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THE SPUTNIK ADMIN PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER Meghan Roach (519) 884-0710 ext. 3565 president@wlusp.com ADVERTISING Care Schummer (519) 884-0719 ext. 3560 care.schummer@wlusp.com MANAGER OF OPERATIONS Jamaal Owusu-Ansah manager@thesputnik.ca EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Lakyn Barton lakyn.barton@wlusp.com Treasurer John Pehar Vice-Chair Abdiasis Issa Director Mynt Marsellus Director Maddy Cutts Director Matthew Burley Director Fred Kuntz The Sputnik is a bi-weekly campus newspaper intended to engage and inform the community. Started in 1999, the Sputnik is an editorially independent newspaper published by Wilfrid Laurier University Student Publications, Waterloo, a corporation without share capital. WLUSP is governed by its board of directors.
Ricky P Staff Writer Procrastination is my greatest vice. I love getting by. I hate advice. Some of our most genuine inspiration comes from the fire. The fire being a burning sensation from under your ass the night or two before your term papers are due. Even now as I write this article I’m pushing the boundaries of my deadline. What you call irresponsibility I call resistance training for your mind. That is, if you’re resisting the urge to cry and smash your laptop in a fit of rage while trying to get some work done, you’re probably doing something right. So I humbly present to you the art of bullshit and procrastination. Consider the fact that eighty to ninety-five percent of college students procrastinate, according to APA.org. Actually, according to APA.org there are two types of procrastinators; Those who can’t help put off their work to the last minute, and those who actually enjoy the pressure of getting something done quickly and right. If you know you’re going to procrastinate you might as well try to achieve something constructive doing so. Urbandictionary.com
The Sputnik is a member of the Ontario Press Council, which is an independent ethical organization established to deal with editorial concerns. For additional information or to file a complaint, contact info@ontpress.com or call 416-340-1981. The Sputnik circulates bi-weekly. Normal circulation is 1,000. The Sputnik has an obligation to foster freedom of the press and freedom of speech. This obligation is best fulfilled when debate and dissent are encouraged, both in the internal workings of the paper, and through the Sputnik’s contact with the community. The Sputnik will always attempt to do what is right, with fear of neither repercussions, nor retaliation. The purpose of community press is to act as an agent of social awareness, and so shall conduct the affairs of our newspaper.
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Do you love a gorilla named Harambe? Cooper Rowe Staff Writer On the morning of May 28, 2016, a three-year-old boy fell into the gorilla enclosure at the Cincinnati zoo. This resulted in the fatal shooting of Harambe, the lowland gorilla that was near the child in the cage. This event took place on the gorilla’s seventeenth birthday. So, the question we must ask ourselves is, “why did the millennial generation relate to this 450-pound primate on a level that one could only describe as spiritual?” As the world stood by and watched the cover up stories be revealed, something within all of us was ignited. Growing up, a general sense of right and wrong is expected of us from the minute we can stand on two feet, and something about Harambe’s death didn’t feel right. “Shooting Harambe with a tranquilizer was not an option,” a representative of the Cincinnati Zoo stated in a FAQ section on their website, “The child was in imminent danger.” The footage of the incident was released shortly after the shooting, thanks to the smartphone-armed civilians, and the public quickly became their own judges. While most of the general population was quick to come to a conclusion. Jane Goodall, a primatolo-
gist, said, “it looked as though the gorilla was putting an arm [around] the child.” In this statement Goodall is implying that he was not in fact trying to harm the child, but rather, to save him. According to study published in Scientific American, humans and gorillas share 98 per cent of the same genes (2014). So, if the genetic similarities are so common, why was it so hard to understand the primate’s intentions? Like a stranger would tend to someone in need, Harambe acted like any mammal would, with compassion. And it was followed by a bullet to the head. What started out as a frat party theme and an excuse to take your shirt off, quickly turned into one of the biggest internal conflicts in our society today. The death of our friend Harambe made us all question why we sat back and let an institution tell us right from wrong. It sparked a nationwide conversation on why animals are constantly paying for the mistakes of humans with their lives. Harambe’s life and death will forever be remembered as the turning point for why asking questions is so important in the millennial generation.
Watching too much football? Impossible
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defines a professional procrastinator as someone charging an hourly rate to complete your work while leaving it to the last possible moment. Thus, they’re milking you for every last dime. I won’t try to convince you you’re going to accomplish anything worthwhile sitting at your desk telling yourself “one more episode.” Take for example the student housing business. More power to you if you’re the busy body settled into your housing accommodations four months before Sept. starts. However, if you’re putting off the move, you’ll be able to take advantage of desperate landlords looking to fill rooms by offering low prices on short leases. Actually, I’m not advocating for procrastination at all, or any of my other vices for that matter. I’m just saying don’t hate yourself for doing it if you know you do. For those of you ready to kick the habit, Goliath.com offers some helpful tips to get the lazy monkey off your back, most of which include learning how to organize your life. The point being, if it’s been four years and you still haven’t learned to mark important dates and times on your calendar then there is no wonder why you procrastinate. Remember folks, there is no right way of doing anything as long as you pass. Happy studying and don’t work too hard.
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 5, 2016
Devon Momy-Gamache Sports Editor When I tell people how much football I watch on a regular weekend they always seem a little shocked. In Response I decided to keep track of how much football I watch and see what the total is. I started with the Thursday night games which included the NFL and only one NCAA game. Unfortunately, I was stuck in class to miss the start of both games. I did get an unintentional assist from a friend who was providing updates on the Patriots game which started at 8:30 p.m. By the time I got home #5 Clemson was winning big and the Patriots and Texans game was near the end of the first half. The game was a blowout but I watched just in case something happened until 11:30 p.m. when it was officially over. Friday night started at seven with a game on a grey field, so thanks Eastern Michigan for making my eyes hurt. Eventu-
ally a rivalry game started at eight between TCU and SMU to provide meaningful football to watch. Then at nine I began to get excited for the start of #24 Utah and USC. But instead of watching that I had to go to work, ruining a second night of football. I made up for the last two nights with 17 straight hours of football Saturday. At nine a.m. I started with College Gameday to preview everything. The show also always manages to produce an emotional piece that makes my room really dusty causing my eyes get watery. Once the actual games started at noon I got to begin my binge of nothing but football. The biggest game between #8 Michigan State and #11 Wisconsin was close until Wisconsin scored on a Spartans fumble. To bad I missed that while throwing out the garbage because I had been so lucky up to that point in the weekend that it needed to be balanced out. Most of the rest of the day was spent flipping between three and four streams at a time trying to consume as much as possible. Around eight p.m. I finally got the joy of watching overtime the
first overtime of the weekend. By 11 p.m. I had seen so much overtime football that I was willing to skip some, although It was Buffalo and Army so I doubt I missed much. By the end of the night eight games had gone to overtime including one that went to four which was enough novelty to get me excited again. There were some wild endings, go watch the last 10 seconds of #18 LSU-Auburn and stare confused at your laptop the way I did. By 2 a.m. the final game between Air Force and Utah State mercifully ended allowing me to finally get some sleep. Sunday’s begins with NFL Countdown at 11 a.m. By one it is time to watch pro version which loses some atmosphere from the crowd but makes up for it with skill. There was a bunch of good games to watch but I decided to watch the Bills game because I like the idea of torturing myself and watching my team get destroyed. I don’t know if it was some kind of reward for watching all this football but the Bills played well and ended up blowing out Arizona which provided more energy than injecting caffeine into my blood.
