The Cascade, Volume 31, Issue 1

Working through the holidays since 1993

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 other Wednesday with a print circulation of 800 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. Pitch meetings will be digital for the remainder of the semester. Please email managing@ufvcascade.ca to be put on the assignment email list.

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 200 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.

Editorial //

The Cascade: paying contributors since 2023

JEFF MIJO-BURCH

This is my final article as editorin-chief of The Cascade, but I have some really exciting news to share on my way out: as of this issue, our humble independent newspaper will begin paying our contributors $20 for every article you see published in this paper from a current student.

The Cascade, like other student publications, has two groups of people writing the words you find in these pages. On the left of this editorial, you’ll see the masthead, a list of everyone who played a part in this issue. First are our contracted staff, who have specific titles, regular responsibilities, and are paid a set rate every issue. Below that you’ll see our contributors, who can be any student or alumni who submits an article.

In the past, contributing has been voluntary. We provide a chance to have work published, to understand the news media process, and have mentorship from our editors. But to be honest, that isn’t enough. We believe that people should be

paid for their labour, and that The Cascade should use our funding (which comes from student fees) to further support the students who help fill these pages.

The other factor in our decision is equity. We understand that writing an article can take a lot of time, and that not every student is in a position to do unpaid work when they have classes, work, and other commitments. We hope that by offering financial compensation, The Cascade will hear from a wider diversity of voices and experiences, which in turn will lead to a stronger newspaper that more accurately reflects the students at UFV and the population of the Fraser Valley.

Speaking on a personal note, I am incredibly proud to have overseen the start of this process. It’s something I first proposed when I was opinion editor years ago, and last semester’s arts editor, Kellyn Kavanagh, put the idea back on our radar this fall. After getting the okay from The Cascade Journalism Board, the body that oversees our work, we’ve spent time this past semester working out the details

of how making this change could look. As far as I’m aware, we are the first student newspaper in Canada to pay for all student contributions. That is so cool to me, but I seriously hope we will be far from the last.

If you want all the details on how paying contributors will work, check out ufvcascade.ca/ paid-contributions

My time as editor-in-chief has been short, but after over five years at The Cascade, I couldn’t be happier to have had this opportunity. Working here has been at least as educational as my classes, has helped me pay my way through school, and has been where I’ve made the vast majority of my friends at UFV.

Although my time as a UFV student and a part of The Cascade is coming to an end, I’m leaving this paper in some incredibly talented hands, and am thankful to have had this time and experience. Whether you’ve been a coworker, an interviewee, a reader, or connected in some other way, thank you for supporting our humble paper since 1993.

Record-breaking turnout for Angel Tree Program

Over 280 angels were sponsored this year

The Angel Tree Program was created to help support UFV students and their families during the winter holidays and is run by the Student Union Society (SUS) every year. Students who are caregivers of children aged sixteen and under are eligible to apply for this program. Kids registered into the program are then sponsored by a member of the community and receive a gift that they requested from their wishlists. SUS president, Nikiel Lal, said that this year the Angel Tree program reached a “record high” by sponsoring more than 280 kids.

“This year we had more angels than we've ever had in history,” said Lal.

Highlighting the program’s importance, Lal pointed out the

challenges of affordability that coincide with raising a family and studying simultaneously. The program is a way to help meet the needs of the students and to make the holidays easier for them.

“This is a way that we're able to give back in a time where students may need it the most,” explained Lal. “And it’s a way for not only us, but others in the community, to help give back to the students, especially during a tough semester. And I couldn't imagine it being easy to raise a child while also pursuing educational goals.”

The Angel Tree program is split up into two phases. During phase one, UFV students can register their children to be angels, while in phase two, members of the community can support them by purchasing a present the children requested. This year, the

sponsors had between Dec. 2-12 to purchase the gifts and drop them off at the Student Union Building (SUB) to SUS. After, parents set up a time to pick up the presents between Dec. 13-14 at the SUB.

Lal also explained that one thing SUS did differently this year was having more advertising done to promote the Angel Tree program by their marketing team, which helped contribute to how many children were successfully helped by the program.

“We managed to get it [Angel Tree] promoted at the Abbotsford Canucks Games, Abbotsford Pilots games, and just within the community,” mentioned Lal.

Lal recognized the impact the Angel Tree program has made for students at UFV who have families and the support it gives them. “This is a phenomenal

program that is very heavily utilized and it is something that I think all UFV students appreciate. I just want to keep growing and expanding the program, as we're doing, and fulfilling the wishes of all angels while helping UFV students be successful in their education while raising a family.”

According to Lal, the wishes themselves varied due to the age differences of the sponsored kids and what they wanted for the holidays. However, Lal also confirmed that all the children received items from their wish lists this holiday.

“Any way we can help our student body make life in their educational experience more enjoyable and successful, that's the goal at the end of the day. If we can do that, then we're moving in the right direction.”

UFV//

Nature Canada and UFV Wildlife Protection club host event at UFV

change and conserving nature on a global scale.

UFV’s Wildlife Protection Club partnered with Nature Canada and hosted an event on Nov. 30 at UFV’s Abbotsford campus from 5-7 p.m. in Room B101. At the event, they showed a local conservation documentary entitled Toad People. Afterwards, the audience was given the opportunity to write letters to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, where they could share their concerns about the lack of conservation. Molly Tilden, president of UFV’s Wildlife Protection club shared details about the event, partnering with Nature Canada, and why it is important to preserve nature.

According to a press release from the UFV Wildlife Protection club, the NatureBus tour took place to help inspire action to save nature and wildlife around the world. Nature Canada had three buses travel throughout Canada to collect letters from people about why it is important to save nature.

One of the tour buses went through different B.C. cities such as Vancouver, Abbotsford, Chilliwack, and Richmond. NatureBus then brought the letters to the prime minister in Montreal at the fifteenth NatureCOP conference, in the hopes of inspiring

Held every couple of years, the NatureCOP conference is where representatives from 195 countries gather to collectively discuss how to protect nature and sustain it internationally.

Tilden explained that it was Nature Canada who first initiated the partnership, offering funding to host the event. The club took the opportunity to work with Nature Canada and to share their thoughts about the importance of protecting nature to influential leaders around the world.

Before the event took place, Tilden explained how the club contemplated

rescheduling due to the snow in late November. However the NatureBus was only going to be in Abbotsford on Nov. 30, and the event went as scheduled. While the weather did keep some people from attending the event, they still had a good turnout of around thirty five attendees, most of whom were from the community.

“We were showing a documentary called Toad People which was filmed largely in the Fraser Valley in Chilliwack up at Ryder Lake, telling the story of local families who are doing what they can to protect species at risk, particularly the western toad” said Tilden.

Tilden mentioned that the

documentary connected well with the theme of the NatureBus event as it focused on protecting biodiversity at a local level. The event also included free food and areas set up for people to write their letters to the prime minister.

“We had Nature Canada there with letter writing stations [where] people could fill out postcards and express what nature means to them [and]why they think nature deserves strong protection in Canada. All those letters were taken at the end of the event by Nature Canada, put on the NatureBus, and are heading to Montreal,” Tilden explained.

When asked how else students can help to preserve the natural world, Tilden said that there are always opportunities to volunteer with the UFV Wildlife Protection club, such as working with other local conservation organizations. In the past, students have helped with tree planting with the Fraser Valley Conservancy and did snail surveys in the Oregon Forest. Another way Tilden said students can help conserve nature is to immerse themselves in it.

“When you start to care about the natural areas where you live, it will naturally inspire you to get more involved in these sorts of conservation efforts,” said Tilden.

RACHEL TAIT

NatureBus visits UFV and collect letters addressed to the prime minister

Photo Provided by Molly Tilden

AI writers takeover

From fiction to reality, AI is knocking on our back door and asking to write for us

REMINGTON FIORASO

Artificial intelligence (AI) has made significant progress in the field of writing in recent years. With the development of advanced language processing algorithms, AI systems are now able to generate human-like text that is difficult to distinguish from writing produced by humans.

The use of AI is no longer a work of fiction, it is becoming the future of technology. While it may be fun seeing the responses that AI can write or the photos that can be generated, it brings a lot of questions to light. Rather than analysing what we are reading — the question arises of who are we reading? What is actually real? Is there a grey line? For example, when reading the introduction of this article, did you question who wrote it? The introduction of this article was created through ChatGPT by giving it the prompt to write an article about AI-generated writing. The software provided a clear introduction, supporting points, and a conclusion within seconds — and allowed me to ask follow-up questions. ChatGPT is essentially a chatbot that was released in November and can communicate with users based on their respective inquiries.

The online AI program was created by

the San Francisco-based corporation OpenAI. The company, which focuses on “AI research and deployment,” claims that their mission is to provide “benefits to humanity” through the use of AI. What are the actual benefits in this software? Rather than being helpful, an increased use in AI may hinder fields, including those involving writing.

