Volume 63, Issue 6

the carillon the staff

editor-in-chief editor@carillonregina.com

taylor balfour

executive director business@carillonregina.com

jacob nelson

production manager production@carillonregina.com

morgan ortman

advertising manager advertising@carillonregina.com

ty cote

technical editor shae shackman carillontechnical@carillonregina.com multimedia/Graphics editors

kate thiessen sarah carrier mercedes redman

multimedia@carillonregina.com graphics@carillonregina.com copy editor copyeditor@carillonregina.com

hannah senicar

news editor news@carillonregina.com

sara birrell

a&c editor aandc@carillonregina.com

julia peterson

sports editor sports@carillonregina.com

ethan butterfield

op-ed editor op-ed@carillonregina.com

marty grande-sherbert

distribution manager distribution@carillonregina.com staff writer staff writer news writer

holly worby

reese estwick

a&c writer

kyle anderson

issac tamlin joseph holoein

sports writer

sarah nakonechny

web writer

gillian massie contributors hummad ali, hawks, thomas gallagher and pratheeksha r. naik

vol. 63

board of directors taylor balfour, lindsay holitzki, maddie ouelette, dustin smith. marty grande-sherbert, and jacob nelson

the paper

227 Riddell Center University of Regina - 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK, Canada S4S 0A2 www.carillonregina.com Ph: (306) 586 8867 Printed by Star Press Inc, Wainwright, AB The Carillon welcomes contributions.

Opinions expressed in the pages of the Carillon are expressly those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of The Carillon Newspaper Inc. Opinions expressed in advertisements appearing in the Carillon are those of the advertisers, and not necessarily of The Carillon Newspaper Inc. or its staff.

The Carillon is published no less than 11 times each semester during the fall and winter semesters and periodically throughout the summer. The Carillon is published by the Carillon Newspaper Inc., a non-profit organization. land acknowledgement The Carillon is written on treaty four territory. As such, the staff recognize that we are living, working, and telling stories on and of Indigenous lands. We recognize that we are on the traditional homelands of the Nakota, Lakota, and Dakota peoples, along with the homeland of the Métis nation. The carillon understands that it is pointless to acknowledge the land on which we work without speaking to our commitment to telling stories and prioritizing voices that further the return of the land to its place sacred place in the cultures of those that live here. the manifesto In keeping with our reckless, devil-may-care image, our office has absolutely no concrete information on the Carillon’s formative years readily available. What follows is the story that’s been passed down from editor to editor for over forty years.

In the late 1950s, the University of Regina planned the construction of several new buildings on the campus grounds. One of these proposed buildlings was a beltower on the academic green. If you look out on the academic green today, the first thing you’ll notice is that it has absolutely nothing resembling a belltower.

The University never got a belltower, but what it did get was the Carillon, a newspaper that serves as a symbolic bell tower on campus, a loud and clear voice belonging to each and every student.

the people’s friend; the tyrant’s foe

The University of Regina Students’ Newspaper Since 1962 September 24 - 30, 2020 | Volume 63, Issue 6 | carillonregina.com

news

Loans delayed

cover

news

p.3

Tution deadlines are fast approaching, but many students still haven’t recieved their loans. For many, it’s just another unnecessary stressor.

Welcome back!

Special thanks to Sarah from our graphics team yet again for another amazing cover. This paper wouldn’t be possible without the contributions of everyone involved. So thank you!

RPIRG AGM

arts

p.5

Good luck saying that five times fast!

The Regina Public Interest Research Group held their AGM this past week to discuss this year’s sucesses and next year’s projects.

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In the LGBT community, bi people are often brushed aside or forgotten entirely. Thomas Gallagher tells his experience coming to terms with his sexuality because of this lack of visibility.

op-ed

op-ed

sports

Bi Visibility Day

If you’re interested in contributing yourself, all accepted submissions of photography, art, poetry, and writing will be compensated with a $20 honorarium!

Thanks again for another great week.

photos

cover................................sarah carrier news................................kate thiessen a&c.........................................pixabay sports......................................pixyorg op-ed......................know your meme op-ed..................wikipedia commons

Trucker solidarity

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Every year, truckers across Saskatchewan organize the world’s longest convoy to raise money for Special Olympics. This year looked a little different.

HP and allyship

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Harry Potter was a prime figure in a lot of our childhoods, and to an extent, the woman behind him as well. Marty Grande-Sherbert asks you to consider your intentions before diving in again.

Q-tine study tips

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Four weeks in to the semester and working at home isn’t getting any easier. Lucky for us, certified study expert Holly Worby is here to bring you her top tips for studying at home.

news

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editor: sara birrell news@carillonregina.com the carillon | september 24 - september 30, 2020

Students struggle to make ends meet as loan disbursements delayed Delays have consequences isaac tamlin news writer With the end of the penalty-free pay period ending September 30, some students are worried about the fact that they have yet to receive their student loans for this year. This problem has also impacted many students who have never had to apply for student loans before, but were forced to because of COVID-19 disrupting their summer employment.

Julian Wotherspoon, a student and Outreach & Events Coordinator of the Regina Public Interest Research Group, said, “In July I got a letter saying I would have money deposited on September 2. But it’s now the eleventh. So my budget for rent, school supplies for me and my kids, and groceries is all out and I’ve had to dip into savings.”

“Everything was the same as other years, the university was just slow to confirm. Apparently, my enrolment has now been confirmed but it took them nearly 10 days to do that and now that they have it, I still don’t have my funding.”

As of September 20, Wotherspoon has still not received her student loans, putting the delay at over two weeks now.

Due to COVID-19, it’s no surprise that everything is delayed, disorganized, and disap-

pointing, but it’s a real struggle for many students. For many, student loans help to pay for not just school, but also a living allowance, like rent, food, medication, and transit. A delay by even a couple of days can force students to dip into their savings, borrow from family and friends, or require them to put purchases on their credit card, forcing them to make high-interest payments. And some students don’t even have those options. Prior to the pandemic, 40 per cent of stu-

“

spanning several days. Most institutions, the University of Regina included, are behind in their administrative details. The university services in particular experience heavy traffic at the beginning of the semester, and with new protocols and untested, made-for-COVID systems, things take longer and more checks are required. There are a lot more students applying for loans and things and a lot of students applying late. Each student takes time to process, so every additional stu-

When asked about how late loans might be in reaching students, the university said, “It is always possible that students will not receive their money before the payment cut-off date. Both the University and the government put in immense effort to get everyone processed, but there will always be stragglers and late applicants. The tuition grace period will remain as it is with the tuition payment due on the first day of classes and the extended penalty free payment period last-

It is always possible that students will not receive their money before the payment cut-off date.

– University of Regina

dents in Saskatchewan were food insecure, a number that has only increased thanks to COVID. In a call to financial services, with a member who asked not to be named, they gave this reasoning for the delay in students getting their loans.

“At-home processes are slower and clunkier than in office procedures. Things that could have been easily done … are taking longer, both for the government and for the university, and typically involve large email chains

dent means longer wait times for the rest.”

On the Government of Saskatchewan website, they stated they’re dealing with “a higher volume of loan applications, email, and telephone inquiries at this time. The patience of students and their family is appreciated.”

They, too, are dealing with difficulties due to COVID-19. Their Student Service Centre office is temporarily closed to the public, which means everything is being done online.

ing until the end of the month.

The university is doing its best to provide students with the proper paperwork in a timely fashion and is largely up to date on financial service requests.”

Unless students applied for loans late this year, the University is confident students should have their loans before the grace period is over. That’s still inconvenient and stress inducing for many students, who are already dealing with an extreme amount of stress this fall. The Universi-

ty would like to remind students that they have a list of mental health resources on their website to help students who may be feeling down or overwhelmed this semester, while they do their best to adapt and adjust to all the changes COVID-19 has brought this year. Counselling services are available online via Zoom, and students will typically be assisted within a week of contacting them.

“With the Fall term now underway and most learning taking place remotely, it is key that mental health and well-being supports are available to students,” interim President Thomas Chase wrote in a message to the university community on September 18.

This is an even greater problem for international students who are waiting on delayed student visas. Canadian Immigration Services has been delayed in approving study permits and visas, and students are not hearing back about the status of their application. Students are being encouraged not to call or email but to wait for communication from Immigration Canada.

If any students have other concerns about their student loans and disbursement payments they are encouraged to contact the University of Regina’s Financial Office.

Needpix/Pixabay (manipulated by Kate Thiessen)

Payment deadlines approaching

sept 24 - sept 30, 2020

carillonregina.com | the carillon | 4

news

Universal basic income could combat high poverty rates in Saskatchewan Children affected most

holly worby staff writer “Universal basic income” has become a bit of a buzz-phrase recently, in part because of the government aid given due to lockdown layoffs. But it’s by no means a new concept, nor is it as radical as some make it out to be.

The name may sound self-explanatory, but it’s important to go over the specifics to make sure we’re all on the same page.

Jim Warren, a sociology professor at the University of Regina, describes it as a minimum level of support that would go to every household. This minimum amount would be designed to cover people’s basic needs like food, shelter, transportation, and clothing. It would be universal in that there would be no requirements to receiving this benefit – If you’re a living, tax-paying citizen, you’d receive it regardless of job status or personal wealth.

While we do currently have social assistance programs intended to help people in poverty and those unable to work, these programs have serious flaws.

“Welfare as it is right now is a vicious cycle that keeps people locked in,” said Sarah Furutani, a sociology student who works with Street Culture in Regina. “If people make even one dollar more than the designated amount they lost all their benefits,” including affordable prescriptions and housing.

