Tuesday, November 14, 2017

SINCE 1906

westerngazette.ca TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2017 • WESTERN UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER • VOLUME 111, ISSUE 11 too damn cold since 1906

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GLENN MATTHEWS

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Glenn first came to Western as a student. He arrived in 1978, pursuing a double degree in public administration and political science. After being a residence advisor at SaugeenMaitland Hall in his undergrad, Glenn transitioned into a residence manager position after graduation in 1982. He worked with the residence for six and a half years before he moved into his current role in 1989.

Although work keeps him busy, outside of the job, Glenn is a sports enthusiast. He’s an avid golfer and curler, a former hockey player and a huge fan of the Toronto Blue Jays.

“Since day one, I’ve always been a fan. I’ve gone to see the Blue Jays play in every stadium,” said Glenn.

To date, he’s seen the Blue Jays play in 43 different stadiums. However, Major League Baseball is only played in 30 existing stadiums, meaning Glenn has seen the Jays play in stadiums that no longer exist.

Talking about his time at Western, Glenn says that part of what motivates him as a mediation officer is his desire to help and engage students. Student life has always been important to Glenn, dating back to his third year as an undergraduate student. That year, Glenn worked as a residence advisor and became friends with a group of individuals on his floor. At the time, he didn’t know that this would be the same group that he celebrates Homecoming with every year.

While reflecting on his time serving students through housing mediation, Glenn shared one of the most important lessons he’s learned: patience.

“Sometimes the real concerns don’t come out in an initial discussion. You have to dig a little deeper and listen for other things that might be there,” Glenn says.

Glenn says he’s also faced many challenges when it comes to housing mediation.

“One of the things we try to work on are pitfalls that students generally go through each year,” says Glenn.

“It’s a matter of trying to get across to students about what they need to be aware of when going out and renting in the off-campus world.”

However, getting the message across to the thousands of students who live off-campus is never easy. He says offcampus housing will get the message out anyway they can, using social media, like Snapchat or email.

One of Glenn’s proudest achievements so far is the creation of the off-campus advisor program, a group consisting of student employees who offer housing mediation services to students living in the community.

The program has been running for 18 years and, to date, has won two provincial awards.

“When a student comes back after they’ve dealt with a difficult situation, and they have thanked you because you’ve helped them with a problem, … I don’t think there’s anything better than that satisfaction,” Glenn says.

■■HILL DU

Blast from om the past

1960 goat milking contest GRACE TO NEWS EDITOR @GRACEKTOE

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.

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WESTERN TV COORDINATOR CONNOR MALBEUF

GRAPHICS SISSI CHEN KIIJA GARGARELLO

“They’re at the point where everybody is talking about retirement, which makes me feel old,” said Glenn humorously.

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OPINIONS RICHARD JOSEPH

INTERACTIVE MEDIA CONNOR CLARK

Glenn Matthews is the face behind Western University’s off-campus housing. In fact, the housing mediation officer has deep roots with the university — Glenn has seen the community evolve for almost 40 years.

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NEWS SABRINA FRACASSI GRACE TO MARTIN ALLEN HILL DU KAROLINA JALOWSKA

GAZETTE ARCHIVES Rompin’ Ronnie showcases his technique to the crowd at the annual goat milking contest.

Most people like to drink cow’s milk, but others may prefer the taste of goat’s milk.

Western Universiy’s business school made their milk preference obvious in 1960 when they hosted their annual goat milking contest.

Four business students, Jan Morsinc, Graham Post, Don Dorst and Ronnie Pogue took on their respective aliases of Milky, Super Balloo, Sherlock Hamster and Rompin’ Ronnie Pogue for the contest. The four judges, who were business professors, observed and awarded them points based on the student’s technique, the goat’s reaction

and the quantity of milk that was produced.

According to a Gazette article from November 1960, Milky and Super Balloo seemed to have the best luck in producing a cup of goat’s milk. Unfortunately, Sherlock Hamster had his goat knocked over the cup of milk just after he had finished milking it.

Meanwhile, Rompin’ Ronnie Pogue couldn’t produce a single drop of milk from his goat.

After the competition, the contestants revealed their goat-milking methods to the Gazette.

Milky said that he wished very hard before milking his goat. Super Balloo and Sherlock Hamster both described similar techniques of milking from top to bottom. Rompin’ Ronnie Pogue said that his goat was a reject.

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2017 • 3

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news

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Western student warns others after Uber scare HILL DU NEWS EDITOR @HXDU638

LIAM MCINNIS GAZETTE

Western posts plaques recognizing past achievements GRACE TO NEWS EDITOR @GRACEKTOE A few campus buildings are home to new purple plaques that boast past achievements in research, scholarships and opportunities at Western University.

“We are just trying to create a better environment where there’s a recognition of the important work that we do here and the impact that it has on our communities,” said John Capone, Western vice-president of research.

According to Capone, there was a broad consultation process to select individuals and ideas to be honoured on campus. University members then voted for two achievements to showcase: one plaque from the Faculty of Sciences and another from the Faculty of Arts and Humanities.

One plaque is dedicated to Helen Battle, a professor emeritus of zoology at Western; it can be found at the Biological and Geological Sciences Building. Battle was the first woman in Canada to earn a PhD in marine biology, and she started teaching at Western in 1929.

“Professor Battle is a shining example of an inspiring leader in science — she led with passion for her subject and compassion for her students and colleagues,” said

Pauline Barmby, acting dean of the Faculty of Science. “Western science is proud to have been her academic home.”

The other plaque is at University College and commemorates the writer-in-residence program that was established in 1972. The writer-in-residence is involved in organizing creative writing events and is available for discussions with the general public about writing.

“I think it shows how vital the arts and humanities are to the university,” said Jan Plug, professor and acting chair of English and writing studies. “It highlights the longest-running writer-in-residence program in Canada, and we’re very proud of that.”

The writer-in-residence program has seen a number of distinguished writers in Canadian literature, such as Alice Munro and Emma Donoghue.

Capone believes that the plaques reflect one of the purposes of a university: to create new knowledge and to distribute that knowledge to the community.

“We have a large and rich history, and sometimes, people forget about the contributions that Western has made,” said Capone. “I think it’s important that institutions reflect on some of those strengths.”

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An Uber experience gone wrong has left a Western University student upset with the ride-share company, and she’s urging others to stay safe.

On her way home on Oct. 23 at 11 p.m., her Uber driver asked Western student Hannah Crossgrove multiple times for her number. The third-year media, information and technoculture student rejected each request and returned home, expecting that to be the end of it.

Later that night, Crossgrove heard a knock on her door while she was getting ready for bed.

Thinking that it was one of her housemates, she opened the door only to find the Uber driver who dropped her off.

“At first, I thought I may have forgotten something in his car, but he straight up said ‘give me your number,’ ” Crossgrove said.

Scared for her safety, she decided to give up her number to avoid escalating the situation.

When the driver dialed to check her number, Crossgrove immediately blocked his number.

The next day, she had two missed calls from an unknown London number, which she assumed to be from the driver.

Later, while at home with one of her friends, Crossgrove heard a loud pounding on the door. The pounding persisted until her friend decided to get the door — it was the driver.

According to Crossgrove, the driver told her friend that she had ordered an Uber. Her friend instructed the driver to leave and never come back.

“At this point I was super frazzled. I know he didn’t physically hurt me, but it’s just that I didn’t know him,” Crossgrove said. “One time is weird enough, but if you keep showing up to someone’s house it’s very scary, so I called the police.”

Crossgrove filed a complaint with the police officer who came; London Police Service confirmed that a complaint was filed.

“I was told that I could press charges. I’m choosing not to, but I’m going to get a restraining order

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USCEats is a new app for The Spoke and the Wave that allows customers to pre-order food using their phone and to pick it up at their convenience.

Launched on Nov. 6, the app aims to increase convenience and to reduce the amount of time customers spend waiting in lines.

Orders can be placed directly through the app, The Wave & Spoke Facebook page or The Spoke and Wave websites. Customers can browse the menus, place their order and choose between picking up the food immediately or at a scheduled time. Using the app, students can pay for their orders with credit, debit or Apple Pay. The Spoke and Wave online ordering app was one of Team Tobi’s platform points, and production on the app became a priority soon after they were elected last February.

The pick-up locations for

LIAM MCINNIS GAZETTE

against him some time this week,” Crossgrove said.

What upset Crossgrove the most was how Uber responded to the incident.

Following her initial report, Uber only refunded her $7 trip, which was not what Crossgrove cared about.

After many emails asking to speak with an Uber representative, someone called to let her know that they were investigating the case but would not let her initially know whether or not the driver would continue working for Uber.

While the driver was eventually banned from Uber, Crossgrove felt this time-period was too long for a customer with urgent safety concerns.

“I was really messed up for a week; I couldn’t sleep and was sick to my stomach,” Crossgrove said. “I said to them that I have a right to know whether or not he’s still working for you and if this is being dealt with properly. I don’t know if he’s mad and wants to take it out on me.”

An Uber spokesperson said what was reported is unacceptable and not tolerated on the Uber app.

“As soon as we became aware of this, we immediately removed this driver’s access and have been in contact with the rider.”

On Oct. 25, Crossgrove posted the driver’s profile on Facebook to others about her experience. The post has been shared by more than

3,300 people.

According to Cat herine DeForest, business ser vices manager for London, the driver’s license has been revoked, meaning he can no longer operate a vehicle as a hired driver.

“Based on the incident that took place and the police occurrence record, we determined a number of different factors and decided that, in this instance, the best decision would be to revoke his license,” DeForest said.

DeForest said that, during incidents involving vehicle licensing, it is important to contact both the broker (the company transporting the customer) and the London licensing office.

“The broker would be very hands-on with that driver. They would have their details and GPS coordinates, and they would know the driver history,” DeForest said.

“And it’s important for the licensing office to know what occurred during the course of that ride so we could determine whether or not that individual is complying with the vehicle-for-hire bylaw.”

Going forward, Crossgrove would like to see Uber add the option for users to request a female driver. For students using Uber, Crossgrove advises not to set the pick-up or drop-off location as a home address.

“I would say to pick somewhere down the street, wait for the driver to drive away and then go home,” Crossgrove said.

pre-ordered items are marked by USCEats signs at the Wave and The Spoke front counters.

■■SUZANNE LOCKHART

image of the university as a whole, whether on- or off-campus.

