SEPTEMBER 14 TO SEPTEMBER 21, 2016
VOLUME 24 ISSUE 20
Watching the clock since 1993
TIME MANAGEMENT a guide for the stressed student pages 8-9
Experiential learning
Donut Days pg. 12
pg. 4
WWW.UFVCASCADE.CA
Stranger Things pg. 14
www.ufvcascade.ca
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2016
EDITORIAL
Bridging the gap between us and them VANESSA BROADBENT
THE CASCADE
Finding myself near the end of my degree with a few more electives left than I had anticipated, I, like every fourth year student desperately hoping to have a manageable course load for once (although knowing that never happens), decided to take a first-year visual arts course. The course was great and I found myself enjoying it much more than I thought I would, but I noticed quickly that this wasn’t the case for everyone. Like many classes at UFV, a lot of students in the course were international students. But what I didn’t expect was how segregated the international and domestic students would be. There are international students in every class, but it wasn’t until I took a class that was workshop rather than lecture based that I noticed the divide between the two groups at UFV. International students kept to themselves and only talked to each other in their respective languages, while the domestic students did the exact same thing. This caught me off guard because having international students in classes should be nothing new for most domestic students at UFV, most of whom have met (and probably hung out with) that one German exchange student in high school that wouldn’t stop bragging about how he was old enough to drink back at home. So it came as a surprise to me to see this voluntary segregation. University is obviously different from high school in many ways, but you would hope that the sense of community would carry over. Unfortunately, what I’ve encountered in my classes
here at UFV has been the opposite of this. Rather than making an effort to make someone new to the country feel welcome, most students simply keep to themselves. This has a negative impact on the experience that international students have at UFV. Those of us that grew up in the area always knew what to expect from UFV and most of us show up, go to our classes, and leave. UFV isn’t exactly the top destination school in the area for students that want the true university
IT’S A TWO WAY STREET AND TOGETHER WE NEED TO THE ELIMINATE THE “US AND THEM,” BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHATEVER THE QUIRKS ARE AT UFV, ITS OURS. experience, full of stories they’ll be able to tell for years. While UFV still has its perks, it’s not exactly what most international students expect — but this is no one’s fault. Domestic students have every right to come and go at UFV without building relationships, and international students have every right to group together — but this isn’t the best university experience
for either group. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with the way UFV students are; simply wanting to focus on getting an education and not being distracted with the inherent party atmosphere that comes with attending other large post-secondary institutions is, if anything, a smart decision. However, most international students aren’t aware of this situation and while it would be nice for incoming international students to know what to actually expect by coming to UFV, and Abbotsford, it’s not exactly a smart marketing strategy. On paper, UFV sounds great. It’s the perfect size university — big enough that you actually feel like you’re at university and there’s always something going on, but still small enough to not feel overwhelming. It’s picturesque, located in the “City in the Country,” close to the U.S. border, and surrounded by mountains. It couldn’t be better — right? But this isn’t the UFV that most students arrive at. However, the situation for international students at UFV isn’t hopeless, and some students are noticing the lack of social opportunities and are creating their own. En Route, a new travel club on campus is working to organize events in the lower mainland for both domestic and international students. (See page 11 for more info.) It’s initiatives like this that are slowly morphing UFV into a more welcoming institution for all students. While not every UFV student may be willing to get involved with campus travel tours, it doesn’t mean that getting to know other students is impossible. Bridging the divide between domestic and international students can be as simple as making an effort to talk to others in classes instead of automatically falling into our separate cliques. It’s a two-way street and together we need to eliminate the “us and them,” because at the end of the day, whatever the quirks are at UFV, it’s ours.
News
Opinion
Culture
Arts
Pride and Women’s Centre’s in progress
Are memes actually bad?
What day is right now actually?
5 Finger Death Punch
SUS begins rearraging the club spaces into new centres
Opinon Editor Panku rebuffs Arts Editor Martins attack on the memedom
Culture Editor Jeff pencils in the themed days
The band rocked Abby events centre and knocked their fans out
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STAFF
CONTRIBUTORS
Editor-in-Chief Vanessa Broadbent vanessa@ufvcascade.ca
Opinion Editor Panku Sharma panku@ufvcascade.ca
Managing Editor Mitch Huttema mitch@ufvcascade.ca
Culture & Events Editor Jeff Mijo jeff@ufvcascade.ca
Business Manager Jennifer Trithardt-Tufts jennifer@ufvcascade.ca
Arts in Review Editor Martin Castro martin@ufvcascade.ca
Multimedia Editor Martin Ranninger martin.r@ufvcascade.ca
Copy Editor Kat Marusiak kat@ufvcascade.ca
Production Manager Brittany Cardinal brittany@ufvcascade.ca
Advertising Rep Kayla Schuurmans kayla@ufvcascade.ca
News Editor Joel Robertson-Taylor joel@ufvcascade.ca
Online Editor Tanya Vanpraseuth tanya@ufvcascade.ca
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Illustrators Danielle Collins danielle@ufvcascade.ca Amara Gelaude amara@ufvcascade.ca
Chris Towler Klara Chmelarova Miranda Louwerse Bradley Peters
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 Cover Design: Brittany Cardinal
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 14, 2016
NEWS
NEWS BRIEFS UFV to receive funding for coding pilot programs UFV is one of five institutions to receive $50,000 of funding from the B.C. government to support short term coding programs to meet the diverse needs of the growing tech industry. UFV’s continuing education program will develop programs that include hands-on training, practicum opportunities, and mentorship development to better equip learners for the tech job market. Research Option and Scholarly Activity (ROSA) Application Workshop The Research, Engagement and Graduate Studies department hosted a workshop to offer information and tips to faculty members interested in applying for either a research option or scholarly activity release for the 2017 – 2018 academic year. This funding will allow teachers and faculty to apply for a one-section course reduction when a project they have is too substantial to be completed as part of their regular workload. The project however, must require approximately the same amount of work as the dropped workload equivalent. Homeless not yet evicted from old MSA property Fraser Health’s ongoing battle to have the homeless campers evicted from the edge of their property on McCallum road was backlogged by the Supreme court in Vancouver last Thursday. The application for a temporary injunction if approved would see all homeless campers removed from the Fraser Health owned property. The court has put off the hearing because of the inability to find sufficient time to hear all submissions. While old MSA hospital land has been semi-vacant for a number of years and argued to be public land, Fraser Health claims it is still private property.
