Thursday, December 10, 2015

know

insight

experience

SINCE 1906

westerngazette.ca THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015 • WESTERN UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER • VOLUME 109 ISSUE 26 acing exams since 1906

Ain’t no mountain high enough

Western's rock climbing club went from Fleetway to a real gym to train at and it’s made all the difference. SEE ROCK CLIMBING PG.3 

www.westerngazette.ca

2 • THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015

know

•

PROFILE ALICIA McINTYRE

Volume 109, Issue 26 WWW.WESTERNGAZETTE.CA University Community Centre Rm. 263 North Pole CANADA H0H 0H0 Editorial 519.661.3580 Advertising 519.661.3579

IAIN BOEKHOFF SANTA-IN-CHIEF @IAINATGAZETTE

OLIVIA ZOLLINO RUDOLPH EDITOR @OLIVIAATGAZETTE

NATHAN KANTER MENORAH EDITOR @NATHANATGAZETTE

D JENNY JAY GAZETTE

REINDEER DRISHTI KATARIA KATIE LEAR AMY O’KRUK RITA RAHMATI ABOMINABLE SNOWMAN HAMZA TARIQ THE GRINCH BRADLEY METLIN SNOWFLAKES SAMAH ALI RICHARD JOSEPH MOSES MONTEROZZA ROBERT NANNI ELVES HALA GHONAIM SERENA QUINN SHANE ROBERTS

FROSTY THE SNOWMAN CLAIRE CHRISTOPHER MISTLETOE JENNY JAY TAYLOR LASOTA KYLE PORTER MRS. CLAUS JENNIFER FELDMAN GINGERBREAD MEN JORDAN MCGAVIN CHRIS MISZCZAK SUGAR PLUM FAIRY SAMIYA HASSAN TREE TOPPER ARIEL VAISBORT

SANTA'S SWEATSHOP IAN GREAVES ADVERTISING DIANA WATSON

COMPOSING MAJA ANJOLI-BILIĆ ROBERT ARMSTRONG

STAFF MOHAMMAD ABRAR ABDUL HANAN, ERIC BAJZERT, JENNIFER BALL, MAAILAH BLACKWOOD, SARAH BOTELHO, DAMON BURTT, SHACHAR DAHAN, SAM FRANKEL, DEVIN GOLETS, BRITTANY HAMBLETON, JULIE HAMBLETON, JIMMY HUYNH, ELLIS KOIFMAN, SARA MAI CHITTY, MACKENZIE MORRISON, AMY O’SHEA, OWEN PARKER, TOM RUESS, LAUREN SAYERS, RUI SHI, OREN WEISFELD, TRISTAN WU

Deep within Lawson Hall on the third floor, a kind undergraduate coordinator welcomes students into the women’s studies and feminist research department. This coordinator is a fan favourite among students and faculty alike. She goes by the name of Alicia McIntyre.

“When I ask students how they’re doing, I genuinely want to know how they’re doing,” Alicia says. “I want to know if they’re having any problems in their courses, if they’re having personal issues that are preventing them from being successful in their courses. I genuinely just care and will spend an hour talking to someone just to know what’s going on in their life.”

From Western student to Ivey analyst to WSFR undergraduate coordinator, Alicia is the buffer between students and their professors, co-ordinating academic accommodations, program information and everything in between.

Alicia also credits the WSFR department for using the same compassionate approach towards their work.

She believes being in an office that understands the vulnerability of students during their formative years is what brings a family dynamic to work.

“From the time that someone enrols into their courses and enrols in our program to the time they graduate, anything administrative I take care of,” Alicia says.

“What we’re trying to do – and not just myself, from everyone on the faculty – is trying to build this sense of community to be a safe comfortable space for students,” says Alicia.

Her warm smile and authenticity welcomes students across the disciplines to the world of women’s studies after knowing what it’s like to be on the other side of the desk. Experiencing the treatment from academic counsellors at both Western and the University of Toronto, she invests personal interest in each student to make their university career easier.

She also believes this dynamic is what makes students more comfortable when coming to the office.

Being an undergraduate coordinator for a smaller department has served Alicia well, devoting care and time in every email she sends. Serving several students in different modules and faculties has also made Alicia’s vision span outside of the WSFR office as she seeks to make an impact on every student’s experience.

“Part of the reason why I really reach out to students is because I try to be that bridge between them and their professors,” she says. “I had such a hard time at U of T — every time I went into my program office I was met with coldness and rudeness or an unfriendly person, and so I stopped going and I didn’t get the help that I needed.”

She encourages everyone to take a look at the WSFR courses to make a difference in their academic careers.

Knowing how business-like some academic exchanges can be, Alicia believes that a caring approach is the best way to create a comfortable environment for students to share and excel in their academics.

“You don’t have to be in the program to take a course, just come and take one,” she says. “Trust me, every course you take will change your perspective on things.

So if each student took one course, I’d be happy with that.”

■■SAMAH ALI

WESTERNGAZETTE

UWOGAZETTE

KNOW

EXPERIENCE

FELIZ NAVIDAD!

@UWOGAZETTE

WESTERNGAZETTE

New product-testing facility coming to Fanshawe College under fire After London donated land, 13 labs are calling for Ontario to halt the facility, claiming it’s a breach of the Ontario Municipal Act.  PG 4

Hi tech gifts for a range of budgets Have a tech-savvy person on your Christmas gift list? We compiled some must-buy apps to make shopping this holiday season easier.  PG 11

This is the last issue of The Gazette for 2015.

WESTERNGAZETTE

All articles, letters, photographs, graphics, illustrations and cartoons published in The Gazette, both in the newspaper and online versions, are the property of The Gazette. By submitting any such material to The Gazette for publication, you grant to The Gazette a non-exclusive, world-wide, royalty-free, irrevocable license to publish such material in perpetuity in any media, including but not limited to, The Gazette‘s hard copy and online archives.

The Gazette is owned and published by the University Students’ Council.

To all our readers, have a safe and happy holidays.

We’ll be back on stands January 5.

HIGH 8 LOW 5

HIGH 8 LOW 7

HIGH 9 LOW 3

TODAY

TOMORROW

SATURDAY

• www.westerngazette.ca

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015 • 3

know

University graduates overqualified for positions DRISHTI KATARIA NEWS EDITOR @DRISHTATGAZETTE A large number of recent university grads — as many as 40 per cent — are overqualified for their jobs, as reported by a recent labour market assessment.

The federal parliamentary budget office discovered that the proportion of workers aged 25 to 34 with a university degree who were overqualified for their current position has been on the rise since the early 1990s.

In 2014, 56 per cent of university graduates aged 24 or younger were overqualified.

Jeff Watson, associate director employer relations at Western’s Student Success Centre, believes this statistic places a real priority on contextualizing the skills gained in university.

“In my mind it points me to think that it’s imperative that students, when they’re in their university experience, are putting a major focus on the skills set they’re developing and are able to articulate the transferrable skills they’re gaining and how they add value to their employer,” he said.

Donna Moore, director of career counselling at the Student Success Centre, said when she attended the Cannexus conference in 2013 there was a presentation on how the number of entry-level jobs were growing faster than knowledge-level jobs.

“If we are graduating many university grads but the jobs aren’t out there that really match with their skill, many of these individuals are ending up in entry-level jobs and they’re finding it’s almost like a glass ceiling,” she said. “They’re finding it difficult to then move into knowledge-level jobs.”

Furthermore, overqualified workers face lower levels of job satisfaction and attachment, increasing turnover rate for employers as a result.

Watson emphasized the importance of job descriptions and why employers need to be more precise in articulating a job’s criteria.

“It’s not a great thing for employers to lose talent,” said Watson.

