The Cascade, Volume 31, Issue 4

Editor-in-Chief Brad Duncan brad@ufvcascade.ca

Production Manager

Niusha Naderi niusha@ufvcascade.ca

Business Manager Stephan St. Amour stephan@ufvcascade.ca

Digital Media Manager Wilson Agyapong wilson@ufvcascade.ca

Culture & Events Editor Anisa Quintyne anisa@ufvcascade.ca

Arts in Review Editor Eva Davey eva@ufvcascade.ca

Features & Cover Rashneet

Illustrator Iryna Presley

Illustrator Washington Reimer

Illustrator Carolina Talcan

Photographer Aryan Kathuria

Managing Editor Kait Thompson kaitlyn@ufvcascade.ca

Creative Director Lindsey Roberts lindsey@ufvcascade.ca

News Editor Rachel Tait rachel @ufvcascade.ca

Copy Editor Aasha Khoyratty

A lament for Türkiye and Syria

In the wake of the recent devastation lies a truth: that no one should suffer in isolation

BRADLEY

DUNCAN

Opinion

As I write this, it’s been barely 72 hours since two large seismic events rocked the countries of Türkiye (Turkey) and Syria. The cataclysmic earthquakes that reached magnitudes of 7.8 and 7.6 sent shockwaves in every direction, the effects felt as far away as Greenland; however; the true devastation of the catastrophe radiates much further, and is impossible to measure.

Columnists

CONTRIBUTORS

Emma Hones

Béatrice Frenette

Gabe Martyn

Gianna Dinwoodie

Caleb Campbell

Andrea Sadowski

Rachel Kelly

Jayden Talvio

Josiah Hansen

Matthew Iddon

WWW.UFVCASCADE.CA

@UFVCASCADE

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Volume 31 · Issue 4 Room S2111 33844 King Road Abbotsford, BC V2S 7M8 604.854.4529

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.

The Cascade is published on the traditional, unceded territory of the Stó:lō peoples. We are grateful to be able to work and learn on this beautiful land.

Over 35,000 lives have officially been lost, but that number will climb as communities search for their loved ones among the rubble of the estimated 64,000 destroyed buildings in Türkiye alone. The massive quakes and numerous aftershocks have also damaged key infrastructure which has hampered efforts to provide aid and excavation equipment to key areas. The devastation is widespread, and search and rescue teams are too few and lack necessary heavy machinery. Adding to the crisis is the weather, as survivors struggle against freezing temperatures without adequate shelter, rightfully wary of lingering in any remaining buildings that may be structurally compromised. Rescue and aid efforts are in a race against time as hope dwindles by the hour.

In times of such unimaginable tragedy, it’s understandable to feel overwhelmed. Witnessing

loss on any scale can evoke strong feelings like sorrow, fear, anger, and helplessness, and UFV provides services and support for those who need it. Dr. James Mandigo, acting president and vice-chancellor, issued a statement on Feb. 9 with links to resources available to students, and I encourage anyone who needs them to make use of them, and donate to relief efforts if they can.

I understand anyone’s instinct to avert their eyes from catastrophe — especially when our own insignificance is made so apparent. Truly, what can any of us do at a time like this, half a world away? I promise you — your attention matters. Grief is a truly universal human experience, and our ability to empathize with someone else’s suffering can be a radical force for good. History is full of horror and injustice, but change comes, and progress is made, when people refuse to look the other way.

University is an opportunity to better understand the

world around us (including its hardships), to inform our choices, grant perspective, and invest us in the future. We are part of a global community, and elections can hinge on questions of globalism, foreign aid, immigration, and international cooperation. The role that Canada plays in the world is a direct result of our individual choices. Tomorrow’s tragedies are exacerbated, or mitigated, by what we do today.

There is no elixir to heal national trauma, but a unifying thread is the desire to simply be seen. Truth and reconciliation commissions around the world know this well: when our pain is recognized and felt by others — when the burden of grief is shared — we feel validated and connected by our common humanity.

Carrying wounds that will never fully heal, the road ahead for the people of Syria and Türkiye will be arduous as survivors mourn, and attempt to rebuild. The job for the rest of us starts here: try not to look away.

aasha@ufvcascade.ca

Features Editor Brad Duncan brad@ufvcascade.ca

Editor Emmaline Spencer emmaline @ufvcascade.ca

Sports Editor Teryn Midzain teryn @ufvcascade.ca

Production Assistant Brielle Quon Distributor Gurtaj Dhami The Shuffler Aaron Levy

Jinnie Saran

VOA/Wikimedia Commons

Happy Valentine’s to you, UFV

Collecting true love stories from members of the UFV community.

RACHEL TAIT

For the past two years, love stories that originated at UFV have been featured on the UFV Today blog in celebration of Valentine’s Day. On Jan. 30, UFV Today posted an open invitation to the members of the UFV community to send in their UFV love stories to Anne Russell, the media and communications manager.

The call for submissions was posted on the UFV Today blog to spotlight how students met their true loves. The blog post asked for submissions focusing on how couples met their significant others at the university, and their journeys to finding true love.

When asked what inspired the call for the love story submissions, Russell mentioned that part of her job includes working with her team to plan the type of content they feature in the UFV Today blog and make it interesting for their readership. She also said that she and her team try to connect what they write in the blogs to any holidays or

NEWS BRIEF

BC Transit strike could hinder UFV students from attending university

First Transit is contracted to provide bus transportation in the Fraser Valley and their union issued a 72 hour strike notice at the end of January citing low pay and the lack of pension as primary factors. The union threatened to stop charging passengers fares beginning Thursday Feb. 2, and on Feb. 27-28 there will be no bus service available in Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Central Fraser Valley, Hope, and Agassiz-Harrison. These measures may continue if an agreement cannot be reached. Suspending bus service could make it extremely hard, if not impossible, for many students to get to the University and back. This could be problematic for students who have no other form of transportation and cannot afford rideshare or taxi services.

- Rachel Tait

events that are coming up during the year.

“Many people enjoy a good love story,” explained Russell, “so we thought it would be fun to ask for love stories that originated at UFV. We’ve run features on couples that met at UFV twice before, and they proved popular.”

According to Russell, the love stories submissions may include photos and have “a maximum of five paragraphs.” From previous years, contributors have been as brief or detailed as they liked in their explanations. In 2021, there were a total of six submissions highlighted in last year’s blog post.

When asked if this call for submissions is for students only, Russell clarified that the love story submissions were not limited to UFV students and that anyone can submit their love stories to be featured.

“If staff or faculty, or alumni, wish to participate, they are welcome to do so. Some of our past submissions were from people who started as students, met their partner here, became alumni,

and are now UFV employees.”

The love stories posted in previous years often include a photo and a blurb explaining how the couple met at UFV, a little about their romance, and how long they have been together.

According to Russell, the love stories

will be posted on both their social media platform and the UFV Today blog. The due date for love story submissions was Feb. 8. To read the entire blog post when it’s released, please visit the UFV Today blog.

Illustration by Marie Tary | UFV Community Engagement

NEWS BRIEFS

The end of Netflix?

On Feb. 8, Netflix enacted its new protocol on password sharing in four select countries, including Canada. The new rules — aimed at cracking down on password sharing — will allow users to set a “primary location” so that all within that household can use the account, with the option to add on extra members for a fee of $7.99 per month. Users will still be able to access their account while traveling. This switch up by Netflix has created an uproar in its Canadian subscribers, many of whom are making their own move to cancel their subscriptions.

UFV// Senate recap: program reviews and fall reading break

Recommendations for programs, sessional dates, and the faculty of business and computing report

RACHEL TAIT

“Senate is the academic governing body of UFV, with the university president and vice-chancellor, Joanne MacLean, as the chair. They are responsible for making decisions on everything academic, including: approving new courses and programs, approving changes to programs, and setting entrance requirements and the academic calendar. The Board of Governors, which looks at the business side of the university, is advised by Senate on matters of mutual interest.

All at the university are welcome to attend Senate’s public meetings, held once a month. Senate makes decisions that impact the daily lives of both students and faculty. This article will recap the main agenda items of the hybrid Senate meeting on Friday, Feb. 10, 2023.”

was carried by the senate.

Ryder Glass also made a motion to approve the Dean’s review of the anthropology program, which was favorably voted on. According to the summary report by Dr. Sylvie Murray, dean of arts, several recommendations were listed to improve the program with the goal of creating a new major in the field. The department intends to plan “a capstone course where students draw on their anthropological training to investigate and suggest possible solutions to social justice issues.” Another recommendation is to get rid of prerequisites to select 200 and 300-level courses, as they can block students from taking the classes. This will be later looked at once the 400-level capstone course has been created.

community.”

Ryder Glass motioned for the approval of the Dean’s review for the theatre program, which was carried. UFV will continue to retain lower level courses such as THEA 111 and 210 in the curriculum for students to take as electives, especially if they are international or not majoring in theatre. The review specified that the department “will develop a plan for offering spine and elective courses to maximize enrolment potential as new curriculum is launched.”

David Johnston, office of the registrar, presented the tentative sessional dates for the school years of 2023-2024 until 2027-2028. This included the implementation of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and a fall reading break into the sessional dates as well.

Rent is up, and not just in Vancouver

The costs of rent have been on a rise across Canada. There are rules on how much a landlord can increase rent prices on existing tenants, resulting in “renovictions” and landlords upping their rent for new tenants. The upward swing in pricing boils down to a supply and demand issue. Homes cost too much to buy, and there has been a decrease in available low-cost rentals. Rise in rent has been drastic enough that the government of Canada has created a one time only top-up to the Canada Housing Benefit, allowing students and lower income people to have $500 to go toward their cost of living.

Dr. James Mandigo, office of the provost and vice president academic, acted as chair for the senate on behalf of Dr. Joanne MacLean. Acting provost, Dr. Tracy Ryder Glass, brought forth motions to vote on Dean’s reviews for several programs.