Photo: Vanessa Broadbent
SUS creates working groups to draft mandates for pride centre and women’s centre VANESSA BROADBENT THE CASCADE
It’s been more than a month since the Student Union Society (SUS) announced their decision to open pride and women’s centres on campus, and now with the new semester getting started, so are the plans for the centres. Although they won’t be open to students for at least the remainder of the semester, SUS is currently asking the student body for feedback on what they’d like to see included in each of the centres. “This month we’re trying to develop the mandate of those centres and have that be as open as possible,” SUS president Sukhi Brar said. “We’re having a callout for students wanting to join working groups to develop those spaces and there’s signage going up that people can write down what they want to see in those spaces, in terms of services.” The exact time and location of the meetings is still yet to be determined, but Brar is hoping to start them sooner than later. “We’re waiting right now because we’re still getting into classes and there’s a group of students that I know really want to be involved in it,
so I’m trying to get a time that works for people so we can start that first meeting,” she said. At this point, Brar is still unsure exactly when the centres will be up and running. “It’s hard to know because a lot of it is so dependent on what happens in the working groups,” she said. “If a clear mandate is developed for either or both centres and it’s clear what students want to see in those spaces and what that would likely cost, then it makes it easier to move towards finding resources and what that process would look like, but it really depends on that mandate and what services people want.” Once the working groups have created the mandates, they still need approval from the SUS board of directors and a 30-day advertising period before going to referendum, and Brar hopes to have all that done by the end of the year. “Ideally, if things go well we would like to have a referendum this semester to be able to institute a fee for winter and have services run for the winter onwards,” she said. “That would be the ideal, but that’s contingent on a lot; it’s contingent on the working groups really nailing down a mandate in the next little bit.”
Alliance of B.C. Students want more on-campus housing In order to relieve the current inflated cost of housing for students, the Alliance of B.C. students believes that universities and college should build more on-campus housing for students. This however, cannot happen if institutions are not permitted to build capital projects by taking on debt which is currently prohibited by the provincial government. The Alliance would also like to see the government
THE CASCADE IS LOOKING FOR A FEATURES EDITOR! The Features Editor is responsible for writing and / or coordinating each issue’s feature. Applications should include a resume, cover letter, and a sample of your writing. The deadline for applications is Sept. 23. To apply, or request further information, please email mitch@ufvcascade.ca.
contribute to building projects related to student housing.
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www.ufvcascade.ca
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2016
NEWS
Experiential learning for diversity in education JOEL ROBERTSON-TAYLOR THE CASCADE
Larissa Horne, appointed to the new position of experiential learning coordinator, sees tremendous opportunity and potential in UFV’s commitments to increase experiential learning. As an experienced member of the history department since 2004, Horne has experimented with a number of experiential learning opportunities with her students in various forms and now looks to coordinate the experiential learning initiatives for UFV as a whole. Experiential learning, generally speaking, is a hands-on, interactive approach to learning that may take place in a wide variety of locations. Often moving outside of the classroom, much of the opportunities are provided within museums, laboratories, and even other countries, depending on the discipline. “It’s a type of learning where an applied component is involved,” said Horne. “For some, it’s not their cup of tea to sit through a long lecture. For this type of learner this is an exciting way to learn.” Frequently, the learning opportunity will begin in a place to learn material then require students to go out and experience the
application of the knowledge in real-world activities such as studying abroad, community involvement, or special projects designed with local or national interests in mind. Students would bring their experiences back to the classroom to follow through with assessments on what they learned and how to process that information. As universities focus more on a learnercentered approach to instructing, they will naturally become less hierarchical in their teaching format. “We’re moving away from the system where there’s an instructor coming into the classroom, lecturing, and leaving,” said Horne. “One of my goals in this mandate is to encourage faculty to create more interdisciplinary experiences.” Often employers hiring university graduates are looking for certain transferrable skill sets which are not typically attained inside the traditional classroom. Although the classroom environment has its place in much of academia, for many students, employability is a high priority. Beyond employability, part of the experiential learning opportunities is to encourage an environment of interdisciplinary experiences. A diversity in study creates a more rounded student and potentially one day a “citizen of the world.”
“I think this is where the future is, because we are moving away from prescribed learning environments and hierarchical environments,” said Horne, speaking about the influence experiential learning and multi-disciplinary
I’ve seen it first-hand how my students who I’ve taken to Europe have undergone tremendous personal growth. teaching has had on her students. “I’ve seen it first-hand how my students who I’ve taken to Europe have undergone tremendous personal growth.” “Students told us when we were coming up with our educational strategic plan, they want close interaction with faculty,” Larissa said, expanding on the 2016-20 UFV education plan. “Students are now very much our partners
in learning; we appreciate their feedback and want to adjust to their learning needs.” Experiential learning is not an uncommon concept at UFV. Many faculty members already conduct classes centered around and focused on learning opportunities requiring students to get involved with their communities by engaging and adding value through various projects. Aware of the programs already in place, Horne plans to create a comprehensive inventory of what’s already available while encouraging other instructors to be more involved though experiential learning opportunities. “The office of experiential learning coordinator is new, but the idea is not. A lot of our faculty and support services are doing this work and making it available to students and we intend to do more,” said Horne. Funded by the new for fall 2016 experiential learning and wellness fee that all students pay, the experiential learning opportunities will hopefully be beneficial for all students attending UFV. “Our goal is to deliver the most value to the students. Through this model we will be putting together more effective ways to build experiential opportunities for students, and ensuring their accessibility,” said Horne.
Finding the right fit for student focused learning UFV focuses on innovating as a learning-centered institution JOEL ROBERTSON-TAYLOR THE CASCADE
As part of UFV’s initiative to bring enhanced learning opportunities to students, the Fund for Innovative Teaching (FIT) has been created to support faculty in creating or facilitating unique curriculum designs. The fund, a maximum of $10,000 for any single project, will assist with additional investment costs associated with learning experiences considered to be innovative that extend beyond the typical sphere of curriculum development. Projects that may receive funding include inter-disciplinary, cross-faculty, technologyenhanced, and experiential learning opportunities; and while not necessarily limited to these teaching and learning practices, projects are expected to enhance student success and experiences. Examples of these innovative teaching opportunities might
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incorporate the joining of a visual arts faculty member with a welding instructor to “team teach” a class on metal art or encouraging students to engage with their community rather than in a traditional classroom. Funded projects will last for a term of one year but may result in a renewed position if successful in their outlined goals. FIT in part, comes out of the 201620 UFV education plan in which student focused learning is strongly emphasized and acknowledged to be in need of diversification. Passionately engaged in the development of FIT, Dr. Eric Davis, provost and vice president, academic commented on the fund saying, “We need to be aware of how learners are changing and how learning is changing in a rapidly changing world.” Although developing new ways of teaching is part of an instructor’s job, some projects take more time and resources to implement,
especially those so innovative and new to the faculty that additional education technology or time is required. FIT is expected to encourage faculty members to get excited about upgrading and developing professionally as educators. “The need to innovate and be aware of innovations in teaching and learning is only going to grow,” said Davis. “There’s been a revolution in cognitive science over the past three decades so we know so much more about how the brain works, how people learn, and we also know that learners are very different than they were when I was going to university.” Despite the research that has gone into improving educational environments, many faculty members at a lot of different institutions haven’t begun to embrace newer techniques better suited for the contemporary learner. The typical classroom format, while effective in some applications may not lend itself to best education in all disciplines.
