The Cascade Vol. 24 No. 19 by The Cascade

SEPTEMBER 7 TO SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

VOLUME 24 ISSUE 19

Playing video games from 1993

Crossing The Rainbow Road` • pg. 3 How to Student • pg. 10-11 Aftermath of NSO • pg. 15 WWW.UFVCASCADE.CA

www.ufvcascade.ca

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2016

EDITORIAL Degrees are no longer enough, so get out there VANESSA BROADBENT THE CASCADE

Being a student is already one of the most difficult things you can do. With the constant stress and pressure of assignments, exams, balancing jobs, and trying to have some type of social life on top of everything, getting involved on campus only seems unattainable. Adding an extra obligation to the never-ending to-do list that seems to lengthen each week isn’t just the straw that broke the camel’s back, it can feel like the pile of hay that started the whole ordeal. It wasn’t until my second year of university that I decided to get involved in anything on campus, but thanks to it, I now have a job in the field I intend to work in before I’ve finished my degree. The primary reason I have this job is thanks to the skills, techniques, and

experience I gained in my extracurricular involvement here at UFV. Unfortunately, this is uncommon for most students and a bachelor’s degree just isn’t enough to stand out from the competition anymore. With post-secondary attendance on the rise, employers are less and less impressed with a four-year degree. Graduating from university used to be a sure way to guarantee yourself job security and a high paying job, but that isn’t the case. Now, most students find themselves struggling to find any sort of reliable job after graduation, not to mention one in their field of study. I understand why most students decide to not get involved on campus anymore, and I even find myself questioning my decision to do so more often than I should. It’s hard, there’s no denying that. Being a full-time student is enough work already, and adding more commitments, most of them unpaid, is enough to make any student feel overwhelmed beyond all capacity.

It would be nice for a degree to be enough to get a job, and it should be considering how much time and money and resources are invested in it, but that’s just not the case. Perhaps university is the great career catch-22 — if you go to university, chances are you’ll graduate with a lot of debt and no guarantee of a job, but if you don’t, you’re likely to be stuck in a dead-end job with measly pay. I’m not trying to preach the importance of being involved on campus, nor am I trying to recruit new members for the groups that I’m already involved in (okay maybe a little bit), but consider this parting wisdom: make the most of your time in university, take every opportunity that is available to you, and learn as many things as you can, especially outside of the classroom. Who knows, it may even be the reason you actually get a job.

Arts

News

Opinion

New food services provider on campus

Memes are bad

Dana Hospitalities brings home the bacon.

Don’t stop a meme-ing, hold onto that feelin. But don’t.

A new batch of UFV students arrives on campus.

Don’t both with Suicide Squad. Just don’t.

Culture Amazing Race, NSO style

STAFF Editor-in-Chief Vanessa Broadbent vanessa@ufvcascade.ca Managing Editor Mitch Huttema mitch@ufvcascade.ca Business Manager Jennifer Trithardt-Tufts jennifer@ufvcascade.ca Copy Editor Kat Marusiak kat@ufvcascade.ca News Editor Joel Robertson-Taylor joel@ufvcascade.ca

Suicide Squad

CONTRIBUTORS Opinion Editor Panku Sharma panku@ufvcascade.ca Culture & Events Editor Jeff Mijo jeff@ufvcascade.ca Arts in Review Editor Martin Castro martin@ufvcascade.ca Production Manager Brittany Cardinal brittany@ufvcascade.ca Illustrators Danielle Collins

danielle@ufvcascade.ca Amara Gelaude amara@ufvcascade.ca Online Editor Tanya Vanpraseuth tanya@ufvcascade.ca Multimedia Editor Martin Ranninger martin.ranninger@ufvcascade.ca Advertising Rep Kayla Schuurmans kayla@ufvcascade.ca

Rachel Tait Aman Bhardwaj Ekanki Chawla

WWW.UFVCASCADE.CA @UFVCASCADE FACEBOOK.COM/UFVCASCADE INSTAGRAM.COM/THE.CASCADE

Volume 24 · Issue 19 Room S2111 33844 King Road Abbotsford, BC V2S 7M8 604.854.4529

Back cover photo: Mitch Huttema

The Cascade is UFV’s autonomous student newspaper. It originated under its current name in 1993, and achieved autonomy from the university and the Student Union Society in 2002. This means that The Cascade is a forum for UFV students to have their journalism published in an entirely student-run setting. It also acts as an alternative press for the Fraser Valley. The Cascade is funded with UFV student funds, and is overseen by the Cascade Journalism Society Board, a body run by a student majority. The Cascade is published every Wednesday with a print circulation of 1,250 and is distributed at Abbotsford, Chilliwack (CEP), Clearbrook, and Mission UFV campuses and throughout the surrounding communities. The Cascade is open to written, photo, and design work from all students; these can come in the form of a pitch to an editor, or an assignment from an editor. Writers meetings are held each Monday at 2:00 p.m. in The Cascade’s office on the Abbotsford campus. In order to be published in the newspaper, all work must first be approved by The Cascade’s editor-in-chief, copy editor, and corresponding section editor. The Cascade reserves the right to edit submissions for clarity and length. The Cascade will not print any articles that contain racist, sexist, homophobic or libellous content. Letters to the editor, while held to the same standard, are unedited, and should be under 400 words. As The Cascade is an autonomous student publication, opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect that of UFV, The Cascade’s staff and collective, or associated members.

www.ufvcascade.ca

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2016

NEWS

NEWS BRIEFS Fund for Innovative Teaching The Fund for Innovative Teaching is a new fund that as been created to support learning initiatives that include experiential and innovative learning opportunities for students. These one-year proposals may receive up to a maximum of $10,000. The programs will be focused on enhancing student learning through various methods such as multi-disciplinary or crossdisciplinary studies, or highimpact learning experiences. Chinook Helicopters come to UFV UFV will be joining with Chinook Helicopters LTD to add a rotary wing training program to their aviation diploma. The current program offered in 1 or two year diplomas or a four year BBA combines flight training and classroom experience for fixed wing piloting. Newly created position: experiential learning coordinator UFV has created a new position under the title, experiential learning coordinator. The general concept for the program is to facilitate and encourage experiential learning within a “leading-edge model” at UFV. Larissa Horne, an instructor at UFV has been appointed to the the role of experiential learning coordinator. Cascade’s Chaplin heads to Denmark UFV Cascades men’s volleyball alum Adam Chaplin is taking his talents oversees by playing for a club team in Denmark. Chaplin is a 2016 graduate of UFV’s Bachelor of Business Administration degree. During his final season with the Cascades, Chaplin took home an PacWest conference first team all star, as well as CCAA AllCanadian honours.

Photo: Martin Ranninger

Proud strides across a rainbow road Rainbow crosswalk bridges differences between UFV and Pride Collective JOEL ROBERTSON-TAYLOR THE CASCADE

The installation of a rainbow crosswalk signifies — and has made — considerable progress for both UFV and members of the Pride Collective. The crosswalk, located in front of Abbotsford’s A building, was laid down in order to represent both the attempts UFV has made to make the institution a safe, welcoming place while still a reminder that more can be done to improve the quality of experience at UFV. The idea for the crosswalk, initially opposed by members of the Pride Collective, came about in discussions had by UFV faculty members on how to represent the inclusive and safe environment that UFV hopes to model. “How do we signal that Abbotsford and UFV is a welcoming, inclusive, and diverse place?” asked Kyle Baillie, director of student life and development, looking back at the process undergone leading towards the crosswalk. “[The timing] also happened to coincide with the fact that we had just done major renovations to that space,” he added, referring to the wheelchair accessible entrance added this past year. Although UFV and Student Services believed they had good intentions, Charlie Steele, former vice president and current member of the Pride Collective, commented that Pride originally felt the crosswalk misrepresented the institution and their relationship with the Pride community. “[We] didn’t actually support the crosswalk when the idea came up initially because we hadn’t actually seen any changes that the university was

making,” Steele explained, saying that “the problems that we all had from the beginning, we still had, at the time.”

