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2 THE PLANT
Letter from the Editor I really hoped my last semester at Dawson was going to be my best. When it first began, I was so high on life. I guess it was bound to crash and burn. I know a lot of us, especially those graduating this semester, had big plans for university which now can’t happen. But in a year, everything will be back to normal (hopefully) and we’ll barely remember this happened. Overall, I’m mostly disappointed that I wasn’t able to spend the last weeks of this semester with the rest of The Plant’s wonderful team. Meetings are just not the same when we’re not all crammed in our tiny club space. We’ve tried our best to stay productive and still deliver our paper to you, even if it’s not in its physical form. I’ve been working for this paper since my first semester at Dawson and I wouldn’t have met most of my friends without it. This paper has a long history and I’m so thankful I’ve had the opportunity to have been its Editor-in-Chief this past year. I’d like to give a big thanks to the executive team: Esme, our copy editor, who has spent countless hours editing every one of our articles and Briahna, our managing editor, who helps me keep our team in check. My job would be a lot harder without them. I’d also like to thank our graphic designer, Daylen, who spends countless hours every month putting together our issues so they can look visually appealing and professional. I also can’t forget to thank our wonderful editorial team for helping keep this paper alive. I am glad I’m able to pass this paper onto our next Editor-in-Chief, Daylen Conserve. We both joined The Plant in our first semester at Dawson, in the fall of 2018, and I’m happy I can graduate knowing this paper will be in good hands. Lastly, we are still taking applications for next year’s editorial team, as of when this issue was published, the current open positions are section editors for News, Voices, Visual Arts, Science & Environment, Sports, and Curiosities. The Cover Artist position is open as well. Go to theplantnews.com/post/apply to find more information. EVA RIZK Editor-in-Chief
Index NEWS 3 ARTS & CULTURE 7 VOICES 10 PLAYLIST 12 VISUAL ARTS 13 CREATIVE WRITING 17 SPORTS 18 SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT 19
CURIOSITIES 20
The Plant is an editorially autonomous student paper. All opinions expressed in The Plant do not necessarily belong to The Plant, but are those of individuals. All content submitted to The Plant or its staff belongs to the paper. We reserve the right to reject or edit all submissions for brevity, taste and legality. The Plant welcomes typed and signed letters to the editor under 400 words. Copyright 2020
Dawson College to Stay Online for a Long Time ROMY SHOAM Staff Writer On Tuesday, May 12th, Dawson followed several Montreal schools in announcing that its Summer and Fall semesters would remain online. This decision was made with respect to the direction of the Ministry of Education. It cited reasons such as the inability to maintain social distancing on campus, a busy public transit system, and no vaccine. Some classes will still happen on-campus, but with fewer students and for a shorter amount of time. Students and faculty were not prepared for the abrupt closure in March. The transition to online schooling was often unclear and subject to constant change. Some professors decided to cut certain activities out of their curriculum, while others simply substituted in-person lectures with recorded ones, class discussions with Léa Forum chats, and kept the same assignments. Social science classes that are mainly lecture-based may have had an easier transition than certain science classes. Science professors must complete the more complicated task of administering lab testing online. A graduating Health Sciences student who chose to remain anonymous describes how their “workload has increased exponentially” as a result of the change to virtual courses. Many of their professors have opted for “various different platforms” to submit “multiple online assignments,” which seems to be a rather complex and chaotic solution. Despite the cancellation of most of their final exams, the increase in assignments has left them “frustrated and overworked.” How may physical education classes happen? Will clubs still be active? How will certain student
services carry on without suffering a great loss of in-person contact? Such questions have not yet been answered, although a task force has been established to enable the partial re-opening of the campus. First-year Pure and Applied Science student Jenna Kliot is “hoping that next semester [she’ll] get to go in for labs,” for Biology in particular. Kliot explains the loss of her “interactive” classes that incorporated “smart learning.” Mark Beauchamp, history professor and coordinator of the Indigenization and Decolonization Studies certificate, expresses his concern with the upcoming semesters remaining online. In no way does he undermine these “exceptional times,” but he identifies the necessity of remembering that Dawson College is a business that ultimately has the goal of turning a profit. In an attempt “to return to a sense of ‘normalcy,’ institutions like Dawson will seek out whatever ‘solutions’ present themselves to allow business to run as usual.” Its great investments in online learning platforms like Zoom, Moodle, and other A.I. platforms will lead “to an increase in surveillance of all participants, with corporate and governmental interests at the core.” Beauchamp points to a potential loss of vigilance of defense of our rights in this time of “fear and uncertainty.” Beauchamp says that Dawson is responsible for “[ensuring] that students continue to be able to study,” but it also needs “to be vigilant about ensuring equitable work conditions for teachers and pedagogically sound learning environments for students.” Its current focus on “logistical questions” excludes “teachers’ work conditions and students’ experiences” from “the centre of planning.” In fact, “online courses are detrimental to the development of human-centred learning communities” according
Online courses are detrimental to the development of human-centred learning communities. to pedagogical research and student testimonies. As soon as the number of students per teacher increases, as it happens with online courses’ profitable “assembly-line teaching models,” student success decreases. Beauchamp says that both teachers and students must “take a united and collective stance that demands that capital investment in educational institutions be made in humans and not in technologies.” Nevertheless, the continuation of online classes is inevitable. As history professor Julie Johnson puts it, “the shift to emergency remote teaching this semester has been a challenge,” and although she prefers in-person activities, she “[recognizes] the need to find a balance between public health and safety and providing students with the best possible education we can.” Johnson calls for professors to adopt “compassion” and “equity” to best “engage with all of [their] students in meaningful ways, even from a distance.” p p
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NEWS 4
R-Score No More: The Removal of the Winter Semester for R-Score Calculations JULIE JACQUES Staff Writer When it was announced that CEGEPs would be shut down to help protect the population from the COVID-19 pandemic, there was much speculation about how the R-Score would be affected. Since then, schools have been given a clear order from the Ministry of Education: courses taken in the Winter 2020 semester will not be included in R-Score calculations. Students have differing opinions on the matter; many petitions have been sent around in an effort to implore the Ministry to revoke its decision and instead count the semester’s R-Score solely if it raises one’s global R-Score. Nearly 20,000 signatures have not been enough to convince the Ministry to reconsider its position. Some students, however, agree with this decision. One first-year Dawson student declares that “it makes sense to accommodate those who may be struggling to keep their grades up,” citing socioeconomic status and mental health problems as issues which could exacerbate inequality and cause lower R-Scores. Part of students’ disappointment seems to be due to the fact that this was not the Ministry’s original plan. “Who’s to say they won’t change their mind again?” one student questions incredulously. “I’m not sure what to believe anymore,” they continue. The confusion is understandable. The first set of instructions given to schools included three measures that were to be implemented: students would be allowed to request authorized absences, students would be allowed to ask for equivalences, and two R-Score calculations would be made, one which included the semester and one which excluded it. So how did the Ministry go from that to what is assumed to be its final decision?
