Sputnik Issue 13

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 24, 2016 ISSUE 13 WWW.THESPUTNIK.CA @SPUTNIK_NEWS THE SPUTNIK

THE LIBRARY PROTEST 3

BET YOU CAN’T HAVE JUST ONE POPPERS 8

LOVING SPORTS IS A VICE 10

Vices

Jamaal Owusu-Ansah/The Sputnik

Laurier Students can ride Brantford Transit just by showing their ONECARD CSBOUGPSE DB USBOTJU t

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THE SPUTNIK

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 24, 2016

On vacation with the seven deadly sins

WLUSP BRANTFORD 202-171 Colborne St. Brantford, ON N3T 2C9 (519) 756-8228 ext. 5948

THE SPUTNIK TEAM

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF eic@thesputnik.ca PHOTO EDITOR Christina Manocchio photography@thesputnik.ca LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER Jamaal Owusu-Ansah leadphotographer@thesputnik.ca GRAPHIC EDITOR Sai Gnanaharan visual@thesputnik.ca WEB EDITOR Jaclyn Brown web@thesputnik.ca NEWS EDITOR Anya Eland news@thesputnik.ca ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR Now Hiring FEATURES EDITOR Brittany Bennett features@thesputnik.ca ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Matthew Burley arts@thesputnik.ca SPORTS EDITOR Devon Momy-Gamache sports@thesputnik.ca OPINION EDITOR

Voicing vices

Josh Adesina opinion@thesputnik.ca

THE SPUTNIK ADMIN PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER Bryan Stephens (519) 884-0710 ext. 3565 president@wlusp.com ADVERTISING Care Schummer (519) 884-0719 ext. 3560 care.schummer@wlusp.com MANAGER OF OPERATIONS Taylor Berzins manager@thesputnik.ca EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Lakyn Barton lakyn.barton@wlusp.com Treasurer John Pehar Vice-Chair Abdiasis Issa Director Thomas Lillo Director Rafey Sattar Director Fred Kuntz Director Angela Foster Director Gary Doyle Corporate Secretary Emily Crump The Sputnik is a bi-weekly campus newspaper intended to engage and inform the community.

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email manager@thesputnik.ca for details.

Taylor Berzins Manager of Operations As I write this, there are nearly half a dozen police cruisers surrounding the window of my office in Grand River Hall. An alleged robbery has occurred at the Scotiabank across the road.

My office has a great view. I like to watch cold people try to light their cigarettes with gloved fingers as they wait at the bus stop. I also like to watch the little acts of road rage that occur as people fight over coveted parking spaces near the library. The sounds of horns blaring is the music that fills my day.

We decided to theme this issue of The Sputnik around vices, because although T.S. Eliot says that “April is the cruelest month,” I would have to disagree; the cruellest month is February.

February is cruel because we have reached that bloated halfway point in our semester, and my god, reading week just wasn’t long enough. The weird weather has allowed the snow to melt and reveal the litter we have hidden underneath it, forcing us to be hyperaware of where we tread in order to avoid stepping in the inevitable piles of long forgotten dog turds. February sucks.

These cold, stressful, February days in a town that doesn’t often appear to have anything to do, forces us to be seduced by our vices. Maybe you’ve noticed that you’re skipping class after spending the entire night and early morning with Scully and Mulder, or curbing your stress with a strong cup of coffee and some drags on a cigarette? Or, perhaps you’re

getting jealous of your peers who appear to have more free time, or you’re pacifying your gluttonous nature with a big fat Admirals Junkpile? Maybe you’ve noticed your taste for craft beer has started to be met with a slight beer belly, or that your cards are being declined after that last shopping bender? It’s okay, it’s February, and temptation is everywhere (really though, we’re wandering an urban campus that is sandwiched between a strip club and a casino).

It’s fine to be stressed out, and it’s okay to need a day or two inside of a blanket fort, guzzling Ben and Jerry’s, while you Skype with your cat. Not every day has to be a productive day, and self care is vital.

Take a rest, be a little hedonistic and get testy with your vices.

Just don’t let the February blahs get the best of you. Go for a walk, meet up with a friend, call your mom or read a new book. If you’re really struggling, please do not forget that there’s a wide array of resources for you on campus.

Check out the Wellness Centre, visit the prayer room, call Peer Connect (1.866.281.7337) or reach out to Healthy Lifestyles.

So yes, we are trudging through the mess that is the final days of February. The local trails haven’t dried up enough yet to be pretty, the river is still too afflicted by winter to be “safe,” and the midterms for some reason haven’t stopped yet.

You’re not a bad person for wanting to dodge the blows of this cruddy month, so don’t feel guilty for hitting up NV a little harder than usual, a minor slip in your grades or for sleeping in too long. As helpful as chugging energy drinks to power through an all-nighter may seem in the moment, don’t forget that there’s more than just your vices to help you get by.

Panama Beach Florida Brittany Bennett/The Sputnik

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 24, 2016

THE SPUTNIK

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NEWS

ANYA ELAND | NEWS@THESPUTNIK.CA | @SPUTNIK_NEWS

Students participate in silent protest to advocate for a university library on campus Jamaal Owusu-Ansah/The Sputnik

Students want a university library in Brantford

Anya Eland News Editor Laurier Brantford Students held a “silent protest” on Feb. 9 to raise awareness for their interest in attaining a university library on campus.

Currently, Laurier Brantford students do not have a university library. They can only really use Brantford’s public library and even then, students are often forced to use online material, as the public library does not have the proper resources needed for students’ course work.

Mahala Valleau, a student at Laurier Brantford, led students in a 20-minute yoga session while reading books to show their support for a university library.

Pauline Dewan, is a Laurier Brantford librarian and works in the digi-

tal library located in the basement of Grand River Hall. She attended the event, and was excited to see how many want a university library on campus. “I am happy that students are keeping up the awareness of the need of the library.”

“With the establishment of a university library, comes expert librarians, with the ability to guide students through their research.

Currently, Laurier Brantford has limited librarian staff, and therefore, less specialized knowledge within the programs available on campus,” said Aryan Arvandi, a fifth year concurrent education student who helped organize the event.

Professor Ian MacRae, who teaches in the English and Society, Culture and Environment faculties at Laurier Brantford, is also pleased by the turnout at the event, and is pleased to see students taking a stand. “If professors want it, it’s fine but if student want something, it’s a big deal. Student voices matter to mobilize student issues. It strikes at the academic mission and culture of the community.”

“We pay the same amount [as other university students] we should get the same resources,” explained Arvandi.

Students are not just campaigning for resources to aid their studying and research, but also for quiet areas for them to study, especially at night and after hours when the public library usually closes.

“We need a dedicated space for students,” said Patricia Skoczylas.

Carla Mangahis said that it’s, “stressful getting books shipped to us.”

“I participated in the first library protest event last year and I support the initiative and will continue to spread awareness,” said Laurier student, Michael Berry.

“We need academics to be central and without a library it’s not,” explained MacRae. According to Dewan, planning for a library has already started, with talks of a library potentially being put into one of the empty spaces in the newly acquired Market Square Mall.

The vice of cheating: a lens on academic integrity

Shreya Shah Staff Writer Academic dishonesty, in all its various forms, is a persistent issue faced by all educational institutions.

Wilfrid Laurier University is no exception to this serious concern.

Dr. Judy Eaton, who works as both a Professor and an Academic Integrity Advisor for the Brantford campus, reports the following: “We don’t separate the campuses in terms of academic misconduct cases, but last year at WLU overall there were 234 reported cases

overall (between the Waterloo, Brantford, and Kitchener campuses). When we talk about cases, we always specify that it’s reported cases, because we know we don’t catch every case of academic misconduct!”

