Issue 82.4

The Athenaeum Acadia Univeristy’s Student Newspaper [EST.1874] Fall Semester 2019 | Issue 82.4 LONG LIVE PRESS.

thEditorials About Us

Editor -inChief: One Last Request

The Athenaeum is the official student newspaper of Acadia University and is published in print and online year-round at theath.ca. The opinions expressed herein do not represent the Acadia Students Union or the staff of the Athenaeum, they are held by the individuals who contribute to the Athenaeum as essential members of our completely student-run newspaper.

We pride ourselves in publishing and participating in a diverse community, and we are more than eager to work with anyone, regardless of age, economic situation, race, creed, sexual orientation, or any other defining or diversive human trait.

Articles submitted will be published at the discretion of the editorial board. If there is content that we feel will not add to the philosophy, dialogue, or tone of our newspaper, it will not be published.

We’re always looking for controversial and thought-provoking material that challenges society and its norms, but any material deemed offensive or hateful will be met with extreme scrutiny. That being said, all of our staff members look forward to working together with writers to improve their quality of writing, and to make sure the Athenaeum remains professional and well-rounded.

The Athenaeum may accept submissions from any student or member of our campus, present and past, and is always looking for more writers and photographers. If you are looking for coverage of an event or story, would like to notify us of a complaint or correction, or would like to submit a letter to the editor, contact Ruvimbo Chipazi at eic@acadiau.ca There are open story meetings every Monday at 6pm in the Athenaeum office, room 509 in the SUB. Everyone is welcome, and we encourage you to join us!

The Athenaeum, since 1874.

LONG LIVE PRESS

The Athenaeum Acadia University’s Student Newspaper Issue 82.4 SUB room 509 / ASU Box 6002 Acadia University Wolfville, NS, Canada B4P 2R5 Editor-In-Chief: Ruvimbo Chipazi Email: eic@acadiau.ca EIC Office Hours: Mon, Tues, Wed 4- 6 Advertising/ Business Inquiries: athbusiness@acadiau.ca/137569w@acadiau.ca

News Rylie Moscato Science Laura Porter-Munz

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across the country to come to Acadia and I’ve since fallen in love with this institution. I love it because no matter who you are or where you’re from, you can come here and make a difference. If opportunities don’t exist, you can create them.

The Acadia spirit is one based on struggle and perseverance. Our history is rich with examples of how the university has soldiered on when the odds were stacked against us.

In 1852, Professor Isaac Chipman – an integral figure in the founding of Acadia and fundraising that made the university

By Colin Mitchell, possible – drowned alongside most of his Contributor students near Blomindon. With a sizeable portion of the graduating class and the university’s most esteemed professor lost, I’ve thought for a long time about what I many feared the university would close. wanted to say in my final article for The Athenaeum. I’ve debated between a tell-all, But we persisted. a sappy story about how I’ve grown as a In 1877, the first College Hall burned to the person, or constructive criticism for the ground. Within months the town and uniuniversity as a whole. versity organized the Forward Movement to Instead I want my last article to leave you raise funds to build another. We persisted. with one message as Editor-in-Chief: learn In 1914, the War to End all Wars began. It your history. took the lives of dozens of Acadia students and threw the university into disarray. But Acadia’s history is one that needs to be taught. So much has happened since 1838 we persisted. that our mediocre Wikipedia page doesn’t cover. We’re a unique institution and we’ve In 1920, the second College Hall burned to the ground. It took with it priceless books, been through hell and high water. We’ve artifacts, and memorabilia of a powerful done great things and we’ve fucked up history. The next day we began asking royally. Our tumultuous history with the around for donations and worked with the Baptists, flirtations with a eugenicist and white supremacist, drive for a home for our Rockefeller foundation to build a brand students, and bold plans for the future are new University Hall reflective of our pride. just examples of what has happened within We persisted. our community.

In 1945, World War II ended and Wolfville To most of the world we’re a small univer- was flooded with more veterans than there sity in the middle of nowhere, Nova Scotia. were beds. The university entered a state of Prospective students have no idea that our shock and struggled to adapt. We persisted. campus is steeped in history, culture, tradition, and an optimistic spirit that has pushed In 2008, President Gail Dinter-Gottlieb resigned after Acadia had taken on massive us so far forward. amounts of debt and suffered through two Acadia has been behind the times. We were faculty strikes. The university was being atnot the first university in the British Empire tacked from all sides as enrolment fell 25%. to grant a woman a degree. We were not the Within two years Ray Ivany became part of first university in Canada to have African- the Acadia family and helped put us back on our feet. We persisted.

Canadians graduate. We did not have a female president until 2003. We have very few professors of colour and only just hired The same drive that built the first College Hall with no money, just the determination indigenous and black student advisors. of its students, still courses through the We have accrued debt over the years and are struggling to pay it off while avoiding veins of this campus. I’m proud to say that tuition increases.

Yet through all of the negative headlines there is a reason to have hope. I moved

Management:

Section Editors: Creative Thomas Morgan

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Features Brendan Macneil Opinions Josée Léger Sports Sebastian Farkas

Fall Semester 2019

Production Manager Lily Nottage Business Manager Aqila Walji Managing Editor Ailish Bergin

Photo Manager Soyini Edwards Copy Editor Jack Spicer Editor-In-Chief

Ruvimbo Chipazi

“The Acadia spirit is one based on struggle and perseverance.

Our history is rich with examples of how the university has soldiered on when the odds were stacked against us.”

I’ve attended Acadia University. We’re not Harvard. We’re not Oxford. We’re not U of T. We’re not Dalhousie. We’re Acadia and that damn well means something.

This year as Editor-in-Chief I’ve tried my hardest to make known the stories that compose our campus. I’m proud to have published a Black History Month Issue and Research Issue and to have celebrated the voices on this campus. Those who agree and those who disagree make our collective voice stronger. What’s important is that we keep talking and remember where we came from. Though there may be those who strongly disagree with the direction The Athenaeum has taken this year, I am and will always be proud of it.

In the end, The Athenaeum is nothing more than a record of what happened. It does not persist because of a magical institution and aggressive archivists that demand copies of the paper. It persists because we all have stories to share. We are merely custodians of history. Our history has taught us that we will always persist and we will triumph.

I’m confident in my successor and the successors that follow her to maintain the mantle of custodians of our collective history. The Acadia history.

Thank you, Acadia.

Remember: learn your history.

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Editor-in-Chief: My First Request

By Ruvimbo Chipazi, Editor in Chief My predecessor’s last message was support as other students. It can hurt to learn our history. when our stories aren’t given the attention they need and sometimes My first message to you as the new it can easily make one lose hope in Editor-in- Chief is to know people Acadia. around you as we continue to make history.

I see a lot of students feel like they don’t belong here. They feel beBy people I mean the greater cam- trayed by a university that promotes pus populace. Know your friend. community and diversity in word Know your neighbour. Know that but sometimes there are glaring defistudent that sits in the corner of ciencies when it comes to practice. your class. Know that professor you Personally, I don’t think this is on think has something against you. purpose but to the affected students, Know the person that makes your it sometimes feels that way. As such food. Know the person that cleans Acadia cannot deny those feelings your washroom. We are a small people feel. community so the process of knowing and understanding each other It’s easy to want to bathe in your should not be burdensome. past glory but I am a student of now and I want a future. Not just A lot of issues arise simply because for myself but for students like me we don’t know each other. I under- and students not like me. I see the stand the expectation of waiting Acadia history and I want to be part on someone else to educate you on of that history. I want other students something that’s affecting them and of colour to be part of the history their community, but I strongly feel we all should be proud of for many that it would be more productive if years to come. I want each and each and every person is proactive every student to feel and understand in their quest to seek out education on areas where they lack knowledge on other parties.

the powerful diverse community that persists here that is far deeper than skin tone. For the opportunity that is present, we will seize, for the opportunity that is not, we will make.

My time so far at Acadia has shown me that I do not need a title to make change. I simply need to want change and take steps to bringing its occurrence. I am grateful for the honor of being Editor-in-Chief and I will take pride in my duty of meaningfully contributing to the history of Acadia., recording its new history and making sure that our stories are heard.

I want to ask: are you ready Acadia? As for me I’m ready and want to work with you. Hope you are on board.

“Change means growth, and growth can be painful. But we sharpen self-definition by exposing the self in work and struggle together with those whom we define as different from ourselves, although sharing the same goals. For Black and white, old and young, lesbian and heterosexual people alike, this can mean new paths to our survival.” – Audre Lorde

“It’s easy to want to bathe There is so much I still need to learn and understand about my own in your past community and others simply because the community is not a homo- glory but I am geneous group. It’s as diverse as the a student of individuals who make up the group.

I’m also still learning to understand now and I want myself and where I fit in this world, a future. Not so I will make mistakes and that’s okay as long as I acknowledge just for myself those mistakes and work at correctbut for students ing them. Will you do the same?

I see a lot of marginalised students like me and on campus -this could be due to them choosing to alienate themstudents not selves or a result of systems put in like me.” place that make it hard to belongnot getting as many opportunities or

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th Arts&Culture Being Bisexual... what's new?

a choice, if you want to, then go forward and say it out loud. But as an introvert it took me a long time to become okay with my sexuality. Not an uncommon phenomenon.