As an extra bonus I got to watch the rare NFL overtime game. The excitement was quickly gone when I realized I would have to watch the Browns and Dolphins attempt to play football. The Sunday night game was a blowout but also the first game I watched start to finish which was a strange feeling after two days of constant switching between games. The game ended around 11:40 p.m. giving me almost another 13 hours of football. The Monday night game was the grand finale of the weekend with an explosive game between the Saints and Falcons. Including the pre-game show I got to consume another five and a half hours of beautiful football to finally end the weekend. In total I consumed around 39 hours of football between Thursday and Monday night, who knew watching football could be a full-time job? Is that a healthy amount of time to spend on any hobby, probably not but it’s not like I had anything important to do. Now for the next two days I have to rush to do all my assignments so I can start watching all over again Thursday night.
FRIDAY OCTOBER 6 ,2016
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SHREYA SHAH | NEWS@THESPUTNIK.CA | @SPUTNIK_NEWS
Procrastination at its finest, I’ll do it in the morning , Vivian Yan /The Sputnik
Kayana Smith Staff Writer How many times have you found yourself taking the short way out, using the excuse of “Hey, this is just way more convenient for me right now!.” The art of conveniences has taken on an entirely new role in the lives of university students, becoming their new bad habit. Students are finding themselves taking the route of con-
venience more often. But what truly is “convenience”. According to Laurier students, Elaheh Sajadi and Monica Azevedo, a convenience is “trouble free”, “quick” and all in all “not wasting time”. The true definition of convenience is “the state of being able to proceed with something with little effort or difficulty” What are conveniences? It’s waking up in the morning and
choosing to run to Tim Hortons and grab a bagel and coffee instead of making it at home yourself. Choosing to take the bus for a five-minute ride instead of walking for fifteen minutes. Running to the convenience store to pick up a pack of Mr. Noodles, instead of making a healthy dinner. These are all examples of conveniences and how they have become such easy, bad habits that are embedded into our
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daily lives. Although a cup of coffee and bagels aren’t bad for you, constant indulgences can eventually create poor dieting and spending habits. In the long run it is better for student to choose the healthier way. Current first year students have already found themselves spending ridiculous amounts of money on unnecessary meals. A first year Law and society Student was surprised to find “that within her first month she had accumulated a large sum of money, spent solely on food, approximately spending two hundred and fifty dollars. Moreover, simple bad habits can become not-so-simple bad habits. One night you find yourself pinched for an essay or in class taking a test and can easily see the paper of one of your fellow classmates. At first it may seem very convenient and risk free to just peak over, however the consequences can become severe. Cheating maybe convenient to you at first, but you’re not learning anything and there are tons of risks attached. We are all paying excessive amounts of money to learn and educate ourselves, and it is just not worth it to be put in a situation where your academic integrity is being questioned. How do you turn it all around? Start with a simple budgeting system where you can plan out all your finances and create a limit of what you can spend per month. Further, give yourself an exact time to wake up and make a healthy nutritious breakfast. We can all use Gabriella Muzslai as an example, a first year student who has taken full advantage of the scheduling services offered her at Laurier, “staying on task of readings has never been so easy.” By scheduling and budgeting
yourself for your monthly activities you allow yourself to get the best out of your day. Wilfred Laurier offers many programs that can set you on your way to getting rid of your vices. Student Services is equipped with many talented individuals willing to help you create a schedule that will map out everything you need academically for the rest of the semester. With their schedules there are no more last minute studying or stress over tomorrows exam’s or papers. You have the ability to build a personal schedule with a one on one mentor. Furthermore, your able to participate in facilitated study groups and advance your knowledge with a community of like-minded individuals. Having a convenient way of doing things is helpful and a good thing, but there if you have too much of a good thing, it becomes a problem.
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SHREYA SHAH NEWS@THESPUTNIK.CA | @SPUTNIK_NEWS
EcoHawks plant seeds in the minds of students
Taylor Burt Staff Writer Laurier Brantford’s EcoHawks team helped students find their inner gardeners outside the Research and Academic Center last Wednesday. The event, Seed the Change, allowed students to stop by and take a plant to decorate their home. Seed the Change was meant to encourage students to grow their own plants and food, rather than buying from stores. “I hope it encourages stu-
dents to plant their own garden, or even […] plant fruit and vegetables - to grow their own stuff instead of going to a store and buying it,” said Kendall Smilde, the coordinator of EcoHawks. Smilde said that all of the materials used for this event were recycled. Water bottles, cans, and used food containers were provided for students to fill with soil and plant bulbs in. This way, everyone could go home with a personalized plant to take home, made entirely out of recycled material. Smilde said she wasn’t sure how long this event had been running but was asked to bring it back this year. “It was run last year and there was a lot of posi-
tive feedback for it,” she says. Last year the event hosted approximately 75 people. Smilde said she hopes at least as many showed up to take part this year. Wastefulness of paper and other products is something many people are guilty of without even realizing it. Laurier Brantford’s Ecohawks want to promote recycling materials so they can be used more than once. “Last year the coordinator connected with the bookstore and got reusable bags donated, which we gave out at events,” said Smilde. Smilde said there are no specific events geared toward plastic bags used in stores or wast-
Ecohawks trying to create a seed for change. Mike Rykov/The Sputnik
ing paper this year, though as an eco-friendly committee, they constantly urge students to reuse materials and be conscious of wastefulness. Many first-year students showed interest in both the event and in EcoHawks. First Year Integration members also helped run the booth to get firstyears excited about taking home their own plant. “I went around to residences yesterday and they, especially [those living in] Grand River Hall, were super excited about it,” said Shannon Coulter, First Year Integration Executive. “We’ve had a few waves of first years that I’ve recognized [coming to the event],” said Magen
Wydeven, also a First Year Integration Executive. Smilde stated that because hiring for this year’s volunteers hasn’t been calculated yet, she wasn’t sure how many first years have signed up. This event was a nice introduction to the fall season, with bulbs being used for fall flowers. The plants can also be replanted to be put into a garden or another pot. EcoHawks will be hosting many other events throughout the year, where they encourage students to come out and learn how to be more eco-friendly.
