Volume 19, Issue 1– August 30, 2019
The Sputnik, We Orbit Around You.
FINDING BALANCE AT LAURIER
ANUJ KAPAHI | GRAPHICS EDITOR
News, pg. 3
YOUR GUIDE TO ORIENTATION
Get a look at the events to come for incoming students
Features, pg. 6
Arts pg. 9
HELPFUL HINTS NEED HELP? TO SURVIVE GET INVOLVED!
A declassified guide to get through your first month
Weighing the benefits of joining electives and clubs
Opinion, pg. 10
BREAKING THE “FRESHMAN 15”
Deconstructing the stigma and looking for a balance
Sports, pg. 12
LAURIER GOES FOR THE GOLD
Para-athlete wins gold, bronze medal in international event
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WELCOME TO ORIENTATION WEEK 2019
FILE PHOTO | ORIENTATION WEEK 2018
O-Week offers new students a chance to transition into university life through a week of fun and events AARON HAGEY PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER
Wilfrid Laurier University offers every new batch of students that arrive at during the first week of September, Laurier Orientation Week offers a chance for them to transition into university life through their participation in a week of events, social activities, bonding opportunities, playful competition and — most importantly — lots of fun. This year, Brantford’s O-Week will introduce about 800 new students to the campus. Because of Brantford’s unique campus layout, it can sometimes be a bit difficult for new students to find their way around, and become properly transitioned into Laurier. O-Week attempts to bridge that gap, giving students a guidebook around the campus. “Orientation Week is filled with activities and events to help integrate incoming students into the Laurier and Brantford communities,” said Adam Lawrence, dean of students for the Brantford campus, in a press release. “The Students’ Union, Student Affairs staff, faculty members and senior student volunteers have been working extremely hard to create a transition program to help prepare students for academic and personal success in the coming year.” Upon arrival, and after moving into residences, first-year students will be divided into their four “teams” based on their residence locations. Each of the teams: the red rivals, green cyclones, blue riptides and gold infinities will be
working to be crowned the most spirited of the O-Week teams during Friday’s Cheer Off ceremony. Because the Laurier campus is split between Waterloo and Brantford, Brantford students will have a different experience with O-Week than their Waterloo counterparts. However, Brantford students will get the opportunity to go to the Jazz Cartier concert, presented by the A-Team on the Waterloo campus, if they wish. O-Week will begin on Monday, Sept. 2, with Move-in Day, residence floor or community meetings, opening ceremonies, the comedic, inspirational stories of Andy Thibodeau and finishing off with a chance to experience the campus nightlife with other members of the Students’ Union.
I truly am spoiled to be working alongside an individual who is so driven, passionate, and committed to the Students’ Union and the Orientation Program. -Andre Thames, vice-president, programming & services Branford
On Tuesday, Sept. 3, students will get to participate in “Student(ing) 101,” a workshop on how to be successful in university and use your time wisely; a reception to meet with other members of the Brantford faculty, professors and talk to them about the first few
weeks of university; the ever-classic “room burn” with firefighters, to promote fire safety standards; an athletic showcase, presented by Laurier Athletics, a glow-in-thedark paint party and gaming event. Wednesday, Sept. 4 will begin with “Positive Pulse,” a health and wellness event aimed at promoting accessible and healthy lifestyles for students; brunch with the Mayor of Brantford, Kevin Davis himself; a Bob Ross-esque painting session, dodgeball and will finish off with a lip-sync battle. On Thursday, Sept. 5, students will get the chance to go to an information fair, to find out more about campus and community partners and what they have to offer students; a “taste of downtown” lunch to find out more about what food Brantford has to offer, a hypnotist, the Jazz Cartier concert in Waterloo, and will finish off with a movie night in Brantford. Friday, Sept. 6 will feature the “Get Involved Fair”, your opportunity to find out more about all of the various student clubs and associations on campus, and how to volunteer with them; the annual O-Week picture, the Cheer Off, Carnival and Headphone Disco events — it is worth noting that some events, like Carnival and Headphone Disco, are only accessible to those with Golden Tickets. For Saturday, Sept. 7, Shine Day will be taking place throughout Brantford, with students washing cars and raising money for Cystic Fibrosis research, and will finish off with the closing ceremonies. With all the work that has gone into preparing for O-Week on the Brantford campus, its coordina-
tors from the Students’ Union are anxiously awaiting its reception from incoming students.
