Volume 23, Issue 4 - December 2023

The Sputnik,We Orbit Around You. News, pg. 4

Sports, pg. 5

CANDLE-LIT VIGIL LAURIER HOCKEY IN HAMILTON TEAMS ARE BACK

COMMUNITY MOURNS LOST LIVES IN GAZA

FIRST TOURNAMENT OF THE SEASON

Volume 23, Issue 4 - December 7, 2023 Arts & Culture, pg. 11

Opinion, pg. 13

The Infinitum, pg. 8-9

SANTA CLAUS HAS COME TO TOWN!

WINTER BREAK

FAMILY VISIT

WHAT TO DO IN ANNUAL BRANTFORD BRANTFORD OVER THE PARADE IN DOWNTOWN HOLIDAY SEASON

A VACATION TAKES AN UNEXPECTED TURN, LISTEN FOR PART 2

FROSTY FINALS The Holiday Issue

UMAYMAH SUHAIL / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Downtown Brantford.

02

THURSDAY, DEC. 7, 2023

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THE SPUTNIK STAFF LEAD OPINION WRITER Jada Phillips

EDITORINCHIEF Umaymah Suhail eic@thesputnik.ca

INFINITUM EDITOR Tusharika Tyagi infinitum@thesputnik.ca

NEWS EDITOR Lauren Kuivenhoven news@thesputnik.ca

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LEAD NEWS WRITER Simran Jha

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LEAD SPORTS WRITER Mitchell Hartman

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Editor’s Note: Hate rising on campuses the Jewish community.

In early November at Concordia University in Montreal, student orgaUMAYMAH SUHAIL nizers from the Solidarity EDITOR-IN-CHIEF for Palestinian Human Finals are shufRights and Israeli student fling from the back of club StartUp Nation set up our minds to all we can tables with their Student think about, especially Union outside a campus with the well-warranted building, unknowingly, at break waiting at the finish the same time. Students line. However, this is still from one group sold kefa difficult time for many fiyehs and those from to digest. Since Oct. 7, the other group put up there’s been an alarming posters of the hostages rise of Islamophobia and Hamas took on Oct. 7. A anti-Semitism on uni“violent” confrontation versity campuses across occurred when people Canada. This is especially started to take down the worth addressing when UMAYMAH SUHAIL / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF posters, including “several Brantford City Hall and the Canadian flag. the hate leads to violence altercations and physical and students fearing for their tion on campus when their clashes between campus friend was told by another safety. security guards, students and student wearing an “Israel Just weeks ago, an non-students” according to unidentified group distribut- Defense Forces” shirt that The Link, Concordia’s stu“he will go back and kill her ed stickers around the Unident newspaper. Two secuentire family.” The student versity of British Columbia’s rity guards and one student said her friend didn’t appear were injured, then police campus that said “I (heart) Hamas” with the UBC Social in the video to say this herwere called. The university self out of fear. The person Justice Centre’s name and released a statement later who threatened her did not logo. Hillel BC, an organithat night reporting two receive any consequences zation for Jewish students, more incidents of “violence said in a statement posted on from the university or the or incitement to violence,” police. Another student said including the discovery of Instagram that a now former independent contractor she was told to go back to her swastikas in a campus buildcountry at the same demon- ing. distributed these stickers. stration. One student said The Social Justice Centre The threats, harasssaid in a statement posted to he was walking to school ment and violence students while wearing a keffiyeh, a X that they had no involveare facing across the nation traditional clothing item in ment with the “dangerous” are horrific and cannot constickers, which do not reflect many Middle Eastern cultinue. As Prime Minister Justheir values. In another state- tures, when four White men tin Trudeau said, the rise in ment posted to X, the centre approached him. He said, anti-Semitism is “terrifying.”

“They told me that they hope He told CBC, “The expressaid students who are Muslims, migrants and people of my mom gets raped by the sion of hate against Muslims, colour have been “subjected IDF. I’m not even Palestinagainst Palestinians, against to threats of deportation and ian, I’m Iraqi.” anyone waving a Palestinian Also at TMU, Students flag, is unacceptable.” From violence as a result of these for Justice in Palestine said stickers.” one student to another, if you in a statement posted on On Nov. 15, the witness any hate on our camInstagram that someone not pus, I urge you to report it to Palestinian Culture Club at affiliated with the group or Toronto Metropolitan UniBrantford’s Special Constaany of its members brought versity posted a video on ble Service emergency line at a picture of a swastika to a Instagram where several (519) 770-3778. pro-Palestinian protest on students shared their recampus. They said they “recent racist experiences. One ject” the use of this symbol student said they were at a due to the harm it causes to pro-Palestinian demonstra-

THE SPUTNIK  NEWS

THURSDAY, DEC. 7, 2023

03

CAMPUS

SERENA ANAGBE / PHOTO EDITOR

Screenshot from the SpacesShared website.

SpacesShared connects students with affordable housing

Wilfrid Laurier University partners with SpacesShared to provide affordable student housing solutions

SERENA AUSTIN WLUSP PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER

On Oct. 19, Wilfrid Laurier University announced a partnership with SpacesShared, a platform that matches adults with extra space in their home with students looking for more affordable housing.

“We know that the housing access from both an availability and affordability perspective are absolutely being felt by our students and in our communities — both

in Waterloo and in Brantford,” said Drew Piticco, Laurier’s director of ancillary and strategic initiatives.

Laurier is the first university to partner with SpacesShared. Georgian College and Humber College announced their partnerships with the platform earlier in the year.

After beginning talks with SpacesShared in the summer, Piticco said, “We got to the place where we felt fairly confident that this group is trying to genuinely address critical challenges facing the Canadian population.”

While the partnership is still in its early stages, the focus is on spreading awareness to students and potential hosts about the plat-

form and home sharing. Piticco is hopeful that Laurier students could begin using the platform in January, he said.

“What’s been extremely encouraging is just seeing these relationships between older adults and students bloom and hear them talk about what that relationship has meant to each of them,” said Rylan Kinnon, SpacesShared’s CEO. “It’s been extremely powerful.”

Kinnon said SpacesShared hopes to address two main challenges — providing safe and affordable housing for students and helping older adults get what they need to be able to age in place.

Users who go through the

matching process together can sign a home share agreement to work out the details of their living arrangement, including potential “helper’s discounts” for students who choose to do extra tasks around the house.

SpacesShared provides a set list of tasks that qualify for the helper’s discount, none of which include personal care, and hosts can only ask for up to five hours of help a week. For each hour of housework a student agrees to do weekly, a 5 per cent discount will be applied to their rent.

Since hosts share their kitchens with the students they’re matched with, both parties sign a home

share agreement instead of the typical lease most are used to.

Because of this, parties are not covered by Ontario’s Residencial Tenancies Act or the Landlord Tenant Board, which is responsible for resolving rental disputes.

“In any case where there is a match breakdown, we’re going to understand where it happened, we support where we can,” said Kinnon. “But we do expect our users to live up to the commitments they’ve made on the platform.”

To learn more about SpacesShared or to create a profile, visit spacesshared.ca.

FINANCE

Interest rates paused, but remain unsustainable Mortgage interest rates are still too high for most , expert says

LAUREN KUIVENHOVEN NEWS EDITOR

The Bank of Canada has kept the policy interest rate at 5 per cent since Oct. 25, keeping mortgage interest rates at around 5 per cent.

