SINCE 1944
DECEMBER 7, 2020
Vol. 76, No. 6
Student run since 1944
On-campus testing was made available | Page 2
The bitter U.S. election endgame | Page 4
COVID Claus is coming to town | Page 7
Self-care to cope with exams & stress | Page 9
Three key Gaiters football wins in 2019 | Page 11
A guide to finals | Page 12
Students are tested
The Hangar building was the location used to provide on-campus COVID-19 testing. Photo courtesy of Cassie MacDonell
Design by Jess Lapenna & Hugh Godman
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NEWS
THE CAMPUS DECEMBER 7, 2020
Cassie MacDonell, News Editor » thecampus.news@gmail.com
THE EDITORS 2020-2021 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF HUGH GODMAN
thecampus.editor@gmail.com
SENIOR COPY EDITOR CASEY HEBERT
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COPY EDITOR JUSTINE TREMPE thecampus.jce@gmail.com
LAYOUT EDITOR JESS LAPENNA
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BUSINESS MANAGER JUSTIN BRANT
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NEWS EDITOR CASSIE MACDONELL thecampus.news@gmail.com
OPINIONS EDITOR SAFIA HAFID
thecampus.opinions@gmail.com
FEATURES EDITOR JEREMY AUDET
thecampus.features@gmail.com
ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR BRIDGET BOUCHER thecampus.ac@gmail.com
SPORTS EDITOR DAVID ROSSITER
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ECONOMICS & BUSINESS EDITOR SAMY CAUVET
thecampus.businesseditor@gmail.com
GRAPHICS KATE SCHWARTZ
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CONTRIBUTOR RECRUITER ALLIE TRINQUE
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SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR FIONA DORAN PHOTOGRAPHER THERESA GRAHAM THIS ISSUE’S CONTRIBUTORS Isabelle Audet The Exam Care Pack Team Tiana Arsenault Owen Teolis Angélique Bielski Holly Benison Enzo Evangelisti Emily Whalley Hailey Farrelly Maille Baker Shane McFarlane Duncan Crabtree Rachel Wilson
A message from the Exam Care Pack Team Each year, the SRC and the BU jack.org chapter independently offer exam care packs to students in an effort to support peers in getting through the final leg of the semester. Traditionally, the exam care packs offered by the SRC have an associated cost and have connected a pack to upwards of 150 students. However, this year, we and many others felt the overwhelming need to extend our connection with our community that is spread out far and wide. This year has been challenging, full of uncertainty and adaptation, and we wanted to find ways to better support students. We endeavoured to team up with other stakeholders across campus to provide students in the Lennoxville area and abroad with free exam care packs. This partnership included the BU jack.org chapter, the SRC, BU Student Services, and Residence Life. With financial support from Bishop’s University, we have had the immense pleasure of preparing, distributing, and shipping packs free of charge to 827 students. In the packs, we wanted to express a warm reminder that we are in this together, you are not alone, and that we are all thinking of you as you reach the end of the semester. There are a couple of tools in these packs to remind you to take some time for yourself and relieve some stress, such as study-time recipes by the campus dining committee, study supplies and snacks, and a team favourite: the surprisingly satisfying fidget-toy! We asked students what they would like to hear during finals season and included these messages on our hand-written cards in each pack. All in all, to achieving this was certainly an all-hands-on-deck affair, with immense thanks going to Claudia Munafo, Nayab Khurshid and the Jack Chapter, BU staff members, resident assistants, members of BUnited, members of our Board of Representatives who came to the support in assembly, and kind students like Edna Amoah, Chloe Kendall, and others who joined the effort and shared their generous time. We hope that these exam care packs help you through the end of
Isabelle Audet and the Exam Care Pack Team Contributors
the term. We want to wish you all the best success during your finals! On behalf of the exam care pack team.
A few items that can be found in the exam care package. Photo courtesy of Cassie MacDonell
On-campus testing was made available amid a rise in cases Cassie MacDonell News Editor
An on-campus mobile testing centre opened on Nov. 25 and Nov. 26 to provide testing for the Bishop’s community amid the rise in positive COVID-19 cases. As of Dec. 1, Bishop’s has seen 24 positive COVID-19 cases in residences, including seven that have recovered, and 35 cases offcampus, including 15 that have recovered. In total, this amounts to 59 confirmed cases during the first semester. Fortunately, those in isolation have only encountered mild symptoms and are recovering well. Bishop’s University has collaborated with regional public health authorities to receive on-campus testing, resulting in the CIUSSS de l’Estrie (CHUS) offering a testing clinic. The testing site was in the Hangar building, located near parking P2 behind the John H. Price Sports & Recreation Centre. The clinic was open for four hours in the afternoon on the first day of testing and for two hours in the morning on the second day of testing. Testing was available by appointment for Bishop’s University students and employees in one or several of the situations listed on the school’s website. These included showing symptoms of COVID-19 or being considered a contact of an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19. Students were also encouraged to get tested if, during the last week, they had taken part in a private gathering, frequented indoor public establishments without physical distancing, or took public transportation without masks or physical distancing. A student, who preferred to remain anonymous in order to keep their COVID-19 testing private, voiced their experience. “The process of getting tested was quite seamless because I didn’t have to wait in a long line like the other testing facilities. However, I still have not gotten my results back and it has been seven whole days.” A different student found the testing experience to be great and received their results in two days.
Amelia Krallis, Director of Events for the SRC, explained the importance of on-campus testing. “On-campus testing is largely helpful in getting ahead of the spread of COVID-19. It was really important in our situation on campus in helping control and contain the spread within the on-campus residences.” Krallis explains that the SRC has been advocating alongside the university to have an on-campus testing site since the beginning of the summer. However, Health Quebec prioritized other areas that were in more dire situations, so Bishop’s only received a campus testing site later in the semester. Krallis concluded with the remark, “We are incredibly grateful for all the students’ efforts all semester for keeping the campus and the community safe. Just because we had an outbreak doesn’t mean those efforts were for nothing. If we keep being smart, we should be able to have another fun semester in the winter.” The Hangar building was the location used to provide on-campus COVID-19 testing. Photo courtesy of Cassie MacDonell
NEWS
SINCE 1944
An entire residence building was put in isolation On Nov. 23, The Direction de Santé Publique and Residence Life notified students living in an on-campus residence building that they had had close contact with an individual who contracted COVID-19. The residents of this building were considered to be at moderate risk of infection and were put in isolation until Dec. 6 or until told otherwise from a Bishop’s staff member or Public Health. According to an email sent on behalf of Residence Life, the residents of this building are expected to get tested at a designated screening centre. The name of the residence was chosen to be kept private by the author due to respect for student privacy. An update was posted on the Bishop’s University website that stated an individual brought COVID-19 to residences from an outbreak at the Lion Pub. As of Nov. 27, Bishop’s has seen at least 24 positive COVID-19 cases in residences, seven of which have recovered. Eight of the cases in residence are considered to be an outbreak, meaning that there is evidence of community transmission. Most of these students are no longer on campus. Another email sent on behalf of Residence Life stated that gathering in family units is now prohibited in all residences. The decision was made in order to keep the community safe from the current outbreak. A family unit was a designated group of up to eight residents that were granted special permission to gather and share common spaces or collectively participate in common events on campus. They may exceptionally not be physically distant when within the family unit unless symptomatic. A family unit was considered a predetermined block in New Side residences (Abbott, Kuehner, or Munster), a floor section in Mackinnon, or two apartments in Patterson. Students are not allowed visitors in their residence rooms. Kendra Buchner, a first-year student in the residence that is required to isolate, gave her opinion on the matter. She says that food from the Dewhurst Dining Hall is now delivered to the door. “The first two days I got a bottle of water and juice with every meal. Today and yesterday, I only got a bottle of water for breakfast and a pop for the remaining meals… Yesterday, they served me tofu and salmon, even though I don’t like either of those things. I’m paying $600 per month for this.” When she brought
The Atlantic Bubble burst
Cassie MacDonell News Editor
up these complaints via email, however, she was accommodated. “I appreciate them making changes but I still find the process disorganized.” She also found other aspects of her isolation unclear, such as the fact that there was no indication of the process for laundry or garbage until she took initiative and reached out. “I thought the first day of isolation was going to be the last day of isolation,” Buchner said. Students in residence should remember that help is available if needed. Sarah Beth Frost, the councillor for residences, and student services are available to provide support. Reach out to studentservices@ubishops.ca for more information.