R Score change.org petition VIA CHANGE.ORG
After the Ministry’s original plan was proposed, three organizations, the Fédération étudiante collégiale, the Fédération des cégeps, and the teacher’s union, requested that the Ministry declare the 2020 Winter semester excluded from any and all R-Score calculations. They came to this decision after conducting several simulations which recognized that following the original proposal
They came to this decision after conducting several simulations which recognized that following the original proposal would lead to students receiving biased R-Scores. would lead to students receiving biased R-Scores. For example, due to the nature of the R-Score, if many weaker students requested authorized absences and dropped a course, the remaining students’ R-Scores would be negatively affected. This forced the Ministry to reconsider their position and finally come to the conclusion that the best way to minimize inequalities for the most students would be to temporarily remove the R-Score calculation. They
did not make this decision lightly; students with little to no internet access were considered, as well as student-parents, and international students who may have had to return home in the midst of the pandemic. Still, as aforementioned, not all affected are pleased. “I feel like the semester doesn’t matter anymore,” one student proclaims. “I was hoping to really improve my R-Score, but now I’m just aiming for a passing grade,” they confess. This attitude seems to have been adopted by many, but at a seemingly uncertain cost. Universities have not yet come forward to explain how they will consider this semester in future admission seasons. Will they gloss over it? Or will they still inspect grades? This remains to be unknown, although some students believe that the government should regulate this as well. Surely aware of the situation students find themselves in, Diane Gauvin, Dawson College’s Academic Dean, reminds students that this semester’s grades “remain important indicators of [students’] abilities and performance.” p p
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MTL Babysitting Helping the Community Amidst COVID-19 JAY MURPHY Contributor In response to the COVID-19 crisis, the Quebec government announced school closures for all levels of education. This was, and continues to be, crucial to the reduction of transmission of the virus, but quickly became problematic for many. Parents could no longer rely on daycares or schools to take care of their kids while they are at work. Tristan Hamer, a first-year Pure and Applied student, anticipated the issue before it came into effect and acted immediately. Hamer responded by constructing a babysitting service for parents in need. First, he contacted some of his closest friends and told them about his idea, and they were on board. Each member took on a role and the project quickly began materializing. One member created a Facebook page to advertise while another made a Gmail account so potential clients could contact them. They also discussed logistics and agreed that their service would prioritize the needs of essential workers such as health care professionals, grocers, and so on. After many hours of deliberation and organization, Hamer and the newly founded group, consisting of eight people, had brought to existence MTL Babysitting.
One of the biggest misconceptions about MTL Babysitting was that it was a daycare providing a communal playroom for children. It is stated in their mandate that they carefully dispatched babysitters to the various houses.
As daycares in Quebec were no longer able to comply with the government’s new safety and health measures, hundreds of thousands of children were sent home for an indefinite amount of time. MTL Babysitting’s goal was to provide childcare services in complete compliance with the government’s recommendations. Although their Facebook page received lots of supportive comments, it also received its fair share of skepticism and disapproval. Sarah Kroitor, a student in Explorations Science, acted as one of the group’s administrators. In response to those messages she said, “[W]e took all those comments to heart, and [would] talk about it, and ask ourselves, ‘Are we still being responsible? Are we still doing the right thing? Are we being safe?’” In the weeks that followed, these comments served as prompts to ensure their service was still legal and in everyone’s best interest. The government of Quebec’s website served as a reliable reference point to check for daily updates. One of the biggest misconceptions about MTL Babysitting was that it was a daycare providing a communal playroom for children. It is stated in their mandate that they carefully dispatched babysitters to the various houses. Volunteer babysitters were deliberately matched based on their location and that of their client. Emma Dowson, Social Studies student and volunteer, explains that this was not only convenient, but a precautionary measure to reduce risk. All volunteers were encouraged to walk to their destination and to avoid the use of public transit. Commenters on Facebook also voiced their concern and shear disapproval by saying that schools were closed for a reason, and that this type of gathering was unnecessary. Elysia Katcho, Special Care Counselling student and volunteer, accepted that risk
is always present with interactions but reassured people that they were responsibly minimizing potential risk as much as possible. Babysitters were asked to wash their hands regularly, practice social distancing, and to stop volunteering upon any suspicion of illness. After a month and a half, Hamer decidedly brought pairing babysitters with families to a halt. He explains that their service was in its highest demand in the first two weeks following school closures, as the problem emerged overnight. Since then, there have been a number of government services established. MTL Babysitting was primarily helpful in bridging that gap, Hamer says, “we’re at the point where our job is done.” Throughout the six weeks that MTL Babysitting was operating, they had a base of 24 friends and gained 26 volunteers, resulting in a total of 50 babysitters. They provided their services to dozens of families and children absolutely free of charge. Despite all the challenges, Hamer was content with the work he and his group accomplished. He was especially moved by the number of people MTL Babysitting brought together for a single cause and said, “in times like this people really show their true colours, and they were good colours.” p p
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Taking the ‘Slack’ Out of Slacktivism: Political Awareness in a Digital Age DYLAN FORD Contributor Kidnapped, starved, and beaten. These were the realities of 276 Nigerian schoolgirls who had been kidnapped by Boko Haram, a militant Islamic group, back in 2014. And the world's response? A mere hashtag: #BringBackOurGirls. Like most internet fads, the hashtag flourished, reaching people in all corners of the world. Some notable names had also gotten involved: Beyoncé, Ellen DeGeneres, and Michelle Obama, along with many others, shared photographs of themselves holding up a sign with the #BringBackOurGirls to show solidarity with the kidnapped girls. During its initial months, the campaign was very successful in raising awareness, but a year later the girls were still missing, and the hashtag had faded out of everyone’s minds. This is a classic example of slacktivism. As it stands today, the idea of slacktivism is rather ill-defined. The term was first coined prior to the age of social media, and was used to describe those who involved themselves in a cause but on a smaller, more personal scale. The advent of social media then made people overly comfortable with this idea of a smaller-scale involvement, and has furthermore contrived the belief that complex global issues can be fixed with the use of a hashtag. “When everybody solely dedicates themselves to raising awareness then it becomes a problem,” states Matthew Tussman, a second-semester Social Sciences student at Dawson and member of Model U.N. Social media has the power to do much more than simply spread awareness. It’s been used to educate people, connect with others, and has given people platforms to voice their opinions.