With the introduction of realistic AI writing, there comes a question: is there a need to hire content creators for publications? If there is an ability to mass produce decent quality articles for free, with little effort, rather than seeking real individuals, it could be beneficial for companies to shift away from human writers. Companies could scale back their workforce if there is a reduced need for writers if the technology is pushed and utilized more in the writing industry. For example, news like natural disasters or the outcomes of sporting events could be published instantly rather than waiting for a person to transcribe the information for release.

In social media, there are numerous accounts that focus on computer-generated spam content. With AI writing, these can begin to look more realistic and organic, rather than being filtered in the respective applications. Accounts can respond to individuals online with “personalities” that

make it less obvious that they are bots.

Within education, there are a lot of issues with AI writing, including plagiarism, a lack of critical thinking, and reasoning. It can also be difficult to come up with original ideas, and harder to summarise information as a student when working on a paper, if consulting the ChatGPT as a starting point. If individuals can input their topic and receive results instantaneously, it may be tempting to reduce the workload of research. As of this moment, there is no means to automatically cite information or ideas using the AI writing, but this could change later on when the software is fur ther developed.

Furthermore, developing resources and finding content to use within the class room becomes both easier and more dif ficult because the sources can be more difficult to vouch for. Is this information coming from a peer-reviewed source? What are the origins of a written work? Is this valid information? As ChatGPT is becoming more recognized and utilized, more issues can arise in the realm of educa

In an inter view with Forbes news industry veteran Cait O´Riordan stated, “human

audiences want to read opinion and analysis, not just structured data processed by an algorithm.” Yet, if it is difficult to determine whether or not a piece is written by a human, how can audiences differentiate writing by humans versus work created by AI? Is there a limitation on how many things we should automate? The shift to AI writing, especially with instant and realistic communication, is

The overextended Christmas celebration

Everyone’s traditions are different, but it’s worth considering why your holiday season may be getting longer every year

JAYDEN TALVIO

Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs as to when we should start celebrating Christmas and putting up our Christmas trees each holiday season, and when we should halt our Christmas celebrations and take our trees down. For some, it is a traditional Christian practice to put up their trees at the start of Advent (four Sundays before Christmas). For others, regardless of whether they are Christian or not, it is acceptable to put up decorations right after Halloween passes. As for taking down decorations, some people don’t mind taking them down as early as Boxing Day. Some Christians adhere to the belief that their trees should be taken down by no later than February 2 to prevent the release of evil spirits which would be detrimental to the trees’ growing season if they were to be removed any later.

For those who choose to get live trees for Christmas, they must also consider the lifetime of a fresh cut tree, which is from three to six weeks, when deciding when to

put up and take down decorations.

As an agnostic person, I have a few “rules” that align with my moral code. First, I don’t think it is appropriate to put up Christmas decorations or to start celebrating Christmas in any way until after Remembrance Day, in order to properly honour our troops. With that being said, I don't start celebrating Christmas until at least Dec. 1, because I believe that extending the celebration beyond one month spoils a lot of the specialness of Christmas. Within my family, we don’t put up our Christmas tree until the first weekend in December, and I’m happy with this tradition.

My question is: what drives some people to start celebrating Christmas so early? I believe that lots of the temptation is driven by a force in the markets — the “Christmas creep.” This is when retailers start advertising and having sales on their Christmas decorations seemingly earlier and earlier each consecutive holiday season.

For people who are influenced by Christmas deals that come out early in the

season, some of which began in October this 2022/2023 holiday season, I have two questions. First, why potentially add to the stress of the holiday season by shopping so early? Second, are you catering to your extrinsic motivations, as in mindlessly following societal trends, over your intrinsic motivations, or innate desires?

If your answer to the second question is “yes,” then I suggest you reassess your decision to start partaking in Christmas celebrations so early in the year. If your answer to the second question is “no,” then to that I say, “you do you!”

As for when Christmas decorations should be taken down, I believe that they should be taken down by no later than a week after New Year's Day. My family’s tradition is to take our tree down on January 2 or 3, as we are keen to move beyond the holiday season as soon as New Year’s Day has passed.

If Christmas is celebrated for too long each holiday season, then how special can it really be?

Illustration by Brielle Quon

Illustration by Washington Reimer

What exactly am I supposed to be resolving?

After years of trying to make my New Year's resolutions work out I am deciding to give up

EVA DAVEY

We’ve all fallen victim to the trap that is the proclamation “new year, new me.” Then the preceding twelve months are filled with pressure to live up to the expectation we created for ourselves. New Year’s resolutions ideally should be about growth and positivity. Instead it becomes a situation where we pick out at what we consider fatal flaws. It's the dreaded time where friends, family, and even random people ask us what our ultimate resolutions are for the upcoming year.

I work in a liquor store and my best friend works in a salad place. Every year we notice how every January the store I work at becomes a ghost town and hers is the hottest place in town. Then comes the routine of telling people that did not complete dry January that I too have already failed my resolutions. According to research, by Feb. 1 most New Year’s resolutions are officially called off! In complete honesty, the only thing that surprises me about that information is the fact that they aren’t ditched sooner. I don’t mean to be such a downer about the whole idea, but every year I stray further and

further from wanting to make any silly resolutions.

Last year I decided that perhaps the whole ordeal would seem less intimidating if I called it New Year’s goals instead of resolutions, as if the universe would see that I am being totally casual and easy going about my expectations for the year ahead and go easy on me. To be fair, I did accomplish some of my goals: more books came off my to-be-read list and I did go outside more, until the latter half of the year hit.

Suddenly, I abandoned these goals.

While the terms “goals” and “resolutions” could be interchangeable, I will say from personal experience that once the pressure of the absolute is lifted, it is very easy to actually accomplish what I wanted. I explained this idea to my friend who radiates positivity (and quickly found out that she loves New Year’s resolutions) and we thought “goals” might be a happy medium. Avid movie watchers may remember the beginning of the hit Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001) where the

titular character is smoking a cigarette and announces that her New Year’s resolution is “to quit smoking… and stick to New Year’s resolutions.” This moment was highly relatable, but instead of smoking I was telling myself I will read even more this year while buying more books to join the ones collecting dust.

There is no problem with wanting to better yourself, the problem comes in the pressure to do so. As humans we deny ourselves simple pleasures because it might make us healthy for a bit, and we shouldn’t be embarrassed about failing these resolutions. Did you buy all those healthy ingredients to eat better? Did you sign up for that gym membership? Good job! (But also, how expensive — on average Canadians are spending approximately $252.12 on their resolutions — yikes.) Even if you didn’t do those things, you're still doing a good job! At the end of the day a failed resolution can make you feel worse than not planning to have one in the first place, so be gentle to yourself this new year. You’re going to be fine. Have a resolution if you want, or you can join me in the anti-resolution gang where I refuse to feel bad for something I didn’t want to change about myself in the first place.

Ask Alfred and Charles

Alfred and Charles are retired professors of life. They have done it all and seen it all. Though they may be decrepit in age, they are all too eager to give advice, be it for better or worse, to you. They may not agree on everything, but they do always have something to say. If you have an inquiry for our distinguished wise men, please send an email to opinion@ufvcascade.ca or drop by The Cascade office when it is open to leave a handwritten note for them.

Dear Alfred and Charles, How can I find a balance between school, work, and a social life? I want to be able to pass my classes and I want to be able to pay for those classes, but I seem to be left with no time for friends and romance.

Sincerely, Socially anxious anon

Dear Socially anxious anon, I just want to say thank you for taking the time to send this inquiry in. Next time, use the time spent sending this in to just go socialize. Find the moments in between a crowded schedule to see friends. If you spend less time asking how to find the time, you will discover you have time already.

~ Alfred

Or you could not. Student life doesn’t have to be complicated and time management is for suckers. Don't work. Take out all the loans you can. Now you can buy friends and focus on school. Just be sure to will your assets to someone you really don't like. That way when you die your loans get inherited to them.

~ Charles

Charles please don’t encourage wasting student loans. The kids need those to pay for school! They’ll find the time if they try. A little time management and focused care will help them. Please use your student loans for their intended purpose and ignore Charles.

~ Alfred

Please stay in school, Alfred and Charles

Dear Alfred and Charles, This year I’d like to stick to my new year’s resolutions. I find I struggle the most with staying motivated and that I get tired of trying far too quickly. I want to really follow my resolutions this year.

Sincerely, New Year’s Blues

Dear New Year’s Blues, It’s easy… Don’t make a resolution and then there won't be a feeling of failure caused by an unfulfilled expectation. If you want to get fit, stop waiting for day one of the year to do it and just do it. You think disease will wait for Jan. 1 to hit? No, it comes around all year long! Get off your tenders and go for a run.

