JANUARY 10, 2017 | VOLUME XCVIII | ISSUE XVI ONO HE DIDN’T SINCE 1918
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NEWS
CULTURE
OPINION
SCIENCE
SPORTS
Furlong reinstated as keynote for banquet
NOOOOOOOO: Calhoun’s is closing
What to do if you’re unsure about your degree
Read these books and be miserable at parties
Women’s hockey retires Laura Taylor’s jersey
THE UBYSSEY
A WEEK OF STANDUP
MINING VANCOUVER’S DEPTHS FOR COMEDY GOLD PAGE 6
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JANUARY 10, 2017 TUESDAY
YOUR GUIDE TO UBC EVENTS & PEOPLE
EVENTS
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OUR CAMPUS
Novelist Amber Dawn is a sex worker turned UBC instructor JANUARY 9 TO 15 UBC REC FREE WEEK @ UBC REC CENTRE A cheaper alternative to your “go to the gym” new-year’s resolution. Try a variety of classes for free, including self-defence. FREE, DETAILS ONLINE
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MUSTAFA SYED YAHYA
“When the Downtown Eastside shows up in the news, we think fentanyl crisis and we think missing women, which we should not ignore. But what we don’t always see is it’s a neighbourhood of brilliant artists.”
Sophie Sutcliffe Senior Staff Writer
FRIDAY JANUARY 13 UBC WINTER CLASSIC 5 P.M. @ DOUG MITCHELL Scream with thousands of other students in UBC’s largest ever hockey game. Puck drops at 7 p.m. $5 for UBC students
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EDITORIAL
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JANUARY 10, 2017 | VOLUME XCVIII| ISSUE XVI
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In 1999, The Ubyssey published an article about Amber Dawn, describing her as “a woman who wears many different hats.” This statement still holds true today. Dawn is an author, activist and professor of creative writing at UBC and Douglas College. However, before she was a successful writer, Dawn was a student in UBC’s creative writing department, and also worked as a sex worker living on the Downtown Eastside. “My first year at UBC, I was living in an SRO (Single Room Occupancy unit) … right on Carrall and Hastings, [and] was living on permanent disability at that time, very much entrenched in Downtown Eastside life. I worked as a street prostitute for many years [and during] my first few years at UBC, I was still working,” said Dawn. Dawn is the first to admit that she doesn’t fit the typical mould of a UBC student. No one in her family has a university education, and she didn’t grow up with the idea that university would be an avenue for her. But thanks to creative writing, the subject that kindled her academic passion, Dawn made it to UBC. Dawn began to get involved in creative writing through spoken word and slam poetry after moving to Vancouver at the age of 17. She became very interested in “punk rock, white girl feminism,” which revolved around the world of concerts, where openers would often give a spoken word address. For Dawn, the storytelling aspect of these performances was a way
to engage with narratives that would otherwise not have been told. “I just came alive when I would hear someone perform spoken word. And that sort of led me to slam poetry. I loved it. I loved the idea that we all have a story to tell and I feel like this was a value — like everyone’s story is important [and] everyone has a right to tell their truth. And that’s where it started — just that idea that we all have a story, that all of our lived experiences have value and should we want to, we should all be telling our stories,” she said. After receiving her MFA in creative writing from UBC, Dawn published her first novel, Sub Rosa, which received a Lambda award, and later published her memoir, How Poetry Saved My Life: A Hustler’s Memoir, which won the 2013 Vancouver Book Award. In addition to her teaching and writing, Dawn still finds time for activism, something she has been involved with since she moved to Vancouver. “I don’t do a lot of protesting anymore. I’m not a body on the street anymore, but I’m also noticing how writing, creative writing and shows like a literary reading can be an act of political resistance. So my activism intersects closely with the arts and with creative writing these days,” said Dawn. Dawn also makes time to give back to the Downtown Eastside, a neighbourhood she says still feels like home to her. “I try to give back to the neighbourhood as much as I can through fundraising, volunteer time and supporting other artists. When the Downtown Eastside
shows up in the news, we think fentanyl crisis and we think missing women, which we should not ignore. But what we don’t always see is it’s a neighbourhood of brilliant artists,” she said. Dawn stressed that while many people in Vancouver may also want to support the area, those not from the community should be mindful of how they do it. In particular, she wants these individuals to allow the residents to shine, and not the other way around. “It is important when we support any community, any movement, to understand who’s experiential, who the leaders are, and to learn to be a listener and a follower. So for people who maybe come from some affluence or some privilege that want to go into the Downtown Eastside and give back, you’re not going to be a leader there. And that’s great. A lot of life teaches us to lead … but it’s also wonderful to not be in authority and just be a listener and to just be supporting from a lower level. That’s an incredible space to hold,” she said. As part of supporting artists and writers in the Downtown Eastside, Dawn facilitates creative writing workshops every Thursday at the Carnegie Community Centre. “[It] feels challenging and it also feels like home to me,” she said. “UBC is challenging to me in different ways. I’m up here teaching once a week as well, and it’s not home to me here, but I feel very lucky I get to be here as an instructor as well.” U Dawn is running a writing workshop, Creative Self-Care, at 1 p.m. on January 11 at the UBC Sexual Assault Support Centre.
NEWS CONTROVERSY //
After a decision made by President Santa Ono, John Furlong has been reinstated as the keynote speaker at the 18th ZLC Millennium Scholarship breakfast, an annual event to support varsity athletes, to be held in February. Furlong was removed as the event’s speaker on December 23, after allegations against him from 2012 regarding child abuse resurfaced in a letter of protest submitted to the university. “With today’s decision we are making right the fundamental wrong at the heart of the issue: a well-intentioned but incorrect decision to cancel John’s speaking engagement in the first place,” wrote Ono in his statement on the matter. According to Ono’s previous statement, the original decision to remove Furlong from the event was made by the athletics department and neither Ono nor members of the UBC Board of Governors were participants. At that time, representatives of Furlong’s speaking engagements asked UBC to reconsider the decision, saying that it was “illinformed.” It seemed that the original decision was sparked after Glynnis Kirchmeier, a UBC alum and human rights complainant against the university, wrote a letter assembling the previous allegations and asking UBC to remove Furlong. In the letter, Kirchmeier noted that since the allegations against Furlong came from students at a former residential school, the university was counteracting its very public commitment to truth and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. UBC also received some backlash from the university community at the time. “This is a very precise illustration of how empty not only UBC’s commitment to truth and reconciliation is, but all of Canada’s,” said Kirchmeier in an interview with The Ubyssey, noting her disappointment with UBC’s decision to reinstate Furlong as speaker. “I think that they’re completely out of alignment,” said Sarah Hunt on UBC’s decision and its correlation with the values of UBC truth and reconciliation towards Indigenous peoples. Hunt is an associate professor at UBC for First Nations and Indigenous studies, and has expertise in the topics of inter-generational trauma and abuse stemming from residential schools. “I would encourage the president to listen to everybody … to listen to his students, to listen to his Indigenous faculty and community members.” Soon after Furlong’s removal as keynote, Ono released a statement of apology to Furlong, saying that “UBC made this decision in good faith, but without proper consideration of its potential impact on Mr. Furlong or his family.” However, at this same time of apology — January 4 — UBC
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BOARD OF GOVERNORS //
UBC reinstates John Furlong as keynote speaker Samantha McCabe News Editor
JANUARY 10, 2017 TUESDAY
EDITORS SRUTHI TADEPALLI + SAMANTHA MCCABE
Public Affairs confirmed that UBC would not be reinstating Furlong as speaker at the banquet. “UBC will not be reconsidering its decision regarding this breakfast speaking engagement,” said Susan Danard of UBC Public Affairs, in a written statement to The Ubyssey at the time. “Regarding the future, President Ono has said that decisions need to be made following a more robust deliberative process.” However, Ono has since reevaluated this decision according to his newest statement, which solidifies Furlong’s presence at February’s banquet. “The British Columbia Civil and Supreme Courts have ruled in favour of Mr. Furlong in every matter that has come before them. The university had no basis to put its judgment above theirs,” wrote Ono in the statement. Furlong was previously sued by three people after a Georgia Straight article was published in 2012, for alleged abuses suffered at his hands during their time as elementary school students. According to The Globe and Mail, in one case, the RCMP chose not the file a report to Crown Counsel, halting proceedings before they reached court. They attributed this decision to the fact that those reports lacked consistency and could not be corroborated. The two other cases were dismissed. Most recently, a human rights case has been filed by six six Northern British Columbia First Nations members for ethnic discrimination for the mishandling of the allegations against Furlong by the government and police. The case was filed on December 5 and attributes further victim suffering to the government’s failure to adequately investigate previously filed cases. “It is a factual inaccuracy that these matters have been fully tested by the court because of course, there is the pending human rights case,” said Kirchmeier. The community has been quite divided in response to Furlong’s removal and reinstatement — while there was a great deal of dissatisfaction expressed with his original role as keynote, there was evident support for him after the initial removal. Reportedly, Furlong was sent over 75 letters of support from community members. Furlong has since released a statement in conjunction with Ono’s, noting thankfulness for the support he has received. “I respect and appreciate that President Ono and Board Chair Stuart Belkin have shown decisive leadership, making a wrong decision right,” wrote Furlong in the statement. “I trust we can leave this behind us now to focus on ensuring the event enjoys record attendance and financial success.” “We confirm that Mr. Furlong has graciously accepted our invitation,” reads Ono’s latest statement. Both Ono and Furlong have declined to comment further. U
Release of final sexual assault policy extended to April
The policy was previously supposed to be released in February.
