THE INNIS HERALD VOLUME V, ISSUE 3
From Innis to Myanmar and back again Interview with former Ambassador Mark McDowell
29 NOVEMBER 2018
WUSC's required funds to be covered by ICSS Andrew Zhao INNIS LIFE
The Innis College WUSC Committee needs additional funds to continue its Student Refugee Program this year. At the November 26 ICSS meeting, WUSC Committee chair Caroline Wrobel reported that the committee requires $3500 to continue funding the program due to a variety of factors.
COURTESY OF SHAYLA ANDERSON
Mark McDowell (second row, centre) with students of Innis College, Principal Keil, Alumni and Advancement Officer Ennis Blentic (back row, second from right), and WUSC and Innis Alumnus, Sheila Htoo (first row, left). downtown Toronto again and available. Not a week later, I sat down with Mark McDowell outside the Innis College Library with my voice memo recording app and clipboard of handwritten questions ready.
Louisa You
INNIS LIFE
Mark McDowell is an Innis alumnus, Canadian diplomat, and former Ambassador of Canada, credited with opening the first Canadian embassy in the Union of the Republic of Myanmar. On this particular brisk morning, he came from an important meeting to sit down for an interview with me on his way to deliver food to his son. Around us were students studying with headphones in, people rushing to and from class, in and out of the library. McDowell scooted his chair closer so my phone resting on the windowsill to the side could pick up the full transcript of our conversation. We had met the week before at a dinner organized by Principal Charlie Keil to introduce students to successful alumni working in their fields of interest. McDowell was one of two featured alumni guests. The other was Sheila Htoo, alumna of the World University Services Canada (WUSC) Student Refugee program at Innis and doctoral candidate at York University. Htoo graduated from Innis’s Urban Studies program and is now researching ethnic conflict in Myanmar, whence her family had once been forced to flee.
How does one go from a Bachelor’s of Arts degree at the University of Toronto to opening a new Canadian embassy? While McDowell is now known for his extensive work in foreign service and international organizations, one of the first things he told me during our interview was that “I had absolutely no plan for my life when I started [my undergraduate degree].” That uncertainty characterized his graduating class. In his time at Innis, McDowell knew of only one friend who had a plan (to go into medical school), but nobody else studying arts and science thought their goals and plans for the future through. Now, he says, there is an impression that even high school students should be worried about their lives after school.
When McDowell came to Innis in the 1980’s, he was attracted to the “counterculture” of Innis College. He remembers meeting “oddballs” and “off-beat people” who even avoided College sports and intramurals because “no organized activities are counter-culture”. He described the only negative memory from this time was having to commute and missing out on further experiencing the College culture (his era was that before the current Innis Residence building was built). His undergraduate degree collided Although the dinner was intended for students to with the beginning of the punk and new wave era; he learn more about the alumnis’ work and career paths, even learned to play the bass guitar from a friend who McDowell began by asking what each student was happened to be missing a bassist for their band. studying at the University of Toronto. Where were they from? What were they interested in? Where did While I was frantically worrying about how I could they see themselves going after undergrad? It was an finish my own degree within four years, McDowell absolute delight to talk about everything from how described his undergraduate experience as a “happy much I loved Vancouver to the effect of cyber-hack- mess.” He spent his first two years at Innis without ing and deep fakes on the integrity of elections in de- a strong direction. In third year, he “hitch-hiked” veloping nations. As dessert was served, McDowell around Europe and decided on studying social sciwanted to hear each student’s future plans as much ence. He later spent another year abroad in China as we wanted to hear about his experiences. where he learned to speak Chinese fluently and found a vague desire for a future career that was somehow It was an absolute honour for me, as well as for all focused on Asia. McDowell credits this time that he the other students, to meet the distinguished alum- took off of university as a crucial opportunity to disni guests and hear their stories. I asked both for the cover what he loved and open his eyes and ears. Later opportunity to interview them if they were ever in Continued on page 5
The WUSC Committee works with the larger WUSC (World University Service of Canada) organization to sponsor a refugee student to attend Innis College every year. As a subcommittee of the ICSS, the WUSC Committee receives $7.00 out of the $34.06 each student pays to the ICSS each semester. Wrobel pointed to several reasons beyond the committee’s control to explain the budget shortfall. One of the main reasons is an increase in the service charge paid to the WUSC parent organization. Innis College’s student population exceeded 2000 students this year and the service charge increased from $2000 to $3000 as a result. This service charge funds the work the WUSC organization does with refugee students before they arrive at their host universities. It is unclear who has covered this service charge in the past. In a statement to the Herald, Wrobel wrote that to the best of her knowledge, the money for the service charge “has not come from the WUSC levy in the past.” She told the Herald that she was “not sure” about who paid the charge in past years, but will have to consult with administration to find out more. The committee currently owes $500 from last year’s service charge and does not have money in their budget for the $3000 service charge this year. Wrobel said at the meeting that the entire budget for 2018–2019 was already committed to covering refugee students’ living costs. Since WUSC has already committed to sponsoring a student this year and next year, it needs to follow through on the payments. Principal Charlie Keil has offered to step in and pay the outstanding $3500 if it is needed urgently. However, he emphasized that WUSC is a students-serving-students initiative that should be funded by the ICSS and not college admin moving forward. Despite Principal Keil’s offer, all ICSS members present at the meeting agreed to find money in the 2018–2019 budget to cover the service charge. To address the long-term viability of the committee, President Brandon Liu and Executive Vice-President Sarah Chocano proposed a referendum to increase the portion of student fees WUSC receives by $1.50 per student per semester. This solution would have no effect on overall student fees and would only change fee allocations. While all members present agreed to cover the service fee this year, they were unable to reach a consensus on a path forward and resolved to vote on the issue at the next ICSS meeting in the new year.
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29 NOVEMBER 2018
THE
INNIS HERALD EDITOR-IN-CHIEF JAMES CHAPMAN MANAGING EDITOR MICHELLE ZHANG CREATIVE DIRECTOR LOUISA YOU LAYOUT EDITOR DARIA MANCINO ONLINE EDITOR & SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR JULIE SHI SENIOR COPY EDITOR SARAH LAUDENBACH CONTRIBUTORS AL-AMIN AHAMED SABRINA DANIELE CALDER MORTON-FERGUSON GEORGE KELL TONY NIU EMMA PAULUS SHANKHALIKA SRIKANTH VICTOR XIAO ANDREW ZHAO PHOTOGRAPHERS AND ILLUSTRATORS AL-AMIN AHAMED SHAYLA ANDERSON SABRINA DANIELE SARAH LAUDENBACH TONY NIU SABINE OSMANN-DEYMAN JERUBY RETNAKANTHAN THANKS TO ALLIE HAYES ROBERT PATRICK GABRIEL TJONG BEN WESTRATE ETHAN WONG DANIEL ZANGRANDO
FOLLOW US! @theinnisherald www.theinnisherald.com The Innis Herald has given a voice to the students of Innis College and the University of Toronto since 1965. We circulate 1000 copies of our paper to Innis students, alumni, faculty, and anyone else who happens to come across it. We are committed to covering stories that matter to students. Our content aims to help students connect to their college, campus, city, and world.
RECYCLE OR DIE.
Free food events: A highlight of my undergrad
Re: Commuter free food events, why is this still a thing?
As a student it is easy to criticize budget spending and the events planned. I know how difficult it is having been an undergraduate student myself: sleepless nights and tight purse strings. Remember that the ICSS members give their own free time as volunteers to engage the Innis commuWhen I look back on my undergrad and think about the nity. The ICSS members spend considerable time out of friends that would help me through thick and thin, I re- their own busy days to ensuring that events are: member that I met many of them through free food events at the Innis Commuter Lounge. Living in residence in first 1. Accessible to students year introduced me to the residence community, but when 2. Held at the right time (no late nights or weekends for commuters!) I moved out in second year, I was isolated once more. Free food events are a mechanism to gather people together to 3. At the right location (think commuting again!) relax and chat amid stressful times. It was where I met my 4. For the right amount of money current roommate Hania, who I would come to call a lifeTake for example, Sky Zone: a first-time creative event I long friend. For me, these events were the very definition wanted to run with my fellow athletics director that never of promoting the community at Innis. left the drawing board. The event would cost about $1000, An interesting perception exists where people just rush but there may not be enough students attending due to the in, rush out, and run off with the food. This was not my ex- time and location. Every effort is made to engage the most perience at all. Between bites, free food was an opportunity students possible and ensure that student money is spent to not worry about lunch money and to sit down and so- on the student experience. So, challenge Innis students: cialize with fellow Innisians. The events are well-targeted what are your ideas? What vision do you see for Innis? May to commuters like me, where the Innis lounge is like a sec- we have the budget one day so events can make it off of the ond home. There have been countless times where I would drawing board and become a yearly tradition in which we go to the commuter lounge to wash a Tupperware or sit are proud?
Zihan Cai
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
down and relax to find a welcoming surprise of specialty treats.
It’s also interesting to note a misconception that strangers can come and take food as they please. For the Popeyes event last year, a list was printed out and two ICSS members checked the name and student number of each individual to assure that everyone who received food was an Innis student. The ICSS does not re-post of any free food events in other Facebook pages, though it is impossible to control others from doing so. Of course, I’ll acknowledge that once in a while, someone brings non-Innis friends. However, most of the food does, in fact, go to Innis commuter students. This is the same for annual free food events, such as the athletics banquet and pub nights. Names and students numbers are collected in the sign up process to ensure that only Innis students attend.
Free food is the time for people to get together. It is the time I know when my friends will congregate in the commuter lounge. And do the students stay engaged? Of course they do. Here I am, graduated from Innis and writing this article. Each time I enter the lounge I see a core group of commuter students that contribute to the Innis community. It is impossible to engage everyone, yet free food is one of the best ways to try. Sharing a meal at no cost with others is most certainly different than buying food on my own. There is a family away from home to eat with you and listen to your stories. The best thing is you don't have to worry about how much it costs. In the cold, bleak days of winter, there is the Innis commuter lounge with a warm, chewy pizza. In the stress and madness of midterm season, Innis students welcome me with open arms and a sweet, decadent cookie. Part of what I like so much about Innis is that every dollar is spent on Innis students. May the ICSS continue their work as volunteers in bringing the best experience possible to students so that they may have positive experiences like mine.