I had the opportunity to interview Joanne Havelock from Poverty Free Saskatchewan, who also believes our current structure does not do enough to alleviate the pressures that those in poverty

PX Fuel

Right to live with dignity

face daily. When asked how seriously she feels our government takes poverty, she replied, “Well obviously not seriously enough, or more would be done.” We’ve had much of the same sort of anti-poverty programs for years and they haven’t been serving the functions they’re intended to well enough, so why is that still seen as the only rational approach?

Some Saskatchewanians may not believe that poverty is a problem here, but Saskatchewan has the second highest child poverty rates in the country, and the third highest poverty rate overall. Over the past ten

According to the most recent data from Statistics Canada, 11 per cent of our province’s total population is living in poverty right now. That works out to be over 130,000 people. That’s possibly too large a number to visualize so I’ll describe it this way - Regina’s entire population is just shy of 230,000, so picture over half our city living in poverty and that will give you an idea. Gingrich also mentioned that that 11 per cent does not include people living on reservations, and guessed that the actual amount would be closer to 20 per cent of our population – more than all the persons

constantly worrying about where they will be sleeping they get jobs, they educate themselves, and they become productive members of society.”

For all the psychology nerds out there, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs can be used to lay out this logic. According to American psychologist Abraham Maslow, humans have five categories of needs that we try to satisfy.

You can picture them in a pyramid-shape with physiological needs like food, rest, and shelter on the base level. Above this level is safety needs, then love and community needs,

“

Welfare as it is right now is a vicious cycle that keeps people locked in.”

– Sarah Furutani

years, the percentage of children living in poverty has never fallen below 26 per cent. Paul Gingrich, a retired University of Regina faculty member who works with Poverty Free Saskatchewan was kind enough to give me the information from Statistics Canada’s most recent release. Gingrich explained that the “market basket measure” (a measure of low-income, based on the costs of a basic standard of living) is roughly $44,800 per year for a family of four and half that for an individual adult in Saskatchewan. Anyone earning lower than that market basket measure is considered to be living in poverty.

living in the capital city. More than half of children living on reserves are living in poverty.

One possible approach to help close this gap in income would be to introduce a universal basic income. By giving everyone living in poverty enough money to afford food, clothing, and shelter, they would be able to redirect their efforts from basic survival to building a fulfilling life. “Since UBI can’t be cut, there is a safety net for our citizens,” commented Furutani. “Think about when, in Finland, they began to actually solve homelessness by giving people experiencing homelessness a home. When people aren’t

then esteem needs like feelings of accomplishment, and finally self-actualization at the top where people can achieve their full potential. These needs function as a hierarchy, and whatever level you’re on will dictate what needs are a priority for you.

In an ideal world we would have everyone at the very top, achieving their full potentials, but unfortunately roughly 20 per cent of our province is stuck at that bottom level with no option but to make finding food and shelter their priorities. When someone is occupied with the fact that they don’t have enough money to feed their family, they’re not able to

focus on things like acquiring education, personal growth, or bettering their community. A major perk to a universal basic income is that it would allow low-income and impoverished people to work towards their full potentials.

What it really boils down to is asking our government what they’re willing to invest in. Another major perk mentioned by Havelock is “If you allow people to earn extra money, they are going to spend it in the community and it will benefit the community.

If you give tax breaks to big corporations, they may create some local jobs, but the profits will rarely stay in the community.” And even at those jobs, the likelihood of being paid a living wage is lower than is acceptable. [Editor’s note: critics of UBI point out that a universal basic income that comes without universal housing, living wages, and other necessaries of life is simply a way of transferring public money back into private hands, as tenants will give their UBI to their landlords and businesses will argue that a basic income means they don’t need to provide a living wage.]

That’s all I’m going to say regarding UBI for this first piece.

In the second I’ll talk more about where we’d find the money, what the organization and implementation could look like, and a few social problems that could be bettered by a UBI. If you’re the type who likes to do their own research I’d encourage you to watch the documentary “Capital in the Twenty-First Century” on Netflix, read “Utopia for Realists” by Rutger Bregman, and browse the Poverty Free Saskatchewan website.

sept 24 - sept 30, 2020

carillonregina.com | the carillon | 5

news

Another year of advocacy and action at RPRIG’s AGM Supporting students isaac tamlin news writer

On Thursday September 17, the Regina Public Interest Research Group (RPIRG) held their Annual General Meeting via Zoom, their first time hosting a virtual AGM. RPIRG is a student-funded resource centre at the University of Regina committed to social and environmental justice.

Every year RPIRG provides the resources and funding necessary to enable students to organize around issues through research, education, and action. They run the Green Patch, a 5,400 square foot vegetable garden that is volunteer-run, led by one paid student, and all the produce is given out for free. This year was the ninth year running, and it was headed up by Tayef Ahmed, this year’s Green Patch Garden Coordinator.

The Green Patch was the first item on the AGM meeting, because of its success with the newly planted orchard. The perennial orchard will require less

maintenance than the typical garden, and will produce yearly once it matures. The orchard included over 50 varieties of perennial trees, shrubs, flowers, and grasses.

It is located on the Dr. Lloyd Barber academic green between the Research and Innovation Centre, Lab Building, and Classroom building.

“We’re hoping next year we can hold a big celebration for the tenth year,” Lewis said during the AGM. Some other successes for this year included the one-day Generating Momentum intensives that were held in Regina, Saskatoon, and Prince Albert. Generating Momentum is an activist leadership training camp for youth between the ages of 18-35. The camp is focused on educating, training, and organizing around social and environmental justice issues, and giving youth the tools to create meaningful change in their communities. Ordinarily it is run as a summer camp-like program, and this was the first year with one-day intensives held through the fall/winter/spring.

Krystal described the success of Generating Momentum saying, “It was a way to more deeply connect with communities that we haven’t in the past… it did take away from that overnight camp feel but we gained a lot of insights into doing it in the future.”

There was also the Winter Power Up, previously Apathy into Action, which held a full day campaign planning workshop, to help up-and-coming leaders learn how to campaign, whether it’s for student office, or just on a specific issue.

As well RPIRG managed to give $3,000 to 30 projects, training/conferences, or research products, $3,200 split among 16 microgrants, and other sponsorship donations to 15 projects/initiatives totalling $7,000.

“We have a fund for shorter notice things. For example this past spring there were a few rallies for Black Lives Matter and we wanted to have a fund more readily available and so that was what part of that $7,000 was.”

RPIRG also worked for ad-

vocating for a tuition freeze, breastfeeding/parenting rooms, the fight against sexual violence on campus, workers rights awareness, and faculty/student solidarity.

All the funding for these programs were funded largely by the student levy paid during the fall and winter semester. While RPIRG does apply for a few grants, and gets some sponsorship, RPIRG it is largely funded from students. Because of this RPIRG rarely has to charge for events, to ensure they remain open to all students, regardless of financial status. RPIRG also maintains a small term investments savings account, their “emergency” fund, some of which was used this year to make COVID-19 emergency student bursaries this year for students in need. There is an annual financial review done yearly by Priority Accounting Services.

“When looking at RPIRG and when it comes to drafting our budget for the year roughly, we split it into whether it is operations related or program related.

Programing includes programs

and grants and staff that works on programs. Operations includes our office equipment, insurance, and [Krystal’s] wage as she primarily does our day-to-day operations.”

All of the RPIRG financial papers can be found on their website, underneath of the 2020 AGM heading.

RPIRG is student-run, with a board of directors made up of students. They also have two paid positions, the Executive Director Krystal Lewis, and Outreach & Events Coordinator Julian Wotherspoon.

All University of Regina students that haven’t opted out have access to this grant and microgrant funding. Their advocacy for students and student-led initiatives makes them an invaluable resource on campus. RPIRG will continue to advocate for and provide funding to students this year.

While COVID-19 restrictions are in effect, students can still contact RPIRG online, and resources can be found on their website.

Sarah Carrier

In the public interest

Students continue fight against invasive e-proctoring software

University forcing consent isaac tamlin news writer In the third week since students were first made aware of the Proctortrack software being used for some online classes, students have continued to speak out against the e-proctoring software.

Recently the Regina Public Interest Research Group (RPIRG) started advocating against Proctortrack. Krystal Lewis, Executive Director of RPIRG said, “[RPIRG Outreach co-ordinator] Julian brought up a good point about the idea that the uni assumes if you stay registered in classes, you’re consenting to the use of the software which is not true as many people’s careers, grants, teacherships, and studies could be greatly compromised by missing a semester.”

On their website they have a list of resources about the proc-

toring software, and other actions students to fight back against this software. Julian Wotherspoon has this written on the RPIRG website: “U of R STUDENTS: The

“

email to my faculty letting them know that my continued registration in my fall classes IS NOT to be taken as consent to the use of surveillance software and I have asked for an exemption. All the

lect administrative and biometric data about me for profit.’”

As well, many students, including Elias Maze, have written letters to administration, all of which appear to have been ig-

Of all the hills I thought I would die on at the University of Regina… I always thought it would be a tuition strike, not a ‘please don’t allow a 3rd party software to collect administrative and biometric data about me for profit.”

– Julian Wotherspoon

university is asking your profs to make sure you receive more information about ProctorTrack before the drop deadline so that they can argue that you consented by staying registered. I’ve just sent an

rest of you should do this too…

Of all the hills I thought I would die on at the University of Regina… I always thought it would be a tuition strike, not a ‘please don’t allow a 3rd party software to col-

nored by the university. Another student, Carl Sandin, started an online petition for the University of Regina to remove ProctorTrack, a link to which can be found on the RPIRG website.

At this point there are over 1600 signatures, and that number is increasing daily.

