March 25, 2015

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Volume 24 – Issue 25

www.truomega.ca Ω @TRU_Omega

March 25, 2015

VAN DAMSEL AND THE STRUGGLE FOR

GREATNESS

A powwow to change perspectives, p. 2

Quidditch tournament takes over campus green, p. 9

2

FEATURE

March 25, 2015

Seeing First Nations culture through the powwow A Swedish exchange student forms perceptions of First Nations in Canada Simon Larsson

CONTRIBUTOR Ω

Powwow dancers display their regalia during the 2015 TRU powwow on March 15. (Kim Anderson/The Omega)

It was a snowy, dark and windy evening. It was New Year’s Eve and actually just my second day here in Canada. I was walking up in Sahali, still jetlagged from the flight from Stockholm, when I heard a voice shouting.

No way that’s for me, I thought, continuing on my path.

But fast steps started to clatter. I saw the outline of a robust man coming towards me. I felt smaller than a mouse, knowing that I’m in the middle of a parking lot on the other side of the world.

A man with a dark, rough face appeared out of the shadows. His black messy hair hung in a long ponytail. He looked cold and torn. He took a loose hold of my arm and asked me, almost yelling, if I just hadn’t heard him and if I had a smoke. Still holding my arm, he swayed where he stood. I could smell it.

He almost smelled like hand sanitizer when he opened his mouth. I manage to tell him in some kind of “Swenglish” that I wasn’t from here.

“Whereabouts you from?” he said.

“Sweden,” I said, looking down.

Then he let go of my arm with a surprised face and said “I’m Black Foot. Calgary.” Then snow swirled up around us as he told me he was homeless and asked if I could spare him a dollar. I gave him 10. The man shouted at the shadows and another man with a cane appeared. And even though they seemed to have nothing, they asked me if I wanted to join and celebrate New Year’s with the money I’d just given them. I said no thanks and they both went away.

I felt sad that this was my first meeting with a Canadian First Nation. But of course, I knew better than to draw conclusions about a whole people from one meeting.

On Saturday, March 14, I got my chance to be reintroduced. It was the date for TRU’s annual powwow.

But without any idea whatsoever of what a powwow was, I headed for Cplûl’kw’ten (House 5), the Aboriginal Cultural Centre on campus.

Well there I climbed up the wooden porch, knocked on the door, stepped in, and said hello to the first person I saw.

Ryan Oliverius, one of the aboriginal mentors there, happened to be that person.

“What’s a powwow?” Ryan said, almost like my question rebounded. “It’s basically a First Nations event that we have adopted from the eastern United States. It’s a gathering where we celebrate, have fun, dance, sing and see family and friends.”

Ryan invited me to a table and we sat down. With my New Year’s Eve occurrence in mind, I couldn’t help but ask how the situation for First Nations looks today.

“There are a lot of people that stay at the reservations their whole lives,” Ryan started off, “but it’s kind of hard to live completely to the tradition, we have adapted to a lot of things. We are

living similar lives as European Canadians. We are getting education and such like everybody else. We still grocery shop,” he ended with a smile.

Then, Ryan straightened his back, folded his hands, and continued down another path. According to him, the situation was completely different only 50 or 60 years ago. Back then, First Nations children were put in residential schools, and any kind of practicing of First Nation culture was deemed illegal, even ending with a jail sentence.

“They (the Canadian government) did a kind apology for that I guess,” Ryan said, and leaned back against the chair, “but they didn’t have an official apology until Prime Minister Harper did his apology a few years ago.”

After what Ryan called has been a cultural genocide, the quite recent adoption of the powwow has functioned as a way back for First Nations to their cultural identity.

Sitting there listening to him, I was astonished and almost enchanted by Ryan’s calm demeanor while talking about these things, and I quietly sat by while he continued talking about how B.C. today, is actually the most diverse area in the whole world concerning First Nations cultures. He also noted that people from all over Canada are coming to TRU’s powwow. Finally, Ryan asked me if I wanted to join the powwow’s public dance competition.

He tried to entice me by saying that there would be some fine prizes.

“Of course not,” I said, and joked that I probably would need a beer to do that.

Ryan smiled and said that the powwow was a drug- and alcohol-free event.

The next day, I made my way to TRU’s old gym and I was immediately welcomed by everyone, especially Vernie Clement, another aboriginal mentor, who right away offered me a cup of coffee and showed me the way into the great hall. The first sight made me warm.

Everywhere I looked, I saw family members working together in stalls selling handmade crafts and paintings, I saw the hall’s best seats being reserved for elders, children in feather suits, and in the roof waved flags from all over the world welcoming newcomers with open arms. In each end of the court, people sat in circles beating leather drums, building up for the Grand Entry.

I hurried to the rows and took my place. The speaker’s voice welcomed, presented and spoke fluently in both English and First Nations languages.

A few seconds later, TRU’s gymnasium floor turned into an explosion of colors. And when I saw people in all ages in painted feathered clothing, moccasins, slashing tomahawks, everything paced by the beating drums and loud singing, I almost thought I was in a new country all over again. I felt like a Swedish pilgrim among hospitality and thousands of years of history. And, even though I had never seen something so foreign in my whole life, I had never felt so invited and welcome.

THE OMEGA

The Omega Ω Volume 24 • Issue 25

The Omega

GET WELL SOON!

Thompson Rivers University’s Independent Student Newspaper

On Friday, March 20, Omega news editor Alexis Stockford was in a skiing accident at Sun Peaks. The accident put her in hospital, briefly, and she’s now at resting at home and healing up.

Published since November 27, 1991

Everyone here at The Omega is wishing her a speedy recovery and the very best of wishes. We miss you, Alexis. Heal up soon! Ω

www.truomega.ca /TRUOmega @TRU_Omega /tru_omega

EDITORIAL STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Sean Brady @iamseanbrady editor@truomega.ca NEWS EDITOR Alexis Stockford @AlexisStockford news@truomega.ca ISSUES EDITOR Ashley Wadhwani @ashwadhwani issues@truomega.ca SCI-TECH EDITOR Ryan Turcot @RyanTurcot sci-tech@truomega.ca ARTS EDITOR Kim Anderson @K_AndersonSays arts@truomega.ca SPORTS EDITOR Tayla Scott @taylascott3 sports@truomega.ca COPY EDITOR Rachel Wood @rachelwoood copy@truomega.ca CONTRIBUTORS Carli Berry Simon Larsson Steve Leahy

PUBLISHING BOARD EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Sean Brady INDUSTRY REP Christopher Foulds FACULTY REP Charles Hays STUDENT REP Kim Anderson STUDENT REP Mason Buettner

PUBLISHING Cariboo Student Newspaper Society (Publisher of The Omega) TRU Campus House #4 900 McGill Rd, Kamloops, B.C. V2C 0C8 Phone: 250-828-5069 Advertising inquiries: accounts@truomega.ca

LETTERS POLICY Literary and visual submissions are welcomed. All submissions are subject to editing for brevity, taste and legality. The Omega will attempt to publish each letter received, barring time and space constraints. The editor will take care not to change the intention or tone of submissions, but will not publish material deemed to exhibit sexism, racism or homophobia. Letters for publication must include the writer’s name (for publication) and contact details (not for publication). The Omega reserves the right not to publish any letter or submitted material. Opinions expressed in any section with an “Opinion” label do not represent those of The Omega, the Cariboo Student Newspaper Society, its Board of Directors or its staff. Opinions belong only to those who have signed them.

