THE DRIVING DILEMMA: How nursing students struggle to access placements
OM SHANBHAG SENIOR
AtNEWS EDITOR
5 a.m., Paula Umeh wakes up and puts on the scrubs she laid out the night before. She waits for her Uber in the dark. It will be dark again when she returns home at 8 p.m..
The $63 ride takes 45 minutes and drops Umeh off at St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital in St. Thomas, Ont., a small city outside London. There, she is scheduled to assist a working nurse until 7 p.m..
This was Umeh’s reality last year as a third-year student in Western University’s collaborative nursing program. Like all her peers, she must complete a series of placements in hospitals and care homes before graduating.
The professional practice placements are an integral part of the nursing program, with hands-on experience for students to refine their “knowledge and clinical judgement,” according to Western’s website.
Umeh is now a fourth-year student, and while fourth-year students still complete placements, they differ in duration and placement types.
Umeh knew she could be placed outside London, and she expected to drive to her placements. But when a mix-up left her uninsured, she was forced to resort to rideshare apps. After a few uber trips, Umeh made a deal with one of her drivers, directly paying $30 cash when she needed a ride — roughly four times a week for a three-week placement period.
These kinds of makeshift transportation solutions are not uncommon for nursing students. Despite the importance of these placements to Western’s nursing education program, the university does not offer any support to students who may be struggling with their transportation needs prior to their placements — which some students say can pose a major challenge.
Federal cap jeopardizes Western’s plans: Shepard
CHIRAG K SINGHAL NEWS EDITOR
Western president Alan Shepard said the school’s plans to increase international student enrolment are “in jeopardy” due to the federal government’s decision to further limit the number of international students admitted to study in Canada next year.
In its 2022 strategic plan, Western University wrote it aims to increase international undergraduate enrolment to 20 per cent by 2030. But in an interview with the Gazette on Oct. 3, Shepard said the university is now “going backwards.” When the strategic plan was announced in the 2021–22 school year, 10.8 per cent of Western’s undergraduate students were international students. Shepard said this year, that figure is below 10 per cent.
According to the Office of Institutional Planning and Budgeting, 8.9 per cent of Western’s undergraduate students were international in the 2023-24 school year. Data for the 2024-25 school year is not yet available.
The federal government announced on Sept. 18 that in 2025, the number of international student study permits issued will shrink to 437,000 — 10 per cent less than the 2024 target of 485,000, with the cap continuing into 2026.
This announcement came after Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced in January the federal government would cap international student study permits for the next two years. At the time, the government said it would approve around 360,000 undergraduate study permits in 2024, a reduction of 35 per cent from 2023.
The September international student cap announcement was extended to include graduate and doctoral students.
“We have concerns about the ways in which graduate student reductions in Canada will reduce our research capability and research productivity,” said Shepard.
There were 4,690 international undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at Western in the 2023-24 school year, accounting for 13.6 per cent of the student body.
Under the initial international student cap announced in January, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada said each province and territory was allotted a portion of the total permits based on its population. The province then distributed the permits to post-secondary institutions through provincial attestation letters, which international students must submit with their study permit application.
In an April statement, IRCC said Ontario was allocated 239,793 international undergraduate study permit applications, estimating an approval rate of 60 per cent.
Western told the Gazette it received 1,058 provincial attestation letters, with 210 allocated to the affiliate colleges — King’s University College and Huron University College — for the 2024-25 school year.
In the January announcement, Miller said the cap was intended to target “bad actors” like learning institutions that have taken advantage of high international student tuition fees by increasing international student intake while failing to provide adequate resources.
Shepard believes Western separates itself from such institutions by providing incoming international students with adequate housing and supports including language help and access to mental health services.
ARISIA QARRI GAZETTE
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“It’s our responsibility to help provide an environment where people feel like they can get connected, they’re engaged and they’re really valued for what they’re bringing to Canada,” said Shepard.
At the time, Miller also cited an increased pressure on housing and healthcare in Canada as reasons for introducing the cap and said limiting incoming international students would alleviate some of that pressure.
Shepard acknowledged the federal government’s responsibility to fix immigration issues considering the sharp rise in Canada’s temporary residents, but disagreed that international students at Western are responsible for London’s housing crisis.
“We have a space for every single first-year student, including internationals. They’re putting no burden on the system in the city in year one,” he said.
Shepard added he believed upper-year international students are not a burden on the city because of the small proportion of international undergraduate students — 8.9 per cent last year — compared to other schools. For example, 30 per cent of undergraduate students at the University of Toronto were international.
Given the lower per cent of international undergraduate students, Shepard believes the cap’s impact on Western is marginal.
“But it’s not zero, that’s for sure,” he added.
Western is also in the process of building two new residences to meet housing needs on campus and maintain its first-year residence guarantee.
He said the federal government has been working on a framework to let learning institutions demonstrate available resources for incoming international students and such a system could be helpful for Western. But even after extensive discussions in Ottawa, the government has yet to implement any such framework.
Shepard could not say if the cap’s financial impact on the university would result in a tuition fee
hike for future incoming international students. He said such a decision would be subject to approval by the Board of Governors at the April 2025 budget meeting.
Western has raised tuition fees for upper-year international students by four per cent annually since 2010 and has increased first-year tuition for international students by eight per cent annually since 2011.
In 2021, the university introduced a guarantee on its website that international undergraduate tuition would not increase more than four per cent every year after a student’s first year, to reinforce the predictability of international tuition.
Western cannot raise tuition for in-province students for the next three years after the provincial government extended the tuition-freeze on colleges and universities in February. For out-ofprovince students, tuition can increase by up to five per cent
“The overall impact on Canada is quite negative, and it’s not just for one year,” said Shepard, about the recent announcement.
T&T opens in London
MABEL ZHAO NEWS EDITOR NIKHIL REYNOLDS CONTRIBUTOR
largest Asian supermarket chain opened its first London location on Sept. 27.
The new T&T Supermarket, located at Oxford Street and Wonderland Road, is the chain’s 34th location in Canada, owned by Loblaw Companies Ltd.
The grand opening drew large crowds with cultural performances and speeches from company and community leaders. Doors officially opened at 9 a.m., but eager customers — including a group of Western University students — began lining up as early as 7 a.m..
Store manager Charles Zhang told the Gazette that more than 200 people were in the store just 30 minutes after doors opened, with hundreds more waiting in line outside.
T&T CEO and Western alumna Tina Lee, who graduated from Ivey Business School in 2003, addressed the crowd around 8:30 a.m..
“It only took me 20 years to bring T&T to London, Ontario, but today we are going to level up the Asian grocery scene here,” said Lee.
Haopeng Ning, a fourth-year bachelor of man-
agement and organizational studies student at Western, visited the new store within a week of its opening.
“I went in the late evening and it was still pretty packed,” said Ning. “There wasn’t a line outside the store or anything, but the hot food shelves were mostly empty.”
Ning said the new London T&T has a similar product selection and layout to the Markham and Toronto locations. His favourite T&T products are skincare items and freshly made hot food.
T&T’s London store features a bakery, kitchen and a wide selection of Asian beauty products, alongside groceries.
“I can’t find their skincare anywhere else in London,” said Ning.
To celebrate Western’s Homecoming weekend, the store offered exclusive purple Tianjin-style savoury crepes and a purple rice California roll.
The grand opening also included performances by drummers from the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre, K-pop dancers from Western’s Chinese Cultural Games Club and a bian lian performer. Bian lian is a traditional part of China’s Sichuan opera involving performers wearing vividly coloured masks that change with a swipe of their hand or a fan.
He believes the multiple policy changes around international student intake are damaging Canada’s reputation as a destination for post-secondary education because “it’s introducing instability into the system.” Shepard suggested prospective international students would not like the Canadian government’s unpredictability regarding immigration policies.
“The message that’s going out of Canada now is, you can’t predict what Canada is going to do next,” said Shepard. He added students may choose to go to other countries like the U.K. or the U.S. because they will not be blamed for a housing crisis and will be treated more sustainably.
Shepard wants Western to be “an internationally prominent, recognized, research, intensive university” for which international students are required in both undergraduate and graduate student bodies.
“If everybody comes from within 10 kilometres away, you’re not going to have the kind of impact that I think the Western community is seeking,” he said.
The ceremonies concluded with a lion dance and lettuce toss — a traditional Chinese custom believed to bring good fortune to a new business.
