THE TIE THAT BINDS WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY SINCE 1926
VOLUME 58 ISSUE 9 • OCTOBER 25, 2017
This is Halloween Spooky urban legends come to life Arts & Life, page 10
LIFELINK RETURNS
CRITTERS OFF CAMPUS
HORROR VIDEO GAMES
TOO OLD FOR HALLOWEEN
ON TO THE PLAYOFFS
Pro-life group met with counter protest
Student housing unit infested with roaches
Terrifying experiences in first person
Why there should be no age on fun
Golden Hawks earn bye in exciting game
News, page 3
News, page 6
Arts & Life, page 12
Opinion, page 15
Sports, page 18 MADELINE MCINNIS/CREATIVE DIRECTOR
2 •
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2017
VOCAL CORD
What will be the most popular costume this year?
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PHOTO OF THE WEEK
“Spiderman.” –Iris Song, third-year financial math
“Harley Quinn.” –Kayla Greenham, firstyear music
GARRISON OOSTERHOF/WEB DIRECTOR
Kurleigh Gittens Jr. and Daniel Bennett celebrate the Golden Hawks recent victory against McMaster, where they earned a bye and broke three records.
“Trump.” –Josh Hortaleza, thirdyear computer science
THIS DAY IN HISTORY: OCT. 25
Want to have your voice heard? Submit a letter to the editor.
“Human fidget spinner.”
thecord.ca/submit-letter-editor/
1784: Governor Frederick Haldimand grants the Iroquois land along the Grand River and Bay of Quinte 1881: Pablo Picasso is born Spain 1923: Frederick Banting & John Macleod win Nobel prize for develping hormone insulin 1964: The Rolling Stones appeared for the first time on the Ed Sullivan Show
–Joseph Small, thirdyear economics and accounting
1968: The Jimi Hendrix Experience releases the double album Electric Ladyland 1980: AC/DC score their first Top 40 hit with “You Shook Me All Night Long” 2010: Rob Ford elected Mayor of Toronto
Compiled by Erin Abe Photos by Luke Sarazin NEXT ISSUE NOVEMBER 1, 2017
CORD STAFF
FEATURES EDITOR Karlis Wilde features@thecord.ca
LEAD REPORTER Erin Abe news@thecord.ca
ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Shyenne MacDonald arts@thecord.ca
LEAD SPORTS REPORTER Abdulhamid Ibrahim sports@thecord.ca
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kurtis Rideout editor@thecord.ca
OPINION EDITOR Emily Waitson opinion@thecord.ca
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Madeline McInnis creative@thecord.ca
SPORTS EDITOR Pranav Desai sports@thecord.ca
WEB DIRECTOR Garrison Oosterhof online@thecord.ca
GRAPHICS EDITOR Alan Li graphics@thecord.ca
NEWS DIRECTOR Safina Husein news@thecord.ca
PHOTO EDITOR Tanzeel Sayani photos@thecord.ca
NEWS EDITOR Jake Watts news@thecord.ca
WEB ASSISTANT Kate Weber editor@thecord.ca
NEWS EDITOR Nathalie Bouchard news@thecord.ca
VIDEO EDITOR Sarah Tyler video@thecord.ca
LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER Luke Sarazin photos@thecord.ca SENIOR COPY EDITOR Michael Oliveri copyeditor@thecord.ca SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR Danielle Deslauriers socialmedia@thecord.ca
CONTRIBUTORS
EDITOR’S CHOICE
Leah Shaw Victoria Berndt Tyler Currie Sara Burgess Caitlyn Lourenco Megan Pitt Chris Luciantonio Aaron Hagey Sakib Sadman Rahman Ahmad Faiq Dotun Jide John McMorran Alex Pham Amareena Dhillon Brittany Tenhage Evangeline Hunt Tyler Currie Jessi Wood Serena Truong
“Outlook study shows challenges” by Pranav Desai
ADVERTISING INQUIRIES All advertising inquiries can be directed to Care Lucas at care.lucas@wlusp.com or 519-884-0710 ext. 3560.
COLOPHON The Cord is the official student newspaper of the Wilfrid Laurier University community. Started in 1926 as the College Cord, The Cord is an editorially independent newspaper published by Wilfrid Laurier University Student Publications, Waterloo, a corporation without share capital. WLUSP is governed by its board of directors. Opinions expressed within The Cord are those of the author and do not necessarily refl ect those of the editorial board, The Cord, WLUSP, WLU or CanWeb Printing Inc. All content appearing in The Cord bears the copyright expressly of their creator(s) and may not be used without written consent. The Cord is created using Macintosh computers running OS X 10.10 using Adobe Creative Cloud. Canon cameras are used
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PREAMBLE The Cord will keep faith with its readers by presenting news and expressions of opinions comprehensively, accurately and fairly. 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. The staff of The Cord shall uphold all commonly held ethical conventions of journalism. When an error of omission or of commission has occurred, that error shall be acknowledged promptly. When statements are made that are critical of an individual, or an organization, we shall give those affected the opportunity to
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Quote of the week: “Pranav is distant enought emotionally and physically that he is the true daddy of this office.” - Arts & Life Editor, Shyenne MacDonald, on the true pecking order of The Cord.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2017
News
• 3
NEWS DIRECTOR SAFINA HUSEIN news@thecord.ca
NEWS EDITOR NATHALIE BOUCHARD news@thecord.ca
NEWS EDITOR JAKE WATTS news@thecord.ca
ADVOCACY
ProLife display sparks a protest SAFINA HUSEIN NEWS DIRECTOR
On Oct. 24 and 25, Laurier LifeLink held their annual Pro-Life chalking display on public sidewalks in front of the LazaridisSchool of Business and Economics main entrance and in front of the main entrance to the university. Laurier LifeLink is a non-sectarian pro-life club dedicated to bringing awareness to core human rights issues such as abortion, and also bringing awareness to local pregnancy resources. The display included various Pro-Life facts, slogans and affirmations which were written onto the sidewalk. Jonah Vanleeuwen, vice-president of Laurier LifeLink, said that the main goal of the chalk display was to raise awareness in regards to abortion. “From my experience I’ve found that a lot of people we talk to don’t know about all the facts or statistics around abortion,” he said. “The thing I want to get out of it is to have conversations with people who just had no idea about any of the facts about abortion or the laws that are in Canada against abortion and those kinds of things … that’s a great benefit,” he said. The evening prior to the event, on Oct. 24, Laurier’s Students’ Union posted about the event on their Facebook page, informing students about the demonstration. “Should you choose to avoid the displays, it is suggested that you take an alternative route/entrance to these locations. Signage will be
provided to assist in identifying the locations of these displays,” the post read. The Students’ Union also posted various resources for students who required them during and after the event, such as the Diversity and Equity Office, Laurier’s Student Wellness Centre, amongst others. Ensuing the Students’ Union post informing students of the upcoming event the next morning, students in opposition to the ProLife display began to create plans for a peaceful protest.
What’s making me glow inside this morning is that we can have this dialogue ... It’s a completely respectful interchange of that dialogue ...
-Eden Hennessey, pro-choice student protester
The protest consisted of a group of students who voiced their opinions by writing Pro-Choice statements on the same sidewalk to contrast views. “No one wants to have an abortion, it’s not something pleasant— we know that. But people have the right to choose. And it’s important that we’re out here and that we make sure that people who have gone through this know that they
have support and that it’s okay,” Sara Ashtiani, fifth year biology and psychology student at Laurier, said. The group of students also stood with signs outside the main entrance of Laurier on University Avenue and Hazel Street. “What’s making me glow inside this morning is that we can have this dialogue … It’s a completely respectful interchange of that dialogue which is awesome, I think it says a lot about the school. And so far we’re getting a lot of support from the community,” Eden Hennessey, PhD student in psychology at Laurier, said. “We feel that our views are supported, we feel supported as women and as advocates for reproductive rights, we feel like we’re doing our piece.” Vanleeuwen said, however, that LifeLink welcomes the peaceful protestors and appreciates their perspective. “It’s a very sensitive subject. It’s really important that we try and cater to that so we’re not offending anyone. The last thing we want to do is shame women or harm women or any of those kinds of things,” Vanleeuwen said. In order to ensure that the statements written would avoid harm to other students, Laurier LifeLink met with the Students’ Union. “We made sure all of our facts and slogans were worded in order to reduce harm and we’ve done all that,” Vanleeuwen said Members of Laurier LifeLink were also posted outside during the event. The purpose of the
SAFINA HUSEIN/NEWS DIRECTOR
Students protest the Pro-Life chalk display by holding Pro-Choice signs.
postings, said Vanleeuwen, was to ensure that students are aware of the reasoning behind the display. “It’s important for Laurier students to be aware that there is a diversity of opinions around reproductive issues — so that’s really
why we’re here,” Hennessy said. “Not to deface, not to destruct, but rather to simply add a different perspective so that students know that if they’re experiencing these issues they have another group of people to talk to.”
FOOD BANK
Halloween for Hunger provides for students ALEX PHAM CORD NEWS
The Laurier Waterloo Food Bank (LWFB) will be hosting their twelfth annual Halloween for Hunger food drive on Oct. 28, 2017. Every year for Halloween for Hunger, the LWFB sets out to collect donations of non-perishable food items and groceries for the food bank. Anthony Tomizza, vice-president of programming and services for Wilfrid Laurier University’s Students’ Union, is hoping for a good turnout of volunteers and collections this year. “The goal is to go out into the community and get canned foods and foods that we can use for our food bank system for students,” Tomizza said. “Essentially, instead of asking for candy at the doors they’re asking for food that students may have that’s leftover that they’re not using.” Volunteers are divided into groups who then set out into the neighbourhoods surrounding the
SERENA TRUONG/GRAPHIC ARTIST
Laurier campus. “We have a lot of teams that go out into most of the surrounding residential areas around the school, mostly to target students,” Tomizza said. The LWFB provides a valuable service and support network that is geared towards providing basic nourishment for students when they are unable to do so themselves. It is a service run by students for students and is supported by students.
“It’s so important to be able to have the right kind of healthy lifestyle to get through the academic terms, which can be very stressful,” Tomizza said. “We’re not only here for students that are in financial need but also to just accommodate to the business of the student schedule at Laurier.” “If that means helping them out when they’re super busy and can’t go for groceries then that’s what we’re aiming to do.”
“We would just love for students to continue to request parcels because that’s what we’re here for,” Tomizza continued. The LWFB relies on donations and the Halloween for Hunger food drive is their largest donation event. Collections from this event will be enough to last for the rest of the academic year. “It’s definitely been very successful at getting enough food to last [the] food bank for the rest of the year,” Tomizza said.