There are countless opportunities for students to enhance their own experiences and the experiences of others. -Zemar Hakim, president & CEO of the Students’ Union
“I have never been so excited for O-Week! Lizzie Smyth, our Orientation Programming Facilitator and her team have done an excellent job in the creation and preparation for this week. I truly am spoiled to be working alongside an individual who is so driven, passionate, and committed to the Students’ Union and the Orientation Program,” said Andre Thames, vice-president of services and programming for the Brantford campus, in an email statement. “Orientation Week has been a huge part of my life here at Laurier Brantford. From my first year, to my various O-Team experiences, it has been incredible to close out my time here at Laurier as the Orientation Programming Facilitator,” Smyth said in an email statement. “I hope that our programming will inspire students to enjoy each day of University, rather than counting down until their next
break. O-Week would be nothing without every member of the team involved and we are incredibly grateful for the dedication and passion that they have brought to this fantastic programming. The Students’ Union has been preparing for O-Week with the intent to tackle the issue of “multicampus isolation” that has been noted by Brantford students, and was a significant platform issue during last year’s Students’ Union elections. “In order to nurture an inclusive atmosphere and to emphasize the ‘multi-campus’ model, the student executive team will be present in both Brantford and Waterloo during O-Week opening ceremonies,” said Zemar Hakim, president & CEO of the Students’ Union, in an email statement. “Additionally, 200 tickets for the Jazz Cartier concert are being reserved specifically for Brantford students. We will continue to support robust, exciting programming on our Brantford and Waterloo campuses. Life is a party that students on both campuses are invited to!”, the statement concluded. Orientation Week is critical in establishing the precedent of student life at Laurier, and is an important step in the university creating the sense of “student experience” that has Laurier ranked number one in student satisfaction for the third consecutive year. “Student life defines the privilege of being a Golden Hawk,” Hakim said in a press release. “There are countless opportunities for students to enhance their own experiences and the experiences of others.”
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NEWS
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STUDENTS’ UNION
Organizing a multi-campus plan for Brantford Zemar Hakim, noted that his platform was “entirely multicampus,” and will be working to serve students “internally (through Students’ Union Departments) and externally (through the University lens).”
AARON HAGEY PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER
For a multi-campus institution like Wilfrid Laurier University, the issue of remoteness from the primary campus is a frequently voiced concern of students, as well as the Students’ Union. As the satellite campus for Laurier, Brantford is home to approximately 3,000 graduate and undergraduate students, with over 20 buildings spread across the downtown core of the city. Because of this, starting the year off right with Orientation Week has been a priority for the Students’ Union.
Addressing MultiCampus Issues
Orientation Week “Orientation Week 2019 is filled with numerous internal changes in efforts to fix small gaps to allow smoother transitions, and create an environment that welcomes everyone … to optimize transitions between events, and breaks,” said Andre Thames, vice-president of programming and services for the Brantford campus, in an email statement. Thames says that one of the biggest challenges that the Students’ Union will have to overcome for OWeek is “constructing an equitable experience”, and giving new students as many equal opportunities as possible, despite the differences in the campuses programming. “We have been working with fantastic partners both internal and external that want to be involved in the week. Community members and departments of Laurier have reached out to us to see how they can be a part of the
FILE PHOTO | JACKIE VANG
experience and we are certain that their involvement will make our Orientation Week that much better,” Thames said in the statement. However, the year will see its own share of struggles due to the impacts of the implementation of the Student Choice Initiative and recent changes made to the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP).
Student Choice Initiative “Given the new policies passed by the government, it has put our offices in a unique situation. In turn, it has given my team and myself the opportunity to reintroduce the organization through several rebrands (Hawk Team, and Snow Week) and the creation of innova-
tive programming.” One of the major issues has been the reduced funding given to clubs, associations and businesses affiliated with the campus, including the closure of the William’s Brantford location that was announced on May 31, 2019.
Financial Challenges “In January, when the provincial government announced their changing funding model for how student associations across the province are funded … we had to look all our operations to see, well, if some of our fees are going away [and] where else are we potentially challenged,” said Chris Turner, director of finance & administration for the Students’ Union, in an
article from The Cord. One of the effects of this closure has been the impact on the surrounding community, which the university administration and Students’ Union will be working towards mending. “People are saddened, people are disappointed, rightfully so … it was part of the Brantford Laurier culture and community for 12 years. A lot of the staff, a lot of the community members, some of the businesses, have been very loyal,” said Jeyas Balaskanthan, director of hospitality services for the Students’ Union, in the article. The biggest challenge the Students’ Union will face this year will be ensuring adequate, appropriate and equitable treatment of both campuses, and to reduce those feelings of isolation or alienation. During his presidential campaign, current president & CEO,
The “multi-campus issue” became a hot topic of discussion during the campaigns, including campus-to-campus transportation for events — a key external focus during Hakim’s campaign — and more efficient, general campus-tocampus transportation. More opportunities for Brantford students to participate in Waterloo activities and events was also noted, the latter of which Hakim has seen through for O-Week. “200 tickets for the Jazz Cartier concert are being reserved specifically for Brantford students. We will continue to support robust, exciting programming on our Brantford and Waterloo campuses,” Hakim said in a statement. Despite the challenges that may come, the Students’ Union seems prepared for the year ahead. “Overall, I am very excited for incoming students to participate, connect and create lifelong memories. I cannot emphasize how spoiled I feel to be able to witness these young leaders take charge and foster an identity for incoming students,” Thames said. “As Laurier transitions into another decade, I am confident that our programming and services department will instill a culture that is inclusive, engaging, and memorable to the student body.”