By Jennah Lay, Contributor

While studying Sociology in university, the importance of formal structures and institutions largely determine how heteroI have always been a very active individual, normative relationships are prioritised in loving athletics, trying almost all sports in our society as a whole. Gay marriage is grade school and high school, and being a still illegal in many countries and punishpart of the Cross-Country team at Acadia able by death. There are communities during my undergraduate career. I attended rallying together to rise up against the a private girl’s school and was surrounded oppressive nature of patriarchal values, by female coaches who believed in the girls whose role in sexuality is significant, to they were teaching. say the least.

In high school, I knew that I found girls attractive but I wasn’t sure what that meant.

I have been asked if I was gay and I immediately resisted that label. My thoughts around identity politics used to be summarised by two questions that I posed to myself “why are we, as a society, so obsessed with the need to self-identify?”, “Why can’t someone just say I love men and women and that is good with me”.

I have thought about this question a lot, addressing it in a way that will hopefully create positive dialogues. I believe that you shouldn’t have to self-identify, it should be

Three Cheers to Fifth Year

By Laura Porter-Muntz Science Editor Two things happened to me this past May: I turned 22, and the class I matriculated with graduated without me. Of course, people take an extra year to finish off their degree all the time. Personally, I’m taking a fifth year to complete an honours thesis and finish off the credits I need from taking a semester to do a co-op work term. I have this line memorized because I feel the need to say that on reflex when someone asks me how many years I have left/what year of study I’m in, since I know they’ll speculate as to why I veered off the traditional path of a 4-year degree. An immediate reminder of the stigma of deviating from the “normal” academic career was brought to my attention right after graduation, when a friend of mine who is a part of the class of 2019 told me her parents made a very strange remark after she had crossed the stage: “I’m so glad you finished your degree in the allotted time”.

To give you a backstory: I matriculated at Acadia in 2015. I was a nervous 18-yearold suffering from PTSD who had yet to get a proper diagnosis or treatment. I was terrified of everything and everyone, so I ended

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“Some individuals believe that bisexuals are unfaithful, confused, immoral, and just straight and experimenting. ”

www.theath.ca During my junior year of university, I told my dear friend that I had a keen interest in women and she was nothing but a true-blue friend who actively supported me and allowed me to feel proud of being bisexual.

I knew that there was a lot of stereotyping surrounding bisexual individuals even from members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Some individuals believe that bisexuals are unfaithful, confused, immoral, and just straight and experimenting. The thought of an individual who loves men and women, have come out in the LBTG+ community. and the importance of trans individuals is Women who are starting revolutions and crucial to mention, especially their powerfostering change for the good of humanful role in shaping our communities. ity. Women have always been working for change, but I believe that work is truly When I realised in university that this was starting to connect us globally.

NOT only a phase but a true reflection of my own attraction to men and women, I What I would like to remind individuals allowed myself the freedom to tell my close who don’t identify as a part of the LBfriends and family. Six years later I can say GTQ+ community is that sexuality is fluid, that I am proud of my bisexual self-label. and judging others for their sexuality is I chose to acknowledge it because I knew unfair and oppressive. I am not confused. without it, I wouldn’t be being true to myBisexuality is just as valid a form of sexualself while simultaneously undermining the ity as any other. Women loving women is work of the LGBTQ+ community at large. beautiful. Women loving men and women should be normalised. Men loving men is I have looked up to women my entire life beautiful. Trans people deserve love and and am now seeing a political climate that respect. LOVE IS LOVE. is changing positively, but slowly. I see women who are proud of their work, proud of their accomplishments, women who

up incredibly isolated for my first two years of university. It got to the point where I straight up lived off of goldfish crackers and granola bars for a year because my anxiety was so crippling, I couldn’t go to meal hall without having a panic attack.

Now, I’m going to make it perfectly clear I did not take 5 years because of my mental health; I want it on record that my grades from 1st and 2nd year are merely a reflection of my ability to not fail classes even when I’m barely functioning and maybe trying to kill myself (and because organic chemistry is like, really hard, ok?). To make matters worse, I got caught up in a horribly toxic relationship like many young and vulnerable kids and ended up cutting off a lot of my friends. I missed out on so much in my second and third year due to the isolation he kept me in. With the combo of my own brain preventing me from leaving my room, and then a possessive boyfriend keeping me on a short leash; I missed out on a lot of the classic Acadia student experiences. I’ve only recently caught up and have started to act like myself again in the past year. I went from being a petrified freshman who couldn’t leave their dorm room without feeling like their heart was going to pound itself out of their chest, and a student who wouldn’t dare speak a word in any lecture hall to an (mostly) anxietyfree person who is fully willing to raise their hand and speak their mind in class.

Basically, it took me 4 years just to be able

to fully enjoy university to the fullest extent because fear was holding me back for so long. I’m grateful to have a 5th year to end my time at Acadia on a good note, as well as catch up with all the time I lost.

My qualms about being a late bloomer were pretty much gone when I saw the photos of people who are utterly clueless about what they’re doing with their lives past graduation joking about their uncertain future. I realized I have nothing to be ashamed about In all honesty, I thought I’d feel sad watch- in taking my extra year, because I’d much ing the grads of 2019 post photos in their rather be taking a victory lap than be part of caps and gowns; like I’d missed out, that the crowd of grads who struggled through my trauma had ruined something for me yet their degree with the only things they’d had again, or that I was less accomplished than gained from those four years being an extra my peers. To my pleasant surprise, I felt the 20lbs and an alcohol dependence. I mean complete opposite. I felt incredibly proud truly, my main thought was “thank god of my friends who were beaming ear to ear that’s not me”. with pride, but I didn’t feel jealous or suffer from FOMO, because hey! I earned a reI don’t feel ashamed for taking 5 years to search grant for a project that is right up my graduate. I know the immediate assumpalley, my supervisor is a scientist I’ve been tion to hearing someone took more than wanting to work with for the past 3 years, the traditional 4 years to complete their and I’m pretty damn proud of that in itself. undergrad is “oh they failed courses”; but I didn’t. I took a semester to gain valuable work experience that will benefit my career path and it provided a hands-on educational experience. Taking an extra year for me will do no damage to my academic record and will ultimately result in me graduating as a more qualified, and more employable person compared to a lot of the students I matriculated with, and I’ll owe it to my extended study period. So, even though I’m deviating from “the allotted time” to complete an undergrad degree; I refuse to be ashamed. I’m incredibly proud of what I’ve accomplished over that time period, academically and personally.

“I have nothing to be ashamed about in taking my extra year, because I’d rather be taking a victory lap than be part of the crowd who struggled through their degree with the only things they’d had gained from those four years being an extra 20lbs and an alcohol dependence.”

th Arts&Culture By taking an extra year, I get to do an honours project in the exact field I wanted to, with the supervisors I wanted to work with. I get to live with my best friend while she finishes her master’s degree, and I get to stay in Wolfville with my incredible boyfriend and cheer him on during the football season. I’ll be making up for lost time this year, but I basically get to do all of the things I wanted to do at Acadia, even if it took me a little longer to get to this point.

I get to be the person I aimed to become

The Gray Area

By Nendelmwa Gofwan, Contributor

In 2017, active discussions were had about former Acadia University Professor Dr. Rick Mehta. In short: Dr. Mehta was a tenured professor at Acadia, teaching various courses -specifically introductory- within the psychology department. The matter was handled with deep concern after multiple students and faculty made formal complaints against Dr Mehta. Cases revolved around his lack of professionalism to students and not following the course material within his contract. In other words, Dr Mehta was using his position of power to enforce his views on first year students.

This was evident in classes, recordings and midterms. Questions would be asked on midterms or quizzes about the statistical information taught in lectures centering his personal ideology. Dr. Mehta has argued against these claims.

He is an advocate for free speech on campus.

Dr. Mehta felt his right to express his views within the classroom were violated by the university and has made his issues with the administration public by uploading every update to his social media.

On September 16th, 2019 Dr. Rick Mehta, gave a public lecture titled: “Safe Space Culture in Canadian Universities: An assault on democracy”, at the Al Whittle theatre. Before the lecture, a member of the board of directors addressed us on the conditions of Dr. Mehta’s lecture. The Board had reserved the right to cut off and impose a lifetime ban on Dr. Mehta if he violated the terms of the contract. The director made it clear that the institution is in no way supporting Dr. Mehta and promised to donate the money acquired to charity.

Many students had attended this event

from the very beginning, and I’m totally okay with the fact that it took me more than 4 years. I’m happy with taking my time if I get to accomplish all my goals rather than just graduating. I’m not done with Acadia yet, it still has so much more in store for me, and I’m happy to stay and see where the next year will take me.

(Also, no offence, but grads 2020 just has a way better ring to it than grads 2019.)

Game on!

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for a variety of reasons, curiosity, support, and or as whistle blowers to his claims.

Dr. Mehta emphasized his certainty of the lecture being interrupted and yet, he wasn’t bothered. Dr. Mehta mentioned that he put in a request for his lecture to be held on campus but was effectively stonewalled. His email had been blocked and the mail he mailed to Acadia had somehow not been delivered. He went on to let us know how he was escorted off the university premises by the director of Safety and Security Patrick Difford. It was clear Dr. Mehta felt anger and resentment towards the University.