Students looking to donate their extra unwanted food are invited to do so. “Any students, if they have any extra food, are more than welcome to stop by the Students’ Union office,” Tomizza said. This year’s Halloween for Hunger food drive isn’t the only event. The LWFB also hosts free pancake Tuesdays which fall on the last Tuesday of every month and they run a farmer’s market which is held in the concourse every Wednesday. “The goal is just to provide students with really awesome, cheap alternatives and quality food,” Tomizza said. Those looking to volunteer in this year’s Halloween for Hunger food drive may do so by visiting the LWFB Facebook page to sign up. Anyone may register to be a gatherer or driver. Volunteers are invited to come in costume. “We’re really excited to run the event again,” Tomizza said. “We’re really looking forward to next Saturday and hoping we get a great turnout.”
4 • NEWS
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2017
LABOUR
Students petition for tuition reimbursement during strike SAFINA HUSEIN NEWS DIRECTOR
Faculty from 24 Ontario public colleges have been on strike since Oct. 16, 2017. The strike occurred after failed deliberations between the union and the College Employer Council (CEC) on Oct. 14 and 15. Further discussions at the bargaining table between both parties have yet to commence since the strike began. The CEC and union have been in communication with a mediator who will indicate when he believes the two party’s demands are close enough to return to the bargaining table. Over 500,000 students are currently affected by the strike. As a result, many students who have been unable to attend classes are beginning to feel frustrated and concerned by the length of the strike. “There really hasn’t been any communication at all between the school and the students besides a small update right before the strike started so no one really knows how to proceed during the time off as far as graded material goes,” Anita Bakos, third year accounting student in audit and information technology at Conestoga College,
said. “We’re all just kind of sitting ducks waiting for someone to make a move.” In addition, many students shared concerns regarding whether or not they will be able to finish both their year and semester due to missed classes, apprenticeship hours, clinical placements and more.
At the end of the day, all we really want is to be back in class and to be using our tuition dollars for what it was intended for ... -Greg Kung, co-creator of the petition and paramedic student at Humber College
“Hopefully we don’t lose our semester, however, it will still be tough to catch up on everything and have all our assignments and tests at once, once we return,” Breanne Henderson, second-year environmental public health student at Conestoga College, said.
“It is also a great loss of money as we pay a lot to be in class,” she said. Although understanding and sympathetic to everything which college faculty are fighting for, students affected are hoping their education won’t be collateral as a result. “I support the teachers and I want them to have more job security, but it’s just frustrating that the students are getting caught in the middle and our education is being impacted,” Danielle Schaefer, second-year student in McMaster’s bachelor of science in nursing program at Conestoga College, said. In order to give students a platform to voice their concerns and thoughts on the strike, two students from Humber College, Amir Allana and Greg Kung, created a petition on change.org. They are calling for a tuition refund for each student who has been affected by the faculty strike at the colleges. Currently, the petition has over 100,000 signatures from students and other supporters. The petition demands that students affected by the strike be reimbursed for each day that there is a labour stoppage. The petition estimated that students pay almost 40 dollars per
SAFINA HUSEIN/NEWS DIRECTOR
Faculty at Conestoga College’s Waterloo campus hold signs during strike.
day to be in school and asks that full-time students be reimbursed 30 dollars per day and part-time students be reimbursed 20 dollars per day. “The 30 dollars is barely anything but it would at least help for struggling students trying to manage tuition fees on low paying part time jobs,” Bakos said. For Allana and Kung, the petition was a way to create a platform and outlet where students can vent their frustrations and share comments.
“[What] should be made very clear is that, yes, we are asking for tuition refund. But the point isn’t the refund in itself. The refund is just a monetary consequence that we were hoping would encourage both sides to get back to the bargaining table,” Kung, co-creator of the petition, and paramedic student at Humber College, said. “At the end of the day, all we really want is to be back in class and to be using our tuition dollars for what it was intended for — to be in class, to get an education.”
TRANSPORTATION
Light Rail Transit commences first test ERIN ABE LEAD REPORTER
LUKE SARAZIN/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER
The first stage of testing Waterloo’s new ION Light Rail Transit system is expected to begin in the next week, being completed by GrandLinq and Bombardier. The second ION train has arrived in Waterloo and testing of the track is expected to commence, though there are ongoing repairs and modifications being made on both trains. For the initial tests, the trains will not be running on their own. The trains will be pulled by an additional vehicle in order to ensure the infrastructure of the track is ready before testing the trains with power. The first stage of testing will include the signals, gates, bells, lights etc. to ensure the Waterloo track is properly constructed. Testing of powered trains has been conducted at the Bombardier test track in Kingston prior to sending the units to Waterloo. There the second train was running although it still requires modifications. “It was running on the test track in Kingston before it was sent to us, but we would rather the units stay in Kingston to become more or less complete as possible before they are shipped to us,” Councillor Tom Galloway said. The first train sent to Waterloo back in February is currently
not functional and will either be finalized locally in Waterloo or sent back to Kingston to be finished. Trains will be guided — as opposed to powered on their own — during the first stage of testing, in order to guarantee the Waterloo track is properly functional. “They don’t want to use power because we need to first test the vehicle and make sure it is all working properly,” Galloway said.
Two or three trains are really needed to test how well the track system is going to work ...
-Tom Galloway, Waterloo Councillor
“They don’t want it to be going at high-speed to find out that there is some kind of a problem with the train system that has been built,” he said. GrandLinq contractors have conducted both the design and construction of the ION system in Waterloo so far. The contractors will also be
responsible for operation and maintenance. GrandLinq was contracted by the Region of Waterloo back in March of 2014. “Two or three trains are really needed to test how well the track system is going to work and how the equipment on the trains themselves are going to work,” Galloway said. The third and fourth trains have yet to arrive in Waterloo but are expected to within the next month. All 14 vehicles are expected to arrive by February of 2018. Having powered trains to test is crucial in order to test the track built in Waterloo. With multiple trains on the track at once, the city can better understand how the trains will function as a complete system. The original due date of the trains was August of 2016. However, the production company Bombardier apparently experienced supply chain delays, which ultimately slowed the production and pushed back the date. Testing the trains will begin within the property in which they are stored. Then, they will be moved to be tested between Erb and Caroline and Conestoga Mall locations. Once it is fully functioning in 2018, the 19 kilometer ION track will stretch across Waterloo from Conestoga Mall into Kitchener, ending at Fairview Park Mall.
NEWS • 5
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2017 CAREER CENTRE
Further education fair showcases opportunities NATHALIE BOUCHARD NEWS EDITOR
On Oct. 25, 2017 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Career Centre at Wilfrid Laurier University will be hosting the Further Education Fair. Rebecca Kraft, co-operative student in events and marketing for the Co-op and Career Centre, as well as Sandra Martin, coordinator of event planning and outreach at the Career Centre, explained the opportunities available at the fair. The Further Education Fair is a drop-in fair located at various areas around campus. The fair showcases different post-graduate opportunities and provides students with information on pursuing further education. “The fair takes place in three different areas of campus: the Paul Martin Centre, Senate and Board Chambers and Concourse,” Kraft said. “[The schools are] separated by faculty: the business schools are grouped together, the law schools are grouped together and colleges are grouped together to ensure that students are talking to every representative and they are getting the most out of the fair.” The event coordinators explained that whether students are applying, or considering applying to further education programs, they can learn something they did not know before.
A lot of students don’t really know what they want to do following the end of their undergraduate degree ... -Rebecca Kraft, co-operatve stident in events and marketing for the Co-op and Career Centre
QIAO LIU/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
“We have over 70 institutions coming [from various] faculties such as law, business, graduate studies and medical schools. We have tried to get representations from as many faculties as possible. We have certain institutions coming from multiple disciplines as well,” Kraft said. “[The fair] is going to be a really great learning experience, there are a bunch of institutions coming, it’s a really great opportunity to hear about schools you never heard of or you don’t know the program. Don’t knock anything until you’ve heard
everything about it,” Kraft said. The fair remains open to all students in any year of study and any faculty, there is no registration required for the event. Kraft explained that the fair would benefit “Third and fourth year students who are either applying this year or applying in the next couple years, or anyone completing a masters degree.” This year, staff from the Career Centre will be available on site to assist with further education advising at the fair. Martin explained that the Career Centre offers
advising throughout the year, not just at the fair. “We will have staff available to offer further education advising, when they talk to a school they can then talk to a staff about their application or what a letter of intent may actually look like, then our staff will be able to offer support with that,” Martin said. “That’s what we do at the Career Center during our appointments and drop in hours,” Martin said. “[We] offer that service to students by helping them with their applications to the programs and
interview processes [and] letting them know what that process looks like when they’re applying to [post grads].” When explaining why this event would be beneficial to Laurier students, Kraft explained that students not being informed about post-graduate opportunities could gain a more thorough understanding by attending the event. “A lot of students don’t really know what they want to do following the end of their undergraduate degree and it can be difficult to answer questions just with the website, and not being able to talk to a representative can be challenging,” Kraft said. “Having a representative come into the school makes it easier for them to make their decision.”
RESEARCH questions and the numbers together and worked with a graphic designer to figure out how to properly design this so that everyone could understand.” The results from the study were concerning, to say the least.
Over 90 per cent of people who completed the survey said that they heard it wasn’t normal to not be straight ... -Sara Ashtiani, fifth-year biology and psychology student at Laurier
ALAN LI/GRAPHICS EDITOR
Outlook study shows challenges PRANAV DESAI SPORTS EDITOR
The Outlook Study, which was recently conducted by researchers from Wilfrid Laurier University along with different community partners, looked at the various issues that members of the LGBTQ+ community face in Waterloo Region. The team undertook a large scale survey on individuals who identified as LGBTQ+ and were at least 16 years of age, living in Waterloo Region. A pair of Laurier undergraduate
students, Kathy Luu, a fourth-year health sciences student, and Sara Ashtiani, a fifth-year biology and psychology student, worked with the data collected from the survey to complete a fact sheet on the violence and discrimination LGBTQ+ communities face in the region. “The Outlook Study is one of the largest needs assessment surveys conducted to date in Canada,” Ashtiani said. “It assesses LGBTQ+ needs for folks in the Waterloo Region.” “The study assessed community belongingness, violence and discrimination, safe spaces and
avoided places, social support from loved ones, access to health care and many other issues.” The students worked on the fact sheet with a community partner from the Rainbow Community Council, called ‘Breaking the Silence,’ which focuses on violence and discrimination. “We had a few data analysts that worked on it with us. We went through the survey and picked out each question that might be of interest to the community partner and how this can bring change into the community,” Luu said. “Then we just compiled the
The fact sheet revealed that 92 per cent of the respondents have pretended to be heterosexual and 86 per cent of transgender respondents have tried to pass as non-transgender. 42 per cent had to move away from their loved ones due to their gender identity and 71 per cent were verbally abused because of their sexual orientation. “Over 90 per cent of people who completed the survey said that they heard it wasn’t normal to not be straight while they were growing up. That one really stood out to me because the number was extremely high,” Ashtiani said. “I wasn’t really surprised, but I didn’t expect it to be that high for
everyone. More than 500 people completed the survey so that 90% is a high number.” This Outlook Study is crucial to our society because it’s evident that the issues surrounding the LGBTQ+ community haven’t faded away. These numbers should help raise awareness and it’s important to take action instead of simply acknowledging the problem. Ashtiani mentioned that improved education will go a long way towards making change. “There isn’t enough education on these issues. If you look at the sex education curriculum when we were younger, it was all heteronormative and not inclusive of diverse gender identities. Everything was this or that, boy or girl, man with a woman. If we start educating people at a younger age, that would be great.” “You never know what someone is going through in any case. I think another part of that is sticking up for people who find it harder to speak up. It’s important for people who are educated to not just be bystanders,” she added. While Luu and Ashtiani are still working on their thesis, the Outlook Study has already highlighted major problems that exist for the LBGTQ+ community in Waterloo Region. “If you don’t understand something, always ask questions. Don’t make assumptions. Always be curious,” Luu concluded. “Don’t judge, don’t make stereotypes, don’t put people in a box,” Luu said.