This institution wants it to be a safe place for all students to come and go to class and be respected, regardless of who we are. Some of these issues included allowing preferred name and gender marker changes through OReg for class attendance lists and UFV emails, as well as disagreement between UFV and Pride on signage for, and layouts of gender neutral bathrooms across the campus. However, after meeting on multiple occasions with Pride, Kyle Baillie and UFV were able to acknowledge their complaints. Because the message UFV was hoping to send was that of respect and openness for all students, the Pride Collective’s concerns were heard and addressed, some of which have already been met. UFV’s extension of the olive branch towards the Pride Collective was enough for them to come to terms with the intentions of the institution. “We all voted unanimously the first time to say

no we don’t support it and we all voted unanimously to say yeah we support it now; it actually looks like they’re making an effort,” said Steele. Although it was primarily the Pride Collective who engaged in discussions about the crosswalk with UFV, the intended purpose of the rainbow is to promote inclusion for everybody. Cameron Roy, director of ancillary services, noted that the goal of the crosswalk is “to support the safety of all students, not necessarily a specific segment of the population” — a distinction that implies that this isn’t necessarily for one group but for everybody on campus. “This institution wants it to be a safe place for all students to come and go to class and be respected, regardless of who we are,” said Roy. In the past, rainbow crosswalks have been met with mixed feelings and uncertainty. “There’s groups that may not agree, but this is an institution of higher learning, and with higher learning, it speaks of tolerance and respect for everyone,” said Cameron Roy. Now that the rainbow crosswalk has been painted and communication between involved parties has increased, UFV looks forward to more opportunities to grow in its awareness of student comfort. “We can always do more,” said Baillie. “It’s a celebration, but it’s aspirational as well.” As a bridge purposed to remove barriers and welcome all individuals, UFV’s first rainbow crosswalk sets up a strong standard for inclusivity. “They made positive changes and commitments to make more,” said Steele. “I think UFV itself earned its crosswalk.”

www.ufvcascade.ca

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2016

NEWS Dana Hospitalies moves in as new food provider

Photo: Martin Ranninger

JOEL ROBERTSON-TAYLOR THE CASCADE

Starting this fall semester, UFV’s new food services provider will engage students through their culinary diction. Dana Hospitalities, replacing Sodexo as the provider, has joined the university in order to provide healthy and affordable food options to students and staff on campus. Food Services is responsible for providing meals and snacks in the Abbotsford and Chilliwack cafeterias, the Roadrunner Café, and catering on campus. Considering the breadth of Food Services’ influence and the importance of food, choosing the right provider was considered to be a significant decision for Ancillary Services. Cameron Roy, director of ancillary services, was responsible for overseeing the contract arrangement and procurement process. “It’s really important to have good food on campus, obviously for student life, to support the student experience,” said Roy. “You’ve got to be able to come in when you come to campus, and have access to good, healthy, quality food, with good quality customer service as well.” Dana Hospitalities is a solely Canadian company with interests in partnering with local suppliers and using seasonal produce to bring fresh food to campus and business to the local community. They also value sustainability — all of the utensils, coffee cups, plates, and bowls that they provide are made from corn and are fully compostable.

In addition to fresh, local, and from scratch, Dana Hospitalities has agreed to a generous price list for food. The idea is to not have the provider price themselves out of the market. “In this new contract, we really made the vendor aware that students object to highpriced food, they’re looking for value on

If you’re going to live off Monster, coffee, and chocolate bars, it’ll impact the way you study and it’ll impact your marks. campus,” said Roy. “Dana really understood the student experience and they spoke to it at length in their proposal and presentation to us, and that was pretty compelling,” said Roy, emphasizing that out of the many food service companies with proposals, none stood out like Dana Hospitalities. “We spent a lot of time putting together the request for proposal to make sure we didn’t rush the decision … we made sure we did our homework in terms of bringing in the right fit for our campus.”

With the new provider, some notable changes will be made to the food experiences on campus, particularly the change in food provider exclusivity. Previously, Sodexo had mandated that any food served on campus must be provided by Sodexo. Despite the inconvenience, this was in part to ensure that all food entering UFV is safe and adheres to food safe policies. While those food safe conditions still exist, they no longer do through exclusivity. Instead, Ancillary Services hopes to rely on an “exclusivity by default” in which the food provided is regarded highly enough to be used by all events. Beyond the policy changes, some two or three new brands will be seen within food services. While not all of the new brands have been confirmed yet, both Starbucks Coffee and Tim Hortons will be staying. Additionally, a new coffee brand, Spirit Bear Coffee, the aboriginally-owned, Vancouver-based coffee will be served at the Road Runner Café in Abbotsford A building and the previously Starbucks kiosk in Chilliwack. Ancillary Services, and UFV as a whole, are hopeful that the changes being brought to UFV will benefit everyone on campus, especially students. “Any of the value that Dana brings back goes into programming and adds to the university’s budget … that money does go back into the institution,” said Roy, speaking about revenue. With that said, a large part of the value, as seen by Cameron Roy, is in the quality of the food itself.

“If you’re going to live off Monster, coffee, and chocolate bars, it’ll impact the way you study and it’ll impact your marks,” he said. “If you eat properly you can study better. There are all kinds of science that will support that comment.” Now that Dana Hospitalities has been responsible for food services for just over a month, they’ve had a few opportunities to cater to staff events, from which the experiences have been positive. As the fall semester begins Dana Hospitalities will have the opportunity to prove themselves to their customers. “Now the pressure is on them. It’s easy enough to say, ‘You know what, we said all the right things, we have all the infrastructure in place to deliver,’ now the onus is on them to meet all those challenges,” added Roy. The role of Ancillary Services is to provide quality and desirable services and products to students and staff. Their goals are to improve and transform the campus atmosphere into an always desirable place to be. “We want to encourage students to stay on campus, and what better way than to have good food?” said Roy. The opportunity to have influence over the institution and enhance student experience through clean, healthy food will be substantial, particularly if Dana Hospitalities meets the level of expectation they’ve set for themselves.

www.ufvcascade.ca

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2016

NEWS SUS accepting nominations for by-election EKANKI CHAWLA CONTRIBUTOR

While the last Student Union Society (SUS) general elections that took place earlier this year don’t seem too long ago, there is already another round of SUS by-elections coming up soon. This time, five positions are open on the SUS board of directors. They are: Aboriginal representative, college of arts representative, faculty of access and continuing education representative, faculty of applied and technical

studies representative, and school of graduate studies representative. The importance of these roles on the SUS board is to ensure there is a voice to represent every faculty. “All the roles are unique because they represent very distinct departments,” SUS vice president internal Ashmeet Saran said. “Everybody has something to bring to the table. You not only get to know about everyone’s ideas but also get to hear about what is happening in each department.” SUS has already started advertising for

the election via social media and posters on campus. They hope to reach a voter turnout of 15 per cent — similar to that of the March general elections — as opposed to the usual eight per cent turnout. “For this election we have our hopes quite high because there’s already a benchmark, so that has to be followed,” said Saran. All UFV students, including first years, are encouraged to participate by voting, or even running in the elections. “It’s a gateway for people to get more involved … and make their university life

experience better,” said Saran. “If [anyone] is really confident about running for one of the positions, then go ahead. There’s no harm in it. Just because someone’s new to UFV, doesn’t mean that they aren’t qualified.” Nomination packages are available online from the SUS website and are being accepted until September 30. The campaigning period, including candidate meetings, will take place from October 10 to 23 and students will be allowed to vote online through myUFV from October 24 to 25.

Photo: Vanessa Broadbent

Program requirements change for Bachelor of Arts VANESSA BROADBENT THE CASCADE

Students starting UFV’s bachelor of arts program next fall can expect different requirements than current students, thanks to new changes in the program made earlier this year. The new program requirements, which were approved by UFV Senate in the spring, include different courses requirements, as well as the addition of an ePortfolio. Associate dean of students Alisa Webb explained that the purpose behind the changes was to prepare students for finding jobs after graduation. “This all started with student feedback,” she

said. “All of our programs have to go through progrWWam review every five to seven years and what was happening is that students would respond saying, ‘I love my courses, love my faculty, but I don’t know what to do with it now. I don’t know how to communicate what it is I’ve learned.’” The changes include the requirement of a critical thinking course, rather than the current requirement of a reasoning course, a scientific literacy course instead of a lab science, as well as the addition of quantitative literacy and communication courses. However, humanities and social science courses are no longer required. “We’ve shaken up the foundational requirements and we’ve added some other

pieces in that we think students need to be successful,” Webb said. The new requirements also include civic and intercultural courses, which don’t actually have to be done at UFV, but can also be completed through Student Life’s co-curricular record or volunteer work in the community. “Students don’t have to take courses to meet them,” Webb explained. “The nature of the workplace has become so much more diverse and we wanted to ensure that something was embedded there about that active citizenship component.” The ePortfolio portion of the degree will allow students to build their own multimedia digital portfolio to use after graduation. “The goal is to get you started, but also help

you transition out of UFV,” Webb explained. The portfolio will be completed by the end of a student’s degree, and will be done so through four separate courses. “There will always be instructional feedback as students move through the process,” Webb said. “It’s all these different people coming together with their different perspectives looking at each other’s portfolios.” Although most of the work has been done, the changes won’t be in effect until the start of 2017, and will not affect students registered in the bachelor of arts program already. “It’s a big project to revise the degree, so we have to have all the pieces in place and ready to go for when students come next fall,” Webb said.

www.ufvcascade.ca

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2016

NEWS

Photo: UFV Blog

Roger Friesen talks sport psycology and the Rio Olympics VANESSA BROADBENT THE CASCADE

