December 7, 2023

THE CORD

THE CORD THE TIE THAT BINDS WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY SINCE 1926

THE TIE THAT BINDS WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY SINCE 1926

STAEBLER AWARD

VOLUME 63 ISSUE 4• DECEMBER 7, 20232

VOLUME 62 ISSUE 4• DECEMBER 1, 2022

BLUE RIBBON PANEL

FOOD BANK CRISIS

LIBRARY HOROSCOPE

A GOLDEN FUMBLE

2022 winner Universities announced by facing capital Laurier loss Taking a News, page 4 Features, page 10 deepLooking at the

Food banks cry out for help

What your floor says about you

Men’s team loses to Guelph Gryphs

Arts & Life, page 12

Opinion, page 18

Sports, page 19

News, page 3

News, page 6-7

Exploring trau-

Gifting for every

Feature, page 10-11

Arts & Life, page 16

Can-

Sports, page 20

2•

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2023

@cordnews

IMPORTANT END OF TERM DATES

The Cord

@thecord.ca

@thecordwlu THE CORD’S DECEMBER PLAYLIST

CAT PHOTO OF THE MONTH

A MIX FOR COLD WEATHER AND A MUG OF HO

SO MUCH WINE // PHOEBE BRIDGERS

Classes End Wednesday, December 6

HOLLY JOLLY CHRISTMAS // MICHAEL BUBLE

Study Day

CHRISTMAS GUITAR // CHRIS FARREN

Thursday, December 7

Study Day

ANOTHER LIFE // PINK PANTHERESS

Friday, December 8

Examination Period

O COME O COME EMMANUEL // SUFJAN STEVENS

Saturday, December 9 Thursday, December 21

CHRISTMAS MUST BE TONIGHT // BAHAMAS

Fall Term Ends

SNOOZE // SZA

Thursday, December 21

OH YOU (CHRISTMAS BLUES) // LCD SOUNDSYSTEM

Co-op Work Term Ends

A CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER // DOLLY PARTON, KENNY ROGERS

Friday, December 22

University Closed

LOVERS ROCK // TV GIRL

Friday, December 22 Monday, January 1

FUNNY HOLIDAY MOVIE TITLES •

Hanukkah on Rye

•

Never Been Cris'd

•

Call Me Mrs. Miracle

•

It's Christmas, Carol!

•

Merry Matrimony

•

It's Christmas, Eve

•

Mingle All the Way

•

Check Inn to Christmas

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Santa with Muscles

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Daddy's Home 2

•

Holiday in Handcuffs

•

Will You Merry Me?

•

BRONTE BEHLING/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

CHRISTMAS TIME WITH YOU // DAVID IAN

FROM THE ARCHIVES

BEEF RAP // MF DOOM WINTER THINGS // ARIANA GRANDE

LAST CHRISTMAS // WHAM! CHRISTMAS TIME IS HERE // VINCE GUARALDI TRIO UNDERNEATH THE TREE // KELLY CLARKSON IS IT NEW YEARS YET? // SABRINA CARPENTER SANTA TELL ME // ARIANA GRANDE CHRISTMAS TREE FARM // TAYLOR SWIFT MISTLETOE // JUSTIN BIEBER LOVE TO KEEP ME WARM // LAUFEY, DODIE WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES

Part of the Cord Weekly's Dec. 3, 2014 cover.

Santa, Baby!

NEXT ISSUE JANUARY 4, 2024

CORD STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Bronte Behling editor@thecord.ca MANAGING EDITIOR Amichai Abraham

managingeditor@thecord.ca

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Haley Richards creative@thecord.ca MULTIMEDIA & WEBSITE DIRECTOR Aysia Steiner multimedia@thecord.ca NEWS DIRECTOR Madalyn Mostacci newsdirector@thecord.ca NEWS EDITOR VACANT news@thecord.ca

WONDERFUL CHRISTMASTIME // PAUL MCCARTNEY

ARTS EDITOR Bailey McIntyre arts@thecord.ca OPINION EDITOR Abigail Dombrovsky opinion@thecord.ca SPORTS EDITOR Natasha Giannantonio sports@thecord.ca LEAD REPORTER VACANT news@thecord.ca LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER Sadiya Teeple photos@thecord.ca LEAD SPORTS REPORTER Nicole Lovisotto sports@thecord.ca

CONTRIBUTORS

EDITOR’S CHOICE

ADVERTISING INQUIRIES

Luca Bidini-Taylor Nate Sabeta Nicole Lovisotto

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The Cord believes in a balanced and impartial presentation of all relevant facts in a news report, and of all substantial opinions in a matter of controversy.

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Cover made by Creative Director Haley Richards.

Quote of the week: "It's LGBTS....wait, no. It's LGBTQ" Bronte Behling

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2023

News

• 3 NEWS DIRECTOR MADALYN MOSTACCI news@thecord.ca

NEWS EDITOR VACANT news@thecord.ca

CAMPUS CLUBS

Enactus Laurier lands a top four spot

Laurier Enactus team represents Canada in the Netherlands LUCA BIDINI-TAYLOR NEWS CONTRIBUTOR

On Oct. 20, Wilfrid Laurier University’s Enactus team landed a top-four finish at the Enactus World Cup in Utrecht, Netherlands, representing team Canada.

Enactus competitions are run in 33 different countries, with over 1000 participating campuses around the world.

The top school from each country can compete on the national stage at the Enactus World Cup. The competition is dedicated to promoting students who have developed purpose-driven enterprises that tackle the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s).

Each team presents their enterprises to a panel of judges and large-scale executives over a span of four days.

“What we at Enactus Laurier do is support students who have a desire to create a lasting impact in the world. Whether we want to tackle plastic waste or clean water or housing. There are no limits to as to what [projects] we can do,”said Jordan Prentice, Co-President of the Laurier Enactus team and founder of Kuponya Innovations.

“We want to support students who are trying to make an impact and change in the world, whether it be local or globally.”

The Laurier Enactus team prsented two of their biggest projects, Safi and Kuponya Innova-

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

tions. Safi is a project focusing on tackling safe milk in East Africa.

“They’ve created a proprietary pasteurization device for small scale farmers, because right now pasteurization is not accessible to farmers because it’s too expensive and large” said Prentice.

Safi has gone to Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya to meet with dairy farmers and receive feedback from industry experts.

While speaking about the

inspiration for her project entitled Kuponya Innovations, Prentice stressed the project’s focus on climate change.

“Those who are on the front lines of climate change impacts being hit first and worst are Indigenous peoples and specifically those in remote and Northern communities.”

Further, infrastructure development plays a role. “The housing and constrution industry con-

tributes a lot to climate change. I found this unsettling because the industry that is supposed to protect people from dangerous living conditions is contributing to the problem,” said Prentice.

Last august Prentice had the opportunity to travel to the Northwest Territories.

During her trip, Prentice was able to discover how Indigenous communities have been impacted by housing problems.

“When I saw the situation and state of housing, this solidified that I wanted to be part of the team to create a change,” said Prentice.

Kuponya Innovations is now set to build their first pilot project in March.

Prentice stressed the importance of the Enactus World Cup in motivating change.

“I think I speak for the team when I say that it was so inspiring to see all the change leaders and changemakers are creatingin their communities,” said Prentice. “ It showed us that what we’re doing is meaningful. Honestly, none of us would rather be doing anything else.”

Prentice also mentioned the value of social entrepreneurship and competitions like the Enactus World Cup. Interested Alumni can also become involved with Enactus Laurier.

“We have four different enterprises, all of which would benefit immensely from being connected to different alumni. Alumni could be advisors to different projects, become part of our alumni showcase [or] they could give feedback on our presentations,” said Prentice.

The Laurier Enactus team is now preparing to repeat their success in next year’s World Cup. “Once March rolls around we’ll compete in regionals, hopefully win, make it to nationals, hopefully win and then next year the World Cup is in Kazakhstan,” said Prentice.

For more information about the Laurier Enactus team, world cup and how to get involved, visit the Enactus Laurier website.

ADMINISTRATION

MacLatchy Appointed to Universities Canada Deborah MacLatchy speaks on new role and her dedication to students

AMICHAI ABRAHAM MANAGING EDITOR

On Oct. 25, President and Vice-Chancellor Deborah MacLatchy was appointed to the board of directors of Universities Canada.

The organization combines universities and their leaders from all across Canada. Together, they work to refine their institutions and student experience.