6 • NEWS
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2017
HOUSING
Student tenants are pestered JAKE WATTS NEWS EDITOR
Wilfrid Laurier University students allege they have been dealing with a cockroach infestation in their unit in a nearby Marq student housing building. The apartment building in question is located on 173 King St. N. The Marq has two other student housing buildings in Waterloo, but as of this writing, there is no indication that either has similar pest issues. Laurier student, Winnet Runshare, is one of the tenants who claims to be dealing with the infestation. Through an email to The Cord, Runshare alleged that her and her three roommates have been dealing with the pests since they moved into their apartment on Sept. 1. The Marq released a statement addressing the issue. “We are aware of the issue in a unit in the Marq Waterloo communities and we immediately followed all necessary steps to deal with the situation accordingly,” the beginning of The Marq’s statement read. In an interview with The Cord, Runshare detailed some of the consequences of living with the pests. “It’s been rough. We can’t even
cook, we have to eat out all the time … my roommate said she’s afraid to take showers because sometimes she finds them when she’s showering,” Runshare said. Runshare claimed that other tenants in her building have reached out to her to share that they’ve been experiencing similar pest issues; however, a statement put out by The Marq claimed that the pest issue is isolated to only one unit.
It’s been rough. We can’t even cook, we have to eat out all the time. -Winnet Runshare, The Marq tenant
“Someone messaged me a couple days ago on the third floor and they said they have the same issue, and then someone else messaged me … they don’t have cockroaches, but they do have beetles,” Runshare alleged. Regardless, the Marq specified in
their statement that they would “be performing preventative treatments to surrounding units to decrease the potential of pests spreading.” In response to Runshare and her roommates’ initial grievances, The Marq sent an exterminator to their unit to clear out the pests. However, this apparently did not seem to solve their problem. In their desperation, Runshare and her roommates reached out to the media, and several stories were run on the matter, including one by CTV News published on Oct. 17. Since then, Runshare noted that the property management company sent people to their unit once again to alleviate their pest issue. “They just came in and did the same exact treatment they did last time and that was it,” Runshare said. When asked about how the situation had changed since the CTV News story ran, Runshare didn’t mince words. “It’s actually gotten worse. I think it was yesterday my roommate found a dozen eggs in our kitchen,” Runshare claimed on Sunday night. For any tenants in Ontario who have persistent maintenance or pest issues they can turn to the Landlord and Tenant Board, a tribunal with the capacity of handling such issues.
LUKE SARAZIN/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER
Runshare indicated that her and her roommates intended on bringing their issue to the Board. The Landlord and Tenant Board adjudicates various disputes between landlord and tenants based on the rights and responsibilities for each party set out by the Residential Tenancies Act. According to the Landlord and Tenant Board’s frequently asked questions webpage, if a landlord does not fix a pest issue after they have been notified of it, then the tenant can do one of two things. They can either file a form to
schedule a hearing with the board, or contact their municipality to get details about the bylaws that govern their particular issue. “The Marq has a preventative pest control contract in place with one of the most reputable companies, which provides regular inspections and conducts preventative treatments in all common areas. Furthermore, our staff completes year round, detailed inspections of all units regarding life and safety, pest concerns, housekeeping issues, etc,” The Marq’s statement read.
brought together local community organizations or clubs that related to one of each of the sustainable development goals. “We have a lot of clubs coming on that each focus on specific [goals] ... we have Warm Workers [which] is a club on campus that focuses on helping the homeless in K-W,” Mueller said. “So that, for example, would be the first SDG of no poverty.” Mueller also explained that students attending the event can expect a workshop portion as well as various speakers who will be in attendance. Bruce Knotts, director of Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office, who will be a speaker at the training event among others. He has experience working with organizations such as The Peace Corps in Ethiopia and World Bank in Somalia. “The different experiences he’s had abroad will really bring a lot [to the table],” Mueller said. The event is expected to have 200 Laurier students from both the Waterloo and Brantford campuses. There will be transportation provided from the Brantford campus to the Waterloo campus that allots 40 students from Brantford to come. However, there may be more in attendance. The SDG Youth Training aims to create a platform that will empower students to take action towards bettering the community. “It’s good to learn about the inequalities in the world, but also, we want people to act on it,” Mueller said. “I think it’s really important because there is a lot of talent at
Laurier that I feel people don’t always get the opportunity to use … there are all these [students] with great ideas.” “If people actually believe that their ideas [are] really strong and they want to start that up, we’re hoping that [this event] will start something there.” For those students who are unable to attend the event, there will be a ‘Legacy Club’ starting soon at Laurier.
OUTREACH
ALAN LI/GRAPHICS EDITOR
Students train with UN AMAREENA DHILLON CORD NEWS
Wilfrid Laurier University’s Waterloo campus will be the host to a youth training event in partnership with the Foundation of Environmental Stewardship, an affiliate of the United Nations. This event was also held last year at the University of Waterloo. This year, however, the Foundation of Environmental Stewardship
expanded the SDG Youth Training event across 50 colleges and universities in Canada. This is in celebration of Canada’s 150th birthday. The event will focus on the 17 sustainable development goals outlined by the United Nations. “The event that we’re holding at Laurier is to help Laurier students learn about these goals and put into practice possible startups or techniques to help with the devel-
opment of them,” Rebecca Mueller, a coordinator for the upcoming SDG Youth Training event, said. No poverty, alleviation, social inclusion and economic growth are just a few of the 17 sustainable development goals. Mueller also stressed that one goal is not more important than the other. “The goal of the event is that all 17 of these are important.” SDG Youth Training Canada has
There’s a lot going on in the world and it’s kind of overwhelming to know where to start. -Rebecca Mueller, coordinator for the SDG Youth Training Event
The Legacy Club, Mueller said, will promote different initiatives surrounding goals similar to the training around Laurier and the K-W area. The event will take place on Nov. 18, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will focus on how Laurier students can utilize what they learn during the event to better the community. “There’s a lot going on in our world and it’s kind of overwhelming to know where to start. It’s good … to give people that have these hidden talents a drive and a place where they can put that.”
NEWS • 7
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2017 WELL-BEING
Laurier holds its first mental health thrive week ERIN ABE LEAD REPORTER
Oct. 23 marked the first day of this year’s Thrive Week hosted by the Laurier Student Wellness Centre on the Waterloo campus. The week kicked off with a mental health resource fair in the concourse and will be hosting more events throughout the week. The Wellness Centre has collaborated with other partners on campus in order to bring events to students. These activities range from workshops to workout classes and other enjoyable activities. Thrive Week features events that focus on building positive mental health on campus and is free to all undergraduate and graduate students. Thrive week is new to Laurier and began at the University of British Columbia. Thrive has since been adopted by many other universities who have held their own events in support of mental health illnesses. The main focus of events on the Laurier campus is to take time for self care while also working on student skill-building. “Having Thrive Week is just one more opportunity to reach students in a new way to tell them
We really hope Laurier students will invest time in themselves to focus on their mental health. -Sarina Wheeler, wellness education coordinator
QIAO LIU/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Individuals at a Thrive Week booth in the concourse on the first day of Laurier’s new mental health programming.
how important it is to take care of their mental health and de-stigmatize asking for help,” Sarina Wheeler, the wellness education coordinator for the Waterloo campus, said. “And to show that mental health can be improved with care and skill building.” Workshops will focus on resilience, emotional regulation, selfcare and other training that can help students with their mental health. Cultivating Calm is one of the
featured workshops and will be led by Mike Masse, a holistic therapist who specializes in mindfulness techniques for youth and adults experiencing stress and anxiety. This event will take place on Thursday Oct. 26 at 1:30 p.m. Fun activities will also be available for students such as Chocolate Art Therapy on Oct. 27 at 11 a.m. and Chilling with Dogs on Oct. 25 at 12 p.m. “We just hope it’s an event that students report they received some enjoyable activities [from] so they
could relax and have some fun. That’s an important part of mental health too, and also to learn some new skills that they can apply to take care of themselves and also each other,” Wheeler said. By creating a balance between light-hearted and more informative programming, the Wellness Centre hopes to encourage students to join in on the activities while also showing them the resources that are available at Laurier. “Everybody is showing concern
and care for the mental health of students, you see it all across campus,” Wheeler said. “I think Laurier is a place where students are deeply cared about and hopefully students feel that care.” The Wellness Centre felt it was important to dedicate a week to building positive mental health, as students’ mental health is a priority at Laurier. Thrive Week is aimed to target stress relief during a time when students’ academics may be more strenuous than usual. “We really hope Laurier students will invest time in themselves to focus on their mental health because we want students to not just survive at University but thrive,” Wheeler said.
8 • GAMES
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2017
Dear Life Dear Life is your opportunity to write a letter to your life, allowing you to vent your anger with life’s little frustrations in a completely public forum. All submissions to Dear Life are anonymous and therefore do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Cord or WLUSP. They should be no longer than 100 words and must be addressed to your life. Submissions can be sent to dearlife@thecord.ca no later than Monday at noon each week.
people will forget that your life might be hard too. this doesn’t mean that people are nasty, it just means that sometimes they get caught up in their own lives. don’t let it get you down and don’t take it personally. when people hold you accountable it means that you have power. what you do with that power is on you, but while you have it, just don’t be mean.
You’re all entitled to your opinions, but I don’t remember agreeing that you’re entitled to my tuition money. Sincerely, Seriously LSU why are you still funding this
Sincerely, The Halloween King Dear Chipotle, Please come to Waterloo. The burrito bowls are delicious and wonderful.
Dear Life, Woo! Hoo! 7 and 2 ! TML I love you!
AHHHHHGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Sincerely, Sometimes you just need to scream
Dear Alan, Dear life, The Editorial Cartoons are always so good! I watch for them every single week ! You make me smile everytime!
Take me to California. Sincerely, It’s getting cold
Sincerely, In love with Li
Dear Weather,
SUDOKU
Sincerely, Burrito bowl babe
Sincerely, wild
Sincerely, Maple Leaf
Dear Life(Link),
Halloween is great.
Dear JOHN MCMORRAN, Make up your mind. I can’t keep going home to change mid day.
Dear Life, you are a fantastic sports writer and you compliment an already flawless team of sports writers
Doot doot Sincerely, Cold or hot or inbetween
Sincerely, Mr Skeletal
Sincerely, keep it up
Dear Life, Dear life,
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GAMES • 9
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2017 WORD SEARCH
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10 • ARTS & LIFE
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2017
Arts & Life Editor Shyenne MacD Currie will spook
ar, we 364 days of the ye live we nd ete pr to e lik all d society in a pretty civilizelps brothhe r he ot where br rly safe. er, and we’re all faiis true. Generally, this ciety has Of course every soparativem co t bu , troubles . ly, Canada is okay
O thr n Oct see own ou. 31, ru ma mingl t the les ge scarkes it t y each windowt of s e the heir da indivi and du om ev y W eb er-l ’s go al alw hen I ody. oving g al to od o spi ays us was y ut mo der somed to p ounge t r h l , a e I e wh ce a eno r’s fall ugh —vicinit ere in mfake for e very y, and y it. yea — su r sh e’d re
What’s more pun lot. Steeped in re get brutally mur A famous tale a couple was ou their activities. Ignoring it, th the girlfriend ins going on. A few minutes girlfriend unroll doesn’t respond out and scare he Except, when with, entrails exp Terrifying. Bu years to 1946 — streets in a fashi These series o — were made fa events. While th True to the leg late at night, find of a hook, this u The case goes in the late-fortie
One of the more een season invo — that makes th Typically, dep technology and istic world, puts after getting wet She walks awa she returns, she The truly scar ly microwaved a Apparently, R owner of the feli The real horro less animal bein than our pets? They’re eterna else’s truly is the
ith e w dy s a c ebo . the nd s is s, som far a ebody r. a , g too m ille t n u i B th it er so d-k ny ke o ma s to ta murd a mo t y a l h tual bou ac Talk a
ARTS & LIFE • 11
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2017
Donald and Cord Arts writer Tyler k you to your core.
H my ere ar kee ths and e Hall the p us te mur oween bee Jack-o rrifiedders th n bl -lan we at own tern ll af out s ha ter . ve
Lurking in Laurier Hook-Man
nishable than sex? If you’re following urban legends, not a whole eligious allegory, having sex outside of marriage is a sure way to rdered. e follows that of a man with a hook for a hand. As the legend goes, ut late at lovers’ lane when a scraping sound along the car startled
he couple continues. However, when the scraping sound persists, sists the boyfriend steps out of the car and find out just what is
s go by, and still the boyfriend hasn’t returned. Annoyed, the ls the window and demands the boyfriend quit playing tricks. He d, so the girlfriend gets out of the car, fully expecting him to jump er. n she steps out of the car, the boyfriend is laying bloody on the roof posed. ut, as it turns out, not entirely untrue. Going back seventy-one in a small town called Texarkana — a murderer stalked the ion not dissimilar to the dreaded Hook Man. of killings — dubbed the Texarkana Moonlight Murders by media amous by a horror film in the seventies that commercialized these he movie is creepy, I find the true story to be much worse. gend, a man — wearing a white sack as a mask — stalked parks ding young couples engaging in sexual activities. Except, instead unidentified assailant used a shotgun. s on unsolved today, which means if the killer were young enough es, he could be an old man — alive and well to this day.
Cat in the Microwave
e disturbing legends to enter our subconscious over the Hallowolves animal sacrifices, and — because we all of our furry friends his one a little bit harder to swallow. pending on the way the legend is told, it has the theme of fear of its progression. A little old lady, ignorant to the ways of our futurs a cat in a microwave, believing the poor creature will dry faster t. ay, believing the animal is safe, then hears an explosion. When finds a gory mess inside the nuke. ry part of all this comes from 2011, when one Gina Robins allegeda ten-week old kitten. Robins was enacting revenge on a former friend Sarah Knutton, ine, who had reported Robins boyfriend to the police weeks prior. or from stories of cats in microwaves is the thought of a defenseng hurt. Outside of our children, is there a being we love more
ally loyal, and to have them cruelly killed at our hand or someone e stuff of nightmares.
Legend has it that on every Halloween night, the statue of Sir Wilfrid Laurier rises from his bench in the quad and roams the campus, wreaking havoc on anyone unlucky enough to be caught in his path of terror. Witnesses from previous Halloween incidents recollect the statue marching into the Fred Nichols Campus Centre. Not only did they see the statue walking on the hawk, but stomping on it with all of his might in an effort to disrespect the traditions practiced by the students and faculty of the university. Second year student, Brad Jonas, was brave enough to ask the statue to kiss the hawk and uphold the two-decade long Laurier tradition. Brad was never seen again. Victims also tell tales of the statue aggravating the campus geese to make them more aggressive to passing students. Sources report the statue calling the geese “little feathered idiots” and feeding them bread crumbs laced with caffeine. The statue has since been spotted sneaking into the Athletic Centre and using every drop of the hand sanitizer in the container closest to the entrance. Thus, apparently placing a curse on that very container, causing it to be empty about 95 per cent of the time anyone goes to use the damn thing. One can only speculate why the statue is filled with such animosity … could it stem from resentment that our school mascot, the Golden Hawk, is a bird? The ongoing feud between statues and birds is common knowledge: statues are used by farmers to scare birds away from crop fields and birds often retaliate by using statues as fecal target practice. The most likely reason for his anger is the humiliation — day after day students throw their arms around it, snap a picture and go about their business . He’s treated as a prop and all he can do is sit, bolted onto his bench and wait. With every bird defecation or snapped picture, the rage inside Sir Wilfrid Laurier seems to multiply. It simmers like a storm until it’s finally unleashed on our campus — every Halloween night. So lock that residence door. Board those windows. Stay the hell away from the campus geese. And the next time you take a picture with the beloved Wilfrid Laurier Statue seated in the quad, don’t be surprised when you look back on the photo and he appears to be blinking.
Tampered Candy How many times have your parents told you not to take candy from strangers? This rule is enforced pretty hard well after childhood, except for on Halloween. Because the one day of the year when things become sinister by ten-fold is the perfect time to start loving thy neighbour. Although, it turns out the poisoned apple doesn’t fall far from the horror tree. The only confirmed case of actual death by tampered candy comes from the seventies. Where one Ronald Clark O’Bryan put cyanide in the Pixy Stix of his two children and their friend. Tragically the son, Timothy O’Bryan, died instantly. However, the daughter and friend survived as they didn’t consume the poisoned candy. O’Bryan — eventually dubbed “Candy Man” — was tried and executed. So why are we still scared? Well, it’s hard to believe that this wouldn’t happen again. Despite the fact that this happened within a family, what’s to stop someone from trying to recreate the event? There have been other instances of tampered candy reported. Such as Joseph Smith, who stuck needles in Snickers bars and handed them out. Although, the worst injury to occur from that was a pricked tongue.
LAYOUT BY: ANDREAS PATSIAOUROS/PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER PHOTOS BY: MADELINE MCINNIS/CREATIVE DIRECTOR, LUKE SARAZIN/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER & CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS/WLUSP ARCHIVES
12 • ARTS & LIFE
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2017
ENTERTAINMENT
Terrificly terrifying video games to play AARON HAGEY STAFF WRITER
Video games can be a harrowing experience, whether it’s limited ammo, puzzles you need a PhD to decipher, or even having the companions that make you want to walk straight into the firefight – looking at you Ashley Graham.
However, there is the game genre that likes to kick it up a notch. It’s my dreadful delight to offer a list of the most riveting horror games – in no particular order – for the most frightening month of the year. The Last of Us The Last of Us is a uniquely heartfelt example from the horror game franchise. Considered to be an action-adventure survival horror game, there
ALAN LI/GRAPHICS EDITOR
are so many beautiful things to love about it. It draws you in with incredible graphics, weaves in the charm of highly-likeable characters, fantastic gameplay elements – such as stealth, crafting, third-person gunplay – and a haunting soundtrack that perfectly envelops you into this virtual world. When you’re not being bombarded with emotional cut-scenes that reduce you to a sobbing mess, you’re holding your breath praying not to be heard as you’re on your last round of ammo and an army of antagonists lurk around you. If this game doesn’t give you anxiety whenever you hear clicking sounds, then you may just have to replay it on one of its many harder difficulty settings. Bioshock
Unlike many games, Bioshock has customizability that allows you to re-play it many times over. When all is not right in the city of Rapture, do not trust those who sound most like your friends… Resident Evil 7 Despite the most recent adaptations of the franchise – which have been below audience expectations – the latest installment of Resident Evil has been dramatically different from the others. It focuses on more of the survival elements of horror than it did in past years – as opposed to the usual hack-and-slash gameplay from previous titles. It has great visuals and is the first of the series that has a first-person perspective, which makes the experience of playing this installment more immersive. Add on the unpredictable twists and endless jump scares, this game is high on the list. Plus, really, what’s more terrifying than hillbillies? Which are a-plenty here.
spaces and truly terrifying undead abominations. It does an excellent job of both confronting you with some of your worst – and most claustrophobic – nightmares, while giving you the satisfaction of shooting their heads off for scaring the crap out of you every five minutes. Amnesia: The Dark Descent It would be impossible to finish a horror video game list without Amnesia. It has everything that makes up a perfect horror game. Exactly why I recommend that, when you play through it for the first time, you do it alone, lights out, with headphones on. With a gameplay focus that is obtrusively dark, isolated and tense, it creates an atmosphere built on tension with almost no effort at all. If you’re not a jumpy, panicked mess after playing Amnesia, then you must really have nerves of steel.
I would be amiss to exclude one of my all-time favourite games, Bioshock, from this list. For many of us, the concept of being trapped in a city under the sea seems scary enough to begin with. Or maybe it’s the influence of Ayn Rand that has fans spooked. Either way, a dark atmosphere, spine-tingling music, jump scares and repulsive villains, contribute to a gameplay that truly unsettles you when you go through the city of Rapture alone.
This is a classic for those of you who are interested in space horror and sci-fi games. Dead Space magnificently combines gunplay, exploration and customization, with thrilling elements like dark, confined
There you have it, the top spookiest games for the spookiest season. There’s countless video games that didn’t make the list, but hopefully now you’ve got some ideas on how to keep the spirit of Halloween going all the way through to November.