A closed sign on the Lion Pub, where a student contracted COVID-19 and brought the SARS-CoV-2 virus back to residence. Photo courtesy of Cassie MacDonell
Tiana Arsenault Contributor
The east coast has been a prime example for Canada since the start of the pandemic due to its low number of COVID-19 cases. However, on Nov. 23 and Nov. 27, provinces have exited the Atlantic bubble agreement for at least two weeks. The Atlantic bubble was put into effect on July 3. This decision allowed Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick to travel within the Atlantic region with no self-isolation upon entry. At the time of the June 24 announcement, three of the provinces had no active cases, and New Brunswick had 16 active cases. The summer and fall produced relatively low positive cases, but the past few weeks have seen an increase that caused the provinces to reevaluate the Atlantic bubble. Nov. 23 was the day everything started to unravel. P.E.I. was the first to exit with two active cases. P.E.I. Premier said that given the province’s small size, it wouldn’t take much for its health-care system to be overwhelmed. Following their steps, Newfoundland and Labrador called it quits with 21 active cases. The final province to completely burst the bubble and detach from Nova Scotia was New Brunswick on Nov. 27, with a total of 89 active cases. This leaves Nova Scotia, which at the time had 115 active cases. Individuals from the Atlantic bubble will now have to undergo a 14-day isolation period when entering these provinces. Please see provincial government websites for information on those who do not have to undergo self-isolation. Bursting the bubble is a great tool used to slow the growth in cases and prevent outbreaks. On the other hand, when we consider Bishop’s student counterparts in the Maple League of Universities, who all are located in the Atlantic provinces, it may mean missing Christmas. Gillian Kippen, a third-year St. Francis Xavier University
“L
Student, explains the situation. She says that many out-of-province Atlantic students were planning to leave the school after the completion of in-person evaluations during the examination period, which ends Dec. 14, but now have to isolate for 14 days until Dec. 29. “My two roommates have to isolate for two weeks when they get home, missing Christmas, and then they have to isolate for another 2 weeks to return to school,” Kippen explains. The school recently announced an extended winter break and changed some exams to be online and take-home, however, there are still in-person exams. Even though the Atlantic provinces have fewer cases when compared to other parts of Canada, it is with great respect that they are continuing to take the precautions needed to suppress the virus. In implementing this change for at least two weeks, east-coasters View from Tiana Arsenault’s Airbnb house, will be safer and healthier. Will the Atlantic where she is undergoing a 14-day quarantine bubble ever return? Or will things go down in New Brunswick. from here for the East Coast? Photo courtesy of Tiana Arsenault
and Acknowledgement. We acknowledge the Abenaki people and the Wabanaki Confederacy, the traditional stewards and protectors of the territories upon which we are learning. In performing land acknowledgement, we make what was invisible visible, and invite the land, the First Nations people, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission into our conversations. This act of naming - of inviting something into language - is an underlying principle of advocacy and lies at the heart of higher education. The etymology of advocacy is ad (to add) + vocare (call or voice): the origin of the word’s meaning is to give voice to something or to call out in order to initiate dialogue. The “ad’ prefix makes explicit the importance of multiple voices - and by extension multiple perspectives. In this sense, advocacy compels us to acknowledge a diversity of thoughts and opinions as a starting point rather than as an ideal outcome. In institutions of higher learning, we have a responsibility to honour spaces for emerging and established voices to engage in productive, respectful, and sometimes even uncomfortable conversations where individuals are safe to speak truth to power, explore and challenge dominant ideologies, and call out injustices and inequalities in order to imagine new ways of existing.” Dr. Jessica Riddell
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OPINIONS
Dietary woes
Safia Hafid, Opinions Editor » thecampus.opinions@gmail.com
Safia Hafid Opinions Editor
While this is not a new realization, I was pondering the subject of dietary restrictions at Dewhurst Dining Hall the other day. It was the umpteenth time that I had gone up to ask for clarification – what exactly is in this? What kind of meat is this? Or, simply skipped the hot meal section entirely because the main protein was ham. For those of us who have dietary restrictions, whether for religious reasons or health concerns, food – especially when you are not preparing it yourself – is an issue that preoccupies quite a bit of your time and limits your choices. A hyper-awareness of food and ingredients in food has been a quite significant part of my life. Not only do I not eat pork or drink alcohol, but a member of my family also is lactose-intolerant and is sensitive to preservatives. There has never been a time where I did not check the back of the box or can for the ingredients or know that there were certain things I could not eat. Moreover, I have had friends with severe allergies, constantly putting me in a position where I was unable to share food with them because it contained components they could not eat. However, grocery shopping is not the end of the world. In Canada and the United States, especially, there are a huge variety of foods and substitutes that are generally easy to find and not that much more expensive. The real conflict comes when eating out when you do not have control of what is prepared and what ingredients are present in the meal. Every time I eat out, either at fast food joints or restaurants, the menu always comes with a caveat. What are the ingredients? What is that lasagna made of, or this sauce, or that fish-and-chips batter? If a description is not provided, I am forced to ask for qualification; nowadays,
Bitter endgame
THE CAMPUS DECEMBER 7, 2020
I choose two or three options in case one is not possible for me to eat. Whenever my school had pizza day, I was never able to partake – unless it was cheese only, which rarely happened. The same is true of barbecues, which always favoured pork hot dogs and no hamburgers for whatever reason. Whenever my family went out, pizza was always seafood or vegetarian or cheese because they never had anything but traditional pork pepperoni. There was a constant caveat, and it was frustrating that restaurants did not have more alternative options. It was either the pork option or the vegetarian one, instead of having different kinds of meat available. I know someone who can never go to Starbucks and order a latte because Starbucks has soy milk and almond milk and other substitutes, but not lactose-free milk. Not only is there a restriction on choice, but the alternative option is never the one you want, never the one that could be a good selection if they simply chose to carry just a bit more variety. Even then, I am aware that some have it worse. People with gluten intolerance can barely eat anything at Tim Hortons, and those who cannot consume dairy have few to no options at Laura Secord for ice cream. Severe nut allergies can prevent people from eating at certain places, because while the food might be nut-free, the kitchen is not. Many have a very short list of restaurants they can eat at, and others prefer to just cook at home in the name of simplicity and convenience. Regardless of whether the food needs to be halal or kosher, or if a specific ingredient is an allergen, there are some people for which food is infinitely more complicated. Most people, when they go to the
restaurant, base their order simply on preference. For myself, it is not only a choice between lasagna or chicken alfredo pasta because I like one over the other, but whether the lasagna is made of beef, or if it has pork. I simply hope that, in the future, restaurants will carry more options and greater variety, and that people become more aware of dietary restrictions and their effects on parts of the population.