Where did the water bottles go? Hyrra Chughtai Staff Writer In 2014, Laurier imposed a ban on disposable plastic water bottles, a ban that many students are still unfamiliar with. It was introduced to reduce the amount of waste created by students. Since the ban, many franchises run accordingly with Laurier. Golden Grounds, for example, have stopped the sale of water bottles. Although franchises are in the know, many students and club organizers are not.
The ban on plastic water bottles encourages more use of reusable water bottles. Sai Gnanaharan/The Sputnik
EcoHawks is a large committee on campus that promotes environmentally friendly habits. They generate activities that encourage helping the environment. Kendall Smilde, coordinator of EcoHawks, agreed to interview regarding the ban, in which she stated that she too “hadn’t learned about it until this week”. “I don’t know who created it,” said Smilde. “I’m not sure if it maybe came from the sustainability office but the first time I heard about it was earlier this week.” According to the Laurier website, the ban has been successful in many ways. People are no longer able to buy plastic bottles on campus, which makes it more difficult to access them. Because of this, many students have purchased reusable water bottles. “I would like to think that there has been an impact. I know that in class and around campus, I see a lot more reusable water bottles than I see plastic, but I think it’s really good that we are no longer selling plastic
water bottles, because that will also help encourage students to bring their own bottles. I hope to see it progress throughout the year, and maybe see no students bring plastic water bottles to class,” said Smilde. Although there has been some impact on the portrayal of water bottles, there is still much work to be done. The movement has
been running for three years now, and plastic bottles are still being used campus, but Laurier hopes to see improvement in the future. “I think one thing we could do is to try to encourage students, and maybe get information out on why re-usable bottles are better than plastic water bottles,” said Smilde.
As there might be more promotion of this campaign, more clubs should take part in this movement to help students better understand the positive impact removing plastic bottles can have on the environment.
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NEWS Healthy lifestyles: safe drinking SHREYA SHAH | NEWS@THESPUTNIK.CA | @SPUTNIK_NEWS
Rylee Wolfkamp Staff Writer On Sept. 28, Laurier’s Students Union hosted the Healthy Lifestyles Safe Drinking event in the Expositor Place Residence basement. The night consisted of activities such as beer goggles, tipsy twister and an information booth; all to educate students in a fun and interactive way. “I really think about how in movies, a lot of people think university and college are all about drinking. There’s been a lot of problems over the years in residence in terms of binge drinking,” said event coordinator Tyler Dosa. “So I want to educate students on safe drinking and things like that so there are no problems in residence.” According to a report by the Ministry of Health and LongTerm Care Ontario, “Alcoholrelated trauma is a significant and preventable cause of death among young Canadians.” The report adds that although illicit drug use is declining, heavy drinking in Canadians aged 15 to 25 has not only remained steady
but even increased. Statistics Canada defines heavy drinking as having had five or more drinks (four or more for women) on one occasion, at least once a month in the past year. The dangers of intoxication were re-enforced for some students Wednesday night as they tried the activities at the event. “It was fun, I probably shouldn’t say that since this is a safe drinking event,” said firstyear student Maddie Drost. “But if I was actually impaired like that it wouldn’t be so fun.” Laurier Brantford’s Special Constables web page outlines a six-step plan to make before drinking. Steps include: before you drink, learning about alcohol, knowing your limit, having a plan, watching out for problems and when it is most dangerous to drink. “You have to keep remembering to pace yourself so you don’t get to that point because you don’t really know what’s going on and everything is moving,” said first-year student Sarah
Students enjoy a game of tipsy twister, Mike Rykov/ The Sputnik
Danielson after playing tipsy twister. “It was a fun time because it was something different, but it wasn’t something I would actually want to be experiencing. I knew I could take off the goggles, but if you actually can’t it is not as fun.” Students should also be aware that Laurier strictly en-
forces guidelines under the Ontario Liquor License Act and the Alcohol Gaming Commission of Ontario. Under the residence alcohol policy, students under the legal drinking age are not permitted to consume or be in possession of alcohol in residence. Students wanting to find more information about Laurier’s al-
cohol policy may view the Residence Life Code of Conduct. “Obviously if first-year students are going to drink in residence that’s something we can’t control and the Dons can’t control,” said Dosa. “[By] Us coming in here is teaching them how to drink and practice safe drinking”.
Brantford seeks improvement in transit system
Brantford Transit and Lift Services going through major improvement. Kathleen Binder/ The Sputnik
Anya Eland News Asisstant Editor A public meeting regarding Brantford Transit and Brantford Lift Service will happen on Oct. 5 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Lynden Park Mall. The meeting will cover upcoming changes to the system, and other information. The transit task force was created to focus on meeting the needs of the community in
regards to public transit. The meeting will consist of a presentation of the plan to improve transit service, as well as an opportunity for the community to provide feedback and input. Many of the public’s demands will be addressed at the meeting. As for the Brantford lift, it will become more efficient in its service. Rick Weaver, Ward 1 Councillor of the City of Brantford, formed a task force for the transit system to address the demands of the Brantford community. This task force is doing everything they can to address citizens’ concerns and make im-
provements accordingly. “We recognize the city is growing and plan for future growth,” said Maria Visocchi, who is the Manager of Corporate Communications. “There was an initial public consultation, and the team took that feedback and came up with some recommendations they felt would meet the needs and address some of those key issues brought up […] now they are doing an outreach to the community to say ‘we heard you, here are the ideas, and this is how we think we can make some improvements’” said Visocchi. The task force is working
with the IBI group, who will be hosting the public meeting. “The task force and IBI group have met several times over the year to work through the issues regarding the transit services, and to go over to what needs to be improved,” said Weaver. “This is a multi-year plan. The hours of service, frequency and locations will be a priority for improvement. Routes can be changed by staff, but everything that will cost money still has to be approved by the council.” “Transit is a service. A city ought to provide to people, and if we are going to provide a ser-
vice, we have to make sure it’s the correct one and it’s one people will use,” said Weaver. All are encouraged to attend this meeting, as it will provide an opportunity for the community to learn more about the transit and lift service’s plans, as well as give feedback to the force.