Currently, 62 per cent of Canadians are spending 37 per cent of their pre-taxed income on housing, according to a survey done by ratefilter.ca. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation defines affordable housing as costing less than 30 per cent of a household’s

pre-tax income.

“This is too high to be sustainable,” said Andy Hill, co-founder of online mortgage marketplace, ratefilter.ca. He said the unchanged policy interest rate doesn’t provide a lot of relief, but it “shows some light at the end of a very dark tunnel for a lot of Canadians.”

According to the Bank of Canada’s monetary policy report, the inflated interest rates will be at 3.5 percent in the middle of 2024. The bank hopes to return to the target of 2 per cent interest by 2025.

In 2024 and 2025, 45 per cent of all Canadian mortgages are expected to renew, according to the CMHC. The total amount of renewed mortgage loans will equal

over $675 billion. The renewed fixed-rate mortgages will face interest shock since most were contracted during the record-low interest rates of 2020 and 2021.

The higher interest rates have affected investments in housing.

In the second quarter of 2023, the total investment in housing was 28 per cent less than the peak of residential investment in 2021.

Canadians will have to “make big changes to their lifestyle, because they’re not going to have the disposable income that they’re used to having,” said Andrea Harris, a local resident, about her mortgage payments. She has made changes to her lifestyle, such as eating out less.

KAREN SAVOY / SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPHY

House with a ‘for sale’ sign in the yard.

Young home buyers face a difficult housing market.

“Especially for first time home buyers, its super tough, prices are so high,” said Hill.

Not only are homeowners impacted by the rising interest, but so are renters. The price for rental accommodations rose by 6.4 per cent in August since the beginning of 2023, according to Statistics Canada. The rising prices of rent are influenced by both housing affordability and high rates of

immigration.

The short-term interest rates have been steadily increasing since the pandemic. In June 2022, interest rates were at 1.5 per cent, keeping mortgage rates around 1.5 per cent.

“In August, two years ago, I was paying $116 a week and that’s now $397,” said Harris.

The next interest rate announcement by the Bank of Canada will be on Dec. 6.

THURSDAY, DEC. 7, 2023

THE SPUTNIK  NEWS

04

ACTIVISM

Hamilton community mourns the loss of lives in Gaza with candlelight vigil The candle-lit vigil was held by local communities to reflect and grieve

CELINA SHAMON / SPORTS EDITOR

Two girls commemorating the lost lives with a candle.

CELINA SHAMON SPORTS EDITOR

Local residents and families from different communities came together to mourn the lives lost in Gaza at a candle-lit vigil in downtown Hamilton on Nov. 3.

Not-for-profit organization Hamilton4Palestine organized the vigil at City Hall that included prayers, speakers, spoken word performances and candle lighting.

Three religious representatives were present at the vigil and spoke on behalf of their respective communities. Local Rabbi David Mivasair, Imam Sheikh Ayman and a committee founder and leader from the Christian-Palestinian community in Hamilton spoke on the importance of basic human rights and acknowledged the continuing tragedies in Gaza.

The organizers tried to read out the names of each Palestinian civilian who has died since Oct. 7, but it

took them two and a half hours just to get through the names of children under nine who have passed.

Palestinian students from Wilfrid Laurier University were present amongst the crowd, paying respect to the loss of their people back home in Gaza.

“Even though it’s upsetting to see why we are all joined here together, it’s comforting at the same time because we see people who are not a part of the Arab community that still care and support us,” said fourth-year chemistry student Yousef Abdo. Abdo is also the social media coordinator for Laurier’s Middle Eastern Students’ Association.

The vigil began at 6 p.m. and was expressed as a silent time of reflection and grief in a Hamilton4Palestine Instagram post caption, which also asked people attending to not start any chants.

“We have been seeing everything going on in the news, online and on Facebook, and it is horrifying,” said Ali Saddad, a Hamilton resident paying their respects at City Hall. “Just when you think you’ve seen enough, there is always more

devasting news, more harm being done to civilians and it is very, very sad to say the least.”

Hamas invaded multiple locations in Israel on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 Israeli citizens and taking an estimate of 240 hostages, according to the Israel Defense Forces.

Since then, the Israeli military has carried out persistent air and ground attacks in Gaza, destroying the strip. The Government Media Office in Gaza said at least 15,000 civilians were killed and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said 1.7 million individuals were displaced.

Since Nov. 24, a four-day truce has been agreed on between Israel and Hamas, mediated by Qatar.

Both Hamas and Israel agreed to release waves of hostages, allow humanitarian aid into Gaza and pause the war in Gaza for four days. The truce period was eventually extended by two more days on Nov. 27 and then extended for another day on Nov. 30.

Over the span of seven days, Israel released 240 Palestinian captives out of over 300 hostages on

their release list, while Hamas released 81 Israelis and 24 foreign nationals out of the more than 240 hostages estimated to be taken on Oct. 7, according to Al Jazeera reporting. Hamas released five hostages before the truce began.

Three quarters of the Palestinian hostages on Israel’s release list were captured after Oct. 7 in the occupied West Bank, while the Israeli military detention system has held over approximately 10,000 Palestinians captive over the duration of 20 years, according to child rights organization Save the Children. The longest Palestinian captive on the release list has been held for approximately eight years.

The demand for an immediate and permanent ceasefire remains persistent nationwide.

Over 50 elected government officials from municipalities across B.C. signed an open letter calling on Canada to support a ceasefire in Gaza.

CELINA SHAMON / SPORTS EDITOR

A man at the vigil holding a poster that says “Justice for Palestine!”

THE SPUTNIK · SPORTS

THURSDAY, DEC. 7, 2023

05

NHL

The first month of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ NHL season A preview of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ first month of the NHL season

MITCHELL HARTMAN LEAD SPORTS WRITER

The Toronto Maple Leafs 202324 season is well underway, with their first month of play recently wrapping up.

The Leafs finished their opening month of the season with a 5-3-1 record, including a thrilling victory on opening night.

The Leafs took their opening night victory in a 6-5 barn burner, winning the game in a shootout over their arch-rivals, the Montreal

Canadiens.

While the opening night victory was a bright spot, the month as a whole was a little rocky.

A 5-3-1 record isn’t bad by any means, but the Leafs had high expectations heading into the year, even being picked by many to win the Stanley Cup. The Leafs have also had a mix of highs and lows when it comes to these games, as scoring goals has not been an issue for the team (including 2 hat tricks from superstar Auston Matthews).

But keeping the puck out of their own net has been another issue.

“The season so far has been a 5050 split,” said Leafs fan Koyal Vyas, a digital media and journalism student in her sixth year at Wilfrid

Laurier University. “Offensively, they have been exceeding expectations but from a defensive perspective, it is difficult to watch.”

The Leafs have also had some players exceed expectations, including the previously mentioned Matthews, who is currently the front-runner for the league goalscoring title.

Another player who has exceeded expectations is rookie goaltender Joseph Woll, who has taken over the starter role in net.

“Joseph Woll has to be the most impressive Leaf so far,” said Alex Vessoyan, a second-year criminology student who said he’s been lifelong fan of the team. “We got to see bits of him late in the season

last year last year [and] he seems to be really coming into his own this year.”

Even with all the bright spots on the team, the Leafs have had a few rough patches in the opening month of the year. Vessoyan said John Klingberg, one of the Leaf’s prized off-season acquisitions, was a “defensive liability” and that his performance has been “pretty underwhelming so far.”

The Toronto Maple Leafs have had a bit of a shaky start to the year, but not all hope is lost. The season is still young and lots can change.