T&T announced last year that it was expanding to London, opening in retail space vacated by Food Island Supermarket. In an interview with the Gazette, Lee said she has been looking into expanding to London for around five years.
Sonya Luo, a fourth-year BMOS student and president of Western’s Chinese Students Association, was excited to hear that the T&T was opening close to campus.
“It’s an amazing opportunity because it’s a closer grocery store that has Asian food,” said Luo. “I normally have to go back home and buy all that food.”
Second-year engineering student Nathan Chiu added that T&T gave him access to the ingredients he can use to make food that reminds him of home.
The new T&T is located at 530 Oxford Street W. and is accessible from campus via the 10, 27 and 33 bus routes.
“There was a big hole in my heart from missing food from home,” said Lee, reflecting on her time at Western. “Food builds bridges across cultures, across time and between generations.”
HENSON HAN GAZETTE Drummers from the Japanese Canadain Cultural Centre perform for the crowd at the grand opeining of the new T&T location, Sept. 27, 2024.
HENSON HAN GAZETTE T&T CEO Tina Lee celebrates the grand opening of the new T&T location with a traditional lettuce toss, Sept. 27, 2024.
MADELEINE MCCOLL GAZETTE Alan Shepard speaks at convocation, June. 17, 2024.
USC food bank ends walk-ins, moves to paid staff
SOPHIA SCHIEFLER COORDINATING EDITOR
Food Support Services has transitioned to a hamper-only system and ended walk-in services in an effort to improve the organization of the on-campus food bank.
University Students’ Council vice-president student services Daniel Klapper announced FSS had stopped walk-in services this year and hired paid staff instead of volunteers among other measures at the Sept. 25 council meeting.
“We wanted to set it up so that staff members, or at the time, the volunteers who were in there, have a more organized way of getting food out to the students in need and walk-ins made that incredibly difficult,” said Klapper in an interview with the Gazette
Klapper said the USC consulted with and toured external food banks before making the decision and that FSS is now able to fill the hampers in a quicker, more organized manner.
FSS is an on-campus student service offered through the USC that provides students with non-perishable food, feminine hygiene products and toiletries.
Students can request confidential food hampers from FSS by submitting a form and choosing between food options. Students can collect their hamper from a locker in the University Community Centre basement using a code sent to their email or from the FSS office in Room 40F.
The USC is still able to feed the same number of students and create the same number of hampers without the walk-in system, which created inventory complications, according to Klapper.
“So far we’ve met those expectations, and it’s actually on track to continue that way,” said Klapper. “So we keep track of how many students are using it and we try to order ahead of time to
expect those numbers and keep the food bank stocked for the students.”
Last year, FSS had 40 volunteers, with the Food Support Services Coordinator overseeing shift scheduling and inventory. Klapper said by hiring paid staff, FSS can guarantee someone will be in the food bank at their scheduled time without worrying if a volunteer will show up.
“ What we noticed, and especially in dealing with something as sensitive as food security, is that accountability is super important,” said Klapper.
The USC’s corporate side will now schedule employee shifts for the six part-time staff, allowing the Food Support Services Coordinator to focus on external initiatives like food drives and advocacy.
In a statement to the Gazette, Klapper clarified there are no available volunteer positions in the food bank, but there will be volunteer positions throughout the year for other initiatives, like food drives.
In 2023, FSS saw a 600 per cent increase in demand. The food bank was forced to close walk-in services in September 2023 due to the increase, which former service coordinators connected to the cost-of-living crisis.
In 2022, 16.9 per cent of Canadians experienced food insecurity, up from 12.9 per cent in 2021. Between 2018 and 2022, food prices increased by 19.1 per cent, according to Statistics Canada.
Klapper said the USC will not know the number of students currently using the service until later in the year but added there is “no doubt” a need for a food bank on campus.
“As the USC grows and our social outreach grows, awareness that the service actually exists also grows, which means we have to meet the demands of the new students who are coming in,” said Klapper.
Klapper said in the year ahead, FSS will run food drives and partner with some student clubs.
Students, profs mixed on switch to Brightspace
CHIRAG K SINGHAL NEWS EDITOR
Students and professors have mixed feelings about Western’s new learning management system Brightspace, after the university migrated away from Sakai this summer.
In May 2023, Western University announced Brightspace had been selected to replace Sakai, the learning management system that powered OWL since 2012. Students officially started using Brightspace for their summer courses in May.
“I was so used to OWL, and suddenly Brightspace came,” said Harvi Patel, a second-year BMOS student.
Patel said she preferred how OWL used to list all 10 courses at the top of the screen compared to how Brightspace splits the courses semester-wise.
“I’m adjusting, but I think I will get used to it,” said Patel.
Rita Solaka, a third-year economics student, called OWL Sakai “more organized” and found switching between courses easier on the previous system.
Solaka also noted professors seemed more comfortable using OWL Sakai and knew how to upload files in a way that was more accessible for students.
“The way that they upload it is not a way that I can download it on my iPad or be able to write over it,” said Solaka.
OWL Sakai saw performance issues and crashes over the past few years, particularly during periods of high site traffic such as midterms and final exams.
Western deemed it necessary to update its learning management system in an effort to address its community goals including strategic growth, enriching student experience and teaching or learning for the future.
Brightspace was chosen after considering feedback from over 4,700 students, faculty and instruc-
Students welcome flexibility in new undocumented absence policy
OM SHANBHAG SENIOR NEWS EDITOR
Western introduced a new academic consideration policy this year, allowing students to submit undocumented accommodation requests — a move some students are pleased with.
The new policy on academic considerations came into effect on Sept. 1, changing how students in first-entry programs can avoid penalties for missing coursework. The previous policy allowed any assessment worth less than 10 per cent of a student’s course grade to be waived without submitting documentation, such as a doctor’s note. Now, students can make one academic consideration request without supporting documentation per term per course. But supporting documentation is required during the final week of classes and final exams.
All requests must be submitted through a central portal no later than 48 hours after missed work and requests can be denied for assessments with flexible deadlines, which must be specified in the course outline.
Instructors can designate one assessment per half-course weight to require formal documentation, giving them some control over the process.
“It’s a good balance of respecting that things can come up with students that they can’t explain, and giving them the leeway for mental health purposes,” described University Students’ Council president Emilie Kalaydjian in an interview with the Gazette
But academic consideration policies have been abused in the past, explained Kalaydjian, referring to the former self-reported absences policy.
Western University introduced SRAs as a threeyear pilot project, ending in the 2021-22 school
year after faculty expressed concerns about the increased workload from needing to accommodate large numbers of students. Students could use two SRAs between September and April to automatically receive a 48-hour deadline extension on any coursework worth 30 per cent or less of their final grade.
Kalaydjian hoped a “happy medium” could be found between instructors and students.
“We do have some autonomy and there is some responsibility as a student to respect our instructors as well,” said Kalaydjian.
Some students, like first-year health sciences student Simar Tamber, found out about the new policy through emails from Western.
“I’ve seen a couple of mails on my Outlook account talking about this newly revised academic policy,” said Tamber. “But I didn’t know the details about this new reform until one of my friends told me.”
The email includes the new central Student Absence Portal for students to submit undocumented absences and requests with formal supporting
tors through surveys, demos and sandbox testing.
Steve Kopp, a statistics and actuarial sciences professor, said the university went to a new system because “people wanted more interactive stuff on the online platform and OWL didn’t really have that.”
Kopp uses clickers in one of his courses and said Brightspace has made his job easier, allowing him to sync his class list to iClicker.
Students with existing iClicker accounts were automatically registered and those who didn’t would get an email from Brightspace with instructions on how to create an account.
But Kopp was disappointed Brightspace’s student class list did not include student numbers, saying it was a big issue for multiple-choice exams.
“When you get the computer to mark the multiple-choice exams, all you get is a list of student numbers and what they got on the exams,” said Kopp. He said uploading those grades to Brightspace is difficult since there is no student number to connect to.
Kopp added that despite people in his department constantly bringing this issue up in the summer, it has not been fixed.
He acknowledged the new system requires an adjustment period.
“Anytime you’ve used a system for a decade, you get used to it and then you all of a sudden, you have a new system that is similar but definitely not the same,” said Kopp. “Once you get used to it, it’s not too bad.”
Brightspace is currently used by 570 universities and colleges including Carleton University, Brock University and Toronto Metropolitan University.