Julia Burnham Senior Staff Writer
At the last Board of Governors meeting on December 6, it was announced that there would be an extension on the release of the final draft of UBC’s sexual assault policy. Previously, the public consultation period had been extended to the end of October, which condensed the time for the policy committee to redraft the policy with the community’s suggestions. “I think there was a recognition that we were going to be presenting a redrafted policy that was going to be so significantly different from the current draft that we were going to need to have another period of consultation following the new draft going to the board,” said Sara-Jane Finlay, the associate
vice-president of Equity and Inclusion. The sexual assault policy committee is on schedule to release a redraft of the policy at the February Board of Governors meeting. Following this, the redraft will go out for more public consultation due to the fact that it is going to be “quite significantly different,” according to Finlay. “We’ll have about six or seven weeks in which to do some consultation with the community before the policy committee comes back together again to respond to that feedback,” said Finlay. “We have much more freedom to make the changes needed and more time for us to meet and not have to do it rushed,” says Samantha So, AMS VP Academic. “I think with more time comes a better policy, that means we get
FILE JOSHUA MEDICOFF
more time to consult, we get more time to redraft changes.” Generally, committee members are feeling positive about the extra time being given to them to work through the redrafting process. “I think it’s a luxury that we’ve now had the time to be very thoughtful and to gather the information that we need and work so closely with the experts from across the university in developing what I think is going to be a really robust policy,” said Finlay. The new sexual assault policy is a mandate by Bill 23, which states that that all post-secondary institutions in British Columbia must establish and implement a sexual misconduct policy. The bill was passed last April and set a one-year deadline of May 18, 2017 for post-secondary institutions to comply. U
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4 | news | TUESDAY JANUARY 10, 2017 COURSES //
CPSC department improves long waitlists
ALEX NGUYEN
Updates about the waitlist situation were received well by UBC students.
some students and members of the subreddit thread r/UBC at large also question the basis for the section’s high average in a subthread called “CPSC 213 MARKS ARE OUT.” One Reddit
user suggests that 40 per cent of the class got 85 per cent or higher. “I’m happy [that the department was] transparent about the situation and that they didn’t try to paint it as
something better than what it was,” said Graf. “I just hope they are as transparent regarding any decisions, including reprimand, that come out of the investigation.” U
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According to the Waitlist Open Forum, a feedback session directed at computer science students, that was held on Friday, the computer science (CPSC) department’s waitlist situation has improved. After speaking with hundreds of students, most waitlists have now shrunk significantly and are made up of mostly non-majoring students. In particular, CPSC 310 has reduced its waitlist to 16 non-majors, from a combined 256 major and non-major students. The only course left with a comparatively long waitlist is CPSC 410 due to the department’s prioritization of resources for CPSC 310, the major’s requirement. This improvement could be attributed to the fact that while challenges remain unchanged since the September Waitlist Open Forum, the department’s solutions have become more proactive. As presented regarding waitlist management, “[the department has] started processing waitlists earlier and moving students more frequently, [which means] daily or sometimes twice a day this week. If a student did not make it to a course in term one, there is also a memory of this in the waitlist management system.” The number of sections, instructors and supporting staff,
as well as the size of rooms, have also been expanded. For instance, the department “has hired four sessionals [since September]” and “a new lecturer ... in addition to three sessionals or postdoc teaching positions [that it] had previously hired.” Six new teaching positions have also been advertised this year according to Chen Greif, the head of the department. Overall, this update about the waitlist situation seems to be well-received by students. Emmanuel Sales, a second-year student, expressed that he was “kind of impressed” by it. “[While] waitlists are still a huge issue, it’s relieving to know [that] we’re in the hands of people who are committed to solutions and to the students,” said Madi Graf, another second-year student. Furthermore, the department also informed students on the CPSC 213 investigation’s progress. According to Ian Mitchell, the department’s associate head for undergraduate affairs, the investigation is most likely to conclude over this weekend and a report will be generated. When asked if this report will be made public, Greif replied in an emailed statement that “[he] will decide on the next steps based on [Mitchell]’s findings.” On the other hand, grades have been released. While there are mainly expressions of relief,
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CULTURE
JANUARY 10, 2017 TUESDAY
EDITOR SAMUEL DU BOIS
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RESTAURANTS //
Calhoun’s Bakery shutters its doors
Cafe’s revenue insignificant compared to Calhoun’s Catering: owner Jack Hauen Coordinating Editor
The time-honoured UBC study spot closes down after 24 years in the neighbourhood.
JACK HAUEN
Calhoun’s Bakery, a Kitsilano institution steeped in nostalgia, has shut down and is up for lease after 24 years of business. A favourite late-night study spot for thousands of UBC students, the cafe was beloved for its high ceilings, rustic wooden furniture and stellar selection of caffeinated drinks and homecooked food. Hiu Wan, Calhoun’s owner and a former UBC student himself, said he closed the cafe to upgrade and spend more time on his catering service, which makes up 80–90 per cent of his revenue. The hassle of running two places while raising two children also factored in. “A lot of times we were actually turning away catering business because we didn’t have the capacity to do it. We decided over the past few months to build a new kitchen ... so we could focus on the catering,” he said. This summer, the coffee house switched from being open 24 hours a day to closing at midnight, due to issues with unwanted customers.
“The homeless would come in and just hang out there. They’d buy a coffee and then they would stay the whole night. I didn’t want to deal with it anymore,” said Wan. Calhoun’s operated on a model that let patrons stay and use the WiFi indefinitely, as long as they made a small purchase at certain intervals. For extended study sessions, the mandatory spend was much less than one would probably spend on coffee anyway, which meant that every exam period, students would flock to the cafe at all hours in hopes of snagging a seat. Wan has no plans to open a new Calhoun’s cafe location in the immediate future, although he doesn’t rule it out. “Maybe in the future if I have the extra time, when my kids grow up a bit, maybe I might open another cafe or something. But for now, we’ll just do our catering,” he said. Calhoun’s will be remembered as a favourite haunt of Ubyssey editors old and new, and a shooin for any “24-hour study spots” lists we put together. U
UPCOMING //
Coming to culture: wait, no — oh god, no, not like that unemployment and student debt. What better time to get wasted than Tuesday at 7 p.m.? Head to Buchanan Penthouse (which is a place I did not know existed) and swish some wine around your foam cup like a classy bastard. Dress is business casual. RSVP if you want guaranteed free alcohol. Pray that this penthouse isn’t furnished with a morally ambiguous donor and red room of pain.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11 Feeling like burning those Christmas cookies? Stop by Buchanan D Mass at noon and enjoy a free Zumba class so that you can sweat it out, then go to your next lecture smelling as pleasant and fresh as a thoroughly used gym sock. After that, take advantage of wasted Wednesdays by drinking away your sorrows at AUS Storms Pit Night, which is happening from 7 to 8 p.m.