COPYRIGHT All material in this publication is copyright The Omega and may not be reproduced without the expressed consent of the publisher. All unsolicited submissions become copyright The Omega 2014.

In protest of a protest bylaw Montreal’s protest-regulating bylaw makes protests less effective Sean Brady

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ω

A student-led protest against austerity was recently shut down by police for not providing an itinerary to the City of Montreal beforehand.

The shutdown, which involved several violent conflicts with police, was enforced under controversial Montreal bylaw P-6, which demands protest groups provide details about their protest beforehand. Under the bylaw, the planned route of the protest must be given to the city ahead of time.

It also prevents protesters from wearing anything that covers their face, another stipulation that was broken in the Monday, March 23 protest.

Quebec is no stranger to violent protest, but this law, which undoubtedly sought to curb that violence, has likely had the opposite effect. In raw video provided

by CBC, police can be seen at-

tempting to kettle protesters and disperse the crowd, no doubt leading to the response that resulted in two arrests.

Violent protest is unlikely to ever solve a problem in Canada, but a protest squelched and neutered, like any still legal in Montreal, is likely to be much less effective and poorly attended by media. There doesn’t have to be rioting, there doesn’t have to be violence and certainly no one has to get hurt, but a protest that does not disrupt everyday life does not accomplish anything. It’s a lot like workers going on strike but never leaving the production line, or asking permission before committing an act of civil disobedience.

P-6 hate is abundant, and some of it’s from the judiciary. A Montreal municipal court judge threw out the fines of three people charged under the bylaw in a March 22, 2013 protest, according to a Feb. 9 CBC article. He called the law poorly written and “flawed.”

Others views on the bylaw are less tempered.

“When you give your (protest) route, you’re asking for permission to take that route. That’s contrary to all our rights. You don’t have to ask for permission to exercise your right to free speech, so why would I have to have ask for permission to protest?” asked François Saillant during a protest against the bylaw on April 21, 2013 according to a Montreal Gazette article on the same day. Hundreds had gathered to protest outside city hall.

That protest wasn’t planned and it resulted in one arrest. No word on whether or not the arrested person was charged the exorbitant $637 fine.

The bylaw and the fine serve as chilling effects to protest. Especially in this age of information, in this age where Canada is investing more than ever in cyberwarfare and other information tools, why would anyone want to volunteer information to the government? editor@truomega.ca

Learn to cook – your body will thank you Stacey Taylor

THE BRUNSWICKAN (CUP)

There is growing concern about the trend toward decreased home cooking and loss of cooking skills among Canadians of all ages. An increasing reliance on prepared convenience foods not only leads to a potential escalation in personal food-related costs, but can also pose challenges to eating a variety of the nutrient-rich “real” foods needed every day to support personal wellness.

Besides, cooking has always been a critical life skill. We all need to consider the connection between diet quality and overall health. Good things can happen if we make a greater effort to buy “close to the farm” foods and create pleasurable meals and snacks. For instance, some immediate effects of eating well could include having more energy, and an improved ability to focus and remember things. Longer term impacts may include better heart health and less risk of developing various chronic illnesses like high blood pressure or diabetes and certain types of cancer. Though students are saddled with busy schedules, time constraints, tight budgets, less than optimal kitchen facilities, and sometimes less

control over their food (if living in residence or sharing food with roommates), it is still possible to eat well.

Ellen MacIntosh, a registered dietician at the UNB Student Health Centre on campus, gives us some inspiration and a few simple tips to get cooking.

Let`s start by answering the question: why cook? Well, students are at a turning point in their lives in terms of forming their own eating habits after leaving home. A lack of cooking skills is associated with decreased vegetable intake and increased fast food consumption. Significant health consequences can arise from relying on processed foods.

Plus, real foods just taste better.

Students are often in a hurry.

It can be tough to keep up with studies, juggle part-time employment, enjoy social time and find time to cook healthy meals. But you’re not alone. Though students feel they are unusually busy, Canadians in general say the biggest barrier for not cooking is lack of time. The point is, we have to plan ahead a little bit. Have ingredients ready to go to make home cooking a little easier. On the weekend, prepare foods to last during the week — make a big batch of pasta sauce, pre-cut your veggies, grate cheese. Mari-

nate meat or perhaps cook meat ahead and freeze in small portions to defrost overnight in the fridge. Cook a large amount of brown rice, pasta, or quinoa at the beginning of the week and reheat a portion each night.

Take a short-cut with healthier convenience foods. Healthier “fast” foods can help make a tasty meal in a matter of minutes.

Choose items with less sodium, fat and sugar. Here are 10 convenience items that make healthy short-cuts to improved nutrition: canned tuna or salmon, pre-cut butternut squash, canned beans (like chickpeas, lentils), canned diced tomatoes or tomato paste, shredded cheese, eggs, plain frozen fish fillets, frozen vegetables and fruit, whole wheat cheese tortellini and whole grain pizza crust.

Want to start eating better but not quite sure where to begin?

Check out our website atgo.unb. ca/healthcentre and click on the link Healthy Eating and You to find even more nutrition tips, healthy cooking ideas and reliable resources, including Canada`s Food Guide for Healthy Eating. If you have a favorite meal or study snack idea, send it to our “Ask Ellen” blog, so that it can be shared and enjoyed by other members of our university community.

3

TUNE IN/TUNE OUT Steve Leahy

CONTRIBUTOR Ω

Competition: good or bad? According to modern trends, competition is very, very bad. See, competition results in one winner and many losers. And it seems to me that everyone nowadays needs to be a winner. Newsflash: not everyone is a winner.

If someone is bad at what they do, then why shouldn’t they be told? And if someone can do that thing better, then why can’t they? Because it’s unfair to the person who isn’t good at what they do, is why. I can’t be the only one who sees that as backwards, but I probably am the only one who approaches the problem from this end.