“If you’re playing World of Warcraft or League of Legends … you’ve got to collaborate,” said Davis. “It’s a much more active form of learning so if someone who’s spent the past 10,12, 15 years learning that way comes into a traditional university classroom with 500 seats and they’re all faced forward to hear one person lecture … for this generation, that’s not necessarily the best way to learn.” As learning and teaching techniques change, Eric Davies expects to see UFV not only engage students with innovative and effective teaching methods, but to begin to emerge as a pioneer in developing them. “We’re an institution that I think is well placed to be innovated because we are located in a region that is rapidly growing, we are very connected to our communities,” said Davis. “I think we are positioned to be a cutting-edge institution.”
www.ufvcascade.ca
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2016
STUDY BREAK Crossword Across 1: A totally empty space, or to invalidate something 3: Best-selling solo musician of all time 5: Claw-handed X-man 7: A writing’s early version 8: An international organization, and the place Village People said it was fun to stay
Down 1: Zodiac sign with the cutest pet (this week) 2: Skill with hands or general agility 4: Title used to address a king 5: A four letter _ _ _ _ used to form a sentence 6: Ancient Japanese assassin Made by Jeff Mijo
Horoscopes
Star Signs by Sybil la Clair Sagittarius — Nov 22 to Dec 21 Three knocks at midnight will serve as the harbinger of childhood fears’ manifestation. Ready yourself.
Taurus — Apr 20 to May 20 The ice we skate is getting pretty thin. The water’s getting warm, so you might as well swim.
Virgo —Aug 23 to Sep 22 The scores are in, and your pet is definitely cuter than everyone else’s.
Capricorn — Dec 22 to Jan 19 Nothing tastes as good as reading your horoscope feels. Mmm.
Gemini — May 21 to Jun 20 Don’t just look both ways before you cross the street. Look up, too.
Libra — Sep 23 to Oct 22 You’re the most special one of all, because your zodiac symbol isn’t even alive. You’re like a robot. That’s swell.
Aquarius — Jan 20 to Feb 18 You’ll be rewarded for holding off on that haircut for another two or three days.
Cancer —Jun 21 to Jul 22 Reduce, reuse, recycle. This applies to more than you think.
Scorpio — Oct 23 to Nov 21 A deranged carnie will poison your breakfast this week to convince you to go gluten-free. Deter him by scream-singing ABBA’s “Take a Chance on Me.”
Pisces — Feb 19 to Mar 20 A great opportunity will enter your life like the Kool-Aid Man. Make it clean up the debris.
BY ANTHONY BIONDI
Leo — Jul 23 to Aug 22 Seriously, make sure you drink enough water.
SPACED
Aries — Mar 21 to Apr 19 You’re getting a lot better at those Hamilton raps you practice when you think nobody’s around
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www.ufvcascade.ca
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2016
OPINION
Curtailed commentary on current conditions
To Kellie Leitch, My most promising lackey. Bradley Peters
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Your pitch to congress about the “Canadian Values Test” for immigrants was remarkable. The corners of my mouth are twitching; I haven’t smiled this hard since 2011. I’ve been so doom and gloom about the future of my country since pretty boy Justin stole the election. He’s going to destroy the reputation I worked so hard establishing for Calgary Canada. He’s mingling with treehuggers and natives, letting those meddling scientists get in the way of our oil sand dollars, sucking up to women, and worst of all, admitting all of those Syrian terrorists with their dangerous, and just downright weird headw scarves into my country. It’s all politically correct bologna. After my conservative party regains its rightful place at the head of power — delicious, precious power — I want little sunny Justin to be the first to take the Canadian values test. Then he’ll learn the true values of my country. Well, I’ve got to go; I’m meeting Donald this afternoon to talk about his exceptional wall. Sincerely, Your spiritual conservative leader, Stephen Joseph-Banks Harper
So you know how there are late-night news anchors, early-morning new show hosts, and the bunch of middleaged white men that host late night television? As far as I know, each one of those types keeps odd schedules in order to do their work. I’m wondering, with the magic of timezones and the internet, why don’t those late nighters and early morningers just live a timezone or two over? The 6:00 a.m. breakfast show in Los Angeles could be hosted by some folks that secretly live in New York who don’t have to get up at 5:00 a.m. for work, but instead rely on the cool, two-hour time difference and get up at 7:00 a.m. instead. All they do is sit in a studio and talk at a camera, and that can be done from anywhere! Please don’t tell anyone about this, I want to take the credit myself and cash in on the millions of cool points I’ll get from networks for pitching them this idea.
Shower thoughts Mitch Huttema
PS. I never thanked you for leading the charge on that barbaric cultural practices hotline. Well, until next time, Stevie
Lil Shitter is a Big Sweetie Panku Sharma
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So, I got my first kitten this summer because my girlfriend’s cat Stanley was lonely, and since moving into a new place we finally had the room. Mila MiamiSandals Sharma-Gray has been a handful since, but really opened my eyes to what I missed out on by not having pets as a child. Sure, she occasionally has digestive issues that means she starts frothing from her butt (something about anal glands) and pooping all over our white carpet. And of course, because she makes the saddest mew sounds when we lock her in the bathroom we put down a dozen towels in the guest room and sleep with her so she doesn’t feel abandoned and resent us as a teenager. Sure, I can’t safely leave out cardboard, paper, wires, food, dairy, or at this rate even furniture without it being thoroughly investigated and attacked. But it’s all worth it, because she inspires so many goofy sounds and cuteness-induced aggression that I reconsider if I was ever fully emotionally developed before I got her. What I’m getting at here is if you live in the Westridge area I’m collecting signatures to change strata bylaws to increase the allowed number of small pets per household from two to 20 — and that I now completely understand why people buy sweaters with their cat’s faces on them.
Wish Me Well Jeff Mijo
Living in the country isn’t all it’s made out to be. Yeah, I can’t see my neighbours and deer visit my yard every day. Cool. But after 23 years of that, the charm wears off and I just want reliable water. My house has two wells, but they’re old and shallow. While the main one works most of the year, summer is always a balancing act, trying to use as little water as possible while living a normal life. Sometimes it’s not enough, so I eat off paper plates and don’t shower as much as would be ideal in over 30°C weather. When it runs dry, the spare well fills in, with its stinking, greenish liquid that can’t possibly be safe to put out for my cats. As for human drinking water? Year round, it comes from a water cooler, with jugs that need to be refilled weekly in town — a 20-minute drive away! During the hottest summers, both wells run dry simultaneously. No more hand-washing — it’s all hand sanitizer. If I want a shower, I’ll use a friend’s. Need to flush the toilet? Fill a bucket from the grimy pond and pour it into the tank. So before you complain there wasn’t enough sun this summer, please think of the people like me who were able to shower year round. We appreciate it, as does anyone close enough to smell us. Illustrations: Amara Gelaude
www.ufvcascade.ca
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2016
OPINION
The SUB is helping to increase student engagement MIRANDA LOUWERSE CONTRIBUTOR
UFV has historically been a lowengagement campus. With the majority of the student population commuting to and from school, it has always been a struggle to motivate people to stick around longer than they need to. However, over the past few years, it seems to me that the campus has slowly become more engaged. The most recent Student Union Society (SUS) elections saw more than one candidate running for each of the executive positions; a change from recent years. The student population took notice, resulting in a recordhigh voter turnout. With the SUS by-election process now underway, it will be interesting to see how the open positions are filled. A more subjective observation is that people seem to be more interested in joining clubs. I’ve been tabling at the past few U-Join events, and it seems that every time, more students come out. This past week we saw 20 new people sign up for our club, which is more than our current members. Of course, not all of those people will show up to the events, but most of them were excited to sign up. And it’s not just one club. Other clubs and groups I talked to have also seen more people signing up to get involved.