“I do think there is value for someone from a regional universi-

ty of our size and scope being on a board such as Universities Canada because it brings perspective,” MacLatchy said. “Being on the board provides a voice not only to Laurier, but to all similarly sized and scoped universities in Ontario and across the country.”

While part of the board’s function involves logistics and financial decision-making, they also play a pivotal role in assessing areas of focus for Canadian universities.

Sometimes, these roles extend beyond Canadian borders.

Recently, the organization sent a delegation of university presidents to the Philippines to establish partnerships under the Universities Canada umbrella.

A big priority for Universities

Canada has been indigeneity.

“Our response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission on parts where there were principles and recommendations around education and the importance of education to indigenization and decolonization - that’s where as an umbrella organization we provide support to Canadian Universities,” said MacLatchy.

MacLatchy aims for the board to look inwardly to see how operations could improve further.

“I’m interested in the internal workings of Universities Canada and how we can ensure that we’re using the best practices and learning from other organizations.”

MacLatchy does her best to stay up to date on students’ attitudes and mindsets.

This includes meeting with leaders of the Students’ Union and Graduate Students Association

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

monthly to gain perspective on students, their experience on-campus and beyond Laurier’s borders.

“I hope that students at Laurier know that I am open to sugges-

tions and dialogues about things of importance to them,” said MacLatchy. “I encourage the rest of the executive team and the vice presidents to be equally open.”

4 • NEWS

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2023

LITERATURE

Jillian horton named winner of Staebler Award 2022 winner of the Edna Staebler Award for Creative Non-Fiction announced MADALYN MOSTACCI NEWS DIRECTOR

On Nov. 9, Author Jillian Horton was named the 2022 winner of Laurier’s Edna Staebler Award for Creative Non-Fiction. Horton’s winning book is titled, ‘We Are All Perfectly Fine: A Memoir of Love, Medicine and Healing’.

Horton, who along with being an author is also a medical doctor, educator, musician and podcaster, focused on feelings of burnout in her memoir.

As described by Wilfrid Laurier University in a news release, “In the book, Dr. Horton, a gifted internist, examines her drive to reverse her family’s experience of medical ineptitude while becoming physically and psychologically exhausted by her responsibilities as a doctor, teacher and mother.”

Taking part in a mindfulness retreat opens Horton’s eyes to the breathing room she needs to fully grasp the weight of her profession and how it connects to the idea of “healing” as a connection to our inner human being and our outer sense of humanity.

The Edna Staebler award has a rich history.

“The award was endowed by Edna Stabler, and it was first presented in 1991,” said Bruce Gillespie, associate professor in the user design program and faculty lead for the Edna Staebler Award for Creative Non-Fiction.

“Edna Stabler was known for

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Horton in an interview on YouTube with “For Grief” on Apr. 1, 2022.

so many things. She had a very long and busy life. But early in her career, when she became a writer, she wasn’t sure if it was going to work.”

However, Staebler perservered.

“She won an award for one of the very first pieces she ever wrote and she always says that encouraged her to keep writing. That’s why she funded the award for an author of a first or second book to encourage them to keep going,” said Gillespie.

“It is an absolutely joyful turn of events in the middle of a few years that have not been very joyful,” said Horton in an email to The Cord. “I

am deeply grateful to be part of the Laurier community going forward, and for all of the people who work so hard and volunteer their time to make Edna’s generosity into an ongoing legacy - one that has a deep impact on writers like me.”

The recipient of the 2023 award will be announced later this winter.

Gillespie spoke on the judging process, highlighting the immense work that goes into judging.

“We go through them all, we make a long list, three of the judges then read all of those, make a short list generally and then appoint a

winner. What we’re overall looking for is a Canadian author of a first or second book of creative nonfiction.”

Horton’s memoir appeals a wide variety of audiences.

“It’s a moving story about the challenges that doctors face in Canada, but also residents learning to become doctors face in Canada,” said Gillespie. “It’s an interesting behind-the-curtain look at medicine that I think a lot of us don’t know anything about. Above that, it’s an engaging, moving and darkly funny book.”

Students may relate to Horton’s

memoir.

“Burnout is a work-related phenomenon and it isn’t specific to medicine,” said Horton. “Students today are living with many added existential pressures - climate uncertainty, cost of living increases, so much political fracture and terrible events around the world.

“All of these have the capacity to diminish your reserves when it comes to how you can deal with the stress of work, said Horton.

For more information on the Edna Staebler Award for Creative Non-Fiction and Jillian Horton, visit the university’s website.

CAMPUS

Increasing teacher diversity event held at Laurier The second annual event was hosted in Waterloo by the EDI&I Coalition MADALYN MOSTACCI NEWS DIRECTOR

On Nov. 8, the second annual Increasing Teacher Diversity event was held on the Waterloo campus.

The event hosts high school students around Waterloo and aims to inspire future students from diverse backgrounds to pursue a career in teaching.

“Diverse representation in teaching matters because we want the institution to reflect the people and the communities it serves,” said Ardavan Eizadirad, assistant professor in the faculty of education and event co-founder.

Last year, The Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Indigenization (EDI&I) Coalition at Laurier established the event.

The EDI&I itself was formed in 2020 with the goal of making the faculty of education more diverse along with the rest of the Laurier community.

“The coalition is relatively new, having started out in 2020 as a

small group being predominantly student-led with teacher candidates in the Faculty of Education,” said Eizadirad.

The Increasing Teacher Diversity event evolved from the previous year it was held. The event saw 90 to 100 students this year compared to the 45 in attendance in 2022. New programming was also offered this year.

“We’ve definitely built into the robotics and the FSL challenge.

We’ve tried to make it more holistic in terms of equity initiatives and how they intersect,” said Eizadirad.

“This year we [tried] to do an opening event by Indigenous staff who are going to do a smudging to open us up as a community for the day,” said Eizardirad.

“We [provided] an overview of [the coalition], why we have it, and how we try to support students in the Faculty of Ed, particularly those experiencing systemic barriers from equity-deserving groups.”

An overview of equity initiatives happening within the faculty of education was also outlined.

Eizadirad mentioned STEM motivation, which aims to increase

the number of students from STEM backgrounds in teaching.

Eizadad also expanded on the FSL challenge which aims to have more french speaking members in school boards.

During the Increasing Teacher Diversity event, high school students were able to participate in a Q&A with current Teacher candidates from undergrad and teacher education programs at Laurier. “[The panel members are] closer in age with the students, so we hope throughout those conversations and their Q&A that they can get a better feel for the program,” said Eizadirad.

The event wrapped up with a human library - an activity that asked students to travel between different stations that highlighted experiences of racialized teaching candidates, Indigenous faculty and French teacher candidates.

“We know an event itself is not a destination, but it’s one thing we’re trying to do as part of building relationships with schools to reach out to students from equity deserving groups, as well as others to inspire them to become teachers,” said

SADIYA TEEPLE/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER

Eizadirad.

This extends to the need for diversity among teacher demographics across Canada - specifically from racialized and minoritized groups.

“We hope with this event we plant some seeds for future high school and secondary students

to consider teaching and also connect them with folks who are in the sector to learn about how the trajectory can look like, where are the barriers and how can we mitigate it,” said Eizdirad.

Visit the university’s website for more information about the EDI&I Coaliton.

NEWS • 5

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2023 ARTS

Nasser Hussain selected as writer-in-res

FILE PHOTO

Hussain will spend ten weeks on Laurier’s Waterloo campus to write MADALYN MOSTACCI NEWS DIRECTOR

Nasser Hussain has been chosen as Laurier’s winter 2024 Edna Staebler Writer-in-Residence.

The Writer-in-Residence program and the Creative Non-Fiction Award are funded through a bequest the late author Edna Staebler left to the university.

Hussain is a poet, educator and spoken word performer, who has published four award winning books of poetry. His residency will begin in January of the new year.

“It’s a huge honor. I love the idea of acting as a mentor or teacher without having to be official,” said Hussain about the residency.

“There’s a book of sonnets which is developing, and I haven’t told anyone this, but I’m also going to try and work on a novel.”

Hussain, who currently lives in the United Kingdom, detailed his feelings regarding coming back to Canada. “[Coming back] for an extended period of time is a huge bonus for me. It brings me closer to my publisher in Toronto. There’s a number of personal and professional benefits for me - not to mention the extreme honour of being chosen

by Laurier for a very prestigious Writer-in-Residence program.”

“There’s a book of sonnets which is developing, and I haven’t told anyone this, but I’m also going to try and work on a novel.”

