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Your University of Saskatchewan student newspaper since 1912.

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OPINIONS pg. 13

ASEXUAL AWARENESS

MINDFUL MEDITATION

TOONS ON TRANSIT

STUDENT PERFECTIONISM

NEWS

SPORTS

CULTURE

FEATURE

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SMA Roadmap Tours: U of S students explore Saskatchewan medicine NATASHA HAUSERMANN For many students, making a career choice can be overwhelming. One program offers medical students a chance to explore their options in rural and urban medicine in order to facilitate faster decisions about where to practice.

On Oct. 22, a group of University of Saskatchewan medical students attended a Saskatchewan Medical Association Roadmap Tour in Swift Current, Sask., where they visited the Cypress Regional Hospital for the day. Roadmap Tours offer medical students a chance to experience rural and urban medicine by touring Saskatchewan’s community hospitals.

Delilah Dueck, a coordinator with the SMA, explains why Roadmap Tours were created for medical students.

“The Roadmap program is an initiative of the SMA and its Committee on Rural and Regional Practice.

It is aimed at encouraging retention of new Saskatchewan physicians within our province by targeting medical learners early in their careers,” Dueck said.

Dueck explains that the Roadmap Tours program, in its fifth year of a six-year pilot, has seen an increase in interest from medical

students every year and continues to contribute to a strong relationship between the College of Medicine and the SMA. The Roadmap program not only offers tours for medical students but also hosts events and contests that medical students can partake in, such as a Rider Game appreciation night and family medicine site visits.

During the Roadmap Tour, programs were offered throughout the day to showcase what the hospital has to offer and to improve students’ skills in medicine.

Emmett Harrison, a secondyear medical student, speaks about his experience at the Cypress Regional Hospital.

“The local medical staff organized unique learning sessions for students, including medical emergency simulations, casting and suturing sessions and sessions on baby delivery,” he said.

“We had ample opportunity to ask physicians and medical residents about their perspectives of work and life in Swift Current and the surrounding area.”

Harrison’s experience at the Cypress Regional Hospital not only inspired him, but also had a significant influence on future decisions he will soon have to make.

“I really want to have a

rural family medicine residency in the future, and I believe that Swift Current stole the first position for potential training areas and maybe even future employment,” he said.

Along with Harrison, Huyen Vu, a first-year medical student, explains how this program is beneficial for students who have never experienced rural medicine before.

“Roadmap is valuable because it provides a firsthand look into healthcare in rural communities and connects students to physicians and residents who can answer questions about what makes a rural experience unique. Regardless of whether I pursue rural or urban medicine, these tours will give me a better appreciation for rural community health in Saskatchewan,” she said.

Vu recommends that future students should use this tour to their advantage to get an idea of what makes each Saskatchewan hospital unique — plus students get the added perk of not having to spend a dime.

“Make the most out of the experience, and have fun. If you are seriously considering pursuing a career in that community, don’t be afraid to talk with the physicians and residents about what practicing there really looks like,” Vu said.

Photography Editor: Jeremy Britz, photo@thesheaf.com

Copy Editor: Larissa Kurz, copy@thesheaf.com

Graphics Editor: Lesia Karalash, graphics@thesheaf.com

Web Editor: Nicholas Kindrachuk, web@thesheaf.com

Editor-in-Chief: Naomi Zurevinski, editor@thesheaf.com

Culture Editor: Bridget Morrison, culture@thesheaf.com

Outreach Director: Sophie Kokott, outreach@thesheaf.com

Layout Manager: Laura Underwood, layout@thesheaf.com

Sports & Health Editor: Staff Writer: Emily Klatt Jack Thompson, sportshealth@thesheaf.com staffwriter@thesheaf.com

News Editor: Jessica Klaassen-Wright, news@thesheaf.com

Opinions Editor: Zach Tennent, opinions@thesheaf.com

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“It also doesn’t hurt that the SMA feeds you and buys you drinks; it’s an allexpenses-paid trip.”

One of the many challenges rural hospitals face is trying to recruit physicians. Brooke Hoffman, first-year medical student and junior SMA representative, explains how these tours can create awareness of the experience students would have if they were to choose rural medicine.

“Until August of this year, I’ve only lived in Regina, so I’m very unaware of how ru-

tamaiyuya / Flickr With the SMA Roadmap Tour, U of S medical students learn from rural physicians.

Board of Directors: Ata Merat, Katherine Fedoroff, Kyra Mazer, Chennoa Tracey, Hasith Andrahennadi Cover Photo: Jeremy Britz, Photo Editor Advertising 306.966.8688 Editorial 306.966.8689

Ad & Business Manager: Shantelle Hrytsak, ads@thesheaf.com

The Sheaf is a non-profit, incorporated and student-body funded partially by way of a direct levy paid by all part and full-time undergraduate students at the University of Saskatchewan (U of S). The remainder of the revenue is generated through advertising. The financial affairs are governed by a Board of Directors, most of whom are students. Membership in the Society is open to undergraduate students at the U of S who are encouraged to contribute to the newspaper. Opinions expressed in the Sheaf do not necessarily reflect those of the Sheaf Publishing Society Inc. The Sheaf reserves the right to refuse to accept or print any material deemed unfit for publication, as determined by the Editor-in-Chief. The Editor-in-Chief has the right to veto any submission deemed unfit for the Society newspaper. In determining this, the Editor-in-Chief will decide if the article or artwork would be of interest to a significant portion of the Society and benefit the welfare of Sheaf readers. The Sheaf will not publish any racist, sexist, homophobic or libelous material. The Sheaf is published weekly during the academic year and monthly from May through August.

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ral medical centres operate.

From what I can tell, a lot of my classmates are also in the same boat as me, and there’s really no ideal way to teach about it in class.

Roadmap allows us to experience the lifestyle of rural medicine firsthand and to see if it’s something that might interest us,” Hoffman said.

The Roadmap Tour in Swift Current was just the beginning. Hoffman notes that there will be more tours in the future for medical students to partake in.

The mission of the Sheaf is to inform and entertain students by addressing those issues that are relevant to life on campus, in the city, or in the province. The newspaper serves as a forum for discussion on a wide range of issues that concern students. Written for students by students, the staff of editors, photographers, and artists collaborate with volunteers as studentjournalists to produce a product with relevance to the university community. With each composition, the Sheaf stays in touch with students on the U of S campus. It provides unique insight to university issues through a student perspective.

@thesheaf1912 /thesheaf1912 @thesheaf1912

If you would like to contribute to the Sheaf, email editor@thesheaf.com for more information.

corrections There were no errors brought to our attention in our last issue.

If you spot any errors in this issue, please email them to: copy@thesheaf.com

nov 03, 2016

PAGENEWS TYPE

ASIST: Creating a U of S community safe from suicide JALINE BROQUEZA According to Statistics Canada, suicide is a leading cause of premature and preventable deaths for people of all ages in Canada, a fact that community members in Saskatoon and at the University of Saskatchewan are working to change.

Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training is a program offered by Living Works, an international public service corporation that aims to save lives through the creation, development and delivery of innovative experiences that empower organizations, communities and individuals to be safer from suicide.

In order to build a suicide prevention network in the community, ASIST was hosted on campus by the U of S Students’ Union Help Centre from Oct. 22-23, an event that included 23 participants.

Crystal Lau, Help Centre co-ordinator, shares her opinion about suicide and her experience at the training. ”We don’t talk about [suicide] enough to make it comfortable. I remember one part of the training is that we just have to verbally say it out loud — ‘Are you thinking of suicide?’ … Even [those] who have suicide thoughts, it’s

good for them to take [the training] because then they know there are people there to help them, and also it’s kind of like self-help,” Lau said.

Although the training is not free, all USSU Centre volunteers who take part in the whole training session are sponsored. The Help Centre plans to host another ASIST session from Feb. 4-5, 2017.