The Olympic games may be entertaining to watch, but it’s not always that easy for the athletes involved. UFV kinesiology professor Roger Friesen knows this more than anyone and has worked in sport psychology and with Olympic teams for the past 27 years. In the last four years Friesen began working with Cycling Canada as a sports psychology consultant and recently returned from the recent summer Olympics in Rio, Brazil. How did you get started in sports psychology? Kind of by accident. I’ve always been involved with sports and I thoroughly enjoy coaching, but I was always really attracted to the psychological development. This was before I even knew sports psychology existed; all I knew was that I was really interested in the psychological and the emotional state of a performer and what can be done to make somebody more mentally tough. I started pursuing those things on my own to make me a better coach and that’s how I stumbled on sports psychology. I was going to be an architect, so the instant it was presented to me as a profession, it struck a deep chord with me and I said, “That’s what I want to do.” What do you find most challenging about your work? The most challenging thing, because of the magnitude of stress and pressure, is just doing everything you possibly can working with the people who you are responsible for to help them navigate that stress and pressure. Every single person has a breaking point, and as stress and pressure increase and people start moving towards that breaking point, holding

it all together on the biggest stage when there’s a lot on the line is hard. The Olympics are a very unique entity in that way because there’s no other event in sport or outside of sport that produces the kind of stress and pressure that comes with the Olympic games. What do you find most rewarding about the job? Working with people. Particularly, I’m having so much fun with Cycling Canada and we have a very good thing going right now. It’s a sport that I adore in any case, and I’m heavily involved in cycling on my own, so it’s a sport that I have a close connection with and the people who come into cycling are awesome people. It’s fun working together. The whole administration, coaching staff, and the athletes — it’s one family. We refer to it as a family and that makes it very rewarding to work with people who you like being with. Was there anything different about the Rio Olympics than the work you’ve done before? I’ve gone to many different games with different teams and different sports, so every game is unique, just as a result of that. My role was similar in many ways, but because of different sports, different people and different context, that changes it. In Vancouver in 2010 my role there was to be crisis management / crisis intervention. I was responsible for any major event that had emotional trauma attached to it. At those games an athlete died before the games even started and so I spent the first 12 days just working with the emotional aftermath of everybody who was involved in that fatality. In that sense, the role was different, but for the most part, I go to an Olympic games with an athlete or with a team, and that’s within my capacity as sports psychology consultant.

There was a lot of negative hype before the games started. Did you find any of it was true or not? No, but because I’ve been around this for a long time, I didn’t pay too much attention to that. It’s not an uncommon thing. In Athens, for example, they said that Olympic games were headed for disaster and they weren’t, they were fine. When you hear that story enough times, you kind of listen to that with a healthy dose of skepticism, and so this was no different. I knew Brazil was struggling and that’s no secret, so I was of curious how it was going to go, but I certainly wasn’t worried to the degree that it was portrayed through the media. The reality was that as soon as I landed it was awesome. Are there any moments that stand out to you? There’s so many. The bronze medal, obviously, was a huge moment because it was a staggering amount of work that went into that achievement. For the women’s pursuit team to win a bronze medal, that race and the period after the race, all the euphoria and the release of stress and pressure, seeing them on the podium — that was by far the highlight. Do you find that athletes are prone to depression from all the stress and pressure of the games? I wouldn’t say they’re prone to depression. As an Olympic athlete, every single moment in their life is dictated by that goal — to qualify for the Olympic games — and the expectation is to do well. Every choice goes through that filter. What you eat, how you conduct your life, your training schedule, your competition schedule — everything is dictated by one goal at a crazy high level of intensity. When that’s finally done and you walk into the unknown, the structure is taken away. At that point, you

may not have the next goal, so that can be a very unsettling time for people. There are athletes that may fall into depression, but that’s not a given. It is something to guard against and it is a reality, but it’s not a given that somebody will fall into depression. Do you find that there are a lot of other misconceptions about what you do? Fortunately, in this day and age, not too many. When I started 27 years ago, there was a lot of misconception because the instant people hear the word psychology they flee because we have all sorts of stigma attached to psychology. People in the early days were hesitant because it immediately has connotations that there’s something wrong. But I’m happy that’s really not the case anymore. For the most part, we have come into an era where psychological health is more freely talked about, generally speaking. But in sports psychology or performance psychology, it’s quite different from mainstream psychology. It’s also our mental state and it’s our emotional state and then it’s how we manage ourselves with teammates and coaches. We need to train ourselves mentally and emotionally to be mentally tough, and so in this day and age it’s more of an accepted fact that I have to train those dimensions as well. What’s next for you? I’m going to keep working with Cycling Canada. I absolutely love working with them and I’m happy to work with them into the future. I’m not thinking about the next Olympics right now, that’s four years away. I know that goes by fast, but we’ve just come off the Olympic quad and everybody is catching their breath. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

www.ufvcascade.ca

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2016

BY ANTHONY BIONDI

SPACED

COMICS

www.ufvcascade.ca

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2016

OPINION

S Curtailed commentary on current conditions

Back to school blues Rachel Tait

Let us turn Impark into OurPark Trumpet Hellemburgnerner Sr.

Fall is here — the leaves turn colour from green to red and we exchange daylight for longer nights, nights that for four months will be filled with number crunching, group projects, and the dreaded and inevitable grappling match with Blackboard. All that struggle, we imagine, will be worth it because school is about getting a good GPA and a degree — but there is much more going on. As students we try to separate our lives into social, school, family, work, and whatever else will fit on a day planner. But they are intertwined. For some, school is a family away from family, especially for those who study abroad. They are brave, intelligent, and fun people who remind us that life here is a privilege we often overlook. For domestic students, tuition is a lot more affordable and the majority of students can live at home with family. As an international student, English may or may not be a strong language, and the workload and amount of classes one must take are commendable, in addition to sometimes feeling isolated or alone. So here is to international students: welcome back to Canada, and keep going strong following your goals and dreams this year at UFV! And thanks for opening our eyes to the hard work you are doing and being an inspiration to keep on going!

There are a lot of smart people out there telling me there is a problem with parking at UFV. A bunch of them. Great people. Smart people who know I am the man to go to to solve their problems. I love solving people’s problems; I’m the best at it, great. What these people are telling me, is Impark is making it hard to park! They have park in their name, this should be easy for them! People are saying Impark isn’t sending their best ticketers, not the nice ones. No, we get the ones who put a ticket on your car after you just came by to drop something off. It was only 10 minutes! We have to keep ticketers out of our lots — students can’t afford to pay for two hours of parking, when all they came to do was buy a textbook! I say, we take that health and wellness fee, and we build a wall! A great big wall, all around the parking spots. Keep out those damn ticketers, so our students can sell their books! It’ll be fantastic, but no gates. We don’t want those ticketers getting in. Remember folks, if there is ever a ballot for UFV president, you write in my name!

PH Level: 14

There is something so addicting about the fall, specifically the time of the year where pumpkin spice lattes are the drink of choice for many people. The drink itself comes under heavy criticism, creating a polarized and passionate debate. I myself used to be very much against what I saw at the time as a “fad,” but as society’s love for the PSL (the loving shorthand adopted by the most righteous of proponents) gained traction, my cynicism towards the beverage slowly started being called into question. My blind hate towards a cup of joy loosened up, and a genuine curiosity started blooming. I nervously found myself at a Starbucks some time ago, slowly cringing as the words “grande nonfat pumpkin spice latte” escaped from my lips. I thought I would fear judgement, but the barista seemed so incredibly disinterested in me. Needless to say, my addiction was born that day, and I’ve been hooked since. You can call me basic, but my love for the PSL is truly undying.

Michael Chutskoff

It’s sorta real to me dammit

Sometimes, with all the affection the phrase can muster, my girlfriend will refer to my tastes in films and movies as pretentious. If it’s meant as an insult, I think I’ve finally found the one defence that can’t be argued, proof that I can reconcile high and low culture and not look down on everyone else. I’ve started getting into pro-wrestling again. I don’t watch RAW or Smackdown, but I do listen to close to four to five hours of wrestling podcasts a day, reviews of wrestlers from years past that I actually remember, or coverage of historic events. I will declare this to the world, without a shred of irony or shame. And now my girlfriend has to stop calling my tastes pretentious because there is no way someone who follows what is essentially carnies telling dumb stories of sweaty men who can’t swear for real on TV has any drop of pretension.

