The Cord September 12, 2018

Page 1

THE CORD THE TIE THAT BINDS WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY SINCE 1926

VOLUME 59 ISSUE 4 • SEPTEMBER 12, 2018

HAWKS HAVE SPIRIT, HOW ‘BOUT YOU?

CONSTRUCTION ON CAMPUS

SUCCESSES OF O-WEEK 2018

SCOTT HELMAN

THE ETHICS OF GOFUNDME

RUGBY SEASON TAKES OFF

Updates on the upgrades at Laurier

Highlights of Shinerama and first-year events

Pop singer welcomes back students

How to entrust crowdfunding platforms

Hawks have strong start to their seasons

News, page 3

News, page 5

Arts & Life, page 10

Opinion, page 14

Sports, page 15 PHOTO BY SAFINA HUSEIN/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF


2 •

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2018

VOCAL CORD What is the best hangover remedy?

@cordnews

The Cord

@thecord.ca

CordNews

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

“Eat lots of fruit.” –Amanda Tripp, firstyear science

“Take another shot in the morning.” –Elizabeth Chee, firstyear kinesiology

MANRAJ RAI/STAFF PHO

First-years got to observe a burning dorm room simulation during O-Week to learn what they can do during a fire related emergency.

“Drink lots of water.” –Chris Riley, third-year BBA

“Eat Cereal, Captain Crunch specifically.”

519.884.0710 x 3146

–Aksorn D’Souza, firstyear math and BBA

wellness@wlu.ca

Compiled by Margaret Russell Photos by Jackie Vang NEXT ISSUE SEPTEMBER 19, 2017

ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Michael Oliveri arts@thecord.ca

CORD STAFF

OPINION EDITOR Emily Waitson opinion@thecord.ca

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Safina Husein editor@thecord.ca

SPORTS EDITOR Pranav Desai sports@thecord.ca

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Sadman Sakib Rahman creative@thecord.ca

GRAPHICS EDITOR Kashyap Patel graphics@thecord.ca

WEB DIRECTOR Garrison Oosterhof online@thecord.ca

PHOTO EDITOR Eva Ou photos@thecord.ca

NEWS EDITOR Hayley McGoldrick news@thecord.ca

ONLINE EDITOR Katherine Weber online@thecord.ca

NEWS EDITOR Aaron Hagey news@thecord.ca

VIDEO EDITOR Sarah Tyler video@thecord.ca

FEATURES EDITOR Madeline McInnis features@thecord.ca

LEAD REPORTER Margaret Russell news@thecord.ca

LEAD SPORTS REPORTER Abdulhamid Ibrahim sports@thecord.ca LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER Jackie Vang photos@thecord.ca SENIOR COPY EDITOR Sara Burgess copyeditor@thecord.ca SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR Jazzmine Gabert editor@thecord.ca CORDCAST PRODUCER Brielle Huang cordcast@thecord.ca

CONTRIBUTORS

EDITOR’S CHOICE

Sam Tundup Joseph FeFilippis Victoria Marshall

Helman brings down the house by Emily Waitson

ADVERTISING INQUIRIES All advertising inquiries can be directed to Care Schummer at care.schummer@wlusp.com or 519-884-0710 ext. 3560.

COLOPHON The Cord is the official student newspaper of the Wilfrid Laurier University community. Started in 1926 as the College Cord, The Cord is an editorially independent newspaper published by Wilfrid Laurier University Student Publications, Waterloo, a corporation without share capital. WLUSP is governed by its board of directors. Opinions expressed within The Cord are those of the author and do not necessarily refl ect those of the editorial board, The Cord, WLUSP, WLU or CanWeb Printing Inc. All content appearing in The Cord bears the copyright expressly of their creator(s) and may not be used without written consent. The Cord is created using Macintosh computers running OS X 10.10 using Adobe Creative Cloud. Canon cameras are used

for principal photography. The Cord has been a proud member of the Ontario Press Council since 2006. Any unsatisfied complaints can be sent to the council at info@ontpress.com. The Cord’s circulation for a normal Wednesday issue is 4,500 copies and enjoys a readership of over 10,000. Cord subscription rates are $20.00 per term for addresses within Canada. The Cord has been a proud member of the Canadian University Press (CUP) since 2004.

PREAMBLE The Cord will keep faith with its readers by presenting news and expressions of opinions comprehensively, accurately and fairly. The Cord believes in a balanced and impartial presentation of all relevant facts in a news report, and of all substantial opinions in a matter of controversy. The staff of The Cord shall uphold all commonly held ethical conventions of journalism. When an error of omission or of commission has occurred, that error shall be acknowledged promptly. When statements are made that are critical of an individual, or an organization, we shall give those affected the opportunity to

reply at the earliest time possible. Ethical journalism requires impartiality, and consequently conflicts of interest and the appearance of conflicts of interest will be avoided by all staff. The only limits of any newspaper are those of the world around it, and so The Cord will attempt to cover its world with a special focus on Wilfrid Laurier University, and the community of Kitchener-Waterloo, and with a special ear to the concerns of the students of Wilfrid Laurier University. Ultimately, The Cord will be bound by neither philosophy nor geography in its mandate. The Cord has an obligation to foster freedom of the press and freedom of speech. This obligation is best fulfilled when debate and dissent are encouraged, both in the internal workings of the paper, and through The Cord’s contact with the student body. The Cord will always attempt to do what is right, with fear of neither repercussions, nor retaliation. The purpose of the student press is to act as an agent of social awareness, and so shall conduct the affairs of our newspaper.

Quote of the week: “Meat is good at any temperature.” - Web Director, Garrison Oosterhof, discussing his dietary preferences.


WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2018

News

• 3 NEWS EDITOR HAYLEY MCGOLDRICK news@thecord.ca

NEWS EDITOR AARON HAGEY news@thecord.ca

CONSTRUCTION

Discussing the updates and upgrades around campus AARON HAGEY NEWS EDITOR

In the past year, the Laurier Waterloo campus has experienced some significant progress in the ongoing construction and improvements to the university, including its overall efficiency, both in terms of energy and accessibility, as well as its aesthetic appeal. The construction has taken place both in and outside of the Frank C. Peters Building, the Turret, Veritas Cafe, 202 Regina Street North and Martin Luther University College, formerly the Waterloo Lutheran Seminary. A new building is also in the process of completion. According to a WLU news release from April 2016, this project is part of a greater “sustainable energy management initiative,” which began April of that year. The goal, in cooperation with the provincial government, has been to “provide an innovative financing

solution to confront the substantial impacts of energy consumption, both in financial and environmental terms,” said Claire Bennett, manager of Laurier’s Sustainability Office. “This issue is more relevant than ever considering recent carbon pricing legislation and the decline of energy security from changing weather patterns, resource availability and associated utility pricing.” Mark Dettweiler, director of planning, design and construction at Laurier, provided some commentary on the changes that have happened since the Winter 2018 term, and have been delayed. There are a number of things with regard to the Laurier Energy Efficiency Project that are ongoing, soon to be completed projects. One of the most immediately noticeable is a new building that can be found on and around the Clara Conrad Hall, the co-ed residence building near the Athletic Complex.

