The Confluence | February 11th, 2019 | CNCSU Election Nominees / Valentines Day

Confluence YOUR OFFICIAL COLLEGE MAGAZINE

FEBRUARY 11th, 2019

The

Netflix and chill?

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THe death of dionysus 14

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CNCSU

ELECTION NOMINEES

secrets I never intended on keeping 18

Mickey Mouse Trap 19

It’s the Chief - Editorial Holy macaroni we have a lot to talk about, It’s election week, one of the most exciting weeks of the year here at the college. It’s the day where we decide who will best represent your program for the next year. To those who are running, make sure to campaign hard.

Voting days are February 13th and 14th, 2019. We are having a Valentine’s day election, people!

On a more serious note, we have had quite a lot of dialogue regarding an article in the January 28th issue of The Confluence. The article in question is “The Pubic Discussion,” and I can understand how some may have differing opinions on the piece. The article was approved by me and vetted/recommended through the English department and some peers. It’s important to realize that I personally come from the approach of creative freedom, and to censor works that view varying opinions is a tough line to follow without conflict. The article depicted a students opinion on the societal perception of human genitalia, stating how she feels that genitals are not something she appreciates and is even disgusted by. The way she goes about doing this is purposefully explicit in a comedic sense. Christine Force, the writer of “The Pubic Discussion,” had this to say regarding the criticism: “I think that people should be able to express their likes and dislikes freely. At the college level of learning, others should be accepting of self-expression from their peers.”

In my opinion, I don’t think it is terrible in a post-secondary institution to say “penis” or “vagina.” They are just the scientific name for parts of the human anatomy. To the argument of the article being sexually-explicit, I disagree. The article is not erotic at all and is the least arousing thing we have ever published during my time as editor-in-chief - if you ignore our coverage of the CNC’s budget meetings. Christine Force is a talented writer who shows excellent skills creatively and has been well received in public for her writing style in poetry and now creative fiction. She is a shining example of talented writers coming from our Creative Writing programs at the college, and we are very fortunate to have her be willing to share her work with us at the Confluence.

Cheers!

Damon Robinson Editor-in-Chief, The Confluence

Obviously, however, you have every right to disagree with me, and dialogue such as this is essential. If you want a follow-up or want to raise your concerns, here is my email: editor@cncsu.ca.

Here comes the news - Editorial All I can really say to those that were offended by the previous article is, “hey look, our job is done!” as well as a little of “go cry about it.” Most folks have genitals, my friend. People write about this stuff. Go take one of Graham’s classes. He’ll tell you all about it.

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On a slightly different but still characteristically sarcastic note, I hate Prince George and I hate this weather. My face hurts when I go outside. I do not like my nose hairs freezing together. I do not like huge 4x4 trucks tailgating my tiny little car as I attempt to avoid Tokyo-drifting off the side of a hill. I will still continue to buy iced-coffees, though.

Only when the Polar Vortex attacks with a -80 wind chill will I perhaps reconsider. Do what you love, friends.

Paige Riding News Editor, The Confluence

Confluence Staff and Contributors

Harman Dandiwal Organizer, CNCSU

Kiana Fergusson

Karm Shah

Intern, CNCSU

Photographer, Cover Artist

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The

The Confluence is produced biweekly at the CNCSU office on CNC’s Prince George campus

by Damon Robinson and Paige Riding.

Submissions, inqueries and requests can be made to editor@cncsu.ca, in person at the CNCSU office room 1-303, or mailed to “The Confluence c/o CNCSU 3330-22nd Ave. Prince George, BC. V2N 1P8”

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All submissions are welcome, the authors of edited works used in the confluence receive a $20 cheque upon publication. Advertisement rates are available upon request.

The Confluence

JANUARY 14th, 2018

06 - article - Netflix and chill? 19 - Story - Mickey mOuse Trap

18 - Poetry- Lake Morris

If Video Killed the Radio Star, Netflix Killed Video. With a relatively wide selection of shows new and old, as well as movies that span in genre from horror to romance, from action to documentaries about serial killers (we see you, Ted Bundy fans), and most options in between, every type of TV show fan has their pick of poison.

We at the Confluence proud ourselves with our history of showing off the great work that you guys do every day.

Make sure to stop by and check out the work done by our featured poem done

by Lake Morris

14 - ARTICLE - The death of dionysus “It has always presented itself as a looming entity: either one I was fighting against, or fighting for. Having dated both a severe alcoholic, and a man who actively chooses sobriety, I have single-handedly been slappedwith every ugly truth encompassing the unity of alcohol and relationships.�

CNCSU Election Nominees

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8 COVER STORY

Confluence The

Netlfix and... Chill?

by Paige Riding

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If you haven’t heard “watch (some fan favourite show or movie)!