The Leafs hope to build off the bright spots in their season so

far and clean up the not-so-bright spots and look to win the coveted Stanley Cup.

OLGA STEBLYK / SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPHY

EXTRAMURALS

Laurier Brantford hockey is back Golden Hawks men’s and women’s hockey teams’ first tournament back

SERENA ANAGBE / PHOTO EDITOR

Mitchell Hartman on the ice.

CELINA SHAMON SPORTS EDITOR

Hockey season is back, and Wilfrid Laurier University’s Brantford Golden Hawks are already getting it done.

Both the men’s and women’s hockey teams travelled together to Humber College to take on multiple opponents in a one-day season opening tournament.

The men’s team ended the day with a 2-2 record, starting off slow but ending their opening tournament on the winning side. The Hawks started their day falling short to Humber College with a score of 2-0 and losing 5-2 to Collège La Cité.

“I think we did better than most of us expected, considering we only had about two to three practices prior,” said first-year criminology student Ryan Goldberg-Rogers. This is his rookie year with the Laurier Brantford men’s hockey team.

Second-year digital media and

journalism student Mitchell Hartman scored in both of their last two games, where the Hawks saw themselves on the winning side beating Canadore College 3-2 and University of Toronto Mississauga 2-1.

Goldberg-Rogers shared that the men’s team decided their key to success was to keep it simple and play together as a team.

“We want to introduce some systems as well, including power play, breakouts and more,” said Goldberg-Rogers.

The men’s hockey team hopes to win a championship this year and

SERENA ANAGBE / PHOTO EDITOR

#17 and #12 on the women’s hockey team mid-game.

make another appearance in the RECCup. Goldberg-Rogers hopes that he and the team “can go all the way and win the championship, but obviously also have fun and make great memoires along the way.”

On the women’s side, fourthyear social work student and hockey player Kira Hoskins said, “Although we didn’t get to win like we hoped to, it was a great start to the season seeing as we have never played as a team before.”

“We have all agreed that we need to work on our positioning for our next tournament and taking those

opportunities right in front of the goalie,” said Hoskins. “When we improve in those areas, I know we will start to win our games.”

Both teams were informed of their official roster the night before the tournament, which gave athletes very little time to prepare together as a team.

Laurier Brantford women’s and men’s hockey teams will travel to Fanshawe College on Jan. 25 to compete in their second season tournament.

THE SPUTNIK · SPORTS

06

THURSDAY, DEC. 7, 2023

EXTRAMURALS

Indoor soccer teams prepare to kick off new season Teams share their goals and what they’re looking forward to this season

MITCHELL HARTMAN LEAD SPORTS WRITER

With Wilfrid Laurier University’s fall semester reaching its final weeks, Brantford’s indoor soccer team has been amping up the excitement for their first tournament.

Team tryouts wrapped up in late September, and both the men’s and women’s teams have been practicing hard all semester.

“I’m very excited to see how our team is going to continue to develop in these practice sessions,” said Percy Jr. Bonomale, a first-year psychology student.

The indoor soccer season not only gives returning soccer players a chance to continue their previous experiences, but also gives rookie players a chance to join a campus team and grow with the team.

“As a rookie, to be honest, I am

already experiencing one of the things I was most excited for, which was to be able to be on the Varsity soccer team,” said Bonomale about his experience so far. “I’m also excited to learn more about the game of soccer… and learn our coach’s vision and how it’ll reflect later in season.”

On the women’s side, the team looks to build off a strong 2022-23 season.

“Through the good and bad, we stick together and push through anything in the way,” said Alyssa Mulgrew, a fourth-year forensic psychology student and a member of the women’s soccer team, when asked about the team. “All of us as a team are working hard to enhance our skills and constantly grow.”

Both the men’s and women’s teams have high hopes and goals for the upcoming season, as said

by Mulgrew, who stated one of the biggest goals she has “is to keep working on getting stronger mentally and physically.”

Another goal for the team is “to build chemistry with teammates and keep good mental health,” said Bonomale, who anticipates his first season with the men’s team.

SERENA ANAGBE / PHOTO EDITOR

Post-practice huddle for Laurier Brantford’s indoor soccer team.

The Laurier Brantford indoor soccer teams look forward to their upcoming tournaments, where the

team looks to continue their strong seasons from last year.

GOLDEN HAWKS

An insight to Jonas Dewar’s senior year A student spotlight on graduating XC athlete Jonas Dewar

CELINA SHAMON SPORTS EDITOR

Student athletes should always give it their all in their last season of competition, and Jonas Dewar made sure of that.

Dewar recently competed in his last OCAA race at the Provincial Championships in Cambridge hosted by Conestoga College. He placed 79th in the race, with a memorable ending.

“I was very tired at the end of the race, but I knew I should try to end the race hard and give it my all,” said Dewar, who is a fourthyear criminology student athlete at Wilfrid Laurier University in Brantford. “I noticed someone behind me throughout the last

couple hundred meters and I knew that I didn’t want him to pass me, so I slowly picked up the pace and gained the momentum to sprint the entire last hundred to two hundred meters of the race.”

Dewar suffered different injuries throughout his time with the cross-country team, preventing him from being able to fully compete.

“Learning to persevere through injury-related difficulties was a significant experience throughout my time on the team,” said Dewar.

“This year, I started every race without being held back by my injuries from the previous years.”

Teammate and fourth-year digital media and journalism student Jackson Rice describes the moment as an “insane finish to Jonas’ race” and said it was a highlight of the race.

“The energy was so high when we all saw Jonas gunning it at the

end,” said Rice.

Head coach Cory Currie told Laurier Brantford Athletics, “His humble presence on the team is what every coach looks for in a student athlete.”

“I didn’t really know how close my opponent was or how great of a finish I had until after it happened,” said Dewar. “I didn’t really hear my team shouting to run faster.”

Dewar did not come to Laurier with the intention of competing as an athlete. He spontaneously tried out for the cross-country team in his second year and decided to run for the rest of his three years at Laurier Brantford.

“Finishing my last season defiantly feels weird, I do not want my time on the team to end,” said Dewar about competing in his final year at Laurier Brantford.

Dewar hopes to work in policing after graduating in spring 2024.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO / MEGAN JACKLIN

Laurier Athletics’ headshot for Jonas Dewar.

THE SPUTNIK · ARTS & CULTURE

THURSDAY, DEC. 7, 2023

07

LITERATURE

Ben Carniol, Holocaust survivor putting pen to paper after 86 years Fearless activist tells his tale of trauma, advocacy and all he has learned along the way

SIENNA BILANCIA LEAD ARTS & CULTURE WRITER

Each of us is shaped by the events in our lives; what we hold onto, the events we learn from and almost everything in between. The influence of the people around is sometimes stronger than we think.

The memoir, Hide and Seek: In Pursuit of Justice, is written by Ben Carniol, a Holocaust survivor, activist and social work educator.

The memoir recounts Carniol’s life from when he was a child surviving through the Holocaust, all the way until almost present day. There are many events that have pushed Carniol to become who he is today, a kind and open person happy to share the knowledge and stories that he has gathered over his life.

After fleeing modern-day Czech

ally made it to Canada to live with family, where he relearned some Jewish tradition and heritage.

Carniol was a part of registering Black voters in Cleveland, as well as attended rallies with Martin Luther King Jr. Carniol has always done a lot with advocating for social justice, he has been a part of many different social movements.