“It might require them to be very specific in what their needs are and really justifying why they might need an advanced degree holder for a specific position.”

According to the market assessment, the most popular answers for why people are not working in their choice of occupation was because they couldn’t find the job they wanted or because they couldn’t wait for their job of choice.

Ben Baxter completed his undergrad from Western in kinesiology in April 2013, intending to become a teacher. He completed his bachelor’s in education the following year and currently works as a client advisor at Royal Bank of Canada.

“Trying to find a teaching job, I didn’t find anything within Canada,” he said. “I had a few offers outside of Canada but nothing that was that appealing.”

He discovered that if he wanted his ideal scenario with his own classroom, it would take him 10 to 12 years, and until then he would be working as a substitute teacher.

Watson advises that for students to obtain jobs in their field, they should be taking advantage of their career centre.

“It’s all about the preparation,” he said. “The more energy they can put into it the more advantage they’ll have when they go into the marketplace.” n

Huron appoints Barry Craig as new principal MAAILAH BLACKWOOD GAZETTE STAFF @GAZETTECULTURE Barry L. Craig has been appointed the 17th principal of Huron University College. Craig is currently serving as the vice-president of academic and research at St. Thomas University in New Brunswick and is scheduled to begin his five-year contract on July 1, 2016.

Craig has made significant contributions to St. Thomas University, first as the dean of faculty and then as vice-president, according to a press release issued by Huron.

The release illustrated his contributions to St. Thomas University and included improving the development of accessibility services for students with disabilities.

Craig was also a key advocate for establishing an innovative pilot program dedicated to providing liberal arts courses in the Aboriginal community.

Karen Wilkinson, chair of the Huron University College Executive Board, explained the process involved in selecting Craig was a rather lengthy procedure. It involved the input of several different members of the Huron community and the formulation of a committee.

The committee involved in the selection process consisted of three faculty members, at least one from each of the two faculties — the Faculty of Arts and Social Science and the Faculty of Theology.

Additionally, three non-faculty/ non-student members of the executive board, one full-time Huron University College staff member, the president of the Huron University College Students’ Council and the president of the Bishop Hallam Theological Society.

“Dr. Craig’s experience and knowledge we feel is an excellent fit for Huron University College,”

In 2014, 56 per cent of the university graduates aged 24 or younger were overqualified.

Educational credentials vs. occuupational requirements for recent university graduates 65

45

60

40

55

55

50

30 1990 1992 1994 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 Rightfully qualified (LHS)

Overqualified (RHS)

Sources: Parliamentary Budget Officer, Statistics Canada, and Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer

JENNIFER FELDMAN GAZETTE

Solution to puzzle on page 11

WESTERN SPECIAL

BENTO BOX • $8.99 & UP. All You Can Eat plus free drink.

Get $1 off with Western ID

735 Wonderland Rd. N 519.473.8146 DINE-IN, TAKE-OUT, or DELIVERY

BRIDES - SAVE THE DATE! Largest Selection of Bridal Stores Fabulous Prizes Fashion Shows

JANUARY 23 & 24

London Convention Centre LONDON WINTER

BRIDAL SHOW Go to winter.londonbridalshows.com to buy tickets now and save!

Sat. & Sun. 12-5 Admission $12.00

winter.londonbridalshows.com

Like us on...

live in style.

COURTESY OF HURON UNIVERSITY COLLEGE

Wilkinson said. “A number of his experiences are important to the work we are doing at Huron University College.”

Wilkinson explained that Craig has done a great deal of work in terms of fundraising advancement for St. Thomas College and has worked with the faculty in a leadership capacity to provide new programs for students and their learning.

“The fact that he has a background and experience that apply to both the Faculty of Arts and Social Science and the Faulty of Theology is a great benefit for us. His experience in administration will be very

helpful in terms of enrolment and requirements at Huron.”

Craig will be replacing current principal Stephen McClatchie, whose term began in July 2011 and will expire in early 2016.

McClatchie announced he would not be serving a second term as principal after members of Huron’s faculty expressed concern over the reappointment process, though his announcement did not specifically reference the concerns.

The Huron community is rather excited to be working with Craig and the university has been receiving a lot of positive feedback and input, Wilkinson added. n

Contact now to book a tour before we fill up! @lpc_redbricks

@lpc_redbricks

✓ #1 rated off campus housing ✓ Best locations around campus ✓ Built with energy efficient technology

fb.com/RedbricksLondon

✓ Secure and safe living environment ✓ In suite laundry and dishwashers in every unit ✓ Massive rooms and closets

www.londonprop.com

www.westerngazette.ca

4 • THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015

know

Fanshawe opening product testing facility

$16.2 million facility criticized by private labs DRISHTI KATARIA NEWS EDITOR @DRISHTATGAZETTE The establishment of a new product-testing facility at Fanshawe College, set to open in spring of 2016, has come under fire by many private sector labs.

The construction of the Canadian Centre for Product Validation is taking place on land donated by the City of London and will cost $16.2 million.

According to the Financial Post, 13 private labs called on Ontario to halt the lab.

“By providing this gift of land to a for-profit commercial enterprise, the City of London is now in breach of the Ontario Municipal Act prohibition against bonusing,” the labs wrote in a news release.

Ben Cecil, associate vice-president, academic excellence and innovation at Fanshawe College, believes that these labs have been misinformed and haven’t actually taken a look at the business case for the CCPV. “It should complement the private sector labs. We’re going to be out there promoting the benefits of validating products, getting products to meet compliance regulations in a market space that is seeing more and more regulations come to it,” he said.

Peter White, executive director of government relations at Western, said Western has supported the centre with a letter of

CRAIG GLOVER LONDON FREE PRESS

support and they’ve been having direct dialogue with the centre.

“Fanshawe is planning on implementing projects for the students, so it’s going to have a great effect in that it will give opportunities for students to get some actual experiential learning, exposed to some real world examples,” said White.

According to Cecil, CCPV will be doing developmental testing in a multi-modal format, allowing

them to test across a number of different modes of analysis to reflect actual or potential conditions that the product will see in the field.

“Industry is telling us they’re looking to get their products to market faster and this will increase their competitiveness and the potential for new job creation within those firms and the firms that support them as well,” he said.

Cecil said the purpose is not

only to create new jobs at the CCPV, but support jobs that would otherwise leave the region or can’t be supported in the region due to a lack of growth of the companies.

“Local firms are saying to us please give us capacity and capability to compete on the world stage because right now they don’t believe that they have the capacity locally to serve their needs,” he said. n

•

BRIEFS ENTREPRENEURS WILL LEAD ECONOMY

Canada’s future economic growth is largely dependent on technology innovators and entrepreneurs, according to CIBC president and CEO Victor Dodig.

These technological advancements will help direct growth in various industries. But there are speculations that the country is not producing enough innovative graduates with the necessary qualifications — people are over-educated but underqualified for the jobs.

Propel, an entrepreneurship centre, aims to provide Western students with an environment to sharpen those innovation skills and to test new business ideas and startups.

“We offer mentorship and support,” said Ian Haase, entrepreneurship director at Propel.

“Depending on what level of support [the students] need will determine what resources they will get.”

The importance of offering learning opportunities for students outside of the classroom is stressed, as Canada is not producing enough graduates with the type of skills needed in their respective industries compared to their international counterparts.

“This year more students are from health sciences, sciences, social sciences,” said Haase.

“Some are learning things in school that are directly encouraging them to think about bigger issues and solve problems while others are just doing it on the side out of personal interest.”

■■GRACE TO

FUNDRAISING DAY SUPPORTS WESTERN ACTIVITIES

MAAILAH BLACKWOOD GAZETTE

Hashtag hopes to inspire and de-stress SABRINA FRACASSI GAZETTE STAFF @NEWSATGAZETTE A campaign initiated by the social media team at Western, #purplepeptalk, is promoting a healthy exam environment for students during this stressful time.