There are concrete reasons why I think this increase in engagement is the case. The one I think has the biggest effect is the space provided by the new Student Union Building (SUB). No longer are the SUS office, CIVL radio, The Cascade newspaper, Student Life, and other services and means to get involved tucked away in far off corners of campus. They’re easily found in an open building that welcomes students to hang out, study, and engage in the campus life. When the SUB first opened, it took people a while to warm up to it, even graduating students who had spent years at this campus and seen the construction progress seemed confused about where they were supposed to get their U-Pass, campus cards, or student advising. Those students had created habits from years past, staying in the same buildings and places on campus and going home as soon as classes finished. The new students don’t have these habits. The SUB is introduced to them during NSO (New Student Orientation) as a place to spend time and get involved. I think that as the old students leave and new ones come in, the SUB will get more and more use. As a result, it will be easier for students to see the opportunities to get involved and know about events that are happening. For clubs and associations, the SUB provides a convenient and
Photo: UFV Flickr
visible place to hold events as new and varied foot traffic will increase their event attendance. When I went to NSO in 2012; we toured the campus, but we didn’t go to see several key services or learn specifically how and where to get involved. I was on campus in The Cascade office when NSO happened this year, and when the new students came into the office, a staff member was there to greet them and tell them about the newspaper and how to get involved. I didn’t do that
when I went to NSO. I didn’t even know that there was a newspaper. Maybe these observations are biased. I’m a pretty serious introvert and during my first few years at UFV, I didn’t put any effort into getting involved on campus. The campus never seemed to be a welcoming place where I could hang out for hours and get homework done. It was when I started working on campus and getting involved that I started to see how much UFV has to offer in terms of engagement.
I’m not saying you have to join clubs or always be on campus. But in my experience, putting a little time into the opportunities that arise on campus has been worth more in terms of personal growth than going to class. So to reiterate what so many others have already said: get involved! At the very least just hang out for a few moments — you’ll be surprised by the community that is already there, waiting for you to join them.
The meme dream redeems PANKU SHARMA THE CASCADE
It’s easy to be dismissive of most things that happen on the internet. Fads come and go at a quicker rate than in the real world, as we rush to consume and contribute at a speeding pace to keep the chemicals in our brains stirring, our attention stimulated. Commentators have given their hot take, lambasted internet culture and memes specifically as contributing little action and having no purpose other than entertainment. I mean, sure, neither “Pepe the Frog” or “Dat Boi” got me exceptionally involved in the fight to save our wetlands (do WE here even have wetlands? I only know them from Dexter and that episode of Magic School Bus) but I think the negativity needs to be tempered by a
deeper understanding of the role memes play in developing culture and what their benefits are. To say the sharing of memes, ideas, doesn’t produce quantifiable results is wrong — unless we are also going to channel the same negativity towards political rhetoric, slogans, well wishes, or other shareable statements in general. While those often remain static and shallow, memes change along the way. Whether there is a result, whether the shared item is “educational” is dependent entirely on the person consuming the item. While for some, getting our “Dicks out for Harambe” is a passing joke, for others (such as myself ) it’s a call to think critically about the value of life and justice. If we explore the idea of memes being art (they produce feeling and encourage reflection), than I posit that they are a truer and more honest genre than most. There are
few arbiters and gatekeepers of meme-ry, and everyone has equal access to the tools required. There aren’t payola schemes, endorsements, record executives, or indie darlings that decide what is and isn’t popular. If you go to sources, such as 4chan, you realize the selflessness in producing memes. They are all anonymous, no one stands to benefit in fame or profit; they are producing for the love of laughter. Memes are social tools that can transcend obstacles such as politics and identity that often keep us closed off from each other. A meme is a meme only if it is shared, if individuals can come together to react to it, whether in humor, irony, or hostility. Memes and their proliferation encourage creativity, and for individuals to give some of themselves unto the platform. We all have our dicks out in different ways, our dodges all have different words, and Dat Boi is in
different scenarios. In his essay “A Defense of Form: Internet Memes and Confucian Ritual” Nicholas Brown suggests that the critique of art’s value should examine “how well an idea or piece promotes an active, creative, and critical relationship to a person’s own experiences,” which is shown through meme’s constant adaption and fluidity. I leave you with this: while low-art is easy it is art nonetheless, and I think that when we put it down we miss the opportunity to truly engage with and help steer a medium and form that has gained fresh ground right before our eyes. Let us take off our pretentious frame rims and sleeve tattoos, and celebrate the fact that memes are popular, widespread, and easy to make.
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Time Management: A guide f Chop it up Break down your work into manageable bits. Don’t sit for hours slogging through work, take regular intermissions. Some people prefer 15 minutes blocks, some like hour long chunks. Find what works for you and then go with it.
Sync your schedule Keep your appointments, deadlines and classes in a Google or Apple calendar that syncs to the web. Then when your phone or laptop inevitably crashes, the internet will save you.
Stick to your own work Don’t cover for group members unless they vehemently ask you to. If you get caught up doing other peoples work they assume you will do so in the future. Your job is yours, their job is theirs.
Get outside Even if you really don’t wanna, even if you’re tired, step outside and ride a bike, go for a hike, dose up on some good old vitamin D.
Organize all the things Design/Illustration by: Brittany Cardinal Written by: Mitch Huttema
Clean up your computers, make folder systems for each class, and seperate work, personal, and school files into seperate folders. The same goes for your posessions. When you know where your things are, leaving for class on time isn’t as much of a hassle.
or the stressed out student Don’t watch the clock, but do Try not to clock watch as you go through your work, it makes work drag on and on. At the same time, avoid working too late into the night. All nighters cripple your brain and reflexes making you dull for the next day. If you do work into the evening use a screen filter app that tints your screen yellow. It is now common knowledge that blue light affects your sleep patterns negatively. Flux is a free option for macs, most iPhones have Nightshift mode, and Colorveil is a good choice for Windows users.
Conquer your email Make folders and keep your main inbox clean. Inbox fatigue is the quickest way to miss things and leads to stress when its full. Either answer emails as soon as you get them, or sit down each day and set aside time to get through them all.
Seperate your spaces Don’t work in your bedroom if you can help it! Seperate work from play so that your brain doesn’t get confused and continue to fire on all cylinders when all you want it to do is shut up and go to sleep.