THE SPUTNIK
FRIDAY, AUGUST 30, 2019
GAMES
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MANDALA COLOURING EASY INTERMEDIATE
ADVANCED
GRAPHIC BY ANUJ KAPAHI Puzzle 1 (Very hard, difficulty rating 0.82)
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Generated by http://www.opensky.ca/sudoku on Wed Aug 28 23:42:25 2019 GMT. Enjoy!
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FEATURES@THESPUTNIK.CA
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INTRODUTION----------------------------------New beginnings provide a perfect occasion to pioneer a new persona. The ideal way of doing so is to gift yourself with the tools and techniques to support this endeavor. The passing of wisdom from trials and tribulation that are not your own prove the perfect opportunity to grow through analysis as opposed to experience. It is with this hope that the following information is shared.
designating too much time on a singular task and instead evenly distributing your energies: mind, body and soul. That being said, here are some tips and tricks gathered by experts within the Laurier community, who have insight on how to keep yourself balanced. - Shelby Edwards, Editor-in-Chief
The best approach to cultivating wellness appears to be that of balance. This is personal and customizable, but the emphasis is on that of not
Survival
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Get organized. Your syllabus jor due dates and expectation these dates out on a four-mon your busy times so that you ca
Put yourself out there. Say he an event, participate in intram endless! You’ll meet new peop make your Laurier experience
Use your resources. We are h support available on this cam use of their resources early —
Find balance. While being a ensure that you are getting en joying a social life. These thing overall health and happiness. some “me time” to de-stress a
FEATURES
FRIDAY, AUGUST 30, 2019
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Athletics and Recreation Megan Jacklin, Coordinator, Recreation & Student Life Wellness is more important than weight. I repeat: WELLNESS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN WEIGHT.
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The “mind” part is personal to you; hanging out with friends, reading books, practicing meditation, cooking, working on DIY projects, the list could go on (as long as it brings you joy and happiness)!
Talk to your pro f
s:
Don’t be afraid. Find out their o ffice hours and stop b y to ask clarifyin g questions or go over bigger conce pts. It’s better to ask a question now then to show yo u don’t know on the exam.
Research has shown that physical activity can have positive effects on your body and mind: reducing stress, improving memory, promoting better sleep and enhancing your overall mood (just to name a few)!
I don’t care how intense, how long, how fast or how sweaty … just MOVE!
Keep a reusable water bottle on you and make sure to take a slug or two of water every once in a while.
Do yourself a favor and tuck yourself into those sheets for at least seven hours a night. Sleep is the time where your body AND your mind can recover from the stresses of your day so don’t rob it of its well needed recovery!
Guide to:
ND
Feel good endorphins are so important in your brain health and overall sense of well-being. Laugh at the things that you think are funny and enjoy the little ab workout that comes along with it!
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TRANSPORTATION
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THE SPUTNIK
FRIDAY, AUGUST 30, 2019 ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR VACANT arts@thesputnik.ca
LOCAL
The Creativity Hub: A Switch to Community SHELBY EDWARDS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Deemed to be the currency of the twenty-first century, storytelling is of the utmost importance to "The Switch: Centre for Creative Media", as a new hub for creative work hopes to gather community and creativity in a place of comfort. The Centre is set to open in the coming months, with a podcast studio, tv set and news channel, BrantOne, already housed in Laurier's One Market building. The film set, donated from the television series Lost Girl, was the first piece of equipment acquired, and was the inspiration for which Dr. Kathryn Carter, the acting dean of the faculty of liberal arts, founded the beginning concepts. Though the Centre is affiliated with the university, its aim is to connect and incubate creative communities from Brantford to the regions of the lake. Project coordinators Adrian Beam and Tamara Louks hope to fill the space further with a collaboration and exhibit space, workshop rooms, a green screen studio, a digital technology lab for virtual reality projects, a mac lab with individual editing studios and workshops, photography and sound studios, partnership offices and studios, as well as meeting rooms and incubator and co-worker spaces, equipped with hot-desks. For students, “The Switch” would provide a place for students to “take their learning outside of the classroom to a different platform or field that they hadn’t considered before,” Louks said. Given that the skills of storytelling
are going to be crucial for any job most people have, Louks suggested that this space could build upon the digital platform skills most students have acquired on their own, through professional mentorships and the completion of projects to be included on future resumes. Memberships would tentatively be made on a three-tier system: the first giving access to bookable hours for the podcast studio, the second tier including hot desks and the third, access to all studios and the inclusion of designated office spaces. Though the name and rates are still being workshopped, Beam drew attention to the possible student benefits, such as the ability for professors to expand their assignments with video or podcast components, as well as the opportunity for students to receive a low cost rental of the space for a year after graduation. Further, students would be able to receive placement opportunities, while professors would be able to expand the reach of their research through broadcasting any findings on a possible podcast. The benefits of the space would be far reaching, as it is hoped that every year the individual business companies, such as a podcast membership company, would create two or three episodes affiliated with a non-profit partner, such as the local food bank. The intellectual property of the creators would remain their own, though “The Switch” is hoping to connect further with the community to gather ideas and better connect their vision through an online survey.