Ubyssey editors Jim Banham (1950, left) and Alan Fotheringham (1954)
Samuel Du Bois Culture Editor
MONDAY, JANUARY 9 Arts Week will kick off with a pancake breakfast and arts clubs showcase from 9 to 11 a.m. in the Nest. If you are one of the five people on campus who wake up around that time, you should totally check it out. If that isn’t enough excitement for one day, you can check out a movie screening in Buchanan
D Mass at 6 p.m. This is in collaboration with the German Club and the History Student Association. Currently, the Facebook polling has Inglourious Basterds as the film that will be screened, which is renowned for its historical accuracy and complementary perspective of German people.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 10 To combat the post-holiday blues, as well as the knowledge that
THE UBYSSEY
your undergraduate society is as bad with your money as you are, the AUS is handing out care packages which carry all of the back-to-school essentials that a student needs to get through the semester. Hopefully that includes an Adderall and a competent mental health counsellor. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., you can also swing by Buchanan D Mass to relax and paint some dope canvas to express your deep inner anguish at soon having to face
THURSDAY, JANUARY 12 Loiter outside the Nest between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. to score some free hotdogs while listening to the performances of your much more talented classmates. Engineers, don’t try to take our hotdogs. You have a goddamned club house to hang out in and more funding than the Pentagon during Operation Desert Storm. Just let us have this and go buy your own hotdogs. If you are the sort of student who identifies as a chin-stroking, studious connoisseur of the arts, head over to the Belkin Gallery
at 6 p.m. to attend the opening reception of the exhibitions, To refuse/To wait/To sleep and M&A. Ugh.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 13 What? Purple: Bzzr Garden. Where? Buchanan D Mass. When? 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Why? Cheap alcohol, cheap alcohol, pong and stack cup stations, cheap alcohol, the company of other beleaguered students and cheap alcohol. Wear your only purple t-shirt and bring ID, fool! Also, this is a 19+ event, so if you are an impressionable youth, go home and drink your Skittles vodka while binge-watching Entourage, or whatever you minors get up to these days. Three items of canned food will get you a drink, which probably isn’t very cost-effective considering that drinks only cost $2.50. SATURDAY, JANUARY 14 Spend your Saturday attending the AUS Humanities & Social Sciences Conference. The theme this year is “Evolution and Identity.” Admission and lunch are free. Should be a wild time. The finale of the week comes between 9 p.m. and 12 a.m., when Buchanan D Mass will be playing host to Amethyst. No, this isn’t the character from Steven Universe, but rather a seemingly randomly named event for all of the youths who felt excluded from Friday’s party. There will be a DJ, photobooth, unfortunate dancing and 100 per cent sobriety! Early bird tickets are $2 and $4 at the door. U
FEATURES
JANUARY 10, 2017 TUESDAY
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HOW TO SEE A COMEDY SHOW EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK WORDS GABEY LUCAS ART AIKEN LAO
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MONDAY
TUESDAY
ant to have more fun for less cash? Duh, of course you do — you’re either a broke university student or a loaded university student pretending to be broke because that’s all the rage these days. Allow me to introduce myself: my name is Gabey and I write that Ubyssey column you don’t read that has covered rugby carolers, dog-napping, your dumb “visionary” idea, etc. But I also am a fan and doer of stand-up comedy around Vancouver. Your gracious culture editor thought that this could be put to good use with an all-in-one guide to Vancouver’s stand-up comedy scene. There’s a gross amount of talent in Vancouver and you can see all of it for cheap. Of the many shows around here, most of them are easy on the wallet, with $5 being the common price for a ticket. $10 is the most expensive you’re likely to encounter and those are relatively rare, while still being cheaper than the ticket you bought for the rager that you’ll regret going to in the morning. Many of the more casual shows and open mics are free. The local scene is so happening that even if you go to a different show every day of the week, you will have barely scratched the surface. So with that in mind — for those of you looking to traverse the comedy rooms of this city — here is a week’s worth of shows to see.
EIGHT 1/2 RESTAURANT LOUNGE 151 EAST 8TH AVENUE YAGGER’S KITSILANO RESTAURANT 2884 WEST BROADWAY YAGGER’S DOWNTOWN RESTAURANT & SPORTS BAR 433 WEST PENDER STREET HAVANA 1212 COMMERCIAL DRIVE I should warn you to prepare yourself for analysis paralysis, because the beginning of the week is filled with an absurd amount of killer comedy rooms. Even if you don’t like comedy, laughing, happiness and joy, you can’t not like Eight ½ Inches of Comedy, located at Eight ½ Restaurant Lounge on Main Street. Along with their always fantastic lineup, which includes headliners from around Canada and the world, at Eight ½ you can win shots by correctly answering trivia questions — most of which are related to the WWE or Manitoba for some reason. Hint: When in doubt, the answer is probably Stone Cold Steve Austin. The show is produced and hosted by two guys with “Alexander” in their name, one of whom is the pride of the Northwest Territories or Nunavut or something. Every Monday they have both $3.50 beer specials and a potent mixture of local and touring comics, including people who have been on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Conan, Deadpool and all sorts of shows and movies. No matter who’s performing on any given night, Eight ½ is a consistently solid room that is included in Just For Laughs’ Northwest 2017 lineup for a reason. If getting to Main is too much of a trek for your time-sensitive evening, then Stacked Comedy at Yagger’s Kitsilano is there for you.
Stacked is run by Karl Sullivan, an ex-military Irishman who doesn’t return my Facebook messages. His personal pitch on why you should come to his show is “Stacked Comedy — come see a real live Irish person.” Whether you’re there for the Irish-ness or the rad lineups, Stacked is always a good time. Like Eight ½, Just For Laughs picked up their February 20 show as part of the Best of the West category. Plus, it’s less than a 10-minute bus-ride away from UBC so you really have no excuse to not stop by. At their other location, Yagger’s Downtown, is BFF Club Comedy — a bi-weekly Monday show that’s just as stacked as Stacked. One-third of the production team — Jenny Toews — is especially stoked about you coming out, since “if enough people come, we’ll move the tables off of the couches.” Sure, they might not live the elitist, smug high-life of not having tables on couches, but they’re so funny that it doesn’t matter. Finally, there’s Laugh Gallery at Havana on Commercial Drive. And sweet God, I never consciously realized how loaded Mondays were for Vancouver stand-up until writing this. Laugh Gallery is hosted by Graham Clark, who does Stop Podcasting Yourself and has spit jokes at Just For Laughs, Bumbershoot and pretty much every comedy festival that you could possibly care about. One time he spent 10 minutes reading crappy Harlequin-novel dialogue out loud on stage, and I guarantee it was funnier than whatever sitcom you’re about to pull up on Netflix. Clark calls Laugh Gallery a show that has “been running so long, it had a MySpace page.” Comedy rooms open and close with a frequency that makes a Kardashian marriage look like a long-term endeavour, so anything that’s still going strong after being christened in the MySpace era speaks for itself.