It’s on Netflix” or, “let’s have a night in and watch Netflix,” you either live under a rock or somehow prefer the ads and time constraints of cable. With approximately 118 million subscribers globally, Netflix is undoubtedly the streaming heavyweight on the market (Source: recode.net).

If Video Killed the Radio Star, Netflix Killed Video. With a relatively wide selection of shows new and old, as well as movies that span in genre from horror to romance, from action to documentaries about serial killers (we see you, Ted Bundy fans), and most options in between, every type of TV show fan has their pick of poison.

Netflix also offers an abundance of original shows only available to its patrons. Beginning in 2013 with powerhouses like Orange is the New Black and House of Cards, Netflix has expanded to offer about 700 original shows (Variety.com). The streaming service has also racked up a staggering 112 Emmy nominations for its originals (wired.com). Netflix’s virtual monopoly over the streaming market also promotes an increase in their prices. The helplessly invested general public then sighs, maybe tweets about it, but inevitably complies. The critics and billions of patrons agree: Netflix is in, and it is here to stay.

There is no denying that the service is conve-

nient. With three different plan tiers, ranging from basic to advanced, there are payment options for everyone. The app allows offline viewing through downloading shows or movies on WIFI. With uninterrupted viewing, bingewatching is not only possible but all too easy to do. Why do we choose this streaming service that only has the last four Harry Potter movies and just betrayed the nation by taking down Bob’s Burgers? The answer is a mix of the change in technological culture recently and the fear of missing out on a social aspect.

As a social species, humans yearn to be accepted by their peers. Netflix’s reign over television inevitably affects everyday conversations. The embarrassment of missing out on a show reference a friend group makes can be awkward or just plain humiliating. With the expanse of now off-air television shows available with a Netflix subscription, the shows that influenced pop culture then are available now. It is these shows that can impact the jokes people make, the way people dress, as well as people’s interests. What began as a means of entertainment has manifested into a significant component of how we relate to one another almost every day.

Looking for background noise while scrolling through our phones is great and all, but there should be a limit to what we deem as entertainment, and what we consider as compulsive or even addictive. “Helplessly in-

invested” may seem extreme at a superficial glance, but when Netflix asks, “Are you still there?” in the middle of season 4 of a show you started watching two days ago, it may be appropriate to sit back and wonder what it really means to be present. When Friends the show replaces conversations with genuine friends wanting to spend time with us, compromising relationship-building for catching up on a television show seems frivolous.

With the potential of finishing a season that otherwise would have lasted months to complete on the air, it is easy for one to be isolated due to the mass of shows available immediately. With no advertisements impeding the binge, a night in may result in a lack of sleep, headaches from strained eyes, or becoming invested in fictional characters.

But where is the line? When does “Netflix and Chill?” become a euphemism with scarier implications than hooking up with a 4/10 while a movie drones on in the background?

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HOT TOPICS

The 2019-2020 CNCSU Election Nominees What Does It Mean To Be Elected?

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A student representative is an elected position for aspirational students who wish to bring their voice forward for the benefit of the student body. The people who are elected will represent the students of CNC in the Students’ Union, locally, provincially and to the college itself. The job of a representative is extremely important to the quality of life of students here at the College of New Caledonia. This is the time where the student body can raise their voice and vote in the person who they best feel represents them.

Your 2018-2019 Student Representatives. Make sure to thank them for their work this past year!

Left to right: Balwinder Dhaliwal(B.Rep), Michelle Frechette(Specialty Rep), Stephanie Jack(Indigenous Rep), Shaylin Cooley(Q.Rep)

Kyndra Farrell

Program: Business Management

My Goals: “The reason I am campaining is to give myself a platform where I am able to not only help the students, but have connections with the administration and faculty to get my message out there. That message would be getting back sports to the school, and more clubs and events for students to interact and meet together in a new fun way.”

Harsehaj Singh Sahota

Program: Business Management

My Goals: “My main motive is to help new students with problems that the may not know about. My request to everyone is if they have a problem, tell me, I will make sure I will help them. Also, I plan on having camps and activities for girls so they can have things to do outside of school.”

Tajinder Singh

Program: Business Management

My Goals: Tajinder was not available to comment.

Gagandeep Singh

Program: Business Management

My Goals: My goals as Business and Technology Representative is to have more job opportunities and accomodations for students at the college. I think that more guidance is needed for students, and more should be done for students looking for academic advising. CNC courses should be more clear and accessible to students as well.