PHOTO COURTESY OF TIMOTHY MUZA
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ARTS & CULTURE
09
GET INVOLVED
The benefits of electives and getting involved
Adjusting to a new school can be difficult, but clubs and electives can make that process a little easier. EMMA MCVICAR CORD STAFF
So, you’ve come to Laurier. You’re new, you don’t know that many people, or the town and after O-week’s crazy shenanigans, you know university won’t be what you expect it to be. What’s the best way to integrate while meeting new people, finding your way around all the local spots and getting the most out of your degree? Take electives. When I say electives, of course I mean class-wise, but I’m also talking activities that you choose to do for fun (but I’ll get to that). I’ll give you the typical “join a club” spiel first. It’s cliché, I know, but oh so important. University classes can be engaging, but it’s difficult to really mesh with classmates outside of quick discussions or passing remarks about the recent test. At Laurier, we have so many clubs that will help integrate you into the student community and allow you to meet everyone out there. Whether this is your first time doing the activity, you’re looking to continue a high school passion, or you honestly just want some place to make friends, clubs here are the place to be. Besides getting you out of your room at least once a week, clubs foster amazing support groups of diverse thinking individuals who will all consider you part of their team. Many people don’t realize this, but university doesn’t have to be hard. It can be really easy if you take charge of building a good
cation is fleshed out by a variety of conflicting information, and that you’re the one who decided what the best ideas are. Maybe you’re more of a literary learner, or a science thinker, or
Many people don’t realize this, but university doesn’t have to be hard. It can be really easy if you take charge of building a good atmosphere for yourself here.
CONTRIBUTED IMAGE | PIXABAY
atmosphere for yourself here, and having a group that makes you smile is the first step. Now, moving onto classes. Beside joining a club, electives are another great way to meet the greatest people. Elective classes are a great way to lighten your stress load. You’ve already got several required courses for your degree, and you need electives anyways, so why not try something crazy? Now is the time to learn that thing you’ve always been curious about, or try something you’ve never considered before.
They’re also a great way to meet new people. By your later years, if you’ve only been taking courses of your major, you may find you see the same folks day in and day out for four years, so shake it up a bit! Take an elective to meet others who think differently, or so you can be the one in your major courses who brings a new perspective to the table. Great ideas start at the intersection of disciplines, so don’t be scared to branch out this year! Electives are also a good way of telling if your major is really right for you. If there are some courses you thought you were taking just
for fun and it turns out you put more effort into studying for those midterms and contemplating those ideas, you might now consider rethinking your strategy. The best thing to remember at the end of the day is that you’re paying a lot of money for this privilege; you might as well get what you can out of the experience. You’re not here for the degree, you’re here for the four years of learning that you’ll emerge with and bring into the world. Electives don’t only keep you well rounded through your studies. They also ensure that you’re edu-
maybe you have a musical mind. Regardless of your discipline and thinking patterns, electives have the power to show you how others have thought over the years, and continue to think today, which is your greatest tool for continued learning through life. It’s so exciting to be here with all the freedom and responsibility that comes with post-secondary, but taking responsibility over your learning is truly the benefit Laurier will give you. Everything you learn right now is shaping the perspective you’re entering the adult world with, so you’d better make sure that perspective solid, wide, and unafraid of being changed. *This article was originally published in The Cord.
ORGANIZATION
Tips for conquering your syllabus LAUREN RUTHERFORD CORD STAFF
When entering this fall semester, take the personal ambition to set a successful trajectory for the full school year ahead. The early weeks of September are the perfect time to combat the resentment and stress from summer ending by planning for a positive semester ahead! Besides a kickass packing list, one of the greatest necessities in order to achieve success in your classes is simply reading your course syllabus. Your course syllabus is a refined course description written by the professor to serve as a map to success in the course. Professors and Teacher Assistants (TA)s are eager to help students succeed in their courses. Following their rules will give you the best advantage for triumph in the class. Considering that it was professors who planned out the course, disregarding particular guidelines will take you down a directionless path Any course syllabus will include a couple of key components that should be noted while reading. These syllabi will most likely have a section displaying the course’s expectations, a section telling you what the professor is requiring from students. Skimming the expectations is a good way to determine
if participation is a necessity for the course, in addition to understanding their style of grading when it comes to heavily weighted final papers. If you read between the lines, you can also uncover the nature of the instructor’s style. If the syllabus
The design of the syllabus sets the course’s tone. Policies and instructions written with a friendly tone means your professor encourages student communication over the content.