Ryder Glass made the first call to motion to approve the Dean’s review of the aviation program that was submitted by Dr. Christophe Schinckus, dean of the faculty of professional studies. According to the review, “the director and the school is currently working on a proposal to increase the credit recognition for Transport Canada licenses.” Recommendations also include implementing “a non-pilot pathway” also known as “Aviation Aerospace.” The review mentioned that “at the international level, an ‘Aviation-Aerospace’ pathway will also allow the program to welcome students involved in diplomas and degrees in civil aviation management or airport management.” The motion

The Dean’s review for the communication program was voted favorably by the senate. The review stated that the faculty is working on creating a “student advising strategy” and are considering different strategies to support students. Another recommendation is for the “department to develop an Indigenous Communication course and hire a tenure-track Indigenous scholar specialist in Indigenous communication.” Different programs are also being created by faculty, including a journalism minor.

Ryder Glass successfully motioned to approve the Dean’s review for the visual arts program. The review by Murray mentioned that the extended minor in visual arts in both the BA and the BFA program is important, and will not be discontinued. The review also emphasized the focus is to “ensure courses are relevant to contemporary art activity and discourse, resonate with student interests, and reflect [the] area’s commitment to Indigenization and

The first fall reading break is scheduled for the upcoming year for fall 2023 and will run from Saturday, Nov. 11 to Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023. Moving forward, all fall reading breaks starting from 2024-2028 will be scheduled during Remembrance Day, which will change depending on where it falls in the year.

Business major and current president of Enactus UFV, Trisha Kumar, gave a testimonial about her experiences as a business student and leading Enactus UFV. It is run by students and partners with the school of business at UFV. During her presentation, Kumar explained how being part of Enactus UFV can help with resumé building and gives an edge for students because of the experience and opportunities they have through this organization. Kumar highlighted a few of those opportunities, such as the Fraser Valley AgroConnect Project, which focuses on helping farmers with “resource and information business management, and business recruitment.”

- Emmaline Spencer

- Emmaline Spencer

UFV Flickr

Emmaline Spencer — Opinion Editor

A fall reading break could be tricky, but worth it

How UFV implementing this change could benefit students’ mental health.

JAYDEN TALVIO

With reading break coming up, I have two things on my mind. The first is how excited I am to have a “break” off of school (I use quotation marks since we all know that reading break isn’t much of a break, but a chance to catch up on our homework and hope to get some well-deserved rest). The second is that I wish we could get a reading break in the fall as well.

I remember having a conversation with a few of my peers last semester about how much we would all appreciate a break in the fall. I didn’t know that around the same time we had this discussion, there was a larger movement brewing that was (and still is) continuing to advocate for a fall reading break. Shout out to the Student Union Society (SUS) squad. I also had no idea at the time we were discussing this, that UBC had already implemented one in 2021.

I think that UFV should institute a fall reading break for the same reason that UBC did, and for the same reason that the UFV SUS advocates for one: mental health. Some of us (cough cough, me) find it difficult to detach from the demands of school if we are not forced into some downtime. When students are scheduled to take time off, I feel like I am doing my part by not studying mercilessly for once; in other words, I feel it is my duty to prioritise my

Lifestyle // I’m bringing valentines back

mental health.

Sure, maybe not everyone, if anyone, will be able to fully take a break from studying, but (assuming that no professors decide to pile on extra work for us to do during our break) at least we will have a chance to not have any additional homework to do while we’re on our break.

On Jan. 13, SUS proposed at the UFV Senate meeting that an autumn reading break could be scheduled during the week of Thanksgiving or the week of Remembrance Day. I think that either of these two weeks would be excellent, as they are already shortened weeks due to the statutory holidays. However, I would favour Thanksgiving because this would give us a full week to connect with our relatives rather than just one weekend. For those whose families live far away, getting a full week off of school might afford the necessary travel window in order to visit with their relatives for at least a few days over Thanksgiving — something that might not be possible for many students over just a long-weekend. What is the benefit of getting to spend quality time with one’s family? You guessed it — improved mental health.

Admittedly, yes, a reading break during the fall semester would require some more logistic planning on the part of the higher-ups at UFV, but I think it would be worth it. After all, the UFV staff could probably use a break from us too.

What’s that smell in the air? Smells like… flowers and chocolate — must be Valentine’s Day. Every year there is a rush of panic over this pivotal day of romantic gestures. The day has passed this year, but the sentiments remain. It seems like this is a day that glorifies people in romantic relationships and shines a glaring light on those who are single. I would like to propose a modern reboot of Valentine’s Day.

Instead of making it a day to glorify only romantic relationships, I say we go back to our grade school days of passing little note cards to one another, professing our friendship. Love exists beyond that of the romantic variety. We should celebrate platonic and familial love in addition to the romantic.

There have been many Saint Valentine’s to exist, but Valentine’s Day is commonly associated with Saint Valentine of Terni, who is generally believed to have been persecuted and jailed for his religious faith and marrying people illegally. While imprisoned he grew close to his jailor, who in time became impressed with Saint Valentine and recruited him to help his blind daughter, Julia, study by having him read to her. Before Saint Valentine’s execution date, it is reported that his final miracle was curing Julia. The night before his execution, he wrote the very first “valentine” to her. It was a letter representing the friendship between the two.

the first ever valentine one of friendship, but Julia planted an almond tree near the grave of Saint Valentine to be a lasting symbol of their love and friendship. The roots of the holiday we treat as one of romantic gestures spawned from the death of a man dedicated to his faith and his friendships made on death row. If we are to take anything from this, it’s that we should celebrate the connections we make in life, beyond that of the romantic.

hundreds of sugar cookies and assembled dozens of little

valentine cards to give to people in my life. I chose to celebrate the love I share with friends and family. In 2019 there was an unusual snow storm on Valentine’s Day. That year, I went on a trek to visit my friends who had scattered across the Lower Mainland to deliver little valentines because I wanted them to know they are valued in my life, despite the distance between us.

Outside of western culture’s interpretation of Valentine’s Day, East Asia celebrates by having two separate days. Valentine’s Day in Japan is a day for women to give friends, family, loved ones, and colleagues valentines. White Day is a day to respond that takes place on March 14, a month after Valentine’s Day. All this to say, they make a point of Valentine’s Day holding meaning beyond that of the romantic variety and provide a secondary day so that those who received may respond accordingly.

I believe we should shift our mindsets and culture to see Valentine’s Day as a chance to celebrate all forms of love. Love is not limited to romantic relationships and all of us experience some form of it. To my local singles, don’t fester in disappointment over not having a romantic partner,

You get a romantic gesture! You get a romantic gesture! Everybody gets a romantic gesture!

EMMALINE SPENCER

Illustration by Washington Reimer

Illustration by Carolina Talcan

OPINION

Column // Nurturing Nature: Show me the receipts

In a world full of clickbait, come with only the facts

ANDREA SADOWSKI

I live and breathe all things social media. From MySpace to Tumblr to Facebook to YouTube to Instagram to TikTok, I’ve consumed content like no other. Information is power, and social media platforms give power back to the people (within the limits of community guidelines), as anyone can make a video, upload it, and share it with the world. Social media disseminates information, organizes revolutions, and shapes our culture.

These same platforms, however empowering they may be to the average creator, can also be polluted hellscapes of misinformation that scrollers passively absorb into their stream of consciousness. This is why it is so important to vet all the content we are reading, and especially all the content we are sharing.

Along with 42% of Canadians, social media is the primary way I learn about everything going on in the world, including news about our changing climate and tips for stewarding our environment. I’m going to give you four core questions you need to ask yourself when evaluating whether that hyperlink you clicked on holds its weight and is worth sharing to your followers, quoting in your next academic essay, or applying to your everyday life:

Is it reputable? The credentials of the author(s), their sources, and

their publisher will tell you almost everything you need to know about whether a source is trustworthy. Credible new sources like The New York Times, The Narwhal, and The Cascade are all reputable sources that are thoroughly fact-checked. Peer-reviewed journals are another example of highly reliable sources of information, as these articles were written by experts in their field, and vetted by several other experts before they get published. If you’re looking for resources about which native plants would be best in your garden, getting information from organizations like the Fraser Valley Conservancy is a much better option than just some random person’s self-published gardening blog.

Another thing to consider is who is paying the salary of the journalists or researchers you are getting your information from. Steer towards sources that are independently funded (through readership fees), otherwise what they are saying (or not saying) becomes questionable.

Is it consistent with other sources? Don’t believe the first thing you read. Double and triple check with a few different reputable sources to see that this information is correct. If nine out of ten scientists say that the 2021 Fraser Valley floods were caused by a warming climate, and one source says it is just the natural rhythms of nature, take that into account.

Is it local? This is especially important if you are looking for

information specific to caring for nature in the Fraser Valley. The more local the better. Say, for example, you wanted to add plants to your garden to help our local pollinators, so you do some research online about what kinds of plants would attract the most bees or butterflies or hummingbirds. You come across a few different sources about Canada’s declining monarch butterfly population and how we can help support them by planting milkweed. If you zoom in on where these sources are located, it is almost always in Eastern Canada, as monarchs migrate through parts of southern Quebec and Ontario. Not only do monarchs very rarely pass through the South Coast of B.C., but milkweed doesn’t like to grow in our Pacific Northwest rainforest climate. This is why it’s so important to get as local as possible, especially for advice on how to be good stewards of our natural world.

Is it recent? Always look for the most recent source possible. A journal article published ten years ago may have been disproven by now, or a newspaper article about a story that broke last year may no longer be relevant or applicable to the information you are trying to find. We are making new scientific discoveries and technological breakthroughs every day, and what we believed was true yesterday, may be disproven today. Take for example the types of materials each municipality accepts for recycling, starting Jan. 1 of this year, Recycle BC allows items

plastics than ever before are accepted at recycling depots.

Next time you feel like sharing a tantalizing news story you found online with all your friends and family, run it through the filter of these four questions. When your opinionated Uncle Bob posts an oped article that denies basic scientific data and downplays the role that fossil fuel extraction plays in our warming climate, forward him this article. Reject apathy and encourage people who spread misinformation to take on the responsibility of vetting their sources before sharing them online.

If you’re looking for fun, applicable, and reliable information about how to connect with and protect nature in your local community, follow @steptoit on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok!