The Writer-in-Residence program was first established in 2012 and invites a writer to spend ten weeks at Laurier to work with the students and greater community.

“There are eight of us on the committee, including a representative from the Faculty of Arts office.

We are made up of professors in the arts, a library representative and a representative from a board of people that manage Edna Stabler’s legacy,” said Tanis Mac-

Donald, Associate Professor in the faculty of English and Film studies and chair of the search committee for the Edna Stadler Writer-in-Residence.

“We open applications usually in early spring and then we receive them until the beginning of July.

Then the committee goes to work reading before we get together for a surprisingly short meeting in which everyone comes with a short list of three people,” said MacDonald. “[Hussain] is a really interesting conceptual artist, sound poetry performer and conventional writer.

He can do it all.”

MacDonald advises anyone who’s interested to attend Hus-

sain’s talk in the Hawk Nest on January 25, and to visit his office hours for personal feedback on their work.

“Please, students at Laurier, come see me. Don’t be afraid - I’m really nice,” said Hussain.

“I really want to fill my time with amazing conversation that comes with talking about people’s art and their writing - and the things that matter the most to them,” said Hussain.

“That’s a huge privilege, and it brings me so much happiness,” he said.

For more information on the Writer-in-Residence program, visit the university’s website.

6 • NEWS

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2023

REVIEWING THE 2023 STUDENTS’ UNION BOARD OF DIRECTORS The following reviews are based on interviews conducted with members of the Students’ Union Board of Directors, as a means of reflecting on the term and evaluating their performances as representatives of Wilfrid Laurier University’s undergraduate student body.

MEGAN SPENLER

PRESIDENT

President Spenler took on her new role this year, following in the footsteps of previous President Shane Symington.

She began the year with hosting a full slate of Orientation Week activities on the Waterloo and Brantford campuses. Her presence at activities during Orientation Week was appreciated as she demonstrated her dedication to being a representative on both

MOHAMMAD ABU-RSHAID

Rshaid is engaged with the board and is punctual with his emails and reminders.

Building off the previous two chairs, Chair Abu-Rshaid has worked to support and mentor new members of the board.

He is encouraged to continue to work on keeping board meetings running on a tight schedule in order to avoid going overtime.

Described as being insightful and a perfectionist by directors, Chair Abu-

While praised for his line of questioning during meetings, Chair Abu-

Vice Chair Rubinoff is recognized for his support of the president and directors on the board.

He is also praised for his work in supporting ownership linkage committees.

While recognized by other directors for his work in supporting the chair, Vice Chair Rubinoff is encouraged to work on his

the Waterloo campus to 400 and the Brantford campus to 100.

She has a good relationship with board members and is encouraged to continue connecting with students on both campuses to continue her mandate of prioritizing the voice of undergraduate students.

President Spenler can benefit from notifying the board ahead of time if she must miss a meeting due to her busy schedule.

CHAIR

Chair Abu-Rshaid has demonstrated his passion for the board and his willingness to ask for help when needed.

**DANIEL RUBINOFF

** - NO PHOTO FOUND

campuses.

President Spenler has been an advocate for the “SU Perks” discount system, which gives Students’ Union volunteers discounts. In addition, she has also worked to link the Waterloo and Brantford student communities.

Described as hands-on, helpful to staff and interactive with the student body by other directors, President Spenler has worked to grow the Students’ Union volunteer base on

Rshaid can improve by refraining from making comments that are outside of the topic of discussion.

VICE CHAIR

participation during meetings alongside his effectiveness when being asked to run meetings himself.

Director Baldinelli has shown his dedication to the board through his strict adherence to attending board meetings.

His passion for Laurier’s Greek life has shined through in his

**PATRICK BALDINELLI

DIRECTOR

contributions to the board and he has played an active role in the oversight committee and campus safety committee.

is encouraged to continue speaking up during meetings.

Noted to have a shy demeanor, Director Baldinelli

NEWS • 7

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2023

DIRECTOR

MERON MEHARI

Director Mehari has been an active voice on the board, working to ensure that conversation surrounding funding for athletics & recreation has been productive.

Director Spizziri has contributed to the board through his role on the outreach and finance committee alongside a couple of policy committees.

As a senior member of the board, Director Spizziri has not maintained a perfect record of attendance to board meetings. During the next term, Director Spizziri is encouraged to make attending board meetings a priority alongside coming prepared.

DIRECTOR

Director Ellis has played an active role on the board through her involvement with the campus safety committee.

In addition, Director Ellis has contributed as a member of Brantford’s mock trial club. With near perfect attendance to board meetings, Director Ellis is encouraged to continue prioritizing her attendance to board meetings and committee meetings.

Director Russo has played an active role through her involvement with campus safety boothing.

An active director who speaks up frequently, Director Russo is encouraged to keep up her active participation and contributions to the board.

JOSH HAMILTON

DIRECTOR

Director Hamilton could not complete a board review with The Cord at this time.

He is encouraged to continue participating actively in board meetings and maintain regular attendance DIRECTOR

DIRECTOR

Director Phillips could not complete a board review with The Cord at this time.

He is encouraged to participate in events run by the Students’ Union, and continue to bring his unique ideas to the board as a first-year director.

COLTON PHILLIPS

HAILIE ELLIS

DIRECTOR

DIRECTOR

SEBASTIEN CORRIE Director Corrie is a well-established voice on the Students’ Union board for the Brantford campus.

Regularly noted to be one of the strongest directors on the board, Director Corrie understands board policy and regularly takes initiative when it comes to encouraging student engagement.

Described to be punctual and attentive, Director Corrie sets a strong example for other directors on the board. He takes an active role in helping new directors, assisting them in understanding the breadth of their role as a director.

Director Corrie is encouraged to maintain his exemplary work and continue to be one of the Brantford campus’s largest advocates.

DIRECTOR

JACK SLOAN Director Sloan is a productive member of the board, contributing to the finance and leadership committee.

With regular attendance to board meetings, Director Sloan brought a unique perspective to the board as a former icebreaker.

Director Sloan is encouraged to maintain his participation with the board by regularly RSVPing to board meeting invitations to make his attendance known.

DIRECTOR

GABRIELLE RUSSO

Director Baldwin is encouraged to maintain his regular attendance at board meetings and contribute to committees as he continues to establish himself as a director.

**ALFREDO DUNCAN SPIZZIRRI

Director Baldwin filled one of the two open seats on the Students’ Union board this year.

With a passion for enhancing student engagement on the Brantford campus, Director Baldwin’s passion for the Brantford campus has shined through his regular participation in board meetings.

**MITCHELL BALDWIN

Having maintained a perfect attendance record, Director Mehari is encouraged to continue participating alongside working to continue finding her voice and confidence as a new director.

08 • GAMES

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2023

Holiday Word Search • Season • Rudolph • Skating • Peppermint • Snowflake • Gingerbread • Cocoa

• Ribbon • Gift • Mistletoe • Sweater • Cozy • Toasty • Holiday

Christmas MASH Job

# of Gifts

Spouse

Location

Transport

Gift Wrapper

0

The Grinch

Whoville

Sleigh

Reindeer Trainer

2

Ebenezer Scrooge

North Pole

Sled

Gingerbread Decorator

5

Hermey the Elf

Victorian London

Skates

Toy Painter

12

Mrs Clause

Christmas Town

Snowshoes

Number Here

My Story On December 24th, I left my job as a gifts for my spouse using my

Instructions •

Pick a number from 1-10.

•

Count each of the category options until you reach the number you selected - mark it off.

•

Continue on, skipping over marked off options.

•

Circle the final option in each category.

•

Write your story!

Maze

promptly at 5:00 p.m. From there, I headed to buy . Satisfied with my purchases, I made my way back to .

PHOTO SPREAD • 9

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2023

Things to do in Waterloo this winter

Find a holiday gift for a loved one

Especially beautiful at night

Don’t forget your popcorn

Your new favourite study location

Support a local bookstore

Warm up with a hot chocolate at Midnight Run SADIYA TEEPLE/ LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER

The Blue Ribbon Panel: The financial health of Ontario’s universities Laurier — like everyone and everything else in this province, it and Stakeholder Relations in Laurier’s Students’ Union. seems — is struggling financially. Not just Laurier, but the financial sustainability of post-secondary institutions in general is “at serious “I know that’s not what [the panel] had proposed, but that’s what risk,” according to a panel of experts. we’re advocating for.”