When I mention this to people, usually they only want to talk about what happens when two people of equal skill are forced to compete.

That’s quite a bit different. When you’re talking two people of equal skill, then let them work it out themselves.

They’ll probably compete in something or other for it. What I’m talking about is when two people of unequal skill compete.

But here we’re talking about skilled people. They know the rules; one winner, one loser. That’s how things go, and if you understand that then losing really isn’t that big of a deal. Why? Because they can always try again (usually) and try to better themselves before that second attempt. But if you think you’re good enough to have won, then you’re not going to better yourself. And that’s the shame about this whole thing.

It’s a competition; someone’s gotta lose. That’s just the way things are, and you can’t get around it. Back in the day the name of the game was survival; and there was only one way to lose. Nowadays there’s no name to the game, and so we’ve created our own game; don’t ask me the rules, I got nothing. And in this game there is only winning and no losing because we’re so afraid to tell people they’re losers. And if you aren’t afraid to tell people they’re losers, then you’re some kind of jerk.

There’s this weird stigma in society about telling people that they’re not good. Remember those ‘participation awards’ you got as a child? That’s exactly what I’m talking about. No matter what you have to positively reinforce them in whatever they do. Great, because you can’t tell them they need to improve, they won’t. Yeah telling someone they suck at something will make them feel bad, but that is the motivation they need to get better at that thing. If they aren’t told that they aren’t good enough, then they’ll think that they are good enough and it was some other reason they lost.

But there isn’t; they lost because they lost. Life sucks, wear a helmet.

People need criticism or they won’t achieve anything. At least nothing worthy of calling an achievement. That might sound a little harsh, but you’ve got that helmet for a reason. leahys112@mytru.ca

Give us your words!

We’ve got room for you. If you’ve got an opinion on a weekly basis, why not pitch it to us and put it on paper?

Politics? Social issues? Student life?

Tell us all about it and you might find yourself on this very page. If you’re interested in hearing more, write to editor@truomega.ca.

4

NEWS

March 25, 2015

Tia Kooner, the event and leadership chair for TRU’s Relay for Life. (Carli Berry/The Omega)

Student-organized Relay for Life to be held on campus Carli Berry

CONTRIBUTOR Ω TRU will hold its very own Relay for Life this year and it’ll run entirely by students.

Tia Kooner is a third-year bachelor of arts student and the event and leadership chair for the event.

“It is an amazing way to bring people together in the fight against cancer,” she said.

Kooner’s sister had cancer and now serves as a relay co-ordinator at Simon Fraser University, which inspired her to take on the same position.

“We have a cancer awareness club on campus, but not everybody knows about it,” Kooner said.

Twenty teams have raised more than $6,600 of its $8,400 goal as of March 23, according to TRU’s Relay for Life page.

The TRU relay differs from the Kamloops relay as it considered a “youth” relay. Any student, staff member or family member can join the relay, but it is a separate event from the Kamloops team.

Sheena Erhardt, residence life co-ordinator and support staff for the relay, called the event an opportunity for students.

Erhardt became involved in the relay because her best friend’s mother had cancer, as well as her father had skin cancer.

“That had a big impact on us and there was no support. There was nobody that understood what we were going through,” she said.

Nich Gulycz, a fifth-year the-

atre student, is also a cancer survivor. He will be participating in the relay on Team Destination.

Gulycz has been free of cancer for 14 years after being diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at the age of five. He’ll be running in the survivors’ lap.

“This is my first time participating in the relay in Kamloops so I’m curious as to how different it [will] be from other relays,” he said. “I’m super excited for it.”

Teams can choose how they fundraise – some are selling chocolates while others are holding bake sales.

The relay will be held on March 28 from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. at Hillside Stadium.

Participants can register and find more information at: www.relayforlife.ca/tru.

Study suggests tech tools can help keep large classrooms on track Aleks Kunarac

THE FULCRUM (CUP) A study by a University of Ottawa professor suggests that new technological teaching tools can help increase student engagement and classroom focus in large lecture halls at the U of O. “I have heard many say that active learning in the large classroom is impossible,” said U of O biology professor Colin Montpetit. “I’m now convinced that much of what is said about this are myths.”

Ontario universities have the largest average class size of all provinces in Canada. According the Council of Ontario Universities, 30.7 per cent of first-year classes at the U of O had 101–250 students in 2012. The numbers generally drop in the upper years with 73.3 per cent of fourthyear classes having fewer than 30 students.

Montpetit’s research looked at the potential of the Echo360 learning system. Echo360 is described in its

website as an active learning program, and it uses different forms of technology to enhance the classroom experience.

Over the semester-long study, Montpetit collected data from three different sections, for a total of 600 students. The study found a 99 per cent increase in participation, an 80 per cent reduction in failing grades, a 66 per cent increase in students taking notes, and up to a 10 per cent increase in final grades, among the many improvements observed in students’ performance.

By allowing classrooms to become digitized through the use of PowerPoint, videos, poll questions, and quizzes with the lecture, students become increasingly interactive as the classroom evolves from a passive to an active learning experience, said Montpetit.

“Students appreciated the ability to communicate with the professor in private during class without exposing themselves publicly, and to submit answers to questions anonymously,” he said.

U of O history professor Jo-Anne McCutcheon also spoke positively of Echo360. She said its most useful feature was that it was possible “for students to be able to go back to lectures to supplement their notes.”

In further improving the learning experience, McCutcheon looks forward to “flipped classes,” or those in which “the lecture is available in advance of the class … and then we can do more interactive and handson (activities).”

Montpetit said it took less than an hour to figure out how to use the system’s various features, and he said in class he was able to use it in different ways to “take advantage of its pedagogical benefits.”

Students’ difficulties were overcome through allocated class time where students were trained on how to properly and effectively use the program’s tools, the report said.

In a 2013 report, the E-learning group at the U of O recommended the university develop 1,000 blended courses and further expand online learning services.

Monica Lewinsky highlight of TED talks Angela Espinoza

THE OTHER PRESS (CUP) TED Talks returned to Vancouver on March 16, showcasing another year’s worth of presentations between then and March 20.

The 2015 TED Talk presentations were once again hosted at the Vancouver Convention Centre, under the theme “Truth and Dare.”

Over 90 speakers were scheduled for the event, discussing topics focussing on various arts and sciences, advancements in technology, social practices, and philanthropy and activism.

