Volume 18, Issue 6 - Nov. 14, 2018

Volume 18, Issue 6 – November 14, 2018

The Sputnik, We Orbit Around You. News, pg. 3

Features, pg. 6

Arts pg. 8

MARCHING FOR APPROPRIATE THE HOMELESS VS APPRECIATE

Concerns for city’s homeless grow as winter rolls in

Who gets to classify what is cultural appropriation?

Sports, pg. 11

CAUGHT UP IN A XC FACES BEST FANGIRL FRENZY OF THE BEST

Some may say fangirls are LB’s cross country team cringey but we beg to differ put all into competition

Opinion, pg. 12

YOU JUST GOT BANKSY-ED

Did shredding the painting truly make a statment?

THE LAST GAME

Sports injuries can lead to serious mental health concerns. What was once a love for the game can leave an athlete feeling on the down and out.

Sports pg. 11

SIDHANT KAPAHI/DESIGN MANAGER

02

THE SPUTNIK

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SPUTNIK_NEWS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2018

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THE SPUTNIK STAFF EDITORINCHIEF Dellesia Noah eic@thesputnik.ca

GRAPHICS EDITOR Anuj Kapahi graphics@thesputnik.ca

DESIGN MANAGER Sidhant Kapahi design@thesputnik.ca

PHOTO EDITOR Madelin Moses photography@thesputnik.ca

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LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER Mitchell Emmanuel-Kalu leadphotographer@thesputnik.ca

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VIDEO EDITOR Jason Morgan video@thesputnik.ca

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Hyrra Chughtai arts@thesputnik.ca

SENIOR COPY EDITOR Gabrielle Lantaigne copyeditor@thesputnik.ca

OPINION EDITOR Avery Mclssac opinion@thesputnik.ca

SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR Stephan Reilly Message him on our facebook page!

If you could have dinner with any celebrity, dead or alive, who would it be?

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“Beyonce” - Stephanie and Rosa, Year 2, Public Health

“Lucille Ball” - Nadia, Year 3, Social Work

“Hugh Jackman” - Katie, Year 3, Social Work

“George W. Bush” - Sarah, Year 3, Social Work

“Jim Carey” - Talha, Year 4, Digital Media and Journalism

“Cristiano Ronaldo” - Sebastian, Year 1, Criminology

BOARD OF DIRECTORS CHAIR Terrence Mroz

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WENDSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2018

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DOWNTOWN

Brantford marches for the homeless

Due to the closure of the Welcome-In centre, citizens decided to advocate for those without shelter

DELLESIA NOAH/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Community members from Brantford had marched from West street to Wellington street to gather inside City Hall to advocate on behalf of the homeless population in Brantford .

DELLESIA NOAH EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Citizens of Brantford felt the need to advocate on the behalf of this city’s growing homeless population.

Friday, November 9, a small group of Brantford citizens gathered outside the Welcome-In Resource Centre with the purpose of walking to city hall to advocate on behalf of the centre being shut down and for the growing homeless population in the city of Brantford.

The event was organized by Deb Steedman, one of the leaders of the Brantford’s Guardian Angels, a volunteer based charity group that seeks to advocate and provide for those in need in the Brant area.

The winter is coming and we’re all concerned about people’s safety, so that’s why I’m marching, to get awareness out there because we need to get something in place immediately.

-Shawna Bray, Member of Brantford’s Guardian Angels

“They’re all being kicked out and now they have to scramble to find a place”, said Steedman, of those without shelter who were utilizing the beds in the Welcome-In Resource Centre, “It’s been a safe space. When they found out they were closing down, the employees were shocked; they were in tears actually. I thought that I should do something about that because it

wasn’t really out there that it was being closed down. They keep tight lipped about it. Now I’m hearing it’s the board of directors that’s closing them down.”

Steedman said that she has a “passion to advocate” and felt it necessary to use her voice to speak up for this issue.

The group that was gathered consisted of other members of Brantford’s Guardian Angels, community members and both municipal and spiritual leaders.

“I heard about the WelcomeIn closing and I know that there are not enough resources going around to help these people. The winter is coming and we’re all concerned about people’s safety, so that’s why I’m marching, to get awareness out there, because we need to get something in place immediately”, said Shawna Bray, member of Brantford’s Guardian Angels.

Dale Renoult, pastor of Rawdon St. Baptist Church described his own encounter with homelessness in the city and his motivation to be marching, “We found a homeless man sleeping under the wheelchair accessible ramp the other day.”

Those that were gathered recognized the importance of places like the Welcome-In Resource Centre, “It was places like this that helped me get back up on my feet”, said Joshua Wall -- councillor-elect of Brantford’s fifth ward -- when he was describing a time of once being homeless himself.

Tracey Bucci, a member of the Brantford Guardian Angels said, “there’s still stigma and stereotype” surrounding homelessness in the city of Brantford. Bucci addressed the fact that most believe the driving factor to be that of the fentanyl

crisis that the city is facing, but adds that unaffordable housing, seniors with little to no pensions, and those in domestic violence situations are all factors.

The Welcome-In Resource Centre is being shut down by its board of directors due to three reasons: 1. It does not run 24 hours -- all those who used the emergency shelter overnight, had to be gone by morning. It is not a long-term shelter facility. 2. It did not service women seeking emergency shelter and 3. It did not have sufficient security staff.

The issue of homelessness in Brantford has been a long concern for the city; back in the spring of 2018, the organization made a request for $100,000 in additional funding to hire five additional part-time security staff members to service the growing needs of the homeless population.

“We really felt confident that what we wanted to do was going to be well-received,” said Trevor Beecraft, executive director at the Welcome In Resource Centre, to CTV Kitchener at the time.

At the time, councillors voted unanimously against that request, noting that they had turned down other requests for funding from other emergency shelters.

Instead, councillors approved $10,000 in funding to cover the impact of the minimum wage increase, and hired a consultant to review the city’s shelter system and suggest a more formalized funding approach than what is currently in place.

The report that was to review and analyze the city’s shelter system did not come out until September of 2018.

During this time, the WelcomeIn Resource Centre had stopped

servicing women because they were unable to address the safety concern that targeted the female population.

“The city had asked that I increase my female beds from seven to 12 which prompted me to do an internal review of the organization to see if I could manage that capacity. Unfortunately, our request was denied and so we had to take measures to protect our organization as a whole and we unfortunately had to close our female shelter,” Beecraft told The Sputnik in an earlier interview.

We found a homeless man sleeping under the wheelchair accessible ramp the other day.

-Dale Renoult, Pastor of Rowden St. Baptist Church

After the Welcome-In Resource Centre closed down its female beds, there weren’t many options left for women in Brantford.