THE KINO 3456 CAMBIE STREET Tuesdays include several shows, one among them being the Comedy Mix’s Amateur Night. This is an opportunity in the downtown core to see comics from around the city work their jokes out in a club scene. Then, when one of those comics becomes a super-megaultra-star with a bajillion Twitter followers and everyone loves them, you can say you saw them first and feel super cocky about it. Wander south across False Creek and there’s Komedy at Kino Cafe on Cambie and 19th — commonly regarded as Vancouver’s longest-running comedy room. More importantly, it’s where you should have been Tuesday, December 6 to see Louis C.K. come do a 40-minute set for like, a nickel (actual cost: $5). When picturing Kino, just imagine if hobbits built a low-key neighborhood pub, except human-sized. It’s cozy and charming, and I kind of want to just live there. Each Tuesday, Kino will have a handful of stupidly funny people telling established material and also refining new jokes. This is especially fun because if you go pay $30 to see some New Yorker or Angeleno in a sold-out theatre downtown, their opener will likely be a local comic who frequents Kino. Then you get to brag to your friends that you totally saw soand-so at this little room on Cambie when they were first trying out the jokes that they ended up using in front of 3,000 people. That alone is worth it. The basic takeaway for this is that Tuesday is the day to see comedy if you’re that person who comments first on YouTube videos.
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JANUARY 10, 2017 TUESDAY | features | 7
I personally guarantee that those dollars will be much better spent here than at Scotiabank Theatre, where it would get you, like, one third of a ticket to some crappy action movie.
YUK YUK’S COMEDY CLUB VANCOUVER 2837 CAMBIE STREET SEVEN DINING LOUNGE 53 WEST BROADWAY CORDUROY RESTAURANT 1943 CORNWALL AVENUE Let’s start with Yuk’s. Yuk Yuk’s is well-known for being the home of Canadian comedy, as well as hosting touring headliners for much of the week. But Wednesday is a different style. Wednesdays at Yuk Yuk’s on Cambie are Pro/Am Nights, where a combination of professional and amateur comics get to make you laugh. For just a few bucks, you get to see a variety of experience levels share the stage, plus a local host who is invariably super funny. Just a few blocks away, Stand Up and Deliver comedy open mic is another place to go to watch a range of comics try out new material and make old material better. It takes place each week at Seven Dining Lounge, and is completely free — plus there are deals to be had on drink specials. Seven is described by Vancouver comic Jonny Paul as “the sequel to a restaurant and that’s as apt a description as you’re going to find. One other note: if you want to have a go at stand-up comedy yourself — a questionable decision, granted — Seven is a fantastic place to start. If it’s Wednesday night, but you don’t wanna go that far east, there’s always Cords Comedy at Corduroy, just up from Kits Beach. Cords is another one of the elusive West-of-Cambie Street stand-up shows. It began last summer, and is already well-known for its lineups of local and touring comics curated by its host, Chris Griffin. Oh, and Just For Laughs liked it so much, they decided Cords’ February 22 show was worthy of their sponsorship.
BENNY’S BAGELS 2505 WEST BROADWAY SEVEN DINING LOUNGE 53 WEST BROADWAY LITTLE MOUNTAIN COMEDY COMMUNITY CENTRE 195 EAST 26TH AVENUE Thursday starts with Benny’s Bagels’ Comedy Open-Mic, which is great for three reasons: 1) It’s a casual, cozy place to watch comics test out new material. 2) It’s within walking distance of your house. 3) Bagels. Oh, and it’s free. I can say with confidence that Benny’s Bagels’ Comedy Open-Mic is the premier bagel shop-based comedy openmic in the Pacific Northwest and probably the world — although I haven’t fact-checked the latter. Plus, while much of the comedy scene is located around Cambie/ Main/Commercial and downtown, Benny’s is one of a few rooms which has recently popped up closer to UBC. Then once a month, Thursday has the One Hitter Quitter. This show is hosted by stealthily edgy American ex-pat John Guy, who proves that nobody cares if you say questionable things so long as you look fancy doing it. Nobody
else rocks a bow tie quite like John Guy (sorry Santa Ono), which isn’t his motto, but it should be. One Hitter Quitter also goes on at Seven Dining Lounge. It is a monthly show which pits comics from around Vancouver against each other in an attempt to win the “Funniest Fuck” award, as well as $100 in pennies. And you, the audience, get to decide said winner. A bit southeast of there is Jokes Please. This is another show that will be included on the Just For Laughs’ Northwest Best of the West lineup. It takes place every Thursday at 9 p.m. in the Little Mountain Art Gallery, and before I started actually doing stand-up, it was the first show that I ever saw. Their typical lineup consists of a handful of local and visiting comics who make you laugh uncomfortably hard for a mere $5. I personally guarantee that those dollars will be much better spent here than at Scotiabank Theatre, where it would get you, like, one third of a ticket to some crappy action movie. Jokes Please is hosted by Ross Dauk, whose claims to fame include being suspiciously charming and having better Harry Potter hair than Daniel Radcliffe. If none of the above convinces you to come, then the $4 beer might persuade you.
SUNDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
8 | features | TUESDAY JANUARY 10, 2017
GOLDIES PIZZA 605 WEST PENDER STREET
12 KINGS PUB 395 KINGSWAY
XY 1216 BUTE STREET
BIG ROCK URBAN BREWERY AND EATERY 310 WEST 4TH AVENUE
LITTLE MOUNTAIN COMEDY COMMUNITY CENTRE 195 EAST 26TH AVENUE
THE COMEDY MIX 1015 BURRARD STREET YUK YUK’S COMEDY CLUB VANCOUVER 2837 CAMBIE STREET LAFFLINES COMEDY CLUB 530 COLUMBIA STREET BRITISH EX SERVICEMEN’S 1143 KINGSWAY Fridays in the Vancouver comedy scene are mostly dominated by the touring headliners at the clubs like Comedy Mix, Yuk Yuk’s and Lafflines. Otherwise, there are shows like Barely Legal (another Just for Laughs Northwest pickup) which is the first Friday of each month, and is run by two of the coolest 20-somethings in probably the whole world. Besides being absolutely hilarious — seemingly without trying — producers Gavin Matts and Sophie Buddle are the type of cool that simultaneously causes an intense awareness of your own lack of coolness, as well as complete indifference about that since they’re so funny that you can’t help but not give a shit. And that doesn’t even include the lineup of comics that they put together. Would it be redundant to say their comedians are hilarious? Probably, but I should reiterate that just to be safe. The address of their venue is secret, so email barelylegalcomedyshow@gmail. com to find out where things are happening. Another monthly show is Ed Hill’s Secret Service Comedy, which happens at the British Ex-Servicemen’s Association. Ed’s reasoning for why you should come is because it’s “the only venue where comics will perform under a portrait of the queen.” More importantly, it includes headliners with major credits, as well as feature acts that will knock your socks off. Plus, Ed’s got, like, 20,000 Twitter followers, which means he’s a bona fide important person.
Instead of sacrificing $20 for a party, $30 for drinks, and your soul and heir for a cab ride home, I suggest $5 (or $8 at the door) for entrance to the Comedy Basement at Goldie’s. Don’t let the fact that it’s in a basement make you look down your nose — this is the funniest basement around and one of my favourite shows in Vancouver. Run by Suzy Rawsome, Goldie’s lineups include everything from battle-hardened pro comics to relative newbies and everybody in between. Sure, you might see one or two new people bomb, but the lively vibe, combined with other killer comedians, means that this room is always a good time. As far as non-weekly shows go, Saturdays also have other rooms including Bloodfeud (3rd Saturday of the month) and Stand Up Stand Out (rotating Saturdays). The latter is Vancouver’s first LGBTQcentred comedy open mic, at XY in the Davie Village. Entry is by donation and $1 per ticket goes to supporting an LGBTQ charity. Bloodfeud, on the other hand, goes down at Little Mountain Gallery, and is a show that has stand-ups and improvisers go at it in the most entertaining fight to the death you will probably ever see. I don’t think I need to elaborate for you to know that this combination will be fun.