“The leading type of offence is plagiarism,” explained Eaton, stating that 141 cases out of the total 234 last year were incidences of plagiarism. “The next most common type is cheating or copying during a test or exam (46 cases), and unauthorized collaboration (33 cases),” said Eaton.

Most professors will agree that cheating is often done in the form of plagiarism. “I don’t often use Turnitin, but even without it, it’s usually obvious if a student has plagiarized. Professors do a lot of reading, and they’re pretty good

at seeing changes in the quality of writing, and shifts in style. Sometimes you’re reading something, and the plagiarized sections of a paper might as well be marked with a highlighter!” says Dr. James LeClair, who works as an Associate Professor and Coordinator for Health Studies.

Jaden Sunderland, a second year student explains, “In my opinion, students resort to cheating for multiple reasons. First, they might not be confident with their study skills or their paper writing ability and will resort to cheating, in its many forms, to help them raise their grades and make it appear that they did it honestly. Others may choose to cheat because they procrastinated and waited to the last minute to get their assignment in or to study for a test. Having

someone else write their paper or using another’s ideas or cheating on a test is the resolution they come up with to make up for their lack of effort. Finally, students may have an “I don’t’ care” attitude and think they can cheat and get away with it, they aren’t thinking of the consequences of their actions and they will be the ones who continue to commit academic misconduct even after the have been punished for previous offences.”

The good news is that the students have multiple resources that they can turn to for help. At Laurier, students have access to the Centre for Student Success. The centre provides students with services such as accessible learning, mathematics assistance, and writing and study skills.

Some students feel that cheat-

ing is simply a method to achieving success. For these students, Dr. LeClair has a word of advice, “I think that they’re seriously deluding themselves. If the belief is that it’s only the piece of paper that matters, that’s incredibly naïve.

This isn’t the 1960s, when just having a degree might get you a job. If you think about how many people get degrees, the piece of paper might get you into the interview pile, but you’d better be prepared to demonstrate what you bring to the table, that makes you better for the job than everyone else who has the degree requirement. If you cheated your way through, and didn’t learn a damned thing? Good luck parlaying that into a successful interview.”

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NEWS

ANYA ELAND | NEWS@THESPUTNIK.CA | @SPUTNIK_NEWS

A caffinated university experience Melissa Weaver Staff Writer Alcohol and partying are thought to be the hub of university culture. but what about coffee? According to a 2013 study by Canadian Coffee Association, 65 per cent of Canadians aged 18-79 drink coffee.

The recent opening of Tim Hortons on Dalhousie Street this September added another place for students to grab a cup of coffee along with Golden Grounds, Coffee Culture and Williams Fresh Cafe.

Golden Grounds, owned by the Students’ Union, is supplied by the Mississauga brand Mother Parkers, which celebrated their 100th year of business in 2012. The distributor also owns Higgins & Burke gourmet coffee and teas. The company is fair trade certified.

The Fair Trade Certified label means that an independent third party verified that the farmer received a fair price for the crop and that the products were made on farms that provide safe conditions for their workers.

Sarah Bowerbank, a third-year English major, rates herself an eight out of 10 on the coffee-loving scale.

“In the mornings, coffee gets me through the day. One cup and I’m super energized. However, when it comes to lectures, my mind is

focused on a thousand different things rather than paying close attention to what my professor is saying” said Bowerbank.

Jaime Medeiros, a Laurier alumna, is a self-professed coffee lover.

She rated herself a 10 on a coffeeloving scale, especially during her university career.

“I’ve always loved coffee, like a coffee made the right way, can change your whole day. But nothing compares to being in university.

Like hardcore caffeine addiction,” said Medeiros.

When it comes down to price, quality, flavour or fair trade certified; Medeiros and Bowerbank agree that flavour is key and being university students, price plays a big part in their decision.

“Tim Hortons is my number one.

Price is good, coffee’s good” said Bowerbank.

“I feel like fair trade should be something important to me, […] but I don’t go out of my way to choose somewhere that is,” said Medeiros.

While clubbing and partying are major sources of entertainment for students, Medeiros points out that caffeine is ingrained in the university experience.

“It’s kind of the universal thing in the university community. Meeting for a group project? Coffee shop.

Meeting a professor? Coffee shop.

Planning with your boss? Coffee shop,” said Medeiros.

“I feel like it’s the caffeine that brings people together,” said Medeiros.

Forming better habits

Habits can impact student success Jamaal Owusu-Ansah/The Sputnik

Anya Eland News Editor Taylor Berzins Manager of Operations Stress has a nasty way of getting students down, and it is very easy to become distracted from tasks or to take on habits to power through responsibilities.

“Stress is a normal part of deadlines and juggling priorities, and it’s important to have healthy ways to deal with it,” explains Jenna Olender, Manager of Writing and Study Skills Services at the Brantford campus’ Centre for Student Success.

It is easy to find distractions during moments of high stress. For Jenna Beserth, Netflix is an easy escape from the stress of coursework.

“It’s definitely taken my attention away from studying, sometimes I’ll study for a bit and think ‘I’ll just take a twenty-minute break and watch this show,’ but then the next

show comes on 15 seconds later and I find myself watching it for six hours. Since the next show comes on 15 seconds later and it’s so available wherever you are. I think it’s a good distraction from problems and stress so that could be why it’s so popular among students,” said Beserth.

“Indulging in distractions like binge watching a favourite show can derail our best intentions to study or get our assignments done,” explains Olender. “Sometimes stress and anxiety about the magnitude of what we need to do prompts us to avoid the task. Sometimes we get involved in a time-sucking activity (like a tv marathon) and what we intended to be a small break becomes a lost night for studying…the resulting guilt from not getting our work done can increase our stress and begin a negative cycle of more procrastination and guilt.”

Distractions are obviously not the only vices students gravitate to-

wards in hopes of coping through the stress of coursework. Habits like smoking cigarettes to curb anxiety, and over caffeinating are common student afflictions.

Although many students use cigarettes as a stress buster, Cindy Wood from Laurier Brantford’s Wellness Centre explains, ““We do not get many students who want to quit smoking; mostly mature students,” Olender stresses the importance of self-care and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. “I encourage students to keep up the things that help them feel good: exercise, hobbies, volunteering, seeing friends and family, religious or spiritual practice, and personal care (like going for a massage or having a manicure),” explains Oldener, she suggests creating a weekly schedule.

“In a weekly schedule, students can identify their commitments [like] class time, work shifts, the tv show that can’t be missed, gym

time… to make sure that they have time for everything they want to do, including those healthy selfcare choices,” says Olender. “The keys to scheduling success are two-fold: [firstly] break down tasks into smaller goals, which helps us manage stress, stay motivated, and build momentum to completion, and [secondly] break down scheduled study time into shorter chunks with breaks built-in, so we don’t need to rely on stimulants.”

In regards to reclaiming vices for positive study approaches, Olender explains, “use the things we love doing as rewards for getting through what we need to do.”

“Little pleasures reward little goals; keep the bigger rewards for the larger achievement at the end. For example, when you’ve completed three papers or gotten through all your final exams, that is the time to reward yourself with a night out partying with friends,” says Olender.

used for ADHD) improve performance if you do not have the disorder,” said Cindy Wood, Manager of Laurier Brantford’s Wellness Centre, in an email.

Students have requested the medication or have gone elsewhere to find it, even though they do not have the disorder.

“We do have students requesting it, or telling us they have used ‘their friend’s’ (which we strongly discourage for many reasons). Unless there is documentation from a physician/psychologist…[that] there is a formal diagnosis of ADHD, we do not prescribe these medications, especially as a ‘study aid’,” said Wood.

In an article written by the Cen-

tre of Youth and Adult Health and Development a survey was conducted on how many students in college use non-medical prescriptions to help with focusing. In all four years of college, about 31 per cent of students use these prescriptions, though 61.8 per cent were offered.