RPIRG lists other ways to get involved and put pressure on the university on their website, and it’s important all students know they have a voice, and shouldn’t feel cowed by the University. Send letters, write emails, and tweet @UofRFA. All of these can go towards making the administration take notice that students are not impressed by their excuses. The university requires a lesson in consent and students should not be required to give up their privacy for outdated grading systems.

If you have a concern that you don’t feel comfortable voicing, there is a link on the RPIRG website to anonymously share your concerns.

sept 24 - sept 30, 2020

carillonregina.com | the carillon | 6

news

Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s legacy is complex and worth celebrating

Celebrated jurist dead at 87 sara birrel news editor On Friday, September 18, United States Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died at the age of 87. Ginsburg had been undergoing treatment for pancreatic cancer since 2009. In the years since the 2016 election of Donald Trump, observing the liberal jurist’s health had become something of a spectator sport, with observers on both the right and the left recognizing that Ginsburg’s departure from the Supreme Court would give Trump a third appointment, tilting the highest court in the land even further to the right. With Ginsburg’s death, the Supreme Court has only three liberal justices, Elena Kagan, Sonya Sotomayor, and Stephen Breyer, who, at 82, is now the oldest sitting justice.

Trump has said he will nominate a successor to Ginsburg by the end of the week and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said he will move to confirm the nominee. The decision, while not unsurprising, has stirred controversy as McConnell blocked Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court in 2015 following the death of conservative justice Antonin Scalia, saying that it was too close to an election and that the American people should decide. Scalia died in February 2016, almost one full year before Obama’s replacement would be sworn in. The decision over who will replace her is, repulsively, being made over Ginsberg’s dead body, which will lie in repose in the U.S. Capitol on

Wednesday and Thursday.

Days before her death, Ginsburg told her granddaughter that her “most fervent wish” was that she would not be replaced until a new president took office.

Some observers have condemned Ginsburg’s decision not to retire under Obama and ensure another, younger, liberal justice could take the bench. And while there are deeper questions to be asked – like whether lifetime appointments are compatible with democracy, or whether you can call a country whose fate is so bound

she joined the majority in striking down Texas’ anti-abortion omnibus bill Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt or when she issued the dissent in Ledbetter v Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, which would eventually lead to the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, Obama’s first bill as President. Indeed, the loss of Ginsburg will have serious consequences for women in particular, and for people who can become pregnant in general. Although Trump has said he will appoint a woman to replace Ginsburg, the mere fact of being

record on justice for victims of police brutality and police overreach – victims who are all too often racialized – Is deserving of scrutiny. During her time on the Supreme Court, Ginsburg tended towards rulings that favoured the police, like Heien v. North Carolina, which saw a Hispanic man arrested and sentenced to jail time after being found with drugs following an unlawful traffic stop. She also infamously called Colin Kaepernick’s protests against police brutality “arrogant” and “dumb,” for which she later apologized.

“

This should be a moment of solemn reflection upon a life and legacy that, while complex and limited by its respect for colonial institutions, was nevertheless formidable, and for some, worthy of mourning, and for others, worthy of dissent.

– Sara Birrel

up in the retirement decisions of a lone person a democracy in the first place – her choice not to retire while a Democrat was in office will certainly become a part of her legacy.

Ginsburg’s legacy on the bench is often framed in terms of her womanhood, in part because the legacy of anyone who isn’t a white man is framed by their otherness and in part because Ginsburg herself made a point of putting an end to gender-based discrimination in law a keystone of her career, like when

a woman doesn’t mean that one will be a defender of the rights of women, particularly when it comes to reproductive, racial, and economic justice. A sixth conservative justice, woman or no, could mean the end of Roe v. Wade, the law that has protected a pregnant person’s right to access an abortion in the United States since 1973, as well as more attacks on voting rights and labour.

Ginsburg was a ferocious defender of the Voting Rights Act, which was “gutted” by the conservative court in 2013. But her

Her record on Indigenous issues is similarly complex. Ginsburg delivered the majority opinion in the City of Sherrill v. Oneida Indian Nation of New York, in which the Oneida Nation, which had been buying back land that had been ceded under intense pressure in the early 1800s and claimed that land to be sovereign and therefore exempt from state and city taxes, was taken to court by the city of Sherrill. The case made its way to the Supreme Court, and Ginsburg wrote that “relinquished governmental

reins and could not regain them through open-market purchases from current titleholders,” essentially denying the sovereignty of the Oneida people and forcing them into a paternalistic arrangement with the US Department of the Interior, a decision that some say she regretted. However, Ginsburg also sided with the majority opinion in the 2020 case McGirt v. Oklahoma, which saw half of Oklahoma recognized as “Indian Country” and restored to the Creek people, as well as the 2001 decision which upheld the right of the Coeur d’Alene people to the southern portion of Lake Coeur d’Alene in Idaho.

The loss of Ginsberg looms large over the coming November election, in part because her death will give Trump an additional pick for the court, and in part because the last time an election was as contested as this one has the potential to be – in 2000, when the court ended a recount in Florida, effectively handing George W. Bush the presidency – it was Ginsberg who wrote the dissent. Without her – and with Trump falsely claiming that mail in ballots are prone to fraud – it’s possible that if Biden wins and Trump refuses to accept the results, a conservative court could rule in his favour. It is unfortunate that the moment of her death should be so fraught with consequences, as this should be a moment of solemn reflection upon a life and legacy that, while complex and limited by its respect for colonial institutions, was nevertheless formidable, worthy of mourning and worthy of dissent.

Ted Eytan (Flickr)

A mural by artist Rose Jaffe in Washina, DC

arts & culture

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editor: julia peterson aandc@carillonregina.com the carillon | september 24 - september 30, 2020

Celebrating bi visibility day Exploring your identity is a lifelong journey

thomas gallagher contributer This Wednesday was Celebrate Bisexuality Day. It’s a day to celebrate bisexuality (in case that wasn’t clear from the name), but also a chance to make bisexuality more visible. According to a report from The Movement Advancement Project (MAP) titled Invisible Majority, bi people make up a little over half of the LGBTQ community, and yet they often go unnoticed.

Most people assume a person in a same sex relationship is gay, and a person in a relationship with someone who is or passes for the opposite sex is straight.

People are often judged by their relationships – especially their relationships to men. Even when

pixabay

Happy Celebrate Bisexuality Day!

they make up the majority of the LGBTQ community, they are also less likely to be out. Until recently, I was one of those people that hadn’t come out – even to myself.

I was about 12 and at a sleepover with a group of friends when I was aware, for the first time, that I felt a sexual attraction to another boy. It was also the first time I felt I needed to hide it to fit in. For most of elementary and high school I focused on my interest in girls, even though I was too afraid to date one. No one in my family identified as anything but straight, and growing up Catholic, it wasn’t something that was ever really talked about at home or school.

My first year of classes in the

“ a person is known to identify as bisexual, it’s often explained this way: bisexual women are really just straight and trying to impress men, and bisexual men are gay and lying to themselves.

Not being seen, or being seen as a stereotype instead of a person, takes its toll. According to the report, bisexual people are more likely than gay and lesbian people to face sexual harassment or violence, have higher rates of poverty and mental health problems, and are more likely to have attempted suicide. Even though

school impossible. The struggle with my sexuality was a big part of that.

Depression ate up several years of my life, and it took a few more to deal with the financial impact, but in 2016 I was able to return to school. I met a new group of friends, got involved with theatre, and started to open up a little. I still thought the issue was settled: I was straight. But I started to have thoughts and feelings that I didn’t feel bad about anymore (as long as no one ever found out). I met great guys that I wanted to be friends with, and would think, “I’m not gay, but if I was...” In my first year back, before Christmas break, I remember thinking how good it would feel to

myself at home with more time to talk on the phone. As I fell more in love, I felt safe enough to admit for the first time that I sometimes find some things about men attractive.

I had never told anyone before. I hadn’t even really admitted it to myself. But once I said it, the walls inside me started to come down. I realized that it wasn’t sometimes, but often, and that it wasn’t just some things, but many.

I suddenly became aware of the box I had put myself in; how it influenced the way I spoke and moved, the colour of phone case I chose, and the songs I wouldn’t listen to if other people were around, all so they wouldn’t get the wrong idea about me. I put

women still exists. I feel a stronger attraction to men, but I worry I might not be gay enough to really call myself gay either. I am sure others have had similar doubts. I am not 50/50. I don’t feel there is any part of me that is straight, but I know some of my feelings for women were (and are) real.

I don’t know where my story will go from here. But as I start to come out, the fear I once had has been replaced with the knowledge that I have friends and family that will support me. And it’s the friendships I developed at university that have helped me come this far. If you identify in any way as part of the LGBTQ+ community at the UofR, there are people here to support you too. UR Pride

Until recently, I was one of those people that hadn’t come out – even to myself.

film program at the U of R were challenging for a kid with a rather conservative view of the world who was starting to worry he might be gay. I had friends who were gay, and I accepted them, but it didn’t feel okay for me to be gay. I was terrified of the idea, and I was still attracted to women, so I held fast to my identity as straight and suppressed everything that made me doubt it. It never occurred to me that both could be true. Things were good for a while, but eventually anxiety and depression made finishing

bring one of those guys home to meet my parents, but that it would never happen because I couldn’t be anything but straight.

Then I started to fall in love with a woman – an exchange student. She kissed me and then flew home to Mexico a couple of days later. We started to talk on the phone a month after that. Even when I started to say, “I love you,” I worried that I couldn’t because I’m secretly gay and just couldn’t admit it to myself. In the meantime, I graduated from school, a pandemic happened, and I found

so much energy into worrying what other people would think – that they would see me as less of a man. I realize now that even if they do, that doesn’t make it true.

I am gay, and bisexual, and what that means to other people is not what is important. Now, when I look at myself in the mirror, I see myself as I am, and I am proud to be me.