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FEATURES
DELLESIA NOAH | FEATURES@THESPUTNIK.CA | @SPUTNIK_NEWS
Tattoo addictions Avery McIsaac Staff Writer Most people who have tattoos will agree that once you get one, it’s hard to stop. Over the past few decades, tattoos have made an increase in popularity, and tattoo artists have witnessed an increase in repeat customers. Laurier student Halle Sitarski, who works at a tattoo parlour, said: “I know for certain that many people have an addic-
tion.” There are plenty of reasons given as to why tattoos become so addictive. Some people believe that after the first, you know exactly what it feels like so any fear is no longer present. Others say that the brain reacts to getting a tattoo the way it would when someone takes an addictive drug. “It is possible that one might get a dopamine rush when they
Keleys Anger Mike R/ The Sputnik
get a tattoo,” said psychology professor Danielle Law. “So they may feel inclined to get another one in order to feel that rush again. But this is purely speculation.” Unfortunately, there is very little documented scientific research behind why tattoos become so addictive, so at this point, no know can be sure. Even with the increase of popularity, a stigma against tattoos is still present. Many young people are being subjected to criticism regardless of their tattoos’ context. In a study conducted by Andrew R. Timming at the University of St. Andrews, it was found that having visible tattoos had a negative effect on being selected for a job. However, most employers don’t seem to have an issue with the concept of tattoos, just so long as they aren’t visible or offensive in any way. When asked, Laurier student Rachel Stutz didn’t seem worried that her tattoos would affect her chances of getting a job in the future. “Tattoos are becoming such a universal thing. I’ve seen bank tellers with tattoos on their hands, and even business women with tattoos. Am I about to go get a huge piece covering my entire arm? No. I personally think that too many tattoos would affect my particular chosen profession, but having a few out of sight, in my opinion, wouldn’t affect my chances of getting a job. I also think that de-
Keleys Anger Mike R/ The Sputnik
pending on what the tattoo is, it has a big effect on how society/ potential employers view someone. For example, if I have a little butterfly somewhere, that will be perceived as cute. But if I had a skull or a grim reaper instead of that butterfly, it would give off more of a dark and/or negative vibe.” A major part of why tattoos have been losing their stigma is that for the majority of people, tattoos have significant meaning. Many are used as a means of self-expression. “Most of my tattoos are trib-
utes towards people I’ve lost, or how much I’ve struggled with and overcome,” said Sitarski. “ I also have two matching ones with my sister.” So before you hop into the tattoo chair, consider how future employers would perceive it, and be ready to want more in the future.
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DELLESIA NOAH| FEATURES@THESPUTNIK.CA | @SPUTNIK_NEWS
Through the Time Capsule: A phonetic moment in history
Dellesia Noah Features Editor Details in this article were provided by Brant Historical Society. The millennial generation spends a lot of time on their phone, it’s an undisputable fact. I mean how could they not? With the rise of technological advances in the past couple of decades, phones have been able to do increasingly more while taking up less space than they used to. So who can we thank for this incredible efficiency or rather where can credit this incredible efficiency? Right here in Brantford, Ont. was where the idea of the telephone was born. In the summer of 1874 Alexander Graham Bell became slightly obsessed with the ear and how it received sound to the point where he got an ear from the Harvard Medical School. “I carried this ear with me to my father’s house near Brantford and there I commenced to make my experiments,” Bell recounted. The Bell Homestead still stands on Tutela Heights Road as a historic site credited to the conception of the telephone. Boston was where the first telephonic moment was made. Bell and his electrician assistant Thomas A. Watson had set up a makeshift laboratory in Bell’s Boston home, Watson had pressed the receiving springs
to his ears when he finally heard Bell’s voice over 66 feet away from him. “Don’t change anything, let me see,” Bell had shouted. A significant moment was made that day and Bell and Watson knew it. At the Dominion Telegraph Office -- at 150 Colborne St. -the first long-distance phone call was made between Brantford and Paris, Ont. Bell awaited the call at 91 Grand River St. N and again it was a success. In appreciation of the invention the Bell Memorial Park was unveiled Oct. 24th, 1917 with Bell himself in attendance. It goes without saying, but I’ll
Brewing with Bell City
say it anyways: the invention of the telephone changed the game in the way of communications. A revolutionary thought that was able to connect towns to towns, countries to countries, and people to people. It continues to be a method of communication that has evolved itself into more ingenious ways of use.
Telephone directory. Dellesia Noah/The Sputnik
Alexander Graham Bell homestead, Photo courtesey of Wikipedia
The beers featured at the brewery. Christina Manocchio/The Sputnik
Christina Manocchio Editor-in-Chief Craft breweries are integrated in many local communities’ cultures, and student cultures. Brantford has its own craft beer culture with Bell City Brewing Company. Dennis Marijan is the cofounder of Bell City which started in 2013, and now has a storefront across from Lyden Park Mall. Marijan started in the beer industry at Molson, when the craft beer industry was starting to rise. Marijan enjoyed making beer at home. He always wanted to start a business, not necessary in the beer industry. After meeting his partner at Labatt Brewing Company, the creation of Bell City started. The craft beer industry in Ontario rises in popularity every year. In 2015 LCBO craft beer sales increased almost 36 per cent compared to 2014. The industry has led to employment for Ontario, in 2015 there were 1,500 direct brewery jobs making up 30 per cent of the direct jobs in the brewing industry. “We all have cards with weird titles,” said Marijan. “Within the professional suit wearing, tie wearing industry loves their titles, love their business cards. It’s like a scheme to have big titles. I went counter that with stupid titles.” The laid back work atmosphere is opposite to the experiences that Marijan had while working for Molson and Labatt. “There is a cartel of beer business in Ontario and in Canada,” said Marijan. “They determine price; they determine what kind of beer you’re going to drink.” Bell City has the belief to give back to the community through employment and fundraising. Local breweries tend to use local hops and products according to
Marijan. Bell City is supporting the local hospital fundraising for men’s health this November. The brewery has also teamed up with Crime Stoppers and made coasters to promote the use of anonymous tips and use of the Crime Stoppers service. “Our beer styles are different than other beer styles,” said Marijan. The first beer Bell City launched in the LCBO was an old English style cream ale, going against the norm they made the beer heavier. This gave them a uniqueness in the industry due to the norm of light cream ales. The brewery has seven current beer styles which include Eureka Cream Ale, Lenoir Belgian Ale, Galaxy Hopper, Session IPA, Teeny Weeny Orange Bikini, Orange-Ginger Wheat Ale, Edison’s Peepshow, West Coast IPA, Elijah’s Real McCoy, and Lagered Ale. The names of the beers all have a story that come from infamous inventors. Alexander Graham Bell has a eureka moment throughout the invention of the telephone, leading to Bell City’s beer name. Bell City consistently switches up their selection. For the month of October, the brewery has an Marzen, Oktoberfest Ale. The brewery launched a black coffee IPA called Brewed Awakening. The beans for the beer comes from Blue Dog in Brantford, keeping their local roots and different styles of beer. Brantford may not seem like the most “hipster” place right now, there are a few hidden gems to discover. For one, they do have more than one brewery in town.