The Innis community is comprised of 2000 wonderful students. Hypothetically, if students were to shoulder the $6374.59 for free food events it turns out approximately $3 per person. Compare that to buying a combo at Popeyes individually and the numbers speak for themselves. This is before the consideration that many students cannot afford Zihan Cai is an Innis alumna and was formerly an Athletics Dito eat out. Take, for example, the annual ski trip, an engage- rector on the Innis College Student Society from 2015-2016. She ment opportunity not based on food. The cost of running is now pursuing a Masters of Environmental Science at UTSC. such an event is upwards of $60 per person. It requires considerable thought and planning by ICSS members. In WE ARE ACCEPTING my opinion, free food is one of the “biggest bang for our buck” ways to engage the community. I am glad that current off-campus representatives are creative, imaginative and willing to invest in more than free food events. I am grateful for their creativity, their time and their work as elected volunteers for the Innis community. Of course, the choice remains at the hands of the students to participate in an event or not. When has it ever not been this way? It is not the responsibility of the ICSS to force people into community engagement.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
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29 NOVEMBER 2018
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Intersections: Identity and Intersectionality Michelle Zhang, ICSS Equity & Outreach Director
COURTESY OF WINSTON CHAN
“To me identity is how you relate yourself to the world, it’s how you relate yourself to different social groups and your environment. It influences your perspective on the world and how you fit into that world. Coming from a social science perspective, I’m doing a lot of work on group studies and ethnic conflict in my classes and it’s really interesting to see how people’s beliefs of who they are and where they fit in influence their behaviour. I’m a firm believer in the subjectivity of experience and that truth itself is subjective, and I think that intersectionality and the dialogue around it really acknowledges that fact - that no two peoples’ experiences of one thing are the same. And I think that’s really important to address and acknowledge because if we’re trying to make the world a better place, then we need to be accommodating. We can’t just find some archetypal person and tailor the world to their needs, because one size does not fit all. Intersectionality reflects the individualization of reality and how we experience it and how we understand it, and it ties in all of an individual's past experiences, expectations, and socializations, in a unique way that sets them apart from other people.”
Megan Pham-Quan, ICSS Equity & Outreach Director “I think that your identity compounds who you are and what experiences you’ve had, as well as what context you come from. So that extends it back into the past, and you can look backwards at all the things that made you who you are, your accomplishments and your setbacks. Of course, this includes things that are out of your control as well, so obstacles based on elements of your identity such as race, or gender, or sexual orientation. But identity also shapes your perspective, right? Identity shapes your plans for the future, it shapes how you look out into the world and decide what you want to do, and it also shapes how easy or how difficult it will be to accomplish those plans. Speaking from my personal experience, I’ve felt very welcomed in my identity at Innis college. It’s a small community, but for such a small college there's a lot of representation within student leadership and the clubs and communities that you can join. That being said, I think being small has its setbacks. Recently we’ve been working with Woodsworth and they have a much larger fleshed-out equity committee, as well as organizations that tailor to specific identities, which we have too with INpride. I definitely think we could have much more COURTESY OF NANCY ZHAO representation in that sense, but I’ve still always felt welcomed at Innis regardless.”
Alex Edwards, INpride President
COURTESY OF JERUBY RETNAKANTHAN
“Identity is complicated for me. I’ve always sort of struggled with my identity and where I fit it, being bisexual and also with my gender identity—I still struggle with that. But identity sort of… allows community, I feel. I feel like sometimes people place too much emphasis on identity, but I also think it’s important for community building. Of course, I’ve struggled with my place at university - ‘cause it’s so big! So being a part of Innis and being a part of INpride in particular, helps a lot. INpride is very important to me because it helps me connect with people like me in the university and the Innis community in general, which is super important! Especially as somebody who doesn’t live in residence anymore, I still get that connection to a community through INpride. When it comes to intersectionality, I think a lot of different people have different ideas of what it really means… To me, it means ensuring that a lot of different people are acknowledged and included. I’m very aware of myself being a white person, and I feel like that’s very important to acknowledge in terms of my position of power in a student leadership role. So to me, intersectionality is acknowledging where you stand and how much power you hold, but also how you can include other people.”
Tony Niu, ICSS International Student Representative “Identity is the way you perceive yourself, the way you see yourself as a person… For example, if you’re talking about the LGBTQ community, there’s a spectrum and people can see where they fit in. Innis, as a college helps me feel comfortable in my identity because everybody respects each other and we’re all open and comfortable with our identities. At Innis, I don’t feel like people are being excluded or like they’re the outsider. Respect is the most important thing!” INtersections is an initiative of the ICSS Equity and Outreach Portfolio, curated by Equity and Outreach Associate Jeruby Retnakanthan. Meant to provide a platform for Innis’ diverse student body to engage with the most pressing equity issues experienced in our communities, INtersections is published every month on the Equity and Outreach and Innis Inspirations Facebook pages and in each edition of The Innis Herald.
COURTESY OF JERUBY RETNAKANTHAN
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29 NOVEMBER 2018
Orientation Coordinators resign from council Daria Mancino INNIS LIFE At the ICSS Annual General Meeting (AGM) on October 29th, a motion passed to remove the section of the ICSS Constitution allowing Orientation Coordinators (OCs) to join council after the end of Orientation Week. In the two days following this meeting, OCs Jericho Allick and Isheeta Chakrabarti both resigned from council in two emails sent to the ICSS executives. Previously, section 11.5 of the ICSS Constitution outlined the voting rights and council membership that was made available to Orientation Coordinators after Orientation Week. Section 11.5 stated that “At the end of Orientation Week, the Orientation Coordinators shall be given the option to remain on council as voting members, and as members of the Social subcommittee. If they choose not to exercise that option, they shall forfeit their voting privileges for the remainder of term unless they fill another position. If they choose to remain on council, that membership must be approved by referendum at the September By-Elections.”
COURTESY OF TONY NIU
Innis College first years participate in Orientation Week to familiarize themselves with campus and to make friends.
whoever decided to run for that same position to get the most votes,” she said. Palmer believes that the OCs “are hired and paid for doing a job and it should be separate from them running for council.” She felt strongly that this hiring system “should not provide [the OCs] with an “express route” to council that others do not have access to.” Proponents of this motion generally agreed that the change was more democratic and that the previous policy gave OCs During the September by-elections, students had an unfair route to council. However, not all students the option to either confirm Allick and Chakrabarti’s supported the motion and some spoke out against it membership on council, or to spoil their ballot for at the AGM. that section. OCs are hired in the spring prior to the upcoming Orientation Week by a committee comLucas Granger, the Innis College UTSU Director, posed of the ICSS executives and former OCs [edi- is one of the students who opposed the motion. In a tor’s note: this past year the selection committee was statement to the Herald, Granger said “I just think it the ICSS executive, one former OC, and one social is sad to see the loss of two voices on a council that director], making their election to council without a could generally provide some insight into issues,” re‘no’ vote option somewhat undemocratic. This flaw flecting his belief that “more voices on a council or in the election protocol prompted the constitutional student government usually isn't a bad thing.” Grangchange at the AGM. er felt that claims about the undemocratic nature of the positions were slightly unfair, especially claims At the AGM, VP Finance Janielle Palmer moved that the OCs should have to run for a position in the forward a motion to “remove Section 11 subsection fall by-election. “The flaw with this is that in a perfect 5 entirely” from the ICSS Constitution, which was situation, there would be no spots on the ICSS vacant seconded by ICSS Photo-Videographer Winston for upper years,” Granger said, noting that “only the Chan. This would remove the option for OCs to se- First Year Reps and ICC Reps are elected in the fall cure membership on council for the upcoming aca- unless there are other vacancies.” Provided that the demic year after the close of Orientation Week. In OCs did not already hold a council position upon the future, OCs would have to run for an open ICSS their hiring, they would have to wait until the followposition in order to gain council membership. This ing spring to run for council. change would apply to the 2019 OCs, but did not apply to Allick and Chakrabarti. Granger also felt that the proposal was “sudden” and could have been better addressed through referThis motion was the most contentious issue pre- endum rather than as “an outright slash to positions.” sented at the AGM, and prompted debate among Granger believes this could have potentially includthose in attendance. Students who supported the ed the creation of upper-year reps, which would give motion argued that it was more fair to other potential “students who didn't know if they wanted to get inICSS candidates. Chan, who was also an Orientation volved a chance to do so” and would allow the OCs Leader, told the Herald that he seconded the mo- “to apply without having to hold two positions over tion “because of my personal belief in the democrat- the summer.” ic process… whereby every student should be given the right to openly challenge fellow colleagues when Despite the somewhat heated debate that took it comes to serving in an elected position of power.” place at the AGM, with strong voices on both sides Chan felt that prior to this change, OCs “were given of the argument, the motion passed with 71 votes in an unfair advantage at representation” because no favour, 23 opposed, and 13 abstentions. other student could run for their positions on council. On October 30th, one day after the AGM, Allick emailed her resignation to the ICSS Executive team. Palmer, who created the motion, expressed simi- In a statement to the Herald, Allick explained that lar sentiments. “Other council members had to get a she “felt like the council this year wasn't a good envicertain amount of signatures and campaign against ronment” for her personally. She also referenced the
nature of her position as an OC, and the recent AGM decision, as influencing factors. “Being in the position of coordinator, I feel that my ‘value’ to the council, considering that orientation was now over, changed,” said Allick. “These feelings were later solidified by the fact that a motion to not provide future OCs with the opportunity to be on council made it very clear that, to some, my position was not welcomed or even necessary.” Allick does not support the change made at the AGM, stating that removing the possibility for OC positions to transfer over to council is “taking away opportunities” for student participation, a key reason she joined the ICSS in first year as the First-Year Off-Campus Representative. Allick also felt the AGM change was a loss for council, as the OC council position was intended to provide support to first year students. Allick reflected on her training as an OC that provided her with various resources and information, saying that “taking away that resource and vital piece [the OCs] from council is like throwing away a dictionary.” Allick was not present at this year’s AGM and did not proxy her vote. Chakrabarti emailed her resignation one day later on October 31st. She echoed similar sentiments to Allick in her statement to the Herald, stating “I personally resigned after I heard [about the motion]. It showed me that not only am I not welcome on council but the knowledge and work each OC has put in year after year is not valued.” Chakrabarti felt strongly that the continuation of the OCs’ work was beneficial to the student body, stating that she has learned “more in the past six months about our college and school than I have over the past few years as a student.” Chakrabarti believes that “[the OCs’] role is to work for our incoming students to make sure that their transition into the school is nothing but smooth and this continues beyond Orientation [Week].” In her eyes, removing the potential for OCs to serve on council amounts to “stripping away opportunities for our students, and that's not okay.” The Herald reached out to the ICSS Executive team for comment, who said in a join statement that “[The OCs’] resignation came as a surprise to us, due to the fact that we had a meeting with them earlier that week to discuss our working relationship moving forward through the 18-19 school year.” Allick and Chakrabarti had each attended one out of eight ICSS meetings during the fall term.
