January 24, 2019 by The Sheaf

JANUARY 24, 2019

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YOUR UNI VE R S I T Y O F SAS K ATC H E WA N ST UDE NT NE WS PA P E R S I N C E 1 9 1 2

The University of Saskatchewan’s main campus is situated on Treaty 6 Territory and the Homeland of the Métis.

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | Nykole King

editor@thesheaf.com NEWS EDITOR

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Concerns on transparency and sustainability raised at University Council A former faculty member asks for transparency on alleged university ties to Monsanto.

CULTURE EDITOR

Tanner Bayne

Cole Chretien

news@thesheaf.com

culture@thesheaf.com

SPORTS & HEALTH EDITOR

OPINIONS EDITOR

Jack Thompson sportshealth@thesheaf.com

Erin Matthews opinions@thesheaf.com

STAFF WRITER

Ana Cristina Camacho staffwriter@thesheaf.com COPY EDITOR | Amanda Slinger copy@thesheaf.com LAYOUT MANAGER | Kaitlin Wong layout@thesheaf.com PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR | Riley Deacon photo@thesheaf.com GRAPHICS EDITOR | Jaymie Stachyruk graphics@thesheaf.com WEB EDITOR | Mitchell Gaertner web@thesheaf.com OUTREACH DIRECTOR | J.C. Balicanta Narag outreach@thesheaf.com

David Hartman U of S President and Vice-Chancellor Peter Stoicheff asks council a question during a University Council Meeting in Room 241 of the Arts Building on Jan. 17, 2019.

ANA CRISTINA CAMACHO

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Riley Deacon BOARD OF DIRECTORS Matthew Taylor Mikaila Ortynsky Kayle Neis Emily Klatt

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Mission // 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, it provides unique insight into university issues through a student perspective. The staff of editors, photographers and artists collaborate with volunteers as student journalists to create a product relevant to students on the University of Saskatchewan campus. Legal // The Sheaf, published weekly during the academic year and periodically from May through August, is an incorporated non-profit that is, in part, student-body funded by way of a direct levy paid by all partand full-time undergraduate students at the 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 Sheaf Publishing Society is open to all undergraduate students at the U of S, who are encouraged to contribute to the newspaper. Absolutely no experience is required! The 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 libellous material. Land Acknowledgement // The Sheaf acknowledges that our office is built on Treaty Six Territory and the traditional homeland of the Métis. We pay our respects to the First Nations and Métis ancestors of this place and affirm both the importance of our relationship with Indigenous peoples and students at the U of S and our commitment to recognize and remain accountable for our collective history.

corrections

In the Jan. 17 issue of the Sheaf, the article “Huskies track hosts Canada West in the first meet of 2019” incorrectly stated that the picture of Courtney Hufsmith was taken by photo editor Riley Deacon. It was actually taken by volunteer Heywood Yu. We apologize for this error. If you spot any errors in this issue, please email them to copy@thesheaf.com for correction.

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STAFF WRITER

On Jan. 17, the University Council discussed issues on transparency, greenhouse-gas emissions, university rankings and reading week. Before the meeting, physics department head Tom Steele paid tribute to Harvey Skarsgard, a former physics faculty member who passed away on Oct. 21, 2018. Beginning by continuing a discussion from a meeting held on Dec. 20, 2018, retired English professor Len Findlay spoke to the council about his concern of redacting transcripts for freedom in information requests. The university has acted in non-compliance with the privacy commissioner’s informal ruling. The information in question is an audio recording of a by-invitation-only symposium held at the University of Saskatchewan in 2015. Findlay asked for more information to be released. He says that the recording of the symposium might be relevant to an upcoming investigation into the alleged interference of agricultural giant Monsanto in university affairs. “Members of council may appear [to be] willing parties to a policy that masks the culture of secrecy within appeals to confidentiality,” Findlay said. “Another incentive for council to inform themselves about this matter comes in the form of an im-

pending public disclosure by the CBC Radio Canada investigative team on the influence wielded by Monsanto on Canadian university campuses — and guess who’ll be starring in that piece.” Findlay left after speaking. University President Peter Stoicheff speaks to Findlay’s concerns, reiterating the importance of freedom of discussion as a principle. “We do need to separate out the rather emotional aspects and important aspects of the Monsanto piece in all of this,” Stoicheff said. “I would encourage all of us to … move towards a position based on principles, not based on the circumstantial specifics of that particular meeting, so as to safeguard all of us in the future when we have all kinds of discussions, formal and informal.” The floor was opened for questions to the president. Large Animal Sciences representative Claire Card had a question regarding the University’s goals for reducing greenhouse- gas emissions as outlined in their 2012 Climate Action Plan. “I am reading in the Sheaf that the climate portfolio at the University of Saskatchewan may be lagging behind,” Card said. “The last available information they reported was from 2016, [which] showed we had only decreased less than 2 per cent. We had really no further movements, as far as I can see, campus-wide for getting serious about those targets.” Stoicheff agreed with Card and says that efforts towards sustain-

ability will be increased. “I created a President’s Sustainability Council that did a lot of good work starting about a year and a half ago. We haven’t announced yet that it is redoubling its efforts,” Stoicheff said. “One of the things I have asked the President’s Sustainability Council to do is to advise me on building into the university’s administration a successful, influential sustainability position.” After questions for the president were over, U of S Students’ Union President Rollin Baldhead presented a report to the council and then received questions. Medicine representative Marcel D’Eon asked Baldhead about the possibility of opening up the fall reading week break to the programs that currently do not have it, which are, in his opinion, among the programs that need it the most. Baldhead says that the USSU has plans to address the issue. “We do have members of student council that are from these colleges that need those breaks,” Baldhead said. “That is one of our initiatives, as well as engaging with the student body to really figure out how to better act to this issue.” Among the topics left for future meetings is D’Eon’s question about the university’s policies in their “dealings with oppressive regimes,” in light of a Canadian being detained and sentenced to death in China. D’Eon asked for President Stoicheff to address that concern in a future report.

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IEEE Illumination 2019: A bridge between academic and industry knowledge U of S IEEE branch invites students across the Prairies to illuminate their futures. J.C. BALICANTA NARAG OUTREACH DIRECTOR

University students from across the Prairies will soon be gathering in Saskatoon to learn how to break into the electronics sector. Institution of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Illumination 2019 is a two-day student-run conference designed for students from engineering, business and computer-science backgrounds. IEEE Illumination is an annual conference that has been ongoing for over 15 years, and this year, it will be held at the Saskatoon Inn on Feb. 8 and 9. The University of Saskatchewan’s student branch of IEEE had the idea of gathering electrical and computer engineering students to present an opportunity for them to speak with industry professionals. There are multiple sponsors of IEEE Illumination 2019 including SaskTel, SaskPower, Valard, SED Systems and the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan, to name a few. This year, the U of S IEEE student branch has a budget of up to $20,000 from sponsors as more join in the conference.