I have worried at times that I am too gay to identify as bi (and wondered if I should be writing this article). I find myself trying to prove that my attraction to

is still running programs, and you can find out more about them at their website. Don’t be afraid to reach out, and know that you are not alone – no matter where you are at in your own story.

Everyone’s experience of bisexuality is different. I am collecting stories from other bi+ people to share in a future article. If you have a story you would like to tell, you can get in touch through contactus@urpride.ca.

sept 24 - sept 30, 2020

carillonregina.com | the carillon |

arts & culture

8

Jaymin Stewart: the genius behind ShadesofJay Local artist celebrates family influences in her jewelry joseph holoein arts writer Jaymin Stewart – the dazzling artist behind Shadesofjay – has been styling Saskatchewan and the world at large for nearly eight years. Near the start of her jewelry-making career, Jay and her mother, Becky Jesse, attended their first major art event and brought a few trays of Jay’s custom bracelets. They had no idea their booth would be busy for the duration of the event. People were peering over each other’s shoulders just to catch a glimpse of the bracelets Jay was offering.

And she was just as popular at every event that followed.

Pairing a variety of colourful and texturally unique leathers, Swarovski crystals, and other design elements, Jaymin’s bracelets are a sensation.

“All designs are one of a kind,” she said. “I am a custom artist, so I love creating the perfect piece for my clients.”

Inspiration is never out of reach for Jay: “My mom inspires me the most for my designs… and [she] has inspired me my whole life.”

“I get inspired by the seasons, mythology, colours, and the ocean,” she elaborated. “I’ve used different names of goddesses and mummies, butterflies and trees, and [my daughter] Willow one time suggested one be named, ‘obsidian.’”

When I asked about the people who inspire Jaymin, she nearly responded with an entire essay on various customers and friends, naming each and expressing what she loved about them.

Some honourable mentions are: Sheryl, Becky, Dina, Karen, Lo-

raine, Leslie, Shelley, Penny, Bev, and Mina along with a whole host of family and many many others.

“I’ve been supported by so many amazing women in my journey,” Jay says, “and I hope I can inspire some young women starting their own businesses!”

Client preferences are another key consideration for Jaymin, as she enjoys creating what others desire – plus, custom designs are always welcome. Inspiration even lends itself from what is popular in Europe. Jaymin also enjoys creating wide cuffs in “more bohemian looking styles.”

Her bracelets have even been shipped as far as Europe. Kelly Prescott, as well as Tegan and Sara each have a Shadesofjay – and so do a few other influencers and celebrities.

You can find your own Shadesofjay at Folk Fest, Bazaart, Our Best To You, and other shows across Saskatchewan. Additionally, Jillian’s Design Elements in Moose Jaw has featured Shadesofjay for the past 7 years, so this can be a great place to see an in-store collection. Jaymin also has her YQR collection at the Mackenzie Art Gallery.

But where did the company name come from?

A fear years ago in the peaceful morning mountain air along Kootenay Lake, Jaymin was reading 50 Shades of Grey. That night, while they were talking around the campfire, Jaymin’s grandmother asked what she would name her new business.

“I knew my family wouldn’t recognize the book so… I threw out Shadesofjay to be funny!” she said. “They all loved it and it stuck! … [But] the best part [is that] my aunty had also been se-

cretly reading the book so we had a good laugh when she had outed me [to the group] and admitted she had been reading it [too].”

The secret was out, and the name was a hit.

So was the business - Jaymin says the women who buy her art have been enthusiastic fans.

So far, “one client has over 100 unique and one of a kind Shadesofjay pieces” and another lady has actually created a custom piece of furniture to “house her growing collection.”

“God who has given me this opportunity, as well as my customers, [who] have made my business the amazing thing it is today,” she said. “I have so much support and always have a custom order to be worked on!”

And Jaymin has been grateful for the support from the people who wear her jewelry.

“I don’t even like calling them customers,” she said, when talking about the woman who support her by buying her latest pieces.

Jaymin’s clients have become something of an alternate family. People consistently seek out her shows just to visit or browse Jaymin’s current collection. These are the same kinds of clients that Jaymin sometimes builds specific bracelets for, as she asks herself, “What would make Loraine love this piece?”

People like Loraine are part of the reason Jaymin loves creating, as she says, “[Loraine] inspires me to be colourful.”

Local is everything to Jaymin.

She shops local, encourages others to do so, and loves the idea of supporting and connecting with humans on a more authentic level. Jaymin has made sure to give

Rockbamboo Photo & Film

Jaymin Stewart with a tray of her custom-made bracelets.

back by supporting local entrepreneurs, friends, and “local hospitals and fundraisers as well as the Make-A-Wish Foundation.”

In the most positive sense of the word, Jaymin is everything bubbly. Charismatic in character and endlessly caring, her good nature is vivacious. Her unique flair and style sets her apart as an inspirational figure and some people have even been known to say that Jaymin’s bracelets are only half of the art – the artist herself matters that much.

While COVID-19 has not hindered Jaymin’s business in any

large way financially, it has prevented her from showing at some major trade shows. “[It] has definitely sucked… and has absolutely crushed me as I love seeing all of my people in person,” she said.

On a positive side, sales have been as busy as ever.

This Friday, Jaymin will be featured at the Yvette Moore Gallery “for a night of champagne and shopping.”

What is the best way to find your own ShadesofJay piece? You can check out her work at Shadesofjay on Facebook.

How I Keep Calm: Gaming with family A series featuring the different ways students are finding peace and contentment during the pandemic

joseph holoein arts writer What’s better than having a Call of Duty (COD) squad during Covid-19? How about a family COD squad.

When I was about seven – almost 16 years ago – my dad, Dean Holoien, was in his prime as one of the world’s best fastball pitchers. He was often away competing in tournaments around the world and won numerous awards, and he still has whole crates of trophies and metals tucked away.

I was never much into sports, so the way we connected was largely through movies and video games. We would play NHL together on our Playstation 2, but the best times were when we played computer games — Em-

How are you keeping calm in the pandemic?

pires Dawn of the Modern World, Age of Mythologies, Rise of Nations, and Age of Empires II. Some of my best childhood memories involve playing these games, connected between our upstairs and downstairs computers.

Throughout my life, my family and I have loved games: card games, board games, console games – so much so that I won an Xbox One in a gaming tournament when I was in high school for a game I did not even play: Halo 4. I gave the reward to a friend who did not yet have a system of his own.

My dad and I would play Civilization 5 together, along with Black Ops on our Xbox 360s. But eventually we both became busier with work and school. The four

years of getting my first degree at Briercrest College were some of the hardest years of my life.

The expectations and the school’s emphasis on assignments is often noted by students as being like nowhere else.

With my Humanities degree I did what many college grads do – got a job that requires no degree at all. I became a full-time photographer, working with my wife, Shannon. Rockbamboo Photo & Film is the name of our business, and we had wedding clients lined up for every weekend prior to COVID. But when the pandemic hit, almost everything was rescheduled for the next year.

This left me with a whole lot of free time. My family members were all at their own homes

as well in the early spring, as the pandemic was spreading in Canada. So we did what was natural to us: my dad bought a new Xbox One, my brother-in-law purchased a massive television so he could sit side-by-side with my sister and game — and I bought toilet paper at Costco.

We created a regiment on Call of Duty Warzone. There were five of us total: my dad, my brother-in-law, my sister, her husband, and me.

I think a collective COVID coma was responsible, but we gamed for many nights in a row.

With all that time available and not much to do other than wait and avoid social settings, we grouped up and even secured a win on Battle Royale Squads in

quads mode with my sister using a light machine gun for the final kill — a real noob move, Sid. This is how we stayed calm.

Even though the conversations streaming through our headsets sounded more like seagulls at the beach, we were together and for a while, COVID was no longer a worry.

We still game together at times, and it helps us shift our focus out of the real world.

And the conversations you hear online as well with strangers that find out that you are gaming with your dad can be hilarious. I have even heard one person say directly, “I wish my dad gamed with me. That’s dope.”

It most certainly is.

sept 24 - sept 30, 2020

carillonregina.com | the carillon |

arts & culture

9

How to watch a film For the film-intimidated

hannah senicar copy editor I feel obligated to begin with a disclaimer: I am not a film student – or even a film buff, for that matter. In fact, the list of movies I haven’t seen is long and would, if read aloud at the correct party, prompt every film bro in a five-mile-radius to remark “You haven’t seen [insert literally any movie title here]???” as they so often do.

I have, however, been taking steps to remedy my film ignorance. I mean, as an English student, media analysis has been instilled in me, and I never really had anything against movies as a genre; I was only ever intimidated by their length, and somewhat off put by the fact that every film fan I know has a seemingly never ending pool of weird facts and names at their (often-unsolicited) disposal. With these walking encyclopedias as my ambassadors, the world of film felt alien.

But last year, something in my brain clicked, and I realized it’s not that deep. Because it isn’t.

They’re movies. So I picked a place to start and followed my whims, watching classics I’ve always wanted to see, the work of specific actors and directors, random flicks that seemed fun – literally anything. Some I devoted full attention to, and some were half-watched in the background while I was playing games or texting friends. Because – I can’t stress this enough – it’s really not that deep.

My most recent film binge took me through the ouevre of

Needpix1

Don’t let the film bros get you down

writer/director Charlie Kaufman, and I quickly fell in love. My marathon was planned in anticipation of his latest film, I’m Thinking of Ending Things, which also happens to be the film that inspired this article. I personally loved the movie but, while scrolling TikTok, came across several videos by confused and disgruntled viewers. Many of them found the movie completely inaccessible, self-indulgent garbage created solely to stroke the egos of pretentious film snobs.