Take personal time As important as it is to get work done, you are a human and you will only make it far if you stop every once in a while. Set aside time every day for you to do you, and try, if you can, to have a block of several hours one day a week to just recreate and leave the work and school things behind.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2016
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CULTURE & EVENTS
Days for doughnuts, dogs, and doubloons JEFF MIJO
THE CASCADE
Tired of logging onto social media and being surprised that it’s international SOMETHING day? The Cascade has your back with a few upcoming celebrations of the mundane, innocuous, or just weird parts of life. Wednesday, September 14: Cream Filled Doughnut Day With the school year getting into full swing, nobody’s going to make a special trip to the bakery just to track down a cream filled doughnut or two (or five). So I channelled all of my investigative journalism skills to look into the campus’s Tim Hortons and assess their offerings in preparation for this important day. Their creamfilled offerings were slim. One, to be precise. The classic Boston cream. I purchased one, along with a st rawberr y-f i l led doughnut for good measure. As someone who doesn’t eat a lot of Tim Hortons, both doughnuts surprised me in a positive way. The dough was soft and light, and the sweet chocolate on the Boston cream mixed well with it. The fillings, however, are the reason for this celebration. The strawberry was quite sweet, almost too much so, while the Boston cream had the opposite problem — I wouldn’t call it bland, but it was subtle, almost lost behind the chocolate. Despite that, I enjoyed both and can heartily recommend seeking them out. At their low cost of just $2.08 for the pair, the campus Tim Hortons offers an affordable and convenient way for you join in with the Cream Filled Doughnut Day celebrations.
Saturday, September 17: Responsible Dog Ownership Day Hopefully all of you dog owners take good care of your pups every day of the year, so why not take this Saturday to make sure you’re ready to keep your pet safe and healthy in the event of a disaster? We’re always hearing about portable emergency preparedness kits for when the big earthquake hits, but those stories rarely mention taking care of our furry friends. When assembling a dog-focused kit, obviously the first priority should be making sure you have enough food and water for several days, as well as a can opener if needed. But don’t forget you may need to travel, especially if your home is damaged. A good leash is essential, and for a smaller dog, a pet carrier could save you a lot of effort. The B.C. SPCA recommends printed, recent photos of your pets in case they get lost, as well as a copy of their vaccination history. If you end up separated from your beloved pooch, an ID tag with your phone number is the best way to ensure you’ll be reunited. And of course, don’t forget to include some bags to clean up after your dog! It’s easy to put off assembling emergency kits, but if a disaster strikes, you’ll be glad to have your faithful hound safe and ready. Monday, September 19: Talk Like a Pirate Day One of the most widely known “weird” celebrations, Talk Like a Pirate Day seems to be slipping off of people’s radar compared to its massive popularity over the past decade. Perhaps we’re growing tired of just yelling “arr” and “avast” while claiming our credit cards are doubloons. In an effort to preserve the novelty of this occasion, here are a few slightly more obscure pirate words to work into your conversations: Picaroon: a pirate, or otherwise roguish person. Nipperkin: either a small cup, or the (usually alcoholic) drink it holds. Hornswaggle: to cheat, trick, or otherwise deceive someone. Cackle fruit: a chicken’s egg. Scuttlebutt: originally a cask of drinking water, it now means to gossip, because sailors would gather around it to chat. The original water cooler! While you may not be keen on wearing an eye patch to class on Monday, pulling out one of these words is certain to make you sound like the salty seadog you always knew you could be. Or at least draw some confused looks
the
CASCADE
is looking for a Varsity Writer! The Varsity Writer is responsible for compiling sports scores and the upcoming games schedule, and writing at least one sports story per issue. Applications should include a resume, cover letter, and a sample of your writing. The deadline for applications is Sept. 23. To apply, or request further information, please email mitch@ufvcascade.ca.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
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Bejamin O’Keefe Lecture @ UFV Great Hall, 4PM
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Eid Al-Adha @ SUS 5:30PM
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Envision Concert Fall Series: 6 Degrees @ House of James 7PM
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Spoken Word Sunday @ Spotted Owl 7PM Terry Fox Run @ Tradex 10AM
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Scholarly Sharing Initiative @ UFV U House 1:15
www.ufvcascade.ca
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2016
CULTURE & EVENTS En Route to UFV New campus club aims to bring students together through travel
Photo: En Route Facebook page
VANESSA BROADBENT
THE CASCADE
With barely enough time to finish the endless amount of assignments and papers that come with attending university, throwing sightseeing into the mix can seem like just too much. But En Route, a new travel tourism club on campus, is trying to make traveling in the Lower Mainland more affordable and convenient for UFV students. “We wanted to start this travel tourism club in the school based out of campus,” Savannah Waite, the club’s secretary, said. “University is not just being on campus, it’s beyond that. This
is our idea of taking everybody elsewhere with people who live here.” The club, which has only recently been approved as a club with the Student Union Society, will host monthly day trips. “We’re for domestic and international students,” Waite said. “We want to have that intercultural connection with all students. Not only are we going to Vancouver, for example, you can talk to people that live here and connect with them that way.” The idea for the club came from En Route president Preet Sahota’s time working for UFV International, where she noticed a need for the group on campus.
“All the students said that they wanted to get the whole city experience, but they don’t have the transportation to get there and back,” she said. “We wanted to make that accessible for students.” The group will operate independently from UFV International, which also hosts trips for international students to places such as Service Canada, but without the tourism aspect. “We’re trying to bring in the whole tourist component of it,” Sahota said. “We have an entertainer, headsets, souvenirs, stuff like that.” Along with providing transportation, Sahota and the rest of the En Route team is also working to keep all trip costs as low as possible.
“We want students to go at a very low cost so we’re trying to get all the funding that we can,” she said. “We really want to have students go at a low price.” Although the club has only been in operation since the start of this semester, they’ve already garnered a lot of interest on campus. “So many people have been signing up,” Waite said. “It’s really cool, they’ve been looking for something like this.” En Route’s first trip will be on Sept. 30. For more information or to register email enrouteufv@gmail.com, or visit their Facebook page at facebook.com/enrouteufv.
Looking back at Welcome Week To celebrate the first week of classes and show new students what UFV’s all about, the Student Union Society hosted their annual Welcome Week. With a carnival, free lunch, paint night, and a movie marathon, there was something for every student. New this year was Oxjam, a concert outside of the Student Union Building hosted by Oxfam and featuring Douse, Kris Orlowski, and the Sylvia Platters.W
Photo: Mitch Huttema
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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2016
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www.ufvcascade.ca
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ARTS IN REVIEW GAME REVIEW
Shuffle
CHARTS 1
Angel Olsen My Woman
2
Blessed Blessed
3
Aleem Khan Urbana Champaign
4
Preoccupations Anxiety [single]
Arlo Guthrie Alice's Restaurant
5
The Pack A.D. Positive Thinking
This song has some seriously foul language in it, and in utilizing said words, draws some incredibly offensive imagery with regards to non-consent, familial relations, and other uncomfortable circumstances that have nothing at all to do with a restaurant. But you can have anything you want. It's Woody's Son.