Meaghan Baker, a secondyear master’s student in school and counselling psychology who also attended ASIST, believes that the training is beneficial for everyone, as it provides students with the skills to assist those seeking help. She explains one of the main reasons why people become suicidal.

“The overarching theme is that there’s some kind of loss going on, like whether it’s a friend or a breakup or financial loss or you just don’t feel like you have anything to live for,” Baker said.

Lau also mentions that people should not use words or phrases with positive or negative connotations, such as “failed suicide attempt,” when discussing suicide.

“Fail is such a negative word — but you’re alive. That’s not a failure. You’re not a failure because you are alive right

now. So, it’s not like a failed suicide attempt or a successful suicide attempt. It’s just suicide,” Lau said.

Although the training includes lectures about suicide, the trainers also provide scenarios to give participants an opportunity to develop their skills in responding to people who are suicidal.

“You listen, and instead of thinking of what to say next, just listen with full attention and let [the person in need] guide where their story is at … They’re the person who’s leading the conversation, not us. We are helping them [get] those things out, the things that they want to say, not to fix them, not to tell them what to do,” Lau said

Baker believes that it is uncomfortable for many to share their struggles with suicide because most people want to fix the problem right away.

However, listening is the most successful way that one can help a person in need.

“The therapeutic part is people are hearing what they’re saying, and they hear what [it is that] means something to them and it really facilitates them discovering their own reasons to keep going,” Baker said.

According to Lau, four main words are central to ASIST: respect, trust, value and care.

“When you’re assisting someone, it’s very important to make sure you respect them — that they can trust

you and that they value what they’re telling you and [that you] show that you care,” Lau said Lau also adds that there are many people in the Saskatoon community who are willing to help those struggling with suicidal thoughts.

“Make sure you know who you could talk to around you, and there is a huge list of resources you could get help from. Please reach out.”

Resources in the community include the Suicide Prevention Centre and the Crisis (Distress) Centre. Contact information can be found online. A list of all resources can also be found in the USSU Help Centre, located in room 105 of the Memorial Union Building.

Jaline Broqueza Meaghan Baker and Crystal Lau, with Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training, are now equipped to help students in need.

Student panelists combat misconceptions of asexuality LYNDSAY AFSETH Asexuality is a lesser known identity in the LGBTQ community, and the University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union Pride Centre is working to build awareness about this identity and challenge misconceptions.

To do this, the USSU Pride Centre hosted Asexual Awareness Week from Oct. 24-28, an event that included a screening of the documentary (A)sexual at OUTSaskatoon on Oct. 24 and an asexual panel on Oct. 27, in which panelists discussed their experiences of identifying as asexual. On Oct. 28, there was a wrap up party, which also took place at OUTSaskatoon.

At the asexual panel, Kenny Starling, a second-year sociology student and co-ordinator of the Pride Centre, outlined the different identities on the asexual spectrum.

“An asexual is someone who does not experience nov 03, 2016

sexual attraction at all. This does not include libido because anyone can have a libido — that’s just your sex drive. Sexual attraction is actually where that libido is directed towards,” Starling said.

The asexual spectrum also includes demisexual, when a person does not experience sexual attraction until they have formed a bond with someone, and greysexual, when a person only sometimes feels sexual attraction towards others.

Starling also spoke about the difference between asexuality and aromanticism.

“Aromanticism is when someone experiences no romantic attraction. This does not mean that they can’t be in a relationship; it just means that they don’t experience feelings of attraction,” Starling said.

Many people have a hard time understanding asexuality, and it can also be difficult to come to terms with being an asexual person, as the panelists described.

Ashley Clouthier, a fifthyear English and history student spoke about her experience.

“I think the fact that I’ve never felt sexual attraction to women particularly made me feel as though I was just heterosexual and a lot of that I think was socialization,” Clouthier said.

As well as heteronormative socialization, Clouthier described what it feels like to identify as asexual in a very sexual society.

“We live in a very hypersexualized culture and I think that’s what contributes to the misunderstanding of asexuality — the fact that there’s so much focus on sex. Everything’s about sex,” Clouthier said.

April Nechvateo, an outreach and support coordinator at OUTSaskatoon, thinks that the belief that asexuality does not exist or is a phase is one of the most common misconceptions when it comes to asexuality.

“My biggest pet peeve is people trivializing it or not thinking it’s real. I get that a

lot,” Nechvateo said.

Starling also shared that, although many misunderstandings about asexuality exist, there are many positive parts of identifying as asexual.

“My life is not completely about sex. I have a lot of sexual friends who tell me about their sexual activities and it feels to me, from the outside looking in, like that’s all they think about …

I feel like it takes over their lives,” Starling said.

Nechvateo also sees positive aspects despite all of the negative misconceptions.

“I like not having to worry about STIs or getting pregnant … it’s a lot more stress-free for me,” Nechvateo said.

Starling believes that building awareness about asexuality is an important first step to tearing down the common misconceptions surrounding the identity.

“Why we need this is because not many people know it exists and those

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who do know it exists think it’s made up,” Starling said.

With all the events throughout the week, Starling and the Pride Centre, along with OUTSaskatoon, hope to clear up misunderstandings and to create a space for students to speak openly about exactly what asexuality means and how to be accepting of people who identify as asexual.

“Asexuality is not a pledge of abstinence or celibacy,” Starling said. “Abstinence is the practice of abstaining from sexual activity. Celibacy is the abstaining of marriage and sexual activity generally associated with faith and religion. Asexuality is not a choice; asexuality is not an action.”

Lesia Karalash / Graphics Editor

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NEWSTYPE PAGE The College of Arts & Science presents

Lawrence Hill Join us for two FREE public events

Students take the streets

for Lighthouse stabilization shelter

Monday, Nov. 21

JESSICA KLAASSENWRIGHT

Convocation Hall, Peter MacKinnon Building University of Saskatchewan

News Editor

Book Club Talk, discussion & coffee 1:30–3:00 p.m.

My Writing Life Talk & book signing

7:30 p.m.

Learn more or livestream My Writing Life at

artsandscience.usask.ca/bookclub

Photo by Lisa Sakulensky

My Writing Life is presented by the MFA in Writing Program and the Dept. of English

On Oct. 22, hundreds of community members, including University of Saskatchewan students and then mayoral candidate Charlie Clark, marched the streets of downtown Saskatoon in support of the Lighthouse Supported Living Inc., following provincial government cuts to their stabilization unit.

The Lighthouse is a non-profit housing organization that provides supportive, transitional and emergency housing for the Saskatoon community. The stabilization unit, opened in 2013, features 38 beds open to anyone under the influence of drugs and alcohol who does not need medical attention.

In late September 2016, the provincial government cut funding to the stabilization unit, eight months after the unit reduced its opening times due to funding constraints, moving from 24 hours to 16 hours overnight.

Before the march, community organizer and politician Nicole White urged supporters to sign a petition asking the provincial government to reinstate funding to the Lighthouse.

“When we think of what’s important in life, there really isn’t anything more important than a safe place to sleep at night. Saskatoon has growing numbers of people in need of that safe place — a growing number of people who need a variety of housing models,” White said.

The petition, which received about 300 handwritten and over 1,300 digital signatures, will be presented to legislature in the coming weeks. The march, where many signatures were collected, passed through the downtown core, blocking off traffic with stops at Saskatchewan Social Services and the Saskatoon Cabinet Office.

Myda Khan, march participant and fourth-year political studies student, was involved in preparations for the march that took place at the Stand Community Organizing Centre. Khan often visited the Lighthouse to spend time with clients before signing up as a volunteer, a service she has been providing for almost two months.

Khan explains that the funding cuts affect everyone.

“Well, I just think it affects all of us because, especially with winter coming up too now, there’s people who are going to be taking the street. They don’t have shelter; they’re going to be taking the street and then on top of everything, if they’re intoxicated, you can’t just have them on the street,” Khan said.