Some big name speakers at this year’s conference included former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates, former prime minister of Australia Kevin Rudd, musician Aloe Blacc, and former White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

Of the many presentations at TED 2015, Lewinsky’s arguably garnered the most media attention.

Lewinsky spoke on cyber bullying, addressing the media frenzy that occurred following her public affair with then-US president Bill Clinton in 1998.

Lewinsky’s talk description on the TED website reads, “After becoming the focus of the history-changing federal investigation into her private life, Monica Lewinsky found herself, at 24 years old, one of the first targets of a ‘culture of humiliation.’”

Lewinsky remained out of the public eye until 2014, when she wrote for Vanity Fairdetailing how the experience had affected her life, and how a lack of feminist public

speech and support at the time inspired her to enter the world of social activism.

“Not a day goes by that I am not reminded of my mistake. And I regret that mistake deeply,” said Lewinsky during her presentation.

Amongst other statements made during Lewinsky’s presentation, Jeff Lee of the Vancouver Sun live-tweeted, “This culture of humiliation and public shaming has developed into an industry; the more shame, the more clicks.”

Lewinsky then described various unrelated instances since the scandal that followed her where others have been harmed by cyber bullying or public shaming, including Rutgers University student Tyler Clementi, who committed suicide at the age of 18 on September 22, 2010. Lewinsky recounted that following Clementi’s suicide, her mother feared she would do the same if she were not able to recover from the scandal.

The rest of Lewinsky’s speech detailed how the Internet has developed into something of a public-shaming forum, and how not stopping such behaviour can often negatively affect the lives of other.

Lewinsky ended her speech with, “We all deserve compassion, and to live both online and off in a more compassionate world.”

Between now and next year’s TED conference, which will also be held in Vancouver, the TED Women 2015 chapter will run from May 27 to 29 in Monterey, California.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

The Omega Ω Volume 24 • Issue 25

5

Q&A period with visiting student affairs educator

Josie Ahlquist on social media, higher education and epic rap battles Ryan Turcot

SCI-TECH EDITOR Ω

At the forefront of last week’s twoday-long “Navigating the Digital Age” workshops at TRU, Californian student affairs educator Josie Ahlquist encouraged students and faculty to push the boundaries of how they use social media on campus.

In an interview with The Omega, Ahlquist spoke to her recent doctorate research on the subject, her take on bringing university social savvy to the next level, and lessons learned from her husband Lloyd “EpicLloyd” Ahlquist’s 11-million-subscribed YouTube channel Epic Rap Battles of History.

RYAN: You’re working on a doctorate right now – what is the focus of your research?

JOSIE: For my dissertation, I looked at college student leaders from the U.S. at two institutions. I basically looked at their experiences with social media. We talked about their usage even as far back as middle school, and how their usage back then is impacting their views and usage today. Then I observed their usage for a year on Facebook and Instagram to see how their leadership positions are playing out online.

RYAN: What were some of the most interesting or surprising key findings of your research?

JOSIE: The students want to use the tools for building relationships, mainly with family and friends, and maybe a bit of stuff at campus. As leaders, are [students] using social media tools to be engaged in social activism or community service? Those

were areas they weren’t so interested in using social media for, because of how they grew up using it, because of fear tactics from parents and schools, or because of conflict they’ve seen online.

That makes us as educators look at these tools and how we should approach helping students and ourselves to view them not only through a critical lens of worst case scenarios, but… [as] tools of what’s possible. We know that horrible things and weird things can happen on the internet, but really cool things can happen also. [Things like] global conversations, and putting your passions to a digital purpose.

RYAN: Some of your workshops are directed towards TRU faculty – what are some of the recommendations that are coming out of those talks?

JOSIE: There’s actually a decent amount of published research about curricular use of [social media] like Twitter and blogs, so being able to provide faculty with that kind of data backs up the legitimacy of using something like Twitter for teaching and learning. Even something as simple as creating a Facebook group for a class would allow for additional interaction.

But there are also some methods that one should think about. [There’s a difference between] just throwing Twitter into a class and expecting learning to happen, [and] tying it into learning outcomes, projects and the syllabus [so] you’re seeing it live out and you’re able to look back and see if it actually worked.

RYAN: For the students who missed out on your workshops, what are some quick tips for improving their social media presence?

Josie Ahlquist spoke on the TRU campus on March 16. (Submitted)

JOSIE: Have a sense of your digital identity. Google yourself and know what’s out there. You don’t have to be on all of the sites. You’ll enjoy the ones that really fit with your personality, and what’s more ideal is if a site also fits with what you want to do as a professional. If you’re a skilled photographer, you definitely should be on Instagram – if you have time for it.

Know the tools that will help you put yourself out there.

For me, it has really paid off using Twitter for more than just tweeting about my brand, but also to purposely interact with professionals.

RYAN: I made a point of saving this question to the end but I have to ask, have you learned anything about YouTube from your husband’s work on Epic Rap Battles of History?

JOSIE: I bring an interesting perspective to my household because I’m an educator. On a leisurely basis, I watch the comments and suggestions, and I’ve seen people build community around the rap battles.

There’s this group of girls from across the globe…a girl in Kansas, a girl in Australia and a girl in the U.K. all met because they’re fans of the rap battles, and they follow and interact

with each other on Twitter. What I’m finding again, as a nerdy educator, is that YouTube can build community and touch with people that you never would have found otherwise, based on interests.

I definitely learned a lot about strategy too, and how they use social media to interact with fans and get suggestions. In the YouTube space, they asked for suggestions, even from the beginning. Legitimizing getting suggestions for content, which you don’t see in traditional Hollywood. So it’s fun to be on the outskirts of a project that’s setting those kind of trends.

Apps of the week: stream live video, get addicted, or get fit Ryan Turcot

SCI-TECH EDITOR Ω

Stre.am

Android, iOS Free

Stre.am is one of the players in the emerging live-streaming era of social media (move over, Vine). Like its iOS-exclusive rival Meerkat and the to-be-released Twitter-acquired Periscope app, Stre.am’s main purpose is to stream live video from your smartphone for the world to see and interact with.

When you first download the app, you’re prompted to create an account and get the option to do so by signing into an existing social media account like Twitter or Facebook.

Once you’re in, you follow other users and receive feeds of their live

streams and archived video reels.

Creating your own live stream is as simple as hitting the record button you’re presented with. You quickly toggle whether you want your location disclosed, your flash on, or your front-facing camera (a.k.a selfie mode) activated. People from around the world can see your live stream until you stop streaming, at which point the footage is lost forever. You also get the option to shoot a time-limited “reel” instead, which is viewable after you stop shooting. Like Meerkat, Stre.am lets you share links to your streams on other social networks.