“All medications can be potentially harmful if not prescribed and monitored by a medical physician,” said Wood, in an email.

Laurier Brantford’s Wellness Centre offers many services that could help students with relieving stress and help them learn how to focus better. Students may feel that medications and substances are the only way to get work done and

not be distracted, when in reality there are other aids to help assist students in what they are trying to accomplish.

“If a student is struggling with concentration and focus, we would do a comprehensive assessment as this could be a possible multitude of things including a medical issue (thyroid, diabetes) or perhaps clinical depression or anxiety,” said Wood, in an email.

The Wellness Centre encourages students to see someone if they feel they need an aid to help them focus.

“There are medications that can treat the symptoms but again, it depends on what is causing the lack of concentration or focus,” said Wood, in an email.

The reality of ‘study enhancers’ Taylor Burt Staff Writer As midterms are approaching and more assignments are getting assigned, students are looking for study aids. Many have turned to medications such as Adderall and Ritalin believing they help stimulate their focus, though experts say otherwise.

“It is a myth that the Adderall, Concerta, Ritalin, etc. (medications

Marijuana economics

Vikrant Jaswal Staff Writer With the potential legalization of marijuana, an untapped market could open for recreational users in Canada. Although the notion of legalizing marijuana is still in the works, a lot of research and studies have been conducted to estimate on how the market will operate. Lorne Bozinoff, Ph.D., the president and founder of Forum Research, concludes in a research poll on marijuana that, “they want to see it strictly licensed and controlled, not grown in basements and sold in corner stores. The size of the market, however, should be good news for the potential industry players waiting to open shop here.” In other words, majority approve of the legalizing, taxing and regulating of marijuana use, based on a random sampling opinion poll among 1256 Canadian voters.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wants to make the legalization of marijuana possible. Debating with restricting sale to the ages 19 and up, and having a delivery model in which 45 per cent of voters prefer, through government agencies like LCBO. This opens up a potential 26.9 million Canadians eligible for the product according StatCan 2015.

The forum poll research estimates the marijuana market is to be as a big as eight million customers, with a potential three in ten adults based off of a sampling poll for those who used it in the past year, and those who will use marijuana when legalized. Comparing profit estimations for Canada to Colorado (the first U.S state to fully legalize marijuana), Colorado profited $63 million dollars in tax revenue for the state with a smaller population of 5.4 million people with 700,000 customers according to Bloomberg. In comparison to Canada’s 26.9 million eligible customers this can estimate up to one billion dollars.

However, it has been considered that there could be some economic implications for the legalization of marijuana. Rising concerns appear about marijuana being legal to where smoking a joint is no longer a ground for receiving a criminal offense, losing a seven and a half billion dollars in tax revenue annually.

With a new market huge opportunity of direct and indirect employment opportunities will be available which will create more jobs, and receiving more net income for the economy. But, with majority being intent on having government agencies deal with distribution, job creation will be limited. With the likelihood of legalization becoming more of a reality than a promise, benefits for the economy is interesting to look forward to.

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 24, 2016

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FEATURES

BRITTANY BENNETT | FEATURES@THESPUTNIK.CA | @SPUTNIK_NEWS

“You always owe it to

yourself” Sai Gnanaharan/The Sputnik

Julian Panchaud Staff Writer Alcoholism is a dangerous condition that can arise from repeatedly abusing alcohol. Like any other addiction, quitting is an incredible challenge.

Ainsley Arnold, who is seven sober, spoke to me about her experience with alcoholism.

Arnold compared alcoholism to an abusive relationship. “Whether it’s a substance or a person it just takes over,” she says.

Arnold explained what alcoholism does to persist. It creates a vicious cycle of feeling bad, drinking to feel good for a brief moment and

then ultimately feeling bad again when the effects of drinking wear off, driving one to drink more. “If anything, you feel ashamed and want to punish yourself, and drinking is the first thing that comes to mind as a way to do that.”

“You become dependent on it, like with any substance,” Arnold explained. “After being sober for seven years, the people who helped me through it always congratulate me, like it’s something I survived, got past, something I beat. But really it’s not over, never over.”

“Admittedly I don’t know if it’s a personality trait of mine specifically, I’m no psychologist, but I’d be lying if I said the desire to drink was just gone. I still feel it, still need to consciously suppress that desire,” says Arnold. “I think it’s the same with most other addictions, other self destructive habits.”

Arnold explained that being trapped in the cycle of alcoholism

made interactions with people very difficult. “I would always get defensive and angry with people when they tried to help me, cut myself off from everyone and I think that was the biggest mistake. Biggest mistake anyone suffering with alcoholism can do, because once you spend so long rejecting help, you start to forget how to ask for it.”

Arnold also said that alcoholism twisted her lifestyle, as she knew it, for a long time. “I found it really, really hard to concentrate on the things I enjoyed when booze wasn’t involved. I had lots of hobbies, lots of things I liked doing that propelled me forward, but during the worst stages of my addiction I just didn’t care as much,” she said.

“One night it just got way too bad, actually overdosed by accident. I started to get a headache so I took some painkillers, headache didn’t stop so drunk me thought it was a good idea to take more pain-

killers, and well, you get the idea. I think that was my major wake up call.” She explained that she’d never experienced any serious alcohol poisoning before that incident, describing it as the worst hangover ever.

Despite her struggles, Arnold was able to recover from the worst of her alcoholism with support from friends and family.

“People around me just made me confront myself, and I’m really grateful for that. Maybe not necessarily the gentlest but that’s for the best. Tough love, you know?”

Unfortunately, there are some who weren’t as supportive of Arnold’s decision to quit drinking.

“Some of the people I used to party with would say I just wasn’t fun anymore. Luckily I’m just by nature a very stubborn person so I managed to stick with it, but I can imagine that would have screwed up most others’ plans of quitting.

I was really trying to get my life together, was really serious about it.”

Arnold stated that without the persistence of everyone encouraging her to stay sober, she likely would have relapsed. “After depending on it for so long, it takes a long time to get back into a healthy mindset,” she said.

Ainsley shared advice to those struggling with alcoholism, “I would say it helps to try and replace drinking with a new obsession, namely a hobby. Sports, collecting something, exercise, anything that demands attention. Something else to fixate on and use to propel you forward in place of the toxic addiction.”

She finished on an encouraging note, saying to everyone hoping to overcome any kind of addiction: “You always owe it to yourself to make your life better.”

Making political statements this Black History Month

Dellesia Noah Staff Writer I believe February started off with a bang, no wait more than a bang, with a huge explosion.

Beyoncé Knowles-Carter was left standing in the midst of that explosion. Flash forward to the night of the GRAMMYs and another artist was heating up the stage, Kendrick Lamar. Now what do these two artists have in common? These two artists were ready with a political statement to share during a very opportunistic time, Black History Month. I believe the black community consistently yearns for a more accurate representation of who we are. That’s exactly what Beyoncé and Kendrick gave us, a more in-depth narrative of who we are as people.

Beyoncé’s statement on black issues was an equation of various elements: the video for her song “Formation” plus its specific lyrics, plus her super bowl performance equaled a politically charged statement.

Let us start with the video: in one scene we see a little black boy dancing in front of a line of police officers and once he is finished they raise their hands up to him.

This is a counter image to what we have actually seen: cops gunning down our young black men despite

whether they were compliant or not.

Within the lyrics, Beyoncé sings, “I like my baby heir with baby hair and afro / I like my negro nose with Jackson Five nostrils.” This was responding to every person who came at her daughter for having “nappy hair” or her husband for having a “big nose.” These lyrics were there to say: features that set us apart from the rest is what makes us unique and the media or anybody else isn’t going to get us to hate ourselves for what makes us black.