is strictly organized then it is wise to assume lecture procedure will be conducted the same. The syllabus’s grade breakdown is also essential when planning out your semester ahead, and helps in deciding which projects take precedence over others. This section displays a professor’s late policy, which, I should note, can be different for every course. If the syllabus claims some leniency, that should be calculated when determining the merit of time
CONTRIBUTED IMAGE | PIXABAY
spent on each course assignment. In the spirit of setting yourself on a successful path this fall, another important note is making it a priority to visit professors’ office hours. Swallowing your pride and speaking to your professor about the course’s material will prove to them you respect their job and are interested in the course’s content. Some advice would be to copy down all of your professors’ contact information (email, office location, hours), and formulate a couple of questions based off the syllabus. Your professor will see that you have already thought
about the course’s learning goals, and you may even get some respect from them that can pay off during finals. On every syllabus there will be a section listing due dates for major assignments. Copying down due dates for all your classes at the beginning of the semester will help you in the upcoming months. By noting overwhelming conflicts among your classes, this prior knowledge will keep your stress levels down in December’s busy weeks. The final take away from a syllabus is understanding that it is
the professor’s direct impression for the course. The design of the syllabus sets the course’s tone. Policies and instructions written with a friendly tone means your professor encourages student communication over the content. Remember that professors put in substantial thought and effort into organizing a course. Reading the syllabus will serve as a major benefit in finding success for your journey in any course. *This article was originally published in The Cord.
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FRIDAY, AUGUST 30, 2019 OPINION SPORTS EDITOR JESSA NOW HIRING BRAUN opinion@thesputnik.ca sports@thesputnik.ca
EDITORIAL
President’s Note: finding your place at your own pace
AARON HAGEY PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER
Four years ago, when I began my undergrad, I never expected to end up working for Student Publications and enjoying my involvement with the organization as much as I have. I could have never imagined the tremendous impact that it would have on my university career, my social life and the opportunities that I have been fortunate enough to experience because of it. When I first left high school, I was directionless, extremely depressed and filled with anxiety over where my life would end up going and who I would end up being. My conclusion, back in 2014, was pretty bleak and hopeless. After taking a gap year, and working with no clear goal in mind, I managed to slowly begin a transition into university life after submitting an application to
Laurier on a whim. Starting out part-time in a program that just wasn’t for me, and changing my major several times in an effort to find out what I actually enjoyed pursuing, has been a process that only worked itself out over halfway into my undergrad. Breaking away from my formerly poor school habits and attempting to be a decent student was a tall task in and of itself — and getting involved was the last thing on my mind. After being relentlessly encouraged to write for The Cord in my third year, I gave it a shot. To my complete shock, I wasn’t absolutely terrible at it, and I began to enjoy it. I wasn’t always confident that my ideas were “good enough,” but it gave me an opportunity to share my experiences in a way that was cathartic and fulfilling. Last year, I took a huge leap of faith (by my standards) and applied for things that I never expected to work out the way they did, and became more involved than I had ever been before. I had responsibility and expectations stacked on top of me — two things I once avoided and hated — and even though I was stressed and constantly being pushed outside of my comfort zone, it was one of the best years of my life so far.
I had a greater purpose than just getting out of bed, going to work and class and then coming home to do it all over again. People I respected counted on me. I was able to contribute to publications that I’m proud to have my name attached to. And most importantly, I met people who I consider to be my best friends and
What I do know is that I’m incredibly privileged to work where I do and I’ve been given a chance that most people in university could really benefit from — something that never would have happened if I hadn’t gotten involved.
biggest supporters. As a naturally anxious person, I have always isolated myself from social situations or activities. And even though going into positions where I was constantly required to be around new people in various different situations was terrifying
FINDING COMPROMISES
The polarity of politics: a deadening discourse In a nation fighting among itself, the U.S. polarizes its discourse
SHELBY EDWARDS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
The infantile behaviour of President Trump has been demonstrated yet again through his refusal to communicate or visit with the Prime Minister of Denmark after being denied the sale of the territory of Greenland. Though he is not the first to request such a sale, his inability to compromise is a worrisome trait that has contemporarily not been seen with such lack of restraint. The Danish Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, quipped that the request was absurd, as buying and selling countries and their corresponding populations is a process that should be kept in the past. Of course, this was not wellreceived, as Trump cancelled his engagement with Greenland and quickly replied that he “thought it was a very not nice way of saying something,” as it wasn’t himself to whom she spoke, but to the United States as a whole, and that “you don’t talk to the United States that way, at least under me.” The fragility of Trump’s self-
perception can be felt through the context of such continuous statements, as disagreements are taken as personal denial due to the fact that his ego has built its survival upon the validation of external sources. In order to avoid this denial of self, Trump places this rejection onto the United States as a whole, and then continues to overcompensate by projecting any negative criticisms onto his opponent before using his resentment as a tool in which he can costume the good of his opponent onto himself.