It’s a terrific way to celebrate Halloween with silliness and spookiness without being on the edge of your seat, terrified out of your mind. As well, it provides a decent commentary of the self-fulfilling prophecy of being stuck in a system that doesn’t care if you succeed. If you are not like me, and you enjoy the horror genre, please consider people like myself when celebrating Halloween. Throw The Corpse Bride or Elvira, Mistress of the Dark into your horror movie marathon. It isn’t hard to avoid scaring the pants off someone while simultaneously celebrating the darkest
holiday of the year. Halloween is a tradition celebrated that can find its origins 2,000 years ago. It isn’t a holiday solely based on scaring others. Most of the Halloween traditions are allegorical or hold spiritual significance, such as not blowing the candle out of the Jack-o’-lantern —otherwise you’re opening your home to evil spirits. It’s fine to fill your lawn with ghost, skeleton, witch, or monster decorations; to have horror movie marathons and go to the haunted houses. You also shouldn’t be embarrassed to sit at home and watch Beetlejuice for the fiftieth time. It’s fine to avoid Halloween
entirely and spend the night somewhere else. Just be sure that however you celebrate, you are respecting other peoples’ right to celebrate and have fun as they see best fit. When you make your decision as to what you are doing, just consider the folks like myself who can’t really handle being scared. I celebrate Halloween by watching appropriately themed movies that I don’t find scary. I don’t mind if my friends all want to watch Saw, I would rather watch The Haunted Mansion by myself. You don’t have to be scared to enjoy Halloween. Ghosts and monsters can be fun instead of terrifying.
Dead Space
MOVIES
Hold the horror BRITTNEY TENHAGE STAFF WRITER
Halloween can be a stressful time of year if you, like me, absolutely hate being scared. Halloween is full of scares and spooky costumes as well as people having horror movie marathons. I’ve been invited to two horror movie marathons as well as five horror movie screenings in the weeks leading up to Halloween 2017 and I’ve avoided every single one. Despite my intense hatred for being scared, Halloween is still one of my absolute favourite times of year. I like carving pumpkins and getting all dressed up, making silly treats and attending Halloween parties. I even enjoy standing at the door and handing out candy, despite the terrifying costumes that some kids wear. One of my favourite ways to celebrate Halloween is by re-watching classic Halloween films. I don’t mean horror movies, like IT or A Nightmare on Elm Street. I mean The Addams Family, Beetlejuice, The Nightmare Before Christmas and assorted similar films.
They’re spooky, but not scary. They’re also very fun. The Addams Family is perfect for Halloween because it’s dark and filled with the spooky aesthetic of Halloween, but it’s very silly and enjoyable as well as entirely void of jump scares. It’s a Halloween classic for many people and especially good for those of us who can’t handle being scared.
I don’t mind if my friends all want to watch Saw, I would rather watch The Haunted Mansion by myself.
Another notable aspect of The Addams Family is the resistance of social norms; women watching the film may find the matriarch Mortica to be an empowering figure. Beetlejuice is another Halloween classic. It covers all the bases, with ghosts, possession, monsters and more.
LUKE SARAZIN/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER
ARTS & LIFE • 13
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2017 INTERNATIONAL
LITERATURE
Come fly with me, let’s fly away!
AHMAD FAIQ/CORD PHOTOGRAPHY
Write on! It’s time for NaNoWriMo MADELINE MCINNIS CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Hang onto your seat everybody, Oct. 25. You know what that means? You have one week left to plan your novel. Sound the alarms, bare the trumpets and practice your typing skills. Try not to panic, then fail, because we’re definitely panicking right now. National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) happens every November. It’s a worldwide not-forprofit that encourages literacy and creative writing. The goal of the month is to write a 50,000-word novel in 30 days. That breaks down to around 1,667 words a day. It’s ambitious — and it’s scary — but it’s totally worth it. So how can you make the most of this last week leading up to the word-count dash? If you’re like me, you have to plan! “Any planning or outlining that you can do before November also helps you make the most of the limited time you have,” Vanessa Ricci-Thode, the NaNoWriMo municipal liaison [ML] for Waterloo, said in a written statement to The Cord. So, with new notebook in hand, I’m in the process of writing down details of my characters so I can refer back to them later. What’s their eye colour? What’s their middle name and where did they grow up? Little things like this will come up again and again. Having something to refer back to, for me, is invaluable and it saves time when you’re racing to just meet daily deadlines. I also find that writing down a basic plot will help you develop your thoughts and help you to avoid writer’s block when you’re in a time crunch. Does it ever actually happen like you plan it? Very highly unlikely. But having an idea will keep you focused and motivated. It also helps that if you’re bored with going in chronological order, you can skip to an exciting and memorable scene to keep that word count going up towards your goal. But it’s not just planning ahead that helps you to triumph in this seemingly impossible challenge. There are things in your habits that you can change to meet the goal as well. “First thing to prep for NaNo is
to make the time for it. Tough to do, especially in university, but cutting out on some distractions can help,” Ricci-Thode said. Ricci-Thode encouraged the use of internet blockers, such as Anti-Social and Freedom, to keep you focused on your writing and off of social media. Finding how and when you write best was another of Ricci-Thode’s biggest pieces of advice. Cater to how you work best and don’t mess around with the rest. And that’s swell for us at Laurier, because she’s throwing writing sessions in our library for people like you and I to come write together. There’s events all over Kitchener-Waterloo, to be frank, but the ones at our library are just too convenient to pass up. To find out more about these events, just set Waterloo to your municipality on the NaNoWriMo website and take the time to read the emails from your “ML.” From my years doing NaNoWriMo, my biggest advice is to not get discouraged if you happen to fall behind. Things come up and it’s so easy to be swallowed by the word count even if you just miss one day. Break down that 1,667 words to the bare minimum. Divide it by the number of days you have left and add that amount to each day as you go along. Really, it’s likely you’ll have to write just a few hundred more words instead of doing it in one big chunk. Most importantly, remember that this challenge is just for fun. It shouldn’t be a source of stress or anxiety. Just do what you can and be proud of what you can accomplish. If you give up, you’ll regret it. Been there, done that. But there’s nothing wrong with setting your own goals as well. “It’s important to remember that even if you don’t hit the 50k word goal, developing good writing habits will help you keep writing into December and beyond. Even ten [thousand] words a month is a full length novel in a year. Not bad!” Ricci-Thode concluded. Not bad at all, my friends. So if you see me madly typing away — and it’s not a Sunday night when I’m writing for The Cord — come sit down and chat for a magical, novel talk. We’re going to hit these goals together and we’re going to have the bragging rights to prove it.
ALAN LI/GRAPHICS EDITOR
EVANGELINE HUNT CORD ARTS
As an exchange student from the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom, packing my bags and moving my whole life 3,606 miles away was fairly significant. I arrived in Canada on Aug. 30, so I have been at Wilfrid Laurier University for two months now and I already feel like I have experienced a roller-coaster of emotions. If you are thinking of studying abroad, or going on an international exchange, here are my thoughts on the good, the bad and the ugly.
I still do not speak very well but I can understand almost everything, so I really feel more comfortable. -Morgane Poilvet, exchange student from Sciences Po Lille
I also talked to Morgane Poilvet, an exchange student from Sciences Po Lille in the North of France, to get her opinion on moving to a country where they don’t speak her native language. To start, going abroad is probably the most expensive thing I have ever done. Not only is it costly to fly across the globe, attain a visa, get health and travel insurance, but the actual process of making a life in a new home will require some funds. I came to Canada with one big suitcase and one carry on; in that I had no bedding, toiletries,
textbooks, food, decorations for my room or anything of the sort. On top of this I was moving into an unfurnished flat. All I can suggest to overcome this is to start saving early. I had a part-time job while at university and then over the summer I worked full time to maximize my funds. On top of this, I also received help from my parents. Studying abroad is not cheap; be prepared so that it is no longer a factor. My British accent has sometimes proven difficult for people to understand, and often, expressions and exclamations are completely different. If you are considering studying abroad, you may have to encounter a language that isn’t your own and Poilvet experienced the difficulties that this can bring. “In the first few weeks, maybe the biggest difficulty was to adapt to a new environment and to understand people who don’t speak my native language,” Poilvet said. “At first, I did not understand everything, especially when people were talking to each other very fast.” Perhaps the difficulties encountered by Poilvet and many other exchange students will result in the most rewarding part of their exchange — the opportunity to learn and perfect another language. “I made progress and now I do not consider the language barrier to be a problem.” “I still do not speak very well but I can understand almost everything, so I really feel more comfortable,” Poilvet said. One of the things that enticed me into studying abroad was the opportunity to travel to new places. Before coming to Canada, I had never been to North America and so far I have spent a few weekends
in Toronto, which I love. In two week’s time, Poilvet and myself will travel to Montreal, and over reading week, Poilvet spent the week in Chicago. If you are considering an exchange in Europe, you will find that trains and buses will allow you to get from city to city in a matter of hours.
I think it is a unique experience which allows us to learn a language, to meet people from all over the world... -Morgane Poilvet, exchange student from Sciences Po Lille
If you are interested in studying abroad, International Education Week will take place from Nov. 13-18 on Laurier’s Waterloo and Brantford campuses, with events and activities happening each day. On Monday, Nov. 13, the International Opportunities Fair will take place in the Concourse, where information on each of Laurier’s sixty-five partner universities will be displayed. “I would advise all students to go study abroad,” Poilvet said. “I think it is a unique experience which allows us to learn a language, to meet people from all over the world, to discover a new culture and to learn more about ourselves.” You can keep up to date with the schedule for International Education Week as more events are confirmed by going to students. wlu.ca/international-at-home.
14 •
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2017
Editorial
OPINION EDITOR EMILY WAITSON opinion@thecord.ca
That time of year The key part is just churning the work out. The only real advice is to power through it, but it’s also important that you take the time to think about yourself, your health and your future. A lot of the people I know who ended up dropping out and pursuing different options had questioned their program or their place at the university to begin with. If you find yourself uncomfortable with your current situation it might be ideal to consider a change of scenery, be it a new faculty, focus of study or even a totally new institution. Don’t think of it as defeat; you are learning, that is why you are here to begin with.
KURTIS RIDEOUT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
You know what time of year I mean. The weather is turning, assignments are stacking up and lethargy is at an all time high. The abuse of a much needed reading week slowly comes to bite you in the form of a forgotten midterm, or a procrastinated essay — I think most of us have been there at some point or another if we aren’t there currently. There is something about the first semester that always seems a little bit more bleak than the rest of the year and I think there are a few reasons for that. It’s so easy to get caught up in yourself and the fun and excitement that post-secondary school brings, but it’s right around now that the reality begins to set in. That reality of course being the fact that school is pretty challenging after all, and it requires some hard work and dedication. I remember my first semester at Laurier. The allure of college life had me so wrapped up in socializing that I failed to notice a lot of my friends were starting to flunk out around me. I mimicked their habits, telling myself that if they were holding themselves together I could do it too. That all changed when my good friend decided to go out to the club the night before our psych midterm — which was at 8:30 a.m. mind you. Over time I developed a very different attitude towards my school work, fortunately. As I began to apply myself more I started to notice that those who weren’t doing the same were beginning to fall behind. And over the years, this time of year grew on me. Not in any sort of sense where I would look forward to the fall, but it always feels good to just churn a bunch of work out and put it behind you.