Noah Abecassis, a fourth-semester Social Sciences student at Dawson, and the executive in charge of social media for the Dawson Green Earth club, believes that the first step towards getting involved in a cause is educating yourself. “Read articles,” he says, “even if it’s Wikipedia articles. And definitely both sides,” he adds. “Why are there people for it, and why are there people against it?” Sharing hashtags or posting on an Instagram story can be counterproductive if one is doing it mindlessly. The internet offers infinite amounts of information that should be harnessed instead of passively “liked”. The same goes for “following” politically active people on social
You may have good intentions but in reality, you’re doing less than nothing,” says Tussman. “I don’t think following Greta Thunberg on Instagram is showing your support for climate change. media. “You may have good intentions but in reality, you’re doing less than nothing,” says Tussman. “I don’t think following Greta Thunberg on Instagram is showing your support for climate change,” because it’s easy, and so is forgetting about it moments later. “Listening to some of the ideas that Greta has, and then maybe [implementing some of them into your life], that’s supporting climate change,” he adds. The more one starts to pay attention to these issues, the more they start to have an impact. “My facebook a couple of months ago was constantly showing me articles of the RCMP surrounding Wet’suwet’en people,” says Abecassis,“and that affects you, even if you’re just scrolling by a
picture. One picture may seem like nothing, but a bunch of pictures become really effective.” Social media is a great tool to learn about various global issues, and can also be used to then see how others are getting involved to support them. “Stopping at a social media post is the worst thing that you can do,” says Tussman, but he agrees that it’s a place to start. Considering the COVID-19 situation that we’ve been facing as of March of 2020, Abecassis points out that it’ll be a very long time before people go back to physically protesting, This obstacle has forced these groups of people to look for other ways to get involved, and it appears to be more productive. For Earth Day, the Dawson Green Earth Club hosted a Zoom discussion with the topic question “How to work towards a greener world post-COVID-19?” which was open to anyone who wished to join. As a way of adapting to the crisis, La CEVES (The Coalition Étudiante pour un Virage Environnemental et Social) turned their physical events into digital ones. The popular civil disobedience movement Extinction Rebellion has also recently turned to an education-based platform, offering Zoom meetings where one can speak with Indigenous and climate change leaders. Abecassis agrees that the new focus on education will be beneficial for these movements, “because not everyone [who joins a movement] necessarily joins because they believe in [it],” which seems to be the underlying issue which we should aim to change. He leaves on this note: “harnessing that energy and that want to do something, and moving it towards a more productive state will be super useful.” Don’t start with raising awareness, but instead become aware first. p p
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Two Horses and Shaughnessy Cafe: How two Small, Local Businesses are Adapting to Survive COVID-19 HOPE CORNELL Contributor This March, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, many small businesses in Montreal have had to temporarily close their doors. They are struggling to figure out how they will be able to keep their doors open after these measures are no longer in place. Two Horses Montreal, a hair salon and tattoo parlour located near Beaubien metro station, and Shaughnessy Café, a hotspot for Dawson students, have both been affected, but have found ways to adapt and provide some of their services. François, the owner of Shaughnessy Café, says, “There's no atmosphere, the café is closed so it’s like operating just the roasting and delivery aspect of the business. I can't wait for people to come back in and get back to the social aspect of a coffee shop.” Two Horses Montreal has adapted to its closure by offering “colour kits” and “product kits” for its customers. “Colour kits” consist of tubes of grey coverage or your personalized colour, a biodegradable colour bowl, brush, gloves and instructions assembled for pick up or delivery for only $51! “Product kits” involves purchasing products that are available in the shop. The more products you buy the higher the discount, going up to 20%! The shop is offering commission on colour kits and products to its stylists, to help support them through this crisis. They are also selling $100 gift certificates for the shop for only $80. With each gift card sold, they are donating $5 to La Rue Des Femmes. The Two Horses website for their online store just launched, and there you can find and buy all their merch. Customers can place orders by direct messaging Two Horses on Instagram or sending an email. At
this time, they are only accepting e-transfers as payment. Tattoo artists who work in the shop are selling their artwork and prints on the Two Horses’ Instagram. Izzy, owner of Two-Horses, noted that it was actually a client that suggested they sell hair kits: “So that clients don't have to start using chemical based box colour from the drug store.” She explained, “I thought it was a great idea. The last thing we need when we do reopen are a bunch of colour corrections. This way we can somewhat control what our clients are putting into their hair. Our supplier, Beauty Star, offered to start shipping our clients their hair products for free and the money goes to Two Horses. It's been a huge help!” As for the tattoo aspect of the shop, the tattoo artists are working on some exciting poster sized collaborations that will be printed to sell. All the money will be going directly to the artists. I interviewed Karmen Menthol, a tattoo artist at the shop, who notes that one of the most difficult aspects of the closure has been how much she misses everything: “Tattooing, co-workers, clients, etc.” She is keeping in touch with her colleagues at Two-Horses on social media. “We've zoomed a couple times. It's hard, tough, it's not the same to communicate through a screen. But I miss them very much,” she says. Shaughnessy Café has adapted to the situation by offering contactless delivery of coffee beans, home brewing gear and the shop’s merch (mugs, sweaters, tote bags, etc). Customers can place orders through Instagram direct message and delivered goods are left at the door. Orders are prepared at the café and delivered by François by mail or bike courier. Shaughnessy Café delivers three times a week all over Montreal, and even ships out to people all over Canada.
François explained that Shaughnessy Café’s roasting beans project and deliveries was already in the works before the pandemic. He noted that “Once our website is up and running it’ll be easier, but there haven't been many issues with online orders.” When asked what the future looks like for Shaughnessy as of right now, he says, “Time will tell, of course we will look to reopen gradually, ensuring safety of our staff and clients and we’ll keep the bean delivery going, following experts advice.” You can help support these local businesses by following them on Instagram (@twohorses_mtl, @ shaughnessycafe), sharing information about the services they are offering with friends and of course by placing orders with them! Both shops are extremely thankful for the support they have received so far, and hope that it continues so they can go back to serving customers in person once we get to the other side of COVID-19. We’re in this together! p p
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Album Review: Fetch the Bolt Cutters by Fiona Apple BENJAMIN WEXLER Contributor Fiona Apple is no stranger to loneliness. Her newly released fifth album, Fetch the Bolt Cutters, is so intimate that you might as well be self-isolating with a friend. Apple’s voice is deep, breathy, and expressive; it’s hard to imagine her speaking without emotion in every word. She sings with anger, regret, resignation, pride, frustration, humour, confusion - and she never settles with just telling you how she’s feeling. Lyrics, tune, and vocals are committed to exhibiting every emotion. Many critics have said the experience is like listening to Fiona Apple’s thoughts, but really, she just communicates with total honesty. On the opening track, “I Want You To Love Me”, the hook stretches into desperation, then she plays around with it until her drawn out “youuuuuuu” matches the verses and relentless backing-piano in playfulness and hope. “Rack of His”, a hilarious standout, jumps from roaring anger at a musician who played with her emotions, to an audible smile as she tells us to “check out that rack of his...look at that row of guitar necks”. The transition would sound artful if it wasn’t so damn real. Apple expresses in song things you never knew needed singing about until you hear her take them on with all her genuineness. “Shameika said I had potential” is the line anchoring the song “Shameika”, and one example of the album’s razor-sharp songwriting. The odd compliment of a classmate she was never even friends with mixes with other compliments to help define her identity. It’s specific but universal. Who hasn’t treasured a compliment they received years ago?