On Nov. 15, the Blue Ribbon Panel on Postsecondary Education Financial Sustainability released a report making recommendations to the provincial government on how to improve the financial state of the sector while centering affordable and quality education for students.

The recommendations relate to six areas including funding, financial accountability, cost efficiency and effectiveness, international students, French-language education and schooling in the north.

The report finds that a freeze on provincial contributions and domestic tuition, coupled with the high inflation rates the province has been seeing, has led colleges and universities to be severely under-funded. Audits have shown colleges in Ontario receive just 44 per cent of the provincial government funds those in the rest of the country do, and universities receive just 57 per cent.

The panel recommends increases to per-student funding from the government to address high inflation.

It also suggests the province establish a “multi-year tuition framework” to slowly lift the tuition cap by increasing tuition by at least five per cent for September 2024, and an additional two per cent each year after that.

This is not an idea supported by the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance, who were invited to submit their own recommendations to the panel back in the spring. OUSA represents nine university student alliances in the province, including Laurier’s.

“We want the provincial government to freeze domestic tuition for the next five years while increasing operating grants,” said Vivian Chiem, President of OUSA and Vice President of Government

OUSA advocates for and lobbies on the behalf of undergraduate students across the province based on student-driven research gathered from projects like their bi-annual student survey. Their submission to the panel includes quotes from students who are finding it difficult to keep up with the cost of living, and who say supports like OSAP are not doing enough.

When it comes to financial aid, both the panel and OUSA agree that the province should follow in the federal government’s footsteps and remove the interest on the money loaned to students through OSAP. Both also recommend that OSAP be re-evaluated to give low and middle-income students grants only, rather than a mix of grants and loans.

Data compiled by the The Council of Finance Officers – Universities of Ontario shows that as of the 2021-22 school year more than 60 per cent of universities’ operating revenue came from student contributions, while government funding accounted for just over 30 per cent.

OUSA hopes to see that change in the future, said Chiem. “Ultimately, we would like to see operating grants through a more fair model, where students are contributing no more than a third towards institutional operating budgets,” she said.

The Auditor General of Ontario noted that because of the lack of increase of funds from domestic students, and especially the province, colleges and universities are becoming more reliant on international student tuition fees to balance their budgets.

Data released by the Waterloo Region Community Foundation shows that the total international student enrollment numbers in

WLUSP President Serena Austin delves into the financial struggles of Laurier and other post-secondary insitiutions

“Growth at Laurier…has been slow and thoughtful to ensure proper resources are in place to set students up for success in Canada,” wrote Laurier’s President, Deborah McClatchy, in an OpEd about the panel’s report that was published in The Toronto Star on Nov. 21.

Of Waterloo’s three post-secondary institutes, Laurier has seen the smallest increase in international students, from about 750 students to 1,250. But Conestoga College, which is reported to have approved the highest number of new study permits last year, only had 763 international students in 2014 compared to the nearly 12,750 enrolled in 2021.

Because of these skyrocketing enrollment numbers, the panel encourages the province to work with the Federal Government to establish a “trusted institutions framework” based on student completion rates and other factors to provide expedited visa processing services. Recognizing the role the Federal Government plays in relation to international students, OUSA is open to the panel’s recommendation, said Chiem, but more details on what that will look like are still needed.

“It’s incredibly expensive to study in Ontario as an international student,” she said. “We want to ensure international students who come to Ontario to study are provided with transparency and comprehensive supports to facilitate their settlement, and later, their post-graduation success.”

Regardless of which recommendations the province decides to accept and how they choose to implement them, Chiem hopes those in mind will “keep student affordability and accessibility at the forefront.”

Students overworking themselves to stay afloat “should not be part of the student experience,” said Chiem. “It’s just really sad to see our peers struggle.”

“

“

Waterloo’s postsecondary institutions tripled between the 2014/15 and 2021/22 school years.

We want to ensure that international students who come to Ontario to study are provided with transparency and comprehensive supports to faciliate their settlement, and later, their post- graduation success.

12 •

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2023

Arts & Life

ARTS EDITOR VACANT arts@thecord.ca

LIFESTYLE EDITOR CRYSTAL XUE lifestyle@thecord.ca

WATERLOO REGION

An international state of affairs: examining the food bank crisis BRONTE BEHLING EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ABIGAIL DOMBROVSKY OPINION EDITOR

“58,000 individuals visited the foodbank more than 450,000 times last year” said Kim Wilhelm, Interim CEO of The Waterloo Food Bank. “That’s just in the region [of waterloo].”

Subconsciously, most of us are aware that there is, to some degree, a food crisis.

As the holidays approach, so do donation bins at schools, cardboard containers in the check-out sections of big box stores and collection crates in the lobbies of condos and hotels.

Sometimes they’re full, sometimes there’s just some food lingering sporadically at the bottom.

The latter has become a more common reality - today, individuals accessing food bank services drastically outpace donations.

Many people’s lives have shifted as they grapple with the fallout from the pandemic.

Some were forced to rely on food banks for the first time ever, this is what Wilhelm calls the “new household” phenomenon which is the “largest demographic we were really concerned about,” said Wilhelm.

The Food Bank of the Waterloo Region is primarily community funded, receiving a small portion of additional funds from the region of Waterloo.

“We don’t receive anything from the Ontario or federal government,” said Wilhelm, who was hopeful but forthcoming about a potentially bleaker future for food banks.

Abigail had the opportunity to volunteer at The Food Bank of Waterloo warehouse, and in all honesty, and rather shamefully, it had not occurred to her that demand was so high until then.

The experience opened her eyes to the magnitude of produce required to keep homes afloat - and the scale of planning, manpower, goodwill and effort required to service the region. It was both remarkable and devastating.

There is a tremendous amount of technical work behind the scenes, and Wilhelm stressed that the food bank continues “to be at capacity with the complicated logistics involved.” For food bank workers, every day is Prime Day. Despite Canada’s stereotypical kindness, it’s impossible to ignore the growing resentment that has been brewing beneath the surface of well-intentioned generosity in conjunction with struggles faced by the working class.

Food banks require an allhands-on deck approach, but they can’t function properly if everyone isn’t on the same page.

In November, news broke that a food bank in Brampton had closed its doors to international students due to an increase in demand it could no longer keep up with.

Since then, people have been pointing to videos online of international students with captions (some including the laughing face and money-mouth face emoji) like “Free Free Free Free food in Canada”, “Shopping done for 0$ International student can get this” and “Why spend 100’s of dollars in grocery when you can get it for free (weekly grocery)”, suggesting that some may be taking advantage of the system.

The message conveyed by some international students when they make these videos about food banks is they’re a free-for-all. But in reality, they don’t receive nearly enough donations to match the spiking demand.

This type of content overshadows the positive videos spreading awareness about resources for those in dire need.

The number of Canadian citizens being impacted by the government’s poor legislation and policies on food, housing and labour is growing.

In a report released in 2022 by the University of Toronto, it was discovered that 18.4% of people across the ten Canadian provinces were dealing with food insecurity.

With an apparent lack of action on these issues, it seems the government has other interests, such as increasing immigration numbers. Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) reveals a whopping 75 per cent increase in International Student Study Permits from five years ago.

Amid rising concerns about affordability and accessibility of many basic necessities, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada forecasts that by 2027 the volume of applicants is supposed to hit 1.4 million newcomers.

On Oct. 23, Laurier released a press statement saying that they are dedicated to “ensuring international student growth is sustainable, ethical, and aligned with the student experience the university is known for,” will this truly be reflected?

A few days later, a news release posted by the Government of Canada notes the “opportunities to work or immigrate permanently after graduation.”

The Government of Canada also recognizes how many students have “experienced some serious challenges navigating Canada’s

International Student Program.”

58,000 individuals visited the foodbank more than 450,000 times last year.

-Kim Wilhelm, Interim CEO of the Waterloo Food Bank

One of these challenges includes navigating fraud.

Studying in Canada as an international student is very expensive, and for some students, their only chance at acceptance is to take out a loan to falsify proof that they have the financial requirements to get into a program.

Many don’t actually have the funds to support themselves beyond the initial stamp of approval.

Once they move here, international students must pay back the loan.

“Diploma mills” have been contributing to serious issues for international students and have been documented regarding the terrible end result (often, homelessness and deportation).

CBC’s Fifth Estate featured their undercover investigative film Sold a Lie (2022) that explored the predative incentives of Ontario colleges that depend on foreigners to enroll at private affiliates (institutions) to generate tens of millions in tuitions revenue, a far cry from the advertised dream of building a life here.