If the only thing you’ve learned so far this semester is that psychology is not your thing, that’s totally fine. That was the hardest lesson I learned in my first year...
If the only thing you’ve learned so far this semester is that psychology is not your thing, that’s totally fine. That was the hardest lesson I learned in my first year, admittedly. If there was one thing I could tell myself in retrospect, it would have been to drop that class, but that’s honestly for another note. Speaking from my own personal experience as an undergraduate student, I would have to say wholeheartedly that this is the toughest part of the year. Chin up, Golden Hawks, it’s like the great Tupac Amaru Shakur once said: “I know it seems hard sometimes but remember one thing: through every dark night, there’s a bright day after that. So no matter how hard it gets, stick your chest out, keep ya head up ... and handle it.”
THE CORD IS PUBLISHED BY WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY STUDENT PUBLICATIONS 205 REGINA ST. N., WATERLOO
WLUSP ADMINISTRATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS CHAIR Andreas Patsiaouros VICE-CHAIR Lisa Irimescu DIRECTOR Alan Li DIRECTOR Benjamin Cooke
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ALAN LI/GRAPHICS EDITOR
Improving Laurier Business PRANAV DESAI SPORTS EDITOR
When I first came to Laurier in 2015, I saw a big sign in the Schlegel Centre that said “Building Canada’s best Business school.” Even though Laurier has climbed significantly in business school rankings over the past few years, I personally believe there are some improvements that need to be made if we want to achieve that goal. Laurier was ranked 16 in the latest Maclean’s business school rankings that were released on October 31, 2016. Furthermore, there were 17 schools ranked ahead of Laurier on the Eduniversal website, which ranks schools by Palme levels and dean’s recommendation rates. As an economics major who’s also doing a management option, I have taken several business courses during my three years at Laurier so far. The biggest issue that I have noticed with every business course that I have taken is the lack of integration in terms of creative learning. I’ve taken a particular business course at Laurier which consisted of exams with nothing but multiple choice questions. Although this makes things easier for students and results in high-
er averages, it doesn’t necessarily result in students gaining a better knowledge of the business world. The Ivey Business school at Western, which is consistently ranked towards the top of the best business schools in Canada, has an intense focus towards case-based learning questions on exams and in the curriculum. One of my friends that goes to Ivey recently told me that he had to complete a 2500-word report that asked him to analyze a case about Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) in two days. This is just one of the many case projects that Ivey students are required to complete on a yearly basis. Asking students to solve hypothetical cases forces them to actually learn the material taught throughout the course. I often see business students at Laurier studying and memorizing material just a few days before their exam just so they can get a good mark, instead of focusing on the big ideas that are taught in the course. I understand that comparing Laurier’s business program to Ivey might not be entirely fair — due to the difference in size and budgets between the schools — but I’m not asking for massive changes. Adding a few situational case questions in exams would be a great start. I know I might sound like that kid in middle school who reminds the teacher to assign homework at the end of class, but I want to clarify that as a student, I am in no
way complaining about not getting enough work to do, or about business courses being “too easy.” There’s a reason why Laurier is ranked at the top of student satisfactions rankings every year. The school provides tons of flexibility for students no matter what program they are in. However, as a university, expanding the business program and changing some things should be necessary. Changes that require students to think about the material in real-world scenarios is something that I think needs to happen in order to further its success. By no means am I saying that the business program as it currently stands is bad. The Lazaridis school of Business and Economics has gained a lot of popularity over the past few years — rightfully so — and it has also enhanced its reputation through the building of Lazaridis Hall. Projects like “New-Venture” and “ICE week” at Laurier are fantastic examples of forcing the application of course material, bringing out the best in students and asking them to think outside the box. I think that these types of projects are incredibly beneficial to business students and I really hope to see more in the near future. When I saw the “Building Canada’s best Business school” sign for the first time, I felt so good about where I was. I still like studying business at Laurier, but I think a few changes need to happen in order to make that sign a reality.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2017
Opinion
• 15 OPINION EDITOR EMILY WAITSON opinion@thecord.ca
No treats or tricks for teens
JESSI WOOD/GRAPHIC ARTIST
Declining alcohol AARON HAGEY STAFF WRITER
I didn’t really begin opening up and letting my true personality show until I reached the end of high school. It’s perfectly okay being quiet and shy, but this started to gradually change when I surrounded myself with more people and slowly came out of my shell. Now, there’s nothing wrong with this by itself, since having more connections and friendships is something that I’ve wanted for a long time. But there is one problem with entering university that has always made me a bit uncomfortable — my peers really like to go out and drink. I’m still quite a reserved person, I just find it a lot easier to relax than I did before. I’m also really not much of a drinker — my one night stand with too much Blue Curaçao when I was 17 was enough to turn me off it completely. This is honestly fine with me, as I’ve never really enjoyed the taste of most alcohol anyway. I also have a medical condition that makes the consumption of excess amounts of it seriously dangerous for my health. It becomes a problem, though, when this appears to be an antisocial choice to others — and it’s certainly made for more than a few awkward conversations. When people find out I don’t really like drinking, I get a mixed amount of reactions. Usually a baffled expression, a cocked head and an amused look, as if they’re wondering what kind of joke I’m telling. Most don’t know the reasons behind my choice, as there are more than a few, but it’s more complicated than many perceive it to be. As someone with Crohn’s disease, an autoimmune digestive disorder, alcohol can wreak havoc
on my body. If I’m not careful, it can put me in the hospital. I don’t avoid it simply because I’m trying to steer clear of a good time, because I would love to just let loose once in awhile and have some unhindered fun. Since it’s something I can’t avoid, I worry about becoming a figure of mockery or derision, especially around new acquaintances. There’s a staggering amount of humour and judgment I come across when I have to mention this arbitrary fact about myself. From students who like going out and getting drunk, to adults reminiscing about their hazy college days, I can already hear the tired out statement, “Are you even a real university student if you don’t like drinking?” I hold absolutely no judgment against people that partake in drinking. My girlfriend is a self-proclaimed wine lover and she’s far more likely than I am to be nursing a beer at a party. Although this factor of my relationship has been pointed out like a purposed flaw in my masculinity, I’m perfectly content being the one who holds her up for keg stands. Many of my friends enjoy knocking back shots of tequila like they’re water, while I hold out the lemon slices and salt for them. I sip my plastic cup of water contentedly, waiting for the Snapchat stories I know they’ll all regret by the morning. I have no moral superiority or any sort of high ground because of my drinking choices. I completely understand why people enjoy it and as long as they’re not posing any harm to themselves or others, I don’t have any qualms about what someone chooses to do on a night out. I merely wish for the same amount of respect and understanding when I decline the alcohol menu at a restaurant, or choose my usual Diet Coke when I’m at a club or bar. I’m not out to spoil anyone’s fun, I’m simply standing by what I know is best for me.
QIAO LIU/CORD PHOTOGRAPHY
ANDREAS PATSIAOUROS PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER
Just how old is too old to trickor-treat? This age-old question has been asked time and time again, sparking a debate that frustrates me to no end. However, it just so happens that Bathurst a New Brunswick community has seemingly tried to settle this discussion by voting in a bylaw that prevents anyone over 16 from trick-or-treating on October 31. Those found breaking this rule may be fined up to 200 dollars. For Bathurst, this may be a solid attempt in settling an age-old discussion, but for me they have only managed to fuel my hate-fire on this misguided debate. It’s silly to even try and imagine what something like this would begin to look like as an actuality. Some kids look a lot older in age than others, so how would such a law even be monitored? Maybe bylaw officers are meant to patrol the dark streets, asking children for ID’s, but last time I checked children don’t exactly carry identification around with them. With all these finer details aside, what this really comes down to is
recognizing what the purpose of celebrating a holiday is and how people who vote rules like this into existence are the real-life equivalents of the Grinch. Do we place bans on other holiday festivities? Is there an age too old to receive presents during the winter holiday season? Or maybe there’s an age too old to give thanks during thanksgiving? I think not.
Age, however, is not the cause of unsafe behaviour and certainly shouldn’t lead to banning anyone above the age of 16.
Why should any of us have the right to to tell a kid who wants to enjoy actually being a kid a little longer to “grow up” and stop enjoying Halloween the way they want to? I can assure you that the alternative to trick-or-treating is kids most likely getting drunk together in their friend’s basement, which doesn’t really seem much better. I’ve heard others voice their
concerns that it’s a matter of public safety or that collecting treats is strictly a child’s activity. And I get that it can be intimidating for a small child to be in the presence of a group of older teens roaming the street, but the way I see it is that as long as they have an adult by their side—which they all should and the older teens have respectful intentions for the night, then there’s enough room for trick-or-treating on the streets for everyone. Ultimately, if we’re all in it for fun than that’s what counts. Age, however, is not the cause of unsafe behaviour and certainly shouldn’t lead to banning anyone above the age of 16. I personally would much rather go out with some friends around my neighborhood and collect some treats in my costume than hit up a nightclub. I’m not saying it’s for everyone but it’s simply a Halloween tradition that I enjoy more and I don’t think it’s something I should be shamed for by having it be reflected as something “childish.” Bylaws shouldn’t be able to dictate how and when we choose to celebrate a holiday and it’s as simple as that. We can only hope that on this coming All Hallows Eve, everyone who voted to put that terrible bylaw in place is visited by three ghosts of Halloween past, present and future to scare the shit out of them and help restore balance to the sanctity of Halloween spirit.
16 • OPINION
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2017
Overcoming self-doubt and impostor syndrome The seemingly endless paranoia associated with impostor syndrome is daunting, but defeatable
EMILY WAITSON OPINION EDITOR
Impostor syndrome, for those of you who are blissfully unaware of it, is quite literal to the term. It means that you feel like you’re going to be exposed as a fraud, a phony or a fake in a job, at school or in a variety of things that are typically meant to be positive endeavours. I’ve battled with this problem for as long as I can remember and it’s only intensified as I have grown older. Any period of success for me has created an overwhelming sense of doubt that I don’t belong in the position I’m in and I’m not qualified enough to be holding any role, let alone a meaningful one. This discernible lack of confidence has caused me to self-sabotage in the past. In high school, I transformed into a shrinking violet once I entered any classroom. No longer sure of myself like the once over-eager elementary school student I used to be, everything felt like a test to see how quickly I’d fail and be judged for it. Despite doing incredibly well on the swim team — and being on the track to becoming a certified lifeguard — I gave up on it. Life threw me some obstacles, I gained quite a lot of weight in a short period of time and the solidifying factor of this brash decision was made when an instructor told me I was “too fat” to succeed at the sport. Hearing this merely reaffirmed every negative thought I had been thinking about myself up until that point.