Western is providing resources for students and faculty to learn more about using Brightspace for instructors and students, available on the Centre for Teaching and Learning Website.
documentation — streamlining all requests to the Office of the Registrar and away from faculty academic advising.
“The policy update offers a balanced approach that includes options for students and instructors with clear indications of how academic consideration is requested, and the instances where documentation is required,” said Marisa Modeski, the university registrar, in a statement to the Gazette Modeski emphasized the policy update was informed by a Working Group on Academic Policy, which gathered input from various groups across campus and examined peer institutions’ policies on student absences.
Tamber said many students might be pursuing graduate studies and may need to maintain a certain GPA, so the new policy “would kind of give them some sort of relief.”
McKenna Andraza, a fourth-year anthropology student, has experienced three different policies on academic considerations during her time at Western.
“I like this one better, just because it gives you much more wiggle room, like life happens, and I feel like one or two per semester just wasn’t enough,” said Andraza, pointing to the two undocumented absences that were included with the SRAs trial.
She said the 10 per cent policy left many students without much help, especially those with heavily-weighted exams.
For Tamber, it’s a chance for students to have the flexibility to relieve some of the stress surrounding their assessments, making it a helpful change.
“If, for some unforeseen circumstance, a person misses, or if you have back-to-back midterms and you miss one, it’s kind of beneficial,” said Tamber.
ANGWARA NILANONT GAZETTE
Opinion: Female students deserve a safer nightlife experience
PANIZ VEDAVARZ SENIOR CULTURE EDITOR
Many women know the feeling — enjoying drinks with friends when an unwanted touch or lingering stranger turns excitement into discomfort and vulnerability.
While these experiences seem like a regular part of the university experience, we shouldn’t accept them as the status quo.
I was at a bar with some friends celebrating a birthday a year ago. While dancing and having a good time, a man I didn’t know grabbed my waist without warning. Was I uncomfortable? Yes, but I shrugged it off — I blamed the alcohol and told myself, “it’s no big deal.”
Looking back, it’s clear this kind of behaviour is part of a much larger issue — one that many women regularly face at university bars.
In the last three years, I have witnessed — and experienced — countless moments in bars where words that should have been friendly became off-putting advances and casual touches crossed boundaries.
These experiences have not only been uncomfortable but kept me from fully enjoying social events or making connections with others.
We are told to shrug off these encounters, to let it go. It’s a bar; what else should we expect?
But this mindset removes accountability from the men who perpetuate the behaviour. The crowds and noise in London’s bars — combined with the unwanted advances excused by party culture — make it harder to report these behaviors or enforce consequences.
According to a 2019 Statistics Canada report, one in 10 female-presenting students experience sexual assault in a post-secondary setting. The
same report found 51 per cent of sexual assaults against women occurred at off-campus restaurants and bars.
Excuses surrounding alcohol and other substance use are completely unacceptable. While alcohol may influence behaviour, it does not excuse actions that jeopardize the safety of others — I’ve never acted that way under the influence, and neither should anyone else.
Op-Ed: Watch Western Theatre
RADHIKA RAM CONTRIBUTOR
LAUREN DASILVA CONTRIBUTOR
Curtains draw back, the spotlight shines through and suddenly you’re whisked away — 1920s New York, turn-of-the-century America or even Harvard’s campus — all from the comfort of the Mustang Lounge.
It’s a feeling like no other — one experienced under the beating sun in the amphitheatres of ancient Greece, amid the packed crowds of Shakespeare’s Globe and in the creaky chairs in your small hometown. It’s the feeling of live theatre.
Since 1982, Theatre Western has been tearing down the barriers that keep students from enjoying live theatre — and you should be taking advantage of it.
Theatre Western is main campus’s only theatre company, orchestrating student-run productions year after year, for students made by students.
With affordable high-quality performances, accessible venues and productions targeted at the student community, Theatre Western gives students the best reasons to support live performances at Western University.
All shows take place on campus, giving students easy access to performances and events. That means not having to navigate the London transit system, pay for parking downtown or splurge on an Uber.
Theatre has historically been a tool for cultural awareness, political engagement, education and self-expression. Theatre is where boundaries are pushed, norms are challenged and empathy thrives — and isn’t that what university is all about?
Theatre Western keeps these mechanisms alive today by engaging in political and cultural commentary relevant to Western students and their lives.
The plays and musicals chosen to perform are always heavily influenced by the interests of the university community. Theatre Western tackles stories that deal with mature and culturally relevant themes, which Western students can relate to. Last year, Theatre Western put on Legally Blonde, which explored themes of feminism and student life. This year, our fall musical Cabaret touches on themes of fascism, racial profiling and escapism.
The largest production of the semester is the fall play, Little Women, directed by Hannah Teicher. Adapted from Louisa May Alcott’s original novel, the story is set in the period sur-
rounding the Civil War and follows the March family as they navigate their journey through adolescence.
The little women learn the value of self-sacrifice, love and strong female relationships — experiences that are all too familiar to Western students. The fall play hits the Mustang Lounge stage from Dec. 5 to 8.
Not excited about paying to see live theatre? We get it — tickets for London-based performances range from $30 to over $100, which can really break the bank. Theatre Western gives students the opportunity to see high-quality productions at a low cost.
Theatre Western shows focus on students, which is reflected in the prices — with discounted prices for students and even more discounts for Theatre Western members. Not only do you
In 2023, the Ontario New Democratic Party introduced a Safe Night Out Act with strategies to prevent sexual assault and harassment. The act proposed two main strategies: mandatory trauma-informed training on sexual violence prevention for staff in licensed establishments and expanding workplace violence definitions to include sexual harassment, requiring training for employers and employees.
While the bill has yet to be passed, the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance has supported it.
Malika Dhanani, executive director of the OUSA, noted during a 2023 press conference that sexual violence and harassment are widespread in post-secondary institutions, causing students to feel fear and anxiety when visiting local establishments and preventing them from fully enjoying their experiences.
While many students see unwanted advances at bars as part of the inevitable, I believe this type of thinking normalizes harmful behaviour. In fact, some studies have shown that alcohol has no correlation to sexually aggressive behaviour.
Studies from the University of Toronto and the University of Washington observed that men’s aggressiveness in bars wasn’t linked to their own intoxication levels. Instead, men were more likely to target women who were intoxicated, taking advantage of vulnerable women in vulnerable positions.
Western students deserve a safe and fun post-secondary experience, whether on campus or off. These experiences should not be overshadowed by incidents of harassment or discomfort, regardless of the setting.
It is essential to create a culture of accountability and respect for everyone.
get to see live theatre at a fraction of the cost, you get to support students like you.
Whether you are an avid theatregoer or someone who’s never set foot in a theatre, take a chance on the opportunity to see live shows presented by Theatre Western.
Buy your ticket, settle into your seat and let the show begin.
You never know what performance could change you forever.
— Radhika Ram, second-year SASAH student and Theatre Western director of public relations, and Lauren daSilva, fourth-year theatre studies student and Theatre Western president
To submit a community opinions article, email opinions@westerngazette.ca
COMMUNITY
COURTESY OF KENDALL SAWYER
You can separate the art from the artist
J.K. Rowling. Kanye West. Roman Polanski. Sometimes, bad people can make really good art — and it can be okay to enjoy it.
Recently, it feels like scandal and controversy stalk the footsteps of every artist, our phones lighting up with new allegations every day.
From J.K. Rowling’s transphobic rants on X, formerly known as Twitter, to P. Diddy’s recent arrest — no piece of art is safe from the choices of its artist.
The impacts of this have been felt close to campus. In July, daughter of Western University alum and Nobel laureate Alice Munro alleged that her mother was aware of ongoing sexual abuse perpetrated by her stepfather and chose to stay with him. The Alice Munro Chair in Creativity course was subsequently cancelled for the fall semester and the Faculty of Arts and Humanities paused the chair appointment.
The choice to consume art made by controversial and problematic people is a personal one — and it’s a choice you shouldn’t be condemned for.
We believe you can consume an artist’s work without idolizing them. Singing along to “Last Night” by Morgan Wallen while it plays on your car radio doesn’t make you a bad person. We can — and should — be able to think critically about what we’re consuming.
Once a piece of art is released, to a certain de-
gree, it belongs to the audience.
There’s a difference between enjoying an artist’s work and supporting them monetarily — especially if the artist is still alive. Maybe instead of buying every new edition of Harry Potter that’s released, just borrow them from your local library instead.