Prohibited student conduct includes — but is not limited to — disruption, misconduct involving property, misconduct against persons and dangerous activity.

“Our orientation is very strongly to use the code, not as a punitive measure, but as a restorative measure,” Doerksen said. “There will be a review of any situation that comes forward with an opportunity to meet with the student, and [we will] try to understand all the perspectives on the issue, and then we will come to decisions under the code.”

Western typically sees 20 to 30 cases of conduct violations each year.

“It is an incident that is coincident with the street party, but it is not Western saying that you shouldn’t be attending the street parties,” Doerksen said.

■■KATRINA MCCALLUM

WESTERN INVESTIGATING STUDENT’S ACTIONS AFTER FOCO

Western is reviewing one student’s actions after an alleged violation of the Code of Student Conduct during FOCO. The investigation comes from a complaint received by the office of Western University’s vice-provost of academic programs, John Doerksen.

Doerksen said the violation “doesn’t have to do with the street party itself.”

“There is a behaviour of significant concern under the code,” Doerksen said. He said he can’t offer details because the inquiry is a confidential process.

The code states that Western’s jurisdiction includes any behaviour that threatens students’ safety or the

• www.westerngazette.ca

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2017 • 5

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fill a gap

MAX MAO GAZETTE FOR THE WIN. Progressive Conservative Leader Patrick Brown visits Western University on Nov. 7, 2017.

in your program

PC Leader Patrick Brown talks education issues VIVIAN CHENG CULTURE EDITOR @VIVIANCHENG20 Progressive Conservative Leader Patrick Brown talked about Ontario’s future and highlighted the province’s skill gap at the WesternU Conservatives Speakers Series event on Nov. 7.

His speech covered topics ranging from Ontario’s debt to job growth. To improve some of the province’s issues, he explained Ontario should foster the development of more businesses, adapt to labour market demands and invest in education programs that directly lead to jobs, like engineering. Around 80 people gathered at The Grad Club at 5 p.m. to attend the event.

In an interview, Brown said Ontario needs to address the skill

gap.

“Right now, we’re graduating young people for jobs that don’t exist,” Brown said. “The [Ontario] Chamber of Commerce and the skills mismatch are in the billions.

A Progressive Conservative government would help young people so that when you work hard and save money, you’ll have a job.”

He also expressed his disappointment with the current government’s handling of the Ontario college faculty strike. He said Ontario’s Premier Kathleen Wynne left the two parties to negotiate for too long, and now many students have had their semesters negatively affected by the strike.

Brown said the government should continue to support programs that provide financial aid

to students who require it.

His communications director, Rebecca Thompson, also attended the event. Thompson is a Western University political sciences graduate from 2001 and former member of the WesternU Conservatives.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for young people to get involved in the democratic process,” Thompson said about the event.

Fourth-year political science student and president of WesternU Conservatives Sebastian Skamski believes that Brown is a pragmatic and energetic leader.

“With the election just seven months away, the event provided a great opportunity for students to familiarize themselves with the issues facing Ontarians,” Skamski said.

Western to offer new afterhours mental health clinic KAROLINA JALOWSKA NEWS EDITOR @KJALOWSK This exam season, students will have more access to mental health help after hours.

Thanks to a three-year $236,000 grant from the London Community Foundation, students will have access to a confidential walk-in clinic at Western University beginning in late November. The grant will be used to bring in counsellors and cover their service fees.

The grant will fund a collaboration between Western — the University Students’ Council, Student Health Services and the Society of Graduate Students — and the Canadian Mental Health Association Middlesex, King’s University College and Fanshawe College.

“The fact that it came from the London Community Foundation shows strong support that students are members of this community,” said Mac McIntosh, USC’s student programs officer. The USC sought the partnership because of student demand and the success of their crisis counselling pilot project

last year.

The service will be offered without cost to students at Student Health Services during exam time from Nov. 21 to Dec. 14 and will continue during next semester’s exam season. Undergraduate and graduate Western students will be able to access the walk-in service between Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5 to 9 p.m. Similar services will also be offered at Fanshawe and King’s.

McIntosh said that two CMHA crisis counsellors will facilitate the extra support in addition to peer support volunteers that will help with reception and administration.

Sonya Malone, family physician and medical director at Western’s Student Health Services, will be accepting referrals from crisis workers for student follow-up appointments.

“The timing in and around exams is really critical because we do notice that students’ stressors increase around that time and they need extra help and support,” Malone said. “That’s why we’re implementing this program at that time in the school year.”

Malone also notes that there has been an increase in mental health concerns over the past few years: physicians at Western sometimes spend 50 to 70 per cent of their days working with students with mental health concerns. She said that mental health issues interfere with academic success, so it is important to help optimize mental health.

Courtney Ward-Zbeetnoff is a second-year arts and humanities student and the charity coordinator of Active Minds Western. As an arts and humanities soph, she said she’s helped many first-year students access mental health supports during O-Week. However, due to demands, some students were unable to get appointments until late September.

“Having this crisis service will help support first-year students by providing brief, change-oriented counselling from mental health professionals. It will also be a valuable resource for sophs, residence advisors and dons to use during and after Orientation Week,” WardZbeetnoff said.

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6 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2017

opinions

•

COMMUNITY

Creative writing shouldn’t be limited to arts students The canon of creative writing at Western University is limited in contrast to the number of students with the ability to contribute to it.

Campus publications attempt to diversify their bodies of student work, but a key issue still prevents them from accurately representing the student body: students outside of the arts and humanities faculty are not encouraged to engage with writing on a creative level.

Essentially, when we read student-produced creative work — whether it be through the workshop component of a creative writing course or in student publications — a plethora of voices are absent. We are reading the diverse stories of those from the arts community but rarely the stories of others.

Jonathan Hermina, an honors English literature and creative writing student, adamantly believes that, though the majority of creative work on campus comes from arts students, creative writing does not belong to any one department — it belongs to people with stories to tell.

“Creative writing is all about expression, but when only English students, saturated in a tradition of literature they can’t escape, are the only ones taking advantage of telling their stories, we get a biased idea of what writing is and what writing can do for us,” Hermina says.

The issue is multifaceted. On one hand, writing courses provide essential editing, style and grammar skills that, frankly, aren’t being taught in other courses.

Students from varying faculties outside of the arts would benefit extensively from even a fraction of this kind of training, as most students haven’t thought about the nuances of their writing since high school or even earlier. On the other hand, the arts experience does not encompass all experience,

and those in the creative writing program would benefit from integrating creatively with those from other faculties.

“I feel it’s crucial, for the overall development of students, to have scope for creativity in all courses and faculties,” says Akshi Chadha, a first-year student. “As a student of both philosophy and psychology — arts and social science — I feel the science faculty doesn’t leave room for creative pursuits amids all learning of the past, present and future of science.”

Writers are encouraged to write three-dimensional characters, but society demands that the real world be seen in archetypes.

The image of “the writer” does not fit within a perfect box — the writers of Western are your philosophy majors scribbling poetry between the margins of their notes, the math TAs struggling to finish a novel in their spare time, your residence friends, your onenight stands, your professors, your lovers or your classmates in every subject.

Different programs in university should not promote binary behaviour — engineers can be poets, sociologists can be short story writers and each and every student has a story to tell.

“Breaking down [faculty] stereotypes will allow us to be always finding new ways to express ourselves,” Hermina says.

“More than ever, it is important for us to practice empathy and communication through art.”

SYDNEY BROOMAN FOURTH-YEAR, FACULTY OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES STUDENT. Brooman is Western’s student writer-in-residence for the 2017/18 academic year. She can be reached at her office hours: Thursdays 10 a.m. to noon in the Arts and Humanities Building, Room 2G28M.

Submit your community pieces or letters to the editor to editor@westerngazette.ca

JORDAN MCGAVIN GAZETTE

Harvey Weinstein scandal could change sexual violence conversations on campuses

FIRST LAST GAZETTE

BY GAZETTE EDITORIAL BOARD Over a month later, the Harvey Weinstein scandal is still sparking conversations and, perhaps, even BY GAZETTE EDITORIAL BOARD a cultural shift regarding sexual harassment. We hope its social change extends to campuses.

The recent surge of allegations against powerful men in Hollywood has ignited a new, worldwide awareness of sexual harassment and violence. Victims’ stories have dominated the news and manifested on social media as “#MeToo.” This new wave of action against powerful, predatory figures in Hollywood is a vital step in addressing the prevalence of sexual assault. It has led to unprecedented levels of accountability — no longer will the usual celebrity hand-waving suffice. Most importantly, a conversation about an uncomfortable, yet prevalent issue has started.

Many are speculating that the Harvey Weinstein scandal could change our society’s culture for good.

There’s been staff turnover in companies from Amazon to Nickelodeon, and men and women across all industries are voicing their support and sharing their own stories of sexual harassment — perhaps an indication of wider social acceptance and recognition of victims.

We hope this culture shift also extends to campuses. Many stories have come out about how some universities in North America are mishandling sexual assault cases. In Ontario, some think universities’ province-mandated sexual violence policies could go further.

However, it’s hard to know whether what’s happening in Hollywood will translate to change on university campuses. Sex crimes, fundamentally, are about power, and power operates very differ-

ently in Hollywood. Women like Gwyneth Paltrow are speaking, materially, from a position of privilege that most of us couldn’t dream of — she’s well equip to deal with any fallout from her decision to speak out: Hollywood actors and big-shot executives can afford the costs of litigation.

The rest of us average folks, students included, are on shakier ground. Women who come forward about sexual assault are often dicredited, blamed or socially ostracized on the public stage, and most don’t have a million-dollar safety net to fall back on.

On campuses, those accused of sexual assault have more to lose than Hollywood moguls.

One major issue here is how ill-equipped the justice system is to deal with cases of sexual assault.

Powerful figures have the resources to overcome this systemic fault, but most of us can’t afford it — it’s hard to champion justice when the courts rarely dispense it in sexual violence cases. A long-term goal, and one direction for the energy generated by the Hollywood scandal, is judicial reform.

Short-term, though, the harassment scandals in Hollywood have lead to conversation and awareness: the spotlight is finally on a problem that has, for so long, stayed in the shadows. These stories may not have a significant impact on how campuses deal with sexual assault, but they will have a net positive effect on how we talk about it.

It’s a first step. For one thing, these celebrity accounts highlight how prevalent and systemic sex crimes are. If this happens in the upper echelons of Hollywood, it also happens in our own, humbler spheres; it’s worth talking about on university campuses.