The focus of this campaign is to use various social media tools such as Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat to foster a sense of community.

The campaign reminds students that we need to support each other. They request that students share messages of encouragement, self-care strategies and stress tips.

Scott May, a Western communications specialist, has been the

mastermind behind the project.

His goal is to create a “culture of support” within the Western community so that students know that they are, “not alone in dealing with the stressful season of exam time.”

The #purplepeptalk campaign also utilizes message boards that can be seen around campus. They can be found at the UCC, Weldon Library, the Off-Campus Students Association and in residences across campus.

Although the project is relatively new, May is enthusiastic and hopeful that the hashtag will catch on amongst the Western community.

“Gradually, as people get to

know it, we hope that people will look at it as an opportunity to share their experiences and let others know that they are going through the same type of stresses,” May said.

Western’s digital content manager, Melissa Cheater, said she understands the struggle that many students face. “[We] want to try and show everyone that even though we all know that we’re here for one another, sometimes people start to feel alone or they start to get bogged down. The goal is just reminding people about what we already know but that is harder to see this time of year,” Cheater said.

The amount of support at a pep-wall in Weldon Library is overwhelming. Positive messages like, “Holidays are right around the corner; you can do it!” and “Positive energy, you’ll get through this” span the walls. Some students even added a bit of humour to the wall, writing, “Finish exams, then eat an entire roll of cookie dough!

You deserve it.”

Look up #purplepeptalk on Twitter or check out Western’s Snapchat to see some of the supportive messages. The exam season is upon us, but we can get through it if we help each other out. n

Western participated in a global movement called Giving Tuesday by encouraging donations to the University over social media using the hashtag #GivingTuesday on December 1.

The movement has raised 94 per cent of its fundraising goal of $55,000 as of Tuesday, Dec. 8 and donations are open year-round.

Giving Tuesday is an internationally recognized day that takes place after Cyber Monday.

Acting as an annual day to support philanthropic work, the project is a response to the presence of the commercialized days of Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

“At Western, our students benefit from this movement,” Kendra Lealess, director of annual and leadership giving at Western, said in an email. “All money raised goes directly to supporting activities, scholarships and awards for Western students.”

In efforts to raise awareness about the importance of volunteers and donations, many not-for-profit organizations and charity clubs take the spotlight on Giving Tuesday to encourage long-term involvement, such as Change for X and Feed the Children.

“Giving Tuesday is about mobilizing people on a particular day,” Lealess added.

Donations can be processed and targeted to certain priority areas by visiting westernconnect. ca/giving. According to Lealess, donors will receive a charitable tax receipt and acknowledgement from Western for their support.

■■GRACE TO

• www.westerngazette.ca

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015 • 5

knowsports

Tony Spiridis: From walk on to team captain MIKE DEBOER GAZETTE STAFF @SPORTSATGAZETTE Western Mustangs men’s basketball head coach Brad Campbell never saw Tony Spiridis play high school basketball at Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School in Peterborough, not even once. Perhaps that’s because the town is more known for its junior hockey franchise and rich lacrosse tradition than its production of college basketball stars, but regardless, a lot as changed since then.

Now, as a fifth-year captain and the leader of the eighth-ranked team in the nation, Spiridis is a key piece on a team eyeing a deep playoff push.

It has been quite the journey for Spiridis. If it were not for his high school coach Craig Muir, Spiridis would have never donned the purple and white.

“I didn’t know, actually, until late in the spring of my fifth year in high school that I would be coming to Western,” says Spiridis. “I got recruited by a couple places, but obviously being from Peterborough I didn’t get a huge amount of attention.... I asked coach Muir if he could set up a visit for me, which he did, and I’m very thankful for that.”

Spiridis practiced with the team and Campbell liked what he saw so he offered Spiridis a spot on the team.

Spiridis was attracted to what Western had to offer: a great academic reputation and athletic tradition. For both Campbell and Spiridis, the fit was perfect.

Yet Spiridis saw little court time during his first two seasons as a Mustang. He averaged 4.7 minutes per game in his rookie season and only 6.3 minutes per game during his sophomore campaign. Spiridis was disappointed, but refused to quit.

“It was obviously a little frustrating,” Spiridis says about his initial lack of playing time. “You come from being a star in high school and then you come to a much higher level of basketball, and you start at the bottom again. Those first two years, we weren’t great as a team, which was even more frustrating. It’s tough

when you’re losing a lot of games.”

Spiridis worked tirelessly during the 2013 off-season to fight for a spot on the Mustangs’ key rotation of players. He established a solid post game, despite never having played in the post in high school.

He improved his dribbling to allow him to attack defenders and slash his way to the basket.

This hard work has been evident in Alumni Hall this season. Spiridis is excellent at attacking from the elbow, getting one or two dribbles down, going left or right and then finishing.

In his third year, Spiridis saw more action. He averaged 15.2 minutes per game and contributed 4.1 points per game with two rebounds per game. Campbell has been impressed with Spiridis’ work ethic and perseverance in the face of adversity.

“Throughout his time here he has continued to get better and relentlessly work on his game and body, particularly in the off-season,” says Campbell. “His transformation has been remarkable and it’s full credit to his work ethic.”

Now in his final year of Canadian Interuniversity basketball, Spiridis is one of the Mustangs’ top players. In their season-opening win over Waterloo on Nov. 4, Warriors head coach Justin Gunter referred to Spiridis, Greg Morrow and Peter Scholtes as a “three-headed monster.” This is a far cry from the Tony Spiridis who averaged under one point per game during his first two seasons at Western.

Through the first seven games this season, Spiridis has averaged 12.4 points per game and 2.4 rebounds per game. This included a career-high 24 points in a win over the Toronto Varsity Blues on Nov. 22.

For all of his improvements on the court, it is his attitude that has made Campbell so proud of Spiridis.

“Tony is a tremendous example to our younger players,” says Campbell. “His communication and hustle is constant in every practice.

His work ethic is something younger players see and compete against and will hopefully emulate.”

PRINT your notes.

Colour and Black & White AT

COPY & PRINT CENTRE

We can bind them too!

UCC BLDG - 2nd FLOOR- ROOM 265 cs-print@westernusc.ca 519-661-3578

Spiridis is humble about his importance to the program. He gives credit to others on the rebirth of Western basketball, yet without players like Tony Spiridis, this program would not be on the national radar.

When asked how he can help develop the next batch of Western Mustang basketball players, Spiridis was optimistic.

“I know coach Campbell’s system very well,” he says. “I know what we need to do to win, so I’m just trying to relay that message to the younger guys and try to get them fired up for the games.”

Spiridis and the Mustangs still have a chapter to write in their story. The team is 3–4, but to put this record in perspective, three of those losses came against the first-, second- and fifth-ranked teams in the nation. No team in Canada has had a tougher November schedule.

Spiridis believes their team can come out firing on all cylinders after the Christmas break and make the necessary run to truly push them into Ontario’s college basketball elite.

As for his legacy on this program, Spiridis has a simple wish.

“If people will just remember me as a hard worker and a good leader, I think that’s something I would be absolutely content with,” he says.

If Spiridis can help lead the Mustangs to an Ontario University Athletics final four and a national championship tournament berth, his legacy will be much more than that. He, along with every member of the 2015-16 Mustangs basketball team, will be remembered forever as the team that took this program to new heights.

A far cry from a high school gym in Peterborough, indeed. n

KYLE PORTER GAZETTE

KYLE PORTER GAZETTE

Alex Stelmacovich

OPENING A SALON? Let us help you start, grow or buy your own business.