A plate of lasagna and mac-and-cheese with garlic bread on the side from Dewie’s. Photo courtesy of Safia Hafid
Owen Teolis Contributor
Trump’s refusal to fully concede spoils more than just Republicans. an election. They began repeating the party line that the election It is a truth universally acknowledged that nobody was rigged and voter fraud was rampant. This reaction likes a sore loser, one who is stubborn and fusses over proves a troubling point: for all of Trump’s flaws – and the results. Such behaviour is not only tiresome for the other participants, but it is also ultimately damaging to the game. We cannot expect to uphold the game of chess and its values, for example, if the opponent ignores or contests a checkmate. South of our now hermetically sealed border, a large-scale chess match is drawing to a close. The American presidential election, fought between Republic incumbent Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden, has been a topic of discussion since long before November 3 and will continue to occupy the airwaves for many months to come. What has made this election so topical and unique compared to its predecessors has not been the social upheaval rocking the country leading up to election day, nor the stark contrast between an ageing Biden and an aggressive Trump. Rather, Donald Trump stands in front of a lectern, addressing his audience. the hallmark of this election happens to be the loser’s refusal to concede. The election’s tipping point took place about four days after the vote, with most major networks there are many – he exercises an unbreakable influence calling the state of Pennsylvania for Joe Biden and over his sizeable supporter base. vaulting the former vice-president beyond the 270 Trump’s continued unabashed repudiation of the necessary electoral votes. election results has called into doubt the reliability However, even before this announcement, Trump had of America’s voting system, a system we know as already declared victory – not only making the blood of democratic. Democrats boil across the country but emboldening the While few of Trump’s legal undertakings have borne
fruit – and certainly have not managed to overturn the votes of Pennsylvania or Wisconsin, states crucial to Trump retaining his position – the real damage is to democracy. After all, the democratic process is dependent on the confluence of certain ingredients: a large-scale voting mechanism, for one, through which all citizens from a country can cast their ballot. Most importantly, democracy requires a community of voters that trust the system. While the United States might seem topsyturvy at times, their elections have been manifestly fair – without foreign interference, that is. The main advantage of nearly 250 years of electoral fairness is a public that accepts election results, regardless of how nail-biting or drink-spitting they may be. Now, however, after two-and-a-half centuries, a single sour grape is threatening to spoil the cabaret. Donald Trump needs to fully and wholly concede this election. Not to assuage simmering Democrats, as his supporters might say, but for democracy’s sake. Despite his imminent ouster from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, D.C., the president still wields great influence over his devotees. Their trust in the voting system could atrophy rather quickly, in turn threatening the democratic processes governing the United States. For the health of democracy, both in America and around the world, Trump should recognize the checkmate before him and unequivocally concede the election.
SINCE 1944
OPINIONS
On privilege, sacrifice, and undue complaining I recently came across an open letter, written by a student at HEC Montreal, about the immense sacrifices university students have undergone during the pandemic – and it truly made my blood boil. Aurélie Christina Pierre names actions like not setting foot on university campuses and having proctored exams as sacrifices. At the same time, she complains that elementary and high school students, who are allowed to attend in-person classes, have it much easier. To put it simply, Pierre is not happy about the lack of semblance regarding student life. Reading her open letter is sad, but not because of the earnest and heartfelt complaints she enumerated, all the while wiping her tears with hundred-dollar bills. Rather, it is sad that such a pathetic piece of writing was actually published. Pierre fails to notice the other side of the issue; those who are actually having to undergo the most sacrifices. I am talking about the doctors and nurses, those who work at nursing homes, or even those at a greater risk of getting COVID-19, or who have actually died from it. While you cannot go for a night out in Montreal with the rest of your rich student peers, Pierre, people are dying, and it is the workers who should be thanked for their sacrifices. Grocery store employees, for example, have it much harder than you, the privileged university student who complains that there is no student life during a pandemic. If you, the reader, also feel that the government has been unfair in its treatment of university students and that they have been utterly robbed of a year of their lives, you may want to check that entitlement. Yes, students at all levels do not have it easy. Online courses do sometimes suck, and
Jeremy Audet Features Editor
it is really hard to focus. Yes, not seeing your friends makes it much harder to cope with a different semester. Having to adapt to studying at home in non-ideal circumstances is definitely challenging. However, you know what else also sucks? Having to work in COVID-19 hotspots, or being forced to avoid your elderly family members because they are at risk. Or worse, having someone die, all alone, without their family surrounding them. An uncle of my mother’s passed away due to COVID-19 this year, and, despite his immense loving family, he was forced to say goodbye to them through an iPad. Imagine that. It makes complaining about online courses seem trivial, no? University students are absolutely allowed to complain about their circumstances. We are going through a rough time as well, and there have definitely been issues we have had to cope with that have seemed very unfair. However, we are still extremely privileged to be able to continue our studies despite the economic fallout the pandemic has brought. We are able to get an education, to somewhat spend time with friends online – and, of course, we are not dying by the hundreds. There is definitely that. It takes a lot of guts and entitlement to be a university student and whine to the government about not being thanked for our “immense sacrifices.” A lot of guts. To Aurélie Christina Pierre of HEC, and to anyone else who sees themselves as the forgotten victims of this pandemic, I kindly say to you: get over it. Danielle McCann, Minister of Higher Education, responded to the open letter with a request to be patient. Another huge sacrifice for the entitled students of higher education.
Language conventions and war journalism The recent debates around the use of the n-word have once again shown us the power of words and how they can quickly become a representation of violence. Columnist Emilie Nicolas at Le Devoir beautifully illustrated this when she transformed the contested term into a “baton”– a stick, a weapon, she says, that she cannot and will not trust you with. Words are a journalist’s main tools, whether spoken or written. They are used to inform our audience about what is happening in our society and paint a picture of reality. The words we choose to use evoke real events, real people, and real stories, and we journalists use them to the best of our capacities – always. As journalists, we need to ask ourselves, repeatedly, how to best depict the truth, but also whose truth the language really serves. Journalists need to make a conscious effort to prevent their work from becoming weapons, as those weapons too often serve the powerful at the expense of the public. It is imperative in our profession. This is not a new idea, of course. Norwegian sociologist and Peace Studies founder Johan Galtung advanced the idea that current journalism reporting conventions about conflicts distort (what we hope to be the closest report of) reality because they overvalue violence. He calls it “war journalism.” Big words, I know, but once you start thinking about it, it is very hard to see anything else. In a nutshell, Galtung denounces conventional reporting techniques, such as presenting the “two sides of the story,” for being reductive, simplistic, and overall unrealistic. This angle is polarizing; it serves the “us versus them” narrative, and the audience is under the impression that they must choose sides. Such a narrative then leads to the dehumanization of “them,” of the other side. The current news industry is predominantly focused on the visible effects of violence: anything that can trigger a reaction. If it bleeds, it leads – heard that one before? War journalism portrays the end of a conflict as a one-sided victory, with one victor and one loser. It empathetically does not offer its audience space for creative, citizen-led, non-violent solutions. Moreover, war journalism is also elite-oriented. The credible sources happen to be the authorities, the government, the experts; that is, those in positions of
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Angélique Bielski Contributor
power, whose voices are conventionally valued and unchallenged. The issue here is having these elites pointing out the “good guys” and the “bad guys,” saying this is the way things are. What Galtung explains is that certain journalismcentred norms are unnecessarily distorting our communications and the overall picture of society’s struggles. After all, the reality is not a two-sided affair,
A diagram explaining Peace Journalism. Image credit: Aslam, 2014, p. 183. https://www.researchgate.net/figure/The-inverted-trident-ofpeace-journalism-model-that-shows-the-values-shared-between_ fig1_295246371
nor is it ever just “us” versus “them.” The situation is always much more complex than that, implicating the past and future and requiring context and follow-ups. Reality is not, and should not be, simply what the official sources have to say, and journalists need to question where the information is coming from. In Canada, the characteristics of war journalism are too often apparent in issues such as the coverage of Indigenous land rights battles. At 1492 Land Back Lane, for example, occupying members of Six Nations called themselves “Land Defenders,” a connection to their traditional role in relationship to the land. This appellation keeps the focus on the issue of territory and the treaties
between the Six Nations and Canada. In opposition, on the other side, we hear the Ontario Provincial Police talk about “protesters.” In the collective mind, the word “protester” imposes a character of violence onto the people it designates. This impression of violence then helps to justify the actions of the authorities. Words employed by the authorities, which are then relayed by the media, perpetuate colonial violence and reinforce stereotypes. The language used can often be weapons against citizens meant to advance the authorities’ own agenda; words are powerful, and the public relations agencies of our governments and authorities are very aware of this. It is their job. However, we also know what our job is. The media and news organizations play an enormous role in our understanding and conception of the world. By perpetuating violence-orientated reporting – war journalism – journalists paint a much gloomier portrait of society, one that gives little agency to its citizens. In refutation of war journalism, Galtung presented the concept of peace journalism, reporting practices aimed at offering a space for non-violent responses in the public discourse. These are conscious editorial choices that have great importance; they are in the process, structure and content of mediatic products, and provide the context, history and culture when reporting on certain conflicts. Peace journalism addresses complexities and gives a platform and a voice to all parties. It humanizes everyone involved and fosters empathy. This is a reporting technique that speaks of the invisible effects of violence, that seeks to uncover the truth for all. It is people-oriented, first and foremost. Finally, peace journalism’s most important aspect is one that gives space for creative, non-violent, citizen-based solutions to emerge and be seriously considered. Therefore, peace journalism demands introspection and consideration of our journalistic practices. Yes, I know; the work of journalists always seems to keep piling up. Yet, I know that employing a fair language is a small but important part that journalists can play in order to ensure better reporting and a fairer representation of our society. Doing the job right, as it were.