You can’t swing a cat in UFV without hitting a row of receptacles. You’ve got a place for your organics to keep that compostable goodness out of the landfills; recycling bins for your mixed plastics or refundable items; and a lowly trash bin for the few remaining items bound for the dump. Fuck you, trash can. We don’t need you anymore. I’m not convinced.

On numerous occasions, I’ve witnessed UFV’s hard-working custodial staff dump the contents of a recycling bin into the garbage and then take out the trash like it’s all the same. In their defence, it probably is. Recycling culture isn’t new, especially in the Pacific Northwest, and most of the student population has been raised

in it. Everyone knows you can’t just discard your plastic poke bowl into your blue bin — you must rinse it so the recycling doesn’t become contaminated — but without convenient wash stations at school, what’s a student to do?

When I attended high school back in the ʼ90s, I turned my youthful exuberance toward noble ends. I joined a school organization called the Teen Environmental Awareness Movement (TEAM). The whole exercise was met with such derision by my peers that I fled the group of thrift-shop Planeteers after a year. Back then, it was a struggle to get people to not throw their Fruit Roll-Up wrappers on the ground, let alone dutifully sort their rubbish.

It took barely a generation for our recycling mindset to radically change.

We now expect to find recycling bins when we’re out and about. When I went to Kauai in 2016, I began to question my sanity when I failed to find a place in the airport to deposit my empty soda bottle and was eventually informed by staff that there was no such receptacle there. It was like going back in time. How could a tropical paradise be so behind the times, I thought! Maybe they weren’t. Maybe they were just honest. Canada’s federal government reports that only nine per cent of plastic is actually recycled each year. In the U.S. that number is five per cent — and falling. We think we’re doing the right things, which gives us license to consume more. It’s all a lie. Even if the first 99 people are careful and diligent about what they put in a UFV blue bin, all it takes is one half-drunk

Iced Capp to ruin the whole lot. Even UFV’s own 2019 waste audit shows that recycling contamination is greater than the district average for home pickups which is already too high. With that in mind, why would UFV’s janitorial staff not just assume everything is contaminated as they make their rounds to the hundreds of bins spread around the campus? Four options. One destination.

We want to do the right thing — and we want to be seen to be doing the right thing. I get why UFV has lined the corridors with bins. They provide the optics of sustainability the university surely desires — and we want to see it — but it’s all smoke and mirrors. It’s a performance of progress that’s done little more than litter the halls of education with empty gestures.

Illustration by Washington Reimer

UFV // It’s not easy being green

UFV’s sustainable virtue signaling has us all looking like muppets

BRADLEY DUNCAN

SNAP SHOTS

Illustrations by Iryna Presley

There’s this house on my street that I pass on the way to the park, with a little stone wall that is home to dozens of snail families. The only issue is that this barrier is right beside the sidewalk, allowing these snails to escape to the heavy foot traffic area far too often. I have no doubt that they have important places to be, but I constantly worry that they will be squished by the feet of unaware humans. So every morning, I start my days off walking by this little house to place these snails back behind the wall.

I like to think I’m doing a good thing, saving their lives and all, but they’re probably scared out of their minds when this giant comes everyday to derail their plans to leave this yard and go see the world. I wish I could tell them it is for their own good — that maybe that kind of adventure is overrated anyways — but maybe the risk is worth it for them. Regardless, I’m sure my neighbours have lots of questions when I am outside their house every morning for 10 minutes, carefully placing these snails back in their yard.

Kelly

Arrested development

I was clued into an interesting phenomenon while chatting with someone who graduated high school in 2021 and was disappointed that they did not get their prom. “You 2019 folk… all got lucky!” Did we really? Prom is just a drop in the bucket compared to post-grad exploration, and let’s be clear: a lot of us lost that, hard, and without even realizing it. We were supposed to get to go out and explore the world and try things we’d never thought of, but those opportunities got cut off by COVID-19.

A lot of my personal dreams of getting

involved with live music and finding myself were cut short, and some of my peers feel the same way; there was something we were supposed to do, but we didn’t get the chance then. We learned to get comfortable inside, rather than going out. Now I rarely meet people from the same grad year (let alone the poor 2020 grads). It’s hard opening the door and stepping out when it’s been shut for so long, but what I’ve found is that there’s more than enough space out here. It’s not too late to get involved, and in my opinion: the more the merrier.

Gabe Martyn

Myriad hearts, myriad loves

This month marks four years since I, for lack of a better term, fell ass-backwards into polyamory. By complete accident, and in one weekend, I figured out I was a trans woman and wound up in relationships with two different people — my first relationships ever. It was quite the crash course, needless to say.

Now, all this time later, I’m still with those two people, and several others too. They share in my niche hobbies and nerdy passions, they bring light to the darker times in my life, and they also happen to be really heckin’ cute. I wouldn’t give any of them up for the world.

I can passively understand monogamous pairings, but I have to admit I couldn’t ever see myself in one. Sure, maybe it would be “simpler” from one point of view, but placing all the burden of care on one person, someone who societal norms and romance novels would expect to be my ideal other half — my “soulmate” — seems downright unfair, to them and to me.

Life isn’t a puzzle… no two people are a perfect match for each other. But with an open heart and an open mind, maybe we can all connect in our own ways.

Emma Hones

Fairy kings and midnight dreams do come true

I’m not saying I’m in love, but I recently spent a weekend meeting two black cats, a brother and sister, who are eight months old and blind. I was nervous about whether they would be frightened by me, but it only took a few moments before they were cuddling up to me, seeking warm pats and snuggles. Being blind means their eyelids are closed and they always look like they are sleeping. This meeting was to decide whether my family would adopt the cats or not.

Long story short, I’ve given them names: Oberon and Media Nocte (Latin

for midnight), and I can’t wait to spend my days providing them with all the love and comfort possible. I’ll be getting a pet backpack and a leash so that I can take them on little picnics and walks, and be their eyes for them. I’ll be overstocking my cupboards with little treats for them. I’m collecting little toys for them to play with. I’m not saying I’m in love, but I have two valentine’s this year and their names are Oberon and Media Nocte.

Emmaline Spencer

Snail saviour behaviour

Rachel

THE LEASE WE COULD DO: A STUDENT GUIDE TO RENTING

Everything you need to know about paying to exist in a space

By Andrea Sadowski

Moving out on your own for the first time can be scary, expensive, and confusing. I’ve endured many different types of living situations: my parents house, my car, communal group homes, a room in a house, an illegal basement suite, and a tiny apartment barely up to code. There are many options when it comes to moving out and getting a space for yourself, but there are a few things you need to know before you take the leap. It’s important to know your rights as a renter so that your landlord doesn’t cause you undue stress. This is the guide I wish I had before I ventured into the rental market.

Before you move in

How do I find somewhere to live?

The best way to find affordable housing is through a connection you already have. Spread the word to your friends, family, coworkers, classmates, and anyone in your circle that can give you a lead on a spot that has opened up. You might already know someone who is renting out their basement, or someone who knows a unit will open up in their apartment soon.

Start on student networking groups to see if you can find someone looking for a roommate in their place. Post on Facebook. It can’t hurt to make a post in a neighborhood Facebook group as well, if there is a certain area you are looking for housing in to pitch yourself to potential roommates and landlords. Just post a picture of yourself (and your pet if you have one) and tell folks a little about yourself and what you’re looking for. If you’re lucky, there may be someone in these groups that has a space for you!

If you’ve put out your feelers and nothing comes back, it’s time to do some sleuthing online: Craigslist, Kijiji, and Facebook Marketplace are inundated with listings. Sift through them to see if there is anything in your price range. Never send the pre-written response of “Hi, is this still available?” Someone who is posting a decent place online is probably getting dozens of these messages a day. Send them a message that stands out by telling them a little bit about yourself and why you are interested in their place specifically. If they respond to you, set up a time to check it out.

What kinds of information can the landlord ask for while screening me?

It is normal for a landlord to ask for a few references: one from a previous landlord, one from your employer, and one other character reference. The main thing your landlord wants to know is if you will be able to pay your rent on time, every time. They may ask to run a credit check on you and ask you to provide some sort of proof of income or employment, such as your latest pay slip.

I got accepted! What’s the first thing I should do when I move in?

Before you even sign a tenancy agreement, you should do a walk through of the suite with your landlord. You should both be on the exact same page of the condition of the suite on the day you moved in. Identifying any possible issues or “quirks” (and taking pictures) now will potentially save you a lot of hassle later when they try to blame damages on you. If you do notice any issues, make sure they are acknowledged on the tenancy agreement. If you so choose, you are allowed to ask the landlord to change the lock on your suite if they haven’t already done so after the last tenants move out. If it would make you more comfortable knowing that no one else has the keys to your home other than yourself or the landlord, it is within your right to ask the landlord to do this, at their expense.

What is a tenancy agreement?

Once you’ve found a place you like and the landlord likes you back, you will sign a tenancy agreement that lays out the terms of your lease. You can find a standard tenancy agreement on B.C.’s Residential Tenancy Branch website. The tenancy agreement should have a few basic things, such as the fixed length of tenancy. Whether this be three months, six, or a year, this is the length of time you must generally remain in the suite. After that term is up, you can go month-to-month or into another fixed term.

The agreement should also state everything that is included with the price of rent: laundry, cable, internet, utilities, any appliances, and services such as garbage/recycling collection, snow removal, etc. The landlord must provide the basic utilities of heat, hot water, and electricity, but usually these rates fluctuate, so most of the time you’re responsible for the utility bill of the suite separately.

If you take anything away from this article let it be this: get every single interaction with your landlord documented in writing. This will make or break your case if you ever need to file a dispute against them.

What deposits are required when I move in?

You need to pay a security deposit that should be no more than half a month’s rent and a pet damage deposit (if your landlord allows pets). Both of these deposits should be returned to you at the end of your lease (more on that below).

After you find a place

Who is responsible for paying for repairs and maintenance?

Great question. Unless the repairs are clearly because of damage you caused, all repairs are the responsibility of the landlord. Sometimes landlords will try to pin damage on you to avoid paying for the repair themselves. If something clearly isn’t your fault (like an entire kitchen cupboard is about to fall off a wall because it wasn’t drilled in properly), absolutely refuse to do anything about it. Request the repairs of any damages in writing as soon as you notice them. If the landlord refuses to make the repairs, file a dispute with the Residential Tenancy office.