According to Engineers Canada, a diploma mill “sells academic degrees, diplomas, and transcripts to individuals without providing educational experience and without being recognized by an educational accrediting body.”

In an article released by CTV News Toronto on June 14, it was revealed that “roughly 700 Indian students and graduates, most of whom hail from Punjab state” were facing deportation “in connection with international study permit application scams.”

This was recognized in a statement from the Honorable Sean Fraser on June 14.

“All applicants must continue to ensure that, before applying for a study permit, they do their research, have an acceptance letter from a DLI, and refer to the official website to get information about our programs,” said Fraser.

This is a multi-faceted issue that food banks and universities cannot

FILE PHOTO

solve on their own, the federal and provincial governments need to step in to make significant changes.

Even donating to food banks has become more difficult.

“With food prices high, we aren’t getting the same level of food donations,” said Wilhelm.

But, if you have the ability to donate, Wilhelm emphasized that

canned fruits, vegetables, meat, fish and rice — preferably low sodium are the best donations. Pet food is also accepted.

“This year will be challenging because we have the volume to compete with,” said Wilhelm.

“While I can try to visually explain, until you actually for yourself come into the building and see what we do every day it’s just not the same.”

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2023

13 • ARTS & LIFE SHOPPING

Laurier’s hawk shop: holiday gifts for the golden hawks in your life this year BAILEY MCINTYRE ARTS AND LIFE EDITOR

As the holiday season approaches, consider stopping by the Hawk Shop to make your holiday purchases.

From festive options to more practical purchases, there’s something for everyone.

One of the Hawk Shop’s most popular products would be “Definitely be the four-month calendar,” said Madalyn Holcomb, a supervisor at the Hawk Shop when asked what the shop’s most popular products are.

This calendar is featured in the shop every year.

“On one side it’s a dry erase calendar, and the other is a calendar,” said Holcomb.

Definitely the fourmonth calendar. On one side it’s a dry erase calendar, and the other is a calendar.

- Madalyn Holcomb, Hawk Shop Supervisior

“The lanyard is also a popular choice at the beginning of the year,” said Holcomb.

For those looking for something cozy to wear, purchasing a sweatshirt is ideal.

“I would say that the basic Laurier Champion sweatshirt is a popular option all year. It’s nice to have the Laurier colours and a nice cozy champion sweater.”

Holcomb stated that her per-

sonal favourite part of the holiday season is the overall “vibe” during this time of year.

“The feeling you get when all the storefronts put their holiday displays in the windows and the new winter apparel comes out - I think that’s my favourite thing.”

As far as holiday shopping goes at the Hawk Shop, there are some items that are featured in the store every year such as cards, mugs, socks and stockings.

“I know that every year we do hanging Christmas globes for the tree that are customized with Laurier colours and the specific year,” said Holcomb.

“Some of them have Midas the golden hawk on them. I would recommend those to anyone graduating in 2023.”

Ready to cozy up by the fire with a loved one?

“We also do Christmas pyjamas which is a staple for the Christmas season. It’s nice because they are gender neutral,” said Holcomb.

SADIYA TEEPLE/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER

WELLNESS

How to destress during exam season BAILEY MCINTYRE ARTS AND LIFE EDITOR

The exam season takes a mental toll on everyone. Thankfully, there are ways to reduce stress and relax during this busy time.

“Feeling prepared going into an exam helps lower stress and anxiety significantly,” said MacGregor.

“If students are struggling with study skills, they can visit the Teaching and Learning Commons or book an appointment online for support with time management and study skills.”

These resources are free for Laurier students to utilize, and appointment slots open frequently.

“Sleep and rest are important. While it can be tricky, giving yourself time to rest can help ease anxiety and stress symptoms,” said MacGregor.

“Rest”, however, goes beyond sleeping.

Engaging in a hobby or activity that you enjoy, watching a movie/ show and even socializing with friends can hep you rest.

Ultimately, rest is anything that provides a break and helps you hit the “reset”.

Students should also ensure that they are eating healthy meals and taking time for mindful movement.

“Make sure you take time to eat throughout the day - it doesn’t have to be perfect. Giving your body some fuel, moving your body by going for walks and any form of exercise of yoga can boost your ability to focus for up to 2 hours,” said MacGregor.

SADIYA TEEPLE/ LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER

Sleep and rest are important. While it can be tricky, giving yourself time to rest can help ease anxiety and stress symptoms.

- Lauren MacGregor, Student Wellness Centre Counsellor

MacGregor also stressed the need for students to have a period of time in their schedule for adequate relaxation in order to avoid burnout.

“Give yourself permission to take breaks. Oftentimes students talk about feeling guilty when they aren’t studying, and avoid taking breaks.”

However, giving your brain a rest can be an effective way to increase productivity.

“Taking breaks helps your focus, lowers stress and gives your mind

and body a chance to rest and reset,” said MacGregor.

When taking breaks, students should give themselves grace.

“If those feelings of guilt creep in, notice your anxious thoughts and challenge them with more neutral, rational thoughts,” said MacGregor.

These thoughts include phrases such as “I deserve to take a break”, “taking a break will benefit my ability to focus and retain information”, or “I am not a robot, I need rest.”

“Sometimes getting support from others can be helpful,” said MacGregor.

The wellness centre plays an important role for the students as well.

“If students are struggling during exams, they are welcome to book an appointment with a counsellor ahead of time, or call/ walk-in to see if there are any same day appointments available. The centre is very much open during the exam period.”

Safety appointments for students experiencing a crisis and need immediate support are also avaliable.

These tecniques alongside courses at the wellness centre, such as Exam and Performance Anxiety can benefit those with exam anxiety.

Those interested can find out about these workshops and register on the Student Wellness Centre website.

“The Wellness Centre is offering counselling appointments in-person, or remotely by video or phone,” said MacGregor. “If a student has gone home for the exam period, they are able to access support from home as long as they are in Ontario.”

For those outside of the province, there are additional options.

“Outside of Ontario, we can help students look for appropriate services in their area if they need help over the holiday,” said MacGregor.

“The centre will be closed while the university is closed, from Dec. 22- Jan. 1, and open again on Jan 2, 2024.”

To get in contact with the Student Wellness Centre, call 519.884.0710 x3146 or email wellness@wlu.ca.

ARTS & LIFE • 14

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2023 LIVE PERFORMANCES

BAILEY MCINTYRE/ARTS AND LIFE EDITOR

Quartet stuns with hans zimmer concert BAILEY MCINTYRE ARTS AND LIFE EDITOR

Hans Zimmer has created many musical masterpieces for films over the years.

To hear them performed live by the Listeso String Quartet at Maxwell’s in Waterloo created a truly overpowering experience for the entire crowd.

This concert put on by fever presents Candlelight Concerts featured songs such as “Time” from Inception, “Cornfield Chase” from Interstellar and “Pirates of the Caribbean Suite” from its namesake.

During the concert, two mem-

bers of the Listeso String Quartet thanked the crowd for their applause in between sets.

“Not only are they super talented at what they do, they cracked jokes in between sets and made the audience feel engaged. It was a great experience and I would love to go see them again,” said Taylor Louzon, a student from the University of Waterloo.

Maxwells in Waterloo was the

ideal location for this event, as the darkness of the venue paired with dozens of lit candles contributed to the musical atmosphere.

Tickets for this event ranged from $35 to $65 plus tax.

Section A ranged from the first three rows of the venue priced at approximately $65 plus tax.

Although the atmosphere is the main reason to attend an event like this, the front row seats make for

much more of an immersive and engaging experience.

If you can purchase front row tickets for the next Candlelight Concert event you attend, I highly recommend it.

The Listeso String Quartet will be returning to Maxwells in Waterloo on Jan. 12, 2024.

Tickets are currently available for the next event through the feverup website.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2023

15 • ARTS & LIFE CAMPUS CLUBS

Women in Leadership Laurier’s little library returns to campus MAYA CARSKY WILL VOLUNTEER

For all the book lovers out there, Women in Leadership Laurier’s (WILL) Little Library made its return on Dec. 4.

WILL introduced their little library in November of 2022 for the first time.

All Proceeds from this event were donated to the Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region.

The swift return of WILL’s Little Library was prompted by the success of the first, which occurred in mid-October.

“The first book drive went so well. It was so fun to see students getting excited about picking up a new book, especially at a low price.