Connect with our start-up experts!

www.westerngazette.ca

6 • THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015

insight

•

Men’s squash searching for record breaking 33rd straight OUA championship

LIAM MCINNIS GAZETTE IN THE ZONE. Pierce Masuhara, second-year squash player, takes a breather during practice. The men's squash team will compete in the OUA championships in January.

HALA GHONAIM SPORTS EDITOR @HALAATGAZETTE Can you imagine sprinting for 40 minutes straight? Now, add the difficulty of strategic problem solving between breaths.

The men’s squash team calls it physical chess.

The combination of intensity, anticipation and speed makes the sport a pleasure to watch. Western’s intimidating dynasty also adds to the entertainment factor.

Squash is similar to tennis, but instead of being on the other side of the court and hitting over a net, you’re hitting against a wall inside a box. The goal is to serve the ball and have it bounce twice before your receiver can hit it.

Western has done so well in men’s squash that one more Ontario University Athletics win would break the record of consecutive championships for all sports. The boys already have 32 regional wins under their belt – 33 would make it

the longest streak in OUA history.

The team is currently at the halfway point in their season. They practice with several pre-match warmups and dynamic stretches in order to purely focus on strategy during a rally.

Derek Moore, first-year head coach, says there are some significant changes this season after losing a lot of talent with athletes graduating last year.

“It’s tough having so many new people without the guidance from the older students to bring them in[to] the program,” he said. “The [roster] is very young and eager but lacks a little bit of experience needed in those tough situations mentally.”

With his new position, Moore hopes to get his team to be open about both their successes and failures. It’s important for the squash professional to shed more light on the team’s accomplishments.

Although many students have heard of squash, they’re unfamiliar with the team’s exceptional track

A lot of people think [squash is] very simple…. They think, ‘oh man, it’s so easy, all I do is hit a ball against a wall.’ But there are so many different things — you need to think about variation, the pace of the ball and the racket positioning.”

PIERCE MASUHARA MEN’S SQUASH PLAYER

LIAM MCINNIS GAZETTE FILLING IN BIG SHOES. New head coach Derek Moore setting the bar for the young men’s squash roster this season.

record.

“Western is unofficially known as the place to play squash in Canada,” Moore said. “I’m surprised squash isn’t as elite as [it] should be, given the elite level this school produces.”

This is the reputation built by Jack Fairs, which Moore hopes to maintain.

In his many years of service at Western, the previous men’s squash head coach attracted players from across the country with his caring attitude. He allowed athletes to embrace their differences and work towards bettering themselves.

“Jack Fairs knows that he is literally a legend,” said Moore. “I’ve had three people in the last 24 hours tell me, ‘oh, you’re the new Jack Fairs,’ and I wish I could be 10 per cent of what he is.”

Nonetheless, it was an easy transition for Moore because he had previously coached and currently owns a racquet sport store in London. His experience has helped the team exceed their physical abilities.

The fitness component was beneficial for second-year squash athlete Pierce Masuhara. It was a good way for him to lose weight and as soon as the weight went off, he realized he had mastered the strategies of squash.

Growing up with racquet sports, Masuhara’s family supported him with whatever decision he made in university. His friends, on the other hand, found it difficult to understand.

“A lot of people think it’s very simple,” said Masuhara. “They think, ‘oh man, it’s so easy, all I do is hit a ball against a wall.’ But there are so many different things — you need to think about variation, the pace of the ball and the racket positioning.”

Western prides itself on its cheering and support system, and that’s exactly what you’ll see at the Jack Fairs Squash Courts in the Western Student Recreation Centre. The team bonding exercises set in place by Moore are designed to prepare the boys for the potentially record-breaking upcoming OUA championships in January at Brock

University.

“We do understand that we have to continue this legacy and I think the fact that we have seen alumni, talked to them and played with them helps,” Masuhara said. “For the few of us who did play last year ... it sort of drives us to be the best that we can be.”

The rallies have become quicker, requiring a supreme fitness level.

Besides stamina, the team learns discipline, self-confidence and collective reliance. It’s important to foster a team environment in order to play as a collective whole in the finals.

Continuing the legacy is an athletic dream come true for secondyear player Michael Rossi.

He was introduced to squash in high school and fell in love with it.

He mainly enjoys meeting people from around the globe with its popularity stemming from abroad.

Unfortunately, North America has yet to hop on the bandwagon.

“It’s not televised in Canada or North America. The marketing is not huge here,” he said. “It’s probably the most decorated sport at Western ... but few people know we have a strong team and we should make an effort to get people to support.”

The rallies never seem to end for the players during their long sprints.

But for the audience, they have much more to look for. Accuracy and strategy is paramount in squash, whether in a drop, shot or drive.

The boys have a lot to live up to this year and even with the young roster, their intimation won’t wear away with their strong reputation. n

I’ve had three people in the last 24 hours tell me, ‘oh, you’re the new Jack Fairs,’ and I wish I could be 10 per cent of what he is.”

DEREK MOORE MEN’S SQUASH HEAD COACH

• www.westerngazette.ca

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015 • 7

insight

A's before baes VIVIAN CHENG CONTRIBUTOR @GAZETTECULTURE In a conventional 1950s suburban home, women would cook, do the laundry, feed the kids, buy groceries and take care of their husband — all at the tender age of 22. The American dream dictated that one finishes school, gets married and immediately begins a family.

Flash forward to the present day where social attitudes have shifted quite dramatically. Youth, especially those in university, have become increasingly hesitant to get married young. Today the average age for first marriage in Canada is 31 for men and 29 for women, a delay of seven years from the previous generation.

There are several factors that can explain this trend.

Many point out that financial stability plays a crucial role in the decision to get married. Today, 58 per cent of youth in Canada aged 18-24 are enrolled in university.

Following university, young adults are faced with many financial pressures, such as paying back student loans.

Brent Scott, intake counsellor at Western, explains that most people desire to support themselves financially and establish themselves professionally before settling down.

“People want to save up and they’ve got school debts, so it’s a practical reason [to delay marriage],” says Scott.

Additionally, other adverse consequences may arise from getting married younger. Scott suggests that issues like jealousy and immature relationships are

common due to insecurity and a lack of experience.

Women’s studies professor Monda Halpern agrees that age lends itself to experience.

“After the age of 30, you’re a more confident person,” Halpern says. “You don’t want to bring all these sorts of insecurities and a lack of confidence into a marriage, so it’s sort of better to be a sort of fully formed mature individual.

Halpern believes that a marriage is more likely to withstand the test of time if built upon a foundation of maturity.

Compared to life 70 years ago, more and more students today are trying to navigate through a time of tumultuous change while balancing their studies.

“Being in your 20s is a transitory period of time, a lot of people are moving to go to a different school or moving to take a different job,” Halpern says. “You change so much in your 20s, that the person you are at 19 is very different than the person you are at 30. Marriage can be difficult for people who are in this stage.”

Post-secondary institutions have created a shift toward a more career-oriented education.

Students are increasingly focused on their studies and as a result, many think being in a committed relationship takes valuable time away from their studies.

“I think university has a negative impact on relationships because it’s really hard to balance time in a relationship and time spent studying,” says Shayla Kroeze, first-year science student at Western University.

This can be extended to

JENNY JAY GAZETTE

establishing economic status as women. Since today’s society is arguably more gender-balanced, women are given an equal opportunity to establish a career before tying the knot.

“Unlike 60 or 70 years ago, women are attending university in far greater numbers, so they are interested in an advanced education and are putting off marriage for that reason until they get an education and establish careers,” explains Halpern. “It’s also increasingly acceptable for women not to

University virgins are not alone CHRISTINA CARFAGNINI CONTRIBUTOR @GAZETTECULTURE Movies such as Superbad, American Pie and The To-Do List detail a protagonist attempting to lose their virginity before they begin their post-secondary education.