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FEATURES
THE CAMPUS DECEMBER 7, 2020
Jeremy Audet, Features Editor » thecampus.features@gmail.com
Coming together, over 100 years later I have never seen more documentaries, archival photos, newspaper articles, or social media posts about the 1918 Flu Epidemic than since the beginning of our current pandemic. I believe that people turn to history for comfort, solace, and understanding, especially when things in the present are painful, confusing, and generally displeasing. As an attempt to bring some historical perspective to the Bishop’s community in the wake of the recent case numbers and our transition into a red zone, I would like to open the door to the Bishop’s University of a hundred years past. In the Oct. 7, 1918, issue of the Sherbrooke Daily Record, the headline declaring the need for volunteer nurses to combat the flu is dwarfed by “Germany Makes Overtures for Peace.” In the final months of the Great War, not only were men and women dealing with battle fatigue, general convalescence, shellshock (what we now call PTSD), homesickness and more, they also began to face an invisible enemy. The full article title, “The Physicians, Officials and Citizens Organize to Combat Outbreak of Spanish Flu,” speaks to the Sherbrooke and townships community spirit. The call was put out for volunteers to help contain what was an outbreak of about 3,000 cases in the Sherbrooke area. Emergency hospitals were outfitted with flu wards in the blink of an eye, but they were understaffed and undersupplied, a reality that resembles our own today. Young women were volunteering in these hospitals, while many others were also nurses attached to the Canadian army. Even so, the call for volunteers, who were the front line workers of 1918, was urgent.
Holly Benison History Contributor
Excerpts in the same newspaper range from the availability of medicines, such as “bow-thylol, Cascara, Bromide, Quinine and Camphor” at W.H Griffith’s to a call for spare blankets to be donated to the new flu wards to outfit cots for patients. Even then, as now, celebrations were being cancelled for the protection of the public. Events such as the Ploughing Match in Drummond or the fundraiser for the “Homemakers’ and Farmers’ Club” in Way’s Mills were cancelled because of the flu. As for Bishop’s in particular, the second issue from 1918-1919 of the Bishop’s journal The Mitre has a bit of humorous insight into how the students were coping. The First World War saw about half of the entire student body enlist and go overseas. Some of the students chose to return to campus and finish their studies once the war came to a close. In the case of Privates R. Heron and H.O. Hodder, both men returned from England to campus to complete their work. Despite their experiences, they still say that “the worst enemy they encountered was the ‘’flu’.” In the face of the first mechanized war, which featured chemical warfare, these two boys still thought that this sickness was worse. Whatever difficulties we are facing together today, we can find comfort in knowing that our classmates from 102 years ago faced the same trials on the same campus. It doesn’t surprise me that history can lend us a sympathetic shoulder to lean on, and walks with us always through the present.
One last SRC update for fall 2020 Enzo Evangelisti SRC President
Hey Gaiters,
As the semester comes to an end, the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) wants to provide you with a recap of some of the things we have worked on this semester and what next semester will look like. Over the course of the last few months, our main priority was addressing the current needs of the student body. This meant prioritizing the current health, safety and well-being of students in both their academic and student lives. Some of the most recent initiatives include the pass/fail option for all courses this semester, our free exam care packs, and covering the cost of one hundred tutoring sessions through Nimbus Tutoring. Our goal was to make sure that students felt like they were being heard and supported in as many ways as possible. As you can imagine, it hasn’t been easy to pivot and adapt to the constant changes happening in our community, and we are doing the best we can to help you through these challenging times. Not only are we trying to address the current academic and mental health needs of students, but we are also working hard to make progress in areas the student body has been wanting change. In collaboration with student associations across the campus, we have created the first-ever culture week committee. In an effort to improve transparency, we are redesigning our website. Extracurricular funding has been increased from $24,000 to $40,000 and, in order to cut costs for extracurricular groups, we are printing shirts and other swag for them at an affordable price. We worked on and succeeded in making food available at the Gait. We are in the process of creating our own Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) standing committee. We are also looking at ways of centralizing job opportunities for students. As the semester ends, we are beginning to plan and look at other initiatives which we hope will improve your university experience in the upcoming semester. The pandemic might slow us down at times, but we remain committed to doing whatever we can to support you. Please feel free to reach out to us at any time if you have comments, suggestions, ideas or need support. We hope you all have a restful end of term!
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Application deadline: January 11th, 2021 Contact us! maesoteducationproject@gmail.com
On behalf of the SRC, Enzo
www.maesot.ubishops.ca @maesoteducation @maesoteducationproject
The SRC handing out exam care packages. Photo courtesy of the SRC’s Facebook Page
FEATURES
SINCE 1944
COVID Claus is coming to town!
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Casey Hebert Senior Copy Editor
With the holiday season just around the corner, many of us are finding ourselves asking or being asked, “So what gift do you want this year?” For some, the answer is crystal clear, but for others, it never seems to come, leaving the gift-givers to guess, which can lead to some underwhelming presents. In an attempt to combat that, here is a list of potential gifts perfect for this Covidian holiday season. Technology-based gifts
Blue light blocking glasses With the transition to online teaching and working from home, most have seen their time online increasing substantially. A pair of blue light filtering glasses can help reduce eye strain and make working at a screen all day a little easier. A good pair of headphones The pandemic has forced most everyone inside, which can lead to a pretty full, and loud, house. It can be difficult to find quiet when everyone is home, so a good pair of noise-cancelling headphones can go a long way towards providing a little more calm amidst the chaos. Hobbies
For the budding artists Many people have tried to get closer in touch with their creative side since the pandemic began. Help foster that by providing art supplies to fuel their hobby! Paint-bynumbers kits are a good start for people who want to paint but don’t trust their talents. In the kitchen Has anyone close to you taken up an interest in cooking or baking since the start of the pandemic? Why not offer them a recipe book to help them expand their repertoire? If cookbooks aren’t the way to go, then consider kitchen paraphernalia. Oven mitts, aprons, cookie cutters, a good set of knives, a sturdy pan… the possibilities are endless!