A favourite anecdote from Carniol’s memoir was when he was advocating for anti-poverty. Carniol snuck into a press conference that the mayor of Montreal was having.

They weren’t listening to what needed to be said. Carniol hid in a bathroom stall to stay undetected until the press conference began.

Carniol pretended to know some guests and mingled to evade the security. He got his chance to ask CONTRIBUTED PHOTO / AZRIELI FOUNDATION his questions as fast and as well as “Hide and Seek: In Pursuit of Justice” by he could before he was discovered Ben Carniol. and was eventually escorted out of Republic with his rescuers, Carniol the building. stayed in a Belgian village living Carniol’s memoir is published as a Catholic boy until he eventuby the Azrieli Foundation, along

with a few other survivors’ stories.

The foundation was very open and empathetic to Carniol’s story and his wanting to share it.

Carniol’s story is not an easy one to share specially to relive the experiences, write them down and have them edited by other people.

Nonetheless, Carniol wanted to share his story mainly to honour his parents.

“I could do more than just wish it never happened,” he said.

These heavy topics are difficult to talk about and for many people, it is easier to simply not talk about them.

“Take a stand, know what our values are, express those values and argue against those who want to forget it,” said Carniol.

Those who are open and have empathy will make the difference.

As Carniol said, “If we can have those conversations in the spirit of friendship and mutual respect, I am left feeling hopeful that we can stop all wars, stop all genocide and

violence who have been dehumanized.”

When a person deals with difficult times in their life, some people like to say, “Well, they will get better, just give it time,” which might be true in some respects and not in others. Time gives people a chance to grieve and for broken bones to heal. But time can also hinder some people. Carniol quotes another Holocaust survivor, “‘Trauma is not what happened to people, but it is what the people who experienced it do with it inside themselves.’”

Talking with others and hearing what they have to say keeps us human. The more we can learn and have empathy for one another the more things will change, hopefully for the better.

Appreciate what you have and don’t resent what you have lost.

If someone tells you their story, listen and have a conversation, there may be some wisdom that you learn.

RELATIONSHIP ADVICE

KAREN SAVOY / SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPHY

The following anonymous submission has been modified for readability.

I once went on a date that went awfully. This was in February, after a particularly nasty snowstorm.

He texted me to let me know he was waiting outside in his car for me. As I was walking out to his car, I slipped on a patch of ice in my high-heeled shoes and fell. Thank goodness he did not see me fall!

Anyway, he was nice, we went to the

restaurant, but then it started to go downhill. The entire three hours we were at this restaurant, he would only talk about himself. I don’t think he asked me one question about myself. Then, when the food came, it was as if he hadn’t eaten in weeks. He did not look at me once while we ate and inhaled one pound of wings without saying a word. I had to pull the emergency card and ask my friend to call me and save me from that horrible

date. The problem, the friend who called me and pretended there was an emergency, was walking into the restaurant as we were leaving.

It was so awkward, we all stood there and my date was so confused.

I had to play it off and lie and say the emergency was still happening.

He drove me home in silence and then he had the confidence to ask me when our next date was going to be. As if!

ALEXA FORD ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

Wow, this one seems brutal. So sorry you had to go through this, it just seems so awkward. I hate it when people spend an entire date only talking about themselves, it’s so not the point of a date. If

you want to vent and talk about yourself, go out with your friends.

Don’t do that on a date, there’s a time and place for it. I also think it’s quite bold of him to have ordered wings on a first date, then add the fact that he did not speak the entire time, this is just hard to read. Hopefully, you let him down easy though and did not just ghost him because as awful as that date sounded, he still deserves the respect of you telling him why it won’t work out.

THE SPUTNIK  FEATURES

08

THURSDAY, DEC. 7, 2023  09

SHORT STORY

Family Visit A vacation takes an unexpected turn

TUSHARIKA TYAGI INFINITUM EDITOR

Koichi Domo Smith got off the train and looked around the empty station. The vast green emptiness he had witnessed wasn’t bad to look at. The air here was so crisp. It made sense since he was so far from the city. In a way, this is precisely what Koichi felt he needed. He sat on a bench to check his phone to see if he had any messages from his grandfather or parents. He noticed he had only one bar. And a message from his mom saying they won’t be able to make it. Seriously, what was the point of them deciding to have a family holiday if they weren’t even going to attend?

“Oy there, is that the young mister of the Domo house?”

Koichi turned to see a young man poking his head out of the ticket booth. The man saw Koichi nodding and rushed to greet Koichi in person.

“You should have come to the booth, sir! I tol’ Mr. Domo I’ll be bringin’ his boy over. Yes, I did! Oh, I forgot to introduce myself! My name is James.”

The man wiped his hand on his uniform and extended it to a perplexed Koichi. Koichi shook his hand, questioning why someone would behave this way towards him. Koichi’s mother, Marie, had never told him much about her life. However, having someone treat him with such respect was something he wished his mom would have told him about.

The two men drove for a while

until they reached a western mansion ten minutes from the village.

Koichi’s grandfather walked out.

He gave Koichi a once-over before approaching Koichi.

“You look just like your mother…

Don’t just stand there; come on in. Your room is on the top floor to the right with the violet door. Get changed. We have guests tonight.”

Koichi nodded, not sure what to say to the man. He didn’t know him, and it seemed he would spend the holiday meeting more people he didn’t know. His grandfather walked him to his room and the man hugged him before Koichi could go in.

The inside of the room seemed to have been cleaned up. There was a giant picture of two women hugging hung over the dresser.

Koichi could discern one of them being a younger version of his mother, but he had never seen the other woman before. He assumed this must be his aunt, Anne, whom he had rarely ever heard about.

The topic of his aunt had only been brought up around holidays, as this was when his mother would do a small prayer in remembrance.

They never talked about her, but Koichi knew she was a memory that haunted his mother eternally.

There was also a window overlooking the grounds and a roadside temple just a little bit away from the house.

It was around eight when Koichi heard knocking on his bedroom door.

When he opened the door, his grandfather was beckoning him downstairs. A woman in a western blue gown stood at the bottom of the stairs. She looked up at Koichi.

Koichi saw shock in her eyes for a second, but she quickly schooled her expression back to a disinter-

ested look.

“Honzo, that boy truly does look like his mother. You must be very proud.”

The way she spoke seemed to have a double meaning. Koichi looked towards his grandfather, who appeared to ignore the woman.

It didn’t take long, but soon, the dinner table was surrounded by three people Koichi had never seen before, the man from the ticket counter and his grandfather. There was a man with a highly bushy beard named Jaque Blanc, the woman in blue named Adrienne Greene and another man with a scar across his face named Bushwick Rogue.

Throughout the conversation, whenever Mr. Rogue would speak, Madame Greene would cut him off or make a face.

“Are you trying to insult me?”

Bushwick laughed, making everyone around the table look annoyed and uncomfortable.

“I couldn’t even if I wanted to,” said Madame Greene.

“This will be the last time you insult me for sure.”

The clock struck 10 p.m., and Mr. Bushwick got up. The others looked towards the clock and got up as well.

“Well, time for tradition. Bring over the box,” said Bushwick.

Koichi was confused as the grown adults around him looked uncomfortable, except for Bushwick, who had a grin plastered on his face.

James brought a small lottery box and handed it to Koichi’s grandfather.

“Koichi, you may not know this story. Our town has a story.

We have a lonely god of the land named Saach, with whom we have

someone from the main families spend the holidays. You just go to the temple and spend your night there.”

“I see,” said Koichi.