IEEE Illumination / Supplied

Maisha Nasim, fourth-year electrical engineering student and Illumination 2019 co-ordinator, says that it is an opportunity for students to understand the electrical and electronics industry that they will be entering after university. “We thought that, just be-

cause the provinces are so close to each other, … it would be a great opportunity for them to be able to network [with] some of the companies here and [for] us to be able to get to know them, get to know what they are doing [and] how their programs are conducted,” Nasim said.

On the second day of the conference, eight speakers will talk about their respective professions. Although the speakers have not yet been announced, Nasim shares that Dena Burnett, a U of S PhD graduate in biomedical engineering, will be speaking at the conference. “From my understanding, [Burnett] is planning to focus on how to reach [a] non-technical audience with technical information using proper methods of communication,” Nasim said. Reynier Leyeza, fourthyear electrical engineering student and Illumination 2019 assistant co-ordinator, says that the event serves a dual purpose, providing an opportunity for young engineers to meet professionals from the electrical and electronics industry and to learn more about science and technology in general. “One of the objectives of Illumination is just so that people in this industry will get to meet prospective young engineers, and the young engineers will also get news about the latest technologies that the companies … are presenting. And it’s a networking opportunity for everybody,” Leyeza said. Although Illumination has

been around for years, it is often under attended. Students may think it is only offered to engineering students. Leyeza says that the academic workload around the time of the conference also contributes to the lower turnout. “We’re inviting a lot of engineers, and most of the midterms are during February, … so they underestimate [the value of] two days’ worth of networking opportunities and learning more about the industry,” Leyeza said. Nasim says that this is a chance for students to take in industry knowledge not offered during their university experiences, which can inform their career-path choices in the future. “When we are in university and we are in a certain discipline or we are a student of a certain college, we don’t know what our future is going to look like. We don’t know, when we enter into some company, what kind of job we would be doing or what that company necessarily does,” Nasim said. “[Illumination] gives all our speakers and all the presenters a chance to come out and tell all these students … what their company is all about, what they do [and] what their focuses are.”

Optional fees for Ontario students On Jan. 17, the Ford government put forward a plan for lowering the tuition burden. NYKOLE KING EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Campuses in Ontario may see drastic changes after the recent announcement from the Ford government giving post-secondary students the option to forego paying some student fees. While some fees will remain mandatory, such as any health and safety initiatives, the institutions themselves will have discretion over which services are essential to their campus. The Student Choice Initiative, released on Jan. 17, is part of plan to lower the tuition burden and will allow individuals to choose which

fees they will pay and how that money is allocated. This decision has left the University of Toronto Students’ Union executive concerned with how this will impact their operations. “The risk of significant funding reductions, direct or indirect, would be grave and irrevocably change campus life,” the UTSU said in a statement released that same day. USSU President Rollin Baldhead says that students in Ontario have to make the decision as to whether reduced student fees are worth sacrificing the programming that is funded by student fees. “The 10 per cent cut in tuition sounds excellent, but

with the terms provided, one has to wonder to what effect those cuts would have [on] the quality of education and services to which those students would have access,” Baldhead said. Beyond student unions, the Canadian University Press has released a statement expressing concerns with institutions determining which fees are optional as student newspapers may lose revenue for their operations. “We believe strongly that student publications are essential to the well-being of post-secondary students. Our members offer scrutiny to university and college administrations, ensuring that there is transparency

Jaymie Stachyruk / Graphics Editor

in university governance. They are uniquely positioned to do so and provide

this important coverage without the same resources as the mainstream media.”

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Campus rally supports Indigenous Peoples March in Washington, D.C., and Unist’ot’en Speakers at the rally identify issues with breaching the gap between youth and Elder perspectives. LAUREN KLASSEN

Students and community members alike gathered at the Gordon Oakes Red Bear Student Centre on Jan. 18 for a rally in solidarity with the Indigenous Peoples March in Washington, D.C., and Unist’ot’en. The event was organized by two students from the Indigenous Business Students’ Society. Aubrey-Anne LalibertePewapisconias and Jerrica Rebel Prettyshield headed the rally and introduced speakers at the event. Mary Lee, an Elder from Chitek Lake, was one of the more than 50 people in attendance at the rally, and she started the rally with opening remarks, which were followed by a prayer. University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union President Rollin Baldhead also gave a speech and performed a song with a drum after the prayer. The rally-goers joined events across the continent to show support for the first ever Indigenous Peoples March in Washington, D.C. In addition, the U of S rally showed solidarity with the

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Unist’ot’en camp in British Columbia and their recent confrontations with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police over the TransCanada pipeline project that is set to be developed on Wet’suwet’en traditional territory. On Jan. 7, RCMP forces broke down a barricade and arrested 14 protestors. In a speech at the rally, L a l i b e r t e - Pe w api s c on i a s , second-year operations management student and co-organizer of the rally, says that Indigenous communities in the United States and Canada face similar issues. “We are people who have survived genocide, assimilation, colonization efforts and extreme abuse in all forms… We are people built and raised in institutions that were made to make us fail, and yet, here we are — thriving,” LalibertePewapisconias said. Ryan Meili, Saskatchewan New Democratic Party leader, attended the rally at the invitation of U of S students. He says that youth leaders like Laliberte-Pewapisconias and Rebel Prettyshield indicate a promising future for

Riley Deacon / Photo Editor ISC president Regan Ratt-Misponas (right) speaks to rally participants in the Gordon Oaks Red Bear Student Centre while Mary Lee (left), an Elder from Chitek Lake, listens on Jan. 18, 2019.

Indigenous leadership in Saskatchewan. “I was extremely impressed with the young women who had organized the event and

all of the powerful speakers who came forward,” Meili said in an email to the Sheaf. “The growing presence of young Indigenous leaders on campus is a hopeful sign of changing dynamics in our province and of the possibility of a Saskatchewan that is addressing past wrongs and moving forward to become a more equal, more fair and healthier province.” Regan Ratt-Misponas, president of the Indigenous Students’ Council, also spoke at the rally and says that Indigenous peoples in the province and abroad have been impassioned in light of the deaths of Tina Fontaine, Colten Boushie and Jon Styers. “I think about these systems and these structures, and I know that they don’t

last forever, but what does last forever is that fire. As long as you keep that fire going, it will last forever. Don’t let that fire go out,” RattMisponas said. For Andre Bear, fourthyear Indian Teacher Education Program student, the passion that Ratt-Misponas spoke of indicates a disconnect between leaders and prominent issues facing Indigenous peoples. “Unfortunately, that fire — that passion — is not reaching our leaders,” Bear said at the rally. “It is not reaching a lot of the people who are currently making decisions for each and every one of you… It’s not getting through to them. It’s truly not making the connection that destroying our lands is going to destroy us, too.”

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SPORTS&HEALTH

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Recipe:

SPORTS&HEALTH

Deadly cold: Surviving Lemon garlic chicken the Saskatoon winter Do you know the risks of being exposed to extreme cold?