Self-Care
Pamper Package With all of the additional stress of this year, we could all use a little pampering. Why not give (or get!) the means to take care of yourself these days? Bubble bath, essential oils, lotions, face masks, fuzzy socks, or any other pamper essentials can be added to make a cute little self-care kit. Visit your local Dollarama or pharmacy to find everything you need. Scents of the season Spending all your time at home is certainly nicer when there are pleasant smells around! Get calm with some aromatherapy. Whether you prefer candles, diffusers, or incense, there is a world of options and scents available to make your home feel a little more comforting. Miscellaneous
Planner This year has been trying for those to whom organization does not come naturally. Whether an overwhelmed student trying to keep track of assignments or a driven employee trying to stay on top of meetings and deadlines, a planner is a great way to keep your life in order. A subscription box Many subscription boxes are available on 3, 6, 9, or 12-month bases and the varied content ensures there is something for everyone. Do you or anyone close to you miss frequent trips to Starbucks or Tim’s? Get a coffee subscription box and discover new flavours monthly from the safety of your home! Want custom wine to help get you through those tougher months? Need a little self-care reminder every so often? Craft supplies and inspiration? Some light magazine reading? Are you just looking for the excitement of getting something in the mail? There is a subscription box for everyone out there, you just have to dig around!
Far from home
Care packages Can you not make it home for the holidays? A care package is a perfect way to send love from far away. Fill it with whatever you prefer – basic necessities, pampering essentials, favourite foods, whatever you can think of – and ship it off home. Or, ask for a piece of home to be sent to you!
COVID-19 Survival pack With COVID settling in again this winter, people could be feeling the need to stock up on whatever promises to thwart the spread of the virus. So why not put a kit together? Masks, hand sanitizer, gloves… anything that helps us reduce the threat of illness to keep our communities safe!
Stationary and a wax seal stamp If you or your loved one is going to be away for the whole holiday season, why not give them the means to keep in touch with a little flourish? Since we’re spending so much time online and can’t leave our homes, turning to writing can get you away from the screen and ignites the excitement of getting snail mail.
Despite the challenges of holiday shopping, there are a million gift possibilities springing up with the peculiar year we’ve all had to adapt to. If you can, try to support small businesses this year and keep safe! Happy holidays!
BU Snow preps its 15th anniversary The Bishop’s University Ski and Snowboard Club (BU Snow) has never been one to go unnoticed. Its 15year history makes it one of Bishop’s longest-running current clubs, and with the rich selection of ski hills in the Eastern Townships, one of the most popular. From taking part in organizing the iconic annual Winterfest to taking advantage of the yearly floods to ski across urban puddles, members of BU Snow have created a flourishing atmosphere for those who enjoy the great winter outdoors. Two of the club’s executive team members, Anthony Palumbo and Edouard Colas, have high hopes for this year despite the pandemic restraints. “We’ve got plenty of plans, we’re keeping our fingers crossed, but we’re pretty optimistic.” With over 70 members this year, the executive team is planning a variety of events and outings to keep the student body outside and busy. With the border closure, the usual student’s deal with Vermont’s Jay Peak was an impossibility. However, despite not getting an exclusive deal for Bishop’s students, the club promoted Mount Orford’s student deal: $244 plus taxes for a season pass until Nov. 30. As the closest (big) mountain, Orford is a better choice for Bishop’s students. Less than an hour away, Colas and Palumbo stress that the mount is ideal for beginners and students who want to go out for a half-day before or after their classes. Additionally, the advantage of getting a season’s pass is pretty straightforward, as
Jeremy Audet Features Editor
Palumbo explains: “You’ll never get this price again.” Indeed, the Orford season pass for non-students is $634 + taxes. BU Snow plans to organize many more events even closer to Bishop’s. The small hill in Sherbrooke, Mount Bellevue, offers free passes for women on Wednesdays and men on Thursdays, and the club is exploring carpool services to and from the hill. The club will also offer waxing and sharpening services out of their headquarters at 24 William-Paige, also known as Ten-Man. The services will cost $10 for members and $15 for non-members. The executive team also hopes to host backyard events at Ten-Man, such as small rail jams and ski sessions. Taking advantage of their large backyard and professional rails is a must for students. Palumbo stresses that there will be free lessons for anyone interested in learning. “All members are welcome,” he says, “we’re trying to host park lesson sessions in our backyard for beginners and all other levels.” Of course, all COVID regulations will be respected. On his end, Colas is planning to lead touring outings, which is to say skinning (hiking) up a hill and skiing down the unbeaten paths. With the various mountains available for such practice around the Townships, Colas wants students to take advantage of the potential. The club will look into the possibility of renting gear for those interested, and more details are to come on how these
outings will be organized, but Colas is optimistic that the activities will take place this winter. Palumbo teased at some new merchandise, which in the past has been very popular amongst students, with a new logo to commemorate the 15th anniversary. Another plan on the horizon is a potential club movie. “We’re very keen to put together a movie, where everyone submits footage, with different segments: all-mountain, touring, downhill, park, and urban park,” says Palumbo. In terms of Winterfest, perhaps the most anticipated event of the year, the club is working closely with the university and SRC to make alternative plans. “We have to get an A plan, B plan, and C plan. Different options need to be available to us to make it a more inclusive Winterfest while respecting whatever circumstances,” says Palumbo. They may model the event on the very successful Orientation Week held in September, with different sections and virtual events. More details are to come, but for more information, students should follow the BU Snow social media pages. With five executives leading the club, they have plenty of time to answer any messages they get. Colas says, “If anyone has any questions about getting into the sport, or good mountains, we have good local skiers, just message us on Instagram” @bu_snow.
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ARTS & CULTURE
THE CAMPUS DECEMBER 7, 2020
Bridget Boucher, Arts & Culture Editor » thecampus.ac@gmail.com
Gift ideas for your dad The holiday season is upon us, and many of us are plagued by the age-old question: what on Earth do I get my dad? Can I get him a tie again? Is that too cliché? Fret not, below you will find some book recommendations that might just come in handy (and, ideally, make him think that you do, in fact, read).
Mother Night by Kurt Vonnegut War, spies, intrigue and lies, Mother Night is one of Vonnegut’s more serious works. It follows an American writer living in Germany during the Second World War who is enlisted to become a propagandist for the Nazis and send coded messages to American intelligence. We watch as the protagonist looks back on his life and weighs the good he may have done for the Americans against the harm he knows he caused as a propagandist. Beautiful and heartbreaking and darkly funny at times, it is an excellent introduction to Vonnegut’s works and an interesting look into the heart of man. Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut Have your dad read Vonnegut: his works are short, snappy, funny and poignant. He was an incredibly prolific author, so it also gives you myriad gifting options going forward. Breakfast of Champions is a coming-of-middleage novel that Vonnegut wrote as he turned 50 as a way to grapple with and understand his life and his anxieties. The master of the one-liner, Breakfast of Champions is Vonnegut at his witty, nihilistic and sarcastic best.
Hailey Farrelly Contributor
On Justice, Power and Human Nature by Thucydides Is your dad a War Guy but has read pretty much everything that has been written about World War I and II? This book is an introduction to the Peloponnesian War, the devastating and long-lasting conflict between Athens and Sparta, and is meant for readers who are not intimately familiar with the period. It discusses in greater detail the political theories underpinning Thucydides’s writings and contains what is largely considered to be the first recorded instance of realpolitik in an exchange known as the Melian Dialogue. Machiavelli could never. The Road by Cormac McCarthy Is your dad a Coen Brothers fan? Cormac McCarthy (also the author of No Country for Old Men) offers a tale of love and fatherhood in a dystopian hellscape. A father and son go, well, on the road, fleeing the harsh winter. It is a story of love, loss and family. It can at times be harrowing, marauders and cannibals abound, and the imagery can be grotesque, but if your father was a fan of The Walking Dead, he might enjoy this narrative. The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner by James Hogg A less well-known novel, published in the early 19th century, this narrative follows a religious zealot convinced by a charming friend (the Devil) that he is doing the Lord’s work. Funny and deeply ironic, Memoirs and Confessions is a compelling and thought-provoking read that offers interesting takes on the nature of parentage, brotherhood, religion and human nature.