Program: Kinesiology

Navjot Singh

My Goals: ”I am looking for a good environment for students in the college, old and new., international and domestic. I plan on making a good environment for them for jobs and classes. The college needs more sections, as there aren’t enough courses.

We also need more events and sports for students to participate in.”

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)

Business and Technology Representative Nominees

The Confluence

Health and Human Services Representative Nominees

Shaun Edwards Program: Nursing My Goals: “In my experience as a first year student, I noticed that it was a gongshow getting in here. Nobody knew what was happening, teachers didn’t know what was going on, the orientation was a gong-show. If I could make a difference in one persons life when they come here, to show them where everything is, where to go, who to talk to, that would be success in my mind. There was a lot of complaints of labs and the lack of education going into the hospital that I would like to face.”

Indigenous Representative Nominees

Brandan Jack Program: Academic Upgrading My Goals: “My goal is to make the students union better, make the events fun

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and do my best hosting events that I have planned. I plan on helping out everyone as best as I can.”

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HOT TOPICS

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Hey guys, This is the part of the magazine where scary stuff happens such as the sharing of the opinions that you may or may not approve of.

While it is really disappointing to have had people upset by the work published in The Confluence, I do stand by all of the work. I won’t force writers to censor themselves if their work has terrible words such as “penis” or “vagina.”

All in all, the opinions shared in the magazine are not specifically shared by the magazine. However, I approved them to be published. Cover your eyes if you want, and vet the things your children read if that’s your concern. sincerely,

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Damon Robinson Editor-in-Chief of the Confluence.

The Death of Dionysus

by: Gabrielle Sandhu

During my dating experiences, alcohol has been no stranger.

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It has always presented itself as a looming entity: either one I was fighting against, or fighting for. Having dated both a severe alcoholic, and a man who actively chooses sobriety, I have single-handedly been slapped with every ugly truth encompassing the unity of alcohol and relationships.

My ex-boyfriend worshiped liquor, which ultimately made me despise its presence. I have crumpled to late night text messages from my friends, displaying my ex-boyfriend’s promiscuous touch to another woman. I have felt chunky vomit slipping between my toes, while hauling his body through the door after a typical Friday evening. My vagina has even been the victim of a pathetically limp whiskey dick, properly defined as “the inability to maintain an erection after a long night of heavy drinking” (mjb). Inevitably, alcohol won his heart over, as sobriety was a limitation on his youth and freedom. The next man that I fell in love with, who I am currently still dating, is one who actively practices sobriety.

Ironically, I now find myself tempted by the consumption of booze among my peers. However, despite my curiosity, many of my peers seem to have also approached the path of sobriety. My journey through the inclusion of alcohol with

romance has mirrored that of society – drinking has become foreign in today’s matchmaking. Simply put, alcohol has become unattractive in today’s dating scene, demonstrated in undesirable stereotypes crafted by societies introverted dating approach, it’s promotion of reckless behavior, and it’s false revelation of honesty.

When walking into a bar, there are specific men that I try to avoid interacting with: the obnoxious, flannel bearing, inquisitive hipster who indulges only in craft beer; the wide-eyed, gel haired, cocaine addict sporting tribal tattoos and slamming back straight shots of vodka; and the beerchugging, sports-jersey wearing, gluttonous sports fanatic.

Suitably, the faces of these men have been painted across social media, birthing the first reason of alcohol’s undesired presence in the dating game – women do not want to interact with gross, drunken men. Through the exaggeration of stereotypes or dramatized characters of whom you might run into at the bar, online dating methods, or inadvertently introverted mingling, have taken off in popularity. Presently, “most of us meet on apps, and the prospect of getting to know someone [is] based on a short bio and four or five pics” (Wong). Because of this new wave of mingling, the necessity of meeting singles at the local bar has been brought down to a bare minimum. Even my own friends will initially meet someone over social media, thus avoiding the initial

women who believed they may have been drugged while socializing at a local licensed establishment in our community” (Citizen Staff). While youth have become afraid to interact with strangers with physical conversation, drinking has evolved into a life-threatening decision; if they choose to abstain, there is no pressing threat. Alternatively, the extremely displayed risks associated with drinking and driving further hammers the fear of reckless behavior caused by intoxication. With the involvement of inhibition, comes the question of tolerance. Frankly, incidents of accidents caused by drunk driving illuminate how “unreliable our selfassessments of our own sobriety can be” (finitelitebrite). If something as simple as driving can become life threatening when altered by alcohol, it can be assumed there are risks associated with the complexities of relationships: rejection, denial, and regret to name a few. Ms. Avila, my best friend and a usual tequila drinker, said when it comes to hitting a night on the town, that alcohol aids to “just take that edge off ” (Avila). But perhaps it is the “edge” that we should be cautionary of, rather than challenged to overcome. Reckless behavior is not sought after by today’s youth; we have become afraid to drink from our cup, and have adopted a suspicion of strangers at bars. It has been drilled into young people that alcohol’s nature conjures recklessness, a risk far too heavy for anyone to take when trying to find something as delicate as love. Love is something I hold tenderly.