Landlords often like to do repairs themselves rather than paying for a professional to do it, so when you require maintenance or repair, you may end up getting the “landlords special.” While repairs are in no way your responsibility to do, it’s incredibly empowering to learn some basic home repair knowledge and have the skills to fix things yourself.

A side note about smoke detectors: it is the landlord’s responsibility to install a smoke alarm in your suite and ensure it stays in good working condition. If you notice any damage to your smoke alarm, or if you accidentally damage it yourself while trying to change the battery or something, notify the landlord right away and don’t sleep on it.

What if there is a massive leak in the ceiling and my landlord can’t come to fix it right away?

The landlord must give you a designated contact person to call for emergency repairs; this is usually the landlord themselves. If they are not able to arrange the repairs on time, you are allowed to hire someone to make the repairs and get your expenses reimbursed by your landlord. If they refuse to reimburse you after you come with the receipts, you are allowed to deduct this amount from next month’s rent or file a dispute with the Tenancy board to get your money back.

Does my landlord have to clean my house and my yard and stuff? Isn’t that included in my

rent?

No, cleanliness in the area you are renting is mostly your responsibility. Unless there is cleaning that needs to be done because of a burst pipe or other damages, maintaining a reasonably clean house is on you.

How you are sharing the property with other tenants or (God forbid) the landlords themselves, will factor into who is responsible for what maintenance. If you have exclusive access to the yard, garden, or driveway, you take on the

full responsibility of tasks like cutting the grass, weeding flower beds, or shoveling snow. Shared access means shared responsibility.

If you live in a multi-unit apartment building, all these tasks are solely the responsibility of the landlord. Sometimes you can work out a deal with the landlord of your apartment building where they will deduct some of your rent in exchange for you being in charge of building maintenance tasks like putting recycling bins out to the curb, shoveling snow, and trimming hedges. If you want to save on rent money, and don’t mind doing some extra housework, it is definitely worth a conversation!

How crazy can I get decorating the space to make it my

own?

Get as crazy as you want, with the explicit permission of the landlord, unless you want to reverse all the changes you make when you move out. Before you go painting every color of your house a different shade of pastel, either ask the landlord if it’s cool, or be prepared to paint it back the exact shade you found it in when you arrived.

Usually small holes like thumbtacks or other nail holes are considered “normal wear and tear” of a suite. If you’ve got a lot of holes and a very particular landlord, just take it upon yourself to fill in the holes before you move out — it’s relatively cheap and easy to do so. If you’re hanging up heavier objects, be sure to hang them in a stud or get drywall screws..

Can the landlord come into my space?

The suite you are renting is your home and landlords are restricted from entering your space. If they need to enter, they must give written warning at least 24 hours before entering, which states the time and reason for their visit.

Let me reiterate this point because it is so important and there are a lot of landlords who think it’s their right to come and go as they please into their tenant’s suite because it is still “their house.” It is completely illegal for your landlord to enter your suite without your knowledge or your permission. If you notice this is a problem, shut it down right away by telling them you’ll file a dispute resolution so that they will comply with the law.

Can the landlord increase my rent?

B.C. Tenancy Law sets the limits for the amount your landlord is allowed to increase your rent each year, and this number fluctuates annually. For 2023, they may only increase the rent by two per cent, if they so choose, and you must have lived in the suite for a whole year before they alter the price of rent. They must also give you threemonths notice in writing to inform you. If you think they’re increasing the rent beyond what is allowed, contact the Residential Tenancy office.

Can my landlord tell me to shut the hell up if I play my rock music too loud?

You have a right to “quiet enjoyment” of your space, meaning you are allowed to do what you want in your suite, provided it does not disturb the other tenants living on the property

What if the suite above me is playing their rock music too loud, can I tell them to shut them hell up?

You’re allowed to file a disturbance complaint with the landlord, and it is their responsibility to talk to the other tenant about keeping it down. If it is the landlord living above you that is making excessive noise — dogs barking, kids screaming, extremely loud TV noise — you can always text them and

let them know of the disturbance, but this is a tricky situation because of the power imbalance that exists in this type of living situation..

Who controls the temperature of my unit? I can’t possibly put on any more sweaters; I’m freezing.

When I lived in a semi-illegal basement suite that was once a garage, I had no control over the temperature of my place. In the winter it would get down to 14 degrees. If you are also living in a frozen hellscape, feel free to text your landlord again and again to turn up the heat, and have a temperature gauge to send pictures of proof about how cold it is. The landlord must keep your suite at a comfortable temperature.

Can my landlord tell me whether or not I can throw parties or have friends over?

Your landlord is not allowed to charge for or restrict you from having guests that stay overnight. Parties are completely permissible, as long as they’re not ragers that trash the place. If you live in a basement suite or apartment, it’s courteous to let your neighbors know when you’ll be having a party, and thank them in advance for putting up with a bit of extra noise and cars in the driveway.

Can I get a dog now that I have my own place?

Usually the terms for having a pet are laid out in the tenancy agreement you signed at the beginning of the term. They are allowed to restrict the number and size of pets you own. You may choose to get a dog and just hide your pet from the landlord despite it being a breach in your contract, but if they discover that you’ve broken the “no pets” agreement, they are allowed to give a 10 days notice for eviction.

What if I can’t pay for rent for one month?

If you have a good relationship with your landlord, you can have a conversation with them about your circumstances and arrange a date later in the month to pay rent. If your landlord is a money-grubbing skeeze, they can issue a 10 Day Notice to End Tenancy. See some resources below to help you out in a desperate hour.

Should I get renters insurance?

Renters insurance covers worst-case-scenario circumstances like break-ins, fires, floods, and other natural disasters. In a few circumstances, landlords may require you to get your own renters insurance, but in most cases, this is completely up to you. While the landlord’s insurance covers most damage to the suite itself, renters insurance covers the contents of the suite, ie. all your stuff. As well, renters insurance covers any accidental damage you cause, which you have to pay for, like if you leave your flatiron on and burn the whole house down.

Imagine losing everything you own and having to start from square one. For most, it is worth getting for the peace of mind alone.

Can I rent my couch out to a buddy or ask my girlfriend to move in with me?

Unless there is a restriction in your tenancy agreement about how many occupants are allowed in your suite, go right ahead. However, your new roommate should know that they are not covered under the tenancy agreement until you both have signed a new agreement with the landlord. They waive their rights as a tenant if those papers aren’t signed.

I definitely can’t afford to rent a place on my own. Can I rent a place with a friend or rent a room out in my suite?

Yes! It is incredibly hard to move out on your own, especially if you’re making less than a living wage, as most students are. Finding a two-bedroom suite and splitting it with a friend allows you to get more space for less money. Be sure you’re splitting it with the right roommate — that you are on the same page about cleanliness levels, how often to have guests over, how loudly they want to play music or watch TV in common areas, and their style of decor.

It is up to you to pay the entirety of the suite every month, this means that if your roommate cannot pay their half of the suite one month, it’s up to you to pay the entire bill. Sometimes life may throw a wrench in our plans, so it’s important to establish an emergency savings account with enough money to cover a month or two of existence.

What about renting one room of a house?

This is another super affordable option for student housing. There are many landlords who have a spare room or two in their family home and rent these out to tenants. Remember, in this situation they are taking a gamble on you as much as you are on them. They are letting a stranger stay in their home and use a lot of the same common areas as them and their family members. It’s so important to lay out certain ground rules when you first move in: what the common areas are and if there are restrictions around times you can use them; if you are allowed to bring friends or dates over; and rules about fridge/freezer/storage space.

I had an excellent experience renting out a room because the landlord wasn’t renting out the room as a source of income, but rather to open her home up to students who needed places to live. The landlord, her family, and her abundance of pets became like family to me and the other tenant she rented to. It was a great living environment, but definitely a different vibe than having a space all to yourself.

How do I become friends with my neighbors?

The number one piece of advice I will give you in this feature is to make friends with anyone who shares a common area with you, be it the same recycling bins, laundry machines, patio, backyard, or hallway. In my experience, the best way to make friends with people is to make them food — bake them some cookies, invite them over for dinner, or just make a giant pot of spaghetti and bring them a bowl. Learn their names, get their phone numbers, become their friends. Becoming friends with your neighbors minimizes problems, and when there is a dispute you can solve it between yourselves rather than getting the landlord involved.

When you move out!

How much notice do I have to give before I move out?

If you live in a monthly tenancy, you have to give notice at least one month before ending the tenancy. You must pay for the final month of your tenancy, whether you’ve already moved out or not. If you have a roommate that moved out, but you still want to rent the place, you can have a discussion with the landlord about it and sign a new tenancy agreement.

Can a landlord kick you out or end the lease early?

If a landlord ends your tenancy so they can rent the unit to their own family member or so they can sell the house, they owe you compensation of one month of free rent, in other words, you get one month of free rent while you look for a new place. They also need to give you two month’s notice that they’re ending the tenancy. If the landlord wants to end your tenancy because they want to do major home renovations, they must give you four month’s notice, and the compensation of one month’s rent.

The landlord can also give you a one month eviction notice if you’ve been a terrible tenant by doing things like: consistently paying rent late, causing property damage, disturbing other tenants, doing shady illegal activities, etc.

If you’re in a fixed term tenancy you or the landlord can only break the lease agreement under extenuating circumstances. You can always dispute your landlord’s notice to end tenancy with the Residential Tenancy branch.

How deeply should I clean the house before I leave?

As a rule of thumb, try to leave things better than how you came. Last impressions are important, especially if you want to use them as a reference in the future. There are certain “standards” of cleanliness you’re legally entitled to leave the suite in, unless you want to pay for the cost of cleaning. For example, If you’ve got a carpet in your suite, you gotta get rid of that stain when you spilled that bowl of chili on the floor and never cleaned it up.

Also, don’t forget about the appliances! You should be suffocating on oven cleaner fumes by the time cleaning your suite is all over!

The last thing you do with the landlord is a condition inspection in which you’ll agree on a time for the landlord to look over the general condition of the suite. Sometimes, this is a last ditch effort for the landlords to pin any damages on you and keep your damage deposit. If your landlord gives you an unfair assessment, you are allowed to disagree with them, just be sure to document your argument in writing on the condition inspection report.