Stre.am is almost a viable Android-friendly Meerkat alternative, but not quite. The thing about this app that puts me off is that you have to log into the Stre.am app to be able to view the video, and consequently

you have to be on your phone to view the video. Meerkat streams can be viewed from any device as long as you can sign into Twitter, and that seems to be the key difference (for now).

Guess I’ll either have to wait for Meerkat to come to Android or Stre.am to come to desktop computer screens – may the better app win!

One More Line Android, iOS Free

Hold on, just One More Line then I’ll review this app… …Substitute “review this app” for whatever it is you do, and that’s basically going to be your life once you play this game. Until you get frustrated and throw your phone across the room, that is. One More Line revolves around a shooting… erm, pixel-y thing, that shoots in a straight line until you have to start dodging stuff, at which point you’re forced to latch onto nodes, orbit around them and strategically let go so you project forward and not into a wall.

It’s addictive in the same way that Flappy Bird was: you play quick rounds of the game that typically end three seconds later, after you crash, but the game still feels super

satisfying the 10 per cent of the time you get things right and rack up a high score.

Unlike Flappy Bird, there is a bit of skill involved in One More Line.

The game is all about timing and hand-eye coordination. You have to eyeball the precise moment where you should let go of your orbit and have the fast reflexes to actually follow through.

If you have term papers due soon, I would finish those before you download this game.

Fun Fit

Android Free Fun Fit isn’t fun.

You start out by signing into Facebook, entering some data about yourself (weight, height, stuff you’d

expect a fitness app to need) and picking an animal avatar. Yay me.

Next, you’re presented with a customizable panel of widgets that will display info like the number of calories you’ve burned today, the number of steps you’ve taken, and the distance you’ve walked or run. That’s basically it – you track stats about yourself.

It’s a very easy app to cheat. I shook my phone up and down for a bit, firmly planted in my chair, and burned 387 calories over the course of 111 steps, according to Fun Fit. Okay, I know the point is you’re not supposed to cheat the app. But it’s clearly just sensing motion from the phone’s motion sensors, which leads me to question the accuracy of the info it’s giving me.

In addition to widgets that track stats about you, there’s also a screen dedicated to comparing you to friends you’ve connected with.

When you use the app for the first time, you’re given a friend called “Robot” so you don’t feel alone.

Thanks, Fun Fit. When you link up with your real friends on the app, don’t feel bad if you don’t quite stack up – the stats are most likely wrong and at least one of your friends probably just shook their phone instead of actually working out.

6

ARTS

March 25, 2015

Blooming talent to be showcased at battle of the bands

Up-and-coming Kamloops bands will compete at campus pub for cash, studio and stage time Tayla Scott

SPORTS EDITOR Ω

Trying to break into the music industry can be tough, but five Kamloops bands will have the chance to get a leg up in the local music scene as they compete in The Battle for the Great White at Heroes Pub. The battle will start at 7:30 p.m. on March 26. Each band will have 20 minutes to perform while three judges grade them on their music, interaction with the audience, quality of performance and presentation.

At the end of the night the band in first place will receive $200, five hours of complimentary recording time in Perry’s Recording Studio and the opportunity to open for Shred Kelly at The Great White Hootenanny on April 8 at Heroes Pub. Second place will take home a $100 prize.

Both the battle and the hootenanny were organized as a class project

by a group of third-year tourism students.

“That’s the best part about running events in the tourism program – you can only learn so much theory and then you just have to jump right in feet first. You have to pull off the event no matter what,” said Jamie Wheeler, co-organizer of the Battle for the Great White. “We had kids waiting outside last year because we were at capacity, so we’re hoping the exact same will happen this year.”

Ashley McKenzie, the lead vocalist for Bobby Cleveland, said her band has never won a battle before, but they’re hoping to turn that around this year.

“The prize is pretty desirable, we’re trying to work toward our first EP right now. We have half the budget in hand and five hours at Perry’s and the extra $200 would come in pretty handy. Opening for Shred Kelly would be really cool too,” McKenzie said.

“I think being girl-fronted in this town is not that common,” McKenzie said. “Having a rock band with a girl front I think is pretty cool and might set us apart.”

Bobby Cleveland has been playing together since May 2014 and hopes to start touring this summer.

Another band itching to start recording and touring is The Fineprint.

The band has been without a drummer for the past year, which has kept them from playing in public. But now that drummer Ty Dempsey has joined, there isn’t anything holding them back.

“I think we have a younger sound.

It’s kind of like aggressive alternative rock, so it’s probably well suited for this audience,” said Jarrett Boyetchko, The Fineprint’s vocalist and guitarist.

“We all come from a really different musical background so I think that shapes the music we make,” Boyetchko said.

The other bands that will compete

Nick Owen, Zach Smith, Jared Wilman of The Crooked Fronts and Jared Doherty of The Caspians will compete in the Battle for the Great White. (Tayla Scott/The Omega)

at The Battle for the Great White are The Crooked Fronts, named after the vocalist’s teeth, The Caspians, named after a species of bird, and Octobers,

which was named after the U2 album.

Tickets will be sold on Wednesday, March 25 for $5 in Old Main or $7 at the door.

WINDMILLS TALKS JOHNNY DEPP, KANYE WEST AND THE ART OF THE LONG CON Kim Anderson ARTS EDITOR Ω

Cory Myraas on stage on March 19 opening for Van Damsel, a band he’ll be touring with this summer. (Kim Anderson/The Omega)

What do you get when you take one man, a lot of noise-making equipment, Johnny Depp facial hair and the raw talent to tie it all together? You get Windmills.

Silly facial hair references aside, Cory Myraas of Windmills is the most unique sounding artist to come out of Kelowna in some time.

Myraas brought his mix of broody electronic, looping and synth sound to the Blue Grotto on March 19, opening for Van Damsel. Since playing Tunes Against Tuition in September, Myraas has made significant strides with his sound.

Recently, he’s slowed down with live shows and focused his attention on his new album. It’s currently half-finished. A FACTOR (non-profit Canadian organization with a mandate to grow the Canadian music industry) grant of $1,500 will enable him to spend another week in the studio and polish off the album. Myraas has applied for FACTOR grants in the past and is excited to have the funds to continue his work in the studio.

“I have a love/hate relationship with FACTOR. I love it when they give me money and hate it when they don’t,” Myraas said.

Unfortunately, Myraas won’t be able to finish his album before setting off on a tour with Mark Mills from April 15 to 25. He might as well leave his bags packed, because on May 1, he sets off on a cross-Canada tour with Van Damsel.

“I’ll be sleeping for a month after that,” he said.