Sundays are relatively quiet where comedy is concerned, but there are still a few rooms worthy of your attention. Crafty Comedy on Kingsway is both a weekly open mic and the place where I did the worst set I’ve ever done — to be clear, that is solely an indictment of myself and doesn’t reflect poorly on the show. For about six months afterwards, I was convinced that the show-runner resented me for being so bad, but it turns out he’s actually a cool dude and I was just being a paranoid self-conscious loser. Then, every third Sunday of the month there’s Comedy at Big Rock Brewery, which is run by a crew of three total sweethearts who also happen to have a knack for hilarity. Plus, if you’re in a first-year English class, one of these showrunners may be your TA. U
So there you have it, a show for each night of the week — and that’s not even all of what this city’s standup scene has to offer — just as much as I could fit within my word limit. Come out, because without an audience, it’s just weirdos mumbling jokes to themselves in a dark room. But also come out, because Vancouver comedy is a better deal (and just generally better) than anything else in this city. Or just go to that rager that will fill you with regret in the morning.
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OPINIONS
JANUARY 10, 2017 TUESDAY
EDITOR BAILEY RAMSAY
WELL-BEING //
FURLONG //
Mind your mind: How to deal with classroom anxiety Daphnée Lévesque Staff Writer
Every human being on this planet experiences anxiety to some degree or another. University students especially can often be prone to social anxiety in the classroom and in other various academic environments. Here’s a list of strategies to help cope with anxiety, more specifically while sitting in a lecture:
PICK A FAVOURITE SPOT Where you sit matters, so pick your spot carefully. Personally, I’ve found that sitting at the front of the room reduces the number of distractions and helps me get into “my zone.” I can easily ignore the hundred people behind me and I don’t get distracted by open laptop screens. However, for others, sitting at the back may be more convenient. Picking a spot is all about listening to your needs and meeting them. USE THE MINDSHIFT APP This awesome app, created by AnxietyBC, can be compared to
a personal, portable coach that follows you everywhere. Designed for youths, it has an entire section dedicated to social anxiety and tips on how to overcome stressful social situations. It can also help you tackle issues such as worry, performance anxiety and panic. Finally, this app’s main goal is to help you face your anxiety rather than avoid it. It comes with strategies to help you relax, and gives examples of coping statements that will help you develop healthier ways of thinking.
BRING A SAFE OBJECT Even though we’re not children with teddy bears anymore, there’s no harm in bringing a safe object with you, especially when facing threatening or scary situations. One good friend of mine wears the same scarf when writing an exam, while another absolutely needs a certain set of pens. Finding a “safe” or comforting object can help you feel more secure in your environment if the latter is unfamiliar. It can also give you something tactile to touch, which can be grounding. Everyday
objects such as water bottles, pens, bracelets or wearing your favourite hat will do.
MAKE FRIENDS AND STUDY IN GROUPS OUTSIDE OF CLASS One thing I’ve found in big lectures is that it gets lonely pretty quickly. It’s easy to feel isolated in a big crowd and making friends can definitely reduce anxiety. It will require time and effort, but making friends in class has many benefits. It reduces loneliness and friends can act as “safe people.” Developing friendship makes the environment much more agreeable and such interactions can create study groups and so on. Making friends will distract you from the mentality that you are alone in your struggle, and remind you that all students are essentially in the same boat. TIMEOUTS For those of us with severe anxiety or anxiety disorders, sometimes the best way to reduce our distress is to leave the situation entirely. It may seem impolite at first, but sometimes leaving the classroom for a few minutes or going to the
bathroom can be a way to cope with anxiety when it gets too much. Taking a mental timeout and focusing on something else than what the professor is saying can be equally beneficial. Sometimes I’ll eat a fruit quietly and mindfully, doodle on a piece of paper or indulge in a quick mindfulness exercise. As silly as it may sound, sometimes all you need is to take a few moments to just breathe.
BE WILLING TO FACE YOUR FEARS HEAD ON Finally, the strategy that I’ve found most effective is the following — overcome your fears and face your anxiety head on. It will be scary at first, but worth it in the long run. Afraid of speaking to the prof? Do it. Scared of asking for help? Show up to office hours. Afraid of talking to the people next to you? Do it anyway. You can feel your fears and not let them define you. You can feel anxious and still do the things that scare you. This is, in my experience, the best way to alleviate anxiety. It takes courage and a whole lot of hard work. But at the end of the day, it’s possible to feel your fears and face them anyway. U
ADVICE //
Ask Natalie: I don’t think I like my degree anymore — what do I do? yourself to yourself. Work hard and it won’t matter if you’re not completely in love with your program. It’s okay — this is normal. You can still do great things.
Choosing a degree is hard. Staying in it is harder.
Natalie Morris Advice Columnist
“Dear Natalie, I’m not sure if what I’m in is what I want to do. I’m in first year and it’s really hard, and everyone else seems to be enjoying it while I’m kind of just… there for the degree. It’s not really a problem, but I’m not sure if what I’m in is what I really want to do. But I know I have to get some kind of degree, right?” No, you don’t have to get a degree and quite frankly, I think the majority of us would be in a better place in the job market if we went into the trades. But I know what you mean, as for a lot of us when it came to university, it was “where” not “if.” Not to say that’s a bad thing, especially in this job market. Unless you’re literally coding or designing
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the robots that will be overthrowing the market within our generation, you’ll need some kind of plus on your resume. While a degree is quickly becoming the new high school diploma, you don’t really want to be stuck without it — unless you do end up heading towards the trades, but then you’ll have another set of hoops to jump through. Not all of us have a passion for what we study. I don’t. Not really. I mean, I can talk for hours about the socio-economic effects of sex tourism in developing countries, but I’ll show the same vigour when talking about gothic churches or cats. Some people are driven by a goal where their degree program is clearly the path they need to take — I’m looking at you, engineering! While some, like me and a lot of other arts students, have a goal in mind with many paths that lead to it. We’ve just picked the one we
FILE KOSTA PRODANOVIC
liked the most. Also some people don’t have a hard goal they work towards. That’s fine too. I’m not sure what program you’re in, but if you can use your electives now, do it. Go beyond what your program is — take science credits, literature classes, music, forestry or chemistry. UBC offers a lot of courses and you should look into some of the ones that pique your interest. See if you have a passion, but don’t drop out yet. If you do take a course that changes everything, look into majoring in that or minoring if you have that option. If you really can’t find anything and you still want to get a degree, keep with your program. You liked it enough to pick it, right? Maybe you’re just feeling overwhelmed in your first year. Maybe it’s truly the love of your life. Don’t measure yourself to other people — measure
“Dear Natalie, I went back home for Christmas and all my friends were really different. We all went to different universities and it was the first time I saw a lot of them since September, but it still took me by surprise. It’s only been four months. What gives?” People change. It’s as natural as growing up because that’s what everyone is doing. People leave the comfort of seeing their friends every day, meet new people, new inside jokes, new habits — it’s normal and you’ve done it too! Don’t freak out. Your friends are still your friends and if the friendships are worth anything, you’ll keep in touch. When I was about to leave for university, my dad told me that I was about to make lifelong friends and that “high school friends will seem like bad decisions.” This was not what I needed to hear or the right thing to say considering I was about to move multiple time-zones away from everyone I knew, but I knew what he meant. We all did a lot of growing up in the first few months of university and it was strange going back to all our high school jokes. But we’re still friends. We all just grew up a little. U Need advice? Contact Natalie anonymously at asknatalie@ubyssey.ca or at ubyssey.ca/advice and have your questions answered!
Letter: People behind cancelling John Furlong’s invitation to UBC should publicly resign
FILE JOSHUA MEDICOFF
Albert K. MacKinnon Bachelor of Communication Alumnus
I add my voice to the many expressing outrage at the decision to cancel an invitation to have John Furlong speak at a fundraising event to benefit athletics and UBC. Apparently, acting at the demand of one crusading individual, the committee organizing the event caved-in to the demand. The letter written by Ms. Kirchmeier is a rehash of old unproven — and in some cases, discredited — allegations, all of which, as she says, are in the public domain and were known to the members of the committee when it asked Mr. Furlong to speak. In view of their glaring lack of intestinal fortitude, each and every member of the committee should publicly resign. U Albert K. MacKinnon is a 1967 graduate in the bachelors of communication.