How do I get my damage deposit back?

Your suite is allowed to show “reasonable wear and tear,” while this is up to the discretion of the landlord, and some may be more strict than others, most generally understand that the suite will looked lived in. It’s going to have some scuffs on the floor and some holes in the walls — that’s natural. A landlord must pay your security and damage deposit back with interest within 15 days of the end of your tenancy. If your landlord is a decent person, they will pay back your deposit with the same haste you pay rent. If they refuse to pay back your deposit or ignore your texts about it, let them know you’re going to file a dispute with the tenancy board and they’ll have to pay back double what they owe you.

Housing Resources for students

Lá:lem te Baker currently has space for just 200 students at their student housing, enough for 1.3% of all students. Chances are, you’re going to end up in the off-campus rental market. Here’s a few resources that may help you in your perilous journey seeking shelter:

If you’re world comes crashing down around you and you cannot pay rent one month:

The UFV Student Emergency Fund is available for students “who are experiencing unforeseen financial difficulties that are beyond their control and prevent them from reaching their educational goals.” Visit the UFV Financial Aids and Awards department for more details.

BC Rent Bank provides one-time emergency loans and grants for families and individuals who are unable to make their rent payment due to an unforeseen life event. The Fraser Valley’s Rent Bank is operated through the Mennonite Central Committee’s office.

If you’ve read through this guide, but still have a question about how to find a place to rent, what to do if your landlord is being a complete butt, or how to handle a roommate dispute:

British Columbia’s Residential Tenancy Branch has all the information you could possibly want to know about the ins-and-outs of renting a place. Most of this article was sourced from their website. Please familiarize yourself with this site before renting a place!

The Tenant Resource and Advisory Centre is an amazing resource for everything you need to know about your rights as a renter. It provides clear advice for every question you may have about renting a place, along with helpful tools and templates that will help you document correspondence with your landlord. Their Tenant Survival Guide and Renting it Right course are also wonderful resources for you to review and refer to when

Teryn Midzain — Sports Editor

Scores// Varsity//

Men's Basketball

Feb. 10, 2023

UFV vs. University of Saskatchewan Huskies

Score: UFV 94 - US 73

Feb. 11, 2023

UFV vs. University of Saskatchewan Huskies

Score: UFV 83 - US 79

Next Home games: TBD, depending on playoff spot and location

Women's Basketball

Feb. 10, 2023

UFV vs. University of Saskatchewan Huskies

Score: UFV 83 - US 70

Feb. 11, 2023

UFV vs. University of Saskatchewan Huskies

Score: UFV 62 - US 73

Men’s Volleyball

Feb. 10, 2023

UFV vs. University of Manitoba Bisons

Score: UFV 1 - UM 3

Feb. 11, 2023

UFV vs. University of Manitoba Bisons

Score: UFV 0 - UM 3

Women’s Volleyball

Feb. 10, 2023

UFV vs. University of Manitoba Bisons

Score: UFV 3 - UM 1

Feb. 11, 2023

UFV vs. University of Manitoba Bisons

Score: UFV 3 - UM 2

Next homes games: Feb. 17 and 18 vs. Regina

Cascades Check

CASCADES ATHLETICS

The Cascades’ women’s basketball team finished their regular season schedule with a pair of meetings against the top-ranked team in the nation — the University of Saskatchewan Huskies. After an upset victory on Friday, the Cascades settled for a weekend split, and now turn their sights on the playoffs where they will meet the University of Northern British Columbia Timberwolves on Friday, Feb. 17. The winner of that game will move on to face the University of Alberta Pandas the following day.

Men’s basketball came into the last weekend of the season needing a win to clinch a playoff berth, and they did not disappoint. The Cascades took down the Saskatchewan Huskies in back-to-back nights to book their ticket to the post-season. Matthias Klim had an incredible night on Saturday, posting a league-record 12 shot blocks in the win. UFV will now travel to Winnipeg for a first-round playoff matchup with the Brandon Bobcats on Friday, Feb. 17, with the winner moving on to face the University of Winnipeg Wesmen.

UFV women’s volleyball picked up a pair of wins over the Manitoba Bisons to keep their hopes for a home playoff game alive. The U SPORTS No. 7 ranked Cascades improved their record to 16-6 on the year. With two matches left in the regular season, they will need some outside help to host, but the Cascades are looking like a team that is primed to make an impact in the post-season.

The UFV men’s volleyball team saw their season come to an end as they dropped a pair of decisions to the Manitoba Bisons over the weekend.

Cascades’ women’s volleyball is back at home this Friday, Feb. 17 and Saturday, Feb. 18 to take on the University of Regina Cougars.

The weekend’s game times are set for 6 p.m. and 5 p.m. respectively at the UFV Athletic Centre (Building E on the Abbotsford campus). UFV students can attend for free by showing their student ID at the door.

To catch your Cascades on the road, head to canadawest.tv where all games are streamed live, all season long.

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

Volleyball // Women’s volleyball: The fire streak

TERYN MIDZAIN

The Cascades’ women’s volleyball (WVB) team’s 10-game winning streak came to an end with a 3-2 loss against the UBCO Heat on Feb. 4. While it may be a sour note, the team’s second USPORTs season has otherwise been phenomenal. At the start of this 2022 season, the WVB team was ranked in the bottom half of the Canada West Coaches Poll at 9 out of 15 teams. This was during pre-season in October when most of the teams had yet to really gel and find their rhythms. Since then, after some tougher early season matchups, Cascades WVB has soared beyond expectations into 4th place in Canada West, securing a second straight playoff spot.

Regarding the team’s success, head coach Janelle Rozema remarked, “I think it's been a group of women who have caught the vision of wanting to build a strong foundation of a new program and who've got excited about the fact that they can be the ones who define what UFV women's volleyball is to most teams. It's a first impression. And the athletes that ended up committing to our program were excited about making sure that that first impression is one that will/ has become respected in our league.”

Super Bowl LVII

JOSIAH HANSEN

For the first time since the 2017/2018 season, the number one seeds in each NFL conference met in the Super Bowl. In that season, the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the New England Patriots — this year, those same Eagles lost to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs hoisted the Lombardi Trophy after beating the Eagles 38-35 in a duel between two superb offences.

Playing on a visibly injured ankle, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes spearheaded his team to victory, throwing for three touchdowns and becoming the first player since 1999 to win both the regular season MVP and Super Bowl MVP awards in the same season. The Chiefs came into the game having won 13 out of their last 14 games and had just chased their demons away by beating the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Championship game. Their high-octane offence could not be slowed down, even by the vaunted

It’s a new program, and the team is coming into its own. They have a unique sense of play, and after losing their first four of the season, their conditioning and endurance had seen them win every contest since hosting Mount Royal on Nov. 25 until the Heat recently ended their run. This is an absolute tear for such a young program. The Cascades have only needed extra sets in two matches in that time, against the University of Alberta Pandas on Dec. 2, and the UBCO

Heat on Feb. 3.

Beyond their team success in the standings, UFV has multiple athletes in the Canada West top ten leaderboards. Gabrielle Attieh and Lauren Attieh are placed first and sixth in overall kills. Gabrielle is also tenth in total digs, and first in overall total points. Emily Matsui is fourth in digs, and Mo Likeness is second in total blocks. Meanwhile Caitlin Bitter is seventh in over-

all assists and ninth in service aces.

“I think that's where we owe our success to — the right key pieces and key players choosing to take a chance on a program,” said Coach Rozema on her players. “Gabrielle is obviously a really key player. She brings leadership, experience, and wisdom to the younger group.”

“When I first took over the program, there were a lot of rookies who could have played at other places but chose UFV.” Rozema continues. “Those rookies are now second and third years, are more experienced, and are performing. Yeah, Gabrielle is a weapon for us, but we have built a strong group.”

After a quick loss that split the weekend against UBCO, UFV had a weekend sweep against the 6th place University of Manitoba Bisons on Feb 10 and 11, keeping their place at 5th.

“I know this league [so] well that I'm not gonna be reactionary [to two losses] right now. I would be remiss to say that we haven’t taken a moment to be like sweet, the winning streak, but it’s not our main focus. Our focus is executing on each point, executing on each game, and taking [on] each opponent because in Canada West, at any given time, anybody can beat anybody.”

UFV Cascades Women’s Volleyball will host the Regina Cougars Feb. 17 and 18 in Abbotsford.

Eagles' defence. Superstar, Travis Kelce, was rolling in the first half, scoring the Chiefs’ first touchdown of the game. When the Eagles tried to adjust to slow down Kelce, the Chiefs were able to adjust and spread the ball around.

JuJu Smith-Schuster had 6 receptions in the second half as Isaiah Pacheco ate up big chunks in the run game. Midseason acquisition Kadarius Toney added a receiving touchdown and a pivotal 65-yard punt return, the longest in Super Bowl history. The Eagles' defensive line, who helped to put up the third most sacks in NFL history this year, were held to just two sacks for a total of two yards lost. They were never able to meaningfully pressure Mahomes, as tight end Noah Gray and running back Jerick McKinnon stepped up massively in the blocking game.

The Eagles’ offense did more than their share, but it was not enough in the end. Quarterback Jalen Hurts didn’t get sacked at all as he rushed for 70 yards and three touchdowns,

tying Terrell Davis’ record for rushing touchdowns in a Super Bowl. Their dynamic receiving duo of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith combined for 13 catches, 196 yards, and a touchdown. A 45-yard bomb to Brown was a huge momentum gain in the first half, but the Chiefs were able to weather the storm for a victory. The turn of the tide was assisted by a fumble from Hurts that was recovered and taken back for a touchdown by Nick Bolton. Late in the fourth quarter, the Chiefs defense was able to force the Eagles to punt, which led to a long Chiefs drive ending in a game-winning field goal by Harrison Butker with eight seconds remaining.

