THE CORD THE TIE THAT BINDS WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY SINCE 1926
VOLUME 59 ISSUE 24 • MARCH 20, 2019
MORE PARTY, MORE PROBLEMS News, Page 3
TURN ON SILENT MODE
SAVE THE TURTLES!
LOCAL GOES GREEN
LATE SHOW WITH LILY
COMPARING CAMPUSES
Cell phone ban announced to begin in fall
Protestors call for change at Loblaws
Uptown bars celebrate St. Patty’s Day
Youtuber represents on NBC Talk segment
Recreation enhanced in Brantford
News, page 4
News, page 5
Arts & Life, page7
Opinion, page 14
Sports, page 16
PHOTO BY JACKIE VANG/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER
2 •
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2019
VOCAL CORD What is the best hangover remedy?
@cordnews
The Cord
@thecord.ca
CordNews THIS DAY IN HISTORY: MARCH 20
PHOTO OF THE WEEK
1800: Alessandra Volta reports his discovery of the electric battery in a letter to Joseph Banks, president of the Royal Society of London. 1815: Napoleon enters Paris after escape from Elba, begins 100-day rule. 1930: American fast food restaurant chain ‘KFC’ is founded by Colonel Harland Sanders in North Corbin, Kentucky.
“Eating Shawarma or any comfort food” –Vivian Schveighardt, second-year political
1954: First newspaper vending machine used in Columbia Pennsylvania. 1965: Vicil and Women’s Rights Activist Dorothy Height has her first column published in the weekly African-American newspaper called the “New York Amsterdam News.”
“Drinking coffee or water with lemon.”
1977: Premier Indira Gandhi losest election in India.
–Bashiza Nadeem, third-year psychology
1986: New York City passes its first lesbian and gay rights legislation. JACKIE VANG/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER
“Kambucha.” –Sidney Gingerich, fourth-year biology/ psychology
“Drink lots of water.” –Jason Chaves, second-year french
Compiled by Margaret Russell Photos by Jackie Vang NEXT ISSUE MARCH 27, 2019
ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Emily Waitson arts@thecord.ca
CORD STAFF
OPINION EDITOR Alyssa Di Sabatino opinion@thecord.ca
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Safina Husein editor@thecord.ca
SPORTS EDITOR Pranav Desai sports@thecord.ca
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Sadman Sakib Rahman creative@thecord.ca
GRAPHICS EDITOR Kashyap Patel graphics@thecord.ca
WEB DIRECTOR Garrison Oosterhof online@thecord.ca
PHOTO EDITOR Eva Ou photos@thecord.ca
NEWS EDITOR Hayley McGoldrick news@thecord.ca
ONLINE EDITOR Katherine Weber online@thecord.ca
NEWS EDITOR Aaron Hagey news@thecord.ca
VIDEO EDITOR Sarah Tyler video@thecord.ca
FEATURES EDITOR Vacant features@thecord.ca
LEAD REPORTER Margaret Russell news@thecord.ca
LEAD SPORTS REPORTER Abdulhamid Ibrahim sports@thecord.ca LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER Jackie Vang photos@thecord.ca LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER Isaak Wong photos@thecord.ca SENIOR COPY EDITOR Sara Burgess copyeditor@thecord.ca SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR Vacant editor@thecord.ca CORDCAST PRODUCER Brielle Huang cordcast@thecord.ca
CONTRIBUTORS Yana Manevska Rachel Burns Victoria Marshall Jennifer Webb Kuber Marwaha Emma McVicar Olivia Jones Ruby Wingrave Tyler Currie Anne Marie Russell
EDITOR’S CHOICE Lily Singh is hosting a talk show by Alyssa Di Sabatino
ADVERTISING INQUIRIES All advertising inquiries can be directed to Care Lucas at care.lucasr@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
for principal photography. The Cord has been a proud member of the Ontario Press Council since 2006. Any unsatisfied complaints can be sent to the council at info@ontpress.com. The Cord’s circulation for a normal Wednesday issue is 4,500 copies and enjoys a readership of over 10,000. Cord subscription rates are $20.00 per term for addresses within Canada. The Cord has been a proud member of the Canadian University Press (CUP) since 2004.
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
reply at the earliest time possible. Ethical journalism requires impartiality, and consequently conflicts of interest and the appearance of conflicts of interest will be avoided by all staff. The only limits of any newspaper are those of the world around it, and so The Cord will attempt to cover its world with a special focus on Wilfrid Laurier University, and the community of Kitchener-Waterloo, and with a special ear to the concerns of the students of Wilfrid Laurier University. Ultimately, The Cord will be bound by neither philosophy nor geography in its mandate. The Cord has an obligation to foster freedom of the press and freedom of speech. This obligation is best fulfilled when debate and dissent are encouraged, both in the internal workings of the paper, and through The Cord’s contact with the student body. The Cord will always attempt to do what is right, with fear of neither repercussions, nor retaliation. The purpose of the student press is to act as an agent of social awareness, and so shall conduct the affairs of our newspaper.
Quote of the week: Unfortunately, our News Editor Hayley McGoldrick and Sports Editor Pranav Desai weren’t here and their lack of bickering led us all to be sad so no one said anything funny :(
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2019
News
• 3 NEWS EDITOR HAYLEY MCGOLDRICK news@thecord.ca
NEWS EDITOR AARON HAGEY news@thecord.ca
STUDENT LIFE
PHOTOS BY EVA OU/PHOTO EDITOR
Large crowds prevail on Ezra Avenue for St. Patty’s Day SAFINA HUSEIN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Large crowds took to Ezra Avenue this past Sunday Mar. 17 on St. Patrick’s Day. Although Waterloo Regional Police Services and partners who helped provide services on Sunday have not released official statistics and numbers, it is predicted that the crowds surpassed last year’s 22,000 attendees and may have hit closer to 30,000. Constable Ashley Dietrich, public information officer for WRPS, held a press release around 3 p.m. on Sunday where an update was given on the day and events at Ezra Avenue. Dietrich stated that WRPS and partners had been working to provide public safety services and crowd management; however, both Bricker Avenue
and Ezra Avenue had been shut down at that point in order to keep crowds contained. In the press release, Dietrich began stating WRPS’ disappointment by some of the people in attendance at the Ezra street party. At that point, there had been reports of damaged property, bottles and other objects being thrown into the crowd and injuries due to slips and falls. In the press release, Paramedic Services said that at that point there had been 41 calls and 18 transports to the hospital. Paramedics stated that the Ezra street party was overwhelming their services and ability to keep up with calls around the rest of Waterloo. Although York Region Paramedics were in attendance, they were shadowing Waterloo Paramedics. According to the press release, the majority of the EMS calls were
due to alcohol and drug misuse, falls, fractures, head injuries, couldn't say if any were serious Waterloo Fire said they responded to 18 calls. Many were related to elevator entrapment due to over occupancy and personnel jumping in elevators. The number of arrests, tickets and calls to WRPS are currently unknown. However, Dietrich said many of the current charges laid were related to underage drinking, open alcohol, public intoxication, damage to public property and more. “It is unfortunate that the unsanctioned St. Patrick’s Day street gathering in Waterloo continues to grow. These kinds of unsanctioned gatherings are a growing problem for many communities that are home to universities and colleges. Although Laurier and its external partners prepared for the antici-
pated crowd growth, we continue to actively discourage this kind of unsanctioned street gathering. Our primary concern is for the safety of our students and members of the surrounding community,” Leanne Holland-Brown wrote in a statement to The Cord. “Reports this year of violence and the throwing of rocks and other objects is particularly concerning. We worry for the safety of all.” “Laurier is taking an active role in a number of initiatives aimed at reducing the size of these unsanctioned street gatherings and ultimately ending them. Representatives from the university and its student leadership are active members of the Mayor of Waterloo’s Task Force on Unsanctioned Public Gatherings, which is looking for longer-term solutions. As part of the task force activities, Laurier
is hosting a World Café consultation session with students on Monday, Mar. 25 to better understand their views and suggestions,” the statement continued. “In addition, Laurier is working with other universities that experience unsanctioned street gatherings. Laurier hosted a conference on Feb. 15 that attracted representatives from nine universities and three communities, all of whom are looking for solutions to this growing phenomenon. Going forward, Laurier will continue to communicate regularly with students around Homecoming and St. Patrick’s Day to discourage unsanctioned street gatherings, and we will continue to work with the partners at the City of Waterloo, Waterloo Regional Police, and emergency services toward a solution.”