~ Charles

Charles is actually making a good point here, but don’t let that deter you from making resolutions if it feels achievable and you find it helpful. Maybe use your resolutions to further your current goals rather than make unrealistic resolutions of never eating sugar again. Be kind to

yourself this year!

~ Alfred

Kind shmind! Look here, it doesn’t matter at the end of the day you gotta pick your “hard.” Eating junk food and being unhealthy is hard, working out is hard, living unorganized is hard, time management is hard, failing school is hard, and studying is hard. Just pick your hard and stop making an event out of it.

~ Charles

That might be a little drastic, let’s focus on the sort of “hards” that have negative impacts so that we can turn them into positive impacts! It might help to also pick one thing at a time and focus on improving that aspect. Trying to do it all at once and immediately can be very overwhelming. Charles is right about one thing, it doesn’t have to be a whole event! Sometimes that just adds on more pressure making it harder. Let go of that extra stress and just keep on the small improvements you can make!

~ Alfred

Happy new year, Alfred and Charles

Illustration by Brielle Quon

SNAP SHOTS

Sweet Baby Beans

I made a new friend last month, and his name is Beans. After almost four years without a pet, my partner and I just adopted the most wonderful little pug. He’s an unusual silver colour with a white chin, chest, and front feet, and he bounces and prances around like the clumsiest little prince. He is also the sweetest little guy I’ve ever met, and loves everyone immediately (but he loves my partner most of all).

It’s really striking just how much I love him after a couple of weeks. I’ve had pets

most of my life, but this is the first one who’s been mine, not a family pet, and I now completely understand how people spoil their kids. My little Beans deserves everything he could ever want.

I don’t have a profound message to share about Beans, because that’s not really his speed, but he is perfect and I want to share that fact with you. Also, let’s be honest, I mainly just wanted Iryna to draw a cute illustration of my little boy.

Jeff Mijo-Burch

I remember being seven the first time I realized we did Christmas differently. Naturally, it was the food that first tipped me off. We were in class, making a sort of trivial questionnaire about the holidays, and I got one answer wrong. The question posed was, “Name the bird eaten at Christmas,” and I answered, “Duck.” I remember arguing with the teacher until she gave me a red checkmark on my paper. Note that this was supposed to be a fun classroom exercise, and counted for no grades, as did most things in elementary, but even at that age red crosses infuriated me.

I went home demanding my poor mother explain this injustice. Had she been tricking me this whole time? Was the Christmas bird really a turkey? I demanded answers. I asked her, “Is the duck the bird of Christmas dinners?” and she answered, “Well, not usually, but that’s what we do.” My little heart sunk so deep it might have touched my toes. I couldn’t believe it, the teacher was right. To be sure I asked, “Is it usually turkey?” My mom, not knowing why, but clearly seeing how upset I was, gently said, “No dear, of course not, it’s goose.”

Routier

Why you should write for The Cascade

I’ve always struggled with writing. I remember those early days in grade school, staring at a blank journal page for what seemed like an eternity. It didn’t seem to matter what the prompt was. Whether it was how I spent my summer vacation, or just something that made me happy, I could never get going. The words just stuck in my mind, always just out of reach. Eventually, I got some valuable advice: just start putting words on the page. It helped. I’d write my name, and the time, and the weather. Then a thought, and another, and another. A lot of my time went to useless junk sentences, but eventu-

ally I’d string some together. It wasn’t good… but it wasn’t a blank page, and that was progress.

Now I write papers all the time, but I still get stuck in the quagmire of my mind, staring wearily at a blank screen. In those moments, I write bullshit — bullshit that culminates in feelings, opinions, and insights dredged up from my subconscious. Mostly it’s garbage, but occasionally it’s not… and The Cascade provides an outlet for those errant thoughts. Writing can be a chore — but it can also be more. When it is, it’s nice to have a place to showcase it.

Bradley Duncan

One of my oldest and closest friends passed away on Dec. 23 of 2022. I spent that evening processing and the following days in tears. I had lost people before, but the pain never gets easier. I found myself crying randomly at meals, thinking of how I used to eat food with her. I’d drive my car and realize she is the last person I gave a ride to in it. I’d think about how the week before she passed, we were having a happy little Christmas party in her basement and how I had given her a fortune-telling that would never be fulfilled.

I felt sick. My heart had been shattered once more, and I was left to

pick up the pieces. I’m grateful that the rest of my dear friends were there so that we could continue to reminisce and love our fallen comrade. I will probably spend my whole life missing the people I’ve lost. I’ll count the days since their passing and will write poems of my longing. I’ll lull myself into a sense of peace until I find myself spontaneously crying over a joke because she would have found it hilarious.

To my dearest friend, I will always love you.

Duck, duck, goose… but certainly never turkey

Marie-Ange

Emmaline Spencer

Illustrations by Iryna Presley

FRASER VALLEY FARE

Nourish your body and soul while supporting these local eateries

It’s a new year, and the holiday season is coming to a close in a way that your pants no longer will. Stuffed like a Christmas goose from your ravenous intake of carbohydrates and seasonal beverages, you’re seriously considering hibernating in a den till spring. But you’ve got bills to pay and courses to daydream through, and while the sight of leftover turkey and shortbread cookies may have temporarily lost their lustre, you’ve still gotta eat! We know you probably don’t want to spend any more time in your kitchen right now than is absolutely necessary, so we’ve compiled a list of recommendations for local bistros, cafés, restaurants, and the like, to ease your tryptophan-soaked mind. Whether you’re starving or just snacky, you can’t go wrong with these local suggestions! Bon Appetit!

The Polly Fox

By Sydney Marchand

I stumbled across this little bistro a few years ago and it has quickly become my go-to spot for a vegan treat when driving through downtown Abbotsford. While not everything on their menu is completely vegan, The Polly Fox has a great variety of plant-based goodies to indulge in any time of year. Whether you are craving spiced apple fritters, decadent cookies, or a loaded (plant-based) BLT, there are plenty of allergy friendly items to be enjoyed at this cute little bakery and cafe.

Although I am a gluten lover and enthusiast, this 100 per cent gluten free bakery is especially a great option for those who have dietary restrictions or allergies. And unlike some gluten free vegan baked goods, the products served at The Polly Fox don’t have a strange spongy, dense, or gritty texture — which is very much appreciated.

Settle down with a dairy free hot chocolate and treat yourself to a little plant-based goodness this new year. You deserve it

Pho Galaxy

By Andrea Sadowski

If you’re looking for the best pho in town, look no further than Pho Galaxy. A beloved local staple, this little eatery in downtown Chilliwack serves the biggest bowls of piping hot pho you’ve ever seen. Their pho is accompanied with Thai basil sprigs, a table full of sauces, lime wedges, and a gargantuan pile of bean sprouts for you to add to your liking. Their bánh mì’s are out of this world and go perfectly beside your pho, if you have enough room.

To be honest, their pho is so good that I haven’t tried any other main dishes on their menu. I always heed the call of this delicious, filling soup everytime I step foot into this restaurant. However, their menu is chock full of Vietnamese and Chinese-fusion dishes for you to try! For the love of all things holy, do not leave this place without trying the Vietnamese coffee. No words I write can do justice to this delicious beverage, it’s vietnamazing!

The Table Bistro

By Jayden Talvio

I went with my family to The Table Bistro for the first time in early December 2022. Located on Gladwin Road, it is within walking distance of Mill Lake. The staff were super friendly and the vibe was upbeat, with high energy music and comfortable seating. I ordered the Fraser Valley Squash and it was superb. It was fresh and vibrant, consisting of broccoli, carrots, onions, peppers, squash (of course) and more. Eating this colourful meal was a delicious way to maximise the amount of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients I consumed that day. Every bite tasted different than the last. I highly recommend this dish to anyone on a vegetarian diet or to anyone who is just trying to eat more plant-based in general. I also asked for this meal to be gluten-free, and they catered to my request by omitting the fried onions from it. During my visit here, I couldn’t help but think about how the subdued lighting and intimate atmosphere would be perfect for a first date. I will definitely be visiting again to try more items on their menu.

Cafe Amarti

By Niusha Naderi

If you’re looking for a place to drink a nice cup of coffee, latté, or tea, work at the same time, and people watch, then Cafe Amarti in Abbotsford is your spot! This café has a variety of hot and cold beverages, small portions for a petite appetite, as well as cakes and cookies for your sweet tooth! Their drinks are delicious and so are their sandwiches!

Amarti’s generous space is filled with music and nothing but good vibes. When you first walk in, you see the spacious room and the big community table. Whether you want to sit right in the middle, a little sheltered in the back to get some work done, or cozy next to the fireplace — there’s a spot for everyone. They even have a little patio for people who enjoy their drinks underneath the open sky.