Before I carry on with the article, I would like to point out that the entirety of his lecture had no theoretical framework, and quickly went from a ‘talk’ to a rant about Acadia and his department. This article is based on what he presented and my ability to make it coherent is limited. The lecture was also inconsistent and did not follow the theme presented in the title.

After this introduction, Dr. Mehta went ahead to deny the confidentiality of the information he shared despite the ruling of the arbitrator. He went on to defend his controversial tweets and statements noting them as dissentious and not hateful.

After he recounted the events that led to his controversial status, the presentation began with a brief description of what had happened and his history here at Acadia.

The first part was a bio about the university, awards he had won, positive and negative course evaluations etc. Dr. Mehta related his feedback and how he applied this outlook towards life in general.

In course evaluations, you are critiqued by your student and with such critiques, you are expected to make changes, or at least have some form of self-reflection.

He likened his ‘dissentious’ activities to his course evaluations.

Dr. Mehta went on to point out the prob-

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lematic aspects of our new culture.

He called to question the self-esteem movement, which began in the 1970s.

According to Mehta, high self- esteem became the core premise of good psychological adjustments, which then led to the build- up of an individual’s self-esteem in the absence of merit. Mehta believe this has led to lower standards of education from the elementary and high schools, which in turn bleeds into post-secondary institutions. This decline in educational standards has forced universities to adopt a corporate model for education and have moved from a place of learning to one of degree distributions.

Dr. Mehta went on to present data that showcased a trend in the political ideology of professors. According to the data presented more professors in universities tend to lean left. The number of professors differ from discipline to discipline with more left-leaning professors within Art and Humanities programs i.e. Political Science, Sociology, Women and Gender Studies etc. From what I could gather, Dr. Mehta saw left leaning professors as negative and argued that political diversity did not exist.

He went on to link this data with the changing face of universities, which according to Mehta is one of the social justice ideologies that are the latter days of just truth-seeking. He believes that social justice worsens for refusing to accept counter arguments, not because they are without merit, but because they ultimately do not want to hear the other side or another perspective. Dr. Mehta stats that left-leaning arguments are based on emotion and in turn utilizing the primitive brain centers. He also adds that identity politics are nothing more than tribalism and referred to white supremacy as non-existent in today’s world. He explained his reasoning and philosophy by the use of the pyramid of white supremacy (for those interested in what it looks like, here is a link: https://sosspeace.org/ wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Appendix- 1-Pyramid-of-White-Supremacy. pdf ) After those statements, Dr. Mehta continued with his lecture by using a clear personal route. The presentation started to focus more on his own

personal experience with safe space culture, identity politics and his right to dissent, rather than his theoretical framework or research defending his views on safe space culture and identity politics. He was quick to place blame on unions (Student Union, Labour Union, and Acadia University) referring to them as false marketers for worker’s rights and his own individual rights as a person. He not only placed blame on the union itself but proceeded to actively name Professors that in his opinion were failed by their union and dismissed wrongfully within the past 30 years.

To prove he wasn’t alone in this wrongful dismissal, he made mention of a previous tenured professor who had been dismissed in the ’90s but did not name the professor. It’s also wasn’t clear why this professor was wrongfully dismissed or what the details pertaining to the dismissal were.

Dr Mehta proceeded to define workplace mobbing and that he had been a victim within the Psychology department He not so subtly implied that he had been the target in a departmental collusion, a witch hunt if you will. Towards the end of his presentation he made mention of accolades which he had received during his fourteen years as a professor, and was cut off because he breached his contract when photos of individuals were shared.

The title of this article: the gray area, reflects the dissent because it is indeed a gray area. Dissent is needed in a democracy, it keeps institutions and people alike on their toes, but why is this then a gray area? With Dissent often comes conflict. Some individuals are dead set on their opinions and when challenged, an argument often ensues. There is nothing wrong with having different forms of opinions particularly in a learning institution. By which there is no doubt of exploring new ways of thinking and open discussion. This helps us think critically, face inconsistencies within our arguments.

In Canada, individuals are granted a right to dissent and freedom of expression (within certain legalities). You can speak your mind and know that there will be no government percussion.

Keep in mind that it is well within our right to dissent your reason of dissent

Continued on page 11.

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thCreative The Vampiric Curse

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That Fresh Air At 2AM

By Ethan Plater

By Thomas Morgan Creative Editor

Edward Cullen wasn’t a real vampire.

You see, real vampires don’t sparkle in the sun. No, real vampires hide in the dark, they grow in the dark, and charmingly convince you to follow them into it.

You see, real vampires don’t watch you while you sleep, they are the reason you can’t.

They get bigger and more menacing the more you try to get them to behave.

Real vampires are not scared of the light.

They see it as a chance to remind you that soon it will be gone, and you’ll go through all of it again.

Real vampires are lovers, whispering in your ear that they are all you really have.

Filling you with promises of heartbreak and misery.

You see, real vampires are smart like that.

They never really leave. The holiest of waters can’t burn them, and crosses can’t stop them. They are not made of flesh to be killed.

You see, the realest of vampires are not sleeping in coffins, they want you in one.

And you’ll come across people who say they aren’t real.

But really, that’s not up to them to decide.

When you look into a mirror you can’t see them, that’s true, but they are always staring right back at you.

They are feeding on your blood as if it’s the finest of wines, while you continue to look weaker and weaker.

It’s unfair how the city can sleep.

Despite the thunder and the all the rain.

While I just keep staring.

Wondering….

Wondering if you’re out there Thinking of me?

Wondering about me?

Even though we’ve yet to meet Or even share our names.

Hear me, see me.

Pick me from among the throbbing hordes of this lonely city.

Call my name from among the thousands.

I wonder love, where are you?

See my light, in the ocean of stars.

Out there, through the rain.

Hear my song from among the world’s Tonight, everyone in this lonely city sleeps. symphony.

And harmonize the same.

Tucked away, warm and dry.

The thunder cannot touch them, Wrapped with the one they love best.

Yet here I am, Alone Waiting My eyes strained Trying to peer through the rain warped window-pane.

Ears buzzed, trying to hear your hearts whisper Over the crashing waves of thunder.

I hope, my love, that someday soon you’ll come find me

Central Flacq-Mauritius

By Cathy Chue

Dare to Step Up

By Soyini Edwards 6

Fall Semester 2019

But, perhaps, that must wait.

Until the clouds roll on, and the rains go by.

For now, let the city sleep, The lovers love let the rain caress And the thunder roar.

I’ll just open that window And light my cigarette And breath in that fresh air, at 2am.

Phot o Frida ys

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s e h c a k e tuthier-Colem n

SBy: Melanie Clo y a und

Plant Friends

Reflections

By Alphië Sweeting The chill of the night rolls over me Baptizing me in the weight of my world At night time I see the wounds resurface As if summoned by the pressure that surround me Accomplices along with my captor You are healed but yet they burn like the first They chastise and wail a hollowed song “Ruin, failure, heathen, impurity” Shifting in the mirror I looked at myself Enraged... “I want to hurt those that have hurt you” But in the seat of my mind I know that that would not be your justice With adoration and compassion I swaddle myself I trace the partner that has withstood it all Quieting the maelstrom within my mind Consume that which once consumed me Wiping my tears and knowing...

I have tried

Der Erlkönig

The Earth is Our Mother

By River Pictou The earth is our mother She holds us from the time we are born She cares for us And gives us what we need The earth is our mother Corporations and governments poisoning her Stealing for wealth Breaking and scarring Taking never replacing Murdering and burning the bodies Hide from the truth The facts Scientific proof Comfortable in denial Ignorance is bliss

Not their problem they say Yet here are children and youth Shouting in the streets This is our future you are ruining Why leave a legacy of problems to us Here we are to take a stand Listen to us when we proclaim The earth is our mother The time is now to fix your ways Your days are numbered We demand change The earth is our mother Our mother is dying We are fighting for change

The earth is our mother Close your eyes Pretend there’s no fire Those in charge will be all gone soon People who don’t care No future for them anywhere

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Dorian was a climate catastrophe waiting to happen

How many more lives must be lost and how many more economies must be pushed to the brink of destruction before the global community realizes storms like hurricanes Dorian and Matthew (2016) and tropical storm Kirk (2018) are becoming a reality for countries like the

Bahamas and Barbados? How long until another historic tragedy?

Will it take the fire next time?

This article was first published in Canada’s National Observer

By Shelby McPhee, Contributor It was Friday, Aug. 30, and we went to work as expected and left with enough time to prepare for what we’d been warned about.

Though I live in Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas, which was not in hurricane Dorian’s direct trajectory, I, like many other people, took all the necessary precautions.

To describe Dorian as a category 5 hurricane would be an injustice done to the locals and a discredit to what they have experienced. This storm catastrophically demolished Abaco and Grand Bahama.

While people prepared and prepared, while they evacuated, no one imagined Dorian would create such a cataclysmic event in Bahamians are very interesting people. As a the history of the Bahamas.