4 • NEWS
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20. 2019 EDUCATION
SEXUAL SAFETY
Addressing oncampus violence SAFINA HUSEIN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
On Mar. 19, 2018, the Ontario Government announced it would be doubling funding and integrating tangible steps in order to address on-campus sexual violence. Merrilee Fullerton, minister of training, colleges and universities for the Ontario government, said that these changes come in response to results from a province-wide survey. “Our government takes the safety and well-being of our students seriously,” said Fullerton in a press release. “Our post-secondary institutions have a responsibility to protect students, and must do everything possible to ensure campuses are free from sexual violence. Our government has zero tolerance for sexual assault, harassment, and any other form of violence in our communities.” The Student Voices on Sexual Violence survey, which was taken by 746,000 post-secondary students, stated that 63 per cent of the 116,000 university students have experienced at least one incident of sexual violence since the beginning of the academic year. As a result of the study, Fullerton has announced all post-secondary institutions must take immediate action to “protect students and address the serious issue of sexual violence affecting post-secondary students.” “No one should have to worry about their safety on campus,” Fullerton said in the press release. “These measures will help our publicly-assisted colleges and universities to address sexual violence
and harassment.” According to the survey, students from Laurier who took the survey seemed to be satisfied overall with institutional response to sexual violence. Of the 1,078 students who answered this question, 23 per cent were very dissatisfied, 15.3 per cent were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied and 61.7 per cent were very
Our postsecondary institutions have a responsibility to protect students ... No one should have to worry about their safety on campus. -Merrilee Fullerton, minister of training, colleges and universities
satisfied. Another question on the survey said that 69.4 per cent of the 4,776 students surveyed had disclosed experiences of sexual harassment. 30.6 per cent said they had never disclosed an experience of sexual harassment. In order to take immediate action, the Ontario government will require all post-secondary institutions in Ontario to review their sexual violence policies by Sept. 2019. As well, each institution must devote a task force to tackling sexual violence, which includes diverse student representation. The task force will have to report its findings to its respective board of governors
ISAAK WONG/CORD PHOTOGRAPHY
Incoming cellphone ban to leave students twiddling their thumbs AARON HAGEY NEWS EDITOR
On Mar. 15, Lisa Thompson, minister of education for the Ontario Provincial Government, revealed in a media release that, amongst other changes, a province-wide ban on cellphones would be implemented in classrooms beginning next September, as part of the new “Education that Works for You” plan. The plan, according to the release, argues that these changes “will modernize curriculum, modernize classrooms and empower educators to better prepare students for the realities of today’s modern world.” The proposal was created through the collaborative effort of over 72,000 consultations with “parents, teachers, students, employers and organizations” through open submission forms, online surveys and town hall meetings in various regions of the province. Included in this plan is the provincial government’s proposed changes to “modernize” classrooms across the province, which include updates to technology (broadband services), e-learning (centralization and accessibility), as well as changes to EQAO (focusing on equity), class sizes, hiring practices (encouraging transparency, fairness, consistency and accountability), student grants and, of course, the prohibition of cell phone usage during instructional time. “[Regarding the cellphone ban] I don’t think there’s a lot of change. They’re suggesting that cell phones will be banned from classrooms,
except for educational purposes, medical reasons or exceptions, for learning reasons — which is pretty much how most [School] Boards have handled it up to this point,” said Julie Mueller, associate professor for the faculty of education at Wilfrid Laurier University. Mueller believes that, in order to effectively solve a problem, there needs to be a more clear definition about what the problem is in order to find the variables that are caus-
We need to be taking an active learning approach, and having students construct their knowledge ... let them be invested in their own learning. -Julie Mueller, associate professor for the faculty of education
ing that problem. “I think the problem I see with the ban ... is that we’re not identifying the problem, so it seems like a very fearful reaction to something, but we’re not really identifying what [that] problem is,” Mueller said. “I think they’re being reactive to parents and some teachers who will be very happy with a ban of cellphones, because they’re saying ‘they’re distracting’ … but I think what you really need to identify is: distracting from what?” Distractions, she notes, come in many forms for students: from
daydreaming, to social media and applications on digital tools such as phones, which has research supporting its addictive properties. Most of these, she says, come from a lack of active learning opportunities in classrooms, as well as mismanagement of digital tools with educational potential, such as social media. “[In] schools, [while they] are learning that curriculum, they’re also learning how to be a social citizen in a digital age. I think that if we ban the cultural tool that they’re using to be involved in social media, we’re missing out on the opportunity to teach them how to use it,” Mueller said. Modernizing the learning process for students in a digital age will be a difficult task for future educators, but one thing that Mueller wishes to pose is the question of what those learning outcomes will look like — something that she feels is not being addressed by the ban. “I think we need to look at technology being integrated as a cultural tool, and the phone is one of them,” Mueller said. “We need to be taking an active learning approach, and having students construct their knowledge — there’s lot of examples in our classrooms already .. let them be invested in their own learning.” As far as the current plan by the government, she sees a dichotomy: on one hand, the government is discussing the “modernization” of learning. But on the other hand, they’re going to be enforcing bans without a proper implementation process. “There’s not a big plan. A ban is not necessarily a plan,” Mueller
NEWS • 5
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2019 DEMONSTRATON and locals]. We had Master of Public Policy students from Laurier and we had Master of Global Governance students from [the University of ] Waterloo. Also, there
Part of the intention is to make it a nuisance … and show a visual representation that this plastic [usage] is excessive ... -Bryn McAuley, one of the organizers of the demonstration
KASHYAP PATEL/GRAPHICS EDITOR
Packaging sparks protests MARGARET RUSSELL LEAD REPORTER
On Monday, Mar. 11, a group of approximately 25 student and community activists collected at Zehrs, located on Erb Street in Waterloo, to protest the use of excessive plastic packaging in grocery stores by large companies.
This particular demonstration was directed towards Loblaws Companies Limited, the owner of Zehrs and several other grocery franchises. “We were inspired by the UK ‘plastic attacks’ — that’s what they call this genre of protest,” said Bryn McAuley, one the organizers of this demonstration. “In the UK, they started this
movement where they would go into grocery stores, remove the plastic packaging and leave it behind. Part of the intention is to make it a nuisance … and show a visual representation that this plastic is excessive and to essentially make it the responsibility of the grocery store to deal with the plastic.” “There was range [of students
were two families from the area,” McAuley said. In attendance with the families, several children were also actively participating in the demonstration by helping to remove plastic wrapping from the groceries and excitedly repackaging produce into reusable containers. The demonstration was peaceful and, according to McAuley, Zehrs was “extremely cooperative” in allowing the activists to assemble at the front doors of the store.