Fair enough, but I figured I would take some time to write something in response to these concerns, and a roadmap to film enjoyment in general.

“

This is sometimes complicated by the existence of those asinine “[insert title here] EXPLAINED” YouTube videos that seem to exist for every film and TV show out there. Sure, those are great if you’re looking for a quick run-through of some imagery or details you might have missed, but you don’t need them.

I promise you. FilmWarrior8000 is not giving you the definitive take on whatever it is you just watched, and I’m willing to bet whatever you think was happening in the movie is just as valid of an interpretation, with just as much valid evidence to support it.

As Kaufman himself said in

out a logical explanation for everything occurring on screen, or thinking you’re not smart enough to soak up some hidden subtext, embrace the weird. Think about your emotional response to what’s going on and how that might factor into the film’s larger themes; take some time to just enjoy the imagery and atmosphere.

Step 3: Don’t be frightened by intertextuality In one of the TikTok videos I watched critiquing I’m Thinking of Ending Things, the OP made the case that the film is elitist, inaccessible trash since, in one scene, it references a 1974 film called A Woman Under the Influence. Accord-

I promise you. FilmWarrior8000 is not giving you the definitive take on whatever it is you just watched.

Hannah Senicar

Step 1: Understand that one film can have several different interpretations This is essential to not only viewing films, but consuming any scrap of media. We come out of high school thinking that books and films are like riddles that need to be solved, but they’re not.

They’re complex, living things, and you are going to be coming to them with a very particular set of life experience and knowledge that will influence what they make you think and feel. And that’s great!

an interview with IndieWire, “I let people have their experiences, so I don’t really have expectations about what people are going to think. I really do support anybody’s interpretation.”

Step 2: Forget about “getting it.”

This goes along with tossing those “Explained” videos aside.

Sometimes things are just weird.

Some films include a lot of weird, surreal, things and not all of them make sense. That’s… okay. It’s okay for things to just be weird.

Instead of trying to figure

ing to her, the name-dropping of the film is intended to exclude anyone who hasn’t seen it, and just further proves that films like I’m Thinking of Ending Things are made for a specific, insular, community of viewers.

But, the thing is, you can understand what is happening in the scene without having seen the movie they’re discussing. Sure, it’s super bizarre, and if you had seen the movie you’d know a bit more about what the characters are talking about. But unless you’re watching a sequel, other films or

books are hardly ever necessary prerequisites.

If pieces of media never interacted with each other, the things we watch and read would be a lot less interesting! So don’t let references or allusions intimidate you. Worst case, you miss a tidbit of context, but you can always Google the piece of media being referenced. If you’re feeling especially adventurous, you can even make that supplementary material your next watch/read.

Step 4: Rewatch!

So maybe a movie’s plot twist didn’t make all that much sense to you. Or perhaps a film didn’t really vibe with you when you watched it in grade 7. Why not play it again? So many films have a lot of things going on, and it’s nearly impossible to catch everything on the first watch. Likewise, the way you interact with film is going to be drastically different at different stages of your life. Film appreciation isn’t a sprint. Take your time. Enjoy.

P.S. You’re allowed to dislike things. You’re even allowed to dislike good things.

That film won the Oscar for Best Picture but you literally can’t get through it without falling asleep? That’s cool! Not every film has to be your cup of tea – even if it’s critically acclaimed.

Don’t let the film bros get you down.

sept 24 - sept 30, 2020

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arts & culture

10

Television sensitivity in the age of constant crisis How can the media be sensitive to all that’s going on in the world?

taylor balfour editor-in-chief Only 16 days after the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York City thrust the world – specifically the United States – into a period of mourning and panic, the television sitcom Friends was to premiere the first episode of their eighth season.

(Note: it’s been 19 years since this premiered. Yes, I’m about to discuss spoilers.)

The episode was supposed to be a heartfelt, escapist break during a terrifying and uncertain time for the country. The story centered around the wedding of

PsyCat Games

Over the years, television has had to learn to adapt to real-life tragedy

The show’s creators had decided at the time that they “didn’t want to do ‘a very special episode’ of Friends where they’re all distressed about what happened”.

According to the show’s executive producer and occasional director Kevin S. Bright: “We felt we were comfort food, and during this time, if anything, we should be funnier than we’ve ever been.”

But they certainly didn’t ignore the real world. The season’s third episode subplot revolving Monica and Chandler’s honeymoon was re-written, and various whiteboard gags in Joey and Ra-

“ characters Monica Geller and Chandler Bing. In addition, the episode revealed that the character Rachel Greene was going to move forward with the pregnancy that had been revealed in the previous season.

This episode had always been intended to be sweet and hopeful, but when they realized it would be released shortly after one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in human history, the creators dedicated it to “The People of New York City”.

Foley and Steven Sotloff were beheaded by members of ISIS with the footage being distributed online.

BBC, the network that airs Doctor Who, stated at the time that the edits were made “in light of recent news events” and were made “out of respect”.

Now, all of these situations are extremely different. The 2001 attacks on New York, the beheading of journalists and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic are very different world events that have been tragic and painful on very different levels. However, in Au-

that recurring guest actor Daniel Dae Kim had tested positive for COVID-19.

The dilemma of shows being altered due to traumatic world events is nothing new. What will be new, however, is how we adapt to it in our modern world; a world that seems to be filled with destruction, and disaster, and heartbreak at every turn. How can we make our media respectful of crises when we can’t seem to escape them? When everything that could go wrong in a year does go wrong, how can you make entertainment sensitive and aware of

triggers, but we will continue to bring you the joy you need” is the best stance. We cannot avoid the destruction that goes on in our world. We can’t turn on our televisions or phones as a means of constantly avoiding reality. Eventually, we need to face it. But we don’t need to face it everywhere.

These shows capture the perfect balance; they are able to address what is going on in the world, acknowledge that it is causing people pain, but continue to provide the content they always have as a means of providing joy.

It doesn’t ignore the traumas but

How can we make our media respectful of crises when we can’t seem to escape them?

– Taylor Balfour

chel’s apartment noted their love for NYC and thanked the city’s first responders.

I bring this up because as we enter the fall season – when television programs enter new seasons and return to streaming services and/or television – I can’t help but look back and wonder how 2020 is going to adapt.

Of course, Friends is not the only example of a television show being altered due to traumatic real-world events. In 2014, Doctor Who removed a beheading scene after American journalists James

gust, the American medical drama New Amsterdam faced a similar dilemma when they were gearing up to release an episode on a viral outbreak.

The episode, originally titled “Pandemic”, was shelved by showrunner David Schulne, who believed it was not an appropriate time for the episode’s release; they only showed a selection of scenes from that episode which were necessary to introduce a new character. It was later also revealed that a writer and three crew members were sick, and

all of it?

In truth, my opinion is fairly bland. I believe that exactly what New Amsterdam, Doctor Who, and Friends showrunners did was the best case scenario, both in their respective times and now. A sad reality of life is that we will always be subject to pain and destruction. What shapes us as people is how we handle and move forward from these events.

Coming away from traumatizing events with the belief of “we will acknowledge it, we will be respectful of potential

moves forward with them.

In a strange way, this is a means of coping for all of us. It’s the equivalent of the TV producers saying: “Hey, the world is really scary right now. We know. So for 20 minutes or 40, just watch this silly thing. We’ll all still be here to work through this afterwards.”

That is what the world needs now more than ever: a unified hug and the ability to, little by little, move forward together.

sports

11

editor: ethan butterfield sports@carillonregina.com the carillon | september 24 - september 30, 2020

Play ball.

Sports look to be back just in time sarah nakonechny sports writer

The world is torn as to whether we should be celebrating the return of professional sports so soon. Some say that they waited too long to return and others are saying that they did not wait long enough. With this controversy in mind it’s important to also consider how this decision is going to affect the fans, the athletes and the industry moving forward.

Many people believe that the return of professional sports was well timed. As Bill Brooks stated, they used their time off very well to stay safe and to come up with some excellent safety protocols.

The required testing, reduced practice sizes, and keeping fans out of stadiums provide some comfort that everything is being done to effectively care for the health of those involved and to keep the industry alive and flourishing. Even with the extra precautions in place, Brooks reports that the overall enjoyment that he feels for the game hasn’t shifted.

When we watch from the comfort of our homes we are focused more on the players than we are on the fans and we are not exposed to the pregame precautions of testing and isolating which helps to preserve the enjoyment that we feel when watching our favourite teams. The return of such a large staple of our society allows for us to feel a bit more normal about the entire situation that we are currently living in, and it could not have come at a better time.

Not everyone agrees with the return of professional sports so soon. Many people believe that they should have held off on this return. Some, like Tiana Karhut, would go so far as to say that they should have waited another year before starting these leagues again. This strong opinion brings up an interesting idea about the sports world as a business. What stopped them from waiting until next year to have a proper start to the season? Was it pressure from the fans and players or does it

when you cannot be physically present in the stands or the ability to enjoy the game with other fans, many of us question if this truly was worth the risk.

We are craving this feeling of normality in our lives, and being able to return to the stands in the future may help provide this for us. However, everyone agrees that serious precautions need to be put into action before any of us seriously consider stepping foot into the parking lot of a stadium, let alone sitting inside. Karhut states

have effective protocols in place then nobody should be allowed to attend the games live. Although we may enjoy the experience of going to a live event, it is not worth the risk for franchises to throw together haphazard precautions to try and have a portion of fans back into the seats. If we want things to feel like they are back to normal then a half-full event is not going to do the trick.

It will end up drawing more attention to the tension of the times that we are currently living in.

“

For now I suppose, kick back, grab a snack, and enjoy cheering for your favourite teams in the comfort of your pyjamas.”