You will be welcomed at the big counter and after you order, they will bring your order right to your table. Amarti’s interior is industrial, but they warmed up the space with accents like wooden tables, a variety of chairs, bar stools, etc. You’ll find a cozy spot there for sure. They know how to make you feel comfy!

This beautiful café is a little outside of downtown Abbotsford, but it’s absolutely worth going to and enjoying the good energy, along with a cup of coffee.

El Companeros

By Kait Thompson

As someone who considers themselves a connoisseur of all things Mexican food, there have been limited options for too long in the Fraser Valley. So imagine my elation when I discovered El Companeros. All of the traditional favs of Mexican cuisine are there: their street tacos are affordable and tasty, their enchiladas are flavourful, and their burritos are generous in portion. They also have vegan and vegetarian options that don’t suck, and more unique fusion dishes like the chipotle pollo burger that are perfect for pickier eaters. My personal recommendation? The chicken mole is the best I’ve had east of the Port Mann bridge. I also sometimes find with restaurants that you need to pick between good food or good cocktails, but El Companeros has both! Their jalapeño margaritas and rosemary palomas are to die for. Not to mention their pricing — as a broke university student, their cheap eats menu and happy hour specials are one of the best deals in town! You really can’t

This café has a variety of hot and cold beverages, small portions for a petite appetite, as well as cakes and cookies for your sweet tooth!

Land Cafe and Studio

By Eva Davey

I heard through the grapevine that this place was opening and I was on the edge of my seat until they launched. It was worth the wait! Located right at the edge of Vedder River, this café and studio lets you enjoy a nice cup of joe with a beautiful scenic view. The place goes for a natural yet modern vibe an Instagram aesthetic come to life. The studio provides yoga classes, (the schedule can be found on their website or Instagram) where I have seen many people walk out thoroughly relaxed. The syrups are house-made, changing seasonally, and their menu is natural with vegan & nonvegan options. Each food item, from their to-go bowls to their sliced banana bread is almost too pretty to eat. The staff are incredibly friendly the minute you step up to order and the owners are on the floor chatting away to customers if they aren’t behind the espresso bar helping to craft the lattes. Their drinks are good for the soul and good for your health, which provides a fresh take on coffee shops. My advice: if you want to go here, get there quick — a line forms fast and almost out the door!

Jojo’s Fish and Chips Bana Restaurant

By Jeff Mijo-Burch

I don’t eat out a lot, but I do love having food delivered to my home, and COVID-19 restrictions made delivery even more appealing. And when I want to order some cheap, quick, comfort food, I’ve found nowhere better in Abbotsford than Jojo’s. I’ll be honest: I’ve never set foot inside the restaurant (located at George Ferguson and Gladwin in Abbotsford), but I loved every item I’ve ordered from them.

Serving fish and chips and American diner-style breakfast food as their specialities, Jojo’s is a great option for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

For breakfast (or a later-in-the-day breakfast craving) I go for the sausage and cheese crepes, which cost less than $10 for two and include a generous side of hash browns. Their seafood options are also excellent, but my favourite way to order it is the halibut burger and their amazing fries.

For the last two years, I’ve celebrated my birthday by ordering Jojo’s halibut burger, and I think that’s a tradition that’s going to stick. Even though I haven’t visited the restaurant myself yet (one of these days), they are my local favourite.

“

For the last two years, I’ve celebrated my birthday by ordering Jojo’s halibut burger, and I think that’s a tradition that’s going to stick. ”

Hugo’s Mexican Kitchen

By Eva Davey

When friends say “let’s go out to eat,” I very often want to let out a sigh. While there are many places with expanding vegan options on their menus, it can still be limited within the Fraser Valley. But one day my friend found a place on Instagram that had an appetizing-looking margarita, so we drove a few minutes down the road to Hugo’s Mexican Kitchen, and wow!

From the moment you walk in, the atmosphere is incredibly welcoming, with friendly staff and the smell of warm food wafting through the intimate restaurant. The spot makes amazing vegan, vegetarian, and meat dishes. The first thing I tried were the tofu chorizo tacos and I instantly fell in love. Another friend convinced me to try the cauliflower tacos that melted in my mouth after a satisfying crunchy shell. A great part of the tacos is the fact that you can get them as a one or three piece, and even mix & match the different kinds! During the pandemic they had roll up panels installed so people could still eat outside (and offered great pick up options), but have since kept the panels so customers can enjoy the authentic cuisine during the cold Fraser Valley winters. When (not if) you go, make sure to end the night with a traditional

Banter Ice Cream

By Lindsey Roberts

This local ice cream shop is your spot for delicious cool treats. As soon as you walk in, you are greeted by the enchanting aroma of homemade waffle cones, a must have with your scoop — or let’s be honest, scoops, plural. The buttery cone is light and crispy with a slightly sweet flavour. Banter’s decor is both understated and hip, which puts all the focus on their delicious ice cream and highlights their menu of both unique and classic flavours. While you’re waiting (and trust me it’s worth the wait) it’s time for some seriously difficult choices on which flavour to try. Once you’ve made your decision, there is seating offered both indoors and outdoors for maximum enjoyment.

Banter’s artisan ice cream is handmade in small batches using as many local ingredients as they can. They offer a regular menu of inventive flavours like Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Earl Grey (my personal fav) as well as classics like sweet cream and melted chocolate. The best part in my opinion is their monthly rotating flavours, which gives an excuse to visit them regularly. They create four new flavours each month, usually correlating with the season and the ingredients available. This past December they offered flavours such as candy cane fudge and eggnog snickerdoodle. If dairy isn’t your thing don’t worry! They always have a few vegan flavours on the menu including a new one each month. No matter the weather, it’s always a treat to visit Banter. locations in both Abbotsford and Chilliwack you can get your local ice cream fix no matter the season. As an ice cream enthusiast I can tell you that Banter is truly one of the best ice cream shops around. The ice cream is silky smooth and creamy, and the flavours are always on point. Not only that but the staff are always upbeat and the vibes are chill (no pun intended). A favourite place to enjoy with friends in the park on a warm summer day, or on a cozy winter date night, you will never be disappointed. Check it out next time a craving hits — because there is always room for ice cream!

“

From the moment you walk in, the atmosphere is incredibly welcoming, with friendly staff and the smell of warm food wafting through the intimate restaurant. ”

“

As an ice cream enthusiast

I can tell you that Banter is truly one of the best ice cream shops around. ”

Scores//

Cascades Check–January 4:

CASCADES ATHLETICS

Welcome to the Cascades Check — an update on University of the Fraser Valley Cascades Athletics.

As we head into the winter semester, here is a quick update on where your in-season Cascades teams sit in the standings:

Cascades women’s basketball was ranked at No. 4 in the most recent U SPORTS national rankings, and comes into the winter semester with an 8-2 record.

Men’s basketball is presently tied for 13th in Canada West with a 3-5 record. With several pivotal matchups coming up for the team, the next few weeks could be vital for their playoff chances.

At 7-5, Cascades women’s volleyball currently sits in sixth place in Canada West. However, after winning seven out of their last eight, the UFV squad is one of the hottest teams in the conference.

UFV’s men’s volleyball team holds a 2-10 record that leaves them in 12th place in Canada West at the midway mark of the season. They will be looking to push up the standings with plenty of time left to go.

All UFV Cascades basketball and volleyball home games are played at the UFV Athletic Centre (Building E on the Abbotsford Campus), and UFV students can attend for free by showing their student ID at the door.

If you want to watch the Cascades on the road, all conference games can be streamed live at canadawest. tv.

Make sure to visit gocascades.ca to keep up with all the news, stats, and scores from the UFV Cascades

Men's Basketball

December 2, 2022

Vs Trinity Western Score: UFV 84 - TWU 99

December 3, 2022

Vs. Trinity Western Score: UFV 88 - TWU 102

Next games: January 3rd, and 4th against the UBCO Heat in Kelowna.

Women's Basketball

December 2, 2022

Vs Trinity Western Score: UFV 55 - TWU 68

December 3, 2022

Formula One//

End of 2022 silliness for a fresh 2023

End of the year nonsense encapsulates the phrase “New Year, same me.”

TERYN MIDZAIN

The end of 2022 couldn’t go out without a last hurrah of silliness. Shortly after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, three teams announced major changes to their pit walls in 2023. The biggest news was Mattia Binotto announcing his resignation as Team Principal of Ferrari on Nov. 29, 2022.

relationship with driver Charles Leclerc. The two met at the start of Leclerc’s motorsport career in GP3 and Formula 3 and 2, and Vasseur was team principal Sauber when Leclerc arrived in F1 in 2018.

Next games are January 13 and 14 vs Calgary Dinos at home in Abbotsford.