By the same token, her take on gender issues is unique and timely. Apple says that after spending months with only the men who were her musical collaborators, she sometimes struggles in her relationships with women. The album doesn’t offer any quick fix to this pervasive patriarchy, but celebrates little victories. On “Newspaper”, she empathizes with a manipulative ex’s new girlfriend. “Ladies” starts with the repeated title, and I wondered if she was mocking a sleazy speech-giver. Instead, it’s her own voice, maybe still struggling to escape the language of showbiz, but doing her best to connect with all the lovers of her lovers. “There’s a dress in the closet / Don’t get rid of it, you look good in it!” “For Her” commits to telling another woman’s story of rape, Apple having been raped herself. It includes one of the most arresting lines on the album, one that I rather leave you to hear yourselves. The Idler Wheel…, Apple’s previous record, is about the frustration of feeling passive. On Fetch the Bolt Cutters, action just means saying, or singing, the right thing. The album can’t be boxed into any genre. Apple’s voice and piano are constants, but the real foundation is in rhythm. A drumset removed from her house by an ex-friend or partner serves as the device for loss on “Drumset”. The little joke there is that she needed to make her own drums, turning loss into great music as she has done her whole career. The album’s percussion was assembled through jam sessions with traditional drum kits as well as banging together whatever could be found around the house. On the title track, dogs bark from inside the recording room. Apple says that the missing drums actually turned out to be a misunderstanding, but she’s concerned with
Apple expresses in song things you never knew needed singing about until you hear her take them on with all her genuineness. the moment, and captures it completely as only she can. “Shameika” crescendos with wild clatter, and on it, Apple describes a younger self “Grinding my teeth to a rhythm invisible / I used my feet to crush dead leaves like they had fallen from trees / just for me, just to be crash cymbals”. Fetch the Bolt Cutters brings out the invisible rhythms of life. Take a walk with it playing, and passing cars, people in the street, and your own footsteps join. Fetch the Bolt Cutters is unorthodox, organic, captivating, and sometimes unsettling. You become comfortable with its quirks and roughness over time, but every listen still uncovers something new. Another quote from the album works as a five word pitch: “pissed off, funny, and warm”. p
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Is There Really Nothing New Under the Sun? BEATRIZ NEVES Staff Writer Once upon a time there was a world where every story, movie, melody or painting was new, innovative and experimental. Unfortunately, those times are long gone. During this pandemic, we are consuming movies, books and music all day long and realizing how much content has been created throughout history. However, the vast amount of content that already exists makes it harder for young artists to surprise and innovate in art. It’s a rough path trying to stand out in an ocean of a thousand other artists without copying other people's ideas and style. In general, innovation in the arts depends on the way the work is done. Coming of age stories have been told all around the world, but the difference is how they are being told. It matters how something is painted, how it was written, how it was filmed, how an instrument is used, etc. Presenting a story from a different perspective, from someone who is not normally in the spotlight, could also make an old story new and fresh. The area that seems most affected by this is music. The copyright laws protect any creative work from plagiarism. The law protects a song for fifty years and it only needs to be affixed to a physical medium to be copyrighted. Yet, there is a limited amount of melodies that can be combined to produce a song. Thanks to the advances in programming, someone could use a computer to create every permutation of notes and save them to a hard drive, which was exactly what Damien Riehl and Noah Rubian did. In theory, they have copyrighted all melodies possible and transformed it into a public domain to decrease the numbers of copyright cases involving
only the melodies. By making their hard drive a public domain, no one can claim that they own a melody. Before, anyone could sue a musician, even if they have never heard the song before. Although, that can be a trick debate since melodies are not the only thing that forms a song. The cases that are related to the lyrics, for instance, can still be questioned. The lyrics would be harder to copy from another musician, but not the idea. In literature, writers might not copy word by word, but there are often uses of cliches in novels, short stories and poems. Tropes are used in almost every element in storytelling. A cliche is also a trope, but an overused one that most readers are already familiar with. As Luke Reid said, a teacher in the English department at Dawson, “If a cliche isn't being used well, which I think is usually the case, it feels too familiar and it might seem one-dimensional.” For the author, especially students still developing their style, it’s hard to decide which tropes not to use. Frequently, students are influenced by a well-known writer, whose work they enjoy. This causes another problem, since there is a fine line between copying someone's work and being inspired by someone. Just like in literature, in the visual arts, the line between copying and inspiration can be tricky, especially when it comes to appropriation art. Appropriation art involves the use of another’s artist's work, normally a well-known object or image,
Just like in literature, in the visual arts, the line between copying and inspiration can be tricky, especially when it comes to appropriation art.
and changing it in some way. It’s especially hard to find this line when you haven’t figured out an original style. According to David Philip Hall, an art teacher at Dawson, “We encourage students to pursue their own originality and individuality. [...] You are always going to be influenced by people and there is nothing wrong with that. Your work, especially when you are young, can develop and have a pretty clear connection to a well-known artist.” Nevertheless, art students still need to follow the college policies regarding their work, even though they have more flexibility than other students in different programs. Music, arts and literature have been around since the beginning of times, which limits inexperienced arts students. Cinema, however, is the youngest of the arts, only 100 years old. As technology becomes more and more available, it’s easier to create films, as well as it’s to innovate in how it’s done. According to Jesse Klein, a cinema teacher at Dawson and a Canadian filmmaker, “I am telling the students to shoot their movies on their phones and 20 years ago it was a novelty to shoot a movie on a phone.” Though it’s evident that being completely original is harder in the twenty-first century, each artist can put their personality into their work, their story and themselves. Originality is a concept that can differ depending on the person, but using an authentic voice that speaks through your work and reveals your view of the world is definitely a part of the definition. It depends on the new artists and their work to decide whether there is really nothing new under the sun. p p
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Respect the Drip and Post a Thirst Trap in Quarantine The Hidden Benefits of Showing Yourself Off TALIA KLIOT Voices Editor During the pandemic, I’ve been spending much more time on Twitter and have consequently noticed the onslaught of thirst traps posted by celebrities. From Ansel Elgort to Lil Nas X, our feeds have been bombarded with sultry pictures that leave little to the imagination. Either out of inspiration from these heroes or sheer boredom, many of us mere mortals have taken this time of isolation to experiment in the art of thirst traps. Dictionary.com defines thirst trap as a “sexy photo posted on social media to attract attention.” However, as is common with slang terms, there are multiple ways to interpret this phrase. While some Urban Dictionary definitions (I know, a reliable source) specify the need for the photo to be more provocative, others state that a picture of oneself with the direct or indirect purpose of attracting attention falls under the jurisdiction of a thirst trap. Emma, a Pure and Applied Science Dawson student and my thirst trap icon, explains that to her, thirst traps are “any photo with the intention of showing yourself off.” While thirst traps often have a negative connotation associated with being conceited or having an unhealthy need for attention, Emma
It gives us the opportunity to show off an outfit, and the “thirst” or replies it generates can give us a self-esteem boost and even a sense of community.