Lots of people were asking us if we were planning another book drive later in the year,” said Charlotte Cousens, WILL’s Vice-President of Internal.

The first book drive went so well. It was so fun to see students getting excited about picking up a book, especially at a low price.

- Charlotte Cousens, Vice President of Internal

To participate, all students had to do was bring a book of their own to exchange for a new one.

Bookmarks were sold for $1 and $2, and books were also sold for $5 for those who didn’t have one to exchange.

In addition, by engaging with a little library, attendees entered a book giveaway featuring highly sought after authors.

This giveaway included signed works from two acclaimed authors: Kate Quinn and Brianna Wiest.

Previously, Colleen Hoover and

POETRY

Chanel Miller were the giveaway authors.

“The giveaway was a huge driver of our success. Since the books were donated by Colleen Hoover and Chanel Miller, it allowed us to leverage their names to attract attention,” said Cousens. “The student traffic generated by the giveaway allowed us to generate $240 in revenue that will be donated to the Women’s Crisis Center of Waterloo Region.”

The central focus of WILL’s Little Library was its charitable mission to support the Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region.

Supporting causes that empower women and children in their journey to overcome violence aligns with the club’s fundamental objective of supporting women through their journey to reach their goals.

By participating in WILL’s Little Library, students were contributing to a great cause that resonates with compassion and support.

More information can be found on WILL’s Instagram @willaurier or @willmentorship to learn about WILL’s mentorship program.

CHARLOTTE COUSENS/ VP OF INTERNAL WILL

LIZZDREW TAKE ON THE ‘LOO

Down the rabbit hole at the White Rabbit ANDREW EATON VOLUNTEER CONTRIBUTOR ELIZABETH MENDEZ VOLUNTEER CONTRIBUTOR

The woe of fall BRONTE BEHLING / EDITOR -IN-CHIEF

ABEER SALLIM VOLUNTEER CONTRIBUTOR

Before the woe of fall I wonder if leaves Know their fathers From the forest crown To the quiet ground If the birds will sing And nest a knot Of twigs and sharp thorns Among the top Families will grow Before leaves will rot The soil beneath Will catch them softly While people watch Hands on their coffee

Pointing at the the crown Of empty boughs And the maple mounds The roots will welcome The leaves, all brown And teach it, of its father With the peace of the ground Their life is not wasted Re-birthed when the sounds Of birds and summer Comes back around Their fathers will be standing To find them again While they wait For the final wind against winter Before the final woe of fall

To eat, or not to eat? That is the question we went out to answer.

This month we chose to eat at White Rabbit, a lovely spot just a stone’s throw away from Laurier at 47 King Street North.

One short bus trip on the 7 will take you to this cozy restaurant and bar that offers food, beverages (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic), live music and an overall good time.

To begin our meal, we ordered their Rabbit classic cocktails – fruity and flavourful — the Rabbit Sour and Black Sabbath; both short of $10.

As we enjoyed the plethora of T.V.s and music available at the venue, we ordered a Rabbit signature – their arugula and artichoke dip.

Although portioned small and not stacking up to the head honcho of appetizer dips (Wilfs spin dip), it packed a nice punch of savoury flavours.

It also featured some of the best and most seasoned chips we have ever experienced at a restaurant.

Chips took stage over the aforementioned dip.

SADIYA TEEPLE/ LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER

From there, Lizzie enjoyed a fan favourite — fish tacos with a side of caesar salad.

The combination of spice and zing added to a wonderful collection of flavour profiles.

Any university student looking for a filling meal will find it with this dish.

Andrew ordered the crispy chicken sandwich with a side of chips combined with guacamole and sour cream.

Again, the chips were a major highlight (especially in harmony

with a refreshingly spicy guac), but the sandwich with all the fixings was also highly enjoyable.

Overall, White Rabbit is a convenient and moderately priced, go-to spot for any university student.

It would be an excellent place to sit down and have a couple drinks with friends.

Overall ratings: Ambiance: 9 out of 10 (great decor and live music, but definitely an older crowd) Drinks: 9 out of 10 Food: 8 out of 10 Affordability: 7.5 out of 10

ARTS & LIFE • 16

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2023 CAMPUS EVENTS

ESA bookmark paint night event a success BAILEY MCINTYRE ARTS & LIFE EDITOR

On Nov. 23 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the Dr. Alvin Woods Building (DAWB), the English Student Association (ESA) hosted a “Paint & Sip” bookmark painting event.

All applicants who entered the competition had the chance to win a $20 Indigo gift card for their artistic efforts.

ESA is a student-run club for English and Film majors that wish to participate in events related to their major.

The ESA has hosted a few events throughout the fall term such as a Halloween party, book launch event, trivia night and a paint night in the DAWB. The “Sip” portion of the event featured mocktails from Wilf’s Bar alongside cookies, chips and chocolate.

At the event, there were tables set up with watercolour paint supplies to use on canvas bookmarks or blank canvases pages.

Participants exercised their creativity while listening to a collection of songs from Taylor Swift, Suki Waterhouse and Harry Styles.

Ava Seca, a first-year student

BAILEY MCINTYRE/ ARTS & LIFE EDITOR

and volunteer writer for The Cord, attended the event.

“It seemed fun and I invited a friend to come with me,” said Seca.

During the event there were multiple talented works of bookmark art on display.

This included a sunflower painting alongside works featuring mov-

ie references (primarily Disney) alongside Taylor Swift lyrics.

“I loved my time at the event.

It was my second time attending an ESA event, and I look forward to attending more in the future,” said Seca. “The ESA has given me a chance to unwind with my friends and bond with classmates over

shared interests.”

Organizers from ESA made sure the event ran smoothly, taking the time to socialize with those who attended.

“I appreciate how friendly the organizers of the event were and how open the space was for everyone to just relax and enjoy

themselves. I’d love to be a part of the ESA one day, and I’m so excited for the future events to come,” said Seca.

If you are interested in attending an event in the future you can follow ESA @esawlu on Instagram or email them at wlubesa@gmail.com to be added to their mailing list.

• 17

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2023

Editorial

OPINION EDITOR ABIGAIL DOMBROVSKY opinion@thecord.ca

Editors Note: An artist in a sea of “better” options BRONTE BEHLING EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

As December often causes us to look back on our year, I (for one) find myself contemplating what “could” have been. In a moment where I chose to not use my voice, what might have happened had I chosen to use it?

Moving into 2024 as a Laurier alum, I’d be lying if I said I have everything figured out.

In fact, this is the first time in my life where I’m not sure what the end of the year will bring me. This is both exciting, and terrifying.

If you’re currently in your final year at Laurier, I’m sure you’re also experiencing similar emotions, especially if you’re on the job hunt.

After four years of endless readings and assignments you’d think it would be easier to land a job.

This is not the reality, however.

Especially for those of us who have

chosen to work in a creative field.

If there is one thing I’ve learned so far on my career journey, it’s that connections are everything (unfortunately, if you’re also an introvert most of the time.)

Networking is important, and being able to sell yourself well matters. I know, it sucks.

In a competitive job market where there are hundreds of applicants for a job you want, having a connection to someone else already working in the field you’re in can help ensure that your application actually gets looked at.

While that may sound like you’re using people to make connections, it is more of a give-andtake. This is especially important in creative industry, where word of mouth is everything.

Simply discussing my chosen art with people has lead to work opportunities I could have never imagined.

It led me here, to The Cord (which is pretty cool).

Keep your head up, Golden Hawks - all that studying will be worth it.

EDITORIAL CARTOON

HALEY RICHARDS/CREATIVE DIRECTOR

The wild west of the pro-wrestling world AMICHAI ABRAHAM MANAGING EDITOR

THE CORD IS PUBLISHED BY WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY STUDENT PUBLICATIONS 205 REGINA ST. N., WATERLOO

WLUSP ADMINISTRATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS

DIRECTOR Jack Vrolyk

CHAIR Serena Austin

TREASURER Madalyn Mostacci

VICE-CHAIR Jacob Rice

SECRETARY Maryka Van Wyngaarden

COMMUNITY DIRECTOR Rosalind Horne COMMUNITY DIRECTOR Shelby Blackley

PRESIDENT Serena Austin president@wlusp.com FINANCE MANAGER Randy Moore randy@pv3tax.com ADVERTISING MANAGER Kurtis Rideout ads@wlusp.com EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Aaron Waitson

ed@wlusp.com HR MANAGER Lia McGinnis hr@wlusp.com

Pro-wrestling goes through phases, not only within the onscreen product but also within wrestling’s broader appeal in the mainstream.