“Did Marie not teach the boy a single thing?” asked Jaque.

“That’s, frankly, none of your business. Anyway, the history is more like it was a place for wanderers and someone was meant to make sure they had someone to help them during the holidays and it eventually came to this… The tradition stands that someone stays there for 12 hours. The whole thing is just one big room with no back entrances. It’s really simple...”

Honzo went on for a bit longer, explaining the situation as the group travelled to the temple.

The temple itself was as described by Honzo. It indeed was very simple. In itself, it was just one room. However, Koichi noticed the fact the ceilings were high. The windows were all close to the roof as well.

There was one bed placed in a corner of the room. This was all it seemed. The group said their goodbye to Bushwick and moved on.

In the night, Koichi woke once during his sleep. Everything was dark, but he had felt a little uncomfortable. He had, after all, never stayed in a place like this. The air felt damp, and he felt his heart racing. He walked to his balcony for some fresh air. It was around 3 a.m. on his watch. He looked outside and, in the distance, he noticed the light was still on in the temple. He took a few deep breaths and came back into the room.

It was 11 a.m. the following day when James came rushing into the house. Koichi had spent his morning in his room. He felt a little embarrassed because he was sure

he saw his grandfather out gardening the moment he woke up.

Madame Greene and Mr. Blanc had also been summoned.

Everyone stood in front of the temple. James brought out an axe, and Jacque and Madame quickly moved out of the way with worry in their eyes.

“What’s the meaning of this, James?” Madame Greene looked red in the face.

“Mr. Bushwick still hasn’t come back. It’s been an hour.”

“Perhaps he’s still asleep?” asked Jaque.

“I thought so, but no one responded, no matter how hard I banged on the door. I am getting worried, sir.”

James brought his axe down.

The broken door let in light to the hanging body of Bushwick. There was a barrage of screams and gasps. James rushed to try to find something to climb on.

“Be calm, boy!” said Jacque.

Koichi took a moment to gain his composure, then began looking around the room with James. There was nothing around the room where someone could hide and the place had no hidden rooms. They began looking around the temple and found no ladder or any way there could have been someone else. The group went to Koichi’s grandfather’s home to call the local authorities. The police officer took over an hour to make it to the temple and then another five to the house. At that time, Koichi noticed everyone had left for at least 10 minutes out of the room themselves.

“I saw the door, but are you sure, Bushwick was there?” The police officer made a spitting sound as if saying the name was some sort of sin. “We didn’t see his body.”

“We ALL saw it! What do you mean the body wasn’t there? We saw his corpse hanging from the rafters,” said Greene.

“Well, Ma’am, we didn’t see him.”

Greene huffed, got up from her spot and started pacing.

“The door was locked when we got there, but there was no ladder in sight. Plus, the door was locked from the inside. How could he have possibly hung himself and then hidden a ladder somewhere?”

Blanc asked the policeman, who looked confused.

“Perhaps there was someone else there?” asked James.

“But the door was locked from the inside,” replied Koichi, pondering the whole situation.

“Perhaps it was Saach. They finally punished Bushwick for…”

James began but then trailed off without finishing his sentence.

Everyone seemed very uncomfortable at the implications. They found nothing indicating the corpse, but Bushwick was missing.

Until the morning, at least. The next morning, when Koichi woke up, his grandfather was just getting off the phone.

“What happened?”

“They found Bushwick’s head in Greene’s home.”

Koichi gasped. How did the killer hang the body and lock the door from the inside and escape? And why was the head found in Miss Greene’s home?

To find out what happens next, tune in to the audio version of the rest of the story with the QR code.

TUSHARIKA TYAGI / INFINITUM EDITOR

Use this QR code to listen to the rest of the story.

KAREN SAVOY / SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPHY

THURSDAY, DEC. 7, 2023

THE SPUTNIK · ARTS & CULTURE

10

POP CULTURE

Cher’s “Christmas” has made its debut The iconic pop singer makes history once again, releasing first-ever Christmas album

ALEXA FORD ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

Cher’s newest contribution to the sound waves is something she has never done before — a Christmas album.

The album entitled “Christmas” released on Oct. 20 with 13 tracks.

When first released, the album was 32 on the U.S. Billboard Top 200.

Some of the tracks are covers of Christmas classics and others in the album are original songs with Cher’s classic disco spin on the holly jolly tunes.

Notable tunes that will get anyone in the holiday spirit include

Christmas (Baby Please Come Home), Santa Baby and Please Come Home for Christmas. Cher is not a solo singer on this album.

“Christmas” is riddled with featuring artists who add their own styles to this collection.

Stevie Wonder joins Cher on the track What Christmas Means to Me, adding his recognizable synths, sweet blues sounds and vocals. The collaboration does not end there, Darlene Love, singer of 1960s hit He’s a Rebel, harmonizes with Cher on the holiday classic, Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).

It would not be a Christmas album without a cheeky cameo from the king of Christmas himself, Michael Bublé. The song Cher and Bublé sing together is not a Christmas song, it is a cover of

Bublé’s 2005 hit Home. The two voices blending in this song might not be Christmas themed, but it is familiar and comforting, the choice to have it on the album is clearly a good one.

Cyndi Lauper, close friends with Cher, makes an appearance on an original song, Put a Little Holiday in Your Heart. This number is an upbeat girl power tune with the two leading ladies dominating vocals.

An interesting appearance on this album is the rap singer, Tyga, an unexpected but welcome addition to the song, Drop Top Sleigh Ride. Not a traditional Christmas song, however, “traditional” is not a word used to describe Cher or Tyga in their careers, so it seems to fit perfectly.

This album is the first time Cher has released a Christmas album of any kind.

Cher can add this album to her impressive 27 studio albums, 10 compilation albums, two soundtracks and three live albums.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO / APPLE MUSIC

Cher’s “Christmas” album cover.

LIFESTYLE

SIENNA BILANCIA LEAD ARTS & CULTURE WRITER

There are so many events that are happening in Brantford during the holiday season, all different and wonderful ways to enjoy and be a part of the Brantford community. A lot of them are close to Wilfrid Laurier University’s downtown campus.

Brantford’s Sanderson Centre for the Performing Arts during the upcoming holiday season is the place to be, there are several shows that will be running. Some are fan favourites, a long-standing tradition and some are brand-new.

The Nutcracker is a traditional ballet that is done during Christmas time that the Sanderson centre has to offer and has for a few years now.

“It is such an intergenerational thing, it’s parents and grandparents bringing their kids to the theatre for that big night,” said Glenn Brown, the manager of the Sanderson Centre, about The Nutcracker ballet. “A lot of families have that as parent of their holiday tradition.”

A special event that is happening this year is the showing of the Beauty and the Beast Broadway musical. It seems to be one of many fan favourites, with every show selling out all four nights that it is running here in Brantford. As well as the Brantford Symphony Orchestra with their Christmas

Celebrating the holidays Brantford-style

As the semester comes to a close, it’s time to start enjoying the winter weather

carols show with an audience singalong.

The Parade After Party will take place right after the Santa Claus Parade in Harmony Square. People come for the parade but stay for the after party.

“We probably get around 1,500 to 2,000 people immediately following the parade,” said Jennifer Middleton, the special events supervisor for the City of Brantford.

There are so many fun activities for people of all ages to

these wonderful memories with a photo from the photo booth. Lastly, if you bring in a letter for Santa and include your address, you may just get a letter back from him.

“They enjoy all the free activities that are happening. Every year, we try and bring in something a little different,” said Middleton. “This year, it is free face painting.”