explains that when she posts thirst traps, it’s about reclaiming her identity and image. She says that as a woman, she feels like there have always been outside forces telling her how she is supposed to look, and she emphasizes the importance of being able to “control that aspect of her life” through the pictures that she posts. So much feels out of control right now, so it’s natural that anything in our power to change is becoming popular. We are used to seeing our friends and dressing up for school, and posting thirst traps can serve as a way to simulate some of the same feelings we get from knowing we look good or having someone to impress. It gives us the opportunity to show off an outfit, and the “thirst” or replies it generates can give us a self-esteem boost and even a sense of community. A study published by Lancaster University found that taking and posting daily photographs has “complex health benefits,” which include self-care and community interaction. Exhibit A: Emma relayed an anecdote in which she replied to someone’s thirst trap when she had also just posted one and they went back and forth hyping eachother up. While thirst traps may be salutary to those who post them, they can perpetuate an ideal beauty standard and be harmful to onlookers. However, that can be said about almost any social media post, and therefore shouldn’t stop people from sharing something that makes them feel confident. It is also important to consider that this practice can cause an increased dependence on validation from social media. Nonetheless, the people who post aren’t necessarily the ones to blame, but rather the culture of social media, which, for better or for worse, is not going anywhere.
Whether thirst traps are your style or not, it’s hard to argue against the idea that quarantine is definitely a prime opportunity to try one out. Personally, I’ve never succeeded at a thirst trap, so I asked Emma for some advice on how to snap the perfect picture. When asked about what makes a good thirst trap, she says, “it’s all about composition of the photo. It has to be interesting, visually, and it’s also all about the eyes, and the attitude.” Emma highlights the importance of setup before taking the photo: what you’re wearing, the music you’re listening to, and the mood you’re going for, all matter. Her personal thirst trap jam is Personal Jesus by Depeche Mode, but she stresses that it doesn’t matter what you listen to as long as it makes you feel good and the same goes for the clothes you wear. She recommends first taking videos of yourself posing and then rewatching them so you can recreate the ones that work best. All that being said, I’ll definitely be trying my hand at a thirst trap. I love the idea of reclaiming my image - but don’t expect too much from me. In the meantime, if you’re debating whether to post one, just go for it. I’ll grab my water bottle and keep my eyes on Instagram, ready to cheer you on! p p
VOICES 11 11
Introverts and Extroverts: A Glance at how They’re Coping with Social Distancing JESSICA GEAREY Contributor Let’s be honest; we all enjoy travel, hanging out with friends or family and enjoying nature. Now that we are all confined to our homes, how will we live without these small pleasures that we often take for granted? We identify as either an introvert or an extrovert, or maybe a little bit of both. Introverts tend to seclude themselves and enjoy personal space, whereas extroverts tend to be the center of attention and fuel themselves with social interaction. However, the introvert and extrovert personality types have all kinds of loopholes. The environment and the people you are with can cause you to take on a different persona, but when you’re stuck in one place for a long period of time your true self might just come out! Over the course of the month of April, I took it upon myself to investigate people’s personalities and how the quarantine has affected them. When asked whether she identifies as an introvert or an extrovert, Ryleigh Gumbley, a first year Psychology student says, “I’m a very outgoing person. I love to interact with people.” On the other hand, Sarah Jacobs, a student at Champlain College explains, “I still like to socialize with people, but at the end of the day I like to go home and be by myself.” Nonetheless, the results to my question were not always so clear cut; when interviewing Nathalie Lachance, a Languages teacher at Dawson, I was surprised to find out that the enthusiastic and engaging person that I knew was actually more reserved outside of school. “I set foot in school, and then I am an extrovert,” she said. Lachance feels social distancing hasn’t really impacted her well-being, but this isn’t always the case for everyone. Isabella Wilkinson, an extroverted secondary five student, is starting to lose it. Living with her
Photo VIA SPILLWORDS
parents and two younger sisters, she’s starting to feel some cabin fever. Patricia Dawes, a psychologist at Dawson, thinks that personality could be a factor for these feelings, but they might also depend on how she has learned to cope with the situation and what kind of support she receives from her social networks. Dawes explains that you can apply strategies to your life in order to better yourself in confinement, whether it be exercising or working on art. With the extra time on everyone’s hands, some can’t help but think about what life will be like after social distancing is over. “There are so many things I took for granted,” says Gumbley. “I am going to jump at every opportunity to go and do something that I took for granted because now it’s not even an option.” On the other hand, Luke Reid, an English professor at Dawson who shares the same dual personality as Lachance, says he will be more vigilant with his interactions. He finds it unusual that now he feels that he can’t have a quick conversation with his neighbours in his apartment complex or even hold the door open for someone at the grocery store. Reid feels as though
“there’s a kind of loss of community and connection,” but he understands that this is what needs to be done in order to protect and take care of each other. What will the future hold for social interaction? When asked who will suffer the most, Jacobs says that “extroverts want to be with their friends, so being inside is not something they’re used to. It might drive them a little nuts.” However, even introverts like herself are starting to resent the lack of social interaction. In the long run, only time will tell what will happen. With everything still up in the air, Dawes says that the possible consequences of persistent social distancing are hard to predict. For now, all we can do is just sit in our homes looking out our windows and watching the day go by. p p
12 THE PLANT
Playlist and Visual Arts by MARIANA CHAJON Visual Arts Editor
VISUAL ARTS 13
Photo by ANTHONY VICENTE-PEREIRA @ANTHONYSPHOTODUMP
Photo by MAXIME DESJARDINS @MAXL.D
Photo by EMMA MOONEY @OVRTHEMOONN
Photo by WILLLIAM DARLING @ISOLATION.PROJECT
14 THE PLANT
COVID-19’s Toll on International Students facility. Although I wasn’t allowed to step out into the hallway of my hotel room, the government ensured that I was treated well and therefore my experience with quarantine wasn’t too bad. Returning home isn’t a devastating development for all international students. Kitty Ngo, an Economics student at Concordia University, was feeling homesick since she recently moved to Montreal. She explains, “the thought of reuniting with my family and friends back home soon was a comfort” amidst the chaos of the pandemic.