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THE SPUTNIK
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 5, 2016
ARTS & CULTURE MATTHEW BURLEY | ARTS@THESPUTNIK.CA | @SPUTNIK_NEWS
The pricey vice of trading cards
Why have people valued these shiny pieces of cardboard for so many years? Alex Vialette/The Sputnik
Alex Vialette Staff Writer Unlike your typical vice, trading card games can go shot for shot price wise with other nasty habits. While affecting students and adults equally, trading card games like Magic the Gathering, Pokémon, and Yu-Gi-Oh! are easier to afford when you have the income of a functioning adult. It is easy to chop the hobby up to a bunch of awkward kids collecting pieces of cardboard, but there is much, much
more to it. To be specific, alongside the gameplay there is an enormous industry surrounding the game, both between the creators and players, then amongst players themselves. “Curse you for making me think about Magic,” said Dr. Charles Wells, “... it’s evil and also so delightful.” Wells has been playing Magic the Gathering, arguably the most successful trading card game since he was in junior high. After taking a leave from the game, he picked it back up in 2011 and has been playing it when he is not teaching BF courses on the Laurier Brantford campus. Now that he has a salary and disposable income, he finds it easier to
play the game than back in his younger years. The game itself sells by releasing new batches of cards (a set) every few months that follow a theme (a block). Players line up to take a crack at the new cards and see if they can build the strongest deck. At the same time a new set is released, an older one is no longer allowed to be used in standard game play. This means to be able to still play with most other players, you need to be constantly upgrading your deck with new sets. “That’s why it’s so much fun, at least in part,” said Wells. “But, the reason why Hasbro wants it to be that [way] is because then you have to keep buying more
cards. Because we’re stuck in a capitalist economy, like any art form I want to pay somebody to come up with the good ideas, and the art, and the complexities, that’s great, I’m happy to, if I have some money, pay that person to have a nice life so they can keep doing that thing because I like that thing. But as a corporation they have to be charging me more money than that in order to make a profit, and that’s the only reason they would ever do it and if they ever stop making a profit they’ll stop making Magic. That’s the part that I hate; that’s the part that feels like a vice.” One aspect that draws players in is the rarity and worth of various cards. There is always
the chance that when you open a pack you will pull a card out that’s worth either a couple of cents or a couple hundred dollars. It’s pretty much the same as playing slot machines, but there are no age restrictions. “The objects themselves encourage you into that relationship with them,” said Wells. “You can’t help but love them because they’re valuable and all that feels deeply corrupt and awful to me. And I nonetheless sort of can’t help it.” If you want to try playing Magic the Gathering, The Devil’s Bench on Colbourne Street holds draft nights every Friday which is a great way to learn how the rules.
It’s always just one more level Stephan Reilly Staff Writer
Everyone either knows someone or has themselves played a video game when they should have been doing homework. It’s a part of student life. There’s something about the nature of a videogame that begs to be played for long periods of time. That “one more level” feeling everyone’s had until they realize it’s 8 a.m. and they have to get ready for class. They’re miserable the rest of the day but if you asked them, they would say they would do it again. And that’s kind of incredible. What is it about video games that merit such a fervor and passion from players? Whereas someone can pass out watching a TV show or a movie a video game requires the player to do something, to stay engaged. It’s the ultimate active vice, the one that can’t be ignored and demands your full attention. So when have video games stopped Laurier students from studying? First year Game Design and Development student Cassie Duliban has some experience with struggling to balance study-
ing and gaming. “I played Dragon Age Inquisition for two days before Monday morning… without getting up,” Cassie told me. When I asked her if she would do it again she gave me a definitive yes. “I missed three English assignments last year from playing games” Cassie recalled. Cassie certainly isn’t alone in missing out on school work to video games. Pew Internet Research reports that 70 per cent of post-secondary students play video games and a little under half of all students have stated that games have gotten the way of their school work. First year Game Design and Development student Jelena Vulić stated she’s stayed up late several times so far this year playing video games. “I think three in the morning was the latest,” she said, adding that the longest she’s played in one sitting is about three hours. Jelena hasn’t missed any classes or assignments due to playing video games but she says the biggest challenge is going to class tired. Cassie also struggles with being too tired from playing games. She said, “I usually have to pow-
er through like I might fall asleep in class a lot. I have developed techniques to avoid attention from the teacher, so I’ll put my hair down and brush it over my eyes to avoid people seeing my eyes closed.” All of this would lead people to believe that students shouldn’t play video games when
they should be studying but the majority of those who have would and will do it again. They can’t escape the allure of digital worlds, begging to be explored or online opponents challenging them to be better. Games are the ultimate escapism for most students, a way to escape the real world of responsibility and com-
mitments. But prioritizing video games over school work too often can become a harmful vice. When asked what she would say to a student struggling with playing video games instead of studying Jelena stated, “Don’t stay up and play video games on a school night, kids!”