She further explains that the cuts put pressure on other emergency services that the stabilization unit was created to relieve, such as hospitals and police stations.

“The police services, they have to step in and then they have to put [intoxicated persons] in jail and that’s not where they belong. That’s not going to help them. Or they’re going to go into the Emergency Room … Now you have an overload of people who don’t actually need to

be there, but they’re looking for shelter,” Khan said.

“You’re just going to see a lot more people going into jail, a lot more going into the ER, whereas there is an actual facility that’s there to help them.”

Nicholas Marlatte, march participant, second-year political studies master’s student and member of the Socialist Students’ Association on campus, agrees that the Lighthouse provides an important service but believes that there are better ways for civic and provincial governments to support those who need stable housing.

“I would think mandating … communal housing that would take care of people that can’t afford it, especially since, with where housing is in the city, we actually have a lot of extra housing that isn’t being used because we’ve overproduced it,” Marlatte said.

“And so there’s really no reason, except for people wanting to make money off of their investment, [not to] actually use it to house people that are on the streets.”

Marlatte and Khan agree that U of S students should get involved with initiatives like the Lighthouse to contribute to the Saskatoon community, to affect social change and to broaden personal and academic learning. According to Khan, students can visit the Lighthouse any time to meet clients or to ask about volunteer opportunities.

“I think, as students, especially because in a university where we’re learning so much about these issues … for us to be able to take that knowledge and actually apply it, it’s really useful for us and we have the power to do that.”

Jessica Klaassen-Wright / News Editor Hundreds of protesters, including students Myda Khan and Nicholas Marlatte, marched the downtown core to support the Lighthouse.

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nov 03, 2016

SPORTSPAGE & HEALTH TYPE

Huskies volleyball teams kick off the season JENNIFER WALKER Oct. 28-30 marked the beginning of another volleyball season, as the Huskies women’s and men’s volleyball teams took on the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds. The matchups provided much excitement that ended with the women’s team being swept 2-0 by the nationally ranked Thunderbirds, while the men forced a tie, earning a record of 1-1.

The action on the evening of Oct. 28 started with three close, hard-fought sets. The first set saw the Huskies fall behind as many as seven points before fighting back with a run of their own, only to fall by a score of 27-25.

This first battle was matched by the next two, which saw the Huskies fall by scores of 25-21 and 2624, respectively. The Huskies were led by fifth-year Emmalyn Copping and third-year Sabrina Balisky, who each recorded eight kills in the set.

The men’s team had a more successful Friday night as they beat the Thunderbirds in another close fought set, ending the first set with the Huskies pulling through to a 27-25 win. The men’s team also won the second set 2523, before falling in the third.

The Huskies fought back to win the fourth and final set of the night 25-20. The team was led by fifth-year Andrew Nelson who recorded 18 kills on the night. The match also marked the Canadian Interuniversity Sport debut of rookie setter Derek Epp, who recorded 39 assists in the game.

The Oct. 29 matches managed to prove even more exciting as the women forced a five-set game against UBC. It was a back and forth battle as the Huskies won the first and third sets by scores of 25-22 and 25-20, respectfully. Losing the second by a close set of 25-22, the Huskies struggled in the fourth losing by a sizeable margin of 25-12. The team fought another tough

battle in the final set before falling 15-10.

UBC was led by their captain Danielle Brisebois who recorded a game high of 20 kills, while their setter Alessandra Gentile earned 43 assists and 13 digs in Saturday’s contest.

The Huskies were led by fourth-year starting setter Mackenzie Pek, who earned 30 assists and 10 digs in the game. Fifth-year Copping added a team high of 15 kills during the evening as well.

The Huskies men’s team won the first set of their Saturday match by a score of 2518 before losing their stride in the second (25-15) and third (25-14) sets. After making several lineup changes, the Huskies looked strong in the fourth set as they battled UBC, coming close to pushing a fifth set before falling 25-22 to the visiting team.

UBC was led by their setter Byron Keturakis who played a well-rounded game complete with 32 assists, seven kills and eight digs. Third-year

Jeremy Britz / Photo Editor The U of S volleyball teams kicked off their season during Oct. 28-30.

players Mat Guidi and Cam Fennema recorded 12 and 11 kills, respectively.

The Huskies men’s team were again led by fifth-year Nelson who recorded seven digs and 11 kills on the game.

Third-year Colin Fraser recorded 10 kills while fifthyear captain Tyler Epp added

seven kills.

The Huskies have a long season ahead of them, as they head to Edmonton to face the MacEwan University Griffins from Nov. 4-6. They will return to play on home court again Nov. 25 against the University of Brandon Bobcats.

Minding your stress with Mindfulness Meditation JACK THOMPSON Staff Writer

With exam season just under a month away, students will be looking for various ways to overcome their stress and Mindfulness Meditation should be on their lists.

I had the chance to experience one of Vicki Herman’s weekly drop-in meditation sessions. Herman is a registered psychologist, has a master’s degree in education and is the outreach co-ordinator for Student Counselling Services at the University of Saskatchewan.

Herman explained the type of meditation she specializes in.

“This particular type of meditation that I’ve studied and teach is mindfulness meditation, so that’s [a method of] seeing the way things are. There can be a different type [of] practice where it’s like a concentration practice or different types of meditation,” Herman said.

This type of meditation is offered in both drop-in sessions, which I attended, and by signing up for an eight week class. However, Herman does specify that the eight nov 03, 2016

week class is a much larger time commitment for the student.

While at the session, which lasts around an hour, participants sit in chairs arranged in a circle in the Saint Thomas Moore chapel. Herman guides these weekly sessions and during my participation, we did two practices. These included a “body scan” meditation as well as a “check-in” meditation.

During the “body scan,” participants were instructed to settle in. This consisted of finding a posture that allowed for comfort while maintaining a degree of alertness.

Then we were all instructed to search for sensations in body parts, starting from the bottoms of the feet and working up through the body.

During this period, I personally found that a shifting focus, such as moving from body part to body part, was easier to maintain than one singular point, as is common in meditation. I also found that this helped to achieve the passive outlook that Herman discussed during this session — meaning that rather than meditating to achieve a goal, instead meditating is done to notice sensations and thoughts.

One of Herman’s tips was to not fight against intrusive

thoughts, but rather acknowledge them and allow them to pass in order to regain focus.

In general, many of Herman’s ideas on meditation centered around awareness of oneself, rather than action.

After the “body scan” there was another, albeit shorter, practice that followed. This was a form of mental checkup that focused on one’s mental state rather than the physical.

One of the main things I noticed is that I was surprised as to how quickly almost an hour’s worth of meditation had passed, especially since I had previously only managed around 10 minutes when trying meditation at home.

It certainly helped to have a person guiding the sessions instead of using recordings.

Overall, the meditation left me feeling mentally refreshed. Herman focuses on a passive state of mind that instills a sense of tranquility and balance that lasts after meditating. I found myself not nearly as stressed walking out the door as I had been coming in.

Herman elaborated on this by explaining how meditation can help to relieve students of stress.

“Often, when we get stressed, it’s like ‘I need to do more, I need to do it different-

ly, it’s gotta be this way,’ and [meditation] kind of gives students an opportunity to step back from that. So that quality of … ‘How can I relate to that experience of demands, the experience of pressure, in a different way?’” Herman said.

She went on to explain this approach in saying that, rather than try to actively change things or forcibly remove stress, it can be beneficial to simply try to notice these things and accept them.

For those students who are

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on the fence about meditation, Herman says there are ways to try out meditation at home before attending a class or drop-in session.

“There are many meditations students can access online and different apps. I put two meditations on our website for students. So students who aren’t sure if this is the thing for them they can try it.”

For more information on drop-in sessions and to find online resources, head to students.usask.ca/articles/mindfulness-meditation.php.