Men’s Volleyball

Vs. Trinity Western Score: UFV 67 - TWU 65 December 2, 2022

Vs. Alberta Golden-Bears Score: UFV 0 - ALB 3

December 3, 2022

Vs. Alberta Golden-Bears Score: UFV 0 - ALB 3

Next games, January 6 and 7 vs Calgary Dinos at home in Abbotsford.

Women’s Volleyball

December 2, 2022

Vs. Alberta Pandas Score: UFV 3 - ALP 2

December 3, 2022

Vs. Alberta Pandas Score: UFV 3 - ALP 1

Next games, January 6 and 7 vs Calgary Dinos in Abbotsford.

It is fair to say that Ferrari’s actions as a team were their downfall for their 2022 seasons for a number of different reasons. Mistakes that cost them their lead at the beginning of the season, and any chances of getting back into the championship. Finishing second place in both the Driver’s and Constructor’s championships is a good result after a few winless seasons. It’s not good enough when considering the long-term goals of Ferrari’s very personal and hands-on governing board to be back to winning races and contending for championships after the team’s struggles through this turbo-hybrid era of cars. A goal that under Binotto’s direction, Ferrari lost out on last season.

The answer Ferrari’s management structure chose was to replace the Team Principal and softly restructure. Ferrari has used this approach before, but it’s an answer that can bring on as much harm as it does good.

Binotto’s nearly 30-year-long career with the team started in the engine department. He has seen years of insight into the team and the company’s owners and board, and a clear direction for the team’s development. It is clear that Ferrari needs to make structural and director changes to not repeat last year. Chief engineers, mechanics, and other team members in Ferrari could be replaced first before changing the top positions.

On Dec. 13, Fred Vasseur, the (now former) team Principal at Alfa Romeo/Sauber, was announced as Ferrari’s new Team Principal. Vasseur is now the fifth Ferrari team principal since 2008, coming in after relative successes at Renault and Alfa Romeo as their Team Principals. Progressing Alfa to their most successful season last year in decades. Most importantly, Vasseur comes with a great, long working

Vasseur does have the tools to succeed at Ferrari: 2022’s car is a great base to move forward on in 2023, and with a fresh pair of eyes that are unclouded by Ferrari’s internal issues and pressure, Vasseur could inspire and push where Binotto could not. Or Vasseur could be another victim in Ferrari’s status quo and suffer from the pressure of the Ferrari board and be another of the short-lived Team Principals until the next engine era.

Binotto’s resignation was the tip of the iceberg to this year’s holiday shuffle. Jost Capito, now former Team Principal at Williams, left after two years with the team. At this moment, there has been no news about Williams’ replacement, with limited options if they hope to improve from dead last in 2022.

McLaren’s former Team Principal Andreas Seidl joined Sauber as their Chief Executive Officer to replace Vasseur. McLaren promoted their executive director Andrea Stella to Team Principal after Seidl’s exit. Stella is a relative unknown but has been with McLaren since 2015, serving multiple key roles within the team. Stella also comes with a long history of working alongside some greats in F1. While he was a performance engineer for Ferrari, Stella worked alongside Michael Schumacher in 2002, and again with Kimi Raikkonen in 2007, during the last of Ferrari’s last constructor’s championships.

Seidl’s move to Sauber will be one to watch throughout the next few seasons. Sauber is currently partnered with Alfa Romeo for this last season before beginning their new partnership with Audi in 2026. Seidl will have a small number of years to work on the restructuring of Sauber in preparation for Audi’s entrance in a few years' time.

The next stage in this long wait until the 2023 season is the team launches in February. Only Aston Martin, Ferrari, and AlphaTauri have announced launch dates in mid-February, before testing in Barcelona.

Soccer//

Canada’s historic yet disappointing return to the World Cup

JOSIAH HANSEN

In November, the Canada Men’s National Soccer Team returned to the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1986. The level of hype surrounding it rivaled other legendary 21st century moments in Canadian sports history such as the gold medal game for men’s hockey in the 2010 Winter Olympics, and the 2019 Toronto Raptors championship run.

Canada’s first match was against a veteran Belgium squad that came into the tournament ranked number two in the world. Canada came out of the gates flying with multiple early chances, including an early penalty kick from star player, Alphonso Davies. However, he was stonewalled by Thibaut Courtois, putting a pause on Canadian’s hopes of getting their first-ever goal in a World Cup match. Canada continued the relentless pressure throughout the first half, completely controlling the play against a Belgian squad that looked sluggish. But Courtois kept them in the match until they found their opportunity to strike. As the first half was coming to

a close, Michy Batshuayi blasted a shot past Milan Borjan in the 44th minute to break the tie. Canada kept their composure and kept battling in the second half, but became visibly more desperate and frustrated as the game came to a close with a final score of 1-0 for Belgium.

Despite the loss, Canadian fans and players felt confident heading into their second match against Croatia, who was the runner-up at the most recent World Cup in 2018. That energy translated right away as Alphonso Davies scored on a flying header less than two minutes into the match, instantly etching his name in the record books and seeming to redeem himself from his missed penalty in the previous fixture. This nationwide elation only lasted about half an hour as Croatia turned the tide of play against the Canadian squad.

The Croatian midfielders' and wingers' pace outclassed Canada’s defense, led by Alistair Johnston and 39-year-old veteran captain, Atiba Hutchinson, leading to 2 quick goals to end the first half. From there, Canada didn’t have the skill nor the poise to bounce back, recording their second

loss with a score of 4-1.

Their final group stage match against Morocco didn’t have the same level of excitement surrounding it, as Canada was already mathematically unable to advance to the round of 16. Nayef Aguerd notched Canada’s second and final goal of the tournament, which ended up being the only goal Morocco would concede until they reached the semifinals. Canada dropped the game 2-1, leaving the achievement of earning their first point in a World Cup to be earned the next time around.

Even with all the hype and historymaking, it felt like an unceremonious exit for a team that flashed a lot of promise. It’s difficult to not imagine what could have been different had a couple of events gone differently in the early matches, with quite a few missed chances that could likely be chalked up to World Cup jitters. All that Canadian supporters can do now is look forward to 2026 when Canada has the honour of hosting the World Cup alongside Mexico and the United States. The three nations will share hosting duties with matches being played in 16 cities, with Toronto and Vancouver being the

venues for games in Canada. The three hosts will all automatically qualify for the tournament as they look to dethrone the defending champions from the 2022 tournament, Argentina.

On the women’s side of Canadian soccer, a new domestic league, the Women’s Premier Soccer League, was announced in early December. This comes with a level of promise while carrying some questions. It’s long overdue to have more options for female players in Canada to develop their game locally without having to look overseas. However, it’s yet to be seen if the league can carve out enough influence to be successful. The league is division 2, which is semi-pro soccer. This means top players will still be drawn away to clubs with higher prestige, so its market will primarily be young promising players who need an intermediate step of play. The WPSL announced they plan to expand and become a professional league in five years, so they hope the league can remain afloat and succeed until that time.

HARTWIG

Canada looks to win its twentieth gold medal on home ice as the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF)’s 47th World Junior Championships (WJC) currently plays out in the Maritimes under the spectre of sexual assault investigations.

The 2023 iteration of the WJC, held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Moncton, New Brunswick, started on Dec. 26, 2022 and culminates on Jan. 5, 2023 with the Gold Medal game. At the time of writing, Canada sits second in IIHF World Junior tournament power rankings and finished second in Pool A behind Czechia, the only team to beat Canada in preliminary play.

This year’s hockey tournament is overshadowed by the exposure of a long history of sexual assault allegations against players of the Canadian men’s junior national team. In May 2022, reports indicated that Hockey Canada paid an out-of-court settlement to end a lawsuit without

trial. This brought to light more than fifteen police investigations into sexual assault allegations dating as far back as 1989.

A timeline of events surrounding the investigation of allegations that eight players, including members of Canada’s 2018 WJC men’s team, sexually assaulted a woman following a Hockey Canada Foundation Gala and Golf event in 2018.

Hockey Canada has been publicly rebuked for its response as outrage forces the highest levels of the Canadian government to demand answers. Sport Canada froze its funding for Hockey Canada and a combination of major sponsors have also dropped their sponsorship.

Prior to the Team Canada game on Dec. 29, 2022, a group of people gathered outside the Scotiabank Arena protesting both Hockey Canada and the World Junior Championships.

As Hockey Canada craftily settled the lawsuits out of court, thereby preventing the potential of the

allegations being “proven in a court of law,” the protestors believed the WJC should have been cancelled. They claim this would allow time for the fallout of the allegations against Hockey Canada, and the players implicated, to be dealt with.

Unfortunately, under these circumstances, one of Canada’s brightest emerging stars, 17-year-old phenom Connor Bedard, is breaking all the Canadian WJC records when he records his next point. Currently, he has 31 points, tying him with Hall of Famer Eric Lindros — but Bedard has potentially three more games to play in this year's tournament.