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.”

Write your novel — even if no one reads it Nick of time

NICHOLAS SOKIC CULTURE EDITOR @NICKATGAZETTE I’m currently working on my creative writing thesis, which is really just a long story. At the last meeting with my professor, he told me that, due to its probable length, the list of literary journals that would publish my story would be quite narrow, but I never set out to write

for acclaim — and you shouldn’t either.

Being in English and creative writing, I’ve seen my fair share of stories and poems that I assigned a variety of labels, ranging from mediocre to derivative to pandering. It is very easy to sit in the peanut gallery, tossing verbal shells at other people’s work. That temptation is easy, but it misses the mark.

Lots of people create for the sake of creation and not for praise, money or fame.

Many people who make art don’t set out solely to make money or find widespread recognition.

Artists often ignore the hard

economic reality that surrounds their occupation. Herman Melville, the author of Moby Dick, died in poverty, but he is now in the pantheon of great American writers. I can reasonably assume he did not write for money; rather, the undertaking of the novel was a personal journey that he felt he had to go on.

Further, in the district of cold reality, there exists almost no commercially viable reason to write a novel at the outset. Unless you are a celebrity or politician, your name won’t carry a book by itself. The only thing left is to make it personal and hope that your writing is just universal enough to light a spark in

readers’ minds. There will always be someone who enjoys the art that one might not consider worthy of the dirt on his or her shoes. This same logic applies to literature as well.

That said, it doesn’t hurt to have a healthy dose of realism if you do end up writing a novel. Sometimes creating is tough, and while I’ve never attempted novel writing, it’s not a huge reach to say that the publishing process is incredibly difficult. The feedback you receive along the way is certainly critical to one’s growth as a writer.

However, at the end of the day, not everyone is going to love your

art. Don’t be discouraged if the prose you slaved over doesn’t win you worldwide acclaim or buckets of money. There is no guarantee, there’s barely even a safety net in most artistic mediums. Look at Nickelback, one of the most universally derided acts of the era.

With that level of mockery, how could they have ever thought they would achieve any level of success?

Yet they’ve still sold 50 million albums worldwide.

To the student thinking of writing a novel: Do it. Excise the words of those who say otherwise from your mind and get cracking. You’re only doing it for yourself, after all.

• www.westerngazette.ca

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2017 • 7

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LIVE IN STYLE

Tips and tricks for decorating your student house SABRINA FRACASSI NEWS EDITOR @SABFRACASSI Furnishing your student living space can be as exciting as you want to make it. Some choose to live with only basic necessities while others want to make their house a home. Here are a couple of tips to amp up the decorative feel of your student house.

LIGHTS Lighting fixtures are pretty standard among student homes and most tenants don’t even have the luxury of making major changes like that without a landlord’s permission. However, there are super cute lamps and lighting options that are minimally invasive and make the home feel extra warm and cozy.

String lights are one of the most common ways to decorate your student home. String them around your ceiling or use them to frame mirrors or other decorative pieces in your room. Their warm glow is perfect for any night in. You can buy standard Christmas lights pretty much anywhere, but Urban Outfitters has some nice ones if you’re willing to spend a couple extra bucks.

Hanging lights might take a bit more work to find and fit into your décor, but they can add some serious depth in your room, especially if you layer them. Since these will require a little DIY on your part, you can really make them your own.

MIRRORS Mirrors are great because, not only are they necessary, but their decorative frames can really add to the design of a room. Storm some vintage shops or garage sales for cheap ideas, or check out Ikea for some sleek mirrors. Mirrors are also great for small rooms because they make the room feel bigger, so keep that in mind when designing.

FABRICS Use different fabrics and textures whenever you can to add something unique to any space. Fur, leather or cotton — the choice is yours. The great thing is that you can play with them in any room and in so many different ways.

If you’re missing a door or two, like many student homes are, use a curtain to cover the space instead.

Throws are both versatile and textured. Use them as a blanket during a cold night and drape them over a couch for decorative appeal when friends come over.

Pillows also come in so many different shapes, sizes and textures.

Mix fluffy ones with sparkly, suede ones or cotton ones: there are so many options out there!

PLANTS Bring some life into the space by planting flowers or cacti in literally anything. Mugs, mason jars, empty glasses, hats — as long as there’s room for the roots to grow, plants aren’t too picky about their home.

WALL ART You can really take this any way you like. Some people choose to buy posters and paintings while others take the time to make their own art.

Either way, it’s the execution that counts.

A poster wall takes some time and effort, but with some creativity, the posters can really turn into an accent wall.

Personal art can obviously come in a hundred different forms, but if you’re struggling to find some inspiration, a paper collage is an easy but unique way to insert your own style into the room.

BOLD PRINTS Monochrome is in, but some bold prints here and there can act as the focal point of any room.

Assuming that your living room is probably made up of your parents old couches, consider spending some money on a rug to give the room some colour.

Tapestries are also a great way to fill up some wall space while also adding some colour and patterns.

Any minimalistic bedroom could use a great duvet. Duvets are literally sold anywhere, so the options are endless.

ORGANIZATION The best look for your home is to keep it neat and tidy, but being a student doesn’t make it easy. By using cute organizing bins, you can keep the space free of clutter.

Clear bins are perfect to keep scarves contained while not hiding them away under your bed where you’ll never see them again.

Candles are usually sold in cute containers, so make sure to use them to hold your pencils and pens or makeup brushes instead of throwing them out when the candle’s finished. Microwave it for a couple of seconds to melt the remaining wax enough so that you can cut it out. Once you get it out, wash it with some dish soap and it’s good to go.

PHOTOS BY KIIJA GARGARELLO GAZETTE

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8 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2017

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•

6 ways to make your lease lit MARTIN ALLEN NEWS EDITOR @_MARTINALLEN Glenn Matthews, housing mediation officer at Western University’s Off-Campus Housing Services, is not surprised when another student

1

comes to him asking to break their lease.

“I always have people sign a lease in January, who then come into my office in March asking how to get out,” he said.

OCHS recommends several ways

Budget

OCHS' butget sample form mentions tuition, books and supplies, rent, food and utilities.

Without knowing how much you can afford in housing expenses, looking for a living space is shooting in the dark. Don't forget clothing and what the OCHS calls "entertainment" (maybe you pay for your own Netflix?).

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Check conditions

Matthews said that beyond checking all rooms and appliances, students should also check for leaks — whether from the roof or from faulty plumbing — which are a common and devastating problem in student rentals. You can get a housing inspector to be sure, but according to Matthews, most students don't.

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Talk to the current tenants

Matthews said that this is the best way to learn about the landlord. He said that the current tenants are good for helping student renters look at their place and pointing out flaws with the landlord and the location. Students who got into a bad lease are going to tell you to stay clear.

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of planning your rental that will save you these headaches. Many of them are detailed in forms on their website. Here are some important steps you can take to solidify your future rentals:

Look at at least 5 places

Matthews said new renters often buy the first place they see. Especially when you're looking for your first rental, you might not really know what you want until you see it — and it likely won't be the first place a realtor takes you to visit. Remember that many offerings you might like won't be available until after you start looking.

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Consider the location

Location is one of the most important factors to consider when looking at properties. Where is the nearest bus stop and grocery store? Is there parking? You don't know how important these details are until getting to your bus stop is a commute in itself.

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Form an agreement

Does everyone pay rent individually or is one person responsible? Whose turn is it to clean the bathroom? Whose turn is it to clean the kitchen?

Are pets allowed? Are there going to be noise restrictions? No one wants to be too formal with housemates who are probably their friends, but they won't be for long if you have to fight these things out as they happen.

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FIRST LAST GAZETTE

Student tenants vs. landlords GRACE TO NEWS EDITOR @GRACEKTOE With most of Western University’s students living off-campus, it’s inevitable that some will run into legal disputes with their landlords.

While hiring legal representation can be pricey for students on a tight budget, the Faculty of Law’s Community Legal Services offers free legal advice and representation for Western and Fanshawe College students regarding tenant-landlord conflicts.

Lawyers at the clinic supervise law students, who perform the legal work and represent the clients at boards, tribunals and courts. At any given time, the clinic is working on 250 to 300 cases, and 25 per cent are housing-related issues.

The CLS clinic is funded by Legal Aid Ontario and student fees.

The clinic represents tenants at the Landlord and Tenant Board as well as in housing negotiations.

“I would say probably 25 per cent of our caseloads are students,” said Margaret Capes, one of the lawyers who supervise the students at CLS. “The rest are members of the general public whose incomes and assets are below a certain level to qualify for legal aid services.”

According to Capes, the most common student complaint involves maintenance and repair issues. When students initially move into a new place that is deemed uninhabitable, such as places with malfunctioning utilities, mold or bugs, the lawyers at the clinic assist in negotiations between the landlord and tenant.

If matters do not get resolved, the case is brought to the Landlord and Tenant Board to be litigated.

“In a majority of the cases, we [ask for] some kind of commitment from the landlord to complete the work within a certain period of time,” said Capes. “If they are not prepared to do that, then we take the case to the Landlord and Tenant Board, where they hear evidence from both sides.”

Capes said of the total cases last year, approximately half of them went to the board.

However, landlords usually have an incentive to complete the work that the board has ordered them to do. For example, Capes stated that landlords cannot increase rent for that given year until repair complaints have been resolved.

From Capes’ 30 plus years of experience working with housing legal issues, she thinks that

the worst cases involve landlords entering without permission after tenants have expressed maintenance concerns in their housing unit. Entering the tenant property without 24 hours written notice is a direct violation of the Residential Tenancy Act. “We recommend students go to the Landlord and Tenant Board website because it has a lot of information about what your rights are as a tenant,” said Capes. “I think if student tenants knew a little bit more about their rights, they’d be more apt in trying to get them enforced.”

The CLS also welcomes referrals that they get from Western Housing.

Glenn Matthews, Western’s housing mediation officer, explained that the off-campus housing services consist of house-listings services, mediation services and off-campus advisors programs.

Mediation services may help students, neighbours and landlords with roommate issues, landlord-tenant relationships and bylaw questions. The off-campus advisors, which acts as an extension to mediation services, is made up of student staff who deal with immediate problems of living off-campus.

Matthews reported that housing mediation services sees about 2,000 clients per year with students making up 75 per cent of them.

“We encourage [people] to call us because we don’t want them to call the police or bylaw enforcement,” said Matthews. “We try to give feedback based on a neutral position.”