It may be hard to believe, but there was a time not long ago when wrestling went mainstream.

The masses frequently discussed weekly wrestling episodes, sharing their thoughts on recent happenings in a fictitious wrestling universe.

This period is remembered today as the ‘Attitude Era’ and lasted from about 1997 until 2001.

It was an era defined by raunchy entertainment and dramatic storytelling featuring characters that, while larger than life, were often relatable.

Two wrestling companies, the (then) WWF and WCW, competed every Monday night with their weekly shows to see who would get more viewers.

The attitude era was long ago.

Since then, there hasn’t been a time when wrestling reached similar heights of popularity.

The attitude era set the bar so high that I find it unlikely that another period will come along that’s equally as popular during my lifetime.

With that said, over the last six

months or so, it seems that wrestling is as popular as it’s ever been since the attitude era.

While the raunchier elements have since been omitted from much of the programming, the dramatic flairs have returned with a vengeance.

The stories are elevated by engaging, charismatic, and talented personalities that have resonated with fans.

Roman Reigns, who several years ago was the whipping boy of the wider wrestling community, has reinvented himself into the devious, dangerous, and cunning ‘Tribal Cheif.’ His multi-year-long world title reign is already the stuff of legend.

When he is eventually dethroned, the new champion will have one of the most talked about victories of all time.

Maxwell Jacob Freedman (better known as MJF) has an oldschool wrestling mentality that has translated into the modern world very well.

In my opinion, his charisma is unmatched, his in-ring work is exponentially improving and his character is one of the most unique in wrestling.

Crazy as it may sound, Logan Paul is a great wrestler.

I know that there are many reasons to dislike Paul; however, this near-universal aversion works to Paul’s advantage in the squared circle.

He makes for a fantastic bad guy, knowing exactly how to become the most hated person in any arena he enters.

He’s a surprisingly talented wrestler with great athleticism.

His media following and celebrity status have undoubtedly put more eyes on wrestling since his debut.

Last but certainly not least, there’s CM Punk. Punk is perhaps the most interesting man in wrestling today.

He shook the wrestling landscape in 2021 when he returned to in-ring competition for WWE’s rival company, AEW, after not competing for the prior seven years.

Then, he imploded the wrestling landscape at the end of this past November when he returned to WWE. This is something that most fans believed would never happen.

Characters like these and the rivalry between WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) and its new competitor, AEW (All Elite Wrestling), have provided fans with some of the best wrestling and storytelling witnessed in decades.

CM Punk’s WWE return and Randy Orton’s long-awaited return at the same show attracted many new or returning fans to WWE. After the returns, their most recent weekly show sported a 29% ratings increase from the week prior.

Celebrities, sports personalities and, most importantly, regular people are discussing wrestling once again.

This may be a flash in the pan for pro-wrestling, but who knows, perhaps the next boom period has just begun.

18 •

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2023

Opinon

OPINION EDITOR ABIGAIL DOMBROVSKY opinion@thecord.ca

Giving is better than getting this season ABIGAIL DOMBROVSKY OPINION EDITOR

Although there’s nothing quite like the feeling of receiving a thoughtful holiday gift from someone special during the holidays, there’s also nothing like curating a personal gift that you know will be greatly appreciated by another person.

In my opinion, the process of creating a gift tailored to another individual’s personal preferences with a thoughtful element of surprise is underrated.

Gift giving can represent many things to different people, but above all, it represents consideration.

This consideration is made up of a brief moment shared between two people, in which someone enthusiastically mentioned a personal interest and someone else understood it.

The corresponding gift bought due to this consideration of someone else could be as personal as something related to someone’s

display case at home - or as easy as getting someone a Starbucks gift card to help them keep up with their workaholic schedule.

A gift can be a demonstration of attentiveness - a physical embodiment of validation that someone has, in fact, listened to a story we told.

Remembering something small that made a positive impact can really make someone’s cold winter day just that much warmer (on the inside).

The art of noticing refers to how an individual notices elements of the world around them; their ability to reflect on how other people interact and make sense of the world in conjunction with how the individual constructs meaning from these factors.

It’s about being present and observant.

One can use the art of noticing to optimize their gift-making strategy such that it holistically represents the person they are thinking of.

This strategy is also a great grounding technique that allows us to wholly experience the world.

I like to incorporate the art of noticing into the way I curate gifts whether it’s arts & crafts, handmade clothing or practical items

for all purposes.

The organic nature of handmade objects will always have a timeless value, independent of the unforgiving culture of trends and hypercapitalism.

I believe that packaging, wrapping and intricately interwoven ribbons are essential to upholding the spirit of presenting a gift.

This once again ensures that undivided attention went into the process of creating the gift that should be unique - just like its recipient.

I once purchased a jacket from a girl online. In the coming weeks, I waited patiently for my parcel to arrive. When I finally had the chance to open it, there was a small, delicately hand painted piece of canvas inside with the jacket.

It depicted a pastel-toned morning at the beach, entirely unrelated to anything we had discussed or my purchase.

Her handwritten letter thanked me for my business, and hoped that I liked the painting (which I have on my wall).

Another time, an overnight coworker left a drawing of my favorite video game character on a sticky note stuck to my computer so that I would see it first thing in the

FILE PHOTO

morning. I believe that it’s through small gestures that showcase time delegated towards an act of passion that brings people together.

Whether it’s your parents randomly bringing a bowl of fruit to your room or your partner surprising you with a bouquet of flowers

just because, brief moments in time like a sincere smile flashed from the recipient are captured in our memories long after the moment has passed.

It’s why I like to think it’s called a present - a small piece of time encapsulated in the present.

What your chosen library floor says about you AMICHAI ABRAHAM MANAGING EDITOR

I spend a lot of time in the library. I work, I procrastinate, I procrastinate and I procrastinate.

The Laurier Library has seven floors, and after spending so much time there over the years, I’ve noticed a distinct personality that can be applied to each floor.

Here are those personalities - if you disagree with any of these perspectives, just remember that my opinions are indisputable facts.

Ground floor Let’s be honest: The only time you’ve been on this floor is when you were new to the library and didn’t know that the second floor was the main level.

Otherwise, this place might as well be Narnia. If you use this floor, it’s because you died down there, so you’re forced to remain there as a ghost. My question is, why were you down there in the first place?

Second floor (main) So what, you didn’t want to climb the stairs? You couldn’t bear to wait for the elevator? This is your punishment: forced to remain on the most populated floor in the

HALEY RICHARDS/ CREATIVE DIRECTOR

library.

Communal yet lonely, this floor is a mixing pot of those who claim they work better with background noise. At least you have the art gallery; that’s something, right?

Third floor Yup, you’re chill. There’s a bit of chatter, but either it doesn’t bother you, you didn’t come here to work in the first place, or you’re chattering yourself. Sure, some of the upper-floor snobs might look down on you, but if you’re on the third floor you don’t care what they have to say. You’re on the third

floor, and you know what you’re going to get.

Fourth floor Ah, yes, the fourth floor. The forgotten younger brother of the third floor. Sure, it may seem like it’s an elder sibling on its face but if you dig deeper you’d realize that they’re not the same.

If you come here with a group, there’s minimal work getting done.

There’s a 50/50 chance you either catch someone non-discretely vaping or are someone non-discretely vaping. Even the layout just feels silly. The only reason

you don’t go to the third floor is because you want to feel different.

I hope it was worth your soul.

Fifth floor Please don’t hurt me if you’re reading this and this is your floor.

You work solo; that goes without question.

You’re serious, you’re studying and you’re scaring me. This floor looks like a serial killer laid it out organized, but the closer you look, the more you see the chaos spilling out of the shelves.

Don’t explore this floor unless you have an experienced guide.

Otherwise, you risk being swallowed whole.

Sixth floor Unironically, the quietest floor.

It is the floor for those who fear the above, silent seven. They have everything it takes to climb that last flight of stairs, but they worry about making a peep.

Thus, they resign themselves to the sixth floor. As a result, you will find Laurier’s most respectful, quietest, and studious students.

As someone who works on the seventh floor, I beseech you please come up, we need you.

Seventh floor The seventh floor is my floor of choice, and I have noticed a clear trend.

Most of its inhabitants respect the ‘silent seven’ rule, where noise must be kept to an absolute minimum. However, I swear, every time some guy respectfully studies, his buddies show up.