What the city had put in place was a referral system that puts women seeking shelter through to social services.

From there, they can work with a housing resource worker that will refer them to Nova Vita. Nova Vita is for those who’s housing involves domestic violence and if that wasn’t the case for certain women they would then be directed to Victim Services.

Media reports for the shelter

system review stated: “ At this time, emergency shelter beds are largely provided to individuals on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. Moving forward, the review recommends a Coordinated Access System, aligning with Federal Housing Strategy requirements, where people who are experiencing homelessness meet with Housing Resource Centre staff to evaluate their individual needs and develop a client focused customized plan.”

In the case of when someone needs somewhere to stay because they are at the imminent risk of homelessness, Brantford’s media report on the findings of shelter systems stated: “Where no immediate and appropriate options are available, individuals at imminent risk of homelessness would continue to be admitted to a shelter through a coordinated access process. Shelters will focus more strongly on helping individuals transition to a more permanent housing situation as quickly as possible.”

As of right now the Welcome-In Resource Centre is set to close its doors permanently by December 15.

In its place, men’s emergency shelter beds at the Salvation Army Booth Centre on Dalhousie Street will increase to 20 from eight and a 24-hour co-ed emergency shelter with 20 beds will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week at Rosewood House on Nelson Street.

Beecraft and staff expected to have another 15 months until they were forced to shut down. “It’s the end of a chapter. We know we have saved lives. We can walk out with our heads held high” Beecraft told The Expositor.

THE SPUTNIK

04

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2018

CAMPUS

New app connects students with clubs

Students at both the Brantford and Waterloo campus can join clubs and associations using The Perch

JACKIE VANG/THE CORD - LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER

The Student’s Union is implememting a new app that will help students further engage with what’s going on in clubs and associations on both campuses.

AARON HAGEY presidents, [they] now have the clubs through group and event The website provides contact WRITER AT THE CORD privilege of organizing it in such pages.” details for these executives, as well

If you’ve been involved with clubs or associations at Laurier in the past few weeks, then you’ve probably had the opportunity to utilize The Perch: the Students’ Union’s newest accessible and straightforward resource for groups at Laurier.

This app — or interface, allows for people to find out what clubs are available, at either the Brantford or Waterloo campus; join them virtually, go through and look at current and upcoming events and interact in real time with the university’s Clubs and Associations Department.

It will also help these clubs on an organizational level, as their presidents will be able to more efficiently and effectively manage their executive teams, volunteers and volunteer-related administrative forms.

as social media contacts for these clubs and associations, for those who may be interested in getting involved or becoming members.

The Perch was made a reality when the Students’ Union signed an agreement with CampusVibe, whose partnership has allowed them to work on the interface, which was launched in midOctober.

“The Clubs & Associations department led by Sara Clark, has done a great job preparing this new platform for our 18,000 undergraduate students across both the Brantford and Waterloo campuses,” said Tarique Plummer, president and CEO of the Students’ Union, in a letter to the student bodies of both campuses.

“It is now the hub of all things clubs and associations related; providing students with the ability to interact with the on-campus

When discussing The Perch with Plummer, he also noted how this new interface will help the Students’ Union, both from an administrative and organizational perspective.

“It helps us on the back end [as well], in terms of managing all the clubs that we have, going through registration forms with new clubs, looking at event submission forms, helping with club budgets and [each] club’s constitutions.

It makes us able to interact with these clubs, real time,” Plummer said.

When previously booking appointments, clubs missed out when asked these sorts of questions.

With The Perch, they will instead be able to respond by using a platform that is now actively in use and created for this purpose.

“When it comes to the club

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a way that they can communicate live with their team … They can create limits or restrictions to what they have access to and give you more access if they want to,” Plummer said.

“They can do anything regarding administration on that platform and send that information to their volunteers.”

It is now the hub of all things clubs and associations related; providinf students with the ability to interact with the oncampus clubs through group and event pages.

-Tarique Plummer, President and CEO of the Student’s Union

The Perch’s user interface is intertwined with Laurier’s single sign-on. The same login that is used for MyLearningSpace will be the same login used to get onto the app.

The website features a calendar that will show daily club events and has a feature that allows people to share the event directly onto Facebook pages.

“It makes it easier for students to become more involved — you no longer have to look at bulletin boards if you’re not a big fan of that; you can just log onto The Perch. You see everything that’s going on, join if you wish, send them questions, comments or compliments if you want to,” Plummer said.

The feedback for The Perch in

the past few weeks since its release has been mixed — but Plummer isn’t worried in the slightest.

“There are many people who asking the question: ‘What? Why? Really?’ … Not a lot of individuals [will be] super aware of some of the operational achievements until we fully accomplish our marketing strategy,” Plummer said.

The Students’ Union has been focusing on setting up booths on the Brantford and Waterloo campus, training presidents and executives, as well as sending out email notifications to students who may not be aware of what’s happening.

“Some individuals want to understand more how to navigate our interface, while other individuals are not the biggest fan and would still prefer to see things on bulletin boards — which will still be there,” Plummer said.

“We’re trying to make sure that we have a much more sustainable, economical [and] environmentally friendly model to work with … it’s making a lot of headway.”

Come January, they’re hoping to open a promotional series, in order to get the entire university body fully aware that The Perch exists and utilize it to its full potential.

“If you’re a club, it’s impossible for you to operate now without being involved in it. So it’s of your benefit to inform your members of what’s going on [and] to get into it as well,” Plummer said.

Plummer understands how close-knit the Laurier Brantford community is and says that some of the main functions of this new interface will be as an organizational, administrative tools for these clubs.

“It will help key individuals who are just wanting to be more involved, to understand what events are taking place,” Plummer said.

Furthermore, the interface will present opportunities for the executives of clubs to ask themselves questions like: “am I able to organize my entire team in a way that will make us more efficient...?”, Plummer said. “[For] the Brantford campus, [The Perch focuses] more along the lines of efficiency, organization and being able to find when all these events are, so you don’t miss anything.”

The Students’ Union also wants students of the Laurier Brantford campus to understand that their campus is — and always has been — in the foreground of their future plans for the campus.

“There are projects going on behind the scenes to see if we can actualize something very similar to that, in the near future,” Plummer said.

“One of the points in my platform is a social gathering event, a social gathering location, for our students. Because if you notice on the Waterloo campus, we have, let’s say the Wilfs — an essential location.”

From a university perspective, the Students’ Union wants the student bodies of both campuses to understand that significant changes like these take time, from a planning and orchestrating perspective.

The Students’ Union will be working with the university on a number of Brantford projects in the near future, including those focussing on Market Square as a social, campus hub. “We’re trying our absolute best to ensure that we can have amazing [locations] on both campuses,” Plummer said.