Looking to the future, the Chiefs don’t show any signs of slowing down. Patrick Mahomes is establishing himself as a truly dominant quarterback and is quickly rising up the all-time ranks of legendary QBs. There’s also a chance that both their offensive and defensive coordinators (Eric Bieniemy and Steve Spagnuolo) return next year, which

would be excellent for the Chiefs. As for Philadelphia, their overall dominance should also carry over into next season, as they are poised to keep many of their key pieces. Jalen Hurts’ job security was in question heading into this season, but now he’s a topthree quarterback in the NFC. Every team will look to improve enough to knock off the Chiefs in the 2023 season, which starts with free agency beginning on Mar. 15, followed by the NFL Draft.

Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs took down the high-flying Philadelphia Eagles on Super Bowl Sunday

The winning streak came to an end on Feb. 4, but the team is still hot after a sweep against Manitoba.

UFV Flickr

Photo Credit: Brian Snyder

Formula One//

Formula One unveils new paint, new tech, and new partnerships

F1 teams launch new cars and liveries for 2023 ahead of pre-season testing

TERYN MIDZAIN

It’s Christmas in February for Formula One (F1) fans as the teams reveal their liveries (team sponsorship motifs) for the 2023 season. To date, HAAS, Alfa Romeo Sauber, Red Bull, Williams, McLaren, Ferrari, and Aston Martin have released their new designs and colours, with Mercedes launching the new W14 Feb. 15, and Alpine on Feb. 16.

Alpha Romeo’s launch was about as standard as they come. Drivers Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas unveiled the new sleek black and red car. An improvement over their red and white standard of last year, it’s reminiscent of the 2022 car Ferrari ran; a little sibling’s emulation of the prancing stallions. Based on the still limited testing data available to the public, Alfa Romeo’s new C43 car looks the most adapted to what was learned in the 2022 season, employing a more dramatic sidepod design established by Red Bull.

Williams' traditional royal blue livery on their new FW45 is as stunning as ever and a nice constant in the racing team’s year

of changes. Williams, famously known as the flashy blue car at the back of the grid, is in the strongest position to rebuild their lost legacy as a race-winning organization.

Williams also has two competent drivers: Alex Albon has shown he can score points and defend his position, and promising new second driver, Logan Sargeant, has had a consistent career in F2 and F3. With their new team principal, James Vowles in charge, the old British champions are wellpositioned, and have the right keys in the right locks to open the door to a successful rebuild.

The biggest story so far was Red Bull’s announcement at the launch of their new RB19 that they would be partnering with Ford to help build and supply Red Bull’s engines alongside Red Bull Powertrains. The decision to switch engine partners and bring the return of Ford to F1 is a telling one. It shows the growing popularity and expansion of the sport in North America. Ford has a long history in F1 and Red Bull, being the owner and engine manufacturer for the old Jaguar team that Red Bull would eventually purchase back in 2004. Alongside Ford, Red Bull showed off

current two-time driver’s world champion, Max Verstappen, second driver, Sergio Perez, and put to good use the social media phenom that is Daniel Riccardo, their 2023 reserve driver

Monday brought two more car launches: McLaren introduced their new MCL60 with some key updates. The papaya orange that has been McLaren’s dominant colour in the turbo-hybrid era continues, but with more black, resembling last year’s fan favourite Singapore Grand Prix livery. Tech wise, there is a lot up in the air for McLaren, as 2022 was a major setback for the team. On paper, 2023 should be a nice start at gaining back some missing stability. Lando Norris is a consistently fast and energetic driver with a dependable car, and Oscar Piastri has the potential to be a sensational talent.

Aston Martin came out of the gates with their flashy AWR23 decked out in British racing green — an aggressive look that takes the best of all the top three cars of 2022: A Mercedes-esque front wing, deep scallops in the sidepod rears to scoop hot air into the rear wing (similar to last year’s Ferrari F1-75), and a Red Bull-inspired rear

wing. This is no surprise as Aston Martin’s new technical director, Dan Fallows was previously at Red Bull until this year. The biggest “wow” moment of Aston Martin’s reveal was the virtual tour of the team’s still incomplete £200 million new facility. Owner, Lawerence Stroll and his team hope to establish a new long-lasting racing and manufacturing regime.

Ferrari’s biggest unveil on their SF-23 was mainly the red dominant livery and classic-style “Ferrari” adorning the rear wing which was a favourite of the Tifosi. Unsurprisingly, the SF-23 is not a leap from last year’s F1-75. It was one of the best cars last year and took the team to second place, so the car was never the problem. This year, Ferrari has to take care of the reliability issues and strategic blunders that cost them the championship last year.

The week gave F1 fans a taste of what they’ll be seeing on the track and how to identify their favourite teams. With preseason testing on Feb. 23-25, it’s a last deep breath before plunging into the high octane races in what’s going to be, technologically speaking, an exciting F1 season.

Column // Deconstructing Disability: The dos and don'ts of guide dogs

Seeing Eye dogs — also known as guide dogs, if they are not from The Seeing Eye school — are working dogs. Often, people confuse Seeing Eye/guide dogs and service dogs, and even I — a fully blind person with my Seeing Eye dog, Saidi — find that I am often correcting misunderstandings or educating others on the dos and don’ts of my working dog. Even though similar rules can apply to service dogs, the primary focus of this article is Seeing Eye/ guide dogs as that is where my personal experience lies, as well as the unfortunate reality that many do not know the particulars of guide dogs due to their limited experiences with them.

DON’T: Pet, feed, or distract

This is often the hardest one for people to respect. Guide dog handlers such as myself often hear the excuse that one could not resist reaching out to pet our dog, but it can be helped. Just because something looks appealing to us does not give us the right to go forth and take it, touch it, etc. So why is it often different with dogs? If we don’t let this excuse fly in other situations then it should not be a valid one in this case. The reason why this is one of the most important rules is because breaking it could put both the dog and the handler in harm's way.

For instance, if I am crossing the street and someone decides to pet Saidi, she is no longer focused on finding the curb or watching out for cars that may not stop. Or, if we are in a restaurant and Saidi had been given human food before, she may think it is alright if she snatches something off the floor or lunges for a stray tomato. This isn’t to say that my Seeing Eye dog or other guide dogs don’t sometimes get certain human foods, but it is usually in a controlled setting and not a daily occurrence.

DO: Know what the equipmen means I will often get asked why Saidi is not wearing a vest, or get told that I should get her one because the harness is not well-known. Guide or Seeing Eye dogs do not wear a vest, but in fact wear a harness when they are working.

The harness allows the handler to feel the movement of the dog’s body as they walk as well as feel the pull of the dog as it is more taught than the leash. Another piece of equipment some guide or Seeing Eye dogs have is called the gentle leader. For guide dogs, handlers use this in conjunction with the leash and collar to discourage sniffing or to make sure that we know if our pup is trying to grab food off the ground. Sometimes we don’t even attach the leash to it since putting the gentle leader on the dog is often sufficient.

DON’T: Grab us

This is important and can help avoid

uncomfortable interactions for everyone involved. Sometimes handlers, including myself, are grabbed or have our dog’s leash or harness grabbed by others. Most often this is with good intentions from passers by who — in their defence — believe that they are only helping by pulling us or the dog where they think we are wanting to go. However; this can actually cause more harm and can be a scary experience; not just because one may be blind or partially sighted, but in today’s world no one automatically views being grabbed as a good intention.

The leash and harness that connects the handler and dog is comparable to a steering wheel, thus, grabbing and maneuvering it is similar to grabbing the wheel when someone else is driving. Rather than assuming someone who is blind or anyone needs help always remember to just ask. This way, the person with the dog can also provide you the best way of assisting them, whether that be through verbal directions, or if they wish to hold on to your arm.

DO: Know that the dogs are still animals at the end of the day

Even though Seeing Eye/guide dogs are well trained and well behaved, they are still dogs at the end of the day, and therefore mess up sometimes. Just because these things may happen does not mean a guide or Seeing Eye dog is not properly trained. Most often the handler will either verbally

correct the dog or give them a leash correction. As for accidents, sometimes animals get sick or something happens. Personally, Saidi has only had three accidents in the time I have had her.

Saidi is a golden retriever and black Lab mix and comes from the Seeing Eye school in New Jersey and has been with me for a year and a half now. We are always continuing to learn from one another and we hope that this article will help others learn more about us and guide dogs in general.

HARJINDER “JINNIE” SARAN

Photo Provided by Jinnie Saran

CULTURE

Column // Preview //

Cascade Kitchen: Cranberry Lemon Energy Balls

UFV’s Flood Stories project honours community resilience

Exhibition highlights stories of loss, strength and resilience during the 2021 floods

ANISA QUINTYNE

Sydney Marchand, previously known as the managing editor for The Cascade, now the project manager and event coordinator for the 20 Harvest Challenge, is currently organizing an exhibition alongside creative director Michelle Superle. The exhibition in question: the Flood Stories project, has been in the works for quite some time.

ideas off one another, and learning as we're going (...) we just want to make sure that we are giving a respectful platform — if that makes sense — for the community. We just had our Reach gala opening last week, so it's been nice to kind of wrap it up, even though it's not done.”

BÉATRICE FRENETTE

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

Looking for an easy on-the-go energizing snack? These cranberry lemon bites are a tasty treat that you can store in your fridge for up to a week! I usually grab them for breakfast or on my way out the door before school.

Prep time: 15-20 minutes, Makes: 14-16 balls

Ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats

2 tbsp melted coconut oil

2 tbsp maple syrup

½ tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp lemon zest

4 tbsp milk of choice

1 tbsp chia seeds

¼ cup dried cranberries finely chopped

Method:

1. In a food processor or blender, pulse together the rolled oats, melted coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract, lemon juice and zest, and milk. Blend well until incorporated.

2. Move mixture to a bowl and mix in the chia seeds and cranberries by hand.

3. Form balls with your hands! Roll into 14 to 16 equally sized balls.

4. Chill in the fridge before eating!

5. Storage: Store in the fridge for up to a week!

Notice of correction

In the Feb. 1 issue of The Cascade, an article was printed in the Culture section interviewing UFV Alum and author Julia Dovey about her upcoming novel, Potatoes and Pink Vodka. The article incorrectly attributed the title of Dovey’s book as “Potatoes and Pink.” The Cascade sincerely apologizes to Julia Dovey and our readers for this error.