Photo VIA KERA NEWS
JULIA QUYNH NOORDIN Contributor What surrounds me is eerie silence at the Montreal-Trudeau airport, when just a few months ago, it was bustling with people of all ethnicities speaking in different languages. Instead, as I wait to fly back home to Singapore, I see masked people with wary-looking eyes who scurry to their boarding gates, while those waiting to board their flights sit seats away from each other, suspiciously eyeing anybody within two meters from them. While there’s no arguing that the COVID-19 pandemic has great implications for everyone,
She asserts that even if she went back home, it would be harder for her to deal with online school because of the time difference, and she still wouldn’t be able to step out of the safety of her home due to COVID-19.
international students have been especially affected. Some have been kicked out of their dormitories, faced with financial difficulties, and have concerns about leaving the country because of visa restrictions or fear of catching the virus. Because of the crisis, various countries have imposed travel restrictions. Many international students have either been scrambling to find a ticket back to their home country or are stuck in another country. While some locations are on full lockdown, countries like Singapore and South Korea are only restricting foreigners from entering the country and requiring their returning citizens to self-isolate for two weeks. Elena Youn, a Psychology student at the University of Ottawa, returned home to South Korea on March 22nd before South Korea imposed travel restrictions into the country to further prevent spreading the virus. She was required to self-isolate for 14 days, but she says that her experience was nothing to worry about. Meanwhile, I anticipated my mandatory quarantine in Singapore to be reminiscent of jail, seeing as my quarantine period had to be lived out in a government-run
On the other hand, some students decided not to return back to their countries. Thao Uyen Pham, an international student from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, is currently in San Jose. Pham booked a flight back to Ho Chi Minh City for her summer vacation and she intends to finish her spring semester online in the US instead of flying home right away. She asserts that even if she went back home, it would be harder for her to deal with online school because of the time difference, and she still wouldn’t be able to step out of the safety of her home due to COVID-19. Her only worry is that she won’t be able to return for school in the Fall 2020 semester because of America’s strict travel restrictions. “I hope that the government can contain the situation soon, and that I won’t have any problem returning to school,” adds Pham. In times of crisis, we must be sympathetic towards international students who are either dealing with moving home and different time zones, or facing a pandemic with their family halfway across the globe. Either way, it isn’t easy, but together, we’ll get through it. p p
VOICES 15
As Seen on Zoom: Two Editor-in-chiefs, one interview EVA RIZK Editor-in-Chief
How have you been keeping yourself busy during quarantine?
This long semester is finally coming to an end, which means I will no longer be Editor-in-Chief of this beautiful paper. However, I get to pass on the torch to our current graphic designer! Daylen Conserve is a second-year graphic design student who began their journey at The Plant in the fall of 2018 as our cover artist. I had a little chat with them via Zoom, one editor-in-chief to another.
Mostly school and work. Something about online classes makes it harder for me to separate school and “play” time. I feel like I’m always working on one of my graphic design projects, whether it be me actually sitting down and doing it or it just being in the back of my head all day. The other half of my time is spent working in the Fruits & Veggies section at my job which has been very different due to the pandemic. But, it allows me to go outside a bit and do physical work which clears my mind a bit. There’s also Animal Crossing, which I've been spending a lot of time on. I’ve clocked in 180 hours so far and I just completed this Versailles inspired garden section that people need to see!
What do you hope to get out of your experience as editor-in-chief in the upcoming year? Being Editor-in-Chief next year will definitely help me develop my leadership skills in a huge way. I’m not used to being the one in charge but I’m really looking forward to coordinating The Plant so it can continue to grow and thrive. I also wouldn’t be upset if it could help me land a sick internship at a media company, like Vice *wink*. Do you have any worries? With Dawson confirming that next semester will be held online, I’m mostly concerned about how to reach the Dawson student base. It will be a challenge to attract the same amount of students who read our paper in print form since we don’t have the same reach on our social media pages.
As an artist, are you finding it easier to be creative during this time? I was at first. During the end of March, I felt like I had so many ideas and things I wanted to do. I had finally gotten around to working on a project I had envisioned for a long time called ANGLBBIE (@anglbbie on Instagram) but that motivation went away when I had to start my
Do you miss going to school? Honestly, yeah. I never thought I’d miss going to school so much, even though I would complain about it all the time. I think it’s something about the rituals I would practice around going to school, like picking out outfits or just going to grab a coffee before taking the metro. That routine was comforting. I really miss the shared “dead-inside” energy felt throughout the 4G hallway; it was something special.
Photo VIA DAYLEN CONSERVE
online classes. Hopefully I can get back into that groove soon once I rest up a bit. What is your creative process? A whole mess! Sometimes I’ll just brew an idea for a while and slowly build it up until I feel it’s ready to be birthed into the world. Other times it’s like a flash and I gotta rush to take a note of it or sketch it in my sketchbook. I think my favourite part of my creative process is choosing colours. Even though I gravitate towards the same 4 colours, there’s something so satisfying with colours that work well together. I also usually try to balance out which mediums I use. As a graphic designer and illustrator I end up being on the computer a lot so I try to paint, make sculptures, and play around with other hands-on mediums when I can. I like the hand feel of using traditional mediums and they give me a cleanse from the screen. Where can our readers find your work? @its.daylen on Instagram.