Additionally, customers seemed to be interested in what they were representing and there were no recognizably negative responses. “We had initially planned to do this protest at Bob’s Valu-Mart, across the street from the Balsillie School — and we definitely got a negative response from there. They told us they would call mall security on us and have us removed,” McAuley said. “Bob’s is independently owned, and we realized this would be an inappropriate place to do this, so we targeted a company instead … Loblaws is ultimately the culprit in this situation,” McAuley said. “Targeting Loblaws was a more effective and more honest way to do this.” McAuley and her co-organizers have plans in the works to continue their “plastic attacks” activism within the year while the global movement continues to grow. “We are planning another one at Loblaws at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto in July,” McAuley said. “Loblaws and a lot of other big companies are focused on recycling and putting the onus on their consumers to recycle, but we just want to make it really clear that recycling is not a silver-bullet solution, because the vast majority of plastic does not get recycled …
ADMINISTRATION
New vice-president of research announced AARON HAGEY NEWS EDITOR
Effective Aug. 1, 2019, Jonathan Newman will take over as the new vice-president of research at Wilfrid Laurier University, lead the Office of Research Services and support and grow research opportunities throughout Laurier. Newman will be coming into the role with a wealth of experience: a professor of ecology, he has worked at the University of Guelph for over 15 years, serving as the director of the School of Environmental Sciences from 2009-2015 and the dean of the College of Biological Science at the University of Guelph since 2015. He has also worked for the University of Oxford and Southern Illinois University, is the lead author of over 100 academic publications and received the 2011 “Alumni Award for Excellence” in “Science and Technology” from the University at Albany. “[Newman] comes into the role of vice-president: research at Laurier with an impeccable record in terms of his leadership as a researcher and teacher and, also, his role as an administrator,” said Robert Gordon, provost and vice-president: academic at Laurier. “He’s certainly got a really strong balance of, I think, helping to shape the Laurier research growth over the next five years, so we’re really thrilled to have him on board.” Gordon was the former vice-president of research at
Laurier. However, Newman will be succeeding Jeffery Jones, psychology professor and director of the Laurier Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, who was Laurier’s interim vice-president of research since 2018. As one of the senior, executive positions within the university, the role of the vice-president of research is to support research funding and decide how it will is competitively generated. He will evaluate various sources, work with funding agencies to support faculty, undergraduate and graduate students and help to shape the research directions that the university is focused on. The current directions the university are concentrated on is outlined in the current “Strategic Research Plan: 2014-2019,” an area that Newman will be paying attention to for the coming year. “One of the key roles that Jonathan will play over the next few years is developing that next strategic research plan,” Gordon said. “It will really help further shape what we do around research, how we make sure that research is effectively meeting the needs of our students [and] how we translate research in the classroom.” With over 500 faculty at Laurier involved in research, to some degree, and given the fact that, according to Gordon, Laurier has “grown as one of the fastest-growing research universities in the country over the past five years,” Newman’s role will be to build
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6 • NEWS
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2019
MENTAL HEALTH
“Radical Wellness Week” looks at systems of oppression OLIVIA JONES STAFF WRITER
From Mar. 18 to 22, the Centre for Student Equality, Diversity and Inclusion is hosting a “Radical Wellness Week” to get students thinking about how systems of oppression influence our experiences of wellness and to broaden our understanding of wellness as a whole. Throughout the week there will be eight separate events that focus on a variety of health and wellness topics, including fat-phobia, cultural underpinnings of disordered eating, the University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP) plan, LGBTQ+ safer sex, growing your own micro greens, reducing STI stigma, menstruation and environmental justice. “The ways we think about being healthy or unhealthy can be confirmed by some of the biases we have. So, the hope for the week is to have us rethink wellness — broadly speaking — and to account for some of those forms of oppression,” said Tameera Mohamed, education and inclusion coordinator for the Centre. Mohamed was one of the key organizers behind planning and creating the extensive list of events that will run during the week. These events will be hosted by a number of local facilitators that have jumped on board to collaborate with Radical Wellness Week and help diversity the topics pre-
be the special guest performer this year. Other acts alongside NehRita include some of Laurier’s talented students who have volunteered to perform Friday evening as well.
I’m hoping that [this week] will help more generally when we are thinking about health and wellness and to take that critical lens. -Tameera Mohamed, education coordinator for the Centre
JACKIE VANG/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER
One of the events that took place on Monday, Mar. 18 discussed the nature of fatphobia and its societal influence.
sented throughout the five days. Mohamed explained that Radical Wellness Week is different than other wellness campaigns in that typical wellness campaigns work to address what we can do as an individual to improve our wellness. However, barriers and biases surrounding wellness continue to be present especially for those who are sidelined in wider society. “I hope that students can come to a workshop or two and leave with a more critical analysis of
whatever the topic is pertaining to health and wellness. So, I’m hoping that [this week] will help more generally when we are thinking about health and wellness and to take that critical lens,” Mohamed said. This celebration of wellness comes shortly after Healing Justice Week, which ran through the Office of Dispute Resolution and Support in early March. “Some students last year had mentioned having programming
around healing justice, and as we were talking about putting that program together it kind of sparked the idea of talking about wellness more broadly and accounting for justice and wellness as well,” Mohamed said. The final event of the week is going to be “a night of art and expression, celebration and solidarity.” It is called “Radical Bodies” and will be hosted at Verita’s Café on Mar. 22. Joni NehRita, a local R&B/ soul artist and music educator, will
Ideally, this will be the first of many Radical Wellness Weeks on the Laurier Campus. Hopefully students who feel marginalized or misrepresented in our society can have the opportunity to feel included, heard, represented and educated on underemphasized wellness topics. “I hope that students, who are on the margins or who have felt like traditional conversation about health and wellness haven’t spoken to their needs or their experiences, I hope that they can come to this week to get either tangible information or just feel like they are being seen and heard,” Mohamed said.
CAREERS
Mental health meet and mingle hosted by Laurier Psych Society Event connects students to professionals, future careers EMMA MCVICAR STAFF WRITER
On Tuesday, Mar. 19 at 5:30 p.m., Wilfrid Laurier University’s Psych Society hosted their fourth annual “Minds on Mental Health” event in the Paul Martin Centre. This networking opportunity helped students explore possible career paths by meeting and mingling with professionals in the field. Students were seated with about five others — a great opportunity to get to know their fellow students in the psychology program. In a speed-dating fashion, a professional would come to their table and receive questions for 10-12 minutes before rotating to the next. Afterwards, came catered food and a period of mingling. Not only does this event help students with their own mental health, through interacting with other like-minded people, but it expands their horizons by showing them possible ways they can work with mental health in the future. However, mental health isn’t just encountered by those in professions requiring a psychology degree. Jill Phelps, vice-president
of the Laurier Psych Society, noted that they “[had] a lot of therapists [come], but we also [had] a physician — people in different careers, but they can all relate to mental health.”