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Limbo on Line 1
Advice and lamentations from commuters erate, because commuters tend to be on campus for longer hours.” How do you think commuter life can be improved on campus? “I feel that Innis College allows and encourages its students to rely on it for help and resources to feel more comfortable. It’s useful to have that FB page, with constant updates, as a source for information.” Stephanie Kroone: 4th year, English, French and Education and Society Where do you commute from? “Scarborough, near Malvern.” How much time do you allot to commuting? COURTESY OF SARAH LAUDENBACH “On a very good day an hour, on a bad day more than two.” Students hang out in the commuter lounge between classes. How do you deal with delays? “Nothing you can do about delays, if I’m somewhere where they announce it I sit tight, it it’s a connecting station I might consider using the other line resulting in a longer commute. Any tips for commuters? “Practice mindfulness and really think about what matters to The TTC is well known for its delays, which sometimes makes you, and why those things matter.” it an unreliable option when trying to get somewhere on time. How do you feel commuters are represented at Innis? “I’m not sure that we really are. Those of us who have to The fact of the matter is that it’s usually the only option. struggle to get involved are but because we raise our voices. As most students try to save money, many commute ear- Those who can’t do that face Innis’ ‘tight-knit’ community as ly in the morning from places like Mississauga, Etobicoke, or an outsider.” Richmond Hill. I interviewed fellow Innis students that com- How do you think commuter life can be improved on campus? mute from all over the GTA to get some insight towards their “It’s always on the commuter to get themselves involved and I think it’s time the community started reaching out to us.” experience as commuters.
Al-amin Ahamed INNIS LIFE
Tom Leschinski: 2nd year, Philosophy Where do you commute from? “I commute from Thornhill.” How much time do you allot to commuting? “It takes about 1 hour and 25 minutes to commute so I generally leave 20 minutes earlier to adjust for delays.” How do you deal with delays? “I split my time between reading, listening to music or educational podcasts. Sometimes it’s great to sit and relax.” Any tips for commuters? “Give yourself a lot of time to commute, it makes things flexible and okay if delays happen spontaneously, which they do a lot.” How do you feel commuters are represented at Innis? “There isn’t a lot of inclusion per se. Most of the important events are at night but at that point I’m home. I appreciate free food events but those seem to be getting cut.” How do you think commuter life can be improved on campus? “I think communication is key. People need to ask us what we want and what works for us. I want more free food events.”
Based on the interviews, I compiled a list of things that might make your future commutes more tolerable: 1. Make a playlist: Set up a playlist with upbeat jams to keep you awake. 2. Read: Bring a book or some school work to make your commute more productive. 3. Commute with someone: Commute with a friend. It allows you to catch up and have a fun conversation. 4. Nap: Take advantage of longer commute times to squeeze in a short power nap. 5. Mindfulness: Take the time to reflect on what matters to you and de-stress. Alongside dealing with delays, it seems commuters have a hard time feeling included in campus life. Innis is already a small college and the fact that we are so behind in creating a social circle that’s inclusive to commuters is crazy. Important events and commuter activities aren’t flexible, and can’t cater to most commuters’ convenience.
There seems to be a lack of communication and inability to Hania Eid: 3rd year, Equity Studies, Spanish and Pogauge what commuters want and need. The cutting of free litical Science food events, which seems to be the only thing commuters Where do you commute from? enjoy, isn’t really helping build a more inclusive environment. “I commute from North York.” How much time do you allot to commuting? As an actual commuter, I feel it realistically encourages a “My commute can range from 40 to 90 minutes, depending more segregated atmosphere that makes it harder for comon the time and weather conditions.” muters to socialize with people on campus. These events are How do you deal with delays? the only opportunity to connect with Innis commuters, so it’s “I typically listen to music or if I bring a book with me, I try to not practical to have fewer of them simply because non-Innis read some of it.” students attend them too. Any tips for commuters? “I would recommend that commuters always leave 15 minutes Smarter decisions need to be made that include the actual earlier than your allotted time. It’s always better to be early voices of commuters to make rational and effective decisions. than to arrive late.” It’s about time we address these issues, because TTC delays How do you feel commuters are represented at Innis? seem to be the least of our problems. “I appreciate that there is a commuter lounge that creates a comfortable space for commuters to relax and take a break. Editor's note: The Herald has learned that free food events are not I always hear about free food events which are very consid- being cancelled but are being paired with activities.
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Myanmar and back Continued from page 1
on in life, the languages he learned would give him an undeniable advantage when applying for a job at Global Affairs Canada. “Foreign affairs was a much later thing,” McDowell waved his hand as he described his Master’s degree and the beginnings of a PhD at Harvard University. Perhaps like many current students, he liked school and decided to roll into graduate degrees. “[Academia] was the one thing I was good at… I wish I had thought a little bit more about it.” Although he had a vague idea of pursuing a professorship in undergrad, he later left the doctoral degree to leave the student life behind. He took the foreign services exam and began his career. Years later, McDowell eventually went back to school for another Master’s degree. In every alumni interview, I like to ask my guest for advice to give to current students. And although each piece of wisdom often sounds similar, these truths are distilled from lives of experiences that give meaning and background far more useful to students than the simple words themselves. McDowell’s advice for students is to work hard, pursue beyond what you know you are interested in, and never miss classes. “Don’t waste time playing video games or sleeping in. Take advantage of all the opportunities and meet new people.” In his case, he had no plan to study Chinese, but bumped into some people in the library that piqued a curiosity that had a lasting impact in his life. Although he took longer to complete his undergraduate degree, he made it clear that his path is not a recommendation for current students to “relax and goof around,” especially given today’s increased competition both academically and economically. Instead, he urges students to really pursue their interests. “You’ve got to accept that you’re going to have to work hard and suffer to an extent… you have to not see this as a daily grind in order to be able to get through.” “When I did my second [Master’s] degree, I did get much more out of it… I was much more disciplined about doing my work… and able to take advantage of extra-curricular activities. You get a third of your benefits from your class and a third from your classmates and then a third from everything else that’s going on around the university.”
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29 NOVEMBER 2018
In correspondence with Bob Bossin Trans-Mountain Pipeline expansion in British Columbia.
Louisa You INNIS LIFE In the last edition of the Herald, we published an early contender for an official Innis song, titled "An Innocuous, Inoffensive, Totally Respectful and Reverent albeit Tongue-in-Cheek School Song for Innis College". We reached out to the original lyricist himself, Bob Bossin, who graduated from Innis in 1968 with flying colours, and is now known for his folk music (including as co-founder of the group Stringband) and social activism.
“Thank you for reminding me of 'Who the Hell was Harold Innis'. I remember writing it but had forgotten most of the lyrics, which actually aren't bad, Bob’s activism began during his school days, where eh? I don't remember a debate about making it the he described Innis as a campus “aboil with activism”. College's official song but the thought of such a thing We reached out to Bob to ask about his memories as makes me chuckle. a student on this very campus, and for some advice for current students who feel the need to make a real “I arrived in '65, the second year of the College's difference in the world. existence. We inhabited a portable - left over from the war years? - next to the old observatory on front Bob, now in his 70’s, wrote back to us in a beauti- campus. At that point, the College had neither its fully eloquent reply, giving us a useful tip to “snort it own classes - which we took at U.C. - nor its own resbefore you shoot it.” idence.
That was a bit of a misrepresentation: his actual After looking up Bob on the internet, we found one advice for current students is: "Just 'cause you are savof his more recent compositions, which is a complete ing the world, it doesn't mean you have to have a bad departure in tone and content from the Innis Song. time." Titled, “We Don’t Want Your Pipeline”, the Youtube You can read his complete comments, and the wisvideo features Bob performing along with images of real protestors onsite against the Kinder Morgan dom he wants to share with Innis students, here:
“We pretty much all knew each other. We were all or virtually all white, but otherwise pretty varied: right-wing, left-wing, academics, activists, athletes and acid heads. Mine was the graduating class when Ken Stone ripped us his degree on the stage of Convocation Hall. It made the front page of the Star and was a source of chagrin or pride depending on your political persuasion. “That was 1968 and Innis and the campus, indeed all campuses, were aboil with activism. Vietnam protests; demands for a more liberal university. Not everyone was caught up, but enough were to elect an activist SAC, with me as the Innis rep. (I think there were two of us.) Mine was the era that gave birth to Innis's (somewhat) modern academic program with film and environmental studies and a briefly extant free-form course called Contemporary Social Something-or-Other which, in its short life, generated considerable controversy and would merit an article of its own. I was one of the "resource people." Ah, those were the days.
COURTESY OF ROBERT PATRICK
Undergraduate student, Bob Bossin, with banjo in hand, leads the Engineer’s Lady Godiva Memorial Band towards Soldiers Tower in 1966. The original site of Innis College is in the background, left.
INNIS INTRAMURALS
Co-ed Flag Football
The ICSS Athletics portfolio supports over a Nov. 18 dozen intramural teams. If you're interested in getting involed, contact: athletics.icss@gmail.com
Co-ed Basketball
Innis
Innis
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43 - 40
Nov. 13
18 - 26
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Dentistry
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Innis MedSci
Munk
“You ask, "How do you think students can effect change?" That's a simple one: any way they can. And they better be quick about it. If not, I won't be around to suffer the consequences but you will and the consequences of inaction look to be dire. As we used to say, "If you keep going the way you're going, you're gonna wind up where you're headed." “I had to laugh when you asked me for advice to contemporary students. I was asked this once before by Innis when they decided to put pictures on the wall of notable Innis grads, along with our advice. Mine was "Snort it before you shoot it," which seemed to me to be a useful tip. But it was a bit racy for the walls of the College, so they suggested I try again. No problem: "Just 'cause you are saving the word, it doesn't mean you have to have a bad time.”