They care not for silent sevenThey are talking, laughing, and treating this sacred ground like the fourth floor.

What are the others to do? They move to a different part of the library, act like a stereotypical rickety librarian by asking them to be quiet or just cope with the noise.

So, which floor do you inhabit?

Hopefully I’ve made you reconsider your choices.

19 •

Sports

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2023 SPORTS EDITOR NATASHA GIANNANTONIO sports@thecord.ca

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Women’s team grounds the Guelph Gryphons in brutal second matchup Laurier’s women’s basketball team beats the gryphons 61-59 in nailbiting game to tie the season

NATE SABETA SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR

The Laurier Golden Hawks played the Guelph Gryphons, coming off a loss against the same basketball team.

Laurier’s Miranda Campbell nearly squeaked out a double-double with eight points, nine rebounds and two assists to beat the Gryphons 60-59 on Saturday to tie the season’s series 1-1.

The free-throw story was huge for Laurier as they finished the game 15-19 from the charity stripe.

Guelph sat at 5-13.

The game demonstrated the “fake a pass to make a pass” philosophy said Campbell.

In the third quarter, the Golden Hawks were riddled by turnovers.

However, this didn’t affect their demeanor, and they kept pushing on defence to make up for the turnovers.

“We have definitely worked on that in practice, but they are a very

POUYAN SHIRZADI/ATHLETICS

strong team,” was Campbell’s take on the turnovers.

Nonetheless, the Golden Hawks went on a 9-4 run to conclude the final three minutes of the quarter.

This finally put them in striking range entering the fourth quarter.

The game went down to the wire.

When the final buzzer went off, the score was 61-59, and the crowd

erupted with emotion.

In the midst of celebration, there was an unexpected foul call on a three-point attempt by the Gryphons from the left wing.

With no time left on the game clock, the Gryphons were three made free-throws away from a win and two made free-throws away from overtime.

Missing all three free-throws, the Gryphons allowed Laurier to secure their long fought for huge win at home.

The crowd erupted for the second time of the night and the game ended 61-59 for the Laurier Golden Hawks.

After the game Campbell shared her thoughts on the win, “It was

honestly such a great feeling. I’m really happy that we secure that win, we worked really hard for it.”

The win brings Laurier to 5-3 on the season.

This win boosts their morale going forward as they make the trip 90 minutes east to “The Big Smoke” to play the powerhouse squad at Toronto Metropolitan University.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

The dim of the golden streak: Hawks fall to Guelph Gryphons in epic clash

Men’s basketball team fails to make the landing

NATE SABETA SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR

In a thrilling matchup between the Laurier Golden Hawks and the Guelph Gryphons, the Golden Hawks saw their six-game winning streak come to an end.

Despite beating Guelph earlier in the week, Laurier was unable to secure back-back wins.

This is estimated to be due to defensive and offensive struggles.

The game, which held high stakes for Laurier, turned out to be a test.

Grappling with extreme defensive lapses, especially in the first three quarters, Laurier allowed Guelph to score at least 25 points in each.

But what will their games look like moving forward?

Three quarters of 20+ points scored is not us, it’s not in our DNA.

- Justin Serresse, Coach of Laurier Men’s Basketball

Coach Justin Serresse acknowledged the team’s shortcomings and emphasized that in back-toback games, the Golden Hawks have had challenges on the defensive end, “Three quarters of 20+ points scored is not us, it’s not in our DNA.” Offensively, Laurier encountered difficulties, particularly from the three-point line and the freethrow line.

The team’s usual consistency in these facets of the game eluded them on Saturday night finishing 50% from the line and 26% from the beyond the arc.

Coach Serresse remained optimistic, stating, “I’m very process driven – we’ll recap and figure it out for the next game.”

On a positive note, Laurier’s Ethan Passley made his return after being out for six games.

As a leader of the team, his presence was evident as he put up 16 points off the bench and helped ground the second unit.

Looking ahead, Laurier is up against Toronto Metropolitan University and Brock before the winter break.

These two games serve as a prime opportunity for Laurier to go out there and show everyone that they’re a force to be reckoned with.

When asked if the following two games would serve as a measuring stick for the Golden Hawks, Coach Serresse responded with, “100%, that’s exactly what I told them.”

POUYAN SHIRZADI/ CORD PHOTOGRAPHY

20 • SPORTS

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2023

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Laurier men’s basketball team ends Badger efforts Laurier comes away with end of term basketball win

NATE SABETA SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR

The Laurier Golden Hawks hosted the Brock Badgers to a competitive showcase of defensive discipline and clutch offensive possessions.

The Golden Hawks finished the game with a 77-75 win over the Badgers and improved to 8-2 on the season.

“We know what we can do, it’s a matter of going out playing every game as hard as you can, no matter who you’re playing. And obviously actions speak for itself,” Laurier’s Taye Donald expressed after the game.

The Golden Hawks and Badgers remained low scoring throughout the first quarter, featuring some physicality on the block and a

resounding block by forward Nana Boateng on the Golden Hawks squad.

Three’s by Benhur Gebrekidan and Vladimir Lukomski pushed Laurier into a strong end to the first quarter.

The game stayed close in the second quarter, and Laurier demonstrated their unselfishness by swinging the ball from wing to wing seeking the best shot and capitalized with an easy bucket down low by Boateng.

As the quarter progressed the crowd was getting more involved after Donald scored a crafty layup bringing the crowd to their feet.

In the third quarter the Badgers struck to extend their lead to 11 points with two minutes to go in the quarter. Laurier was much in need of a perfect ten minutes of basketball on both ends of the court.

As the fourth quarter began, the Hawks Lukomski, Boateng and Donald stepped up to encourage

the team to finish the game strong.

“They have to keep each other accountable, and it speaks volumes when it comes from other players who are leaders – as a team we all have to push a similar agenda and say it in our own way with the same sense of urgency and passion for what we do,” said head coach Justin Serresse.

Starting the fourth quarter down nine points, the Golden Hawks battled to get back in the game.

They played phenomenal defense to get extra offensive possessions.

In the last 90 seconds of the game Laurier trailed by ten points and began to surge toward the end.

With a series of free throws and a clutch steal, Deandrae Pierre knocked down a huge three pointer bringing the score to tie the game 75-75.

Seconds later Laurier forced a turnover and had possession for the final 19 seconds.

With four seconds left Donald

POUYAN SHIRZADI/LAURIER ATHLETICS

was fouled and sent to the line.

He hit two clutch free throws putting the Golden Hawks up 77-75.

With the Badger having four seconds left, they drew up a play and missed the game winning

three-point attempt, leaving the Golden Hawks victorious after a hard-fought game.

Coach Serresse encapsulated the team’s mindset, perfectly stating, “It was good, but they want to get better.”

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Golden Hawks win against Brock Badgers Women’s team triumphs with 61-60 win

NICOLE LOVISOTTO LEAD SPORTS REPORTER

In an intense match-up at their home court, the Laurier Golden Hawks women’s basketball team clinched a victory over the Brock Badgers in their final home game of 2023.

The match marked the Golden Hawks fourth straight win at home.

The first quarter saw a fierce battle with Brock taking an early lead of 17-11.

However, the Golden Hawks weren’t prepared to settle.

In the second quarter, they came back strong, including a three-pointer from Kate White and an aggressive defensive strategy that led to turnovers and critical scoring opportunities.

Despite Brock’s efforts, Laurier’s Janet Enge pushed to score 5 points at the end of the quarter that narrowed the gap.

The third quarter was a testament to Laurier’s resilience.

Cassidy Hirtle’s three-pointer

was a highlight, showing the Golden Hawks’ determination to close the scoring gap.

Dylann Mazzuchin showcased her talent with two points, directly followed by a three-pointer putting Laurier one point away from tying the game.

The quarter ended with Laurier leading by a narrow margin of 5150, thanks to a buzzer beater three.

Entering the fourth quarter, Laurier maintained their aggressive offensive approach.

The game’s intensity peaked as both teams battled fiercely for the lead.

Enge, once again, delivered a crucial three-pointer that pushed Laurier ahead 59-53. However, Brock was relentless, closing the gap to a single point in the final minutes.

In a do or die final, Laurier managed to secure their victory with a final score of 61-60.

The team is set to kick off 2024 with a matchup against the Western Mustangs in London, Ontario on January 5th.

This win marks a significant achievement for the Golden Hawks, as they celebrate their last home game of 2023 with a memorable victory.