Panku Sharma

Illustrations: Amara Gelaude

www.ufvcascade.ca

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2016

OPINION Rocky Ground needs more Frowns PANKU SHARMA THE CASCADE

An annual inspection of the Abbotsford campus by B.C. Safety Authority has unearthed troubling news about the campus foundation, and has UFV administration scrambling to meet building codes and regulations before the start of fall semester. The inspection, which is mandated to make sure all buildings reach minimum code requirements to withstand catastrophic damage during earthquakes, was conducted in early July by a provincial office. Using the latest technology, a sonic sounding measurement was done of the underlying foundation of the campus to check its structural integrity. The results were not good. “Since it was first established, UFV has relied on the build up of the naturally occurring broken dreams and ambitions of its students to maintain the foundations of the campus,” said Dirk Duggan, UFV’s building maintenance chief. “As their every wish falls from their limp, dejected grasp and is trampled underfoot by the hordes of subdued drones that make up our usual student population, it breaks into a sediment-like substance that creates a viable layer on which to build two- or three-story buildings.” However, while the failed and unreachable aspirations of UFV students was enough to hold up our buildings in the past, government inspectors warn that due to recent spikes in optimism in first year and returning students, the buildings

are sinking lopsided under the weight of all the good vibes, and will prove hazardous in the face of earthquakes or dance parties. “The original goal of using despair and low self-esteem to prop up our buildings was a pragmatic one,” noted the Board of Governors’ media representative, Patricia Sitsalot. “To keep cost of tuitions low we had to find savings in construction and maintenance, and concrete is a lot more expensive than not offering courses, not having degree programs, or creating an overwhelming feeling of isolation and indifference.” What UFV administration couldn’t account for in contingency plans however, was such a dope lineup of music for weeks of welcome, a CIVL hosted radio conference planned for the summer of June 2017, and flags hung up in the Student Union Building atrium. The growing wave of hope and pride building on campus has proven too much for the structural integrity of our buildings. As of this time, UFV has declined to comment on how they will meet provincial regulations, but have assured The Cascade that they are committed to balancing safety with the overarching goal plans of the university and its stakeholders. According to Dirk Duggan, after intense consultation with contracted engineers and government offices, there are only two viable options when it comes to keeping UFV structurally sound and safe for the impending earthquakes and natural disasters that are sure to hit the west coast: the first is to make sure the

price of food in the cafeteria continues to climb and reach unreasonable levels in conjunction with offering less sections for intro level classes. The other is to start using cement.

SATIRE Illustration: Danielle Collins

A spoonful of memes doesn’t help anything go down MARTIN CASTRO THE CASCADE

Memes are inescapable. If you use the internet, in just about any capacity, you’ve encountered one. Odds are you saw a meme today in the space between when you woke up and when you finished having breakfast. But what is a meme? Essentially, a meme is defined as an idea, behaviour, or style that spreads from person to person within a culture. This brings up an interesting point: whether or not a meme accomplishes anything is entirely irrelevant to its being, its core definition. A meme is only characterized as such in that it goes from one person to the next. This concept can be used when speaking of evolution, because traits that are carried on by a species can be considered memes, spread by one member of the species to the next. Now, internet memes. You’ve seen them, and probably had an active hand in propagating them. Harambe the gorilla is probably one of the most interesting, if not the most irritating, memes right now. Harambe the gorilla was shot

dead by staff at the Cincinnati Zoo after a child fell into his enclosure. #JusticeforHarambe, proclaimed the meme. At this point, the memes have a purpose to somehow avenge Harambe’s death. Somewhere along the way, I’m sure that some propagators of the Harambe memes actually care about gorillas and actively campaign for better treatment of the animals. But here’s the thing: sharing something on the internet does nothing other than expose an endless audience to whatever is being shared. The Harambe meme quickly devolved from “Justice for Harambe” to “Dicks out for Harambe.” The phrase, along with pictures of the gorilla (honestly it could have been any gorilla) were shared on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media outlets. The whole thing became a joke. And a pretty simple one at that. Get your dicks out for Harambe, the dead gorilla. What does that accomplish? Nothing. Not a damn thing. First of all, apart from the lewdness of the whole thing, nowhere in the cycle of this meme did the general public engage in a discussion about animal rights.

Sure, animal activists and interest groups and people belonging to these groups did, but these people would have lobbied for the better treatment of animals regardless of the Harambe memes’ popularity. Instead of educating, or even serving as a form of remembrance, the Harambe memes turned into entertainment. And this is the thing: there’s absolutely nothing funny about the phrase “Dicks out for Harambe.” Nor is there anything inherently funny in the death of a gorilla, or any other animal. While unfortunate, Harambe’s death wasn’t unique; animals have been killed by zoo staff before this, and they’ll be killed after this. For a whole bevy of reasons, justified or not. The only thing memes like these do is take an issue, strip it of any actual depth, simplify it to the point of absurdity, and turn it into a joke. Six months from now nobody’s going to be getting their dicks out for Harambe. There’ll be some new meme, popularized and distributed in the same way this one was. If you still do remember Harambe the gorilla six months from now, ask yourself this: Can I confidently

say that in perpetuating the Harambe meme, or any other meme, I accomplished, or helped others to accomplish, any specific goal? Did I help honour Harambe’s memory? Did I add anything of value to a discussion which contributed to the betterment of our suffering planet? Or did I just perpetuate ignorance for a laugh? That’s for you to answer.

Illustration: Danielle Collins

PAYING FOR

Introduction

ADVICE TO THE INADVISABL

University tends to be expensive. What also is expensive is food, textbooks, gas, clothes, school supplies, and having a life outside of studying. The unfortunate truth is that wages don’t reflect the costs of inflation, making it more and more challenging to pay for these costly prices, fees, and taxes. Since 1990–91, average tuition and other compulsory fees in Canada have increased from $1,464 to $6,191 in 2015-16 with predictions as high as $7,437 for this academic year. These numbers would be just numbers if it were not for the fact that the national unemployment rate for 18-25 year olds is double the overall average, which sits at about 7 per cent. And this stat doesn’t reflect the amount of graduates working multiple jobs, struggling to balance loan payments with living. In today’s market, many students have to work at least six times the amount of hours at minimum wage than their parents would have had to in 1972 to afford their way through postsecondary. Despite students’ burden, university can be paid for and it doesn’t have to leave you enslaved to years of debt. What follows are a few ways that’ll help alleviate the weight of student expenses.

Part-time job Working for an education is considered to be a rewarding and necessary experience by many, as it actually leads to a greater sense of investment in school. While some scholars and intellects never worked a day in their life, they also came up with such ideas as communism and indulgences.

Written by: Joel R designed by: bri

WAYS TO SAVE scholarships Scholarships are gifts or awards to students who meet the requirements of the particular scholarship. They are focused towards various types and groups: some to women, some to athletes, some to anyone who bothers to apply. Scholarships are offered at various places, notably provincial and federal agencies, foundations (religious, civil, NGO, etc) and often local business too. Although each scholarship has different requirements, some might require the writing of an essay, others that you only apply. They are also offered to students of all levels whether new to post-secondary or nearly finished.

Scholarship, bursary, or grant Both the government and private entities will offer scholarships, bursaries, and grants. Every year the government hands out millions in financial assistance, and thousands go uncollected. What most students don’t realize is these are not exclusively for high-achieving students, but they do require a bit of leg work. Typically, grants will be given to students in need, whereas scholarships will be awarded based on some kind of (large or small) achievement.

bursary Bursaries are similar in that they are financial awards, but are given based on a certain level of financial need. scholarshipscanada.com studentawards.com Government of Canada’s website

grants Grants are sums of money given to a student for educational purposes, typically from the government. They, like scholarships, do not need to be repaid; unlike scholarships they are awarded for financial need, sometimes requiring some level of achievement.

ON CAMPUS Jobs on campus, on the other hand, offer the convenience of being close to classes and always try to accommodate student schedules, but you’ll also be contributing to your community. SUS has several employment opportunities, including information desk attendant, facilities coordinator, IT support at FixIT, Fair Grounds coffee café, and the Canoe restaurant. Working with UFV in a co-op or work study program may also be an option — there are however specific requirements for both. The career centre can provide more information on those and additional information on finding a part-time job.

government loan/line of credit government loans Government loans are offered to both full-time and part-time students; they’re practically offered to everyone. The downside is that you’ve got to pay them back — this means debt.

line of credit Just about all financial institutions will offer lines of credit to students. They generally won’t include setup costs or annual fees and have low interest rates. You’ll get the money now, but you’ll have to pay more in the long run. Probably not the best first option. Servicecanada.gc.ca Your preferred financial institute

OFF CAMPUS Part-time jobs off campus should be fairly straight forward: find something that’s flexible, not too intellectually draining, and know that there’s always another job if you’re feeling the black hole of part-time work disparity.

R SCHOOL:

Utilize SUS services

LE, FROM THE ILL-ADVISED

As a student union member in good standing, you’re offered such services as the campus connector, FixIT, the health and dental program, and U-Pass.

Robertson-Taylor ittany cardinal

There’s a challenge and a cost for commuting between UFV campuses. The campus connector regularly runs between Abbotsford campus, Chilliwack campus, and Langley at Carvolth Exchange. The shuttle is free with a student card and is an excellent way to save on gas or commute to other classes.

WAYS TO PAY Make a budget

FixIT is a free service offering technical assistance on a variety of tech-related issues. They’ll also offer device repairs at cost, this means you can get your iPhone screen fixed for under $100.