THE SPUTNIK

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2018

NEWS

05

LAURIER

Diwali celebration hosted at Laurier

Also known as the celebration of lights, this holiday is focused on highlighting good energy over evil KIKI AFOLABI STAFF WRITER

Laurier Brantford hosted its first ever Diwali celebration with Conestoga College at the Brantford Convention Center on Monday, November 5.

The event was hosted by Laurier Brantford’s South Asian Student Alliance (SAA), the Punjabi Students’ Association (PSA), the international office and Conestoga College.

When I first came to Laurier Brantford in first year, it was hard to fit in because there weren’t a lot of South Asians around.

-Nikita Nieshwar, President of South Asian Student Alliance

“The purpose of hosting this event is to create a cultural awareness,” said Gurleen Lall, a fourthyear criminology student at Laurier Brantford and the president of the PSA. “[It’s] also for the international students, both at Laurier and Conestoga, to feel comfortable.”

Jenna McClymont, International Programs Assistant at the Laurier international office, said, “With our diverse student population,

KIKI AFOLABE/STAFF WRITER

Students from both Conestoga and Laurier Brantford gathered to celebrate Diwali over a traditional South Asian dinner.

we want to represent more of the cultures we are seeing in our community and a chance to share new cultures with our students”.

The celebration was a sold-out event that was well attended by about 400 people from Laurier Brantford, Conestoga and the Brantford community at large. It

was a night to make merry as there was a lot of cultural food from South Asia, such as rice, butter chicken, naan, samosas and desserts that included gulab jamun and a sweet mango ice cream.

The celebration was catered

by Market St. Kebab & Grill. “At home, we celebrate Diwali with

our families with fireworks and fire crackers,” said Palwinder Kaur, an international student studying community and social service management at Conestoga College.

Traditional Garba dances were performed by Conestoga College’s Gurajati and Bhangra associations,

followed by a Bollywood rendition by the executives of Laurier Brantford’s SAA. “This is proof of the growing diversity in Canada. We should be proud of that,” said Talha Naeem, a fourth-year digital media and journalism student at Laurier Brantford.

“When I came to Laurier Brantford in first year, it was hard to fit in because there weren't a lot of South Asians around,” said Nikita Nieshwar, president of SAA. “This year, there are more people showing interest from both Laurier and Conestoga.”

“We expect fun and celebration because we are missing our home,” said Kaur.

The event was full of color as attendees came dress in their vibrant traditional garments to match the gorgeous chandeliers that lit the room.

Following the Diwali celebration, a Diya painting night would be held on Monday, November 12 at 5:30p.m. in the multipurpose room.

This would be an opportunity to paint and customize a Diya candle, which is a lamp that is lit to ward off darkness.

It is native to India and is used religious by people of the Sikh, Jain, Buddhist and Hindu religions.

Diwali is a celebration of light that is held for five days. It is an event that celebrates good over evil and falls between the months October and November based off of the Hindu calendar.

CHARITY

Nova Vita offers a helping hand

Clothes were gathered for those in DV SEBASTIAN WOO STAFF WRITER

Over the course of three days from November 6 to 8, a new charity drop-off donation spot has been set up on behalf of Nova Vita through the Human Rights and Human Diversity (HRHD) Students Association.

The leads of each group worked in conjunction to bring forth this first-ever clothing drive for Nova Vita, which helps support abused women and children in Brantford.

Nova Vita’s clothing drive has been off to a wonderful start, with large boxes being filled with clothing and toiletries that are absolutely essential to the victims of domestic violence.

“People always have things to donate and if you’re for helping victims of domestic violence, I think it would be a good idea to bring it back,” said Vanessa Macedo, president of the Human Rights and Human Diversity Students Association.

While this is the first event, there is a good chance of this drive re-occurring in upcoming months.

“Our association frequently donates to various organizations, but I think it’s important to choose which organizations. Nova Vita is local, we should support the people here,” said Macedo.

The association also holds bake

sales for various other charities. A major upcoming event includes a conference with the Law Students Association, where a lawyer has been invited to discuss their experiences on topics of interest to both groups.

People always have things to donate and if you’re helping victims of domestic violence, I think it would be a great idea to bring it back.

-Vanessa Macedo,President of the HRHD Student’s Association

SEBASTIAN WOO/STAFF WRITER

Organizers sat in RCW for those willing to donate slightly used clothes for those in domestic violence situations.

“For the number of people impacted by abuse, women and children in Brantford, I think it’s a significant and glaring problem that we need to address,” said Macedo.

Nova Vita Domestic Violence Prevention Services is a shelter and organization geared towards abused women and children. The organization has been running since 1983 right here in Brantford to offer help, hope and healing to abused women and children.

Nova Vita offers four core

confidential services: programs, ongoing support, assistance and counselling.

Programs exist to help children and youth rebuild self-esteem; ongoing support helps women build confidence and self-reliance through transitional housing and support services; assistance helps women and children who are trapped in an abusive home through outreach visits and workshops; and counselling is geared towards individuals who are at risk of being abusive towards their

partners.

Under these four fundamental categories, Nova Vita offers numerous services, such as their 24-hour crisis line and their residential services, which accommodate 33 women and children.

Nova Vita is empowered through their committed staff and the support of donors and partners that help push it to aid all those who need it.

Partners include the Ontario Trillium Foundation, Brant United Way and the city of Brantford

The Human Rights and Human Diversity Students Association is an open association that anyone can join regardless of major.

It gears its activities towards human rights and regularly puts on events.

Keep an eye out for the next time this event returns and be sure to lend a helping hand to Brantford’s victims of domestic abuse. Nova Vita and the Human Rights Association are without a doubt taking a step in the right direction towards making a positive change.

06

THE SPUTNIK

FEATURES EDITOR/NOW HIRING

If you ha

Next halloween, we’re asking you to do OLIVIA MCLACHLAN KOYAL VYAS STAFF WRITERS

Cultural appropriation can also be phrased as cultural misappropriation and it can be defined as the adoption of elements of a minority culture by members of a dominant culture.

The issue of what is cultural appropriation versus what is appreciation is certainly not a new one.

However, it is just as important a conversation to have now as it was decades ago.

Except that it is baffling how ignorant some people still choose to be; especially since there are a lot of opportunities we have to learn about, connect with and respect one another’s cultures.

Halloween is, without fail, a breeding ground for ignorance tak-

ing the form offensive “costumes”.

Everyone has their own opinions of what is offensive in any given situation, but it should be understood that wearing others’ history as one’s costume is completely inappropriate.

Whether it is an “Indigenous person” costume with a feathered headdress and moccassins or blackface, no aspect of someone else’s culture should ever be treated as decoration .