The reason that compromise feels so foreign to political discourse, though this claims to be its primary aim, is that either party has built the basis of their platform upon its acceptance by the majority.
With such interactions in mind, the basis of politics could be attributed to that of polarity, whereby survival depends upon the dismantling of opposing truths in order to retain the assembled truths of those grouped through
ideology and class distinctions. The reason that compromise feels so foreign to political discourse, though this claims to be its primary aim, is that either party has built the basis of their platform upon its acceptance by the majority. If it is not accepted, it is deemed to be false and their leadership questioned. If only one truth must survive, it is usually at the hands of those who are unconscious to alternatives. Trump, therefore, poses a prime example of this fragility of the ego, whose sole purpose is the survival of polarity in the hopes that by destroying any alternative realities the constructed truth can remain intact. If you only see the surface, there remains no room for the details of expanse and, given that expansion relies on growth, the consciousness of polarity prefers the closure of its surface for fear of being found false. This is evident through the way in which Trump overcompensates by silencing the communication with his opposition in order to preserve his own ideal of truth by destroying that which displeased rather than developing it within himself in order to meet at a compromise. The Tao of compromise is that it allows for connecting to the centre of a discussion rather than clinging to its opposition. But can this really exist within a system built upon the separation of thought?
for me, it was one of the smartest decisions I could have done for myself both personally and professionally. For the first time, I gained the confidence to go to therapy that ended up helping me. I felt validated and accepted in an environment where people were happy to see me and I was happy to see them. I enjoyed coming in to do these jobs, and I only wanted to continue working for an organization that had done so much to help me in more ways than I can list. I certainly haven’t been perfect in the roles I’ve taken on, and as president, I’m constantly worried that I’m not doing the position or WLUSP justice. I’m still not sure if I’m ready for it, but I don’t think anyone really is. What I do know is that I’m incredibly privileged to work where I do and I’ve been given a chance that most people in university could really benefit from — something that never would have happened if I hadn’t gotten involved. At the end of the day, I think the most important lesson I’ve learned has been that, yes, there are going to be countless things that scare you, and you may constantly worry that you won’t be enough — but a rejection is always better than having regret over not doing it in the
first place. My path in life has been far from typical, and I’ve made choices and gone in directions that don’t necessarily follow what people expected of me, but I don’t regret any of it. Some people need time, whether that’s months or years, to figure things out and find out where they want to be and what they want to do. I just happened to find out what I love doing by happenstance and a lot of trial and error. This isn’t just a shameless plug to get you interested in volunteering with us. You have value and traits that are unique to you and worth sharing with the people you open yourself up to — so take it from someone who did everything he could to avoid making those steps to get there until (truly) last year — you (and the people you meet) will be better for it. Whatever your “thing” is, whatever interest or niche that sparks your passion, creativity or fire — try it out. There are hundreds of things to get involved with at Laurier, and you’ll never know what opportunity could come your way until you go for it. In the wise words of Ace Ventura himself, “... you can fail at what you don’t want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love.”
THE SPUTNIK
FRIDAY, AUGUST 30, 2019
OPINION
11
MENTAL HEALTH and pressure. Be gentle, kind and slow with yourself, as mistakes made are not a symbol of a loss to, or of yourself, but rather a lifting and restructuring of your consciousness. The process of learning is accompanied by contrasts, so that the feelings of frustration and defeat can lead you closer to your centre and success.
Do not think that you are unable, rather, think of ways in which your success can be enabled without dismantling your confidence too quickly through brute force and pressure.
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Breaking down the first-year frame
SHELBY EDWARDS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
This is but a breath, but a moment, but a glimpse into eternity. There
is time to stumble, to stutter and to start again. The task of entering university can be daunting, leaving behind all that is familiar in the hopes of cultivating dreams and desires that have long been built upon in the proceeding years of your educational career. However, this pressure is often constructed on unstable ground, and because of this many such fears go unrealized. Your professors wish for your success as surely as yourself, and so do not fear
asking questions or conveying struggles. The idea of participation, often holding a large percentage of your grades in order to convey your comprehension of the subject material, can be accomplished or navigated through coherent conversations and in certain circumstances, email submissions. Do not think that you are unable, rather, think of ways in which your success can be enabled without dismantling your confidence too quickly through brute force
It is through this process that you construct a self-perception based upon what resonates and aligns, rather than that which has been placed upon you. Feel free to dismantle, to change and to grow; welcoming the fears, falls and failures of the process. Feelings of discomfort, when viewed through the lens of intuition, are oftentimes a signal of growth as you adjust to new atmospheres and ways of being. Instead of turning from such experiences, place yourself within them: acknowledge the discomfort and step towards it; and, before you know it, the discomfort will have passed. It may take some time, but it will pass eventually. It always does.