Addicted autobiographical audiobooks The winter break is finally here! You did it, you survived this semester, and you are weeks away from officially having survived 2020! So take a second to drink it all in, enjoy finally being able to see your family again, and enjoy the snow while it’s still fresh and pretty. Then once you remember why you decided to take all of your online classes from Lennoxville and you can’t even escape to go out for a walk because everything is slushy and gross, pick up one of these audiobooks and use it to drown out your families’ voices. In all seriousness, I strongly recommend you pick up one of these exceptional audiobooks. There’s something really incredible about hearing someone tell their own story, and there is so much to learn from other people’s lives. So do yourself a favour and just do it. Don’t let your dreams stay dreams.
Hollywood Park by Mikel Jollett This poetic story reads more like a novel than a memoir as Jollett, frontman of The Airborne Toxic Event, tells his life story from his perspective at each stage in his life. We see the cult he was born into and the trauma he endured as he, his older brother, and mother escaped it. We also see his childhood, surrounded by addiction and abuse; his drive; his academic success; his passions; and the start of his music career. But most importantly, we see him define what family truly means in his life. This fascinating audiobook is read by Jollett himself, and his lush storytelling is interspersed with songs from his band’s album, Hollywood Park. This Will Only Hurt A Little by Busy Phillips Actress and abortion access activist Busy Phillips is a sparkly human being with a huge personality, a love of introspection, and a really good impersonation of her
The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov Written in Stalinist Russia and not published in full until nearly 30 years after the author’s death, it is considered to be one of the greatest works of Soviet satire. It follows the Devil through both his infiltration of Muscovite academia and at the execution of Jesus. There’s a cat that’s also a hitman, a witch, an embittered writer and a madman. The narrative was considered to be a refutation of the atheist rejection of Jesus Christ as a historical figure prevalent in Russia at the time. The story is rich with comedy, satire and history and is an interesting look into Soviet culture during the Cold War, insights which are often missed by Western authors writing about the time.
Photo from Late Last Night Books
Emily Whalley Contributor
mother. The audiobook of her autobiography This Will Only Hurt A Little is one of my favourites of all time; I’ve listened to it six times in the last year-and-a-half, and I will never stop recommending it to everyone I meet. This story chronicles her clumsy adolescent years, her struggle with sexual assault, her abortion at age fifteen, her acting career, her journey through motherhood, and what it looks like to be a woman in Hollywood. Oh, and also, what it was like working with James Franco on Freaks and Geeks. Listening to this funny, charming, optimistic and mildly heartbreaking tale of the twists and turns in Phillips’s life feels like having a glass of wine with a friend.
Bossypants by Tina Fey How could I make this list without mentioning everyone’s favourite Sarah Palin impersonator, Tina Fey? We all know and love Tina Fey from her movies, TV shows, and, of course, from Saturday Night Live. In this hilarious autobiography, she tells the very intriguing story of her life and highlights the most important lessons she learned from living it. From growing up as an incredibly awkward theatre kid to trying to make it in improv comedy, to working with the men who pee in jars at SNL, Fey has done it all, gained wisdom from it all, and found the humour in it all. This lighthearted audiobook is the perfect piece of mildly educational escapism to listen to as you drive around your town, avoiding spending time with your family. Honourable Mentions Becoming by Michelle Obama Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert It’s Not What it Looks Like by Molly Burke
Hide and Seek
Emily Whalley Contributor
Countdown from ten Run as fast as you can Ready or not here he comes Lock yourself away Hide deep inside yourself Watch as he passes Feel your breath catch Fear What if he finds you Or what if he never does What if you hid yourself away so well He gives up What if by playing the game You lose What if you hid yourself away so well That even when he does find you You still can’t find yourself You’ve hid for so long What if there’s nothing left but the desire To be sought What if you are nothing more than something to hide And he’s not willing to seek
ARTS & CULTURE
SINCE 1944
Merry Bishmas Emily Whalley Contributor
Across 2. Fluffy frozen water 4. Tree baubles 6. Festive ringing (2 wds.) 8. Holiday berry 10. Evergreen 11. Sleepwear 15. Gift-giving game (2 wds.) 16. A unit 18. “___ we have heard on high” 19. Santa’s hometown (2 wds.) 20. Frosty Down 1. Celebration of African-American culture 3. “____, I made it out of clay” 5. Iconic Will Ferrell film 7. Outdoor festive decor 9. Birthday boy 11. Christmas daddy (2 wds.) 12. Dec. 25 13. Sphere of eternal winter 14. Mini indoor fire 17. 8 days and nights
Crossword puzzle created using crosswordlabs.com
Self-care to cope with exam stress Have final exams got you down? Feeling a little stressed amidst all the extra studying? Missing your usual winddown sessions at the Gait and the Lion? Don’t worry, because we at The Campus have your back. Here you’ll find several different methods of self-care; feel free to pick your favourite. Bubble baths Light some candles, play some chill music, pour in some bubble bath (the Bath and Body Works “Stress Relief” is particularly nice) and relax for an hour or two. Try some Epsom salts if your neck and back are sore from hours hunched over a textbook or laptop. Pro tip: add a few drops of your favourite essential oil, if you’re into that kind of thing (lavender is great!) Meditation There are some awesome meditation apps out there, like Calm, which features the voice of Harry Styles. But if you’re more into silence, then set a timer, close your eyes, and focus on your breathing. Pro tip: if you find it uncomfortable to sit in the “traditional” meditation pose (i.e., cross-legged), try meditating in a more neutral position, such as lying on your back or kneeling.
Bridget Boucher Arts & Culture Editor
Journaling If you find yourself in a thought spiral or have trouble sleeping or relaxing because you can’t seem to turn your mind off, try writing down your anxieties or stream of consciousness in a journal. (Muji pens have great ink flow if you care about that.) Pro tip: the journal doesn’t need to be fancy. In fact, studies have shown that it’s easier to write using a boring notebook or loose-leaf paper instead of an expensive, pretty journal. Talk therapy Sometimes all you really need is someone to talk to. If your friends aren’t available, or you don’t want to talk to them, there are plenty of online resources to use. Bishop’s offers free counselling through Student Services. For more information, contact studentservices@ubishops.com. Pro tip: If counselling via video chat isn’t for you, there are many online resources that offer counselling via text or messaging, such as 7 Cups of Tea, an online therapy site. For more information check out 7cups.com.