-Olivia McLachlan, Staff Writer

Whether it is an “Indigenous person” costume with a feathered headdress and moccasins or blackface, no aspect of someone else’s culture should ever be treated as decoration.

There are plenty of reasons not to appropriate someone else’s culture. It is racist, after all.

Maybe without meaning to, someone who dresses in costumes like ‘disco dancer’ or ‘mariachi’ band member demonstrates that they do not understand the the history of the culture they are harshly representing.

Now, dressing up in neon colours and boot-cut pants is not inherently offensive; it’s when white people wear afro wigs that they toe the line between showing their love for ‘70s boogie and appropriating black culture.

Wilfrid Laurier University Brant-

ford campus is home a student group called SOUL, Student Opportunity for Unity and Leadership. This group advocates for students of African and Caribbean descent and challenges the barriers they face in today’s society.

The group communicates with fellow students on campus and engages people by offering support and encouragement.

Several students from SOUL gave their honest, candid feelings about cultural appreciation and appropriation.

One student mentioned a uniquely thought-provoking display she saw in Party City: an “Indigenous person” costume right next to a nun costume. This student pointed out how ironic it was to see a depiction of a church figure beside the representation of an entire population that has been

discriminated against for centuries, mainly by said church.

Despite the atrocities Indigenous peoples suffered at the hands of religious leaders, you can purchase skimpy yet overwhelming outfits that apparently represent both.

The Woodland Cultural Centre is a non-profit organization that serves to preserve and promote First Nations culture and heritage and it is another example of the world being educated on cultural appropriation because it is a physical reminder of the legacy of assimilation imposed on First Nations children in Canada.

It gives the opportunity for visitors to discover what Ontario was like for Indigenous people and the terrible things that took place during this time.

FEATURES

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14,2018

07

ave to ask if it’s appropriation it probably is...

ANUJ KAPAHI/GRAPHICS EDITOR

better...

According to the Woodland Cultural Centre website, the Mohawk Institute Residential School operated in Brantford, Ontario from 1828 to 1970.

This institute served as a boarding school for First Nations children from the Six Nations as well as from other communities throughout Ontario and Quebec.

It was originally used at a key tool in an effort to assimilate the children into European Christian society.

After closing in 1970 the school reopened in 1972 as apart of the Woodland Cultural Centre. The original building continues to stand only for 15,000 people to visit every year and experience the stories that the building holds.

Outside the parameters of Halloween and costumes, other members of SOUL commented on the

clear discrimination demonstrated in how society reacts to women with cornrows.

They explained that usually when a black person has cornrows in their hair, they are seen as “ghetto”. However, when a white girl has her hair in cornrows, she may be thought of as pretty, even “exotic”.

Another example dissected was people wearing saris. Someone who is not from a culture or religion that practices wearing a sari may wear the traditional garment to an Indian wedding as a sign of appreciation.

But if that same person were to continue wearing saris in their everyday life, they would be appropriating the culture.

Around the table during a SOUL meeting, it was unanimous that appropriation of a culture is to

wear traditional clothing from the culture out of context, without honouring the culture and its historical struggles or simply not knowing the history of the clothes they are wearing.

They explained that usually when a black person has cornrows in their hair they are seen as “ghetto”.

-Student Oppurtunity for Unity and Leadership (SOUL)

Of course appropriation can

come in other forms, but the topic of wearing clothing from another culture was at the forefront of the conversation.

Also at the forefront was the topic of privilege in today’s society and how it stills goes to white males in positions of power. How is it fair that white men are often still the ones to decide what is right or appropriate?

SOUL executive Esther Joseph says, “if you have to ask if something is appropriation, it probably is.”

That being said, there is nothing wrong with asking questions if you are unsure if something is offensive to another culture. It is the best way to educate yourself and broaden your understanding of people who are different from you.

The conversation concluded with Joseph and her colleagues

encouraging people to respect everyone’s culture and always communicate with others if you feel something is wrong or offensive to avoid microaggressions.

Please keep in mind all the cool, creative and funny costumes that are not offensive whatsoever.

Remember that there are other hairstyles you can try without taking one from an entire culture of people. Simply ask yourself, “is this appropriation?” Do not be surprised is the answer is yes.

THE SPUTNIK

08

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2018 ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR HYRRA CHUGHTAI arts@thesputnik.ca

CULTURE

Fangirling isn’t cringy, it’s revolutionary

With social media sites such as Twitter and Insta, fangirl culture has reached to a whole other level

ANUJ KAPAHI/GRAPHICS EDITOR

HYRRA CHUGHTAI ARTS AND CULTURE EDITOR

Fangirl culture: It’s something that we all have been around.

Whether it’s something you’ve been a part of yourself or have seen people you’ve known within it, there is one word that people most commonly associate it with it: cringe.

“Fangirling”, for those who aren’t too familiar with it, is a term that describes a group of fans that obsess over their favourite artist, actor or anyone in the limelight.

But the definition doesn’t really stop there; a fangirl goes out of their way to get as close to the person that they are “stanning”, and in this generation, it is often through social media.

The culture hasn’t fully resorted to being online, as there are still many people that stand in line for concerts for hours on end to get as close to the performer as they can.

Some hold up signs in the crowds that sometimes say obnoxious things. For the general public that doesn’t go this hard, it all looks very odd.

On the other hand, if you look much deeper than what a fangirl appears to be, I think the culture is very important and should be more appreciated by artists and regular fans.

Fangirl culture has always been around. If you look at the late-90s to early-2000s, girls were gushing over NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys.

From looking at the timeline, I think it’s safe to say that this was one of the earliest forms of modern

fangirling.

Thanks to MTV shows like “TRL” and “Unplugged”, people could go to the shows and see their favourite artists. The camera would pan to girls with posters screaming and crying while watching their favourite boy band perform.

This type of fangirling wasn’t displayed earlier on in music history.

Fangirl culture has always been around.

If you look at the late 90’s to early 2000’s, girls were gushing over NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys.

-Hyrra Chughtai, Arts and Culture Editor

The closest to its form would be the “Beatles effect”, where girls and guys were on the same playing field.

But The Beatles didn’t get the reality TV-like experience that MTV provided. The Beatles were able to perform in your city and then leave.

Perhaps a camera would follow along to provide documentation, but there wasn’t a constant nag from the public to demonstrate everything that the artist would do.

As time went on in the music industry, it seemed as though we needed and wanted more from the

artist. We wanted to see what their houses looked like on “Cribs”, what they did on their days off, what they ate: fans needed there to be a closer connection to the celebrity.

This closer connection that reality TV provided created that bond – and therefore boosted the craze.