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16 THE PLANT
Ask The Plant BRIDGET GRIFFIN Head Staff Writer
Dear The Plant, How do I stop my family from driving me crazy in quarantine? Sincerely, Your Mom Hi Mom! When did you start going to Dawson? That’s crazy. First of all, we should all be seeking solace in the people we live with. (If you live alone, I don’t know, get a plant or something. It’ll feel like a person if you name it, which will make you feel extra guilty when you forget to water it.) Whether they be your parents, your partner, or strangers you found on Craigslist, be thankful for your roommates. Social interactions are few and far between these days, so we should cherish every opportunity we get to be around other people. That being said, here are some of my favourite ways to tolerate those pesky cohabitants of yours, quarantine edition. 1. Take walks. The kinds of walks they take in Victorian novels after tea time that go on for entire afternoons, with the petticoats and the sun umbrellas and the meticulous descriptions of landscapes that I refuse to believe anyone truly enjoys reading about. 2. Tell them that you’ve been reading up on the 2008 housing crisis. Or that you’ve been thinking of becoming a soundcloud rapper. Either way, they won’t want to talk to you about it, allowing you to dedicate all your time to playing minecraft with the boys. 3. Stop showering. Oh wait, you already did that? Damn, my bad. 4. Become nocturnal. If you find yourself crossing paths with your roommates a little too frequently, perhaps you should try staying up all night and sleeping all day. You may miss class, but it should ultimately be worth it for those sweet uninterrupted hours of solitude. Just you alone, blasting Macklemore and sipping on a Capri Sun. 5. If that doesn’t tickle your fancy, you could just blast Macklemore during the day instead. If you crank up that boombox to the max, you should be able to drown out the terrible sounds of your roommate trying to ask you how your day went. 6. And finally… communicate, or whatever. Gross, I know. Don’t get me wrong, I like avoiding my problems just as much as the next repressed gal, but I’ve heard that talking to people works out sometimes. Alternatively, you could also not. So there’s always that option. Anyway Mom, thanks for the question. What’s for dinner tonight? Hakuna Matata, Bridget Griffin
CREATIVE WRITING 17
The ABCs of Quarantine BETH FECTEAU Contributor Alone in my bed, I am crying But I can’t seem to find a reason. I’m Crying, and I can hardly tell why – what am I mourning? Death hasn’t yet touched my family closely, though Eventually, I suppose it will. My Father’s high school friend is gone, my Grandfather’s roommate in His residence downtown. Is it only a matter of time? We Joke about it online so nonchalantly, as if it isn’t Killing us. I haven’t seen my best friend’s smile for weeks. It’s the Longest we’ve ever gone apart. Maybe I’m crying for her, crying for the loss of our Nightly chats every Friday, Or maybe I’m just sad she’ll never get the
Prom she never wanted in the first place. Quietly, I can feel myself suffocating Remembering all the times I turned down plans. Sometimes the sun shines through. My neighbour Taught his son how to ride a bike yesterday, and I got to watch from the window. But Until we’re all let out, I’ll be Very cold, I think. Not all Warmth is created equal. Mine’s strained. My Xenia is running out. Mom says I’ve gotten rude You should’ve expected it, I tell her. She isn’t the one who’ll have to fake Zeal while she tells these stories to her kids.
Valley Nap MARC BONNELL Contributor
Compiled by BRONWYN FARKAS Creative Writing Editor
Let us go among tall grasses Where the toads find repose That we may sublime to gases, As we together lightly doze. Let us two unite our masses, In some wood which no one knows Where the sun sinks like molasses, And sweet like you, it slowly flows. Let us, in this sunset pretty, Find our way outside the city. In a dale, let us retire, laying in some grassy breeze, Mellowed by the song of bees, Our cheeks buzzing with desire.
18 THE PLANT
SPORTS 18
Bread and Circuses: The Role of Sports During ‘Deconfinement’ ELEANOR SHERRY Sports Editor It’s mid-May as I’m writing this, and already we’ve seen a lot of changes to the rules of quarantine. Thinking back a month ago, when Trudeau, Legault, and Ford were talking about the effect social distancing then would have on us now, it's easy to be cynical. I certainly am: elementary schools have closed again, medical experts warn against relying on herd immunity, and companies across the country are reporting the worst first quarter in history. With all this doom and gloom hanging over our heads, it’s no wonder why so many people take the resumption of leisure activities, such as golf and tennis, as a sign that things are looking up. Starting May 20th, both Quebec and Ontario will be phasing sports that allow for a safe distance between players back into common practice. Team sports, for obvious reasons, will not be making a comeback anytime soon. The news comes as a breath of fresh air, although I can’t shake the feeling that there’s something off about it. Obviously, sports are a cornerstone of any Canadian summer. But it’s strange to see Ford promising to bring back ping-pong and scuba-diving five minutes after declaring the Ontario economy reopened, in a monolithic move the province’s officials are calling “Stage 1,” as if both are equally important. Okay, that’s not entirely true. Just like leisure activities, businesses will be steadily reopening over the course of several weeks, with storefront shops imposing strict limits on the amount of people allowed inside. Nonetheless, retail stores will be coming back, and soon. This only applies to Ontario, by the way, whose protective measures
have proven much more effective than Quebec’s in combating the spread of Covid. And with that in mind, the question, “why is Quebec bringing back sports?” becomes more and more important to answer. It might be due to the fact that senior citizens aren’t exactly itching to play sports anytime soon. Back in April, Quebecers over the age of eighty accounted for forty-two percent of Covid deaths in the province. If Quebec is lagging in public health, its high concentration of old folks doesn’t help. Deaths in palliative homes balloon fatalities without reflecting the real state of things. Still, those homes don’t exist in a vacuum. If leisure activities increase the number of people going out, the caregivers responsible for keeping octogenarians alive will be put at higher risk. However, the real target audience for Quebec’s sports mandate may be kids and teenagers. Many health specialists across the country have been trying to figure out how to keep children active this summer, while social distancing measures are still in place. By relaxing the laws on leisure, Quebec officials may be hoping to do just that. But if it’s young people they’re thinking of, then Quebec’s decision-making process has a lot of internal tensions, considering that team sports like youth hockey and soccer will still be down and out for the rest of the season. No, Quebec’s decision to restart sports feels as arbitrary as its decision to convert roads into pedestrian avenues. And as much as I want to give Legault and his administration the benefit of the doubt, every decision they’ve made so far reeks of damage control. It seems like, on the provincial level, the same mindset applies to both sports and businesses: jumpstart them, but don’t make it seem that way.
On the provincial level, the same mindset applies to both sports and businesses: jumpstart them, but don’t make it seem that way. I’m not against reopening the economy by any means. No industry was prepared for the pandemic, and if people aren’t sent back to work, things could get a lot worse in the long term. But with the threat of a second wave of deaths looming, it seems irresponsible to rush the reopening of sports and businesses. That’s why I can‘t help feeling disillusioned when Ford tacks leisure onto an economic speech. It’s reminiscent of some ancient branch of the Roman Empire, distracting its citizens from poor policies by giving them, as the old maxim goes, “Bread and Circuses.” And despite his hesitancy to reopen businesses, Legault doesn’t seem that different. Quebec’s new safety measures have a lot of style. In the coming months, as leisure activities become more and more commonplace, we’ll see if they have substance, too. p p
SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT 19
The Fight for a Greener World Amid COVID-19 The Takeaways from Green Earth Club’s Earth Day Discussion LAURA KROCHENSKI Contributor There are important connections to be made between the COVID-19 and environmental crises. Hence the topic of the online discussion hosted by Dawson’s very own Green Earth Club; How to work towards a greener and more just world post-COVID-19? It may seem like there are way more important issues to talk about right now. “Enough with those annoying hippies and their fight against plastic straws, right? Now is not the time!” Or so you’d think. Our Earth Day discussion brought together students and teachers, from Dawson, Marianopolis, and John Abbott College, to answer the first discussion question: “What encouraging and discouraging signs of a transition to a greener and more just world have you noticed during this period?” On the positive side of things, participants noticed that there is an increase in support for local businesses, an increase in baking, which you’ve probably noticed from the new trend of banana bread Instagram stories, and other sustainable activities such as gardening, biking, and walking. But more importantly, there is a renewed trust in science, which could be very beneficial for the climate movement. The discouraging signs discussed consisted of the big polluting corporations pushing projects as they take advantage of a distracted public, as well as the rise in online shopping and shipment. Participants also mentioned their concern about a potential consumption boom once things go back to normal. Even the idea of going back to
normal scared many of us, as our society’s normal commends unsustainable actions. We then moved on to the second question: “How would you compare the governmental response to the COVID crisis with their response to the climate crisis, both being public health emergencies?”. Many felt as though the government response to COVID-19 was much more effective than it was towards the environmental crisis. In response to this pandemic, our government has set tight regulations and handed out fines to those disrespecting them. Many participants discussed the benefits of acting with such urgency, especially if the government did so for the climate
The idea of going back to normal scared many of us, as our society’s normal commends unsustainable actions. crisis. However, it was also brought up that the general population would not respond as easily to restrictions put in place in regards to protecting our environment. The repercussions of climate change are much more abstract than COVID-19’s. With the virus, people are able to understand why they are changing their habits, and therefore are compliant with restrictions. Put simply, our society is great at reacting, but not so good at preventing. “How can we continue the fight and ensure that our voices are still heard during this time?” was the closing question.