– Sarah Nakonechny

come down to them just trying to run a successful business?

In order for the business that is professional sports to thrive they need the support of their fans. Even though some are excited that they have returned for us to enjoy from the comfort of our homes, there is a general consensus that they do not have the same level of enjoyment. Many are finding it significantly difficult to get into a game and experience the joy that we would have felt before. Whether it is the shock of seeing the stands initially empty, the feeling of being disconnected

that she would not feel comfortable going to a live game as long as we still have active cases within the province. Once we are to that point she strongly believes that masks would need to be made mandatory at events and that we would need to start at half capacity to ensure that social distancing precautions can be enforced.

There are disagreements when it comes to the idea of having sporting events at half capacity. Brooks stated that it should be an all-or-nothing approach. If we do not have a vaccine, there are still active cases and they do not

Not only are there many opinions being expressed about the safety of the fans, there is also a division about the wellbeing of the players who are returning to their respected teams currently.

James Wasyliw is one of many who are concerned about the negative impacts that this is having on the psychological wellbeing of the players.They are being put under enormous pressure to return and many feel as though they are not being given a choice as this is their livelihood. That, accompanied with the increased exposure risk from teammates,

staff, and opposing teams causes huge amounts of stress on an individual – stress which weakens their immune systems making them more susceptible to potential illness.

Others do not express these same concerns and believe that this is a positive thing for the players. Brooks states that it should be uplifting as they are returning to their work and doing what they love to do. These athletes show their passion for what they do by training harder, pushing past their perceived limitations in games and demonstrating their appreciation to their fans. Now that they are able to hit the practice fields and resume league play they are able to continue to share the passion they have with the rest of the community.

Although people are in agreement that there is no way that fans should be attending sporting events anytime soon there is still much controversy that is present.

Was it the right decision to resume leagues or should they have postponed till next year? Was this just a business scheme or did they take enough time to ensure proper precautions were in place?

How are players handling the decisions being made? So many questions and yet so little answers for the fans. For now I suppose, kick back, grab a snack, and enjoy cheering for your favourite teams in the comfort of your pyjamas.

pixabay

Pandemic delays of all kinds.

sept 24 - sept 30, 2020

carillonregina.com | the carillon | 12

sports

Truckers support Special Olympics Doing their part for Special Olympics Saskatchewan

sarah nakonechny sports writer Special Olympics Saskatchewan has been playing an enormous role in the lives of countless individuals and their families over the years. From bowling to basketball, this organization makes sports programming accessible to those who otherwise would not have the opportunity to participate in these kinds of activities. This organization presents the chance to experience what it is like to be a part of a team and greater community to those living with an assortment of disabilities through their sport(s) of choice.

For those of us who have ever been a part of a sport, be it a team or solo event, know just how life changing that experience can be. From feeling the adrenaline when you step out for that first game, the joys in winning, sorrows in losing and the bonds you make with those in your community are something that is like no other. There is no way to explain the unique joys and the passion held other than to experience this firsthand. Special Olympics Saskatchewan allows all of these amazing things to be felt by those who are living with disabilities. It is a privilege like no other to be able to support this demographic in experiencing the unique joy that being a part of sports can of-

fer to an individual.

As a way to show solidarity with this organization and to help raise awareness, the truckers of Saskatchewan have taken to the streets in a convoy that would typically travel from Saskatoon to Regina and had been doing so for the last 14 consecutive years.

This event has been recognized as the world’s longest truck convoy, which consists of any and all kinds of larger automotive vehicles such as semi-trucks, dump trucks, buses, tow trucks and more! However, with the world looking a little bit different this year, as with everything else, the convoy had to change how it was presented as well. This means that instead of one group travelling the highways in one demonstration of support, two separate events took place in each respective major city. The separation was meant to ease social distancing from spectators and fewer participants congregating in one area after the event was completed.

In Regina this event took place the morning of Saturday September 12, with truckers and other supporters hitting the streets to promote this incredible organization. Together the group circled Ring Road as spectators looked on and cheered as they passed, blasting their horns as they went.

With these stressful times they encouraged those from other cities

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Making sports accessible to everyone.

to stay home and watch on their livestream, ensuring that nobody had to miss out on the fun while allowing social distancing to stay in effect.

In Saskatoon the event took place the morning of Saturday September 12 as well, with truckers and other supporters taking to Circle Drive to show their support. The spectacle was also being broadcasted live for those to enjoy virtually. Although it was disappointing to have to encourage people to stay at home to enjoy the event it was still extremely successful in its promotion.

The effort and support that went into this event is for more than just a fun event to take the kids to. This event is used as an opportunity to raise awareness and funds for those who take part in Special Olympics events. This is incredibly important as many of these athletes have other accommodations that need to be paid for such as wheelchairs and medications. These necessities are not always affordable for many of these individuals and the money that they would use to register for their sport of choice often gets delegated to such needs. There-

fore the money that comes from initiatives like this provide such an amazing opportunity for these athletes to continue participation in the sports that everyone loves.

The feeling of community that sports provide is one thing that everyone can agree on, and the opportunities that these drivers provide these athletes through the exposure and funds that this convoy provides each year is worth recognizing. We are all excited to see what this event looks like next year.

The major league Butterfield breakdown Bringing the major league news to you ethan butterfield sports editor Hey all, here we are again with another sports update regarding the happenings of the various major leagues and whatnot. It’s been an interesting week to be sure, with developments coming out of several areas making for some rather intriguing conversation, whether it be about the Stanley Cup finals, the continuing developing landscape of the NFL, or the current budgetary concerns with stadiums in the CFL. For those interested, the news can be found just below: NHL:

The Stanley Cup Finals have finally gotten down to the last two teams, The Dallas Stars and The Tampa Bay Lightning (spelled correctly this time). The series (at the time of writing) currently sits at 1-0 for The Dallas Stars. The Stars’ defence continues to impress throughout the entirety of their playoff run, especially the performance of goalie Anton Khudobin, who continues to put out a dominant style game to game. The Russian goaltender put together 35 out of 36 saves in the Stars Game 1 victory against the Lightning.

NFL: Week 2 rolled around in the National Football League, boasting some great match-ups as per usual with the week-to-week system of the NFL. One of the most

interesting games this week was the Atlanta Falcons versus the Dallas Cowboys. Now, last week, it looked like the 49ers were the ones that couldn’t get over their Super Bowl based issues, but they came out of the gate this time around Week 2 with a decisive win over the New York Jets. The Falcons, however, despite being up 20 to 0 in the first quarter and still up by 15 in the fourth, managed to harness the magic of their Super Bowl 50 run by blowing the lead and the game altogether.

In other news, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are now officially Tom Brady’s second most “winningest” team after securing his first win over the Carolina Panthers 31 to 17. Mr. Brady and Mike Evans look especially good together on the field, with Evans racking up over 100 receiving yards on 7 receptions.

In other rapid-fire updates, Cam Newton suffered his first loss as a Patriot to the Seattle Seahawks, the Arizona Cardinals continued to look dominant with a 30-to-15 win against the Washington Football Team, some unsuspecting teams improved to 2-0 including the Buffalo Bills and the Chicago Bear, both of which had near wins against their opponents, and Joe Burrow, the quarterback drafted No. 1 overall, found himself 0-2 after Thursday’s game against the Cleveland Browns.

CFL: The sports world isn’t com-

pletely pandemic free as Saskacthewan’s own Roughriders are having some home issues budget-wise. Due to the ongoing pandemic, the payback plan for the new stadium in our hometown, a plan that was set for 30 years overall, has run into an estimated 5 million dollar deficit moving forward.

MLB: Once again, the Major League Baseball playoffs inch ever closer, with the Wild Card Series (best of the three format) starting on September 29th. The MLB has brought forward an expanded playoff format moving into the postseason, 16 teams will now be able to qualify for the playoffs, eight from The American League and eight from the National League.

Currently, several teams have finally clinched a playoff berth, getting a chance at a post-season title run. The following teams that have qualified (at the time of writing) by League are: The American League: The Chicago White Sox, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, the Oakland A’s, the Minnesota Twins, and the New York Yankees.

The National League: The Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres NBA: The NBA playoffs continue on as the final four teams battle for the Championship. The Miami Heat versus the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference and the Denver Nuggets and the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference. Both series, as they

currently stand, are as follows: the Miami Heat are leading 2-1 in their match-up and the Lakers are up 2 to 0 in the West. The Lakers 2nd win especially coming with bated breath as Anthony Jones hit the buzzer beater on Sunday’s playoff game to give the Lakers the win.

Well, I hope you enjoyed this rundown, fingers crossed that there was, once again, enough in it to hold your attention. I do my best to keep the news as relevant or ‘up and coming’ as possible but sometimes there can be things that end up being a bit stale. Regardless, I look forward to continuing to bring you the major news of the major leagues from week to week.

Ethan Butterfield

Time to bring em’ the news.

sept 24 - sept 30, 2020

sports

carillonregina.com | the carillon |

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Tensions on the field A moment of unity disrupted by ignorance

ethan butterfield sports editor Imagine, if you will, being at the professional level of whatever sport you play and getting ready to perform for a max capacity crowd during an ongoing pandemic. You’ve followed the given guidelines, respected your medical staff’s wishes and have continued

sues at play, your actions are met with boos.

Taking yourself out of the headspace, this was exactly the feeling that the opening game day of the NFL experienced. Both teams and their staff meet for a moment of unity on the field to raise awareness towards ongoing issues including police brutality. That moment, unfortunately,

“ to work so that you can provide a hell of a show for those watching.