However, stories like these can be misleading.

Despite the plots of these movies, being a virgin in university is more common than Hollywood would lead you to believe. Whether you identify with these cinematic protagonists or not, young people tend to overestimate the sexual activity of their peers.

Third-year psychology student Megs McGinley has seen segments of these movies and feels they promote only a single image of adolescent life.

“They make it seem like you have to be a part of the party culture when you are young … so that you have a successful social life in your future,” she says.

Leslie Janes, a human sexuality professor at Brescia, notes “approximately 65 per cent of 18-19 year olds have had sex,” while a survey conducted within that age group found “90 per cent of males and females thought that they had fewer partners than their classmates.”

After a lecture a couple of years ago, a young woman mentioned to Janes that she was probably the only virgin in the class. However, Janes notes that assumption is unlikely.

“80 per cent of young Canadians aged 20-24 have had intercourse, so it was very unlikely that the young woman was the only virgin in a class

of 80 students,” Janes explains.

Likewise, The Gazette’s 2015 sex issue claims that 74 per cent of Western students are sexually active.

Despite these statistics, an anonymous female virgin in third-year medical science feels her decision to not engage in sexual activity is normal for her age and the people she is surrounded by.

“Most of my friends are virgins,” she says.

Although she is not overestimating the amount of sex her peers are having, one of the biggest predictors of a young woman having sex is if her peers are sexually active, according to Janes.

In addition to her friends’ behaviours, family guidance contributes to this student’s opinion to save sex for marriage.

“In Jewish culture, at least in my family, we believe very strongly in saving [sex] for marriage,” the student adds.

Although she was born in Canada, her parents are immigrants, which tends to be a trend in sexual conservatism.

“Immigrants tend to be significantly more sexually conservative than Canadians and Americans,” Janes explains. “More conservative meaning that they are against pre-marital sex.”

Despite the difference in sexual attitudes, the medical science student believes her family is looking out for her best intentions and trusts their experience and advice.

“I think that they gave me the background information and I made my own opinion,” she says.

In fact, Janes believes

remaining a virgin might actually increase self-esteem in abstaining individuals.

“They can withstand social pressure, particularly if they think everyone else is doing it,” she says.

McGinley agrees, and is even “impressed when someone is a virgin” because it shows a strength to go against the social pressure to have sex.

Likewise, the medical science student does not think her virginity affects her self-esteem or self-concept. However, she does not plan on losing her virginity in the near future.

“I would feel bad about myself … because I have not found that longterm relationship where I would want to make that step.”

While remaining a virgin may not be a common decision for all university students, the medical science student can be sure she’s not the only virgin in her classes. n

They make it seem like you have to be a part of the party culture when you are young … so that you have a successful social life in your future MEGS MCGINLEY THIRD-YEAR PSYCHOLOGY STUDENT

marry at all.”

However, later marriages are not always the case for students.

Second-year arts and humanities student Selena Huband believes love can occur at any age.

“Say you’re 20 and you fall in love with someone and if you wait to get married and if you know it’s the real deal, what’s the point of waiting 10 years? The point of marriage is being together,” says Huband.

While difficult, Halpern believes it’s comforting to go through these

life challenges with a partner.

“I think in your 20s you’re faced with so many life changes and challenges, and it can be nice to go through those life experiences with someone else and share them with somebody else,” says Halpern.

Students may be divided but as society changes, traditional values are being challenged.

Although many young adults are choosing to get married at a later age, the decision ultimately depends on what works for you. n

IINTERESTED NTERESTED IN IN CONTRIBUTING CONTRIBUTING TO TO THE THE NEXT NEXT GGAZETTE AZETTE S SPOTLIGHT POTLIGHT M MAGAZINE AGAZINE??

January 2016 6

Wed

AATTEND TTEND OUR OUR VOLUNTEER VOLUNTEER MEETING MEETING ON ON JJANUARY ANUARY 6 6

OORR EMAIL EMAIL O OLIVIA LIVIA AT AT

print.managing@westerngazette.ca print.managing@westerngazette.ca TO TO LEARN LEARN MORE MORE..

Are you passionate about student journalism?

Then apply for the Gazette's Arts & Lifestyle internship program!

Applications can be found on the website, or you can email arts@westerngazette.ca for one.

All applications due January 11

www.westerngazette.ca

8 • THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015

insight

•

Twitter activism: Are celebs doing it right?

Western’s CulturePlex Lab is taking a look at celebrity influence on social media platforms NORBERT KRECSKO CONTRIBUTOR @GAZETTECULTURE While sitting on a comfy couch, digging into a bag of stale chips and aimlessly scrolling through your Twitter newsfeed, you may notice the inescapable amount of conflicting hashtags flooding your main page.

Social media has become an intangible landscape of ideologies that people use to push their own ideas, but the ways that celebrities use social media platforms, such as Twitter, can be problematic.

The recent Paris attacks hashtag “#PrayforParis” spurred a barrage of slacktivists from Twitter-hungry millennials to A-list celebrities like Justin Bieber.

A group of researchers from Western University’s CulturePlex are dedicated to solving problems that require massive amounts of data and human behaviour analysis. A new study by the CulturePlex Lab graphed approximately 4.3 million tweets following the Paris attacks on Nov. 13 and discovered the most active tweets were those done by celebrities.

Notably, One Direction member Louis Tomlinson made a #PrayforParis tweet that collected 173,000 retweets and 208,000 likes in just 24 hours.

Juan-Luis Suarez, a digital humanities professor at Western and director of the CulturePlex Lab, addressed how celebrities can negatively affect views on political issues through social media.

MOSES MONTERROZA GAZETTE

2 CAN DINE

David Brown, a PhD student and member of CulturePlex Lab, explained the balance of tweets posted by people regarding the recent Paris attacks.

“There is a kind of dichotomy of really positive responses, as in ‘let’s get together and pray for Paris’ and very reactionary negative responses, such as anti-Muslim slander,” said Brown. “Since social media is so ubiquitous, the type of response often reflects the population.”

The immediate impact of this social media influence is currently quantifiable but the lab has yet to develop a way to measure the longterm effects of slacktivism, Brown explained.

“One of the things we really want to see is how we can quantify the amount of attention that is paid to one issue as opposed to another,” he said.

“We don’t know what it really means for the world that there is a #PrayforParis that everyone is using because we haven’t developed a methodology to measure that,” Brown continued. “We have to take One Direction’s audience into consideration as well. There may have been people who heard about the attacks for the first time from One Direction — it’s a new audience.”

Since many people get their news from the Internet today, celebrities should feel as though it’s their social responsibility to not only tweet positively about political and social issues, but to tweet responsibly as well. n

PICK 3 Pick any 3 of the following choices:

2 Small Pizzas 3 Toppings each 1 Cheesy Bread 2 Cans of Pop 1 FREE Dipping Sauce

ONLY

“It’s a very powerful tool.

Depending on how it’s used it can have one effect or another,” he said.

“The main problem is that there is some lack of knowledge about how social media works, so some solutions that people are trying to apply to activism are not very well-directed.”

Today, even the most indolent celebrity can support four different causes at once with the flick of a thumb and garner an enormous response from their following.

Due to social pressures, according to Suarez, many celebrities don’t actually control their own Twitter pages.

“There is sort of a standardization with what celebrities should say — it’s almost always nice,” said Suarez. “When they say something that is out of line it has a huge reaction from people, so it makes sense why celebrities reach out to PR companies to run their Twitter pages.”

Suarez believes celebrities should worry less about marketing themselves on Twitter and be responsible for their own pages.

“Every hashtag has the capability of becoming a brand, but [celebrities] should still have that social responsibility to tweet about issues themselves,” he said.