You’ll come away from it meeting a lot of really cool professionals, but also connecting with other students. -Jill Phelps, vice-president of the Laurier Psych Society
Phelps spoke passionately about her first experience with the event. “It was one of my favourite things I did that year; I got to connect with other people who are interested in psychology. I got to meet some professionals who had some really cool jobs, so I knew that, when I became an executive
on the team, I would want to really put some time into this event and make it really good,” Phelps said. Phelps also discussed the benefits that students will gain from attending: “You’ll come away from it meeting a lot of really cool professionals, but also connecting with other students,” she said. The Minds on Mental Health event has been getting bigger each year. As it is the Laurier Psych Society’s main event, they take pride in it and want to ensure that it continues to expand. They seek to give students ideas of what they can do with psychology, but also insight into the broader career options that interact with mental health management. For example, students can come away from the Minds on Mental Health event with more opportunities than they had going in. They can also leave with a bigger community of like-minded students who all feel more confident and clear about their choices going forward. It is surprising how many careers intersect with mental health. It is important for students to see that there are many avenues they can
JACKIE VANG/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER
Students and professionals gathered in the PMC for a chance to network.
follow if they want to advocate these issues. “There was a lawyer [who had attended the event], so that was really cool. I never really thought about how law can correspond with mental health advocacy,” Phelps said. The Laurier Psych Society has been an active participant in advancing mental health awareness. They hosted a “Bell Let’s Talk” bake
sale earlier this year. Donations went straight to the Bell Let’s Talk organization. The event is catered to Psych students mainly, but is open to everybody who would like to attend. Regardless of what field you are in, it can be a great way to meet other students, learn more about mental health and find out about career options that involve improving others’ lives.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2019
• 7
Arts & Life
ARTS & LIFE EDITOR EMILY WAITSON arts@thecord.ca
CANADIAN MUSIC
EXPERIENCING THE JUNO AWARDS
CONTRIBUTED IMAGE
TYLER CURRIE STAFF WRITER
For the first time since it started in 1970, the Juno Awards were officially being hosted in London, Ontario. Coincidentally, for the first time since I started in 1994, I was officially living in London, Ontario. It was fate. If you’re a music fan, you understand that somehow our modestly populated country is absolutely crammed with musical talent. I’ve lost count of the times I looked up one of my favourite musicians only to realize that they were proudly Canadian. Some of the top artists in the world call our gigantic and beau-
tiful land home, so obviously this show is something I didn’t want to miss. Award shows are very odd to experience live. During the show, a phrase that kept circling my mind was “fake concert.” The performances were almost perfected with the hopes of promoting bands that were already popular enough to represent the best in Canadian music, yet each group was only permitted to play one of their top hits, usually condensing the song into an altered short version. Of course, the night isn’t dedicated to only one band or genre, so this is to be expected. It can’t be easy to represent the Canadian music industry perfectly, however, a range of diverse artists got time in the spotlight – legacy performer Corey Hart, new and upcoming hip-hop artist NAV, French Singer Coeur De Pirate and First Nations performer Jeremy Dutcher
were among many performances that represented the medley of the Canadian music landscape. I stood watching the show on the floor of the venue, wedged shoulder-to-shoulder with other audience members. In a weird moment of the night, I realized that the celebrities were seated in the stands to my left and right. The Arkells, one of my favourite Canadian rock bands, sat close enough that I could call out to them without straining my voice. On the opposite end sat The Sheepdogs – also one of my favourite Canadian rock bands. I felt strange being near two musical groups that have been dominating my playlists for years, as they sat lounging around enjoying the show, just as I was doing. The crowd cheered when Ewan Currie stood and waved to the crowd below as he got up to leave
his seat. It couldn’t have been a coincidence that when he furled his coat on his way out the door an aroma of weed filled the room. I didn’t mind – that man created Future Nostalgia. Seeing these artists “in the flesh” was a reminder of the humanity of celebrities. No matter how famous or successful a musician becomes, they’re not much different than the average person. Sure, they’re successful in a highly crowded industry, but they must work very hard to remain employed. I spent (too much) money to attend this show, but for the members of The Arkells or The Sheepdogs, this night was a work event to promote their music. Their job is personal brand upkeep that will keep their fans interested and going to the shows, buying the merchandise and streaming the music.
Overall, the Junos were a great time. There’s something about the live experience that evokes the type of energy required to truly appreciate music. As some movies are meant to be experienced in a theatre with the top of the line sound on a huge screen with crystal clear picture quality, some music is designed to be played at a deafening volume in a room full of fans. When the whole crowd is at the mercy of the performer and the bass is shaking your clothes, it’s hard not to lose yourself in the moment. Canada’s music industry is filled with talent in every category of music, so it was nice to get a taste of each live performance like they were samples at a Costco. The beers may have been $13.50 at Budweiser Gardens on the night of the Junos, but the event was good enough not to need one.
8 • ARTS & LIFE
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2019
LOCAL
How do bars adapt to St. Patrick’s Day in Waterloo? AARON HAGEY NEWS EDITOR
When the smoke clears and the empty bottles and cups have been cleaned up the St. Patrick’s Day assault upon local drinking institutions comes to a conclusion for another year. But the important question remains: How do many of these bars and clubs prepare for such an overwhelmingly busy night? For some, such as Stark & Perri, Night School and Becky’s Apartment, St. Patrick’s Day is an event that is opened with welcome and open arms, ready for the tidal wave of green and white to cascade through the front doors of their establishments. This year, Stark & Perri held a 19+ “Pancake Kegger” event that started at 11:00 p.m., offering $5 pints, free pancakes and live music — featuring Ewan Doig, a local guitarist — which occurred throughout the day. Night School held their own 19+ “St. Patrick’s Day 2019” event beginning at 5:00 p.m., featuring DJ Surreal, DJ Flash and Mad Mansion. Even Becky’s Apartment, the smallest of the three, hosted their own “Becky Goes Irish” event, which began at 2:00 p.m., offering food catered by Stark & Perri and Kentucky Bourbon & Chicken and two DJs, with the festivities lasting until 2:30 a.m. Due to the size of these spaces, it’s often difficult to arrive at a precise understanding of exactly how much busier these bars get on St. Patrick’s Day. “I can’t say exactly how many [people] — I think throughout the course of the day we probably had around 700 bodies through the bar — obviously not at one time, and some of those are repeat visits,” said Alex Hicknell, general manager and bartender for Becky’s Apartment. Hicknell saw an increase from
last year; in part, he believes, due to the changes made in their approach to St. Patrick’s Day and what their target demographic would like to participate in. “Last year we did the classic ‘live music and Irish theme stuff,’ and this year we went for more of a ‘Becky’s’ approach, where we had ... just a couple more popular things,” Hicknell said. “Stark’s [is] open all day, but we draw different crowds. We’re more the ‘19-20’ year-olds — obviously there’s more than that. Then, on St. Patrick’s Day, we have the adult crowd that thinks we’re still Failte, so we kind of embrace that and welcome them with open arms.” Failte was the Irish Pub that closed in January 2017, before its rebranding into Becky’s Apartment. As far as their approach to preparation for St. Patrick’s Day, Hicknell likes to keep it simple. “We kind of do the same thing we do all the time, we just scale it up more. So more security, more staff — we’re lucky that we’re apart of a group of bars; so Stark & Perri, Night School and us are all under the same umbrella. We can share staff throughout the course of the day, depending on what spot is the busiest,” he said. Though there are a number of bars and clubs in Waterloo that become busy during St. Patrick’s Day, Becky’s Apartment stands as a unique establishment focussing on openness, which Hicknell believes has benefitted the space. “We’re kind of our own thing; I don’t want to say that we’re better than other bars, but we try to be a little bit more open to things that are going on,” Hicknell said. “Instead of having large fights, we try to deal with everything verbally and come at it from a calm approach, which I think a lot of nightclubs don’t have. So we skirt the nightclub-restaurant line.”