Within the group of participants, there was an overall understanding that this is a great time to focus on individual action by consuming less, taking on more DIY projects, using social media to post more about environmental issues, and participating in discussions and webinars. All in attempts to keep conversations about fighting for our environment alive. Another interesting response to this question was the importance in creating links between the COVID and environmental crises, starting with creating intergenerational solidarity. Just as younger people are being called upon to help older generations during this time, older generations should be encouraged to help with the prevention of the climate crisis. Links were also made between the continuous disruption of habitat caused by humans and the emergence of COVID-19. Participants noticed the importance of using this as a narrative in our fight for a greener and more just world. With all that being said, everyone left the Zoom call and resumed their quarantine lives with a little bit of hope. Being able to speak about these issues made us all feel more connected, engaged and inspired during a time of isolation. The Green Earth Club allowed many to realize not only how we can aim for a greener and more just world post-COVID, but during. These are weird times, but find peace in knowing that the climate movement is still alive and well, and that anyone can work towards a greener and just world, right now. p p
20 THE PLANT
HOROSCOPES As we enter Gemini season at a time of uncertainty, it can be overwhelming to look at the empty summer and try to make something of it. While there are a lot of things we can’t do this summer, let’s focus on what we can!
VIRGO (aug. 23-sept. 22): Now is the time. Redecorate your room! Build a shirt out of curtains! Take out all the wish lists and dream boards you’ve made and put away, and get. them. done.
AQUARIUS (jan. 20-feb. 18): Forget everything you thought you knew about ‘staying home’. Redefine what it means to be a ‘homebody’ and what can be accomplished and found without leaving your house.
BIRTHDAY: If you were born on May 21st, happy freaking birthday! Bake yourself a cake, throw yourself a party, and make sure the whole neighbourhood knows today is about YOU (and around 21 million other people)!
LIBRA (sept.23-oct. 22): Don’t be afraid to give up on some things. You won’t do everything and you don’t have to! Choose 2 things that are important to you, that you really really want to complete, and slay them.
PISCES (feb. 19-mar. 19) : Create!!! Lots of great art was created during global crises, add yours to history’s list! Or to the pile on your desk!
GEMINI (may 21-june 20): Take this summer to give yourself a break. It can feel like you have to do more than ever, but learn to enjoy doing nothing. Relax!
SCORPIO (oct. 23-nov. 21): Take control of your situation. Don’t give up on doing things you wanted to do just because you can’t do them the way you wanted! Stay determined and get at it.
CANCER (june 21- july 22): Reach out (virtually) to people you might not usually talk to! Distance is the perfect reason to make new connections in new ways. LEO (july 23- aug. 22): Whatever you were determined to do or feel this summer, you can. Create events for yourself ! You can have fun doing anything with the right people (from a distance). Live your best life!!
COMIC
SAGITTARIUS (nov. 22-dec. 21) : Exploration happens in countless ways. Just because you can’t tour a new city does not mean that you can’t explore your house and yourself ! There’s a lot to learn and see right in front of you. CAPRICORN (dec.22-jan. 19): Get jacked. That’s it. Take the time to put together some workout plans and outfits, and then work. them. out.
ARIES (mar. 20-apr. 18): School may be over, but there will always be things you don’t know. Take this summer to learn a new language, a new dance, to paint with pastels, to garden!! TAURUS (apr. 19- may 20): So many bad things are happening (and should not be ignored), but focus on the good you can find. Think about the much-needed coffee you got, and not the 35 minute drive to get to the Starbucks drive-through. Perspective changes everything.
CURIOSITIES 21
CROSSWORD
22 THE PLANT
WORDJUMBLE Solve the following acronyms, and the letters within squares will fill in the blanks of a quote!! 1) IROOPPOSNTI » [ ] __ [ ][ ][ ][ ]__ __ __ __ __ 2) WBO IET » __ __ __ [ ][ ][ ] 3) AFR WYAA » __ __ [ ] [ ][ ] __ __ 4) ZFYZU PSCAHEE » __ __ __ __ __ [ ][ ][ ][ ] __ __ __ 5) ATLHEH CERA » __ [ ] __ __ __ __ [ ][ ][ ][ ] 6) OTETITANN » __ __ __ __ __ [ ][ ][ ][ ] “The _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of _ _ _ isn’t _ _ _ _ _, it’s _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _” - Jonathan Larson
Curiosities by
MIRIAM SOSSIN Curiosities Editor
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MASTHEAD
CONTRIBUTORS
Eva Rizk Editor-in-Chief
Marina Epshtein Cover Artist
Esme Bale Copy Editor
Bridget Griffin Head Staff Writer
Briahna McTigue Managing Editor
Romy Shoam Staff Writer
Daylen Conserve Graphic Designer
Julie Jacques Staff Writer
Julia Bifulco News Editor
Beatriz Neves Staff Writer
Jay Murphy Dylan Ford Hope Cornell Benjamin Wexler Jessica Gaerey Julia Quynh Noordin Anthony Vicente-Pereira Maxime Desjardins Emma Mooney William Darling Beth Fecteau Marc Bonnell Laura Krochenski
Chelsea Moore Arts & Culture Editor Mariana Chajon Visual Arts Editor Solmaz Salehi Sciences Editor Eleanor Sherry Sports Editor Bronwyn Farkas Creative Writing Editor Talia Kliot Voices Editor Miriam Sossin Curiosities Editor
CONTACT The Plant Newspaper Dawson College 3040 Rue Sherbrooke O MontrĂŠal, QC H3Z 1A4 2C.15 theplantnews.com theplantnewspaper@gmail.com @theplantnews