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SCIENCE
JANUARY 10, 2017 TUESDAY
EDITOR KOBY MICHAELS
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TEACHING //
Flipping out: What it’s like in a “backwards” classroom
Flipping classrooms is all the rage, but what’s the student experience?
Rocio Hollman Staff Writer
Organic chemistry is the worst. Or so I thought. Going into my second year, I was downright terrified of Chemistry (CHEM) 233, UBC’s introductory organic chemistry class. But as a current CHEM 233 student, I think that its reputation as incredibly difficult is more myth than reality. CHEM 233 deserved that reputation in the past. Just 10 years ago, it had failure rates of up to 30 per cent and the average grade was in the 50s. Since then, UBC professors have worked to improve the course and today, it has failure rates around 16 per cent. Class averages are typically around 65 per cent, comparable to that of other second-year science courses. There have been many changes to get CHEM 233 to where it is now, one of them being the adoption of the flipped classroom model. This switch in classroom pedagogy was inspired by present-day educational research — research that has been saying, for some time now, that traditional lectures are outdated and ineffective in comparison to newer, active style classrooms where students are more engaged with their learning.
WHAT IS A FLIPPED CLASSROOM? Dr. Jackie Stewart, a UBC chemistry professor involved in the switch, describes it as “where the transmission of content happens outside of class, before class, and then class time is where we use and apply the content.” For CHEM 233, the structure of the flipped classroom consists of two parts. Before class, students are assigned to watch and take notes on one or two short videos, as well as a worksheet and bridge assignment — a short set of problems meant to review the concepts that the video covered. Then, instead of a lecture, class time is spent reviewing the bridge assignment and working on the worksheet problems. By spending class time on problem-solving, the proposed benefit of this model is that when students are really struggling with problems, a teacher is there to help. Stewart hopes that in the ideal scenario, teaching this way will reduce the cramming students
have to do before exams because it requires them to keep up with material, and lead to a deeper understanding of the concepts.
DO FLIPPED CLASSROOMS ACTUALLY HELP? CHEM 233 was flipped in 2013, and although the switch was not intended to test the efficacy of flipped classrooms, slight changes were observed between 2012 and 2013 in student performance. Comparison of final exam results and chemistry learning attitude surveys showed similar results between 2012 and 2013. “Everyone hopes to see a 5 or 10 per cent improvement. I think that what we see is that sometimes in large education studies, even three or four per cent is kind of huge on such a big scale,” said Stewart. WHAT DO STUDENTS THINK ABOUT THE CHANGE? In general, CHEM 233 students liked the flipped classroom — at least in theory. Students’ main critique was that not all of the videos available are useful. Many students felt that the videos didn’t always provide enough information on the topic, and found themselves having to go to other sources to fully understand the concept. “I don’t really know if [the flipped classroom] has been helpful or not, but I know I’ve never done this well in a university chemistry course,” said Navid Saleh, a CHEM 233 student. “[I’ve] gotten into a nice rhythm where I watch the videos at my own pace, make sure I have the basic concept down with some practice and by the time I get to class, I already have an idea of what is going on.”
FILE JENNY XU
HOW CAN FLIPPED CLASSROOMS WORK (BETTER)? A key factor in flipped classrooms working well is that students must be proactive in their learning. “A lot of things have to work together, so if a piece falls out and if students are too busy to watch the videos, then it all kind of crumbles — which is a definite challenge,” said Stewart. Even though students do engage in active learning in class, they still have to prepare for it. Ultimately, there’s nothing instructors can do to make learning simple and easy. No matter the teaching style, students still have to put in the work. “Just because people implement a pedagogy, doesn’t necessarily mean that we are implementing it well,” said Stewart. She said that there is still a lot of room for improvement and work to be done such as aligning the videos more to the learning objectives, making the worksheets more helpful or even, in the future, creating a more comprehensive resource for students. This could be something like a workbook that includes several problems and text specifically for the course, similar to the one used in CHEM 121. Despite room for improvement, Stewart said that she will never go back to just lecturing. Students should prepare to see more flipped classrooms. Future UBC Okanagan (UBCO) first-year science students will be learning chemistry in a flipped classroom setting in the coming year. FLIPPING UBCO The initiative at UBCO to flip firstyear chemistry classes is being led by chemistry professors Dr. Stephen McNeil and Dr. Tamara Freeman,
who plan to start in the following school year. Their development of the new course model is based on literature on flipped classrooms, as well as conversations with chemistry professors at UBC and across the country. Discussions with professors in UBC’s chemistry department regarding which classes are flipped — and what is or isn’t working — helped McNeil and Freeman feel prepared coming into the switch, knowing about the difficulties involved with flipped classroom development and how, if implemented correctly, they can be successful. The flipped classrooms at UBCO won’t be exactly the same as those at UBC. McNeil and Freeman said that only about 40 per cent of their class will be flipped, as they plan on teaching only particular concepts as flipped. Other differences to the way that CHEM 233 is taught will include group work and inquiry-based projects. Something many institutions struggle with is creating long-term change. Often, one professor will change the way they teach, but this change won’t stick around after the professors leaves. What McNeil and Freeman would like to do is prevent this from happening
by developing their flipped class course into a pre-packaged form. If an instructor is interested in trying flipped classrooms out, the resources are already available, saving professors time and energy which might have prevented them from trying it out in the first place. McNeil, Freeman, Stewart and all others involved in teaching flipped classrooms at UBC are acting as enzymes catalyzing the shift from lectures to flipped classrooms.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE FUTURE OF SCIENCE TEACHING? It could be that the days of traditional lectures may be reaching their end. The growing body of literature supporting more active learning, along with UBC’s positive experience with flipping CHEM 233 and UBCO’s future plans, indicate that flipped classrooms are here to stay. Meanwhile, I’m glad that CHEM 233 is taught the flipped way — it’s made my learning of chemistry a more organic process. U The data on the graphs is available at pair.ubc.ca/data-access/.
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12 | science | TUESDAY JANUARY 10, 2017
10 BOOKS ON SCIENCE that’ll make you really fun at parties
ART MAIA BOAKYE WORDS ROCIO HOLLMAN, AIKEN LAO, JACK HAUEN AND KOBY MICHAELS
D
id you make a new year’s resolution to read more? Or do you just really hate parties and want to bore people so much with facts you read from some book that they never invite you again? Either way, here’s a list of science books — both new and old — to have you excited about science and spouting facts at people who couldn’t care less in no time. What’s your favourite science book?
THE WAR ON SCIENCE — SHAWN OTTO Peabody award-winning news anchor Don Shelby called it “one of the most important books published in the last decade.” I’m no Don Shelby, but I couldn’t agree more. The War on Science is a meticulously researched book on the growing, multi-front assault on science and democracy. Otto lays out how everyone from journalists, to industry, to fundamentalists are degrading public trust in science and technology, and why that is just so dangerous. It’s a must-read for anyone who hopes to be an informed voter in the 21st century. THE DESIGN OF EVERYDAY THINGS — DON NORMAN Have you ever pushed a door that should’ve been pulled? Struggled with an overly complex coffee pot? Don Norman shares your pain. Filled to the brim with Norman’s experience as a cognitive engineer, his book is an ode to well-designed everyday objects and an unrelenting critique of things that should just work better. THE DOUBLE HELIX — JAMES WATSON Dr. James Watson (of Watson and Crick, the two scientists who first described the structure of DNA) recalls his experience
of the discovery in this classic. While the book certainly has a 1960s view of women and their contributions to science (it’s sexist — like, super sexist), the book has been undeniably important to science. Double Helix is perhaps the first book to describe the process of science to the public in an exciting, human and personal narrative. Relive the wonders and excitement of one of the most important scientific discoveries in the history of humanity — just make sure you have a pillow to scream at every time Watson glosses over Rosalind Franklin’s crucially important contributions (or calls her Rosie).