Making a budget is actually simple. With the aid of online budget calculators and spending tracker apps, it should be easier now more than ever. The difficulty for most is actually sticking to the budget. Budgeting has the potential to be the most effective way to be safe; the idea is that you’re going to consciously allocate funds into certain categories. If you’re aware that you only have $100 fun money for the year, you’re just as able to make it last as someone with $1000 fun money. Having the budget will help you see how much money you have, or more likely how much you don’t.

The health and dental program is an extended health and dental coverage for students. Incredibly, it covers such items as 80 per cent of prescription drugs, over $3,000 for health practitioners, up to $300 in vision care, up to $600 in dental care, and travel health coverage (*taken from SUS website). This one’s savings are pretty obvious. All U-Pass holders have access to numerous benefits and discounts to businesses throughout Abbotsford, Mission, and Chilliwack — a list of participating businesses is available on the SUS website. The U-Pass also includes free public transit and some recreation centres.

Spending Tracker app for iOS and Android Good Budget app for iOS and Android

CREDIT CARD

textbooks

buy used textbooks

While handing a credit card as a pre-prefrontal cortex’ed individual could bear the recipe for disaster, there are benefits to using one.

There are many resources for buying used textbooks; online is the most obvious place to look. Several websites are dedicated to connecting buyers to sellers of used textbooks, and sites like Amazon and eBay often have well-priced books. Local classifieds like craigslist are also a smart place to check.

Most credit card providers offer rewards or benefits for using their card. These benefits range from cash-back, to travel points, to various retail rewards. Many cards include an annual fee, which for students is probably undesirable. However, cards like the Scotiabank Scene Visa and Tangerine’s Money Back MasterCard both offer points with no annual fee. The Scotiabank Visa earns you Scene points which translates into movies at Cineplex for the movie lovers and the Tangerine MasterCard offers a percentage back on two purchasing categories — three if you have $1000 in the bank. It’s also worth paying attention to interest rates, but hopefully you won’t need to make payments. Some cards to consider are the Scotiabank Scene Visa, Tangerine Money Back MasterCard, MNBA Rewards MasterCard, and Amazon Rewards Visa. (If you use Amazon and frequently buy in non-Canadian denominations, they offer a 0 per cent foreign transaction fee.) Perhaps you don’t mind a small annual fee and you have lofty plans of travel. In that case any of the banks travel rewards cards will offer points; however, the WestJet RBC World Elite MasterCard has some unique benefits.

Books2go.ca Textbookexchance.ca Craigslist.org

additional resources UFV’s financial aid and awards page There are UFV financial aid and awards offices on both the Abbotsford and Chilliwack campuses that are open year-round. Abbotsford building B, Room 214 (the Student Services office, around the corner from OReg) Chilliwack building A, Room 1318 (right next to OReg, across from the library main entrance)

Email: Financial.Aid@ufv.ca Website: www.ufv.ca/fineaid UFV Career Centre http://www.ufv.ca/jobs/ Studentaidbc.ca univcan.ca

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2016

www.ufvcascade.ca

STUDY BREAK Crossword poor ways to spend that new student loan

Across 3: Irish beer 4: False identities 8: Extinct creature or movie monster

Down 1: Popular Florida vacation spot 2: Old-timey hotels 3: An apple or a party 5: Rusted old junk 6: Celestial body 7: Bar game or watery pit Made by Jeff Mijo

Horoscopes

Star Signs by Sybil la Clair

Aries — Mar 21 to Apr 19 We know about Todd. We’ll be watching.

Leo — Jul 23 to Aug 22 Stay hydrated.

Sagittarius — Nov 22 to Dec 21 That pumpkin spice _ _ _ _ won’t be as good as it sounds.

Taurus — Apr 20 to May 20 It doesn’t make sense not to live for fun, your brain gets smart but your head gets dumb.

Virgo —Aug 23 to Sep 22

Capricorn — Dec 22 to Jan 19

Expect intimate dreams about Danny DeVito in the coming weeks. Prepare accordingly.

When you hear the feral tomcat howl, be cautious in all financial matters.

Gemini — May 21 to Jun 20 Cancer: 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips. 1/2 cup peanut butter. 3 cups corn flakes. Melt chocolate. Mix. Refrigerate.

Libra — Sep 23 to Oct 22 Treat yourself and go for that chicken nugget binge you’ve been craving.

Aquarius — Jan 20 to Feb 18

Cancer —Jun 21 to Jul 22 If you’re on the fence about that free lobotomy from the science department, they’ll soon change your mind.

Scorpio — Oct 23 to Nov 21 Sie haben dies zu übersetzen, nicht wahr?

Pisces — Feb 19 to Mar 20 When a toddler with gloves crosses your path, make sure to check your smoke detectors.

WRUTE FER

ther

CASCERDE The Cascade is looking for students like you to write articles! Email mitch@ufvcascade.ca to get involved.

Beware the stranger that just walked into your life, they only want you for vintage Furby.

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2016

CULTURE & EVENTS

Student life, but in a van.

Photo: Mitch Huttema

Why a van was the solution to a student housing crisis. MITCH HUTTEMA

THE CASCADE

Over the summer I moved out of my apartment of two years and into a temporary sublet I would house sit for the summer. The apartment was in a different city and was farther away from work and school, but it was nearer to lakes, rivers, friends, and family; it was a vacation home of sorts. I needed a change of pace and to enter a new phase of life so it worked out well. However, summer is never as long as it seems it could be and so I was soon in a mad dash to find a new place to live for the upcoming school year. I had plans to move into a house with roommates in October, but it was only August. I was in a tight spot. I had plenty of trouble finding a place in my price range that I would be able to live in for two months. The leases were all too long, or the locations too far away from where I needed to be. While I had been coming into The Cascade office over the summer for the biweekly production cycle, I began to notice several parked cars in the back gravel lot. At first, I noticed them in the way that anyone might notice a parked car; it was a passing obstacle around which to maneuver myself. But after several weeks I began to realize they were campervans of a sort and they

UPCOMING EVENTS

never moved. There are never very many cars at UFV during the summer and so these large vans stuck out like trees in a floodplain. As weeks went by the vans began to become more and more obvious to me until eventually, they became the obvious solution to my housing crisis. I could buy a van, live in it for two months and hardly lose any coin compared to what I would pay in rent for the places I was looking at. As a student this was spectacular to me — I would only have to move once in three months as opposed to twice, I would be mobile and on my days off could take all my creature comforts with me if I so chose to venture off into the woods or to a new part of the world for a few days. I continued my search, this time, instead of scouring craigslist for apartments I couldn’t afford, I looked for a van I could maybe afford. Rather than spending a ton of money on a well running reliable vehicle, I opted to buy a fixer upper — the similarities to buying a house abound — and employ my own technical skills to bring it up to par. After three weeks of searching and several visits to a couple of potentials, I settled on a rather rusted out, barely running 1974 Dodge Tradesman campervan. Upon insuring it and driving it away I knew I had made a truly great decision for my phase of life. The van was comfortable and personal, I owned it, it was mine. I wasn’t renting it, it was a place

SEPT.10 SEPT.16

Envision Concert Summer Series: Coalmont @ Mill lake 7PM

Alumni Open Golf Tournament @ Chilliwack Golf Club

SEPT.11 SEPT.17

I would never have to bring up to a certain standard in order to sell it or move out of it and pay penalties for altering its appearance. I have a hunch that the feelings I have towards it are a kid size mix of what a first-time homeowner feels towards their new abode and how a retiree feels about paying off their mortgage. This thing is mine and it has its quirks but I love it and I own it fully. At the end of the day, I spent $800 on the van, $700 to insure it for three months, and something near $400 in labour, parts, fluids, and tools to fix it up. As a student, this was something I could manage. I now had freedom of movement, a personallyowned and paid for space, and was not too much further into debt than my student loans already had me. Perhaps the greatest benefit was that I had avoided that dark place which is the student housing market. Now the only challenge I had yet to face was actually living in it. As September goes by I will be sure to report the unique challenges and benefits that come from living in a home on wheels with no fixed address and still attempting to student the hell out of my life. Next week maybe I’ll talk about that time that I needed to use the washroom at 4 a.m. but I was parked outside of a building that had been very much closed since 7 p.m. the night before. You are curious, aren’t you?