HOPE N.S. JEFFERY

Recipe from allrecipes.com This is a great dinner for when you don’t have a date — unless they like garlic, too. Yields: 6 servings Time: 25 minutes Approximately 214 calories per serving Ingredients 4 tbsp. butter or margarine 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut in half 3 tsp. table salt 3 tsp. ground pepper 4 tbsp. garlic powder 2 lemons, juiced (or 5 tbsp. of lemon juice)

The U of S campus residences, partially covered in hoar frost in November 2018.

ERIN MATTHEWS OPINIONS EDITOR

Cold winters are a substantial part of Canadian culture. One of our most popular sports — hockey — revolves around our cold winters. It can be easy to forget how dangerous the temperature can get around here from the comfort of our heated homes. The past few weeks have ushered in an arctic chill. With temperatures dipping to the minus 20s and wind chills registering in the minus 30s, the winter landscape can be treacherous at best. Frostbite is a disfiguring danger that crops up when we dip this low on the Celsius scale, yet many still don’t understand just how detrimental it can be. Frostbite is an injury that is inflicted on your epidermis — or skin — when it is exposed to frigid temperatures. It is quite common in your extremities, or the parts of your body that are furthest away from the centre: your ears, fingertips, nose and toes. Similar to a burn, frostbite is often categorized in three stages: first-degree, second-degree and third-degree. First-degree frostbite, or frostnip as it is adorably called, is a mild form that leaves no perma-

JACK THOMPSON

SPORTS & HEALTH EDITOR

nent damage to your skin. The area affected may feel cold, may burn or be completely numb, and will often be red in colour. Rewarming the area will bring back sensation and cause some pain, but you will be able to escape permanent damage from exposure. In short, you will be lucky. Second-degree frostbite involves the formation of ice crystals in your soft tissue — this causes swelling and damage to your skin. Blisters may occur, and there is an increased risk of infection if they break open. Third-degree frostbite, or deep frostbite, on the other hand, is much like a third-degree burn. There is massive damage to your deeper tissues, which can include severe pain, clot formation and deep damage that may lead to necrosis — or death of the tissue. Tissue damage, while terrifying, is not the worst that can happen if you are outside for any length of time during a cold snap. It is easy to become hypothermic when outside temperatures dip below zero. When hypothermia sets in, it is a medical emergency that requires immediate attention. Hypothermia occurs

when your body temperature drops below 35 degrees Celsius and can cause symptoms like slurred speech, shallow breathing, confusion and loss of consciousness. In short, you can lose both life and limb being out in the cold for too long. Most students have the means to stay warm, such as a winter coat, so there is little excuse not to take the proper precautions against the weather. Factors outside of clothing can come into play as well. A big one is alcohol, because as we all know, having too much to drink can alter your decision making and make that half-hour walk home look better than paying for a cab. Additionally, alcohol causes your body to lose heat faster — putting drunk individuals doubly at risk when temperatures drop. All in all, be extra careful when going for a night out, and keep tabs on your friends as well. While your layers might ruin your outfit, they just might save your life. But there are those more vulnerable than drunk twentysomethings. Anyone without consistent access to shelter and warm clothes is at risk when the City of Bridges gets cold, and with that in mind, if you have the extra funds, consider donating money to

Melt butter or margarine in frying pan over mediumhigh heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper, and then, place in the melted butter. Flip your chicken frequently, and cook until browned — this takes roughly 5 minutes. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of garlic powder on your chicken, then flip and sprinkle the rest on the other side. Cook chicken for 2 more minutes. Pour lemon juice over both sides of chicken, and cook until no longer pink on the inside — approximately 5 to 10 minutes more. Alternatively, you can use an instant-read thermometer. It should read at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit. If you do not have access to a thermometer, be sure to cut the chicken open to ensure it is no longer pink inside.

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a shelter in Saskatoon like the Lighthouse. If you don’t have the funds to spare, consider checking the back of your closet for a spare jacket or sweater to donate to the Lighthouse as an alternative to donating mon-

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ey. The shelter is also set up to receive donations via recycling at SARCAN Drop & Go locations. Not only is the process to use a Drop & Go location typically faster but you’re also helping out those in need.

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SPORTS&HEALTH

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Huskies partner with Bell Let’s Talk Students from the Huskies are going to be on campus encouraging discussions around mental health. CAMI KAYTOR

Bell Let’s Talk encourages people to talk about mental health. Since 2010, Let’s Talk has raised almost $100 million, which goes to research grants, mental-health facilities and community programs. As someone who has felt the pressures of sport, I’m happy to see this program succeed. A portion of this money is raised through social-media posts, so not only is awareness raised, but for every post made with #BellLetsTalk, 5 cents is donated to the campaign. On Jan. 25, Bell will partner with student athletes at the University of Saskatchewan to promote the campaign and improve student mental-health awareness on campus. Students will be on campus with booths set up encouraging people to share their struggles with mental health. Amber Fuentealba, student support co-ordinator for the College of Kinesiology and the Huskies, is excited about this partnership and its goals. “Mental health can be very isolating — you can feel like no one gets you. I hear a lot of stu-

dents say, ‘I don’t really do this’ or ‘I’m not usually like this,’ and it’s important to recognize that everyone has periods of stress and feeling down,” Fuentealba said. “That’s why I like Bell Let’s Talk Day so much. It shows us that we all have these issues.” Bell Let’s Talk Day takes place on Jan. 30 annually. When asked why Bell Let’s Talk would target student athletes specifically, Fuentealba discusses the extra challenges they face. “University can be overwhelming. You have higher expectations: you expect to take five classes, get certain grades, and it gets more challenging as you get into higher years,” Fuentealba said. “When you’re a student athlete, you have to balance that and the extra pressure of being a successful athlete.” Fuentealba adds that males tend to struggle with sharing their concerns around their mental health and continually meeting the high expectations of others. “Male athletes especially tend to keep to themselves, but it’s important to show [them] that you don’t have to. But you’re also a mentor, and people look up to you. You have higher expecta-

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tions placed on you and have higher stress,” Fuentealba said. As the person in charge of mental health, wellness and sport-life-balance support for the College of Kinesiology, Fuentealba discusses how she thinks the university could improve its support of students. “I think the university is moving in the right direction with their focus on student wellness, and I hope it continues. I think it would be cool to see my job in other colleges,” Fuentealba said. “If you could go see an academic advisor and then stop in next door to your college counsellor, I think it would encourage a better, well-rounded support

for students. Everybody should connect with somebody, and I think that would make it easier.” As a high-school-student athlete, my time was stretched very thin, and it began to affect my performance. In younger years, I played competitive ringette, and I would train around six times a week. By the time I got to grade 11, however, I had multiple part-time jobs, a more rigorous academic program, and was still trying to play at the competitive level. Eventually, that stress affected my athletic performance, and I ended up playing in a rec league instead. If I’d had the proper support to talk about and

manage my stress, I could have performed better in everything I was doing simply because my mindset going in would have been more stable. Although Bell Let’s Talk has had commercials featured on TV, they will be doing awareness campaigns and talking to people at the U of S to have more of a positive impact in the campus community. Only good can come from providing students and faculty with resources and education on mental health, and targeting university students ensures that this positive attitude will be brought into the workforce and society at large in the near future.