However, you also want to continue making a necessary statement against issues surrounding your country and the policies in place that allow it, so you peacefully protest before the big opening day game. The result? Well despite putting your well-being on the line in a professional sport, and despite doing your best to show your frustrations with current is-

the message across that there’s a real genuine problem going on.

The sheer disrespect on display is unfathomable, but yet here it is on a daily basis. Call it ignorance, call it stupidity, call it being a privileged asshole, just don’t call it acceptable behaviour.

Honestly, I’ve always been of the mind that sports should be cancelled to try and send a direct

cently, the NFL had allowed players to put the names of victims affected by police brutality on their helmets to raise awareness. This is, of course, just another small step in a very long journey towards beneficial outcomes for everyone, but it’s a step nonetheless.

I just hope that people will smarten up moving forward from this regrettable event, but I’m not

manager, took a stand and started Walker, who was injured at the time. The game went ahead as planned, marking a huge positive development in baseball’s heavily influenced colour barrier baseball at the time. Issues still came for years afterwards, but this example, despite its age, still holds up considering what occurred not but more than a week ago.

Just think before you act. It ain’t as hard as you think.”

– Ethan Butterfield

was met with the so-called “fan reaction” of boos or negative response. The usual excuses were made: “there shouldn’t be politics in sports,” “just do your job,” etc, etc.

The thing is, being a fan of football (among other sports), I’m sick of the behaviour from these individuals. The same individuals that said they were going to boycott the NFL, or the NBA, or whatever league is trying to get

message towards people that feel an athlete should just do their job and play on. Of course, there are other actual fans out there that appreciate the efforts that are being made with regards to ongoing tensions in the world, so it quickly becomes a factor of “where do you draw the line?”

At the very least, it’s positive to see how the leagues themselves now are starting to make efforts to bring issues to the forefront. Re-

holding my breath. The sports world has always been filled with those who want to silence the voices of individuals that simply wish to make a statement or try to make a peaceful difference. As an example, let’s go as far back as 1883, where Cap Anson, a member of the Chicago White Sox, wouldn’t play against catcher Moses Fleetwood Walker in an exhibition game due to his skin colour. Charlie Morton, the

So, from me to you, do know that politics do belong in sports, as they belong in all aspects of life. It’s that discussion of politics in sports that always calmer and more knowledgeable heads to prevail at the end of the day.

If anything, just think before you act. It ain’t as hard as you think.

pxhere

Peaceful protests for a better future.

op-ed

1

editor: marty grande-sherbert op-ed@carillonregina.com the carillon | september 24 - september 30, 2020

Talking sense into anti-maskers is hard work

We can educate our friends, but unmasked crowds are another story

Emerald Magazine

Just wear the damn thing.

It finally happened to me today – I knew it would eventually, but I was ready.

I came out of Walmart with my mask on, keeping six feet of distance from everyone, and pushed my cart to my car. A woman was getting out of her car next to me with no mask. As I’m putting groceries into my car, she says, “Let me guess – you’re a liberal. Cause that mask ain’t gonna do anything for you except make you look stupid.”

In anticipation of this happening, I already had a response ready. I said to her, “Look, I woke up with a temperature of 102 this

recommended. On top of that, among all the masked persons in that place, these are the ones coughing out or with a crusty nose.

I can’t help but get annoyed, but on the contrary, these are the people that glance back and act annoyed at you for wearing a mask. The maximum discomfort that could happen is fogging up your glasses if you wear them – or worse, it wouldn’t go well with your outfit. But they still act like it isn’t their problem! I read an anti-masker’s Facebook post that said, “Why invent a vaccine when Coronavirus can be killed

“ morning (I didn’t) plus I work around hundreds of people in close quarters (I don’t) so this is for your protection, not mine.

How about I take it off and we hug like old friends?” I stepped toward her and acted as if I was taking off my mask. She stepped back away from me and went across to the next row of cars. I followed her, she kept walking away, I chased her, she ran... She fell down. I grabbed her foot. I pulled on her leg, just as I’m pulling yours.

The above was a forwarded message that has been doing rounds on social media for quite some time, to bring awareness among anti-maskers. By now, most of us have seen these people around: people without masks in places where masks are

all there is on the net that the mask is not meant to be “the elixir” for COVID-19, but is precautionary. Remember the good old saying “Better safe than sorry.” Still, my friend asks back, “What if we fall sick because wearing the mask is nauseating?”

After even more proof, demonstrations, and stats, he decides to end the topic. He finally wears a mask now, but I don’t take credit for that. He wears it not because I knocked some sense into him but because masks were mandated in the store where we work, and a customer specifically com-

be Trump supporters, or just the types to make a big deal out of something like foggy glasses or marks on the face. While I agree that the discomfort associated with masks is real, wearing it is one way to keep our environment safe. It is so much better than wearing an entire PPE kit, which the essential workforce is doing day in and day out, controlling their biological needs.

Unless addressed on a person-to-person basis, like with my friend, I choose not to deal with this anti-masking community firsthand. For that matter, I believe ig-

I believe ignorance is bliss with [anti-maskers] until they get a taste of their own medicine.

– Pratheeksha R. Naik

by hand sanitizer?” The post got more “Haha” reacts than comments, and she seemed concerned, calling people ‘foolish to not think of this.’ Does this make you want to act like the person in that forwarded joke message in real life? It does for me.

My roommate works part-time in a store, and as Saskatchewan reaches Phase 2 of re-opening he asked, “Why do most people still wear masks? We all wore them for a month, and COVID still exists. So we might as well just go about our day without wearing one. Masks are marketing techniques. Locals just want to make some income for their knitting!” I spent two entire weeks trying to explain to him with statistical proofs, examples, illustrations and

plained about him saying “she doesn’t feel safe.” So, clearly, his job was at stake.

If one has a close acquaintance like mine, one is able spend some time explaining the benefits of wearing a mask to them.

This is only because if, heaven forbid, something were to go wrong with this person, you could be a close contact for them.

But if the anti-masker in question is just some random Karen at the road shouting, there’s not much you can do. We have seen ‘Anti-Maskers’ protesting with no precautions in place: beaches in Florida and pool parties in Wuhan are a testimony to this.

In fact, Donald Trump going places and golfing with no mask on still tops the list. In my opinion, these groups of people could

norance is bliss with them until they get a taste of their own medicine. “Does this even happen?” you may ask. Well, my parents informed me recently that six neighboring kids got together to play a game of cricket with some witnesses, no precautionary measures in place, and in a week’s time about 70 cases of COVID emerged around the city. They were all traced to the kids’ game, and 43 of them were never even in the venue themselves. Incidents like these should be some real eye-openers for anti-maskers.

pratheeksha r naik contributer

sept 24 - sept 30, 2020

op-ed

carillonregina.com | the carillon |

15

Please no more wizard TERF on our timelines

(If you’re not going to send a trans woman $$) I will preface this piece by saying, of course, that I don’t speak for all trans people, nor am I an authority on trans “allyship” – a concept that I think is itself a little fraught and self-congratulatory. Most importantly, I am not a trans woman, and I don’t experience the transmisogyny which is the most involved violence in the discourse I’m about to reference. Although this is still an issue relevant to my experience, I still advise readers who are not trans women or transfeminine to temper my voice with those who are, keeping in mind that covering blind spots (in this case, mine) is necessary when addressing attacks on marginal-

something that’s maybe a little bit counterproductive, but again, take my response here with a grain of salt.

I think people need to learn and accept that, even with the best of intentions, dragging out a stubbornly hateful celebrity into the sunlight every time they say something harmful is... well, harmful. Sometimes public figures are “called out” because their bigotry needs to be exposed and addressed, and a public response will force them to address what they put into the world. But when people like Rowling double down again and again, show us firmly that they have made up their minds, and even start

Harry Potter game and send more royalties to a transmisogynist. There have been many think pieces about Harry Potter in general circulating about the moral quandaries of those who are attached to the series but want to separate art from artist. Yet, this kind of attention seems really disproportionate to the time spent supporting trans authors, giving to organizations that address trans issues, or even centering trans women in what we are saying if we insist on saying anything at all.

Technically I’m another person writing an unsolicited think piece, but I really only want one thing taken away from this:

I personally don’t buy stuff from the franchise in question, because I personally just don’t like it that much, and even if the author didn’t ruin it for me there are a lot of the things in the books that do first. But you can buy the new game or not. It will signal to those around you, including your trans friends, that you probably like Harry Potter more than you hate Rowling, which people are going to interpret how they like – some may not even care at all. But choosing not to buy one seventy-dollar game in solidarity, while better than nothing, is still not really an enormous step. Arguably, it would be more actively helpful to buy the

“

...are you wrestling with the ideological purity of Harry Potter because you care about how Rowling is doing harm, or just because it’s Rowling herself ?”

– Marty Grande-Sherbert

ized people.

Now, with my apologies to all those who would probably say this better, let’s get to the bullshit.

I think we have all heard by now that a certain absurdly rich woman with an absurdly large platform, one who has been revealing herself to hold massively bigoted and violent views towards trans people and particularly trans women over the past couple of years, has released yet another money-grabbing project which is making people talk even more about her politics.

I’m not going to go into the details, because it is exhausting to do so, for me and for every other trans person tired of people talking about gender diversity like it’s a conspiracy theory. What I am going to do is talk about people talking about it—

escalating their behaviour like she has, what good does it do to make that a trending hashtag? When there are already recurring violent deaths and attacks on trans women, even in our province, what kind of effect do you think it will have on people to be subject to secondhand hate speech for an entire day because a bigot is a trending topic again?