Christian nation, most Bahamians are often taught to believe a God in the sky sent the It has been a week since Dorian departed storm as punishment for the nation’s sins. At the Bahamas, taking more than 30 lives. the time of writing, however, many Baha- Now, mothers and fathers mourn the loss mians find themselves caught between two of their children, husbands the loss of their opinions: that Dorian came to hasten us to- wives, people left behind are still awaiting ward repentance, and that it was a manifes- an update from family members, Grand tation of climate change.

Bahamians and Abaconians are left to pick up what may be left of their lives and start At the mention of the word hurricane, the over and a nation is left to rebuild in the country’s citizens scatter like little ants, try- aftermath. ing to stock up on all their necessary items.

There were grocery stores with lines out the While many in the Bahamas would want to back door, gas stations that had sold out of connect Dorian to some supernatural cause, gas and lumber yards with not a sheet of it is a matter of urgency that we acknowlplywood left — all because people took edge the warming of the world, caused by precautions, they thought were necessary to humans, was responsible. Dorian was a clisurvive. mate catastrophe waiting to happen.

My family in Grand Bahama and Abaco, the two affected islands, moved inland, away from the shorelines and toward higher ground. They hunkered down and prayed the waves and winds still knew His name, but nothing at all could prepare them, or us, for the devastation to come.

As the winds picked up speed in Nassau and the rain started pouring down, we knew Dorian had made an appearance in Abaco and that the capital was getting the outer bands of the storm, with wind gusts more than 320 km/h and disastrous storm surges.

Hours later, the horrifying videos started coming in, showing cars turned upside down, roofs demolished, houses flattened, trees uprooted and families dancing with death as king tides inundated communities with water, forcing locals to find shelter elsewhere. Greta, a storm survivor in Abaco, recalled to MSNBC that during the height of the storm, 10 people swam to her front door seeking shelter, including five children, among whom were a five-month-old and a six-month-old with cerebral palsy.

As other countries worry about saving money, those of us surrounded by water must be steadfastly focused on saving lives, as our communities are at a higher risk of extreme rainfalls and severe floods. We can no longer sit idly by and accept money from larger countries that have failed to do their share to reduce carbon emissions.

The Bahamas has made the commitment to ban single-use plastics and Styrofoam by 2020. But these commitments are insignificant when measured against a larger global community that refuses to take immediate action.

“As other countries worry about saving money, those of us surrounded by water must be On the island, when evening came, we breathed a sigh of relief as Dorian left, but we steadfastly became even more afraid when we learned this monster gained speed and strength and focused on saving steadied its course toward Grand Bahama. lives” 8

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Mind & Matter

A Writing on the Challenges of our Present Times Anonymous Contributor It comes as no surprise to the many hundreds of thousands of people who have studied history, that whenever a society is created, it will have people who are ostracized. These may go from the slight dissatisfaction with society and feeling left out, to the more draconian ideas of slavery. One should consider that society is built on the will of the majority, but that the minority, if pushed far enough, will either spring forth towards their own independence, be brought to fit into said society, or most unfortunately of all be eradicated.

towers. It was not as much the foreign enemies that brought them down, but strife from within.

Take for example the USSR which had, under its Iron Curtain, a total of 15 socialist republics and 750 nationalities under their sway (McCauley 2018). In the closing days of the Cold War we see riot after riot. Ukrainians starved, Hungarians protested, and Polish fought in the streets for their independence. It was of course how the USSR managed itself that lead to its eventual collapse, but what cannot be ignored is the importance of the near endless The most successful of large societies nationalities that have suffered under and empires, like those of the British, the Social Regime, along with its own Khan, Qing, Egyptian and Roman national Russians.

Empires have had their own fair share of infighting. They would spring from It can be assumed that those that feel personal rivals in their own courts, to the most left out, rejected, cursed from outward enemies. They would each the society in which they were born also have the ever so common opwill sooner or later act out against their pressed minority of which they would oppressors. There are of course those have to deal with. The Romans had more prone to sitting and waiting for the Greeks, the Qing had the Tibetans, things to change, or those too introand the Mongols and Brits had almost verted to speak their mind. Sometimes everyone of the known world. Though these people cannot find comfort in how they would treat such people their own minds, as people will shut under their reign differed drastically. them down immediately. I know that if While the Mongols saw everyone in their empire as lower, the khans made no exceptions when trying to incorporate them into their society. On the other hand, the British and Egyptians had perceived those under them as slaves for which to build their grand empires and subsequent palaces and

I were to voice my opinion, that even in such an understanding country as Canada, the mobs of those that disagree would be out in force to shout down anything I had to say, simply because it was not a mainstream idea or one which fits a certain narrative with said society.

thFeatures I do understand that it is time that I should stop “beating around the bush”, though there are things that need to be understood if we are to bring up such topics. It is that case of those that are currently ostracized in our “Modern” society. There is a reason that I put modern in quotes and this will also soon be discussed. For even if the essay where to be discarded to file 13 or burned in a fire (HE 2018) the idea will still be out there, in the mind of a person who feels he has something to say but cannot do so out loud.

When we talk about the present it is common for many to call this a time of progress or “Modern Times”. We use this term to show our progression from the past, but what have we learned thus far? We continue to make countless mistakes due to the ever-changing society in which nearly everyone on earth lives. I believe we would be strained to say that we live in a modern and progressive time. With enough time that has passed to reflect on such important things in history as those of the enlightenment, end of slavery, the world wars, and the end of the first cold war, we as a species should have had the mentality or at least understanding to fix issues that have plagued us for so long. Though it is not always so simple as to “learn from your mistakes” and to follow the “Golden Rule”. For many people have many different opinions, and with each person we have someone who thinks of their world in their own mindset, because we are all individuals.

If it is to be believed that we are a more progressive society, why are we still so antagonistic to each other. Why are the ideas of those than can be thought of as present-day philosophers shouted down in all ideas that there are to put forward? In the western world we usually have a shared agreement of the principles of Freedom of Expression, Freedom of Religion and Freedom of the Press, but so often we see that so-called speech can be restricted, if it is wrong.

We can practice our preferred religion, if it suits the needs of the state. That journalist can do their work ethically and unhindered, if they do not bring up the controversial or ground-breaking, and much more now the truth. With so much out there in the world, between word of mouth and the constant stream of the internet everyone has an idea, but no one is correct.

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“From groups in real life to forums on the internet, we have decided as people that we would rather sit with “our own” than try to understand the “other” people.”

Japan, whose social standings system is so strong, that if any person were not to fit perfectly in society would so easily shut themselves indoors for years; a condition come to be known as Hikikomori (MA, 2018).

In the minds of the people from either society, of those mentioned and those not, we can see that if one does not fit into the system in which they were born they become an oddity to be discarded or looked down upon, for the future people of a nation to learn from. But does the one that does not fit so easily into their respective nation not matter?

What can be learned from these people to improve our standards as human beings? Becoming a little personal, I was born in a place in which I did not feel like I fitted in at all, and which I still to this day do not believe I belong in. The people that would complain if I left and never came back, are the same people that have before and will continue to bully, harass and ultimately cast me out. I have unfortunately no impact on the place on which I was born, and the generations that continue are not a growing enough population to influence the politics of such a place.

There is of course hope within the home that I find myself in now. While not as well known a person as from where I left, they have shown me greater care in such a short time then I have had for most of my life. Though there are still the ideas of feeling left out. From groups in real life to forums on the internet, we have decided as people that we would rather sit with “our own” than try to understand the “other” people. How many such ideas that may have had a positive impact In the eastern world there is much more have been left by the wayside due to of a connection with traditions and not so much our closed-mindedness, sense of place within a society. Take for but instead our disdain and uncaring example two of the biggest players in attitude towards them. Even in the Asia, China and Japan. China’s secusmallest of communities there are those rity system and social credit system is who are left out, but with effort we can something out of 1984. The people are try our best to bring them in and try to constantly watched, and any dissent is never to give up on them. We may so crushed with the brutality nearing the easily call them the worst things imagintensities not seen since Tiananmen inable or simply ignore the problem Square. This time in a more secret and until we find out about it in the worse scary fashion. Across a sea we also see way possible. Let us then truly learn

from our past mistakes and act. Act to not call out the “left” or the “right”, but to instead understand why they consider themselves as such, in the case that they do. We should try to find out why a person has shut themselves out from a certain society and loathe it (the society), rather than loathe them for not

The Need For A Tenant’s Union in Wolfville

By Jarod Campbell, Contributor

In my second year, I, like many students moved off campus. It was a decision motivated by an irrational need for independence despite not knowing what that would entail, and a very rational need not to shell out thousands of dollars on a meal plan. I don’t regret that decision despite all the unfair actions that have been taken against me, my roommates, and nearly all of my peers at this university by the landlords who primarily rent to students.

simply fitting in and assimilating like the Borg (Hive-mind).

In conclusion, while nothing may change in the present, and the future is unknown, I find solace in the ability to challenge any idea, as so many people in the past have not been able to.

Thank you for reading.

thOpinions despite the tenants only signing the lease on the condition it would be replaced by fall. It wasn’t fixed until they moved out the next May. You may say that there are remedies in the law. That the Residential Tenancies Act has answers. If I could organize to meet with a lawyer during exam period, or if people late on rent could afford their fees then I may have been able to find out if you were right. However that wasn’t what happened because the tools to solve problems are not readily in the hands of those who need them, that’s what a tenant’s union could do.