Team Saskatchewan aiming to sweep away the competition Saskatchewan’s finest junior curlers are confident in their third trip to nationals. JACK THOMPSON

SPORTS & HEALTH EDITOR

Three University of Saskatchewan students are competing for the national title in a tournament being held in Prince Albert from Jan. 19 to 27. With 75 per cent of the Saskatchewan provincial curling team being students, the U of S is well represented at this event. The tournament in question is the 2019 New Holland Canadian Junior Championships, an event that hosts a team from each province and territory for a week of curling. The team that wins this championship will go on to represent Canada in the world juniors. Team Saskatchewan is made up of students Matthieu Taillon, Joshua Mattern and Rylan Kleiter as well as Trevor Johnson. The team has a long history together according to Kleiter, a third-year accounting major in the Edwards School of Business, who explains the story

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Kel Faber / Supplied The Saskatchewan Provincial Curling Team pushes down ice before releasing the rock.

behind how they got into curling in the seventh grade. “My dad’s a competitive curler, and he brought me out to try curling, and he said, ‘Bring three of your buddies,’” Kleiter said. “So I brought some friends out — we were best friends off the ice before curling — and then, they re-

ally liked the game, and we all wanted to practice and get better at it.” Throughout the years, the team has made some outstanding achievements in the curling world. Taillon mentions some of these milestones. “This is our third under 21 junior provincial title in a row.

We previously won three U18 provincials, too, as well as a high school provincial championship,” Taillon said. “We recently competed in a grand slam event — so kind of like a pro tournament. We’re upper echelon of junior teams, essentially — and getting up there with the men’s teams, too.” With a lot of experience under their collective belts, the team is rightfully confident about their performance at the junior championships this year. Having previously competed at this level, Kleiter speaks to how the team feels about coming back to the championship tournament after having competed at the higher levels of curling. “We’re feeling way more confident than our past two years there. We’ve played against lots of the top men’s teams in the province — and even the world — to prepare us for this,” Kleiter said. Confidence is something that the team will need as they compete against the country’s

best, and Kleiter explains that their strategy is to play to their strengths by playing a messier game of curling. “We like to put a lot of rocks in play and play really aggressive with putting them in the house versus some teams like to hit a lot and just get rid of everything. Our goal is going to be to play a bit messier of a game because that’s our strong point,” Kleiter said. The team is dedicated to improving their game by practicing at least twice a week on top of any competition they may have, but Kleiter states that they also try to enjoy their time curling. “We like to keep it light on the ice and have lots of fun out there,” Kleiter said. “We show off our fun, too. We have crazy pants that we wear all the time, and we’ve kept that throughout all of our years together.” Team Saskatchewan will be competing in the national junior championships until Jan. 27. You can follow their competition on curling.ca.

CULTURE

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CULTURE

It’s time to move past the “bury your gays” trope

EVENTS T H U R S

UGANDA: WHY WOMEN, CHILDREN AND GOATS MATTER @ THE SASKATOON CLUB, 6:00 P.M. TANYA TAGAQ @ PERSEPHONE THEATRE, 7:30 P.M.

BERNICE WITH LIVING HOUR @ BLACK CAT TAVERN, 9:30 P.M.

Queer characters are often treated as expendable in pop culture, but we all deserve better.

BOB THE DRAG QUEEN WITH BEGONIA @ LOUIS’ PUB, 9:30 P.M.

F R I

SHANE KOYCZAN @ PERSEPHONE THEATRE, 8:00 P.M.

TAKE SOMETHING AND RUN WINTERRUPTION SHOWCASE @ THE REFINERY, 8:00 P.M. BEGONIA WITH FRIENDS OF FOES @ AMIGOS CANTINA, 10:00 P.M.

CURRENTS WITH THE PXRTALS AND Y2LHEN @ SASKATOON ACADEMY OF MUSIC, 10:00 P.M.

STORIES IN TIME: AN INDIGENOUS ENCOUNTER @ THE BROADWAY THEATRE, 7:30 P.M.

DOUGHBOYS LIVE PODCAST @ PERSEPHONE THEATRE, 8:00 P.M.

NDIDI O WITH JUSTIN NOZUKA @ THE BASSMENT, 8:00 P.M. THE GARGYLES WITH SPACEMINTS AND DR. BOOTY QUIVER @ BLACK CAT TAVERN, 9:00 P.M.

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S A T

AMBER ADRIAN JACKSON

The “bury your gays” trope in media has led to the death of innumerable fan-favourite characters in novels, movies and television shows. Queer characters simply seem to be seen as more expendable than others, and therefore, they die much more frequently. Warning, spoilers are coming. One recent case of this trope that received a lot of backlash was the death of Lexa on the popular CW show The 100. Although the show has a remarkable number of LGBTQ+ characters compared to other shows and is full of death, fans found the way Lexa died very upsetting. Many fans thought that, if she had to die, she deserved a death scene befitting the badass that she was. Her death was rushed, and many fans were very upset. Some fans went as far as sending death threats to the producer, Jason Rothenberg. Beyond this instance in The 100, both Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Pretty Little Liars are guilty of employing this trope. Tara, a recurring character on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, was one half of one of the first same-sex couples on mainstream TV. She was killed by a stray bullet in season six, a death that is closely mirrored by the death of Lexa in The 100. In Pretty Little Liars, both Maya St. Germain and Sha-

na Fring were killed off to further the plot as opposed to being given fleshed-out storylines or anything resembling a happy ending. This trope is exceptionally problematic for many reasons. It’s very hard growing up without seeing accurate or lasting representation of people like you on TV or in movies. This is true for people of colour, young girls and the LGBTQ+ community. Coming to terms with your sexuality is made more difficult by not having access to any sort of media that normalizes feelings outside of heterosexuality. While this harmful trope seems pre-eminent in media, there are more and more shows that are subverting or avoiding its use. One example that comes to mind is the show Shadowhunters. One of the main couples, Magnus and Alec, or “Malec” as the fandom has dubbed their relationship, is a romantic pairing consisting of a gay man and a bisexual man. Their relationship is shown to be very happy and healthy, and they are arguably the most stable couple on the show. Brooklyn Nine-Nine also has cases of realistic representation, particularly in the characters of Captain Holt and Rosa Diaz. Both are openly queer characters, with Rosa coming out as bisexual in season five. Neither of these character arcs are dependant on their sexuality, and that,

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in part, is what makes this show so phenomenal. They are not just characters who are included to add some token queerness — they are both characters who exist because they add to the show. They live their lives and are involved in storylines as any other character would — they just happen to be queer. It is undeniable that there are more queer characters in mainstream media than there have been in the past. Love, Simon is a mainstream coming-of-age film with a gay lead. This is a huge step forward. The movie has a 92 per cent critic rating and an 89 per cent audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. This clearly shows that there is an audience for content that includes and is centred on representation. Beyond that, Love, Simon was compelling to critics and enjoyed by people who are not a part of the LGBTQ+ community. Reviews like these are bound to lead to more queer stories finding their way onto our screens. When writing is inclusive, there is a chance to create better stories. Queer people exist, and they deserve to have their stories told. Queer characters are not more expendable than other characters, and members of the LGBTQ+ community deserve to have their stories told in healthy, positive ways just like cisgender heterosexual people so often do.