Mike T

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SPORTS & HEALTH PAGE TYPE

Basketball in Canada and on campus TOBI AJAYI As hockey is the most watched sport in Canada, fans around the country were disappointed last spring when no Canadian team made it past the regular season, making the Stanley Cup playoffs an all-American affair for the first time since 1970. Amidst the woeful show on ice, the Toronto Blue Jays and Toronto Raptors provided solace to the nation when they exceeded expectations and made deep playoff runs in baseball and basketball, respectively.

Around the country, Canadians — who are known for their undying love of hockey — had to settle for something different in April 2016, but they were not disappointed. The Blue Jays left the country in awe when they made their first playoff appearance in 21 years and were only one win away from the World Series.

The Raptors followed suit, ending the season two wins away from the prestigious NBA finals.

In 2016, The Toronto Raptors — notorious for being a subpar team, well known for being on the other end of Kobe’s 81-point game and coming off a sweep in the first round of playoffs — had their best season yet. The Raptors hosted the 2016 NBA All-Star game, won a franchise-best 56 games and made the team’s first appearance in the Conference Finals, where they lost to eventual champions, the Cleveland Cavaliers, by two games.

With the success of the Raptors, basketball is becoming one of the fastest growing sports in the country, and it was no surprise when 2.7 million Canadians tuned to TSN to watch the game seven playoff match against Miami Heat during last year’s playoff run. Hockey and lacrosse will always be forerunners, but the hardwood fever is quietly taking over Canada, and the sky’s the limit for basketball in Canada.

The current Raptors team promises winning basketball that will inspire the younger generation to play at the highest level, considering that current Canadian NBA players credit the success of Vince Carter and the 1998-99 Toronto Raptors team for igniting their interest in the game. The 1998-99 Raptors team was previously the most successful, until the 2015-16 squad led by backcourt duo, two-time all-stars and gold medalists, Kyle Lowry and Demar Derozan.

Basketball growth and success is not foreign on University of Saskatchewan campus either. The men’s basketball team won the national title in 2009 and just last year, Huskies women’s basketball team was the best in the country en route to winning the program’s first national championship in March 2016.

The Huskies coach also happens to be the head coach of the Canadian women’s national team which also had a great year, winning the Pan-Am games and qualifying for the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Basketball

in Canada is growing, both in popularity and skill.

Coming off a franchisebest season, the pressure has never been higher on the Toronto Raptors and if they deliver, the best might be yet to come for Canada in April 2017 when the playoffs begin. After winning 56 games last season, ESPN projects that the Raptors will win between 45-50 games in the upcoming 2016-17 season behind the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics. The core of the team is the same but the Raptors might struggle with losing one of the team's best defenders, Bismack Biyombo, to free agency.

That being said, the Raptors’ season will not be evaluated based on regular season success but rather on how deep they go into the playoffs. The Raptors needed the maximum number of games to make it past the first and second round last year, but they will have to be even better this year because other teams in the conference have improved through trade and free agency. With the highest ceiling being a conference final appearance, any outcome outside a 45-win season and second round playoffs appearance will be a disappointing season for Toronto.

As the NBA season just started for this year, I suggest you show some support for the Raptors and Canada by watching one or two games. Two hours of basketball mixed with high flying dunks sometimes makes for a good stress reliever, too.

Paige Sutherland

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nov 03, 2016

PAGE TYPE CULTURE

Toon’s on Transit: Saskatoon’s mobile art gallery SYDNEY BOULTON Saskatoon’s annual mobile exhibition of photography, Toon’s on Transit, will be roaming the streets for the second time until mid-November. This year, some University of Saskatchewan students are also involved in the project.

Hosted by PAVED Arts and the City of Saskatoon, the exhibit includes 35 photos from local photographers displayed in approximately 100 public transit busses that will be circulating the city on various routes, throughout the duration of the project. All submitted works will also be on display in the PAVED Arts “Toon’s Kitchen” media gallery downtown.

The call for submissions was not only open to professional photographers but also to anyone in the Saskatoon area with an interest in photography, regardless of their level of experience. Over 317 photos were submitted for consideration, and each artist could submit up to three photos but only one could be selected.

The photos were chosen by a jury that included Jennifer Crane, a photography professor at the University of Saskatchewan, professional artist and photographer Laura St. Pierre, StarPhoenix journalist John Shelling and the Living YXE Instagram operator Shreya Pahwa. The goal of the jury was to select photos that reflect the city through the eyes of its people.

Kenton Doupe, one of

the selected artists and current U of S fourth-year fine arts student, sat down with the Sheaf to discuss his experience with the project.

“I think the main purpose [of the project] would be to facilitate artists to show their work. It’s a very user-friendly way to do that,” Doupe said.

Without having to worry about printing and hanging their photos, this project allowed artists to display their work easily.

“Sometimes certain art hanging and art showing opportunities around Saskatoon or Saskatchewan or Canada can be a little bit daunting, especially for artists who are not comfortable and have not done that before. This was very easy. You don’t have to worry about printing, you don’t have to worry about hanging, you don’t have to worry about anything,” Doupe said.

Doupe found out about the project last year from friends working with PAVED Arts and decided to submit his work. This year, Doupe was one of the lucky artists selected to be part of the project.

Doupe talked about the significance of the distinction between having art in a gallery and having art on a public bus.

“I think it’s that informal tone that kind of helps people loosen up to the idea. Galleries can be very daunting. Being on a bus, it’s a lot more low-key and casual. Plus, even for the public to look at them, lots of people won’t go to a gallery because they don’t think they have any need

or they don’t want to. But lots of people have to take transit, and it’s a nice surprise to see a photo. They might not think a lot of it, but at least it’s out there and people can look at it,” Doupe said.

Last year, at the debut of the project, then city councilor and now newly elected mayor, Charlie Clark, spoke about his apprecia-

tion for the influence the project has on our city.

“I think this is a great project,” Clark said to the StarPhoenix. “While people are sitting on the bus, hopefully they take their eyes up from their phones for a little bit and look up.

It gives them a chance to look at a picture that reminds them of something or makes them think about

our community in a different way.”

More information about the project can be found on PAVED Arts’ website, pavedarts.ca. While the project is currently coming to a close, submissions will be accepted again next fall for the 2017 season. If you are interested in participating, watch for news from the team at PAVED Arts.

Lesia Karalash / Graphics Editor

nov 03, 2016

www.thesheaf.com

∙ the sheaf publishing society 7

FEATURE

In which areas do you worry about perfectionism most?

The pressure’s on: University students and the problem of being perfect

In a poll conducted through thesheaf.com in September and October of 2016, 350 students reported on whether or not they deal with perfectionism. Almost half — 47 per cent — said that they do, while only 10 per cent answered no, with the rest replying “sometimes.”

NAOMI ZUREVINSKI

Editor-In-Chief In a poll conducted through thesheaf.com in September and October of 2016, 350 students reported on whether or not they deal with perfectionism. Almost half — 47 per cent — said that they do, while only 10 per cent answered no, with the rest replying “sometimes.”

If we take these numbers and draw a conclusion about the student body on a larger scale, almost half of all students at the University of Saskatchewan dealwith or have dealt with feeling the pressure to be perfect.

Nicole Tainish is one such student. Tainish is the student health outreach co-ordinator for Peer Health Mentors on campus and a fourth-year political studies student. For her, transitioning out of high school contributed to perfectionistic tendencies.

“I think it kind of started in my last year of high school; getting ready to come to university just kind of ramped it up. I came to Saskatoon not really knowing anyone … so then I spent a lot of time just working on my school work and trying to perfect it and get the perfect grade, which is really hard in university to get a high 90 [per cent],” Tainish said.

Tainish is not alone, and academics are one of the highest

areas in which students feel this strain. Wanting to achieve perfectionism in university is almost natural — most students hope to do well and excel in their area, be it academics, athletics or any other discipline.