He’s so good that in last year’s WJC Bedard broke the legendary Wayne Gretky’s record of being the first, and only, 16-year-old to score a hat-trick — except he scored four goals in that game against Austria.

With more years of age-based eligibility, it’s possible Bedard could return to the WJC in 2024 to extend his point totals, but he’s projected to be the

first round pick in the National Hockey League’s 2023 Draft in June. Starting what should be a long and successful professional career will likely take priority over returning to break his own records.

Hockey is considered a national sport of Canada and has always carried millions of Canadians on emotional roller coaster rides as our teams compete at the highest levels. This world championship tournament will likely do the same thing — carry fans through the ups and downs of highly competitive sporting events.

Unfortunately, it will never help to address, or expose, the protection championship athletes, and their golden auras, receive as their wrongdoings are covered up by the toxic culture propelling them forward. A culture, it should be noted, that profits greatly from their stardom. There are plenty of asses to cover, except the unresponsive ones laying on the floor.

A retrospective of the Canada Men’s National Team’s time at the 2022 World Cup

World Junior Championship hockey tournament held in Canada tarnished by allegations.

Hockey// STEVE

Canada in hunt for another unresponsive gold at WJC

Clubs, clubs,

clubs

— reach out, network, or relax

Test out the phrase “new year, new you” by extending out to UFV’s vast selection of clubs

across campus, a few will be listed here, and I encourage you to join in, check one out, and chat with a few people.

As the semester begins and the new year unravels another list of surprises (and hopefully not another celebrity death. You will be missed, Vivienne Westwood), it’s important to hold promises to yourself as a form of discipline. This looks different in a variety of ways: a gym membership, 12 per cent of which are sold in the month of January alone. If this doesn’t sound like music to your ears, there are always yearly reading challenges, which Goodreads provides as a popular tracking app. And, of course, there’s improving new skills to add to the resume of New Year's Resolutions: writing, programming, learning a new language…

But it’s important to highlight the many clubs that UFV has, especially as a rundown into the new year, and the experiences they provide for community and networking opportunities. A article written for The Cascade in 2017 demonstrates this pretty well, suggesting that these clubs can help develop bonds for busy students with not enough time. While there are only so many

If you’re a woman interested in pursuing STEM, Women in Engineering, Science, and Technology (UFV WEST) provides an open and welcoming space that seeks to empower future women in STEM and create a “better future for all - one of empowerment and opportunity that fights against systems of oppression and supports emerging leaders to shape the world,” as mentioned on their website. With a main goal in making the industry accessible to all, adding UFV WEST to your list of New Year's Resolutions is a great way to make an impact.

The Mental Health Awareness Club (MHAC) helps build community by reducing stigma surrounding mental health, specifically for students who are, arguably, a vulnerable population. The club provides resources to additional organizations, such as Wellness Together Canada and Families for Addiction Recovery, and sets up occasional knitting activities where students can swing by and learn a skill. The only condition is that a

student brings their own supplies, and the knitting can begin.

On the other hand, the UFV Health and Medicine Club promotes healthy living through active engagement and educationbased impact with students on campus. Any students interested in pursuing health care and medicine are encouraged to reach out. While soaking in lessons from the classroom is important, reiterating what you have learned in an environment with dedicated students is just as important to your education.

As students, we often forget that student engagement is key to finding other career driven, like minded people who can aid in paving the way for a successful future. There’s the common belief that the beginning of a new year marks the start of a new person, and if your goal is to prove this belief true — whether to maintain discipline or see yourself transformed by the end of 2023 — then take some time to comb through all that campus life has to offer at www.ufv.ca/future-students/ campus-life.

ANISA QUINTYNE

Photo by: Aryan Kathuria

culture@ufvcascade.ca Anisa Quintyne — Culture Editor

STUDY BREAK

Made by Brielle Quon

Horoscopes

Aries — Mar 21 to Apr 19

The new semester approaches, but don’t panic too much, Aries. Take some time out of your day to write down any important dates in your schedule

Taurus — Apr 20 to May 20

It’s okay to be a little bit selfish, but always remember that people are watching.

Gemini — May 21 to Jun 20

Now, don’t dump all your feelings on social media. Step back and think, “what is this really doing for me?”

Cancer —Jun 21 to Jul 22

Did a hard breakup or horrible news come your way? Sorry to hear about that, Cancer. Sometimes it's best to get some closure.

DOWN 3. A cake traditional from France called bûche de Noël 5. Term for a mixed alcoholic beverage that might be served on New Year’s Eve 8. Baked goods in the caricature of humans

1. A traditional British sweet that is thick, hardy, and made with dried fruit

2. A classic Christmas dinner meat often served with stuffing 4. A candy stick in the shape of a shepherd’s staff 6. A legume that has been traditionally served for New Year’s in the southern United States since the 19th century 7. A leafy but dense green vegetable that symbolizes good luck for the new year

Sudoku //

Leo — Jul 23 to Aug 22

Criticism is not always an attack on your person.

Virgo —Aug 23 to Sep 22

Maybe it’s time for a social media cleanse. Unplug. Solve a Rubik's Cube. Perfect a language. Make your younger self proud.

Libra — Sep 23 to Oct 22

Speaking of younger selves, quit those bad habits, Libra! You will regret it in the future, whatever it is

Scorpio — Oct 23 to Nov 21

You’re perfect, Scorpio. You have done nothing wrong. Ever. (Ignorance is bliss).

Sagittarius — Nov 22 to Dec 21

Sag! You have explored so much this year with the wisdom and experience to prove it. Even if you don’t live up to your past expectations next year, know that the only competition you have is with yourself.

Capricorn — Dec 22 to Jan 19

All that hard work has paid off. Instead of immediately moving on to the next project, be kind to yourself.

Aquarius — Jan 20 to Feb 18

Don’t be hard on yourself if you can’t make certain goals, New Year's resolutions, or challenges. They’re meant to inspire, not be the reason for defeat.

Pisces — Feb 19 to Mar 20

It’s fine to separate from friends for a bit and focus on having a study break.

Cascade Kitchen: Peanut noodle stir fry

Holidays

The Cascade Kitchen is a student-run food column that brings you budgetfriendly recipes and cooking tips. If you want to see your own recipe featured next, get started by reaching out to culture@ufvcascade.ca

This has been my go-to “I don’t know what to make for dinner” dish for quite some time, and so I thought it was time to share it! It’s a great way to use up any vegetables that are beginning to spoil in your fridge and takes less than 15 minutes to prep.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Sauce ingredients:

¼ cup natural peanut butter, smooth ¼ cup soy sauce

1-2 tsp sriracha (depending on spice preference)

1 tsp rice wine vinegar

Juice from 1 lime

1 tsp sesame oil

Other ingredients: 1-inch fresh ginger, minced 2 cloves garlic, minced ¼ cup white onion, diced Rice noodles

Vegetables of choice Sesame seeds

Method:

1. Combine all sauce ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. If needed, thin out the peanut butter with a bit of hot water to help mix it up. Set aside. 2. Prepare rice noodles according to package instructions. 3. Saute ginger, garlic, and onion until translucent and fragrant. About 3 minutes.

4. Add vegetables of choice until tender, about 5-6 minutes, and then add noodles.

5. Pour over the peanut sauce and mix until combined.

6. Top with sesame seeds and enjoy!

FROTA COLARES

Music legend and global treasure Dolly Parton was born on Jan. 19, 1946. It was a historical reset. Around the world, all agree their lives would have been miserable if Dolly Parton had not been born on that Jan. 19 — then why is Jan. 1, of all days, the first day of a new year?

People have asked that question since never — it’s literally the first day of the calendar; it’s not that complicated. Right? But you see, if the new year starts at the beginning of the calendar, who decides when the calendar starts? Someone woke up one morning and said: “today’s January 1.” The Chinese, for example, have a traditional calendar system that does not start the year on Jan. 1.

So what happened that day? What could be more important than the birth of singersongwriter icon Dolly Parton?

For the ancient Babylonians, for example, the new year started in late March, at the beginning of spring. Considering these ancient civilizations were mostly agrarian, it makes sense they would celebrate the beginning of a good harvest cycle and, well… not starving to death.

But it was Julius Caesar who came up with Jan. 1 as the first day of a new year. Not satisfied, he also added a month named after himself: July. Why? Because he was Julius Caesar, and he could do whatever he wanted. Augustus tried the same thing — though if we’re being honest, August doesn’t hit half as hard as July.

The name January comes from the Roman god Janus, the embodiment of beginnings and decisions, a dual-headed creature who could look back to the past and forward to the future — very poetic, though I highly doubt mister Janus could reinvent country music while rocking a platinum blonde mane hairdo.