S U N

SCOTIABANK SOMETHING ON SUNDAYS @ REMAI MODERN, 1:00 P.M.

BOWLS FOR BIKES FUNDRAISER @ BRIDGE CITY BICYCLE CO-OP, 7:00 P.M.

TONIGHT IT’S POETRY @ AMIGOS CANTINA, 8:00 P.M. KARAOKE NIGHT @ FLINT SALOON, 9:00 P.M.

M O N

LEARN TO KETTLEBELL @ BRAINSPORT, 5:45 P.M. GAMES NIGHT @ LOUIS’ PUB, 7:00 P.M. STUDENTS FOR LIBERTY BEER NIGHT @ WINSTON’S ENGLISH PUB, 7:00 P.M.

FRIENDS TRIVIA @ HUDSONS CANADA’S PUB, 7:30 P.M.

T U E S

FROM ANALOG TO DIGITAL WORKSHOP @ PAVED ARTS, 7:00 P.M.

SUPER JAM TUESDAY @ SOMEWHERE ELSE PUB & GRILL, 7:00 P.M.

100% TUESDAYS @ LOUIS’ PUB, 8:00 P.M.

OPEN STAGE @ CAPITOL MUSIC CLUB, 8:00 P.M.

W E D

EDUCATION FAIR @ UNIVERSITY OF SASKATCHEWAN, 9:30 A.M. ANY PIZZA WITH UNION PINT FOR $15 @ LOUIS’ PUB, 2:30 P.M.

LE PETIT PRINCE OPENING NIGHT @ LA TROUP DU JOUR, 7:30 P.M.

PUNK ROCK BINGO: POP PUNK EDITION @ BLACK CAT TAVERN, 9:00 P.M.

JAN. 9FEB. 7 JAN. 12FEB. 21 JAN. 29-30

EMPTY SPACES THROUGH MY EYES @ SASKATOON PUBLIC LIBRARY

SHADES OF GREY @ ART PLACEMENT

POLISH FILM FESTIVAL @ THE BROADWAY THEATRE

CULTURE / 7

FEATURE

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Currently, 75 per cent of students registered with AES live with hidden disabilities, with anxiety and depression being two of the most common.

Jaymie Stachyruk / Graphics Editor

8 / FEATURE

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WWW.T H E S H E A F.COM // @ U SAS KS H E A F

FEATURE

REASSESSING RESOURCES: Examining campus mental health following tragedy Administration and student leaders speak on the efficacy and quality of Usask’s mental-health resources. With an ever-increasing portion of the student body accessing the services provided by the NEWS EDITOR university, the U of S seeks out feedback for their mental-health programming. McDougall says that Winter term at the University of Saskatchewan her department looks to student feedback as one began in a tragic and unprecedented way this year. of the main ways to gauge the efficacy of their On the afternoon of Jan. 3, the first day of classes services. for most colleges, students and staff alike received “Methodologically, one of the best ways [to meanotification on PAWS that a student had died. sure efficacy] is by surveying students. We’re colThis was the first time that an alert regarding a lecting data on an ongoing basis when people are student death has been sent out to campus. Sent by accessing those services,” McDougall said. “The four Patti McDougall, vice-provost of teaching, learn- key indicators that we’re focused on include access ing and student experience, the notification was to a wider range of resources, being able to delivbrief, providing no further details but to orient er the right support at the right time, the timeliness students and staff to the university’s mental-health of service and the quality of service. Timeliness and resources. quality — those are the benchmarks that I’m asking Just two days after the campus-wide alert was for.” released, U of S law students were notified via In addition to surveying students who use seremail by Martin Phillipson, dean of the College vices in the Student Wellness Centre, McDougall’s of Law, that another student had died. Similarly team also consults student leadership, like the to McDougall, Phillipson extended information U of S Students’ Union and the Graduate Students’ to students on accessing the necessary supports, Association. should they need them. Following the campus-wide notification of the While the Sheaf cannot confirm the nature of the first student death, Naheda Sahtout, president of deaths, it is alleged that both students died by sui- the GSA, says she was in “immediate contact” with cide. Although the deaths were isolated cases, they, McDougall’s department. However, Rose Wu, USSU along with the ever-growing number of students vice-president student affairs, says she was not conthat use the university’s mental-health resources, tacted following the death. have opened up conversations surrounding the efAlthough generally satisfied with the resources ficacy of these services and the extent the student available to students for their mental health, Sahtout voice has in saying how they operate. says that student leaders play an important role in Each year, the number of students who access the well-being of their constituents. the mental-health resources at the U of S increas“As the population of students grows, the needs es. According to recent data collected by Student change. There is always going to be room for imAffairs and Outreach, counselling appointments provement,” Sahtout said. “In the current time, what have increased dramatically in the last two years. we offer is good. The GSA’s role — and the USSU’s — The fall terms of 2016, 2017 and 2018 saw 1100, is to encourage our students to use these resources… 1300 and 1800 appointments booked, respectively. There [are] always going to be unique cases. That’s The number of students registering with Ac- when the USSU and GSA play a big role, identifying cess and Equity Services is growing as well, with those specific issues.” nine per cent of the 22,400 students on campus Should students feel unsatisfied with the current this year registered, which amounts to more than resources, student-run organizations like the USSU 2,000. Under current enrollment projections, and the GSA can help make their concerns heard. 6,000 of 28,000 students will be registered with As Sahtout indicated, as the governing bodies for AES by 2025. Currently, 75 per cent of students undergraduate and graduate students, the USSU and registered with AES live with hidden disabilities, the GSA are frequently involved in conversations with anxiety and depression being two of the most with senior administration regarding programming, common. mental-health programming included, that impacts the students they represent. In addition to the USSU and the GSA, McDougall’s team engages with culture-specific mental-health programming found in centres like the International Student and Study Abroad Centre and the Aboriginal Students’ Centre. Now, perhaps more than ever, the student voice matters in conversations revolving around the resources at the SWC. This importance was not only brought about by the afof the students’ deaths vice-provost of teaching, learning and student experience termath but also through recent funding changes. TANNER BAYNE

“The four key indicators that we’re focused on include access to a wider range of resources, being able to deliver the right support at the right time, the timeliness of service and the quality of service.” —Patti McDougall,

“As the population of students grows, the needs change. There is always going to be room for improvement.” —Naheda Sahtout, Graduate Students’ Association president