Myraas understands the structure of the music industry and re-

alizes how important friendships and partnerships with fellow artists are.

“Those guys have been incredibly valuable. What I do is very different from what they do. They’re always friendly. It’s not a competition, no one would admit that, but, we both push each other. Sending the songs back and fourth and getting their comments and feedback is great,” Myraas said.

But it isn’t all business with Windmills. When prodded further about his relationship with Van Damsel, Myraas made a damning statement.

“Really, it’s a big long con for me. I’m gaining their trust so I can destroy that band from within. It’s been four years. It’s been awful being friends with them. This tour…

I’m going to take them out. They’re horrible and really unattractive humans,” Myraas said, jokingly.

Windmills is launching a big and busy 2015: finishing an album, going on (as of right now) two tours, and playing one of the largest music festivals in B.C. Myraas has a lighthearted sense of humour and takes shots from his friends in stride. “[This] is the year I ‘Kanye’ everything I do. I feel like Kanye’s message is very similar to mine.

We are both strong independent artists. Someone made a comment about it in jest, and I’ve just gone with it,” Myraas said.

During Van Damsel’s performance at the Grotto, one could have mistaken Myraas’ surprise appearance on stage has him trying to “Kanye” away the crowd’s attention, but Van Damsel actually, as they usually do, invited him up to sing.

Watch Windmills closely, because I’m forecasting torrential gusts in 2015.

ARTS

The Omega Ω Volume 24 • Issue 25

7

IN PURSUIT OF “THE BEST OF EVERYTHING” What Van Damsel’s new album says about the band

by Kim Anderson

We

Above: Matthew Barron on drums for Van Damsel.

Below: Lead singer Sebastien Ste Marie on stage.

(Kim Anderson/The Omega)

are all capable of greatness, but few of us are able to lunge out and take the leap. What separates the everyday from the extraordinary, what propels people beyond mediocrity?

Local indie-pop foursome Van Damsel’s new LP “The Best of Everything” addresses the age-old question of success and how to obtain it.

“Wanting the best of everything is being human. No one grows up dreaming of mediocrity,” frontman Sebastien Ste Marie said.

Sometimes having no backup plan, no “plan B,” is the only plan. Not allowing yourself to think about the possibility of failure is a method of staying motivated and focused on the ultimate goal.

“What happens if we don’t get to quit our jobs? What happens if we don’t get to be musicians full time? I don’t know. I don’t want to think about that,” Ste Marie said.

“Everyone defines their own success and defines their own goals. We’ve set ours high. The value and fulfillment comes through the process, the journey,” said drummer Matthew Barron.

Over the last year, Van Damsel took a small hiatus from playing in Kamloops. The last time they hit the stage here was at Cactus Jacks (before the stage renovations) with Vancouver group Bear Mountain. They’ve spent that time off focusing on their new album and on the business aspect of the music industry, an area that doesn’t come naturally to all artists.

“When you go into it, you think you just have to play music and write songs and that’s all you have to do. You think that you just have to record it and put it on the Internet and it’ll spread. But that’s not how it works,” Ste Marie said.

Van Damsel recently participated in the famed Peak Performance project. In doing so, they gained invaluable experience in the business aspect of the industry. They realized that networking with fans and other artists is a huge part of staying relevant.

Mentorship from Our Lady Peace drummer Jeremy Taggart has been an invaluable asset to the group.

“Jeremy Taggart is a huge part of our team. There was this opportunity put on by the CIRAA (Canadian Independent Recording Artists Association). They do a mentorship program, where you apply and they have mentors

who know music. Luckily, we were chosen by Jeremy. The program was supposed to last three months, but he’s like no, I’m in it with you guys,” Barron said.

Taggart gives his unabashed feedback on their music and direction. He also offers the experience and stories of a seasoned professional with years in the music industry under his belt.

The group splits most of the management tasks amongst themselves and has also hired a promoter. The most challenging task has been scheduling and booking shows for their upcoming tour.

In May they are setting off on a cross-Canada tour, starting in Quebec. This tour could be the “make or break” moment for Van Damsel since they haven’t ventured much further than B.C. with their music.

“By playing live and touring, you can make someone who is just a listener into a fan, and you can make a fan into a super fan,” Barron said.

Playing live is a unique opportunity to reach ears that would have otherwise never been exposed to their music.

Van Damsel has been together since 2010 with a static line up of Richard Bregoliss on guitar/backing vocals, Sebastien Ste Marie on vocals/guitar/synths, Matthew Rennehan on bass/backing vocals and Matthew Barron on drums/backing vocals. Over that time, they have developed a cohesive relationship amongst themselves.

“It’s a relationship. You’re going to have arguments regardless. We’ve been together for a long time. There aren’t just two of us, we are four guys who are pretty bull-headed at times. There’s no way around it,” said bassist Matt Rennehan.

The creative differences that are bound to happen are solved with a majority rules system. However, if a band member is adamant on including a certain element in a song, compromises can always be made.

Getting established and branching out is always the most difficult developmental stage for a group. As long as Van Damsel stays focused on their goals and holds onto their vehement motivation, the future looks bright for the Kamloops foursome.

Keeping the hunger and drive for success, for the best of everything, is absolutely integral for this young band.

“We will never feel like we are on top, because we will always want more,” Rennehan said.

8

SPORTS

March 25, 2015

Not many women in B.C. university coaching A look into why B.C. universities are low on female coaches, and what’s being done to change it Tayla Scott

SPORTS EDITOR Ω

Despite a rise in programs aimed at advancing coaching opportunities and experiences for women, female coaches are still outnumbered by male coaches in every B.C. university.

TRU currently has nine male head coaches employed by the athletic department. WolfPack cheerleading has the only female head coach, but it’s a volunteer position.

“When we advertise a job ... we want to try and get the best candidates that we can to apply and we want to try and hire the best candidate possible,” said TRU’s athletic director Ken Olynyk. “That doesn’t mean they’re always a male, but generally what happens is, if I have 40 applicants for a position, at the most, three to five would be female.”

Olynyk has only seen one female head coach at TRU in his 12 years as athletic director.

But it’s not just TRU that has this issue. Female head coaches are minorities at all B.C. universities.

Currently, both the University of Northern British Columbia and Capilano University have no female head coaches. UBC employs four female coaches, which is more than any other B.C. university. However, with 18 male coaches employed, females still only make up 18 per cent of UBC’s

coaching staff.

It’s an issue that spans the country, said Lorraine Lafrenière, CEO of the Coaching Association of Canada. According to Lafrenière, men and women have different approaches when it comes to applying for leadership positions.