Spoken Word Sunday @ Spotted Owl 7PM

Envision Concert Fall Series: 6 Degrees @ Mill lake 7PM

SEPT.12 SEPT.18

Fraser Valley Poets Society Blue Moon and Open Mic Reading @ FVRL - Clearbrook 6:30PM Terry Fox Run @ TradeX 10AM

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2016

www.ufvcascade.ca

CULTURE & EVENTS Free fun (and food!) aplenty at Welcome Week

Photos: UFV Flickr

TANYA VANPRASEUTH

THE CASCADE

Summer is ending and the school year is here. However, you don’t have to worry about the first week of school being filled with only notes and lectures — there are plenty of free events lined up for Welcome Week, an event put on by the Student Union Society lasting from Tuesday, September 6 to Friday, September 9. The fun starts on Tuesday with a barbeque and U-Join at the Chilliwack CEP campus from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The same will be held on Wednesday, September 7 at the Abbotsford campus in the Student Union Building (SUB), also from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. U-Join is great to attend if you are seeking information about the

clubs and associations on campus. Each club and association will host a table presenting their organization and letting students know how they can join. This is the perfect way to learn more about the UFV community, meet people with similar interests, and discover something new that you might enjoy. Also, while you are exploring the many clubs and associations on campus, you can grab yourself a free burger, drink, and chips courtesy of our on-campus restaurant, the Canoe, and a snow cone from the Student Union Society. Also in Abbotsford on September 7 is the Oxfam Oxjam between 2-5 p.m. Oxjam is a free concert on the SUB green that includes live performances from The Kris Orwloski Band, Douse, and The Sylvia Platters. The event will

raise awareness for the #EvenItUp campaign, which supports the equality of both women and men as well as a greater public investment in education and healthcare. Come join in for free music, food, and activity stations. On Thursday, September 8, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., unwind with an afternoon carnival. There’ll be activities galore, such as jousting, sumo wrestling, and a Velcro wall. If competing with friends or strangers and trying to win prizes wears you out, recharge your energy with free snacks, including the essential carnival food: cotton candy! After a long day of carnival fun, students can relax and enjoy themselves at a paint night from 7-10 p.m. in the SUB. The session will be hosted by UFV’s own BFA student, Alyssa Rice.

Contact vpexternal@ufvsus.ca with your name, student number, and email to reserve your own canvas. As the first week comes to an end and you have been bombarded with notes, lectures, and worries of future assignments, come relax your mind by enjoying a pyjama-themed movie marathon and free snacks on Friday, September 9. It starts at 10:00 a.m. and will last for the majority of the day. Welcome Week is filled with plenty of activities for new and returning students. Come enjoy a week filled with fun, meet new people, and start off a great new school year with free music, games, food, and friends!

FASHION

Fall in love with shearling vests all over again RACHEL TAIT

CONTRIBUTOR

Everything is long this fall, with streamline, flattering lines and posh glam. This season specifically, the shearling long vest has been revamped with the new look of a cascading and open collar. This style goes well with a wide range of body shapes and personalities. Whether you’re dressed up for work with a long dress and tall boots, or paired down with jeans and a boyfriend flannel shirt, set with jewel tones or neutral hues, the shearling vest goes with any outfit. From the dawn of time, sheepskins have played fundamental roles in people’s wardrobes. The material was used for warmth, has been considered a sign of social status, and at one time was a symbol of masculinity and ruggedness for farmers. Shearling has gone in and out of fashion, and been worn by memorable stars such as Farrah Fawcett in Charlie’s Angels, and

recently, Downton Abbey’s Elizabeth McGovern sported a shearling coat after work. Over the years shearling has shifted from a more western style to a hip and trendy staple. From the cultural perspective, shearling has become a sign of luxury and richness. Soft as butter and quite warm, the shearling vest is a nice alternative to a polar fleece vest or a down puffer vest. A staple on cool fall days, the shearling vest should be lined and warm, with real or faux shearling inside. It should also be simple enough in silhouette so you do not lose yourself in it altogether like a paper bag, and yet flowing enough to cascade like a waterfall over your ensemble. Black, brown, or beige goes with everything, so finding a style in those colours shouldn’t be too difficult. Pairing it with a vivid printed scarf adds the pop of colour needed to reminisce the summer while going forward into the fall. The comfort and warmth of shearling is a

classic design that is revamped every year in the colder seasons. In its usual form, shearling is reminiscent of the aviators of World War II, or powerful ranch owners and cowboys of the Wild West. Today the masculine fashion has become decidedly more feminine and chic. In this fall’s list of must-haves, the elegant vest can go with deep, rich tones, as well as silvers and greys. It can be worn well with jeans and boots, as well as pumps and a sweater dress. And like everything else, black is a nice look for the fall, making it very versatile for a woman’s wardrobe while still easy to manage. In today’s day and age, you can get the look in machinewashable polyester, and it’s just as soft and even more affordable. So say goodbye to the overdone fringe vests that look like spaghetti hanging unflatteringly around you, and embrace this cool alternative. Walk the halls of UFV and relive the ‘70s and ‘80s again as you go to class in style and comfort. Illustrations: Danielle Collins

www.ufvcascade.ca

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2016

CULTURE & EVENTS

A new student’s perspective on NSO JEFF MIJO

THE CASCADE

“Wear comfortable shoes and weatherappropriate attire,” said the email detailing the Abbotsford campus’ New Student Orientation. Looking out my window on Friday morning, it sounded like a contradiction. Rain was pouring down so hard that gumboots seemed like the only weatherappropriate option. Settling on old runners and a good coat, I drove to campus listening to CIVL 101.7 for the second time in my life, hoping to catch some information about the doubtlessly drenched activities of the orientation’s morning session. Didn’t hear any, but the music was good. The rain slowed to a steady drizzle by the time I arrived, well behind schedule as usual, and found the check-in. After a few minutes of standing awkwardly with other new students, none of us wanting to be the first to break the silence, we were ushered into the south gym for the welcome session. Half an hour went fast, with encouragement, advice, and an all-around warm welcome, and then us afternoon folks were directed outside into a surprising hint of sunlight. The welcoming emails that’d been arriving for months had promised the orientation would be The Amazing Race: UFV Edition. As a regular viewer of the actual show, I’d been wondering how that would work out. Would we be teams of two, or more? Would there be an actual race? I figured I was safe from eliminations and U-Turns, but you never know. I’m just glad it wasn’t modeled after Survivor. Once we were out of the gym and into the cool air, and after a few minutes of complete chaos, we found ourselves placed into teams (of 12, in my case), introduced ourselves,

grabbed some chips, and the race was on. More of a marathon than a sprint, we had to complete the majority of 24 different stations around campus, led by friendly volunteers. We set out at a good clip to our first station, which is when I realized one issue with the event: While my team were all young and able-bodied, we were sore and tired by the end of the day from crisscrossing campus, climbing stairs, and a bit of basketball. I didn’t see any considerations for students who find that amount of exertion difficult. In a race, even a non-competitive one like this, nobody wants to feel like they’re holding back the team, especially when they’re dripping with sweat and their legs are aching. I’m sure a number of students were uncomfortable with three hours of physical activity. That hustling led us first to the Office of the Registrar’s table, where my obsession with knowing all the important dates proved useful in a matching game. A bookmark with all the dates, included in our bags, may have helped a little bit too. From there it was station after station, each with their own unique challenge. Some were puzzles or quizzes, with the Indigenous Student Centre even offering their own reproduction of Who Wants to be a Millionaire. There was bingo, a math riddle, and timed painting. I especially remember a cool student-run newspaper asking us to come up with headlines and fill in a comic … they were called The Cascade, I think. Every time we walked past the finish line, the waiting crowd (of perhaps five or six) greeted us with hearty cheers, and as we entered our third hour, the sun finally broke through in earnest. Our pace was slowing by then, but we finished up with a library scavenger hunt and a hands-on trash sorting exercise (did

Photos: UFV Flickr

you know some cups from campus restaurants are made of corn and can be composted?) which wasn’t nearly as gross as it sounds. The biggest failing was one that no amount of planning could have prevented. At an event with hundreds of new students being told to participate in activities, not everyone is going to get into it. Some students in each group showed definite disinterest, but it was through

no fault of the organizers. Every single staff member and volunteer was enthusiastic, even as the day went long and they’d given the same speech dozens of times. I have a bag packed full of pamphlets for services I had no idea existed on campus, and loads more that reminded me of information I’d forgotten. But a special acknowledgement has to go to the people who led groups around campus, tried to break through

some (mostly teenage) cynicism with genuine excitement, and acted as our tour guides for the place where we’ll be spending a lot of time. When we finally crossed the finish line, it did feel like we’d accomplished something. Not winning a million dollars on an international hit TV show, or even a quarter of a million on a Canadian spin-off, but it was a fun change of pace from a simple tour.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2016

