take things slow. You love to relax, bask in sunlight on a summer day, and eat fish tacos until you’re stuffed. The quaint beach city life would work for you, especially a small, beautiful town like Playa Rincon in Puerto Rico.
Comics
VOLUME 26, ISSUE 4 SUMMER 2017 PAGE 24
By: Rizva Ahmed
By: Vince De
Thank you!
To everyone on the team, and our readers, thank you for being part of Talon Times this year! Without you, Talon would not be possible.