Gaiter enjoying a bubble bath. Graphic by Kate Schwartz
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SPORTS
THE CAMPUS DECEMBER 7, 2020
David Rossiter, Sports Editor » thecampus.sports@gmail.com
So you think you want to dance at Bishop’s University? Bishop’s University students are fortunate to have multiple recreational and competitive dance options on offer. The dance administration team proposes three programs of club or competitive dance. The Dance Club is a non-competitive group and does not require an audition or mandatory practices. It meets for a few hours each Friday. The competition team requires an audition, holds mandatory practices and mandates technical studies. The competition team has two divisions: the technique team, which performs lyrical, contemporary, and jazz numbers; and the hip-hop team, which presents hip-hop numbers. The Bishop’s University Dance Program attracts students of different ages, years, genders, and experience levels. Two students are elected as coordinators each year, with the role going to Brianna Corey and Rafaela DaSilva for 2020/2021. In a normal year, the Competition Team holds two showcases and attends one competition in spring at the end of the season. This year with COVID-19, many changes were made to the traditional structure of practices and performances. Dance classes looked very different this season to respect new COVID-19 restrictions. The studio floor was demarcated into taped squares, allowing dancers to socially distance from each other. Each dancer was allowed one square to dance in during classes or rehearsals. While in these squares, it was possible to take off our masks, but any time we left our assigned spot, we had to put them back on. We also had to limit dance sizes and split the technique classes in half so that we never had too many people in the studio at once. Now that Bishop’s University has entered a COVID-19 red zone, we have to be even more creative with our class time. Classes and rehearsals are conducted over Microsoft Teams, with everyone logging on from home or, for some of us, our dorm rooms. Another effect of the pandemic on this season is that our annual November showcase at the Gait had to be cancelled. Despite these challenges, the veterans and coordinators have worked very hard to maintain a positive atmosphere. Many of us hadn’t been in the studio since last March, so any opportunity to be dancing again is exciting. First-year Caroline Homet was especially enthusiastic about getting back into the studio, saying that “when dance practices were allowed to start a few weeks ago, it felt amazing to dance again!” It feels like a return home, to an activity that is a strong part of me. The dance program provides a wonderful environment to step into, especially as a firstyear student. Another rookie on both the tech and hip-hop teams, Kayla Vard, echoes this sentiment, describing it as “a welcoming group of girls that immediately made me feel like I was a part of the team.” It is a collaborative environment, open to ideas and highlighting each dancer’s strengths. All choreography is composed by students themselves, which makes the calibre of the choreography that much more impressive and inspiring. So much care and thought are put into each movement, Vard remarked, “the choreography is inventive and you can tell
Sports at the sports centre are scarce Following the Quebec government’s Nov. 9 red-zone announcement for Estrie, Bishop’s University has had to shut down many in-person activities indefinitely. The John H. Price Sports & Recreation Centre (the Plex) issued a press release detailing how the new restrictions would apply. The fitness centre, which is the main workout area filled with weights and machines, is closed. The hockey rink, home to our varsity women’s Gaiters, is closed. The squash courts and the varsity gym are shut down as well. The building itself will not shut down completely and lock its doors. Some space will be open for individual studying and the athletic therapy and health services department will continue to offer their services with the caveat that it must be by appointment only. The pool and badminton courts are interestingly open as well by reservation only. A lack of fitness and recreation opportunities is a tough blow to many Bishop’s students. Physical activity has been a perfect outlet for many people struggling with increased stress and anxiety due to COVID-19 flipping the world upside down. Unfortunately, there is little to nothing that can be done. All provincial government restrictions are something that the university must abide by, and we, the students, must learn to live with it. That said, the in-person classes, fitness centre time, and even sports practices to which BU students had access this semester are better than what many other Canadian university students can boast. Here’s hoping the red zone situation resolves itself by next semester, and the Plex can return to providing the student body with all their athletic needs. Until then, make sure to visit buy.gaiters.ca for the most up-to-date information on the John H. Price Sports & Recreation Centre hours and services.
Maille Baker Contributor
that the choreographers put their all into everything they create.” Being a member of the team has provided me with new dance exposure, friendships and new sources of invaluable support in my university experience, and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a positive post-high-school dance experience.
Photo from the BU dance showcase. Photo courtesy of the Bishop’s University Dance Team’s Facebook page
David Rossiter Sports Editor
Photo from the sports centre’s terrace. Photo courtesy of David Rossiter
SPORTS
SINCE 1944
Bodychecking COVID out of the OHL For the first time in the 40 years since its official inception, the Ontario Hockey league (OHL) has announced its intentions to start a season where body-checking is prohibited. The decision came from Ontario’s Minister of Sport, Lisa MacLeod, who hopes this will minimize the threat of COVID-19 and keep players safe despite the pandemic. This decision has many implications for the players and fans of the league alike. Hockey prospects who play a physical game are at a very big disadvantage when it comes to their NHL draft stock because these players are no longer able to showcase their full abilities to scouts. A transition from a contact league to a non-contact league is a big deal, and players who are effective in one are not necessarily going to be effective in the other. For many, the ability to engage other players physically is key to their talent. This adapted OHL season will thus favour smaller and quicker players. This could mean that smaller, more speed or skill-orientated players could be more likely to be drafted to the NHL than players who rely more on physicality to stand out. However, the change to the season is not an unmitigated win for the less physical players. If they do get drafted into the NHL after their time in the contactless OHL, the disparity of experiences could be quite shocking. The contrast between playing in the OHL alongside other teenage boys who aren’t allowed to hit and playing in the NHL with older, bigger, and faster players who aren’t afraid of shoving you out of their way is enormous and represents a consequential change. The OHL’s ruling begs the question: to what extent limiting physical contact protects players. As long as the players are still allowed to play the games without a mask on, there will always be a risk. Think about all of the times players, referees, and coaches come into contact with each other throughout a game. From referees constantly touching the puck to players lining up shoulder-to-shoulder in the faceoff circle, there are many chances of the virus being spread even without bodychecking. Limiting body contact is not a solution that effectively neutralizes the threat of COVID-19 in the game of hockey. The surest means of keeping players safe is forcing everybody to wear masks during the game, though this would not allow for easy breathing in a cold, fast-paced game like hockey. Prohibiting contact is only marginally helpful since there is inevitably going to be some contact in any game of hockey. There will always be a risk associated with the game. As a former hockey player who has played in both contact and non-contact leagues,
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Shane McFarlane Contributor
the OHL’s ruling seems to me to be well-intentioned but insufficient. The fact that even our hockey teams at Bishop’s, which are both non-contact, are uncertain of their seasons because of COVID-19 reveals that opting for a no-contact season is not enough to thwart the spread of the virus.
Photo of the Bishop’s University hockey rink. Photo courtesy of Bishop’s University Conference Services
Three key wins from the most successful Gaiters football season of the 21st century Duncan Crabtree Contributor
When the Gaiter’s football team moved from the stacked RSEQ Quebec conference to the AUS (Atlantic University Sport), they anticipated they would see more success. However, until last year, this wasn’t necessarily the case. For example, in the 2017 season, the Gaiters’ first in the AUS, the team achieved an identically underwhelming record as in each of their three previous seasons (1 win, 7 losses). After an even more disappointing 2018, during which the Gaiters went winless, it seemed the change in the conference had not achieved its desired effect. However, as many of us noticed, 2019 brought a very different football season for the Gaiters. As we wait in anticipation for the next football season at Bishop’s, why not review what made last season so historic for the Gaiters? Here are three key wins that led to the best Gaiters’ season in recent memory. August 31 Though the Gaiters began 2019 with a lopsided loss to the Acadia Athletics on Aug. 24, the team made a statement in their Aug. 31 home opener win at Coulter field. The Gaiters were 0-2 against the St. FX X-Men in 2018 including a 40-point defeat on Sep. 15, 2018. Fortunately for the Gaiters, in their first game against the X-Men in 2019, they had a new weapon in their arsenal: Freshman quarterback Charles Aubry. The QB picked the X-Men apart with 264 passing yards and an over 70% completion rate to lead the Gaiters to a decisive 32-19 victory. He also established himself as a threat to run completing six carries for 61 yards, including one for a touchdown. September 14
Aubry followed up this dominant performance two games later with another strong showing against the Mount Allison Mounties, on Sep. 14, 2019, when he had another 200+ passing yards (230). But the star of this game was Nick Cartagenise’s threeinterception performance, including a pick-six. In setting the team record for interceptions, Cartagenise propelled the Gaiters back to .500 (2-2) on the season. With a final score of 27-23, the confidence-boosting win would prove crucial as the Gaiters went on to face the Mounties in their semifinal matchup. November 2 – AUS playoffs semifinal In fact, due to the Gaiters’ big loss on Oct. 19 to the Mounties, right before the two teams’ Nov. 2 semi-final matchup, it seems the Gaiters’ win against the Mounties on Sep. 14 was paramount for their confidence in their first playoff matchup in six years. In the 2019 AUS Semi-Final, just as he did at many points last season, Charles Aubry led the way masterfully, with his fifth 200+ yard passing performance in 2019 (213 yards). Winning the game 28-13, the Gaiters moved to 4-1 on the season when Aubry threw for 200 or more yards. By defeating the Mounties, the team also moved on to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since a default win against the Laval Rouge et Or in 2001. Though the season came disappointingly to a full circle at the Loney Bowl with a loss to the Acadia Axemen, the Gaiters had already set a new standard of excellence last season. As players train differently than ever before during this extended break, they can, fortunately, look to the 2019
season as inspiration. Hopefully, the Gaiters will have the chance to reach for more historic outcomes in 2021.