Instead of using it as a motivational tool to say, “Fuck you,” defy expectations and have my Disney channel moment of redemption, I let that overwhelming feeling that I was never good enough to begin with consume my mentality. I used it as an excuse to throw in the towel (literally) and back away from something that I loved. Struggling with impostor syndrome is something that’s been the hardest to shake since I entered university. Even though I did well in terms of grades in high school, my experiences weren’t what I wanted them to be.
Gaining any sort of recognition for my abilities has been an uncomfortable transition since I stepped foot onto Laurier’s campus. SIMRAN DHALIWAL/GRAPHIC ARTIST
I was ill on and off for most of my time there and because of it, I turned into a skittish hermit wreaked with nonsensical mental distress over the littlest things — so being the class valedictorian of 2014 really wasn’t an option. Gaining any sort of recognition for my abilities has been an uncomfortable transition since I stepped foot onto Laurier’s campus. It’s been difficult: forcing myself to live up to my potential, when just a few years ago I would cower away, do all of my work at home and pretend that was sufficient. Actually extending effort into my
schoolwork, health and extracurriculars, means that I’m putting myself into the difficult position of having responsibility. Responsibility that a lot of the time I don’t feel like I entirely deserve. My tendency is to bombard myself with questions over how I could possibly do well in anything I attempt and — if I do perform strongly — my progress won’t last. Constantly feeling like an out of place stranger amongst groups of people who you constantly compare yourself to can be challenging to say the least. Sometimes I feel myself slipping back into that detrimental mindset where I want to succumb to my supposedly ingrained penchant for failure, but I’ve learned how to
cope with it. Instead of constantly being on edge and thinking that some faceless entity is going to call me into their office and fire me from life, I take a deep breath and force myself to be realistic. Am I — or will I ever be — perfect? Of course not. I’m a flawed human being who happens to be very aware of these imperfections and I want to work on improving them, rather than erasing them completely. I’m surrounded by an unending network of support that would be collectively pissed off if I allowed myself to give up. And more importantly, I would let myself down if I chose to stop trying.
That’s the key, I think, to shutting up that annoying devil on my shoulder, that persistent voice echoing inside my head whenever I move up, instead of falling down. The person I’ll inevitably disappoint the most is me and that sort of downer is a hell of a lot harder to live with than an optimistic perusal of achievement and happiness. Positive things will end up being deserved because I earned them, not because I faked my way to get there. I’ll probably never find my golden ticket or the answer to all of my problems, but I sure as hell won’t let something like my conquerable impostor syndrome stop me from living my life guiltlessly and enjoying it.
OPINION • 17
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2017
Looking forward isn’t easy MADELINE MCINNIS CREATIVE DIRECTOR
CONTRIBUTED IMAGE
A bleak filmic future CHRIS LUCIANTONIO STAFF WRITER
Speaking on what attracted her to write science fiction in the first place, multiple Hugo award winner Octavia Butler relayed it was mainly because she “was able to do anything” and the fact that “there were no walls to hem [her] in and there was no human condition that you were stopped from examining.” The genre has appeal in its potential and its boundlessness; every story is an opportunity to imagine the world around oneself as whatever you’d like it to be. Flash forward 40 years to the release of Denis Villeneuve’s Blade Runner 2049 and we see that the genre hasn’t changed in ways Butler once hoped. It still has a particular representation problem. Within the film’s towering megalopolis rendering of future Los Angeles, is a vision with regressive parameters wherein the only people who maintain their visibility 30 years into the supposed future are white men, while women and people of colour are pushed to the margins. Much like its predecessor, Blade Runner 2049 touches on a techno-orientalist bend apparent in science fiction. This incorporates particularly Japanese aesthetics (language, architecture, fashion) into the vision of a western world invaded by the growing global influence of Asian cultures. While problematic in how this trope presupposes we view Japan’s culture as inherently exotic and unsettling, it is doubly questionable when you consider throughout BR 2049’s near three hour runtime that there is nary an Asian character to fill out the cast. If the film’s point was to push a globalist perspective of a future society where cultures the world over converge and exchange at these cosmopolitan centres, why do we only see the culture and not the people responsible for it? Even more troubling than the erasure of POC, is how the film
represents women, who maintain visibility but are no better off. ‘Disappointment’ is the best way to describe the feeling of seeing the mass commodification of women future in L.A., relegating their image to subservient levels of prostitution, indentured servitude and playthings for the eccentric villain and our protagonist. One or two prominent female roles does not shake the apparent problem; Blade Runner 2049 has a representation problem which is typical of the genre it operates in. It should be clear that critiquing Villeneuve’s film along this criteria is not to say that all visions of the future in fiction should be classified as Utopian, or that the problems of today cannot be reflected in our science fiction of choice.
Even more troubling than the erasure of POC, is how the film represents women, who maintain visibility but are no better off.
Maybe, however, it is tiring to see the disparity of the future represented through the marginalization of those in our society who are too familiar with what that feels like. Maybe looking 32 years into a future and seeing women as disenfranchised sex workers and hologram play-things for men is a tedious exercise that satisfies no one. Blade Runner 2049 is, in a word, a masterpiece of blockbuster genre film which unfortunately reiterates the genre’s endemic representation problem. This is the very same problem Octavia Butler originally reacted against in the 1970s. While aesthetically excellent and emotionally layered, Villeneuve’s future vision remains narrow in how it surmises the trajectory of anybody who isn’t, like its director and writer, a white male.
Is it ever okay to not have your mind made up? Of course, it seems obvious that the answer is unequivocally “yes.” There are countless articles already in this newspaper alone from writers coming to terms with the fact that the possibilities are endless and inevitable. But that’s hard to accept when your stance was previously set in stone. One of the most dreaded questions on every university student’s radar is the classic “What are you going to do after school?” That was never an issue for me. Since high school, I knew I wanted to go to Oxford or Cambridge for my Masters. After that, I’m not entirely sure. That’s always been my goal and about as far as I’ve thought ahead. So far, this year has been particularly hard for me. I’ve been sick for the entire semester, and it’s not the type of sick that you clear with some Halls and a lot of Kleenex.
From being sick, I’ve been constantly tired. I’ve never felt so burnt-out as I do right now. That, of course, has transferred to my mental health as well. To break it down to the simplest terms, nothing seems important at all right now. Nothing seems like it has any point and finding some meaning in the business of my life has gotten really hard. My previous, ambitious goals almost seem as if they’re not only unattainable, but they also seem pointless to my depressed mind. My interests haven’t really changed, they are just developing in a way that’s unfamiliar and I’m uncomfortable with. It’s hard for me to just “be.” Am I still trying my best? Absolutely. But right now, my goals seem more like facts about my character rather than things I actually want to accomplish. That’s terrifying. For the first time in my life, my mind isn’t made up. I don’t know what I want to do next semester, let alone what I want to do in the world beyond Laurier. I’m in constant fear of making the wrong choice and being stuck with it for the rest of my life. That’s why I’m refusing to give up. Even if everything seems pointless right
now, I know if I achieve this path that I’ve always wanted, I’ll have at least made my past self proud and I’m on a path that will open doors — where I won’t be stuck with one bad decision. And I think that’s the same for life. I’m so lucky that I never regretted choosing Laurier. As critical as I am of the university as a journalist, I feel welcome and loved here. I have opportunities I wouldn’t have had at any other institution. But beyond Laurier? When we toss our hats into the air and collect that metaphorical knowledge in the form of a piece of paper at the end of the stage? It’s hard to see what’s right for each of us until we’re facing it in retrospect. In the meantime, I’m trying to find the meaning in life by giving life meaning. I don’t know what I’m doing or what I really want any more, but I haven’t changed enough to give up. Even if I don’t get what I want, the journey towards the goal will provide me with experiences I can use in other capacities. Having a goal and striving towards it will put meaning into otherwise empty days. There’s nothing wrong with being confused, as long as we make it count in the long run.
18 •
Sports
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2017 SPORTS EDITOR PRANAV DESAI sports@thecord.ca
FOOTBALL
Hawks break records and make a statement The Laurier football team is rewarded with a first round bye in the playoffs due to a great season ABDULHAMID IBRAHIM LEAD SPORTS REPORTER
The main event of the OUA happened this weekend. With school and national records on the line and a first-round bye in reach, the Golden Hawks had —arguably — their best performance of the season. The game would start out with both teams going two-and-out multiple times, playing well on defense. The downfall for both squads? Penalties, and more penalties. On Laurier’s third possession, there were four straight plays that penalties were called on — for both teams. The fourth play would be where the game would break open; the penalty on the fourth play was a defensive pass interference on McMaster on a 39-yard catch by Brentyn Hall. A couple of plays later, Tristan Arndt, making his first start in place of an injured Michael Knevel, would connect with Kurleigh Gittens Jr. on a 27-yard touchdown pass. McMaster would answer back quickly though. On the second play from scrimmage in the second quarter, an open Dan Petermann would score on a 98-yard pass from Jackson White going up the seam and outrunning everyone behind him. From there on though, Laurier would pull away for good. Midway through the second quarter, Arndt would continue to put on a show. Just managing to avoid a sack and escape pressure, Arndt would find space to run and following a block from Daniel Bennett, he would manage to go all the way for 53 yards to put the Hawks up 21-7. A couple of minutes later, Robbie Smith would come up big
as he would manage to get his Laurier single-season record tying 9.5th sack, also forcing a fumble that Brandon Calver recovered. A couple of plays later, Nathan Mesher would nail a 32-yard field goal to make the score, which it would be going into halftime, 24-7 for Laurier. “[We have] unbelievable confidence [in him] and that’s why we recruited Tristan out of London,” head coach Michael Faulds said.