Aside from a few corrections to match the orbit of the sun in the following centuries, including the establishment of the Gregorian calendar, the first day of the year remained mostly the same over the last thousand years, and New Year’s Eve became the main celebration for the beginning of a new cycle, though everybody has their own way to do it.

All cultures across the world have the same wish on Dec. 31: a better new year than the previous one. Still, different cultures have found different ways of celebrating and wishing for a prosperous year, whether that’s certain food, rites, or vigorous liplocking at midnight.

Our American neighbors, for example, traditionally watch a 12-thousand-pound iron ball drop at Times Square. The point? Who cares: it’s all sparkly and pretty. Plus, bouncy balls are awesome, and they’ve been awesome since the toddling days.

Countries like Portugal and Cuba, on the other hand, enjoy a big feast. Amongst other things, it includes pork, which is meant to represent and attract prosperity for everybody in the coming year — everybody except for pigs, I guess.

In Brazil, wearing a white outfit is a must, for it attracts peace and prosperity for the new year. A more interesting Brazilian custom is the underwear you choose: each color will attract a different thing for your new year. Red? Love. Yellow? Money. And dirty panties will get you some bad luck, so you better do your laundry, kids.

Whether you celebrate the beginning of the year on New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, or on Dolly Day, it’s a special night to get together with friends and family and share your expectations for the start of a new cycle. It’s the perfect time to appreciate the year that has passed, to make exciting plans that you are certain to drop before February, and to drink cheap wine with your head hanging off your couch. Either way, 2023 is here, full of new possibilities for great memories, dreadful tragedies, and funny new memes. 2022 has been said and done, but 2023 is a blank canvas — and that makes it a much better year already.

SYDNEY MARCHAND

NELSON

Photo by: Aryan Kathuira

The vibe to life: SZA’s SOS

MITALI BHARDWAJ

SZA is a popular R&B, rock and soul, and rap singer and songwriter from the United States. Ctrl, her 2017 debut album, reached on the Billboard 200 at No. 3. She is renowned for using the lyrics of her songs to savagely express her true emotions and insecurities. She has collaborated with many well-known musicians, including Justin Timberlake, Doja Cat, and Kendrick Lamar. SZA and Doja Cat's collaboration on "Kiss Me More” (2017) became one of the most well-known songs of 2021. Videos, reels, and TikToks of the song featuring dances, transitions, remixes, and much more were all over social media platforms.

The song "Good Days" by SZA from her December 2022 album SOS is classified as "neo-soul" and peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 after releasing as a single in 2020. This made it SZA''s first

solo top ten hit overall and her third single specifically on the chart, which is quite significant. SZA, Los Hendrix, Nascent, Carter Lang, & Jacob Collier wrote the lyrics in a subtle way. The song is a walk away from the negativity and the past, towards hope for a bright future, as 2020 was a difficult year for SZA, just as it was for most of us. The five months after she lost her grandmother were the lowest points in SZA's life, because her grandmother was like a best friend to her according to an interview with Rolling Stone. But rather than sinking into a deep depression, she overcame her grief through exercise and meditation, growing into the powerful woman SZA is today. SZA said in a YouTube comment that, "Good days is about not being sure .. not Sure hope is still a thing, not sure better is coming, not sure any of even it matters . it's an acknowledgement were all in the same ugly chaotic beautiful existence . Shared energy . We’re all shattered and stretched beyond our means in all Ways."

According to the singer, the song's overall goal is to offer someone going through a tough time in life at least a small amount of hope. The song's famous line, "I don't miss no ex, I don't miss no text," exemplifies SZA's typical behavior of letting go of the past and moving on with self-love and confidence. The song, which was released on Christmas 2020, represents an uplifting conclusion to a year that was exceedingly difficult for everyone to endure.

The title of the second song on SZA's sophomore album is “Kill Bill”, which was produced by her, Rob Bisel, and Carter Lang, alludes to the Quentin Tarantino duology, Kill Bill Volume 1 and Volume 2 The song's lyrics reveal SZA's ferocious fantasies about an ex-partner, which correlate with the movie's plot. On Dec. 29, 2022, she released a teaser for the video in which she unveiled her reflection of Beatrix "The Bride," the movies' protagonist. Additionally, the song was an enormous success on social media sites like Instagram and TikTok.

As usual, SZA's most recent album set records and, just as she has ever since she entered the industry, has captured the hearts of millions of people. She will undoubtedly continue to do so for many years to come with her talent and generosity.

Movies //

It’s no mystery that Glass Onion raises the bar

The sequel to Knives Out is a breath of fresh air in cinema

EVA DAVEY

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022) follows the 2019 film Knives Out, both of which are written and directed by Rian Johnson. While the first became memorable with its aesthetic and twists, the follow up film changes the scenery while keeping the twists coming. It is not a direct sequel to the first movie, with the only returning character being Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc who is out to solve the crime. The trailer for the movie itself is great at not letting the audience see who the actual murder victim is, and for the better half of the movie viewers may assume it will be Edward Norton’s Miles that bites the bullet. He is the glue that bonds the group together through his large favors and money (much like the first movie's victim), and the movie quickly shows all the reasons why the audience and the other characters would want to get rid of this guy. Similar to its predecessor, this film has an eclectic cast of big names, but rather than being bonded through blood these characters are joined by an underlying dirty secret they all share. The movie is set during the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic where the gang get together on Miles’ private island to solve a fake murder mystery that slowly becomes real. While some may be annoyed with seeing the pandemic in television and

cinema, this feels like a true product of its time.

Glass Onion’s strength is without a doubt its characters. They don’t feel as fleshed out as in the first film, but this lends itself to the movie. These people aren’t family, and at this point in their lives they are friends and it shows how this tension builds up to the eventual murder. Craig delivers what I feel is a better performance than his Bond. Norton is insufferable in the best way possible, and his shady character Miles is obviously never supposed to be given the benefit of the doubt by the audience. I couldn’t wait to see who murdered him. Dave Bautista’s Duke begins the movie flat, and it isn’t until

we see his character in flashbacks that we see how dynamic his character really is. The two standouts for me were Kate Hudson as Birdie Jay, a problematic celebrity, and Janelle Monae who pulls double duty playing twins. After viewing this movie I demand Hudson is cast in a hundred more comedies, and Monae needs to be in a thousand more movies in general. It is hard to be a scene stealer whenever Benoit Blanc comes on screen yet Monae as Andi/ Helen manages to do it. My only complaint would be that Kathryn Hahn was severely underused.

Another high was of course the writing. I haven’t seen a movie where the writer/

director pays such intricate attention to detail in every aspect in such a long time that this movie came out as the top movie of 2022 for me, and one of the best I have seen in a while. From Miles hanging a famous painting upside down to show he can’t buy intelligence to the subtleness of the drinkware given to each character. I watched this movie for the first time with my family, and my dad instantly spotted who poisoned Duke (Norton doesn’t die in this!), but I was the only one to catch what the character briefly mentioned he was allergic to at the beginning of the movie. Something I noticed on the second watch was the detail of the wrist band that Norton’s Miles gives each of his guests which he describes as being the color of the Chakra he associates with them. Monae’s Andi receives the root chakra. When the reveal comes that she is the character that essentially created Miles’ wealth, this subtle hint reveals how he truly feels about her.

The movie ends in flames (literally) and all the jokes and one liners throughout the movie have incredible pay off. It follows the same technique as the first film where it flashes back to only a few days prior and leads right back up to the moment the audiences last saw the characters during the murder mystery. Watching this movie was an experience itself that left me on the edge of my seat and wanting more. Do yourself a favor and watch this movie, then watch it again and again.

With songs like “Good Days,” SZA shows her talent for emotionally impactful songwriting

Photo credit: RCA Records

Photo credit: Neflix

ARTS

Movies

Have yourselves a jolly bloody Christmas

“Ho-Ho-Holy shit” what a good film

ROUTIER

Christmas is the time for reds on whites: cardinal fabric on the arctic fur of the jolly fellow’s coat, scarlet stripes on the pearly caned candy hanging on the tree, and crimson blood on the cadaverous snow outside. I’ve said it once before and I’ll say

it again, when it comes to violent films there are two things I look for: brutal violence and comical violence. Violent Night delivered on both.

The deaths and injuries in this film could only be described as a pairing of slapstick comedy and bloody gore, all executed with my personal favourite weapons: improvised household decorations. Even the child got some kill points, which is not often the case.

Leah Brady, who plays the little girl, got to act out on everyone's childhood fantasy of making better traps than Macaulay Culkin ever could. The exchanges between her and David Harbour were surprisingly wholesome.

For every bit of violent vengeful spirit he gave her, she made him believe in Christmas again.

The dialogue and banter were respectable enough, and I’m willing

to overlook the cheesy Christmas puns, because, let’s be honest here, it’s still a Christmas movie. In fact, I think it has become one of my top five Christmas movies, but I’ll have to watch it again next year to be sure. It has the potential to be that Christmas film that scars children who watch from the staircase as their mommy and daddy put it on after sending them to bed.