Lastly, Beyoncé’s Super Bowl performance, where she stood with the rest of her back up dancers with costumes emulating those of the Black Panthers. She specifically chose to dress as this revolutionary black nationalist and socialist organization whose core practice was to monitor behavior of police officers and challenge police brutality. This decision was as if to say: this fight that the Black Panthers fought for still isn’t over.

After adding all these pieces together, Beyoncé is clearly trying to say: look we’d really appreciate it if you’d stop gunning down our people. No we’re not going to hate ourselves or change ourselves for your benefit and if you can’t handle that well we’re just going to have to do like these Black Panthers did and get in formation and fight for our people.

Now Kendrick’s music has always had something to preach.

Sometimes it is controversial, sometimes it is enlightening. It was

no surprise that his latest album To Pimp a Butterfly wasn’t any different.

On the night of the GRAMMYs, Kendrick began his performance in chains and cuffed to his fellow black men behind him. The setting was a prison, where again you see black men locked up. This was a clear comment on the American prison system. America is arguably the most incarcerated country in the world. There are more AfricanAmerican men locked up today in the systems then there were under slavery in 1850.

The first song Lamar performs is “The Blacker the Berry” which is loaded with raw truth. Kendrick raps in the second verse, saying “That’s what you’re telling me, penitentiary would only hire me?” The first verse stating, “I’m African-American, I’m African / I’m black as the moon … You hate me don’t you / you hate my people; your plan is to terminate my culture?”

The men performing did not stay in chains for long, and as the camera panned to an audience that looked more than a little uncomfortable. As Kendrick transitioned into the next songs he seemed to state: you can lock up our bodies but never our minds.

When Kendrick performed his song, “Alright” it was set in front of an African tribal celebration.

There’s a line in the chorus that’s an inspirational one, relatable across any race, religion, culture or sexuality: “Do you hear me, do you feel me? We gon’ be alright.”

Twitter users show support for Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar

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WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 24, 2016

ARTS & CULTURE MATTHEW BURLEY | ARTS@THESPUTNIK.CA | @SPUTNIK_NEWS

University drinking cultures

Drinking culture is unique on every campus Alex Vialette/The Sputnik Indecks Matthew Burley & Devon Momy-Gamache/The Sputnik

What’s in store for Indecks?

Matthew Burley A&C Editor Devon Momy-Gamache Sports Editor On Feb. 3, Indecks Skateboards and Apparel reopened its doors after almost four weeks of renovation. Some of the latest additions to Indecks include new shelving units and an open floor plan. The new shelving units are intended to better showcase the product and maximize maintainability.

Indecks has been the only “core” skate shop in Brantford for the last eight years, and has earned quite the reputation for it. Store owner Jeff Somerville opted out of the old, poster strewn walls for a modern look.

“It was time for a new look, we always like to keep updating the store and keep a modern, clean look and keep things new and exciting,” stated Somerville.

Somerville was pleased with how the renovation turned out, however, it was a lengthy process. “I don’t like being closed but I have learned from previous years that January is our slowest month, and would be the best time to do it we were closed almost four weeks.”

It’s difficult to tell how much the grand total of Indecks’ renovation cost due to the lost sales on top of the renovation costs. However, Somerville was thankful there were no major problems in the building process and said, “I’m lucky that I had friends that could help with the renovation.”

The renovation was funded entirely by Indecks, as the shop does not fall under the jurisdictions of the BIA (Business Improvement Area).

Indecks has been a staple in the Brantford skate culture since its doors opened in 2008. By hosting

demos, contests, and sponsoring skaters, they’ve allowed the community to flourish in ways that they never saw possible.

Third year Criminology student Ryan Dekleyn has been shopping at Indecks for about two and a half years, and loves having a local skate shop in town. “It made Brantford that much more homey, you know?”

Somerville is always happy to give back to the Brantford skateboarding community, as he feels that Indecks fills the skateboarding void.

“I remember into the 80s and 90s we did not have a skateboard shop anywhere, and you had to drive to Toronto or order from California, so I’m glad I can give back to skateboarding in the town and run a shop that I wish I had growing up as a skateboarder.”

Brantford’s skaters aren’t the only ones are benefitting from Indecks.

Gino’s Pizza assistant manager Ali Andy understands the importance of healthy relationships between local businesses. “We all work together and the businesses help each other and share customers. It definitely helps having Indecks there.”

With Indecks open again the businesses in the immediate area should see customers come back as well.

“They draw in the younger group… they go there then they come here to get some pizza.” said Andy.

Somerville feels that the location of Indecks has played a large role in its longevity, “I truly believe we have lasted this long because of the location we are in between a high school and the Brantford skateboard park.”

Due to the cold weather there will be minimal impact for the store in the immediate future. Once summer starts the true impact of the renovations will be felt as customers return to the store in larger numbers.

Alex Vialette Staff Writer It should come to no surprise that every university has its own campus culture, but drinking culture is much more unique.

At the Laurier Brantford campus, Nelson parties, hitting up NV, and the odd student popping molly are some of the more common sights any given week. But that’s obviously not what students on the main campus are up to. With a bar built into their campus, their student body being enormous in comparison to Brantford, and the size of the city they’re in, students on the Waterloo campus have a lot more choice when it comes to what to do on any given day of the week.

“Well I was going to go to Laurier,” said University of Guelph student Tyler Russel, “but visited

a friend in Guelph and partied for a weekend, instantly changed my acceptance; basically fun times brought me to UoG.” “There’s always something going on man,” said Western student Brian Foster. “Dollar beers on Monday, Jack’s on Tuesday, Rick’s on Wednesdays, Taphouse on Thursdays, Ceeps and rez on Friday, Saturdays is a shitshow downtown and rez. And Sunday is for hangovers.”

But depending on location, school drinking culture can change up a lot. With Quebec having a lower legal drinking age, a lot of CEGEP students (pretty much the same as college but tuition is dirt cheap, Google it), are already drinking and have been for two years by the time they’re in university. This makes drinking culture in Quebec much different than the kinds you find in Ontario. Also, since the legal drinking age is 18, in Quebec many campus club events and fundraisers, are held at bars and clubs, which has an impact on people’s party experience.

While differences can arise between, campuses universities and locations, differences are present within programs as well. Harrison Mackay is a Police Foundations student at Conestoga college and is finishing his last semester in the program. As a Police Foundations student, he faces a certain problem with partying at his school.

“I haven’t heard of any Conestoga specific parties unless they are held by the school,” said Mackay, “but I probably just run with the wrong circle to get invited to any of them.

Our program had a few parties but I didn’t go to them, and as far as I know the parties within my program were clean. It’s almost a subculture, we’re very divided because a lot of people dislike our program.

Most people don’t care but we’re the target of a lot of negative posts on our school’s spotted page.”

The only constant that can be seen between types of drinking culture at different schools is that different cultures can draw in different students.

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ARTS & CULTURE MATTHEW BURLEY | ARTS@THESPUTNIK.CA | @SPUTNIK_NEWS

Featured Artist: God Flow (Chuck Collins)

Photos of Chuck Collins Jamaal Owusu-Ansah/The Sputnik

vidual to always be different, so if everyone wants to play basketball, I’ll soccer. So producing was the same way. I felt I should be different by making the sounds in which artists perfect in this art.

Matthew Burley A&C Editor

The Featured Artist is a Laurier Brantford student who is constantly striving for creative and artistic excellence. The medium isn’t what’s important; it’s the art. This weeks’ Featured Artist is Chuck Collins.

Have long have you been producing for?

I’ve been producing for a year now, 10 months to be exact. So I am relatively still new to this. But I’ve learned a lot and got a lot experience through a lot of other great producers and engineers.

What attracted you to making beats instead of rapping?

I’ve always been the type of indi-

What do you think makes a good beat? The sample, the rhythm, the artist rapping over the beat?