The reason why boybands were so popular in the early 2000s was because of the fans.

Sure, you can put some of the blame on their music, but anyone that looks at the culture back then can see it’s fangirling that brought them so high up.

Most girls that grew up in that era can confidently say that they had posters all over their room of either NSYNC or the Backstreet Boys.

But just as that generation grew out of that type of music and technology rapidly evolved, YouTube was created: a social media platform where anyone can display themselves online and broadcast whatever they may like.

From YouTube, another generation of fangirls was born, particularly when it came to Justin Bieber.

I like to think that this era is where all the cringe-worthy behaviour that everyone thinks is associated with fangirling came from.

I can remember from my younger days seeing other girls my age being obsessed with Bieber, crying and screaming for him, chasing him at venues and mobbing his car.

Nowadays, I think what defines this generation’s fangirl culture is the creation of fan accounts.

This expanded throughout the growth of pop culture as well.

When One Direction and the return of boy bands was popularized again, the boys were able to create such a momentous impact because of fangirls.

Every week, fangirls would watch X-factor and due to their obssessive dedicatoin were able to have them reach the finals.

Even after their elimination, fangirls worked hard to make sure that One Direction was not forgotte. Now they are notably one of the biggest groups to come out of X Factor.

Twitter and Instagram will be your best friends if you are thinking about starting a fan account.

Fans can post edited pictures of the celebrity on Instagram, use Flipagram to create awkward videos, or use Twitter to create an account solely dedicated to getting the attention of whoever they are stanning.

We’ve all seen the Tweets from accounts that just spam non-stop, tagging their favourite artists and going to great lengths to defend them from any scandals they have been involved in. I used to read through the sometimes-endless Tweets or comments and just hardcore cringe at what these people were saying and the great lengths that they would go to.

But then I thought to myself: “if it weren’t for these thousands of comments, the thousands of tweets, and the thousands of streams towards their music, the artist would be nothing”.

Back to Bieber: starting on YouTube, it is hard work to get even 10 people to look at your work.

Especially as a creative, when you

are competing with thousands of other people that are dying to get to notoriety, you need support.

Therefore, I respect the fangirl culture. If it weren’t for those few

If it weren’t for these thousands of comments, the thousands of tweets, and the thousands of streams towards their music the artist would be nothing -Hyrra Chughtai, Arts and Culture Editor

people that tuned in to Bieber’s earliest work and stayed to watch his talent evolve, he wouldn’t be where he is today.

Even if you don’t like his music, you can agree that where this man is today and the level of success that he has achieved is due in part to fangirl culture. I think the power that fangirls have is anything but cringe-worthy.

In fact, it’s something that shouldn’t always be frowned upon.

They are taking the time out of their day to help another person’s career.

They start from when the person is hardly recognized and support them throughout their journey, and I think that it’s time we stop looking in the other direction when it comes to fangirling.

THE SPUTNIK

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2018

ARTS & CULTURE

09

NETFLIX

Mixed opinions about new “Sabrina” remake

Some argue that the remake of “Sabrina” pushes Satanism FIONA ROWAT STAFF WRITER

Riverdale and Archie Comics fans alike were excited when the new series, “The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina”, was released onto Netflix this October.

Opinions on the first season seem to differ: many fans were not expecting the dark aspects to be so strong, while others were happy with the exciting storyline.

“It’s not like the quirky american sitcom...it’s not like Riverdale,” said fan Shelby Devey, a first-year studying forensic psychology. “It takes a dark twist because they actually did Sabrina comics that had a dark twist called ‘The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina’, which is what the title of the show... I think they just made it better. They took good aspects from the comics and then elaborated on them. They added new characters that are better, in my opinion, than they were in the comics, and it just has a better storyline.”

Following the storyline of the comics is something that turned a lot of people away from Riverdale in the first place.

Some opinions, such as Devey’s, are that the show follows the comics nicely, but the comic storyline that the show is based on is a more recent storyline. Those who grew up with the comics see the show as

the opposite.

“A lot of people are talking about how it’s glorifying Satanism...but that’s not what it’s really doing,” Devey said. “They [the characters] are more set as equals than as his [Satan’s] following.”

I think they just made it better . They took good aspects from the comics, and then elaborated on them. They added new characters that were better...

-Shelby Devey, First Year Student

The characters also seem to be a convincing reason to watch the show, as many different types of people are represented and can be seen as strong role models.

Having representation in the media is something that’s being talked about a lot, and is something that’s starting to happen more and more. It’s good to see yet another show attempting to represent a diverse cast.

One example is Roz, a young woman of colour, who with Sabri-

na, runs a women’s empowerment club in their high school.

“Having a wide variety of different sexual orientations, races and stuff like that: it’s important for any generation to hear from because they know that they’re represented in a show, which is very important,” Devey said. “This show could bring that to light: it’s okay to be who you are.”

Though some take issue with the fact that characters from the witches side occasionally mock and belittle Catholicism and Christianity.

On the topic of religion, many Satanists were offended by the appropriation, and the church of Satan itself is looking into a lawsuit against the show for copying its religious symbols.

Despite this, Sabrina still seems to be on a better path than Riverdale. The two shows share the same writers.

“Riverdale seasons two and three were contrasting to how good the first season was,” said Devey. “I did like the first season of Riverdale, so if they [Sabrina] have a second season, it could go downhill. I personally don’t think it will because the ending was pretty strong.”

Whether you love it, or hate it, “The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” seems to have a future much brighter than the show ahead.

IMDB.COM

MUSIC

Female-fronted bands you need to hear

If you have a Spotify playlist specfic to girl-power and female leads, these six acts should be on there RYLEE WOLFKAMP STAFF WRITER

No one necessarily listens to a band for sole reason that they are lead by an incredible female vocalist or musician.

However, these bands, while amazingly talented, have made waves in the music industry and created awesome role models for young aspiring female musicians.

Thankfully, a new generation of these acts has made women all the more present in every genre.

Here are six of my favourite female-fronted bands that you should give a listen to: 1. Paramore Known best for being the gateway drug band for most “scene” girls of the 2000’s, this Grammywinning band is fronted by Haley Williams.

Paramore didn’t really reach the mainstream until 2007 with the release of their album, “Riot!”, which included hits like “Misery Business”, “Crushcrushcrush” and “That's What You Get”. Their most recent album, “After Laughter” made waves among their fan base for a seemingly drastic genre change.

Despite this, the album hit Billboard’s “50 Top Albums of 2017” at #15.

2. Fleetwood Mac/Stevie Nicks I couldn’t bring myself to write about female musicians without bringing up the witchy, haunting and absolute icon that is Stevie Nicks.