I see an issue with this dredging up of celebrities and their opinions which is deeper than just timeline fatigue. Often, people latch on to the conversation surrounding people like Rowling because of the notoriety involved without seeming to have a deeper, genuine concern with it once the buzz has disappeared. Many people I know have had a lot to say about how morally corrupt it would be to buy this new

if you’re going to water down an issue of institutional violence to whether or not you consume the work of one individual, don’t. Especially don’t, as a cis person, tell someone that the measure of their “allyship” is whether or not they buy something a transphobic person made. Rowling is disgustingly rich, and while she is making less money because of recent boycotts, it’s my personal opinion that wealth like hers is terminal. On the other hand, trans people who really live in the world are making gofundmes for their hormone treatments and surgeries, and you are well within your ability to donate directly to them, to support them with your friendship, and to realize that an utterly disconnected rich person having a twisted view of marginalized people is nothing new.

game and make a donation to a trans person’s health expenses at the same time.

In Regina, UR Pride’s Monarch Mental Health would probably be a fitting place to distribute funds while this topic is causing so many headaches. But you have to ask yourself: are you wrestling with the ideological purity of Harry Potter because you care about how Rowling is doing harm, or just because it’s Rowling herself ? The conversation should not be about her, and as an “ally,” it should not be about you either.

Before you dive into a trending hashtag, it helps to get your intentions straight.

marty grande-sherbert op-ed editor

Know Your Meme (original source unknown)

It’s been like 20 years, guys.

sept 24 - sept 30, 2020

carillonregina.com | the carillon |

op-ed

16

Holly’s quarantine study tips Some quick ways to get more out of online courses

University can be daunting for even the brightest of bulbs at the best of times, and it’s no secret that the new online schooling format has thrown most students for a loop in one way or another. The lack of structured schedules, privacy, and resources has most students feeling overwhelmed. As someone who took online courses through the Spring/Summer semester, this article is my way of trying to help you all by sharing some of the tricks I learned during that time.

The most challenging aspect of online classes for me was figuring out how to manage my time without a class structure to build that schedule around. When there’s scheduled meeting times, it’s easier to be mindful of readings and due dates, because you’re engaging with the material on a deeper level. But it’s hard to be invested in the class lectures when you’re just reading words on a screen (ironic, I know, as you’re also reading this on a screen).

I found two things helped with this, though, and the first has to do with time management (yuck, I know, but trust me).

Every morning when I wake up, the first thing I do is turn on my laptop, log into UR Courses, then unplug my laptop’s charger.

I’ve found that I can best focus first thing in the morning when I don’t have much else on my mind, because nothing much has happened yet. I unplug my laptop as a way to set a timer on my study time – I work until my laptop is just about to die, then I save what I’ve done, plug it back in, and take a break.This way, instead of getting sucked into scrolling through Instagram on my phone or getting ready for my day, I dig right into whatever reading or assignment

I have to be working on. It also means I’m not constantly checking the time (we all know that makes it feel like time is passing slower – don’t do that to yourself), but I still have a structured schedule in that once I’ve done four or five hours of work I can make a big meal or grab coffee with a friend with the feeling that I’ve already accomplished a lot that day.

The second thing I’ll do is change up the way I’m putting the information from my courses into my brain. Humans can take in information in an astounding number of ways, but two of the most effective are through vision and hearing. All of us are using reading already, but sometimes you’ll have been reading so long that your eyes glaze over, and nothing makes sense anymore. The one thing that’s always helped me there has been choosing to read out loud. If I’m having trouble figuring out what the writer is trying to say, reading out loud helps me get a better sense of the tone they intended, so I’m more likely to catch on to their direction. Reading out loud also means I’m also hearing the information, which may not consciously register in the moment, but just being able to get the audio allows your brain to encode the memory in a different way than it would with visual information. Double whammy, baby.

I know these seem like small things, even just common sense, but they do truly make a difference, and I hope they’re able to help you find some structure amid the chaos.

holly worby staff writer

Wikipedia Commmons

Ah, to be in an office...

personify

a creative prose submission perhaps i personify things too much. all the words and flicks of wrists and twists of hair living quite vivid lives without their proper context(s). it is a lot to sustain. it takes from me, like casting a spell to orchestrate dancing mops and brooms to clean up psychic messes. things encountered, things noticed are taken into myself and assigned properties. the things are then rigorously tested – brain full of bunsen burners and scientifically earned bruises. everything is alive, a full being capable of autonomy and love and hate and doubt and fear and was that sneeze aggressive? are ficus plants just generally the chatty sort? is that bird talking shit about me? hypotheses to hypothesize. maybe i should try instead to see the world and everything in it as a series of cubes. grey cubes, free from the burdens of character. things to merely be blocked by and stumble over, or to use to my advantage and hide behind. being chased by sheets of paper appearing to be evil or enduring a haunting by a letter “k” that seems to have ulterior motives is an education on feeling everything, all at once. it is a shitty education. a corporeal punishment based system, bent on making your mind bend and break and your sleep erratic and full of all the things you encountered but then forgot. but then the most wonderful thing happens. you rub your eyes one afternoon, blinking against viscously sneering light and you have an endless cheat sheet. you know the secret entrances to people’s hearts. the best ways to cut

through the back alleys of depression, elaborate series of hand gestures to create the perfect things to say and specific combinations of colours to shape ideas. the whyfor of the henceforth. there is no more wondering. the answers are there if you care to know, because you’ve become acquainted with the world in this exhausting, endless way. all your suffering, all your keeping track, it culminates in being able to see all the hasty dotted lines holding the whole mess together. but i’m still not happy.

hawks contributer

sept 24 - sept 30, 2020

carillonregina.com | the carillon |17

op-ed

Student supports online just aren’t the same Though we do our best, nothing beats face-to-face

needpix

With some assignments, you just need a whiteboard.

Since the middle of March, the landscape of the university has changed. The few times I had to be on campus, back in April, it was unnerving to see the familiar spots deserted like in some post-apocalyptic movie. Back then, it was not clear when we might expect a return to campus. Now, six months have passed, and a few days ago we got word that the Winter 2021 term will also be mostly online. For most of us, this means not having to be on campus for nearly another year. Due to this change in circumstances, several campus services be-

be facing something similar this term with online office hours. While for some courses it might actually be just as acceptable, I find it hard to imagine office hours for a math class being held completely online, without any scribbles on a board or with pen and paper.

Also related to coursework, there are several writing tutors, as well as tutors for other subjects, available through the Student Success Centre and the Global Learning Centre. While I have never really used any of these services, I know many who

with a plethora of books on topics I love reading about. Every time I have gone into the Archer library to borrow one book, I have come back with more like six, because they happened to be around the one I went in for and captured my interest. Booking a few specific titles online and then picking them up later just does not offer up the full library experience for me. I realize that bemoaning the lack of pleasant hobbies in the middle of a pandemic may not be mature, but we all have our little escapes.

Mine is now available online only, and that

winter in history, but honestly I see those articles before every single winter. Regardless of how much worse this winter is that our usual, though, I think it is safe to assume that outdoor activities will become less and less common and comfortable. In the middle of a pandemic, being healthy and active seems like a good idea. Usually, my winter lifestyle involves frequent use of the Fitness Centre in the Kinesiology building. This year of course, the centre is closed. With winter term being online, it is likely to be closed then too. I am not

“

If these concerns are not somehow addressed... we might be adding more [stress] on all our students.”

– Hammad Ali

sides classes have also had to move mostly online. However, some services have simply not been available. Both these movements and cancellations are impacting students, and they might well come in the way of academic success.

Unlike most students, I am currently done with courses and focusing on my doctoral dissertation. While I have been having weekly meetings with my supervisors, both of whom have been most helpful, I do miss the ability to sit in our lab space, doodling on one of the whiteboards, and bringing a coworker in to sound out some ideas. In addition to the weekly meetings, we also used to be able to clarify various issues that now have to be done over email, and it is just not the same. Even the weekly meetings are not the same without a board to write equations and proof sketches on. The majority of our undergraduate students must

have. I also understand that all of these have moved online for the present. I have friends who have been tutors, and friends who have gone to tutors. The level of interaction needed to refine a first draft, underlining words and phrases, leaving comments or suggestions in the margin, has to lose something when the whole process moves online. In a similar vein, I am not sure how students are faring with their academic and career advising appointments. I have absolutely no doubt the relevant offices are doing their best, but some experiences just don’t transfer well online.

On a less academic note, the library is allowing curbside pickup for books, and presence in the library is now by bookings only. While this is also bound to have some impact on academic work, for me the real impact has been personal. I enjoy browsing bookshelves, finding that little corner

just can’t compare.

This brings me to the last two services on campus that I miss the most: counseling and fitness, albeit in slightly different ways.

School is stressful. Well, life is stressful. One way I coped with all the demands on me was to occasionally go into counseling services. While I am still able to do that, now it is all online. Sitting face to face with another person, surrounded by books, feeling relieved as you share what has been weighing you down is so much different than looking at an iPad screen, hoping the WiFi doesn’t drop in the middle of an important conversation. I have still been able to have a few appointments, but they are no longer the stress-free hour it used to be for me.

Lastly, fitness – I want to mention the issue that has been foremost on my mind as the harsh Saskatchewan winter approaches us. Many are saying this will be the coldest

looking forward to being indoors for nearly eight months, with no access to a gym.

I am not blaming anyone; I do believe everyone is trying the best they can. But these are concerns I have for myself and for many others like me. With the harsh winter, the lack of social interaction, and the inability to access resources that support a good lifestyle, it fills me with trepidation when I think of the next eight months or so. As always, I do not have answers, just concerns to raise. If these concerns are not somehow addressed, even if only partially, we might be adding more mental health, physical health, and academic-related stresses on all our students.

hummad ali contributer

graphics

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editors: sarah carrier, mercedes redman, kate thiessen graphics@carillonregina.com the carillon | september 24 - september 30, 2020