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-Bob Bossin
Co-ed Ultimate Frisbee 27 - 36
Sept. 20
Innis
Nov. 17 Rehab
Men's Ice Hockey Nov. 11
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Women's Soccer
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Oct. 27 Woodsworth (Default)
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1-0 Pharmacy
COURTESY OF INNIS ALUMNI
Bob Bossin performs at the Class of 1967 Reunion in the Innis Events Room, June 2017.
29 NOVEMBER 2018
7
Remembering Ajax
A special connection between Innis and engineers James Chapman FEATURE In January of 1946, less than a year after the conclusion of the World War II, 1400 new University of Toronto students started their studies in Ajax, Ontario, on the former site of the largest munitions plant in the Commonwealth. Far from the university’s St. George campus, some 5500 engineering and architecture “jaxmen” called the 450 acre campus home from 1946-1949. While the site claims to be the location on which the Lady Godiva Memorial Band was incorporated, and where notable alumni including Peter Monk and John Bahen studied, little evidence of the former campus remains. Besides a memorial stone located outside of the Galbraith building, only the top two floors of Innis Residence’s south tower, christened ‘Ajax House,’ continue as a testament to this unique period in U of T’s history. Mindful of the great number of servicemen returning from the front following the war, and with a desire to develop Canadian engineering, the federal government worked with the university to expand its relatively small Faculty of Applied Science in 1945. While the university was tasked to find space for the sizeable influx of students, the government did its part to ensure enrolment by offering former servicemen free tuition, as well as a $60 a month stipend if they took up engineering at U of T. When the university first acquired the site, it was so contaminated with gun powder that a “spark could throw the whole place high.” Indeed, the plant which had employed 9000 workers during the war, filling some 40 million shells between 1941-1945, needed substantial renovations before students moved in January of ‘46. With considerable support from the government, in less than six months the site was cleaned up and equipped with drafting rooms, dozens of electrical, physical, chemical and geological laboratories, 2200 residence rooms, and a dining hall. The site also contained a post office, library, hospital, and a miniature ‘Hart House.’ Indeed, as one former professor remarked, the campus was like “a small town run by the university.” In 1946, with 55% of first year students veterans, the campus began its bizarre social experiment in which battle worn soldiers and freshmen not long out of high school shared meals, classrooms, and dorms. Many veterans came to call the campus’ “barrack revival” style architecture a halfway house, between the front and returning to Canadian society. Univer-
COURTESY OF TOWN OF AJAX ARCHIVES
Students boarding the Ajax Campus Bus known as “The Green Dragon.”
For a campus “removed from civilization”, and with classrooms spread out wide enough so that an explosion in one would leave the others unharmed, the Ajax period was marked with success. With normalizing enrolment in 1949, the campus was closed, and first and second years studying in Ajax moved downtown to complete their degrees. At the campus’ closing, students were presented with the crest of HMS Ajax, the naval vessel for which the town shared its name, as a token of their cooperation and loyalty to the post-war project. Dean of Students, R.H. Perry, COURTESY OF U OF T ARCHIVES in his final Dean and Supervisor of Residences Report Two brothers in residence at Ajax in 1947. also thanked students for being a good “public” and sity documents indicate that some veterans were as- for “playing ball.” signed to their own classrooms to prevent academic 45 years after the Ajax campus closed its doors, embarrassment in front of the younger students, and many who were married faced serious challenges the Ajax Remembered Committee, headed by Don with commuting and caring for their young children. King (5T0) succeeded in establishing a physical reBut, overall, this blending of experiences seems to minder of residence life at Ajax on the university’s have been a success, with veterans and freshmen alike modern campus. Billed as a perpetuation of the spirit engendered at Ajax, prior to opening of Innis Resfondly remembering their time in Ajax. idence in 1994, a substantial donation drive was esPerhaps out of a combination of its demographics tablished to raise funds for a rather unique memorial and geography, Ajax developed its own set of tradi- to the former campus. With the enthusiastic support tions, unique to those established on the St. George of then Innis Principal, John Browne, and Dean of campus. For one thing, the practice of initiating fresh- Residence, Gary Spencer, Ajax alumni donated some men, common at the university at the time, was ta- $400,000 to the college to help pay for the top two boo at Ajax. As the Dean of Students noted, “there is stories of the south tower of Innis Residence. In rea great number of you here and hence [you are] ca- turn for their generosity, numerous rooms on the 6th pable of doing rather senseless damage” with initia- and 7th floors of the south tower remain named after tion activities. Instead, Ajax rites of passage included those alumni who donated more than $7000 to the participating in grape bombardments, and riding the cause. The music room, located in Ajax House, is also campus “metro system” between classes, which com- home to photographs and stories about the Ajax exprised of a large green bus, dubbed “the green drag- perience, and a plaque telling the story of the former on”. A popular pastime recorded in numerous alumni campus hangs in the lobby. The assured space for accounts was to call up the local Bell Telephone op- engineers in the largely Arts and Science dominated erating centre and invite over the company’s female residence was also an outcome the committee’s relaoperators for parties. With a live band and contra- tionship with Innis College. band alcohol, these parties were quintessential to life Today, with 50 engineering students living in Innat Ajax. According to some accounts, at one party - to make their female guests more comfortable - jaxmen is and participating in the college’s lively student life designated a bathroom for the girls and decorated it community, the university’s living memorial to the veterans and students who were trained in Ajax is with goldfish-filled urinals. thriving. Not only do the traditions of Ajax campus Alumnus Chris Hinde also recounts another sto- live on in name, but also in the college’s mirroring of ry worthy of a Hollywood screenplay. In an anecdote the former campus’ blended community of veterans labelled “The Great Ajax Tombstone Caper,” Hinde and first year students, captured in Innis Residence’s describes how representatives of the Engineering commitment to combining students from engineerSociety from St. George campus arrived in Ajax by ing with those studying in other disciplines. car one evening to task the isolated campus with the construction of a tombstone. A team from the class With thanks to Innis College’s Dean of Students and Resof 5T1 then ‘acquired’ a bag of cement from a local idence, Steve Masse, for inspiring this piece, and to Ben housing development, and crafted, and delivered, a Westrate for providing access to the college’s archives for tombstone to St. George campus to mark the Varsity research. A short video with footage of the campus can be Blues final ‘burying’ of the Western Mustang’s on the found on YouTube with the title “History of the Ajax Division, University of Toronto [ca. 1946]” . football field.
COURTESY OF TOWN OF AJAX ARCHIVES
Picture of the Ajax campus dormitories.
COURTESY OF U OF T ARCHIVES
Students being served in the Ajax Dining Hall in 1946.
8
29 NOVEMBER 2018
Making the most of a student job at U of T pleasantly surprised, but also nervous. I would have a paid job, but what would that job entail? What would my coworkers be like? What would my bosses be like? Looking back, those questions may have just been a result of this job being a new experience in my uniBeing a student is expensive. Between tuition, books, versity career compared to the other extracurricular student fees, transit, rent, and going out, it’ll cost you activities I’ve had before. in the tens of thousands of dollars — if not more — over your time at U of T. Fortunately, there are a few Prior to working at the Sidney Smith Commons, ways to manage dealing with the expenses of univer- my extracurriculars had been diverse, but of a limited sity and reducing, or even eliminating, your debt by commitment. As a student in my third-year, my life the time you graduate. These include education sav- has changed a lot since first-year. From being a stuings from family, summer jobs, OSAP, and University dent on residence, not greatly involved in anything of Toronto Financial Aid (UTAPS), with the latter besides classes, I still regularly contributed to the Intwo being financial aid programs available to most nis Herald, and even managed to submit an op-ed in students in need. However, one of the arguably most POLIS, the undergraduate political science journal. difficult solutions is to work while being a full-time At this point, I was able to balance any activities I did student. alongside school, but I had poor time management. By second-year, I averaged two hours of commuting One type of job that full-time students can work daily, and knew I needed to improve upon my time during their time at U of T is on-campus jobs. Though management skills. working on-campus jobs is more convenient, as it accommodates shifts around your schedule and acIn second-year, I contributed and edited for both tively works to ensure that you are prioritizing your the Innis Herald and The Varsity. I was also involved studies first, it is a demanding and time consuming in multiple off-campus political organizations, volunexperience. But, it’s worth it. From opportunities to teering around the city while writing and studying. network with faculty and fellow students, to being My time management improved, and in the back of unionized, to learning how to manage your time bet- my mind, I realized that if I could do all these extrater, working on campus is as good an experience as curricular activities, then I could certainly study while any for preparing for life after graduation. having a job on campus.
George Kell
STUDENT LIFE
INNIS THROWBACK
I work at the Sidney Smith Commons, a newly-renovated study space at the east wing of the Sidney Smith Hall, facing St. George Street. A typical week will be about 10 hours of work, sometimes more if we work on weekends as part of recruitment events. I applied for the job, after receiving an email from the university, without any expectation that I would actually be hired. So when I was hired, I was
I had a lot of free time in my schedule, so that would allow me to balance my studies while working as well. My first mistake was not realizing the toll it would take on my time management. I went from getting ahead of my readings days in advance to barely catching up, and starting multiple important assignments the day before they were due. Combined with a lengthy commute, unhealthy eating schedule, and other ex-
tracurriculars, I knew I had to make changes quickly. One major change was to fit in doing online readings during my shifts, whenever I was able to. What that did was lessen the load while simultaneously making more efficient use of my time at work. In return, I felt more capable of doing my job knowing that I would have less to worry about after my shifts end. To be able to enrich your student experience through a campus job, where you interact with multiple areas of the school, is incredibly rewarding, especially in a student hub like Sidney Smith. So far, I have learned a number of odd things from my job that I would not have learned otherwise. Firstly, I learned about the lives of many of my coworkers who were born outside of Canada, whether from Asia, Europe, or Africa. I learned that my superiors have backgrounds in a number of areas, including accessibility and learning strategies. I have also learned that everyone contributes and brings something to the space, creating an environment that is multilingual, multicultural, and accessible to all. Between managing online bookings, Excel folders, recruitment events and media, and giving out surveys to have students reflect on the space, it is a demanding job, but a rewarding one. My journey to getting this job began in August, when I realized that if I could manage to get a job on campus, I would have a greater ability to work around my schedule and work reasonable hours, all while remaining close to my classes. Having a job is one of the best ways to get the most out of your university experience. Overall, my personal experience as a student and now a student-employee is that everyone’s university experience is unique, and that exploring different pathways will pay off – both figuratively and literally – if you manage to take the plunge.