Even though some celebrities have their tweets filtered through a more reserved lens to protect their brand, there are many celebrities that manage their own Twitter accounts and tweet their own opinions about issues.

$15.99

Upgrade to Mediums for $5 more!

169 Wharncliffe Rd. S

519-438-9999

1 Medium Pizza * 1 Medium Panzerotti * 12 BBQ Wings 1 Joe Louis Cake 1 Medium Ceasar Salad 1/2 Rack of Baby Back Ribs

ONLY

Every hashtag has the capability of becoming a brand, but [celebrities] should still have that social responsibility to tweet about issues themselves.

JUAN-LUIS SUAREZ

12 Chicken Nuggets 1 lb. of Potato Wedges 10 Chicken Bites 1 Loaf of Garlic Bread 8 Sticks of Cheesy Bread 6 Cans of Pop

$19.99

WESTERN DIGITAL HUMANITIES PROFESSOR AND CLUTUREPLEX LAB DIRECTOR

Choices can not be repeated, *(up to 3 toppings)

PIEROSPIZZA.CA EVERY THURSDAY ADVER TISING FEATURE

@Louis_Tomlinson TWITTER #PRAYFORPARIS One Direction member Louis Tomlison tweeted out “#PrayForParis” on Nov. 14, which has since garnered over 176,000 retweets by fans.

&Wellness

Health

Look here on Thursdays for special Western student deals on health and wellness from London businesses

Family and Cosmetic Dentistry New and Emergency Patients Welcome STUDENT AND STAFF DENTAL PLANS ACCEPTED

FREE TEETH WHITENING WITH COMPLETE EXAM AND CLEANING

MOSES MONTERROZA GAZETTE CRACKING THE CODES. Researchers from Cultureplex huddle around a laptop mapping information.

• www.westerngazette.ca

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015 • 9

insightopinions

Carrie Fischer’s bluntness refreshing Breaking Brad

BRADLEY METLIN OPINIONS EDITOR @BRADATGAZETTE When I was younger, my aunt first showed me the Star Wars movies.

I remember I found them pretty exciting but for one particular character — Darth Vader. There was something about villains that I enjoyed. As Alvy Singer in Annie Hall said, “When my mother took me to see Snow White, everyone fell in love with Snow White. I immediately fell for the Wicked Queen.”

Instead of fast-forwarding to the parts featuring the black-costumed villain, I should have paid more attention. Perhaps I would have appreciated the storyline more.

I also would have noticed Carrie Fisher.

Playing Princess Leia, Fisher became a notable star because of her sex appeal in the films. After her Star Wars fame, she wrote a novel, acted in a few more films but she also publicly struggled with alcoholism and bi-polar disorder. Her candid nature with her issues is endearing to many.

This bluntness was on display during her interview with Good Morning America last week promoting the new Star Wars film.

Fisher is her usual hilarious self as she was accompanied by her dog Gary, but she did more than just make viewers laugh — she also spit some truth about the state of Hollywood for women.

Recently, Fisher has been unafraid to share her opinions about this issue. She told the Wall Street Journal she didn’t hesitate to do the latest Stars Wars movie because “I’m a female working in show business, where, if you’re famous, you have a career until you’re 45, maybe. Maybe. And that’s about 15 people.”

The statistics don’t lie. In the top 100 highest-grossing films for 2014, the number of women over 45 in a leading role was zero. Younger women are also poorly represented as well, where only 12 per cent of

protagonists in the highest-grossing films for the same time period were women.

Why does it have to be like this?

This year saw films like Trainwreck and Spy become big successes and they don’t centre on women who are the conventional image of femininity. Movies like this can be successful at the box office.

Fisher’s explanation during her Wall Street Journal interview is pretty bleak.

“It’s a male-dominated planet.

White male — he delivers.”

The entertainment industry still appears to value the idea that young, white men will be their chief audience. If women are in big-budget movies, they are generally younger, straight, white and sexy.

During her Good Morning America appearance, Fisher challenges the norms that Hollywood assigns to famous actresses. At the beginning of her interview, she compares her sweater to her dog as he sticks out his tongue. Fisher furthers this idea by needling the interviewer about her workout routine.

“Do you exercise every day? Isn’t it boring? But you love it? What music makes this worthwhile?”

It’s fairly unusual to see a woman in Hollywood be so blunt about the expectation to be attractive. Usually when it does happen, it occurs in a way when the person is being self-depreciating for the sake of a joke.

In this case, however, Fisher is gleefully making the woman who exercise daily the butt of the joke.

It’s almost as though she’s speaking to everyone watching, telling them that it’s silly to workout everyday.

The significance of this interview and similar ones that Fisher has been conducting in the lead up to Star Wars: The Force Awakens is that it proves women can be confident with their lack of caring.

I wish I had paid more attention when I was first watching the Star Wars movies. I would have noticed Princess Leia and in turn, Carrie Fisher and learned more about her.

When I watch the new film, I will be cognizant of General Leia when she comes onto screen — hopefully her role reflects the badass that Fisher now is. n

COURTESY OF TRIPLESCOOP.BIZ

Grateful for where we are and who we have

BY GAZETTE EDITORIAL BOARD

Mass shootings. Terrorist attacks. Bombings.

Inflammatory political rhetoric. Economic worries.

People all around us succumb to reactionary responses of fear, worry and panic.

With all these and more negative headlines coming at you every day, it’s easy to lose your perspective on life and what’s really happening around you.

We’re constantly bombarded with more information, more ads and more pleas for attention that we have become shortsighted and shut off, despite this being the age of ever more connectivity.

As students heading into the exam period, we’re even more prone to shutting ourselves off from the world around us and focus solely on studying. Remembering to be grateful for what we have is lost even more in the exam crunch.

It’s not just because it’s the “season of giving” that we should remind ourselves of all that we have and all that we should be grateful for. When you look around, taken as a whole, we have it pretty good.

We live in a stable, prosperous, safe and free country. We’re in the later stages of achieving the highest level of education anyone can have. We,

generally speaking, have it all.

This doesn’t mean there isn’t struggle happening every day. Students on our campus experience depression, anxiety, racism, sexism and poverty on a daily basis.

This exam season, take time to take care of yourself.

Find time to hang out with friends, call your loved ones, take a walk, play video games — whatever makes you happy.

Once exams are over and that weight is off of your shoulders, give back to others with more than just a gift bought from the store. Let the contagious spirit of this month overwhelm you. Volunteer at a food bank, create your own gifts, pay for a stranger’s coffee, make someone’s day. And give the most valuable gift of all to those you care about the most: your time and undivided attention.

Life is all about balance and perspective. Take a step back and realize all that you have access to and all that you have provided for you is something special, something unique and something to cherish, no matter your circumstances.

Happy holidays, Western.

DEARLIFE YOUR ANONYMOUS LETTERS DEAR LIFE,

The semester is almost over!

DEAR LIFE,

DEAR LIFE,

DEAR LIFE,

DEAR LIFE,

DEAR LIFE,

Why don’t my roommates wash the dishes?

Donald Trump is absolutely trash and needs to not run for president.

Can’t I just pay for my degree? #RealTalk

DEAR LIFE,

Tinsel is tacky and literally the worst type of decoration because it clings to every-fucking-thing.

University is a place where they just tell you that you suck and it makes you want to drop out.

DEAR LIFE,

I am so grateful for my friends and family.

Why can’t Western find ways to effectively test my knowledge without giving me a mental breakdown?

DEAR LIFE,

Christmas clothing is just tacky.