Matthews listed students having trouble paying the rent on time as one of the common conflicts that occurs between tenants and landlords. Oftentimes, these students are waiting for their OSAP payment. In these situations, Matthews encourages students to talk to their landlord and work out a payment plan that works for both parties.

Unlike the CLS, housing’s mediation services is not overseen by lawyers. Instead, if a legal issue arises, they refer students to consult with lawyers at the CLS clinic.

“The single best thing I can advise people to do is ask the current tenants what the landlord is like,” said Matthews. “That’s the single best way to avoid a bad landlord.”

• www.westerngazette.ca

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2017 • 9

housing

Choosing between property management companies and private landlords

SAMIT KHALSA GAZETTE

LIAM MCINNIS GAZETTE

KATRINA MCCALLUM CONTRIBUTOR @UWOGAZETTE A property management company or a private landlord. Which is best?

With all of the potential risks you face with a rental, it’s important to make the right decision.

I have lived in places owned by each. My first year off-campus, I lived with a couple who were the landlords and owners. This year, I live in a large apartment building, 675 Richmond St., where the property owner is a mystery.

Since everything is dealt with through a property management company, the owner remains unknown, but it has the added benefits of a workout room, fancy lobby and a buzzer system for extra security.

Property management companies, like Exclusive Rentals, The MARQ, London Property Corp and CHC Student Housing, make up a large majority of available student rentals. They have a lot of units with student-friendly locations that can make looking for rentals a one-stop-shop.

While the management of my rental is very impersonal, so far ,all problems have been addressed with ease. For example, one day I came home to a broken fridge — a nightmare for a broke student who just went grocery shopping. Luckily, a call to my rental company’s emergency line had the fridge repaired within two hours.

However, other students aren’t fans of property management companies. Angie Hu, a third-year foods and nutrition student, said her and her friends have had poor experiences dealing with uninvested landlords. “[These companies] are the biggest companies in London,” Hu said. “We had mice in our house, and our landlord would not deal with it; he would not respond to us.”

Hu recommends private landlords after making the switch and having a much better experience.

Aejah Blesch, a second-year biology student renting a family-owned property, agrees.

“I have really great landlords that would just come and fix any problems,” she said. Blesch said her unit had ants a few weeks ago, and after contacting the landlord, they immediately sprayed the house with no difficulties.

Private landlords can also be more flexible, which is not something large companies typically offer.

Whether you need to take care of

your cousin’s cat for a week or if you are late on rent with a reasonable explanation, family-owned businesses tend to be more understanding.

However, that’s not to say that private landlords do not have their downsides. Since they own the property, you may find them too overbearing and cautious about damages.

In my second year, I was verbally granted use of the fifth bedroom for storage even though we only had four bedrooms occupied.

Upon move in, however, our landlord had a very different interpretation of what she had promised, and it took some time before we were able to use the fifth bedroom as agreed upon.

With several pros and cons for each, you may still be wondering which is the best. The answer comes down to what is more important to you. If you are looking for a big fancy place with amenities, then property management companies may be the choice for you. If you favour a more personal experience, then go with the private landlord.

Treat the house tour from your landlord as if it is a blind date; make sure you like them and that they like you. It will come in handy. I promise.

Off-campus housing services available to Western students CHARLIE O’CONNOR CLARKE SPORTS EDITOR @CHARLIEJCLARKE If moving into residence is a big change for students, then moving out of it is a whole new ballgame.

Nothing makes you feel more like a real adult than having to buy your own groceries and snarling at roommates who leave the lights on.

Thankfully, Western University doesn’t completely drop you off into the deep end after first year. The university’s Off-Campus Housing Services has plenty of resources to help you find a place to live and enjoy your time living there.

The site has links to Ontario’s rental laws, an information sheet for parents and a blank roommate agreement form.

A popular resource is the public rental listing system. Prospective renters can see hundreds of available rentals, complete with photos, maps and prices.

Of course, it’s important to point out that those listings are from private landlords, so the university is not involved in the actual rental process, but the website itself can still be helpful — especially for anybody

Exceptional and affordable student housing in great locations. We strive to provide superior customer service to all of our tenants.

looking to avoid a rental agency.

The off-campus website also has listings for garage sales — a page that gets busy towards the end of April when students start to leave for the summer. Browsing garage sales and taking fixtures from graduating students who don’t need them anymore can be an effective way to furnish your new apartment.

As far as actual support services go, Western offers a few different things. First, there’s housing mediation. Glenn Matthews, mediation officer for both Western and Fanshawe College, helps students with any disputes related to living off-campus.

“It’s almost like any service on campus; a lot of students don’t know about it until they need it,” he says.

Still, Matthews adds that they receive about 1,800 requests for help from students every year. Those calls can range in subject from landlords violating a lease to noisy neighbours.

Working in tandem with the mediation office are Western’s off-campus advisors. They’re a group of students trained to give advice and answer questions on pretty much any housing-related issue.

“I can’t be in the office 24/7,” says

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Matthews. “So we hire students to be on call to deal with things after hours and on weekends.”

Even if there aren’t any issues, Off-Campus Housing can still play a role in the rental process. Staff at Ontario Hall will review any lease for free, and they’ll be sure to point out anything an inexperienced renter might not understand.

People like Matthews are trained to go over leases with students who have no experience. The OffCampus office can spot missing pieces in the contract, such as who is responsible for grass cutting or whether the landlord will change a house’s locks.

“We tell students that verbal [contracts] are useless,” Matthews says. “They need to get any promises written into the lease.”

In general, the Off-Campus Housing website is one you’ll want to check out when you start renting for the first time. It has all sorts of resources that make life easier; most questions you may have about living in London can be answered there.

From local bylaw information to personal budgeting worksheets, the website can definitely make most aspects of off-campus living easier.

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10 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2017

housing

Thresaliana Ford poses for a photo on Dundas Street, Nov. 9, 2017.

SEEKING SHELTER While most Western students look for rentals, other Londoners aren’t so lucky

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Thresaliana displays a scrawled upon a document titled “Meditatio purse, Nov. 9, 2017.

CAUTION: Note contents in the story may be considered unsettling.

Thresaliana Ford struggles to remember her name. She can’t remember what her kids look like and questions if they were ever her kids at all.

As a person living with severe mental health issues, Ford and her experiences with homelessness are not uncommon. Research shows that mental illness disproportionately affects individuals who are homeless compared to the general population, contributing to the cycle of poverty.

Ford speaks plainly about her situation. “This is hell,” she says.

She mentions an unstable relationship with her boyfriend in her last apartment. Ford says the way he treated her makes her think not all people are human. She also recounts violence in the home as a child. Her father would smack her in the head and face and give her “hard spanks.”

“There was a point I remember he was good to me,” Ford recalls of her father. “Then he started falling apart.”

Many days, she relies on her faith. “I use Jesus because I know he went through hell, … and if he went through hell, then I know I can get out of hell sometime.”

Looking at the comic book store across the road, she excitedly notes pictures of Superman and Astroboy but wonders about the identity of another character.

Upon seeing a picture of herself, she wonders the same thing: “Is that me?” She asks.

••••

By Michael Conley

As Western University students, the housing challenges most of us face revolve around who we’re going to live with and where we’re going to live. An apartment with two friends or a house with five? South side or downtown?

These are choices London’s homeless population cannot relate to. As we lead our campus-focused lives, there are others in our community — some as young as 16 — experiencing something much different. Broken homes push people to the streets, and the streets are no place worth calling home.

Ford’s story is not an anomaly. Abuse and trauma contributes to nearly 50 per cent of London’s homelessness. The Canadian government’s review of homelessness and family violence indicates that family violence is “quite common” among homeless people, especially women and children.

“The vast majority who enter homelessness is due to some form of violence in the domestic situation … [like] physical, emotional or sexual violence,” explains Abe Oudshoorn, an assistant professor of Western’s nursing department and an employee of the London Homeless Coalition.

Julian Verfaillie smiles with his blueprint of The Serenity House, a shelter and programming centre targeted toward homeless LGBTQ+ individuals.

Paramedics arrive to help an individual one block east of Adelaide. P

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ons For Women Who Do Too Much” by Anne Wilson Schaef from her

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2017 • 11

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A cart full of belongings a block east of Adelaide. Photographed on Nov.8, 2017.

London’s homeless population is also getting younger. Research shows the youngest age of independent youth who access shelters has decreased from 18 years old in 2011 to 16 years old in 2016.

To combat this issue, Youth Opportunities Unlimited is building London’s first youth-specific homeless shelter. While Oudshoorn is pleased about the project, he also acknowledges that a need for such a shelter is symptomatic of larger issues in London.

While London has fewer people on its streets than in the past, the rate of overall chronic homelessness has increased, and it takes those on welfare almost twice as long to no longer rely on the program as compared to a decade ago. Rapid intervention for youth is especially important. Once people are on the streets, Oudshoorn says that exposure to hard drugs and unstructured living can lead to addiction and unhealthy living practices.

Without quick intervention, it can be difficult to realign youth with safe living conditions and habits.

Shelters are designed to offer reprieve from such conditions for both youth and adults. Mission Services of London Ontario has operated in London since 1951. They have 150 staff and hundreds of volunteers. Connie Spuria, communications and public relations manager at MSL, explains their programming is targeted at engaging those “at-risk of homelessness” before shelters become necessary. Up to 220 people use their shelters on any given night. Spuria says family shelters are currently up to 40 people over capacity given an increase in migrant families requiring assistance.

50-year-old Robert Andre says shelters are not an easy option.

Andre says people are hard to get along with in shelters. They try to strong-arm him for money. He’s also constantly surrounded by drug abuse when he’s around other users, which he admits makes it difficult to quit drugs.

Marijuana and crystal meth help him cope with reality. “You’re constantly exposed to violent traumatic events,” he says. Even with social assistance from local groups, he says the Ontario Works allowance of $375 a month isn’t enough to get him by in his own place.

Andre doesn’t mention shelter issues. He says it’s better to live with the situation than tell someone and be deemed a snitch. But this creates a scenario where he’s choosing between the challenges of shelter-life or street-life.

As someone who never expected to be homeless, he chooses the shelter over the street’s uncertainty.

There isn’t an obvious way out for Andre or any other homeless person.

Reengaging with society and restoring social networks can be the difference between a week and a lifetime on the streets.

Photographed on Nov. 8, 2017.

•••• For Western’s part, organizations such as Habitat for Humanity Western and Food Support Services attempt to engage individuals at risk for being homeless.