“Outside of the Clara Conrad [Hall] there’s a new building, which is a battery storage unit,” Dettweiler said. “We’ve also added a lot of solar panels to the roof of Clara Conrad, the roof of the Athletic Centre … We’re essentially becoming more self-sustainable when it comes to electrical power, so that way we can control our costs a little more.” Dettweiler explained that these changes are a result of changes to the Ontario system of utilities, where hydro costs have shifted to a time-of-use, on versus off peak hours of electricity consumption. “Essentially hydro is cheap at night, expensive during the day,” Dettweiler said. “So the idea is you charge batteries when the electricity is cheap, draw when it’s expensive, save yourself a pile of money and you are able to shed your peak loads, which is something the provincial utilities are encouraging.”

A portion of the campus construction has been prompted by this idea of increasing energy efficiency and sustainability for the university, moving forward. “We will see solar panels here and there and we’re also doing a lot of the lighting replacements, upgrading the LEDs to reduce energy usage. It’s a multi-year project — same with water fixtures,” Dettweiler said. The Peters building has seen the largest percentage of the construction budget and will be continuing into the new semester — but is hopefully concluding soon. “The Peter’s building had a budget of $13.7 million, that involved a complete gut of all the interiors and all of the building systems — totally new mechanical, electrical systems, air handling,” Dettweiler said. “Really we’re looking at a 40 per cent increase in energy efficiency there, a much better air quality and heat and cooling as well. Plus I think we made the building func-

tion a little bit better.” It used to be like a rabbit’s warren, now it’s a little easier to navigate and know where you are — it’s more open and attractive,” he said. Like all construction, unfortunately, the Peters Building ran into some delays that have pushed completion beyond the estimated goal of April 30, 2018. “We had to put some new equipment and electrical rooms, where the only area we had to do that was to drop it in through the courtyard, and that complicated things a little bit,” Dettweiler said. “I was hoping we would have that done, but we missed it by that much. So we have another couple of weeks of inconvenience on the outside, but we’re getting there.” This construction has coincided with a plethora of reorganization and movement of other departments and spaces. “We’ve moved archaeology, women and gender studies and philosophy, languages and literature to the third floor; all of the student’s services, the centre for students success and CTIRE on the second floor; and the first floor is common areas and [it] will have a new food service outlet there in a month or so,” Dettweiler said. The Turret and Veritas Cafe have also undergone significant renovations, using contributions from the Student Life Levy and Graduate Enhancement Fund to enhance the experiences of undergraduate students at Laurier. According to a letter from the former President of the Students’ Union, Kanwar Brar, the Turret project has been undergoing a rebranding to make it a more inclusive and attractive space for students, to become both user friendly and multi-use. This project, with a cost of $2.2 million, was funded by the Student Life Levy and is expected to be available for use by the end of September. “Our goal is that the complete transformation of the Turret will encourage more comprehensive usage by creating a location functional as both a social venue and an independent or group study space,” said Brar in the statement. “Accessible to students throughout the day, we will be adding approximately 260 study spaces to the current venue, including approximately 75 group study spots.” With the summer closure of Veritas Cafe coming to a hasty conclusion, Ellen Menage, executive director of WLU Graduate Students’ Association, provided some information on the goal behind their renovations as well. The Graduate Enhancement Fund, separate from the Student Life Levy, seeks to support projects that improve the quality of graduate student experiences that couldn’t happen otherwise. The Veritas project in particular has totalled $265,350, and is expected to open Monday, Sept. 17.

The goal of this renovation was twofold: to improve seating capacity, as it will be nearly double the size, as well as improving storage space to focus on local suppliers, fixing an issue that had occurred previously. As well, the GSA office has moved from beside Veritas and into the Peters Building, in room P111. The final stage of this construction rests at the 202 Regina St. building, where a series of internal renovations are taking place. The offices currently residing at 255 King St. N., including the Administration, Planning, Design and Construction and Sustainability Office, are going to be moving into that building once renovations are complete. “It’s been kind of a domino project where Schlegel moved people, Peters, 202 Regina, so basically the last thing is we move out of here and we give up this leased space. All that was put into motion when

we started Lazaridis Hall. [We’re moving] within the next six months for sure,” Dettweiler said. Martin Luther University College has also seen some rather important internal overhauls. “Essentially a new entrance was put on the Albert St. side, [as well as] a completely new mechanical [system] — they had a very old boiler and no air conditioning, now they have much more efficient heating and air conditioning,” Dettweiler said. “The interior is completely redone and [so is] the courtyard — so go over and have a look, the courtyard looks great, it’s a very nice, open, public space there.” As far as future projects are concerned, there is only uncertainty and questions for now. “We certainly have ideas for the music building, we’re hoping those things come forward,” Dettweiler said. “[But] at this point they’re not confirmed as going ahead.”

PHOTOS BY JACKIE VANG/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER


4 • NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2018

POLICE

WRPS shut down Ezra party, crack down this semester MARGARET RUSSELL LEAD REPORTER

As the Waterloo region has seen an increase in the transient student population in late August and early September, the Waterloo Regional Police saw an influx in student arrests, charges and ticketing. Waterloo Regional Police Services, being aware of this causation, launched Project Safe Semester in the last week of August and will continue until Homecoming at the end of September. “We take part in Project Safety Semester every year … It is a program to promote the safety and well-being of university and college students as they return to schools,” said Cherri Greeno, media relations coordinator at Waterloo Regional Police Services. The program involves a door-knocker campaign which officers from the Waterloo Regional Police Services, the Waterloo Fire Department and officials from Wilfrid Laurier University, University of Waterloo and Conestoga College will be in the community interacting with students. “It’s a chance for us to talk to students [and] talk to them about the dangers of alcohol abuse [specifically],” Greeno added. “This year we have an increased police presence in the areas simply to show our commitment to ensuring safety.” During the first week of Project

Safe Semester, in the last week of August, Waterloo Regional Police laid 115 charges on post-secondary students. This represents a 69 per cent increase from the same time frame last year in 2017.