The New Year’s Eve party follows closely behind the Christmas festivities, starting out with a performance in the Sanderson Centre.

Then, just shortly before midnight (around 11:40 p.m.), the party moves its way over to Harmony Square. There will be a countdown to the new year followed by some fireworks. What a way to SERENA ANAGBE / PHOTO EDITOR Downtown Brantford. ring in the new year.

Whether it is your first holiday season in Brantford or if join. Snacks to keep you warm. some of these events are a part of A chance to meet our favourite your family tradition, there are lots characters, the Snow Sisters, the of events happening around BrantHarmony Squirrel and of course, Santa and Mrs. Claus. Never forget ford for everyone to enjoy.

THURSDAY, DEC. 7, 2023

THE SPUTNIK · ARTS & CULTURE

11

COMMUNITY

Santa Claus has come to town!

Brantford’s Santa Claus Parade took to the streets and amazed the crowd despite below zero temperatures Liam Bongers, a fourth-year criminology student, had never been to a Brantford Santa Claus parade before.

“I come from a small town and our holiday parade was nothing special, so I am excited to see what a bigger town has to offer,” he said.

This year, the parade is brought to Brantford by Freedom House, a local church organization, for the first time. Freedom House has been a long-standing organization in the Brantford community for over 18 years. Joining Freedom House in the holly jolly spirit is corporate sponsor Grandbridge Energy along with other sponsorships from local radio stations and businesses.

“We don’t have something like this without a lot of people working

really hard,” said mayor Kevin Davis.

At the end of the parade, the community gathered at Harmony Square, the beating ALEXA FORD heart of downtown ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Brantford for the Parade After Party and Brantford’s annual Santa Claus tree lighting. Coupled Parade graced the streets of downwith words from the town on Saturday, Nov. 25. mayor, members of The parade began at 6 p.m. the community and on Stanley Street and finished in city council, there was Harmony Square. The parade has free hot chocolate many floats this year all made and circulating the chilly provided by groups and sponsors, November night to such as GrandBridge Energy, keep everyone in the Brantford Twin Valley Zoo and the holiday spirit.

City of Brantford. Families lined This year, the Dalhousie St. eagerly waiting to after party started catch a glimpse of the man of the with a blessing from hour — Santa Claus. a member of the Kickapoo people, Seminole and Mohawk people. Followed by the blessing were words from city councillors, the town crier and of course, Mr. and Mrs. Claus.

During his address to the public, Santa Claus stirred up some competition between the crowd, seeing who could “HO, HO, HO,” the loudest, BACHIR MILOUDI / SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPHY before retiring to his warm Santa and Mrs. Claus with city councilmen and Mayor Kevin Davis. and cozy tent to take free

BACHIR MILOUDI / SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPHY

Santa commanding his reindeer.

photos with the crowd.

This year’s parade was a little different. In the last two years, the City of Brantford has put on the parade, but before them, non-profit organization Junior Chamber International Brantford organized the parade for over 45 years. Due to COVID-19 measures in 2021, they could not bring the parade to

Brantford and have not since.

As the night wound down, the mayor began the tree lighting ceremony. Harmony square was dark and buzzing with excitement from all the parade goers. As the crowd counted down from 10, the scenic downtown was washed over in twinkling lights and Christmas cheer.

LITERATURE

Time to get cozy with a good book Exams are almost done, it’s time to get back to reading for pleasure KATIE BIRD BOOKS IT UP PRESIDENT

December is here, which means it is time to take notes of Wilfrid Laurier University’s Brantford Books it Up winter book recommendations that will have you feeling like it’s a winter wonderland.

A Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone is a fun and spicy romance that brings the heat for this cold winter season.

The book follows Bee Hobbes, an adult film star who is asked to be in a cute Christmas movie, if she can keep her other job under wraps. When Bee arrives on set, she realizes her co-star is her high school crush and ex-band member, Nolan Shaw. Nolan is only doing

this movie in a last desperate attempt to clean up his image and to support his family. Although Nolan promised to keep it in his pants during the movie, that all goes down the drain when he sees his co-star is his favourite adult film star. Nolan and Bee are having fun behind the scenes on set, but if they can’t keep their secret romance off camera, it will cause disaster. This book will give the fun and jolly vibes your winter read list needs.

One Day in December by Josie Silver is a must add to your list if you enjoy the “right person, wrong time” trope. This book follows Laurie, when one night at the bus stop, she makes eye contact with

a man she just knows is the love of her life. A year goes by and despite her searching for him whenever she is at the bus stop, she doesn’t see him again. When Laurie is at a Christmas party and her best friend Sarah introduces her new boyfriend, Laurie is finally reunited with Jack, the man from the bus stop. Over the next 10 years, the story continues to follow Laurie and Jack through friendship, heartbreak, missed opportunities and how fate doesn’t always play out as we think. This book will give you all the winter vibes you need as you read along to see if Laurie and Jack really are destined to be together.

If winter is not making you chilly already then, The Overnight Guest

by Heather Gudenkauf will give you the chills.

This book takes place at an isolated farmhouse with a dark past as 10 years ago, the house witnessed two murders and the disappearance of a little girl. But Wylie Lark, a true crime author, is not bothered at all and embraces the isolation so she can work on her novel. When a brutal snowstorm hits, Wylie is stuck in the house and haunted by the secrets that still linger in the halls. Then Wylie sees a small child outside in the blizzard and quickly works to bring them inside to get warm. It doesn’t take long for Wylie to see

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO / LB BOOK CLUB

that she never was really isolated at the farmhouse, as someone is out there and willing to do anything to find her and the child.

All these books will elevate your winter reading list and bring the snowy vibes!

THE SPUTNIK · OPINION

12

THURSDAY, DEC. 7, 2023

WELLNESS

How the body carries emotional trauma Trauma persists through our bodies HASNA ISASE OPINION WRITER

How often do people think that emotional trauma is connected to physical health? I’ve thought about this question a lot in my daily life, especially when seeing trends or memes talking about emotional trauma turning physical. However, people still don’t prioritize their emotional health as much as their physical health, even though there are common examples of this “phenomenon.”

Some research from health and wellness websites like Psych Central and Psycom discuss the possibilities of genetics holding trauma that may pass down to other generations. Psych Central had commented on a 2018 study about depression being passed down epigenetically. The study of epigenetics means how your genes fluctuate and are reflective of changes in your environment.

When reading these articles, it

made me think about the common ways people undergo emotional pain that ends up translating physically. A frequent experience that’s talked about is the morning after a break-up. Many people express a similarity waking up with their chest feeling tight and choked up throat, maybe even a heaviness in their stomach. Whatever the symptom may be, it makes me question if the body can communicate your emotional needs. Can the body respond to emotional neglect and trauma? When waking up, it seems like the body knows an event has changed to turn it frail and weak.

There are even cases of irritable bowel syndrome being linked to chronic anxiety. Individuals who were raised in unstable environments may grow up to have questionable stomach issues that cannot be properly diagnosed, yet they see improvement in their gut health when they leave a toxic environment.

Another example could be how anxiety can turn into shakes, shortness of breath, passing out or even throwing up. Is the body intuitive? Does it respond to a trigger physically to say a person or event is not healthy or isn’t serving us in a positive way? I believe this question can be reflective of common advice given by therapists, like the importance of breathing techniques, meditation and journaling.

These mechanisms are used to channel emotion towards something productive, calming or in the goal of releasing tension.