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ARTS IN REVIEW MOVIE REVIEW

Before you watch Suicide Squad, don't

PANKU SHARMA THE CASCADE

This review will include spoilers, not only because it's hard to explain the quality of a film without referencing specific plot points, but also because this film is so terrible I’m doing you a favour by giving you the crib notes. Amanda Waller (Viola Davis in one of the film’s few bearable roles) has assembled a team of dangerous and disloyal bad guys to take on metahuman threats and other missions that good guys can't accomplish. The metahuman threat she warns the government of actually ends up being one of her squad, Enchantress (played poorly by Cara Delevingne) who has escaped and gone rogue, therefore proving right the misgivings most characters had about Waller’s plan and the film’s

entire premise. Furthermore, the film's most glaring weakness is that the premise of “bad guys” taking part in unsavoury black-ops doesn't quite hit the mark. The “bad guys” receive that characterization only because they are in prison (we didn’t see any trials!), and because throughout the film they keep referring to themselves as the “bad guys.” What would have helped the film differentiate itself from other (and objectively better) superhero ensembles would be having characters that are unsavoury, compelling, and well-rounded rather than video game characters with a grimdark aesthetic and rebellious branding campaign. Also, the mission in question lends itself too easily to heroics, which makes you wonder why the Flash or Batman never show up. Instead, why not have the squad of murderers, liars, and psychopaths take on a task that is questionable, maybe overthrowing a Middle Eastern regime, investigating a superweapon in an

allied nation, or hunting down other metahumans for experimentation. The team itself is underwhelming when you place them up against a cataclysmic world-ending scenario, such as the one in the film where the Enchantress plays an Xbox Kinect dancing game to open up a portal in the sky. Hitman extraordinaire Deadshot (Will Smith plays a groundbreaking role as Will Smith shooting people), Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie as a regular person with a baseball bat and outdated psychology degree), and a few racist stereotypes fill out the squad which, when you think about it, are more trouble to put into an active mission than say, government special ops or a bomb dropped by a plane. Many will point to studio interference and a rushed production schedule in an attempt to explain away the film’s deficits. That’s not good enough. In a film as disjointed and muddled as

this one, one would still expect to walk out of the experience having seen at least a few moments that display the original intention and potential of the actors or director David Ayer. This film, in its entire two-hour-and-three-minute runtime, can’t even manage to scrape up a moment. The bar scene everyone talks about advances literally nothing, and doesn't serve to either create a believable bond between the characters or expose more of their backstories in a way that isn’t laughable. (You married a dude with a skull tattooed on his face named El Diablo and are surprised to find drug money?) In conclusion, Ben Affleck now has the entire weight of Warner Brothers and DC’s hopes on his back as he is the only redeeming thing to come out of their cinematic comic universe. Good luck, Ben.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2016

www.ufvcascade.ca

vvv

ARTS IN REVIEW MOVIE REVIEW

Shuffle AARON LEVY STATION MANAGER

CiVL Station Manager Aaron Levy played some Sublime at UJoin Chilliwack this past week, so here's a shuffle of Bradley Nowell's near best, but primary classics. Sublime Pool Shark If there was a term akin to onomatopoeia, reserved for describing songs that sound like the subject matter, the Pool Shark, a favorite live tune either solo-Brad or full-band-Sublime style, would fit it; This song sputters out of control much in the way Nowells' lifelong struggle with substance abuse did. Sublime Wrong Way I've been hearing this song played around a lot lately, probably because Sublime with Rome is coming to Vancouver; I do not encourage you to see Sublime with Rome. I do not support the idea of replacing the late singer, songwriter, rapper, and lead guitarist of his own band. Right? Sublime Date Rape The even more played-out song that you didn't realize but upon thinking about it later on, definitely can see why it would have been annoying to the band, is Date Rape. A song intended to skewer those uninformed about the virtues and necessity of consent, it's catchy, but often misconstrued. Sublime Get Out I identify with this song by virtue of having been the guy at the bar telling you to do what the song's name suggests for years while I was toiling my way through liberal arts school, as many of you are at this very moment while you read. Kicking Ceilings.

CHARTS 1

Angel Olsen My Woman

Milk Late Bloomer

Blessed Blessed

Atodaso So1 Ep1

Fear Of Men Fall Forever

River Tiber Indigo

Tiffany I Just Want to Dance

James 'Buddy' Rogers By My Side

Saint Soldier A Stray (Single)

Aleem Khan Urbana Champaign

Douse Speak to Carry Us (single)

Michael Rushden Use Your Illusion II

Kym Brown Cursey Rhymes

14 15

Hoops Hoops EP

Mild High Club Skiptracing

Time Hearsey Little Piece of Fun

Dodgers The Invention of Breaks

Twist Spectral

Lowell Part 1: Paris YK

Chance The Rapper Coloring Book

Kubo and the Two Strings' creepy adventure doesn't miss a beat The few imperfections don't even come close to overshadowing what will surely be a classic.

JEFF MIJO THE CASCADE

Kubo and the Two Strings is the best movie I've seen all year. The points where it stumbles are unfortunate, but they're surrounded by such excellence that you're still bound to have a good time. Kubo is the directorial debut of animator Travis Knight, and was created by Laika, a studio best known for 2009's Coraline. While that film wore its stop-motion puppetry style on full display, Kubo seems to be assembled with care to maintain the aesthetic while cutting down on the jarring jumpiness of the animation. The result is a gorgeous, immersive, and incredibly detailed storybook world. But unlike Coraline, Kubo is an original story which proudly takes influence from myths and legends to weave something that immediately feels like a forgotten childhood tale. The film centres squarely on Kubo (portrayed by Art Parkinson), a boy in ancient Japan with a magical, musical gift. With the power to form impossibly detailed origami figures and bring them to life by playing his shamisen (a traditional Japanese lute), he supports his unwell mother by entertaining a rural village with stories of heroics and daring. Of course, it isn't long before he's swept into a quest of his own, finding companions in a talking monkey (Charlize Theron) and a cursed samurai (Matthew McConaughey). Pursued by a pair of intensely creepy birdlike women (Rooney Mara), they begin their search for a set of mythical armour, supposedly the only defence Kubo has against his hunters. While the plot may come across as clichéd, its execution is engaging throughout. The story feels like a fable or a Grimm fairy tale, and the Japanese setting helps it stand out from countless similar European stories. The few plot holes and contrivances were well-hidden and matched the tone of the film, minimizing their visibility. Unlike most other animated movies ostensibly aimed at children, Kubo also isn't afraid to take its time. The pacing is impeccable. The film crams so much into its 102-minute runtime that I was sure it passed two hours, yet it finds the time to let the characters sit down, catch their breath, and talk at length. Combined with the relatively small cast, this lets viewers connect more deeply with the characters and their relationships than, for example, this year's Zootopia did. The filmmakers are patient, so the film doesn’t come off as just hitting plot points — it doesn't feel like a constant rush to reach the next giant monster or mood-lightening joke.

Speaking of jokes, the comedy aspects are Kubo's biggest failing. Some jokes certainly do land, but there were at least just as many that seemed out of place and completely unfitting with the tone. A melancholy adventure like this needs its moments of levity, but having George Takei deliver his signature “Oh my!" took me out of the experience. Interestingly, the film seems to acknowledge this. In an early scene, before one of Kubo's performances, his friend urges him to include a fire-breathing chicken in the story. She explains that if he makes his audience laugh, they'll come to his show and throw more coins his way. Whether that indicates that the jokes were forced in to market the movie, or if this was just the writers' way of explaining their decision, it does feel like a subtle acknowledgement of the film's primary failing. The other main issue that weakens Kubo in a very different way is the casting. Don't get me wrong, the actors individually are all excellent. Parkinson, best known for his role as Rickon Stark in Game of Thrones, proves that he is a far more capable actor than that role showed. Theron provides the remaining emotional core convincingly, leaving McConaughey to tackle most of the aforementioned out-of-place comedy, and doing well with what he's given. The issue is that none of those actors, nor any that affect the story in a meaningful way, are actually Japanese. For a story set in ancient Japan, that's not just disappointing, it's baffling. With Hollywood's whitewashing a hot topic these days, it's hard to believe the filmmakers were so desperate to cast the least interesting Stark that they couldn't even match the representation Mulan managed almost 20 years ago. That said, it would be almost criminal of me to finish this review on a down note and not mention the music. While much of it is a decent but unremarkable orchestral score, whenever Kubo pulls out his shamisen and begins to play, the soundtrack picks up to a roar with catchy, intense music underscoring those pivotal moments. The film closes with a fantastic cover of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” performed by Regina Spektor that I've listened to more times than I care to admit since leaving the theatre. In the end, if you can get past the problematic casting and a few out of place jokes, Kubo and the Two Strings has a ton to offer viewers of any age. The solid performances draw viewers into the surprisingly emotional, perfectly paced adventure and the creepy yet gorgeous visuals make this soon-to-be classic pop off the screen. You won't regret taking the time to see this one.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2016

www.ufvcascade.ca

ARTS IN REVIEW

S undBites

PUP

Vince Staples

The Dream is Over PUP’s sophomore release is as honest with itself and its listeners as you could hope for. It’s angst-ridden, earnest, and fun as hell. The opening track seems overly aggressive, until you realize it’s about touring woes. “For a second, let’s be honest. Nothing you do will clean your filthy conscience. Everything you do makes me want to vomit and if this tour doesn’t kill you, buddy I’m on it.” This sense of humour is (mostly) carried over into the rest of the material on the record, and where humour is lacking, energetic riffs and saccharine pop-punk hooks fill every void with loud guitars and head-banging goodness.