Forecasting the consistently growing numbers of students using the university’s mental-health programming, the administration has already taken steps to address the future demand for services offered through the SWC. Returning students likely have noticed that the Student Wellness and Services fee has increased dramatically from $15 per term in the previous academic year to the current $45 per term. This is the first time the fee has been raised in over 20 years. This year, McDougall estimates that $1,000,000 will be generated by the fee increase and says that it will all be funnelled back into the pay of staff at the SWC, supporting student outreach, and potentially, extending the hours of the SWC beyond 4:30 p.m. on weekdays. So while most of the revenue will go to current operating costs, McDougall reveals that there is room for future changes to the system. Ultimately, McDougall sees the current programming changing not just in terms of the resources provided but also in her department’s guiding principles for their operations. “Our wellness strategy, which many people including students worked on, is shifting from putting all our resources into intervention — which we have done for a long time — [to] shifting some of that to promotion and prevention,” McDougall said. “That is something that I think is going to help us. I don’t know if it’s under the category of being better or getting better, but it’s the right approach.” For Wu, the direction in which to take mental health resources at the U of S is a conversation that all students can participate in. “I think they definitely do care [about] the student voice,” Wu said. “They do ask us for [our] opinion, and we try to give them the student voice. It would be hard to implement something without having the student input.” If you, or a friend, require any urgent or nonurgent mental-health care, do not hesitate to contact the Student Wellness Centre. Appointments can be made by visiting the centre on the third and fourth floors of the Place Riel Student Centre or by calling them at 306-966-5768. For any further information regarding professional assistance, mental well-being tips or other resources, head to students.usask.ca and look under the “health” tab.

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CULTURE

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Advanced review: Vol. 4 :: Slaves of Fear by Health Although more polished than their previous efforts, the fourth album by Health will still thrill you with its unique noise-rock vibe. COLE CHRETIEN CULTURE EDITOR

On the follow up to their 2015 album Death Magic, Los Angeles noise-rock experimentalists Health sound confident and composed. On Vol. 4 :: Slaves of Fear, they choose their moments of disharmony wisely, offsetting simple electronic melodies with blasts of cacophonous catharsis. Health has always been a band with a unique sound. They combine slick, danceable electronic music with dissonant synth explosions and lightly auto-tuned vocals that float above each track. While the experimentation has been toned down on the last two records, the very core of Health’s music still sounds unlike anything else right now. Despite their individual sound, the band has a few obvious contemporaries: the shape-shifting, experimental dance music of Liars, the austere and artificial pop music deconstructionism of

the PC Music collective and a lot of recent heavy shoegaze bands, due to their mixture of ethereal vocals and thundering instrumentals. Vol. 4 opens up with “Psychonaut,” a track that begins with a soft contemplative guitar before immediately

giving way to shimmering synths and blown-out industrial drumming. It sounds like a warehouse rave celebrating the end of the world, and it’s up there with the band’s best. Health doesn’t always operate with this level of ag-

gression, though. Songs like “Black Static” and “NC-17” are more melodic. In particular, “NC-17” is an album highlight that uses rich textures to create something beautiful and menacing. Rather than exploding into noise, the track creates a vibe and lives in it for a moment. There are some great lighter tracks on this album, but the melodic moments can sometimes feel like artifice. They feel like the perfunctory soft part of the band’s soft-loud dynamic. Health has stopped just short of sanding all of the edges off their sound, but in an effort to polish up their act, they’ve lost something along the way. There’s an anthemic quality to tracks like “The Message” that falls short of the mark for me. Occasionally, the band sounds like they’re playing at something polished, but they end up with something devoid of teeth. Health’s music always runs

the risk of sounding sterile and sanitized, at least when it’s not offset by an appropriate amount of grime. It’s a tough balancing act, and the band succeeds at it most of the time, which makes it all the more jarring when they don’t. Vol. 4 is still a louder record than Death Magic, at least in short bursts. The band is clearly branching out and trying to become more versatile but with mixed success. That being said, there are moments here that recall the thrilling “anything goes” genre-bending of their excellent self-titled debut. Health’s latest is still a very good album despite some minor setbacks. I’ve always had a strong appreciation for the band’s ability to craft accessible noise rock, and they’ve become one of the heaviest bands in the world without ever relying on a strong guitar presence. Check it out for yourself when Vol. 4 is released on Feb. 8, 2019.

COMING EVENTS follow us

Children’s disCovery museum storytime pop-up “Five senses and beyond”

Friday, January 25, 1:30 pm

Birds of

saskatchewan

THIS IS WHERE IT STARTS WE WANT WRITERS LIKE YOU!

Book Launch with Alan R. Smith, C. Stuart Houston and J. Frank Roy

Tuesday, January 29, 7 pm

The Sheaf will be hiring soon WATCH FOR MORE DETAILS TO COME

10 / CULTURE 1/14/2019

sheaf jan 24 to jan 30, 2019.indd 1

4:21:21 PM

JA NUA RY 24 , 2 0 1 9

CULTURE

WWW.T H E S H E A F.COM // @ U SAS KS H E A F

Makerspace:

Make whatever you want Aside from having the tools to make close to anything, it’s also just a nice place to be. ANA CRISTINA CAMACHO STAFF WRITER

Saskatoon Makerspace is a one-stop craft shop located on Avenue D where you can learn how to design and produce “pretty much anything.” They offer classes ranging from blacksmithing to 3D design to hand embroidery — as well as free coffee for members. On Jan. 19, Makerspace hosted an opening party in their new location — a large, uncluttered industrial-looking space that reportedly always smells like coffee. Shanelle Plett, community manager, says the new area — which is much bigger than their previous location — allows for Makerspace to become more of a community. “Our goal was to outgrow that space,” Plett said. “This space allows us to have 30 studios, and it allows people to come and be a part of owning the space. They feel more at home, and they get to embrace the community.” On the Makerspace website, it says that they “want to challenge the way we view consumerism.” Plett says that they want to offer an alternative to buying cheap, lower quality items. “In our society right now, there’s so much, and it’s so cheap to order online, so we just spend money on little

things that probably won’t last very long. If you come to a space like this, you can actually build those things that you see online,” Plett said. “It’ll take you a little bit longer, but I think that the process of building something with your own hands — your own thing — is very empowering.” The shop also says they have a focus on accessibility. Plett says this means that Makerspace opens up the possibility of designing and creating to people without the proper tools or knowledge. “A lot of people graduate from high school, or they’re not in university anymore, and they don’t have … access to the same tools that they would have had access to,” Plett said. “We want to allow people to create whatever they want with as [few] limitations as possible, providing the tools, training and any kind of knowledge that they would need.” A huge draw for Makerspace is its community. Plett says that around 20 of the 30 studio spaces in the new shop have already been rented. “We have people who are here all day, every day. With a community like this, there are experts in every field,” Plett said. “There are tons of people here starting new businesses, so you can just ask people questions — the culture of sharing knowledge is huge.”