THE MARTIAN — ANDY WEIR What would you do if your spaceship crew thinks you’re dead and leaves you stranded on Mars, and then Mars repeatedly tries to kill you? Probably not what Mark Watney would do. If you like science fiction, you’ll love The Martian, and if you don’t like science fiction, you’ll love The Martian. Andy Weir, a selfproclaimed science geek, finds the perfect mix between science and fiction that will keep you flipping through the pages desperate to know what Mark Watney will do next. The book keeps the science (mostly) real and makes it more than you thought it could be. Seriously, read it. You won’t regret it, especially if you end up stuck on Mars. BEAK OF THE FINCH — JONATHAN WEINER You understand evolution, right? Wrong — so wrong. Weiner returns to the islands of the Galapagos, where Darwin first conceived of his famous theory and where Weiner documents the life work of Peter and Rosemary Grant. The Grants spent over 20 years on isolated, desert islands watching finch evolution with their very own eyes. Beak of the Finch will have you rethinking evolution, science and your assumptions, and it will make you enjoy it. There is so much more to the story of evolution than you’ve ever been told.
the first time in almost 50 years. Sacks describes the patients in a tenderness rarely thought to be associated with modern medicine, and inspired a movie and a play. Sacks shows the human side of science, medicine and disease like no one else. If you are a bit shorter on time, pick up Gratitude, a collection of four essays written by Sacks as he died of cancer in 2015. The book, published posthumously, is a heart-wrenching yet beautiful reflection on life, love, science and death. P.S. Sacks’ memoir, On the Move: A Life, is fantastic. Just read everything by Sacks.
MODERN ROMANCE — AZIZ ANSARI AND ERIC KLINENBERG Okay, some people might say this isn’t strictly a science book, but it will certainly make you the least popular person at any
party. Written by sociology professor Eric Klinenberg and comedian Aziz Ansari as a spiritual precursor to his Netflix series, Master of None, the book comedically investigates love in a modern, digital age by looking at historical studies, current studies and original research conducted by the duo. Ansari’s voice keeps the book easy to read and hilarious throughout, but also conveys a surprising amount of research and social science. Is romance in today’s hook-up culture, Tinder-fueled, instantly gratifying world really that different from yester-years? You’ll have to read (and laugh) to find out.
ON THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES — CHARLES DARWIN It’s the Jane Eyre of science books. Read it free, as it is super out of copyright. U
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EMOTIONS REVEALED — PAUL EKMAN In Emotions Revealed, Ekman explores the origins of human emotions — anger, disgust, fear, sadness, happiness — and how they are portrayed in the faces of people around us. By concentrating decades of research and theories into a comprehensive yet practical book, Ekman provides readers with mind-opening perspectives on emotions and the self. This book is highly recommended to those who are interested in being a better communicator through science, sans the terrible migraine you usually suffer from books stuffed with incomprehensible research.
AWAKENINGS — OLIVER SACKS (AND GRATITUDE. AND ON THE MOVE: A LIFE.) Full disclosure: Dr. Oliver Sacks is a hero of mine and my favourite writer. The late neurologist and writer was described by the New York Times as a “kind of poet laureate of contemporary medicine.” He certainly lived up to that title. Perhaps Sacks’ most famous book is Awakenings, which describes his experiences of his patients who contracted sleeping sickness in the 1910s. Starting in 1969, Sacks administers a new drug to them called L-DOPA that caused the patients to “awake” for
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SPORTS+REC
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EDITOR OLAMIDE OLANIYAN
VOLLEYBALL //
WOMENS HOCKEY //
Guidi leads ’Birds to victory against Okanagan Heat
Coach MacDonald: rookies did a great job
The Thunderbirds now hold a 16-2 season record.
GEOFF LISTER
Pandamonium: Alberta ends UBC’s winning streak Bill Situ Senior Staff Writer
The team extends their winning streak to four games.
Lucy Fox Senior Staff Writer
UBC men’s volleyball kept their pre-holiday break winning streak alive over the weekend, defeating the UBC Okanagan (UBCO) Heat in back-to-back matches on Friday and Saturday night. On Friday, the ’Birds scraped past their Kelowna rivals, winning the match 3-2 overall. Though UBC took the first sets — 25-21 and 26-24 — the Heat made a comeback in the third and fourth set, winning 25-23 and 25-18 to force a tiebreaker. In the end, it was the ’Birds that managed to seal the win, taking the final set 15-5. UBC outside hitter Mat Guidi led the T-Birds in kills for the night with 15 overall, while setter Byron Keturakis scored five aces for the home side. The following evening, the Heat came out guns blazing from the initial serve, taking it to the ’Birds in hopes of finding that elusive win from the previous night. Their efforts were rivaled by the home team, as UBC held strong in their end of the court. Led by stellar performances from Irvan Brar, Joel Regehr and Mat Guidi once again — who notched 12 kills in the match-up — UBC managed to come out on top. “I just felt we were inconsistent in our execution. We executed well in spurts, and then not as well at other times,” said UBC head coach Kerry MacDonald of Friday’s match. “We hadn’t prepared for the lineup that we saw last night — that was a line they haven’t run before. “So we looked over some video and kind of revamped our game plan, and wanted to come out and execute that game plan tonight.” Brar got UBC going with the first and second kill of the match, putting UBC up 2-0. Even with the positive start, the ’Birds faced an uphill battle in the first set. Following the initial serves, UBC didn’t take the lead again until the final points of the set. Middle Jordan Deshane was the player to push the home side ahead as he floated the volleyball into the front zone, faking out the UBCO players who were expecting a hard spike towards the end line. The point would put the ’Birds ahead by one, at 23-22. They would maintain the marginal lead to secure the first set with 25-23.
FILE CARTER BRUNDAGE
In the second, rookie Nick Mickelberry took to the court for the ’Birds in his first set of the season. His solid performance, alongside fellow first-years Danny Aspenlieder and libero Tyson Smith, played a pivotal role in UBC’s rhythm throughout the sets. “They did really well,” said MacDonald about the rookies’ performance. “That is one of our strengths — we definitely do have some depth. We got some younger guys in tonight just being up. We had some leads and some opportunities and put them in some good situations, and I thought they did a great job. “It’s always nerve-racking for the first-year guys getting in for their first time, but it was great that we got the opportunity to do that tonight.” UBC would take the second set as well, although they faced several tough rallies to get there. A fumble by the Heat’s front line would be the deciding factor, as the ball trickled into their side of the court instead of UBC’s front zone. The final score in the second was 25-18 for the ’Birds. In the third, an ace by Deshane would again be a turning point for the home side, as his third ace on the night squared the set up at 9-9. Late in the set, Guidi put up a big point for the home team. With a tricky tip over the net, his kill would put UBC ahead 21-16. Their lead wouldn’t last long, as the Heat made a final push in an attempt to win the set late. Taking six points in a row, they closed in on the ’Birds right up to a 24-23 score line. Regehr made the last-minute save though, marking the final kill for UBC. With that, the ’Birds defeated the Heat in three straight sets, putting UBC in shared fourth place in Canada West with an 8-4 record. When asked what had changed in the team’s focus between games, MacDonald said, “Just kind of keying on some key guys on their side, and getting a better understanding of what their priorities are ... I thought we were slow in responding last night in game, but I thought we did a good job tonight preparing for that.” U Next weekend, the team heads out a road trip to face the Manitoba Bisons. Currently, the Bisons sit in shared first in Canada West, and are on a 10-match winning streak.