“When women apply for employment they tend to make sure that they have all that is necessary. In other words, they feel equipped to do the job before they apply,” she said, “whereas men tend to be what we might say, risk takers, and say ‘I feel like I can do this job even if I don’t feel I have all the skill set.’”

“Sometimes the other part of it is the lifestyle of coaching employment.

It doesn’t always fit with some of the traditional roles or some of the roles women play in their adult life, like having children. That flexibility has been afforded to men traditionally,” Lafrenière said. “I think that has hindered women entering the profession of coaching.”

There are initiatives to get more females involved in coaching through organizations like the Coaching Association of Canada and the Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity (CAAWS). These organizations provide women with grants, scholarships, mentorship programs and workshop opportunities.

“We’ve just gone through, with the

leadership program, a series of training 25 new trainers across the country,” said CAAWS executive director Karin Lofstrom. “In the end it should be around 100 workshops around the country for women developing their leadership skills.”

According to Olynyk, TRU participates in mentorship programs when there is an interested applicant. The most recent was Natasha Little, who participated two years ago in the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association Female Apprentice Coach Program under WolfPack women’s soccer head coach Tom McManus.

Little played on the WolfPack for two years and wanted give back to the team while improving her coaching abilities.

“Programs like this, whether offered to males or females, will always increase the quality of coaches, but I am not sure they will increase the number of coaches. Generally speaking those who want to coach, will,” Little said.

According to the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association website, $2,500 is given to an institution to support a soccer apprentice.

“Coaching is a difficult profession in that it’s not well-paid until you get a job at a university. I think that also becomes a deterrent for lots of people, not just females,” Olynyk said.

Olynyk said he has never seen one of TRU’s female apprentices move on to become a head coach.

B.C. UNIVERSITY SPORT COACHES

But the low rate of female coaches at TRU is not something WolfPack athletes are lamenting. Both Jenna Quinton and Michelle Bos of the women’s basketball team agreed they prefer male coaches to females ones.

“I do prefer male coaches simply because their styles tend to be more motivating,” Bos said. “I notice female coaches tend to be really good with individual development, especially the mental aspect of sports.”

Natasha Little was an apprentice under coach Tom McManus at TRU, in a program that attempts to increase the number of female head coaches. (TRU Athletics)

MALE/FEMALE BY THE NUMBERS OVERALL (76 COACHES)

84% MALE

16% FEMALE

BASKETBALL MEN’S TEAM

11 COACHES

WOMEN’S TEAM

4 COACHES

6 COACHES

SOCCER MEN’S TEAM

11 COACHES

WOMEN’S TEAM

5 COACHES

6 COACHES

VOLLEYBALL MEN’S TEAM WOMEN’S TEAM

7 COACHES 1 COACH

7 COACHES

SWIMMING 4 COACHES

CROSS COUNTRY 2 COACHES

5 COACHES

GOLF 7 COACHES

BY SEAN BRADY/TAYLA SCOTT

SPORTS

The Omega Ω Volume 24 • Issue 25

9

Quidditch growing in popularity, on and off campus Students ride shovels and catch Snitches in the second-annual Quidditch tournament SPORTS EDITOR Ω

Five teams of TRU students hopped on their shovels to relieve stress and have some fun by playing the nationally growing sport of Quidditch. Teams took over the area in front of Old Main on Saturday, March 21.

Physics student Owen Paetkau has organized the event twice now and was glad to see the sport appealed to a variety of students at TRU. “There’s plenty of people who it’s their first time playing and some people who don’t even know the rules,” Paetkau said. “It was basically just science students last year. This time around it has grown a little bit, which is nice to see.”

WolfPack women’s basketball player and physics student Jorri Duxbury helped spread the word by creating posters for the event.

“It’s a lot of fun and it’s a really stressful time of year, so it’s fun to just be silly, play Quidditch and run around for a couple hours in a day,” she said.

Quidditch, the fictional sport from the Harry Potter books and films, was first adapted for real life in 2005 by

students at Middlebury College in Vermont, according to the International Quidditch Association’s (IQA) website. Since then, the sport has gained traction around the world with the IQA managing the sport globally and organizing international tournaments. In 2011, the IQA ran the fifth Quidditch World Cup event, which was host to more than 10,000 spectators and 96 teams.

Quidditch is one of the fastest growing sports in Canadian and American colleges and universities, and B.C. universities are no exception.

Quidditch is played by club teams at UBC, UVic, SFU and UNBC. “It’s something that TRU could have since it’s a fairly simple thing to set up. The only problem is we wouldn’t have any competition. Travelling would be hard,” Paetkau said.

Quidditch is typically played as a full-contact sport, but Paetkau hosted a no-contact version. Even with the no-contact rule in place, some games got intense as players tried to throw the Quaffle (handball) through the opposing team’s hoops to score.

Quidditch also involves Bludgers (dodgeballs) that are used to throw at opponents. If the person carrying the Quaffle is hit by a Bludger, he or she must drop it and tag a cone at the

edge of the field before re-entering the game.

“Then you have the Snitch, which is harder to do. So you just have a person running around in full yellow with a tennis ball hanging from their pants. If you get the tennis ball, you catch the Snitch. And to make it a little [more fun] we have shovels that go between your legs that you ride on,” Paetkau said.

Catching the Snitch gives the team 30 points and ends the game.

Jonathon Mccaugherty had never played Quidditch before Saturday. He played on the team Womping Willows, which was made up of students from different science programs.

“It’d be awesome if we could get this going at TRU. When you first hear about it, it sounds iffy, but it was actually a lot of fun and I’m glad I did it,” Mccaugherty said. “It’s actually a good cardio workout. Everyone’s running really hard.”

While the sport is still seeing national growth, Paetkau worries it might not last.

“It might become less well known because the younger generation isn’t growing up with Harry Potter anymore,” he said.

Paetkau plans to host the tournament again at TRU next year.

Elizabeth Arden (neé Florence Nightingale Graham), 1939 (b/w photo) / Creator(s): Fisher, Alan, photographer / [Public domain], via Library of Congress

Tayla Scott

“Our only limitations are those which we set up in our own minds, or permit others to establish for us.” › Elizabeth Arden: Self-Made Maven In a time when women dare not wear make-up or run their own businesses, Elizabeth daringly did both. She was not a trained chemist, yet she pioneered the concept of scientifically formulating cosmetics. She was not a business graduate, yet she created a global empire. Curiosity and drive were her teachers; the world, her classroom.

We think Elizabeth would have simply adored AU, giving people all over the world the chance to make their mark, on their terms, in their time. Beautiful.