“I've been working with [Michelle] since last January,” said Marchand, bringing to light her own experience with the project and how it came to be. “It started as a practicum position which moved into a work study position, which moved into a… student research assistant position. Now that I've graduated, it's moved beyond that as well.”

The general aim of the project started as a response to the November 2021 floods, which resulted in the destruction of homes and displacement of several families. Farms turned to small lakes, households were forced to evacuate, and the effects of the flood will be felt for years. As Marchand described, “We wanted to give people a platform to be able to share their stories with what happened in the November 2021 floods in creative and expressive ways. So, giving people a chance to work through feelings and to also take back their stories through a narrative and expressive approach.”

“We also wanted to give a platform to showcase gratitude to farmers and people who were affected by the floods and continue to talk about it. No one talked about it after the last two weeks of news coverage, but at least from the people that I've interviewed over the year, [we’re] going to still be seeing effects from this 10 to 12 years down the road.”

As for what the behind-the-scenes has looked like, Marchand first described it as an evolution of hard work from the past year, and, in general: “It's a lot of bouncing

Marchand, being at the back end of transcribing most of the interviews, described hearing pieces of each story as a collective impact. “Hearing about people who have lost family photos or who were trapped in their bedroom on their top floor eating salmon for a few days because that was all they could bring up. Losing followers or animals or the frustration that people had from being told to leave their farms, despite having 100,000 chickens there. There is an overarching emotion of being frustrated, being resilient, or being strong. (...) People are sad to lose family heirlooms. There’s a nostalgic component to that, but it definitely pulls at your heart. We hear a lot of frustration and then a lot of people saying that other people had it worse, but [we’re still] trying to validate people… [and] their stories are just as valid as the next person's.”

“We're excited to announce that we are partnering with the Climate Disaster Project with Sean Holman, who is a professor of Environmental and Climate Journalism [at UVIC]. We’re in the process of collaborating with his team and continuing to do [important work] for climate change.”

The Flood Stories project exhibition will run at the Reach Gallery from Jan. 27 to Mar. 18, and can be viewed as both an appreciation of community and a learning experience for the challenges farmers endured during the floods.

“We spent a week and a half setting it up with our team. There’s someone in there every day trying to make sure that it's as good as can be. (...) We had a phenomenal turnout. A lot of people were saying the same thing, they didn't realize how impacted people are, how impacted people still are.”

Photo Provided by Noah Marchand

“Potatoes and Pink Vodka”

Photo by Kait Thompson

STUDY BREAK

Crossword: Broadway Musicals //

Made by Brielle Quon

ANSWERS:

ACROSS

2. This musical is about a tribe called the Jellicles whose members happen to be these furry mammals.

5. A mix of song and rap, this musical follows the United States’ founding fathers.

6. The plotline of this musical follows a disfigured but genius musician who haunts an opera house.

7. This musical follows the story of two witches who become friends despite having opposite personalities.

Horoscopes //

Your weekly life predictions as told by Ageless Azalea

Aries — Mar 21 to Apr 19

Don’t paralyze yourself with anxiety about all the things you should do. Just start them right away.

Taurus — Apr 20 to May 20

The world is too big and blue to worry over a little text. It’s fine to care, but don’t let it consume your time.

Gemini — May 21 to Jun 20

Get started on that assignment. Get it done and over with.

Cancer —Jun 21 to Jul 22

You focus too much on your work ethic and not enough on the people around you. Ask an old friend if they want to get coffee sometime.

Leo — Jul 23 to Aug 22

You play too many mental tricks on yourself. You overthink, then sabotage the opportunities around you. Let’s clear up some of that thinking.

Virgo —Aug 23 to Sep 22

You get lost in your thoughts, and fantasy seems more compelling than reality. It’s tough, but find the beauty in your environment. Pick up a hobby.

Libra — Sep 23 to Oct 22

Stress is the biggest obstacle in your life right now. Sweaty palms, anxious thoughts. Find something comforting — watch an old childhood movie or show.

Scorpio — Oct 23 to Nov 21

Peacock as much as you like, but no one will think of you highly.

DOWN

1. Taking place in Greece, this musical is about a young bride who secretly invites three men to her wedding, hoping one of them is her father who will walk her down the aisle.

3. Also a beloved Disney movie, this musical features a magical rose and singing houseware.

4. A representation of Romeo and Juliet, this musical takes place in the 1950s United States and is about two gangs who fight for the same territory.

Sagittarius — Nov 22 to Dec 21

Stick to certain schedules, like journaling or 100-day challenges. Build discipline. It will help later on.

Capricorn — Dec 22 to Jan 19

Cement yourself with a clear idea of who you are, not what is expected of you.

Aquarius — Jan 20 to Feb 18

Find joy in little, mundane, boring things, and suddenly life will brighten up a few units.

Pisces — Feb 19 to Mar 20

Things seem repetitive? Make a Spotify blend with someone you’re close with. See what music pairs well.

Eva Davey — Arts Editor

Good music comes first for Second Nature

Vancouver hardcore vets set the bar high for upcoming groups

GABE MARTYN

I had the privilege of attending Punitive Damage’s record release show last November. It was one hell of a show (at which I got so effectively crowd killed I had to get a couple fillings redone), but one band stood out from the others: Second Nature. They are a new group featuring members of A Mourning Star and Groza, other Vancouverarea greats. Their set was a bit of a change of pace from the rest of the bands at the show, and it had me eagerly anticipating news of a potential upcoming release. My wishes were granted in the form of Be Careful What You Wish For, the brand-new EP released on Jan. 13, 2023.

Although this isn’t a show review, I want to mention the performance to provide important context: any recorded hardcore release is just a shadow of the live event (in my humble opinion). A hardcore band can stand on solid legs even if their release sounds like shit and their set is fantastic, but a highly produced barnburner won’t stick whatsoever if they can’t back it up live. Then there are the bands that make both sound great, such as Second Nature.

Movies //

Five songs and ten minutes is all you really need from a hardcore release these days, and Second Nature makes the most of it. Not to dwell too long on the production end of things, but the mix sounds great; not polished, not abrasive, just aggressive in the right ways. The EP abounds with riffs, with opener “Naitch Bust” opening and closing with rhythms engineered for maximum two-step potential. Thankfully, this EP doesn’t break into mosh part after mosh part, as tracks are well paced with enough fast sections to make the hard parts hit even harder. If the whole song is hard and never changes its pace, it stands to lose the potential for a climactic moment.

Be Careful What You Wish For has (for lack of a better term) a good sense of humor. Not necessarily lyrically, but both “Naitch Bust" and “Bad Character” trade singer Luka Sladoje’s growls for a brief section that can only be compared to hyping up your team before the last quarter of the big game. It’s fun, and with lyrics like, “Have I reached my limits? / Shall I raise the bar? / I can feel all these eyes on me / judging from afar,” you can’t help but want to sing along. On first listen I wondered if the two styles were a bit of a tonal mismatch, but I realized that the victory isn’t as good if the team didn’t

overcome adversity.

Lyrics addressing repressed anger, inadvertent lashing out, and open self-criticism give the EP a more introspective tone that is much appreciated in the current hardcore landscape. This year there’s been unavoidable online discourse surrounding who’s a hardcore tourist versus who’s in it for the long haul. A new wave of fans is great (the more people involved that care, the better) but those seeking only to capitalize on something they don’t care about are antithetical to hardcore. This is all to say that Second Nature only has one track about punishing fakes. We’re all trying to be better people; it’s 2023.

My favourite track is probably “Malcolm’s Intro,” which is ironic due to it being the third track. I feel like the comparison is far too on the nose in 2023, but the melodic first half of the track along with the tambourine-backed second half took me back to hearing Turnstile’s “Keep It Moving” for the first time on a school laptop in 2017. Anything that can recreate that magical “first” feeling for anybody is deserving of praise. The magic is important, maybe more important than you’d think at first. “Malcolm’s Intro” has been running through my head for the last week, along with it’s “OHHHHH”

ahead of the final riff. That sense of humour pays off well.

At the time of writing, I’m eagerly anticipating seeing Second Nature on Feb. 15, opening for Initiate and Punitive Damage at Fortune Sound Club. A band’s trajectory is fun to observe as they find a groove and find their identity among their peers. Second Nature checks all the boxes for a band to watch, and their EP is a good sign of things to come.

The Pale Blue Eye: A Mystery That Leaves You Cold

Despite A Talented Cast, This Gothic Thriller Is A Disappointment

One murder. Two murders. Three. Barnyard animals, mutilated in a ritualistic fashion. A hard-boiled detective. Edgar Allen Poe. Mix these plot elements into a dark concoction and the result should be a Gothic masterpiece. However, as much as I love movies about candlelit killings, I was sorely disappointed with The Pale Blue Eye. Despite an excellent cast and enticing premise, this film collapses under the weight of its own potential.

Let’s start with the good: Christian Bale, in my opinion, is one of the world’s finest actors. His range is astonishing, and his characters are often brimming with dark complexity. His performance in this movie is no different. Augustus Landor (played by Bale) is a bitter detective with a drinking problem, charged with solving a series of murders at West Point Military Academy. He’s deeply private and reserved, although he occasionally explodes with anger. Bale portrays this dichotomy perfectly. His foil is none other than the nineteenth century poet Edgar Allen Poe, played by Harry Melling.

Harry Potter fans may recognize him as Dudley Dursley, but Melling has made strides in his acting career since those days. He portrays Poe as a bright and excitable young man, a perfect yang to Landor’s yin.

The cinematography is also very well done. The film takes place in 1830s New York during the dead of winter. The natural scenery is bleak and cold, driving our characters indoors where oil lamps are the only source of light in the oppressive darkness. Every shot is steeped in Gothic melancholy. Unfortunately, this rich atmosphere is paired with a very thin story.

The film starts off strong. The body of a young cadet has been found hanged from a tree, sans heart, and Augustus Landor is asked to investigate the crime. As the story progresses, the audience learns that Landor has a tragic past, and this is one of my main problems. Of all the character archetypes, the “brooding detective who has lost a loved one” has to be one of the most tired. The fate of Landor’s daughter seems like an irrelevant plotline for most of the runtime, until it is shoehorned into the last ten minutes as the setup for an obvious twist. Twists are important in the mystery genre, but a good mystery should plant clues for

the audience to pick up on as they progress. Yet, in this film the twist feels tacked on rather than masterfully weaved in.