Context and intent surrounding the creation of a piece of art — whether that be a song, a book or a movie — is important, and can definitely influence your perception of the art.
And while we think you can separate the art from the artist, sometimes you don’t always want to.
Bopping your head along to a song made for mass consumption isn’t the same as reading a book or watching a movie. Pop songs offer quick, often surface-level emotions through catchy melodies and relatable lyrics. But a novel or film engages the reader more deeply, prompting reflection on complex themes or social issues over time.
The consumption of these different mediums have different levels of impact — especially when the artist is problematic.
But context can go both ways, especially when considering the time period the art was made — can we really hold all work to the moral standards of the 21st century?
If we were to cancel and avoid every artist or creator that has done something inexcusable in their past, we would be doing a disservice to work that has shaped the foundations and theories we use every day.
You can appreciate the art and condemn the artist. The two things shouldn’t be mutually exclusive.
So the next time “Gold Digger” comes on at a party, skip it or don’t skip it — we’re not going to judge you.
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 Gazette, its editors or staff. To submit a letter to the editor, send an email to opinions@westerngazette.ca EDITORIAL
Opinion: Gym jitters? Join a fitness class
MABEL ZHAO NEWS EDITOR
Intimidated by the gym? You’re not alone — but the Rec Centre fitness classes are here to help.
We’ve all been there — it’s September and you vow to yourself, this year, you will start working out. With just a swipe of your card, you have access to state-of-the-art gym facilities — there really aren’t any excuses not to go.
But the second you walk into the Rec Centre, your heart feels like it’s about to jump out of your chest.
The sprawling landscape of confusing weight machines and confident gym bros overwhelms you. Better yet, there’s often a line-up, which means more people standing and staring while you figure out what you’re doing.
If you’re like me, you turn around, walk out and make a different vow: to never come to the Rec Centre again. For someone struggling with gym shyness, sometimes it feels like there’s a spotlight on your every move.
My solution? Join a fitness class.
I know, it seems backwards: If you’re already self-conscious, wouldn’t you feel more awkward in a class where you work out in a crowd?
But if science and I agree on one thing, it’s that fitness classes rock.
A study found that people in a group-based exercise class said they had way more fun, felt more confident and pushed themselves harder compared to when they worked out alone.
When you’re in a group fitness class, you aren’t working out alongside others — you’re working out with them.
I’ve felt much more confident in group classes than working out alone. I know that if I mess up or embarrass myself, I don’t stick out because everyone is focused on the instructor.
Speaking of instructors, the Rec Center has great ones. My favourites include Andrew Lazarito, who teaches step classes and “the Pump” on Monday evenings, and Helen Farndon, whose cycling and yoga classes I absolutely adore.
The same study also found participants had a better experience when their fitness instructors cultivated inclusive and encouraging group dynamics. In my experience, the Rec Center’s instructors do a great job cheering everyone on and pushing you to work harder.
As someone with a hectic schedule who wasn’t in the habit of exercising regularly, having a predetermined time to work out gives me peace of mind and helps keep me consistent.
The wide variety of classes offered also encouraged me to try out exercises that I had been intimidated by or unaware of. Last year, I tried out “The Pump,” a fitness class that incorporates weighted exercises.
Today, you can find me at the class with my 15-lb weights almost every week. Gym bros beware! Cost can definitely be a barrier to participating in group fitness classes — while students pay for general Rec Center access through their fees, fitness classes don’t make the cut. A year-long membership for unlimited classes costs $101.98, while monthly memberships can be purchased for $22.99.
While $100 may seem like a lot, the average cost for a gym membership that includes group fitness ranges between $360 and $840 per year. So if you’re interested in trying out a fitness class, I — and your wallet — would recommend you try out the Rec Center.
Exercise is hard enough without anxiety — but fitness classes have helped me beat the gym jitters.
MINA AHMAD GAZETTE
THE DRIVING DILEMMA:
How nursing students struggle to access placements
OM SHANBHAG SENIOR NEWS EDITOR
“Expectations around the geographic region for placements, and transportation to and from placements are communicated to students prior to acceptance in the program,” said Alexis Smith, clinical practice faculty lead at the Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, in an email statement to the Gazette
Nursing students are provided with an information session and orientation before their placements, explaining logistics, timelines and other pre-placement requirements, Smith wrote.
Although Western informs students about these expectations, being placed far from home can still leave students struggling to make arrangements.
“When I found out I was in St. Thomas, I felt a little alone because I was like, I’m basically being told to figure it out by myself,” said Sarma Martinsons, a fourth-year student in the collaborative nursing program.
Martinsons said she had no idea what to do — her parents drive to work, and she doesn’t own a car.
Western students may be placed in hospitals in London and around the southwest geographic region, which includes healthcare centres from St. Thomas in the south to Owen Sound in the north — up to a 2.5 hour drive away.
Martinsons ultimately adopted a weekly routine throughout her placement last year. She would drive her mother two hours from Martinsons’s hometown of Bayfield to her mother’s work in Toronto, then another two hours to London. She would keep the car for four days during her placement, then make the four-hour trip in reverse.
To reduce the challenge of getting to placements, nursing students self-organized through the Western-Fanshawe Nursing Students Association last year, creating a carpooling spreadsheet to match students who have cars and those who don’t.
“The school has an expectation that everybody has a driver’s license,” said Martinsons, “And even if you don’t have a car, you’re able to find a ride.”
The only option for students who cannot access their placement is to swap with another student — but those with desirable placements typically don’t want to give them up. Martinsons said two friends who owned cars and were placed in London were unwilling to swap their convenient placements for a 90-minute round-trip commute — a choice she understands.
According to Smith, nursing students can request placements outside of London, and these students are assigned first to these placements when possible. The placement coordinator con-
siders placement type, conflicts of interest and placement location when assigning the remaining placements.
In Demo Kaltabanis’s first year, he realized he would need a car if his placements were outside London. Describing himself as someone from a low socioeconomic background, Kaltabanis said he understood that the lack of assurances in placement location meant planning and saving over the next two years.
“I think with enough time and preparation, everybody could get a car if they wanted to,” said Kaltabanis. “You just need to prepare, you can’t be kind of thinking about this a month before you’ve been selected for a placement.”
Now a graduate of Western’s collaborative nursing program, Kaltabanis appreciates the insights he learned from his fourth-year placement at a rural hospital in Newbury, a village located a 45-minute drive from Western. But, Kaltabanis notes that purchasing a car is now more difficult due to the changing economy, with current prices creating what he says is a significant financial barrier for students.
Although rural placements practically necessitate either owning a car or knowing someone with one, even placements within London can be difficult to access.
Kyla Tan, a fourth-year student in the collaborative nursing program, completed placements in both London and Tillsonburg, a town around a one-hour drive from London.
Tan considered renting a car for her Tillsonburg placement, but after calculating the cost of renting for a few weeks, she chose to use her mother’s instead. Her choice resulted in longer commutes for Tan’s mother, stepfather and siblings, often leaving them dependent on Uber.
That’s why when Tan found out about her placement in London, she chose to take public transit.
Despite driving over 60 kilometres to her placement in Tillsonburg, she had to start her day even earlier to bus to her placement at Parkwood Institute, south of downtown London. If Tan missed the first bus of the day, she would have to turn to ridesharing services.
“The bus is not fun. At least driving in the car, I’m by myself. I feel safer,” said Tan, explaining that the area around Parkwood feels unsafe, especially as a woman alone before dawn or at night.
At her first placement, Umeh was placed at a long-term care home in London alongside a student who walked an hour and a half to the care home on the first day.
KAI WILSON GAZETTE
Sarma Martinsons, FNB building, April 5, 2024.
KAI WILSON GAZETTE Nursing student Paula Umeh clutches her stethoscope in the FNB, April 7, 2024.
LIAM MCINNIS GAZETTE
“He had to walk because he didn’t know that the buses don’t run before 6 a.m.,” explained Umeh, who ended up giving the student a ride for the remainder of their placement. “So he just had to wake up early and go.”
According to Amanda McIntyre, an associate professor at the School of Nursing and a graduate of Western’s collaborative nursing program herself, the situation is not black and white.
“If you’re coming from anywhere in the GTA, there’s a lot of health centres that are just there, and they’ve got spots, and so their catchment area for the population they serve are just different,” said McIntyre.