A good beat consists of a good collaboration between artist and producer. The producer has to be willing to take criticism in order for the beauty of the art to come to life. Also you need to have the best industry sounds for you to bring out your upmost creativity. But of course you need a talented artist to bring that beat to life with the lyrics.

What software do you use to create beats?

I use Logic Pro X, recently I’ve been playing around with FL Studio but Logic is my main software.

Have you listened to Kanye’s latest album, The Life of Pablo?

If so, how did you feel about the production on it?

I haven’t listened to the album yet, I feel the buzz is too much and there are too many opinions of Kanye and his new work. I’m waiting for the album to buzz down a bit then I’ll listen to it. But I have heard a couple of songs and the production of it sounded pretty different, then again I don’t expect anything else from Kanye he always brings something new to the game.

What’s something that sets him apart from others that you’ve worked with?

What sets Pizzy apart from other artists I’ve worked with is this vast knowledge of Hip Hop and his creative art and multiple flow sets. Artists (rappers) now a days just hop on a beat and talk about pretty much nothing these days. Pizzy is different, you give him a subject to spit about and he will deliver. This partnership has now developed into us making our own group/ future label together called Revenge Set.

One of our past Featured Artist’s Pizzy Only recommended we talk to you for the column.

Have you ever worked on music with Pizzy before?

Yes, Pizzy and I have worked together. He really pushed and encouraged me to continue producing and it’s paying off now.

On your SoundCloud, you #Trap on all of your beats. What would you say the definition of trap is and how is it different that regular hip hop?

In my opinion trap is the new gangster rap, or the new bad boy of rap. If you look in the past (2000s) the conventional gangster rap was all about what gang you repped and how to body your enemy. Listen to 50 Cent, Lil Wayne, Juelz Santana etc... Ironically these legends aren’t relevant anymore because their style of music is outdated. Trap music is really drug music, it seems cooking crack and selling heavy drugs is the new “cool.” Really dark backgrounds mixed with funky and catchy high keys and melodies that make you want to groove and of course the famous heavy hard 808s.

It isn’t trap without a heavy 808.

Regular hip hop doesn’t abuse the 808; heavy kicks are what make an hip hop track.

Who are some of your biggest trap influences?

The influences are; “Trap God” himself Gucci Mane, Lex Luger, SouthSide, Sonny Digital, and Metro Boomin.’ These are the guys that help create the trap side of my beats.

Although I believe I’m creating a new type of hip hop sound, as I have been told my beats are nothing like you’ve heard before.

If you were locked in a studio for 24 hours and could make a track with one artist and one other producer, who would they be and why?

This is one hell of a question! Because it’s two people for each side.

Evidentially the producer I’d want to be in a studio with would be my personal idol Hit-Boi; I can’t ignore his unbelievable talent and Midas touch in music. My rapper would be Drake, working with him would be the most strategic choice. In industry personal feelings don’t get you anywhere. So that would be my answer.

As this is the “vices issue”, I’m going to ask some questions about vices. Trap music is known to revolve around drugs, money and women, particularly strippers. Have any of these things been an influence in the past when creating music?

Personally no, I’ve always enjoyed the music without really focusing on those things. More say to the fact that not all trap just revolves around that, but that white America has labeled that term to it. White America is always misinformed; trap music generally is about the struggle of these individuals who have no other options but to trap their way to the top. With that comes violence because you can’t trap in other people’s turf, with that comes women because when you have the money, the women follow as well. But to answer the question I say no, I make my beats because I have general love for creating music.

How do you think drugs have affected students here at Laurier Brantford?

I can’t really say, I haven’t seen or heard of any crazy drug stories in my three years here at Laurier Brantford. But I definitely hope there isn’t.

How do you feel about the usage of “lean” in the music industry?

I definitely believe it is abused and very unhealthy. I think a lot of these artists are just trying to be “cool” or show how “turnt” they can be or force to show how good they are rapping when influenced by “lean.”

But lean is something I’d definitely stay away from.

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WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 24, 2016

ARTS & CULTURE MATTHEW BURLEY | ARTS@THESPUTNIK.CA | @SPUTNIK_NEWS

The lowdown on a cheap high

Glutton for punishment: my collection is complete, but my wallet is empty

Shelby Do Staff Writer Matthew Burley/The Sputnik

Matthew Burley A&C Editor All names have been changed to protect the privacy of those portrayed within the article. The Sputnik does not endorse nor condone the use of illegal drugs.

Anticipation leaves your stomach churning as you pull a cigarette out of a fresh pack; the foreign scent of raisins wafts feintly from the open deck. In front of you lays a small pile of freshly ground weed. It’s a five chip, at best, but it’s more than enough.

It’s your turn in the rotation. You rip the tip of the cigarette and shove it snuggly into the piece. You stamp the piece into the pile slowly but firmly, to make sure that it doesn’t snap too quickly.

Your friend passes the bong with his left hand, which you happily accept. With shaking hands you place the piece into the bong. After a few deep breaths you a ready; three, two, one. It begins.

As you spark the lighter and begin to slowly inhale, you can hear the bubbles bounce off the walls of the chamber. The smoke is now slowly rising into your mouth; the taste of tobacco begins to overwhelm your tongue. The weed is now cherried and it’s almost time to snap it. With one final gasp of breath, the piece is cleared.

You exhale a thick cloud of light grey smoke, which was smoother than it should have been. Your head is now buzzing and you feel tingling in your spine and neck. In a breathless state you lay back in your seat and close your eyes. You’ve just smoked a popper; it isn’t your first, and it isn’t your last.

Poppers are a popular yet unhealthy method that people all across Ontario use to get high. The origins of the popper are relatively unknown, but they seem to have popped up in Ontario within the last few decades. They are attractive to teenagers and students due to their bang for their buck; they require little weed and can give a tremendous high. However, this high comes at a higher price.

Laurier Brantford student Tony, smoked poppers for about a year and a half, and started mainly because of the head rush that comes with poppers but also because it saves money and weed. Before coming to Laurier Brantford, Tony had never heard of poppers, “I hadn’t heard of them back in Saskatchewan.” However, Tony quit smoking them after he started “spitting out gross phlegm in the morning.” “ It was like black tar, it’s disgusting,” stated Tony.

Tony found it easy to quit, however, not everyone felt the same way.

Laurier Brantford student Sam had to quit due to physical withdrawals. Sam got into poppers through her friends in residence and was “hooked after the first one”.

“It was very difficult to quit because I had physical withdrawal symptoms such as extreme nausea and vomiting” stated Sam, who smoked poppers for about two years. “If I didn’t smoke every morning and every few hours after that, I would vomit. It was extremely unpleasant.”

Physical repercussions like coughing up phlegm and vomiting can scare students into quitting, however, it’s not the only outcome.

Laurier Brantford student Emily loved smoking poppers. “ I love the whole process of packing a popper, getting that head rush. Literally everything about it.” Yet, Emily forced herself to go cold turkey after smoking approximately 20 to 30 poppers a day for about three years.

“It was extremely hard to quit because weed was my security blanket. Any problem I had would be solved with smoking, any emotion would be controlled with smoking so I ended up having massive panic attacks. I couldn’t eat for a week and went to the hospital because I was throwing up every morning and laying on the bathroom floor crying for hours. I couldn’t sleep or anything but just feel scared. I literally had a mental breakdown,” stated Emily.

Laurier Brantford student Wade has been smoking poppers for four years. He tried it with his friends back in highschool and the head rush got him “hooked instantly”.

Wade stated it was “unlike anything I had felt from straight weed before.”

What is it that makes poppers so addicting? All of those who were interviewed felt that the headrush is the most addictive part of smoking poppers.

Spencer is a Laurier Brantford student who has smoked poppers on and off for about four years.