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ARTS & LIFE • 9
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2019 WELLNESS
HANGOVER REMEDIES EVA OU/PHOTO EDITOR
ANNE MARIE RUSSEL CORD ARTS
As someone who is lucky enough to not get the dreaded hangover after a night out, I have seen a good portion of friends and coworkers who unfortunately do not have the same experience. A groggy morning is in need of a hangover remedy, but how should you know which one will get rid of that awful feeling? It’s important to be in tune with
what your body is telling you and how to give it what it needs. Many things can help, but it’s important to know which one is best for you. The most important thing to remember is to stay hydrated. As everyone knows, our bodies are made of mostly water and after dancing our hearts out on the dance-floor and responsibly drinking alcoholic drinks, our bodies will be in desperate need of some water. The best way to ensure a hangover-free morning is to prep the night before. Once you get home, drink a glass or two of water and hit the hay. Another thing to consider is drinking different fluids other than water.
Electrolytes can be found in things such as Gatorade which contain sodium and potassium to help rehydrate the body and retain more water. Another source of electrolytes is a new drink that’s emerging that was originally meant for babies suffering from dehydration: Pedialyte. Pedialyte also contains sodium and potassium, just in higher amounts and fewer calories. Another option that might be a more attainable (and natural) for some, is good ol’ tomato juice. Tomato juice might sound like the complete opposite of what your body needs, but tomatoes are full of nutrients that your body has lost
over the course of the night, such as Vitamin A, Vitamin B, antioxidants and natural sugars to get your body back to normal. Both of these could be serious contenders for those pounding headaches since the most likely culprit is dehydration, but that’s not the only aspect of a hangover. In the morning, try having foods that are high in potassium such as bananas and other nutrient-rich foods such as eggs, whole wheat toast, veggies and fruit. When dealing with a hangover, it’s always better to give your body what it is lacking rather than trying to suppress the problem. Taking medication such as Advil and Tylenol is also a good idea at
the time, but it isn’t helping your body re-coop from what it already lost. Instead, try to stick to more natural remedies that will help aid your body, such as things like ginger, which can help with nausea and upset stomachs. Don’t forget all those vitamin-rich foods and drinks either. Depending on who you are, some of these remedies might not be the right fit, and that’s ok. Everyone is different, but as long as you listen to your body and understand what it needs, you can avoid those pesky hangovers altogether and enjoy the blurry photos of you and your friends from nights gone past — but always remember to drink responsibly.
10 • GAMES
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2019
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GAMES • 11
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2019 SUDOKU
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, 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. Dear Life, I am still drunk from St. Patrick’s Day. Sincerely, Help
Dear Life, I’m both happy and sad and I don’t really know what my emotions are doing. Sincerely, I haven’t cried today and it’s a miracle Dear grad school, Waiting to hear is hard. Sincerely, Impatient Dear Life, How many of my tears would it take to fill a hot tub? That’s where I want to be right now... no more final papers please. Sincerely, Only 3000 words to go
Dear Life, All I want is a summer job. Sincerely, $$$
Dear Life, Thank you for blessing me with a job so I can afford Fab Fit Fun. Sincerely, Unboxing Babe
Dear Ezra, You are wild and lowkey not even fun. Sincerely, I slipped down a hill of mud
Dear Life, If someone wants to sublet my apartment for the summer hmu Sincerely, Broke
Dear Life, Why won’t my staff send me Dear lifes. Sincerely, I still have two columns
Dear Life, A young woman who dresses like a potato and sings songs of death? Answer: Billie Eilish. Sincerely, Keen Eye
Dear Keen Eye, Expose yourself. Sincerely, Curious Dear Cell phone ban, A ban is not a plan. Sincerely, Bear Dear Life, What do you think will happen when I don’t have to do this job anymore? Sincerely, Countdown Dear A, If you don’t go to the Ariana Grande concert with me in June, I will hitch hike my way there and never come home. Sincerely, E Dear McDonalds, Your smoothies are actually pretty good. Keep it up, champ. Sincerely, A fan Dear bed, I am coming to you. And Netflix too. Sincerely, You are warm
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12 •
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2019
Editorial
OPINION EDITOR ALYSSA DI SABATINO opinion@thecord.ca
Editor’s note: staying motivated
EDITORIAL CARTOON
In this case, it’s hard to stay motivated. But keeping your motivation now is more important than ever. It’s imperative to try your best to stay on top of your school work, keep going to classes and continue to finish all your assignments and essays. For me, I often get bogged down by realizing I don’t have the motivation, energy or time to put my full effort into my assignments. But this is a nasty cycle when my lack of motivation and fear of not doing a good enough job combine — I end up procrastinating even longer. I’ve realized that getting the assignment done, no matter how good or bad it might be, is better than not finishing it at all. It’s better to get assignments done rather than accumulating late marks while causing yourself to fall behind in other courses and with other assignments. Instead, do them to the best of your ability and get them handed in, even if it’s not your best work. Above all, cut yourself some slack this time of year. The end of second semester is always harder than the fall semester — but the summer break is close and powering through the end of the term will be worth it when you can soak up the sun knowing you’ve passed all your courses.
SAFINA HUSEIN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
The end of the school year is near, but there is much to do before then. There’s really no point in sugar coating it — this time of year sucks, even though the weather is starting to get nicer and the idea of spring and summer seems in reach. There’s only two weeks of classes left, but with that comes a huge pile of work to get done before then, that seems incompletable. Feelings of stress, exhaustion and burnout are not uncommon. But it’s important to stay positive, even though the end of the year and the change in seasons can get you down, as you long for school to finally be over and to soak up the nicer weather, you have to keep powering through. For those of us graduating, many of us have already been accepted and/or have accepted offers to programs starting in September. Some of you may already have jobs lined up for May. For me, I’m only in one class and I only need a passing grade to walk across the stage in June.
KASHYAP PATEL/GRAPHICS EDITOR
Your intuition is a valuable tool EMILY WAITSON ARTS & LIFE EDITOR
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For most of my life, before I was even in high school, I was always taught and repeatedly told to trust my instincts about things. My parents went out of their way to make me feel like my intuition was a valuable tool that I should learn to trust more often than not. It’s something that I have been able to comfortably rely on when I need to because of it. I believe that most people would be able to say that they’ve had a “gut feeling” about something — and whether it was about a person or a situation, that feeling exists for a reason. As someone who experiences severe anxiety, I know it can be incredibly easy to doubt yourself, especially when you just have a “feeling” about a certain situation — but I have learned through experience that oftentimes these emotions are justified. I’m not going to boast that my intuition is always right, but I believe it’s helped me judge particu-
lar circumstances and other people in ways that have benefitted my well-being. Recently, I was working out in my apartment building’s exercise room by myself, which has windows that look out onto the street. I noticed after a few minutes that a man was standing directly outside and was positioned so that he could watch me. There was no way he would be able to get in without a key — and something told me that he didn’t live in the building — but on top of being very uncomfortable, I felt uneasy about him being there. Even though he likely didn’t pose a direct threat to my safety, I chose to cut my workout short and leave. I was annoyed at myself and momentarily felt foolish for simply not ignoring him and carrying on with what I was doing, but I knew it wouldn’t have been worth the unnecessary stress and discomfort to do so. Situations like this have happened to me numerous times, whether I’m walking alone and I see someone approaching me, or a car is trailing a little too slowly beside me, I err on the side of caution and listen to my gut.