WGAZ.CA/DEARLIFE

COURTESY OF ABC NEWS

Editorials are decided by a majority of the editorial board and are written by a member of the editorial board but are not necessarily the expressed opinion of each editorial board member. All other opinions are strictly those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the USC, The Gazette, its editors or staff. To submit a letter, go to westerngazette.ca and click on “Contact.”

www.westerngazette.ca

10 • THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015

experience

•

Rock climbing club a close-knit group SERENA QUINN SPORTS EDITOR @SERENAATGAZETTE For members of Western’s rock climbing club, Sunday nights are far from relaxing; this is the clubs’ weekly meet-up at Junction Climbing Centre.

London’s only climbing gym just opened up in 2014 but the rock climbing club has been around a lot longer. It started in 2006 with 75 members in total and has since expanded to 309 members.

While the president, Stephanie Yip, says the club has consistently been over 300 members since she joined in 2013, the new climbing gym has made all the difference.

In the past the club would meet on Monday nights at Fleetway, where they would rent out the small rock climbing area and take turns scaling the walls.

Despite the small climbing area, the members still had fun and the

club still maintained a high registration rate.

“It was a lot of fun somehow,” Yip said. “[We] still got relatively strong although we didn’t have a big training area.”

The new climbing centre has allowed the club to find more success in the University Bouldering Series, a competition in and around southwestern Ontario.

“Before we had a climbing gym, we would come in seventh as a school,” Yip said. “Ever since we’ve had a gym, we’ve been coming in almost always first overall.”

The competition is scored based on the top three performing male and female climbers from each university. Their score is calculated based on the difficulty level of the boulder course they climb and the number of attempts it took them to complete the course.

The scores are then combined to form a team score, which

determines the winner. “[Our recent results] shows how much our club members have improved just because they have somewhere to train,” Yip continued.

“It’s changed everything.”

Every member is allowed to take part in the competitions and the team subsidizes the $45 registration fee per competitor to make the competitions accessible to all members who are interested.

While competing against other universities in the local area makes it seem like all members of the club are pro climbers, that is in no way true.

“Ninety per cent of our club is made up of brand new beginners every year,” Yip said.

One of those beginners is thirdyear nursing student Nicole Snelling.

“This is the first time I’ve ever really rock climbed other than when I was a kid,” Snelling said.

For those who don’t have

KYLE PORTER GAZETTE Nicole Snelling climbs during the clubs end-of-semester at Junction.

memberships to the Junction, the rock climbing club makes their weekly sessions affordable by renting out the entire facility and by providing discounts to their members.

If climbing isn’t your strong suit, the club’s get-togethers offer more than just a night out at a climbing gym. They offer friendships and a community that you might not be

able to imagine in a club as large as this one.

“Our club is very close-knit,” Yip said. “It’s a good place to make friends, keep friends and also grow as a team. Everyone is getting stronger all of the time so it’s very motivating.”

For the full story, head to www.westerngzette.ca n

On Sunday evening, The Gazette was invited to the rock climbing club’s end-of-semester party at the Junction Climbing Centre. We took this opportunity to bring back Gazette Tested: a segment where editors try out new activities in London and then write about their experience.

All editors had a blast, despite limited experience, which is the great thing about rock climbing; if you conquer your fear of heights, you can jump right in without any previous training. Thanks to the automatic belay, you can even climb on your own and not have to worry about safety.

Junction is located at 1030 Elias St., just south of the intersection of Quebec St. and Oxford St East. The Gazette thanks the Rock Climbing Club for the free event.

TAYLOR LASOTA GAZETTE

SERENA QUINN

TAYLOR LASOTA

BRADLEY METLIN

SAMAH ALI

JENNY JAY

Sometimes you have to start out being bad at something to appreciate that feeling when you become good at it.

Maybe I should start with a disclaimer; I’m probably not what regular climbers would consider “good,” but making it up a wall and then beating someone feels pretty good to me.

I started the night by climbing the easiest wall in the gym Halfway to the top, I shouted down something I forgot to mention before starting.

“I’m afraid of heights!”

I didn’t make it to the top that time. I didn’t make it to the top on my second try either. But while I felt disappointed knowing I was the only editor who couldn’t make it up, I also found motivation from it.

By the end of the night, I had made a huge improvement and my colleagues noticed.

Overall, I had a great experience and would definitely go back.

Maybe with someone who is new to rock climbing so that I look better in comparison?

I was particularly dreading the thought of embarrassing myself in front of the rock climbing club, as well as my fellow editors with my sub par athletic abilities.

Once we arrived and received our orientation, I dusted off my gym clothes, swallowed my pride and walked over to the wall.

I was really just hoping my arms would last for more than two climbs.

But I was pleasantly surprised — I wasn’t as bad as I remembered from those mostly repressed days of high school gym class.

I was certainly drawing motivation from the competitiveness amongst our team as well as the seemingly infinite number of attractive men who were part of the western climbing club.

When the dust finally settled I realized I had scaled eight walls — beating my fellow editors in the process — and had tried bouldering for the first time.

I might actually reconsider this physical activity thing.

Would recommend: a solid 8/10.

Whack! The sound of Taylor one wall over from me indicates he had traversed the vertical obstacle course faster than me. My ego was bruised as I hopped a few feet up to the end of the wall we were climbing.

Physical activity has never been my idea of a good time; I developed a keen talent in fifth grade for escaping lunch time recess in favour of Scrabble. With this in mind, I highly recommend going rock climbing because it’s a lot of fun but also a great workout. It’s not like running around your block where you feel you’ve accomplished nothing — finishing a wall feels amazing.

After losing my informal race, I thought I’d climb up a wall to take a selfie to commemorate my glorious display of athleticism. I mean, I climbed the wall fairly fast. Spoiler alert: that was a really bad call. The possibility of dropping a phone and holding onto the wall with one arm is not a good idea – at all.

Despite this lapse in judgement, I give my rock climbing experience eight out of 10 chalky fingers.

My hands are hurting, my muscles are sore and I am pumped to go back to Junction for round two.

Recently, I’ve been making a conscious effort to avoid any kind of physical activity and appreciate the better things in life like Netflix and eating Nutella, but wow — I’ve definitely missed rock climbing.

Climbing elaborate vertical terrains is one thing I would recommend to everyone, whether you’re afraid of heights or not. With the convenient automatic belays, there is no reason to be afraid of falling.

Plus, the walls are easy enough for the most novice rock climber to jump on and speed to the top.

Bouldering was definitely where us lowly editors did not succeed.

Naturally, the rest of us found the easiest route to scale up the boulders, then panicked at the top wondering how we could get down. I still felt validated after accomplishing the easiest route even though the experienced climbers excelled past me. Whatever, at least I didn’t break a nail.

The first climb was easy — hand over hand, nature instinctively kicked in. However, at the top was a different story.

We were shown how to use the automatic belay, which meant letting go of the wall and sitting down.

For the adrenaline and adventure junkie in me, you would think it was easy, but suddenly it felt like I was 12,000 feet off the ground and being told to jump out of a plane. It was the same mixture of adrenaline and fear from when I did my first solo sky-diving jump.

Some might call me crazy for comparing climbing these walls to free-falling from the sky at 12,000 feet, but I beg to differ — adrenaline is still adrenaline. Whether I’m scrambling over mountains in the Rockies, jumping from a plane or spending Sunday night at a climbing gym, my hands still trembled with the ache and thrill of what it meant to put my body at a point of physical exertion and excitement.

Would I do it again? Definitely.

I’m already counting down the days.

• www.westerngazette.ca

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015 • 11

experience

Food For Thought SHACHAR DAHAN GAZETTE STAFF @GAZETTECULTURE With the holidays fast approaching, everyone is hunting for that perfect gift. If you have yet to go holiday shopping, here are some gift ideas you might consider with three different price points in mind.