Matthew Bartle tries to get around Jorri Duxbury to have a shot at goal in a Quidditch game at TRU. Top: The “Broads on Brooms” start the game by running to claim the Quaffle and Bludgers at the centre of the field.

(Tayla Scott/The Omega)

open. online. everywhere.

Learn more at business.athabascau.ca

10

COMICS & PUZZLES

March 25, 2015

C R O S S W O R D Ω All about The Doctor (for Alexis) 1

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1) There are more orange marbles than blue ones; there are fewer violet marbles than red ones.

2) The number of orange marbles and green marbles combined is equal to the number of yellow marbles and violet marbles combined.

3) Each colour has a different number of marbles, and these numbers are all in the range of two to nine.

4) There are three times as many violet marbles as yellow marbles.

5) There are 28 marbles.

This contest is sponsored by the Mathematics and Statistics department. The full-time student with the best score at the end of the year will win a prize. Please submit your solution (not just the answer but also why) by noon next Wednesday to Gene Wirchenko <genew@telus.net>. Submissions by others are also welcome.

The solution will be posted the Wednesday after that in my blog (http://genew.ca/) and in the Math Centre (HL304). Come visit: we are friendly.

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TRU students will be writing final exams soon. Best wishes!

You have some marbles. Each is one of six colours: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet. Given the clues following, how many are there of each colour?

by Ashley Wadhwani 2

Puzzle of the Week #20—Marbles That You Have Not Lost

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LAST WEEK’S CROSSWORD ANSWERS: ACROSS 3. STARWARS 4. MICHAELBAY 5. JULIANNEMOORE

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NEWS

The Omega Ω Volume 24 • Issue 25

11

Super Smash Bros. for your health Ashley Wadhwani ISSUES EDITOR Ω

When it comes to talking about health, three nursing students are turning the spotlight on TRU men with one simple request: start making little changes to your everyday health.

In collaboration with the Wellness Centre and the TRU Geek Club, Daniel Stewart, Derek Brown and Aman Patel, are hosting a Super Smash Bros. Melee tournament starting at 5 p.m. in the TRU Residence and Conference Centre on Sunday March 29.

The campaign is focussed on mental health, nutrition, sexual health and drugs and alcohol, as part of a project for the group’s Community Development course. As men themselves, the trio wanted to create a men’s health presence on campus.

“Especially around our age group, the rates of male suicide are a lot

higher [than females]. Males that are obese at this age are exponentially more likely to have those same health problems later on in life – their health doesn’t usually improve,” Brown said.

In 2009, there were 3,890 suicides in Canada and of that 2,989 were males, according to Statistics Canada. This is roughly three times higher than females, who accounted for 901 suicides.

“It’s difficult to get men to access help, they’re the least likely to especially when they’re young,” Stewart said. “Just getting men to come show up, and get this information out to them is what we’re trying to do.”

The group has also leaned on Jeff Conners, a counsellor and health educator who has a private practice in Kamloops.

According to Conners, a large portion of men’s health problems are mostly a reflection of our culture.

“Thirty to 50 per cent maybe has to do with the Y chromosome and a

Derek Brown, Aman Patel and Daniel Stewart, third-year nursing students and organizers of the campaign. (Ashley Wadhwani/The Omega)

large part of that is because men do not go out and seek healthcare or very much underutilise the healthcare system,” Conners said.

For Conners’ graduate degree in social work, he held a forum on men’s health in Kamloops. Of the 15 people who showed up, 14 of them were women.

“It’s very common that they are more interested in men’s health then

men are,” Conners said.

Knowing the challenge of encouraging men to get involved in their own health, the group wants to keep the campaign accessible.

“Don’t make a big change, make something small and doable,” Brown suggests. “Those kinds of changes can have the best results for men in the long term.”

The group is looking forward to

the turnout for this first campaign event, but also hoping to begin something that future nursing students can takeover in years to follow.

“They want us to leave some sort of legacy behind for the Wellness Centre so that next year the next group of nursing students that want to work with men’s health can pick up on where we left off and continue from that.” Patel said.

Multi-faith space set to officially open

Students can now partake in their cultural or religious practices in peace on campus

M. Daniyal bows his head in prayer in the north side of the new multi-faith space.

(Ashley Wadhwani/The Omega)

start making little changes to your everyday health.

In collaboration with the Wellness Centre and the TRU Geek Club, Daniel Stewart, Derek Brown and Aman Patel, are hosting a Super Smash Bros. Melee tournament starting at 5 p.m. in

the TRU Residence and Conference Centre on Sunday March 29.

The campaign is focussed on mental health, nutrition, sexual health and drugs and alcohol, as part of a project for the group’s Community Development course.

As men themselves, the trio

Ashley Wadhwani ISSUES EDITOR Ω

When it comes to talking about health, three nursing students are turning the spotlight on TRU men with one simple request:

WE'RE HIRING!

COME WRITE FOR YOUR STUDENT NEWSPAPER.

wanted to create a men’s health presence on campus.

“Especially around our age group, the rates of male suicide are a lot higher [than females].

Males that are obese at this age are exponentially more likely to have those same health problems later on in life – their health doesn’t usually improve,” Brown said.

In 2009, there were 3,890 suicides in Canada and of that 2,989 were males, according to Statistics Canada. This is roughly three times higher than females, who accounted for 901 suicides.

“It’s difficult to get men to access help, they’re the least likely to especially when they’re young,” Stewart said. “Just getting men to come show up, and get this information out to them is what we’re trying to do.”

The group has also leaned on Jeff Conners, a counsellor and health educator who has a private practice in Kamloops.

According to Conners, a large portion of men’s health problems are mostly a reflection of our culture.

“Thirty to 50 per cent maybe has to do with the Y chromosome and a large part of that is

because men do not go out and seek healthcare or very much underutilise the healthcare system,” Conners said.

For Conners’ graduate degree in social work, he held a forum on men’s health in Kamloops. Of the 15 people who showed up, 14 of them were women.

“It’s very common that they are more interested in men’s health then men are,” Conners said.

Knowing the challenge of encouraging men to get involved in their own health, the group wants to keep the campaign accessible.

“Don’t make a big change, make something small and doable,” Brown suggests. “Those kinds of changes can have the best results for men in the long term.”

The group is looking forward to the turnout for this first campaign event, but also hoping to begin something that future nursing students can takeover in years to follow.

“They want us to leave some sort of legacy behind for the Wellness Centre so that next year the next group of nursing students that want to work with men’s health can pick up on where we left off and continue from that.” Patel said.

MORE INFORMATION: www.truomega.ca/work

12

March 25, 2015