I want to draw the point that the mind and body are in conjunction with emotional health. That it is essential to prioritize self-care for your mental health just as much as your physical. This can only be done by spending time with yourself to get to know what’s important to you and what needs are often disregarded. This can be doing daily walks, journaling, going

to therapy, tracking psychological triggers, doing a creative task, making sure you eat and drink water and so on. Taking care of yourself emotionally is a type of self-care

BACHIR MILOUDI / SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPHY

that should be done regularly. In a world where peace is hard to find, we must find ways to create it and bring love into the journey of self.

LAW

Who is the “reasonable person” anyway?

A look into the legal standard of rationality

OLGA STEBLYK / SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPHY

Superior Court of Justice in Brantford

JADA PHILLIPS LEAD OPINION WRITER

There have been many terms in history to describe this person: the right-thinking member of society, the fair-minded and informed observer, the man on the Clapham omnibus or l’homme moyen. However, most people know them as the “reasonable person.”

The concept of the reasonable man was first introduced to law in the English case, Vaughan v Menlove. In this case, the court stated that because “the judgment of each individual [are] as variable as the length of the foot of each, we ought rather to adhere to the rule which requires in all cases a regard to caution such as a man of ordinary prudence would observe.”

Since Menlove, the reasonable man became the reasonable person and it has been the focal point in many areas of law ranging from criminal law, all the way to contract law. The reasonable person standard is an essential tool in helping judges or juries consider what behaviour or conduct is legally acceptable.

But what makes a “reasonable person” reasonable?

In the most basic sense, the ability to reason is the ability to think rationally based on

evidence. The reasonable person considers their conduct to prevent, either through action or inaction, any harm to the world around them. The reasonable person standard is almost unanimously thought of as an objective standard, but that fails to consider that humans are not perfect. The reasonable person standard often fails to consider the background or characteristics of a person in favor of standard objectivity.

American legal scholar Martha Minow wrote in the book, Making all the Difference: Inclusion, Exclusion, and American Law, “The stigma of difference may be recreated both by ignoring and by focusing on it ... These problems of inequality can be exacerbated both by treating members of minority groups the same as members of the majority and by treating the two groups differently.”

The courts have made attempts

to bridge the gaps between those differences to make the legal system more inclusive. For example, the reasonable person must also be seen as having the same limitations as the defendant when it comes to mental or physical ability. A disabled defendant is expected to act as a reasonable person with that same disability would act.

Yet for other marginalized populations, navigating the current legal system can be a hostile futile experience. The “reasonable woman standard” was coined in an attempt to make the legal system more inclusive of the experience of women who are victims of sexual violence or domestic abuse. It is evident that gender plays a considerable role in shaping the lives, experiences and opportunities of women.

The reasonable woman allows for conduct to be considered against a context of discrimination and misogyny.

However, the reasonable woman standard isn’t a onesize-fits-all approach. Intersecting identities such as race or class changes the experience between each individual woman and the way they respond to situations will be different. To address these gaps, courts need to fully grasp the nuances of the lived experiences of various groups of people or else it could threaten to perpetuate the very harm it seeks to defeat.

While creating specific reasonableness standards could help in acknowledging how various people experience and respond to certain situations thereby furthering an equitable legal system, it should not be the endall be-all. The reasonable person standard is a tool and should be regarded as just that. It should be a tool used to build bridges towards fairness and justice, rather than a weapon used to punish those who are different.

THE SPUTNIK · OPINION

THURSDAY, DEC. 7, 2023

13

LIFE

The eras of eras and embracing life Living every moment to the fullest

BACHIR MILOUDI / SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPHY

A clock. Time stops for no one, so be yourself.

JADA PHILLIPS LEAD OPINION WRITER

Books have always been central

to my life. I was surrounded by them. Some of my earliest memories were going to the bookstore with my mother, like when the new book of her favorite series was released. It was inevitable that this passion for fiction and writing was passed down to me. I spent most of my childhood lost in

fantasy worlds or scribbling stories in the margins of my notebooks.

Of course, I wanted to share the worlds I created with others, but I was scared that they wouldn’t find my stories as interesting as me.

I can now proudly say that I am in my writer era (she’s a writer or whatever).

Lately, many people have embraced a passion for life as an “era.”

You could be in your “emotionally healed” era by seeking therapy or prioritizing your mental health.

You could be in your “idgaf” era by putting yourself first and not caring about what others think about you.

You could even be in your “feral street rat” era by trying everything and having the most fun you can have every day. Your era is whatever you decide you want it to be.

Like most people, we seek to make sense of life by creating a narrative in our head. To those who are not chronically online, calling something an era may seem like a ridiculous form of self-delusion. However, being intentional with our life narrative is a chance for us to exercise our agency. It’s a way of taking ownership of our life journey, even the most mundane or messy parts. You decide when you start an era or when it’s done.

Living in an era is at its core, living with intention.

According to a Statistics Canada

study called “Mental disorders and access to mental health care,” more than 5 million people in Canada (about twice the population of Mississippi, United States) suffer from a mood or anxiety disorder. Mood and anxiety disorders are most prevalent amongst young people and are only set to increase. We are struggling more than ever and our perceptions of life events, both positive and negative, can influence the way we adapt to them.

I can say that I have had many eras over the course of my life, some even made reappearances.

Many of my eras reflect emotions or experiences that many others can recognize as universal. My writer era started when one day, I decided that I wouldn’t write for anybody but that little girl I used to be. I chose to write because it is what gives me joy and it is the one constant in my life in an ever-changing world. And because it is only one “girl boss” writer era away from ending up on the New York Times Best Seller list.

BRANTFORD

Spending the break in Brantford What to do in town over the holidays

MITCHELL BALDWIN OPINION EDITOR

As our dreaded exam season draws ever closer, so too does its conclusion. Many of us will go home to our families over the break back in our hometowns for some weeks of restful bliss; or seasonal work. Our days may become occupied with hot chocolate and family movie nights, but what of those of us who are staying in Brantford over the break?

Brantford can be a hard city to digest, even with the best of friends being present. However, this does not mean you should resign yourself to quiet nights of lonely wine and chocolate when your roommates and friends leave over the coming weeks.

While not many events may be occurring over the break, this is merely a more perfect opportunity to get creative in how we’ll fill the hours of our days. To help

jump-start your creative process, here are some fun ideas on how you can enjoy your winter break in Brantford.

As our more senior students are likely familiar with, every year in Harmony Square, a small ice rink is put together by the city for public use. Trust me when I say that no one will care if you fall down a lot, if you don’t know how to skate or aren’t particularly great at it.

It will be a fun way to break up the monotony of the day and to connect with other people who are giving skating a try. For those who don’t have ice skates, as I imagine many of us don’t, you can pick up a pair at the Canadian Tire in the north part of town. To get there for free, just use your student OneCard at the bus terminal on either the 2 or 4a buses once you board them.

Now if skating isn’t for you, which is totally understandable, picking up a warm drink at Friday Coffee or Tim Hortons and taking a stroll through the snowy streets to gaze at the various lights and decorations is a pleasant way to spend an afternoon.

Additionally, since you can use the bus for free with your OneCard, you could hop on any bus passing through the suburbia of the north side of town to gaze at the various decorations from the comfort of a heated vehicle.

Alternatively, if you know someone who has access to a car, you could take a trip out to Paris every now and then to enjoy the various bakeries just off the Grand River within the city. Trust me when I say that the cheesecake is to die for.