ELLIS KOIFMAN GAZETTE

ELLIS KOIFMAN GAZETTE STAFF @GAZETTECULTURE Whether you’re looking for a celebration meal, a nice date location or simply treating yourself to some quality dining, the Church Key Bistro-Pub is the place for you.

The entire restaurant feels very elegant, but not to the point of snobbishness. Don’t be surprised or deterred if you find yourself among a primarily middle-aged crowd.

Everything feels very intimate in this small restaurant, from the dim lighting to the small candles at each table.

The restaurant has a pub-like design at the front with a more restaurant feel at the back. Both seating areas are upscale and won’t disappoint.

Service is fast, polite and responsive to your every request. They do everything they can to ensure you have a good meal, including providing perfectly paced dishes.

Depending on your preference, the meal can be nice and slow over good conversation or a quick bite to eat before going to the theatre. Just let them know beforehand if you’re on a time crunch.

Staff are very knowledgeable about the menu, which includes dishes such as lamb curry, fish and chips, mushroom tarragon chicken and the Church Key burger.

There are also features available, including the game of the week — a unique weekly dish created by the chef to showcase a different variety of game meat.

The drink menu includes an assortment of wines and craft beers.

FOOD & DRINK: CINCO SENTIDOS MALBEC ARGENTINA 2011 ($8 PER GLASS): A full-bodied dry red wine. Pairs well with just about everything on the menu, especially breads, pastas and red and white meats.

PRETZEL BREAD WITH BUTTER: Warm

and fresh. A small loaf of soft bread to share as you wait for your food.

Try to avoid the temptation to fill up on it.

ALE AND ONION SOUP ($8): A slightly salty and beefy ale broth with a perfect blend of flavour. Light on the cheese and a good portion of bread in the soup. No shortage of caramelized onions.

This is an interesting take on a French onion soup. The inclusion of Fuller’s London Pride Ale makes for a unique broth that will make the last drop seem to arrive far too soon.

BEEF CHEEK POT ROAST ($25): The beef is rich and very tender to the point of nearly falling off the fork as you take a bite. The fat blends with the rest of the meat to create full flavour that leaves you wanting more.

Surrounding the beef is an assortment of perfectly cooked vegetables of onions, carrots and potatoes. They are neither too soft nor too hard.

This dish is back by popular demand, which comes as no surprise.

It is very filling, which left me saddened when I grew too full to finish the dish in its entirety.

From presentation to the last bite, this dish is a masterpiece.

Simply put, I cannot imagine a more perfectly created beef dish.

RATINGS: PRICE: GGGGG For an upscale bistro-pub, you get a lot of bang for your buck.

ATMOSPHERE: GGGGG Intimate and homey at the same time, it’s easy to feel relaxed and enjoy yourself regardless of the occasion.

SERVICE: GGGGG Quick and reliable, very knowledgeable about the menu.

FOOD & DRINK: GGGGG The chef is clearly both passionate and highly skilled.

OVERALL: GGGGG n

DELL B1160W I admit printers are not the most exciting thing in the world, but they are a necessity for students. The Dell B1160w is a wireless monochrome laser printer that isn’t going to blow anybody away but consistently gets the job done. Measuring in at 7” x 8.46” x 13”, this printer is crazy compact and is barely noticeable on a desk. I have used this printer for the past 13 months and would highly recommend it to anybody looking for an affordable printer that won’t take up a lot of room. $89.90 from Amazon.com with free shipping.

MICRO 3D PRINTER The M3D printer is the perfect gift for someone who is interested in dabbling in the world of 3D printing but doesn’t have much experience.

The printer is available in five different colours, is extremely compact and weighs only 1kg. The M3D uses traditional plastic to complete its prints and is capable of printing as precise as 50 microns. During my testing, I found the printer very enjoyable to use.

Right out of the box, the M3D is simple to set up and install.

The printer is relatively quiet, so you wont have to worry about it waking you up during an overnight print. The motor in the printer also impressed me since it didn’t burn out, even though I had the printer running for nearly two weeks straight. There were definitely some prints that malfunctioned, but overall the M3D is a solid printer at a very reasonable price. $349 for a limited time from printM3D.com PANASONIC TC-65CX800 The TC-65CX800 is the latest and greatest 4K TV from Panasonic.

The TV packs a whopping 8,294,400

pixels into a sleek 65” frame, which makes just about any content look amazing. If you don’t believe me, I watched an hour-long documentary about flowers with no regrets. The TV also comes with a remote that features a trackpad, which makes browsing the Firefox-based operating system a breeze.

The main downside of this TV is the sound, which is good most of the time but had moments when the quality was seriously lacking.

While there is still a lack of 4K content on the market, if you’re thinking of getting a new TV, I would still recommend buying a TV with 4K capabilities because an increase in 4K programming is not that far away. $2,999 from Panasonic.com. n

COURTESY OF PANASONIC

To place your classifed ad, please contact us at 519-661-3579 or adoffice@uwo.ca

thegazette

classifieds

VOLUNTEERS WANTED

LONDON SENIOR SEEKING a volunteer helper to assist with completion of woodworking projects. On Wonderland 10 bus route. Will pay $5/hr for up to 3 hrs help 1 night/wk. Also looking to rent space for woodworking projects in Westmount Shopping Centre area one evening a week. A garage or workshop space would be ideal. Contact Alan 519-660-1442.

UPCOMING EVENTS DANCE CLASSES AT DANCE STEPS- 275 Colborne St. between York and Horton Accessible by bus. Ballet, Jazz, Hip-Hop drop in or join a session. www.dancestepslondon.ca or contact us dance_steps@hotmail.com, 519-645-8515.

SERVICES

GLORIOUS LASHES SALON Eyelash extension specialist Redefine your look with eyelash extensions!

Close to campus

Contact Allison alafayy@gmail.com • 519.200.6622 MOBILE HAIR BY SARAH Make getting your hair done easier, I travel to you! Student highlight special $80. Text, call or email for an appointment. 226-9266474 Beautifulyouhairbysarah@gmail.com PRIVATE GUITAR LESSONS. All styles and levels.

Graduate of McGill and educated at Berkelee, The New School for Jazz. 30, 45, 60 min. lessons. Reasonable rates and flexible scheduling. leschiedguitar@gmail.com. (226) 977-4121.

ANTED ANTED

YOUR AD HERE adoffice@uwo.ca 519-661-3579

PUT YOUR SUDOKU SAVVY TO THE TEST! To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes.

For solution, turn to page 3

www.westerngazette.ca

12 • THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015

experiencegames

PHOTO OF THE DAY

CROSSWORD BY EUGENE SHEFFER

MAAILAH BLACKWOOD GAZETTE EN GARDE! Western’s fencing team trains at practice on Dec. 3, ahead of their Dec. 6 competition in Michigan. Western hat at least one fencer finish top-3 in each division: epee, foil and sabre.

WORD SEARCH

NEW YEAR’S AULD LANG SYNE BALLOONS BEGINNING CELEBRATIONS CHAMPAGNE CLOCK CONFETTI COUNTDOWN CROWD DANCING

ENDING EXPECTATIONS FAMILY FOOD FOOTBALL FRESH FRIENDS GAMES HAPPY HOLIDAY HOPE JANUARY

3 4 3 3 3 343

3 3 3 3 www.londonprop.com

JOY MEMORIES MIDNIGHT

MOMENTOUS NEW NOISEMAKER



OLDER PARADES PARTIES

www.facebook.com/RedbricksLondon @lpc_redbricks @lpc_redbricks

PLANS RESOLUTIONS SINGING

TIME TOAST YEAR

For solution go to westerngazette.ca/solution

WRITE FOR US or else we’ll have to do it ourselves

volunteer@westerngazette.ca IT’LL BE FUN. WE PROMISE

•