Head shots, combos and pwning noobs; all symptoms of hardcore gaming Maiya Mistry/The Sputnik
THE SPUTNIK
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 5, 2016
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ARTS & CULTURE MATTHEW BURLEY| ARTS@THESPUTNIK.CA | @SPUTNIK_NEWS
Clerks: “Crazy” Bill’s
Crazy Bill puts the “we” in weed by making sure customers feel comfortable in his stores. Mike Rykov/ The Sputnik
hard stuff because we don’t want anything to do with it. That’s basically who we are.
Matthew Burley A and C Editor Brantford’s downtown is home to a wide variety of shops and small businesses. These businesses define Brantford, but what defines the businesses? This is the inspiration behind “Clerks”; getting to know those who know us so well. From our shoe size to our favourite item on the menu, these business owners make us feel more like family than customers. With that being said, let us shine the spotlight on “Crazy” Bill, founder of Crazy Bill’s Cannabis Culture. For those who don’t know, what is Crazy Bill’s and what’s it all about? Well, we started out as a variety store, and my son is a glassblower so he got us to start selling pipes for him, and now we’re one of the major head shops in this area. We have a couple shops in Hamilton, one here in Brantford, and we’ve got a website that’s doing quite well. We’ve got sales from all over the place. The name wasn’t even meant for a head shop, but now it’s our main business. The Hamilton stores are strictly head shops, but out here it’s like everything, because we started with everything. We’re still feeding that need of a variety store in downtown Brantford, but we’re way past being a variety store. We try to have everything to do with marijuana; we don’t touch anything that has to do with the
So the Brantford shop was the first location, right? What changes have you seen since you opened up the Brantford location? Yes, we opened 16 years ago. Back when we started, it wasn’t illegal to sell paraphernalia, but it was against the law to talk about how, “it was good for weed”. You could sell a pipe to someone and they could use it for whatever they wanted, so there was a bit of a gray area. People would come in and say, “I want a really nice weed pipe,” and I’d have to say, “I have a really nice tobacco pipe,” or “I could show you this really nice pipe,” but now it’s totally open; I wouldn’t care if there was a cop standing right there, I’d say, “This is the best weed pipe in town,” and they wouldn’t care. It’s totally changed, [the police] have come to know us, because we don’t sell to minors and have a very strict code that way. When we first started selling, the police would check kids and ask, “Did they sell you a pipe?” and the kids would say, “No, they won’t sell us anything.” After they did that a few times, they left us alone. We’ve had no problems with the police in 16 years, same as in Hamilton. We like to think we’re running a “classy joint”, you know what I mean? We’re not just serving recreational marijuana to people who just smoke to get high. There are people who want it for medical purposes; elderly people, doctors, lawyers, all kinds of people. They want to come into
a professional establishment and not feel like there’s a bunch of punks hanging around. Not that I’m against younger people, but if you had a shadier store, a lawyer might feel out of place. But coming into our store, they feel comfortable and we’re professional with them. Where did you get the name “Crazy Bill”? That’s funny because downtown Brantford 16 years ago was all boarded up. All the buildings are gone now where they are building the YMCA, but before they tore them down they were all boarded up. It was bad, people lived in the apartments upstairs but there were no stores. So I’d be telling my friends that I was opening a store and they’d ask me, “Are you crazy Bill?” We got that response so many times that my wife said, “That’s what I’m calling the store.” I still hadn’t decided on a name, but because everyone kept saying, “Are you crazy Bill?” she decided that was going to be the name for it. I said, “But it’s for you,” and she said, “I don’t care, we’re calling it Crazy Bill’s because everyone thinks you’re crazy.” Vice recently did a piece about “smokeable art”. I noticed that you carry a lot of pieces similar to what is shown in the video. Where do you stand on the debate between, “functional art” and “art with a function”? In our Hamilton store, we have a lot of expensive glass; some are $5,000 to $10,000. So it’s up to the individual. I think it’s art, because my son is a glass-
blower, and I see how hard it is to make glass art. It’s not just like moulding something with plasticine, it’s like 18,000 degrees, and you have to keep it that heat and work with it. So it’s a serious art, you only have one shot at making a design. And if you are adding something to it, if those two pieces aren’t the same temperature, one cools faster than the other and it just smashes. It’s a serious art, just like any other art form, so I can really appreciate the art for what it is. It’s up to the individual whether they want to use it or not use it. Some people buy these and put it on the shelf and say, “You’re not touching my pipe, isn’t it beautiful?” and other people who have money to burn are like, “Hey, want to take a hit out of my $5,000 bong?” Art is art; you do what you want to do with it. How do you feel about enabling individuals to pursue their vices? Well, I smoked for a long time, cigarettes and marijuana. I’m a businessman, so I always had in the back of my head, “they’re going to get it anyway, might as well get in on it.” It’s a sort of a moral decision that I made, I don’t feel like I’m enabling people with smoking, because I’m against kids having it, it’s only consenting adults. As a society, we’re fine with people going to the liquor store and buying wine and we’re fine with people over eating, we even cater to them. We’re fine with all kinds of things, like sugar. We’re fine with companies to just pour the sugar into things, and we know it’s deadly. But all of a sudden, you sell bongs and
you’re a dirty, druggy guy. That’s all changing now. With medical marijuana it’s all changing. Like’s it helping little kids with epilepsy, it’s amazing. There’s a strain called Charlotte’s Web, it’s very low-key but they were selling it to these parents whose kids suffer from seizures. They went from having (multiple) seizures a day down to just one. It doesn’t have THC in it, it has CBD’s which is the actual pain killer in marijuana. They bred out the THC, the part that gets you high, and kept the part that relieves pain. So with the medical end of it, it’s becoming more acceptable and not being seen as a dirty thing anymore. So how can you be enabling people when you’re actually helping them? I read online that Crazy Bill’s advocates for marijuana. How do you do this? We sell paraphernalia to use, that’s part of our advocating. We are providing you with the products you need to help you to smoke recreationally or medically. We also donate to different clubs for the 420 rallies but we’re not really into the whole revolution. We’re a business, so there’s a fine line. Yes, we want it legalized and we advocate that, but we’re not really out there fighting the good fight. We do donate to the Brantford Cannabis Club, so we help out when we can, but we’re not freedom fighters or anything like that. There’s different ways to do your part.