Plett says that customers also play a role in shaping the future of the shop. One of the things that Makerspace will offer in the future is a safe spray booth where people can bring in anything they want to paint. “Most of the time, when we want to add something new, it’s because someone has come to us and said we should do it,” Plett said. “It comes from people giving us feedback and telling us they want to see something.” Makerspace seems like a good space to develop new interests. There are set-up costs to think about — before using any tool, you have to take a paid orientation class — and the $50 monthly fee gives you unlimited access to some tools but only a couple of hours for others before incurring further fees. Still, once you get through the orientations, there are a variety of tools and courses available so that anyone can probably find something they like. There’s enough offered to make that $50 fee worthwhile. Even if you don’t want the membership, keep Makerspace on your radar for classes on the Adobe Creative Cloud, hand lettering, silk printing and sewing, among many others. And if you have a design of any kind that you would like to make into something, you know where to go.

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Samuel James / Supplied A screen-printing machine sits in the new Makerspace location during the grand opening on Jan. 19, 2019.

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LICENSED EVENT / 19+

CULTURE / 11

OPINIONS

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That’s not me:

Toxic masculinity within the Asian community

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OPINIONS

How to recognize and move forward in self growth. YASHICA BITHER

Man up! Get some balls. Don’t be a pussy. That’s so gay. These are a few of the tired phrases often tossed around at those who identify as male. These words are used to elicit macho behaviour, because by degrading anyone who is deemed unmanly with these phrases, it urges them to act “stronger.” What fuels the need to not to be seen as “weak”? Toxic masculinity. This has been a hotly debated topic this past year and has been scrutinized in light of the recent Gillette commercial released in January 2019. The advertisement ends with the tagline “It’s only by challenging ourselves to do more that we can get closer to our best.” However, it would seem that not many agree with this phrase, judging by the backlash that hit social media after the commercial first aired. Toxic masculinity refers to

harmful behaviours and attitudes such as the repression of emotions, and in turn, the perpetuation of stereotypical gender roles within society by acting like an alpha male. Western culture has begun to acknowledge this concept, given the rise of the Me Too movement, and has shifted the paradigm to challenge this sort of behaviour. But I don’t see the same happening in South Asia. The idea of being a strongwilled man is encouraged by the culture within the Asian communities in both the Western and Eastern hemispheres. Abiding by gender roles is encouraged because it is thought that this is how our culture is and always has been — thus, we should continue to follow that tradition. I’m not saying upholding cultural practices is a bad thing. As a person of colour, I’m very proud of my culture, but I’m also disappointed that toxic masculinity is encouraged in the name of tradition.

Jaymie Stachyruk / Graphics Editor

The reason it’s dubbed toxic is that, by repressing their emotions and abiding by the roles prescribed by society, men are not given the freedom to try stepping outside of their traditional gender role. In turn, this restricts their ability to form meaningful relationships, causing mental isolation. Many of my fellow Asians have shared stories about how they feel they’re not that close with their fathers because they don’t communicate or talk about their feelings with them. Many of their emotional exchanges with their fathers are full of uneasiness and tension.

This behaviour can be dangerous as depression, anxiety and suicide are on the rise because of the behaviour promoted by toxic masculinity. For example, India has nearly 1.4 billion people, with men making up 52 per cent of the population. As of 2016, the suicide rate for men was about 18.5 suicides per 100,000 men. This is attributed, in part, to the constant pressure that men face to be strong and never show vulnerability. Perhaps, they felt like they had no one to confide in. For me, this topic is complicated due to multiple factors, but the solution can be simple.

I want to encourage men to be vulnerable and allow themselves to step out of the gender roles they have been encouraged to fulfill since they were kids. Share your thoughts and feelings with someone you trust — go to a counsellor, try therapy, or talk to a friend that you feel comfortable confiding in. Why stop yourself from experiencing growth or happiness when help is only a step away? It’s not going to be easy to do something you’re not used to, but it’s a step towards improving your mental health. Like Gillette asks, “Is this the best a man can get?”

A study in pink: Exploring the power of femininity Be the multi-faceted beautiful woman — or queen — you’ve always wanted to be.

12 / OPINIONS

ra ph ic s

Growing up, I was always called a tomboy. I much preferred baggy shirts and comfy jeans to a dress or anything frilly. I prided myself heavily on not being like other girls, avoiding traditionally girly things and hating the colour pink. As I got older, I began to realize that I was rejecting femininity because of the baggage associated with it, not because I didn’t want to be feminine. For a long time, the word “girly” had negative connotations, and I came to believe that anything feminine was inherently inferior. It took me a long time and a lot of relearning to get out of that mindset. When I finally did realize it was okay to like the things I did, a whole other side of the world opened up to me. I started getting more interested in fashion, makeup and pop culture — and this bout of personal growth also had me seeking out opportunities to learn more about the world and people

Ed ito r

TOMILOLA OJO

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around me. I opened myself up to friendships with girls I had judged too fast and too harshly in the past and developed a more well-rounded view. However, since I came out on the other side of this journey, I have noticed that some people’s attitudes towards me have changed. In the past, I’ve had people question my intelligence here

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and there, but I’ve found that a growing number of people that I meet think that — because of the way some of my friends and I dress or talk or carry ourselves — we’re not capable of complex thought. They seem to think that there isn’t enough room in our heads to know about lip gloss and politics. The microaggressions are real, y’all.

From boys making snide comments about us being airheaded because of how we talk to other girls thinking we are shallow and pandering to the male gaze, it hasn’t taken long for me to get sick of it. These judgemental opinions may seem small and petty, but they act as building blocks to bigger issues. Women in fields that are traditionally maledominated often report that they are spoken down to, experience microaggressions and are even kept from advancing because of their femininity — I’m talking to you, engineering and computer science. It all stems from those little phrases we heard as kids, the days of people saying “you run like a girl” or “I need some strong boys to move this heavy thing.” All the disdain for femininity starts with seemingly harmless phrases that are said to us as children that become ingrained in us in adulthood. Thinking back on it, as a child, I ran like a girl and it was fierce — the track medals hanging around in a box in my basement can attest to that.

Did I throw like a girl? Well, I couldn’t throw anything at a target to save my life. However, I admit this performance was because I was half blind not because I was a girl. I did subscribe to those ideals as a child, and sometimes, I still find myself judging a girl because of how she talks or because of the “girly” things she finds interesting. I am at a point in my personal growth where I can remind myself that girls can have enough room in their heads to quote the entirety of Legally Blonde and talk for hours about makeup while still being politically or culturally aware and intelligent in other ways. Girls, we do not have to make ourselves less feminine just to gain and maintain basic respect. We have come too far to settle for anything less. We can and will do anything we put our minds to — and we’ll do it wearing our favourite faux-fur-lined boots and Fenty lip gloss. Like the great Elle Woods once said, “What, like it’s hard?”