I cross the street, walk a little faster and don’t automatically try to convince myself that I’m being irrational. And while I’ve had people — specifically past boyfriends — who have berated or mocked me for this line of reasoning, saying that I’m paranoid or overthink things too much, it puts my mind at ease. It makes me feel safer when I choose to listen to those feelings that you can’t really explain unless you’ve felt them yourself. I don’t trust my intuition over logic or facts, and most of the time it’s purely situational — but it’s an aspect of people’s everyday lives, specifically women’s, that I believe we’re pushed to distrust first and believe last. The psychological basis behind trusting your own instincts can be complicated, but it’s worth noting that the longer you go through life and experience more things, the more aware you become of what’s going on around you and those feelings you have become more justified and rooted in what you know. At the end of the day, I try to trust those gut feelings, especially when they put my mind at ease and are a way to keep me safe.
13 • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2019
Opinion
• 13 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2019 OPINION EDITOR ALYSSA DI SABATINO opinion@thecord.ca
Spielberg’s plan to perserve cinema is pointless
disappointing movie at the theatre feels like such a letdown — it ends up being a waste of the money I spent to see it. If I watch a movie on Netflix that I don’t end up liking, it’s an hour and a half of my time that I won’t ever get back, but not much beyond that. I can move on to another movie without any effort, and the only money that’s spent is on the monthly subscription fee. And although it may disappoint Spielberg that classic Hollywood
films are not the only contenders for prestigious awards, the reality is that they aren’t as accessible for average audiences as they used to be. The critically acclaimed Netflix-release Roma received 10 nominations at the ninety-first Academy Awards, including “Best Picture,” and ultimately won three that it was nominated for. This is mainly why I see no reason to prevent beautiful films, such as Roma from gaining the attention and recognition they deserve. If movies like this can be as equally well-made as theatre-released films but made available to service-streaming audiences who may not otherwise be able to watch it outside of their own home, then why shouldn’t they be considered? Unfortunately, Spielberg sounds more like an old man yelling at little kids to get off his lawn rather than an esteemed film director appreciating other platforms that showcase his craft. Instead of having this jaded little attitude, perhaps he could break out into the streaming site himself. Change can be a good thing — even when you’ve been sticking to the same successful formula for over 40 years.
way for influencers to make money is by creating sponsored posts, or by becoming a brand ambassador. The brand ambassador becomes responsible for broadcasting their partnership with a company to their followers, sometimes providing discount codes for their followers to use and then receiving a portion of commissions. You don’t even necessarily need a huge following for this; plenty of people I follow on Instagram are helping market products like sunglasses, protein powders, makeup products and more for brands who think they can help them to reach their target market. This is usually called micro-influencing. The fact that nearly 40 per cent of Twitter users have made a purchase as a direct result of an influencers post makes it reasonable to see why this genre of marketing has the potential to work so well, for influencers and companies alike. In a way, influencers aren’t exactly a new concept. When I think of micro or lower scale influencing, companies like Avon and Tupperware come to mind first. These companies are known for their history of recruiting “regular” people to market their products in person to their family, friends and neighbours. While I think dubbing yourself an “influencer” is sometimes a little pretentious — as if you’re overestimating your power and importance over others — I also understand the intent. Our economy is supposedly stronger than ever, but at the same time, it’s getting harder and harder to secure a stable job and a steady income. I can respect how influ-
encers are making something out of nothing, so to speak. Calling yourself an influencer is kind of just a more modern version of calling yourself an entrepreneur, if you think about it. Both brands and those who are creating a “brand” for themselves are smart to use social media as a means of income. Social media influencers have the potential to reach a wider audience than sources like local news programs or booths in the concourse, for example. In the wise words of Kanye West, “If you can communicate this product you can make money off the product.” So why wouldn’t you, if you could? At the same time though, it’s probably hard to track exactly how wide of an audience, or how much of a flux in product purchases comes directly from social media influence. As an outsider to the social media marketing world it’s hard for me to tell if influencers make a measurable difference in product engagement. I feel that if the metric for determining who would make a good “influencer” is largely based on the size of their audience, then brand partnerships might not always pay off. The best method for determining which platforms would make for decent partnerships should be based on more measurable metrics, like increases in page searches, downloads and purchases. Regardless, there’s really no denying the potential for this marketing method to expand even further than it already has. I’m sure the social media influencer world has only begun to scratch the surface.
EMILY WAITSON ARTS & LIFE EDITOR
Steven Spielberg is a multi-billionaire movie director who has made an enormous impact on cinema and is likely one of the most well-recognized names in film history. But, given his prolific status and understanding of the film industry, I find it incredibly disappointing that he recently made his disdain towards Netflix movies known — specifically, that they shouldn’t be considered for Academy Award nominations. “Once you commit to a television format, you’re a TV movie. You certainly, if it’s a good show, deserve an Emmy, but not an Oscar. I don’t believe films that are just given token qualifications in a couple of theatres for less than a week should qualify for the Academy Award nomination,” Spielberg said to ITV News. In a world that continues to rapidly evolve and develop the ways
EVA OU/PHOTO EDITOR
in which we consume media and entertainment, it isn’t surprising that Netflix creations have become viable contenders for awards seasons. The problems that movie directors like Steven Spielberg are addressing with nominated Netflix films come off as elitist, nit-picky and outdated. I can understand — to an extent — why a three-time Oscar-winner and blockbuster movie creator would prefer his audiences to view his work as they
did when Jaws or E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial were released — sat in movie theatres with paid ticket stubs folded in their back pockets. The times have changed since then, though, and the popularity of going to see films at the cinema has differed with the increase in ticket and concession prices. I love going to the movies, but it’s a treat more than anything else since the expense needs to feel like it’s justified and worth it. There’s a reason why watching a
KASHYAP PATEL/GRAPHICS EDITOR
The rise of influencer marketing ALYSSA DI SABATINO OPINION EDITOR
Social media has become an integral part of our modern culture. Most people use it on a daily basis, so it’s no wonder that countless users are turning to it as a means of income. If you go on any social media site
right now you could probably find someone calling themselves an “influencer” within a few minutes of searching. But the definition of an “influencer” might not be very clear right off the bat. Those who call themselves influencers usually have a high follower count on social media, and therefore have the potential to influence their viewers or followers to like or dislike, buy or withhold from buying, a product or a service. Any smart, modernized brand would know that in terms of marketing, using social media is the
way to go these days. This is why a lot of companies are turning to those with a large following to market their products for them, oftentimes paying them in commission or free products for their partnership. Usually they aim for influencers who they think will have an impact on their niche product and market. It allows active or popular social media platforms to monetize their content and receive an income. Nowadays, “influencing” can pretty much become a full-time job. One of the most commonly seen
14 • OPINION
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2019
Lilly Singh is hosting a talk show ALYSSA DI SABATINO OPINION EDITOR
Canadian Comedian and YouTube personality Lilly Singh recently announced that she has landed her own talk show, set to air on NBC in September. Singh’s show, A Little Late With Lilly Singh will replace Carson Daly’s slot on weeknights, making her the first and only woman and LGBTQ+ person to host a latenight show. Singh’s success is a win for the representation of women and LGBTQ+ people, as well as for those of Indian and South Asian descent on major networks. This is especially important in an industry whose demographics largely consist of straight men. Singh has used her platform numerous times to advocate for mental health support and feminist causes. She started the hashtag #GirlLove, which encourages girls and women to spread love and support amongst each other, and partnered with Me to We to sell bracelets in support of female education across the globe. Singh is also a graduate from Toronto’s York University. She has published a book, which quickly became a number one bestseller
across North America, and has played several television and movie roles. She has also been nominated for and won countless awards for her online content: most notably The Shorty awards and Teen Choice awards. She started her YouTube channel under the username “IISuperWomanII” in 2010, and rose to success fast. Some of her relevant YouTube achievements include crossing the 10 million subscriber mark and being included in YouTube’s annual ReWind video every year since 2014.