Perfectionism is typically defined as a self-imposition of very high standards, combined with an all-or-nothing approach used to continually assess one’s behaviour and personal performance in a number of areas.

These high standards are usually accompanied by an unrealistic expectations of what can personally be accomplished.

Failure to accomplish a personal set of expectations can lead to depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder and even eating disorders, among other outcomes. For Tainish, perfectionism led her to burn out early in the term.

“I think for the most part, just trying to be perfect and striving for that 100 per cent leads to burn-out really quickly,” she said. “I know that everyone in university gets burnt out at some point, but I noticed that I would get burnt out around the first week of October, which is not healthy at all.”

According to Sara Liebman, an advisor with Disability Student Services at the U of S with a background in mental health and clinical psychology, striving for perfection is something that can affect an individual both inside and outside the classroom.

8 the sheaf publishing society ∙ www.thesheaf.com

“[It can affect] interactions with others, in planning events — parties, dinners, group events, etc. — and in even preparing what their dress code is for each day. When it comes to studies, it’s difficult to hand assignments in on time, since these are rarely considered as ‘finished’ and always need more work,” Liebman said, in an email to the Sheaf.

In some cases, perfectionism can cause students to procrastinate. In the Sheaf’s online poll, 44 per cent of respondents agreed that perfectionism causes them to procrastinate, while 36 per cent said it does sometimes and 20 per cent said it does not.

“The perfectionistic tendencies might even prevent a student from handing in their exam on time in extreme cases, even if they’ve completed it way before the end,” Liebman said.

“These students oftentimes tend to spend a good deal of time left in the exam by going over their answers repeatedly and again, in extreme cases, will correct right answers, risking that the ‘correction’ is actually wrong.”

Tainish experienced procrastination in her school work as well, due to the fear of getting something wrong.

“It definitely contributed to my anxiety, which kind of played together,” she said. “I got to a point where I didn’t want to go to my classes, and I didn’t want to even do anything because I knew I couldn’t be perfect.”

Beyond academics, there are

many other situations in which perfectionism can cause stress to students. The Sheaf’s online poll asked participants for the top three areas in which they worry about perfectionism and the answers varied, showing that people feel pressure from the desire to be perfect in a wide range of everyday activities.

Among the top answers, school and academics ranked the highest at 31 per cent, followed by personal skills and achievements at 28 per cent. Personal appearance came in at 16 per cent, followed by relationships and partners at nine per cent and finances at eight per cent.

Despite the variety of areas, academics still comes out on top.

For Tainish, the university environment contributes, in some way, to this higher percentage.

“I think university definitely contributed to [my perfectionism]. I think there’s a lot of pressure from parents and other students, and I’m a really competitive person. I don’t really play sports anymore, so I think I channelled all of my competitiveness from sports into academics,” she said.

At the same time, the university environment helped Tainish to realize that perfection is impossible to achieve.

“I think [university] definitely fueled my perfectionism, but also made me realize after a few years that you can’t be perfect all the time. Seventy-eight [per cent] is still a really good grade in university. nov 03, 2016

PAGE TYPE FEATURE

Sometimes

Yes Statistics as per a poll conducted via thesheaf.com during September and October 2016.

All infographics by: Lesia Karalash / Graphics Editor

I think there’s a stigma that everybody needs a high 90 to be valued, but that’s not really the case.

You have to look at your work and the university’s grading system — I think setting more realistic goals and realizing that real life is a whole lot different than university,” Tainish said.

The university environment may not contribute to everyone’s experience of perfectionism — only 29 per cent of poll respondents feel that their perfectionism has worsened since entering university, while 19 per cent feel that it has improved.

However, 44 per cent of students reported that their perfectionism affects them on a daily basis, but only 12 per cent said they had ever sought a doctor or counsellor's help.

Liebman notes the importance of knowing when to get help and how to help yourself.

“If the level of perfectionism is so intense and anxiety-provoking that functioning on a daily basis becomes frequently impaired, like, ‘I cannot go to class this morning or go anywhere today because my hair is a wreck or my eyes are too puffy, etc.,’ then it’s time to get some professional help. Student Health [at the U of S] would probably be a good starting point, depending on the intensity of the condition. Student Counselling is also a good resource on campus.

“If, however, the perfectionism is manageable, then certainly finding ways to ‘take the edge nov 03, 2016

off,’ by relaxing with friends who appreciate us and getting onto a fitness routine to help us stop thinking or ruminating about how our assignment is not up to par or not good enough yet to hand in, is a good idea. Using substances to relax or to ‘take the edge off’ is not an effective strategy,” Liebman said.

She adds that striving for success in the first place is often not the true problem.

“Having high standards for ourselves is not wrong, but severely criticizing and belittling ourselves repeatedly for not meeting these standards is definitely not the best plan of action,” she said.

After a friend approached Tainish out of concern, she went to see a doctor and got some medication. Since then, she has learned how to minimize the impact perfectionism has on her life.

“Usually, I find my idea of perfection is getting every reading done sometimes. If I feel like I need to get them all done by this certain time, I will instead just pick one and do a really good job of that homework piece that night and just set a timer on my phone. So I might spend 20 minutes working on an assignment or reading, and then I’ll set a 10 minute break and I’ll go for a walk or go watch a sports thing on TV for a bit. So I’m not sitting there for eight hours trying to get them perfect.”

Tainish also offers some important advice for students who may be dealing with a similar issue.

“I think that it’s really important to talk to your professors. That’s something I didn’t really do until my third year. It’s good to ask how you can do things differently if you don’t like a grade on an assignment. I think the hard thing for people who do deal with perfectionism is, if you get a grade back that you don’t like, you just kind of shut down and then don’t want to do anything else. But if you just wait 24 hours and then go talk to your professor about what you can do differently, I think it can be super helpful,” she said.

There are also resources available on campus for students who feel they need help. For example, Peer Health Mentors offers student-to-student support and information on time management, dealing with stress, proper nutrition and much more. Student Health Services and Student Counselling are also available for support, as well as DSS. The struggle to be perfect in university does not have to go unaddressed or unnoticed. While everyone deals with some level of stress, the most important thing is to make sure it’s not taking over your life, and if it is, to seek whatever help you need.

“Perfectionism often leads to really high stress levels, and a little bit of stress or anxiety can be normal,” Tainish said. “It’s perfectly normal to feel stressed about a midterm or final or an assignment.

But when it starts controlling your life, then that’s when it’s important to seek help.” www.thesheaf.com

“

[Perfectionism] definitely contributed to my anxiety, which kind of played together. I got to a point where I didn’t want to go to my classes, and I didn’t want to even do anything because I knew I couldn’t be perfect.

”

-Nicole Tainish, student health outreach co-ordinator for Peer Health Mentors and fourth-year political studies student

“

Having high standards for ourselves is not wrong, but severely criticizing and belittling ourselves repeatedly for not meeting these standards is definitely not the best plan of action.

”

-Sara Liebman, advisor with Disability Student Services at the U of S

∙ the sheaf publishing society 9

CULTURE

University of Saskatchewan libraries and all they have to offer LYNDSAY AFSETH Libraries are an essential part of a university student’s life — they provide books for researching essays, a quiet place to study and textbook reserves when needed. Not only do the Univeristy of Saskatchewan libraries provide these services, but also many more that students may not even be aware of.

The U of S has seven libraries: Education & Music, Engineering, Health Sciences, Law, Murray, Science and Veterinary Medicine. No matter what you’re studying, there will be a library with material that is helpful to you.

Murray Library — the main library on campus — has an incredible collection of arts, humanities, social sciences and business material, whereas the other libraries are specific to their areas of study. As well as books and reading material, Murray Library has a interlibrary loan program and student learning services.

The interlibrary loan pro-

gram is available for when the libraries on campus do not have the item that a student needs for their research. If this is ever the case, the library has an agreement with both public and academic libraries around the world to have the resource delivered to the U of S. So even if the library doesn’t have what you need, all you have to do is ask the librarian and they can get it from another library for you!