McIntyre explains that fewer clinics and hospitals in London means fewer placement spots within the city itself. That means health centres outside London are needed to accommodate all of Western’s nursing students with a placement.
Cutting placements isn’t an option either, according to McIntyre — placements are educational and formative for students and an experience they generally enjoy.
“The issue is not on Western’s end, we want them in clinical placement immediately,” said McIntyre, instead pointing to the placement providers that Western partners with, who are unable to provide spots for all nursing students within London.
She also described a high rate of turnover with nursing staff between providers, explaining that one of the challenges is to establish and maintain a relationship with continually changing staff.
“How do you get placements in those places that are treading water?” asked McIntyre. “They’re trying to keep their head above water, just to get staff for the day.”
A shortage of nurses and lack of stability further limit Western’s ability to place students in London, resulting in some rural placements despite the inconvenience.
“It’s not fun, and it puts a lot of pressure on certain people. But sometimes I wonder if the students realize the alternative is they don’t get a spot. They don’t get a placement,” said McIntyre.
When asked what Western can do to help their nursing students, Umeh, Tan and Martinsons all mentioned financial help.
The Faculty of Health Sciences told the Gazette it does not offer reimbursement for transportation costs but regularly shares information with students about Western’s needs-based scholarships and awards.
The WFNSA helps students by reimbursing essential training through a collective fund paid for by a donation fee included in nursing students’ tuition — which students can opt out of.
Despite these efforts, students say there is a strong need to reduce the costs of transport before their placements.
“It’s something you need to prepare for financially and mentally. It’s something you need to save up for, have some money, just in case. It’s something you need to most likely get a car for,” said Umeh.
Through all of the early mornings, late nights and under-the-table rideshare trips, everything Umeh learned in her placements made the experience worth it.
“I would definitely do it again, hopefully with more support,” said Umeh.
ANGWARA NILANONT GAZETTE
KAI WILSON GAZETTE Nursing student Paula Umeh poses in front of the Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing sign in the FNB, April 7, 2024.
Move over brat summer, brat fall is here
PANIZ VEDAVARZ SENIOR CULTURE EDITOR
Drugs and partying aren’t typically linked to presidential campaigns, but during brat summer, nothing was off the table.
On June 7, British musician Charli XCX released her sixth studio album, Brat. In a TikTok video, she describes “brat” as “like that girl who is a little messy and likes to party and maybe say some dumb things sometimes.”
The album peaked at No. 2 on the U.K. Albums Chart and No. 3 on the Billboard 200, becoming Charli’s highest-charting album, resonating with a wider audience.
But what does it really mean to be “brat”?
“People have been wanting a licence to feel a certain way, or have been desiring a name to give to the feeling they all want back,” says professor Warren Steele, a media, information and technoculture professor.
Steele describes Brat as a “post-COVID” album, representing a collective release to the restrictions that COVID-19 has presented in the last few years. It embraces club culture and encourages listeners to go out and connect with others.
Organizations like What the Dance, known for hosting themed dance and music nights like the popular Taylor Swift events, have embraced the “brat summer” aesthetic and are tapping into its clubbing aesthetic. Over the summer, they hosted multiple “Club XCX” events — many of which sold out.
Daniel Barron, creative director at What the Dance, says they began planning Club XCX in March while Charli XCX was still releasing singles. After “brat summer” gained traction on social media, they received an influx of requests to bring the event to their city. Now, they have hosted over 95 Club XCX Nights across North America and the U.K..
“We want to make that brat feeling come alive, when you’re there, you’re not just at a regular
nightclub or a regular dance party. You’re getting the full experience,” says Barron.
Aria Title, a fourth-year MIT student says she’s known of Charli XCX since 2014 with the release of one of her first hits, “Boom Clap.”
“I kind of interpreted [brat] to have a kind of wild, clubbing, party rager kind of summer,” says Title. “You don’t need to be judged a certain way when you get to be sleazy and have parties and go clubbing, and do it on your own beat.”
While for many brat is seen as an opportunity to have fun, its aesthetic has extended far past the music. Over the summer, U.S. Vice-President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris changed her campaign HQ header to brat green, reading “Kamala HQ.” On July 22, Charli XCX tweeted, “kamala IS brat.”
NATO even made a post dawning the “brat” neon green background with the words “peace” in classic black font.
Steele explains that for Kamala, brat is a way to rebrand her “weirdness.” Some of her remarks, such as the infamous “coconut tree” quote have been memefied as quirky and offbeat. But with the cultural shift brought by Brat, these comments can be reframed as playful and relatable.
“Brat gives you the opportunity to rebrand those things as a joyful kind of kookiness, a fun vibe related to exciting things rather than baffling,” says Steele.
Steele describes it as a sense of “euphoria” and living in the moment. For brands and politicians, it has become a way to connect with the desires of the younger generations, even when it doesn’t always land well.
While brat summer has come to an end, Charli XCX isn’t going anywhere. On Oct. 11, she will release a remix album titled Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat. She is also currently on the Sweat tour with Troye Sivan, performing in major cities across North America.
“Brat summer might be over, but brat autumn is still in full effect,” says Barron.
Racing into run clubs
KAI WILSON PHOTO AND LAYOUT EDITOR
Atypical Saturday morning for a university student might involve waking up at noon with a throbbing hangover headache, drunk text messages or a mystery partner sleeping beside you.
So it’s peculiar when, on a hazy Saturday morning, a group of university students gather on the streets blasting music at 9 a.m..
Perhaps it’s a continuation of last night’s shenanigans, or maybe you’ve just come across your first run club.
Running clubs have exploded in popularity over the past year, fuelled by social media. It’s become a trend to gather as a group and go for an early morning run.
London Run Club founder Braeden Donnelly, a third-year BMOS student, was inspired by content creators starting run clubs and wanted to try it out. Donnelly started the run club alongside his housemates Simon Brecka, Ryan Bryden, Ryan Weeks and Rishab Roychowdhury, who all started running over the summer.
“We wanted to have something to do as a group. So when we kind of thought, ‘Hey, if we all do it on our own, why not do it together and with that, why not expand that companionship to more than just our house?’” said Brecka.
But it’s not just about running. The reward for finishing the gruelling five-kilometre run from Gibbons Park was perhaps something even sweeter than the feeling of accomplishment — a pastry from the local Black Walnut Bakery.
Run clubs are also being coined as the new dating app. Meeting people organically in a fun and active way can be a refreshing alternative to Tinder’s
Western says out with retail, in with thrifting
YUSUF SEID CULTURE INTERN
Movealong fast fashion — according to Western students, there might be a new way to shop.
Amid the rise of fast fashion and steep prices, many Mustangs have ditched retail stores, instead finding their new favourite pieces while bin surfing. Students have recently become interested in thrifting because of its cheap prices, vintage aesthetic and positive environmental effects.
According to Lauren Meikle, a second-year Ivey student and co-vice-president of education and advocacy at the Ivey Social Impact Club, this switch to thrifting is great for the environment and sustainability when done in moderation.
“I think thrifting is a great option. I’ve done it as well, shirt, shorts, everything is thrifted or second-hand,” Meikle shares, pointing to her outfit.
Studies have shown that fast fashion can be wasteful, to say the least.
A 2022 study showed that the fashion industry is single-handedly responsible for more carbon emissions than international flights and shipping combined. It is also the second biggest consumer of water worldwide. Shopping second-hand gives clothing items a new life and cuts down on consumers’ overconsumption habits.
This process is called circular fashion, where the lifespan of clothing is maximized and waste is minimized, making the most out of resources.
Western students like Sophia Popatia, a fifthyear biology and health sciences student, are no strangers to thrifting. Popatia says she goes thrifting multiple times a month, mainly for the vintage “feel” but also to be sustainable.
“I just like the idea of not necessarily wasting,” says Popatia, sharing that she likes recycling and upcycling clothes. “Why waste when someone else can put it to good use?”
Thrifting is becoming the mainstream retail choice for Canadian consumers, according to a report from Value Village — the largest for-profit thrift operator in Canada. More than 40 per cent of Gen Z are thrifters and 90 per cent of Canadian consumers have engaged with a thrift store through shopping, donating or both in 2023.
London is no stranger to thrift shops and popups, which range from street sales like the Punk Rock Flea Market to seasonal events like Vintage on the Block and annual events like Hub Department’s pop-up city sales.
For those who don’t want to venture far from the Western bubble, DugOut Vintage is located right in the basement of the University Community Centre.