6
Jessy Lanza Oh No
7
Dan Mangan Unmake
8
Anvil Anvil Is Anvil
9
Majid Jordan Majid Jordan
10
Tricky Skilled Mechanics
11
Duke Robillard Blues Full Circle
12
Cheap High Picture Disk
13
Brendan Canning Home Wrecking Years
14
Rae Spoon Jump With Your Eyes Closed
15
The Albertans Legends of Sam Marco
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Allah-Las Calico Review
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Tough Tits Hairless
18
Glass Animals How to be a Human Being
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PandaTooth Undertake Melody (single)
AARON LEVY STATION MANAGER
In honour of the Canoe opening back up full time this week, CIVL station manager Aaron Levy invites you to come on up and dig in! Then come check out the CIVL studios right next door!
Billy Joel Scenes from an Italian Restaurant If anyone wants, I'd really love to re-enact this — I'm fairly certain already shuffled — 1970's Billy Joel classic, right here at UFV's Student Union Building (SUB) in the Canoe. I get the bottle of red, you get the white, and we make fun of rosé. I'll break out into boogie woogie jams. Prince and the Revolution Nothing Compares 2 U Also previously shuffled, the specific fancy restaurant reference here warrants this re-appearance. You could eat your dinner there, or you could eat your dinner right here, on campus at the Canoe instead, where you can cry just as loud, and nobody will think it's so weird, cause it's university! I Mother Earth Three Days Old From the classic I Mother Earth album, entitled Scenery and Fish, you can certainly enjoy both right here in Abbotsford, with no fear that the lobster will be under-cooked. While the song itself exclaims "The scenery and fish, they're bad,” that won't be the case here! UFV Abby's gorgie!
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Aesop Rock The Impossible Kid
Are game developers taking advantage of us with preplanned DLC?
KAT MARUSIAK THE CASCADE
We all love getting more of a good thing, right? But what happens when the line between the original thing and addons and extras starts to blur? Over the years, gamers have become accustomed to things such as the “special” and / or “complete” editions of old games being released, “collector’s” editions that include various bonuses for a higher price, and always being urged to pre-order. (Which, given how many copies of games are usually released on the official date, would almost seem pointless now were it not for the small bonuses that are usually offered as incentive.) In today's gaming world, many are becoming slightly sick of the ever growing popularity of downloadable content (DLC), and the rise of the “season pass”: a more recent offering for many games that involves making a single payment that will allow you to download any / all previous and subsequent DLC and add-ons to be released in the future. These passes, like buying most things in bulk, offer a better bargain than if you were to buy all new content coming out separately. However, there are several issues with this that have been called into question. In some instances, developers will make certain promises regarding the release of, and future additions to, their games to help entice people to preorder or buy both the game and the season pass. Sometimes, they fail to deliver, and the offer that missing features may be added in later updates or even as DLC (which would likely come at a cost) is not exactly an acceptable solution, especially with new, full-price games, which generally cost around $79.99 CAD. In the case of No Man’s Sky, released in August by Hello Games for PS4 and PC, a failure to meet customer’s expectations and some promises understandably caused a lot of backlash. So much so, in fact, that in a rather unprecedented move, both Sony and Steam actually offered full refunds to those who has purchased the game, regardless of hours played. So how much initial original content, what level of replayability, how many hours of gameplay are required for a game to be considered worth that price? And are the extras really just extras, or are they things that those not purchasing future content may feel were vital, and should have been included in the original? In many instances, it feels as though the release of a game is rushed so that it can already be on the market while further development still continues. Games are now being produced with future DLC already in mind. It seems not only unfair, but sloppy and unprofessional to release an unfinished, potentially broken product only to then charge more for gameplay aspects that should have
already been included or completed before the product was ever offered to the public in the first place. (Let alone having to go so far as to offer a refund to try to make up for the blunder.) So much also comes down to the personal tastes of the individual gamers. For example, last November, Bethesda released the very successful Fallout 4. As a long-time Fallout fan, I couldn't wait to play (it had been five years since the last game in the series had been released), and purchased both it and the season pass for $39.99 right away when it arrived. I felt confident it would be worth it to me, and Bethesda promised there would be plenty of additional add-ons coming. I personally fell absolutely in love with the game, and was thrilled when it was announced that they were planning even more extra content than originally expected. However, at the same time, it was also announced that due to this, the price of the season pass would be raised to $69.99. Though still a deal compared to buying each add-on separately, this seemed an awfully drastic increase. Bethesda then promised — and has since delivered — six DLC extras for Fallout 4 which range in price from $4.99 to $34.99. Gamers were given a small period of time to buy the pass before the price hike, but many people having to pay the new price were still left feeling somewhat taken advantage of. Now, as for myself, I feel the price I paid for the season pass was (and even the individual prices are) fair / justifiable. I would have still felt I got my money’s worth paying the higher price. (Undoubtedly their hopes when they raised it.) However, not all fans feel the same. Some were disappointed with the specific content because it didn't personally interest them, or wasn't exactly what they expected. Some felt certain content should have been included in the original game, or should be free. But unless the developers lied in some way, made some empty promises, is their really a strong argument for such complaints? The game did seem to contain just as much as is considered average to be worth the typical full price, and no one is forced to purchase the season pass. One could wait to see what comes out before purchasing, and then only buy what interests them. The ability to update and add to games means DLC is likely here to stay, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. But the gaming community will have to decide with our feedback and our wallets where we draw the line between getting more out of a game and just letting ourselves be taken advantage of, which leaves gamers (especially those of lower income) needing to do even more research and close consideration before they discern whether or not to buy.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2016
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ARTS IN REVIEW
S undBites
Kris Orlowski
July Talk
Often in the Pause
You may have heard Kris Orlowski play at Oxfam's Oxjam last week. That's where I first heard of him, took an interest, and then gave his latest album a shot. The first track on the album, “Something’s Missing” is as close to country as I will likely ever admit to liking. To be honest, it really is more folk than anything, but there are a few country twang vibes on this record that don't resonate with me how I usually like them to. “Walking in My Sleep” is the next entry on the album and it takes a turn into a tone that is reminiscent of vanilla Christian rock. This is the kind of music you'd assume to hear on the radio: it's clean, characteristically millennial, and has all the necessary things in all the right places. What I'm trying to say is, you haven't heard this before but you will feel like you have. Orlowski takes on a bit of a John Mayer vibe at times, though thematically he is less about cracking a beer on the front porch and traipsing through
Mini album reviews
Touch the wonderland of his partner’s body. As I was listening to Often in the Pause someone overheard the intro to “Enough” and mistook it for Carly Rae Jepsen — the characteristic “millennial whoop” is there. (If you don’t know what that is, Google it, there’s a great little video on it by Quartz.) This album makes for great background music for studying, and if you give it time has plenty of interesting ideas to think on. Orlowski shifts in tone throughout the album, moving from melancholy, to delicate, then on to beauty. Orlowski exercises his excellent vocal range and each song has elaborate production. Often in the Pause is more than just singer-songwriter and folky vibes, but it lacks the steam to be something that is unique and distinguishable from much of the other empty, millennial indie that is floating through the airwaves at this point in time.