Through Student Learning Services, the U of S libraries provide many different services to help with the academic success of students on campus. Among these services are the PAL Peer Mentors, group study rooms, public class pages, workshops and the Research Paper Planner.

The PAL Peer Mentors program pairs up academically strong undergraduate students with students who may need some extra help. The peer mentors provide course-specific help through one-on-one mentoring for students who need help with a class or

discipline. They also provide more general studying help through small workshops for things such as developing stronger studying skills. No matter what kind of help you need, you can contact the PAL Peer Mentor program through library.usask.ca.

If you need a quiet place to work on a group project or to just study with some friends, the library also offers group study rooms for booking during operating hours. You can book a room in any of the libraries on campus for up to two hours at a time and up to two weeks in advance. You can book through the “library” tab on your PAWS account with just the click of a button.

Student Learning Services also provides many workshops that are helpful for all students — from those just starting out in university, all the way to those who are writing their thesis for a masters program.

The library holds workshops most weekdays and sometimes several times every day. Some upcoming

workshops will cover areas such as stress and procrastination, reading effectively, public speaking skills, learning to use Microsoft Excel, relaxation techniques and writing a research paper. These are a few topics among many and you can check out all of the upcoming workshops at library. usask.ca, under the “workshops” tab.

As well as workshops and mentoring, the library website also has online tools that can help you achieve academic success. A few of

these are the public class pages, where they put up lectures and notes from past classes that professors have made available. They also have things like the Research Paper Planner, which helps you to manage your time and keep you on track while writing a research paper.

It’s definitely worth your time to look around on the university library website — you might find something to help you that you never even knew you were missing!

Lesia Karalash / Graphics Editor

Volunteer opportunities for students in Saskatoon JACK THOMPSON Staff Writer

Reading week gives students the opportunity to not only catch up on studies, but also the chance to give back to the community.

Volunteer work can be fulfilling — it gives the sense of being deeply involved in one’s community as well as having helped that community. Aside from this feeling, volunteering can also be used to build students’ resumes without having to commit to more time-consuming aspects of a job. Volunteering also allows students to gain experience in their field of study before completing their degree and beginning their career.

With many benefits to gain from volunteering, this is something students should definitely look into. Unfortunately, many students don’t have the time or knowledge on how to get involved. Luckily,

reading week gives students a little extra spare time and a chance to either volunteer during the week or time to plan out future volunteering endeavours.

There are multiple ways of going about finding a volunteer position — for instance, students can use the University of Saskatchewan volunteer page.

The volunteer page is found through the student jobs tab on the U of S website and allows students to search by organization or filter based on college, or down to just postings on campus.

While this route is the best for finding postings for on campus opportunities, there are also off campus postings available as well — which gives added options for students when an on campus volunteer program is not the most convenient. In addition, the U of S also offers another service called CareerLink.

While CareerLink is mainly aimed at setting students up with paying jobs, there are also volunteer postings. There is a range of opportunities on

this page — from helping with youth soccer in Saskatoon to international opportunities such as art therapy in Tanzania.

CareerLink’s organizational features are helpful as well, allowing for students to save postings for viewing later or even set up a “saved search” which sends students an email whenever a posting is made within their search parameters.

Another online service for finding volunteer work is through United Way. This website is aimed towards those who are looking to benefit their community, rather than advance their career. The Saskatoon and Area branch of United Way maintains a volunteer database full of a variety of opportunities.

This database pertains largely to arts-focused and charitable organizations‚ and while these certainly would be beneficial to students in certain fields, they are mainly focused on helping the community.

Another way to find volunteer work is through postings on Kijiji and the City of Saskatoon’s web-

10 the sheaf publishing society ∙ www.thesheaf.com

Lesia Karalash / Graphics Editor

site. In contrast to United Way, the City of Saskatoon offers many volunteer opportunities for those interested in health and sports. From arranging fitness programs to flooding outdoor rinks, you’ll be helping keep your community fit!

Of course, there are many more that can be found through searches online, but, students should be careful when signing up for volunteer work with an organization they either do not recognize or trust and be wary of online scams.

Volunteering is a great

opportunity for students because it’s flexible, which makes it easy to fit into your busy student schedule. Some organizations only look for volunteers to spend a couple hours every couple of months with them, whereas some expect multiple hours a week — leaving students with no excuse not to volunteer.

Volunteer work can be beneficial to almost any student — it gives students hands-on experience in their fields of interest and it bulks up their resume, making volunteering both a beneficial and fulfilling endeavour. nov 03, 2016

PAGE TYPE CULTURE

U of S graduate releases first solo album BRIDGET MORRISON Culture Editor

Recent University of Saskatchewan graduate Maxwell Warner is releasing his first solo album entitled Wessi Pessi on Nov. 8 — and this is an album you don’t want to miss.

Performing, recording, mixing and producing the album himself, Warner sat down with the Sheaf to discuss the process of making the album in a studio he built, as well as his own musical background, inspiration and the story behind the album's name — which comes from a nickname his grandfather used to call his mom.

Before building his own studio, Warner did a lot of field recording around the world — from South Africa to the Mediterranean to the Frankfurt airport. This album has been five years in the making, although most of it was done in 2016.

Warner began to find it tiring to rely on others to get his music out there, so he decided to take it upon himself to make it happen.

“The process was exhilarating. I built a studio in my living room, which really enabled me to work hard and take this project seriously,” Warner said, in an email to the Sheaf.

Although Warner is inspired by many different genres and artists, he describes his music as a bit jazzy, fuzzy and poppy, with a psychedelic body.

“I would describe my music to people as if Ty Segall and Mac Demarco had a baby and then put me up for adoption to then be raised by the members of Mild High Club,” Warner said.

Drawing inspiration from artists such as Homeshake, Thelonious Monk and Charanjit Singh, Warner says music has always been a big part of his life.

“I’m inspired by other musicians … and I constantly draw from others to take on it. I want to make music that not only creates some sort of emotion in the listener, but I also want people to listen to it and think they can create something bigger and better than what I’m doing — create and inspire,” Warner said.

A musician since he was six years old, Warner shows great versatility when it comes to music. He played alto saxophone in the Regina Lions Marching Band before playing percussion and upright bass in high school.

He then played guitar with the Django Reinhardt quartet band and recently played drums for Pandas In Japan, who have a full length album and a few EPs out.

Although Wessi Pessi is a solo album — except for

the track “Silvestre” which features his cat Cleopatra playing the Theremin — Warner also currently plays with the local Saskatoon band Castle River, who he encourages students to take a listen to.

Warner believes his album will hold a sense of familiarity with students and that they will be able to relate to it.

“The album showcases some of the feelings and stresses I went through during university, which I’m sure others can relate to. I [also] recorded bits of the album on a school trip to South Africa with [U of S history] professor Simonne Horwitz,” Warner said.

The album runs 45 minutes long and consists of 14 tracks, a few of which Warner said were his favourite.

“My favourite tracks are ‘The Outsider,’ which also has a music video on Youtube, ‘Trip on a Ship’ and ‘Take Time.’ Although that’s like asking a parent who their favourite child is.”

Warner’s music is perfect to listen to when hanging out with friends and avoiding school work. With a little bit of everything, Wessi Pessi is an album all students will want to get their hands on.

Wessi Pessi is available for pre-order on iTunes. It will also be available on Bandcamp.com/raeburnmusic, Amazon and Spotify on Nov. 8.