Some Western students have become regulars at these shops. Although thrifting has benefits, Meikle reminds students of its pitfalls.
“Do you really need that item? Or can that be left for somebody else who maybe does need that?” asks Meikle. “It’s kind of striking that balance between thrifting when you need it, but also recognizing that for some people, this is their only option.”
This reminder may not apply to many students participating in the growing trend of thrifting, as many are gravitating towards pop-ups and curated closet events. Meikle finds this trend interesting since some of these events are typically not as cheap as they market themselves to be.
For example, DugOut Vintage sells high-quality vintage clothing that ranges from $20 to $200 apiece.
Still, Meikle would encourage buying from these events to increase the lifespan of these clothes rather than letting them go to waste.
When done correctly, thrifting is great for your environmental footprint and wallet.
chaotic bar scene or never-ending swiping cycle.
In New York City, the Lunge Run Club prides itself on being the largest singles event in the city.
But the London Run Club is quick to clarify they’re not a dating group.
“The dating aspect is something that’s talked about, but I want to make it clear: this isn’t a dating club. This is for people to have easy access to running,” says Donnelly.
In just two weeks, the London Run Club grew from 20 to 40 participants, including an appearance from University Students’ Council president Emilie Kalaydjian, who was training for a half-marathon.
“Everyone’s going at a different pace, and the guys who organize it do a great job of making sure that they’re spread out throughout the whole group so that everyone kind of feels like to have a buddy throughout the race,” said Kalaydjian.
As you stood outside with your pastry and coffee, intoxicated by a surge of runner’s high, it was impossible not to indulge in a conversation.
“It’s easy to be out there meeting people because you’re just riding the wave, the vibes … It’s like the common interest of being healthy!” said Olivia Stern, a fourth-year BMOS student.
The London Run Club’s founders are already looking to expand and support charities and drives in the near future.
“I think we have the opportunity to do that with a lot of different people, touch a lot of different communities and help in that way,” says Donnelly. The team also recently partnered with local vintage store, Drop Spot Vintage. Following the morning run, runners got a 15 per cent discount — an extra five per cent for students — on their curated selection of vintage clothing.
What started as a small idea among housemates is now growing into a community, all thanks to their initiatives.
“We thought we’d be fools if we didn’t try it out, right?” says Donnelly.
So, if the bar scene is wearing you out, consider trading those late nights in for an early morning run.
KAI WILSON GAZETTE London Run Club participants warm up as they get ready to run, Sept. 14, 2024.
KAI WILSON GAZETTE London Run Club co-founder Ryan Weeks holds a sign, Sept. 14, 2024.
It’s time to talk about BookTok
KAYLA FOISY CULTURE INTERN
First, the camera pans across 10 books covered in hundreds of sticky tabs, flaunting they have been closely read. Next, a description runs across the screen: “Books that changed my life.”
If a video like this has appeared on your For You Page, you have likely been a follower — or at least a witness — of BookTok.
TikTok’s growing BookTok trend has infiltrated the app, impacted bookstore marketing and caught the attention of Western students.
What started as users recommending light-hearted cheesy-romance novel types has expanded into niche slang subsections like Coquette BookTok, Thought Daughter BookTok and Beach Reads BookTok.
Each category is initially backed up by mass recommendations of specific books like Just Kids by Patti Smith or A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas alongside authors that have blown up on BookTok like Emily Henry and Colleen Hoover.
Despite BookTok’s popularity, many question whether the influencer recommendations promote quality reading content.
Anjal Kathir, a fourth-year arts and humanities
and sociology student, thinks people on Colleen Hoover’s side of BookTok tend to ignore the flaws of her specific kind of fiction.
“I feel like there’s an emphasis on a certain type of easily consumable kind[s] of books, and fiction that gets really popular, and I’m like, What happened to quality?” says Kathir.
First-year sociology student Alina Khalaf, knows the trend all too well and says that there’s nothing wrong with the hashtag encouraging reading. But she points out that BookTok often promotes books lacking strong character development and plot, with an increase of “smut” — a term frequently used to describe books with one or more explicit scenes.
“[The trend] has opened up the world of reading … there’s really nothing bad about reading, but it’s just BookTok is pushing forward these books that are mediocre at best,” says Khalaf.
Warren Steele, an assistant professor with a PhD in English literature, suggests that writers may be catering to such repetitive styles to create bestselling books because traditional publishing alone isn’t always financially sustainable.
So, in a world where Gen Z is on social media and books aren’t selling like they used to, influencers promoting books for free online has been
a welcome and surprising development for the industry.
“No one saw it coming, but publishers are very happy to jump on it. Not just because it compels people to buy the books that are advertised by these influencers,” says Steele.
He adds that it’s not just the idea of BookTok that’s new, but the idea of being a self-proclaimed fan of reading.
“People would call themselves avid readers, but the idea of being a fan of print, I just don’t think that existed until pretty recently,” says Steele.
Second-year BMOS student Duaa Ali says people shouldn’t be judged for reading Hoover — what matters is they’re picking up a book.
“It makes people feel bad about the certain types of books they’re interested in, just because they enjoy the read, and just because a certain book becomes mainstream,” says Ali.
Regardless of what people think of Colleen Hoover’s rom-com content, she has a huge audience with 1.3 million followers on TikTok.
One thing that draws people to the BookTok hashtag is a sense of shared interest, especially when BookTok influencers create book clubs and challenge their followers to read the same things they are.
From Tumblr posts to prose, meet student writer-in-residence Jules Lee
OWEN JOHNSTON CULTURE EDITOR
From stumbling on a writing community on Tumblr in 2015 to being named Western’s 2024-25 student writer-in-residence, Jules Lee’s creative writing journey took her from online to on top.
The student writer-in-residence is a unique role that was developed by the University Students’ Council and the department of English and writing studies in 2013. The program supports an accomplished fourth-year writer who also acts as a mentor for Western University’s creative writing community.
Now in her fourth year, Jules is pursuing an honours specialization in English language and literature with a minor in environmental geography. Looking ahead she hopes to combine her English and environmental backgrounds to write eco-fiction and eco-journalism.
Her creative writing right now explores themes like transience, the interconnections of everyday life and the unreliability of memory.
Short stories and prose poetry are her mediums of choice, which she first discovered through Tumblr.
“I was a bit of a lonely kid and I had feelings that I didn’t know how to express so finding that space online pushed me to start experimenting and start writing,” she recalls.
Jules says Tumblr was a casual space for people to share stream-of-consciousness and free-verse poetry writing which encouraged her to keep expressing herself.
Growing up in Keswick, Ont., Jules describes herself as an outdoorsy kid and adventurous teenager. Her connection to nature has played a role in some of her best work while living on the shores of Lake Simcoe.
“Nature has inspired much of what I write about,” Jules said. “A lot of my writing focuses on regionalism. I tend to write settings in small towns and I grew up in a very nature-oriented [town]”. Jules has submitted her work to various publications since starting her undergrad. Her work can be found in the Arts and Humanities Students’ Council Publications’ Symposium journal, the Coterie’s SNAPS and Huron’s Grubsheet
Jules’s poem “A Moment’s Silence” is one of her favourites and appears in the Spring 2024 edition of SNAPS
But Steele warns this so-called sense of community can distract from the solitary practice of reading, turning into a fandom-based identity.
“BookTok kind of provides people with commodities around which they can build a sense of self. [Print] offers you a kind of like power that other commodities don’t, a sort of cachet that comes with reading print, that makes you feel a little bit smarter, maybe than the average bear,” says Steele Still, Steele points out that even though readers claim to be revisiting print literature, our phones are never far away.
“Reading is no longer a solitary act, even if you are doing it by yourself. It bleeds over into this communal thing, which is constantly enticing you from your phone,” he says. “Because maybe you read a book and you like a passage, you take a picture of it and you post that picture.”
So whether you’re snapping a photo for #BookTok or enjoying a quiet read in the book in the park, reading is an individual experience where you get to write your own narrative. And if you ever need recommendations, just search #Book
“It’s really scary to put your work out there because writing is inherently vulnerable and it’s like putting part of yourself out there,” Jules says. “Being vulnerable and facing that fear is important.”
Jules kicked off her student writer-in-residence role with a zine-making workshop on Sept. 24. A zine is a small DIY publication often used in non-traditional media. The workshop was the first in a series of literary events that Jules is planning on hosting to foster Western’s writing community. During the workshop, students learned how to bind paper together with thread and string.