This year we have an increased police presence in the areas simply to show our commitment to ensuring safety. -Cherri Greeno, media relations coordinator for WRPS

The second week of the program — the first week of September — and the same week in which Laurier held its Orientation Week festivities, Waterloo Regional Police laid 219 charges, a 162 per cent increase from the same week last year. The first two weeks of the program saw a total of 335 student charges, most of which were Liquor License Act and Highway Traffic Act related charges. In a related event, Waterloo Regional Police cleared nearly 600 students from Ezra Avenue, in close proximity to Wilfrid Laurier

JACKIE VANG/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER

University, on the night of Monday, Sept. 3. Although no charges were laid, and the crowd was allegedly peaceful, there is much representation in such an event of the rela-

tively small area of Waterloo region that comparatively sees — and will continue to see — large gatherings of students with the intent to party. As the weeks in September and the employment of Project Safe

Semester progresses, so too will the release of numbers pertaining to student charges. “[Waterloo Regional Police] is encouraging safe and respectful behaviour,” Greeno stated.

BUSINESS

New Laurier start-up promises innovation and discretion HAYLEY MCGOLDRICK NEWS EDITOR

One of many interesting opportunities available to Laurier students is the entrepreneurship option, which offers utilities run by the Schlegel Centre like the Launchpad program — a service through the Communitech Hub, The Accelerator Centre and the Community Innovation Hub that allows Laurier students and alumni to use a workspace at no cost, to help accelerate their start-up businesses. Two recent Laurier grads who have taken advantage of their resources are Tanner Walters and Erik Daroczi, with their company Dividere Stainless. Walters and Daroczi met during frosh week at Laurier, but are not typical BBA grads who know the ins and outs of business and just happened to have an idea; in fact, Daroczi graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology in 2017. “Tanner’s first idea was actually an app to track busses, but it kind of failed and now Google tracks buses so that wouldn’t have worked.” Daroczi said. “We used to go out a lot and we would take flasks everywhere we went, but I would carry chase plus my liquor, so the idea was to combine them both into one classy item we could sneak into clubs like Phil’s.” Dividere is still in the starting

CONTRIBUTED IMAGE

phases of their product, and as of Sept. 8 have surpassed their fundraising goal to create the Dividere Dual Chambered Flask. The flask differs from others on the market for a variety of reasons: the dual-chambered flask was made not only to be able to store two products at once, but because

they “enhance the sharability and versatility” according to their website. The fundraising goal was $15,000, but the Kickstarter campaign currently sits at $16,620. What separates Dividere is also their approach to connect with their customers; each of their

members has written several blog posts that tie into the theme of who they are; young adults who enjoy creating and some occasional liquor. Blogs that have been released range from titles like “Top 5 Hidden Bars in Toronto” to “Whiskey Basics,” not only trying to reach their audience from a marketing perspective helping them learn more about spirits, but also the nightlife aspect of what their product is all about. The whole concept of becoming a businessman while a science student came from Erik taking the course SC 200, Entrepreneurship in Science. “Zach Weston was advertising to science classes something called Entrepreneurship in Science. I had business interests but I never had business class, like I was in science, right? I took his offer to join his class, and then after that I went on to Laurier Launchpad with the business idea. We used the flask idea in Launchpad.” Since Erik was still in science and had to write his thesis, the business took a break while he was in his fourth year, but the business still blossomed with the help of Launchpad when they continued again in 2017. “I had all these ideas, and I feel like a lot of other science students are in this position where they have a lot of ideas and ways they think

they can change things, but the point is you don’t figure out how to execute. It’s the opposite in business — they teach you how to run a business and there is a little bit of less creativity there,” said Daroczi.

When you come into Launchpad, they teach you how to validate it, how to make sure there’s a market for it.

-Erik Daroczi, co-founder Dividere Stainless

“When you come into Launchpad, they teach you how to validate it, how to make sure there’s a market for it. By the end of Laurier Launchpad, you should know if your product is marketable or not.” Dividere’s Kickstarter campaign is now in its last 10 days, and now the execution of the product is going to be Tanner and Erik’s main focus. “We have a lot of other plans, but we really have to laser focus on this one thing so we can finish it and actually build it. We have to now, we passed our goal,” Daroczi said.


NEWS • 5

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2018 ORIENTATION

EVA OU/PHOTO EDITOR

Highlights and successes of orientation week MARGARET RUSSELL LEAD REPORTER

Wilfrid Laurier University’s 2018 Orientation Week and Shinerama festivities were a raging success, as Laurier’s Waterloo campus greeted incoming first-years and welcomed back returning upper-years with a fair, carnival and performances by many talented guests.

Not only do I think that [success] is measured by the amount of money we raised, but how the volunteers feel at the end of the week... -Adriana Marich, WLU Shinerama Coordinator

Additionally, the Shinerama campaign raised money and awareness for cystic fibrosis with a barbecue and car wash. O-Week, beginning with opening ceremonies on both first-year move-in days, is traditionally packed with various interactive events that allow for incoming students to feel welcomed by their Laurier community. Among such events are those a part of Shinerama, a long-standing Laurier fundraiser for Cystic Fibrosis research. Shinerama originated at Laurier’s Waterloo campus in 1961. Back then, they were raising money for cystic fibrosis research by shining shoes. Looking back on this year’s event is a true representation of how large the fundraiser has become, with the prospect of continuing success in years to come looking optimistic. Adriana Marich, this year’s Shinerama Coordinator, and third-year Shinerama committee member discussed the extent of their success with pride. “Some of the major things we always do is barbecues and foodtype events,” Marich said. “This year we did walking tacos to mix

it up … we were also selling baked goods, as well as selling things that were kind of necessary at the time. So [for example], at the O-Week concert we were selling bottled water and candy.” “All together we raised $110,272.68,” Marich said. “Not only do I think that [success] is measured by the amount of money we raised, but how the volunteers feel at the end of the week and the experiences they’ve had.” This amount represents what was raised at the Waterloo campus apart from the Brantford campus, which held a Shinerama — that runs separately. Last year comparatively, Shinerama raised over $126,000 with nearly 56 per cent of that total being raised on Shine Day alone. Shinerama’s largest event is always Shine Day, which took place on the final day of O-Week, involved students going into the community to participate in car washes. Shinerama’s Shine Time on Wednesday invited guest speakers to talk about Shinerama, the significance it has at Laurier and how they have been affected individually by Cystic Fibrosis, inspiring students to support the cause.

When [the] speakers came, I felt tremendous success just by students being inspired.

-Adraia Marich, WLU Shinerama Coordinator

“When [the] speakers came, I felt tremendous success just by students being inspired,” Marich added. First-years who participated in O-Week were placed into four teams that followed the theme, ‘where your legend begins.’ The Gold Astros, Blue Chargers, Green Guardians and Red Riddlers all fought for the title of champi-

ons. While all teams were beaming with enthusiasm and spirit, the title was awarded to the Gold Astros during closing ceremonies. A-Team Laurier hosted hip-hop

recording artist Nav who performed for Laurier students on Tuesday night, O-Week carnival took place on Wednesday and Laurier’s headphone disco had a great turn-out at the quad on Thursday.

The Students’ Union introduced Drake night this year, inciting excitement and an OVO-themed atmosphere and fandom as students danced to their favourite sounds from the 6ix.