If we’re so lucky as to have

snow over this holiday break, I would also humbly suggest the creation of snowmen within the parks and empty parking lots across our dear campus. For instance, as many of those who stay in Brantford on weekends will know, the parking lot attached to One Market is empty, save for a few cars here and there. Given that this space will only be used sparingly once exams have been concluded, it may be a fun endeavour to establish a humble village of snowmen within the lot’s proximity.

OLGA STEBLYK / SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPHY

Harmony Square before the snow.

Naturally, this is only a small list of the possible opportunities you could do over the break, so don’t forget to enjoy a movie night every now and then as well. To conclude, all I will suggest is that you do what you love and that you do them to great excess. This time is for you to enjoy, so don’t listen to anyone who tells you otherwise. Happy holidays everyone!

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THE SPUTNIK  INFINITUM

THURSDAY DEC. 7, 2023

INFINITUM

THE SPUTNIK  INFINITUM

THURSDAY, THURSDAY DEC. 7, 2023

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SHORT STORY STORY TEASER SHORT

The Miracle Before Christmas A Miracle Before Christmas A Miracle Before Christmas

SHORT STORY

A story storyabout abouta afamily family finding a miracle in christmas finding a miracle in Christmas A story about a family finding a miracle in christmas

THANDO BHEBHE THANDO BHEBHE INFINITUM LEAD WRITER LEAD INFINITUM THANDO BHEBHEWRITER On Christmas presents, INFINITUM LEAD eve, WRITER

On Christmas eve, presents, cookies and snowmen spring up, cookies and snowmen spring up, On Christmas eve, presents, lighting alive the spirits of a small lightingYet, alive the spiritsspring ofisain small cookies and snowmen up, family. not everyone a family.mood.

Yet, not a lighting alive theeveryone spirits ofisain small merry merry mood. family.

Yet, not everyone is in a Withmood. the cold cold bellowing bellowing from from merry With the the outside, outside, aa storm storm of of emotions emotions the threatens the small family’sfrom With thethe cold bellowing threatens small family’s hearts.

A father father thenof takes it the outside, a storm emotions hearts.

A then takes it upon himself himself to try try and and raise his his threatens the small family’s upon to raise not-so-merry daughter’s spirits. hearts.

A father then takesspirits. it not-so-merry daughter’s Buthimself the storm sheand battles with upon to try raise his is one familiar to him, a ghost not-so-merry daughter’s spirits.

But the storm she battles with from past, one thatasours is onehis familiar to him, ghosthis mood too as he struggles to with fihis nd But the storm she battles from his past, one that sours a way his daughter’s. is one to familiar tostruggles him, a ghost mood tooraise as he to find Thishis he’ll need his from past, his onedaughter’s. that sours a way toChristmas, raise nothing short ofstruggles a Christmas mood too as he to find amiracle. way raise his daughter’s.

Thisto Christmas, he’ll need To read the short story, visit nothing short of a Christmas www.thesputnik.ca/category/ This Christmas, he’ll need miracle. the-infinitum/. nothing short of a Christmas miracle.

To read the story join us on https://www.thesputnik.ca/ To read the story join us on category/the-infi nitum/ https://www.thesputnik.ca/ category/the-infinitum/

OLGA STEBLYK / SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPHY OLGA STEBLYK/SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPGER OLGA STEBLYK/SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPGER

THANDO BHEBHE / LEAD INFINITUM WRITER

INFINITUM

THURSDAY, DEC. 7, 2023

THE SPUTNIK  INFINITUM

15

POEMS

Begin Again

SERENA ANAGBE / PHOTO EDITOR

I Am Mine Inner turmoils that ache

Life is a game CONNOR PILGER INFINITUM CONTRIBUTOR

I’m at the beginning, where later I will begin again.

Every time I die, I will begin again.

A guard wakes me, brings me in, shows me the statue in the room.

Walk into the room, power goes out, alarms blare, lights fail, the statue turns, two snaps, I turn my back, a third snap, and I begin again.

Eyes front, walk back, don’t look away, and it can’t attack.

Door is closed, I stumble, I think, I blink-Snap. Begin again.

Control my blink, move faster, escape that thing again.

Press button, door opens, press button, door closes, statue out of sight.

Stone on floor, grinding, halting, every blink brings it closer.

Out of sight, present in mind, alarms overhead ring again.

A room of gears, clockwork, grinding and halting, metallic grinding, Experiment, discover, wonder, excitement and escape, creaking?

Blackness from the floor, a man rises, arm outstretches grasping, Touched, elsewhere, dark doors and stone floors, I linger, I rot, begin again.

Eyes front, door closes, statue grinding, gears aligning, man rising, I run, flee, doors close and open, open and close, hallways the same, where have I been again? Turn left then right, I know this room, I am here again.

Man pursues, walks through doors, reaches out, the fear again to begin again, Too near again, I flee again, checkpoint doors, feet echo now on metal floors.

Statue grinding shifting, reappears again, choke on smoke, eyes sting and snap.

Begin again, get clear again, faster by a minute again, they’re near again, But I’m better again, don’t feel the fear again, even when I begin again.

It’s been some time since I did begin again. Some time since the man from the floor made me disappear again, escape the dark room again or threatened to begin again.

Metal halls and curving walls, a crying sound, then ripping and tearing, and I feel it, The fear again, to begin again. I strain my ears to hear again, hear it cry again, See the being, tall, thin and alabaster skin, cries again, screams again, rips again, Begin again. Eyes, doors, gears, floors, rises, runs, curves, and more.

Here again, cries again, rips again, observe and it rips, avert instead and slip?

Away, away, away, evade the statue and the man and the one that rips, Look again, run again, avert again, and between it all, begin again.

More doors and halls, tile floors and white walls, offices and chairs,

With railings and stairs, an announcement from above, danger again?

Saviors incoming, with running and gunning, to safety, I implore!

Muzzle flashes and body crashes. I trusted again, I learned again, now I begin again. statue, snap, begin again, man, rot, begin again, crying, rip, begin again.

Run, grab, go through gears and doors and different floors. Duck and hide and run and die.

Begin again, begin again, I begin again, they begin again, what sort of place am I in again?

But I’ve watched the statue, looked away from the crying, trapped the man and avoided dying.

I’m out and I’m free, the sky is above, I try to flee but right into the cuffs.

Saviors catch, don’t fire, I am captured but do not expire. Don’t die again, don’t begin again.

Power restored, superiors informed, survival endorsed, containment enforced.

Danger secured, I am contained, and so long as protected, never again slain.

I sit back, and I sigh, names roll before my eyes. Screen returns to the start, options are detailed.

New game, or load, or exit it all.

I click on new, change difficulty to Keter, for with experience I can Get through again. The statue, the man, monsters and saviors, I could survive it all if I only once begin again.

NICOLE MESZAROS INFINITUM CONTRIBUTOR

on just fine.

My body is in a constant fight just to stay afloat, but it does. It is mine.

My lungs, they balloon with air and my legs will carry me far, because they are mine.

“Eat vegan,” or “skip gluten,” they say, because it healed them. Their body isn’t mine.

I hold this pain while I live and walk through the world.

I thrive because this life is mine.

A body in need of rest and medicine, but still aches. This agony is mine.

Riddled with chronic illness and pain, my heart will continue to beat

I cradle the pain and hold her close to me, because she is what makes this life mine.

We will move through our life together, forming Nicole. She is me and I am mine.

BACHIR MILOUDI / SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPHY

A girl hugging herself.

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