I think it’s fair to say that lately, people have been noticing the lack of representation of minority groups, and TV networks and other companies are finally picking up on it.
In 2017, she held tenth place on Forbes’ highest earning YouTube stars. Her YouTube success highlights the power that social media platforms hold in today’s age. It’s becoming commonplace to see “normal” people reach success through platforms created for everyday use. Some might see her
success and think she is undeserving because of how she gained it, but I think her success is an example of something positive resulting from the increase of social media usage. Fans and celebrities took to Twitter and other platforms to congratulate her on her success. It seems as though there isn’t a single person who isn’t happy for her, and rightly so. I think it’s fair to say that lately, people have been noticing the lack of representation of minority groups, and TV networks and other companies are finally picking up on it. Singh’s new show is a positive step in the right direction for TV representation. LGBTQ+ alliance group GLAAD wrote that “Lilly is a beacon of hope and a role model to countless LGBTQ people, and her new role on late-night will serve to inspire countless more.” Besides the obvious reasons for minority representation on screen — such as, well, minorities deserving representation just as much as any other group. I can only imagine this opportunity working wonders for NBC’s ratings. Singh’s victory is a testament to the types of representation people want to see. Her show will only work to draw in a whole new audience who, at one point, were disenfranchised from talk show representation. I’m personally not a huge fan of talk shows, but I can guarantee my interest in tuning into her show
CONTRIBUTED IMAGE
come September. Normalizing positive female, racial minority, and LGBTQ+
representations will only work to help pave a path for even more representation in the future.
Don’t let mental illness get you down during exams KUBER MARWAHA OPINION COLUMNIST
Being a student in general is hard, especially when you’re in university. Laurier is a school full of diversity, with students coming from all over the world to study. It’s a new environment, with new people, new surroundings and, for some, even a new culture. Having to go out of your comfort zone to make friends, be active in the school community or even to just fit in can be exhausting, both emotionally and physically. With midterms finally coming to an end and final papers and exams on the way, it can be extremely difficult to manage stress and anxiety. Although not everyone is willing to openly admit it, stress and anxiety are felt by pretty much each person at some point in their lives. Some stress may just be a result of an upcoming test, a presentation or maybe even asking your crush out. However, some stress is also chronic, and it’s something you have to learn to manage on a dayto-day basis. Stress, anxiety and a variety of other emotions have a huge impact on your mental health and how you perceive the world. I was speaking to a pharmacist
YITIAN CAI/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
one day and he said to me, “seems like everyone nowadays has depression or anxiety.” Is that really the case, or is it just more prevalent now because it’s finally relevant? Bell Canada has made an outstanding effort to raise awareness for mental health while WLU has been making efforts for mental health initiatives on campus. You may have already seen a slide or two from the wellness centre while in class. With finals on the way, a lot of students that are facing stress and having a hard time managing their
emotions, and it may be harder to get one-on-one help at the Wellness Centre. However, there are some tips and tricks that I find have worked well in how I manage my emotions — the bonus is, these can be done from the comfort of your home, the library or anywhere you are. Here are three ways to effectively manage stress and clear your mind: Breathe. Seems easy and frivolous, but it works. Stop what you’re doing, put your pencils, phone, book or laptop down. Relax your
neck and your shoulders. Close your eyes. Take a deep breath in, all the way, until you can feel it in your gut. Hold it for about five to 10 seconds. Now relax, slowly breathe out, letting ALL the air and ‘negativity’ from your body out. With every breath, focus your mind to your breathing, think about nothing else. Do this about 10 times or until you feel like you’re relaxed. Research has shown that deep breathing increases supply of oxygen to the brain, stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system and bringing about a feeling of calm. Anchor yourself. Just a like a ship at sea amidst a storm, sometimes our minds can be overcome with emotion. When you try to deal with all of your emotions at the same time, it becomes difficult to focus on the present. To hold yourself steady, you must drop your anchor. Sit up straight and relax your shoulders. Plant your feet against the ground so you can feel the pressure of your feet on the floor. Sometimes stress and emotions can take shape as physical discomfort; acknowledge what you are feeling and where you are feeling it inside. Close your eyes and take a deep breath. Breathe around that feeling. Take a few breaths if necessary. Now, open your eyes and look around you. Take in your surroundings. Name five things around you that you can see. Name four things around you that you can hear. Name three
things around you that you can feel. Lastly, name two things that you can smell and taste. Using your five senses, you are able to steady yourself through distracting your mind, allowing you to regain control of your emotions. Write. Seems counterintuitive, especially when you’re stressed about something like writing a paper, but I want you to try it. When you’re scared, stressed or anxious and you can’t seem to get out of it. Take a paper or make a note on your phone and explain how and what you’re feeling. Writing is just as efficient a method as talking to relieve your stresses. I recommend that the next time you feel stressed, anxious or just overcome with emotion, you try one of these steps to help keeping yourself functioning to the best you can. Switch them around, try different methods or even use them altogether. The most important thing to do is try and practice. The more you practice it, the more naturally it will come when you feel overwhelmed. Always remember you are not alone, and if these steps don’t work for you, seek help. Talk to an advisor, counsellor or doctor. See the wellness centre or other services listed below. In the words of one of my favourite professors, “If your car is making funny noises, you go to the mechanic. So when your brain makes funny noises, you should go see a professional.”
SPORTS • 15
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2019 KICKER HERE
Martins fills crucial role in football team JENNIFER MARTINS SPORTS EDITOR
The Wilfrid Laurier University men’s varsity football team gets a lot of attention during the season due to the exciting nature of the sport. But what often goes under the radar is the work the team puts in behind the scenes. One of the biggest reasons behind the football’s team massive success over the years is the outstanding coaching staff, and one of the most important people on the staff in recent years has been head athletic therapist, Jennifer Martins. Martins began her Laurier career in 2014 and the head athletic therapist’s job is one of the most important ones on the coaching staff. “My job is the health and well-being of the athletes. I am there to support them from a physical standpoint, sometimes it extends to mental. During the season, what I will do is complete all their medicals after every practice and every game for anything that comes up. With football, there’s a lot of things going on, whether that’s minor stuff to strains and sprains, to the more serious on-field acute injures that are potentially broken bones and more
significant things,” Martins said. “I have my students that help me with that. We try to organize and see everybody as quickly and as safely as possible from the dayto-day. I have regular clinic hours where guys can sign up to see me and I work as fast as I possibly can because our timelines are quite different from the general public since the athletes have to be back as soon as possible to play. I try to find that fine line between safety and getting them back to the way they want to be playing.” One of the things that makes Martins’ job challenging is the constant juggling of responsibilities. Martins has to focus on dealing with every athlete in a different way since the roster features numerous personalities that require careful management. “I have to juggle a lot of things like pushing the boundaries on rehab, therapy, exercises, bracing, recovery, etc. No matter what they need, we’ll try to work with it and get them feeling good for practices and games. Seeing that there’s a team of 100 athletes, they all have different personalities, different stressors, different things that make them want to play,” Martins said. “It’s [about] managing those different personalities, finding
KASHYAP PATEL/GRAPHICS EDITOR
what works for them, whether it’s pushing them or sitting back and letting them understand things a little more.” “Some of the athletes are more
curious, so you explain to them the anatomy behind it and some of them don’t care, they just want to be back playing football. So that’s definitely part of it, reading the in-
dividual and then I have to modify what I’m doing so that it works for them,” she added. Even though the football team has a longer off-season than most of the other varsity teams, the work for the players and the staff does not stop once the season is over. “In the offseason, the hours are a little less insane. We’re not working 15 hours a day, but I’m still rehabbing the injuries that [the athletes] needed surgeries for after the season. So we’re doing the rehab [therapy] and the preventative therapy. Guys that maybe suffer from a lot of chronic hamstring strains, so as we push for next season, we want to get them as strong as we can.” “The athletes do actually practice every Friday during the offseason, so things obviously come up from that as well.” They’re also lifting four to five times as week so that also causes some injuries. I’m actually busier than I would like to be in the offseason,” Martins concluded. Jennifer Martins is evidently one of the most important people on the football team’s coaching staff and the Hawks’ success and great overall physical condition is a testament to the tremendous work that she done with the athletes every year.