Best known for her work with

ANUJ KAPAHI/GRAPHICS

Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Nicks was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 and has won numerous awards with Fleetwood Mac, including a Grammy Award and five nominations. Go ahead and do yourself a favour and listen to “The Chain”, “Dreams”, “Rhiannon”, “Songbird”, “Gypsy”— I could go on.

3. No Doubt A Gwen Stefani-led band that includes three men, No Doubt is a staple in most pop/rock playlists.

No Doubt had released five studio albums before Stefani successfully went solo.

Hits of theirs include “Don’t Speak”, “Just a Girl” and “Sunday Morning”.

4. Echosmith Led by Sydney Sierota, this all-sibling band from Los Angeles hit the charts for the first time in 2014 with the indie-pop hit “Cool Kids” after years of buildup.

Their debut album “Talking Dreams” was released in 2013, with all the songs on the album having been written by the band or their father, Jeffery David.

While their album got some pretty damaging reviews, one calling the music “characterless”,

Sydney’s controlled yet airy voice puts them on my list.

5. Evanescence Founded in 1995 by lead Amy Lee, Evanescence shook the American rock scene and won two Grammy’s for their first full-length album, “Fallen”, which sold over 17 million copies worldwide. Most famous songs include “My Immortal”, “Bring Me To Life” and “Call Me When You’re Sober”.

6. Destiny’s Child “Bootylicious” is one of those songs that make everyone in the room sing when it comes on. This is just one of many hits that Des-

tiny’s Child is credited with. One of the most popular R&B groups of the late-90s, they were known just as well for their drama as for their music.

While the band had much in the way of turmoil and personal battles, their music became iconic, but the three-time Grammy-winning group split in 2006. Beyoncé, Michelle and Kelly rocked my world as a child with their album “Survivor” (2001). “Independent Women, Pt.1” and “Independent Women, Pt.2” (while being total bops) helped reinforce that girls do, in fact, run the world.

THE SPUTNIK

10

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14 , 2018 SPORTS EDITOR JESSA BRAUN sports@thesputnik.ca

VARSITY

LB cross country faces Canada’s best

Laurier Brantford Golden Hawks pull together a strong showing at the CCAA National championships RYAN PRAUGHT SPORTS WRITER

The Laurier Brantford’s crosscountry team finished their memorable season with the opportunity to leave their mark at the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) national championship.

Unfortunately, the women’s team fell just a little short of their goal of a top 10 finish, but there is still plenty to be proud of as the team still placed 12th out of 24 schools. The event took place on Nov. 10 in King City, Ontario.

The women’s team, led by Ontario Collegiate Athletic Association (OCAA) Rookie of the Year Vanessa Brown, ran strong all season right up until the very end. Brown finished 21st out of 117 individual runners with a time of 25:17. To add to Brown’s already impressive year, she was also named to Second Team AllOntario.

“I felt good; it [nationals] was a good race,” Brown said.

While it isn’t quite the result the team wanted at nationals, not enough can be said about how well the team did to get there in the first place. As Coach Cory Currie put it, “The main goal was to get the women’s team to nationals.”

And that they did: The team se-

COURTESY OF CCAA

Golden Hawk Ahad Naim rounds a corner in the men’s race. He placed 26th overall at the CCAA National Championship.

cured their spot by finishing third at the Ontario championships two weeks ago. Not only did they medal, but it was also the first time in Laurier Brantford history that a varsity team medaled, making it that much more special.

Another amazing accomplishment was the fact that in only the

third year as a varsity program, the team made it to nationals for the second time.

When asked about his team’s performance, Currie said, “They did a fantastic job and I couldn’t be more proud.”

While Sophia Nowicki of Lethbridge college won the overall

race with a time of 23:32, it was Fanshawe College who claimed the national title with a total score of 45. Fanshawe is not new to success at cross-country, as they won the Ontario championship title this year and finished second at last year’s national championship.

Ahad Naim represented the

men for Laurier Brantford, and did quite well. He finished 26th overall and just like his teammate Vanessa Brown, was named to the SecondTeam All-Ontario.

Matthew Travaglini of the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) finished first, but his team finished just shy of the gold medal. They came in second. St. Clair College finished in first place and won the national championship for the men.

The course conditions were less than stellar for both the men and the women, as it was very hilly and that tends to slow runners by at least a minute and a half. In addition, the course was icy and the temperatures were below zero, making it very difficult for runners to be at their best.

“It was by far the worst running conditions I’ve ever been in,” said Naim.

It also happened to be snowing when the men ran, making things even tougher for them to perform.

As this season ends, runners are already looking forward to next year. Laurier Brantford cross-country hopes to build on an already impressive resume by placing at nationals. As Vanessa Brown put it: “For the team next year, I want to see us place top five at nationals and bring home a silver for OCAA.”

EXTRAMURAL

Dodgeball team reaches semi-finals at Humber

The Laurier Brantford dodgeball squad continues to rise HANNAH KASTEIN SPORTS WRITER

Laurier Brantford’s dodgeball team had their second tournament of the year at Humber College on Nov. 9.

The team advanced to the semi-finals, but was unable to reach the finals.

The soon-to-be tournament champions, Humber Lakeshore, beat the Golden Hawks 4-0 to claim the golden ticket to the finals.

“We gave it our all every game and I couldn’t be prouder,” said Andre Thames, the team captain.

“I believe this tournament made us stronger as a unit and I’m excited to finish the season with the momentum we built.”

Laurier did well in the tournament, and in the semifinals took the opponents to the very end.

Both games could have gone either way.

It was a big improvement from their last tournament on Oct. 26th here in Brantford.

The team was able to come together and play as a team, which is really hard to do in the sport of dodgeball.

The team’s head coach, Matthew Coomber said, “As a unit we played much better than our previous tournament. I am extremely confident in the team’s ability to improve for the next tournament.”

Thames was able to step up and was especially good throughout the tournament, according to Coomber.

Humber Lakeshore were crowned champions after defeating their sister campus, Humber North, in the final. The score was 5-3.

The matchup was a repeat of the final at Laurier Brantford’s tournament on Oct. 26, which Lakeshore also won.

Laurier did well in the tournament, and in the semi-finals took the teams to the very end.

Both games could have gone either way.

-Hannah Kastein, Sports Writer

George Brown won bronze along with the Fair Play award.

Laurier’s next tournament is Jan. 24th at George Brown College, but the Golden Hawks will have some work to do before then.

The team will continue to practice their plays and decisionmaking on the court. They will also be learning new tactics and trying

to reach new heights with their synergy on and off the court.

The team has both guys and girls, all of them putting in a team effort at Humber, while having a lot of fun at the same time.

The team is coached by Coomber as well as Meg Elmhirt, who Coomber said did a great job leading on the sidelines on Friday during the tournament.