COURTESY OF U OF T ARCHIVES
Prior to finding its current home at 2 Sussex Avenue, Innis College was bumped around St. George Campus. When the college first opened its doors in 1964, it was housed in a “prefabricated” box-like structure beside what is now the University of Toronto Students’ Union on Hart House Circle. Hosting the college’s registrar and principal’s office, with a mere 270 students, the 465 sq. foot box served those early students of the college well. With increasing enrolment the following year and the addition of students beyond those studying in first year, in 1968 the college was given temporary accomodation in a heritage house located at 63 St. George Street. In 1976, Innis opened in its current home at 2 Sussex Avenue. On March 9th of that year, Innis students assisted the college’s administration in its move north on St. George Street. Known as ‘moving day’ Innis students could be seen parading the college’s furniture between locations.
29 NOVEMBER 2018
What does it mean to be
9
oundless?
Shengye (Tony) Niu STUDENT LIFE “U of T places No. 1 in Canada, No. 20 globally in U.S. News & World Report’s ranking of best universities,” “U of T moves to top spot in Maclean’s ranking of medical-doctoral universities,” “U of T rises one spot to place 21st in Times Higher Education rankings of world’s best universities...” Yes, I was also one of you once; spending my entire summer looking forward to my first year here at our very own University of Toronto — the intimidating academic giant. I was confused and nervous, yet excited to be a standard workaholic who only sleeps and studies every day. But is this it? I often ask myself, is my occupation just a full-time student? What does it really mean to be boundless? Here at the University of Toronto, many students are often studying hard to achieve their desired grades, since your GPA is one of the most important factors for admission into many programs of study COURTESY OF NAKITA KRUCKER (POSt), and almost all post-undergraduate programs. For most students, it is arguably crucial to perform Contributor Shengye (Tony) Niu asks what it means to be Boundless at U of T. well in academics. But as time went by, I realized that of my interview with her, she encouraged students working connections. Hence, you can see the imporit is not enough to just maintain a decent GPA. to prepare for job interviews by practicing interview tance of networking in the “real world” that you are questions and booking appointments at the PEY or about to enter. Lots of students often start to think about their CLN office. future when they enter their upper years of studies, I’ve always heard people complaining about netas they have to decide whether they want to do grad- Community Involvement working events being too crowded, too formal, or too uate studies or start working immediately after their competitive to even sign up. However, Chiao Sun, the Of course, you do not have to be academically in- Digital Project Coordinator at the Innis Registrar’s undergrad. Regardless of your choice, sooner or later you find out that you need lots of supplemental docu- clined to achieve your dreams. Here at the Boundless Office, suggested otherwise. He said that “You can ments, relevant experiences, and even recommenda- U of T, there are tons of other non-academic oppor- meet new people almost anywhere, it does not have tions letters to apply to jobs and graduate programs. tunities for you to participate in! According to ULife, to be a networking event, it could be in the gym, in we have over a thousand recognized student organi- the food court, or in the classroom.” When I asked zations/groups and intramurals that you could partic- him about how networking has helped him, he reAcademic Opportunities ipate in! sponded, “not only has networking provided me with Outside of lectures, assignments, and examinawork opportunities and social skills, it also makes me tions, there are lots of other ways you can apply your From drama clubs to A Cappella groups, you can a very happy human being in general.” academic knowledge, and get some hands-on experi- be anything from a movie star to a talented performence. You are especially in luck at the Boundless U of er. From archery clubs to yoga clubs, you can train In my interview with James Chapman, the EdiT. Here, there are tons of entry-level academic oppor- yourself like an Olympic athlete. From student govtor-in-Chief of the Innis Herald, he provided some tunities available just for you. ernments to environment committees, you can be insights from his perspective. He said “a benefit of anything, from a politician to an equity activist. There According to Winston Chan, currently a second are countless opportunities exclusively just for you to Innis’ small community is the opportunity it provides for students to establish relationships with members year student studying Pharmacology and Toxicology be a part of. of the administration.” He also said that through his who has worked as a research assistant for a pharmainteractions with various staff members, he has been ceutical laboratory at the Leslie Dan Faculty of PharAccording to our very own Nancy Zhao, the Vice able to observe the ways in which faculty members macy over the summer, he was “fortunate enough to President Internal at the Innis College Student Sobe introduced to the lab environment somewhat ear- ciety (ICSS), “having been involved in the ICSS and interact with each other, guests, and students in a valy.” He also mentioned that “the hard work, endless other co-curricular activities, I've been able to devel- riety of settings. He has also developed a number of frustration, yet boundless persistence and positivity op skills such as leadership, facilitation, time manage- interpersonal skills which he will continue to use in I observed on a day to day basis was truly humbling ment, budgeting, event planning, and more.” She also his professional life. and is something I believe we should all take away mentioned that she’d recommend students to get U of T is big, it’s diverse, it’s Boundless. U of T ofinto our daily lives.” involved in their community in ways such as partic- fers so much more than what is mentioned in this aripating in student organizations, because “there is so Other than research opportunities, certain pro- much more to learn outside of the classroom — and ticle: there’s study abroad programs where you could grams offer a Professional Experience Year (PEY) you get to meet and work with some amazing people study in another country, a health and wellness centre where you can practice mindfulness, various great where you can go on a 12-16 months internship with along the way.” gyms with indoor pools where you can exercise... a recognized employer. Wendy Hua, a fourth year Reading up to this point, have you truly understand student, and former Innis Resident, who is currently Networking what “Boundless” means by now? in her PEY year doing an internship at IBM as a softIf you don’t already know, U of T is vast, enormous, ware developer, said that from her PEY experiences Opportunities are everywhere, don’t let academso far, she has already developed extensive technical gigantic: not only do we have 3 campuses across Toskills that are not taught in lectures. She also men- ronto, but we also have tons of people here you can ics bind your potential or your dreams. The world is tioned that she has significantly increased her time connect with. Most people don’t know the impor- yours: be adventurous, be risky, and enjoy your jourefficiency to match the fast-paced work environment tance of networking. According to a survey done by ney! which will also help with her future career. In the end LinkedIn, around 85% of jobs are filled through net-
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In defence of the integration of STEM and the arts Shankhalika Srikanth OPINION The division between Science, Engineering, Technology, Math (STEM) disciplines and Arts disciplines is not new to students in any post-secondary institution. Less discussed, however, is the complementary nature of the two sets of disciplines. Though it can often feel like a chosen program of study is entirely self-contained, learning about a new and unique field unrelated to one's program of study can be extremely beneficial. In some cases, there are clear academic benefits to the integration of specific STEM and Arts fields. An example is the relatively new, but quickly expanding, field of computational linguistics. Computational linguists are formulating a way for computers to process and generate natural human language. Though this is regarded as a subfield of computer science, a basic understanding of linguistics at the very least is useful, if not indispensable, in this discipline. Within the larger interdisciplinary field of artificial intelligence in general, though the core of the research is driven by STEM, it is necessarily balanced with Arts fields such as ethics and philosophy. On the flip side, there are many Arts fields that benefit from the incorporation of specific STEM subjects. An example of this would be economics, which requires the study of mathematics. Many of the humanities and social sciences make heavy use of statistics in their research and thus an adequate under-
standing of statistics is needed to be able to collect and process data.
that are often overlooked. One such similarity is the use of formal logic in both physics and philosophy, two subjects that interest first year Innis student Clearly, there are observable benefits to interdis- Cleo Sood. “[Physics and philosophy] share similarciplinary studies between STEM and the Arts; but it ities we just tend to overlook. Math teaches you to could be argued that it’s not really necessary for an think, and so do the humanities. Humanities is about individual to spend time studying a field that isn’t why you decided to come up with something and immediately related to their future career goal. Using proving your thesis- which is what math is, but in a the example of the computational linguist, would it different way.” not be reasonable to simply hire a linguist to advise the computer scientist when the need arises? This Aurora Nowicki, a chemical engineering student, argument is entirely valid and does appear to make found a similar commonality between computer propractical sense. However, in-depth study of an aca- gramming and a Russian language class. “The main demic field provides more than just the knowledge reason I took computer science is because I’m interand skills contained within that field—it also gen- ested in programming, a different sort of language. erates awareness of its limitations. As an economist The two are very similar because of the syntax rules analysing data, it is important to not only understand and grammar.” She also felt the added benefit of it diwhat the numerical values signify in context, but also versifying her perspective. “It seems obvious, but it’s the limitations of the statistical model used to present more about the people you meet. You get to experithem. Awareness of the limitations of certain types ence things you wouldn’t normally, and if you get to of knowledge and methodologies is crucial in deci- make friends with people who aren’t doing what you sion-making and proper analysis in any field, and is are, your perspective about the world changes.” hard to gain without having some sort of background in that field. Given the clear advantages to the integration of STEM and Arts, it seems strange to witness the Additionally, studying Arts and STEM simulta- strong divide between the two. This divide can be neously is beneficial to general analytical and prob- traced back to school environments as well as large lem-solving skills which are required in all disciplines. factions of society that consider Arts subjects to be STEM features the scientific process, which once “soft” while STEM fields are viewed as being more adapted is incredibly useful in the Arts. The Arts of- challenging. An obvious effect of these biases is that fers a broader context for STEM related research as people at a young age are being discouraged from well as broader analytical and communication skills, pursuing the arts and see the arts as less valuable. A both of which are also vital in STEM. These shared less apparent effect of this mindset is creating an enviqualities required by STEM and Arts fields help high- ronment in which Arts students are frequently made light similarities between the fields' required skills to justify their choices, which can create a sense of hostility towards STEM subjects as well. “There’s a divide because people think the arts are useless,” said Cleo, “so they [STEM majors] validate themselves and their choices by saying, ‘At least I’m going to get a job,’ and people in the humanities feel like they have to defend themselves and their choices in what they’re studying; whereas in engineering you can just be like ‘I’m going to get a job after this,’ or ‘Oh, the arts are just a hobby.’” Aurora felt like the root cause is a lack of understanding. “It’s because they [Arts and STEM majors] don’t really get each other; people have either had really good experiences with either STEM or Arts and that’s why they go into that thing, and there’s a misconception that STEM is inherently more difficult, which I don’t think is true.” For Cleo, it was important to balance her load of primarily humanities and social science courses with a few science and math courses. “I feel empty without math, I feel like I’m not using my entire brain; and since all my courses are similar, I feel like I’m in a haze and with nothing to take me out of it. I don’t have anything to stimulate me in a different way so everything starts feeling too similar.”