He was very calm out there and we’ve groomed him for a couple of years. Sure enough he played amazingly. -Michael Faulds, Laurier football head coach
GARRISON OOSTERHOF/WEB DIRECTOR
“He was very calm out there and we’ve groomed him for a couple of years. Sure enough he played amazingly.” Not much would change in the second half as far as momentum goes. Laurier would increase its lead, first with a 25-yard touchdown run by Eli Fera on a play where McMaster’s defense thought he was down but wasn’t. Following that was a safety, as the Marauders took a knee after a Trevaughan James sack deep in the Marauders zone. Pushing the score to 40-7 would be Arndt with his third touchdown pass going to Daniel Bennett on a strong effort for a 24-yard touchdown. Arndt would finish the game go-
ing 18-23, 213 yards, three touchdown passes as well as 65 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown. “It felt good. Took a little bit to settle in there but once I kind of got into a rhythm there it was really good, we played well as a team and obviously the win’s huge to get that bye,” Arndt said about his performance. The other story of the second half would turn out to be fallen records. Kurleigh Gittens Jr. broke the Laurier single-season record for yards in a season in the third quarter on his sixth catch of the game — finishing with 953 yards on the season, with the previous record being 916. He also went on to break the U Sports single-season record for
receptions in the fourth quarter on his tenth catch of the game — finishing with 75, the previous record being 74. “It’s an honour, but our first goal was just to get the win and that’s what we got,” Gittens Jr. said of his record breaking performace, shifting focus onto the task at hand. “Honestly, I’m overwhelmed right now. It’s a great feeling.” Next up was Robbie Smith, as he would tie and then break the Laurier single-season record for sacks in a season with 10.5. After tying it in the first half to go along with a forced fumble — which was followed by a field goal — Smith broke the record in the fourth quarter, pulling McMaster quarterback Jackson White down by the hand.
It felt good. Took a little bit to settle in there but once I kind of got into a rhythm there it was really good... -Tristan Arndt, Laurier football quarterback
GARRISON OOSTERHOF/WEB DIRECTOR
“I just went out there and played. It’s definitely a good thing, but it’s not something I was dying to get — but it’s nice to have,” Smith said. When asked if the record was in mind, he went on to clarify. “Unfortunately, it was. They told us two days before — with one game left — that I was one away and I was like ‘Holy, that’s a lot of
expectations on me’,’ he said. “I guess it turned out pretty good so I can’t really say anything [more] about that.” With the final score being 40-15, after McMaster scored in the last 1:20 of the game, Laurier would go on to secure a first-round bye and move into second place in the OUA. “Massive win,” coach Faulds said. “This is the first time both o[ffence] and d[efence] came together, and both played well in the same week.” “This just proves what we can do if we do that.” The Hawks will now have to wait and see who their opponent will be in the OUA championship semi-final. They will face the winner of the Queen’s-McMaster game, which is happening on Saturday, October 28. Laurier faced both Queen’s and McMaster in the regular season and managed to win both the contests, scoring 40 points in each of the games. Having just beaten McMaster, the Hawks should be well prepared for the Marauders. The Hawks beat the Gaels in September and although both of these teams would present a challenge, the Hawks will have to refresh their memory on Queen’s as it has been over a month since they faced off. Both the Marauders and the Gaels will be looking for revenge and even though one would expect Laurier to be the favourite heading into the game, their opponent will be playing like they have nothing to lose. No matter what the outcome of the Queen’s-McMaster game is, the Hawks need to be ready for a challenge.
SPORTS • 19
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2017 MEN’S SOCCER
Golden Hawks’ season ends on a rough note Laurier’s playoff dreams are dashed after a tough game to end off an even tougher year. GARRISON OOSTERHOF WEB DIRECTOR
The Wilfrid Laurier University men’s varsity soccer season came to an unfortunate conclusion this Sunday. In a match that determined whether or not they would continue into the postseason, the Hawks tied with Brock Badgers 0-0 despite creating scoring chances up until the final whistle. The audience at University Stadium could hardly go a few minutes without a cheer or exclamation— and rightfully so. The box score was littered with four yellow cards and one red from an aggressive slide tackle from Brock. There were nine corner kicks and 15 shots for Laurier, compared to one corner kick and nine shots for Brock — the day’s tie being a significant achievement for the goalkeepers. The pivotal moment of the game was a penalty kick for Laurier that was denied by the Badger in net. Head coach, Mario Halapir, addressed this moment in particular, saying, “This year has been a tough year for sure and I mean
DOTUN JIDE/CORD PHOTOGRAPHY
today exemplifies our year, missing a penalty shot and then we had chance after chance and — unfortunately — in soccer, you have to put them in the back of the net.” Although Laurier managed to push back against the losses that plagued them during the beginning of their season, the lack of goals became the new challenge that held them from pushing further to the postseason.
A goal here or there in a few games could’ve changed the story for Laurier. The team’s statistics say it all: of the 16 game season, the first eight games held six losses, a tie and a win, whereas the later half held two wins, a loss and four ties. The four ties are the most difficult to negotiate; one goal away from victory but the game still ends in a draw.
“0-0 score is when you need the win and it’s going to be tough to get the result that you want. And we still had it, it was in our control,” Halapir said. The end of the season feels untimely, the Hawks were just beginning to find the rhythm to their game. “We can try and break down all the different things [but] the real telling factor — something we’ve done better at the end — [is that] we’ve probably stuck to our gameplay a little bit better as the season progressed,” Halapir explained. In the later part of the season, Laurier stayed competitive in matchups against opponents that they had soundly lost to earlier in the season. One clear example of the Hawks’ improvement is how they responded to the defeats in the first eight games, taking a 3-0 loss to Western and later beating them 1-0 when they played in the following weeks. The same is true of a close game played with McMaster; they turned from a loss to a tie. The gradual improvement shows the effects of the hard work done by the coaching staff. This bodes well for the team
—comprised mostly of senior students — making coaching crucial if Laurier is to be successful in the coming seasons.
This year has been a tough year for sure and I mean today exemplifies our year, missing a penalty shot and then we had chance after chance... -Mario Halapir, Laurier men’s soccer head coach
“We tried to do it individually and it doesn’t work and today — after the penalty shot — it was back to individual and I think we got back to some semblance again in the second half, but when we try to do our own thing individually it doesn’t work,” he added. “We have to trust what we’ve setup as far as the gameplan goes and what we do as a team, because that’s the only way we will have success.
20 • SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2017
BASEBALL
A great finish to another strong season
TANZEEL SAYANI/PHOTO EDITOR
JOHN MCMORRAN CORD SPORTS
It takes but a single glance to see that the Wilfrid Laurier University men’s varsity baseball season was a success, but their second place finish does not tell the whole story. Early in the season the Golden Hawks suffered a six game losing streak, with their worst defeat, a 17-5 loss, coming at the hands of their non-conference opponents, McGill.
Despite their early season struggles, the team never panicked. “We were looking for that one win that would get everyone to relax. We were a little bit nervous to start the season, coming off the season we had [in 2016], but everyone was loose for the most part,” Kyle Symington, second-year pitcher — who was also named Laurier’s male athlete of the week on Oct. 9 — said. Soon enough the team’s patience and perseverance paid off
and a roster with 19 rookies began to look like the contenders from last year, ripping off an impressive six wins in a row early in the regular season. When asked about the shift in momentum, Symington had this to say: “Depth and lots of it. There was no shortage of guys able to step in, and they delivered when it mattered, we really put that on display this year.” “We had different starting lineups every time we stepped out
[onto the field].” Changes in the starting lineup did nothing to slow the Golden Hawks momentum and before the season was out they reeled off a second six game win streak, capping it off with a 10-1 drubbing of perennial powerhouse Western on their own field. Come playoffs, the early season struggles were long forgotten, and a team with a young roster and an ever-changing lineup put together two impressive playoff wins, knocking both McMaster and Queens out of the championship hunt. So, on Sunday October 15, the Golden Hawks arrived at PanAm park in Ajax, hungry and determined, but the University of Toronto Varsity Blues got the better of them in the championship match, winning 8-3. When asked what it will take next year to win the final game, Symington said, “One clutch play. One clutch at bat, one clutch inning on the mound.” “That’s what we missed out on in the final game, and that’s something that comes with experience, no doubt that’ll be there next year.” With so much turnover from last year’s roster, a 12-4 conference record and a close loss in the championship game would have
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Golden Hawks prepare for the playoffs ABDULHAMID IBRAHIM LEAD SPORTS REPORTER
Having secured third place in the OUA West — regardless of any other outcomes after Saturday’s results — Wilfrid Laurier University’s women’s varsity soccer team took on the Brock Badgers Sunday in what was their final game of the season. With their spot secured, head coach, Barry MacLean decided to rest his starters with playoffs just around the corner. “For us it was a really good exercise in, one, we got a good training session with our first team before the game. Two, they got to be rested leading up to our playoff game,” coach MacLean said of his decision. “More importantly, we got to see all the players that haven’t played that much in a real game.” The first half began with the Golden Hawks starting out slow, but also having to face the wind in addition to the Badgers. The Badgers started out fast, as they created opportunities for themselves and opened the scoring by the ninth minute of the game. Not much would change, as Laurier’s players were still getting settled into the game. “First of all, the wind was against us in the first half, that’s a big factor in soccer but I think the players, a lot of them haven’t played this year and they were nervous and anxious in the first half,” MacLean
AHMAD FAIQ/CORD PHOTOGRAPHY
said about his team’s first half. At halftime, with it being Senior’s day, five players were honoured during the break. In the second half, with the wind behind them, Laurier looked much more comfortable. The nerves didn’t seem to affect them. Laurier’s second team seemed to gain more confidence in themselves as they would manage to be able to create for each other and put forth a really strong effort. “As the game wore on, as they got more confidence — and we had a good chat at halftime about just relaxing and playing — they got better and better.” Unfortunately, they were not capable of scoring and the final score
would be 1-0 for Brock. Coach MacLean appeared thankful for the opportunity to get more players on the field. “We got to see all the players that haven’t played that much in a real game and [we] get to see whose got strengths and weaknesses to be able to carry on and help us into the next round,” he said. “In today’s game, there was four or five players that I thought performed really well that we look at right now and say ‘Maybe we can count on them,’ where we might not have been sure before this game. Overall, I was really pleased with the performance.” Next up for the Golden Hawks will be a rematch against McMaster on Oct. 25 at home.
In regards to his thoughts on the upcoming matchup and how they will prepare for it, MacLean said, “Just like every other game, we’ll get ourselves organized. We’ve been organizing ourselves for the playoffs for a while, trying to get rest with players, making sure that players are [going to] be ready to peak in the playoff time,” MacLean said, referring to the upcoming match against McMaster. “I expect a positive performance and if we get a positive performance, you’ll probably get a positive result,” he added. “I don’t think we can expect more than that. If we perform well we should move on to the next round, and if we don’t perform well, we won’t.”
been difficult to predict. But now, Laurier’s young team has proven to the OUA and to themselves that they belong in the playoffs and that they have the skill to succeed there.
One clutch play. One clutch at bat, one clutch inning on the mound. That’s what we missed out on in the final game ... -Kyle Symington, Laurier baseball pitcher
With one exceptional season already under their belt, expect this team to be contending for the title come 2018. And when they do arrive in the championship game, after having faced another season’s worth of ups and downs, there is no reason to think that this Laurier team won’t be able to muster what it will take to win. Likely all they will need is one clutch play.