He will still “occasionally indulge if the opportunity presents itself” and feels poppers are so addicting because of the tobacco related side effects and the relaxed state it puts you in.

Curiosity takes over when it comes to poppers; wanting to experience is rush is the main factor.

Wade tried poppers out of curiosity and Emily smoked her first popper with her high school best friend because “we just liked to try everything.”

Poppers Slang Popper:

Pop, P, Pooper, Toke, Yachtie/ Yacht, Hoot

Piece:

Tube, Shaft

Tobacco:

Batch, Tip, Tib, Tobe, Dart

Weed:

Herb, Chron/ Chronic, Dope, Kush, Ush, Dank

With Star Wars: The Force Awakens making waves, and superhero films, like the recently released Deadpool, making hundreds of millions of dollars, it only makes sense that, from a business standpoint, these movie studios take advantage of their massive markets. Consumers pandering for more of what they love are always happy to spend money on items related to what they love, be it movies, books or television shows.

It is due to this surge in sequels and franchises that collecting has become more popular than ever.

Pawn shops, thrift stores, eclectic businesses, and most recently, the internet, have given rise to a mass wave of buying, selling and trading collectibles, making it easier for collectors to complete their collections, while simultaneously stimulating a collector’s urge to have more and more.

But what exactly makes people want to collect? Brandon, the manager at JC Collectibles, the branch of JC Retail known for selling and/or trading hard-to-find video games and nerd culture collectibles, thought collecting often had to do with passion. As JC Retail is made up of multiple stores, he discussed that JC Collectibles was started from the love that the owners had for superheroes and sci-fi. That passion began a successful franchise rooted deeply in nerd culture. Due to the demand for nerd culture wares, JC Retail now operates multiple stores in Southern Ontario, and plans to pop-up in more cities in the near future.

Of course, passion’s not the only reason behind why people get into collecting for a hobby. Local collecting aficionado, James Stephenson, commented that much of collecting is linked to nostalgia. When asked about why he collected for a

hobby, he said, “for me, it’s reliving the youth.” Nostalgia is a heavy influence for people’s love of a franchise, and can be a big part of why franchises keep making new merchandise, years after their release.

For example, in the front door of JC Collectibles, there is a life-sized statue of Jar Jar Binks. While the films are generally not well received, and the Star Wars prequels came out in the early 2000s, people’s love for the Star Wars franchise as a whole keeps the series alive, even to the point of beginning a trilogy and spin-off films well after the original trilogy’s release.

So at what point does collecting turn from a fun hobby to a vice?

Well, there can be a sense of pride that can come from having a “superior” collection. Whether it’s because they own more rare items, or have accumulated more altogether, collecting can lead to a social hierarchy among fans, separating the “true fans” from everyone else. Treating anyone worse for their assumed ignorance and lack of so-called “worthiness” is simply disrespectful. It creates a divide among fans who, at their core, are both simply trying to support and express their love of the same thing.

On a more serious note, when the merchandise becomes more important than anything else, collecting truly becomes gluttony. Having an excess of anything can often be seen as a problem, but worrying more about a hobby than physical and mental health can be an extreme issue.

As made known by the A&E show Hoarders, hoarding is a very real and very dangerous mental illness, generally summarized by excess and anxiety-driven compulsion to keep far more than necessary. It can also be related to compulsive buying, acquiring and storing of the items deemed important. This doesn’t mean everyone who collects merchandise for a hobby are hoarders, but it is important to keep in mind that while collecting is a fun pastime, it isn’t the end of the world.

Just have fun.

Bong:

PB, Biz, Glass, Unit, Plastic Buddy

A wonderful collection Emma Flintoft/The Sputnik

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 24, 2016

THE SPUTNIK

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SPORTS

DEVON MOMY-GAMACHE| SPORTS@THESPUTNIK.CA | @SPUTNIK_NEWS

Laurier men’s hockey team ends season on home ice

Devon Momy-Gamache Sports Editor Laurier Brantford men’s extramural hockey team finished their season with their best finish of the year while playing on home ice.

The team struggled in their semifinal game losing to Redeemer 4-0. The game was more competitive than the scoreboard showed.

Laurier kept it tied until halfway through the second period before Redeemer scored two quick goals in 38 seconds, to take control. Re-

deemer scored on the power play early in the third to put an unofficial end to Laurier’s season.

Laurier had a chance at the start of the game to build some momentum near the end of the first period with a four-minute, man advantage.

Laurier failed to take advantage as their power play continued to struggle. Laurier ended the tournament failing to score on their 10 power plays. Failing to score against Redeemer was nothing to be embarrassed about, as it was Redeemer’s third consecutive shutout of the tournament.

To reach the semi-finals, Laurier finished second in their five-team pool after an upset win over Fanshawe, a team that has given Laurier struggles in the past. In a penalty-filled game, Laurier was able

to hold on for a 2-0 win. The teams combined for 56 penalty minutes in total including a game misconduct for a Fanshawe forward as well as the Fanshawe coach receiving a penalty for delay of game after arguing calls.

Laurier managed to get on the board early, before the game got physical when Tyler Jones scored a shorthanded goal halfway through the first. Jones scored after Mitch Smyth made a play to create a twoon-one break before making the pass to Jones. Early in the final period, Brian Holland let go a shot that would find a way to roll in to give Laurier a 2-0 lead. Golden Hawks goalie Ben Brenner wouldn’t need any more support as he made some key saves late to secure the shutout.

The win was important for the

team according to assistant captain Mike Bondy, “Fanshawe’s been kind of a team that we’ve always struggled with... that was a huge morale victory for all of us and we came out flying that third game because of that.”

The tournament did not get off to a positive start for the Golden Hawks, who opened with a game against McMaster. After a goal in the first Laurier’s captain, Kevin Lamplugh, had a chance to tie the game, but couldn’t finish. After a second goal, Tommy Kudoba attempted to reply off the faceoff, but his shot hit the post as Laurier continued to trail. A goal from Bradley Stitt with seven minutes left in the game closed the gap to one. A late rush by Jones came close, but Laurier couldn’t get the equalizer

before an empty netter resulted in a 3-1 final.

Laurier had to face the challenge of finding success without a coach, which lead to the senior leaders of the team taking more control. “It ran as smooth as it could and we have to give credit to the [team] for that because they made our job really easy, without a coach it’s really easy to disrespect the process but we stuck to the game plan and they believed in us,” said Lamplugh on how the team dealt with the challenge.

Laurier will not qualify for the Challenge Cup at the end of the season, meaning that the team has played their last game of the season on home ice.

Laurier loses to Redeemer ending the season on home ice Devon Momy-Gamache/The Sputnik

Athletes just as vulnerable to vices as everyone else

Adam Stocker Staff Writer Coming out of college, Lawrence Phillips was a superstar prospect who became a cautionary story of athletes whose vices kept them away from being a generational superstar. For Phillips, he could never control his mental and emotional vices. On Jan. 13, Philips’ took his own life in a California prison.

In 1993, Phillips enrolled at the University of Nebraska, after being one of the top college football recruits. In his freshman season, he rushed for 572 yards on 105 carries, as Nebraska would finish 11-1, and third in the nation. In his sophomore season, Phillips and Nebraska would go undefeated finishing 13-0 and win the first of back to back National Championships. Phillips carried the Nebraska offense in 1994, gaining over 2000 yards on 331 touches. The 1994 season marked

the peak of Phillips life at the age 19.

In March 1994, Phillips was charged with assault and vandalism. Just prior to the 1995 season, Phillips was investigated by the NCAA for taking a free lunch with an agent. Still ruled eligible to play, Phillips was a heavy favourite for the Heisman Trophy. That’s when Phillips’ off-the-field troubles caught up with him. After running through Nick Saban’s Michigan State defense for 206 yards, Phillips was again arrested for assault. Phillips threw his ex-girlfriend, Nebraska basketball player Kate McEwen, to the bathroom floor before dragging her down three flights of stairs.