HHW builds homes for Londoners whose homes no longer fulfill their spatial needs, such as a family of six living in a two bedroom apartment.

They also volunteer with other organizations throughout London, providing assistance in a variety of sectors.

“Basically wherever we can help, we do help,” says president Cory Soininen.

FSS coordinator Pearl Wang explains that the service is a food bank for undergraduates who display sufficient need. It is accessible through appointment, Facebook or hardcopy form from the FSS office. Wang says the program’s goal is “increasing food stability while reducing food insecurity.”

On a larger scale, Oudshoorn feels policy is the answer to effectively addressing homelessness. He says the issues within homelessness are similar across Canada, but their individual communities tackle these issues differently. Oudshoorn also thinks London is on the right track. In March, MPP Deb Matthews said her government along with the City of London hopes to eliminate homelessness in London by 2025 by improving housing-related supports. The city alone has budgeted close to a million dollars to increase the housing allowance for London’s chronically homeless.

For Londoners living on the streets, there is always a way out. Finding it is the challenge.

Julian Verfaillie, 30, knows how lucky he is. He was rescued from homelessness by his best-friend, Dee. He had a difficult upbringing, socially. He says he was obese and a loner.

Art and music were his only reprieves, and they continue to be so.

Now living on disability insurance, Verfaillie is a self-proclaimed thrifter, and he is content. There’s no longer the fear, the trauma or the instability.

For him, there’s no longer the streets.

As a gay man, he found the streets particularly hard. Sleeping in shelters made him fearful of homophobic violence. Although nothing ever occurred, but he recounts nights feeling like he was in danger when he closed his eyes.

Now he has a new dream: building The Serenity House, an LGBTQ+ shelter a block from his home. It would be the first of its kind in London, supporting a vulnerable population which makes up at least 20 per cent of homeless youth.

Verfaillie wants change through empowerment.

“The main thing is we inspire people to believe in themselves,” says Verfaillie.

PHOTOS BY MICHAEL CONLEY GAZETTE

A needle among garbage in front of a closed business in London’s east end, Nov. 8, 2017.

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12 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2017

housing

The six rules behind being a good roommate

Come together: roommate bonding AMY SKODAK CULTURE EDITOR @AMYSKODAK Transitioning from first year to upper years isn’t always easy, but bonding with the people you live with is one way to ease some of the stress and regain that feeling of being home away from home.

COOK TOGETHER This can be as simple as nachos or as complex as the new vegan avocado brownie recipe you found on Pinterest. Sharing a meal or indulging in comfort food with your roommates can build a sense of community and make transitioning to cooking for yourself a lot less daunting.

WORKOUT TOGETHER Differing class and work schedules can make it tough to spend downtime with your housemates, but if exercising is already part of your daily routine, going with a roommate kills two birds with one stone.

In fact, a 2016 study in ScienceDaily shows that having a workout partner

increases the amount of exercise you do. Working out with your roommate could improve your fitness routine and establish rapport with your new roomie.

WINE AND CHEESE NIGHT For those who aren’t into wine and cheese, try beer and burgers. You can make it as classy as you want; the key here is good food, good drinks and good company. It’s also a cheap way to spend a Saturday night. Make it a potluck, and have everyone bring something new to try. This pairs nicely with a screening of your most recent Netflix addiction.

STUDY DATE Studying together is another way to incorporate roommate bonding into your everyday grind. Studying in a group means you’ll always have someone to watch your stuff at Weldon Library, and you’ll have a group to cram with rather than going solo. Even if you’re not all studying the same thing, studying with the people you live with can help build routine, and explaining

VIVIAN CHENG CULTURE EDITOR @VIVIANCHENG20 what you’re learning to one another helps with fact retention.

TRY SOMETHING NEW Trying out a new class, like rock climbing at Junction Climbing Centre or hot yoga at Moksha Yoga London, gets you out of your comfort zone and breaks up your usual routine.

Having this kind of experience with the people you’re living with will also give you a chance to let your walls down and get to know each other on a more carefree, genuine level. If you want something a little less physically demanding, try scouting out a

new coffee shop or walking through Covent Garden Market.

LATE-NIGHT REAL TALK Whether it’s after a night out on Richmond Row, a tough midterm or just a long day of classes, those 2 a.m. chats you will inevitably have with the people you live with are bonding gold. Talking about your issues and being a good listener cultivates comfort and support in your relationships. Remember to treat your roommates with respect, and they’ll be there to have your back as well.

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Spotlight on Western Residence

Four Residence Years Strong Parmveer Mundi, Don, Ontario Hall

Being pulled out of my car by Sophs cheering and chanting, “first year in the car”, walking into a residence hall and being greeted by so many friendly faces and eventually settling into a room on a floor with people I did not know. Sound familiar?

My first day at Western was not unique. This is an experience I shared with thousands of students. What made it so special was the Residence Staff and Sophs that helped me make my first friends at Western. They truly made this hall full of strangers into a community and a place I called home.

I knew from then that I wanted to be a part of this community of caring, I wanted to be able to give back and help make this place into a home for incoming students. I was a shy and timid person and didn’t think I had it in me to be so outgoing. However, those same first friends that inspired me to apply, encouraged me to apply.

Rez Staff doesn’t just look for outgoing people they select leaders with many different experiences and skill sets.

They want to create a space that reflects the diversity of our students. It was about building connections and fostering a community.

I have never looked back since first year. Rez Staff has been one of the most influential and fulfilling experiences of my time at Western. It challenged and allowed me to grow in ways I could never have imagined. It constantly pushed me to be the best person I could be. It is an experience like no other.

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Must be registered for 2018–19 academic year.

Food credit will be applied by Sept. 2018.

Parmveer lived in Essex Hall when he started at Western four years ago, and later became a Soph and Council President in Essex. In his third year, Parmveer joined the Residence Staff team as a Residence Advisor (RA) and currently he is a Don in Ontario Hall.

Emerging leaders, look for a place to shine? Want to grow your leadership skills? Join the Rez Staff team to shape the residence life experience. Detailed information about Rez Staff application can be found here: rezlife.uwo.ca/rezstaff

We’ve all heard stories of a roommate situation gone wrong. Whether it’s hearing your roommate having loud sex on a Monday night or cleaning up their pizza boxes for the third time that week, we’ve all heard it before.

If you’re looking to find that happy roommate story, then here’s a guide to roommate etiquette.

DISCUSS YOUR EXPECTATIONS Before you move in with your new roommate, make sure you have “the talk.” It may be awkward at first, but it’s important to address issues like shared spaces, cleanliness, guests, studying, partying and hookups.

You may not feel comfortable with your roommate playing League of Legends and Skyping loudly at 3 a.m., and that’s OK. Be honest about what you like and dislike and what your habits are.

BE OPEN-MINDED Things that you’re OK with may absolutely horrify your roommate.

When you’re having a conversation with them, make sure you actively listen to their perspective. Western University brings together a multitude of people from various backgrounds, so their boundaries may be completely different from yours.

DO YOUR CHORES After you’ve established theground rules, don’t forget to follow through.

Although school can get hectic, make time to ensure that you keep common areas clean. Take out the garbage, do your dishes and clean up after yourself. No one wants to wake up to a rancid sink or a million fruit flies.

DON’T BE PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE On the outside, you might have “Hakuna Matata” smile, but on the inside, you’re furious. Don’t do that.

If you have an issue with your roommate, tell them immediately and be upfront with them. It doesn’t help anyone beating around the bush.

Make sure you communicate with your roommate face-to-face to ensure that your messages aren’t misconstrued. You don’t want a Cold War in your own home.

TALK IT OUT It’s good to bring up issues immediately, but it’s bad to do so in a dismissive or aggressive manner. Refrain from using accusatory statements that place the emphasis on your roommate. Instead of saying something like “You’re lazy for not doing the dishes,” say something like “I feel as if I’ve been taking on more responsibility for the dishes, and I would appreciate it if we both did equal amounts of work.”

BE CONSIDERATE This goes back to being aware of your roommate’s expectations but also being in tune with their thoughts and feelings. If it’s 11 p.m. and you know they’re asleep, it’s best to keep the noise to a minimum. If they have an exam the next day, it’s best not to invite 10 people over to play beer pong. Ultimately, you should treat your roommates with respect and consider how they would want to be treated.

• www.westerngazette.ca

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2017 • 13

housing

Healthy and easy student meals to make at home KAROLINA JALOWSKA NEWS EDITOR @KJALOWSK People often warn you of the “freshman 15” in your first year at university, but what they forget to tell you is that it can extend into your upper years if you don’t develop healthy eating habits once you’re living off-campus.

Eating healthy can be difficult as a busy student, but now that you’ve moved out of residence and no longer rely on cafeteria food for survival, having a few go-to, healthy and easy recipes will keep your health on track — and save you some money, too.

BREAKFAST Oatmeal Oatmeal is a great source of fibre that will keep you full and energized throughout your morning classes.

Plus, it’s super easy to make. You can make your oatmeal with hot water or milk and add some extra ingredients to give it flavour. Cinnamon, honey, peanut butter, apples, berries and maple syrup are just a few things you can add to liven up your oatmeal.

How does warm, apple cinnamon oatmeal sound? Delicious.

Omelettes Think about throwing leftover

veggies into a pan with some eggs or egg whites to make an omelette.

Omelettes are great because they’re protein-filled and simple to make.

Also, adding veggies to your breakfast in the morning is a great start to a healthy day.

Smoothies Smoothies are quick meals you can make in a matter of seconds. Fruitbased smoothies with bananas, berries and kiwis, for example, are delicious and will save you from spending money on Booster Juice.

Purchase fresh or frozen fruit at your local grocery store to put in your smoothies. You can also include spinach, protein powder, peanut butter, yogurt or milk.

LUNCH Sandwiches Sandwiches are another go-to for busy students. All you need is two slices of bread and some toppings.

Ham, veggies, cheese or peanut butter and jelly are just a few things you can use to make sandwiches.

Consider swapping white bread for whole wheat or multi-grain bread to make your sandwich healthier.

Salads Boring? They don’t have to be. From Greek salad to fruit salad, there are lots

KAROLINA JALOWSKA GAZETTE

of ways to make your greens fun, interesting and, most of all, healthy. You can prep salads for the week at home and pack them in containers. You can also make your own salad dressing with olive oil, lemon and seasonings.