HOCKEY
Hanlon wins bronze Laurier represents at 2019 Universiade ABDULHAMID IBRAHIM LEAD SPORTS REPORTER
The bigger the opportunity, the easier it is to take it on and being able to represent your country and go overseas is no opportunity to hesitate over. “Any time you get selected to represent a country, I think, no matter the sport, it’s a pretty big honour, no matter the level of competition either.” “Representing a country you’re proud of is something you don’t take lightly and knowing how competitive hockey is on our level, the U Sports level, it was a big honour. When I got asked, I love travelling, I had no hesitation in saying yes. It’s something I’ll remember for the rest of my life.” Enter, Danny Hanlon, a thirdyear forward for the Laurier Golden Hawks men’s hockey team. Hanlon represented the bronze medal winning Team Canada for 2019 FISU Winter Universiade in Russia. “It’s a tough scenario coming into it because it’s 22 guys who’ve for the most part, never played together, never met,” Hanlon said. “We get there 3 days before our first game, in a foreign city, 12 hours ahead, a lot of obstacles in the way. We came together a few days before and rolled into the first game,” Hanlon said. Team Canada had no issues getting through as they went 4-1 in
the preliminary round. Their only loss, which just so happened to cost them a chance to go further, was against Kazakhstan who they eventually went on to beat 3-0 for the bronze medal. “We met a tough Kazakhstan group that has played together for a while. We felt we put together a pretty good game,” Hanlon stated. As for himself, the Waterloo native finished the tournament with six points in seven games off the strength of four goals and two assists. “Personally, I thought I did pretty well considering playing with other elite players,” Hanlon said. “I can say more about how the team played and I’m just happy I got to be a part of it,” Hanlon said. The bigger picture for Hanlon, however, did not have to do with that though, the experience as a whole was far bigger than just himself. “The biggest thing I could take away, just wearing the Team Canada jersey, it becomes so much bigger than hockey and especially with this event, it wasn’t just a hockey tournament, it was university students from all around the world competing at their own event,” Hanlon said. “It was an experience that you become somebody bigger than your own sport, you become one for Canada.” “It was just a really cool feeling and something I won’t forget.”
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Comparing athletics on the Brantford campus Laurier Brantford YMCA offers facility and amenities on par with Waterloo’s Athletic Complex SAFINA HUSEIN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Wilfrid Laurier University students on the Brantford campus have experienced an athletic and recreational experience closer to that of a Waterloo student this past year as a result of the newly opened YMCA. The Laurier Brantford YMCA officially opened its doors on Sept. 14, 2018. The facility, which was brought to fruition through a partnership between Laurier and the YMCA of Hamilton, Burlington and Brantford, is open to both students and the community at large. Megan Jacklin, manager of inter-university sport and recreation programs on Laurier’s Brantford campus, said that prior to the opening of the Laurier Brantford YMCA, Brantford students were limited. “Unless you were a student here using the old Wilkes House Recreation Centre, there is a different level of appreciation for our new facility,” Jacklin said. Wilkes House Residence Recreation Centre, the only recreation facility which students formerly had access to, was small with minimal equipment. “Our fitness centre had just a very small weight area that had pretty much one of every thing,” Jacklin said. “It had a cardio space that had some pretty rundown equipment and it was just very congested and it filled up very quickly because of the sheer numbers of pieces that were available.” The new Laurier Brantford YMCA offers students with an enhanced, well-rounded recreation experience. The faculty offers large spaces, new equipment, multiple gymnasiums and studios and a unique range of classes. “There’s even extra amenities that aren’t typically found in gymnasiums or health clubs like a student lounge that’s up here on the fourth floor or private meeting rooms that can be booked out for presentations or group projects,”
There’s definitely a heightened level of experience here at the new Laurier Brantford YMCA that students weren’t able to capitalize on in the past. -Megan Jacklin, manager of interuniversity sports and recreation
ALEX VIALETTE/THE SPUTNIK
Jacklin said. “There’s definitely a heightened level of experience here at the new Laurier Brantford YMCA that students weren’t able to capitalize on in the last space.” The Laurier Brantford YMCA features health and wellness specialists and supervisors that are present in the facility and offer three complimentary sessions to every student wanting to become familiar with equipment or for those wanting guidance on different workout routines. The facility also offers sportleagues such as pickle ball, paddle and racket nights and more. Another unique amenity offered is child-care. “If we have any students at Laurier Brantford that require child-care, there is that opportunity through the facility and that is included in their membership
if they would like to upgrade to a family membership for their family,” Jacklin said. The Laurier Brantford YMCA is also differs from the Athletic Complex, which is primarily used by solely students on campus — the facility is open to the community in Brantford, meaning anyone can buy a membership to the space. “It’s created a different vibe in this building and students are learning even outside of the gym, they’re learning new communication skills like having to share a gymnasium with little kids during open gym, or participating in a fitness class with people who are perhaps their grandparent’s age. It’s definitely a different dynamic,” Providing students with an accessible, well-rounded facility for physical activity and recreational options is important to students on any campus.
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“I think nowadays you find that students are overloaded with external stresses and they’re just taking on more in their student experience, whether that’s academically or just personally in their social life and finding that it’s weighing a lot heavier on their physical and mental health,” Jacklin said. “Having a facility that can properly support our entire student body … where they’ve all had the opportunity to come in and blow off some steam and take advantage of the programs that are built specifically around supporting students’ physical and mental health.” Jacklin explained that, before the Laurier Brantford YMCA was an option, students at the Brantford campus had a lower quality of athletic and recreational experience than what a Waterloo student may have experienced at the Athletic Complex.
“The athletic complex in Waterloo, they’ve got that established fitness program, they’ve got the triple gym, they’ve got the swimming pool, they’ve got all of those facilities and fitness space and they’ve got segregated areas for women-only program whereas none of that was accessible at the old facility,” Jacklin said. Approximately 17,000 students attend Laurier’s Waterloo campus. In comparison, Laurier’s Brantford campus is home to only 3,000 students. “Now, I would like to say that we’re on par if not superior to what is provided to Waterloo students through the Athletic Complex. Our programs might be smaller in scale, and that’s just the nature of the different sizes of campus,” Jacklin said. Since the Laurier Brantford YMCA opened, 23,373 students accessed the facility. In comparison, Wilkes House Recreation Centre saw only 11,852 visits last year. Furthermore, statistics show that of the 23,000 students that accessed the YMCA, 1,824 were unique students, suggesting that over half of the Laurier Branford student body has accessed the facility since September. “I think in comparison, the student body across both campuses are provided with a very well-rounded experience through the athletics and recreation department regardless of what facility they’re working out in,” Jacklin said.
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