Coming off of a 14-game winning streak before the winter break, the UBC women’s hockey team picked up a win and a loss against the University of Alberta Pandas, ending their streak at 15 games. The weekend doubleheader was a match-up between the two top teams in Canada West. The first game on Friday ended in a 3-1 win for the ’Birds, with goals from Cassandra Vilgrain, Nicole Saxvik and Haneet Parhar. Goalkeeper Amelia Boughn recorded another outstanding performance in the net, making 20 stops on 21 shots. In the second game of the doubleheader, UBC dropped a 2-1 decision. “It’s hard to see [the winning streak] come to an end, but as far as that goes, we did set a history for our program,” said UBC head coach Graham Thomas after the game. “We are proud of our girls for that.”
The ’Birds had their best scoring chances midway into the first frame, when penalties to Alberta’s Regan Wright and Jessie Olfert gave the ’Birds a 5-on-3 advantage. Still, tight defence by the Pandas kept the ’Birds from putting points on the board and the period ultimately ended scoreless. After the the first period, UBC got onto the scoreboard a little over a minute into the second. Saxvik fired a shot from the right circle to beat Alberta goalkeeper Dayna Owen — recording her second goal of the weekend. Still, the ’Birds’ lead didn’t last long. Two minutes after Saxvik’s goal, teammate Jenna Carpenter-Boesch took a penalty for bodychecking, putting Alberta on the power play. The Pandas then capitalized, mounting offensive pressure in the attacking zone before a goal by Hannah Olenyk from the slot tied the game at 1-1. Five minutes after the equalizing goal, UBC again got into penalty trouble, as Kelly Murray went to the
box for high-sticking. This time, it was Sasha Lutz who picked up the goal for Alberta, rifling the puck past Boughn on an open shot from the right circle to pull the Pandas ahead 2-1. “[Alberta’s] penalty kills were running really well and we had just a few little mishaps, and then we just weren’t as sharp,” said Thomas. The third period, like the first, was again scoreless, which secured the 2-1 win for Alberta. Still, Saxvik believes that the ’Birds’ loss to the Pandas is motivation for the team to play stronger in the next game. “We don’t really look at the numbers these days. We’re just coming out of every game playing our best and today, [Alberta] came out with a win, but we’re going to come out even harder next week,” said Saxvik. U UBC now holds a 16-2 season record, and will play its next doubleheader on the road against the University of Manitoba Bisons.
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14 | SPORTS+REC | TUESDAY JANUARY 10, 2017 NOT REVENGE //
Women’s volleyball ices out Okanagan Heat over weekend Marcus Yun Contributor
The Thunderbirds were able to start the new year successfully against the UBC Okanagan Heat (UBCO), and overtake them in the conference standings with backto-back victories — 3-0 on Friday and 3-1 on Saturday. Compared to last season where they rampaged through the season — with an 11-1 record at this point in 2016 — the ’Birds have some room for improvement with a 7-3 record this year. Facing a higher ranked UBCO on Friday night, the solid-looking T-Birds were able to cruise to a comfortable three-set victory with set scores at 25-19, 25-19 and 25-16. The T-Birds looked unbeatable throughout the night. “I wouldn’t call it revenge. It’s more just to know they are a strong program ahead of us in the standings, so it’s a big win,” said UBC head coach Doug Reimer in reference to losing to the Heat in the previous season’s playoffs. A strong start was crucial for both teams and UBC was able to get the upper hand on some brilliant exchanges against UBCO early on in the match. Fourth-year middle Maggie Li showed great presence with a number of blocks and kills throughout the first set. The ’Birds seemed to be closing in on the first set, going up 18-10
and after a couple of kills from left side Danielle Brisebois, the T-Birds reached set point at 2414. However, the ’Birds couldn’t handle the pressure well enough, as they dropped five straight points before eventually taking the set 25-19. The Thunderbirds’ start to the second set was nothing less than overwhelming. Their momentum from the first set was carried on and they began the set 6-0, including two-straight service aces by third-year middle Ciara Hanly. The momentum did not carry on for long though. Neither team was able to get a clear grasp of the game and at one point, the teams traded four service errors within a span of five points. The Thunderbirds eventually regained momentum later in the set, after a point in which fourth-year setter Alessandra Gentile pulled off an unbelievable one-armed dig to set up a clean kill for right side Juliana Kaufamanis. UBC took the set 25-19. Similar to the second set, the Thunderbirds raced off to a six-point lead in which a brace of blocks forced the Heat into a timeout. The third set was fairly straightforward, as Brisebois earned seven of her game-leading 15 kills of the match. The match finished with the final set score of 25-16 on a service miss by the Heat’s Aidan Lea.
FILE MATT MEUSE
The ’Birds look confident heading into the second half of the season.
“I was very pleased with the level of skill and execution our team showed, [as well as] the level of execution and good composure when UBCO was coming back,” said Reimer as he reflected on the game. The ’Birds came back on Saturday night and did it all again,
beating the Kelowna team in four sets. Following the wins, the Thunderbirds currently sit at third place in the conference, only behind powerhouses of the University of Alberta Pandas and Trinity Western University Spartans. With back-to-back wins
against their rivals, UBC looks confident heading into the second half of the season. U The T-Birds will be facing off against the University of Manitoba Bisons on Friday, January 13 and Saturday, January 14 in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
MENTAL HEALTH //
Women’s hockey team retires Laura Taylor’s jersey
The team had a pre-game ceremony in honour of Taylor and to bring more awareness to mental health and illnesses.
Olamide Olaniyan Sports + Rec Editor
Last April, Laura Taylor passed away abruptly, only a few days away from her 34th birthday. In the few hours following this revelation, it became apparent that she had been a casualty to mental illness — particularly bipolar disorder and depression. Taylor had been a new addition to the squad, studying at UBC’s faculty of medicine after transferring from the University of Saskatchewan in 2015. According to Thomas, she had
“a passion and love for the game” and was extremely committed to the team. The 33-year-old student had wanted to be a role model and mentor for her fellow teammates. She also had a contagious smile and was vocal about mental health issues. The events had a deep impact on her family and friends, as well as her teammates. But in its wake, it also sparked a campus-wide conversation about mental health, a conversation that needs to happen. A large part of discussion has centred around removing the
stigma surrounding mental health and wellness conversations. On Friday, the Thunderbirds had a pre-game ceremony in honour of Taylor and to bring more awareness to mental health and illnesses. At the ceremony, her jersey number —number 29 — was retired in front of family and friends. For the team, the game was about remembering Taylor, and starting discussions about mental illness. “It’s the first time that this has happened and the first time that we’re retiring a jersey, it’s a unique, special thing that we’re doing for
UBC ATHLETICS
Laura,” said Thomas in an interview with The Ubyssey. “One way or the other, we were going to do an awareness game.” The idea started to snowball and so the Athletics department coordinated with Taylor’s family and friends to come retire her jersey in order to honour her life and the her message. They also brought Bell Media’s “Let’s talk” campaign on board as well. “We’re just open to helping anybody through it like any other The team had wanted to wear green jerseys — the colours used for
mental health awareness — but the opposing team, the University of Alberta Golden Pandas, already have their colours as green, so it would have been difficult to differentiate the teams. They settled on lime green tape to put on their sticks and skates. They also got “LT” stickers. The team is looking to continue the vigilance and hope to reduce the stigma surrounding these discussions. “For us internally, we really talked about us being open , that if there’s something you know or someone, that we’re all here for each other,” said Thomas. “We’re going to continue to work with our sport psychologists and we’re going to continue to use the services on campus with the counsellors if anybody needs it.” “We’re just open to helping anybody through it just like a physical ailment.” By doing this, the team has brought discussions about mental health, particularly in sports to the forefront. While this is a deeply personal event, it is also a public service. There are already several groups on campus that push for these discussions and some resources that students can make use of, but we can do more. We need to talk more about mental illnesses and treat it less like a stigma, and not like a person a person is weak if they admit they need help. We need to talk, and we need to listen, and we need to take these conversations seriously now. If not now, when? U
JANUARY 10, 2017 TUESDAY | games+comics | 15
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