Beyond providing information and resources to the renting class, tenants My apartment in second year unions in Vancouver, in Kingston, in had many units haphazardly LA, the UK have prevented stuck together on a small lot. unreasonable rent increases, Multiple walls were patched increases in quality of rentals, and with plywood. Previous tenants left drawings on the ceiling protections for the most vulnerable members of our community. I don’t (we lost our security deposit for this). The maintenance guys want to hear another landlord gleefully talk about how they prefer hired by our landlord were creepy, frightening women who to rent to students rather than a struggling single mom who was late lived in the complex on mulon rent. I don’t want to hear about tiple occasions. By the end of the year we had a wall collapse how my friends are being charged and/or suffering from landlord’s from flooding, and my parents negligence. I want a tenant’s union. wondered how the rest of the building didn’t go with it.

The path to that goal begins with you, with sharing your stories of My third year apartment was excessive amounts being taken from supposed to be nicer. It had your security deposit, broken appliheat pumps and a furnace for ances, and landlords barging in for a secondary heat. Unfortunately showing in the middle of your studyfor us the landlords locked out ing. If you have experienced these the thermostat. In the winter I would measure temperatures as mistreatments or any others at the low as 2 degrees Celsius in my hands of local landlords, please get in touch with Josée Léger (Opinions bedroom. No amount of begEditor) @ 136144l@acadiau.ca. ging would have the landlords fix the heat problem. To rent that Every measure to respect your apartment this year would cost privacy will be taken. you $575 per month per person plus wifi. I know landlords who have refused to repair windows

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A guide to some common late-season Nova Scotia mushrooms

By Bruce Malloch Although known for containing some tasty edible species, the fascinating Kingdom Fungi also play crucial ecological roles in our environment. Most notable is their role as decomposers, as they can degrade wood much more efficiently than other organisms like bacteria.

Fungal tissues are easier to digest than plant tissues, so fungi are critically important in making energy locked away in tough plant material like wood available to the rest of the food web.

Fungi are also very important as predators of animals such as insects.

Many insect-attacking species even seem to influence their targets’ minds, causing them to fly or crawl up to high branches and leaves, and sticking to their undersides so spores released by the fungi are more likely to be caught by winds.

An example of a species that predates on other organisms is the oyster mushroom. Prized as an edible, this mushroom traps and consumes microscopic roundworms as a source of nitrogen! However, most mushroom species are not known to predate animals, and instead get most of their nutrients by decomposing plants.

Winter is just around the corner, but a surprising number of mushroom species can still be found this late in the year. Identifying mushrooms can seem daunting, as there are hundreds of species in Nova Scotia, but if you know what traits to look for and have the right book in hand, it can be done! This guide will cover 11 commonly encountered seasonal mushroom species, describing the structural features that are important for identification should you come across them in the woods.

Gilled mushrooms Probably the most familiar type of mushrooms are those with gills underneath the cap, such as Cortinarius traganus:

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Pored mushrooms Some mushrooms don’t have gills at all, and instead have pores underneath their caps, such as Suillus cavipes. The fuzzy reddish-purple to brown cap, and pale-yellow pore surface help distinguish this species from other pored mushrooms.

It only grows with larch trees, and sometimes several meters away from the host tree. Because of this, it is easy to overlook its tree associate. This species is not known to be edible.

Another white mushroom commonly found this time of year is Amanita bisporigera, also known as the Destroying Angel. As the name suggests, they are deadly poisonous.

They are identified by their tall stem with a bulbous base, a ring around the middle of the stem, and a round cap when young that expands to beThis mushroom is very commonly come flat with age. Like Cortinarius found late in the season and is iden- traganus mentioned above, this spetified by its striking purplish hues cies is mycorrhizal with oak trees, and brown gills, as well as its thick so they will only be found in forests Fomitopsis pinicola, also known stem which widens to a bulb at the where this tree is present. as the red banded polypore, is a base. Younger specimens may also very common sight in coniferous have a webby mesh over the gills and mixed forests where it can be called a cortina, which is pictured found decomposing dead trees. in the image above. This species Mushrooms in this group are called forms a mutually beneficial partnerpolypores or bracket fungi, which ship with conifer trees referred to form a sort of disk off the side of a as a mycorrhiza, where the fungus piece of wood, allowing the spores provides nutrients to the plant in produced on the underside to fall exchange for a portion of the sugars out and blow away with the wind. the plant derives from photosyntheUnlike the other mushrooms covsis. In general, mushrooms are very ered so far, which may have shorter good at obtaining nutrients from life spans, this type of mushroom soil, where they produce very fine grows and produces spores over the root-like structures called hyphae. course of many years. This species These are much finer than plant Connopus acervatus can be found has a woody texture and is thus roots and allow for more efficient growing on rotting conifer wood. only edible to the adventurous (not nutrient uptake. Cortinarius tragaUnlike the other species covered so tasty!). nus are not edible. far, this species forms dense clusters of mushrooms with reddish-brown Coprinus comatus, also known as caps up to the size of a toonie that the shaggy mane, is a frequent sight become lighter towards the edge. in lawns and mulch. This species The stem is long and slender with is often white when young, with slightly pinkish hues. This species is a long, bell-shaped cap. As they not known to be edible. get older, the mushrooms release enzymes that effectively digest the mushrooms themselves, resulting in what looks like black ink. Several species in this group show this liquifying behavior and are together known as inky caps. These are considered edible but contain a toxin which reacts with alcohol up to a week after consumption. This can cause unpleasant symptoms such as vomiting, so eating this type of mushroom is not recommended.

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Toothed mushrooms Puffballs Hydnum repandum, or Hedgehog mush- Another type of mushroom is the puffroom, gets its common name from the ball, which is usually round, with the teeth underneath the cap. This mushspores being produced on the inside. room is identified by its brown to orange While many mushrooms often rely on cap and whitish stem. It forms a mycor- wind to disperse their spores, puffballs rhizal relationship with conifer trees and need to be disturbed in some way, such likes to grow in wet seepage areas with as being squashed by animals, in order dense moss cover. It is a prized edible for their spores to shoot out in a cloud with a mild taste. of smoke.

To delve further into the world of mushrooms, a good field guide is critical. George Barron’s Mushrooms of Ontario and Eastern Canada is a great place to start, available in Wolfville at the Box of Delights bookstore on Main St. The website mushroomexpert.com is an invaluable free resource covering over 1000 North American mushroom A common late season puffball is species, but it is generally more Calvatia gigantea, which can grow in technical than a field guide. Not lawns to enormous sizes, often up to only is collecting and identifying 50 cm or more in diameter, and contain mushrooms a lot of fun, but there trillions of spores when mature. This species is white on the outside and white on the inside when young, but Continued from page 5. the interior turns brown with maturity.

They are edible while they are still white inside.

Jelly fungi Pseudohydnum gelatinosum looks superficially similar to the Hedgehog mushroom because of its teeth but is actually only very distantly related. It is one of the jelly fungi, a group whose name is unsurprisingly derived from their gelatinous texture. The teeth of this mushroom are generally grey to white and translucent, while the cap can range from pale grey to brown. This species can be found growing on rotting conifer wood on the forest floor. Jelly fungi are not valued as edibles.

A related species, Calvatia cyathiformis, looks similar when young, but is rougher and its outer surface turns brown with age.

Sac fungi Leotia lubrica, also known as ‘Jelly Babies’, are a member of a group called sac fungi that are about as closely related to other mushrooms as humans are to earthworms. Species in this group are usually microscopic, but a few species have grown to a conspicuous size. Jelly babies are identified by their Dacrymyces chrysospermus, also known yellow stalks supporting a wrinkled, as ‘Witches’ Butter’, is a very common brown head that may take on greenish sight throughout the year. This species colours. They are not known to be toxic does not form a cap and stem, but rather but supposedly have little flavour. it looks like a mass of bright yellow or orange folds growing on the surface of dead and rotting wood.

are likely many species that have yet to be discovered in Nova Scotia. The next time you go for a walk through the woods, you might just find something new!

Thanks to Dr. David Malloch for giving his permission to use some of his photographs. To learn more about fungi, consider taking Dr Allison Walker’s BIOL3663 Mycology course at Acadia (follow her @ FungalDreamTeam) and check out blomidonnaturalists.ca or nsmycologicalsociety.org for information on mushroom walks in the province.

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was clear: here is a professor who had a position of power teaching a class that was required and resulted in students feeling unsafe.

He exercised his freedom of expression and made people feel uncomfortable, questioning their existence and right to education. Which in that case trumps his version of freedom of expression.