WORD SEARCH

CHEER NAV SAFETY TORONTO GOFUNDME ORIENTATION SHINERAMA TRUENORTH SOCCER ICEBREAKER RUGBY


GAMES • 7

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2018

Dear Life Dear Life is your opportunity to write a letter to your life, allowing you to vent your anger with life’s little frustrations in a completely public forum. All submissions to Dear Life are anonymous, should be no longer than 100 words and must be addressed to your life. Submissions can be sent to dearlife@thecord. ca no later than Monday at noon each week. Dear Oweek Staff and Volunteers, Thank you for making this week incredible. Your hard work paid off.

Sincerely, Time Management Dear Life, Do I not like trying new things because I’m worried I won’t be good at them, or because I’m worried that other people will think I’m not good at them? Sincerely, Existential crisis #1 this week Dear Oweek team, Your oweek song is stuck in my head and I have been playing it in my car all week. Sincerely, I’m humming it right now

Sincerely, I am impressed

Dear Life,

Dear girl who slayed,

Do people even read these?

How was your day? What else do I say? Really, all you sent was ‘Hey’? Imagine my dismay

Sincerely, Me

Sincerely, Go Away Dear school schedule, I’m not ready, I don’t know how to handle you yet. Nobody in high school prepared my for this. It’s been four years, why am I not used to this?

Dear Life, I use humour as a smokescreen for my relentless insecurities. Thankfull, I had just enough childhood trauma to make me funny enough that no one else has noticed. Sincerely, Mr. Chanandler Bong

SODOKU


8 •

PHOTO SPREAD

THIS IS OWEEK 2018

FEATU


URES

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2018 • 9

PHOTOS BY SAFINA HUSEIN/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, GARRISON OOSTERHOF/WEB DIRECTOR, EVA OU/PHOTO EDITOR AND MANRAJ RAI/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER


10 •

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2018

Arts & Life

ARTS & LIFE EDITOR MICHAEL OLIVERI arts@thecord.ca

CONCERT

Helman brings down the house EMILY WAITSON OPINION EDITOR

On Sept. 10, excited music-goers lined up for a Saturday night concert to welcome back Laurier students to a new year at the Athletic Complex. With the opening act slated to begin at 10 p.m., the performance didn’t start until nearly an hour later — but it was worth the wait. Rich Aucoin — a Nova Scotia born indie rock musician — displayed his comfort with the intimate student crowd right from the start. His set began from his keyboard, where he described his music style as mixing “old movie clips with a dance party” accompanied by a surprisingly emotional montage of inspirational film moments playing on the screen behind him. Text about the university experience transitioned across multiple movie scenes from Hercules to The Wizard of Oz that made this

sentimental fourth-year misty eyed in the process. The tone for his time slot was set when he stepped up to the crowd barricade to lead everyone in a shouted singalong to the Twentieth Century Fox opening theme tune. No one knew what to expect — and that’s what kept it fun.

Helman expressed his comfort with the age group in attendance, saying...he was playing for “a group of friends”

Aucoin’s stage presence was established instantly. He integrated his original song work with lyrics that moved across various film clips for the audience to follow. He also lept into the crowd to jump, dance, sing and fist pump,

maintaining boundless energy every moment while he was performing. Concluding with a parachute that was flung over the audience, the carefree atmosphere was reminiscent of a high-energy kindergarten class at recess. Immersive and unabashedly fun, Aucoin left everyone with confetti in their hair and smiles on their faces. Scott Helman ran onstage with his band shortly after, grinning earto-ear while playing the incredibly catchy “Gaslight.” At only 22, the Toronto-native looked effortless and at ease with his equally talented and easy going band. What was perhaps the most charming aspect about Helman’s performance was his uncanny ability to seem normal and down to earth. He would casually chat to the audience in between songs, flash a cute smile and chuckle to himself when the crowd would scream about their love for him and he continuously looked as though he was genuinely having a great time. Helman expressed his comfort with the age group in attendance, saying that performing in front of university students made him feel

EVA OU/PHOTO EDITOR

like he was playing for “a group of friends.” He transitioned into songs naturally, happily swapping out his guitar for a ukulele when he performed one of my personal favourites from the night, the incredibly endearing, “No Way Jose.” Moving right into what is perhaps his most famous song, “PDA,” the crowd instantly began screaming the lyrics along with him. Smiling and moving along to the music in a way that caused

nearly every girl in the room to lose their minds, Helman delivered a lighthearted performance that left people swooning and singing their hearts out. Helman’s setlist was comprised of 16 songs, filling the space with an hour of joy and easy-to-like music. Cute and comfortable, Helman made his time on stage memorable, leaving a positive impression on the eager audience in attendance.

CLUBS

You’ve been to the Get Involved Fair, what’s next? MADELINE MCINNIS FEATURES EDITOR

Now that you’ve been to the Get Involved Fair and you’ve seen all the clubs you want to get involved with — and probably some that you don’t — your schedule is probably looking pretty full. That’s fantastic for now, but when midterms and final assignments roll around, having activities straight from 8:30 in the morning to 12:00 at night isn’t going to do your grades or your mental health any favours. Coming into university, it was suggested to me to join three activities on top of classes: one for your resume, one to keep you active and one just for fun. That’s not a rulebook, of course, and you can customize it to fit your own lifestyle, but it’s a great starting point to decide which activities are worth your time. This is your time to get the infamous three-years-of-experience for the entry level job. No pressure, but the decisions you make now are just as important as what your major is and your grades. Seriously, don’t panic. Just like university in general, you have to make it fun if you want to get

KASHYAP PATEL/GRAPHICS EDITOR

through it. And joining extracurriculars that relate to your chosen field shouldn’t be a chore. If you join activities that directly relate to where you want to end up in your life, you’ll get a better understanding of if you’re on the right path or if you’re headed in the wrong direction. If you’re really lost as to what that direction is, though, make note of what kinds of questions were asked on the general application for scholarships through LORIS. They don’t just ask those ques-

tions because they want statistics, they’re specifically trying to match candidates with money. If you want a scholarship in the future, try to get heavily involved in the clubs and associations that both interest you and fit what the application is asking for. At the same time, remember to differentiate yourself — volunteer at an organization that means something to you and try something out of your comfort zone. Getting an authentic experience on top of the resume and scholarship boosters is essential to your success in university and in the future.