Rightfully so, something so soft and delicate should not be stained or tainted through reckless, ignorant action. In my experiences with dating an alcoholic, there were many nights where he “must’ve dreamed I [he] was a nail, because I [he] woke beside you [me] still hammered” (Dougherty). In retrospection, I would not impose the challenge of wrangling his unruliness onto anyone. Alcohol proved to be a catalyst to his reckless behavior. It poses as a danger for my peers looking for love, and in turn, society is forming to reject the reckless behavior of careless romantics.

Having dated an alcoholic, I do not miss is the feeling of disconnect that wormed between us each time he decided to drink excessively. I would volunteer to drop him off at parties. I would reluctantly pick him up. I would even hold my tongue when random women would pile into my car, begging him for a ride home, and thanking him for such a great evening – to which I was not invited to, because he would not be able to “let loose” if I was around. Mr. Zhang, a previous bartender at Mr. Mikes Steakhouse Casual, argues that alcohol allows us a “more honest portrayal of a

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awkwardness of face-to-face conversation between love interests. Essentially, the setting of bars or clubs as an entry point to interaction is entirely avoided, and with it, the act of mingling and drinking together. To further segregate the presence of alcohol from the dating scene, “there are also sober-only services like sobersocial.com, recoveringmates. com, and soberkiss.com” (Barcella). These websites not only ensure the removal of meeting boozy men in-person by introducing the process of initial interaction through a screen, but also guarantee their users a community of docile drinkers. On the off chance on landing a first or second date, Cosmopolitan suggests to “never be the one drinking the most”(Kobola). This contrasts my previous relationship, as my ex-boyfriend often displayed an aggressive drive to out-drink everyone, and rightfully was shamed for it. This is extraordinarily different when compared to the dating tendencies and patterns of generations before mine. My mother met my brother’s father at the bar. Ten years earlier, I was conceived after a Valentines date between my mother and my biological father at the bar. Furthermore, many of my mother’s peers frequently sought out bars simply to meet men. She, and her friends, represent a few of the many members of previous generations who actively used the bar as a mingling pool during the 1990’s and 2000’s. Today, the integration of alcohol consumption and dating has been skewered by the stereotypes and prejudices often found on social media. Additionally, the common ground of mingling has been displaced to the intangible, ultimately eliminating crowds of young singles, like many of my friends, from bars.

In combination, the presence of stereotypes and the introduction of introverted dating methods, entirely remove the presence of alcohol form the mingling process.

While in a relationship with an alcoholic, I feared recklessness. His need for recklessness made me truly value the importance of having security within a partner. Along with the inclusion of introverted mingling through social media, today’s young adults do not find pleasure or exhilaration from reckless behavior. Recklessness is no longer romanticized; it does not “soften the edges of evenings spent looking for love in all the wrong places” (Bainbridge).

With the rising popularity, and dependency, of social media among my peers also comes the process of educating youth of the risks associated with reckless behavior – predominantly drinking and driving, and date rape. Focusing on my hometown community of Prince George, it was just this past August that officials collected “more than one report from

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person” as it “helps people lose some inhibitions and disregard what’s typically seen as acceptable” (Zhang). It is agreeable that alcohol can lower the inhibitions of the shy.