Attachment to circumstances does not change it and so, instead of engulfing emotions, embrace them, but do not allow them to consume you. When your inner world becomes too much, place yourself at a distance and view it as though foreign with the blessings of perspective. Living is a process of learning, and so do not assume that others have it conquered. The only comparison needed is within the parts of yourself you wish to develop or dismantle. However, do not confine yourself to the safety of this solitude.
Do not lessen and do not shrink in the shadows of others: your voice and authenticity is valid, and its projection is a light in which others can gain warmth. Search for these lights ...
Do not lessen and do not shrink in the shadows of others: your voice and authenticity is valid, and its projection is a light in which others can gain warmth. Search for these lights and, through alignment, a community will quickly be created. It starts with yourself, but the creation of community is a valuable connection and will enhance all others, when chosen consciously.
LIFESTYLE
Is the “freshman fifteen” really that scary? Social media has heavily influenced our exposure to normalized body standards, but what can we do about it? wards my health and my routines has been exceptionally difficult, and my relationship with food still isn’t an entirely positive one.
Rather than focalizing on the freshman 15, why not remove it from the dialogue and conversation surrounding student wellness entirely?
EMILY WAITSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, THE CORD
Over the past few years, the body positive movement has taken hold of social media, which has slowly but surely diversified online spaces and given exposure to bodies that aren’t just the hyper sexualized fantasies and below average sizes that the media likes to promote. Clothing companies like Aerie and Savage X Fenty have marketed their products with a variety of models and the push for more promotional campaigns that embrace inclusivity is rising. Despite the progress that’s slowly being made with body acceptance, however, there is still a ridiculous amount of focus placed on the dreaded “freshman 15” for students who are entering college and university — and it’s no secret that Western society is obsessed with weight and body image. The pressure to avoid gaining this generalized number of pounds during your first year of school still seems to be prevalent, even in 2019. If you look at any list of tips on the internet targeted towards new
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students, there will inevitably be some point about how to steer clear of unhealthy habits and the various ways you can side step seeing any sort of increase on a scale. The idea that freshman allegedly gain this weight is pushed onto nervous students like a preemptive scare tactic and warning, and it’s treated like one of the worst things that can happen to a person entering post-secondary education. And, it just so happens, the freshman 15 is a myth. After a quick Google search, it’s relatively easy — but surprising, given what general knowledge there tends to be about the subject — to discover that Seventeen magazine made up this supposed
phenomenon back in the 1980s. Its catchy name and the easy-towrite material that can be generated from this topic into magazine articles aimed at young women and teenage girls is likely why it still dominates college culture today. The freshman 15 has persistently stuck around since its conception, and each year women will continue actively seeking out ways to avoid its occurrence, even if it isn’t that likely to happen to them. There are studies that have debunked it entirely, claiming that the average amount of weight gain for a new college student is only one pound. And if it was true — so what?
I’m not saying that there shouldn’t be emphasis placed on having a healthy lifestyle, especially during university when students are stressed, going out partying and likely not focussing as heavily on their diet and exercise habits. But weight gain, especially some arbitrary amount like 15 pounds, is not, by any means, the end of the world. As someone who has consistently struggled with body image and dealt with a binge eating disorder in high school, it has taken me years to break away from the detrimental idea that weight is the be-all and end-all to happiness and self satisfaction. Getting a balanced outlook to-
But I have managed to slowly discover what works for me, what habits have made me feel healthy and fulfilled — and, at the end of the day, that no list of generic tips is going to be the scapegoat that helps prevent me from hating the way my body looks. Rather than focalizing on the freshman 15, why not remove it from the dialogue and conversation surrounding student wellness entirely? Instead, place emphasis on mental health and physical wellbeing that has nothing to do with a scale and everything to do with how you feel. When you graduate, think about what really matters — how you looked, or how happy you actually were.