Coomber has been apart of the Laurier dodgeball team for the two previous seasons as a player.

“Knowing that the majority of the team was graduating and remembering how much fun I had playing, I thought it would be a great idea to try and coach,” said Coomber.

He has a lot to offer the new players and Laurier’s dodgeball program because of his experience and ability on the court.

The team’s last tournament was the first dodgeball tournament to be hosted a Laurier Brantford’s new YMCA facility.

The team’s roster is the following: Andre Thames (Captain) Kyle Solomon (Captain) Avery Proulx Mariana Marquez Micah Ens Marcus Shirley Jake Potter O’shai Jeffers-Penny Breton Pyke-Day

SAI GNANAHARAN/PHOTOGRAPHER

Fifth year O’Shai Jeffers-Penny winds up to throw a shot at George Brown

THE SPUTNIK

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2018

SPORTS

11

FEATURE

Injuries cause more than just physical pain How sports-related injuries can cause mental health problems JESSA BRAUN SPORTS EDITOR

For many athletes, their sport becomes a huge part of who they are and what they build their lives around. The sport creates benefits such as stress relief, a social circle and a good reason to exercise. All of these things play a role in shaping an athlete’s personality, values and friendships.

The scary thing for a lot of athletes is that this could all be snatched right out of their life in a matter of seconds. It happens more often than any of us would like and it’s because of agonizing little villains we like to refer to as injuries.

One minute you’re dribbling down the field, loving every minute of the ball at your feet and the wind whipping past your face. You deek out your opponent but it all happens too quickly and suddenly you’re on the ground. You’re writhing in pain because your opponent accidentally took out the wrong part of your leg. Just like that, your ACL is torn, you need surgery and you won’t see the field again for almost a year.

If you are an elite athlete where it is your only identity, and suddenly it has been taken away from you, you are sitting there thinking: ‘Who am I now?’ It is a big sense of loss.

-MISIA GERVIS, LEADING SPORTS PSYCHOLOGIST

It happens that fast.

Injuries are a lot more than just injuries. They come with a side of boredom and wondering what to do with yourself during all your new spare time. Because of this loss of identity, it’s common for injuries to unmask serious mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders and substance abuse.

“When you are in that rehab place and you can’t get on that pitch it seems like it’s forever,” leading sports psychologist Misia Gervis told The Guardian. “There is a wealth of evidence around the psychological challenges of long-term injury. If you are an elite athlete where it is your only identity, and suddenly that has been taken away from you, you are sitting there thinking: ‘Who am I now?’ It is a big sense of loss.”

Ian Linton, a wrestler and student at Laurier Brantford, suffered a shoulder dislocation that lasted six months.

“I really liked the sport and not being able to do it really hurt. The second time I injured it I was going through a lot of problems mentally and wrestling was my escape from that and injuring it again and having to make that choice was really difficult. [It] made things worse

because I really wanted to be out there,” said the first year.

Shaina Ecclestone, a second year Youth and Children’s Studies major, suffered three concussions in one year.

“It was devastating to me to know I would never be able to play that high of a level of hockey again,” she said. “It was my future plans, I wanted to attend Laurier since I was little and to play as a goalie on the Laurier varsity team.

It’s hard for me to think that I lost it all in a split second just by getting hit in the head. Everything in my life changed for me, more than just my sports. All because of something that took a second to happen.”

Certain kinds of injuries are common among certain sports, however, concussions are one of the most prevalent ones among any type of sport.

“It [rugby] was great, then I got seriously concussed,” said Reilly, another Laurier Brantford student.

“For rugby it was terrible to leave.

So I became a coach of my high school team instead of a player which was still really hard because I couldn’t do anything -- just walk.

I couldn’t play the sport I loved so I started to gain weight -- a lot. And my self-confidence was terrible it made me extremely depressed.”

Even long after the worst part of the concussion is over, the injury is still tough to deal with. Concussions can result in lifelong effects and also alter playing ability due to the high risk of getting re-concussed.

“The healing process for concussions is extremely long especially because I had another one before this one which was pretty serious as well,” said Reilly.

“So I was more limited because the doctors wanted to be extra cautious. It took a while until I could play again and it took even longer for me to become healthy and fit again.”

Not only do concussions and injuries affect an athlete’s involvement in sport -- they also impact academics, social life and overall quality of day-to-day living.

“It limited me with school like crazy,” said Reilly. “I was out of school for three months, which

affected my grades a lot and my social life because I could never leave my room and then after that stage of the healing process was over I still couldn’t leave my house.”

Ecclestone experienced weak reactiveness in her left eye and enhanced effects of her ADHD. School became more of a challenge than it had ever been before.

“I went from a 90s student to failing very quickly and had to build back up to where I am today,” she said. “Lots of extra time on school work and I even had to switch schools. Because of the extent of the brain injury I also had a big shift in my personality. My mom notices it the most.

That is one thing that will never change back to the way it was, but I am learning to cope with all the changes.”

It’s not just concussions and injuries that force an athlete to give up their sport. Illness, disease and health conditions can also be detrimental to an athlete’s career in the same way injuries are.

Laurier Brantford student Alexa Stucke had to give up competitive basketball before she was ready due to symptoms of low blood sugar. While playing, she often felt faint and found it extremely difficult to move. This went on for two years before she had to give up the competitive level completely.

“That loss of not being able to achieve my goals took a huge toll on who I was, my identity,” said the second year who had been aiming for a D1 scholarship before coming to university. “[Basketball] literally was my life and it got swept from under my feet. You don’t know that your last game is your last game.”

The ultimate question is: What can be done about athletes’ losses of identity, goals, self-esteem and confidence that were born out of their injuries?

“I try to realize that maybe I have another purpose; maybe my end goal wasn’t supposed to be playing basketball,” said Stucke.

Finding another hobby or interest to center your identity might be a start, but Stucke says it’s not as easy as it may seem.

“Even now I try to find different hobbies but nothing compares,“ she said. “I would give anything to

COURTESY OF LAURIER BRANTFORD ATHLETICS AND RECREATION

Alexa Stucke goes in for a layup in an extramural tournament at Humber.

have basketball back in the capacity that I had it.”

What might be needed is more awareness, accessibility and availability of rehabilitation centres and mental health counselling for injured athletes.

“I think it would be a great thing if these facilities were made more known,” said Ecclestone. “I had no clue about any of that stuff until I got hurt. Cobblestone Rehab facility in Paris, Ont. is the reason I am as far as I am today. Facilities like these are so important for the rehabilitation of people who have suffered from brain injuries whether it is short-term or long-term like mine. I have talked at hockey

meetings for teams I have coached to try my best to spread awareness but I hope that these programs become more acknowledged for all sports in all places.”