Phillips would miss games due to suspension but would again carry Nebraska to the National Championship before turning pro.

The St. Louis Rams selected Phillips sixth overall, in what has now become a prime example of the boom or bust proposition that drafting players with multiple red flags off the field can be. In recent years, the Cleveland Browns drafted Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel in the first round. Less than two years after selecting Manziel, the Browns are trying to rid them-

selves of the troubled quarterback.

For every Manziel, there is a Randy Moss. Moss was kicked out of Notre Dame and Florida State.

After having his own troubles with the law and drugs before maturing at Marshall. The Minnesota Vikings selected Moss in the first round and Moss is waiting for his induction into the Hall of Fame.

To make way for Phillips as the starting running back, the Rams would trade future Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Phillips would last just 19 months on the Rams roster and spent more time in jail than he did the end zone. Phillips served 23 days in jail before being released part way through his second season. Following his release, then Rams Head Coach Dick Vermeil cried during his press conference calling him the best running back he had ever coached, wishing he could have done more to help Phillips with his vices.

After being waived by the Rams, the Dolphins would pick up Phillips only to release him after Phillips was again arrested for an assault at a Florida nightclub. As the years went by, teams continued to take

flyers on Phillips. The San Francisco 49ers gave Phillips his last chance in the NFL after he rushed for over 1000 yards in NFL Europe. Phillips’ behavioural issues would appear again as he refused to practice and was suspended and later released.

Phillips would sign for an Arena Football team, but was again cut after walking out on the team. The Canadian Football League would give Phillips another chance and he would carry Montreal to a Grey Cup, only to be cut the next season after he was charged with a sexual assault.

A decade after leading Nebraska to its second straight National Championship, Phillips was out of football entirely. In August 2005, Phillips was arrested for assault after allegedly driving his car into three teenagers following a pickup football game dispute. Around the same time, police were looking for Phillips for a pair of cases of domestic violence. By the time all of the legal proceedings were finished in Dec. 2009, Phillips was convicted of multiple felonies and received 32 years in prison. Last April, Phillips’ cellmate was found dead in his cell, leaving Phillips as the prime

suspect. He was charged with firstdegree murder on Sept. 1, 2015.

The life of Lawrence Phillips would come to an end at the age of 40 on Jan. 13, in an apparent suicide. Two days later, his family would donate his brain to CTE researchers at the University of Boston.

The story of Phillips is one of the saddest examples of athletes who could not control their vices.

Despite the story of Phillips being told to athletes as cautionary tales, athletes continue to make the same mistakes. In football, Aaron Hernandez is a more recent cautionary tale, whose life is very similar to Phillips. Manziel’s life continues to spiral out of control. The former Texas A&M quarterback had red flags during his college years as he gained a reputation as a heavy partier. Manziel would be shown at the draft drinking as he waited to be selected. Following his first season, Manziel entered rehab. Following his second season, Manziel is currently being investigated for domestic violence. Like Phillips, Manziel’s vices could end the quarterback’s career in under three seasons.

Want to write sports?

Email sports@thesputnik.ca for details.

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SPORTS

DEVON MOMY-GAMACHE | SPORTS@THESPUTNIK.CA | @SPUTNIK_NEWS

Laurier Brantford announces new men’s soccer team Sai Gnanaharan/The Sputnik

Jessa Braun Staff Writer Laurier Brantford is hitting a big milestone this fall as it starts up its first ever varsity team.

The team will be a men’s indoor soccer team and will participate in the Ontario College Athletics Association (OCAA). There can only be one team from Wilfrid Laurier in the OUA league, which in this case is Laurier Waterloo, so the Brantford campus is getting access to the

university’s OCAA membership.

The league is tournament-based and does not hold regular season games. Each team plays with five men aside for games.

“The fact that we’re going to have our first ever varsity team and I get to be a part of it is just really exciting,” player Jerrett Putt said.

The dedicated Golden Hawks are looking forward to the increase in competition and commitment after playing for so long at the extramural level.

“It’ll be completely different,” Putt said. “We’ll have a full-time coaching staff, more practice time, jerseys we can actually keep and a full-time commitment instead of

just a kick around.”

Putt is a second-year student at Laurier Brantford. He was the captain of the extramural team this year and will continue to captain the varsity team next year, becoming Laurier Brantford’s first ever varsity captain.

Laurier Brantford brought a small team of eight players to a talent display tournament at Redeemer on Jan. 29. The tournament was set up so teams involved with the league next year could catch a glimpse of where they stand among the competition. Five of the members were players from this year’s co-ed extramural team, including Putt, Levi Furber, Bryan Bennett, Presley Cor-

mack and Kamden Holder.

Unfortunately, Laurier didn’t perform as well as they had hoped in the tournament. Despite two defeats, the Golden Hawks believe they have a great amount of potential to fill. Putt points out most of the other teams had been playing together for a while and Laurier was suffering from a number of injuries.

The varsity team is going to have quite a fresh starting ground. For one, it’ll have a number of spots to fill in the next couple of years with new players since many of the men on the extramural team are graduating. The campus will also hire a full-time coaching staff and new training facilities will be put in place

once the new athletic centre is completed in a couple years.

“This is a huge step forward for Laurier Brantford Athletics and hopefully, with the new gym underway, this can lead to even more possibilities for Laurier Athletics,” said Samantha Keen, Laurier Brantford’s Student Recreation Program Coordinator.

With the campus growing in population and the first varsity team underway, many have their fingers crossed that this could be the beginning of a new era in sports for Laurier Brantford. The campus is already looking to bring in a women’s indoor varsity team within the next couple of years .

Watching sports is a year-round experience

Devon Momy-Gamache Sports Editor Being a sports fan can be a lot of work. Especially for those who enjoy a variety of sports, finding the time to watch them all. All of a sudden doing that assignment or going to sleep at a regular time can be a difficult task to accomplish.

If you are the type who follows one or two sports, it can still be hard to find a time where there is truly nothing happening. In team sports, there is always a regular season to follow, then the playoffs to crown a champion. In soccer, the entire season is about crowning the champion, making every game even more important. But every sports fan knows that just because the game shave ended, doesn’t mean that the sport goes quiet. There are drafts

and free agency, which change the roster of the team, or signing periods in the case of soccer. Once you add in training camps, there is always something to follow.

The real challenge of finding time is when you enjoy multiple sports. If you follow baseball, there is a game to watch almost every day for eight months a year if you include spring training (and hard-core sports fans always include this). When baseball is in the off-season, you can waste your falls watching the NFL and college football. If football isn’t your thing, don’t worry. By November, both the NBA and NHL have started along with most European soccer leagues.

After football season is done, you can watch the end of the NHL and NBA seasons while also following along with NCAA basketball to help you look like a genius once March Madness begins. You can also enjoy the race for the titles in European soccer including the beginning of the knockout round of the Champions League.

If instead of watching a team, you rather focus on an individual story and players competing headto-head, you can watch tennis year round including the four majors.

You can waste a full two weeks of January (Australian Open), the last week of May and the first week of June (French Open), the last week of June and the first week of July (Wimbledon), or the last week of August and the first week of September (US Open).

For those not interested in headto-head competition, you can watch golfers overcome the obstacles of a golf course. Golf is another sport that goes almost the entire year, so for those of you with interest in other sports you may only pay attention to the majors: The Masters (second weekend of April), U.S. Open (third weekend of June), British Open (mid-July) and the PGA Championships (early August).