THE SPUTNIK
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FRIDAY, AUGUST 30, 2019 SPORTS EDITOR NOW HIRING sports@thesputnik.ca
LAURIER ATHLETICS
Tyson MacDonald, Laurier swimmer, wins gold medal Fourth-year para-athlete competes in international athletic competition in Lima, Peru, brings home two medals. AARON HAGEY PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER
23-year old Tyson MacDonald, a fourth-year Laurier student, has been representing the Golden Hawks swim team in Lima, Peru, for the Parapan American Games: an international competition held every four years, featuring over 1,850 athletes in 17 sports, and bringing together Paralympic athletes from all regions of the Americas. From Aug. 25 to Aug. 31, MacDonald competed in a series of swimming events, and earned both a gold medal in the Men’s 100m Backstroke and bronze medal in the Men’s 200m Freestyle events.* “The Pan Am Games are the major games that associate North, Central, South America and the Caribbeans. The ‘Para’ version is the games for people with, what would be previously or even currently labeled, ‘disabilities’,” said Matthew Pedersen, an associate coach for the Laurier swim team. “In swimming we break it down into 14 classes, and then each class has a different level of challenge that the athletes have to work with and manage in order to compete and get through everyday life.” MacDonald is considered an S14 classification of para-athlete: from 1-14, para-athletes are classes in categories based on the level of their physical, visual and hearing, or cognitive and intellectual impairments. The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has determined that S1-10 athletes indicate different intensities of physical impairment. “[For athletes who are] 1-10, those are athletes that are struggling with limb challenges; if you’re a 1, you have very limited mobility or you’re missing most [of your limbs] — these are the quadriplegic types,” Pedersen said. “As you get up to 10, you have more mobility, more functionality, less visually-obvious disabilities.” For athletes who classify as S1113, the three visual impairment classes range from very little or no visual ability, to compromised or less visual acuity, which can include loss of peripheral vision. “The S14s — this is a relatively new category — these are the [athletes] that have the cognitive-intellectual [and] learning disabilities,” Pedersen said. “The [most] obvious ones [in this category] are those people that are managing Down syndrome or [are on the] autism spectrum, but also reaches out to those who struggle with learning disabilities … These are the ones that have difficulty with pattern recognition, sequencing, and have slower reaction times due to [their cognitive impairment].” For para-athletes, the difference between S1-13 and S14 clas-
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sifications contrast significantly regarding the challenges faced on a competitive level, representing two opposite sets of difficulties. “The 1-13s, these athletes are going to be struggling with just pure, physical approaches to things,”
The Pan Am Games are the major games that associate North, Central, South America and the Caribbeans. -Matthew Pedesen, associate coach, Laurier swim team
Pedersen said. “I’ve worked with someone that was S9-S10, and these are people that have some limited mobility through the shoulders; one kid had an underdeveloped arm … he can’t use his right arm as well as a regularly-capable person would be
able to use.” “As you get into the 7s, 6s and 5s, you have [athletes] missing an arm, missing a foot. Those are very physically-specific classes, and they have to manage [their] performance that way,” he said. For S14 athletes, the primary challenge is not in the realm of the physical so much as the mental. “These are the [athletes] that, for all intents and purposes, you might call them ‘physically complete’ — they have the full musculature, they have the full skeleton, they have all the physical attributes you would expect in a regularlycapable person, [but] they are struggling with the cognitive side of things,” Pedersen said. S14 athletes, for example, may not be as responsive to stimuli, such as the starting sound of the events. In these cases, one of the main challenges to overcome through the training process would be giving the athlete the tools they need to better respond to these situations. “Some of the other ones … their struggles are more with exertion: that sequencing idea of, at this
point I’m supposed to do this type of activity, or I’m supposed to put this much effort into it,” Pedersen said.”
The ‘Para’ version is the games for people with, what would be previously or even currently labeled, ‘disabilities.’ -Matthew Pedesen, associate coach, Laurier swim team
Down syndrome was added as an S14 classification in the Parapan Am Games following a decision made by the IPC after the 2000 Summer Paralympics in an attempt to bring a more inclusive light to mainstream, competitive events. “[It was] to give them more exposure, to show that they don’t struggle as much as we believe
them to — they are perfectly capable of doing a lot of the things that you or I, or anyone else that is ‘normally capable’ is able to do: they just have to manage different struggles, different obstacles, than we do,” Pedersen said. “But, with that, they are managing it and succeeding while managing those struggles. It’s cool, it’s fun, to give these groups of people the venue and the forum to show off.” Para-athletes across the province, especially in swimming, are quite rare in the OUA. Because of this, they often swim in the general category, as opposed to the paracategory. “I don’t think that’s an exclusionary tactic, there’s just not enough to have separate scored events — yet — because there’s still some stigmas about getting kids at a younger age into athletics with different difficulties or challenges that they have to manage,” Pedersen said. MacDonald as an athlete, competing at an international level, is quite significant, statistically speaking. “At Laurier, our swim team [is] roughly 20 members, [and] we have had as many as two paraclassified athletes — but usually, it’s one at a time.” And, as a para-athlete, MacDonald has faced his own set of unique challenges and obstacles, related to his classification, that he has overcome to compete on a national level. However, Laurier Athletics, and Laurier as an institution, has helped to bridge that gap, providing the opportunities and tools needed to thrive and challenge those obstacles. “When it comes to performance, for the S14s, it’s more about understanding pacing and where they are in the pool and just some of the spatial awareness things, and having an understanding of when and how to properly exert to get optimal performance,” Pedersen said. “I’ve had a chance to know [MacDonald] since he came to Laurier and as he’s grown through those first two years, just as a member of the general swimming population, and now since gearing him towards some of this para success. It’s been fun, it’s been good, I’m glad he’s having success. There’s been a lot of learning.” MacDonald has been training for the Parapan Am Games for quite some time. Next, he the swim team coaches will be working towards his trials in April for the Paralympic games in Tokyo, next summer. *This article reflects MacDonald’s competitive progress as of the date of this article’s publishing **This article was originally published in The Cord
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