OPINIONS

WWW.T H E S H E A F.COM // @ U SAS KS H E A F

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Helping hands needed to keep bellies full Food Centre volunteer shortage creates challenges for its users. LAUREN KLASSEN

The Food Centre, run by the University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union, has a big role to play on campus, providing services for students, but the responsibilities fall on few shoulders. There are approximately 10 volunteers each week at the Food Centre, leaving them shortstaffed. This shortage results in early closures of the Fresh Market, which is detrimental to its regular users. With half-hour shifts and minimal tasks, students should consider giving their time to this cause. Fighting food insecurity is no small task, and with a lack of volunteers at the Food Centre, it is an uphill battle that requires a call for student commitment and compassion. There are three main programs that the Food Centre offers: the Emergency Food Hampers, which are operated in conjunction with the

Saskatoon Food Bank and Learning Centre, the CHEP Good Food Box program and the Fresh Market. Despite the range of programs, volunteers are needed solely for the Fresh Market. Volunteer duties include setting up the booth in Upper Place Riel, selling items and taking the market down. Being a volunteer goes on students’ co-curricular records, so offering your time for the centre can be recorded on a student’s résumé. The Food Centre runs the Fresh Market four days a week. Volunteers are needed to cover half-hour shifts with a maximum of two volunteers per shift during the opening hours. Although there are 68 people on the contact list for volunteers, only approximately 10 volunteers sign up for shifts from week to week. Jillian Rogers, the Food Centre co-ordinator and a thirdyear health studies student, talks about the need for more helping hands.

Cree Longjohn

“Since I’ve been coordinator, there has yet to be a week where every single slot is filled. There is usually one or two days per week where it is more difficult to find someone to cover the market,” Rogers said in an email to the Sheaf. Time is a significant factor taken into consideration when volunteering. Navigating schedules around classes, labs, jobs and other responsibilities can be a difficult and stressful factor for students, but the Food Centre is understanding of students’ other commitments.

“It’s incredibly flexible. Each Monday, I send out a Doodle Poll, so the volunteers can sign up for shifts for the following weeks. Shifts are broken down into half-hour intervals,” Rogers said. In some instances, the lack of volunteers leaves the Food Centre with no other choice but to close the Fresh Market early. Rogers speaks to the impact the closure has on those that rely on the Fresh Market. “It is also frustrating for staff, students and visitors who utilize the market on a regular basis. We say we’re

open Tuesdays to Fridays from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., but sometimes, this isn’t the case, and customers get upset,” Rogers said. Investment in the community should be incentive enough to volunteer, with the reach of impact being immeasurable in worth. Giving half an hour is a simple task often viewed as a difficult one. Whether volunteers give half an hour once a week, once every two weeks or once a month, it is an investment in the community that combats food insecurity. The lack of volunteers at the Food Centre could speak to the significant disconnect of students who use its services and those who do not. It is time to come together to support a service that is vital to feeding members of the University of Saskatchewan community. To become a volunteer, students can locate the USSU Volunteer Application form at www.ussu.ca/main-page/centres/become-a-volunteer/.

Term two: A redemption story How to learn and grow from last semester. ERIN MATTHEWS OPINIONS EDITOR

As the first few weeks of the second semester settle in around us, it can feel like it is only a matter of time until things begin to spiral out of control once again. It doesn’t need to be this way. By the end of term one, many of us are left in ruins. Perhaps, you are burnt out from a full course load, took on too many responsibilities or didn’t do as well as you would have hoped last term. It’s done now, so let’s leave the stress that threatened to bury you behind — now unburdened, you can redeem yourself over the next three months.

Study more, stress less

Maybe, you say it every term — or after every midterm — but the best way to secure a successful semester is by upping your studying game. While the dreaded panic of cramming for an exam strangely feels easier — think of all the time wasted reviewing those extended Netflix sessions — it is actually more

time consuming, more stressful and far less efficient. If you focus on course work every day or review at least once a week, you’ll have a better chance of understanding the content and won’t have to spend countless hours trying desperately to fill your brain the day before an exam. If you keep yourself familiar with the material, not only will you have a better chance of retaining it but you will also be able to see where you are having difficulty. This means you’ll know exactly what areas you should focus on when it’s crunch time. While it may be daunting to focus on things that are difficult or those topics that make you feel inadequate, the quicker you address them, the more you can achieve in the longterm. If you have trouble with math, take the extra time to work through practice problems. Oftentimes, with repetition, we are able to overcome our deficits. It might be difficult to face your demons and defeats, but in the end, we need a little discomfort to grow.

As the worn out phrase goes, work smarter not harder. Perhaps, this year, I will take my own advice and commit to more weekly study sessions, but if you find me crying in a corner of the Health Sciences Library come April, don’t be surprised.

Don’t fall for the same old traps

We are all guilty of unhealthy thoughts and behaviours, and we cannot deny the fact that we are creatures of habit. Procrastination is one of the most common traps that can derail our success. Like our weaknesses, once we recognize and identify our distractions, we can overcome the power they have over us. Social media and streaming services can be valuable stress relievers, but they can be disruptive and destructive if they start to interfere with achieving your goals. Sometimes, when stress peaks, you might want to ditch all responsibilities and run — or crawl under your blankets and pretend the world outside doesn’t exist. Sure, sometimes, we need a day to pause and recharge,

Prince Olubiyi

but if those days are more frequent than your days of productivity, there might be a problem.

Find your motivation and go easy on yourself

Finding your motivation and your inspiration might be the most important keys to success. Identify what gets you excited and engaged, and then, make sure you carve out time for those activities. We all need to focus on what we are

interested in — if you aren’t pursuing a degree that gets you fired up, then make sure to set aside some time for that passionate outlet. Lastly — and perhaps the most valuable piece of advice — go easy on yourself. If you pile on too much pressure, it’s likely that you will just crumble under the weight instead of transforming into a precious diamond. Believe in yourself and trust your abilities, but know your limits.

OPINIONS / 13

THROWBACKS

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Students walk across the University of Saskatchewan campus between classes ca. 1960.

University of Saskatchewan , University Archives & Special C ollections, Photograph Collection, A-69.

Staff and students walking past the Murray Library during winter.

University of Saskatchewan , University Archives & Special Collections, Photograph Collection, A-69.

The Geology Building in winter 1986.

University of Saskatchewan , University Archives & Special C ollections, Photograph Collection, A-69.

THIS IS GREAT NEWS!

THE SHEAF WILL BE HIRING SOON!

The University of Saskatchewan varsity curling team sweep a rock ca. 1960.

University of Saskatchewan , University Archives & Special Collections, Photograph Collection, A-69.

WATCH FOR MORE DETAILS IN THE PAPER AND AT WWW.THESHEAF.COM!

A view of the Bowl in winter 1986.

University of Saskatchewan , University Archives & Special C ollections, Photograph Collection, A-69.

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Riley Deacon / Photo Editor

Wei Soong Lau

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

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Riley Deacon / Photo Editor U of S agriculture and computer science students pose for a photograph after receiving the Award of Excellence at the Emerging Agriculture Hackathon held in the Edwards School of Business on Jan. 19, 2019. hark! A Vagrant

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