StirFry Stirfry is a great way to put your leftovers to good use and pack protein into the meal. You can make the base of your stirfry with rice or noodles and then add your preferred type of protein, whether that be chicken, beef or tofu, anything works. You can also throw in veggies, beans and nuts into the mix. Top off the stirfry with some low-sodium soy sauce or hot sauce, and you’re good to go.

DINNER Chili Chili can be made for vegans, vegetarians or meat-eaters, and it doesn’t require too many ingredients besides a few different spices. Some of the few ingredients you’ll need to make chili are diced tomatoes, pasta sauce, onion, garlic, olive oil, red kidney beans and some spices like cumin, cayenne pepper and chili powder. There’s lots of room to add new things into your chili, like quinoa or plain Greek yogurt.

Burrito Bowl Enjoy your burrito bowl from the comfort of home by making it yourself. Some key ingredients to make a burrito bowl are rice, beans, tomatoes, lettuce, cheese and some kind of protein like meat or tofu. The best thing about making burrito bowls at home is that you don’t have to pay extra for guacamole.

Having a few healthy recipes in the back of your mind when you start cooking for yourself next school year is a great way to avoid adopting unhealthy eating habits and spending tons of money on delivery services. Healthy eating is important, and it’s even better when it’s easy.

SISSI CHEN GAZETTE

Pros and cons of upper year housing spots NICK SOKIC CULTURE EDITOR @NICKATGAZETTE Choosing where to live after firstyear can be a daunting task for anyone. It can be difficult to weigh all the positives and negatives of the many different neighbourhoods around campus. Luckily, we’re here to help. Before you settle on a location, take a look at our guide to upper-year living.

OLD NORTH Living near Western University’s main gates means your transit to class is minimal compared to elsewhere in London. People that live here are able to roll out of bed half an hour before their 9:30 a.m. class and still make it with time to spare.

Living in Old North also means all of campus’ amenities are within

How London’s cost of living stacks up London

Toronto

Montréal

Vancouver

$1,079

$1,953

$1,111

$1,975

$1,376

Monthly ticket for public transport

$80

$144

$82

$108

$80

Basic lunchtime menu in the business district

$14

$17

$16

$18

$14

$49

$68

$64

$55

$55

place in medium demand area

membership in business district

SISSI CHEN GAZETTE

reach. The trade-off however, is that, apart from Grocery Checkout in the University Community Centre, grocers are a good 20 to 30 minute walk away. Since this area is predominantly inhabited by students, it is commonly targeted by burglars during the holidays, so an extra level of security may be required for those times when you’re out-of-town.

DOWNTOWN If you choose to live downtown, you’re a short bus ride or a half hour walk from campus. Living in London’s downtown hub means you have access to a sumptuous selection of restaurants, shops and services.

While the Masonville area boasts a greater selection, the downtown restaurants are nothing to scoff at.

To many, the most important part of living downtown is the easy access to London’s nightlife. It also gives you that much more time for the pre-game.

While the area can become a little less than desirable in the daytime, the density of amenities means a great deal of money is saved on cabs and Ubers. If you’ve got those party-people proclivities, then living around London’s downtown might be a perfect pick for you.

CAMPUS The two residences available to upper-year students are Alumni House and London Hall. Both have amenities similar to first-year residences, minus a dining facility. That means access to an exercise room, music rooms, study rooms and lounge areas. Plus, travel time to classes is super short. But this also means that accessing a grocery store or the bars downtown will be more time-consuming.

MASONVILLE Living in the Masonville area means you’ll have access to most stores and restaurants. The same goes for grocers, meaning that anything a student could need to purchase is within walking distance. It is, however, a bit of a trek to campus, making the idea of walking to school a daunting task, especially in the winter. This also makes accessing London’s nightlife an expensive task.

www.westerngazette.ca

14 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2017

housing

•

have your say

What’s your favourite student neighbourhood?

Nicholas Young

THIRD YEAR, BMOS OLD NORTH (RICHMOND/BROUGHDALE) “I like that other students live there. It’s a very studentesque area … every area has its own perks. Like west side has a ‘neighbourhood’ feel. It has schools and nicer houses — it’s family-oriented. I would consider [moving], but for me it all depends on how close to school it is.”

Rachael Girolametto-Prosen

FOURTH YEAR, IVEY SOUTH SIDE “I started out in Perth. Then I went to live by main gates.

Then I moved to far south side, by Oxford and Wharncliffe … but after moving there I really like it because the 2 comes like every five minutes.”

Dana Newbigging

THIRD YEAR, ACCOUNTING NORTH SIDE “I really like it there. I’d pick it again. I like how close it is to campus, and I like how most of the people I know live around there as well.”

Alexandra Anghel

FOURTH YEAR, BIOLOGY NORTH SIDE “Personally, I really don’t like to take the bus, so it’s very convenient if you’re able [to walk], and you don’t have to rely on buses that are always full, … and it’s never been rowdy.

The only day it gets loud is Homecoming, where it’s a given that it’ll be rowdy everywhere.”

Justin Balogh

FOURTH YEAR, CHEMISTRY MAIN GATES “On the other side of the gates, around Broughdale, it gets pretty crazy. On my side, you’re not really too affected by that, and it’s really close to campus, so it’s easy to get where you need to go.”

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SISSI CHEN GAZETTE

Being a nomad at university isn’t all that bad MIKE DEBOER SPORTS EDITOR @MIKEDBOER Moving every year isn’t easy. But take it from me, there’s nothing wrong with drifting from house to house during your university career.

It’s easier than it’s made out to be, and it adds a new element to your undergrad experience.

This nomadic lifestyle could really bother those who crave the familiar and the intimate, but there are plenty of great things about moving every year. Maybe it’s easy for me to say this as a person who doesn’t decorate and sleeps on a mattress on the floor who so if you own a lot of things, it might be tough.

For starters, you really learn about London when you live in different locations across the city.

I lived on Kipps Lane in first year in an apartment building with my friends. In second year, I lived all the way out in Byron, It was a long bus ride, but I discovered a part of London that most out-of-town Western University students would never experience. In third year, I lived at the corner of Oxford Street and Adelaide Street with my friends who went to Fanshawe College.

Now, I’m on Wharncliffe Road, nice and close to campus.

Maybe for a student from Toronto or another major metropolitan area it wouldn’t be enticing,

but for someone from a smaller city — in my case, Chatham, Ont. — it’s enjoyable bouncing around the different areas of the city.

Another positive to moving around in your undergrad is that it helps you break out of your comfort zone and meet new people. After living with my best friends from high school in first year, none of them returned to school for second year.

That forced me to find a new place in my second year. Although it was nerve-racking, I ended up making lifelong friendships that year with my new roommates.

Moving around so much, I would pack up all my things for the summer and seek out houses that offer eight-month leases, which a lot of people don’t know are available. It’s nice to avoid paying rent for all 12 months when you’re back home swimming in your parents’ pool and eating home-cooked food for four months.

My university experience has benefited from my ability to live in different locations across London. I know the bus routes really well now, and I’ve seen so much of the city.

So don’t feel pressured to think you need to stay in the same house every year. If your second-year landlord is hard to deal with, that black mould monster in your basement isn’t being addressed or you’re just not getting along with your roommates, don’t be scared to move.

Things to consider for housing budgeting HILL DU NEWS EDITOR @HXDU638 Finding a place to live for the year can be intimidating. High costs and budgeting concerns may have you feeling overwhelmed, but this short guide will help you gain some insight into finding your next home and avoiding extra costs.

MINIMIZE COSTS

BY SCOUTING EARLY When it comes to housing, getting your head in the game early is definitely the way to go. Landlords begin posting listings as early as November, and cheaper units are in especially high demand. By starting your house hunting early, you open yourself to many more options and will be a contender for those sought-after units.

LOOK OUT FOR EXTRANEOUS COSTS Everyone deserves to get their money’s worth, and it can be especially upsetting knowing that you have to pay more than you expected after signing the lease. Here is a list of items that you should factor into your budget: • UTILITIES: Many landlords do not include utility fees (hydro and heating) as part of the rent, so make sure to decide whether you want to look for places with utilities included. If they aren’t included, expect to pay about $60 to 100 more

per month.

• AIR CONDITIONING: If you are planning to spend the 2018 summer in London and are not a fan of the heat, then you’ll want to make sure your unit has air conditioning.

Otherwise, you may see yourself spending a few hundred dollars on an air conditioning unit.

• INTERNET: Internet is a staple for every household. Definitely remember to factor in internet costs into your budget. Some landlords, however, offer free internet for signing with them.

• FURNITURE: When moving into a new home, you may find yourself in need of buying new furniture.

Unlike in residence, you will have to supply your own bed, table and chairs, which can all be pricey.

Make sure you don’t get caught off guard. Look for second-hand deals on sites like Kijiji.

REMEMBER TO BUDGET SPENDING MONEY Make sure your budget also has leeway to support your lifestyle needs.

It’s okay to put some money aside to eat out at restaurants or to shop for the clothes you want. Remember that your budget is designed for you to live comfortably. While it may be tempting to cut out spending money if you’re trying to be frugal, be realistic. The odd movie or night out won’t kill your budget, and they can be worthwhile destressors.

• www.westerngazette.ca

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2017 • 15

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www.westerngazette.ca

16 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2017

sports

•

Mustangs Yates Cup was never in doubt MIKE DEBOER SPORTS EDITOR @MIKEDBOER “We Are the Champions” blared over the sound system. The raucous crowd was bidding the Laurier Golden Hawks farewell.

The Western Mustangs flooded the field, celebrating what they had just accomplished.

A season of pure domination, from start to finish. Capped off with a win in the 110th Yates Cup. For the sake of parity, the storyline all year long was that this Yates Cup — a rematch between the defending Ontario champion Laurier Golden Hawks and the undefeated Mustangs — was going to be exciting and dramatic.

Some people gave the Golden Hawks a chance to repeat. The Mustangs snuffed out that notion with about four minutes left in the first half on Saturday.

You see, the Mustangs never indicated that any other team had a chance to win this year’s Yates Cup. The Mustangs defence never indicated that anyone could score on them. The offensive line never indicated that anyone could stop them from controlling the push.

Cedric Joseph never indicated that anyone could stop him from rushing for touchdown after touchdown after touchdown.

They were men among boys, as the old saying goes. Maybe if they threw their third string out there, Laurier University and the Guelph Gryphons would’ve had a chance.

On second thought, probably not. Third-string quarterback Kevin John and third-string running back Trey Humes could do some damage themselves.