Executive positions can be really tempting and work better on a resume, but don’t expect to be a president in your first year either. You have to put in the time and work for one of those positions, so consider starting as a first-year-rep, as many clubs have, if you’re looking to be even more involved. The slogan for the Students’ Union Clubs and Associations this year is “there’s a club for that,” and there really is if you look — and it doesn’t have to be a Students’ Union funded club, either. Not to pat ourselves on the back too much, but Wilfrid Laurier University Student Publications, our parent organization here at The Cord, is independent from the Students’ Union, which is pretty special, especially considering our context and political climate at Laurier. It’s also free week at Laurier recreation this week, so if you’re interested in group exercise classes, now’s the time to try them out and get your feel for the ones that you enjoy. There are also plenty of opportunities off campus, from part time jobs to volunteering in other capacities, there’s no need to limit yourself to campus. Take an extra course, sort cans at the Food Bank, help run the events at the museum or try your hand at all three and see what sticks. You just have to know your limits about when enough is enough.

Don’t let others tell you that you’re taking on too much or too little, as you can only find that out yourself by testing your limits, but also remember that these first few weeks will be the easiest of the semester and you can expect to start writing a paper a week or so in November.

Coming into university, it was suggested to me to join three activities on top of your classes: one for your resume, one to keep you active and one just for fun.

The best advice I can give you is to show up to the first event, feel out whether you’ll like it or not, and then decide to stay or to go. Going to an event doesn’t make you a member right away, and you can always pop in again when there is an event you are particularly interested in. Keep your future, your health and your resume in mind as you pick your activities for the year and you’ll be golden right through your four years.


ARTS & LIFE • 11

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2018 LOCAL

EVENT

True North Beer Festival comes to KW

The best gas price for your buck MADELINE MCINNIS/FEATURES EDITOR

AARON HAGEY NEWS EDITOR

As a brand new term of school begins, some you may be feeling particularly light in the pocketbook. Went a bit too hard over the weekend? Moving in cost more than you thought? Or perhaps you’re just a fiscally conscious and responsible adult, as the rest of us ought to be. Whatever your reason may be, getting the most bang for your buck — for anything — is an essential skill if your goal is making sure you can get through the semester relatively unscathed. With the economy being constantly shifting and volatile at best, it never hurts to be a little extra aware of the best deals around.

citing opportunity to try new craft beers, those at True North Beer Festival are also focusing on the promotion of small businesses. “There’s so many awesome businesses that are out there that you just don’t get exposure to. The importance for me is the promotion of those small brewers and the small businesses, and also the connection within the province from community to community,” Lazar said. “The idea of connecting Kitchener to Timmins, or connecting Prince Edward County to Brantford; very rarely do those paths cross but there’s so much talent out there with small businesses in the province.” As seen during True North’s first two events, attendees have been most excited to try “farm-to-glass brews,” which refers to brews that are made by ingredients which are all, or mostly, grown at the farm at which they are brewed. For students, True North is offering a 30 per cent discount for those interested in purchasing tickets. “If you’re new to the city and new to Kitchener-Waterloo, I think it’s a really good way to experience what the city has to offer. I think the venue that it’s at is really unique as well,” Lazar said.

SAFINA HUSEIN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Getting gas when you need it can be a stressful enough endeavour even if you do know your way around. If you’re new to the area or don’t know it that well, it can lead to angry turnarounds, panicked inputs into Google Maps and that nagging thought in the back of your head that screams: “I knew I should have just gone to that last gas station.” And it’s no wonder that getting gas is more stressful than ever. In only one year, the average price of gas in the Kitchener-Waterloo area has gone up by nearly 26 cents a litre — a number that becomes staggering when it adds up over time. Since February of 2016, that number has almost doubled — at nearly 48 cents a litre. The biggest problem of high gas costs is the uncertainty that it adds to drivers, particularly younger drivers, who rely on pumping reasonably priced petrol into their cars so that they can put their minds to more important tasks.

Because of this, we at The Cord have taken the liberty of preparing some information that might ease the pain and tension of finding the best gas prices in the city, so that you can focus on the things that matter more — like panicking about all of the classes you now need to be at. This is thanks to companies like GasBuddy, a massive database spanning across the U.S. and Canada that focuses on providing the most accurate, up-to-date and real-time information on gas station and fuel prices. They even have a handy app which you can download for your phone, which can help keep track of the most cost-effective places to fill up. If you visit their website, they even provide reviews and highlight various amenities that some of the gas stations provide — the top choice on our list, despite requiring a membership, boasts that the “gas is better price than anywhere else”.

True North Beer Festival is coming to Kitchener this upcoming Saturday Sept. 15, 2018 for its third and final stop of the year. “We are a touring craft beer festival and we set out to bring micro brewers that have minimal to no distribution outside of their local area,” said Peter Lazar, creative director of True North Beer Festival. Taking place at Lot 42, the event will start mid-day and go until the late hours of the night. “It’s just a really good excuse to kind of get together and discover some awesome new beer and support local and small businesses, and then also listen to some awesome new bands that most people probably wouldn’t have heard of,” Lazar said. The festival will offer great food and music while featuring craft beer from breweries across Ontario, such as Compass Brewing from Timmins, Outspoken Brewing Co. from Sault St. Marie, and more. “Most of the beers we have coming out never have been to Kitchener or Waterloo, either in a bar or a festival,” Lazar said. However, looking past the ex-

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12 •

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2018

Editorial

OPINION EDITOR EMILY WAITSON opinion@thecord.ca

Editor’s Note:

EDITORIAL CARTOON

Looking into the future accomplish my goals of becoming a journalist. With the job market — in all career fields — so tough for everyone coming out of post-secondary institutions, I spent a lot of last week questioning whether or not completing an English degree was the right choice and whether or not I should begin applying to graduate programs. Amidst my inability to find clear answers to these questions, it can be easy to panic. I know a lot of people who are feeling the same unease. However, I think it’s important

SAFINA HUSEIN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Last week my staff and I spent both first-year move-in days handing out our Orientation Week issue — a yearly tradition at The Cord. My video editor, Sarah Tyler, came up to me and nostalgically said, “This is our last first-day at Laurier.” And with that thought, many of us entering our fourth or final year realized that this would be the last time a lot of us would be participating in the many Cord traditions — such as move in day — that we’ve taken part in for the past several years. I think a lot of my peers who are also entering their final year at Laurier can agree that it’s both an exciting and scary phase. I spent a lot of the past few years dreaming about the moment my undergrad would be done, especially in the midst of managing the stress of midterms and essays and exams each term. As I enter my fourth-year at Laurier, I can’t help but begin to think about what I might do or where I might go once I’m done my degree. The options are endless. And with these endless options comes a feeling of uncertainty. As a result, I can’t help but wish that I started asking myself important questions surrounding my time after Laurier a long time ago. As an English student, I’m beginning to wonder what sort of jobs I might be able to get and whether or not I’ll have to work towards another degree in order to

I think a lot of my peers who are also entering their final year at Laurier can agree that it’s both an exciting and scary phase.

to find a balance between asking these important questions and thinking about our futures after Laurier while still being able to enjoy the last year we have here. Whether it’s applying for jobs, internships, volunteering opportunities, grad school, or taking a year off — there are so many open options for us after Laurier. And although it might seem like an uncertain time, it’s also exciting to know that we’ll all come across new opportunities once we leave university.