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THE SPUTNIK
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 5, 2016
SPORTS
DEVON MOMY-GAMACHE | SPORTS@THESPUTNIK.CA | @SPUTNIK_NEWS
Time to hit the gym Jessa Braun Staff Writer Working out is no doubt a healthy pastime that everyone should have in their daily routine. Exercise is such a great thing that the only vice associated with it is not exercising at alland unfortunately that’s pretty common. Over the span of your life, you will hear a number of different excuses from people as to why they don’t go to the gym. Exercise and physical activity is essential for keeping the brain
active and in good mental health, especially while going through the stress of university. With that in mind, perhaps it’s time to help yourself or your friends to mend the vice of excuses by having some counter-arguments at the ready. For starters, you’ll hear it from a lot of people that they just don’t have time. University is busy and strenuous, so the last thing you probably want to do is add another commitment into your schedule. Working out pumps up neurotransmitters in your body, which are called endorphins. Endorphins are the hormones that are responsible for making you feel good, excited and satisfied. Exercising also causes you to take your mind off other things and helps you to
sleep better. Physical activity will help you be more productive with your time rather than taking additional time out of your day. Even just squeezing in a half hour of working out can improve your sleep and mental health, causing you to live a happier and more productive lifestyle. Another reason people will avoid going to work out is due to the gym is always crowded. This is probably especially relatable to the Golden Hawks who use Wilkes House. The busiest times are from 4 p.m. to closing time but anytime in the morning is an absolutely prime time to go. It usually stays fairly unoccupied until around 2 p.m., sometimes 3 p.m. Let’s say one day you did go to
the gym – which is great – except the next day you’re too sore to go again. Maybe you’re too sore to go all out, but that doesn’t mean you can’t work out at all. Running really helps to loosen sore muscles, so hitting the treadmill would be ideal. In fact, any type of cardio is okay – biking, swimming, elliptical, and many more. Barely anyone admits this next one, but a lot of people are afraid to be judged. It’s common that people just don’t know a lot of exercises, or feel self-conscious going about them on their own. If you don’t feel confident doing a workout by yourself and you don’t have a friend who wants to tag along to the gym, try out some of Laurier’s fitness classes or join Run Laurier and hit the trails along the river with a
group of people. Doing physical activity with a group really helps to make sure you do a full workout without cheating yourself or not trying hard enough. It is really motivating to have others doing the same thing around you so you can try and keep up with them. The instructors tell you what to do and how to do it, so you don’t have to come up with your own workouts. Some people just simply don’t enjoy working out. But the beautiful thing is, people don’t necessarily need to go to the gym to get exercise. Intramural sports are also a great way to get out and active, and you get to meet tons of new friends at the same time.Let’s break the bad habit of trying to justify our laziness and just get those muscles moving.
The destroyed career of Josh Markell continues to lead the Golden Hawks Gordon
Adam Stocker Staff Writer There is no denying that when the Cleveland Browns’ wide receiver Josh Gordon is on an NFL field he is a tremendous player. The problem is Gordon has not played in an NFL game since Dec. 21, 2014 because of several suspensions for marijuana use and drunk driving. Week five was supposed to mark the return of Gordon to the NFL, after 659 days away from the field, but on Sept. 29, Gordon announced that he would enter an inpatient rehab facility, further delaying his return to the Browns. Since being taken in the 2012 supplement draft by the Browns, Gordon has played in 35 of a possible 68 games through the first four weeks of the 2016 season. In the games he has played in Gordon has caught 161 passes for 2754 yards and 14 touchdowns. In the 2013 season, Gordon led the league in receiving yards, despite missing the first two games due to suspension. Suspensions have followed Gordon throughout his football career. While playing college football at Baylor, Gordon was found by local Waco, Texas police officers passed out with his teammate in a Taco Bell drive through. Marijuana was found in the car, and Gordon received his suspension in October 2010. In July 2011, Gordon failed a drug test for marijuana and was kicked off the Baylor team. Gordon declared for the supplement draft and the Browns gave up a second round pick to select him, despite his off the field troubles. For almost two years, Gordon looked to have put his issues behind him, but he would fail another drug test in June 2013. The NFL suspended him the first two games of the season. When Gordon returned to the field
that season he was the best receiver in the NFL. Despite the Browns’ struggles on the field since they returned to the NFL in 1999, Gordon had given the entire fan base some reason to be optimistic, but that optimism would be crushed following a disastrous offseason by Gordon. In July 2014, he would be arrested for a DUI in Raleigh, seven weeks later Gordon was initially suspended for the entire season. Upon appeal, Gordon had his suspension reduced to ten games. Gordon returned from his suspension to play five games for the Browns, before the team suspended him for what they called a violation of team rules. In the weeks following the Browns’ decision to suspend Gordon, he failed another test. On Feb. 3 2015, Gordon was officially suspended for the entire 2015 season for failing a test for alcohol use. Due to his previous failed tests, and DUI, Gordon was subjected to suspension if he tested positive for alcohol as part of his agreement with the NFL substance abuse program. After a year away from football, Gordon applied for reinstatement only to have his application rejected after failing yet another test in March 2016. Since his first acknowledged failed test at Baylor in July 2011, Gordon has failed at least five other drug tests. In July, Gordon was officially reinstated, but suspended for the first four games of the 2016 season. Oct. 9 was when Gordon was set to return to the field, when the Browns will play the New England Patriots and their returning quarterback Tom Brady. It would have been 659 days since Gordon last played a NFL game, but with Gordon’s decision to enter rehab, the days will continue to go on, and fans of the Browns will wonder if they will ever get to see the electric receiver they had seen in 2013. Time will tell if Gordon ever returns to the NFL, and if he can play at the same levels he reached in his 35 games with the Browns.