The individuals in the audience who protested his tenure exercised their rights by doing so. This is the gray area that exists in dissent and freedom of expression alike. You can because I am exercising my right. say what you want but you cannot Dr. Rick Mehta can say whatever he wants to say, it is well within his control how people react. Many of Dr. Mehta’s comments have been rights. People have, in turn, taken classified as hate speech and in conissue with what and how he has chosen to dissent. Whether or not he trast to freedom of expression this is not allowed within our constitution. should have been fired will always be debated, but that is not why I am There is no objectivity in what we writing this article. Dr. Rick Mehta is can or cannot say, but I do urge stua perfect reminder of the limitations dents to use their voices within reason and remember that there are gray we do have in our right to dissent of our freedom of expression. What areas to his lecture and that freedom of expression will not always protect happens when your dissent starts you from accountability. to make individuals feel unsafe?

Safe space culture according to Dr. Mehta is one that constitutes equity, inclusion, and diversity, but that is not how I would define a safe space culture.

A safe space is a place where an individual can live their daily lives without fear. I do not see safe spaces as places to be just comfortable in.

I believe an individual can exist in a variety of safe spaces and I also recognize that not everyone feels secure in every space. Safety is also not limited to the physical. The issue

“The issue was clear: here is a professor who had a position of power teaching a required class which resulted in students feeling unsafe.

He exercised his freedom of expression and made people feel uncomfortable, questioning their existence and right to education.”

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8 Jobs That Are not Being A Doctor In Case You Disappoint Your Mom And Don't Make It Into Medical School 4. Botanist Ok look, if your MCAT score proves you should never be trusted with the life of another person in your hands, maybe we can settle for just keeping plants alive. This is a great job if you’re insufferable to be around too; because unlike all your former friends, plants can’t go anywhere even if they hate you. Basically, if your classmates all gave you 1/10 on your peer evaluations for group projects, plants might be the study organism for you! However, if you kill cacti, maybe read the rest of the list.

As the last semester of university approaches for our graduating class of 2019, so does the anxiety about what’s beyond the horizon. For many, disappointment is eminent; however, there is still hope for those who get rejected. Maybe you forgot that Acadia doesn’t actually offer a pre med degree and got angry about having to learn about plants and animals and all that lame stuff, but guess what? That stupid education you paid for is more than just a stepping stone to medical school! You can actually apply that knowledge to in fields beyond medicine! If you feel more lost than Nemo about what to do past graduation other than drink and cry 5. Brewer a lot, check out these cool career ideas.

So, we’ve ruled out humans, animals and plants. Maybe you’ll be able to keep some 1. Pharmacist yeast alive? You managed to keep that This is the go-to for those interested in biofilm in your sink alive for a solid month medicine who are not into the part where when you stopped doing the dishes, just you actually have to touch people. Even if do that except maybe less gross this time? you hate the job, you’ve got access to all Plus, if your parents have been controlling the antidepressants you could ever need your life decisions up to this point and only to console yourself from the fact that you wanted you to enter medicine so they could feel like you never really met your full tell all the other moms at yoga about the potential. Plus, you get the perk of calling fact that their kid is a doctor, you can disyourself a ‘professional drug dealer’ for the tract them from your failure with fun jokes rest of your life! like “gotta get this bread (making organism to produce ethanol from glucose for the 2. Forensics masses to consume in an attempt to drown If the blood, guts and gore is what attracted out the reality that we are all slaves to a you to medicine in the first place, you capitalist hellscape where attaining a career should probably consider never going near with high prestige for the money is deemed a living person ever again. You should also as “more successful” than doing what you feel free transfer to SMU. 1. Because if love even if it’s less glamorous)”. that’s your motivation to go into medicine, I want you far away from me, and 2. They have a forensics program, this isn’t even a joke I’m just giving you facts here. So, get on it and check out your local crime scene!

(As long as you’re not the one who made it).

3. Aquaculturist Sometimes the wide variety of niches within science can be overwhelming and finding a career can be like finding a significant other – there are many fish in the sea! But maybe you should just put them all in a huge tank and manage them that way, because frankly the sea is fucking huge, kinda polluted, and I don’t trust bottomfeeders.

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“If you feel more lost than Nemo about what to do past graduation other than drink and cry a lot, check out these cool career ideas.”

By Laura Porter-Muntz Science Editor 6. Forestry Management Hear me out: you could be a modern-day lumberjack living in a cabin you built with your own two hands with ethically sourced wood. You take your small pack of dogs for a walk in the forest and feed the woodland birds along the way. Small mammals follow you around like you’re Snow White. You’re definitely high on mushrooms you found on the forest floor, and the government has been trying to track you down for years since you have yet to pay back your student loans. They haven’t found you yet. Life is good.

7. Nurse One time I told an older man that I was studying biology, which is usually met with “Oh so you’re going to be a doctor”! But this time he asked if I was going into nursing. Because clearly my feeble female mind

cannot handle the stresses of being a REAL doctor. And now you can feel inferior too!

By getting a whole other degree at a different school! Debt is just a number and not a prison! I swear!

8. Clown Let’s just admit it- you’re boo boo the fool who thought their 2.5 GPA would get them into med school, its ok! We all make mistakes, and it looks like you made yet another mistake on a lonely Thursday night. Lucky for you, all you need to do to enter your new career is roll out of your vil hookup’s bed from the night before, take a look in the mirror to make sure that morning-after makeup is on point, and go entertain some children with your unsound life decisions!

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How to Achieve a Balanced Lifestyle at University

By Sebastian Farkas, Sports and Wellness Editor

Now that we are essentially a month into the school year, you may be feeling a little more stressed as midterms approach.

However, you can reduce the stress if you stick to a plan that keeps both your mind and body, fresh for when you need them most. The following are some tips for students seeking to live a balanced lifestyle while at school: Get enough sleep: This is probably one of the most important things you can do to ensure both your mind and body feel fresh. It is recommended that you get 8 hours of sleep every night, but that depends on who you are. Some people feel like they only need 6 hours to feel energized for the day, and some people feel like they need 10 hours, regardless, find the amount of sleep that works best for you. While the amount of time one sleeps may differ from person to person, the time one goes to bed is crucial. Dr. Matt Walker is the head of the Sleep and Neuroimaging Lab at the University of California, he states the time of day when you sleep drastically alters the structure and quality of your sleep. Individuals who consistently go to bed before midnight, show higher sustained energy and attentiveness levels than those who do not.

Sleep is very important to your health, so it is important to make it a priority.

Eat a healthy diet: Eating a properly balanced diet can make you feel well, and powers your mind for when you need it.

Ensuring you have a healthy diet starts by understanding that the timing of when you eat is important. Breakfast should be the largest meal of your day as it will fuel you throughout the day. Instead of eating large portions, stick to having snacks spaced throughout the day. Avoid foods that make your blood sugar rise and fall rapidly as you will become tired quickly.

Drink enough fluids! People forget to stay hydrated and it’s very important to keep that in mind as failing to do so can alter your mind clarity. It is recommended that you drink between 6 to 8 glasses of water a day, and if you exercise regularly that number increases dramatically. As they say, “you are what you eat”, making it crucial to fill your body with healthy choices.

Exercise Regularly: This is often the most difficult aspect students struggle to find time for. Exercising isn’t only about keeping your body fit, it also sharpens your mind. Exercising can be a significant

time commitment, but you can avoid that by doing simple things everyday.

Walking is one of the easiest ways to get regular exercise in, make it a priority to always walk to where you are going.

Additionally, spending 10 to 15 minutes in the morning to stretch or perform some light yoga is also an excellent way to get your body and mind engaged for the day without wasting a large amount of time.

Lastly, make it fun! Exercise doesn’t have to be a chore, it can be exciting and something you look forward to. Whether that involves joining an intramural team or going for a hike with some friends, there are a lot of fun ways to make exercising fun and engaging.

Make a Schedule: School can become overwhelming at times, but planning can help alleviate those feelings. Buy an agenda or some other form of day planner so you can write down important dates and deadlines to ensure you are completing your work on time. Not only do planners help you to finish work on time, but they help to establish a plan for how you can go about finishing your work to the best of your ability. Prioritizing is essential to performing at your best when studying and making a schedule can help with that.

Take some ME Time: While performing well in your classes is important, you have to make sure that you are not overloading yourself. Taking on too much can run you down and make you less able to accomplish the things you want. Thus, taking time for yourself to relax and enjoy your surroundings is equally important to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Whether it’s hanging out with friends, or going out for lunch with a buddy, taking time for yourself is essential to solidifying balance in your life.

These are just some simple tips to keep in mind when trying to understand how to live a healthy balanced lifestyle.

There are many other ways one can go about living a balanced lifestyle, but it’s important to recognize what that looks like for you. Understanding what works and doesn’t work for you is pivotal to fulfilling the healthy lifestyle so many of us desire.

Monday Motivations

By Ashna Makhija, Columnist

Progress is Progress is Progress.

No matter how long it takes you.

No matter how hard it was to get there.

No matter how much you doubt yourself.

No matter how easy it was for others around you.

No matter how many times you quit on your way here.

No matter how many drafts you had to throw out, how many games you had to sit out, how many moves you messed up.

No matter how many failed tests, bad grades or mental battles you had to get through to get here.

Your struggle is building you up piece by piece.

Honor your struggle.