The second workshop was held on Oct. 7,
co-hosted by Jules and Western’s writer-in-residence, Saeed Teebi. The workshop focused on character creation, teaching students how to write convincing, fully fleshed-out characters.
Jules is also the creative director of Western’s art and culture collective, ICONOCLAST. The collective is now accepting submissions for its upcoming issue, “.EXE” — named after the common file type from the 2000s.
Creative writers can submit work reflecting the theme by Oct. 25. The theme invites contributors to explore how their relationships with online spaces have evolved over their lifetime.
Jules first joined ICONOCLAST in her first year as an events commissioner before the magazine
disbanded the next year. In her third year, with a few friends, she helped to get the magazine running again.
“We felt that there weren’t a lot of opportunities for publication for Western students,” Jules says. “I wanted to be part of a community that creates a platform for artists to have their work shared.”
Jules holds office hours every Wednesday from 12 to 2 p.m. in University College room 4427 — appointments can be made by email. Students can come for help with brainstorming, editing and publishing student writing.
The student writer-in-residence Instagram account features students’ creative writing every Friday, with submissions accepted via email.
SOPHIE BOUQUILLON GAZETTE Student writer-in-residence Jules Lee during office hours in University College, room 4227, Oct. 2, 2024.
McIntosh Gallery debuts two new exhibits on war and culture
EVAN ROGERS CULTURE INTERN
McIntosh Gallery recently unveiled two new exhibits exploring themes of war, resistance and identity.
The first exhibit, “From Elsewhere to Here” by Sanaz Mazinani, uses audio and visual elements, like the sound of footsteps and kaleidoscope patterns, to explore how conflict is represented from different perspectives.
Mazinani, a studio arts professor at the University of Toronto, uses large, colourful filters throughout the exhibit for viewers to examine the artworks. For her, these filters represent how truth can become distorted when looking at issues through “rose-coloured glasses.”
“I knew that it had to deal with war because of what’s happening right now in Palestine, the devastation that’s going on there, and the unfortunate loss of life for everyone on both sides,” says Mazinani.
Fourth-year BMOS student Aisha Williams says she was impressed by the exhibition.
“I love the way it’s rich in culture and explores different themes, and breaks through other themes I didn’t think I’d find here today. So I’m honestly just impressed, and I will be here more often,” she says.
Student employment hits recent low
MIKAILA KIMBALL REPORTER
Students faced a challenging summer job market this year, as Statistics Canada reported the highest student unemployment rate in over a decade.
Between May and August, the student unemployment rate who intended to return to school full-time in the fall was 16.7 per cent on average — up from 12.9 per cent last year. This affected some Western University students as they tried to find summer jobs.
The unemployment rate rose to the highest level since summer 2012 — when it was 17.6 per cent — excluding summer 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic was in full swing.
Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey collects labour market data on youth aged 15 to 24.
“We’re starting to see the effects of the interest rate increases that the Bank of Canada put in place in order to try and cool down the economy and deal with inflation,” said Audra Bowlus, an economics professor at Western.
Inflation rates decreased to two per cent in August — the lowest rate seen since February 2021 and the first time central banks achieved their goal of two per cent inflation in three years.
This year also marks the first time the Bank of Canada has introduced three consecutive cuts to inflation since the 2009 financial crisis.
Western students like Taylor Branco, a fourthyear English student, found it more difficult to find a job this summer compared to previous years.
Branco said she printed off what felt like “hundreds of resumés” in her search for a summer job but received no response.
“I definitely felt defeated when summer was almost over and still I hadn’t heard back from any potential employers,” said Branco.
When there is less demand for goods and services, unemployment tends to rise as businesses cut back on hiring to save costs.
Bowlus said this can lead to fewer available consumer-based, primarily part-time jobs — such as retail.
“ We kind of knew this would happen,” said Bowlus. “In terms of young people, it can have a particularly strong effect on new entrants into the labour market.”
Bowlus also explained rising mortgage interest rates are forcing people to take on second jobs to get by. This is making the part-time job market more competitive, especially for students who are
On the other side of the gallery is “In Search of a Loss of Self: The Language of Alterity,” curated by Soheila Esfahani, a Western University visual arts professor, and Mélika Hashemi, an artist and researcher. This exhibit boasts an impressive collection of Islamic art.
Esfahani and Hashemi felt underrepresented by the gallery’s past collection of artists, so they curated this collection driven by a sense of loss.
“By doing this exhibition, we realized loss didn’t mean we were at a loss, and not all gaps meant we fell through the cracks. Rather, we had more space to explore freely,” says Esfahani.
One of the standout pieces of this exhibit — “The Copyist” by Jamelie Hassan — takes up an entire wall of the gallery. At the centre of the piece is a photograph of Hassan’s son, surrounded by bronze symbols. The piece shows a more generational perspective of Islamic culture and clarity about Islamic art.
Both exhibits will be on display at Mcintosh Gallery until Dec. 7.
Curator-led tours of the exhibits were held on Oct. 5, and an artist talk with Mazinani will be held on Nov. 14 in partnership with the visual arts course “Art Now!”
now competing against older, more experienced workers for positions.
“In my past job searches, I found I was able to secure a job in a much shorter amount of time compared to this summer,” said Branco. The summer job market in 2024 was particularly difficult for Black, Chinese and South Asian students, who faced considerably higher unemployment rates. Black students had the highest unemployment rate of 29.5 per cent between May and August — up from 10.1 per cent in summer 2023. According to Bowlus, the unemployment rate also often jumps in the summer months as many new job seekers — such as students — enter the market.
‘Though I didn’t have much luck this summer, I’m not going to let it affect my next job search. I’ll put my best foot forward,” said Branco.
Chiara’s Confessions: I’ve never had a good first date
CHIARA WALLACE SENIOR SOCIAL MEDIA AND LAYOUT EDITOR
The perfect meet-cute, an exchange of numbers, a reservation at a restaurant, playful conversation and the anticipation of the second date. Sounds like the perfect first date — or something you’d only see in movies.
When I first started dating in university, I quickly realized how far off the movies were. No one was showing up with flowers, throwing their jacket over a puddle or writing little love notes in class.
Dating in university was a massive reality check. “Dates” weren’t dates anymore; they were either “hangouts” or “hookups.”
I felt like I had to lower my expectations and accept little to no effort because that’s just how modern dating is. Over-the-top declarations of love were out. “U up?” and “Come over” were in. How romantic.
So, is it really a surprise that I’ve never been asked out to dinner? Not really.
I’ve only been asked out on dating apps, and even then, most dates I’ve been asked on either never happened or never led to a second date.
But if you’re lucky enough to land an actual date, you’ve only won half the battle. Planning the before, during and after of a date can be just as stressful.
While I can’t say much about what the perfect first date looks like, I can tell you what I’ve learned to make a first date a little less shitty.
What to do before: comfort is key Plan your outfit. Lay it out on your bed like you would before your first day of elementary school. Whether you reach for your sweatpants or a tight dress is up to you. Confidence and comfort make a great first impression.
Where to go: keep it simple
There’s no need to plan a multi-stop, full-day event for a date — you’re not asking for their hand in marriage. You’re just getting to know them.
Grab a coffee or a drink if you want something easy and reliable. Go see a really bad movie and talk about how weird it was over dinner. If you’re the competitive type, challenge them to miniputt, bowling or a trip to the arcade.
Even something as simple as a walk through the park can be fun with the right person — unless they’re boring.
What to say: be honest (to a point)
It’s okay to admit you’re nervous on a first date — you’re probably not alone.
If you’re having fun, tell them. If you think they’re funny, tell them. If you suddenly realize you’re not interested and have the urge to be brutally honest with them, maybe hold off until you know how you’re getting home.
What not to say: don’t overshare (or overthink)
Have you ever had someone tell you they want six kids on a first date? I have. Don’t be that person. Unless you’re both on the same wavelength, maybe try to avoid future life plan conversations until you’re sure you’re interested.
When it goes south: have an escape plan
Imagine this: you get asked to come over and “watch a movie.” Your date puts on Interstellar and motions for you to sit next to them on their twin bed. You have 10 minutes to think of something to get you out of sitting awkwardly beside them for the next three hours.
I’ve helped friends bail on dates before, and never regretted it. Whether you have a friend on standby to fake an emergency call or an imaginary excuse, it’s always best to go into a date with a safe — and believable — exit strategy.