COURTESY OF SABINE OSMANN-DEYMAN
Combining your Arts and STEM degrees can provide you with invaluable skills in either field, writes contributor Shankhalika.
Ultimately, the core to any discipline is the style of thinking and problem-solving approaches that they teach. Choosing to learn using different, complementary styles of thinking can only ever be beneficial, never detrimental. Shankhalika is a second-year student studying Linguistics, Computer Science, and Mathematics.
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Instant noodles? 'Not today, Satan!' How to eat healthy on a budget
Al-amin Ahamed RECIPES Okay, let’s spill the real tea: being a student isn’t easy. Whether it’s rushing to finish an essay, or preparing for a lab, time doesn’t seem to be on our side. A lot of us don’t have the time to prep and cook a meal and often resort to quick and easy freezer meals, or the classic instant noodle to fuel our cravings. I guess that doesn’t sound too bad, right? What is often overlooked is the fact that these options aren’t really the healthiest—albeit convenient —and they don’t really help our brain retain all the information we have been procrastinating to learn. So why do we do it? Most of us are lazy and just don’t care. Being a commuter, I lack the motivation to do anything the minute I get home from a 2-hour ride on our ‘award winning’ TTC. Along with not having the time nor the motivation to make elaborate home cooked meals, students lack the finances to help fund the fresh ingredients needed to produce a healthy and nutritious meal. Often spending money on things, we consider more important like textbooks, rent, and stationary, we leave a very limited amount left to only be able to afford the cheap and unhealthy food. The lack of vitamins and essential nutrients from these infamous ‘student diets’ unfortunately lead us to feeling sleepier, grumpier, heavier, and less attentive of what is going on around us. Living off frozen mac and cheese, ramen noodles and alcohol inevitably lead to severe deficiencies in Vitamin B12, Zinc and Calcium, all essential and important to keep your body moving and your brain working. • Vitamin B12: Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin found primarily in animal products. It should be consumed daily and is one of the most common deficiencies in post-secondary students. Supplements are generally taken to make up for these deficiencies in the actual diet, however, due to high supplement costs this is rarely considered as a viable alternative when on a budget.
time to cook them…I should just starve myself then?’ HONEY, NO! Don’t starve yourself and cave in to the unhealthy options to suppress your hunger. Be smart and educate yourself on what’s available seasonally to get the most bang for your buck. One of the most important tips when it comes to eating healthy on a budget is taking advantage of products in season. All fruits and veggies have a peak period in which they are the freshest and most nutritious. This means they contain the most vitamins and minerals and cost less because they are so abundant. Sourced from Erin on www.thespruceeats.com, the list of produce below highlights some healthy and nutritious options that don’t break the bank. • December/January/February: Broccoli, tangerines and oranges, lemons, leeks, parsnips, cabbage, cauliflower, grapefruit, kale. • March: Lettuce, mushrooms, pineapples, radishes, artichokes. • April: Rhubarb, spring peas, lettuce, mushrooms, pineapples, radishes, artichokes. . • May: Apricots, artichokes, asparagus, cherries, mangoes, okra, strawberries, swiss chard, zucchini. • June: Blueberries, cantaloupe, corn, kiwi, peaches, watermelon. • July: Apricots, blackberries, cucumbers, green beans, kohlrabi, peppers, plums, raspberries, summer squash, tomatoes. • August: Acorn squash, apples, butternut-squash, eggplant, figs, okra, winter squash. • September: Beets, grapes, persimmons, pomegranates, pumpkins, spinach, sweet potatoes. • October/Novemer: Cranberries, pears, beets, grapes, persimmons, pomegranates, pumpkins, spinach, sweet potatoes, broccoli, tangerines, oranges, lemons, leeks, parsnips, cabbage, cauliflower, grapefruit, and kale.
Now you are probably thinking, ‘okay, I need to eat healthy, veggies are expensive and I don’t have
Students can eat healthy with minimal time and minimal cost, writes Al-amin Ahmed. This warm and wintery leek and potato soup is the perfect recipe to keep students nourished through the cold winter months.
and zinc) • 1 tbsp paprika (optional) • 6 dashes Worcestershire sauce (optional) • 1 tbsp. of dried oregano, rosemary and thyme (cheaper than fresh and more flavour) • Salt and pepper to taste
Directions: 1. Chop leeks and potatoes and wash thoroughly with water. 2. In a large pot heat oil and the sauté leeks until soft (5 min). 3. Add all the spices and garlic, sauté for 1 min. 4. Add potatoes and stock and let sit on stove for 20 min on medium heat. So, awesome, we have a large variety of cheap pro- 5. Go study or procrastinate, if you forget about the duce that we can all afford. But now, you’re probably soup it’s okay, it’s going to be blended anyway. thinking ‘I can’t cook, and even if I can, I still don't 6. Once the potatoes are tender, dump it into a have time to cook because I’m too busy...’ blender. Blend in 2-3 batches. 7. Pour the soup back into the pot and add the sour Well, as Bianca Del Rio once said, “Not today, Sacream and salt and pepper to taste. tan!” That’s not an excuse! What if I told you that you 8. Garnish with sour cream and paprika (optional). could make a delicious and nutritious home cooked 9. Serve with some whole-wheat toast and enjoy on meal without labouring over a stove top for hours a cold fall evening. and without using 100s of ingredients that would cost you a month’s rent? The trick is eating simple. —————————————————— In spirit of November I’m including a quick and easy leek and potato soup recipe that will cost you a day’s Simple techniques like roasting, sautéing and searrun to Starbucks and leave you leftovers for later. ing are easy ways to add lots of flavour with minimal
• Zinc: Like vitamin B12, zinc is found in animal products but also in lentils and tempeh. Zinc deficiencies are commonly reported in vegans, vegetarians, and those who regularly consume alcohol heavily. I’m sure we know of some friends that fit into these categories, if not ourselves. Generally, zinc deficiencies lead to weak immune responses and a lack of appetite which consequently make you more vulnerable to sickness and headaches. Recipe for Leek and Potato Soup: • Calcium: Primarily found in a variety of dairy products and red meat, this mineral deficiency is most common in women and young girls. A lack of calcium can lead to tiredness, poor bone health, and weakness. Let’s face it: we have all, at some time, had these symptoms of deficiency. So hey, maybe pick up a glass of milk instead of a bottle of Hennessey next time…maybe?
COURTESY OF AL-AMIN AHAMED
effort. Exploring different techniques and methods to cook things allow you to open a variety of doors in the kitchen and make recipes unique to you. UsIngredients: ing dried herbs and spices are easier to store, cheaper • 3 tbsp. of oil or butter and have a more flavour than fresh so consider using • 4 large leeks, roughly chopped and washed (good them year-round. source of fibre, and vitamins) • 6 large potatoes, roughly chopped (low calorie, Saving money and time couldn’t be simpler. With full of vitamin C) a little knowledge and planning, it’s super easy to eat • 2 garlic cloves, whole (source of calcium) right and feel right without breaking the bank or sac• 900 mL reduced sodium mushroom, chicken or rificing flavour. So, next time you reach for those invegetable broth (source of antioxidants and vita- stant noodles, think again! min B12) • 250 mL low fat sour cream (source of calcium
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Director Ang Lee fills the film with commentary on family values and basic human desires. At one point Mr. Chu quotes a Chinese proverb, “eat drink man woman, basic human desires,” lamenting our inability to escape from our need for food and sex. But don’t let this turn you off—don’t worry, Lee is no Terrence Malick. You don’t have to be a movie buff with horn-rimmed tortoise shell glasses to enjoy this one. Eat Drink Man Woman tells an accessible and relatable tale that is touching, poignant, and witty to the bone. Lee is a natural storyteller. (He would later become a household name with Brokeback Mountain, Life of Pi, and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.) The emotions of his story flow like a warm, bubbly stream: three sisters represent rebukes to tradition. Jia-Jen tumultuous, yet comfortable so that you feel at ease. (Kuei-Mei Yang), the eldest, is a devout Protestant who listens to gospel music on her Walkman during If the plot is not appetizing enough for you, Eat her daily commute. Jia-Ning (Yu-Wen Wang), the Drink Man Woman is also one of my favourite repyoungest, works as a cashier at Wendy’s. Jia-Chien resentations of food on film. The recurring theme of Directed by Ang Lee | Comedy, Drama | 2h 4m (Chien-Lien Wu), the middle daughter, is on paper taste and basic human desires often manifest themthe most professionally successful of the three. Still, selves in Mr. Chu’s extravagant dishes. China is more If you’re looking for a movie to make you laugh, make she fails to find joy in her job as an airline executive like a continent than a country, and its cuisine is inyou weep, and make your stomach grumble, make or her unstable romantic life. And most vexing of all, credibly diverse. Eat Drink Man Woman lets viewers some time this weekend to sink your teeth into Ang none of the three seem to be able to get out from un- sample just a small slice of that diversity. Lee’s 1994 family drama Eat Drink Man Woman. der the thumb of their imperious and irritable father.
Eat Drink Man Woman (1994)
Andrew Zhao
ARTS & CULTURE
Set in 1990s Taipei, the film revolves around a sinThe tumult of family life often comes to a head gle father and his three daughters, all of them caught at the dinner table, where tensions run so high that between traditional Confucian values and growing Mr. Chu’s exquisite meals often go unfinished. The Westernization. dinner table is the venue for frequent “announcements” from the family members, with each daughMr. Chu (Sihung Lung)—the family patriarch—is ter bringing unwelcome changes to the dining room the greatest chef in all of Taiwan, but he’s lost feeling every night. At the dinner table, we watch as each of in his taste buds and become an irritable homebody. the characters struggles to break free from traditional His three daughters are equally lost, unable to find values, bringing amusing surprises along the way. fulfillment professionally or romantically. Each of the
If you’re looking for something warm and nourishing, trade in your chicken noodle soup for this movie. Tender and sweet, you’ll want to give your parents a call after the movie and remind them how much you love them—who needs soup? Andrew Zhao is a third-year Political Science, Philosophy, and Mathematics student with absolutely no qualifications to review movies. I am not a “film historian”—sorry, Principal Keil.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine revival Emma Paulus ARTS & CULTURE Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a comedy TV series that airs on NBC. This winter, on January 10th, the show will premiere its sixth season. For its first five seasons, Brooklyn Nine-Nine ran on Fox, but in May of 2018, the network announced it would be cancelling the show. After public outcry on social media, the show was picked up by its new network, NBC, within just 24 hours. This is something that was unheard of in TV history.