For a lot of athletes, sports are supposed to be a safe haven, an escape from reality. It’s damaging to a person’s mental health when that main source of hope and joy gets taken away. With mental health awareness growing into such a popular aspect among society, now is the time to start thinking about how we can make athletes’ journeys to recovery less painful for not only their physical injuries, but for their emotional wellbeing as well.

COUTESY OF LAURIER BRANTFORD ATHLETICS AND RECREATION

Teams and attending practices provides players with a great peer support system but that social circle is something athletes have to give up when injured.

THE SPUTNIK

12

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2018 OPINION EDITOR AVERY MCISAAC opinion@thesputnik.ca

ART

Getting Banksy-ed Did shredding the painting make a statement or just backfire?

DEBORAH WHYTE STAFF WRITER

As an artist, I completely understand the feeling of wanting to shred my own artwork. But in Banksy’s, this was taken to a whole other level.

On October 5, Banksy decided to“troll” the art world by shredding his own artwork at a Sotheby’s auction. His art piece, the “The Girl with the Red Balloon,” sold for $1.4 million.

Just as it was auctioned off by a hit of the gavel, a loud beep could be heard throughout the audience, followed by the elusive noise of artwork being shredded.

Of course, I can’t entirely agree with the whole idea. I mean we’re talking about $1.4 million going into a shredder.

Any struggling artist and starving musician would think Banksy was losing a few marbles.

But from Banksy’s point of view, it all makes sense. If you’re an artist that nobody

knows the identity of and your spray paintings are signs that “you were there”, having any one of them being sold and kept in someone else’s house goes against all your hard work.

Banksy lives for an anonymous lifestyle. He’s popular for his artwork being alive for a few moments before being taken down. His street art combines dark humour with graffiti through a distinctive stenciling technique.

His works of political and social commentary have been featured on streets, walls and bridges of cities throughout the world.

With all this, he must have known that at some point his artwork would goup for auction.

I feel that if I were in his shoes, I wouldn’t give away a painting just like that.

Sure, I can always re-make it, in a sense. But it’s not the same as seeing something you worked so hard on be sold at an auction

in front of dozens of people who don’t value the painting as you do.

The main point is that he doesn’t create his spray paintings for the money, but for the message he conveys through them.

Banksy was trying to send a message through his work. But what about the people attending the auction? All they saw was art created by a mysterious being that the world doesn’t even know that could probably be worth more than a crippling economy.

After the shredding at the auction, Banksy released a video of him building the frame and installing the shredder into it.

Some people critiqued Banksy for doing what he did because his actions, in trying to say “f*** you”to the government, actually backfired. Instead of making the painting worth less, it caused the painting to be worth more.

Aja Romano of Vox wrote that the shredding of the painting

DEBORAH WHYTE/STAFF WRITER

was the point Banksy was trying to make; that popularity bestows value in an age of commodification.

All in all, I personally would be glad to sell my artwork to rich people, because it shows that they appreciate my work,

even if they don’t see it the same way as I do.

So what if popularity causes the value of an item to increase?

I’d rather be the owner of a valuable item than something that will soon become attic material.

LIFE

We need more preparation for adulthood

Becoming an adult is the most stressful time in someone’s life. So why aren’t we better prepared for it?

SEBASTIAN WOO/STAFF WRITER

EMILY ERNST STAFF WRITER

When I was younger I had this foggy impression that adults had everything figured out.

I was sure that my mom, my dad, my teachers and my babysitter knew everything there was to know about this planet, its inhabitants and how to handle all the unavoidable ups and downs that would inevitably arise.

However, at that time I thought an up was getting an extra scoop of ice cream for dessert and a down was not getting a second bedtime story.

Now that I have moved through two streams of public education and am well on my way to becoming an adult in the numerical sense, I have been painfully slapped with the harsh

I HAVE BEEN PAINFULLY SLAPPED WITH THE HARSH REALITY THAT MOST ADULTS HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEY’RE DOING

reality that most adults have no idea what they’re doing.

I would like to start off by making it crystal clear that I deeply appreciate my education and I understand how fortunate I am to have the luxury of learning.

I fully recognize that postsecondary education is almost a necessity in order to get a job, and education is valuable if you desire a highly regarded social position in life.

However, this is where my problem takes root. Life isn’t solely a job.

Life, as far as I am concerned, is everything else.

Yet sadly, everything else isn’t always adventures to waterfalls, driving with all the windows down on the highway, dancing to groovy music or running

through meadows of daisies.

More often than not, everything else is also taxes, insurance, mortgages, loans, budgeting, saving and renting.

Now, if you’re like most young adults making their way through the university education system, this list of “everything else” was likely rather terrifying.

For some, the prospect of dealing with this inescapable list is what frightens them.

However, for most, it is the fact that those words make absolutely, completely no sense whatsoever.

If you’re reading this, feeling that slight panic beginning to set in, just know that you’re not alone.

When asked about their feelings towards their post-university life, many students had similar

responses.

“I am still so dependent on my parents,” said one student. “I can’t even book an appointment for myself. That’s something so simple, so how am I supposed to know how to pay my bills or do a mortgage or buy a car?”

All the students spoke with seemingly equal frustration when it came to the lack of education on “real world” topics.

Said another student, “This [university] isn’t really helping, because all throughout high school we didn’t learn anything.

My mom tried her best to teach me but that was about it. I am sure that most of the knowledge I’m going to get going out on my own is going to be from my parents, not through school.”

The whole point of university is to make you into a well-func-

tioning, useful citizen.

But how can you be when you don’t even know what insurance is or how to obtain it?

Universities are in place, first and foremost, to provide an in-depth education on certain areas of life, like law, business or science.

But I often wonder if an education on real-world occurrences would be equal or even greater in value.

Let’s face it: most of us will be walking out of here with some fancy paper in our hand and a boatload of student debt weighing on our back pockets.

The least the universities could do is teach us how to successfully pay it off.

When you come out of these classes, these buildings, this town, the expectation is that you are a capable adult who will be able to manage the problems life throws your way.

But how do you start a life when life skills have never been taught?

Imagine how well society would function if we taught our youth how to budget, pay taxes, follow politics, vote in elections, manage interest or even simply how to effectively save money.

If citizens were instilled with these basic yet crucial skills, we would likely see a sharp increase in their overall quality of life or productivity.

The adults would actually know how to be adults and no longer would people feel like they are wandering through a corn maze blindfolded.

There needs to be a push for schools of all types to teach people how to create a life.

I’m quite sure I will leave this place with absolutely no clue what a mortgage is.

But hey, at least I know how to cite a journal article in APA format!