On the surface, this 2017 season was a revenge tour for the Western Mustangs, but in reality, this year was about so much more. They were probably the best team in

Ontario last season. On Saturday, they fulfilled two years of potential greatness.

They shut up the critics. They believed in themselves and, in football as in life, that’s all that really matters.

“This one is right up there,” said head coach Greg Marshall on how this Yates Cup compares to his other 18 as a coach and player. “This was redemption for all of our coaches and all of our players because we wore that one for a year and rightly so. But you know what, character overcomes it, and this team has great character.”

That word, character, comes up often in sports. It’s a word that applies perfectly to Marshall, who leads his program with class and integrity. In the postgame interviews after their 2016 Yates Cup loss, he had tears streaming down his face while talking about the heartbreak his players were going through.

On Saturday, as he lifted the Yates Cup trophy on the stage set up in the corner of TD Stadium, he had to keep from crying. This time, however, the tears came from a very different place.

Marshall was understandably sick of the questions surrounding the 2016 collapse. He’s happy those questions will never be asked again.

“They had to live a whole year hearing about Laurier,” Marshall said. “For a whole year now, I don’t have to hear about Laurier. I was asked if I was surprised we hung 75 on Laurier. No, I wasn’t surprised.”

Character also applies to Western University’s humble superstar and touchdown machine, Cedric Joseph.

The running back was named Yates Cup Most Valuable Player after a 250-yard, three-touchdown performance.

Joseph, who led the Ontario University Athletics in touchdowns during the regular season, was

unstoppable while breaking tackles for big run after big run.

“I don’t believe in individual accolades,” Joseph said. “This is really a team sport. The team worked hard all week, and it really feels good.”

The Mustangs have historically been a ground-and-pound style of team. Joseph perfectly exemplifies this blue-collar, downhill mentality.

Despite the pressure, he performed on the grandest of stages.

“It was an exciting moment for myself,” he said. “It was probably the most anxious I’ve been in a long time. There was a lot of pressure on my shoulders, but you’ve got to rise to the occasion when coach calls your number. The offensive line played great today and really made it easy for me.”

With their win, the program’s 31st Yates Cup championship, the season carries on. On Nov.18, the Mustangs face off against the champion of the Atlantic University Sport in a U Sports semifinal game.

The AUS championship game, the Loney Bowl, between the Saint Mary’s Huskies and Acadia Axemen was originally cancelled with Saint Mary’s being barred from competition for having fielded an ineligible player. However, following a court hearing, the game will proceed.

Once the winner of the Loney Bowl is determined, the Mustangs will know who they will play against.

Then it’s onto the Vanier Cup and a chance at a national title.

In this moment, the Mustangs are no longer chokers, underachievers or entitled blue bloods who didn’t respect their up-and-coming rivals from Laurier.

As the final whistle sounded and the scoreboard read 75–32 for the home team, the Mustangs stopped being all those things.

They became champions instead.

LIAM MCINNIS GAZETTE The Mustangs flag flies high as the players line up to shake hands and congratulate each other on a game well played.

LIAM MCINNIS GAZETTE Receiver Cole Majoros and quarterback Chris Merchant celebrate their win at TD Stadium amid friends, family and fans.

LIAM MCINNIS GAZETTE Running back Cedric Joseph ran for 250 yards and scored three touchdowns on Saturday and was named the Yates Cup Most Valuable Player.

• www.westerngazette.ca

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2017 • 17

culture

‘Macbeth’ production spotlights authentic performances EMILY TAYLER CONTRIBUTOR @UWOGAZETTE

To see Macbeth, or not to see Macbeth at Western University, that was the question.

Practical Drama English 2041’s production of Macbeth featured students in the course and was directed by professor Joanna Devereux.

Each of the four performances, which ran from Nov. 8 to 11, began with a guest lecture from a Western Shakespeare professor. These short talks provided the audience with insight for the performance, which was helpful to understanding something as complex as a Shakespearean tragedy.

This Shakespearean play followed a Scottish soldier, Macbeth (played by Joseph Leivdal), and his tragic descent into madness. He met three witches who created a prophecy stating that he would be given the title of thane, and soon, king. When the prophecy began to come true, Macbeth quickly began his plans to fulfill its entirety by any means necessary.

The three witches (Sofia Rodriguez, Jocelyn Andress and Danielle Dam) were the highlight of the show, taking on the persona of young goth girls rather than the typical rendition of old crones.

“The three of us had a different vision for each witch so it works,” says Rodriguez, who played the first witch. “Even though we are a collective mind, you can really tell Danielle’s

more goth, Jocelyn’s a little bit sweeter and I’m more mean and sexy.”

Despite impressive individual performances, the chemistry between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth (Autumn Scott) seemed to replace intimacy with aggressive sexuality.

Devereux explained that this rendition of Macbeth was based on Shakespeare’s later work of Antony and Cleopatra, which influenced the lovers’ intensity as well as the military-style costumes.

Although the show consisted of strong elements, production aspects could have been more effective. Macbeth also featured a small string orchestra. While striking violins created a daunting theme for Macbeth’s madness and obsession, the pit band was not used to its full potential. Despite the brief musical accompaniment between scenes, the transitions weren’t clean which created a choppy effect.

The minimal use of props and set felt impersonal and without purpose or ownership. Between daggers being grabbed by the blade and tables being brought on after the musical interlude was finished, the objects gave an authentic performance an artificial feeling.

All in all, the class’ production of Macbeth followed the dramatic journey of a man’s undoing. Individual performances stood out, but the lack of professional elements was telling of the play’s amateur nature.

MCINTOSH GALLERY’S LATEST EXHIBITION

‘Silence, Pressure, Noise’ GABRIELLE DROLET CONTRIBUTOR It’s easy to forget that we all experience sound differently. “Silence, Pressure, Noise,” McIntosh Gallery’s newest exhibit, strives to remind us of the factors that impact how we understand our surroundings, focusing on the faculty of hearing.

The exhibit showcases four artists who take a unique approach on the topic of sound and understanding: Christine Sun Kim, Christof Migone, Darrin Martin and Rehab Nazzal. Toronto-based curator Vicky Moufawad-Paul explained that although these artists differ from one another in their approach and use of materials, their works comes together in the gallery to create an immersive exhibition that underscores the subjectivity of sound.

“I wanted to highlight the physical experience of sound and remind people that sound is not only for those who can hear clearly but also for those who experience various ranges of hearing and deafness,” Moufawad-Paul stated.

Kim, an artist who has been deaf since birth, explores sound in the context of translation and understanding. For her piece, “Close Readings,” the artist invited four of her friends to type captions and sound cues for a 25-minute video.

Each person interpreted and captioned the video differently, highlighting the subjectivity of hearing and understanding.

Martin’s piece, “Listening In...” also revolves around the element

of video. Martin’s piece is inspired

by Charles Graser, a man who lost his hearing as an adult and underwent over a dozen surgeries for cochlear implants.

“Martin uses Charles Graser’s archives; he uses animation, reenactment and an interview with Graser himself to create an immersive environment,” explained MoufawadPaul. “It gets you to think about the problems with articulating spoken word through text or sign language.”

Migone’s work, “4 Feet and 33 Inches,” is an adaptation of a musical piece composed by John Cage titled 4’33” (Four minutes, thirty-three seconds).

Migone takes Cage’s idea and materializes it in the form of a sculpture, a series of white neon light that is four feet and 33 inches long. The light renders Cage’s composition in

two distinct neon forms: the geometric figure of an ellipse and the form of an ellipsis, indicating that something is missing or has yet to come.

Palestinian-born artist Rehab Nazzal uses both audio and visual elements in her piece “Haifa Then and Now.” The piece features 200 life jackets scattered across the floor as well as field recordings from Haifa Port: the sound of waves and crashing water resonating throughout the gallery. The installation reflects the disaster that occurred at Haifa Port in 1947 when roughly 72,000 Palestinians were forced to flee the city and take to the sea, but it also encourages audiences to think about the prominent refugee crisis occurring today.

“Silence, Pressure, Noise” runs until Jan. 13, 2018.

GABRIELLE DROLET GAZETTE

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Spotlight on Western Residence

How Sophing Changed My Western Experience Zoe Sihota, Rez Soph, Ontario Hall

O-Week 2017 was the craziest, unexpected and most shocking time of my life, and I loved it.

Being on UC Hill with all the residence teams, faculty teams, and affiliate teams really showed how much students love Western. Dancing with my team, singing along with the other teams, and, most of all, cheering for my residence made my week. I loved the fact that I was able to show how much I love my residence by putting on my uniform every day, wearing my residence swag, braiding everyone’s hair (so we all matched), and allowing myself to be the weirdest and most enthusiastic soph.

Sophing is all about showing your pride, and even though everyone has their own respective team, we all have the same goal: make the firstyear experience memorable. Every team has something special, and when we pass it onto our first years, we all glow.

I truly believe that residence, O-Week and university in general is better as a soph. The positivity and excitement that radiates through the team creates an atmosphere that makes every moment even better. Being part of a team that is so enthusiastic about one common goal is so

important because it makes the year worthwhile.

O-Week and residence life is hectic, but with the support of my soph team, it’s engaging, and more enjoyable.

Want to join the soph team for next year? Come to the Rez Soph Sneak Peak Rally at 10pm, Monday, November 20, at Room 2050, Social Science Centre.

For more information about how to apply to be a residence soph, visit here: rezlife.uwo.ca/rezsoph

www.westerngazette.ca

18 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2017

culture

•

Weighing the pros and cons of intermittent dieting VIVIAN CHENG CULTURE EDITOR @VIVIANCHENG20

With more wellness-related awareness nowadays, many fitness and diet trends have left mainstream culture. But now, a new trend has popped up: intermittent dieting.

Food and nutrition professor Danielle Battram says intermittent dieting has become more popular among students within the past year. She says the methods of intermittent fasting vary.

“For example, some days are spent eating very little, some days are spent eating as much as you want to compensate for the fasting,” says Battram.

Dean Lavi, a fourth-year political science student and fitness trainer, follows a variation of this type of diet.

Instead of fasting one day and eating a surplus the next, he selects a time window to eat and refrains from eating for the rest of the day.

Typically, Lavi eats only between 2 and 10 p.m., eating only two meals per day.

Although diets often garner skepticism, Battram says the research she’s seen shows that intermittent fasting can be as effective as weight loss diets (diets where individuals diminish their total caloric intake).