Kevin. The episode also deals with a heavier topic, however, when it is later discovered by Detective Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg) that the reason that Kevin didn’t want the other cops there was because of how Holt’s coworkers treated him in the past. When Peralta confronts Kevin, asking him why he doesn’t like cops, Kevin responds by saying, “Because he’s gay, Raymond has been put through hell by his colleagues, many of whom quite frankly, look exactly like you.” It is instances like this where the creators of the show take the time to add depth to their characters while bringing to light the injustices that many real people face.
Holt initially discourages him from doing so, because he believes it will hurt Terry’s career. Eventually, despite the lack of support Holt himself once received from his superiors on the force, he realizes that he can’t repeat the mistakes of the past, and submits the complaint. This episode shows that it is possible for comedy shows to cover important and heavy topics while remaining true to the heart of their show. As mentioned previously, this show was supposed to be cancelled earlier this year, but was quickly picked up again by a new station. This was due largely in part to the use of social media platforms (mainly Twitter) by fans of the show. Shortly after the news was released that Fox was cancelling Brooklyn NineNine, thousands of fans began tweeting in favour of the show using hashtags such as #renewB99, and #SaveBrooklyn99. This attention was enough to spark the interest of NBC, who picked the show up in under 24 hours of its cancelation.
In a more recent season, the show also covered the topic of racial profiling by police officers. In season 4 episode 16, entitled “Moo Moo”, Sergeant Terry Jeffords (Terry Crews) is walking in his neighbourhood at night, looking for his daughter’s lost blanket, when he is stopped by a white police officer. The cop questions him about what he is doing, and when Terry tries to explain that he isn’t doing anything wrong, This goes to show the impact of social media ratthe cop arrests him. It is only after the cop finally ran ings. Shows are most commonly dropped due to low The captain of the precinct is an openly gay man, Terry’s name through the system that he believed TV ratings, but now with so many ways to stream and there are many mentions of how this led to poor Terry was also a cop and let him go. shows online —such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon treatment by his colleagues throughout his time on Prime Video — are TV ratings enough to go by? Twitthe force. In the season 1 episode 18, entitled “The Later in the episode, Terry meets with the cop ter ratings in this instance would suggest otherwise. Party,” Captain Raymond Holt’s (Andre Braugher) who arrested him to have a conversation about the Many people no longer watch TV shows live, or even husband Kevin (Marc Evan Jackson) throws him a profiling, and it does not go well. During the conver- PVR them, as they would prefer to wait until the enbirthday party, but doesn’t want to invite Holt’s co- sation, the cop says things like, “If I had known you tire season is released on a streaming service instead, workers. Despite this, Holt tells the squad they can go were a cop, I never would have treated you that way” so it can be binge-watched. TV networks should take to the party on the condition that they follow Kevin’s and “Okay, but you and I both know that you don’t note of this instance and begin looking into other “no cop talk” policy.Overall, this episode had many exactly look like you belong in that neighbourhood,” measures of ratings for their shows, as it is clear that funny moments, with the precinct desperately trying, further proving his own bias. After this conversation, TV ratings alone do not tell the whole story. and failing miserably, to make a good impression on Terry tries to file a formal complaint, but Captain Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a cop show about the detectives of the 99th precinct of the NYPD. The show has many great aspects, including a diverse main cast, and episodes that discuss major social issues in society. It covers topics such as racism and racial profiling, as well as LGBTQ+ issues, all while remaining a lighthearted show that is actually funny.
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Movie reviews MID90S
BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
A STAR IS BORN
COURTESY OF A24 ENTERTAINMENT
COURTESY OF 20TH CENTURY FOX
Jonah Hill shows his directorial potential in Mid90s, writes Michelle Zhang.
Bohemian Rhapsody masterfully captures both Mercury’s character and the excitement of a Queen concert.
This latest remake of A Star is Born features stellar performances from both Gaga and Cooper, writes Michelle Zhang.
Michelle Zhang
Sarah Laudenbach
Michelle Zhang
REVIEW
REVIEW
REVIEW
Released on: October 19, 2018 Starring: Sunny Suljic, Lucas Hedges Directed by: Jonah Hill
Released on: November 2, 2018 Starring: Rami Malek Directed by: Bryan Singer
Released on: October 5, 2018 Starring: Bradley Cooper, Lady Gaga Directed by: Bradley Cooper
Jonah Hill’s gritty directorial debut
“Tonight, I’m gonna have myself a real good time”
A pop star on the big screen
“F*ck, sh*t, that was dope” is characteristic of Jonah Hill’s gritty yet funny writing style and encapsulates this film perfectly. Written and directed by Jonah Hill, Mid90s is raw, real, and perfectly unsentimental. I had no idea what to expect from a film about kid skaters in the 90s and so I went in with absolutely no expectations. By the time I left, I was thoroughly winded from all the ups and downs that the film had taken me through.
A biopic of late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury, Bryan Singer’s Bohemian Rhapsody is nothing if not good entertainment. Filled with iconic Queen songs, gorgeous costuming, and a loveable cast, this film is a good time from start to finish. It skillfully keeps the audience entertained without veering into plotless territory. Many films like this opt to sacrifice plot, character, and meaning for the sake of fun – however, Bohemian Rhapsody isn’t one of them.
Hollywood meets Interscope in this rich 4th re-imagining of the original 1930s tale. Full to the brim with electricity and heart, A Star is Born features Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga in Cooper’s directorial debut. Gaga produces a raw and fun performance as Ally, an aspiring yet struggling musician picked up by Bradley Cooper’s character, Jackson Maine. Cooper’s Maine is both fragile and strong, a balance he finds at all the right times throughout the film.
Shot in 4:3 aspect ratio with a cast of real skaters (but amateur actors), the film is anything but traditional cinema. Hills’ directorial debut is less about skating or the 90s, and more about 13-year old Stevie’s struggles with life and his relationships. The film is dominated by small moments between characters—a glance, a skateboard trick, a hit from a joint, the hopeless sound of a fist crunching into a face—which creates a film without a framework. Unlike many other period pieces, little effort is spent to bring back the 90s by imagining its aesthetics and mannerisms. Mid90s opts to flow quietly and minimalistically throughout its duration, letting its actors and their dialogue set the tone. It is content with just happening: it doesn’t try to present any grand narrative or fill the frame with sappy nostalgia, and it certainly doesn’t try to censor itself. Instead, the perfectly undramatic story really takes the audience into the lives and hearts of the boys it features.
Rami Malek, who stars in the film as Mercury, is not only an excellent showman, but also plays the role with a heartbreaking sincerity. Bearing a striking resemblance to the late singer is one thing, but capturing Mercury’s essence on-screen is another – Malek skillfully balances Mercury’s larger-than-life on-stage presence while also portraying his vulnerabilities, insecurities, and personal struggles with dignity and grace. Where Bohemian Rhapsody most notably succeeds is in its ability to emotionally invest its audience in the lives of each of the characters and the relationships they have with each other. Ben Hardy also delivers a stand-out performance as Queen drummer Roger Taylor, particularly when teasing out the tense relationship between Taylor and Mercury.
In its original 1937 form, the film features an alcoholic big time movie actor taking a struggling yet aspiring young actress under his wing. The archetypal romance mythologizes the rise of a young female star while her older, alcoholic lover falls from grace and eventually commits suicide to unburden her of his failings.
To call the film undramatic is not, however, to call it flat. Hill proves himself a master of making the audience intensely uncomfortable. There were a couple times when I felt so much empathy for the characters that I nearly choked, moments which were well balanced by quieter scenes. Filled with uncomfortable scenes and tensions that draw attention to the contradictions that make growing up so messy, Mid90s is gritty, beautiful, and a must watch for anyone who loves indie film.
Queen was world-renowned for their active relationship with their audience; whether it was the stomp stomp clap of “We Will Rock You,” or Mercury’s call and response of ‘A-YO.’ What is truly remarkable about Bohemian Rhapsody is the film’s ability to make the filmgoing audience feel as though they themselves are in the crowd at a Queen concert. Though sitting in a darkened theatre, the filmgoer feels just as involved with Malek's performance as Mercury once made thousands of people in sold-out stadiums feel. Bohemian Rhapsody is a truly heartwarming, feelgood film – don’t expect to leave the theatre with dry eyes.
COURTESY OF CLAY ENOS
Every remake since the first has left its own mark on the story, but none have changed the signature Hollywood storyline of love and the tragic arch of stardom. This fourth telling almost leaves Hollywood behind in the midst of a collection of songs performed live and straight from the heart. During the first few minutes of the film, the combination of a real pop star in a movie about music created a strangely surreal discord between traditional cinema and concert. Wonderfully executed cinematography and Gaga’s skilled acting soon smoothed any tensions I had noticed. The music is really the highlight of the film, carrying most of the emotional impact and dropping it at the perfect moments in every scene. Despite the focus on music, one can’t forget that this is still a Hollywood movie following a classical Hollywood narrative structure. What it lacks in innovative plot points, however, it makes up with everything else. Packaged with inspired performances, A Star is Born is a tried and true story framed beautifully by a strong soundtrack and engaged camera work.