Charles Aubrey completes a pass against St. F.X. Photo courtesy of Clare Webb
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ECONOMICS & BUSINESS
THE CAMPUS DECEMBER 7, 2020
Samy Cauvet, Economics & Business Editor » thecampus.businesseditor@gmail.com
A guide to finals
Rachel Wilson Contributor & Business Peer Academic Mentor
Finals this year are like no other with a global pandemic about, online school, and a lack of in-person resources. However, that doesn’t mean your study habits have to change! Exam dates and final paper deadlines are just around the corner, so let me outline some helpful tips to prepare both your work and your mind. Finish on time. Try your best to have all your course notes and lectures completed on the last day of regular classes or before the first day of the exam period. This way, you have all the information from the semester together, and you don’t have to go back to catch up. I also create folders for each class, where I include the syllabus, notes, assignments, and exam reviews. Make a schedule. Create an outline for your exam season to schedule when you will study for each final. You can either dedicate specific days to courses or split your days up, depending on when your exams are happening. In the schedule, you should also incorporate study breaks for exercising, getting outside, and eating. It is important not to forget about your mental health. Watch the clock. Science has shown that it is best to study for one- or two-hour time blocks and take breaks in between. This technique allows you to go deep into topics at a controlled time without getting overwhelmed or lost. This should be outlined in your schedule, and you should have a good breakdown for each class topic you will be reviewing at a time. Organize your space. It is important to have a designated study space. Ideally, it is separate from your bedroom, so you don’t get distracted or tempted by the area around you – in other words, your bed. When preparing for the exam, some people prefer to study alone, some prefer to study in a group; just make sure you know what is best for your learning. Since it can sometimes be hard to find a quiet space, I recommend setting study hours with your roommates and creating a common space to stay focused.
Going into my seventh season of finals, the pressure and nerves never quite calm down. Now virtual exams add more challenges with proctors, internet access, and an
The Gaiter’s Guide to Finals Graphic by Kate Schwartz
adequate working environment. You need to remember that everyone is going through the same thing, even though it may not look like it, and it is understandable to feel overwhelmed. If you feel like it is too much and you don’t know where or how to get the resources needed, here are a few places to help find comfort. Mental health counsellor. Whatever feelings you have been having, it is important to know you can contact a counsellor for any kind of help. Find more information on the Bishop’s website or send an email to studentservices@ ubishops.ca. New this year to campus is also the BUnited Centre, which has trained supporters to help provide healthy emotional support. You can send them an email at BUnitedPSC@ubishops.ca or follow their Instagram @ united.psc Student accessibility and accommodation services. SAAS offers registered BU students living with disabilities the necessary accommodations, advocacy and programming designed to improve access to postsecondary education. To find more information, see the Bishop’s website or send an email to accessibility@ ubishops.ca. Peer academic mentors. In the Student Success Centre, there are six peer academic mentors available to help you in any way, academically. These students are just like you and have access to all resources across campus to direct you in whichever way you need. You can find the information on the BUSRC website, Student Success Centre Facebook page, or at busrc_ssc Instagram. Call your parents/close friend. Sometimes, you just need to hear a familiar voice to tell you it’s OK. Calling a parent, friend, or family member can help distract you and offer words of encouragement. These kinds of breaks are the most valuable for your mental health (see “Selfcare to help with exam stress”).
The red zone means bad news for student organizations and local businesses Samy Cauvet Economics & Business Editor and BUFS VP of Marketing
Due to the second wave of coronavirus in the region, the Eastern Townships moved into a red zone on Nov. 12 – the highest level of alert (see “Bishop’s Has Its First COVID-19 Cases as the Townships Turn Red,” Nov. 23, 2020, issue). This new level of alert in the region forced, once again, bars, restaurants, dining rooms, gyms, arenas, sports clubs, cinemas, theatres, museums, libraries and schools to close for an undetermined amount of time. In the case of BU, after the coronavirus outbreak on campus, all in-person activities were suspended, and all classes switched from hybrid or in-person to fully online until the end of the semester. All businesses and many facilities on campus, including The Gait, Centennial Theater, Bandeen Hall, the fitness and weight rooms, as well as the Doolittle’s Co-op, had to close. It put an additional strain on their operational income, business operations being already hard with all the pandemic restrictions, which had driven the demand for goods and services down. While being closed, the co-op is still offering a 20% holiday discount on apparel, accessories, general literature, and board games, as it switches its business operations from in-person to online. Pickup times have been put in place between Tuesday and Friday from 10:00 a.m. to noon. However, substantial delays in order processing and shipping time can be expected. For Stan Groves, owner of Lennoxville’s Golden Lion Pub, “The new government directives mean more staff cuts,” he explained in a phone interview with The Record newspaper. “Most of them are students which puts them in a financial bind,” he added. Local businesses have been negatively impacted by the new level of alert in the region, but they were not the only ones. Sadly, due to the red zone, things didn’t go as planned for some BU student organizations. Indeed, BUFS (Bishop’s University Finance Society) was planning to go indoor golfing to de-stress before final exams on Nov. 20 and finally meet in person in a safe context but had to cancel the event due to the new university guidelines. BUCFS (Bishop’s University Charity Fashion Show) rehearsals had to be put on hold
since The Gait had to close. Moreover, the BUCFS pop-up market on Nov. 14 that was supposed to welcome businesses such as Cool Uncle Closet and Lost Times Vintage had to be cancelled since The Gait could not hold the event anymore, a missed chance to raise funds for this year’s charity: Grace Village As for BUCS (Bishop’s University Commerce Society), President Clara Cardaun declared that after the business mixer, they would focus on providing more value to students who were not able to return to campus this semester and created a new virtual guest speaker series called BUsiness Talks. On Nov. 11, they had their first guest speaker Alec Taylor, VP of Consulting Services at Microsoft and BU Alumni. “This format will continue next semester with a virtual event each month starting January,” said Cardaun. Finally, BUCS plans on having its annual case competition in February 2021, which will be held in a hybrid format, but a contingency plan is in place to move the whole event online if needed. The toughest part for every organization is the unpredictability. “We do not yet know how long we will remain in the red zone,” said Dr. Stine Linden-Andersen, Chair of the Bishop’s University COVID-19 Task Force and Dean of Student Affairs, in an email to Bishop’s students. Indeed, it’s hard to decide on a course of action without key information, such as when red-zone restrictions will end. Despite the current situation, some good news came along as Stine Linden-Andersen announced in an email to students that, “to facilitate preparation for exams, the University would be opening up the Library Learning Commons (LLC) and the Sports Centre for individual studying… The LLC will open to Bishop’s University and Champlain Regional College students, faculty and staff only.” The SafeGaiters Squad, the Marshalls, as well as some SRC volunteers will be monitoring the study spaces and ensuring compliance with the COVID-19 rules (which now include wearing a procedure mask) so that the Library can close at midnight every day until the end of the examination period.