If you are more interested in endurance sports that offer a mix of teamwork but ultimately come down to head to head then cycle

is a great sport to watch. There are three major races, the Vuelta a !!Espana!! from late August to early September as well as the !!!Giro d’Italia!!! at the end of June going into July. The grand finale is the Tour de France, which is held over the first three weeks of July. All the events combine many competitions into one over a three week period providing lots of entertainment to keep you busy daily.

As an added bonus, the summer of 2016 will also provide two more international competitions to keep people busy. The UEFA championships will place the best European nations against each other in what is the second biggest soccer tournament behind the World Cup. There is also the Olympics. An event that covers dozens of sports and has competitions scheduled for 12 hours a day for two weeks (Aug 5-21). That may provide an escape and excuse for some people to ignore their responsibilities.

For those who enjoy combat sports, finding a weekend without

boxing or MMA is almost impossible.

All of these special events, along with the major sports leagues, result in an environment of never-ending competition to watch and discuss, providing an escape from the struggles of day-to-day life, although following too many may lead to being stuck in front of the TV, forgetting about assignments or feeding the dogs. Finding a balance and picking which sports to enjoy is key.

Now that I’ve managed to write this it’s time to go back to watching sports.

THE SPUTNIK

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 24, 2016

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OPINION

JOSH ADESINA| OPINION@THESPUTNIK.CA | @SPUTNIK_NEWS

Do we need a Black History Month?

Black History Month is not an implication that black people are the most important people. Jamaal Owusu-Ansah/The Sputnik

Josh Adesina Opinion Editor As the month of February comes to a close the celebration of Black History Month is also coming to an end.

That means that the burst of content containing details about black inventions and beauty will

probably decrease a little. When I think about history, I think about what all cultures have contributed in various ways. There are many cultures that have contributed to our world through the innovation of education, health, and technology; the list is unending. However, there is a question that lingers on in my mind. What makes a culture so special that it deserves a month to recognize its accomplishments? If you’re just as curious as I am – let’s find out together.

It is normal for a high school student to be knowledgeable about

European history, and how fearless its leaders were; Christopher Colombus, King James – people like this. A lot of us were taught about the impact Europe had on the world, and how ‘Europeans civilized people’. There is truth to how much of an aid Europe has been in certain ways. Furthermore, as a British citizen, I can’t really denounce Europeans because I was born and educated on their land.

However, in comparison to Europe, other civilizations haven’t really received as much attention – especially in schools.

Have pride! Embrace vanity!

Lauren Macfarlane Staff Writer “Sweat pants, hair tied, chillin’ with no makeup on” - that’s not when we are the prettiest, so please don’t take that message the wrong way. There is nothing wrong with dressing up and feeling good about what you are wearing or what you look like. But who are we really trying to impress? You are only one person in a lecture of 250 people, and the chances of getting noticed for looking nice are slim.

So why do we want to make ourselves look nice when surrounded by people? I believe it makes us feel like we standout. Whether you are trying to impress a boy you have had your eye on or are just look nice so your friends notice. I tend to dress nicer when going to class so I can agree that we do it to make ourselves feel better. I know when I dress nicely for school it makes me feel more confident and comfortable.

College and university campuses have a reputation as black holes of fashion, where trends go to die and are buried in a graveyard of ratty flannels, torn blue jeans, and Ugg boots. That can make it awfully uncomfortable to be the guy who stands out by dressing well.

Here are my three reasons why everyone should dress to impress: 1.

2.

3.

Dressing better equals feeling better The halo effect with clothing – you start and everyone else will join Looks do matter to a certain extent

I think everyone should dress to impress. It shows that you put effort into the way you look and others can see that. Whether it is for students, a special someone, a job or even just for strangers. It is better to look like you’ve got it together instead of like a slob. You never know who is looking at you.

“Fail again, fail better” Arnisa Morina Staff Writer “The best revenge is success.” I always remind myself of this quote when I encounter people who judge and doubt me. Being in my last semester of my undergraduate degree, I have faced many doubts, challenges and limitations. It’s important to stay focused on your goal and to not get distracted by “haters,” instead, use them as your motivation.

Sometimes it feels easier to give up and quit than deal with obsta-

cles and the stress of chasing your dreams. Early on I learned that success starts with self-belief. If you don’t believe in yourself then even if everyone around you believes in you, it won’t mean anything. Your belief in you is the most important key to your success. Despite challenges, it’s important to remember and believe that you are good enough - because you are.

I think it’s easy for students to get distracted by other students who may be more successful than them at something. As a student, this is the worst mistake you can make.

You should never compare yourself to others, or become ‘green’ with the vice of envy. If someone reaches their goal before you, it does not mean that you won’t or that they are better than you. Successful peo-

ple don’t compare themselves to others because they are happy with who they are. They also don’t hate other people because they simply don’t have that kind of time.

As I close the doors to my Laurier experience this semester, and move towards beginning my law school career in September, my best advice is this: always be thankful for and welcome failures. It may sound ironic but I have learned far more from my failures and challenges than from my successes. Let go of the past and have faith in your future and your ability to be successful. Do not let failure distract you from your goals. Whenever you fail in something, learn a lesson from it and always try again. Keep your eyes on your goal. Fail again, fail better.

There have been a lot of establishments and ideas that have been birthed in Africa, and that have not been taught in schools. Europe is, and continues to be, exalted in history books and education while the contributions made by Africa are not being taught as much. I can go on about the fundamental teachings that Africa has birthed into the world but I won’t. I’m writing an article not an essay. Black History Month is not about exalting black people and ignoring others. The only purpose of this month is to remind people about the great contri-

butions that have come from black successors. Also, it helps to bring unity and encouragement in a time were police brutality promotes violence in black communities, along with bias comments from the media being accepted as truth.

Celebrities such as Morgan Freeman, and Stacey Dash seem to disagree with me; arguing that we don’t need a Black History Month, and that it is not necessary. Like I mentioned before, it isn’t about ignoring other cultures, it’s about destroying stereotypes and progressing positivity and truth.

Student life and drugs The consumption of drugs shouldn’t cost you your life Sai Gnanaharan/ The Sputnik

Ricky Pacheo Staff Writer Student lifestyle and drug use have almost become intertwined with each other.

While some of us will never use more than half a children’s Tylenol, many of us will come in contact with some sort of illicit drug during our university careers. Whether it is through a friend, family member, doctor or personal dealer the availability of drugs seems to be more present than ever.

However, what does this say about the nature of student life? Is the popularity of drug use a result of having a good time or self-medicating? Is there even a difference?

Since 1991, illicit substance use on Canadian campuses has risen to thirty-eight percent, according to a journal named Illicit Drug Use Among Canadian University Undergraduates.

With the surge of popular music glorifying what we believe to be “designer drugs” we can presume that number has since then inflated. Remember, how popping molly had us sweating? Or that we like to use two Styrofoam cups with dirty sprite. Interestingly enough, this

new surge of fashionable drug use falls in stark contrast to what was valued by the previous generation.

How many of our parents would agree that drinking cough medicine, smoking cannabis, or taking controlled substances was cool in their day? Nowadays, kids between the ages of eight and eighteen listen close to about twelve hours of music a week. This equates to hearing about, eighty-four drug related references a day. But we can’t blame pop culture for all of society’s woes.

For a lot of us, drug use doesn’t even have anything to do with what we hear in the media but what we hear from each other. Thinking back to when weed first got introduced to your group of friends and the division of peers that came with it, whose side did you take? I believe we can own some degree of normality in our lives while still including some drug use. But when the typical day looks like: wake and bake in the morning, supplements before hitting the gym, Adderall to finish that paper, and a shot of Nyquil to end the night - where do we draw the line? As per the difference between a good time and self-medicating, there is none. However, a little bit of weed isn’t going to ruin your life, it’s the lack of self-control that will.

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THE SPUTNIK

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 24, 2016