03 04 05 06 07 08 09 Thursday

friday

saturday

sunday

upcoming events • Audio/Rocketry with Off The Top Rope and guests at Vangelis • Sweet Alibi with Jadea Kelly at the Bassment • Method Man & Redman at the Saskatoon Event Centre • Opening night of Apple at the Refinery • Opening night of Charlie Brown at the Broadway Theatre

• Artisan Fine Craft Market at the German Cultural Centre • Choc’la Cure at Dutch Growers • Deorro with guests at O’Brians Event Centre • Luther Wright and the Wrongs with Rueben deGroot and Colleen Brown at Amigos • Nadine Landry & Sammy Lind presented by Northern Lights at the Underground Cafe • Opening night of Straight Jacket Winter at Studio 914 20th Street West

• Avi Granite & Verse at the Bassment • Diamond Mind with Waitress and Owners at Vangelis • Parab Poet and the Hip Hop Hippies with Cander at Amigos • Saskatoon Fashion and Design Festival Runway and Marketplace at the Delta Bessborough • Shred Kelly with Levi Cuss and Pat Maloney at the Capitol Music Club

• April Verch at the Bassment • Florida Georgia Line with Granger Smith and Chris Lane at the Sasktel Centre • Hannah Georgas with The Darcys at the Capitol Music Club • Itty Bitty Crafts in the City at the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market • Wendel Clark: Bleeding Blue: Giving My All For The Game at Mcnally Robinson

• Finances for Everyone at the Frances Morrison Library • Who Let The Dogs Out... In??? At Marquis Hall

monday

• Tuesdays At Two: The Complete Works at the Alice Turner Branch Library • First day of Suzanne Willems & Marilyn Hurst Exhibit at the Collector’s Choice Gallery • Green Lake Swimmers at the Bassment

tuesday

Maxwell Warner / Supplied Maxwell Warner is releasing his first solo album entitled Wessi Pessi on Nov 8.

nov 03, 2016

wednesday

• Discover Documentaries at the Frances Morrison Library • Jayme Stone’s Lomax Project at the Bassment • JSGS Public Lecture: After the Political Storm at the Diefenbaker Centre at the University of Saskatchewan • Mental Health Awareness Workshop at the University of Saskatchewan

www.thesheaf.com

∙ the sheaf publishing society 11

OPINIONS

New leader first step to NDP regaining student support TRAVIS HEBERT After getting blown out of the water for a second straight election in April 2016, the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party needs to better engage with University of Saskatchewan students. Luckily, help is on the way.

The 2016 election, which took place on Apr. 4, may as well have been the election that never happened for the NDP. Saskatchewan people disproportionately voted in favour of the reigning Saskatchewan Party, the seat count remained largely unchanged, and once again, the NDP party leader was

ousted from his seat.

Legislature looks nearly the same as it did following the election that took place over four years prior. The question of what is causing this voter stagnation is one that must be asked if the NDP has any hope of altering voter perceptions.

One of the most interesting statistics was the high number of registered voters, but a dismally low voter turnout, at just 58 per cent.

What this statistic says to me is that voters are getting wrongly accused of being disengaged.

In fact, it appears to me that voters were engaged, perhaps even sympathetic to the NDP, but neither

Aidan Murphy / Supplied Interim leader Trent Wotherspoon discussing the NDP’s future.

party was able to win over the residents, so as a result, many people chose to stay home.

While campaigning for Tanya Dunn-Pierce, who ran for MLA in the Saskatoon Churchill-Wildwood riding, I attempted to get many of my friends and peers to volunteer. Friends often responded that they weren’t too impressed with either party, or something along the lines of that. Even people who are generally NDP sympathizers were disenfranchised by the party in that election.

What gives me hope is seeing the poll-by-poll results from the municipal election, where Charlie Clark received 63 per cent of the vote on the university campus. Despite only two days of advance polling on campus this year, approximately the same number of students showed up to vote as did over the course of five days in the 2012 municipal election.

The provincial riding for Saskatoon-University was won by Eric Olauson of the Sask Party, who beat the NDP’s Jennifer Bowes by a slim margin. Based on these facts, I do not believe

that people in the university area are necessarily opposed to progressive politics, but Charlie Clark’s campaign did a much better job of proving to voters that he was the right candidate.

This notion of earning the trust of the voters was a key point during NDP interim leader Trent Wotherspoon’s speech at the NDP’s annual convention on Oct. 22, 2016, pledging that the NDP would be “rolling up our sleeves to earn back the trust and to build.”

However, it is difficult to build together when the party platform is convoluted and inaccessible. Last year, despite a very strong platform that had very bold and progressive initiatives in place for students, their message struggled to receive attention and gain traction.

At the most recent Saskatchewan Young New Democrats convention, there was a tremendous turnout, with many new members who were engaged. The provincial convention had great youth attendance as well.

There is no problem involving students and young people. It’s just that the rel-

evant platform planks need to resonate with the rest of the young voters who are not necessarily politically active.

At the convention, Dave McGrane was elected as the new party president. McGrane is a scholar of social democracy and its history throughout Saskatchewan and Quebec, and he knows the ins and outs of the electoral history throughout the decades. If anyone has the knowledge necessary to pull the provincial NDP out of its slump, it’s him.

Not only does he have a similar understanding of party reformation history, but he is a professor at St. Thomas More college, and is consistently working with students to improve their lives. The election of McGrane is the first step to moving the NDP forward with U of S students and the rest of the province.

The NDP has strong policies and has been a vocal opposition towards Sask Party cuts and mismanagement.

Now, it is time to make sure that message is heard loud and clear, make sure it resonates with the public, and make sure the NDP forms government in 2020.

Tips for balancing school and work IAN JOEMAR T. GUION Working as a student is not always easy and sometimes it can hinder our performance at school. Some students even quit their studies to be able to maximize their earnings in their job. So, the question is, how can we manage our work and study at the same time without wearing ourselves out?

Indulging oneself in work that is as physically and emotionally stressful as our studies is not an easy task. According to Statistics Canada, 63 per cent of students rely on their jobs to fund their education. This includes a grueling amount of tuition fees and expenses such as books and school materials.

The current statistics also show that Saskatchewan is second only to Ontario in terms of weighted average of undergraduate tuition fees for Canadian full-time students, sitting at $6,885 and $7,868 respectively.

These amounts are expected to increase as more

facilities and equipment are installed in each provinces’ respective universities, leaving students no choice but to either limit their expenditures or seek part-time jobs.

However, our bodies can only manage to perform the tasks at hand to their maximum capability and some students overexert themselves, leading to a drastic decline in their performance both at school and work.

To avoid being bogged down by your work and studies, first you must learn to prioritize what’s important and avoid distractions. A continuous stream of assignments, deadlines and a stressful environment at work — these can quickly wear us out if we don’t choose which one to tackle first.

At some point, you need to give up some of your hours at work to accommodate your studies. For example, working primarily on weekends or during the mid-semester break can be a good strategy.

Additionally, our workload can even get worse with the interference of distractions

such as scanning your Facebook, playing mobile games or wasting your time watching movies while there are still tons of studying and assignments left unfinished.

Another key strategy is to organize and manage your schedule for your studies and work to avoid conflict between the two. Work on your schedule and inform your manager if you need a certain length of days for which you want to allocate for study.

Having a to-do list and frequently checking it is a great way to avoid cramming during exams. Time management is a crucial skill to be able to avoid excessive stress and heavy workloads that will arise from work and studies.

Always keep a backup plan just in case of emergency and study ahead of time to prevent cases of being in state of panic. Procrastination is the biggest threat for students and should be minimized by keeping yourself engaged in your lectures, doing practice quizzes or exams and re-reading the chapters that

12 the sheaf publishing society ∙ www.thesheaf.com

you find difficult.

Maximize your time for studying by bringing with you a small booklet that contains important points from your lecture that you can study during your break.

Lastly and most important of all, you should love what you’re doing in the first place, give yourself the time to relax and schedule an activity or sport that will boost your emotional and physical well-being.

Out of necessity, more and more students become attached to their work in-

stead of focusing on their studies that will decide their future. The pressure of doing two tasks that are both necessary is surely a challenge.