The only downfall for me was the plot. To me, the violence and comedy made up for it, but it does use some tropes that were just unsurprising and mundane. For example, the main villain was overly hateful of the holiday when really their motivation was a simple robbery, although John Leguizamo seemed to be having fun with all the bad Christmas puns, code names, and disturbing torture via Christmas decorations.

Another trope played was the tired “Santa who feels the Christmas spirit has been lost in today's youth,” which has been done over and over again, (although I must say that the role of a curmudgeon who does bad things to be good is a role David

Harbour seems born to play). The divorced parents who are trying to work things out is another familiar holiday trope, but this one was made better as they worked over their issues at gunpoint. Even the sweet kid, who makes everyone believe by the end, is a cliche that can tire, but thankfully Leah Brady did a splendid job as she kept the balance between the sweet and the bloody.

Violent Night is a wholesome film, it’s a funny film, and, as the title suggests, it’s a violent film. From candy cane shivs to reindeer-pulled sleigh, from nut cracking nutcrackers to a present-filled sack, and from a bullet adorned tree to a smashing gingerbread house, the only thing missing was Rudolph himself. All in all, it was a great holiday film and included many holiday favourites that I thoroughly enjoyed. The story gave our lovable fat man a backstory, but it differs from most as it never got too deep into it, leaving room for questions and of course, Christmas magic. Without spoiling too much, I would conclude its description with this: picture John Wick meets Miracle on 34th Street

From the legacy of Chadwick Boseman rises Marvel’s most interesting political thriller

Among ceaseless films, series’ and spinoffs, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is one of the latest steps in Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Yet, it takes on a refreshing tone that even someone tired of Marvel movies may enjoy.

KIAN JOHNSON

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever feels less like a movie about superheroics and more like one about power and ethics and the patterns of escalation in war. With superpowers as a catalyst, the movie gets itself into one of Marvel’s most fascinating messes. It retains the franchise’s signature super-battles — everything from one-on-one melees to allout war — but its more realized politics give these conflicts a fascinating weight that I’ve never felt in a Marvel project before.

Perhaps the most significant part of this movie’s development was the 2020 passing of Chadwick Boseman, who played the Black Panther T’Challa in Black Panther (2018) and all of the character’s MCU appearances from 2016 to 2019. For a franchise as characterdriven as the MCU, completing a Black Panther sequel after Boseman’s death seems to demand the impossible. It makes sense that T’Challa remains central in some way to the stories that bear his name, but aside from some flashback material made with archival footage, Boseman is not present in the movie. Instead, Wakanda Forever builds its hook from the actor’s legacy. T’Challa’s essence drives the film forward from within the characters who love him.

Forced by necessity into a place of power vacated by her brother, T’Challa’s sister Shuri (Letitia Wright) tackles an ever

expanding list of challenges that threaten her and her people. She faces questionable desires that warp and eclipse her sense of morality as she is shoved to her breaking point again and again, through ordeal after ordeal after ordeal. She makes mistakes as a leader, and those under her leadership reap the consequences with her as Wakanda once again finds itself under scrutiny on the world stage. She remains desperately human, and understanding her plight makes it all the more heartbreaking to watch her and her people suffer under a conflict that escalates in part from third-party greed and a mutual desire for peace.

Wakanda Forever’s most dire battle felt like a lose-lose scenario, as I found myself hoping for once that the conflict could end

for the sake of everyone the movie made me care about. This may not seem overly revolutionary in concept, but it’s certainly the first time I’ve experienced anything besides an “ooooohh go get ʼem” attitude towards the outcome of an MCU superhero war. Nameless character deaths suddenly retain meaning as they prove to be fodder for a conflict that nobody really wants. Yes, everyone with a name is still badass, but their feats in battle suddenly carry the weight of actual recognized life. For the first time, the stakes and consequences of such a battle align upon a shared appreciation, between the warring parties, of the life they swear to protect.

The movie packs its 2 hour and 41 minute runtime with scenarios like this, that

compound to the point where I genuinely had no idea how it could possibly resolve everything with the time it had remaining. In fact, with so much time spent building its web of conflict, the movie gives itself little space to properly end, so it attempts a quick resolution that leaves a lot of problems unresolved, unsurprisingly, going through the motions any Marvel fan can recognize as the setup to yet another story. With so much unsolved material, I can easily imagine the movie running for an additional half hour to fully wrap things up. At the end of the day, though, it pays Disney to keep the story rolling, and unsatisfying loose ends are a worryingly effective marketing trick.

Like most Marvel projects, Wakanda Forever creates a minor technobabble explanation of its superpowers and associated technology before accepting a “why over how” attitude. Unlike its companions on the MCU timeline though, it takes literal ownership of the phrase and extends the attitude to encompass how its titular characters experience its world and each other. The movie may not resolve everything, and it certainly has its fair share of issues, but it’s the first MCU property that I’ve felt comfortable recommending because of the world it builds rather than just the characters that inhabit it. For something within a franchise that often neglects nuance in favor of badassery, Wakanda Forever feels refreshingly profound.

MARIE-ANGE

Photo credit: IMDB

Photo credit: IMDB

Akron/Family - Last Year

One of my — by now many — annual repeat shufflings, and this one is perhaps the most perennial of all such cyclical selections. Akron/ Family recently lost founding member, Myles. In the aughts, however, their jaunty, tropical flavoured indie-rock jam stylings were a harbinger of the Vampire Weekends and the Alt-J’s.

Drake - How Bout Now

Always felt like my vision been bigger than the bigger picture / Crazy how you gotta wait until it's dark out to see who really with you / Crazy how even when it miss ya, shit'll come back around and get ya / … I'm not even Christian, I still went to church that year.

Quad City DJ’sSpace Jam

If you haven’t heard this twice before, maybe get yourself some ice, cuz this is spicy hot, like if His Airness had a finals series equivalent of NBA Jam’s on-fire shooting feature: 2023 is obviously, completely the year of Michael Jeffrey Jordan, Chicago’s 6-time unbeaten Larry O-B winner, who donned jersey #23.

Dinosaur Bones - NYE

This band from Toronto does not exist any more, like so many bands from so many different communities in so many different parts of the world who exist by working, writing, playing and recording for ages, sometimes producing excellent material, nearly never to be heard outside their immediate local spheres.

Rewind //

Embark on the most epic quest of 1990

At 33 years old, Crystalis can stand side-by-side with the best modern games

JEFF MIJO-BURCH

Buying games as a kid in the ʼ90s using an already-outdated Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) was always a gamble. I went to a garage sale once that had a box of NES cartridges, but with no real knowledge of the games, I had nothing to judge them on except a title and a small piece of artwork.

At $5 each, I could only afford two with my eight-year-old’s budget, but I wanted to try Duck Tales, Duck Tales 2, and Crystalis. I liked the Duck Tales show, but Crystalis had a cool guy with a sword and a weird green blob monster, so that had to be a good time. Fast forward to 2023 and that Duck Tales 2 cartridge I left behind is worth over $200 USD, but I have no regrets: Crystalis remains my all-time favourite NES game.

Crystalis, originally released in 1990, (and later remade for the Game Boy Colour and released on the Nintendo Switch’s NES games library) is an RPG solidly in the lineage of The Legend of Zelda, but it actually shares far more with 1991’s A Link to the Past than the NES original. Players explore a surprisingly large and varied world, swinging swords, casting spells, and talking to strange and memorable characters.

Set in the distant future after the apocalyptic “October 31, 1997: The End Day,” civilization has transformed into a medieval fantasy world for… reasons… and your silent protagonist wakes up from a cryogenic sleep and is quickly sent off on a series of increasingly heroic quests.

While the game certainly shows its age, some parts feel surprisingly modern, with a deeper story and characters than any other NES game I’ve ever played. Replaying it on the Switch (where it is included with any Nintendo Switch Online membership)

30 years later, it’s made even better with the ability to use quicksaves to cut down on replaying tough sections. Having online guides as a reference also helps with a couple of confusing quests and unexplained items.

Crystalis also fits in nicely with some of the biggest indie game hits of modern gaming. The gameplay will certainly appeal to fans of Tunic, which emulates the sense of journeying into the unknown that these retro games are built around. The challenging, hack-and-slash gameplay also feels in line with games like Hades or even souls-like games such as Hollow Knight

Like any retro game, it requires you to be in the right headspace to play, and a little bit of time to get comfortable with the outdated elements, but if you give Crystalis a chance, you will find a rewarding experience that reminds you that great games aren’t a new invention.

Photo credit: Nintendo

Note: Note:

Some of these events require tickets, and most are online. If something catches your eye, take to the internet for more details, including those about social distancing measures for in-person events.