A bad date can be a good story. And if the date is bad but the person is great? Well, maybe it’s worth a second chance.
Even though I haven’t had the perfect first date, I’m confident it’ll happen. The best things come when you least expect it, so for now I’ll stop waiting, and keep writing.
SOPHIE BOUQUILLON GAZETTE
Sanaz Mazinani at the opening reception of her exhibit “From Elsewhere to Here,” McIntosh Gallery, Sept 20, 2024.
Rising star Taylor Macdonald’s impressive start to her varsity career
THOMAS IRONS SPORTS EDITOR
Taylor Macdonald has taken the OUA by storm to start the season.
With 50 points already, she is leading the Western University women’s rugby team — an impressive feat from a rookie player.
Taylor’s breakout performance came in the Mustangs’ dominant 74-6 victory over the York University Lions, where she contributed 30 points. She bagged four tries while connecting on five conversions.
Her rugby journey began in high school, where she played rugby sevens — a quicker-paced version of the sport with only seven players a side compared to the usual 15. She notes the York game reminded her of sevens because of the speed at which they attacked York’s defence.
Originally from Victoria, B.C., Taylor started her athletic career playing soccer competitively before switching to rugby in Grade 9. Beginning on her high school team, she switched to high-level club rugby in Grade 10.
But her progress was cut short in Grade 11 when she tore her ACL, causing her to miss the entire season.
“It’s hard for anyone going through it. It was in the first two minutes of my second season I just planted my foot and turned and went down and knew,” says Taylor.
While waiting three months for surgery, Taylor focused on getting stronger even while sidelined. This meant she was still going to the gym, getting better each day and committed to the long road of rehab.
Taylor believes she returned from the injury stronger, faster and with a better rugby IQ. Despite her improvements, the time off did hinder her recruitment.
The Grade 11 year is important for athletes because schools closely scout the next group of players trying to take their skills to the university level. So, Taylor came up with an idea.
She built a website to showcase her highlights and created a resumé, which she emailed to coach-
es at different universities. Eventually, she connected with Mustangs women’s rugby head coach, Josh Campbell.
“I came out with my family in February with my mom and dad, and we toured around campus with Josh and a few players,” says Taylor.
She also notes the team, the overall school culture and the academics at Western really stuck with her, even while touring other schools.
Since joining the Mustangs, Taylor has enjoyed getting to know her team.
“It’s been an intense six, seven weeks so far, but it’s been good. I’ve had a really good experience getting to meet the upper years and the vets incorporating the rookies in, it’s been good,” says Taylor.
The biggest challenge for Taylor has been moving across the country and adjusting to a new lifestyle away from her family. But the rugby team has been very supportive, making the transition easier and contributing to her success on the pitch.
“The rugby team has been a really nice constant with that experience and transition. They’ve been really solid on helping to make it easier,” says Taylor.
As a first-year player, Taylor didn’t expect much playing time, hoping to gain some experience and build up confidence at the university level.
But she has far exceeded her own expectations and goals, having started every game and collecting in all but one.
“ When I made the starting lineup on the first game, I was like, ‘Wow sweet, let’s do it,’” says Taylor.
Training and staying fit are priorities for Taylor, and she’s comitted to continuing her hard work in the offseason to return stronger next year.
“I’ve gone to the gym a lot and want to keep working on my cardio, get my passing stronger and keep perfecting the conversion kicks as well,” she says.
Taylor has already made a name for herself in the Ontario University Athletics women’s rugby scene. She looks to continue being a driving force on the team for years to come, with aspirations of winning some hardware.
The art of a Western tailgate party
HANNAH ALPER COORDINATING EDITOR
As you make your way toward Western Alumni Stadium, the unmistakable smell of beer wafts through the air, mixed with the sizzling sound of hot dogs on a grill. The laughter and chatter from groups of people just a little older than the average student crowd swirl around you.
Something feels different.
Then you realize — it’s alumni tailgating at the Homecoming game.
Contrary to popular belief, HOCO is more than just an opportunity for students to walk around Broughdale Avenue dozens of times to visit dozens of house parties that inevitably get shut down.
For many, it’s when hundreds return to London, to Western University and their roots, to celebrate their connection to the purple and white.
The art of tailgating has become a long-standing tradition at universities across North America. In stadium parking lots, fans and alumni gather beside their parked cars to eat, drink, catch up and play games — leaving only to take their seats at the football game when the ball kicks off and the game begins.
Bernie Tessier, a 1998 geography graduate, and Lindsay Bell, a 2001 sociology graduate, have been coming to Western to tailgate for as long as they can remember.
Tessier proudly sports his Vanier Cup championship ring from the Mustangs’ victory in 1994 — 30 years ago.
“I played football here, so I have a tie. It’s a great opportunity to see some of the guys I played with
and went to school with during my times here at Western,” says Tessier.
One of Tessier’s coaches was none other than Greg Marshall, now the head coach of the Mustangs, who was the offensive coordinator when he played.
“I played basketball here at Western, and just seeing the athletic community of Western all come together … It’s just nice to see everyone again,” says Bell. “I love the game of football too, so supporting that program is great.”
Tailgating isn’t a new tradition. It dates back to the fall harvest celebrations of ancient Greek and Roman times when people celebrated with food, drinks and music before winter set in.
Today, tailgating is essential in building fan culture at NFL and college football games. It’s all about expressing loyalty to a team — in this case, the Western Mustangs. Fans create a community by setting up decorations, cooking meals and sharing drinks.
At Western, it’s more than just pre-game festivities. For alumni, reuniting with old friends in the atmosphere outside the stadium is also a symbolic homecoming to the memories and friendships forged on and off the field.
For some alumni, coming back to the Mustangs’ hallowed grounds includes tailgating but also being honoured by the team that meant so much to them.
Patrice Denis, a linebacker for the Mustangs from 1993 to 1996, looked back fondly on his time wearing purple and white. The night before this year’s HOCO game, he was inducted into the Western Mustangs Sports Hall of Fame.
During his time, the Mustangs won two Yates Cups, two Atlantic Bowl championships, two Churchill Bowl championships and a Vanier Cup.
“Being here, there’s a lot of memories. It’s so good to be back here and see everybody and the extended family,” says Denis.
Denis was named Ontario University Athletics first team all-star for three years, Canadian Interuniversity Sport — now U Sports — first team allstar for two years, OUA defensive player of the year in 1995 and, in the same year, was nominated as the U Sports top defensive player of the year.
Denis served as team captain during his final season with the Mustangs and was drafted by the Edmonton Eskimos — now Elks — in the second round of the 1996 CFL draft, where he played from 1997 to 1999.
“I’m from Montreal, so it’s kind of tricky. I try to come in once in a while. I was here a few years ago. But I will be back more often,” Denis says. “It’s great to see teammates and everybody — like it was yesterday.”
While tailgating is a more famous tradition at NFL games, the ones at Western hold memories that keep alumni coming back for more every year.
“So if people want to celebrate the things that happened in the glory days, sign me up. I’ll show up. It was a bunch of great people and a ton of memories,” says Denis.
ANGELIA PAN GAZETTE
SOPHIE BOUQUILLON GAZETTE Taylor MacDonald, Alumni Field, Oct. 4, 2024.
Western Crossword
ACROSS
1. But I’ve got a blank space, baby / And I’ll write your name
8. A nintendo console
9. It’s not a phase
11. Somewhere to post
12. A colourful fish
14. A brute
15. What happens when you get too close to Western birds
18. I’ll get there soon
19. Keep it balanced
20. A good head on your shoulders
24. Very mindful. Very demure.
26. Not like a butterfly, like a bee
28. Oh, nevermind
29. Part of a French skeleton
30. Hugs and kisses
31. Crystal
DOWN
1. Upside down pineapple
2. Will Elijah Wood wear one?
3. The second 4. Leave without one
5. An Apple software
6. Dancing after a good shave
Christian
13. 5 years in the Marvel Cinematic Universe
16. The fourth period in a hockey game
17. This band doesn’t really wanna know how your garden grows
21. A singular item
22. Citizen-organized
23. The feminine plural
25. Not out
27. Me, as well
Email your comics or crosswords to managing@westerngazette.ca or come to UCC 263 and ask about volunteering for our Graphics section!
HELENA ORTEZA GAZETTE
MADELEINE MCCOLL GAZETTE
7. Not
girl Autumn 10. Mötley