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Two minutes to midnight
The reductive nature of applications to grad school Calder Morton-Ferguson STUDENT LIFE In one’s final year of university, one might notice a curious temporal coincidence. On the first Sunday of November, daylight savings time ends, bathing our late afternoons in wintry darkness; simultaneously, it is time to apply for graduate school. Upon further examination, this, of course, is no coincidence at all. Grades, letters, statements, test scores... When conceptually unwrapped, we see that these are foils for phenomena of a much more ephemeral nature: darkness, time, death, and the ether. Grad school applications compactify the incomprehensibly multi-faceted reality in which we exist into a virtual bubble. In the words of T. S. Eliot, they “squeeze the universe into a ball, to roll it towards some overwhelming question, To say: “I am Lazarus, come from the dead, Come back to tell you all, I shall tell you all” An application to graduate school is an academic procedure in name only. What lies beneath the facade is a spiritual journey — judgment, death, and finally, rebirth. Most of those who have ever had ambitions of going to graduate school have been, consciously or subconsciously, swayed by the influence of looming applications. Even in their early undergraduate years, a student who deeply cares about succeeding in coursework is often the student attending to the duty prescribed to them by grad school applications sitting far into the distance. This duty is as a germaphobe, a fastidious caretaker consumed by the task of keeping their transcript squeaky clean, lest it be stained with low grades or dusty with poor choice of courses in the sterile presence of an admissions committee. What eventually grows into an obsession (for someone who longs for grad school desperately enough) starts for most as a nagging pressure, an ever-present anxiety reminding one to treat their tran-
script as a temple. When all of the learning experiences one has ever had and all of the course material one has ever interacted with are safely packaged away into a sealed envelope stamped with the University’s coat of arms, more pieces of the application come into play. What often accompanies the transcript entrée is a mouthwatering side-dish — a seasonal selection of GRE General scores, GRE Subject scores, GMAT scores, LSAT scores, and sometimes even MCAT scores (ask your server). This is yet another way that grad applications exert their unshakeable habit of compartmentalization: one’s knowledge of an entire subject, and sometimes even one’s entire level of intelligence, must be carefully folded and wrapped up into a test score for timely delivery to an admissions committee. The process of taking these tests is often when the “hero’s journey” of the application process comes into focus: these are tests of confidence, speed, and physical stamina. A seasoned GRE-taker would be correct in telling you that taking a break to urinate during the GRE would be a terrible mistake. One’s physical fitness, ability to sleep without worrying too much, bladder size, and ability to perform on minimal food and water are essential to the exacting task of converting one’s self-worth into a three-digit number over the course of a three-hour block. I wax too cynical, though, as a hero’s journey is never completed alone. There are always travelling companions, people rallying around the protagonist ready to support them whenever times get tough. Graduate school applications heighten the meaning of these supportive bonds between a hero and their companions by turning them into contractual obligations. Often said to be the most important part of an application are letters of recommendation from these companions (professors), which of course, the hero (applicant) has no part in writing. Perhaps, though, there is a part to be played. During one’s undergraduate years, relationships formed with one’s professors can be some of the most enriching relationships one
COURTESY OF SARAH LAUDENBACH
U of T’s Faculty of Law is a physical reminder for many undergraduate students of the path to come. experiences. With graduate school looming in the distance, though, the compactifying nature of applications exerts its influence. While professor-student relationships bloom, both parties know that the legacy of these relationships must eventually be chronicled in a one-page statement by the end of the first semester of the student’s fourth year. And accordingly, these relationships adjust themselves to exist for posterity's sake: thoughts of the eventual letter that will summarize this bond supercede any sustained hope of genuine or extemporaneous acts of connection.
Despite all this, the application process’ tendency to condense years of an individual’s experience into a few page-long components is not an error or fault of the application process. The act of applying to graduate school is the act of requesting to be judged. Though the act of judgment itself certainly has flaws, the compressing nature of applications is a property of this request. Once this request is made, usually in December (once one has been inured to the long, dark evenings of DST), a curious period in the hero’s life begins. The universe has been squeezed into a ball, and the ball is in the process of rolling toward the overwhelming question they await so desperately. As it rolls, so do the few pages inside it, containing all of the applicant’s experiences, intelligence, and relationships. Watching these roll away, Lazarus waits patiently in his grave for what he knows will eventually come.
Gusto 101: average food, average price Sabrina Daniele REVIEWS Gusto 101
look at the menu, the pasta section has very few options to choose from. Most people, like myself, come to Italian restaurants to broaden their taste in pasta. That was disappointing at Gusto 101. However, the pizza selection was grand!
rant. However, I was expecting a different outcome from when I initially stepped in the building. Grab a bite with your friends and enjoy a night under the automotive inspired lights, that will make you feel outside when you are really inside. This atmosphere also makes Gusto a great option for date night!
This left me to choose from the brunch menu. But on the plus side, the brunch menu was great! The omGusto is a short 15 minute ride by subbway or elette was extremely juicy and flavourful —I wish I streetcar from the St. George campus. But if it’s a nice Let’s set this straight: Gusto 101 is diverse in many ways. When I stepped through the doors, I couldn’t had ordered two servings because it was so good. It day out, you can walk there in half an hour! believe what I saw! Gusto’s automotive ambiance is was filled with mushrooms, truffle, spinach, and fonevident in its decor from the eating space all the way tana, and came with tasty side orders of crispy potato the all-gendered washrooms. This make sense, as toes, and purple kale with artichoke vinaigrette. this restaurant once was an auto body shop. Because I was already in the brunch mode, I ordered an ice tea. But there was something different If you want the perfect experience, upstairs is where you have to eat. The ceiling is all clear glass, giving you about this ice tea that got me thinking, “how come a perfect 180 degree view of the city. Gusto is a casual other restaurants don’t do the same?” What was so eatery fit for a student budget. This is because of the different? Get this: the straws were eco-friendly, two layer paper straws. cost factor: not pricy at all. 101 Portland Street, Toronto
This restaurant is not authentic Italian. When you
Don’t get me wrong, Gusto 101 is a good restau-
COURTESY OF GUSTO 101
Gusto 101 has a lovely outdoor patio facing Portland Street.
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NEON NIGHTS PLAYLIST
Sarah Laudenbach
Knee-deep in finals, it can be difficult to remember to have fun once in a while. Neon Nights is a playlist of contemporary, alt-rock, 80s-style songs, for all of your spontaneous dance party needs! If you’re an eighties music fan looking for some modern music, this is the playlist for you. #1 "Fever" Two Door Cinema Club
#5 "Maya the Psychic" Gerard Way
With disco-like elements, this song – true to its name – is highly reminiscent of the songs of Saturday Night Fever. If you’re a fan of songs like the Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive,” you’ll love “Fever.”
Early-2000s emo music listeners will definitely remember My Chemical Romance’s lead singer Gerard Way. Off of his 2014 solo album Hesitant Alien, “Maya the Psychic”'s upbeat tune will have you bopping your head the entire time.
#2 "Uptight Downtown" La Roux
#6 "Pressue" Muse
Known for their synthpop sounds, La Roux’s “Uptight Downtown” was a major part of the British band’s 2013 comeback. If you love imitation 80s music, La Roux’s entire album Trouble in Paradise is definitely worth a listen.
Like everything off of their newest album Simulation Theory, Muses’ “Pressure” has a very distinct 80s feel to it, while also balancing Muse’s iconic rock sound. If you dig “Pressure,” also check out their new song “Blockades.”
#3 "Love Me" The 1975
#7 "Ghost" Mystery Skulls
A bit more synth-heavy than their other songs, “Love Me” sounds like it came straight out of the 80s. With a catchy melody vaguely reminiscent of Styx’s “Mr. Roboto,” this song is certainly a stand-out amongst The 1975's music.
Peaking at #15 on the U.S. charts in 2013, Mystery Skulls’ “Ghost” is an absolute earworm. Fans of songs like Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September” will definitely love this song for its memorable melody and danceable beat!
#4 "Do it all the time" I DON’T KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME
#8 "Tech Noir" Gunship
Having released their first EP 1981 just last month, this two-man band has quickly gained attention in the alt-rock genre. With a steady beat and a catchy bass line, “Do It All The Time” will be stuck in your head for weeks to come.
Self described as “a neon soaked, late night, sonic getaway drive,” every song by Gunship will make you feel as though you’re in an episode of Miami Vice. Ideal for sunset drives, “Tech Noir” is about as chill as synthwave can get.
Dimmi Bar: Italian inspired renovations tion in price of the menu: student-budget worthy. my friends across the table and I couldn’t hear them. Dimmi's is not expensive, but not cheap either. Rath- This is because the tables and bar seats are extremely er, this place is a medium for someone who wants close to one another! class without breaking the bank. On the plus side, Dimmi’s is very accessible. It is Dimmi Bar & Trattoria So let’s talk menu! The list goes on and on, selling a short walk from campus and from Museum or Bay 140 Cumberland Street, Toronto variety over small portions. Too many options always Station. indicates a reflection in the quality of the food. So Dimmi's will offer you the best of both worlds; I I’ll be the first to admit, I wanted to try Dimmi be- what did I order? I had the pleasure of eating pizza cause they just finished their interior renovations, of course! But not just any pizza: try classy, refined, would come and eat here again. and I was very impressed with what I saw. and rustic.
Sabrina Daniele REVIEWS
I found myself surrounded by brick walls and strip floors that complemented both the chandeliers and colour of the bricks’ grout. This decor is very European inspired, and was appropriate for an Italian eatery. Dimmi's is a five minute walk from the St. George Campus. So if you’re starving, this Yorkville trattoria has you covered.
Not only did I order a food platter of assorted deli and cheeses, but I also had slices from both a Margherita Pizza with tomato slices, mozzarella and basil, and the Pizza Bianco, which is white Pizza with prosciutto on top.
However, Dimmi’s is not a quiet atmosphere. If you like noisy, then this place is for you. For me, it Dimmi’s ambiance is semi-causal. This is a reflec- felt louder than it had to be. I was literally talking to
COURTESY OF DINE HERE
Dimmi Bar is just a short walk from campus.
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INNIS CROSSWORD
SUDOKU COURTESY OF PUZZLES.CA
EASY
HARD
DOWN
ACROSS
1. The year Innis was founded 2. The Principal of Innis College 3. Another one of the three programs housed by Innis college 4. Number of floors in Innis residence 7. This famous Canadian horror filmmaker graduated from U of T in 1967 9. Innis's LGBTQ+ pride club 13. True Blue Bracket runner-up 14. Innis College's official colour 15. Innis Residence's new Dean of Students 17. Innis College's librarian
5. The farm once owned by Innis 6. Animal on Innis's crest 8. Con Hall makes an appearance in this 2004 film 10. The Innis alumus interviewed in this edition of the Herald 11. One of the three programs house by Innis college 12. Another one of the three programs housed by Innis college 16. Third floor of Innis Residence Made by Sarah Laudenbach