Mini album reviews

Prima Donna Highlights include “Doubts,” which is such a tightly funky track that it would make a solid danceable pop hit if it weren’t for all the screaming and fuzzed guitars. “The Coast” and “Pine Point” are two tracks which could be considered ballads, given their considerably slower pace and gradual build up. Both devolve into distorted guitar licks and a bevy of drum fills, however. If you want to revisit your early tVVeen angst (and maybe remember why you haven’t gone back to that old diary since you put it down in the seventh grade), then PUP’s the band for you.

Compared to last year’s Summertime ’06, Vince Staples’ latest project shows clear growth, especially taking into account that its EP status makes it more a successor to 2014’s Hell Can Wait. Lyrically, the record shows clear growth from Hell Can Wait. That said, at seven tracks, Prima Donna is a much shorter project, and although tracks like “Pimp Hand” and “War Ready” are impressive in terms of lyrical growth, others, such as “Big Time” seem to fall short of the mark. One of the best tracks on the record is “Smile,” which sees Staples address, in a

Martin Castro

Banks & Steelz

How To Be A Human Being

comfort zones, such as the subdued “Can’t Hardly Feel.” That said, when I first heard that Banks and RZA were collaborating, I expected the resultant project to be either amazing, or absolute garbage. I was wrong on both counts, because although Anything But Words isn’t horrible, it’s definitely far from being great. It seems as if lyrically, RZA took a day off, and Banks’ production work throughout the 12-track album is repetitive and vaguely amorphous. Anything But Words proved to be an enjoyable, albeit almost immediately forgettable project from two giants in their respective fields. Exceptions include “Love and War” which features Ghostface Killah, and “Giant,” the first single the duo released.

Martin Castro

Glass Animals

Anything But Words

There’s been plenty of indie / hip-hop collaboration records in the past couple of years, but perhaps none so understated as the brainchild of Interpol frontman Paul Banks and de-facto Wu-Tang Clan leader RZA. Interestingly, the project doesn’t stifle either Banks or RZA; staples of each of their production styles and preferences are apparent throughout, intermingling with each other. RZA’s aggressive vocal delivery and penchant for in-your-face percussion comes through clearly on just about every track, and Banks’ trademark melancholic lyricism and more-bitter-than-sweet delivery oddly enough play quite well off each other. There are some tracks that venture outside of either RZA or Banks’ apparent

rather broad and noncommittal fashion, the topic of depression. Nothing new (or even very interesting) is being said about the topic in general, but what’s interesting about the track is its production, which incorporates a squealing guitar seemingly better-suited to rock or blues. Essentially, Prima Donna, while not groundbreaking, is a clearly-defined step forward for Staples, both in terms of lyricism and the kind of production he’s rapping over. If his goal is to avoid being pigeonholed as one or another kind of rapper, Staples is doing just fine.

Compared to Zaba, their 2014 debut, Glass Animals’ sophomore release carries over the watery aesthetic that served as the centrepiece of their first record. This time around, however, the most striking difference is how much more intelligible lead singer Dave Bayley is. Normally, making sure your lead singer’s voice is well-defined against the gelatinous background provided by equal parts synths and tribal percussion would be considered a good thing, but on How To Be A Human Being, the only thing that is highlighted by Bayley’s newfound vocal

clarity is how seemingly obtuse the lyrical content of the record really is. Despite the fact that we’re rhyming words without really bridging them with any kind of exposition or narrative (effectively just singing them because they sound alike), there’s not much being said on HTBAB, an album that makes a conscious effort to be more radio-ready than its predecessor, and as a result ends up sounding more like a collection of tracks that didn’t quite make it onto Zaba as opposed to showing any growth on the band’s part.

Martin Castro

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2016

www.ufvcascade.ca

ARTS IN REVIEW ALBUM REVIEW

On Telefone, Noname tells her truth. AMAN BHARDWAJ CONTRIBUTOR

When we talk about music collectively, we praise it for being this bastion of self-expression, of selfdiscovery, and creativity. We all seem to agree that if musicians give us anything — apart from entertainment, of course — it’s truth. And then the majority of music consumers fawn over artists presenting us with narratives which are wholly impersonal, narratives so intentionally vague or generic that they’re hard not to relate to, precisely because of how broad a net these images and sentiments cast. It’s the very antithesis of truth, but the apparent familiarity of these narratives is comforting in that they reaffirm what we think we know about love, or loss, or the human experience. What we end up getting is the same set of sentiments and images in increasingly similar ways, and we turn and we think, This is so true, so original. Except, of course, it’s not. As with everything, however, there are exceptions. When

it comes to rap, those exceptions are becoming so scarce that unless you purposefully seek them out, the odds of organically coming across one are almost nonexistent. Fatimah Warner spent much of her teens taking part in open mics and poetry slams throughout the Chicago area, and on Telefone, her debut project, it shows. Now, don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing on Telefone that is inherently inaccessible, all the images Warner stacks on top of one another are clear and crisp and neatly etched out with candid, straightforward language. Warner doesn’t shy away from speaking on topics like love and loss and depression, but she does so exclusively from a place of experience. Take “Casket Pretty,” perhaps the song that could have turned cliché the easiest, which focuses on the violence in Chicago — or more specifically, the effect it’s had on Warner. “And I’m afraid of the dark. Blue and the white. Badges and pistols rejoice in the night,” she raps, clearly speaking about the current state of affairs

regarding violence perpetrated by police officers in the U.S. Here’s the thing, though. None of the observations made throughout the track come off as preachy, or as blanket statements. Instead what we get is Warner’s own perspective, informed by her own experiences, nothing more. It’s a humble narrative, which in turn strengthens the punch it delivers when taken in. That said, Telefone isn’t all “conscious” rap; not all of it has some sort of social message. Tracks like “Milk & Honey” are more akin to personal diary entries than they are open letters to the public, and while they may not be as immediately relatable as more mainstream narratives, they do succeed in painting distinct and individual pictures, aided by Warner’s half-confessional, half-metaphorical lyricism. The end result is that on Telefone, we’re shown a lot of sadness, insecurity, and grief coming from Warner, but it’s earnest. And that sincerity is worth a hell of a lot more than relatability.

ALBUM REVIEW

The Life of Pablo – An amalgamation of all of Kanye West’s past work AMAN BHARDWAJ CONTRIBUTOR

Kanye West appears to be finally finished with The Life of Pablo, his seventh album, after a series of updates and changes added after its original release. The record explores themes of strained relationships, paranoia, mental illness, fame, heartbreak, and religion, contrasting its predecessor, 2013’s Yeezus, an album that consistently followed an extremely abrasive and experimental approach. The Life of Pablo is somewhat more complicated. This album is chaotic, somber, joyful, and experimental all at once, curated by an artist struggling with his inner demons, as well as his public image, while attempting to reach salvation. West attempts to intertwine all of the sounds and themes of his past albums on TLOP. In doing so, West presents us with tracks such as “No More Parties in L.A.,” “Saint Pablo,” or “Real Friends,” which find him flexing his lyrical muscles and showcasing his flows or strong cadence. However, tracks or skits such as “Facts,” “Low Lights,” “I Love Kanye,” or “Silver Surfer Intermission,” which are not necessarily poor songs or skits,

are weaker in comparison to other tracks on the record such as “Ultralight Beam.” These tracks seem to be out of place — the lyrics on a few songs just aren’t on the level they should be. The emotional centerpiece of TLOP and perhaps one of West’s greatest songs, “Real Friends,” is a melancholic and introspective moment on the album which finds West delving into the harsh realities and absurdities of life as a major musical figure. West delves into the strained relationships with his family and close friends, noting he has not done enough to repair them, to the point where his public life has distanced him from his loved ones. He digs into his feelings and examines his own faults and weaknesses: “Who your real friends? We all came from the bottom / I’m always blamin’ you, but what’s sad, you not the problem / Damn I forgot to call her, shit I thought it was Thursday.” West takes it a step further and projects his own feelings of frustration and cynicism: “I hate when a nigga text you like, ‘What’s up, fam, hope you good’ / You say, ‘I’m good,’ then great, the next text they ask you for somethin’.” The Life of Pablo would have been a much stronger project had West retained the original 10-song tracklist as opposed to the 20 on the

updated version. West’s decision to include more tracks comes at the cost of having an album that just feels unfinished and a bit all over the place in certain parts. However, maybe this is deliberate; it may be indicative of West’s current state of mind as a result of dealing with controversy in the media, his struggles in the fashion world, and debt. This may explain how TLOP can go from being contemplative to celebratory to manic seemingly at the drop of a hat, mimicking West’s own tumultuous personal life and its effects on his mental health. It may be possible that he is still in the process of updating this album even further and what this album sounds like now may not be the final product months from now. In doing so, he has managed to keep the discussions going about this album, thus maintaining public interest in it. Despite its flaws, The Life of Pablo is still an engaging, sometimes strange, but ultimately brilliant solo effort that combines the soundscapes of all of his past work, but suffers from a lack of the focus and cohesion that was a mainstay on his last six albums.

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