However, lessened inhibition is far beyond from an honest portrayal of ones character. Honesty, properly defined as “the quality or fact of being honest; uprightness and fairness”, has no place in the sloppy kisses of the impaired (“Honesty”). It cannot be observed through glassy eyes, and it must be given earnestly from oneself. So while I can agree that alcohol makes the actions and intention of people who consume more observant and obvious, it is ridiculous to believe that “alcohol brings out a more honest version of yourself ” (Michalchuk). If anything, alcohol summons the anti-honesty – it portrays the secrets that the intoxicated try to conceal. Whether it is through physical attraction, or emotional connection, alcohol is described to be suggestive of honest, raw connection, when in actuality it is assertive in forcing meaningless human interaction. For example, almost everyone has experienced the sexy late-night hookup with a complete stranger, ultimately ending in regret for both parties. Thankfully, I have yet to experience the dreaded “walk-of-shame”. But what I can say is that each time my ex-boyfriend got drunk, his sexual drive became disgustingly overbearing, which in turn made mine shrivel to nonexistence. It felt like going to bed with a stranger. He would wake up the next morning and forget (or regret) the events of the night before. The Orlando Recovery Center posted an article expressing that “seventy percent of people who regretted having a sexual encounter stated that alcohol has been an influence” in their decision, speaking volumes to the fact that we as a society, place no value on having significant and heartfelt sexual exchanges (“How Alcoholism Affects Relationships”). Do not misunderstand me: I am not religious, nor am I conservative by any means. Perhaps it was the way I was raised, never actually growing up in a household with both a mom and a dad present. But a hasty, sloppy post-bar fucking is not a means of expressing true honesty, or in other words, our deepest vulnerabilities. Alcohol may give us the liquid courage to make initial interactions, but it lowers our sober standards, which ultimately are what

we must face once the sun rises. The idea of sober dating may seem unexciting. Nevertheless, seeking out love with the clarity of a sober mind will allow you to “listen more attentively, learning far more than you can while drinking” (Assimos). Alcohol consumption cheats our sober-selves of what we desire when seeking out a partner. Typically, alcohol encourages us to find certain physical or emotional characteristics much more attractive that we ordinarily would. So while Mr. Zhang and Mr. Michalchuk romanticize alcohol as a passage into one’s sheltered honesty, they cannot deny that the people they are likely pursuing start “lookin’ better every shot of Patron”, thus altering their standards due to inhibition (Ludacris). Honesty cannot be observed through impaired eyes, sipped from a cup, or detected with inhibition.

True honesty should be given from a place of clearheaded vulnerability.

My romantic life has always been dancing with the presence of alcohol. I have resented it for taking precedence in the eyes of my ex-boyfriend, but also, I have been tempted of it now that I am supporting someone who largely practices sobriety. While my curiosity of incorporating alcohol and romance has grown since choosing the path to sobriety, society’s incorporation, or even the desire to incorporate, alcohol into the dating scene has vanished. Specifically, people of my age group do not find drinking to be an attractive attribute, as it is associated with undesirable stereotypes via social media influences, it perpetuates reckless behavior, and invokes a false sense of honesty and vulnerability. Today’s youth seemingly subscribe to the belief that something as risky as love, or ultimately vulnerability, is not to be taken lightly. This seriousness largely explains the disappearance of alcohol from modern dating. Removing alcohol from my dating life has provided me the clarity of what a loving, and most importantly healthy, relationship can look like. No longer is my love life plagued with the chaos and confusion brought on by inhibition. Mirroring my own journey on alcohol and romance, societies perception of dating has grown to be delicate. With the absence of reckless, drunken love, brings the death of Dionysus upon us.

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secrets i never intended on keeping

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i. i was searching for someone just like you before i’d met you--before i even knew it. ii. you say you’re sad and that you hardly ever find yourself liking who you are and i say you’re wrong. i say you are what the human embodiment of nature is. i say you’re this and more. so much more. iii. i love you. iv. when i met faith, i liked myself better when she was part of me. when i met you--i felt the same way. but with loving you, i have come to find that living for someone else is not always flattering. some times it is intimidating. some times it is heavy. v. instead of saying i love myself because of you i’ll say “i met a girl once and i wrote a book about her and it’s named ‘the princess saves the prince in this one’ and she made me fall in love with myself turned me into someone i could never hate” vi. i love you. vii. i used to dream a lot about you. we were together. it felt so real. my lips softly against your neck. your body against mine. i stopped dreaming about you. and i dont mind it. in fact, i think i sleep better now. viii. i know you will find someone who will be able to love you in ways that i could never. (its okay) (as long as youre happy) (dont worry about me) (i have art, poetry and paris to keep me going) ix. you’ve helped me become a better person for me and an even better friend for others. x. i’ll always love you. and in the next world i’ll look for you. and i’ll love you all over again. xi. if i had to go back in time and i had the chance to switch things up. i dont think i would. i think i would have us go through the same things all over again if it guaranteed this same outcome. if it guaranteed your happiness. xii. i love you.

- Lake Morris

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50 ANNIVERSARY ENTRANCE AWARDS TH

To celebrate its 50th Anniversary, CNC is now offering $100,000 in new entrance awards for the 2019/20 school year!

No special awards application is necessary - students who apply for the 2019 Fall and 2020 Spring semesters by 11:59PM PST on March 17, 2019 are automatically eligible for entrance awards.

For more information, go to cnc.bc.ca/entranceawards