The initiative should come from the willingness of the student to allocate their time to their studies and avoid trying to cover all the tasks all at once. Proper time management, choosing which should come first and avoiding leaving tasks to the last minute are the keys to maintain balance between studies and work.

Lesia Karalash / Graphics Editor

nov 03, 2016

PAGE TYPE OPINIONS

Male birth control will be like women’s: Why that sucks for us all ZACH TENNENT

Opinions Editor

Recent developments in the field of male birth control are showing great promise, but it’s important to consider the risks involved with hormonal methods of contraception before championing them.

Before moving forward, I’d like to take a minute to say we’ll be talking candidly about things like balls, wieners and jizz, so if the idea of reading an article where I make immature double entendres about sex doesn’t appeal to you — that means you, Grandma — feel free to pull out whenever you feel like it.

Much like flying cars, male birth control seems to be something that’s a fixture of the future exclusively but never actually comes into existence. However, new science is suggesting that a male counterpart to forms of female hormonal birth control may be getting shot in your ass sooner than you think.

An October 2016 study conducted by the World Health Organization found that hormonal injections in 320 men were effective in lowering sperm counts to about 1 million per milliliter — which is still a bountiful supply but apparently quite low by semen standards.

To be fair, this is revolutionary. Birth control is something many university students are heavily reliant on, but the burden of that responsibility overwhelmingly skews towards females.

IUDs aside, other medical forms of birth control include pills and shots, which women take in order to ensure they can exercise their right to a round rogering without risking pregnancy. I’m sure there are many feminist arguments against this stigma of burden, so I won’t get into that, but I think it’s fair to say that this responsibility is at the very least a two-way street.

Male-oriented forms of contraception are already out there — condoms, vasectomies and pulling out, the “honorable mention” of birth control — but these are all unappealing or ineffective practices in one way or another. Condoms are unfairly regarded as a drag, pulling nov 03, 2016

out is debunked and, if you’ve got a thing about having your scrotum cut open, a vasectomy might seem a little invasive.

Hormonal male birth control is then an equitable counterpart to “the pill.”

However, that equity is a little too real when it comes to the side effects side of things.

The WHO report showed that men receiving these injections reported increased acne and mood instability.

Sarah Hagi at Broadly also reported that men left a Danish study on hormonal male birth control due to complaints about side effects like muscle pain, mood swings and erectile dysfunction.

Surely it’s unfair to expect men to endure those kinds of side effects for the sake of infertility. After all, if you’re sore all the time, can’t get a boner and are kind of an asshole, your love life is probably going to take a bit of a hit.

That’s the catch. These are the kinds of side effects many women already subject themselves to because of their birth control. It’s not good that women have to fuck their bodies up hormonally in order to avoid getting pregnant — period. Whether or not the trade off makes it fairer is debatable, but it’s inarguable that those side effects are unfortunate.

It’s the same thing with men. Hormonal male birth control will have adverse side effects, which sucks — but it’s not like this is only a problem on our end. Medically altering your hormones for any purpose is going to have multiple impacts.

That said, an alternative to hormonal male birth control is making its emergence as well.

Vasalgel injections may be available as soon as 2018.

The injection is administered to each testicular tube and implants a tiny amount of a synthetic gel that allows for the passage of semen and fluid, but not sperm.

Injections can be effective for up to 10 years, have yet to show serious side effects, are reversible at any time and trials in India show them to be near perfect in effectiveness.

While male birth control may be new, it’s still the same old story. The effects of hormonal birth control will continue to be a hassle for those who use it, but we can happily expect that those practices will soon be antiquated and unnecessary.

Lesia Karalash / Graphics Editor

can we manufacture small amounts of vaccines for vaccine testing or in the case of an epidemic.

The VIDO-InterVac Community Liaison Committee, in co-operation with the Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce, invites you to attend a luncheon at the Saskatoon Club (417 - 21st St E) on November 9th, 2016.

The luncheon will feature Dr. Andrew Potter, Director and CEO of VIDO-InterVac, speaking about a vaccine manufacturing facility proposed for the University of Saskatchewan campus.

Dr. Potter is internationally recognized for his visionary research into how bacteria cause disease and his work at the interface of human and animal health. His ground-breaking projects have contributed to several pathogens found in food and water.

For additional information as well as to obtain a ticket, visit www.saskatoonchamber.com.

Registration: 11:30

Luncheon: Noon

Cost: Members $30 plus GST / Non-members $40 plus GST

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CAMPUS LENS

Live@Louis:

FaceTo Face Photos by Jeremy Britz, Photo Editor

Upcoming Concerts: Wintersleep - November 15 Dragonette - November 17 July Talk - December 6 Protest The Hero - December 12

Professional Institute of MASSAGE THERAPY Is Now Accepting Applications for its

JANUARY Advanced Massage Therapy Program Full-time and Independent Learning Options Available 114 - 701 Cynthia St Phone (306) 955-5833

Visit us on Facebook!

Facebook.com/PIMTMASSAGE.com

14 the sheaf publishing society ∙ www.thesheaf.com

College of Law Admissions Information Session Tuesday, November 15, 2016 4:00 p.m.

Everyone Welcome!

The Chair of the Admissions Committee, Professor Doug Surtees will discuss the application and admissions process.

Following a general presentation, students are encouraged to ask questions and participate in further information sharing where their individual situations can be discussed with current students and members of the College of Law.

The Honourable Calvin F. Tallis Classroom, Room 64, College of Law

nov 03, 2016

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RESTAURANT & bar

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Heroic MacBook sacrifices remaining battery to charge iPhone Wendel Clark Signing

Bleeding Blue

Sunday, November 6, 4 pm Wendel Will be pleased to sign one pieCe of memorabilia With the purChase of Bleeding Blue

HEALTH SCIENCE BUILDING — A truly selfless act occurred Nov. 1 when a MacBook with only 12 per cent remaining battery accepted the burden of charging an iPhone.

“I was anxious. I was really concerned for my life at that point,” iPhone said. “But then my saviour stepped in. Without MacBook, I wouldn’t be here today.”

Tragically, MacBook did not survive the ordeal. While this act of valor seems in-

spiring, not all are celebratory. Sources close to MacBook tell the Sheaf that their friend did not need to die.

“Twelve per cent,” Charger Cord said.

“Twelve per cent battery and MacBook gave its own life in order to give iPhone a quick top off. Did it tell you it was only at 68 per cent when it got plugged in? It didn’t even bother to go on airplane mode.”

At the time of print, iPhone’s owner has been reached for comment via iMessage.

You Want It Darker

by Leonard Cohen

TANNER BAYNE

patriCia sandberg

Canada’s senior poet in residence, Leonard Cohen, is back at the musical forefront with his 14th studio release You Want It Darker. Cohen, who is now 82, shows no sign of slowing — if anything, You Want It Darker sees the poet as charming, cunning and gruff as ever. “On the level” is a song you don’t want to miss.

Reading & Signing

Sun Dogs and Yellowcake

Monday, November 14, 7 pm MOONBEARD.COM sheaf nov 3 to 16, 2016.indd 1

BUSINESSCAT.HAPPYJAR.COM

10/24/2016 3:22:12 PM

Featuring Canadian/American Cuisine, Fusion & Global Flair Specialties

All items are scratch made: appetizers salads sandwhiches gourmet burgers noodle bowls pastas steaks california pizzas and so much more!

Also featuring our own famous delectable desserts Straight-up Saskatchewan Goodness Daily Food & Bar Specials Happy Hour from 2pm Across from campus on Cumberland at College open daily 11am till late

306-956-7777

campus chat

“

What would you expect from a Trump presidency?

”

“He’s not going to win.”

Simon Cen

MIKE.T.

KATELYN SEILSTAD

“World war III.” Stephanie Huel

“A lot of Americans showing up here.”

Brendan Knorr

nov 03, 2016

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nov 03, 2016