My other issue is the character of Poe. Why did this character have to be Edgar Allen Poe? Harry Melling portrays the author as a young man before he began his writing career. While it’s true that Poe did attend West Point as a young man, are his school days really interesting enough to warrant such focus? The Edgar Allen Poe featured in this movie is a glorified sidekick to Landor, a role which could have been given to an original character. It would

have been more interesting to write a story about an older, seasoned Poe solving a murder. As it stands, the movie doesn’t use the character to the fullest extent, and his inclusion is baffling.

The Pale Blue Eye promises a lot, but delivers little. The mystery itself is compelling enough at first, but spread out over two hours it begins to feel like a chore. Diehard Poe fanatics might find something interesting here, but those looking for a thriller may feel free to skip this one.

MATTHEW IDDON

Photo credit: Bandcamp.com

Photo credit: Netflix

ARTS

CHARTS SHUFFLE

MAUVEY Before The Album: a love letter to the moons of mars

LOKRE ELIZABETH Planet Giza You Don't Understand

SUDAN ARCHIVES Natural Brown Prom Queen

DOPE.GNG NRNTB_Rouge

ALVVAYS Blue Rev

NADUH

HOMIESEXUAL

SKYE WALLACE

Terribly Good

BOSLEN

GONZO

KURI

I love You, You're Welcome

DUMB

Pray 4 Tomorrow

BLESSED

Circuitous

SLOAN

Steady

THE SYLVIA PLATTERS

Youth Without Virtue

DILL THE GIANT Weed Man Son

BLACK PONTIAC

From Bad To Worse (and back again)

JORDAN KLASSEN

Glossolalia

LITTLE SIMZ

NO THANK YOU

FRANKIE COSMOS

Inner World Peace

MATTMAC

Blurred Visions

AARON LEVY STATION MANAGER

CIVL Station Manager Aaron Levy provides a shuffle here in honour of UFV Cascades' Men's Basketball sophomore Matthias Klim's record setting block performance on Saturday where he turned away no less than (and possibly over) 12 individual Huskies shots; all en route to a demolishing of both the alltime program and Canada West records.

Drake - Sticky

"You know I gotta bring the set / You know I gotta bring the G-Block / You know I gotta bring the D-Block / 'Cause you know how sticky it get, ayy." How about K(lim) block? How about the entire alphabet block? How about 150% as many blocks as anyone in one game?

Drake - Best I Ever Had

"You the fuckin' best." This song is the old Drake, but it's facts as relating to the new Cascades, and their three point shooting, triple block accumulating post, who did not even start his record setting game. The triple block was with help from Las Vegas' Chris “the Jet” Jackson.

Jennifer Lopez - Jenny From The Block

If you watched the Super Bowl this past weekend for the content (ads), as opposed to the filler (the sporting event), and paid close attention, you'll have seen Jenny rippin’ around — not the block, but the drive through — to admonish on-again-off-again beau Ben Who-fleck at the window.

Sublime - Greatest Hits

This weekend's flummoxing of Saskatchewan's offense by the sharpshooting forward certainly counts as one of the “greatest hits” packages for UFV defense. Shoutout to previous program record holder Sukhman Sandhu for completing his senior night at UBC earlier in the weekend. Young posts Klim and Platz taking the reins.

Books //

A charming tale or a curse for the eyes

Avery Flynn writes a story of witches, love, and evil forces.

it just came off annoying to read and hard to like her as a character.

Witcha Gonna Do?, written by Avery Flynn, is the first book in a romantic comedy series that follows protagonist Matilda Grace, a girl with no powers born into a family of the most powerful witches; and Gil Connolly, a character described as a “super hot jerk.” Together, they must partner up when Matilda causes her sister’s spell to glitch; fight against evil-minded forces; and save her family. They do this all while battling the evilest thing of all — love.

At first glance, this book seemed like a lighthearted young adult (YA) romance, similar to the type you would see on TikTok; but what I bought was indeed not that. Flynn tries her best to deal with adult subjects but lacks character depth, making the pacing feel off-putting. When it comes to worldbuilding, Flynn does an excellent job of making the scenes feel realistic and helps me picture the town, as there is rich imagery and detailed description. This was part of why I was excited to read this book, since I can be a sucker for fantasy! There is so much possibility for imagination to thrive — something that often can’t be mimicked for other genres. That’s why this book felt so disappointing to me, despite the engaging descriptions such as the “magical dragon blood tree” outside the café that hilariously seems to be attracted to Matilda. Flynn includes too much detail and seems to not have enough time to explain their necessity to the plot. Again, this seems to be to the detriment of Gil and Matilda’s romance as they go from enemies to lovers almost instantaneously, completely negating the beautiful slow burn inherent to this classic romance novel trope.

The writing style, in my opinion, is also a sore point in this novel as it is often childish and riddled with the type of cringy speech you see on your Twitter feed. For example, the opening line starts off with “Hi *Waves*,” which cheapens the sentiment of the novel as a whole. Also, another stylistic choice I’m not a fan of is how many swear words Flynn incorporates. Don’t get me wrong, a few swear words here and there can make a scene more intense, lighten the mood in dark situations, or even provide emphasis to character dialogues. Flynn’s usage doesn't actually do any of those positive things. It seems to me that she includes this aspect in the novel to give Matila a quirk when

Although I have my qualms with the structure of this book, I did quite enjoy the dual POV of Matilda and Gil. It is something that I have come to appreciate and love from reading the works of authors such as Colleen Hoover; it makes up for the lack of relationship-building Flynn (unfortunately) failed to create, as it allowed for more detail and perspective from the characters. Also, I enjoyed how Matilda talks directly to the reader as it made me feel engaged in a story I otherwise felt was hard to get through and connect to the characters/plot. Unfortunately, I feel like that comes to the end of the good things I can say about Witcha Gonna Do?, which hurts me. All in all, if you choose to look at Flynn’s novel on a surface level, it can definitely be an easy read, but I can’t say I’m excited for a follow-up to this story.

GIANNA DINWOODIE

Photo credit: Penguin Publishing Group

Celebrating the campy cult classic But I’m a Cheerleader

But I’m a Cheerleader, directed by Jamie Babbit, is nearly twenty-three years old and it is time we celebrate the LGBTQ+ movie that has somehow remained relevant all this time. Babbit (The Quiet, Russian Doll) had her directorial debut with this flick, and what a jumping off point it was.

The movie stars Natasha Lyonne as teenage Megan (a cheerleader) who is sent away to conversion therapy by her parents after the people in her life suspect that she is a lesbian. Megan heads off to True Directions (the conversion camp) and meets leaders Mary Brown (Cathy Moriarty) and Mike (RuPaul). The camp forces the young attendees to separate by gender binaries and learn how to master stereotypical gendered tasks in order to become heterosexual. From there she meets Graham (Clea DuVall), and while at first the two clash they later form a loving bond with one another. Throughout the course of the film the audience sees Megan become unapologetic in her sexuality, even when she is dismissed from the camp and abandoned by her family. Along to help her, and other forced attendees of the camp, are ex-students of Mary Brown: Larry and Lloyd.

The movie's most memorable moment is the climatic graduation scene where the students are set to announce their heterosexuality, but Megan shows up to perform a cheer for Graham. By the finale they are driving away from the camp to be together, and the final scene shows Megan’s parents trying to become allies.

From the witty dialogue to the bright colours, this movie can mostly be described as campy. There is always the joke of how so many WLW movies aren’t allowed electricity as they are always set in the olden times, but Babbit’s film lets

young queer people enjoy a movie just as fun as other modern (for the time) ʼ90s flicks. Upon release the movie was treated poorly by reviewers, but Babbit knew that most of them were not her target audience anyway. Her goal (and something she accomplished) was to tell a lesbian love story where both romantic interests are safe and in love by the end of the film, for it was something that was a rarity. Even now the ever prevalent bury-your-gays trope leaves many just wanting a simple happy story, and But I’m a Cheerleader delivers it.

The film has become influential within the LGBTQ+ community, and even inspired indie pop band MUNA’s music video for “Silk Chiffon''. When I think about this movie I think about reblogging screenshots that I thought looked pretty, and when I first sat down to fully watch I felt as though I was being embraced in a warm hug. I encourage anyone that hasn’t to watch But I’m a Cheerleader to do so, and even if you have watched it a million times go make it a million and one.

1, 2, 3, 4. This is a movie I adore

EVA DAVEY

Photo credit: IMDB

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.

UFV Events

Sports Community Events

February

Webinar: Get to Know UFV @ Online, 3:30 - 4:00 p.m.

Organized Drop-In Cricket @ North Gym, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Organized Drop-In Badminton @ North Gym, 7:30 - 10:00 p.m.

Psychological Safety in the Workplace @ Online, 12:00 - 1:30 p.m.

Workshop: Set Up Your Insta-Game @ UFV Abbotsford, 12:00 - 1:30 p.m.

CEP U-Pass Distribution @ CEP Chilliwack Campus, 9:00 a.m - 4:00 p.m.

Organized Drop-in Inclusive Movement @ 4:00 - 5:30 p.m.

Organized Drop-in Inclusive Basketball @ 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.

Organized Drop-in Futsal @ 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Webinar: Get to Know UFV @ Online, 3:30 - 4:00 p.m.

WVB vs Regina @ Abbotsford, 6:00 p.m.

WVB vs Regina @ Abbotsford, 5:00 p.m.

Reading Week 2023 - NO CLASSES

Family Day - UFV Closed

Campus Rec Culture

Professional Learning Community: Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (2 of 8 session series) @ Online, 11:30 a.m - 12:30 p.m.

CEP U-Pass Distribution @ CEP Chilliwack Campus, 9:00 a.m - 4:00 p.m.

Drop-In Faculty Fridays @ Online & UFV Abbotsford, Room G104, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Organized Drop-in Basketball @ 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.

Organized Drop-in Volleyball @ 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.

Health and Dental Blackout Period @ UFV Online, All day (RUNS ALL MONTH)

View our website for more details on current, local events.