You wouldn't normally think that two lead voices, one an almost guttural, raspy growl at times, and the other high, smooth, and sweet would result in a perfect combination of sounds, but the hard, abrasive elements and more calm, harmonious ones come together in an incredibly powerful way. Peter Dreimanis’ rough, aggressive vocals are like a raging fire, kept in check by Leah Fay’s lovely, dulcet tones. As with their eponymous debut album, the songs on Touch are packed full of emotion and all have their own feel and character, displaying the diversity of July Talk’s style. Both the music and lyrics are impactful and memorable — you'll likely find yourself humming or singing a song hours later. “Picturing Love” and “Push + Pull” are incredibly catchy and almost demand to be danced to, and Dreimanis screaming (and Fay whispering) variations of “She loves me, she loves me not / He
loves me, he loves me not” during “Beck + Call” can easily induce goosebumps. Killer bass, hard beats, and electric guitar licks are found throughout, and the implementation of piano, keyboard, and several different percussion instruments makes their music even more fresh and stand-out amid the sea of often generic sounds found on the radio today. Dreimanis and Fay both show off their vocal range as well, often switching up roles; some examples including him cooling down a bit during soft, hypnotic “Strange Habit” and parts of the bewitching “Touch,” and her unleashing a little more in-your-face aggression for “So Sorry” and “Johnny + Mary.” Touch is a beautifully passionate album about relationships, loneliness, longing, and the desire to feel connected — a line from “Now I Know” summarizes this overarching theme rather well: “Everybody living is dying for love.” Kat Marusiak
Mitch Huttema
Medevil
Crystal Castles
Conductor Of Storms
Amnesty (I)
I was really excited for this new Crystal Castles record, I really was. I even knew that Alice Glass had been replaced, and when “Char” (the only single I really paid any attention to) came along, I shrugged off its shiny, almost Chvrches-like glamour. And while the rest of the record does vary (take the mid-2000s rave-ready “Enth,” for example), none of it quite catches my attention like previous releases did. The industrial noise background is still there, but the simple catchiness of tracks like “Baptism,” which
turned Alice’s unintelligible screaming into one of the most danceable vocal additions to a track I’d heard in a while, are nowhere to be seen. Maybe the tracks on Amnesty (I) are just too subdued for me. But it might also be that when Alice Glass walked away from the duo, she took the Crystal out of Crystal Castles. Now we’re just left with Castles. Where’s the fun in that? Castles are boring, man. Martin Castro
I’m not a big fan of metal — I like some metal bands, but I’m hardly an authority. I think my distaste for the genre has something to do with it being without groove. I’m aware that’s a gross generalization, as evidenced by my pleasant surprise at Chilliwack (!) metal outfit Medevil’s latest record Conductor of Storms. If anything, this is quite grounded; guttural vocals aren’t overbearing and the instrumental aspects of songs like opened
“Nightwalk” are varied enough to avoid being shrugged off as repetitive. And where riffs are repetitive, such as on “An Empty Glass,” they’re tight and funky. The opening riff of “An Empty Glass” could be mistaken for a funk / jazz fusion outing if it weren’t for the distortion announcing a distinctly harder genre at play. And what’s more, it’s local! Martin Castro
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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2016
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ARTS IN REVIEW TV REVIEW
Why the Upside-Down is closer than you might think CHRISTOPHER TOWLER CONTRIBUTOR
"The Vale of Shadows is a dimension that is a dark reflection or echo of our world," Dustin reads. "It is a place of decay and death. It is right next to you and you don't even see it …" Stranger Things spoilers — Do not read if you have not watched! By now, unless you’ve been actively attempting to hide from the outside world, you’ve almost definitely heard of Netflix’s newest, most popular binge-worthy series: Stranger Things. What might seem more apt as an indie cult status hit, this pastiche of the ‘80s, borrowing heavily from The Goonies, Twin Peaks, and E.T., has been catapulted into the forefront of popular culture. Yet, while Stranger Things is influenced by a great many classic films, this is not the sole reason for its success. No, there is something more about Stranger Things to which it owes its spot in popular consciousness. Stranger Things effectively taps into a much larger widely held fear: that of isolation, disconnection, and alienation.
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When Will is transported to the “UpsideDown” for the first time, his disappearance is total. He completely vanishes from this world without a trace. Yet over time, Will is able to make contact with home: intermittent and fragmented telephone calls, flickering lights, even a brief appearance from the other side. But despite these little gestures, Will’s disconnect is total. Despite his best attempts, his efforts at communication are muddled, filtered, like light shining through a grate. Present, but twisted and distorted. “Like home … like home but dark. Dark and empty … and cold.” This is how Will describes the Upside-Down. It is a world much like our own, where everything looks the same but is slightly different, shifted just ever so slightly as to feel completely alien. For anyone who has ever endured loss, trauma, or great suffering, perhaps this description doesn’t sound so unfamiliar. Those struggling with anxiety or depression disorders often struggle to express the great depths of the inner turmoil which they experience daily; existing in a world very much like the one that normal people seem to occupy but yet cold and dark and very, very empty. It paints
a picture of the world as felt by the lonely and avoidant. It can feel as though you are somehow simultaneously present in the world and yet completely removed from it, moving through daily life like a ghost on a different plane. Others may stop and try to understand, and this is helpful-but all trauma is at heart deeply personal, and your best attempts to try and express the true depths of your feelings might as well come across as a set of blinking lights highlighting single letters to form simple sentences as you attempt to compress it all into the inadequacy of language. This is perhaps best exemplified by Will when he reveals to his mother that he is simply “right here” and yet is nowhere to be found. Will, like those who suffer from trauma or illness, is simultaneously here and a million miles away. This is reflected to us in the characters of Stranger Things, it’s not just Will who is lost in the Upside-Down. Take Hopper, for example. A father who lost his daughter to (presumably) cancer, Hopper’s reality is shifted. He exists in the waking world, following the predictable motions of the everyday. But the suffering caused from his loss alienates and isolates him from those around him.