WLUSP ADMINISTRATION DIRECTOR Rosalind Horne

CHAIR Terrence Mroz

DIRECTOR H.G. Watson

VICE-CHAIR Shyenne MacDonald

TREASURER Garrison Oosterhof

DIRECTOR Maiya Mistry DIRECTOR Vacant

Finding happiness in university EMILY WAITSON OPINION EDITOR

THE CORD IS PUBLISHED BY WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY STUDENT PUBLICATIONS 205 REGINA ST. N., WATERLOO

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

KASHYAP PATEL/GRAPHICS EDITOR

PRESIDENT Terrence Mroz president@wlusp.com FINANCE MANAGER Randy Moore randy@rcmbrooks. com ADVERTISING MANAGER Care Lucas care.lucas@wlusp. com

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Lakyn Barton lakyn.barton@wlusp. com HR MANAGER Paige Bush hr@wlusp.com CORPORATE SECRETARY Maiya Mistry

Finding consistent happiness when multiple aspects of your life are uncertain can be challenging at times, especially during your time in university. I’ve changed my mind about what it is I want to do with my life after I’m finished school too many times to count and spent more time than I’d like to admit panicking about the unpredictability of my future. No matter how many ducks you have in a row or how organized you are, moving closer towards the world beyond university can be a daunting task. Our time in school is typically spent teetering on a delicate balance between making sure we’re having the best time of our lives and doing all of the “right” things in order to properly succeed. Wasting my time with trivial activities that I don’t really enjoy doing or putting more unnecessary points on my to-do list and calendar that simply don’t give my existence any added value, is something that I’ve been conflicted

with since first-year. We’re expected to have it all figured out and be picture perfect visions of adulthood by the time we move on from school, and that kind of pressure can be one of the most all consuming stressors we have during our four (or more) years here. I’ve slowly began to recognize the difference between the things that truly make me unhappy and aren’t worth my commitment, versus the things that push me outside of my comfort zone just enough so that I’m a better human being because of it. Many aspects about where I am right now terrify me, stress me out and sometimes make me question all of my choices as I’m doing them. But I’ve realized that my happiness doesn’t have to be so fundamentally rooted in knowing all of the answers right now. As someone who has typically done things because I felt like I “had” to, it’s been a challenge realizing that I don’t have to do anything that I don’t actually want to do. It’s almost scarier when you realize that you are in complete control of the choices you make and where they will lead you, because it means that you have to think critically about what it is you’re doing and why you’re doing it. At the end of the day, I do enjoy

being in university for the academics, experiences and the opportunities it’s given me — that’s why I’m here. I’m pursuing the path I want to, while actively thinking about where it’s going to take me in the long run. I just turned 23, a number that makes me feel like a clock is starting to tick down with how much time I have left to accomplish what I want to in order to achieve my ultimate vision of happiness — even if I don’t really have a firm grasp on what that is yet. Regardless of how long it’s taken me to get to this point right now, I’m happy with where I am and what I’m doing. I’m happy to know the people that I do and what I’m working towards. I may be a little older than the average fourth-year, but I’m not going to waste my days with too many internal debates about what I should and shouldn’t be doing. Learning to accept the sometimes unexpected nature of things in life can be the best thing for you. Just look at it this way, in the terribly underrated Pixar prequel Monsters University, Mike Wazowski’s dreams of becoming a scarer are eventually achieved through unforeseen experiences and he ends up happier and more successful because of it. If that’s not a model for success, I don’t know what is.


WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2018

Opinion

• 13 OPINION EDITOR EMILY WAITSON opinion@thecord.ca

When selfishness turns GoFundMe into GoFraudMe If you think about GoFundMe as a source that provides traction and acknowledgement for causes that otherwise wouldn’t get attention, then the answer becomes more clear. I feel that it’s incredibly important, despite the risks and drawbacks.

AARON HAGEY NEWS EDITOR

We are living in a time where providing services for strangers, like driving them from place to place with the help of an app, or crowdfunding for any cause imaginable, is almost too effortless to do. Unfortunately, as with all things, sometimes the evolving conveniences of society come with downsides. GoFundMe, the website that gives people a platform to share their tales of woe, tragedy, opportunity, excitement and promise with the world in exchange for financial support, has recently come under some unfortunate controversy that brings an ethical dilemma to the idea of charitable donations in large quantities. In the past week, outrage has erupted as nearly $400,000 that was crowdfunded for a homeless veteran, John Bobbitt, has not been given to him as previously promised. The money, intended for the man who helped out and later befriended Philadelphia resident Kate McClure, was supposed to be used to help Bobbitt obtain a home and food following his act of good samaritanism. McClure began this crusade of good-will back in November of

The fact that we exist in a time where this kind of accessible charity is possible is remarkable.

didn’t go to its intended recipient, but because of the implications it has against doing what is right. It taints people’s perceptions of charity more than what already exists, giving further fuel to the narrative that refutes “hand-out culture.” The fact that we exist in a time where this kind of accessible charity is possible is remarkable. It reflects the incredible potential of our society to do good for those who really need it. It is a shame that there are —

and always will be — those who take advantage of this system as a means to their own ends. Much like the clearly fraudulent GoFundMe page for Kylie Jenner created by online comedian Josh Ostrovsky — or “The Fat Jewish” as he’s known on social media, when it came out that she was $100 million from becoming a billionaire — sometimes the internet demonstrates that it really shouldn’t be given too much power. But does this mean that these kinds of websites shouldn’t exist?

There’s always going to be a risk when it comes to these kinds of things. Donation fraud, social security scams and the like have always existed, and likely will continue to exist in the future as long as people have the capacity to be deceitful. But the potential that it is has to do good should outweigh the negatives that instances like these create. The opportunity for virality to create bountiful opportunities for people, much like how the lottery operates, is an aspect of our society that I’ve come to admire — despite how rare it may be.

they’ll put into midway tickets, maybe the focus should be on the problems that are bigger than whether or not a family of four has fun for a day. The labour dispute was quoted by the CNE’s chief executive as having a “significant negative im-

pact,” with a projected $1.5 million in losses this year. As well, the increase in gun violence that has been seen in Toronto lately is not something to overlook either. The financial success of the CNE shouldn’t be a priority over the rights of its workers

and the violence that’s happening right next door. The CNE is an event that is a fun and iconic staple in Canadian culture, but it shouldn’t sacrifice the safety and wellbeing of the people who want to work to make it that way.