However, Battram disagrees, believing that intermittent fasting isn’t more beneficial than a weight loss diet.

Lavi first committed to this diet over the summer, only eating at times when he felt hungry as a way to prevent weight gain. He also continued to exercise as he changed his dieting habits while on vacation.

By changing to an intermittent diet, Lavi achieved his physique goals. He noticed he didn’t gain any weight nor lose any muscle mass.

Despite Lavi’s success with the diet, Battram says some studies suggest that low calorie diets, particularly extreme ones like the military diet (a diet that sets a 1100 to 1400 calorie limit each day for three days but encourages healthy eating for the remaining four days), may promote

muscle loss and decrease resting metabolic rate.

According to Battram, as your resting metabolic rate drops, energy becomes more effectively conserved in the body. If you return to your original dietary habits, you may experience faster and more sustained weight gain. She notes that there haven’t been long-term studies thattt explore the benefits or drawbacks of intermittent dieting.

Lavi acknowledges that the diet may not be effective for everyone.

For students juggling a busy lifestyle, fasting may make them irritable.

“Some people may be sensitive to low blood sugar, so fasting may impact your mood or your concentration,” says Battram.

For individuals who want to adopt this type of diet, Battram says that it’s important to stick to healthy foods.

“If these diet plans suggest two or three servings of vegetables, that’s bad. You want to be smart about the foods you’re getting to make sure

KIIJA GARGARELLO GAZETTE

Six ways to stay healthy in the cold JESSICA VIGGIANI CONTRIBUTOR @UWOGAZETTE

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It’s that time of year again: our summer bodies start to become our last priority as midterms, papers and the cold weather start to take their toll.

It’s important to keep your summer-bod motivation up. Here are six ways to stay healthy and fit during the colder months.

WORK OUT AT HOME When it’s below zero, the last thing you want to do is go outside. If you can’t find the motivation to go to the gym, buy a yoga mat or weights to use at home. This way, you can work out whenever you want without leaving the house. There are loads of easy at-home workouts online, and popular workouts like Kayla Itsines’ can be modified to do at home. Once you get a routine down, it’ll be as easy as brushing your teeth.

TAKE A GYM BREAK It is much harder to make yourself go to the gym when you’re already at home and comfy in bed. If you are already making the trip to campus, bring your workout gear with you so you can go before, in-between or after classes. Using the gym as a break between studying improves brain function, gives you more energy and has even been proven to help your brain recall information.

STAY ACTIVE If you hate the gym, there are other things you can do. You can walk instead of taking the bus or driving.

You can also take the stairs instead of the elevator, even if that means walking all the way up to the fourth floor of Weldon Library.

SHOP SMART With the holidays approaching, there are far more indulgences and sweets available. Don’t spend your grocery money — or your parents’ grocery money — on junk food. It’s OK to buy snacks, but make the healthier choice and go for something like wholewheat pretzels or popcorn instead. Try to always stock up on fruits and vegetables so that you can make nutritious meals to bring to class.

PLAY WINTER SPORTS Think of something you enjoy doing once it starts getting snowy, such as skiing, snowboarding or skating.

These activities not only are fun but also burn a ton of calories to help you stay fit.

STAY HYDRATED If you are someone who doesn’t drink a lot of water, start. Water not only helps you to survive but also helps to regulate body weight, to clear skin and to fight hunger.

Try adding lemon or cucumber to your water for extra nutrients and more flavour.

• www.westerngazette.ca

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2017 • 19

culture

Clubs in concert for diabetes awareness NICK SOKIC CULTURE EDITOR @NICKATGAZETTE The heart of any prevalent issue or cause is often lost behind dry stats and dire infographics. Avoiding this is the idea behind the threeway club collaboration Duets for Diabetes at The Spoke on Nov. 17.

Western University’s Guitar Club, the Western Piano Society and the Western Diabetes Association are planning a two-hour event filled with performances and messages of diabetes awareness.

Music has long been used as a means for advocacy — a way to amplify the conversation around issues that often go overlooked, from the 1985 Live Aid concert to the more recent We Are The World 25 for Haiti. A strong voice and a guitar can do more than a pamphlet full of statistics and warnings to get people off their seats and thinking about the world around them.

Mike Williams, the Guitar Club’s president and third-year Management and Organizational Studies and psychology student, says the idea came when the Guitar Club shared a booth with the WDA during Clubs Week. The Piano Society reached out to them later and wanted in.

Williams says this intersection of advocacy and music is part of the Guitar Club’s vision for this year.

“We want a more wholesome purpose to our events,” Williams says. “We’re planning a different coffee house event every month. Last month was Alzheimer’s focused.”

“I think it’s kind of difficult for us to only just host a booth filled with information; an event like this allows us to reach a larger audience we might not normally.”

JAMES LEUNG FOURTH-YEAR MEDICAL SCIENCE STUDENT AND WDA PRESIDENT

This more holistic approach extends outside of the Western bubble as well. Jessie Orchin, the director of communications of the Guitar Club and second-year international relations student, says they’ve been reaching out to the London community to perform at smaller locations, like longterm care facilities. They have also reached out to other organizations on campus, like UNICEF at Western and Free the Children Western, to host similar events.

Orchin said the club also wants to give novice performers the chance to perform at small venues.

While the name “Duets for Diabetes” was chosen more for the alliteration, the performances will include musical acts as well as some vocal showcases. The majority of the songs will be covers, with a few originals sprinkled in.

For James Leung, a fourth-year medical science student and WDA president, this blend of community and concert can do a lot for awareness.

“I think it’s kind of difficult for

SISSI CHEN GAZETTE

us to just host a booth filled with information,” says Leung. “An event like this allows us to reach a larger audience we might not normally.”

Tuesday, Nov. 14 is World Diabetes Day, so while the WDA will actually have a booth set up in

the University Community Centre that day, the main outreach will be at The Spoke on Friday with the club as MCs for the night.

Everyone involved agrees that the Duets for Diabetes’ one-two punch of singing and playing only

makes the education aspect all the more palatable and effective.

Duets for Diabetes takes place at The Spoke on Friday, Nov. 17 from 5 to 7 p.m. Admission is free, but there will be a WDA donation box available.

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INTERESTED IN WOODWORKING? Live in the Westmount area? London senior looking for assistance and a workspace with a table and electrical to complete a woodworking project. Commitment would be one night a week, a small stipend is available. Contact Alan 519-660-1442.

LOOKING FOR EXPERIENCED tutor for first year student. Emphasis on calculus, physics and chemistry. Prefer regular sessions at UWO campus. Fees negotiable. Please respond to jdigeso@gmail.com

UPCOMING EVENTS

BLOOD DONOR CLINIC: Community Room, UCC 2nd floor. Tues. Nov. 21 11am-4pm, Wed. Nov. 22 11am-4pm, Wed. Nov. 29 10am-3pm, Thurs. Nov. 30 11am-4pm. New donors needed. Book your appointment at blood.ca. Canadian Blood Services.

INFORMATION SESSION NOV. 27! 12:30 to 2:00pm in 210 UCC. Specialisterne Canada specializes in working with businesses to hire people on the autism spectrum, or who face similar barriers to employment. Learn more about their opportunities, recruitment process and how they support employee success in the workplace. Specialisterne Canada is currently working to shift the Canadian business landscape by proving the value of creating neurodiverse workforces. http://ca.specialisterne.com

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 5

SERVICES STRESSED? ANXIOUS? BOOK your Reiki session now to help you unwind and relax. PH: 519-4948545 Web: https://radiantreiki.ca Western students receive 15% off all services.

ANNOUNCEMENTS LEARN TO PLAY the guitar and earn an elective credit! Join 3862B Beginner Guitar this winter! little/no musical experience required. Final group performance, no final exam. Contact:pfeely@uwo.ca

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20 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2017

games

PHOTO OF THE DAY

GAZETTE CROSSWORD

MICHAEL CONLEY GOLDEN AGE. A vibrant fire hydrant stands among a sea of fallen yellow leaves near McIntosh Gallery on Nov. 9, 2017.

WORD SEARCH

VEGETARIAN FIBER WORD SEARCH GLUTEN GRAIN AGAR LACTO-OVO ALTERNATIVE LEGUMES ANALOG LENTIL BEAN CURD MISO BEANS MOCK CALCIUM NONDAIRY CASEIN NUTRITIONAL CHOLESTEROL YEAST COUSCOUS PEANUTS EDAMAME

•

CLUES ACROSS

CLUES DOWN

1. Formed by burning tobacco 4. Luxury automaker 7. Religious residences 12. Crusaders 14. Puzzled 15. In a curt way 18. Selling tool 19. Solid material 20. Gold 21. Thick piece of something 24. Pouch 27. “Wonder Years” actor Fred 30. Strong and healthy 31. Waste matter 33. Apply lightly 34. Type of squad 35. Secret political faction 37. Mock 39. Immoral act 41. Early Syrian kingdom 42. Neutralizes alkalis 44. Loud, confused noise 47. Sweet potato 48. Yemen’s largest city 49. Farm state 50. Bird’s beak 52. Measures distance 53. Pacify 56. Spanish noble 61. Lodging supplied for public convenience 63. Womanized 64. Not divisible by two 65. Monetary unit

1. Used in perfumery 2. Arabic man’s name 3. Assess 4. Prickly plants 5. Falsely assess 6. “__ the whistle” 7. Mama 8. Rocker __ Vicious 9. Toward 10. Prefix meaning within 11. Midway between south and southeast 12. Cause to be embarrassed 13. Pandemonium 16. Fall behind 17. Cantonese 22. Shad 23. A way to make dark 24. Specialized systems consultant 25. Wings 26. Taxi driver 28. Linear units 29. Large Philippine plant 32. Celebration 36. Fugitives are on this 38. Chinese tree 40. Not sour 43. “Bourne” actor Matt 44. Former OSS 45. Runners run this 46. Offered again 51. Sanctuary 54. Food suitable for babies 55. Caused by a reflection of sound 56. Mortar trough 57. Days in mid-month 58. Exhibit the courage to do 59. Disk of the sun in Egyptian mythology 60. Protects from weather 62. Manganese

For crossword solution, see page ?

PEAS QUINOA RAW

RECIPE RENNET SEITAN

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SOYBEAN TAHINI TEMPEH

TEXTURE TOFU VEGAN

VEGETABLE VEGETARIAN WHEY

For solution go to westerngazette.ca/solution

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