They are able to sympathize, but unable to truly understand the kind of pain that accompanies such a tragedy. Jonathan too, is another example, having lived through his parent’s turbulent marriage and traumatic divorce. Shouldering the burdens of his deadbeat father, Jonathan’s experience singles him out from the happier families in the world around him. “It is right next to you and you don’t even see it.” These are the words which Dustin uses to describe the Upside-Down, an eerily accurate summation of just how easily normal, everyday life can be flipped by the unexpected: by loss, grief, loneliness, or illness. We often go about our lives as though we are invincible, pretending that we are infallible, that we are immune from the ills of our world. Yet Stranger Things taps into a subconscious fear lurking in the back of our minds: the ease with which our lives can be turned Upside-Down. Author’s Note: This piece was inspired by writer Emily L. Stephens over at the AV club for her Stranger Things review series.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2016
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ARTS IN REVIEW ALBUM REVIEW
Nick Cave’s Skeleton Tree is the saddest thing you’ll listen to all year. And you should really listen to it. MARTIN CASTRO THE CASCADE
Nick Cave has always been a strikingly candid lyricist. He gives you the picture and it’s clearcut and sometimes it’s dreary, sometimes it’s sad, sometimes it’s violent. But it’s always clear and half-sung, half-spoken with that deep, gravelly voice of his, quivering with passion. Skeleton Tree is no different. Except that halfway through the recording of the record, Cave’s 15-year-old son fell to his death off a cliff in Brighton. Skeleton Tree is not a happy record. And Cave’s loss is explicitly felt throughout the entirety of the material on the album. If you’re looking for an album that’s diverse, keep looking. Compared to the coldly romanticized violence of Murder Ballads, and the impassioned narratives concerning love and lust on Let Love In, Skeleton Tree hits only one note, and keeps on hitting it, despite the hopefulness of its arc: grief. Interestingly, much of the production on Skeleton Tree makes use of cold synths and sustained strings, and messily-defined echoes and vocal samples. There’s little to no musical structure or backbone in “Jesus Alone,” for example, other than Cave’s grave, tired voice, which at one point proclaims: “You believe in God, but you get no
special dispensation for this belief now. / You’re an old man sitting by the fire, hear the mist rolling off the sea. / You’re a distant memory in the mind of your creator, don’t you see?” And then the simple chorus: “With my voice / I am calling you.” The rest of the record is just as devastated. Much of the instrumentals on the record are murky, which I believe appropriately reflect on Cave’s state of mind during recording: this man’s grief permeates absolutely every second of Skeleton Tree, and if we’re being honest here, the record gets hard to listen to at some points. It doesn’t get happier as it progresses, all we get is more grief. “I was an electrical storm on the bathroom floor, clutching the bowl / My blood was for the gags and other people’s diseases,” Cave recites on “Magneto,” a track that’s unflinchingly a product of grief. It’s at this point that it starts dawning on the listener, on me, just how perverted this whole thing is. Here’s a man being torn apart, literally telling me: “Oh, the urge to kill somebody was basically overwhelming. I had such hard blues down there in the supermarket queues.” And here I am, not exactly being “entertained,” although entertainment is what many might say music is for. (It’s not called the entertainment industry for nothing.) There was a moment while listening to
this record, on the song “I Need You” where Cave, voice quivering, tries to hit a moderately high note, and absolutely misses it. His voice catches. He’s nowhere near the note he needs to be at. But keeps singing. And as he moans “Nothing really matters, not even today / No matter how hard I try” I realized he was sobbing. There’s nothing glamorous about it. We’re simply listening to a man drowning in grief, trying to do something and realizing that he can’t do anything. “They told us our dreams would outlive us,” Cave muses on “Distant Sky.” “They told us our gods would outlive us. But they lied.” The last track on the record, “Skeleton Tree,” is the most fleshed out instrumentally. A piano and light drum kit push us along the synth backing. The imagery, however, is just as, if not more disjointed than that of the songs that precede it. But we are presented with a more passive image than before, of a tree “pressed against the sky.” As the instrumental sort of fades out passively around him, Cave ends the record, this monolith of suffering, by repeating “And it’s alright now” three times. I’m not sure I believe that. I’m not sure he believes that. But I think he’s trying to.
CONCERT REVIEW
Abby goes metal - 5 Finger Death Punch and Papa Roach KLARA CHMELAROVA CONTRIBUTOR
When it comes to hard music concerts it doesn’t matter if it’s Haggard performing orchestral neo-classical metal in a fancy concert hall with 100 violinists or wild pagan metal played by an unnamed band standing on soap boxes in a random cellar. You’re usually in for one hell of a ride. So let’s see if Abby’s evening of Papa Roach and 5FDP took us for one. Abbotsford Centre’s concert hall isn’t too big, and except for fans of various shapes and sizes it’s filled with smoke and the scent of popcorn, providing more the atmosphere of a cinema than that of a concert. After a 30-minute wait that all changes as a bass guitar vibrates the floor. Starting band From Ashes to New came all the way from Lancaster to teach us in B.C. how rap metal is done! They weren’t bad per say, but two factors played against them: for one, it was obvious From Ashes to New were still a bit wet behind the ears. Second, they were the opening act and most of the audience was saving their strength for either Papa Roach or 5 Finger Death Punch. Another band, this time natives from L.A., SIXX AM had a bigger fan base among the crowd and it was pretty clear. The mixture of Bon Jovi (I swear SIXX AM’s lead singer looked like a Bon Jovi ripoff) with Skillet got me jumping, even though I’d never heard them before. (Their song “Life Is Beautiful” still runs through my head as I’m typing this.) But, without further ado, let’s talk Photo: Klara Chmelarova
about two huge names shielding this whole fun. Papa Roach, originally from sunny shores of California, delivered probably one of the best shows I’ve ever seen. Jacoby was not about to stay on that stage like it was just too small, and regularly jumped into the crowd, running around the arena, hugging concertgoers and shaking hands with maddened people and singing bits of songs just for them. At one point he proceeded to climb onto the mixing table and sing “Scars” just with his hurt voice. The band didn’t lose its swing before the end either, saying goodbye as Jacoby crowd surfed while still singing without even a hitched breath. After what Papa Roach showed, it was hard to believe 5FDP could trump them. And they didn’t because they didn’t have to. Bringing to the stage a totally different vibe, they took their 5 fingers and punched us right into the land of straightforward heavy metal. I still don’t understand how Ivan switches from dark, raspy growling to a gentle and broken voice that makes you want to hug him. But it worked amazingly well, especially during “Wash It All Away,” which makes you feel like crying and jumping on top of your seat at the same time. The lads from Nevada definitely stood up to the expectations that preceded them. To wrap it up, when you come home and feel more energetic than you did before the concert it’s a sign that the roof was properly blown off the joint. I am intrigued to see whether Slayer and Anthrax next month will do the same.
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UFV PRESIDENT’S LEADERSHIP LECTURE SERIES
Thurs, Sept 15 | 4 pm Great Hall Student Union Building UFV Abbotsford campus
Benjamin O’Keefe OUR STORIES: A VOICE FOR THE VOICELESS
He survived bullying and recovered from a suicide attempt. He forced major corporations in America to make big changes. Now he wants to help you tell your story. UFV President Mark Evered and the Coast Capital Savings Peer Resource and Leadership Centre at UFV are pleased to welcome guest speaker Benjamin O’Keefe. O’Keefe is a speaker, writer, and activist who advocates for marginalized groups
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and encourages young people to find their voice and use their story to create change in the world. He has appeared on Good Morning America, NPR, and the BBC. He is a contributor to the Huffington Post, The LA Times, The Guardian, and many more publications. RSVP at ufv.ca/ben-okeefe and be entered to win one of five $50 UFV bookstore gift cards. This event is free and open to everyone.