KASHYAP PATEL/GRAPHICS EDITOR

2017, with an original goal of only $10,000, but it quickly surpassed that at $400,000 in 10 months following an appearance on Good Morning America. Because of this, there has been a criminal investigation following the case in which GoFundMe has been committed to doing their best to ensure that the money that has been “lost” will be rightfully given to Bobbitt. The absence of this staggering amount of charitable money is troubling, not only because it

Troubles for the CNE EMILY WAITSON OPINION EDITOR

The Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) is an annual two week event that has become synonymous with summer in Toronto. It was founded in 1879 and has evolved into a signifier of Canadian culture and experience. As the largest fair in Canada, the CNE has changed overtime to reflect the innovations and diversity of our country, making it a popular yearly tradition for people in the Greater Toronto Area. As an event that is intended to showcase popular points of interest like food, agriculture, art and entertainment, it’s unfortunate that such a beloved experience by so many has faced a great deal of controversy during its run this year. On its opening day at Exhibition Place, visitors were faced with lines of protestors who were rallying against a labour dispute that involved hundreds of CNE employees. Around 400 workers have been without a contract since Decem-

ber 2017 and the dispute between them and the Exhibition Place’s board of governors resulted in the stagehands and technical employees being locked-out in July. There’s something unsettling when the fair continues its run like any other year, with something like a $100 hamburger made with 24-karat gold being sold on the other side of the picket line while workers are fighting for their rights. Toronto Mayor John Tory expressed his assurance that the top priority was that visitors enjoyed the fair as much as possible. Unintentionally sounding a little too similar to the mayor from Jaws, Tory’s response is reminiscent of the fictional politician determined to bring in as many visitors during the summer as possible, regardless of the other factors that may impact it. To add insult to injury, a fatal shooting occurred near the fairgrounds last Sunday, further dampening the already problematic spirit surrounding the CNE this year. These occurrences are unfortunate, but they highlight larger issues that exist as well. Instead of funneling contrived positivity into people’s enjoyment over an Apple Fritter Fried Chicken Sandwich or how much money

CONTRIBUTED IMAGE


14 • OPINION

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2018

From screen to life Breaking fictional tech out of movies physical strength and body movement tenfold.

SAM TUNDUP STAFF WRITER

American author and biochemist Isaac Asimov once said, “Today’s science fiction is tomorrow’s science fact.” When analyzing this quote, I think about how in a world of emerging technologies that so many scientists and engineers constantly achieve breakthroughs, specifically in the case of bringing technological and innovative inventions from fantasy and film to life.

It’s amazing that this life changing suit can augment a human’s physical strength and body movement tenfold.

After a decade of watching sci-fi and superhero movies, almost everything from Iron Man inspired exosuits, to giant robots operated by humans that you have seen in Avatar, have been made into a reality. What I wish to emphasize is how inspiring and life changing it is, that despite being told certain kinds of technologies seen in film will never exist, scientists continue to prove doubters wrong. To me, being able to bring ideas from movies to life emphasizes that there are many amazing people out there who use their intelligent minds to make the world a better place. After feeling inspired from watching Avengers: Infinity War, I remember reminiscing about how Tony Stark realized how he could use his genius-level intellect to save the world from crime when creating his armoured suits. In addition, I have not seen a lot of emerging technologies that have been influenced by films in the real world replicate all the things their fictional counterparts can do. However, it is evident that scientists usually succeed in having them perform some of their main functions and fulfil their purposes. I’ve noticed this specifically in the case of technologies that enhance a human’s physical capability — to be able do dangerous jobs with less injuries or help those who struggle with physical disabilities. For instance, the Hybrid Assistive Limb, technology also known as HAL, is a robotic exoskeleton suit created by the University of Tsukuba and the Japanese robotics company Cyberdyne. It is designed to help people with physical disabilities with walking. It’s amazing that this life changing suit can augment a human’s

The fact that this technology was able to help her and others with physical disabilities regain hope that they could walk again is remarkable.

I remember watching an elderly woman whose left side of her body was paralyzed due to a stroke, was able to walk when wearing the suit, claiming it had improved the condition of her leg. When watching this woman on YouTube, it put a smile on my face. The fact that this technology was able to help her and others with physical disabilities regain hope that they could walk again is remarkable. I’m not entirely sure what the inspiration was when creating this suit, but it has been often compared to Iron Man’s suit due to their similar purposes. This certainly did remind me of how Tony Stark felt when building his armoured suit, knowing that his invention would enhance his physical capabilities and help him in so many ways. Despite not being able to shoot beams and fly, the fact that this technology has been made a reality is what’s most amazing about it. How it will help so many people in their everyday lives is what makes it so fascintating.

Despite not being able to shoot beams and fly, the fact that this technology has been made a reality is what’s most amazing about it.

Overall, this is just one of the many examples of an idea that we have seen in movies and, eventually, brought to life. It’s inspiring to see that scientists ignore doubters and persevere in creating something that will help many people in need. I’m no scientist, but I do know people will continue to make breakthroughs in many fields of technology. I like to believe that movies have played a part in possibly influencing some scientists out in the real world. Fictional creations have the potential to convince them that bringing an idea from a film to life is not as far-fetched as one may have previously thought before.

KASHYAP PATEL/GRAPHICS EDITOR


• 15

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2018

Sports

SPORTS EDITOR PRANAV DESAI sports@thecord.ca

RUGBY

SAFINA HUSEIN/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Golden Hawks begin the 2018 season with a bang JOSEPH DEFILIPPIS STAFF WRITER

For both the men’s and women’s rugby teams, 2018 is shaping up to hopefully be a season for the record books. Coming off of the best season in the modern history of the Laurier men’s rugby program, the team opened their 2018 campaign last week with a convincing 50-0 victory over Trent. The Golden Hawks, who finished 2017 with a 5-3 record, dominated Trent from start to finish to capture a season opening victory for the third consecutive year. “We’ve got a veteran team now, and they understand what we are looking for in our system and how we go about playing the game, and I think that showed [on opening night],” said head coach Ian McLeod about the team’s performance against Trent. Matt Fish, who is part of the group of veterans that McLeod spoke about, had an outstanding performance in the win, leading

the team with five tries. Following the win versus Trent, the team took on Queen’s this past weekend in a showdown against one of the top rugby programs in the province.