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Season Predictions for Canada's NHL Teams Sebastian Farkas Sports and Wellness Editor Coming off a season that saw three of the seven Canadian teams make the playoffs, Canadians have lofty expectations this year as a Canadian team looks to hoist Lord Stanley for the first time since 1993. All seven Canadian teams will look to break the streak, but there are only a few who have a realistic shot of doing so. Here are my predictions for how I see each team performing with the season set to begin this week: Ottawa Senators: Coming off a disastrous season that saw the team only muster up a dismal 29 wins, the Sens are looking to have a bounce back year and regain the cup contending run they had not too long ago. The team finished last in the league, and while they have a great core of young talent, there is not much to hope for this season. Realistically, I can’t see the team fairing much better than they did last year as they still have a very young team with little experience.

Nikita Zaitsev on defense. The team is building for the future.

Toronto Maple Leafs: The Leafs are arguably one of the best teams in the league. They have one of the best groups of forwards, and they have some of the top players leading their team. However, that has been the narrative for the last couple seasons, yet the team cannot seem to find success in the postseason. The team had 46 wins last season and finished third in the Atlantic division with 100 points.

There is no doubt in my mind the team will play well this year and be one of the top teams in the NHL this season.

Although, as mentioned, the regular season has not been the issue for the Leafs, its been the playoffs.

To rectify their post season sorrows, the Leafs tried to sure up their defense by adding Tyson Barrie, and depth pieces like Cody Ceci and Ben Harpur. But, to make these moves they had to let go of key pieces like Nazem Kadri and Ron While there may not be anything to look forward to this season, the future Hainsey, players who were relied on.

Not to mention, the Leafs couldn’t find is very bright for the team. The Sens a deal to keep Jake Gardiner, a player have created a new team led by forward Brady Tkachuk and defenseman that was with the team for some time Thomas Chabot. Chabot just signed an and was a centerpiece of their defensive unit. extension with the team that will see the young star defenseman make 64 In saying that, the Leafs will have million over 8 years. In addition, the similar success they did last season, but Sens locked up forward Colin White, it remains to be seen if the transactions and brought in solid supporting players like Connor Brown at forward and they made will be enough to lead them to postseason success.

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has been a lot of news surrounding the team.

The Jets took the entire offseason to sign forwards Patrik Laine and Kyle Connor, and with the team recently suspending Dustin Byfuglien to protect their cap as he ponders whether he will retire or not, the team has had a lot to handle this offseason. Although, what is not in question is the quality of roster the Jets have. Led by captain Blake Wheeler, the Jets have one of the most balanced teams right from their goalie to their forwards. Their top center Mark Unlike other teams in their division, Scheifele posted 38 goals and 84 points Montreal did not make any big moves last season and was leaned on as a leadthis off-season. Head Coach Claude er in his assistant captain role. Veterans Julien and General Manager Marc like Brian Little and Matthew Perreault, Bergevin will be on the hot seat this are solid supporting players that rally season as fans are expecting the team around the many stars on this team and to be a playoff contender this year. The make them a definite cup contender. only notable move the Canadiens made was delivering an offer sheet to Sebas- Although, with the departure of Jacob tian Aho. The star centerman signed Trouba, there are some questions on dethe deal but it was quickly matched by fense for the team, especially if ByfugCarolina, who had his rights as an RFA. lien retires, it could be an issue. Not to You would think the Canadiens would mention, goalie Connor Hellebuyck is have been more aggressive after miss- coming off a less than impressive year ing out, but the team is confident their that saw him post a GAA of 2.90. young stars will elevate their play this year.

Despite this, I look for the Jets to be a contender in the West again this year, With playmakers like Max Domi, and for them to be a capable cup conJonathan Drouin, and Brendan Galtender as they look to break Canada’s lagher, and potential stars like Artturi cup drought.

Lehkonen and Jesperi Kotkaniemi, the Canadiens have potential to be an Calgary Flames: The Flames were offensive force. Along with a solid top the best Canadian team last year, as four defensemen comprised of Shea they won the Pacific division with Weber, Victor Mete, Jeff Petry, and 107 points. The Flames had 50 wins Brett Kulak, the Canadiens have a solid last season and finished with the best team capable of contending for the record in the Western Conference. playoffs.

However, like the two other Canadian teams to make the playoffs, they were Honestly, this season could go eialso bounced in the first round by the ther way. The team definitely has the Colorado Avalanche. The team wanted potential to make the playoffs, but if to make some moves to improve their the team stumbles out of the gates and roster, but GM Brad Treliving was quiet their young players don’t step up like throughout the offseason. expected, it could be a disastrous year for the Canadiens. If the latter does The only move that caught some peohappen, expect a host of changes for ple’s attention was the trade for Milan the team, starting with management as Lucic. Lucic was traded in exchange Bergevin has had one foot out the door for James Neal, who was an utter in Montreal for some time. disappointment in Calgary last season as he was demoted to a bottom 6 role.

Winnipeg Jets: The Jets are coming off Lucic was terrible in Edmonton for the a fairly successful season that saw them majority of his tenure as it looked like make the playoffs and lose in a tough he could never get comfortable with the first round bout against the eventual pace of the game. Not really sure what Stanley Cup Champions. The team Calgary was thinking in completing posted 47 wins last season and finished that trade, but we will see if Lucic can second in the Central Division. Yet, the add anything as he approaches the end team has had a long offseason as there of his career.

Montreal Canadiens: Falling just short of the playoffs last year, the Canadiens surprised a lot of people last year as they were far more successful than the quality of their team would suggest.

Obviously, it is not a secret that success for the team is defined by the quality of play they receive from Carey Price.

Price has been one of the best goalies in the league for awhile now, and the Canadiens will lean on him again as they push for a playoff spot.

th Sports Fortunately, the Flames have a tremendous roster that didn’t need to be changed much at all. Led by forwards Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau, along with last seasons Norris Trophy winner Mark Giordano, the Flames have a roster than can compete with anyone. There was some concern that RFA Matthew Tkachuk might not sign before the season began, but those worries were soon quashed as the star winger signed a three-year bridge deal worth an AAV of 7 million.

I believe the Flames will have tremendous success again this season, and with an extra year of experience under their belt, hopefully they understand what it takes to win in the playoffs.

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Vancouver Canucks: Probably the most interesting Canadian team in the league this season, and the most difficult to predict given the amount of changes they’ve made in the offseason.

The Canucks had 35 wins last season, and didn’t really have many bright spots besides Elias Pettersson, and a few other Canucks. However, this season has the potential to be a good one if the team finds their footing early.

The Canucks added forwards JT Miller, Michael Ferland, and defenseman Tyler Myers. One player to watch will be young star defenseman Quinn Hughes who was drafted 7th overall in 2018 by the Canucks and played 5 games with the team last season after completing two years at the University of Michigan. The Canucks also signed Brock Boeser to a three-year deal, with an AAV of 5.875 million. Boeser is a very talented player but has been “handcuffed” to injuries that has caused him to miss games in the past.

Edmonton Oilers: There are many words to describe the past few seasons the Oilers have had, and none of the words are very flattering. It’s been a debacle for the team ever since losing to the Anaheim ducks back in the 2017 playoffs. The team has been so reliant on Connor McDavid, they forgot to With a solid defensive core led by the surround the superstar with competent likes of Hughes, Chris Tanev, Alex players. The Oilers had 35 wins last Edler, and Jordie Benn, along with season, and without McDavid and Drai- talented forwards like Pettersson, Bo saitl, it’d be hard to tell if their roster Horvat, Boeser, and others, the Cawas of NHL quality. nucks could be a team to watch as they compete for a playoff spot.

The Oilers had a fairly active offseason, beginning with the announcement of With that, I think it is a stretch to say their new GM Ken Holland, who came the Canucks will definitely make the over from the Red Wings where he playoffs, but I do believe they will be a was the GM from 1997 to the end of better team than last year. The organizathe 2019 season. Shortly after, Holland tion is still in a rebuild, but they could announced the signing of the Oilers find success earlier than expected. new head coach, Dave Tippett. Tippett was formerly the coach of the Arizona Canadian hockey fans have a lot to Coyotes, and is known for a tough style look forward to this year, and hopefully of coaching that maximizes every bit of they can watch a Canadian team lift the talent each player has. In terms of add- Stanley Cup when its all said and done. ing players, the Oilers brought in James Neal, Markus Granlund, and goaltender Mike Smith, players that will add to the team’s depth.

Frankly, I can’t see the Oilers fairing much better than they did last year as they failed to add any substantial pieces. Defenseman Evan Bouchard looks like a nice young player, and Kailer Yamamoto may provide some much-needed skills to a team that has very little other than their stars. Besides that, it’s a roster that has many holes and question marks, and it could be another season where the Oilers look to compete for the number 1 pick in the 2020 Entry Draft.

The dead-end thOpinions of politics and young voters since the election had been called. A factor could very well be that older generations specifically baby boomers, have had the assumption young people were never really involved in politics for the past decade. A

By Josée Léger, possibility around this notion is that politics Opinions Editor seem to be compartmentalized around what we perceived to be political. When we I kept struggling to write this piece not simply because I don’t know what to say. generally think of politics, we assume it is It’s because this opinion piece unravels my our parliamentary system, politicians kissversion of the truth regarding the multiple ing babies, or Donald Trump’s questionable factors as to why young people in Canada tweets. Popular American shows such as, aren’t involved enough in politics. I would Scandal, House of Cards, among many others have projected a glorified perception of just like to briefly state it is not because young people are lazy or do not care. This politics. In reality, politics is obviously not how you would see it on American televiopinion piece will consist of the ongoing sion. frustrations many politics majors or even political ‘geeks’ commonly experiences The Politics department here at Acadia ofregarding youth engagement in politics. fers an intro course in politics.