Mitchell /The Sputnik
Devon Momy-Gamache Sports Editor Laurier Brantford competed as a team for the first time, with Mahayla Markell getting the top result for the Golden hawks. Markell once again was the star for Laurier with a 38th place finish in a time of 26:11. She finished between a pair of groups with Laurier students. “I was running with some other girls from Laurier and we were competing and pushing each other to get the best time we could,” Markell said on the competition. “You worry more about time more than your place while you’re out there.” Head Coach Cory Currie has worked with Markell on staying positive, “Tricking the brain into switching negative thoughts into positive thoughts is key for her and something we have worked on.” Currie also said, “[Markell] has lots of potential for the next couple
of years.” Markell was joined in the top 50 again by Jessa Braun who finished in 47th with a time of 26:43. In the men’s race three of the four Laurier Brantford runners crossed the line as a group. Simon Crowley crossed first to finish 65th with a time of 40:02 followed two seconds later by Craig Van Manen with Jerrett Putt behind him in 67th place with a time of 40:19. Van Manen said on the ending that it was “awesome to finish together in our first race and have a photo finish.” Crowley was ahead of his fellow Golden Hawks most of the race before falling back near the end. Crowley said on the course, “It was intense, lots of hills, way more intense than I was expecting.” Despite this Head Coach Currie was encouraged by the way the men finished, “If they stay together at the start of the next race and work together they have a really good chance to improve their results”. After the race Simon Crowley is already looking forward to the future, “[Today] was about getting our legs ready for future races.” The team will be competing next at Seneca College on Oct. 15 for an
OCAA event. They will return to Seneca two weeks later to compete in the provincial championships. After only sending three runners to their first event with minimal practice Laurier sent a large group to compete in the Don Mills invitational at Waterloo. The seven runners Laurier sent had to compete against OUA competition and a longer course. The men ran 10 kilometers instead of the eight that they ran in OCAA competitions. The women ran an additional kilometer compared to the five they regularly run. On the length of the race Currie said, “Going out for their first six kilometers and 10 kilometers [races] was hard but now at provincials running five kilometers and eight kilometers should be easier.” The long race did not take away from the experience for Van Manen who said that it was “Pretty cool competing for Laurier in our first varsity event and something I’ll definitely remember forever.”
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WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 5, 2016
OPINION
JOSH ADESINA | OPINION@THESPUTNIK.CA | @SPUTNIK_NEWS
Are fashion retailers finally noticing Toronto?
Josh Adesina Opinion Editor Canada has been strongly neglected in the fashion world for reasons we aren’t fully aware of. Could it be that Canadians have been content with its fashion thus far? Even if this was the case, Canada must prepare for future consumers. The grand openings of Toronto’s first Uniqlo store, alongside Nordstrom are sufficient proof that giant retailers are now paying attention to Canada. It’s about time if you ask me. However, Canada still has a long way to go still. Don’t think that these tourists are going to travel here for these fancy events, and not want to shop as well. It seems as though Toronto is now finally catching up to other major cities in terms of fashion retailers. If you can remember, Topman opened up its first location at Yorkdale mall between 2010 and 2011, according to Newswire.ca. A second location opened up later on at the Eaton centre. I must say, this was a big one. The grand open-
ing of Topshop/Topman was a big deal for me. Am I the only one that feels weird going to a shopping mall and not seeing a Topshop store? I could be, but nonetheless, I feel like Canada needed another fashion retailer that had basic fast fashion items. I’m sure it was exciting for Canadians to have another option for fast fashion other than H&M and Zara. Fast-forward to 2016, we now have two new giant fashion retailers. Uniqlo had its rather extravagant opening on Sept 30th at the Eaton Centre, according to blogTO. Let’s not Nordstrom’s grand opening which was also held at the Eaton centre on Sept 16th. I believe that these two retailers are much needed in Toronto and Canada as a whole. In my opinion, Canada does not have much to offer when it comes to fashion. Holt Renfrew, Harry Rosen and the bay are popular amongst Canadian fashionistas. If you have been to these stores then you’ll know how ridiculously pricey the clothing is there. You shouldn’t have to fork out large amounts of money to look good. You ought to be able to go shopping and buy a full outfit for a reasonable price. Some will argue and say “I can already do that.” Here is the question: can you
go to a variety of stores, spend a reasonable amount of money and purchase quality clothing in Canada? Many of the clothing stores in Toronto are quite pricey. Fast-fashion stores such as; H&M, Zara, American Apparel, Garage, Aritizia, Old Navy and Gap act as the foundation for fast fashion in Canada. Fashion retailers that mix fast-fashion with higher end clothing such as: Marks & Spencer, River Island and Next offer high and low end clothing for cheaper
prices than you would expect. These retailers are currently non-existent in Canada and are only available across Europe. I believe that Uniqlo and Nordstrom will usher in more fashion retailers into Toronto and Canada. Alongside these retailers, British fashion retailer, Reiss opened up its first store at the Eaton centre in 2015, according to blogTO. Reiss is quite pricey but you can snatch a bunch of high end clothing during its sales. This is an example of what
Toronto should have more of. A larger variety of fast fashion clothing. Fingers crossed that we will see more of these stores here in Canada. Aren’t you tired of shopping at the same old stores? Be honest and take a good look inside your closet.
Toronto is finally starting to develop its fashion scene, Josh Adesina/The Sputnik
To drink or not to drink, that is the question
Ricky Pacheco Staff Writer My favorite vice is what makes me my father’s son. It begins with the distinct fear that if I don’t get drunk with my boys tonight, I’ll be stuck with this fear of missing out. We call this ‘FOMO’ for short. Does this justify heavy drinking for three to four hours before a night out only to be greeted by a hangover the morning after? You bet your noodle it does. You can either be drunk or you can be the guy that should have gotten drunk. After all, drinking only becomes a problem when it impedes on your social life. Well, since the foundation of my social life is already centred on drinking, I’d call that a win-win. It’s all about the sense of selfactualization you think you might achieve compassionately embracing your former coworker from three years ago. It could also be about picking a
fight with someone while waiting in line at the club, or finally making the move on that special someone that makes it all worth it. After all, it’s the feeling of invincibility that drives us to expand the limits of our selfinduced boundaries. On the other hand, there is a wide spectrum of sobriety. Even a drunken a night out with your best friends can take a whole new look from the lens through the “boring” goggles. On a normal night out, I have probably allotted a sufficient amount of pre-gaming with my circle. This includes: talking, hanging out, and the occasional odd mishap. After an amicable encounter with the Uber driver, we find ourselves wading through an ocean of equally content party goers. They are often making friendly conversation with our comrades in line until we make it inside our respective venue. From this point, the night turns into somewhat of a haze. It comes down to either eating pizza or walking the five kilometre journey home. For the most part, it’s usually good and well until you look at it from the other side.
Bad habits habits can cost you a lot more than just grades. Sai Gnanahara /The Sputnik
Through the sober perspective, our pre-game at home probably looks like a series of random events, alongside common miscommunications that can often turn into a disagreement. Once that is settled, the
making friendly with strangers in line probably looks more like a pissing contest between people that refuse to find an easy solution for a petty issue. It all seems pretty textbook from this perspective.
Sometimes I can’t decide whether it’s drinking that I like or the antics associated with it. Either way a vice is a vice and if you can’t learn to live with it you better learn how to play nice.