The goal is simply to improve. So record wise, we would like to get a few more wins and go further in the playoffs than we did last year. -Ian McLeod, Laurier men’s rugby head coach

The Gaels, who went undefeated during the 2017 season, were too much for Laurier to handle, as they handed the Hawks a 55-22 defeat. On the Women’s side, the team opened their season with a 58-28

win over the University of Toronto, led by Michaela Strong and Hayley Desjardins who each scored two tries for the Hawks. Despite the momentum from a season opening victory, Laurier dropped their home opener and second game of the season to Brock, who scored 45 points in the second half on route to a 69-17 win. Both early season losses suffered by the men’s and women’s teams should not be reason to worry, however, as the sides are still well positioned to be competing for one of the top seeds in the OUA come playoff time. McLeod, the 2017 OUA Men’s Rugby Coach of the Year, spoke about his overall expectations for his team, coming off of a fourth place finish last year. “The goal is simply to improve. So record wise, we would like to get a few more wins and go further in the playoffs than we did last year. Those are pretty simple but certainly very doable as far as I’m concerned and as far as the team is

concerned. [They are] certainly in reach if we play to our capabilities.” When asked about the biggest challenge standing in the way of improving on last season, McLeod mentioned that one issue facing the team is consistency. “I think in spurts we’ve been very good and then in the same breath we haven’t been good. If we can remove the bad and increase the good I think we will be in great shape.” Andrew Quattrin, a fifth year student, is the reigning OUA men’s rugby MVP and is definitely one of the standout Golden Hawks to watch for this season. He is the first male rugby player in school history to win MVP honours from the OUA. The aforementioned Michaela Strong is likely to become the breakout player for the women’s team in 2018, as the third year student is coming off of an OUA First Team All-Star nomination in just her sophomore season. “The skill level is there and the character is there,” McLeod

expressed. “I think for the first time since I’ve been here, we have some depth to play with. So [if we have] an injury, while not great, we can certainly fill a spot where before we didn’t have that luxury.”

The skill level is there and the character is there. I think for the first time since I’ve been here, we have some depth to play with. -Ian McLeod, Laurier men’s rugby head coach

You can catch both teams in action this weekend, as the women battle Trent on Sept. 15 and the men host their season opener against Western on Sept. 16.

TANZEEL SAYANI/FILE PHOTO


16 • SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2018

PLAYER PROFILE

Remarkable Rookies: rising soccer star Erin Braun ABDULHAMID IBRAHIM LEAD SPORTS REPORTER

Famed names built off legacies associated by family trees always make for something interesting to see. Erin Braun, a Kitchener native, is one of Laurier’s new incoming women’s soccer players to see the field and have a positive impact so far this season. The reason her name carries some weight is because of her older sister, none other than Jessa Braun, who starred at Laurier Brantford and was a finalist for the Outstanding Woman of Laurier award just this past year. “My sister has always been my biggest role model. She’s done so much for Laurier and she’s an incredible athlete herself,” Braun said. “She’s left some pretty big shoes to fill but she’s always told me to just focus on what I need to do better and not really focus on other people’s successes but use them more as a motivator. She’s a really big inspiration for me growing up, especially now that we’re both at Laurier.” The decision to come to Laurier wasn’t exactly because of her older sister though. It’s a long time in the making for Erin. “I started playing soccer when I was really, really young. When I was about 12 or so, I watched a lot of Laurier women’s soccer games.

Ever since then, it’s kind of been where I’ve wanted to go. They’ve always had a pretty successful team and I wanted to be a part of that,” Braun said.

My sister has always been my role model. She’s done so much for Laurier and she’s an incredible athlete herself. -Erin Braun, Laurier women’s soccer player

So far, she has started all but one of the games she’s played in, having scored her first career goal in Laurier’s first and only win of the season so far against York. While she didn’t expect this yet, she definitely has had an impact at points in the season. Impact in soccer doesn’t always have to do with putting goals up on the scoreboard and while she’s not lighting it up in terms of goals, her play has helped plenty and the midfielder lacks no confidence in her game either. “I feel like I’m able to make just as much of an impact as any of the other players. I just need to

keep working on my weaknesses, hopefully that could contribute a little bit better. I think that I have just as much potential to make the team better as any of the players do,” she said. While it has been a slow start to the year for the Golden Hawks, she seems to be optimistic about the way they could turn their season around. “I think that the team has a lot of potential. There’s a lot of girls that are in second, third, and fourth year that have just been really good role models. We’ve been working really hard every practice, on trying to work on the things we know we need to get better.” “So I think that we still have a lot of potential for the rest of the season. We still have about a month and a half ‘til playoffs, so I think we can really pull it together before then,” Braun added. With a younger team trying to find their way, the Golden Hawks definitely have young talent to look out for as they go along and improve. The grasp on the idea of focusing on herself is something to show for, considering most people can overthink their path in comparison to a family member’s at the same place. With Laurier playing Windsor next, it should be interesting to see how much this team grows starting with Braun. Not only this year, but upcoming years as well.

EVA OU/PHOTO EDITOR

MEN’S SOCCER Golden Hawks, has tallied six shots this season, making him second on the team behind Glorious Okpali who was seven. Though the game seemed to be in the Golden Hawks’ favour for the first time this season, Waterloo answered with one of their own midway through the first half.

The upcoming weekend looks to be a turning point in Laurier’s season, however, as they play the fifth and sixth ranked teams ... -Name, position

GARRISON OOSTERHOF/FILE PHOTO

A rocky start for the Hawks HAYLEY MCGOLDRICK NEWS EDITOR

The Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks men’s soccer team came out with an unfortunate result in the first Battle of Waterloo game this

season this past Saturday against the Waterloo Warriors, dropping the game 3-1. Laurier now sits 0-2 in the Battle of Waterloo before the big football game with the women’s soccer team also dropping their match by a score of 1-0.

The Golden Hawks started the game on the right foot, as they scored just eight minutes into the match on a goal from Antonio Hecimovic, Laurier’s first goal in five games. Hecimovic, a third striker for the

Laurier stood their ground, even though Waterloo outshot the team nine to four, but rookie goalie Jefferey Omoregie-Sanni managed to keep the game under control. Veteran Golden Hawks defender Tahrik Rodriques attempted to be a brick wall for the back, but players from Waterloo like Sebastian Guerrieri dominated for the opponent. Guerrieri scored the second and third goals of the game for the Warriors, bringing his season total to six goals in six games — more than the Hawks have scored as a whole. The third goal of the game came just five minutes into the second

half, and though Laurier may have felt defeated, they stood their ground and held the Warriors scoreless for the remaining 40 minutes. Waterloo is one of the top ranked teams in the OUA this season, sitting third in the OUA west with a 4-1-1 record, while Laurier is tied for eighth with Algoma, as they both have zero points this season.The upcoming weekend looks to be a turning point in Laurier’s season, however, as they play the fifth and sixth ranked teams in Windsor and Western. The Windsor Lancers have a 3-2-1 record and 11 goals for, while the Western Mustangs gave a 2-1-2 record, with eight goals for. Laurier has had to face nationally ranked York twice this season already, who sit on top of the OUA West, and a Guelph team who is in second. Coming off a 5-game scoreless streak and finally finding the back of the net against Waterloo, Laurier will look to continually improve their gameplay as they head on the road to play Windsor on Sept. 14 and Western on Sept. 16. Laurier also faces eighth place Algoma the following weekend, so the opportunity to pick up 12 points in the next two weeks is the turning point Laurier has been searching for all season. Even with 17 goals against, Omoregie-Sanni is first in the OUA West for saves. He has had 45 shots against him in total, and he aims for a first clean sheet against his opponent.


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