First off, I guess this piece is a bit bias con- Throughout this course we are taught that sidering I am a fourth-year politics major pretty much everything we encounter is political. First-year students often scoff at here at Acadia. However, the frustrations this absurd idea (including myself). How I have noticed over time seems to be an ongoing occurrence of having to constantly can everything be political? Well, I am well into my fourth year and Dr Geoffrey explain what has been happening within Whitehall will be pleased to know that mainstream media. In particular, issues revolving around climate action or student everything is in fact political. Whether we like it or not. The concept of politics debt. can even revolve around the food we buy, online shopping, the decision to buy a new Turning to the ongoing anxiety revolving around our climate crisis, most young iPhone, laptop or even the small decision of people realize that this is a serious issue and whether you choose to buy Cannabis from we should act now. But what does this ac- our current government or your local suption look like? Multiple young people have plier. The choice between paper and plastic shared, liked, retweeted Bill Nye’s comedic straws, reusable bags the list goes on. The but alarming video about the climate crisis. choices you make in your everyday life has an influence on society whether we realize As Bill Nye famously quotes: “the world is on fucking fire and we are not children it or not. anymore so that is why we should give a shit”. This article may seem to have a tone of anger and frustration. And to a certain extent well I am angry and frustrated because seriously, why don’t young people care about Canadian politics? This has been getting significantly better, I will admit.

Movements revolving around Climate Action and the active discussion towards our future is prevalent, just not enough.

The active sharing on social media has filled our newsfeeds, with quotes from Greta Thunberg, Autumn Peltier and many other youth activists who have given us hope for our next generation.

With the next Federal Elections creeping around the corner, efforts from our students union have been made. Putting campaigns such as GET OUT THE VOTE, and providing non-partisan information of party platforms, events that candidates of the riding have attended. The education and the effort is there to encourage young people to vote within Canada. If programs such as these are available why is the turn out, historically lower?

Is it blatantly that people do not care or simply don’t have the time? These are the questions that I have been grappling with

The question then becomes: how do we get people more informed of Canadian politics?

We have tried time and time again from changing school curriculums to providing better resources and not much seems to be working. Education has a large factor on future generations and youth voters. Being informed about issues that matter to you personally is extremely important. Forming your own opinion based off credible, accurate sources is vital to enrich our democracy. Wherever you fall on the political spectrum, right or left your opinion matters.

Most people I’ve talked to recently have stated that they just don’t know enough to give their opinion and that is a fair point. There is nothing worse than an Arts/ humanities major stating they know more about the powerhouse of the cell than a 4th-year bio major, sounds ridiculous right?

Well by putting that example into context that is what politics majors and political geeks must endure throughout election season.

So, my advice to you if you are a first-time voter is to ask the hard questions, discuss with your friends about issues that may matter to you, and if you’d like to reach out to your friends who are political geeks I’m sure they’d be happy to help. But please exercise your democratic right and vote.

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Why Your Vote Matters + A Debrief of the Major Political Parties

By Rylie Moscato News Editor

October 21st, 2019 is a very important day for Canadians all over the country, it is our federal election. The party voted in will be the government in power for the next four years. It is our chance as citizens to voice our beliefs and vote for whatever party we feel represents us best.

Many students around campus may not realize why they are continually encouraged to vote in the upcoming election. They may be asking themselves “does my vote really matter?”. The answer to that question is YES. Your vote is your voice and although there are reasons why people may not want to vote, there are also so many reasons why you should.

“What is the point of voting when I already know how my riding will vote?”

The biggest reason why Canadians tend to not vote is that they feel powerless as a single individual and assume that the riding they are voting in will inevitably vote for a specific party. It is important to remember that your riding may continually result in one outcome because the majority of the people voting in that riding voted for that specific party. This ‘inevitability’ can be changed with your vote. If everyone who thinks as you do chooses not to vote because of a consistent outcome, then, of course, things won’t change. However, if all these people, including you, decided to vote and share their voices then the party that the majority voted for in your riding may change. Don’t be deterred by your riding’s past. New people can vote every single year and it has been four years since the last federal election.

Many students on campus have not been exposed to some of the parties or their campaigns yet. In order for those people to gain a full understanding of each party and their promises, a summary of all four major parties in Canada are listed below: Conservative Party of Canada In 2003 when the Progressive Conservative Party merged with the Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance Party, the Conservative Party of Canada was born, technically making it Canada’s newest party. This party in the words of their own mission statement primarily, “stand for sovereignty and a strong national defense; open federalism and national unity; free enterprise and individual achievement”.

The head of their party, since May 27th, 2017, is Andrew Scheer. He has previously been an elected Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) from 2004 up until he was elected head of the Conservative Party. During his time in office, Scheer was elected Speaker of the House of Commons and served as Official Opposition House Leader. Scheer is currently running on his vision: “where taxes are low, government is limited, opportunity is unlimited, freedom is shared, and people are put before government!”

Upon reaching out to Kings-Hants Conservative representative Martha Maquarrie, to ask her a few questions regarding her party and platform, The Athenaeum received no response.

Liberal Party of Canada As Canada’s oldest political party, the Our school has partnered with the ‘Get Out Liberal Party of Canada is the current the Vote Campaign’ in order to encourgoverning party. While this party can be age Acadia students to vote. Their website traced back far in history, the principles of goes over where and when you can vote on the party have always been based on the campus as well as what you need to bring ideas of liberalism including individual in order to vote at the polling stations. freedom for present and future generations, Additionally, you can pledge your vote a just society, political freedom, religious on their homepage. Doing so allows the freedom, national unity, equality of opporcampaign to gain an understanding of how many students from each university plan on voting. Acadia University is also competing against the other schools in Nova Scotia to see who gains the most pledges.

“Your vote is your voice and although there are reasons why people may not want to vote, there are also so many reasons why you should.”

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minority group to lead a party through a major election. Singh has previously said about his party, “The defining feature of the NDP - of every New Democrat - is that we are not only offended by inequality, we put The party’s current Leader is Justin Trudeau everything we have into fighting it.” who has been the party leader since 2013 The Green Party of Canada and the Prime Minister of Canada since 2015. Since taking office in 2015, Trudeau Originally the Green Party of Canada was has completed some of the major promises a one-issue party, only looking to raise awareness about the environment. When he ran on in 2015 such as the legalization of marijuana. Trudeau has many ideas for former leader Jim Harris took over the Canada if re-elected and when asked why party in 2003, the Greens expanded from Canadians should vote for him? He replied their one-issue ideals and began to market that Canadians “are dreamers, innovators, themselves as a center-left party. Since then builders. We know that in Canada, better is the Greens have been slowly gaining popualways possible. And we deserve a govern- larity as they loudly voice their support for participatory democracy, nonviolence, ment that knows that too.” social justice, sustainability, respect for Kings-Hants Liberal Representative Kody diversity and ecological wisdom.

Blois sat down with The Athenaeum last Elizabeth May, current leader since 2006, week and gave us some insight into the was the Green Party’s first elected Member Liberal party and their platform. This of Parliament. A frequent volunteer and enlightening interview with Blois will be protester, May received a degree in law shared next week and will be available on The Athenaeum website then for those and immediately began working on behalf of consumer, poverty and environmental interested. groups. Since becoming MP in 2011 May Canada’s New Democratic Party (NDP) has received many titles by her fellow MPs: Parliamentarian of the Year 2012, Hardest Canada’s New Democratic Party was originally a socialist party, that went under Working MP 2013, and Best Orator 2014.

Additionally, Hill Times recognized her the name of the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation (CCF), whose goal was as the Hardest Working MP, Best Constituency MP, and Best Public Speaker in to democratically get rid of the capitalist system and instead rely on a government- both 2013 and 2014. As the climate crisis planned economy. Since then the NDP have becomes more apparent to citizens around the world today May states: “I hold a vision moved in a more moderate direction with the goal of implementing social democracy of this blue-green planet, safe and in balance… we are emerging to a new reality. with a mixed economy. Now, this party is considered quite similar to the Liberals in We are ready to make the next leap - as terms of their beliefs but are slightly more momentous as abolishing slavery or giving women the vote.” aggressive regarding their positions on topics such as non-interventionist foreign policy and higher taxation for the wealthier Now that you are familiar with the basics of each party, you can go to CBC News individuals.

Canada Votes 2019 which shows each parties’ platforms regarding important public Jagmeet Singh has been the head of the policies, such as healthcare and education, NDP since October 1st, 2017 and served as a Member of the Provincial Parliament for this upcoming election.

(MPP) for the Ontario New Democratic Party from 2011 - 2017. Only four years after working as an MPP, Singh became the deputy leader of the Ontario NDP and is the first non-christian person from a tunity, cultural diversity, bilingualism, and multilateralism. Modernly the liberals are a party that is not only fiscally responsible but socially progressive.